Dorrance "Doris" Souris Thistle

Formerly: Eminence Veilbauchen

There was once a faunus village surrounded by a thick wood and far away from other societies. The founding family of mice faunus, the Veilbauchens, had dedicated their lives to protecting and improving the village and for that, they were well-respected leaders. Stephen, the head of the family had, for a long time, wished for a child. After many years of waiting, Stephen's wife gave birth to a little girl, whom they named Eminence. So joyous was the family and the villagers themselves, that a huge celebration was held and everyone was invited. The town was decorated in lavender roses, food stalls filled the streets, there were games and dances and in the evening, there were fireworks. The Veilbauchens couldn't be happier. Just as they were in the middle of the celebration, however, something happened. A bright green fire burst from the middle of the square and soon a woman clad in a dark black robe appeared, her bull horns twisted and sharp. It was Eris, someone who had been trying to bring down the Veilbauchens for years now.

"What do you want?" Stephen demanded. "Why are you here?"

"Was I not invited?" Eris said, feigning surprise. Soon large boos and mocking came from all corners of the square. Eris ignored them and smiled. "Afraid not. Either way, I have come with a gift for little Eminence. A prophecy."

"A prophecy?" Stephen said. "What are you talking about??"

Eris frowned. "Listen well! All of you! When the sun sets on the girl's fourteenth birthday, great and terrible thing shall happen! A spinning wheel shall be involved and it will mark the start of the girl's demise as well as this town's! The spinning wheel shall turn and with it, so shall this very ground burn! And all will be in the thick of thorns thereafter."

"Blasphemy!" Stephen cried as he and his wife held his daughter tightly. "Seize her!"

But before anyone could grab at her, the green flames rose once again, consuming her and she was gone. Despite not believing in the woman's ill words, Stephen took extra caution. Each spinning wheel was burned out of taboo. Stephen and his wife took great care of her daughter and as she grew, their worries seemed to be more and more at ease. Eminence was kind and also well-learned. At a young age, she loved books and she also loved the rose gardens. She took up many hobbies to pass the time, but never did her parents let her learn sewing. Eminence was loved by all, but she liked to keep to herself and would daydream.

Soon enough, she was thirteen and her fourteenth birthday drew near. Stephen knew that he had nothing to be worried about, but he grew anxious all the same every day up to the point that he wouldn't let Dorrance leave the house on the week of her birthday. Eminence, was not fine with this for she believed reading books was much better on grass than on a velvet sofa. So on the day of her birth, she snuck out and trailed off into the forests, reading fairy tale romances until before she knew it, she got lost. She wandered around helplessly but before she knew it, it getting dark and the sun was about to set. Worried and scared, she burst into tears. For a while, no one seemed to hear her, but soon enough, she saw something faintly glowing.

In the distance was a bright green light coming from what looked like an old house. Following it, she went in and called to see if anyone was there to help her. No one responded. The bright green light was coming from the attic of the house and she soon went there, hoping to see if someone was there. Instead, she was greeted by something else. A spinning wheel. Now, Eminence had read of what they were, but she had never seen one in real life. Unaware of what she was doing, she touched the needle part of it and drew blood on her finger. She winced but it had been nothing much. At the same time, she heard a noise outside. The loud roaring of machines. She looked outside and saw vehicles...tanks and men with guns. They frightened her and for some strange reason, she felt they were heading to her village.

"Take the wheel," a voice said. Eminence scanned the room and saw two glowing green eyes. "Take the wheel and use it. It will show you where to go."

Eminence looked at the wheel and soon saw she could detach it, ti's middle a strange compass-like mechanism. Eminence left, frightened and rushed as fast as she could.

By the time she arrived at the village, it blazed with fire. Men in armor with guns and swords were everywhere, apprehending faunus, killing others.

"N-no," Eminence said shaking her head. "This...this can't be happening!"

A loud roar filled the air and the few faunus that were trying to fight back in the distance were screaming. Eminence ran towards them with the wheel still her hand but she soon stopped. In front of the faunus was a huge beast. A long, large black wildcat Grimm with large paws and sharp fangs held back only by a long metal collar held in the hands of several humans. The Grimm swatted the faunus near it and soon saw Eminence who gasped and began to run. The Grimm followed after her just as she reached the river and struck her, but before the men could apprehend her, she was taken by the currents. Her hazy vision rendered nothing but the village set alight in flames, its color matching the dusk of the sky.

***

In a small hospital room, a girl began to stir awake. She looked at herself, startled by the contraptions attached to her, the whiteness and brightness of the walls, the people hovering over her in smock gowns and masks.

"Hello, there," one of them said. "You're finally awake."

The girl squinted, her body numb as is she hadn't moved in ages. "Who...who are you...? Who am I...?"

"You have been asleep," another said. "You have been asleep for a year and a half."

***

The faunus girl had no memory of who she was and no one knew where she came from. She had merely been washed ashore on the bay and found by two faunas who were fishing. She had been in a comatose for a year and a half and that took more than the city government's charitable donations. But how could one pay when one didn't even know what her own name was?

"That won't be a problem," a fragile voice said. "She will come with us."

When the girl could move her head, she would see three robed people: one in red, one in green and one in blue. They had come in the name of a successful faunus by the name of Sylvia Thistle. He had paid for all her expenses and she was to come with them immediately. When the girl was as recovered as she was, she was soon brought to a large manor some distance from the city. There, she met her benefactor.

"You must be wondering why I have done what I have for you," Sylvia said, her grey mouse ears moving back and forth. "And why you are here..."

The girl looked at Sylvia meekly.

"I...am wondering everything," the girl said. "I cannot remember. Anything."

Sylvia offered her a slice of bread with raspberry jam. "Try some. This will calm your nerves. It always does mine."

As the girl took the bread, she nibbled it shyly...before ravenously eating the rest. Sylvia smiled please.

"I am an old woman," Sylvia said. "And I lost my daughter long ago. In fact...she would be your age right now were she alive. When I saw you, you reminded me of her. You have nowhere to go and I am in need of family and companionship. Why not stay with me? I can provide you a home, education, and even love if you will it. I can also help you remember your past."

The girl looked at Sylvia and, not having anywhere to go, agreed. Within months, the two became close as real family and the girl took on the name of Dorrance Souris Thistle, the adopted daughter. The girl grew to like the books in Sylvia's vast library and the lessons she learned under private tutelage, even in the art of dust magic as Sylvia had been an exceptional mage.  She rarely went out and spent all her time reading and with her newfound mother. Two years later, Sylvia passed away and Dorrance inherited everything. Not close to anyone, Dorrance, or Doris as she was now so often called, spent her time alone in mourning and among her books which she loved so much.

It wasn't until Dorrance came into the attic that she saw something. A plain, dusty wooden wheel....one that seemed to have once attached to something long ago. For a moment, Dorrance recalled everything. Her childhood, her home, the attack by strange men...the cat Grimm. She wasted no time. Dorrance did thorough research with the help of Sylvia's three assistants.

"Veilbauchen..." the one named Flor said. "An old family that once governed a small faunus village...but it has gone into slavery."

"I...I must help them..." Dorrance said. "I must go back...I can fight. Sylvia taught me to."

"What you know isn't enough," the one named Mary said. "And you could never do it single-handedly."

"Then what am I to do?" Dorrance asked, troubled.

"Go learn," the one named Fauna said. "Where the best fighters learn. At Beacon."

Dorrance paused for a moment. She had rarely stepped into the outside world...let alone go to a school with people in it. But if she could not even handle that, how could she handle saving her family? Her home? Gripping her book, she muttered. "How unpleasant..." before looking up at the three assistants. "Very well. I shall apply there."

And soon Dorrance set to work to get admitted, trying to bring herself a step closer to the past. The past before she had fallen asleep.