Hello everyone!

I hope you're ok and taking care of yourself. Sorry for the delay in the update. I started online lessons to learn Japanese and been kinda busy working (repairing some PCs and wiring some office networks), and some games I started playing, like Far Cry 5, Ni no Kuni 2, and Fifa 20.

I hope you enjoy this chapter, because we're starting the good stuff soon.


Chapter 92: Forgiveness.

-o-

I'm going back. I have company.

Qrow

That message came to us around 2 in the afternoon. They were like a relief after being unlucky enough to make contact with some huntsmen unaffiliated with Mistral's council to help us retrieve the Spring Maiden from Raven.

As soon as Ruby received the message from her uncle, we all abandoned training and started preparing everything. We cleaned the house down to the darkest corner to make a good impression on our potential allies, making me realize how important it was every time Mary made Lazulli, Jade and me clean up before visitors arrived. We even took the opportunity to quickly clean the rooms. We were almost done, so Oscar and I were in charge of finishing the cleaning as the others worked in the kitchen, preparing lunch after a quick trip to the market.

I had already finished vacuuming the room when Ruby approached quickly.

"You finished?"

"Almost."

"I'll take care of it. I need you to buy a pack of glasses. The ones we have won't be enough if a large group arrives."

I looked at my watch. I had about 20 minutes before Qrow arrived. The closest supermarket was 4 if I was running, about 5 to get the glasses and pay if there was a long line, and another 4 (or little more being careful with the glasses) if I returned quickly, giving me about 6 minutes to spare.

Even without using my semblance, I quickly made it to the store in a few seconds and wandered the aisles looking for the glassware section. There was a little bit of everything from porcelain plates to very detailed cartoon tea sets. When I looked for the glass packages, I found one that contained 8 of really elegant design and, best of all, it was on sale with a really attractive price. I didn't think about it anymore and took the last box that was left before heading to the cashier.

I had taken a few steps when someone cleared their throat behind me. I didn't pay attention until I heard it again, now in a higher pitch. A plump lady, wearing a garish pink blouse and tiger-patterned leggings that hugged her fat legs in an unattractive way, stared at me. I had seen videos with similar people with the same haircut as that woman, so I became alert. I was dealing with something more dangerous than a Grimm or Salem herself: a Karen.

"Yes? Can I help you?" I asked politely.

"Yes, you can," she replied authoritatively. "I want the package of glasses you are carrying."

"Sorry, but I'm in a hurry and I need them," I said kindly before resuming my stride. It was then that the woman held my arm so tightly that my aura protection activated before her nails dug into my skin.

"Not as much as me!" the Karen roared. "I have an important bridge game tonight!"

"I have a really important huntsmen meeting, ma'am. Let me go or I'll call the store staff."

The woman glared at me for a few seconds before releasing me without saying a single word.

I wasted no time and I took a quick step away while keeping an eye on the Karen, who was not moving from her place. She then yelled "Becky" and someone tackled me from the side, making me lose my grip on the box and knocked me to the ground. Looking up I thought I was seeing a Behemoth, but it was actually a woman in her 50s with a body as huge as a wrestling fighter. Hell, she's as big as Yatsuhashi.

Becky looked at me and smiled smugly before leaving, perhaps to pay for the glasses or to tear down the nearest Maria wall. I had already gotten up to reach the mastodon when I fell again, now because my legs were tied by two balls of yarn that had become entangled. The Karen was looking at me with satisfaction, her arm in position as if she had just thrown something; maybe my ties.

I cursed myself for leaving Requiem at home while I pulled Samaritan out from under my jacket and cut the yarn with a gash to head out toward Becky, who was two corridors away. I reached her in a few seconds, quickly touching her shoulder to make her look back, taking the opportunity to sneak around her blind spot and retrieve the package.

Becky noticed my trick and launched herself at me. It was a few meters to reach the cashier when Karen appeared in front of me and threw more balls of yarn that I dodged, but Becky did not, falling like a freshly cut tree behind me. Karen tossed more yarn out of the bag she was carrying. I threw the box into the air, distracting the woman enough to use my semblance to smoke, dodge the yarn and go around her to catch the box before leaving it on the cashier's conveyor belt.

I thought I could already sing victory when the Karen approached with a hurried step, her furious gaze about to set me on fire, and faced the cashier.

"This boy took the box of glasses from me," she pointed her finger at me. "I had them first so they are mine by right."

"Ma'am, you are lying. You and your friend were the ones who attacked me and took it from me first."

"Bullshit!" She looked at the poor girl who was attending to us, "Call the manager. I demand that you give me an extra discount for being attacked by this bandit. These glasses are mine!"

Right after she had taken the box, the bottom part of the box opened and the glass tumbled open, crashing to the spotless floor of the store and breaking into thousands of pieces. Silence reigned in what we looked at what was left of the glasses, along with the stunned gaze of the passers-by.

I looked at the cashier and said, "You heard her. The glasses were hers. She pays."

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It was a curious scene. The Karen (who actually was called Karen) made a tremendous tantrum, added to a large number of insults towards me, the cashier and everyone who filmed her. When she was asked to pay what she broke, it was as if a kerosene tank was being thrown into a fire. At the end I had a beautiful view of how several security guards carried her, hanging from her arms and legs, while Becky was also escorted, although in a calmer way. As for me, I gave my side of of what happened and presented my student permit since I was carrying my weapon at the time.

By the time I realized it, I was already several minutes late and Qrow should have already arrived at the house, so I quickly took two packages of good quality glasses and paid for them quickly thanks to the cashier who had attended me earlier.

Even in a hurry, I had to watch my step so as not to have the same unfortunate accident as Karen. It took me longer than expected to get there, but I did it without breaking a single one. However, something made me stop dead in front of the front door.

There was a motorcycle parked to one side of the entrance. The combination of black and yellow paint on its body that exuded speed and aerodynamics made the vehicle look like a huge bumblebee. I had seen that motorcycle countless times: when it was taken out for a ride, when I was taught how to drive it, when it had installed that set of lights that cost almost an arm and a leg.

A thought sent a tremendous chill through my body.

If that was there, then...

I put the glasses to one side of the door and opened it slowly.

The boys were there, next to Qrow, and, right in the middle of the room, a heartwarming scene was taking place. Ruby hugged two people tightly: one had her white hair finely groomed into a long ponytail, while the other let her long golden mane go free. Just as I thought, Yang was there, but I didn't expect Weiss to being present, too.

I was silent observing the scene. I didn't want to ruin the moment, although I also didn't know what to do or say. I felt a lump form in my throat that prevented me from looking for some way to make it known that I was there. For my good or bad luck, the door closed behind me, saving me the trouble of announcing my arrival.

Ruby was the first to notice me, giving me a big smile that I hadn't seen in a long time and which made me feel warm inside.

"Hey, Kai. Look what the crow brought us."

Yang and Weiss turned to me, their eyes widening at the sight of me. Neither of them said anything until Weiss lunged and hugged me tight.

"I was so worried about you," she whispered softly.

I returned the gesture, feeling her slim body in my arms.

"I'm sorry I didn't contact before. So much has happened that I haven't been able to-," I started to speak, feeling my voice crack as I kept my emotions at bay, until she cut me off by pressing her finger to my lips.

"You don't have to apologize. All I care about is that you're okay," she said with a soft smile.

Then my gaze focused on Yang, who was walking slowly towards me with the arm prosthesis that had been sent to her, now painted yellow. I wasn't sure what would happen now. On the one hand, she would hug me and tell me how much she missed me, although she would also punch me in the face for leaving Patch.

Guess which one happened.

It was fast. I could only see a yellow blur before I felt the metal hitting my face and knocking me to the ground. The good news is that the tool seemed to work well, to the point that my cheek ached despite protecting me with my aura. Ruby yelled at her sister, but she didn't seem to hear her as she knelt down in front of me, grabbing me by the collar of my jacket and pulling me closer to her face.

"I'm really mad with you," she growled at me, raising her left arm for what I assumed was perhaps for another punch. It was then that she grabbed my neck and brought me closer to her, leaving my face covered in her golden hair and letting me feel its soft fragrance. "But I'm also glad you're okay."

Hearing her say that knocked down the wall inside me and I couldn't contain myself anymore. Despite what I had done to her sister and despite also leaving her, she still dedicated those words to me. I felt not worthy of that. I hugged her tightly, feeling her hair between my fingers, and between sobs I could only say one thing:

"Forgive me."

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Lunch was really lively, with everyone laughing as we shared stories and anecdotes from the time we were apart. Weiss revealed to us that he had finally mastered summoning skill, to the point of nearly ramming a trophy wife with summoning a boartusk, in addition to letting us know that she had lost her position as heir to the Schnee Dust Company (making me wish for a moment when I could punch Jacques in his Lorax mustache face). Yang showed us off her new arm and put it to the test by arm-wrestling with Nora, although I don't know yet if ejecting the prosthesis meant that she won or was a draw. For my part, I told them what happened in the supermarket and showed them the restored Requiem, who seemed to enjoy the attention.

We remember our time at Beacon, reflecting on the long road we have traveled and how much we matured over the course, and that was true. I still remembered when I only cared about taking down the Soul Reaper and how closed I was to others. Now I could fully trust my life to all those who were at that table. It was a scene that was really familiar to me. It was like meeting again at Beacon's cafeteria after class and having a good time while chatting and fooling around. It was such a familiar feeling, but it wasn't the same, as there were two empty seats at the table and one would remain empty forever.

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Once happy hour ended and we all had a stomach full of food, it was time for the hard part: catching up with Weiss and Yang. Like us, both girls were skeptical that Ozpin's soul was inside Oscar, but they accepted it a bit when we insisted that it was true until he verified it by doing his body-changing trick. To say that they were surprised was little to describe the expression they had. Once they recovered from the shock, we went into the living room to update them, although there was not much to talk about, as Raven, aka Bitch, had apparently already given them a summary of the situation.

The silence in the room was suffocating. Weiss looked uncomfortable, like she didn't know what to do to break the tension. Yang was just folding her arms, watching each of us as if she was going to force us to let go of everything we knew.

I looked at Qrow and gestured with my mouth, "Tell them."

The man rolled his eyes and was about to speak when Weiss spoke, "So, the maidens, magic salem... it's all true?

"Uhuh!" Qrow replied.

"I'm afraid so. I had a close encounter when Cinder took over the powers of the previous Fall Maiden," I replied, bitterly remembering my fight on Beacon.

"Miss Xiao Long," Ozpin called out to Yang. "Is this more or less what your mother told you?"

Yang didn't reply, just staying silent with her arms still crossed, so Weiss answered for her, "For the most part"

"You forgot something," Yang finally spoke. "You forgot to tell everyone what you did to Qrow and my mother!"

Such an accusation took me by surprise. Ozpin had done something wrong to Qrow and Raven?

"What is she talking about?" Jaune asked.

"Oh great," Qrow sputtered as if they had revealed an embarrassing anecdote from his youth.

"That's not a secret i thought she would give up so easily," Ozpin commented. "Your mother must trust you a great deal."

Yang gave him a contemptuous look at those words and I didn't blame her; despite only having met Aunt Raven once, it was only enough to know that she wasn't material for the Mother of the Year award.

"My ability to re-incarnate, though a curse isn't without a few key benefits," Ozpin began his explanation. "Much like the maidens, I too possess a certain magical power. Using this power, I was able to gift the Branwen twins the ability to see more, to move freely and be unburned by their natural bodies. I ... well .. . I gave them the ability to turn into birds. Rather ridiculous sounding out loud isn't it? "

I finally understood what it was all about. I knew in part about the ability of those two to change shapes, since Qrow had vaguely mentioned it to me in Patch.

"Uncle?" Ruby called out her uncle's name, dumbfounded.

"You turned them... into birds," Ren seemed reluctant to process that information.

"Alright, now you're just messing with us," Nora accused him.

"What else is new?" Jaune grumbled.

"He's telling the truth," Weiss interceded. "We saw it. Yang's mom… changed, right in front of us."

"I saw it too," I spoke, remembering that night in Shion. "When I fought her, there was a moment when I lost sight of her and could only hear a flap before she appeared on top of me and knocked me down. Qrow had told me about it, but seeing that in person was something else."

"Wait a minute, did you know that?!" Yang chided me. My only reaction was to shrug my shoulders and wait for the sofa to swallow me. "Ok, we'll talk about that, but I don't understand it."

She turned to Ozpin, "Why would you do something like that? I mean, what is wrong with you?"

"Yang, that's enough," Qrow chimed in at his niece's anger.

"Granting this power to them was no trivial task, and I can assure you it was not done frivolously," Ozpin explained. "I required assistance in gathering information on Salem's plans, as well as searching for Maidens when their hosts became unclear."

"Okay, so, have you done this with others?" Ruby guessed. "Like General Ironwood? Or Professor Goodwitch?"

For a second I just pictured those two as birds. Goodwitch would possibly be an owl or peacock with glasses. My dad could be a hawk with a metallic wing, or maybe his human arm was still in shape despite the transformation.

"As helpful as that might be, unfortunately it is not that simple. My power is finite, and if I'm being honest, dwindling. The amount that I gifted to Qrow and Raven was, all things considered, rather miniscule. You see , centuries ago, I sacrificed a great deal of magic to four young women, who I hoped would use my gift for good. They were the first Maidens. That is why I was considering whether Kaiden should have the same ability or not. "

"Oh! What did you have in mind?" Nora asked intrigued. "A canary? A nightingale? A cockatoo?"

"I was thinking more about trying mammals. Maybe a fox."

I heard several chuckles from Ruby, Weiss, and Yang.

"What is so funny?" Jaune asked.

"Kaiden, what was the nickname your mom calls you?" Weiss asked a question that she knew very well what the answer was.

"My little fox," Ruby replied, pinching my cheek.

I could feel my face burning with embarrassment as I begged for the couch to rush in and swallow me in between its cushions while the others joined in my humiliation.

Once the laughter ended, Ozpin spoke up again.

"Miss Xiao Long, it was never my intention to lie to you. To any of you. There are just some matters that I prefer to… 'play close to the chest '. I believe that's how you phrased it? Kaiden knows what I'm talking about."

I nodded my head. I knew what he wanted to say. I still remembered how hard it was to keep the Soul Reaper secret, but I didn't want anyone else to be hurt because of me, although in the end that happened. The same when Ozpin made the great revelation to me, since I hated to keep my friends secret, but I didn't want to involve them in it, but equally that was what happened and with devastating consequences.

"Everyone has a choice. The Branwens chose to accept their powers and the responsibilities that came with them. And later, one of them chose to abandon her duties, in favor of her own self-interest. Now, all of you have a choice. If anyone wishes to leave, now is the time. There's no shame or disgrace in abstaining, only in retreat."

No one spoke, weighing the smallest opportunity to say 'You know what? Screw you, guys, I'm going home' and leave, but in the end no one opted for it. I wouldn't go so easily. Not after what I experienced. Not after what I saw. I wouldn't be able to sleep knowing that I had the opportunity to do my part to avoid the end of the kingdoms and I just left it like that. No, I would stay and do whatever I could to avoid another Beacon.

"Very well, then," Ozpin seemed pleased with it until Yang stood up.

"Yang?" Ruby called her sister.

"If Ruby sticks around, then I will too. If there's one thing I know about her, it's that she somehow always knows the right thing to do," Yang said watching us all, "But, if we're going to help, if we're going to keep risking our lives, no more lies. No more half-truths. "

Those words reached me deeply, since there was something that I had not said to anyone. Not Qrow, not Ozpin, not Ruby. For a second I thought I was among the bodies of the bandit tribe while their camp was on fire. I was debating whether to say something until Jaune spoke.

"So... what now? I mean, what can we do?"

"Mm, that is a difficult question. One that I believe is best answered tomorrow."

"What do you mean?"

"The road ahead is undoubtedly filled with hardships and peril," Ozpin said. "However, it's been far too long since you have all been together. Please, take tonight, enjoy this moment."

Just as Ozpin put his hand on Yang's shoulder, there was a change in his eyes and the expression changed to one of confusion before he realized that he was touching the stunning blonde, causing him to stumble backwards, earning a giggle from Weiss and Yang. Yes, Oscar was behind the wheel now.

"Oooooohh!" Nora suddenly exclaimed, her face showing as much amazement as if a treasure chest had been found at her feet. "Raven?! Qrow?! They're birds! Cracked it!"

I, along with several others, did this beautiful ritual in which we pressed our hands with our faces. In other words, facepalm.

Yang's words still echoed in my mind. What she asked for was fair. It was enough of secrets. I already knew that she had already lost her trust in me after what I had done and I didn't blame her. I no longer wanted to hide anything from them.

"I... I would like to say something," I felt a heaviness inside me that wanted to prevent me from speaking, but I fought against that. "Yang, you want there to be no secrets anymore and I respect that, since I hid things from you that the only thing they did was eat me up inside. First the Soul Reaper and then all this. I'm sorry."

"It's ok, at least now we're all in the same boat," Ruby said kindly to me.

I shook my head, watching her smile fade, "Actually, there is something. Something I have hidden and I have not told anyone."

Gazing at my hands, I could remember how they moved to command my semblance to kill every member of the bandit tribe. I could still hear their screams. The look in their eyes at the exact moment the light faded before they died. The smell of blood and smoke intermingled in a scent that returned in every nightmare. The moment I plunged into true darkness.

"Kaiden?"

Ruby's hand rested on mine and she held it tight. She looked at me with concern. I hated that he saw me like that; not because it bothered me, but because it saddened me to see her like this. I was afraid what her reaction would be if I told her. Also everyone's reaction. Would they look at me the same way as before? I didn't want to tell you, but Yang was right: no more secrets. I didn't know if someone from that clan had survived, but if the time came when someone wanted to take revenge and the others were unaware of it, I couldn't forgive myself if they were hurt again because of me.

"Ruby, I did something horrible."

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It was difficult to tell everyone what had happened. The boys looked at me between shock and fear, while Qrow seemed surprised by what I was saying.

The afternoon passed as everyone left behind the talk at the meeting, but I could still feel the furtive glances of everyone. Even though they told me everything was fine and they understood what I had to do, I could see in their eyes that the way they looked at me was different and I didn't blame them, since the person they once knew was now someone who had murdered an entire bandit tribe on his own. Yes, I regretted telling them, but I had to, since they would know sooner or later.

Leaving that aside, let's talk about how the organization of the rooms would be. Since Weiss and Yang would be using the room that Oscar and I used, we would now have to move in with Qrow, along with his snoring and the eternal uncertainty of when his bad luck would attack us.

I dreamed of that night again. The bandits' cries of despair and death came back to haunt me as I continued to murder them one by one before another appeared and had the same fate. There came a time when the ground was covered with dismembered bodies crawling towards me, holding onto my legs and climbing on top of me. Just when my vision was overshadowed by the disfigured face of a woman, I woke up.

It was early morning with a pale blue light coming through the window. There was only Qrow's snoring in the room, which got maddening if you didn't fall asleep before what, so I dressed in light clothes and left the room in silence. The rest of the house was also silent, vaguely listening to the breathing of the other occupants of the rooms as I passed through the hallway.

I got to the training room and opened the sliding doors, letting in the cool of the morning and the light of the rising sun slowly bathing the place as I started with some warm-up exercises, stretching each muscle to warm up and avoid any cramps, as well as the breathing exercises that Winter had taught me. Once ready, I started with push-ups, squats, and static jogging. Then my usual task of finding a simpler way to access the Overdrive, but in the end each attempt ended in disaster when I tried to hold a steady breath and use the ability, as if all of a sudden air was letting out of a balloon before to tie a knot. With each failure my frustration grew more and more. The answer was getting closer, but at the same time it was out of my reach. A piece was missing but I didn't know what it was or how it fit with what I had so far.

"Damn!" I cursed at another failed attempt.

"All good?" someone said.

Yang was sitting on the bottom step of the stairs, wearing her yellow top and black shorts. Apparently she had barely just woken up, as her hair was tousled in its usual morning mess.

"Hey, Yang," I greeted the blonde, wiping sweat from a towel. "How long have you been there?"

"Let's see... I woke up, I went to the bathroom, I saw you going down when I came out and I've been watching you for the last 15 minutes. So... all the time. So, can you use the Overdrive whenever you want?"

"Sigh, yes and no. I must hold my breath, but it becomes difficult to do when I must be moving. I have tried other ways to do it, but nothing so far. The amount of power that I gain is really difficult to control."

"That has never stopped you," Yang said walking towards me. "I've seen you do some really amazing and crazy things. It's only a matter of time before you think of something. Don't let that thing of the bandits bother you. You had to do what you to do"

"Thank you, Yang."

The girl gave me a kind smile and the she raised both hands defensively, "How about you show me how strong you have become in this time?"

I got into position and landed a quick punch, which was easily caught by her metal hand.

"Faster."

I landed another blow with the other hand, this being rejected without complications.

"I said faster."

I increased the speed of my attacks that were also blocked before she countered without warning. I was barely able to dodge it by stepping aside and responded with a kick to the torso. Yang grabbed my leg and threw me into the air before landing on my feet.

"This is how it will be then."

Yang shrugged, "If by that you mean you'll make it so easy for me, then yes."

[Play "Throw It On Me", Timbaland, The Hives]

I rushed at her with a strike that she responded by taking my arm and making me a judo brace to whip me against the tatami. I bounced off the ground, but rolled to the side in time to dodge a stomp and pushed myself up with my arms to launch a kick. Yang used her forearm to block, which I used to propel myself and gain distance from her.

It was then that I saw it. A look that I thought was lost in the ruins of Beacon. Those lilac eyes, once dull after losing an arm to Adam Taurus, began to burn with that flame wanting a challenge. A flame that I thought was extinct. Now my only wish was to rage that fire and make it burn more.

We both went on the attack. We exchange punches and kicks nonstop. On each inhalation I would set up an hit and with each exhale I would execute it. That breath became a sequence that became part of me. I could feel the aura speeding through me. I could feel it. Little by little the pieces were being arranged. Just a little more.

My body was being covered with my dark aura that began to burn like a soft flame. Between blows I could see Yang's gaze, which, instead of being surprised by the state he was reaching, was now looking at me with pride.

But that couldn't last, as seeing Yang leap up for another hit, I had a deja vu and my mind went back to that night. I could see again the moment when she came to the burning cafeteria only to see her attacking Adam, only for him to chop off her arm. That alone thought was enough to lose the flow of the combat, receiving a strong punch to the face that threw me to the ground. That energy I once had faded and my protection with it, so the hit hurt more than usual.

[Song ends]

I must have been down longer than expected since Yang was helping me sit up.

"Kai, are you okay?"

"Yes, I think so," I said, rubbing my cheek. "I think I couldn't control it well in the end."

"Nonsense, I could see you had everything under control. I could feel your strength suddenly increase. What happened?"

I was silent. Even closing his eyes he could see the scene over and over again.

"Kaiden, what did we say about keeping secrets?"

Breathe deeply.

"I saw you the night Beacon attacked. Taurus had Blake subdued and you were rushing to save her. I could only see how he..." I choked out my words.

"Him cutting off my arm," Yang finished my sentence, looking down at her prosthesis. She then gazed at the horizon beyond the mountain, "To be honest, I see the same thing on several nights. That was what kept me in bed all day. I think I started getting up to help Dad around the house when Ruby left."

Hearing that was like feeling a stone on the head. I remembered that my departure from Patch hadn't just affected Ruby.

"Yang, I'm sorry," I muttered, crestfallen. "If it hadn't been for me, Ruby wouldn't have left."

Yang put his hand on my hair and stroked it gently, "She would have gone out into the world sooner or later, either with or without you. The important thing is that you are both okay."

"I'm also glad you are."

"Of course I am. The arm you ordered for me was wonderful," the girl raised her robotic arm, letting the sun's rays reflect off the yellow painted metal surface.

"I don't know what you're talking about," I pretended not to know the meaning of her words. I didn't feel entitled to take the credit.

"I'm not stupid. I heard from Port that you went to Atlas and that the arm has the same functions as my gauntlets, plus there is a coincidence that you have backup of Ember Celica's schematics in case something happens."

I said nothing. She had caught me with it.

"I just wanted to help you get back on your feet. If you knew I was the one sending it, I thought you would either throw it away or give it to Zwei to be his new chew toy."

"Hey, maybe I was mad at you, but not enough to throw away an exquisite piece of Atlas technology." Yang thought for a second, "I was really mad at you though. You went away and hurt Ruy. And I didn't know how to help her in my state, so part of the fault is mine."

"But at least you were there with her."

"Yeah, I didn't do anything about it though. But at least she's fine and smiling. I imagine you guys are together again."

"Not exactly. We're... taking a break. At least until we resolve the thing about attack on Haven."

"I see, and that's okay. You guys have been through a lot and you want to take it easy."

"Partly that. I still feel guilty for leaving her, as much as she forgives me. I feel like I don't deserve that."

"You just wanted to protect her, didn't you? No longer torment yourself about that. You can put it behind me once all this avoiding the attack is over and you settle your issues. Besides, maybe this would be a good time to do something that I have kept to myself. "

"Yeah? Like what?"

Before I could react, Yang lunged for me, laying me down on the tatami, with her riding on top of me. Her long golden hair fell to the side of her face so that I could see her soft neck in the morning light.

"Y-Yang?" I hesitated feeling my heart beating rapidly.

"Shhh shhh shhh," she silenced me, bringing her face close to mine. "Just shut up."

The next thing I knew, she was pressing her lips against mine. It was something totally different from what I expected. While Ruby felt soft and sweet, I could describe Yang rather as wild and hot. Her tongue sought mine like Nora trying to get the last drop of honey out of the bottle. I felt in a trance where I was only carried away by the burning sensation of her skin. By the time I regained my senses, Yang had returned to her place and was licking her lips.

"I have to admit I've been wanting to do it for a while now," she said. "Ruby had told me about it but I wanted to see for myself."

"I'm glad I was of help," I replied with a goofy smile on my face. "But is this okay?"

"You said it yourself: you are on a break, so there are certain freedoms that can be given. Trust me, I have experience with it."

For a moment I imagined Ruby following the same logic. Maybe kissing Jaune, Ren, or, hell, Nora. The first one made me a little angry. The second seemed unlikely to me. The third one turned me on a bit.

I shook the thought from my mind.

"Oy, Yang. Are you okay with what we're going to do? Go to your mother's camp and get the Spring Maiden back? Maybe we have to face her."

"Honestly, I don't care about her anymore. As far as I'm concerned, Summer was my mother, not her. So don't worry. Everything will work out with the whole gang here."

"Not all of us," I objected. I could hear an annoyed exhalation from Yang.

"She could have been with us if she had stayed, but she left at the first opportunity. She didn't even say goodbye."

"She wanted to protect us from Adam. When I fought him, he said things to me that gave me the creeps. That guy just wanted Blake by his side, no matter who he hurt or killed."

"So she must have trusted us to take care of each other."

"Just like I should have done instead of leaving Patch to go to Atlas?"

"But at least you are here with us."

"And how do you know that Blake isn't looking for us? I'm not arguing that she left, but at least consider why she did it. After everything we've been through, she wouldn't just walk away without good reason."

Yang looked at me with a frown, about to argue that, but gave up.

"Look, I don't want to talk about it. We had a good time and I don't want that to be ruined by it. Do you want some coffee? I'll go make it so it's ready when the others wake up."

I studied his behavior and was saddened to realize that this was his way of avoiding the subject. Just leave, which is exactly why she accused Blake.

"I'll catch up with you in a moment."

"Ok. And if you want another kiss, just ask," Yang hinted at me with a wink before heading up the stairs.

In the silence that followed, I couldn't help but feel bad for my friend. For as long as I can remember, she and Blake had been inseparable since they teamed up at the Initiation. I thought it would not work as they are totally opposite poles, but I was wrong. Yang pushed Blake to be more open about how she felt, just as Blake had gotten Yang into reading (even though some were BL books). I also understood the blonde's pain when she realized that the cat girl had gone without us to who knows where, as well as I understood the reason that led her to this, but making Yang listen to reasons was somewhat more complicated. We'd be working little by little in time, though.

For now I just looked at the sky that was brightening into a new day, hoping that Blake was okay and seeing the same sunrise as me.