AN: So I'm not saying you couldn't get similar interactions and internal conflicts with some rando being the one to end up with Ozpin on the brain, but it was so much easier this way.
I guess I did an okay job with Yang here since reviewers haven't expressed too much anger with her outburst. And I hope you guys like "big sister Weiss." It makes sense that she'd be the one filling in for Yang while she deals with some things.
And look at that, I addressed Jaune's feelings for Pyrrha. Granted, I probably pissed off any Arkos shippers that are still reading, but still, it's good to talk those things out. He hasn't quite gotten closure yet, but this isn't one of those fics where he takes a vow of celibacy at the age of 17 because his "partner-who-had-a-crush-on-him-but-never-got-the-courage-to-act-on-it-until-she'd-resigned-herself-to-the-possibility-of-dying" died.
I thought about making this and the last chapter, one chapter, but that just felt too long.
Jaune looked up from the firewood pile he was gathering to see Yang approaching him hesitantly.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said those things. I have no idea what you're going through and-"
Jaune grabbed her shoulder gently and pulled her in for a tight hug. "I'm sorry for what he did."
"It's not your-"
"I'm still sorry, even if I'm not responsible. I'm sorry Ozpin drove your mother away."
Yang shook her head. "She's just trying to drive a wedge between the rest of you and me. She's just as manipulative as he is."
"She told you the truth. She doesn't trust Ozpin, and she doesn't want you around him. I think she's looking out for her daughter in her way."
"Dad married Summer three years after Ruby was born. If Raven wanted to be a part of my life, all she had to do was come home."
Jaune raised a brow, "Come home to her husband, the woman he cheated on her with, and the child they had together?"
"And her daughter." Yang began to tear up again, and Jaune hugged her again.
"Easy to say, not easy to do. I think Raven's shown that it wasn't a matter of not wanting you."
Yang paused for a moment, "You know she didn't just tell me those things to keep me informed, right."
Jaune stiffened as he considered that. "She's trying to divide us."
"Why would she want to divide potential allies?"
"Raven has no intention of helping us."
The group was sitting around the campfire while Jaune and Yang explained what they'd realized.
"She just wanted us out of her camp for three days."
"To do what?" Ren asked, "She can't be planning on running, as long as the Spring Maiden's with her, she'll never be able to stay out of this."
"Maybe she's planning to steal the relic for herself." Ruby supplied. "She's got her bandit tribe and the Spring Maiden. With a relic, she could be pretty powerful."
"Maybe she thinks she can make better use of them than Ozpin." Blake shrugged.
"Either way," Jaune added, "We're surrounded by enemies, and in less than 48 hours, Raven will either kill us or be gone."
"So what?" Nora asked, "We just go back, empty-handed?"
Ruby thought for a moment, "Maybe not just yet."
The others looked at her with raised brows.
"I'm not ready to give up on the Spring Maiden just yet. We have a plan, and we're ready to use it, so we'll do it tomorrow. Maybe if we catch Raven off guard, she'll work with us. If nothing else, we get back to Haven and Uncle Qrow to prepare them. Maybe we come back with reinforcements to take the Maiden."
The others thought about that for a moment, then Weiss spoke up, "The problem is, we're not quite ready." She turned to Jaune, Ren, and Nora. "Could we have some time?"
The three nodded and rose, leaving the four former members of Team RWBY together.
Weiss took a breath and spoke, "If we're going to try Ruby's plan tomorrow, we need to be a team again. We don't have to forgive each other for what we've done and said, but we need to start making things right. We need to apologize. I'll start."
Yang looked to her, "You have nothing to apologize for."
"Yes, I do. You're mad at Blake for running, but I ran too. My father didn't kidnap me or force my hand. He gave me an ultimatum, 'come home or lose your inheritance.' And I gave up my inheritance two months later. But at the time, I was selfish. All I could think about was being like my grandfather. I didn't care that Blake was scared, and Yang was hurt. I mean, I did, but I reasoned that there wasn't anything I could do. So I left. And I'm sorry about that."
The other three nodded at the apology, and Blake spoke up, "I'm sorry for leaving. I tried to convince myself that I did it to protect you, but the truth is I couldn't face the four of you and what happened because of me. I made you a promise, and I broke that promise. I let all three of you down."
Yang nodded, "We believed in you, and you let us down. All you had to do was leave a note." She glanced at the looks Ruby and Weiss gave her. "But I shouldn't have said those things to you and Jaune. I'm still mad, but I was too harsh. You didn't deserve that, and I am glad you're back."
She gave Blake a nod, then turned to Ruby. "And I deserved that slap you gave me. Jaune didn't deserve any of that, and I've already apologized to him. And I'm sorry I acted the way I did before you left. I was down, but that was no reason not to say goodbye, at least."
Ruby nodded. "You were hurt, and I left. I didn't know what to do or how to help, but I thought I could stop Cinder from hurting anyone else. Maybe I should've stayed a little longer to help you get better."
Yang shook her head, "I know you, Ruby. You'd have never made it staying at home while doing nothing to stop Cinder. You were doing what you felt was right."
Ruby nodded then began to sniffle. "And… I'm s-sorry that your mom left because of m-me."
Yang reached out and pulled Ruby into a tight hug. "Don't apologize for that. None of that is your fault."
"If I hadn't been b-born-"
"I don't care." Yang surprised herself at how quickly she spoke. "If losing her meant having you in my life… then I'm glad. I wouldn't trade you for her or anyone. So don't you dare apologize for being born!"
Weiss reached over and joined the hug, and Blake joined hesitantly after getting a nod from Yang.
Jaune stood off a ways from Ren and Nora, collecting his thoughts.
"If we could access Leonardo's files, we might be able to present Raven with a peace offering."
"What kind of peace offering?"
"Something I kept from her during the war. But it can't be you who presents it to her, or she'll take it as disingenuous."
"Alright, I'll try that if exceeding her expectations doesn't work."
Jaune thought for a moment, "What did you do to that 'Hazel' guy?"
Ozpin sighed, "His sister Gretchen was part of my inner circle. She died while on a mission for me."
"So he decided to join an evil witch hell-bent on anarchy and probably the extinction of the human race because his sister died in the line of duty?"
"It's a little more complicated than that. Suffice to say I understand Hazel's anger, if not his response. You and he have something in common."
"I hate you for manipulating and using people. And I hate being the one who has to take the blame for it. But I know that as bad as you are, Salem's worse. I wouldn't help her with whatever it is she's trying to do just to spite you."
"I appreciate that."
"Still, if Hazel hates you that much, we may be able to pull this off."
Ghira sighed as he went about his morning routine. He'd spent all of the previous day trying to get in to see Sienna, but he had been barred from seeing her.
Kali sat across from him at the table in their room. "We knew getting Sienna to join peacefully was going to be a longshot."
"Without the White Fang, we're in serious trouble." Ghira groaned, "Any word on Blake?"
"Sun and his team may have a way to extract them. But they need a pilot. They're going with Taiyang and Qrow to see if Lionheart knows of anyone while they try to investigate him."
Ghira nodded and jumped when a knock came at the door. Ghira was shocked to find Sienna Kahn on the other side.
"You wanted to talk, old friend. Let's talk."