Chapter 0 - A Shattered Future

BOOM!

An explosion that rang ears being heard. Droplets of rain falling from the sky. Leaves rustling away from trees. A howl heard from a distance

"MOCKINGJAY! Watch her! That's an order!" A wavering voice of pure anger

Steps approaching their enemy. A target that would not back down. Another explosion could be heard. Skidding across the dirt following.

"I made a promise not to hurt or kill you." A voice that was filled with rage.

Red hair falling. A red and silver eye looking at their enemy. Their target. The sound of something thumping to the ground.

"But I'm not gonna do either of that…" A voice that was not soft like it once was.

CLING!

Yellow strands of hair flying and landing on the ground as metal clashed against metal. A smell of iron in the air as unwavering eyes locked on each other. A battle that was destined to come. As the shattered moon loomed over the two enemies destined to fight forever after these events.

How did it come to this? How did things become so shattered? It all started with a Promise.


The sky was filled with stars and a breeze went through the air. Trees rustling, all that could be seen was two figures. Two women. One in red. One in white. Sitting on a stone backs together as they looked at the moon.

"Raven…" The woman in white spoke, finally looking from the moon to the ground. Her silver eyes staring. "... I'm not gonna try and understand why you left. I just know you said Ozpin was gonna get us all killed…" The woman's voice was soft and filled with a bit of sadness. "... None of us believe you and well… I'm not sure if I feel the same way about it anymore…" She turned her body and looked at the back of her once teammate. "... I'm a mother now and I have a responsibility to her… and also the one given to me the day I became a huntress."

The woman in red presumably named Raven stayed quiet. Her red eyes not leaving the moon as she looked at its shattered pieces.

"You… gave up the responsibility of being Yang's mother because… well…" The woman in white stopped speaking. The answer they both knew already but neither said it. "... but I have a selfish request…"

"When do you not?" Raven finally spoke. Not with anger, malice, sadness, or love. Just the words came out.

"Just… when you sense I'm in danger with your semblance… don't use my one save to get me…" The words came out as if the woman in white knew her time could be coming soon. "... I won't demand you take Yang… you made the decision as her mother to put her in better care then you thought you could give…" She took a deep breath. "... and I'm gonna do the same…"

Raven finally looked at her. A confused look. "Summer…"

"Listen… my little Ruby… I love her… and if I'm wrong about trusting Ozpin… then that means you were right. And I want my daughter raised by someone who can see signs of danger before I can…" Summer's words came out shakily. Tears formed in her silver eyes. "... so instead of saving me Raven… for my one rescue… raise my daughter instead…"

"I- " Raven didn't want that responsibility. She didn't want to drag someone into the Branwen Tribe that shouldn't be. They were once bandits and while their goals changed some. They were still killers. " I cant do tha-"

"YOU WILL DAMN IT!" Summer shouted through her tears. "That is the one thing I'm requesting you… If I live and it's because of someone that wants me dead… they'll just use my little girl to manipulate me even more… I can't have that." Her silver eyes glistened through the tears as she looked at Raven. "... So please… save my daughter, your god-daughter… and raise her… please… Promise me…"

Raven looked at Summer, a letter placed in her hand, one that read 'for Tai'. Her red eyes staring before finally they closed and her lips parted. She didn't want to accept this. She didn't like it. She should really just tell her ex-teammate to screw off. She knew she couldn't though. It'd be like kicking someone on their deathbed. She just hoped she was wrong about Ozpin.

"I promise."

[/]

Two Years Later

Raven's eyes snapped awake in her camp. Night time and she sensed it. Someone in her bond was in trouble. She felt it. She didn't want this day to come. She didn't want to have to keep that promise. She didn't want to lose her friend. The warning in her semblance screaming about the loved one she cared for. They were in agonizing pain and she could feel it. It hurt her to feel and see that someone was gonna die. She could stop it. She made a promise though.

She picked up that sword of hers and sliced it through the air. A portal of red and black forming as she stepped on though. On the other side was Tai on the couch passed out. She looked at him and contemplated waking him up. She didn't want to deal with him breaking down and begging her to save his wife. She looked over the house and saw the many happy memories that had been forming here over the years by the family. Pictures on the wall showcasing birthdays and the wedding of the married couple that lived there.

Here, Raven was about to tear that all apart. She didn't like she was gonna do this. She looked at the envelope in her hands. The paper aged as she set it down on his coffee table. Hoping he'd find it when he woke up. She still cared for the man, even if things didn't work out between them. Then a breath finally escaped from her lips. She didn't even realize that she had been holding it before she then took a step up the staircase quietly. Eventually leading to the room where she felt the presence of her daughter Yang with her semblance.

The door creaked open and there could be seen two girls asleep in their own beds. Yang on one side of the room. Ruby on the other side. She didn't want to do this. It was a struggle to keep herself from just running. However, She Made a Promise.

She looked at Yang. A feeling of guilt coming over her. She couldn't ever be the mom she needed and Yang would never understand that. Now she was taking someone not even her daughter to raise. There was some form of irony in that. She could take Yang, but then that'd leave Tai with no one, and even though they weren't together anymore there was still something she felt for the man. She wouldn't do that to him.

She walked over to Ruby, she took the knot forming in her stomach feeling the wrongness of this all forming as she then took her sword and slashed making a portal to the camp as she picked up Ruby. The toddler was stirring awake as they walked into the dark red mist. Then it closed leaving the room without Raven or Ruby there. With no sign of Raven being there other than a missing girl and a letter from the mother of that girl.


Author's Note:

This story is gonna be probably a little too cracked out for a lot of you. It's gonna take some time to write it fully but it will be my other series going alongside Team WMMN. Eventually I'll start writing a Resident Evil fanfic too and there will be three fanfics being updated along with my livestreaming of gaming on youtube.

This fanfic has been named Ruby the Cardinal. To stick with the bird theming of Raven and Qrow but also because calling it Ruby Branwen or Ruby Branwen Rose seemed dumb. I'll eventually have OG Cover art and not something that I made in like ten minutes.

I am open to ideas for weapons for Ruby to use. I planned to give her a scythe that used dust blades like Raven's or Adam's swords but if you have better ideas let me know.
Her semblance will still be the one from the show. 'super speed' or whatever you want to call it however I have plans to not make it rose petals but rather red feathers. Her cloak will be different as well.

Also just like with Team WMMN there are no relics, salem, ozpin being a million years old. I might toy around with the idea of Season Maidens but that is not gonna be tied to Ozpin. As for Raven and Qrow being able to turn into a bird? I'm leaving that a surprise.

For now let's just see where this goes. This is only my second fanfic story and we'll see if it sticks for me.

~ Cawme