Well, for once, we have a lot to say here. The holiday season might be over for most, but for the Jewish crowd still knee deep in Hanukkah, hope you're having a good one and you're done seeing relatives. I finally got around to making a holiday artwork. This one features the Bumblebee, so go check out Bakki's page and see the bees under the mistletoe if you already haven't. And if you aren't nauseated by all the holiday cheer, I did my annual Hanukkah story for 'A Light That Shadows in the Night', this year starring White Rose. 2016 has been beating the hell out of me, but I hope it's been less relentless on you. Regardless, I wish all of you a happy 2017 and a last salute to the holiday season.
Blake: Birthday Blues
The Faunus never thought she'd have to think about Beacon's school schedule again after she graduated, but The Yellow Stinger was always in need of new members. Although she was part of the top tiers of the organization, she never placed herself above doing the grunt work, Blake always keeping active when she wasn't working to personally adhere to the most important of the group's goals.
Steeping back on Beacon's grounds was always like inhaling a fresh air of nostalgia. Even though she graduated only three years ago, it had felt like an eternity with how busy her life had gotten since. Blake still kept her profile low, not wanting teachers or current students to recognize her and get wrapped up in a conversation, and blended in with her old uniform. It felt childish as much as it was great camouflage, no one the wiser as she slipped in between the cracks of the buildings and sat with a book to quietly observe the students.
The Yellow Stinger, although a righteous organization, was still a rouge party that would take the law into its own hands. Blake hated the shades of gray she worked under, knowing they were completely different from The White Fang, but would be taken down no differently from proper authorities. With that limitation, its not like they could throw up a billboard advertising anyone to come down to their secret headquarters. Blake made it mandated from the beginning that they can't just let anyone through the doors, each person they bring in having to be more than just committed to The Yellow Stinger, they also needed to be trusted.
Sitting behind a book was the best kind of cover. No one dared interrupt her and she could listen and watch potential members as they walked past. She never thought her love for books would do more than keep others away so she could escape, but aid in the dismantlement of The White Fang. She kept her eyes peeled, looking for Faunus and humans alike to recruit. Still, although she wasn't that much older than some of the upper student body attending, she still couldn't shake the macabre feeling she'd get as she eyed them.
"Remember, we're doing this to change the world. I'm not doing anything creepy at all by staring at the butt of this guy. Please pivot, or something, so I can stop staring at your backside," her inner voice carrying an annoyed tone. "I don't like doing this, mostly cause The White Fang, both old and new, had the concept of get them while they're young. Considering I don't have a child to use a cover to get to when I was first recruited, this will have to do. But combating them isn't just fighting, it's also lessening their numbers, and the less they can indoctrinate the better."
The senior student moved, Blake taking the tech-savvy members of the group's work to the test and hacked into the school's registry with her scroll. She did have to admit, even someone of her caliber, it was made easy. She glanced at his schedule, happy to see partner matches were underway and he was headed to a match. Blake took to the shadows, hiding, watching this student's battle prowess from a darkened doorway as he and his partner decimated the other team. She kept mental notes, not wanting the pale light of the scroll to give her away. She knew she'd have to leave a calling card for him, and perhaps his partner, The White Fang desiring her as well with his talents.
Blake gave the man a break and followed, his partner, a tan, light-haired cheetah Faunus. She was tall, quite intimidating even for her above-average height, with a wildly whipping yellow tail. Luckily, she went to the cafeteria, Blake's stomach giving a loud roar as she smelled the fresh food. Sadly, her student ID wouldn't grant her passage anymore, something she'd have the tech branch research so she could have Beacon's lobster roll one more time. She leapt up a tree, grabbed her packed lunch from a cooler, and sat and watched the woman interact, listening for the restlessness of change in the woman.
"I try to get away from The White Fang, but I somehow ended up exactly where I left off. Well, not entirely. At least the person who I'm dating isn't a petulant, bullheaded, psychopath. That's a positive change. If I want this to be different this time around, I might want to put in even more effort, maybe taking a couple vacation days to put some more full time hours into this. If Yang's held up on her end, then the only change I can make progress on is this one, and we're close to achieving it. Even before The White Fang changed, I never felt this close to victory."
The Faunus lost her composure as she was blinded, Blake nearly falling out of her tree cover as the cheery voice of her girlfriend whispered, "guess who?"
"Yang, seriously, get off and sit quietly," she ordered, the blonde testing the command and let the Faunus writhe in her grasp a little longer until she let go. Yang sat next to her, keying in on what Blake was. "What are you doing here? I thought you had errands to run?"
"I did, then I remembered Ruby's home and I don't have to look in on Zwei. So, I asked at HQ what you were up to and you were, for once, very easy to find. Caught you jumping into the tree," the blonde explained, Blake hoping that was the only non-covert action she did today. The Faunus offered half of her tuna sandwich, Yang happily scooping up the snack and enjoying a meal with her girlfriend. "So, who am I looking at here?"
"The cheetah Faunus who's tall and tan. Her partner I'm leaving a card for, but she showed excellent skills. The last on her checklist is a proper motivation and, so far, I'm not getting that vibe as I'm listening in on her conversation," Blake said, her tone deepening as she had to let this one go.
"If only we could put up a thirty second ad telling anyone who's interested to join," the blonde lamented. An arm wrapped around her, the Faunus moving closer to her portable heater, the school's skirt not doing her any favors with the late fall weather.
"I'm not going to keep you here, Yang. You can go home and play games if you want."
"Last time I checked, I'm head of this organization, too. I feel so lazy when I see you out here."
"What you do, one could argue, is more important than any singular task I do. You inspire and rally a lot of people to do good. You keep everyone happy and on the same page. You're the heart of The Yellow Stinger and it's effortless for you. Be grateful."
"That's why I feel lazy," Yang countered. "It doesn't feel like work. I see you come home exhausted some days, and that's after the eight hours at work. It's cause you're doing this, and I felt like helping out today. If we both come home tired, I might not feel as bad."
Blake hated how smitten she was at this state in their relationship, lowering her head to the blonde's shoulder, giving a kiss through the cloth before nesting herself in the groove. It was when she felt the puffy fabric against her cheek, did she have to reanalyze the altruism. "Yang, you're not in your school uniform. You're going to stick out like a sore thumb."
"I'm in mostly brown. I think if I hide well enough I can get away with it," she said as she inspected her wears, forgetting her most prominent feature.
"I think you're mostly blonde," Blake corrected. "I don't need to be warned to guess that our presence on private campuses isn't welcomed. We'll be kicked off and then put on a list if we're caught."
"You make a good point. I'll stick round for this and then head home. I'll cook you something nice for dinner," the blonde redressed, the Faunus licking her lips as she knew a succulent seafood dish was in store for her.
The two stuffed their sandwiches in their faces, the target on the move after a short lunch. Stalking felt less dubious when she wasn't doing it alone. However, it also felt less effective, Yang piping in at the worst moment when the Faunus was keen on listening from afar. Still, she couldn't deny that it was a far more enjoyable experience, the blonde lessening the burden when she made the mission fun. After an hour of no credible ambition to rid the world of Faunus prejudice, Blake called it, not willing to waste more time today on an exemplary draftee. They went to the old locker room, happy to see some things don't change as they found the male student's locker through his student files, Blake slipping a black card with the phone number for a Yellow Stinger contact.
Walking back to the airfield, the Faunus noticed Yang lagging two steps behind, Blake curious as to what her partner was intently staring at. "Did I sit on something?"
"No, but you in a school uniform became sexier now that you're not required to wear it. Mind if this is added to the wardrobe for birthday-sex?" her partner explained, Blake feeling a blush rush to her cheeks, smoothing down her skirt in fear it may have been hiking up for a quick flash of her wears.
"I think that compliment will have greater meaning when I'm thirty. Also, don't worry about your birthday-sex treat. I promise it will be far more enticing than me in my old uniform," Blake mentioned.
"I don't know. The view is spectacular from where I'm standing," the blonde goaded, forcing Blake to gaily yank on her girlfriend's arm to keep her from leering at her bum. With amber eyes in a more appropriate site, her smile soured slightly as her girlfriend inspected the rest of her. "Your eyes are starting to get those black circles. I think you should come home with me."
"Don't worry about me. The reason I've been running a little ragged is because I did want to do something special for your twenty-fifth. Since no work will be done next week, I've been doing some overtime for The Yellow Stinger. My birthday was everything I could've wanted. I've been going down the Yang checklist and making sure your birthday is as exceptional as mine."
"Oh, my goodness, did you get the Achieve Men to play at my party?" the blonde wildly claimed.
"I don't have that kind of pull. I couldn't even get a reply from their manager, but those passes are the only thing that will be spoiled for your birthday. No more guessing," Blake said, effectively putting a kibosh on her girlfriend's questioning as her smiling lips stayed sealed, the Faunus proud she could be just a coy when surprising Yang.
With the airship in sight, the women hurried their steps only to be stopped by soft, yet authoritative, voice from behind. "Yang, Blake." The Faunus' neck strained as it turned to see Headmaster Ozpin calling them out. "How wonderful it is to see my former students. What brings you to campus?"
Having been on the opposite side of an interrogation with Ozpin, the Faunus already felt like she was caught. Still, she attempted to play it off, her partner quicker to the trigger. "Oh, it's just my birthday week and I wanted to come back for a warm glass of nostalgia and eat lunch at Beacon."
Proud of her quick wit, it was destroyed with the man's simple deduction. "And why are you not in uniform like Blake?"
Knowing this would get her caught, Blake expected it, but was astonished how Yang tripped over her own words. "Umm, role play."
The Faunus elbowed the blonde's sides, embarrassed that she would be so casual with a former superior. Much to her surprise, Ozpin chuckled. "Nice one. I'm inclined to believe you, but I think us three need to talk. Mind briefly joining me in my office?"
The women did as instructed, Blake never thinking she would be in this position again, feeling small as she were to be reprimanded by someone she disappointed, each step making her feel like she was back to being a student as she followed the man's green coat. They reached his office, Opzin offering tea and cookies that were on his desk, the Faunus and her girlfriend not having an appetite. They sat at the couple chairs in front of his massive desk. The light hue of blue from miscellaneous animated data and charts coated the area. He waved them away, standing opposite side of them.
"Girls, do loosen up, I'm not here to lecture you on what you're doing on my campus. It is simply best that what will be said not be heard by curious parties," the man clarified, Blake feeling the sighs of relief escape them both. "I won't beat around the bush, so I'll lead with this. I know both of you are part of The Yellow Stinger."
Blake still flinched even though she knew it was coming, keeping calm in their interrogation. "Mind if we ask how you found out this information?"
"You may," he answered, taking a sip of his tea before he started. "Your presence has grown. It's safe to say you're not an underground organization anymore. Soon, your name with be as synonymous with The White Fang. Through trusted sources, I heard about you years ago. I learned your numbers, your mission, some of your leaders, and your colors. Black and yellow are a great combination, but it's also it very easy to spot in a sea of brown. One day, I noticed one of my students covered nearly head-to-toe with your colors."
"Whoa," Yang paused the story, "we do not condone wearing any variation of The Yellow Stinger symbol outside of missions and battles. Who is this student?"
"I will keep his identity to myself as I've dealt with this issue," Ozpin added. "When what I saw looked familiar, I decided to dig into it and I didn't have to dig deep to find out that you two were at the top of the organization, and that's why I called you here." Blake's hairs stood on the back of her neck, Ozpin's glowering tone unsettling to her. "You girls don't know what it's like to be on the top of The White Fang's most wanted. I shouldn't have to tell you this, Blake, but they will target loved ones, former mentors, anyone or place that has meaning to you if they find you a threat."
The Faunus knew Ozpin didn't bring her in to scold her, but she felt like she was getting a refresher course on an organization whose methods were slowly being forgotten. "They are very keen to the phrase 'cut off the head of a King Taijitu'," she reestablished.
"Thank you for stating my next point. Needless to say, you girls can be considered the head. I know this war we have been fighting for years, but the fight changes when your body and spirit aren't the only ways to break you."
The Faunus had the words sink in, making her rethink how her active recruiting, and procuring of weapons and ammo has been putting her more in the line of fire. "We... we get where you're coming from Professor Ozpin," Yang said as she broke the stilled air. "We'll stop recruiting at Beacon."
"Now, I didn't necessarily say that," the professor corrected, both women at attention with his tonal shift. "Although, if I or any faculty member catches you, I will be forced to ban you and this conversation never happened. The Yellow Stinger does what the military can't, attack with brute force without bureaucratic tangles. That's necessary in this climate, but I don't want my students, current or former, dying needlessly. You two need to keep your profile low. I would hate to hear that family was harmed because you were careless."
Blake didn't want to say it, because she knew that Yang's family would be the only ones impacted by her being out in the open, Ghira and Kali behind a protective barrier with being heads of other sects of The White Fang. "We'll tread lighter, Professor Ozpin. Sorry for overstepping a boundary."
"Apology accepted, and Ozpin is fine," the man pronounced, a smile proudly adorning his face as the difficult exchange had been resolved. "You're no longer students. You are my peers, which is why I hope this didn't feel like class."
"It didn't, but I still learned something," her girlfriend replied. "Speaking of family and peers, how's Ruby doing?"
"Your sister may be the best investment I've made in Beacon in quiet some time," Ozpin exclaimed. "The students love her, she comes in ready to teach, and leaves happy. She's made a one-eighty since starting and I think she may want to do it next semester. Sadly, and I haven't broke this news to her yet, Professor Port is well enough and will be returning. She will be out on the field again."
"I'll reserve you in giving her that bad news," Yang reluctantly said as she got up from her chair. "At least I know I'll be getting back on Zwei duties for awhile."
"Thank you for speaking with us. I promise we'll do more than our part to ensure The Yellow Stinger stays in line," the Faunus buttoned, shaking the headmaster's hand with this understanding.
"Good to hear. You girls stay safe."
Blake and Yang departed, heading home after that near miss with Ozpin. "Five years of being a part of this organization and so far what he warned us about hasn't happened. I think that's a good sign."
"Or he jinxed us," Blake depressingly said, the blonde's strong arm tightening around her to keep her mood from sinking.
"I know you are not superstitious. I'm turning that frown upside down by invoking birthday week privileges. You're not allowed to dwell on this till after and then I'll be making sure to keep you smiling."
The Faunus could always count on Yang keeping her distracted, this being one of the few times she welcomed it. "For you're birthday, I will. We'll heed Ozpin's warning, scale back and be fine."
"Yeah. We'll be totally fine."
*-Yang-*
"Blake, you didn't have to," she politely commented, knowing she was going to get something as expensive as it was thoughtful.
"I kind of had to as it was my fault for yanking on the chain," Blake said. "After a few missions of us going out, and the amethyst pendant not dangling there, actually bothered me. You've had it for such a long time that I felt compelled to replace it."
"I do like the onyx substitute, by the way," the blonde added, carefully running her thumb over the gem as she admired the craftsmanship. "On the missions I solo, I do like carrying something that reminds me of you, and considering you are still against letting me take your scarf to wrap myself in, this will do."
"That's because you lose something every time you go by yourself. I won't risk this," the Faunus defended, curling her fingers into the black and yellow material as she held her anniversary scarf protectively to her face. The blonde tried accessorizing herself, her girlfriend aiding her as her hair kept getting caught in the kinks.
The waiter came by and dropped off the check. Yang and Blake were past fighting for the bill, the blonde knowing she'd lost this battle anyway as it was her birthday dinner. She basked in the warm lighting of the table, the fire flickering across her Faunus' face, the amber eyes glowing in the soft light. With the date winding down to the final journey home, the fire in Yang was stoked, stealthily lifting herself out of her boot as Blake signed her name and placed her foot between her legs.
Blake jumped back in her seat, the blonde's foot following as she kept her toes planted on her pelvis. The Faunus swatted her foot away, finishing her signature before she chided Yang. "If breaking your foot is what's going to stop you from doing this, I will do it."
"Well, right now, you're breaking my heart," the blonde jested. "This has been a relatively tame date from you. If making me want it more has been your goal this whole time, it's working, but now my curiosity is piquing and am dying to know what you have in store for me."
A wicked grin Yang usually wore sprung on her partner's face. "If you think your punishment is over, you have another thing coming." There was a pause until the double entendre clicked in her girlfriend's head. Before Yang could pounce on it, Blake clarified it. "That wasn't a pun. You do, literally, have another thing coming."
"And you twist the knife deeper," the blonde jokingly lamented.
"Trust me, you'll enjoy it," her girlfriend reaffirmed, buckling her boot back on before heading out. Yang's hunting eye was on high alert, focus centering on the tight backside of her girlfriend. As she followed her out, a brief gust of wind shot through the door, the coattails to her partner's jacket fluttering up and the lacy, black garment of her favorite thong was present, Yang even more excited to get back home.
Blake had the valet bring around their rented limo, the two cuddling in the back as they put up the privacy window. Yang was surprised that her Faunus was being so submissive, letting her hands roam where they may. Her partner curled into her curves, arm wrapping around the blonde mane as Blake grinded against her body. Yang stayed over the clothes as much as she could, but needed to test the waters to see if her birthday sex was indeed as she had been hoping for. Her fingers slipped under the Faunus' armpits, past the black top and caressed the side of her breast. With a gratifying sigh that came after, Yang knew she could dive deeper.
The other hand raked across her girlfriend's stomach, the nubs outlined the tight muscles that lay underneath the supple skin. Blake bit her bottom lip as Yang nibbled on her ears, the bow an unsavory taste, but had the Faunus softly purring into her. The hand on the stomach traveled south, Yang careful to not ripoff her most treasured garment, the Faunus reluctantly keeping it and wearing it sparingly so the blonde could always have her favorite physical attribute showcased properly. She played with the elastic, tweaking it upwards to tease her girlfriend's valley.
With the fire spilling from inside her, she had to contain as she felt the abrupt stop, the girls back on their best behavior as the driver pulled down the privacy window. As Blake paid the man, Yang stepped outside, confused to not be outside their condo. "Umm, Blake, why are we outside HQ? Did we get a call and not see it?"
The blonde brought out her scroll, the Faunus coyly pressing it down so meet her seductive stare. She leaned in, breathing into Yang's ear. "I remember a talk where you revealed that one of your fantasies was to have sex on the desk at work." Her eyes shot open as the line was drawn connecting the dots. "It may not be our daytime jobs, but the planning room has a massive table."
Yang did have a list of things she wanted to do sexually before she dies, sex at work being one of them, but she'd happily check it off with an asterisk with her girlfriend being so bold. She almost tripped on the curb as she walked to the back alley of the pub, so excited in fulfilling her exhibitionist desires. "Even if someone is down there, I'm still very inclined to do this," she exasperatedly said, knowing that could be an impossible feat with how big their numbers were.
The Faunus stepped on the elevator platform, having the blonde pause before she joined her. "Let me make sure it isn't business as usual. I'm all for celebrating your birthday in proper, but I'd rather not have a walk of shame back home."
Yang agreed, the fear of getting caught shared, but it's what made the idea so inciting. She waited, the elevator excruciatingly slow with the finish line was within her sights. After what felt like ages, Blake returned, grabbing her girlfriend by the hand and leading her down. The blonde's flare for adventure faded as the HQ seemed dimmer than it usually was, the elevators doors opening to reveal only a fraction of the lights.
"Umm, did we have a blackout or something? Why are the backup lights on?"
"Mood lighting," the Faunus quickly replied, Yang feeling uneasy as she hadn't heard the building this quiet since she joined. She was led to the main hall, the planning room only an iron walkway away, but she hesitantly pulled back instead of running headfirst into the office.
On queue, the warehouse's flood lights flipped on, the blonde nearly jumping out of her boots as what was a legion of Yellow Stinger members lit up with the room. "Surprise! Happy Birthday, Yang!"
The clamor rang in her ears, Yang looking over to her girlfriend who was clearly the orchestrator of this plan. She rung her arms daintily around her neck, going in from a big smooch, the crowd only getting louder. "So, this was the other thing?"
"Yep," Blake said. "I knew wiggling my thonged butt in front of you would keep you from figuring it out."
"Not that I'm complaining, but I was sort of looking forward to shoveling papers and crud off the table and bending you over it," she devilishly told, the lustful gaze in her stare still present as she ribbed her partner.
The Faunus rolled her eyes, bringing her girlfriend in closer as the music started, smiling as she caressed the disappointed blonde. "I know this isn't what you wanted, but the organization needed a moral boost. It's been a couple months since we've accomplished anything that could constitute a celebration. The White Fang have been rather quiet and we've come up with nothing for every recon mission. I figured using your birthday as a tent pole to get everyone here and cut loose wouldn't be the worst way to liven up the mood around here."
It was deceitful, but for a good purpose, Yang handily forgiving her Faunus, especially as she looked down below, the throngs of people having well-deserved fun after working hard towards a whole lot of nothing. "No reason I can't turn these lemons into lemonade," she said, pecking her girlfriend before she motioned for the DJ to cut the music.
With Blake tightly snagged around her waist, she addressed her people. "Quite the turnout from all of you. I wish there was this kind of attendance when it came to conference calls!" she jestfully jabbed, waiting for the crowd to settle before continuing. "In seriousness, thank you. I couldn't have a better crew to get drunk and party with. Now, I hate to come down on all you, but there will be rules." Yang's grin spread as the collective groaning erupted around the room. She jumped from the upper level, grabbing an unopened bottle of champagne, and hopped on a crate. "I should actually say, rule. Every surface, no matter how jagged, hard or dirty, is officially a bed. Drink up because it's going to be a long night."
Her followers shouted in agreement, the blonde busting open her bottle against the wall and slinging it down like a waterfall. Now a wet and sticky mess, she headed towards the washrooms, her Faunus right behind her with a fresh set of alternate wears she keeps around. The blonde changed out of her brown jacket and slipped into her warm, tan coat, then wringing out her anniversary scarf as Blake dabbed her collar and chin clean with a wet towel.
"You want you black boots or are you fine with mix and matching your outfits?" her girlfriend asked.
"I'm fine with it," she said as she pressed her outfit enough to her personal level of dishevelment.
"Good answer because tomorrow they'll all be a scattered mess on the floor," her Faunus seductively whispered in her ear, Yang locking eyes in the mirror as her partner snaked her arms around her. "Your birthday sex was never put on hold, but the plan exceeded the night's time limit. I'll need all day tomorrow to deliver on what I promised."
Blake dug her nails into the blonde's skin, Yang digging back as she clasped her hand over hers, feeling the brimming lust transfer in the touch. "I love you, Blake."
"I love you too, Yang. Now, get out there. Your adoring audience awaits," her partner reminded, Yang converting her hunger for Blake's body into the energy needed to keep up with her comrades. Someone handed a drink to her and Yang kept her glass full as she burned the midnight oil.
"Don't tell me that twenty-five is the age where you're starting to feel old," her girlfriend jeered, the tipsy blonde shoving her hand hard into her face.
"Your plan is too attractive for me to mess up with even the smallest of hangovers," she said before taking the last sip of her whiskey. She placed her plastic, red cup next to her, unsure of what view to appreciate. Her head lay in Blake's lap, the two discreetly excusing themselves from the bash to do what they haven't done in a long time, enjoying a sunrise together. They made their way to highest building in their district, it only being three stories high, but on a hill next to the cities walls made it the perfect spot.
Yang purred in her partner's lap, enjoying her girlfriend's nimble fingers scratch lightly behind her ears, the blonde always wondering what it was like if she switched places. Even without the full experience of being a Faunus, she had to admit, it was more than satisfying. "Now I feel like I'm over-selling it with you so sober. I hope me teasing it didn't stop you from going all out down there?"
"Not at all. I know I smudged your face for the previous comment, but I don't think getting blackout drunk in front of people that follow me is a good idea," she mentioned. The Faunus' fingers followed her facial outline, tickling the bottom of Yang's chin, the blonde getting the full feline experience that she wished she had a cat tail to justify this kind of cuddling in the future. "You do have the life."
"We have the life," her partner rightly corrected, Yang letting her bliss wane to lock in loving eyes with her partner, Blake receiving the message as she bent down and kissed her girlfriend, tongues messily marking the other with sweetened saliva. "I know we were upside down, but that was sloppy, even by drunken standards."
"I may need a water to ensure a healthy mind to match my overflowing lust," the blonde winked at her reply. Blake rolled her eyes, but the smile underneath revealed her true emotions.
"I'll be right back," she said. Yang lifted herself off her girlfriend and up against a wall as she continued to look east. She was far enough away from the party to not hear it and morning was too early for the city to be awake. In the only peaceful hour in a day, where the noise pollution was low enough to center herself and she was able to reflect, seeing just how far she came after twenty-five years.
In the silence, she heard a strange noise behind her, like something unworldly opening. "Blake?" she called out, the question going unanswered. The clacking of boot-to-concrete got the tipsy blonde up, the woman carefully peeking around her spot to get a better look behind her. "Blake?" Knowing she heard something, her frightened mind sobered her quick, Yang taking extreme caution as she investigated the area.
"Yang," someone softly called out, the blonde snapping back to meet the silhouette against the darkened dusk. The woman stood petrified, but she couldn't understand why, a feeling of trepidation crippling her as she stood looking up to this new opponent. The figure jumped down to her level, the image becoming clearer. In brown thigh-high boots, a short blackened skirt with feathered frills, and a red and black jacket, it approached calmly, hesitantly almost as it stood arms length away. If the deja vu didn't freak her out enough, the Grimm mask did. The red eyes behind the mask pierced through the blackness, matching the red designs that characterized the Grimm. The massive hilt secured a weapon, but with neutral body language, Yang didn't feel the need to tighten up more than she already was.
"Who are you?" she asked, her voice not shaking again as she asked more authoritatively. "Who are you?"
The woman showed instead of replying, the strange figure removing the Grimm mask, Yang feeling her heart skip a beat as she finished whipping about her wild, black hair, and wearing a smile that matched hers. Her throat closed, her mind split of how to respond. Part of her wanted to ask where she has been for two decades. The other wanted to ask all the questions her dad couldn't answer. With both desires straining on her, she could only keep her voice steady, her lens watering as buried emotions were unearthed.
"Raven," she softly spoke, clenching her fists so tightly she knew she wasn't dreaming.
"It's me, Yang. Your eyes aren't fooling you," the woman responded. She anticipated the silence, the discomfort rooting deep in her daughter as Raven proceeded. "I know. There's a lot you want to ask. However, now's not the time for it."
Her split brain found a bridge to connect, finding an unpleasant, but valid recourse to her immediately shutting her down. All of her wanted to scream at her for being so negligent as a mother and spouse."That's it... that's all I get? A half-smirk and an acknowledgment of how distraught I am for seeing my mother after twenty years," she chipped through her teeth.
"Yang," her mother's tone matching hers. "Settle down, there's..."
"No. You do not get to show up and dictate that this goes. You came to see me. If you even have the slightest bit of respect for me, you will let me get my questions in," the blonde demanded, her ultimatum not as threatening when it was a parent-child relationship.
"I do have more than that for you, which is why I'm here and not Qrow," she pointed out, Yang seeing her reason as the only relay to her current whereabouts was her uncle. "But what I have to say is important. This concerns The Yellow Stinger."
She wanted to fight back, pressing her issues harder, but if it concerned her party members, she was inclined to hear in order to protect them. "So, you know about us?"
"You might as well be advertising yourselves. The entire underground knows about you,Yang, and the rest of the operation in Vale," she told, the blonde feeling like a child as her mother continued. "I don't know how you did it, but you did what most huntsmen couldn't do, drive The White Fang out of a kingdom. As much as that garners praise, they've been trying to figure out a way back in and their first desperate grabs have been at me."
The dark-hair woman turned around, lifting up her clothes to unveil a bandaged wound, the blood clotting around the white cloth and in need of a changing. "How does anyone know I'm even related to you? Aside from the eyes, I don't see it."
"If my brother wasn't good about keeping secrets, I would blame him on a drunken slip-up, but someone connected the dots from that mute, Neo," Raven said, venom spewing as she mentioned the multicolored assistant to the madman. "Seems Roman leaked this information by letting her feed it to the others. He wants you taken out quietly, making sure not too many resources are compromised. You batted them away after the breach, but now that they're less spread out, they coiled back and are ready to strike back."
Yang wished she could be spellbound by this impromptu family reunion, but the grave information given had her on the same page as Raven. "Not surprised. I didn't expect that rat to die easy after he escaped. Got any information that could be handy?"
"Probably, but delivering you information isn't why I came. I came to tell you to stop egging on The White Fang," she deeply advised, the rage kept caged came billowing out with her mother's demand.
"Wait, what?" Yang spat out.
"You heard me," Raven offensively retorted. "I wasn't attacked on happenstance. I was attacked because some are figuring it out and it won't be long until its common knowledge that the woman wearing the Grimm mask is the mother of the leader of The Yellow Stinger. Yang. I've spent the last few years getting to where I am now, and there's some legends out there that aren't just fairy tales. I'm trying to make sure they don't fall into the wrong hands and I won't have it completely botched because your organization is overextending themselves into unfamiliar territory."
The blonde couldn't hide her anger anymore, Yang keeping her word from the beginning and taking control. "I hope 'mother' is by relation only because you're the last person who is deserving of that title. You weren't there for me my entire life and the second you decide to come back it's so you can impose your agenda like you did Dad. You don't get to have a say in what I do with my life when you never cared about me in the first place."
"So you would let your own mother die, compromise everything I've worked for, so you can say you stood up to me?" Raven countered, Yang too blinded by rage to contemplate the question, only going with the raw ire she had for the woman in front of her.
Her eyes blurred red, the blonde letting it enfold her. "Don't you dare try and twist my words. It's about you. It's always been about you!" she gritted through her teeth, eyes clouding with the staining fluid as she ranted. "You think you're the only one that makes a difference in the fight against The White Fang, even though you see me and an entire army of people who've cleaned up this city."
"Yang, listen, this goes beyond our problems. This concerns..." the woman interrupted as her daughter shut her down.
"No, you listen, Mother," she callously replied. "There's collateral damage to what we do, and if some of it splashes onto your plans, well that's too damn bad. You don't get to come in and care about what I'm doing when it suits you!"
Bits of sparks flew off her feet, her semblance brewing underneath her as she stared down her mother, the woman not backing down and kept her gaze. Yang secretly wanted for Raven to throw a punch, just so it'd be justified for her to get that cathartic release she's dreamed about. With the powdered keg of tension was a dud, her mother was the first to break the fight, sighing deeply as she walked away from her daughter.
"I knew this was a bad idea," she mumbled as a red portal opened for her. The blonde heard it loud and clear and fired back.
"What was? Contacting me or having me in the first place? I know that you're thinking that this wouldn't have happened if I wasn't born!" Yang screamed, going right for the jugular having Raven stop before she disappeared completely.
She turned back to her daughter, red eyes resentful as she left her parting words. "Did you ever think that the reason I left was because I didn't want you or your dad to get hurt?"
Yang didn't flinch, the notion not hitting her as Raven disappeared beyond the portal. Her semblance simmered with this new revelation. Her mother was never labeled a liar by her dad or Uncle Qrow, the blonde getting a sick feeling in her stomach that she may have driven Raven away with this possible nugget of truth. Numb to the world, she didn't feel her girlfriend's presence until a soft pair of hands wrapped around her waist, the Faunus laying her head on the back of hers as she silently held her up. She laced her fingers with her partner, grabbing the requested water and gripping tight so she couldn't leave her.
"How long were you listening?" she lowly asked.
"Long enough," she replied in the same tone, Yang not surprised if Blake were around for the whole thing with how grave her response was. The more it sank in, the more it hurt, a tear steaming down as the pain discharged from her.
"You know, I had this conversation thought out a thousand times in my head. What would she say? What I wanted to really ask? How would it play out? Never did I think it would end up like this," she muttered to herself. Her girlfriend didn't answer, only tightening her grip on her, Yang forever grateful to the woman to always stood beside her so she didn't burn out. "Let's go home."
The sun rose beside them during their trek home, Blake's steps slowed with the slugging pace of her partner. The birthday high she rode all night deflated into the ground, the blonde dragging her feet as she was lost in thought. "Twenty-five years... twenty-five years and that's the first conversation we ever have. I'm not naive, but I had hoped it would go a lot better. But I got a birthday wish I've had since I was ten. I finally met my mother. I should've wished for anything else."
