Chapter One: Rose of New Vale
It was a quiet day. Raven knew that quiet days were usually too quiet. Of course, this was something she had learned hanging around Roses for years. Vernal would still get on her about it with her usual "it's been fifty years already, stop looking for that monster" shtick, but Raven knew she could never rest. She needed some way to make sure history didn't repeat itself. She would not lose another friend to a Grimm.
She had managed to keep her looks, a nice scar on her face, but her 'niece' had told her it looked badass, so she liked it. Her hair was shorter, but it was still as wild as it had been, so she wasn't about to complain.
Having found a vast wealth of gold and other treasures, along with some hearty investments in the cybernetics industry that had started three decades back, Raven had managed to amass herself quite the fortune. It had been only a decade after the death of Summer Rose that she had decided to marry her sweetheart, Vernal. They made such a nice couple, Taiyang, their dear friend and the widower of Summer Rose had always said.
Raven's unofficial children, Coco and Velvet, had grown themselves, having joined Raven at her new job. They fit right in with it. Raven herself had started her own business, the Branwen Foundation, a multifunctional business only Raven herself and a few close others knew the true intentions of. Velvet, after having been sent to the best college Raven and Vernal could afford, had joined Raven here, working in the Research and Development departments. Coco, preferring to get out of such a lifestyle, went into fashion, Vernal as her main model.
At this point, there was little Raven hadn't done in terms of her company, but when a cave was discovered off the coast of Vale, far away from the main area known as New Vale, her interest was piqued slightly. That sense of adventure was still there from when she'd followed Summer to put an end to the reign of Cinder Fall those fifty years ago.
Unfortunately for her, that adventurous feeling turned to horror when she saw some of the pictures that the team had brought back, detailing the interior of the cave. Immediately, she had gotten on the phone and made a call she hated to make for anything other than a weekly chat and catchup. But, this was for business.
"What has you so spooked, Raven?" Lionheart asked as he stood with Raven outside the cave. "You act as if you've seen a ghost. Are you sure you've no need for medicines of your time?"
"I know it sounds spooky, but just follow me in here and you'll see why I wanted you to see before telling you."
Lionheart followed, feeling an odd feeling on the back of his neck as the red eyed woman he'd known for so long led him into the cave. When they had gotten further in, his eyes widened as he saw the inside of the cave. It would have been enough to give Ozpin a heart attack had the man still been with them.
"Wh-Why are they here?" The walls of the cave had several dozen masks of bone, the very same that had caused them to meet up in the first place, the very same that had made Cinder Fall into a Grimm. In the middle of the room was a stone tree with a strange statue in the middle. It looked like a beast man with a long and dangerous tail. In its hand was a mask of bone as well.
"That's what we're trying to find out," Raven said.
"I was once told a story by Ozma when he was still with us," Lionheart looked at Raven. "But, I suppose it won't matter to a dead woman."
"What are you talking about?" Raven asked, looking at him. "Now, help me destroy these masks before we have someone else find them and become the next Cinder Fall."
"See, that's not what will happen," Lionheart spoke. The last thing Raven was able to sound out was a gasp and then she felt the blade in her back.
"Wh-Why?" She muttered, looking up as Lionheart took a bone mask, touching Raven's back and placing the mask on his face.
"Nothing personal, old friend," Lionheart's voice was muffled, but still audible. "I'm just tired of being an old friend."
Across the ocean, in the land of New Vale, one muscular woman walked through the street. She was quite muscular, standing tall. Even most Valean football players were smaller, her size dwarfing theirs. Of course, no matter how muscular she was, her grampa would always tell her how her grandmother was even more muscular than she was and get super uncomfortable. This was Maria Calavera Rose. Her graphite colored hair was pulled back behind her, in a short bob and her silver eyes looked around to see what she wanted to eat.
Maria Rose was walking through the street. She stopped to grab herself something delicious like a pizza. She saw a street vendor who was actually selling pizza slices on the street in a strange cart that was made to do so. There were also ice cold sodas on the cart, which Maria was also looking at.
"Oh, hell yes," Maria spoke in her heavy Patch accent as she licked her lips, leaning on the cart. "I'll take four please and a Rainbow Beacon Soda. I've always wanted to try Valean pizza and this is the best place to make sure it's good."
"You got it," the vendor chuckled, giving her four slices of the greasy food, Maria licking her lips as she began to eat. He then handed her the soda can, Maria beginning to guzzle the fizzy liquid, licking her lips.
"Uh, you gonna pay?" The vendor asked.
"Oh, damn, you're right," Maria chuckled, reaching to pull out her wallet to pay the man, looking confused as the man who was serving her as it practically disappeared from her hand.
"Looks like that kid took it!" The vendor pointed to a mop of light blonde hair that was running away from them. The person it was attached to ran into an alley, disappearing.
"It looks like it's gone," The vendor said. "Since that happened to you, I'll give you these two slices and take the other two. But, this only happens once, got it?"
"Hold the other two," Maria pointed. "I'll be back."
"Whatever you say, pal," The vendor rolled his eyes. Maria took off after the mop of hair, holding her pizza as she went along with her soda.
Standing in the alley, she came face to face with a scene she didn't expect… of course, she was from Patch, so there was little she knew to expect here.
She saw two small children, one a human, the same hair color as the thief who'd taken her wallet, and the other was a beast woman, with ears that resembled those of sheep's, white hair covering her frightened face. Maria could see a single visible violet eye from the human and shielded olive from the beast girl.
Both wore slightly tattered clothes and were dirtied, though that could have been from the creeps standing above them.
Standing over the two, who were huddled together in what could only be described as pure terror, stood two people in masks and street clothes, one man, one woman.
"You got some nerve stealin' in my town," The man said. "I don't take kindly to that. These streets gotta be clean, after all, and trash like you don't belong on the streets."
"You know, that was a gift to them," Maria stood in the alley, arms crossed and food still in her hands.
"You got a problem, foreigner?" The woman turned. "Just move along. We'll return your wallet from trash like these two, especially this Faunus piece of shit."
"Faunus?" Maria asked. "You know, my cousins happen to be Faunus, if that's the term over here, so I'd watch your mouth about them."
"You got a problem with my mouth?" The woman walked over to her, sizing her up. "You may be a biggun, but I'm more than willing to bring you down to size."
"Is that a threat?" The jovial Patch tone never left Maria's voice as she looked down at the woman, who was actually shorter than her. "Anyway, I said those two hadn't done anything wrong, so you can go about your business and leave them out of it."
"You know, I'm sick and tired of your mouth," The woman pulled out a switchblade, holding it up to Maria. "I'm just gonna teach you a lesson now."
She stabbed for Maria, but her blow was intercepted by the soda can, which had moved nearly instantly to her position, stopping the blow. There was something else off that happened, as the flow of a strange silver glow came from the can, through the knife and onto the woman's hand. She screamed as her skin began to burn a bit, causing her to drop the knife. Maria stared her down, a well-placed kick knocking her out. The man rushed over at this point, pulling out a gun to aim at Maria. The Rose woman flung the can, which exploded, knocking him back into and through a wall, ending his current consciousness and bringing him into a painful sleep.
"Are you two alright?" Maria asked the two children, standing over them. They looked up, shivering in fright at the scene she had wrought in front of them.
"Here, take this," She handed them each a slice. "We'll trade this for the wallet."
"S-Sorry," The human said.
"Think nothing of it," Maria gave a quick salute. "Now, I'm meeting my grampa in a minute, if you're interested in joining."
"Y-You'd really want us?" The beast girl asked.
"Of course," Maria waved it away. "Name's Maria by the way. How about you two? Got names because if you don't, I'm calling you 'girl' and 'other girl'."
"My name's Robyn," The human said. "This is my sister, Fiona."
"Well, Robyn, Fiona, let's go so I don't keep my grampa waiting."
The two, curious at the odd behavior of this stranger, followed her. She hailed a cab, the machine screeching to a halt as the automated driver stopped fifty feet long of her.
"Hey, you mechanical piece of shit!" Maria pulled the machine through the window by the collar of its shirt. "What the fuck do you think you're doing?! I'm right here!"
"Maria!" A stern voice snapped Maria to attention, causing her to drop the robot and turn around. The two children looked to see the elderly man walk up to them. He was in his seventies at least, wearing glasses and his blonde hair was balding a little. He was dressed like he came from the last century, which was true.
"U-Uh, hi, Grampa Tai," Maria waved nervously. The two children grew a bit afraid of this man that caused someone as strong as Maria to quake in her boots.
"I have been waiting for you for an hour," He said. "I told you not to go off and get any food or you'd spoil your appetite."
"Oh, I totally didn't do that," Maria laughed nervously, putting a hand behind her head. She looked over to a couple walking down the street, a man and a woman. She gave a seductive wink, causing both to blush… before her attention was returned by a strike over her head by Tai, who was not amused.
"Flirt on your own time," Tai said. "We were supposed to meet Raven here at this restaurant. Now, let's go meet her."
"Alright, Alright," Maria followed him to another cab, opening the door for him.
"So, who are our guests?" Tai asked as Maria gestured Fiona and Robyn into the vehicle.
"Robyn's the human and Fiona's got the ears," Maria said, climbing in. "Ain't they cute?"
"I suppose so," Tai sighed. "I hope you children like meat because Raven would be hurt if you didn't."
"I don't always eat meat, but I won't say no to it," Fiona said quietly.
"I think we'll get along just fine then," Tai laughed softly. "Raven just never could understand that some people don't eat meat for any particular reason."
They arrived at the restaurant, Tai heading to their reserved table, sitting down. Fortunately, the table could seat six. The two children sat down, one next to Tai and one next to Maria, the four waiting for their food while they waited for Raven.
"Jeez, they let urchins and animals in here?" A patron commented. "I thought this place was supposed to be five star!?"
"The fuck did you say you little shit?" Maria stood up.
"Maria," Tai quickly halted her movement with just a word. "You must not behave like an animal, always getting into fights like this."
"Oh, but grampa Tai—"
"But, since this ruffian insulted our friends and guests, you may teach him a lesson."
"Perfect," With her grandfather's full support behind her, Maria sauntered over to the patron.
"You need to take back what you said about my friends right now," She pointed a finger at the tubby patron. "Otherwise, I won't hesitate to go full force on you."
"Oh, please, you're a kid," The patron reached for his pocket.
"Looking for your Dust Knuckles?" Maria crossed her arms. "You'll find them in your back pocket."
"What the hell?" The patron asked, reaching back to find that, indeed, his Dust Knuckles were in his back pocket. He put them on, the blue Dust glowing slightly.
"Now, I'm going to break you."
"I can predict your every move, tubby."
"You're bluffing," The patron mocked her, getting into a fighting stance.
"Next you're going to go for a right hook with a left cross and a right kick," Maria pointed. The patron was already in the middle of the action, but Maria wasn't there. He gasped as he had been read like a book. She was behind him, a powerful elbow jab finding its place in the back of his head. The front of his head had a bit of a worse fate, colliding with a post and nearly breaking through it.
He slumped to the ground, blood coming from his mouth and nose.
"If you'd like more, your next line is "Fuck you, you foreign cunt," Maria stood over him, arms crossed.
"Fuck you, you foreign cunt," The patron spit out too teeth, nearly gasping them back in as his words had been predicted as well.
"You're not my type," Maria nudged off a glass place set onto his face, covering it in broken glass.
"I think that will be enough for that one," A man in a suit walked over, putting the trilby he was wearing onto the hat rack. "I am Cardin Winchester, head of the Winchester mob and that moron was Sky, one of my men. I offer my hand in apology as well as some news about someone we both know pretty well."
"News?" Tai asked.
"Yes, it would appear that the one known as Raven Branwen has turned up dead," Cardin said, holding out his hand. "I heard it was from some holy person. I do hope this news is not too poorly received, but I felt you deserved to know."
"A holy person…" Raven muttered. "Lionheart?"
"Raven," Tai's face had changed from its stern look to a saddened one. "My friend, no…"
Tears came from his eyes as he looked downward, the last of the group that knew his wife having gone.
"Thank you for the news," Maria took Cardin's hand. Cardin shook it, feeling a crushing force. "But, you're going to regret making grampa Tai cry."
Cardin had no time to react as a fist with the full force of Maria Rose behind it slammed into his face, knocking him into the wall and unconscious.
"He'll foot the bill," Maria pointed him out to the waitress. "I'm going to go for a walk. Coming, girls? It's too stuffy in here anyway."
The children followed him, each taking a hand that Maria offered. The silver eyed teenager left the restaurant, looking over her shoulder to Tai.
"I'll meet you back at the hotel, grampa Tai,"
"Be safe, Maria," Tai whispered. "You're the last of my family."
"Are you sure he'll be alright?" Fiona asked.
"It's best to give him some space," Maria shrugged. "Raven was my aunt and it's shitty she's gone, but I'm terrible at doing the whole comforting thing. I also need someone to beat the shit out of."
"U-Uh…" Fiona whimpered.
"Oh, not you two," Maria laughed. "It wouldn't be satisfying to beat two children up."
"You're a weird one, you know that?" Robyn asked her.
"Well, you say that cause I'm from across the pond."
"Whatever,"
"Anyway, wanna hit up a diner for a few hours?"
"I mean, food sounds nice," Fiona rubbed her stomach. "I didn't get anything at the other restaurant."
"Well, let's just hit up the first diner we see and eat some food. Lunch is on me, girls."
"Y-You don't have to—"
"Nah, it's fine. Besides, if you were so desperate as to try to steal my wallet, you must have some sort of financial situation. So, we're gonna let it be my treat. Unless you actually want to fight to try to make me let you pay."
"U-Uh, I'll pass." Fiona said. "After you beat those guys up, I'd rather not try to beat you up."
"Smart choice," Maria pointed with a grin. "I think I know who's got the brains of the family."
"So, what's up with your grandfather?" Robyn asked. "He seems like every time he looks at you, he sees someone else."
"Eh, he's probably thinking about my gramma," Maria put her hands behind her head as they arrived at the diner. "She died before my dad was a year old, so there wasn't much to know about her. He would talk about her like she was this great hero or something. Aunt Raven would say the same thing. She would always tell me that if some evil were to arise, that I was going to be the one who had to step up, fulfill my gramma's destiny."
"Sounds like big shoes."
"For what they said about her, most likely. But, I just wanna find me a cute person and settle down. And, there's plenty of cute boys here. Hell, some of the girls are cute too."
"You're definitely a strange one." Robyn sighed.
"Hey, I just like the New Vale style," Maria leaned back nonchalantly as they sat across from her.
"You two here to eat or are you just gonna harass this woman?" The waitress walked over.
"You gonna take my damn order or are you gonna harass my friends?" Maria glanced over. "Five orders of eggs and toast, hold the sass and bring extra eggs."
"I-I don't eat meat," Fiona spoke up softly.
"Eggs ain't meat." Maria said. "Besides, you could use some protein."
"I-It's like eating a baby for me," Fiona replied.
"My cousin Velvet is a beast woman and she puts away more steak than both me and Aunt Raven," Maria countered. "Besides, eggs don't come from sheep and they don't mean nothin' unless fertilized."
"I-I guess that makes some sense," Fiona muttered. "I just don't want to feel like a monster."
"It's okay, if you seem like a monster, I'll beat you up. That's what you do with monsters. But, I'm only doing this to get some protein in you two. Plus, I've always wanted diner food. I've heard it's great."
The waitress brought their food, Maria giving them each a plate and devouring the eggs on her plate and two of the others, finishing off the extra eggs the waitress brought as well. The two watched, shocked as she packed it away, licking her lips.
"What, you think a body this amazing comes from eating junk food?" Maria gestured to herself. "Now, eat up so you get big and strong."
"Well, you certainly know how to clean up," The waitress said. "Here's the check."
"Here you go," Maria placed a twenty five lien bill down.
The silver eyed girl and the children stayed in the diner, chatting and ordering little snacks, which they shared. Maria then bought a magazine and they looked over it.
"Man, these look good," Maria muttered, looking at a two page spread.
"What is it?" The children looked over her shoulder as she quickly turned the page.
"Uh, nothing. Let's just see what the latest fashion is. My cousin's a fashion designer and it may have one her articles of clothing."
They perused the magazine, looking for the particular article when Maria's eye caught something in the window. It looked like a person, eyes of piercing amber staring at her.
"You two see if you can find it," Maria muttered. "I'm going to see something. Stay here and if you hear anything, just make sure you don't follow me.
The silver eyed woman walked out of the diner, turning to face the stranger. He was dressed in a robe of black, a strange scarf around his neck. Amber eyes looked at Maria as she walked up to him.
"Do I know you?" She asked. "You look familiar."
The man simply looked at her, narrowing his eyes.
"Your skin looks pretty clammy," Raven pointed. "And, your eyes are a terrible shade of orange. Not to mention those teeth and that black ooze leaking from your fingernails. What do you wish to say to me now?"
Maria, know that even if it's with an audience here in this street, you're going to die before you become a threat to me or my conquest."
"Oh, is that so?" Maria asked. "Well, there's one thing you weren't ready for."
Without another word, Maria pulled from behind her back, two Dust automatic rifles, a double rain of bullets shooting into the man and through the window of the diner.
"This woman is crazy!" Robyn shouted, pulling Fiona down to the floor with her. "Where'd she even get those?!"
"That's for Raven, you fuck, Lionheart." Maria's tears were visible as she stepped onto the ledge of the window. "Our war is here and now."
And thus, fate, having marched ever onward, has continued to work in the lineage of Summer Rose through her granddaughter. What shall fate bring this Rose? We shall see.
And, here it is, the second part of Rose's Odd Escapades. I made some changes to the original script I'd written, but I quite like this one. I'm glad I did, though. I like how this chapter turned out, but I definitely could have improved parts. But, I plan to work better with the other ones. This one was always going to be hard to write, though I think I did better than I thought. We'll see how it turns out. I hope you enjoy.