"You two don't think you'd be able to stay any longer tonight?" Neela asked Ilia and Titus as they stood outside the door.
"I wish we could, but I think that both of us have a lot of homework that we need to get finished before Monday. Tell Blake that dinner was delicious. It was… fun," Titus told her. Ilia pulled on his arm.
"Save all this emotional crap for later. If we don't leave soon, we're never going to make it to Signal in time to catch the last airship," Ilia urged him away. He chuckled and followed after her, Neela watching them for a long moment as she stared out at the amazing colors that were thrown about by the sunset. Oranges, reds, purples, stretched across the horizon as far as the eye could see. It had been a good day. Everyone was gone now with the exception of the Rose family, Tai, Qrow, and Eliana. Neela stepped back into the house to enjoy snacks and games.
"So right now it looks like our best bet is to either play charades, or Remnant: The Game if we break up into teams that is," Yang told them. "Anyone prefer one way or the other?"
"Charades," Tai suggested. "That game is always better with Qrow around." Qrow chuckled.
"Better watch out Tai, you know I always beat you at it," Qrow reminded him.
"Summer's not here to help you out this time," Tai stated. "Besides, if I lost getting to watch you flail about like an idiot, it's usually worth it." Qrow set down his flask.
"You're on then!" Qrow exclaimed.
"Oh boy," Ruby sighed. "Tell me that there is some kind of follow up to this, like the story about Qrow in the dress." Qrow gritted his teeth as Tai laughed.
"If only you kids knew half of the things he did!" Tai exclaimed. Qrow chuckled.
"I recall you being pretty wild as well," Qrow retorted. Tai folded his arms.
"Qrow, we agreed not to talk about those things in front of the kids," Tai reminded him.
"First off, they've got their own kids now, I think they're old enough to hear these things. Second, you don't like the taste of your own medicine?" Qrow asked.
"Alright you two, that's enough," Blake interjected. Qrow folded his arms as well. "We're all going to get along and have fun, is that clear?"
"Yes," Tai replied.
"Whatever," Qrow mumbled back. Shadow came running out of the hallway with Amelia and stood in the middle of the living room.
"Shadow, what is it?" Blake asked.
"I can't sleep. Can you read me a bedtime story?" Shadow asked. "The one about you and mommy taking down the bull!?" Blake chuckled as she stood and walked to Shadow, picking her up and carrying her back into the room.
"This is the last one tonight," Blake told her.
"Ok! Tell us about the part where you saved Sissy too!" Shadow exclaimed. Blake laughed softly.
"Of course. That's my favorite part of the story," Blake replied. Neela glanced across the room and the picture frames on one of the window sills, a portrait of the family having a picnic outside of the house, one of her favorites. This was her family. Her mothers that had raised her, rescuing her from a life of fear and hate. Her little sister, who meant the world to her, excited for the day that Shadow would be old enough that she could train the young girl. Neela sighed and smiled as she thought about it.
"Neela, can you pass me the cheese platter?" Eliana asked snapping her out of it. Neela noted it on the end table to her right and handed it over. "Thank you!"
"Just seeing all of Team NITE here today brought back so many old memories," Weiss said. Ruby nodded, as did Yang.
"Yeah, if it was us at a party like this, somebody would have started a food fight," Ruby exclaimed. Qrow chuckled.
"That's nothing! Tai and I faced off in a food war once!" Qrow exclaimed. Tai cracked a smile.
"We each had an entire army, Raven sided with me and Summer with Qrow. It lasted for at least three days seeing as Glynda and Ozpin were out of town. Qrow and I finally faced off in a final battle that involved seeing who could eat the most wasabi without crying!" Tai exclaimed. "We ended up working off the cost of all of the food that was wasted by working that summer on the school grounds on various projects."
"Who won the war?" Neela asked.
"Tai and I both refused to give and both passed out from the heat of that Oum awful stuff," Qrow explained. "Raven and Summer forged a treaty on top of our unconscious bodies." He took a sip from his flask.
"Raven used to be alright, huh?" Neela asked. Most of them glanced at Yang who looked away, Qrow's eyes meeting Neela's instead.
"Yeah, I guess she used to be," Qrow replied. "I'm not sure what happened to her that caused everything to change so drastically, but she's not the woman she used to be. Now she's more worried about survival than most things."
"Probably more than anything," Yang added. Qrow froze for a moment before looking at her.
"Hard to say," he replied.
"Or what about that time Raven helped us deliver all those chocolates on Valentine's Day, and when we told everyone that they were from her, she just went with it," Tai remembered. "Sure, it was Summer's idea, but Qrow and I were so terrified that Raven would beat her to a pulp that we agreed to take the blame."
"I think that had more to do with not wanting to upset Summer," Qrow stated. "Summer always brought out the best in people-" He froze, he noted the rage building in Yang's eyes.
"It was probably just mom all along," Yang stated. Ruby stood up and cleared her throat.
"We should start charades, right?" Ruby asked.
"This is going to end about as well as the after party for the dance," Weiss said laughing.
"When Blake tried to act out riding a horse?" Ruby asked laughing.
"I thought she did a great job," Yang interjected.
"You must have," Weiss stated burying her head in her hands. "You started drooling and flushing." Yang flushed again.
"Heh. It was pretty hot," Yang defended.
"I heard that!" Blake yelled quietly from the other room. Team RWBY burst out into laughter.
"So, how is school going for you two?" Weiss asked. "Anyone catch your eye, Eliana?" Neela looked away and shook her head. Why Aunt Weiss?!
"Not yet, but they'll probably have to fight off Neela, we're inseparable!" Eliana declared. Neela laughed nervously.
"Yep, that we are," she agreed plainly.
"Thinking of working at the SDC over the winter break this year, Neela?" Weiss asked. "Ammo isn't the cheapest in Vale right now, and I know how adamant you are about me not helping you out too much for free." Neela laughed.
"Actually, I'm looking at getting a job at a small bookstore in Vale's shopping district this quarter, the owner is an old teammate of Coco's, so she's going to put in a good word. If I can save up enough before winter break, I'll be able to enjoy the time off this year," Neela told her.
"Good idea!" Ruby exclaimed. Eliana's eyes lit up as she remembered something and she bounced in her seat.
"Tell us about the battle with Salem!" Eliana shouted out loudly, forgetting about the children trying to sleep in the other room. Neela shoved her and she laughed. "What?"
"You ask Blake and Yang to tell this story every year!" Neela exclaimed.
"It's my favorite story!" Eliana reminded Neela. "Plus maybe Ruby and Weiss have something to add to it."
"So there we were, we had just defeated the dragon, Weiss had dealt the killing blow…" Ruby told them as she talked largely with her hands and pranced about the room.
"We all defeated it together Ruby," Weiss told her. "Besides, you know that we killed that thing in Beacon."
"Shush!" Ruby demanded. "It's more epic this way." Weiss rolled her eyes.
"Of course," Weiss sighed.
"Anyways, there we were, all of us. Team RWBY, Team JNPR, all of the other teams that had ever fought with us! As we crossed over the bridge into Salem's realm, it was destroyed behind us! We were separated, leaving us four alone to defeat Salem. Salem was stronger than we ever could have imagined, it was almost as if she was controlling us herself during the battle, but through a combined and epic attack from all four of us, we took her down once and for all!" Ruby exclaimed. "Afterwards the bridge reformed and we were able to leave and banished any more travel to and from Her realm, but it wouldn't matter soon after because the bridge was destroyed once more with no means of being fixed."
"Satisfied?" Neela asked.
"Yes," Eliana replied nodding happily. "I just hope that our last battle as a team is that epic." Neela mussed her hair up.
"You wish!" Neela declared. Eliana pushed her off as Blake entered. She leapt to her feet and grabbed her glass up.
"I'm going to go get a refill," Eliana told them. "Anyone need anything?" They all shook their heads and declined. "Neela?"
"I still have some soda left, so I'm fine, but thanks Elli," Neela told her. Eliana left, and Neela watched her for a little longer than she should have perhaps, subconsciously focusing on her butt. It was unfair that the girl had such a nice ass, to be honest… and rack...
"You sure you don't need a drink Neela?" Yang asked.
"Mom!" Neela exclaimed. The adults all chuckled.
"You just looked at her like a Beowolf looks at its prey," Qrow stated.
"You're going to tell her soon, right?" Blake asked.
"I…" Neela stammered. "It's not that simple." Ruby rubbed the top of her head.
"At least you have a step up on Weiss and I. When we first met, Weiss hated everything about me. She couldn't even stand the sight of me," Ruby told her.
"Really?" Neela asked.
"Really," Weiss replied dryly.
"I didn't have the nerve to tell her how I felt until after we met back up in Mistral," Ruby explained. "But I was afraid that something might happen, and it was enough of a push for me to confess." Ruby sat next to Neela. "And she didn't say yes at first even. She was too surprised at that point to even know how she truly felt about us."
"It may take a couple of tries, but don't despair if she doesn't agree right away," Weiss reassured her. "If she cares for you as much as you do her, it's only a matter of time."
"Soda or water? Decisions, decisions… Oh, what's this?" Eliana asked opening a bottle of something unlabeled and smelling it. She coughed and put it back in, screwing the lid back on. "Alcohol… That is definitely alcohol. I could pour myself some milk, but it does look like the bottom of the jug, and I don't need Blake and Shadow on my case about it. Alright alright, soda it is, but what kind of soda? Did Yang really have to buy so many different kinds of soda? I don't know what kind I want!" There was a knock on the door beside the fridge and Eliana stood up quickly, hitting her head on the freezer door above. Awfully late for visitors. Guess I'll answer it anyway. "I got it!"
"Got what?" Yang asked as she stood up and looked into the kitchen.
"Hello?" Eliana asked opening the door. Neela leapt up and headed for the kitchen as Eliana dropped her glass, it shattered on the floor. She slowly moved back into the house, her body trembling as she tried to find her voice. That mask… this is someone with the White Fang, do something, Eliana! This is why you've trained so hard! At the very least let everyone in the house know! "Whi- F- Fang- Neela!" Neela quickly moved to the kitchen, hearing someone thundering through the house behind her, sliding out of the way in time to miss her mother who was sprinting for the door, and grappling Eliana, using her hook to pull her from the door. She'd rub it in Eliana's face later for picking on her for choosing to wear it.
"What do you think you're doing here, you bitch!?" Yang screamed. The blade of a sword crashed off of both of her gauntlets and she landed a hit, the intruder slamming through the woods nearly two hundred feet, taking out countless trees with her, cratering into the ground upon impact. The sounds flooded the house and Tai leapt to his feet, taking off out the door and freezing in the yard as Qrow followed him out slowly, opening his flask. He took a swig as Tai watched him in disbelief, Yang blasting herself into the woods.
"Well shit," Qrow replied.
"That's all you have to say?" Tai asked.
"I'm not about to get in the middle of this," Qrow informed him. "And besides, I'd side with Yang. We might as well give Raven a chance."
"You're not worried about Yang?" Tai asked. Qrow could hear Yang yelling again and heard another cracking blow followed by more trees crashing against the ground. He shook his head.
"Not in the slightest," Qrow told him.
Yang sauntered over to where Raven had landed, pulling her fists back again and her eyes were terrifyingly red.
"If you don't answer me soon Raven, I'll put a hole through your chest," Yang told her. "The choice is yours."
"Is that any way to talk to your mother?" Raven asked. Yang slammed her fist through where Raven had been, Raven teleported into her interdimension. "And besides, even if I tell you, you'll still try and kill me." Yang chuckled, slowly circling the spot. "What's say you calm down and we can talk about this like civilized adults?" Yang laughed manically.
"That might have been an option if you would have gotten here fifteen or so years ago," Yang told her. "Unless you're leaving, there's only one way that this ends." Raven appeared behind Yang, swinging but not quickly enough to inflict any damage. Yang smirked as Raven's katana crashed repeatedly off of Ember Celica. "If you want to talk, why are you attacking me?" Raven grunted, pushing Yang back before Yang landed another blow, jerking Raven back.
"I'm defending myself," Raven told her gritting her teeth.
"You don't have to defend yourself if you leave!" Yang yelled at her. Raven coated her blade in ice, swinging at the air as she leapt back into the trees. Yang blasting away at it. She ran back, leaping up and planting her feet against a tree, launching herself into the air by firing behind her. She landed on the same limb as Raven, they exchanged glances and Raven moved back, slicing through the branch and watching Yang tumble across the ground. Yang cocked her fists back, blasting through the trees at Raven. Raven switched her blade to earth Dust, leaping into the air further yet and sending a wave of Dust at Yang. She dove and rolled out of the way, looking back up for Raven, but she had disappeared.
"Is it over?" Tai called out. Qrow took off across the yard, taking his bird form and flying through the trees, darting above the canopy and pecking at Raven. She turned back to human, swinging at him and knocking him away, the distraction allowing Yang to land a blow, sending Raven deeper into the woods. Raven tumbled across the earth, groaning as she moved to her hands and knees, tossing her mask away. That damn brat… and Qrow's against me too?! I don't need him, I'll murder him later. Raven braced her katana with her free hand, deflecting rounds from Yang's weapons. Yang continued to approach her.
"I need to tell you something important Yang, would you give me a moment!?" Raven yelled at her.
"As long as you can talk and die at the same time, go ahead," Yang told her. Raven threw herself into a portal.
"The White Fang have returned…" Raven told her reappearing, but Yang's fists glanced off of Raven's sword, thundering off to Yang's surprise. How didn't that destroy her weapon?!
"We're already aware of that," Yang told her. "Is there anything that you want to tell me that I don't already know?"
"Who do you think stole Wilt and Blush?" Raven asked. The mention of it caused Yang to falter for a moment and Raven knocked her back, resulting in Yang crashing through a tree and landing on her back. How does she know about that? No, it was on the news, it was common knowledge. "Your wife had to have mentioned Athena at least once, right?" Yang's eyes widened and she searched the night sky above before rolling out of the way of an attack. Adam's crazy ass sister? The one that they kept locked up in a cage?! But they found the cage empty during the attack, what were the odds that she escaped during the army's onslaught? "So you have heard the name, your face says it all."
"You've said your peace," Yang stated. She leaped to her feet, dodging Raven's swipes and directing her blows now, but her eyes were no longer red. "Now leave."
"I can help protect you," Raven told her.
"What proof do you have that…" Yang froze, cocking back her fist, her eyes becoming red again and knocking Raven's katana out of her hands. "I know what this is! I was right! Qrow confirmed it while denying it before." Raven became confused at the sudden change, taking a blow to the jaw which launched her back towards the house.
"Eliana!" Neela yelled. Eliana nodded and threw up a forcefield to keep Raven from crashing through one of the walls.
"Wha…" Raven was dazed, but the hatred could be seen pouring off of Yang as she reloaded.
"I told Qrow that you're only doing this because it benefits you in some way, and you want to 'help protect' us. Why!? You don't know me! You've never met my wife, you didn't come to my wedding, you didn't show up when we had our adoption party for Neela, you didn't visit to meet your biological granddaughter at the hospital or any time after that! You expect me to believe that out of the blue your conscious became clouded! Qrow!" Yang thundered. Everyone with the exception of Neela, Eliana, Tai, and Qrow stood watching from the kitchen. Qrow landed behind Yang and transformed back. "Was her clan wiped out!? Is that why she's here?!"
"There is some merit to what she says Yang…" Qrow began, Raven staring past Yang at him with contemptuous eyes. "But yes. I already told you last time, her clan is gone."
"You bastard!" Raven shouted. Yang moved to Raven in a blink, planting three solid uppercuts in Raven's gut, the last breaking her aura and she spit up blood.
"Yang!" Tai yelled at her. She spun to look at him, tears running down her face.
"I lost an arm! Did she stop in and try to comfort me?! I helped take down Salem and most of the White Fang and she couldn't even stop by to say how proud she was?! I've become one of the most renown teachers at one of the most respected schools in all of Remnant and she couldn't even be bothered to send a letter congratulating me?! And lastly, she finally decides to show up on the night of her granddaughter's FIFTH birthday party, but had no intention of acknowledging her or wishing her a happy birthday?!" Yang vented, her shouts shaking the cabin. "I will not let this low life live in my house!" Yang's chest heaved as the tears continued to fall.
"I am your mother, is that not-" Raven was interrupted by Yang slapping her across the face. Raven looked at Yang in shock again, her eyes frantically searching her daughter's for any compassion that might remain for her mother, but there was nothing but hate. Yang's face became dark as she looked away. Raven knew those eyes, she often saw the same eyes when she looked in the mirror.
"You are not my mother!" Yang told her. "My mother was Summer Rose! Summer baked us cookies! Summer took care of Ruby and me, she taught me to look out for my little sister! You are nothing to me!" Yang brushed her hair out of her face and began walking away, Raven still leaning against the force field out of strength. She grunted, standing on her own and shaking her head slowly.
"Summer?" Raven spoke softly. Yang stopped and all eyes fell on them. There was a still and uncomfortable silence. "Heh. She was weak. You'd allow someone so pathetic to be your mother?" Yang's body ignited, the resulting sudden explosion threw Neela and Eliana off of their feet, destroying Eliana's force field in the process. Tai stumbled, trying to move quickly and grab Yang, but it was too late, Yang was not going to be stopped, and Raven would be on the receiving end of the lethal blow.
"Die!" Yang screamed. Her fist made contact, the sound produced was a loud crack and everyone gasped, Yang coming off of her rage induced high as she breathed heavily. Tai ran out and grabbed Yang, Blake shoving out past the crowd as well and pulling Yang back. Yang's mind came to and she realized what had happened. Qrow smirked as he hit his knees, Raven wide-eyed behind him as he glanced back at her. He scoffed.
"Uncle Qrow!" Neela yelled as she ran to him with Eliana. They helped him to the ground so that he could lay down.
"She only cracked a rib, I'll be fine after a while," he reassured them.
"Qrow, I didn't-" Yang stuttered. She hit her knees. "Why did you do that Uncle Qrow?" He coughed.
"I guess blood runs deep," he told her. Ruby and Weiss came out next, helping Qrow in while Blake showed Yang back to the living room. Neela and Eliana stared at Raven for a long moment, Neela shaking her head and they shut the door behind them as they left Tai with Raven.
"Well you did a bang-up job," Raven told Tai. Tai kicked her in the side, just hard enough to cause her pain and force her to double over.
"For a moment there, I thought that maybe I could give you advice. I thought that maybe I could tell you what you did wrong and how you could fix it. What a fool I was, just like when I fell for you back at the academy," Tai said as he sat on the ground across from her.
"What is that supposed to mean?" Raven gasped.
"If you truly think that Summer was weak, then there is more wrong with you than I could have ever imagined," Tai explained.
"She's dead, isn't she? We all knew that the mission Ozpin assigned to us was suicidal, and she was the only one foolish enough to agree to it," Raven reminded him. Tai stood up, stretching and walking for the door.
"Is that what you consider weakness?" Tai asked. He clenched his fists. "I know exactly how Yang feels right now. You can't even see past your own ignorance, can you? Because you only look out for yourself, I guess it's probably too much to ask for you to see it from someone else's point of view. Summer was stronger than the three of us combined, yet you have the audacity to call her weak. I guess, if my mind was as skewed as yours, I'd be dead set in that belief too." Raven gritted her teeth and seethed as she stood.
"Did you not hear me? She's dead! How does that not equate to weakness?!" Raven asked.
"She did what she needed to for the people that she loved to survive!" Tai shouted. "That's a strength greater than any you'll ever know!" He opened the door. "Unless you can find a way to fix yourself first, I don't recommend coming back here. Qrow won't be here next time and if he is, I can guarantee he won't save you." Tai gritted his teeth. "I won't let him." Tai closed the door behind him, leaving Raven in the dark alone. Rage filled her to the brim until it boiled over. I don't need any of you!
"Mommy, what's going on!?" Shadow yelled as she ran from the hall and leapt into Yang's arms as she cried on the couch. "Who were you yelling at, why are you crying?" Yang wiped her eyes and shook her head. Weiss left the room in a rush to make sure Amelia was okay.
"Hey little kitty," Yang said with a smile, holding Shadow close. "Mommy's fine now, okay? Someone outside made mommy mad, but I'm okay now." She pulled Shadow back and her mind flashed Raven's image over Shadow. She bit her lips in order to hold back the tears. "I love you Shadow, you know that right?" Shadow nodded and clung to Yang's neck.
"Of course! You keep me safe, and play with me, and make me happy! You love me a lot mommy!" Blake watched Yang, holding back her own tears as Yang calmed down.
"Yes, kitty cat! And I always will!" Yang exclaimed as she waved Blake over and handed off Shadow. "Good night, Shadow! I love you!" Shadow blew her a kiss.
"I love you more, Mommy Yang!" Shadow giggled. Yang sat in silence for a moment, glancing at everyone around her who also remained quiet in the still of the moment.
"Is Qrow okay?" She asked. Ruby nodded.
"Dad's going to leave with him tonight for Signal and get medical attention there," Ruby told her. "He's not mad, he understands why you did it."
"I shouldn't have taken it that far," Yang said deep in thought. She glanced over at Neela and Eliana.
"So that was Grandma Raven, huh?" Neela asked.
"You can just call her Raven, but yes," Yang told Neela. Yang sighed and looked around the room at everyone again. "I think I'm going to head to bed. I'm sorry everyone." She left without saying another word and the room sustained another long pause.
"I guess I would have done the same," Eliana said. "If my dad had left before I even knew him and then came back and acted like he'd never hurt me." Neela nodded.
"Yeah," Neela agreed. "What else was said? When they were out in the woods? I have enhanced hearing, but even I wasn't able to pick up on the exchange…"
"The White Fang," Blake said entering the room. Neela shifted uncomfortably in her chair. "Yang told me that Raven said the White Fang are coming after us." Neela leapt to her feet, her hand reaching for her sword and then reaching for where her bow was normally hanging over her, but it wasn't there.
"What?!" Neela asked her again.
"That's all she said before she left for the bedroom," Blake said as she stared off into space. She glanced back at Neela who was struggling to keep from having an anxiety attack.
"No… No! Why are they still around?! And why are they coming after us?!" Neela shouted. Eliana tried to grab her hand but Neela snatched it away.
"You'll be fine at the school, Neela, the White Fang would be suicidal to try and get at us there, and besides," Blake reassured her. "I'm sure that they're only after Yang and me for killing Adam."
Things didn't go well between Raven and Yang, but now that the family knows that the White Fang are after them, what will they do? Next Week, Chapter 38 - CBLT vs. Bumbleby!
A big thank you to Y8ay8a, Sa-Dui, Diyaru4500, Demize00Zero, TheCipherNine, SketchHungry, Ookaminoki, Lightning-in-my-Hand, and Dishwasher1910. All of their artwork can be found at Deviantart, you can search Silent-Celica and under my favorites tab, I have a collection for NITE.
Until next week, stay classy!