Authors Note: Happy New Years guys! I've been rewatching Rwby and it's been a unique experience thinking of different subplots I can take the story in. I hope everybody enjoys the New Year.
Enjoy the chapter.
Honor To The Branwen
Thunk.
Thunk.
Thunk.
If I flex my wrist…
Thunk!
Thunk!
Thunk!
I just need to insert my aura and…
THUNK!
THUNK!
THUNK!
The dark haired boy looked at all the marked targets outside of his field of vision.
His movements were swift and precise as he darted across the rural terrain. He slowed down as his destination came into view his target's in sight.
His eyes scrutinized the targets as if they were judging them. The scarlet irises mutely counted up his six targets. As they glazed over each target he couldn't help as his lips quirked up at the sight of each of his shuriken logged dead center in each of the targets. Slowly settling the corners of his mouth at ease whilst his face settled into subtle contemplation.
"Where are the other three…"
He walked towards the trees that should have held the boys missing targets only to see shards of splintered wood. He looked towards the trees to find his shurikens embedded into each tree.
He stared at the trees for a long time until he sat down. He could feel his lips twitch on their own. Wiping the sweat off of his brow he allowed his lips to rise on their own.
Madra Branwen allowed himself to smile.
How long has it been now?
…
Seven years since she and Madara left.
Madara was now seven years old and his potential was already being noted by the elders of the tribe. The tribe was pleased to see her return even more so when they found out she brought Madara along who also inherited the tribe's name.
Her eldest child could be called many things but prodigy would be the only word to accurately describe him. He was a fighting genius. He wasn't near the level she or Qrow were but for his age, he could handle himself pretty well. While she would never admit it aloud she was proud of her son.
He always went above and beyond to surpass her expectations. In time he may even become the next tribe leader.
She could honestly say Madra might be her greatest accomplishment. She knew he would never be this strong if he was raised normally with Taiyang and Qrow. He would be blinded to the harsh reality as Taiyang would no doubt withhold information from her children's eyes. The thought crossed her mind what if she brought her daughter would she be just as talented, strong, beautiful… Choosing not to think about what if's she decided she would tell Madra of his upcoming trial when he finally noticed her.
She watched perched on a tree as he went through light exercises( squats, pushups, situps, crunches, etc.) That's when he activated his semblance, the Sharingan he decided to name it.
At first, she thought his semblance was basic hypnosis that could influence you but she was happily proven wrong. Madra's semblance was unique in the way it had multiple abilities. Similarly to the way the Schnee family had multiple variations of their glyphs that had different effects like summoning the fallen Grimm they've slain. But unlike the Schnee's semblance that correlated with their semblance, Madra's semblance stemmed from his eyes the Sharingan.
The Sharingan while not as flashy as Glynda's telekinesis, her portals, or something as discreet as Qrow's bad luck was, it was versatile in many ways Raven never expected. Madra and her experimented with his abilities and sorted them into two categories the eye of insight and eye hypnotism.
The eye of insight granted him the abilities to see a person's auras, giving it color allowing him to distinguish people from friend or foe. He even could see through some obstructions if they were close enough unfortunately not all of them, he could detect irregularities in a person's aura, such as those caused by illusions caused by semblances.
Thunk.
Thunk.
Thunk.
His perception was raised to another level giving him enhanced clarity allowing him to read lips or mimic something like pencil movements. This was the biggest factor in teaching him how to read and write he could copy her hand movements making it ten times easier than it would have been if she had to teach him the conventional way. In combat, the ability excelled allowing him to see fast-moving objects offering predictive capabilities like seeing an opponent's next move based on the slightest muscle tension in their body and allowing him to dodge or counter them. This allowed him to appear as if he were cable to "see the future", He had to use subtle manipulations like perfectly mimicking every move his opponent makes and possibly their thoughts and words through careful observation. Although the Sharingan enabled him to see these things, he still had to train to be able to act on the visual information.
The third and last ability granted to him by the eye of insight was to copy anything he sees with perfect accuracy. That includes any fighting ability, unique fighting style, and handwriting basically anything that Madara could see he could do. He, unfortunately, couldn't copy a semblance, not for lack of trying though.
Thunk!
Thunk!
Thunk!
The eye hypnotism granted only one ability unlike the eye of insight which had three. But this held his most arguably dangerous ability.
The eye hypnotism allowed him to cast illusions through eye contact, allowing him to suggest thoughts and actions to a target, coercing them to divulge information or act in a particular way, sometimes without a target knowing they're under an illusion. This usually left him drained of aura since this was his most aura draining ability. She wondered how long he could keep up the illusion if the person was unaware, or if he could mind control an opponent forever, how complex could he make an illusion, or if he could control-
THUNK!
THUNK!
THUNK!
Being pulled from her thoughts the mother of two stopped her musing. What the hell was that noise? Looking down from her perch she saw her son already throwing shuriken all around the forest. When did he start training?
Looking at her son searching for the targets he obliviously destroyed. She saw him walk towards the partially destroyed trees letting out a satisfied smile at the sight out of his successful use of aura manipulation.
"Mother you can come out."
Hopping down from her perch Raven graced her son with a smirk.
"When did you notice I was here."
"Since my warm up. You should have known I would see your aura." He said getting up off from the ground mirroring her smirk. His eyes fading into the similar shade of red they both shared without the tomoe surrounding his eyes.
"Are we heading back to the tribe?" he said while going to collect the rest of his fallen shuriken.
"Yes…"
"And…" he inquired interested in his mother's silence.
"You will be taking on a trial when we get back."
"...When?"
Madara was perplexed, to say the least. Trials were known as coming of age traditions since the tribe formed it was a way to prove both your worth and dedication to the tribe. Failure to complete them could result in something as bad as being kicked from the tribe to being killed.
"I don't know but it'll be within a week."
Bangs shadowing his eyes he asked, "Do you think I'll pass."
Finally looking him in the eye throughout the whole exchange he saw her red orbs meet his before looking back to the trail they were walking on.
Her lips upturned. "Of course you will, you're my son."
Both them settling in a comfortable silence they let themselves both be left to their thoughts. Giving himself time to reflect on this new challenge he couldn't help but think life was going to be getting a lot more interesting.
Madara and Raven crossed the river that separated them from the camp using their aura. Aura was usually used to protect and defend yourself. It turns out it was more versatile than it seems. Making their way back into the camp. Madara made his way to his tent. While Raven decided to follow him.
"The elders will expect to see you." She said looking around the boy's immaculate room.
"What will the trial be."
"You will be raiding a settlement north of here."
"...You want me to kill them." He asked his voice as calm as ever.
...I can do that...
"Yes, the tribe heard they have their own warriors which currently outnumber our own." She said passively. "Your expected to eliminate any witnessed and secure any money and loot."
Madara sighed."...Why was I given this trial."
Raven lowered her eyes."I'm the leader of the tribe and as my son, you have certain privileges others don't." She said with a tired expression. "Some people in the camp do not appreciate this. By completing the trial you won't only be proving you belong you will also be showing your loyalty to the tribe. Do you understand?"
She said not wanting to discuss the topic further. It was hard to tell what Madara was thinking especially when he was deep in thought but she could still pick up the little clues like the way his eyes didn't meet hers and the slight twitch in his fingers. He was mad the tribe didn't trust him, and she couldn't fault him after all trust was one of the many reasons she decided to abandon Taiyang and Qrow they trusted Ozbin more than her. Speaking of Qrow...
"Yes, can you tell the elders I will be ready to meet them in an hour?" He asked sitting down.
"Yes, the camp is cooking Inarizushi," she said leaving her son to sort out his thoughts.
Deciding to do something better than contemplate how to destroy a village in less than seven days, Madara decided to do something he actually enjoyed before talking to the elders he left his tent to enjoy Inarizushi.
This chapter was more about Madara and Raven than the actual tribe. We will be touching more on that in the next chapter. Leave names suggestions for people inside the tribe.
