Remnant Alterna Chapter 8: Episode 7, a rwby fanfic

Episode 7:

"Dribble"

Sun rose over Arrugia, draping a greyish warm glow across the tundra lands and the settlement itself. Qrow's horse could be heard huffing, something that woke the sleeping group.

After some heckling, Oscar had managed to buy them drinks by singing songs. Songs that the barkeep regretted to hear during the night, but songs nonetheless, so the deal went through. Qrow had had his fill of liquor, and was snoring, sleeping across his wide seat, his head in Raven's lap, who slept straight backed, holding the scabbard and sheathed saber beside Qrow's head.

Oscar himself stretched out, seeing last night's drinking buddies- the distant travelers from baradin-Assan, Ren and Nora. Groaning, Oscar then went about looking around the saloon.

It was completely empty.

In fact, Oscar noticed something else. When towns usually awoke, people went about working to offer their own piece of labor to the progress of a settlement. Cobblers would be fixing shoes, militia men would be drilling marches, horses would be trotting back and forth and people would be chatting about the weather.

From the inside of the saloon, Oscar thought he had woken up in a ghost town.

He acted quickly and went to shake Qrow's leg, which instantly kicked at him, Qrow's hands latching onto Raven's saber and unsheathing it, the blade's tip coming in contact with the face of Oscar- stopping narrowly. Qrow groaned at the pale face of the young musician and sighed, putting the saber away, as Raven stirred, groaning and rubbing her temple.

"What is it, kid?"

"Everyone's gone." Qrow and Raven froze at Oscar's words, and a hung over Qrow slowly stood up alongside his sister, blinking confusedly. He seemed to have noticed after a moment, before kicking the boot of a sleeping Nora, who eeped awake. "Wake up your boyfriend." the old Hunter growled.

"I am already awake." Indeed he was, the tanned male standing up from his pseudo-bed and groaning, flexing his right hand, stretching his muscles.

"I heard shuffling during the night, but had thought it to be the barkeep closing down. The saloon doors are still open." The entire group followed Ren's investigation, and soon, Qrow slowly walked toward the ajar door. The light springing in from the outside made Qrow wince and look away, handing Raven's saber back to her.

"Where is everyone, then?" Nora asked, stifling a yawn. "We'll find out soon." Qrow growled, before stepping before the door and then heaving his foot back, kicking it open. With a few steps out, Qrow heard the clicks of rifles, shotguns, pistols- any kind of weapon you could hold in one or two hands. As the light centered into his vision and the rest of his group shuffled out, Oscar audibly gulped at the sight before them. Qrow cursed.

"Shit."

"By order of Sienna Khan of the FLA, you are all ordered to come forth with your hands raised and your weapons before you!"

A man roared, standing in front of a gathered posse of, what looked to be, the entirety of the town and its armed forces. Around twenty three FLA-dressed soldiers aimed their rifles at them, with their captain, the man calling them out, standing at the front, dressed in grey coats, leggings and fur padding, an old Thorian had on his head with the marking of the FLA crudely stitched on its front. The man had olive skin and black hair reaching down to his jawbone, and very clear rat-ears on either side of his head where normal human ears would be. Even some humans in the regular citizenry aimed at them- mostly 50, if Oscar's count was correct.

"I said-"

"We heard you the first time!" Qrow growled, and Oscar already had his hands up. Raven swiftly put them back down, before going back to clutching the hilt of her sheathed saber. Qrow stepped out further onto the porch and shielded his eyes from the sun, and could hear guns trembling to aim at him properly.

"You're surrounded."

Qrow scoffed, looking across the gathered crowd, before nodding.

"Seems like we are."

"Even Aura can't protect you from this. These people, including my soldiers, are eager to see you face judgment, Blood Crow."

"Oh, this again…" Qrow growled, looking to his right. Good, his horse was still there, with his saber. Looking down at the Faunus captain again, he could see both his rat tail and the glint of a saber sticking out from his coat. Nodding, Qrow walked down a short set of steps, with the captain raising a palm to his men to not shoot as the Hunter approached.

"What is he doing?" Oscar asked breathlessly, but Raven stayed quiet. Next to Oscar, Ren and Nora whispered something in a language he had not heard before. Must be their mother tongue.

"Are you coming to personally give your surrender?" the captain asked.

"No, just introducing myself, although I think it's unneeded considering you know who I am." Qrow commented, and the captain slowly nodded. "Yes, I know. Qrow Branwen, hero of Beacon, soldier in Auroria- known for his exploits in Operation Death Blow as leader of the 'Clearing Teams'. Murder, in the highest order." The last words were growled out, and Qrow met the man with a glare.

"... And you?"

The rat Faunus pushed his chin up and scoffed. "Captain Vernon of the Unter Clan. Loyal commissioned officer of the Faunus Liberation Army."

"I guess killing those Blue Fang operatives out back brought you to us, huh?"

"No, in fact," this caught both Qrow and Raven off guard "the Blue Fang, much like the White Fang, has been deemed a hostile faction. Their own Khan is at odds with us. That is not the matter why I am here. I captain the garrison here, and you are a wanted man by all Faunus. I will ask again: surrender."

Qrow then turned his head over his right shoulder, before looking back to Vernon, sneering and throwing a thumb back toward his horse. "I challenge you, then."

The air seemed to freeze, as even citizen militia laid their guns down, looking between each other in surprise. Captain Vernon himself blinked, caught off guard by the request of a challenge, losing his former swagger when talking to the Hunter. Crossing his arms over his chest, Vernon scoffed. "You have no right."

"I'm of the Branwen Clan. I was born of the Westborro. I deserve the right to challenge you for our freedom. Unless you want to break tradition…" A quick glance up to the sacred skies where Yodea lived caused the Faunus captain to grind his teeth. Just as swiftly, he pulled his saber out, but held it upside down by the blade, turning to his men. Various men put their rifles down and pulled their sabers out the same way.

"Repeat after me:" he began to his men, as Qrow idly walked to his horse. Raven was glaring at him, and Oscar was simply confused. Qrow sent them a swift wink, going toward his saber, as Vernon spoke. "By Yodea, one true Goddess and only Goddess,"

"By Yodea, one true Goddess and only Goddess," the men repeated, as Qrow unslid his saber from the scabbard and patted his horse, shushing it down as it slightly huffed and clopped its feet in anxiety.

"That I shall not harm Qrow Branwen after first blood, or his compatriots,"

"That I shall see justice done, and not hurt them if they win or lose,"

"And if Captain Vernon may fall, then let Qrow Branwen be free and unharmed,"

"So help me God."

"Ahmen"

"AHMEN!" The rest of the soldiers roared, and Vernon pulled his hat off, putting it aside with his cloak, both taken by a subordinate. Pulling his sleeves up, Qrow walked forth, only dressed in a modest shirt and pants, much like his adversary. Just as they began to get ready, a rain began to fall, with Vernon sneering up at the sky.

"Seems like God does not enjoy this. Would you like for the dribble to subside, good sir?" courteously asked Vernon, and Qrow sighed, swinging his saber around himself and then pointing it downward, the hilt aimed up, his other hand holding his hip, in a ready position.

"Makes no difference to me."

"En garde, then!"

Vernon roared, stepping forward three times, holding his hand under an outstretched saber, and quickly retracting the hand, as, like a bullet, Qor slashed his sword up and then downward, it being ignored with a swift dislodge by Vernon, his saber moving past the strike, before turning about and slashing from the left to the right, parried by Qrow. Another slash came from the momentum of Qrow's parry, and it was parried by Vernon, who roared, slashing at his chest, but was soon dislodged, as Qrow stepped sideways and blocked the strike.

Oscar gasped at the sheer speed both fighters possessed, the blades turning into blurry lines and the ringing of their clash making Oscar's chest thump with the impact. Sparks flew again, and Raven clutched the hilt of her saber, and Nora looked on with wide eyes, while her companion looked at their movement with cold, calculating slits.

Soon, Qrow and Vernon began to strike and parry each other once more, Vernon walking backwards as he was forced to block three dangerous strikes, unable to counter attack. However, catching Qrow by his guard, Vernon threw the older man behind him and slashed at his back! Aura fizzled with a loud durge, and Raven grit her teeth audibly at the soul's manifestation. Qrow cursed at the impact, as Vernon backed off, swinging his sword about.

"You don't swing, sir, you flail! Hyah, en garde!" Vernon goaded, stepping forward just as Qrow roared out, one swinging at the other and parrying the other. Swing, parry, counter attack, swing parry, counter attack. They were like windmills, battling it out between themselves. However, Qrow's humiliation did not stop there, as the younger and more nimble Captain soon cut into Qrow's aura, shedding blood at his hand and past the guard of the saber, pushing his own blade up and forcing Qrow to release his saber. This allowed Vernon to 'hyah' triumphantly, as Qrow's saber was sent up into the air and landed in the ground five feet from them.

Qrow cursed, stopping as Vernon extended his blade out toward his chest, glaring. "Pick it up, Blood Crow." Qrow slowly moved toward Fangsbane and picked it up, which was now wet with mud and water. Swinging it about to clean it, Qrow growled loudly, clutching the hilt with his bloodied hand and readying himself again. Just as Vernon smirked, thinking Qrow would no doubt use his wounded hand, after another parry, Qrow dared to play a gambit.

Swiftly switching hands, Qrow strengthened his aura around his arm, outstretching it to the incoming saber, and then stabbed with the other arm. Vernon froze up, his eyes wide, as his saber was clenched into a glowing, whirring hand, whilst another saber dug narrowly passed his jugular, resting there, as both men breathed heavily in the rain.

Only their breath was heard, as Oscar almost fainted at the sight, and Raven seemed to relax. The others around them seemed anxious to see and hear whatever was happening between the two. Qrow was the first to speak, in a low growl.

"I win."

"You have not spilled my blood. In fact… You attacked me when I spilled yours."

"... I can kill you right now."

"Breaking tradition."

"Look, pal. I don't have time for you, or the FLA. I'm going far away to the west, and-..."

"I will not have that, Branwen. You are a good foe, and I respect you. You will have a fair trial, so help me God."

"Listen to me for a-..."

But Vernon was not the one to stop Qrow's speech, as both men froze and looked up at a hellish, demonic screech. It was like a bird's eternal scream combined with that of someone dragging a hundred forks across a chalkboard. Oscar groaned, clutching his head, as Raven ran out to the square, sloshing the mud under her boots and pulling ehr saber out. The militia could be heard gasping, some clutching her ears as well, as they looked up at the sky.

"What is…?" Vernon asked, his muscles relaxing, with both men receding from each growled. "Grimm! Everyone inside! GRIMM!" Qrow ran toward his Horse, but Vernon yelled after him, as the militia panicked, some citizens running to their homes.

"Don't be a fool, Branwen, Grimm have not been sighted here for thirty ye-" Swoosh! A loud breach of swift air passed over the entire settlement, blocking out the cloud-surfed sun above for just a second, but the demonic screech came back, as did enter the beating of mighty wings. Everyone looked out into the distance and saw a great, black form with two, mighty wings screeching and circling back around.

"Nevermore! Vernon, get your men shooting at it, now!"

"You don't get to order me around, Branwen! Men, take defensive positions, open fire at will! Gregor, Fushima, get the families back inside! Tukson, Velvet…!" Vernon hesitated, as a grizzly, scarred wolverine Faunus stopped in his tracks, a smaller bunny Faunus bumping into his back. Vernon pointed at Qrow.

"You're under his command!"

"Wha-...?" The Faunus didn't get to ask, before Tukson saluted his superior. "At once. Come on, Velvet." He said to his companion, both joining Qrow, Raven and the two Baradin warriors. Qrow had sheathed his saber into a scabbard, tying it to his belt, and soon held his Winchester 1600 rifle in his hand. Raven had her own next to him, and both of them loaded their rifles as the Nevermore was slowly coming closer back toward the settlement. Qrow looked to Ren and Nora.

"You know how to take down a Nevermore?"

"We're used to fighting Berengals and Wraiths, but if you can get us close, I and Nora can finish it off. Clip its wings, I suggest." Ren calmly noted, hitting himself with a set of sais, testing his aura, which flashed purple.

"You didn't tell me you were Hunters…" Qrow noted, and Nora giggled playfully, pulling forth a warhammer from her own horse's saddle. "Come on, it's more fun in a reveal like this! Let's get this monster!" Nora grinned.

Oscar raised his hand up.

"Erm, w-what do I do?"

They all looked at him, before one of the Faunus, Tukson, grumbled and pulled a hand behind the small of his back, pulling out a revolver. He handed it to the teenager. "Six shots. Don't waste them. Leave one for yourself, just in case."

"Oh, wow, thanks…" Oscar said glumly, before running back toward the saloon, standing on the porch in a crouched position. Vernon could be heard ordering to fire, as a loud array of popping rifles, pistols and even shotguns shot forth at the Nevermore, which screeched, flaking slightly into shadowy dust at the impact of so many projectiles. It then swooped left, toward one of the higher houses that held five FLA men on its roof. The soldiers seemed to understand that it was gliding in too late, as they sought to quickly jump off the roof, hoping to safety, whilst two of their comrades were scooped up, the roof itself damaged in the dive. The two men screamed in fear, their screams echoing and soon winding down, thrown miles away and above the ground, before silencing with distant cracks and pops of crushed bone.

"Get off the roofs! Take cover inside, take cover inside!" Vernon roared, firing at the Nevermore with his revolver while Qrow and Raven nodded to Ren and Nora, the Branwens stepping up next to Vernon, as the Captain reloaded. Meanwhile, Ren stayed in an alleyway, shadowing himself in the shade, whilst Nora ran into a building, running up the stairs towards its roof.

"How can we kill this thing!?" Vernon roared out, before Qrow and Raven aimed their weapons. Qrow whispered to Raven. "Wind to the east… Adjust thirty…" Both of their rifles adjusted to the right, with Vernon blinking in confusion. Oscar watched, moving his gaze from the re-approaching Nevermore and the two Hunters, whilst Qorw continued. "Three betas?" "Three beats. Adjust timing. One, two three. One, two three…" Raven answered, as the Nevermore closed in. Just as it reached the town's limits and sought to dive in against the Hunters, both fired, the rifles cutting across the midsection of its left wing. It screamed loudly. As it folded its left wing and soon dived severely down, and crashed into the ground of the main road the three stood on, rolling toward them.

"Go, go, go!" Raven dived to the right while Qrow pushed the dazed Vernon to the left, both parties dodging the Nevermore as it was halted by a cushioned crash into a building. Fire began to rain down on the clipped bird from the surrounding houses, as it screeched and whined, getting back up from the debris surrounding it.

"It's wings! Hold them down!" Ren told Qrow, as Qorw then nodded to Raven. Tukson and Velvet finally moved, the two Faunus moving toward the wounded wing, while Qorw and Raven, rifles slung over their backs and sabers out, ran toward the healthy wing. The right wing swiped at them, causing Raven to duck and roll under it, while Qrow jumped and activated his semblance, flashing red and white for a moment, before disappearing into light and reappearing as…

"A-a bird!?" Oscar gasped, looking up in awe as Qrow, in his crow form, circled above the wild nevermore. Tukson then growled, pulling out his claws and taking a hold of the wounded wing, making the Nevermore screech and look at him. Velvet tried her best at helping, but clearly didn't do as much as Tukson's sheer strength. The wolverine Faunus roared out as he pulled back against the Nevermore, feet shifting against the ground beneath him.

Qrow then cawed, making Raven finally ready her attack against the unwounded Nevermore's wing, before Qrow once more disappeared and reappeared in a blinding light, dropping down with an unsheathed saber. Roaring in fury, Qrow landed on the Wing and impaled it, forcing the Nevermore to squeal in pain, before Raven did the same, both sabers and Hunters holding the wing down.

"Kid!?" Qrow said, and stopped, seeing Ren slowly approach. However, Ren seemed to be colored differently, now almost entirely black and white, with a low, purple hue surrounding him. His palms were clasped together, his eyes shut, as if praying. The sais were between his palms, whilst Ren slowly walked forward.

The Nevermore didn't seem to pay the boy any mind, as it thrashed and screeched loudly against the two parties holding down its wings. Ren seemed to hum silently, as he approached the Nevermore's thrashing head. Just as Ren got near it, the Nevermore seemed to freeze up and stare at Ren. Ren's purple eyes opened and he roared out, the color to his body returning and one of his hands shooting forth, high above his head. The sais, with it, came down onto the Nevermore's exo-skeleton white head, and it roared out in pain. The sais didn't get through, however.

As the Nevermore snapped its beak at Ren, the crusader jumped back and roared up at the roof of a nearby home. "Now!"

Nora then laughed maniacally, jumping up from the rooftop and her hands and legs coursing with ura. Everyone looked up to stare at her as she came down, soon dropping her hammer right down onto the sais, forcing it through the cracked exo-skeleton.

With a final whine, the Nevermore froze up and then went limp. Everyone began to breathe heavily and relax, the adrenaline still slightly pumping, but even now, victory was theirs. The Nevermore's black ichor-like skin began to dissipate like ash into the wind, though slowly. Qrow and Raven removed their sabers from the wing and went around the Nevermore, watching Ren remove his lodged-in sais from the head of the monster. Soon enough, Ren and Nora turned to Qrow, who appraised them with a nod.

"Pretty good… Where'd you learn it?"

"My father is a Grand Crusader of the Order. To hunt the Grimm is our life, and honor." Ren explained, before Nora interjected with a bubbly voice. "Also it's pretty fun! Well, if it's not too dangerous! This was pretty easy…"

"Mhm, hence why this scares me." Qrow commented, with Raven settling into a steely gaze. Oscar approached the party with wide eyes, and listened, whilst Vernon walked up.

"The Grimm is dead, Blood Crow. Why does it scare you now?"

"It's young. Too young." Qrow explained, getting a baffled look from both Oscar and Vernon, while the others in the group looked on with either interest or, what seemed to be, grim understanding.

"What do you mean?" Oscar asked, timidly, before Qrow explained, crossing his arms over his chest and pacing around before the Nevermore's disintegrating head. "Its exo-skeleton only reaches around the top of its head. Older Grimm's exo-skeletons cover almost all of the needed bits. That's why it was easy to bring it down by clipping it." Qrow nodded to his and Raven's handiwork- the wounded left wing.

"Moreover, there are no Grimm as young as this."

"... How young is it?" Vernon asked, looking down at the Grimm. Qrow slowly crouched in front of it, glaring at it. "One week."

"One week!?" Vernon asked, flabbergasted.

"Is that… bad?" Oscar asked, but just as Raven turned to answer, Vernon growled out, clutching the hilt of his saber thoroughly. "No, it's impossible. You must be mistaken, Branwen. There are no more new Grimm, not since-"

"Not since Saint Avarin's Crusade, I know. But now you have one here. I know these things far better than I'd like, Captain, and I'm telling you- this thing's practically a baby."

"We have slaughtered a child." Tukson said, his voice a low growl, but his eyes tracing down at the Grimm.

"It's a monster, don't beat yourself up about it." Qrow waved the Faunus off, before Tukson glared at Qrow, with the smaller Velvet looking up at the wolverine Faunus worriedly.

Qrow walked up to Vernon, behind whom seemingly petrified soldiers appeared, still holding their weapons. The two groups stared at each other, before Vernon cast a gaze down at the dead Grimm. Looking back up at a determined Qrow, Vernon nodded. "Join me in my office. Soldiers, do not harm anyone of them. Clear the bones when it's gone, Tukson."

"Yes, sir."

And like that, Qrow sheathed his saber and sent Raven a wink, as Qrow walked with Vernon. As Oscar looked up at the female Branwen, she did not look as carefree as her brother. More so worried- or anxious.