Author's Notes: Well, we got two more chapters after this one you guys. Thanks for sticking with me. It's gonna be about two weeks before I can update again, but it'll probably be both at once. Anyways, I'd like to thank all you lovely people for your reviews and continued support. I've had a blast writing this story, and I can't wait to continue it.

I Will Not Scatter

Chapter 54

Mountain Glenn Part VII

Nwyfre turned towards her, helmet tilting. Raven could feel her heart thundering in her chest.

"I'm not asking you," the Morrigan said coolly.

Raven glanced at her brother, before gritting her teeth.

"So you're saying we don't have a choice?" Raven asked, sheathing her sword. "Funny. I thought you cared about those sorts of things?"

The Nevermore croaked angrily, flapping its huge wings in irritation. Raven ignored it.

"You don't know what it is you are choosing," Nwyfre growled in frustration. "I warned you both to keep out of Ozpin's eye; instead you got yourselves veiled in to his little club! Without any clue as to the consequences! Do you have any idea how much danger you've put yourselves in?!"

"Well maybe if you'd been honest with us to begin with this wouldn't have happened!" yelled Raven, gesturing angrily. "You promised me! No more bullshit! But what is this, then, I wonder, but more bullshit?"

The Morrigan laughed once, like a sharp bark. Raven could feel the blood running down her shoulder, but her adrenaline was numbing any pain the injury might cause.

"Yea, real funny! Did you do this?!" she asked, voice strained.

The Morrigan pulled her blade carelessly from the injured witchfinger, causing her to cry out in pain; Raven winced at the familiarity of the gesture, and the confusing swell of anger and horror that was battling within her.

"Do…what?" Nwyfre lifted her hands, turning about sardonically. "This? I wish. It's fucking grand, yet I can't take the credit. But kudos to whoever did."

Summer made a distressed noise and Nwfre laughed at her.

"Aww, what's the matter sugar? Does that bother you?"

"Don't talk to her like that!" Raven snarled, placing her hand on her hilt.

"Dust, stop letting your hormones rule your head, girl!" Nwyfre snapped, whipping around. "You're better than this! These people aren't worth saving, surely you've seen that? They would sell their own children out for the illusion of safety, you of all people should fucking know that!"

Raven could feel herself tearing up, but fought the emotions down viciously. What Nwyfre was saying was both horrible and true.

"Did a year of living comfy really make you forget? Kingdom dwellers feed on everything and everyone," Nwyfre growled. "They are parasites, not victims. Stop wasting time, hell, stop wasting time on them. They'll consume you."

The image of the pompous man who'd demanded they abandon the injured faunus to save him came to mind; how pathetic she'd thought he was, how delusional. There certainly were many people like him, it was true.

"They aren't all like that," Raven insisted, shaking her head.

"You're right. The ones who aren't like them they turn into 'monsters'," Nwyfre laughed. "Without fail."

"Alright, enough," said Summer, shaking free of Tai. "If they don't want to go with you, they don't have to."

"You're an obnoxious little thing, aren't you?" scoffed Nwyfre.

"Hey! What did I just say?!" exclaimed Raven. "Stop it-"

"Stop giving me lip then, and get on the fucking Nevermore!" yelled Nwyfre. "If I have to drag you two kicking and screaming home, I will!"

"I'd like to see you try it, lady!" said Taiyang.

"No, vanilla bean, you really don't," the Morrigan snarled.

"What was the point of all this then!?" exclaimed Qrow. "You were the one who sent us here to begin with!"

"Not to join his suicide pact I didn't!" Nwyfre shouted back. "This wasn't supposed to go this way – Dust, you'll never be free of the bastard now! He owns you!"

Raven shook her head again, incredulous.

"I don't know what you're talking about, but Tormund was right. You're acting rashly."

Nwyfre's helmet tilted dangerously. Raven stood her ground; there was a glimmer in Nwyfre's hands, and Raven let her mask drop, showing her exhaustion.

"I don't want to fight with you. I really, truly, don't. But I'm choosing to stay and help my teammates with the evacuation," she said, nearly pleading. "If you respect me as a tribesmember, then you'll honor my decision."

Raven was counting on their laws meaning something. In the end, raiders chose to follow who they wanted after-all; if that truly mattered to Nwyfre, then she had to respect what Raven and Qrow decided. Even if she completely disagreed with them.

The Morrigan was utterly still, her emotions hidden behind the helm. Raven could feel her heart thundering in her chest. After a very long pause, Nwyfre lowered her hand.

"You don't know what you're choosing for yourselves," she gritted out. "You don't understand what this means."

"Our mistake to make, then," said Qrow, brushing his sweaty bangs from his face.

The Nevermore screeched, beating its wings rapidly and sending a gale of wind over the rooftops; Raven lifted her arm to shield her eyes. Nwyfre's dreads whipped around her as she stalked toward the Grimm, raising a fist; the spirit screamed again, angrily, snapping its beak in the air. Summer and Taiyang were eying it warily, raising their weapons and fists defensively as the Morrigan strode towards the great bird.

The Grimm darted its beak down, clucking and croaking as it nudged against Nwyfre. The Morrigan patted its face once before smoothly climbing onto its back. The dark slits of her helmet looked their way once more; Raven could feel her heart aching, hoping this wasn't a goodbye.

With a final screech, the Grimm took the skies, disappearing into the smoke and darkness. The beating sounds of its great wings eventually faded; Raven clenched her fingers around her hilt to keep her hand from shaking. Taking a deep breath, Raven turned her back on the skies; Qrow's face had set in a miserable grimace, and their partners were giving them hesitant looks. Finally, Taiyang spoke up, laughing nervously.

"So um, I'm guessing that edge-lord is a family trait?" he asked. Qrow and Raven stared at the blonde in irritation. Qrow sighed in disgust.

"Tai, man, shut up," her twin grumbled, walking over to the edge of the building to look for his weapon. Tai simpered awkwardly, scratching the back of his head.

Summer had knelt by the groaning witchfinger, speaking gently as Raven checked Sasha's unconscious partner; the man was alive, but completely out.

Team STRQ regrouped quickly, Taiyang creating a portal chain across the rooftops to reach the shimmering field protecting the last safe zone. They didn't talk much, eventually reaching the force field as they carried the injured and unconscious witchfingers. Raven and Summer stood quietly by one another as the waiting military personnel opened an archway in the force field to let the team through; medics took the witchfingers from them, moving with professional swiftness. Sharing a final tired look, the partners followed after them.


"I swear on my ancestor's shields, if you lot ever, ever try something so foolhardy again, I will ensure that your children's children regret it," Arc ranted, pacing in front of STRQ and BBLK. The two teams were being treated by a crowd of healers and aura buffers, one of which was the familiar bulk of Amosa.

The freshmen mumbled dull acquiescence, instead of perhaps protesting as they might normally have done.

"I appreciate your bravery," Arc halted, spinning towards them. "But! The fact that any of you are alive, let alone all of you, is nothing short of an idiotic miracle!"

"What about Murt and OBSN?" asked Summer, her aura shimmering white as a woman with teal hair laid her hands on her.

Arc stiffened briefly, green eyes flickering for a moment.

"They haven't returned yet, but when they do, I am going to skin the accent out of that miserable hick loon," Professor Arc growled.

Raven felt very sorry for Murt in that moment. The replenishment and temporary med bay at HCC was swarming with people; the number of injured had definitely increased, and Raven hadn't missed the tarp covered mats out in the hangar, sequestered off to the side. Losses for the hunters had been heavy; she didn't want to know how many had been students.

One woman, who had anxiously been waiting for word on her partner, broke down sobbing in the middle of the room when a healer informed her of their passing. The freshmen shared uncomfortable, sad looks as Amosa tried to lead the woman away somewhere quiet; Summer's eyes were shining with tears as she watched the distraught figure, prompting Raven and Taiyang both to take her hands in their own.

Arc sighed, a short, heavy exhale that conveyed more about the weight on her shoulders than any words she could have shouted at them.

"When you are healed up and restocked, report to team JADE. They are organizing the other students in helping with the evacuation," Arc said after a moment. Her scroll was buzzing constantly with updates; Raven felt rather guilty that the woman had taken a break from her duties to scold them.

With that, the little huntress spun on her heel to go about saving the world, one barked order a time. Raven closed her eyes briefly, her aura pulsing as the buffers replenished her. She squeezed Summer's fingers in her own, smiling sadly as the faunus returned the gesture.


"Qrow!"

STRQ paused on the steps of the underground station as the familiar white garb of JADE's leader pushed through the crowds. Qrow's face lit up in a swift flurry of emotions; over their bond, Raven felt flashes of happiness and relief. Curious, Raven watched as her twin strolled too casually down the steps ahead of them, meeting James halfway.

The other boy looked like he had been apprenticing at a butcher's shop, his uniform covered in black and red; his normally stoic face looked nearly joyful as he spotted his protégé. However, he straightened up and was soon his more reserved self as Qrow grinned roguishly.

"Hey Jimmy. Rough night, huh?"

James snorted, smirking a little.

"You could say that. I see you aren't dead."

Qrow facetiously checked his pulse.

"Well hey, whaddya know! It's a surprise for both of us!"

James chuckled, and Raven could feel her lips twisting in a wry smile. James never laughed, at anything. Summer and Tai glanced at her, shit-eating grins on their faces as they watched their teammate try very hard to be casual.

"So um, reporting for duty," Qrow saluted. "And all that jazz."

"Reporting for booty," Tai whispered, making Summer giggle-snort. Loudly. James sent them a confused look.

"Ignore them, they're all concussed."

"Ah."

"He just wants…senpai to notice him," Tai whispered to them again. Raven laughed aloud, as Summer giggled uncontrollably. Raven felt a swell of relief that despite all the messed up bullshit of the last day or so, they could still be completely stupid together.

James and Qrow continued their conversation, lost in a world of their own for a little while. The rest of STRQ took a leaf from their books and huddled off in a corner of the station, checking on one another as they took note of the masses of people.

The civilians who could not be evacuated by air had all been rushed underground; there weren't many entrances from the surface here, and the underground was in fact built with such a situation in mind. Buildings and streets stretched alongside the tracks. Many people already lived down here, commuting to Vale for work.

Raven took note of how there was only one train track stretching off into the distant dark of the tunnel. She frowned. Mountain Glenn was a large city by settlement standards; why would they only have one train track?

They were certainly regretting that now, as the crowds anxiously awaited for the train to return; hunters were roving the tracks, ensuring that no Grimm had somehow snuck in with them. A few familiar faces stuck out here and there.

"So what exactly did you do to the Jorogumo?" Tai asked Summer, leaning against the wall.

The faunus winced, shuffling her feet.

"I'm not sure," Summer admitted. "I can't really explain it in a way that…"

Taiyang glanced at Raven, before laying a comforting hand on Summer's shoulder.

"Try us. I seriously doubt that after every other crazy thing that happened today that you can phase us."

Summer smiled, still a bit melancholy from her experience.

"You know how Ozpin said that Grimm are really…vengeful spirits?" Summer asked softly.

"Yea."

"Did you believe him?"

Tai sighed a little before shrugging.

"I believe that he believes what he was saying is true. Whether it is or not, though, I couldn't say. It's a lot to take in."

Raven hummed, watching the crowds milling about nearby before speaking up.

"I do," she said, frowning somewhat. "If magic is real, then why couldn't Grimm be spirits? We certainly don't have a better explanation for what they are."

Summer nodded in acceptance of her answer, seemingly unsurprised by her response.

"Ok, let's say magic is real for now," Tai shrugged, turning to Summer. "What happened with the Jorogumo that makes you feel that Ozpin is right about the Grimm?"

"When I was being all silvery and whatever," Summer started, causing Raven to smile at her choice of words. "I felt what the Grimm was feeling. I could…hear it, sense it. Like thousands of people who were just so, so angry and sad. They were in so much pain. It was horrible."

Raven's smile slipped away at Summer's tone. Tai rubbed Summer's shoulder.

"And somehow I knew that they weren't really in control of themselves; it was like there was some awful presence, hanging over all of these desperate, tortured people, forcing them to be mindless. Like puppets on a string. So I cut the 'string' and they froze. But there were so many, that I couldn't keep cutting all of the strings. If that makes sense."

"I guess it does. But wasn't that what Arcene was saying?" Tai asked, looking at Raven. "And you too, sort of?"

"It was something along those lines," Raven agreed. "I keep having these…really bizarre memories. Or I think they're memories, from when I was very young. I followed someone into the woods, but, then we went somewhere else. In this other place, there were Grimm or spirits, they didn't always look like Grimm; but they could talk and were celebrating. They kept calling it 'her day', saying they were free. So when I saw Arcene and Set, I just somehow…knew what to say."

Tai's brow furrowed thoughtfully, as Raven and Summer shared uneasy looks.

"Well. It can't be a coincidence I guess," Tai said after a moment. "Maybe we can ask Ozpin about it later?"

"If he's willing to be forthcoming," Raven grumbled.

Summer nudged Raven's shoulder with her nose, and she smiled.

"I'm sorry about what happened with your mom," Summer said, still pressing into her shoulder.

Raven took a breath, nodding. She didn't want to talk about it, because talking about it made it real. She wasn't sure how things were going to go.

"It. We'll figure it out," Raven said quietly. "Once everything calms down."

Tai smiled awkwardly at her.

"Ah. So, quick question," he said. "Um. Who is your mom? Because I'm still confused about literally all of that. And she was really, super intense."

Raven winced, uncertain as to how to proceed; she didn't think Qrow had told Taiyang anything about their purpose at Beacon, nor Summer. Which was honestly unfair; why did she have to tell everyone? Qrow could have said something, since he was always nagging her about it. Perhaps he thought Taiyang would accept it better from her?

"That is, honestly, rather complicated," she said at last. "But, once we've survived today…how about we sit down and talk about it?"

Taiyang hesitated, before smiling and nodding. The three of them lapsed into silence once more, eventually sitting down on the ground for a few precious minutes to simply breathe and take in the fact that they were all still alive.


Team STRQ paced along the railroad, scouting for possible Grimm. So far, they had killed a few Beowolves and subterranean Grimm that had likely been living in the tunnel long before the insurgence; it was nearly a leisurely stroll compared to what they had been dealing with earlier.

Occasionally they passed other Beacon teams, nodding in acknowledgment before carrying on. As they reached their turn around point, Raven felt the ground quake from the approaching train; the teammates pressed close to the wall as the train approached, screeching along as it braked.

The lights from the windows flashed by rapidly. Raven watched stonily, exhaustion creeping up her limbs once more now that she had stopped moving. She was going to sleep for a thousand years after all this, and it still wouldn't be enough.

As the teammates stared at the rushing train, Raven felt the hairs on her neck raising; frowning, she turned. Something odd had been on that last window pane.

Summer was sniffing next to her, ears flicking as she turned to follow the train as well. Raven squinted suspiciously, jerking her head to follow the rest of the windows. A light in one of the cars was flickering eerily. Another window dashed by, and Raven could swear that she saw a bloody handprint smeared across the glass.

"Guys," Summer started warningly.

"Yea, we see it," drawled Qrow, glaring.

Another car passed by, and a black shadow dashed across Raven's vision, red eyes flashing as it turned their way.

"Oh hell," Tai muttered, as another car passed them, this one's windows soaked in blood and Grimm ink.

"HCC, STRQ, incoming train is carrying Grimm!" Summer said into her headpiece.

As the cars continued, STRQ stared in horror; hundreds of Grimm were on the train, and it looked like an absolute massacre had occurred.

"What the frilly fuck, how did they get on!" Tai exclaimed.

"The train never even reached Vale," Raven observed. "Someone had to have reversed it, otherwise there wouldn't be any victims-"

And there had surely been hundreds of victims.

"STRQ, HCC, we copy. Technicians are attempting to override the train."

Raven scowled, wondering who or what had let all of the Grimm on. In the distance, she heard a howl, echoing up from the cavernous tunnel.

"STRQ, HCC, technicians are unable to override-"

"Of fucking course," growled Qrow, unsheathing his sword-scythe. With a flourish, her brother had activated his scythe and hooked onto one of the passing cars; his slight frame was whisked into the air and he landed on top. With bewildered glances, the rest of STRQ followed suit.

"-all hunters currently patrolling the tracks, stop the incoming train before it reaches the station!"

Raven crouched on top the train car, scurrying forward as she attempted to locate the hitch between the cars. Summer landed next to her, glaring at the train cars in determination.

"If I run ahead, I can cut off the engine," Summer said. "Keep cutting the individual carts free, they'll be forced to slow down individually. If you can destroy any of the cars before the Grimm escape, do so."

"Yes ma'am," Raven drawled, making Summer blush. Her partner shook her head before dashing ahead in a burst of rose petals.

Raven and Qrow set to cutting the cars free, as Taiyang set explosives from the fanny-pack on the individual cars. They were only two miles from the station filled with evacuees, and at their current speed, would need to hurry. As Raven slashed another car free, the roof shook and she noticed that JADE had joined them.

"Deidrick, go with Raven and Qrow. Evan and Artemis, with me, we'll assist Taiyang" ordered James, running towards the back of the train.

The kudu faunus smiled calmly at her, rushing ahead along the still connected cars gracefully. Raven chased after her mentor; Deidrick's great sword slashed through the hitch of their car easily, and Raven sprang to the next one, sprinting ahead. A slight bulge in the roof caught her attention and she dodged at the last second as a black arm shot up through the metal, trying to claw her.

Growling, Raven swiped the clawed hand away. Something in the train car snarled in pain. Raven didn't pause, reaching the next hitch connecting the cars together and swiping it with her red coated blade. It cut through like a hot knife through butter; Raven leapt across to the next car.

Deidrick pulled her up to the train's roof, his feet steady as the train shook and banked wildly along the tracks as they turned. Her mentor smiled again, turning and running beside her as they made for the next link of the train. There were at least twenty more to go. Raven could only hope that Summer would cut the engine free soon. Otherwise they would barrel into an unsuspecting group of people with red death on their heels.

Explosions followed them up the tunnel as the rest of JADE and Tai destroyed the train cars. Summer had reached the engine and cut it free, as they suddenly began to slow. Raven paused as she cut another car free, looking ahead.

They were likely only half a mile at most from the station. Something was so incredibly off. Whoever had destroyed that field generator was likely the same person responsible for this. However, no single person could have pulled this off. Was it Merlot Industries, trying to cover up their misdeeds? Arcene? Or someone else?

Suddenly, an immense explosion shook the tunnel and train barreling along it. Raven stabbed her blade into the roof of the car to brace herself as she heard rubble break free behind them and crash into the tunnel. She grit her teeth as she clung on, the screech of metal nearly deafening her as the train car rushed along. Ahead of her, Deidrick and Qrow clung to the shaking train as well.

"All Hunters, HCC, several explosions have collapsed the tunnel to Vale!"

Her eyes widened as she looked over her shoulder.

Tai….

Raven stood up, a swell of panic rising within her. Their train car was slowing, having been cut free from the engine. She could still see the wreckage of the trapped cars behind her. Frowning, Raven spun and leapt from the train car, Deidrick and Qrow calling after her.

She hit the railway, rolled, and sprang to her feet. The explosion had utterly sealed off the tunnel, immense slabs of granite looming before her; the occasional electrical wire sparked in the dark. Surely this hadn't been the result of Tai's explosives? They weren't THAT powerful.

Raven panted, trying to calm herself as she diligently ignored the babble over the headset.

They weren't dead. They weren't.

Taking a deep breath, Raven focused, reaching out. She couldn't sense anything; she may as well have been grasping at air. She could hear the screeching of Grimm from overhead.

No. He's there, you can do this. C'mon.

Raven closed her eyes. She wasn't sure how she connected to other people with her Semblance, other than emotion and instinct. She hadn't had time to figure it out yet.

C'mon. Come oooon.

Raven gritted her teeth. What did she think of, when she thought of Taiyang?

Goofy, irritating, stubborn, protective, insensitive-

She could almost see a golden glow in the dark.

Competitive, kind, asshole-

Her aura pulsed, seeking for an echo in the darkness.

The other third of her-

She could feel it. Gasping, she felt the bond actuate, forming together cautiously before the dam broke. A vortex opened before her and Raven sprinted through; the desert sands of the in-between greeted her, but Raven didn't pause. She burst out of the vortex, sword raised as she looked for her teammate and the rest of JADE.

Slabs of concrete lay about at crazy angles. She could barely see, though the sounds of water and crackling electricity hissed throughout. Grimm were hooting and snarling in the darkness.

He had to be close, though. Raven ignited her blade, using it as a torch to scour the rubble around her. Qrow and Deidrick exited behind her, Deidrick sniffing the air to compensate; even with his nightvision, the smoke and dust was clouding the air.

Raven tried to study her newly formed bond, to get some insight. However, it was…groggy. Taiyang had been knocked silly by the collapse.

Why is everyone getting knocked out today- There.

Raven slid down a pile of rubble a few feet, spotting Taiyang's hand; Qrow followed as close as he dared, nervous to about bringing his Semblance too close in this sort of environment. Raven started digging with Deidrick, and they soon pulled the blonde free of the rubble.

Blood was running down his forehead. Raven reached out gingerly, making sure he hadn't had his skull caved in. A clean gash ran over the top of his head, but his golden aura was already glittering across the wound. Considering how hard headed he was, he should be ok. Raven exhaled shakily.

Something barked in the dark, before a gunshot rang out. Deidrick looked up, his night eyes shining in the darkness; a white figure stagger over the rubble before Qrow skidded down the slope, catching the dazed form of James.

Her twin slung his mentor's arm over his shoulders, helping him up as Deidrick scooted down to check on his partner.

"STRQ, Summer, please come in," crackled Summer's voice over the net.

"Go for STRQ," Raven responded. Summer exhaled in a whoof.

"OOH geezers, I was so scared. Are you guys ok?"

"Tai has a head injury and is currently unconscious, but I think we'll be alright. Artemis and Evan are still unaccounted for."

Summer paused. Raven could hear the sound of gunshots over the headpiece. She squinted in the darkness, spotting the darting forms of Grimm.

"Man, everyone keeps getting knocked out – But anyways, HCC is going to try to evac the rest of the civilians over-ground via land transport. Can you get back to the station? Or do you need backup?"

Raven hesitated, glancing at Tai and the rest. Deidrick was searching through the rubble, crouching as he sniffed carefully; he pulled at a stone, revealing Artemis's pale blonde hair. The junior was equally unresponsive as Deidrick began to dig her out. In the shadows, Grimm hooted and growled.

"Backup would be appreciated. We have injured. And Grimm. Looots of Grimm."

"I'm on my way, and so is BBLK. Hang on."