Summer and Claire finished off their drinks and headed out of the house. Summer stared at the vine walls with flowers blooming all over the place. It smelled so nice outside and the sun was warm. She took in a deep breath. She could come here every summer. She wished she could but now she had one summer left.
The village was busy place with people talking and working. A few people waved to her and she smiled and waved back. It was a lot different than the last time she remembered and it didn't seem like there was that many people before. They arrived at a gray brick building and it felt like there as heat coming from it. Claire opened the door and the heat hit them in the face.
Summer gave her a weird looked but Claire just smiled and pushed her inside.
"You can leave the door open!" a deep voice called.
"OK!" Claire called back.
A tall muscular man came through a door and stepped behind the counter. He was covered in sweat and dirt. He had raven black hair and dark brown eyes- he had to be at least six feet. Summer felt like he took her breath away, he just looked hot for an older guy. She loved Roman, but wow… maybe because he knew how to make weapons and she found that attractive?
"Wow," Summer whispered her cheeks turning pink.
Claire snorted and started laughing at Summer reaction to the tall man.
"Drake, this is my niece Summer Rose."
"Aw! This is the beautiful girl who saved our village!" Drake said with a grin.
He stepped out from behind the counter and got on one knee like she was a queen to be respected.
"Thank you, milady! We couldn't have done it without you! You have such a great and wonderful power. You have been blessed."
"T-thank you… I have no problem with helping when I can."
"Naw dear don't be modest! I'd be more than honored to create a weapon for you and repair as many times as it takes!"
Summer looked at Claire who was enjoying the scene before her.
"So, what kind of weapon do you like the most?" he asked.
"Well, I've always used swords but most were just ok. I want something like that but a heavy hitter if you know what I mean. Some Grimm are tougher than others."
"I see what you mean! How many pounds can you lift before you struggle with it?" he asked.
"I don't know… I never actually tried to find out…" she said and he raised a finger.
"A lot of fighters don't know and I always have weights put away so I can find out. Some people prefer a heavy weapon, others prefer a lighter one. Are you fast on your feet?"
"She is. I fought beside of her. She can do long range and close-range fighting."
Drake grinned, "What a skilled fighter! I bet your vines are the long range, right? Have you ever tried hand to hand combat?"
"No, but I have a teammate who is good with it," Summer said smiling.
"I suppose you have a well diverse group?"
"Taiyang is the hand to hand and Raven uses different types of Dust blades and Qrow uses a scythe."
"Not bad. Do you want just a normal sword?"
Summer nodded, "Is that ok?"
"Of course! Sometimes a classic is the best but I will sure they know it's yours. How does that sound?" he asked.
"I'm ok with that. Um… thank you so much… I'm glad to be getting such a great gift," Summer said with a big smile.
"Well, little lady. Come over and pick up the weights."
Summer walked over and the weights were all different colors. Ranging from five pounds all the way to one hundred. She picked up the five way too hard making her stumble backwards. She blushed deep red because she was embarrassed but picked up the twenty with some difficulty with one hand. She then went back to the fifteen. She needed something heavy enough but able to lift with one hand if it came down to it.
"I think fifteen would be good for me since I might fight one handed."
"Smart girl! Come back tomorrow around one afternoon and I should have it done."
The two of them waved to him and left the building stepping back into the sunlight.
"He was really nice."
Claire grinned at her, "He is. He's the biggest sweetheart of this village. It's odd to find someone so understanding and sweet in this world."
"That's true."
"So… what do you want to do?" Claire asked.
"I don't know… I kind of just wanted to hang out with you."
The older woman smiled, "You are so sweet after all. I keep forgetting that."
"Um… do you miss Mom?" Summer asked.
Claire stopped and nodded, "I do a lot but you forgiving me made it better. So I can stand tall and keep going. I love the both of you so much."
Summer smiled and hugged her.
"Thanks Summer."
X
X
Qrow sat down looking over the mountains. He could see that Vale was close but he didn't want to make it home to Beacon to early. He wished that his little trip had changed things for him but it hadn't. He didn't know how to face her after all this time. It still hurt him to think about her with Roman but like Raven said, it was his fault after all.
It made him smile thinking of Raven worrying about him. He had made a promise to get stronger but he hadn't fulfilled it until now. Maybe he would never reach the same level as Raven and Summer but at least he could stand by their side to fight with them instead of being protected like he always had. He wanted to show them that everything they fought for, the blood that bled and everything in between was all for something in the end.
He wanted to be part of team STRQ. He wanted to protect his sister instead of her protecting him.
He still felt so guilty because did all those things. Qrow didn't understand how she slept at night. She murdered all those people just to save him. He could never forget the way she looked so tortured when she passed through her portal. She looked like she hated herself and the world- the only time he had seen her weak their whole enough life. She needed to be weak once in a while to remind herself that she was human and not a murder machine.
Qrow wanted Summer to realize she just wasn't just a sacrificial pawn meant to die just for the sake of others. She was a human being too and that her life was worth living no matter what people said about her. She wasn't just some cursed human with her life crossed out yet. He couldn't be with her but he would show her that in time. That she could live without feeling like she was destined to die.
X
X
Night finally fell and Claire took Summer up to the roof. A lot of the village was dark and it made it nice to look up at the stars. The moon lit up the sky outshining some of the dimmer stars but it was still beautiful. Summer wondered what everyone else was doing. She missed everyone. She missed everyone being together.
She missed Roman but… she couldn't stand the jealously too much. Qrow was still her friend.
"Aunt Claire…"
"Hmm?"
"Is it wrong of me to be mad at Roman for being super jealous of Qrow?"
Claire looked at her funny, "Are you showing Qrow romantic interest?"
"No."
"Then why is he jealous for?"
"Because I suggested we might stay as a team as graduating."
"That's great to hear!" Claire said, "Teams who stay together usually live longer since they know each other so well."
"I don't want to part with them. They're like family to me."
Claire looked over at Summer who had tears in her silver eyes.
"That's what friends are right? Family who you aren't blood related too."
"That's true."
After a little while they went to climb down from the roof when Summer stopped in her tracks. She felt something so evil wash over her. Dread filled her heart and her heart began pounding in her chest. Her scroll went off but she ignored it. She started to look around waiting to see something coming at her but they were inside the walls… they couldn't get through no matter how much they tried.
"Summer are you ok…?"
Claire saw the pure terror on Summer's face.
"What's wrong? What is it?" Claire asked but Summer didn't say anything.
Summer dropped her scroll and jumped off the roof running for the wall.
"SUMMER!" Claire yelled and her scroll started going off again.
Claire picked it up.
"Hello?"
"STOP HER NOW! THERE'S SOMETHING OUT THERE THAT WILL KILL HER!"
"Raven? What are you talking about-
"Go after her! Now! Once she climbs the wall that thing will kill her even if she has to kill it she isn't strong enough yet!" Raven screamed.
Claire dropped the scroll and chased after Summer.
The ground started to shake some and Claire knew what that meant. She held out her hand and ice stairs started to form up the wall. She began running hoping she wouldn't slip and fall on the way up. Summer was almost to the top of the wall and Claire formed giant icicles and chopped down her tower of vines. Summer let out a scream as she started to fall.
Claire jumped and grabbed her arm. Ice formed around her legs then it burst into snow. Some more vines shot up catching them. The horrible feeling was gone now and Summer just stared at the sky like she was waiting for it to come back but it didn't. She didn't even know why she chased after it.
That was him. I agree with your aunt… she's lucky to have caught you because I don't think you can overpower it yourself.
Summer bit her lip.
I'm sorry.
You have nothing to be sorry for. The whole point is you get out of this alive, right?
"Your friend knew… she knew what you were trying to do huh?"
"Yea…"
"Hard to act stupid when someone knows you so well."
"I was so close…"
X
X
The next morning the two of them ate breakfast in silence. Claire already knew Summer wouldn't tell her about it. Apparently, it was life threatening enough she wouldn't share it with her. She was just like her mother hiding things for the sake of everyone else but she wasn't going to press her for any info if she wasn't going to share willingly. She would support her until the day that she came clean about it.
"When you get your new weapon then you can charge after things ok?"
Summer looked at her with a shy smile, "Yea."
"You had me scared though. You looked scared but you went charging in anyways."
"I do that… it's a bad habit."
Claire laughed.
"Well, once we finish the dishes and cleaning we can hang outside until it's time to visit Drake."
[Summer] how did you know?
[Raven] it doesn't matter how far I am from you I know everything.
[Summer] I needed to kill it.
[Raven] I know and you will but not right now. There was a strong chance of you dying and the walls of Rose Village falling down.
[Summer] I didn't know that.
[Raven] when you come back I'll be more than happy to draw out the picture of the thing you are hunting. It was always kind of hazy until last night.
[Summer] You saw it?
[Raven] Trust me it's as scary as it looks…
Summer swallowed hard. She didn't want to think about that.
[Raven] School is going to be here soon. We don't want to lose you just yet ok? See you when you get back. Enjoy your time with your aunt.
[Summer] I will thank you Raven. Love you.
[Raven] love you too
"Was that Raven?"
Summer nodded.
"You sure have a great friend," Claire said.
"You don't think she's evil?" she asked.
"She gives off a weird vibe but she's like me or you. What right do I have to judge?"
Summer smiled.
"She looks familiar but I'm not sure. I had heard of a story of a girl and boy who were siblings and escaped a tribe full of assassins. The girl was apparently very powerful and carried colored blades. No one has heard from them in a few years but I have noticed movement of a lot of random people lately. There was a place ten miles out, full of that tribe. I lived here for a long time but never saw a boy and a girl."
Summer frowned.
"That does sound like Raven."
"Well, even if she did all that… she doesn't seem like the same person."
Summer nodded, "She's not the same person from when I first met her."
"You ready to go?"
Summer nodded.
The two of them walked back across the village to Drake's to see the sword. The door to the building was open so they just walked inside. This time it wasn't as hot as it was last time. Claire looked around at the weapons he had placed on the walls. Summer felt anxious thinking about how someone just made her a weapon out of niceness. She was worried she wouldn't like it but that thought disappeared when Drake came out of the back room with something covered in a sheet.
"Hello ladies! You came back! I have it right here!"
He handed it to Summer. It was about fifteen pounds.
"I call her Dawn of the Roses."
"Dawn of the Roses…"
"Take a look at her," Drake said standing proudly.
Summer pulled the sheet off and she gasped. The blade itself was white and it was squared off at the end. Along the sharp edge of was roses inside of a sun and the design went all the way down to the hilt. The hilt was white too with the outline of roses engraved in it. It was the most beautiful weapon she ever laid eyes on she started to tear up.
"I love it… Thank you…" she said her bottom lip trembling.
"Well I had to make the angel of our village something special. I hope it works well for you. It is heavy duty and will do the job. The blade can almost absorb Dust and use its power. You just have to figure it out for yourself," he said smiling.
"I love it," Summer said hugging the blade.