Chapter 17 – Getting there
Yang/(Yang's Thoughts)
Weiss/Weiss' thoughts
Ruby
Ancients
(Pyrrha)
{Raven}
"We just got her back."
Yang didn't care to hear her sister sounding so lost.
"At least we know she is somewhere out there and alive."
"I had so much I wanted to say to her."
"I know and she didn't even tell us a way of getting out of this place."
Yang looked around in dismay. Hoping her sister would pick up on her sarcasm.
It took Ruby a moment to collect herself and then she sat up and looked at their surroundings.
"I think she did in a way. This realm caters to fae. I guess I could get us out."
"Really? Here I thought we were going to be stuck here."
"My dear sister are you implying that you wouldn't want to be here with me forever?"
"Not at all we could stay here and ignore the rest of the world, because Weiss can handle it all by herself."
"Weiss!"
Yang just smirked. She needed Ruby to focus on getting them out rather than to drown in the loss of what they had for what felt like mere hours.
"I do wonder how time works in here."
A pocket watch popped up in her hand.
"Nice one sis."
"Heh Heh."
("That's the thing I can't get a sense for Yang anywhere.")
"Strange cause between the two of us we should be able to at least get in touch with her."
("What should we do?")
"We should leave."
("I will never leave Yang behind.")
Pyrrha gave Weiss the darkest of looks at the very idea.
"We are not leaving them for dead. Knowing them they would almost beat us there and probably either wouldn't be able to tell us how or say they had raced."
Taking a moment to think it over.
("You're right. I don't like the idea of leaving without them, but Yang wanted us to go to Haven Academy, so following her lead sounds reasonable. Still I will hang back and wait for a signal from Yang.)
"If you happen to see a glyph appear outside of where we are to be then that is a signal of S.O.S."
Pyrrha nodded.
"I don't want to keep Leo waiting." Came from Qrowe
The rest of the group headed to Haven Academy.
Pyrrha followed from a distance in a cloak she had fashioned to hide her identity from the general populace in case she would be recognized.
They entered.
"Thank you all for coming. There seems to be more of you than last time." - Leo
"You know what they say: The more the merrier. So what's going on with the council?" - Qrowe
"Why did you bring your weapons?" - Leo
"What? Leo we're huntsman. Are you ok?" - Qrowe
"Of course, of course sorry. I just haven't had my evening coffee." - Leo
"Look it's nice to see you, but are we getting support from the council or not?" - Qrowe
It was as he said these words Qrowe noticed a raven and shot at it.
His shot missed and Raven transformed into her human form.
{"If you're going to shoot me, then shoot me. That was insulting.}
"What are you doing here?" - Qrowe
{"I could ask you the same thing. You've been scheming little brother. Planning to attack your own sister."}
"Leo what have you done?!"- Qrowe
"I-" - Leo
{"Leo did what any sane person would in his position he looked at all the information he had in front of him, assessed the situation, and made a choice. And it seems you all have too."}
"You have the Spring Maiden." - Qrowe
{"I do.}
"Then hand her over and let's work together. We can beat Salem." - Qrowe
{"All that time spent spying for Ozpin and you still have no idea what you dealing with! There is no beating Salem!"}
She then opened a portal that brought Cinder, Mercury, Emerald, and Vernal into the room.
A big man by the name of Hazel came in behind them.
"The White Fang is prepping demolition right here in the school grounds. No one is getting in and no one is getting out." - Hazel
"Everybody stay calm." - Qrowe
"This was all just a trap?"
"It appears so." -Ren
"Raven. Tell me how long have you been with them?" - Qrowe
"Awe don't take it personally little bird. Your sister was a resent addition. The lion on the other hand... entrance into the Vital Festival was a real treat, but Leonardo had been sending Salem all sorts of information for a very, very long time. Isn't that right, professor?" - Cinder
"Stop it." - Leo
"It was you. You sit on the Mistral Council. You had information on every huntress and huntsman in the kingdom and you gave it all to her. I couldn't find any of them, because you let her kill them." - Qrowe
"I-" - Leo
"Now, now don't beat yourself up about it Lionheart. I'm sure Tyrian and Hazel would have found them on their own eventually." - Cinder
Jaune couldn't stand her. She was the reason he felt so confused and messed up over Pyrrha.
"You just don't care whose lives you mess with. Whose worlds you ruin. You just think the end justify the means as long as you get what you want."- Jaune
It was with this in mind he attacked her.
The others joined in.
{Take out the Heiress. Don't waste your powers on her.}
Vernal stepped forward.
"Let's see what the Schnee name really means." - Vernal
"I am more than just a name."
The others squared off with the rest of them.
Cinder took down Jaune quite easily and to add insult to injury she threw a fire spear that went straight through Weiss.
It was at this point that Ruby had opened a portal into the fray of things.
She happened to just see Weiss get injured.
"WEISS NOOOOO!"
Weiss fell and Ruby's silver eyes activated.
Cinder went down.
Emerald knocked Ruby down and Cinder walked over to Jaune.
"You honestly thought you could defeat me?" - Cinder
"Even if I die it wouldn't matter as long as it protects them. They're what matters." - Jaune
Norah and Ren were fighting off Hazel and Leo was losing to Oscar.
She stepped off of him.
"Weiss!"
Jaune ran over to Weiss.
The portal that let Ruby in closed. Leaving Yang in the Pocket Realm.
"Are you kidding me!?"
Her eyes were draconic and steam came out of her ears.
"Young one you have a way to get to them."
"I'm all ears here!"
"It is what we call a flaming portal. All you must do is think of where they are and blow fire. This will let you get there. Try and be subtle with this entrance though."
"Alright."
"Take a deep breathe. Then on your exhale you will breathe fire and think of the place you wish to be."
"Or I can step through the portal Ruby finally remembered to open."
"As you will."
Jaune then rested his hands on her wound and hoped with all his might he could do anything to help her.
Then without warning his semblance activated and before he knew it he had started healing her.
It felt like he was boosting her aura rather than healing her directly though.
He ordered Ren and Norah to fight on. Hazel had learned that Oscar was hosting Ozpin and had gone haywire.
Leo had fled and Raven alongside Cinder and Vernal were in the process of entering the passage way to the hidden Vault.
Yang popped out from behind a pillar and then assessed everything. She then punched Hazel out of the school.
"Ruby game plan?"
("Pyrrha be on stand by just in case anyone tries to run.")
"I need you to follow them."
She nodded towards where Cinder had gone.
Yang nodded.
Weiss had recovered and summoned a Queen Lancer that pulled Hazel back into the fight.
Just as he was dropped back into the middle of the floor. Weiss's eyes widened as she caught sight of Blake.
It was in that moment that Ruby turned to see what Weiss was looking at.
Then Yang smelled it. It was the scent of her mate.
She turned and looked as well.
She couldn't believe what she was seeing.
There stood Blake.
She looked even more beautiful than she remembered and it broke her heart and completed it all at once.
Blake said her name as if she couldn't believe her own eyes as well.
Then Ruby brought her back.
Yang then dove down into the entrance of the vault and then fell for quite some time.
Weiss blocked the entrance with a wall of ice.
When she finally reached the bottom.
The Vault was already open and Raven kneeled before it looking at Vernal who lay dead.
Raven stood up and looked at her.
{"Somehow I knew you'd be ok."}
Her mother smelled of earth and fresh dew.
"What happened?"
{Cinder happened.}
"Are you the Spring Maiden?"
{"Yes."}
"Thank you for not lying to my face."
{"I may not have been around for a lot of you life, but I have never lied to you."}
Yang nodded in understanding.
"How did she die?"
{She died from pneumonia in the dead of winter. I just happened to find her as she was passing. I didn't know it was her at first."
"She must have been terrified."
Raven nodded.
{She wasn't given much of a chance when it came to truly living.}
There was a moment of silence that passed between them for the ones that were lost.
"What now?"
{You need to take the relic to a cave I believe more of your kind will have an idea what to do with it. In the mean time Qrowe believes I betrayed you and you need to understand that my curse won't be lifted unless I finish what I've started.}
"What does that even mean?!"
{"I will explain everything in due time. Till then stay safe and remember I have loved you always."}
It was with her final words she opened a portal and shoved Vernal through and then changed into a bird and was gone once again.
Yang sighed.
Then she stepped forth and retrieved the relic.
Had she no hope of ever having a good relationship with her mother she would have broke down, but she knew she had other things to worry about.
She then took the platform back up to the others with the relic in hand.
"Young one we await your arrival."
("I'm on my way.")
She got back up to the others and looked down at was going on.
It had seemed Emerald and Mercury had come to and Hazel was standing next to them.
Leo was nowhere in sight.
They and everyone else where looking at her.
"Yang."
Ruby smiled.
Yang smiled in turn.
"Cinder NOOOO!" - Emerald
Emerald fell to her knees.
They heard the authorities from outside and that was when Hazel and Mercury decided to make a run for it.
Then all of the sudden there was this enormous, eerily white she-demon in the middle of the room screaming at them.
Then she was gone and so where Mercury, Emerald, and Hazel.
Yang slowly walked down the steps with the relic in tow.
Qrowe came toward her.
"You ok firecracker?" - Qrowe
She nodded.
Then she kept going trying to get around him.
He tried to take the relic from her, but she just pushed him away.
"Sorry Uncle Qrowe, but I need to take this with me."
She reached Weiss and Ruby.
"Are you guys ok?"
"Yeah."
"Yes."
"Good. Weiss we have to go. Ruby we will be back you have my word..."
Her eyes turned draconic.
For once Ruby heard Yang in her head.
(As a dragon.)
Ruby shed some tears and hugged them both.
"Where are we going?"
"You made a promise remember?"
"Oh, right."
She kissed Ruby's cheek and then followed Yang.
Blake had started walking towards them with purpose.
Yang couldn't bear to look at her, so she just bypassed her and kept walking on.
Weiss hot on her trail.
Blake turned to follow, but was held back by none other than Sun.
Authors Note:
Sorry if this took a while life has been crazy! Thank you to everyone who has stuck with this story! Also please know that the epic maiden battle did occur I made one too many a terrible battle scene when it came to try and writing it in. For now know that it still happened and I may write it in as a flash back for Raven at a later date. Also I apologize for there being a lot to follow. Sticking to less POVs for the near future.