Ruby Rose
"Now, defend yourself!"
Auntie Raven tossed Ruby a stick, before swinging her own at the girl. Ruby barely caught it in time to block the strike, even then almost dropping it.
When Auntie Raven promised the younger girl training a week ago, she wasn't expecting pool noodle-on-stick sparring. Where they came from was a mystery, considering this camp had no pool. She wasn't complaining. Even though this was super super important, she couldn't help but laugh as she blocked another slash.
She's fun, Ruby mused to herself.
Then she got hit in the head with a pool noodle.
Angerly, Ruby took a retaliation swing for herself, only to get whacked in the side much harder than the rest of the hits.
"I said defend yourself. If you ever get in a fight, I want to first be sure you're strong enough to make it back, okay?"
She nodded, rubbing the offended ribs. Auntie may have thought she was being subtle, but Ruby knew why she was concerned about returning: she didn't want Ruby to meet her mother's fate.
"Now, defend yourself!"
Another flurry of attacks came her way, and Ruby managed to block most of them. It was going well enough, right up until the noodle hit her hand and she dropped her own defense tool.
A firm jab hit her gut, and she fell down.
"Pretty good. I can see you're trying to hold your stick like I am. Maybe you shouldn't, and instead use both hands. See?"
Raven held her own pool noodle sword with two hands on the stick part. It just felt awkwardly long and cumbersome, despite being made of foam. When she made a swing with it, everything just felt far too… wrong.
"This isn't working," Auntie mumbled to herself, "Forget the sticks. Kid, this may hurt a lot, but you'll thank me later"
Ruby tilted her head in confusion. It wasn't until Raven brought her hands up that things fell into place. Hand to hand.
"Mistral has a long and oddly detailed culture of unarmed combat. You could go anywhere here and learn a completely new style of fighting. Fortunately for you, this tribe has been everywhere, and as its chief, I know just about all this forsaken continent can offer. So instead, we're starting with footing"
Qrow Branwen
Qrow's 'house' was a complete mess. There was one bedroom, a kitchen consisting of a mini fridge, sink, and microwave, a bathroom that also housed laundry, and a folding camping chair near the front door. The tag on the chair was signed in a fat permanent marker; T.X.L.
Needless to say, it was a new addition.
Scattered all over every room were clothes, papers, and small metal weapon bits. Trash of all kinds began to litter around as well. Surprisingly, it had only taken a week or so to reach this level of cleanliness. In that time, they had burned through his entire stash of TV dinners, done the laundry six times, and used up all of this month's mobile data trying to accommodate Yang. All of which were minor inconveniences, considering the situation his niece suddenly found herself drowning in.
She had odd coping mechanisms for each different thing. For Summer and Ruby, she looked through his scroll photographs, as well as the photos and ID in a wallet she carried with her everywhere. For her father, she had a small, immaculate flower pot with Tai's favorite species in it that she took very pristine care for; Qrow couldn't remember the whole name, but it was something like Chrysler. Yang knew it though. Considering all that, Qrow was fairly certain that Yang would have a response to this.
"Don't get the wrong idea kiddo, I'm here for you, and I'll always be there for you. Not like her"
Against his own promise, Qrow let Yang know the truth of her mother. How she's still around and kicking, just uncaring about anyone but herself. He didn't think she'd take it well, at all, but she deserved to know. Qrow watched as the reality began to set in for Yang, and she just kinda slumped over onto the bed.
Despite his best efforts, he couldn't get her to talk about much of anything after that. She'd just curl up into a ball and bury herself in sheets when he tried. How he wished that could be him.
Sadly, life doesn't make time for mourning, and he had work. Yang had nowhere to go, and this dump they had been sharing just wouldn't cut it. Qrow didn't want to leave Yang alone though, so he had to stay home. Not making money.
It was a self perpetuating cycle that was going to result with them on a street corner. Then again, he had been getting used to sleeping in a camping chair these last few nights. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad.
Shaking away the passive thoughts, he tried to think of anywhere Yang could go while he tried to piece together a decent life for her. Maybe Ozpin? Glynda? No, they were busy. They were running a school for superhuman delinquents, not a daycare.
Scrolling through his contact list shot lancing pain in his side.
'Pussy-ass-bitch'
No, not her. She made her choices clear. Qrow removed her contact from his list
'Summer'
...why…
'Tai'
Goddamnit, being sober wasn't making this easy!
He sighed. The Vytal festival would be held in Mistral in a few weeks. Most of Beacon's population should be in Haven. Maybe Peter would be open.
He scrolled up, and dialed his number.
Straight to voicemail
'Good morning, or whenever you're calling. Sadly, the great Peter Port isn't available. Please leave a message at the tone for yours truly'
"He-"
*beep*
"Hey, it's Qrow," he snarled out, "Listen, I need you to do me a big favor. I know you've heard about what happened to Summer and Tai, and the court ruled a few days ago I am a fit guardian for their kid. I need you to watch over Yang for a little while I take on a big mission, so I can move out of this dumpy apartment. Let me know when you're available. Thanks"
Qrow sighed, trying in vain to calm himself. Pretty shitty luck, maybe someone else's scroll would be on? Moving through the list, he left similar messages to Barty and, reluctantly, Glynda. Ozpin was overseas right now, and while Glynda was taking care of the few students at Beacon, she might be open?
For fucks sake, it's worth the effort!
Looking to the bed, Qrow saw Yang was asleep. Early, even for her, but to each her own. Maybe he could finally get a decent drink in. He stood on his chair, and undid the ceiling light shade. Inside was a tiny bottle of Captain Morgeth's Red Rum. Supposedly you'd feel dead if you made it all the way to the bottom.
He undid the lid. Just as he brought it to his lips, a pillow hit him, knocking the bottle and its contents to the floor.
"Yang, just let me-"
He looked at the girl. She was in tears, and a hair's width away from breaking down into a sobbing mess.
"Stop drinking that stuff! Daddy drank that, and now he's gone! I can't lose you too"
Her eyes were pleading, tears falling to the sheets below.
"Please…"
Qrow said nothing in response, instead just cleaning up the mess. Yang seemed to accept this, and curled back up into the shivering mass that controlled his bed for the last week. He swept all of it, glass shards and spilled alcohol, with his broom, and dumped the dust pan into the small plastic convenience store shopping bag he used as a trash bin.
He dropped the cleaning stuff back to its spot near the sink. After washing his hands, he took a seat next to Yang.
"Hey, I know you're starting to get comfy. But this dump isn't a good place for you. Pretty soon, I'm heading out on a mission so we can get to a better place than this. You'll be staying with some friends of mine. Sound good?"
The cocoon of sheets and blankets said nothing, but the mound that was probably Yang's head nodded.
"Alright. I'm not sure when-"
His scroll rang. Glynda, of all people, sent him a text.
Yang's welcome at Beacon as long as you need, whenever you need it. Stay safe~
"Okay. We're heading to Beacon tomorrow, first flight. Pack your things"
Yang
Should she be happy right now? Qrow had gone out on his mission a few days ago, leaving her in the care of Beacon. Quite a few people surrounded her, hoping to throw in their two Lien of reassurance. With the amount of effort the big kids and Beacon's teachers were putting into making Yang feel better, she felt bad for not.
It all faded to white noise eventually; 'how are you feeling', 'need anything', 'hope you feel better', 'I'm sorry about your family'. Nobody there had cardboard armor and swords, and nobody there climbed trees, and nobody there sang bedtime stories while doing her hair. She knew nobody could provide that, at least, not anymore, but she couldn't help but feel like life might have been a little better if they had just one more minute to spend together. Or if she'd listened to her dad more, did just a few more chores, broken a few less plates, he'd love her just enough more to- to not...
Needless to say, nothing was improving her mood.
Not wanting to waste their time any longer, she excused herself from the lunch table and wandered the halls. She'd get yelled at for leaving later. Or not. Everyone was taking it easy with her for some odd reason. Maybe because all her family was dead. Who flippin' knows?
Yang found herself at a hall bordering Beacon's cliff face. The scene outside the windows was breathtaking; an endless expanse of green controlled only by the distant mountain giants. Of course it had to be beautiful. It had been perfect days like these Qrow came with news and she found Dad-
No. Not now.
She kept walking. Anywhere but here. Down this hall, to the left, random right, and-
Yang found herself in a garden. Another picturesque view, this one filled with roses.
Ruby…
The blonde stormed out, eyes starting to get puffy. Anywhere her past wouldn't follow was better than here.
Turning another few corners, she entered a stadium of sorts. The stands, or desks rather, encircled a marked out stage in the center of the room. She walked down to the pit. Through the pit. The walls and ground were scarred from countless battles. Taking the stairs up to the other side, Yang saw a trophy case. Vytal Tournament awards. Each was a large Goblet, embedded with some large Dust crystal themed to the area it was held. One stood out to her:
25th Biennial Vytal Fighting Tournament, held in Atlas.
Awarded to:Team STRQ
Attached was a photo of said team. Despite her own misgivings, she looked at the photo.
Off to the left, Summer Rose. Her mother. The woman that raised her, that fed her, that clothed and sheltered her, that-
That supposedly sacrificed her life for Yang.
Too bad it was wasted on Ruby.
She looked to the next member after wiping away a tear.
Taiyang Xiao-Long.
He looked remarkably young and sober in this photo. Yang knew he looked like this even two, three months ago, but in the last month, everything changed. She'd never see her father the same way again, if the purple blotches clouding the younger Dad's neck told anything.
Qrow Branwen.
He was coming back. He promised. They'd be a fixed family. They'd go and get ice cream after so she'd feel better.
Mo- Summer promised the same things. Then they just weren't important enough.
More tears fell. She couldn't be bothered to wipe them away.
Lastly, the one she skipped. Just thinking about her left a sour taste in her mouth.
Raven Branwen.
At one point in her life, Yang called herself a Branwen. It was standard tradition for children to take their mothers' last names. After all, it was the one parent anyone could be completely sure of. After this… Qrow said she faked her death because she couldn't handle her family. In all honesty, Yang believed she was better gone if she could so easily abandon her broken life. And as such, she dropped the family name. Her last relation hadn't, but even if she spent the rest of her formative years living with Qrow, she'd rather be a Xiao-Long or a Rose than be related to that thing in the photo.
It was all too much, too fast, without enough room to think.
Yang sprinted out of the arena and into the hallway. A group of Beacon students looked relieved to see her.
She kept running.
She kept running till her legs hurt. Then she ran some more. Yang ran anywhere, just not there. Not the garden, not the windowed hallway. Not the cafeteria filled with all the noises she couldn't be bothered to hear.
Eventually, she found herself nowhere.
Well, it wasn't really nowhere. It was a field of open air concrete, on the edge of another cliff face that looked over a lake. In the distance, smoke plumes and walls made up a stark contrast to the green and red landscape surrounding Vale.
It was horribly discordant, and she loved it.
Off to the south, a storm was coming in.
Back when she was with Ruby, they weren't allowed outside during the rain because Patch caught the smog from Vale, causing acid rain. At Beacon, they were on the opposite side of the wind pattern. Maybe she'd see rain for once.
As the storm drew closer, she noticed a Bullhead just ahead of the tempest. It seemed to be trying to outrun the system, to limited success. By the time it landed, the clouds were almost overhead.
The bay door opened, revealing her uncle. The moment he stepped foot outside, the rain fell.
"Stupid fucking weather, stupid ass luc-" Qrow began, only to be interrupted by a violently hugging Yang.
She wasn't smiling still, but it was emotional contact. More than she'd had over the last week or so.
"Hey kiddo" Qrow said as he carefully wrapped his arms around her.
"You're back"
Qrow had no idea how much that meant to Yang. That was okay though. He returned safe and sound.
"Yeah. In case you can't tell, I'm back a few days early. The moment we landed, the storm picked up. We had to shift from search and destroy to emergency evac. This is the largest storm Vale has seen in years, so we should probably head inside"
Yang didn't let go, instead pulling him in tighter.
"Please don't leave again" the blonde looked up to her uncle's eyes, pleading as the rain beat on her skin.
"I have to. The original mission wasn't completed as specified, so I lost half the cut. However," Qrow started when Yang looked like she would protest, "The Storm won't pass for a while, so you have me for at least a week"
The two broke apart, and began to head back to the halls. Yang saw a group of half familiar faces looking in from the doorways, not exactly pleased. Qrow also took notice.
"You were behaving, right?"
Yang said nothing in response.
Qrow sighed, "We're here because of their good graces. At least play a nice guest"
"I'll try," offered Yang.
He nodded, "That's all I'm askin'"
No, I doubt updates will ever be regular at any point again. Sorry 'bout that, but I can't really afford to make this a big priority in life. There's gonna be one more chapter in Act 1, followed by another big hiatus. Act 2 didn't gel like I wanted it to, so it (and by extension, Act 3) is getting the complete rewrite treatment. I'm like 90% certain that rewriting Act 1 will just make everything take longer, so rather than waste time on that, it's just going to have to exist as flawed as it is.