Chapter 13- Unmasking Reality
What wrong?" Jaune asked. The older woman looked so conflicted.
"Your dad is awake," she said neutrally. Raven was petrified, should I tell him and Joan that I have been training the kids. No too soon. She also couldn't bear to look John in the face after the incident.
"Can we see him?" Pyrrha asked anxiously.
"Yes of course." Raven said absent mindedly "gather your things, we'll head back to the house."
Jaune was so relieved that his father woke up. It felt like everything may start to get back to normal. However, that one lingering thought came up. Should they tell him. He looked over to Pyrrha, her emerald eyes betraying her own thoughts.
"I wouldn't tell him," Raven said as if reading their minds. "It isn't the time."
"How do we know the right time will be?" Pyrrha asked.
"You'll have to trust me." Raven looked back as they continued their walk. "Or I can tell them. For now let's just enjoy the moment." She smiled at them, she should be sharing in their moment of relief
They reached the house, and took turns washing the grime and sweat off. It had been a long day of physical and mental stress. While the kids were getting ready Raven got her scroll and dialed Qrow's number.
"Qrow, John is awake."
"What?! When?"
"I got the heads up about an hour ago."
"I can't go, I'm looking after the kids. Taiyang is off on a hunt and won't be back for a couple of days." Qrow said saddly.
An idea popped into Raven's head. "What if we switch places? I could watch over the kids while they sleep and you can go see John."
"Do you really want to do that? What if one of them wakes up?" Qrow sounded legitimately surprised.
"They're kids, they won't, besides baby steps right?"
Raven's heart lept with joy, she's making progress overcoming her fear of being reunited with her family. Then again, what if Yang did wake up, or Ruby, how would they feel if a stranger was watching over them? Would they forgive her? What if Taiyang found out about it?
"Let me know when they're asleep."
"Will do..." He said hesitantly.
Pyrrha had just finished getting changed had wandered into Jaune's room. "Hello!" She greeted him warmly.
"Hey," he replied, deep in thought, looking at the ceiling.
"What's on your mind?" She asked sitting on his bed.
"I don't know, maybe how life will get better in the end."
"You guys deserve it." She admitted happily.
"No, we deserve it." Jaune reminded her "you're apart of the family just like everyone else, I mean heck you've been through thick and thin with us..." He let out a breath he was holding in. "I can't believe he's awake."
"I know what you mean," Pyrrha smiled at her friends relief, it was comforting to him. "Come on, let's go see him." Jaune got up with a tear coming down his cheek finally the family can start to pick itself up.
Raven watched as the two kids came downstairs, "Ready?" She asked holding the door open for the two, they began their short walk to hospital. The door slid open as Raven walked towards the reception desk. "We're here for John Arc." The nurse got a file. "Room 502, down the hall, fifth room on the right."
They followed the nurse's instructions and came upon room 502. With a great amount of hesitation a trembling red armored glove was about to knock on the door. After few moments and a clenched fist and gritted teeth, she was able to give a quick and curt knock which received a "come in" from Joan.
Raven opened the door slowly to see the entire arc family surrounding the patriarch of the family, Mabel and Catoline sat on the windowsill of the room, Crystal sat on a chair pulled up to her father's bed while Abella sat on the foot of the bed. Joan was standing right beside her partner and husband. All eyes were glued on the door.
To Raven, John has seen better days. He looked frail, his eyes sunken in, skin extremely Pale, as if he was dead. Was made it worse was that smile on his lips. 'How could he be happy? After everything that has happened, how could he be happy. His sunken in end eyes meeting that of Jaune, Pyrrha, and the worst part, his dull blue eyes meeting Raven's crimson eyes, smile ever present.
"Come in come in," his voice was so weak, trembling. He couldn't lift himself up.
Jaune left Raven's side and immediately stood beside his father.
"Hey there Dad!" Jaune eagerness just filling the room
"Hey there buddy..." He turned his head ever so slightly. "You're lookin' good."
"So are you."
"Good as a zombie huh?" John chuckled. He looked over towards the bashful redhead. "Pyrrha, don't be shy come on over."
Pyrrha would be lying if she didn't admit that she felt out of place, this was a time for their family to be whole again but she reluctantly walked over. "Hello!" She gave a cheery wave to match her chirpy voice.
"How have you been?" He asked pleasantly. "Have you been keeping Jaune in line?"
Pyrrha gave an award winning grin, "yes of course Mr. Arc."
"Still as pleasant as always." His eyes shifted to the last guest. Raven felt world crushing guilt as those blue eyes met her.
"Raven, come on in." Raven nodded and walked into the room, her black mane of hair following. "From what Joan told me, you and Qrow have been watching over my family and taking care of them." He struggled to lift up his hand to reach for Raven's. "You and your brother are family. I don't think we can repay the debt our family owes you. If you ever need anything or a place to stay, please don't hesitate to ask." She was very surprised at the near dead man's grip. It was like an eagle taking hold of it's prey.
Raven solemnly nodded. "Raven, it wasn't you fault. Things just happen, I don't blame you." Each word felt like an anchor being cut.
"Thank you John, you and your family have done so much for me." Yet one anchor held her down, the fact she was training two of their kids behind their back.
"I heard about Summer, I am so sorry, she will be sorely missed. She was my friend too."
"Thank you." Raven gave a sad smile.
"Raven I need to talk to you and Qrow. So what I'm going to tell you, can you please tell him." On cue, Joan ushered all of the children out of the room. Raven gave an unsure glance. "My Aura hasn't fully recovered. From what the doctors say, The abnormality is blood is limiting my Aura. I don't know if I can ever fully recover." John sighed looking at the ceiling. Raven felt the guilt come back heavier than ever before.
"I can't protect my family. I don't know if I ever can, and I don't know if this Legion of Ash will continue to be a threat, but if they are…. We're still one of their targets." His voice dropped. "I don't know if I can ask anything from you anymore… but is there anyway you can watch over my family?" He whispered.
This was her chance to maybe influence him, to talk him into training his kids. "Why don't you have them learn in self-defense? Just to be safe."
His sunken eyes bore into her soul. "I don't want my kids to have to learn to live in fear." It made sense.
Time for Raven to give a hint. "What if they want to learn to learn to defend themselves?"
"Let me guess, Pyrrha and Jaune?" he narrowed his eyes. "They want to become hunters I assume, and I assume you've been training them."
"H-h-how did you know…?" She stuttered in amazement.
"Call it father's intuition, I know Pyrrha was going to become a hunter, not to mention the two are inseparable. Where he goes, she goes and where she goes, he goes." He gave a slight chuckle. "Besides, they look rather fit for their age, fit from about five months would do to an individual training, especially training to become a hunter." Raven turned pale, eyes wide with surprise and horror.
"You look like you seen a ghost." John chuckled, Raven was completely dumbfounded by the man's perceptiveness and his ability to joke about any of this. "Raven, relax, initially I was against it, but Joan reminded me that you were number one in our class. I would have no one else train them."
"You mean that Joan knew about it?" Raven stared off into space, not hearing the door.
"Of course I did, I keep tabs on all of my children." Joan said with a grin. Raven was about to keel over from a heart attack.
"And you aren't mad?"
"As much as I want them to have a normal life, I won't stop them from achieving their dreams." Her voice deadly serious. "So, no of course I'm not mad."
"I' m sorr-" She was cut off.
"Don't be sorry, Like John said, you and Qrow have a place in this family" Joan embraced Raven. "You took care of them when I wasn't all with it. You treated them like they were your own kids." Raven frowned. "Sorry Raven, I didn't mean it like that…." She quickly recovered.
"Don't worry. It's alright." Raven smiled, feeling uncomfortable. "I should get going, Qrow will be stopping in to check in on all of you" She headed towards the door trying to to forget the past twenty minutes. She opened the door to see all the Arcs looking at her. She heard the pitter patter of small feet running towards her. Not surprising, it was Jaune and Pyrrha.
"Where are you going?" Jaune asked.
"Back home." Raven responded neutrally, trying to hide all of her emotions.
"Are you leaving for good now that Mr. Arc is awake." Pyrrha pleaded.
Raven shook her head with a smile. "No, I'll be back tomorrow morning," She knelt down between the two. "Plus I got a secret." They looked at her eagerly. "Your parents know that you want to become hunters, We don't need to hide it." The two looked at her mystified, then each other. They hugged each other clearly happy beyond all reason. They then hugged Raven. She gently pulled away.
"I have to get going. I'll see you two in a bit." Raven stood up and rustled their hair.
"So you aren't mad that we want to become hunters?" Jaune asked dumbfounded.
"Initially I was, remembering Thomas… I was afraid that something like that or" He gestured to himself "like this would happen to the both of you." He let out a sigh. "However, it's wrong of me stop you from achieving your dreams."
Joan stepped in. "So we've allowed for Raven and Qrow to continue your training. Seeing as how they were the best of the best, I would say you are receiving a better education than those attending combat schools."
"Are they really that good?" Pyrrha asked in amazement.
"Oh yeah." Joan remembered fondly. "Me and your father tried to fight Raven. Two against one, we didn't even get remotely close to touching her."
"That isn't fair. I got a strand of her hair." John weakly protested.
"Honey, that's why we lost." She smiled warmly.
"Wow." Jaune and Pyrrha continued to listen of their parents' tales of Beacon.
Qrow looked at his watch. 9:30 PM. He was freezing outside. Patch was particularly cold during the fall. He rubbed his arms trying to stay warm. He ventured outside to see a raven perched on a tree branch that overlooked the house. "Alright Raven, they're asleep. You can come down now." The raven cocked its head and QAWWWWED
"Come on, I'm freezing out here." Qrow whined. The raven flew down and shapeshifted into back into her normal self. "You still whine as if you were baby." Raven gave a playful shove.
"Are you sure you still want to do this?" Qrow asked, realizing this was a pretty big leap for his sister.
"We all have to start somewhere." She nervously started to rub her arm. Qrow would be lying if he didn't admit he was proud of his sister. She was moving towards the right direction. "Alright, I'm going to get going, if anything happens, you know how to reach me. I'll see ya in a bit." He ran off shapeshifting into his signature bird.
Raven was left alone in front of the small log home that she used to call home. As she reached for the door, something was giving her a strange vibe, but she chalked it up to nerves and quietly slid into the house. She was surprised to find it was still the same as when used to live there. Nothing had changed. Taiyang must not have liked change one bit. On a table she saw family pictures. She picked one of them up as her heart began to grow heavy.
The pictured showed a small redheaded child with silver eyes holding onto an older girl with blonde mane that was similar to Raven's but just a different color. Behind the two children hugging their children was an older man with blonde hair, stubble, and amethyst eye filled with joy. His arms wrapped around his partner and wife, a woman with red hair wearing white hood. She had the look of pure and unadulterated innocence and joy. It cut Raven to the core. Another reason why she couldn't forgive herself. She put down the picture with a tear in her eye.
She sat in the chair next to the front door, putting her odachi, Crimson Wing, within arm's reach. She started to settle down. Maybe it wasn't so bad, maybe she could find a way to be reunited with her family. Just maybe. No that was selfish. She reprimanded herself. You can't expect them to accept you with open arms after ditching them ten years ago. They probably don't even want me back, she sulked.
She ran her hand through the mane of her hair. She felt like she was getting short of breath. These thoughts were getting to be so much, she pulled out her scroll debating on telling Qrow to come back. That she couldn't do it. She started to stand up when she heard footsteps down the stairs. Her heart froze.
The pitter patter of the feet grew louder and louder, raven eyes grew as each step grew louder. She started to sweat uncontrollably as her throat grew increasingly dry. She wanted to leave, fly away, escape but as she wanted to leave, but she couldn't do it, something willed her to stay.
"Uncle Qrow?" A voice called out. Blonde mane bellowing her night gown, with a small head girl wrapped around her. Raven mind went blank. Should step out and reveal herself? Should she step out into the harsh light? Cast off the cloak of secrecy. Her body decided for her, she made no sound, no movement.
The blond girl's eyes moved towards Raven's location. Amethyst' eyes met crimson. They stood there for what seemed to be an eternity. Raven tried muster all of her strength. "D-Do you know who I am?" Raven caved in.
Ruby whispered "yang who is she?" As she hid behind her older sister
"It's... It's... It's... My mom..." She whispered so faintly. Raven's pounded so hard that it almost drowned out her daughter.
"Yang..." Was all she said
"Mom..." Her arms outstretched as she grew closer to the older woman.
"I... I..."
The front door creaked open.
Yang's eyes went wide as she she pointed and screamed. Raven instantly whirled around to see a figure wearing an odd nevermore mask peaked through the door, with a gun pointed through the door.
An all too familiar looking Nevermore mask was looking at mother and daughter. It's white bone like representation hid all human characteristics. Raven froze, remembering the mask all too well. It haunting her for most of her life.
*Guchink* a puff air came from the barrel.
By then Raven had dodged the assailants round. The assailant quickly slammed the door. Raven chased after the hooded figure quickly grabbing Crimson Wing. She flung the door open.
How dare this son of a bitch try to sneak up on her, how dare they interrupt her and her daughter, how dare they endanger her family. How the hell did she become so careless to endanger her daughter.
The figure was fast, he ran as if he was possessed, Raven wasn't going to be able catch them at this pace. An odd portal opened up in front of the figure. The figure was just in reach, she lunged for him at last an attempt. Her hand made contact with his boot. That was all she needed
Her fingers clamped down and yanked down hard which cause the figure to roll over. Raven scrambled over him as he tried to reach for something in his robe.
Raven quickly pinned his arms down with her legs as her fingers clamped down around their neck. She forcefully bashed their head into the ground until blood seeped into the ground, which only made her continue her relentless assault with even more ferocity.
The Grimm nevermore mask only got bloodier and bloodier as she continued her attack. When everything was done, Raven was covered in blood. She lifted herself off, shaky from her bloody rage. She ripped off the mask of the dark robed figure, face was unrecognizable. She looked at the mask and hitched it to her belt, she had to show Qrow. It was also a memento of her greatest failure as of yet, getting too wrapped up in her emotions.
She searched the body to find a find a black pistol with odd quadruple point ammunition. Attached to side of the gun on a tactical rail. That had two buttons. She clipped all of the things she gathered and latched them onto her belt.
She reached for her scroll to realize that it was back at the house. 'Shit. Shit SHIT.' Yang was going to see her, see her as bloody killer that she was. The idea made her sick, but she had to get a call out
She approached the house, the door still open. She entered the home hesitantly, eyes scanning for any threats. She found her scroll on the table with the family photos. What she saw shook her to the core.
Yang and Ruby were cowering in the corner. Yang was petrified, she had been crying, tear streaks down her cheeks, her red angry eyes staring at the older woman. Her arms wrapped around Ruby protectively as if a lioness protecting her cub. Ruby was crying uncontrollably It warm and broke her heart at the same exact time.
Raven looked at the two, heart pounding in the chest to see them terrified of her. Raven dropped to her knees, the weight becoming unbearable. "I'm so incredibly sorry." She breathed. Her voice failing her "for everything."
Yang's anger lessened up a bit as Ruby stopped crying.
Yang got up and hesitantly walked towards Raven. Raven flinched away.
"Mom..." Yang whispered as Raven hung her head in shame.
"I... I..."
Yang hugged her instantly. Raven gasped in surprise. Where was the hate? The anger? She also didn't notice that Ruby was now hugging her. Raven took her arms and wrapped them around the two children.
"I'm sorry." Was all she could say which caused them to hug her even tighter. "I need to call your uncle" she said in a daze, she stood up, children looking at her. She took out her scroll and dialed Qrow.
"Qrow... There was an attack..." She heard herself say but felt so incredibly distant
"Raven?! What happened? Are you alright? Are the kids alright?" He frantically shouted.
"Yeah I dealt with it. They're fine."
"Are they awake?" Qrow asked suspiciously.
There was a few minutes of silence. "Yeah." She finally confirmed.
"Then that means they are with you..." Qrow confirmed more for himself then for Raven. "Raven, I'm so sorry."
"Listen can you please just come here, I need to show you some things."
"Will do." Qrow ended the call.
"Raven said that there was just an attack on Xaio-Long home. She needs me." Qrow said as he pocketed his scroll.
"Any idea who did it?" Joan asked
"She didn't say, but she did say that she was the main target for the Legion. "
"Which means that they will target her family." John said angrily.
"My thoughts exactly."
"Go and give them an extra beating from us." John eyes were back with fiery revenge
Qrow gave his confident smirk as he slicked his hair back. "Trust me, will do." Qrow said as he left the room.
Pyrrha and Jaune looked at each other, they shared the same exact feeling of dread. 'It's not fair, first their family and now her family.'
The front door opened up, Raven pointed Crimson Wing at the door ready to run through the intruder.
Qrow stepped through to be met by the end of Raven's blade. He quickly put his arms up defensively. "Woah there sis, I know being all gung ho is your thing but take it easy."
Once she realized it was Qrow, she instantly lowered the blade. "Sorry, I've been on edge."
"Huh no kidding." He muttered as his eyes scanned the room. Where were his nieces he thought to himself. "So they know then?" Raven gave grim nod, he knew the pain she was going through.
"So what are you going to do?"
"I-I don't know". She sounded so incredibly distant, which really bothered Qrow. Usually his sister was always focused, she was as sharp as a razor, for something to have Raven so completely distracted, it had to incredibly traumatic for her, and he could only think of one time that she was this out of it... When she decided to leave her family to begin with.
"Raven hang in there." He hugged his older sister.
"I just don't know Qrow."
"Did they say or ask anything?"
"Yang knew who I was, and I..." Her voice started to crack. "And I..." Tears started to fall
Qrow smiled at his sister. Even being away from her family, she still has a heart of gold, no matter what she tries to convince herself.
However, his smile slowly faded away. Qrow knew that Raven was so bites rpg conflicted on what to do. "Hey, one thing at a time. Alright?" He placed a reassuring hand on his sibling's shoulder, she snapped into her usual self with a curt nod. "There we go. So tell me what happened."
Raven recounted the tale of Yang and Ruby waking up, f the hooded figure with the nevermore mask, which was currently clipped to her belt.
She handed him the mask, she noticed how his eyes rose in surprise. She continued to tell her tale of how her assailant tried to shoot her with the gun she handed him. Finally she recounted the tale of how the hooded figure tried to leave via a portal which Raven surmised was created via from the small device that was mounted on the side of the barrel.
She gestured for the mask back. "Why do you want it?" Her brother asked.
"A reminder" she said coldly.
"For what?"
"That was I careless, and it almost costed my life as well as Yang and Ruby's."
"Rav.." She snatched the mask out of his hand.
"I'm keeping it." She said neutrally. "So what do we do now?"
"We do nothing, I need to call Taiyang, you need to go and tell Ozpin." Raven went pale when she heard Taiyang.
"So what are you going to tell him?"
"That I was attacked." Qrow smirked
"I'll get ready then." She hesitantly reached for Crimson Wing. "You wanna say good-bye, don't you?" Qrow asked. Raven froze,her shoulders sagging "I should, shouldn't I?" She turned to look at him, who had an expert poker face. He let on no emotions. It was her time to to make these decisions. She let out a bewildered sigh. And started to head up the familiar stairs.
She walked down the hallway and turned left. She put a gentle hesitant hand on the door. She twisted the doorknob and quietly pushed the door open to fnd yang wrapped around a small ruby. The act of sisterly love warmed Raven, it reminded her of her own childhood and how Raven often allowed Qrow into her own bed after having nightmares.
She walked into the bedroom, making sure not to make any sound which was rather impressive for the amount of gear she was carrying. She gently knelt down beside the blond's side and gently shook Yang. Yang startled, almost let out a scream if it wasn't for Raven who put a finger on her lips "shhhhh" and gently calmed her down.
Yang looked at her Mother. She still did not to act to towards the older woman. She had the same wild hair she had, only black. Her eyes were crimson red like yang when she gets angry. She had the same facial structure as Yang just older. Yang always knew that Summer was not her mother, but she still took care of her as if yang was her own daughter. Now after losing the person who had taken care of her, her real mother, a stranger, was here before her.
"Mom?" She wiped the sleep from her eyes.
"Yes Yang." Raven smiled. "Listen, I need to get going..." Her smile slowly changed to a frown. Why did she have to go?
"Why?" She asked dejectedly.
"To make sure your safe and Ruby are safe." She brushed some stray blonde hairs in front her daughter's eyes.
"Will you be back?" Yang asked.
"I...well... I don't know... "Raven caressed her daughter's cheek, her voice wavering.
"Mom can I ask something?" Raven pulse increased.
"Anything."
"Why did you leave us?"
"To... Protect you..."
"From what?"
"From the people who took Summer away." The bitterness seething from Raven shocked Yang. "The people who want to hurt you and Ruby."
"Oh." Yang said sadly. "Can I ask one more question?" Raven nodded, growing more anxious by the moment.
"Mom, do you love me?" Her voice was pleading, so desperate, so needing. Raven blinked, surprised that her own asked that question. Then again, she shouldn't have been surprised by the question. She did leave her family after all.
Raven hugged yang, to make sure she did not disturb Ruby. "Of course Yang. I have always loved you and will always love you, no matter what. Nothing will ever change that. Alright?"
Yang smiled which made Raven's heart jump through loops.
"Do you think you can do me a favor?"
"Sure." Yang whispered eagerly with a smile.
"Do you think you could not tell Dad about me?" Yang's smile quickly evaporated
But... But why?" Her face etched with confusion.
"He can't know about me just yet, it's to protect him and you." Raven bit her lip.
"Just for you mommy." Yang hugged her which was still a completely foreign experience to her. Raven ran her hand through her daughter's blond mane of hair. "Remember, I am and will always be with you". She said as she headed towards the door.
"I love you." Yang said with a smile
"I love you too Yang." Raven smiled as she closed the door behind her. She made her way to the steps and sat at the top, Qrow watching.
"You don't want to go." Qrow said.
"I don't" she admitted.
"Then stay."
"I can't."
"Why?"
"You know exactly why." Raven growled. "Tonight just proves everything I feared. They will hunt me down wherever I go. We got lucky this time, but what if I wasn't here? What if they targeted her? Taiyang? Any of them. I won't be their cause of death." Raven was almost panicking now. "They've hunted us, ME, since we were kids, Qrow."
Qrow held his hands up defensively.
"Alright alright calm down, I'm sorry.. but. what about after though? When everything is taken care of."
"If." Raven said pessimistically.
"When." Qrow corrected her.
"I don't know, all I know now is that we need to focus on the here and now." She grabbed crimson wing and attached the sheathed blade in its dust revolver to her waist. She checked to see if she had everything. Gun? Check, mask? Check. Possible portal device attached to gun? check. Her own weapon, obviously check. "Good luck" Qrow smirked as his sisters over preparation.
Raven look at him with a warm smile. "Have fun explaining everything to Taiyang."
"Yeah... Don't remind me." At that, raven left patch and flew to her destination, Beacon.
"So." Ozpin leaned back into his chairs, tapping the tips p his finger. "You believe this hooded individual to be related to the Legion of Ash?"
Raven nodded.
"May I see the gun?" Raven placed the gun on the headmaster's desk, watching intently, Crimson eyes watching the headmaster quickly and deftly disassembled the gun to the amazement of the huntress.
He picked up the quadruple tipped ammunition and examined it with a fine eye. "Oh my..." He whispered as he placed the round on his desk. He picked up the small black rectangular device with two small red buttons on the side.
He also quickly disassembled the box to reveal to small vials of red dust. "Just as I thought..." His voice grim.
"Sir?" Raven curiosity peaked
"And you said that the individual who used these attacked you?" Raven nodded.
"Well then... I do believe you're lucky to be alive then." Ozpin put the device down on his desk. " raven furrowed her brow. "Why?"
Ozpin took a sip from his traditional coffee mug. "Well this..." He picked up the odd ammunition "is an ultra rare Atlesian Aura disruptor dart."
"How is that even possible? I've never heard of anything that can breakthrough Aura."
"I won't pretend to know the science behind it, but I do know that it punches a hole through one's aura and prevents it from manifesting itself. From what I have heard it has a residual effect of causing Aura to recover at a substantially slower pace.
'That's what happened to John and Joan,' It started to make sense now. She straightened up realizing the implications of this new weapon. It would effectively make hunters obsolete and easily disposable if their Aura was taken away.
"As for how Legion acquired them, I'm not too sure." He tapped his chin deep in thought. "But I can look into it." Ozpin picked up the small rectangular device. "And… this…. This is what the Atlesian Spec Ops would call a Rifter." He gleamed as he admired the device. "This little beauty opens up two way portals through the use of Aura, dust, and the mind."
"Sir is this even possible?"
"Atlas loves thinking outside of the box," He chuckled. "This device opens a portal using a special kind of dust, but maintains the portal using an individual's Aura. As for setting a destination, you need to have visited the location before and have a clear image of it in your mind. Don't ask what happens if you don't make the two requirements." Raven shuddered at the thought.
"Impressive."
"Impressive indeed Mrs. Xiao Long." Ozpin did not fail to see Raven's cringe at the last name.
"Branwen." She corrected.
"Miss Branwen…. And I remember how you hated to be called that..." Ozpin corrected himself, Raven frowned even more. "I have been tracking all threats to humanity for a very long time. You yourself have recently been doing the same as well. I assume to make the world a safer place for your family." Raven was impressed by the old man's analytical abilities. "I know your reputation as a cold hearted killer, but I realize you still cherish the most important things in this world. You still have the heart of a good person. When I met you so long ago in the cave you called a home with your brother, I was surprised at the amount of loyalty you had towards him. To see it blossom even more and extend to your teammates, friends and family, has been a true blessing for me to witness. Never lose sight of that." He stood up from his desk and looked outside of the window of his office, surveying Beacon. Raven went to join him.
"Trust me when I say that Legion is a relatively unknown threat even since your very first encounter with them."
"They're a threat. Especially now more than ever. I still have the sneaking suspicion that their attacks were just a test. Tonight just shows how incredibly advanced they are. They may have infiltrated the Kingdoms, or at least have friends within the kingdoms to help them." Raven grasped the hand railing. "I have a real bad feeling Ozpin. We already know they are actively targeting hunters, openly now, and they have the means to do so."
"Indeed they do." Ozpin agreed. "What if I told you, they are one of the biggest threats to Remnant."
"What do you know?" Raven looked down at the old man.
"Enough to say that this is just lull in the storm. Their attacks were just a test. A test of their own abilities, our strength, and our weaknesses. It doesn't help that you are their main target." Ozpin chuckled as Raven coughed in surprise.
"H-H-How did you know?"
"Come now Miss Branwen, I keep tabs on all of my students, especially your team. You've been working hard to try and wipe out this threat, but you need help. What happened to the Nikos and Arcs households was not your fault, you shouldn't blame yourself."
Raven just blankly stared at the old man. How the hell did he know so much. Ozpin just chuckled, "Raven, for now, I would recommend spending time with friends and family. I know you think you are protecting them, but in reality you are only going to hurt yourself as well as them." Ozpin spoke as if he had years and years of experience in the matter. Raven could only nod. "Well anyway, take this." He tossed her the Rifter towards Raven who caught it deftly and examined the device. "You'll need it more than me. However, I would like to take the gun and see if we can develop any kind of countermeasures for any future Aura Disruptors."
"Raven, I won't tell you to stop your hunt, but please do keep in mind that your actions have consequences for others."
"I know all too well." Raven whispered as she left the Headmaster's office.
"I don't understand Qrow." Taiyang's anger began to seep in his voice. "How the hell did something like this happen?" He eyed his former teammate while hugging his two girls.
"I don't know." Qrow held up his hands defensively.
"Dad, Qrow saved us." Yang jumped to her uncle's defense, at the request of her mother.
"Yeah, we shouldn't be yelling at each other…" Ruby said, sadness tinged in her voice. Yang was glad that Ruby decided to go with the little charade.
"I guess I should thank you then…." Taiyang said defeatedly.
"This is why you should at least train them." Qrow crossed his arms.
"Absolutely not! Not after Summer…" His voice trailed off.
"You couldn't have done anything about that." Qrow insisted. It was like having the same conversation over and over again.
"I won't." Taiyang said resolutely.
"Please?" Taiyang and Qrow looked at where the plea had originated. "I want to become to learn how to fight for myself. I don't want to be helpless."
"Yang please.."
"You heard her Tai, she wants to learn." Qrow crossed his arms.
"Fine. I'll teach you how to fight, but that's it." Taiyang sighed as he went to the kitchen to make food for everyone.
"Thanks kiddo." He gave Yang a high five.
"Thanks Uncle Qrow."
A/N
HI GUYS!
Lots of things! First off, I hope you guys enjoyed the story! As always feel free to leave reviews, likes, pms, all that good stuff. We love to hear what you guys have to say no matter what. So this concludes the first story arc for Shattered Past.
Shaded: Atlas thinks outside of the boss… that's what that originally said.
Sauron: I SAID NOT TO BRING IT UP!
Shaded: You make the assumption that I care.
Sauron: Yeah you right.
So, there will be a new story project thingy that is going to be released shortly. It will take place in the same Shattered Past Universe. I would also like to mention here that the Shattered Team (if you can call it that… idk) with our newest member, Dantai! WOOOOOO!
Dantai: what did i do?
Sauron: Sell your soul.
Dantai: I have like .0000000000001% of my soul left did I really just sell away?
Shaded: … I have even edited the AN
Sauron: I swear I'm goin' to hit my head with a cactus. I'm out.