It was late at night, well for a 4-year-old anyway. The curtains were drawn and a burn dust lamp glowed softly, illuminating the room. 4-year-old Ruby sat curled under rose-patterned covers, waiting patiently for her mom, Summer Rose, to tell her a bedtime story.
"Well well, I see my little rose is buried in her covers." The huntress carried herself with grace, her white cloak floated ethereally behind her. Kind silver eyes looked into Ruby's, covered slightly by black and red hair.
"Yup momma." Ruby was enthusiastic, she loved her mother's stories almost as much as her cookies.
"Well, Ruby, what's your favorite fairy tale? The shallow sea? How about the girl in the tower? Or maybe you wanna hear about the two brothers?" Summer deliberately left out a single answer, which she knew Ruby would pick.
"The First Hunter, Momma, I wanna hear about the First Hunter."
Summer laughed a slow, musical laugh, "Of course Ruby. You ready?"
The small girl nodded.
"Well, our story begins before Dust, before kingdoms, before the moon shattered. Before even the Grimm. It was a very different world back then, it even had a different name, you see back then the world was called…"
"Earth!" Ruby interjected.
"Indeed, little rose. Earth was very different to today's world. People could live wherever they pleased, they didn't have to worry about the Grimm. It was a peaceful time, a simpler time."
Ruby watched her mother attentively, hanging onto every word, though if she'd heard this story once she'd heard it a hundred times.
"But the peace was not to last. What happens yet is not known to us anymore, though there are many theories. A dear friend of mine, a man called Oobleck says that he suspects a large rock fell from the sky and brought the Grimm with it."
"Do you believe that Momma?"
"No, I believe that people have the order of things mixed up. I believe that people unlocked their Aura and the Grimm rose to meet them. But it doesn't really matter what I believe."
"It does to me." Ruby cut in.
"Thank you little rose, but where was I? Ah, the Grimm. Well, the Grimm rose and, regardless of whether it happened before or after, people with aura rose to meet them. And at the head of every battle was the first hunter."
"Nobody knows anything about them, save for one critical detail, they had eyes of silver."
"Like us, momma!"
"Yes, little rose, like us indeed."
"The first hunter was at the front of every battle, they stood their ground a thousand times to protect innocents. They were truly a symbol of hope. But in the end, they fell, to what is unclear, some think they led their team into the heart of Grimm territory to try and stop the unending hordes, some, myself included, think they killed the brain of the Grimm."
"The brain of the Grimm, momma?"
"Yes Ruby, for in the very old times it was said that even a Beowolf pup could outsmart a person, now only the oldest of Grimm are smart enough to even think. However, they were dead and the world mourned the loss of their protector."
"Momma, I don't like that ending, tell the other one."
"But we're not done yet. Despite the death of the first hunter and their team people rallied together and formed the ancient alliances that would become our kingdoms. And hunting schools were formed in their honor, to teach people to be just like their fallen hero."
"What was their semblance momma?"
"They didn't have one, they never managed to unlock it. Semblances came many years after the first hunter's death. Keep in mind little rose, most people back then fought without aura."
"Without Aura momma? That sounds dangerous."
"It was, but they still did it to keep others safe."
"Fight without Aura?"
"No momma, keep people safe."
"An admiral goal little rose. I'm sure you'll do it very well. But for now, you need your rest, I wanna say goodbye to you tomorrow before I go on my mission."
"Aw, do you have to go on your mission? I don't like it when you're away. Yang isn't very good at telling stories."
"I'm a huntress Ruby, of course, I have to go on my mission. I have to protect people. And yang is only 6, she'll get better at telling stories one day. Now, sleep."
Summer reached over and clicked off the lamp, its warm glow slowly faded from the room. "Night, little Rose."
"Night-Night momma."
AN: Updated after being checked for spelling and grammar. Please review if you liked, and especially if you didn't. I do need feedback to get better. Well, that's all from me, thanks for your time folks