The GRAE series is a series of RWBY fan fics written by Fanfiction.net author Greyson Skye, but began as two versions, GATE and GRAE, published to DeviantArt in 2013 and 2014-16, respectively.
The updated GRAE series includes four volumes, and follows the team of RWBY OCs for which it is named. Team GRAE consists of leader Greyson Skye, along with teammates Rusty Braun, Azure Ozeen, and Ember Blackburn. The Twilight Crusade series follows the same group after the Fall of Beacon, with a plot independent of the RWBY series. Three volumes of Twilight Crusade are currently published, with the final volume set for release in mid-late September.
The GRAE Series provides examples of:
- Action Girl: Just about every major female character is shown to kick some serious butt at one point or another. Whether it be against grimm, the bad guys, or simply in the Vytal Tournament, these ladies can fight.
- Ambiguously Bi: At the end of Twilight Crusade Volume 3, Ember is one of two characters not in a relationship. She never seems much interested in one, but hints in GRAE chapter thirteen that she would be willing to go to Beacon’s prom with a girl. On the other hand, she was by far the closest to Pierce before his disappearance, and possible death.
- Animal Motif: Raven is a raven faunus, and her semblance allows her to fight with aura-generated wings. Furthermore, her last name is a play on the scientific name of the common raven, Corvus Corax.
- Kita has a fox motif as well, but is not a faunus. She is from the Shrouded Fox tribe of Northern Mistral, and wears a traditional kitsune mask.
- Berserk Button: For Greyson, it’s people threatening Azure. This actually works to his advantage in his battle with Dunder, as it causes him to have an Aural Intervention, instead of simply dying.
- Blonde, Brunette, Redhead: Azure, Raven, and Ember, respectively. The trio was most prominent in volumes 1 and 2, yet they remain some of the closest friends among the main cast throughout the series.
- Bodyguard Crush: Kita acts as a bodyguard for Greyson, and is hinted at several points to have developed feelings for him. She knows, however, that the feelings will never be reciprocated, as Greyson and Azure are happily in love.
- Chekhov M.I.A..: Except, Ember truly believed Pierce to be dead. He actually faked his death to start a new life fighting grimm under Ozpin’s strict guidance.
- Cool Mask: Kita’s Shrouded Fox mask adds a level of mystery to the swordswoman. Additionally, Ember and Pierce's Burgundy Bandit and Ace of Spades masks shown during the fall of Beacon fit this trope.
- Dark and Troubled Past: Several characters have this, to varying degrees.
- Greyson lost his former girlfriend, Lazula, after an unfortunate encounter with an ursa. Since then, he is protective to a fault, and throws himself into battles before his friends can be injured.
- Ember lost her parents, fled her foster home after nearly being sold into prostitution, and lived on the streets until attending Beacon. Thus, she’s distant, distrusting, and puts on an air of cold indifference toward anyone around her.
- Raven is victim to a Friendless Background, and was relentlessly abused and bullied by stepfather, stepbrothers, and peers alike for her faunus heritage.
- Kita was trained from childhood to be a warrior, and was forced to fight and kill in the name of her clan. After an incident, where she was later proven innocent, she was stripped of her honor and left for dead in the frigid wilderness of Northern Mistral.
- Alexandra's entire tribe was murdered by a dust wielder looking for Crown Jewel, and she was forced to live alone in the deserts of Vacuo for the entirety of her teenage years.
- Dark Is Not Evil: Kita Kurayami is a mysterious masked ninja who wields a demonic sword with the ability to consume the essence of slain grimm in order to grow stronger. But, she is a loyal member of Twilight Crusade, swearing her life to protect her friends.
- Deadpan Snarker: Ember personifies this trait with her dry, sarcastic, blunt comments toward the rest of the cast. Pierce is another good example of the trait.
- Dumb Blonde: Subverted. While Azure is a bubbly, rich, boy-obsessed teenage girl, she has a genius-level IQ, and extensive knowledge of medicine.
- Friendless Background: Several characters have one, to varying degrees.
- Surprisingly, Azure fits the trope. Her overprotective parents kept her apart from most of her peers. As a result, most students back at Signal saw Azure as a Rich Bitch.
- Raven was bullied and ostracized due to her faunus heritage and resulting social anxiety. Her background was so friendless, in fact, she was downright surprised when Rusty wanted to be her friend.
- Ember states she only had one friend before disappearing, living on the streets, and becoming the Burgundy Bandit
- Good is Not Nice: Ember and Pierce are both responsible students who attend Beacon Academy and fight grimm. However, they are both rather antisocial, and both have criminal pasts; including, but not limited to, theft and murder.
- Heroic BSoD: Greyson suffers one after Lycana’s death during the Fall of Beacon. In the middle of the battle against a particularly aggressive grimm, Greyson stares at the girl’s dead body. He would have become the grimm’s next victim if not for Kita.
- While he continues fighting after this moment, his BSOD is arguably extended to the end of GRAE Volume 4, when he announces that he wants to quit being a huntsman and return home.
- Ignored Enamored Underling: Kita proves to be so early after her introduction, even outright asking Greyson to marry her. While Kita’s suggestion may have not been out of love at first, she is hinted to be developing feelings during the Vytal Tournament arc, though she knows the feelings will never be mutual.
- I Owe You My Life: Greyson not only saves Kita from the fate that would have befallen her if she warned her tribe of the Great Calamity alone, but perhaps saves her entire clan. As a result, Kita feels obligated to act as a bodyguard to Greyson.
- I Warned You: Kita was banished from the Shrouded Fox for breaking into the village elder’s tent as an exile, and warning him of a coming disaster foretold by the tribe’s God. A while after her unheeded warning, the disaster happens.
