The Bird and the Garden

Chapter 2: Childhood Memories

This chapter goes into the brothers' lives in Anima and up until they join Beacon. It covers the family's problems, too.

VAO and Y/N: Age Eight

The ship blared its horn, startling the two sleeping brothers. Sailors seemed to be doing various things around the ship, and the passengers had their luggage in their hands. VAO and Y/N made their way to the railing, looking across the water. In the distance, they could see land. The loudspeaker let out another ear piercing screech.

"We are approaching Anima! Get your luggage ready!" The captain ordered the ship. Y/N and VAO sat down on the floor, eager to finally be off the boat. "This is it, brother! The start of our new adventure!" Y/N squealed happily. VAO just nodded, his face stoic. Y/N frowned at his brother's empty response.

"Cheer up, VAO. Think of it as a fresh, new start!" Y/N said optimistically. For the first time since they had boarded the ship, VAO gave a small smile. It wasn't a big one, but it was enough to make Y/N happy. The two began to exchange jokes as they waited for the boat to reach land.

...

Many miles behind them, back on Patch, everything has become worse for the family. Raven had left to search for her son, while Qrow's alcoholism had gotten worse. Tai was no better, now obsessed with finding his children. Summer never left the attic, no matter how hot or cold it got, leaving it up to the others to bring her meals. Yang and Ruby took it hard as well. Yang made it her goal to find her brothers, and Ruby did the same. They left the house for hours a day, searching the forest in hopes of finding them. But no matter how hard they searched, they couldn't find them. Right now, Tai was with Ozpin, searching for his children.

"Tai, I'm sorry but I don't think they are in Vale," Ozpin told the blonde brawler. Tai slammed his hands on Ozpin's desk.

"They're eight! They couldn't have gone far!" He snapped. Ozpin seemed unfazed by Tai's outburst. Instead, he took a sip off his coffee mug. "Tai, I have six full-fledged huntsmen searching Vale, and neither of them are coming up with a single lead. There is a large possibility that they are elsewhere on Remnant," Ozpin stated. Tai threw his hands up angrily. The blonde brawler didn't want to admit it, but he was scared. He didn't care if it killed him, he wanted to see his sons again. Even if it was the last thing he ever did. This sadness. This pain. It was almost unbearable. It was as if a piece of him had been torn out. Despite his best efforts to not cry, a few tears escaped, leading to full blown sobbing. Ozpin shifted in his seat uncomfortably, offering the blonde brawler his support. After a long while, Tai had managed to calm down.

"Tai, I said they weren't in Vale. I didn't say it was impossible to find them," Ozpin said gently. Tai couldn't speak. Instead, he nodded. His heart hurt. Everything hurt. He just wanted to make things right again. He just wanted to hold his sons in his arms again, and tell them how much he cared.

How much he was sorry.

...

Raven was running through the woods. She was wounded, bleeding at various spots on her body. She didn't pay them any mind. She pushed on, no matter how much the pain hurt. She couldn't stop thinking about everything she had done. Her negative emotions were attracting Grimm, but she wasn't going to let them stand in her way. She was angry.

Angry at herself.

She finished with the Beowolf, the creature of dark turning into dust. Raven couldn't take it anymore. She fell to her knees and broke down in tears, begging whatever god was out there to give her a second chance, to let her see her child again.

She just wanted to see his smile again, even if it was one last time.

...

Qrow took a long sip from his mug. He was in a bad mood. He had barely gotten any sleep since he began his search for his nephews. Suddenly, a drunk man sat down next to him.