Crimson twilight shone through the windows of Yang's bedroom. It had been at least two months since the events at the fall of Beacon and the loss of her arm…everything that had happened to her in that time was nothing short of torturous. Every night the same damn nightmare would plague her mind, that scene that repeated over and over like a broken video tape, her partner Blake, on the ground and bleeding whilst her old mentor and friend Adam Taurus was impaling her with the intention of provoking her…
Anger…
Pure burning hatred for the man that was trying to kill the girl that she had been protecting for so long…
He would pay….HE WOULD PAY!
"Get away from her!" Yang felt her vocal chords almost get strained to the point of losing her voice as she screamed, her Semblance kicking into high gear as she charged at the masked assailant. Her crimson eyes stained with tears as her heart pounded in her chest. But as she got closer there was nothing but a crimson blur as the blonde's arm began to burn, the seething pain as flesh tore from bone…the pure shock of it all sending her tumbling to the ground…and waking up in her bed…
"Damn it…" said Yang as she wiped the tears from her eyes with her remaining arm. "Why did you have to go…? Why now of all times…?"
Suddenly a faint tapping could be heard on the window of her room, the same tapping that came almost every day. Two short, one long. The raven had returned to the window sill. Lavender hues turned to look at the familiar avian as Yang began to shift upright, her lips curled into a small but concerned frown as she tried not to look at the bird that almost sent a chill down her spine…
"Why do you always come birdy?" Yang started as she then began to slowly swing her legs off the edge of her bed, feet creaking on the oak wooden floors as she began to slowly move over to the window. After opening the latch she began to slowly push the window open, the cold winter air assaulting her for a moment before the raven took its chance and began to hop into Yang's room.
"Don't you have anything better to do, apart from spending time with m-" Yang was cut off by the sound of the raven cawing at her, though not out of anger but almost as if it was trying to talk to her.
Of course Yang soon found herself beginning to pace around the room, her left arm clutching at the bandaged stump that remained. Her eyes looking almost hazy as she began to think about all that had happened. Ever since Ruby left to go and find some answers in Haven, Taiyang had been working almost double time to try and find her as well as help out with evacuation and relocation. She missed her dad, but she missed Ruby even more. Ruby was always so naïve to the real world, believing that she could find answers for what happened and try to fix everything. She was an idiot to think that this could all be fixed…but at least she remained positive in the face of adversary.
However, her time thinking about what had happened was cut short by the sound of footsteps against the wooden floor. The hairs on the back of her head stood up on end as she quickly turned around to see that someone was there…someone that she recognized.
"Hello Yang." The rather tall masked maiden spoke with an oddly concerned tone in her voice. "It has been so long since I've seen you. Look how much you've grown…" The woman spoke again, Yang was stood there in a state of shock and confusion, who was this woman? And how the hell did she appear here?! Wasn't the raven supposed to be there?!
"Who th-" Yang began but was cut off once again by the woman slowly taking off her mask. Crimson eyes, pale complexion, black hair…this was her. Raven Branwen, Yang's mother. "I told you that you would not be getting my sympathies twice but…I find myself wanting to retract that statement." Raven muttered as her crimson eyes looked toward the bandaged stump, causing the blonde to get a little twitchy as she then began to confront the woman who dared come back after so long.
"Why the hell are you here?" Yang stated, her eyes turning crimson as she began to storm closer to Raven, "Aren't you supposed to be running away? Giving cryptic messages to Qrow? Yet you think coming back now is going to help make me feel better?!" If anything Yang was now deep into her emotions, the darkness within her soul beginning to rear its ugly head as she began to poke her mother on the chest plate. Crimson hues were staring at one another as Yang continued her rant.
"Ever since you sent that message to Qrow saying that you wouldn't save me again, everything wrong has been happening! First Penny, then me and then Pyrrha and Ozpin! Yet you think that you can just come back in here and dare to try and make me feel better?! You're lucky I'm one handed…" The blonde soon turned away as Raven's eyes began to lower toward the oak wood floor. This was her fault, leaving her daughter at such a young age must have been torture for her…Taking care of her younger sister after Summer gave birth and then having to mature so quickly. Why did it have to be her?
'Why not cut off the other arm…make it so she's helpless to fight you' A dark voice began to whisper in Raven's head, causing the maiden to look away from Yang as she found herself trying to combat this voice within her head. "You are not here to make things better Lucifus. You're trying to get me to kill her, the one thing that I have left that I can't afford to lose…" Raven whispered as the darkened voice began to cackle as it spoke, a very alluring and almost sophisticated tone. "Oh Raven you're an idiot. She wanted you to kill her from the start, not give her any chance to rise like a phoenix…but if you're so inclined on helping her then go ahead. The Babylon will not welcome you back, but do not think that you are safe both…we have eyes and ears everywhere, Raven. You know this better than anyone…"
The voice faded as Raven soon turned to her daughter and walked over to her, putting a hand upon her shoulder. Her face betraying any look of seriousness she might have had. Her eyes beginning to well with tears as she hugged Yang tightly, "Yang I never meant to leave you like this…There was the truth that was revealed to me and I couldn't handle it, it was making me go insane and the only place I could turn was to her" The masked maiden bitterly spoke, "Wait…Who did you even go to?" Yang asked as soon enough Raven removed her hands from the dragon's shoulders before her eyes stared out of the window…
Anger…
Pure burning hatred for the woman that had tried to kill those whom she had protected for so long…
"Salem..."
Silver eyes stared across the vast and open kingdom that was Mistral. She had finally made it after so long and now it was time to get some answers for what had happened. Of course, this red hooded girl was not alone, for beside her stood a cowardly lion, a bubbly and excitable hammer wielder and a calm, yet still determined lotus flower.
"Well Ruby. Guess we made it." Jaune Arc stated with a slightly nervous smile plastering itself across his face as navy blue hues stared across the kingdom of Mistral.
"You know what we gotta do Ruby!"
"Well…I'm sure that she does Nora, but for now we must find some place of rest."
Ruby turned to look at Ren and Nora as they both wore smiles on their faces, even with all that had happened they were still able to maintain such a positive outlook on the adventure ahead of them. But now came the true beginning, the end of a chapter and the beginning of a new one.
"Alright guys" Ruby started as the rest of Team RNJR turned to look at their leader.
"It's time to get some answers."
Authors Note; Hey everyone! I'm glad to say that I'm finally going to be able to start another fan fic. This time it's going to be one that centres around both Team RNJR as well as Yang as two separate stories begin to unfold. Of course this will also involve the introduction of a few new OC Character's that I have made, and as for stories like Rise of the Fang? Well they're going to be continued when I get the motivation.
I hope you guys enjoy this story because I'm gonna try and make it a little more light hearted than what I usually write (I mean have you seen .com ? That's got some angsty stuff in it). But if people wish to discuss ideas, give criticism or even some pointers, then be sure to do so.
Hope you stick around for the next chapter of Ashes to Dust