What's this? A chapter?
Chapter Five: "Family Moments: Part One"
Oum-damn-it Raven. Just for how long you've been in around?
As she had that thought with Taiyang's hands holding her shoulders, she took a look around the darkness engulfing the living room, though because of the fact she retained the faunus night vision from her imitation of the (former) Deputy Headmistress of Haven Academy, she could peer into the darkness and see the mess the Xiao Long-Rose family living was in.
The coffee table was sliced in half, the couch was upturned, the Holo TV was put out of commission during the fight, no table lamps remained in service, and all of the magazines that were previously on organized piles around the living were now little more than paper confetti. Not to mention there were several of Raven's feathers on the messy mix as well.
"This is going to be awful to clean up..." She muttered to herself.
"Well, don't be like that, White Rose! It's probably just some upturned furniture and things out of place, nothing we haven't dealt with before!" Tai tried to reassure.
As if on cue, the lights were turned back on, courtesy of Ruby and Yang. Revealing the mess in full colored glory.
"Geez, what happened in this place? Did a bird fight happen or something?"
Taiyang chuckled at the unintentional pun.
She just rolled her eyes and (sort of) looked at him by peering her head up. "You were saying?"
He sighed. "Yes... This is going to be a bitch to clean up"
"Language..." She chided before wriggling free or Tai's grasp and facing the girls. "Well, there was a fight, and there was technically a bird. So yes, it was a bird fight"
"Which kind of bird, mom?" Yang asked.
"A Raven, Yang"
The buxom blonde's expression soured upon processing that in full.
"I see..."
She took a deep breath.
"Girls, as much as I want to explain this now, I'm pretty sure we're all hungry, especially you three since you've all come back from school, right?"
"Are there going to be cookies?"
"No Petal, not yet at least"
"Well, sweetie, I could eat a Boarbatusk. How about you two?" Taiyang asked wrapping an arm around her shoulders.
Really, this again? She mentally whined. Tai's definitely a fan of physical contact. Let's just hope this translates into plenty of after sex cuddles.
Yang sported a defiant - yet still forced because of the deflection - grin. "Well, I could eat a Goliath"
"Oh really? We'll see about that" He snapped back, standing tall and looking defiant.
"I'm thankful I made plenty of food now..." She muttered.
She didn't notice, but Ruby had made her way to their side and was now tugging at the fabric of her tank top, she looked down at her, catching those silver eyes full of light, dreams and hope.
"Welcome back to the madhouse, mommy"
She couldn't stop herself from smiling at Ruby.
"And I couldn't be any gladder to be around again"
Not that she wanted to stop smiling either. Being a mom... It felt just right.
As they were eating dinner, Taiyang Xiao-Long found himself being both frustrated and anxious for one reason or another.
One reason could be that his ex-wife was then shaking and flipping his life upside down, while simultaneously gunning for the head of his life partner and the mother of his children because of a delusional theory...
And the other was because said life partner was for a time one of the most dangerous and infamous mercenaries/assassins in Mistral because of a bout of amnesia, and he still isn't sure how was he going to bring that mess up.
Still, he had to admit the food was one hell of a motivator to forget about it for a moment. That stewed chicken, beans, and rice were nothing to scoff at.
"So, what happened back there?" Asked his Little Sun Dragon with a bit of edge on her voice.
He sighed, that was another thing to address. With Raven now butting into their lives so often, Yang would be asking the questions he's been trying to avoid for sixteen years, questions even he didn't have the answers to. He dodged a bullet the first time, the second? He wasn't so sure.
And Summer wouldn't let him dodge it that time.
"We had a nasty disagreement with an annoying little bird, and I suppose I don't even need to tell you which kind of bird it was, Dragon" Summer said while taking a bit of rice onto her mouth, with the distinct lack of tack she always had when her mind was on something else.
Unfortunately, this served as a prompt for the dragon to arise, and push the envelope.
"Yeah, a Raven, mom. That I understand, but can I know why was she here now? Especially after she particularly never cared to show up before?"
"Apparently, Raven lost her mind and thinks I'm really dead, and that the only reason I'm here right now is because I'm some sort of body double or impostor"
"Well, that's like - really dumb, right? After all, dad and Uncle Qrow would've noticed if something was off with you, right?" Ruby cut in, sensing the tense air and trying to defuse the potential discussion.
Taiyang could've sworn he heard Summer chuckling just as she was about to dignify that with a response, but Yang beat her to the punch.
"So, you're the only reason she was around?"
"Not sure, but I'm pretty sure I was the main reason. Have you seen any red-eyed birds hanging around Signal at some point?" The White Rose asked while looking at Yang straight in the eyes.
Though he was keeping a poker face, Taiyang was inwardly freaking the hell out.
I can't believe this. Is she going to spill the beans so easily about Qrow and Raven's magic?! She was so tight-lipped about it before!
"No, I haven't - why are you asking something like that?" Yang answered while her face was a little scrunched up in confusion.
"No reason, just trying to steer you off from asking any further about her. Trust me, the name 'Raven Branwen' brings as much of a sour taste to my mouth as it does to yours"
Oh, thank Oum...
"Okay - tell me, why's that?"
"Look, I really don't want to go over that right now. I want to enjoy what we have here, Yang. Could you please let me have it?"
"Mom, I really get you, but you also have to get me. I just want to know the why. Why did she ditch me?"
A long, tense silence ensured. Summer pursed her lips, Ruby looked like she could jump and do something loud to divert their attention at any second now.
Come on, White Rose. I've got faith in you. He thought, hoping that Summer could defuse the situation.
Said person sighed and put down her fork before taking a swig of lemonade.
"I... Wish I could have an answer to that"
Yang sighed in resignation and her head drooped. "Yeah... I had a feeling you would say something like that..."
"Look, Dragon - Raven... Raven and I we... We weren't the best of friends, as much as I liked to think otherwise back in the day. She was always a tough nut to crack; she was always like... Locked into herself and her own mind - and the only person that got to see glimpses of her true self was your father here..." Summer explained before reaching for his hand and patting it. "And that's not saying much. Raven always was confusing and distant to the rest of the team - Sure, we joked around, did pranks, hung out and everything. But often it would feel like she wasn't giving her all. Your uncle was the same, but eventually he opened up - Raven however... I never got around to understand what was going on in that head of hers, if I had... I'd probably wouldn't be telling you this, and instead I would be telling you what I think she thought when she ran. But for now? I'm in the dark just as much as you are"
"Well... Mom - I get what you're saying but... I still need answers and - I know I'm probably digging at old wounds, but..."
Summer cut her off. "Don't worry and don't apologize for it. You're young, confused - hell, when this comes up, I'm confused too - and yearning for answers to this question you have for who knows how long, it's only normal that you go to either of us for answers... Even when we don't have them, though sometimes, the best approach would be to go out there and look for them on your own..." He choked on his food - was she really suggesting that Yang should go out and look for Raven?! "But promise me you're at least going to try and graduate from Beacon first. I'd like to have you stick around Vale for as long as possible - you know we've got a lot of time to make up together, and not to mention a huntress license is going to help the extra mile with wandering around the world looking for her"
His little Sunny Dragon flashed Summer a smile, an earnest one at that too, before reaching for Ruby's cheeks and pinching them. "Sure mom, I promise. Besides, if I don't stick around - who's going to watch out for little Rubaby here when you can't?"
"Yaaaaaaaang~!" The little Rose pouted and looked at her mother for protection from the big sister privileges, but she only found a playful smirk from the White Rose.
"That's such a good idea that I'll allow it, Dragon"
"MOOOOOM~! Don't encourage her-" Her eyes raced at him from protection. "Dad!"
He gave her a sheepish smile. "Sorry Ruby, I know better than to get in the way of Big Sister privileges"
The cheek pinching gave way to a hug between the two sisters, meanwhile, both of them locked eyes.
"Now you've got any idea of what you were missing on?" He asked.
"I think I had an idea since the moment I got back. But now it's crystal clear, and I couldn't be any gladder that I'm back where I belong" She answered while giving Ruby and Yang sideway glances every now and then, the hug had turned into an impromptu wrestling match, with Yang winning.
Well, it's now or never. He thought before taking a deep breath.
"That's nice but... We need to talk"
"About what?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Ah... Ah..." He shook his head. "I'll tell you after dinner, when we're alone"
She straightened herself up with a knowing smirk on her face, looking pleased with his actions. "Sure, goodness knows we need a good talk between you and I" She then faced the girls while picking up her fork once again. "And Yang, let go of your sister, please. You both still aren't done with your food"
"Sure mom/Thanks mommy!"
Pleased with their obedience, Summer tried to dig into the rice before glancing at the fork with a thinly veiled disgust and muttering: "Good Oum, who the hell eats rice with a fork?"
Uh, you do? What's going on? He inwardly asked, confused.
Didn't think he was that eager for some alone time, but who am I to complain?
She didn't think things would go from zero to one hundred that quick as she cleaned up the living room along with the rest of the Xiao Long-Rose household from Raven's visit. But as any woman with a need for fun the only thing she could do is accept her fate and prepare herself for what would most likely be Taiyang's first night in twelve years where he wouldn't need the company of 'Rosie Palms and the five sisters' to relieve his urges (Unless for some reason Raven came back every now and then for booty calls, which she doubts - Not to mention he seems to be a really nice and faithful guy despite his romantic track record) - Long story short: She had to make the night special in every way conceivable, even if both of Summer and Taiyang's daughters would be in the bedroom down the hall.
A glance at Tai, Ruby, and Yang showed them hauling out the damaged Holo TV out to the garage to dispose of it properly later. Leaving her alone with the piles of broken glass and shredded paper to pick up with the handheld vacuum. After a peek to ensure all of them were out of sight, she called upon a very useful semblance she picked up from tutoring an up-and-coming tournament fighter back in Mistral and willed the door shut and locked from a distance - she would chalk it up to the wind when asked - and then called upon Summer's semblance again to teleport all over the living to pick up any filth, and then with the help of an imitation of a basic super speed semblance - cleaned up any rose petals left over from the after effect of Summer's semblance as fast as possible. She did it in the span of probably fifteen seconds, but who had a stopwatch at that time, huh?
While she was cleaning and repositioning the coffee table, there was a knock in the door to the garage.
"Mommy! The door locked itself!" She heard Ruby scream while knocking.
"Coming Petal!"
After replying, she teleported to the door and started to clean up the after effect of Summer's semblance once again while simultaneously undoing the lock on the door and opening it.
"What happened? I thought you guys closed it! Was it the wind?" She asked while vacuuming with a few sideways glances.
"No idea. We were dumping the TV on Zippy's trunk and then we heard the door getting slammed" Yang claimed.
"And I doubt it was the wind, White Rose. The garage door was closed" Tai added.
Well, there goes the wind excuse.
"Maybe it was Zwei! Or a ghost!"
"Zwei?"
"That's our dog. I'm surprised you haven't seen him yet"
"He's the cutest thing ever! Wait until you see him! Zwei! ZWEI! C'mere boy!" The young Rose called before darting to look for the family dog.
"I better go help her look before she stumbles upon the basement again - I couldn't get her out for hours because of all the weapons in there"
Basement equals armory. Got it.
While the sisters went off to look for the dog, she scooted closer to Tai.
"So, I'm going to take a wild guess and say Zwei's an emotional support dog?"
He chuckled. "That'd be about right. That ball of fluff has helped the girls a lot with coping with your absence"
"Was it your idea or theirs to have a dog?"
"Actually, it was Qrow's. He couldn't bear with seeing Ruby standing in front of the door waiting for you and Yang trying to keep her company or make her forget it, so he brought them something to distract them both"
So, the half-sister steps up to the surrogate mother role? By the gods, what a mess are broken hunter families.
She nervously chuckled. "Geez, Yang really took up the mother mantle from me, didn't she?"
He sighed. "That she did. I just wish she hadn't"
"Guess I'm the one to blame for that"
"Now, we both know that's not true. If anyone's to blame in here? It's that witch Salem and her lackey Tyrian"
"Still, I could've returned ten months ago but I wanted to be theatric-"
He cupped her face and turned her to face him.
"Look, I'll agree that you could've returned sooner - but this has been going on for years already. Nothing short of you returning directly after the hit in the head would've avoided this and I think it would've done more harm than good considering the amnesia. Trust me on that one"
She huffed. "Fine... It still doesn't make me feel any less guilty"
As if on cue, Ruby and Yang returned, with Ruby carrying a panting black-and-white corgi in her arms while nuzzling the back of its head.
"And this good boy..." She presented the animal with by extending her arms. "Is Zwei! Say hi to Mommy Summer, Zwei!"
She extended a hand of her own to give the unbearably cute animal some head pats. "Who-ho! What a cute little-"
BARK! GROWL! To which he responded with trying to bite her hand clean off.
Should've known. These emotional support mutts are real smart.
Everyone looked back and forth from Zwei and her with wide eyes while she clutched her right arm close to her chest.
She chuckled nervously and fidgeted. "Heheheh... He must think I'm some kind of Ruby clone"
"Eeeeh... Probably - after all, you both are a lot alike"
"It's weird though! He's normally a fluffball to most strangers!"
Probably because that lousy mutt knows I'm more than a regular stranger. She thought, barely managing to keep a scowl from forming on her face.
"Alright Ruby, that's enough. I think your mom's seen enough of Zwei for today, why don't you take him up to your room?" Tai suggested, and Ruby nodded before darting away.
"Guess we'll have to train him to not attack mom, then"
"Yeah, no kidding. Good thing he's obedient enough to pick up on training fast"
"If he doesn't pick that training up though, I can definitely say he's a Xiao Long-Rose, am I right?" She joked around, eliciting a chuckle from everyone in hearing range.
"Yup!" Said Yang while popping the 'p' before glancing at her father. "From the eldest to the dog"
"We're real stubborn" Added Taiyang.
"Huh, didn't know we had a family motto like that" She mused.
"Nah, not really. These phrases just come and go"
"Like the classic Xiao-Long puns?"
She groaned. "Please, don't say one of those. Puns are the lowest form of comedy, and I'm glad my amnesia kicked that bit of common sense into me"
Tai and Yang (Damn it, it's spreading) looked at her like she had just spoken heresy, before their faces contorted into feral grins.
She hadn't awoken a dragon, she had awoken two, and both were interested in smoking her out...
"Oh really?" Tai glanced at her daughter. "Yang? Do you know what time it is?"
Said person looked at her wrist as if there was a watch in there, her grin never letting go of her mouth. "Oh, good Oum! Look at the time!"
"It's time for PUN-ishment!"
At first, nothing happened, they kept cleaning with her as usual, but then the idle chat came through.
"So, mom. Have you heard about the guy who invented electric cars? I can't remember his name. But I do know he owned an Eel on Musk!"
"White Rose - You know what the Mistrali call Origami but they're hurrying up? No? It's Ora-gami!"
"Mom, what kind of prize you give to someone who hasn't moved a muscle in a year? It's a-trophy!"
"Summer, what does an Atlesian say when they help someone stuck in the snow? It's snow problem!"
Then Ruby came back and listened for a fraction of a second before bolting back to her room, the little traitor.
"White Rose - I swear, if you were a triangle, you'd be acute one"
"Mom, once I saw some guys in Signal throwing some bars of butter, so I asked them why and they told me: 'It's so they turn into butter-flies'"
Her screams of agony were so loud, she was pretty sure Ozpin would've heard them in his tower, and Beacon was 30+ miles away from Patch Island.
An hour of suffering later, she was on the shower cleaning herself off yet again. Maybe that way she could've washed some of those puns off - She felt filthy just hearing them.
A few minutes later, she was drying herself off. As she did, she was thinking on just how to make her night with Taiyang special and unforgettable. Sure, the guy and his daughter nearly made her brain dead with all their puns, but he might as well pay her back in bed, right?
After stepping out from the bathroom - still buck-naked mind you - she eyed Summer's signature white cloak, and then her own body.
That thing could cover pretty much everything if I wanted to... Wait, there's an idea!
A mischievous grin made its way across her features. She wasn't sure if Summer had done a thing like that before, but she was going to try it - and so - she grabbed Summer's cloak and haphazardly draped it over her shoulders, held the front closed, and then sat on the front edge of the bed.
And now, I wait for my prey. She thought as she licked her lips in anticipation.
Good Oum - I'm tired. But there's still something that needs doing. Thought Taiyang Xiao-Long as he eyed the door to the master bedroom of his home. I hope all those years as a single dad lecturing Yang and Ruby count for something in front of... Well... Her.
Moving quickly as to not give his brain the chance to have second thoughts, he opened the door to the bedroom and stepped inside, closing the door on his way in. A glance around the room quickly yielded results, seeing as there was a figure in a while cloak standing near the front of the bed.
"Summer? What are you doing?"
She shivered a little before hiding herself further inside her cloak. "Nothing~!"
She's naked under the cloak again, isn't she...? Wow, it's been a while since I thought about that particular memory.
He shook his head before making his way to the bed, sitting down, and patting the spot at his side.
"C'mon, sit down, I need to talk to you about something"
Her silver eyes widened in realization. "Oh! So it was that kind of talk"
He chuckled at Summer's antics. "White Rose, I know you're eager to catch up in every way possible - But we've got to set the record straight on a few things"
"Such as?"
Okay, now or never. "Such as: What did you do over in Mistral? You wouldn't be alive if all you did was stay idle at a single place, or at least in the shape you are now - For the love of Oum, Summer - You look exactly as I remember you!"
"Well, you could say I kept active... Moving from place to place - Taking whatever odd jobs I could..."
"And those odd jobs were...?" He inquired.
"I was a waitress for a while, then I tried my hand at songwriting..." She listed, and then the dam broke.
"BWAHAHAHAHAHA! You?! A songwriter, Summer?!"
She put her hands on her hips and pouted, showing more than enough skin proving the fact that she was indeed naked under the cloak. "Hey! I'll have you know that the hit in the head helped a little with unclogging my way with words!"
"Pfft! Sure! I'll believe that when I get ahold of what you've written" He snorted and retorted in disbelief.
"Oh-You'll see! Or better yet - hear it!" She shook her head with a smile on her face. "Either way, after writing a few songs and keeping up as a waitress... I got that job as the bodyguard-slash-apprentice for that cook... Then she went missing and everything went downhill"
"How so?"
"Hazel Rainart dropped by to finish the job one day - I escaped, thank Oum - And then I had to make a choice... Go rogue or die while in hiding" She sighed and looked at the floor. "So, I picked the former, and became a gun for a hire"
"White Rose..." He cupped her face and turned it to face him. "Tell me more"
"Well... Sometimes I was courier... Or an escort..." Her eyes widened as she realized the unfortunate wording and began waving her hands. "Not in that way - By the way! As in - I was...!"
"Summer, take a deep breath" He sighed. "And I know what you meant"
"Okay... Okay..." She took a few deep, steady breaths. "So, like I said... I was a gun for a hire - Geez, what a mouthful - Let's just say mercenary, okay? As unflattering as that sounds... And, well, I started working as such... I took contracts from anyone who could afford it. The Mistral Council, Little Miss Malachite... The White Fang when they needed an outsider before they closed themselves off... All in all - I made a reputation. I used to weak a reaper mask, used the weapons of my enemies as to not get traced... And I wore a white hoodie in lieu of my cloak so they wouldn't recognize me... I'm guessing you know who I was from the description, right?"
"The White Death, right?" She nodded in confirmation. He kept his face neutral. "You know, I knew since you talked about it with Qrow in the kitchen. But I'm glad that you told me on your own... Even if I had to coax it out of you"
"Tai... I... I'm sorry... I didn't..." She sniffled. "I didn't know what I was doing... It... Seemed like a good idea back then... It felt wrong but... I pressed on and threw everything I ever stood for down the drain"
He brought her in for a warm embrace. "Hey, you didn't unleash a horde of Grimm and pillaged a defenseless village, so you're still better than Raven"
"Still, I worked with The White Fang and robbed the SDC blind... Guess I'm the lesser of two evils" She mused before weakly chuckling.
"C'mon Summer... You're not evil! Just... Misguided back then, I guess"
"I still feel like I've betrayed the oath we swore when we graduated from Beacon"
"Again, you can't be worse than Raven"
She buried herself on the crook of his neck and mumbled something hindered by the fact she had her face buried there. After a moment, she retreated. "... Fireball, I feel cold"
"Well, you could get dressed and we could make a cocoon of covers-"
"No, Taiyang. I. Feel. COLD. Do you get me?"
"Eh... Not really? I might be a little rusty at understanding you"
She sighed in defeat. "Guess I'll be taking the lead"
"And what that mean-"
He didn't get to finish that sentence before Summer rammed her lips on his mouth.
Oh! She's THAT kind of cold. Well, who am I to complain?
Omake: Not listening!
Well, that was a thing. Thought Yang Xiao-Long as she lazed around in bed. I can't believe she's just gonna let me look for her.
She turned around, taking a glance at the form of her beloved baby sister drawing weapon blueprints like crazy.
"I guess I just have to do good on that promise then, not like I wasn't going to do that anyway. Always protecc the Rubaby" She whispered to herself before giggling.
Hmmmph!
"Huh?" Ruby looked around for a while before shrugging and going back to designing her weapon. "Maybe it was something in the attic"
Ah-Ah-GAH!
"Oh no" She shook her head in horror. "It can't be, it's too soon! Too soon I tell you!"
"Good Oum, White Rose - You're-"
"NOPE!" She roared as she pounced to cover her baby sister's ears from such filth.
I DO NOT need to hear them doing THAT! AND NEITHER DOES RUBY!
"YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNGGGG~! What's going on?!" Her baby sister pouted while trying to pry her hands off her ears. Pfft, like that was going to happen.
"Don't ask sis!" She began dragging her by the head. "Let's go to the filth-day shelter!"
"What?!"
"OOooOOooOOHHH! Just like-"
"DON'T ASK AND LET ME SAVE YOU!"
With that, the heroic big sister started the very urgent quest to save her precious Rubaby's innocence from their parents' horniness. First, they went down to the basement (Keeping the lights off so Ruby wouldn't see all the weapons her mother kept in there). The to-go place when their father decided to spend nights in the company of his memories.
"Okay... I think we're safe" She mused, slowly taking her palms off Ruby's ears.
"Yang, what's going on? I'm fourteen, y'know! And mom gave me 'The Talk'!"
"Trust me, Rubes. You don't want to-"
"GOOD OUM! FIREBALL! FU-!"
She slammed her palms back on her sister's ears. "OH FOR THE LOVE OF MONTY OUM! Okay, sis! New Plan! And no I won't explain it to you!"
"YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNGGGGGGGGGGGG~!"
And so, the voyage began, with Ruby being dragged up the stairs and out of the house by a very protective, cool, and super caring big sis.
"TAIYANG~!"
"AGH! SUMMER!"
And if she could get away from those kinds of noises, the better.
Qrow Branwen felt alright all things considered.
"Urgh..."
Yes, he was alright. Despite the fact he was completely wasted in the couch of a motel room in Central Patch. He'd start Ozpin's Maiden hunt tomorrow morning... Or well, as soon as his hangover was gone.
KNOCK KNOCK.
Ah... Yeah, no.
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK.
"Piss off! I'm nursing a hangover 'ere!"
...
"Finally..."
KNOCK-KNOCK-KNOCK-KNOCK-KNOCK-KNOC-
"OH FOR CRYIN' OUT LOUD!"
Begrudgingly, he dragged himself over to the door, which he swung open with all of the anger he could muster.
"What the f-"
The first thing he saw were two pairs of pleading eyes, one lilac and the other silver.
"... Frick, do you girls want? Isn't it a little late for you both to be out paying a visit to your uncle? And how'd you know where I was staying?"
"Asked in bar. Receptionist told us room" Said a haggard Yang, her hands covering Ruby's ears, and looking too tired to even make proper sentences. "Mom. Dad. Going at it like rabbits. Sleep here?"
He sighed. He (Unfortunately) knew how loud Tai could get with a lady in the bedroom. He moved out of the way of the two girls.
"Alright, come on in. Don't touch any of the bottles..." He paused before remembering something very important. "And Yang? Do me a favor and keep Ruby from Harbinger, alright?"
"Yes for first, no promises on second" Said Yang while stepping inside, dragging Ruby by the head.
"Summer must've spent all those twelve years without dick to even consider boning Tai with the girls in the house..." He mused before closing and locking the door.
Is done! A chapter, and with an Omake to boot! Also, because this chapter's way shorter than usual (Chapter itself clocks at 4,456 words) there could be another chapter on its way before the year's out! Though whether that happens will depend on my usual procrastination.