RWBY: Red Raven FanFiction

RWBY: Red Raven
Prologue/Sample

I just want to preface this little preview by telling you that this is early work from an amateur and while I am perfectly willing to accept advice and comments, I ask that you try to be constuctive. Thank you and hopefully more will be coming soon.

Admiral Cael Sardonyx shifted uncomfortably as the engines on the transport roared to life, he was disappointed to hear only a subtle moan from the powerful thrusters, most civilians wouldn’t have even noticed but Cael was a navy man and he could feel every move the transport made as it danced over the city of Vale. He had always enjoyed the sound of ship engines, the constant drone of the Dust-Drive Cores was about the only respite remaining to the aging sailer, sadly it was still quiet enough for him to hear himself think.. He looked around the small, lavishly decorated cabin of the ship and what he saw troubled him a great deal. Soft padded benches draped in deep crimson red surrounded with intricate gold filigree and hand painted tapestries of hunters and huntresses and ancient battlefields. He couldn’t help but wonder how many people still knew the names of any of them.

“Is something the matter sir?”, Lieutenant Eastwind asked with forced empathy.

“It’s too quiet Lily, and too comfortable” Cael said this with an exasperation he seemed to show far too often these days.

“I am sorry sir”, Eastwind responded without taking her eyes off her scroll, she was always checking figures and reading reports when she had a moment of time to herself.

Cael turned to his stoic adjutant; Lieutenant Lilac Eastwind was a petite young woman, only twenty-four years old, she was wearing an ash gray navy uniform with jet black hair down to her waist. She graduated signal academy two years ahead of her peers and she completed her officer’s training at the Vale Naval Academy in only three years. Cael didn't make lieutenant until he was twenty-six and he had been a gifted student. So he was surprised when he found her tucked away in an administrative position with no future of advancement.

He was there to file a report on White Fang activity in Vale. The clerk at the front desk told him to give the report to the ‘faunus girl’ in the back. Now it all made sense, despite her amazing mind and potential she was being ignored because she was a faunus. Cael hated that there was still so much ignorance in the world. With the creatures of Grimm growing stronger and bolder each day the petty conflicts between humans and faunus seemed an ever increasing waste of time and resources.

He walked by a dozen desks, most run by faunus of one kind or another, they were for the most part crowded and cluttered with documents of all kinds. All except for her’s, her desk was organized and well kept. The first thing he noticed was her eyes, one was a deep blue the color of a sapphire and the other was covered by a patch. He glanced down and noticed she was reading about a recent attack on a Schnee Dust Company freighter by members of the White Fang, the same attack he was here to deliver his report on in fact. He could see the maelstrom of anger inside her that she managed to kept hidden so easily from others around her.

Setting his report on another desk he approached her and she, unlike the other faunus in the room who tried their utmost not to be noticed, stood, saluted, and waited for him to return the salute before sitting back down. She moved quickly and efficiently, yet her movements were  surprisingly graceful.

“How can I help you sir?”, her direct tone was refreshing, Cael had grown tired of subordinates trying to placate him every time they encountered him.

He looked her over for a brief moment and said, “Tell me your opinion of the White Fang lieutenant”.

Her eye widened slightly and her fists tighten at the sound of the name ‘White Fang’. She closed her eye and took a small breath before answering him.

“The White Fang is a faunus organization who was instrumental in seeking a peaceful ending to the Human-Faunus war, they sought equality for all faunus but after peaceful protests and diplomacy failed, turned to violence and terrorism to further their agenda”, she seemed to be forcing the words out like she must have done a thousand times in her life, answering officers or inquirers questioning her loyalty based solely on her race.

“Enough with the textbook dribble lieutenant, I wrote those books”, he leaned in, placing his fists on her desk, “I want your personal opinion”.

She looked up at him gritting her teeth slightly, “The White Fang is a gang of traitorous thugs who will extort their own kind to further their own goals. They commit terrorist attacks on innocent people and they don’t care how it affects the rest of us who want to live peacefully alongside humans”.

Cael smiled and turned away, after a few steps he turned and looked over his shoulder at the young faunus and said, “What’s your name lieutenant?”.

She stood up, saluted, and said, “2nd Lieutenant Lilac Eastwind sir”.

“Lilac Eastwind huh? Well Lily come with me” he turned and started walking again.

“Sir?”, said Lily a curious look on her face.

“A storm is gathering lieutenant and we must prepare ourselves if we wish to survive it”, he turned and walked towards to door,they had a lot to do and precious little time to do it in.