CHAPTER 0:

A Promise

"Have you heard of the story of the Red Death and Yellow Dragon?"

The sound of an explosion could be heard erupting through a forest as a woman's voice viciously shouts out. Rain begins to pour down in the wrecked woodlands. "MOCKINGJAY!"

"When I was younger my parents would read the story to me. Two sisters fighting in a battle forever against each other."

A scream could be heard as metal clashed. Yellow and Red meet each other as the rain sizzled off the blonde haired woman's body. A battle fought vigorously as a silver and red light shined through the forest.

"They would tell me that the Red Death would hunt and kill those that were meant to be protectors of the human race. Fighting against those that were meant to be humanity's allies."

"I'm gonna break you." A young feminine voice snarled out in anger as a howl could be heard in the distance. The two stared each other down before their steel clashed once more. Both of their emotions poured out of them. Each clash became louder as their fight went on. Their negativity permeated the air of the forest.

"How the Yellow Dragon was tricked by a Green Devil in disguise telling her to hunt and kill the Red Death. That the Red Death was a threat to their cause of defending humanity."

A mask slipped off the face of the Red Death as she stared down the Yellow Dragon. Their eyes locked onto each other, one silver and red eyes met the other's lilac orbs. The Yellow Dragon was unable to hide her shocked expression. "-by?!"

"However, the Yellow Dragon finally realized who the Red Death was and by that point it was too late."

A burst of red petals surrounded the Yellow Dragon as the Red Death appeared behind her, knocking the Dragon across the forest into a tree. Dust scattered into the air as the terrain became more muddy. Red feathers falling into the dirt. As the Yellow Dragon stood up.

"Anger and hatred consumed the two as they stared one another down. A red and silver glow coming from the Red Death. A yellow fire burning from the Dragon. As they launched themselves at each other, unconcerned about the demons that surrounded them as they fought."

Snarls came from the forest as the monsters that looked like shadows lunged at the two. The pair paid no mind and fought around them as if the demons of the night were just insects.

"It was as if the two derived some pleasure from this sisterly fighting. As if it was the most important thing on the planet."

"YAAAAANG!"

"RUUUUBY!"

"Ah, I'm sorry, I'm starting this story from the wrong point. You're probably really confused on how they even really got to this point. Well, it all started with a promise. Between two loving mothers."

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A cool breeze danced through the autumn air as the shattered moon shined overhead. Leaves falling to the ground around two figures that sat on a rock near the edge of a cliff. One dressed in black, the other dressed in white. Their backs resting against each other as they stared at the star filled sky. The silence permeating through the forest before finally a sigh comes from the one in white.

"Raven." The one in white's voice was soft and gentle as she spoke with her head tilting towards the ground. A nervous expression worn on her face as her dark red hair was brushed behind her ear. "We've been meeting almost every year now since you left. …Our team… well, I never fully understood why you did."

A pregnant pause followed as the words hung in the air with nothing but silence in response. A sigh escaped her lips. "Yang. She sees me as a mother now. It makes me feel wrong," Her voice was getting shaky. "You are her mother."

Raven's eyes never left the sky as she sighed, her eyelids closing as she let out a breath she had been holding for that moment. "No. I'm not fit to be." Those were the first words she spoke tonight.

"Maybe." The one in white moved and took her back off of Raven's and looked at the woman. "Maybe not."

"Summer…" Raven's voice trailing off, she remained motionless not turning to face Summer's silver eyes she knew were staring at her.

"Damn it Raven. You left to go back to your tribe of bandits and not even your own brother knows why or what you're doing it for. That was three years ago now." Summer's voice was one of agitation. Three long years since Raven left Yang with her father in the middle of the night. Not even a word on why. "That's not why I'm here though." Her voice grew softer as she spoke and finally Raven turned with her red eyes meeting Summer's Silver.

"I- My daughter, Ruby. My little gem… My little red." Summer's words stammering out. "She's only a year and a half now. Can't believe she's already eighteen months old." She chuckled. "Eyes just like mine too. Sh- she's adorable." Summer's eyes closed, Raven stiffened up, seeing her eyes glistening from tears forming in the corners reflected in the moonlight. "Yo- You know more about Ozpin, more than any of Team STRQ did. You were always like that. Searching for answers. Up until you left you kept arguing with us saying he was gonna get us killed. That you couldn't say why. That we shouldn't trust him." Her silver eyes finally opened with the tears beginning to slowly fall down her cheeks.

"Summer." Raven spoke, lifting her hand to try and wipe away the tears. Only for Summer to swat it away.

"Listen to me damn it." Summer's voice was getting more annoyed. "I- I made a promise the day I became a huntress to protect humanity." Her voice was getting more shaky as if the words were weighing on her mind she didn't want to say. "Then, when Yang was alone and Tai was in shambles I took them into my life and put them before anything else being the best I could for them." Her eyes darted to the ground a sigh coming as she then had a long pause. "Then, I ha- had Ruby." The tears finally reached her chin. "I became her mother. Her lifeline. Although, I feel as if that's not gonna be an option for me anymore." Summer's eyes met Raven's red eyes once more. Leaves rustling around them as they stared at one another.

"Ozpin, he's been…" Summer's words went quiet. Then she spoke again. "... He's been acting differently since I had her. He's been more evasive… secluded, he wont tell me hardly anything now." Raven took a breath at those words. She knew why and Summer could tell but didn't say anything. "I'm worried I was naive and dumb. Tha- That you were right. So I need to make a selfish request of you Raven." More tears began to fall from Summer's eyes as she looked at her friend's expression. Her partner's expression.

"Don't save me… SAVE MY DAUGHTER!" Tears rolled down Summer's face, her silver eyes glistening as she stared down her best friend. Raven's own getting wide and shaky as she heard her friend's request. She was in disbelief.

"I- I ca- can't" Raven's voice came out with a stutter as she tried to scoot back and stand up off the rock as Summer grabbed her arm and pulled her back down.

"You can and you will damn it!" Sniffles came following that shout. "If something is gonna kill me it's not gonna be a grimm and you damn well know that!" More shouts as her tears fell. Streaming across her eyes. Raven, not able to run or move from her friend. Never seeing her so hysterical before. "If I'm to die we both know why. Someone is hunting me and I sure as hell don't trust anyone else! So don't save me. Save my daughter from whoever could be after her! If not… they'll just use her against me." Her voice trailing off no longer shouting through the tears. "I want my daughter to live a life of her own making. Not one that someone manipulates her into." Summer's tears cleared up as she looked into Raven's eyes that stared back in hesitation.

"Y- You left Yang with people that you thought could give her a better life than you thought you could give her, Raven." Summer's eyes closed once more. "If all of Team STRQ was wrong about Ozpin but you. Then, that just proves there is no one but you I can trust to raise my daughter."

Raven winced at those words. It's not that she didn't want to be right but it's that she knew she was about what Ozpin truly was. "Summer, I'm not fit to be a mo-"

"YOU ARE DAMN IT!" A slap struck across Raven's face. "If you are right about this then you sure as hell are!" Frustration clearly on Summer's face. "So you will promise me! PROMISE ME! That when you feel my life in danger you sav- save" Her words choked again. "Save my precious Little Gem." The silence of the night was lingering throughout the cliffside forest. The two mothers looking at each other as tears came from Summer. Raven's mind trying to process what was said by her best friend. Her eyes closed as her mind was rattled from the thoughts of leaving her friend for dead. To save her daughter and become her mother. It shook the black haired woman.

The tears eventually stopped as Summer's hand reached into her white cloak. Two envelopes pulled out. One read 'For Tai' the other 'For Raven' both clearly in Summer's handwriting. "Instructions, for if the time comes. I didn't leave one for Qrow. Heh" A small chuckle came from Summer. "He'd just run to Ozpin."

"Su- Summer I can't take this." Raven choked out. She didn't want to do this. She couldn't do this.

"You will! I won't force you to try and raise Yang! You wanted to give her a life you didn't think you could give her! But…" Her voice trailed off. "... I know you can give my Ruby a life I could never give her if something were to happen. So please, promise me." Summer's eyes began watering again as they looked deeply into each other "PROMISE ME!" She shouted through her tears demanding this of her friend.. Raven's features finally softening. Raven's hands finally reach out to grab the tear stained envelopes. They felt heavier in her hands than she expected. The weight of the situation hit her as her hands took them.

"I- I promise." A shaky resolve for a promise she didn't want to keep.

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Raven's eyes snapped awake in her camp. Night shadowed through her tent, a darkness keeping it shrouded as she felt it. Someone in her bond was in trouble. She could feel it through her body. She didn't want this day to come. It had only been a couple of months. It rang in her mind, that night she made that promise. A promise that shook her to her core, one She didn't want to have to keep. She didn't want to lose her friend. She could feel their pain, suffering and agony rippled through her senses, as their life inched closer to their end. Her loved one she cared for fading from existence. It hurt Raven to feel that someone she loved was gonna die. She could stop it, she easily could be there in seconds to save them. It tore her apart knowing she can't. She made a promise. One she now had to fulfill.

She picked up her sword and sliced it through the air. A portal of red and black forming as she stepped on though. On the other side was a man with blonde messy yellow hair and tanned skin. Tai, the man she loved and left. He was alone and 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 Tai and Summer...

Raven didn't like what she was about to do. She looked at the envelope in her hands, it was clenched tightly as she looked at the writing on it. She wanted to tear them apart and save her friend. Not tear apart her friend's family. The paper of the envelope aged from the weather over the past few months. 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 she could see two girls asleep. Yang on one side of the room. Ruby on the other side in her crib. It was a struggle to keep herself from just running. However, She Made a Promise.

She looked at Yang. Wild blonde hair that seemed to have not been brushed before bed, her eyes were closed as she slept but she remembered the lilac eyes. A feeling of guilt came over Raven. She couldn't ever be the mom Yang needed. She would never understand that. Now she was taking another child, one not even her daughter to raise. There was some form of irony in that. She could take Yang too, 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, she couldn't, do that to him.

She walked over to Ruby. She was still so small for her age, the spitting image of Summer. A deep red hair color that looked black until light shined on it, pale skin and most certainly the silver eyes Summer had mentioned. Raven could feel the knot forming in her stomach, 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 baby 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 ever having been there. Other than a missing baby and a letter from the mother of that baby.

Author's Note:

This was a fun one to rewrite. There is a bit I was able to save from the original story of Ruby the Cardinal. Mostly the ending scene with Raven going and grabbing Ruby. Still some minor changes there. Most of the other stuff was rewrote completely. I took time to go over anything to make it vague on what the powers in this universe are because I want you the audience to learn them as Ruby does. This is a story meant to be written for those that have not seen the show so anyone can enjoy it.

I want to give a special thanks to the betas of this story!

Betas:
Shining Leviathan
Darkness Turkey
Wolf
Doomalade
Scott D.

Thank you so much for your help with correcting this chapter and making the writing flow smoother and catching the errors throughout it.

Special thanks to everyone who waited patiently for the start of the Hunters: AU. Releasing this on my bday was a decision I made as this RWBY AU is something I hold very special. I might release something that is notes and Behind the Scenes on this AU eventually.

The next chapter will release
October 13th. Chapter 1 - Ruby's Resolve.

I might start up a where chapters are released a week early or something like that. It'll probably just be $1-$3 a month. Let me know if you'd all be interested.

~ Cawme