Do not go where the path may lead,
Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.
Archibald Blanc stood in front of Summer Rose's grave, reminiscing her last words to him before she met her demise. The rain poured heavily on the boy's figure, ash blonde hair age of 16 wearing a grey blazer and a black turtleneck sweater underneath. With a pair of jeans and leather combat boots.
It's been 8 years since you died Summer. I still don't believe it's because of the Grimm. You're stronger than that
He paused his thought
Were stronger than that.
He corrected himself.
Archibald Blanc was one of the few survivors of the Mountain Glenn incident. Humanity's first attempt for expansion, his memories of that time were hazy and he only remembered being rescued by team STRQ, who at the time, were tasked in rescuing as many civilians as possible while repelling the Grimm from getting into Vale.
After the cleanup operation of Mountain Glenn, ensuring there were no more problems, Archibald Blanc was adopted by Team STRQ. Perhaps it was due to Paternal instincts and whatnot, but his 5-year old self was at first hesitant to accept the team, but a year later he has seen the 4 as his own family, perhaps not parents since he's too embarrassed to admit it, but nevertheless he sees them as precious family.
Raven's demanding attitude and her persistence in pursuing greater strength. Taught me how to fight.
Taiyang's Short temper that had him earn the title big bad bear. He taught me how to properly interact with people… well more or less he did since he taught me as what Raven and Summer said; A charming and sunny smile.
Summer's delicious cookies, and basically she taught me how to care for others, since well, she's the only one who seem to be able to tame Raven.
Qrow overly nonchalant and cynical attitude just so he can hide his love for his team, he learned how to use a scythe, a sword, and to fight without a weapon. Raven stated that as a jack-of-all-trades and a master of none, but the way I see it now, it was so he can support the whole team, learning the scythe to support Summer, His sword skill second only to Raven, and his hand-to-hand combat skills that can be on-par with Tai's techniques if not for the blonde's abnormal strength and deeper understanding of the martial arts.
Archibald's thoughts were cut off by the sound of someone walking towards him. The boy looked at the direction of the sound to see who it is. Grey tailcoat, a tattered red cloak, spiky grey hair that stayed spiky despite the heavy rain, stubbles on his jawline and his weapon behind his back. Holding an umbrella with his right and a suitcase with his left.
Qrow Branwen
"Hey, kid. You left your stuff back at Tai's place" Qrow said as he stopped beside Archibald.
Gah! I can smell the alcohol off you despite the rain
Archibald made a face for the briefest of seconds.
"Yeah, was planning to get it after I pay my respects to Summer" Archibald paused "3rd year at signal. Plus I wanted to tell her about my sweet weapons." Archibald showed a sad smile.
"Heh, she is one heck of a weapon geek." Qrow chuckled and handed Archibald the suitcase. "Just so you know, Tai was mad because Ruby almost opened the suitcase."
"Crap." Archibald's face paled blue.
"But" Qrow paused for a bit to create a rather dramatic effect and grinned. "He'll let it go since you left a batch of cookies for the sisters."
A sigh of relief left Archibald's mouth. "Oh, thank Monty I made the cookies."
"I won't though." Qrow said
"Wha- "and gave Archibald a sucker-punch that sent him skidding on the wet ground.
Archibald stood up and held rubbed his cheek. "Okay, so I maybe deserve that one but can't you just, I don't know, hold your punches back on family? You guys' punches still hurt even with Aura!" The boy complained.
Qrow gave a smirk "Now why would I do that? You'll never grow up if you don't get a beatdown from someone stronger than you."
"Then how about a student? C'mon its already my final year at Signal Academy, can't you just ease down on punishments."
"No."
"Dammit. I tried." Archibald rubbed the back of his head.
From a distance, a sound of a raven cawing and flying off can be heard.
Qrow frowned at that, while Archibald just showed a sad smile when he saw Qrow's reaction.
"So? How is she doing? Between you and me she talks to you more, and that's saying something since I'm her brother."
Qrow may have sounded cold from that statement but Archibald knew that the sober man cares a lot for his sister.
"Well, it's the usual. Every weekend she'd train me how to fight. Since I've already decided on what my weapons are gonna be we can decide on my combat style." I told him.
"And… how is she?" Qrow asked again.
"I don't know, to be perfectly honest. I wanna say she's doing fine Qrow. Really, I do, but we all know how much Summer's death affected her. She is… was her partner."
Qrow nodded. "And we all know how attached you are to the both of them."
Archibald only looked at Summer's grave instead of answering.
After a brief silence Qrow spoke again. "That other weapon of yours, did you make it to fight against him?"
Archibald nodded as his freehand unconsciously held his chest over his clothes, groping the area of his scar that reaches from his left shoulder down to his right hip. "It's why I asked Raven for help Qrow." Archibald said and looked at Qrow
Qrow wince at the sight of Archibald's stare. His normally brown eyes turning red and shifting colors between the former and the latter.
Qrow has always known that Archibald kept his heart on his sleeve and it showed in his stare filled with anger, regret, sadness, and betrayal.
Qrow couldn't change it, he decided not to. After all, he is merely one who shows the paths to his students, he should never interfere with their choices. Raven knows that. Tai does, he himself does. And most definitely Summer did.
Archibald returned to look at Summer's grave again and left Qrow to ponder in his own thoughts.
Though at first Qrow thought Summer's decision as leader to adopt Archibald was just a passing whim by his eccentric leader, as time went by Qrow discovered what Summer saw in the kid.
Raw and uncut potential
Even Raven was surprised at the depth of possibilities the kid had.
When a year has passed and he has warmed up to the whole team, Summer decided to train him in basic combat and tutor him in basic education. Though he had a hard time focusing on his studies he could easily adapt to physical activities. Cooking, baking, and self-defense. The last part took Raven's interest in him.
Oddly enough the whole team had felt as if they were his own parents and taught him everything he needed to know, nay, they taught him everything that they knew to him.
Summer's love.
Tai taught him how important it is to help those in need.
Raven trained the boy to fight.
I taught him how he can hone what he learned from them and use it properly.
The rain stopped.
Moments later Archibald showed a 'winning and charming smile' the one that Summer fell for Taiyang, and so did Qrow's sister.
"I'll do my best in my last year Summer. You don't have to worry for me, just watch over your daughters Yang and Ruby. I promise I'll be the greatest huntsmen ever. After all, I was trained by the greatest Huntsmen team to ever graduate Beacon Academy."
With this, Qrow's worry from a while ago was gone. He looked at Summer's grave.
Summer. I'll watch over them all, as I've always been doing before. Just so happens that 2 more brats were added to the 2 brats I used to watch over.
Qrow promised to his ex-leader's grave and thought himself that he's too sober to watch over them and plan to drink the night away until he passes out.
The two left as a passing wind blew over Summer's grave carrying a couple of white rose petalsAs if the world followed the will of what was written on her epitaph.
Thus kindly I scatter