Hello all Storm here with a new chapter! It has been a while since I updated this story, but writing this chapter was very difficult, both figuring out what it would cover and how to write it out. But I finally managed it and I hope you all enjoy the chapter. So, without further ado.
I own nothing
Two weeks have passed, since Mordred had revealed her past to Teams RWBY, JNPR and Ozpin, minus the whole being from a different world part, along with telling Ozpin about being a Maiden. In that time, things had mostly gone back to normal, aside from a few things happening.
For one, Mordred was now the temporary Combat Instructor, with Ozpin having punished Goodwitch, and put her on desk duty for the remainder of the semester. He had also made Glynda be the one to inform the families of Team CRDL, what happened to their sons; something no Huntsman and Huntress enjoys, telling parents that their own children were dead.
It was tiring for Mordred, since before when she was just the Assistant Instructor, she just had to observe, give some advice and oversee the spars, while also stopping them, if she saw things going too far. Now though, she actually had to teach them, and Mordred knew she was not teacher material.
It's why she always rejected taking a Genin Team in Konoha, she simply didn't have the patience to teach children. Granted, the students at Beacon were older than fresh out of the Academy Genin, but she still didn't like it.
Mordred had also heard about an incident at the docks, involving Team RWBY and the White Fang. It apparently started after Blake accidentally revealed that she used to be a member of the Fang, after getting angry at Weiss. While they didn't care about her being Faunus, revealing she used to be part of a terrorist group was entirely different story, and she ended up running again. Thankfully, her teammates still didn't care and still accepted her.
Though Mordred hadn't been present when the dock incident occurred, having gotten an urgent call from one of her clones. And after hearing, and seeing, what the clone called her about, Mordred knew it was definitely more important for her to deal with that problem, before it could become a very dangerous problem.
'But I was able to get a trump card out of it, should the time ever come, where I'd need a major power boost.' Mordred thought.
Aside from that, different teams from the other three Huntsman Schools have also started to show up, in preparation for the Vytal Festival. Though in addition to the Atlas students, there came a fleet of Atlas airships, accompanied by General Ironwood, himself. Mordred had only met Ironwood once, during her time as Weiss's bodyguard, and she could say he was an okay guy, who always did everything he could to protect people, even if he used questionable methods.
Though if there was one thing that Mordred didn't like about Ironwood, it's that he also relied too heavily on the military might of Atlas, most of which consisted of robotic soldiers, rather than humans. If there's one thing Mordred didn't trust, it's an army of machines that could easily be hacked, or shut down.
Ozpin had also asked Mordred to be with him to greet Ironwood, given the General was also in the know about the Maidens and Salem. Though Mordred had refused, along with telling Ozpin not to reveal her status as the Summer Maiden, having learned that the Winter Maiden, an old woman, was still alive in Atlas. That left Mordred being the most recent, and last, Summer Maiden.
At least now, she knew which Maiden she was and what Vault she can open.
But the one thing that has had Mordred on edge, was a team from Haven that consisted of Emerald Sustrai, Mercury Black and Cinder Fall. Whoever they were, Mordred knew they weren't ordinary students. Not to mention, Mordred could tell a killer when she sees one, and those three definitely have blood on their hands.
Not to mention Cinder, from what Mordred sensed, also possessed magic, but not to the same level as herself. This told the Uzumaki that Cinder and her teammates are likely the ones who attacked the Fall Maiden, since Ozpin had filled her in on Amber's condition, and stole half her power. However, even with this knowledge, Mordred can't do anything, as she can't just randomly kill three visiting students. It would just create all sorts of problems, not to mention, all the resulting negativity would attract the Grimm.
But if they, in anyway, hurt or attacked her friends, then Mordred will hunt each of them down, before killing them in the most slow and painful method she can think of. Consequences be damned.
Currently, Mordred was teaching another Combat Class, this time with the students sparring against each other. At the moment, she was watching as Pyrrha was soundlessly defeating, yet another First Year team.
"And that's the match." Mordred said, after Pyrrha took out the final team member.
"Very good, Ms. Nikos. But don't think the tournament matches will be this easy." Said Mordred, knowing that only the best teams of the four Academies were entering.
"Yes, Uzumaki-sensei." Pyrrha said, nodding.
"Alright, I believe we have time for one more sparring match. Any volunteers? Ms. Belladonna?" Mordred said, looking at Blake, only to frown when she saw Blake wasn't really paying attention, until she called her name, and she also looked like she hasn't been sleeping much.
"You've been rather docile for the past few classes. Why don't you-"
"I'll do it." Said Mercury, raising his hand, making Mordred look at him with narrowed eyes, suspicious of him suddenly volunteering, given in all the past classes he and his team attended, none of them ever once made an effort to spar with the others.
Now he's suddenly volunteering.
"Mercury, is it? Very well, let's find you an opponent." Mordred said, willingly to let him fight, if only to see how he fought, though she guessed his fighting style revolved around various kicks, given his weapons were attached to his boots.
"Actually, I wanna fight... her." Mercury said, pointing at Pyrrha, surprising the redhead, while Mordred's suspicions only increased.
"Me?" Pyrrha asked, surprised he'd want to fight her.
"Well that's a shame, because Ms. Nikos has already had her match. So we'll just have to find you a different opponent." Said Mordred, while keeping a straight face, despite being suspicious of him and his team.
She didn't know why Mercury wanted to fight Pyrrha, specifically, but Mordred wasn't going to let it happen.
"No, it's fine! I'd be happy to oblige." Said Pyrrha politely, only for Mordred to look at her.
"That's very kind of you Ms. Nikos, but as I said you've already had your match, and it'd be unfair if the other students didn't get a chance to spar, as well. Please take your seat." Said Mordred, with Pyrrha nodding, before she went back up to sit with her team.
Though she wasn't upset or anything. In fact, Pyrrha was happy that Mordred rejected her offer to fight Mercury. Given Pyrrha has always expected people to let her have her way, given her reputation, it felt nice to have someone finally tell her no.
Mordred then looked at her Scroll, while hiding her smirk, as she saw Mercury and Emerald's annoyed expressions.
'Good, get annoyed and then get angry. It'll make things that much easier to find out what you're really doing here.' Mordred thought, before looking as the bell sounded, signaling the end of the class.
"That is all for today. And remember, the dance is this weekend. But don't forget that you will be having have your first mission on Monday, so I expect all of you to show up on time." Said Mordred, as the students began filing out of the arena.
Mordred soon followed, though not before giving one last glance at Mercury and Emerald, while noticing that once again, Cinder wasn't present. In fact, she has hardly ever seen her with her supposed teammates.
'Teammates or subordinates.' Mordred thought, annoyed that she didn't know more about what the three were planning.
Though she could guess that Cinder wanted to claim the other half of the Fall Maiden's power. And probably her own powers, as Mordred has zero doubt that Salem was aware of her power, after her display at Forever Falls. That still left the problem of why Mercury wanted to fight Pyrrha.
'Unless they're scouting all the possible candidates that Ozpin is considering giving the remaining Fall Maiden's power to, and Pyrrha would be the most likely to be chosen.' Mordred thought with narrowed eyes.
If that was the case, then Cinder wanted Mercury to spar against Pyrrha to get a feel for her fighting prowess, along with finding out what her Semblance was, making it easier for Cinder to go against Pyrrha.
That thought made Mordred clench her fists in anger, knowing from what little she's seen of Cinder, she was someone who desired power. Wanting it all for herself, and is willing to kill anyone, who would get in her way.
'Well, at least I know I'll be able to show her what true power is, before ripping her to shreds.' Thought Mordred as her eyes glowed red.
Feeling her Scroll vibrate, Mordred pulled it out and saw she had a message.
Guess who?
With the message was a picture of someone Mordred knew, in what was she recognized as her room. Seeing the picture made Mordred smirk, and begin walking faster to her room, knowing she just found the perfect distraction.
*Timeskip-Next Day*
Yang exited the classroom, after having finished telling Blake about her step-mother, Summer Rose, and about her desire to find her birth mother. She hoped that it would help her partner calm down and relax, in her desire to find out just what the White Fang and Torchwick were planning.
While Yang would give anything to finally meet her birth mother, she wouldn't let that desire control her and dictate her actions. Now, Yang had to hope she made Blake see that they couldn't let their desire to find out the truth control them, otherwise it'd only hurt them in the end.
"I knew you looked familiar."
Yang jumped in surprise at the sudden voice, and looked to see Mordred leaning against the wall, beside the door.
"Mordred?! How long were you there?" Yang asked, wondering if she heard what was said.
"Long enough, and I knew you looked familiar when I first saw you. Though I'm surprised, I didn't think Raven would have a daughter." Said Mordred, having suspected Yang was related to Raven, but didn't consider she was her daughter.
"You know my mom?" Yang asked, surprised that Mordred knew her birth mother, and probably familiar with her, if she used her first name so casually.
"Yeah, I know her. We've run into each other a couple times." Mordred answered, with Yang not believing what she was hearing, or her luck at finding a real lead to her birth mother.
"Do you know where she is?" Asked Yang, hoping she could finally get the answers that she's always wanted.
Unfortunately, Yang was disappointed when Mordred shook her head.
"Not anymore, she used to stay in Anima, but…" Mordred trailed off, not sure if she should tell Yang the specific details.
"But what?" Yang asked, wanting to hear more about her mother, even if she was disappointed with not getting a location.
"Before I tell you, just how much do you know about Raven?" Asked Mordred, wanting to know just how much Yang knew about her mother.
"Not much, just that she was on the same team as mine and Ruby's dad, our uncle, and Ruby's mom." Yang replied, as she never was able to get any information out of her dad, or uncle, in regards to her mother.
'Oh boy.' Mordred thought, knowing this likely won't be easy for Yang to hear.
"Well, how I met Raven is kind of complicated. It was before I came to Beacon, I was a freelance Mercenary/Bounty Hunter. I took plenty of jobs from all Four Kingdoms, whether it was exterminating Grimm, hunting bandits, or acting as a bodyguard, that's actually how I met Weiss, as well. Anyway, it was during my time in Anima, that I got a job to exterminate a tribe of bandits, that were known to raid villages and steal their resources. The attacks also ended up attracting Grimm, which would then kill everyone in the villages they raid, leaving nothing but bodies and destroyed ruins. They were called the Branwen Tribe." Mordred said, making Yang's eyes widening in shock, when she heard the tribes name.
"The…Branwen Tribe?" Yang asked, having sinking feeling, since this tribe has the same name as her uncle and mom.
"Yeah, they stuck mostly to the western part of Anima, traveling to different locations to set up camp and attacking villages, while letting the Grimm finish off any survivors, covering their tracks. I was eventually able to find them, after seeing the aftermath of one of their raids and managed to track them back to their current camp. I scouted it for a few days, seeing how many there were, what weapons they used, which of them would prove to be threats. The only one I saw, who would have given me problems, was your mother." Mordred revealed, with Yang gulping at having it confirmed.
It was a lot to take in, hearing her own mother was a bandit, a leader of a tribe of them apparently. And was responsible for not only attacking villages, but also letting the survivors be killed by Grimm. It definitely wasn't what Yang had hoped to hear, after finally learning about her mother.
"And, what happened after?" Yang asked, shivering when Mordred's eyes darkened.
"I slaughtered them." Answered Mordred.
She hadn't felt any remorse when she killed that group of thieves and murderers. In fact, she enjoyed every second of their screams of pain and agony, as they begged for mercy. After all, they didn't show any mercy to the people whose villages they attacked, the friends and families they killed, all while leaving them for the Grimm to finish off.
"Though I didn't attack right away. I waited until Raven took some of them on another raid to an empty village that I had set up to look like it was still inhabited." Mordred said, having used a mix between a widespread Genjutsu and Fuinjutsu to make it look like a real village.
"Once she was gone, I attacked the camp and killed those that stayed behind. Once they were all dead, I waited for the rest to return, and when they did, the real trouble began. I was able to kill most of them, until Raven caught me and we ended up fighting." Said Mordred, remembering the fight.
It was definitely the hardest fight she had, since arriving in Remnant; especially since she was going up against a fellow Maiden. It had been a surprise to see that Raven was the Spring Maiden, even more so that she'd use her Maiden powers, right from the start.
But it just showed how angry Raven had been at what Mordred had done. The Uzumaki was sure that if it wasn't for her own Maiden powers, Chakra, and her fighting experience, she would have died.
"Our fight ended up getting the Grimm's attention, and they started attacking the bandits, as well. When I saw that more Grimm were showing up, I got out of there when I had the chance. After that, I was able to learn that ninety-nine percent of the tribe members were dead, while those that remained being scattered to the winds, with Raven being one of the few that survived." Mordred said, finishing her story and looking at the stunned Yang, who was processing everything she just learned.
"What happened after? You said you encountered my mom other times?" Yang asked, pushing those thoughts aside for now, while Mordred smirked and chuckled lightly.
"Aaaah, one thing you should know about Raven, is that she can hold a grudge. She actually chased me across the Four Kingdoms, wanting to kill me, with us fighting each time we encountered one another. The first few times ended in draws, but after some time, I was able to figure out her fighting style and beat her. Beat her into the ground, to be more precise." Mordred said, having beaten Raven severely, given she had lead raids against villages, leading to dozens of people dying.
"Did…did you kill her?" Yang asked nervously.
While she may be disgusted and angry to hear about her mom's former…profession, Yang still wanted to get answers from her.
"I could have, but I didn't. She already knew I could kill her if I wanted to. So I gave her a warning that if she tried creating another bandit tribe, I'd kill them as well, along with if she attacked any more villages. Though while she got the message, Raven still hunts me down, every now and then, but she's not doing it to kill me anymore, so that's good." Said Mordred.
"What makes you say that?" Yang questioned with a raised brow, as given everything Mordred has told her, her mom didn't seem like she'd let what Mordred did go.
Though Yang became cautious, when Mordred smirked at her.
"Another thing about Raven, is that she likes power." Mordred stated, with Yang only looking at her confused.
"What does that-"
"I mean she really likes it." Said Mordred, with her smirk now becoming rather familiar and suggestive.
It took a moment for it to click in Yang's mind, and the moment it did, she reeled back and gagged.
"Gross! That's my mom!" Exclaimed Yang, realizing what Mordred meant and what she was implying.
"Hey you asked!" Said Mordred, while grinning widely.
"I didn't ask that! I wouldn't even want to know that! Oh Oum, I need to bleach my brain!" Yang said, covering her eyes as several unwanted images popped into her head, and what made it worse was that it kind of turned her on.
"If it's any consolation, she seduced me!"
"I'm gonna be sick!"
"I mean, I could have stopped it. But if you've seen Raven in person, you would understand why I went along!"
"Please, for the love of everything, stop!"
"I would be inclined to believe you, if wasn't for that blush and the fact that I can smell your arousal. If you want, you can join me the next time Raven and I get together."
"Oh, Shut Up!"
Mordred merely laughed, as Yang's face turned green, while having a small, but noticeable blush on her cheeks, as more unwanted images popped into her head. Only this time, Yang could now see herself in some of them.
After taking a moment to lock all the mental pictures away into the deepest corner of her mind, Yang looked at Mordred, wanting to get back on topic.
"Okay, ignoring all that. What, exactly should I expect, if I meet her?" Yang asked wanting to know what kind of greeting she should expect from Raven
This made Mordred turn serious again.
"I'm not really sure. Raven never once mentioned she had a daughter or any family, besides her brother Qrow. Granted I never bothered asking, I just assumed she wasn't the type to have kids." Mordred replied, Yang's expression falling
"Oh." Yang muttered disappointed at not getting the answer she was hoping for, yet again.
Though she looked up, when Mordred put a hand on her shoulder and looked at her with understanding eyes.
"But in my experience, when it comes to absentee parents; hope for the best, but expect the worst." Said Mordred.
After what happened when she officially met her father, Mordred had learned that while it was okay to hope for the best outcome, she should always be prepared for the worst. It was a painful lesson to learn, even more painful with how she learned it, but it also made her stronger.
"Plus, if there is one certainty I know, it's that you should never doubt a mother's love for her children." Said Mordred, having learned that lesson with her own mother, and here on Remnant, as well.
"After hearing what she's like, I doubt she could love anyone." Yang said, given Raven not only abandoned her to go back to a bunch of bandits, but even after they were gone, she never once bothered approaching Yang.
"Perhaps. But Raven is also extremely prideful, refusing to acknowledge her own faults and always trying to justify her actions, both to herself and others. The best thing you can do, when finally meeting her, Yang, is tear her down. Rip away her pride, her confidence, everything, until you see who she truly is." Said Mordred.
That was another reason why Mordred hadn't killed Raven, when she first had the chance, she had brought the Spring Maiden down low. She had fully intended to kill Raven, until she saw the look in her eyes, and didn't see the hatred, anger, vengeance, confidence, or anything else that she saw in Raven's eyes, before then.
Instead, all she saw was fear; fear of death, fear of pain, fear of her. It was a look Mordred had seen before on the faces of people she's killed prior, and it never stopped her before. But seeing it in Raven's eyes, it made Mordred hesitate, as it wasn't just the fear of death and her that she saw, but something else, as well.
Mordred didn't know what it was, but it made her spare Raven and simply give her a warning, instead. Even after Raven continued to come after her, Mordred never made an attempt to kill her, always letting Raven live.
She never bothered asking Raven why she felt the need to hide herself behind her pride, cynicism, and selfishness, knowing it wasn't her place to ask, unless Raven wanted to tell her.
Yang looked at Mordred, contemplating her words, before nodding.
Seeing Yang nod, while still looking thoughtful, Mordred patted her fellow blonde on the shoulder, before walking past her.
"Mordred, thank you." Yang said to her teacher and friend.
While what she learned about her mother wasn't what Yang had been hoping to hear, it was still more than she's learned after years of searching. And it made Yang just all the more determined to find her, and get her answers.
"No problem. And who knows, if you stick close to me long enough, you might meet Raven sooner than you think. She might even be here now, for all we know." Said Mordred, while looking out a window and spotting a raven bird with red eyes sitting perched on a light post.
Looking to where Mordred was, Yang only saw a few black feathers floating to the ground.
Meanwhile, Mordred frowned in thought, thinking of another part of the story that Yang told Blake.
Reaching into her pocket, Mordred pulled out a red crystal that she had created with her Maiden powers. It wasn't the crystal itself that was important, but what was encased inside it. A souvenir from one of her past jobs, a white rose petal.
So, what did you think, good. Yep Mordred has now temporarily become the main Combat Instructor, with Goodwitch being punished for not letting her handle the situation with Team CRDL and we see Mordred does not enjoy having to really teach a class herself. But we also see her own suspicions of Cinder, Mercury, and Emerald, along with sensing the Fall Maiden power in Cinder, along with preventing Mercury from challenging Pyrrha and discovering her Semblance, before deducing the reason as to why he wanted to fight Pyrrha. Then we see Mordred overhearing Yang's story to Blake and realizing she is Raven's daughter, before proceeding to give Yang the hard truth of who Raven is, along with revealing she knows Raven quite…intimately (Tucker: Bow-Chicka Bow-Wow). Mordred than gave Yang some advice on what to do and expect when she does finally meet Raven. Finally we see Mordred also focused on another part of Yang's story and remembering a certain souvenir she gained from a past mission. (by the laws of anime, if there's no body found then they aren't dead). So, review if you liked go away if you didn't.
Storm out
