Chapter 63: Decisions Decisions.

Raven

People talk about the calm before the storm of a fight. Writers talk about it seeing it from the outside looking in, though not many of them have been in a fight themselves. Many writers sit upon fat arses and imagine what occurs in the mind of those who fight, they profit off of the combat they portray and lambast those who choose to fight in their lives. Raven Branwen knew what it was to fight, and she could tell those authors a thing or two about the nature of fighting.

As she stared down General James Ironwood, she could feel it all. The passion runs rampant with the anxiety as you ready yourself for the combat to come. The truth was no matter what you do that excitement exists, that fear exists, and it lives at the edge of your perception, until… it's gone. Right before things hit the fan clarity overcomes the anxiety and you're ready for combat.

It wasn't anxiety that vanished from Raven at that moment, it was hatred. It was as if a soothing wave came to wash away her anger, all that existed was all that she needed, the skills, the focus, and the mission.

"Are y-"Ironwood began the words slithering out of his mouth when Raven moved. She didn't rush right to him, as he expected, instead of moving to the side coming at him in a crescent-shaped movement. He fired a shot as soon as she moved, but his aim was off and Raven's quick movement had his aim off. She moved towards his right flank, the metal flank.

Ironwood quickly adjusted his aim towards her but she was upon him now, her red blade slashing high and low across his body and towards his face. He raised his metal arm to block the attacks and not worry about aura. Raven cut the blade downwards towards his head, pulled it back, and thrust up into his face. It caught against the aura and Ironwood stubbled backfiring his pistol into Raven's stomach as he stumbled.

Raven could take the pain, getting a firm grip on his metal arm and roaring as she flung him into the bookshelf behind her. Books of strategy and long-form tactics rained to the ground as Ironwood hit the wall and rolled with the fall. Raven rushed it slashing where the general had been, cutting books and shelves into ribbons as she pursued her prey.

Shots fired each with the accuracy of a trained soldier. Anyone of lower skill level that Raven would've been struck but she was a different breed of creature as she used aura steps to move quickly out of the shot's path, each aura step bringing her closer to Ironwood. Kicking the weapon tot eh side she made a flurry of great slashes across the general's chest focusing on his meat side to wound him properly.

He didn't roll away this time, instead lifting his arm, tanking the hits, and firing the pistol now that Raven was in close Range. Retreating from the nearness Raven dodge the shot. She counted each and every shot the weapon spat out. When she heard it click empty she slammed Yureru into her sheath and shuffled through the blades while Ironwood reloaded his weapon.

His reload was slightly faster.

Bullets Ripped against Raven's aura as she slowly drew her weapons now Yellow Blade. She let him see the Yellow blade before she moved. She wanted him to experience the fear of knowing.

"This doesn't have to go down this way," Ironwood said in a way that he hoped didn't sound like pleading. It was Pleading, Raven had heard enough people beg for their life to recognize that noise.

Raven knew that he was only technically correct, technically this could have gone any other way, but technically he could've let her daughter go, done some real investigation. Technically he could've restrained himself and not had such an extreme reaction. Technically he could've left his most bloodthirsty specialists behind.

But he did not. Raven thought to herself looking down on the man. Her yellow blade was shaking in her hands as she stared at him.

"Yes," Raven answered halting her shaking. "It does"

She struck then rushing to him dodging the bullets he fired her way. Again he raised his mechanical hand to block her strikes and maximize his aura. Raven smiled behind her mask.

The yellow blade raked across his metal arm and Raven pulsed her aura through the dust blade. Electric sparks flew off the arm arcing from the blade to the metal limb. Ironwood yelped in pain as his mechanical limb spasmed in different directions. As the arm flailed Raven took advantage of the opening again slashing Ironwood in the chest and meat side. He fired into her flank but she took the hit more concerned with wearing him down.

Taking a step back the General swung his pistol towards her blade. The muzzle struck her dust blade and fired at the same time. The yellow shards burst apart. Raven's eyes moved quickly and she snatched one of the broken shards out of the air and stabbed downward with it. The general brought his flesh arm up to block the downward stab.

That was fine for Raven, she wasn't truly aiming with that one anyway. She stabbed forward with Yureru's hilt and jammed the remaining blade shard into Ironwood's mechanical flank. Pressing down on the trigger she ejected the crystal further into the metal, sending a pulse of aura along with it. His pistol-whipped across her mask as Ironwood's metal side twitched and spasmed.

Gripping the shard with his regular hand he ripped out the shard while Raven calmly reloaded a blade. His arm still twitched and jerked, Raven made note of that and saw aura spread over the metallic limb.

He's playing it safer now. Raven noted. Or At least he's finally taking this seriously.

"Do you know my semblance?" Ironwood said throwing down the broken piece of lightning dust. "Did you find that out while you prepared to hunt me down?"

He's stalling for help that will never come. Raven mused. I can afford to banter.

"Controlled Tunnel-vision, extreme focus upon a single selected task, damn all else," Raven answered. "It reminds me of my brother's semblance."

"It gives me clarity, helps me recognize that I'm the only one who knows what needs to be done" Ironwood spat back. "I am sorry about your Daughter but you need to look at the bigger picture, if you had my semblance you'd have this clarity too."

"That is your weakness General" Raven answered back. "The pure arrogance, the inability to let things go… you could've let her go and let Vale go."

"She was a Criminal, her actions helped her." That set Raven's blood to boil, she took in a deep breath.

"Even as you are about to die you refuse to see." Raven slowly unsheathed Yureru, a blue blade shining in the room. "You are a blind man leading us to nothing but Ruin General.

Ironwood spun his revolver's chamber and cocked his weapon.

"We would be better off rid of you."

Yang

She stared at her for a long moment and Yang felt afraid for a moment that the fall maiden was still in the champion. That fear vanished when Pyrrha started blubbering and brought her hand up to her head, unable to move her last broken one.

"Oh my god, they're gone, it's quiet its quiet it's" She coughed and blood came out but that did not diminish her smile. The red-tinted smile was actually infectious, and Yang grinned back at her. Pyrrha turned her head and saw blue eyes gazing down at her from behind a sweaty blonde mop of hair. "Jaune?"

"Hey Pyrrha," Jaune said smiling. "Don't move too much you're still hurt."

"… I didn't kill you…" She muttered bring her hand up to run it through his hair, getting a little blood in it Yang noticed. "She said she would kill you, I didn't kill you… I didn't kill you."

Jaune took her hand in his. "No Pyrrha you didn't kill me, or Nora or Ren or Anybody."

That's when the waterworks truly came and Pyrrha's voice cracked as she struggled with the emotions. "Oh Jaune... yes I did, I killed so many people… I couldn't stop myself I wanted too. Oh god!"

Yang gripped Pyrrha's shoulder.

"Pyrrha! Pyrrha look at me." Pyrrha turned her head to face Yang. "That wasn't you Pyrrha that was Cinder, she killed people, she used Amber and they made you do things. That wasn't you."

"I didn't stop them." She covered her eyes with her arm as she cried into her elbow. "I should've stopped them."

"You couldn't have Pyrrha," Yang assured her pulling her arm away from her eyes. "You shouldn't have been thrown into this whole mess, you shouldn't have had to become the fall maiden…" Yang looked down at her hands and thought long and hard. "They said you had to choose by the festival's end didn't they?"

Pyrrha nodded. "So when I got Beacon disqualified, they made you choose."

Again Pyrrha nodded. Jaune looked around confused.

"Who is 'they'" he asked. Yang looked up at him, there was little love between the 2 blondes and Yang's innocence had not exactly bridged the gap. Yang could take it She liked vomit boy but his forgiveness was not exactly something she'd sought.

"Ironwood, and Ozpin," Yang answered. "They made Pyrrha the fall maiden, pressured her into it." Yang took Pyrrha's hand and held it tight. "I'm sorry Pyrrha. I'm sorry I took the time you had left."

The redhead stared at Yang dumbfound her mouth open as if searching for words to say to Yang. Yang let og of her hand and set in on her chest. Standing up she turned to Jaune.

"Will she be alright?" Yang asked Jaune didn't look up for a minute.

"I'll make sure she's ok… I'll do whatever it takes." He wasn't looking at her, he was focusing all his energy into Pyrrha.

Something Pyrrha always deserved. Yang thought looking at how, despite all the pain and misery, happy Pyrrha as she looked at Jaune.

Yang turned and flinched back by how close Blake was to her at that moment, Blake flinched back as well, apparently, she'd been watching that whole scene go down. Blake was hugging herself and her ears were down.

"What uh that was some quick thinking with the chest compressions there," She said avoiding Yang's gaze. She looked like a wreck, with recently sealed wounds and some broken limbs by how she twitched and held her weight.

I'll have to be careful with this then.

Yang slowly brought up her arms and enfolded Blake into a hug. Instantly Blake tensed and started to pull away only to finally relent.

"I'm so glad you're ok," Yang said holding Blake tightly to her chest, being careful not to put pressure on any damaged part, kind of an inverse of Raven's lessons. Then she felt arms around her own back as Blake hugged her in return.

"I'm glad you're ok too," Blake said. Yang smiled, like back in mountain Glenn she knew there was work to do but it was something. "Can we please stop hugging?"

"Sure thing," Yang said disengaging from the embrace.

"RUBY ROSE!" a higher voice filled with far more authority said that made even Yang flinch in response. Both girls turned to see Weiss marching right at the eye-patched Ruby. "I told you to take me with you didn't I?"

Ruby seemed oddly relaxed as Weiss approached her. "Yes, you did Weiss."

"I said you'd get hurt if I wasn't there, didn't I?"

"Yes"

"Instead you lose an eye because you left me here to catch Yang, 'just in case'" Weiss said 'just in case' with such sarcastic mockery that Yang was sure it could kill an un-aura'd person with ease.

"Well, you did catch her." Ruby countered. Weiss' finger snapped out right into Ruby's face pointing at her bandaged eye.

"And you lost an eye!" Weiss spat back, then her hand lowered, and her eyes welled with tears. "You lost an eye… because I wasn't there you Dolt"

Weiss' hand brushed over the bandages covering Ruby's eye.

"I should've been there Dolt" Weiss wept, pulling Ruby into a hug holding the back of her head gently, protectively. "… you dolt…"

"…I'm okay Weiss… I'm okay" Ruby reassured her holding Weiss close to her chest as if that would keep the nightmares both of them were going to have at bay.

Yang felt guilty for those nightmares and was sure that her own dreams were going to be less than pleasant. That was fine she could deal with that, so long as Ruby was alive anything was better than the feeling she'd felt before. She turned from the embrace of her teammates and from blake and started moving towards her gauntlets. The weapons had been thrown from her by the force of Pyrrha's polarity to opposite sides of the room.

Slapping them back on they fit snuggly back on her wrist. It had been 2 years since Weiss had suggested the quick release for when she had to fight Pyrrha and they finally came into play here. She gave them a twist and the shrunk back to bracelet size. Her sword had dropped at some point in the fight and she was glad to see that the curved dust infused blade had not been shattered in the fight.

Finally, she walked to the room's center and retrieved the last item she needed, her mask. She reached down and gently picked it up off the ground, running her fingers across its surface hearing her fingers hiss as they moved. Closing her eyes she pressed her forehead against the mask; inside she could feel energies roiling in turmoil within, the inner beast was growling and snarling.

"Ok…" she said into the mask, shushing it, trying to ease the implement into calm. The mask quieted a little as she took her head away from the surface. Almost everyone in the room was eyeing her nervously, Ruby especially.

That can never happen again. Yang thought hooking her mask to her belt instead of setting it atop her head. That was difficult since every inch of her body wanted to put the mask back on and dull the pain and excite the senses.

Ruby relaxed slightly upon seeing that, before motioning Blake towards her and Weiss and they started whispering to one another. The paranoia started to take over and Yang considered going over and butting in anyway when a familiar smiling face stepped into her field of view.

"Hey Penny," Yang said leaning back from the Atlessian who was deep into her personal space. To her chagrin, the robit-girl leaned forward smiling a tightlipped smile the whole time. "Uh what can I do for you?"

"I enjoy Ruby's company immensely" Penny began. "Actually I'd go as far as to say she's my favorite person to spend time with… my emotions towards Friend: Ruby Rose, have started to become confusing for me in fact, often she drives me to 'bend rules'. It is most disconcerting."

Yang laughed a bit before giving Penny a hearty punch to the shoulder. "I think she feels the same way, Penny."

Yang started walking towards the last door when the vice-like grip of Penny Polendina caught her shoulder and turned her around. Again her face was close and a tight-lipped smile was on it, though Yang could feel the malice.

"So that is why when Ruby requested the right to decide how to punish you, I acquiesced." Her eyes widened and began to glow, in a way similar to the maiden but all her own. "but if you bring harm to Ruby again Yang… I will terminate you. The fall maiden lacked focus, I do not. I think of you as a friend but never cross that line or it is OVER."

Yang was surprised by the robot Girl's confidence and clear emotional attachment. So she did what her father would've done; she smiled.

"If I hurt Ruby again," Yang assured her. "I'll let you"

Penny was unmoving for a second before nodding to those acceptable terms. Team RWB's huddle had broken up and Ruby had pointed to her impromptu eyepatch

"We match," Ruby said with a rather morbid display of glee. Weiss looked aghast before laughing with her.

Yang walked into their field of view and lifted Ember Celica 2.0.

"And Weiss stole my look, lotta trend thieves here." That got Yang some light laughs from her former team, she moved closer to Weiss. "Gold looks good on you."

Weiss smiled pushing back her dark blue sleaves.

"I still have trouble handling their power I'm afraid." She started fiddling with the weapons locks. "I'll give them back…"

Yang wrapped her hand around Weiss' giving it a gentle squeeze. "No, they look great on you."

Weiss smiled at that and looked away embarrassed a bit by Yang's actions. "That was impressive what you did at the End with Pyrrha. Ingenious invention."

"Hey, you gave me the idea." Yang lifted Ember Celica 2.0. "This was probably the first time I've had to use it but hey, no real drawbacks in having it… I'll show you how to use the cestus… later."

Weiss' smile faltered and so did the rest of team RWBY as Yang turned towards the large door at the room's end. The door that led to Ironwood. Yang walked to the door, no one stopped her or said anything until she was right in front of the door.

"Yang…" It was Blake.

Turning around Yang saw her team's faces. Blake was scared, Ruby seemed curious and Weiss stood challenging Yang. Yang knew that Weiss would take whatever action she needed to, to keep the team safe.

"Trust me" Was all Yang said before pressing her hands to the door and prying it open. Past the door was a long hallway with white walls plastered with the Atlas symbol and bright lights above. Yang took a deep breath before plunging through this pale hospital-like hall. As she took her first step she heard some moving behind her; team RWB was coming along for the ride it seemed.

Yang smiled to herself, before looking past her team to see the orange headed Penny racing to catch up. She reached the limping Ruby first and gave her a shoulder to use for balance. Yang continued to walk down and Weiss moved to walk along with her.

"What are you going to do?" She asked simply. "When you get to Ironwood's office."

"I don't know yet," Yang answered, which was only half true, she knew most of her steps that she was going to take on this process but she was painfully aware that the finisher was still just a bit in flux. "I'd like to hear what he has to say first."

"Friend Yang" Penny piped up, Yang glanced back not slowing her pace. "I must inform you that intruding on General Ironwood unannounced will be breaking a number laws of Atlas maritime law as well as numerous rules of etiquette. I'd recommend turning back, General Ironwood is a stickler for Maritime laws."

Yang grinned at Penny, of all the things wracking her brain with indecision at the moment, Maritime law was not one of them. Etiquette wasn't her problem either. So she laughed out loud and ran her fingers through her hair, picking dried bits of blood out with her sweeping fingers.

"I'll take that under-advisement Penny, don't worry," Yang said as she swung the door to Ironwood's office wide open.

A war had happened here, the bookshelves that had once been perfectly and neatly organized had been turned over and a few of the books were on fire on the ground, bullet holes dotting the floor, walls, and ceiling. The computer had been shattered and the great window behind the desk had been cracked in what looked like two blunt force strikes, that sent out a spiderweb of cracks.

I think a destroyed office violates Maritime law too. Yang thought.

General Ironwood's head was pinned down to the desk by the strong hand of Raven Branwen. Ironwood's aura was gone and he was bleeding from his nose, his clothes in disarray torn at the sleeves but still proper. Raven was in a similar state, though it was clear that she still had her aura. Her kimono had been torn away in some places and her aura was flashing as it fixed itself. Her helmet was still on her face and her red eyes glowed from within.

There were also black feathers of enormous sizes sprouting out from Raven's black hair, Yang could see the Grimm in full effect now and she trembled.

She was breathing hard when she looked up, without thinking Yang's hand shot out and covered Rubys remaining eye blocking it from Raven's view. She tried to raise her aura but it bucked against her, the others were too frozen with fear to react, even Penny.

"It's alright Yang," Raven said in her Grimm voice and Yang's mind conjured images of a larger ursa holding the ursa cub and she relaxed a bit. She didn't relax to the point that she'd put her hand down. Raven cracked her neck and let go of the General. "I won't hurt her, Yang."

Slowly Yang lowered her hand and Silver stared into Red, and Raven made no motion to Harm Ruby. She didn't lung towards her or snarl at her, Raven Branwen merely stared right at Ruby.

"You look just like your mother…" she said quietly, taking a step away from the general to march to Yang and envelope her in a crushing hug. It was such a quick hug that Yang barely had time to hug her mother back when the embrace had ended.

Looking at the Desk Yang saw that the General was disarmed, out of aura, and at her lifted Ember Celica and checked the weapon's chamber.

Loaded and ready. She noted stopping to admire the weapon's craftsmanship and what it represented. They've been with me since Ironwood put me on the run.

Yang flung her hand down and the weapon cocked itself loading in a round. Team RWB and Penny flinched. Ironwood stared hatred into Yang as his vision tunnel focused only on her in the room. Weiss started to move towards Yang, Yang turned to give her a look; not an angry look daring her to move forward, but a kind look and a soft smile.

It's ok Weiss. Yang thought and Weiss seemed to hear her thoughts because she backed down. Yang turned back to the defiant General.

"The fall Maiden is dead," Yang says quietly, it was almost a whisper but Ironwood had clearly heard her because he shook his head and then visibly deflated. Is strength seemed to leave him; his suit seemed more damaged and he wore it with less confidence... Sitting back in his chair, he rested both his hands against the desk in front of him and took in a deep breath.

"Then you've doomed us twice over," Ironwood said bitterly. Steepling his hands and resting his forehead against them as he tried to process what he'd just heard.

"She was going to kill us all!" Ruby spat back, gesticulating wildly, towards the back door. Ironwood turned towards her with a surprised look on his face as if he'd just noticed her presence in the room." She went crazy, she tried to have us Killed, have Clover killed, she DID kill people!"

"You don't know what's at stake" Ironwood shouted back as if he was talking to a child who'd spoken out of turn. Ruby flinched back before redoubling her defiant look at the General. "We needed her

Before Ruby could counter Blake stepped in front of her leader and spoke up "So what we were supposed to just lie down and die?!"

"If that's what it takes then YES!" Ironwood all but screamed back, slamming his mechanical fist against the desk. The shock wave seemed to reverberate around the room. Yang turned towards her former teammates. Some part of her enjoyed seeing the shock and horror mounting on their faces at what Ironwood had just said. Mostly though she was just upset by their loss of innocence at this arrogance bastard's hands.

"No one in the kingdoms is ready or prepared. I am the only one who can do what's necessary." Ironwood spoke more to himself than the crowd, since his eyes had closed and his voice was so low. his fist was still shaking within his desk as he monologued. "I am the only one who knows what to do AND has the will to do it!."

Yang was silent for a while as she processed what this man had just said. She took in a deep breath and looked up at the wall. She could feel it all; the exhaustion the pain and the adrenaline coursing through her veins like a runaway train. She thought of the friends she'd lost, the home she'd been pushed from, and the peace of mind that had been taken from her. She thought of all that and thought about what Ironwood had just said.

"You ruined my life" was all she croaked out looking up at the ceiling trying to focus her rage, to master and control it.

"You chose to break the law, you chose to run from justice. This is on NO ONE but yourself!" Ironwood said as cold as steel.

Yang started to move her arm back when someone stepped in front of her to chastise the General. It was Weiss.

"Who was responsible for tracking Yang on the dates of the murders?" Weiss asked, her own anger and indignation clear in her voice. The general seemed surprised then looked away from her. Weiss snarled and turned toward's Penny. "Penny you know Yang's files, who was responsible for taking the photos of her on the days of her accused murders?"

"Do not answer her Agent Polendina!" Ironwood shouted as Penny began to open her mouth. Raven scoffed and plucked a chip from her mask before tossing it to Weiss. Weiss stares at the chip with a look of both worry and suspicion.

"It should grant you access through most classified material," Raven said not taking her eyes off Ironwood.

"The hell it can, the best scientists in Atlas designed that security system." Ironwood countered, his confidence in his lab boys was heartwarming.

"Well, the greatest scientist outside of Atlas built this Virus" Yang countered. Ironwood's eyes widened as realization struck him. "I even have the vacation photos, General."

"It was her…" Weiss whispered. "it was the fall maiden… she was there everyday Yang was…" Weiss scroll quickly and stopped suddenly her brow creasing. "you were going to blame Yang for the death of Junior Xiong?!"

"WHAT!?" Yang roared.

"He was alive!" Ruby cut in. "I know I saw him after Yang left. HE WAS ALIVE."

"So were Yang's 'victims' I'm betting." Blake cut in her voice as chill as Ice.

"You knew about this didn't you…" Yang said pointing her finger at Ironwood, she just had one question on her mind. "Why?"

Ironwood was quiet as he stared at Yang with pure unfiltered contempt. Yang squeezed her hands tightly till her knuckles popped.

"WHY? YOU METAL BASTARD!" She said through gritted teeth.

"It was to protect the fall Maiden…" Weiss answered, her contempt outmatched the general's, she was far better practiced at it. "Some of them you no doubt knew for certain, like Junior. Others you suspected and some you legitimately didn't know. 1 was definitely Yang." Weiss brought up the photos on a holo screen. "But they all looked like Yang's handiwork, and you couldn't have Pyrrha's mental state getting out…"

"That would cause a panic…" Ruby filled it. Weiss nodded to her.

"Yang was on the run already, already a killer in your mind…" Weiss continued.

"So you threw the blame on her and pushed it from your mind." Blake hissed at him, holding her own hands like claws.

"It's not like I could defend myself now is it?!" Yang hawked a loogi and spat it right on the General's chest.

"Target Yang Xiao Long committed those murders," Ironwood said with complete conviction. The room was quiet and dumbfounded as they stared at him.

"You know what fine!" Yang said sounding more tired than she ever had. Reaching into her pocket she pulled out her scroll and opened it up. "I'm done listening to you anyway."

A big red button appeared on her scroll, bright red and glowing. It drew everyone's attention and if they focused enough they could see the image of a black chess piece on the button. Everyone except Raven and Yang tensed as Yang's finger hovered over the button. That button and chess piece seemed to prelude some great and terrible doom.

"Yang what are you doing?" Weiss asked taking a step towards Yang and reaching for the scroll. Yang took in a deep breath and before Weiss could snatch it from her hand, she pressed the button.

And nothing happened.

The room is quiet as a feeling of anticlimax fills the room. Even Ironwood seemed a little disappointed. Yang shrugged and calmly collapsed her scroll and put it back in her pocket. That was when everyone's scroll buzzed.


Glas

Glas' headache was a wrecker. His shiner didn't look the best either, at least that's what he figured given all the weird looks he was getting from the other bar patrons. The doctors said e didn't have a concussion but being unconscious wasn't the best for him regardless.

He pressed his cold beer against his skull hoping to ease the pain. As the beer soothed him he looked around the bare, the place used to be Junior's. back then it was all glass pillars shifting colors and rocking beats now the glass had been replaced with wood the music was less pulse-pounding and the patrons were more legitimate.

It felt like it had its soul ripped out, but it was the nearest bar and he was a creature of habit. The screens all around were playing Lisa Lavender reporting on some inane garbage, while his story was in a mad man's hands. He glared and wished his brains weren't as scrambled as they were.

"You alright Glas?" the bartender asked him handing him a washcloth with a bag of ice inside. Glas placed the ice pack to his face and the soothing coolness took over.

"I will be" he answered looking up at the screen when it glitched out. The bartender hit the side of the TV but the glitching wouldn't vanish. Then the red light pulsed through it and a black chess piece appeared.

It interrupted Lisa. Glas thought with a grin leaning back in his barstool, his pain forgotten. Maybe I should call up Filis.

Team CYFY

"The lights are too bright" Fox complained from his recovery bed, his arm draped over his eyes. "Someone should turn them down."

"Oh shut up!" Coco spat back, Fox was trying to be funny but she wasn't in the mood for it. Her mind was too stuck on their failure. "… all talk no kick…"

They were all in Beacon hospital beds next to each other with coco in the middle. Yatsuhashi was the only one not confined to a bed. Fox was plowing through a concussion while her and Velvet had a few broken ribs and fractures. The failure and humiliation stung worse than the broken bones, that's what Coco told herself at least.

"I can see that you're angry," Fox said, Coco had no idea why he was still here, if he could make puns like that his dumbass brain was back to dumbass order.

"Fox if you make another sight pun, I will beat the sight back into you," Coco said hoping that the doctor would soon be back with extra strength pain killers.

Velvet ever the peacemaker reached between the beds and squeezed Coco's shoulder.

"It's alright Coco, we didn't have all the info when we went in there." Velvet was explaining away the defeat. Coco should have been grateful for that but it just made her more riled. She could never yell at Coco though so she kept it to herself.

"Let's just watch some TV!" Coco lifted her scroll and started flicking through the channels. Eventually, she stopped on some gladiator match. Fox complained about being left out so Coco ordered Yatsuhasi to provide play by play details for the blind fox.

Coco snickered at that; Yatsu knew how to fight but his commentary was as dry as the desert. Then the screen flashed red and a black chess piece appeared on screen.


Nora

It had taken her and Ren a long while to limp their way back to the Atlas outpost. They were in bad shape, but so was everybody else. They'd been given a slip and told to wait for them to call their number and the bullhead to arrive. They'd been sitting on their hands for a while just waiting, all the while trying to stifle their own anxiety. They still hadn't heard back from Jaune since they split up.

Nora glanced at the tall mistralian boy sat next to her, he had that far off look on his face. Most people would just attribute that blank look to Ren's demeanor; only Nora recognized that face. She set her hand on his shoulder.

"It's ok," she said quietly. "I'm sure Jaune and Ruby are fine, he's smart and she's fast… I'm sure they got away."

It was all she could hope for, Magnhilde was a ruin mag-locked to her back, she knew the power of the fall maiden. To say their chances of beating Pyrrha were slim would be an extreme understatement. But as Ren sunk into cynical despair she had to be the positive light in the relationship. She had to keep up the team's spirits even if her team was reduced to only 1 other person.

"Number 65" an Atlas specialist shouted over the sounds of groans and mewling. Nora stood up.

"That's us!" she said trying to put a smile on her face. Ren wasn't the only one who needed that smile, so too did the other people waiting for ships, hoping that one would come before the Grimm got hungry enough to risk an attack.

Ren didn't move.

"Come on Ren it'll leave without us and we'll have to get back in line, they may give us the full cavity search this time-"

"I'll wait for Jaune," Ren said quietly. Nora sighed part of her wanted to wait for him too.

"Jaune will be fine, he distracted Pyrrha so we could have a chance," Nora said tugging Ren to his feet. "We can't throw away that opportunity he's given us. He can take care of himself."

Ren eventually acquiesced and soon enough they were both on the transport ship headed out of Mountain Glenn. Nora looked down into the crowd hoping to see a blonde head amongst the crowd. It wasn't there. Nora leaned back in her chair and sighed glancing at the big TV screen in front of the passenger seats. Her eyes were just starting to lull off when the screen flashed red and a black chess piece appeared.

"Uh oh" Nora said staring at the screen, only for Yang's face to suddenly appear.


Tai Yang

"I'm sorry sir your help is not needed in this mission." The Atlas pencil pusher said at the Atlas Transport. "We already have the maximum needed number of Huntsmen in mountain Glenn right now."

Taiyang rolled his eyes not bothering to hide it. The Atlessian took exception to that and folded his arms over his chest. Evidently, he was used to people just following his orders outright.

"And considering how many years you've been retired, you are likely to cause a danger to yourself and others."

"Bullshit!" Tai spat back folding his arms being sure to let this pencil-neck see the size of his biceps. "I'm retired not infirm, nor-senile. You have kids going out there, kids still in beacon."

"Those 'children'" he said it with air quotes to further insult Tai it seemed. "passed the background check necessary to receive transport for mountain Glenn."

Well, that explains it. Tai thought to himself, his background showed a connection to the target. Tai lifted his finger and prepared to say something when he took in a deep breath and let the anger go. It's not worth it.

He turned and walked away, dropping his bag and sitting down by one of the airport's windows. IT had been two years since he last saw his daughter Yang. Two years Raven told him that she was alive and he was happy. For two years he'd waited for his daughter to decide to come home.

I've seen more of Raven these past two years that I have of Yang. Taiyang took in a deep breath, adjusted his legs into a meditative position, and calmed his mind. Breath in breath out.

As he breathed her felt like fire was spouting from his nostrils. I am the Dragon.

When yang had gotten captured he'd done everything he could to go see her in that cell. Dust he was ready to strangle Ironwood and spit in Ozpin's face for stopping him from doing that. He pulled in favors and bribed and just as he was about to go in and see her she escaped.

I would have done the same thing Tai thought to himself. He smirked thinking about the nonsense he managed to get up to back in his post Beacon years. I wonder if she would've bolted if I had a chance to talk to her.

And then when she escaped these stupid Atlas pencil pushers and the worry-warts at beacon and signal did everything in their power to stop him from going out there. He loved talking with port and Oobleck, he really did but he was going to smack them in the groin if they told him 'it would be safe if you stayed out of it ' one more time.

All Tai wanted was his family back together and Yang safe and home again. He tried for years to get Raven to talk Yang into coming back and when Raven said she tried Tai believed her.

It's not easy coming home if it means you're headed for a prison cell. It was a catch 22. Taiyang relaxed his meditative stance and rested his head against the glass. Please be alright baby.

That was when his scroll buzzed, and the screens in the airport started glitching. When he finally got his scroll out of his pocket he was greeted with the sight of his daughter's face.

"YANG!" Tai said out loud when his eyes caught the other screens in the room, all of them had Yang's face there.

"Hi!" Yang began waving to the camera with the ruins of mountain Glenn in the background behind her. "My name is Yang Xiao Long and I'd like to tell you my story"

Author's notes

Next chapter is the interview itself. I also had a small comic commission called Rogue AU: Libation. It's really pretty and Canon. So please leave a review and spread this around if you can.