"Again!"

Yang panted as she stared intently at Raven's Astray Red Frame. Her frustration remained after her loss to Neo earlier in the day, as she was currently being pushed back.

Raven, on the other hand, was systematic and calm. Her sword, a glowing hard light rod, acted as her sword as she stood in the mobile trace system.

This was Yang's punishment. Her aim was to increase her focus, anger her, and push away her anger to overcome yet another obstacle.

Anger worked at first. The rest proved difficult.

Yang rushed again and was again knocked backward. Since the damage level was set to C, no lasting damage should be done to her Gunpla, but the impacts were quite real. Every time she misstepped, it felt like a baseball bat being slammed into her.

"Again!"

Her face was dripping with sweat. A drop lingered and then fell from her nose. It felt like they'd been at this for an hour. The sun was starting to set.

"Can we take a break?" She asked. "I don't know how much longer I can do this."

"You keep failing," Raven countered curtly. "You're wasting your energy, wasting your ki trying to strike someone who's expecting your blows. You're not learning."

Her frustration grew. What did she want to prove? Couldn't she just say it?

"Ray, perhaps that is enough," Tai suggested from Raven's Operator station. "Summer is going to have to start dinner soon."

"My dojo, my rules," Raven said simply in response.

The Blazing Echelon shot forward, catching Raven off-guard, but the Astray sidestepped Yang, grabbed her arm, and spun, sending the custom machine careening into the ground. Yang knelt down and then stood up, to raise her machine faster.

Yang gritted her teeth. "What's the point of this?!" She hollered. "I was ten minutes late, and we've been at this for hours. If you have something to teach me, then just teach me already!"

Raven stood still for a second, before drawing her feet together and sheathing her blade. She glared at her daughter in disappointment. "You still don't see it."

"See what?!"

"Yang, do you remember your match yesterday?" She asked. "Your new special attack. How did you pull it off? How did you feel?"

Yang raised an eyebrow and stood upright, putting her hands on her hips. "Uh….I felt power. I was just focusing by using a kata Dad taught me. It reminds me of an anime attack, so I pretended it was one."

"What you were doing was focusing the energy in your body," Raven explained. "It wasn't just a beam attack from the battle table; the table simply used something akin to the Selina Tenkyoken to animate your will, because you were assimilated. In reality, you were using your own life energy to create that move, not the Gunpla's. That's why you collapsed."

The revelation, which seemed so simple in hindsight, caused Yang to jolt as if it had caused her to realize something. She looked down at her hands. "My…life energy?"

"There is still much we don't know about assimilation. I told you that before. Assimilated individuals have been said to be able to call upon energy from within themselves, and the Gunpla will respond in kind," Raven continued. "This is the secret to Sekai's Phoenix-shaped attack. And, it is what powers your new ability."

Her voice remained calm and measured but then dropped into a low, threatening tone. "This could be a tremendous asset, but if you fail to control its output, you may suffer some severe negative effects in the future."

"So, you were trying to piss me off," Yang mused, annoyed. "You coulda just told me that."

Raven crossed her arms. "When you and I first trained, it was to help control your rage, to focus your aggression. Now, I'm trying to help control your focus further, by presenting as many mental hurdles for you to overcome to charge your attack quickly and more efficiently than before. But more importantly, to do so safely. So that next time, you don't get impaled from being too tired to stop it."

Yang balled up her fists, then subconsciously touched her collarbone. The area had healed from its welt, but she didn't forget the feeling, either way.

"You managed to gain access to assimilation, a technique I still cannot do. You can do this, as well. But only if you control yourself." Her tone shifted harshly, ending in a point. She wanted to drive home the fact that Yang was not in control of herself. That she was, in fact, far from capable at her present level.

Her words rang true in Yang's ears, but they sat uncomfortably in her mind and heart. The way she said it, the hostility, was grating on her nerves.

How dare she, she thought to herself. Years of resentment, the feeling of rejection, the feeling of abandonment, began to visibly boil over. She tried her best to contain it but was rapidly failing.

She hated this. She hated the fact that she had just met this woman, her biological mother, just over a week ago, and she was lecturing Yang like she'd been there this whole time. Like she was trying to be a mother. It hurt, and it infuriated her.

On the outside of the battle table, Ruby, Qrow, and Summer watched on. Ruby was making notes on how Yang was moving, hoping to maybe help her adjust Blazing Echelon, but she could see her sister's fists shaking in frustration and rage.

"Yang?" She asked meekly, knowing she wouldn't be heard right now.

Summer gave Qrow a concerned look. "Should we get her to stop? Don't you think Raven's going a bit too far?"

Qrow sighed. "If you wanna try and stop her, be my guest. Frankly, she's trying to help, to teach Yang. But it's up to Firecracker to see that and simmer down a bit."

Raven stood still, waiting to see what Yang would do. She could see the Blazing Echelon shaking, the golden Plavsky particle reaction pieces sparkle and shine as they responded to her emotional state. The glow of the beam mantle of hair coming from the back of her Gunpla's head seemed to resonate with the influx of her emotions.

"Stop…telling me what to do!" Yang exploded, erupting into a blazing inferno before Raven. She looked at the Astray with contempt. "You keep preaching to me about 'control' and shit, but what right do you have to even try and act as you know me?! You abandoned me! You don't have a right to dictate how I fight or what I do!"

Raven remained passive as her daughter laid into her, but Tai became agitated at his daughter's attitude. "Yang! That's not-"

"Stop," Raven said simply, interrupting Tai. She looked from the small monitor he was shown on, back to Yang. "I thought we had been over this."

Yang scowled. "So what? After seventeen years of you never even wanting to see me in person, I'm just supposed to forget that you left?! That one little conversation would just take all the pain away? You kept saying you would have been a bad mother, and that Summer was better, but that isn't the point! You didn't even try!"

"You keep thinking of me as if I'm trying to be your mother." Raven shook her head. "I'm not. I'm trying to be your mentor. To help you improve."

Yang snorted. "Oh yeah? Why? When have you ever been concerned about me? You waited until I was almost an adult to even get in touch with me, and then you've spent the last week doing nothing but drill me in Gunpla battle. We haven't even really talked!"

She pointed an accusatory finger at Raven's Gunpla. "You aren't even trying now! You aren't giving a damn. You keep acting all superior and shit, but you haven't once taken anything we've done seriously. This is just a game to you!"

Raven met her heated gaze with a similar one. "And what do you want to do about that?" She asked.

"Fight me like you fucking mean it!" Yang snapped. "I don't care if I win or lose, but I'm tired of this! I want to see what made you leave, and I want to see why you keep holding back!"

Raven didn't move. The entire room seemed to stop breathing in anticipation. Time passed so slowly, it almost felt like it stopped.

Finally, after several long, agonizing seconds, someone moved. Without a word, Raven reached over and hit the forfeit button.

"BATTLE OVER!"

The holographic cockpits fell away, and Yang was left feeling, once again, rejected. "What, you're not even going to fight me?!"

"I never said that," Raven replied. There was an edge to her voice, anger that was spilling over. She closed her eyes, almost dismissively. "However, if you want the fight you are seeking, you're going to have to wait. I need to prepare. Be back here in half an hour."

Tai looked at Raven with tremendous concern. She had changed out of her red and white miko and was now wearing a dark blue business suit and sunglasses, with a black fedora. It was a look he hadn't seen on her in eighteen years, which only fueled his anxiety.

Tacky as he thought it was, it signified that Raven was about to do something she had sworn never to do.

"You can't be serious," Qrow commented, breaking the uneasy silence as Raven continued getting ready. "You're really going through with this?"

"A challenge was issued." Raven looked over the top of her sunglasses, staring into the mirror to watch her brother and ex-husband. "I take little joy in this, but if Yang wants a fight…"

"Ray, you promised," Tai pleaded. "This isn't a path you need to take. Yang is a teenager; I don't know if she's capable of really understanding-"

Raven looked over her shoulder. "You sell your daughter short, Tai. She can handle the truth."

Qrow sighed and took a swig of his flask. "And if she can't?"

"Then clearly, our meeting was a mistake."

Raven looked down before her, gently stroking the black wooden box she had pulled from her closet. The simple, painted container had almost two decades of dust on it, which was wiped away with the tips of her fingers.

"You can't mean that." Tai took a step toward her, reaching his hand out. He almost touched her shoulder, trying to reassure her and impart his belief that they could try something else, but was met with only a slap. Raven knocked his hand away and glared at him, and while he rubbed his wrist gently, their eyes met.

"This side of you hasn't reared its ugly head in so long," he said sadly. "I…hate seeing it again."

Qrow watched the two of them, silent as Tai struggled to connect with her. "There are other ways to do this, Sis. This isn't the only, or even best, choice."

Raven closed her eyes and turned away. She picked up the case and turned to face the two men, a hard and discomforting look on her face. "It's time."

She walked past the two of them. There was nothing more to say. She'd already made up her mind. They just didn't understand exactly what these feelings were inside her.

Yang put her right hand on her hip and glared at Raven as she re-entered the dojo's battle room. She looked more than just unimpressed; she looked annoyed.

Summer gasped a bit on the sidelines, though Ruby couldn't understand why. Her mother was very composed and often very cheerful, but right now, fear and concern seemed to dominate her features.

"This is why you wanted to take a break?" Yang asked accusingly, waving her left hand at Raven, who continued up to the platform. "What are you even wearing?"

"I'm setting the mood," Raven responded, setting the black box onto the side of the battle table. "You wanted a real fight. I intend on giving it to you."

"In that?"

Raven peered over the top of her sunglasses. The air seemed to chill instantly. Yang flinched slightly. The imposing feeling Raven was giving off was almost terrifying.

"You aren't facing Raven Branwen right now." Raven placed an old GP Base into the slot, then retrieved her Gunpla from the box. "You are facing R, the topmost enforcer who assisted in founding the Gunpla Mafia."

Qrow looked away, feeling ashamed. Tai just shook his head, while Summer looked dejectedly at her friend.

"Ray, you promised you'd never enter that role again," Summer pleaded. "There has to be another way."

"Give it up, Summer," Qrow replied. "She won't listen."

R ignored her. Her attention was focused on Yang, and Yang alone.

Yang, however, seemed amused. "Gunpla Mafia? You can't be serious."

"Before you were born," R continued, "I was an enforcer. A bookie, essentially, making sure people paid their debts, or suffered the consequences. And then, when Gunpla Battle took off, I was scouted by Hiruto and Mikio Mashita to act as Mikio's top agent in the newly established Gunpla Mafia, until my little brother and your father and Summer pulled me out of that life."

She placed her Gunpla down on the table. A black and metallic red Astray Gundam, based off of the Gold Frame Amatsu Mina, but with a large sheathe for a sword on its hip that had a katana sticking out of it. The backpack, which replaced the massive hook-like wings of the Amatsu Mina, were instead mechanical bird wings, solid black with red tips. On its face was a white sensor mask with red markings, a pattern that seemed to accentuate the mask with an almost oni-like visage. It also lacked the Blitz Gundam arm that made the Gold Frame evolutions more unique.

R frowned at Yang. "If you wish to know more, you'll have to earn it."

Yang scoffed, but then looked at the woman before her.

There was an incredible amount of energy. Malicious. Just the weight of her stare seemed to topple Yang.

But Yang was not one to be toppled so easily. "Fine. I'll beat it out of you." She locked eyes with R, defiantly challenging her.

"GUNPLA BATTLE COMBAT MODE, STARTUP! MODEL DAMAGE LEVEL SET TO C!"

"Do not come at me with a wavering heart," R warned. "And for your sake, I would recommend not assimilating."

"Stop telling me how to fight."

The Blazing Echelon was already on the table, and Yang dropped into a defensive pose as she watched the gate for R's Gunpla appear.

"Astray Red Frame Amatsu Omen, go!" R leaned in and the Gunpla shot off, flying through the gate and spreading its large wings. It began gliding through the sky, soaring high on minimal thruster propulsion, surveying the field.

The sky was covered in a dark grey cloud cover, with a sparse forest below that had a clearing for a road that twisted through it. Yang stood just off the road among the trees, visible but blocked from her in the air.

This terrain didn't suit either machine. The Astray Omen wouldn't be able to fly well closer to the ground, and Yang would find it difficult to close the distance for melee combat.

Fortunately, R had alternative means to attack.

She flipped her wrist, and the large scabbard snapped open onto a rifle, which she used to rain brilliant red beams down at Yang's position.

Yang growled, dodging each incoming shot easily. "That weapon's just like Adam's!" She cried out. "How the hell-"

"Where do you think he came up with the design?" R interrupted, before charging a shot that decimated a small section of ground that Yang was landing on. The crater left behind was covered in glass, which caused The Blazing Echelon to slip and fall. "You'd be a fool to believe that my weapon is the same as his, however. His Wilting Spallow took inspiration from this machine, but it pales in comparison."

Yang stood up and jumped out of the crater, using her boosters to clear the top of it, but before she could begin her descent, the Astray Omen swept down and landed a powerful kick at max speed directly to Yang's stomach. The Blazing Echelon shot backward, crashing into a tree before tumbling across the ground.

Yang rolled into a crouch, glaring at the Astray Omen as it hovered on thrusters just above the ground. She watched R grab the katana hilt from the scabbard. As she pulled it out, a blood-red beam saber was pulled out and ignited. Its size was nearly twice that of a normal beam saber, and it was curved and angled like an actual katana blade.

Ruby gritted her teeth. "A high output, particle transformation beam saber," she muttered. It was rather uncommon to see a weapon like that, due to the precise amount of skill needed to build a customized beam saber hilt. But R was holding a powerful, except one, and immediately the skill level between the two machines' performance was apparent.

R was toying with Yang.

The Astray Omen fell into a traditional, classic samurai stance, the blade angled forward slightly toward Yang. "You lack discipline," R stated plainly. "I intend to correct this."

Yang's eyes flared, and her machine began to flow with power. The particle pieces on the Blazing Echelon echoed her emotional state, igniting in the brilliant gold fire. Yang pulled her left hand back and put her right forward and up, her ring and pinky curled against her palm. She stood, a pillar of defiance against her opponent.

The Astray Omen remained unmoving for a moment, and Yang mirrored it. The two women watched the other, making sure they didn't miss a single detail from the other.

R was the one to make the first move this time, and Yang defensively focused the generated Plavsky particles around her into what almost amounted to a physical shield. She had seen Sekai do this in a past match, which allowed him to essentially push off the particles as if they were a solid platform to change directions in the air or even in space.

The blade slammed into it, and the energy output crackled against the barrier. R looked inward with surprise, but only for a moment, before increasing her thruster output. Her wings opened wide, and a massive push was made, forcing Yang off her feet.

As Yang's beam saber sliced cleanly through the boulder that was behind her, the Blazing Echelon spun and launched away from the Astray. R's blade likely would have sliced through the Gunpla as well, had she been pushed against it.

After landing, both Gunpla resumed their poses. Yang had never witnessed anything like it. Such power! That beam saber seemed unreal.

There was tension in the air. Concerned onlookers remained silent, and the only sound that broke the ambiance was that of the Dojo doors opening.

Blake, Weiss, Sekai, and Shia entered the main area as Ruby, Summer, and Tai looked over. It took them a few moments to realize what was happening.

They approached the group, confusion written on their faces. "Hey," Blake said. "What's going on?"

"Raven and Yang were training, but then Yang got upset with Raven," Ruby explained. "And now…we just found out Raven used to work for the Gunpla Mafia, and she pulled out an Astray with such high craftsmanship that I really don't think Yang has much of a chance…"

The four newcomers just stared at her in shock. "Wait, what?" Sekai asked.

"Did you just say she was part of the mafia?!" Weiss added.

Qrow shook his head. "It's a long story." He was about to say something else, but was cut off by Yang roaring, which caused her flames to increase. All eyes turned back to the table as the Blazing Echelon rushed again.

R simply sidestepped and sheathed her blade. A ticking sound could be heard. When she withdrew the blade again, the beam saber had been replaced by a steel rod. R lashed out with it, slamming into the side of the Blazing Echelon, which was suddenly lit up by electricity.

Yang screamed in agony, feeling the feedback for several seconds before R pulled back the rod. She kicked the Blazing Echelon in the chest and knocked it away, causing Yang to tumble. She collapsed on the platform, panting hard, her body partially numb.

R stood over her, glaring down at the fallen Gunpla. "I warned you not to assimilate." Her voice was filled with judgment and disappointment.

Yang's temper flared once again. The condescending way R-no, Raven-was talking to her, was really getting to her.

She looked over the damage. Overall, the electrified rod had done little besides stunning her. It was painful, but the Astray Omen didn't seem to have done much. She had just tapped her.

"What's the matter?" Yang asked, slowly getting back to her feet. Her body ached. "You want to beat the daylights out of me first?"

"No." R took her stance again. "I'm simply not willing to end this so fast. You'll see the beam saber again when I decide to finish you."

Yang frowned, but then realization hit her. Raven wasn't punishing her. She was still trying to train her.

She felt so stupid. This entire time, R was playing games, but it was to give Yang the fighting chance to learn from mistakes. To adapt.

To focus.

As painful as the stun rod was, it was basically there to teach her how quickly someone like Raven could finish her. Or someone like Adam, or Irina.

That realization led to another. Despite how she was acting, and the fact that she had never been in Yang's life, what she had told her just days earlier, that she had wanted and wished she had, was true.

Which made this, what? Tough love? Raven's attempt to reach out? She surely wouldn't have offered to train Yang for free if she didn't care. She wouldn't be pushing Yang to irrational rage if she didn't want her to overcome it, right? That's how it felt.

Each strike Raven had made against Yang could have ended the match with a follow-up. Raven was definitely skilled enough to do it, and she wasn't pushing those giant wing binders to their limits. Yang was sure of it.

God, she had been so stupid. Cursing herself, Yang made a promise to herself. She wouldn't let Raven, or R, or whatever she called herself, get to her again. She wasn't going to let her have the satisfaction. But more than that, Yang was determined to push back. To actually make her try.

With renewed resolve, she slowly resumed her own pose, but something was different in her movements. They were looser, more fluid. She inhaled slowly, calming herself.

R watched, patiently. It was clear Yang was indeed trying to focus, but this was a battle. Nobody would give her this time, except perhaps Sekai.

Seizing the opportunity, the Astray Omen shot forward. The thrusters on the wings carried the Astray at remarkable speed, and Yang barely had enough time to duck as R swung with a horizontal slash aimed at her head. Yang rose only once R had passed her, but found herself on the receiving end of a follow-through, the rod slamming into her neck, right at the point where it met her shoulder.

The pain was instant and blinding. Searing shocks tore through Yang's body, and the Blazing Echelon was downed in a second from both the powerful blow and the electrical surges. Yang fell onto her hands and knees and gasped, wincing.

The Astray Amatsu Omen hung just above her, looking down like an Angel of Death watching over its victim. Its mask's red sensors glowed ominously.

R said nothing, but did slowly back up, the tips of her toes gently touching the ground but remaining mostly afloat in the air. Yang sighed and once again stood up, again gaining her composure and entering her defensive stance.

Yang knew she was lucky. Had R lashed out with her sword, and not the rod, this would have been over.

R shot forth yet again, thrusting the rod at Yang with vicious force. The electric rod swung at Yang's head, but the Blazing Echelon raised its left arm. Plavsky particles began to swirl around its forearm, and Yang created a barrier that deflected the rod.

R's eyes widened in surprise. Yang was learning as they fought. Yang's right hand slammed into the mask of the Astray Omen, sending it flipping back into the air. R recovered and spun mid-air as Yang launched herself at her.

Yang closed her left hand, and as she opened it again, it began radiating a golden aura, heat and flames spawning around her open palm.

The Blazing Echelon slammed its open, flaming palm into the Astray Omen's mask. The impact pushed R backward in the air. Alarms began to blare as Yang pressed forward.

The burning grip hadn't caused any serious damage yet, however, and R kicked the Blazing Echelon hard in the stomach. Yang grunted as she was knocked away, pulling the mask off of the Astray in the process and revealing the Gundam face underneath.

Yang ignited her leg thrusters, tucking into a roll and landing on the ground in a crouched position. She tossed the mask away and looked up as R sheathed her weapon once again. The Astray darted straight at the Blazing Echelon, closing the gap rapidly.

Yang opened fire with her head mounted Vulcans, but R easily dodged and wove around the bullets. She dove sharply, landing in front of Yang, who jumped back as the Astray's weapon unsheathed yet again. But rather than the large beam saber or the electrified rod, a simple metal blade appeared, lashing out at the Blazing Echelon.

The force of the blade coming to bear against Yang caused a maelstrom-force wind gust to cut the air, knocking Yang out of midair from a precise, rapidly expanding pressure wave. Yang landed hard on her back and rolled, back to her feet, fists balled, ready to strike back. But a follow-up attack never came.

It took a moment for her to get back up. She didn't expect that, and the surprise was plainly written in her face as she stood. A beam saber that she barely used but could have ended this fight in an instant, a stun baton, a physical blade that could cut the wind so hard it created weaponized sonic booms, and a powerful rifle that wasn't being used but could probably one-shot her.

It felt like the Astray Omen was built for almost every kind of confrontation. Yang wouldn't stand a chance like this. She was probably going to have to catch R off guard with some kind of rush attack or something. Otherwise, this simply wouldn't end well for her.

Balling her fists, her thrusters ignited once more. R watched, unimpressed, as she stood her ground, lashing out once the Blazing Echelon got close. The attack was lightning fast. The blade was angled at her neck; a successful blow would end the battle.

Fortunately, Yang saw it and ducked. She didn't know if R had intentionally telegraphed the move or if Yang herself was just getting better at reading her, but it didn't matter. She retaliated with a body blow, which knocked the Astray off balance, then lunged with an uppercut that connected with its chin.

A left hook connected with the Astray's cheek, and R angled her wings and attempted to retreat to the right as a haymaker was swung in her direction. Yang refused to relent, pursuing R and launching a kick that slammed into her left knee and rocked the platform R stood on.

She noticed Yang's flames on her machine had died down, becoming more controlled, and her attacks were far more coordinated and precise.

"Zero Impact!" Yang yelled, as her left fist drove straight into the Astray's midsection at point-blank range. Alerts flared all-around R as the damage from the blow sent the computer into a frenzy.

R kept backpedaling, avoiding most of the attacks but getting hammered by several in succession. The blows were leaving physical scuffs and dents on the Astray's armor, which was the most C Grade damage would allow, but that only indicates how hard Yang was hitting her. Had it been B or A grade, only a few of those strikes would have pounded the Astray Omen into scrap.

A high right kick from the Blazing Echelon shot forth and nearly decapitated the Astray, and R jumped to the side, preparing to sweep her blade out and cripple Yang's pivoting leg. However, Yang seemed to anticipate this, and a Blazing Shot came from the roaring fire on her left gauntlet, which forced R to defensively swat it away with her blade instead.

Recovering from her missed kick, Yang spun on her heel and pushed off throwing a massive lunging right punch out at R. However, this time, R dodged to the right, grabbing her wrist to force her to continue forward instead of trying to correct.

The Astray spun in the air, pulling its right leg up as it did, and as it came around, R launched a powerful kick to the small of the Blazing Echelon's back. The Gundam was knocked forward uncontrollably, slamming into the ground and skipping across it.

Yang recovered as she came down, pushing off in a handstand and spinning in the air to land on her feet. Her hands wide open, she began focusing her energy into her palms, and as she touched down, extended her arms, wrists slammed together.

Instantly, the space in front of her palms glowed with a brilliant golden light, and her flames retreated as she rapidly channeled her energy. "Jīnlóng Bàozhà!"

The new special attack radiated from Yang like a cannon of pure energy, digging into the ground and rapidly closing the distance between the two Gunpla.

R sneered at the approaching attack. She had started to believe that Yang had learned her lesson, that she was adapting and overcoming her limitations and was controlling her power, but clearly, that wasn't the case.

Her Gunpla was easily twice as big as the blast she saw coming at her.

Raising her katana above her head, R rushed forward towards the wave and slashed the attack the instant it was about to hit her. A powerful wave pushed back, spreading the energy wave Yang had launched to the side and traveling some distance before faltering. R followed the cleared path, slashing again to advance further.

Yang couldn't believe what she was seeing. In a matter of seconds, the Astray had cleaved its way through her attack. Three strikes, then four…

The beam was now almost split in half to her palms. The area in front of Yang had been obliterated by her attack. Yang was knocked backward after the final slash broke the destructive blast and breached the destructive blast.

She watched as the Astray shot upwards into the air and hung above the Blazing Echelon, blade sheathed. She attempted to correct her trajectory in mid-air, but R flipped her scabbard out into its beam rifle mode and fired.

The shot glanced at Yang's left shoulder, sending immense pain through the blonde's body and knocking the Blazing Echelon into an uncontrolled spiral. It slammed into the ground, bounced, then collided back first into a giant rock.

Yang opened her left eye, wincing in pain, as she saw the Astray practically teleport in front of her and land a diving dropkick to her chest and stomach with such unrelenting force that it shattered the boulder she was against and knocked her backward again.

Yang fired her backpack thrusters to skim across the ground and to put some distance between her and the Astray, but R refused to give her quarter. The massive wingspan of the Astray Red Frame Amatsu Omen filled her screen, blotting out the sun as it flew directly above the Blazing Echelon.

In an attempt to block the next blow, Yang raised her forearms up. R unsheathed her weapon once more, and the electrified rod slammed into the Blazing Echelon, shocking Yang as the Gundam bounced off the ground and tumbled to a stop on its belly.

It took Yang a few seconds to stir. Her body was screaming, every nerve felt like it was on fire. Even when she had been impaled by Irina's blade, she hadn't felt this beaten down. Her muscles were screaming in protest as she sat up on her knees.

She looked forward ahead of her but was startled to see the Astray Omen right there, waiting. It was hovering in front of her, and it was then that Yang realized how messed up she really was. She hadn't even heard the slight hum of the thrusters and was still registering her surprise when the next blow slammed into her left cheek, flooring her again.

The last blow wasn't electrified, but it still hit with the force of a brick. Yang felt her cheek. It felt like it would bruise.

She got her left foot under her and rose to a kneel, but was instantly stabbed and electrocuted by R's weapon. She cried out in agony as she felt the current surge through her, and for a brief few seconds, she was certain she would die.

The site disturbed most of the onlookers. Though Qrow seemed to pity Yang, it was clear Blake and Sekai both were becoming increasingly irate.

Blake turned to Shia. "Do you have my Gunpla?"

Shia stared at her, before nodding. "Yes. It's right here." She handed Blake the 00 Qan [T] Bella, freshly painted and repaired, inside its carrying case.

Blake took the machine and ran up to the table, with Sekai in hot pursuit. Both of them immediately started up two more platforms on the battle table and prepared to launch, both with the intent of saving Yang.

"Wait!" Ruby called out, but it was no use. The cockpits had already formed around them, muting them to the outside world and the younger girl's protests.

"Should we help too?" Weiss asked, uncertain as to what precisely to do here.

"Yang would prefer us not to jump in," Ruby replied, concern perforating her voice. "But…she's in so much pain…"

Yang began to stand again and again took a brutal slam to the collarbone by R's weapon. Sparks tore through the Blazing Echelon as its flames died down and it collapsed on the ground, stunned.

R walked slowly over to her. She watched as Yang slowly began to stand up, trying yet again to return to her feet.

"I warned you," R commented, preparing to strike again. "I told you-"

"NEW CONTESTANT!"

The battle table's announcement took R by surprise, and she returned her hilt to her scabbard and withdrew the beam saber blade yet again, swiping it up and behind her as the 00 Bella appeared in full Trans-Am mode to attempt to take her down.

The GN Sword III slammed into the dense, potent beam saber katana, and for the first time since the match started, it was R who was in shock.

Blake disappeared in a shower of red GN particles, materializing a few meters away with her weapon in gun mode. Three beam shots were deflected by R's sword, before Blake quantum jumped again, trying to stab R from the opposite side.

The GN Sword narrowly missed the Astray, as R leaned back and brought the blade down on the 00 Bella again, only to be met once more by GN particles.

R dashed backward as Blake swiped down, appearing on her left in another sneak attack. These quantum blitz attacks were beginning to become tedious, and she locked her sights on Blake as she disappeared once again.

However, this time, the after image she left behind exploded, as Sekai's Kamiki Burning Gundam shot through it with a flaming sword swipe that nearly grazed the Astray Omen.

Turning on his heel as he landed, Sekai lashed out with a rotating kick but missed entirely as R backpedaled. Spinning into a stance, sheathing his blade as he did, he launched himself at the Astray again with balled fists.

"Jigen Hoah, Ryūsei Rasen-Ken!" The Kamiki Burning's fist began to rotate and expel massive flames as Sekai moved to deliver a devastating punch to the Astray's face. However, R sidestepped him, grabbing his forearm and pulling him forward, which took him off balance.

Struggling to regain control, Sekai hopped on one foot, trying not to topple. He turned to face R but was caught with a high kick to the sternum, which staggered the Kamiki Burning enough to leave him wide open.

Blake rematerialized behind R as she prepared to strike. She raised her GN Sword up, preparing to bring it down on her target.

With a clean sweep, R leaned forward, moving her extended foot down and forcing her entire torso down with it. The stroke of her blade came crashing down across Sekai's chest, and the boy cried out in pain as his assimilated Gunpla took a lethal blow, falling lifeless to the ground.

Flipping her blade into a reversed grip, R finished the attack with a backward, upward stab under her right arm, as if she had just sheathed her blade. The large red beam saber went up and pierced the GN reactor in the 00 Bella's chest, instantly stopping it and dropping it out of Trans Am. It, too, fell, power output almost nonexistent.

Ruby and Weiss looked on at the outcome in dread. Until now, Raven hadn't been trying. Yang had been throwing everything at her, and the dojo master had simply goaded her into trying something new, something more.

It was plainly evident that, in a matter of seconds, she eliminated two Gunpla with one blow, and cemented the fact that she was far better than anyone had suspected.

The Astray stood up, twirling her sword back into a normal grip while raising it towards her head, then flicking it down, as if to cast the blood of her slain enemies off of it.

"Now," R said calmly, turning her attention back to Yang, "where were we-"

"NEW CONTESTANT!"

Grunting in annoyance, R turned and spotted two new machines entering the gates. A white Sinanju and the Gundam Destiny Scythe hurtled towards her and incredible speeds, closing the gap quickly.

Weiss and her Sinanju of the same name landed hard on the ground, skidding to a halt. She cried out in surprise as she lost her balance, as the machine was far more powerful than she had expected. Ruby remained in the air, taking advantage of the Destiny Gundam's flight ability.

"I didn't expect this thing to be so hard to use," Weiss commented, worried. "I don't know if I'll be of much help."

"Well, we have to do something!" Ruby looked at her sister, who was slowly getting up. "Yang can't take much more of this."

"Enough distractions." R rushed forward, which caused Weiss to respond in kind. The Weiss Sinanju's incredible speed and mobility overwhelmed her as she easily closed the gap, and shot right past R, who turned and looked on as Weiss planted her feet to slow herself.

The kick of this new machine's engines was exceptional, and she hadn't had time to practice. If this was how it was now, how will it be after she's done with it?

She looked up as Ruby slashed her beam scythe at R, who dodged easily and opened fire with her rifle. The Destiny Scythe wove around the income fire and transformed her scythe into its gun mode, returning fire with both her left Palma Fiocina cannon and rifle.

The pink and blue beams from her machine sailed towards R, but rather than dodge, she deflected each shot with her beam katana. The rain of energy blasts was sent in all directions, with many of them being redirected back towards Ruby.

Forced to avoid her own attacks, Ruby ceased fire and dove down towards the ground a bit. R prepared to pursue but was notified of an incoming attack behind her. She turned and brought her sword up as the Weiss Sinanju crashed into her.

The sheer force of the impact, combined with the overpowering thruster power of the Sinanju, easily knocked the smaller Gunpla off its feet. R's efforts to push back with her large wing thrusters proved futile, and the heated edge of Weiss's sword nearly forced the beam katana back into the Astray's face.

Weiss cut her thrusters and landed hard, again losing control and planting her feet to stop. R regained her control but again was put on the defensive as Ruby opened fire with the Destiny Scythe's long-range beam cannon. The massive, ominous beam hurtled towards R, but was split in half by her beam saber, which easily caused the attack to separate around her in a similar way to what happened to Yang's attack.

Ruby followed up with a volley from her rifle, which again was easily deflected.

"This is becoming annoying," R growled, noticing the Sinanju coming at her at high speed yet again.

She jumped backward and to the side as Weiss tried to impale her, bringing her sword in an upward diagonal sweep that severed the right kneecap micro thruster of the Sinanju. The part popped off to simulate the damage, and the knee of the Sinanju gave out as Weiss tried to stop herself again.

She toppled forward as she did, landing in her hands and knees, before looking up and turning around just as the red blade impacted the Sinanju's neck. Its head also popped off, simulating a decapitation, and R spun around and fired her beam rifle at the helpless Gunpla, taking it out of the fight with a shot to the chest.

Yang continued to watch, fatigue keeping her on the ground as her friends were picked off, one by one. It was surreal to see how lethal Raven was in this R persona. It was almost like she was a different person, focused and calm and merciless. It seemed impossible.

R looked around at the carnage around her. "A protective yet inexperienced girlfriend. A hot-headed rival. A pilot who does not know how to control her Gunpla properly. And a naive younger sister." Her eyes scanned each of the machines that had challenged her and failed, thus far. "It's no wonder you have proven to be so weak, Yang when surrounded by such mediocrity."

"Why are you doing this?!" Ruby demands. "You should be helping us helping Yang get better! But all you've done is just try to tear her down, and now you're taking us out, as well! Why? How can we get better if we can't fight?"

Raven looked up at the Destiny Scythe, which still hovered in the air high above her. Her eyes narrowed, and she frowned. "You…sound just like your mother."

The Astray Omen crouched, and then its wings flared to life, shooting it upwards at incredible speeds to close the gap that lay between them.

Panicking, seeing that R was too fast at this current output, Ruby activated SEED mode, allowing the Voiture Lumiere effect. Silvery wings of light emanated from the Destiny Scythe, and as R slashed at Ruby, she was met only with an afterimage created by her Mirage Colloid system.

Ruby circled around R, transforming her gun back into scythe mode, and charged the Astray from behind. However, she, too, only hit an after image. Ruby's eyes went wide, as the entire platform shook.

She looked up to see the Astray kicking her away, its own massive wings creating a red variant of the Wings of Light. "Don't get cocky!" R shouted, charging Ruby yet again.

The two machines danced in the air, dodging each other as they attacked, neither scoring any hit on the other. Ruby tried to keep her distance, but R was faster and kept mitigating any distance the Destiny Scythe put between them.

Finally, a hit was scored. Ruby raised her left palm to fire her Palms Fiocina, but the long beam katana blade hit her forearm, causing her hand to detach to simulate the damage that should be caused.

Ruby's cockpit flared red as she raised her right arm, activating her beam shield as R raised her katana and thrust. The tip of the blade instantly pierced the shield, pushing through it, through Ruby's arm, and pinning the arm to her chest. The beam saber cut through the torso of the Destiny Scythe and out its back, damaging Ruby's right-wing.

Ruby let out a cry as the Astray's thrust overtook her, forcing her down into the ground. Her cockpit shook violently as the Astray dragged her across the ground, before coming to a stop.

R knelt over the downed Gundam, watching Ruby with an unsympathetic look. In a desperate attempt to free herself, Ruby opened fire with her Vulcans, but R simply used her free right hand to push the Destiny Scythe's chin upward with her palm, causing the bullets to fly harmlessly away from her.

"A good attempt, I'll admit," R said callously. "However, in vain, all the same."

"NEW CONTESTANT!"

R growled, agitation on the verge of boiling over. She looked up and to her right, but a warning began screaming at her, and she opened her eyes wide as she deactivated her beam saber and jumped away from Ruby. A second later, a massive pair of yellow energy bolts blew past the chest of the Destiny Scythe, narrowly missing it.

The Astray landed and ignited its sword again, as an ominous black, gray, and red Gundam slowly descended. It held a large longsword, which had its blade flipped forward to reveal two prominent cannons. It sported giant black angel wings and two smaller wing binders from the Wing Gundam Zero Custom, alongside the Wing Zero's arms and Gundam Epyon's head, but the rest of the machine was made of a mix of parts from the Gundam Deathscythe Hell Custom and Wing Zero Custom. Its chest had a modified piece with the Wing Zero's enhanced sensor on it, and it sported several clavicle cameras, plainly visible against the dark color scheme. On its left forearm, the small shield of the original Deathscythe sat, mounted to the machine's forearm sensor cover.

"The Death Wing Harbinger," R commented. "So, little brother, you decided you had enough."

"Uncle Qrow?" Yang was startled. She had never seen her uncle's Gunpla. It looked as lethal as Raven's, but with a completely different air about it.

"I was content with just letting all of you Duke it out," Qrow commented, "but I think it's gone well past that. From where I'm standing, you look less like you're trying to help your daughter and more like you're trying to punish her for standing up to

you."

"You don't know what you're talking about," R defensively replied. "I'm attempting to teach her."

Qrow cocked his head. "Teach her what? How to get her ass kicked?" He pointed at Yang. "She's Tai's daughter, as much as yours, Ray. You know how tough Tai's training is. I'm pretty sure she's well versed in how to take a bump or two.

"No, see, what I'm seeing is you basically playing around, while simultaneously inflicting as much pain as possible, because you want Yang to quit. You want her to admit defeat so you don't have to do the one thing you're scared of: looking weak, by telling her the truth. Even though we both know she deserves to know."

R raised her sword, ready to strike. "You shut your damn mouth!" She warned.

"I'm right, aren't I?" Qrow asked, a smug smirk on his face. "I may be a drunkard and not the best role model for the girls, but I am a damn good detective. Always was. I can see through you from a mile away, Ray."

The thrusters on the Astray Omen began to flare up again. "I'll shut you up myself if you don't stop talking!"

Qrow sighed, before flipping the blade of his longsword up, retracting the beam cannons. The blade remained lowered, however. "Well, if that's the way it's gotta be…"

R scowled, anger building up before her Wings of Light resumed their glow and she charged.


RAVEN'S GUNPLA

Gundam Astray Red Frame Amatsu Omen

An older machine that Raven has only used a select few times since leaving the Gunpla Mafia, the Astray Omen's primary design features spawn directly from the Astray Gold Frame Amatsu Mina. Replacing the large hook-like wings of the Amatsu Mina's backpack with large mechanical wings inspired by the Wing Gundam (Endless Waltz version), the only major change to the machine was the addition of a special detachable sensor mask that fed tactical data to Raven while simultaneously protecting the machine's face.

Equipped with a Voiture Lumier system similar to the Strike Freedom, Infinite Justice, and Destiny Gundams, the Astray Omen was capable of rapid acceleration and maneuvering. The large wings were flexible and gave her precision flying and hovering options, allowing her to close the gap on opponents in what seemed like an impossible time frame.

The machine featured a scabbard and blade setup that inspired Adam Taurus's sheathe/beam rifle transforming weapon, but Raven's version was far larger and more versatile. The sword itself had three different blades-an an extremely long blood-red beam saber, a normal-sized physical sword styled after a ninjatō and a shorter rod that could channel and generate electrical currents, which Raven would use as a stun baton of sorts. These blades were interchangeable and when not in use would be stored inside the scabbard. The scabbard itself could flip forward and fire a powerful, chargeable beam shot capable of leaving sizable craters on the ground. The Astray Omen also had a pair of forehead-mounted Vulcan machine guns, but normally these weapons are blocked by the sensor mask, so she typically does not rely on them.


QROW'S GUNPLA

Gundam Death Wing Harbinger

Designed to encompass both the brutal close-range ferocity of the Deathscythe and the long-range supremacy of the Wing Gundam Zero Custom, the Death Wing Harbinger takes advantage of the two machine's unique specialties and combined them into a lethal package.

Using the Gundam Epyon's head (and thus having access to the Epyon System) purely for aesthetic purposes, Qrow has outfitted the Death Wing with a transforming weapon named Harbinger that normally takes the form of a large longsword with a beam edge, similar to the anti-ship swords in Gundam SEED. This weapon can flip its blade forward to reveal two beam cannons that, at max output, can rival the Buster rifle of the normal Wing Gundam, though with reduced range, effectively making them a double-barrel beam shotgun of sorts. The weapon can also extend its handle and, much like Ruby's sniper rifle, can transform into a massive scythe when the need arises.

Not content with relying on his sword, however, Qrow also has a pair of small chest-mounted Gatling guns to give him the same firepower as the Wing Zero's clavicle Gatling. They are hidden below the two sensors that sit on either side of his machine and can be exposed via sliding panels. For defense, the Death Wing Harbinger also has the small shield of the Deathscythe on its forearm, which it can launch out to impale people with a rotating beam dagger or keep mounted to his arm for an offhand slashing weapon and some defense.