Chapter 1: Mistakes Will Be Made

Kingdom of Mistral

Village of New Sharon

Raven Branwen casually made her way through the village. Her footsteps were quiet, even if it wasn't her intent to be as silent as a phantom and as unseen as one. She just liked to remain quiet on her feet.

She was thoroughly worked to the bone. However this time, it wasn't Grimm that had her exhausted. No, she hadn't fought a Grimm, anything, or anyone for that matter in five months, and that left her feeling like a dull sword that went too long unused.

She hated that feeling, but it was necessary that she not fight during those months, as was urged by the people she cared about.

So she hadn't.

Not since when she'd first discovered that she was pregnant.

Now, she was pregnant no longer. Yang Xiao Long was no longer a part of her life. Her blood daughter's life was in the hands of Tai and Summer. With them, Raven knew that the baby girl would be fine without her.

She was now just a woman with a lot of problems, not which included a devastated lover, an angry and saddened brother, a heart-broken team leader, and a completely clueless blood daughter. There wasn't much more that needed to be said.

She was alone.

All alone.

It felt so strange to be alone after fours years with the team she called family in virtually all ways. Her brother, Qrow Branwen, her leader and sister, Summer Rose, and Taiyang Xiao Long, the man with a temper. To be separated from them after their time together?

It left her feeling moody.

Fortunately, nobody cared enough to come up to her. She was a former member of Team STRQ, and that entitled her to a little celebrity intimidation. A lot of people knew who she was and knew of her skills. She preferred to keep it this way.

Raven didn't even bother to show her ID to the bouncer at the bar. He just let her in without even asking. People knew that look in her eye.

It was pathetic in a way that she was seeking a way to drown her melancholy mood right now with alcohol. The very same method that Qrow would use when he needed to dumb down his emotions. Drinking was his habit, not hers, and every time she took a drink of anything with alcohol in it, she was reminded of Qrow.

She hated that, yet she still moved with purpose towards the bar. People moved when her presence became known. Those who didn't know who she was somehow just gravitated away from her. They just knew she meant business. Red eyes can usually do that to any normal person. That, and her demeanor.

Leaning almost causally on the bar, all she did was point to a hard liquor and the bartender got her the drink. Without any though, she drank the content of the glass like Qrow would. She might not be a drunk like her brother, but damn did she know how to hold down her alcohol. She attributed it to family blood.

The burning sensation in her throat made her focus her mind off of the things that were bogging her down. No, it wasn't enough. She still was thinking about Summer. She was still thinking about Taiyang. She was still thinking about Qrow.

She needed to get them out of her thoughts.

Somehow.

"A raven flies into a bar."

Raven didn't even turn her head to face the speaker of that joke. No, she hated that joke with a passion. Had it been any other voice, she would have gutted him right where he stood.

She put down her glass and looked to see a familiar face.

Lucas Wyatt Arc, one of the best students of their graduating class. As his family name suggested, he was a warrior of great renown alongside his friends. His was the former leader of Team LOUS (Lotus), a team who was on the same level as team STRQ in terms of skill. He was also a trusted friend, one of the few Raven had outside her team.

"Lucas." She faced him fully. "Why are you here? This place is definitely not your scene either."

"I was on a job here. Job's done, and I'm bored." He took a seat. "I heard that you were pregnant."

"And where did you hear that from?" She eyed him suspiciously.

"Taiyang, who else?" He shrugged.

Raven relaxed. "Then you know that Yang was born."

"Yang? As in Yang Xiao Long? That's what you named her?"

"So you do know."

"C'mon, Raven, if I didn't know you well, I'd say you're avoiding the issue." His dark sapphire eyes focused on her. "You think I'd be so cruel as to do something that you don't want?"

"I don't know what to expect out of you." Raven didn't let her guard down. "Even if you are my friend, you being here is unusual."

"Look, even I need a drink." Lucas gestured for his own glass. "And besides, I couldn't tell you what to do. You only listen to Summer."

It was true what he was saying. Raven had no doubt here was here by coincidence. It wasn't that Lucas was a good liar. He just simply saw no reason to lie in the first place. So innocent, and naive in some way. That was just the Lucas thing to do: be a pure and noble soul even when the world didn't deserve his overabundance of kindness. Raven certainly didn't believe so anyway.

Lucas was a rare example of a pure and noble soul, one who truly did stick by what he preached and not waiver, not even under threats. Raven didn't agree with him, but he hadn't changed in spite of the world throwing a lot of evil things at him. That was deserving of respect at least.

But she wouldn't dare to respond to him with compliments. No, she only grunted and relaxed her pose, showing that she was willing to make conversation with him. His company wasn't unpleasant to have.

"You know, there are better ways to get yourself out of the mud." He sipped his drink. "There's no need to drown your sorrows."

"I don't have any sorrows." Raven's crimson eyes glared. "You should know that by now."

"And I should also know a few things about the people I call friends." He responded pointedly. "Like how she grew so attached to her teammates they become a second family. I know, I've been there."

Raven pushed her lips together at his words. Yes, they were true, but screw him for making her life difficult like this. She didn't need his charity. She didn't want him to butter her up.

"Let the record show that best friends should also know when they're not wanted at a specific moment." Raven slammed her drink on the counter. "This moment."

"Is that Raven talking, or is that your rum talking?" Lucas took the drink from her grasp. "Better not have any more there, little bird."

"Say that again." Raven got up and stood up right next to him.

She was shorter than Lucas, though not by a terribly large margin, but she wasn't afraid of him in the least. If anything, he should be afraid of her. Unfortunately, he wasn't afraid of friends, not even her.

But Lucas had said the word that was to never be associated with Raven: little.

"And what will you do?" He stood there meeting her challenge.

"I will…" She lapsed into a quiet thought process. "I'll…"

"Yes?" He waited.

A pause came, and Raven considered the man in front of her. Lucas was fully aware that she wouldn't move against him. Threats didn't work on him at all, and there was no way he'd bargain for silence.

She looked into his face.

An idea.

All she did was grab him roughly and kiss him. It was a long kiss, and very hard. His response was light; it was there, but unlike her, he wasn't so into it.

He gently pushed her off. "Raven, this is a fine line."

Raven slapped him. "I know how to walk fine lines."

"Come on, you love Taiyang." He gently kept her at a distance. "What would he think if he saw the love of his life kissing one of his best friends?"

"I say that he's not in control of my life." Raven narrowed her eyes. "The last I remember, we made no promises to each other."

"So this is just for funsies?" Lucas still felt unsure. "You're not that kind of woman, Raven."

"I would not do this with just anyone." Raven crossed her arms. "I'm not going to force you, Lucas. I'm asking as a friend."

There was the key term: friend. Lucas was a man who was loyal to a fault for his friends and family. To him, the word friend carried arguably as much meaning as family did. Adding to that, and if memory served Raven well, he wasn't one to deny the requests of a friend.

Still, he was hesitating. Lucas was always like that, considering all of the pros and cons with this. Never before he had really seen Raven like that. Not to say that she wasn't beautiful, because she was, but she already had Taiyang.

"Raven, I can't."

"And why not, Lucas? You got a girlfriend I don't know about?"

He shook his head. "No, nothing like that."

Raven frowned deeply. "So there's something wrong with me."

"What? No… I dunno. You're into Tai." Lucas ruffled a bit of hair behind. "Look, you can't do this to him."

Seeing that he was beginning to doubt, she took his hand and dragged him back to the inn where she had a room for the night.

As everyone vacated the area with Raven on the warpath, they gave sympathetic looks to Lucas as he was being dragged away with no way out. They were assuming that he wasn't going to come out of this one alive.

And in a way, they were right.

Without any grace, she promptly shoved him into her room, slammed the door shut, triple-checked to see if it was locked, then approached him. He backed into the wall, feeling his innards scream at him to move, evade, dodge, something. He was more than capable of taking her on in a fair fight.

Then Lucas spotted this look in Raven's eyes. It was hunger and fire and anger. It was something he was vaguely familiar with. His experience with women was limited, so he wasn't always sure what to look for. Now, though, he couldn't possibly ignore the fact that she was there, offering her express permission. He should be honored.

But he still didn't dare touch her.

She moved to press herself against him. He hissed, still holding back, though his mind began to wander. She was… nice to look at now, almost unbearably so in this moment.

"Please." This was as close to begging as Raven would get. "For me, your friend?"

"I…" Lucas couldn't hold out like this. "I… I'm afraid."

"Don't be." She placed a gloved hand to his cheek. "I won't hurt you."

She placed a light kiss on his lips this time, and he slowly responded, trying to match her. No, it still felt wrong, but this woman wanted him right here and right now. He would undoubtedly regret this later, but ultimately, instinct and his own growing hunger won the battle this time. He hated the male instinct.

For now though, it was too late. She separated from his lips and took his hand, leading him to the nearby bed, not taking her eyes off him for one moment.

(X)(X)(X)(X)

Kingdom of Vacuo

Village of Harenam

Two Months later…

"You wanted to see me, Raven?" Lucas sat down at the chair. "What's this all about?"

Raven looked at him from her seat across from him. Lucas was looking about the same as he did two months ago: still radiant, still happy, and still productive. He was a good huntsman. It suited him.

She'd called him to this little coffee shop in Vacuo, the place where she'd just recently completed another hunters contract. It was an in-between job, something to do while she waited for the more important business to commence.

"I'm…" Raven considered if there was a way to break the news without him going into some sort of shock. "I'm…"

"Raven?" Lucas looked like he was ready. "Just speak plainly."

So be it. Raven looked at him for a second. "I'm pregnant, Lucas."

Thankfully, Lucas didn't need any explanation to know that the child was his, as his eyes widened, but he looked far from paralyzed to a fault. That didn't take away from the fact that he was surprised. He put his drink down.

"How far along are you?" His attention refocused on her.

"Two months." She made sure to look him in the eye.

Lucas waited a moment or two.

"Is there something you wanted from me? Do you need me to raise the child?"

"No, nothing quite that drastic. No, I'm here to tell you that I think we should share custody."

"But why let me at all?" Lucas tapped his hands together. "This is your child."

"I'm not an ideal parent, but I've decided that I need to try. I've failed once." Raven's hands tightened. "I don't intend to fail so spectacularly again."

"Why this change?" Lucas's question was as innocent as it was painful.

"Every time I leave someone I care about, it makes me more cold, leaves me a bit more dangerous." Raven's eyes looked into his own. "It might be time to reintegrate back into normality, or as close to it as I can get."

That was her fancy way of saying she regretted some decisions in the past, more specifically, she regretted when she left people close to her; Lucas knew Raven enough to understand that she'd never willingly or knowingly reveal weakness if she could help it. She was a very firm.

"Okay, I agree to shared custody." He affirmed with a clear and honest tone. "Now I've just got to explain this to my girlfriend."

"You have a girlfriend?" Raven almost laughed. "Since when did you get one?"

"Do you remember Daisy?"

"You? With Daisy?"

"I guess so. Why, did you think I was going to remain single forever?"

"No, but I thought you wouldn't find time to settle down. You're always so consumed with being a huntsman."

"It was going to happen sooner or later."

Both Raven and Lucas were relieved that their conversation wasn't going to be one of those long and complicated ones that involved a lot of yelling and screaming and disagreement. Thankfully, the two of them were adults.

"So, quick question." Lucas changed the subject again. "What's better to do: use your family name or mine for this child?"

"Your name." Raven didn't even think about it. "My family name is just asking for attention that this child doesn't need."

"Just making sure." He resumed drinking his drink. "Anything else that I should know or do?"

"For now, nothing, but I may call on you." She eyed him carefully. "And I trust you'll come should I have need?"

"Do you need to ask, Raven?" He looked offended. "What have I always said about friends and family?"

"Never leave them behind." She felt a pang of guilt. "I almost forget that you live by that motto."

"They've always stood by me, so I have to do the same."

"In any case, your help is appreciated."

"You're welcome."

Raven sipped on her coffee and took in the sights all around them. These were just normal people who were going about their normal day, completely ignorant to the dangers of the world. In a way, she didn't envy them. The people who didn't know of danger or refused to heed them were the ones that ended up dead.

Then she saw Lucus's thoughtful look. He was fully aware of the dangers of the world, and somehow that didn't make him any less eager to live life to the best of his ability. She knew that he understood what she did, but yet he allowed himself the ability to know a piece of life that didn't involve combat.

In that way, she envied his state of balance.

"Raven?"

"Just thinking about what I'm suppose to do as a mother. Again."

"What, you didn't think about that when Yang was born?" His question was born out of mere curiosity, not an attempt to instill guilt. "Nothing at all?"

"No, I didn't intend to be around longer than I had to be." She sighed, leaning back. "Now that I'm committed, I'm a bit lost."

"Well, whatever you need, I'll help."

"Sometimes, I wish that you weren't so easy to get along with."

"Oh yeah, that reminds me. I revisited Tai and Summer. If it means anything, they're doing well and they're taking care of Yang."

"I see."

He didn't elaborate further, and she didn't ask for more details. It was enough to know that her daughter was in the care of her former teammates.

"I should go." He stood up. "I have another job to get to. Farewell, Raven. If you need me, I'll be there."

"Then this is goodbye, Lucas." She shook his hand. "For now."

Without another word or look, they both parted, ready to get on with their lives. It wouldn't be long before Raven would call him forth again to help her, that was not in question. However, she didn't love Lucas like she loved Taiyang. She couldn't afford to love someone else like Taiyang. That was just asking for too much trouble.

But he did seem to want to be involved as much as he would be allowed, and she appreciated that. She wondered just how much he would be a part of her life as well as their unborn child. His promises were big, but sometimes, she was left unsure how big.

For now, it would have to be enough. Whether or not she would allow him to continue being a part of this child's life would remain to be seen in time.

"One more questions, Raven?"

"Yes, Lucas?"

"Why not terminate the baby?"

Now that was a question that Raven herself had toyed with for two weeks. It would be easy, and in many ways, it would be the most practical thing for her to do. She wasn't able to take care of Yang as it was. Why bother burdening herself and Lucas with another child? Then she remembered one thing.

Lucas was a trusted friend, a person Raven would trust with her life if need be. To break that trust with something so important…

"You deserved to know."

(X)(X)(X)(X)

Kingdom of Mistral

Village of Draxon

Seven Months later...

"Do you expect him to become a huntsman?" Lucas leaned in his chair to get a better look. "Or do you not care?"

Raven had been holding their newborn baby boy for a few minutes, not with a smile, but not with a frown either. She was studying the boy, memorizing his features, noticing the strength in his eyes, the traits that would be inherited from both his father and herself.

"He has that hidden strength in his eyes." Raven replied. "I have no doubt that he'll make a superb huntsman."

"Perhaps." He gazed harder at the sapphire-blue eyes of the baby. "For now, one step at a time."

"Literally." Raven felt sarcasm in her tone. "By the way, how did you parents react? To all of this?"

"They're not happy." He rubbed a hand through his hair. "But like it or not, it's where we're at. I was a little bit of a stickler for tradition. I'll get it right the next time."

"I thought you were a traditionalist to the core." Raven pushed a strand of hair from her sight. "In any case, we need to name him."

"Hm." Lucas stared deep into the eyes of his son. "How about… Jay… no. How about Jaune?"

"Jaune Arc." Raven tested the name on her tongue. "It's short, sweet, and rolls off the tongue."

"And the ladies will love it." Lucas's light chuckle was as much annoying as it was endearing.

"I think not." Raven glared at Lucas. "My son will not grow up to be such. You yourself aren't even close to being that suave."

"Okay, okay." Lucas waved his hands in defeat. "You win on that one, but you got that right about the short, sweet, and rolls off the tongue."

With a mild huff, Raven made herself sit up in bed, all the while allowing Lucas to sit and look at Jaune. The baby boy had yet to cry, but he was awake, and reaching out to both of them with a tiny hand.

"So do you remember what we agreed to?" Raven allowed Lucas to hold Jaune.

"Yes, I am aware." Lucas gave a serious look. "You know me not to break a promise."

"Because an Arc never goes back on his promise." Raven recited the words that were spoken for countless generations. "I know you won't. Still, hearing the pledge again does bring a bit of assurance."

They would have a few more minutes before the nurse came back and recorded Jaune's name, date, time, and location of birth. Raven had to go to great lengths to ensure that her second pregnancy was hidden well. Lucas had gone out of his way to promise those who knew and made them swear to secrecy. He was so much better than her at diplomacy and nice talk. She'd maybe threaten, intimidate, or kill anyone who knew.

Both of them noticed Jaune reaching out a hand. Raven and Lucas both gently allowed the baby to grasp both of their hands as best he could. The feeling was soft, but also powerful, and wide blue eyes greeted them both, a look of wonder.

"We should activate his aura." Raven wanted this to be done as soon as possible.

"Okay. Your call." Lucas called upon his aura. "But if you feel too down, let me know, and we can stop."

"Noted."

Both of them closed their eyes and focused on the tiny soul held in their arms.

"For it is in passing that we achieve immortality. Through this, we become a paragon of virtue and glory to rise above all. Infinite in distance and unbound by death. I release my soul and by my shoulder protect thee."

The words were spoken with perfect clarity and distinction. Both of them said it in parallel as well, their voice sounding as one person.

Opening their eyes, they could see Jaune glowing a pristine white color.

"He has a lot of it." Lucas looked on with awe.

"That he does." Raven acknowledged, a hint of pride in her voice. "It would be a waste for him to not become a warrior with this sort of potential."

"Whatever his path, I'll be there for him." Lucas voiced where he stood with clarity and purpose. "He's of my blood."

"Our blood." Raven corrected him. "And don't forget that you're just a donor. I've been doing most of the work."

"I won't argue with that." Lucas chortled lightly so as not to disturb Jaune. "You know better than I."

A knock on the door and a nurse came in. "Now Mr. Arc, Ms. Branwen, what do you wish to call your son."

"Jaune Arc." Raven stated a finality. "Is there anything else?"

"Once his birth certificate comes through," The nurse replied, "You are all free to go."

"Please have it done as soon as possible." Lucas broke in. "We're rather eager to get going."

"Of course." The door opened and closed.

It wouldn't take them long to get all the necessary paper work done as well as pay the necessary bills and be on their way. For Lucas and Raven, that was the easy part. The more difficult part was now to raise a son in two different worlds. Both huntsman and huntress knew that the lives they led would undoubtedly cause their child to be torn.

Raven was the dark side. Lucas was the light side.

Which would their child choose?

Good god, another story? Well, go figure, that's what I do.

This is another experimental story. This one is all about important character dilemmas. You'll understand once you get more into the story. The ultimate goal is already in place. Getting there is what I'm aiming to do now.

Whether or not romances become involved I'm not sure. Once I'm more into the story, I'll know for sure if romance is important or not. Regardless, you're all free to voice your OTP's with Jaune.

So what do you guys think of this chapter? Good? Bad? Meh? Same old, same old? Reviews would be appreciated.

I hope you guys enjoyed this pilot chapter, and remember:

"The privilege of a lifetime is being who you are."

Joseph Campbell

Peace!