Guess who's back with a new fic that'll probably last several chapters? This chick! So basically this is Freezerburn's origin story of how they came to be hunters (knew I should have named origin something else lol). Anyway, I hope you guys like it so thanks


Yang had been young when her life had been torn apart.

It had been a normal day, eight year old Yang just hanging around at home with her dad as she usually did. The sun had been shining and they'd spent the afternoon lazing around and play-fighting.

"One day, my little sun dragon-" he'd laughed, ruffling her hair, "-you'll be as strong as Mommy. You'll be able to go out into the world and they'll all know your name. Isn't that right little dragon?"

He'd been right. One day the world would know her name. One day she'd be as strong and stronger than Raven. One day she'd be fiercer than anyone that stood in her path.

But it came at such a cost that she almost didn't think it was worth it. Almost.

Yang had been just drifting off to sleep, curled tightly in her bed, when she heard their front door slam. Jolted awake, the young girl crawled out of bed and towards the front door. She sleepily rubbed her eyes.

Mommy was due back tomorrow. Maybe she was early.

Yang silently crept towards the kitchen, starting to get confused at the voices. It wasn't Mommy's voice, it was low and raspy with a tone that she recognised.

Uncle Qrow.

Yang hid in the doorframe, sleepily rubbing her eyes again. She was a little confused. Uncle Qrow wasn't a frequent visitor as her mom and him didn't get on so well. So what was he doing here?

"What do you mean…?" she heard Taiyang say.

There was a shift as Qrow moved closer, voice so quiet Yang couldn't hear him. And it was probably best she didn't because what happened next was something she'd never forget. Even as a young child it shook her down to her core. To this very day, Yang still felt it.

Taiyang started to cry.

It was the first time she'd ever heard her father cry. He'd always been so strong, so protective and powerful. It broke her heart.

"You . . You can't be serious," he'd whispered. "She… She's too good for them. They couldn't have…"

"It's been awhile since you've been out in the field," Qrow rasped, sounding sympathetic. "This one was better, better than any we've seen yet."

Yang peered around the doorframe, daring a little look at what was happening. Her dad was sitting in a chair, arms braced against his thighs as he gazed at Qrow with a desperation young Yang hadn't understood.

Qrow was standing over him, his cloak and hair still windblown and scattered. The scent of the wild clung to him. He'd run here, came at top speed to tell the news.

"Why…I don't understand Qrow," Taiyang gasped. "Raven she…."

Her mother was mentioned and little Yang tilted her head. It was three weeks since Mommy had been home and Yang couldn't wait to see her.

Then her dad's expression changed, blue eyes shifting with a sort of fury that made her heart leap. "Where's her body?! I can't believe this until I see it!"

Qrow shook his head, his own eyes hollow and dark. "It's been using as evidence. We won't get it back until next week."

Taiyang sprang out of his seat. "You saw it?! You let them?! This is my wife and your sister how dare you-!"

Yang ran out to hug her dad around the leg before he lunged at Qrow. "Dad! Dad what's going on?"

Her dad completely froze, teary eyes looking down at her. Yang stared up at her father, confused, scared and just wanting to help. And his sad face softened. "Yang dear, go back to bed please," he choked out.

Yang shook her head. "No! No Dad! I don't want to!"

Taiyang leaned down and slowly detached her from his leg but she just clung to his arm. "Baby please. Please. Just go to bed."

She hadn't understood then but now Yang knew that he'd been on the verge of a breakdown. Which is why Qrow leaned over and took her up into his arms. Uncle Qrow didn't visit a lot but when he did Yang was always happy. He was fun, he was mad, he'd always have crazy hunting stories for her. And she loved it.

So when he picked up, Yang settled down in his arms. "Ssh, little sun dragon," he rasped. "It's a bit late for you to be up."

"But Uncle Qrow!" Yang whined as he took her out of the kitchen and to bed. "I'm not tired!" Yang caught sight of her dad sitting back down, head in his hands. He was sobbing quietly into his hands.

"That's the attitude Yang," Qrow smiled as he put her down in her bed. "One day you'll understand why you need to sleep."

He ruffled her hair gently. "Goodnight kiddo."

Yang had reluctantly settled down and gone to sleep, not hearing the heated whispers that went down in the kitchen. Not hearing her dad cry. Not hearing her father punch and punch the wall to get his frustration out. She went to sleep oblivious.

She found out the next day that her mother was never coming back. Her dad refused to tell her why until much later. Raven had been killed her mission. Brutally.

Things changed a lot after that. Qrow visited even less, coming only to tell Taiyang whispered updates on how the hunt was going. And despite the optimism he offered her dad, her dad just got more and more sad.

She tried her best over the years to make him happy. And he tried his best too. But it wasn't enough. He never recovered from her death and eventually took to drink as a comfort.

The day Raven died her father's spirit died with her.

Yang was forced to grow up quicker than any other child. Taiyang tried his best and she'd never blame him for anything. But it was never enough and because of it Yang lost her dad a long time ago.

She'd come home from school to a dark house, dirty and littered with rubbish. Taiyang would be sleeping somewhere, sleeping off the drink consumed at night. He always drank at night. He could no longer sleep when it was dark outside. It brought back too many memories.

And Yang would clean up the house before heading off to her after-school job that she took to sustain her family. She rarely had time to do her homework and spent her life labelled as a delinquent when all she did was work her hardest.

It didn't bother her. She could deal with the disapproving looks and lectures, and the way her classmates always gave her weird looks. She didn't have any friends growing up because she didn't have time.

Any spare time she dedicated to training. Training in martial arts. She found a trainer on their small island and spent a lot of her time with them, drilling the steps into her until it was second nature.

Because now Yang was older, she knew that her mother had been killed. That Qrow was still out there looking for her killer. And one day she'd go and help him.

That was her aim anyway. How that would go she wasn't sure yet. She couldn't leave her dad alone so just running off when her training was finished wasn't an option.

Yang knew she was good at fighting but never had she had training with weapons. The thought of using a sword or even the scythe her Uncle preferred was unsettling. She really needed to find something that suited her.

But apparently her dad had thought ahead.

It had been late one night when Yang came in from her night job, thoroughly tired. She was ready to collapse into bed on the spot but she still had some work on the house left to do. Forcefully blinking the sleep from her eyes, she stumbled into the hallway.

The knock on the door surprised her.

It was even more surprising to see Qrow standing there when she opened it. Her uncle smiled fondly down at her and ruffled her hair.

"Ay kiddo," he rasped, coming inside. It had been about a year and a half since his last visit. The longest yet and Yang had wondered if he'd forgotten about them. "We need to have a talk."

Yang didn't object and they sat down in the kitchen together. Qrow's scythe leaned against the table as her uncle sighed and reclined in his seat.

"Look Yang, I'm retiring. Hunting is taking too much out of me and I ain't old. Hunting is for the young and I ain't making the cut anymore."

Yang was shocked but didn't say anything as he continued.

"Here." A file slid across to her and Yang picked it up, frowning. She opened it to find pages of descriptions, detailed pictures, sightings, newspaper articles all about this one specific monster. Her hands started to tremble when she saw Raven's name nestled in there with them.

"This is everything I've got about your mom's killer. And I'm giving it to you."

Yang's hands shook as she cracked. "I.. I'm not a hunter. I can't do that… I don't even have a weapon…."

"That's where your old man comes in," her dad's voice cut in from behind her.

Yang spun in her seat to see Taiyang coming in the door, a large box in his hand. Her dad still looked unkempt and dishevelled but his eyes had a sober glow to them. For the first time in years.

"Dad-"

Taiyang stumbled across to the table and sat down next to her. "Yang I'm sorry I've been such a bad father. I'm sorry I didn't even try after your mother. I left you alone and you had to grow up by yourself without help. I'm sorry."

Yang was trembling but she took her dad's hand across the table.

"I'm going to get better and let you have a home you're proud of coming back to. That you'll visit every once in awhile. Qrow's coming back to keep an eye on me. And maybe I'll keep an eye on him."

Qrow flashed him an amused smile.

"I've seen you training honey and I know you've never fought with a sword oer anything fancy like your Uncle. So I got you these." Taiyang offered her something.

Yang took the box gingerly from him, eyes wide as she opened the lid. Inside lay shining yellow gauntlets, and she knew just but looking at them that they were tailored to her hands. The slots were empty and ready to be filled with fire dust.

She could fight using her training but also with a weapon. It was perfect.

Yang felt tears rolling down her cheeks. "Thank you. Thank you-"

"No, thank you for looking after me for all these years," Taiyang smiled at her.

And then Yang collapsed into sobs.

The rest of the night was a blur of her family being an emotional wreck. Arrangements were made and Yang started planning. Before she could start her hunt, every hunter needed a hunting license. Proof that they were able to hunt the bane of mankind.

For that she'd need to go to Beacon, the centre for the county's Demon-Hunters. Licensed hunters could gather for group Prospect hunters would go and either take the test or train to take the test.

Not many passed but the ones that did generally did exceptionally well. So that would be the first obstacle in her quest for vengeance.

It was several months after Qrow showed up before Yang actually left the house. After accumulating a decent stock of money between the three of them, Yang's was finally ready to go.

She'd had heartfelt goodbyes with Taiyang and Qrow before she left their small island that was home. Her dad was shaping up, slowly but still doing it. She felt happy.

It was now Yang stood outside Beacon, a bag slung over her shoulder as she took in the place. Hunters, obviously hunters from the weapons that hung at their hips or were strapped across their backs, milled around.

Yang let out an exhale. She was ready. She was going to do this.