So... I'm back to this chapter again.
Eh, I could have written it better in the past.
Hey, at least I'm doing that now, so better late then never.
About a year later
Currently, Aaron is having tea with two people.
Who are they, you may ask.
Weiss and Winter Schnee, Aaron was keeping himself disguised. Right now he was Terra Kai, his hair remained the same but he didn't have his ears anymore. His eyes were now a dark brown with his skin slightly tan, he was talking to them in this form for two reasons.
One for Weiss to not see him as Faunas scum but rather as a friend, and two as too not cause Jacque to go out and basically murder him for existing. It sounds a bit ridiculous but considering he spied on him and saw him grinning as a Faunas that asked for better pay was shot and killed.
Yeah, he ain't risking his skin that much.
Winter knew who he truly was and understood his reasons but was a bit disappointed that her sister was still racist because of her damn father. She loves her sister and all but she needs to learn to be a bit nicer to others which was something he thought he would never here.
Hence why Aaron was around, they were talking like usual as mentioned before.
That's when he sighed which attracted Weiss's attention.
"What's wrong?" Weiss asked concerned
"It's not much but... Weiss, remember how I said my Semblance gave me the power to use Illusions?" Aaron asked
"Yeah, why?" Weiss asked confused
"The truth is." Aaron said
That's when he let down the disguise, shocking Weiss with Winter just smiling.
"I'm actually not the person you're thinking off, surprise." Aaron said
"Yo-you're a Faunas?" She asked surprised
"I know what your thinking, 'You lied to me!' and yes, I did. But wouldn't you do the same in order to make a friend, I've always wanted to be friends with you but not in the form i am." Aaron explained
Weiss sat there, deciding to hear him out a little.
"I knew that you might not like me as a Faunas but as a human, there is no problem. But I'm still the same, just with a different look. So... are we still friends?" Aaron asked
Weiss sat there for a bit, thinking about what he said and asked. She knows that he's a nice guy but... he's a Faunas, and yet he's still Terra but this is who he truly is. She deliberated on everything she knew for a bit.
She sighed and looked at Aaron with a small smile.
"Fine, we're still friends but if I see you in public-"
"We can't act as friends, I know, I know. We can still hang out, right?" Aaron said/asked
"Of course." Weiss said with a smile
"Winter, thanks for keeping it a secret." Aaron said, shocking Weiss
Weiss turned to Winter in shock, she was just looking at her with a warm smile.
"Yes Weiss?" Winter asked
"You knew this whole time?" Weiss said
"I did, when I first met Aaron. I was skeptical of him, I was skeptical of him being a great warrior from what Ironwood said. But after getting in some trouble with Aaron saving me from it along with a few sparring matches, that's when I knew... he was a nice guy and a great warrior. So I gave him a chance and we became friends, hence why we did this." Winter explained
"And why did you do this?" Weiss asked shocked
"Weiss, I love you and all but sometimes you're a bit... mean to people. So Aaron and I made a plan, he would trick you into thinking he's human and after becoming good friends. He would reveal himself and you would have a small change of heart on Faunas." Winter explained
"I... guess I am rude to others, from now on. I, Weiss Schnee, am going to be a bit nicer to others." Weiss said with pride in her voice
"Yep, well Weiss. I'm Aaron Thompson, nice to meet you." Aaron said
Weiss shook his hand, she nodded.
"Nice to meet the real you." Weiss said
Aaron just nodded and finished his tea, he sat it down and paid a good chunk of the bill. It didn't matter that much in his opinion, though he does need to get a better source of money.
He left afterward and made it to where Raven's Bandit Camp was. It was in a forest somewhere in the continent of Sanus which isn't too far from Vale. A couple of miles that would take forty days in walking and twenty by vehicle but he made it due to his teleporting. He managed to make a drone that kept an eye on them from a distance, knowing where they were at all times.
He summoned the drone and put it into his inventory, and walked down to the camp. He was stopped by Bandit's, he slowly put his hands up.
Raven saw Aaron and walked, she pointed a sword at his throat with a glare.
"So why are you here?" Raven asked
"Raven, I think we both know why I'm here." Aaron said
Raven just continued to glare at him, keeping her sword pointed at him.
"I'm not going to help you still." She spat
"Raven, I think I can change your mind. So just let me speak, and if I don't convince you. I'll leave and never bother you again, but if I do. You go back to your daughter and husband, have someone else lead this camp, and stop being such a bitch to people." Aaron said
Raven just kept glaring at him, she slowly lowered her sword.
"Fine, I'll hear you out." She said in a cold tone
Aaron nodded, he looked to the sky which confused Raven.
"Raven, do you remember your days in Beacon?" Aaron asked
"...Yes, why?" Raven asked
"Don't remember the fun times you had with Tai, remember the fights you won against Qrow, don't you remember Summer?" Aaron asked
"...I... I do." Raven said, feeling a bit uncomfortable now since he is bringing up some stuff from the past
"You threw all of that away because of your selfish desires, you wanted to have a family and you did. This isn't a family, this is just some people you work with to kill others. That's not family." Aaron said
"What do yo-"
"I'm gonna stop you right there, I know what a family is like because I'm trying to get mine back." Aaron said
"Wait... really?" Raven asked a bit curious now
"Yeah, you wanna know how many years now I've been separated from my family?" Aaron asks
"I.. I don't know, why do you ask?" Raven asked
"Three years, Raven. Three years, I haven't seen my own mother's smile. For three fucking years, I haven't seen my sister laugh. FOR THREE WHOLE YEARS, I've been alone with people who aren't truly my family. If you were separated from yours, what would you do?" Aaron asked
"Try to get them back." Raven responded simply
"Exactly, and yet.. do you care about these people?" Aaron asked
Raven went silent, she just looked at Aaron with a slightly shocked look.
He looked back at her, some tears going down his face.
"So that's your answer... nothing.. well I know what it is." Aaron said
He put his hands down and stepped forward, Raven just looking at him in silence.
"You don't care about them... because deep down in you're cold, dead heart. You still care about Tai, you still care about Qrow, and most importantly. YOU still care about you're own daughter, honestly.. I don't know why you left. Is it because you thought they were weak, or maybe." Aaron said
He starts to walk forward, saying maybe the whole way.
"Maybe, you are afraid." Aaron said
Raven looks at him shocked, she darts her eyes away from him.
"You just proved my point, you're afraid of losing them since you don't know how to feel. You're afraid of losing them since you've known them so long, so you left. Left for these people, people that can be replaced. Some you've formed a bond with but pretend that you didn't, you're afraid of losing people. Tell me, who have you lost so far?" Aaron said/asked
Raven said nothing, she looked at Aaron. He stands there, waiting for an answer.
She just looks down, Aaron looking at her still.
"Let me guess, your own mother?" He asked
Aaron could just feel Raven react to that, he nodded.
"So that's why you do this, you lost your own mother and you afraid of losing your family. You're afraid of leaving your daughter alone after caring for her so much, so you left before you could. You left a broken man and a broken family. Summer died because of YOU. Her daughter won't have a mother because YOU DIDN'T STICK AROUND FOR HER! YOU KILLED HER!" Aaron said
Raven just looked at Aaron and lifted him up by the collar.
"I DIDN'T MEAN TO!" She yelled anagrily
Aaron looked at Raven stone-faced, she just looked at him annoyed, clearly trying to hold back tears. She reminds herself she can't show weakness, she can never show weakness.
He just kept looking at her, not even a change in tone, he continued.
"Than you shouldn't have left, IF you had been smarter. She would be here today, you left her daughter without her mother. No one deserves that fate, not even you. So come on... tell me the truth... do you truly regret your decisions thus far?"
Raven just kept looking at him, her annoyed look started to fade as tears appeared in her eyes. She dropped Aaron as she dropped to her knees, starting to cry.
The other Bandits left, know they shouldn't get involved, it was a bit of a shock to see their leader crying.
But if they mentioned it, they would still die.
"I didn't mean to." Raven said
"Yeah, you didn't." Aaron said
He crouched and put a hand on her shoulder, she looked up at him.
"But that doesn't mean you can't make it up." Aaron said
Raven just looked at him, after a bit, she calmed down. Still sad but not crying, she sat there, doing nothing for a bit.
She then looked at Aaron, who sat down a long time ago.
"So... what can I do?" She asked
"Go back to Tai and raise your daughter, she was spending time looking for you until I told her that I would find you and bring you back. I intend to keep that promise like many others I've made, so just come with me after disbanding everyone and go back to the family that you have. That's a good place to start." Aaron said
Raven nodded, and so she left the camp and made someone else the new leader. Everyone went their separate ways, Raven just stood in the area that was her camp. Aaron helped everyone pack up and leave, telling them that there are areas willing to accept them and told them where to go based on their preference.
The journey will be long for them, but they'll have a new family. One where they don't have to fight for survival, he teleported some to where they had to go and others were already leaving for their area's since it was on the continent they were on.
Aaron and Raven stood alone, in the empty field of a forest.
"So, I guess we're going back to Patch?" Raven asked
Aaron nodded, he put a hand on her shoulder with energy building up around him.
They both teleported, a leaf blowing by after they left.
Both Aaron and Raven were now in Patch, nearby Tai's home. She walked up to the door and stood there, she didn't do anything.
She looked at Aaron, all he did was just give a thumbs up and a slight nod. She felt the confidence in her from him.
Raven nodded back and knocked on the door, albeit a bit hesitant.
"Just a minute." Was heard from Taiyang
After a minute he opened the door and his eyes widened in shock as the words he said to nearly every visitor died in his mouth, he saw Raven (Who currently was giving an awkward smile).
"Hey... it's me." Raven said
"R-Raven?" Taiyang asked
Raven nodded, Taiyang looked around and patted her shoulders just to see if it's real.
Making her smile a little.
"Is.. is that really you?" He asked
"Silly as ever I can see." Raven said with a slight chuckle
Taiyang stopped and just looked at her, not even saying a word.
"I'm back because a certain stubborn kid convinced me to, and I'm glad he did." Raven said
Taiyang just hugged Raven, she returned the hug after a couple of seconds.
"You're back, You're really back." Tai repeated
"Dad, who's there?" Yang asked
That's when Yang walked to the door and saw Raven, her mouth gaped open in shock. Aaron, meanwhile, stood there with a grin on his face.
She just smiled at Yang, after Taiyang stopped hugging her. The two looked at each other, Mother and Daughter.
Yang walked over, she then punched Raven in the gut and then hugged her soon after.
"Okay, I.. deserved that punch." Raven said
"Yep, and you're really back." Yang said
Raven simply hugged her back, Ruby and the three other girls on the household just see Taiyang nearby a woman who looks like Yang with Yang hugging her look-a-like.
It was a weird sight to see, Aaron just teleported in since they sort of blocked the doorway.
"That's Yang's mother as you already know and yes, it's the same one that almost killed you, Haruko, and later me since I opposed her. She's living with us from now on, so that's all I need to say." Aaron said
That's when a menu appeared, both things he did finally being marked off.
[Make Weiss less of a bitch {X}]
[Make Raven less of a bitch {X}]
Aaron smiled a little, that's when he got a new message.
[To summon you Mother and Sister, you have to go back to where all of this began and do the ritual as follows]
|New information added: Summoning Ritual for Family instructions|
Aaron nodded, he looked at Raven and the others.
"I did all i needed to do, now time to get my family back. Raven, you're coming with me since I need to explain to you some stuff." He said
Raven nodded, that's when another menu appeared before him.
[Raven of Nevermore]
Aaron simply deadpanned at this, it's not only referencing Edgar Allen Poe but it's also making a pun out Raven and the Nevermore's name being related to each other. Plus the whole Quest title from a while back which was how they actually met.
Aaron wanted to sigh out loud and laugh a little at that pun while facepalming at the same time but he didn't, at least Yang would like this one. It was time to get his family back, once and for all.
Still a bit shocked by what I just did. I mean, I brought them into the story and I still think I overdid it a bit.
But hey, that's writing for you, sometimes you go off the rails a little.
Regardless, this was a pretty good chapter. So there's that.
And I did make it a bit better with armor-piercing questions, that's a lot better in all honesty.
I'll see you guys in the Fandom.