Chapter 11: Help! I Don't Know How To Write!

A/n: Sorry about being so late. More on that below. For now, on with the show!


"Who are you?" Qrow snarled, not letting his eyes wander from the imposter. "Who sent you? Salem?"

The imposter started. "Qrow? Were you out drinking again?" She waggled her ears. "How could you go without me? I thought we agreed to go together!" She sounded disapproving, but the slight smile she tried (and failed) to hide said otherwise.

Tai leaned forward, taking a whiff. "He definitely smells like it." Great, now he was getting into the tale too.

Qrow rolled his eyes. "I'm not trashed, you blonde blockhead." Noticing his nieces raised eyebrows, he threw his arms in the air in exasperation. "Is anyone going to take my side in this?"

In a burst of petals, the imposter vanished, only to coalesce with her arms around her daughters in as wide a hug as she could. "You've all gotten so big!"

Ruby sniffled. "O-of course we're big! The last time you saw us was when you- you-"

Yang said nothing. She merely watched with eyes wide, trying desperately to take it all in. "Dad?"

Tai smiled, walking around Qrow. "It's true, kiddos. Your mother came back, and she has quite the story."

Qrow sighed, putting away his sword. "So no one is gonna believe me? No one is gonna ask me how I know?"

The group ignored him. Of course they did.

His Scroll buzzed, likely Raven asking for a progress report. He ignored his twin for the moment, trying to think of a way to convince them. Telling them that he'd spoken with Raven would probably set off Yang faster than a flaming Zwei. Not to mention Tai, who wanted nothing to do with his ex. And if the imposter was anything like the real Summer (which was likely, given how convincingly she'd played the part), she'd get pissed. The two women always had a complicated relationship.

"WHAT THE HELL!" Yang suddenly yelled. The adults started at the sound. "You're gone forever, and now you just show up one day! Where were you?!"

'Summer's' eyes lowered. "Yang, I-"

"I needed you! Why weren't you there for me? I had to raise Ruby practically on my own. I had to be the responsible one. Dad shut down." Tears welled in her red eyes. "Why did you leave us? Why did you leave me?" Her voice cracked. "Why?"

Damn. The imposter was really good. She was crying too.

"Yang, I-I never wanted to leave you. I'll explain, but first I need to meet with Professor Ozpin."

"What does he have to do with all of this?" Yang stepped back. "Your last mission. Did he send you on it?" She closed her fists.

"Yes, I did." The group turned around to the ever present sight of Ozpin sipping a mug of coffee, hand on his cane as he smiled warmly. A rarer sight was Glynda actually smiling. Ugh.

That face didn't belong in normal society! What demon had possessed her?

"Sorry I'm late. A certain someone decided that coffee wasn't on my list of priorities today." Was he imagining the small glare he directed at Glynda?

'Summer' immediately warped in front of Oz, sorrow forgotten. "Ohmygosh! You're old! I mean, not like you didn't act like an old guy before, but-"

"It's good to see you, Summer." He'd never seen Oz look so relieved before. Not even during that week in Vacuo when-

-No. What happens in Vacuo, stays in Vacuo.

"Good to see you too, sir. Mission success!" She immediately struck a pose, arm held in a salute. It would have been all heroic and jazz if it weren't for the smile written all over her face, like a little tyke who'd just scored the mother of all cotton candy.

Ozpin's smile only grew. "And the good news only continues. Peter will be delighted."

"Oz, that isn't her! Raven and I were talking, and she said-"

"And exactly what did my dear sister-wife say, Qrow?" He flinched at the sudden venom in her voice. They hadn't really gotten along, had they? After Raven had dumped Tai, Summer had married him. But Raven hadn't exactly waited for a divorce, so technically they were still married….

…Yeah. Not getting along was an understatement.

"She didn't know you were back, Sum." Crap. Now he was calling the imposter by Summer's nickname. The statement was met with blank stares. "Her Semblance?" The imposter tilted her head sideways. "You know? The one that lets her warp anywhere by having an emotional bond?"

"Qrow, what are you getting to?" Ozpin gave him a look, one that said get on with it while still conveying a sense of politeness. Qrow rolled his eyes, pulling out his flask and having a swig.

"Summer's bond disappeared thirteen years ago, and it hasn't come back. Not then, and not now. That isn't Summer Rose. I don't know who she is, but I'll be damned before I let an imposter ruin my leader's name!"

Tai simply crossed his arms. "Typical Raven."

Summer shook her head. "Of course she can't just come and talk it out, because that's what 'weak people do'." She made air quotes for the last part. "No, she has to be strong!"

Why weren't they freaking out about this? What was going on here? Maybe she was using a mind control Semblance.

No, it was clearly a copy Semblance. Otherwise she wouldn't be zapping around like Barty when he drank espresso. So what was going on?

"It's part of why I was gone," the imposter said. "Remember? We went over this already."

Qrow scratched his head, finally putting his sword away. "Uh… when?"

"When you woke up, remember? I was all like 'that Grimm was nasty', and you were like 'go away Sum, my head hurts.'" She raised an eyebrow. "Wow. You must have really been out of it."

Okay, he might have gone a bit overboard that night. But seriously, what was she yammering about?

"Whoa, whoa," Yang blurted, "you're still talking to mo- to Raven? And you never told me?"

Qrow groaned, putting a hand to his forehead. "Because I knew you'd rush off to find her. Remember the last time that happened?"

He'd almost been too late, saving her and Ruby in the nick of time. Why she'd thought to bring Ruby along for an hourslong hike to an abandoned cabin, he had no idea. After, Tai had given her a scolding the likes of which would never be heard in the Xiao Long household again.

Yang winced at the harsh words. She started forward, but found herself being blocked by Oz.

"Now, now. I'm sure we're all curious about this. Why don't we all take this back to my office?" He smiled, raising his hands placatingly with his icons held tight, as though symbols of office. In a sense, it was true- all the former headmasters of Beacon had the same habits. Reincarnation did have its perks, after all.

Qrow rolled his eyes. "Fine."

Everyone else nodded their heads in assent, and the party left for the tower.


"Sire, what kept the forge burning last night?"

Reshan was shocked to see the professor shrug, his mouth full of scrambled eggs. He'd never not known something before!

The two were joined for breakfast by Levona, a woman whose sense of humor was as dark as the coffee she guzzled and her ebony arms. Short black hair curled around her ears. In addition, she was wedded to Dr. Oobleck.

Does that make her my guardian as well, he wondered. He put it out of his mind.

"If I had to guess, I'd say a mix of fire Dust and coal," he replied, swallowing. "I should note that the forge is approximately 80 years old, dating back to the end of the Great War. It was built with funds donated by the last King of Vale."

Reshan nodded, cutting into his bacon. "Oswald, correct?" He'd come across the name in his recent studies in history.

"Yes," Levona replied. "This whole complex was formerly his castle before he donated it to us, upgrading it in the process."

She was another font of information, just like her husband. Other than that, they were entirely different. Dr. Oobleck was fast; she preferred to take things slow. His passion was history, while Levona cared deeply for the wellbeing of those around her.

One thing that all three of them had in common, however, was their love of coffee. They'd already gone through three pots of the liquid, and they gave no sign of slowing down.

"In any case, that is not our topic for today. What we will be discussing is tactics on the field."

Reshan's ever present smile faltered. "What about them, sire?"

"Your fighting style is rather risky for you. Your low Aura means you would be best used as a sniper, as opposed to constantly rushing in."

The scarred teen thought about it for a moment. "I suppose that is true; my Aura is weaker than most. But my only weapons are for biting distance, not ranged combat."

"Perhaps, but that can be rectified. Glynda has informed me that you expressed interest in firearms, so I was hoping that later today we could go down to the firing range to practise."

All Reshan could do in response was bow his head in thanks. Once again, he was in the doctor's debt.

"Thank you, sire." He pushed his plate away, finished with his meal. The ordeal with cutlery seemed to carry a few benefits as well- the incredulous stares from students had started to decrease. If he had to guess, a lot of the looks he'd been getting were from his mannerisms, but some were likely from his eating habits.

"It is our pleasure, Reshan. Now then, have you read Seeker of Glory? I must admit, I am curious as to your thoughts on the subject." Dr. Oobleck slurped yet more coffee. At this rate, they were going to need a fourth pot very soon.

"I read a small portion of it, but I must say, he seems rather depressing," Reshan confessed. "It is as though to him we are nothing but pawns on a board, to be manipulated as the Brothers see fit."

"Me too," Levona said. "He seems so sad. Later on, he just writes about how anything beautiful is just a sham!"

"Ah, the theorem that beauty lies not in appearance but in functionality," the green- haired professor said. "I think it was more based on bias than anything else. He was not much a fan of the arts. Apparently he was forced to learn artistry in Samuel's court, and he stated that 'there is no worse torture mankind has ever devised'."

Reshan burst out laughing. "Ha! The man sounds like a sourpuss!"

Levona chuckled, setting down her fork. "Yeah, probably. Not much humor in his life, it sounds like."

Dr. Oobleck nodded. "Well, if you aren't a fan of his works, I can lend you a different book on philosophy. Unless you don't like that genre?"

The boy quickly rushed to reassure the doctor. "The ideas contained were definitely something I like. It's just his general tone that dissatisfies me."

"Hmm. Most unusual. He typically finds favor among the more religious crowd, a group you seem to fall under." The statement, which his guardian didn't clarify, raised a question in Reshan's mind. "Sire, I haven't seen any temples in my time here. Do the Brothers not hold sway here?"

Levona shook her head gently. "No, not really. Most folk aren't really religious nowadays- haven't been for a while now. Ever since kings started admitting that their divine mandate was a hoax, the church started to lose authority. People didn't trust it after that. Turns out supporting an authoritarian government style while lying about it doesn't exactly endear it to its constituents. It's effectively a shadow of its former self."

Reshan sighed, holding his head in his arms. Why did one failing in an institution call for the total destruction of it?

"Anywho, there are a few temples in Vale. If you want, we can go visit it next weekend. But right now I have to go to work. Reshan, it was nice to meet you. My husband has said good things about you, and I see that he was correct, as usual."

Reshan blushed slightly. "Thank you, Mrs. Oobleck. You are too kind to me!"

"Nonsense," she replied. "You being here means Barty does something with his off hours besides working on his papers! Ta-ta!" With that, she set off, leaving the two men to their discussion.

A curious person indeed, he thought. What was it that had brought them together? Other than caffeine, their interests and personalities seemed entirely disparate. Perhaps it was an arranged marriage? It wasn't unheard of. He put the matter out of his mind .

He had a theory that he wanted to share with his guardian. When he listened to the song at the arcade, he'd seen Yang in his mind. Did he take on the powers of the person he envisioned when he listened, or was it something else?

For that matter, a new theory had made itself known to him. It was perhaps possible that whatever he saw was nothing more than the result of an overactive imagination. After mulling it over, he had decided this to be more than feasible. There was no way it could be memories of his past- he'd seen Yang in that song at the arcade. That being said, none of this answered any questions about who it was he'd embodied during his fight with Miss Adel.

It was time to find out exactly what was going on.


Thousands of years ago, there were miracles.

Throughout his hundreds of lives, he had held countless roles. Sometimes he had been a simple villager. It had been relatively peaceful during those days, as the only thing that had been required of him was to occasionally push away the occasional Grimm from the farm. He had usually taken these lives and treated them as a vacation of sorts, using them to rest and recharge. They typically followed the more intense lives he lived. Unfortunately, these were the ones that made the bulk of his experiences- usually, he was reincarnated with personalities of warriors and kings, not farmers. Though, there was that one time he had woken up in the body of one of Salem's agents. That was an experience to remember.

He had worn so many hats that he could probably run a clothing store with all of them. One hat he had put on multiple times was that of the miracle worker. Usually his 'miracles' had been nothing more than Dust. When dealing with societies that consisted of little more than tattered huts and the occasional fire, almost anything that was more advanced than fire was seen as magic. Rarely, he had used his own magic to perform the miracles.

He was hoping that a miracle would occur soon. Otherwise, his office was about to get really crowded.

Ozpin sat down behind his desk, trying to tune out the storm of noise currently tearing through his one sanctum of peace in this hellhole. There had been one student who had tried to prank him in his fortress of safety by sticking a flag on top of the tower. After a brief detention, said student had immediately transferred to Haven, citing stress.

Ah, good times.

Currently, the Rose-Xiao Long family was crowded into the office, trying to calm down an increasingly frustrated Yang. Tai had an arm around his daughter's shoulder.

"Look, I get that you're confused, but lashing out isn't going to help anything. Let's just calm down and-"

"No! He knew where Raven was all these years, and he never told me? What the hell!"

Qrow snorted. "Because we knew you wouldn't take it well, Firecracker."

"What the hell does that mean?"

"Case in point."

Meanwhile, mother and daughter were getting reacquainted, chatting about something that they both shared: their love of all things weaponry.

"I dunno, Mom. .357 is a pretty good round, but I'm more a fan of 50. Cal. I've lost count of the amount of Beowolves I've smoked with my baby!" She whipped out her scythe, disregarding any concept of not opening dangerous weapons inside an enclosed space.

Summer, for her part, awwed over the weapon. "Ohmygosh! Did you base it off Qrow's?"

Ruby nodded, trying to resist her growing grin. "Yup! He helped me forge it at Signal!"

Qrow nodded, though he hadn't taken his eyes off Summer. "Took us a while, but we got down the recoil absorption so she can fly with the thing." He took a step forward, scowling. "Not that you'd care, imposter."

Summer rolled her eyes. "If I'm an imposter, then how do I know that you and James used to make kissy eyes at each other?"

His most faithful agent, unflinching through even the most horrific catastrophes, stammered. "Hey! That is some confidential information right there!"

Yang, hearing this, started cackling. "Wait a moment. So you're saying Qrow and some random guy shacked up together?"

"Hey! That is your uncle you're talking about, young lady!" Summer immediately started wagging a finger under Yang's nose. "Show some respect!"

Ozpin chuckled, though he still frowned. If she was an imposter, then she was impersonating the real Summer extremely well. Not only were her mannerisms exactly the same, but she shared other, more magical qualities as well.

When she had disappeared, the power of the Summer maiden had disappeared with her. For a few years, Qrow had searched for anyone showing the talent, but he had come up empty-handed. It wasn't that surprising- trying to track down one magical girl among millions typically didn't work well. He had simply brushed the matter off, not realizing that the power hadn't been found because Summer still held on to it.

The magical aura (not the protective kind) that radiated from the wolf Faunus reassured him beyond any doubt. This was Summer Rose, in heart and soul.

That being said, she still had an explanation to do. The aged professor cleared his throat, but Yang had started yelling about some random thing, her rising tone combining with Summer squealing about some random attribute Ruby had included in her weapon. And Glynda was simply holding up the most recent copy of Vale Today, ignoring everything around her. Fat load of help she was.

"Summer, would you please tell us exactly what happened thirteen years ago?"

The words, said in a tone that conveyed as much authority as Ozpin could muster, caused a hush to fall over the group. Summer immediately warped to the chair in front of the desk, brushing a stray lock of hair out of her face. The rest of the family, bar Tai who'd already heard it, stood around her, waiting on bated breath to hear her tale. Glynda put down her book.

"Well, it went like this. I was sent to kill the Harbinger, but it was a lot tougher than I expected."

Ruby squealed. "OHMYGOSH! You killed the Harbinger! You used to read us stories about it!" Yang's eyebrows went up.

Qrow rolled his eyes. "Yeah, right." The silver fox crossed his arms. "No one goes up against that freak and lives to tell about it." Tai went over to put his hand on Qrow's shoulder.

"Trust me, it's real."

Summer shuddered. "Thank goodness it's dead. You remember the stories I read you two about it? About how it devours its victims?"

Yang nodded. "Yeah. It steals their souls, right?"

"Yup. I never saw it eat anyone, but that isn't just some myth. It… It…."

….

"It killed my mother. It used her Semblance on me."


Hero- Caleb Hyles

The officer scrambled from the door, panting in exhaustion as he joined his squad. They had been hunting the beast for well over a month before finally cornering it in an abandoned village. It was there that they found that they had never been the hunters.

They were prey.

The beast had systematically eviscerated the squad. A week ago, there had been thirty of them. Four days later, and that number had been cut in half. Now only ten of them were left, and it looked as though that number would be reduced to zero by the end of the night.

Grasping his rifle, he quickly set himself up in a firing position. The remnants of his unit followed suit, sweat coating the determined faces locked on the sole entrance to the house. They were all tired to the point of exhaustion, the result of being kept in a state of constant vigilance for days on end. Their discipline held however, and he quickly issued orders for the fortification of the hovel they found themselves in. After a brief flurry of motion, silence covered the group.

"Sir, I'm scared."

The officer looked down to see the most junior member of the squad shaking from fright as he addressed his commander. He spared a quick smile, putting a gloved hand on the soldier's arm.

"We'll make it out soon, private. Eyes up. It could be anywhere-"

A dull thud impacted the door. The squad tensed, trigger fingers inching ever so slightly from their resting spots.

The officer braced for the coming storm. They had gotten lucky, but it could only last for so long.

An unearthly wail shattered any sense of safety they'd had before. With a terrific crunch, the door was ripped off its hinges as their target stalked in.

Plaster rained down as the Grimm's head and shoulders cracked the surrounding wall. It was relatively small by the standards of its kind, standing at a mere ten feet tall, with wings spearing out of its backside. It was bipedal, with thick legs that could propel the beast at frightening speeds and arms thick enough to shatter steel beams as though they were glass.

Red eyes gleamed with a devilish hunger out of a wedge-faced mask, the burning emblem that all Grimm share. It howled as he took aim and fired.

The beast shrugged off the hail of bullets, an undulating cacophony of voices screaming in pain as it charged. The chorus of agony was joined by one of his men as the Grimm snatched his leg, tearing it off before eviscerating him with claws that gleamed red with the blood of its past victims.

The officer roared, whipping out his pistol while yelling for his squad to retreat once more. There would be no escape for him, but he could at least make sure that the private could make it home.

He took a deep breath, focusing. It was in these last few moments of life that his legacy would be written for those who came after him. In death lay glory.

He narrowed his eyes. He knew what to do.

Reshan's eyes opened as the song ended. Dr. Oobleck's eyes were wide as he watched his reaction.

He'd had an idea that whatever was triggered by the song had to do with what he envisioned upon listening. After sharing the idea with his guardian, they had agreed that the idea had merit. The two retreated to the doctor's office, and had listened to a song that Dr. Oobleck had suggested.

The office was intriguing, to be certain. The room was coloured a dark shade of green, much like the doctor's hair. Piles of papers were scattered on a large oak desk, covered in scribbles and notes. No doubt they were on some research of some sort. A glass container full of water perched precariously above an old hardwood table, with fish swimming inside innocently, oblivious to the world around them.

"Well? Do you feel any different?" The doctor had one of those 'clipboards' out, pen raised to record anything that might help.

"I feel fine," the scarred teen replied. The duality he had started to expect emerged, this time with a man's tone copying his own. The voice seemed rather nondescript, with no identifiable accent.

Fortunately, he already had an identifying characteristic. The voice was the exact same as that of the officer in the song.

The doctor held up his instrument. "Name?"

"Jay."

"Origin?"

"Unknown."

"Hmm. What do you do for a living?"

"I'm a soldier." The words emerged unbidden, just as the rest had. The doctor frowned, scribbling something.

"Is there anything about you that is known?"

"Affirmative. I am a male." No shite, that.

"Well, this is something we didn't expect. Reshan, how long until the effects typically wear off?"

"Two minutes, sir. Until then, perhaps we can try something else. Ask me about what I think of things. Perhaps that will give us a hint."

"Very well. What is your opinion on dogs?"

"Useful for tracking."

"Your favorite pastime?"

"Fishing."

"Pardon me?"

"Fishing. It's relaxing."

Reshan felt the soft heat at the back of his neck starting to recede, a sign that his transformation was coming to an end. It was rather intriguing, if he was being honest. Every Semblance had their own unique quirks, of course. Yang's hair caught on fire for reasons Reshan could only guess at, while Ruby scattered petals about her whenever she activated hers. To be fair, it might just be a small hint to her own last name, but for the Semblance to not only be aware of it but also change its very nature to match it raised numerous questions.

If Ruby ever wed someone, would her Semblance change to reflect it? Say, she married someone with the last name Tulip. Would she start dropping petals of that type of flower? He put it out of his mind. There were other things to deal with.

"I think that we should attempt another song," Dr. Oobleck stated. "Whoever this man was, he seems to be rather withdrawn. I should note that he is a soldier- it is possible that there are records of this 'Jay' that we can look up. Shall we try one that's already familiar to you?"

Reshan nodded, the last dregs of heat draining from his neck. "Perhaps the song that Miss Schnee sang? I think there might be something there."

The doctor smiled. "Ah, yes, she has become quite famous for that!" After a moment, he frowned. "Now that I think about it, how about we try it later? We'll need time to visit the armory to pick up a rifle for training." He got up, darting to the door. "Shall we?"

The two agreed, and set off.


Ruby's mind slowed down. "What?"

Mom nodded shakily, absently bouncing her leg up and down. "I was sent to find it. We have a special gift, you and I. We-"

"Summer, I'd like to ask that you not reveal it until Ruby is ready," Professor Ozpin interjected. "She-"

"Oz, she should know." Qrow took a small swig. "It might save her skin someday." What were they talking about? Special gift?

"Perhaps. But Beacon is difficult enough without the added pressure. Not to mention, she-"

"She," Ruby said, "is right here. And she would like to know what you're all so worried about!"

The adults fell silent for a moment. Yang took the moment to add her piece. "I think she should know. What's so big about Mom that we can't know?"

Her father chuckled. "I think I can give a pretty good idea. Ruby, do you remember the stories about silver-eyed warriors?"

The ones where they could kill Grimm with nothing but a glance? She didn't exactly have that much faith in it. For weeks afterwards, she'd glared as hard as she could at her broccoli, trying to make it vanish. No luck.

"Yup."

"Well, they aren't so far off from the truth. Mom has that talent, and we're pretty sure you do as well. It takes a while to manifest- your mother first activated them a couple years after graduating." He put an arm around Mom. "She couldn't control them, and she was knocked out for almost a week. Raven went ballistic on her when she woke up."

"What does that have to do with Mom disappearing?" Yang asked. Ruby could tell that her sister's patience was starting to fray from the way her hands were clenching.

"I was sent to kill the Harbinger because we thought-"

"We?" Ruby felt her ear twitch in annoyance. Why was this so complicated?

"Team STRQ was still together," Qrow clarified. "We were hoping that Summer could just look at it, kill it, and we could all go home. Problem is, that thing is one crafty son of a-"

"Language!" Summer rebuked. Her uncle put his hands up defensively.

"Sum, they ain't toddlers anymore. They can handle a little swearing." She nodded, continuing her explanation.

"So, anyways, we're looking around for a few months, trying to find any hint of where it is. Eventually, we tracked the beast down outside of Haven. I went and checked out the area for a few days, while Qrow and Tai met with Professor Lionheart to coordinate an attack when we found it."

"There's a reason the Harbinger has survived for so long- it is incredibly cunning, as well as a fierce opponent. A few days ago…."

Summer sighed as she pushed away another fern, wiping the sweat off her brow. She'd been scouting this area of the jungle for about five hours, with no luck. Aside from the occasional Beowolf spawning, there wasn't really that much to fight.

The Faunus pulled out her Scroll, dialing in her teammates. "Clear. I'll be back in about-"

A rustle was the only warning she got before a massive force struck her. She dropped her Scroll, trying to control her trajectory. A lone tree intercepted her flight, but it only offered a brief respite before it splintered under the weight of the airborne Huntress.

Landing on her feet, Summer whipped out her daggers, Rose's Thorns. They had served her well for many years, the Dust cartridges inside ready to be fired in Magnum form when ranged combat became was nothing that she could see. What-

"BWARGLEOUPH!GALUMPASHIGEEE!"

A mad gibbering erupted before her as her assailant faded back into view, the vivid greens fading into black. Jagged wings shot out of the back as it screamed, stomping legs thick enough that even Peter would have thought twice about attempting to outmuscle.

The mask covering it was perhaps the single most horrifying thing she had ever seen. A wedge obscured whatever lay underneath, the pale white scarred through with red rivulets running from the eyes themselves were a blood red in colour, with two small red droplets flapping about the corner.

It looked like it was crying.

The Harbinger. Bringer of death to millions. The few survivors who had actually seen the beast had named it ages ago. To them, the sight of it was enough to signal that death had come to claim it's due. She quickly stepped back, concentrating. With a blink, silver eyes flared with an ancient power that would scorch anything in her way. She looked-

"FRIMBLSHIPMMMMM! DR-EEHH?!"
What on Remnant? Why wasn't it a sculpture by now?

She squinted, trying to intensify the light pouring out of her. It was then that she realized something.

There was no light. And the Harbinger wasn't simply lying down while her eyes flickered and died.

She rolled out of the way as a claw occupied the space she had just been in. The Grimm snarled, eyes burning with some untold emotion. It charged at Summer, massive paws raised to smack the life out of her.

She smirked. In a blink, she teleported behind her assailant, snatching up her Scroll while firing with her dagger.

"I found it. Coordinates are-"

Jagged glass tinkled from between her fingers, falling to the forlorn foliage. The Harbinger must have stepped on it. Crap!

She needed time for her Semblance to recharge. If she couldn't contact Qrow and Tai for reinforcements, she'd have to warp to them. It would mean a minute of running, but hey, live to fight another day, right?

She started to run, firing behind her in an attempt to slow down the ancient Grimm. It howled in frustration, putting on a burst of speed that the Huntress didn't expect. She weaved through the undergrowth, only narrowly avoiding her pursuer.

With a quick slice, the Harbinger caught her by the leg, hauling her upside down to stare her in the eye. It cocked its head, almost as if puzzled.

"Ekdeliefor…sunmordelies?"

Was it… was it trying to talk?

Whatever it found, it seemed to like. A feral grin stretched over its muzzle as it leaned forward to take a bite….

and howled in frustration as it tasted petals, and nothing more.

"We were still roaming around the city. Your mother didn't know where we were, so she couldn't teleport directly to us."

Mom leaned back. "Probably better that way. That's when I figured out the legends might actually be true. It followed me, somehow. No matter where I warped, it always arrived on my trail. I never got more than a few minutes rest before having to run again."

Qrow groaned. "Drove Tai and me crazy. All we knew was that Summer had disappeared, and we had no idea she was on the run. When she didn't turn up at the rendezvous point, I called Rae, trying to get a lock on what the hell happened. Of course, she ignores us."

Dad's expression grew grim. "A few days later, she showed up in tears."

Tai staggered under the weight of his partner, grumbling. "Does every single scouting mission have to involve alcohol, featherbrain?"

Qrow chuckled. "Yup!"

He groaned, letting the drunken man fall on the bed in the room they were renting. "Take something seriously, for once in your life! Summer could be out there, injured! If we can't-"

"Relax, Grandpa. I'm sure she's fine. Just watch, she's probably-"

A low rumble announced the arrival of Raven. He turned to see a sight he thought he'd never see again. His former wife was hastily dressed, wearing nothing but a sleeping gown with one shoulder exposed. He might have found the view attractive-

"DAD!" The room flinched slightly at Yang's outburst. "What the hell?!"

Dad rolled his eyes. "Yes, Yang. I did, once upon a time, happen to find your mother attractive. Anyways…"

He might have found the view attractive, if not for the tears streaming down the bandit's cheeks.

"Sh-She's- She's gone, Tai! I can't feel her anymore!"

"Huh?"

"She was growing increasingly scared over the past few days. I didn't pay any attention to it- I figured she was just scared of something her little brat was doing."

Qrow frowned. "Never thought you cared about Rubes."

"Shut up." After a pause, she continued. "About an hour ago, I felt a spike in her terror, then… she's gone. I can't feel her." Raven's eyes flared dangerously. "WHAT HAPPENED? WHERE IS SHE?!"

Tai leaned forwards. "After we calmed her down, we put two and two together… or so we thought. We figured that the Harbinger must have done something to prevent her from returning… then killed her."

Mom shuddered. "What actually happened was…."

Summer staggered away from the tree, exhaustion overwhelming her. It had been three days since the start of the hunt. During that time, she had been all over the planet, trying to evade the beast.

"What… hah… is it going to take?"

She'd lost track of where she ended up. Not like it mattered, anyways. It always found her, at which point she warped away. She was bound to lose, however- her Aura would recover a small amount each time, but she was almost completely out. Not to mention, she could barely see straight, she was so tired.

She never thought it would end this way. She never even got the chance to wish her children goodbye.

Poor Ruby… she might never be able to put her to bed. For now, it looked like Summer would be sleeping with the fishies…..

"DREOPLIENGLIOUS!"

Ah, it was here again. With a yawn, she turned around, only to be slammed to the ground. As she fell, she just looked at the beast, realizing well and truly that death was finally here for her.

She was scared… so, so scared. It didn't look like there would be any way out of this mess. She could try and warp away, but she didn't know where her team was, and Raven had moved her tribe again. When she tried going to the last location, all she had found was cold ashes. When she had gone to the rendezvous, she had been ambushed by some thugs.

Joke was on them. All she'd given them was bullets and rose petals. Just like that old band, Bullets and Petals.

She couldn't go anywhere with civilization- the Harbinger was known for actively targeting civilians. Beacon was off the list as well- if she couldn't handle a Grimm like this, there was no way the students could.

As she lay there, the beast currently atop her… it was doing something with its face. It looked confused, like it had encountered something unexpected.

"SERDREYGION? ELDESCULDICAR… FOITSHELD. FOITSHELDFOITSHELDFOITSHELD!"

With a flash, a purple bubble enclosed the pair, cutting them off from the world. It was something Summer was intimately familiar with- her mother's distortion field from her Semblance, Stop and Smell the Roses.

Unlike most Huntress's Semblances, it wasn't particularly useful in combat. Her mother and she could not have been more different in personality. While she buzzed around, her mother carried herself with a sense of poise and elegance. Eleanor had always preferred to take things slowly. Her Semblance was a reflection of that- it created a small area divorced from Remnant, completely isolating her from any distractions.

It could also manipulate time. Or something like that.

"Wait a minute… Nana Rose could manipulate time?"

Mom shrugged. "If she ever knew how it worked, she never told me. All I knew is that she could spend days in the bubble, and when she came out it was like no time passed at all. Plus, I never knew if she was in it or just on a mission- it was invisible as well as intangible. Nothing could bother her while inside."

She decided that she might as well try one last time. Her eyes flared, likely for the last time in her short life. She expected failure.

She met success. Stone crept up the skin of her assailant, sealing it away from the world for eternity. When she could finally see, the beast was frozen, and they were alone in the forest.

"After that, I just warped somewhere random, and fell asleep for a while to let my Aura recharge. Then I went home, and found out that thirteen years had passed."

Professor Ozpin smiled. "That is quite the tale, Summer." He turned to Ruby and Yang, who had been relatively quiet. "Children, could we have the room for a moment? I would like to ask your mother a few questions."

"About what?" Ruby raised an eyebrow. "Why can't we be here?"

Neither of them wanted to leave. They had just gotten their mother back, and there was no way they would leave her side for the foreseeable future. Yang crossed her arms, shaking her head. "If it's okay, I think we'd rather stick around."

Mom patted Yang's arm reassuringly. "Don't worry, my little Sun Dragon. Mommy- er, I'll only be a moment." The rest of the adults nodded reassuringly.

"There's just a few legalities that we need to get out of the way," Ozpin said. "Once we do, you can have all the time together you want."

Ruby looked at Yang. She stared back, a dazed expression on her face. It was strange to see Yang not taking charge- she almost always was able to take things in stride. Through thick and thin, the blonde brawler had always been her rock. The Faunus decided that it was time to return the favor. After this, she was going to bake her a nice batch of cookies.

"Okey-dokey," the Faunus replied. "Just don't be too long, okay? Yang and I'll be back in our room."


Ozpin sighed once the children stepped out of the office. "Your ability to lie hasn't improved much over the years, I'm afraid."

Summer shifted guiltily. "They have enough on their plates with me coming back. I didn't want to scare them."

He nodded. "So what actually happened? Is the Harbinger dead?"

She nodded. "Most of what I said was accurate. I just… omitted some stuff. That monster's nothing but a statue now, and that part about Mama was true. You never mentioned anything about something that could counteract the eyes!"

The aged professor rubbed his eyes, glasses held idly in a hand. "I am not all-knowing, Summer. If I had known, I would have told you."

The Summer Maiden nodded, rubbing her arm. "Yeah, I guess. There's really only one thing I wanted to tell you. Those thugs- Dredger and Smoke. They won't be bothering you anymore."

Ah, yes. Salem's old lackeys. After Raven had reported Summer dead, they had gone back to the rendezvous, trying to find any clues as to Summer's fate. There, the charred corpses had definitely pointed to Summer's powers being active in the area, but there had been nothing else.

"Excellent news," he said. "Those two had disappeared shortly after you, and we had feared they had gone underground. It's good to hear that they will no longer be a threat."

Summer kicked at the ground idly. "That's not all."


Meanwhile, at the shooting range…

"BOOOM!"

A shaggy head of hair poked over the counter. "Sire, you never mentioned firearms could be this fun!" Reshan picked up his rifle, aiming it downrange at the target.

Dr. Oobleck shook his head, a frown marring his normally positive expressions. "Curious. Most in your position are frightened by loud sounds. Yet, you show such enthusiasm as to render your targeting skills inept."

"Hmm?"

"JUST HIT THE DAMN TARGET ALREADY!"


A/n: Hey, everyone. Sorry for going dark- I hit a patch of writer's block, and I could not for the life of me come to finish the chapter. After taking some time away, I realized I may have been pushing out chapters a bit too fast- I don't want to burn out. I want to see this story to the end. On that note, the story will now be updated once every three weeks.

I hope you've enjoyed reading! Please drop a review. I really appreciate them!

Next Chapter: May 22