Just a couple notes.
First off, this is an AU inspired by Isshuukan (One-Week) Friends. I'm using the base concept but I've tweaked it for my take. I won't hit the series beat for beat. This first chapter does hit similar beats to the first episode of the anime, but I won't try to hit the same plot points from now on. I just wanted to get the base concept out in the first chapter rather than taking like 3-4 to do that and just generally cut down on that tedium.
This doesn't take place on Remnant; it's some generic US Midwest rural town. Trying to use this concept in RWBY would be a logistical nightmare I don't feel like working out. I just wanted to write something simple but fluffy.
These are my reinterpretations of the characters from the Moonflower Universe. You do NOT need to have read my other RWBY stuff for this AU to make sense since it's standalone. It'll help a bit to have read it, but the character transitions were pretty smooth, so you should still be able to get a sense of why things are so different.
This is going to be an extremely slow-moving fic. This chapter might seem like most of the stuff is extraneous but I swear no scene is without reason. This is based off a slice-of-life anime and will follow that general template, meaning things will be mostly low stakes and slow moving.
I also have no idea if other chapters will be the sheer length of this one. Holy fuck this took me 6+ hours to write by hand and was eighteen pages. I usually write 1.5-1.7k chapters!
Summer stopped as her hand passed over her memories. First day at a new school again and she'd almost forgotten them… Next Monday wouldn't have started well if she'd left the notebinder behind. If kids in this school were anything like elsewhere, at least one would try to talk to her hand…
She sighed and shook her head.
Now wasn't the time to be worrying over this; she had only half an hour to get to school. She really couldn't believe she'd slept in like this… Then again, it was better than having to deal with Sapphire or her husband. She already felt the woman's hard glare on her as she snatched her lunchbox off the counter and darted out the kitchen door.
She sprinted past houses and crop fields, slowing down only when she was certain she'd put at least a mile between her and the house, then glanced around. Damn it. She had completely lost her way in the attempt to create distance. "Fucking fantastic…" Even with the three weeks in Lamberton, she'd barely looked around, too terrified to leave the house even if it meant dealing with Sapphire.
Shit… She really needed to find someone to help her but…
"Hey, are you all right?" The voice made Summer tense and she glanced over her shoulder. She pulled her hood back a bit, seeing a girl about her age with long, black hair and piercing crimson eyes. She took a step back, throat tight. Friendly smile or not, she still looked dangerous.
The girl blinked and fell silent for a few moments, extending a hand. "Hey, you're new here! That's so great; we rarely ever get anyone new in Lamberton! What's your name? What grade are you in? I'm Raven Branwen; it's nice to meet you!" Summer took another half step back, shaking her head. No, she couldn't talk to this girl. She seemed so pleasant and open (if a little too forward). She knew she'd just forget her when Monday came…
"Could you help me to school?" Her voice didn't even reach a whisper as she pulled her hood down over her head entirely. She was lost, but this girl was her only hope to get to school. Sapphire had apparently shown her how to get there on the first day in town, but she hadn't thought to write it down for some reason that escaped her…
Raven let her hand drop and nodded, that friendly smile never leaving her face. "Yeah, it's no big deal. Can you give me your name?" Summer just shook her head as she pulled her memories out of her messenger bag, flipping open to a new page. She couldn't forget to write it down this time because she didn't want to repeat this on Monday.
Raven just stared for a moment, shrugged, and led the way, explaining each turn onto every street. Of course she'd know this place inside out; she was native. Summer would likely never learn this place as well as the streets of Kearney Park. It was much smaller than the city, sure, but the endless, same-y houses blended together too much. She just sighed mentally, wishing she could return, but she knew she never would.
"Here we are. Do you need a tour around the sch—" Summer shoved her memories back into her bag and headed inside, leaving Raven behind. No, she couldn't talk to her too much. She was already so afraid and knew risking any further interaction would just extend the gaps in her memory further.
She glanced at her watch and let out a breath. Fifteen minutes until English class started. That left her enough time to ask the librarian a quick question and still get to class on time. She made a straight beeline for the room in question and smiled a bit as the scent of books books hit her. It felt like coming home after having spent three weeks locked in her damn room. Libraries were a refuggate from everything, from the weather to interacting with people too much. A perfect place for her to hide.
She pulled her hood down and took in a breath before speaking to the librarian. "Excuse me for interrupting your work, but I was wondering if it's okay to each lunch in here." The cafeteria just offered too many chances for her to interact with people and have gaps form in her memory. She just couldn't risk history repeating itself.
The librarian looked up, offering a soft smile and nod. "We allow the first twenty students for any lunch period unless it's exams. Then we allow anybody in as long as there's space. Usually, there are only four or five regulars here, though." Four or five outcasts in town, huh? Well, she'd fit in but she wouldn't talk to any of them. Plus, with the high shelves, it meant there were plenty of nooks for her to hide in. It was an old library, unchanged from decades ago. That was fine with her since it minimised the chances of interaction.
"What's the least frequented corner in general?" From what Persia had said, Lamberton didn't change. It was as predictable as clockwork. If tha was true, then there should be one shadowy corner nobody used.
The librarian pointed to a corner, a soft smile still on her face. "Generally, the reference and poetry sections are your best bet. I hope your classes go well." Summer gave a faint nod before she flipped her hood up and tugged the schedule out of her hoodie pocket, following it to the assigned room. Her throat stuck and she sighed before pushing the door open.
Instantly, the room fell silent and all eyes turned to her. She had known she'd be labelled as an outsider, but she hadn't expected this much of a reaction. It was unnerving just how quickly and decisively they'd acted, but it just reinforced she'd never be accepted. Honestly, it was all for the better since it'd keep them at a distance and save them from the burden of her memory reset. It wasn't something anybody should have to deal with, and she didn't want anybody having their heart broken or lives upset by the unpredictability of the situation.
She settled at a desk in the corner nobody seemed to sit at and pulled her memories down, writing down the encounter with Raven. She heard the girl's voice just a few seats away as she talked about her vacation to New York, a few other girls gathered around. A boy that looked similar to her sat between her and Raven, looking bored out of his mind. Family at least, no doubt. The black hair and red eyes were too distinct especially in this small town for it not to hint at a connection. She did catch Raven glance at her a few times, but her friends asking questions kept her attention.
The teacher walked in and Summer tensed as the bell rang, getting everyone settled into their seats. She gave Summer a small nod to say the seat was okay before waving her to the front of the room. "Miss Rose, why don't you come introduce yourself?" She just shook her head and could feel her hard stare along with all other eyes on her. Oh dear god, this is exactly what she'd been afraid of.
Tension hung in the air for several moments before the teacher sighed and started role call. She just raised her and as the names passed in one ear and out the other. There was no point in commiting anything to memory because they'd all just become strangers again on Monday. She hated it so much, but there was no helping it. However, what the teacher said next made her look up.
"Qrow, Raven, Miss Rose, since none of you were here on Monday when I announced it, there will be a final project that consists of a quarter of your grade. I'll give you the handouts for the specifics, but you must give a fifteen to twenty minute presentation on an author, critically analysing an author and their writing style of your and your partner's choice." Summer's blood ran cold at the comment and the pencil scratched over her memories. A partner project? Certainly Principal Ozpin wouldn't let this happen. He knew about her memory loss and the problems it'd cause for her and everyone around her. He wouldn't let it happen…right?
"—so Miss Rose will be with you, Qrow." She only caught the tail end of the comment, but the boy next to her shot straight up, hands on his desk.
" What ." Summer lowered her head, continuing to scratch into her memories. Qrow Branwen, at least 6'0", very lanky, slicked black hair, red eyes, faded, dusty red jacket… Granted, she wasn't surprised by his was an outsider, other, unknown. She wasn't normal for Lamberton and nobody would want to work with her…
The teacher just gave him a hard look and he sat down. "You'll be going away to college in two years, Qrow. You'll need to learn to rely on others sooner rather than later especially since you'll be living in the dorms." He just folded his arms and let out a snort. Apparently he was about as standoffish as she was. Well, at least he wouldn't have to worry about the project for long; she knew enough about Thomas Moore to be able to fill a book…
The lunch bell mercifully rang and Summer headed to the library, weaving through the tall bookcases and settling down at a table in the reference section. The library had been right; there really was nobody here. It was fine with her, though, and she pulled her hood down. She cracked her memories open, right hand balancing the sandwich as her left quickly scribbled across the page, frantically trying to remember everything she could about the day so she'd have it recorded.
However, the sound of footsteps made her head snap up, her silver eyes wide when she saw Qrow standing there. She shook a bit and jumped up, starting to gather her things, but he shook his head. "Uh, Summer, right? You're fine here. I mean, yeah, I always sit here, but you don't have to leave. Plus it'll let us talk about the project." He moved to sit on the far side of the table next to her, but she flitted to the other side, holding her memories close to her chest. She really wasn't fine, sitting here with him. She'd forget this entire thing on Monday and nothing but a burden to him. It was the last thing she wanted with such an important project, but it wasn't like she could choose remember things…
He was silent for a few moments as he pulled out his lunch, a small smile on his lips as he took a bit. Home made, possibly by a parent… It looked like pasta in some sort of alfredo sauce with chicken, a few sides of vegetables, and a small dessert of chocolate chip cookies. If it weren't for all of this, she'd have been more than willing to make some with her personal recipe but…
He held a hand out to her and she jumped a little. "I know you heard it in class, but name's Qrow Branwen. My mother, Dove, is the mayor." She stared at his hand, throat tight. Oh god she'd just lose her memories even harder if she accepted the shake. Thankfully, he just shrugged a moment later and dropped it. "So any ideas on who to do for the project?"
She gave a small nod, tugging her hood back up as she dug in her bag, pulling out a battered poetry anthology and flipping to The Last Rose of Summer . Qrow studied it for a moment before nodding and she slipped it back into her bag. "So Thomas Moore, huh? Know a lot about him?"
She didn't respond, turning her attention back to her memories. She couldn't forget this with how important it was. She'd still need to talk with Principal Ozpin after school, but she could at least focus in the moment. All she did was keep writing, trying not to let anything slip away.
"Hey, if you're not doing anything after school, you could come over to my place and we could work together on it." Summer just gave a frantic shake of her head. No, she couldn't do that! Sure, it'd keep her away from Sapphire longer, but she didn't want to burden Qrow unnecessarily. She'd get everything together over the weekend then give it to him on Monday. She'd reread her memories as always, so she'd at least know that much, and he'd be none the wiser to her burden. She felt tears prick at the edges of her eyes, but she forced them back. At least they'd knock it out by the end of the first week down to a script so he wouldn't have to deal with the upset and frustration.
"So what made you like him?"
Summer just remained silent.
"…Do you like poetry as a whole or just his stuff?"
Pencil scratching on paper.
"The book was Irish poetry, right? Do you only read his poems or…?"
After several more moments of silence, he grunted and pulled his math book out. All she did was bow her head and close her eyes, offering a silent apology. It was just better this way…
Summer froze when she entered seminar, the last class of the day. Qrow and Raven pushed their desks together, Qrow looking bored while Raven ripped her hair with her left hand, knuckles white. She tried to slip in unnoticed, but Raven raised a hand and smiled. "Summer, come on and work with us! It'll be fun!" Oh god no, she couldn't She gave a frantic head shake, but Raven popped up and dragged her over, forcing her to sit down at a desk. All Summer could do was shake as she sat there, frozen to the spot.
The action got a glare from Qrow and he pushed Raven away, making her blink. "Raven, your behavior might be acceptable with the people you know, but it's not with people from outside Lamberton. I'm fine on the math, so why don't you and your little friends go play with your pretty ponies?" He exhaled sharply, making Summer flinch a bit and Raven crossed her arms.
"Qrow, you're terrible at math and we both know you need my help. If you think I'm leaving—"
"Summer and I need to talk about who we're covering for the English project. Now shoo ." He waved his hand as if batting an insect away. Raven pushed herself to her feet and stalked away, leaving Summer shaking visibly. She hated interpersonal conflict. It reminded her too much of her time on the streets. People always fought and all she could do was run…
She gripped the sides of her head, tears rolling down her cheeks. Why did people have to fight, especially family? She understood why Sapphire was so belligerent toward her, but it didn't make it any easier to—
A hand on her shoulder made her jump and she saw Qrow offer her a faint smile. "Summer, it's okay. Raven and me squabble like hen's because it's how we are. WE're twins; if we're not fighting is when you should be worrying." He chuckled a little and she nodded, sniffling. He dug in his bag and pulled out a couple of tissues, offering them to her. She hesitated for a moment before pulling her hood down, wiping the tears away and blowing her nose.
…He really was kind, wasn't he? It was all the more reason she wanted to spare him from the burden of her amnesia.
"Come on, shortstack; cheer up. No reason to be so glum." He grinned and she just stared.
"…Height jokes? Really ?" She couldn't stop the dry comment and his widening grin made her realise too late she'd played right into his hands. Damn it, he was a clever bastard and she hadn't even realised it.
He propped his chin up against his hand, still grinning as he looked at her. "Can't say I expected the kitten to have claws, but I guess she does." She felt heat rise in her cheeks, her blood boiling. He was beyond infuriating! HOwever, his grin faded to a soft smile as he held his free hand up in a show of peace. "Sorry, Summer; I just needed to cheer you up. Anyway, now that I've gotten you to talk, can we please get on this project? I don't normally mean to be so pushy but…" He scratched the back of his neck, a slight tinge of color to his tanned cheeks.
Summer flipped her hood back up, looking down and away. "Look, I don't want to be in your hair more than necessary. If I start tonight, I can have everything together down to the Powerpoint and even a script by Monday morning. I can just give you a—"
A sharp look shut her up and she felt the color drain from her cheeks. It was the most effective way to get her to be quiet. "Look, I can be a little lazy with schoolwork sometimes, but I'm not the type to bum it all off on my partner. Hell that's the main reason I hate group work in the first place…" He sighed and scratched the back of his neck again. Summer just squeezed her hands together, heart feeling like it'd beat out of her chest. Monday was going to be awful for him, she already knew it. She could already imagine the confusion and rage on his face when she—
"Bring whatever materials you have and we'll work on it during seminar tomorrow, okay? I'm gonna help you with it." Summer just shook more but she gave a resigned nod. THere was no way she was going to try to argue anymore. SHe didn't want to get involved with him and have him confused, upset, and hurt when Monday rolled around, but it was better than starting an argument. Hopefully Principal Ozpin would give her a pass to work alone so she could spare Qrow from that awful fate.
"So, Summer, how did you get interest in poetry…or at least Thomas Moore's stuff?" The sudden shift made her look up, silver eyes settling on Qrow. He wore a gentle smile and his tone was just as soft. He really was a sweetheart, wasn't he? he was trying to put her at ease even though it was having the opposite effect. And it seemed like he wasn't going to take her silence now that she'd spoken.
She just gave a resigned sigh and fished out the poetry book from her bag, putting on the desk in front of her. "Nana—who you probably know as Persia Kersey—is a huge poetry enthusiast and I love music too, so it just kinda evolved naturally…" She tapped the bluetooth headphones hanging around her neck to illustrate the point. Slick, white plastic emblazoned with a personal emblem of a flaming white rose made up the body. They'd been a pretty penny, but Persia hadn't cared.
Qrow nodded and continued to smile. "So why Irish? You got Irish heritage or something?" She flinched, glad the overlarge hood hid her reaction. He seemed like the type that would feel bad if he knew he'd hit a sore spot. Plus, it wasn't like he knew she'd spent much of her life on the streets.
"It's just interesting to me. I'm not fond of nature, but I just find Irish mythology and music fun." Despite herself, she managed a small smile and pulled her phone out, shifting so he could see the screen. Celtic Woman, Mary Black, Moya Brennan, and other Irish artists made up the majority of her library, not an American one to be seen. She just really loved the modern and traditional music the country put out. It had an almost…magical quality.
"You're interesting, Summer." The unexpected comment made her blink and flush, though the bouncing hood gave her reaction away. He just chuckled. "Anyway, I'll let you get to whatever studying and homework you need to do."
"…If you're struggling with math, I can probably help. I'm pretty good at academics even if I hate studying." SHe'd been at the top of her class since she'd entered formal schooling and gotten caught up on everything she'd missed during her years on the streets. Remedial classes had been awful, but she was now well above and beyond where Lamber was, it seemed. She'd been bored out of her skull during the lectures…
Qrow blinked and looked away before sighing and nodding. "All right…"
The final bell rang and Summer pulled her bag over her shoulder after returning her materials. "Thanks for the help, Summer. You're a much better tutor than Raven." Qrow chuckled and Summer gripped her bag's strap, pulling her hood down over her face. Qrow blinked and took a step forward, but she said nothing as she headed toward the principal's office.
Honestly… Being able to be a (somewhat) normal teenager for once had been fun. Studying with somebody with grades being the only worry, actually getting to talk about something she enjoyed with another person… It was all she'd wanted the past few years, but she knew it was too good to last. Once Monday rolled around, she just knew Qrow would change his mind about wanting to put her at ease. He'd push all the work onto her which was fine. It'd make life easier on both of them to never speak again after Monday…
She sighed and pushed the office door open, the secretary looking up. "Can I do something for you, Miss Rose?" Her grip tightened and she nodded. She hated letting Qrow down but…
"Is Principal Ozpin busy right now? I need to talk to him about something." God she felt so awful about making him have to do a whole project on his own, but she just couldn't risk him being hurt. He was a sweetheart and deserved better.
"He has a meeting in about half an hour, but as long as it won't take that long, you can go on in." SUmmer nodded and headed toward Ozpin's office. Her hand shook as it hovered over the knob, but a quick intake of breath steeld her nerves. She'd escaped mobsters who had tried to capture her before this. Ozpin was a kind man and not somebody to fear.
She opened the door and the man looked up, sipping a cup of coffee. Was he ever without it? Even the first time she'd met him, he'd been drinking it… The man offered her a smile and waved her in. She settled in the seat across from him and looked at her hands. "What seems to be bothering you, Miss Rose? It's quite rare for students to come to me of their own volition." She flinched a little under the observation and squeezed her hands together.
"I-I'm sorry for bothering you today, sir, but the end of the year English project—" She saw him nod on the periphery of her vision, though her hood almost entirely obscured him.
"Unfortunately, I cannot allow you to do it on your own." Her head snapped up, blood turning to ice as her silver eyes widened. He held ha hand up and she stayed silent, shifting in her seat. "I can already answer your unspoken why. You need to have more faith in yourself and your peers, Miss Rose. I'm assuming you were paired with either Miss or Mister Branwen?" Well at least he was being painfully formal with everybody's names and not just hers… But she gave a small nod, interlacing her fingers.
"Miss Simmons put me with Qrow. He's sweet and kind but he doesn't deserve to deal with this…" She just closed her eyes and sighed. Why was Ozpin insisting? Yes, he'd already explained, but she didn't understand. She already knew what the outcome of trusting others was since it'd happened before. At least according to her extensive journal entries, that was. It was hard to know for certain when she forget at the beginning of each week.
She saw a faint smile on Ozpin's face and he nodded, pushing his glasses up. "I believe if anybody in this town is equipped to deal with your unique situation, Miss Rose, it's the Branwen twins. Have some faith in them and you might end up surprised with what might result." Despite the cryptic words, his tone was soft and gentle. She bowed her head again and nodded. There really was no getting out of this. He seemed to know something she wasn't aware of, but she had no reason to distrust him. He hadn't done anything as of yet to make her doubt him.
All she did was sigh and stand up. "Thank you for your time, sir." She offered a small, polite bow before leaving the office and heading for Sapphire's house. She might as well get started on the project…