It was an hour after Summer left for her aunt's house in Rose Village. Taiyang was out training in the one of the training gyms and Raven decided to stay back. She just kept staring at the letter. She knew one day they would go after her again because she was one of the best they had. She did whatever she needed to get the job done and she was not the merciful kind either.
Even with a dead baby… what kind of mother would she be if she did go back? What kind of friend would she be? What if she did go back and they wanted a hit on Summer or Taiyang? What would Qrow think of her? No matter if she was cold person, he loved her anyways… but he wouldn't respect her.
No matter how much I run… or where I decide to stay at someone is going to find me for the rest of my life. At least Qrow can take care of himself now. I don't need to worry so much.
Ozpin knew of her affiliation with that group when she first applied there. She treated him no differently than anyone else. She didn't care if he was the head master or not.
"So, Miss Branwen… I've heard some… stories about you."
"Ok."
Ozpin smiled slightly from her one word answer.
"Even though your brother was there too, there wasn't much on him. I guess I could let him in but why would I let you in with your background?" he asked seeing her eyes glow red.
"It's up to you to make your decision but if you allow my brother here I'll be hanging around making sure that no one comes after him."
Ozpin sipped his coffee.
"Why did you decide to come here?"
"I can fight and I know fighting Grimm is different than fighting people or killing them. I have no intentions of killing anyone. I'm not here for a mission. The last mark they gave me was my own brother so I want nothing to do with them."
Ozpin looked mildly surprised.
"I want him to have a somewhat normal life. I want to be teenager too. I hate what I did but I ensured that we stayed alive so I can't say I regret it. So, if you want me here or not just say so."
"What do you think about life in general and surviving?" Ozpin asked.
"The strongest survive and the weak will perish. That's how the world works."
Ozpin hummed for a second but smiled, "I'll let you in."
Raven looked relieved but just stared at him with curious filled eyes.
"Thank you."
"You're welcome though you are a bit hypocritical, you can do good at Beacon."
"What does that mean?" she asked looking annoyed.
"You'll figure it out on your own."
Raven did figure it out after the incident with the spiders. Even though she strongly believed that only the strong should survive, she protected Qrow all those years and now she protected someone else. In their first year, her attitude caused a lot of problems with the other three until that moment. That tribe they were part of, was really just a cult. It meant nothing more than evil people getting money for stealing and killing and she wanted no part of that anymore.
She wasn't the same. She was soft now, with Summer being her best friend. The girl had transformed her after the fight with the spiders and any time they had problems with Grimm on the battle field. Summer looked and acted weak but she was a powerful force. Summer was truly more powerful than she could ever be and she wanted to test her abilities… against the silver eyed warrior who could use living plants as a weapon.
It would be the only way she would know if she stood beside of Summer or below her. To know if her struggles made her good enough to live or if Summer's pain was greater than hers alone. Pain made you stronger. Pain made you realize the world wasn't full of sunshine and puppies… but the friendship you gained from understanding someone else's pain could make you weak or stronger.
It's been a long time… That first year seemed so far away. It was the only time I ever fought with Summer and disagreed with her…
Raven smiled, "Stupid girl always smiling and cheering us on like a damn cheerleader…"
She turned her head to the side to look at Qrow's bed. If only things had been different for us. If only they had kept you safe, maybe things would have been better.
X
X
Raven sat at the table listening to everyone talk about the people they had been requested to get rid of in the last week. Raven and Qrow were on the verge of turning fifteen so Raven wanted to get him something since they made it so far in life without losing any limbs. She was already rolling in money and she could just leave if she wanted but she wanted to make sure they were comfortable to where they never had to come back to that tribe. Her eyes flickered to the leader when he walked through the door with several folders in his hands.
"Shut up everyone! We have new orders. We are sweeping the tribe for weaklings and traitors."
Raven's eyes glowed some. They wouldn't dare to go after her brother. The leader started throwing folders at them and one of them slammed on top of the tabletop in front of Raven. She barely looked at it when the room became quiet. Everyone had nervous looks on their faces. She sat up better and picked up the folder opening it up.
Qrow's picture and all his information was on there, except the fact he was related to Raven.
"What the fuck is this bullshit?" Raven asked throwing the folder onto the table.
"It's your mark."
"What the fuck makes you think I would go after my own brother?" she hissed.
"Because it's your duty in this tribe. He keeps attracting wanderers and Grimm."
"Marco, I could care less what he attracts here! You said he would be safe as long as I did what you wanted!" Raven screamed her eyes glowing bloody red.
She pulled out her red sword and stared at the leader with a blood thirst look.
"What do you think you can do Raven?" Marco asked, "You think you can actually beat me?"
"If anyone who wants to live better get the fuck out of this tent or I will kill you," she screamed and people started shuffling out.
She might have been a teenager but she was not someone to messed with not even on one of her good days.
"You think you can fight me? I gave you everything you needed! I'm practically your father!" he boasted.
"That makes it easier since I hate my parents."
Raven jumped into the air and sliced the table in half kicking both pieces at Marco. The tent collapsed and she crawled out. Marco had his own sword out and he stabbed her right arm. She grinded her teeth and grabbed the blade with her left hand shattering the metal in her hand. Blood poured from her hand but she didn't care.
She stood up glaring at him. Her hand made a hissing sound and the bleeding slowed down. She pulled the blade out of her arm and tossed it to the ground. Marco stepped back as far as he could before she went in after him. There wasn't much he could do without a weapon. Someone called to him and threw him a couple swords.
"You're a little girl… what can you do?" he asked taunting her.
She smirked, "I was the best one, wasn't I? You thought I would just kill my brother without question?"
"You did everyone else including your parents."
Raven's face softened, "I never did that either. I have a heart after all."
She charged in after him slid on her knees thrusting her sword into his stomach. He yelled and brought down his two swords but Raven used her aura to block it so it wouldn't kill her. Marco looked surprised because Raven would usually just take a hit no matter how bad but she was fighting to win with her life. There were hundreds of people escaping, some screaming from the chaos they were creating.
"RAVEN! WHERE ARE YOU!"
It was Qrow and he appeared on their left side.
"Sister! What happened!" he yelled ignoring Marco.
Marco grinned at her and charged at Qrow instead. Qrow stood there stunned and he had no weapons to protect himself. Raven slammed into Marco's side and thrust her sword into his side making him scream bloody murder. He stumbled away some and fell onto the ground struggling to breathe. Raven raised her sword up and created a black and red portal.
"Go."
"You're hurt-
"They want me to kill you."
Qrow opened his mouth to speak but Raven shoved him through and he was gone. She turned around to see Marco trying to heal himself.
"Where do you think you're going?" Raven hissed and stabbed his leg.
Marco screamed out. He had almost depleted all his aura to heal the wounds she had already inflicted upon him.
"No one double crosses me! NO ONE!" she screamed, "No matter what I chose to protect in this filthy pathetic world, I will protect it even if it goes against everything I had ever believed."
"YOU'RE WEAK!" Marco screamed.
"But I'm not the one lying on the ground bleeding to death."
He looked up at her. She had tears in her eyes. She had blood spattered all over her. She looked pathetic and scary at the same time.
"I never asked for this. I never did and I won't return even if I'm on the verge of death. I can't kill the closest thing to me even if it kills me in the end."
Gunshots were heard and she was hit in the leg. She moaned angrily and ran away from Marco.
"WE WILL KILL YOU RAVEN! YOU AND YOUR BROTHER!" Marco screamed.
Raven created another portal and looked back at him.
"Try it."
And she was gone.
Raven reappeared on the other side with Qrow waiting twenty feet from her. He started to run towards her seeing she was hurt but he stopped. That's when he saw it for the first time… She was crying. She had snot dripping onto the grass mixed with blood and tears. He just stared at her. After everything they had been through, she never cried once.
Until now.
"Raven-
"Shut up."
She pulled at her black hair and screamed angrily. She was hurt and she was bleeding. She was angry for letting her guard down. She had been protecting Qrow from the hits Marco sent to others to kill him but she never got mad about it. Once that folder landed in front of her, it tore her soul apart.
"Where are we gonna go Raven? What happened?" Qrow asked crawling up beside of her.
"I can't kill you," she whispered, "I couldn't kill Mom and Dad… I can't kill you. I can't kill what is half of me…"
"Wait but you told me you did-
"I didn't want you to leave me side! I was afraid you would never make it back alive!"
Qrow hung his head in shame.
"Don't beat yourself up. It was my decision alone."
He stayed quiet.
"Everything will be fine…"
"Can't you heal yourself?" he asked.
Raven shook her head, "I drained all my aura already. I don't have a lot."
Qrow grabbed her hand and she jerked a little as his aura flowed into her body.
"That feels so weird…" she said.
"I know I'm weak Raven but… I can do stuff."
"You can't help me now."
"I'm sorry I'm so weak Raven… I… I'll get better! Let's… let's go to that school called Beacon!" he said excitedly.
Raven just stared at him.
"That is stupid."
"Stupid but the only choice we have!"
Raven wiped her face and smiled.
"Ok. We can try but you need to grow a back bone."
X
X
Raven sighed. It had a been a long time since she had thought about that night.
"It was stupid but it worked."
She smiled and dialed Qrow's number on her scroll but he didn't answer.
[I love you Qrow be safe and make sure you return to Beacon since it was your idea.]
X
Summer stepped into Claire's newly rebuilt house. It was nice and tidy. She had painted the inside mostly white and a shade of a light gray color. They walked into the kitchen and Summer sat down at the table as Claire poured her a glass of lemonade. She closed the fridge and joined her niece at the table.
"How are things?" Claire asked, "I know I already asked you but you had a lot to say."
Summer laughed, "I'm sorry. I had done so much since you last saw me."
Claire reached over and touched Summer's mostly red hair.
"How odd. It's still turning red."
Summer nodded.
"Did you find out anymore? About us in any way?"
Summer shook her. She didn't want to lie but… she didn't want her to worry even more.
"I do have a question though. Are there any types of special Grimm? Like different forms?"
Claire put her chin on her hand sitting there thinking.
"I've seen one or two that look a lot different. It just depends on where you go…" she answered sipping her drink.
"I have a question."
"Shoot away."
"Why are there Grimm anyways?" Summer asked, "People have many guesses but no one is really sure."
Claire sighed, "The most common I have heard is that people turn into Grimm after succumbing to the darkness in their hearts or they were murdered in a brutal way. Or at the time of their deaths they have unfinished business."
"You think they'll ever stop coming around?"
"No."
Summer sighed.
"As long as there is hate it won't ever go away. You know… I had heard once we were the Grimm reapers and we were put here to take them out and send their souls to their resting place."
"That's a little like a fairy tale…"
"Too bad it isn't true. It would make things easier."
Summer nodded.
"Did you ever get a new weapon?" Claire asked.
"No."
"We have a blacksmith here that would love to make you a weapon then. It is like the ultimate thank you since you did so much for us."
"Are you sure?" she asked, "I don't have any money."
"All you have to do is decide what kind of weapon you want and he'll take care of everything from there."
Summer gave her a wide grin, "But I love all kinds of weapons, how can I choice just one?"
Claire snorted and choked on her drink then started laughing.
"Spoken like a true warrior."