Chapter 21
Standing in the center of Vale, team RWBY and SFHR were surrounded by grimm. Each monster growling and snarling trying to install the fear which they fed off of. The teams didn't allow fear. Now wasn't the time to be afraid, now was the time to execute their training, to save Vale. Time to be huntsmen! The grimm charged; each warrior executed their unique fighting style fighting style.
Fern's daggers were extended by her ribbons. She spun around like a top, shredding every grimm near her. Her ribbon then picked up a boulder and slammed it into the ground in the middle of a crowd of grimm. On top of that boulder was Heather. She punched the boulder further into the ground, more rocks erupted from the ground, impaling the grimm.
Yang was punching a hole through an ursa's gut. She was so absorbed in her kill, she didn't notice a beowolf was about to jump her. When she did, she didn't have time to react. Thankfully she didn't need to. A blast of blue fire shot the grimm back, "Keep your guard up."
She looked to see Riku, holding Soul Eater in the air. Yang punched two shots behind him. Riku looked to see a now headless beowolf, "Right back at ya!"
Sora had sliced through three grimm and was about to take on the giant taijitu. Before he could Nora flew from somewhere and smashed the grimms head into the ground.
"Nora? Where did you come from?"
"Blame my parents Sora," she grinned. The rest of team JNPR arrived and helped their friends. Shortly after battling Sun and Neptune appeared.
"Nobody move! Junior detectives," Sun held up a badge.
"We have badges, so you know it's official!" Neptune declared.
"This is neither the time nor the place for badges," Heather shouted as she put an ursa in a head lock.
After Weiss killed a beowolf she looked at the 'junior detectives' and shook her head. Maybe she dodged a bullet when Neptune turned her down. An ursa roared, she looked up in alarm, how did she let it get so close? Before it could lunge, a blur shot through the scene. The ursa then fell over dead, she looked to see Sora on the ground with on one knee, the grimms blood evaporating off his sword. Weiss blushed then ran to find another grimm to kill. Sora actually looked… cool when he fought.
More reinforcements arrived, in the form of Ironwood's robots and team CFVY. Heather ran out of bullets, just as a beowolf was about to charge her a fiery blast destroyed it, "Ms. Fields, always be prepared."
"Professor Port, you're alive," Heather declared happily.
"Of course, what else would I be?"
"Dead?" Fern answered as she rode a beowolf to the other side of the square. A robot suit climbed out of the hole, then Zwei jumped from the pilot seat. Once again stunning Heather.
"That is a scary dog," Heather said. Port and Oobleck had joined forces to shoot down some grimm, when stomping onto the scene was Glynda Goodwitch, looking particularly angry. With a wave of her riding crop two grimm were down. Then with another wave, all the debris and rubble flew back into place sealing the breach into Vale.
Roman Torchwick, who had somehow survived the crash was placed into a ship. While Riku was waiting with his friends, some of the transfer students walked by, Mercury, Emerald, and Cinder. As Cinder walked behind him, Riku felt a shiver go up his spine. He turned to see Cinder's back as she walked away. Just as he stood up, Sora grabbed his arm, "Come on time to give our statement."
On a rooftop overlooking the square were Roxas and Xion, they heard what was going on and came to see and if it was needed help. They immediately recognized the people they were ordered to work with. Horror was written on their expression, those people had attacked an innocent city… for no reason. Roxas immediately pulled out his scroll and dialed Axel.
"Hey Roxas," Axel's voice came over the scroll.
"Axel did you know about this?"
"About what?"
"The guy Cinder was working with unleashed a bunch of grimm into the city," Xion clarified, "People are dead!"
Axel was silent for a minute, "I didn't know they were going to do that."
Roxas felt like Axel was keeping something from them, before he could press him for it Axel spoke again, "Guys, I was about to call you anyway, I'm being called back to Atlas, specifically Castle Oblivion."
"Again?" Roxas asked.
"Yeah."
"But what about-...?"
"Look, the city is full of huntsmen, Vale was going to be fine."
"People still died Axel, we don't have to hurt people on our missions," Xion said.
"Technically, we don't have to save them either," Axel said, "Look we'll talk more about this when I comeback." Axel then hung up. Leaving Roxas and Xion quietly mortified.
At Beacon docks
Team RWBY and SFHR sat on the edge of the docks over looking Vale. They were discussing what just happened.
"We still don't know who that girl was, or why they did this, or if Axel is working for Ansem…" Ruby discussed.
"He's not," Sora remembered.
"He isn't?" Yang asked.
"How do you know that?" Blake asked as Sora pulled out his scroll.
He pulled up the e-mail, "He's working for someone named Xemnas."
"So, he isn't with Ansem?" Riku asked.
"I don't think so, I don't even think he's still in Vale," Sora said, "We didn't see him in the tunnels, did you guys see him?"
"No," Ruby shook her head, "We only saw Torchwick and the White Fang. But we still don't know a lot of things," Ruby reminded.
"Well, not every story has a neat and tidy ending," Blake said.
"We still saved a lot of people and we put a lot of dangerous ones behind bars," Heather explained. Ruby thought for a minute then smiled.
"Yeah and if anyone tries to do this again, we'll stop them."
"So, what do we do now?" Sora asked.
"I'd say practice for the tournament, but I think we have that covered," Weiss said. "So… bed?"
"Yes please."
"I'm going to sleep forever."
"I need a shower," Riku said, "You guys might be able to sleep after smashing through the street, but I can't."
Weiss shivered, "On second thought a shower first sounds nice."
"Ditto," Yang said. The group parted, some went to their rooms, some went to the showers. Riku was the only boy who was going to the shower, so he was alone as he walked down the path.
A caw caused him to look up. Sitting on a tree branch was a black bird with red eyes. It was just a normal bird, not a nevermore. After that fight Riku was a little jumpy. He examined the bird. He didn't know why, but there was something off about it. He shook it off. It was just a bird. Riku didn't get five steps when he heard a new set of footsteps began to follow him. His senses were on alert, telling him to be wary. He turned slowly. Standing behind him was a woman. She wore a short red kimono and black boots. Hanging off her waist was a the biggest and most complicated katana sheath Riku had seen, but what most drew his attention was the woman's helmet. It was a large complicated grimm mask. Long black hair cascaded down her back and through the eye holes were red eyes looking directly at him.
Riku reached for his sword, "I'm not here to fight." The woman stated.
"You wear a grimm mask." Riku observed.
"The White Fang aren't the only ones who wear grimm masks," the woman reminded, "Besides, do I look like a faunus?"
"You could be hiding a second set of ears under that helmet."
The woman reached up and pulled off the helmet, revealing her face. When he saw it, Riku took a step back.
"Satisfied?"
"You look like…" Riku trailed off.
"Yang? Well that's normal, I am her mother," the woman explained, "My name is Raven." Riku thought about Yang, he remembered when they talked to Blake, and that she said she wanted to find her mother.
"Yang just went to take a shower," Riku explained, "I'll take you to the girls shower room, but you'll have to wait a while until she-…"
"I'm not here for Yang," Raven interrupted. Riku looked at her confused, "I'm here for you."
"What?"
"You and I share a common enemy," Raven explained, "You fought him, and you survived, that is something I respect, and need. I have an associate back home, I'd like you to-…"
"What do you mean you're not here for Yang?" Riku asked ignoring everything Raven had said. Raven did not look pleased.
"You shouldn't interrupt a lady when she's talking."
"Do you know how badly Yang wants to find you? How long she's looked for you?" Riku asked.
"I'm perfectly aware," Raven said, "But that's not why I'm-…"
"Why not?" Riku snapped, "Why don't you want to talk to her, why don't you want to see her, you're her mom?"
Raven glared at Riku, "Yang needs to prove herself. The world is cold and cruel, and she can only survive if she gets stronger. There is only one rule everyone should abide by, the weak die, the strong live."
"Prove herself?" Riku asked, "The weak die, the strong live? You're a huntress, your job is to protect the weak."
"Huntress? I didn't train to become a huntress kid," Raven stated calmly, yet her glare was lethal. She got closer to Riku to look him in the eye, "I trained here so I could learn how to kill huntresses." Riku's heart stopped, "So did my little brother Qrow. The only reason I became a huntress was because Ozpin distracted me for a little while."
So many thoughts ran through Riku's head when she told him. One thought stuck out, If she got in the way, would she kill Yang?
"Now," Raven backed away, "Let's get back to business, shall we?"
Riku curled his fists but didn't object.
"You want to find Ansem right?"
Riku didn't answer.
"Well, I'm here to help you," Raven explained, "I've seen you fight, I know your determination. You are strong, stronger, more worthy to be a leader, more worthy of respect than Sora. You can defeat Ansem, with a little bit of help," Faster than Riku could react, Raven unsheathed a red katana and slashed the air, a red portal appeared, "Before you interrupted me, I was going to tell you I have an associate back home. He has been studying Ansem and his methods for years. Come with me, work with us; and Ansem's defeat is guaranteed. As well is your revenge."
Riku looked at the portal, then at Raven, "I'm stronger than Sora? I deserve to be leader?" Riku repeated emotionlessly.
"Precisely," Raven smiled, before she could speak again, Riku spoke up.
"The last time someone told me something like that… one of my closest friends died," Riku glared, "I was too stupid to realize he was using me. But not anymore."
"What are you saying?" Raven asked, scowling.
"I'm telling you to leave," Riku stood his ground, "Stay away from my team, stay away from my friends, and stay away from Yang!" This… woman. She was supposed to be a huntress, a mother! But she… Riku didn't know what would have happened if she raised Yang and he was positive he didn't want to know. And he didn't want Yang to have anything to do with her.
"And why would I do that?" Raven asked.
"Because if you do I'll make you regret it," Riku said. They stared off for what felt like forever. Raven shook her head with a chuckle.
"I can see why she likes you," Raven turned around, but before she left, "Your enemy has spies in this school, just so you know."
"I said leave!" Riku snapped. Raven didn't need another warning, she walked through the portal then the vortex disappeared. Riku decided he didn't want a shower anymore. He made his way back to his room.
"Hey Riku," Riku stopped to see Yang approach him. Her hair was still damp, but she was relatively dry, "I'm all clean."
"Thanks for sharing that," he rolled his eyes. The two started walking back to the dorm together. Riku glanced at Yang, his conversation with Raven fresh in his mind, "Hey Yang?"
"Yeah?"
Riku was silent for a moment, "You… You realize your hair's wet right?"
"Hey, air dry is healthier, and some guys like the wet hair," Yang said with a grin. Riku rolled his eyes and smiled.
She'll find out and when she does, she won't forgive you, a voice called from the back of his mind. He knew that, but how could Riku tell Yang about the kind of woman her mother was?
The Bandit's camp
Raven stepped into her camp. Vernal stood there waiting.
"Where's the kid?"
"He's not coming," Raven explained before going to her tent.
Upon entering she was greeted by a deep and pompous voice, "I told you he wouldn't come."
Raven looked up in annoyance, "I warned him, when Beacon falls, he'll seek out guidance."
"We cannot have a misstep, and we cannot waste our time on children."
"Like it or not, we're not strong enough to defeat the organization yet, and eventually they will come for our shard," Raven then sat down, "Also, I told you not to come into my tent without my permission DiZ."
"I was just leaving," the cloaked man with red bandages covering his head exited the tent.
You all remember DiZ, wears a dress, looks like a mummy, will do anything to get his revenge, will make any sacrifice and hurt anyone? Well he's these days he's hanging out with the Branwen tribe.
Team RWBY and team SFHR fused together to fight the grimm. Together they became team GRNT (garnet) (Steven Universe joke please ignore
I decided to not go straight into volume 3 (I'm still not emotionally prepared) Instead I'm going to take a little detour into RWBY grimm eclipse and it will all begin with cooking class.