So, yes, we're at a major battle – and as some noticed last chapter, this isn't going to be the kind of thing handled in a single chapter. It's the Battle of Beacon 2.0, now with more factions and more insanity.
Now, I'm not saying I wanted S5 to end on a huge fight like this…
But I kind of did.
Plz, all of Adam and White Fang's fight was so bad…
Beta: College Fool
Cover Art: Kegi Springfield
Chapter 81
All Weiss could think while she ducked and dodged past gunfire tearing up the ground around her was, "I'm too old for this."
The fact she was still seventeen only depressed her further.
"Stay here," she said to the small child that may or may not have been Ozpin, putting him down behind a large rock. "You'll be safe." Maybe. Safer, certainly. "Don't make any noise and if you see a chance to get into Haven, take it. We'll try and distract the bad guys."
"Miss Schnee, I'm-"
"Yes, yes, that's adorable." Weiss peeked back over the rock and winced at the sight of another one of her Bullheads crashing down. To her relief, several figures abandoned ship, falling a short distance to the ground and rolling to safety. Winter's soldiers were well-trained and had aura of their own.
Less appealing were the masked figures that leapt down from the other Bullheads. White Fang certainly, but their colours were a little different. More red and black with strange rose sigils on their uniform. Either the White Fang had all developed an oppressively violent obsession with Ruby, or something else was going on here.
Given the nonsense Ruby and Jaune had probably gotten up to without her, Weiss wasn't entirely prepared to discount either possibility.
"Weiss," Ruby called from nearby. "What do we do!?"
"Oh, now you want my leadership. I see how it is." Weiss grumbled but took in the scene nonetheless, formulating a plan as best she could. "Ruby, stay here and offer sniper support. Try to take down one of the Bullheads if you can. Nora, cover the entire area in explosions. Keep everyone off balance. Yang and Emerald, you two hold the front gates of Haven. If you can give them time to mobilise, we'll have a whole host of reinforcements. Jaune, with me."
"What are we doing?"
"We're going to go meet my sister."
"Is this really the time for introductions?"
"Not for-" Weiss sighed, pinched the bridge of her nose and reminded herself why she had to put up with him. "Just shut up and follow me. Gods, I can't believe I worked my butt off to come back to this. What was I thinking?"
"What about me?" another voice asked.
Weiss glared at the man. "You," she said, "Are a huntsman who is at least forty years old. If I need to give you instructions, I fear for Yang and Ruby's safety."
Qrow laughed, "Fair enough." With a lurch, he hopped out from behind the tree he was using as cover and sprinted toward the action. Several White Fang turned toward him and opened fire, but he slipped through the bullets with deceptive grace, carving a path towards Winter.
Well, that makes my job easier.
"Let's get started!" Weiss said, "And look after yourselves. This is just like the Battle of Beacon, and we didn't lose anyone there. Don't start now."
"Didn't we, like, lose Beacon in that?" Yang asked. "And I got a Grimm arm, Pyrrha got kidnapped, Ren got abducted by the White Fang and you by your own father…"
"Just get going!" Weiss ordered, dodging the question. She leapt over the rock and cast several glyphs in a straight line between her and Winter. The moment her foot touched one, her pace accelerated, the world seeming to move slower. Jaune fell in behind her, using the same glyphs.
The Atlas soldiers were caught in two small circles fighting for their lives while White Fang raged all around and two Bullheads still flew above, shooting not at the White Fang, but at the school's CCT Tower – likely trying to take down communications with the outside world.
Though they seemed to be the targets, Weiss wasn't willing to accept that just yet. The White Fang had attacked Beacon only a month or two before, and no one knew she was coming to Mistral apart from Ironwood, Jacques and a few other trusted individuals. That they were here at the same time was likely a coincidence; one that the White Fang would happily take advantage of.
So, the real target was Haven. Where, then, were the students from Haven? When Beacon was attacked, it took less than ten minutes for students to be out fighting and dying to protect the school – and that was with three-quarters of them being on Amity. What was holding Haven's students back?
Grimm howls and roars from the other side of the school answered that. A Grimm attack, now of all times? If the student body was distracted with that, it would be up to their team, Qrow, Winter and her fifteen or so soldiers, and just about no one else to deal with what had to be over a hundred White Fang.
"I don't suppose you can summon up another Grimm Dragon, can you?"
"Kevin isn't nearby."
"Kevin. Of course."
"I can't transform either. Or summon Grimm. Not with witnesses."
"Hm. At least you can order them not to attack us, right?"
"A-heh… um, well…"
Wonderful. No details on why he couldn't order them not to, but Weiss knew that nervous expression of his well enough. Any chance to respond was cut off as Weiss and Jaune reached the White Fang, attacking from behind with sudden ferocity.
It was the first time in months Weiss had actually used her weapon. Myrtenaster might have cried if it had feelings, and had Weiss been any less than she was, she might have wept at being trapped in the SDC manor, too. As it was, she'd forged on, forced herself to adapt, grow, and escape that twisted nightmare.
The whole time, she'd repressed her anger, kept it locked away. Now, she let her aggression go, sated her fury on the monsters who had attacked Beacon, and who looked ready to do the same to Haven.
A cut here, a pirouette and a slash there. She traced lines past their weapons, darting in and out of reach while using her dust to blast away any that dared flank her. They were fanatical amateurs at best and she, a trained huntress. Weiss danced among them until she reached her sister's side in the centre.
"Weiss," Winter greeted, "I hope you realise this will impact my report to Ironwood somewhat."
"I thought it might. Rumours of Haven's safety seem to have been exaggerated."
"You could certainly say that, sister." Winter caught a faunus' axe on her sabre, twisted his arm around and punched him in the face. The faunus was swallowed and replaced by his fellows a second later, leaving no opportunity for Winter to finish the job. "Where are the locals? You cannot tell me we are to fight them off ourselves."
"Grimm attack."
"Now?" Winter sighed. "Their timing could not be worse."
Weiss hummed but didn't respond. She had a feeling her partner was responsible for that. Because, really, when was he not? She shot him a disapproving look. He'd become more proficient with his weapon of late, though. Even though his style was more akin to hack and slash than graceful swordplay, he took less risks, and thus less damage.
Suddenly, angry yells sounded from the west – washing over the melee and causing both sides to pause. The battle-cries, combined with slurs, insults and general screams of rage, appeared as if from nowhere, catching both sides off-guard.
"Now what?" Winter asked.
For once, Weiss had no answer.
"Are those our reinforcements?" Jaune asked, hurrying over to stand by Weiss, his sword dripping blood. "They don't sound like Grimm and I don't think we actually have any human enemies."
Weiss would have answered, but for the sudden gunshots coming their way – scything into both the White Fang, and into their own forces. Some members of the White Fang turned, engaging the new threats. Through a gap in the combat, Weiss saw that they were a rag-tag group of men and women in various kinds of armour, wielding a medley of weapons. They looked angry.
"Kill them all!" one of the bandits – for they had to be – screamed.
Weiss turned to Jaune with an irritated expression. "You were saying…?"
/-/
Grimm to the east of him, bandits to the west – and he was stuck in the middle with racial fanatics. Qrow was fairy certain there was a catchy jingle in there somewhere, but for the life of him he couldn't find it.
"Stop!" he yelled, disarming a faunus and kicking him aside. He turned to the tribe – his tribe – and held his arms out wide. "What are you doing? You can't attack Haven!"
A burly man with a bald head came in with a rusty-looking dagger. More aggression than enthusiasm, the man lunged at him with a snarl.
Qrow caught the wrist, twisted and snapped it. Kicked the man once in the stomach to wind him, and then brought the pommel of his weapon around and into the idiot's temple, dropping him. As he did, he cursed, noting the bandits from the Branwen tribe on either side of him, some ignoring him entirely to chase down Ruby, Nora and Ozpin. Qrow made to run back to them but a whisper of steel behind him warned him against it. He dove away, escaping decapitation by mere seconds. Rolling and coming back up weapon at the ready, Qrow scowled at the woman before him.
"Raven."
"Qrow." His sister didn't smile. She didn't carry any of her usual snark. Instead, she readied her sword before her and let out a quiet sigh. "It is a shame it must come to this, Qrow. I'd ask you to stand down, but I know you won't."
"Damn it, Raven. Why are you doing this?"
"You know why, Qrow."
Did he-? Qrow wasn't sure he did. Raven was a bitch at the best of times but even she wasn't stupid enough to attack Haven. Or so he'd thought. She was normally so cautious. What could have changed to make her act like this? The only thing he could think of was what happened at Beacon, or maybe what happened afterwards.
Wait…
Oh shit…
"Ray, there's no need for this. It was an accident."
"If that is what you call it, so be it. It changes little. Though it pains me to do this, I shall. I do not proclaim to be the best mother. I never have. But I will not allow her to suffer like this. Even if she despises me for it."
Oh shit, it was this. Qrow swallowed, suddenly feeling a whole let less willing to fight.
"Ray, please. Let me explain."
"Qrow…"
"I pulled out!" he suddenly yelled. "I didn't finish."
Raven stilled. "What?"
"I pulled out once I realised, I swear. I didn't realise she was your daughter. Not at first. She came onto me, I was drunk, well, kind of drunk – and it's not like she told me."
"Qrow. What are you talking about?"
"And sure, maybe I reciprocated a little, but she was hot. I've always had a thing for blondes." Qrow kept talking fast, doing his best to ignore how his sister's face paled. "But once I realised what was going on, I pulled out. We… well, maybe we did a little, and the foreplay, but I didn't follow through."
Raven's mouth fell open.
"It was an accident," Qrow stammered.
"Q-Qrow, you-? With-?" Raven struggled to form the words. "B-But how? She's your niece."
"I didn't realise that at the time."
"What the hell is that supposed to mean!?" Raven screamed, voice shrill. "How drunk were you that you'd forget – that you'd do that to your own niece? Is this some sick joke? Tell me this is some sick joke. I thought I was supposed to be the terrible Branwen here."
"I didn't realise," Qrow yelled. "She came onto me!"
"So, what – you tried to fuck her!?"
"Yes!"
Wrong thing to say. Raven's eyes suddenly lit with yellow fire. Her feet hovered a few inches off the ground and the weather around her shifted drastically, miniature storms and whirlwinds springing to life. Qrow cringed, trying to think up a way to excuse himself, but that seemed long past. Raven was going to kill him. And to be fair, he didn't blame her for it. But he could still look out for the others.
"Your beef is with me, Raven. Leave the rest of them out of it."
"It wasn't with you, Qrow, but it sure is now," she snarled. "I'll cut off both your heads, you creep!"
/-/
"Over there!" Ren said, pointing to Ruby and Nora, stood behind an outcropping of rock firing into the mass of bodies. It hadn't been hard to find Nora, simply following the trail of explosives back towards her position.
"Is it safe to go near them?" Sun asked. "We're masked and they're shooting."
"Safer than trying to meet up with Weiss or Jaune in that melee," Blake said. She ducked under a sword and slashed across the chest of a bandit, grunting in annoyance when his aura held and he attacked back. "Who are these idiots, anyway? I thought this was just supposed to be us versus Haven until Sienna arrives and attacks from behind?"
"Nothing ever goes to plan," Ren noted, "Especially when Nora is involved."
These people were an unknown quantity, but quite a bit stronger than the White Fang – if less well-equipped. They fought with a ferocity that reminded Ren of the Grimm, and each had their aura unlocked. The ones he'd fought so far were weaker than he, weaker than huntsmen, but stronger than the average terrorist they'd faced before.
It hardly helped that he could hear fighting on the other side of Haven – likely the students facing off against the Grimm he could also make out.
"These guys are relentless," Sun growled. "Stay down already!"
An explosion knocked Ren and his opponent off their feet. The pinkish smoke that echoed from the blast told him exactly who he had to thank. With the White Fang engaged with friendlies, Nora must have seen their melee and decided she could fire into it with impunity. Not ideal.
"I'll stop her before she kills us," Ren called to Blake. He kicked his opponent towards her. "Keep him busy, will you?"
"What? Ren!" Blake cursed and struggled with her two opponents. "Damn it, Ren. Help me!"
Hesitating, Ren offered the best help he could. "Don't worry, Blake. Adam watches over you. Believe in Adam, and Adam shall protect you."
It was like a switch being flicked. One second, Blake's eyes were accusing as she glared at him, the next they glowed with feral light and she let out a battle cry that sounded more Grimm than human. The two bandits she tussled with hesitated, which proved their undoing when the crazed faunus leapt for their throats.
Ren would have stayed to pry her off before she killed them, but Nora was probably reloading. He raced across the open ground between their group and the outcrop. He'd have removed his mask as he did, but there wasn't the time and Ren wasn't sure it would make a difference. With the madness all around, not to mention the smoke and light from explosions, he doubted anyone could make out his face.
Hopefully, she'll forgive me for this, he thought, leaping over the first rock and placing a foot in his teammate's chest, right as she brought her grenade launcher to bare on Blake and the others once more.
The shot went high, fired off and up to the side as she stumbled back. Nora recovered quickly and shifted her weapon into its hammer form, swinging side on for his ribs. Ren swayed back and let it pass before him, charging in after it went to hook a leg behind hers and trip her. He landed on top, pinning her down.
"Nora!" Ruby cried.
"You'll never take me alive!" Nora roared.
Ren tore his mask off above her. "Nora. It's me!"
"R-Renny?" Her mouth fell open. "No, wait, I take it back. You can take me however you want!"
"Not quite-" Ren grunted as Nora's arms hooked around his neck, dragging his face down into her bosom as she laughed in pure delight. He struggled to breathe for a moment, hands hovering as he wondered where to put them, before settling on her shoulders as he pushed himself away. "Blake is here too," he gasped. "And Sun and Ilia. We're disguised as White Fang."
"Why are you disguised as White Fang?" Ruby asked. "And why are you attacking Haven?"
Ren paused uncomfortably. "That is a very long story…" He eyed the small child next to Ruby. "Why is there a child among your group?"
"I am not a child, thank you."
"Also a very long story," Ruby sighed.
"Ah." It seemed like that was all they did recently. "And what of this new group attacking us all?"
"A shorter story, thankfully," the child said. "That is the Branwen tribe, a group of bandits, killers and thieves working under Raven Branwen, your uncle's sister." The boy pointed, and Ren looked along with the others to see an older huntsman fighting off against what could only be described as a force of nature in female form. "Qrow is keeping Raven busy, granting us the time needed to deal with her tribe. I'm not sure we can defeat her as she is, but our best bet will be to do so once her men are dealt with."
"The White Fang, too," Ren explained. "There's a schism in the leadership. We just need to hold out until the other White Fang arrive and attack them from behind."
"More White Fang?" Ruby whined. "Is it a good idea to trust them?"
Honestly, no, but they didn't have much choice and Ren at least had faith Sienna would do what she needed to. "Just trust me. We've not been idle in Menagerie. In the meantime, we need to meet up with Blake and the others."
"Got it!" Nora nodded, squirming her way out from under him and helping him stand. "Out of curiosity, and totally not for any bad reasons, but Blake didn't try anything with you in Menagerie, did she?"
Ren had a moment to recall harem shenanigans, accusations, arguments and the fact they'd shared a bed together for numerous nights. Not to mention all the little insinuations from Kali and the numerous stern talking-to's he'd had from Ghira.
"No," Ren lied. "She was on her best behaviour."
/-/
Emerald wasn't what one would call a shy individual, but even she wasn't sure how to broach the conversation. She took what distractions she could in dealing with what few Grimm broke through the Haven students' lines, but Yang dealing with them by swinging three black tentacles from her right arm kind of got rid of that.
"So…"
"What?" Yang asked, glaring at her.
"Just… you know…"
"I kind of don't."
"The…" Emerald waved vaguely towards Yang's… well, arm wasn't really a good descriptor. "The thing."
"You calling my son a thing?"
Emerald had no idea how to field that one, so simply shrugged and didn't bother trying. "No? I think. So, you going to explain, or am I supposed to just act like this is totally normal?"
Yang sighed. "You know Jaune?"
"Yes."
"You know what he is?"
"I do," Emerald returned. Before many others, she almost wanted to add, but reminding someone from Beacon about who she used to work for probably wasn't a good way to win friends. "I take it he's somehow involved?"
"Apparently, this is our love child."
"Oh…" Emerald said. Because really, what else could she say? "Well, that's… nice. Congratulations?"
Yang wrapped a black claw around a Beowolf's head and tore it off in one fell swoop. "Thanks. His name is Yin. How did you end up working for Weiss anyway? Weren't you one of Cinder's minions?"
"I was," Emerald admitted. "And the explanation is probably a lot less exciting than yours. I needed help. Weiss offered me a job. I accepted."
"Cool."
Yes, well. Emerald supposed that was one way of putting it. At least she knew it wasn't anything to get worked up over, even as she fired several shots into an Ursa charging toward their position, bringing it low before it could reach the school's entranceway. Idly, she noticed a Bullhead approaching from the north-east. It was flying jankily, as if the pilot wasn't quite sure what they were doing or was an amateur. Reinforcements, perhaps? Or more White Fang?
"We might have a problem," she warned.
"Yeah, you don't say," Yang said, looking in the opposite direction. Emerald looked over in time for her face to pale. Stalking towards them was a woman. But no normal woman. She had skin as white as paper, with bright red eyes and angry lines across her face.
"S-Salem!?" Emerald gasped, suddenly filled with horror at the prospect. No, it couldn't be. For one, she was too young, and her hair – while white – had a hint of yellow to it, turning it a vibrant platinum shade.
There was no denying she was of Salem, however. If not the appearance, then the Grimm following behind her like a retinue of royal guards gave it away.
"This Grimm attack is no accident," Yang said.
"Seems not." Emerald swallowed. While she'd never faced anyone from Salem's family, Cinder made it clear the prospect wasn't one she should look forward to. Apparently, Jaune was the weakest of them – or one of the weakest – and he was still someone she could not hope to touch, or so Cinder said.
This one looked older, and the way she held her sword hinted at genuine skill.
The woman, Grimm, came to a stop before them. She eyed Yang up and down and then did the same to Emerald, her lips peeling back just a little. "Move aside, humans. I have no qualms with you. Today, at least."
"Our friends are back there," Yang said. "So, no. Not moving." Her expression didn't lighten, but she did manage an impish grin. "Unless you're here for the White Fang, that is. I might make an exception in that case."
Emerald was amazed Yang dare jest with someone like this at all, but maybe it was only because the other option was to surrender entirely. When faced with insurmountable odds, what could one do but laugh?
"My name is Sapphire Arc, eldest daughter of Juniper Salem Arc, Queen of the Grimm." Emerald winced harder with every word. "You stand in my way. Remove yourselves or I shall remove you."
"One of Jaune's sisters, eh? He's back there, you know. Fighting on our side. Isn't that a good reason not to make this any worse than it already is?"
Sapphire didn't seem surprised at the knowledge. "All the more reason for me to be here, then. I have given you your warning." Sapphire's hand moved to her sword's hilt. "You were granted an opportunity to depart."
Emerald barely saw Sapphire move.
Yang did, if the fact she ducked under the first swing was any indication. They were both of them faster than her, trading blows in a devastating exchange that would have killed any lesser person. Yang was able to plant a foot in Sapphire's stomach, though the action nearly cost her – the thin sword darting in on a direct course for Yang's throat. Yang's eyes widened, body bending back in a desperate attempt to avoid it.
Her right arm exploded into motion. Thick and black like molasses, the skin roiled and turned, bursting through the coat sleeve and sending scraps of fabric everywhere. It had no defining shape other than that of an amorphous blob, but that blob devoured the sword whole – and Sapphire's hand and wrist.
Emerald wasn't sure which surprised Sapphire the most; the fact she'd been caught, or what she had been caught by.
"W-What? Impossible!" Sapphire released the sword, tearing her arm free with a `plop` and a hiss. She waved her hand in the air, wincing at the red-raw skin, as if she'd been bitten a thousand times by tiny teeth.
Yang grinned. "Nice job, Yin."
"You… You are Grimm…?"
"Not quite."
Sapphire's eyes narrowed. Her skin around her shoulders rippled and two thin tentacles spread slowly out, not threatening them, but more like antennae, tasting the air as they waved back and forth. Sapphire's mouth moved, as if she were talking to someone quietly. Emerald didn't dare move, nor press the attack. Any time bought at this point was a win from their point of view.
She was already feeling left out of this fight, and the fact the Grimm weren't attacking, but rather watching intently, hardly helped.
After a minute or so, the tentacles slowly retracted.
"I see. I didn't notice it at first. Perhaps I was too angry to sense it. You and I… we are connected." Sapphire sniffed the air. Her face, already pale, seemed to become a little… green, almost. "I suppose that makes you my sister."
"You don't sound thrilled about that," Yang said, practically offended.
"Forgive me. I just imagined my little brother doing that. It is not a mental image I needed. Well, mother will be pleased. And upset, should I let anything happen to you, let alone harm you myself." Sapphire stepped back, motioning silently with her head. The Grimm followed, if only for a moment. "I still need to pass, however. I have… business with one of your companions."
"Which?"
"The pervert."
"Blake?"
"I believe his name was Qrow."
"Oh right," Yang shifted a little but not, Emerald noticed, in a way that suggested she was going to let Sapphire through. "Is this about him banging your sister? Look, I get it. I'd be angry if I heard about someone doing that to Ruby, but a big sis has to be cool. You can't just fly off the handle because…" Yang trailed off, suddenly noticing the horrified, disgusted, shocked and murderous medley of expressions on Sapphire's face. "This isn't about Qrow banging your sister, is it? You didn't even know about Qrow banging your sister, did you?" Yang sighed. "I've just signed my uncle's death warrant, haven't I…?"
"I SHALL FLAY THE SKIN FROM THAT FIEND'S BONES!"
"Yep," Yang drawled unhappily. "Go me…"
"Step aside, sister," Sapphire snarled. "I have business with this man."
"Look, you can't kill my uncle."
"I believe that I can. Just… give me ten minutes with him. I shall prove that I can."
"Okay, no, you can kill my uncle. Probably. But I'm not going to let you." Yang gave a suffering sigh. "Sure, he's a drunk and a bit of an idiot at times, but he's still my uncle. That means something, you know?"
"Believe me, sister, I know what it means to have stupid uncles. But this changes nothing." Sapphire motioned for her Grimm. "Distract her. Do not harm her. Die to her but keep her busy. Pin her down if you must." Sapphire's eyes met Emerald's, and Emerald froze. "Do the same to the other, too. She may be a part of his harem and I dare not take the risk."
"Huh?" Yang said. "Emerald isn't-"
"I am!" Emerald interrupted. "I totally, absolutely, am."
"Oh right. Yeah sure, she is." Yang rolled her eyes and suddenly lunged forward. "But I'm still not letting you get away!"
Emerald barely had the time to sigh before the Grimm all jumped her.
"I hate my life…"
/-/
Qrow staggered back, battered, bruised and not at all as on top of this fight as he'd have liked to be. Oh, and this was definitely confirmation Raven had the maiden's powers because, you know, holy shit that was a lot of fireballs. It was also a stark reminder of how far above a human a maiden was. Amber had been an amateur, as had the previous Spring Maiden, and in some way Qrow wondered if he'd allowed that to trap him into thinking they weren't all that big a threat. Big mistake. Raven took this power and made it look good. Too good.
I'm not going to be able to win if this keeps up, he thought. Oh, who am I kidding? I'm going to be dead in under five minutes if this continues.
Killed by his bitch of a sister for boning his own niece. Not exactly the way he'd wanted to go. Maybe Ruby and the others would take pity on him and simply write "It was complicated" on his tomb stone. If Raven left anything for them to bury. Might be easier to scatter his ashes at this point. He had a feeling he was about to come pre-cremated.
An explosion from the main school building caught his attention, though only for a second. Raven rushed him once more and it was all he could do to parry her attacks. The physical ones, that was. He had no defence against the intense heat that burned around her, scorching his clothing and digging away at his aura.
"You've allowed your skills to falter, Qrow. This is the end."
"Don't give me that crap," he growled back. "My skills are fine. You killed a scared little girl to get a bullshit power-up. Don't act like hard work has anything to do with this."
"At least I didn't sexually assault my own niece!"
Ouch. Okay, good come back.
Raven launched a blistering assault, rattling his bones as she forced him to block every strike. Sweat poured down his brow and into his eyes and to blink at any moment would mean death, so he fought through the pain instead. Or tried to. After a good eight seconds and as many strikes, he faltered, blinking the sweat away.
Raven's next attack slipped through, striking him in the shoulder. His aura flexed and cracked, and he was knocked back. "Argh!" He landed hard, rolled up onto one knee and clutched his shoulder. His eyes widened as he saw a wall of fire rush in toward him. "Shit!"
Someone – something – appeared in front of him, taking the brunt of the blast and saving his life.
As the embers rushed by, dissipating on the wind, Qrow looked up to see a pale figure stood before him, her back to his – and he could only tell it was a woman because of her long, blonde braid. She appeared unharmed, which was incredible given the force of the attack. Reinforcements at last? Qrow breathed a sigh of relief, though he choked on it a second later when she glanced back over one shoulder, revealing green eyes framed with black glasses, and winked salaciously.
"Oh, fuck my life…"
"Perhaps later," Coral said. She turned forward again, smiling cutely. "I'm sorry to get in the way but I still need him. Or certain parts of him, anyway. Mouth, tongue, fingers and… well, I'm sure you get the point."
Raven frowned, stepped back and whipped her sword to the side. "You dare to interfere?"
With a groan, Qrow staggered to his feet. "Okay, this isn't the family reunion I was looking for. Gods. Raven, please listen to me. I didn't know who she was when we slept with one another. It's not like you and I kept in touch and you were always one for secrets. How was I supposed to know? You're angry. I get it. But this? This isn't the way to handle it."
Coral sighed and looked toward Raven. "I've no idea what he's talking about. You?"
"None," Raven snarled. "Speak sense, Qrow. Who is this woman?"
"W-What?"
"Who," Raven repeated slowly, pointing her sword at Coral, her own daughter. "Is. This?"
"Fuck, Ray, I know you're not exactly mom of the year material, but you'd think you could at least recognise someone you gave birth to. She's your daughter!"
Coral blinked, "I am?"
"No, you are not," Raven snorted. "Qrow, you buffoon. I have one daughter and you know about her. A little too intimately for my liking, it seems. I have never met this person in my life, and she certainly didn't stem from me."
Qrow's mouth fell open. But – what? Wait, wait, wait, did that mean? So, he hadn't-? His mind died, rebooted and then died again. He managed a sound that might have been a mix between a grunt and a keening wail, but came out more as a "blurghh?"
"An interesting way with words," Coral said. "Well, you're lucky I don't like you for your communication skills."
"Wait," Qrow spluttered. "You're telling me you're not Raven's daughter?"
"No. I believe I am not."
"So, I didn't sleep with my own niece?"
"I don't know," Coral said. "It's not like I keep a watch over you. Did you?"
"No!" he cried. His eyes widened as he turned to Raven, suddenly realising what she'd thought. "Wait, you thought I slept with Yang? What the fuck!?"
"What was I supposed to think?" Raven roared back. "You said you pulled out of my daughter. And the thing about blondes!" Raven's sword pointed toward Coral, who caught the tip between finger and thumb, oddly uncaring of the threat to her life. "Did you or did you not sleep with Yang?"
"NO!"
"GOOD!"
"FINE!"
"ALRIGHT THEN."
"Ah, it's so nice to see siblings getting along," Coral said. "I tend to argue with mine a lot, but I always know there is love beneath it all. Still, now that this little misunderstanding is dealt with, how about we rectify our earlier mistake? The pulling out part."
Qrow stared at her. "W-We're kind of in the middle of a battlefield…"
"Don't worry." Coral smiled. "I'm open-minded."
"Enough of this," Raven snapped. "I still need to deal with Yang and remove the taint from her."
Qrow's mood darkened immediately. "Wait, is that why you're here?" He'd thought it to kill him, but now that the truth was out – and he still needed to question Jaune on that – he realised it couldn't be. But Yang? She had to be talking about the Grimm parasite. "You realise we can't get that out, Raven. Not without killing her."
"It is a risk I'm willing to take."
Huh. Fight not averted, then. Qrow raised his weapon once more. "Yeah? Well, it's not a risk I'm willing to."
"Nor I," Coral crooned, stepping closer to Raven, running her fingers down the maiden's sword, uncaring for the danger. "You see, although Qrow was a little incorrect about the family connection, he wasn't so far off. He and I are related, though fortunately there are no laws against it." She huffed. "Not that I would care if they were. What do I need of human laws? Still, the girl you refer to is... somewhat a part of our family now, and thus out of your reach."
Human laws…? What did that mean? And was she talking about Yang here...?
Raven growled and tugged her sword back. Or tried to. Her eyes widened when it didn't move, and Qrow's did, too. Was Coral holding onto it with just her finger and thumb? Impossible. The kind of strength required for that would be inhuman.
"Who are you…?" Raven demanded.
"I? I am Coral. Coral Arc." She let go of Raven's sword and bowed. "Or I suppose my full name would be Coral Salem Arc." Qrow's mouth ran dry. "It is a pleasure to meet you, future sister-in-law. Of course, if you should seek to harm my intended, it will be future-deceased-sister-in-law, but those are just details."
Coral… Salem… Arc…?
It could be a coincidence, right? Salem wasn't a totally unrealistic name for a normal person to have. Right? Right!?
Three tentacles gently crept from under Coral's skirt.
Qrow whimpered.
It was almost a relief when the ground beside them exploded – a number of figures appearing. Some he recognised, some he didn't. The psycho from the woods a few days back – the scorpion faunus – along with the Grimm-girl he'd groped (whom he now realised was Coral's sister). There was also Leonardo Lionheart, headmaster of Haven, who for some reason was pointing his weapon at Qrow. And to top it off, Cinder Fall, current Fall-Maiden (in part, anyway) and the one who killed Ozpin.
"Well shit," Qrow said, feeling a little cowed. "This got awkward fast."
"I'll kill you for touching not one, but two of my nieces," Tyrian growled.
"I'm sorry, Qrow," Lionheart said. "We all have to look after number one."
"You'll not get away with what you did to me," Sapphire growled, bruised and covered in soot already.
"None of you can kill him until I've had my honeymoon," Coral snapped.
With a heavy heart, Qrow turned to the last woman, Cinder Fall, who shrugged and said, "I don't actually care about you at all. I'm here to kill her." She nodded toward Raven.
Qrow knew it was a sign of how bad his day was when he felt the urge to thank her for that. The others all readied their weapons, no one quite sure of who or what they'd be fighting, but all convinced it would somehow be his fault.
"Huh. My Semblance really has it out for me…"
/-/
Weiss panted for breath as another White Fang madman came hurtling at her, screaming something about Adams or some other nonsense. She made to cut him down by Jaune beat her to it, batting the faunus aside with his shield. She shot him a grateful nod, already feeling her energy begin to flag. The battle had been raging for what felt like half an hour now but which, in the swirl of melee, was probably less.
"Are you okay?" Jaune asked. "You can take a break if you need it. Wait in the middle of the soldiers."
No. She hadn't come all this way to sit this out. "I'm fine. Perhaps a little out of shape after all this time locked indoors. I may have put on weight."
"You look fine to me, Weiss."
Weiss slapped his arm and glared at him. "I am not joining your harem. Do not even try it."
He caught the joke, for once in his life, and laughed good-naturedly. He'd come a long way, she supposed. They all had. And not just geographically. The horde of White Fang had begun to diminish, though not quite fast enough that there hadn't been casualties on their own end. Some of the soldiers were down, some wounded, others critical. They'd been dragged back into the centre of an ever-decreasing ring of bodies.
"Where are our reinforcements, damn it!?"
"There!" a soldier cried. "Bullheads in the air!"
Weiss gasped her relief. "Finally." She watched as they came near, hovered, and then disgorged their contents.
"More White Fang," the same soldier groaned.
"Stand firm, men," Winter shouted. "We did not come this far to fall to petty terrorists, no matter their number. We shall survive. We shall win this day."
Pretty speech aside, Weiss wasn't sure anyone believed her. It was to the soldiers' credits that they pretended to, however, rallying and fighting with further intensity. Weiss forced herself to move too, sliding back into combat and casting a wave of ice toward her enemies. Her dust was running out however, unlike the horde of faunus.
"Here they come!" Jaune yelled, indicating the new White Fang faction charging in.
Weiss readied herself, stood her ground – and then gaped as the White Fang parted around her, and around the clearly-marked SDC soldiers, to crash into the other members of the White Fang, attacking them in a reckless frenzy and for the first time in the battle, alleviating the pressure on them somewhat.
Winter looked confused. Jaune made a confused sound. Weiss threw her hands in the air.
"That's it. I give up! I don't even know what's going on anymore."
When the Grimm crested the forest and attacked everyone it was almost a relief. That, at least, made sense.
Poor Weiss. Probably wondering why she didn't just stay in Atlas where things made sense. And so, the secret of Jaune is revealed to Qrow, and naturally to Ozpin once this fight is over. The cogs may not have turned yet, because Qrow's dealing with his own relief turned terror at realising he totally wasn't banging his sister's kid. He was banging the Queen of the Grimm's kid. So much better!
But turn those cogs shall, providing he survives the coming Qrowpocalypse.
Also, poor Blake. Both for the Adam and for Yang's little comment.
"The pervert."
"Blake?"
Next Chapter: 6th September
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