The streets of Argus were a warzone. Two small forces were battling each other in the city park, each doing their best to murder the other. It was an all out gang turf war. The fight was between the Obsidian syndicate, who specialized in extorting citizens of their money in return for 'protection', and the Azure Alliance, who specialized in the peddling of drugs. The two crime families would often come to blows, being the only two gangs in Argus; at least, for now. The Obsidian Syndicate were handily winning the battle, partly thanks to the effort of one young woman.

She was very powerful, fighting 5 men at once while barely breaking a sweat. Her maroon kimono fluttered through the wind as she jumped out of the way of their attacks. Her name was Bonnie Noire, and she was the next in line to inherit the status of head of the Obsidian Syndicate. She fought ferociously, her fighting style being odd, using no particular main weapon, but an array of military equipment, from guns to grenades and flashbangs - which she would use to get up close and utilize her extensive training in her own custom martial arts style, which she developed to cause as much pain and damage as possible. Aura could protect you from damage, sure. But it didn't protect you from strikes you didn't see coming, or protect you from pain. Aura had workarounds, and Noire exploited them gladly.

Noire was able to sustain such a heavy fighting style by utilizing her semblance. It allowed her to manipulate the size of various objects, making them bigger or smaller, including her own body parts. Using the semblance, she could keep hundreds of weapons on her, shrunken down until needed. Noire was a one woman army, and it showed.

She took out a tiny flashbang from her pouch, covering her eyes as she set it off, blinding the enemy. She then rushed them, flipping over them and stabbing the biggest man in the back with a dagger. The man didn't have aura. Noire viciously grinned. This would be too easy. Her, the strongest asset of the Obsidian Syndicate versus low level auraless goons? What a waste of her time. Noire took out a rifle, sighing as she put a bullet through each of her opponents skulls, blood striking the ground as the men fell, dead. Noire adjusted her glasses and looked up, letting moonlight fall onto her unnaturally pale skin.

"The Azure Alliance proved to be a pain in our ass for years, but when it came down to combat, they really were a bunch of petty drug peddlers." Noire spat.

The few Obsidian Syndicate men that Noire brought to accompany her were celebrating. She would allow them that, this was a big day for the Syndicate after all.

Noire turned back to her men, to order them to clean up the mess, but when she did, they weren't anywhere to be seen. Her men had disappeared. Noire was on edge.

"Seems like you're quite the capable fighter."

A woman's voice. Behind her. Noire leapt away on instinct, a slashing noise sounding from where she just stood, the ground destroyed and torn up.

"Bonnie Noire. Heir to the Obsidian Syndicate throne. I've heard much of your strength."

Noire finally got a good look at her assailant. She had long curly black hair reaching down to her calves, and was wearing a kimono like her, but this womans' was black and red. She wore a short black skirt and tights, and carried a long yet thin, blood red sword.

Noire instantly knew who this was.

"Raven Branwen, of the Branwen clan. What brings you here, to my domain?"

"I seek capable fighters. My clan has been flagging in strength as of late. I aim to recruit the strongest fighters across Mistral to my cause. You will come with me. My clan far outmatches your syndicate.

Noire growled. Raven wasn't exactly incorrect. The Branwen clan had been a thorn in the side of every crime family in Anima. They practically owned the wilderness villages of the continent, limiting the rest of the underground to fight for territorial scraps in places such as Argus, and Mistral.

Very good scraps, but scraps nonetheless.

Even a united front, formed in a summit of each crime family in Mistral, was unable to crack the grasp of the Branwens on the continent. They were just too strong.

"You think I would betray my family to fight for some ragged bandits I hold not a shred of loyalty to?"

"Noire, I'm afraid you don't have any choice. I'm taking you with me, I'm not asking. I'm the strongest huntress in Anima. Nothing you can do here can stop me.

Interrupting the staredown, a third party entered the scene - a tall, regal looking woman, donning a pure black kimono platinum hair. Noire straightened up. This was the leader of her Syndicate! She would be damned if she would be made to look weak in front of her.

Naturally, the woman was named Obsidian. And her voice flowed through the air. "Raven Branwen. You intend to disrupt the day where I claim the city of Argus for myself? You will leave this city. Noire is the jewel of our Syndicate, our heir. You will not be taking her."

A voice began to echo through Noire's mind. It was the voice of the head of her family, and her mentor, Obsidian. She was utilizing her semblance to communicate telepathically to Noire.

'You must get out of here Noire. Raven wants you, and I fear she will stop at nothing to get you. We are not strong enough to face her, even our syndicate as a whole. Raven will wipe us out here. I will buy you time and you will escape. And that is an order as head of my - your - syndicate.'

Noire began to shudder, she couldn't disobey such an important order, but letting her mentor die here would be a great mark of weakness to her pride.

'I know you may bristle at the weakness fleeing implies, but I ask you to swallow your pride and survive, Noire. Flee the continent, go to Vale. Go to Beacon. Get stronger. And one day, get revenge.'

Noire's legs started carrying her away as Obsidian fought against Raven. Tears threatening to spill at her weakness, her inability to protect her mentor and the Syndicate she grew up with.

Noire ran, and ran, and ran.


A month later, Noire found herself on a bullhead leaving Mistral, following the advice of her late mentor. She would go to Beacon. She would train to fight huntresses there. She would become the strongest in remnant and finally kill the bastard who marked her pride. She knew she would be on a team at Beacon, three fellow students. Noire doubted she would get on with them, but she would make due. She would dominate Beacon if she had to.

Finally arriving in Vale, a commotion down below caught her eye. It appears there was a fight on the streets. A bullhead hovering above a building, purple and orange lights flashing violently as they clashed. Noire spectated the fight as she idly daydreamed of the day where she would storm the Branwen Clan. The day where she would get her revenge.