Chapter 6 – Knots and Tensions

A/N: Longer chapter this time, one that took a bit of time due to me being busy and the chapter itself not being the easiest to get down in text – still, enough of those travails, enjoy the latest work.

XXX

Okay, today is the day we make it happen.

Ruby wasn't sure where she'd heard that before but it sounded like something her dad would say so she pictured him giving a thumbs-up and his cheesiest grin as she slipped out of bed before glancing around disappointed. Going to need a new measuring-door; that her dorm-room might even now be hosting some unspeakable creature of nightmare made her melancholy, the thought of Grimm erasing the small, almost-unnoticeable pencil-marks of her incremental growth by the doorframe (because she was never going to let Yang find out she'd kept that habit) with their bony hides made her clench a small fist. Cold fire filled her eyes, the vague itch from a week ago returning slightly as she remembered the new mantra; Beacon still burns; Vale's defiance to the darkness that had nearly brought them low; would have, if Jaune hadn't been there.

She suddenly felt both gooey and frozen at the same time; even as her cheeks pinked at the memories of his last request (and joke at her expense; she'd kept that clothes-peg so she could stick it up his nose next time they met!), not to mention his warm breath sinking through her black hair, such memories couldn't quite thaw out the terror she'd felt atop the tower. The knight had nearly died, likely would have died had she not gotten there in time; but if I'd been faster, maybe he'd not have needed saving at all? We could have faced the dragon togeth-no; she squelched such thoughts with an effort, myriad voices from the leadership classes they'd shared echoing in her ears. Picking at past mistakes did nothing but stop you learning from them; if, and it was an 'if' she reminded herself forcefully, she hadn't been fast enough, that meant she had to push past her limits to be ready for next time.

With that noble goal in mind she rolled out of bed, shucked off her nightdress and reached for her combat skirt before a clearing throat made her look over her shoulder,

"Nora," the grinning ginger girl nodded, "up already?"

"Always ready tireless leader," the bubbly bomber chirped before her smile got slightly more malicious, "especially where there's a show on, hey Rennie?" Ruby dived behind her bed with a strangled squark of embarrassment, how could she have forgotten she was in a mixed team now? Face red as her namesake she dared the merest peek over her fluffy cover in time to catch a barrage of guffaws from Nora, the sight of the other girl thumping her mattress hysterically drowning embarrassment in ire as the ravenette glared cutely,

"That wasn't funny!"

"To be fair," the second voice send her diving for cover again, "for Nora that was actually quite good."

"Ren," Ruby called back, trying to get worm her way into her clothing without giving the boy a peek, "I, ah… you're awake?"

"Not out of choice," the reply floated back from the bed furthest from hers just as she found the head-hole, "and don't panic – I didn't see anything and none of us are exactly shy around each other."

"Yeah, I heard the rumours," Ruby admitted, standing up to smooth down her skirt as she looked over at the prostrate; and solitary – oh, I bet that's going to take some getting used to, especially as his companion used to be the leader. I doubt he'll have trouble taking orders from a girl so hopefully it won't come up, I'd rather not have to fight my teammates, had enough of tha… no, not now!; boy, "please tell me TFI-Friday wasn't really a thing?"

"If it was I never got an invite," Ren admitted, opening his eyes as Ruby rolled hers as his sardonic wit, "but, seriously, don't worry, there was never anything like that. We all were or got comfortable around each other…"

"S'some quicker than others," Nora chipped in having recaptured her breath, "me and Rennie already knew each other but fearless leader was a surprise."

"Really, Jaune? Thought he'd have been way too shy."

"Nope; first thing he did after initiation was strip to his waist, said his shirt was too sweaty; Ren and I just followed on 'cause he wasn't wrong, we were all sweaty. Poor Pyrrha didn't know where to look – took us hours to convince her we weren't about to start a midsummer rite."

"Especially as Mistral midsummers are often more carnal than Vales," Ren reminisced fondly before his eyes became more mournful at the sight of the one empty bed, set between Nora and Ruby, "it took her a while to loosen up around all of us, even Jaune."

"Really? But she's got a, well, she's got a crush bigger than Professor Port's belly on him?" To her relief both Ren and Nora nodded, confirming that ill-kept secret beyond any doubt as the smaller of the two answered with a finger on her chin,

"Yeah, that didn't take too long to show but Pyr… I don't know, it just seemed to take a long time to get… comfortable in her own skin, if that makes sense?"

"Because she was, or is a celebrity?" For all the wrong reasons now – no, later; memories of a dismembered mess of wire and synthetic flesh flickered across Ruby's mind and she banished them with an effort; Pyrrha had no idea and one of that witches' helpers tricked her, I have to remember that;

"We believe so," Ren answered, seemingly not noticing his leaders' wobble, "from what I could tell, at least, she was so used to being told how to act or speak or even live she'd almost forgotten who Pyrrha-the-person was as opposed to Pyrrha-the-Icon."

"Really; it was as bad as that?" Nora nodded, a once-funny, now bitter story rearing up in her mind,

"She used to keep biscuits; special ones from home so they were pricy here; in a tin under her bed. Me, Rennie and Fearless Leader planned to go for a sloth-hunt in Vale one weekend and Pyr didn't want to come, said she didn't want to deal with her fans and wanted to call her parents, hard in the week due to time difference. Anyway I forgot my scroll so we troop back to our room, there she was with the tin open and the guiltiest look on her face and she wasn't even eating one. She was smelling the open tube," lost in the memory Nora's expression was somewhere between hilarity and pain, "said it reminded her of home but she'd feel bad breaking her exercise plans." Ruby's eyes were like silver dishes, trying to imagine holding rather than eating a cookie but the picture wouldn't form, the thought so alien she couldn't comprehend it,

"That…" words failed, "she… what on Remnant did you do?"

"I walked over and gave her the biggest hug I could," despite the sentiment both Ren and Ruby winced on the redheads' behalf, "then Jaune-Jaune and I wrestled her to the floor so Rennie could shove a biscuit in her mouth – like Fearless Leader said, the moon wouldn't fall out the sky just because Pyrrha Nikos decided to have a taste of home. Life's short, Ren and I know that," realising there was a story there she wasn't privy to Ruby kept quiet as the other girl finished, "and I don't think she even thought about it."

"There's a lot about Pyrrha we don't know," Ren embellished, glancing at the empty bed again, "and I fear what happened with the Fall has set her back badly, especially with Jaune gone. Nothing against you Ruby but out of all of us he was the one she was really opening up to – getting Pyrrha as opposed to the Invincible Girl back is not going to be easy."

"Nothing worthwhile ever is; come on, out of bed," Ruby commanded, clapping her hands to chivvy them along, "let's find Pyrrha, get breakfast and get a mission, something easy to ease us in and see where we all stand."

"Aye-aye tireless leader," Nora sprang to her feet with a salute, revealing she slept in a crop-top and shorts that, judging by Ren's hastily-averted gaze, she was starting to outgrow, "sounds like a good Sunday to me!"

XXX

Truthfully it was a good plan, though the first potential snag was one Ruby felt she should handle alone. Sending the other two off to hold a table Ruby headed for the sparring ring, steeling herself for a potential standoff with a four-time champion as mantras for leadership rattled around her mind; don't rise to bait, if they hook you you've lost – be calm, be collected but get your point across, it's your authority so don't squander it. Okay, let's see what she's got – huh, wasn't quite expecting that. The sight of her last teammate on a weight bench while two others were dancing with blades on the sparring mats came as a surprise, as did the rumbling cough from beside but behind that made her jump,

"Cardin," she greeted, half-polite and half-wary as she belatedly recognised the surly giant lounging against the packed shipping containers, "ah, been here long?"

"No," he admitted, casting a glance over his diminutive year mate, "give us half an hour if you want the mats, I'm on with the winner of that pair next."

"No, no I don't," Ruby reassured him, belatedly recognising Sky and Russell duelling while, amazingly, the last member of CRDL was spotting for Pyrrhas' weight sets, "I'm just after her." Following her finger Cardin gave another rumble,

"One of the profs need her? About the only way you'll get her off that bench unless you've got a crowbar handy."

"No, we're getting breakfast and a mission." That brought him up short enough to peer down at the other team leader, puzzlement creasing his ogrish face,

"We're?" He repeated, brow furrowed before he made the connection and almost took a step back, "You took over from Jauney-Boy?"

"Yes I did, he asked me to," Ruby stated, almost daring the giant to make something of it and ready to give him a piece of her mind and Crescent Rose if he did. To her mingled relief and disappointment, however, Cardin just shrugged,

"Fair enough, she's all yours." Taking the dismissal at face value Ruby merely nodded and departed, missing as she did so Cardin following her steps with his eyes, a flash of something other than his usual scowl on his face as he awaited the coming confrontation.

When the bar didn't move her first instinct was to push harder – only when that failed did she realise her would-be spotter was leaning on it to keep it down. Narrowing her eyes (and ironically mimicking the face above her own), she noticed the extended finger just prior to opening her mouth, fortunately not seeing Doves' relief at his interruption of her metronomic sets going unpunished,

"Ruby," it was somewhere between acknowledgement and greeting as she sat up, just as she'd greet a new potential sponsor; about right, Pyrrha judged, for a team leader she wasn't familiar with, "what did you need?"

"Uh, you?" Caught slightly flat-footed by the blunt demand Ruby quickly reasserted herself, "I mean, I'm planning to get us, team RNNR that is, out the View by mid-morning. I know there's still a few patrols going on, especially near the Breach, so there's likely to be some 'wolves sniffing around. Taking out a pack or two will let me see how you guys fight and where I can fit in, and if what Coco said is true we're going to need to be on top form sooner rather than later." Seeing Pyrrhas' ears prick up at the thought of combat Ruby chalked up both a victory and a potential problem later down the line,

"What did Coco say?"

"Something about Hunters stopping with the relief effort and doing more hunts to push the Grimm back soon," as she answered Ruby made a slight show of trying to remember, a sinking feeling in her gut as she took in the taller girls' reaction; yep, looking forwards to a fight – Brothers please don't let this turn into battle-lust. Apart from Professor Goodwitch I'm not sure anyone could pull Pyrrha back if she really wanted to go and anger calls the Grimm in as badly as fear does; "I want in as much as anyone but…"

"…We need to show we're an effective team to be considered, especially as we're first-years," the Mistralian girl finished for her, standing up suddenly, "where are Ren and Nora?"

"Getting breakfast, I asked them to hold a table."

"Good," Pyrrha nodded, eyes like jade stones focussed on a horizon only she saw as she moved away, "I will meet you there shortly, just let me get changed and pick up my weapons."

"Sure," Ruby managed to keep up a smile until her erstwhile teammate was a half-dozen paces away, mouthing a swift, "sorry," to a disgruntled Dove as he regarded the damp bench,

"Bah," he waved it off, reached for the cleaning rag and a bottle of spray, "just tell Big Bird to come over here and spot for me on your way out."

"Big Bird?"

"Cardin; cardinal," Dove explained, grimacing at the long red hairs being lifted from the bench, "it's a bird and he's the biggest of us isn't he?"

"I, ah, I guess so," Ruby agreed, trying hard to fight down a sudden giggling fit, "I, I'll ask for you."

"Thanks."

By some miracle the petite Huntress trainee managed to keep her face straight as she directed her fellow team leader to his teammates' aid, though as he lumbered away there was a fluttering of red petals and a quiet corner of Ocean View suddenly rang with helpless mirth. Big Bird; as Cardin started clucking and spouted little yellow feathers in her minds' eye again Ruby was forced to shove her cloak in her mouth; oh that's cruel, funny but cruel – I'm never going to lose that image, ever!

XXX

There's an image I could do with losing forever…

It was like a Bullhead crash, you should look away but some morbid force kept your gaze pinned; frozen in the doorway he'd poked his head around Jaune could only watch, horrified, as another thunderous snore belched from the unconscious Hunter sprawled on the settee. He cannot be comfortable; the knight cocked his head, trying to work out how Qrow had twisted himself into that sort of knot to begin with; and where's his other hand…? No; with a shuddering effort he turned away, grateful beyond measure that the older man was mostly facing the back of his unusual bed; that way lies horrible, horrible thoughts. Begone abominations, bedevil me no more; mental exorcism complete he moved back to the kitchen, hearing a quiet rattle and slightly louder yip as the other conscious person in the household came indoors to greet him,

"Hey Zwei," the corgi's tongue lolled out from a pat on the head, "just going to go through some forms, then see about getting us both some breakfast okay?" Without waiting for an answer Jaune unhooked the key from its peg at the side of the backdoor and let himself out, Zwei trotting behind him curiously and staying under the door cover as with a rasp of metal Crocea Mors was unsheathed, its wielder falling into a familiar stance as he slowly began to move.

Not-Threat had Threat in no-dirt-paw but Zwei could tell Threat would be No-Threat to Warm-Warm-Bright unless Warm-Warm-Brights' heart-pain slowed him. Not-Threat was slow, very slow, the Sharp-Threat; Zwei had seen Young-Swift and her Threat enough to know Not-Threat bore a Sharp-Threat, not a Break-Threat like Warm-Warm-Bright or Warm-Bright; glimmering in the Sky-Bright-Hots' rays as Zwei sat, somewhat content. This was no Challenge; Not-Threat was not calling out Warm-Warm-Bright for Alpha; he was using his Sharp-Threat to become more of a Challenge. Did this mean Not-Threat could become Threat soon – Zwei was unsure, so Zwei decided to Wait and Watch…

Unaware of his audience Jaune continued through his forms, trying hard to find peace in the familiar movements and not dwell on where, or more accurately who, they'd come from. Blankly he switched slowly from offence to defence and back again, far too slowly to even dream of hitting anything but speed could come later – now, at the beginning, technique and footwork were all-important. A hair either way could be the difference between hitting flesh or glancing off bone; memories of an Ursa's head flying into the sky made him smirk for a minute before a tremor from his arm soured it into a scowl; too low, start again. Resetting his stance the would-be knight focussed, Crocea Mors inching agonisingly through the air – though useless in combat, moving the sword so slowly both ingrained the motion and forced him to build up the muscles needed to wield it properly at the same time. Despite the years' training it was still hard work, so much so that the sun was rising properly and there was a fair sweat on Jaune's brow as he sheathed the blade and belatedly realised his audience had doubled in size,

"Oh, uh," suddenly self-conscious, Jaune was only grateful he'd not tried some stupid flourish to end the practice, like that time he'd flipped his sword into the air, tried to catch in the sheathe and nearly amputated half his toes; though at least Pyrrha got a laugh out of it after we both stopped hyperventilating… damn it; "sorry, I didn't wake you did I?" Though he noticed the flash of disappointment over the younger mans' face Tai didn't comment, instead dismissing his concern with a snort,

"Hah, over Qrows' snoring? The Brothers could be clashing outside and you'd not hear it over that racket."

"True; has he always been that bad?"

"Long as I've known him, well, almost," Tai amended, recalling younger days at Beacon almost fondly for a moment, "he was bad to start with and the punches to the face he's had since probably haven't helped. He's always been an eel under covers though, rolls like thunder as soon as his eyes shut."

"…You have no idea how hard I'm trying not to imagine how you found that out."

"Not like that! We were on the same team at Beacon," he elaborated, shuddering at the thought; just as well those twins didn't share everything – the one I ended up with was bad enough; "four years under the same roof and you'll learn everything whether you want to or not."

"Oh, okay, that makes sense and makes it better," Jaune admitted, finally putting the horrific insinuations out of his misery before a sudden thought occurred, "Ruby said her and Yangs' parents both went to Beacon; is Qrow actually her-stroke-their uncle or is it a team-raises-the-child thing? I only ask," he made to explain as Tai's gaze cooled somewhat, "because I'm expecting to become an honorary uncle via JNPR, my team, at some stage."

"Ah, you got a pair chumming up as well eh?"

"I wish – these two came pre-chummed."

"Really?"

"Knew each other before Beacon, a long time before – we were taking bets how long it'd be until one of them snapped before initiation was over."

"Bad as that? Heh, best to leave them to it and have a scroll on hand for when it happens," briefly reminding himself of the snapping point in his first relationship Tai had to look away slightly to hide his savage grin; Raven said I'd never be man enough to kick her arse and she was right, I never did. Paddling it on the other hand…; "still, breakfast, assuming you can handle the thunder in here?"

"As long as that's all it is," Jaune muttered darkly, elaborating with a wry grin as Tai glanced over his shoulder, "if it's anything else you'll be burning the cushions because there's no way that sort of stench is coming out."

"That's not funny and disgusting."

"Says the man trying not to laugh?"

"Snrk; n,not true, now you want feeding or not?"

One breakfast later and the two blondes were back in the garden, Tai finding himself more than pleasantly surprised that his unexpected lodger was something of a green thumb,

"It just soaked in over time, does to pretty much anyone in or around where I'm from," the trainee Hunter explained as he tied a sagging bean shoot to its pole, "there's not as much farming as there used to be; the soil's not quite up to it; but pretty much everyone's got a plot or a share in one. We're not a hundred percent self-sufficient but we've lived through lean times."

"Good to know," finally satisfied the line he'd trowelled was straight enough Tai heaved himself to his feet, "and a good habit to have, though Brothers know it never sank into either of my two; pass me the trug?"

"Sure; let me guess – Yangs' not got the patience and Ruby's not interested in anything that doesn't go 'bang'?"

"Ha, how long have you known my girls?" Jaune shrugged, passing his elder copy the basket of fertiliser before fishing a pair of secateurs from the back pocket of his weapon band,

"Long enough; they don't exactly hide it, either of them," he pointed out, snipping the deadened heads from the nearby bushes with a practiced eye, "though to be fair Ruby's a lot more than just Crescent Rose – I asked her to look after my team just before I ended up here."

Tai's trowel almost went through the bottom of the trug, the tall man surging to his feet as this bombshell rocked him,

"You did what?" He exclaimed, hushing himself reluctantly as he cast an eye towards one of the darkened top floor windows of his house, "Qrow said she was safe in, in that place Beacon's moved to, why would you give her a reason to go back out?" Though Jaune had quailed at his outburst he quickly rallied, though he wasn't quite able to meet the irate fathers' eye as he answered steadily,

"Because she's a damn good team leader, a lot better than me at least," he admitted, confidence growing as he pressed on, "JNPR had a duo who already knew each other back-to-front, a world-class tournament fighter and me, so as long as I didn't drag the other three down too much we were pretty much set. RWBY on the other hand; that's Ruby's team, R-W-B-Y; had not just her older sister, and I know Yang means well but she can be overbearing a lot of the time, but her rich girl partner;" sorry Snow Angel – you'll always be beautiful but you were a snobby cow back then; "who thought she should be leader and Blake, who's got more walls around her than an Atlas command centre. On top of all that she was two years younger than everyone else and that's before all the other crap that went down this year – you've heard about Torchwick, Mount Glen and all the rest right?"

"Um, yeah…"

"Exactly," Jaune ploughed on, snipping more forcefully as he vented, "she rang me you know, at Mount Glen? She tried to call me but nothing got through, nothing coherent at least; I knew something was wrong, knew it, but I didn't act – we had a mission the following day, it was probably a mistake, her scroll probably went off in her pocket, Professor Oobleck is with them, he's an experienced Hunter – I should have gone, should have done something but I didn't and even though I didn't," his laugh was bitter as he savagely snapped the last wilting head off, "they still pulled through. Ruby got her team and a lot of innocent people out of the Breach; by the time we arrived it was pretty much all over thanks to them. Nah, NPR will be fine with her, probably better off than they were with me and they'll look after her in turn. She's going to Hunt the Grimm no matter what happens, we both know it," and as much as he wanted to deny it Tai could only nod bitterly that his youngest had inherited her mothers' almost-suicidally selfless heroism, "so better she's with people that have her back than on her own right?"

"I suppose," the elder man admitted, the words like bile, "damn it."

"I know," glancing over, Taiyang was surprised not just by Jaune's look of understanding but also how deep that understanding ran, "my folks didn't want me to become a Hunter and having lived through that mess I can understand why."

You don't know the half of it; though not part of the inner circle, being family to at least three people that were (or had been, in Ravens' case) meant Tai had seen glimpses of a bigger picture against the forces of darkness, something he'd be very grateful to keep the rest of his family ignorant of as long as he could. Still, right now that didn't matter and much as he might disagree Jaune was right, both about Rubaby and his team; she can take care of herself, right now it's the other one who needs help;

"I suppose you're right; much as I'd like to wrap her in cotton wool and keep her as my little girl all her life I can't," the ex-Hunter sighed, feeling suddenly old at the thought of his tiny princess growing up, "too much of her mother in her to stay on Patch."

"Summer, wasn't it, her mother? Qrow told me," Jaune explained as Taiyang shot him a very sharp look, "said her name and that she was a Huntress who… didn't come back when Ruby wasn't very old." Old aches flaring at the thought of the silver-eyed woman he'd belatedly loved and lost too soon Tai nodded sadly,

"She was and if I could ask the Brothers one favour it'd be they took me rather than her," Jaune had opened his mouth to protest this but, seeing the depth of grief in the older mans' expression closed it again; sometimes it really is easier to leave than to be left behind – you were right dad; "she was the mother of both my girls, Yang will admit it more than I would and it damned near broke us all when she never came home."

"Yeah," Jaune agreed sadly, recalling a few younger days in Ansel, old friends and even enemies he could barely remember save for devastated expressions, his mother likewise looking grim after she had to deliver the news, "I can… no, I can't imagine, I'm just grateful mum jacked it in when she did. No wonder she was so pissed when she came to the View," he muttered mostly to himself, grateful for her concern even as his ear throbbed at the memory. Seeing the shudder Taiyang let the topic go, regret stirring again as he laid the silver-eyed ghost to rest again and resumed distribution of the mulch,

"That I can imagine; when I heard what had happened sod the ferry, I'd have swum to Vale if Qrow hadn't rung to say what had ha… huh? Oh," having glanced up to Jaune distracted the kneeling man followed his gaze only to smirk at the dark figure now leant against the doorpost, "the old bird awakens."

"So it would seem," Jaune echoed his smirk before shooting the other man a sly glance and raising his voice, "and here we see a rare sight indeed, the elusive Qrow commonus. Normally nocturnal, the confused expression and shambling gait indicate this old male is likely suffering the first stages of dementia. Oh," as Qrow shot both him and the chuckling Taiyang a murderous glare and very recognisable gesture Jaune kept up his act, "unfortunately, further inspection of the markings and behaviour reveal the old male to be Qrow vulgaris, ironically much more common than its commonus cousin."

"And sadly nowhere near as rare as Qrow hungoverus, though the two are very hard to tell apart," Taiyang chipped in, grinning at Qrow's betrayed expression, "I assume you're scrounging for dinner then flying away?"

"No, I'm leaving tonight," the Hunter called back, wishing someone would turn off the sun despite having drunk enough water to drown a Fei-Long, "you heard the knight-kid, I'm nocturnal."

"And if you know what that word means I'll eat my trowel," the taller blonde muttered before calling back, "fine, just make yourself useful and do a few hours in the wilds, the 'wolves might be starting to spread out again. Is Yang up yet?"

"Didn't check and I'll go after lunch, it's nearly midday now."

"Really?" Jaune checked the sun, "Wow, time flies; shall we finish the row and wash up?"

"Uh, yeah, that'll do," Tai answered after a minute of looking up and down, "you start the other end and we'll meet more or less in the middle, then we just need to add the mulch and that should do. Sandwiches for lunch okay, I meant to go shopping tomorrow but after yesterday that'll need to be pushed forwards a bit."

"Ah, sorry."

"Don't you dare," Tai's admonishment was firm but not harsh, "it was a good meal, we all needed it."

"Hear, hear," Qrow agreed unexpectedly, slumping in the warm grass near the bed they were working on, "you planning to pull another Small House-Hunter on the Plains tonight?"

"I can do, depends what's for sale at the stores – speaking of which," Jaune took the chance to ask a question that had been nagging at his mind, "where actually are all the stores? I know the ferry service is in the main town but Ruby said there's other settlements around."

"Mostly around the coast; Patch makes a living from fishing, always has," Taiyang explained, "the middle's not wild, not like in Vale at least, but there's not really much worth having save a bit of logging here and there. If you wanted to you could walk around the whole island given a week or so, though as you know getting to Patch will take an hour or so there and back." Jaune waved a hand dismissively,

"I could use the exercise; come to think of it so could Zwei, or Yang if she's up for it;" though from that look I doubt it, for now at least; seeing neither Qrow nor Taiyang able to meet his eyes Jaune simply bent to the rows with trowel in hand, "still, before I go anywhere let's finish this and get something to eat. I'm going to need my strength to carry back enough to fill old Qrow hungoverus over there – ow!"

"And if you're going to insult a Qrow of any stripe you're going to need to duck faster; now hurry up, I'm starving."

XXX

A short while later Taiyang swept the crumbs from the breadboard into the palm of his meaty hand, deftly avoiding Zwei's beseeching look as he glanced at the plates filled and tried to steel himself; I should, I haven't seen her all morning but it always seems to hit her hardest then. Sorry Qrow but needs must when the Grimm are charging…;

"Mind taking Yangs up while I finish here Qrow?" The red-eyed man nodded and made to get up from the seat he'd been lounging in before,

"Why?" The sudden question made them both look over,

"Why what?"

"Why take it up? She can come down here, she did yesterday," Jaune pointed out reasonably, wondering why the two older men were regarding him so oddly before Qrow sat back down and regarded him directly, piercingly,

"You, really think that's the best thing for her?"

"What, as opposed to being waited on hand and foot – of course it is;" he is serious; the thought was both a shock and a concern, and not just because Tais' white-knuckled hands were twisting the dishcloth into a garotte, "never heard of a Huntress that couldn't roll out of bed in the morning, though I suppose in fairness you gave it a shot." The dishcloth dropped at the same speed Qrow's eyebrows rose, thought before he could say a word Taiyang muscled into the conversation like a Boarbatusk on the rampage,

"A Huntress – are you blind, stupid or just that callous? My daughter, in fact both my daughters lived through one of Vales' darkest nights but unlike you Yang didn't walk away unscathed. She gave her all for Vale, Beacon and her ungrateful bitch of a teammate so the least you and every other damned idiot from that school and city can do is show some damned sympathy for what she's lost!"

The low shout rumbled throughout the room and Qrow was already on guard, both in case Yang had overheard and to pull Tai off the young knight in case he went in swinging; if Jaune gets hurt here and Glynda hears about it never mind hiding the body, she'll make it a public execution and laugh when the axe comes down!;

"Taiyang that's enough," speed born from a lifetime in the wild and on the edge allowed the dark Hunter to shove his brother-in-law back, "and Jaune where the hell do you get off with that kind of crap?!"

"Someone had to stick their hand down the Ursas' throat," it was his tone and face, far more than his words, that brought them both up short; though either of them could have dismantled the younger Hunter in short order before his remorseful determination they found themselves mute as Jaune went on, looking Tai square in the face as he did, "first off I'm not blind or any of those things; I'm sympathetic for Yang, same as I am for everyone else who lost something, or someone, that night. But she is alive," he spoke slowly and clearly, looking between his audience to make sure the point sank home, "and a lot of people aren't, including someone I…;" small glasses, silver hair, constant ticking, 'I have always known Mr Arc'; "…owed a lot to. Yang's lucky she made it home at all; she, and you as well Taiyang, need to realise that."

The finality was almost profound, a deep silence filling the little kitchen as both Qrow and Taiyang, the latter much more than the former, were slammed face-first into a basic truth they'd not paid much heed to. Yang could have died; the image of another grave on the rose-covered hillside made Taiyang sway dangerously, catching himself on the kitchen counter as his breath rasped harshly; I almost lost her, I almost lost my baby girl. Remnant was spinning, the walls wobbling as the strength in his legs fled, only a thin bar of iron stopping him stumbling completely as the buzzing in his ear became coherent again,

"…eathe, breathe damn it," Qrow, recognisable as much by scent as by his straining voice as the smaller man tried to keep him upright. Slouching back against the countertop he managed to wave the aid away, though Qrow kept a weather eye on his in-law while silently praying for his Semblance to for once stay its hand; last thing any of us need right now is bad luck;

"So;" though you opening your mouth is a very close second – Brothers' sake knight-kid read the damned room; "with that said I mean it, I am sympathetic for Yang and her loss but," he raised a finger to emphasis the point, "sympathy isn't going to get her back on her feet."

"So," Taiyang tried to speak but the words stuck in his throat, he had to swallow harshly and try again, regarding the teenager anew once more as he asked, "so what will?" Jaune, however, merely looked pensive as he tapped his fingertips together in thought,

"I'm not a hundred percent sure; Yang and I weren't close at Beacon, if anything she put up with me because I was Ruby's friend," he admitted, giving a hapless shrug before growing more serious, "I don't know all that much about her apart from how to make her mad; I'm an expert at that apparently."

"Don't sell yourself short kid," Qrow chipped in with a smirk, "works on her dad too."

"Lucky me; anyway, I've met people in Yangs' situation before, in and around Ansel. Amputees, or at least people with arms or legs that don't work properly," he clarified at Taiyangs' hopeful look, "they're not quite the same – most of the people I knew were either both that way or had accidents rather than, well traumatic injuries I suppose – but at the end of the day the best thing to do is, and I know this sounds easy and-stroke-or stupid, but try to, to," he fumbled for inspiration that wouldn't sound uncaring, "to, treat it like it's not a big deal is about as good a way as I can say it."

Silence fell for a minute, Taiyang finally regaining full control and Qrow quiescent, absorbing Jaunes words and trying to mull them over objectively, rather than as a grieving party to the incident. His upbringing was, for once, some help as whatever strengths the Branwen tribe had sympathy for the ailing wasn't one of them, family or otherwise – how often had he been forced to watch a forced retirement or, worse, and early burial and do nothing but wish the person or their family well and move on? In a way it does make sense; a hard, brutal sense but this was a hard and brutal situation that Taiyang, with his heart of gold, was ill-suited to deal with; Raven too come to think of it – she'd rather abandon something and call herself strong than run the risk of losing something she grew to care about later down the line;

"So," the hidden shapeshifter spoke to breach the pregnant pause, "any idea what we can do to do that?"

"Well for a start… I was going to say 'treat her like before' but that's not possible," Jaune admitted, grinding his knuckles against his forehead before suddenly sitting up straight as inspiration struck, "best way I can describe it is Old Man Death back in Urhan, that's the town one-over from Ansel."

"What's that, some kind of local legend?"

"No, he lived there, though he passed away before I was old enough to travel that far – I think a few of us met him once or twice though. Anyway, not important; what is important is that he had an accident – he fell from a haybarn or the floor of it collapsed, something like that – shattered his right arm, all the way down. He couldn't grip anything and it ended up stiff, a bad blow for a farmer, especially one well-known for his scything. The story goes that it took a while for him to learn but come harvest time the following year his family tied a light scythe to his stiff right arm, letting him control it with his left – he was never as fast or as good as he'd been before but he did decently, enough that he saw out the rest of his days on the farm at least. That's what Yang needs, a way to do what she did before at the same time as realising things will be different, and difficult – is she getting pain or that, uh, ghost limb or whatever they call it?"

"Phantom limb, and no, not that she's told me," Taiyang answered after a moments' thought, "she said it itches a lot though, might be because it's still healing."

"Let's hope so and take that as a good sign; apart from that though, I think the best thing we can do is treat her normally but make allowances – I mean I don't know but before this you'd never let her lounge in bed 'til gone midday would you Mr Xiao Long?"

"…"

"…"

"…Oh come on; Ruby said you were a teddy bear but surely you weren't that bad?"

"He's worse."

"Qrow!"

"Come off it Tai, they've got you wrapped around their little fingers – look me in the eye and say otherwise."

"Well, I… it's just… they're my girls."

"Wonderful," Jaune sighed, head in his hands before he dragged them down to slap his knees and stand up, "right, up to me to be the bad guy. I'll go and get her, just try not to turn to mush if she comes down demanding I be buried head-first in the nearest Grimm pool."

"What about if she starts beating you up?"

"With my sparring record, consider it a plus," Jaune's humour was tinged with cynicism as he made for the kitchen door and the stairs beyond it, Qrow almost casually knocking it closed as he departed before turning to his in-law and folding his arms expectantly.

Taiyang, however, didn't react, or at least not immediately, instead slouching to the seat Jaune had just vacated and slumping into it, slack as a sack of grain. For a long minute the tableau was still before the shapeshifter heaved a sigh,

"Is this going to be like before? If it is let me know so I can administer the ass-kicking sober." Fortunately Tai shook his head, looking up at the other man with a haggard, careworn expression carving lines into his otherwise-youthful face,

"Am I really that bad Qrow? The whole fatherhood-relationship thing," he elaborated, old mistakes rising from the back of his mind like Grimm bubbling up from their pools, "do I really never get it right?"

"Oh shut up," Qrow was many things, sympathetic wasn't one of them, "leaving aside my misbegotten womb-mate you haven't screwed up, or just screwed in her case, anyone that badly."

"Don't remind me," memories of Raven were the last thing anyone dealing with her daughter needed, "but am I, or we because you're not spotless in this, that clueless that a Brothers-damned fifteen-year-old makes us sound like idiots?"

"Maybe, but then again said fifteen-year-old had a stable home-life, something neither of us did. I met his mother," Qrow stated, elaborating at his friends' questioning gaze, "she got to Vale when the dust was settling, Jaune was supposed to go home with her."

"So why didn't… you know there are times when I think I'd like to see what goes through your mind, then I slap myself until I remember sanity is a good thing."

"Only in small doses," despite themselves both men snorted quietly at the joke before Qrow pressed on, slightly more candour in his vermillion eyes as he glanced at the door leading to the stairs, "still, on the subject of madness perhaps Oz wasn't as crazy as I thought."

"Huh, what do you mean? Wait, about Jaune?"

"Yeah, think about what just happened," there was slow calculation on the former bandit's face as he side-eyed his friend, "someone comes in, tells the truth no matter it might get them yelled at or worse, rides out the storm then points out why they said it, with an example. Remind you of anyone we both knew?" Taiyang had to think for a minute, a long one, then the lien dropped and dropped hard,

"Wait, you mean," the picture wouldn't fit together, black and silver could not overlay blue and blonde like that, "Summer?"

"Yeah, perhaps not identical but she was the problem-solver – maybe that's what Oz was looking for when he made the teams, all of them."

"I, I don't know – to be honest I never thought about it. I knew I wouldn't make a good leader," Taiyang had always admitted that freely, "though it always stuck in Raven's craw she was never chosen. I sometimes think it's the reason she went after me, or am I being too bitter?"

"It wouldn't have been the first time she took something to stop someone else having it but, give the Grimm her bone-spurs, she wasn't usually that petty. I know she didn't like Summer but she did respect her, eventually."

"Yeah, after the Bad Omen," judging by Qrow's smirk it seemed neither had forgotten that little escapade, "she was all sweetness and light if you let her be but my little Rose had thorns if she needed them."

"And luckily Squirt inherited that too – I heard around the View, that's where the Beacon lot are pitched up at the minute, that she had to lay the law down to Winny's sister more than once."

"Winny? Oh, Winter Schnee – are you two ever going to play nice? Let it go, it happened nearly a decade ago."

"She started it."

"By accident, or your Semblance," Tai pointed out reasonably, "she didn't even know who you were back then, and why were you flying over an Atlas target range anyway?"

"You have any idea how hard it is to find a thermal in that snowscape," Qrow growled, shifting uncomfortably; the memory of debriefing Ironwood with a scoop of fresh snow down the back of his trousers still rankled, "and she was just showing off with that fancy laser rifle they'd developed. She was supposed to aim at the target, not the nearby wildlife and I am not buying her bunk about me looking like a juvenile Nevermore through the scope."

"True but look on the bright side they only gave her half-marks for a glancing hit."

"Hah, if she'd shot me dead Jimmy would have field-promoted her, and even with that cock-up she still made Ace," Qrow barked a rough laugh, recalling being introduced to the top graduate Huntress and trying to keep the scowl of his face as the Atlas headmaster creased up in the background, "she's a Specialist now."

"At her age? Wow, either the General's going soft or she really is something, well something other than a crack-shot at least."

Grimacing at the reminder Qrow glared at his snorting teammate before the two lapsed into somewhat comfortable silence, Taiyang absent-mindedly fussing a furry head at the sensation of paws on his knee before,

"Sorry."

"Wow, hold the presses, a Branwen apologising; the moon must be putting itself back together," Tai sniggered as his friends' fingers itched for either his flask or the insufferable blondes' neck, "what brought this about?"

"I should've rung ahead," Qrow answered, flumping down into a seat opposite him with a pinched scowl on his lips, "I'll be honest I brought the knight-kid here because I figured it'd throw anyone on his trail off – no-one on Ocean View didn't know who his mother was as soon as she arrived so they've have to think he was going back with her. Me disappearing him that night, before anything moved, meant we were well in the air before anyone knew about the change in plans, our side or theirs, so it'd be best for keeping him safe. I didn't realise how hard Yang had taken this whole thing and how that would impact on you, never occurred to me," the pain in his old teammates' voice kept Taiyang quiet – in his self-imposed exile to avoid his Semblance misfiring on those he loved, Qrow's social faux-pas were often the result of lack of human contact rather than genuine insults, "so dumping another kid on you could've, perhaps should've gone a lot worse. Just lucky; heh, for once; Jaunes' got a decent head on his shoulders."

"True; I wonder if Yang hasn't knocked it off by now," there was a touch of concern in the blue eyes that rolled up to the ceiling, "it's too quiet, what are they doing up there - what? What's so funny?"

"R,really; you're asking?" Qrow managed, hand clapped over his mouth as he fought to keep guffaws suppressed, "Alright genius, think back to Beacon and ask yourself what the tall, rangy blonde boy usually did when a girl let him into her room?"

After the appalled silence Qrow was just fast enough, seizing a trailing arm and digging his heels in as Taiyang engaged father-mode and hurtled towards the stairs,

"Slow down," the Hunter grunted, one knee braced against the kitchen door jamb as an anchor, "it's not that."

"You don't know that! He could be… well… let me go check!"

"Not until you stop flailing like a Beringel with its balls on fire; the kids barely know each other."

"Yang's in a bad place right now, he could…"

"He's trying to help her out of it, he told us that."

"Yes but, but he cooks!"

"What?" Qrow almost let go in confusion, though to his credit Taiyang wasn't really trying to pull free anymore, instead explaining his stomach-churning theory hurriedly,

"He cooks, he's a great cook and I cook, think about it!"

"What, that doesn't make… wait, you… Raven?!"

"She always loved what I made and if Yang's the same…"

"And he's a clone of you so if she takes after… right, grab the lunches, I'll grab Harbinger!"

"Right – lunches?"

"Plausible deniability for going up there – that is what it means right?"

"It's my daughter, it's close enough!"

A few moments later said weapon and platter of sandwiches were trembling dangerously in shaking hands as from the cracked open door on the landing…

"Ah, ahhhh!" Tai gave a low moan of mortified anguish, Qrow likewise turning to stone at his nieces' yelps, "You're yanking!" Huh – since when has Yang had anything to yank?;

"Yeah, and now it's gone and we're almost done."

"Oh praise the Brothers!"

"Drama-queen; got some oil ready?"

"Already? You've used over half a bottle!"

"And whose fault's that? Anyway be grateful, a few more days and I'd need a hacksaw back here."

"Feels like you're not using one alreadieeeouch! You did that on purpose!"

"No comment; alright this next bit looks rough – I might, might, need to use th…"

"You say the S-word and I'll stab you in the heart with them. Here, oil, make it work."

"Uhh, Yang," Tai's voice was a ghostly parody of its normal self, he had to wet his lips and try again, "Yang?"

"Dad – ow! Help, I'm being abused!"

"Being an absolute pansy more like – now quit trying to elbow me and keep, still!"

Jaws worked but no sound came out, homeowner and Huntsman sharing dumbfounded glances as until another female yip of pain and growl of anger broke the shackles on one of them, sandwiches teetering on plate rims as Taiyang was shoved aside,

"Qrow…"

"Sorry Tai," and the Huntsman did look sorrowful as his grip tightened on his sword, "but this I have to see." Off-balance Tai had not time to stop him, only able to bring himself level with the door as Qrow pushed it open to reveal…

…something neither of them had expected.

Seriously, their initial fears coming true might have been less weird than this!

XXX

Right then – reason good, plan in place, will signed and with my family, about as ready as we'll ever be;

"Hey Yang," he could only hope the knocking drowned out his thundering heartbeat – even with her injury the Arc was under no illusion she could go through him like a bullet through tissue paper if she felt like it, "dinner."

"Leave it on the side," the colourlessness of the normally vivacious girls voice made him wince but he swallowed the reaction with an effort, steeling himself for whatever came next,

"It's downstairs," he pushed the door open slightly, keeping his expression genial despite the dry odour; Yang hadn't aired her room out in a while, "you coming?"

Lilac eyes swept over him impassively before returning to their previous point on the far wall, Yang not saying anything or further registering his presence; okay, code Blue – keep it light but put in the odd dig if you think she won't swing, or even if she will – better angry than apathetic. Calling on his many years of familial experience Jaune quietly let himself in and sidled over, standing hip to shoulder with the prostrate Huntress as he followed her gaze to the far wall. A slight shift in covers told him she hadn't expected it but he didn't break eye-contact, settling in for a long, silent stand-off until either temper or curiosity got…

"What are you doing?" Wow, that was quick;

"Looking at the wall; is it a subtle art or just join-the-dots on the knotholes?"

"Are you trying to piss me off Vomit Boy?"

"No;" yes; "genuinely curious;" better than you being depressed; "I've seen some really clever carving before, you can't see it unless you know where to look. Wondered if it was the same thing here."

"No," she turned away under her blanket, showing him her back, "I'm not in the mood for this shit Jaune, just leave me alone." He thought about trying to argue it out but it seemed words weren't getting through and he saw another, much more fraught opening – it would be risky on multiple fronts but if it worked…; well, dad always bruises heal and girls digs scars, let's hope he was right about that much;

"Okay, fine, just don't blame me when your ribs are rattling," he sighed, fingers crossed behind his back as he plunged across the Rubicon, "though before I go, hold still…"

Words washed over her because they were just that, words; promises were empty, oaths meant nothing and declarations of friendship or sisterhood could be forgotten in the flash of a blade. For the first time in her life Yang craved silence, a place of her own where hollow words wouldn't break beneath her and to her relief it seemed she'd soon have it as Jaune, whatever the hell reason he had for being in her house, was finally getting the message – perhaps she could give Weiss-cream some hin…

…she froze rigid, the shock of the sudden, sudden violation so deep her whole being seemingly rejected it. For a terrible second she was powerless, unable to react or move as something priceless was toyed with, then like a breaching leviathan her fury rose to shatter the lock. Throwing off her blanket Yang forgot her disability and state of dress, baggy t-shirt flapping as she forced herself to her feet with fist clenched against the now-cowering desecrator,

"Where the hell do you get off? Now I'm crippled you, what, you decide to make a pass? Is that why you were interested in Weiss, she looked smaller and weaker than you? And my sister too," beneath the red filter of rage it all made sickening sense, her disgust at the creature before her palpable as she snarled outright, "was that your big idea to get some at Beacon? Hide at the back, wait for one of us to go down and get your happy ending – thanks the Gods I never let Ruby out my sight! You're a sick bastard Jaune, and a coward; what's the exchange rate?" her sharp tongue was coated with venomous ire as she grinned at him viciously, "I lost an arm for a pat on the head; would your balls drop enough to go for a kiss if I lost a leg too?"

"Lose your hair and you get a hug, how's that sound?"

She opened her mouth reflexively only to realise she had nothing to say; for all its potency fury wasn't good at finding answers, least of all for replies as cryptic as that. Belatedly realising her position Yang stepped back slightly, self-consciousness slowly creeping over her like a rash despite her flaring anger,

"What? No-one touches my hair!"

"That's the problem, no-one has," Jaune's cool tone chilled her rage as he tried to avoid taking offence; she's just hurt and upset like mum was – it hurts to hear but she doesn't mean it, she'll apologise when she's in a better place; "look at it." Though he'd taken a few steps backwards he didn't retake them, instead glancing away as he noticed Yang's truncated arm twitch and she hissed at the motion, unused to working with just her left hand. Panic made her heedless of this, however, though the sight of her blonde locks lying like limp straw in her palm deepened her panic into despair,

"Huh? Oh what the…?"

"I saw a knot and dealt with it," Jaunes' voice dragged her gaze from the sorry sight, "I should have asked first but force of habit. I imagine it's been a while since you got a brush through it?" Yang nodded dumbly once, then again, then her expression collapsed as yet another consequence of her stupidity reared up to slap her; how could she look after her mane as she was now? She could barely hold a fork never mind a brush and the few strands she'd clumsily captured were thick with snarls already. I'm going to lose it; the thought sent her spiralling into dolour again; they'll have to cut it off, there's no way I can keep it this long. I'm already a cripple and soon I'll be a butch-look…huh?; something thumped softly in front of her, breaking her plummet as she glanced at the wryly-smiling man before her,

"Luckily I have practice; sit down."

Quietly, without thinking Yang did as she was told, the realisation of how fragile another key piece of her identity was so sudden that only the sight of the knight rooting around the top of her dressing table brought her back to herself slightly,

"Wait," he paused and looked over his shoulder, "you, uh, you know what you're doing?"

"I've got a shrewd idea," Jaune chuckled, the noise slightly reassuring as he went back to his task, "I won't say I know exactly because everyones' hair is different but I picked a few things up at Beacon;" not to mention before but let's stick to people we both know for now – last thing you need right now is my life story and family tree;

"Beacon? Wait, P-Money?"

"Her mostly, though not before she did any interviews or anything; that had to be done professionally, I'm not that good," he clarified, tone bright despite the pain of their recent parting, "and don't forget Nora, though to be fair I don't think anyone can forget Nora," Yang might have snorted or it might have been nothing so he didn't look around, instead reaching forwards to claim a prize he'd been looking for, "aha, perfect. Hold onto this for me would you?"

He offered the plastic bottle behind him, letting go only when he felt another hand on it for a second,

"Hair oil? Hey, why am I holding this?"

"You're warmer than me, it'll heat up faster," Jaune explained, examining the various combs in the smaller dresser basket in front of him; which one's got the widest teeth, some of those tangles looked wicked. Start big and then narrow down; "anyway, apart from my team, and before you say anything Ren did his own hair – male bonding only goes so far – I spoke a few times with Velvet and even, don't…"

"Who?"

"Who?" Jaune parroted, brought up short and slightly impressed by the fact; she's a lot more like herself now, after she snapped at me. I wonder…; "What do… oh you mean Velvet – did the two of you never meet?"

"The name rings a bell," Yang admitted, wracking her brains before shaking her head, "nah, got nothing."

"Team CFVY, she's the Faunus," Jaune reminded her, seeing almost without meaning to the cloud that shadowed Yangs' face at the F-word; Blake no doubt, Crater-Face said she pulled another disappearing trick and left them all in the lurch; "nothing to it really, I just asked how she managed around her ears and before you say that wasn't sensitive she had Coco and the giant with her when I asked, so if she was too shy to take offence they wouldn't have been."

"Why'd you ask that?"

"Just curious really, we don't really have many Faunus around Ansel so Beacon was a real eye-opener. At first I thought it was a bit of a shame there wasn't one on JNPR, though having lived with the guy I'm beginning to agree with Nora that Ren might be part sloth," there was another almost-snort as Jaune finally selected his tools of war and then turned to face the battleground before a delayed train of thought ran into his mind, "right, oh, before I forget and we get side-tracked again, I was going to say don't take this the wrong way but… Ruby." Her sisters' name brought Yangs' head up sharply,

"Ruby? Wait, you did her hair?" At Jaunes' nod she her tone became half-amazed, half-demanding, "When?"

"Once or twice, you know she used to knock on our door every so often – well she called in that Saturday before the Festival started and we were all getting ready. I'm halfway through Noras' when Pyrrha opened the door and next thing I know," he crouched slightly and looked upwards, "silver eyes, staring into my soul – I couldn't say 'no' could I?" Yangs' reflexive answer was to deny this but just in time she held her tongue; much as she hated the idea of Rubaby being close to this weirdo, the little reaper was very hard to deny when she was acting cute,

"Guess not, not that you tried hard I'll bet," she sniped, "any excuse to get your hands on a girl right?" Jaune closed his eyes and took a deep breath, mentally reciting a mantra to hold his temper against the unfounded slander,

"No I was helping a friend out, just like I am now – you're angry, I get that…"

"Really? You get this," she gestured at her stump, tone once more scathing, "you get what this is, what this means?! I'm done," she spat, looking down so he wouldn't see the tears well up, "everything I worked for, what I wanted is, it's over b, because I screwed up. Can't fight, can't hunt, can't even do my own damn hair," her fist curled in her lap, the last admission a venomous mutter, "that masked bastard should have swung for my neck and been done with it."

"Really?"

Yang froze, ice crawling up her veins at the terrible realisation she hadn't been as quiet as she thought; and if he tells anyone, if he tells dad…! Panic leant her enough strength to raise her head but the words shrivelled in her mouth, leaving her unable to recant the taboo thought she'd voiced in the face of Jaunes' arctic gaze,

"You really think you're better off dead; fine, that's your opinion but I can guarantee it's a minority of one! Just off the top of my head, who wouldn't agree; Ruby Rose," her sisters' name was a dagger through the heart, "Taiyang Xiao-Long; Qrow Branwan, Branwen, one of the two; Weiss Schnee…"

"Stop…"

"…Nora Valkyrie; Pyrrha Nikos; Lie Ren; Glynda Goodwitch…"

"Stop it…!"

"…Peter Port; Bartholomew, I think, Oobleck; Zwei… Xiao Long I guess…"

"Stop it," she demanded, fury just about papering over the nausea roiling in her guts, "I know damn it, I know" her venomous hiss dissolved into bubbling rasps as she slumped brokenly, somehow raising her head to face the knight again as she sought to make what amends she could, "I can't, I wouldn't do that, not to dad and Rubes."

Violet locked with blue, the two staring each other down for a brief moment before the latter softened, Jaune heaving a sigh of genuine relief as he squatted down in front of her, tone gentle and expression much more relaxed,

"Then we'll say no more about it, either of us," slowly he reached forwards, Yang not reacting save for a small shudder as a warm palm settled on her left shoulder and squeezed slightly, "you're right Yang, I don't know what this means for you or where you go from here. However, I do know a rough way around a hairbrush so perhaps I can help a little bit," he stood up, Yang swallowed in trepidation he stood and started to circle him before pausing, one eyebrow raised in calculation as he tried to look suave, "though that hug's still on the table, if you're interested?" There was no hiding the snort this time, the brawler not able to hold in the outburst as shook her head,

"Keep dreaming Vomit Boy, and keep your eyes off my sister as well," she threatened, the bottle in her sole hand creaking as she speared a finger at him, "I've still got both legs – screw up around either Rubes or my hair and I'll kick your ass so hard you'll taste nail polish every time you swallow, got it?"

"There's the Yang we all know and… absolutely respect-stroke-fear," Jaune chuckled, grateful for the mood swing away from depression as she gave a wolfish grin, "still, like I said I can't promise anything but it'll do what I can. So," he offered the comb forwards, "let's get this started; just a light coating first and we'll go from there."

Unable to put it off any longer Yang merely nodded, gritting her teeth and bracing herself both for the likely pain and, more disconcerting, the alien sensation of other fingers in her hair. Her injury started to ache, memories of getting ready in the mornings sending ghostly pangs through her absent elbow; it's worth it, it's worth it to keep my looks; with her eyes shut her other senses were on overdrive, the slightly squeak of Jaune perching on the foot of her bed crashing like a tidal wave in her ears; I've dealt with worse; the glance at her arm was reflexive, the smile bitter; I can handle this…

…I cannot handle this!;

"Ahh, oowww! Are you trying to scalp me?!"

"No but the rate you're squirming around it's going to happen," Jaune bit back, sounding almost as frazzled as she felt, "Brothers above, I thought Nora's hair was thick! How on Remnant did you get out your teams' bathroom before midday every day?"

"Practice, something you do-hooo-n't have! Seriously, Zwei would be better than you!"

"Please call him up - I'll tag out in a heartbeat. The lack of opposable thumbs might be an issue though, I'm undoing most of these knots by hand. Speaking of which brace yourself, this one's in tight." Forewarned Yang grimaced through a series of sharp tugs on her scalp, though Jaunes' triumphant exclamation as soon joined with a more measured stroke of comb through her hair,

"How many more?"

"You don't want to know," his voice was slightly closer and, forewarned by experience, Yang popped the lip of her oil bottle and quickly added a squirt across the comb bristles, "ah, thanks; sorry about this."

"Yeah right; admit it VB, this is the first time you've had me on the back foot since we got to Beacoooonn, careful!"

"I am being careful, hence why that one's gone. Seriously, why couldn't your mop be more like Rubys instead of this bramble patch!" The elbow Yang threw backwards was reflexive – no-one insulted her hair without retribution – but both clumsy and painful, her instinct to use her right hand making her stump spasm as she tried a movement she was no longer capable of,

"It's usually fine and stop talking about my sister like that!"

"Yang, every time Ruby was in our dorm I had Pyrrha over one shoulder and Nora the other – we are and will only ever be friends," Jaune told her firmly and, despite her natural suspicion Yang found herself starting to believe him somewhat; only somewhat though, especially as Rubaby might have grown a crush on her 'first-friend-at-Beacon' – I never had time to properly ferret out the truth; "anyway, I assume she took after her mother rather than your father?"

"How'd you…? Oh, yeah, kind of obvious isn't it?"

"Pretty much yeah, though given your dad consider yourself lucky you haven't grown a moustache yet. Oh," there was a chuckle in his voice as he dodged another thrown elbow, "touch a nerve did I?"

"Not as many as I'll beat bloody if you don't let that go, understand?"

"Absolutely, now hold on, this end has a burr…" With that the circle of torment continued, Yang an unwilling but necessary participant in the sadistic game of oil, pull, tug and swear necessary (or so Jaune said) to restore her crowning glory. She was so far gone into the cycle of agonising misery that she almost didn't recognise her name being called from a place outside this torture chamber,

"Dad – ow!" The promise of salvation put words in her mouth before her brain could double-check them, "Help, I'm being abused!"

"Being an absolute pansy more like – now quit trying to elbow me and keep, still!" Fortunately for all concerned Jaune had the sense to stop his ministrations as the door was thrown open, Yang confused by the sight of her uncle rather than her father until Qrow was shoved aside, his blade clinking off her doorframe as Taiyang took in the sight with wide eyes, bellow shrinking into a disbelieving croak as he looked from daughter to guest uncomprehendingly,

"Sorry," to Yangs' eternal shame Jaune recovered quicker and to her eternal horror he made a bad situation infinitely worse by offering the comb forwards again, "hope we weren't being too loud. Oil me up Yang, last thing either of us need is me going in dry right now."

Why didn't he swing for my neck again?; she didn't just see her own funeral in that moment, she attended it; here lies Yang Xaio Long, would-be huntress; died of utter humiliation. At least Jaune would be next to me, dead by avenging father… Further humiliated musing on her mortification, however, were put on hold by a barking laugh, Qrow's head popping around the door with an eyebrow raised,

"Damn knight-kid, what kind of bad porn did you watch for a line like that?"

"How'd you know what bad porn sounds like? Actually don't answer that," blood draining from her cheeks Yang could only gape as Jaune gave as good as he got, "tall, dark, scruffy; you probably starred in it."

"Well I don't like to boast but… hey! Why'd you think I was in the bad stuff?"

"No-one would cast you in good porn Qrow, you're not that pretty," despite herself Yang laughed, sniggering in her seat as Taiyang also turned away with a grin, "oh, is that dinner?"

"Uh, yeah," somewhat recovered but not looking at his brother-in-law Tai regarded the scene before him again, "I, or we thought you'd been up here a while."

"Sorry," Jaune began before Yang, catching sight of food, felt hunger rear up like a King Taiju,

"Oh bring it over here dad, I'm starving."

"Sure thing Suu-uh, Firecracker," Tai caught himself in time, preventing that secret leaking out by using Qrow's normal nickname, "glad you've got your appetite back." Yang nodded, oil bottle thudding to the floor as she attacked the meal her father set in her lap,

"Leave mine on the side Tai, I'll get it when I'm done. And you," a light rap to the back of her head made Yang glared over her shoulder at the insouciant knight, "Ps and Qs with your father – what'd your last slave die of?"

"Hers no idea, mine sexual overload; what?" As all three blonde heads turned towards him horrified Qrow grinned unashamedly, "How'd you think I got into the porn scene?" Ew; Yang found herself having to keep both her thoughts clean and her first bite down; ew-ew-ewwwww do not think about Uncle Qrow like that, do not…!;

"Okay," Jaune's quavering voice from behind told her at least she wasn't alone in that struggle, "I now want at least one of you between me and him at all times!"

"Don't flatter yourself knight-kid, you're not my type."

"No but I'm the one you dragged out here – how long's the dry spell been?"

"Nowhere near long enough for you to be anything but sword-fodder," Qrow told him, tapping Harbingers' blade on the floor for emphasis before the other adult in the room collected himself enough to seize control of the situation,

"Right, that's enough both of you; I don't need those nightmares," Taiyang shuddered, looking ill before facing the two teenagers again, his expression inscrutable, "you okay Yang?"

"Uh, yes," her answer faltered until she put herself in his shoes and found she couldn't quite meet his eyes; how long has it been since he, since anyone did my hair but me?; "we'll, be done soon right Jaune?"

"Huh? Oh yeah," he also seemed slow on the uptake, still reeling from her uncle turning the tables on him, "only a few ends left, then I'll be down and off out."

"Good, we'll leave you to it then; Qrow, that means you as well. Yang, if you need anything yell."

Not even Ruby could have missed the meaning behind her fathers' words, and she also wouldn't have missed the exaggerated wink the dark-haired Hunter sent to the other teenager in the room; Yang didn't just feel Jaunes' resultant cringe, she echoed it on his behalf,

"Urgh, that's me sleeping with my back against the wall for the rest of my life."

"I hear you, and I heard you earlier you idiot," twisting in her seat Yang rapped his forehead sharply, making Jaune yelp at the unexpected pain, "what made you say that in front of my dad!"

"Say what, about the oil? What was wrong with that?" He's not serious; her ire melted into disbelief as Jaune regarded her reproachfully, rubbing his head, "Sorry if it's expensive but I'd tried dry-brushing you really would have had a reason to yell." He's serious; if her little sister had one thing in common with her best (male) friend it was that neither of them could lie with a straight face and the realisation that Jaune really hadn't known what he said was somehow all at once incredible, amusing and oddly endearing,

"Just, just finish up," she managed, turning back around in time to bring her left hand over her face, choking off both an aggravated sigh and a laugh, "let's get this over with so I can eat in peace."

Luckily Jaune was as good as his word, his declaration of,

"Right, think we're done," was met with a long sigh and the most devout,

"Thank the Brothers," Yang had ever uttered, dropping the oil bottle again as dove for what was left of her sandwich. It might have dried a touch but her appetite was so great she didn't care, gnawing through the hunks of bread and filling almost without tasting them and completely unaware of her company until she heard her name again,

"Yef," she paused to swallow before trying again, "yeah VB?"

"Still with that nickname – ah well, fair enough Firecracker," she tried to scowl but couldn't quite hold it as Jaune slid the comb back into her normal place, "I was planning to head into town this afternoon so two questions. Know anywhere good to look out for and did you want anything?"

"Uh," caught on the hop Yang had to wrack her brains, "there's just the general bits, a couple of stores, maybe the odd pub but anything more exciting you'd just catch the ferry into Vale. And no, nothing I need but thanks for the offer."

"No problem, just thought I'd ask," her bedroom door swept open but he paused at the threshold, drumming his fingers on the wooden door for a long minute before looking back with a small but sincere smile, "just… remember all those people I mentioned earlier Yang? Your family, the professors and all that, and me too I suppose; we're all on your shoulder, never forget that okay?"

Her throat shrunk as familiar faces flickered through her mind, the blur of memories so fast she couldn't hold any one in focus, instead forced to trap a sob at the thought of her earlier words. Crouching forwards on her seat a sudden itch at the nape of her neck brought her back to herself enough to stand up, clumsily grabbing the plate off her lap as she stepped towards her dressing table, tossing her hair into the mirror to see the results of Jaunes' mauling. Oh thank the Brothers; her relief was palpable as she span before it, a wild grin on her face as she revelled in this triumph; it's not too bad, at least I won't need to cut it any more. It'll be tough to keep it this way though, perhaps I can learn to tail it properly, at least after I've showered and rinsed the oil out. Though; like a wind-up toy pirouetting into molasses she slowed and then stopped, victory draining away like water in a desert at the sight of her wound; that's going to take a while now.

Alone and facing herself for the first time since the battle her attention was drawn inexorably from triumph to loss, the empty sleeve of her nightshirt that was forever her new normal. As if reacting to the attention the stump itched and then ached, Yang just quick enough to thrust her plate onto the dressing table before grabbing at it, squeezing as though she could rip the pain and grief away but she couldn't, this loss wasn't something she could just punch away or bull through. Without warning the girl in the mirror dissolved, ugly tears streaming down her face as her body shook and her knees went to water but she did not collapse; even as her injury pulsed and where whole frame trembled that girl did not fall – looked away certainly, buried her face in her hand yes but she did not break. Faces and memories flitted through her mind again, flickering too fast to recall with any clarity; why was Uncle Qrow laughing, had Zwei rolled in mud again and since when had Nora had a watermelon mallet?; but no matter how much her stump ached or her future fractured before her, they did not fade.

In privacy and in her bedroom mirror Yang Xiao Long saw and for the first time realised the consequences of her lost fight and in that realisation grieved, long and loud, for her loss.

Yet even here, in the nadir of her life, voice and faces from the past reminded her that, unlike her reflection, she did not and would never have to bear her grief alone.

XXX

A/N: A long chapter hopefully one that shows how even the strongest of people can be broken down and find themselves unable to put themselves back together – ironically, in real life when this happens it seems the normal human reaction is to scoff, laugh and demand they do better rather than try to see things from their side and get them the help they need (another RWBY fic that shows this very well is 'Raise', which I do suggest you read). Though it won't all be plain sailing, hopefully this was the heaviest chapter (for Yang at least), though the fallout for all involved in the Battle for Beacon will continue for a long time to come.

As always let me know if you're enjoying the story and what you think I could do better – RWBY's a bit off the beaten track for my normal reading and writing, so hopefully I've not thrown too many dents into the world of Remnant thus far. Until next time, have a good day.