Chapter Nine: They Are the Enemy
The Past
There were so many. Every day she slew more and more of their number, and the dark pathways had fewer monsters pursuing her or trying to whisper in her ear. Yet she was never truly at peace, constantly waking to the sound of their scratching against the barriers and the sight of cracks forming in the tapestry of the remnant apart. She had to steel herself and go back in and resume the fight, even as the denizens taunted at her that she was waging a hopeless battle and trying to drown her despair in their black blood.
They weren't wrong. Fighting against a horde of monsters in their own domain was preferable to what bombarded her in the real world… even a handful of words on a screen were harder for her to bear than devoting hour after hour to her quest to destroy them… and then to minimize their number… and then to just stop hearing their whispers.
She kept lowering her standards so she could eke out something resembling a victory. She may well have been making progress in reducing the number of monsters pounding on the walls, but more often than not she felt like she was getting more benefit for herself than the rest of the remnant apart, for whose sake she was waging this fight… or so she convinced herself.
It was better than paying attention to her Scroll.
Only three people still had the number. Qrow didn't bother her; he knew there was no point. Tai tried to reach her –again and again- not even to ask her to return, only to ask why. Only so he had something he could tell their daughter. Reading his questions didn't get any easier for her just because Raven was satisfied with the answers she'd send back to him. More than once she tried to compose a response but stopped herself before her fingers could reach the screen, just in case Tai saw her attempt to respond and she accidentally lifted his hopes.
It was months before he stopped trying to reach her. He was always so determined, always so persistent… and it hurt her every day she saw a new message and realized he hadn't given up on her. If she ever broke down and talked to him, he'd convince her to come back; he'd wear down her defenses and remind her that no matter what she'd done, no matter why she'd gone, he still loved her and always would. She needed not to hear his voice, because he'd be able to bring her back.
But Tai wasn't the only one who tried desperately to reach her. Fortunately, Raven had far less sympathy for her other teammate. She could deftly ignore her pleas that she return and not leave her husband –or her daughter- behind. Summer should've been pleased Raven was out of the picture: now she could finally hoard the sun all to herself, like she'd wanted from their third semester at Beacon, if not sooner even than that.
It was easy to ignore Summer. She may have been Raven's comrade once, but Raven never liked her. She didn't see reason to pretend and hadn't bothered to keep in touch. Summer would have no reason to talk to her were it not for the two teammates she did care for. Still, Raven knew her pleas were genuine. Whether Summer still considered Raven her friend or not, she wouldmake every effort to bring her teammate back and help Tai find his happiness. She was annoyingly persistent that way, not unlike Tai.
That resentment Raven felt for Summer gave the dark denizens nothing to play off. The Grimm may have been drawn to her negative emotion, but the monsters stuck in the dark pathways couldn't taunt her with promises of deepening her despair further by threatening someone Raven never liked. Summer's texts were easy to read, and never once distracted her from carrying on the fight as the days wore on. The battle didn't seem quite so trying when she didn't receive a constant reminder of why she was waging it. It was just a chore, like any other.
Until she received a long message about how Summer had started living with Tai, helping him to raise his child. The long prose wasn't so hard for Raven to process, but the picture Summer attached… she'd never felt such pain as she did at the sight of her daughter in another woman's arms, her husband with a hand on that other woman's shoulder.
Where before Summer's messages had given Raven a strange sense of solace, now they reminded her that she was too far gone to ever return. If Summer was living with them now, Yang would eventually regard Summer as her mother, and never recall the moments Raven held her in the first few days of her life.
Raven had hoped that another woman would love her child and give Yang a happy life. She hoped Tai would eventually move on and find happiness with someone else. But Raven never thought she'd have to see it, have to have it so brutally confirmed that it was real, that her family was gone…
This was what was supposed to happen. This was what had to happen. Her daughter and her husband were safe and happy. That was why she left. That was why she was fighting monsters and not living with them.
That was the only message she typed in her Scroll: not to her three teammates, but to her daughter. Even if Raven would never see her, even if she'd never feel her warmth or see her take a step or hear the sound of her voice, Raven would still love her and make this sacrifice for her. For Yang. All of it for Yang.
It'd get easier. The pain would not be so overpowering… she just needed not to dwell on the past, just needed to keep fighting, keep moving on, not let herself be shackled by the loves she'd lost but instead think of the future.
The tribe had need of a new leader with the old chieftain's passing. Raven knew that the remnant apart wasn't yet safe from the monsters' incursions, but her people would be strong enough to fight them should they force their way free and weathered enough to resist their whispers of sweet promises.
She may well always be alone in the fight against the dark denizens, but when she returned from their prison she didn't need to reside in a prison of her own. She didn't have to be alone with her memories every time she needed to rest. She could find something else to occupy her mind. She could forget, if even just for a little while.
Raven had never once thought she'd return to the tribe. She'd thought that a chapter in her life long closed, just as Qrow had.
How circumstances changed.
Mistral, Early Morning, Today
Qrow had eventually agreed to stop holding his sword to Debian's throat, but he stood with his hand on the weapon's hilt at all times. Once Ren and Nora were awoken and brought in, they met together in Yang's room so the bandit captain could explain himself. Qrow was the most obvious about demonstrating his distrust, but none of them made much effort to hide their distaste for Debian, nor did he make any attempt to dissuade them so.
Instead, the bandit was openly antagonistic, if only subtly: "We're not far from the chief enacting her mission. Now that she has… sufficient Aura… she's waiting until the last possible moment before her brother's-" He paused long enough to jerk his head at Qrow, "- Semblance completely reasserts and creates a strong enough distortion for her enemies to amass. Since you're both in close proximity, she won't have far to travel."
"Is she waiting for these things to attack first?" Ren inquired.
"No," Debian shook his head. "She will strike first. The chief thinks that she'll be able to destroy the greatest number of them if she and the boy intercede while their forces are gathering. She won't be too long: just long enough to destroy enough of them to discourage the others. But the energy expenditure will be colossal. When she exits from the pathways she'll be vulnerable."
"And that's when you want to attack?" Nora asked. "What about Jaune? Won't he be going in there with her?"
"The boy doesn't interest me," Debian flatly replied. "Once he serves his purpose and helps the chief strike at her enemy, I'll be happy to give him back to you. But to answer your question: it won't be me who attacks her. There are rules to determine our succession."
"In other words, you want us to do your dirty work," Qrow snorted.
"Not all of you," Debian clarified, turning his attention to Yang. "Just you."
Yang narrowed her eyes. "And what –exactly- do you expect me to do?"
"You survived her blade, which means your duel is unfinished," Debian explained. "You can challenge her again to complete your battle."
"Sounds like you want her m- Raven to die," Ruby pointed out.
Her slip wasn't missed by Debian. "There's no reason to argue on her behalf, little girl. She made her dear daughter –Yang, wasn't it?- bleed." He pointed to the wound in Yang's stomach, before holding up his arm to show the long cut he'd left. "I can sympathize with that."
Debian cleared his throat and resumed. "But I don't need her to die, no. If she is defeated, if she shows weakness, that is enough. It won't matter if the chief lives to see another day: no one will support her after seeing her suffer a loss at a child's hand."
"And you think Yang can beat her, after the hit she took?" Qrow demanded.
"After the chief exhausts herself fighting the monsters, yes," Debian confirmed, before turning his attention back to Yang. "She had to call upon her Semblance to defeat you the last time. After her first strike on the denizens she will have to close the entrance to the pathways, at least for a short time. You are wounded now, but she will be exhausted and vulnerable and unable to rely upon her power. You will have no better chance than that."
Debian glanced back at Qrow. "It has to be the girl. Honestly, I'd prefer it be you… but as you have already abandoned the tribe once, the chief could easily choose to decline your offer. No one would question her decision, and no one will be in any hurry to support the claim of a man who abandoned them."
"These are stupid rules," Yang remarked.
"These rules are the only reasons that convince thieves and murderers to cooperate and band together," Debian replied. "Insult us as you wish, but we will honor our codes. We will not be judged by you because we are strong enough to decide for ourselves."
"And if she does defeat Raven, what then?" Qrow asked. "What guarantee is there you get to lead the tribe instead of that big guy with the axe who dropped by the other day?"
"Amaranth is backing my move," Debian dismissively replied. "Unless all three other captains decide to support the chief –and if she's defeated by this girl they'll have no sound reason to do so- they'll accept me as a viable replacement. And then, once you've finished the battle, I will order the chief's exile. She'll have no one to turn to except for you… her family."
Yang glared at the wispy bandit. "And what happens if you change your mind?"
"Well, then we fight each other, don't we?" Debian responded with an arrogant smirk. "But why would I do that? It wouldn't be a very promising start to my time as chieftain. Your war is against Salem and her Grimm, isn't it? Letting you go to fight your own battles solves a lot more problems than simply killing you when this done."
Qrow crossed his arms –finally letting go of the hilt of his blade- and thought. The reasoning was practical, the plan solid. "Give us a minute," he instructed. "Go downstairs and have a drink. We'll consider your offer."
Debian nodded. "Try not to be too long. If we're going to move, we must do so soon. We must do so today."
"Yeah, we got it," Yang snapped. "We'll let you know what we decide."
Debian stepped outside. He made a point of making several loud footsteps to simulate his departure down the stairs before turning his attention to the other two rooms that his potential allies had been using.
The boy in green and the girl in pink were an unknown element. They may well become his allies, but they would never be more than allies of convenience. Debian did not feel compelled to respect their privacy.
A quick inspection of their room yielded some interesting insights: one of the two was working on Yang's weapons, repairing them after the chief cut them apart. They had multiple weapons at their disposal in addition to the hammer and the submachineguns attached to their person: Dust cartridges lay scattered about, and a single dagger rested against the wall.
That would do just fine.
Ren's eyes were closed tight and his arm was extended. The others were quiet, waiting for his signal as he reached out. Eventually, Ren opened his eyes and took a deep breath. "He's gone. He stopped to look in both the other rooms, but he didn't take anything… unless he's better at this than he seems to be."
"Probably scoping us out to see if we have anything for him to barter if things go south," Qrow snarled. "I'd never suggest you trust that weasel, but I think he's on the level about this. He wouldn't be reaching out if he didn't think this could work."
"So… we go with it?" Nora asked. "We get Jaune back."
"Not what I said," Qrow snapped. "Yes, I think this guy's serious about an alliance and serious about getting rid of Raven. I don't for a second think he'll just let us walk out once the work's done. I don't think he'll let Raven live and I don't think he'll let Jaune go. This is all about us doing the hard part and him not getting his hands dirty. We shouldn't do it."
"And lose our chance to get Jaune back?" Nora snapped.
"Which is what Jaune would insist upon," Ren interjected.
"Except he agreed to go with Raven, not join the bandits," Nora argued. "We take her back with us, he comes along."
"Assuming our 'ally' keeps his word," Ren countered. "He is a bandit. Even when they follow through on their promises, the cost is never worth it."
Yang turned her attention to Qrow, who shook his head. "This isn't a smart play, kid."
"And what is the smart play?" Yang demanded. "We just leave Jaune behind and get nothing? You might be willing to give him up, but why should we?"
"Because there are a lot more problems for us to sort through than just your boy toy buddy," Qrow replied. "Let Raven's little pack do what they want. We have to get to Haven and warn them about what Salem's up to, or another school –and another relic- could be lost. Those are the battles we should be fighting. Raven could help us, and I really do believe she could… but she won't. She made her call and she's not going to be any more willing after we help to depose her."
Slowly, the four turned their attention to Ruby. Ren and Qrow had raised their objections; Nora and Yang had given voice to their passion. They turned their sights to her.
Once, Ruby might've deferred to her uncle. But he wasn't on her good side at the moment. Once, she might've deferred to Jaune and the wishes of his team, but Jaune wasn't there to offer his opinion and Ren and Nora were divided. It fell to her.
Ruby met her sister's eye. When Ruby was feeling lost, Yang had fought through her injuries and pulled her back. When Ruby asked, Yang revealed how she felt –as best she could explain, anyway- about Jaune and knew that whatever they had was something that motivated Yang to not only take extraordinary risks, but to find a resonance with someone else that she'd never expected to find.
Qrow was right: they did have bigger problems. But how would they ever solve those big problems if they didn't try to fix the small ones? And when she truly became a huntress –as she'd always wished- would she be able to recount this day as the moment she went to save her friend or the day she left him behind?
Hard decisions, maybe… but not from Ruby's perspective. She might agree with Ren to honor Jaune's wish, but she also agreed with Nora that they could find a loophole in his promise and get him back. Her uncle Qrow was right that these bandits couldn't be trusted, but knowing Yang would lose out on this thing with Jaune wouldn't hurt only Yang: it'd hurt Ruby too, to know she'd willingly left her sister and her best friend apart when she could've done differently.
"We're getting Jaune back," Ruby decided. "And if the bandits don't go for it, we find a way through."
It was optimistic; more naïve than Ruby had been lately. But when rescuing someone from a deadly enemy inside their own territory, optimism would be called for. And when deciding to be a huntress and fighting against the evils of the world, Ruby would far prefer to believe a difficult task could be achieved, and that saving lives was the whole point.
Qrow massaged his temples before turning his attention to Ren and Nora. "Could you excuse us for a moment? I'd like to have a word with my nieces."
Nora seemed willing to argue the point, but Ren was quick to intervene, placing a soothing hand on his partner's shoulder. "We'll be next door. I'll continue my work on Ember Celica and see if I can get both gauntlets back up to combat readiness."
Nora turned her attention to Ren, no doubt ready to continue persuading him, but satisfied he was making a contribution. She pointed two fingers at her blue eyes then pointed her index finger back at Qrow before stepping out of the room, as the drunken huntsman turned his attention to Ruby and Yang.
Qrow ran through a gamut of emotions as he considered what to say, before softening his expression and quietly asking: "You remember what happened the last time you tried to fight her?"
"Hard to forget," Yang deadpanned back.
"And you really think this'll go any differently?" Qrow asked. "Let's say Debian's on the level and Raven will be exhausted and vulnerable. So are you. Do you really think you'll beat her? Do you really think anything's changed since the last time?"
"A lot's changed since the last time," Yang argued.
"For her as well as you," Qrow argued right back. "Blondie patched her right up and can do it again. Even if we go through with all of this, you'll be fighting the same woman, with the same skills, the same experience, and without the option of picking the battlefield. Why do you think anything will go differently this time?"
"She didn't kill me," Yang answered. "I don't think she wants to."
"I don't think she wants to either," Qrow agreed. "But she'll do it just the same when the chips are down."
"We know where you stand," Yang observed. "Are you going to help us or not?"
Qrow glanced over at Ruby, who pointedly avoided his gaze. He turned back to Yang and her surprisingly fierce lilac eyes. "Just one question, firecracker: is this about getting your boy back, or about putting the hurt on Raven?"
"She said I was nothing to her," Yang dismissively replied. "I don't need anything from her now."
Qrow took out his flask and took a particularly long drink, long enough to hear several awkward coughs from Ruby.
"Fine, but this goes sideways I'm getting Ruby out and taking her straight to Haven," Qrow promised. "Can we all just agree there's a bigger picture we have to remember?"
"If you think I'll let you leave Yang –or Ren or Nora- behind, you-" Ruby began, but Yang raised her left hand to quell her little sister.
"Sorry, Rubes, but I agree with Qrow on that," Yang told her. "Whatever happens, you have to stop Salem. That's what Jaune wanted too, and I'm sure Ren and Nora would agree."
Ruby crossed her arms and scoffed in irritation. "Why is it everyone still insists on protecting me?"
"It's what big sisters do," Yang assured her, reaching her left hand back to tussle Ruby's hair.
Qrow seemed prepared to say something, but fell silent, merely looking towards his younger niece, the family with whom he shared no blood. He was staring long enough that Ruby noticed, even as she tried to put her hair back into place and met his red eyes.
Qrow forced himself to look away, to brush off whatever he might've wanted to tell her. How he wished he could gain her forgiveness for deceiving her –again- because he'd simply pretended his sister was a teammate to Ruby and Yang's father and never anything more. Of all the lies he'd told over the years, that one had been easy enough to maintain. He'd much prefer a beaming smile after he'd told Ruby a lie than the distrust he saw in her eyes after he'd told her the truth.
He withheld that thought too. He was getting good at not speaking his mind now.
The More Recent Past
Raven didn't usually respond to messages. But Qrow reached out to her so infrequently, and no matter how she might've tried she couldn't cut him from her life completely. She didn't want to be close to him for too long –in case the distortions he caused caught the attention of anyone wandering the dark pathways- but she'd oblige him for a meeting. And as it happened, he was in Anima transporting something valuable, and she had information to share with him.
Despite the haste required of his task, Qrow still found time to wet his beak. It was fortunate she'd become used to him stinking of the cheap stuff, because every time she met him he smelled increasingly like a distillery. After exchanging some pleasantries and confirming for him the identity of one of a trio of enemies he'd recently battled with, Raven sat down with him to share a drink.
"Heard you put in an appearance at Mountain Glenn," Qrow noted, already halfway through his glass. "You get a chance to see her now that she's all grown up?"
Of all the subjects he could've broached… how had he even known? Raven kept herself composed and played it off. "Briefly. I was… in the vicinity."
"Of course you were," Qrow slurred with a smirk. Raven cursed her brother his perception –even when bombed- and acknowledged he'd seen right through her. "She looks just like you, you know. Weren't for those blonde locks, weren't for her dressing up like her Dad…"
Raven wanted to hear all this. She wanted to know about the woman her daughter had grown to become. But if she held to that thought, if she allowed herself to be bound to that weakness, her enemies would pounce. They were pacified for the moment, but only because things had been stable throughout the kingdoms, maintaining that uneasy peace as they geared up for the Vytal Festival rather than covertly seek to undermine each other.
It wouldn't last. "I saved her then. She shouldn't expect me to show her that kindness again."
Qrow turned far less whimsical. "Yeah, I guess she shouldn't. You're much too busy these days."
"Things are changing in the tribe," Raven explained. "The chieftain is dying, and he knows it. And he knows none of his captains are worthy to succeed him."
"You, leader of the bandits," Qrow remarked. "I thought for a moment there you'd decided there were some other people worth giving your attention to. For a second there, I thought you might've realized you didn't have to sit this fight out."
Raven tapped the package beside Qrow. "You're taking her to Beacon?"
"Oz has a way to help her," Qrow explained. "Waiting on Jimmy and his robots to pick me up."
An alliance between Beacon and Atlas… she never thought Qrow could be so naïve. Raven left her drink unfinished on the table and stood up. "You should take her somewhere else. Beacon is where your friends will be making their move. Ozpin can come up with one clever plan after another; he can't stop this." She tapped the package again. "And neither can she."
She desperately wanted to mention her daughter, to ask Qrow to take her out of the school before the things she'd predicted finally happened. The kingdom may survive the loss of the huntsman academy, but if Salem got her hands on the relic…
The relics caused all their problems in the first place. The Grimm knew about the dark pathways, and probably told the woman holding their leash when she asked. If she ever had the means of using that power, the power that built the remnant apart and the fragment apace…
"You're a real ray of sunshine, you know that?" Qrow deadpanned. "Yang's a lot more optimistic. She may look like you, but she's a lot more like her Dad. Thank goodness for that."
Raven was glad Yang didn't turn out like her mother. But she didn't bother to mention that to Qrow. "Beacon will fall, Qrow, and Ozpin will fail. You should cut your losses and fall back."
"And what, go back with you to the tribe?" Qrow asked.
"You better hope I do become chief," Raven suggested. "Because if I don't, you'll never be able to go back. And when all this is done, the tribe may well be the only place you can turn."
"You don't have to keep running, Raven," Qrow reminded her, finally dropping his snark and adopting a more direct tone; finally trying to appeal to her with nothing but raw honesty. "She can take care of herself now. Even if you can't be her mother, you can still be part of her life. You can still fight beside her and still look after her."
How Raven wished she could.
She couldn't go back. She was too far gone. She was a stranger to Yang now, and though Yang was hardly safe at Beacon under Ozpin's eye, she still wasn't ready to join the tribe. She hadn't lost enough yet, if she still had a father at home and a roof over her head. She hadn't suffered enough to be strong, and Raven would prefer she not have to become so… at least not yet.
The monsters weren't whispering in her ear, but they'd never go away. They'd never give her peace.
Raven didn't answer Qrow. She cut open an entrance to the dark pathways and stepped inside, slipping on her Grimm mask and returning to her people.
Mistral, Dawn, Today
Once Qrow reluctantly agreed to go along, Debian rejoined them upstirs and went over the plan. They'd relocated to Ren and Nora's room so the former could continue his work on Yang's weaponry, now with added assistance from Ruby and her vast knowledge of armament.
"You two will enter here," Debian told Qrow and Yang, showing them a display of the southernmost gate on his Scroll. "Tell them you have to settle your duel with the chief and they'll let you in. I'm sure some will balk at your presence-" Debian added to Qrow, "-so perhaps you should let Yang do the talking and not call any attention to it."
"Yeah, I like this plan better already if I know Qrow is gonna have to shut up," Yang observed.
Debian changed the display on his Scroll, showing a wider shot of the abandoned town, pointing to a treeline. "Your sniper will be positioned here; it'll give her a view of the common area. You two," he pointed at Nora and Ren in turn, "will accompany me through the northern entrance, and cover other possible vantage points."
"What about your buddy Amaranth?" Qrow asked.
"Playing the loyal soldier," Debian answered. "He'll make sure none of the other captains intervene."
Yang nodded. "How much longer?"
"I need to return before the chief awakens," Debian explained. "You should begin the journey shortly so you have time to rest before we begin."
Debian excused himself, and Ren took a moment to interrupt his work to follow his Aura, ensuring their inscrutable ally had left the building. Once he was sure, Ren nodded and set back to work on the gauntlet.
"Something wrong with it?" Yang asked.
"The firing mechanism isn't as efficient; probably too much damage from the arc of her cut," Ren explained. "It won't release as many pellets as its partner, and I'm sure it's lost some of its range." He noted a bit of yellow and black flake of the frame of the gauntlet. "And the paint's peeling."
Yang recalled spray painting that one along with her new arm back in Patch. It was a shame to see it reduced to this state, but at least it'd still be some use. "But it'll still fire?"
"About half as often as the other," Ren dryly explained.
Ruby, however, seemed undeterred, pulling up some very colorful Dust shells. "I have an idea on how we can turn that into an advantage."
Ren reached over and handed Yang her left gauntlet, the one almost entirely unchanged since she built it at Signal and then took it with her to Beacon. Its only new feature was a long scar running over the wristlock where Raven's sword had sliced it free.
Ruby finished loading the Dust shells into Yang's right gauntlet and handed it to her. Yang tried to take it with her right hand, only to find her metal fingers already closed, trying to squeeze his hand again.
Only a bit longer… she only had to bear it a bit longer…
Kuroyuri, Late Afternoon
Jaune had remained in the tent as Raven instructed. He'd felt rested –it was all but impossible for him not to be after the exercise he'd been put through and the long sleep that followed- but he was once again left to his own devices while things happened outside. No doubt the bandits had raided for more supplies, and maybe even ransacked a settlement to acquire them.
Remaining cooped up inside while crime was committed… Jaune hadn't thought he'd find a task more difficult than being tied to the life of a woman he didn't love and forced to do her bidding, but standing idly by while ill intent was spread around wasn't really any better.
After maddening hours of lying in bed or pacing the floor, Raven finally returned, bringing him another meager meal, this time of rice and beans. Jaune never thought he'd miss the substandard food he'd been eating at the inn in Mistral either.
She wasn't sharing the meal with him. Either she'd already eaten or hadn't felt the need. Once Jaune cleaned his plate, she pointed to the tent flaps and instructed: "Come."
Jaune followed her outside. On his way out he passed the hulking Amaranth, who'd stood outside Raven's tent through the night and nearly all of the day. Raven led him towards the town center, towards the dead trees and the crumbling rocks of a long decayed courtyard. The other bandits had gathered around, save the few still manning posts at the twin entrances to Kuroyuri. Three of the captains and most of the uninitiated were waiting.
"The time is upon us," Raven explained to her gathered tribe. "My husband and I will strike the enemy while they gather and I will regain control of the pathways. I will make us safe again. This struggle is near its end, I promise you."
The bandits murmured to each other, but seemed generally pleased with what their leader was telling them. Jaune leaned close to whisper in Raven's ear: "Does that mean it's happening today, or were you just being colorful?"
"It will happen today," Raven answered. "I hope you enjoyed your meal, Jaune. I hope you enjoyed what time you knew before today."
He wasn't sure how to reply to that, but Jaune focused on what Raven had done differently. "Just 'Jaune' now?"
"We are going back into the dark today," Raven reminded him. "You will be fighting at my side. I thought it best to remind you that you are still a person, and not merely a name. It's important to know what you're fighting for."
Jaune remembered why he'd agreed to help her in the first place. He'd planned on surrendering himself to Raven even before she'd forced his hand, and she'd told him doing so would keep Yang safe.
Whatever the circumstances, they were the enemy. The monsters in the dark pathways had to be stopped, and whatever he may have thought of Raven, Jaune agreed with her on that. "I'm with you," he assured her.
Raven might've been tempted to remind Jaune he had no choice in the matter, but held her tongue. He'd done as she'd asked, and knowing he was fighting beside her of his own accord was a far greater comfort than thinking she'd bullied him into line.
Things were becoming easier for him. There'd be harder tasks ahead, but if he made it through the day and the battle, he'd know his contributions had aided in defense of his world and those he loved. It'd strengthen his resolve and remind him why he bore the burden he'd chosen.
Reminders helped sharpen focus that way.
Six Months Ago, the Vytal Festival
One of her subordinates had been watching the Vytal Festival tournament on his Scroll. He hadn't been assigned a task, so Raven allowed him the indulgence. She'd have paid the sight no more heed, until she'd heard the announcement of a competitor from Beacon: Yang Xiao Long.
Others were gathering around to watch the finals unfold. Raven could observe things discreetly enough, her presence nothing but idle curiosity. She'd be quite curious to see if her daughter –while still a first year, no less- could win the tournament on her academy's behalf.
She'd become a competent battler. Tai's handiwork no doubt… her fighting style was brawling and energetic like his. But her opponent… he was holding back. He was far better than Yang, yet he willingly took blow after blow from his much weaker adversary. Why?
Because he was supposed to. Because he was playing his part, right under Ozpin's eye.
Whispers. Scratches.
They were active again. They sensed her fear.
More than that. They sensed opportunity, and not just from Raven. They sensed that things were about to change.
If Raven left quickly she could get to Beacon. She could save her daughter… save her for a third time before whatever was about to happen finished its motion…
What did it matter if she saved her a third time? Yang could be the exception to the rule. She'd always been the exception to the rule.
Qrow was there, watching over Ozpin's pet project. He could keep Yang safe.
Yang fell into her enemy's trap. She struck him while he was wounded and helpless, even though he was clearly neither, having changed positions on the battlefield without ever taking a step. How had the dimwitted commentators –themselves trained huntsmen- not seen the obvious deception?
The scratches were growing louder. They were trying to break through.
Qrow would keep her safe. All Raven had to do was make sure things didn't get any worse on her side of the world.
She cut her way into the dark and pursued those who'd dared to trouble her again.
Kuroyuri, Today
Raven turned her attention to the southern gate. She recognized that red cape and that mane of blonde hair coming towards her.
Jaune did too. He had the same reaction. "No…"
One of the uninitiated bandits, still clad in Mistralian gear, sheepishly informed them: "This girl says you never finished your duel with her, chieftess. She says that she has survived your blade and thus you must finish what you've begun."
Yang rolled up her shirt to show the bandage over her stomach. Qrow took a long drink from his flask and discreetly eyed the crowd, searching for any bandit eager enough to intervene.
"Now, of all times…" Raven snarled, "Now you decide to return?"
Qrow belched as he lowered his flask. "Wasn't my call. This one's as stubborn as you are, Raven."
Yang glared up at her mother, then looked past her, her expression softening as she met Jaune's eye.
Raven had to answer the challenge. There were onlookers, there was a formal declaration. Raven unsheathed her sword. "Very well."
"Raven!" Jaune objected.
Raven raised her blade and dashed in. She couldn't afford to take her time; Qrow was right beside her and the moment was at hand. She had to finish matters quickly.
Yang dove out of Raven's path and fired at her unprotected flank with the gauntlet on her left hand, raining down shots. Raven recovered quickly, her Aura absorbing two impacts before she cut away the remaining projectiles and moved to pursue her daughter.
Qrow continued to scan through the crowd as the bandits fled in multiple directions to give their leader a wide berth. Where was Debian's co-conspirator? Qrow only saw three captains…
Jaune rushed down, reaching after his wife and his lover, calling out to them to stop, even as Raven continued to frantically cut after Yang's retreat.
So like her, to try to go through an obstacle and never around it. Yang emptied her clip and moved to reload it, and Raven moved to capitalize. Yang fired from her right gauntlet, unleashing a burst of electricity-charged Dust into her mother's path. Even though Raven deflected it, the lightning ran over the surface of her metal blade, eventually finding its way down to shock her at her wrist, disrupting her Aura further.
Yang finished reloading and fired with her left, firing at close range. Raven continued to absorb the hits, and Yang began to notice her mother wasn't showing any signs of fatigue. She was moving rapidly and striking with fervor; when Yang fought her before while Raven was wounded, she picked her spots carefully. This was all offense without planning, and with much more energy than she should have had…
Jaune leapt in between them. "Yang, Raven, stop!"
Raven very nearly cut her husband but managed to stay her blade. Yang still had her left gauntlet leveled and glared past him. "Get out of the way, Jaune. We'll discuss this –all of this- after I'm done."
"Yang," Jaune tried to be assertive, but abruptly switched tactics. "Yang, I don't know why you're here or why this is happening, but this isn't a good time, okay?"
"Should I have texted you first to ask when I should come rescue you?" Yang dryly suggested.
"Yang… whatever you need to do, whatever this thing with Raven is, you have to stop," Jaune told her. "We can't be distracted now. Not when we're about to go."
About to go? Yang kept her fist up. "What do you mean about to go?"
"The monsters are going to try and come through, Yang," Jaune explained. "Raven and I have to stop them. We have to cut them off while we have the chance."
Jaune didn't lie to her. And his statement corroborated what she'd witnessed of Raven's ferocity. "You haven't gone yet? But we thought-"
Ruby waited on a high branch, staring through the scope of Crescent Rose as Jaune intervened, getting in the path of her shot on Raven. She hoped Jaune could persuade Raven and Yang not to kill each other and that shot would never become necessary.
Then a big patch of red got in the path of her reticle, and Ruby had to look away from her scope, and see a hulking brute of a man in red armor towering over her, even as he stood gingerly on the branch with her.
"Silver-eyed warrior," he observed. "Interesting."
Ruby's first instinct was to attack. She managed to ignore it as she frantically reached for her Scroll to warn the others, only for the red-armored brute to hoist her up by her shoulders and slam her into the wooden trunk of the tree, bashing her head again and again until she was unconscious.
Amaranth hoisted up her rifle, and small though it was in his hands, it was still a high impact rifle with a long barrel and firing from an elevated and otherwise unknown position. It'd do.
He lined up the sights and waited for the opportune moment.
At the northern gate, Debian knocked out the two bandits manning the entrance and then pushed the barrier open to let Nora and Ren in. As they drew closer to the courtyard, he started to steadily fall behind, keeping his movements as subtle and natural as possible, so he was only a step behind them.
Then he took hold of the short girl's hammer and struck each of them. Couldn't kill them, so he'd used something blunt. He'd need them for the final act.
Debian preferred knives. And this boy Lie Ren had one that would be perfect for the occasion.
Jaune reached over to pull down Raven's wrist, to lower her sword ever so slightly. "We all have issues, okay? But right now, we have a common problem. Monsters are going to force their way here and we need to stop them. They are the enemy. They are where we need to focus."
Yang finally lowered her gauntlet. Jaune turned to her. "Yang…"
"Jaune, whatever this is, whatever you've agreed to, we're getting you out," Yang promised him.
"Yang, why did you even come? Why are you trying to fight her again?" Jaune demanded.
Yang wasn't sure how to explain things. She could just say she'd made an agreement with a bandit to depose her mother and bring Jaune back, but she wasn't sure that was a good starting point.
She knew the point she wanted to make.
Yang stepped towards him, taking his hand in her right, clamping her metal fingers down over his. Before Jaune could say anything else, Yang reached her free hand up and pulled him into a kiss.
Raven was still irritated by the circumstances, but she was impressed by her daughter's initiative. It was no wonder she'd fought so hard for him before.
Raven had to alert Jaune to the incursion, but she could allow her daughter this indulgence… she took a step back and composed herself to speak.
That was a mistake. Time was of the essence, and Raven was being needlessly sentimental... and needlessly weak in front of the tribe by allowing another woman to kiss her husband. That was as much a challenge to her authority as Yang's prior declaration.
She just wanted to take some pride in her daughter's act before things had to resume... before she stepped into the dark.
And then a sniper shot rang out as a bullet struck her chest. Raven's Aura managed to stave off the hit, but the force of impact caused it to ripple out and break down. She concentrated on the Aura Jaune had given to her, pushing it forward to fix the hole in the front.
Another mistake. They never would've relied on a single shot to kill her.
She heard a whistle in the air. She tried to turn, but knew it was too late. She saw a glint of metal out of the corner of her eye as the knife twirled through the air and imbedded in her back.
Raven fell forward almost immediately, landing hard on her knees. She felt blood rush up to her mouth and start to dribble down her chin.
Jaune heard her fall and managed to pull himself away from Yang, rushing towards her. He didn't reach her, as the unconscious forms of his two comrades –the girl in pink and the boy in green- were thrown over Raven's head and struck Jaune, knocking him over with their combined weight. Yang glanced between Jaune and Raven, stunned and confused, trying to comprehend what had occurred.
As Raven fell backwards she tried to adjust her landing so she ended up on her side, if only so the dagger wouldn't drive further into her back. She focused on the Aura, tried to route it backwards, but it was a flimsy shield trying to hold back a torrent of blood.
Lying on the ground, Raven saw Debian rush over, pointing at Yang, Jaune, and their friends. "The outsiders ambushed our leader! They didn't come to make a challenge; they came to assassinate her!"
It was hard for Raven to refute the logic of it. It certainly appeared that way.
Qrow shouted something in protest. He tried to attack Debian, but the other captains got in his way. Even he couldn't beat four high-ranking bandits on his own, even if he was nearly back to…
Nearly back to…
Debian had made one error. His timing could not have been worse.
They knew she was wounded. They knew she was vulnerable.
Debian may well have believed Raven when she told him of the battles fought in the dark. Debian knew that sometimes traversing through the dark left people behind who'd never reached the other side.
But apparently his ambition outweighed his caution.
Raven saw Yang try to help Qrow. The uninitiated bandits attacked the outsiders, as Jaune tried to crawl out from under his two friends, reaching towards Raven.
Her vision was getting dimmer. But she could hear them whispering. She could hear the scratching getting louder and louder.
And then she heard the worst sound of all, as one of Qrow's enemies stumbled over his own feet and fell before he could attack, succumbing to bad luck… succumbing to a distortion caused by his Semblance exerting itself and affecting time and space around its bearer.
Raven had to get up. She had to fight them before they-
The barrier collapsed. A portal opened over Qrow's head. The bandits halted their attack as claws reached out from the dark pathways, monsters reaching through, forcing a hole in their prison and trying to escape at last.
A portal opened at Raven's back. Spider-like legs -black as the dimension they hailed from- protruded outwards. Raven could faintly see the elder's eyes as it reached towards her, seeking to finish what it had begun, to claim the remnant apart for itself and its kin, and kill the woman who'd jailed them for so long.
Raven felt Jaune's fingers brushing her own. She felt her eyes slowly sinking shut…
The Fall of Beacon
Raven heard that her daughter had survived the attack. It was what she'd needed to hear; what she'd longed to know once the feed had been cut. Someone had saved her life, though Yang had left an arm at the site of battle.
The Grimm occupied Beacon now. Ozpin was dead. Salem or her agents could have found the relic.
And the dark denizens had attacked in force, as though drawn –as though summoned- by the destruction wrought on the other side of the world. Raven exhausted herself fending them off, and in the time she'd fought them, her daughter had been maimed and the relic had vanished.
Raven didn't think the timing was coincidental. The monsters in between dimensions were intelligent, conniving… either they pounced when the Grimm attacked or when Raven's concerns became great enough to leave her vulnerable.
She had to stop thinking about Yang. There were bigger problems to consider.
The relic. The Grimm. The dark denizens.
So many questions. So many enemies. So little time left.
The world was becoming so very dark. She needed to find something to change the course she was on. Qrow and Ozpin had tried to use the powers of a Maiden to keep them safe…
But there was another action Raven could take; a more practical solution for the long term.
There were only four Maidens, and Salem had one. There were four relics, and one was either already in Salem's hand or right in the middle of a horde of Grimm.
Raven turned her attention to what she could fix on her end. A way to beat back the darkness before it encroached on both sides.
A light. A way to pierce the darkness and drive those denizens within it back into their cages.
She could find that. And now, it seemed, she needed to.
Raven paid Yang no further heed. She was alive, that was enough.
There were still so many more to save.