31

The Beginning of the End

White tile.

That was his first observation that his mind helpfully supplied by the time he realized he was awake. Jaune's eyes were open and he couldn't even remember when he woke up, he just was. When he finally turned his head, which could have been in seconds or hours, he half expected to see the golden mane of his girlfriend beside his bed.

No luck. There was no one there for him when he woke up and the only accompaniment he had was the steady beeping of the medical monitors located near his bedside. It was a disappointment, not Yang nor Ruby had stayed with him. It took him a moment to shake his head, of course they shouldn't be there all the time, he wanted them to take care of themselves as well.

Lacking anyone to talk to, the blond started taking stock of his surroundings. It didn't seem to be a hospital, more of an infirmary. There were beds lined up down the large space with divider curtains but it seemed he was the sole occupant. It turned out that craning his neck strained his injury and he had to grit his teeth to avoid yelling out. It was so much worse than the last time he'd woken up and that thought triggered his memory.

Jaune recalled the sirens, the announcement of Grimm. Sucking in breath he forced himself to calm down. Despite his instinct to panic he knew things had to have gone well if he was alive and somewhere else.

"Mr. Arc?" At the mention of his name his head snapped around to look at the speaker, another mistake given the protestations of his wound, but he saw the older man in a white coat approaching him. The man had a well kept but greying beard as his shoes clipped against the floor, "I was just coming to check on your condition. It's a good thing you've woken up, your companions have been incessant."

The man came to a stop next to his bed, casting a cursory glance at the readouts there, humming to himself before addressing Jaune once more, "I'm sure you're confused right now, especially having no one here when you woke up. My name is Doctor Gainsboro and you are in the infirmary of Atlas Academy."

"I'm in Atas!?" The words just tumbled out of his mouth in his shock causing the man to chuckle.

"Yes Mr. Arc. You were unconscious for your journey but your companions did indeed bring you to Atlas. It was quite a tale but I'm sure they'd want to tell you themselves. For now let us address a few things now that you're cognizant."

Bringing a stool over to sit down next to him, Doctor Gainsboro sat down with a more somber mood and Jaune felt himself swallow, "The parasite was removed before you reached my care but I got a full account from Miss Rose of what happened. Attacks from Tyrants haven't been reported in sixty years so my knowledge only comes from old accounts."

"The parasite, with proximity to the Grimm itself, caused extensive injury to your trapezius muscle as well as causing severe nerve damage there. Under orders from General Ironwood, no expense was spared in regards to treatment but there's only so much that modern medicine can do, even when combined with aura."

Jaune felt his heart sinking as the doctor delivered the next line.

"You may never be able to wield a weapon with your right hand again. With physical therapy you will be able to regain some dexterity, but only enough for day to day activity.

Yang let the cold biting air batter her face as she stared out across and into the distant ocean from a balcony in Atlas Academy. Ironwood had been generous enough to give them accomodations and had pulled Qrow and Raven into meeting after meeting as soon as he was filled in, much to her mother's chagrin. It was an odd thought to get used to, having her biological mother back in her life, though not in the way she had maybe imagined when she was young. The anger and resentment still burned in the back of her core, always there but never enough to get angry over anymore. What was the point of hating her anymore? Sure the woman was helping but it was in her own self interest and not because she wanted to protect anyone.

But the reason she was staring out over the emotion like the moody teenager that she was wasn't because of Raven but rather the two of the people closest to her. She didn't have the heart to tell Ruby she'd heard the conversation between them. She hadn't intended to return to Jaune's room but her guilt over not telling him everything had been gnawing at her until her feet had turned her right around and it was there, just before she'd went in, that she'd heard Ruby's voice.

When I kissed you!

Yang remembered the way her feet had cemented themselves to the floor and a pit opened up beneath her, it was all she had heard but it was enough. The blond closed her eyes and took a deep breath of the shilled air around her hoping the cold would cool down the anger she found settling down in her stomach. She'd pushed the resentment aside when the klaxons had rung but now that the danger was out, the feeling had returned. It wasn't even about the kiss, that she could rationalize, even if she didn't like it. No this was about her own sister lying about her feelings, sacrificing her own in order to make her happy.

Oh she knew what Ruby was thinking but it didn't piss her off any less and she didn't want to face Jaune like this and risk letting her anger be aimed at his direction. Yang felt her semblance heating up the air around her, it wasn't much, just a few degrees but she could tell and her hand gripped the railing until her knuckles turned white. The thought of Jaune and Ruby kissing, it turned her stomach, made jealousy ignite within her because she knew they would have been great for each other, still would. She'd been the one to fall for him but it turned out Ruby had like him first.

Damn her for lying to her!

The more she thought about it the more she got worked up. She wasn't some stupid bimbo who'd blame Jaune, she knew it wasn't his fault but she still felt anger at him, the feeling just couldn't be helped. It was why she was out here and not by his side waiting for him to wake up, she couldn't bare to be in the same room as him right then. Yang wasn't sure how she'd react. No doubt the others could tell something was but but they had yet to mention anything though it looked like Blake was on the verge of asking what was wrong. She couldn't deal with the faunus prying right then, the blond was still simmering over her partner leaving and would snap if pushed. Maybe the girl had sensed it.

"Yang?"

The blond took in a deep breath, her eyes closed as she gathered her patience. No matter how angry she was she didn't want to hurt her little sister. Without turning to face the younger girl, Yang replied, "Yeah?"

"Are you okay? Jaune's back at the room but we're waiting for you before we start the party."

Yang let out a breath of amusement, she really did love her friends, "Go on without me, Rubes."

Even though she wasn't looking directly at her, she could almost imagine Ruby's confused face, "Why? Yang, what's wrong?"

Yang's hands tightened, "It's nothing Ruby. Just leave it be."

"No, what's wrong Yang? I can help."

The blond's chest constricted, a hot feeling igniting in her chest as she grit her teeth, "No. You can't."

"Are… are you mad at me?" The hurt in the younger girl's voice didn't even register with her sister. When Yang's eyes opened they were crimson and that ugly feeling in her stomach exploded outward as she spun on the spot, staring down the brunette with the full force of her glare.

"I don't know, Ruby. Why would I be angry?"

"Look, I'm sorry I took that risk. But I had to do something! They were going to tear the bullhead apart." Ruby cried out, backing up.

Yang stalked forwards with a growl, "You know damn well that's not what I'm talking about, Ruby."

The blond didn't care about what made sense anymore. All that existed was her anger and her hurt. Her hurt from Ruby lying to her. From her sister, whom she loved above all else, deceiving her. It didn't matter to her that she had done it for Yang. The reason she was angry was that she'd gotten her hopes up. She'd fallen for the boy and fallen hard. And now Ruby was trying to take that away.

No.

Her younger sister would never do that but that little piece of doubt wormed it's way in her stomach. Maybe she wouldn't do it intentionally but the two were a fantastic pair. If they liked each other then what chance did Yang have? She was a tomboy. Gorgeous, sure. But Ruby was cute and quickly growing into a beautiful woman in her own right. Yang didn't think she could win against Ruby like that. If Ruby wanted to she could steal Jaune away easily and that worried the brawler. Even if she knew her sister would never do such a thing, she was too caught up in her emotions to rationalize them.

"No. I don't know what you're talking about!" Ruby's back bumped against the door to the balcony, she'd run out of room to retreat.

"Jaune and you. How long?" Yang growled out.

Ruby's eyes widened, "What?"

"Answer me! How long have you felt that way about Jaune?" Crimson eyes bore down into silver mere inches away.

"How did you know?" Ruby's voice was barely a whisper but the older sister heard it, being so close.

"I heard you. How you kissed him."

The younger girl let out a horrified gasp as her hand shot up to her mouth, Yang idly noted she wasn't wearing her prosthetic, "Yang. I'm so sorry. Please don't hate me! I di- didn't mean to. There were all those Grimm. An- and I didn't think we'd survive and I j-just thought that- that- tha-" her voice choked off with a sob as tears started streaming down her face and Yang could quickly feel her shame cooling down her temper. She'd made her sister cry.

That didn't mean Yang still wasn't angry but the sight of Ruby crying brought the young woman back to reason, back to the ability to put her anger in the back seat. Closing her eyes, Yang spoke softly, "I heard you at Pyrrha's mom's place."

Ruby wrapped her arms around the blonde, burying her face deep into her shirt, "I'm sorry Yang. But like I said then, I told Jaune to forget it happen because he has you. I-I don't want to get in the way."

"In the way? In the way?!" Yang glared at her younger sister once again, "You were there first. We all saw how you felt about him! You could have had- Why would you give that up for me? Do you have any idea how I feel?! I've been hurting you this entire time without knowing it! I promised -promised- to protect you."

The anger was gone, out in a rush and all that replaced it was the hurt. The hurt from betrayal, the hurt from knowing how she might have been hurting her own sister. Silver eye looked up in tears and bore into lilac.

"I'm sorry Yang. I'm sorry for being a bad sister."

The look struck her like a bolt of lightning. The look of pure guilt and shame on Ruby's face as she blamed herself. Yang's feelings mirrored what she could see in her sister, shame pooling in the bottom of her stomach. Unable to take it anymore she pulled the younger girl away from the door and rushed through it, not looking back as tears threatened her eyes.

She didn't know how she felt anymore. Anger, jealousy, and shame swirled around, vying for control as she dashed through the corridors. The watering of her eyes made it difficult for her to see so it should have been no surprise when she collided with up, Yang got a good look at the person she ran into and groaned internally.

Staring at her with red eyes was Raven and behind her was General Ironwood and her uncle, Qrow. The last person she wanted to see, Yang made to turn but couldn't walk away as a hand clamped down on her shoulder. Of all the people to run into in this massive academy it had to be her mother. She wasn't in the mood and made it known with a glare.

"You two keep going without me." Turning to her daughter Raven affected a small, but fake, smile, "You come with me."

Despite her protests the young blonde was dragged into a nearby classroom with no room for objection from either the adults or her. Raven slumped against the teacher's desk and leaned back, all the while Yang glared daggers at the woman. Eventually she peeked through one eye and cocked her head, as if asking why she was there at all.

"Well?" Yang said incredulously, "You wanted to talk to me right?"

"Not really. But it was either this or more meetings. Thanks for that by the way."

Yang grit her teeth and made to storm out but no sooner was her hand on the doorknob than Raven spoke up again, causing her to stop in her tracks.

"There a reason you aren't with your boy-toy?"

The comment was ill-advised in her current state but it seemed Raven enjoyed poking the wasp nest. Slowly she turned to face her mother, someone she wasn't happy with and in her current mood was all too glad to lash into the woman.

"Oh and suddenly you care about where I spend my time?"

"Well I am your mother." Raven's eyes didn't leave hers but the way she said the phrase made it clear that neither of them believed the statement.

"Excuse me?" Yang felt disgusted, "You may have given birth to me, but you aren't my mother, Raven. Don't you dare pretend you give a damn about me after seventeen years!"

"Okay. I won't. But tell me this. Was Summer really so much better?"

"How dare you! Of course Summer was better. She actually cared!"

Raven snorted, rolling her eyes, "Not enough to come back alive, it seems."

The words slammed into her harder than a physical blow would have, the blonde rendered speechless as her mouth opened and closed. Yang could hardly comprehend the idea, though it was one that she had had before. Summer loved them, there was no doubt to that but she had always wondered, deep in her mind, if she had loved being a hero more. The kind of she woman she was, she would have given her life for a hopeless cause on the off chance things might work out.

Where did this coward get off comparing herself to Summer?

Purple turned red and before she knew it, Yang was flying at her mother.

Things had gone according to plan, or that's what she'd love to say if her daughter wasn't currently trying to take her head off. Raven had seen it as plain as day when they had bumped into each other in the hallway, Yang was upset. On the verge of tears and looking like she couldn't decide if she was angry or in despair. So the only thing the absent mother could do was give the young girl an outlet.

It was a thankless job, even less so because she knew Yang would hate here even more, and the thought caused a pang of regret, but it was too late to try and be a proper mother to her beautiful daughter. The blonde was having a moment of weakness and RAven wouldn't let anyone else see it.

Tai had always had quite the temper, though Summer had mellowed him out even before the two had gotten married. Combine the volatile temper of Taiyang with her own simmering anger and apply the exceptional hand to hand combat skills the girl's father possessed. Well, the results spoke for themselves.

Avoiding a fist by a hair's breadth, Raven followed along the fist and diverted her daughter to the side. The girl was strong, and fast, and it took everything she had to keep up with the girl. She truly had taken to Tai's training like a natural. It seemed Summer's child was the only prodigy of the family. The older woman felt a rush of pride at the skill her displayed, though that fell a little when she remembered that the only thing she had contributed was genes.

The bandit leader was completely on the defensive as she endured the blistering rush from the blonde brawler. Raven had never been as good as Taiyang at hand to hand and if she'd drawn her sword the fight would have ended quickly. But that wasn't the purpose of what she was doing. Yang needed an outlet to her aggression, something Tai had needed on occasion as well.

A powerfully thrown punch impacted the meat of her palm and she could feel her aur dip slightly as she took the blow. It was retracted before her fingers could curl around the fist and she weaved back out of the way of a boot sailing through the place her head had been a moment earlier.

"Really, Yang, do you honestly expect to beat me?"

"I expect to smash your face in. Take it back!"

It really was far too easy to goad Yang into a physical confrontation, though then again the girl was already emotional and Raven knew she had issues with her. The woman wasn't proud of that fact, but she didn't think her daughter had anger issues either. The girl had grown to use her anger to her advantage, to make her stronger.

But when an opponent relied on anger as a sort of fuel, sometimes adding to the flames could cause them to self destruct. Yang walked a fine line between being in control and becoming a berserker. Raven had nudged the girl off the line.

The blonde threw blow after blow with reckless abandon, leaving opening after opening that Raven could have taken advantage of. It really was in the girls best interest to get this anger sorted, if she had flown into a rage against an opponent that meant her harm she would have been dismantled.

Sucking in a breath to brace herself she didn't move away from the next fist that traveled towards her face. A meaty thud sounded as it made contact and Raven staggered back a few feet, her eyes dancing. Her daughter hit like a truck and although she was proud of that she entertained getting revenge on Tai for it as well. Her aura had protected her from serious harm but the blow had hurt and as the spots cleared from her vision she saw Yang panting from her exertion, eyes a normal shade of lilac. A satisfied smirk was plastered on her lips.

"Happy now?" Raven asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Screw you, Raven."

"Charming."

"Tch." Yang clicked her tongue and walked past her mother, leaning in to bump her shoulder forcefully into the bandit leader's, "You don't get to say Summer's name after the things you've done."

When the door closed, Raven reached up and touch her nose and it came away with a speck of red. She smiled bitterly at it.

Strong indeed.

A/N: Well here's a new chapter for this. I'm starting to have more time on my hands have been itching to write. Schedule is still an abysmal mess but I'm doing what I can to at least update my stories, just not on time.

I've always been fascinated by Raven's character. It just so hard to tell where she stands and her motives seemingly don't make any sense. I'm of the opinion she really does still care but is just too much of a coward, canonically. Who knows. I just feel like there's so much that can still be done with her that I hope RT isn't done with her.