Prologue
Continent of Sanus
The Branwen Tribe traveled in a large group for a multitude of reasons, but the primary one was simple; safety in numbers. While their current leader Raven was no push-over, she was well aware of the fact that the creatures of Grimm were endless in supply, and will overwhelm them in minutes should they attempt to stand their ground. Raven usually led the group, not only to show her human and Faunus adversaries that she was a force to be reckoned with, but also because the thrill fighting gave her. It was one of the few joys she had left.
"Hey, where are we going?" asked a young woman in her twenties. She walked up to Raven, keeping pace next to her.
"To Anima," replied the leader. "Specifically Shion… whatever's left of it."
"How long will that take?" the woman pouted. She crossed her arms as if in defiance.
"Be patient," Raven chided. "We haven't even reached the shore of Sanus. It could be another few months."
"I'm bored though…"
"Why don't you talk to some of the tribe members around your age?"
"I would if they weren't so scared of me," scoffed the woman. She let her hood fall, revealing black hair with red tips. The young woman had an innocent appearance and a round face which was only marred by an eyepatch over her left eye. She wore an annoyed expression. "Everybody thinks that if they get on my bad side, you'll banish them from the tribe. It's really hard making any meaningful friendships with you as chief."
"Lucine, you have family. This tribe is your home, and so long as it exists, you don't need something as frivolous as friends. Friends betray you, family, as in real family, you can depend on for anything."
"Mom, you're always mentioning how friends betray us, but how can you be so sure if you don't have any either?" Lucine asked. Raven scoffed a bit at the memory. Lucine simply raised an eyebrow. "Still not talking about it?"
"It's not important," Raven insisted. She wore a scowl, but let it fade after a brief moment.
"If you insist mom," Lucine replied, rolling her lone silver eye with a grin.
"Don't sass me."
"I'm not!" Raven narrowed her eyes at the girl, who returned the favor. It didn't take very long before Lucine cracked a full smile, and Raven's expression relaxed.
"You've made me soft," Raven accused.
"Nah, you've always been like this, you've just finally begun to accept it." Raven grinned at her daughter for a moment. "See? You love me!"
"You love me more," Raven scoffed. "How's your training going? I imagine all this migrating has slowed down your progress."
"It's been alright, I just haven't gotten down using my abilities on command. I still have to think of tragic stuff, and that just attracts more Grimm…"
"You'll get it down, I know you will." Raven put a gentle hand on her shoulder briefly. "When I'm gone, you'll be the one who leads this tribe."
"Ha ha, no pressure," Lucine winced. "Why can't I just use my Semblance like everybody else?"
"You're not like everybody else," Raven sighed. "You have much more potential than any one of us, and whether you like it or not, that means you'll have to shoulder more burdens than everybody else. I've lead this tribe for years, longer than you've been alive, and I'm not blind to see that I'm starting to slow down."
"You're not old," Lucine began to protest.
"I didn't say I was," Raven scoffed. "It's more than that. You know better than most that bandits don't have particularly long life-spans, and much less when we keep running into Huntsmen. By civilian standards, I'm still barely halfway done, but our life style…"
"Why don't we just change it then?" Lucine asked.
"We've talked about this…"
"I know, but I still don't understand how you can just accept dying so easily! You've fought every day to see another, and now you've gone and become a nihilist! You've taught me to never give in, but here you are-"
"Do you see me throwing in the towel?" asked Raven sharply. Lucine flinched a bit, and shrank under Raven's glare. "I'm not telling you this so you feel sorry for me, or to attempt to change our way of life. I'm telling you this because you're the only one who can keep them going. Whether I live for another decade, or only a week is irrelevant. I want you… I need you to be ready to take this responsibility. This isn't something you can try to learn on the fly…"
"I'm sorry," Lucine said in a small voice. "I… I just can't stand the thought of losing you."
"I'm not going anywhere, Lucine. I'll be here for you." Lucine smiled at that, and fell back with the other tribesmen. Raven let out a guilty sigh as soon as she was out of earshot.
Two Weeks Later
Lucine looked on in horror as bodies of her tribesmen were scattered along the battlefield. She tried her best to hold pressure on the wound on her side, and was beginning to feel cold. No longer able to wield her cumbersome weapon efficiently, she picked up a short sword from a fallen comrade. Slowly, but determined, Lucine began her search for Raven.
"Mom… where are you?" she whispered to herself. Despite her instincts telling her to flee the creatures of darkness, she limped closer to the center of the battle. The bulk of them seemed to be attracted by the ongoing fight. "Please… be ok…"
After what felt hours to Lucine, she finally saw the leader of the tribe cutting down Grimm after Grimm. She was breathing heavily and had blood trailing down the side of her face. Feeling an intense instinct to protect her, Lucine felt the power flow into her lone eye. She stood as straight as she could as she became a beacon to the Grimm. The snarling and growls stopped, and Raven looked over. A wave of panic washed over the red-eyed leader as she saw the brilliant white light beginning to blind her.
"Lucine, NO!" she shouted. "You'll kill yourself!" The girl didn't listen, and continued to gather more and more power until she felt as if she was going to explode. Raven ran towards the young woman, creating a portal behind her.
"This ends NOW!" Lucine shouted, as a massive wave decimated the Grimm within a massive radius. Immediately after, Lucine collapse, and Raven tackled her through the portal. They reemerged just outside the battlefield, where a small number of the Branwen tribe were tending to the injured.
"Raven?" asked one. "What's going on out there? We saw a giant beam of light before everything exploded!"
"It doesn't matter," Raven hissed, holding the unconscious girl in her arms. "Make sure she's ok, then we're retreating."
"Y-yes ma'am!" the medic agreed quickly. Raven used her sword to keep herself up, feeling the adrenaline fading, and the fatigue setting in. Another member of the tribe ran out to announce the order.
"Damn it, Lucine…" Raven scowled, looking over her. "What you did was damn reckless! What the hell were you thinking?!"
The girl was unresponsive, which further irritated Raven. She clenched the thin sheets on the bed, her knuckles turning white. The tribe leader was trembling in a mixture of rage and concern until she felt a hand on hers.
"I didn't want to lose you," Lucine muttered, barely conscious. "I'm sorry…"
"That doesn't make what you did acceptable!" she bit. "If anything went wrong you could have died!"
"I didn't," Lucine countered, with a pained grin. She coughed a little, before saying in a singsong voice. "You love me!"
"Shut up," Raven replied sternly. "Don't you dare do that again, do I make myself clear?"
"You didn't say I loved you more," Lucine smiled, despite the pain. "I win!"
"Damn it Lucine…" Raven scoffed, before sighing in relief. Her frown disappeared, and her features suddenly seemed much older than she was.
"Mom?" Lucine began. Raven hummed in response. "Is… is everything going to be ok after today?"
"I don't know," Raven admitted. "We've lost more than half our forces, and the Grimm don't seem to be slowing down anytime soon. We should count ourselves lucky if any of us survive after this battle."
"Where did they all come from? I've never seen Grimm act like this!" Lucine tried to sit up, but the wound on her side screamed in pain.
"Sit still," Raven chided. "You'll be no good to anybody if you bleed out."
"What are we going to do?"
"We have to pick our battles," began Raven. "It would be wisest for us to,"
"No!" Lucine interrupted. "I'm tired of running! If we don't face our problems, they'll always be there chasing after us."
"In any other circumstance, I'd agree, but you know better. Grimm will never cease to exist, and no matter how many we kill, three more will take their place."
"Grr, this is so frustrating!" Lucine groaned. She reached up to her scarred eye and sighed annoyed. "If I had both my eyes, I'd be able to do something."
"But you don't," Raven said sternly. "Therefore, there is nothing to gain in wishing you did."
"I'm sorry," Lucine said ashamed. "I… I just don't think I could ever lead like you. This tribe stuff, even if I was born into it, it seems so foreign to me. I never feel like I belong."
"…" Raven looked away, although Lucine didn't notice.
"Mom… what can we do?"
The two were well aware that the Grimm would close in on the small tents littered around attempting to heal the fallen. There were simply too many of them, and Raven knew this was a losing battle.
"Do you remember those traitorous friends I never talk about?" asked Raven, looking over to Lucine.
"Of course," Lucine said with an eye roll. "Every time I mention it you change the sub- wait, you mentioned it!"
"We're going to pay them a visit," Raven said evenly. "We aren't going to win this fight, we need to regroup. They're our only hope of getting far enough to survive."
"Can your Semblance handle that many people?" asked Lucine. "I know there aren't that many of us left, but you've been fighting them with us."
"I have enough Aura left," Raven smirked. As if to prove a point, she created another portal, though it flickered for a moment. "Hurry, and get through. I'll make another when I've gathered our family."
"I'm not leaving without you!" Lucine defied. "I'll help you, I can still do something."
"You're injured, and since it isn't getting any better, it can only mean you've run out of Aura. You're going, and that's final."
"But Mom!"
"That's an order!" Raven snapped. Lucine felt her eye water in anger and frustration, but reluctantly obeyed. She hobbled towards the dark portal and walked through. As soon as she was gone, Raven dropped the portal, letting out a breath of exhaustion. She would have to recover before attempting to make another.
"Ma'am!" a tribesmen shouted.
"What is it?" Raven demanded.
"We're surrounded…" he informed in a horrified whisper. "She's here."
Lucine found herself in a bustling city, standing in the middle of the street. She was completely thrown off, and slowly made her way to the sidewalk, not wanting to get run over. She only took a few steps before she collapsed. Groaning in pain, Lucine's vision began to fade.
"I… lost too much blood," she mumbled to herself. The last thing she remembered was hearing footsteps approaching her.
"Do you know how hard it's been for me to try to find you?" asked a woman in a dull tone. Raven's red eyes glared at the pale woman in front of her. "However, I must say, you've kind of disappointed me. For being the leader of such a 'notorious' tribe, you've fallen without much of fight."
"Fuck you," Raven spat. The woman seemed to glide over to her. The Seer Grimm yanked Raven to meet the woman's gaze.
"Is that anyway to talk to an old friend?" asked the woman. Raven remained silent. "You mean you don't know? Oh, dear, I thought you were aware by now."
"What are you talking about?" asked Raven.
"Of course," the woman continued, though she was now mumbling to herself. Her bored and stoic mannerism disappeared, and in front of her was a strangely eccentric woman talking to herself. Raven only caught a few bits and pieces until she turned around. "I guess after the incident, everybody thought death was a better fate then what I went through…"
The Grimm-like woman turned her head back to Raven, and tilted it in curiosity. She took a few steps closer and began to look into Raven's eyes.
"Tell me, Raven," she began, deathly serious. "How's Ruby?"
"W-what?" Raven asked in shock. The Grimm woman simply smirked.
"So it is true," she smiled, almost affectionately. "Wow, Rae, all these years, I thought it would be Qrow who took her in if Tai ever needed a break, but you? Wow, I'm honestly surprised."
"There's no way…" Raven whispered, her eyes wide in horror. She casually mentioned her former team, as well as Summer Rose's only daughter.
"Oh, don't be so melodramatic," scoffed the woman. "Did you honestly think I died all those years ago? Oh, no, Salem didn't stand a chance, especially with Ozpin at my side."
"Ozpin?" Raven asked. She hadn't heard that name in years, especially since Qrow never found his reincarnation. The entire situation was starting to worry her greatly.
"Oh, right, I'm sorry, it's just you were always the smart one, I just assume you know everything." She let out an innocent giggle. "Oh, it's too bad I need to kill you."
Raven tried to pull herself free, but the Seer's grip was too strong.
"Don't be like that," Summer sighed. "If you struggle, you'll only die tired. As a favor to an old teammate, I'll kill you quickly."
"What's happened to you?" Raven asked in disbelief. Summer just smiled at the Branwen leader.
"It's a long story," she sighed, "but the short of it is… well, I've taken the mantle of the Empress of Grimm. The title is a bit much, but that's what Salem kept shouting as she died, so I decided keep it." Summer turned her back to Raven as she walked over to the table with an assortment of weapons. "What should I kill you with? I have Ozpin's cane, but being the peace-loving fool he was, this won't do the job quickly enough. Oooh how about Port's ax? I can put you on a block, executioner style! Hmm… on second thought, I was never really fond of this thing; it's so unwieldy. What to choose…?"
Raven, meanwhile looked around to her surroundings. She had enough information but her escape proved difficult with the Seer holding her in place. If she could manage to break free, it would only take a second to be out of Summer's reach.
"Oooh, I think I've found my choice," Summer exclaimed. Raven looked up and her heart dropped. Summer walked over wielding a pair of two familiar yellow gauntlets.
"Tai…" she whispered. Summer looked momentarily confused, but soon cracked a smile. A moment later, she burst out laughing, which only angered Raven.
"Oh this is rich!" Summer cackled. "I haven't seen Taiyang in more than a decade! No, these belonged to the daughter you left him. I found her wandering around Mistral looking for you, and I immediately recognized her. Oh, the look on her face when she realized who I was."
The cogs in Raven's mind halted. Taiyang quit his job as a Huntsman, but their daughter pursued it? It didn't make any sense to her.
"Tell me, Rae," Summer said as she whispered in her ear. "Do you know how easy it is to kill somebody who cares about you? Yang was so convinced she could help me, she never expected my blade the second she turned her back. I don't know what I enjoyed more, killing her, or the heartbroken expression on her face as she felt her mother's sword run her through." Summer raised the pitch of her voice in a mocking tone. "'Mommy, why'd you kill me? Why did you leave Daddy?'"
"You aren't her mother," Raven roared. Summer straighten her posture and smirked.
"I was more of one than you ever were," she grinned. "I mean, you did walk out on her. I spent almost a decade raising that girl. I guess when it became apparent I wasn't coming back she went on mission to find out why everybody keeps abandoning her. First her birth mother, then her younger sister, then finally me."
"I left to protect her, and you know it!" Raven shouted.
"Then explain to me this," Summer said in an icy tone. "Why did you take my daughter?" There was an oppressive atmosphere that filled the room, and Summer looked absolutely murderous. In fact, the woman in front of Raven no longer resembled Summer in any way. It was as if her Grimm features were exaggerated, as her eyes glowed an ominous red. Raven felt her blood run cold, and out of desperation, managed to create a portal with her last remaining Aura. She was barely able to slip from the Seer's grip and lunge into the portal, quickly shutting it behind her. "COWARD!" Summer roared, as black tendrils lashed out at where the portal once was.
Lucine groaned as she slowly began to gain consciousness. Her silver eye cracked opened to a plain earth colored ceiling. She tried to sit up, but her side made it too painful.
"So you're awake," said a gravelly voice. Lucine nearly jumped out of her skin at the sudden sound, and locked eyes with a tall man leaning against the wall.
"Who are you?" she asked, "Where am I?"
"How about I ask the question, kiddo? You appeared out of a portal only one person is capable of making." While his voice wasn't loud, there was a definite edge to it that made it clear to Lucine that he wasn't in the mood to beat around the bush. "Let's start with something simple; who are you?"
"I'm Lucine," she replied unsure. "I'm from the Branwen tribe…"
"Where is the Branwen tribe?" he asked.
"They're…" she began, but didn't answer. "That doesn't matter right now." Before she could react she found a massive blade pointed at her throat.
"You don't get to pick and choose what you get to answer," he said seriously. "Are they heading over to Vale?"
"Vale?" she repeated, her confusion causing her to forget about the blade in front of her. "No, we weren't planning to go there at all! Hell, we're trying to get off of this damn continent." The man removed his blade, though he still kept an eye on the girl.
"Where is Raven?" he asked simply.
"She should have followed behind me," Lucine replied, confused. "How do you know my mom?"
"It doesn't matter," he replied, as he began to walk out of the room. "If I see her, she's as good as dead, so I suggest you tell her that if you come across her before I do."
"Wait, you're one of the friends that betrayed my mom!" Lucine realized. The man stopped in his tracks at the accusation. Lucine assumed that he didn't expect her to know about that, and decided to investigate further. "Why did you do it?"
"What exactly does she say I did?"
"So you are one of the traitors!" Lucine barely managed to get the sentence out when a rough hand squeeze her throat. She tried to rip his grip off her, but he was frighteningly strong. Before she fell unconscious, he let go, and scoffed.
"If you think I'm the traitor, just ask her who your real mom is," he said simply, as he walked out of the room. Lucine coughed, greedily breathing in as much air as she could, but the words he said were heard clearly.
"What is he talking about?" she scoffed to herself. 'He's probably just trying to put some doubt between mom and I,' she concluded mentally. 'Jokes on him, I trust mom completely, just like she does me.'
Raven landed in a thud outside of a small cottage. It wasn't very big, and in fact, the yard seemed rather empty. She groaned in pain as she brought herself to her feet.
"Where's Lucine?" she asked herself. She had locked on to her, yet she didn't see the girl. Looking over to the house, she saw one of the windows was ajar. Walking over to it, she sees the girl rubbing her neck, lying in a bed. From the corner of her eye, she saw her brother walking out of the room, and she ducked her head to avoid being seen. In her weakened state, there was no way she'd be able to fend him off. Once she hears the door shut behind him, she knocks on the window. Lucine looks over puzzled, and visibly attempts to get up, but winces in pain. Raven quickly gestures for her to sit still, and slides the window open.
"Mom!" Lucine calls out in a whisper. "Where were you? Where's the rest of the tribe?"
"They're gone," Raven replied curtly. Lucine flinches, and falls silent. Raven, as hard as she wished, couldn't find any words to comfort the girl.
"There's this man who found me," Lucine began without emotion. Raven knew she was simply changing the subject to lift the mood. She laughed hollowly. "He said some crazy things, Mom. I don't know how he knows you, but he told me to ask you who my real parents were. That's funny right?" Lucine tried to smile. She met Raven's eyes, and tried to find the amusement she was sure that Raven would show, but she kept her somber expression.
"Lucine…" Raven sighed. Before she could continue, there was an audible click, and Raven felt a blade poking her in the back. "Qrow."
"You have some nerve, Raven," he growled. "Showing up here of all places, and bringing her with you. What's your game? Haven't you tortured Tai enough?"
"I'm not here for Tai," Raven replied evenly. "Lucine and I needed a quick escape."
"Of course you did," Qrow spat. "You haven't changed a bit."
"You certainly have," Raven pointed out smugly. "Had you never left the tribe, you wouldn't hesitate to run me through right now. What's holding you back?"
"Don't mistake this as a mercy," Qrow growled. "I need answers, and you're going to give them to me."
"What makes you think I'll do that?" she smirked. Qrow made a shallow cut on Raven's back, causing her to wince.
"Next time, it's a finger." Lucine watched in shock as Qrow seemed to toy with her mother. She had never seen Raven so vulnerable.
"Stop it!" Lucine shouted, barely managing to get out of bed. She tried to lunge forward in between the two, but she barely made it in front of her mother. For a brief moment, Qrow seemed conflicted when he heard Lucine plead, but it soon vanished and was replaced with a silent fury.
"You disgust me," Qrow spat at his sister. He lowered his blade, and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Kid, I'm only letting you live because of the respect I have for your mother. But don't think you can get in my way."
"I won't let you hurt her," Lucine glared, as she tried to stand a bit straighter. Qrow grabbed Lucine by the hair and tossed her across the room.
"Stay out of this, brat." Cold red eyes narrowed at Raven. "What are you really doing here? What's your endgame?"
"I told you," Raven growled. "We needed an escape… The rest of the tribe is… dead."
"Oh? What could possibly have killed them all? Our tribe was never small enough to get overwhelmed so easily."
"Our tribe?" asked Lucine, confused. The two Branwen didn't seem to hear her.
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," Raven laughed humorlessly. "I still don't believe it myself."
"Try me."
"It's her, she's still alive."
"Salem?" asked Qrow, raising an eyebrow.
"No… Summer." Qrow nearly dropped his weapon. Raven used the opportunity to to face him. Qrow spent a few minutes to think it over. "I didn't want to believe it either, but there was no mistaking it…"
"This can't be… but if it is, you won't tell another soul," Qrow demanded. "Especially Tai."
"What are you talking about, of course-"
"NO!" he bellowed. "That man has lost enough! First you and Ruby, then Summer and Yang…I fear anything more will drive him over the edge."
"How is he?" Qrow narrowed his eyes at his sister.
"When did you ever care?" he scowled. He finally lowered his weapon, turning to the red haired girl he tossed aside. "I want you two out by sundown. Consider this the last time I won't kill you on sight, Raven."
"Thank you Qrow…" Raven said lowly. Qrow took a deep breath, and shut the door behind him.
"Mom, what was that all about? Who is Salem? Or Summer? Or Tai and Yang?"
"It doesn't matter."
"It does" Lucine nearly shouted. "Apparently you have connections to all of these people, but none of them are from the tribe. I deserve to know, don't I?"
"Lucine, it's not important right now."
"That man told me to ask you who my real mother is…" she repeated. "Before you answered, he came in… what were you going to say?"
"You… aren't my real daughter." Raven figured it would benefit Lucine if there wasn't any ambiguous wording. She stared hard at the girl who had a shaken expression.
"Then who is?" she managed to get out. "I mean… did she die?"
"Yes. Your biological mother has been dead for a long time. That's enough questions from you… just get some rest."
Lucine was about to argue, but seeing how much it seemed to pain her mother, she decided to remain silent.
'How is Summer still alive? If she is, why hasn't she returned home? Raven claimed she wasn't the same person we knew, but what did she mean by that?' Qrow tried his best to will away the headache that had formed. He walked into a tavern, and headed to the bar. 'This doesn't make any sense… but given her weakened state, she really must have been trying to get away…'
"Hey Qrow," a low voice called out to him.
"Hey Tai," he greeted politely, taking a seat next to him. "Sorry I'm late, some things came up."
"Whatever," Tai shrugged, as he downed his beer. Tai put the mug down next to a dozen others.
"Nice to see you didn't start without me," Qrow sighed sarcastically. Tai gave him a dry look, and slumped over his empty mug. "Listen Tai, I can't have you not showing up to class. We're already short-staffed as it is."
"Boo-fucking-hoo," Tai scoffed. "Like teaching anything is going to help any of those brats. Didn't do us any good."
"We're still alive aren't we? Who else is better qualified?"
"You're kidding, right? I might as well just teach them how to run away the most effectively. Trying to fight them all is pointless."
"Tai… I know I can't change your mind, but I have a job to do… If you can't be a responsible professor at Beacon, I'm afraid we'll have to let you go."
"Then do it. I don't care anymore." Tai didn't bother looking at his friend, instead just looking down at the table. "You just don't get it Qrow… A kid who loses his parents is called an orphan… a husband who loses his wife is called a widower… but what do you call a man who's lost his children?"
"I'm not –"
"There isn't a word for it," Tai snapped, tears forming on his face. "It's too cruel to put into words… You wouldn't understand, you've never had a child of your own. To bury your own child is the worst thing anybody could experience… but I didn't even get that. Both my girls were taken from me, and I don't even have their bodies to give them a proper funeral. They could be rotting in a ditch somewhere, and I'd never be able to see them…"
"Tai…" The bereaved man stood abruptly from his stool and began to wobble out of the tavern. The barkeep approached Qrow, shaking his head.
"Should I put what he ordered on your tab, Professor Branwen?"
"Yea," sighed Qrow. "Thanks for taking care of him for me."
"Anything for you, Headmaster. So how's she doing?"
"Amira is really growing," Qrow reported. "She's really keeping her team together."
"That's my girl," the bartender smiled. "Well, I won't keep you any more, I'm sure your busy."
A/N
Too many ideas, not enough time to work them all out. I wanted to post this on my main account, but I felt that it would have worked better on this one, since I don't want to do any crossovers on this account.
So this story is a bit different than my other works mostly because it is a multiverse fiction. If the summary wasn't clear, this 'Lucine' is actually Ruby from a timeline that has many different variations than the Canon Remnant we all know and love. I initially planned to tell the story of Lucine through a series of flashbacks but felt it would have been a cop out. Instead, I will dedicate the first few chapters showing the differences in the Bloodied Rose timeline. First things first, things are a bit different such as Raven and Qrow not having bird forms in this universe, Salem's 'powers' of Grimm being passed like a Maiden's powers (along with a bloodlust that is near insatiable) and the big one, Raven raising Ruby as a Branwen going so far as to changing her name to Lucine. The whys and hows will be explained later, but I thought it was important for me to clarify that. Also, there is a reason for Raven not taking Yang, but I'm sure you can all figure that out.
Also, I will be using flashbacks later, for things instances that require them, I just felt that using them for every single variance in timeline would have gotten confusing, so this is why we are currently in the Bloodied Rose universe.
Let me know what you all think, and I'll see you all on the next update.
~LVR7