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It hurt. Watching someone dear to you choke on their own air. Hacking up some ungodly substance until their body just decided it didn't want to fight anymore. She could smell the wound, but no words came to mind on how to describe how foul it was. Only gross images from the various horror movies that overreached so far for shock value Yang used to watch with her popped up. Not helpful to rational thought. And it really, really hurt. Listening to Uncle Qrow force out a single heavy gasp before falling limp, body tilting to the side until his head landed on the dirty red fabric of her skirt. In that moment, thoughts didn't connect. It was like every wire ended up crossed until blind panic took over. Her own chest seized up and she pulled his head further on to her lap, cradling her uncle close, struggling to react. Jaune was the first one to reach the two of you. She could hear him speaking, but found herself unable to listen. His words were nothing but a soft hum during a horrific train crash. More voices joined in. Various terms like "Respiratory paralysis" and "Necrosis" caught the young girl's attention for a moment before her attention drifted back to the head in occupying her lap. "Ruby.", The voice was calm, level. The unnatural warmth from Uncle Qrow's head sank through her skirt. Followed by some feverish sweat dampening the surface of the well-worn material. "Ruby!", A louder voice, one that broke right through the little world she had constructed around herself. The one where her family was completely safe and unharmed. Followed by a hand on her shoulder, a gentle shake to take the rest back to reality. "We should bring him to a hospital.", Ren spoke up, gently moving the still prone Qrow into his lap and checking him over. He'd taken up the position of "medic" in Team RNJR, despite having not near enough real medical training. Just the soft hand and level head required for such a task, matched with an A- in field medicine at Beacon. However, even he had little faith that Ruby's uncle would survive that journey. Nora fidgeted, obviously nervous and worried. Despite that fact that this is just some random guy who she guessed was Ruby's dad or uncle or SOMEONE close to her, she couldn't just watch him die . Crazy nonsense about maidens and silver-eyed warriors aside. This guy did save their lives, placing himself in this state over them. A debt like that should be repaid. No matter what. Ruby wasn't sure if her face just looked that pathetic as everyone silently agreed to do everything they possible could. Uncle Qrow couldn't… He wouldn't… Jaune helped his teammate up, watching as her gaze drifted to her Uncle and lingered there. The blond shook her shoulder to get her attention back on him. Gesturing to her sleeping bag, Ruby wordless went and pulled it up. Two perfectly sized sticks laid innocently a few feet away as if they weren't about to be used to make someone's stretcher. Or possibly their deathbed… Ruby and himself quickly tied the impromptu stretcher together and placed it down so Ren could move Qrow onto it. The ease of which concerned Ren greatly. For as out of it and limp the man was, he should feel heavier, not light as he did. Nora walked beside Qrow as Ruby and Jaune lifted up the stretcher, keeping a keen eye on his breathing as Ren instructed her on what warning signs to look for. Ren himself drew his guns and took the lead. It was going to be a long journey to Mistral… .Night fell all too quickly. Trees rustled as a soft gust of wind pushed through their branches. Despite the grim atmosphere around the party of five, Anima remained beautiful and peaceful around them. It felt as if no distance was travelled in their 10 hours of walking. Yet, the others were all unwrapping their respective sleeping bags, Ruby opting to stay on the floor by her Uncle, despite being offered any of her teammates, and watched Jaune set a small fire up. They've walked further and longer before, but hauling Qrow tired Jaune quickly. Nora had even traded places with him for a good three hours. Ruby herself seemed to have an endless pit of energy. Impatience to see her Uncle get help was clear in her face and both the blond boy and Ren noticed the frustration in her features as they began settling down. Not that they could blame her. If it was one of their beloveds, nothing would move quick enough to get them better either. Though, Jaune still held more than his fair share of reservations about the strange man who lay dying before him. Not that he wished death upon him. If anything, he wanted to get more answers to this ever-growing list of questions. Why Pyrrha? Why did she have to die? What was all this nonsense about Maidens and relics, anyways?! Nothing seemed to make sense, and he wanted answers now. Ruby plucked absent-mindedly on the fraying fibers of her outfit, able to focus solely on Uncle Qrow's health. Hyper-aware to every stitch in his breathing or the small coughs that tried to force their way out. The way his bandage began dripping purple into the grey of his shirt. How painfully pale his face was, but a feverish blush started to take over. Why did everyone have to get hurt? Why did people have to die? Canned rations were left out for everyone to pick their favorites to eat cold or pop it over the fire for a second in that one cast-iron pan that was used for just about everything. Cooking, ironing out the tough wrinkles in hers and Nora's combat skirts, or even an impromptu weapon on the odd (yet shockingly common) occasion. One has not lived until they've watched Nora beat a Beowolf to death in pajamas with a frying pan. Ren found some odd plants and bark in the nearby area that he claimed could help with the wound (Her uncle had been poisoned by a crazy scorpion man who wanted to kidnap her, that was a fact that was still a little hard to grasp), that he boiled into a paste in that same cast-iron pan. It smelt like tree sap and the can of Spam that Nora just inhaled. Ruby wasn't a medical professional, but overall didn't have much faith in this "salve" that he'd concocted. Watching him undo the bandaging was hard. Nora seemed to be pretending this wasn't happening, opting to find interest in a bug marching across the soil. Jaune gasped and looked away. The cut was still a sickly purple, but the color stretched into the various veins in the area, showing how advanced Tyrian's poison had travelled. The skin around the cut was raised, irritated and puffy. Infection set in quickly it seemed, not that Uncle Qrow's immune system would be working up to snuff to keep it away. He winced when Ren applied it, Ruby winced along with him. But she couldn't deny that some of the redness eased from the far edges of the wound. "How'd you do that?", She asked, watching in wonder as Uncle Qrow's face relaxed just the slightest bit. "Old family remedy.", the green-clad boy responded, a fond smile on his face. He wasn't sure that the salve would work, but watching the puffy skin cool made pride in his own abilities swell. His mother’s old recipe for his scrapes and cuts put to use. Ripping off a clean piece of fabric from one of their spare blankets, he re-wrapped the wound. After everyone ate, discarded cans safely buried under the moist dirt to avoid attracting scavengers, Ruby laid down on the chilly floor. Her head rested on a small corner of her sleeping bag and she listened to her Uncle's breathing, hair fanning out onto the soft cushion. She recalled when Uncle Qrow would stay over at Dad's. Yang and her would always climb onto the couch with him, opting to stay close to the family they got to see so rarely rather than their own rooms. He'd never yell or kick them off during the night, if anything he laid perfectly still for his nieces. Obviously awake, but unwilling to go anywhere. Eventually, Dad would take pity on him and wake everyone up for breakfast. Even with the constant awkward tension Dad and Qrow had with one another, it was still some of the happiest memories she had. Vaguely, Ruby wondered if Qrow actually had a house of his own house. Her Uncle was constantly placed on long, difficult missions yet every time he was free to do as he pleased he would stay at the house and take care of them. He would take Yang and herself to the movies, or let the two of them play with his hair, or even withstand the havoc of letting two children bake. That never failed to be a complete disaster, but the trio of you never weren't wearing a smile during any of it. Then the young girl's thoughts shifted to the strain between Dad and Uncle Qrow. Yang said it probably had something to do with the fact that her mom was Qrow's sister then make some silly comment about "defiling". As if talking about her mom didn't bother her. Personally, Ruby didn't think that was quite the case. There would be nights she'd crawl out of her room, teary-eyed from some nightmare or something and find Uncle Qrow in the living room, staring intently at a piece of photo paper in his hands before noticing her. He'd console the little girl to the best of his abilities, though he was always a bit awkward about it. Thinking back, it was endearing how hard he tried,  despite clearly being out of his element. Thinking so hard wasn't like Ruby, and the path of her thoughts just left her feeling spent and confused. Curling a bit further into the sleeping bag that held her prone Uncle, Ruby drifted off into a restless sleep. Overnight, Qrow's condition seemed to worsen. Ren woke a solid thirty minutes before the other, like usual. He found the man now fitful, tossing and turning. Mumbling names softly, you vaguely recognize names like "Summer", “Raven”, and "Tai", he'd have to ask Ruby about who these people were later. Just out of sheer curiosity. He approached slowly, being mindful of said young red-head curled into her Uncle's side wearing a frown as the erratic movements stirred her from sleep. The fever that was developing last night had advanced rapidly. Sweat had begun to soak through the older man's clothing and the near non-existent breathing from last night had morphed into short, shallow breaths. Not good signs. For Ruby's sake, Ren prayed there was a village close by. Qrow wouldn’t make it another night in the Anima chill.  Though, hours later, seeing that name etched out on a sign post, he found himself resigned to Ruby's Uncle fate. Ruby disagreed, hoping for medicine discovered in the shell of his childhood home. Nora does her best to break the tension. The decision to split up was brought to the table. Ren stands at her side.  A massive part of him hoped Jaune would fight harder not to separate, that Ruby would understand and risk the trip through the mountains, but they didn't. And he can’t go back… He’s not ready to.  And so, Team RNJR divided into two teams. . Kuroyuri appeared empty as they stumbled through the collapsed entrance. It was like a dark cloud hung around that area alone, blocking warmth and light from entering. Though, after living though the Fall of Beacon and exploring the wilderness both Jaune and Ruby could tell what it felt like. Being watched, as if the shadows themselves had eyes. The village felt haunted, a foreboding chill swept down the kids spines. Maybe they should have attempted the mountain pass? The tension in the air was enough to make Jaune regret his decision to take this path. Though Ruby, ever the brave soul, began shouting into the emptiness. "I-I know someone is there!", She attempted to keep her voice level, despite the obvious fear that whoever was there was not a friendly. "Please, my Uncle is sick and hurt. He really needs help!" Suddenly, a single bird's caw rang erupting from a nearby tree. A spooky occurrence even if the blond boy just hadn't met a man who could turn into a bird at will. He had to bring a hand up to his ears in an attempt to block out the noise, the other holding tightly onto Qrow's stretcher. The echo of the caw finished bouncing against the dilapidated buildings. Fading away, leaving a bewildered set of kids. There was no warning as a blade was suddenly brought down millimeters in front of Ruby. A few red strands fading to the ground with it. The two of them lowered Qrow carefully, standing around him protectively as they drew their weapons and faced their assailant. A frightening Grimm-like mask covered their face, but they seemed to stare at the young girl with a question in that same gaze. A quick scoff and the word "seriously" was the only prelude before she yanked the katana out of the stone and arched wide. Delivering a heavy slash while Ruby clumsily drew Crescent Rose to defend with. Their katana sliding on the half-opened weapon, taking flecks of red paint with it. Ruby answers with a slash of her own, scythe fully forming before swiping at their legs. Watching them take a step back. Crescent Rose had range and speed. The misleading appearance of being a heavy, slow scythe was convenient when facing new foes. Though, it was designed with Grimm in mind. Not people.  “I don’t want a fight! Why are you attacking us?”, Ruby yelled, after getting some distance from them.  They laugh, in which Ruby can hear the feminine lilt to the cruel snicker. A woman? Salem, like Tyrian was talking about? No… Someone like that wouldn’t just pop up out in the open.  Distracted at her thoughts, the woman rushed forward, heels clicking on the pavement. Her swordsmanship was amazing, Ruby could give her that. Fast and lethal, like how fighting Tyrian felt. But this person took a breath between rushes. As if assessing.  One thing unnerved Jaune. Well, other than that this is the second time they had been attacked and it'd barely even been two days. No, it was the fact that she was only attacking Ruby. Qrow and himself lay completely untouched, sans being watched by unseen eyes. He tossed one look to the older man on the ground before attempting to go help Ruby. "No, watch Uncle Qrow!", She adopted her ‘leader voice’, using her sniper to vault herself onto a nearby roof. Trying to draw the battle farther from them. Reluctantly, Jaune moved back their injured charge. Ruby had to stay on the defensive the entire time, managing to shoot a few missed shots and fruitless swings of her scythe. Trying to keep away, with little luck. The woman kept getting into her space, and Ruby would block with Crescent Rose.  A shift in the air, the aura from their attacker turned from harmful to hostile. A swipe from that blood-red blade dug into Ruby’s knuckles. A deep groove on the top of her hand. She hissed, scythe falling out of her grip, and clattering to the floor.  She stood still for a moment, shell-shocked at the sudden loss of her weapon, she couldn't react in time to dodge the next strike. Curling to try and protect herself, a useless maneuver but a habit she never broke out of. Yang would mock her about it from time to time. What Ruby expected to feel was the sudden pain of another cut not being met with the sound of metal on metal. The unmistakable shing of two weapons sliding against one another. The woman's blade had been deflected by Uncle Qrow's sword-scythe that she'd tied to her back earlier that day. One of the grooves on Harbinger neatly grabbing into the thin katana. What a good weapon, Ruby would for sure polish it for her Uncle. If they both made it out alive.  At first, Jaune was set to carry Qrow’s. Soon it became too much of a burden, the bulky weight further tiring him. Then Nora, who felt similar symptoms. But, when it came time for Ruby to carry it, there was no weight at all. Similar to how she wielded the massive Crescent Rose as if it was made out of feathers, her aura took to the weapon, carrying the weight for her. It was so light, she forgot it was even there. Larger weapons were harder to manage, and scythe themselves were notoriously hard to wield. Pulling the foreign weapon from its makeshift sheath, Ruby quickly activated it and clicked the "transformation" trigger to bring the weapon into scythe form. She wasn't feeling quite so adventurous to attempt using a broadsword, and opted for more familiar territory. Letting out a huffy growl as she smashed the blade down into the rooftop, shotgun barrels pointed at the women, who just stared blankly through her mask. Amusement radiated from her, as if she was watching a dog chase its tail. Annoyed, Ruby lifts Harbinger and swipes, again at her opponent's legs, forcing her back. The handle was thicker than her weapon, and she struggled to keep grip as she swung. It was clearly made for hands bigger than her own. Her muscles cramping from the awkward width, while trying to keep up an assault. Jaune watched with fascination as Ruby began to fight using her Uncle's weapon. Though, not very graceful, she seemed to be holding her own. Or this woman was holding back. That was a very frightening thought. Just as Ruby seemed to gain some confidence in her wielding of Qrow's scythe, her focus broke. Said man broke into a sudden coughing fit, calling her attention as she looked over in his direction. Seeing this opening, their masked attacker sheathed her weapon, striding over to Ruby and simply pushing her off the roof that they'd been battling on. Ruby let out a choked cry as she stumbled off the edge. It wasn’t a long fall by any means, but enough to knock out an already exhausted girl with a previously damaged Aura. They still hadn’t completely recovered from Tyrian.  Worried, Jaune ran over to her. Assessing the damage with immeasurable degrees of panic. Her aura had been broken again, shimmering red and cracking like electricity on her outfit.  Triumphant (that was no victory, you don’t count pushing someone as a victory), the woman gracefully leaped down, landing on the ground with a small dust cloud. He glared at her, curling protectively around his teammate. “Stay back.”, Jaune warned, one hand on Ruby’s shoulder, and the other gripping his sword.  Raven could have laughed again, today was filled with so many amusing sights. Her brother, dying and pathetic. A very poorly hidden secret about him uncovered with a simple shove. His life in the hands of literal children.  She didn’t have the same need to play with the blond kid. Extra baggage but Qrow would be even more difficult if she chose to kill him. What to do?  Snapping her fingers, the boy looked at her with suspicion in his eyes. Raven held his gaze, paying no mind to Vernal and her swift blow to the back of his head. Watching his plain white aura shimmer as he fell to the ground.  ... He woke up slowly, feeling achy and miserable and every bit his age. Not that he was ready to admit just how old he was getting. Qrow still had good looks going for him.  His head felt as if someone had shoved sandpaper in it and scrubbed the inside of his skull. The throb of his injury from Salem's pawn however felt subdued, but then he took notice of the fuzzy feeling, a numbness in his fingertips. Something he associated with being on painkillers.  Did the kids actually get him to a hospital? He'd been pretty sure that that was going to be the pathetic end of Qrow Branwen. The kids? Where were they anyways? Even if they did make it to a hospital he'd be sure Ruby would be sitting right there waiting for him to wake up. Convinced if she left, he'd vanish. Probably his fault, leaving Patch all the time on missions. The older man wasn't sure when Ruby had developed that philosophy but it reminded him too much of Summer for his liking. After all, he'd just- "Hello brother.", A oh-so familiar voice spoke from the far side of the room. Of which, Qrow had finally noticed it looked like it could cave in any moment. Not a hospital then. And if the voice behind him was anything to go off of, things were about to get even more complicated. "Raven.", Was the only answer he chose to dignify her with. Their usual greeting ritual. "I'll admit, I wasn't expecting this turn of events— ", He cut her off. That was a lie, she was probably watching every second. "What, helping your brother not die? I'll admit, I'm a little surprised too.", The fact that his wit and shitty personality still functioned hit home that this wasn't some pre-death dream (nightmare) he was in. Rather, here he lies, alive. "Not that I expected two children to stroll in with you comatose either, though this is not the event I was going to mention.", She was talking like she knew something. Something that Qrow truly hoped she didn't know. "So." A gust of wind made the curtains in the window sway. The younger Branwen twin didn't dare take a single breath. His body tense, like he was prepared to vault out of the room at any given moment. "How long did you plan to keep that Rose a secret from us?” Well, shit...

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Jaune’s dreams were filled with happy memories. The last frame sitting in his mind, as bright and vivid as the day it spawned from. Himself, only five or six years old, riding on his father's shoulders while his mother herded the girls ahead of them. The blue-eyed pack of terrors charged ahead, shrieking in excitement as he began to drool on his dad's fluffy winter jacket. Jaune recognized it as one of their family trips to Shion. They'd just finished breakfast and were beginning the walk back to the inn before the rest of the day's activities began.  His sisters chattering away, the white noise luring him further into rest. Slumping into his father’s back. Though, he didn't recall his father's back being so bony nor so small… ...And then, the next thing he knew he was tumbling towards the ground, landing face-first into the chilly soil of Anima. Blinking blearily, the blond took a moment to identify his surroundings. The sky was orange, fading into a soft purple. Almost night-time then. The towering trees that never seemed to end, cracked pavement that appeared like it had been carefully laid stone by stone. Everything was lush and green, sans the small girl dressed in red sitting in the grass, contrasting starkly. Someone he recognized instantly. "Ruby!", He called out, jumping up. She was panting, clearly exhausted. Crescent Rose and Qrow's weapon strapped on either side of her legs rather than on her back where they would normally go. Oh no. An embarrassing thought raced through his mind. "Did you… Did you carry me here?", He really had no shame. Getting knocked out without even throwing a single blow or even noticing the enemy, then getting carried to safety by someone both smaller and younger. Ruby had done all the fighting, broken her Aura, and then somehow managed to escape from their mysterious assailant. Said girl just nodded and looked a bit bashful as she smiled. "Sorry, Jaune. I didn't know any other way to move you and I couldn't get you to wake up. My semblance managed to get us pretty far though. I don't think they could keep up with my speed." Any and all manliness points he'd gained over the last year have been set back to zero. Welcome back to Square One. "But! I'm glad you're awake! We need to go save Uncle Qrow from those people.", She jumped up, looking suddenly re-invigorated. Jaune wasn't quite ready to risk it. She could seem fine but her Aura wouldn't be totally healed and couldn't deflect another fatal hit that day. No offense, Qrow. The JNPR leader wanted answers and to help as much as he could but letting Ruby get killed was a no-go. He recalled watching Ruby fight, Rose petals fluttering wildly off of her and sparks flying from her weapons. She'd been twice as deadly with Crescent Rose but the way she took to her Uncle's weapon was astounding (And he was still learning to use the simple sword he had, totally shameless). Despite the clear display of skill in their attackers movements, no one had the same creativity in battle as Ruby did. Had the battle with Tyrian not spent her energy, Jaune had no doubt she would have managed to escape with the lot of you and moved on to Mistral. Ruby had a knack for being surprising. But all human bodies had weaknesses. Dark circles had set under Ruby's eyes, and her mouth set in a straight line. Worry sat in her furrowed brow-line and she kept looking from left to right as if someone was going to waltz out from the shadows and attack. "We should rest for the night. You can't fight like that and haven't really slept since the run in with that crazy guy.", He paused for a moment, thinking of the best thing to say next. "If they didn't do anything to your Uncle when we were in Kuroyuri, we shouldn't worry too much about what they will do. It's just one night." Ruby seemed to deflate as her current state of weakness was brought to attention. Tension was set deep in her muscles. Though, Jaune did have a point. They probably wanted Uncle Qrow for something or another or it was some horrible misunderstanding? Ruby hoped that the lady that attacked wouldn't interfere again when they went to retrieve him. Maybe he was still on their stretcher, sick with no help… The dull ache that was set in the back of her mind showed its head with brutal force. But she still was too wired to even consider sleeping then and there. Scary thoughts of what could be happening to her Uncle filling her head.  Her red cloak blew forward a bit as a chilly wind gust blew over them. "I get it if you can't fall asleep just yet.", Ruby smiled as Jaune seemed to read right through her. "Maybe telling me how you got us out of that village would help you relax a little?" The curiosity was killing him. The last thing he knew was Ruby had been out like a light and himself trying to check if she was okay. And at the positively evil smirk on her face, Jaune knew it was going to be a good story. Settling back and watching as she set forth with the tale of her grand escape from the bandits... . "...So then everything when BOOM!", Ruby ended, jumping up and making a wide motion with her arms. Jaune looked up at her with wide, astounded eyes. If he focused, he could see the gunpowder stains on her palms. How was it that someone so tiny and innocent could be such an evil genius? He wasn't sure whether to think of her as a little sister from size and age or his superior as she seemed to pass him in every way. At the beginning of their Haven journey, both Ren and himself tried to establish the "big brother" role with the younger girl. Ever since, she'd outshone, surprised, or defeated them at any angle where being a brother would matter. On more than one occasion, she'd even saved his hide (carrying him away after she blew up a building to escape hostile attackers). Ruby fell back to the floor, snickering madly as she started poking their small fire with a stick. She'd been going a bit hysterical from exhaustion at this point. The loud yawn that escaped was a sign of progress as her mind began shutting down and prepping for some hard sleep. Tomorrow they'd get Uncle Qrow back, and then make sure he gets the care he needs. Everything would be okay... "So what's the plan to get Qrow back?", Jaune asked, wondering if Ruby had already thought of anything. He doubted it, she was more of an on-the-spot kinda person. But the only response he received was a soft snore as Ruby lays half on her sleeping bag, half on the dirt. The blonde boy smiled to himself and proceeded to tuck himself into his sleeping bag. They'd think of something in the morning.  ... Patience, a trait she could find herself containing at certain times. Other instances, Raven found it simpler to simply charge through and reach her goals. It was one of her strongest talents, the ability to storm through any barrier and come out unscathed with a prize in hand. Yet, this was a trial she could not use brute force to get what she wanted. As soon as the question left her mouth he feigned (she knew he had to be faking, Qrow was a terrible actor) a coughing fit. Then followed up with "passing out" using a show of very sarcastic theatrics before actually falling back asleep. A possible side effect, her medics claimed. Staring at her yet-again comatose brother, tapping her foot as she waited for him to wake up. Had they not raided Shion with such success, the antidote for the fairly complex poison would have been impossible. If they'd been in Vale, an anti-venom would be sitting on a shelf ready to administer. He'd managed to get injured in the one place that was not equipped to help him. The villages of Anima suffered constantly from being ill-prepared. Unable to defend, protect, or live the same cushion-covered walls the kingdoms had around them. Qrow was extremely fortunate The Tribe had chosen to rest and relish in the aftermath of their raid and not move on towards Mistral and turn the profit immediately, only a small part of her troops left with more valuable trinkets. He would have been as good as dead. Not that she'd allow said actions to take place. He was too valuable of an asset to her. The older Branwen twin held a fair good bit of words to share with her little brother. Night-time had long settled, Remnant's shattered moon gleaming in the sky as Raven quietly fumed. The irresponsibility of him! The betrayal of The Tribe had been bad enough, yet forgivable. Her brother had been far too gentle from the beginning. Doubting every move he made, questioning the kindness of the then leaders.  Raven had been unable to carry out the proper sentence for deserters and traitors when Qrow had been young and weaker. Now she had no chance of upholding it, not even looking down at his prone form. Guilt clouded her natural merciless nature. Not informing her of such a development was beyond reason. Though, she'd been suspicious from the beginning, clear evidence would always show itself.  As soon as Raven laid her eyes on Ruby Rose, she began to wonder. Though, the girl looked like Summer in every way, a miniature clone of sorts, small signs began to show. Something as small as passed down mannerism or even how either says certain words can be deflected by saying that "I am her teacher" wouldn't be enough to face her brother with. He'd avoid the topic, the question, and Raven over all. Just as he did earlier with his acting "skills".  Raven almost wishes she could say the child's brains were due to the blood within her veins, but her own brother's sheer stupidity cut that option out. Any and all intelligence Ruby Rose obtained are certainly from Summer, no doubt in mind. A small blessing, for both Raven and the red-haired girl. Perhaps all of Remnant. The world had a great many deal of troubles without not one, but two unfortunate pigeons flapping about. Plus, Summer Rose had been a capable fighter and proved herself useful. Their... Situation surrounding the death of her former friend was delicate. Raven could even admit she was fond of the woman, as such pure talent rarely exists these days. Though, Summer's tastes left a lot to be desired. Clearly. Raven would have come for Ruby Rose regardless. She needed that power for this all to end. Qrow's weakness for her was a boon, not a curse. The gaping hole in the side of the makeshift holding cell was a testament to the young Rose's abilities. Looking out the window now, she could see the slightest bit of black smoke rolling from the charred edges of the building. Vernal and herself did not take either of them very seriously. A mistake. Stripping them of their weapons was assumed to be enough. Crushed bullet shells were discovered in the charred remains. It appeared that the little girl had broken them open for the powder, making a small pile of highly explosive Dust. Then proceeded to dump a cartridge of fire-based rounds on top of it. Using a nail she pried from the wall with her bare fingers and rock to strike a spark. The resulting explosion should have killed them, but her cloak worked as a fantastic blast shield. No doubt an expensive piece of cloth.  The child seemed spacey but creative. This level of ingenuity was unprecedented, and even a bit frightening. Qrow began to stir, no doubt he would be awake shortly. Groaning lowly, a hand reflexively pressing to his wounded side. And so, Raven waited. She waited until pale sunlight shined through the window, illuminating everything in an orange halo. Then there was noise. A hyper-pitched voice screeching into the quiet dawn, followed by a soft knock on the door. "IS ANYONE THERE?" Okay, perhaps she did inherit some brains from Qrow. ... "This can't seriously be your plan, right?", Jaune asked, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes as he stared at Ruby. Said girl had her hand raised, fist balled up in the knocking position. "Is it... not a good plan?", She asked, looking at him with an innocent expression. "I mean... It's a little impractical. Considering these people attacked us I feel like knocking on the door isn't the way we should go." Ruby looked at her fist, face scrunching up in extreme thought. As if it is the most important decision of the last year. To knock or not to knock. "No. You're right, Jaune.", She proclaimed, lowering her arm and turning towards the door. The older boy let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. "Alright, so how about we-", He was interrupted. "They might not hear me if I knock! I don't even know if this is the right building!", Suddenly, she drew in a deep breath and- "IS ANYONE THERE?" Birds flew from their trees in the distance, and it felt as if the sound barrier itself was shattered by the sound of Ruby Rose screaming at the top of her lungs to see if anyone was home. Somehow managing during her war cry-esque version of knocking, her hand had raised, and she gently rapped on the door with a slight nervous chuckle. Sword and shield now drawn, Jaune waited for someone to greet them. Expecting friendlies was wishful thinking, and he wanted to be ready this time. Though, he wished other methods had been taken into account before this one, it would be hard no matter what to find/sneak off with a full grown man without drawing attention. "Anyone home?", She continued, thankfully not shouting this time. Jaune tensed, spine straight and muscle taught. Was it safer to defeat all the foes then look for Qrow? Or would it be better to covertly find the man and engage only when necessary? He didn't know. "Hello...? Uncle Qrow?" Right now, perhaps it was best to just roll with the lucky / silly / secret genius (?) combo that was his teammate. Looking over at her, he could see that she'd pressed her ear against the door. "Do you... hear that?", Ruby whispered, straining to catch the noises within. Now stand next to his younger teammate, he leaned in to hear. It was barely audible, the soft sound of movement could be heard from within the building. The slightest hints of a voice, partnered with the hushed footsteps. Not fully pressed into the door like Ruby was, Jaune could make out the flutter of footsteps gradually getting closer to the door. Heart rate rising, Jaune reached over to tap on Ruby's shoulder, gaining her attention. "Get out of sight, and have your sniper trained on the door.", He ordered. Ruby nodded, quickly using her semblance to hide within a damaged bell tower. Crescent Rose now opened, smashed the point down into the stone floor and waited. Adjusting the cracked scope onto the window just in time to watch the curtains rustle close. Frowning at the missed chance to see inside, she moved back to the door. After a few minutes, no one came to open it despite the noise they both heard inside. Ruby kept checking back at the window for movement only to find it deadly still. When shifting back to Jaune, she watched as he suddenly seemed really interested on the noise going on inside. Looking to the tower, Jaune quickly waved his arms to grab Ruby's attention. When he felt the sensation of being watched pressing on him he began signing to her. He'd been listening to one voice yelling for a few seconds before a second voice joined in. This one masculine and not yelling back. He couldn't make out if it was Qrow or not but the fact that they clearly heard Ruby's shout and chose not to open the door was suspicious. He held up two fingers for his partner to see and tapped his lips to signal he hears voices. Then made the motions for his plan. If the two inside were occupied away from the door, then he'd enter and scope it out. The large window with a curtain provided Ruby with a large over fire area to support him. If he managed to even rip the curtains open soon enough... Ruby bobbed her scythe up and down signaling she was ready for him to take action. Making the secondary plan to blast out the window and use her semblance to speed in there at the first hint of trouble. Turning the knob slowly, quietly, Jaune tiptoed into the damaged building. He instantly heard both voices better. A stern feminine voice along with unmistakable rasp that he now associated with Ruby's uncle. Curious, he ducked behind a wall and made his breathing shallow and listened to the voices that rang out above him. "-Taking her right this second! Whatever plan you have in mind is undoubtedly doomed to fail. Your foolish ideals will be both hers and your downfall! We can make use of her!" "Pft. Not happening. Just because of the half-assed idea you got doesn't entitle you to her. Did some screws finally fall loose, Raven? With the bull coming out of your mouth.", Qrow snickered, his tone was teasing. Raven, huh? They seem to know each other in one way or another. In some kind of way that was antagonist but not violent. The blond boy continued to eavesdrop. He had no way to signal Ruby from within the building so he just hoped she wouldn't get trigger happy until there was actually a commotion inside. ... "You're lucky we aren't taking her right this second! Whatever plan you have in mind is undoubtedly doomed to fail. Your foolish ideals will be both hers and your downfall! We can make use of her!", Raven shouted. Gods, did she want to throttle him! It was so hard to remain composed with any matter that concerned Qrow. Every second of the day she regretted that he was alive. "Pft. Not happening. Just because of some half-assed idea you got doesn't entitle you to her. Did some screws finally fall loose, Raven?", He responded, cool as he can manage. He rooted around for his flask, pulling it from his breast pocket. It was extremely low but anything to help him get through this encounter. Seeing Raven again so soon was not part of his plan. She was someone he could only deal with in small doses with long spans of time between. And forget seeing her after she'd discovered a chink in his hard-worked... ruse? He didn't have a proper term for it but Raven knowing wasn't the worst thing but he'd rather she didn't. All Raven did was feel entitled to the bloodline. To power. Which is why he'd like to keep it no one knowing. The only person he trusted with it was Tai. It had been enough that she injured her to get the information that she had. "Ya know-", Qrow started, "You're awfully focused on my affairs and yet you continue to neglect yours. It's getting increasingly obnoxious." "You're getting agitated. Because I'm right.", Raven smirked, yet again blowing off the idea of Yang from her brother to his annoyance. Figures she’d show more interest in what would be more catering to her cowardice than the daughter she was too terrified of to love. Watching him tilt his flask all the way back, looking into it after he pulls it away with an upset expression. It was empty already. Worse, he didn't feel even the slightest bit fuzzy from the old whiskey. He lowered it, and then began moving off the bed. He winced while getting up, but pushed on anyway. The wound on his side stung and his body still felt like it was filled with bricks but he couldn't stand to be laying down any longer. "And if you were right?", Qrow asked carefully, looking into the curtains and moving to open them. Refusing to look in Raven's direction. She was convinced she found out, which to her credit, she did.  Raven was low on his list for the “DO NOT TELL”. She only communicated among the Tribe, and was more interested in harnessing the ability of Silver Eyes. For what? What plans did she have that Oz didn't? "My views remain the same.", a deadpan answer but smugness was still clear in her tone. "What? Happy Tai didn't cheat on you?", Was his response. And her momentary elation killed just like that. Qrow really knew how to ruin any moment. Now wearing a smug grin of his own, Qrow undid the curtains and shifted them open... Only to be greeted by an oncoming bullet flying into the window. Glass exploded around him as frigid wind rushed into the already chilled room. Raven didn't look surprised so she'd obviously been expecting a move to be made one way or the other. He arched out-of-the-way from the shattering glass, his recovered Aura harmlessly bouncing any stray shards away.  "Ruby?", He questioned, tilting back to his sister.  Raven just nodded, looking nonplussed. She'd forced him awake shortly after the little girl's shout, noticing her time with Qrow was short. A silver-eyed warrior in her bloodline was a power they should be warranted to use. And she had her own ideas on how to use it. "This conversation isn't over, brother.", It was time for them to part ways, she couldn't make any moves without ruining her own plans. Landing any further on his bad side would only bring misfortune. Ironically. She needed his hesitancy for what was to come. She needed to get Ruby alone. The girl was smart and determined. Raven can sway her. A stalemate would have to do. Raven had to handle things with her brother gently. If any information in regards to that night got to Qrow he would come for blood. Not even his affection for their sibling connection would save her. "Yea yea. The answer is gonna be no.", Qrow countered, turning towards Raven. His usually mild garnet eyes burning into her in such a way that screamed "over my dead body". Waving out the window, Qrow signaled Ruby. With one more glance back to his twin sister, he carefully jumped out of the window. Everything still hurt but he could manage something as simple as jumping from the second story. "UNCLE QROW!", was the only thing he heard before being tackled to the floor by a ruby-red blur. "I'm so happy you're okay! How do you feel? What did those people do? I was so worried!", Ruby went on, sitting beside him now on the stone floors. Chuckling, Qrow did his best to divert her worries. Raven looked down on the scene with a scoff, before drawing Omen and opening a portal. "Until next time.", She muttered. Standing at the top of the stairs, watching their attacker walk into some crazy black/red portal and the proceed to vanish within it, was Jaune. Momentarily stunned by the odd display, he stood with a completely confused expression on his face. "Uh... What?" ... In Patch, two people begin to pack their things. One, an older man with blond hair and blue eyes. His face set with a determined expression and he carefully placed a picture frame into his travel pack. Completed with clothes, a few cans of food for Zwei until they made a proper stop, along with other necessities. He gripped the two boat tickets in one hand while throwing the backpack onto his shoulder. Taiyang was all set to go. With a quickly written letter to Port and Oobleck taped to the inside of the wind, Tai opened the door. Outside, Yang sat beside her motorcycle. She was a little miffed her dad would get to drive, but understood his ego just couldn't handle riding bitch. Plus she got to hold Zwei, which was always a bonus.  Her bags had been packed long ago and she'd been waiting impatiently for him to finish his own packing. She'd resorted to pulling grass out of the ground with her robotic arm while idly petting the family dog with her flesh hand. Hearing the door latch shut, she looked up to see the serious look on her dad's face and matched it with her own. "Alright. Let's go.", Taiyang announced, swinging his legs over the motorcycle while Yang grabbed Zwei. . . . 
Dear whoever gets this first, (Peter or Bart),
 
Yang and I are headed to Mistral to find Ruby. We’ve spent enough time resting and recovering. It’s time to bring my family back together. 
 
 I apologize for vanishing on such short notice and with no other way to let you know that we are not here. I wish you luck in the restoration of Beacon and Vale.

I've left a letter at Signal explaining my departure. Hopefully I’ll be back before the schools open. If not, I offered your (both of you) services to Signal’s head staff. Hope a little bit of teaching will lift your spirits.
 
Thank you for understanding.
 
Sign-

Taiyang Xiao Long.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

He'd forgotten what riding felt like. And what being on a boat was like. All his missions were stationed nearby, to be close if his daughters ever needed him and even those were few and far between. With Yang and Ruby at home, it'd been his sole mission to raise his girls. Then both of them managed into Beacon at the same time (He was so proud) and Ozpin had just begun issuing him tasks again. He was always lifted from Point A to Point B via air ship nowadays. He couldn't even remember the last boat trip he'd been on. The memory far enough back that he saw STRQ, all sitting together on the bow of the ship. Raven watching each passenger for anything out-of-the-ordinary. Himself trying to tell her that glaring at the civilians was making them uncomfortable. Summer idly stitching Qrow's shirt and pants from a small incident involving a pack of seagulls and animal rights, while soaking in the ocean rays. Qrow himself had been working to affix his red cape onto his black pajama shirt with Summer's sewing supplies. All while shamelessly sitting in public clad in matching fuzzy black night pants. Chuckling a bit, he pushed back the bittersweet memories and opted to find his daughter. Yang had vanished from sight after they got assigned a room and hadn't popped back up since. He was starting to worry. The boat itself was alright, Tai didn't expect much out of it. Boat prices skyrocketed after the Fall of Beacon and this was the only open boat and within price range. The layout was pretty atrocious. He walked into the same corridor four times before finding the proper exit, only thanks to a sweet Faunus woman and her husband. Spotting the mop of blonde hair hovering over the buffet, he sighed in relief at finding Yang before he ended up too lost. She was grabbing at everything on the table, while some of the more shrewd adults looked on in muted horror. "Gonna leave some for the rest of the ship?", Yang had swiveled her head at the sound of her dad's voice. He couldn't help but laugh at the lingering cake crumbs on the corners of her mouth. "Pft--Shut up. It's all you can eat. If they weren't ready for this, they shouldn't have put the sign up.", With that statement, she proceeded to dump a handful of cookies onto a plate overflowing with pastries, generalized versions of food native to Anima, chicken drumsticks, plus some assorted fruits.  Gods, he missed being that age. It was also nice to see she had an appetite again, even if it was crappy buffet food. "Alright, I think that's plenty.", Placing a hand on her shoulder and steering her towards the hall, to the room they shared. All the while, Yang just allowed herself to be pushed. Of course being mindful of the feast in her hands. Their room was small, but again the Xiao Long's didn't mind. It wasn't a luxury cruise. Two full sized beds with gaudy seashell print linens sat within two feet of one another. A nightstand on the outside of each bed that pressed right into the wall. Stock photos of the beach or the boat itself were covering the seafoam-colored walls in cheap frames. Everything screamed "beach aesthetic" to the point of disgust. Too much color for a glorified storage room. But regardless, it'll do. Not a vacation. Yang plopped down onto her bed, squeaking in distress at the sudden weight. Putting the plate down on the nightstand (and grabbing a drumstick), the blonde girl leaned back and looked up at her dad. "So what's up?", She asked, swallowing a bite and wearing a curious expression. Taiyang's expression turned semi-serious. "Well, we decided to find your sister as a family and we need a better game plan. 'Show up in Mistral' will only get us so far. That's the only tip we got from the letter she left." "So, we may have to look around some more? We've got the bike and Ruby said she was gonna be traveling by foot. We can travel further easier. Plus, we can ask around for her. I doubt she's given up wearing her hood after some months away. It makes her prettttty easy to recognize." Taiyang was nervous to mention any information he didn't feel comfortable sharing yet. Anything regarding Summer Rose or the "SEW" stuff, Tai avoided. After Beacon Tower, people would be after Ruby. Dangerous, bad, evil people. Her journey to Mistral wasn't likely to be a simple stroll with Grimm being the only danger. With the trials she faces, it was difficult to say that Ruby would have made it to Mistral safe. And the only hope he had for her safety left a bad taste in his mouth... Noticing her dad being deep in thought, Yang put the chicken bone in her hand onto the plate and looked up at him with a cautious look. A fleeting scary thought passed through her head. "Ruby's okay, right?", Her voice was panicked, the chance of Ruby being taken down by a Grimm was now locked in her mind. After all, they hadn't heard from her in months... Sighing deeply, Tai looked up. "I'm fairly sure she's alright. Ruby's strong, gonna take a lot to take my girl down." Gaze now curious, Yang studied her father as he walked towards the port window. Why did he sigh if he thought Ruby was alright? She must have said that out loud because he spoke up. "Conveniently, your Uncle Qrow vanished at the same time Ruby did. Despite ANYTHING I've said to him.", His face showed annoyance. "He loves to undermine me with you two." "And that's bad why?", Whatever was going on, Yang wasn't understanding it. Nor did Tai seem to know that Qrow promised her he would keep Ruby safe. While Ruby and her had been recovering, all Uncle Qrow and dad did was argue. And Yang knew it had to be over why Ruby left. Qrow always gave out too much information for Tai’s liking.  At least when she was a kid, they tried to cover up their little tiffs. She'd heard her dad yell plenty of time, so it didn't startle her to hear him shout. A childhood full of high-jinx's and exploration had her used to it. Plus, the two of them bickered like an old married couple on the regular. She'd never truly heard Qrow yell until she woke up to find her arm gone and the world gone to shit. It scared her more than she'd ever say. "He's probably with your sister, keeping her safe.", Tai said, watching the waves from outside the window. All Yang can think is that ‘he better be’.  "And I ask again, why did that need a long sigh? With him protecting her, Ruby is for-sure safe. That's a good thing.", The lack of answers were reeeally starting to grate on her nerves. Though, it occurred to her that the sigh was just voicing his current distaste for Uncle Qrow. Must have been one hell of a fight, the night before Ruby left Patch. "It's nothing. Just... It's a good thing Ruby has someone to keep her safe.", Tai's words weren't confident. Little Ruby with a very big target written on her back, guarded by literally Bad Luck. Plus a multitude of other hang-ups and issues he had regarding his former teammate that reared their ugly head again.  The last "discussion" Qrow and him had was a prelude to this. He should have worked harder to get his way. Now Ruby was who-knows-where. Everything they'd worked so hard on over so many years was finally crumbling and he was afraid of what may follow. Nor was he ready for it.  "So, we can talk about Mom now but not the gigantic beef with Uncle Qrow now?", It was a bit callous of Yang to say it that way. But, the blatant skepticism of Qrow in the way her dad talked reminded her too much of the scenario regarding her mother. Rather this time, sadness was replaced with insecurity. "Are we waiting eighteen years to have a serious conversation about that too?" Taiyang gave her a withering look. "Eighteen years it is then, I guess!", She'd get it out of him one day. Or better yet, Uncle Qrow seemed to be the bearer of knowledge her dad wasn't keen on sharing. And if he was with Ruby, that means she'll know it pretty soon. That statement clearly ended the talk they were having. Any planning would probably be made after they made it into Mistral. Yang couldn't see anything more to do than ask around in Mistral then check towns and land around if the search fails. Grabbing a square of cake off her plate, she began to munch on it thoughtfully. They would probably arrive at the Port by morning. Then, a fairly long motorcycle ride into Mistral. Tai made a mental note to top up on fuel before taking off again. To be safe. A few scratch-like noises echoed from the other side of the door. Taiyang walked over, opening it with no caution to reveal Zwei. The family dog padded back into the room, panting and sporting a vibrant Lei. "Looks like Zwei's having fun.", He remarked casually, watching the corgi hop onto Yang's bed. Begging for some uneaten goodies from her plate, no doubt. His daughter just shrugged, ripping off some pieces of chicken and sharing with Zwei. The tension broke, leaving a strained silence. Closing the door, Tai begins to scratch the back of his neck. He didn't mean to blow his daughter's question (no matter how tactlessly it was given) off. That just wasn't a conversation to be had now. He wasn’t sure what Yang would think, or what Ruby would.  Switching the light off, snickering at the "hey!" Yang shouted in response before turning the nightstand lamp on, Tai flopped himself into bed. Tomorrow the journey continues. ... " What did you two hope to gain from this?"  " This isn't what we agreed on, Qrow! She's in enough danger with this whole mess!"  " Ruby Rose has just been enrolled into my academy. Is there anything you'd wish to share, Qrow?"  "Uncle Qrow?" Startling up, the man in question looked over to Summer's daughter. Ruby had been trying for his attention. He sighed, knowing it was time to switch the burden of himself to the blond kid. It was Jaune's turn to support Qrow. Embarrassingly, he seemed to struggle with holding the man's weight more than little Ruby did. She called out to Jaune and asked to switch for a few hours until they settled down for the night. And despite the older man insisting he could walk on his own, it was clear he couldn't. Stumbling each step even with help. The poison was still an issue, whatever was given to him from his "excursion" with the Raven character (which Qrow kept diverting the subject when asked about) would only work for so long. His entire system had been compromised and damaged from it. It would take more than a few rounds of antidote and some dubious painkillers for a full recovery. Also, it was just extremely distressing for him to be seen so frail in the face of someone who looked up to him as a strong warrior. "I told you it's fine, kid.", Qrow said, clearly out of breath. "I'm tougher than a little bit of poison." Ruby sent him a pointed glare. Despite the strong face he was desperately trying (and failing) to put on, aches and pains were setting in again. His body felt useless and heavy. The medication administered to him would be wearing off in another few hours. He didn't even have any whiskey left to numb himself. The huntsman hoped he could manage to keep coherency until they arrived in Mistral. Sighing in defeat, Qrow just hung off Jaune and attempted to hold himself up with mild success. It was an awkward fit still, but less so then having to balance on Ruby. He'd expected more complaints out of the boy for having to carry him. Jaune's face just held a little bit of struggle in it, nothing hostile. "How much longer till camp?", Jaune asked, securing his hold around Ruby's family. Yea, family. He was still a bit suspicious after the conversation he'd overheard. "No offense, you're no featherweight, man." Qrow let out a scoff, dropping just a little more of his mass onto the boy. Predictably, he almost dropped him before the kid managed to adjust to the sudden weight. "Not cool!", Jaune shouted, roughly jostling Qrow in retaliation and feeling slightly bad when he groaned in pain. The older man is quick to brush off the concern and laughed at the childish exchange. Looking ahead, he saw Ruby stopped in place. "Ruby?" She had one hand on her chin, looking at the floor in a contemplative manor. Muttering something unintelligible while both males looked at her with matching puzzled expressions. "Featherweight... Featherweight... FEATHERWEIGHT!", She jolted up suddenly, hand raised in a wide motion. The two men of the group almost fell over again, alarmed by the sudden outburst. Swiveling on her feet, Ruby looked directly at her Uncle. "Uncle Qrow! Can you turn into a birdie?", She asked and he could see the delight she had at her own idea sparkling within them. "I dunno, kiddo. Probably? But I'm not too sure I can fly right now.", He was completely sure he couldn't. If he can't manage moving his own legs then wings were out of the question. "Well duh!", Took his pride down a bit hearing that but he let her continue. "But you'll be a lot easier to carry!" "My semblance kinda acts worse with the feathers on, kid.", Was his response, using the arm that wasn't slung around Jaune to rub the back of his neck. It was already bad enough now that he was basically sober. "Worse? I've already tripped over my shoelaces like five times!", The JNPR leader whined, not really all that bothered by it. He figured hanging around someone who's a literal Bad Luck Charm would have some kind of effect. "Sorry 'bout that.", He muttered in response. Sensing her Uncle's reluctance to make his semblance he spread any more, Ruby worked quick to dismiss any of his worries. "Psh! As if that's our biggest worry. We should be focused on getting to Mistral over silly stuff like that. It'll take a lot of the weight off of us. Plus! If we get into a fight, you can always change back so we'll never be in any REAL danger. Not that I think we are in the first place!", It was the matter-of-fact tone she had that really sold it. The weight Uncle Qrow felt under his own semblance was beginning to sink in better as she began looking back at all the time they spent together. He seemed almost neurotic about it throughout the past, and even now. The internal struggle he appeared to have at the prospect of training her to use Crescent Rose. And her dad’s resulting issues with it. When Qrow had started working his way back into their daily life. Functioning better than he did after her mother’s death. She never stopped to think how deeply either of them mourned until now. The way Ruby was watching him for an answer dug into his heart. The idea of bringing more of his adversity onto an already risky playing field wasn't something he was keen on doing... The choice to shift was made for him as an unearthly screech echoed throughout the forest. Soundwaves whipping into the treetops.  "What was that?", Frightened by the noise, Jaune unconsciously tightens his grip on Qrow. "Our queue. We need to get moving and find a town. Or at least meet up with Ren and Nora.", Ruby speaks up. "Uncle Qrow, please. We'll move a lot faster." "I know you're afraid of hurting us but I know you won't. I never got hurt once by your semblance when you were training me. The worst that happened is what? Jaune tripping over his shoelace? He'd do that anyways!", She continued, ignoring Jaune's indignant shout of 'Hey!'. "Please trust me, Uncle Qrow. We'll be fine." That was just too earnest, innocent and sweet for Qrow not to listen. His heart melted under the warmth of her speech. Even still, it dug up painful memories of another Silver Eyed open soul speaking his worries away. He was starting to think it wasn't just Grimm that buckled under the weight of that gaze.  There would be a time in a place for discussions regarding the hard reality of his bad luck, and what it had cost through his life. And with the rate everything was shattering around them, that talk would be coming soon. With a dramatic sigh, he pulled his arm out of Jaune's grip and off of the boy's shoulder. Unable to manage any words, Qrow changed.  The process only took a split second and then he was on the floor. Black feathers ruffled and out of place, his wings were drooping and his body was overcome with tremors. His tail bobbed with the effort it took to breath. He knew he was weak but damn, he didn't think he was that bad off. Jaune looked at the crow, a shocked look on his face. The magic of watching a full grown man turn into a bird had not worn off. "Aw, you're so adorable!", Ruby, ever the animal lover, walked over to him. Gently scooping him up with two hands. She could tell he was glaring at her for the remark even as an inexpressive bird. It was still her Uncle, her elder, even if he was an extremely cute birdie. The distant roar washed over the quiet forest once more. This time it was closer and the situation was pressing down on them. Growing serious, Ruby placed her (bird) Uncle on the inside of her hood, resting him on her shoulder while the wall of cloth kept him in place. "Alright. Let's get moving."

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

"Ya know, that's pretty handy.", Jaune said, rubbing the back of his neck. For sure weird, but it was a lot easier to travel now. They had walked for two hours more. Ruby's uncle safely nestled in her cloak as a crow. Peering over the fabric barrier that held the older Huntsmen in place he noticed Qrow's eyes were closed and he appeared to be sleeping. A restless sleep as far as he could tell by the labored breathing and twitches. He really didn't know a lot about birds. "Yep! Uncle Qrow used to let Yang and me chase him around the yard when he was like that. I think he just did it 'cause it was the fastest way to tire us out while he was babysitting. Then we'd go inside and he'd make something for us to eat.", Ruby had a fond look on her face, face tilted up and eyes closed as she reminisced. "And if it was cold, he would let us try to make hot chocolate. It was usually instant powder though. I don't think he would have trusted us with the stove-top. Then, he'd put whip cream on it and a strawberry on the corner of the mug and tell us not to tell Dad he let us have so much sugar." Gods, did she miss those days. Never in a million years did she think that they would end up in this mess. "He sounds like a great person.", Jaune said. It was odd hearing such warm, familial stories about a man he had just met. In the span of one intense battle, two very confusing conversations (though, Jaune wasn't meant to hear the second one), and toting around him in a feverish delusion, it was almost awkward to listen to Ruby monologue. "Mhm, he is. He got really into missions so we didn't get to see him all the time. Whenever he'd come home, Yang and I would never leave him alone. But when I started at Signal, both Dad and Uncle Qrow had been teachers for a little while there. Dad taught 'Hand to Hand Combat', Yang was in his class for her time at Signal. Qrow taught 'Blades & Battle' and 'Advanced Tactics'. I was in both of his classes. Dad wouldn't mention it but I know he was upset I didn't go into his class. But Uncle Qrow was totally the cooler teacher. He hated when the other kids would call him 'Professor Branwen'. Said it made him feel old. We'd all tease him about it." Ruby reached her hand up to pat her Uncle's fuzzy head, frowning when he remained deeply asleep. "Kinda hard to imagine him as a teacher but the way you mentioned it I can picture it perfectly.", Jaune remarked, respect growing for the bird resting in his teammates hood. Humming in response, Ruby continued walking forward. Slowly, rain clouds were brewing overhead. It was late-noon but the skies looked black and dreary. Jaune gave it an hour max before it started pouring. They had no time to wait it out either. He was so not looking forward to trudging through the rain for hours. They may as well travel during the night too. Nothing says fun like wet boots and clothes sticking to your body. "Do you hear that?", Ruby asked, placing a protective hand over her Uncle and the other one in front of Jaune. She stood in place, looking back with a wary expression. "The thunder?", Jaune pointed up at the sky. "Or did you hear that roar again?" The last time that grim screech echoed it sounded closer than the first sound. As close as Kuroyuri was behind them. A few hours of walking and they had yet to hear it again. Quietly hoping it had just wandered off somewhere else, the JNPR leader pushed it to the back of his mind. "I think I hear fighting.", Ruby's hand moved from in front of Jaune and onto Crescent Rose. The magnetic latch let her quick-draw the weapon and click the safety off before loading a bullet into the chamber. Focusing, Jaune strained his ears to listen for the sounds Ruby was hearing. It was difficult to pick up any sounds over the rolling thunder, but if he focused hard enough he could barely catch the muffled sounds of explosion and airy Grimm screeches. The firing noise of Nora's grenade launcher was the only noise he could clearly recognize. Weapon sounds were as identifiable as the users own voice. Ren's pistols fired too quietly for Jaune to tell if he was fighting too. Lightning cracked down from the sky, over-shadowing another scream from the Grimm their friends were struggling against. "That's Nora's...", Ruby mumbled, hearing the same cannon fire as he did. "They need help!", Jaune yelled. But, it had been many hours since they'd travelled away from Kuroyuri. They couldn't move as fast as sound to aid the rest of Team RNJR. Unless... "Ruby? How far can you travel with your semblance?", He asked. It was worth a shot, and would at least get them closer. "Pretty far nowadays. But if I carry you and Uncle Qrow, I'll run out of steam before we even get close.", Even lifting Nora for their special move had been a bit of a chore, and that was only for a few moments. And considering she would be maneuvering over trees, shaking her sick bird Uncle, and carrying Jaune while soaring forty miles back at high speeds? It just wasn't gonna work. Jaune mulled over any possible ideas, but only found one that would even work and didn't like the premise of it. However, not going to help Ren and Nora just wasn't an option either. Letting Ruby travel and fight alone was a harsh gamble. "Jaune.", Ruby called out to him, reaching her hands into her hood and gently lifting Qrow out. "I can do this." She placed him down in front of a tree and patted him on his feather-y head a few times to rouse him. "Uncle Qrow, we're stopping for a while. Can you turn back into a person?" Bird-Qrow nodded wearily before the split second transformation took place and suddenly there he was as a full grown man. His eyes looked hazier and even more unfocused than before. Whatever happened in Kuroyuri was fading out of his system and letting the poison attack his system again. Even worse, they were about to delay even further. Red eyes shifted around quickly, looking at the surrounding without taking much in, before closing a drifting back off into much-needed sleep. Ruby placed a kiss on the top of his head before turning to her teammate. "Be safe.", Was all that was said before Ruby grabbed the edges of her cloak and zoomed off in a burst of red rose petals. . Qrow was having a dream. Or, less like a dream and more like a memory. He could numbly feel his body in his fevered delusion, both existing within the realm of sleep and reality. 
It started with a call on his Scroll.
 
It was just after 9PM and he was still stuck at Signal grading papers. He didn't expect the brats in his class to like the assignment so much but the man could only read and grade so fast. One student managed to write twenty pages explaining some pretty creative uses of Dust and Combative Pyrotechnics. The concept of killing Grimm with fireworks was pretty cool, but not twenty pages of small black print cool.
 
He tried scribbling A's on everyone's papers in the past, only to be confronted by the Signal Headmaster about why he wrote an "A+" on a students gag paper about the weaponization of mayonnaise. That had been the end of that.
 
A pair of store-bought reading glasses sat on his face as he doodled a "B-" on another paper. Birds had keen eyes but age and the tiny scrawl of fifteen-year old's had taken its toll. Maybe he was due for some time off of teaching. Summer was just around the corners, and Qrow was likely to be sent off on another mission for Oz. 
 
Happy to see that he was on his last assignment, he grabbed Ruby's paper. He wasn't sure when he started doing it, but putting Ruby's assignments aside to be graded last was a little habit of his. Something to put him in a good mood before he left out for a night of glaring contests with Tai, mediating fights between Tai and his daughter while comforting both girls after, and overthinking his semblance. He usually goaded Yang out of hassling her father by secretly telling her information about Raven. Not the best method, but it worked.
 
Ruby always hated seeing anyone argue. For a girl who loved combat and killing monsters, she sure couldn't handle domestic fighting. When Yang and her father got into it, Ruby would hole up in her room and curl up in the corner. After doing his best to settle their fight, he would grab Yang and drag Ruby into playing video games together. Mario Party always worked the best bet for occasions like that.
 
And for when it was between Taiyang and himself, the two adults would always alternate in who went and apologized to Ruby for scaring her. The first time she saw them fight, the argument was quickly squashed when they both caught sight of her teary face lingering in the kitchen doorway. She ended up locking herself in her room and wouldn't talk to either of them for hours.
 
From then on, Tai and himself had tried their best to get along better. Nothing motivated them quite like the girls did. They had issues, but they could make everything work. If not for themselves, then for the kids.
 
Scanning over her paper on "Bullet Recoil and its Application in Combat", Qrow smiles to himself. All of Ruby's assignments were usually covered in doodles, and this one was no different. Adorable pictures of her rocketing off Grimm and dismembering them with Crescent Rose littered the margins, as well as an "I love you, Uncle Qrow!" surrounded by hearts and a childishly drawn crow at the last page. Never failed to warm his heart, even if it stung just a little bit.
 
He quickly added a sarcastic critique to each drawing and wrote a tidy "A+" at the top of the first page.
 
Cracking his back, Qrow stood up and straightened out his clothes. He debated flying straight back to the house or heading into the city to pick Ruby up and take the ferry to the island. She needed bullets, and had a favorite shoppe to buy dust and the destructive 50 caliber blast rounds she used in her combat-style. So she grabbed some money from him after class and took a ship to the mainland. The young girl might have already been home by this time, it was pretty dark out by now. Qrow grabbed his Scroll to shoot her a text asking if she was still in Vale...
 
Only to see a number of missed calls and unread texts from Tai. Skipping over reading them, he opted to call the man.
 
"Qrow?", Taiyang's voice echoed through the phone with a tint of panic.
 
"Yep, that's me. What's up? Just missed the sound of my voice, I'm guessing."
 
"Shut up, Jackass.", he remarked in an annoyed tone. "Listen, have you heard from Ruby? She's usually home by now, or at least sends me a message... I'm starting to really worry. Yang can't reach her either."
 
A few red flags rose into mind, but pushed them down. Ruby was far too tough for anything to harm her, let alone some petty criminal of the night. She was probably just looking at new rounds for her scythe. Though, it was new of her to not update them where she was at all times.
 
"I gave her some money to go to Vale after class. She's probably still shopping or something. I'm packing up now so I'll go collect her.", he heard Tai sigh into the receiver making that obnoxious crackling noise in his ear.
 
"Thanks, Qrow. Let me know when you find her." Click.
 
"Bye to you too, asshole.", Shoving his Scroll into his back pocket and grabbed his weapon and bag. Leaving after the massive broadsword was affixed to its magnetic holster, he headed towards the port.
 
The whole situation was so much easier on Tai then himself. But, that man did fall into his role with honesty and integrity. He couldn't hate him for caring so earnestly about Ruby. And Tai rarely overstepped the unspoken boundary of being Ruby's father and impeding Qrow's natural authority for the girl's wellbeing. That didn't stop the two of them from not seeing eye to eye on somethings, though. Taiyang had a lot of hang-ups and insecurities of his own, and Qrow really didn't say otherwise. Most of it was his fault, he made it too complicated. Unable to stay away.
 
He was about ten minutes from the port when his Scroll went off. The ringtone was a younger Ruby and Yang singing some upbeat pop song off key. He'd caught them belting it out together one morning and couldn't resist the blackmail. It had been his ringtone ever since.
 
He half expected it to be Taiyang again, sputtering some panicked words about how late it was getting and completely forgetting that Ruby was an A+ student at a combat school and could very well take care of any scary thing thrown her way. However, he was a bit shocked to see "Oz" pop up on his screen with the ID picture of the Headmaster with coffee spilt all over himself. That had been a fun day in his Beacon years. Pressing a finger over the answer button, Qrow brought the phone up to his ear.
 
"'Sup Oz?", Qrow said casually, stepping into line at the ticket booth for the 9:30PM ferry. "New mission?"
 
"Hello Qrow. There are no missions at the moment, I have a few to review before I send back into the field. In the meantime, I'm sure you are enjoying your job, Professor Branwen?", The lilting voice of Ozpin sounded through the phone.
 
"Eh. Brats aren't so bad. You got some evil geniuses heading your way in a few years for sure.", As much as Qrow loved to banter, he was a bit confused about the purpose of the phone call. If there were no missions, why was Oz calling? "So, what's up?"
 
"Well, I do have one small tidbit of information before me that I'd like to question you about.", He not quite sure why his chest starts feeling tight, but he doesn't like it.
 
"Shoot. I haven't done anything too bad lately."
 
"I don't believe this falls into the 'lately' category, but the reports from the Signal Headmaster adds an asterisk to that statement.", Ozpin laughed.
 
"Don't ramp me up like this, man. Just ask me. About to board a boat and I'll lose signal."
 
"A boat? Whatever for? It's getting a bit late out for adventuring."
 
"Kid-hunting. Taiyang's daughter stayed out too late and he's freakin' out.", Years of practice made his voice come out casual and conversational.
 
"How fascinating. But, I'm not sure your discretion is necessary."
 
"What do you mean by that?"
 
He could hear as Ozpin cleared his throat. "How do I ask this gently?"
 
"Ask what, Oz."
 
"Well.", If Qrow listened hard enough, he could hear Glynda talking in the background.
 
Qrow stepped out of the ticket line, he'll just fly to Vale if need be.
 
"Ruby Rose has just been enrolled into my academy. Is there anything you'd like to share, Qrow?"
 
"Oz.", He wasn't ready for this. Ruby wasn't ready for this.
 
"Perhaps you'd like to stop by and pick up, young miss Rose? She got into a scuffle with a few criminals. She's unharmed but it has to have been a long night for her."
 
"I'll be there in thirty minutes.", Qrow slammed his finger against the end call button. Face blank as he shifted into a bird and jetted off towards Beacon, ignoring the shocked look of the port patrons.
 
He flew in through the window. It had been left open for him as per usual and he dropped down into human form in front of Oz's desk. First thing he noticed was Glynda wasn't in the room, and it was kind of odd to see the Headmaster without her. Second thing was a steaming cup of coffee on the desk before him. A few creamer cups and sugar packets were laid next to it.
 
"Hello Qrow.", He greeted, clearly doing his best to diffuse the tension radiating from himself. "Coffee?"
 
Qrow wordlessly grabbed the cup, dumping three of both cream and sugar into it. His flask was in his bag and he didn't feel being inebriated would help his cause very much. Other than that, he would quite love a drink at the moment.
 
"Don't do this to me, Oz.", Qrow asked in a low, but serious tone.
 
"Qrow. I have seldom let you down. You've followed me through thick and thin. You more than anyone  deserve anything you request. However, this is one thing I can not oblige you with.", Ozpin crossed his hands together, resting his chin on the bridge.
 
His former student was stiff as a board, and clearly unable to speak at this. He sighed, taking a sip of his coffee and sending a glance to the red-eyed man.
 
"I understand this is a serious cause to you, and why you hid it. But their movements have become far too active for me to let this pass by. We need her abilities.", Qrow physically winced at the wording. The subject was still too sore, and that wound would never close. "I'll protect her, Qrow. Personally. Please don't fret, but Ruby Rose is a vital knight in our movement."
 
"I trust you, Oz. I knew it was coming. I had to accept it when she harassed Tai and I for weeks so she could go to Signal. Then immediately followed it with the desire to come here. I... wanted her to be older. She's not ready for any of this.", It was up to him to tell her about all of this. And he would only do it when it was of the utmost importance or if he felt Ruby was ready.
 
"I won't inform her of everything right off the bat, Qrow. And we will continue to shelter her existence until she is ready."
 
Qrow sighed, resigned. He was terrified beyond belief. He remembers the Headmaster asking if Ruby had inherited the Silver Eye abilities shortly after she was born, and they lied without hesitation. Summer never wanted this for her daughter either, and so the two of them built the false identity of Ruby Rose in an effort to save her from the darkness that crowded the world. Protection from all the evils that shadowed Summer and himself.
 
He couldn't spit off all the concerns on his tongue. His trust for Ozpin was unwavering but this was one piece he was hesitant in giving. They would talk about this more when he came to collect his next mission.
 
"So... Where's Glynda?", He remarked offhandedly, tossing back the rest of his coffee while it was till warm.
 
"Offering Miss Rose a tour. I'll send for her in a moment. I just had one question for you, if you don't mind?"
 
"Shoot.", What could possibly follow that conversation.
 
"I was unaware Mister Xiao Long and the Late Miss Rose had that sort of relationship.", Qrow choked on his spit and started coughing. "Why was that bit of camouflage needed, Qrow? Our enemies have long been aware of the Rose last name. I can't imagine the need for such discretion."
 
"Uh. Well. Multiple reasons. Complicated ones?"
 
"Just curious. I'll keep that cover for you. I had always known Summer and yourself to be quite close."
  "Yea well. Look how that turned out for her.", Came out of his mouth in a bitter mutter. Ozpin looked at him sy mpathetically but didn't remark any further. He knew better by now than to breach that particular subject. 
"Well then, 'Uncle Qrow', shall I call for Miss Rose then?"
 
They sat in silence as Ozpin messaged his assistant to bring in Ruby.
 
A few moments later, the door was shotgunned open as said girl launched into a tackle hug towards her Uncle. Qrow just fanned his arms out and grabbed her before she plummeted into the tile floor. Her excited rambling flew over his head as he placed her on the ground and ruffled her hair. It hurt his heart to see just how happy she was about the early enrollment, innocent in the face of naivety. Of what path was set in front of her.
 
"I've readied a ship to bring you two home. You've got a lot of preparing to do, Miss Rose. I look forward to seeing you again at the Initiation."
 
After the airship ride down to Patch, Qrow remained quiet for the rest of the night.
 
The next few days would be filled with insomnia, training, and school supplies shopping.
 . Jaune sat down under a tree across from Qrow. The older man was twitching in his sleep and it starting to creep him out with the incoherent mumbling he was doing. The noise though, was easier to focus on then straining his ears trying to catch any hint of his teammates' battle. The only thing he could hear from this distance was the soft boom of Nora's grenade launcher. He wasn't sure if he imagined the few sounds of Ruby's sniper, but trying to hear any of it was driving him crazy. It had already been over an hour since she left. He hated being left behind. Memories of Pyrrha shoving him into the locker and never seeing her again sat heavy in his mind. He was still the weak link of the party, but that didn't mean Ren or Nora or even Ruby with her crazy eye powers were invincible. They could die in something as insignificant as a Grimm battle. Idly pulling grass out of the ground, Jaune lamented while keeping a keen eye on Qrow. He could at least do that much from this far. Watching as the huntsmen blearily opened one of his eyes and looked around. The gaze landed on him, a question in his eyes. "Ruby went to go help Ren and Nora. I don't know when they'll be back.", He said offhandedly, assuming that was his worry. He received an affirmative grunt from the man. So that was what he was wondering. "So...", Jaune remarked awkwardly. "How are you feeling? Do you need anything?" Qrow shook his head, leaning forward. "Nah, a drink maybe? Doubt you got one of those though." "Nope... Well let me know if you need something?", God, this was weird. "How far out are we, kid?", Qrow asked between heavy breaths, looking pale and sickly. "Oh! We're about 40 miles from Kuroyuri. Ruby used her semblance to go back and help them as quick as she could.", Jaune sighed. "It's been about an hour and I can still hear them fighting." To this, Qrow kept silent. All of his energy focused on staying awake. No strength remained in his body, and any thought was fleeting but his worry for the kids was prevalent in his mind. The blond one was fidgeting across from him, probably overthinking whatever responsibility was assigned to him. He could see the kid pondering over stupid shit like conversation topics or first-aid that Qrow really didn't want administered by that him. "So...", And here comes the idle chat. "Are you like a Faunus or something?" Qrow cocked his head, vexed by the question. People asked him that kind of shit all the time but for some reason he thought he would be asked a heavier question. "Uhh... Not quite? It's more like a piece of me. That happens to be animal-related. Part of all the magic and mystery. You know how it is." "Oh. Cool?", This was just painful. Eager to get out of any small talk, Qrow leaned back against the tree behind him. The bark was scratchy and he could feel bits of it get into his matted hair. Nasty. "Gonna kick back some more. Lemme know when my kid gets back." "Your kid?", Jaune asked keenly, he didn't forget the conversation overheard in Kuroyuri. This could be a vital clue. "Ruby. I was the one to train her, y'know. Mentor, Uncle and all that jazz." "Oh yeah.", He sighed, rebuffed. But, that did open an opportunity for improvement in himself. This guy was a teacher, and if the sheer talent in combat Ruby displayed was any hint to his capabilities, then that made Qrow a damn good person to learn from. After they were sure he had recovered from the poison, he'd ask about some training. Another moment of silence passed, Qrow drifting in and out of sleep. He wanted to knock back out before alcohol withdrawal slammed through his already fucked-up system and he died just from the DTs. Gunfire quieted from the direction Ruby had taken off in, leaving an uncomfortable few seconds of silence before a barrage of pained screeches echoed out. The treetops seemed to shake in the distance as whatever beast they had been fighting met its end. And with its death, a plume of thick black smoke rose up into the grey skies, looking similar to a hand reaching up to grab Heaven. Jaune gaped at the soot cloud watching it dissipate into nothingness. Hopefully everyone was safe. The battle felt like it had lasted an eternity and he wasn't even there. Airships rushed overhead, toward the fading darkness and the sensation of relief tentatively reaching into his heart. He couldn't feel completely at ease yet. He needed to see his friends, they needed to get Qrow to a hospital. Then all would be right. ... Taiyang never truly understood how hard raising children would be until Yang hit her teens. Before it was just his two precious baby girls in sundresses covered in mud. Cartoons on T.V. all day, cut up hotdogs and mac’n’cheese for lunch. He remembered when the two of them shared a bath and remembered when they started arguing about the other hogging the bathroom. Ruby had been terrified of the tub drain growing up, so she and Yang bathed together until she grew out of it. To this day he still had no idea why, but it was just one of many odd irrational childhood fears kids had. Like Yang thought she would be electrocuted if she showered during a lightning storm. She held that superstition to this day, even if she wouldn't admit to it. Both of them were still adorable no matter how much they drove him crazy. When Yang had turned thirteen, the curious questions about Raven had turned into full blown arguments. And by that, it was mostly his daughter yelling at him while he tried to calm her down and divert the subject. Her explosive personality helped, letting her burn bright for a short while and then she would go play some video games or something to calm down and offer a low-key apology. Tai would wake up and the dishes would be done, or breakfast set on the table for Ruby, Qrow, and himself. The fighting stopped entirely after Yang received her acceptance letter from Beacon. Pouring herself entirely into combat, frequent visits to the gym to mutilate a heavy bag, and book studies alongside her sister. Life settled into a blissful calm. Then the Fall of Beacon, his daughter's grievous injury, and Ruby heading off into the unknown shattered the warm life they had been living. Talking with Yang last night ended up better than he thought it would, she never blew up in his face for not giving her what she wanted. But this morning made him wish for the fiery dragon shouting at him back. No doubt she was behaving calmer and more level-headed after the tragedy at Beacon, but his daughter was using it for the worst reason. To annoy her father. All morning, Yang had been giving her dad the silent treatment. When he asked her if anything was the matter, she responded with "I don't feel like sharing right now.", with a barely concealed grin on her face. The message was clear, she was trying to use his own game to irk him and prove a point. Any attempt at conversation was met with a one word answer or a hum. "So, we're almost to the port.", Taiyang mentioned, trying to be nonchalant. "Mhm.", Yang mumbled. Her gaze focused out onto the approaching port. "We should fill up the bike when we get off the boat.", The loudspeaker binged, a robotic voice speaking over Tai announcing they would be in port shortly. "Alright." "We can head straight into Mistral and start asking around for your sister." "Sounds good." Sighing in defeat for the nth time that day, the huntsman sulked away. Instead of trying and failing to communicate with his child, he opted to head for the cargo bay. The motorcycle was loaded at the last minute so he would have to unload it quickly or else others may not have time to grab their luggage. Or risk a crew member pulling it off and leaving it to the side, allowing any shifty character to hijack it. Then they'd really be in trouble. He was the only one in heavy storage while they pulled into port, and offloaded the bike himself while Yang checked her ticket and strolled off with their luggage and Zwei. Map in hand, he sat atop Bumblebee going over their planned route and eyeing the gas station that was a few yards into the town. Might as well pick up a few snacks while he was at it. Yang had been eating like a monster for the last two days and Taiyang worried about what may happen if she ran out of things to munch on while miles and miles away from civilization. His daughter jogged her way over, the family dog curled up in her arms, and threw a leg over the motorcycle to sit down. She nodded her head forward, signaling she was ready to go while still managing to not talk with Tai. Rolling his eyes, Tai pressed the ignition switch and drove into the gas station. Yang stayed on the bike as he went inside, grabbing an entire display of granola bars, two packs of cherry Twizzlers, several bags of gummies covered in sour sugar, and a few bags of marshmallows just in case they had to camp for a night. Realistically, they shouldn't need this many snacks but better to be safe than sorry. Tossing some Lien on the counter, he thanked the attendant and walked out to see Yang already pumping the gas. Smiling softly, he puts the newly acquired eats into their luggage, leaving out a bag of sour gummy worms for immediate munching. And after his daughter finished with the gas, they drove off prepared to begin their search of Mistral. The sky turned dark above them as time passed. Storm clouds had rolled in during the afternoon and it was getting hard and harder to dodge the adorable woodland creatures that popped up in the headlights. Yang pouted when stopping was suggested. Tai didn't really blame her, the quicker they landed in the City of Mistral the quicker they could start the search for Ruby. And maybe give Qrow a good punch in the jaw, just out of principal. So they didn't stop, Taiyang fears he may have hit a rabbit, Yang completely ignores his worry and pops open the last bag of sour gummies. By the time they made it, dawn was rising in the sky and both his daughter and himself were bone tired. He was nearly passing out onto the handle bars. Zwei was lucky, tucked between the two of them napping for nearly the entire ride. They'd have to grab a hotel room before even considering their search. Locking and parking Bumblebee felt like an eternity, Yang was already dragging herself into the air conditioned hotel with Zwei padding behind her happily. He checked them in, one room with two beds just like the boat. As well as paying the insanely high pet fee (he'd look for a cheaper hotel tomorrow). The room itself was grand. Warm earth tones, the sun light streaming in such a picture-perfect way the tan fluffy comforter looked like a piece of Heaven, a gift from the God of Creation themselves. Felt like it too as he ragdolled face first onto the sheets. Yang must have gone into the shower right away, their luggage spread out carelessly on the floor and missing her haircare supplies and favorite pajamas. A shower does sound nice. Maybe he'll stay awake for a little longer and order up some room service before knocking out for a while. Peeling himself off the mattress, he grabbed the food service menu from the nightstand and started to read. He'd wait until Yang finished with her shower before ordering, he had no idea what she was in the mood for, but now he had plenty of time to scan over the menu. "Hey Yang! They have those malasada things you and Ruby have been going on about. Y'know, from that game you played?", Tai shouted out. Hoping for more than a one word answer while showing his daughter he listened to her interests, a good strategy. "Okay!", Rang out from the bathroom. Swing and a miss. "Would you like me to order some?", He brought most of his savings on this trip, he could swing for some pastries, even if Yang was being difficult. "Yea!", Uuuuuuuggggghhhh. Taiyang was a person who naturally loved talking. An Extrovert. To him, this was utter torture. He sat in silence the rest of the time his kid spent in the bathroom. He'd read the menu over several times before Yang appeared with a cloud of steam pillowing out of the door behind her. Wordlessly, he handed her the menu. Ordering some sweets was fine, but considering all the candy they ate on the way in, she needed a good balanced meal. He had decided what he was getting somewhere during the third read over. Taking a deep breath in, Taiyang turned towards his daughter. "So are you seriously gonna not talk to me?", He asks. "Are you seriously gonna not gonna tell me about you and Uncle Qrow? What happened before Ruby left between the two of you?", Yang shot back, putting the menu down and glaring at her father. "Like you just started talking about Mom and now you won’t tell me about Qrow? Only one twin can be discussed at a time!?" "Yang, it's-", Tai began but was swiftly cut off. "No! It's not 'complicated', Dad!", Her eyes flashed colors, and she was standing now. "This is our family. My family! I'm allowed to know what's happening with everyone. I'm tired of NOT knowing what's happening!" She was teary-eyed now, and it was hard to look at. Even so, this wasn't the place and time to discuss everything. "Yang. You're right.", He let out a deep sigh, motioning her to sit back down. She did. "But there's a lot to cover in that topic. Our household had never been normal in any sense. Hell, I was more your mom, Qrow was more your dad, Raven's vanishing, and well Summer..." "Nothing's ever easy for us. And even though you're a Xiao Long, you're a Branwen too. I shouldn't keep hiding stuff from you but... Some things will just need some time, okay?" "Okay... What can you tell me?", Her voice was soft, tentative. "Well. How about when I met your mom and uncle? Is that a good place to start?", Not exactly the most revealing tale but it gave a lot of context to the relationship of the Branwen Twins and himself. Crossing her legs on the bed and leaning forward, Yang looked thrilled to hear the tale of her parents team forming. She grabbed the hotel phone and dialed down to the kitchen. Tai wanted Zha Jiang Mian, Yang ordered an entire meat-lovers pizza, and then the Malasadas for them to share. It felt like it was gonna be a long story, and every story was best told over a warm meal. "It all started with the airship ride to Beacon for my first year there...", Tai began. . 
He was gonna throw up. It was just gonna happen.
 
Between the loud chattering and shouting of other rowdy seventeen year old's, the terrifying heights, and the airships unstable back and forth rocking, he was gonna vomit up everything he'd eaten in the last twenty-four hours. The loudspeaker announced that they would be stopping in Vale for a night, due to turbulence. The sky looked green with the severe storm that was pounding down on them. Other kids were huddled up by the emergency doors, or looking nervously out the window. A few would scream when a bolt of lightning cracked down.
 
The ship glided in for landing in the City of Vale, and Taiyang could literally feel the contents of his stomach slosh with the movement.
 
Teachers and their assistants walked into the bay holding all the students and ushered them out to a shoddy bus that had been prepared in the nick of time. Due to the surprise landing, they couldn't prepare enough transport to the hotel and he was now feeling even sicker as he was shoved between two other students and standing in the aisle of the bus.
  He could hear a girl's voice, powerful and commanding, shouting at the people who bumped in to her while pushing them tw ice as hard out of her way. The action caused everyone to be swayed in every direction as the girl decided more and more people were in her personal bubble. Tai craned his neck around to get a good look at the trouble maker. 
Red eyes glared immediately as he looked over and on instinct, he flinched back. Tentatively, he side-eyed her as her yelling and shove-fest continued.
 
She had wild, unbrushed black hair that was in every direction at once. Whoever this was looked damn near feral as she growled and snapped at everyone near her.
 
"Ms. Branwen!", Finally, a teacher. Professor Goodwitch strode forward through the cluster of students. "I understand we are all feeling a bit cramped in here. We will be arriving at the hotel in a few short moments, so if you could keep your hands to yourself for just a bit longer..."
 
The girl looked like she was gonna yell back, hand on the massive sword around her side. A tap on her shoulder halted the motion. A boy behind her called for her attention, the two looked a bit alike. He shook his head, gesturing to her to stop without saying a word. At the end of the exchange, the girl crossed her arms and stared down the boy.
 
Professor Goodwitch hummed and turned around, heading back to the front of the bus.
 
The next minutes went on quietly as the bus pulled into a fairly nice hotel and all the students filed out of the bus. Everyone was checked for attendance before briefed on how this was going to work.
 
"Students will be assigned rooms. Each room has a bed and a couch, so three students will be in a room.", Glynda announced, looking at a checklist. "Boys will be on the sixth floor, and girls on the seventh."
 
"Raven Branwen, Summer Rose, and Hyzenthlay Scarlentia. Room 725.", Taiyang watched as the tough girl from the bus strode up and grabbed the room key from Glynda's hand without waiting for her roommates to even step forward.
 
"Daifuku Daichi, Jonathan Thrush, and William Winchester. Room 664.", Glynda went on, handing keycards out as groups of three came to claim them from her. Tai could only sit back and wait.
 
"Taiyang Xiao Long.", Finally. He wanted to go lay down and sleep away the rest of this motion sickness. "...and Qrow Branwen. Room 666. And it appears you two are the last boys to be assigned a room. Enjoy the extra space."
 
Branwen... So he's that girl's brother? Maybe cousin? His large family all shared the name Xiao Long. And they're in the same grade, so it had to be either twins or cousins.
 
Regardless of how they were related, Taiyang was still feeling wary of bunking with him. If this Crow guy was anything like his family, it was gonna be a long night.
 "One sec.", Yang spoke up, halting the story. "Didn't you like mom? It seems more like you thinks she's a bitc-." "Don't finish that sentence, young lady.", Taiyang said sternly. He wasn't gonna let his girls speak like thugs. They had a very full swear jar at home in Patch, that was filled with most of Qrow's huntsman salary. Yang was usually one for safe language, but slipped when Ruby wasn't around. Ruby herself on the other hand emulated Qrow in too many ways, and had dropped more than her fair share into the jar. "Well, that's how it's sounding to me.", She shrugged her shoulders, biting into a greasy slice of pizza. "Raven and I... We didn't fall in love at first sight. It was something gradual. It was tough just to become friends with her at first.", He joked, leaning back on his bed. "Plus didn't I say how I met both your mom and uncle? I haven't even gotten to her yet!" "Then story-tell faster. I wanna hear all the good stuff.", With an evil grin, she motioned for him to continue. "I'm story-telling as fast as I can.", Tai whined, but resumed with his story. 
The elevator ride to the sixth floor may have just been the most awkward experience in his life. On one side, William Winchester was raving on about his terrible first experience with Beacon and about how "his father would be calling the board about all of this". Taiyang wanted to punch him and his posh accent right out of the elevator. While it was moving, preferably.
 
And on the other, Qrow Branwen stares intently at the wall. It was starting to weird him out how quiet and stiff this guy was. He was practically melted into the corner of the elevator, even when there was plenty of space for the all to stand, and nervously fidgeting with the ends of a ratty red scarf around his neck.
 
To the average eye, the boy probably could appear deep in thought but Taiyang knew anxiety when he saw it. It was written all over him, even though his face looked blank.
 "Uncle Qrow? Anxious? Are we talking about the same guy?", Yang blurted out, interrupting the story. Again. "I know. It's weird to think about.", Tai sighed, rubbing the back of his neck and looking at the bedspread. "He was a really different person before team STRQ. Think of him like your friend Blake? But different, of course. Now hush. Back to the story." 
"Hey.", Tai gestured to Qrow, waving a hand in front of him. "My name's Taiyang. Nice to meet you."
 
He figured being friendly would be the best option. This guy already seemed to be pretty different from the Raven girl from the bus.
 
Upon receiving no recognition from him, Tai continued to try. "Your name's Crow, right? Pretty neat name. Is everyone in your family named after birds?", He inwardly cringed at how that came out.
 
To that, Qrow gave him a confused look then turned away quickly to resume his staring into space. He pulled the red scarf just under his nose.
 
"That came out weird... Haha... So we'll be rooming together? Do you wanna take the bed? I'm chill with the-", Suddenly, the elevator lurched. Lights flickered before shutting down completely. The lift stopped completely as a green emergency light switched on.
 
In the eerie glow, he could see Qrow tap his head against the metal wall of the elevator and hear an annoyed groan accompany the motion. Puzzled, but more focused on the fact he was stuck in a powerless deathbox with four other people, of which William was already panicking in a rather annoying fashion. Daifuku looked at the display with equal annoyance to himself. Jonathan was mimicking whatever Will was doing and Tai just felt like dying at that very moment.
 
"Students. Please stop panicking. The power has been temporarily knocked out from the storm. Until then, please stay in your rooms. If you are still on the main floor, use the stairs to proceed. A teacher will be at each stairwell to guide you. Those who were misfortunate enough to be caught in the elevator. Generators are being set up, but a maintenance employee will be by shortly to help you out.", Professor Glynda's voice chimed over the emergency speakers.
 
A few minutes passed before help arrived and each teen was helped out of the elevator. It was stuck just a few feet down from the fifth floor so everyone had to hop out and go up one flight of stairs till they arrived at their rooms.
 
The trek in the dark shouldn't have been difficult for the huntsman trainees but apparently a dark stairwell was a greater challenge for them than any Grimm could be.
 
Will's shoelace had managed to untie itself and he tripped, knocking all the rest of them including the teacher down to the bottom leaving only Qrow standing on the steps. What really annoyed Tai though, is that guy just stood there. Didn't come down to help them, then proceeded to walk up the stairs and leave them in a heap on the ground. He didn't even have the key on him! Tai had it.
 
After struggling back up, Tai stomped up the stairs, glaring angrily down the hall at Qrow standing outside of the room.
 
"Hey!", Tai shouted. "Why didn't you come help us when we fell?!"
 
Qrow remained silent, face half buried in his scarf. Face blank and posture slack against the door frame. Tai sighed, face hot with annoyance and anger but he clearly wasn't gonna get an answer from Mr. Stoic guy.
 
Ignoring the static shock that hit his arm when he touched the door handle, he pressed the key up to the door and when inside. Qrow followed behind him.
 
He childishly threw himself onto the plush bed. He fell down the stairs, was shoved more times then he could count, and was forced to room with Quietguy McAsshole, he deserved some good rest in a comfy bed. A shower would have to wait until the power was back up.
 
His temporary roommate settled down on the couch, contently laying back without a word of protest at Tai snagging the bed.
 
Another thirty minutes later and the lights flickered back on. Various students' cheers rang out through the hall as the sound of the A/C unit kicked on. Taiyang immediately reached out of the remote, eager to fill up the awkward silence in the room.
 "Still not seeing any reason to hate him though, all that stuff was just his semblance and you know he can't control that.", His daughter sing-songed, throwing a piece of crust into the bin before grabbing another slice. "I lived my childhood with dishes slipping out of my hand and my cookies always fell into the milk when I pulled them out of the glass." "Well, I didn't know it was his semblance back then. I just thought he was some jerk sabotaging my life. In a way, he is. Just committing the sabotage on accident.", Tai joked. "Over the years, I just kinda got used to it. It wasn't until Raven yelled at him over something stupid that I learned." "I wanna hear that story next." "You'll hear everything one story at a time. All good stories in moderation." 
Flipping on the news, Tai relished in the sound of some random guy talking about the weather. The words "worst storm of the season" and a headline saying "downtown Vale left without power" came from the TV. His roommate startled a bit at the sudden noise, looking at the television before laying back down on the couch. What a weirdo.
 
Reaching for his bag, Tai pulled out his near-dead Scroll and placed it on the charging terminal build into the nightstand.
 
Sprawling back on the bed, eyed the empty bed on the other side of the room. He'd forgotten there was meant to be three people in a room. His roommate had no need to stay on the couch. Sighing deeply, he pulled himself up.
 
"Hey, Crow? There's another bed-", His gesture had been cut short by a rapid banging on the door.
 
"QROW!", It was the girl from the bus's voice. Raven, her name was. "Qrow! Open the door."
 
He watched as the other boy stood up, walking towards the door and turning the handle open. As expected, the open door revealed Raven Branwen, backlit from the hall light he red eyes looked like they glowed. It was quite scary, if Tai was honest. He really hadn't taken a second to look at either of them before now.
 
"Well?", Raven said, making a "shoo" motion with her hand and Qrow stepped out of the way to let her in. As she strolled in, Tai watched her shove a hefty bag into the boy's arms. There was a clacking noise every time the canvas was moved. It sounded as if it was stuffed full of rocks. Qrow dipped slightly under the weight of it before wordlessly putting it down neatly in a corner of the room.
 
Raven sauntered further into the room. On her shoulder, she carried a brown rough-looking leather satchel. Red and black beads decorated it, along with some crows feathers and small animal skulls. Pulling off, she tossed it onto the remaining bed in the room. Tai tried not to cough as dust pillowed up from the bag.
 
"Uh... What are you doing?", Tai asked, trying to find his voice.
 
Raven glanced at him. A nonplussed look in her eyes before she scoffed and resumed dumping the contents of her satchel on the bed. Taiyang hesitated for a second, his brain not processing the situation as quickly as it should.
 
"Rooms on this floor are for boys only.", He said, as it became increasingly apparent this woman was planning to spend the night in their room. "Glynda and the other teachers might do room checks. We'll get in trouble."
 
Halting in her junk sifting, Raven refocused on the blond boy. "Well, in that case, I'm a frightened little girl who's scared of being in a new place and want to spend the night with my baby brother.", Her tone was sarcastic and no-nonsense at the same time.
 
Tai stared, dumbfounded as she grabbed a brush and what Tai could only assume was pajamas, then began to make her way to the bathroom.
 
"Well, I mean. Your brother was here first. He should get the bed at least.", Part of his brain was fine with offering the lady a more comfortable place to sleep but this? She was just as rude as her brother.
 
In response, Raven just started laughing and clicked the bathroom door shut behind her.
 
"Dude.", He was at a loss for words. "We're seriously gonna get in trouble with Glynda. Can you tell your sister to leave or at least ask permission?"
 
"Nope.", Was the muffled response from Qrow, who he now noticed was back on the couch, face down in the cushions.
 
Balling his fist, Taiyang took a deep breath and walked back to his bed. A chime came from his scroll. A notice from Beacon.
 
'Dear Student (TAIYANG XIAO LONG),
 
Teachers and Teacher Assistants will be around shortly to hand out dinner for the night. Due to the high volume of students in such a short time, we will only be able to provide; Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwiches and Ham & Cheese Sandwiches. We apologize for these dining options. For the trouble, all students will receive one Premium Meal Voucher to use anytime throughout their semester at Beacon.
 
All Students will be required to be in the Hotel Conference Room by 7am to resume passage to Beacon. An alarm has already been sent to your scrolls for 5am. Please be dressed and ready.
 
Thank you,
 
Glynda Goodwitch.'
 
"Man. A teachers gonna be by any minute now.", Tai groaned, shifting his head to watch the door for a meager sandwich.
 
A knock was heard and Taiyang couldn't have moved faster to get the door. Some TA he didn't recognize came to the door.
 
"What would you gentleman like? Peanut Butter, or Ham and Cheese Sandwiches?", The TA asked, toting a cooler behind him.
 
Looking at Qrow face down on the couch and the steam flowing out from the bathroom, Tai just decided to choose for them. A nice ham and cheese sounded good right now.
 
"Uh. Can I get one of each?", The TA nodded and handed him two sandwiches. "A-actually? Can I get one more? I'm really hungry."
 
"One per student... However, I have a few extra for the Ham and Cheese. Here you go, young man.", The TA kindly handed him the extra meal along with two cans of Cola. 
 
Thanking the man profusely, Tai closed the door behind him and deposited the food onto his bed. He grabbed a can of soda and a Ham sandwich and brought it over to Qrow. Cruelly, he placed the ice cold can on his roommates neck and watched him startled up with a hand on his broadsword.
 
Tai rolled his eyes, not impressed. He tossed the food into Qrow's lap. "Food. I even managed to get an extra sandwich for your sister."
 
Qrow observed the plastic-wrapped food with caution before unwrapping it and taking a bite.
 
A moment after Raven stepped out of the bathroom. She had on black, ratty pajamas and her mass of hair in the weird towel thing girls do.
 
Wordlessly, he handed her the Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwich and she scoffed. Immediately ripping the plastic open she took a bite and spit it out onto the rug. "Eugh."
 
"Hey, blond guy!", Raven yelled, gesturing to Tai with the sandwich in hand. "Trade with me."
 
"What? No! And it's Taiyang! Taiyang Xiao Long.",Tai stood up and yelled , first he lost room, now she wanted his sandwich? "If you hate it so much, trade with your brother!" 
 
"Well, Qrow?", She looked at him expectantly. He sighed, handing over the sandwich. She smirked at his despondent look. "I tried, better than nothing."
 
Gods, these people were so weird. Tai watched in confusion as Qrow threw the PB&J in the bin.
 
"He's allergic, for clarification.", Raven smirked, taking a big bite out of Qrow's dinner. "That's why I asked you first."
 
"W-wha- WHY? What the hell is wrong with you!?", Tai shrieked. Weirdness with the Branwen Twins has reached a new high. What kind of dumb, animalistic pecking order did these people have?
 
"What a loud one.", Raven remarked offhandedly, taking a sip out of Qrow's soda before handing it back to him.
 
Groaning loudly, Tai polished off the rest of his sandwich and threw himself onto the bed. No more. He couldn't deal with it anymore today.
 "And then, I went to bed.", Tai finished lamely, flopping back dramatically into the cushy mattress. "'Sides the lame ending, that really was a shitty first meeting. Holy shit, dad. Not that you helped. You shoulda just let Qrow and Raven be weird and ignored it.", Yang said with a disapproving tone. "Yang. My daughter, who has known me all her life, you know that even to this day I am incapable of ignoring the environment around me.", Tai put a hand on his chest melodramatically. "True. Also I never knew Uncle Qrow was allergic to peanuts." "Have you ever seen him eat them?", Tai asked, picking up his chopsticks and grabbing a casual bite of noodles. "Now that I think of it, no. Wow. The more you know, I guess?", Yang laid back on her bed, letting out a big yawn. All that pizza and now the food coma set in. "Okay, storytime over. Bedtime now.", Tai stood up, throwing the covers over his daughter. "Wait, I wanna hear what happened when you woke up.", Yang pouted, looking adorably sleepy. "I can do more storytelling later, okay? Good night, Dragon.", Tai gave her a kiss on the top of the head and turned the lights off. "G'night, Dad." They had a long day of looking ahead of them tomorrow.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Roaming around Mistral wasn't as fun as either Xiao Long imagined. They hadn't taken into account how big the city was. Even Tai being from here misunderstood the vastness of the main city, being from the countryside.  And the STAIRS . Up and up and up, it never ended. Lifts seemed to be permanently full or broken down while Avian Faunus had lines around the block for personalized air tours. They couldn't hope to get one without wasting the day in line. By the late afternoon, they had sifted through the higher levels of Mistral, and were now strolling around the residential district. Door to door they knocked, asking if anyone had seen a young girl with a bright red hood or a huntsman in his late thirty's / early forty's with a dark red cape. At the end of their search, one kind woman had directed them to the property manager all the way at the other end of the facilities to ask. "This is so boring.", Yang complained, dragging the 'g' as she leaned back dramatically. "Well, we still have plenty of time to look. How about we get a bite to eat after we ask the Manager? And bring some food back to Zwei.", Tai offered, his legs feeling weary after the long day. They both could use a break. "Sounds good to me. We can ask the restaurant patrons too. If they know anything, that is.", She yawned, spotting a nice small house with the words "MANAGEMENT" on a wooden sign outside of it. "There it is!" Yang ran ahead to the door, knocking a few times while waiting for her father to catch up. A boy answered the door, taking a quick glance at Yang and Tai before yelling into the house. "There's Huntsmen at the door!", he yelled, before darting back into the building. They shared a look, feeling a little bewildered. "Now now, that's no way to answer the door, Aigou!", An old voice shouted, accompanied by the sounds of a cane tapping on the hard floor. Pushing the door open further, an old woman ushered them in. "Well come on now. Out of the wind." They both step in, removing their shoes and leaving them at the step.  "Uh. My name is Taiyang Xiao Long. And this is my daughter Yang.", Tai introduced them, with a polite nod. "Ah, good Mistral names. I am Qianru Wu Jiang. What can I help you with? We have new homes open, but they are going fast. So many new settlers from Vale.", She said, already pouring tea for them. Qianru moved with a practiced grace, instantly making the air more hospitable. Tai grasped the cup offered to him. "Oh, we're not here to rent.", Tai remarked, sitting down and blowing on his tea. "We're looking for someone." "A shame. We can always use more Huntsman in this community. Now who is it that you're searching for? I know many people in this area." "Ruby Rose. She's sixteen. Dark hair. Silver eyes. Wears a red cloak.", Yang spoke up, describing her sister. Settling down next her father, a loose grip on the ornate tea cup. "Oh silver eyes, what a rare trait. I would remember if that had walked through my doors." "How about Qrow Branwen? He's a Huntsman, like me.", Tai asked, hoping he was correct in his assumption Qrow was with Ruby. "Oh, Mr. Branwen! Tall gentleman, with the large sword?", She responds, recognition flashing through her eyes. Tai and Yang stared, stunned silent for a moment. "Yes! Yes! That's him. Can you tell me where he went?", Yang was overjoyed. Bouncing in her seated position, unable to help the lean forward toward the woman. "He's not wanted or anything? I'd hate to see that man go to jail. He has so many people to look after. And he was such a charmer." Cringing at the idea of this clear 90+ year old woman being charmed by her uncle, Yang focused on another part of her statement. "Many people? Is he with someone?", Yang prayed Uncle Qrow had Ruby. It would suck to have come all this way to find Qrow and a group of lady-friends having a good time together. "And no he's not wanted. He's my Uncle. We're looking for my little sister. We’re pretty sure they’re travelling together." "Ah. Good to hear it.", She took a leisurely sip of tea. "He was with a blond boy. Jaune was his name. Such a sweet, polite boy. Then there were two others waiting outside. Students, by the looks of them. Another boy with black hair and a bouncy young lady with red hair.", Qianru placed a contemplative hand on her chin. "You know them, Yang?", Tai asks. "Jaune, Ren, and Nora? Maybe they'll know something. Can you tell us what their address is, ma'am?" "Just up the way here. It's the one with the dragon statue in front. Can't miss it." Tai rolled his eyes at the slight irony before getting up. Yang followed him, walking towards the door and sliding her boots on. A spring to each step. "Thank you for all your help, Miss Wu Jiang.", With a slight bow, Tai put his sneakers on and opened the door. "Not a problem. I hope you find your little sister, missy!" "Thanks, auntie!", Yang smiled, all but skipping to the large house with the dragon statue. They barely had to walk more than a couple houses down. Ruby was so close, and so was Qrow. As much as Yang loved her father’s newfound storytelling bedtime ritual, the blonde still craved more immediate answers. Knocking on the door with her robotic arm, Yang waited for someone to come. She could hear footsteps shuffling around along with a few voices. She couldn't make out the exact conversation, but Nora's loud voice was instantly recognizable, and she buzzed with happiness knowing that this was the right place. Slowly, Jaune's face popped up as the door opened. A single blue eye peeking out to see who was at the door before it swung open. "Yang?", He said, not quite believing his eyes. "YANG!", Shouted Nora, flying from the living room into said blonde girl who hugged back with equal crushing force. "How'd you get here? What are you doin' here? Ooh, who's this? Your dad?" Putting Nora down, they walked into the house, welcomed in without hesitation. Inside, she could see Ren and another boy playing chess. "It's good to see you, Yang.", Jaune said, smiling. "Can we get you anything?" "Nah. Thanks Jaune. And yea this is my dad, Taiyang!", She gave a wide sweep of her arms to introduce Tai. Tai gave a polite nod and stood awkwardly to the side as his daughter socialized with her friends. "We're looking for Ruby. Have you guys seen her at all?" "You just missed them. They should be back in a little bit though.", Ren joined the conversation, the other boy watching curiously from the chess table. "You're welcome to wait here for them. Jaune and I were just making lunch." "That would be nice. Thank you, young man.", Tai said, now sitting down on the red couch. "Where did Ruby go, anyways?" "The hospital with Qrow.", Nora was perched on the back of the couch next to Tai, swinging her feet. "Hospital? Is she okay!?", He panicked, and really, who wouldn’t with these circumstances? "Yea yea. Everyone's fine. No big dealllll." "Mr. Branwen received a serious wound during a battle we had a few weeks ago. He's still having some complications with the injury. Though, it's not so bad anymore. It's more a safety precaution at this point.", Ren explained. "He saved us from an evil scorpion man trying to kidnap Ruby and got poisoned. It was pretty rad." "Wait, what?", Both Tai and Yang said at the same time. "Perhaps we should update them while we wait for their return?", Ren looked to Jaune. "Yea. We'll tell you as much as we can. Uh. Oscar? Should we...?", Looking over to Oscar, Jaune shrugged. He felt unsure about how much information to give. Oscar looked instantly nervous under the pressure. He glanced upward, puzzling the new party additions. JRN recognized this at the motion he always made when he consulted Ozpin. "He says it should be fine. Mister Xiao Long already has the jist of it. Just the recent developments.", Oscar responded, getting up and nervously approaching Tai. "Oz?" ... "I'm telling you, kid. That nurse hates me.", Qrow complained, idly picking at the IV on his arm. "Rolling vein, my ass. There's no way you have a medical degree and miss that many times." During his visits at the Li Shizhen Hospital, Qrow had been assigned the same nurse each visit. A surly middle-aged woman who had no patience for anything it seemed. Ruby found it hilarious. "Well, every time she walks in the room you're either cursing like a sailor, or something mysteriously bad happens.", Ruby chuckled, sitting in a tall waiting chair and swinging her feet. She made sure to come with Uncle Qrow on each visit to the hospital. It was fun, spending time with him without the pressure of the world weighing down on her. Yeah, the getting poisoned and nearly dying bit was bad but Uncle Qrow was fine now. Which made it okay to poke fun at him for being a grumpy baby. Qrow's nervous system had suffered severe damage from Tyrian's sting. It had been a tedious recovery process to get his Aura to restore his body. First, he had to stay for days, then days turned into daily visits, then weekly visits, and now all that was left was general checkups. Qrow had no intention of going to any appointments after he'd left the hospital, but Ruby asked him to make sure he went and somehow he ended up walking through the grand hospital doors right on time for each visit. "Well! At least this is almost all done? There’s only one more visit left after we go home today.", Ruby said, now fiddling with the various medical instruments around the white room. "Oh yea. Ren said we need to pick up some groceries if we can? We're low on food." "Again?", Qrow groaned, his wallet wouldn't survive this for much longer. He had a general idea how much kids eat after grocery shopping for the house in Patch, but this was even worse. He feels lucky that it was Yang and Ruby he ended up with. "That kid needs to get his girlfriend under control. I'm gonna have to take some missions to afford all this." "What? No no no! You're not supposed to go do anything until you're one-hundred percent! You promised, Uncle Qrow!", She huffed. "Hate to break it to you, kiddo, but I can't afford much more. All my major accounts are in Vale. How do you suppose we'll get the Lien we need?" "Well... I was thinking... Maybe I could go on some missions? Not by myself! I can bring the team? Even Oscar! He's getting really good. I'm sure we can all handle some pricey Search and Destroy missions!", Ruby patted Crescent Rose who was propped next to Harbinger against the wall. Ruby smiled as she remembered wielding her Uncle's scythe in the battle against their mysterious attacker. She thought back to her training days, before her Aura manifested and she would jokingly try to use the massive weapon. Now she'd used it to protect their lives. The RWBY leader couldn't believe how far she had come. Looking at the wistful, proud expression on Ruby's face made it hard for Qrow to say the "no" he wanted to. The blond one had told him how Ruby used his weapon when Crescent Rose had been cast away by Raven. Of which, was a principal reason he didn't want her to end up in the hands of the Branwen Tribe. It was clear as day Raven had big plans, and Qrow wanted Ruby out of them. Raven already had Spring. And now that she knew of Ruby's awakened SEW status and connection to him, she could draw her in. Ruby is a smart girl, but her curiosity would be easily exploited by Raven and her insecurities over Ozpin and Salem. No matter what, Qrow did not want Ruby near his sister. Sighing dramatically, Qrow sat up a little taller and looked at Ruby. "Okay, fine. But-", He didn't have the chance to add rules before Ruby tackled him. The hospital bed groaned in protest. "Thank you, thank you, thank you, Uncle Qrow! I won't let you down!", Ruby bounced up and down, getting off the bed to do a little happy dance. After a few weeks of nothing but training, she was dying to go vent her frustrations out on some Grimm. "Calm down, don't get so happy.", Qrow grumbled, readjusting his IV line but smiling on the inside. "I got some rules first." Ruby sat down in her chair, legs crossed and focusing all her attention on Qrow. "One. Your scroll is to stay in your pocket at the ready. I'm going to ping it every half hour to make sure you haven't been murdered or kidnapped, got it?", Ruby nodded at the rule. "That means no missions outside of Local Comms range. I'm gonna call every hour, and if you don't answer on the second call I'm gonna head to where you're at. No buts." "Two. Oscar goes on every mission. I'll feel better if Oz is watching you but Oscar's still got a lot of learning to do, so no high level missions. Low and medium only.", Again, Ruby nodded. Damn, no actually challenging missions to test her skill. The hospital room door swings open, but both are too absorbed in the moment to pay it any mind. "Three. I swear to every fucking god ever if anything happens to you, you're grounded for the rest of your life and Yang, me, and Tai will see to that. Got it?" Ruby rolled her eyes, smiling. "Got it." "Alright, we have a deal. Now, where is that terrible nurse? I'm tired of being in this goddamned hospital." "I'm right here, Mr. Branwen.", The nurse looked in from the doorway with disapproving eyes. "I have your release paperwork right here." One awkward and tense signature later, Qrow and Ruby walk down the street towards the house he rented. "So groceries. Don't forget we're broke right now. Shop smart, till we get some cash flow.", Qrow handed Ruby a Lien card. It was somewhat of a mistake to pay Shiro's debt now that he's looking at the financial responsibility of five kids. But, it was the right thing to do. He followed along as Ruby picked out ingredients for the few recipes they knew, carrying bags as after Ruby paid. ... “Final verdict after meeting Yang’s dad?”, Nora sat upon one of the many tool racks in their makeshift dojo. Her arms crossed, wearing a severe expression. "I don’t know… Oscar, does Oz know anything? Did you asked him?", Jaune looked at Oscar. "I did already when you first told us. All he said was 'Ms. Rose's enrollment paperwork says 'Taiyang Xiao Long' and then said nothing afterward.", Oscar whined. He didn't know when or why he became so curious and entangled in the parentage of Ruby Rose. And Ozpin wasn't very forthcoming with information on the topic.  After renting their home in Mistral, Jaune had pulled them all aside to tell them what he heard in Kuroyuri.  After that, each time Ruby and Qrow left for his doctors appointments, they gathered again for conspiracy time. All of them offering their own theories and sharing conjecture. It was actually quite entertaining. Micro-analyzing their two teammates to support what was essentially a headcanon.  "Hmm... Suspicious.", Nora hummed, holding her face like an old school detective. "Maybe we should ask Qrow and Taiyang? Rather than all this sneaking around?", Oscar was dubious even when he first saw Qrow and Ruby stand near one another, but after seeing Taiyang he's pretty sure they’re right. "Psh. No fun in that. It's so obvious too, yet they're all so oblivious." "Yea, why are we making a big deal out of this? Oscar's right. We should either ask or not get into their business. Maybe Qrow and Yang's dad have a good reason.", Jaune shrugged. "And it might be bigger than us. Mr. Branwen's bad luck is bad enough when he's home here, he may have panicked at the idea of having a newborn child and fled. We shouldn't cause a stir in their family. Even asking might trigger something that isn't our right to trigger.", Ren piped in. "Well, he's doing a pretty shitty job at not being a dad. Ruby looks like him, acts like him, and have you seen how un-intentionally fatherly he is? Like, I get we haven't seen Ruby and Taiguy together but COME ON. He and Ruby are like glue. It's so obvious Qrow's her dad." "What?" Everyone swiveled around to see Yang mid-stride on her way into the kitchen. Her face looked puzzled. "Oh, hey Yang. Talk stuff out with your dad? Get everything from your hotel? Aha... We get it's pretty crazy, it was hard for us to uh... accept it too.", Jaune tried to not sound nervous. "You think Uncle Qrow is Ruby's father.", Yang asked, expression blank. "Uh.. we were just messing around?", Jaune placed his hands up while everyone looked between them, anxious. "Don't act so defensive, guys. I used to think the same thing, or I still do. It's just not a big deal in my eyes. Ruby's my sister, no matter what. Qrow helped raise both of us alongside my dad. We even make jokes about how good of a wife my dad is to him.", Yang smiled, trying to keep her face lax. “It’s a long, complicated story.” “Well, we gave you one hell of a story early.”, Nora hopped down from her spot, pointing at Yang. “Time to trade places!” “I don’t have any hard evidence or anything but… I’ll give it a shot. If you guys want?” Rather than answering, everyone sat down on the floor, forming a tight circle and focused on her. Waiting to hear the history of their family. "When Ruby and I first started to go to school, kids used to tease us about not looking alike. Then in middle school, the 'infidelity' jokes started. Kids can be really mean sometimes. I never told Ruby about any of it though. She was always busy making blueprints for Crescent Rose and reading fairy tales. She never really had many friends, besides a couple kids who wanted help with making their weapons. She kept to herself for the most part, so it wasn't hard to keep her away from the bullies." "One day, I got in a fight with some kids who were saying things about my family. I broke the ring leaders nose. My dad was called to the office and had to take me home. I got suspended for like two weeks. On the walk home, I asked Tai 'why don't me and Ruby look alike?', he didn't answer me. It would have been easy to lie and say Ruby looks like her mom. Which she does. But he didn't. Maybe he didn't want to talk to me about Raven, but I think it was still pretty odd." "Ruby doesn't remember our mom that well, she was so young when she died... She was a Huntress, a good one at that. One day, she never came home after a mission one day. Apparently Qrow tried following her after she left. He ended up getting taken down before he made it to her by an unknown attacker.  He didn't know how long he was out, and when he went back after rushing out from the hospital, he found piece of her cloak hundreds of miles away from where he was attacked. It was stained and tested positive as Summer's blood on it. Then after a few more weeks they declared her Fallen in the Line of Duty. Qrow was still admitted when we held the funeral.", Yang reached into her pocket, pulling out a folded-up photo. She passed it to Jaune and everyone huddled over his shoulder to get a peak. "The woman in white is Summer Rose, Ruby's biological mom." "Wow. They look identical.", Everyone nodded in agreement. "Yea, they do... I consider her more my mom then Raven could ever be. Even when I was a stupid kid hellbent on finding my real mom, I loved Summer more. She was an incredible person.", Yang pulled out her scroll, opening the Gallery App and flicking through images. "I used to have fun with it. I was suspicious growing up after the bullies. It was a good side mission to keep my mind on while starting to focus on finding Qrow’s sister. It was kind of my big mystery to solve.", She held her scroll out to show a picture of a younger Ruby struggling to pick up Qrow's weapon. Then to another photo, this one with Taiyang, Qrow, Ruby and herself at the dinner table. She had been trying to take a selfie with the whole family. Another photo, with Ruby and Qrow, scythe to scythe in a forest clearing. They wore matching grins and were covered in dirt. "They have the same look in their eyes. That light-hearted, 'I'm a little shit', kinda brightness. They're too alike. Summer had soft, honest eyes that could harden into the most lethal glare you’ve ever seen. Physically, Mom and Ruby are practically the same, but Ruby and Qrow... They have the same soul on the inside. I can feel it.” The party glanced at one another, unsure of what to say. "So, why hide it? That's my biggest question.", Nora asked, glancing at the picture of STRQ one last time before giving it back to Yang. "I'm not sure. But I think it-", Yang didn't get to finish as she heard the front door slide open. "WE'RE HOME!", Shouted Ruby's voice echoing throughout the house. "WE GOT MORE FOOD!" Yang smiled to herself at the familiar voice. Ruby yelled anytime she came back from the grocery store with Qrow or Tai back home too.  "At least they didn't catch us.", Nora smiled, "Wanna mess with 'em?" The heavy conversation temporarily forgotten, Yang grinned. "We only got a small window of time before dad comes down so we gotta make it count." In the kitchen, Qrow dumped the grocery bags on the counter. It was only meant to last a few days while waiting on the payout from Ruby’s mission, so they didn’t pick up too much.  On the way home, they had stopped by the Huntsmen Mission Boards and picked out a mission together. Since Qrow had a heavy suspicion of Lionheart, they spent a few extra minutes making goofy aliases. Ruby Rose was now Rowan Hood, Oscar Pine was now Diggs Cedar, Jaune Arc was Achilles Shields, and lastly Nora was Thor Zapz. And together they formed Team DART led by Diggs Cedar, a team of students from Atlas stuck in Mistral after the borders closed. Due to the total lock down between kingdoms, it was impossible to gain any background information on their fictional team. And furthermore, the lack of Atlas Military has left a massive hole to be filled and a shortage of Huntsmen to protect the people. The citizens of Mistral were desperate and in need of help. Qrow couldn't have asked for better conditions to fake an identity under. Placing a package of thin sliced beef in the fridge, Ruby wiped her hands off on her skirt and looked around the kitchen. "Hey, Uncle Qrow?" "Yeah, kid?", Qrow responded, having taken it upon himself to empty the dishwasher (all shatter-proof plates and glasses) and pull out the necessary tools of tonight's dinner. "Where is everyone? Usually it's a lot louder in here." "They're here. I heard some whispering in the Dojo when we walked in. Probably conspiring. I'd expect some trouble here soon.", Qrow warned jokingly while pulling out a package of Yaki Tofu from a grocery bag and placing it on the cutting table. As if on cue, ORNJ crowded into the kitchen. Nora had that chaotic look in her eye, while Ren avoided eye contact, Jaune pretended too hard to be casual, and Oscar looked sufficiently guilty. Worst poker faces ever. "Hey guys.", Ruby waved, cutting knife in hand and a second one to hand to Qrow at the ready. "We did some cool stuff while we were out today! I'll tell you about it over dinner." And with that, she resumed her dinner prep work. Cutting Shiitake mushrooms and tofu into small bite-sized pieces. "So what'd you guys do? Break something? Haven't seen faces that guilty since Ruby and Yang broke my scroll years ago.", Qrow looked over to the students, cutting knife now in hand and ignoring the indignant "Hey!" from Ruby. "Oh nothing, just hangin' out.", Nora grinned, clasping her hands together. "Yea, I believe that. Seriously what-", Qrow started a bit when he saw a mop of blonde hair peek out from the hallway. Eyes wide, he watched as Yang Xiao Long popped into view. She had a smile on her face and a finger held up to her mouth in the "shh" motion. She pointed towards Ruby then vanished back around the corner. So she wanted to surprise Ruby? Qrow was willing to play along. "So, kiddo. Whatcha need me to do?", Qrow asked casually, standing next to her at the cutting table. "Can you cut the onions? I can't do it without crying.", She looked sheepish when she asked, as if he didn't know that she couldn't cut onions already. "I'm on it, shortstack.", Qrow glanced at the hallway, watching the other kids whisper to one another. How was this beautiful mess going to play out? "Can I help with anything, Ruby?", Jaune questioned, holding his hands out. "Oh uh. Can you set the table and put out the burner?", Ruby felt like she was missing something as everyone flooded into the kitchen and asked her for a task. Nora was pulling apart Enoki while Ren assisted Jaune with setting the table. Oscar was arranging the ingredients on a large decorative tray that came with the house. They were all laughing and working together. A nice moment in their chaotic lives.  "And Ren looked so scared! It was cute.", Nora grinned, holding a bundle of mushrooms in her hand. "You had been struck by lightning, Nora. I panicked.", Ren sighed, setting the fire dust canister into the burner. "You wanna hear about panicking? I remember Uncle Qrow and Dad when Ruby's semblance kicked in.", Yang said suddenly, in the same spot Qrow had been in earlier and cutting the onions. Said man had been kicking back, taking a leisurely sip from his flask.  "Harhar, Yang. That was an awful day. I was stuck up there for hours before I got down!", Ruby stomped her foot, turning around to yell more at Yang. Abruptly, she stopped short, the knife clattering to the floor. "Yang...?" "The one and only. Heard you were making Sukiyaki, thought I'd drop in for the rest of forever.", Yang had a smug look on her face as Ruby stared. Suddenly, Ruby sniffled. Her eyes watered up and she brought an arm up over her eyes. “Yang…” "Whoa, Ruby it's okay. I'm not mad or anything.", Yang took a step towards her sister, arms out and open for a hug. Letting out a big ugly sob, Ruby jumped forward into Yang's arms. Burying her face in Yang's shoulder she mumbled "I'm sorry" over and over again while the blonde let her cry in their embrace. The older smiled softly, petting her head until she calmed down.  Everyone smiled, enjoying the tender moment between sisters. They pulled apart, Yang's hands on Ruby's shoulders as they beamed at each other. "Oh, Yang! Your arm!", Ruby shouted, grabbing the mechanical extremity and looking it over. Qrow had to admit, he was curious too. Last time he saw his niece she was sans an arm and bed-bound. He walked over to the two of them, placing a hand in Yang's hair and giving it a good ruffle. "Good to see you, firecracker.", He gave a lopsided smirk. "You too, Uncle Qrow. Thanks for keeping your promise." "Never was an issue to keep. Been keeping it before you could write the alphabet." "Can we quit the cryptic talk and tell me about your robot arm?", Ruby butted in, impatient and still tugging at the limb. "Apparently, General Ironwood sent it.", She said offhand, pulling the arm away from Ruby and flipping it back and forth. "It's no replacement for the real thing, but it packs a punch. I beat the snot out of dad with it." Suspicious of the fact that Ironwood had sent it, Qrow frowned. When did everyone seem so disloyal to the cause lately? It was like everyone once in the inner circle had either been killed or became of questionable allegiance. They were all replaced with the kids. The new inner circle, and force against Salem. An old bird, a little boy with two souls, and some students who never even got to finish their first year at Beacon. Ugh. Shaking his head, Qrow refocused on Yang. "Beat the snot out of Tai, huh? Good. He could use it." "Yea, it was pretty fun. You'd be proud of me, by the way, Qrow. The whole ride here I didn't argue with him at all-", Reminding herself that she yelled at him just the night before, Yang corrected herself. "I didn't argue with him more than once!" "Not bad.", Qrow smiled, ruffling Yang's hair once more before putting his hands on his hips. "Waaait, Tai's here?" Oh no. Oh noooo. "Yea, he's upstairs. I think he fell asleep 'cause he should have been down by now. With all the noise I figured he'd be down here in a second.", Yang remarked, attention now focused on socializing with her sister and friends. Qrow flopped back on into a nearby chair, working over just what the hell he was supposed to say to his former teammate. Tai was obviously gonna be pissed, and he really wasn't feeling up for the oncoming argument. Plus, he didn't want to ruin the girls' reunion after all this time with a fight. Reaching into his breast pocket, Qrow pulled out his flask and took a long sip from it. Shaking it a bit when there was only one small sip left. He still had half the original bottle in the kitchen. Maybe if he drank enough now, he'd pass out before Tai woke up... Nah, that wouldn't work. And could possibly incite having cold water dumped on him with a side of Ruby and Yang being pissed at him. Running a hand through his hair, Qrow suddenly saw two expectant faces looking at him. "Dinner's still got to be prepared, Uncle Qrow.", Ruby said, picking up the knife she dropped and dumping it in the sink. "Yea! Come on, lazy bird. We got Sukiyaki to make.", Yang pumped her arms into the air before following her sister and resuming her onion-cutting. He got up, his dread of the oncoming wrath from Tai set to the back of his head while he rejoined the dinner effort. Since Yang had taken over his post, Qrow went to help the boys set up the portable burner. Figured he might as well step in before they blow the place up. "Alright. Uncle Qrow!", Yang yelled suddenly, startling the older man as he was putting down a tray full of cups. He banged his shin and the cups went tumbling to the ground. Luckily, one of the first days they had gone shopping for the house Ruby opted to replace all the glasses with plastics and shatterproof materials, anticipating her uncle's semblance. They did the same thing at home in Patch. Her dad relished whenever Qrow went out on missions, so he could bring out the expensive crystal glasses he had gotten from his grandparents. "Well, can't blame that one on me.", Qrow laughed, slowly kneeling to gather all the cups. "What do you need, kid?" "I saw it in your face the second I said it, but regardless of your dismay, I really got to wake dad up for dinner. ", Yang smiled sheepishly, walking towards the stairs. Everyone looked confused, aside from Ruby who wore a more anxiety-ridden expression. Seeing the tension in both girls, Qrow felt just a little bit guilty. The ensuing argument was his fault, and now it was time to face the music. "Do we have too?", He drawled out, speaking in a whiny tone. "Yep!", Yang patted him on the shoulder. "There there, champ. You'll survive. Plus, I'm sure dad really wants to see Ruby too. I should have gotten him up earlier." A trip up the stairs later, Yang arrived down with Zwei in her arms and a sleepy looking Taiyang. The blond didn't get any chance to gain his bearings before he was jolted with a big hug around his waist. He looked startled for a split moment before his face softened and he returned the hug. "Good to see you're safe.", Tai remarked, voice warm. "But..." Tai pulled away, his hands on Ruby's shoulders. "You're so GROUNDED, young lady. I can't believe you just ran off like that. That was dangerous, Ruby!" "Wh- But I'm fine! And I had Uncle Qrow to look after me.", Ruby protested, stepping back and stomping her foot. Immediately, Tai's fatherly scolding turned into a murderous glare directed at Qrow. "Yea, that you did." "Thank you, kiddo. For that bus you just threw me under.", Qrow sighed, dismissing the "I'm sorry" Ruby mouthed at him. "What were you thinking-", Tai started, his voice raising. However, he was interrupted by a soft beep from the kitchen. "RICE COOKERS DONE! LET'S EAT!", Nora shouted a little too loud. It was way too awkward to stand here for another second. Everyone uncomfortably shuffled into the dining area. Yang ran into the kitchen and fetched a carton of eggs, bringing them out onto the table. Qrow sat down on the far end, Ruby on his left and Oscar on his right. ORNJ spread themselves around the middle while Tai took the other end with Yang on his right. Ruby leaned forward, and with the help of Oscar, she started to arrange the first ingredients on the burner. "Hey Ruby, you said something earlier about telling us something over dinner?", Jaune asked, spooning some rice into his bowl. "Oh yea! I signed us up on a mission to take in the meantime. While we wait on Lionheart. I thought we could use the extra money 'cause we spent so much on food and housewares these last few weeks. Uncle Qrow thought it would be safer to assume other identities so I made fake names for us!", Ruby explained their new team line up while carefully turning the ingredients in the burner. "Oh man. Huntsmen missions already?", Oscar said, sounding nervous. "You'll be fine! It's just a search and destroy mission. It'll be over before you know it. Nothing more than a pack of Beowolves that had been scaring a neighborhood.", Ruby encouraged, giving a soft smile. "Thanks Ruby. I hope I don't let you guys down.", He said, looking over the table with a devoted look. "Finally, some heads to break!", Nora cheered, throwing her arms up before giving herself a second serving of rice. "It'll be nice to get out and see the results of our training.", Jaune pulled some mushrooms out of the burner. "Though, I wish I got to pick my fake name." "Aw, come on, Achilles!" Everyone started laughing, idly talking about strategy or making housewife jokes at Ren. Yang and Tai shared some stories about their trip to Mistral, while the remaining team filled them in on the dozens of misadventures they’ve had over the last few months.  After supper was over, everyone pitched in to help clean up the kitchen. Splitting off into groups and dividing tasks. Qrow went to wipe down the kitchen, while Tai took at the garbage. The kids handling all the dining room work.  "What if we like, hang up rabbits' feet everywhere in the house?", Nora spoke suddenly, much to the confusion of everyone else in the room.  "Uh, what?", said the other students, while Ruby and Yang just laughed. "Well does anyone feel slightly guilty that we banish birdman to another room or out of the house whenever we do anything that can end in disaster?" "Kinda, but I doubt that would work. Plus, I don't think I can dismember any small animals.", Jaune said, turning to Ruby and Yang. "What did you guys do?" "We got used to it. It's worse when he's nervous or upset and he's insecure about his semblance. Qrow gets stressed whenever he notices it and then it comes out more.", Yang remarked. "It's usually something silly anyways. Shoes untying or breaking something on accident, regular bad luck clichés.", Ruby told them. "Not like, life-threatening stuff." "He's a really baby over it sometimes. We grew up around him our entire lives and he still gets anxious over it around us. Like we'd get mad at him when we know he can't control it." "Makes sense though, if he cares about you. You're the last people he'd want to hurt." "Yea, that does make sense. But we've never been angry over it." "Though, Qrow didn't seem to mind if his bad luck went for your dad.", Nora elbowed Yang, finished with her task of putting the cups away. "Yea. That was pre-tty tense. I don't think the worst is even to come.", Yang said, the anxiety of having Qrow and her father in the same room wearing on her. Ruby sighed deeply. "We just have to wait and see I guess. I really hope they don't get into it." "Me too sis. Wanna play some Finite Skirmish? Get your mind off things.", Yang offered, dusting her hands off as she finished the night's chores. "Nah, I think I just want to head to bed. I'm gonna go find dad and Uncle Qrow and say good night. See you guys at 8am sharp!", She darted off, yelling a quick 'goodnight' out the backdoor and then again into the dining area before heading upstairs to her, Oscar, and Qrow's shared room. "Sounds like a good idea to me. Come on, boys! Off to bed.", Nora shouted, grabbing Jaune and Ren by the arm and ushering them upstairs. "Nice-Nice to meet you, Yang.", Oscar said his goodnight politely, leaving the room. "Well I guess there's no point in me staying up for any long.", Yang said to the empty kitchen. She started towards her room that she shared with her dad. The house had two bedrooms natively, which were split between RNJ and ORQ. Earlier today, before Qrow and Ruby got home, they had taken the time to assemble the two extra beds in a spare room upstairs that had been left in the Dojo storage area.  That way they could ditch the expensive hotel. The comforters were red and soft, a beautiful contrast to the strong jade accents and traditional wood of the house. It had only taken them about an hour to do, and her dad fell asleep afterwards. Well, right after she made fun of him for being old and needing naps. Latching the small room door shut, Yang plopped down into bed. She spared a quick glance at her STRQ and RWBY (her thumb carefully thumb over Blake's face) photos on the nightstand before sleep overcame her.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

“You said we would talk about it, Qrow! She left the next day! WITH A NOTE!” 
 It was four in the morning. No light shown through the windows, just the occasional glow of a flickering firelight could be seen. Ruby had been listening by loud back and forth shouting (albeit a little one sided, she could hardly make out Qrow's voice) from upstairs. It started after she woke up and noticed her uncle wasn't in their shared room. Ruby assumed he had gone out for a drink before the harsh whispers reached her ears. It was only a matter of minutes before the situation escalated. Oscar was laying with the pillow over his head, trying to block out the noise. 
“You know I’ve always respected your judgement before but this is just WAY PAST THE LINE!” 
 She listened for a few moments longer before getting up and trudging downstairs into the living room with her blanket and pillow. Ruby winced when passing above the dojo. It sounded so much harsher when she could hear the conversation clearly. Ruby face planted onto the red sofa only to find out the voices raised high enough to be heard all through the entire house. No silence, no escape. Frustrated tears fogged her eyes as she furiously wiped at them. Pulling out her scroll, Ruby opened the team group chat. They only made it a little bit ago, a separate chat so they wouldn't blow up the "adults" scrolls with useless chatter. 
. . .
 
THE FAM (CHILD EDITION)

[4:03am] ROWAN HOOD : Going for a walk to the dust shop.

[4:03am] Local Dragon: I feel ya. Gonna stick around here tho. I'll shut them up if they go for much longer.

[4:04am] LightningMcQueen : Oh gods please i can nor listen to this for much longer ren and i are dying

[4:04am] LightningMcQueen : Ur dad is going hard at birdman

[4:05am] LightningMcQueen : I wonder what started it

[4:05am] Local Dragon : I kinda got an idea, its whatever. They kust need to get it out of ther system

[4:05am] ROWAN HOOD : Yea i know, doesnt mean I can’t hate it though >:C

[4:05am] Local Dragon : Lol fair enough. Stay safe on ur walk.

[4:06am] Oscar PINETREE : Did you leave already? Can I come with. I really can't sleep with all this noise and it's like. Painfully awkward.

[4:06am] ROWAN HOOD : lol Nah I didn't leave yet. I'm headin out now tho. still in PJ but bringing crescent rose.

[4:07am] Oscar PINETREE : Putting on my boots. I'll meet you at the back door!

[4:08am] LightningMcQueen : please shut them up ughhhhhhh we have a mission in the morning

Local Dragon is typing...
 
. . .
 Tucking her scroll into the pocket of her rose-printed sweats, Ruby loitered outside in the backyard. The night air was blissfully chilly and helped tone down the strong desire to go turn Crescent Rose on her family. She idly kicked dirt around, watching the small rocks kick up with every swish of her boots. Even out here, she could hear the muffled harsh tones. Though she wanted to get away as soon as possible, Ruby was happy to have Oscar tag along. The redhead would have preferred Yang given how long they’d been apart, but Oscar had been good company for the last few weeks. The two of them got along like peas in a pod, being the babies of the group. Plus, her big sister really needed to keep an eye on the fight upstairs. Soon enough, Oscar jumped down the last step and padded out the door. "Ready to go?", He asked, smiling up at her. Oscar's pajamas used to belong to Ruby. It was adorable that he fit into her spares. The boy didn't pack much, and most of his belongings had been canned food he had eaten on the way to Mistral city. She had a pair of basic grey Beowolf patterned sweatpants and an old black Beacon tee-shirt that had been gifted to him, so he didn't have to sleep in dirt-stained clothes. Both wearing combat boots, in PJ's, and accessorized with a mechanical death scythe made quite the sight to look at as they strolled down the streets of Mistral. A few people sent glances their way as they trekked towards Ruby's new favorite twenty-four-hour Dust Shoppe. "So, do they uh… Do that a lot?", Oscar questioned, tilting his head back towards the house. "Not really. I guess it's my fault this time. I shouldn't have left like I did.", Ruby sighed. "I wouldn't say that it's your fault." "Huh?" "They're both just worried about you. I think Qrow needs our help and sees your potential to help. He cares for you, but isn't like um, coddling you. While your dad is just worried about your safety. And can't see past the fact he wants you safe, the fact that you're an AMAZING huntress and can handle yourself.", Oscar remarked in an easy tone. "Wow, that was deep. Professor Ozpin, is that you?", Ruby joked, instantly feeling a little lighter. He was right. But Ruby didn't know how to convince her dad to let her make her own choices. He had always been an ever-present obstacle for her to take the path she wanted. And most of her choices had been made on following her Uncle's footsteps. Her mom's footsteps. She wanted to make them her own. "Nope, just me. But he laughed at your joke.", Oscar gave her a winning smile. "Glad to hear." It wasn’t a long walk to the shop, only a short way out of the residential district they lived in. Pushing the door in, a clerk greeted them with a lukewarm “hello”. Not that they expected a five-star welcome during graveyard hours. "Sooo, how do you get the bullets you like?", Nice simple conversation, plus Oscar had been curious about the various weapons everyone used. This was a great way to learn about Ruby's. "Oh! Well, they don't have the rounds that I use here. So, I've been making my own. Working with dust is actually super cool. I have this portable bullet filler, so I can make more custom rounds or make rounds in a pinch. They sell the empty shells that I've been buying for really cheap too.", Ruby took a deep breath and continued her enthusiastic rambling. "Right now, I'm trying thirty-five percent Gravity Dust and then the rest is regular gunpowder. I did this whole paper on bullet recoil a while back and I use it a lot in my fighting style. This gives me a bigger, but controllable boost." "Whoa. You figured all that out on your own?", That was incredible. He's known Ruby to be smart, but her goofiness sometimes overshadows her mechanical talent. "Yea. Everyone at Signal had to calibrate their weapons for Dust on their own. They school paid for most of it, but I put so much into Crescent Rose that Dad and Qrow had to pay extra." "I bet. Your scythe is a mechanical marvel." "I can show you how it functions one of these days, if you're interested. I do most of the repair work on Yang's Ember Celica too." "Um ye- That would be cool. Thanks, Ruby.", Oscar grinned shyly. "I've been wanting to learn more about Huntsmen and Huntresses. Weapons are a good place to start." "I also have some books I can lend you! Most of them are still at home in Patch but I brought my favorites with me. You'd love Huntress Tales. It's a collection of real short stories written by Huntresses about their adventures.", Ruby gushed. "There's actually a story from my mom in there. I read it sometimes when I feel down." "That would be awesome. I couldn't bring all my books either. It'll be nice to read something new." "I keep forgetting that you've never been in combat before. Or like, that you lived a normal life before becoming a mysterious boy-wizard.", It was easy to overlook, most of the time. "Yea... It's been crazy. And exhausting.", Oscar looked down at the cobble roads. "But I know in my heart I'm doing the right thing." "What was your life like before this?", She was curious. She knew he was a farmhand and that was about it. "I just realized I know nothing about you." "I don't know too much about you guys either. Aside from the few weeks we've been around one another and stuff Ozpin told me." "Pleeease?" Rolling his eyes, Oscar let out a little scoff. "I lived with my aunt for most of my life.  My parents weren't super great people... One night my aunt came into town to visit as a surprise and... She ended up taking me with her to the farm that night.", Not the happiest story in the world, but it's his. "It worked out though. Her husband had just passed away and she needed help tending to the animals and fields." Ruby placed a hand on his shoulder, looking sympathetic. “Sounds like she did the right thing. And we’re lucky to have you with us, Oscar.” "It's uh. Not a big deal to me anymore. That they didn't take care of me. I had more fun on the farm anyways. My aunt's a cool lady. She didn't know what to do with a kid. Her husband and her never had children, but she did great anyways. I know she loves me and I love her. I hope she's doing okay at the farm by herself...", Oscar shrugged. "But that's basically all there is to me. Your turn." “Psh, you know tons of stuff about me. Uncle Qrow loves embarrassing me. My dad is just as bad so I’m sure you’ll hear me in all the hilarious ways they can think of.”  “It’s nice. That they love you so much.”  ‘Even when they can’t agree on how too.”, Ruby pouted, knowing at some point they’d have to go home and prepare for their mission.  “Yang said they just needed to get it out of their system. It’s probably better that they get it out of the way now.”, It was his turn to offer a supportive hand on her shoulder.  “Yeah, I guess. I just feel bad.”  Oscar gave a reserved smile. “Well uh… Wanna show me what the dust you use looks like?” “Smooth topic change, farm boy.”, She snickered, grabbing his wrist and dragging him over to the refined dust dispenser. Ruby appreciated the attempt to lighten her mood. “I use the medium fine grit-.”  ... "We’ve tried so hard to protect her. For all these years. And you let go, just like that.” "She wanted to help, Tai. I'm not going to force her away into something that is her business. She can handle it." "Less than two years ago, you said she couldn't, Qrow. You dragged all of those kids into this and you don't have a single idea of what you're doing." Sunshine filtered in through the windows, hours had gone by and they continued on. Yang had come up a few times to make sure they hadn't murdered each other and quieted down so everyone else could sleep. Rather, Tai seethed quietly, sitting on the edge of his bed. Taiyang heaved a deep sigh. "I don't understand how you can keep doing this. Raven left over this. She died for this, Qrow. Even the Oz we knew died, regardless of his residence in a fourteen-year-old boy. "I- I know, Tai.", Qrow leaned back, covering his eyes with his hand. He was tired, both physically and mentally. What time even was it? “Just… I don’t want to lose her too.”  “We won’t. I’ll make sure of it.” “Losing her like Summer isn’t the only afraid I am.” “I’m not even close to ready for that, Tai.”, At what point did Qrow end up laying in Tai’s bed.  “You know how she takes to you. It’s not going to be much longer now…” “And you know she would never toss you to the side. She loves you.”  Taiyang grumbled, rubbing his eyes. Gods, he was so tired. “We should probably go apologize for the yelling last night.” "You're the one that raised your voice.", Qrow huffed, getting up and shoving his hands into his pockets.  They had to support each other down the stairs. Too drowsy and out of it to navigate.  Upon making it down to the first floor, lilac eyes sleepily bore into them. Qrow elbowed Tai in the ribs, a que to hurry up and apologize. "Uh. We wanted to say sorry for keeping you up. So, sorry Dragon. We didn't mean to ruin the night." "Yea. Sorry, firecracker.", Qrow looked away, feeling guilty even though he wasn't the one who started it. Taking a second, Qrow looked around the living room. "Where's the kiddo?" Yang looked unimpressed by the lame apology. She was too used to it. They looked like kicked puppy dogs and it was pathetic. "She left." "What?", Both Tai and Qrow started. "She and Oscar went to the Dust Shoppe after you two started. They couldn't sleep." "Great. You take care of her for a few months and now she's spending all night out with a boy.", Taiyang yelled, staring down his former teammate. "That's the problem here, Tai! You can't trust Ruby to do anything on her own-", Qrow snapped back. "And you let her get away with everything! You can't just-" "Yeah. See, now you've apologized. Then started yelling again. And probably woke everyone up at six am. After keeping them up at four am.", Yang stood tall, crossing her arms. They shrank back, awkwardly looking away from one another. "YAAAAANG!", Ruby's shrill, hyper voice rang throughout the house startling her family in the living room. A worrying shout by Oscar was heard seconds after her sister's outburst. "And if they weren't awake before, they are now.", Yang facepalmed. "What's up, sis?" Ruby Rose busted into the living room. She was in her PJ's, nothing in her attire had changed from earlier sans a shopping bag with the Dust Shoppe logo hanging from her arm and a terrified looking Oscar who she was carrying bridal style in her arms. "THE BOY IS FAMILY NOW!", She screamed, pushing Oscar up over her head. Yang snorted. Besides their teams back at Beacon, Ruby never had many friends, so acquiring a new one was important, she guessed. Oscar, for the most part, was handling the situation quite well. Or as well as he could after being hoisted up by a scythe-toting prophetically-legendary warrior, who was now declared his family. Things could be way worse. They had solidarity as the only minors left in the group. The red-head placed him down, smiling at his bewildered expression. Yang strolled up to his other side, suddenly pulling him into a strong side hug. “Always good when my baby sister makes new friends.” Overwhelmed, and a little out of breath, Oscar just shrugged. Ozpin had told him these two were unique people. And he was right. After a night of walking around and talking, Ruby had even offered Oscar a place at their home in Patch. And more embarrassingly, he was excited to see it. Wild forests on an island, apparently their dad (Yang’s dad?) grew his own produce as well. He wonders how different the fauna is in Vale. Or on an island? He's never been on an island before. Being on one as a former life doesn't count. “Pft-”, Qrow couldn’t help his laughter. “Well, welcome to the family, kid.” Though he wished he knew the boy a bit better, (and recognized the fate before him), Tai didn’t fight the warm smile on his face at Ruby’s display. The kid couldn’t be so bad if Ruby saw good in him.  "So, are you two ready for your first mission today?", Qrow asked, walking over and flicking Crescent Rose on Ruby's back. "Hope you're not going dressed like that." "So ready. I can't wait to get back in action. I'm gonna go put my gear on!", With that, Ruby darted up the stairs with Oscar awkwardly trailing behind her. "Thank you, guys.", Oscar mumbled, looking at the ground. He felt like his face was on fire. "Well. That just happened.", Yang stared blankly before pulling out her scroll. "I'm gonna go help them get ready. Work out your issues before I get back into this room or I’ll punch you both! Love you!" And there went Yang, charging up the stairs. . "So, whose last name does he get?", Nora asked, fastening the belt around her skirt. "He's gotta take one of your last names." Everyone took Ruby’s informal adopting of Oscar far too seriously. The ensuing blush was enough to make them all want to pick on the youngest team member. It was adorable. "I like my last name.", Oscar said plainly. "Your family is; Xiao Long, Rose, Branwen, and Pine now? That's a lot of last names." "Yea, but we're cool with it, so it doesn't matter.", Yang was standing behind Ruby, combing out her hair while her little sister pinned her hood in place. "We'll try to shift the teams around, so everyone can get a turn on a mission. We can make more names if we have too!", Ruby couldn't be happier. A real actual mission, no training, no murder, just a good ol' fashion search and destroy. Sure, she would be taking this order on as the fake Rowan Hood, but still. "So how do these work? I-I've never actually been on like, a real huntsmen mission so... Do we just go take out the Grimm and go home or?", Oscar questioned. His outfit was less complex than Ruby's multiple belts and layers or Jaune's plate armour, so he had been ready for a while. Perhaps it was time for him to get some combat gear. "When we get to the village, we met with the person who commissioned the Huntsman Association for the job. Usually, and like in our current mission, the person who hired us is the Village Council. They point us in a direction, we kill stuff, and collect the Lien from them at the end of the mission.", Ruby explained. "How long do they usually take?" "This ones gonna be about two to three days. Half a day to walk there, one or two days to clear out the Grimm, and half a day to walk home by the looks of it. The village doesn't allow for air buses or trains. They're very traditional.", Jaune had finished dressing and was reading over the mission dossier. "Looks like we'll be staying in the main clan's home." "Sounds cool. I’ve got to go on a mission here in Anima. Dibs on the next one!", Yang pumped her fists, grinning at the idea of getting back out there. Back to normal. "Heck yea! I leave you in charge of thinking of names for you and dad.", Ruby fist-bumped with her sister before exchanging a quick hug. "Alright, time to get moving guys. It's gonna be a long walk. Let's go say bye to everyone and head out.", Jaune ushered everyone out of the JNR room, where everyone had decided they would get ready. They walked down stairs in silence, all mentally preparing for the journey ahead of them. Looking out into the living room, they saw Qrow and Tai sharing the couch. The blond sat leaning forward to the TV while Qrow watched with dazed eyes. His legs were thrown across the cushions (and Tai). They were watching news about the Atlus Border Shutdown and commenting snidely about the matters on screen. Hearing the students walking down the steps, they turned around to greet them. "Wow! I didn't know you two could be in the same room together for so long!", Nora wisecracked, jumping the remainder of the way down the stairs. Both adults rolled their eyes, ignoring the comment in favor of wishing them off. "Be safe, you guys.", Tai bowed, before springing up and giving Ruby a big hug. "Especially you, trouble magnet." Ruby just grinned, shrugging at the new nickname before returning the hug. Tai put her down, allowing her to walk over to Qrow. "Remember the rules, kiddo. One slip-up and I'll be in the air.", Qrow talked with authority, gesturing to his scroll. The signal booster sat heavy in Jaune’s bags, so they could have an easier time getting messages out. "Yea, yea. I got it.", She must have had the most overprotective guardians in the world. "I'm serious, Ruby. I'll leave you alone after you text goodnight, but I want a message as soon as you wake up, okay?" "Yessss, Uncle Qrow.", She groaned, throwing her head back as her friends snickered in the background. Ren said his goodbyes to his team, then went back to meditate. Yang followed him, giving her sister a kiss on the head and ruffling her hair before leaving the room. Team DART (Or rather ORNJ, Ruby Edition affectionately dubbed Blood Orange) opened the door, all looking forward to the mission ahead. They started out, footstep after footstep on the cobble roads as Oscar led them to Yuánba Village. Ruby looked back at the house, seeing her Uncle lingering in the doorway. "Yang and Daddy get a big hug and kiss and nothing for me? I see how it is, shortstack.", Qrow put a hand on his chest, acting dramatic. He had to yell slightly to make sure she heard. The red-head scoffed, taking a moment to dash back and tackle Qrow around the midsection with a big hug. "There we go. Much better.", He grinned, patting her on the head before detaching himself. He gave her a hard shove forward. "Now off ya go. Don't forget. Rules." "I won't. Love you, Uncle Qrow!", Ruby ran back to her team. Qrow stayed in the doorway until the kids disappeared beyond the horizon. Gods, he hoped nothing went wrong. "You know,-", Tai's voice spoke from next to him, joining Qrow in watching the distance. "Despite your numerous shortcomings, like you have so many shortcomings that it overshadows everything good that you do-." "Am I being complimented or insulted?" "You wouldn't have been THAT bad at it." Qrow chuckled, a bitter noise. "Maybe. Thanks, Tai." "Think they'll be okay?", The blond asked casually, closing the door behind his former teammate. "You're letting all the A/C out." "Gods, you're such a mom. Yea, they'll be fine. Oz is with them, if things get hairy. Plus, it’s not too far from here." "And our other problem?", Taiyang's tone went low, looking back at the kitchen to make sure both remaining kids were still busy cooking. "We'll get everyone together after they get back from the mission. I already ran it by Oz but Oscar's still dark on it. Guess the kid was resting." "I wonder how Yang's going to handle it." "Yang'll be fine. It's you I'm worried about." "I'd still rather take the girls and go back to Patch but I know damn well that isn't going to happen given everything that’s going on. I just hope Signal doesn't fire me. I only took two weeks off." "Send a letter then. Or you could just be a man and quit like I did, get back into missions." "Ha. No.", Tai declined flatly. "Teaching puts good money on the table, without risking my neck and leaving home for months on end." "Maybe it'll all go well. She always changes the subject when I bring you or Yang up. She seemed happy when she learned about Ruby.", Qrow thought back to the conversation he had in Kuroyuri. "Wait, Raven knows!?", Tai shouted, shushing quickly when he realized Yang was only in the kitchen and could possibly hear them. "Yea. She figured out while I was down for the count. She attacked Ruby, but she wasn't serious. Pushed her off a roof and found out her Aura Frequency. She was the only one who knew Summer's and mine." "She could tell the frequency just from seeing her aura broken? Also, I'm going to give her a serious piece of my mind for attacking Ruby. " "Like you could even talk to her, loser. And get in line. Raven's always had a keen eye. I'm considering it a small blessing she let it go as quickly as she did. I don't think it's over, but we're not going to wait around and see what she does.", Qrow exhaled. "We need Spring. Raven has her. I gave the information to Leo, and I'm confident he's not going to do good with it. We have to get her before Salem does." "I guess we should be working on plans? We can't just leave Haven unguarded." "Yea. We can't make anything too official without Oz either. For now, we can info-grab around town." "Hopefully she doesn't give us too much trouble..." "My sister? Ha. You wish. You should know better.", Qrow jokes, waving Tai off and making his way towards the kitchen. "After all you slept with her." "Are you still bitter about that? Good gods, you two aren't even that close." "Still my big sister, Tai." "Ugh." ... It was cold out tonight. Wind ripped through the iron bars and chilled her to the bone. Though, she didn't mind it too much; the cold had never bothered her anyway. No, she cared far more about the company currently outside her prison. Irritation prickled down her spine as her visitor placed down what looked like a rudimentary medical kit. "We need to tend to those wounds. Wouldn't want you going back to daddy all scratched up, now would we?", The case was cracked open, and gloved hands picked up a small bottle of antiseptic. "I can tend to my wounds just fine on my own.", Weiss glared at this woman. The nerve of some people. "Oh, I'm confident you can. Too bad I'm here to do it for you, Dust Princess." "Vernal- Was it?", Weiss' tone was condescending, unthreatened by the mysterious bandit. "I would much prefer solitude until the moment you manage to get a hold of my father and he buys me back. Which is going to be a lovely and long amount of time I can spend here in your hovel of a camp and enjoy the smells of cheap liquor and the idle chatter of have-nots. Thank you very much for the substandard medical care, but again- I. Can. Take. Care. Of. It." Without wasting another word, Weiss abruptly grabbed the vial from Vernal's hands. Uncaring of the woman's expression, she picked up a cotton pad and began to gently blot at the small scrapes on her knees. Her aura was recharging too slowly, without proper food or medicine it was like her regeneration had completely cut out. "Then I'll leave you to it. But I was told by Raven to do it, so I'll be hanging here with you. We can keep it as our little secret.", Vernal grinned wildly, sitting down across from Weiss and watching her as she dabbed at her cuts. Weiss really wanted her to leave. She intended to get some more practice in summoning her small Knight and getting the hell out of here as quickly as possible. However, Weiss wasn't stupid. This was a learning opportunity. "So, you're bandits. Would you terribly mind telling me more? I'm sure you've had a long day of pickpocketing and simple assault to recover from, so if you’re too tired I understand." "Watch your tongue, princess. We won't hesitate to send you back to daddy sans a few parts.", Vernal's hands tensed on her weapons. "I hope it doesn't depreciate my value for you. So just nameless bandits then? Not even noteworthy enough to have a name?", Weiss was on thin ice, but she knew this was the best way to earn the respect of these ruffians. She had to show she wasn't afraid of them. "You're in the hands of the Branwen Tribe. We're notorious, but not by name. As far as the rest of the world is concerned, we don't exist." "They will shortly, I suppose. How will you handle all the fame?", She had heard the name Branwen somewhere before, but couldn't place it. It was on the tip of her tongue. "Oh, and, how will they?", Vernal was astounded by this child's bravery. She had expected the Schnee child to be spoiled rotten, crying and sniveling in a corner begging for mercy. It wasn't a terrible turn of events in her eyes, this was much more fun. "I ended up on your shores in an escape attempt from my home. As far as they know, I've just vanished. It won't be long until troops are sent here, seeking the criminals who managed to kidnap the former Schnee Company Heiress from her own bedroom. I know the path my ship was traveling to Mistral, I know where this island is. It's not any wonder why you don't dabble in trafficking. You're awful at it." Vernal was quiet, glaring down at their prisoner. "Then perhaps we'll keep you.", A smooth voice spoke up, breaking the tense silence. "Raven!", Vernal straightened out, acknowledging her leader. Raven just gave her a quick look before pulling off the Grimm mask on her face and turning her attention on to Weiss. "And why would you do that?", Weiss asked, looking at the new company. Her make-shift jail cell was getting crowded, but she didn't mind the new development. More time here meant more time plotting a fool-proof escape, that’s all.  "You're sharp. Not sharp enough to know when to keep your mouth shut. You shared the information you have with the enemy, effectively making it useless to you since now we can counter everything you've gathered. Brave too, in a foolish and naïve way. I bet you would rather we keep you, then go home to your dear father.", Raven had her pegged. "I would assume you are powerful too. Rough, but could be shaped up. Schnee’s have that inherited semblance of theirs on top of it all. I wonder how good you are with the ornate little rapier of yours." Vernal still had Myrtenaster strapped to her hip. A cocky smile was plastered on her face as Raven lectured on. "Give it back to me and I can show you.", Blue eyes bored right into red ones. A challenge. "You'll do fine here. Whether you like it or not. When the time comes you'll scamper away and we’ll hunt you down and we slaughter you. But until then you will stick with us. We'll keep a close eye on you. If it doesn't work out, you can go back to this cage plotting your escape as time ticks away and we send you back to daddy. Or you can take what you learn from us to be a stronger, greater person. All it takes is a little bit of cooperation." Weiss considered her options. Raven seemed like a knowledgeable person. It was an incredible offer, considering her circumstances. "I suppose it would be nice to do something with my time." "Smart girl. You'll bunk with Vernal for the time being. I don't trust the men around you just yet. Vernal, please make some space." "On it.", Vernal walked off, leaving the prison door open behind her. "I'm sure we'll have lots of fun together, Princess." Raven smiled at the disgust on Weiss' face at the idea of sharing a tent with Vernal. She offered the girl a hand. Weiss took it, using the woman's help to get up. "The Branwen Tribe welcomes you. I'll discuss your tasks and training in the morning. Come to my tent at dawn." Offering a quick nod, Weiss proudly walked off in the direction Vernal went off in. Anxiety weighed heavily on her chest, but this was an opportunity. She needed to work with it. This was more ideal, more convenient to her than getting sent back to Atlas. Maybe she can work off some of the rust from her time trapped in her room. There wasn’t much fuss involved in freeing her from the prison. Vernal kept that vile smug expression on her way to her dwelling.  Hours later, Weiss found herself lying awake, staring at the cloth ceiling of the tent she now shared with Raven’s right hand woman. Said right hand was nowhere to be found and she greatly appreciated the silence. She worked over the events of the last few weeks, processing each instance.  Branwen… There’s a memory somewhere of that name. Buried deep, but if she thought hard enough… Eyes closed, Weiss pressed her mind. Images coming forth linked to that surname.  It was Winter and herself, in one of the many courtyards around Beacon. This was during the Vytal festival. Just before they started training her summoning together. 
"So, how did you know that man in the courtyard? Ruby’s uncle? The one that attacked you?", Weiss was curious. They seemed familiar with one another, yet she had never mentioned that man before in any conversation.
 
"Ah, him. To think you’d be placed on a team with his kin. Unfortunately, I've known him for years. Since I was younger than you.", Winter took a cautious sip of tea. "You were only a toddler and had to stay home while Father and I went to visit some of his business partners in Sanus between Vale and Vacuo. Because of the different kingdoms, we had been assigned a huntsman as our guard and guide"
 
Winter takes a sip of tea, the table in front of them set with ornate cups and finger foods.
 
"That Huntsman was Qrow Branwen, the man I fought with in your courtyard. Your little teammate’s uncle."
 
"So, he was an escort for you and father?"
 
"This was only my first meeting with him. I was just a girl then. He was unaccommodating, rude, and short. Now I know him as childish, unprofessional, and obnoxious. Nowadays he drops into the military base and harasses the General for hours on end, stopping him from getting any work done.", Winter looked back on the trip with her father. "I wanted to see the sights and was constantly asking them to stop so I could look and play out in the new areas."
 
"As foolish as it sounds I had a crush on him for the first few days on the ship. I found the concept of him dashing. A knight in shining armour for a heiress such as myself. I was only maybe 10 or a little younger, and Qrow was in his early or mid-twenties. It was completely childish. To this day he still taunts me over it."
 
Weiss snickered, passing it off as a cough and straightening herself out. It was an impossible mental picture.
 " It was late October, and anytime I asked them to stop he would tell the driver to keep going. I distinctly remember him being on his scroll often and talking to someone constantly. He snapped at me when I started nagging to be allowed outside." 
"He didn't seem like that bad of a person. Just immature, if anything?", Weiss said dismissively, trying to prod as casually as she could.
 "His immaturity is a prime personality flaw. Anyway, the trip dragged onward into early November. It was an unpleasant voyage." 
Weiss quietly mulled over the story and enjoyed the rest of her sister's company in silence.
 Branwen. That was Ruby's uncle's last name. Was there a relation? The two shared dark, feathery hair. Both had red eyes, and a unique, almost feral air around them. Siblings, most likely. Could she use this information to her advantage? Perhaps her association with Yang would bump her up a few points in Raven's eyes. If this was the sister of Qrow Branwen, that made this Yang's mother. Would she want updates on her daughter, perhaps morsels of personal details on the RWBY member? Or would she be appalled? She remembered talking with Blake after the dance, about the things Yang had told her. Weiss had pressed her for details out of curiosity. She left their family, leaving her daughter behind to do what? Lead a band of criminals? Not the most accomplished mother, and that was saying something coming from herself. When she met with Raven in the morning, she would test the waters. There was little Weiss wasn’t willing to try at this point.  After a moment of thought, another thing passed through her mind. Another small detail from her sister's story. She said it had been late October, and that the mission had dragged out to November. Weiss was only a toddler at the time. Ruby's birthday was on Halloween. Had Qrow Branwen missed Ruby’s birthday, or perhaps even Ruby being born? Was that why he was in such a rush, as Winter had described? The two seemed close so his ire was understandable, looking at it from that angle.  She’d be sure to ask, when sees Ruby again.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

[9:56 pm] Qrow Branwen: Kid[9:57 pm] Qrow Branwen: Kiddo[9:57 pm] Qrow Branwen: Come on pipsqueak [9:58 pm] Qrow Branwen: Ruby✔️ Seen by Ruby Rose at 9:58 pm.[10:00 pm] Qrow Branwen: Ruby. [10:00 pm] Qrow Branwen: I will make Tai call you and you will be in trouble✔️ Seen by Ruby Rose at 10:01 pm.[10:03 pm] Qrow Branwen: I can see you looking [10:03 pm] Qrow Branwen: I told you how serious i was for keeping contact[10:04 pm] Ruby Rose: I'm fineeeee uncle qrow let me go to bed[10:04 pm] Qrow Branwen: Now that wasn't so bad was it[10:05 pm] Ruby Rose: It is when you do it every 20 mins!!!![10:05 pm] Ruby Rose: You said every hour![10:05 pm] Ruby Rose: Youre being worse than dad[10:05 pm] Ruby Rose: The signal out here is so bad too i have to send everything like a billion times b4 it goes thru [10:05 pm] Ruby Rose: This signal booster sucks[10:06 pm] Qrow Branwen: Yeah well youd be worried too if your niece was almost kidnapped by a psychopath[10:06 pm] Ruby Rose: Yea now my sleeping time is being kidnapped by a bird man[10:06 pm] Qrow Branwen: And its local comms only with the other tower down[10:06 pm] Qrow Branwen: Youre getting pretty far out so the signals probably really choppy[10:07 pm] Qrow Branwen: Which ill admit worries me, sure you don't need any backup kiddo?[10:07 pm] Ruby Rose: GOOD. NIGHT. UNCLE. QROW.[10:07 pm] Qrow Branwen: Gnight short stack Qrow chuckled, throwing his scroll on to the nightstand. It was pathetic, how quickly he got used to the constant company and chatter of everyone. Most nights he would be complaining about Ruby and Oscar talking too loud and not letting him get any shuteye. Her giving him lessons about dust and mechanics. Hell, he’d even throw in a remark or two to relive his teaching days. But now it was silent, and the Huntsman couldn't sleep whatsoever. He should be used to it. Years he had spent alone, isolated with nothing but a burner scroll to contact Oz if something was worth saying. Nights spent alone in a tent with the Tribe while nasty rumors of his misfortune spread like wildfire, or in a tree after three days of non-stop information hunting. It should be a blessing to sleep in a warm home and soft bed. No noise, no company. He didn't know when this intense craving for socialization set in, maybe he always had it. Years of rejection from the Tribe, then rejection from his peers in Beacon. At some point, attention became a goal. Which is probably what led to his slight infamy during his late school years. He should have noted it sooner, how his disposition brightened whenever he was home in Patch or even when he spent time with the girls before the Fall. He drank less, joked more, and felt less empty. He soaked in the affection Summer showed him like a starved dog too. Or a bird, in his case. Her open kindness to him was so unfamiliar to him, but damn had he loved it. And he missed it, every second of the day. Acting on autopilot, he got up. A walk might do him some good. Nothing positive ever came out of letting his thoughts run wild. And he didn't have near enough liquor in the house to recover if he did. He was still in his PJ's, but if Ruby can go gallivanting in the middle of the night in them then Qrow didn't really see the need to change into his Huntsmen garb. He jumped up, startled from his introspection at the sound of three sharp raps on the door. "Yea?", He called out, tucking Harbinger onto his magnetic holster. "It's me.", Tai's muffled voice echoed through the thin wooden door. "Come on in then.", Qrow shouted. "You've never once knocked on my door at home in Patch. Why start now?" "Because I don't pay half the rent here, you pay it. And now apparently Ruby pays it.", Tai opened the door, leaving it ajar behind him. He sent a look Qrow's way, watching as the man laced up his shoes. "What is with you people and late-night excursions?" "Needed fresh air.", Qrow answered blandly. "Now what's up? Not that I don't appreciate a visit at ten o’clock at night but I doubt you just dropped in for a slumber party." "Not quite.", Tai grinned. "Rather than going outside, would you care to join me for something?" "I don't like blonds, Tai. Not happening." "Oh, shut up. Jackass.", The Xiao Long pulled a disgusted face. "No. Just no." "Then what is it?", Qrow glanced at the time on his Scroll. "I started telling Yang more about STRQ. I already told her about the day before we made it to Beacon. When I met you and Raven? With the big storm." "I remember. I was there. Why the sudden change of heart? You always pushed off the past before." "We had a long talk on the boat, and at the hotel. I think it's what's best. And if we're going to… Going to see Raven I'd like Yang to have a little bit more context.", Tai gave a heavy sigh, leaning up against a bedpost. "I'm fine with it. The girls should know as much as we can say.", Qrow was feeling proud. He never thought Tai would start talking about the past again. Their days as STRQ, at least. "Yea. Yang's demanding another story. I figured I'd stay linear and tell her about initiation. Forever Fall, the relics. What it was like in our day." "They use Emerald Forest now, I think." "Yea, Ruby told me about it over the phone after she made the team leader spot. But I was coming here to offer that you join us. Even just to listen. Figured it'd be a nice way to show we can get along after this morning." "Not a bad plan. Alright, I'll hang with you guys 'till I can't take it anymore.", Qrow stated, tone nonchalant. "I'll meet you in your room. Gonna grab a snack first. Hopefully, the kids didn't polish off the rest of the kitchen before they left." "Alright, meet you up there.", Tai left the room, making his way down the stairs and to the makeshift bedroom he shared with Yang. One snack grab later and Qrow found himself leaning against the wall in Tai's room. Yang already had her hands in his bag of chips, helping herself to a handful after handful. Qrow didn't remember eating near this much when he was their age. Yet Yang alone ate as much as the entirety of STRQ. "Okay!", Tai grabbed his daughter's arm as she went for another handful. "You're getting chip crumbs all over my bed." "Buzzkill.", Yang muttered, wiping her hands, both mechanical and flesh, on her father's comforter before crossing her arms and pouting. "Don't be like that. Do you want to hear a story or not? I even brought your Uncle.", Tai made a grand gesture towards Qrow, who was weighing if joining story time was a bad idea or a horrible idea. "I do! Also, hey Qrow! Thanks for the chips.", Yang gave her uncle a cheeky grin. Qrow put the near-empty bag down in Yang's lap. He was hungry but the petty satisfaction of Tai dealing with a crumb-filled bed all night was too tempting. Said blond gave both his teammate and daughter a hard glare. Ah, family. "I'll start this one right after the last one. Qrow, feel free to jump in. So-", Tai started. "Tell the skirt story and I'll fucking end you." "I'll glance over it, but it was damn funny. I’m a comedic genius." "Eh. I've heard it before anyways.", Yang smirked. . 
The airship landed shakily into a dock. The storms had calmed down just enough for them to finish the trip to Beacon. Yawning, Tai tightened his battle bracers and watched as the other students all filtered out of the vessel and trudged into the main hall.
 
Rain still pounded down outside, the heavy drops making frightening sounds in the hanger.
 
Each student was handed a uniform, pulled out of a pile after giving a teacher their respective sizes. He watched Qrow look completely puzzled by the uniforms, head cocked to the side as he observed a teacher handing Raven one. Seeing an opportunity- aRHFHHHHGH!
 
-Skirt story omitted for Taiyang Xiao Long's safety.
 
Tai stared as a rabbit Faunus girl was vaulted off the side of Beacon and down into the forest of Forever Fall. He gulped nervously, thinking over various landing ideas and watching what each person before him did before they vanished from sight.
 
Beacon was floating much lower than normal, yet it was still easily a six-hundred meter drop. Forever Fall had short trees, which makes it difficult to lower his incoming speed. Each student was fixed with a parachute, but pulling the string added a harsh penalty. Disqualification from the Huntsmen program. He would have to change his line of study if he used it...
 
Dust, maybe? He had small vials of the most popular elements. Ice, he could freeze himself to something and melt it with fire? There would be a risk, if he only froze his arm and came in at high velocities he could pull it clean out of the socket. Wind, he could slow his descent, give more time to grab one of the trees and safely land on the floor. But the forest would still be soaked and slippery after the heavy rains. If he didn't slow down enough he could slip and break his neck. The sky looked like it would burst open again at any second too...
 
Another platform shot off, launching a grinning Raven Branwen a few feet into the air before she plummeted downward.
 
He glanced over at the headmaster, who was observing each student fall on a screen. The man nodded as he watched the older Branwen twin approach the forest floor. Tai could faintly watch on the screen as Raven's sword shot out of its holster and the yellow static-charged blade exploded upon reaching the ground. The handle flew back up, and Raven kicked off against it. It slowed her speedy impact just enough that she could roll safely down on the muddy terrain. He could see the disdain on her face as she wiped wilted red leaves and muck off her clothes. If he listened close enough he could hear Qrow (freshly changed into a male uniform (Which still looked out of place- Everyone was in their Huntsmen regalia)), chuckling in the background.
 
Said Branwen twin ready his flight stance. Qrow pulled the sword from its magnetic holder and into his hand. His finger twitched and suddenly it was much longer. A whoosh of compressed air was all Tai heard before Qrow held a full-length broadsword in his hand. Most students went for the flashy "last second before" before revealing their weapons capabilities. It was a little refreshing to see another student taking a cautious approach. He didn't feel as lame for his probably pathetic landing strategy.
 
The platform triggered, and like Raven before him, he went a few feet in the air before weightlessly dropping out of sight. Tai continued to watch the Headmaster's screen. Qrow had twisted his body around so his back towards the ground. His sword arm was extended out and Tai could hear shotgun blasts in the air and see the slightest bit of muzzle flash from Qrow's weapon.
 
When he reached about one-hundred feet to the floor, Qrow's weapon changed once more (much to Tai's annoyance). More compressed gas shrouded the sword and before it faded there was a massive scythe in his hand. He spun it a few times, managing to slow himself down the smallest bit before digging the blade into the short trees below. The trees themselves split in two as the scythe blade dragged through them. Some students made impressed whistles as they eaves-watched.
 
Tai nervously looked down the line. There was only one person between himself and the risk of expulsion should he save himself from plummeting to death. A small girl, barely reaching his chest, adjusted her form. He couldn't see a weapon on her. Maybe it was stored underneath the white cloak she was wearing?
 
A loud boom and the girl was in the air. She gracefully started her fall and Tai watched in wonder as she dissolved into a mass of white petals. The cluster floated towards the ground, stray leaflets danced in the air from her trail. On the screen, he could see her re-materialize and make a gentle landing on the ground.
 
Oh gods, now it was his turn. Before he could even get into a stance, the platform sent him flying. He didn't even have a chance to adjust to the weightlessness before he was in a nosedive towards the center of Forever Fall. Two-thousand feet seemed like a long way in theory but in practice, those feet went by FAST.
 
All Taiyang could do was put his arms out in front and hope to catch a branch. He was a close-range fighter, no guns, no blades. Even his semblance didn't really help him in this scenario. This test was so biased. This was more like a 'what kid had the coolest insanely complex weapon" competition.
 
Tai panicked further as trees became less and less clustered together below him, and he quickly realized they were becoming very sparse indeed. He could see as a pond came into view. Wilted leaves and debris from the storm sat on the surface and Tai just resigned himself to a shitty, embarrassing landing. Bracing himself, Tai curled into a ball as he collided heavily with the water. The stormy skies made the water dark, like swimming through freezing cold ink.
 
He dragged himself to shore, soaking wet and covered in waterlogged petals.
 "Great. Just GREAT!", He yelled out, shaking his boot in hopes to rid some of the water. "Are you alright?", A soft-voiced asked from the woods. "You hit the water very hard. Is your aura okay?" 
Tai looked around wildly for the source of the voice. His gaze settled on a bright white object huddled behind a tree a few feet away.
 "Uh. Yea. I-I mean my pride's a little… Dampened?", Tai shrugged, wiping some pond scum off his hands. 
The voice chuckled, stepping out from the tree. He had already recognized her as the girl from the platform next to him. The one who burst into flower petals.
 "Are we partners now? I believe that was the rule. I don't mind if you'd like to seek out other options though.", She had such a soft, gentle tone. Tai couldn't possibly say no. Especially if she was still willing to be his partner after he had crash-landed into a pond in front of her. "Yea. Yea, that sounds cool. Uh- I'm Taiyang. Xiao Long. I'm from Mistral, the country-side, not the city. Close-Ranged fighter. I like dogs.", The best intro. EVER. "Haha. Okay. I'm Summer Rose. I was born outside of the Kingdoms, in the mountains far from here. I prefer dogs to cats, too?", She remarked in a polite way. One that screamed 'I think you're weird but let's just roll with it' kind of way. "Nice to meet you. So off to these Relics then!", As soon as the words left his mouth the clouds opened up and rain began to pour down from the Heavens. "Perhaps we should find a dry spot first? Plan for Grimm encounters and our Relic search plan?", Water harmlessly beaded off her cloak. It must have been hydrophobic. Lucky. "Yea. That sounds better." 
One quick started fire in a dank cave later, the new teammates began forming battle plans. And by that, Summer planned, and Tai nodded along hopelessly. If it wasn't punching stuff, then Tai got lost quickly.
 "-We should be able to tear through this area fairly quickly! The professor said the Relics are at the far end of the forest. We landed in the center so if we move we can get one fast.", Tai didn't expect how bouncy this woman could be. He thought shy, humble, and earnest. He got the earnest part but overall he was just astounded how she could make trekking through a Grimm-filled forest sound like a stroll in the park. "So, how'd you meet up with Uncle Qrow and mom?", Yang butted in, carelessly throwing the chip bag on the floor. "I'm getting there! Be patient.", Tai held his hands up. "I can only tell a story so fast, Dragon." Yang just shrugged, looking indifferent but using every chance to keep an eye on her Uncle as her dad told the story. She watched every distant look in his eye, and each attempt to shake it off while Tai talked about Summer. She wanted to ask right here and now.  It wouldn't exactly be groundbreaking news to her, at this point.  
They had been walking for about an hour, Summer constantly had to keep slowing down for Tai. He didn't have any cover, unlike Summer's hydrophobic cloak, so his hair kept falling into his eyes and causing him to stumble. He was still soaked to the bone and was really missing that cave right about now.
 
As it turned later in the day, it got cold. Really cold. Wind ripped through the forest and froze him damn near solid. Summer offered small worlds of encouragement.
 "We're getting very close. Luckily no Grimm.", She lagged back next to Tai, drawing her cloak over his head. "Thank the- URGH!", Suddenly, a tree branch snapped above them. They barely had a second to pull back as it fell, splashing mud on them. Dark stains set into Tai's already ruined uniform, while Summer, who had her cloak open to shield her new teammate, had gotten dirty for the first time. "That was… Odd?", Summer, attempted to wipe some of the dirt off, to no avail. Laundry would be at the top of the team mission list after this. 
In the distance, a short cry could be heard. Pained, and nearly drowned out by the sound of downpour. Following that, there was a deep howl. Beowolves.
 " And now the Grimm. So much for luck!", Tai sighed, shoulders dropping in defeat. " We should go help whoever screamed. Follow me!", Suddenly she evaporated into petals, leaving a white trail for him to follow in her wake. 
Summer arrived on the scene in record time, however, it took Tai a bit longer. The mud was easily six inches deep. Not good for running.
 
He could see a figure, their posture radiated exhaustion as they used their scythe to keep an offending pack of beowolves. There was only one scythe user at the school he knew of…
 
As he moved in even closer, he could clearly recognize Qrow Branwen. He was equally drenched, and Tai could make out the blood seeping out of an unseen wound on his side. No aura then.
 
With a flash of white, Summer was already stabbing into one of the Grimm. A quick twist of her wrist and the glint of silver was all he saw before one fell, slumping into the muck and disintegrating.
 
Qrow looked up in shock, watching this tiny figure take out the pack around him. Her semblance allowed her to fight without touching the ground and getting slowed by the difficult terrain.
 
Before Tai even managed to reach Qrow, Summer had managed to fell the entire group. Now standing the mud a few feet away, panting behind her drawn up hood.
 
Qrow looked at Tai, expression puzzled as if he had no idea what had just happened. He was hunched over, one hand on his knee and the other around the wound on his side. 
 "My partner just saved your ass. You're welcome.", Tai huffed. Watching as Qrow looked over to Summer, who was now walking towards them. 
She approached slowly, holding her hands up as if to say "not a threat" to Qrow. Summer grabbed the arm he had around his injury, carefully moving it out of the way so she could see it. Wincing, she looked at the deep horizontal gash and allowed him to re-wrap his arm over it.
 "We'll need to stop and patch that up. Will your partner mind?", She asked, taking a few steps back from Qrow. She could tell he wasn't used to contact or socialization, so it would be best to keep her distance for his comfort. 
Qrow opened his mouth, with a few false starts before saying, "No. She-She went ahead."
 "Is your partner your sister? Why the hell did she go ahead? It's literally a TEAM-BUILDING mission.", Tai shouted. Gods, those two were so out of place. He'd just come all the way from Mistral and they felt more foreign than he could ever be. 
Qrow ignored him, still gazing at Summer (who sent him a very lethal glare for his crass outburst).
 "Let's go find somewhere dry. We still have about three hours left before initiation is over. That'll be plenty of time to grab out relics after we get some rest.", She could see the remnants of a cabin in the distance. Probably destroyed by the Grimm. "This way."  
Following behind her, Qrow and Tai held a silent glaring contest. Qrow lost each time when he got distracted by a flash of white in the corner of his eye from Summer's cloak. What a short attention span.
 
The rain-
 "Aw, I wish I got to know baby Uncle Qrow. All quiet and nervous. I can tell he's totally lovestruck.", Yang interrupts, a mental movie playing in her head of an antisocial, shy lil' Qrow and his heroine Summer who brought him out of his shell. Sounded like a proper romance flick. Qrow, who'd been taking a sip out of his flask at the time, promptly choked, covering his mouth and painfully swallowing the sip of Baijiu he'd taken. He coughed several times afterward and wiped the little bit of liquor that ran down his chin, before glaring at Yang. "Thank you. For nearly killing me.", Qrow hacked, his voice rough. "You're welcome!", She replied, smiling. "Yang-", Tai started, full dad-voice. "Nope. We're not playing any games anymore. I'm an adult now, remember? I get to know everything you know. No buts, no nothin'," Her patience was completely broken with these two. Did every guardian she had have to be completely emotionally stunted? “I’m not gonna pretend I can’t even guess why Qrow refuses to tell Ruby who he is to her, or why you are both in on it together. Plus Qrow, you suck at hiding it because you’re a huge baby and loves us too much to stay away.", Yang states, matter-of-factly. "Tai, your daughter's terrifying.", Qrow has given up, going over to Yang's empty makeshift bed and laying down face first. "Ughhhh." "So, like, we're talking about this right? Or do you need a five hour depression nap?", She laughed, grabbing a pillow from her dad's bed and chucking it at him. "A drink is what I need." "Can't help you there. Apparently, we're broke. Dad says he forgot international banks are down and only brought a finite amount of Lien." "Noooooo.", He whined, voice muffled from his face being in the comforter. "You guys are children.", Tai sighed, putting his face into his hands. "If Uncle Qrow is broken for the rest of the night, can I still hear the story?" "No. Part One is over. You get Part Two later. Punishment for startling us." "Not fair!" "Too bad, young lady. Qrow, get off the bed. We need to get some sleep and then we are going to have a very long talk tomorrow." "Mfmm. Fmmk mou.", Came from him, his hand raised to flick Tai off. "Hey- Language." "Aw, you two can bunk together. I gotta go tell Ren about the big reveal.", Yang bounced up. "Pretty much everyone guessed it anyways. You know, us teenagers.” She was rubbing it in HARD . Qrow let out a miserable noise. And with that, she skipped out, towards the JNR room. Tai let out another big sigh before awkwardly clearing his throat. "In my defense, I blame you and Raven for the girl's candid-ness." "WAKE UP, REN! GUESS WHAT-", Was heard from upstairs followed by a short 'thunk' noise and teenager chatter. Mostly on Yang's part. No- it was all on Yang’s part. “You okay with her spilling the beans to her friend?” “That kid hardly talks, I’m not worried. He’s smart.” Qrow felt strangely torn between awful and relieved. With a start, he pulled out his scroll and sat on the edge of Yang's bed.  [12:14 am] Qrow Branwen: Hey Yang. Don't tell Ruby alright? I want to be the one to tell her.[12:14 am] Yang Xiao Long: You got it uncle Qrow. Secrets safe with me. I told Ren not to say anything either. Just cause Nora would 100% spill the beans. I just had to share a little.[12:14 am] Yang Xiao Long: But don't take forever. It'll only be worse the longer it takes.[12:15 am] Qrow Branwen: Somehow I'm proud of you firecracker. Be up bright and early tomorrow. We got some stuff going on. Could use a sharp mind like yours.[12:15 am] Yang Xiao Long: Got it! Gonna have a slumber party with Ren. Tell dad. "I invited Yang to our Raven – Haven conversation also. Figured she should be in on it now that she can completely shut both of us down.", Qrow tucked his scroll away. "Also, she's spending the night upstairs harassing the other kid. So you're Yang free tonight." "I almost feel bad for- What's his name again? Rin? Ren?" "Lie technically but goes by Ren. He's used to the craziness around here, I assure you. The most balanced kid out of all of 'em. Kid's been a damn good housewife too. Between Ruby and Nora, this place usually is a gods damned mess at the end of the day." "I know all too well that you don't clean up so it's good that some here does." "You're the best housewife of all, Tai. Don't feel like your title is challenged.", Qrow jokes, idly taking another sip from his flask. Which was almost empty yet again. "Any word from Ruby?" "Nah, she's sleeping. She doesn't have to check in any more until morning." "I hope their mission goes well. Not that I doubt it won't. Ruby was the best huntress-in-training at Signal." "It's just a level one Search and Destroy. I doubt anything could go wrong on a mission that simple." ... Things were not going well for Team DART (or rather, ORNJ), as they sat awkwardly outside of the village head's office. Beyond the closed door, two distinctly male voices shouted at one another. Ruby felt bad for eavesdropping, but it was hard not to when the voices were arguing over you . "Feels like home.", Ruby thought sarcastically. "Should we… Knock or something?", Oscar asked, feeling awkward. "I say we barge in. Show that guy who's boss right now.", Nora glared angrily at the door. "This is a traditional town. Of course, some people would be upset that we came here. We're huntsmen from the Kingdoms.", Jaune shrugged it off, despite feeling unnerved by their less-than-friendly welcome. They had arrived earlier in the village than they had expected. Determination (and a little bit of childish excitement) carried them fast and left them exhausted upon reaching the gates. They met with the Village Elder who had called them in for this mission. It was a strictly formal meeting and soon after they had been ushered to a spacious room by a young housemaid. Quick enough, the sun was rising in the sky and they journeyed back to the Elder's office to get some intel on the offending Grimm population. And that leads them to now, sitting outside of his office whilst listening to the muffled shouts inside. The sound of glass shattering echoed out, making everyone jump. The door was thrown open. The paper slide jostled out of place with the force. The young team startled to attention and stood up, hands tense on their weapons as a stern-looking middle-aged man stormed out. "Out of my way, foolish children! 邪恶的蛇 will kill you all!", The man yelled as he shoved his way through the students. "Well… That was weird.", Nora shrugged as she watched the man leave the building. Silently, Team DART walked into the office. There was a broken vase with an ornate pattern on it, likely the source of the shattering noise they heard earlier. "Ah, young Huntsmen. Sorry about that er- event that just happened.", The Elder certainly lived up to the name, greying and frail looking. Black hair had long turned silver with a long well-groomed beard trailing downward. He wore a blue and gold Changshan. "Mister Du has had a hard time accepting help from the kingdoms. And was jerked into a fury when he discovered you were all so young.", The Elder went on. "He did not think you capable of the task at hand." "It's alright. Thank you for sheltering us for the night. We should get started right away, so we'll be off now.", Oscar (As Diggs), pulled on his best leader voice when addressing the Elder. Ozpin was chuckling in the back of his mind as he sounded prepubescently squeaky. "Come now. I am not dismissing your value as soldiers but at least stay and enjoy breakfast. Youth need a healthy start to their day.", He remarked kindly, getting up and ushering them out of his office. Everyone followed along, ignoring the stiff stares of the village people as they moved towards a grand dining hall. Ruby snapped a few photos of the towering blue and gold building, making sure to get some good shots of the white marble Feilong Grimm statues. She posted them in the group chat, hoping they would send. People bowed and parted for the Elder, letting him pass through the crowds and lead the huntsmen team into the banquet area. "Please grab anything that you would like. On the house.", The Elder smiled, patting them forward. Ruby's eyes lit up as she grabbed a big platter and started shoveling stuff on without a hint of regret. She couldn't even read the labels on everything. Her knowledge of languages from Mistral was near zero. Sure, she tried to pay attention when Dad was teaching Yang but overall her focus drifted off during those lessons. There were just so many dialects and different languages all together it was impossible to learn any of it.  Before she knew it, her dish was full, stacked high with traditional pork buns, sauce-covered meats, and seasoned noodles. Ruby sat down at a nearby table, ignorant to the aghast looks sent her way. Nora tactlessly did the same as her but picking out mostly items from the dessert table. Red Bean Buns and egg tarts piled up, a few pieces of jelly slipped off onto the floor. A maid came out and began quietly tidying the mess. Smiling sheepishly, Nora apologized. The young maid looked at her with a kind expression, saying something in a foreign language and walking away. Though he sorely wanted to mow down like the girls, Jaune opted for a lighter meal. Ren always talked about the effects of the food you eat before combat and ate foods that looked like the dishes before him in the buffet. He opted for a more modest meal. He could read the labels, slightly able to make out the words. At least he wasn't failing his Dialects of Mistral class as he loosely translated each item in his head before dragging a small steamer basket of Xiao Long Bao dumplings onto his platter. Coupled with a bowl of shredded tofu soup and two of those egg tarts Nora had piled high on her platter, his selection was complete. He put his plate down on the table, sitting next to Nora and across from Ruby. Oscar went up next, holding the dish and looking over everything and reaching a hand out to grab a bright red plate of… Something? "Be careful, that's spicy.", Ozpin's voice echoed through his mind. Hesitating, he moved to another bowl of greyish, thick soup. "Not the dish I would choose, especially for your first mission ." Oscar groaned. Ozpin had an objection to every dish he had wanted to try thus far. He had a sneaking suspicion the man was just messing with him. He didn't want to talk to Oz yet either. He hadn't mastered the ability to talk just with his thoughts and had to speak aloud to be heard by the headmaster. He hesitated but reached out and grabbed a delicious-looking bowl of beef noodle soup. No comments, besides a small background chuckle. Victory! Sitting down next to Ruby, he took a bite. He sighed, enjoying the rich flavor of the meat and broth. Having lived far away from others and not being from a traditional Mistral family, he never had a chance to eat anything like this in his life. He picked a pork bun off Ruby's plate, ignoring the offended "hey" he received upon doing so, and bit down. It was all so good . Oscar wouldn't mind just this being their payment. They ate in relative silence. All too enraptured in their food to hold a conversation. Which was fine, they had discussed all battle tactics and formations prior and had practiced them for a short amount of time. Plates polished, everyone full and happy, they waved goodbye to the staff. Jaune even offered a neat bow, to which the staff responded with one of their own.  Outside, a young man in a formal uniform flagged them down. Wordlessly, he handed them a scroll. It was wrapped up in a golden thread. The man bowed to them before walking off back towards the Elder's main compound. Oscar unbound the parchment, unfurling the two sheets of paper inside. There was a cover letter, and behind it was a map of the area. Hand-painted, by the looks of it. He cleared his throat and started reading off the contents. " Dear Huntsmen,
Enclosed in this letter is a map of the immediate areas that require your services. Each is circled in blue where these dark creatures' attacks have occurred. We do not know if these beasts travel in packs or how they operate and will be solely relying on your ability as Huntsmen to protect our borders.

There are three distinct districts on our outskirts that have been suffering. Two are poverty camps, and the third is our staple rice farm. Please handle this issue swiftly.

The residents will be able to inform you more of the offending creatures on your arrival.

Sign, 偉大的長老."
 "Poverty camps? Rice farm?", Ruby asked, questioning. "I guess it's a bigger problem than just a pack of Beowolves. Better head out if we want to get back in a reasonable amount of time.", Jaune sighed, grabbing the map from Oscar. "Qigai- Beggar's District Number One, is closest to the wall. We should head there first, I guess. Maybe we can catch the group as they attack and deal with it all at once.” While Oscar pouted childishly about not getting to give team orders as team leader, he agreed and they all started for the gate. It wasn't a long walk. About forty-five minutes. The villages had been knit closely together and were surrounded by thick stone walls as an attempt to protect from Grimm. Only about six-feet high at maximum. It was shocking they had made it this long without being attacked.  The landscape was full of massive, beautiful trees and the terrain was slightly hilly. Overall, a pretty sight. Jaune and Ruby snapped a couple pictures on their scrolls, while Oscar filled the silence with plant facts and stories. "Back home we- well I actually used bamboo to make charcoal. It burned really good. We used it for cooking fires and my aunt would bake her pottery with it.", Oscar retold fondly. "There was this huge thicket of it just a short walk from the farm." "I keep forgetting you're a country boy. It's pretty adorable.", Nora teased, striding forward with her arms behind her head. Oscar just shrugged it off, rather than becoming embarrassed. He was meshing into their group just fine. After a few more moments, the shabby sign labeling the compound was in reading distance. The Beggar's district was… What it sounded like. It was a slum. Garbage bags taped over makeshift homes. Cheap tin was used as building materials for the homes. Wreckage was everywhere, littered through the streets as a few children sifted through it. Ruby froze, eyes locked on the destruction. Dried blood was splattered on the street, cheap white cloths had been thrown over bodies fallen to the latest Grimm attack. This was a lot worse than just a few wolves. Behind her, she heard Jaune swear under his breath as he walked forward and began talking with a villager in their native language. Slowly, she followed his lead, prompting Nora and Oscar to move as well. No one seemed to speak the universal language of Remnant, so communication with them was near impossible as she relied on Jaune solely for translation. The blond parted from the villagers, who looked at the huntsmen with a silent prayer in their eyes, and went over to his teammates. "We can help with the pickup for now. The Grimm have been attacking around dusk. All this damage is from the last couple of nights. There’s a break in their walls around here...", An old woman patted Jaune on the shoulder as she walked past, smiling sweetly. He gave a kind smile back, before addressing DART once more. "Rub- Rowan. Can you help those people over there tie their tents back up? Your semblance lets you get to high places pretty easily, and you can keep an eye on the horizon for incoming Grimm." Jaune noticed the green look on her face anytime her gaze drifted to one of the bodies. Getting her away would probably be the best for her. Just until they clear away the deceased. The air smelled like blood and infection and death. It was so clear that this town was suffering. Ruby's heart stung as she watched the dead be loaded onto a bamboo stretcher and all she can think of is their family is now torn apart and then she can see Qrow on the stretcher in their place and how she would feel and-- The air was abuzz with negative emotion. It was a physical feeling, and she could sense it all around her. It's no wonder the Grimm keep coming back. Everyone is just… So scared and so sad. "Rowan?", Ruby jerked up suddenly, unaware that she just went quiet for a solid minute. Everyone looked at her with worried eyes. "Aha- Yea. I'll… I'll go do that.", She stuttered before taking off towards the tents. Her teammates watched her go with an empathetic gaze. Jaune dished out orders to the rest of them, not even bothering to keep the pretense of Oscar being the leader due to the urgency of the situation. Ruby was greeted by a thin older man, who spoke weak Remnant Standard. They didn't understand what she could do as she gestured up to the great trees around them. "Here just let me-.", She grabbed the thick rope used to tight the tents up and wrapped it around her arm a few times, just to be safe as she stepped back a couple of feet. Getting a running start, she let the wind take her as she burst into vibrant petals and zipped up as far as the rope would go. Planting her boots on a high branch she set on tying the knot. This way no average sized Grimm could tear it down. Smiling to herself, proud at the sturdy knot she jumped down. She was greeted with the awestruck stare of the villagers as they chattered and crowded her. "Haha, it's just my semblance.", Ruby responded to them, assuming that was what they were asking. Maybe she should have paid more attention to her dad teaching Yang. The frail man from earlier held out another rope to her. She laughed lightly, taking the rope in hand and doing a little salute before taking off in a slightly showier fashion. It felt good. Children smiled and collected the petals she left behind, throwing them up in the air before they ran after one another. With her help, all the ropes had been tied high and out of destruction range from the next Grimm attack. Nora, paired with a makeshift taser, lifted most of the rubble out of the way. The whole process took her about thirty minutes. A perk of her superhuman abilities. Now she was baking with one of the village mothers. Lifting ten sacks of rice in one arm and ten stacks of flour in the other one.  By the looks of it, they were preparing a feast. They'd been so well-fed on this mission. Jaune was nailing up wooden panels, reconstructing the couple houses that were salvageable. He was chatting idly in their language, his sentences smoother and more confident compared to earlier as he got into the swing of it. Oscar was helping in the only way he really knew how. First, he assisted in the rice paddies. Now he had moved on to assist in their cotton field. The garden had been destroyed by the Grimm. The plants that hadn't been ruined had to be moved into another small clearing while the ground was reworked. He moved in tandem with the other farm workers, easily replanting the field. He looked over his shoulder, wiping the sweat from his brow as they planted the last of the crop. Ruby and Nora, having finished their pre-given tasks managed to make setting the table into a game. Children flocked to the two girls, admiring every little thing they did. Ruby used her semblance to fly over the long makeshift banquet table, leaving a dusting of petals over it. The kids cheered at the display. Bowls of rice were dished out just as the sky started turning dark. Jaune took a seat, using a rag to wipe the day's sweat off. He pulled out the map from earlier, asking a townsman to help him figure out the regular pattern of the Grimm attacks. The lack of anguish helped, obviously. This morning the negativity was so strong. Ruby even had a sensory response to it, if her lockup earlier was any hint of how bad off the town had been. Based on what the villager was telling him, it was one major group, with a larger class Grimm leading them. It swept through each district before circling back to wherever its den was. "Earlier, a man mentioned '邪恶的蛇'to us. What is that?", Jaune asked. The townsman started, before gesturing his arms in a big motion. "It is- Big. Evil beast. Dragon." "A dragon? Like a Feilong?", A dragon Grimm? The damage didn't come from above, by the look. It seemed more like a truck plowed through the town in a figure eight path. The man shook his head. "No wings. It is like- Tiger. Low to ground." "Uh. Okay?", Yea, he had no idea. Whatever it was, it was big. "Hey, Rub-Rowan?" "Yea?", She padded over, leaving her child following and coming over. "I think we should text Qrow. Dragon-like Grimm are really dangerous, plus Oscar's still inexperienced and…", It would be a good idea to get a more capable huntsman out here. Even Taiyang, maybe. If Qrow was still indisposed for combat. "No no no. We don't need any help. We got this. What's the point in going out on a mission if we need to call for an adult before we even see what we're up against?", Ruby complained. They could handle it. She didn't need to run to Uncle Qrow every time things looked down. "Maybe we should do-.", Jaune started before being interrupted by a shrill scream from the district entrance. The map was left on the table as he jolted up, turning around to see a swarm of Creeps and Beowolves approaching quickly. Ruby already had Crescent Rose drawn and was now making a mad dash towards the crowd of Grimm. Effortlessly, she twisted the weapon around to shield the person who was at the gate. One of the children, a girl, she'd been playing with earlier. The blade was facing her, point dug firmly in the dirt as she shot the front line. Several of the beasts crumpled to the group, leading another few to trip over the bodies of the fallen. Terror-struck, the girl stayed frozen behind the blade, ignoring Ruby's shout of "Run!". Jaune wasted no time running in and pulling the girl out, moving back to the citizens and guiding them away to shelter. Oscar drew his- Er- Ozpin's cane, ready to strike down the Grimm that started making it past Ruby's sniper fire. Nora jumped into the thick of it, smashing Creeps down left and right with a wild grin on her face. Ruby stopped her shooting, now twirling her scythe around with ease leaving a rain of shadow-y body parts. It took just ten minutes between the four of them, Jaune focused on protecting the townsfolk from the few Grimm that went straight for them. Then Ruby, Oscar, and Nora's merciless slaughter-fest took the rest down. Hands on his knees, Oscar panted heavily at the effort while the girls didn't even look remotely phased. Embarrassing. Cheers rang out from the civilians, all of them crowding around the huntsmen with adoring expressions of gratitude. "It's really nothing- aha.", Ruby saluted, standing tall. "All in a day's work." "We need to start worrying about the big one.", Jaune mentioned. "Sir?" He reached out for the villager he was discussing the patterns with moments prior. "When does the er- Tiger Dragon one usually come? After we take care of that one, the Grimm shouldn't be as attracted to this area." "Shortly.", Was the only answer he received before a chilling flat roar echoed through the conifer forest. A gust of wind followed, shaking the treetops. Jaune started regrouping everyone, leading the villagers back into the safe area. Rapid and loud noises pushed closer. They could see the trees tilt to the side as if whatever this was- was big enough to cleave the forest. There was a boom. The structures at the village gate disappeared under a massive black body.  "A salamander?", Was the only dumb remark he could make come out of his mouth as he stared at this monster.  The man was correct. It had a close look to a Tiger Salamander. Body pressed close to the ground with bone plates that looked similar to tiger stripes. It let out another flat roar before lashing out its thick tail.  It cracked against the trees, shattering through the trunks and sending them crashing down on the village. He didn't even need to focus on the damage to tell there was no rebuilding for them now. The destruction was too much, it would take a lifetime to fix… He could only hope the villagers ran far while they- "Jaune!", He couldn't tell what teammate it was, screaming his name as a shadow overcame him. There wasn't even a second for him to turn around as he heard a sharp crack. His eyes were closed, accepting whatever harm was going to befall him… Only for it not to come. He could hear white noise, and slowly the sounds of fighting came into focus. He inched his eyes open, seeing Ruby stand in front of them, hood blowing in the wind as she fired shots off at the Salamander Grimm. There was no obvious wreckage around them. What happened?  "Ruby, are you okay?", He heard Oscar's panicky voice. No more codenames, then. Ruby rubbed her face, wincing at the sting. Blood was stained on her hand as she pulled back. Oscar rushed over to her side while Nora held off the Grimm.  There was more forest around them now, did Ruby use her semblance to zip him out of harm's way? Why did it always feel like he was being a burden on the field?  “I was just in time, but some of the broken tree hit me.”, Ruby complained, touching around the cut with tender presses. "Oh man.", Oscar sounded worried. He pushed her hair back gently, looking at the damage. "How bad is it?", It hurt a lot, that was for sure. With all of the usage of her semblance and the battle with the lesser Grimm, she didn’t realize just how depleted her Aura had gotten. Stupid mistake. So much time off the field had left her rusty. "Oz says not bad, but you should hang back and let your Aura recharge. And that it might scar.", Oscar responded, pulling out the flannel rag he kept in his back pocket and pressed it to her face. It was a deep diagonal gash, running from just under her bottom lip and up to the corner of her right eye. Just missing it, thank the Gods. "Thanks, Oscar. I can still fight though.", She wiped the blood off, holding on to the rag and pointedly ignoring the deep sting of her wound. "You don't have any Aura.", He fretted, watching more red stream down her face. Even during training, they had never drawn blood. It was… Frightening. "I'll be careful! Come on, we can't just leave the fight to Nora.", With that she vaulted up. Using her bullet recoil, Ruby hit the trigger to transform Crescent Rose to spear form, stabbing into a small black gap in the plating of its face.  After nearly being thrown, and satisfied with her hold, Ruby started unloading her entire clip into its face. Screaming a battle cry as she rapidly pulled the firing pin. It bucked as she switched between every single clip she had on her. Fire, lighting, ice, and gravity created a myriad of effects over the target. The cuffs of her shirt singed, and her fingers grew cold from frost. However, her effort was rewarded with the bone plates over its face cracking, spider webbing across its face as it howled. Oozing black smoke from the damage.  Shaking her head, Nora jumped into action. Taking advantage of its rapid motions to shake Ruby off, she waited until it was throwing up its body in an effort to escape the bullet onslaught. Clicking the lightning charge trigger, Nora leaped forward. She smashed Magnhild into its chest, sending it flying into the forest. As easily as one might hit a golf ball. Trees snapped as the Grimm was thrown away from the village, its flesh rippling from the sheer force of her swing.  Taking a deep breath, Nora jumped forward again. Sending every bit of strength through her hammer, she nailed it dead-center in its skull. The plating shattered, splintering into shards around her. The end of her hammer sinking into the beasts form. Its neck seemed to fold into its body, becoming one with its own rib cage.  After one last flat roar, it slumped to the ground. The impact was like a small earthquake. As with the Grimm from Kuroyuri, it died in a plume of black smoke. Reaching up towards the Heavens as if to grab the Gods.  Jaune took a step forward, disappointed he didn't get to help once again, but overwhelmingly proud of Nora and Ruby for taking down such a beast on their own. Oscar was blown away. Was this what huntsmen were truly capable of? Incredible. "Oscar.", Ozpin's voice startled him out of his reverie. The stern tone instantly put a little bit of fear into his heart. "Find Ruby." Without another moment wasted, he ran up to the dissolving monster. Ruby was on the front of it, right? Did she get thrown off during Nora's hit? Crescent Rose was on the ground where the monster died. Oh gods.  "Nora, where's Ruby?", Oscar yelled, clearly panicking. "I-I dunno. She was dug in deep on that monster. I shouldn't have sent it flying.", Nora rattled off, searching through the wreckage. A few feet away, covered in some separated branches, Oscar saw a flash of red. "Ruby!", He yelled, running over to her. Grabbing her scythe on the way. Oh frick, that was a heavy weapon. She was face down, blood sluggishly seeping out of the wound from earlier as dirt clotted it. Her eyes were fluttering slightly. Just before he reached her, the beat of a bird's wings broke his focus. Suddenly, he was staring into red eyes, carefully hidden behind a white mask. Ozpin made a small noise that sounded suspiciously like "shit" as he looked over this figure. "You!", Jaune's voice shouted from far behind him, still within the confines of the village. The woman ignored it, giving Oscar a quick look. Finding him nothing of significance, she moved over to peer at Ruby. "Oscar. Very carefully, put the cane away. Under your shirt and out of sight.", He was starting to worry even more at Ozpin's cagey attitude. But, he did as he was told. Placing the cane underneath his shirt while keeping an eye on this mysterious person. It wasn't hard to hide the motion either, the cane having already been in its holster beforehand. Jaune seemed to recognize whoever this was, if the accusing yell was anything to go by. He couldn't consult Oz without talking out loud, so he kept his mouth shut. "I'll be borrowing this.", The figure spoke, knocking some branches off Ruby before lifting her up by the midsection. Picking her up like a lifeless doll, Ruby was slack in her hold. Oscar wanted to draw his weapon and fight her off, but he hadn't received any word to do so from Ozpin. Rather he had received the opposite orders. "You're not taking her!", Oscar stood defiantly, taking a step closer to Raven. Not that he looked very intimidating. He was barely five feet tall and was still horribly inexperienced. "Oscar-", Ozpin warned. Raven snorted. "Says who? Qrow?" "W-well- I mean he'd probably be upset? W-wait you know Qrow?", Oscar was pretty bad at the whole hostage negotiation thing. "Unfortunately-", Raven straightened out, probably recognizing her accidental pun. Had he not been frazzled from the events of the last hour, Oscar probably would have laughed at her. "I doubt he'll mind. Just borrowing my niece for a bit. I have some information I just know she would like to hear." "Borrowin- Borrowing? She's a person!" "More like a marionette at the moment, no?", She jostled Ruby in her hold, her body limp. " Oscar!", A brief pain flashed through Oscar's head as Ozpin shouted. He held his mouth shut, glaring at Raven who now had her sword drawn in her free hand. "We can talk about this later. I don't want you fighting her. Make sure the others don't engage. We are going to follow her. In a moment, a red portal will open when she swings her sword. I need you to jump in before it closes, which will be right after she walks through it.", Ozpin instructed. "Make sure the others stay here and contact Qrow." He turned around as told, making a cut-throat motion to Nora and Jaune. They nodded slightly, understanding that Oscar had Ozpin giving orders. They stood down, and he readied himself to be… Transported or whatever? Oscar tensed, setting himself into a running position. He watched as Raven raised her arm to bring her sword down and open a rift. A "woosh" sounded as she brought her weapon down, channeling her bond to Vernal. A bright red portal opened up, casting the area in an eerie light. Everyone watched wordlessly as Raven (with Ruby) turned to enter it. He saw an opportunity, probably a bad idea but he couldn't stop as he rushed forward. He placed a hand on Raven's back, then another. Tackling her through her own portal. Raven let out a startled noise before tumbling through her rift, it shut behind her as three people vanished from the dense forest. Face pale, Jaune watched as they disappeared. Nora looked equally unnerved, looking at the townspeople gathered behind them and then back to the now empty space where Oscar, Ruby, and some random kidnapper had just been. "So which one of us has to call Qrow? Because I know I don’t want to."

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

“So. Here we are.”  “Here we are.”, Tai nods, arms crossed and expression grim. Qrow takes a somber sip out of his flask. “Can we drop the dramatics? Dad, you’re wearing slippers.”, Yang huffs, not looking much more prepared in her bright orange tank top and loose sweats.  “This is a very serious conversation, young lady.”, Readjusting the collar of his nightshirt and leveling his gaze at her.  “Qrow is in boxers. And a Pumpkin Pete t-shirt.”  “It’s best we’re comfortable for these sorts of things.”, Tai maintains his serious tone, meanwhile Qrow’s composure slips. A single snort and Yang breaks out in a smile.  “Come on! I want to hear the rest of the story already! Ruby is out doing fun stuff, I wanna do stuff too.”  “We can at least wait for your friend to show up.”, Tai consoles, adjusting their blanket den in the middle of the living room. Flipping the pasta-stained sides downward.  Given the tiny heartattack Yang had inflicted upon Qrow, the correlating one she gave her father, and then her own excitement at being right all this time, sleep didn’t come easy to any of them.  So that's why now, at three in the morning, after about four hours of fitful rest, Qrow and Taiyang found themselves sharing a bowl of cereal. (Or rather, Tai poured a bowl for himself and Qrow took it for himself.) The three of them waiting on Ren to join them in the common room for part two of story time.  Both adults thought it would be easier to bring up their plans for Raven after easing Yang into hearing about her.  Ren stepped down, arriving also in his simple white tee and Beacon-green track pants. “Am I sufficiently dressed?”, He remarked. Yang had explicitly stated a need for pajamas.  “Perfect Ren-Ren!”, The blonde patted a spot next to her, inviting him to come over and sit. Admittedly, they didn’t get many chances to talk and interact. Not at the school, not here. Before the Fall and after. Both teens held a fierce bond that tied team RWBY and JNPR together. One that went beyond idle friendships. Something like Fate.  Plus, the gossiping and increased interest in Ruby’s parentage was a good bonding point for them.  “Safe to assume the firecracker told you that certain details of his are hush-hush?”, Qrow smirked. For whatever reason, he felt lighter knowing that Yang knew, that she was okay with it. Even if she didn’t know the full story just yet. “I promise not to tell or mention anything. However, I do believe you should tell Ruby soon.”, Ren offered. Nothing good came from keeping secrets that big. It’s already been sixteen years. “Yeah yeah. I’m sure I’ll muster up the courage soon enough. She’s got enough on her plate right now.”  Ren nodded, idly scratching Zwei’s ear and waiting for Mr. Xiao Long to begin his tale.  “All ready for more?”, Tai asked, clapping his hands together, sitting cross legged and looking at the three in the room.  “Hell yeah!”, His daughter yelled, pumping her fist up. Partnered with Ren’s more reserved “Yes sir”. Plus a grunt from Qrow that counted as enthusiasm.  “Okay, let’s get started.”  . 
The rain picked up, turning from a drizzle to a downpour yet again in a matter of minutes. They hadn’t even been walking for an hour yet. 
 
“Oh gosh darn it.”, Summer huffed under her breath. Eager to find shelter, to patch up the injured boy they picked up, and to take a nice hot bath. Glancing back, Summer looked to her partner and Qrow Branwen. 
 
Those two had obviously gotten off on the wrong foot sometime before the exam. She couldn’t see how though. Qrow seemed quiet and mild-tempered and Taiyang, while he looked loud and vulgar, he couldn’t have been sweeter unless he was coated in sugar. 
 
Tai stomped his way forward, boots flooding with mud on each step as the forest flooded. He was pouting and grumbling but overall well. A sturdy constitution. 
 
Meanwhile Qrow wavered, back hunched, shoulders raised and arm looped around his midsection. The boy couldn’t have looked more like a wounded animal if he tried. She hoped whatever shelter would be dry enough to make a fire, so everyone could get dry and warm. 
 
Suddenly, Summer let out an affirmative noise, twisting on her heel and facing the boys behind her. Qrow startled, while Taiyang just looked confused. 
 
“What’s up, Summer?” 
 
Silently, she unclips her hood, feeling the rain soak into her hair within seconds. Next, she lifted it over her head. Her partner made some sort of squawking sound as her simple black dress and collapsed weapon took on water. Another movement for undoing the knot that kept it tight around her neck and…. Viola! 
 
The mud was at the middle of her calves now, and it wouldn’t be much longer till it was knee deep. But her stride towards Qrow was emboldened by his posture. The wariness in his expression, followed by the gentle surprise as she draped it over his shoulders. Summer could feel the trembles coming off of him as she raised the hood over his head. 
 
“Keep that on until we find some shelter. It’ll keep you warmer, even if it’s not much.”, She smiles kindly, but can’t help using it to cover up her own heartbreak at his shocked expression. Like he’d never known such kindness. 
 
“Why’d you give your cloak to him? Now you’re all wet.”, Tai complained, walking up and holding two hands over her head, like it would shield her from the rain. “Gods, I would have taken it, if it was up for grabs.” 
 
“Are you injured, Mr. Xiao Long? Do you have aura, Mr. Xiao Long?”, She cocked her hip, turning away from Qrow to her partner and pressing a place finger onto his chest. 
 
“No, ma’am. Yes, ma’am”, He replied, sighing. Tai wishes he could be more petty, but Qrow had been looking like he was going to pass out for the last ten minutes. And just cause he was a weirdo didn't mean Tai wanted him to die. 
 
“Then let’s press on.”, Without another word, she turns heel again and strides forward. Which would have looked a lot cooler if she didn’t have to highstep out of the mud. 
 
Qrow didn’t say anything. Only tugging lightly on the cloak with his free hand. The wide-eyed expression not leaving his face for the rest of the walk. 
 
Which wasn’t too much longer, Another hour and there was a jagged rock formation that was visible in this typhoon weather. Rain running off it like an impromptu waterfall.  Underneath the stone was a small cave mouth.
 
The mud was knee high now, and Summer was hard pressed to use her semblance to make it through. But, it was better that she save her strength for any upcoming battles. After all, they still had to make it to the Relic.  The Relic they had no idea where to find.
 
“This should do, for a little bit.”, Summer placed her hands on her hips. Ignoring the wet slap noise from her water-logged skirt. 
 
“Finally!”, Running ahead to the opening. “I’ll check for Grimm.”
 
“Be careful!”, She yelled back, still slowly trudging her way through the mud. Curse her short legs. Even , injured and passive as he was, managed to walk at even stride. Only lagging back out of sheer social anxiety. 
 
“IT’S CLEAR!”, Echoes out from the cave. 
 
Summer could cheer at their good fortune. No Grimm, and out of the rain? That’s all she wants right now. 
 
In her excitement, she forgets that she is in very thick and unforgiving mud. A stride forward is short-stopped by the resistance of the terrain. Tipping forward and leg caught deep, Summer sees the mud coming  quickly to greet her. 
 
Only to be stopped, the tips of her hair floating on the surface of the dirt. Silver eyes wide as she’s pulled upright. A hand closed around her forearm.  
 
Qrow looks just as startled as she does that he stopped her from falling. His red eyes looking down at her. They looked nice, reflecting from the red interior of her cloak. 
 
“Thank you, Qrow.”, She smiled, “You really saved me there. I’m lucky you stuck with us. Or else I would have been eating a mud pie!” 
 
Whatever she said, it was obviously the wrong thing. Releasing her arm like it burnt him and taking two steps back. Summer’s smart enough to know not to press. It’s clear as day this boy had his fair share of issues. Pushing and pressing would only make him run. Then he’d be out there, bleeding and cold. 
 
“Let’s go inside. Taiyang is probably tapping his foot. That boy doesn’t seem like the patient type.”
 
It’s not much, but it is shelter. The inside of the cave is damp, asking for a dry place in this downpour was like wishing for snow in Vacuo. As soon as Summer is inside, she plops down on a seat-sized rock and wrings out her hair. 
 
“So how about that weather.”, Tai smiles, pulling out a handful of fire-based bullets. In the time he’d checked the cave and the little moment she had with Qrow outside, her partner managed to dig a short hole in the ground. His nails dirty, with an endearing smudge across his cheek. She was lucky, having such an earnest-hearted teammate. 
 
Which brings direct contrast to Qrow. Paired with his own sister, yet alone here. Left to fight a losing battle with the Grimm.  Even now, he stands at the edge of the cave like he’s ready to bolt. Or leave the second he’s ordered to.
 
“Thank you, Taiyang.”, Summer holds her hands out before the nice fire he managed. 
 
“Nothing to it! But, it’s just dust, so it won't burn for very long. Might as well enjoy it while we can.”
 
“I was worried I was gonna lose my fingers.”, She jokes, flexing said fingers. 
 
“Psh. It’s not that cold out.”, Even so, Tai follows her lead and cozies up next to the fire.  “Come sit down.” 
 
He beckons at Qrow. And once again, Summer finds herself grateful for landing a partner with high morals. While Qrow looks at Tai, then to her, then to the ground, before slowly making his way over and sitting by the fire. 
 
“We should bandage you up. Just until we get our Relics and back to campus. I’m sure the nurses here are way better than anything I can do.”, The pouch at her hip was sealed and waterproof. A good thing, because if she had pulled out a roll of wet gauze after promising to take care of him, the embarrassment would surely kill her. 
 
“Can you lift your shirt? Or unbutton it?” 
 
He complies wordlessly, carefully undoing the bottom buttons closest to his injury.  Tai winces as Qrow pulls back the fabric of his uniform, revealing two long cuts. Matching up to the Beowolves claws. Summer focuses, ripping open a prep pad and dabbing the wound without further conversation. 
 
Qrow flinches several times while she cleans it, but otherwise stays docile.  Even offering a meek “thank you” after she pulls back, a statement that makes her smile and heart warm.
 
Summer is wrapping it for him, slow and neat, when a fourth person enters their cave.
 
“Not even five minutes and you’ve already acquired baggage.”
 
“It’s been three hours.”, Seems like Qrow is used to talking to her. None of the fear or anxiety that plagued him with Summer and Taiyang was present in his voice. His tone was even annoyed. 
 
“Oh. Her.”, Tai offers, distaste clear. He didn’t think he could look any more down on Raven after the Sandwich Incident but leaving him, her own brother, during their god-damned introduction test was new low. 
 
“Ah.”, Summer gets what’s going on here. This is Qrow’s partner and sister. “You are his partner, right?”
 
“Yep.”, The woman pops her ‘p’. Looking at Summer like she was nothing but a stain on the ground before turning her gaze to her brother. Qrow wasn’t looking at her, resting a hand over his freshly-bandaged wound.  “I found the Relic area. Let’s go.” 
 
“Wait, you found it already?”, Tai exclaims, stepping towards Raven. She ignores him. 
 
“I figured you’d meet me there, but I guess that was too much to expect.”, Raven strides over to Qrow, placing a hand on his shoulder and squeezing. “I’m done being drenched. Get up.” 
 
“If you’re tired, how about you rest in here with us for a moment? I’m sure your partner could use the break.” 
 
Summer is well aware that this girl is his sister, but she has yet to prove herself of being anything worthy of family. 
 
“Or I can get this stupid trinket and go rest in a real room, with a hot shower.”, Raven scoffs at her. “Let’s go, Qrow.” 
 
And Qrow gets up. Head still low, but glaring hotly at his sister. It was a far cry from the gentle expressions he’d had on for Taiyang and her. 
 
“I would like it if Qrow stayed with us. Just relax with us for a moment.” 
 
“No one gives a shit what you want. We’re going.” 
 
“Then we’ll go with you. It’ll be safer. He’s hurt, and we don’t know the way yet.”, She ignores Tai’s groan. Happy that he doesn’t protest past a sigh. 
 
“Find it on your own. I don’t need you greenhorns dragging me down.” 
 
“Then we’ll follow behind.” 
 
“Try and see what happens.”, Raven is facing her now, stomping forward to his in her face. She’s tall, not as tall as her brother, but stands well over Summer. 
 
“You can’t fight with the other teams during this test. You’ll be shut out of the Huntsman program if you try anything.” 
 
“Maybe I’m willing to take that risk.”, Her hand tenses onto Omen. 
 
“Sounds fun. Would you like to try me?”, Summer takes her own step forward, wordlessly grasping her weapon. Looking up into a pair of red eyes for the second time today. These ones are burning, hate and fury churning in her irises. Less like the smooth wine of Qrow’s eyes, far more like blood.
 
She would not be beat down by this woman. It’s clear she’s always won, beating her brother’s pride down, bullying her way through everything. Victory after victory, everyone bending to her whim.
 
That would not work on Summer Rose. 
 
“Do what you will.”, Raven spits, turning back and shoving her brother out of the cave mouth and walks off. Summer grabs her cloak off the ground and stares as Qrow looks back at her. It’s palpable. The hope in that expression that Summer wouldn’t leave him to the throes of his own family. 
 
It’s that look, that visage that makes her decide. That Raven Branwen was a horrible woman. One who needed to be put in her place. 
 
And Summer would be more than happy to do so. 
 
.

.

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 Raven Branwen was a savior. All around her was evidence of that. Orphans, given training and skills to survive in this harsh cold world. Drunkards weaponized into something useful. The outcasts, thrown out and forgotten by society brought together and given purpose. To live for one another, to make the Tribe stronger.  Even a rogue princess, sheltered under their wing. One that was very fun to rile up.  “VERNAL!”, Weiss’s shout could have broken glass, but everyone in the encampment was well-used to the antics that ensued between their leader’s right hand and the discarded Schnee heiress.  True to her word, Raven never contacted Atlas for ransom, and Weiss took her bandit training in stride. Falling into routine with them over the last few weeks. Or has it been a month? Eh. Time flies when you’re harassing teenage girls.   Vernal stays hidden in Raven’s tent, hiding from an irate aristocrat and awaiting her leader's return. Her brother’s little Grimm-destroying weapon child in tow. Whatever all that was about.  All she cared about was the protection from the greater evils. And if some kid could protect Raven from those forces of darkness? Vernal would obey, follow and assist in any way possible.  She could sing songs about her leader, or recite poetry on stage. How she deserved praise, power, and the loyalty of all those beneath her. Raven was dignified, strong. She put the Tribe above all else. Her own daughter and brother. For her Family of Choice. That kind of strength was… Was really something.  Vernal admired her greatly.  Which made it startling, hearing a portal tear open behind her. Like her thoughts summoned their leader. A flicker of excitement at seeing her lady cast in brilliant scarlet. Only to watch Raven tumble forward, smacking into the carpet gracelessly with another body rolling out of her arms. And a child at her back.  “Oof.”, The boy behind Raven raised slowly, too slowly to be any real threat but Vernal wasn’t taking any chances. Her crescent blade pushed against his throat, bending him backwards off of Raven. Pinning him on his back to the floor. The kid, honest to God, yelped. How had he managed to catch Raven off guard?  “Vernal.”, Raven was standing, raising up like the immovable tower she was. Must have been some fluke of nature.  “Welcome back.”, She smiled lazily, shifting her knee and dropping her weight onto the boy, using him as a bony chair.  “Get off of me!”, Oscar wiggled, breathless and trying not to cut his own throat on Vernal’s blades.  “Nah.”  “Vernal.”, Her lady reprimanded. Ah, so she was serious. Taking the order in stride, Vernal stood, pulling her blades from floorboards and padded to Raven’s side. “Qrow’s already going to be a thorn in my side over this. I don’t need to kill any of his brats and make it worse.”  “Isn’t he always a thorn in your side?” “Yes, but you haven’t seen him really get obnoxious yet.”  “Must be a sight.”  “Troublesome, is what it is.” “Who are you people!? What do you want with Ruby?”, Oscar stood up slowly, trying to hide his full body trembling. He was so unsuited for this. Foolish even. Stupid to think he could handle a mission, stupid to even try.  But he’d die before he let anyone hurt his teammate.  “So what's with the stray?”, The woman (Vernal?) who pinned him asked, gesturing at him with her weapon.  “Kid didn’t take kindly to me grabbing his little buddy.”, Raven brushed past, moving over to Ruby on the floor. “Get one of our medics in here. Put the boy in a cell.”  “Yes ma’am.”, Vernal grinned wickedly, grabbing Oscar by the forearm and twisting it around to his back. He had half a mind to fight but-  “ Comply with her. It’s clear that Raven knows Qrow will come to collect Ms. Rose. Whatever she has planned, it can’t be too permanent. Stay out of harm's way and listen to everything they say .”, Ozpin’s voice was a welcomed calm. Unable to reply, Oscar allowed Vernal to bind his hands. A tight rope at the wrists.  “You better not hurt her.”, Oscar gave Raven a heated glare.  “She just wants to have a little chat with the kid. Don’t worry, you’ll be home playing hero before you know it.”, Vernal shoved him out the tent entrance.  He could see the people, Faunus and Human alike, staring at him with interest and hatred as he was ushered away.  The cell space was small, and the woman was not kind in placing him in. Shoving him through the small door and onto the dirt. His hands still tied up, the knot was too tight and he could feel it dig into his skin.  “Hope you like cold nights, beansprout. Maybe someone will remember to bring you a blanket.”, The brunette laughed wildly, like him freezing to death was the funniest joke of the century, before striding back over to Raven’s tent.  “ I’m sorry it ended up like this. ” Ozpin soothed. Oscar appreciated his voice. Something that once felt so intrusive was now a constant comfort. “The intel we can get from this will be valuable. The identity of the Spring Maiden, as well as her intentions for Ruby.”   “I’ll keep listening. And watching.”, He whispers aloud. You’d think it’d be easier to think words than it was for speaking to his like-soul head ghost than it was.  
“Though I do hope someone remembers that blanket for you. Without a projected aura, you’re liable to get a cold.”
 “Hardee har.”  ... “...And then we all grabbed out Relic’s and went up to Beacon.”  “Wait. That’s not it. Tell me that’s not it.”  “Not all of us can behead Nevermores on our first day of school, firecracker.”  “Yeah, but that’s a lame ending. ”, Yang whines, rolling onto her stomach and kicking her feet.  “Hey. I said I’d finish this story. The real fun starts after our team gets named.”, Tai chides his daughter, rubbing a hand over his eye.  “Oh Gods. I can’t ever forget the my first night there.”, Qrow laughs. "I was traumatized."  “You were traumatized?! I thought they where going to kill each other! Then the whole cafeteria thing!”, Taiyang exclaimed. “What did they call it between them? ‘The Great STRQ Wars’?”  “I thought it was ‘STRQ battles for the Female Supremacy’.”, Qrow idly itched his side. “Those two really knew how to shake up a campus.” “What!?”, Yang perked up immediately. “Wait no- tell me THOSE stories!”  “Later.”  “Boo. You guys suck. I wanna know about mom and Raven’s backstory now. Screw you two.” “Hey now, that’s not nice. Qrow and I had our own character development and it’s cool and emotional.”, He ignores candy wrapper tossed at his head.  “Now the sun is rising and we’ve got important intel to share with you two. So everyone take a small break and we will reconvene in a moment.”  “Good. I have to piss something fierce.”  “God damn it, Qrow.”  “Same.”, Yang nodded, getting up and wordlessly walking to the kitchen bathroom.  “I’ll take the upstairs one then.”, Ren vanishes up the steps.  “Dibs on the dojo.”, Qrow ducks out of the room to the dojo.  “Wait. I have to go too. That’s all the bathrooms you’re hogging.”  “THEN GO OUTSIDE!”, Qrow shouts echo out.  . “So… We’re going to meet the Branwen Tribe and recover the Spring Maiden? And they’re led by Yang’s mom?”, Ren cocked his head slightly, looking over the map sprawled over the living room table.  Everyone was still in pajamas. No need to change when they were all already together in the living room. Minus a short time away for potty breaks.  “The kids should be back tonight, or tomorrow morning. We’ll leave the following night, given how little sleep we seem to be getting.”, Qrow, stared at the marked dot for the last known location of his sister. “We’ll get picky about how we set the team up after they get in. I know I want you two on for the ride.”  “And you’re worried Lionheart has switched sides. Didn’t you already give him the map data?”, Yang, face sour and arms crossed, asked. Zwei laying on her legs.  “Yeah. Not my brightest moment but I couldn’t suddenly pull out. Don’t want him to be too suspicious of us. I expect some trouble heading to Raven.”  “It’s important that we get the Relic out of danger. Qrow seems to think James can keep it safe.”, Tai strided out of the kitchen. A tray with four cups of steaming coffee in his hand. An opened carton of cream and a dish of sugar were placed beside them.  “Atlas is our best bet. It’ll be better if we can just keep it in it’s own vault. But given Lionheart’s actions… I don’t think leaving it in Haven is an option anymore.”  “The timeline is : Wait for the other kids to get home. Assemble a team to go to Raven. Go to her. Hopefully get the Spring Maiden and maybe some help from her in securing the Relic in Atlas.”, Tai poured a small amount of cream into his cup, passing it to Yang.  “Okay.”, Yang took a long sip of her coffee. “What step can I punch my mom in the face?” “I’d say after we get done grabbing the Relic.”, Qrow says, at the same time Taiyang says a reprimanding, “Yang Xiao Long.” Everyone gives a small smile. Yang was… She was okay with going to see Raven. It was obviously important to the state of the world and ancient evil beings looking for all powerful trinkets across Remnant. So seeing her mother was inevitable.  Yang doesn’t want to see her. She doesn’t want Raven to look at her strength and say “that’s my girl”. Because Yang wasn’t hers. Summer Rose was her mother and Taiyang Xiao Long was her father and Ruby Rose was her sister. Raven could rot knowing she had nothing to do with how strong and how talented she was.  And Yang knows, if she says that she doesn’t want to go, one of the others would fill the gap. That her dad and uncle would be so painfully understanding. The bigger part of her though, wants to say Fuck You Mom, I’m so unaffected by you that I LET myself come on this mission just to treat you like any other stranger. Because that’s all you are.  No amount of past stories from her father, tales of a troubled and complex girl, would change that.  “Okay. As fun as this has been, I think I need an old man nap.”, Qrow stretches his arms behind his head.  “You just had coffee.”  “Yeah, and now I’m-”, A chime echoes out from Qrow’s scroll. “Huh.”  “What’s that about?”, Yang leans forward, flopping into the nest of pillows.  “My alarm for Ruby to text me. Kid’s late.”  “Maybe she slept in? It’s how early?”  “10AM.”  “Oh dang. We’ve been up for a while.”  Qrow tunes out as they talk about time and how it flies. Their shuffling to pick up the living room and redistribute the pillow and blanket hoard back to everyone’s rooms.  [10:01 am] Qrow Branwen: Catchin some extra zs or what kiddo [10:02 am] Qrow Branwen: I remember someone agreeing to text [10:02 am] Qrow Branwen: Answer in 15 if you dont wanna see a bird within the next hours For the next fourteen minutes, Qrow sits on the couch and stares at his scroll. Waiting for a message back. Tai has to physically stop him from leaving the moment his clock strikes ten-seventeen.  “I’m sure there’s a good explanation. Give it a little longer. Then you can go.”, His partner offers, patting him on the shoulder. Qrow knows the man is just as worried as he is. Tai was more of a father to Ruby than he had been. So if Tai wanted him to chill for a moment, then he would listen.  Time crawls by. The tension in the air is broken by a cup cracking and leaking onto one of the pillows. Other than that, nothing but silence in their house. He lays down on the couch, a throw over his head.  “Hey, Uncle Qrow?”, Yang’s tentative voice reached him.  “Yeah, firecracker?”  “Your phone is vibrating. Look like Jaune?”, Yang stares at the caller ID on her uncle’s phone. Listed as “Blond One”.  “Answer, put it on speaker.”, Qrow springs up, and his head hates him for it. Damn, getting old sucked.  She does as asked, sliding the answer and quickly tapping the speaker icon.  “ Oh, hey! I got through, Nora!”, Yep, that was Jaune clear as day.  “What’s up, kid? Why hasn’t Ruby texted? She break her scroll or something?”, He makes his way slowly over to Yang and his phone.  “ Ahha… Ha… Not exactly? ”, The nervous lilt to his voice was not a good sign. But he wasn’t sobbing or screaming. That’s a “better then it could be” sign.  “Then why are you calling me? Put her on the phone.”  
“It took awhile for the call to get out. We had to walk halfway back to the house…”
 “Not what I asked, kid. Put Ruby on or tell me why she suddenly lost her voice.”   “Um. So.”   “Spit it out. I’m starting to get impatient over here.”  “You’ve been impatient since your alarm went off.”, Yang coughed into her hand, ignoring her uncle’s glare.  
“Do you remember that woman? Uh, from Kuroyuri? Your uh… ”
 Well, this conversation could no longer go anywhere remotely good. Yang mouthed a “what” at him as she saw his expression turn from one of concern to raw anger.  “Was she there? What happened!?”, Qrow yelled into the receiver.  
“S-so, we had to fight this giant Grimm and Ruby got tossed around a bit and was down. But we beat it, it was really cool actually-”
 “Get to the point.” 
“While Ruby was down, s-she popped out of nowhere and took her through a red portal-thing. Oscar followed them though. Both of them disappeared with her.” 
 Qrow was very glad Yang was holding on to his scroll. Because he would have certainly shattered it. The NERVE of Raven! Where did his sister get off? Thinking she can do whatever she wants just because of some little idea she has? Hell fucking no. He was going to put her in her PLACE.  “ Qrow? ”, Jaune’s voice crackled out from the speaker. The signal was still extremely choppy. They must have been trying this entire time to get a call out.  “He’s seething at the moment. You two come back home. We know where she is. We were planning on going to Raven anyways after you got back.”, Yang answered in Qrow’s place. The man having taken to throwing his arms up and yelling obscenities about his sister. A train she’s totally down to get on after this phone call was over.  “ O-oh. Okay. We should be back before nightfall. See you, Yang.” , The call clicked off, showing Qrow’s background. A picture of herself and Ruby from childhood. Made her smile, Qrow really loved them more than anything.  “Well that didn’t sound great.”, Her dad, standing at the top of the stairs, looking from her to her uncle, still raving like a madman about how he was gonna kill Raven. (“I’m gonna kill her. I have to kill her! That fucking little bitch-”) “Yeah. I think we’re heading out sooner than planned.” “In that case… I think I’ll stay here. I don’t think I’m ready to see her just yet. I need time to think about what I want to say to her. If that’s okay with you, dragon. And if you don’t want to either, I’m sure your uncle can handle this.”, They both look over, watching Qrow angrily pull on a pair of slacks. “That’s fine, dad. I get it. I think… I think I need to do this. I know you’re worried, but I’m ready.”  “As long as you’re alright.”, Tai stepped down the stairs, drawing his daughter into a one-armed hug.  “I’ll be okay.” “Keep me updated though.”  “Now you sound like Qrow.” “Eugh.”  After a very short notice prep-time, Yang walked Bumblebee out of the street. While yes, it would probably be faster for Qrow just to fly, they agreed that the time would equal out due to a lack of sleep. Time was flexible.  They already had plans to travel as a team. Now, it was just a lighter duo.  Ren and her dad would stay at the house. Waiting for Jaune and Nora to return, while Qrow and herself would go to the Bandit Territory and get her sister. Also the Spring Maiden. Preferably after kicking her mom’s ass.  She was very pleased that Qrow was letting her drive. No more sitting behind her dad and his “safe driving” nonsense.  “Ready, firecracker?”, Both of them had packed in less than an hour, running on about four hours of sleep, and had a two day journey ahead of them.  “As I’ll ever be.”, Yang slid on her riding glasses, rev’ing her bike loudly. Hopefully the neighbors didn’t mind.  “You two be safe. Bring Ruby home safe.”, Tai held Zwei in his arms, and offered an uneasy smile. “And Oscar too, please.”, Ren added, giving a wave.  “We’ll be back before you know it.”, Qrow responded, stepping onto the back of the bike.  “Later!”, She kicked the stand, jetting off full throttle out to the road.  ... “And you’re sure this is the correct location?” “Right from the crows mouth.”, Arthur Watt’s huffed. His intellect, wasted away giving out directions to these ruffians. “Qrow Branwen hand delivered it to Lionheart.”  Four figures stood in a dark room. Postage for the city of Mistral visible from the ajar shudders on the windows. A few candles provide flickering light. As well as a blue glow from Watt’s computer.  “Are we going then?”, Mercury tossed a ball at the wall. He was lounging lazily, clearly bored not having any direct task. Succumbing to making his own entertainment. Which in this case was throwing a rubber ball at the wall, and missing purposefully to hit Emerald. She was so fun to rile up.  Emerald hissed at him, with a heated “stop that!”, not that he would. Even as she grabs the ball and throws it full force at his face. Easy enough to dodge, and doing so just pisses her off more.  Cinder paid no mind to her henchmen and their squabbling. Looking at the glowing white dot on their digital map. Eager to start getting this little show on the road.  “Raven Branwen. And the Spring Maiden. This sounds like fun.”  “At our liege's request, I'll be accompanying you on your little journey. Do take care to protect me. I’d rather not sully my hands for you lot.”  “We’ll do our very best, ‘Stache Man.”, Mercury offered. A nickname Arthur seemed to take great offense too. Which resulted in another useless pissing match between her crew and her co-operator.  “Enough squabbling.”, Cinder walked through their argument. Emerald, ever the loyal little girl was right behind her. Mimicking her reprimands to Mercury. “It’s time for us to go pay a birdie a visit.” ... Oscar shivered. He was hoping the cold at night would have been somewhat of an exaggeration. Something to scare him, or whatever bad guys did when they had the good guy in their clutches.  But no. It was actually just frigging fridged out. He could see his own breath, as he curled into the smallest, tightest ball he could. Focusing on the stories Ozpin was firing off. A clear attempt to distract him from his physical state.  “Oh God.”, Oscar perked up. The voice sounded… Familiar. But not anyone he knew. It was the nostalgic sensation he associated with feeling Oz’s memories. “Let me bring you a coat.” All he sees by the time he finally gets his chilled body to sit up is the tail end of long white hair.   “Well. I suppose odder things have happened.” , Ozpin radiated amusement.  “Do you know her…?”, He whispered, tucking his chin down to his chest and wrapping his arms over his torso.  
“I do. Though the last I saw or heard of this student was at my school. She was the definition of prim, a model student. I certainly wouldn’t have expected her to settle in with bandits.”
 “Is she a friend?” 
“She’s bringing you a jacket, is she not?”
 Oscar scoffed, quieting down as the girl strided into view. Her snowy hair and sky blue dress certainly set her apart from the other bandits he’d seen. Even the way she held herself, straight-backed and noble.  And upon closer inspection, he swears he’s seen her somewhere.  Her pale hands are on the latch to his cell, unlocking it swiftly and swinging the door open. “If you want to escape, you can. I don’t really care.”, After saying that, she ducks into the cell. “Are you okay if I put this around your shoulders?”  Unable to form words, Oscar just nods. Frozen fingers digging into the flesh of his upper arm. Ducking his head further as she draps a thick brown coat over his shoulders, followed by a shockingly soft grey blanket.  To his further surprise, she smiles at him and tightens the blanket into a small knot at his front. Like a budget superhero cape. “I used to do this for my little brother when we were little.”  Weiss looks the boy over. Nothing but a few scrapes and some light frostbite. He clearly could use more than just a coat and a blanket but she figured it would be best to make sure he wasn’t some psychopath before leading him out to Vernal and her’s (Vernal, who was never at their tent other than to bug her, so it was fine) tent.  She could deal with the ire of said woman tomorrow. It wasn’t like Weiss couldn’t handle some little kid. And she’d be damned to watch one that looked the same age as Whitley die out here in the cold. Scared and alone. Weiss wonders. They said after they found her that they didn’t do human trafficking often but-  “...Thank you.”, The boy pulls himself more into a ball, trying to lock in the newfound warmth.  “Of course. I can’t believe they would stick a kid in here and just leave you to freeze.”  “...I don’t think she knows I can’t project my aura...”, He mumbles, like he’s giving Raven an excuse to let him freeze. “But it is nice to be warm. You’re a lifesaver.”  “How did you end up here?” “They- One of the people here took my friend. And I wanted to make sure she was safe… So I followed along.” She rests a gentle hand on his shoulder. “Well, that was very brave of you. I hope your friend is okay.”, Weiss is sincerely glad he’s not a piece of some human trafficking ring. Just a boy with a protective nature. “Um. My name is Oscar. Oscar Pine. Really, thank you for bringing these to me.”, Oscar gives her a bright smile and Weiss decides at the moment there is no way this child is a threat to her safety or anyone elses. She needs to get him out of here. “My name is Weiss. A pleasure to meet you, Oscar.”, She omits her last name. But his eyes widened anyways.  “Weiss? Like, Weiss Schnee?”, He leans forward, looking at her closely. God damn, even in the middle of nowhere with bandit’s she can’t escape that name-  “Yes.”, The reply is stiff. She hopes the kid gets not to press the subject.  “So that's how I saw you.”, The kid speaks like he just put together the biggest puzzle of the century. “I thought you looked familiar.” “Well, I did do a lot of TV appearances when I was younger-”  “Oh no- Not like that. My friend showed me your guy’s team photo.”, So this was Ruby and Yang’s teammate. From the stories, Oscar had expected her to be much more… Well he doesn’t want to say tsundere…  “Your friend… Team photo.... Wait, what is your friend's name?” “Uh. Ruby. Ruby Rose.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

“Where is she.” Oscar tucked himself behind Weiss, like her tiny figure would shield him from harm. Though, even as short as she is, she’s still taller than him. It would be nice to get any sort of growth spurt in the near future.  Weiss’ hand was wrapped tight around his wrist. In such a way that reminded him of his Aunt. When a few kids from school started bullying him, Oscar did his best to hide it and she didn’t press him too hard about bruises. But after his backpack was stolen, she marched him down to the school and in front of the staff, started yelling at them. It was embarrassing, but now he can appreciate it as protectiveness.  Even if he had to start homeschooling the following week.  Weiss’ fury was a little different. Her voice was hard and level. Standing in the entrance at Raven’s tent. Vernal was grinning at her, a sharp nasty thing.  “You let the prisoner out.”, Raven states, sitting at her table, a warm cup of tea in front of her. “Where. Is. She.”  Vernal looks to her leader, then tilts her head toward Weiss and Oscar. In response, Raven offers a simple shrug.  “She’s in Raven’s bed. Banged her head real hard fighting that Lurchi Grimm.”, As soon as Vernal gave her what she wanted, Weiss walked further into Raven’s dwelling without another word. Oscar still trailing behind, ducking his head and following obediently. And there she was. Looking better than she had on the forest floor before Raven showed up. Ruby laid still on the bed. The sea of scarlet and black comforters and blankets fit her perfectly. Her face was free of lines, sleeping peacefully, like this was her own bed at home in Patch.  The head wound had been bandaged neatly and her hair cleaned of blood and mats. It was still damp at the ends. Oscar would have to offer his thanks to Raven for taking care of her. Well, it was the bandits could do, considering they had kidnapped her.  “Ruby…”, Weiss let go of his arm, and Oscar rubbed his wrist on instinct. Smiling softly as Weiss slowly approached her teammate. It probably wasn’t the reunion she wanted, or expected, but they were here now. “They didn’t have anything to do with this, right?”  “O-oh. Uh no. We were fighting a big Grimm on a mission.”, Oscar is glad he doesn’t have to say ‘yes, Raven did this’, because he’s in full confidence Weiss would rain hell upon this settlement. “Ruby went down at the end of the battle due to an accident. That lady came afterwards.”  “Good.”, Weiss settles down in a chair beside the bed, gently pushing a strand of hair out of Ruby’s face. “...It’s been so long.”  Her voice is wistful, and her posture is relaxing. Unwinding into a slouch.  As if just being near her old partner, someone familiar, put her at ease. Oscar can understand. Ruby has the effect on people.  “I’m glad they took care of her wounds. I think Qrow would have blown this place up otherwise.”, Oscar chuckles, pulling a spare chair to the otherside of Ruby. His fingers have regained feeling, though he isn’t quite confident enough to take off the coat Weiss granted him.  “Ruby’s uncle? Are you all traveling together?”  “Yeah. Us, and a few others. Other classmates of yours. There’s Jaune, Ren, Nora. Oh, Yang and her dad.”, He’ll leave ‘and your old headmaster, but he’s me’ out of the conversation for now.   “That’s for the best.” , Ozpin quietly agrees.  “I’m glad. That she wasn’t alone all this time. I mean, I know she has Yang but-”  ‘After the Fall, you didn’t know what anyone was going through.”  “...Yeah.”  “Sorry. Ruby told me a lot about you. And your other teammate uhhh Blake? Yeah, Blake.”  “Oscar.” “Yes?”, He doesn’t know when he started fiddling with one of the tassels on a blanket, but it’s nice to keep his hands busy.  “Can I ask what you all are doing out here? Doing missions in Mistral, everyone together?”, She was curious. She hasn’t ever seen this boy before, she’s sure of it. While he does have a sort of… Familiar effect… Weiss can’t place her finger on it. He’s out of place in this picture.  Weiss assumed everyone would be in Vale, recovering and rebuilding. Their teams suffering from the losses of Penny and Pyrrha… Yang had been crippled during the battle. Having her arm cut clean off. How was she fairing on missions now? Traveling all the way to Mistral? Oscar hadn’t mentioned Blake traveling with them. Where was she?  How were the remains of team JNPR, without Pyrrha. God she hasn’t even seen them since her passing.  She received the news secondhand as her father ushered her into the plane. Weiss grieved alone in her room for days. Her father told her to get over it, that “So many died, I’m shocked more of your friends didn’t. You should feel lucky it was just those two girls.” Weiss is jealous. That Oscar got to hear stories of Team RWBY. Weiss never had anyone to talk to about her friends. Not up in Atlas or here. Raven didn’t want to hear about her own daughter.  “I… I don’t know if I can tell you that just yet.”, His answer is reluctant. He’d like to spill the beans right now. Weiss seems kind and she genuinely loves her friends. He can see her as a perfect fit in their group. Oscar likes her, she didn’t let him freeze to death and she’s friends with Ruby. That’s two A+’s in his book.  Also probably not the most mature way of thinking. But he’s fourteen so he gets a pass.  
“Wait until you are somewhere safe. Something tells me we will not be leaving without Ms. Schnee.” 
 “Oh.”, She responds. Like she hadn’t expected Oscar to withhold information.  “N-not like in a ‘I don’t trust you way’. I just think Qrow or… Someone else could explain it better? I’m kind of new at this.”  “I can accept that. For now.”, He’s not sure why that sounded vaguely threatening.  The curtain into Raven’s room opens. Behind it is the woman herself. Weiss glares at her, while Oscar leans further over Ruby.  “Looks like you guys have gotten cozy.”, Raven leans against a post, arms crossed.  “I can’t believe you kidnapped my teammate.” “Life’s got a lot of coincidences. For better or for worse.”  “What do you want with her?”  “Yeesh, you kids are all so paranoid. I just want to have a little chat with her. One that Qrow would have stopped me from having.”  “Then you shouldn’t be having it.”, Oscar mutters, but everyone hears him anyway. “Uh- Ma’am.”  
“Oh? I’m not so sure I enjoy the implications of that.”
 “If he wants to risk the rest of the world being over-protective then I couldn’t give any less of a shit. I want to give her an offer.”  “. ..I don’t enjoy them. ”, Ozpin had long suspected Raven’s involvement in a certain incident, but even she played blind to Qrow’s questions and proddings from those days. The ‘world’ piece of that statement sits heavy in his mind. He hopes he’s wrong.  “Like the offer you gave me?”, Oscar envies Weiss' ability to keep her voice level. Maybe he’d ask for charisma lessons after… All of this.  “Come get me when she comes too. Then we’ll have some company later.”, Raven leaves with grace, fabrics and feathers fluttering behind her as she vanished out of the room.  “Honestly? I can’t stand that woman sometimes.”, Weiss signs, leaning forward onto the bed, resting her forehead on the sheets.  “I can understand why.” “So, you can’t tell me what you guys are doing. Am I right?”  “Y-yeah. Sorry.”  “That means, whatever it is, it’s important?”  Oscar nods, following suit and laying his head down on the bed.  “Okay.”  “Okay?”  “It’s so not fair that Raven gets sheets like this and I’m stuck with dirty animal furs.”  “The blanket you gave me earlier was pretty soft?”  “I took it from Vernal’s bunk.”  ... The ride to Bandit Territory wasn’t without its bumps. Gas stations were few and far between, and even less of them actually had any gas. Qrow finds it suspiciously lucky that they found one before running out of fuel for the third time.  He’s almost happy they had to walk a bit. Being on the bike for so long hurt his ass. They had been nonstop from the house to here. No sleep, no breaks. Qrow misses the days where he had Yang’s energy.  They’re close now. He can feel the nearing presence of his sister like it was a terrible omen. All he can think about is how much he wants to break her God-damned jaw. How dare she take Ruby? Did she really think Ruby would just drop everything and say “fuck it, lets use my silver eyes mystical powers to protect this group of bandit’s lead by the woman who abandoned my sister?” Was his sister that deranged, or desperate?  Or did she want something else? The gas pump clicks. Bumblebee’s gauge springs happily back to F.  What was taking Yang so long? She was going in to get some drinks for them, not rob the place. He didn’t imagine a backwoods place like this would have a problem with her grabbing a small bottle for him. Did he have to go in?  He takes a single step towards the entrance to the station before the door is rattled off the hinges. A man sprawled out in the middle of the concrete with a bruise on his face and blood running down his chin.  “Yang? You okay, firecracker?”, Qrow stands over the man, and looks into the building.  “Fine, Uncle Qrow. On my way!”, Comes out his niece’s cheery voice.  A bottle of water in one hand and his whiskey in another. “He said they’re free.”  “Did you rob the place?”  “Nah, just some pest control.”  “You’re better than all of us, kiddo.”  “Oh, I know.”  “Come on, we can make it by afternoon if we keep going!”, Yang hops over her victim and trots over to bike. Settling onto the seat and starting her up.  “Here we go.” ... “...So Nora just launched it? With Ruby still on it?”, Weiss leaned forward, elbows making impressions in the mattress. “Didn’t she realize how dangerous that was?”  “She was in the moment. It was pretty cool though, watching Ruby unload round after round into that monster’s face. Nora is so powerful too.”  “Looks like nothing has changed there.”, She smiled, leaning back with her eyes closed. “Did she ever tell you about the Grimm battle we had during initiation?”  “Yeah, she did. But it involved a lot of hand moving and action figures.” “Sounds about right.” “Mffmff.”, Ruby groans, and the two watching her snap to attention.  “Ruby!”, Oscar could cry, hearing the sound of her voice.  “Oscar… Man I must have hit my head really hard. I thought I heard Weiss.”  “You did hear me.”, Weiss smiles, leaning back in her chair and watching her partner blink.  “Oh no, I didn’t just hit my head. I died.”  “You didn’t die, idiot. I’m here.”  “WEISS!”, Ruby darted up from laying down, throwing herself into the woman. Ignorant of the chair falling back from the impact. “How? What?”  “You were kidnapped by the same bandits that found me after my plane crashed during my ‘running away from home’ moment. Now get up. You’re crushing me.”  “Okay. But how did I really get here?”, Ruby does not get off of Weiss. She knows Weiss appreciates her enthusiasm.  “I know it sounds super weird, but that’s actually what happened.”, Oscar confirms, rubbing the back of his neck.  “We’re in the custody of Raven Branwen and her tribe.”  “Uncle Qrow’s sister?!”, Ruby gripped the sheets that were still wrapped around her. “After you and Nora took out the Grimm, she showed up and took you here. I followed.”  “This is a loooot to wake up to. I was sleeping so good too.”, Ruby pouts, rubbing at her temples. “Oh, Weiss, this is Oscar. Oscar, this is my teammate I told you about!”  “We’ve already been acquainted, Ruby.”, Weiss pushes said girl up and back into Raven’s bed. Once artfully arranged covers are now a messy ball of fabric thrown around Ruby’s body. The bandages on her head were a reminder that she was injured, so she should still be resting. “And I missed it?” “She saved me from freezing to death outside.”, Oscar picks at the stray threads of his (Raven’s) chair, smiling nervously. “She made me a blanket cape!” “There’s so much to unpack here.”, Ruby flops back against the pillows with a whumf .  “Yep.”, Oscar and Weiss say in sync.  “Wait! Are we all kidnapped right now?!”, And she’s leaning forward again. It was making Weiss motion sick. “I’ve been living here for a while, but I can still count as kidnapped. Since my life was threatened if I leave. But the training has been valuable.” “I was in a cage.”  “All kidnapped by Yang’s mom. This sucks.”  “Raven seems to want to talk with you. A proposal of sorts by the sound of it.”, Weiss picked the chair up off of the ground and dusted it off before settling back into it.  “Me…? Why?”  “She said Qrow wouldn’t let her. Or be happy about it.” , He wondered what was important to Raven that led to this.  “Well DUH. She kidnapped us! Uncle Qrow is gonna be so mad at her.”, Crossing her arm over her chest, she looks at Weiss. “Not to mention how Yang will react. She’s gonna blow up so much stuff. Oh God- My DAD. He’s gonna FLIP! Then they’re never gonna let me go on a mission again.”, Ruby pouts.  “When I followed Raven through her portal, she mentioned something about not having much time until Qrow got here. So he’s probably one his way.”  “Does uh… Did y’know say anything? ...Ack that’s going to be so hard to explain.”  “Yeah… I thought we should… Leave that part to Qrow and him so I didn’t say anything. Raven doesn’t know either.” , Oscar rubs the back of his neck. “He said wait.”  “I’m still here, you know.”, Weiss deadpans.  “Oh man, you’re in for a wild ride.”, Ruby places a sympathetic hand on Weiss’ shoulder. “Have fun with the infodump when my family comes to pick us up.” “What’s that supposed to mean?!”  “It was a lot for me too.”, Oscar nods, sagelike.  “I’m concerned.”  “How kind of you to get me when she awoke. Like I told you too.”, All three of them startled at the sudden presence of Raven Branwen inviting herself in. Which, to be fair, this was her room. “Slipped my mind.”, Weiss shrugs.  “You’re lucky I’ve been letting all this bad behavior slide, Schnee.”, Raven sneers, taking a full step into the room. Her heel clicking against the wooden flooring.  “Raven…”, Ruby stares openly. She looks so much like Yang, or Yang looks so much like her. Despite being twins, she couldn’t spot a lot of Qrow in her.  “Sleep well, kid?”, She moves to stand by the chair Oscar is in. The boy tenses, drawing his knees up.  “Yes.”, Ruby doesn’t like her. Most of her life, she’d given everyone second chance after second chance. Everyone deserves some kindness in their lives. “Thank you.” And here was Raven Branwen. Well and standing, yet, Yang still knew nothing about her. She could have seen her daughter at any time. Calmed her fears and anxieties. But no. She didn’t.  Wasting her second chances with every day spent avoiding Yang.  “Schnee, other brat. Out front.”, It was an order. “What- no. I just get to see-”  “She’s not disappearing. Get out before you’re removed.”, Now that was a threat.  Weiss wears a fiery expression as she stiffly raised out of the chair. Grabbing Oscar by the wrist again and stomping out. “We’ll be back, Ruby.”  “See you, Weiss. Oscar. Thank you.”, She smiles at them, offering a little wave while they disappear behind the curtains. Then she steels her features, leveling at Raven. “What do you want from me.”  “Straight to the point. I like it. Your… Aha- uncle beats around the bush. Like it’s a little game .”  “Can you just tell me? I’d like to go home to my family.”  “And what if I said there was a way you could protect your precious little family from dying uselessly?”, Raven slides down into the chair. “The world from falling to ruin, even. You like that hero stuff, right?”  “What are you talking about?”, Ruby is suspicious now. Raven doesn’t come off as a save-the-world type.  “I’m sure Qrow spilt all the beans about what it means to have Silver Eyes.”  “He said we were powerful warriors. And I know what I’ve done with them.”  “The strongest of Huntsmen and Huntresses. Even with all my training, there was one I could never surpass. She had Silver Eyes too.”  “What does that have to do with me ?”  “Eyes of Light that can take Grimm down with a glare. You’re naive to think that sort of trait wouldn’t catch a lot of attention. The world is not full of your kind for a reason.”  “Because we’re a threat to the Grimm?”, Ruby wasn’t stupid, but it was hard to keep up with Raven’s drift.  “You’re the only real threat.”, Raven leans back, peering at Ruby. She was like a little clone of Summer. Small and full of life. Headstrong and bright. “I don’t even know how to use them yet.”, It came out as a frustrated huff. It wasn’t for a lack of trying. Hours staring and focusing for her magical light powers or whatever. Only to get no results.  “You can learn.”  “Can you teach me? Is that what this is about?” “No, we can’t. Not a lot is known about your kind. You’ll come into your abilities with time on the field.”, Raven crossed her legs, examining Ruby.  “Then why did you kidnap me?!”, Ruby balled her fists, glaring at the older woman.  “You’re aware of the Grimm’s master?”  “Salem.”  “Salem. At least Qrow told you that much. Him and his goody gang.”, Raven’s tone was dripping with disgust.  “Don’t talk bad about them if you want me to keep listening.”, Ruby considered herself kind, but she wasn’t going to lay here and listen to Raven talk poorly of the people she loved. “The Light of the Silver Eyes is the only thing that vanquishes Darkness of Grimm.”, She brushes past the warning. “Salem is the core of that darkness.”  “You think my eyes can defeat her?”, It was an honest question. “Me?” “I think that’s the only thing that can, at this point. You can’t vaporize her like a lesser Grimm, but you can knock her down to our level.”  “So what do I do? Walk to the evil people's lair and challenge her to a staring contest?” “Ugh, you’re definitely Qrow’s.”, Raven rubs her eyes. “...Salem is a threat to my Tribe.”  “So why don’t you do the classic bad guy thing and trade your humanity to save yourselves?”, It wasn’t phrased like a protest, rather, like a joke.  “Salem wouldn’t uphold it. There are countless she’s slain after giving promises of grandeur.”  “I still don’t understand what you want me to do.” “I want you to hone your eyes and take her out regardless of your pointless quest to stop her otherwise.” “What makes you think we can’t?”  “Because this was your mother’s idea I’m sharing. She failed, obviously. Summer was too rash and eager for it all to stop. The risk of your death is still high, if you do it, but I know where she failed. Summer’s downfall was in her secrecy. No one to help finish off the weakened Salem.”  “Wait- What ?”  “My Lady?”, A nameless grunt walks into the room. Ruby is reeling. Her mom?  “Yes?”, Raven snaps, turning away from Qrow’s kin and to the bedroom entrance. “This better be important.”  “Qrow and a young woman are out front.”, The grunt speaks like there’s a gun to their head. “They’ve defeated many of our men. The girl threatened to, and I’m saying exactly what she claimed, ‘burn this motherfucker down’ if Ruby Rose and Oscar Pine weren't brought out unharmed within the next ten second.”  Raven sighs. “Party’s over. That was fast.”  “You said that was my mom’s idea? What did you mean?”, Ruby twists, legs dangling off the side of the bed. Her head throbs.  “Exactly what you think it means. Will you waste time looking for an answer to a problem with none? Or will you hone your skills and protect the world?”, She stands, slipping on her Grimm mask and leaving the room. “You know they won’t let you go. I’ll help you finish Salem.” “...”, Ruby looks down at her hands, her white knuckle grip on the comforter. What did she mean? A problem with no answers? Her mother’s idea? She failed...? Raven was probably wrong. This didn’t sound right… But what if she wasn’t?   Raven spared one last look at her room, ignoring the shuffling of their Schnee and the tag along rushing back into the room. She’d have to do something about Weiss. Even with the noise beyond her tent, the girl waited here for her friend.  Outside, her tent was a mess. Apparently Yang had meant the ten second because in the time it took Raven to walk outside, there were already a few small blazes scattered around the territory. Her men scattered around the dirt, defeated. All Raven hope for was the seed of thought in Summer’s daughter’s head. The kid was smart like her mother, and stubborn. In the end, she would choose the right choice. “Not the way I imagined coming home.”, Raven huffs, watching as Yang punches one of her bandits square in the face.  “Mom.”, Yang spits onto the ground.  “Raven.”, Qrow’s tone mirrors her daughter’s.  The bandits are shouting from the sidelines. Traitor, deserter, coward. She would have to be strict with them after this. The ire of letting Qrow step foot onto their base and leave alive was nearly unforgivable. A shame they didn’t understand how she had to play this chess game.  At least Vernal knew better, standing at the bottom step with hand on hip, watching this scene play out with interest.  “Where’s Ruby and Oscar?”, Yang settles back into her fighting stance as the outer ring of fighters takes the place of the defeated ones. “Stand down.”, Raven orders, and as predicted, they look furious. But they obey. Good children. “Not even a hug for your mother, Yang?”  “You’re not my mother.”, Even through years of conditioning, it still stings. Her own flesh, viewing her as a lesser. Taking the highroad with her foolish uncle.  “Tough. I can appreciate that. Not strong enough to look without your family though.”, Raven needed to be on her best behaviour. By the looks of Qrow’s stormy face and Yang's attitude, they meant business.  “I don't give a damn what you think. I’m here for Ruby and Oscar. Not for you.” “The little Rose is resting inside. She did bang her head pretty hard. You can see her if you want.”, Raven takes a step to the side, inviting them to walk up the steps and into her tent.  Yang doesn’t waste a second, striding up the stairs and offering nothing to her mom. Ruby was her sole motivator. While the temptation to shove Raven to the side was tempting, she didn’t. Throwing the entrance open and charging inside.  Qrow watches his niece disappear into the tent. Hearing a shocked “WEISS!? ” echo out followed by a slight commotion. He takes his own steps forward, slowly, measured and confident to show the lowly bandit’s that he was out of their league.  “Welcome home, brother.”, Raven smiles, fake and wide. He can hear her little henchmen snicker at the tone.  “I don’t know what you’re thinking, but you better stop it right now.”, Qrow hisses, standing beside his sister. “Touch any of my kids again and you’ll have hell to pay.”  “Just wanted to meet my niece. Could you blame me? You get to spend so much time with Yang.”  “Like you’re a wonderful mother to her.”  “At least she knows who I am.”  Qrow stomps his way in, leaving Raven outside to talk with her bandit’s.  The main living area is clear, the kid’s must have moved into the bedroom.  “So my mom kidnapped THREE people I know?”, Yang is sitting on Raven’s bed, at the end, keeping one eye on Ruby. She’s got her boots on the duvet. Bonus points for pettiness.  “We’ll have to start a list to keep track.”, Weiss grins softly, sitting back to back with Yang on the bed. Her expression is calm, her eyes closed, despite the ridiculousness of the situation.  “Uncle Qrow!”, Ruby is smiling at him, having seen him in the entryway. Something is off. Seeing the bandages on her head and stuck to her cheek was a painful punch to the gut. Even so, his kid seems subdued. Raven said something to her.  “Hey, kid.”, Qrow will handle it later. When all the kids are safe at home. “Couldn’t stay out of trouble, huh?”  “Psh. Not my fault. Trouble finds me.”, Ruby crosses her arms over her chest.  “Yeah yeah. I know how much you like to give Tai and I heart attacks.”, He snorts at her indignant shout. “Oscar, you doing okay?” “As well as I can be. Ha aha…”, Oscar pushes the spot in his shirt where the cane has been hidden. It’s digging into his skin. “Can we go home?”  “That’s the plan. Raven doesn’t have any say in it.”  “But!”, Yang adds. “We have some negotiating to do here too. Raven has Spring and we need her to protect the Relic.”  “The what now?”, Oh man, Weiss was not looking forward to learning all of this.  “Short version? Maiden’s are super powerful magic young ladies who can open secret doors with even more powerful stuff behind them.”, Ruby’s explanation would do in a pinch.  “I promise there is a lot more to it.”, Oscar patches.  “What kind of mess are you guys involved in?”, Her plea goes unanswered.  “Did you kids find out anything about who she might be?”  Oscar and Ruby look at one another, then to Weiss. She’s been living here after all. Said bandit resident puts her hand on her chin. Powerful women? There was only Raven and Vernal who truly fit that bill. Raven was older and Ruby said young... “It has to be Vernal. They don't talk about anything like that near me, but Vernal never leaves Raven’s side. Everyone else I’ve met seems disposable.”  “By the sounds of it, this Vernal seems pretty loyal to the Branwen Tribe.”, God, please let his sister cooperate for once.  “More like loyal to Raven.”, Weiss offers. “There’s no convincing Vernal without her.” “So we’ll have to get my sister to work with us.”  “Or we can just kidnap her. Show Raven how it feels?”, Yang punches a fist into her hand. “I do not want to spend another second near that woman.”, Weiss huffs.  She can’t count how many dead rats have been placed on her bunk while sleeping because Vernal liked to see her get mad. Or whenever she used Weiss’ light-colored clothes as rags to wipe sweat and dirt from her brow.  “No. Raven wanted my attention. That’s why she’s doing-”, Qrow gestures wide around the kids. “-This.” “So are you gonna talk to her? Alone?”, Ruby tensed. Something was really wrong about that.  “Nothing about her I can’t handle, kiddo. Don’t you worry.”, Qrow rolled his shoulders, nodding towards the entrance. “You wait here. I’ll be right back.”  He could hear the silence following him leaving the room. They probably wanted to eavesdrop. Nosy brats.  Qrow is almost to the entrance of the tent when a hand is on his face, shoving him back inside. “Hey what-” “Shut up.”, It was Vernal, the Spring Maiden in question. “Just the person I wanted to-”, Her hand is over his mouth.  “I said shut up. Listen carefully.”, Vernal hushes him again, pushing him away from the tent opening and off to the side.  “Vernal!”, His sister’s voice echoed around inside. The Spring Maiden makes a ‘stay’ hand motion at him before walking outside.  He can roll with whatever’s happening. Raven had plans, and Qrow needed to find those plans out. She wanted to talk to Ruby alone, but she wanted Qrow to come get her.  There’s a small gap in the fabrics. Just one tear where the translucent waterproof sheet provides a glance at the outside world. Showing the grounds in a distorted shade of grey.  And oh fuck- “ --Prove it. ”, Qrow can hear the voice of Cinder Fall. He lets out a laugh at the eyepatch and limp arm. Ruby sure did a number on her at the tower, somehow. There’s a lightning strike in the center of the camp. So Raven’s right hand was it. The girl they needed. Did the original Maiden he knew perish? Vernal didn’t look like her at all.  His sister and Cinder have a brief exchange. Qrow doubts with all of his kids and himself, plus Raven and her Maiden, that Salem’s faction had any chance. It’s taking what little faith he has in his sister to not put a bullet in that one-eyed head.  “ --Means to an end. Salem's true desires are the relics locked inside the huntsman academies. Come with us. ”, He’s known Salem to have an intelligence person before, but it was helpful to have a face to match the blank spot on the whiteboard. “Allow Vernal here to unlock the Relic of Knowledge, and all previous acts of defiance against Salem will be forgiven. It's the best deal either of you are going to get.  He feels just the smallest bit bad that he came to Raven with the exact same motivations as her.   “ You talk as if walking into Haven’s academy will be simple. ”, What was his sister’s game? Why was he listening to this?  “That's because it will be. Headmaster Lionheart is loyal to Salem. And now, all we need is the key to the vault.” , So his worries were not unfounded. Lionheart was no longer on their side. The coward .  “You're not the only one to turn your back against Oz, Raven.”  Raven protests, but gains no ground. They know what they want.  
“--In two days time, Haven Academy will fall victim to a White Fang attack. We demand cooperation now.” 
 Two days?! Two days to come up with a game plan for getting the Relic out of Haven. They had more men, smarter fighters than average. He needs to find our Raven’s plans quickly. “ --I want my brother dead.” , Raven’s voice was serious. But yet. That statement gives Qrow hope. She wouldn’t make this entire little charade to warn him. She was up to something.  “ Qrow? ”, Cinder looks shocked, like she didn’t expect Raven to have the gall to kill her own brother. He keeps listening. Exchanges about how much he bothered his sister, which was unfounded. Qrow tried to keep as far away from Raven as he could.  Cinder’s vengeance for his daughter was unnerving. A threat that needed to be cut out as quickly as possible.  “ - Then we wait. We wait until the full moon. Leo invites Qrow and his little fighters to Haven the same night Hazel and Adam arrive with the White Fang. As soon as the battle is won, the White Fang demolishes Haven and any evidence we may have left behind is lost along with the school.”  Okay. Okay. Okay. The full moon. That was better than two days. They could make that work.  He had a role in this. Keep Lionheart from knowing that they know. Play dumb. Get his kids ready. Having Tai would help. A close-combat master. Ruby needed help with that. A consequence of her ditching his training to come play with scythe parts… Himself, a swordplay master and scythe master.  Plus Ozpin. Countless lives in various trades. Master of literally everything.  “ Then Salem leaves my tribe alone, for good. ”, Raven adds. He doubts the intelligence of Salem’s crew. Believing his sister’s bad acting. She’s not stupid enough to think she could cut a deal with that devil.  “ You have yourself a deal.” , Cinder and Raven shake hands. It’s awkward. Salem’s faction leaves, the intelligence guy seems to be scolding Cinder, who in turn pays him no mind. Brushing him off and walking out of the encampment. Her two little lap dogs jogging behind her.  His sister stands there, watching them leave. He realizes Vernal isn’t there anymore. He didn’t even notice her slip away. After the shadows of their enemy fade, Raven turns heel and walks back into her tent. Posture slacking as soon as she passes the threshold of her dwelling. “Get all that?”, Raven smirks at him, settling down on one of her cushions. Looking very self-satisfied.  “Most of it. What the fuck are you doing , Rae?”, Qrow gets out of the corner and sits across his sister.  “Solving problems. Unlike Oz and you walking around aimlessly, I’m actually thinking.”  “By the sounds of it, you just made fifty more problems.”  “They were going to attack Haven either way. I bought extra time by needing to get ‘rid’ of you. And that way they don’t suspect that we’re working together.” “Oh, is that what we’re doing? Working together? What’s with the sudden change of heart?”  “I’m not helping you . To be fair, if they kill you, I really couldn’t care less.”, Raven pours a cup of cold tea. Vernal wasn’t here to heat it up like usual, but some tea was better than no tea. “I’m doing this to protect us.”  “Ah, the royal Us.”  “Don’t be a smartass.” “What did you tell Ruby?”  “None of your business.”, Raven takes a sip of her tea. “I’ll be counting on you to figure out how to distract the White Fang and Cinder’s stragglers while Vernal and I take care of her at the vault.” “Don’t brush me- Wait. How are you going to fight her?” “You obviously know or else you would have left with the kid right away. We have the manpower to take down that Maiden. Just look at how much damage that Rose did to her. And as much as I’m loathed to do so, I’ll be relying on you to transfer the Relic to the next vault. I don’t want Salem hunting for Spring anymore. Moving it is our best bet.” “So it’s just convenient for you to have us take the Relic to Atlas?” “I wouldn’t be doing any of this if it didn’t help us.” “This is a lot to bank on one night. I’ll have to bring everyone up to speed. It’ll have to go perfect.”  “You have until the full moon to figure out your part. I’ll meet with you the night before to ensure everything works.” “Don’t think I’ve forgotten that you kidnapped my kid. I want to know what you said to her.” “Aunt secret. I wouldn’t prod too much. I might just end up forgetting to help you out.”  “I’ll find out. And if I don’t like it, you’ll have hell to pay.”  “I’m sure. Will you leave with your children quietly or will I have to kick you out? My men and  I have to move camp because of all this.”  “How about you portal us?”  “To where? Patch?”, Raven scoffs.  “No. Tai is with us. In Mistral.” Raven didn’t say anything. . After the tense exchange with his sister, Qrow is pleased to have some comic relief. Seeing a train of children try to all sit on Bumblebee was a welcomed sight.  Yang had the front, pushed all the way into the handle bars. Weiss held on to her, who was being held onto by Ruby, who was being held onto by Oscar. The boy squeezing for dear life as he kept slipping off the back.  “They’re all as stupid as you.”, Raven comments, getting ready to draw Omen and cut a portal for them. He didn’t tell them what he heard yet. He would wait to be back with Tai and the others before dumping that hot garbage all over their unit.  “They’re having fun. I’m glad to see it. After everything they’ve been through.”  They all topple off the bike in a pile of laughter, narrowly avoiding getting crushed by it.  “Whatever.” Raven strides away from her brother. “Schnee!”  Everyone stops laughing, looking to Raven with mixed negative expressions. Even so, Weiss stands, dusts herself off, and walks straight-backed towards the woman regarded as her leader.  “I am allowing you to leave for a purpose.”, Her voice is a harsh whisper. “Allowing me? I was going to leave regardless.”, Weiss crosses her arms, looking up at Raven.  “Watch my brother. I’ll ask for a report.”  “Okay?”  “So long as you understand that this is an order. We can always call home to daddy and leave you for them.”  “I’m not going to spy on him-” “I said watch him. You don’t need to follow him into the bathroom.”  “I’m suspicious.”  “Or you can stay here and bunk with Vernal. She has a penchant for animal skulls and I know how she loves to share them with you.” “Ugh.”  “Tell them to be ready to leave. I’ll open the way.”, Raven didn’t let on just how much she didn’t want to open her bond with Taiyang. Stalling for seconds,  fearing a flash of blond peaking through on the other side. “Whatever.”, Weiss trots back to her little friends. They question her but she just shrugs it off. Smart. Already off to a good start. Raven quickly draws her sword. A wide red arch into one of her portals. Casting the backlot in a dangerous shade of red. “Single file, ducklings.” Yang is the first to go, glaring at Raven the entire walk through. There’s so much she wants to say to her. Mostly swears. Qrow promised a punch in the face, so hopefully she’d at least have that. She can wait. Not too long, though.  Weiss tails after, accustomed to it. Raven used this paired with Vernal often. The sensation was similar to a split second on a carnival ride, like a sudden whoosh and the sensation of your stomach being dropped, then everything is okay again.  Oscar went after Weiss. Looking at Ruby before taking his place in line, wanting to wait for her. Only for Qrow to shoo him forward. So he listened. It took everything for him to beatdown the urge to grab the back of Weiss’ shirt like a grade schooler. Considering the last time he went through this portal, it was by tackling his way to it and then immediately getting a knife to his neck, he’s permitted some anxieties. The memories weren’t great.  Qrow and Ruby stand in the field. “Uhhh… Uncle Qrow, can- can you go ahead of me?”  “Scared? It’s okay, kiddo. I’ve done this plenty of time. Just feels weird at first.”  “I’m not scared, I just want to go last.”  “What’s up?” “Nothing! Please, uncle Qrow?” He’s reluctant. He doesn’t want her to disappear with Raven for a second time. But those wide silver eyes are pleading with him. Qrow doesn’t have the willpower to say no. Even with the bandages parting her hair and covering her cheek. This has something to do with what Raven said to her. Ruby would tell him when she was ready.  
Right?
 “Okay okay. You better be right behind me though. Or I might actually kill my sister.”, Raven snorts, as condescending as a snort can sound.  “Noted!”, She beams at him and he gives his own soft smile in return. Then walks through the portal.  “Thinking about what I said?”, Raven waits until she’s sure Qrow can no longer hear her.  “You said you would help me defeat Salem when I learned to use my eyes. Does that mean you know where to find Salem?”, Ruby doesn’t face her. She stares forward to the red vortex before her.  “I do.”  “That’s all I wanted to know. Thank you.”, And she steps in. Their Mistral home is a rush of noise. Bumblebee on top of the shatter glass that was their table. Jaune was giving Weiss a soft hug, in great contrast to Oscar who was being crushed to death by Nora. Qrow plopped down on the couch the second she walked through, looking exhausted.  Yang looked the same, laying on the floor beside her bike. “I can’t believe I haven’t slept in like two days.”  “You guys didn’t even sleep?!”, Tai scolds them, making his way over to Ruby and giving her a hug. “Well, I’m glad to have you out of that situation as quickly as possible. But your uncle and sister should take better care of themselves.”  “It wasn’t so bad. I just stayed in bed.”  “Not so bad for you! You slept in nice sheets, they even washed your hair.”, Weiss responded, a good-natured lilt to her voice. “I woke up to dead mice in my bed this morning from Vernal. I had to save poor Oscar for hypothermia.”  “Thank you for that.”, He kicks his legs, trying to get Nora to loosen her hold on him.  “I have way too much shit to tell everyone.”, Qrow groans. “But I’m way too tired for it.”  “How about we let all of you get some rest. Weiss, yeah? I’m sure you’d like to catch up with your friends.”, Tai, ever the father, delegates the situation. “I’ll make some dinner. Ren, could you help me get the glass cleaned up? Everyone go get cleaned up. We can talk in the morning.”  “I love you, Tai.”, Qrow declares.  “That’s nice.”  . Dinner is a chaotic affair of teenagers yelling, all of which consumed food at a dangerous rate. Yang’s wet hair drips a puddle onto the wood flooring, Nora is stealing bites from everyone's plates, and they’re talking over one another.  Weiss tells some of her stories about living with the bandits, which are met with ‘ohs’ and ‘aws’. It’s still hard to believe Weiss “Ojo-sama” Schnee lived in the woods. Hunting for game, stripping pelts and engaged in light looting. Everyone dotes over Oscar and he burns red under the praise. Taiyang thanks him in earnest for looking after Ruby. Qrow and Yang ruffle his hair and tell him how brave it was that he dived through the portal and tackled Raven Branwen to the ground. (Yang expresses her jealousy.) Ruby gets upset that she missed his ‘cool moment’.  Even as he tries to throw the idea credit to Ozpin, they still express gratitude. Oz himself even says that he had no control over Oscar’s body at that moment. The momentum was all his own.  Ruby shrugs off any questions directed her way, under Qrow’s critical eye. She was asleep most of the time anyways. Having taken a good bonk on the head. The headache has finally ebbed away and she can enjoy her spicy noodles free of pain. “Thank you for dinner, dad!”, She slurps up a mouthful from her bowl. “Ish delishous!” “Seriously. I haven’t had good food in so long.”, Weiss, also having a bowl of hot noodles with significantly less hot oil than Ruby dumped into hers. “Thank you, sir.” This earns a hail of “thank you, sirs’ from the pack of youths.  “None of that ‘sir’ stuff. You kids can just call me Tai. I’m just glad you’re all safe. Eat as much as you’d like! I got a bunch of groceries.” “It’s soooo good! You should open up a restaurant!”, Nora says, mouth full. “Mr. Xiao Long is a great cook. He let me know a few tricks while you guys were out.”, Ren smiles, biting into a spoonful of tomato and egg. The man’s cooking reminded him of his mother. Traditionally Mistral-like.  “Tai is best wife.”, Qrow yells from his spot laying on the couch, arm over his eyes and a plate of diced chicken on his chest.  “Please stop implying we’re married. I have standards.”, Taiyang’s voice echoes out of the kitchen.  Everyone laughs. Life feels good for a moment.  . Of course, when the following morning rolls around and everyone gathers to listen, the mood sours. Weiss is dubious. Magic, an all powerful being. A boy with two souls, two personalities. It’s so unbelievable.  Yet the headmaster himself told her so. From the mouth of a timid child, who’s voice was so much louder without his anxieties. It’s not as if she can say no and leave this mess. While the option was given, her plan was to stick to her teammates. Regardless of the dangers. Yang is critical of it all. She didn’t trust her mother. Didn’t want to work with her on this. But they HAD to. The Spring Maiden was a core component in this plan. And naturally she’s under fucking Raven’s thumb.  Yang was itching for a real fight, but not something world-shattering like this. This signs them right up for the rest of their lives in an unseen war. Her uncle’s months away from home, traumas, her dad’s constant fear that Ruby would fall away from them like Mom… It’s too much. Her shoulders can’t support more. Taiyang hates it, but he has no choice. Resents Raven for leaving. Taking Ruby was a new low. She put his child in danger while hurting his older one in the worst possible way. Now she wants to work with them for her own goal? Protecting that god-damned Tribe of her’s. He wishes she was like Qrow. Growing into seeing them as a savage,brutal force and staying in Vale,   But no. She wants to play with her family to save them, so she can drop off the radar again.  His daughters… Yang, furious at the very idea of her birth mom and terrified for her little sister. Ruby, hunted and sought out. He’s not eager to fight for this cause again. There is no other path for the remainder of Team JNPR. They are here to support their friend’s. They will protect order in Pyrrha’s place. And Cinder would die for taking her from them. After that, they could become Huntsmen and place bandaids on the wounds of their hearts. They will live her dreams in honor of their lost teammate. Ruby is determined. Her conversation with Raven weighs on her mind. Everything Ozpin and her uncle worked for… Was it useless? Was there truly no alternate? No… She had to be wrong. They would find a way. The headmaster was probably the smartest man in the world. She needed to try . For her family. She couldn’t leave them like her mom did.  
Even if it was to save them…?
 “We have until the full moon to train you against some of Salem’s best.”, Qrow takes a long sip out of his flash. Thank the Gods they have money again.   “I can handle the White Fang disturbance. There are some local militia guys around here that I've been talking to. They would help, some of them even have connections with the police here.”, Tai is dishing out coffee again, offering supportive smiles even though he feels just as anxious. It’s been so long since he was a part of this battle. “I won’t approach them until the day draws closer, so we don’t tip off Leo.” It’s still hard to think Leonardo had betrayed them. All the facts pointed to him. How dare he just give up, not even a full year after Ozpin’s last death? He was aware of the reincarnation process. So why?   “I say if we can take care of Cinder here, we do.”, Jaune leans against the wall, arms crossed. “So she can’t hurt anyone else.”  “Raven and her Maiden plan to take out the Fall Maiden Cinder Fall. Geez, what a mouthful.”, Qrow fiddles with his flask, twisting the cap back open and splashing it into his coffee. Ruby gives him a hard glare in response, startling him to shorten his pour. “The other Maiden is the only one that stands a real chance. No one engages her in serious combat, okay?” He looks directly at Jaune.   “Understood.”, Was the gritted response.  “Hazel Rainart will also be there based on what I heard. He’s a serious criminal and even more, a dangerous opponent. He especially has it out of ol’ Ozpin so Oscar-”, Oscar perks up from his spot between Ruby and Weiss, both hands around his mug. “-I want you to stay away from him.” “Oh-okay.” “Nora is the heavy hitter here. She’s a good match to keep him occupied paired with someone speedy, while Raven and Vernal get the Relic. So Ren, you’ll help her out. I’ll provide as much support to everyone as I can. Our goal here is to save Haven Academy and as many lives as possible, but when it comes down to it, securing the Relic is our top priority.”  “What about Emerald and Mercury?”, Yang adds.  “We can figure out the lesser fighters while we’re on the field. Our major threats here are Hazel, Cinder, and the White Fang’s Adam Taurus.”  Yang clenches her shaking hand. Taiyang hopes he meets the man who took his daughter’s arm in the battle. There will be nothing left of him. “Now- We have until the full moon to iron out any details. For now, I want you kids to train and get into shape. Oscar needs to catch up to the rest of you, so pay attention to him.”  A lazy “‘Kay” echoed out from the teenagers. Kids these days.  . “No, like this.”, Weiss tapped her rapier against Oscar’s foot, moving it into proper form. His cane raised high. Held in one hand, point forward. “If you want to hit stuff with it like you’re wielding a bat, be my guest. Let me know what the afterlife is like.”  Oscar learns fast that Weiss has two modes. Devoted older sister persona. The Weiss he has known since meeting her in Raven’s camp. He knows she has a younger brother in Atlas, and has hinted that the two were no longer close. It’s probably easy to see him as a surrogate.  Then there is Commander Schnee, who wanted him to break his kneecaps and snap his fingers.  Okay, maybe not that serious. However, Weiss was a VERY strict teacher.  They had all sat down after talking with Qrow to sort out their weaknesses. Ruby was dependent on the distance her scythe provided, so she had to train with her father (They never did solve that mystery, did they?) and Yang. He felt better seeing everyone else tiring while he faded fast. Practicing jab after jab after footwork after jab with Weiss.  Jaune trained with Qrow. Oscar is jealous of the direct approach the man took. His broadsword clanking against Jaune’s greatsword and yelling instructions whenever the blond’s arm caved under the pressure, when he left an opening. It was clear how Ruby became the aggressive and confident wielder she is today. A master with her weapon, honed from another master.   Oscar’s training schedule looked different from theirs. He was passed between everyone to impart their wisdom. Ozpin offered internal advice. For hand to hand, he would train against Ruby, the two at similar levels. Sometimes Taiyang and Yang would pick one kid, train them for an hour or two, and have them spar while yelling like it was a dog fight. He liked it, oddly enough.  Of course, he practiced with his cane side by side with Weiss. Meshed with more “tactile” fighting under Qrow with Jaune.  Ren taught him balance and calm. How to breathe in a fight, to stop and think. How to ease the nerves of being in the face of death. They would find corners of Mistral to sit and meditate. Nature brings Oscar peace and he’s sure Ren knows that as they settle by a stream and stay silent.  Nora teaches him how to fit seventeen marshmallows in his mouth and still say ‘chubby bunny’. He can’t beat her score of forty-five, but he’s pretty sure no one can beat it so… At least he beat Ruby’s score of fifteen. If through sheer willpower alone.  He also beat Weiss by default, who refused to play with them.  . “RUBY, STOP LEAVING BULLET CASINGS EVERYWHERE! I ALMOST DIED!”, Yang’s voice, at a crisp six am, rang through the house.  “STOP STEPPING ON THEM, THEN!” . “Whoever keeps leaving the toilet seat up is going to have their organs set up as party streamers.”, Nora remarked cheerfully to a very terrified audience of teenage boys.  It was Qrow, though. . “Only one piece okay, Zwei?”, Ruby tears off a piece of leftover chicken from the fridge and hands it to her dog. “Don’t ever say I didn’t do nothing for you, kid.”, Yang tears off a piece of leftover chicken in the fridge and tosses it on the floor for her dog. “Here you go, my sweet baby boy.”, Weiss dotes, holding a chuck of leftover chicken from the fridge in her hand. Tearing off little strings for Zwei and patting his head before going back outside. “Are you hungry, Zwei?”, Oscar picks a piece of leftover chicken from the fridge. “Here you go, boy.” He kneels down and feeds Zwei from the palm of his hands.  Taiyang sees the sad remains of a piece of chicken breast in the fridge and assumes it’s for the dog. Stripping the rest of the meat off the bone and adding it to Zwei’s dinner. He always tried to make his dinner before they ate, so he didn’t beg. “Soup’s on, buddy.” He places the bowl on the floor. “Where’d my leftovers go?”, Asks Jaune, looking for the remains of a saved dinner if he ever got hungry in the middle of the night. Like tonight. For some reason, Zwei is looking up at him as he opens the fridge door.  .  “Nora, stop looking at my cards.”, Ren shifted his hand away from her. Everyone was still sweaty from training and decided to play while waiting for their turns in the shower. Yang called dibs on first.  “But I don’t even know how to play!”  Meanwhile, Oscar cries over the week of chores he just bet and lost to Ruby.  “She’s a brutal one.”, Qrow whistles, clearly watching Ruby tuck cards into her sleeve under the table while taking a gulp of his drink. “You should be proud. You taught her that one.”, Tai sips his own small glass of bourbon.  “That I did.”, They clink glasses and Ruby wins another round, leaving her Zwei walking to Weiss from now on.. That’s their girl.  . Ruby dumps a bottle of water over her head, letting it soak into her sweatshirt. Yang had been a menace today and she was too sore to go any longer. Flopping into the dirt without a second thought.  “I think you’re supposed to drink the water.”, Oscar smiles, using his flannel strip to wipe the sweat off of his brow. Sitting on the back step for his allotted ten-minute break Weiss granted him. Cracking open his own water bottle and knocking it back.  Jaune groans on his way over to them. The three of them have been dubbed ‘the Students’ while they worked on their lacking attributes. Even though Weiss wasn't good at hand to hand either. When they suggested she join, she summoned an Alpha and knocked all of them into the dust. “I wish I had Yang’s energy. I don’t know how she’s still going.” Said girl was sparring with Taiyang while Ruby made a mud angel. A wild smile on her sister’s face to match her dad's sly grin. They’re insane. “She’s a demon.”, Ruby declares, grabbing the remainder of Oscar’s water and splashing it directly on her face, snorting out the excess water from her nose.  “ Well, that was rude. ”, Oz laughed. “Okay then.”, Oscar looks at his former water bottle, crushed like his heart.  “How did you even train with Qrow? He's so… Direct yet indirect.”, Jaune stands to grab three new bottles from the cooler, handing a fresh one to both Oscar and Ruby. “Uh- Don’t dump that one too.”  “It’s hot.”  “We can tell.”, Jaune points to the sweat all over his workout clothes. He was going to throw them out after the upcoming battle. The stains weren’t coming out even under Ren and Taiyang’s diligent care.  “And I dunno. It’s just easy for me to learn with how he teaches.”  “You learn better in action, right? Pretty clear from all the plans you’ve cooked up mid-battle.”, Jaune settles back down into the dirt. "This is some tough stuff though..." “If I can’t suplex a beowolf after this training, what even is the point?”, Besides her joke, Jaune was right. Maybe she needed to fight more to get a grip on the silver eyes.  “Please don’t suplex a Grimm.”, Jaune says at the same time Oscar says, “Is that even possible?!” “I’ll find out.” “Oh God.”  “OSCAR PINE, IT HAS BEEN ELEVEN MINUTES!”, Weiss yells from inside the dojo. Having moved their target dummies into the A/C.  “Goodbye guys. I leave my books to you guys.”  “You will be missed, Oscar.”  “He was too young to die.”, Ruby nods solemnly. . The moon is waxing in the sky. Light reflecting off of it’s shattered surface sending bright rays down to the surface. Qrow taps his foot. Tomorrow night is it. Their battle for Haven. Hopefully they wouldn’t fail like Beacon.  He’s away from the house. Raven had sent some no-name bandit for him. Of course she was too afraid to face Tai after all this time. She can spit in her daughter’s face and stomp on her heart, lying to herself that she doesn’t want her kid in her life. But can’t hold a conversation with her ex-husband. Can’t even look him in the eye.  “How are your brats fairing?”, Raven steps out from beside him.  “They’re ready as they’ll ever be. Everyone is on edge.”  “Hopefully they won’t give you much trouble putting them to bed.”  “You’re real funny, Rae.”  “I’m aware.”  “So what’s your plan?”, Qrow leans against a great tree. He missed the nature of Mistral sometimes, when he lived in Vale. Whenever Summer saw him get home-sick, she would bring the team to Emerald Forest for a spontaneous picnic. “Not that I don’t love being near you.”  “You’re real funny, Qrow.”, She mocks, parroting Qrow's words. “Vernal is already with Cinder’s faction. They’re preparing. We won’t engage in the fighting until we’ve got her down in the vault. I asked them to take you out and ‘I won’t be doing any dirty work’. Don’t want to waste my side of the bargain.”  “So you’re gonna rush Cinder down to the Relic? I got a couple of kids with some pretty strong grudges. I don’t want them rushing headlong and getting hurt.”  “As quickly as I can. I’m sure she’ll want to start things off with a monologue.” “I’m hoping Lionheart doesn’t get spooked that I’m bringing more than my original bunch of kids.”  “You can always pass it off as “the more the merrier”.” Raven opens her bond to Vernal.  “Maybe I will.”, And his sister is gone.  . “Ready?”, Everyone is dressed in their full Huntsmen gear, sans Oscar, who doesn’t have a uniform yet. Still, he stands tall with the others. “Ready.”, They confirm in perfect unison.  “Let’s go then.”

...

Oscar watched as Lionheart ran away. The man’s tail was tucked as he disappeared into the halls of Haven Academy. Pride in his own abilities swelling. He’d have to thank Weiss for her hand in his training. Wielding the cane was much easier with training he's partook under her.   “Should I follow him?”, He asks, aloud.  “ No. Let him go.” , Ozpin’s voice was icy. And Oscar feels his grief at his old friend’s betrayal.  Watching Oscar’s back was Hazel. Listening as the child spoke to that man. That dark evil residing in that tiny form. His veins are on fire with righteous fury. How many children did Ozpin have to take? Gretchen and this boy who had to die, even for a little chance at stopping the cycle. Even if it doesn’t not break, Ozpin deserves the suffering of another lost life.  How many had to be sacrificed for his war against Salem? Everyone in this room, at the least. And the thousands more before them. Hazel had looked through his Lord’s registry for the Lives of Ozma. None of them had been as young as this host. His current two attackers are easy enough to dodge while he observes Ozpin. More teenagers, fighting his battles for him. A boy and a girl, a little older than his sister was when she fell. They fight in perfect sync, well-trained and bonded. They’re doing a good job at keeping him away from his goal. Even with their skill, Hazel ignores the slices of those thin green blades to watch Qrow walk over to the boy, placing a hand on his shoulder and ducking down to talk to him. Hazel should hate the man more for dragging these kids into their fights. The Huntsman was a nuisance to his leader. A loyal follower of That Man.  The emotion he felt over the hatred was a nasty green envy. He wants to put his hand on his sister's shoulder and make sure she was okay, and she would be, just winded or tired. They could go home, eat dinner and laugh over her stories.  Why did Qrow Branwen not have to suffer as Hazel did? Why did he get to return home to his loved one’s and smile? Under Ozpin’s fatal regime. In time, Qrow Branwen will be like him. Stripped of everything for a doomed cause. Hazel recalls when they had broken him and relished in the silence of Ozma’s lapdog. Only to fix himself and come back with a renewed drive. Anyone else would have laid down and never gotten back up. So why? He understands how after Cinder’s return from Beacon. It was to protect the next generation of Remnant’s Warriors of Light. Qrow could not allow himself to stay broken. If he wanted his youths to live, he had to bark and bite for his masters. He has not lost his ‘Gretchen’ yet, and he wants to fight to keep them.  Hazel can see the man’s care and worry in his eyes. Unable to focus on any one thing while keeping a lookout for anything that may strike his brood. Mitigating the blows before they can land. Seems Qrow inherited the fixation of a bird as well.  He wonders what expression Qrow’ll wear when he tears Ozpin’s host in half here. The horror he would understand as all of those kid’s lives fell from underneath his feet. No control, no one to save or protect. The battlefield is a chaotic disaster. Cinder’s children aren’t holding their own. The two blonde ones are pinning down Mercury. The boy is huffing and on the defensive. Hazel casts blame on Lionheart for how prepared the Huntsmen are. Even as the blond boy weeps while he fights. In grief of another life lost in Ozpin’s hands, at the Fall Maiden’s arrow. Tears hitting the ground freely, eyes constantly drifting to Cinder. Cinder mocks Jaune from afar, replicating his lost love’s spear and hurtles it at the white-haired one. An off-kilter song as it sings through the air. The stillness before everyone starts rushing to her, but they’re all so far. The dread in his eyes as she is too distracted by Emerald to dodge. Her end is clear.  Only for the weapon to deadstop in its journey. Yang is no longer gaining on Mercury, rather, she’s standing in the center of the battlefield. Cinder’s molten spear clasped in her metal hand. Grabbing it before her feet even touched the ground.  The heat of the spear melts the iron of her hand, fitting it shape of the handle. Her other gauntlet is steaming from the blast she used to quickly arrive at her friend’s side.  Yang drops it, it clatters to the ground alongside globs of cooling metal from her arm and watches as it fades to nothing but embers. Then she looks to her misshapen fingers, to her friends staring in shock. To the flash of light glimmering off Ruby in her rage against Cinder. To Cinder’s pain from something as small as a glare by this little girl as she leaps for Cinder’s throat with her scythe.  Weiss recovers from her shock of almost being impaled quickly, using Emerald’s own distraction to get a heavy swipe across her midsection. Emerald’s aura crackles as Myrtenaster digs into her skin. When Emerald gives out a shout of pain, Jaune lands a hit of his own on Mercury. A bash to the head with his shield. Cinder pays them no mind. They are here to buy her time. And if they fall here? So be it.  Hazel knows this is a losing battle. That victory here only matters to Adam Taurus outside. All they need is the Relic before Oz and Qrow get their paws on it. The silver-eyed girl is pushing Cinder back. A feat all on its own. He can feel her ire fill the building. Burning, bright, and so close to holy. Hazel has seen their kind before. One of the same breed who ended Tock, that unwieldy Faunus woman, after he had arrived at Salem's care. Arm's still greasy with Salem's rotten blood. Grieving and mad at the world for taking his beloved sister away. Tock's head and body were brought separately. It helped him understand the severity of their cause.  Even so young, this one is a savage fighter, eyes glinting with pale light as she tries to rend Cinder in twain with her scythe like Tock was. It’s clear she’s unaware of her true power, only managing a single burn with them on Cinder’s arm. He fears for his master, the day she realizes her own strength. All while their Fall Maiden guides herself over to Raven and the other maiden by the elevator. Narrowly avoiding being slashed, Cinder counters at the last moment. Her favored scimitar-like blade shape rings loudly against Rose's scythe. The shockwave was enough to unbalance Emerald, who was still reeling from her wound.  The deflection sends Ruby a few feet back. Just enough to allow Cinder to step backwards into the lift. Raven and Vernal are already waiting there for her.  “Nice of you to offer a hand.”, Cinder spits, as the elevator starts to descend.  “You asked us to open the vault in exchange for sparing my tribe and to end Qrow as a thorn in my side. Not for help fighting children.”, Raven gazes at her nails from the inside of her mask. “It doesn’t seem much like you’ll be able to deliver on the latter half.” The trio slip down to the vault, Ruby auto-pilots to help her Schnee friend against Emerald. “She got away from me.”  “It’ll get handled. Qrow didn’t even want us fighting her outright. We need to send someone down there.”, Weiss stands tall beside Ruby as Mercury moves to his partner. Yang and Jaune rejoin them. Four against two, it’s clear who will win here.  “Just give you, you guys! We have you outnumbered two to one!”, Or, maybe more. As Qrow moves to help Ren and Nora with Hazel. The man growing erratic and harder to predict. While Oscar moves to stand beside Ruby.  “Not like you’ll get very far, even if you do win. The White Fang has this whole school rigged with explosives.”, Mercury grinned. Even with blood dripping out of his right ear and a nasty bruise on his cheek.  “That won’t be a problem.”, Yang offers a wicked smile of her own. Her dad was stationed out front. Watching for any signs of Adam or the White Fang. His aura log on her scroll is still a happy bright green.  “What do you mean?”, Emerald shouts, panting from her spot beside Mercury.  “You really think we put all of our forces into fighting you lot?”, Weiss scoffed, hand on hip. “We have more bodies outside.”  More was an overstatement. However, in all fairness, Taiyang was a licensed Huntsman and on matching calibers with Qrow. The man trained Yang for God’s sake. He could deal with the riff raff. Even though the noise from outside was getting a bit louder than she’d expected. The two henchmen look at one another, wondering if this was a bluff or not.  A tremor shakes the building. The stone arches cracking from the power of it. There was a thrum of battle and magic beneath their feet.  “We need to get down there.”, Weiss held her rapier high, ready to reignite the battle. She doesn’t want to say that Raven and Vernal might need help. They’re still on opposite sides in the eyes of the enemy.  “Who's going?”, Oscar draws his cane up, matching her. “I’ll go.”, Yang knows she’s the one to keep Raven in check. After everything, she needed to make sure that woman would make the right choice.  “We’ll clear the way.”, Ruby beams at her, placing a hand on her sister's shoulder before extending Crescent Rose at Emerald and Mercury.  The two have no choice but to let Yang pass. Both are tired, in pain and out of their league. Weiss and Oscar overwhelm Emerald with their swift strikes and grace. Ruby and Jaune pin Mercury, his back against the wall as Yang jumps down the elevator shaft.  They’ve already lost. They bought all the time they could.  Hazel shakes Ren off of his back, watching as the boy rolls on the ground. His aura fizzled out on impact. He needed to take care of Oz now. That Man needed to suffer.  “Ren!”, The girl shouts, and it calls the attention of her friends. They turn on him, like a pack of wild beasts, beckoned by their whimpering comrade.  The boy looks at him and Hazel can see his path. He can see that face, blank-eyed on the ground lifeless.   “Oscar.” , Ozpin is loud in his head. “I need you to let me take over.”   “We have this. Please- Just. Let me do this.” Hazel is charging. Single-minded in his frenzy for revenge. He knocks Qrow out of the way effortlessly. Ruby runs to help her Uncle.  “ He’s trying to kill you. Because of me .”  “I can tell.”, Oscar watches as Hazel shatters his way through one of Weiss’ black glyphs.  “ You can not win this fight. Please, Oscar. ”  Oscar hesitates. Hand shaking around their cane what Hazel advances.  “OZPIN!!!”, His enraged scream rattles the already damaged walls. Dust shaking out from the cracks caused by the fight downstairs.  
“I’m sorry, Oscar.”
 Hazel picks Jaune up by his sword, even as the blade digs into his flesh, he does not falter. Tossing Jaune backwards and into a pillar.  He can feel the control over his own limbs fading as Ozpin took the front of his mind. And then he feels regret, for the seconds of a power struggle. Because Hazel is right here, in front of him. He regrets not giving Ozpin enough time to move them out of the way. He’s half in control of his own body and the enemy is right there-  
And Oscar regrets-
 All he can think about is how much bigger Hazel is than him, how far he has to look up to see the eyes buzzing with ferocity and dust looking down.  He’s half in control of his body when Hazel’s fist crushes downward  into his chest. He can hear the crack of the floor underneath him. The rumble of half the ceiling giving out from the damage. Crumbling to reveal the Faunus battle outside.  “OSCAR!”, He can’t tell who is yelling for him. Or is it more than one voice? He can’t breathe- Everything is getting so quiet… ...And dark.

...
To be continued

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

By the time Yang makes it down the elevator shaft, Cinder is nowhere in sight. Her and Vernal in front of the door to the Relic. They haven’t opened it yet.  Probably because Vernal is on the ground with a dangerously large puddle of blood beneath her.  “What happened?”, Yang breathes. Walking up slowly, kneeling down beside the fallen girl. Vernal isn’t conscious, but she’s breathing slow and shallow. It’s not too late. Not yet. Yang shrugs off her outer jacket and places it over the wound, pressing gently but enough to staunch the flow.  “She did what she was told to do.”, Raven’s voice was shaking.  “...And are you okay with that?”, Yang tucks her jacket into the wound, pressing down. Pointedly not looking at her mother.  “I- Why are you even down here, Yang? You’ve made it clear you want nothing to do with me.” “You saved me once. I’m just repaying the favor.”, If they wanted a chance at saving Vernal’s life, they needed to grab the Relic and go now. “I wanted to make sure you made the right choice. And gave the Relic to us.”  “All having it will do is paint a big red target on your backs.”  “So you thought about taking it.”  “Of course I did, Yang. I didn’t want you mixed up in all of this.”  “You didn’t want me period. Stop making excuses for yourself.”  “That’s… Not true.”  “Can she still open the vault like this? Should we wait until she is better?”, Yang doesn’t want to hear it. Nothing but lip service and half-truths.  “I’m opening it.”  Without another word, Raven steps towards the door, placing a tentative hand on it. And in response to her touch, it opens. It’s beautiful. The golden fans click softly as they disappear into the stone. There’s a cool breeze that billows out of the chamber.  Then Yang thinks of how Raven managed to open that door.  “God, you’re such a piece of trash .”, Yang can’t hold it in anymore. The bitterness, the pain, the resentment. She shatters the damaged remains of her hand against Raven’s cheekbone. The force sends the woman crashing into the side of the vault entrance, cracking the stone around it. Small pieces of iron stick out of Raven's face. Yang’s new arm is ruined. She’s missing the whole of her pinkie, index, and middle finger. The remaining fingers are misshapen from Cinder’s spear. Hopefully someone could fix it up in Atlas.  Moving from from Vernal’s side and spitting swears in her mother’s direction, Yang seethes. Then stops.  And suddenly, she wants to weep, for the previous Spring Maiden who had to fall into Raven’s claws. The grief in her chest is so raw . Raven stares at her daughter, spitting out a glob of bloody spit. “Are you sure you want this, Yang?”, Raven’s tone is tight and for whatever reason she has her hand around Omen. Yang knows she won’t raise it against her if she didn’t after that punch. So why? “I’m not sure about anything. All I know is we need to get the Relic away from here.”, Yang snaps, shoulder-checking her mother as she walks in. And-- And--- It’s different . Than anything she’s ever felt before. The air is still, yet she can breathe. Like time itself was halted for this room only. Even taking on the appearance of a desert, the air is somehow brisk.  Not that she can logic out now question literal magic.  There’s something in the distance. Glowing a soft, calm blue. The Relic. Yang knows she has to go grab it. Then there really is no going back. Maybe there was never a way back, nothing other than what was ahead of them now. Raven is still behind her. Peering into the vault but staying beside Vernal.  Inside the vault, the ground beneath her feet feels like it could drop at any moment. Fake, in some sort of indescribable way. It lifts away with each step, only to rebuild itself seamlessly.  The Relic itself is… Her hand reaches out for it. Flesh fingers settling on the upper ring. It pulses, like a heartbeat, under her hold. She’s shaking, and she doesn’t know why. Now isn’t the time for her to break down. She needs to cry, sob for everything that has happened.  For the lost Spring Maiden, who probably died scared and alone, thinking that was the only option left for her.  For her scarred teammate, who ran from them after things got hard.  For herself and the woman behind her. So twisted up and Yang wishes her mother was normal . Not the selfish coward she was. For her family, broken time and time again. Between Raven, Summer, her guardians holding onto sanity through their children.  Yang takes a steadying breathe. In. Out.  But they’re okay. They are okay. Yang is okay. She doesn't need Raven. She doesn’t need Blake. She has her dad, Ruby, and Qrow. That’s all she’s ever needed.  She walks out of the vault with renewed vigor. She won’t let them down. Her family . Yang hopes Summer can see how strong she will be for them. That she’s keeping them safe, in her stead.  As Yang leaves with the Relic, the world of the vault vanishes. Instantly blinking out of existence. There's nothing but stone behind her. “Are you helping us to Atlas, or are you tucking your tail?”, Yang faces her mother with the Relic in hand.  “I…” “You can decide later.”, It’s a careful measure, keeping her words steady and aloof. “For now, I need to get this out of here and check on my family. Vernal needs a hospital.”  “Yang…”  “Save it. Make your choice and then tell me what you want to tell me.”  Walking to the entrance of the vault and now standing in the lift. Wordlessly sidestepping to offer Raven a place. Watching as she lifts Vernal off the floor, holding her bridal style and makes way beside her daughter.  ... “Oscar!”, It was shouted in synchrony. Eyes wide in horror as they see Hazel’s strike. That the boy doesn’t get up as his attack reels his arm back to hit again. But he doesn’t get the chance. Because Nora is there. Pink electricity thrumming all around her as she digs her hammer into Hazel’s stomach and sends him flying out of the collapsed end of the academy.  And boy, does he soar.   “We’ll go take him down. You guys look after Oscar.”, Nora looks to baby Oz on the floor, then back to Ren with a stiff nod. They charged out of the building after Hazel, into the battle with the White Fang happening outside.  Taiyang is there, fighting back to back with a small dark-haired woman. The White Fang was clearly losing. Several members had thrown down their weapons, torn off their masks and stood hand in hand with the other Faunus out of uniform.  There was some sort of memo they didn’t get, but at least Papa Xiao Long wasn’t out here fighting alone? Was that Blake?  Meanwhile, inside, Weiss uses her Lancer’s to pin Emerald and Mercury down. There was no time to play with them any longer. She was the closest to Oscar and didn’t want to waste a second running over to him.  And…  And it wasn’t good.  Oscar’s eyes were shut and she could hear the painful breaths he’s struggling to take. There’s blood in his nostrils, trailing down into thin lines. More red splattered out the left side of his mouth.  Weiss collapses down next to him, settling next to Oscar’s head. Lifting it gently and placing it in her lap. Running her fingers through his hair, like her mother did for her before her tenth birthday. Muttering senselessly about how it’s okay, it’ll be okay.  Each breath is weaker, and weaker.  Jaune reaches them next. A heavy limp made him have to drag himself over. Weiss looks at him with tears in her eyes and Jaune’s sword clatters to the ground. “No.”, He says, a whisper of disbelief.  “No!”, Jaune yells , raw with emotion. Placing a hand over the younger boy’s heart. “It… This wasn’t supposed to happen.”  He leans his forehead onto Oscar’s chest, tears flowing freely down his cheeks and into the fabric of his shirt.  And then everything is white.   Ruby hauls Qrow up. The last hit from Hazel on his war path had taken the rest of what her Uncle had to offer for the battle of Haven. She slings his arm over her shoulder, listening to him groan at her rough grasp. “Oscar…”, Qrow rasps, looking over to Weiss and Jaune, the still boy laying in her lap. Ruby can still see the shock in those wide green eyes as Hazel-  They make slow progress moving to that side of the Hall. Qrow was tall and Ruby was not. That made dragging him along very difficult logistically. When they do make it over, Jaune is leaning over Oscar, glowing white, that fades into a gentle green at the points of contact between them. Ruby unhooks Qrow’s arm from around her shoulder, setting him down and rushes into the crater. “W-what’s happening?”, she asks, sliding to a halt on the only free side of Oscar remaining.  “I’m not sure but…”, Weiss stops in her response, pauses in carding her fingers through his hair. Watching in fascination as Oscar takes a shaky but full breath. It’s a sharp change, from the choking noises he’d been managing just a moment ago. “Jaune, I think you’re helping.”  “What?”, He raises his head off of Oscar, looking to Weiss, then back to the blaze of white around his hands. “Huh w-what?”  “Keep doing it is whatever you’re doing.”, Ruby encourages, grabbing hold of Oscar’s still hand.   “What is it that I’m doing?!”, Jaune presses his hands tighter against Oscar’s chest, panicking.  “Something useful!”, Weiss snaps at the same time Ruby says “A good job!”  Behind them, Qrow shakily stands. “Hell of a convenient time to unlock your semblance, kid. But thank God you did.”  “Oh. My semblance...”, Jaune blinks, he didn’t even think- “Keep up the good work. I’m gonna go make sure our firecracker isn’t killing Raven.”  “Uncle Qrow, are you sure you should be…”, After all the talks and exposures he’s had recently, it was easy to forget that Ruby knew none of it. For a brief period of time, he’d forgotten he was ‘Uncle Qrow.’  “Y-yeah. I’ll be fine, pipsqueak. Keep an eye on the other pipsqueak for me, okay?” “You got it!”, Ruby held Oscar’s hand warmly in her grip, offering a thumbs up with her free hand and watching her Uncle limp over to the lift.  It takes time, a lot of time and there is still a scuffle going on outside. Even so, the three of them stay at Oscar’s side as his breathing levels out and his pained expression smooths. He looked asleep now other than the blood splatter on his face.  Not that any of them looked much better. Jaune had taken a good kick to the leg from Mercury and he knew a nasty bruise was already blooming under his jeans. Weiss and Ruby were covered in sweat with dirt sticking to them from the building collapse. They’re all a mess. But an alive mess. When Oscar shifts, everyone's attention snaps to him. “Ah-”, Oscar’s eyes pinch shut, before one peaks open. He can see shadows over him, blurry figures that hadn’t come into focus yet.  “Oscar!”, The shadows cheered. For him? Why?  “...Wh- Ahh- What hit me?”, He coughs out. His mouth tasted like pennies. “A giant villain man who injects raw dust into his body and hates old wizards.”, Ruby’s voice. Just hearing her makes him want to smile. “...S-sounds cool.”  “No, not cool. We thought he killed you.”, A flick to his forehead makes him wince. That’s Weiss.  “Am I dead?” “No. I- I guess I stabilized you somehow.”, Hands were on his chest. Jaune’s? “ I believe Mr. Arc’s semblance has brought you back from the brink. The strike from Hazel crushed your rib cage, collapsed your lungs and ruptured several vital organs. We’re very lucky he was here and awakened to his abilities when he did. And that our Aura could work fast enough to patch the damage. ”, Ozpin pipes in, the feeling of his voice makes Oscar’s head hurt worse. “ My apologies.”  “H’ws everyone?” “Better than you.”  “Wh---...Fighting.”  “What?”, Jaune still had his hands over Oscar, he could feel his aura knitting the other boy’s back together. Making it stronger? “I- I hear fighting.”  “The White Fang are still outside. Hazel hasn’t been stopped yet.”  “We need to go help-.”, Oscar tries to push himself up, only to be held down into Weiss’ lap.  “You need to rest. Let Jaune finish his thing. Whatever ‘his thing’ is.”, It’s an order and if he’s learned anything from training with her, you follow Weiss’ orders. Or you prayed for death.  “What are we doing about those two?”, Ruby gestures over to the pinned Emerald and Mercury. The two struggling against the Lancer’s stingers.  “-Ugh. I can’t hold those summons forever. I’ll have to go tie them up.”  “I’m almost done, I think?”, Jaune pulls his hands away, the white light fading. Leaving a very tired looking Oscar underneath the glow. “I guess it’s up to your body to heal the rest?”  “T-hank you, Dr. Arc.”, Oscar smiles, eyes closed again. That was… A very close call. Gods, he needed a nap. For like ten years. Weiss transfers Oscar carefully, moving him from her lap to Jaune’s so he could keep an eye on his vitals. “I’m going to go take care of those two. You two watch the boy. Oscar?”  “Y-yeah?”, He looked over at Weiss, watching her stand and dust her skirt. There are blood stains on it. Probably from him.  “Stay.” His body felt sore. Like every piece of him had been chewed on like Zwei’s toys or something. “Can do.”, He tries to roll his shoulders, wincing. He’s not going to be combat ready again anytime soon.  Oscar can hear the protests from the two they had been fighting as Weiss binds them. He can’t turn his head enough to see how she manages it. But he can hear the rattling of chains and Ruby looks horrified. “Man, I’m so glad I’m on her good side.”, She sighs.  “S-same.”, He agrees, closing his eyes and leaning into Jaune’s lap. They had this covered. Right? He could get a minute of rest in.  . Taiyang was a tolerant man. He believed in equality for Faunus, he got into a fist fight with a teacher at Beacon who said Summer was ‘too dainty’ to take a Search and Destroy their first year. (They got the mission, kicked ass, Oz fired the professor that dared to doubt Summer Rose based on her gender and size.)  It wasn’t until Yang came home from Beacon, that he started having a different opinion. How she winced at the sight of the White Fang logo. Brief flickering mentions of their terrible leader and his obsession with her black-haired teammate in rare conversation... Punching down some White Fang members helped his head. Like he was getting small justices for his daughter’s trauma.  What helped his growing bias dissolve entirely, was the unexpected arrival of Faunus from overseas. The MP’s would show up soon, based on the time he tipped off the guys down at the bar with.  He totally could have handled it on his own, a bunch of grunts with tiny guns and swords.  But the help was appreciated.  He’s back to back with a woman his age, small like Summer but ferocious all the same. She’s brandishing one of the White Fang guns like a club, her black ears pinned back as she beat the snot out of anyone who dared to attack anymore.  “You’re pretty good!”, He compliments his fighting partner. “I’ll admit, I wasn’t expecting help dealing with these guys, so thank you for coming.”  “Thanks.”, Kali shoves the butt of her stolen rifle into an oncoming attacker's nose. Tai winces at the crunch noise. “The White Fang is a Faunus issue, though, human help can be valuable. Can I ask how you knew about this?”  Her voice isn’t unkind and Tai can imagine it’s pretty weird to have one human Huntsman waiting for an attack outside can be seen as suspicious.  “We had inside intel about an attack on Haven and the concurrent assault by the White Fang.” “We?”  “My team. They’re inside fighting another battle.”  As he says that, a large man, the one he knows as Hazel from Qrow’s briefing, flying out of a collapsed end of the academy- wait when did the building start falling apart- “I see.”, Watching two other humans rush out after the man. They look furious, heartbroken even.  “Oh Gods.”, Tai can’t imagine what kind of horror happened to inspire that kind of expression on Nora and Ren.  “We can finish up out here. How about you go help those kids?”, Kali offers, eyes softening.  “I’m waiting for the White Fang leader.”, His fists tense. He needs to go help them. But he also needs to end that fucker’s life.  “Adam?” “If that’s his name.”  “He’s the problem of the Faunus. We will handle him.”  “He cut my daughter’s arm off and destroyed their school. I understand my selfishness but I-.”  “Your daughter was a victim of Beacon as well?”, She asks. Most of the Fang’s members have been subdued or have surrendered. They’re just waiting for the head to show his face.  “Yeah.”, He hears the “as well”. But he was in a unit full of kids who suffered through that warzone.  “My daughter too. Blake. Adam has haunted her for a long time. I have my own words for that boy.”  “Blake? Like Blake Belladonna?”, He couldn’t not know her name. Ruby’s constant chatterings about having a friend that likes books as much as she does. Yang’s soft sighs about her teammate that wouldn’t take care of herself, smiles when she managed to get a laugh from the shy member of team RWBY.  Putting her team photo face down on her dresser with a slam. Cracked glass he would sweep up while she flipped through the channels downstairs. “...Yes?”  “Oh man.”, Tai dragged a hand through his hair. “I’m Taiyang Xiao Long, my daughter is Yang.”  “Blake’s teammate?”, Kali’s face lit up. Any reserved coldness dissipated from her eyes. “Does that mean she’s here?”  “They’re fighting inside. With her other teammates.”  “This is quite the coincidence. I’ll admit I'm excited to meet her friends, after I've heard so much. I hope seeing them will help her.”  “I’m sure.”, He’s not sure. Yang was chilled to the idea of Blake. Likening her absconding after Beacon to Raven’s abandonment.  “PAPA YANG, SOME HELP OVER HERE?”, Nora yells, from the air. She’s been thrown upwards while Ren has his blades dug into Hazel’s shoulder blade. Hanging on for dear life while the man bucks.  “We will handle Adam.” Kali assures. “My husband and I will save a piece for you.” “Thanks.”, He runs off, not happy but he’s not letting his other two newly acquired kids get more hurt here.  Ren rolls into a crouch after being launched off. His guns still stabbed into Hazel.  “What happened?”, Tai asks, helping Ren up before settling into his brawler’s stance.  “Oscar took a really bad hit.”  “Is he okay?”  “I don’t know. I don’t think so.” “Weiss and Jaune are watching him. He’ll be okay.”, It tastes like a lie coming off her tongue but Nora wants to hold onto her hope. She stands beside Ren and Taiyang. “Let’s take this idiot down!”  They agree and charge headlong.   . .. When Qrow makes it a quarter of the way down the elevator shaft, he realizes he didn’t need to struggle with his injured body, as the top of the lift is slowly inching its way up.  Someone was coming up and he was going to get squished worse than Oscar (too soon) if he stayed in this death tunnel. So he gets out of the way and waits for his niece and hopefully his sister if she made the right choice appear.  Qrow sits down while he watches. God his everything hurt. The Hazel prick was no joke. He’d have to hassle Blond One about that portable Aura charger situation he’s got going on.  When the elevator creaks up to the top and stops, he’s happy to see Raven and Yang standing side by side. Less happy to see Vernal, limp in his sister’s arms and growing paler by the moment.  “Oh shit.”, He gets off the tile as quickly as he can, but he’s old and in pain so it’s not an impressive motion.  “She needs a hospital.”, Yang looks at Vernal, then back to Qrow.  “We might just have something better. Go bring her over to Jaune.”, The lamp is in Yang’s hand. She’s holding it out to her uncle carefully.  Raven nods. She hates how it’s been mere moments of interacting with her blood family and she already feels displaced. Yang’s words hurt deep, in places she’d long thought had been closed up.  Her steps are stiff. She sees the boy who tackled her to save his little friend lying in the lap of another kid. He’s got blood on his mouth and in his nose, but doesn’t look like he’s dying. She remembers the blond from her moments of looking over Yang at Beacon, Kuroyuri, and the Forest.   Ruby startles at the sight of Raven, holding the body of her lieutenant. Jaune follows her gaze and also jumps.  “You.”, Raven addresses the older boy.  “M-me?” “Qrow claims- Can you-.”, Raven trips, and she trips. And she trips. Why is she so rattled? “Oh. Oh. I can… I can try.”, Jaune looks down at Oscar, who managed to fall asleep in his lap. He wishes he could take a rest in the middle of all this. “Ruby, can you take Oscar?”  “Yeah.”, She’s staring at Raven before shuffling closer to Jaune and Oscar’s head. She grabs his shoulders, careful not to wake him, and settles him down on her lap. That’s three lap transfers in one night. Oscar’s getting a lot of mileage in sleeping on Team RWYJNRTQO.  The last time she had someone's head in her lap, it was her dying Uncle. At least the concept of a sleepy Oscar was better than that fiasco. Meanwhile, Raven gently places Vernal down in front of him. Her head lolls to the side lifelessly. There’s blood drying around her stomach, Yang’s blazer is still tied around the wound. Regardless of his feelings of discontent for her master, he is going to do his best to save Vernal.  It takes focus, he’s not used to it yet. His semblance was a new muscle he’s never worked before. But it thrums around him like white noise. Jaune grasps onto the thoughts of desperation, loss, and feelings of failure that let him save Oscar. The desire to save . And manages a soft white glow at his fingertips, spreading into Vernal’s motionless form. The light grows dense around five points over her midsection.  “Jaune, your aura…”, Ruby worries. She doesn’t want Vernal to die, or Raven to have to suffer her death… But Jaune is her friend.  “I-I’m okay. I have… A lot of it.” “If you’re sure.”, She busies herself, toying with the dirty fabric of Oscar’s loosening bandages. They definitely needed a change after today. Tomorrow, she'd go buy fresh gauze. She doesn't know why he likes/needs to wear them, nor has she seen him without them on, but she respects his privacy. Ruby refastens the end of the bandage nice and tight.  Anything to distract her from this extremely awkward but actually serious situation.  Raven watches with fascination as color pools back into Vernal’s cheeks, her aura stronger. She wouldn’t believe it if she wasn’t watching it grow in hue before her very eyes. Incredible-  “UGH STAY DOWN, YOU BITCH!” On instinct, Ruby covers Oscar’s ears. He’s passed the heck out, so he’s not hearing anything. But the principle.  Nora beats back Hazel from the rubble of the academy entryway. Ren rushes in a slice at the back of Hazel’s leg. When he stumbles, Taiyang doubles down, kicking the weak point in his aura that Ren cut.  Hazel falls, knees hitting hard into the pavement with a frustrated grunt. The two men mob him in an attempt to keep him down. He can see Ozpin beyond them, laying still in the lap of the silver-eyed girl. For a moment he feels victorious.  But there are no tears, no shattered spirits. Qrow holds the Relic in his hand beside his niece. A tired smile on his face, a supportive hand on her shoulder, it’s all so kind. He’s not broken again. They did something to save Oz.  Failure. A total loss. They have the Relic. He wasn’t dead again.   Salem would not be happy.  Nora swings, her arms a wide arc, and thunders the head of her hammer against the back of Hazel’s head. It bounces off the pavement.  He does not get up. “Think that did it?”, Nora holds her hammer up again. Double tap for safety, right?  “I think he’s out, Nora.”, Ren puts a hand on her shoulder. Beckoning her to stand down.  “W-where…?”, Emerald, bound in chains from fallen chandeliers . They have the Relic? Raven Branwen is here and the Spring Maiden is here… Cinder is not. She struggles up onto her knees. “Did I say you can get up?”, Weiss threatened, hand tense on her rapier, backlit by the soft blue glow of her glyphs.  “Where is Cinder!?” “She’s gone.”, Yang makes her way beside her sister. Looking at Oscar resting in her lap, then looks hard at Raven.  “No! No she isn’t!”, Emerald staggers to her feet, arms still tied behind her back. “SHE WOULDN’T FALL TO YOU!”  Weiss thinks about kicking her back down. Raven’s focus shifts from Vernal’s form to Emerald. “Screaming and whining like a child won’t bring her back.”, Raven states coldly. Leveling a stare at Emerald. The girl has tears running down her face. Cinder’s ‘Vernal’. But Cinder did not care for this child like she cared for Vernal. A puppet through and through.  “Sh-she’s not gone!”, Emerald falls back to her knees.  “Em, shut up.”, Mercury warns. Not like he can believe Cinder was taken out either.  How the fuck where they getting out of this shit now? Hazel is down. He can hear the police outside. Cinder, ended. “Sh-she…”, Emerald ducked her head to the ground, forehead on the tile.  “As pathetic as this-”, Raven waves a hand. Ouch, she still has pieces of her daughter’s hand in her skin. “I think it’s time I take leave before the MP’s decide to cuff me.” “Oh yeah. You’re a criminal too.”, Yang deadpans.  Raven ignores her. “How’s Vernal, kid?”  “Uh. Better? But I think I should keep-”  “Is she going to die within the next hour?”  “Well, not anymore I don’t think but-”  “We’ll be okay. I have a party outside of town. We’re jumping ship anyways. Salem knows too much, we have to move.” “Okay…?”, He didn’t say much else to avoid getting interrupted again.  Raven lifts Vernal again, soft and careful. She looks better already. Her medics would sort out the rest. “Qrow.” “What.”, He’s sitting again. Not his fault his back was killing him.  “I’ll talk to you before you leave. About going from here.”, She doesn’t say ‘Atlas’ because Cinder’s little lackeys are on the floor and she knows they’re not going to kill them like they should. “Eugh.” “And you.”, She looks at Jaune again. “Thank you.”  “Oh. Haha- Anytime?”, He flops, because what do you say when a crazy bandit woman who was your friend’s mom and mentor’s sister thanked you for saving her right hand?  Probably not “Anytime.” Leaving is another awkward affair and Raven would like this day to be over with. The Relic was out of the vault. While Salem would hold ire towards her and the Tribe, she would have bigger things to worry about with the Relic in Atlas. Out of her hands. Qrow's and James’ problem now.  Salem no longer needed the Spring Maiden. They could fade into obscurity for the time being.  Her heels are loud and everyone's eyes are on her as she steps through the hole in the wall. It couldn’t get much worse for her pride.  But the Gods hate her.  Because Taiyang is right there. Eyes as wide as hers as they make brief eye contact before she breaks it. Can’t run full speed into the woods while looking your ex-husband in the eyes, after all.  “You doin’ okay, Tai?”, Qrow yells, watching his partner stare dumbly into the Raven-shaped dust cloud his ex-wife had left.  “Ugh.”, He rubs his hands over his eyes, smudging dirt and dust all over.  “Me too, buddy. Me too.”  ... It’s weird. All that, and they just… Go home. Suddenly Blake is there, helping. Her and her parents are talking to the police. Her eyes keep drifting to Yang, then to Ruby and Weiss, then to Yang again. She gives them a hug. Not like a “oh good to see you again” hug either.  It’s a bone crushing hug like Nora gives, before stepping back over to the other Faunus. “ I missed you so much.” , Brimming with emotion.  Yang doesn’t return the hug.  Dawn is rising in the sky. Emerald, Mercury, and Hazel have been loaded on to a prison bus.  Adam Taurus got away. Scampered out with a whimper. Much to everyone’s frustration. Taiyang swears he’ll ring that little asshole’s neck. Yang snorts at his aggressive support.  After everyone gives their on scene statement, they just… Leave.  Taiyang and Yang are supporting Qrow. His arms looped around each of their shoulders while they guided him back to the house. “Gods, I need a drink.”, Qrow complains. Yang smacks the back of his head with her damaged hand. A washer falls from it to the floor with a soft "tink".  Ren and Nora support Jaune and his leg injury. The bond of team JNPR is always a delight to observe. Ren’s soft fretting vs Nora’s loud remarks, and the bonus flustered-at-the-attention  Jaune.  Oscar never woke back up. At one point, Ruby swears she heard him snore. She’s got him on her back, piggy-back style. Weiss was going to help, but it’s really funny to watch tiny Ruby carry tinier Oscar on the long walk back home. The boy drooling over her hood and one would be foolish not to gather as much photo evidence as possible.  People stare. Why wouldn’t they? A group of bloody, dirty Huntsmen walking down the street and all going to the same house.  Ruby has had enough of today. She’s sure everyone feels the same. She doesn’t change out of her combat clothes. PJ’s are too much effort right now. Weiss’ hand is on Oscar’s back as they go up the stairs. So the poor boy doesn’t crack his skull falling as he slips off Ruby’s back. Their room is the same as she left it this morning. Yesterday morning. Whatever. Time isn’t real. Oscar is dumped onto his bed, sprawled onto the covers. Ruby manages her some sense to pull the cane of of his holster so it doesn't dig into his spine all night. Morning. Ugh.   Weiss commandeers Qrow’s bed because she’s already up here and Qrow is on the couch downstairs. She’s immediately face down on the red comforter, ignoring the stench of liquor, and is already half way out of this world. The realm of sleep beckons Weiss Schnee. She’s inclined to accept the invitation. Her dress is dirty and it has Oscar’s blood on it. They can wash the sheets tomorrow. Or in a week, when she was done resting. Maybe two weeks.  Ruby fights a weak battle to throw a blanket over Oscar. She placed him on top and he’s all dead weight (but not actually dead because that would be awful) and she can’t muscle the sheets out from under him. What ends up happening is a small triangle of fabric is thrown over his boots. Good enough. Ah, gosh dang his boots are on the bed. But so are Weiss’ platforms. Whatever. She can figure out blankets and shoes tomorrow. Bedtime is now. At 5am.  After shrugging off her own boots, because she’s not an animal, Ruby nestles beneath her covers. Throwing off her belt with a loud thud because it was stabbing her in the hip. Sleeping in combat gear was harder than she remembered.  Even as uncomfortable as Ruby was, the moment her eyes shut, sweet nothingness welcomed her.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Sooo. Blake is back.  Which was super cool! Because Ruby missed her. A lot. They would sit and talk about fairytales and how Blake liked too much angst and drama in her stories while Ruby would pout for weeks if something didn’t have a happy ending.  So when Blake, Sun, a Faunus girl she hasn't met yet, and Blake's parents showed up at their house the evening following the battle, she was happy to invite them in. Even cranky as she was when walking to the door.  The Belladonna's needed a place to stay while waiting on transport back to Menagerie and they had plenty of room at their Mistal home. Plenty meaning they had given up their beds so that Blake’s parents had a nice place to rest while in their home.  But Blake was home! So it’s all great. Cool.  ...It was getting really crowded in here.  Ruby flattens her sleeping bag on the floor of the dojo. She wasn’t injured or anything so in the bed-redistribution, so she got the short end of the stick.  Auntie Wu Jiang was kind enough to deliver some extra futons after chitterings and chatterings of Huntsmen walking bloodied down the street reached her ears, she knew what house that had to be.  At least all of Team RWBY made the cut of having to sleep on the floor. Just like their first night at Beacon! Technically, there were enough beds for Blake to share a room with her parents but Ruby had made sleeping on the floor in a dusty dojo sound like fun. Somehow. It was so surreal, being in their company again.  Ruby was happy to have her friends all back together again… But with her older sister engaging with anyone but Blake and Blake trying her best to get anything more than one word out of her partner. They need repairs and she could be patient while they worked out their issues. “She needs some time.”, Weiss soothes, fluffing up her pillow. Just because she lost bed privileges doesn't mean she wouldn’t go to steal some additional luxuries. If anything, it ensured pillow theft.  “I understand… I’ll keep trying.”, Blake picks at the loose threads of her futon. “Thank you, Weiss, Ruby. For having me back.”  “Of course! We’re not a team without you, Blake!”, Ruby grins brightly, getting a soft smile in response from Blake. “Man, I shoulda let myself get stabbed again or something.”, Sun whines out of nowhere, having made his bed on the top rafter of the dojo. “It’s drafty up here.” Blake tosses a protein bar at him. He catches it with his tail. “How about you sleep on the floor then?”, Yang walks into the room, a stack of blankets in front of her face.  “Welcome back. Where’s Ren and Nora?”, Weiss understands why Sun gave the sudden outburst. To stop them from getting caught talking about Yang. That wouldn’t have gone over well.  “Ren is looking after Jaune, Nora is bothering Ren. They’re probably going to sleep in his room. There’s enough beds for them.”, She drops the stack on the floor. “This is all the blankets I found.”  “Dibs!”, Ruby snatched the big black blanket. It was her favorite. So soft. Even better paired her real pajamas, having finally changed and showered. A big sweatshirt and silky pants. Maximum comfy. “You can’t call dibs on blankets. They’re for everyone.”, Weiss chides, grabbing her personally favored fluffy grey throw.  “Where’s Ilia?”, Sun rolls off the rafter, landing perfectly on his feet and grabbing the most ostentatious orange blanket in the pile.  “I’m sure she’s around here. She probably doesn’t know how to introduce herself.”, Blake covers. She knows Ilia is right outside, but there were a lot of strangers in this house and it must be a lot for her.  “I wanna meet herrrr.”, Ruby whines, laying on her chest and kicking her feet. A super cool ninja girl? Who wouldn't???  “Not everyone has to be your friend, Rubes.”, Plopping down next to her sister, Yang pats Ruby on the head. "I'm sure we'll get to meet her." “I’m still tired from that mess, so if you all don’t mind-”, Weiss flattens a palm over her futon and throws the blanket over her head.  “I think she’s got the right idea.”, Blake laughs. It was a long airship ride from Menagerie to here, then a whole even battling the White Fang left her weary.  “Is there a blanket you prefer, Yang?”  “Any is fine.”, It was a noticeable change in tone from talking to the others. Even Sun, who Yang didn’t know well, got warmer treatment.  “...Okay.”, Blake responded stiffly. The dojo is filled with silence. “It was very nice of your landlord to bring these.”  “Yeah.” ...Yikes. It's like Dad and Qrow but her sister and Blake. “Actually! I’m gonna go check on Oscar before I go back to bed.”, Ruby jumps up. She hated this. So tense, so awkward.  “Let me know how he is.”, Requested the lump of blanket formerly known as Weiss.  “Me too. He took the worst hit out of all of us.”, Yang watched her sister pad out of the room.  As Ruby disappeared into the main hall, Sun turned over to Yang. “So, you guys said the passed out kid upstairs was a long story? Part of why you’re involved in all sorts of wacky stuff?”  “Yeah.”, She sucks in a breath. “I think Qrow or… Oz- Oscar has to tell you guys about all that.  “That kid? Why does he know more than you guys? He’s like twelve.” “He's fourteen- And I hardly get it myself. I’m going to get some sleep.”  “Oh. ‘Kay. Same.”, The conversation ends there. Sun jumps back up to the rafters, while Blake and Yang grab their blankets. Yang fists it out of the pile with lightning speed like she didn’t want to be reaching at the same time as her former partner. Blake tentatively grabs the remaining red blanket. It's fluffy under her fingers. “G’night, Yang.”, Blake whispers quietly.  “...Night.”  ... Oscar wasn’t dead. Which was also super cool. It would be nicer if he woke up. But her dad, Qrow, and Jaune had assured her that he was just sleeping off the damage. His body was recovering the rest that didn’t fill in with the aura transfer.  He would like Blake, Ruby thinks. She knows Oscar likes mushy romance books from time to time, so Blake was perfect to cover that area of fiction that she didn’t like. She’s excited to introduce them. Once they got past the whole ‘also the Headmaster’ part.  Which, admittedly, was a lot to take in.  Maybe if Oscar woke up soon, she could take them all to the parts shop. Since he liked to watch her work on her team’s weapons. Ruby had been educating him about the intricacy of machining. Which was less teaching and him listening to her manic ramblings while he read and she worked. Companionable. Then they could stop by the library afterwards! Yang’s arm needed temporary parts, at least enough to give her her fingers back.  Sure, she wasn’t some Atlas elite mechanic but she was damn good with improvising stuff! She built Crescent Rose all on her own and it’s awesome!  Plus she’d been dying to get her hands on that arm.  “Somethin’ on your mind, pipsqueak?”  “Uncle Qrow!”, Ruby startled, spinning to greet him. “Just checking on Oscar before bed.”  “You got Tai and me to look after him, y’know.”, Qrow limps into his bed. His back was still killing him even after a handful of painkillers. At least he had Mama Taiyang to take care of him until his back felt better. They still have a week before they had to start heading to the Argus Limited. Plenty of time to recover for the long trip.  Beds in the house have been redistributed as Ghira and Kali in one of the nicer rooms, Team JNR in another, and then Qrow, Taiyang and Oscar in the last.  “Yeah, but you guys are old. What if you have a heart attack and he’s left defenseless?”  “ Hey - I’m barely forty.”  “Oldddddddd.”, Ruby teases, propping herself on the edge of Oscar’s bed. “You’ve got grey hairs.”  “Yeah, what about it? I make grey look good.” “Old people have grey hair.”  “Or very stressed out uncle’s who’s niece’s can’t stay out of trouble for more than a day at a time.”  “Psh. I’ve never caused any trouble in my life. Dad says I’m a perfect angel.”  “He’s lying, I promise, kiddo.”, This was a stupid conversation, but he’s had no time to just sit down and bullshit with his kid in forever. It was training, world-ending scenarios, and fear for how long now? Too long. Feels like his whole gods-damned life. He misses making them hot cocoa or those stupid monster-fighting cartoons they liked to watch as kids.  “Then how come he doesn’t have any grey hairs?”, Ruby’s shoulder shook with mirth. A good thing Oscar was out like a light because she’s sure he would have woken up by now.  “It’s the blond. Can’t see it. It’s there.”  “Ah, that means I’ll look grey before Yang.”, She pouted.  Qrow snorted. “The curse of having black hair. You'll know my pain when you get old.” Suddenly, Ruby looked downtrodden, as if struck by a dark thought. It was a visible difference from how she seemed during their lighthearted conversation.  “Uncle Qrow?”  “Yeah, kiddo? What’s wrong?”, He was sitting forward now, leaning towards Ruby.  “I- Uh.”, Ruby fiddled with the fraying fibers on the sleeve of her sweatshirt. Plucking the strands with nervous fingers. Why was she getting so upset? Just. Ask.  Her uncle was focused on her, worry all over his face. “Ruby?”, And it was so hard to hear the honest care in his voice using her name, not a nickname like she associated with being talked to by him.  “Um. Ha-”, Ruby sniffled, pretending to be tough, like she wasn’t starting to cry. “All this-”, she waved her arms uselessly in a circle and looked up. Oscar is laying right there. Oh Gods, her eyes felt warm. Come on, Rose, you were fine just a second ago.  “Come here, kiddo.”, He pats a hand next to him. And suddenly she’s six again. Standing in the doorway for the living room with a stuffed animal dangling from her hand  and tears in her eyes. Snotty and weeping from some nightmare and she knew her uncle was always on the couch, up late at night with papers on the table.  She remembers him patting the couch, inviting her up while he shuffled through mission statements, maps of Remnant with uncapped red markers everywhere on the coffee table. He’d sit her by him until she calmed down, the dredges of her nightmares fading into nothing as she drifted back to rest, leaning into him.  Then she’d wake up in her bed, tucked in with her stuffed wolfy next to her head.  And here she is now, sixteen and it’s no different. Maybe no stuffed animal, but that only because she didn’t want her special wolfy getting lost on this journey.  Even so, she still has her uncle. He wasn't going away. Not if she had any say in the matter. Ruby wipes her nose on her sleeve and gets up from Oscar’s bed. Walking head-low over to Qrow. Dropping herself heavily next to him and leaning her head against his arm. It’s just as calming as when she was a child.  “You used to always do this at home.”, Qrow wraps an supportive arm around his daughter. Gods. He had to tell her soon. But not now. Not while she was upset and trying to confide something in him. “I had a lot of nightmares.”  “Not like you didn’t have reasons to. Yeesh, even I had nightmares for weeks when you and Yang almost became Grimm food.”  “I didn’t even know what was happening. I was taking a nap.”  “Mh. Says the one who insists she doesn’t get into trouble.”  Ruby laughs, tiny and weak but he still counts that as a win. “So you want to tell me what’s wrong, or we can keep pointing out all of the nightmares you’ve given Tai and me?”  Her eyes are still wet, her nose is still running, but she feels calmer than that near meltdown a second ago. “I just-”  “You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.”  “No. No. I-I think you’re the only one I can ask anyways.”  “Me?” “All this stuff-”, She gestures again, in a useless wide circle but her head doesn’t move from its spot leaning against her uncle. “-An-and… We already lost Penny. And Pyrrha…”  Tears gather at the corners of her eyes, rolling freely down her cheeks.  “I just wanted to know…”, Ruby rubs her nose again. She’s sure it's red and raw by now. “Was mom -”, Was her mom just a sacrifice? Was her loss planned? Who knew about it? Why did she fall? She promised . “Ruby…”, Oh boy. Oh man. Qrow tightens his arm around Ruby, crushing her into his side. That was the one mystery he was never able to solve. She left no note, no trace, besides size five boot marks in the mud into dark territories. With Grimm that almost killed him within seconds of stepping onto their land.  “Ruby, when Summer left, none of us knew why. Not even Oz.”  “...‘Nd he knows lots of stuff...”, She mumbled, hiccupping and sniffling.  ...So why did Raven know? Why did Raven know her mom went to Salem? That she failed? Why did Summer go in secrecy? Was Raven lying? Her uncle wouldn’t lie to her… She trusted him more than anything.  “He does know lots of stuff.”, Qrow snickered, brushing some wet strands of hair off of Ruby’s face, out of her eyes.  “...I’m sorry.”, She apologizes so suddenly it throws him off again.  “For?”, Because he has no idea what she has to apologize for.  “I- I know everyone sees her in me and I didn’t really get to know her 'cause I was little so- So I don’t know what e-veryone wants from me and- and I know it has to hurt to see her in me because you and dad and Yang lost her-”  “Kid. Ruby. I’m not going to lie to you and say I don’t miss your mom. She was- She was my closest friend. I didn’t have anyone else like her. Because no one else like her existed.”, Qrow shutters out a sigh. He should have said something earlier. Before Ruby got wrapped up in this mess and thought up horrible scenarios. “I’m also not going to say I don’t see her in you.” He turns, putting his hands on Ruby’s shoulders and leveling with her. “I see so much of her in you. It makes me overjoyed. To know the world still has a person as great as she was in it.”  Ruby rubs at her cheek with the palm of her hand. “...I wish I got to know her.” “I wish you did too, kiddo. She loved you and Yang more than anything in the world.”  “Um-”, A pause. “Can you tell me about her at all? Whenever I ask anyone they just get sad, but all I have is the Huntress Tales story…”  Ouch. That hurt. That Ruby relied on an old book for memories of her lost mother. It was a twenty-or so page adventure from when they had just graduated. A solo mission, a tale of daring adventure and danger. Summer laughed brightly when she has seen it was published. ("They made me sound so heroic!", She had remarked.) Even though talking about her was still raw, barely breaking the barrier now with talking to Yang, he would always be willing to share stories with Ruby.  “Of course, petal.”, Qrow settles back, Ruby leaning into his arm again. She ends up wiping her nose on his sleeve at one point but he doesn’t comment. His shirt has tear marks on it already.  “Thank you, uncle Qrow.”, She goes limp against her uncle's side. Worn out from holding back the majority of her tears. “...Man, I’m glad Oscar didn’t wake up. That would have been embarrassing.”  He tucks her close, like how he'd done when she was half the size as now. “How so?” “I’m all snotty and my eyes are puffy.”  “Kiddo, you could kill a puppy in front of that kid and he’d still look at you like you hung the stars in the sky.”  “Psh, what does that even mean?”  “Don’t worry about it.”  “Whatever.”, She giggled. “-Really. Thank you for talking to me about her. No one ever does.”  “That’ll change. What do you want to know? About your mom?” “Uh. Um. Anything? I don’t know where to start?” “How about some early Beacon stories? I know Tai was telling your sister some to keep her busy while you were out getting kidnapped.” “That wasn’t my fault!”, She protested. “I’d like that, though.”  “For context, I wasn’t the incredible skilled, powerful, and amazing huntsman you see now.”  “No, really?”, What was uncle Qrow like at Yang’s age?  “I may or may have not been an incredible awkward introvert with self esteem issues.”  “No way. You’re like the coolest person I know! ...Don’t tell Yang or dad I said that.”  “Your secret’s safe with me.”, He was going to rub that in Tai’s face so hard. “But it’s true. It took a lot of work to get this cool.”  “There’s hope for Jaune?”  “I was a bigger loser than he was, that’s for sure.”  “Man. I can’t imagine you as Jaune.”  “You better start.”, He idly wipes one of the tear tracks on his daughter’s face. Fucking hell. Why did he wait so long? Why was he still so afraid? “I was a total loser. And being a loser meant getting bullied into oblivion.”  “Usually.”  “Well. Not so much. Summer was so aggressively supportive and made every single one of the campus thugs fear her. Starting with my sister.”  “Mom was a badass? Like I knew she was super good at fighting but-”  “Oh, she was more than a badass. Hell, I remember my first week on Team STRQ like it was yesterday.” . 
The naming ceremonies went off without much of a hitch. Raven was throwing a tantrum that Summer was chosen as their leader and not her. Even as she abandoned her partner, threatened those who aimed to help him, and spat at the idea of companionship, she was honestly shocked that her natural leadership wasn’t recognized. That this tiny child was chosen over her. 
 
Qrow silently thanks whatever Gods may exist that Raven was not picked as leader. A blessing, something unusually fortunate. That she wouldn’t have more stake over him then what was normal. 
 
“What bed do you want, Qrow?”, Summer turns to him, smiling upward. He can’t help but startle. He’d never met a person so bright. Light, given human form. A real Angel, descended from Heaven. 
 
After a short visit to the nurse, fresh bandages pressed over his cut and a free juice box, Qrow was cleared to go up to the dorms. Summer and Taiyang stayed with him the entire time. 
 
Even as they walked into the room, Raven had already staked claim on a bed before anyone had gotten there. His sister had no qualms about leaving him to ensure her own comfort. Sure enough, she had chosen the bed closest to the door, farthest from the window. 
 
“...Whichever.”, He mumbled. It was hard to talk to them. He’s only had Raven to talk to for so long. The Elder’s in the Tribe only expected him to listen, not respond. 
 
“Well, that one’s calling my name!”, Taiyang walked to the one closest to the window, throwing his damp duffel bag onto the wood floor next to his selected bed. 
 
After the naming ceremony, their nurse’s office visit, and the walk to the dorms, most of their clothing had dried out completely after being drenched in the rain. That didn't make it any less uncomfortable on the skin. 
 
“Then, I’ll take-”, Summer strolled over to the bed parallel to Taiyang, by the window and far from the door. “-This one!”. 
 
He thanks her in his head. Feral instincts gave him a natural aversion to being beneath the open window. 
 
Silently walking over to the bed lateral to Raven, sitting on the edge of it. It was so… Perfectly soft. Foreign.  
 
But Raven adjusted just fine. So why shouldn't he? 
 “I never think about that you grew up with bandits till you were my age.”, Ruby comments, having commandeered his blankets and curled against his side. It was a touch more uncomfortable than when she was little. So small he could pick her up with one arm. But he cherished this moment regardless. “Eh. I’ll take a soft bed any day over sleeping in the dirt.”, He was actively struggling to not cry. Don't start because you’re getting to talk to your kid about her mother, Branwen. That’s not a cool thing to do. “Same.”, She agreed, sagely.  
“How about you take a shower first, Qrow?”, Summer offers, sifting through her bag for her amenities. Shampoo, conditioners, her brush, pajamas. “You were in the rain a little longer than us. Plus, I think some hot water would feel nice on your wounds.” 
 
Raven, of course, had stolen a shower before they even got back from the nurse. So she didn’t get a turn. Tai looked like he wanted to protest, but a look from Summer shut him right up. 
 
“Here, you can use some of my stuff. You don’t have a lot of stuff in your bag, right?”, That’s another thing. She was always in his space, even his sister kept her distance. Especially while he was feeling anxious. 
 
As if on queue, a loud clap of thunder shook the walls. A framed map of Vale falls from the wall and the glass shatters across the floor. 
 
“Nice job, idiot.”, Raven insults, idly exploring the scroll gifted to her by the academy. 
 
All Qrow wants to do is bash his skull into the wall until he passes out. 
 
“That feels like an ‘I’ll get it in the morning’ problem.”, Summer brushes it off. “Here, come on.” 
 
She pulls him towards the dorm bathroom which, nicely enough, has two showers in it. But not all of them were comfortable enough with one another to use that feature just yet. 
 
Taiyang’s shout of “Wait, so we’re just going to leave broken glass on the floor?!”, Goes entirely ignored. 
 
Qrow knows what Summer is doing. She’s trying to put him at ease. Playing with the panel in the shower as if she doesn’t know how to use it, just so he can watch her and see how to use it. She even ‘accidentally’ blasts herself with cold water, the water beads off of her cloak, and it manages a surprised snort out of him. 
 
She leaves him to shower in private after that. Placing her hair products and body wash in the stall and sliding the door shut with a soft click. 
 
Summer immediately glares at Raven as soon as the door is shut and she hears the water running. 
 
“We missed you at the nurse's office.”, She walks over to the broken painting, kicking the glass into a pile with her boot. They didn’t have a broom in here yet. 
 
“Who, me?”, Raven remarks innocently. Tossing her new phone to the side. It bounces against the mattress. 
 
They were adversaries. Right from the bat. Summer wanted to establish that she wouldn’t fall into Raven’s ideals. She wouldn’t bow, bend, or break for this girl. And she would teach her the world was full of bigger people than her. Raven did not want to learn that lesson.
 
“Yes. You. Your brother was injured. Why didn’t you come with us to check on him?” 
 
“Because I was oh-so certain my brother was safe in the hands of you and blondie over there.” 
 
Taiyang wanted to fade into the covers and die. The room was charged with hostile energy. He didn’t want to mess with the crazy tameless twins. But it was very clear his partner did. 
 
“You just left him with an open injury in the rain and don’t even have the slightest kindness to see how he was doing?”, Summer stared hard at Raven.
 
“Oh no. He got a boo-boo. Oh no, I left my brother in a scenario with a more advanced medical system then we’ve had before. Oh no, I didn’t hold his hand on his way to get a bandaid put on it.”, Raven scoffed, leaning forward to match her scowl. 
 
“Ah, so because you’ve left him with worse in the past, that makes being a total meanie all the time alright?” 
 
“Meanie? What are you, five?”, She stands up, striding over to her smaller teammate. “Listen, girl. I don’t give two shits what kind of charity case you treat my brother as, because it’s clear you pity him so much. But you stay out of my fucking face and we’ll get along just fine.” 
 
“No.”, Summer’s nose and lip scrunch up into a growl. 
 
“Stop. Testing. Me.”, Raven threatens. They were practically nose to nose. 
 
“I’m the leader of this team. What I say here goes.”, In the background, Taiyang debates calling security. They look like they’re going to kill each other. Maybe he would go use that second shower-
 
“What makes you think I’ll follow the words of some soft-hearted little girl?”
 
“Because I’ll kick your ass otherwise.”, A promise. 
 
A long moment of silence drags over them
 
In the bathroom doorway stood Qrow. Wearing Beacon sweats and a black tee, towel draped around his next, a very confused expression on his face. What was happening. 
 
“Oh! Did you enjoy your shower?”, Total whiplash, Summer’s expression went from reigning hell down on mankind to sunny and cheerful within a second. 
 
“Yes…?”, He answered, voice still low. 
 
“Hey Brother-”, Raven twists away from Summer, opening her mouth with a cruel grin like she always had when she spoke down to him. 
 
But no words come out. 
 
There is a blade next to Raven’s neck. Brilliant ornate silver, decals like vines around it. It’s beautiful. Summer was standing a length away from his sister now too, gripping the pole of her weapon. A halberd then? Polearm?
 
The curve of the metal stops her from taking another step forward. A bead of sweat on Raven’s brow as the blade fits to the shape of her neck. 
 
Raven is frozen. Qrow is frozen. Taiyang feels he should have called security. 
 
“You’ll find I’m quite serious, Ms. Branwen.”, Summer’s face is stormy again, shadowed by the bolts of lightning in the window. “We are going to get through this school year together. As a team.”
 
“W-what are you going to do? Behead me?”, Raven fights to keep her tone steady. Fuck this thing was sharp. 
 
“Whatever it takes to get you to take me seriously.”, Her smile is so bright, it’s positively frightening in the scenario. 
 
“How about we all calm down? That would be cool.”, Tai stands, holding his arms up between Raven and Summer. “H-hey, how about you take next shower, Sum?” 
 
Noting the tense lines in both her male partner’s faces, she relents. Pulling her weapon away from Raven’s throat and letting it collapse into its lesser form before tossing it onto her bed. 
 
Taiyang wants to suggest Qrow and he go down to get food, but doesn’t want to rise coming back to a warzone after Summer finishes her shower. He knows Raven won’t go. But he also doesn’t want to leave Qrow to Raven and have her dig into her brother because he was being defended by their team leader. Oh my God, Summer was way more scary than he thought she would be. 
 
...Fuck it, he’ll just starve. 
 
The girl’s stare one another down as Summer walks into the bathroom. 
 
Luckily, the evening passes without any more threats being traded. Everyone settles into bed and goes to sleep. Raven thinks on how to deal with brazen little flowers who think they can tell her what to do. 
 
.
 
It’s a terrible and wonderful first week. Qrow has no idea how to feel. Raven was growing angrier and angrier and Qrow wasn’t there to be her punching bag. Rather, he was pressed into Summer’s side 24/7. Even as his Bad Luck acted up time and time again, she didn’t seem to notice or care. A spontaneous fire in their room? They had running water, it was fine. The loss of every hanging photo into their dorm? More room for posters! Boots unlaced? Must have not tied them well enough.
  It’s terrible because he loves the positive attention. Even Tai was kind enough to offer gruff assistance with anything Qrow didn’t know. Any and all troubles he’s had adjusting to modern life was smoothed over by his new teammates. Tai downloaded games onto his scroll for him, using them to bat out any male rivalry that may have been. Summer went over books and notes with him, polishing up his grammar and handwriting.  
Qrow has never been treated so fairly in his life.
 
But now he wants to say something. Something that will make Summer loosen her protective grasp on him so Raven would calm down. 
 
Because now she’d taken to bullying Taiyang in all sorts of ways. Childish things. She would trip him in the halls, put gum on his seat in class, or spill coffee on his homework. Summer had been busy guarding him, but she was starting to notice Raven’s aggressions being misplaced to their other teammate.
 
And both Qrow Branwen and Taiyang Xiao Long fully believed Summer Rose and Raven Branwen would kill one another if either one steps another foot out of place. 
 
Their fears are realized. Everything comes to a head at the end of their starting week. It’s in the cafeteria, when it happens. Raven smacks Taiyang’s lunch tray with the end of Omen, sending his food crashing to the floor. 
 
“Why?”, Tai remarks dumbly. Qrow slides his lunch between them. Summer was very insistent that sharing was important for teamwork. While Tai and himself hardly knew each other yet, and Tai still looked at Qrow as a weird semi-human animal, their mutual fear of Raven was an unspoken bond.  
 
“Oh, did I do that?”, Raven dull-tones, looking smug. Only for the Gods to punish her immediately for this transgression. 
 
“Raven Branwen.”, It’s almost comical. To watch his ever-headstrong and powerful sister freeze at the high-pitched sound echoing from the cafeteria doorway. 
 
Raven snaps out of it, wondering why she even considered feeling fear for a moment before turning to Summer. “Oops.” 
 
Then there's a clank, the sound of metal on metal. Because Summer has her halberd locked in to Omen and her face says she is not playing. 
 
“I said I would.”, Summer growls, sliding the end of her weapon down Raven’s sword and snapping it against her foes knuckles. 
 
Raven holds in her wince. Because that hurt like a motherfucker. She twists her wrist, knocking off Summer and jumping back. 
 
Her foot gets caught. And she stares at Summer, whose right arm is missing, nothing but a few fluttering white petals in its place. 
 
The other petals stick around her leg, holding it to the floor. Summer beats her blade down, a direct arch at Raven, who barely manages to block again with Omen. The red dust steel cracks under the pressure. 
 
“I said I would put you in your place.”, The petals fade away and her arm reforms out of them. It’s an odd process to see. With her regained arm, Summer slams the side of her fist into the flat of Raven’s sword. The blade, weak by design, crumbles under the pressure. The loose dust sparks, igniting small flames around the girls. 
 
Taiyang thinks it's picturesque. Qrow doesn’t understand women. And that’s okay. “I don’t think most are like this.”, Tai assures. It makes Qrow wonder if he should be concerned for his growing idolization of Summer then. As sparks of fire dance around her like glitter and reflect in her eyes. 
 
“You wanna try me so bad? Then try me!”, Raven sheaths her sword and pulls it out with a fresh blade in a fluid, practiced motion. Omen doesn’t have all of it’s refills at the moment, She wasted plenty in that stupid forest and they haven’t been off campus since being here. She doesn’t know where a forge would be to make new ones. Fucking Vale, it sucked here. 
 “They just started fighting? In the middle of school?”, Ruby looks starry-eyed. Qrow can see she’s getting tired but hanging on out of sheer willpower. She’s afraid. That if she sleeps now, her uncle won’t share any more stories with her. Like this is her one shot to hear about mom. “Yeah. Made us infamous on week one. Summer was the first person who wouldn’t take any of my sister’s shit.” 
Summer evaporates into white, her petals scatter into a formless mass. 
 
The other students in the cafeteria are very much watching. Eager eyes focused on the two girls as Raven slashes aimlessly at the dispersed form of Summer Rose. The petals taunt her, breezing away effortlessly at each swipe. 
 
“You’re not going to fight me like-”, She’s cut short. A hand grabs her sword arm, gripping harsh at her wrist. Summer swings a blunt strike with the rod of her halberd into Raven’s kidney. 
 
“Cute.”, Raven coughs, hand held to her side and jumps back. On the defensive. “A cute little semblance for a cute little girl.”, she seethes. All these stupid, lucky kids with their cheating semblances. The only thing hers was good for was finding Qrow. She had to work harder than any of these born-fortunate brats. 
 
Summer lunges forward again. A few students leave, muttering about getting a teacher. 
 
“Hey… Should we do something?”, Tai turns to Qrow, who was watching them fight with interest. 
 
“...Maybe?”, He offers. 
 
“Maybe? Dude, we’re going to get in trouble.” 
 
“Why?” 
 
“Because they’re going to destroy the cafeteria!” 
 
Qrow just looks at his sister and leader, watching as Raven lands a hit with the hilt of her sword into Summer’s cheek. She growls and swings in response like an ursa. His heart feels weird. 
 
“Come on.”, Tai stands, ushering Qrow up with him. “Let’s go stop them.” 
 
“...How?”
 
“...Shit, that’s a good question.” 
 
“Augh!”, Raven lands on the table in front of them. Getting up, one boot in Qrow’s lunch tray. Welp. Tai and him had stashed bags of chips for situations like this.
 
His sister kicks off the table, sending his tray to the floor. Mashed potatoes flying into the table away from them. William Winchester yells something about ‘barbarians’, wiping the gravy out of his hair. 
 
“She’s your sister! Do something!”, Tai yells at him. 
 
“I’ve never gotten my sister to do anything in my life.”, He states, matter-of-factly. Because it’s true. Raven did what Raven wanted. 
 
They watch aimlessly for another minute. At some point, the two girls had lost their weapons, now grappling on the floor. Oof, that was a dirty hit, Raven. 
 
There’s a chunk of black hair on the ground, from who knows. Both have food residue all over them, mixed in with feathers from Raven’s headdress. 
 
“Ugh.”, Tai walks over to them, with the same trepidation as approaching feuding wolves. “I’ll grab Sum, you grab your sister.”
 
Simple enough. In words. Not in practice. Because much like grabbing rabid wolves, these two did not understand the fight was over yet. Raven ended up elbowing him in the nose and digging her claws into his arm. Summer’s head smashed into Taiyang’s chin, making him bite his tongue. 
 
“Oh gosh. I’m sorry.”, Summer shifts her mood to concern. She didn’t want to hurt anyone. Well, anyone else but Raven. That girl needed a wake-up call. 
 
“It’s okay.”, He can taste blood, but it was just too adorable how she dangled from his grip. So small.
 
“Oh dear.”, A voice from the entrance way. Their gaze leads them to the headmaster, standing and surveying his students. 
 
Ms. Goodwitch is at his side. She does not look very happy with them as she glares hotly at Team STRQ. 
 
“Having troubles, Ms. Rose, Ms. Branwen?”, His cane taps on the floor with each step towards them 
 
“No sir!”, Summer, still grasped like an unruly cat in Taiyang’s grip, states with confidence. “I have it under control.” 
 
Raven huffs, crossing her arms as Qrow releases her. Turning her face away from them. 
 
“Fist fighting in the cafeteria is under control?”, Glynda bristles, clicking a heel forward. Only to be halted by a hand posted up by the Headmaster. 
 
“I imagine it’s quite difficult for everyone to adjust to your new situations. Ms. Branwen, Mr. Branwen, you two are both from rural Anima, correct? Such a far journey. I hope you adapt well here at Beacon.”, He knows why they’re here. Though, it would be better to talk to them in private in regards to that. 
 
So that’s what he’ll do. 
 
“Mr. Xiao Long, you are from Mistral? I have a good friend who runs Haven Academy. Did you choose Beacon for any particular reason?”
 
“Uh. Because Beacon is the best of the best, sir.”, Taiyang drops Summer in favor of rubbing the back of his neck. A sheepish motion. 
 
“Glad to hear our esteem has reached far beyond Vale’s borders.”, Ozpin offers a kind smile. “Ms. Rose?” 
 
“Yes, sir?”, She springs up from the floor, a green bean dropping from her hair. 
 
“I do hope we can keep further disagreements from invoking such passionate results?”
 
“I was simply doing what I thought was best as leader, professor.”, Summer spoke like she had made a diplomatic decision, rather than starting a brawl during lunch. 
 
“Of course.”, He laughs gently. “Well, I suppose I can let your… Leadership choice slide, should you clean up the mess you’ve made?” 
 
“Can do.” 
 
“I’ll leave you to it.”, Ozpin leaves, Glynda keeps a glare on them as she follows him out. “Do try to get along, students.”
 
Summer turns towards a custodian closet, striding over and opening the door. Arriving out with a mop, rags, and broom. 
 
Taiyang sighs, frustrated but grabs a rag nonetheless. “Oh, Tai I’ll do this.” 
 
“I’m helping, dummy.” 
 
Qrow follows, unsure of himself. Grabbing the broom and sweeping in any loose pieces of food on the floor. 
 
Raven leaves in a snit, complaining about a shower. Summer would get her to listen in due time. She’d just make sure less food was involved next time. 
 
“Thank you guys, for helping. Sorry for embarrassing you.” 
 
“You totally did.”, Tai grabs Summer by the shoulders and shakes her. “Now everyone is gonna think we’re crazy.” 
 
“Good! We can use that to our advantage.”, She agrees, bobbing back and forth as Taiyang shakes her.
 
“Oh, Gods you’re actually crazy.” 
 
“...I thought it was cool…”, Qrow adds, voice quiet. Raven was still the only one he was capable of talking in full volume for. But these two made it easier to try. 
 
“Qrow thought it was cool!”, Summer shouts, pumping her arms up, cloak fluttering with the motion. A few white petals falls from her as well. 
 
“Sum, you started a battle because Raven smacked my lunch tray.” 
 
“I promised her! And when I promise something, I keep it.”
 “It wasn’t too bad actually. But those two had a long way to go until their rivalry became less… Destructive.”, Qrow smiles at the memory of his team. Complete and whole. He didn’t even really know them at that point. Four years at Beacon together pushed them together like cement. Or so, he thought it did with Raven.  He looks down to ask Ruby if she wants to hear another story. He’s got plenty he can tell without going too far. Not yet.  But gets his answer upon seeing her, curled into a complete ball, snoring into his side. She’s asleep on his arm, which he will one-hundred percent regret in the morning. At the moment, he doesn’t care much either. His back hurts, he’s spent, and he’s so glad to share some of Summer with Ruby. Like a freed weight.  “G’night, petal.”, He pats her head with his free arm, tugging a corner of the blanket up over his shoulder and closing his eyes.  ... Taiyang makes his way uostairs after sitting down with the Belladonna’s for a good while. They were good folks. From the sound of it, it seemed their daughter was starting her journey to recovery at home and was ready to start her life again. Just like Ynag, budding into her own. It was also nice to be around other adults and not his pack of students (and Qrow). That man was a child on the best of days.  All of the kids had been accounted for. Jaune, Ren, and Nora all resting close and peacefully in their room, curled together like puppies. He even spotted the other Faunus girl curled up in the dojo, she and all of the others asleep.  Now he was just missing one troublemaker. The obvious choice was she was checking on her little friend Oscar. He finds solace in the fact that they’re all attached to the boy and not looking at him as the Headmaster. It was something Tai still found himself struggling with from time to time.  Clicking open the door to his shared room, he spots Oscar still quietly snoring in bed. No Ruby.  Looking slightly to the right, his heart melts. Ruby, bunched up under the crook of Qrow’s arm, sleeping soundly. Qrow himself, bent at an awkward angle to give Ruby the most comfort, with this head pillowed on the wall. Tai knows he’ll regret the position in the morning.  So of course he snaps a photo on his scroll. Sue him.  ... “I missed our sleep-over.”, Ruby pouts, stabbing her bacon into the yolk on her eggs.  “I was worried something had happened to you before I remembered literally everyone here would kill for you.”, Weiss remarks, taking a bite of her more reserved bowl of oatmeal. She has no idea how Ruby can eat such greasy, fatty foods so early.  “You missed Sun face planting out of the rafters when he got up.”, Yang stands by the counter, next to her father as he cooks breakfast for the insane amount of people they now have.  Ruby huffs, angrily crunching her food.  Her eyes still felt sore from crying, but she hasn’t felt this well rested in ages. It was still unbelievable, that she had gotten to learn a little bit about the person her mother was. That her uncle spoke to her about Summer Rose.  “Those beams are way too thin for a beefcake like me!”, Sun boasts, pouring himself a tall glass of orange juice.  “Please never call yourself that in my company ever again.”, Blake’s hair was everywhere, messy from sleeping. Circles under her eyes and a skew sweatshirt sold the ‘I just woke up’ image.  Qrow was still asleep when Ruby woke up. Her stomach cried out for food, so she chose to push him into a more comfortable resting pose before coming down stairs on the hunt for breakfast.  “How’s Oscar?”, Asks Ren, balancing three plates to bring upstairs to his team. Nora was passed out, but it was better to bring the food to her before she smelled it down here. Or else no one else would be able to eat in peace. And Jaune’s leg was sore and propped up, so he couldn’t move on his own yet.  “He’s good! Still sleeping. He looks way better though!”, Ruby had poked his cheek before coming down to see if he would wake up. No dice. The younger boy just kept on snoring.  Ren smiles and nods before disappearing upstairs. He really loved his team more than anything else.  “Hey Ruby?”, Yang strides over to her, ducking down next to her. Her voice low. “Yeah?”, She matches the tone, tuning out the idle chatter of her friends and family.  “Are you doing okay?”, Her sister pokes under her left eye, then boops her nose. The lingering puffiness underneath those bright eyes, something was up or something happened.  “Yep!”, She says, assured in her happiness. “...But we can talk later, if you want?”  “I’ll hold you to it.”  "It's a promise!"

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Ruby finally gets to meet Ilia the day before they leave on their joint journey to the Argus Limited. It’s completely an accident. She’s sure because the only way any of them got to be aware of Ilia’s existence was the reassurances from Blake’s parents and Blake herself that she was still around. So it was pretty clear this girl wasn’t a socialite. Ruby respects that. Like Yang said, they'd get to meet in the future more likely than not.  Oscar never got up, only waking for brief incoherent moments, so Ruby had to mosey her lonesome self down to the hardware store and get parts for Yang.  Which was fine. She hadn’t had a moment without anyone around this whole week after the battle. Ruby really wanted to sit down with Yang and talk alone… About everything. But each attempt was invaded by literally everybody. Way too many bodies in one house and of course Yang hated going shopping with her. “It’s like you’re in a different world and I'm stuck on this one.”, Yang would tease her. Psh. Meanie.  Plus a new lens for her sniper scope anyways. But giving her sister a functioning arm back was a little more important.  And sure, Sun and Blake offered to go with her but it just wasn’t the same as her grand idea to introduce the RWBYORNJTQ book lovers. (Would that make them team ROB? BOR? ORB?  ...BRO?) Plus, now she could pick up a surprise book for all three of them to read! A brand new plan!  Right, Yang first. Shopping for metal shaped like fingers was a lot harder than she thought it would be. As it happens, pieces of that caliber weren’t in high demand. No mechanical fingers in sight. But they did have light blocks of metal that looked close in size.  Ruby ended up renting a Dremel and heat gun to make her own. There was a whole night tonight she could work on them! How would she set the joints? Would they adapt to the artificial neural network in the arm?  After throwing those into her shopping cart, Ruby continues to wander the store.  Some more bullets never hurt? And didn’t Weiss need new charges for her rapier? Oh, and Blake probably didn’t have anything for Gambol Shroud to pair with her semblance! Ruby can pick some up for her! How was Nora on grenades? This place had a pretty good sale on powdered lightning dust… They had been playing with the ratios in those canisters since leaving Patch. And Jaune was up and about now! Having healed from his leg injury. He’d probably like a new whetstone! . Check out puts a nasty dent in her wallet. Luckily the Mistral Commission had paid kindly for taking care of the problem Grimm that was a far higher level than reported. As well as the Elder of the district had sent well wishes and a small financial sum of his own. A token of kindness with a message about the victims of the damaged district. They had begun rebuilding and some of the kids were painting red petals onto their walls.  So she teared up just a little bit. Nothing too uncool.  Things could have been worse. Blake was home, everyone was mostly getting along, and uncle Qrow didn’t break his promise. While the house was full, it was hard to get time for one on ones at all, but he managed to fit in little facts about her mom. Like how she liked Mistral City for its windiness. “What kind of person likes a place because it’s windy?”, Qrow snorted, smiling into the breeze.  Wallet a load lighter, she leaves the store. As long as they had ticket money for the train, it was fineeeee. Probably.  Ruby feels like a scarecrow. Arms held out wide to compensate for the hefty bags. She still had to go to the library too. Hauling her treasure trove of dust, bullets, and assorted bits of metal, the clerk at the bookstore gives her a funny look. But he takes mercy and lets Ruby set her baggage behind the counter while she browses.  Uncle Qrow and her dad must be getting worried with how long she’s been out. Better make this a speedy visit. ...And so Ruby leaves two hours later with three copies of The Grimm Anthology: Volume One , a collection of many stories all jumbled up in meaning and genre. Perfect for everyone! Even if some of the passages got a little dark.  Of course, she picked a thick heavy book that was gonna be a pain to bring home. Plus she had forgotten about her previous bags. The clerk gives her a sympathetic look as she loads her everything onto her arms. Each bag placed, Ruby felt herself shrink down.  Oh Gods, all of these combined must weigh more than her. She’s being dragged to the fiery depths, as punishment for her gluttony.  The sun is already going down. Oops. Better get home before the overprotective guardian hounds release themselves.  If only she didn’t walk at a snail’s pace. Maybe if uncle Qrow looked for her, she could shove the bags off on him… But then Ruby would have to listen to a lecture about how much she spent. At least alone, she could hide some of her purchases.  Cheating with her semblance only went so far before she smacked against the pavement in a mess of literature and sparky pink dust. One of the bags tore, its contents scattered around her. Darn it. Well, at least she knows she doesn’t even need Uncle Qrow to have completely rotten luck.  “Are you okay?”, Someone asks, a raspy feminine voice standing over her. Ruby looks up to see a girl in a black short jumpsuit and a long ponytail. “Oh, yeah! Just wanted to sit and curse at the Heavens!”, Ruby smiles, pointing up at the golden sky.  “Looks to me like you’re sitting in a puddle.”, The girl remarks, bending down to pick up a wet bag of parts. “Here.” Ruby looks down, sees the mud soaking into her skirt. “...Dang it.” “Blake was right. You’re a little spacy.”, She looks kindly at Ruby, who is wiping the bulk of the dirt off her clothes.  “Blake?”, Ruby cocks her head.  “Ah. I’m- I’m Ilia.”, She rubs her arm, bashful.  “Oh- OH! Hi! I’m Ruby! Sorry, I never got to meet you!” Ilia knows that. She’s been actively staying out of the way of everyone while keeping her own eye out for any remaining White Fang activity. No way Adam made it out of Anima already… If he tried leaving at all… “My apologies. I was... Side-tracked.”, she settles for that excuse.  “No no! Don’t be sorry. I’m happy I got to see you before we go to Argus! You’re coming with us to the station, right?”, Ruby idly picks up her bags, stacking the components from the torn one into her arm.  “Yeah. I’ll be heading home to Menagerie with Blake’s parents.”, Ilia wordlessly helps Ruby, grabbing a bag stained with dust and another with books inside.  They walk towards the residential district together in relative silence. It’s an odd sort of quiet. Lined with tension. Well. They’re leaving tomorrow. Can’t make it any worse by asking now.  “...Are you okay that Blake is staying with us, Ilia?”, Ruby stops walking, just outside of the gated area. Her gaze looking up towards the faunus girl. Ilia stands quietly. Blake was right about a lot of things. In her many attempts to get Ilia to socialize with her friends, short little bits about them.  
“Yang’s headstrong. She’s powerful and smart, but can be pretty stubborn when she wants to be. She loves her sister more than anything.”, Blake sighs wistfully. “She was my best friend, I think. Before I left her…” 
 
“Please don’t look at Weiss like she’s just a Schnee. I promise she’s so much more. She’s everything good from that part of the world. I really think she’ll fix how the SDC gets to treat us one day. If you two sat down and talked, I know you’d get along.” 
 
“Team JNPR are wonderful people. I think Nora might be a little much for you at the start though. She’s the most energetic person I’ve ever met. Jaune is sweet and honest. You’d like him. Ren is quiet, I don’t know a lot about him because of that. But his teammates wouldn’t love him like they do if he wasn’t a good person.”, They’re on the roof. Ilia’s resting grounds when she wasn’t scouring Mistral for flashes of red. “I wonder how they’re doing… Without Pyrrha.” 
 
“I don’t know much about Qrow Branwen. Other than that he’s a talented Huntsman. He was kind of immature when I saw him at Beacon for the first time? I think he does it for Ruby and Yang, to lighten their burdens, like a good guardian should. Ruby looks up to him so much, it’s clear to see how she mastered her weapon learning from him.” 
 
“I just met Taiyang the night of Haven. I didn’t get the chance at the Vytal Festival when he brought Ruby back from Patch. He’s the embodiment of Dad in the same way my dad is. It’s nice- to know he’s looking after everyone. They deserve a caring parent to talk too. Especially Weiss.” 
 
“Ruby keeps telling me I’ll get along with Oscar. But I keep thinking about how he’s… Well, I don’t know how much I can say. I hope he wakes up soon, so I can see what she means.” 
 
“Ruby is… She’s our team leader. She’s a little spacy at times, and goofy. Innocent, like a storybook character… But that fools you into forgetting how sharp she is. I swear she can feel what I’m thinking sometimes and for some reason, that doesn’t bother me. I’m almost comforted by her awareness of how I feel. I trust her with my life.” 
 Yeah. Blake was on point with this one.  “...No.”, Ilia sighs, adjusting her hold on Ruby’s supplies. “But I know she wants to be with you. Her team.”  She didn’t resent any of Team RWBY. All she wishes is that Blake could find some happiness. No matter who it’s with.  “You could come with us?”, Ruby offers. And she means it. Yeah, they’d have to get her up to speed with the magics and wizards and whatnot but what was one more person in on it?  “Thank you for the kind offer, Ruby. But I’m needed in Menagerie. I want to help Ghira and Kali- Blake’s parents help reform the White Fang.”  “So long as you’re sure! Let me know if you change your mind. We’d be happy to have you aboard!” Ilia feels lighter for whatever reason. They walk through the gates and to home in a companionable lull of conversation. “I’m home~”, Ruby sing-songs, nervously stepping into the house with Ilia behind her.  Taiyang is standing in the doorway with his arms crossed. For some reason, Weiss is next to him, mirroring the disappointed-parent posture.  “Young lady.”, Tai says, at the same time as Weiss’ “Ruby.”  “I’msosorryIgotdistractedandtheressomuchcoolstuffinMistralthatIwantedtogetandIneededanewbookforteamROBordidIlikeBRObetter-”  “Breathe.”, Her dad snorts, walking over to help grab a bag. “Thank you for finding my kid, Ms. Amitola.”  “Oh- Uh. No problem. And just Ilia is okay, sir.”  “Then just Tai is okay with me.”, He smiles, grabbing the metric ton of supplies from Ruby’s arms. “You’re not in too much trouble. But a text message would have been nice.”  “It won’t happen again!”, Ruby salutes, now that her arm is free of its burdens.  “Well, I was worried.”, Weiss scans over the stuff now dumped all around the living room. “But I do appreciate the refills for my baby.”  “...Your baby?”, Ilia cocks her head.  “She means her sword.”, Dusting a hand over her skirt, Ruby remembers she’s still got mud drying onto her clothes..  “What did you do out there?”, Tai flicks flecks from the dirt off a copy of The Grimm Anthology. “You’re a mess.” “Spent a bunch of money, fell into a puddle trying to use my semblance to get home, cursed the sky, Ilia saved me.”  “Yeesh, you really do take after Qrow sometimes.”  “I’ll take that as a compliment!” “It’s not.”, Weiss rolls her eyes, looking fondly at Ruby. “By the way, Oscar woke up while you were out. He’s still pretty out-”  “WHAT, REALLY?!”, And Ruby was gone. Leaving a sixteen-year old after-image in her wake.  “-Of it. She didn’t even bother with the stairs.”, Weiss looks at the trail of rose petals floating towards the ground.  “NO USING YOUR SEMBLANCE IN THE HOUSE, YOUNG LADY!”, Taiyang shouts towards the second floor.  Ilia vanishes out the door and back up to the roof.  . “OSCAR!”, Ruby practically kicks the door down, finger pointed at the sleepy-looking boy in the bed across the door.  “Ruby.”, Oscar yawns, offering a tiny wave. He’s still so worn out.  “No no no. No yawning, you slept for like a year.”  “It was more like a week.”, Oh, uncle Qrow is here. The man sitting on his own bed with a cup of coffee in his hand. Oscar stares at it. “No way. Tai made this for me . Go make your own. It’ll stunt your growth, anyways.”  “You told me Dad made that up!”, Ruby stomps her foot, entering the room formally and plopping down center stage. Still in her dirty skirt.  “I don’t think I can even get up to make my own.”, Oscar groans, tilting his head back and hitting the headboard.  “ Bad habit. ”, Ozpin chides, while laughing at him. “ Though, I feel we could both benefit from a warm cup of coffee. That was quite a lot of damage you had to recover from. ”  “I almost died.”, He whines, rubbing his hands over his eyes. Someone had been kind enough to take his boots and gloves off at some point but he had been sleeping in the same clothes for almost a week. Gross.  He must look pretty pathetic, because Qrow lets out a huff before getting up, placing his mug on Oscar’s lap. “Don’t ever say I never did nothing for you, kid.”  “Aw, that was nice, uncle Qrow!”, Ruby praises, clapping her hands together.  “Yeah yeah.”, He sits back down on his bed. God, his back was still killing him. “Think after you get some of that down that you can shower on your own?”  “I actually don’t know.”, Oscar’s limbs felt foreign, and not in the Ozpin-Body-Takeover way. He doesn’t think he can stand on his own. “Uncle Qrow and I can always help you!”, Ruby offers. Oscar’s face goes bright red.  “ Ah, to be young again. ”, Ozpin teases. “I’ll ask Jaune, if I need help.”, He manages to get out over burning cheeks.  “Too weird?” “Just a bit.”, Oscar pinches his fingers together, face still red-hot. But his rebound time is getting better! “Smooth recovery, kid. Also thanks for the volunteer, Ruby. Offering for me to help a teenage boy in the shower is way worse than you offering to help him right in front of me.”, Qrow misses his coffee.  “I didn’t mean it like that!”, Ruby defends her action. Oscar takes a short sip of his gifted coffee. Eugh. It’s bitter. “Hey, Oscar?”  “Yeah?”  “If you’re feeling up to it, I bought some books for us. And Blake! She met up with us after Haven. I thought it would be nice to all read together, and that way you get to meet her. Plus, I gotta do some work on Yang’s arm, so I get to listen to you guys read while I make fingers.”  “Make fingers?”  “Make fingers!”  Remembering Yang, they still haven’t talked… Ruby hopes they get to soon. She really needs it. “Sounds nice. I hope I can make it.”, Oscar really isn’t sure if he can. He’s still so tired. But they have to leave tomorrow, so maybe getting up and around would be for the best.  “Well, have fun with your nerd book club.”, Qrow teases, winning a shout of ‘hey!’ from both kids. “I’m gonna go over the plans for getting to the Argus Limited with Tai and the Belladonna’s. Oscar?”  “Mhm?”  “I’m getting blondie to come and get you in the shower.”  “Do I really smell that bad?”, Oscar sniffs the collar of his shirt. Yes. Yes, he does.  Ruby nods in sagely agreement. “I’ll go tell Blake and set up a workspace in the living room! See you if you can come down, Oscar! Text if you can't. We can always kick dad and uncle Qrow out!”  Now it was Qrow’s turn to give an indignant ‘hey!’.  ... With some help, Oscar managed his way downstairs. Hair still wet as he rests on the couch, a copy of The Grimm Anthology in his lap and a soft red blanket covering most of his body. A blessing, because all he has to wear is hand-me-down sweatpants from Nora and a t-shirt from Ruby (he didn’t fit into any of the other’s things, it was either Ruby’s or Nora’s, and more recently Weiss’).  It was a struggle not to fall asleep, comfortable in his night clothes and warmth of the dim fire they had going. The combination of Ruby’s tinkering and Blake’s (who was indeed very nice) reading voice was practically a lullaby.  Blake sits at the other end of the couch, an odd sort of fond smile on her face as she watches Oscar droop to rest and perk back up when Ruby makes a frustrated exclamation or a clank with her tools.  The identity difference was a stark one. Oscar was such a sweet, small boy. In contrast to the memories of their wise and enigmatic headmaster. As well as the visible confidence gap in posture between the two. They couldn’t feel more apart from each other.  The fairy tales made it easier. She transposes the professor as a conscious for Oscar, guiding and raising him as part of a legacy. Sans a physical form.  It’s a simpler way to distinguish the two, or at least Blake thinks it’s easier. For Ruby and herself to see Oscar this way. A shared love for fiction makes it uncomplicated. Maybe that’s why Ruby was so eager for them to meet. Another person who could draw a clear line between Oscar and Ozpin.  Someone who would look at Oscar and see the boy he was and not the man they knew.  It has to be hard for him. Away from everything he’d ever know in a room full of people who know you but don’t know you.   Blake promises herself to protect the identity of who Oscar is versus his cursed forebears.  “Was that the end?”, Ruby asks, idly holding Yang’s arm in one hand, a pair of pliers in the other.  “Oops, sorry. I got a bit lost in thought. Yes, that was the end of that story.”, She confirms. A tale of a cunning young tailor who wove a net of success for himself.  “It was okay . I liked the one about the girl and big bad wolf.”, She’s affixing the makeshift fingers now. They’ll do but… Hopefully the General would be able to have it formally fixed.  “...Really?”, Oscar yawns, tilting his head toward Ruby. “Any reason in particular? Anything at all?”  “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”  “Fair enough.” “I dunno.”, Blake hums. “I like the cat and mouse one the best so far, but there’s a lot of stories in this book so that might change.”  “But that one is so sad.”, Ruby reaches for her metal polish. Almost done. “They were friends, and the cat betrayed her.”  Oscar nodded in agreement, even though that was also his favorite thus far. “I thought it was kind of confusing?”  “Mhm. But I favor that sort of prose, it makes me think.”, Blake yawned herself, it was pretty late. Everyone else had gone to bed. “One more and we call it a night? I think we could all use some rest before tomorrow.”  “Sounds good!”, Ruby chirps. Followed by Oscar’s sleepy affirmation. They could always have more reading nights. She was happy to finally put Blake and Oscar in the same place. Making something as normal as a book club.  Blake clears her throat, expression warm as Ruby leaned forward to listen and Oscar, as tired as he was, brightened as she started reading off a tale about a lonely young woman locked in her castle. ... Morning was a noisy, busy thing. Everyone was packing. The Belladonna’s were outside with Sun, the lot of them helping pack the carriage they would take to the edge of Mistral and finish the rest of the way to Argus Station on foot. Mistral was a massive place. Yang flexed her temporary fingers with a bright grin. “They’re awesome, Rubes! You did these in one night?”  “Ahaha yeah-”, Ruby rubbed the back of her neck, bashful. “Blake and Oscar helped keep me awake so I could finish. They’re not as strong as the original ones so we have to see a-”  “I’d rather keep these. Screw getting some stuffy Atlas technician.”  In which Ruby is super flattered that Yang likes them, but in terms of biomechanics, she’s confident her repair job is the equivalent of a macaroni picture. Weapons were her thing. Give her a gun and she’s got you covered.  “Okay, but actually they need to be replaced before we do any real fighting.”  “Eh.”  “Eh!?”  Yang throws her arm around her little sister’s shoulder, placing her in a soft headlock. “I’m so proud of my very talented mechanic baby sisterrr~”  “Bleh, let go of me. Your hair is in my mouth-”  “Nah. Reward hug.”  “This is assault. Not a hug.”, Ruby struggles against Yang’s iron grip. Ha ha. Get it. Iron grip.  “Okay okay, break it up.”, Taiyang enters, stepping out of the kitchen, dressed and ready to go.  Both girls stick their tongue out at him and go back to tussling. And he’s happy about it. He worried for so long, how Yang would feel about Ruby when the skeletons started falling out of the closet. Nothing changed, Yang still loved her little sister just as fiercely. He feels stupid for thinking she would react any other way.  Now he can only hope Ruby handles it the same way. Whenever Qrow feels it’s right. Tai finds himself at peace with the idea now more than ever.  “Are we leaving?”, Weiss asks, standing at the stop of the stairs with Blake. “I finished getting all our stuff together.”  “Just waiting on Qrow to get back from Auntie Wu Jiang.”, Yang answered, still holding a hostage Ruby.  “What are you two doing?”, Weiss stares down at them.  “Bored.”, Both sisters answer in unison.  “Where’s the other kiddos?”, Tai asks, watching as his kids devolve into their impromptu wrestling match. The sight was nostalgic in more ways than one.  “Taking shower turns. Oscar went first. He should be down in a second. Who knows where Ilia is.”  “Oscar just took a shower yesterday!”, Ruby shouts, trying to break Yang’s hold.  “People can shower more than once every couple days, Ruby.”, Blake offered, laughing into her hand at her team leader and partner brawling on the floor.  “Waste of time!”  “Sorry, I don’t want to bathe in a cold river while we’re going to Argus.”, Oscar, summoned at the sound of his name, standing with his hair wet yet again behind Weiss and Blake. At least he’s in his normal get up and not women’s pajamas this time. “It’s going to be freezing out there.”  “Yeah but that’s the fun part.”, Yang, sitting atop her sister, counter-argues.  “It’s really not.”, Weiss knows from experience. Not like bandits had running hot water aplenty.  “ Don’t let them fool you, you’ve made the right choice. ”, Oz offers his agreement.  “Ruby?”, Tai pipes in.  “Yeah, dad?”  “Don’t you have rental tools you have to return?”, Taiyang sing-songs, artfully stirring whatever was on the stove with a pair of chopsticks.  “OH SH-”  “ Language - Yang, let your sister up so she doesn’t commit theft.”  “Boo.”, But still, Yang relents her victory and frees Ruby.  “I’ll be right back! Wait for me if I don’t get back before uncle Qrow!”  “Well duh.”, Yang watches as Ruby shuffles around a back of tools to bring back. Seriously, the new fingers were pretty damn impressive. ... Ruby waves goodbye to the clerk, free from the load of tools. This shop had served her well during their stay in Mistral. She could only hope there was a nice small place like this in Atlas as well. Maybe Weiss knew a good- Wait, her dad owned the Dust industry.  Just as Ruby calls on her semblance, feeling herself fade to the vortex, she’s halted.  “Do you know how hard it is to get you alone?”, That dark voice. As if she didn’t have enough on her plate. “Even plucking you from under their nose barely got me a full day.” “...I have to get going. We’re leaving.”  “Yeah. Atlas or whatever. They can wait a second.”, Raven huffs. The audacity of these people.  “So you decided not to come help us?”, Ruby isn’t looking at her, opting to stare straight ahead in the direction of home.  “I need to move my men. I have generously allowed the Schnee to accompany you in my stead.”, Raven is tucked into an alleyway while Ruby stands in the quiet street.  “Weiss is her own person. She doesn’t need your permission. For anything.”  “She and I had an agreement. I’m sure if you ask, she’ll tell you all about it.”  Ruby grits her teeth, hands balled at her sides and body tight. Raven is so foreign to her. Yeah, this is Yang’s birth mother but… She wasn’t part of their family.  And at this rate, she never would be.  “...Why did you know about my mom and Salem?”, Ruby turns, finally looking at Raven. She was wearing that creepy mask.  “I figured you’d want to know. That’s why I’m here. Since your uncle Qrow and my sweet daughter interrupted us last time.”  “Maybe if you didn’t kidnap me, we could sit down and talk easier.”  “Ha. My brother would never let me near you even if I was on my best behaviour.”  “Are you going to tell me or not? Sorry, but I really don’t want to talk to you.”  “That’s what I said I was going to do.”, Raven smiles as Ruby steps into the alley and leans against the opposite wall. Arms crossed with that pouty silver glare. So familiar. “I was the last person to see Summer when she disappeared.”  She takes the kid’s silence as a response. “Summer was smart. Smarter than anyone besides maybe Team STRQ gave her credit for. She knew I had information. Information she wanted.”  “While Qrow had tried to find me for months after I left- It was easy to get out of his view. Summer found me. As soon as she left Patch, and the time it took to get to Mistral, she was here.”  . 
“Raven.”, Summer’s voice surrounded her. White petals draped in the air, frozen in an almost beautiful display. A breathtaking trap. 
 
“So you found me.”, She levels, keeping herself steady. Even now, hearing Summer’s voice was so deadly to her conviction, A single uttering of her name and she’s shaking. “What do I owe the honor of your presence?” 
 
“I’m not entertaining any false notions of seeing you home. You will have to do that on your own.”, Summer’s disembodied tone echoes. The petals shift and sway in the air. “I merely need information.” 
 
“Not even a single threat of violence? How long have I been away, for this placid attitude to develop?”, Snark was always easiest. 
 
“Long enough for Yang to learn how to walk, run, and talk. Tai is teaching her katas already. She’s taking after him.”, Petals form into a silhouette of a woman's figure before Raven. “But you know that. There are no black birds in Patch.” 
  “You’re so much sharper than those idiots and yet you stick to them like glue.”, Raven spits, hand around Omen. “I just can’t believe you left my brother in the dust for blondie while he’s out playing slave for Oz.”  
“Someone has to keep them from burning the house down.”, A gentle laugh in the wind. That statement proves Raven’s intelligence network was vast. “-I’m not going to fight you, Rae. I’d like to save my energy.” 
 
“Not even for old times sake? You always loved getting your ass kicked by me.” 
 
“I don’t remember it going quite like that.”, Actually, Summer usually beats the snot out of Raven. Perks of having a flexible semblance and patience to wear her down. “My information. Would you like payment? I brought Lien, just in case.” 
 
“Obviously, you wouldn’t expect me to offer anything without it.”, A white satchel forms out of nowhere, falling onto the floor before Raven. “Can't hand it to me yourself?” 
 
“I don’t trust you not to start a scuffle with me just yet. I told you I was saving my energy.” 
 
Raven bends forward, grabbing the pouch. “This is a hefty sum. What did you want? I’ll have my men find out for you.” 
 
“You already have the answer for me.” 
 
“...What are you saving energy for so badly that you can not grace me with your presence.”, Her hand tightens around the bag of Lien. This wasn’t right. Not that she wants to see Summer’s face, anyway but- 
 
“I’m hoping to put an end to all of this.” 
 
“What’s that supposed to mean?” 
 
“Where is Salem’s lair? I am aware of the dark lands but I don’t want to wander aimlessly in Grimm-infested territories. Only you and Qrow have seen it from above.”
 
Raven’s expression scrunches up. “Motherhood got you that down? Where you’re wanting to end it, just like that?” 
 
“I plan on going home to my family, Rae. Of course, you’re welcome to come back whenever. Tai doesn’t want to tell Yang about you, but I disagree with him.” 
 
“No. You’re going to die. Why don’t you just ask Oz, if you’re so confident? He knows.” 
 
“I know he knows. But I want to do this. Alone.” 
 
“Why?” 
 
Summer huffs, reforming herself and elegantly dropping down in front of Raven. Boots softly landing in the grass. Showoff. 
 
“Is it really so much your business? I thought you’d be happy to hear I’m making plans of my own. You threw such a fit over following the headmaster.”
 
“I’m wondering what you have that he hasn’t cooked up in, the thousands of years he’s had, in your short life.”, Raven’s hand leaves her sword, arms crossed over her chest as she stares down at Summer. 
 
She looked the same as ever, black dress and white cloak. Bright silver eyes looking back with a sharp glow. 
 
“Salem sent people to hunt people like me.”, Summer pauses, thinking how to explain her idea. “That’s the actions of someone who feels threatened.” 
 
“Your special Grimm statue making abilities? You can’t even use it well.” 
 
“You’re wrong. It’s been years since we’ve fought side by side, Raven. Don’t doubt me.” 
  “So you think you can petrify her or something?”  
A gust of wind blows over them, scattering white petals into Raven’s hair. A beat of silence.
 
“I know in my heart that this will work.” 
 
“Your heart is wrong. Go home.” 
 
“I’ve taken out hundreds of Grimm with my eyes alone. Cleared infestations with a thought. I can do this.”, She shouts, taking a step closer to her former teammate. “Please, Rae. No one else needs to die for this.” 
 
Summer thinks about Yang, growing up without the knowledge of her biological mother. A rift crafted from Raven’s fear of Salem and doubts of Ozpin. Her Qrow, running dog-tired around Remnant to cover all bases and catch any movements within the dark. Taiyang’s worries about Grimm on Patch, his terror for Ruby. What world was Yang going to grow up in?
 
Her little girl with those vibrant silver eyes, that’s such a tiny target for Salem to steal away. 
 
She needs this to work. For her family. 
 
“Why alone? Oz is an easier person to ask this of and Qrow would be better help than nothing.” 
 
“I do not want them to fret. I don’t want them involved at all.” 
 
“More like you don’t want their liability.” 
 
“Raven. My intel. Please. I will go look on my own if I have too. I thought you may have known.” 
 
“Who's to say I won’t run and tattle to my brother on you?” 
 
“I know you won’t.”, Raven hasn’t made any effort to be found by them, or even shown the slightest interest in returning. 
 ...And to be fair, she never did tell Qrow. Raven knows Summer never came home after that meeting. She knows her brother would not react very well to the fact that Raven was the one to give Summer that map. A clear cut path to Evernight Castle. The easy path to her death.  That foolish girl who thought she could best Salem alone. The failure of it leaves Raven with a bitter taste in her mouth. “You knew where she went.”, Ruby stared blankly. Raven could see the shake in her shoulders.  “I did. I don’t know when Qrow got the idea to check out the Land of Darkness for her but I know he almost got himself killed doing it.” “He looked for her--", Ruby asserts. "He looked for a long time.”, Ruby’s shoulders tighten, hands balling into fists. “You should have told him.”  “He’s a big boy. Figured it out all on his own.”  “Yeah. He was in the hospital for mom’s funeral.”, Raven still has scratches on her face from Yang’s arm shattering on her face. Ruby understands why her sister felt compelled to do so. “How do you know mom made it to Salem?”  “My intel team reported a woman in white entering the castle, a bright white light about thirty minutes later that wiped out the Grimm in the near area. I couldn’t portal to her anymore, afterward.”, She takes a breath. “I know it had to have done something. Grimm activity stalled for weeks following. Salem called back her associates in other nations. Her operations ground to a halt.” “Silver abilities aren’t common. That’s why Qrow and Tai sheltered you for so long. Whatever she did, those powers had an effect on Salem. I don’t know how much, but I know it was enough to scare her into being defensive. Ozpin had to have noticed the lack of activity and made his own conclusion about Summer.”  “Why did you tell her?”, Ruby’’s cloak drifts idly in the wind. Soft red petals disappearing into the streets.  “...”, Raven is quiet for a moment. Thinking. “I guess, it’s because I believed her. That she could do it alone. But in reality, she probably didn’t want to involve the team so they wouldn’t get killed too. She was stupid like that. I guessed you’d be the same way. That’s why I volunteered to help. When you’re ready with those eyes of yours. I won’t feel right until I see life fade from her eyes. And you won't miss me if anything goes wrong, right kiddo?”  “Don’t. Insult. My. Mom.”, Ruby manages, trying to steady the shake of her hands. This was too much information. Her head hurt. Hurt like the night on Beacon Tower. “We can stop Salem without you. So that’s what we’re going to do.” What gave Raven the right to mock her mother after paving the way to her demise?  “Yeah yeah. You’ll change once you start seeing everyone at your side die one by one.”  Ruby shudders. “That’s a horrible thing to say.”  “It’s the truth.”  Ruby moves from her spot in the alleyway, stepping into the street with her back to Raven. “Nothing is stopping me from telling uncle Qrow and dad what you just told me. Yang too. They’ll never forgive you.”  “Good. I don’t need them. Just keep Qrow from beheading me- And will you stop it with that ‘uncle, uncle’ crap. You’re not that foolish, are you?”  “What’s that supposed to mean?”  “Means you are just that dumb, I guess.”, Raven had a wry smile on her face. “You remind me so much of her. I know you won’t tell.” “You don’t know anything about me.”, Ruby was not Summer Rose. No matter how much it hurt anyone else.  “I know exactly what kind of person you are.”, The older woman spits. "You're the type that wants to save everyone and have a happily ever after but in reality you just die, leaving everyone around you hopeless and defeated." Raven's eyes bore into Ruby as she stares into the cobbled street.   “I’m leaving. We have a train to catch.”, She was done. Done with Raven and her cruel nature. Done with secrets and lies because they just keep piling up on her heart and it’s painful.  “See you around, kiddo.”  Ruby hears the same wind-whip sound she hears whenever uncle Qrow shifts around her. A beat of wings and Raven is gone.  She feels hollow.

. By the time Ruby arrives back, she still feels like nothing is real. Empty, in wake of information-overload shock.  Somehow, she musters up enough energy to plaster a smile on her face as she approaches their former house.  “Welcome back, pipsqueak. Was just about to send out a search and rescue.”, Uncle Qrow made it back before her, even with all his business finalizing the moving with Ms. Wu Jiang.  “Sorry! Got stuck looking at some of the cool Mistral stuff I won’t get to see anymore. I’m gonna miss that store.”, She lies. Not because she’s not going to tell her uncle what she knows now, but for the fact that they're standing in the street ready to board a train. She’ll tell him when the timing is better. It’ll never be perfect for something like that.  In Atlas maybe? A family night, with the four of them alone.  “Well, you should like Atlas then.”, Weiss huffs. She’s got a fancy new pair of leggings on in preparation for the chill of the north. “Lots of shops full of gizmos and gadgets.” “Can’t wait!”, She laughs, moving to walk next to her partner.  “Everyone ready to go?”, Taiyang calls out from the front of their caravan.  A chorus of “yes” rings out and they start moving. The journey to Argus starts and Ruby wishes she could feel more excited.  . Their trip is an eventful mess of way-too-many-people and way-too-many-personalities. The adults grouped together. The Belladonna’s sitting and chatting with Tai and Qrow in a bizarre sort of parental solidarity.  “Blake got into all sorts of things as a girl. I remember once-”, Ghira pauses to laugh. “-When we took a trip by airbus to Vale for a protest, she started looking through people’s luggage for books she liked!”  “It’s funny now, but you have no idea how many she managed to take. I spend an entire afternoon apologizing and returning.”, Kali looks over to their daughter, who was blushing and giving her cut-throat motions. “Oh man. Reminds me of Yang stealing from the cookie jar. She had the strangest hiding places-”, Tai starts, getting equal looks of hatred from his oldest child. . Nora had taken full control of Oscar, making him her personal horticulturist. Asking what every single plant in Anima was, multiple times. “And that one?”, Nora asks, for the hundredth instance that day.  “It’s grass, Nora. Just grass.”, Oscar sounds like he craves death. He misses being in a mini-coma. Maybe he should pretend to faint and have someone carry him to Argus. Jaune and Ren laugh at his suffering. Oz laughs at his pain. They’re all terrible. . Sun and Ilia kept Blake occupied and Ruby can understand that. Blake is the only one they really know, especially for the socially-conscious Ilia.  But Sun at least branched off to talk to the rest of Team RWBY. A welcomed addition. It was shocking how well Yang and him got along. The two strolling next to one another while Blake looks fondly at their backs.  “So, she set her house on fire? Like on fire, on fire?”, Yang listens as Sun recounts the night of his own White Fang battle.  “Oh yeah. Like a frickin’ inferno, dude.” . “ ...They cut the Apple of Life in two and ate it together; and then her heart became full of love for him, and they lived in undisturbed happiness to a great age . ”, Blake finishes over their dimming fire. “...That’s the end.”  “Boo. Sappy.”, Yang calls out, laying on her chest and kicking her feet.  They’ve formed a little reading circle on the kids end of the camp. Ilia is even sitting with them, quietly tucked behind Blake as she listened to the story. It’s not like they had much else to do in the middle of the Mistral wilderness. “No one gonna point out that he killed his horse and fed it to birds? That’s kind of fucked.”, Sun offered, biting into a pear. There were a few farmers' groves nearby full of fruit, ripe for the taking.  “Boo! Sappy!”, Ruby echoes her sister.  “Psh. If I was that dude I would have ditched that princess. She turned into a big meanie as soon as she found out he wasn’t a noble!”, Nora has her head resting in Ren’s lap while she makes motions with her arms. “He did the IMPOSSIBLE and she still gave him another IMPOSSIBLE task?” “I’m getting worried about how many of these stories have people being treated like trash and then ending up in a relationship.”, Oscar closes his copy of the book then rubs the back of his head sheepishly.  “That’s like, all of those old fairy tales, dude”, It’s odd that Sun is the one to point that out.  “Well, at least by the last line, they lived the rest of their lives in peace and happiness?”, Jaune pokes the fire with a stray stick. Nothing but coals left.  “Will you kids go to bed?”, Qrow calls out from his perch in one of the trees. His leg dangles off one branch as he looks down on them. “Before I come make you?” They separate into their sleeping bags, wisely.  . “It’s already cold.”, Oscar whines, rubbing his arms. He’s got Yang’s duster on over his normal clothes. He barely managed his escape from being Nora’s plant trivia guide, breaking off to join Team RWBY while Sun caught up (distracted for him) with JPR.  Yang, seeing his shivering plight, took mercy. Plus, seeing Oscar drowning in her gear was a worthwhile sight. Kid was just too damn small.  “Don’t be a baby. Atlas is way worse than this.”, Weiss crosses her arms, unaffected by the light drizzle of snow. “The cold there is going to end up killing you at this rate.” “You guys have aura! I don’t even know how to do that yet!”, He fists the front of the jacket closed, trying to trap in more warmth.  “I trained you, you fought at Haven on par with us, and you can’t steadily manage to keep your aura projected?”  “I have to really think about it- It’s difficult. I’m new to this.”, He doesn’t mention getting the crap kicked out of him at Haven, almost dying at Hazel’s hand. Oscar prays he’ll never have to see that man again.  “Would you like another jacket, Oscar? Or I can go fish a blanket out of our stuff?”, Blake offers kindly, looking at him with a soft expression.  “ It’s comical almost. The different ways in which they care .”, Oz chimes in the back of his mind.  “Yes, please.”, At this rate, he needed probably more than just a few blankets.  . “Doing alright, kiddos?”, Qrow drops down from above behind Ruby, Yang, and Taiyang. Ruffling the two girls hair viciously.  “So far so good. We’re close, right Qrow?”, Yang answers, fixing her wild style.  Ruby doesn’t say anything, but offers a smile. It doesn’t reach her eyes, and the older sibling wants to swear. She’d been trying to find out what was bothering her little sister for the entire journey but she just keeps pretending-  “Should make it by tomorrow afternoon. Then we’re on the first train to Argus.” “Sounds good to me. My legs are tired.”, Tai stretches his spine. Zwei is padding ahead of them happily.  “See what retirement gets you? You’re out of shape.”, Qrow mocks him.  “Says the guy who I had to help get up this morning.”  “Hey- My back locked up. I’m still recovering-”  Yang listens to their back and forth with a fond expression. Her guardians had been more of a blessing than their usual surly interactions. Maybe they knew Ruby was distracted. She casts a sideways glance at said girl. Who was just walking quietly with her family.  There’s a slight tilt to her lips as she gazes foggily at Qrow and Tai.  Not much, but it’s something. Yang’ll thank them later.  ... It’s incredibly frustrating that all Ruby feels like she needs is a second alone with Yang to get something, anything, off of her chest and yet that’s impossible. She wants Yang’s help telling Qrow and dad what she's been told, Yang’s support in their mission, even just a fleeting HUG for God’s sake. SOMETHING.  She could cry with relief as they approach Argus Station and everyone quarters off into their own area. Goodbyes are said, everyone spreads out and away. Sun is greeted by Neptune, capturing their leader to escort him back to his squad. Thus, team SSSN starts their mission to Shade Academy.  Ilia gives Blake a hug, warm and full of emotion, before breaking away and joining Ghira and Kali. They’re off to Menagerie; to fix the White Fang.  Even with their new additions gone, they still have a large unit. Some idiots annoy them about extra protection. One of them even WINKS at Yang. Ruby is shocked her sister doesn’t break his nose right then and there.  Luckily, uncle Qrow comes and scares them off, while Tai loads Bumblebee into cargo and gets a pet clearance for Zwei. Hopefully this train ride will be less crashing into Vale and more time to think about everything, sort her wild thoughts.  ... “Ughhh.”, Ruby rolls off of her bunk, landing on the train floor in a crouch.  Team ‘ORNJ’ just left their cabin after a three hour gaming session. Which was nice on its own. Oscar didn’t know any of the controls so he sat back and observed. Nora button mashed her way to victory. It was between her and Yang for the title, but Yang’s combos were unbeatable and she claimed the crown for Team RWBY.   “What’s up, sis?”, Yang snorts, looking over as Ruby collapses further onto the wooden panels.  She mumbles something unintelligible.  “I can’t hear you with your face on the dirty floor, Rubes.”  Begrudgingly, Ruby rolls over, angled towards Yang’s bunk. “...Can I tell you something? ...And you not, like… Freak out?” “Yeah, of course.”, Yang makes an ‘okay’ symbol with her hand. She’d been waiting for Ruby to approach her for a while now. Ever since the night she didn’t come back to the dojo for bed. Yang knows her little sister was excited to spend the night with the recompleted team RWBY again like Beacon days. Something happened the night Ruby stayed up there.  And Yang knew it couldn’t have been something bad. When Ruby had come down for breakfast, her eyes red but wearing a more relaxed expression than she had since Beacon. But then, just before they left, her sister looked distant. Burdened. No longer was she bright-eyed and relieved.  “Uh- So.”, Ruby props herself up on her elbows. “Raven stopped me when I was returning the tools before we left.”  Yang’s fist visibly tightened. “...What did she tell you.”  “Hah- some really bad stuff. Like. Really bad.”, Ruby feels heat sting the corners of her eyes just thinking about it.  They look at one another for a second, before Ruby musters up the ability to talk. “It was about mom-”  “I couldn’t find any juice so I just got some sodas and water and- Are you two okay?”, Of course, Weiss and Blake walk in. Weiss has an arm full of bottled drinks, while Blake seems to be carrying four tin takeout containers.  “Y-yeah. Just talking about some stuff…”, Ruby smoothes over while Yang looks at her. If only she’d been cut off a second earlier. There’s no way she’s getting privacy. But Ruby loves her team. They can know. It’s her dad, Qrow, and Oz she doesn’t want to tell yet. “Can you guys close the door?”  Weiss tosses the drinks onto her bunk before sliding the panel shut. While Blake gently sets down their premade dinners on the floor, sitting cross legged next to her leader. “Is everything alright?”  “I was telling Yang- Raven, that’s Yang’s uh- birth mom, Blake. She stopped me to tell me something. And I trust you guys, so I’m okay with you hearing it too.”  “I don’t know much about this woman but given the climate around her, it doesn’t take much to not like her.”, Blake adds. “She held me hostage for a few months. Then kidnapped Ruby. I was going to tell you guys, she left me a note.”, Weiss settles into her bed. “It just said ‘do what you’re told’, with a black feather on it.”  “That’s- that’s not all. I want to hear what Ruby has to say, but if we’re sharing…”, Yang takes a breath. “Vernal was never the Spring Maiden. Raven is.”  “Oh.”, Weiss pauses. “Okay- Just to be clear; How much of this information is leaving the four of us?”  “Nothing.”, Yang and Ruby affirm together. The other two nod.  “What did Raven tell you, Ruby?”, Blake places a hand on the younger’s shoulder.  “...It was about our mom. Our real mom who took care of us... “, Ruby takes the hand on her shoulder as an invitation to lean into Blake. It was comforting. Especially knowing she’s home, after being separated for so long. “Raven said mom asked how to get to Salem’s territory. That she went there with the intent of stopping her-”  “Could she have been lying? Trying to psych us out?”, Yang is leaning forward, hand balled into her sheets.  “I don’t think so. It all sounded… Really real…”, Ruby rubs the palm of her hand against her eye.  “Raven knew where mom went when she disappeared.”, Yang states, then again. “She knew where she went-”  “So this woman we’re fighting, why we have that Relic. You think she could have killed-”, Blake starts, then stops. “I’m so sorry, Ruby. Yang.” “It’s- It’s okay.”, Yang takes a deep breath, kneeling off her bed and drawing her little sister into a hug. “Thank you for telling me, Ruby.”  “I wanted to tell dad and uncle Qrow but-”, Ruby leans into the hold. Her cheeks are warm, eyes stinging.  “They’ll be heartbroken again. Like when they first found out...”, Thankfully, Yang finishes for her before the tears could start.  Taiyang, emotionally shut down, incapable of taking care of himself and his daughters. Qrow, half-mad and breaking out of the hospital just to look more. For a trace of something that wasn’t there. Yang’s… Not okay. Holding it together for her sister is the best she can do. Oddly enough, she’s more worried for dad than Qrow. While Qrow would surely go execute his sister with no remorse if she had a heavy hand in Summer Rose’s passing, while dad… Now more than ever, she knows he still loves Raven.  “What exactly did she say? Maybe we can… Figure something out?”, Weiss prods, grabbing a bottle of water for Blake and Yang, and a soda for Ruby.  Ruby shakes her head, slaps her cheeks, and does her best to hold it together. She recounts the events Raven had relayed to her a week ago.  At the end of it, her head is pillowed in her sister's lap. They’re all holding hands in some sort of bizarre four-way team combo. Weiss and Blake offer their unyielding support to their family of choice.  “-I wish we knew more about this Silver Eye’s stuff. I feel like that can at least help up with one piece of this puzzle.”, Weiss, releasing Yang’s hand, and grabbing their now-cold takeout.  “Raven said dad and Qrow we’re sheltering me. Oz didn’t know I had silver eyes when he first met me…”, Ruby takes the tin of room temperature pasta.  “You froze that wyvern at Beacon. Cinder ran from her fight with you too… When you looked at her, she flinched.”, Yang stabs her fork into her food.  “And your uncle reports to the headmaster. So he had to have lied, so did your dad, and your mom. For the headmaster not to know.”, Blake snaps her chopsticks, looking at her lo mein in deep thought.  “I know we’re not telling anyone but, maybe we should ask the professor about some of this. At the very least, he might know something about Silver Eyed people. There’s nothing wrong with you wanting to learn about your abilities.”, Weiss offers, they don’t have to share anything about the Raven exposition yet.  “Maybe you can find something out from him?”  “Oscar hates trading places though.”, She argues around a mouthful of noodle.  “And I know he’ll understand that this is important. Seriously, he idolizes you. Just go ask.” “...Can I eat my food first?” “Yes, you idiot.”  ...

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Ruby takes a single step out of her cabin, hellbent to her mission of talking to the headmaster through. Any scrap of information she can get out of him will be a victory. There’s no way she can ask her guardians. That raises too many questions that she doesn’t want to answer just yet.  A place and time for everything, and here and now is not it.  Then, upon that first step out, immediately makes eye contact with her dad and uncle walking down the hall. As she reaches for the handle to run back inside her room, the train lurches to one side. Qrow’s martini clatters to the floor. Good. “Seriously? What now?”, She hears her dad whine, followed by the footsteps jogging back towards their dwelling. Probably to get Harbinger. Ruby shuts the door behind her, grabbing Crescent Rose from the corner. Mission for information has now been halted in lieu of monster attack.  “What was that?!”, Weiss grasps their bunkbed pillar for support as the train rocks again.  “Grimm.”, Yang confirms, looking out the window as a manticore flashes by. Fire fluttering out of its jaws.  “Here? Why are they attacking the train?”, Blake reaches for Gambol Shroud, clicking it onto her holster.  “I don’t know. But we need to get out there and help protect it.”, Fluffing out her cape, Ruby re-opens the cabin door and disappears down the corridor.  Weiss mutters something about ‘rushing ahead as always’ and follows her partner to the roof exit.  The wind roars in Ruby’s ears as she unlatches the top door. A complaint for Nora carries as Team ORNJ ascends the train a few cars up.  Black bodies in the sky stand out against the white snowy peaks. Like some action movie scene.  The Argus Limited tilts dangerously as another volley of fireballs slam into the side of it. Passengers inside the train scream.  Her own team jumps on the train behind her. Then Qrow, her dad, and Zwei afterward. Huh. This is the second train fight she’s ever been in and both times her dog has been present.  The thought passes in and out of her head as she throws herself into the fray.  They had a train to protect. ...

“...I'm afraid there's one complication... The Grimm are also attracted to this.”, Oz’s voice echoes out of Oscar. They’re back in the train. Tense and standing around a man who had just lost his partner and shattered his arm.   Everyone is agitated by the claim. That was kind of important information for the headmaster to NOT TELL ANYONE.  They put every person on this train in danger. They could have walked to Argus if that was the cost.  If anything happens to the passengers, that’s on them. Their fault.  Jaune is throwing together a plan.  And by the sound of it, they’ll have to separate again. Cutting the train, leaving the back half to attract and take care of the Grimm.  Team JNR, Taiyang, and Zwei to protect the train. Team RWBY, Oscar with the lamp, and Qrow to stop the Grimm.  That’s how it’s going to go. “You protect those kids, yeah?”, Qrow looks over to Tai as the girls and Oscar wish the other’s goodbye.  “Same goes to you.”, Tai gives a lopsided grin. “Keep our girls safe.”  “Haven’t done too bad, have I?”  “Guess you’ve done okay .” They part with a fist bump. Qrow wears a small smile his entire way up to the top. As does Tai, jogging standing firm behind Jaune and Ren as they prepare to start the plan.  Here’s to hoping for a smooth ride. . ...Of course they crash. Why wouldn’t they? Ruby swears she’s never riding on a train again. She's never made it to the other end. Her crash record is 2-0.  Shaking (like a dog), Ruby knocks as much of the snow on her off as she can. Everyone is accounted for in the distance. Blake helps Weiss up, Yang tugging Bumblebee up and out of the snow. Qrow grabbing Oscar’s hand and yanking him up.  The lamp is lying half-buried in white. She should probably go pick that up.  Disoriented from their sudden stop into the Mistral tundra, Ruby swears she can hear something tapping against a solid floor... “Still alive!”, A new voice cheers, distinctly old in accent. Everyone swivels around to face the newcomer. “That was a close one, eh?”   . It’s not often that the headmaster takes over Oscar but it’s no less weird each time. Watching tiny Oscar turn into their commanding professor. The shift in vocal tone, the softest hint of Ozpin’s voice behind each word. Distinctly ethereal. Mystical even.  But now they’re fighting.   Ruby had never seen the headmaster mad, upset, or anything less than neutral. But also- She hasn’t seen Oscar in that state either. It must be weird. Someone else using your body, she thinks, watching his shoulders raise and fists tense. Ruby knows Oscar hates arguing as much as she does. This is the first time she’d cursed the union between their two souls.  ...He must be so upset in there. Before her, her teammates, spearheaded by Yang, are walking forward. Ozpin is walking away. Back to them. Ruby can feel a visible rift opening up right now. A chasm.  “...What Professor Lionheart did was reprehensible. I am not here to argue differently, but does one lapse in judgment truly negate all of his good? Do we not all have regrets?”, The headmaster continues his heavy steps away from them. “You may have met Professor Lionheart, but you never met the man he was before Salem found him.” Yang huffs, pausing in her dogging stride. “Look, we're supposed to be in this together. You can trust us! We're not gonna turn our backs on you-” 
“Do you really think Leo was the first?!”
 Everyone stops. Ruby’s hands instinctively clutch the lamp closer to her chest. Ozpin turns towards them, fury in his eyes. No, not just fury. Fear, too. She doesn’t dwell on it. Because the knowledge that the professor doesn’t TRUST them, cuts deep. Why? What did they do wrong?” “...That he didn't say those exact same words to me? I'm sorry, but you have to understand that my behaviors are backed by experience. I'm not saying that I have reason to think you will betray me. I'm saying that I have reasons for the things that I do, the secrets I keep, the reason I... “, He stops dead. “Where's the Relic?” Ruby holds it out, still close to her stomach, but enough to show it’s safe in her hands. “Right here. It got scattered in the crash. I found it in the snow.” “Please, hand it over.” He doesn't trust her with it. She doesn't understand why.  Ruby pulls it back to her chest.. “So all those times you talked about having faith in humanity, that was just for everyone else? You don’t believe in us?”  “...That's not what I meant to suggest, Ms. Rose.”, A remorseful sigh escapes him. “The Relic is a powerful item and I simply feel as though it is my burden to bear.”, He holds out his hand, pushing the idea of handing it to him.  But… “But, you said it couldn't do anything right now.”, Why couldn’t anyone else hold it? Surely she can manage to keep hold of a lamp.  “Yeah. Why does it matter who carries it? Ruby is right, you said it was out of questions.”, Blake steps in front of Ruby, obscuring her view of Oscar.  “Listen to me-”, Oz starts, then abruptly stops. Body stuck in a half motion. His form shakes, as if struggling. “Oz?”, Qrow states. He’s feeling stuck between supporting the kids and understanding the man he’s worked under for years.  Oscar’s body suddenly takes a shuttering gasp. Falling to his knees on the floor. “Hurry... He's... Trying to stop you…”, That’s Oscar talking. What’s going on? “Stop us from what?”, Yang asks, tone harsh. “From finding out… What he’s hiding…”, His lungs feel like they're on fire. His body rejects each word he gets out like acid on his tongue.    “Oscar! Stop this right now!” , Oz’s voice scolds in his head. And it sounds so much like his parents.  Shifting through foreign memories isn’t easy work. He’s burning. His head hurts.  He lists to the side, falling limp on his side into the snow. “Her name is Jinn… Say her name to summon her.”  “...Her name…?”, Ruby cradles the lamp, staring at it. It’s such an odd object. It pulses in her hand like a heart. “Jinn?”, she whispers, as if talking in the dark.  The world freezes.  Snow ceases to fall, birds stop their chirping, wind pauses its whip.  The Relic leaves her hand, floating a few feet away before it starts to smoke. Pouring out blue fog until it forms a shape. A humanoid shape.  A massive woman with golden chains, wreathed in magic. That kind of shape.  
And it has a voice.
 “Wonderful.”, The woman stretches, leaning down and staring directly at Ruby. “Now tell me, what knowledge do you seek?”  Ruby stares.  “Speechless, I see.”, She mocks. “I am Jinn. A being created by the God of Light to aid humanity in its pursuit of knowledge.”  Ruby keeps staring.  “You’re in luck-”, Jinn starts.  “That’s enough!”, Ozpin barks, having fought back control from his host. It makes Ruby feel something… Not very nice. That Oscar had to struggle to speak his words only for Ozpin to stifle his personality.  “-As I am still able to answer two questions, this millennia.”, She continues. For a being as grand as she does not halt for the toils of man. Her task is to prove knowledge, not hold it. “It’s a pleasure to see you again, old man.” Ozpin lied.  He lied. He lied. He lied and said the Relic wouldn’t work any more. Why did he lie? Because he didn’t trust them? Why didn’t he trust them? Her family had dedicated it’s life to Ozpin’s cause so why did he lie? Why? What would they do with the Relic that he wouldn’t approve of?  Everyone has a similar reaction. Staring in stunned silence at this mystical being and ancient soul, looking at one another. Ozpin breaks his stare and turns to Ruby.  "Ms. Rose… Please…" He's begging. But he lied to them. Using Oscar's voice. Oscar, who he shoved down and made the boy fight for his own body. Why was he hiding things? Were they being used to do wrong? Weapons for a less than noble cause?  No. Salem had done away with Summer Rose. If Raven was to be… Not trusted but heeded.  For that, Salem would have to answer for.  So what reasons did he have to lie?  …Did he know about her mother? Raven said he must have drawn his own conclusions after whatever happened happened in the Dark Lands. What does Oz know of her mother?  Are they helping the world? Are they just? What are they even DOING?  Ruby doesn't take her eyes off of Jinn. Not even as her teammates draw their weapons on her uncle for daring to step forward. They fan behind her as a trifecta of support.  This is not a selfless decision, Ruby reminds herself. This is selfish. Perhaps even terrible of her. But she needs to know.  "Jinn?", The being smiles knowingly. "Tell us what Ozpin is hiding."  Ruby hears a shout, turning to face the noise.  Ozpin, eyes golden with fury, running at her. She feels a gloved hand close around her upper arm, squeezing with unpleasant pressure.  And then.  Nothing.  Followed by pure white. A space that felt like no other. But she’s alone.  “Yang?”, No answer back. But her voice does echo.  Blue smoke poured around her, carving paintings in its path. Breathing life into this void.  “Weiss?”, Again, no response.  She really is alone. What did Jinn’s answer do?  
"Once upon a time, there stood a lonely tower…”
 A picture book pop up of a castle appeared behind her. More and more detail shaping it and pushing Ruby into a camera-like pan towards it.  She’s in a room. In the tower. Everything looks so real. It’s an ornate space, a well-kept boudoir with a tidy vanity at its center. Like a princess’ room from a fable.   “...That sheltered a lonely girl…”, Ruby jolts forward as the camera stops. (It’s honestly making her a little motion sick.)  The smoke splashes onto stool before the vanity, forming into a feminine body.  Blonde hair, clear blue eyes, and a distinctly longing expression on her face. Ruby thinks this is what a beautiful woman would look like, with her high cheekbones and clear skin. A fair maiden.  
“...Named Salem.”
 ... Ruby blinks once, twice. She’s… Standing? Standing in the same spot she was when she asked Jinn… Did she… Zone out?  The lamp is on the floor in front of her. Pulsing with a dim blue light. Jinn is gone. It's simply resting by Ruby’s feet as if this knowledge didn’t change their entire mission, outlook, and world view.  So she picks it up, dusts it free of snow and latches it onto her belt. After all, it still has another question.  And there’s more YELLING going on behind her.  “-Killed! You all heard Jinn, right?”, Yang’s eyes are red as she backs Ozpin against a nearby tree. It’s still him. Their gaze doesn't glow gold when Oscar is in control. The professor ducks his head, back pressed into the tree bark. Everyone else is still in shock. There’s been a lot of that today. All she wanted to do today was ask about silver-eyed people and now they’re in the middle of nowhere questioning their life choices.  Her recent life has also had way too much of that.  Still. Ruby takes a stride forward, watching as Yang’s shoulders sink instantly as her little sister approaches. “Professor… What is your plan to defeat Salem?”  It’s an honest question. She’s not being hostile, or expecting too much. Not after what she heard from Jinn. But confirmation is needed. “...I-I don’t have one.”, Ozpin stutters. He has the grace to look ashamed. Behind Yang and her, Qrow sucks in a seething breath. His hands are fisted, shoulders tense, and eyes burning. He wants to do something.  Given silence, the headmaster takes an extra moment to explain himself. “My whole life- Lives. Hundreds of them… They’ve all been dedicated to keeping the Relics out of her hands. To prevent her ruin. If she gets all of them- You saw. The God’s will see humanity for their failures and erase Remnant.”  “I do not know how to defeat her. I have spent millennia trying. Failing. Trying again. Failing again. It feels as though everything I have built up is now slipping away and that fact is true. The lamp is out of the vault. Salem is aware of the keys. She’s taken a maiden under her regime. Magic I gave to protect the world and it’s turned against me.”  “I omitted the truth… I did not want anyone to give up, lose hope, or think less of our mission. There is no victory in strength here. We must play wisely to keep the Relics safe-” “So. My whole pathetic life. Dedicated to serving you. The shambles it’s left the only people I’ve ever loved in. The lives cost. Was all to play some keep away game that we’re failing anyways.”, Qrow manages, barely reigning in fury.  “Qrow, you have lost so much for me and I am sorry I do not have a better-”, Ozpin pleads.  “Don’t give me that shit. You let us believe we actually had a chance at this- We believed we could win .” “I can not apologize, nor atone. Not enough to garner your forgiveness, but this is important. Our work has been imperative to humanity- Please, Qrow-”  “I’m taking the kids home. Yang, get everything we can get back on the bike. We’re going back to Patch.” “ Qrow- ”  “Wait- No.”, Ruby snaps out of her daze. “We still need to take the lamp to Atlas.”  “Ruby-”, Her uncle takes a step forward. She takes one back.  “So we don’t know how to defeat Salem but that doesn’t mean we should just let her win and leave the lamp unprotected.”  “What’s the point? She’s going to burn everything to the ground to get it. Now let’s forget it and just go home-”  “I’m still going.”, Ruby steadies herself. This is the first time she’s ever really stood against any of her family, she thinks. She always thought it would be Taiyang first, not Qrow.  Ozpin looks at her with something like hope in his eyes.  “And I’m telling you you’re not.”  There is a brief staring contest before- “I left home against dad’s wishes and started this mission. If I didn’t listen to him, I don’t have to listen to you.”, Andddd that sounded a lot meaner out loud than it did in her head. She winces.  The statement seems to have visibly upset her uncle even worse than having his life-mission invalidated.  But Ruby leaves it at that. There’s no way she’s giving up here.  She twists to level at the headmaster. “And I’m… I’m not doing this for you either, Professor. This is a lot to take in and I don’t know how I feel about any of it.”, He did rush at her and grab her arm and that was not an okay thing to do. Nor was suffocating Oscar’s presence. “I am doing this for the people we can still help, still save.”  They already lost so much. But they still have so much more to lose.  He gives a stiff nod. “If Ruby’s going, I am too.” Yang shrugs. Forcing her body to relax. She knows her sister always tries her best, to do what’s right. Even now, with doubts and failure on her mind, Yang will not abandon Ruby’s side.  Both girls look at Weiss. Who immediately scoffs. “Like it’s even a question.”, And takes her place beside her team.  “Sorry, Mr. Branwen.”, Blake apologizes, even though she has no reason to. She had no obligation to listen to this man. Ruby is her leader. “I’m not leaving my team.”  Maria mutters something about this being far more than she bargained for. But she’ll let them work it out on their own.  “Thank you, Ms. Rose, Ms. Schnee, Ms. Belladonna, and Ms. Xiao Long.”, Ozpin’s voice wavers with emotion. “I promise you-” Qrow grabs the headmaster by the collar of his shirt, shoving his back against the tree bark. The thin fabric tears at the force. “Not another word out of you.”, He turns towards Team RWBY. “Fine. You kids want to take it to Atlas. We’ll go. As soon as that stupid lamp is safe, we’re done.”  Ruby very much feels like they won’t be done but they can argue about it later. She’s had enough fighting for one day.  Apparently Oz sees it that way too. “...I understand your resolve.”, He states, nodding.  But then he halts again. Looking at the ground with a wide-eyed expression. “What now?” Qrow scoffs, loosening his grip but doesn’t let go.  It’s a long moment. Like he’s just been paused. Not unlike when Oscar is talking to the headmaster. But there’s no words coming out. It’s eerie.  Just as suddenly as it started, the fit was over. The gold light fades from Oz’s eyes and resumes a less foreign hazel. Hazel that is now welling up with tears and staring at the snow before him.  Qrow drops Oscar instantly. Taking a step backwards as the kid slides down the bark and into the wet snow. Their weapon sank into the ground before him.  And Oscar doesn’t say anything. He wraps his arms around his torso and draws his knees up to his chest.  “What the hell?”, Qrow groans, exasperated with the bull shit. Again, the boy doesn’t say anything. But his hands move into his hair, pulling at the strands and ducking his head further into his knees. He’s muttering something too low to make out.  Weiss, Blake, and Yang all look at him with concern. They look to Ruby second. Qrow turns away and starts trudging into the snow. Oscar’s shoulders shake as Ruby walks up to him. Taking a moment to pick up Long Memory. The cane in her hand, the lamp on her waist, her posture open and placid. “...Is that all I’m going to be? ...A life doomed for failure?”, Oscar whispers, dropping his hands  staring at his gloves. Is that all he was? A puppet to be used? Did he have so little control? No matter how hard he fought, he couldn’t break free- And then Ozpin made him raise a hand against his friends . His family .   I am so sorry, Oscar. That useless final apology rings in his mind before feeling Oz fade into the back of his mind. As if cornering himself off.  Was his autonomy an illusion? How much of himself will he lose? Ozpin said he would become the dominant personality but he’s already lied-  “You’re your own person, Oscar.”, Ruby grabs one of his hands, placing the cane in it. A gentle gesture.  “Are you sure?”, It’s an honest question. Because Oscar does not know the answer. But hearing Ruby say it so honestly makes him want to believe. Qrow scoffs in the background, loitering a few feet the distance. Like he wanted to say something nasty before Ruby turns and shoots him a harsh glare. Whatever, he’s upset. But he doesn’t have a right to bully Oscar for it.  “Of course, I’m sure.”, She closes his fingers around the handle. “You trained with us for Haven. You watched movies with us. You fought for yourself, told us Jinn’s name. You are you. And we’re all still happy to have you.”, Ruby glances at her uncle’s back. “No matter how hard some of us are taking it.”  “...Thank you, Ruby.”, He offers a tiny smile, posture still ducked and anxious.  “Well, that’s all very touching but I’m freezing to death out here.”, The old woman, (Maria, Ruby, her name is Maria), charges past them. “Let’s find some shelter already!” Maria trudges ahead, past Qrow, and into the drift.  “I’m inclined to agree?”, Blake rubs her shoulders. “We don’t want to waste aura when we don’t even know how far away from Argus, or any civilization we are.”  “Now that we’re all done, I see a trail over there. Trails tend to lead to places.”, Maria, who Ruby was very grateful for, for focusing them, remarked. Pointing to a slight rut in the snow.  Everyone snaps out of their haze. It’s… Really frickin’ cold out here. Oscar pushes himself up off the floor, looking at Ruby, then idles beside her. He’s not sure what to do and they’re not going to fault him for that.  Walking is another fun and awkward affair. No one is talking, everyone is solely focused on walking in a straight line until they come across something. The only dialogue exchanged is Yang complaining as she helps Maria onto Bumblebee, and the older woman’s rebuttal.  Oscar lags behind the rest of them. Weiss and Blake sending concerned looks. They don’t want to overstep, or be overbearing. It’s obvious he’s taking this hard.  Maybe not as hard as Qrow, who plows through the snow with a scowl on his face and flask in his hand. Which he was draining at an alarming rate. Ruby was quietly stewing each time she watched him untwist the cap.  The sky is growing dim as Ruby pulls out her scroll to check everyone's aura level.  Besides Ms. Calavera (who Ruby didn’t have any information on), everyone was dropping below half… But not Oscar? Who was at about seventy-five percent. Weird.  “We need to find somewhere quick, or start setting up camp.”, She states, standing and staring at her screen.   Qrow halts, running a tense hand through his hair. “Storm doesn’t seem to be letting up.”, “Yeah…And I’m starting to get pretty tired.”, Blake yawns, stopping a few feet away from her team later. “I just want to get this Relic to Atlas before we freeze out here.”  “Well, unless we want to walk across the ocean to get there, we need to catch a ship from Argus.”, Weiss draws her scarf tight around her neck.  “I thought trails led to places.”, Yang snarked.  “Do you have nothing better to do than to harass a defenseless old lady?” There’s a clank in the distance.  “Wait. Do you guys hear that?”, Ruby strains her ears, listening over the wind.  Another clank.  The snowstorm is thick, but after another twenty minutes of walking, a swinging metal gate greets them.  “Brunswick Farms?”, Blake reads out. “At least it’s a place to stay?”  “It looks abandoned.”, Weiss doesn’t really care. She’d rather be out of the chill.  Ruby walks up to the gate, holding it open and steady for everyone to walk through. “Better than sleeping in the snow!”, She cheers.  Qrow walks through last, looking as the backs of the kids vanish towards one of the houses. He doesn’t like the feel of this place. Something’s not right. There’s no claw marks, no blood, no struggle. But it’s certainly empty.  The wind whips again, yanking the gate out of Ruby’s hand. Scrambling, she grabs it again to let her uncle walk inside. “Whoops.”  “Storm’s gonna get worse. We need to get inside.”, He pats her on the head, and it feels nice for a moment. A normal interaction after she stood up for her mission to him.  It’s a big property. Little houses, long-fallen crops. A peaceful little settlement. Something like this would have needed a lot of lien to keep safe. No walls to stop the Grimm, no turrets, average civilian homes not reinforced. They would need twenty-four hour security by multiple huntsmen and huntresses. “This is weird. All the ghost towns I’ve been to have been unfinished or damaged...Everything here looks fine?”, Ruby looks around as they walk up to the head household. They needed to look for something to eat, blankets, and a good big space for them to sleep in.  “Maybe they left in a hurry? Oncoming Grimm that left when they noticed no one was here?”, Weiss adds, arms drawn around her shoulders.  They arrive at the door, Qrow jiggles the knob. Locked?  “Weapons drawn.”, He commands, and everyone follows without question. Good to know.  He kicks the door in, it’s easy enough. Basic civvie lock with too-short screws that made for easy break-ins. He’s broken into harder places.  They all flood in, looking around, skeptical and on guard.  Their shoulders stay raised even as everyone takes chores. Weiss and Yang go to find blankets, Blake and Oscar go to find firewood/start a fire, Ruby and Qrow scan the rest of the house.  Something is very wrong about this place… Ruby can feel it in her soul. As she follows her uncle from room to room with Crescent Rose drawn to its sniper-level.  Weiss screams from upstairs and she’s sped up with her semblance before anyone manages to turn towards the sound.  ...And oh. Bodies. Lying peacefully in bed, sleeping next to one another in death.  She walks Weiss downstairs while Yang and Qrow go to bury them. She wonders what their names were. What happened to them? What happened to this settlement?  Blake places a blanket over Weiss’ shoulders, smiling softly. Qrow and Yang come back in after they finished laying the bodies to rest.  “It’s the same in every house.”, Qrow remarks, tone solemn.  “What?”, Blake has pressed herself against Weiss’ side. There's a cat joke here somewhere, but now's not the time, Ruby.  “Bodies, in every home. Like the whole estate went to bed and nobody woke up.” Weiss looks aghast. “So we’re not staying here, right?” “Not much of a choice. Storm is only going to get worse. We'll freeze to death before making it anywhere else.”, Qrow sighs.  Yang and Maria have another brief sassing interaction. Glad to see we’re still doing well enough to not get along.  “Okay. So maybe we should do something, while we’re here. There might be some supplies we can use?”, Ruby offers. They still have a few daylight hours left to scour the grounds.  “Yeah- Maybe even a car.”, Oscar agrees, leaning next to the fireplace. His posture still radiates insecurity, so she gives him a bright smile for the input.  “You kids pair off. I’m going to sweep the area again. No one else goes anywhere alone. Got it?”, Her uncle declares, getting a lackluster affirmation from everyone. Then he leaves. Alone. Into this creepy abandoned estate. He should have a partner too…  “Yang and I can go look around for vehicles?”, Blake adds. Good. She knows Blake has been looking for a moment to reconnect with her older sister. Maybe they can talk, have some privacy, move forward.  So she escorts them out of the house, watching their backs disappear into the snowstorm.  Weiss watches from the living room doorway, standing with the blanket Blake gave her draped around her shoulders.  “...I uh- I think I saw a storeroom close by. Probably has some food for us!”, Ruby rubs the back of her neck.  “Right.” . Weiss as her buddy, Ruby kicks the lock on the storeroom door. Mimicking her uncle’s posture and stance when he knocked down the main house door. Well, if she’s learned one thing on this, it was how to properly kick open a locked door! Talents her dad can really be proud of. When she gets to see him again.  ....She hopes they made it to Argus okay. Weiss lights up the room with her sword, tiny firelights dancing to position on half-used candles. It's kind of of pretty.  Then Ruby immediately groans at the glass bottles lining the walls and the smell of aging liquor. Nicely illuminated in amber light. Awesome. Great. Fantastic.  
(Why is he your problem?)
 “Maybe if we pretend we never saw this room, it’ll all be fine.”  “Qrow?”, Weiss sounds tired, disinterested as she starts scanning wine labels.  “Yeah… I don’t think he’s… Doing well. With all of this.”, Rather, Ruby is terrified for him. Terrified for what can happen if he finds this room. For when he drinks his sorrows away and leaves Yang and Ruby to clean up his mess...  
(Someone else will do it, if you don’t want to. It's okay. You don't have to. Someone else will.)
 She doesn’t respond to Ruby, only making a little humming noise and moving further into the room. That’s… Not right.  “Well, let’s find something to eat. Can’t make it to Atlas on an empty stomach!”, She states, with faux cheer.  But Weiss still doesn’t answer her. But she does pause, looking at the wooden floors, stained with wine spills. “Ruby… Are we really still going to Atlas?”  “Well yeah. We need to get the lamp to safety.”, She gestures to the object hanging from her belt.  “But… You heard what Jinn said. There’s no stopping her.”, Weiss rubs her eyes. “So why are we still doing this?”  “Maybe to delay the destruction of all mankind until we can solve the problem? That’s pretty important.”  “But, why us?” 
(Why you? Because you want it to be you. The hero. Someone else will do it, if you don’t. You don't have to. It will get done.)
 “...Weiss… Are you alright? I understand if you don’t want to go back to Atlas but… Getting the lamp out of her reach is more important now than ever. I know we said we would stick together-”, Ruby takes a breath. “-But if you want to stay in Argus while we deliver-”  In an instant, Weiss’ eyes clear up. Regaining their spark of life. “No- no. I’m staying with you. Sorry. I don’t know what I’m saying. I just… Really want to get some sleep.”  “We can go back into the living room as soon as we find some food. Come on. Hopefully Oscar and Ms. Calavera have set up some beds on the floor for us in the meantime. Then we can go to sleep!”

(Aren’t you tired? Wouldn’t you like to rest?)

They do find food. Several cans of baked beans in fun flavors like shrimp, salt (just salt), and wasabi. Weiss seems disgusted but Ruby is excited to have some food. It’s been a whole train crash since she’s eaten last.  She can see Weiss fading further into her exhaustion from the short walk back to the main house. Something is very wrong and she doesn’t know what.  “We found fooooood!”, Ruby re-kicks the front door open. A pile of blankets and pillows in the corner fall over. “Keep that damn door closed! It’s cold enough in here as is!”, Maria shouts. Even with the fire going, the room was still chilly. Only warm around the fire. In front of which was Blake and Yang, sitting as far as they could from one another while still staying near the heat. Yang had that aggressively neutral expression on her face while Blake looked somewhat guilty and confused.  Guess time alone was the wrong idea.  Weiss takes the open space between them, sitting directly before the fire. Unphased by the palpable distance between their other teammates.  “What’d you get?”, Oscar asks, leaning against the couch Maria was reading on. Ruby doesn’t get why he’s banished himself to the corner of the room like a scolded puppy.  “Beans!”, She walks to the center of the room, letting the cans roll onto the floor.  “...Just beans?” “...There’s a couple of different flavors?”  Yang wordlessly grabs a can of wasabi-flavored beans, pulling the top tab off and taking a full sip of bean. She doesn’t look away from the fire. Stone-faced. “No forks, or spoons then?”, Blake gives the smallest chuckle. It's a win in Ruby's book. “Nope!”  Weiss audibly groans.  “So, who wants the shrimp one? There’s only one of those. The rest are salt and wasabi.”  “Salt. And wasabi.”, Oscar deadpans. “...Shrimp-flavored beans?”  “What would you like, Ms. Calavera?”, Ruby ignores Oscar’s look of shocked-disgust.  “I’ll pass. Wouldn’t want to leave you children to starve.”, While the statement was kind, the tone was kind of condescending.  “Oookay. Uncle Qrow?”, The man was in the doorway, brushing snow off of his shoulders. She heard him enter.  “Whatever, kiddo.”, So she tosses him a can of salt beans. He too, pulls the lid and takes a full chug of bean. He doesn’t bat an eye.  “What is wrong with you people?”, Weiss exclaims, grabbing her own can of beans (salt also) and hands the shrimp can to Blake.  Everyone consumes their beans in relative silence and distaste.  “We found a trailer.”, Blake breaks the quiet. Qrow nods.  “Think we can hook it up to the bike when the storm clears, firecracker?”  “Yeah. Just need to find a hitch.” “I can make one. If someone can get some scrap metal to work with.”, Weiss yawns halfway through her statement. Her eyes look dull again. Actually. So do Yang’s… Qrow’s too… “Shouldn’t be too hard. Lotsa junk around here. Not like anyone is gonna be using it anymore.”, Qrow walks out of the room, to the next one with a wide open view of the front property. “Get ready for bed. I’ll get everyone up at sunrise.”  He has a bottle in his hand. He found the bar. God damn it. Ruby excuses herself from the room, sitting on the stair as she watches her uncle drag a chair over to the window and settle down. Uncorking the bottle and taking a heavy sip.  She stifles the frustrated shout she wanted to let out. If there was one thing they didn’t need- 
(A drunk who can’t protect you. Or anyone. It’s all on your shoulders, but it doesn’t have to be. Someone else will do it.)
 But Ruby doesn’t go slap it out of his hand like she really really wants to. Instead she sits and watches.  He doesn’t do anything spectacular. Other than taking a drink every few minutes.

(Wouldn’t you like to rest for a while?)

“What are you doing over there, Ruby?”, Qrow calls out, making her jump.  Laughing nervously, she steps into the other room. “Just thinking about stuff. How about you? ...Are you okay?”  “Yeah.”, He takes another drink. It’s not a very convincing affirmation.  “Are you sure?”, Ruby takes a step closer.  “I’m fine, kiddo. Go hang out with your friends, get ready for bed.”  “Uh.”, She stutters.“What, Ruby?”, Qrow finally looks away from the horizon at her. His eyes are cloudy and there are circles under his eyes. Not like his usual self.  “I uh- I wanted to say sorry. For talking back to you. About the lamp. That was mean. An-and I’m really sorry.”, She takes another step forward, head bowed and hands clasped in front of her.  What Ruby hoped for was an acceptance of her apology. She’d take a reprimand for her behaviour like when she would do something bad at home.  Not a cold scoff. “If you didn’t listen to daddy, I don’t expect you to listen to me, Ruby.” It rubs her weird, in a bad way. “Well, I wanted to say sorry. I listen to both of you.”  “Go to bed, kiddo. I’ll get you up in the morning.” The conversation ends there. Qrow goes back to gazing into the dark sky. Ruby walks back into the living room. Her team still in front of the fire, Oscar sitting on the floor before Maria, eagerly listening to her reading off about the late-estate owner.  Ruby feels tired.  
(So tired, you are. Come rest.)
 “We should get set up for bed. We have to get up early to leave tomorrow.”, She says.  Maria blows off her instructions but it’s a softer dismissal than her uncle just gave her so she gets a pass.  Ruby walks over to the pile of pillows and blankets, grabbing a set for herself. Throwing it down in the center of the room and flopping on top of it. Someone else can take the couches.  “We can share.”, Yang yawns, grabbing her own pillow and slapping it down next to Ruby.  She doesn’t really pay attention until she hears Oscar yelp behind her.  “Your hands are freezing!”, Ruby rolls over to see Weiss grabbing both of Oscar’s hands and looking extremely sheepish.  “I’m okay, I promise.”, He attempts to back away but Weiss holds him in place.  There’s a spark in her eyes again, as she tugs at their youngest member. The sort of sisterly devotion. “No, you’re not. You haven’t been outside. Why are you still ice-cold?”  “I- ah.”, He manages one hand free to rub the back of his neck. Weiss keeps a firm grip on the other. “He’s… Leaving me alone. I wanted him to. But it’s hard to regulate my aura on my own-”  Weiss tugs him over by the fireplace, grabbing two pillows and blankets. She physically shoves Oscar to lay down in front of the hearth. “Stay.”, It’s a command. So Oscar obviously does. Which is smart. One does not disobey the Schnee.  And Ruby can’t help but smile watching the interaction. It fills her with something warm and fuzzy and less tiring. (But there’s still a sort of bone-deep weariness in her chest.) 
(Hollow. You’re empty. What are you doing? Playing the hero like you can make a difference? Someone else will do it so COME REST.) 
 She has half a mind to share Yang, who is a literal furnace but this is her sister and it is really fricking cold. Oscar can take the fire. Yang is hers.  
(Because she’s stuck with you. Obligated. You’ve tricked them into following you. Child. It is bedtime.)
 Blake curls up (another cat joke, somewhere) by Ruby’s head and Weiss plants herself between Oscar and Yang. Maria keeps to her reading at the other side of the room.  After a moment of laying still, Ruby attunes to the soft snores of her teammates. She’s so used to it. A lifetime with her sister, Beacon with her team, plus the house in Mistral with Oscar. It’s a little quiet without Ren, Jaune, and Nora. Hopefully they had a smooth rest of the way to Argus. That her dad is taking care of them.  
(Can’t you wait to inform them? That there’s no hope? Or would you rather stay and rest a while?)
 It’s not going to be fun telling them what they learned when they meet up… 
(Imagine the looks on their faces when you tell them SHE DIED FOR NOTHING-)
 Pushing the thoughts of liars, failures, and rejection out of her head, Ruby closes her eyes.  Tomorrow. They would hook the trailer up to Bumblebee and get out of this dreary place.  Tomorrow, it would all be okay.  (Don’t you want to rest? Just a little while longer?) ...

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

He knows something is seriously wrong the moment he comes through the door. After he’s been gone for a month and a half and no one is here to greet him like usual. Summer’s smiling face, Yang in her arms with Taiyang making some Mistral dish for dinner in the background. 
 
No. It’s. Quiet. 
 
Sure, he’s back a couple days early. Qrow wasn’t expecting a party. Six weeks is hardly the longest he’s been gone. 
 
But he called Tai before he flew in. Getting only a quick “oh okay” in response. 
 
Which is weird on its own. No banter, no jokes about putting away the good glasses, no Yang’s little hands grabbing the scroll and babbling to him. 
 
“Sum?”, He takes a step through the door with a hand on Harbinger. Just in case. 
 
“Tai?”, His weapon is out of its holster, but still in its compacted form. 
 
“We’re in the kitchen.” , Taiyang’s voice rings out. We’re? Why didn’t Summer answer him? 
 
Qrow holsters his scythe, now idly twisting the silver band on his ring finger. He hesitates in the doorway before steeling himself and making way for their kitchen. 
 
Inside, Tai is leaning against the counter with a cup of tea in his hands. Qrow knows its tea from the obnoxious floral smell filling the space. Summer is at the table, Yang in her lap fussing with a baby toy. 
 
She offers him a weak, tired smile. “...Welcome home, birdie.” 
 
“Yeah. Glad to be back.”, He tugs out a chair, kissing Summer on the crown of her head before settling down. She visibly brightens for a moment. So he couldn’t have done anything too bad. 
 
Yang reaches out for him, giggling. Summer grabs her chubby hand and waves it at him. “Your uncle Qrow is home, Yang, say hi.” 
 
“Pfbst.” 
 
“She’s a natural.”, He stretches across to boop her little nose, relishing in the sweet laugh yielded. It’s hard to believe something as wonderful as this kid came from his sister. 
 
“I’ve been trying to get her to talk for weeks. It’s not easy.”, Tai cuts in smoothly. He looks like he’s seen better days. Fatherhood hits hard. 
 
“What do you mean? She sounds just like you, Tai.”
 
“Prick.”
 
“I missed you too, buddy.” 
 
“Boys.”, Summer sighs, bouncing Yang on her thigh. 
 
“He started it.”, The blond points and accusatory finger at his partner. Who gives his best innocent smile as if to say ‘who, me?’
 
“So, as cute as Yang is, what’s up? Got a body for me to stash in the back?”, Qrow cuts in, looking between his teammates. 
 
Tai and Summer look at one another. “I could hide a body just fine, if I had to.”, Summer jokes, not looking at him. She’s playing with Yang’s arms, like a little chunky marionette. 
 
“Summer.”, Tai states, voice exasperated. “I’ll take Yang. You two talk.”
 
“Talk?”, Qrow admits to not knowing a lot about relationships but ‘talking’ usually meant something bad, right? 
 
Walking over, Taiyang grabs his daughter from Summer. Yang fusses a bit before realizing she’s in her fathers arms and relaxing. “I’m gonna go put her to bed. It’s pretty late for her.” 
 
“Okay. She could use a bath beforehand.” 
 
“I’ll do that. G’night and welcome home, Qrow.”, With that, Tai leaves the kitchen. His footsteps fade up the stairs. 
 
“So what’s this talking all about?”, Qrow is twisting his ring again. It’s been a new nervous habit of his. Easing his nerves with memories of his Summer. 
 
“We don’t need to start with that. How was the mission?”, She’s frazzled. Why? 
 
“Eugh. Let’s just say I’m glad to be home. Grimm are getting worse out there. In a few years I feel like the world is going to be a very dangerous place.” 
 
“Here’s to hoping we can do something about it.”, She raises her own mug of tea. “Want a sip?”
 
“No. Tai’s tea just tastes like straight grass. I don’t know how you’re drinking it.” 
 
This is. Small talk? With his fiancée? Who he hasn’t seen in over a month. What. 
 
“It’s not too bad with lots of sugar.”, Which sounds like Summer but also what the hell is going on. 
 
“Okay, who are you and what have you done with the love of my life?”, He tries to joke, leaning forward in his chair and looking at her. She flushes, rubbing the back of her neck. “Small talk, Sum? Come on. I thought about you every day for a month in the middle of nowhere and we get small talk?” 
 
“Ughhhhhh. I’m trying. It’s hard.”, She thunks her head against the table, drawing her hood up. 
 
“What’s hard? It can’t be too bad. The house is still intact. Tai and Yang are still alive. You look healthy.”, He reaches over, grabbing the tip of her hood and pulling it up. A single silver eye peers up at him. 
 
“...If I tell you, promise you won’t panic.” 
 
“Where’s the body?” 
 
“Don’t be a jerk!”, Summer blindly flicks his arm, chuckling before sobering. “I’m serious. I spent so much time thinking up ways you could freak out and I’m so scared, Qrow-” 
 
“Scared of what?”, Qrow pushes her hood off, gently lifting her head so she looks at him. “I promise, I can take whatever you throw at me.” 
 
“Um.”
 
“Um…?”
 
“I’m trying to think of a cool one-liner.” 
 
“Something you’re worried about saying, and you’re thinking of a one-liner.”, Fuck, he loves his goofy fiancée. 
 
“It’s gotta be cool. Memorable.”, Summer actually looks like she’s thinking hard about this. 
 
“Feel free to workshop with me, Sum.”, He’s still holding her chin. 
 
“...”, She quirks her head. “This house ain’t big enough for three of us?”, She even puts a silly accent on it. 
 
“I love you but I literally have no idea what that can possibly mean.” 
 
“Or would it be too small? For extra space?” 
 
“Summer.”, He snorts. “English, please.” 
 
She smiles sheepishly. “Sorry, not my best one.” 
 
“Uncle Qrow!”
 
(NO. ENJOY YOUR DREAMS. REST, JUST A LITTLE WHILE LONGER. YOU ARE TIRED, ARE YOU NOT?) 
 
“Maybe we should skip the improv?”
 
“Maybe. I don’t think I’m very good at one-liners like you and Tai.”, Summer places a hand on his cheek, which he leans into. “You’ve gotten scruffy again.”, She skritches his growing beard. Not that he ever lets it get long enough to constitute as a real beard. 
 
“I’ll shave. Been busy looking at the most beautiful girl in Remnant.” 
 
“Come on, we overslept.”
 
(YOU DESERVE PEACE. ENJOY RELIVING THIS JOYOUS MOMENT. STAY ASLEEP.)
 
“Don’t be such a charmer. I’m still riddled with anxiety, you know.” 
 
“Riddled, huh?” 
 
“I kind of like the scruffy look.”, Qrow could fall asleep with his head in her hand. “It’s very dad of you.” 
 
“Mhm.”, He hums. “Dad-of-you?”
 
A moment of silence. 
 
Then a moment of realization. He opens his eyes, expression one of pure shock as Summer looks at him with a soft, worried smile. 
 
“...You and me?” 
 
“You and me. Of course. Idiot bird.”, She giggles, still petting his face. 
 
Qrow feels a lot of things in that moment. Fear, happiness, worry, excitement, fear again. A lot of fear. 
 
Summer opens her mouth again, but no words come out. Her lips are moving. Wait. No. He wants to stay. To stay with his head in her warm hands, to share their joy and jitters together-
 
“Get up!”
 
A picture hanging in the kitchen falls to the ground, shattering. Cracking glass echoes throughout the house and-
 Qrow jolts awake.  Right.  He was sleeping. He’s back here. In this cold world without her. She’s gone. Gone for what? He had her back, but he’s awake. And she’s not in front of him, eyes alight with love and tentative optimism. There’s Ruby standing a few feet away from him, face full of ire. Chest rising rapidly in her anger. He swears there’s sparks in those silver eyes. Even half-asleep it’s easy to tell she’s pissed at him. (But that’s fine.) There’s shattered glass on the floor. A wine bottle, if the small red puddle around it was any tell. One of the bottles he finished the night prior. The vintage in this town tasted like shit but it worked. Worked too well.  He was so happy in that moment, happy enough to forget what a terrible father he would make. Not that he didn’t remind himself constantly during Summer’s gravidity.  “What happened to sunrise, uncle Qrow?”, Ruby crosses her arms, tapping her boot against the floorboards.  Sunlight is streaming through the window. If he were to guess, it’s almost early noon. Storm looks like it’s cleared up though. “Oh yeah. Sunrise.”, He rubs his eyes and runs a hand through his hair. Qrow can still see the imprint of Summer behind his lids. Her image overlaid when he opened his eyes to see his furious daughter staring down at him.  Sunrise for what? To take this stupid Relic to stupid Atlas for a stupid, pointless mission?  He wants to go back to sleep. (Wouldn’t that be nice?) “...Well, we’re up now.”, He pinches the bridge of his nose, headache setting in behind his eyes.  “I already pulled the trailer out. Maria is waking everyone up so we can get materials to make the hitch.”, She’s walking out of the room, back to him. “I found a gas can, with gas in it too, but I don’t know how to tell if it’s any good.” “I’ll check it out.”  “Thank you.”, Ruby clips, disappearing through the doorway.  Why does it feel like he doesn’t know his kid anymore? Ruby and him used to be thick as thieves. What’s happening? Why is she slipping away?  Is she going to disappear into the dark too? 
(But that’s just how it goes, isn’t it?)
 . Ruby walks into the living room, greeted by the drowsy eyes of her teammates. Everyone in similar states of morning daze. Maria bonks Oscar on the head to get him up, the boy curled into his blanket like a lifeline. She fights a snicker as he jolts up and glares at the older woman.  “I feel like I coulda slept forever.”, Yang stretches her arms over her head, flexing her metal hand. At least the new fingers seem to be holding up. If not looking a little creaky. “Same.”, Blake agrees, rubbing her eye. Everyone still looks half-asleep.  “Good morning!”, Ruby claps her hands together. Faux positivity back in full. “I already got the trailer and stuff together. But we still need to make a way to connect it to Yang’s bike. So let’s go look for scrap metal!”  No one responds. Weiss even tugs the blanket back over herself. Maria uses her cane to pull it off of her. Seems to be a very versatile object.  “You kids are so lazy. When I was your age I was up at the crack of dawn just because I wanted to be!”  Ruby appreciates Maria’s support and old lady commentary.  But it doesn’t get a rise out of anyone else. Even Oscar is still bleary-eyed and looking blankly at the floor. No one has even stood up yet besides Ms. Calavera and herself.  “...So I’ll go get started. You guys can meet me out there when you’re ready!”, She waves goodbye at them before walking towards the door.  “Now hold on. As much as I think these kids need a good kick in the ass to get going, you shouldn’t be going out there by yourself.”  “Qrow checked the grounds last night, I’ll be okay. Thank you for worrying though!” “Pft.”, Maria scoffs at her before pushing the dresser blocking the door out of her way with the end of her cane. Walking out into the bright white yard. “Coming?”  “...Yes, ma’am.”, She clicks the door shut behind her. Shivering for a second before calling her aura to shield some of the hellish cold. Seriously. If it was this cold in Mistral, Atlas was going to be way worse.  They stride in silence through the snow towards the storage building the trailer was in. It was a serious pain to push it out all on her own. But no one would wake up so. It was up to her.  “What exactly did you have in mind for us to find?”, Maria shoves the door open to the building, looking around at the various paint cans and tools.  “Something thin but... Sturdy? That we can easily weld?” Maria knocks over a piece of sheet metal behind some shelving. “This’ll do?”, The piece is uncut and way too big for what they need. But Weiss said she could make one so here’s to hoping she can cut the sheet too.  “Oh. Yeah. That’s perfect. Now something to make the little ball thing out of-”  Maria points to the hitch on the back of the tractor in the barn. “That blade of yours should be enough to lob it off of there, yeah?”  A solid flash of silence. “This was a lot easier than I thought it would be.”  Ruby pulls Crescent Rose off of her back, extending it to full and making a swift cutting motion. The hitch connector falls to the ground with a thump.  “Impressive weapon you got there. Scythe wielder, then?”, Ms. Calavera is seated on a pile of withering hay. She’s pulled out a book, those journal’s they found... “Yep! My uncle trained me.”, Ruby collapses her weapon with a fancy flick of the wrist, putting a little extra flair on it. It’s fun to show off.  “Ah. So the man does more than leave his children to freeze in a corpse-filled abandoned house while he gets drunk on dead man’s wine?”  “...When you put it like that-”  “Just getting some information on you lot. It’s been quite an adventure on this old woman.”  “Yeah well. If everyone got up and ready we could have been to Argus by now.”, She complains, nudging the fallen ball mount with the tip of her boot.  “Perhaps they’re tired from the journey?”, Maria doesn’t sound very convinced by her own excuse.  “Oscar maybe, he got injured before coming here. But Yang, Weiss, Blake, and Qrow-  Everyone was fine before the crash.”, Ruby huffs, sitting down on the barn floor. Straw sticks to her leggings and she picks at it. “I’m barely tired and I’ve been doing a bunch of stuff.”  “Does that bother you? Helping your teammates?”  “No no. I just don’t know what’s wrong with-.”, She tightens her fist. “Not wrong. I just-”  “Don’t know why they don’t seem all too excited to save the world?”  “Kinda? I get this is a bigger battle than we were prepared for.” Plus, Ruby has a vested interest in this fight. Salem is her target. But even just getting the Lamp to safety is immediately more important versus some extra shut eye.  “Even I see the importance of getting that trinket out of the open.”, Maria points with the end of her cane towards the aforementioned object.  “...We just became a team again. But finding out more information about Salem is important to me. I thought it would be important to Yang too. But she doesn’t want anything to do with it.”  “You’re afraid they’ll leave? As far as I could tell from spying on you all on the train, you seemed close with everyone there. This is unusual behavior for everyone?”  “Yeah. There’s been a lot of downs, and not a lot of ups. I feel like everyone would feel better if we left this creepy ghost town but no one wants to help.”, She tosses a handful of straw at nothing in particular.  “Well, let’s go ahead and bring the metal out front. If they’re gonna take their sweet time getting ready, then you and I will just have to do the work. I’d like a nice warm room, thank you very much.”  Ruby gets up, dusting the dirt off of her legs and going to grab the sheet metal. Maria hops off of her hay pedestal and picks up the hitch. “I’ll see to it, ma’am!”, Ruby gives a mock salute. As she does so, the sheet metal falls over onto her boots. “As soon as I figure out how to get this out of here!”  And as it were, lifting a twenty foot piece of thin, bendy metal while it was extremely windy out was a MASSIVE PAIN IN THE- “Here’s close enough. Gives us some extra space to work the metal into whatever shape the white one needs.”  “I wish I could have cut it smaller.”, It's negative frick-all degrees outside and somehow she’s sweating. Where is everyone? A hand would have been nice. “Better left whole. Just in case.”, Maria jabs the sheet with her cane. “Where are those kids, anyways?”  “I don’t know.”, And she’s having a hard time CARING. Why doesn’t anyone want to help? Maria and her have done all the work (Ruby all the labor) and not a peep from her friends or family. “But I’m gonna find out.”  Ruby stomps her way back over to the main house. Kicking the door open in a less fun and more hostile manner. Snow is still melting off her aura and dripping into the wood from her anger. As she hangs a left into the living room, fuming-  -And she sees everyone.  They’re.  Sleeping.  Not in the same positions as when they left. The fire has long gone out, thus everyone seemed to gravitate towards the next source of warmth in the room. Yang. Weiss and Blake are leaning against her sister’s left and right. Oscar is leaning into her back. Like kittens around their mother. Making somewhat of a pyramid shape in their quest to stay warm.  It’s cute. So cute, Ruby forgets the burning annoyance that they left her to do one-hundred percent of the work. For a second, at least. Long enough to snap a picture.  As soon as the moment passes, her voice is prepped to yell and startle them awake but- She’s not an unreasonable person. She strides over in silence. Placing a hand on Yang’s forehead, hand buried in blonde. No fever. Still Yang-normal temperatures.  Then she does Weiss. Still Weiss levels of chill. Blake, normal. Oscar, a little chilly, but he said he was having aura troubles. So, normal.  No one is sick. So why are they all tired? Everyone slept last night.  “Guys?”, Ruby shoves her sister a bit, jostling everyone piled on her. No answer. “Come on, get up, please?”  They share a collective groan. Curling further into themselves (and Yang).  “Are you guys feeling okay?”, Ruby pokes Weiss gently.  “‘M tired.”, She mutters, blinking a dull eye open and up at her partner.  “Well, if we all get up and out of here, we can go sleep in a real bed? With the heat on?”, Argus couldn’t be too far.  “That… Sounds nice.”, Weiss pushes herself up, almost instantly gravitating back into Yang’s side in the absence of warmness.  Ruby smiles to herself. Progress.  Something is clearly wrong here. None of them are usually this out of energy. Sure, Yang loved her beauty sleep but this? No. This wasn’t natural. Bean-poisoning maybe?  The next thirty minutes is a process of extracting Blake and Oscar off of her sister. Which is a weird concept all on it’s own but the context is far more worrying.  Yet again, they’re up, rubbing their eyes. This time, Ruby doesn’t leave until everyone is standing.  Maria is standing in the doorway behind her. “Eh. I would have hit them a lot harder.”  “You can go hit my uncle if you want? He said he would check the gas for us.”, Ruby is still very much perturbed by Qrow’s response to her apology. She’s having a hard time finding kindness.  “Can do.”, The old woman shuffles into the room adjacent. Then, immediately following a loud whacking noise, came a masculine shout.  Followed by a statement, “What the fuck are you doing, you-”  “The GAS, uncle Qrow.”, Ruby yells, voice echoing.  Another set of shuffling, waking, and making sure everyone stayed up. Then they’re outside. Well, mostly. Oscar stays inside with Maria. Keeping him awake (just in case, Ruby’s got a bad feeling), since he’s got some aura regulation issues going on. Don’t want anyone to freeze to death.  “Here’s the stuff for the hitch.”, Ruby gives a wide-armed gesture to the piece of scrap metal and repurposed coupler. “It was very hard to pull out.”  “I got it from here.”, Weiss yawns, but she doesn’t look lifeless anymore. Just. Tired. “Thank you, Ruby.” 
(You deserve some rest too.) 
 “My pleasure!”, It really sucked doing all this work alone, but a thank-you always was appreciated. “You got everything out on your own?”, Blake places a hand on the trailer. She looks… Tired too.  “Mhm. Maria helped with finding stuff though. And watching my back.”  
(They should have been watching your back. They’re your team.) 
 “Sorry.”  “Don’t apologize. I’ll just be happy when we can get you guys to Argus and see why everyone feels so crummy.” “You and Ms. Calavera seem fine.”, Weiss dozes, cutting the metal with the tip of her rapier.  Ruby thinks for a second, looking up at the blue sky. “Maybe it was the food? I’ve got a strong stomach, and Maria didn’t have any?”  “Maybe?”, Blake is idly playing with the snow collecting on the rails. Really wasn’t much for her to do here.  Just waiting on Qrow and Yang. “Gas is no good.”, As if her thoughts summoned him, Qrow walks up, hands in his pockets. Wearing a sour expression with dull eyes. “Container was left open for a while. It's separated. And stale.”  “Here’s to hoping Bumblebee has enough to make it to a gas station?”, She jokes, awkwardly rubbing her neck. God, her hands are freezing.  “Bike won’t start.”, Yang sighs, trudging up to them with her aforementioned bike in tow. “Too cold.”  “Perfect. Just great.”, Her uncle spits, grabbing out his flask from his breast pocket immediately. Taking a full swig. And damn, is that getting really frickin’ annoying to Ruby. “Can we bring the bike inside for a few? Let it warm up?”, Just a short trip up the stairs. Nothing too hard?  Yang just huffs, like it's the most bothersome thing in the world. Pupils dilated and gaze disinterested.  “That won’t work.”  “Why not? Come on, I already bought everything out. Weiss is making the hitch. Let’s just put the bike inside, start the fire again-”  “No, Ruby. That’s ridiculous.”  “What’s so ridiculous about it? So we just stay in this town forever?”  “I say we just camp out and wait for help. There’s no way dad and team JNPR didn’t tell someone in Argus we got separated.”  “Wh- Yang, you wanted to get out of here more than anyone.”  “I do, but we have no idea where we are, what direction Argus is in, we still have some random old lady to look after, Oscar can’t keep his aura up, we’ll just end up freezing to death out there before we make it anywhere.”  “But we know where the crash sight is. The train tracks. I’m sure if we look around we could find a map too-”  “Ruby-”  No. No ‘Ruby’. There’s corpses in these houses. No one is acting right. They need to leave.  “I’ll put the bike in the house myself.”, Ruby stomps over to Bumblebee, grabbing the handlebars and pulling it towards the front door.  “No. You’re. Not.”, And Yang pulls the bikes back. It flops down into the snow between them.  The younger glares at her sister. Who stares back with listless apathy.  “Ruby’s right.”, Blake yawns, trudging over a few feet behind their team leader. “The-” another yawn. “-The lamp. If it attracts any Grimm while we’re so tired, that’d be trouble.”  “Then let's toss it.”, Yang reaches for the Relic on Ruby’s belt. Ruby jumps backwards.  “No way. We have to keep it safe.”  “And why do we have to ?”, Yang reaches again, Ruby steps away again. Moving further out into the front yard. “There’s four Relic’s. This is just one of them. If Salem finds it here in the middle of nowhere, then she can have it.”  “...Weiss. Blake. Can you guys take the bike inside?”, Ruby pleads, hovering a protective hand over the lamp. And they listen. “Yeah. I’m almost done.”, Weiss waves Blake over to help pick up the finished hitch. “We’ll bring this inside-” A yawn. “-And come get the bike.” “Tossing it sounds like a pretty good idea to me.”, Qrow, stumbling over, nearly bumps into the other girls carrying the hitch. Weiss even looks annoyed for a second. Little victories. Ruby is so tired of seeing nothing on their faces. No expression. No life.  “I don’t want to. I’m taking the lamp to Atlas.”, They need to. For humanity.  “No, you’re not. I’m done playing this little game. Now give me that stupid lamp and let’s be done with it.”, Qrow yelling at her. The situation feels instantly escalated. Him and Yang are stepping towards her, like they stepped towards Ozpin. With intent. “You’re not going to get killed for Oz’s failed work.” “We just need to get out of here and then we can talk about the lamp.”, The answer was Ruby going to Atlas. No matter what. Alone, if she had to. But they were so focused on ditching it.  “Come on, Ruby. We go throw it away into the woods and wait for someone to come get us. Dad’s waiting for us in Argus.”  “Yeah. He is. I want to go see him. That’s why we should be getting out of here-”  “We’ll freeze.”  “Why are we talking about getting out of here and the lamp like it’s the same thing! Isn’t this important to you too? What I told you about on the train?”  The leads to Salem and Summer Rose. Justice and answers. Yang pauses for a moment and it almost feels like Ruby got through, until Yang shakes her head and holds her hand out for the Relic with renewed detachment.  Ruby feels the tears burning in her eyes. What happened? Was she really doing something wrong? Was she being selfish in her quest to do what’s right? It doesn’t feel wrong so why were they being so sharp? So hurtful.  Her back hits something hard behind her. The well. The rocks bend to her weight bumping against it. Ruby can feel the stone giving in.  “Ruby.”, Qrow scolds. There’s no light in his eyes anymore. Where did it go?  “Let’s just get some rest and go home, Ruby.”, Yang adds, standing beside her uncle, arms reaching out for the lamp. “Someone will come save us. We don’t have to do anything but sit back and wait.” Ruby clutches it tighter to her chest. Where is Oscar and Maria? Blake and Weiss? Please. Anyone.  
(Give it to them. You’re tired of this fighting. It would be easier to do as they say.)
 She leans further into the well. Cheeks wet and eyes, Ruby lowers the lamp to her stomach. The thought passes to just hand it over. To do as she’s told. Listening to Qrow and Yang hasn’t led her astray in the past…  She loves them. So why would she want them to be mad at her? To yell at her?  The well is digging into her back and creaking under her weight. It hurts.  Ruby holds out the lamp with one hand, offering it to them. So… Tired.   “Is this what you will do, little one? What do you desire to do?” , Ruby startles. That’s. That was Jinn’s voice, right? A passing echo through her head. A soft remark that shines a light in her head and parts the clouds.  It's enough to shake her actions and make her hesitate. As Qrow reaches out to grab it, Ruby jolts back. Holding the lamp close to her neck. “No. We still need to take it to Atlas-”  “God damn it, Ruby!”, He YELLS at her. He’s never shouted like that before. Not to any of them, even dad.  So she flinches back. Hard. Stumbling back towards the stone well. It caves a bit from the force. Her eyes are warm, shoulders shaking and glaring at her family.  “What is wrong with you guys…”, It’s a soft, desperate mutter. Tone stuttering, ready to sob.  Their eyes brighten up for a moment. But Ruby’s not paying attention. She’s hugging the lamp like a lifeline and staring at the snow. Like a child with their favorite toy.  The stone at her back crumbles.  Ruby feels herself pitch downwards before she can respond. So distracted by the sorrow and fear that she doesn’t realize the sky is getting further and further away and her hair is billowing forward with momentum.  She’s falling…?  Oh God, she’s falling.  Barely managing to turn her body mid-air provides no help. She’s still clutching the lamp with both hands and the ground was a lot closer than expected. All Ruby can do is quickly activate her aura before unceremoniously crashing down at the bottom of the well with a splash. It crackles red around her at impact.  All morning in the freezing cold must have dropped her pretty dang low. Wasted, it doesn't do anything to stop the bone-chilling well water from sinking into her clothes. Her hair now half damp from her face-first landing.  Well, at least the lamp is safe. Ruby pulls herself into a sitting position, pillowing it in her lap. Using one hand to paw at her runny nose. “Sorry for the tumble, Ms. Jinn.”, She sighs, voice still rough with tears, wiping a splatter of mud off of it’s golden surface.  She doesn’t get a response. But Ruby swears she heard Jinn in her head before… Something urges her to look up. A chill up her spine. So she does.  Ruby lets out an undignified yelp as she sloppily dives out of the way of the rest of the well falling down. Old stone slabs falling with heavy thuds in the spot she was sitting in. Followed by the rumbling of the other side of the tunnel collapsing in with dirt and rubble.  Thoroughly soaked, Ruby looks up at the ruined well entrance.   “RUBY?”, Yang’s voice calls down.   “RUBY!” , Qrow’s voice overlaps hers.  “I-I’m okay! Just a little cold. Haha...”, And her aura is gone. And she’s still upset from the fight that was going on a second before she stumbled down here. But, there’s now a more pressing matter at hand to focus on.  “We’re coming! Stay safe until we can get down there!”, Yang’s tone sounds worried. Good to know her sister still cares enough to get upset if her sibling falls down a well. Cool info.  For a moment, it sounds like someone tries to move some of the debris above. The shift displaces more dirt into the tunnel. The noise stops as another piece of stone shakes loose into water.  “Try and stay warm and dry, kid.”, Qrow sounds different too. Also, she’s failed both of those objectives immediately. “We’ll get you out. Yang , go get-”  Their voice’s fade out. Ruby looks around her dank surroundings. There’s bits of rotted and water-logged wood floating around on the surface of the water. Which doesn’t look very drinkable either. She wonders how long the people of this town have been dead.  The other half of the pipe is closed off but there’s still a whole system she could wander through. To look for an exit herself, while they try to find another entrance.  “Looks like it’s you and me, Jinn.”, Ruby re-clips the lamp to her belt, giving it a good pat. “Let’s get out of here.”  She takes her first step forward into the dark.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

It’s snowing. Which isn’t so bad. It’s been lightly flurrying for the two days he’d been here. Even hailing from Mistral, he’d never been to Argus. The port town was seldom even mentioned in the Xiao Long household. “For the city folks”, his family would cite. No mission ever drew him here. A first in his life, at this age. It’s exciting. Or it should be. Watching snow fall in a new city, a new place. All the while, staring at the falling flecks of white rain down in the streets, Taiyang feels lost.  He should have taken Ruby and Yang to meet their grandmother in southern Anima. Before leaving this far out. It would have been a day's ride and a misuse of very crucial time… But he should have taken them. Hell, everyone could have gone down. His mom would have been happy to host them all.  So, staring out the window, Taiyang makes plans. Who knows when he’ll be able to do them, but the thoughts help.  After leaving Atlas, maybe? A weekend with the family. The girls, Qrow, and himself. He’d have to send a letter beforehand. To make sure his mother put away her handmade ceramics should a particular bad luck charm arrive on the wind. He didn’t want to exclude the man from the family he was very much a part of. Tai has found himself… Far more amicable towards his former partner after Yang sorted out their little secret. It’s almost like… Like harboring secrets and lying was straining to relationships. Weird.  He’s adrift without his family. He craves them. “Mr. Xiao Long?”, A voice calls to him. Tai turns to see. Ah. Saphron. Jaune’s older sister and new mother. A sweet girl by all means. “Are you alright?”  “Yeah. I’m okay. Just hoping they’ll walk up any minute now.”, He laughs, downplaying his own stress. It’s been two days since the train. And not a word.  “The weather outside of town has been pretty bad. Maybe they’ve camped out?”, Saphron sits herself down on the couch.  “That’s probably it. Though I can’t help but worry. Those are my girl’s.”  “I can imagine. Adrian isn’t that old yet, but I can understand how you feel a bit. Once he waddled off into a pile of laundry and Terra and I couldn’t find him for like, two whole hours. We were so scared.”  “At that age, they’re very good at getting into trouble. Unfortunately, they only get better.”, Tai jokes, walking away from the window and sitting down on the couch across from her.  “Oh man, don’t I know. I am the oldest sibling.”  “You’ve got a head start on experience. And you’re doing great.”  “Thank you. It’s… Nice having a more experienced parent around. I feel like I have so many questions to ask. I get I had my parents in Vale, and with the towers down and- And even moving here for Terra’s work, I really wanted to do it all on my own. But I don’t think I know very much aha...”  “Most parenting comes to you after mistakes, but I’ll help with whatever you need while I’m here. I’d like to think I've picked up a few tricks here and there. I’m happy to share. A thank you for housing us.”  “Psh. You’re looking after my baby brother. I’d say this is more of the thank you.”  They fall into a soft silence, both idly gazing at the falling dawn snow. Watching the sun rise on the horizon, the smell of brewing coffee emanating from the kitchen, surely from Saphron’s wife waking.  Taiyang sits, watches, and waits. Waits for his family to come back to him.  ... Dawn doesn’t exist here. Time is an aimless vortex of splendid darkness and that’s just how she likes it. There is no need for something as worthless as chronology in an infinite life. No desire for incessant reminders of a ticking clock somewhere on this miserable world. Salem taps her finger idly on the centerpiece of her meeting table. That is the thought process she normally yields to. Time means nothing unless it is in cessation. It’s value is negligible.   But not having competent help is so vexatious . The decreasing quality in the standard of men was incredible. Shocking, even. Once beings of greatness, now are mere specks of dust on her mantle. Despite their shortcomings, they are a necessary hassle for an ideal outcome. These crawling creatures that sought their means in the shadows of her gown.  They’re wholly replaceable of course, even so, there is no need to break perfectly good dolls for no reason. Patience was necessary with these pieces after all.  Yet this middlegame is feeling increasingly sluggish.  The table cracks under the press of her finger.  Failure, failure, failure. A perfectly granted ploy for the Relic, yet they’ve failed. Managed to be caught, now taking up the time of her other agents to save them.  Perhaps she’s been too soft on her mortals. What avenue should be taken? Punishment or encouragement? What strategy will she play in this game? With these pieces? Are they a stalemate yet?  Flicking a bored wrist, Salem summons a Seer. It squelches to life with a click and whine. Watching as it’s bulbous head swirls into an image. Focusing in on the figure she aimed to talk to. She’s greeted with the sight of his back and the sound of clicking keys.  “Watts.”, Salem calls, voice sweet and venomous.  “Ah- ah- Your grace.”, The man turns, facing the adjacent Seer. A convenience, to store Grimm on her men. “How can I assist you this fine morning?”, So it’s morning then. Day has passed and formed anew.  “Wondering about the status of our prison break. I am eager to hear how Hazel and the children have fared since their spectacular failure at Haven Academy.”, She’s aware of Cinder. Her fate is of no matter to the Doctor.  Arthur’s visage fades out as he shows Salem a monitor. Lucky, that a traditional place like Mistral capital had technology to be taken advantage of. CRT screens fill the space that Watt’s has moved to show. There’s a body slumped over a cracked, smoking monitor, a single bullet wound to the head. Blood leaking out onto the floor in a steady drip echoes through her Seer.  On the screens, shows the security footage (or what one assumes is) of the prison. A neat tick in the corner that states it’s a live feed.  Everything shown on the cameras is dimmed by smoke and fire. Bodies in prison uniforms and warden outfits alike litter the floor. In varying states of mutilation.  “Tyrian has made fast work here whilst I dismantled security and opened the cells. I believe he’s off enjoying himself while Hazel fetches an airship from the backlot. He’s done such a good job lately, I figured a reward was in order.”  A press on the keyboard behind him and the cameras switch. An angle of Cinder’s children and Hazel taking out the security by a prison transport ship. The next shows Tyrian in his element. A euphoric smile on his face while he tears through a crowd of fleeing prisoners and guards.  “Wonderful.”, Salem praised. Watt’s always responded well to idle compliments. A man starved for recognition made an easy instrument to be played. “You’ve done good work today. I look forward to your return. We will talk of Vacuo upon your arrival. Do wrangle Tyrian back for me.”  “I aim to please, madam.”, Salem swipes away the image of Watt’s smug smile from her Grimm. Cutting the connection. Offering a deep sigh to her Seer as it floats away.  So many pieces, and not a single one more worthy than a pawn.  ... “What do you mean, she fell?!”, Weiss yells, dropping Bumblebee onto the household floor. The handlebar puts a nasty hole in the wood floors. So much for respecting the property of the dead.  Blake pauses in her feeding of the fire to look at Qrow and Yang in horror.  “The well collapsed while she was leaning against it. We need to figure out how to get down there and help her.”, Qrow calls out, walking his way towards the wine cellar.  “Well, if any of you had half a brain to look around-”, Maria huffs, grabbing the second edition of Bartleby's diary. “-You’d know there are two entrances into the water tunnels.”  “Where?”, Oscar paces, looking up expectantly to Maria. He was sitting on the floor, a blanket thrown over his shoulders as he laced up his boots.   “I was getting there. Patience, young man.”, She reprimands. “There is the one here in this house. That locked steel door in the cellar.” “When did you go into the cellar?”, Yang asks, adjusting Ember Celica on her wrists.  “Well, given you all slept like the dead, I didn’t want to sit around and wait for you to feel like waking.”  “And the other entrance?”, Blake steers the conversation back.  “A runoff tunnel, just outside of the settlement. It’s a small thing, but can be broken open by the looks of it.”, Maria holds out the book, dangling it vertically to show the schematics.  “Those tunnels look like a maze. I hope Ruby is okay…”, Blake clips her weapon onto her back.  “Well. There’s six of us. I say you three girls take the outskirts. The idiot, the boy and I will take the cellar.”, She says it in such a matter-of-fact tone that the remainder of Team RWBY shrugs, stepping out the house with the runoff tunnel in mind.  “Whoa whoa whoa. Listen-”, Qrow stumbles back into the living room. The chain that had bolted the door in one hand, a bottle of wine in the other. “I don’t need some old lady and kid dragging me down. I’m going down there by myself.”  “If that’s what you wish.”, Maria passes the volume with the channel layout to Oscar, then grabs the last volume for herself. “Come, boy. We have a girl to find.”  “I just said I’m going by myself-”, Qrow raises his tone.  “So you are. I am taking Oscar to look with me. He seems pretty capable with that stick on his back.”  “Ma’am, you’ve never seen me fight-”, Oscar interjects. He’s not sure why he’s intent on downplaying his own skill. Probably because Qrow most likely hates him for being the next incarnation in the line of duty he sacrificed his life for, only to find out the lackluster trajectory through a (admittedly cool) magic flashback.  “He can hold the light while I’m down there as well.”  Maria strides her way out and towards the basement bar. Oscar spares a sheepish glance towards Qrow’s irate face before nervously jogging towards Maria.  “God fucking damn it.”, Qrow huffs, stomping behind them.  . “Think this is it?”, Yang points to a sad little hole in the side of a hill, dribbling out dirty water. The output makes a mucky, cloudy frozen stream of water in the otherwise pristine snow. Seriously, what was in that?  “Guess so. Should we force it wider? I don’t think I can fit through that.”, Blake examines the three by three runoff. Wincing as a chunk of something organic and clearly rotten drops out. Oh God, that smells. She’d happily walk the rest of the way to Argus for a hot shower after this excursion.  Without warning, Yang reels her fist back, blasting the wood above the grate and watching it crumble. Water rushes out, soaking their shoes and calves.  “The faster we get Ruby, the faster we leave.”, Yang sighs, dusting off the splinters on her jacket. Then she halts. Didn’t… Didn’t she say something about staying. Waiting for help? Now she wishes to run. To leave?  Why was she fighting with Ruby? Her sister meant everything to her. Why did she yell like that? Pressure her like that? What was wrong with-  “Oh lords above.”, Weiss takes a step back.  “What is it?”, Blake lays a hand on her shoulder. Weiss doesn’t respond, only pointing to a spot on the ground. They follow her finger.  “Dude.”, Yang stares.  “Please tell me that's not human.”, Weiss hides her face in Blake’s hair. For good measure.  Because that is a very human ribcage. Complete with decaying flesh dripping off the bone. As the water continues pushing it out into the runoff river, a pelvis with a singular attached femur drops down to join.  Blake pushes her teammates head further into her shoulder and guides her into the passage. The light of morning fades behind them. Casting them into darkness.  The water grows to nearly knee-deep as they step forward into the dark. Cold and slush-like as they wade. Half of Yang’s mind doesn’t even want to pull out her light, lest they see anymore water-deformed corpses in its rays.  But she does it anyway. They need to see, after all. The second she taps the app on her scroll, they’re greeted to a bottom jaw spinning around lazily in the stream. Weiss muffles an exasperated sigh into her hands.  “Ruby?”, Blake calls out. Primary objective needs to be Ruby. Not getting spooked by the numerous separate pieces of person littered around. No matter how disconcerting it was.  “Ruby!”, Yang joins her, trudging past the bones.  No response.  . “Welp. That’s another human person.”, Ruby chuckles nervously to herself. Looking at the form of a man half wasted away. His hard hat covering what was left of his face. Ruby appreciates his modesty.  “Do you think it would be a waste of a question to ask how to get out of here?”, She continues to talk. It’s helping. She likes to think Jinn can hear everything she’s been saying.  Because it’s dark, she’s lonely, cold, and upset, and getting out of this stupid smelly rotten dungeon of a water system is very high on the agenda. Her boots are waterlogged and Ruby really doesn’t have the time or energy to unpack the trauma of seeing more than one dead mutilated body over a very small course of time.  There’s a Relic that needs to be in Atlas that isn’t in Atlas. It’s here. In a dank tunnel. Half splattered with mud that Ruby can’t get off because all of her clothes are also covered in mud. She dutifully apologized to Jinn for the mess and pressed onward.  “That’s dead-end number three.”, She sighs, turning tail again. Waving to the body of a woman, slumped down, half submerged in water.  Ruby likes to think, if their souls are still here, they would enjoy the gesture. This is a horrid place to be for eternity.  “Anyone?”, She shouts, retracing herself back to the main shaft A noise carries back this time.  “Guys?”, Ruby fast walks. The water flow slows her down, pulling her feet and trying to trip her. Even so Ruby turns the corner, hoping for someone. Anyone and- “Is that-” A sea of festering red eyes rolls in her direction. Slow and oozing with malice and hunger.  She screams. . “Was that Ruby?”, Oscar panics, trying to trace the direction of the shout. But there’s so many walls. So many things for sound to bounce and travel off of. Aimlessly jogging ahead of them and pausing to think.  The kid is wide-eyed and worried. He’s so clearly terrified at the prospect of something terrible happening and not being able to help. As any good man should be.  Qrow’s grip tightens on Harbinger, fingers flexing on the transformation trigger. “Sounded like it.”, He chokes out.  Because this is his fault. He pushed Ruby away. Made her feel like she needed to run, to get away. That she was in danger with him. From him. He just kept fucking up, didn’t he?  The sound of bullet fire bounces around the tunnels. “That’s Ruby’s for sure!”, Oscar is looking back and forth, pacing nervously forward before lagging back to stay by Maria, and by extension, Qrow. He’s trained enough to know the sound of each team member's gun from the other.  And by the noise, that’s a lot of firing. Blast after blast after blast.  He can’t help running ahead in hopes of doing something . She’s in danger and they’re lost in some stupid tunnel maze-  But that's foolish. Childish. Because as he takes a step too far, rounding a corner into a narrow passage, he trips backwards onto his ass. Splashing into the chilled dirty water with a startled yelp before pushing his arms back. The slush burns his hands.  “What the hell, kid-”, Qrow jogs over to him, wrapping a hand around his upper arm and yanking him up. Oscar subconsciously leans behind the older man before startling and reaching a hand for the cane. Then extending it to full and falling into the stance he’d practiced with Weiss.  “Holy shit.”, Qrow draws Harbinger to it’s full form, placing a subconscious hand in front of Oscar and ushering him backwards.  Lithe imposing figures twitch in their direction, groaning loudly. Their jaws drop down, dribbling black into the water. Drooling at the prospect of fresh prey to drain.  “What are you two-”, Maria sloshes her way over to them, pausing as she takes in the same sight that halted them. “Oh heavens.”  There’s bones and viscera in the mix underneath their legs. How many of them are clustered together in that hoard-  The Grimm amble closer. Qrow grips his scythe two-handed. Shoulders tensing and ready to launch. He can feel Oscar falling under his lead. Stupidly well-behaved kid.  He gets ready to lunge, twirling Harbinger and stepping up-  Then they scream. A noise that rips through him, strips him of his will to be- (Because you are nothing more than a fool, a failure. You can not change this, so why would you even dare to try?) Qrow drops to one knee, Harbinger falls out of his hands and sinks into the water. What is happening? He feels like he’s been pierced yet there’s no wound. The Grimm aren’t even in arms reach. Oscar stumbles forward, holding his weight on the cane to prevent himself from sinking to the ground. His mind turns to fuzz. He’s a slate being wiped clean. (Blank puppets are best suited for possession, after all.) “Get up you idiots!”, Maria’s voice strains, cane tucked under her arm with a hand grabbing the back of the boy’s shirts. Tugging them. Qrow lamely tilts towards her while Oscar shakes his head and snaps to Maria’s side. They need to regroup. Step back and think. But he’s so tired.  “Come on, we have to get out of here.”, Maria all but forces Qrow up and back towards the entrance.  “But Ruby!”, Oscar protests, brightening up for a second as they force their way through the current. The pull of the water feels so much tougher now.  “We-”, Qrow huffs. Fuck. Harbinger. He never picked his weapon back up before being pulled away. “We need to find her.” He’s failing his kid again. (You ALREADY HAVE.) Maria ignores their plea. “You can’t save her without a weapon. And not in the sorry state you’ve been in!”, She shoves their backs, letting them lurch ahead at the force.  Men drowning their sorrows, sinking into the bottle. The man was about as good as dead against these foes. A dwindling fire was easy to blow out. If Ruby Rose was a roaring fire, Qrow Branwen was a tealight burnt to the tin.  “But I-”, Oscar stands, shivering but oh-so determined. “-Not without help. Go around to the other entrance, find the girls.”, Maria orders. Oscar nods. He can live with being back-up.  “But what about you guys?”, The Grimm screeched in the background again. God, they’re so loud . Oscar can feel his heart stutter and slow before the awful numb feeling passes. His chest resumes its hammering pace.  Qrow drops to the ground again, both knees in the water. The splash the motion make doesn’t do much, they’re all already soaked in tainted liquid anyways. “I may be old but I’m more than able to drag him up into the house, if I have to. I’ll make sure that bike is started so we can get the hell out of this place.”, Cursed Apathy. No wonder everyone was so tired. She should have known. Her mind must be slipping. Grimm Reaper who?   But Ruby wasn’t nearly as affected? Was the girl simply optimistic? Or.   Oscar makes an affirmative noise, giving Qrow a parting glance. Looking at the colorless despair in his eyes.  He jogs forward, Team RWBY might need him and he needs to get moving before- “Wait, Oscar-”, then twists back to see what Maria wanted. He’s rewarded with a book. He barely manages to catch it as it hurtles towards his face. “The map is in there. For the tunnels. Might help some.”  “Yeah. Thank you.”, He tucks it into his waistband at his back, behind the cane. It’s too big for a pocket. “Please, look after Qrow for me.” He almost sounds like Ozpin. “Yeah yeah. Go on, get out of here.”, Oscar does just that. Disappearing down the channel leading to the cellar entrance.  Now it’s just Maria and a broken man who is quite heavy for being such a twig. She’s forced to half-drag him as he makes no attempt to pull himself along. The moans of the Apathy behind them are getting louder. They needed to get up and lock that door.  “Why did you send him alone.”, Qrow mutters. His hands are red from the cold water as he grabs a fistful of the fabric around his chest. It feels so empty. Yet painful. Like defeat. Failure.  “He can make it to the girls on his own and help from there. He’s not useless as far as I can tell.”, The ‘like you are’ goes unsaid. No need to rub salt in a fresh wound. Perhaps Argus or Atlas had a worthwhile therapist to offer. That’ll be a good start.  “I-I can-”, Qrow stutters out. She can see the stairs now. The hatch is already open from Oscar departing. Not much farther. Looking back, blurry shadows watch their every move. Looming in the dark. A little hurry never hurt anyone, yeah? She pushes Qrow to his feet, keeping a hand to the back of his leg. Encouraging forward momentum.  “You can’t. Those kids are bright souls who can take on those enemies. This is not a battle for an experienced heart like yours.”, That’s the nicest way to say someone is unusable here. Qrow’s battles, baggage, his sadness and doubt. It would only kill him.  The water grows thin as they approach the exit. It’s easier to walk and yet Qrow still trips on the first step. The Grimm howl again, leaving them both to collapse against the stairs. Curse those infernal beasts. Oh how she misses the days where she could vaporize them like flash paper.  After a moment of deep breathing, Maria steels herself for the continued hike up half a flight of stairs. Gripping Qrow by the collar, he was dragged up, body limp and exhausted of fight. Beats arguing or recklessly charging ahead at the very least. Always look for the bright side, her father taught her.  But why was this boy so long? Maria grabbed his pant leg by the ankle, throwing his legs out of the way of the cellar door so it could be slammed shut. Lodging her cane behind the twin handles. Don’t want any undesirable visitors popping in. Plus, if the kids start screaming for help at the door, she can easily remove it.  Her gaze drifts to the listless Qrow on the floor. They’re both soaked to the bone in murky (probably diseased-ridden too with the decaying bodies and what-have-you) filth. “You stay there. I’ll go restart the fire.” Qrow doesn’t respond. Maria nods at him and walks into the living room with one of his bottles of wine. Yes. A fire would help wonderfully.  . “Ruby!”, Yang shouts. That was her sister’s voice. Yelling. Sounding scared. Where did the noise come from? What avenue did they have to take?  Did she encounter Grimm? Maybe startled by a body like Weiss? Though, Ruby always handled things like that well. With her special way of coping.  The sound of a bullet pierces through the air. “Grimm. Everyone, grab your weapons.”, Yang commanded, and both Weiss and Blake immediately equipped themselves.  Another bullet. Then another. Another. Ruby’s firing a lot. And the bullets sound different each time. Is she moving around?  Whatever her sister is doing, Yang begs for her to keep shooting. Shooting means she’s alright and helps guide them to her. Even as the sound bounces off the walls and throws around.  Blake’s ears twitch, Gambol extended in front of her as she takes a deep inhale. “I think I can focus on it. If she keeps going.”, Thank the Gods for Faunus’ abilities.  Leveling her breath, Blake closes her eyes. The rush of the water, the puffs of cold air leaving her teammates, their jackhammering heartbeats. The creak of the wooden tunnel as something impacts against it, far off.  Bang. Bang. Bang. Ruby’s sniper lands home in something, muffling the noise.  “This way.”, Blake charges forward. Into the dark with Weiss and Yang at her back. She pauses every few paces to listen again. Keying in on the concussive force of Ruby’s weapon. Were it any lower a caliber, she might have been unable to grasp the sound.  Twisting and turning through the maze-like waterway, they’re rewarded. A faint blue glow around the corner. Jinn, the Lamp, leading them the rest of the way. A bright beacon.  “Ruby!”, Yang speeds ahead, and no one can fault her for her concern.  Not that Blake and Weiss are far behind.  “Yang!”, Ruby pops into view. She’s filthy, mud smudged on her cheeks with frustrated tear tracks carving a path through them. If they needed a shower, then Ruby needed a fire hose. Even so, Yang embraces Ruby tightly. The bolt of Crescent Rose digs into her ribcage but she doesn’t care.  “I’m so glad you’re okay.”, Yang sighs, tightening her grip. Ow. That bolt.  “I’m-”, Ruby stutters. She’s overjoyed, seeing her sister with brightness in her gaze. Warm and protective, like they should be. “I am too.”, But there is a lingering distance. She’ll get over it. They don’t need to talk about before the well collapsed. Ruby will always forgive Yang. No matter what.  “Oh hell, what are those?!”, Weiss huffs, out of breath from chasing behind Blake. Oh yeah. The Grimm.  They drag forward, a mass of darkness and bright bone, towards them. There’s a few gaps in the unit. Victims of bullet fire, no doubt.  “I don’t know. But they make me slow down. It’s been hard, trying to get away.”, Ruby separates herself from her sibling, tightening a hand around her weapon. It’s been a cycle of gaining distance, killing them, and succumbing to their voices. Struggling her way up from the murky water and back to getting away. “We need to get out of here.”  “Sounds good to me.”, Blake agrees, sliding her sword back into a gun. Range will be best here.  “Do you remember what way you came from?”, Ruby asks, now stepping backwards from the way her team walked up. “Kind of. I was mostly listening to your bullets but…”, Blake’s heels slosh in the water as she backpedals.  “...No more noise.”, Weiss sighs.  “What about Maria, or Oscar?”, Maybe they can help? “Or Qrow…?”  “They went down the other entrance. We came in from outside of town.”  “Eugh. I’m not looking forward to walking in the snow after this.”, Ruby’s aura was already gone. She could hardly feel her fingers pressing the trigger of Crescent Rose.  “If we make-”, Weiss starts, before a wave of nothingness overtakes her. Sending her reeling. She can hear the Grimm groan through her fuzzy mind. The others seem to feel the same way, sans Ruby, who staggered in place.  What are they doing? Lost in some ghost town, underground. Grimm at every corner? Why fight? (It’s okay to give up. No one would blame you.) Something hard hits her in the head and Weiss snaps out of it. Whoa. That was… Whoa. “Wait, did you just smack me with your scythe?”  “It worked when Ms. Calavera did it!”, Ruby counter-argues. “Come on-”, She bonks Blake and her sister. “-Less standing, more finding the exit. I wanna get out of here.”  Ruby’s freezing to death and a fire sounds nice right about now.  It’s a cycle. They advance, fall to the thrall of the Grimm, Ruby snaps them out of it, they fire as the Grimm get to close, repeat. They just need to keep up pace.  No matter how many monsters they shoot, it seems as if they are endless. Just. Keep. Running.  They’re all so tired. Bullets and dust are wearing thin. Blake and Yang are both empty. Weiss has only ice left, further chilling the air. Ruby has a single magazine of gravity left. Nothing else.  There is no light at the end of the tunnel. Her team is panting and weary. It’s visible in the low light that Jinn provides. This is a losing battle.  “We’re lost.”, Weiss pants, supporting her weight on the tip of her sword.  “Maybe we can go back the other way? We could find your uncle?”, Blake is fairing no better. Shoulders hunched and knees bent, as if struggling under her own weight. “How, with those things behind us?”, Yang pulls at her hair before swinging an arm back to the ambling Grimm in the distance. Slowly approaching them as they catch their breaths. “They’re endless.” “I don’t think that’s the worst of our problems.”, Ruby clenches her fist around her weapon.  Everyone tracks Ruby’s gaze to the other end of the waterway.  Another pack of the Grimm, languidly draped around one another. Dripping black and rolling their heads to leer at team RWBY. From either angle, they’re pinned in.  Ruby watches as the faces of her team fall, hope draining out of them into the rotten water below. She levels the sight of Crescent Rose at the offending new cell of monsters. Finger tensing down on the trigger and blasting into the skull of one of the ones in the front. The bone shatters and splinters before the Grimm fades to ash. The power of the gravity dust activating knocks a few others behind down.  Her sniper must be a mess on the inside. The gravity is supposed to work before the gunpowder. Not that this doesn’t work out for this scenario. A small aide.  Another shot. Another down. She whips around to thin the other group, who are advancing on them. When did they get so close? “This is pointless.”, Yang collapses down into the water, submerging her legs. She’s looking up, rather than at the two oncoming hordes.  “It’s not-”, Ruby fights, pressing her trigger again only to get a harsh click. Oh. No more bullets. The Grimm screech again and even Ruby stumbles backwards,  barely managing to save herself from splashing under.  Weiss, Blake, and Yang were all slumped down, half under the slush. Eyes blank and dim.  No. They needed to go. Ruby wrestles herself over to them, pushing against the weakness in her bones. The dwindling strength in her heart and the all-consuming freeze in her veins. Stabbing the end of her scythe into the ground for support.  Ruby lets go of her weapon, using both hands to grab onto Yang and Blake, trying to pull them to their feet. “Please guys. Come on. We can’t stay here, please.”, She begs.  She drags them about an inch forward, Blake sinks further into the water. “Get up. Please.”  Ruby knows she’s crying again. Her eyes are hot and the tears leave pleasantly warm tracks down her cheeks.  Because she doesn’t want to die here. She doesn’t want to watch her friends and family fall around her as they succumbed like the other bodies in this God-forsaken tunnel. She doesn’t want Qrow’s last memory of her to be a fight. She wants to sit down and talk with Yang about everything, how she feels, is she okay, you don’t have to fight battles just for me big sis, I’ll be okay. I’m grown up now. She wants to learn about her mom and how she was so loved by everyone around her. To hear Qrow speak fondly, softly about a woman who looked just like Ruby does. Working through the painful memories to see the lingering light left behind. Maybe Taiyang would join in.  She wants to get coffee and tea with Blake and Weiss and listen to them bicker about bitter vs floral. She wants to see Jaune improve in his sword fighting, to see Ren and Nora smile gently at one another. See Oscar blossom into his own and become the Huntsman she knows he can be.  She wants to live her life to see them live theirs.  Ruby wraps her arms around her teammates and closes her eyes, drawing them into her lap. And she cries.  The groans of the Grimm are so loud now. Both hordes are looming over them. Ruby can feel the noxious breathing around her.  Why? They deserve to live. Everyone who died here, deserved to live too.  Peeking an eye open, Ruby brushes a stray strand of blonde hair out of Yang’s face. Then looks upward, at the sea of red eyes looking down at her. She feels calm.  Their long fingers twitch, flexing forward to grasp at their broken prey.  As a claw hooks around Blake’s midsection, scraping against the purple of her aura, Ruby tenses. Then snaps.  Hand reaching out of her posted scythe, she pulls it forward, knocking the Grimm back a few inches. Panting hard at the effort. Ruby drops to one knee after a single swing.  No no no. No. She’s not letting her team, her family, die without a fight. Ruby spares a glance to them, laying half in the sea of ice but at least all their heads were above water.  Ruby swings again, rending a single beast in two while the pack behind her screeches and howls, threatening to drag her to the depths of despair. But fall, she does not. Even as their claws dig into her shoulders, her back, her waist, her legs. She twirls Crescent Rose in an arch around her, forcing their hold away. She doesn’t recognize her own voice as a growl escapes her throat in response to the Grimm reaching for her team again. A quick spin of her wrist and the reaching arm is severed. It bursts into ash before hitting the water. There’s a spark under Ruby’s skin. The Grimm howl in unison and she stumbles. Supporting her weight on one hand and the end of her weapon. She can’t feel the cold of the water anymore. Her fingers are so numb.  She can do this. She can protect them. There is light in her chest, if she could just grab it- Please- Ruby closes her eyes again, but not in solemn acceptance of death. In defiance of it. She will protect her family.  Ruby breaths deep. And she will.  Not.  Fail.  The world shines around her. A harsh silver light that fills the area with a tangible warmth. The Grimm scream before they are silenced. Fading into dust.  Ruby lists forward, landing face down with a splash. She barely manages to tilt her head for air.  The- The Grimm are gone. Ruby manages a tiny smile, looking at her teammates' shuffles. Recovering in the absence of their drain. Her head hurts. Yang could probably carry her right? It’s okay if she rests, for just a small moment?  “...-By?”, A voice calls out in the distance.  “Ruby?!”, A louder call.  That sounds like Oscar.  She watches Weiss push herself up, struggling against the fading emptiness.  “Holy shit-”, Yeah. No. That really was Oscar. The boy rounds the same tunnel the second group of Grimm emerged from. “Oh my God, are you guys okay?”   “Well, no, not really.”, Ruby thinks.  Oscar rushes over to them, he’s panting and his footsteps are loud as they make a wave with each highstep. While WBY gathers themselves, Oscar slides to a stop next to Ruby. Grabbing under her arm and a handful of hood to yank her up out of the water.  “Thanks…”, She sighs happily, then winces as she catches a chill.  “...Oscar?”, Blake mumbles, supporting herself against Yang’s side.  “Yeah.”, He confirms. Team RWBY all seem pretty out of it, so he’s not going to be snarky about his obvious identity. “There were too many Grimm under the cellar, Qrow couldn’t handle them all, so we turned back and Maria sent me to you guys with the map. But even with it, I wasn’t able to find you guys.”  He wordlessly assists Ruby to stay on her feet, making sure she’s well supported on Crescent Rose before offering a hand to Weiss and tugging her up. “I would have never found you guys if it wasn’t for the light.”, He sends a meaningful glance over to Ruby, who gives a tired thumbs-up in response.  “You said map?”, Weiss braces herself against his shoulder before steadying and stepping away. Oscar then goes over to help Blake and Yang, but the two end up helping one another up.  “Yeah. I was following it to a T. Let’s get the hell out of here.”, He smiles at them. They all look like a mess and he really wants to get them up and out of this dank shitty hell-tunnel. Which goes better than getting down there. The Grimm are thin now and seem to cower under the sparking gaze of Ruby. As they regain strength and soul, it’s easy to swiftly dispatch any beast with pointed stab by Weiss or Oscar. All the while Ruby shivers at her sister's side, smushed between Blake and Yang.  “Just over there.”, Oscar says with a smile. He points towards a faint light to the outside world. After about thirty minutes of twisted weaving and walking. Finally.  It feels lackluster. For all the fuss of being lost in there to find the exit so quickly. Perhaps Ruby wasn’t even down there for a long time. It was a rapid turn of events, from arguing, the fall, the Grimm, to her rescue. In a short moment, not even an hour probably, she had accepted death.  Outside feels brighter after being in pitch darkness. It shines on her face and makes her close her eyes. While the sun feels pleasant on her skin, the breezy cold air does not. Her leggings are sure to be frozen to her body by now.  Looking over her team, everyone is in a state of disaster. Dirty, wet, and shuddering. How she would love being able to sit in front of a fire and get dry but there’s no way. Grimm linger in the tunnels, still passively sapping the life out of them with each moment. They needed to get out of here as quickly as possible. Lest they succumb again.  The house isn’t too far away. There’s smoke billowing out of the chimney.  “Maria made it back up safe, looks like!”, Oscar shoves the book back into his waistband and holsters his weapon. “She said she would get the bike going.”  “I don’t-”, Yang yawns mid-sentence, rubbing her eye with the back of her hand. Frowning as mud smears across her face from the action. “I don’t remember teaching that old lady how to start it.” “Maybe she’s secretly a hardcore biker.”, Ruby chuckles, shoved into her naturally warm sister. They can talk later. Or not at all. It was the Grimm’s influence after all. Not their fault.  “Pft. I’d pay to see that.”  “I don’t think you’ll have to wait very long.”, Weiss sounds genuinely awake, gesturing towards the house.  Out front, Bumblebee is started. Maria is shuffling around trying to attach the hitch. Probably hard considering her height. Seeing them, she halts her motions. “You kids look terrible.”  “Thank you, Ms. Calavera.”, Ruby salutes, wincing as her numb fingers bump into her eye on accident. “Where’s Qrow?”  “Inside. Those Grimm did a number on him, they practically chased us out of the tunnels. Dropped his weapon down there.”  Everyone shares a look.  “I can go get it.”, Ruby offers with the confidence of someone who wasn’t etching closer to hypothermia with every second.  “No. No way.”, Yang states. The statement is agreed with by her other teammates.  “Well we can’t just leave it!”, She counters.  “One of us can go-”  “Those things tore you guys up, but not me.”, Ruby huffs, stepping away from Yang and regretting it as a further chill seeps under her skin. “Plus, they could have all moved away from the door. Or something. Maybe.”  “Ruby-”, Blake places a hand on her shoulder.  “I can vaporize them with my eyeballs.”, Ruby deadpans, pointing to her face.  “She has a point?”, Oscar shrugs, then backs down as WBY glares at him. “I-I’m just saying I saw what she can do- From a distance.”  “Mind repeating that part?”, Maria’s ask goes ignored.  Yang groans, pushing a hand through her hair. It immediately gets caught on a tangle. “...The bike’s started. I’ll help get the trailer hooked up. Someone has to get Qrow out here.”  “I’ll do that.”, Blake offers, smiling softly to Yang. Who smiles back. Progress can happen even in a depressive ghost down.  “Well, if you’re going down there, I’m coming.”, Weiss states, matter of fact, Sliding next to Ruby.  “I can come too?”, Oscar adds, standing next to Weiss.  “He can come too.”, Weiss affirms.  “I think I oughta come as well.”, Maria muddles her way over.  Yang doesn’t seem happy about the fact that Ruby was going back into the waterway but she feels better with a proper team of four trekking down there. Team RWOM? MROW? WORM?  Either way, she gives Ruby a heavy hug. The kind that lifts her little sister of the ground to her height as she squeezes. “Be careful, okay?”  Ruby laughs into her hair, it’s damp and filthy, and smells like roadkill but she’s happy to have her sister back. After she’s placed down, Ruby looking up at her with bright eyes, she nods.  “Okay, Team Harbinger Recovery, lets go!”, Ruby walks towards the house as quickly as she can. Her muscles feel stiff. Weiss and Oscar share a look, roll their eyes, and follow behind. Maria rolls her eyes at all of them. Blake trails behind as the bird-catcher.  And there he is, resting on the couch in the living room .The fire is still roaring and everyone feels blessed to have a moment of heat. Ruby walks over to him, places a hand in his hair, and whispers. “I’ll be right back. Feel better, okay?”  She’s not blind. Or naïve. Her uncle was suffering. No matter how harsh the words spat back about dad hurt, the fighting that hollowed her out, she’s here for him. For all her family. It was hard, under the chains of the Grimm below. But Ruby feels lighter now, as if holding a physical light in her chest. They can’t hurt her with this confidence.  “I’ll get him out to the trailer.”, Blake walks up behind her, expression gentle.  “Okay. See you in a moment.”, Ruby confirms, leaving to join Weiss, Maria and Oscar in the wine cellar.  Weiss is holding several wine bottles in her hand, stacking some up in Oscar’s full arms. The boy looks over to Ruby, as if pleading for help.  “Uh. Whatcha doin’?”, Ruby watches as Weiss tucks a bottle under her arm.  “I had an idea.”, Weiss states plainly. Maria nods sagely.  “Okay…?”, And that’s the conversation.  Maria’s cane is wedged between the handles to the cellar. Obvious claw marks are marring the tiny gap it allows. Taking a steadying breath, Ruby grabs it, pulling it out with one slick motion. Then she watches.  The metal doesn’t bounce open. Hopefully that means no Grimm waiting at the bottom. Grabbing the left door in one hand and swinging it open.  The stairs descend into darkness. It’s almost comical how perfect the scene describes its literacy. Ruby looks back at her companions, then back to the door. With a deep swallow, she steps down.  The wood steps creak as she steps down. Crescent Rose is already in her hand. The passage is too narrow to extend it in full and she has no bullets, but having it in her hand is comforting. A necessary alleviation as Ruby shutters, the cold is climbing up her legs again and stinging her deaden fingers.  “Where did it fall?”, Ruby looks up the steps as the others come down. Oscar is still perilously holding bottles of alcohol and Weiss and striding down with a poise that Ruby didn’t notice she had until it was lost.  “Not so much as a fall as he dropped it. We didn’t get very far in before the Grimm ran into- Or rather, the boy there ran into them.”, Maria states, and Oscar has the decency to blush. She’s taken the lead, guiding them over to the spot Harbinger would be. “You should have seen him. All worried after you yelled.”  Oscar wishes his hands weren’t full of glass bottles right now, so he could bury his face in them.  “D'aw”, Weiss mocks, pinching his cheek. “That’s sho shweet.” Oscar also wishes he had his hands to slap hers.   “Those things are seriously creepy. I couldn’t help it.”, Ruby defends her terrified shriek.  “The Apathy.”, Maria corrects. “Might as well know their title, so you can identify them in the future.”  “The Apathy?”, Oscar and Ruby both tilt their heads. Weiss fiddles with one of the wine bottles in her hand. “That’s an on-the-nose name.”  Maria nods, turning forward. Then she points a finger. “Somewhere around that corner there. The waters are pretty deep, so I hope you don’t mind looking on your hands and knees!”  Ruby absolutely does mind, but there's no way in hell she’s letting her uncle’s scythe lay abandoned here. Jogging forward with Weiss and Oscar at her back to the spot.  As expected, the hoard of Grimm are waiting around the corner. Breathing loudly down on her. She hates it. How slow they act.  The frontrunner of the pack makes eye contact with her. Ruby wills for her light. Asks it to please destroy, to purge this evil.  But it does not respond. Silent. Silver bores into red with an unanswered request between them.  In her startled state, Ruby barely hears the sound of something flying through the air before seeing something glass shatter on the Grimm’s face. It winces back, bringing a clawed hand up as if to wipe it away.  The other Apathy (Apathies?) starts stirring, lilting forward and dragging closer to Ruby.  Another bottle cracks against them, shards of glass sticking out of its carapace. Ruby finally snaps too.  “Are you throwing the wine at them?”, She spins around to see Weiss grabbing a bottle out of the stash in Oscar’s arms.  “Yeah?”, She responds before throwing another. Some of the liquid lands on Ruby and she looks at the new stain with a grimace.  “Why?” Her partner opens her mouth to respond, yet nothing escapes. The Grimm cry out and Weiss staggers. Oscar drops the bottles he was holding and they sink into the water with a splash.  The effect only lasts for a moment before Weiss springs back, shaking her head and leveling at the beasts with a cold glare. These creatures had brought her to  despair, made her question her leader, and fall weak in the face of death. No way they didn’t deserve destruction.  Reaching into her sash, Weiss grabs out a set of matches. The idea came to her after Oscar had picked up the box on the bar waiting for Ruby to join them. She immediately snatched it out of his hand and started handing him bottles.  It’s a cheap looking tin, some bar novelty, but they still lit when she pulled a stick out and struck it. The small flame lights the area, and the Apathy seemed to physically be repelled by the brightness and they leaned away.  With a satisfied smirk, Weiss tosses the match onto the alcohol-soaked Grimm and reveals in the burst of firelight as they go up in flames.  Ruby looks to her teammate, slack jawed as the monsters behind her burn. One succumbs and fades to dust. Then another. And another. “Weiss, you are so cool.”  Oscar, who slaps his cheeks to clear the negative influence, nods in agreement.  “I know.” “Nice show, missy.”, Even Maria complemented her.  “Can I try?”, Oscar reaches down into the water (his gloves would be ruined after this. His shirt, still ripped at the collar, was stained a reddish brown from the water too. Hopefully JNR had some clothes he could borrow.), and pulls up two bottles he had dropped.   “Go for it.”, Weiss shrugs, ushering him forward.  “Ohhhh, me too!”, Oscar offers Ruby the second decanter in his hands. They look fancier than the other bottles. Probably expensive.  “Same time?”, He reels his arm back.  “Same time!”, Ruby chants, feeling lively as she matches her throw with Oscar. “Taste this, you depressing jerks!” The impact and shattering wooshes the flames up higher, setting the upper wood of the tunnel ablaze. Leaving a nice reflection of light on the water. But it’s still too polluted and murky to see through.  They stand together, watching the Grimm burn to ash in satisfying plumes of black. It’s almost pretty, watching the fire consume them whole. Alcohol on the surface of the water flickered with flares. A pyre for the damned.  After the last one fades, the waterway still burning around them, Ruby smiles to Weiss, Oscar, and Maria. It feels like an ending.  “The weapon, children.”, Maria scolds, not unkind. Simply reminding them of their task.  “Oh yeah!”, Ruby startled, moving back over by the adjacent channel, dropping herself into the water. The cold doesn’t feel like much anymore, even as it soaks into her clothes again.  Weiss joins her, but bends down instead to avoid getting wet again. Oscar follows Weiss’ lead. Maria watches them, paying careful attention to the fact that this place was now actively burning down.  Running her hands against the floor below the water, Ruby hopes it's as simple as waiting for her hand to bump something. And that something be Harbinger and not like, a human bone.  Lucky for her, she doesn’t have to run the risk.  “Got it!”, Oscar declares, lifting the handle out of the water. “Damn, it’s heavy.”, He huffs, as he tries to pull it up.  “I got it.”, Ruby springs up, reaching forward and plucking the scythe from his grasp with ease.  “...How much upper body strength do you have?”, He blanks.  “More than you, farm boy.”, Ruby sticks her tongue out at him, like the mature teenager she is.  “That’s not fair. I plowed fields. By hand.”, Oscar whines, dragging himself behind Weiss and Maria, who had already started to leave. Ruby relishes in her superior ability to pick up scythes.  They travel back up into the main house in silence. The curtains were burning now in the house too. Welp. Too late now.  Weiss drags the tip of Myrtenaster behind the remaining bottles on the shelf. Sending them to shatter on the wooden floor.  “So we’re just burning it down?”, Ruby watches as the fire licks it way over to the puddles of liquor.  “Yep.” “Fair enough.”  They walk out, flames at their back. Qrow is in the trailer already, rubbing at his face in a daze. Yang is on the back of her bike, while Blake stands beside her. Their expressions turn to varying states of shock as the house blazes behind them.  “What the hell did you guys do?”, Yang exclaims. The living room window cracks and explodes from the heat. “It’s for the spirits.”, Ruby read that once. So it might be true.  “Without me?”, Yang crosses her arms, looking legitimately sad she didn’t get to assist.  “We’ll do it together next time.”, Ruby assures, before hopping into the back of the trailer.  Weiss follows, then Blake leaves Yang’s side and joins in. Oscar takes the extra moment to assist Maria in getting on before settling himself beside Weiss and Ruby.  It fits them all comfortably, with space. But Ruby ditches the notion in favor of pulling her teammates close for their heat.  “Let’s get the hell out of here.”, Yang declares, revving Bumblebee and driving off into the distance.  The wind feels even worse on her skin now. Even if Blake, Weiss, and Oscar make convenient shields.  “Oh!”, Ruby leans forward, grappling with the two weapons on her back. Her hand closes around the handle for Harbinger before pulling it forward.  “Oh God, Ruby!”, Weiss yells, interrupting her mission on giving Qrow's weapon back. The man looked a little better, if not disoriented. Still, he watched in silence as Weiss grabbed Ruby’s wrist and pulled it into her lap. “Your fingers!”  Ruby looked down at her hands. Her fingertips are an ashy color, fading into an angry, swollen red down to her knuckles. Some of the skin had broken open at her joints, leaving tiny cracks of blood drying to her digits. Oh. No wonder her hands felt so terrible.  “That looks bad. Like, really bad.”, Blake agrees, looking over the damage. “You look really pale too. We should get you into a doctor.”  “Hopefully Jaune knows one in Argus.”, Oscar nods. “And hopefully we make it there quickly.”  Ruby shies under the attention, pulling her hand back and hiding them. “Well, we can’t be too far! Nothing we can do for it right now, since we lost most of our stuff. Ahaha.”, She responds nervously. No one seems happy with that but they all settle back into a loose heap of teens.  The sky is starting to fade into noon. Everyone in the trailer has started to doze. Not for Apathy related reason. From out of good ol’ fashion exhaustion. Argus can’t be close enough.  Loosening herself out of the puppy-pile, Ruby crawls away. Careful not to let Oscar’s head fall against the wood or Blake slip down too far, of course.  She inches her way over to her uncle. Who looks at her with something… Something sad in his eyes.  Again, she finds herself grasping for his weapon, successful this time (not halted by Weiss), and holds it out in front of her. “We got it back.”, She states.  Qrow looks at her. At her frost-bitten fingers, her dirty clothes sticking to her pallid skin, cheeks and nose reddened from the cold. Dark circles like bruises under her eyes. He notes that she smells like old blood and rot.  Yet she’s handing his scythe out to him with a bright, soft smile and a spark in her eye. As if she did the right thing. Furthering her own pain, suffering, to make up for his mistakes. Qrow can taste failure in his mouth. Pushing himself up, hand reaching out to grab the handle, feeling those frozen hands before pulling Harbinger away and into the holster on his back.  “Thanks, kiddo.”, He mutters.  His kid beams at his answer, looking happier than just a second ago, from two words.  Qrow Branwen has never felt more worthless is his pathetic life than this moment.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

A week following the news Summer gave him, Qrow drowns in his anxieties, watches as a glass falls out of the shelf and shatters on the counter in front of her. It bounces off her aura harmlessly, but Qrow stares at the white shimmer near her stomach. A terrible what-if playing through his mind. She doesn’t let him fall for it, ignoring the shards on the counter and floor in favor of walking over to him and tugging him close.

It works. His hands tentatively grab her midsection under her cloak to return her hold.

Two weeks, they talked about who to tell. Summer breaks down, rubbing the back of her hand against her eye. Worry, fear, anxiety over something so stupid. A color, of all things. A gift from the Gods, others may say. There is a reason her little petal does not have any family on her mother’s side. Qrow drags her into an embrace, like she does for him and relishes in her softening posture. The existence of her child will be obfuscated until it can not be anymore. They need time to think, to plan.

There, in a warm home settled in Patch, Taiyang Xiao Long, Qrow Branwen, and Summer Rose make a vow.

A month in, no one couldn’t even tell Summer was any different, if not for her increasingly excited attitude. Her stomach was still flat under her corset, she tended to Yang with a renewed fervor, explaining to the child that she would be a big sister soon. Yang, of course, has no idea what she’s saying. But Summer talks to her like speaking to a fully aware human being. Qrow watches her with a lovestruck look, hand on chin. Tai slaps him on the back of his head for letting dinner burn.

They gather around the table, idly eating their food before Tai gets a conversation going about names.

“How about… Garnet? Like your eyes?”, Summer giggles over a cup of her tea and plate of slightly burnt chicken. Qrow groans. “Not a hit?”

“Liàng?”, Tai offers, looking at Summer.

“No Mistral names. It’s a damn nightmare here in Vale.”, Qrow has had to correct too many medical offices for Yang’s name.

“You’re from Mistral too, asshole.”, Tai huffs. The two men hold a glaring contest.

“Bfefe.”, Yang inputs.

“What’s that?”, Summer reaches over to pull Yang out of her high-chair.

“Befie.”

“Beefy.”, Qrow snorts, Tai joins him.

“Mmm. Sounded like Ruby to me.”, Summer holds Yang in her lap, bouncing her. The toddler giggles happily.

“In what language?”

“Bufy.”

“Do you like that, Miss Dragon? Ruby?”, Summer ignores her boy's indignation that it’s a girly name. They could live with it.

“Bwuby.”

“I’ve decided. Ruby Rose.”, Summer declares, standing up with Yang held high.

And thus, small toddler Yang Xiao Long has named her little sister. For Summer dreads a color, there will be another color in place, for hope.

Twelve weeks in and Oz summons them. Qrow and Tai help Summer lace up her outfit and pay careful attention not to do anything too tight. It’s looser than normal, but nothing noticeable.

The man looks the same as ever, sitting poise at his desk while the remains of Team STRQ stand before him. It’s a simple clearing mission near

HER

lands. The ever increasing spread of

HER

influence had to be clipped by the best huntsman. Too many lesser soldiers have died.

There is a war going on, after all. And a huntsman was a one man army.

After they get home, Qrow and Tai throw a tantrum over the fact that Summer insisted on going. They don’t win, and Summer, in her pregnant glory, kills more Grimm then Tai and Qrow combined. Though, they get their own win as Summer formally puts in a request for leave to take care of Yang. Oz and Glynda look at her funny, even suggesting Tai or Qrow stay behind, her value to the cause, but she insists.

Four months in and Qrow is confident there is no more hiding his fiancee condition. As she bakes with Yang at her hip in a flowy red satin nightgown that shows her small bump off nicely. She looks radiant. Happy. He loves her so much.

Five months, and Qrow realizes he’s not exactly father material.

Watching over Yang right after a mission while the other two went to the store. He’s cut up, looking worse for wear but Yang doesn’t seem to mind. Babbling at his side while he cleans himself up. He puts her down on the floor to get a nasty slice on his forearm.

When he turns to get her again, she’s got a fistful of fabric in her tiny hand that’s pinned into a china cabinet. On the other side of the kitchen, since when could toddlers move that fast? With her feeble pull, Qrow watches it fall in slow motion. He runs over, managing to support it on his shoulder, but a plate still falls, breaking on the floor.

Yang is crying as Qrow pushes it back against the wall. There’s the smallest cut from the plate on her cheek. Tai frets over it when he gets home, scolding Qrow. Summer lovingly spreads antibiotics over the scratch and kisses it. Yang bounces back instantly but… It’s the first glimpse of the future in Qrow’s eyes.

Qrow gets… Odd following. Dodgy. Summer knows he’s anxious about his semblance and another child in the house. How he already handled Yang like glass. She doesn’t know how to make him feel safer anymore. He takes a long mission after that.

Six months into Summer’s pregnancy, Qrow falls so injured, he is hospitalized for a full four weeks. He can see Summer’s stomach grow each visit, every day, for all the moments he’s in here. They still manage to dodge Ozpin and Glynda. Qrow yells to her (not at her of course, he would never), that he’s going to die out there, and how much better it would be if Ruby didn’t have to grow up with a dead father.

Summer knows better than to tell him to stop taking missions. This is the fate of the world and Qrow has been taking her share so she can tend to their child. While she wants nothing more than to keep Ruby out of this life, she understands how important the fight is for that wish.

When Qrow is released, he sits down on their bed, kisses her stomach, and falls fast asleep. Good. His eyes have looked so tired recently.

He wakes, eight hours later, to her hands carding through his hair and a sweet hum reverbating from her chest, his head cradled in her lap.

“Sleep well?”, She whispers, a smile in her voice.

“Never better.”, He grins back.

Eight and a half months in, Oz asks him to personally escort Jacques Schnee and his first-born heiress on a business trip on the coast of Sanus. Summer sends him off with a kiss and a push on the back. Wishing him luck. He scoffs, doubling back for one last kiss (Tai mock-gags) and flies off.

The mission drags on. It’s November Fifth, three in the morning, when he walks through the door. He missed his kid being born. The worst first impression of fatherhood.

“I don’t think she’ll hold it against you.”, Summer giggles, looking over her shoulder to the entryway. She’s draped in an old shirt of his, rocking a bundle of fabric back and forth.

Qrow steps over to her with quiet caution, peering at the red blanket. “Is that…?”

“Of course it’s her, you dummy.”, Summer drags him by the sleeve to her sitting level while Qrow is still dazed by the simple knowledge of his kid being ‘her’. A living being. A daughter. “Ruby, this is your papa.”

Summer holds her out with the utmost gentleness, lowering her into Qrow’s arms. She wanted to laugh louder, at the terrified look on his face. The man had seen more untold horrors of battle than any, and yet this was scarier. It was different from holding Yang for the first time, leaving right after to chase Raven and getting back when she was a little bigger. No. This was- Ruby was tiny.

Poking his kids cheek with a finger, brushing back the barest hint of black hair, Qrow feels awed and sheerly, utterly, afraid.

And now, sixteen years later, Qrow feels just as terrified. Pulling into Argus station after half a day's worth of riding in the back of a trailer. Utterly silent as everyone fretted over Ruby’s frostbite, Oscar’s aura levels, the fading strain of the Apathy’s drain. 
 
Lost, as the other kids and Tai meet them at the entrance.
 
Wondering just

how

it was so easy for his partner to shed worried tears? To grab Ruby’s frozen hands between his and try to rub warmth into them? So dotting and caring. How does he do it so

effortlessly

? 
 
Qrow had always felt envy towards Taiyang’s ease of emotions. The man was a born friend and father. He never felt any worry leaving Yang and Ruby to him as Qrow had full faith that they would be loved and tended to. Maybe everything was better, how it was. 
 
Qrow out on his own and Taiyang parenting the girls. He should have never returned to Beacon and succumbed to the thrall of seeing them again. Should have never encouraged Ruby to share her power with Oz’s stupid fruitless battles, because Qrow thought they actually stood a chance-- 
 
How many silver-eyed people had died because of

him

? For all he knows,

he

could be what drove them to the brink of extinction. Rapid fire weapons thrown in useless desperation. 
 
Maybe if Qrow distances himself now he can undo some of the damage, the strain, and anguish he’s placed on them. His family and all he’s ever done is hurt and burden. A bane on their happiness. 
 
Ruby hazards a look back to the trailer, her uncle leaning against and looking at the ground. If there was a mental sense of seeing a drowning man, this was probably it, huh? 
 
But she doesn’t know what to do. Maybe her dad might? They had a bond. Though, Taiyang's probably not getting much more done until the man decides to let go of her hands. Intent on warming her hands back up to feeling temperature. 
 
“Oof. You guys look

preeet-ty

rough.”, Jaune offers, looking over them as they walk into Argus. 
 
“And you smell terrible!”, Nora adds, releasing her deathgrip hug on Oscar. 
 
“

Yeeeah…

A shower would be nice.”, Ruby half-laughs, still standing in place as her worries overtake her.  
 
“Dibs on first!”, Yang shouts, flexing her (luckily didn’t break) temporary fingers. 
 
“Ruby should go first. She was down there the longest.”, Weiss elbow checks Yang in the ribs. 
 
“Fine,

fine

. Dibs on second then.” 
 
“No argument here.”, Blake smiles. 
 
Traveling to Saphron’s house from the edge of town isn’t too bad. The city of Argus has faint lines of heated crystals running throughout the city streets, so she wasn’t freezing on the walk. Rather, she was bashfully rubbing her numb finger together as their friends fret over their messy state. 
 
Ruby finds her gaze drifting back to her uncle, his eyes fixed on the ground as he trailed behind from a good distance. Something about it makes her heart grow heavy. 
 
But what could she

do

about it? Frozen, half-dead and still shoving down the dark, dark feelings that have been clawing up her throat-- 
 
No. 
 
Don’t. Don’t think about it. 
 
For now, just worry about getting into a nice hot shower and clean clothes, Ruby. There would be time for dealings later.

Everything will be okay.

.

.

.
 
Ruby kicks her feet, swaying them back and forth, sitting on the end of the gurney in borrowed sweatpants. Her dad wasted no time in hauling her to the doctors to get her hands looked at (

After

blow drying her hair, the last thing she needed was to go back out into the cold with wet hair). 
 
Which sucked, that she wasn’t at Saphron’s. Ruby wanted to hear more embarrassing stories about Jaune. Or make funny faces at baby Adrian. He was just so cute!
 
But no, she’s in a tiny little Argus doctors office with someone else's clothes on, (Hers needed to be very much washed. Thankfully Saphron and Terra were small like her.), watching some old dude type in her information on a computer. 
 
It was stupid, her hands were fine. A little frostbite never killed anyone. Dad was being a hypochondriac again. Now she had an IV (why did she even need that) in the crook of her arm and she just knew it was gonna hurt to rip the tape off. 
 
Said dad was leaning against the wall beside her, a hand on her shoulder as he answered the doctor's questions for her. Like she was a baby. 
 
Oh, the doctor was talking. 
 
“Okay, Ms. Rose.”, It was weird hearing anyone else besides Professor Ozpin and Ms. Glynda call her that. “You should regain proper feeling. Your aura has already gotten to most of the repairs but when you get home, keep warm and get some rest. Mr. Xiao Long, I’ve called in a prescription for some light pain medication to help ease the achiness.” 
 
“Thank you.”, Taiyang sighed, relieved. 
 
“Just doing my job. Best of luck in the field, young lady.”, The doctor waves at them, getting up and walking halfway out. “Sign out at the front counter. Don’t hesitate to call or come back in for any issues.” 
 
“Thank you, sir!”, Ruby offers, even though she still disagrees with the necessity of a hospital visit. She was

fine

. Everything was

fine

. 
 
Leaving isn’t much fun either. Her dad does everything for her, signing papers and talking. She feels like it’s her middle school vaccinations all over again. Eugh. At least this doctor wasn’t like their old primary physician they had on Patch. Dr. Giggles was a murderer and Ruby would not be convinced otherwise. 
 
“Well-”, He pushes the door open for her. “That wasn’t too bad. Wanna get something to eat before we go back, kiddo?”, Taiyang ruffles a hand into his daughter's hair, snickering when she batted it away. It was getting long, the ends fading to a brighter and brighter red. He’d have to ask if she wanted a haircut soon. 
 
“Yes!”, She answered, just like Tai knew she would. There was nothing that moved Ruby quite like books and food. All she had in her stomach was canned beans and

proooobably

sewer water. That 100% did have rotting flesh in it. Ew. Bad thoughts. 
 
“I’ve never been to Argus, so I don’t know what’s good. How about you run ahead and find something? My treat.”
 
Ruby word-vomits out a thank you before running ahead and looking at all the restaurants littered throughout the peaceful streets of Argus, eager to get the idea of dead body tea out of her head. 
 
At least Argus was really pretty. 
 
Taiyang watches as she puts a bandaged finger up to a menu that was taped to a window. Ruby always bounced back so quickly, thinking back to seeing his kids ride into town, shivering and worn down, to now. Her eagerly scanning for lunch opportunities...
 
Tai was a damn good huntsman at one point, he knows how hard it gets out there… But it wasn’t any easier accepting that this was their life now too. 
 
He finds himself at a loss every moment he notices them growing up. Growing stronger. Soon, he’s scared that they won’t need him at all anymore. Yang is leveling out into a powerful, independent woman. Ruby is blossoming into a charismatic leader and fighter. Both look so much like their mother’s it made him ache sometimes. 
 
“How about this place? They have spicy food!”, Ruby shouts, pointing to a vendor. 
 
“Somewhere inside, Ruby! You need to stay warm!”, He scolds back, watching her pout her way into a nice-looking (indoor) noodle place. 
 
He still has them both, for now. And he’s going to enjoy every second of it, Tai knows, walking behind his daughter into the shop.
 
A staffer leads them to a cozy booth in the back, placing a pair of chopsticks down as well as a fork and knife combo. 
 
They sit down, Ruby immediately mimicking what Yang would usually get, sounding smug. Ruby always followed Yang, even when she wasn’t around. Tai follows suit with his meal, but kicks the spice level up to ten and the waiter leaves them to deliver the order. 
 
“So. What happened out there?”, He not-so-smoothly starts. Ruby’s shoulders tense in an instant, shoulders rising to her ears. So he fixes, “You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to. Just thought talking might help.”
 
Suddenly, the bandages on her fingers are very interesting. Ruby picks at the edges of them, pulling little strands of white cotton loose. “No. I mean. We needed to tell you anyway. We- We were gonna wait to get everyone together.” 
 
“So, a lot then?”, Tai jokes, smiling to his daughter before shifting over to the waiter who came to drop off two cups of water. Waiting for them to leave before continuing his conversation. It works, as Ruby gives a sheepish smile back. 
 
“I don’t know where to even start.”, She groans, taking a sip of her ice water like it was hard liquor. 
 
“Okay. How about after the crash? What happened?”, Taiyang leans comfortably into the booth, forcing himself to remain loose and easy for Ruby to talk to. Of course he’s worried. Terrified, even. But he didn’t need to worsen it by making his kids scared too. 
 
“Oh. Uh, everyone was mad… About the Oz-Grimm-Attracting-Lamp detail… We met Maria too! She’s really cool.”, Ruby trails. 
 
“Only you could manage a new plus one after a train crash, Petal.” 
 
“Well, she seemed very insistent on watching over us! Plus… She really helped me out a lot. She wasn’t affected by the Grimm we encountered like everyone else. It was just her and me that seemed okay… But that’s later.”, Ruby takes another sip of her water. “We uh. Used the lamp?” 
 
Wait… “What do you mean ‘used it’? Wasn’t it out of questions?”, Yeah, Tai is pretty damn sure Oz said it was out. 
 
“--And everyone, me too, was kinda mad. Because he lied.” 
 
“What did you ask?”
 
Trepidation fills his stomach as Ruby takes a long, heavy breath before starting a story. A story of a knight, a witch, and the vindictive actions following that sent a world tumbling, spun to life by the genie who told it.
 
.
 
Taiyang feels a hundred pounds heavier walking out of that noodle shop. The weight of the world resting on the fragile spines of mankind felt more feeble than ever. Qrow was probably devastated, choosing to enlist the kids to help only to feel like he was condemning them to death. 
 
Ruby seemed to be managing, either not understanding the breath of the problem or she’s twisted it into five different compartments for later. He would have to prod Yang for her thoughts on the matter. Maybe offer some support to the farm kid. He didn’t ask for any of this after all, his foundation further shaken. The JNR students too… Once they find out the loss of their friend’s life was for a doomed cause… He doesn’t know how they’ll fare. 
 
Tai himself wasn’t feeling too confident in the fight at the moment, he can only imagine how everyone else was coping. 
 
He needs a moment. To ruminate without Ruby seeing the frown on his face as he tossed around dark thoughts in his head. So he uses an on-the-fly excuse. 
 
Full and satisfied, Ruby splits ways with her dad. So he could go “pick up her prescription” while she got some much needed and deserved rest. She agrees without hassle, not having realized how tired she was until she was feeling a bit better and full of spicy noodles. 
 
She skips through Argus as best she can with dwindling energy. It really is a beautiful city. So different from Vale or Patch, and even Mistral. It had its own distinct charm.
 
Walking through the door to Saphron’s house, because the world

HATES

her, shows that that is not what would be happening tonight. 
 
“Oh geez, what now?”, Ruby states, taking in the scene. 
 
Jaune is on the couch, looking sufficiently guilty, alongside Ren and Nora. Weiss is glaring down at them with a very “you are in so much trouble” energy. 
 
“Ruby!”, Jaune gives a shy smile. “How are your hands? Taiyang seemed pretty worried.” 
 
“They’re… Fine? What happened? Where’s Yang? Or Blake? And Oscar? Are they sleeping?”, Ruby takes a further step inside, closing the door behind her. It’s nice and warm inside, the fireplace set low, casting harsh shadows. It makes the setting feel more severe though. 
 
 “We told them about Jinn.”, Weiss states, crossing her arms and turning away from Team JPR. "They pressed. We were going to wait for you two to come back." 
 
“Oh.”
 
“And yeah, I get that it’s hard or whatever finding this stuff out. Y’know, it wasn’t easy for us EITHER.”, Weiss states with pointed words. 
 
“And? What does that have to do with Yang?” 
 
“I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to yell at him like that I swear- I- we were just upset.”, Jaune pleads, only to shrink back under Weiss’ glare. 
 
“Him?”, The fire crackles as Ruby strides to sit beside it. Enjoying the baking heat on her skin. 
 
“They took out their frustrations with Oz on Oscar. But it was just Oscar, it’s been just Oscar-”, Weiss starts. 
 
“We thought Oz could hear us, at least through him… We didn’t know he wasn’t listening.”, Ren continues. “--Nor did we realize what that must have felt like to Oscar… Until it was too late.”
 
“You still yelled all of that in his face. It wasn’t fair.”, If Weiss had become one thing, it was fiercely protective of their youngest party member. Wizard or no. 
 
“We’ll apologize-”
 
“You better!” 
 
“Wait. So what exactly happened?”, Ruby was growing lost with the situation. So where was Oscar? Her sister? Blake? 
 
“These three decided to scream in Oscar’s face so he got upset and left. Blake and Yang went after him.”, Weiss clears up. 
 
Ruby stares blankly at the fire. 
 
Then to Weiss. 
 
Landing on the three people looking very thoroughly remorseful on the couch. 
 
She’s looking for something to say. But no words come to throat. 
 
“...We wanted to help go look for him but Weiss said Blake and Yang would handle it.”, Jaune offers, rubbing the back of his head. Nora and Ren slump down into the couch. 
 
“They needed to be reprimanded first.”, Weiss crosses her arms with a huff. 
 
Ruby sighs, giving Weiss a suffering look. One her teammate returns in full, nodding some kind of affirmation. With that nod, Ruby responds with one of her own, gives a passing glance to the guilty parties on the couch, then promptly walks towards the bedroom offered to them by the Cotta-Arc’s. 
 
The door shuts behind her with a soft click. 
 
“...Somehow that’s worse than getting screamed at by Weiss.” Nora jokes, with a nervous lilt to her voice.  
 
The resulting look she receives from said scold-er would kill a lesser person. 
 
.

.

.
 
“…Hey.”, A warm, familiar voice reaches him, accompanied by a light tap to his shoulder. 
 
He tightens his form, curling his arms tighter around his legs, face buried in his knees. 
 
“You doing okay?”, A different, but equally welcoming voice, questions. 
 
Oscar feels, rather than sees, their weight slide to either side of him. A warm bracket that he appreciates in the Argus chill. His torn up shirt, still dirty and slightly damp from their sewer misadventure. He knows they’re safe, they don’t mean him any harm, but there’s still the tiniest piece of him that wants to flinch. 
 
And when that piece acts, both weights freeze, stopping at the barest touch to his sides. 
 
“I guess we can take that as a no.”, Yang laughs, it’s a little too airy, but still such a nice, cozy sound. 
 
The impact of a flick to skin echoes out, followed by a tiny yelp from Yang. Oscar smiles into his knees. He can so clearly picture the reprimand on Blake’s face and the playful mischief of Yang’s. 
 
“We’re gonna stay with you for as long as you need, Oscar. So don’t worry.”, Blake comforts, leaning a little more weight onto his shoulder. "We won't go anywhere unless you ask us, okay?" 
 
Yang settles in beside him as well. 
 
It’s quiet, for a while. Sometimes Blake and Yang will share looks, he can feel it in the shift from either side. Sometimes they’ll make hand motions. Or a breeze will go by and one of them will shiver. 
 
Eventually, as the sky changes in color, Blake sags almost entirely into his side. Before jolting up with a yawn. Yang chuckles at her, it’s nice. Good to see them start to… Adjust, after whatever happened before Oscar was a part of the group. 
 
Gods, they had a before. Oscar feels like he’s known them his entire life in their short time together. And… And he didn’t know how much time he had left with them. As

himself

. 
 
He loves them all. Loves Blake and Yang like big sisters he never had. Protective in a more subtle way than Weiss but still deeply powerful. Nora and her penchant for good-humor mischief that came so naturally. Ren with his silent but strong support. Jaune, heartbroken as he was and yet gave the softest, most constant care. And Ruby…
 
He wonders how she can handle that weight on her shoulders, how she can keep herself moving forward despite it all. 
 
The moment Jaune looked at him and only saw Ozpin was the most painful thing he’d ever experienced in his

life.

Oscar doesn’t want to suddenly know everything. Lifetimes of experience and knowledge trickled in days at a time. Slowly pulled over him like a sheet over the deceased, covering who he was, who he is now. 
 
He wants Yang to teach him how to ride her motorcycle. He wants Blake to share new books with him. He wants to do more combat training with Weiss and have her mock his footwork. He wants to listen to Ruby talk about weapons and bullets with unbridled enthusiasm, trying to teach but doing a terribly entertaining job as a teacher, for the rest of his life.
 
He wants to bring them all home to his Aunt and eat around their handmade furniture and hard-earned crops. 
 
Oscar wants and

wants—

He wants to help soothe the hole in team JNPR’s heart from their loss. A loss he will know every choice made, every gamble taken, that lead to a brave sacrifice—
 
He does not want to know. He wants to learn. 
 
And the clock is ticking. 
 
With a sniffle, Oscar lifts his face out from his knees. The cold air stings his face, cheeks wet and eyes puffy. 
 
Blake and Yang straighten up, noticing he’s moved. Yellow and purple eyes on him, looking down at the crown of his head. 
 
He wipes his nose on his glove, shaking his head lightly before unfurling. His knees crack as he stretches his legs out. “I’m good.” 
 
The two women share a look, then look back down at him. 
 
“…Do you wanna talk about it at all?”, Yang asks. 
 
He takes a steadying breath. “Yeah. But… To everyone.” 
 
“Sounds good. We’ll get everyone together when you’re ready, Oscar.”, Blake smiles at him, pushing him forward into a proper sit. 
 
The warmth and support brings another set of tears to his eyes. Oscar uses his shirt sleeve to wipe them away. Grimacing at the smell of his ruined shirt. 
 
“Maybe we should do something about

that

first.”, Yang smiles, raising to her feet. “Our huntsman gear will wash up just fine but I don’t think the farm boy clothes are gonna survive much longer.” 
 
“Especially not in this weather.”, Blake holds her hand out to catch a snowflake. It rests in her palm for a moment before being taken into the breeze
 
“Sanctum Academy is around here so there should be lots of gear stores around for the students.”, Yang points a thumb over her shoulder, pointing out into the city. 
 
Right. He ran into the nearest alleyway as soon as the cold became too tough on his lungs, his chest burning as he curled up into a dingy corner. He was in the middle of a foreign city. An Academy Town. 
 
“Do you want to do some shopping before we head back?”, Blake questions, standing up herself before holding a hand out to help Oscar up. He takes it, mindful enough to not give her the hand he wiped his nose with. "That way you have some time to think about what you want to say to everyone." 
 
Oscar considers the offer and comes to terms he’s not quite ready to see the irate faces of Jaune, Ren, and Nora, in case they’re still ruminating on their feelings about the professor. And where Oscar stood in those feelings. 
 
Plus, it would give him time to think about what he wanted to say, how to convey how much he wanted to be Oscar and

only

Oscar to them. 
 
With one more sniffle and wipe of his sleeve over his face, Oscar looks directly at Yang and Blake.
 
"... I don't want to smell like sewer anymore.", He attempts to joke, but his voice comes out ragged and hoarse from crying.  
 
Even so, the two smile at him and take a spot at either side of him. 
 
"Well, you're in luck! I have a great sense of fashion. And I remembered my wallet!", Yang boasts, sliding her arm under Oscar's and leading him towards the alley entrance. 
 
When he shoots Blake a mild look of concern, she chuckles lightly into her hand. "I promise she does. But if she starts to bring out the jean shorts and tank tops, I'll come to your rescue." 
 
"Psh, please. If we let you pick he'd end up in a catsuit.", Yang teases back, before pausing. Oscar watches as the two share a gentle look. Something shifting in their gaze before he politely looks at the floor so as not to intrude on their moment. 
 
When the moment breaks, Blake smirks back. "Maybe he would like one." 
 
"Oh, he definitely wouldn't. He thinks my style is way cooler, right, Oscar?" 
 
"Do I have to answer?", He questions sheepishly, still watery and wet but feeling lighter by each moment. 
 
"Nah, I know you don't wanna disappoint your reading buddy by agreeing with me." 
 
Blake walks ahead, laughing quietly as they step out of the alley. "Oscar can have his own style. And speaking of reading, there's a few book shops around here too for the students we could check on the way back."
 
"Ugh, yeah we can check them out after Shorty gets his gear. Nerds, the lot of you. At least find some good

action

adventure stories.", Yang faux-gripes. "If I have to go through one more avant-garde, trying-to-be-smart, allegory book I'm gonna lose my mind." 
 
"I'll keep that in mind for reading night.", Blake turns to say to Yang while they're walking, guiding them into a nearby Huntsmen Shop. "Oscar is picking this week, anyway."
 
"Pick something good, Oscar. I'm counting on you! My attention span is in your hands." 
 
"I'll do my best, ma'am.", And with that, for the first time in days, he feels normal.