Yang struggles to stay awake in class. It is hard to do so when your teacher is yammering on about some story from his childhood, for the thousandth time. Port is getting really into his story once again. It is a reason the seventeen year old cannot keep her eyes open for long. But is not the only causing her eyes to become heavy. The other reason sleep is trying to overtake her is that she hasn't slept for the past few days. She has tried though but her dreams become quickly invaded by a strange woman. She keeps asking Yang to talk to her, to meet her somewhere they can talk for a long time in private rather than inside her head where she can wake at any moment or unknowingly speak about what they are talking about in her sleep.
This has been going on for nearly a week. Yang refuses to listen to the woman. She can't just up and leave her team without so much as a warning. Ruby, Weiss, and Blake need her and Yang has always promised herself never to abandon those that she cares for. That brings her to the other reason she refuses to see the woman. It is the person who left alone with her father seventeen years ago. Her mother. Yang has always wanted to find her mother ever since she was a child. But after all the stuff that has happen over the course of the past six months, especially with Vale being half blown up days ago, so she really does not want to see her anymore.
Port keeps chattering on about his story when he killed some type of Grimm that was attacking his village. Yang tries her best to stay awake so she does not get in trouble. But it does not work. One moment she is in her classroom the next she is standing in the middle of the giant courtyard of Beacon. Not again.
Yang looks around to see if she can find her mother anywhere. She is by the statue of hunters standing over some Grimm. This is where the two always meet. Everything is like the first time she saw her mother. Nighttime and starless and moonless. The trees that surround the area have bright red leaves instead of their normal vivid green ones. In real life the nights are warm now. Summer is around the corner. But in her dreams it is cold. Yang can see her breath in the air and she can feel goosebumps start to form on her body. But there is still no signs of her mother.
Yang?
"Huh?" Yang looks around trying to find the owner of the voice. It did not sound like her mother's and it sound far away as well. Who was that?
"Hello Yang." Another voice says.
Yang jumps at the voice. Quickly she turns on her heels to face the new voice. Her mother. Like all the times before Yang's blood starts to boil. Yang swallows, trying to hold her anger back. As much as she hates her mother at the moment she still wants answers. If only she can get them here.
Yang!
"Why can't you just tell me what you want here? Why must you keep saying I have to leave my team to meet up with god knows where you are?" Yang asks.
Her mother sighs, annoyed that she has to keep repeating herself to her daughter. "There is a lot I have to tell you and there is no way I can tell you everything in here. And the reasoning behind coming alone and not bringing your team is for their protection." The mother stops and pinches the bridge of her nose, groaning. "I worded that wrong, didn't I?"
Yang cross her arms over her chest. "Yes you did. You don't want my teammates to get hurt but you are totally okay with me risking my safety to see you?"
"That is not what I meant. Yang can you please just listen to me."
Yang looks away from her mother. Conflicted between not wanting to abandon the others and being so close to the answers she nearly died over, Yang does not know what to say to her mother.
YANG!
In a split second Yang is back in the classroom. Port is no longer talking. In fact he is nowhere in sight, as is most of the class. Some students are walking out of the classroom. The only ones left sitting behind the desk are herself and Blake. Ruby and Weiss are gone.
"Earth to Yang. Are you there?" Blake says waving a hand in front of her partner.
Yang turns her head around to face the faunus. Blinking away the rest of her dreams from her mind Yang speaks. "Yeah…Yeah I am in here."
"Well it did not seem you were before." Blake taps a fist on Yang's forehead. "You fell asleep and where out. I kept calling your name to try and wake you up but I couldn't till now. You look like you have not spelt in days."
"That is because I haven't. Well, I sort of have spelt. I just haven been waking up a lot in the middle of the night, that's all. It is not like I have not been trying."
"How come? Is something on your mind?"
Yang sighs. She knows she should tell Blake about what is on her mind. Yang remembers back how much she worked to get Blake to open up and sleep when the White Fang consumed her mind. But that is the thing. Blake was not sleeping. She was killing herself. Yang is trying to sleep despite what is going on. And also with everything that just happened Yang really does not want to make worry Blake.
"Yeah but it is nothing Blake. I just have a lot on my mind that's all." Yang answers, leaving out her dreams. Standing up she yawns and stretches out. "Where did Rubes and Weiss go off too?"
"Weiss dragged your sister off to study. Speaking of which we should do as well." Blake and Yang start to walk down the steps of the classroom.
"Can we stop to get something to eat first? I am starving." Yang clutches her stomach to emphasis her hunger. Her stomach seems to know what she is doing and starts to growl. Blake snorts.
"I can tell. Sure. We can stop at the cafeteria to grab a bite. Then studying, deal?"
"Deal!" Yang grabs Blake's arm and pulls her down the hallway, towards the cafeteria. Blake staggers at first, surprised that Yang grabbed her but she quickly gets her footing and keeps up with her blonde haired partner.
The two partners walk into the large room that accommodates a large number of students that are like Yang, hungry, Blake, dragged here, or just to meet up with some friends. Blake goes off to save a spot for Yang who runs off to grab some food to fill her up.
Once she grabs her food, two apples—she grabbed one for her and one for Blake also—a burger, and some coffee to keep herself awake and her dreams away for the time being. Eating her golden apple, she finds her partner at a small table that she is the only occupant at.
"Course you are the one who finds the only table no one is at. Here." Yang gives Blake the other apple as she takes a seat across from her. Blake starts to take some bites out of the red fruit.
"So feeling better now that you have some food in your stomach?" Blake asks.
Yang nods. "Yes I do. And I got some coffee to help me stay away for a little while." Yang answers. As she eats her burger Yang starts taking some sips of her coffee. The warm liquid starts wakes her up once she starts to drink it.
"Well at least you won't be falling asleep while studying. I don't want a repeat of class, trying to wake you up and taking forever to do so."
"I promise I won't."
Yang stares at the book in front of her. The words just jumble up in her mind when she reads what is printed on the book. She has been staring at it for a long time now. Like Blake had said when done with eating, the two were to go study. At first Yang was able to read and understand what she has to learn. But as the sun went down the caffeine in the teen's body disappeared. Her eyes are starting to get heavy.
"If you are that tired Yang you should sleep." Blake says. The two of them are sitting on Blake's bed as the study. Yang shakes her head. There is only a little left to read about in the book.
"Don't say no Yang." Blake sighs. The faunus reaches over and closes the book on Yang's lap. "You are not getting to get any information if you cannot keep your eyes open to read. You gotta sleep. I know you said you have been having trouble but at least try. You don't even have to go onto yours. Just rest here for now."
Yang mumbles something unintelligible. Blake narrows her eyes at her partner. Placing her hands on Yang's shoulders Blake pushes the blonde to the bed. "Sleep. Now."
"Fine, fine." Yang yawns, too tired to protest. "I'll sleep."
Closing her eyes it does not take long for Yang to slip into her dreams once more. At first she is happy to be dreaming about riding around on her bike through town. The sound of her motor as it speeds down the street and the wind through her hair makes her smile. But her smile turns to a frown when her bike leads her back school all of a sudden.
"God damn it." Yang growls as she comes to a halt. When she gets off bumblebee Yang throws her helmet down at the ground in anger. She is starting to become annoyed that this keeps happening to her. Why can't she just leave me alone for once! Just give me a break is all I ask for. Yang thinks to herself.
Yang does not bother to move from where her bike stands. She can see the statue in the distance. If her mother really wants to talk to her, then she can come too her. So Yang waits and waits and waits some more for her mother to finally show. When she does not show right away, like she usually does, Yang scoffs to herself. Is she really going to bring me here and not show? That is just great!
Yang blows away some hair from her face. Maybe since she knows that she is sleeping she can wake herself up. You are supposed to be able to do that right?
"Stay sleeping you."
"So you finally decided to show." Yang says to nothing at first. When she blinks her mother is standing in front of her, looking far from pleased to see her daughter.
"I am getting sick of your stubbornness. You get that from your father. Why did you not come all the way to the statue this time around?"
"I am getting sick of you invading my dreams all the time, that's why. I just want a good night sleep for once in like a week. So what if I did not go to the statue this time around? You still where able to find me."
The darker haired woman starts to rub her temples. "Maybe you do need a good night's sleep since you are acting irascible right now. Because Yang I can't. It takes a lot out of me to jump around in your dreams. That is the reason why I keep bringing you to the statue because it is an easy place for me to show up without using too much energy. That is also another reason why I can just simply tell you want I need to tell you here. I need to you meet up with me in person."
"Well I can't. There is just too much stuff going on."
"You can't or you won't because of everything?"
Yang blinks. What does her mother mean by that?
"I know what is going on Yang. I might not have been around all your life due to reasons but I still have kept a close eye on you. I know of many of the things that have happened, including the most recent of events. The bombing, of course I know of. Your team and many of the others working to cleaning up the city. And I know that the only other thing that can be keeping you busy is the fact you have a quiz and a test but neither of those are all too major. How do you think I knew when to come in to save you from Neo? You can take a sometime off to come and listen to me."
"If you have been watching me then what about the time I nearly got myself and Ruby killed when I was trying to find you! Uncle Qrow had to save us."
"I can't watch over you all the time Yang! Thankfully enough my brother was able to do so. But there is still no excuse for you not to come."
Yang bites her lip. Her mother is right. Other than the cleanup which is time consuming not much esle is going on. Maybe it is really that she won't. She groans and runs her hand through her hair. Her mind is starting to overload.
"I really do not want to ask again Yang. It is not a matter for you to be taking forever to decide over. It is important for you to come. There are things you need to know that can help you and your team."
"Then why don't you let the other come then! Why do I have to come along and have god knows what happen." Yang is starting to have enough of her mother just repeating herself over and over again. But it also seems that her mother is having enough as well.
"I told you Yang. It is dangerous. You should know that sometimes being in groups is less safe than being with only one other person. I understand you not trusting me fully but you have to for just this time for a little while."
"Like hell I am going to trust you after abandoning me only to show up now when all hell has just broken loose." Yang grits her teeth together.
Suddenly her mother steps up closer to her, locking her own scarlet eyes on Yang's angry red ones. Before her mother never spoke in a tone threatening to Yang. Now it is as she speaks. "If you just want to stand here and argue with me go right ahead. It will not be my fault when you are unprepared for what is to come. You think what just went on is hell, you have no idea what's coming"
"Why you—"
Yang cannot get anymore words out. Everything around her turns black. She has no idea where she is or what is going on. All she knows is she is now on her side instead of standing up. Yang has no time to gather her thought something cold touches her. With her mind still on her mother and full of anger at spite at her, Yang response to the touch is lashing out at whoever touched her. There is a small cry followed by a thud. Yang backs way from whatever touched her but what she is on disappears. She falls for a brief moment before hitting something hard.
"What the hell is going on?" Yang can hear Weiss' voice shout. White light blinds Yang suddenly. She shuts her eyes to block from the stinging light before blinking to see again. The ceiling of her dorm room is staring back at her.
I'm…I am back in the room? Yang sits up. The blankets on Blake bed have fallen off with her. Blake is staggering back up onto the bed, clutching the right side of her cheek. Ruby darts over to her older sister and kneels down next to her. She can see that Yang still has a confused look on her face.
"Yang are you okay?" The younger girl asks. Yang slowly nods her head. Ruby then snaps her head around to Blake, who is being helped up by Weiss. "What about you Blake?"
"I am good Ruby. Just a little stunned." Blake answers as she takes a seat on her bed. The faunus hisses through her teeth when she removes her hand from her cheek. It is red and two thin lines move diagonally downwards. Yang's eyes widen and she shoots up to her feet. She slides on to the bed to be next to her partner.
"Damn you hit hard Yang." Blake mutters as she rubs her cheek.
"Wait are you what touched me? God I am sorry Blake. I didn't know it was you. I wasn't thinking."
"Clearly. It's okay Yang. I know you didn't mean to do so. I should have known something like that would happen. I was trying to wake you from what seemed like a bad nightmare. You looked really angry at whatever you where dreaming about. What the heck were you dreaming about anyway?"
Yang opens her mouth but closes it. Everyone is staring at her, waiting for an answer. The problem is that the only person that she has ever opened up about her mother is Blake. Ruby has some knowledge of Yang's birth mother, due to their father and uncle telling her some stuff, but she has never heard anything come from Yang. Weiss knows nothing—that is unless Ruby has told her anything. Yang rarely opens up about her mother and she does not want to do it now.
Sighing and sitting back in the bed, Yang give and half-truth answer. "I just had a really bad dream, that's all. I am sorry for hitting you Blake."
"It's okay Yang. I am fine. Are you sure that you are okay?"
"Yeah. I am okay. I just need to breathe and think."
Everything is quiet. All Yang can hear is the steadying breathing of all her teammates. No longer on Blake bed since she does not want to accidentally lash out again, Yang lays on her bed, staring at the black outlines of her sister and Weiss on the other side of the room. She pays no real attention to them. Her eyes just happen to be on them as she thinks. She does not want to sleep again to find her mother waiting for her. Yang knows if she hadn't gotten so angry at her mother then when she was woken Yang would not have lashed out. She also knows that she would not be as angry if she could sleep for once.
Smack.
Yang jerks up in her bed when a pillow hits her in the face. What the?
Before she can finish her thought a pair of golden eyes appear next to her. Yang jumps at first, surprised by the sight, before quickly calming down knowing that it is Blake looking at her.
"Hey." Is all Blake says.
"Hey. I guess you are the one that threw the pillow at me." Yang points to the pillow that now sits on her lap.
"Yeah I did. I want you to come with me. Will you follow me?"
"Sure."
Yang hops down from the bed. Blake leads her partner out of the room and down the hallway. As they walk down the hall Yang takes a moment to look out the windows of Beacon. In her dreams there have been no stars or even the moon. Outside the windows there are stars that shine brightly next to the shattered moon. She is awake.
Blake pushes open a door to a large classroom. Some light from the windows above stream into the room to allow Yang to see. The lights from under the stairs that the two partners walk down illuminate the area even more. Blake guides Yang to a half circle desk that rest in the middle of the room. Something about this classroom feels familiar. Sure many of the classrooms in Beacon look the same, but the feeling in the room is something she felt once.
"Sit." Blake says. The faunus takes crawls on top of the desk and cross her legs, waiting for Yang to join her. She does. Looking around even more Yang figures out why the room is so familiar. On the chalkboard next to them is a large drawing. The one that Yang made a little over a week ago. With everything that has happen in such a short time frame no one has had the time to clear the chalkboard. Yang makes an 'oh' with her lips when it comes to her what Blake wants.
"Figure out why I took you here?" Blake says. Yang nods, knowing that Blake can see her in the dark.
"Then spill. I know you said you have been trying to sleep and I saw that tonight but whatever is causing you to not get a good night rest is starting to get out of hand. Tell me. Is it about your mother?"
"How did you know?" Yang replies.
"Lucky guess."
Yang sighs and gather her thoughts. "For the past week I have been having these odd dreams. I am aware that they are dreams, though at first I had no clue. In the dreams I keep seeing my mother. The first time she came was right after the whole incident with Roman and the White Fang blowing up Vale. She said we had a lot to talk about."
"Isn't that good? I thought you wanted to get answers to why she left you. From how you are talking you sound far from happy about it."
"That because I am Blake. I still do want answers from her but…why now? Why after seventeen years she just shows up and after everything that has happened. Why now?"
"Because maybe there is a good reason."
"She did say it was important that I meet her. But there is a catch. She wants me to go to her alone. She does not want you guys to come because it is 'too dangerous' to have more than me there. Like…I know that you have to do that sometimes but…" Yang clutches her hands into fist and takes a deep breath as she tries to figure out what to say.
"You are angry." Blake finishes her partner's sentence.
"Yeah. Yeah I am. Again, she just shows up now and wants me to leave you guys? I thought that I would be happy to see her finally, not ecstatic but at least a little happy. But I am not. When I saw her for the first time I just thought of everything she caused, in or unintentionally. Me nearly getting myself and Ruby killed when I was looking for her, me wondering if she really did care for me since she left when I was a newborn, me also be a little jealous of all my friends had a mother that cared for them. I mean I had Summer but only for a short time. It does not help that I later found out that the mission Summer died on was one to find my mother."
"I can see where your anger is coming from."
Yang nods again and looks down at her hands as fiddles with them. Before she was filled with anger that burned inside of her. Now that is snuffed out and only hallow emptiness is what she feels. Just thinking of the fact Summer wanted to find her old friend, the mother to the child she took care of and thought of her own daughter so that girl can know her birth mother fills Yang with sorrow. Summer tried to do something special for her but it cost her her life. There are so many people Yang blames for that. Her mother for causing Summer to do so, Summer for thinking of doing it, her father and Uncle not telling her to stop or telling Yang earlier to stop Summer also. And everything else that came afterwards. All the pain and loneliness.
Slender arms wrap around Yang all of a sudden. Yang snaps out of her trance to see the outline of Blake holding her close to her body. Placing her forehead on Yang's, Blake unravels her arms and places her hands on Yang's cheeks. That is when the taller teen realizes she has been crying. Blake is using her thumb to wipe away her partner's tears.
"You kept that in you for a long time huh? And you still refuse to fully cry. That's okay. I know what it is like Yang, to feel alone, to feel betrayed by the ones that are supposed to care for you, and to wish for something that I could not have. I felt alone being a faunus among humans. I felt betrayed by the White Fang and my old partner Adam when they turned their backs on good and made even more of a bad name for my kind. And you know how much I want to not be looked at with hateful eyes. It is why I where my bow."
Yang feels Blake's bow it the top of her head as her ears flick around under it. A small smile forms on Yang face. Blake shifts her body so she can look right into Yang's eyes.
"You remember back the day before the dance? How you said not to stop looking for answers and that you haven't. But you have now. You have stopped. The questions you have been looking for are in your grasp now. I know that you are angry but this is what you have been wanting for so long right? You might not get another chance for a long time Yang." Blake tells her partner.
Yang wipes away the rest of her tears from her face. "Thanks Blake. And I know. I just don't know how to get those answers if every time I just want to punch her in the face."
"Let me help then. I know she said not to bring anyone but I think I might be the only one to keep you from hitting your mother."
Yang chuckles. "That is true. You are the one who usually is able to keep me in check when I need to be. My mother might not be all too happy having you coming along. I have no idea how she will react to you coming."
"I am sure we can negotiate something. Since you have been having these dreams for a week now I doubt you two have gotten far in what you two want to do. Negotiation is the next best thing."
"You know me to well if you can piece all that together from what I told you about my dreams. Yeah. I guess when I sleep tonight if she shows I'll tell her." Yang yawns. "It will be nice to finally get a good night sleep after all this is over."
"Come on you. Let's get back to bed."
Yang nods. Both teenagers jump off of the desk and head back out into the hallway and go back into their dorms. By the time they get there Yang barely has enough energy to climb back into bed. Blake grabs her partner by the ends of her tank top, stopping her struggle to get onto the bed.
"You are never going to get up when you are half dead. You can rest with me again."
"You sure? I don't—" Yang starts.
"I am sure Yang. It's too late at night to argue so don't please."
"Okay." Blake is right. It is too late at night to argue. Yang flops down on her partner's bed. Blake snuggles up closer to the blonde. Yang is happy that Blake does that. There are many nights when Blake herself has nightmares that keep her up. To help Yang comes down onto the faunus' bed and snuggles her close. It helps Blake most of the time, hopefully it can help Yang.
Closing her eyes Yang waits for the courtyard of Beacon to come into view. It does not take all too long before it does form in her mind. It's cold, there are no stars or the moon in the sky. She is indeed asleep. But where is her mother?
Yang looks around all over the place but she cannot find the other woman. Now where insight is her mother. Yang walks around the statue and near the area by it. Still no mother.
Where they heck is she? Yang thinks.
That is when she notices something in the mouth of the Beowolf. Yang climbs up the stone statue to grab whatever is inside it. A folded up piece of paper. After Yang jumps off the statue and has her footing back on the ground she opens it. A few words are written across it.
Thank you Yang. Sleep well. I'll see you tomorrow.
"You really do watch over me a lot huh? Least I then don't have to explain Blake coming along."
Yang and Blake walk down the stone pathway of Beacon, towards the statue that has been in Yang's dreams for the past week. The two did sneak away from a sleeping Ruby and Weiss. Thankfully Blake came up with a backup plan if the two were not get back before their other two teammates woke up. Since it is now Saturday Blake made a note saying that the two decided to go get some food together and do some things and would be back before dark. Hopefully their chat with Yang's mother will not take till then or till night.
Unlike in her dreams where it was cold and dark the outside of the real world is warm. Yang can hear crickets signing in the grass. Like last night the stars are out and the moon has turned to show even more of it broken side. Unlike in her dreams also the trees have back their green leaves instead of the red ones. It is finally not a dream.
Two draw closer to the statue a figure starts to form under it. Yang swallows and clutches her hands together to hold back her anger. At least this time she has Blake with her to keep her under control.
"Is that her?" Blake asks as they get closer.
"Yeah that is her." Yang answers.
"How are you holding up?"
"Fine I think."
"Don't worry Yang. It will be okay."
"Right."
Yang and Blake walk the rest of the way to the statue and stop feet away from Yang's mother. Blake is brought back from the large Grimm mask that cover's the woman's masked. She is brought back again when the mask is removed and her face is shown to be almost exactly like Yang's. That definitely is Yang's mother.
"I am finally glad that you came around Yang to talk." The older woman says.
"I hope that you don't mind that I brought along Blake." Yang says back.
"I am a little annoyed that you did not come alone but if it gets you too listen fine by me. It is a pleasure to meet you Blake."
"You too…uh…"
"Raven. Now that you two are here we can talk." Raven grabs the hilt of her sword from the sheath around in her waist. With a flick of her wrist Raven slices her weapon across the sky. A dark black and red portal forms next to her. "But first we need to be somewhere safer."
"Safer?" Yang questions. Blake elbows her in the ribs, telling her to listen.
"Yes safer. We will not be going far and you will be back before you know it. I am going to sound like a hypocrite but you never know who is listening in on you." Raven turns her head to look at the large blinking tower of Beacon before looking back at her daughter and Blake. "So will you come?"
Yang turns to her partner. Blake takes the cue to talk first. "Whatever you think is best. What do you think Yang?"
"If this is what it is going to take to get some answers and for me to get more good night sleep then I will listen. But don't think that I will warm up to you anytime soon Raven."
"I would be surprised if you did. Come. I promise I am not taking you into another dimension. Just where no one can eavesdrop." Raven steps into the portal, leaving Yang and Blake behind.
Yang gulps and starts to walk towards the portal. She remembers seeing it for a split second after getting knocked out by Neo. Hesitantly Yang stick her hand it. The portal is cold and she can feel it swirls around her wrist. The feeling sends some shivers down her spine.
"God that is a weird feeling. You ready?" Yang asks Blake.
"I should be asking you that. I am. Don't worry, I'll be right by your side if you need anything."
"Thanks." Taking in a deep breath Yang turns her attention back at the portal. Behind it hopefully most if not all her long awaited questions will be answered. "Let's get this over with."