Chapter 13: Burn like the Sun.

N-No this couldn't be. Summer's eyes could not believe this was happening in front of her. One moment Yang had the fight in the bag, the next, her opponent was screaming. Cameras looked at the boy; Mercury Black as both him and Yang were escorted out of the arena by the Atlesian Forces; with Port and Oobleck saying they were going to postpone the fights for a half hour to see what would be done. Summer just kept her eyes on the stage, memories of her own past fights taking place there returning to her. No scroll meant that she really could not check the news, but she was sure the tabloids were already having a field day about this.

It was a cold thirty minutes to say the least. Summer just watched the world slow again. She had seen events like this before, but she would have never imagined Yang would be the one to resort to such tactics in combat.

"Please exit the Amity Colosseum, we have postponed the matches until tomorrow evening. Ms. Xiao Long and Team RWBY have been disqualified from the tournament." Oobleck's voice finally said over the sound system, breaking Summer out of her thoughts. She got up from her seat and walked around the building before getting on an Airbus to head back to Beacon. Her mind hurt from all the thinking. Yang had looked confused at the event, and based on the reports she had already heard, Yang was claiming to the press that she had never heard the buzzer.

Summer just frowned as she kept walking around the campus after getting off the Airbus. She knew she should be catching a bus or flight back to Vale but even that did not sit well right now. Her heart was conflicted. She knew she shouldn't just walk right back into her family's lives, but could she even offer support for Yang at this time? Summer just aimlessly wandered between buildings, she knew she could escape if questioned by anyone but Ozpin or Glynda.

Eventually she wandered into a fence she recognized in a heartbeat. The Chicken Coop's fence was in front of her. With a sigh of relief she slowly closed her eyes for a second before she felt her body transform into petals before she reopened her eyes. She had crossed through the fence as if it was nothing. She just walked to a corner of the coop; nesting herself against the wall of the coop itself.

No chickens were around to be expected but Summer didn't care; she came here to think. Think back to when she wasn't Summer Rose; Leader of the former Beacon team STRQ. Back to when she didn't know about her. Back when her only worries were trying to get Qrow to notice her. When Raven wouldn't leave them, back when they were STRQ. Back when they were kids.

Life at Beacon was easy for them all, even when they would walk into events that they shouldn't have. Summer could not count how many tiny terrorist faunus groups they had found and snuffed out, or how they took down Vale's major crime lord without sweating a beat. Back when STRQ worked together; back when secrets weren't life threatening. Summer just kept thinking over her past.

She missed the Raven she had met on her first day of Beacon. Winning her Vytal Festivals were easy; the parties celebrating them were boring. Even seeing Oobleck and Port on the screens, she missed hanging out with them both once she and Qrow had graduated alongside Oobleck's team. Their fourth year? Peaceful after they had interrupted the underbelly of the criminal empire trying to form. Graduation? She had loved the day, but it was really the last day she was unaware of what had been put in front of her and her own destiny, one destiny that was tied to her due to her silver eyes.

Summer smiled as she sat in her seat, today was the day she had been waiting for. The day the doors will open by her own hands. The day she hoped the world had prepared for! Her Graduation from Beacon! By the end of the day she was going to be an official huntress!

"Summer you're shaking." A voice whispered out. Summer turned to see Taiyang sitting next to her. "Again." Oh right. Stupid brain hoping for a revolution once she steps off the stage.

"O-oh sorry Tai." Summer said, as she sunk back into her seat, her rose shaped hair bun hitting the back of the chair. Gods waiting for the rest of their classmates to get their diplomas was… boring. They had already listened to Headmaster Ozpin talk to the point of him needing his cocoa after finishing his speech, based on how he silently slipped back to his mug before starting to start calling up students to give their own speeches. Summer had already gone up there for her valediction before returning to her seat, and now?

Bored when not thinking of her own diploma.

She had seen the listings, STRQ had been put last on the list of teams to get their diplomas. If she had to guess; their headmaster was going to give them one final speech as he called them down.

Eventually Oobleck's team was called up as Summer waved at them as they left for the stage. Bartholomew Oobleck, had been a good friend to her and her team throughout their four years at the academy, and she was excited for his team to graduate just as much as her own team.

Speaking of her own team, Summer turned to face them. Being last really singled them out. Taiyang had managed to borrow a suit from Summer's father, and both her and Raven had made sure he looked like a gentleman, shaven too. Raven sat next in line of course, but as much as Summer had tried; Raven had refused to wear anything but her normal hunting attire. Qrow sat next to her, as Summer just glared at him. She could see he had brought his flask into the hall even though she had asked him not to. Qrow had decided to still wear his hunting attire, but at least it was basically a suit already compared to Raven's!

The sounds of the microphone being tapped caught Summer's attention away from her team, as Headmaster Ozpin started talking. "At long last, I would like to call up what I have to say; might be one of the best teams to come out of this academy. Beacon Academy would have not taken home the last two Vytal Festival Tournament Victories if it were not for the valiant efforts of Summer Rose, Taiyang Xiao Long, and Raven and Qrow Branwen. From Miss Rose's victories at the Festival, to Mr. Branwen's near sacrifice saving people at Mountain Glenn, to Mr. Xiao Long's plan to capture Mr. Wickham, the self proclaimed crime lord of Vale, each member has risen above the rest of the class. Even when they knew the risks such as with Mountain Glenn, where we lost students protecting the city from the Grimm. These four students embody what we at Beacon Academy strive for, for all of our students. I would like to call upon and ask that: Summer Rose, Taiyang Xiao Long, Raven Branwen, and Qrow Branwen come join me on stage."

Summer rose from her seat, watching as her cloak dropped back down. It was time for her partner's final absolution, and she could not wait to see the smile on Qrow's face once they got off the stage. Once they started walking up the steps; Ozpin started to address them. "Summer, Taiyang, Raven, and Qrow. At Initiation I gave you the task to partner up and bring me back two chess pieces. I am happy that you brought me the White Knight pieces, thus forming you all as team STRQ. I am really proud of all of you; there's been ups and downs for all of you these four years but, you've all pulled through. I am hereby very proud and happy that I get to announce you as Huntsmen and Huntresses!" Ozpin ended his speech with a smile reminiscent of a smile a grandfather would give to their grandchild, as he started to hand out the diplomas and shake STRQ's hands.

Summer turned back once she got off the stage to watch as Qrow got his diploma, and sure enough; he had a big grin on his face. Summer just grinned as she grabbed his hand as they started to walk towards the dorms. They had done it, they were now Huntsmen and Huntresses!

They all got to the dorm before Raven questioned them all. "Hey, did anyone else get an extra slip in their diplomas?" That caused a stir as they all opened theirs. Each one of them had a handwritten note addressed specifically to them asking them to come see the Headmaster before they left Beacon. He clearly had something to ask of them all. Qrow just looked at it. "What would he want us for?"

"Maybe a mission that he thinks we should take for him directly?" Taiyang was quite puzzled by it. "He has done that to alumni like ourselves before, I wouldn't be shocked if that's what he wants for us."

Summer nodded, a bit slowly though. "That's also kinda what the Atlassian Military does up in Atlas. They really would love if every student of Atlas Academy joined the Military. Sickens me a bit actually, but I really doubt that's what our headmaster-well former headmaster would want to talk to us about, maybe he could be giving us his personal info?" Summer smiled; trying to push back the memories of all the sign up for Atlas Academy papers she had been sent before picking Beacon.

Summer felt her hand being grabbed, and looked to see Qrow trying to smile. "We should go see; whatever it is that he wants for us. We do not need to say yes to anything he says." With a huff; both of them turned to see Raven walking out of the door; clearly she did not want to waste time on this.

"What is your favorite fairy tale?"

Summer pondered her former headmaster's question in her head; her mum had told her plenty of them as a little child. Though she had no idea why he would ask such a question to her or her former team.

Summer's attention was turned to Raven as she spoke up first. "I'm sorry, what?"

"Fairy Tales, stories from your childhoods, surely you must remember at least one of them." Ozpin replied, the sounds from him moving his mug a little helped sooth the air.

Summer turned to Raven and Qrow, there was a chance they knew the same stories, as Qrow spoke. "The only one I know of is the Tale of the Two Brothers."

Ozpin's glasses fell at that revelation. "Raven, what about you?"

"Same as Qrow, really, why?"

Taiyang spoke up next. "I've actually liked listening to my mom reading me The Man Who Stared at the Sun. Why do you ask though uh, Headmaster."

Ozpin just gave a soft laugh. "Please, you are all Huntsmen and Huntresses now. You can refer to me as just Ozpin now." Summer froze a little as he turned to face her. "Well Summer? What is your favorite fairy tale?"

Summer looked at him and felt everyone staring. Wolf ears tried to droop; having still been tied down, this time by a ribbon. She already had that this morning with her valediction, but this felt different. "I-I uh, I always loved The Warrior in the Woods. Why did you ask us though Head-Ozpin."

Ozpin's lips grinned. "Wonderful. I was wanting to ask if any of you had heard of that story, now do you remember how it ended?"

"Of course! We found out that as the Village expanded, the Grimm came closer and that the warrior in the woods died at her hut protecting the village from the Grimm. It's meant to be the moral of don't go wandering into the woods, but others say it's a tale of discouraging us from relying too much on others."

Ozpin nodded. "Yes indeed, both meanings are correct I believe. But why did the main character start to regret his choices?"

Summer pondered for a moment. "Because, he had fallen in love with the warrior of the woods and he regretted leaving her."

The others just nodded; or rather Taiyang did, while Qrow and Raven watched. Ozpin relaxed his hands as he looked at Summer more. "And what exactly made him fall in love with her?"

Summer smiled. "I-it mentioned she had silver eyes, like mine."

"Is that all?!" retorted Raven, the anger in her voice had risen quite loudly. "You asked all of us to come up here to have Summer tell you some fairy tale character had silver eyes?!" Summer's own silver eyes just watched Raven; who clearly was not in the mood to stick around.

Summer's eyes returned to looking at Ozpin when he kept talking. "Yes… now I'm going to be clear; I did publish a few years ago a version of said story as part of my collection of Fairy Tales. I put time and research into getting what I feel has been the truest version of the story out there. While mine might not be correct, however. Every version of the story I heard had these three things happen: The Blinding White Light in the woods that one time, the warrior's family being murdered by humans… and that she had Silver Eyes."

Summer didn't get to question him, as Qrow took his turn to ask a question. "So what does that mean."

Ozpin didn't reply at first, only turning to his mug, slowly picking it up and taking a sip. "That I believe Summer here has the same powers."

Summer wanted to break the door down as she nearly slammed into the doorknob to open it. Come on! The door slammed open with her force as she sighed looking inside. There now clearly shaken by the door was Taiyang and Raven, with Raven holding a small blanket.

Panting slowed as Summer took a breath of fresh air. "I came as fast-" another breath and a wheeze. "-As I could. Our mission took way too long."

Taiyang spoke first. "I assume Qrow's following behind you somewhere?"

With a shake of her head, Summer frowned. "No, he wanted to wait until you're both home to show up. He doesn't like being near hospitals with his semblance. Something I learned on my last mission when we were guarding a hospital in Atlas. My mum says congrats by the way."

"Tell her we said thank you." Raven said, trying to stay awake. "You didn't miss much, just the birth!"

Summer just looked at her, knowing the anger likely wasn't anything bad. "Geeze, sorry for the delay that our airship we were traveling in had to take a pitstop on Vytal due to a stray Lancer hitting one of the engines."

Taiyang chuckled. "At least it landed safely right?"

"Of course, but this isn't about me today; this is your day!" Summer said smiling, trying to recoup and beam again. "Can I see my niece!"

"Yes yes." Raven said, as she opened the blanket a little. Summer walked over and just grinned. There was a cute face, with a small tuft of blonde hair already on her forehead. "This is Yang Xiao Long."

"Yang Xiao Long, so Sunny Little Dragon, right?" Summer said as Yang opened her eyes. "Awwwww she's got lilac eyes! A perfect mix of your eyes and Tai's Raven!"

Raven smiled. "Thank you Summer, and yes; we were both shocked when we saw her have lilac eyes."

Summer saw Taiyang turn to her as he spoke. "Yeah…. Raven was pouting when she learned Yang had lilac eyes, she clearly wanted Yang to inherit her red eyes."

"I did not!" Raven said, as she actually started to pout right there, before huffing.

"So, when do the doctors say you can leave Raven?" Summer said, trying to smile.

"Me and Yang are stated to be able to leave tomorrow for home."

Summer smiled at that. "I've seen the house; you two picked out a nice place on Patch to raise Yang. I love that cliffside you guys got in the pocket of forest you bought." Summer just smiled at them. "I can not believe that section of Patch was up for sale actually; it's so pretty out there."

Taiyang chuckled. "Ah yes; the fact I was able to purchase some of the very forest me and you grew up as friends in Summer. I got it cheap because of the Grimm Pool; no one wanted to build nearby due to the Beowolf packs."

Summer nodded. "I just hope they don't mess with your house."

"Oh no, we already tried a few spots in the forest." Raven retorted. "We've got results, our house is safe enough from the Grimm to raise a family. Though we're gonna leave a few of the abandoned sights to allow the Grimm to focus on them instead."

Summer smiled. "That's nice to hear."

"And what about yourself and my brother?" Raven said, turning to focus on Summer.

"I-I don't know what you're talking about?"

"Oh come on Sum." Taiyang chipped in. "You two have been going around Remnant for the past year, surely you've looked at housing in a few places."

Summer sighed. "Alright you got me. We looked at Domremy right before this last mission, you know that coastal city where the Great War started? Lovely little city; charming enough. But Qrow's unsure of living there yet. Earlier this year we did look at Vacuo but seeing it's all tribes out there; we decided against it. My mom said Mantle would be nice for us as well but…-"

"Atlas, you don't want them becoming puppets right?" Taiyang said. "Because of your eyes."

Summer nodded, as she kept thinking about all of the places she and Qrow had gone since Graduation. "Ye-yeah. Qrow's seeming to like either Argus or Mistral itself though! Both of them look really nice! I think Argus would the better of the two, but at least we think we've singled it down to one continent so that's a relief at least!"

"That's nice to hear Sum!" Taiyang said grinning.

Raven just frowned but spoke up. "Mistral you said?"

"Yep! We were looking at houses in the capital actually. Qrow hasn't told me; but I'm pretty sure that he might be saving up to buy one this year for a gift."

Taiyang's grin turned into a smirk, "When's the wedding though?"

Summer felt her cheeks redden in a flash. "Uh… we weren't thinking of one, if we do we weren't gonna have a ceremony. We both love each other; we're just unsure if we want to spend the money to get a slip of paper saying we're married under law."

Raven looked at her. "You going to keep your last name like me?"

Summer nodded. "So will our children i-if we have any. Qrow doesn't want them to bear his last name. Something about it being a burden."

Raven sighed. "It really is…" Summer could tell that just referencing it must have brought up memories for Raven, that must be sad to know you're connected to a tribe of bandits.

Everyone's attention turned to Yang as noises were heard. "Oh.." Summer said looking at Yang. "I'll get out of your hair you two, I don't want to take up more time than I should; Tai are your parents coming?"

Taiyang smiled. "They said they'll be on their way; my mom wanted to wait until my dad got out of work at Signal. Oh by the way, they're looking to ask me to start apprenticing there soon, isn't that great?"

"That's wonderful Tai, I hope you do well as a teacher!"

"Thanks Sum." Taiyang said as Summer walked towards the door.

"I'll catch you both when you get back to your house, see ya then?"

"Bye sis." Raven said as Yang just stared, clearly she had stopped what she was doing her lilac eyes lit up like fire.

"Bye little one." Summer said, taking one last look at Yang as she opened the door and walked out. She just could not stand being in there any longer. As much as she loved being around children, seeing her best friends already with their first? It tugged strings Summer didn't even think her heart had. While she was a Huntress first; the idea of settling down and getting maybe a teaching job? That sounded amazing, and maybe having some kids to go teach how to be hunters and huntresses themselves. Hopefully they would have their father's eyes... Now that would let her live her life the way she had always wanted to.

"Hey Shortstack." Summer stopped in her tracks to turn around to see Qrow leaning against the brick wall of the Hospital. "How are they?"

Summer smiled at Qrow. "Well; they had a girl, Qrow. Rae said they named her Yang; Yang Xiao Long."

"Sunny Little Dragon, huh." Qrow said as he took a sip out of his flask, Summer could tell by the smell he had put of all things, apple juice into it. "I would have thought Rae would of wanted a bird name for her daughter."

Summer just giggled at her partner. "Yeah well; maybe they're waiting on the second one for that name?"

Qrow just snorted as he disregarded it with a wave of his hand. "Nahhh but maybe."

As the two started to leave the hospital, Summer remembered something. "Oh by the way; neither of us won the bet."

Summer just watched Qrow blink. "What?"

"Yang's got lilac eyes."

Summer could only hear mumblings from behind her as she and Qrow walked towards their future.

That future being running. Running in the dead of night towards a little cottage in the woods of Patch. Taiyang had texted something was wrong, and Summer and Qrow scrambled towards Patch, having settled down in Mistral; taking missions for Ozpin and Leonardo Lionheart, the headmaster of Haven, Mistral's equivalent to Beacon. Summer made the first move to enter the house by teleporting in as soon as she could see the floor of the house. The house looked alright but the sounds of sobbing and crying interrupted her ears as it streamed from the kitchen.

Running in revealed Taiyang sitting in a chair holding now older Yang, who was the source of most of the sounds. A peck at the door signaled Summer to go open the door to let Qrow finally barge in. The two just watched Taiyang for a second, letting him speak first.

"S-she's gone. Rae's gone."

"Tai; can I please hold Yang?" Summer tried to smile as she spoke to her friend; her brother-in-law.

Taiyang loosened his grip, and Summer gently lifted her nearly infant still niece into her arms, slowly rocking her back and forth. "Thank you Taiyang. Now, can you tell us what happened?"

Taiyang sighed, trying to look at his sister-in-law. "When I went to bed Raven was here; but when I heard Yang crying earlier… I asked Raven to do it but...she didn't reply so I did it; when I turned around with Yang; I saw she was gone, leaving only a note on this table."

Summer just felt anything drop. "She just left?"

Taiyang could only nod a little as Qrow patted his shoulder. "There Tai; I'm gonna get you to your bed, Sum, can you go rest with Yang on the couch for now?"

"R-right." Summer answered as she took Yang still in her arms as she walked to the couch. Sitting down softly she just held Yang in a cradle hold, trying to calm the little blonde and try to get her to go back to sleep. The sounds of Tai struggling to walk with the help of Qrow helping him eventually came from behind her. But Summer's attention was still on Yang; who slowly had happily started to fall asleep in her arms.

"Rotten luck." came a voice. Summer turned around to see Qrow crushing some paper. "Raven said that there's something bigger out there that she needs to attend to. What is more important to you than your own daughter?!"

"Qrow…"

Summer watched as Qrow turned to her. "Yes Sum?"

"What's your game plan?" As Qrow paused to look at her in confusion; Summer kept talking. "Oh come on; everytime you get heated like this, you do something rash. I've known you for years, now Stilts."

Qrow just frowned as he stared at the door. "I don't know. The me that walked into Beacon with her would've followed her, but I think I should just stay here with you, Tai's got room for us; we can move in, at least for a few days."

Summer felt her face light up as Qrow sat down next to hear; an arm wrapping around her as he pulled her in, nudging Yang a little, letting her open her eyes. Pairs of Summer and Red matched with the smaller set of Lilacs. Yang slowly lifted a hand which Qrow took, only for her to latch on. "Ouch this little girl's got her mother's strength." Qrow yelped as Summer just giggled.

Summer looked down at Yang. "Y-you know Qrow?"

"Hmm?" Qrow said; focusing on her now. "What's up Shortstack."

Summer's face grew red as she thought how to word her statement right. "One of these days; I'm not asking now; but… someday, and someday soon; I want us to have our own child."

Qrow's expression shifted to a more shocked tone. "Sum you can't-"

"I am serious about it, Stilts. I've been thinking about it for over three months now. Every photo I get of Yang here, just…. It hurts me. Like I can't explain it really; there's just a part of me that wishes that we had what Tai and Rae had and what our other classmates have! L-look; I know this isn't likely the right time to ask but-" Summer was stopped as a pair of lips pecked her cheek.

"I can see you're on the verge of crying Summer, I get it, I just… I worry ok?!" Qrow looked down, a tear dropping onto his pant leg. "I'm scared of being here right now with Yang here, I'm scared if you miscarriage if we try Summer. I'm scared I'll cause you or the child to die in childbirth!"

There was a silence for a few minutes as they just relaxed there, before Qrow spoke up. "B-but; I am willing to give it a shot. For you Summer. Just…not here, not right now. Right now; just…. Let's just live right now Summer." Qrow said smiling, as he took Summer's hand and held it tight.

Summer beamed. "I love you Qrow; even if you overreact to your semblance every chance you get. We'll pull through this; me, you, Taiyang, and little Yang here. We're a family, even if your sister abandoned us, we-I don't want you to abandon us either Qrow, ok?"

A hand wiped away Summer's tears. "I-I'm sorry." Qrow said before kissing her again. "Let's just relax right now."

Summer nodded; the idea of Raven just up and leaving them had shook both and them, but right now. Right now they need to be protectors, they needed to be the Huntsman and Huntress that they've been aspiring to be.

Adam sighed as he looked over the robots. Sure; Cinder's plans to derail Yang Xiao Long's match had been flawless; but at least she could have told him that she was going to do that. He had the Grimm all prepped to be shipped to Beacon to terrorize the school grounds. At least he got something out of this extra day. He looked down to see White Fang members slowly filling and powering up one of the androids for a test. With a whirl the machine came to life and started to move using its limited A.I. or whatever Perry called it.

He looked over to his weapon as he walked up to it to put it on. Cinder had promised him Blake Belladonna. However his plans for Beacon did not need Cinder, she was only a distraction for him. Beacon will Fall, and Blake and her friends will pay, even if Cinder doesn't do her part. These robots will make sure of that. He smirked as one of them turned on their hard dust blades. The bright blue making the whole room glow around him, a thought flashed through his head of a similar white light; but he pushed it aside.

Beacon will fall, thanks in part mostly due to the efforts of his crews; and help from Roman Torchwick, a criminal with a goal that fit into Adam's. However one of the best donations happened to be Summer Rose's. A faunus who had no idea just what was going on, based on what scouts of the White Fang had reported back. She had sold them nearly six times the amount of robots compared to what Roman had, and for what? A few grand of lien, a gun, and some damn clothes. Did she not really care how much this stuff actually was worth? Perhaps. Based on records; she's been Missing in Action for around thirteen years, no wonder she can believe anything they tell her.

A whirl of one of the other paladins moving caught his eye, some tech from Cinder had actually come into good use; and allowed them to remotely pilot them. One of their own amateur engineers had tried to decode it and rework it for the robots Summer had oh happily donated to the cause; and it seemed to be working now.

Oh yes. Tomorrow evening will be going to be fun.