/—/
CHAPTER 2: Corvids Are Meant To Be Good Parents
/—/
Vernal was almost startled by the sound of a portal opening nearby, She immediately caught herself when she realized it was just her Leader, Raven was using their bond to portal back to the Branwen tribe. She stopped whatever she was doing in the workshop tent and came out to greet Raven.
"Raven–?" Just as usual, Raven came out of the portal. But out with her was a shrimpy small brat on the verge of death, bloody and probably bleeding out already from the wounds on his head. Did Raven kill a kid? While killing was no issue for them, Raven usually avoided killing brats… "You kill' the brat? I thought you didn't go for kills like that."
Raven raised an eyebrow and almost looked offended. She scoffed and held the brat by his hoodie like a cat. "I didn't do this, nor would I ever go kill children."
'Not intentionally or directly.' Went unsaid, she may not kill the weak. But that doesn't mean the villages they raided survived for the most part, as Grimm would be there to pick them while they were at their weakest.
Vernal looked at the dying toddler, and back to Raven. Raven rolled her eyes as if it wasn't obvious, but then she remembered she didn't really answer Vernal. "Brat's not mine, just a Nephew at best. Found him running away from a Beowolf and fell down a flight of rocks."
Vernal almost looked impressed. "And he survived that? Huh, not bad."
"Won't be that bad if he dies, go bring him to Herbaine and get him patched up. I'm going back for a one last check up." said Raven as Vernal took the brat in her arms. She felt almost disgusted holding the kid, the blood getting on her clothes. Great, she'll have to clean that up later.
"Ah, might be a bit too late for that." Vernal muttered, enough for Raven to hear who was about to enter her portal again. Raven frowned and turned back to them.
"What do you mean? Aside from his bruises, he's only bleeding from his head." While Raven was a bandit through and all. She still graduated from Beacon – The most prominent school for huntsmen, the place where she and her younger brother Qrow met Taiyang and… Summer. — Even if she wasn't a model student when it came to practical education and knowledge, she still knew about injuries and severity.
"He's not breathing anymore." Vernal carefully laid the boy on the ground, putting her index and middle finger below his neck.
Raven took a closer look at the boy and clicked her tongue, Right. She didn't look at how severe his injuries were and assumed it was a light bleeding from the head. She almost forgot that the boy was literally proned on a pool of his own blood.
"Move." Raven told Vernal, if the boy died after she saved him and risked being found by Qrow. She'll be pissed off and find a way to bring the boy back to life just to talk shit to him… And she would be failing Summer and the others again. She put her thumb on the boy's forehead and closed her eyes, drawing her own Aura from within.
"For it is in strength that we gain survival. Through this, we become a paragon of strength and sacrifice to fight for those we care about. Infinite in reach and unbound by ties, I release your soul– Agh!" Raven chanted without pause, she felt her own aura be drained trying to awaken the toddler's aura, only for it to bounce back on her. She glanced at her twitching arm and back to the boy.
"Raven?" Vernal looked at Raven in confusion, "What happened?"
This was how unlocking aura was supposed to work. Why didn't it work? Did she make a mistake? Unlocking someone's aura was supposed to be a reflection of your own being imprinted onto another, to give their soul a spark, a final push to come into manifestation.
"It didn't work?" Raven mumbled.
This worked before with Vernal, how come it didn't with..? The only way her chant wouldn't work is if she, as a person, changed. She shook her head, no time to ponder. It would be too late by the time she thought of herself, she knew herself best. All she had to do was what came naturally. She resumed unlocking his aura, putting her thumb on his forehead again.
"It is through hardship that we find our strength. In struggle, we are sharpened so we may rise above others– Tsk." A sharp pain lanced through her hand again, but this time, she ignored it and kept going. "–Infinite in reach and unbound by ties. and by my hand, empower thee." Raven felt her aura being taken away this time by a noticeable amount compared to before. Though it felt strange how minimal the effort she'd made was. Usually, it would take an impact on your stamina and aura noticeably, and yet…
Why the rebound, though?
Raven stood up, wiping away the blood that was on her thumb. "He should survive now, take him to Herbaine."
Vernal watched Raven walk away and go back to the open portal that was slowly sizzling out of existence. She then looked back to the kid and frowned, slowly she put her fingers on his neck again and felt his vitals.
It was back, barely, though.
"Either you're resilient, or you're lucky." Vernal muttered, carrying him in her arms and walking towards the more populated part of their tribe, to a spread-out tent that had an open entrance at the side with multiple equipment and boxes lying around. "Freaking Herbaine leaving empty boxes in the out again."
/—/
Night was about to fall by the time Raven had returned to the Branwen Tribe, spending the rest of her time watching Qrow bring back Yang and the other twin brat – The female one, honestly she wasn't sure if she got the female or male one. They look the same – with a dead-inside expression. When he returned back to the Rose/Xiao-Long house, things had gotten ugly when Qrow snapped and started beating the shit out of Taiyang despite the kids still being present, the two got into a fight, if you can even call a slugfest a fight in the first place.
When both idiots were beating the shit out of each other, Taiyang asked why Qrow was attacking him. Her brother answered by pointing to the kids, asking of WHO was not present, that's when the wallowing fool realized that one of them was missing.
Personally? Raven felt a little guilty when she saw her once husband spiritually breakdown again once he realized one of his kids was missing. That's how it looked didn't it? To their perspective, at least in Qrow's, one of the twin roses was dead by the time he arrived.
After that, they stopped trying to kill each other and started screaming at each other. Something about Taiyang needing to pick up after himself or he'll take the girls away with him.
The rest of the day was just her watching them pick things up, either crying or grieving. Then making another tombstone for the boy next to Summer's own. Each of them had empty eyes, lifeless and depressed even.
The one that affected her the most was Yang's own dim lilac eyes, as if she'd just lost life in them. No wonder, she was the one to have brought them with her in the first place to find Raven. The adult woman shook her head, remembering Yang's broken spirit. It was for the good of them in the end, at least this way Yang would grow strong, she knows she'll grow strong. And she'll be able to raise the one on her side, not only giving her access to a powerful weapon like the silver-eyes, she'll be able to mold the boy into a strong fighter for the survival of the tribe.
'Summer would be disappointed in you if that's all you saw the boy as.' Her own traitorous mind whispered to her, as if she cared, AS IF. Summer brought that end to herself, tsk.
She strolled through the Branwen camp, watching her members light up torches and preparing for the night. She walked until she got to where Herbaine, the camp doctor or whatever he resided. Her gaze took a quick glance at the boxes lying around the tent. "Tsk, goddamn Herbaine still leaving empty boxes out in the open."
She entered the big tent and found several empty beds, her eyes landing on the final one where the male twin was sleeping, though the boy was covered in bandages, he was breathing. He was still alive, good.
"Aye, Boss. Was' wonderin' when you would visit." A middle aged man with a shitty grin and an eyepatch over his right eye. Out of everyone, this shitty excuse for a doctor had a dirtied black cuirass as his clothes. Making him stand out over the rest of the members in the Branwen camp.
"Wipe off that goddamn grin of yours, I told you to stop leaving empty boxes outside. It's a nuisance." Raven scoffed.
"Ehhhh, then what about the rats that roam around, those brats will need it." Herbaine waved her off, and he then grinned more. "Besides, it's fun watching them fight for it. Makes me break down into tears to see how strong they're growing up."
Raven rolled her eyes. Rats, to put simply, were kids without parents and usually wandered around the camp stealing or beating other kids to steal from them to survive. As per their 'Survival of the fittest' mindset. "How's the boy?" She nodded to Summer's brat.
"Oh, him? Barely alive, will probably die in the next few days." Herbaine said nonchalantly, organizing a set of rolled cloth as makeshift bandages. "Whatever ya did, all it's done is buy him a few days. Who even is he anyway? Didn't think you take interest in kidnapping brats, he looks like a city idiot. That or ya tryin' to get another protege. He doesn't even look like a lad."
Raven stomped towards him, grabbing him by the collar, surprising the older man. "What do you mean he only has a few days? I unlocked his aura, which should have fixed it." She glared, pointing towards Sapphyrr.
Herbaine sweated, knowing that his boss wasn't joking around this time. "W-Well, ya' did unlock it. That's for sure, but look." He slowly slid his hand into his pocket, bringing out his scroll – For a gods damned communication phone that should have apps and Dust-net access, he's using a broken old one. He pressed on it a few times and showed Raven a live view of Sapphyrr's aura.
It was sitting at 5%
Raven narrowed her eyes, one brow twitching. "What're you showing me his aura for? Aura naturally consumes to heal wounds."
"But that's the thing!" Herbaine threw his hands up. "When little verny brought the little shit to me, his aura was perpetually at 5%, so this whol' time! It hasn't drained or gone up. All it did'cha was slow down his little vent'cha to the afterlife!"
Raven frowned in suspicion, letting him go and walking next to the boy. She lifted a thumb up and brought it on his bandaged forehead. She didn't know why the boy's aura was acting like this, it's possible that she messed up twice when trying to awaken his aura and could have caused a few misaltercations to his soul, if that was even possible.
Damn it, not like she paid full attention to Aura and Semblances Comprehension Theory back in Beacon, she only did so when something popped up that could be useful for combat. Basic aura control was something she mastered already, and such as semblances too, she never bothered to read the sub-topics for aura conditions.
Knowing how complex aura can be… It's possible she might have caused some unintentional damage or so. Her gaze landed on the boy, then to Herbaine.
Herbaine was much as an expert as you'd imagine he was, he was a doctor – A shitty excuse for one – and only knew about patching up people, removing shrapnels or bullets, preventing basic infections(Debatably) and standard procedures. He wasn't an aura expert, theorist or a huntsman professor by any means.
New plan then.
"Herbaine, keep the boy alive 'till morning. I'm coming back for him." She bumped his shoulder on the way out. Causing him to look at her in disdain.
He eyed the boy with a confused expression. "Keep him alive? Well, not'a like I can do much."
/—/
Raven felt the air hit against her feathers as she flew to the skies, the usual weather in Mistral making it preferable for flight in the morning. The ability to transform into a bird was really useful, a gift given to her during her times with Ozpin's lies and manipulations. Currently, she was headed to Mistral to visit a certain horizontally-challenged hag she knew.
It didn't take long to reach Mistral as flying in her corvid(Raven) form made travelling easier than on foot, this would've been way faster if she had a bond on standby in Mistral. Raven looked down on the Kingdom of Mistral, diving down until she got to the shady parts where crime was prominent, and in one turn. She transformed in a blink of an eye, eyes darting left and right if anyone saw her.
The alleys were empty as usual.
Raven walked towards a door to an Inn where loud ramblings could be heard. Without hesitation, Raven opened it and walked inside. She was greeted with the view of rough men, drunkards, and many more loitering around; One detail that stood out the most was they all had spider tattoos on them.
The noise stopped when they all turned to see her, the loud, obnoxious Inn becoming quiet. One man stood up, sober from the looks of it, he strode towards her with purpose and confidence, his left hand hidden behind his back. He towered over Raven and gave her a smirk. However, beneath that, she could see that the man was faltering upon seeing her weapon. Good, they know she's a huntress, but it doesn't seem like knowledge of her as a bandit is stilln't quite known, though.
"What do you want?" The man with a hoarse tone asked.
"I'm only going to say this once. Where's Malachite?" Raven bluntly said, resting a hand on her sword, Omen. The man eyed this, he hesitated for a moment, thinking what to say next.
"Or, what?"
Raven observed how cautious the man was, already thinking his words through and making intellectual moves a grunt usually wouldn't do.
'He's likely a higher-up here, good. Saves me time.' And easier, he would have the authority to call things out, and if they decide to refuse, then..
Raven exhaled slowly. "You know what I named this sword?" She tapped the blade with a finger.
"Omen. Because it's a sign of something awful about to happen if you don't let me see Malachite. Like a red stain on the wall... or a fresh coat of paint for my sword."
The likely up sweated, he swallowed a lump in his throat. Everyone inside the Inn started to feel tense, the tension pressing on them, knowing that they might have to go against a huntress. Even the ones that were drunk stared cautiously, some of which were already preparing their weapons.
Then, like a knife slicing through the thick tension in the Inn, an obnoxious laugh rang out—sharp, grating, and unmistakably smug. Raven's eyes narrowed. She knew that laugh. It belonged to someone who wore power like perfume and arrogance like armor.
"Well, well, well. If it isn't Raven Branwen—future Queen of Bandits, Leader of the Branwen Tribe."
Heads turned to the second floor, where Lil' Miss Malachite – The very leader of the Spider Organization, currently the most powerful gang in Mistral – leaned casually against the railing. The blonde woman looked as gaudy as ever in that blinding purple dress, cigarette perched between her fingers like it was part of her wardrobe. "Still intimidating as ever, I see. Alright, let's skip the part where you redecorate my inn with the blood of my men. What do you want?"
"For someone called Lil' Miss, you're looking as round as ever," Raven quipped, voice flat, not even trying to veil the insult.
Malachite's only response was a low chuckle, smoky and amused. She raised two fingers in a lazy gesture, like dismissing a fly. Instantly, the tension in the room shifted. The armed patrons eased—just slightly—though none of them fully dropped their guard.
The thug who had confronted Raven earlier stepped aside, wordless, clearing the path to the staircase leading up to the second floor.
/—/
"You could've just called for me without making a scene, Branwen. And here I thought we were friends." Lil' Miss Malachite chuckled as she lounged comfortably in her VIP booth, plush and shadowed behind drawn blinds. She slid a crystal glass across the table toward Raven. "Drink?"
Raven eyed the glass, then gave a slight shake of her head.
"I only drink tea. And theatrics aside, this was the fastest way to get your attention."
Malachite let out a soft hmm and took a slow drag from her cigarette.
"Suit yourself. It must be important if you're willing to crash my doorstep like a storm. I assume you've brought something to offer in return?"
"Naturally." Raven crossed her arms, her gaze sharp.
"I need information on an Aura expert. Someone who knows what happens when a person's Aura doesn't function properly. Like the Aura equivalent of a disability."
Malachite arched a brow, smirking.
"An Aura expert? My, is the mighty Bandit Queen having performance issues?"
Raven's expression didn't even twitch.
"If I were, you'd know — probably from the bodies piling up downstairs. No. It's not about me. It's for someone else."
Malachite's eyes gleamed with interest. "Oh? A new protégé, perhaps?"
She took another slow drag from her cigarette, then exhaled with a smirk.
"I know a name or two. Mistral's a big kingdom—sure, full of crime, but it's also rich in culture, knowledge, and all sorts of eccentric experts. One of them might be exactly what you're looking for."
Raven narrowed her eyes slightly. She weighed her words—there was always a chance someone from Ozpin's Circle might come sniffing around here. Qrow in particular. And if Malachite caught wind of who she was protecting, she'd no doubt make some smug comment next time they crossed paths, and that might lead him to finding the boy.
"He's more of an investment," Raven said coolly, voice devoid of emotion.
Malachite leaned forward, intrigued.
"An investment? Now you've piqued my interest." She interlocked her fingers, resting her chin on the backs of her hands. "But before I share names and directions, I need to know what exactly you're offering. No offense, of course—I'm not saying the Branwen Tribe isn't good for their word..."
She smiled with mock sweetness. "...but confirmation always makes business smoother. Perhaps… your investment could be part of the deal?"
Raven shot her a glare sharp enough to kill. The air shifted—cool, quiet, and dangerous. Annoyance flickered across her face before she reined it back in with a composed breath.
"You'll get one use of my Semblance," she said coldly. "When your life is on the line, I'll open a portal and get you out, if the results I need come through. Down the line, I'll replace that favor with the boy's service for a week if you don't need the portal… If he survives."
Malachite took another long, toxic drag from her cigarette, the tip glowing faintly. She exhaled with a smirk. "A guaranteed escape plan and a personal errand boy trained by you? What a bargain." She leaned back slightly. "Why not both?"
Raven's expression didn't shift, but the weight of her silence did. She saw through it immediately: Malachite was trying to wrest control of the deal, claw her way into a better seat at the table.
A mistake.
"Only one," Raven said, voice dropping to a low, dangerous growl. "And I'm already being civil." She stood just a little straighter. "Refuse, and I'll paint these walls with every man and woman under your roof." Malachite hesitated—just a blink, but it was there. She masked it well, cigarette pausing at her lips.
"And you'd lose your lead in the process." Raven's eyes lit like red blood thirst.
"Like I said—he's an investment." Her gaze cut clean through Malachite's composure. "You forget who I am. You can give me a name and earn a favor from Raven Branwen… or you can die with the rest of your gang, knowing your greed is what ended it."
Malachite swallowed hard, her pride screaming, but her survival instinct louder. She grit her teeth, clearly furious at being backed into a corner—but in a rare display of wisdom among Mistral's criminal elite – Or well, criminals as a whole. – She relented.
"There are two that I know of," she said stiffly. "A professor at Haven—Hilda Green. Specializes in Auric Theory, textbooks, lectures, the whole academic thing." She flicked ash from her cigarette, eyeing Raven carefully.
"The other's a small-time doctor up in the higher districts. Almost past middle age, knowing type. Has a degree in Aura research and medicine, which is quite the feat for someone not drowning in academy sponsorship."
Raven absorbed the information in silence, sorting options behind narrowed eyes.
Hilda Green was an immediate no. Haven was still run by Lionheart—that coward, still playing headmaster and pretending to matter after betraying Ozpin like she had. Any threat inside that school would bring heat. Even if she twisted Lionheart's arm, the system would snap back too quickly, they'd immediately zero in on her and the boy, garnering the attention of Ozpin and Qrow.
That left the doctor.
'Degrees meant something. So did knowledge.'
He wasn't Oobleck, of course. That caffeine-addled academic might know too much, but he'd never work with her willingly. No, she needed discretion. She needed someone desperate enough or wise enough to keep their mouth shut.
Raven leaned forward slightly, voice cool and precise.
"What's the name of this doctor? And where can I find him?"
/—/
It was a fine new morning, with afternoon still five hours away. The view of Mistral was just as magnificent as always—a splendor that Viridian Blus wished the people of the city would learn to appreciate during these trying times. He knew that early Mistral had been built upon a foundation of crime and corruption. Unlawful individuals and crime families still roamed the city, Looking out of his window, the man with slicked-back hair—now streaked with a few graying strands—sighed. He wore dark navy pants and a black shirt, his signature blue coat hanging on a hook by the door. He turned back toward his kitchen, waiting for his coffee maker to finish grinding the beans. A fresh cup of coffee was always a good way to start the morning, a small distraction from the chaos of the world.
Perhaps one way or more to forget the world's insanity.
He placed a cup, embossed with the words "Aura is the soul of a person," alongside some classy splash art, on the kitchen counter. The coffee maker let out its final whir.
Suddenly, a red blade rested against his throat.
Viridian froze, his eyes widening. Reflected in the window ahead of him, he saw the unmistakable image of a red-eyed woman in a striking black and red outfit. He knew who she was.
R-Raven Branwen–
"Make a sound and I'll slit your throat," she warned coldly. "I know you have aura. But it's only for study, not combat." Viridian's heart pounded. He had always used his aura as an academic justification—a useful excuse when he found himself in danger, but never for fighting. And he's only ever used it to test theories and education with his colleagues!
W-What does she want with someone like him!?
"I'm going to move my sword away slowly. If you try anything, I'll cut through that flimsy aura of yours." The blade withdrew. Relief flooded Viridian as he took a shaky breath. "Are you Viridian Blus?"
She asked him a question, which meant it was safe to answer, right? "P-Pleasure to make your inquiry, I a–"
Raven gripped his shoulder with an intense force. The difference between a veteran huntress' aura, used and honed for combat against one that was softened by lack of hands-on experience and more practical testing was showing. He could already feel his aura shrinking just to fight off the intense grip that would have broken his shoulder by now. "Answer with a nod only!"
Viridian followed, giving her a single terrified nod.
"Good, I was told you're also knowledgeable in doctoring? Or whatever."
Another nod, though internally he panicked. How did she even know that?
Raven removed her sword and loosened her grip on his shoulder. The momentary space to breathe was enough for him to cough and finally speak. "M-May I help you? I don't believe I've done anything to provoke the infamous Branwen Tribe."
Even if you hadn't, we'd have raided you if you lived in the outer villages," Raven replied nonchalantly. "But no. I'm not here to kill you. Not unless you give me a reason. Like, say, calling the police."
Viridian swallowed hard but found a shred of courage. "I-I may not, but my life is past its prime. If you intend to harm innocent people, I will alert the authorities, regardless of the cost."
Raven stared at him with a condescending look. Then nodded with approval. Looks like this one wasn't so much of a whimp as she thought. Raven then regarded him coolly."I'm not here to hurt anyone innocent. I came for your expertise. Help me, and I'll make sure no one touches your family or your colleagues."
His lips quivered. "Y-You expect me to help with your criminal deeds!? If you dare lay a hand on—"
"I won't," she interrupted. "Not unless you give me a reason. I need your knowledge of aura. Help me, and I'll even instruct my tribe not to harm anyone related to you once I leave Mistral."
Viridian considered her words carefully. He was scared, like any normal person would be if suddenly confronted by a known criminal far stronger than him in every way. He was terrified, yes, but intrigued.
"Truly? T-Then if your request involves no harming of the innocent, then I will help. But only with my knowledge."
What could the Branwen leader want with his very educated expertise? Knowledge? Books? Empowering herself even more with possible theories on aura?
Instead of answering, Raven turned and swung her blade. A crimson-black swirling portal opened. Viridian's eyes widened—and in response, his semblance activated
Though it's often said only Huntsmen can unlock semblances, that's a misconception. Anyone can access theirs with the right conditions: training, aura control, or intense emotional trauma. Viridian had unlocked his through careful testing and deep academic focus; his time as a researcher had molded his soul into one that greatly befitted a researcher's mindset, what-ifs, whys, and hows. His semblance was Analytical Insight Ponderer.
And him in turn, unlocked his by simply running tests with his colleagues. A semblance was an individual's own aura manifesting in a way that perfectly complemented or dictated the personality, experience, or the way a person lived. A person's soul comes into reality.
It allowed him to understand objects or phenomena based on hypotheses, as long as he had a visual reference and a starting idea.
Upon seeing Raven's portal, realization hit him
[Kindred Link, a semblance that allows her to create portals to instantly travel to people she has a strong emotional connection with, and can cover vast distances through them]
'A-A powerful transportation semblance!' Viridian gasped. No wonder someone like her hadn't been caught at all!
"Oh yeah." Raven paused, sheathing Omen in her side. She regarded him with a fierce side-eye. "She informed me of your semblance gained through your career, as alien as it is to hear someone unlocking their Semblance through this. If you ever spread word of anything you've found out about me, I'll know one way or another. Then I'll hunt down everyone you know, and kill them in front of you."
He nodded rapidly. From the portal, Raven reached in and pulled out a small, bandaged figure.
A child.
Viridian blinked. A child? In her arms? Carefully cradled? Viridian looked at her with confusion, the infamous Raven Branwen, known for her heinous crimes, handling a child with such care? Is this her daughter? Probably, the raven-dark hair, apart from the red fades, implied it.
"Is this... your daughter?"
Raven frowned. "No."
"I don't have to warn you that if anyone knows of the boy, you die, right?" Raven eyed him.
He automatically nodded again, already knowing that it would bring him and his close ones death if he were to spread of this… Wait what?
"Come again? That little one isn't a girl?"
"No," Raven said with a flat stare. She was still coming to terms with the fact that the boy did, in fact, look more like a girl. "The reason I came here was because there's something off with his aura–"
Viridian, despite being threatened with death and taken hostage. Went into work mode as per his career and nodded, listening to Raven's story. And it was… An interesting concept to say the least, feels like he's heard of this somewhere in the books.
"I see, would you mind giving me space to prepare my coffee and books?" Viridian asked with a slight caution, his fear replaced by his work-related mindset. "I won't alert the law or anyone of this, I'm hardly a hardheaded fool to think they'd be able to stop someone with a known reputation and a versatile semblance."
Raven narrowed her eyes at him and nodded. For a Queen of bandits, she's quite civil.
After Viridian had gotten himself ready. He then went back to Raven, who was still holding onto the boy(?)
"Please, lay him on the couch if you will. He seems injured." Viridian commented, that said. Is the boy even breathing? He seemed to be on the brink of death, with how pale he was. "May I inquire how he came to be like this?"
Raven raised a brow, then did as he said. "He hit his head on some rocks and was bleeding out profusely. He was already on death's doorstep, so I unlocked his aura, and so forth as I told you."
Viridian was already cycling through pages on account of the details she explained to him, then paused. He took in the boy's frail form. "He looks near death. Is he breathing? Has he received proper medical treatment? Concussion care?"
"No. I assumed he didn't need it. I unlocked his aura—that should be enough. I recovered from blood loss before."
Viridian's expression darkened. "N-No! That only works for trained Huntsmen! Their auras are reinforced by constant exposure to danger. Muchless a child! They have no such advantage. He's dying as it is!" Viridian bit his lip, carefully taking the poor child's vitals by his neck.
Raven said nothing.
Raven hummed. "How about this then, I'll extend my offer having the Branwen's and most gangs in Mistral if you'll help nurse the boy to health, and tell me these aura problems. After that, I won't have your neck or your family. But don't get the wrong idea, you're indispensable to me, I know other people. You just happened to be the first I went to."
Viridian's jaw dropped. The choice was clear, though daunting.
"F-Fine, so long as you keep your word."
"The Branwens honor our word," Raven replied.
He didn't fully believe her, but he nodded anyway.
"I'll bring the boy to a hospital once I clean him up."
"Hold on, you still haven't answered me. About that aura disability." Raven reminded him steely.
"Right," Viridian said, turning to his bookshelf. He grabbed a volume titled Aura Disabilities and Anomalies. "Let me explain."
He flipped through pages rapidly. "By your description and details. The first problem was with you. You couldn't unlock his aura and experienced backlash. That happens to Huntsmen suffering deep emotional turmoil or who've changed dramatically, something I will not inquire you about as it's quite obvious you already know it yourself."
"...Changes as a person?"
"Indeed." Viridian nodded, moving to the kitchen and taking out a few expensive clean bandages and preparing a small bucket of water. "When unlocking someone's aura, we essentially reflect on ourselves as a person. If there were to be a sudden change to a person, like a very big one. The way they chant and describe themselves would naturally change as well, take for example. IF a heroic individual were to become evil, and his description of his chant stayed the same. It would naturally reject him as his aura would not recognize him. There's some cases where this is too severe that the aura refuses to work on the individual itself."
Raven looked disturbed. "And the boy?"
"Young.. Uh, what's his name?"
Raven wondered, huh. That's a good question, it's been a day since she took the boy with her and she still doesn't know his name – Considering the fact he hasn't woken up yet.. Calling him rose could potentially lead Qrow to find him. "Just call him Red."
"Clever..?"
Raven glared at him.
"N-Nevermind." Viridian gulped. "On young red's case… I could have sworn I've heard it somewhere…" He cycled through a series of pages in the book, taking over a minute to find what he was looking for… Raven tapped her foot impatiently, either for her impatience or the boy's survival.
"Ah, yes! I found it." Viridian smirked. "Young Red… he fits a rare category. I've found it—Dysfunctional Low Depleted Aura, or DLDA. A condition where a person's aura is so faint, it's practically unusable. It occurs when the soul is weak or extensively damaged. They can't form shields or enhance themselves."
He sighed. "Most cases died early or were already dying. So the rest were simply unconfirmed hypotheses." His eyes landed on the poor boy(?)
Raven clicked her tongue in fury. "And how likely is the case here?" She didn't think the latter would be the case, that manipulative prick Ozpin explained to them that Silver-eyes were born to be powerful warriors, and that wouldn't be the case if their aura was completely fucked wasn't it?
Viridian seemed caught in his thoughts as well. "If I may.. My hypothesis would be from when you were trying to unlock his aura."
"How?" Raven questioned.
"You mentioned that he was already half-dead when you were about to unlock his aura. But my semblance, as limited as it is. Tells me that he should be dead already. What could have happened was that on your first attempt, you brought forth an already fading away part of his aura, his soul. Then it quickly slid back when you failed. I imagine in that small time, you were trying to regain your composure, and he was already dying. But when you tried to unlock it, you forcefully pulled back a part of his remaining soul, thus unlocking it. But came with it were some problems; a person does not immediately, per se, die when they expire. There's still some lingering life in them, like how last-minute revivals would happen in hospitals, there's also the theory of the soul staying in a person's body for a few minutes before it disperses. I may be all of that. Combined, it's the only asinine hypothesis combined with insanity i could think of."
But if he were to be right, this would be a breakthrough. He wouldn't just have a live example of a rare disability, he'd also prove one theory of the soul staying in a person's body! A part of him was thrilled at the implications. Proof of soul-linger theory and a live DLDA subject? A career-defining moment.
Raven didn't care. She was furious. At herself.
So many weaknesses already, and the boy was half-dead.
Was he even worth it all this trouble!? She just wasted her fucking time!
Whatever, if he survived. She'll commend him with a pat on his back and make his life a living hell. If he died, then at least she tried.
Raven turned around and swung open a portal with her sword. She then looked at him. "Bring the boy to a hospital or whatever, nurse him to health. Stabilize him, and I'll honour my word. If not, you're dead."
And just like that, she was gone.
"... I take it back, she's not civil." Viridian sighed. He turned to the pale, unconscious boy he had just finished bandaging up. He's gonna need a blood transfusion, isn't he? What a poor child, Raven's child or not, it's still a kid he's looking after, he couldn't in his moral mind – despite how much dilemma he's currently suffering — Could he just let someone so young (And rare) die now, could he?
He could only hope the boy would survive
/—/
AUTHOR'S NOTE AND TRIVIA:
For those who don't know, or have forgotten. In RWBY, a Scroll is a compact, multi-functional device that works like a mix between a smartphone, tablet, and holographic computer. It's a staple piece of tech in Remnant, used by both civilians and Huntsmen
Some of you may remember In one of the volumes, Yang talked to Raven about stuff. That'll simply a hint as to why her Aura didn't do as it should.
Trying to properly catch a character's personality and usual shtick like Malachite and Raven is difficult :'/
If you wish to support me and my story making shenanigans despite my terrible schedule, go to my scuffed pat-reon.
I promise to upload every week or two now because of this.
Pat reon . com (slash) lanceron2Writes