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The Death In All Things

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The door opens

At the foot of the second star

At first morning's light.

.

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It was past midnight, in one of Haven Academy's underground engineering rooms.

Yang flicked the sweat off her forehead and fanned the inside of her tank top. She perched herself on a nearby workbench with a tired huff. Peeling off her mechanic's gloves, she then tossed unceremoniously to the floor.

They had been at it all night. Countless hours spent toiling away, but any fatigue they felt instantly disappeared at seeing the first successful test of Mercury's new weapon.

The young man landed before Yang, almost losing his balance in the process. High-pitch hisses steamed from his legs, signaling the over-taxation of his prosthetics. Translucent images behind his ankles faded like mirages.

"Drains the hell out of my Aura," Mercury panted.

"The Dust burn's no joke either." Yang tossed him a water bottle and grabbed the tablet beside her to analyze the readings. "Emerald's gonna have something to say about what it costs to fuel 'em."

"That bad?"

"You'll bleed lien every time you use it."

"That won't be fun to explain. Still—" He looked about the numerous training dummies and target shields obliterated on the walls and floor. "—can't argue with results."

"Think it'll be enough for whatever you guys are squaring up against?"

Mercury whipped his neck so fast, it almost flew off.

"Relax, I'm done trying to figure out what you guys are up to," Yang said with resignation. "…Will it be enough, though?"

"…Dunno. Maybe."

"Must be a tough mark if you're still not sure after this."

"Oh, yeah. The toughest."

The scroll in Yang's pocket sounded with a ring. She took it, replied to the text, and hopped off the workbench.

"Perfect timing to finish up here. Gonna jet out for a bit." She grabbed her leather jacket draped on a nearby chair and flung it over her shoulder.

Just as she was leaving, Mercury called out to her.

"I still haven't come up with a name for it, yet."

"Um, okay? That's up to you. They're your legs after all."

"I thought about calling it the Talarion, but it feels like something's missing. You co-developed it."

"…Strider," Yang answered after a moment. "A cocky name suits you."

"The Talarion Strider. It can grow on me."

"Good. Now that that's taken care of."

As Yang was about to leave again—

"Hey."

"Yeah, Merc?"

"This beef between you and Em…" Mercury paused awkwardly. "It'll even out. Somehow. Probably."

"Are you… legitimately trying to make me feel better?" Yang tilted her head.

"No. It's just annoying and tense whenever you guys are in the same room. Most of the time it's a fun watch but recently…"

"Hah! You are trying to make me feel better! Don't worry, Merc, I won't tell anyone. Hate to ruin the aloof, douchebag reputation you've built for yourself."

"…Yeah, whatever."

"You know you love me." Yang winked.

As she made ready to leave again, her hand stopped on the door handle.

"Hey, Merc?"

"Hm?"

"You and I are good, right?"

"…Yeah, Yang." Mercury scratched his head and hid his face. "We're spades."

"At least, there's that."

And after giving a two-finger salute, she was gone.

Mercury hopped on a chair and disconnected a leg. Fingers traced the edges of his prosthetic. The shape of the calves and ankles were elegantly curved. Its anatomy more natural than its previous version.

"Yeah…" he whispered with a sense of lament.

"All spades."

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X

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Although Mistral possessed its own night life, Yang found herself walking down one of its quieter streets.

Impressive office buildings, stores, and cafes lined the sides of the road. All of them closed, outside operating hours. Even the streetlights shone a bit dimmer, adding to the scene's tranquil ambience.

But just off the sidewalk, a few sounds of life could be heard. The swift clanking of pots and pans broke the silence. The smell of something hot and delicious played with Yang's nostrils.

And there, she saw a humble ramen cart parked just out of the way. Its tender light shone on the empty street, like a lone firefly.

To Yang, it was almost a page out of a ghost story. Her stomach growled, as she had little to eat since working on Mercury's new legs.

I think I saw a horror movie like this once.

Is this the part where I get baited in and eaten myself?

Just then, a gloved hand poked out the cart's curtains and motioned her to it.

Totally, not foreboding at all, the girl chuckled to herself.

Yang made her way to the cart and sat at the counter only long enough to seat four customers a time. The one who waved her in was positioned at the other end. A Grimm mask sitting on the table between them.

Yang picked it up and held it in front of her face.

"Hey, mom," she greeted.

"Yang."

Raven slurped a mouthful of noodles, before tipping a tall glass of ice coffee to wash it down. At her elbows, rows of gyoza and skewered side dishes waited to be eaten. Already emptied bowls and plates stacked up around her.

"You…have an appetite," Yang commented.

Without responding, Raven looked to the owner of the cart.

"Owner, another bowl. One for her, too."

The old man smiled wordlessly and prepared their orders. Raven noted the slight redness around Yang's eyes.

"Not getting enough sleep? Or been crying?"

"It-It's just a little something that happened," Yang said embarrassingly. "No big thing."

"Is that right?"

"You going to tell me I shouldn't be such a crybaby or something?"

"Not at all," Raven ripped a barbecue skewer of all its meat. "Dogs shed their fur, dragons lose their scales…*Gulp*—And birds molt their feathers to replace them with new ones. Having the crap kicked out of you again and again, it's something only young people can grow from." She chuckled silently at remembering the words Temujin once said to her. "I kind of envy that, but I'm also glad I grew out of it."

"For someone who hates the idea of being my mom, you can sure dish out the parental wisdom when you feel like it."

"It's the least I can do. That, and… you're a good daughter."

The simple words of praise struck a chord in Yang's chest. Like a thin string being plucked. It was cuttingly sharp.

"A daughter too good for the likes of me," Raven continued. "I gave it some thought and it'd be ridiculous at this point not to meet you halfway."

"Okay…Hehe…" Yang smiled to herself, hiding her expression in the bowl of noodles before her.

She was wrestling with so many things, and the recent fight with Emerald brought it all to a head. At such a time, the simple kind words from her mother were more than welcome. If not, soften her hardships just a little.

Without anything further, Yang and Raven enjoyed the warm moment unfolding between them.

After getting through some more food, Raven resumed.

"So, I have a few good guesses on why you wanted to meet. You want to know about your Semblance, but also, about the Branwen Family and the Prime Minister."

"Why do I get the feeling you know I met the Heads of Vermillion and Azure?"

"Because the world is a nightmare, where things are rarely ever private, and you're beginning to understand that."

"Your spies also tell you how much I hate politics and how stupid I think they are?"

"There are definitely more productive ways to waste time other than arguing and conniving."

They both sighed simultaneously.

"So?"

"So."

"…How much do you trust this Argent guy?" Yang posed. "Is he, like, legit and everything?"

"He better be. He's going to be your new stepfather."

"WHAT?!" Yang jumped out of her chair.

"That. Was a joke."

"I can't believe you can say that with a straight face." She took her seat again.

"Still a lot to learn, grasshopper—Well, to answer your concerns regarding Argent, you really shouldn't be taking my word for it. Form your own opinion. Don't rely on other's."

Yang finished her first bowl and began working on a second.

"Lame! You just want to dodge the question. But I did learn to believe only what I think myself. So, how about this? Instead of telling me why I should trust him, you tell me why you trust him?"

"…Touché," Raven conceded. "Argent has skeletons like anybody else, but at the end of the day, he truly wants what's best for Mistral, and even Remnant as a whole. He and I share mutual goals and mutual enemies. If nothing else, my faith's in that." Raven paused to scarf down a few gyoza. "His methods can run a little rough and gray, but the results he gets outweigh the cons. Also, I'm not exactly in a position to judge the moral ambiguities of another."

"Victory using the Grimm, pushing for Faunus liberties, shaking hands with the White Fang," Yang counted off her fingers.

"I could be biased on the topic. Considering it was personally me and him, who forged the alliance."

"And Adam Taurus."

"No coalition of the willing is perfect," Raven shrugged. "And before you ask—No, Adam isn't around. There's a meeting between a few of Atlas and Vale's leaders concerning a possible alliance. Little Adam's on assignment to sabotage it."

"It's like you're constantly trying to keep us apart," Yang flashed a fake smile.

"Imagine that. But he is pretty good at these kinds of jobs."

"And he works for Argent, too."

"…Not exactly," Raven tensed. "But back to what I was saying. One of the mutual goals Argent and I share is equality for the Faunus population. On that, he's held up his end of the deal, plus a few extra miles. That alone would be enough to make an ally out of him."

"I heard he was doing it to further his own agenda."

"He could. I'm sure that's an argument a lot of the other nobles are using. But the people either know the truth or they don't care. They support his establishment of equal rights either way. Even regular human citizens are backing the movement."

"Really? That's a bit surprising."

Raven nodded. "A lot of them see this as the gateway to getting rid of the caste system. It serves their own interest, but it's not like the administration is in any position to refuse free help. Citizens middle and lower class have found a cause to rally behind—something that's never happened in Mistral's history."

"Reform is nice, but…"

"Yes?"

"Is this really the time?" Yang thought uncertainly. "The Kingdom is at war. Dividing the nation doesn't seem like such a good idea right now. And Argent's picking fights on both sides of the field."

Raven showed a slightly impressed grin. "A keen observation, Yang. Argent and I have been keeping close tabs on the situation. We've been fortunate there haven't been any major issues so far. Civil war is practically an impossibility."

Yang's thoughts went briefly to Inna, Neo, and Blake.

"That's good. If anything comes out of this, at least one of them is guaranteed rights for Faunus."

"Agreed. I've been fighting this cause for so long now…" Raven angrily drained another extra-large bowl and stacked it on a teetering tower. "It's still going to get harder before it gets easier."

Yang couldn't help but start counting the number of empty dishes.

"Mom, are you stress eating?"

"It's become a habit. Also, someone very dear to me once said I should stuff my face as much as I can in-between battles. They had a pretty hearty appetite too, come to think of it."

"Who?"

"…A sly old bat," Raven muttered with fondness. She then, set her chopsticks down and thought for a moment. "This is as good a time as any. I might not get a chance next time round."

"Totally not foreboding at all."

"You were the one who wanted to learn more about me. Why I left you, why I'm here, doing what I'm doing. It's the reason you joined Team ENMY. Now you get your answers." Raven stood from her chair and left a stack of bills on the table. "If you're ready for them, that is."

Yang downed the last of her soup and followed her mother to the streets outside.

"I'm ready," she nodded.

Raven drew her sword and cut open a portal.

"You won't think so in a few minutes."

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X

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After stepping through Raven's portal, Yang reappeared in a land she never witnessed before. At the same time, an odd familiarity washed over her skin.

The scenery laid before her was that of a perpetually incomplete world. Dirt and rock under her feet flowed like rivers. The sun in the sky hung at different intervals every time she blinked. Trees flush with leaves were nothing but branches the next. It seemed the world itself was crumbling, but also rebuilding itself in a broken loop.

There was no warmth or cold, or wind, but a vacuum space that drew on Yang's spirit. Her body lacked a certain sense of realness and tangibility.

In her panic, she saw that she recognized her surroundings.

It was a bizarre version of her home in Patch.

"—Breathe, Yang," Raven voice flowed from behind her.

The woman's appearance seemed normal for the most part, but Yang couldn't shake the inkling that something was off. The red in Raven's eyes shone with a more haunting light. Her voice was an echo of thought, rather than sound. And the sword at her waist emanated a mist as thick as tar.

Yang blinked, and for a second, caught a glimpse of a demonic bird in place of her mother.

"Breathe," Raven repeated. "Think of Patch. A memory you can remember the finest details of."

Yang put a hand over her chest and reined her nerves. She did as her mother instructed and thought of the day she left for Beacon.

The sky went blue and the sun stopped shifting. A slight breeze bent the grass and ushered the clouds. Warm temperatures suddenly existed.

Her surroundings became a perfect replica of the moment in her memories.

"This—This isn't actually home, is it?" Yang puzzled.

"No, and you should take care to remember that," Raven answered. Her form completely steady now.

"Could've warned me."

"Yes, but then you would have misunderstood, and it would've been harder to convince you otherwise. Best to experience the worst of it first than learn later."

"Okay…" Yang sighed, as relief set in. "So, where are we?"

"A lot of people have different names for it: Limbo, The Fold, Wonderland, The Crossroads." Raven mused bitterly, "But the most credible source called it the Never Never Realm. The world where everything that never was, is, and what never happened, will be. And that's just the beginning of the headache."

Yang looked through the windows of her room. The image shifted from a vacant one, to the memory of Emerald, Mercury, and Neo recruiting her. And then went empty again at a thought.

"Whatever I think about here, just happens?" Yang asked.

"Something like that. This plane is supposed to be a place where the past and future overlap, where things that exist, were supposed to exist, and are about to exist, exist at the same time."

Yang repeated the words silently, when an idea occurred to her.

After a short pause, she closed her eyes, and then looked down at her right…

Her flesh and bone fingers wriggled to greet her. She could feel the lines in her palm, the roughness of her calluses and her knuckles. It was too real.

"Yang," Raven's said with a cautioning tone.

"I know. You don't have to tell me." Yang blinked and it was her prosthetic again. "This place is really trippy."

"That's not even the half of it."

"You mean, it gets screwier than this? Seriously, what exactly is this place?"

Raven sighed. "I don't know too much about it myself. But I do know something of what it does."

Suddenly, Yang's eyes strained as they locked with Raven's. She could see the cracks of light clearer than she had anytime previous. She also understood on an instinctual level what the vibrant scars were now.

It was probably something akin to the soul.

"This Never Never Realm is the source of all abilities and Semblance," Raven explained. "Just think about it a little. Here, things can be created at a thought. Events can happen that never actually were, miracles and tragedies. Abilities that are normally impossible, can be performed here."

"So, it's like…your imagination?"

Raven frowned.

"If we're going for the fluff version, sure. It's your imagination."

"But how is this the source of Semblances? Okay, you're saying whatever happens here is…everything. How does that affect our world?"

"You can bring things from this world into the real one."

"How?"

But as she asked, Yang's mind already found the answer. Her hands dug into her pockets and pulled out a few crystal shards.

"Dust…"

Raven nodded. "Not only Dust, but Bane and most importantly, Aura are what fuel our strength and abilities. Abilities that come in the form of Semblances. Understand?"

"I thought they were just energy sources."

"More than that, they're catalysts. You could even call them keys that open the door to this place."

"Okay…this is crazy."

"Also, you should never stay here too long, or you'll go crazy. You can imagine why."

"So, what? If you had enough Dust, Bane, and Aura, you could bring something insane from this world, or rewrite history?"

"In theory, but it's obviously not as easy as that. People have tried, of course. I'm sure you've learned in school what happens to those who use too much Dust."

"They either blew themselves up or disappeared."

"Like I said, I don't know everything about this world. The rules here are annoyingly abstract. And just so, you know," Raven added with a tone of warning. "There do exist certain individuals in Remnant, who can bring out some really unbelievable things from this world. Some good, most bad."

"Haha! Awesome," Yang replied sarcastically. "By the way, is there a way to turn this off?" She pointed to her eyes. "This place is dialing my Semblance to a thousand. I feel like I'm seeing too much. These cracks of light in people's bodies and…things. It's too bright and it's kind of uncomfortable to see. Like I'm looking at people with x-ray vision."

"Is that how it looks to you?"

"Yeah, my Semblance. I thought you knew."

"Huh," Raven muttered in thought. "Must be a slight difference. Sounds like it still works the same way, though."

"Um?"

"When we return to the real world, the effects will lessen. But you should know now, once your Semblance is awakened, there's no stopping it from becoming stronger."

"You make it sound a lot worse than it actually is."

"…"

Yang felt a shiver down her spine from the look her mother gave her.

"…Is it worse than it actually is?"

There was a definite shift in Raven's demeanor.

Up to now, her tone was casual. Likened to a teacher lecturing a student on a school subject. But this was different. The graveness in her expression and the air around her was malleable. Perhaps, further accentuated by the effects of this world.

"What…is my Semblance?" Yang asked with growing unease.

With deep regret, Raven mustered the resolve to answer.

"Our family refers to it as the Reaper Semblance. In short, it's the ability to see the Death In All Things. Almost every member of the Branwen line has it. Me, Qrow—and now, you."

The words sent chills through Yang's insides. She realized why her mother would, from time to time, have this piercing stare about her. Like the woman saw through her entire being and pinpointed where she was weakest—where she was most vulnerable. The feeling of dread over a naked blade pressed against the most sensitive parts of her skin.

All this time, Raven was actually seeing the death in Yang's life.

"That's…disturbing."

"Now you understand why I initially didn't want you to come with me," Raven told her. "There was a chance your abilities would've laid dormant, but…"

"But, what?"

"When I met you after your fight with Adam, I could already see you awakening it."

Yang thought back to when her eyes first lost their purple hue and stayed red constantly. It was probably then, when the Semblance started to manifest.

She grimaced, observing the scars in her surroundings that seemed to spark with energy. There was a chaotic nature to it. Too bright, but also, all too feeble.

"I thought it was something more…beautiful," Yang lamented.

"I see." Raven cupped her chin in thought. "I don't know how it looks to you, but it evolves as time goes on—just like any other Semblance. When I was younger, I only saw black and red dots. Now, they're these threads and scars sown on the surface."

"And if you…do something to those parts?"

Her mother nodded in line with her thinking.

"They die," Raven answered in a dark tone. "That's the nature of the Reaper Semblance. It's the same for you, isn't it?"

"Yeah... If I break into the cracks of light, it feels like I'm destroying something really fragile."

"You also find an overwhelming urge to cause that destruction, right?" Raven asked knowingly. "As your power matures, that urge grows. And you'll begin to see the flaws in more detail. You'll know how they die, how their corpses will look, and even predict a timeline of their death, in some cases."

"But that's—!"

"Ever wonder why I'm so jolly all the time, or why Qrow drinks so much? Your Uncle's brand is particularly depressing."

Yang lapsed into silence.

She couldn't fathom what it was like to constantly see the death in those around her. To always know the best way to hurt them, to kill them. To see friends and family walking around like living corpses. And also, a desire to inflict it.

Then, the words of Masa echoed the back of Yang's mind. One's Semblance was a reflection of their selves. If Death was that reflection, then what did that say about her? She tried so hard to find who she was and her place in the world.

And the answer given to her was…this.

…

…

As Yang fell deeper and deeper into depression, she heard Raven's voice.

"I'm sorry, Yang."

The sudden apology shocked her. And then, what surprised her more, was the feeling of her mother's arms wrapping her shoulders.

"Seeing what we can see—it's a curse. My parents weren't around to help me through it, but I'm glad I could do this for you. If this is the sole thing I can provide as a mother, I can live with that."

"…It's not the only thing you've given me. And I don't want it to be the last," Yang said softly.

"Right… There's still a few other things."

"…"

"I still haven't given you a redeeming use for it. Specifically, an enemy to use it on."

"An enemy?"

Raven brushed her daughter's hair and looked down at her with an expression that was both sorrowful and furious.

Yang,

Thine enemy is Salem.