Raven came out of the shadows, falling towards the ground and immediately baring Omen as Summer's daughter jumped to meet her, a massive, curved greatsword smashing into the odatchi with a shriek of metal on metal. Before Raven could bat the girl down, the entire room seemed to shift around them and suddenly Raven was the one staring up.

What the fu-?

Raven span in on her toe as she finished her plummeted, barely dodging the punch from her daughter and the cleaving blow from Summer's daughter, black energy exploding around the attack. Omen swung around, aiming for the pale neck of the youngest combatant.

Armor formed around the flesh before Omen could cut through it, Dust infused steel glancing off it. Raven's eyes narrowed, and she pulled the trigger, setting off the fire Dust. She wanted to use armor? Raven would cook her in-

Raven dodged the next punch from Yang. Giving a hissing sigh as the space between them folded like it had in the cafeteria, Raven drove Omen's pommel into her forehead, "Did you really think that would work twi-"

Raven snapped Omen up, deflecting the strange secondary weapon Summer's daughter had thrown at her. Purple energy glowed along her hand and the blade as she swung moved her fingers, the blade snapping back towards Raven while the girl's helm followed her.

No, what the actual fuck? Was she a Maiden? Or was her Semblance just incredibly versatile? If she was a Maiden, why was she flaunting her powers so openly?

Raven deflected the attacks again and again, growling as she charged for Summer's daughter and-

Caught both of Yang's hands with her offhand, squeezing them together as she deflected another strike from the sword. Yang gave a red eyed glower, before speaking up, "Hey, Mom?"

"What?" Raven asked, ignoring the slight stinging that came with the infliction. She had always intended to offer Yang a place in the clan, when she was old enough.

"Legs," Yang said, and then used the foot she had slid behind Raven's when she wasn't looking to sweep her legs out from under her at the exact same time the sword slashed across her arm and was caught by Summer's daughter. Yang followed her down, grappling her with her left and and swinging for Raven with the right, delivering a heavy hit to the bandit's cheek, "That's for the seventeen years of abandonment!"

"You wouldn't understand," Raven spat, Aura sparking.

"And I don't want to," Yang growled, eyes blazing red, "this is percussive venting. So get ready for this! Ruby, make sure she doesn't get away!"

"Right!" Summer's daughter nodded, clutching both her weapons and kicking Raven in the side. Did they actually think she was going to take a beating lying down?

Raven wormed her hand into Omen's sheath, wrapping her hand around a certain blade and preparing herself. They were gonna regret starting this fight soon, Raven had more experience, more tricks up her sleeve, and more ruthlessness.

-X Blake X-

Blake rushing through the halls of Beacon with Riku on her back, eyes locked onto the Scroll blipping away Ruby and Yang's location. Next to her Pyrrha was doing the same with Sora, and ahead of them Glynda was moving faster than Blake had ever seen her move, making it take everything Blake had to just avoid losing ground.

"Who was that?" Blake asked her, and Glynda looked backwards, lips tight.

"Raven Branwen," Glynda said, "Qrow's sister and Yang's mother. She left… well-"

"If she's not Ruby's mother, a long time ago," Pyrrha said, "Mister Xiao Long doesn't seem like the time to cheat on someone."

You could never tell that. But still, given the reaction to Raven's sudden appearance at Beacon, she doubted the relationship dissolved at Tai's end. If Yang trying to hit her alone, maybe, but Ruby joining in implied it had hurt Yang, Tai… or both.

"Yes," Glynda said, "She just disappeared one day, then, Summer-"

Everyone staggered as the ground shook, stomachs plunging. Blake rushed forward alongside Pyrrha, Glynda easily outpacing them both. Reaching the open the door that their Scrolls were indicating and blinking at the small gathering of students from several schools, Blake watched the writhing tendrils of plant matter wrap around Ruby's torso and arms. Yang ripped off each one that had tried to grab her, thorns the size railroad spikes tearing at her skin as she tried to approach Raven, who had impaled a green blade into the ground and was pouring Aura into it. A vine wrapped around Ruby's throat, Aura flashing around the thorn trying to impale her jaw, "Stop before I have to hurt her-"

Blake snorted before she could stop herself, and sure enough, Ruby's voice spoke quietly around the tendril restricting her airflow, "Firaga."

From three spots along the vines, flames suddenly roared into existence, chewing away the plants and letting Ruby drop towards Crescent Rose like a phoenix, flames burning from both blade and wielder. Raven rushed forward, grabbing the blade and throwing it away as black lightning crackled along the blade. The greatsword impaled itself between a rabbit Faunus and a girl in trendy clothing, "Did you really think I'd just let you-"

Ruby didn't explain plans aloud very often. Maybe it was because she was so used to working with Aqua, Terra and Ventus. But Blake had come to know her partner enough to know one thing. Raven had just done exactly what Ruby intended.

Crescent Rose vanishing in a flash of smoke and fire, appearing in Ruby's hand and swinging for Raven's head. Raven swung the hiltless blade up just in time to block the strike, Crescent Rose sinking into the metal slowly but surely, causing blood red eyes to widen in horror before Raven threw herself away from Ruby and towards her odatchi. Ruby yanked the blade off Crescent Rose with a gloved hand, throwing the long blade at Raven and forcing her to deflect it before Master Defender flew at Raven and was deftly dodged. Forcing her right into the path of the still charging Yang, "Forget about me? Again!?"

Raven rapidly switched blades as she dodged each punch from Yang, Pulling the trigger frost gathered along the blade and chilled the air. Yang didn't let up, instead taking the stab to the shoulder and driving a fist into Raven's side, pulling the blade out with the recoiling. Ruby landed, pointing her Keyblade at Yang, "Cure!"

Skin knit together, and Yang worked her arm, glaring at Raven as she adjusted her grip on the sword, "Why are you doing this!?"

"I think the fact that you have to ask that," Yang said, voice different, colder instead of the heat she normally held when angry, "is enough of an answer."

And then both sisters were back on Raven, Ruby deflecting blows so Yang could land punches, or vice versa. Blake wanted to leap down to join them, could tell that Pyrrha wanted to do the same. They didn't know how badly this had been building, but someone had hurt one of their team in some way, and Blake was certain that if Adam showed up today, the team would have jumped on him in a second.

But Ruby had handed her Riku, had put her student's safety in Blake's hands while she fought Raven… and so there was no question, Blake had to stand by, hold onto Riku, and keep him from getting involved.

But that didn't mean Blake liked it at all.

-X Yang X-

Yang slammed a fist into Raven's ribcage, Burn crackling through her body. The black haired woman bit back a gasp, recoiling from the blow. No, not now, not after everything. Not after years of looking, years of wondering. Was she inadequate to her mother in some way? Had she wanted Yang to be black haired like her? Or maybe a boy?

Why had she abandoned her? Why had she abandoned Dad? Why had it been Summer to tuck Yang in at night? To read her bedtime stories and to introduce her to her sister? Why was Summer Rose a better mother than Raven Branwen had ever even tried to be?

Those were all questions that, had they met in any other circumstances, if Yang had finally found Raven, she might have asked. But no, instead Raven had just walked into Beacon, hadn't even paid mind to the idea that her daughter was there. She had come because of some damn piece of scrap metal!

Yang gave an almost beastial yell, grabbing Raven by the neck and chokeslaming her into the ground. There were no questions, just the pure catharsis of pummeling Raven. Years of pent up pain, anger and loss flowed through her, amping Burn as she continued to wail on Raven.

Raven wormed her feet under Yang, kicking her off and sending a wave of ice at her with a pull of Omen's trigger. Before it could hit Yang, a torrent of fire blasted down from the sky, melting the ice.

Yang spared a glance at Ruby hovering in air, eyes blazing as she nodded to Yang with a smile. Yang grinned back before entering the steam, letting it amp Burn up further. Raven had switched blades, a pure white one swinging for Yang.

Compared to the size of the weapon Sephiroth used, the speed which he swung it, she might as well have been swinging through molasses. Yang wrapped an arm around the blade, feeling it struggle against her Aura before Yang was sent flying back by an explosion of wind. In a flash, Raven had switched to a purple, swinging at Ruby and causing a monstrous crash, the ground below Ruby had been shattered.

If Yang had been seeing red before, now she was seeing the crimson of blood, standing up and glaring at Raven. She hadn't, she hadn't hurt her sister!

Burn coursed through her body in a way it had never before, coiling and ready. Yang clenched one fist, flames gathering around it, and charged at Raven with all the force she could muster, the ground breaking with each step.

-X Riku X-

Riku watched the fight with a wide grin on his face, occasionally glancing over at Sora so they could share the excitement. In his hand, Riku's sword sat, "Best. Teacher. Ever. We gotta get Ruby to teach you too!"

"Yeah!" Sora said with an excited nod, eyes bright with excitement. The blonde haired woman with glasses turned towards them, face pale.

"I'm sorry, did you say Ruby was your teacher?" She asked.

"Yeah!" Riku nodded, lifting his sword, "she's showing me how to use this!"

"Heaven help me," the woman muttered, "She-"

And then the air changed, becoming heavy and think like syrup and Riku flashed back to the only moment he had to compare it to. Of dodging giant shadowy hands and calling for Ruby to save him.

Black flames exploded around Yang, rising off her fists and scars as golden energy glowed under it and off her hair, her eyes glowing bright yellow. And then with a yell like a wild animal, Yang charged the black haired woman, the broken ground below them shattering even more. She switched to a blue blade as Yang approached, pulling the trigger and causing a spike of ice to launch at Yang.

Yang shattered it without a flinch, catching the tip and throwing it at the woman, who shattered it and swung for Yang. The black fire and her right fist shattered the sword before smashing into the woman's gut, "Don't! Touch! My! Sister! I'll-!"

And then the woman suddenly vanished, dropping next to them as Ruby stepped forward, Master Defender bared, "Yang… I'm sorry. But I'm gonna make this right. C'mon, let's go."

-X Ruby X-

Ruby watched the Darkness rising off Yang as she stepped away from the warped space she had used to dodge the gravity dust Raven had used, stomach rolling. This was her fault, she had brought Yang through the Corridors without a coat or armor… this was her fault.

Ruby warped Raven away from Yang, summoning Master Defender to her and walked towards Yang, stomach rolling, "Yang… I'm sorry. But I'm gonna make this right. C'mon, let's go."

"Wha-? You're defending her!?"

"No," Ruby said, shifting Master Defender low, "I'm saving you."

Ruby charged forward, swinging for Yang with her Keyblade. Yang dodged the strike, anger in her yellow eyes, "You're helping her!"

Ruby flowed around the punch from her sister, Master Defender glowing as she drove it into Yang's gut, pushing her back, "I'm helping you! You're stronger than this, Yang! Control it, don't let it control you!"

Yang growled, the Darkness crackling around her as she stepped forward, "I-"

"You've fought Sephiroth," Ruby said, lowering her Keyblade, "You killed a Reaver with it's own spine! You can control the Darkness, not the other way around! Please… Please don't make me fight you, Yang. I don't want to if I don't have to."

Yang growled, shaking her head, "Why- why are you-?"

"Because this is my fault," Ruby said, "if I hadn't brought you through the Corridors with me, this wouldn't be happening."

"I want-! Yang started, before striking the edge of the arena, cracking the ground, "I want to fight her, not you!"

"Then take it down," Ruby said, "force the Darkness back and we can go back to beating the crud out of her-"

"Don't I get a say in that!?" Raven called.

"No," Ruby responded bluntly, before turning back of Yang, "but Yang… do it with your own power. Don't let the Darkness control you."

"You use Darkness," Yang argued

"I use Darkness," Ruby said, "and I specifically avoid moves that let the Darkness use me. I'll show you how after, but for now, don't give it the power. If you give it power over you now, it's gonna be easier to do it next time."

"That's a slippery slope fallacy," Yang said.

"A fala- what?"

"Something we learned about in Signal," Yang said, the Darkness fading and her eyes changed back to red, "Fine. I trust you."

"Good," Ruby said, warping space so Raven was between them, "You want to do the honors?"

"With pleasure!" Yang said, swinging at Raven's face with a haymaker that Raven dodged, growling.

"Why are you doing this?"

"Call it venting, mom," Yang snarked, "something parents should help their kids with, so congratulations, you're actually doing a decent job for once in your life!"

- X Tai X-

Tai stepped off the Bullhead with a heavy sigh, the chameleon Faunus thrown over one shoulder. Pulling out his Scroll, Tai locked up as he saw the image from Glynda, bold text over the bottom.

TRAINING ROOM 3-C

In the photo, a short haired Yang's fist was colliding with the face of Raven Branwen, Omen slashing into her side in return. Tai shared a quiet look of horror with Qrow, then tossed the girl to Clover and took off.

"What's she doing here?" Tai asked.

"I don't know," Qrow said.

"Why's she fighting Yang?"

"I don't know," Qrow repeated as they thundered through the halls, reaching the room with record time. Stepping in, they both watched the fight going on for a second, just in time to see Omen pierce Ruby's shoulder, igniting and sizzling flesh and blood with a hiss from Ruby. They'd been fighting so long her Aura was down?

Yang smashed into her mother from behind, hooking her arm around the back of Raven's neck and throwing her to the ground with an almighty bang, hair billowing from the momentum. Yang wrapped her hand around the scruff of Raven's shirt, drawing back her fist for another punch.

Tai moved like he was twenty again at the same time Glynda blasted the two apart, landing and catching Yang as Qrow did the same for Raven. Ruby stood for a moment, sword held high and coat swishing over armor, before she lowered it.

"That's gone on for quite enough," Glynda said, flicking the Disciplinarian and the ground repaired itself with nary a crack to show the state of utter destruction it had been in seconds ago, "I let you vent for half an hour, Miss Xiao Long, Miss Rose and I think it's become clear that you aren't going to stop unless someone forces you to. Your behavior in front of the other schools is completely unbecoming of a student of Beacon."

Ruby and Yang shifted, clearly uncomfortable as it dawned on them just how many people had been watching the blowout. Muttering and pale faces all around, and Tai couldn't help the chuckle as one person said, "They're not gonna be in the tournament right? C'mon, we… they'd give us a fighting chance, wouldn't they?"

"Now," Glynda said, "We can make for a private room, where matters-"

"Hey, Lux!" An unfamiliar voice suddenly drawled, a dark portal opening behind Ruby and letting out a man in the same hooded coat Ruby wore for years, a girl a couple years younger than her held in one arm, a Keyblade in the other, "Ya busy?"

"Kinda," Ruby deadpanned, "but that's gonna stop you, is it?"

"As if," the man scoffed, dropping the girl like a sack of potatoes, stabbing the Keyblade into the ground next to her seconds later, "This is Skuld. You're taking care of her now."

"Yeah?" Ruby said, voice resigned. Tai's mouth fell open, brain trying to figure out what he was watching.

"Yeah," the man said, patting Ruby on the shoulder, "you're training Keyblade users, she's got a Keyblade, she's your responsibility. Got it?"

"Sure," Ruby said, sighing and waving a gauntleted hand, "sure. Thanks."

"You're welcome," the man said, "catch ya around."

"Yep," Ruby said, still not raising her voice, "See you."

The man turned, vanishing back into the portal without another word. The girl opened her eyes, looking around in confusion, "Wha- where am I? Who are you?"

"It's," Ruby sighed, running a hand through her hair, "It's a long story, kid. I'm your new teacher, I guess. Riku! Come meet your fellow apprentice!"

Riku hopped down, grinning wildly as he rushed towards them and tackled Skuld into a hug, grinning up at Ruby, "Does this mean you'll train Sora now!?"

-X AN X-

Yep, Ruby supply of fucks to give died a while back. Resignation to the stupid bullshit Braig and MoM drag her into is all that's left. Also, did you think those trips through the Corridors without a coat weren't gonna be important?

Next time, Skuld gets officially introduced, Raven gets her answers, and everyone else tries to figure out what the fuck they just watched (both the fight and Braig suddenly popping in).

Thoughts, questions and opinions? Good? Bad? Meh?