Chapter 18

"What kind of problem?" Asked a concerned Raven, having never seen Vernal so startled. "Infirmary...Ruby…" started Vernal, only to feel a breeze across her face, as Raven rushed out of her tent, a red and black blur made its way to the camp's infirmary.

Upon reaching the infirmary, Raven found multiple figures hunched over one of the infirmary beds, she caught a glimpse of Ruby's red and black hair. Multiple of her bandits had their weapons aimed at the infirmary bed, a fact that infuriated Raven.

"Put your guns down!" Raven demanded, with a gaze so intense it threatened to kill her men where they stood. The bandits immediately lowered their rifles, terrified of the done in Raven's voice. "Why are you aiming your weapons at my daughter?" Raven questioned. All of her bandits stared at her blankly, too afraid to say anything, until the camp's healer started speaking.

"Raven, this isn't your daughter," the healer answered, stepping to the side so Raven could get a good view of the infirmary's patient. At first, Raven was confused, there sat her daughter, unconscious and wrapped in an old blanket, but Raven slowly started to recognize the difference between her daughter and this woman.

The woman's face was more chiseled and defined her body taller and a little bulkier, the realization hit Raven like a truck, why was she here, had she found out the truth?

"Raven?" one of her bandits asked, gaining Raven's attention. "What do you want us to do with her?" the man asked.

Raven pondered her options, her first instinct was to kill the woman, it would save her a lot of time and trouble and it would prevent her from taking Ruby away from her. It would only take a word and she would never have to worry about Summer again, but she couldn't, no matter who things were between the two, they were still sisters.

"I want you to tend to her wounds and tell me when she wakes up," Raven demanded, as she turned around and started to exit the tent. "I can wake right now actually," the healer commented, as she walked over to the unconscious form of Summer. "Do it," said Raven, as she turned back standing by Summer's side.

Raven watched as her healer placed a hand on Summer's forehead, her hand glowing with a bright yellow glow. Summer's aura responded by glowing a less intense white. The healer went to work, pouring her aura into Summer, making her aura shine brighter, Summer started to slowly stir, her silver eyes focusing on Raven's red ones.

"Rae?" Summer asked, using the old nickname she used at Beacon. "What happened?" Summer asked.

"Leave us," demanded Raven, all of her bandits leaving the infirmary, healer included. "What do you remember?" asked Raven, pulling a chair up to Summer's side. "I...I was attacked...they caught me off guard," said Summer

"Who?" asked Raven with a raised eyebrow, Summer was not a woman to be messed with, and even though she would never admit it, Summer's skill rivaled her own. "The Schnees, they sent an army of soldiers after me," Summer said.

It was weird for her to see Raven again, the last time she saw Raven was just before Ruby was taken and they hadn't left on the best of terms.

"The Schnees, what would they want with you?" Raven questioned, with a curious expression on her face. "I don't know…. I have a guess though," Summer said, "Your eyes?" Raven guessed

"I think so, I mean people have been after me, for the entirety of my life. I guess the Schnees are after me too now." Summer said bitterly.

"I see, why are you in Mistral anyways?" Raven asked. "Looking for my daughter," Summer answered. Raven didn't reply, instead looking away from Summer. "What are you going to do now?" Raven asked.

"I need to go back home. I haven't seen Qrow or Yang in a couple of months…" Summer started, realizing what she said, "And how is my daughter?" Raven asked in an accusing tone.

"She's good, off to Beacon already," Summer chuckled. "You should come and see her, I'm sure she would want to meet her mother."

"I wanted to meet her, but you and my idiotic brother took her from me," Raven spat. Summer sighed sadly, "Yeah well, karma's a b**ch," Summer cursed, thinking about how she technically stole Raven's child away and how someone stole hers away.

"That she is," agreed Raven, "I'm over it though, I realized that you two just wanted what was best for her," lied Raven, in reality, she was still angry about the whole thing.

"We could have handled it better," Summer admitted. "Yeah," Raven agreed. "Hey, Sum? What would the SDC want with your silver eyes?" Raven asked

"I don't know," Summer admitted. "Why don't we find out?" Suggested Raven, in reality, she really just wanted to know if the Schnees knew about Ruby. "What about my family?" asked Summer.

Raven needed to think fast, Summer's help was needed if Raven wanted to figure out what was going on, so she needed to use underhanded tactics. "What about your daughter?" Raven asked. Summer gained a shocked expression that quickly turned to confusion.

"What about her?" Summer questioned, not seeing where Raven was going with this. "Think about Summer, you're looking for your daughter right?" Asked Raven rhetorically, Summer nodded her head in confirmation. "So if the SDC is searching for you because of your silver eyes, maybe they have her," Raven suggested.

Raven watched as Summer's silver eyes held something that she hadn't seen in the woman's eyes before now, hope. "Alright, let's start," said Summer, as she attempted to sit up from her bed, being held down by Raven's firm hand.

"You aren't ready yet, you're suffering from aura exhaustion, rest tomorrow morning we'll start our search," said Raven, doing her best Glynda Goodwitch impersonation. "Yes mom," whined Summer, as she pulled the covers over herself. Raven stared at Summer's covered form, she was almost a carbon copy of her daughter and Raven would be lying if she said she didn't enjoy her team leader's company.

An old black door slowly creaked open, 7 figures stepping through. Watts and Hazel stood at the front of the group, behind them stood the summer maiden wrapped in chains, with the aura and magic depleting collar, Tyrian stood by her side, giggling at the maiden at the back of the group stood Emerald, Mercury, and Cinder.

"Right this way deary, our goddess would like to have a word with you," Tyrian giggled madly, pushing the maiden with the side of his tail. The young maiden stumbled forwards, landing right in front of a large black throne.

All of the group, except for Tyrian went to the side of the room waiting for Salem's orders. Looking up, the Summer maiden was stricken by fear, when her eyes fell upon the queen of the Grimm, Salem, sat in her throne with a pleased smile on her face.

"It's so nice to finally meet you," Salem spoke with the elegance of royalty. The summer maiden looked on in fear as the monstrous woman greeted her, the only thing she could do now was to try and act tough, until help arrived.

"Nothing to say?" Salem asked mockingly, only to hear silence from the summer maiden.

"Speak when spoken too," demanded Tyrian, kicking the captured maiden in the back. The summer maiden grunted in pain but continued her silence. Salem grew frustrated with the girl's silence, "Take her back to her cell," Salem demanded, Tyrian roughly picked the maiden up, leading her back to her cell. "With the Summer maiden captured, we can proceed to the next step in the plan. How go things, at Beacon Academy?" Salem asked.

"Things are going according to the plan, we are preparing to implement Watts's virus into the CCT tower," Cinder explained. Salem tapped her foot against the throne room's dark stone floor, "Has the fall maiden been dealt with?" Salem asked. Cinder hesitated for a moment trying to think of what to tell her mistress.

"Not yet, mistress, it would seem Ozpin has hidden her well, but I have full confidence that Raven's child will find her." Cinder answered. Salem risked in annoyance, at the mention of Ozpin's name, "I've put a lot of faith in this girl, and I know next to nothing about her. Tell me about the child" Salem ordered.

"Yes ma'am, she's a young girl maybe 15 or 16, short and a little chubby, she has black hair that turns red at the tips," Cinder started until Salem hummed in thought. "Red at the tips," Salem mumbled, "What color are the girl's eyes?"

That threw cinder for a loop, did Salem already know? Cinder didn't have a choice, she had to lie, otherwise Ruby would be a goner. "Red," Cinder lied, trying to put on a stoic face. Salem looked unmoved by Cinder's answer, Mercury and Emerald however looked at each other trying not to give their shock.

"A mistake then," Salem mused, as she lifted her hand up checking her pearl white nails. Cinder continued to stare at the old witch, certain that she would call a pack of Grimm to tear her apart, just for lying to her, but the order never came. "Cinder, whenever you get the chance, bring the girl to me, I would love to meet her."

"Of course mistress," Cinder quickly answered looking up at Salem with relief. "Is there anything else mistress?' Cinder asked, eager to leave her mistress's land. "That will be all, you and your disciples may leave," Salem ordered.

The three quickly left, leaving Hazel Watts, and Salem, alone in the throne room. "Watts, I want you to keep an eye on Cinder, not telling me is one thing, but LYING TO ME...is not acceptable" Salem took a deep breath, trying to reign in her anger.

"I understand madam," Watts answered.

"If I may ma'am, what exactly is Cinder lying about? And why haven't you dealt with her like the others?" Hazel asked. Hazel instantly regretted his decision, when Salem's red, hatred fueled, eyes focused on him.

"The girl has silver eyes, I believe Cinder knows this and is lying to protect the girl. The description Cinder gave me, perfectly matches the one I have for confirmed as a silver-eyed warrior, Summer Rose." Salem answered. "As for Cinder's punishment, I assure you, it will be severe but I still have use of Cinder and Branwen's child."

"We understand mistress," Watts answered

"You two may leave," Salem dismissed, waving her hand towards the exit. The two men turned around to exit the throne room, leaving the witch queen alone with her thoughts. "An excellent move Miss Branwen, not only have you keep your daughter's heritage a secret from me, all this time but also made so that she has an important place in my plan. Oh but don't worry once I'm done with her, you and I will be able to listen to the sweet symphony, of her screams," Salem said to herself.

Commander Zachary sat alone in the barracks after his men had failed to locate Summer Rose; they had returned to their base of operations, an old abandoned bunker that had been used in the great war. The commander's left hand held a screwdriver that he used to make adjustments and calibrate his new cybernetic right hand.

The doc's had fixed him up good, his new hand was way better than the old one, it was made of some of the finest materials that Remnant had to offer. It was also much stronger, being able to lift twice the weight he was able to lift before.

The new hand even had a few other secret upgrades, that he couldn't wait to try out on the woman who cut his hand off.

Speaking of which, the commander needed to give his boss a report, one he was not looking forward to. So with a little hesitation, he pulled out his scroll and dialed his bosses number. "Ah, commander Zachary, I trust you are on your way to the offsite facility," Jacques's powerful voice queried. Closing his eyes, commander Zachery took a deep breath, preparing to break the news to his short-tempered boss.

"Unfortunately no, the target managed to escape, we underestimated her abilities and I paid the price for it," commander Zachery said, as he held up his new cybernetic hand.

Jacques looked unconcerned at the man's new hand, "Where are you forces now?" he finally asked. "Out on patrol, looking for the target." commander Zachery answered. "Pull them back, Summer Rose is no longer of any importance, have your team head to Vale, Information on the new target is scarce, but I will send you what I have," Jacques said, as a file was sent to commander Zachery's scroll.

"Her name is Ruby Rose, daughter to Summer Rose and Qrow Branwen, born on the island of Patch, just outside of Vale. She has been missing for the past 12 years, presumed dead." Jacques read. "That's why that bi** has been running around all of Remnant," Zachery realized."Ruby Brenton, a freshman attending Beacon Academy, we have different accounts on her eyes, on some of the footage we have her eyes appear to be a dark red but in others silver." Jacques finished.

"So the brat hiding out at Beacon, under a fake name?" commander Zachery asked for clarification. "It would seem that is the case," Jacques answered. Commander Zachery gained a devilish smile, "Perfect," he muttered, excited to repay Summer Rose, for taking his hand. "Are there any questions?' Jacques asked, raising an eyebrow at the man's sudden change in attitude. "Yes sir, how do you need the target?" the man asked deviously. Jacques sighed in annoyance, Zachery rarely held a grudge against someone but when he did, he would do anything imaginable to hurt that person, including hurting their loved ones. "I only need her alive and her eyes intact, other than that use any force necessary," Jacques ordered, ending the scroll call, with a hint of annoyance.

Commander Zachery however, had a happy smile, imagining the pain he would cause Summer Rose.

"Blah, blah, blah, boring school stuff, blah, blah, blah, boring school statistics," Ruby thought, as she sat perched, in her avian form, above the teacher's lounge. Professor Port, Doctor Oobleck, and professor Ozpin sat at one of the rooms' tables.

The men were having a good time, drinking coffee and talking to each other, while Ruby spied on them from above. "I can't believe you would do that Barty, how did you escape alive?" Professor Port asked. "Yes, one would think jumping into a pit full of king taijitu would be equivalent to signing one's death warrant, but luckily a fellow huntsman stepped in and gave me a hand," Oobleck answered.

"Who was it?" Professor Port asked, his comically large mustache furrowing up a bit. "Oh it was a legendary huntsman, who graduated from this very academy, we even taught him." Doctor Oobleck answered, "Well don't keep us in suspense, who was it?" Professor Ozpin asked.

"Taiyang Xiao Long, his daughter is actually attending the academy this year, Yang I think," Oobleck answered. Ruby's red raven eyes blinked in surprise, her father? Ruby had just learned of his existence, and she knew next to nothing about him, this might be a great opportunity to learn about him. "Xiao Long, saved you? I remember him a little lazy in class, but when it came to fighting he was a legendary huntsman," Professor Port responded. "That he was," Professor Ozpin commented.

Much to Ruby's displeasure, the professor did not bring her father back up, instead talking about the approaching Vytal dance and the student missions that followed.

After a while Ruby saw that the conversation wasn't with listening to, so she left, exiting through the ventilation system and arriving at Beacon's courtyard. It was fairly late, the sun having set about an hour ago. Ruby Considered flying to Vale, if she was fast enough she might be able to catch up with her team at the movies, but decided against it, feeling her teammate might still be a little angry after the incident with Weiss's credit card.

Ruby flew by the dormitory building, confused to find her room's window open, "Yang must have left it open on accident," Ruby thought, flying through the open window, without even thinking.

The room was fairly dark, a single lamp being the only source of light in the room. Ruby landed in the middle of the room, transforming back to her human form.

"R-Ruby?" came a confused voice from the far side of the room, looking over Ruby saw Yang, Blake, and Weiss, staring at her, from atop Blake's bed, with wide eyes. "Your...a...bird?"

End of Chapter 18

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