Disclaimer: Definitely not mine.
Road to the End
By: athrunzala
11: Yang 1.5
The days passed. They turned to weeks. The weeks to months. All the while, Yang was getting stronger and more confident. She had stopped wearing her pajamas every day, on the condition that Blake helped her get dressed in her usual attire. Both Taiyang and Qrow were alright with this, as the Faunus' presence seemed to help with the blonde woman's spirits.
She was still learning to adapt her fighting to use her legs more, which was throwing her off, given the missing appendage, but Blake wasn't about to give up on her. After about two months of this, Qrow made the judgement call.
"We leave in the morning."
"So soon, Qrow?"
"Tai, we need to get into Atlas before any snowstorms. Even by airship, this is not going to be a fast trip."
"Professor Branwen...," Blake started before being corrected.
"We're equals as far as I care. You can call me Qrow. Or Uncle Qrow. Your choice."
His quick amendment was in response to the Faunus' shocked expression.
"Fine. Qrow, we aren't anywhere near ready!"
"Tough luck, missy. They're here to collect us."
He pointed off down the path, towards a pair of very familiar silhouettes. As they drew closer, colors came into focus, followed by identities.
"Oh! Hey! You're up again! Good. Want me to break some legs for you?"
"Nora," Ren said, stopping the violence from escalating, "she'll be breaking legs again in no time."
"Awww... But shrph mrphgrph!"
Ren shot a glare in his girlfriend's direction as he covered her mouth with his hands, before pulling them away.
"Nora!"
The orange haired woman stood there, rocking back and forth, a huge smile on her face.
"Yes, Ren?"
"You LICKED me."
"So? You put your hands there!"
Yang had to interrupt, as she couldn't stand it any more.
"So... Are you two... together yet?"
"TOGETHER TOGETHER!"
Ren sighed slightly, finishing wiping his hands off. "Yeah. We started a few days after arriving in Atlas. Back on track, though. How are you, Yang?"
"Doing better, now that my partner is back."
Blake smiled slightly at hearing the words partner. She had longed to hear those words again, and, if she was honest with herself, was mentally thrilled to hear them pass Yang's lips.
"And mine will be back at 100% soon enough."
"Hey! I AM at 100%."
"Fine, then, kiddo. You'll be at 110% once we reach Atlas. Now, we need to get moving before night falls. Don't want to lose the good weather."
"He's right. There was talk of it being a long, cold winter in Atlas where we're staying."
Yang looked at the martial artist like he was acting strange, and got even more confused when Nora spoke up.
"Yup! You'll love it, Yang!"
The blonde woman turned to her uncle, who merely moved his head from side to side.
"But I wanna know!"
"You'll see when we get there, kiddo," the scythe user slurred slightly.
"Are you... drunk?"
"First thing's first: Yes. Second thing: I'm always drunk. That's my..."
"Qrow, it is no big secret," Taiyang interrupted, earning a glare from the alcoholic. He then turned to his daughter. "Can I at least get a hug before you go?"
"Sure, dad. I'll miss you."
"I'll miss you, too, Yang."
The blonde man then pulled Blake over and into a hug, shocking the ninja.
"What...?"
"Thank you. You got her to snap out of whatever funk she was in. It means the world to me. Feel free to come by if you need a place to stay. We have the room."
He then released the Faunus from the embrace and smiled, a gesture she willingly returned. She then turned and walked over by Yang.
"Ready to go?"
"You bet, Blake. Let's do this!" Yang punched the air above her with her good hand, momentarily starting to lose her balance, before catching herself. She looked around at the worried faces before smiling and questioning. "What? I didn't fall this time!"
"This..."
"...time?"
Ren and Nora completing each others' sentences was cute before, but now it was even worse, and both taller women had to fight back the urge to say something about it, with Blake recovering faster and telling them about the training as the quartet walked off to the airship.
"You gonna be okay here by yourself, Tai?"
"Qrow. Come on. Its me."
"Last time, you let the place get messier than my drinking habit."
"That was one time, Qrow. One time. Still..."
"I know. I'll keep an eye on her. Make sure she calls when we safely reach Atlas."
"Thanks."
"No prob. Besides, if there was one thing my sister did that I can agree with, it was leaving Yang with you. She is the best thing Raven even made."
"Hey! I had a part in that, too."
"I know. And I try not to think about it. Gotta go. Need to catch up with them before they get too far ahead. You take care of yourself as well."
Taiyang nodded at his former team mate, who then turned and jogged off towards where he knew that Ren and Nora had to have landed, before jumping up and taking on his bird appearance.
"No matter how many times I see that, I will never get used to it."
At the airship, Nora was getting impatient.
"Where is that old man?"
"Nora," Ren chided, "he'll be here. He always..."
"Sorry for the delay. You four ready?"
Qrow's sudden appearance slightly startled the four teens.
"How do you always do that!?"
"I'll tell you when you're older, kiddo. Now, let's get back to Atlas."
As they flew, Yang noticed that the seats were incredibly comfortable for a commercial airship, and started to question what was going on, until Qrow stood up and headed to the back, where she saw it. It had been staring her in the face the whole time, and she hadn't thought to put two and two together. There, on the back bulkhead of the fully furnished interior, was the Schnee family crest, laid with silver into the dark stained wood.
"Uncle Qrow?"
"Hmm?"
"How did you get this, exactly?"
"You'll see."
Yang returned to her seat and just kinda lazily looked out of the window, watching the clouds pass, before the airship descended, the pilot not wanting to be up so high when traveling past Vale. They would rise into the air again as they left the airspace, as to not attract too much attention, and as their flight itinerary had been approved by Ironwood only after they had agreed to the altitude maneuver.
Within a few hours they were over Atlas, and the craft veered right, away from the academy, heading towards the Schnee Estate, but Yang didn't notice, and neither did Blake, the pair having both fallen asleep just outside of Vale.
"Should we wake them up?"
Qrow turned to Nora and responded to the unusually calm question from her.
"Let 'em sleep. We are technically smuggling Blake into here."
"Good point."
Once the airship had touched down, Qrow woke both sleeping teens up, only for Blake to drop to the floor as the figure of Valkoinen Schnee strutted across to meet them.
She turned towards Qrow and hissed. "Why didn't you say you were hiding HERE!?"
"He isn't all that bad, actually. Just stay calm, I'll handle this."
"Mr. Schnee, we have returned, with the airship in prime condition."
"That you have, Qrow. That you have. Now, where are my daughter's other team members?"
"On board still. Give them a moment."
"Very well."
It was then that Yang stepped off and onto the landing pad, followed closely by Blake, who was immediately called out by the businessman.
"Blake Belladonna, correct?"
"Ye... Yessir?" the Faunus said, shrinking back slightly behind Yang.
"I understand that you are a Faunus."
She shrank more at hearing this.
"However, based on what my daughters tell me, you are quite capable as a Huntress, and have done your part to help against the White Fang, despite your history. Please, come inside, Weiss is waiting for you."
A rather confused Blake stepped out somewhat sheepishly from her hiding spot.
"If it is alright with you, sir, I wish to head in with... with my partner."
"And she is very polite, just like that young man over there! Not sure how he survives that whirlwind, though," he shuddered, motioning in the direction of Ren and Nora.
"They have known each other for a long time."
"Please, then, excuse me. I have business to attend to," Valkoinen stated abruptly as Ironwood's form was seen in the distance.
He then turned and headed off to where the general stood, leaving Blake slightly stunned, Yang more than a little confused, and Qrow scratching his head.
"How did..."
"...he know..."
"...that I'm a Faunus?"
The trio's shocked responses were cut short when a familiar flash of red zipped across the courtyard towards them, followed by Weiss, who was looking more happy than they had seen her in a while.
"Blake! Yang! Hi."
Ruby's mannerisms put both women at ease, and their fears were eased even further when the Heiress walked over to Blake and confessed everything.
"He had to know before he found out. Leaving out details is a HUGE way to make him mad. Sorry."
"It's no problem. I understand why you did it, I just wish you had tried to ask me, first."
"I... I couldn't. You weren't exactly answering your scroll."
Blake nodded sheepishly and made her own admission. "It broke shortly before Qrow got to Vale again."
"So, right after I called you about that bar?"
"Yeah. Sorry."
Weiss then turned her attention to Yang.
"Let's get you inside. It's going to be a long day for you. Hope you're up for it," she said, noticing the blonde's slightly weaker grip. "Are you sure you're alright?"
"Look, there isn't much I can't handle. I'm back to as good as I'm gonna be right now. Let's get this all over with."
Weiss and Ruby looked at Blake.
"She's not lying. We can't work on that second part until we do what needs to be done."
The four girls headed inside, while Ren and Nora went off to spend some more time in the garden, leaving Qrow on the landing pad alone, where he cautiously walked over to a bench and sat down, leaning back, only to feel his head hit something soft.
"Didn't want to follow your father out?"
"Couldn't. Was helping set things up in the surgery."
"Right. Gotcha. They hurt her more, they will get a world of pain as a gift, you know that, right?"
"Qrow Branwen. Do you dare to mock our physicians and surgeons?"
"Oh no," he chuckled, "I would never mock anything from the Schnees. That would be hazardous to my health."
He then changed his tone as he looked back at her.
"Missed you, you know that?"
"Oh really? You missed me? It's only been.. what? A couple weeks?"
"I left in July. It's November."
"Oh. Wow. Ruby has been keeping me busy. Just as quickly as I can fix the training robots, she and Weiss adapt and take them out. Is there no end to your family's strength?"
Qrow merely shrugged and leaned in to rest his head on the specialist's shoulder.
"Not that I know of. I just worry about them, you know? Just kids, and they are already dealing with this."
Winter's tone softened as she stood, causing the drunk to lean forward. "They made their decision. I wouldn't worry about it. Ruby has this under control. She made something that the finest engineers in Atlas would be jealous of. Both your nieces are incredibly talented. And you," she said, offering a hand, "need to come with me. You look exhausted."