A/N: EDIT: Aw, those flames in the reviews are adorable. *laughs*
Well, a particularly plucky chap wanted me to update this next. He was quite persistent!
So here we go...
As ever, we're following the Ember's Rule here.
If folks don't like this, it'll be deleted. Poof! Gone! Every bit of feedback helps.
I simply can't write without it. That truth still holds true here. So by all means speak up! Make yourself heard! Your feedback matters! I cannae write without them!
Now, lets answer some questions.
Q: Alright, this is gonna sound weird...but are you and Couer Al A'ran the same person? Because you guys tend to update at the same time...
A: Yeah, I'm not him. Nope. He's far better than I. If it weren't for him, I wouldn't have gotten into the RWBY fandom at all.
Of course, I AM updating other stuff as well...
Q: Why do you post previews and answer questions in your chapters? And why do you ask for reviews?
A: Because many enjoy it. Also, there are some anonymous questions I cannot answer via PM so this is really my only way to respond to them.
As for reviews...well...this may sound silly, but I genuinely enjoy talking with people, bantering ideas back and forth, tuning up chapters, that sort of thing. Furthermore, reviews help me improve. Case in point! I was god awful when I first started. Some of my BEST IDEAS have come from reviewers like yourselves, many of which have helped me improve both as a writer and a person.
Looking forward to chatting with you~!
Q: I can easily see Qrow jumping to conclusions. Let it be so!
A: See for yourself.
Q: Is Raven dead?
A: Yes. There's no question of that.
Q: Are Naruto and Cinder good guys at this point or...?
A: Right now? I'd call them neutral. That may change. After all, now that Cinder has the power of the Spring Maiden, she's got a target on her back. That's something she'll have to live with for the rest of her life.
As things stand, Naruto is a stabilizing influence on her, but at the end of the day, they're just kids -teenagers at this point!- and they know very little of the world. Furthermore, Naruto's outlook on the world is beginning to change, and that may not be a good thing.
Alright, I think I've kept you long enough.
As ever, I own no references, quotes, themes or memes. Not a wit or a one!
Now buckle up, because here comes the Branwen Arc.
"We can all understand one another? We can all be friends? No. I am no longer naive enough to believe that lie."
I have seen good men cut down, while evil men triumph. I have seen the powerless tear apart the mighty.
And that was when I understood. The natural order is disorder.
New growth cannot exist without first the destruction of the old. Likewise, instinct is a lie, told by a fearful body hoping to be wrong. It means that when you base your expectations only on what you see, you blind yourself to the possibilities of a new reality. Nothing ever goes as planned in this accursed world unless you MAKE it happen. Wherever there is light, there will always be shadows to be found as well. As long as there is a concept of victors, the vanquished will also exist. The selfish intent of wanting to preserve peace, initiates wars.
And hatred is born to protect love."
~Future.
So More In Turn Is Due
If there was a god, he hated Qrow Branwen.
Call it a Semblance, call it a curse, call it destiny, bad luck seemed to follow him wherever he went these days. From Vale to Vacuo, Mistral to Menagerie, even far flung Atlas. Everywhere he went, misfortune wasn't far beind. He could no sooner separate himself from it than he could his own shadow. A force he couldn't control -Ha! Unlikely!- yet learned to endure all the same.
Frankly, it was a right pain in the ass.
Most of the times it was small things; just the sort you might chalk up to coincidence. A full glass would crack in his grasp, staining his trousers with booze. He'd trip over an upturned board in an inn, or blunder his way into a pack of angry Grimm. That at least, Qrow could live with. His friends couldn't. Y'see, misfortune befell them, too. Anyone who stuck around him too long suffered from it.
Sometimes they even died.
Ill luck was something he had learned to cope with over time. Nothing a little booze couldn't fix. Helped blur the pain a pit, you know? It was also part of the reason why he traveled alone; because his semblance just loved to drop surprises in his lap. Easier for him to handle when he didn't have any baggage dragging him down.
Case in point, the two teenagers currently slouching before him in the bar.
They'd come tumbling out of a portal -Raven's portal!- and all but bowled him over only an hour ago outside of a bar. Both had nearly bolted before he'd managed to corral them. Food and drink loosened their tongues, as it did for most their age, and now at least, they didn't look like they would run. Not immediately at any rate.
'Damn, today just ain't my day...
Leaning back on a barstool, the surly bird planted an elbow on the table and knocked his flask back.
"So," he began apropos of nothing, "I take it you're friends of Raven."
They winced a little under his words.
"Relax," he tipped his flask back and drank anew. "I'm her brother. I ain't gonna hurt ya."
"...!"
Strangely enough, his words only made them turtle up. The girl hunched her shoulders, trying to look small, while the boy shifted himself just so, angling himself towards her. Qrow didn't miss the look of furtive fear that flashed across their faces. Well. That didn't do wonders for his confidence and once again, curiosity reared its head in his heart. Just who were these two, and why the hell had Rae dumped them in his lap?
The boy found his voice first. "You're her...brother?"
"Yeah," he capped his flask with a frown. "That a problem?"
His companion grit her teeth and looked away with a whimper. "...she's dead."
Qrow's flask fell from nerveless fingers. It struck the floor, bounced once, and landed at the girl's feet. She stared at it like it was a grenade. Just as well too; because her words had blown his world to pieces. He must've misheard her. Had to be. What she'd just said...it wasn't possible. Raven was a lot of things, but damnit, she was strong. She wouldn't just roll over and die. No way. Not possible.
"You, ah," he swallowed once and braced an arm on the bar to steady himself, "Wanna run that by me again.?"
The girl looked away. "She died getting us to safety."
The boy's silence only confirmed her statement.
It was a punch to Qrow's gut.
"Shit." he plonked back down in a chair and bent to retrieve for his flask. "Are you sure you saw her die?" even now he tried to cling to hope against hope. "She's pretty tough."
Blank blue eyes found his. "The tribe was burning. She said she'd buy us time to escape."
The girl shivered. "I heard a scream as we went through. Her scream."
Qrow swore and took another drink. "Shit."
Rae was a...complicated person, to say the least, but at the end of the day she was still family. Whatever she'd become by the end, they were still blood. They'd had good times together. There was a time when he trusted her to watch his back as no one else could. And to learn that she'd died...damn. Oh, gods. Yang. Dread writhed within his gut. She was still trying to find Raven. What would he tell her? Nothing! Absolutely not! Tai, well, he didn't have much choice there, but Yang? Not a chance in hell. Ignorance was bliss. He shoved the thought away and called for another drink. Whiskey for him and water for the runts.
"I'm sorry." the boy rasped, voice gone hoarse. "If we'd been stronger, we could have-
"Don't be thinkin' like that." Qrow silenced him with a raised hand. "If something took her out, neither of you would've stood a chance."
A stray thought tugged at him as he considered the unlikely duo before him. Red eyes squinted.
Raven cared for few things in this world, strength and survival chief among them. She wasn't the sort to take in two runts unless it benefited her. Was that her angle? Had she been training up newbloods when the tribe was attacked? Moreover, why get them to safety at all? It hurt him to admit it, but his sister was a bit of a bitch...als a coward. If something attacked the Tribe and she couldn't fight it off, she'd be the first to run. And yet she had stayed, giving her life to ensure these two made it to safety"
"So?" he smacked his lips. "Why did she bail you two out over everyone else? I'm sensing a story there."
The girl looked away. The boy prodded her with an elbow.
"No." she snapped at him. "Stop it."
The boy hissed. "Cinder!"
Qrow latched onto it, rolling it over in his mind. Aha! At last, he had a name to work with. Now he just needed the boy's. Really, kid looked like a mini-Taiyang, if you ignored the whiskers. Another thought punched through his drunken stupor. The girl had long, dark hair. Raven's hair. Her eyes were gold, which suggested a different parentage, but the boy...blond hair and blue eyes. Raven always had a thing for blonds. Surely they weren't...?
Unless they were?
Addles as it was, Qrow's mind leaped to the most logical conclusion. Something twisted in his heart and he felt his throat close.
Did he have another niece and a nephew?!
"Cinder, was it? Look," he set his glass down, rattling the ice within. "Listen to your friend. I'm not gonna hurt ya."
Finally, the girl looked at him. Her eyes burned. Literally burned with molten flames of purest gold.
"If you do," she whispered, "I'll kill you."
Scarlet slits bulged.
Qrow had seen many a strange thing in his day. Monsters. Magic, things that would curdle your blood. But this? This took the cake, ran away with it, and ate it to boot.
As such, he felt he could be forgiven for what followed.
You see, Qrow made a complete and utter ass of himself. He tried to stand only for the stool to buckle under him -blasted Semblance!- sending him pitching backward. Unfortunately the boy mistook that for an aggressive move and dove on him, driving him down to the floor. Aura crackled sullenly and nine golden chains stabbed at his clothes, pinning him in place.
"Don't move!"
Qrow couldn't have if he tried. His mind was too busy whirling.
A Maiden! It all made sense now. Small wonder Salem had come from them. Raven would've died to keep Spring from her. At least he assumed this was Spring; Fall, Winter, and Summer were all accounted for. Yeah. Had to be her. His mind concocted a story eerily close to the truth. Raven had spirited her children away, and the Maiden with them. Even a grumpy old bird would protect their young...once. Oz would have to be told. But first!
"Look." he raised both hands, showing himself harmless. "You have nothing to fear from me. I mean it. Now put those things away before you get hurt, runt."
"My name," his would-be killer growled, "Is not boy. I'm Naruto." Still the lad eyed him like a King Taijitu. "Why should I believe you?"
A bleary grin stretched across Qrow's face. Naruto? Rae always was horrible when it came to names.
"Well?!"
Urk. Best be out with it, then.
Qrow rolled his eyes and transformed in a swarm of feathers, unbalancing the blond. Bereft of balance Naruto crashed to the floor. Credit where it was due, he recovered quickly; those strange chains of his stabbed down and whirled him around to face an attack that never came.
Qrow alighted upon counter and changed back, grinning from ear to ear.
"What kinda uncle would I be if I attacked my own niece and nephew?" he tittered a little when pair exchanged a baffled look. "C'mon, I ain't that bad." Still! A Maiden! His mind whirled with the revelation. Best get these two out of sight, and quickly. Salem might have eyes in Atlas. "Look, its too late for us to catch a flight outta here. I'm staying in a hotel nearby. You two can bunk with me for the night."
Cinder bridled. "You're not our-
Naruto clamped a hand over her mouth before she could finish.
Maybe the kid wasn't so bad after all. He understood. Family was family. You couldn't choose who you were related to.
"And then what?" still suspicious, though. Points for that. "What happens tomorrow?"
"Then I'll take you somewhere safe." he hopped down to the floor and sidled up to them. "You have my word."
The girl looked at him like he'd grown another head. "Nowhere is safe."
"Vale is." he retorted. "I know just the place to put you two up."
Tai was going to flip, to say nothing of Yang. Ruby...well, they were both young. They'd get over it.
The boy snorted. "So what do you we call you then."..
Shit, he'd never given them his name, had he?
"Qrow." he offered the boy his hand. "Just Qrow."
Naruto tilted his head. Cinder mirrored him.
...Uncle Qrow?"
Ack! His heart! "Don't go callin' me that! Only my nieces are allowed 'ta!"
Naruto raised a finger. "But you just said we're family."
"You make a good point...
(.0.0.0.)
"Have you lost your mind?!"
It was too much to hope Cinder wouldn't explode.
Still, Naruto had hoped she'd have the good sense not to do so while they were following Qrow. Apparently not. Muffled laughter told him their newly appointed guardian heard every word; and more than a few passerby besides. He felt a rare spot of color flare hit his cheeks.
'Alright, I guess we're doing this now.'
Warm and snug in a new cloak -say what you would about Qrow, but he spent his lien well- he reached out and tucked his fellow fugitive into his side. Cinder fought him for all of a moment before she leaned into him. The anger in her eyes didn't abate, however. It simply fixated on him. In his heart of hearts he knew she wouldn't let this go without a fight.
"He's not our uncle!" she hissed in his ear. "Why did you tell him that? If he finds out...!"
"Then it changes nothing. And besides, he may as well be." he shortened his strike, keeping the surly bird's back in his sights as he allowed him to fall out of earshot. "Raven took us in. If really is her brother, then he'll keep us safe until we figure out a plan. "And you?" blue eyes flicked her up and down. "How do you feel?"
Cinder scowled. "I feel like smacking you!"
"No, not that." he gestured to her eyes. "You know what I mean."
Cinder gazed down at her hands. Her eyes burned with beautiful flames as she considered her palms. Naruto felt a change in the wind just then, the warmth of Spring trying -and failing!- to push aside the perpetual chill of a never-ending Atlesian winter. It guttered out a moment later as she lost control of it.
"Powerful." when she finally spoke, there was a rare note of awe lingering in her words. "I feel like a god. Once I master it."
"Cinder, no." Naruto grabbed her by the wrist. "Don't go thinkin' like that. You're not a god."
Something dangerous flashed in her eyes. It withered and died a moment later as she came back to herself.
"You're right." she muttered, hugging her arms to herself. "Its just so much...
"I'm here." he patted her shoulder. "Lean on me if you need to, alright?"
She flashed him a tentative smile. Her head kissed his shoulder.
"I think I'll take you up on that offer...
(.0.0.0.)
"We're staying here?"
Cinder eyed the hotel's name with naked contempt.
The Glass Unicorn. Why did she have the worst feeling about this...?
She didn't like this hotel, and the interior only further confirmed her suspicions.
For starters, it was too damn large; a luxurious multi-story building that dominated the street, and promised to be even larger within. Hosting a towering five floors beyond the lobby, its roof looked to be forged of volcanic glass, a rare commodity here in Atlas. The exterior walls were an ungodly golden-brown in color, and it bore red carpets leading toward the entrance.
Cinder took a deep breath, then followed Naruto and Qrow inside.
Much to her chagrin, the hotel lobby lived up to its namesake and then some; for it hosted towering glass sculptures of creatures of Grimm, including Ursai, Sea Feilongs, Sabyrs, and Beowolves; each poised as though to strike. They looked real. Almost too real. Someone had gone to great lengths to make it so, eschewing safety and sense of the sake of imposing awe and fear upon their guests. It worked a little too well. She shivered at the sight of them.
This was a bad place; all dark shadow lurking under a friendly smile.
Qrow must've sensed their hesitation, because a red eye glanced over his shoulder.
"Don't worry." his rough voice soothed her fraying nerves. "I'll get us checked in. Be right back."
He left her with Naruto, who looked just as discomfited as Cinder felt. There was a hard look to his eyes now as his gaze swept the parlor, one that hadn't been there before. She nudged a little closer to him and grabbed at his hand, lacing her fingers with his.
"I don't like this place."
"Me neither." he muttered. "We stick together, alright?"
Cinder dared a nod and held fast to his arm, not trusting herself to speak.
Her gaze roamed the vacant lobby, searching for a distraction. Something, anything, to take her mind off the imposing statues.
She found a young girl working some yards away, scrubbing floors.
At a glance she wasn't much to look at. Dark skin and rust red hair, her lithe little body wrapped up in a white uniform. Faint patches on her skin confirmed her as a Faunus.
Cinder frowned at her. "Is that...?"
Said frown deepened as she beheld the necklace dangling from the girl's throat and the golden jewel within. They'd made her wear a collar. Not just any collar. A shock collar. She'd seen the make before back in the Tribe. Raven had used a similar device on a rowdy prisoner they'd held for ransom. Once.
Never again.
Just looking at her made the blood boil in her veins. She nudged Naruto. He followed her gaze, saw what she saw, and sighed. He knew what she wanted without asking such was their bond.
It was he who approached her first. "What's your name, squirt?"
Her skin flushed. "Illia, sir...
Looking back, it was that moment.
That meeting. The choice that followed.
Surely the gods were crazy. Yes, they must be.
Else they would have prevented the disaster that followed.
A/N: Remember, Embers rule. This will be deleted forthwith if folks don't like it. Forthwith! So speak up! Make yourselves heard!
And there we go.
Lets see if this story has a happy ending.
As stated above, reviews are my lifeblood. Can't write without 'em.
So in the Immortal Words of Atlas...
...Review, Would You Kindly?
And enjoy the previews.
SPOILERS! READ IF YOU DARE!
(Previews)
...thank you. That was," she seemed to struggle with the word, "Very sweet of you."
Cinder kissed his cheek. Naruto sputtered.
"Oi!"
Illia's voice warbled once. "Why me...?"
"Everyone has the right to be free...why are you hugging me?!"
The little girl didn't let go of Cinder's leg. Not once, even as she bawled.
Naruto cooed somewhere behind her. His Scroll flashed once.
Cinder absolutely hissed.
"Delete that!"
"Are we going to Vale?"
Ozpin's cane clattered to the floor as he beheld those glowing eyes.
"Oh, my." he stood at once and made way for them. "Come in, come in! You must be exhausted...
"No!" Yang scowled at Cinder and kicked at her heel. "You're not my sister!" Her eyes flicked to Naruto. "You're alright, though."
"Hey!"
A young Ruby patted Cinder's head. "There, there...
"They're criminals!"
"They didn't do anything wrong!" Qrow wiped a thin line of blood from his mouth as he climbed to his feet. Ugh. Bastard hit like a truck. "If you were in their shoes, you would've done the same!"
"It doesn't change what happened! The law is the law!"
"They're family!" Qrow raised his weapon, keeping himself between them. "Don't do this, Rhodes. Walk away. Now. Don't make me fight you."
Left unspoken was a more dire threat.
Don't make me kill you.
R&R~!
