One last Patch before the War

by SirDarkvid

Remnant is a dangerous place, the consequences of the great war still plaguing the world. In the young kingdom of Patch, four children will grow up on the peaceful island; unaware of the role they would play in protecting it. And as the Grimm evolve in ways not seen since times long past, Team RWBY will have to attempt to find a way to forge their own legacy.

1. Prologue: One Last Night Before the Dawn

Update 14/04/2023: If you received a notification, it is here. To give ourselves a little break from Atlas, we decided to redo the prologue to our current standards.

CHECK IT OUT, PROLOGUE 3.0! More angst, better character development, presentation and 100% more fluff.

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Legends.

Stories scattered through history.

Mankind has grown quite fond of recalling the exploits of heroes and villains, forgetting the truth so easily.

Remnants, byproducts left by time.

But isn't it just human nature to change the stories of the past? To remember fondly the lessons passed through his children?

Or does man rather forget his failures, moving blindly through the ages?

Maybe man does not want to look back and see the heroes that fell too soon, the loved ones he lost.

But is it not his responsibility to protect the light of hope? To stand tall against the darkness so that those that come after may live in peace?

Maybe man has forgotten what it means to be a hero.

His children chose blood and death over what made them special once.

When all they ever needed to prosper was nothing more than a simple soul to lead the way.

And maybe, when the final days are upon them, man can stand against the darkness... and the light.

Together

---

Kingdom of Patch - Patch City

2 Years ago

~DING-A-LING~

"The bar hasn't opened yet- Oh come on Raven. This is a bar, not a nursery!" Junior yelled as he hurried to put his magazine behind the bar counter, its contents wholly inappropriate for the child running towards him.

Ignoring Junior's half-hearted protest, Raven went up to her usual spot, setting herself down. The little blond girl beside her struggled to move the adjacent stool, trying to imitate her mother. With a grunt she finally got it into position, climbing it up quickly, grinning proudly at her accomplishment. "Very mature of you, ladies. You are lucky that your presence scared off the mob."

"Isn't that a problem, Junior? As far as I know, the mob makes up most of your clientele." Raven teased while sitting her other daughter on the bar. Little Ruby didn't acknowledge Junior, happily munching on the ear of her Beowolf plushy. "What do we want, Yang?"

"Burger!" Yang yelled, hitting the counter with both hands, just like her mother told her before arriving at the club. Her little sister looked up, hitting the counter with her plushy, a happy squeak leaving her. "Pwetty please, Uncle Junior?"

"At least you learned to say please since last time blondie." Resigning himself to playing cook for the little pipsqueak and her mother again, Junior poured both a glass of water before heading into the kitchen. "Normally you don't bring your little monsters here until dinner. Any reason for showing up this early?"

"We come from the head doctor, Ruby is broken!" Yang yelled, happily playing with the little girl she just insulted.

"Don't say your sister is broken, Yang. Ruby is perfectly fine the way she is, understood?" Raven scolded Yang, flicking her firstborn's forehead after making sure she had a good grip on her sister. Shaking her head at her little monster, she vaulted over the bar, familiar motions preparing porridge for Ruby while Junior was in the back. "We came from the child psychologist Glynda recommended to us. And while I hate to admit it… you two were right."

"I will spare you the 'I told you so' this time," Junior yelled back, his smug tone audible over the sound of frying meat. "I knew there was something different about Ruby, one of my little brothers was like her. Of course, our parents refused to take him to a psychologist for years. So what did the doctor say?"

Raven rubbed her head, feeling a headache starting. She had spent the entire morning worrying about her daughter while listening to a psychologist bombard her with an endless string of medical terms, each one making her grip Ruby tighter to her chest. She was exhausted. Taking out her Scroll, she looked for the medical reports she was given."Dr. Morrigan Gray says it's too early for us to be one hundred percent sure, but we need to be prepared. Ruby is showing difficulty understanding expressions and associating them with emotions. That, along with her anxiety attacks when something disrupts her routine, may be symptoms of… ASD? Autism Spectrum... disorder? Yes, that's right. She said that we most likely look at a level 2-Level? Am I reading this right? Urgh, why is this so complicated?"

Junior came out, two hot plates in his hands. He put one down in front of Yang, the little girl giving him a big smile, showing off a little hole where a tooth had fallen out. "Thanks, Uncle Junior!"

Junior leaned over the bar, patting her head gently. It was unusually warm, even for a summer day. Someone had been experimenting with their new semblance again. "You're welcome, Blondie. But I need you to promise me something." She looked up at him, big lilac eyes full of innocence. When had he become such a sap that this sight made him protective? "There are a lot of bad people in the world, even here on Patch. People that will look down on Ruby for being a Faunus, or for being… different." Raven walked behind Yang, sitting down next to Ruby with a small steaming bowl in her hand. She sent him a grateful look as she set her daughter on her lap. "She's going to need you to be there for her, can you do that?"

The little girl punched her fist into her hand, making Junior chuckle. "Of course! I'm going to be the best big sister in the world and beat up everyone that makes my little sister cry!"

"Yang!" Raven looked up, sending a stern look at her eldest. Ruby, startled by the sudden noise, spit her food out right into Junior's face. The former criminal stood there for a moment before simply turning around to wipe his face. These girls would be the death of him.

"Oh right!" Yang nodded to herself. "Make sure no one can tell you punched them!"

"That's my girl," Raven said, a proud smile on her face. One hand was scratching Ruby's wolf ears, calming the toddler before she tried feeding her again. Junior meanwhile had found a towel, rubbing his face clean as he watched the small family. To think that Raven would become a mother of all things? The thought made him laugh.

"Something funny, Junior?" Raven growled, attention split between Junior and Ruby, who had discovered the wonders of spitting food, her newest target being no other than her mother.

"You have to admit Raven, this is kinda funny. Could you imagine someone saying that the legendary 'Raven Branwen, Patch's Spiteful Wing' would spend her days feeding two little brats? All while wearing a tracksuit covered in baby food? You really have become domestic in the last few years."

"First off, you try to have two children as young as these monsters-" Raven pointed at Yang, covered in ketchup, reaching for a fry that had fallen on the other side of the bar. "And this one." Raven pointed at Ruby, covered in the mush she had managed to spit out. "Honestly, if I had known it was going to be so difficult to deal with two girls I would have asked Summer to wait a couple more years before having Ruby-"

"Are we hard to handle, mama?" Yang asked innocently, her pigtails swaying dangerously over her ketchup-covered plate. "We are hard, Ruby! Fistbump!" Yang offered her fist to Ruby. The little Faunus giggled, grabbing her sister's fist with her hand. "No Ruby, don't grab it. You gotta bump it with your fist like I taught you."

"Simply amazing. Instead of teaching her useful things, you taught her to bump your fist?" Raven groaned, readjusting Ruby to keep the little girl from falling over. Leaving her two daughters to their little lesson, she took some fries. "See what I have to put up with? Urgh, are you sure you don't want to try Tai's recipes? These fries are awful."

"I told you, I will not let that man in any of my kitchens again. Not after the crab incident."

The memory of so many crabs fleeing through the streets still lingered in Raven's mind, making her shudder. "Okay, I'll give you that. Still, there's nothing great about me anymore. Ever since I saved Maria's life my aura has been practically non-existent. I don't know what kind of poison that bastard-" She stopped herself, looking down at her daughters. "-this damn Rufus used, but it was devastating. My life as a huntress is over."

Junior vanished from sight, rummaging through the cupboards. Coming back up, he started cleaning the mess Yang and Ruby left behind. "I know being here while the rest of your team is out there can't be easy. But you can't forget what you did. Summer lost her family once already, losing Maria would have been devastating. You're a hero Raven, Summer's hero-"

"I'm a failure!" Raven slammed her fist on the counter in frustration. "I sit at home all day, safe and sound, while my husband, wife, and brother are out there without me. I can't even use my aura, my soul, to protect my family anymore! Every day I wonder if this will be the day they would have needed me to-" A loud wail interrupted her. Wide-eyed, Raven looked down to see Ruby half off her leg in her sister's arms, the older girl hugging her sister tightly as she tried to keep from crying herself.

"Oh no."

She scooped them up, rocking the two gently in her arms as she whispered soothingly. "Hush now, you two. Everything is fine. Shh," She stood up, taking small steps around the empty bar as the fearful cries of her children slowly stopped. With a sigh, Raven sat down again, still holding the two close. "I'm sorry Junior, it's been … difficult. I know I did the right thing. Hell, Summer still thanks me for saving her mother almost daily. Even Qrow told me I did good, and you know my brother, getting a compliment out of him is like giving a Goliath a tusk cleaning."

Junior continued cleaning the counter, having expected Raven to lose her temper at some point. He had known the woman long enough to know that this whole situation was starting to get to her. And while he would never admit it, he had become rather fond of Team STRQ and their little family, despite how often they had destroyed his previously owned establishments. Maybe he should talk to them, let them know what Raven was dealing with.

But first, he would try to cheer the two little ones up, they still looked a little shaken. And he would do it by embarrassing Raven.

"Now listen here, kids. Your mother is many things. A weak drinker, a horrible poker player, and the worst cook I have ever seen." The two girls nodded enthusiastically, Ruby just copying her sister rather than understanding what was going on.

"You got a point there Junior?" Raven was not as amused as her daughters.

"But she is, above all else, a good person. No matter how much she tries to pretend otherwise. Nothing can stop her when she sets her mind to it." Looking behind Raven as the front door opened, he continued. "Except her knights in shining armor that just arrived-" Summer and Tai walked in, both sweating and out of breath from running halfway across Patch during summer.

"And that ends my little speech. Someday I'm gonna expect money for all this free advice. Or at least for the food you keep munching off me." Junior grunted while going back to the kitchen to get the other hamburgers he had prepared in advance. If one STRQ member shows up, you can expect the rest to be close behind.

Something all of Patch knew at this point.

"Rae! Sorry we're late!" Summer ran across the bar, easily catching the blond missile that launched itself from Raven's arms without even slowing down. "Yang, have you been a good girl at the doctor's office?"

"Yes Mommy, I behaved! You promised me ice cream if I was a good girl, I want my ice cream. And Ruby wants one too."

"Okay okay! We'll go for some ice cream later-"

"Blake too."

"Yes yes, I'm going to call Kali, so be nice and go play with Mommy's Scroll, okay?" Giving her Scroll to Yang and taking her back to the VIP area, Summer returned moments later. "Tai, your scroll, I need to send a message."

"So how did it go, Rae?" Tai sat down at the bar, hugging Raven to him. His face showed clear concern as he looked at Ruby. Said girl was wagging her tail, trying to reach her papa.

Raven shrugged, handing Ruby to Tai so she could continue eating her burger. The little girl was making happy little noises in her father's arms, her wolf tail flapping back and forth. "I have the report on my Scroll. It's full of medical jargon I can't make sense of but basically, it's saying that Glynda was right." Raven explained, rummaging through Ruby's trolley backpack until she took out a keychain with notes hanging on it.

"Say hello to our new best friend. Dr. Grey gave me six of these, one for each of us." Curious, Tai began to study the cards. Drawn on each was the face of a wolf Faunus, along with the emotion their face showed written underneath. "According to her, the best thing we can do right now is to teach Ruby what emotion belongs to what expression. For that, she gave me this… teaching tool… to help her understand that a smile means happiness for example."

Looking at the drawing for happiness, Tai positioned it so that Ruby could hold it by herself. "I see that it's a Faunus edition. Though it's funny, it looks like all these Faunus have the same wolf ears as Ruby. The right one is even dropping like hers-"

"I did that," Raven said quickly, sounding somewhat bashful. "I thought that if the faces looked like her, Ruby would be able to understand the expression-emotion association more easily ... It's a shame I don't have markers to paint the eyes and hair."

Hugging her wife from behind, Summer planted a kiss on her cheek. "You are the best, you know that?"

"Summer! Not in front of Junior!" Raven groaned, a light blush coloring her cheeks.

Junior returned with the food for the two huntsmen, an annoyed look on his face. "Oh please Raven, don't pretend you haven't done way worse. Remember that time I walked in on all three of you in that bathroom-"

"Junior!" The three parents shouted, Tai trying to cover both sets of Ruby's ears unsuccessfully. "There is a baby here!"

"Precisely because Ruby is a baby can we still talk about this. She's too young to remember any of it anyway. She just sits there, wagging her adorable little ears... have you gone to a specialist to see why she can't move the right one? You should have this checked out early so you know what options you have. Maybe some specialist from Atlas? Well, maybe not from there. Mistral could work. I'm sure Ghira knows someone."

Tai shook his head, sitting Ruby on his knees so that the little Faunus could rest her arms on the bar. "It isn't something you can fix. Ashley told us that this is an unfortunate side effect of the Halo method. The muscles in Ruby's right ear simply did not develop, so unless we replace parts of it with a prosthetic, it's gonna stay that way. But that's not something we can do before she's fully grown."

"Well she is otherwise healthy, so I guess this isn't that big of a deal." Rubbing his chin, Junior sighed, worrying that this would just add to the problems he feared the little girl would have. "You were lucky Torchwick knew people from Merlot Industries and got the contact info for one of their best in the field of genetic research. What was her last name again… Zarkei?"

"Zarkei was the Salem agent that burned down your first club." Summer corrected him while trying to steal some of the fries off of Raven's plate. Her wife blocked her attempts without looking, eating her burger seemingly undisturbed by Summer's antics. "Her name's Ashley Zhenmei. I still can't believe she made it possible to have Ruby, even offered her own- come on Raven, you don't even like Junior's fries!" Summer shouted, getting fed up with her inability to get past her wife's perfect plate defense.

"I don't, they are disgusting. But that doesn't mean I'm gonna share them with you." Summer sat back down, pounting.

"Anyway, thanks to her, Rae could carry our little Ruby for me, isn't that right pup?" Looking at the little Faunus, Summer smiled, remembering the month before her conception. It was hard on all of them when they learned that Summer couldn't get pregnant. Tai and Raven did their best to cheer her up, offering alternatives like adoption. At one point the two even offered to find someone else with silver eyes as a donor, anything to make her smile again.

But it wasn't the same.

Meeting Ashely had been like a miracle. The Faunus doctor had been ecstatic when they met for the first time, practically glowing as she explained the process to them. She had seemed almost in awe of Summer, telling her about her child and what wonders it would bring to the world. And Summer had been happy, knowing that the power of her silver eyes would be continued.

It gave her a sense of peace, knowing that this special part of her family would live on, that the tragedy that day had not been the end.

"Right. I remember meeting her just after Ruby was born, she was glued to Summer all night. Such a weird girl. That reminds me, she still owns me a wine bottle, just because she has a wolf nose as a trait does not give her permission to sniff out other people's alcohol."

"She wasn't that bad." Summer muttered, remembering that night. She had been too euphoric watching her new daughter to notice, but Ashely had been strangely clingy. Something her family had teased her about for weeks.

"Of course, she wasn't. Just like she wasn't crawling through my cupboards to find my hidden stash. That stuff was expensive, I'm not running a charity. It's bad enough that I need to feed your two hell spawns."

The four kept chatting and laughing as Yang came back to pick up Ruby and carried her to the VIP couch, where both sisters began viewing one of the older sister's favorite cartoon series on Summer's Scroll. One more day for the Rose-Xiao Long-Brawen family, one more peaceful and quiet day in the Kingdom of Patch.

---

Kingdom of Patch, Patch City

20:30 pm, August 16, 68 post-Great War

~DING-A-LING~

"The bar hasn't opened yet- Oh come on Raven. This is a bar, not a daycare!

Raven stood on the open door, clearly amused at Junior's protest. Backing away slightly to let two little blurs run toward the counter.

Sliding to a stop just in front of one of the stools, Yang put her hands together to give her sister a boost. Ruby jumped mid-run, doing a flip in the air with her sister's help to land perfectly seated. Moments later the adjacent stool collided with Ruby's, Yang already on it.

Glancing at each other for a second to make sure the other was ready, Ruby and Yang hit the counter with both hands. "Burger!" The sisters cried out happily, with the most innocent smile they could muster. "Pwetty please?"

Slapping his forehead, Junior sighed. Leaning over the bar, he gave the two girls his best scowl. "Now listen here you two. This is not your playground and I'm not your personal cook. This is a bar that serves very bad people. Evil people."

"We know!" Ruby said happily, her tail wagging behind her.

"But you make the best burgers, Junior!" Yang nudged her sister, trying to get her to do as they practiced at home. "Can you please please please make us dinner? We are tired from Professor Port's class… and who knows when Mommy and Daddy will come home from their mission… we may starve before they are back..." Yang whispered, pretending to wipe away crocodile tears.

"A tragedy, truly." Junior looked behind Yang. "Except that your mother is standing right there." He pointed towards Raven who kept the amused smile off her face. "I'm pretty sure the great Raven Branwen knows how to cook-"

"Mama burned the kitchen down today!" Ruby interrupted, smiling brightly. Junior stopped for a second, not sure how serious the young faunus was.

Looking at Raven, he saw the woman look away, unwilling to meet his eyes. Yang grabbed her sister's shoulder, shaking her lightly as she muttered. "We weren't supposed to say that, Ruby!"

He wasn't even surprised anymore. "You managed to burn your kitchen down? Really Raven?" He could remember a time when STRQ was the bane of his existence. A thorn in the side of every criminal in and around Vale.

If anyone would have told him that the scariest of the legendary team would regularly show up in his bar because she failed to complete the most basic household tasks he would have laughed the guy out of his club before said huntress would come and beat both of them.

"It's not my fault Tai can't write clear instructions," Raven muttered as she went to sit down next to her children. "And I thought we practiced what to say to Uncle Junior, Ruby." The Faunus looked up at her mother, studying her face carefully.

Getting a little keychain out of her pocket, she flipped through the cards hanging from it. "You're … annoyed?" Sometimes Raven wondered if her youngest did this on purpose.

With a sign, she patted Ruby's head. "First try, good job Pup."

Cheering, she turned around to fist-bump Yang, the older sibling praising her for getting it right. They definitely did this so they wouldn't get in trouble. She wasn't sure if she should be annoyed or proud of them.

Who was she kidding? Watching them laugh and joke with each other she could feel nothing but pride.

Junior watched the whole thing in silence. When had his life taken such a strange turn? He used to live in the underbelly of society. His clubs were filled with drugs, sex, and violence. This very bar was supposed to be like that, a respectable place for the seedier side of Patch. Right next to Sanctuary Tower, the main seat for most of the kingdom's military.

Maybe he had decided to turn over a new leave sooner than he realized.

Thinking back, he never truly wanted to return to his criminal past. He came here with no plan, no connections, and no desire to deal with these kinds of people anymore. He bought this bar because it was close to the only people that had been willing to give him another chance after he had burned any possibility of returning to his old life. And the fact that it was just close enough that they could visit with Yang and Ruby, well.

That was just an unexpected bonus.

"Come on boss, don't keep your best clients waiting!" Melanie Malachite, the club's head of security, hit her boss on the shoulder, causing him to step aside so she could serve the sisters a fruit smoothie. "Don't tell the rest of the clients, dwarfs, but you two don't have to pay. You are on the VIP list." Yang and Ruby nodded happily, holding out their pinky fingers. With a chuckle, Melanie took both to seal the promise.

"Melanie! What did I tell you about sharing company secrets? You are my head of security, dammit!" Junior groaned. Not that he was angry with her, he was just as protective of the two girls as Melanie. They really were his weakness. "You want hamburgers, huh?" The two girls nodded excitedly. "You know the game, only winners get food. Blondie, answer this: How much is seven plus seven?"

The older sister was silent. Putting a finger to her forehead, she said. "It's … fourteen!"

"You got lucky. Your turn Pup!" Ruby raised her head, face serious and ready.

There was no need for a question. The wolf knew what she had to do to get her prize. Studying Junior's face carefully, she said. "You are … happy." Flipping through her cards again, Ruby held up one of them for Junior to see. "There, corners up means happy."

The smile he held for Ruby to guess widened, becoming more genuine. The little wolf had come a long way since the first time he asked that question. Guesswork had turned to actual recognition. And while he didn't want to toot his own horn, the little game he created for the two girls had helped her a lot.

Turning around to get the two their well-earned reward he said. "Good work girls. Two burgers coming right up."

Raven smirked, seeing a chance to tease her old friend. "You've gotten soft in your old age, Junior." She continued with a forlorn smile on her face. "But I guess I'm no better. A few more years and those two are gonna run circles around this old huntress."

"No way! You're way too strong mama!" Ruby and Yang yelled, appalled that their mother could even suggest such a thing.

"Just yesterday you opened a portal for the first time again. It was small, but only a strong person could manage that. Momma and Dad said so too!" Yang explained, nodding proudly. Ruby joined in, praising the now-embarrassed Raven. She turned away to hide the fact she was smiling, touched by the words of her two daughters. They had been her strongest support ever since she started to try to regain the use of her aura.

It had been a few years since Raven had accepted that her time as a huntress was over. Since that fateful day when Rufus' poison entered her system, contaminating her aura and reducing it to a minimum.

She would have stayed that way, just being content to take care of their little family whenever the rest of the team was on missions. But Yang was growing quickly, already smarter than she was at her age. And with Ruby being way ahead of her age group, Raven had less and less to take care of each day. The sisters were already very much capable of looking after themselves.

Mostly.

What little help her daughters still needed consisted mostly of answering endless questions about combat, Grimm, and the job of Huntsmen and Huntresses. There was no doubt that sooner or later, they would follow in their footsteps. And Raven was certain that they would not only reach their level but surpass them.

But that day was still a long way off. First, both of them would need to walk the same long path all of them did before. Part of her dreaded the day they would go on their first mission, wanting nothing more than to keep them safe and in her line of sight forever, even if she knew that she couldn't. But she would not leave them to fend for themselves like she and Qrow had to, no. She would be there every step of the way, making sure they were ready when the time came.

That had been what first gave her the motivation to try to overcome this. If she wanted to protect Yang and Ruby, she would need to be in fighting shape. The doctors had said she would never use her aura again and she had just believed them. But she was part of STRQ, the team that makes the impossible possible every day.

A little poison would not keep her down, not when her daughters needed her.

Confessing her intentions to Tai and Summer had been nerve-wracking. But as always, the two surprised her by handing her a box full of information regarding doctors, specialists, and training programs they had researched and contacted.

She still remembered that day clearly, staring at the two in utter shock. Even though she had come a long way from her time in the clan and their beliefs about love and family, her husband and wife still managed to leave her speechless. The two had simply smiled, each giving her a loving kiss before starting to go through everything with her.

The fact they had to repeat it twice before she was able to form coherent thoughts again was just a coincidence.

The following months were hard but successful. Raven's progress astounded the doctors that were helping in her recovery, moving the timetable of her first aura activation from years to months.

She was determined to not only regain her strength but to return to active duty. And to achieve this, she and her daughters became regulars at the Sanctuary Tower training area. She trained tirelessly with the rest of the Huntsmen and Soldiers of the kingdom's army, while Ruby and Yang attended Peter Port's extracurricular classes for Huntsmen apprentices. Raven had been worried at first, considering how young the two were. But to her surprise, Port took her aside only a few weeks later, commenting on the girl's exceptional performance, even surpassing some of the much older children.

Yang was a natural-born fighter, combining and learning her parents' and uncle's fighting styles by simply watching them, mixing their moves with her boxing talent.

And Ruby, despite her problems, turned out to be a prodigy in every sense of the word. After only a few lessons she already managed to keep up with the rest of the class, even pulling ahead in some cases. Which didn't sit right with a few kids, seeing the small faunus as an easy target.

The beating they received after Yang found them bullying her sister had earned her multiple trips to both Ironwoods and Glyndas offices.

It was during one of these encounters that Yang unlocked her semblance.

Fittingly named 'Burn', her semblance awakened when she found her sister crying, surrounded by three older boys making fun of her droopy ear. Seeing red, literally in this case, she jumped between them and the young Faunus, hair burning a blinding yellow as she beat boys twice her size. When her parents came later that day Glynda simply shoved the still-burning child into their arms before forcing them out with a clear warning.

"Do NOT set my Academy on fire."

Yet, despite their best efforts, this wouldn't be the last time Yang would-

"Are you finished daydreaming?" Junior asked, snapping her out of her trance. "Your girls have gone with Melanie to tease Militia in the office. Don't worry, I haven't left any Dust crystals lying around… this time."

"Why should I worry? It's not my fault if you destroy your club because you leave Dust just lying around. And I wasn't daydreaming! Summer is the daydreamer in the family, just last week she drooled on me while thinking about Tai's fries on ice cream. Don't ask."

Junior chuckled, long since used to weird little stories involving Summer. "We changed, haven't we Raven? Sitting around, sharing stories, worrying about family."

"Could you have imagined this years ago? It feels like it was just yesterday when we were young and full of aspirations. Having dreams like changing my clan from within. Or you to become the King of the underworld. And now look at us. Me a mother and you the owner of the most popular and legal nightclub on our not-so-little island."

"That's why we have to work hard," Junior responded, tapping his drying cloth on the bar. "You have to go back to being the legendary Raven Branwen, a terror for every Grimm and two-bit gangster between here and Mistral. Yang and Ruby may be the future but they will need someone to guide them."

"If someone fifteen years ago had told me that Hei Xiong himself would be encouraging me to become a huntress again, I would have punched them. Maybe give them a good kick while they're down for good measure." Raven laughed, covering her mouth.

"If someone told me that I would spend my days helping Team STRQ I would have told them they had enough for the night. I still remember the first time we met. You and your brother trashed my entire club. And a few months later you bring your team with you and proceed to bring the whole building down. Summer was laughing as if she was just having a normal day in an amusement park or something." That had been one of the worst days of his criminal career. Yet, despite all the money it cost him, he couldn't help but think fondly of that time now.

"Speaking of old times, I just got my hands on some quality stuff. Even your brother doesn't have something like this, an original Gossan Wine. What do you say, share some for old times' sake?"

Raven sighed, leaning on the counter. "As a mother, I should tell you that day drinking is a horrible habit. But as a huntress, I feel like I should show my kids that this is just part of the job."

"So that's a yes?"

"You bet your ass it is! But just one. I have to at least pretend to be a responsible adult… and I don't think I can afford to put any more Lien in the swear jar. Tai has been really strict about it recently. It's not my fault Ruby can remember every single word I mutter and repeat it endlessly!" While Junior busied himself with preparing two glasses, Raven was making sure her kids weren't about to blow anything up. She had no idea where those two got this fro-

SLAAAAM!

The sudden sound of the front door slamming open startled Raven, her hand moving to her waist to grab her weapon, only to find empty air.

"RAVEN!" A faunus woman stumbled into the bar, eyes panicked as she looked around before finding who she was looking for. "RAVEN!" She screamed again, almost tripping over her own feet as she fell into Raven's arms.

"Kali?! What are you doing here?" Raven caught her friend and neighbor on reflex, trying to keep her steady. She looked horrible, with tears streaming down her face, large bags under her eyes. Her hair was disheveled and she was grabbing Raven's shirt like her life depended on it, arms shaking as she cried. "Are you okay? What happened?!" Kali couldn't get a word out, shaking her head as she cried harder. "Junior, a little help?"

Kalis' grip weakened, sinking into the taller woman. "Q-qrow… Qrow…"

"Qrow what?!" She couldn't keep the fear out of her voice. What had her idiot brother done now?

"He found them, Raven… He found them…" Kali whispered weakly.

Raven sank to the floor in shock, still holding the crying woman in her arms. "He did…?" A weak nod against her chest was the only answer. She sat there for a few moments longer before she started to chuckle, which quickly turned into a full-on laugh. "See!? I told you he could do it! Did you tell James? We need to get a team ready!"

"That's why I was looking for you." Kali rubbed her eyes, calmer now. "He got the information from Torchwick but he can't ask for official support without being forced to report to Grant." Raven was starting to understand why Kali was looking for her. "I've ... I've been trying to contact Summer and Tai all afternoon but I can't get them to pick their Scrolls."

The security protocols for unauthorized operations within other Kingdoms' territories demanded that any Scroll or radio that didn't relay through Sanctuary Tower's central communications needed to be turned off for safety reasons. Only a special code was able to contact them, a code Kali didn't have access to.

And with James unable to intervene there was nothing they could do.

Well, there was something she could do.

Raven felt it, deep within her soul. Kindred Link reached out, trying to connect to her family, to bridge the gap and unite them no matter how far apart they were. She hadn't felt her semblance like this in years…

And thanks to her training and rehabilitation over the last few months, Raven had managed to regain the use of her aura. Of course, using her semblance was one of the first things she tried. Her first few attempts had been promising, allowing her to open small portals to her family across their house for a few moments at a time.

But this was on a completely different level.

According to the last missions briefing Summer and Tai received, the two should be close to Atlas City right now, extracting part of the Schnee family as a personal favor for James.

Half a world away from her.

It would have been a simple task before. She could have transported entire battalions across the world with nothing more than a flick of her sword. But now…

"I-I know you haven't been able to use your semblance since the… But you're the only hope Ghira and Blake have. Please Raven, you have to… I can't lose them again!"

Raven knew full well what was at stake here. The attack on the New Vale courthouse by the White Fang and their kidnapping of Ghira and Blake Belladonna had been front-page news across Remnant for weeks. It had destroyed Kali. The only thing that had kept the woman from giving up had been their promise to find them no matter what. And none of them had truly rested since that day as Team STRQ used every favor they had to score the planet for their missing family.

And while the rest of her team left constantly to follow every little lead they could find, she stayed behind, feeling powerless. All she could do was try to distract Kali and Yang, who kept asking where her best friend was.

She hated every moment of it.

But she wasn't helpless anymore. Team STRQ always beats the odds, and today would be no different.

She got on her feet, helping Kali do the same. "We will get them back tonight, Kali. I promise. By tomorrow, our family is gonna be whole again."

"You think you can do it? I…"

"I know I can do it. There is no other option and I will never fail my family again. I will contact Summer and Tai and get them to help Qrow one way or another."

Junior looked at them with worry. He didn't know exactly where the dynamic duo of STRQ was right now, but he was sure it wasn't close by. But seeing the look in Raven's eyes, he was reminded of earlier days. When the name 'Raven Brawmen' was feared across the world. "You go do what you need to do, Raven. I'll make sure your little ones are taken care of in the meantime."

Giving Junior a grateful smile, Raven and Kali left swiftly into the night.

Wasting no time, the ex-criminal went towards the backrooms. Opening his office door, he saw the two girls happy eating some candy while the twins watched them with amused expressions. "There better not be any Dust between those candies again. I don't want a repeat of last time. Now kids, get up. Your mom had to leave for an important mission, so Uncle Junior is going to get you two home." Turning two the twins, he added. "Keep the club closed until I get back, shouldn't be too long.

"What mission is Mama on? Is she gonna save a princess?" Yang asked, clearly excited by the thought of her mother away on a secret mission. Ruby peaked up at her sister's idea, tail wagging happily.

"You're not so far off you little rascal. But I'm sure she's gonna tell you all about it when she gets home. Now let's go. If you behave, we can stop by Neo's Ice Cream Emporium. Make sure to act adorable, I don't wanna pay that woman."

Spurred on by the promise of Ice Cream, the sisters jumped up, racing off toward the entrance of the club.

---

Kingdom of Atlas - Mountain pass between Mantle and Atlas

21:15 pm., August 16, 68 post-Great War

It was a cold night in Atlas, too cold for August. A morning of snow and hail had left the abandoned highway between Atlas and Mantle frozen over, almost as if the elements themselves refused to let them escape. Soldiers would soon be on the hunt for the heirs, their second-hand car would do little to fool them.

Jacques was not going to let them leave, not without a fight.

Weiss looked out the window, the few trees among the mountains twisting the landscape into a nightmarish sight for her young and fearful mind. She looked at her little brother, lying on the seats and using her leg as a pillow, wondering how he could be sleeping. She tried to steady her breath, one hand on her brother's head, the other clinging to the rapier her sister had handed her when they left.

Weiss knew it well, having watched it for so many hours in her father's office while he was busy with the Kingdom Council or the company.

Myrtenaster, the Symbol of Liberation, or as it was known in her family, Freiheit. Her great-grandmother Ivory Schnee had wielded it during the Great War, a symbol of the Schnees' resolve. From the day she marched into battle until the day she returned to Atlas.

That was how the world saw this weapon and her family. But to her, it meant something different. It was a reminder to follow your own path, to forge ahead into a brighter tomorrow. And even though she never met her great-grandmother, Weiss knew that this was the reason Ivory surrendered to Vale's king. Because it meant peace for Remnant. Something the world had needed during those times, and she had let nothing and no one stop her from achieving it.

And now, Myrtenaster had fallen into her hands.

Winter had given it to her as a promise that they would be free, and Weiss was determined to carry it.

While the young girl sat in the back, clinging to her resolve, her older sister Winter was in the front, steel blue eyes focused on the empty road, forcing herself to not look back constantly to remind herself that her family was still with her. Klein, the former family butler and the only confident the three children still had drove the car, his gaze moving to the tense girl beside him.

She tapped the dashboard of the dingy little car they managed to acquire with her fingers, the constant tapping interrupted every few moments when she checked Klein's scroll. The one message Ironwood managed to send her instructed them to meet his team somewhere in the wilderness between Atlas and Mantle. "We have to hurry Klein. Father no doubt noticed we are gone by now. If any of his soldiers find us before Ironwood's men get here we will…" She kept her voice low, fearing that Weiss or Whitley would hear her.

Luckily, her younger brother slept peacefully while Weiss kept a protective arm around him, focusing on the sight outside her window.

"Don't worry my dear, I am sure Ironwood has his best man ready to pick us up. Everything will be fine." His eyes turned red and his whole demeanor changed suddenly as he continued. "And if not, I show these chumps your father sends after us who they are messing with! No one will stop us from getting out of here!" He put a hand on Winter's shoulder, eyes turning yellow. "And once we are in Patch, you three can spend your days without worry or fear. Oh, we will have so much fun together."

"No, absolutely not! You will not fight anyone my father sends. If we lose you too I… It doesn't matter. Ironwood's man will be there, they have to be. Torchwick promised they would!" Winter bit her tongue, trying to stifle tears, her weary eyes on the map she had received earlier that morning.

She was used to losing people in her life. First, her grandfather when she was only two years old, then her mother at five. And then she lost her mentor, the only person outside her family she could trust. Accusations of treason, what a joke. This had been the work of her father, she was sure of it.

He swore that Willow's death was an accident but she knew what she saw that night. The sight of her mothers still body on the floor, her father bleeding next to her, still woke her up at night, even years later. A part of her wanted to believe Jacques, remembering the man he was before her mother passed. But he changed, filling their days and nights with angry shouts and punishments, never letting them feel safe. As time moved on he became worse, his anger seemingly unending no matter what they did to please him. The first time he struck her should not have been such a shock. But it showed her that the father she thought she had was gone if he ever existed in the first place.

She did everything she could to keep his focus on her, taking the abuse and shielding her siblings from him. But there was only so much she could do and when he tried to threaten them, she retaliated. He still bore the scar where she stabbed him, just like she bore hers when he repaid her in kind.

The scars on her back were the last straw, driving her to find a way to flee from him, dreading that it would be Weiss or Whitley next time.

It was a hopeless plan. Her father controlled everything, there was no chance she could ever break free from his hold. Until a few days ago, when she met the notorious criminal Roman Torchwick during a gala event. Jacques made the mistake of introducing them, thinking Roman to be an honest businessman who specialized in export and shipping, but she recognized the criminal who had given General Ironwood so much trouble immediately.

Somehow, she managed to talk to the man in private, threatening to reveal his identity if he didn't help her. And despite his amused look, they reached an agreement:

Deliver a message to Ironwood, in exchange for a shipment of experimental Dust that the company would 'lose' in the ocean a few weeks later.

A part of her feared that the rumors of Ironwood's survival had been fake, but after seeing Torchwick hesitant to comply, Winter knew.

Ironwood was still alive, and only he could save them from their father.

Forty-eight hours later, her gamble had paid off when Klein's personal Scroll received an encrypted message that only Winter could decipher. Torchwick had kept his word and took the message to Ironwood, and his response was one simple sentence:

I will come for you.

Ironwood was going to save her. Ironwood was going to save her siblings and Klein.

Ironwood was going to end this nightmare.

That single thought was more than enough to bring back hope to her scarred body. After explaining everything to Klein, the two managed to buy an old Atlasean car from a trader that was willing to look the other way for a large stack of Lien, filling a few suitcases with whatever they could fit in before setting out into the frozen wasteland of Solitas

The morning had been a panic-filled blur in her mind, taking advantage of Jacque's absence to gather everything she could. While Klein had been busy preparing, she had taken Weiss and Whitley and tried to explain to them what they were going to do. Weiss had been scared, clutching her sister's clothes while trying to be strong. Whitley, young as he was, had shown remarkable understanding for his age, hugging his sister when she asked if they would come with her to a new home.

It had taken every bit of willpower to not burst into tears as she held the two.

The whole plan was dangerous and the consequences, if they failed, were worse than she could probably imagine. But if it meant she could bring her family to safety, she was willing to try. And so they set out, leaving the Schnee mansion without looking back, taking the first teleport pad down from the floating city.

"How far are we from Patch?" Whitley yawned, twisting in the seat; the constant clatter of the car over broken pieces of asphalt had finally managed to wake him up.

"Just a little more, Whitley," Weiss whispered, trying to sound as confident as Winter. She didn't succeed, her voice wavering as she spoke. Her brother didn't say anything else, getting up from his sister's lab to lean his head on her shoulder. The two held each other as they watched Winter fidget nervously, constantly looking from her scroll to the road as if she was expecting an ambush at any moment.

They drove on in silence, Klein solely focused on the road now that the sun was setting while Winter kept checking their route, worried that they would miss the meeting point. Whitley slowly drifted off again, still exhausted from their hurried escape. Weiss on the other hand looked back onto the quickly darkening landscape, her young mind conjuring movement in the shadows.

She knew what was out there. Like every young child, she was told about the dangers that lurked in the shadows outside the cities:

Grimm

Winter had taught her about them, even shown her the summons of the ones she had slain. Yet even the ones that her sister controlled had been terrifying, the giant creatures seemingly invincible to the small child.

If they were attacked now, only Winter could protect them.

And Weiss feared it wouldn't be enough.

They drove on in tense silence. The sun had fully set by now, leaving the group in complete darkness, with only the lights of the car to guide them across the frozen tundra. With every minute they came closer to the extraction point, making Winter believe they would truly make it.

Until the sound of a scroll call sent panic through her. "No… nonoNO!" She pressed the mute button, throwing the scroll out the window in a panic. "How did he- Klein! We need to hurry!" The butler did not answer, pressing down on the gas, the car flying over the broken road.

"W-Winter…?" Weiss' scared whisper woke the older girl from her stupor.

Trying to put on a brave face, she turned to face the back of the car, showing her siblings what she hoped was a confident smile "Don't worry, Weiss. W-We are almost there, just a little bit longer. Then we will be free." She couldn't keep the hitch out of her voice as tears started to cloud her view.

Weiss held her brother close to her, terrified. She had never seen her sister so scared, not even after their father had hurt her badly enough to scar her.

She silently begged to never see it again.

"No need to worry, we are as good as out of here. Hold on to your hats, this is gonna get bumpy." Klein's cheerful voice did little to soothe the three as the car sped up. Whitley buried his face in Weiss' neck, trying his best not to cry so that the monsters wouldn't find them as Winter had explained to him yesterday.

Jumping with every bump, the car practically flew over the road. Howls and squawks accompanied the engine's roar as they accelerated faster, hoping that Winter was right and they were close to the extraction point.

For a few moments, the four of them thought that perhaps they could escape, moments that ended when two spotlights began to approach them from behind.

"Atlas Border Guard. In the name of Nicholas, stop your car. There are reports of increased Grimm acti-"

"You don't need to lie to them, you idiot. They know who we are."

Klein could see a large truck in the rearview mirror, gaining on them. They passed them quickly, getting off the road before swerving back on it right in front of them, forcing Klein to hit the brakes, dodging to the side and off the road. The car swayed back and forth as they drifted across the snow-covered ground before finally coming to a halt.

Weiss and Whitley kept their eyes closed, whimpering in their seats and hugging each other. Neither of them noticed the truck slowly getting closer, coming to a stop just a few meters behind them. Four heavily armed and armored men jumped out, weapons trained on their car.

A fifth, the driver, came out last, the only one without a helmet. He took point, throwing a half-smoked cigarette on the ground.

Winter recognized him instantly, Will Scarlatina, her father's head of security. "Let's make this easy for everyone, alright? You will get out of your car, slowly. Hands above your head. This is your only warning."

The tension was palpable, Winter gritted her teeth as she discreetly readied her sword. "Weiss..." The older sister whispered, sounding more confident than she felt. "I'm going to buy us some time. I'll need you to use Myrtenaster to protect Klein and Whitley, okay? I've seen you shoot an air rifle during training,"

"What? Winter, no! You can't!" Weiss's broken voice was like needles in Winter's ears. "T-There's so many… you can't…"

Turning to her sister, Winter reached out to take her hand. "Listen to me, Weiss. Klein has no combat training and Whitley's aura isn't unlocked. They need you to protect them. You are the only one who can if something happens to me-"

For the first time all night, Klein released his hand from the wheel, hitting both knees with his fist. "None of that now, young miss. You three are going to be fine. You just have to trust Ironwood." The butler took a deep breath, grabbing Winter's gunsaber. "Leave the rest to me."

The soldiers slowly moved closer to the car, fanning out to surround it and take their objective by force. Just as they reached it, Klein opened the door, stepping out. "Good evening gentleman. There seems to be a terrible misunderstanding. You see, I took my family on a drive to Mantle. Their grandmother, the poor dear, suddenly turned ill-"

"Cut the shit, Sieben. We know exactly who you are and who is in that vehicle." Will stepped forward, raising his rifle and aiming at the butler's head. "I don't want to make two children watch their caretaker's brains get blown out of his skull. So how about you put the sword down and step back? We have no direct orders to detain you so once we are done here you can leave and wash your hands of this whole situation."

"Leave, ey?" Klein raised the saber, red eyes boring into the man. "I guess Jacques didn't tell ya who you're messing with. I'll be damned if I leave these poor lasses behind to be taken back to that monster of a man!"

"Listen, Sieben." He sighed. After the briefing he had assumed this would be a simple extraction mission: Grab the kids, get back to Atlas, and be done with this whole mess. "You have no combat training, are outmanned, and outgunned. Don't make this turn ugly." He released the safety on his weapon. He really didn't want to gun down a civilian.

But… sometimes you had to do horrible things to protect your family.

Klein stifled a laugh, reaching out with his index finger for the trigger. "If ya think I let a bunch of punks keep me from bringing these kids to Patch, I'll show ya what's ugly!"

Will lowered his weapon, staring at the man in disbelief. His soldiers shared uneasy looks, unsure how to proceed. "Patch? That is why you dragged them out here? Patch has closed its borders, no one gets on that island. They will leave you out to dry, happily watching as the Grimm rip you apart, sitting in their little bubble while people like us fight for their lives every single day!"

"General Ironwood-"

"Ironwood?! James- The general is dead! I watched them execute him then throw his body into the ocean. I saw the Grimm as they took the corpse and-"

"IRONWOOD IS ALIVE!" Winter screamed, getting out of the car. Klein yelled for her to get back into the car but she ignored him. "He contacted me! He promised me he would get us out of here! I will not believe my father's lies and neither should you!"

"...You believe that, don't you?" He stepped forward, signaling his man to stand down. Winter couldn't help but take a step back, her body pressed against the car as the large man came to a stop right before her. "Let me tell you something, girl. This world isn't a fairy tale. Good men like the general don't magically come to save the day. And no amount of bravery will help you survive out here. So give it up, this little stunt of yours has gone far enough."

Winter growled steel cold eyes fixated on Scarlatina. "Don't do anything foolish. If I see even a hint of that semblance of yours your butler will be dead before you know what happened."

"Dammit, lass!" Klein sprinted around the car, placing himself in front of Winter, weapon still pointing straight at the captain. "I told ya that I would take care of this! Now get back into the car before-"

"Klein! You can't fight them, they kill you!" Winter tried to force herself past him. "It was my idea to come here, it's my responsibility to protect Weiss and Whitley!"

"You are barely more than a kid, lass. I had to watch you suffer far too long." His grip on Winter's sword tightened. "If ya think I let you throw your life away now you got something else coming, young lady!"

Winter would never be able to tell Klein how much his actions that night meant to her. Instead, she activated her aura, the power of her soul rushing through her as she threw her arm forward.

'Protect'

Her semblance answered, a spinning glyph appearing before the two. The soldiers snapped to attention, weapons now trained on the barrier Winter created between them. "I haven't been a kid in years, Klein. Not since the day I saw my mother dead on the ground. And whatever was left of my innocence died when my father showed his true face to me. But I will not let him do the same to my siblings. Even if it means that I can't follow them, they will make it out of here!"

"ENOUGH!" Will raised his weapon again, signaling his men to get ready. "I tried to settle this peacefully but we were given very clear instructions. Neither you nor Sieben needs to come back alive. So I'm saying it one last time. Stand. Down."

Fear and hesitation left Winter at that moment. "He said that, didn't he?" She raised her arms, another glyph appearing next to the first and a third, larger one behind her on the floor, glowing brightly as it spun faster by the second. "Then I don't need to hold back!" Her shout was accompanied by an earth-shattering roar as a blue Chimera burst forth, landing between the shocked soldiers with a single leap.

"Idiots, 4-1 NOW!" The girl had done it now. He had truly hoped to at least help Winter escape, but she was adamant about taking her last stand here. She was the spitting image of her mother. He only hoped Willow could forgive him for killing one of her children. "Formation, you idiots! Focus fire on the glyphs, once the girl is taken out the Grimm will vanish." Winter cursed as bullets started to rain into her glyphs, slowly draining her aura. Of course, he would know how to deal with her semblance.

She could feel sweat forming on her forehead as she strained against the constant onslaught. This felt nothing like her training, each bullet like a jackhammer that tried to shatter her glyphs into pieces. She tried to direct her summon, but keeping her and Klein from being shot took her entire concentration. "Not so easy, is it? Your fancy academy and private tutors don't prepare you for the real world." Will easily dodged the Chimera's wild swings, keeping its attention while his man kept up the pressure. He aimed his rifle with one hand, shooting the summon in the eye. It roared with pain, even though it did not need eyes to see. A trick not many knew about: The summons actions were based on the summoner's perception. "I've been fighting Grimm since before you were born, girl. This is barely a warm-up." Sliding under a tail swipe, he readied a dust grenade from his belt, throwing it backward.

The Ice Dust inside exploded, flash-freezing the summon. Coming to a halt, he aimed his weapon, taking one precise shot to shatter it. Winter cried out in pain as the shock broke both her glyphs and aura, only Kleins quick reaction saving her from getting riddled with bullets as he threw them both to the ground.

When her summon shattered it felt like a physical blow. Winter had never felt a pain similar to this, her breath heavy as she lay on the cold ground. Klein got up, raising her weapon. A sudden shot made her flinch, fearing the worst. Summoning all her strength, she rolled over, seeing Klein lying beside her, holding his bleeding shoulder. "This is what it means to fight a real opponent, girl. There are no timeouts or second chances out here."

Winter tried to get up. She had to move or they would take them back to Jacques. But no matter how hard she struggled, how desperately she searched inside her for her aura, nothing came. "You should have listened to me. You could be halfway to Mantle by now, chasing your delusions. Instead, you thought you could take on trained soldiers with nothing but force of will. But let me tell you something." He leaned in close, grabbing Winter by the hair. She cried out in pain as he yanked her head up, mouth right next to her ear. "This world will devour you if you don't have the strength to stand on your own. You are lucky I was the one that found you, most would have put a bullet between your eyes and be done with it already."

"NO!" Winter struggled helplessly in Will's grip, trying to break free. She tried to raise her arms to push him away, summon another glyph, anything to stop him from taking Weiss and Whitley. But all she could feel was the biting cold around her. "I'd rather die than let them go back to Jacques!"

"That is no longer your decision to make. I will not risk my family on the delusions of a little girl that still thinks her knight in shining armor will save her." He let go of Winter, the girl dropping to the ground like a stone. "You don't have a weapon and your aura is broken. In the real world that means you lost. Now stop this."

She tried to respond but even her voice was giving out. He was right, she had nothing left. She failed her siblings and they would now pay the price for her weakness.

For the first time in her life, Winter gave up.

"Good. I will tell your father that the Grimm got you. If you stay down until we are gone, you and Sieben can make your way to Mantle. Find a ship to Argus, you'll be safe there." He stood up, lighting another cigarette. Time to grab the kids and get out of here… or at least that was the plan.

He hadn't expected to come face to face with the middle child of the Schnee family, pointing a weapon at him with unsteady hands as her entire body trembled. He couldn't tell if it was out of fear, the cold, or both, but it didn't matter. "So that is the fabled Myrtenaster, the sword of freedom. It's just as beautiful as the stories say. Now Miss Schnee, please put it down. I don't want you to hurt yourself."

Weiss shook her head, eyes closed tight. "NO! I will not let you hurt Winter or Whitley! I-I won't…" Her voice trailed off as tears started to fall, a light hiccup leaving the girl.

"Hey, it's ok. I won't hurt your sister or your brother. We will take you both home where it's warm and safe. Doesn't that sound good? Being back in your nice soft bed instead of out here in the cold?"

"I-I… I don't want…" Her grip on Myrtenaster tightened as she pressed the trigger. "I won't go back!" Weiss could, for a single moment, feel the Dust gather at the tip of the weapon, obeying her command. It was an euphoric feeling, making the girl forget where she was as the entire blade was encased in ice.

Until the Dust was released.

The recoil made her fall back into the snow, Myrtenaster falling beside her as the large icicle flew harmlessly into the night sky.

With a heavy sigh, Will picked up the rapier. This had turned into such a mess. "I'm sorry, but this is for the best. You will understand one day."

"NO! I will never go back! I won't! I WON'T!" She curled into herself, crying helplessly. It wasn't supposed to end this way. Winter was going to save them, bring them away from that horrible place, from the empty cold hallways and angry shouts. But as the steps of the soldiers came closer, Weiss realized something.

Sometimes, having faith is not enough-

"FINALLY! STAY AWAY FROM THEM!"

A sudden shout pierced the silent night around them. Before Weiss could even begin to realize what she just heard, a strong wind blew past, followed by the surprised yell of the soldiers around her.

The only one still standing was the captain, aiming his rifle widely around him, trying to find whoever attacked his man. He had recognized that voice, but it wasn't possible. "Man, forma-" A white silhouette flashed next to him. He spun around, finding only empty air behind him. And the girl was gone. "Fuck! Show yourself you-"

"Don't worry, little one." Weiss closed her eyes when she felt strong arms envelop her as wild winds blew around her, terrified that one of the monsters had found them. But when she heard a soft, soothing voice as a warm cloak enveloping her, she felt… safe. It was a vaguely familiar feeling, reminding her of someone precious. "Aunty Summer got you." Gathering all her courage, Weiss opened her eyes, finding herself far above the ground. The stranger that had picked her up held her close, the wind that followed them slowly dispersing as Weiss watched pink lights travel around the woman.

"Now hold on tight, I gotta clear us a path." Her silver eyes smiled down at her, glowing almost eerie in the dark.

Summer adjusted her grip on the small girl in her arms. She felt a sense of relief now that she finally found them. All that was left was to get them out of here. Child's play. She searched for the storm inside her, gripping it tightly. It roared, ready to make sure these children would not get dragged back to their monster of a father.

Storm Dash would never abandon those in need, and neither would Summer. Unclipping one of her swords from her belt, she readied herself, focusing on her prey: The soldiers that were slowly getting up after her spectacular entrance. She looked at their leader out of the corner of her eyes. He was training his weapon straight at her but didn't shoot. Good, she wouldn't need to worry about the little one in her arms.

"STORM WOLF!"

She let go, the force of her semblance like a hurricane that shot her forward toward the first soldier, still slightly dazed. Ramming her sword into the frozen ground, she used it as an anchor, kicking the man right in the chest, breaking his aura in a single strike as he impacted the ground. Spinning around, another burst sent her sideways, right into the next soldier, sending him crashing into a tree.

The remaining two managed to ready their weapons, opening fire without hesitation, unlike their captain. Summer twisted midair, making sure Weiss was covered as her storm exploded once more, an angry howl filling the tundra as the winds repelled the bullets. Jumping back she landed on the sword still stuck in the ground, using it to launch them in the air.

"HELLBORN STORM!"

The storm grew hot, a small fire Dust crystal in Summer's hand dissolving as her semblance used it as fuel. Weiss shrieked in surprise as they turned upside down, a fiery explosion sending them crashing down, right between the two remaining soldiers. They cried in pain as superheated air rammed into them, sending both off their feet. Neither of them got back up.

Not wasting a second, Summer moved Weiss into her other arm, grabbing her second sword. "SKY WING!" The sword glowed green for a moment, more Dust channeling into her attack as she cut the air. The armored truck standing a few meters away was suddenly launched into the air, almost crushed in the middle as it rolled across the ground.

Summer sheathed her sword, removed her hood, and shook her head, a little bit of snow flying everywhere. "See? No sweat, little one." She leaned down, her forehead gently pressing against Weiss' own. The poor girl looked terrified, and who could blame her? But something like this always helped her little pup to calm down, so she hoped it would help here too. When she felt her relax a little in her arms she pulled back, giving Weiss her best heroic smile. Time to prove to RaeRae that all these hours practicing in front of a mirror were not wasted. "I'm Summer and I'm here to bring you and your siblings to Patch. So-"

"I don't believe it..." Summer looked up, seeing Will throwing his rifle to the ground. "The fucking White Reaper of all people shows up. What next, Is WorldEnder going to wake up and swoop down on us?"

"It's Tropical Storm, thank you very much." She never liked the nickname people gave her at the start of her career. She was someone that saved people, not end them! Thankfully the nickname she came up with, a hundred times cooler than her old one, had mostly caught on. "So Will, you don't mind if I call you Will, right?" She adjusted Weiss in her arms again, making sure the girl was comfortable before walking up to the captain. He had sunk to his knees in defeat, not even raising his head to look at Summer. "Hey, no need to look so down. I know this day didn't exactly go as planned but don't worry, we figured something out. Let me just-" She went through the pockets in her cloak and vest, searching for something. "Dammit, I know it's here somewhere-"

"Bist du ... bist du ein Engel? (Are you… are you an angel?)" Weiss was looking at her savior in awe, unable to comprehend what happened in the last minute. She had been sure their lives were over until the strange woman, Summer she said her name was, had come in and beaten the soldiers that hurt her sister so easily.

"Huh? En-gel… Oh, you mean if I'm an angel?" She laughed, embarrassed. "You really are a sweet thing. But no, I'm not an angel. I'm a huntress." Weiss felt her cheeks burn. She was so enraptured by Summer that she spoke Atleasian without even noticing. "I do have two angels at home. My two girls, the oldest should be around your age and the second is just a little younger than you." She giggled, patting Weiss' head gently. "Well, I say angels, but just last week, Yang set the couch on fire with her semblance. Ruby then had the brilliant idea to steal some of my special Ice Dust mix to put it out. Instead, she managed to flash freeze half the couch while the other half was still burning. You know, they aren't angels now that I think about it…" Summer trailed off, leaving Weiss wondering what she was talking about. Surely that story wasn't real, right? "Anyway, I think I forgot to introduce myself. I am Summer, Summer Rose-Xiao Long-Branwen. But you can just call me Aunt Summer. Or aunty. Or Aunt Summ."

Weiss' eyes glazed over, unable to keep up with the woman's rambling. Seeing that she had lost her audience, Summer changed tactics. "Don't worry, just call me whatever you want. Now, to seal our new friendship, a fist bump! That's how the pros do it." She held her fist out to the girl, bursting into laughter when she grabbed it just like Ruby used to do. Maybe she could get Yang to teach her once they were home.

"Y-you have a lot of surnames…" Weiss whispered, trying to see what she had done wrong to make the woman laugh. No one ever told her about a 'fist bump' before. Still, she couldn't help but giggle. Summers' laugh was beautiful, happy, and free. Nothing like the cruel sounds the people her father had introduced them made.

"Well, you see when I got married to Tai and Raven, I didn't want to-" Weiss looked at her in confusion. Right, sheltered Atlesian upbringing. Well, this looked like a job for Aunt Summer. If anyone was good at teaching someone about love, it was her. "Hm, how about a little history lesson? Many huntsmen and huntresses like I follow a tradition called 'Marriage under the Blue Moon'. It's a bit of a silly name I know. But Remnant is a dangerous place, and we never know when we may have to give everything we have to protect people. So it is important to love those close to you as much as you can, no matter what others may say. And if you are lucky enough to find more than one person to love, you just marry both of them!"

"Just… just like that?" Did people truly live like that outside of the mansion? It always felt like she and her siblings were an exception. Her father had called it foolish and tried to isolate them from each other. He told her that love was a delusion and that marriage was a tool to gain power. Winter had been furious that day, though Weiss had not been quite sure why at the time. It had also been the same day she tried to kill their father…

"Just like that." Summer gave Weiss a gentle smile, planting a soft kiss in the girl's hair. "We only got one chance at life and a huntsman quickly learns that it is something precious. So we try not to waste a single moment. Live smiling, fight for what you cherish, that's the Patch way." She grasped Weiss shaking hands with her own, her thump running gently circles across them. "And now it is your way too. So smile, little one." She tried to follow Summers' instruction, smiling at the woman even as tears started to run down her face again. "There you go. It's time to get you and your family out of this cold and dark cage."

Weiss would fit right in with their unusual family, Summer could tell already. All of them would be safe and happy on Patch. And if not, she would eat her emblem and cloak.

Seeing as Scarlatina was no longer willing to fight and his man had been taken care of, it was time to get the rest of the group she was tasked to get out of here. Summer walked around the car, finding Klein propped against it while Winter applied pressure to the gun wound in his shoulder. She would need to have Tai take a look at that on the way back.

"Hey, how are you two doing?"

"Q-Quite alright, mam. This is just a flesh wound."

"Klein! Stop joking about this! If he hadn't decided to just disarm you, you would be… you w-would…" The butler put a hand on Winter's own, ignoring the blood that had stained his clothes, talking soothingly to the crying girl. Summer couldn't help but watch the whole scene, fascinated by the man's weird personality switches. She read up the Schnees personal caretaker of course but seeing it herself was something else.

But there was time for that later, she had a job to do. "So, you must be Winter then, right? I heard the fight while searching for you, good job. You not only managed to hold off a group of trained soldiers on your own, but you also helped me find you in time." She kneeled down, letting Weiss out of her arms to jump into her sisters, the two clinging desperately to each other. "James had been trying to get you and your family out of Altas since the moment he set foot on Patch. Sorry it took us so long." Winter looked over Weiss' shoulder, still crying as she held her close. All she could do was give Summer a thankful nod. "Thankfully, all this political stuff went out the window when you called for help. And between you and me, I had a score to settle with your idiot of a father anyway.

With the two kids mostly ok for the moment, she looked over to try to help Klein, only to see the man finishing setting a makeshift tourniquet on his own. "Oh right, you are a doctor. Thank god, because I am rubbish at first aid. That one time my team and I were on the edge of the Nexus Desert for Mistral's council and I almost burned my arm off with an overcharged fire Dust crystal. Raven yelled at me for a whole day until I finally got her in- I'm rambling, aren't I? Sorry, I've been running non-stop for hours trying to find you guys and I had nothing better to do than think about what to say. I should learn to keep a pen and paper on me."

That left only one part of the family unaccounted for. Getting up, she spied a mop of white hair ducking out of sight. "Found you~" Opening the door she was greeted by the shocked face of the youngest Schnee sibling. Was seeing her really that surprising? Sometimes she hated her fame, she would have to make sure all of them got used to seeing her and her team once they were home. "You must be Whitley! Hi there, I'm Summer." He looked wary, keeping his distance while trying to catch a glimpse of his siblings behind her.

"It's ok Whitley, she's a friend."

Winter's exhausted voice was barely audible over the cold wind, but it was enough for the young boy. Seeing that she was no longer considered a bad person, Summer quickly scooped Whitley up, causing the boy to giggle. "Well, now that we are best friends, can you do your new aunty a big favor?" He nodded hesitantly. "You see this funny little glove I have here? There's a small blue button, can you see it? Press it for me, that way my husband knows where to pick us up. And then we can all go home."

He grabbed Summer's hand, feeling for the small button she showed him. After a few moments a loud 'beep' was heard, accompanied by a blue blinking light. With Tai on the way, Summer set Whitley down, watching him run straight into his sister. The only thing left was to get their stuff and they could finally get going.

Walking past the unconscious soldiers, she bent down to pick up Myrtenaster next to Will, completely ignoring the captain. Getting back to the car she popped the trunk open, grabbing the few bags they had brought with them. "I'll be honest, I thought you would have taken more stuff with you. But don't worry, we can get everything you need in- Cookies! Uh, with chocolate chips, my favorite. You don't mind, do you?" Not waiting for an answer, Summer tore the bag open, cramming an unhealthy amount of food into her mouth at once.

She met Will's eyes as she happily munched on her treat, the man finally having raised his head to see what she was doing. "...want one?" She was kneeling next to him, holding out a cookie. Perplexed, he took it, staring at it in confusion.

"Nothing to say? Normally you say 'thank you' when someone gives you something. Are all people from Atlas this rude?"

"Why?"

Summer stopped chewing. Now she was the one confused, tilting her head. "What do you mean? I always share snacks. Its-"

"Not that! Why are you not forcing me to surrender? Take my weapon? Anything? We are enemies!" His piercing gaze was solely focused on Summer. "You won, you can do whatever you want with us. Hell, you could kill us all and no one would ever find us. Or take our gear and let the Grimm or the cold finish the job."

"I could." Her carefree mood had vanished, leaving something Will couldn't quite place. "I could have killed you before you even realized I had arrived. And I could just leave you to die. No one would even question it. Neither Atlas nor Patch." Her stoic expression had turned somber. "But I won't."

" ...why?" He asked again. This was not how this was supposed to go. You didn't show your enemies mercy. That was how you ended up in an early grave. Was the White Reaper truly so powerful that she could ignore even the most fundamental rules of this cursed world?

"Because we aren't enemies. James talked about you and told me about what a good man you are. And I trust him. So for you to be here, threatening children means Jacques must have something big to hold over your head."

"I-I… It doesn't matter."

Summer got back up, grabbed the few suitcases she got out of the car, and put them next to Klein who had managed to stand with Winter's help, busy convincing Weiss and Whitley that he was not about to die. She took a moment to watch them, basking in the knowledge that she made sure that another family wasn't ripped apart. The sound of boots on snow made her turn around, watching Will slowly walk up to her.

"Do you think it doesn't matter? James does, and so do I." She opened a little satchel on her belt, taking out a small flash drive. "And I know you do, too. Why else would you have spared Klein? You are an excellent commander, you knew that the best way would have been to kill him. It would have shocked the children, making it easy to simply grab them. And you knew you were under a time limit. But you didn't." She handed the flash drive to him. "On there is a code for a secure line to Patch. If you ever feel like there is no hope left, call it."

He hesitated before taking it, just as the sound of a Bullhead was heard. It grew louder quickly, arriving just moments later. Summer waved happily, guiding her husband to land in the space the soldiers' truck had been in before. "Finally, I thought we would never find you guys." Tai jumped out, giving his wife a quick hug before hurrying over to Klein, checking on the man's injury. "Hey there, I'm Tai. Sorry we are late, but someone-" He turned around, watching Summer carry the bags into the Bullhead while pretending not to hear him. "Convinced me it would be easier to come before the agreed time to pick you up right at the mansion. And when it turned out you had the same idea she started a fight with half of the security forces there while burning down the gardens. I hope you won't miss the Greenhouse."

"The plan was perfect! And Jacques had it coming, I won't apologize for ruining his flowers, no matter what you or RaeRae say! Now come on, it's cold out here and I got just the thing to get you all warmed up!" Summer took Winter by the arm, still holding both her siblings. She didn't let go of them until they sat down, helping to secure them into their seats before leaning back.

She could feel exhaustion setting in quickly now that the adrenaline was slowly leaving her system. "Hey, don't fall asleep quite yet. I know this day has been far too long, but I want you to warm up before you rest. Just to be sure."

Summer held three mugs in her hand, all steaming hot. Winter could smell the chocolate. Part of her brain was questioning where the drinks came from but she was far too cold and tired to question it at this point. Taking one of the mugs, she blew on it before taking a careful sip. It was far too sweet and still hot enough to burn her tongue.

It was the best thing she ever tasted.

As she tried to get comfortable, alternating between sipping her drink and watching Weiss and Whitley do the same, she tried to wrap her head around what happened.

They made it, they escaped. She still couldn't quite believe it, but as she felt the Bullhead lift off and watched the quickly passing snow beneath them turn to water as they reached the ocean, she knew it was true.

She smiled as she closed her eyes, relaxing for what felt like the first time in years.

And so ended the last day for the heirs of the Schnee name in Atlas as they made their way to their new home, save from the madness of their father-

"SUMMER, TAI!"

Or that's how it should have been.

A distorted voice echoed through the Bullhead as a small red and black portal appeared in the air, no larger than a hand.

"Dammit! Please, this *cough* This has to work! Can you hear me?"

Summer, having sat down next to them to tell stories about her family as a distraction, suddenly looked panicked. Tai quickly joined them, both of them staring at the portal. "Rae? How did you- What's going on? Raven!"

Tai's shouts weren't answered, until a new voice was heard, less strained than the first. A voice that Winter instantly recognized.

"Tai, it's good to hear your voice. We don't have much time. Request a secure line to Sanctuary Tower, I will explain then."

With that, the small portal closed.

Wasting no time, Summer jumped from her seat, dashing towards the cockpit closely followed by Tai. She tried to punch in the code but her hands were shaking too much. Raven hadn't used her semblance in years, for her to risk it now meant something very bad has happened. Were Ruby and Yang ok? She couldn't think!

Tai gently but firmly grabbed her hands, entering the correct code and opening a secure line to Patch.

The call was picked up immediately. "Good. I am sorry but we have no time for details. A few hours ago Qrow contacted me. He found them. I am transferring the coordinates as we speak. I would ask if you can do it but we both know nothing could stop you from bringing them home."

Summer let out a sigh of relief. Her family was safe. Most of them at least. And now they finally had what they needed to bring the rest of it back. This turned out to be quite the mission. "You know it, James. There's no way we would leave Ghira and Blake behind. We already got Winter and her siblings saved, so you don't have to worry."

"I never doubted you. I will have to end the call, I'm already risking enough contacting you. I see you back home."

With that, the line went dead.

Tai and Summer shared a quick look, both thinking the same thing. Nothing would stop them from saving their family, least of all Cho Taurus and her White Fang. "Let's hope Qrow remembered to keep his emergency line open. The last thing we need is him running in alone."

---

Kingdom of Vacuo - West coast of Feldspar.

01:15 am., August 17, 68 post-Great War

"Urgh, why is it so hot..."

Vacuo was best known for its extreme heat and widespread criminal element. The woods on the northeast side of the continent were frequently used by smugglers as a means to hide from the authorities. Qrow was not surprised to find the White Fang out here as he watched the third patrol in the last hour pass him.

So much for the Faunus' superior night vision.

"Of all the places in the world you could have taken Ghira and Blake, you had to choose Vacuo, you stupid cow." Qrow couldn't help the annoyed whisper as he unbuttoned his shirt, trying to combat the heat as he kept an eye on the lumber camp that the White Fang had taken over. "45 minutes to go. Dammit guys, hurry up!" He checked his scroll again, but the time until his team arrived would not pass any faster. He hated the waiting more than anything. It allowed his mind far too much time to revisit memories he rather would forget.

Maybe there was something in the news, anything to keep him distracted

'Kidnappings on Anima continue: Mistral and Argus collaborate to combat the recent surge in child abductions.'

'Disputes in Menageries Council: Should all Faunus be granted citizenship?'

"More child abductions… It's just like back then with Cin- Wait, Schnee Industries continues its crusade against White Fang? CEO Schnee demands Argus to release alleged cell leaders to Atlas. Really Jacques? We both know these guys are small fries, the important people are all here. But it's harder to bully Vacuo, right?"

Putting his scroll away, he once again surveyed the camp. Far too many lights for his comfort. "Why did you bring them to the middle of nowhere, Cho? And with so many people? No wonder someone noticed you."

They hadn't seen either hide or hair from Cho since the kidnapping. Wherever the woman had been, it was well hidden. And now she suddenly marched a small army out into the open, for what? No matter how he looked at it, Qrow was sure that she wanted them to find her.

Him specifically.

Just his luck, the crazy cult leader was still obsessed with him.

He needed to do something before he was getting even crazier than he already was. A quick sip from the little flask in his vest settled his nerves as he climbed the tree that had been his hiding spot for the past few hours. The moment he reached the top his body shifted, turning him into his namesake as he flew across the moonlit sky, surveying the camp again. There were even more people here than the last time he scouted it out, a good dozen faunus walking around carrying crates full of weapons and ammunition.

This wasn't going to be an easy rescue.

He kept circling the camp, watching some of the men dump the bodies of the workers that had been here into a wood pile. Qrow did not doubt that at least some of them were Faunus too. Not like Cho had problems justifying murdering innocent people, no matter what race they were. Having seen enough, he returned to his tree, checking the last message Torchwick sent him.

'Cho will be in the camp's main office, attached to the warehouse. Ghira and Blake are there, alongside Adam.'

"You better not be wrong about this, Torchwick." Qrow trusted the thief and his little gremlin tag-along, but he couldn't shake the doubt that his information was false. Cho was crafty like that. And if she somehow managed to send him on a wild goose chase while Ghira and Blake were still trapped somewhere… "I will save you, I have to!"

He already failed so many people in his life. Every time he swore he would do better. Yet it always seemed to end the same way. No matter how many strangers he saved, how much good he and his team did, none of it managed to soothe his guilt. Even now he could feel their ghosts stare at him, judging him for his failure. His breathing picked up and cold sweat gathered on his forehead despite the desert heat.

One way or the other, he would fail those he loved. It was only a question of who would be next. His team? The people that have stuck with him despite everything he's done? Or maybe Yang and Ruby would join the dead to haunt him-

"Fuck! Focus, you idiot!" He took a deep breath, grabbing the collar of his shirt. "You are not going to fail them, not again. Not like you failed Ozpin." The memories of fire and magic, the scream of a girl beside him, were overwhelming. "Not like you failed your team. Not like you failed Cin-NO! Nonono you won't, you WON'T! You will save them and bring them home!"

He could feel bark and wood splinters as he grabbed the trunk of the tree he was hiding in. He needed to get it together, they were depending on him. But the memories would not leave him, shadows dancing in front of his eyes, taking the shape of a familiar face. "Amber I… I'm sorry…" He choked, trying to keep the tears from dropping.

He forced himself to look away, his whole body feeling like it was moving through tar, making even something as simple as turning his head a herculean effort. He was a mess. But he had no time to be a mess, so he did what he knew best. Shove every single feeling and thought into the deepest darkest pit of his unlucky soul and focus on the newest source of guilt and self-loathing, the reason he flew halfway across the world in a mad dash to not let history repeat itself:

Cho Taurus.

The woman had started as a small-time guard for the White Fang. But after only a few years, her cunning and brutality had enamored her to the more radical side of the group. It wasn't long until she was in a position to take the organization over. Torture, murder, her list of crimes was long enough to put away half the faunus under her.

But none of that mattered now, because Qrow still had one question.

How? How did a woman so void of even the slightest shred of empathy managed to fool so many into following her even into death? He knew how she operated, neither faunus nor her own people were spared from her cruelty. Yet more than one of them had gladly thrown themselves on Harbinger, screaming that her dream of the Ever After was real with a zealot-like fervor.

Their last encounter had been in the New Vale courthouse, her taunts as he failed to stop her still echoing in his mind. Night after night he would hear her. The memories quickly contorted, the mad woman listing not only his recent failures but also those of the past, slowly eroding his sanity, and dragging him down into the depths of his mind.

He found himself back in the days when Ghira and Summer did everything they could to allow him to come to Patch after he foolishly followed Ozma in the largest Grimm attack the Kingdom of Vale had ever seen. He remembered wandering the sands of Vacuo, killing Grimm and bandits alike in an attempt to forget the two women that were always on his mind, no matter how much he tried to drown himself in alcohol.

This was going to be another failure. But this time, his family would not forgive him. They already looked at him differently after he failed to protect Ghira and Blake, no matter how much they denied it. Maybe it would be best if he just vanished. Without him here, Summer and Tai could- "No!" Qrows fist hit the tree hard enough to make his aura ripple over his arm. He couldn't run away from this.

Searching through his vest, he found a small pill bottle. With shaking hands, he popped the lit open, eyes focused on the little note his sister left for him.

'Use them only in emergencies, okay?'

"I promise, sis." He took two pills, popping them in his mouth before he could question the decision. A quick sip from his flask washed them down, his throat burning from the strong drink. "I promise I won't fail again-"

"I think I heard something over there!"

Looks like time was up.

The first salvo of bullets went wide, the second piercing the air where he had been moments before. "Guess it was too much to hope that my bad luck would give me a break for once." He quickly made it down the tree, bullets flying past him, close enough to ruffle his hair. "No, this was my fault. Enhanced hearing and night vision, of course they hear me having a mental breakdown. This is why Ruby always finds you playing hide and seek, you idiot."

He landed on solid ground for the first time in hours, his hand finding the grip of his old companion. Harbinger shone under the moonlight as he drew it. "Summer and Tai are still… 20 minutes away. Guess they're gonna miss the start of the party."

Three Faunus were closing in on his position. He ran at the first, a dog faunus, with almost silent steps. He was dead before he even realized what had happened as Qrow cut his neck open. Enhanced senses or not, he was still a master of his craft. These grunts didn't stand a chance. The sound of a body dropping alerted the other two, two squirrels Faunus that looked like brothers. But he had already vanished back between the trees as one fired widely into the woods while the other ran to check on their friend.

Wrong move.

Neither noticed the pitch-black crow flying over them. Transforming midair, he dropped down to ram Harbinger straight to the man's skull, his shocked face staring back at him. Paying the dead no mind, Qrow took a small yellow vial from his belt, throwing it behind him just as the last of the three turned around. The flash from the lightning Dust lit up the night for a second as his victims screamed in pain, hands clasped over his eyes. Qrow walked towards him, not bothering to move faster than a walk. The poor sod was probably permanently blind, that mixture was pretty strong.

Not that it would matter as a quick slash chopped his head clean off.

"Now boys, you didn't raise any alarms, did you?" There was no answer as the three lie dead. "Pff, this was way too easy. These guys are as green as they get. The fuck are you doing Cho?" She knew that these guys would barely slow down an academy graduate, let alone him. "Well, it doesn't matter. I'm not going to sit here and wait any longer. I hope you are ready, because today," With a simple flick of his wrist, Harbinger transformed. He swung his scythe over his shoulder, not caring about the blood that dripped from its blade. "I'm going to end you."

---

Lumber Camp, Inside the Main office

"Matriarch Cho, one of our patrols has not reported in. Should we… look for them? Some of the others said they heard shots-"

Cho raised her head lazily, watching Iros Amitola slowly walk into the office she had… acquired from its former human owner.

He flinched at the sudden sound of metal being ripped out of wet flesh. The smell of blood, already permeating the small space, grew even stronger as her dear Rufus finished with the former chief of this little camp. The giant Komodo Dragon Faunus had been eager to teach the human why insulting her and her kind was foolish, turning his angry shouts and slurs into sweet sounds of pain.

Yes, Rufus was truly a gift. Strong, ruthless, and just smart enough to not be a hindrance. And her sweet little Adam had taken to him so quickly. A perfect choice for the role of bodyguard for her family. She turned her head, watching him grin as he liked the blood from the slab of metal he called a weapon. Disgusting, to taste these creatures tainted blood willingly but she would let him enjoy himself for now.

With his theatrics over, Cho rose from her chair, dwarfing Ilios as she cracked her neck. "Now why would I do that, my dear little caretaker?" She smiled down, showing rows of sharp white teeth. She couldn't help the pleasure that ran through her as he took a half step back. "I know exactly where they are."

"Y-You do, Matriarch?"

"Of course!" She stepped forward, towering over the smaller faunus, her broken horns and scars glowing softly with Dust as her semblance absorbed it. "They are lying dead in the woods, no doubt mutilated beyond recognition. As they deserve."

Ilios' face turned pale at his leader's words. He knew Cho was ruthless, even to her own people. But this? This went further than he thought possible. This whole mission had felt off from the start but now he feared not only for his own life but those of the children he was tasked to look after.

"Only the strong survive in this broken world. And those that are lacking have no place with us. Only the worthy may make the journey into the Ever After, our true home. Our Paradise." Her smile adopted a deranged edge as she moved away from Ilios, focused on the fourth Faunus in the room, sitting on the floor with his hands bound. "Wouldn't you agree, little Ghi?"

Ghira did not react to Cho's taunt, keeping his gaze even as he looked up at his captor. He looked sickly, with large bags under his eyes, his clothes dirty and ripped, hanging loosely around his emancipated frame. But his eyes were sharp as ever, unbroken. "Aw, what is wrong, my dear? Cat got your tongue? Maybe we need that traitor wife of yours here to loosen that little mouth of yours?" It was an empty threat. Kali was safe on Patch and not even Cho was delusional enough to think she could enter the isolated kingdom. "You aren't very fun today. Do you think you are finally getting your freedom? Maybe you are already thinking about what you tell your family when you get home. Afraid you are too broken for that kingdom of hypocrisy-"

"What is the point of all this, Cho?" Ghira straightens his back, meeting her crazed look without flinching. "I know you well enough, even if I wished I had never met you. You care nothing for those that look up to you as a leader, but you're not stupid enough to throw their lives away without reason. Whatever you think you can get from Qrow, it won't work. And even you can't stand against him and his team."

Cho started laughing, an ugly, deranged sound. "Oh Ghi, my dear stupid little fool." Her arms slammed into the wall on each side of Ghiras head, her insane grin only inches away from him. "I already have everything I need! This is just a little extra. A final hurrah before I take my rightful place, far away from the stink of these lesser creatures." Pushing herself off the wall, she called out in a sing-song voice. "Rufus, my dear. Please take your toy and get it out of here. I don't want my little Adam and his princess to touch it, they might get a disease. Put it in the warehouse or something where it won't stink up the place." Her bodyguard only grunted, grabbing what was left of his latest victim by the leg before dragging it out of the office. "Ilios, go fetch the two, will you? I need to talk to them before my little crow gets here."

It looked like Ilios was going to refuse for a moment before he thought better of it. With a slight bow, he left the office.

"While we wait..." She grabbed Ghiras head roughly, forcing him to look at her. "I must say, you have been far less useful than I had hoped. But despite your best efforts, my plan is still on track. And as a special little surprise, I decided to let your refusal to cooperate slide. Aren't I just the best?" Cho squished Ghiras face, forcing a growl out of the man. "With my victory so close at hand, I think it is important that the world knows about your contribution. Even if I have to… exaggerate a little. Just imagine, your name will be the talk of the whole world."

The plan. Cho had spoken often about it. But despite his best efforts, Ghira had never gotten a straight answer out of her. Every time she talked about it, it was nothing but taunts and mad ramblings. The few times he tried to push the topic were times he rather forgot.

"No matter what happens tonight, I will be victorious. I have seen it!" She finally let go of him, walking across the small office and grabbing a small notebook from the table. He had seen her write into it constantly the past few months, always looking distracted, almost as if she wasn't fully there.

"...The White Fang died two years ago."

"Don't be foolish, little Ghi. I AM the White Fa-"

"MOM!"

A small red-headed boy ran into the room, two small horns poking out of his ruffled hair. A much younger girl slowly followed, her black cat ears pressed flat across her head. She kept her face down as she tried to ignore the dried blood on the floor. "There's my little hero." Cho held her arms open, catching her son with a smile. The boy nuzzled into his mother lovingly as she patted his head.

"Mr. Ilios said you had a mission for us?" He smiled up at her. "Me and Blake are ready! No one's gonna stop our dream!"

Ghira watched his daughter shuffle into the room. To see her so broken was worse than any torture Cho could have inflicted on him. Even in the dark room, he could see the circles under her eyes, her gaze dull and lifeless as she stood motionlessly behind Adam and Cho, holding her arm to make herself as small as possible. Her hair was longer, unkept, chunks of dirt and dust gathering between unkempt strands of hair. Her clothes, while mostly clean, were frayed and ill-fitting, looking a size too big for the small girl. Her natural tan skin had turned a sickly pale after months underground as if all the color had been washed out of her.

It was a stark contrast to the boy that sat happily in his mother's arms, seemingly unaffected by the blood around him. Ghira always considered himself a fair man and he would never blame a child for its actions, especially not when it was encouraged. But something was not right with Adam. The boy seemed to live in his own world, a fantasy that showed him what he wanted rather than the truth. And Cho was more than willing to play along with it. Happy even.

And despite everything, he couldn't help but fear for the boy.

"I know you are, my little hero. This is something only you can do so listen carefully. I need you to take Blake and go into the warehouse I showed you. You remember where Rufus set his home point, don't you?"

"But Mom, that's boring! We've come to fight those filthy humans!"

"Sometimes we have to do boring stuff, sweety. I know how eager you are to show these humans where they belong, but all in due time. Here, take this." Cho searched around the desk's drawers, fishing out an ordinary pair of scissors. "This is a very special weapon. Our entire dream depends on it staying safe and you are the only one I trust with it." Adam's eyes light up, grabbing the 'weapon'. Ghira felt a shiver run down his spine as he watched the boy, how he seemed to believe every lie his mother told him.

Jumping down, he ran out of the office, yelling for Blake to follow him. The girl moved after him robotically, never looking up. Adam, excited to follow his mother's orders, had no patience to wait for her, grabbing her hand and pulling her along. She stumbled as she tried to keep up with the much taller boy as Ilios followed them, giving Ghira one last apologetic look before leaving. He just hoped that he could keep the two from seeing whatever Rufus was doing with the body of the poor foreman.

"To think he will be ten in just a few short months. Time flies, doesn't it?" With a wistful smile, Cho turned back to Ghira, backhanding him hard enough that his head hit the dirty floor. "Well, I think this is enough playing nice for today. I know you aren't as tough as you like to pretend, Ghira. Remember, I see everything you do. Now, I'm sure Qrow is done with these useless grunts by now so let me explain what you are going to do." She grabbed him by the collar, easily pulling him to his feet with one hand. "My little crow was sold out, because all humans are disgusting little backstabbers, especially Roman! I do not doubt that he flew the entire way here in a panic. Now he is exhausted and worried, with my little soldiers chipping away at what little strength he has left. When we go meet him, you will stand to the side and keep a close eye on me, understand?"

"For what? Even exhausted, Qrow is more than a match for you. And as soon as his team arrives you stand no chance, they are legends for a reason."

"Your lack of faith in me hurts, Ghi, it really does. I think you have forgotten who is the one in charge here." She lifted Ghira, his feet dangling in the air as he struggled. "I have been very lenient with your precious little daughter since my boy is so sweet on her. Even letting you see her from time to time. But that is something that can change if you won't do as you are told." Cho's horns glowed as she spoke. "I planned to let Blake see the truth for herself, to keep her from getting her hands dirty. A true diplomat just like her dear daddy. But that is not the only way I can teach her." Ghiras struggle stopped, his face turning pale. "Just imagine it, her and Adam site by site, her face covered by a mask as she slaughters humans with a smile on her face."

"You ... you're a monster," Ghira managed to choke out.

"I'm the monster?!" She threw him back into the wall, furious. "After EVERYTHING the humans have done to us, you dare call me a monster? I am the only one that is willing to do what it takes to bring our people to the paradise we deserve!" She stalked towards Ghira, throwing the desk to the side with an angry swipe of her massive arm. "And I will stop at nothing to reach it, NOTHING! And if you dare to stand in my way I will show you what a true monster looks like!" Ghire groaned as he tried to sit up. His back was screaming in pain and breathing hurt. Cho noticed the same, taking a deep breath to control her anger. With a sneer she turned around, typing quickly on her scroll before kneeling next to him. "You really know how to get under my skin, you know that? You are lucky I still have use for you."

Rufus opened the door moments later, even more blood covered than before. "You called, mistress?"

"Rufus, my dear, perfect timing." She grabbed her small notebook and held it out to him. "I need you to take this and go with Adam-"

"What? You want me to leave when one of these cursed twins is here? I already failed to get one of them, I will not lose my chance to show that bitch her brother's head before I rip her to pieces." Rufus sneered, losing his usual sadistic grin. "Besides, I have sworn to protect you, I won't-"

"Have I ever led you astray, my dear Rufus?" Despite being a giant of a woman, she still had to look up at him. "I need you to protect Adam, you are the only one that I can trust with him." He snorted but didn't argue. "Thank you. Now, you will take the book and follow its instructions to the letter. Everything that will happen tonight and beyond is exactly as I have planned. We will have our paradise, you only need to trust me." He hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Good, I knew I could trust you, Rufus. Now go take Adam and Ilios." Cho's horns glowed again as she smiled. Ghira had seen her do this often, but even after all these months it still sent a shiver down his spine.

"I… I will." Rufus looked like he was in a trance. "I will protect Adam. I swear it."

"You will. Now get going and remember to block the main door. Ghira!" Her eyes met his, her usual cocky grin back in place. "Get up, it's time we start our kind salvation."

Cho was greeted by the sight of her man lying dead around the camp, all brutality murdered. Qrow had not been gentle when dispatching her little welcome present. He acted like a hero, one of the shining stars of Remnant. But she knew, from the first time she saw him, that he was far more than that. A ruthless and efficient killer, a man after her own heart.

The only other human she ever considered worth the trouble.

The first had been a disappointment, with only one good thing coming from the coward. But Qrow, he was different.

She watched a small crow fly up the watchtower, turning into the huntsman she was looking for as he rammed his sword into the last of her man with a brutal thrust.

He was wasted on his family. His team was everything that was wrong with humans, their sense of superiority made her sick. They preached understanding but none of them ever lifted a finger to help the faunus. Once she managed to make him see the error of his ways, she would be able to make him become the man he was always meant to be.

The same one Ozma saw, no doubt.

She looked down beside her where Ghira was sitting on his knees. The moment she had let go of him he sunk down, no longer able to stand on his own. He still held his head high, new hope in his eyes as he watched his would-be savior. He didn't flinch at the sight of the bodies or Qrows ruthless efficiency as the last body fell from the tower, landing with a sickening and wet crunch.

Time to set her plans in motion.

"A beautiful display as always, my dear Qrow." Her voice echoes across the empty camp, breaking the silence of the bloody night. "I am so glad that you managed to find me. We have to stop meeting in these backwaters. How about we go somewhere nice, just the two of us?"

Qrow jumped from the tower, never letting Cho out of his sight as he checked the camp. When he was sure there was no more movement, he turned his attention to Ghira. His old friend looked horrible. He was thin, his large muscular frame sunk in, bruised, and dirty.

But he was alive!

And if Ghira was here, that meant Blake was alive too. Which meant he could still make this right. Whatever else she did to his family could be taken care of once he got them home. All that stood between them and freedom was Cho Taurus.

He swung his blood-soaked scythe, shifting it back into sword mode. But as much as he would love nothing more than to gut her where she stood, they needed to know what she was planning. "Cho." He lowered his weapon, trying to look non-threatening. They both knew it was bullshit, but sometimes you had to pretend to hold up the illusion. "Why are you doing this? You destroyed everything the White Fang accomplished in a single year. For what? What could you possibly hope to achieve with this mad crusade of yours?" Qrow wasn't sure if there even was an answer. The woman was crazy, obsessed. But he still had to try.

Cho held her head, acting like she was thinking hard about his question. "Why, uh? Do you really not know? After everything we've been through together? I am disappointed, my dear little crow, I expected you to understand me better than that." She shook her head as if she was disappointed with a little child. "I have been doing this for the same reason I have done everything in my life. To free the Faunus from the hell you humans have created. The only thing that has changed is that I have seen the answer. A paradise for our kind, untouched by human filth, where we will live in peace! The Ever After awaits us."

Qrow didn't know what else he should have expected. To get a straight answer, understand why Cho showed such cruelty? This was Summers' job, not his. If there was a way to talk to this madwoman, he couldn't see it, nor would he waste time trying.

He shifted Harbinger slightly, getting ready for the inevitable fight. "A paradise for all Faunus, huh?" He swept his arm across the camp. "Are they not Faunus? Why did you throw their lives away? You knew they wouldn't stand a chance."

"Did I, Qrow? I ordered them to guard the camp, not go after you. You were the one that killed them, no one else." She smiled innocently, sending a shiver down Qrow's spine. "I told them who would come, yet they still decided to stay. Because they too wished for paradise. One that you denied them." She pressed a button on her belt, the same one he had seen on her before in the courthouse. "But it doesn't matter anymore. Tonight I will set in motion our ascension and you will be the one that opens the door for us!"

"Door? What the hell are you talking about Cho?" The woman had become even more insane than the last time they fought. He pointed Harbinger at her, firing a shotgun blast. But it was too late. Her belt had spread across her body, covering it in a thin sheet of red metal, like a second skin."

"Every Faunus that died today, everyone that gave their lives for our paradise, their dreams now live within me. And I will carry them to the Ever After! Warbringer, ACTIVATE!" She raised an arm, the red metal twisting like a living being around it.

Qrow growled, stepping back. He knew what that blasted thing on Cho was capable of. Originally revealed to the public during his Beacon days, it was said to be the next step in the fight against the Grimm by Schnee Industries. Malleable metal, compacted into a single belt that would connect directly to the wearer's nervous system to adapt to their actions. It practically became part of them.

One of the many things Cho and her people managed to steal from Atlas during their attempt to topple the floating city.

His musing was interrupted as two whips of metal shot toward him. He ducked under them at the last second, the fists ramming into the tower behind him with the force of a freight train. He ignored the sound of groaning steel as the entire structure came down, running between the stretched arms to bring Harbinger down on Cho's head. Sparks flew as her aura shimmered, protecting the armor from damage. Great, just what he needed, experimental war armor that can interact with aura.

If he didn't know better he would swear his semblance was at work here.

"WHY DO YOU FIGHT ME, QROW?" Cho kicked him, sending him back as her arms retracted. "YOU HAVE BEEN WITH HIM MORE THAN ANYONE. THE ANCIENT WIZARD MUST HAVE SHARED HIS SECRETS WITH YOU, YOU KNOW IT IS REAL!" Before he could get back up, Cho was on top of him, one arm pinning him to the ground.

"All Ozma ever did was lie to me!" Qrow struggled to breathe as the giant woman pressed down on him. Putting his feet against the ground, he started to push against Cho. He saw surprise in her eyes when he managed to move her arm a little. He may be on the lean side, but one does not become as successful as him without having the strength to back it up. "The Ever After is a fucking fairy tale-" His foot shot up, hitting Cho in the chin and forcing her back. "And considering how Alyx described it, I doubt it would be a good idea to go there anyway."

Another metal fist came for his head, Harbinger barely coming up in time to block it. He felt the impact through his entire body as he was pressed back. "Alyx was like every human. Selfish, vile, and pathetic!" Her leg stretched out, hitting him in the side. His aura strained under the hit and he wasn't sure if she didn't just break a rib. "She wasted the gift she was given as all of you do! But I have seen the true purpose of it and it belongs to us!"

"There is no 'us' anymore Cho! The Faunus hate you for what you've done, your people are afraid of you. This crusade of yours is over!" He jumped over another stretched-out kick, his sword meeting her punches head-on. Every hit ate away at his strength, and his arms started to feel numb. But he couldn't back down. "You have ruined everything the Faunus have achieved since the Great War! Everything Ghira, Terra, and Sienna tried to build, torn down for your delusions!"

"Everything they built was a lie! They preached that we are the same, but we are NOTHING like you humans!" She could feel her anger rising as Qrow danced around her attacks. He was much faster than she remembered, his sword cutting into her multiple times every time she lashed out. She retracted the metal, her aura receding to let the armor take the attacks instead.

Despite her anger, she felt excitement well inside her. This was why Qrow was different. He just needed one more push before he would reveal the truth to her. Waiting for him to get close, her hands snapped forward, catching his wrist. Raising him off the ground, she leaned in close. "The God of Animals blessed us, made us greater than you humans could ever hope to be. Once they realize this, they will follow. Even Blake or that sweet little niece of yours."

"SHUT UP!" Using her arm as leverage, he pulled himself up, ramming both his legs into her head. She dropped him as she held her face, growling in pain. He flipped midair, pushing himself backward with one arm. Grabbing another vial from his belt, he threw it at Cho, shooting it just before it reached her. The potent mix of fire and lighting Dust exploded violently, sending both of them flying as arks of electricity hit the tents and logs around them.

"Dammit *cough*, not my brightest idea." Qrow slowly got up, having landed close to the entrance of the camp. His face stung and his aura had taken a hit, but the electricity should have done far worse to Cho's metal armor. It had been the only thing that could dent the thing last time, even if he discovered that far too late.

"Maybe I'm lucky and that just killed her. Now I just- Ghira! Fuck!" He had forgotten all about his friend, too focused on putting Cho down. He took off in a mad sprint through the smoke from the rapidly spreading fire, trying his best to block his nose with his arm. He made it a few steps before a familiar cold feeling spread through his aura.

Bad Luck

His semblance activated at the worst possible moment, as always. His hair stood on end as that damned sound only he could hear started. A slow ticking of the clock, counting down until disaster would strike him or those close to him. His semblance couldn't kill, neither him nor others, but there are far worse things than death.

'Not now, please!' Qrow pleaded as he picked up his pace, jumping over bodies and burning logs up the hill where he saw Ghira last. 'I have to save him! Do not take this from me!'

As he came up the hill towards the warehouse, the smoke cleared to reveal Ghira. He was leaning against the wall, watching the quickly burning camp. "Ghira-"

"Qrow, watch out!" The warning was unneeded as his inner clock struck zero, his semblance acting on the world around him to bring misfortune upon it.

One of the remaining security towers buckled as the fire burned its base, the flames reducing its wooden foundation to ash. With a horrible groan, the entire thing started to lean forward, right at him. Qrow saw it coming, darting to the side to dodge.

Until a mental hand wrapped around one of his legs, pulling him back.

Fire and steel crashed into him, the smell of blood and ash overpowering as his lungs burned. Ironically, it was probably his semblance that kept the tower from crushing him to death. A large metal beam landed just a few inches away from killing him, instead only trapping his right arm under it. The pain was excruciating and he could feel his aura depleting rapidly as Cho forced her way through the flames, grabbing his chest as if she wanted to tear his skin off.

"Oh look at you, my poor little bird." Her belt sparked, the metal no longer covering her entire body. Not that it stopped her. He could see her exposed skin swelter from the heat, turning an ugly black. But she did not react, her crazed eyes solely focused on him. "That was quite the gamble you took there. I admit, I'm somewhat fond of putting everything on the line myself." She cooed softly as she stepped on his trapped arm, the sound of bones breaking accompanied by Qrow's pained screams. "Looks like we aren't that different after all."

Qrow struggled to stay conscious, his aura flickering as it tried to keep Cho from simply ripping his arm off. The pain, the fire, it was just like Beacon. "Don't worry, little crow. Everything will be ok. After all, only we can protect this world." He shook his head, trying to clear the fog that had settled over his mind. He could barely focus, but something about Cho's voice sounded… strange. The world around him faded into darkness, the bright glow of her horns the only thing he could focus on. "Remnant needs us, needs you. Do you not want this? To be needed, loved?" Her crazed tone had been replaced by a sweet and soft sound, almost musical. It reminded him of Summer. "No one else can do it, you know? She is depending on us-" He blinked, watching the man that now stood above him, smiling. Ozma held out his hand, beckoning him to follow.

"Tell me, old friend. Tell me how to reach it." His voice had an odd ring to it as if another voice spoke alongside it. "You have to tell me, Qrow." Ozmas arm contorted, forming a stake. Wait, how did he- "The tunnels are sealed but there is another way. You know of it. Tell me how to reach the Vault. Tell me what I need to do." He opened his mouth without thinking but the words were lost to the fog. "TELL ME-"

Qrow coughed, closing his eyes. Why did he ever though he could escape? Ozma had taken his soul and twisted it into something ugly, how can anyone return from that? Nothing he could do would ever wash away the sins he committed. Maybe… maybe that was for the bes-

"GET AWAY FROM HIM!"

The illusion shattered, Cho once again standing over him as the world burned around them. He watched Ghira ram into her, taking the giant Faunus by surprise. She stumbled back, vanishing into the flames as Ghira fell down, hands still bound behind his back. He did not let that stop him, forcing himself back up before ramming his shoulder into the beams till trapping Qrows arm beneath it. "Snap out of it Qrow! Don't let her get into your head!"

Qrows arm was completely numb. Summoning the last of his strength, his left arm moved, grabbing it and forcing it out from under the beam. Grabbing Harbinger, he used it to sit up, a quick slash freeing Ghira from his cuffs. "Dammit Ghira, get out of here! Summer and Tai are almost here, hide until they find you!"

"And leave you alone with her? I don't think so." Ghira smiled, helping Qrow to his feet. "You are not alone, Qrow. You never have been. Even if we sometimes have to force you to realize it."

"GHIRA!" Cho bellowed as she appeared from the flames once more. She had a large scar on her face, bleeding heavily. "I have given you more than one chance to finally see reason. Despite your refusal to accept that I am right!" She grabbed her belt, slamming her fist into the small control panel, causing more sparks to fly out of it. "But you just have to prove that you are a traitor to your people every single chance you get! No matter, I will forgive you as I will forgive EVERY SINGLE NON-BELIEVER! THAT'S WHY HE CHOOSE ME!"

The metal, glowing hot red and sizzling Cho's flesh in places, stopped moving, once again covering her completely. Spikes sprung from every surface, sticking out in all directions. "UNDER THIS BROKEN MOON I SWEAR TO FULFILL WHAT YOU HAVE SHOWN ME!" Ghira grabbed Qrow, helping him away from the burning tower as Cho raved amidst the flames. "YOUR LIGHT WILL GUIDE US, TO FULFILL THE DREAM OF EVERY FAUNUS ON REMNANT! I HAVE SEEN THE BEACH, I HAVE SEEN YOUR GREAT TREE! AND I SAW THE TEMPLE ATOP THE WATER IN YOUR HONOR!"

Cho charged shoulder first, ready to impale both of them. Qrow pulled Ghira back, stabbing Harbinger into the ground in front of them. The weapon had no hope of stopping her charge, but it would distract her for a single moment. "YOU HAVE SHOWN ME YOUR GIFT! TO ME AND ONLY ME!" Cho didn't slow down but she moved to grab his weapon. "YOU HAVE SHOWN ME YOUR GREATNESS WHEN I GLIMPSED INSIDE THE VAULT." Just as her hand was about to grasp around the handle, Qrow slid between her legs, dragging Harbinger with him as it shifted into its scythe mode. "I DO NOT FEAR WHAT IS TO COME, FOR I KNOW YOU WILL NOT ABANDON ME! YOU WILL-"

The curved blade hit her side, lodging itself into the exposed part of the belt. "If you think your god has not abandoned you-" Qrow pulled, trying to cut Cho clean in half. Harbinger struggled as she screamed, the metal writhing around her as if it too felt her pain. "Then why has he led you to me?!" He could feel his left arm burning, his other hanging limp at his side. His aura was close to the breaking point but he couldn't even think about stopping now.

If Cho escaped again and managed to find a Maiden, he didn't dare think of what she would do with her.

"You will not… silence me, you filthy-" Cho grabbed Harbinger, grunting in pain as she tried to remove it. Her recklessness was starting to take its toll, her wounds sapping her strength as she struggled against Qrow.

The huntsman wasn't fairing much better, feeling his feet slip across the floor as Cho started to overpower him. "I just told you." To large hands clasped around his own, gripping Harbinger's handle tightly. "You are not alone, Qrow!" Ghira was behind him, face sweaty as his arms trembled, his muscles no longer used to the strain.

Cho felt herself falter as the metal fell away around her. Large patches of skin and flesh had been ripped out as Warbringer malfunctioned, her blood dripping to the floor. "I had to listen to your madness for months and months, Cho," Ghira grunted, feeling his body shake. "Your obsession, your hypocrisy. But no more!" Her grip faltered as the two gained the upper hand, fingers slipping as more blood ran down her arms. "I believe that there is still hope for Faunus and Humans alike. That we can make Remnant the paradise you think only lies in death."

With a final yell, the belt finally broke, Qrow and Ghira falling backward as Harbinger cut through Cho's stomach, flying off into the smoke.

She swayed before toppling over, lying still on the ground.

Was it finally over? Neither of the two dared to move, panting heavily as they watched Cho's still form.

Silence had settled over the camp. The fires had started to burn down, the smoke filled the sky clearing as raindrops started to fall, snuffing out the last few embers that still smoldered around them.

"Tha-*cough* Thank you, Ghira. She got a lucky hit there." Qrow groaned as he pushed himself to the side, slowly sitting up. "Can't believe my semblance dropped an entire burning tower on me…" He closed his eyes, letting the rain hit his face.

"Please, don't thank me, my friend." Ghira had gotten on his knees, rubbing his raw hands. "I always knew you would come for us. It was the only thing keeping me going when Blake-" Ghiras face turned pale. He stumbled to his feet in a panic, moving towards the warehouse. "Blake! She's still up there, we have to-"

A thunderous boom shook the camp as lightning struck, blinding the two momentarily. Blinking rapidly, they could see a shadow looming over them.

"I prayed." Cho's hand hit Ghira, throwing him to the ground. Qrow cursed under his breath, looking around for his weapon. He saw the blade glint in the distance, too far away to reach. "Night after night, I prayed. To show me once again what wonders wait for us. I know it is real." She grabbed Qrow by the throat, lifting him, her arm trembling under the effort. "You can't even imagine it, Qrow. The Ever After is a place of wonder beyond our imagination. Such a place can only be created by something divine." He tried to struggle, his left arm desperately prying at the hand around his neck while his legs kicked the empty air. "A place beyond the curse of the Brothers. Free of Grimm and humans. I know that it's the only place for us." Qrows vision began to darken as he struggled to breathe. "Four Vaults, four Keys, four Relics. One of them will show me the way. You know where the Fall Maiden is, Qrow." Cho growled, pulling him closer. "Ozma invaded Vale from within, so it has to be there!"

"How... how do you know... so much?" Qrow choked out, voice weak.

"Your wizard is not as smart as he likes to think he is." Her hand tightened again, causing Qrow to gasp. "You would be surprised what one can learn if you just keep going down the rabbit hole. Salem and Ozma are not the only players in this game. I met such fascinating people in my search, even people you know yourself. Last chance, tell me where she is."

Qrow saw Ghira from the corner of his eyes, struggling to get up. He could feel what little strength he had left failing as Cho held him in her grip. If he didn't do something, this would be the end of both of them. Luckily, he still had one last, desperate ace up his sleeve.

'Don't leave me hanging now, guys.' Searching deep within him, he summoned his semblance intentionally, the familiar ticking of the clock filling his head once more. Time to bet everything on his luck. "Tell me… Cho… how much time do you think you got?"

"Time?" Cho lifted him higher, anger radiating off her. "You humans are all the same, in the end. You, Torchwick, it always ends the same way. No matter, I will find Fall myself, even if I have to tear down all of Remnant." Her face turned cold, a chilling calm settling over her. "Time for you to die, Qrow." She raised her arm, ready to end him when the sound of a Bullhead was heard over the rain. "What? You called for help, you bastard?" She spun around, searching the skies, her grip loosening.

Qrow wasted no time, kicking Cho in the side, right where Harbinger had torn her open, forcing her to drop him. "Of course I did you stupid cow. And they arrived just in time… eh?" The Bullhead, instead of stopping over the camp as he expected, kept flying down, right at them.

His last thought was wondering if his bad luck had hit the wrong target as Cho's fist rammed into his face.

---

Minutes before - Inside the Bullhead

"Why is it always raining when we have to rescue Qrow? I hate flying through storms."

"You think he does it to mess with us? It's kinda suspicious, especially if you consider it always rains on his birthday. Engaging Stealth flight, we are almost at the rendezvous point."

"Gotcha. Though as I told you, a Bullhead only has Cruise flight mode. For stealth, we would need a Manta-"

"Are we really gonna have this discussion again?"

Winter wasn't sure what was going on. After the strange little portal appeared and she heard Ironwood talk to their rescuers for a moment, they changed course towards Vacuo. Summer had sat down next to them again, explaining that they had found Ghira and Blake Belladonna and were on their way to rescue them. Winter had heard about the incident, even back in the mansion.

It had been a tragedy and she was glad that they could save them from the White Fang… Even if a selfish part of her wished that they could bring her siblings to safety first.

"AH!" Weiss screamed in fright as thunder almost hit them, shaking like a fawn as she clung to Winter. She pulled her little sister closer to her, holding her safely as their Bullhead weaved through the air. Whitley seemed undisturbed, laughing as they were thrown around in their seats. She heard Tai shout something from the cockpit, followed by a carefree laugh.

Team STRQ was more… eccentric than she expected.

"I got eyes on the area- And he's not here, of course. Why did I even expect my team to listen to my orders?" She fell back into the co-pilot seat with a groan. "Wanna bet where he is?"

Tao shook his head. "We both know he's already at the camp. I won't give you money for one of your weird games." Summer grumbled something about his lack of appreciation for quality entertainment, getting up to leave the Bullhead to search for their teammate.

"I can't believe I left one of my swords just stuck there in the ground. You think they took it with them as some kind of trophy?"

The two geared up, neither noticing Winter unbuckling herself to come up behind them. "Can… Can I help?"

Winter flinched as they both turned to look at her, feeling oddly intimidated by the two legendary huntsmen. This was a stupid idea, how could she possibly help them after showing how much of a failure she was today? She couldn't even protect her family, let alone- "You could, actually. Only if you are feeling up to it, sweety." She looked up in surprise, seeing Summer's gentle smile as she sheathed her remaining sword. "It would help us a lot if you could sit down in the cockpit. The Bullhead is programmed to land automatically or take off if there's danger but I always feel better if someone is there to keep an eye on things."

"I-I'm not sure, I have never been in a Bullhead before."

Summer embraced her suddenly, making her stumble forward into her chest. Winter was mortified, trying to stammer an excuse. "Hehe, you are just as cute as your siblings. Don't worry, I know you can do it. You already showed us what you are capable of when you held off the soldiers, this is a piece of cake in comparison." She finally relaxed into the embrace, Summers' sweet words soothing an ache she didn't even realize she had.

She enjoyed the comfort for a few moments, noticing that Weiss had been right. She did smell like sunshine and roses.

Taking an unsteady breath, Winter removed herself from the embrace, giving Summer a confident nod. "Alright, I… I'm ready."

"Great! Come, I will give you a quick crash course while Tai opens the door."

Her husband watched them, an amused smile on his face. He grabbed the Bullhead's side door, giving it a quick tug to open it. "What? Really?"

"What's the problem?" Summer joined him as he struggled with the door. "Really, Tai?"

"It's not my fault! Winter, is the safety still on? Small red light next to the steering wheel."

"Uhm… no? The light is green."

Tai grunted, putting more force into his attempts. "See, I told you we should have taken Zippy instead of a standard Bullhead. I gotta give James a piece of my mind about proper maintenance when we-" The Bullhead shook, almost throwing them both to the floor.

"AAAH!" Weiss screamed again, hugging her brother close.

"Don't worry Miss Schnee, everything's alright. WINTER!" Klein yelled, trying to see if she was ok.

Tai ran back to the cockpit, almost falling again as they started to descend. He found Winter clutching the steering wheel with a death grip, pale as a sheet as the ground quickly moved closer. "What kind of storm is this? We are near Feldspar, not the Frontier!" The Bullhead started spinning, the onboard computer failing as warning lights sprung up. "This is bad. Everyone, HANG ON TO SOMETHING!"

Another strong gust caught them, throwing them completely off course. All Tai could do was keep them steady as they crashed right into the middle of the camp.

"Damnit- Uh, I mean, fiddlesticks." Tai cursed, correcting himself on reflex. Raven was strict when it came to cursing around the kids. He rubbed his face, having been smashed into the controls during their crash. His aura had protected him from any serious damage but the pain was noticeable, making his semblance stir inside him. Ignoring it for now, he checked the computer. Their Bullhead was in remarkable condition for such a landing, showing no serious damage.

Winter seemed fine, shaken and still clutching the steering wheel as if her life depended on it, but unhurt. Weiss was looking much like her sister, holding her brother for dear life. The little boy was the only one of the three not scared to death, asking to do it again as he clapped. Klein had gotten out of his seat on unsteady legs, checking on the two. That just left Summer, who was currently upside down on the other end of the Bullhead. Nothing unusual there, she would be fine. More worryingly was what he saw through the front window, urging him to get up and out there.

Qrow was in trouble.

Grabbing the door again, he gave it a strong pull. Still locked. "Hard way it is. WINTER, do not let anyone inside, and tell Summer to join me once she's awake." Winter still looked out of it but managed a slow nod, taking a seat next to her siblings again, grabbing her sword. She looked anything but ready but it would have to do. He looked through his pockets, finding a small syringe. His semblance 'Inner Dragon' needed pain to activate and he would need all the strength he could get. Seeing Qrow lying on the floor was almost enough but physical pain was easier.

The little capsule contained a simple poison that would leave his body undamaged but cause immense pain. A tricky little invention from Doctor Polendina, with the warning to only use it in emergencies.

Tai was pretty sure this counted.

He would suffer any pain for his family. To ease their burdens and share their joy, that's how he was raised and how he wanted to raise his own children. He could feel his semblance react in anticipation, a beast ready to break free to protect those important to him. Without hesitation, he stuck the needle into his thigh, pain immediately spreading across his entire body. His semblance roared to life, aura shimmering as it solidified around him, forming a protective layer of scales, hands turning to claws. "Hold on, Qrow." The door gave way without resistance, the metal bending as he ripped it out of its lock.

"I'm coming!"

---

Of course, Qrow had called that blasted team of his. These humans had no pride or courage, always looking for a way to backstab her kind. Maybe Torchwick double-crossed her? No, she still had what he wanted, not that she would ever give it to him.

She should feel angry, but a strange calm had settled over her. It was no surprise that Qrow hadn't talked. He was many things but he knew how to keep secrets.

Maybe she should have taken Blake with her instead of Ghira, that would have made him talk for sure. The fool and his team still thought of the girl as family. Pathetic.

But it didn't matter anymore. Her plans would bear fruit tonight, one way or the other.

Though she had to give it to him, he knew how to fight to the last. Her whole body felt numb but she could see the blood pooling beneath her. Looking herself over she saw large chunks of flesh torn out from when he destroyed her little toy, the rest of her skin burned black. Her aura flickered weekly inside her, almost completely gone.

But nothing could snuff out the dream she shared with every Faunus. Besides, she still had Blake. And Qrow was done, so she only needed to push him a little more and she would have what she needed.

Qrow blinked, staring blankly at the sky. He could feel blood running down his nose and mouth and for a moment he wasn't quite sure where he was. It slowly came back to him as he took deep breaths, ignoring the smell of blood and ash. "Fuck…" He coughed, missing the heavy steps coming closer.

"Well, look who's awake." Cho was above him, looking even worse than he felt. How was that crazy bitch still standing after everything? "How does it feel, knowing that it was your fault that your team crashed? Do you think they cursed your name in their last moments?" He let his head roll to the side, watching the crashed Bullhead. Why weren't they coming out?

'Did I… Did I kill them?' It couldn't be, his semblance couldn't kill, he knew it couldn't.

"Don't be sad, little crow." She ran a finger down his cheek, leaving a trail of blood behind. "You can still make this right. Just tell me where the Fall Maiden is and I promise that I take care of Blake and Ruby. They will be happy forever, far away from the cruelty of this world and your kind." Qrow squeezed his eyes shut. "How about this? For your help in saving every Faunus, I will take the other one with me. The blond one. She is still innocent, maybe the Ever After can take the sin that is her humanity away from her still."

Cho continued her gentle caress, moving her hand to his hair before grabbing it, and pushing his face into the ground. "Tell me where she is, Qrow! Tell me so I can rip the magic from her cold body and open the way for our dream!"

"A-Amber… she… she is…" She leaned down, Qrows' weak voice barely audible over the rain. "She's dead… I couldn't save her… she's gone…"

"No… no no NO! Stop lying, you wretched little coward! WHERE IS SHE!"

Qrow laughed, coughing blood as he struggled for breath. "That's… that's how they work, Cho. The Fall Maiden could be anywhere… you are too late… far too late…"

With a frustrated yell, Cho let go of him, standing up. "You are lying, it's what your kind does. You were with Ozma, you have to know where she is!"

"That's *cough* That's why you wanted me here, isn't it? You bet it all on me, didn't you?" He was dimly aware that Cho was raising her food above his head. Looks like this was the end of the line for him.

He just hoped the others wouldn't be too angry with him-

"I'M COMING!"

Tai burst from the Bullhead, body covered head to toe in scales. Translucent wings started to form behind him as he ran, each step longer than the last as he grew.

"Tai? You're alive?" Qrow could scarcely believe what he saw. He had been so sure he-

"And another rat joins. You humans love to crawl out of the dirt and mud to stop us from getting what we deserve." Tai's attention snapped to Cho, his transformation finishing as a tail sprung up behind him. The woman looked horrible, even worse than Qrow yet she somehow kept standing straight.

He risked diverting his attention for a moment. Qrow looked like he was beaten to an inch of his life. Yet when their eyes met, he had the gall to smile at him. They would talk once they got home about proper mission procedures and following clear instructions. Still, he trusted him to stay out of the way in his condition.

"Cho Taurus, I'm giving you one chance to stand down." Cho stood up fully, revealing Ghira lying behind her. Tai felt relief at seeing him alive after searching for an entire year, but the state he was in only fueled the fire inside him. It had been a long time since his semblance reacted so strongly, whisps of smoke coming from between his teeth as he breathed. "We both know you won't stand down. So for what you have done to Ghira and Blake, to Qrow, to every Faunus on Remnant, I'm going to end you, here and now. So that we have a chance to undo the damage you have caused." His aura glowed golden, his claws shining razor-sharp.

"You are going to end me?" Cho cracked her neck, feeling every part of her body scream in agony. "You humans are so quick to resort to violence and death." She backed away slowly until her foot hit what she was looking for. "But know this, Taiyang. No matter what happens today, I will endure. As long as even a single Faunus believes in our dream, I WILL NEVER DIE!" She kicked Harbinger up, grabbed the weapon and lunged toward the huntsman.

Tai let her come, drawing one leg back, arms spread loosely in front of him. It was a strange feeling, taking a ready stance when his semblance urged him to tear into his enemies with teeth and claws. But he learned from an early age that giving in to his impulses was a death sentence in a real fight.

Cho was upon him in moments, swinging the scythe down on him. It was a sloppy move. It was obvious she had no training with a weapon like Harbinger, but she made up for it with pure strength and desperation. He met the blade with his bare claws, sparks flying as it failed to cut through his semblance. Cho did not back down, swinging wildly as she laughed, hysteria creeping into her voice.

Tai let her, keeping a tight grip on the fiery rage inside him until she made a mistake. "DIE, YOU FILTHY-" There it was.

She raised both hands above her head, ready to decapitate him with a single stroke, fully committing to the attack. Waiting for the last moment, Tai gave one powerful beat with his wings, letting the swing sail past him into the dirt. The impact was too much for Harbinger, the mecha-shift system failing, keeping it stuck halfway between sword and scythe mode.

Cho ripped it out of the ground, trying to retract it but Tai was already moving. Before she realized what happened, a clawed hand wrapped around her neck, slamming her down hard enough to break her aura. "It is over, Cho! Give up before I break your neck and end your madness for good!"

Cho only laughed, her voice raspy and weak. "Do it, show me what you truly are under that… that lie you tell yourself," Tai growled, squeezing her neck harder, but it only made her laugh more. "All I ever wanted was to free us from your kind." She grabbed his arm. "But I have opened the way to paradise. You can not stop what is to come."

"Paradise? All you have done is destroy their future! My niece, my daughter…"

"Destroyed? No…" Her voice was no more than a whisper, her eyes half open. "I saved them… saved them from your false promises when I revealed what monsters you humans truly are."

"And you aren't!? What about all the families you destroyed, the loved ones you tore apart? Everything we fought for to bring equality and peace to Remnant, washed away by your hatred! Everywhere they show you as the reason why Faunus can't be trusted just so you can get your twisted revenge!"

"All I did… was show them that we will never be equals…" Cho coughed, blood flowing down her chin. "I only revealed… what you tried to hide. I gave them something to hate… and you humans wasted no time using it as an excuse… I saved them, showed them that you can't… can't be trusted." Her words became slurred, her eyes staring upwards, unseeing. "They will… understand in due time. Just like your little girl that… that you forced into a family that will never… understand her. She will hate you for it… and that hate will lead her to me… to our paradise in the Ever After… it will lead all of them."

"AAAARGH!"

Tai screamed as he lost the grip on his semblance, tearing into the woman beneath him with animalistic fervor. When he regained his senses, he was breathing heavily, claws and face stained with blood. Cho was unrecognizable, her face ripped open, head connected only by the barest threat of flesh. The only thing that remained were her broken horns, glowing faintly before fading.

Bile rose in Tai's throat when he realized what he had done. He fought the urge to vomit, telling himself that he did the right thing. Cho was dead, and she would never hurt anyone ever again. He repeated it in his head, trying to convince himself.

He tried to ignore the feeling that something was wrong, snapping around when he heard someone coming up behind him, a growl leaving his throat on instinct. Regret filled him the moment he saw who it was. Qrow had gotten up without him noticing, helping Ghira to his feet despite being unable to stand straight himself.

In his anger, he forgot all about the two.

He rushed over, steadying Qrow before pulling Ghira up. He caught both in a hug, careful not to press too hard. Ghira returned it, laughing as Qrow grunted, muttering about idiot blonds with too much strength. "Good job, Tai." He looked over Tai's shoulder at what remained of Cho. "And good riddance."

"I shouldn't have killed her like that." Regret was heavy in Tai's voice, letting the two go. "Still, I'm so happy to see you, Ghira-"

"Tai." His friend grabbed him, looking tense. "Rufus, he still has Blake. We have to go!" Tai and Qrows eyes widened. When they saw Cho alone, they thought the massive Faunus had stayed behind. Tai could feel his semblance spike again, his scales glowing once more.

"Fuck, this complicates things." Qrow moved on unsteady legs, grabbing his weapon and removing a small fire Dust cartridge from it. Popping it open, he emptied it over Cho's body. "Little help partner? I don't wanna risk shooting Harbinger in this state." Tai did not comment, kneeling down and touching Cho, his semblance igniting the Dust instantly.

She didn't deserve a burial but the last thing they needed was for the White Fang to take her body and make her a martyr.

"Come on, we need to get you in the Bullhead. Once you're safe we get Blake, I promise." Tai led Ghira to their crashed vehicle, checking his face. Cho had done a number on him, the entire right side of his face swollen shut. "Summer! Get the medkit and-" He yelled when they made it inside, only to find the other door wide open, his wife nowhere to be seen. "See, that's why we never listen to your orders, you always do the same reckless things." He turned to the side, seeing Winter getting the first aid kit instead. "Can you manage without us for a moment, Winter? Check Ghira's injury, I'm sure Klein can help you." She gave him a hesitant nod, helping Ghira sit down beside the butler.

"Qrow, you think you can protect them if anyone comes? We can't be sure there aren't-"

"You think I'll let you and Summer fight Rufus alone? I don't think so."

"Can you fight?" Qrow looked down on himself. His right arm was still hanging limp at his side though at least he could feel it again. His clothes were torn and bloody and his aura was nothing but a weak glimmer inside his soul. Harbinger was a mess, the weapon completely locked and seemingly one swing away from falling apart.

"... I've had worse."

Tai raised an eyebrow at him. Qrow answered with a cocky smirk, hefting his weapon over his shoulder. "Come on, you know my luck. I'm sure there's at least one good shot left in Harbinger."

---

The two huntsmen hurried up the hill towards the warehouse, ignoring the bodies littering the path. They had seen their fair share of death during their career but even they weren't prepared for what waited for them inside.

Blood covered the floor and walls, some of it still glistening in the dim light. This happened recently. They quickly found the source as they moved further in, coming up to a wall of logs, stacked almost to the ceiling, the crushed and mutilated bodies of the camp's workers wedged between them.

Qrow held his vest over his nose, the smell of death overpowering. Tai stared in shock, his skin turning pale beneath the glowing scales as the scene reminded him of what he did to Cho. Qrow noticed it out of the corner of his eyes, seeing his partner's arms tremble. Tai's semblance was incredibly powerful, but the drawbacks were severe. The pain, both physically and emotionally, circled constantly through him to keep it active. The pressure, combined with what they saw, was wearing him down quickly.

"Let's find another way, I doubt Summer would have climbed this." He grabbed Tai's clawed hand, forcing him to look away from the gruesome display in search for a way around when a muffled scream reached them.

It sounded like a child.

"HAHAHA, COME ON! I WANT TO SHOW YOUR PRETTY CORPSE TO THAT BITCH OF YOURS!"

"Do you ever- Woah!- shut up, Rufus!?"

A moment later, Qrow felt himself being lifted off the ground. Tai had grabbed him, flying them both up the macabre wall. Just as they reached the top, he saw the golden light around him flicker as Tai's semblance gave out, the pain finally having run its course. They barely managed to grab the last log, pulling themselves up. "Fuck, my arm. Tai, you ok?"

He coughed. "Sorry, I just-" Tai breathed heavily, pulling himself forward. "I had to cut it off, it was too much. Doesn't matter, Summer needs help." Ignoring the sudden weakness in his limbs he pushed himself up. Moving to the other side of the log pile, he looked down, Qrow right beside him.

What they found made their blood run cold. Summer was standing in the middle of the warehouse, dodging Rufus' large swings, her single sword struggling to deflect the giant's claymore. On her back, pressed flat against her, was the small form of Blake, her face buried in Summers hood. But what shocked the two was the blood running down their leaders' face.

A steady stream of red bleed out of Summer's left eye like tears, leaving little doubt as to what happened. "Fuck, Summer!" Qrow screamed but the two didn't hear him. Tai seemed like a statue, unable to pull his gaze away from the trail of blood dripping down his wife's face. He followed the blood splatters on the floor, seeing it lead to the corner of the warehouse, ending at a thin line of aura that encircled two people. One adult and one young boy.

"Tai? TAI! Snap out of it!" Qrow cursed under his breath. This was bad, really bad. Summer was hurt and it seemed like Cho's little brat was responsible, clutching bloody scissors as he cried. And Tai looked like their entire world was falling apart. He felt the same way but they didn't have time for it. "Come on, Summer needs help!" That seemed to snap him out of it. With a growl, his semblance activated again, needing no physical pain this time.
"Come on, let's go."

"Ready."

The two jumped down, Qrow landing on unsteady legs as Tai yelled. "RUFUS! GET AWAY FROM HER!"

The giant Faunus didn't seem bothered by the two arriving, easily holding off Summers' sword with his enormous blade. Tai jumped forward, claws digging into the metal slap of a claymore but Rufus didn't even so much as budge. The golden glow flickered around him, his semblance fading quickly. "Just as weak as last time. And you are here too, Qrow." With a single push, Tai and Summer flew back as Rufus turned to the unlucky huntsman. "Wait… you are here."

Realization dawned on him as Qrow joined his teammates, pointing his broken weapon at him. "That crazy bitch of yours is dead for good. So stand down."

Rufus didn't seem to hear him, muttering to himself. "Cho… why?" His head snapped up, venom running from his mouth as he snarled, the sound deep and animalistic. "You… you killed her. You KILLED HER!" He hit a button on his weapon, the entire sword bursting into flames. "YOU WILL PAY FOR THIS, YOU FILTHY HUMANS!" A pained cry startled him, Adam's silent cries turning heavy and loud when he heard about the fate of his mother. Rufus looked between him and the team, unsure of what to do. With a resigned growl he raised his weapon above his head. "Her dream, our dream, will never end. And as long as our dream is alive, CHO WILL NEVER DIE!" He slammed his sword into the ground, flames exploding around it, forcing the three back.

When the flames receded, he was standing next to Adam and Ilios, the ring of aura the two stood in glowing brightly. "Cho will never die." His last words carried over the sound of burning wood and the desperate cries of Adam. "But you will. I will kill you and that entire blasted family of yours. I will make you watch as I rip your children apart for what you've done today." With that last promise, the ring and the three Faunus vanished, his semblance having carried them back to the save point he created before they came here.

Qrow cursed under his breath. They got Cho but her second in command got away. Still, he considered today a win. Ghira and Blake were both alive and the White Fang just lost their leader. Maybe now they could- "Summer!" Tai had jumped to his wife's side the moment Rufus vanished, holding her head to look at her eye while their leader held Blake close to her, the little girl crying silently into her chest. "How did this happen?"

"Well, when I saw you help Qrow and Ghira I thought I should look for Blake. Made it in here through the emergency exit- OW! Careful, Tai. This hurts like hell."

"How are you even coherent? Someone gouged your eye out!" Summer got to her feet with Tai's help, needing him to hold her steady but seeming fine otherwise.

"I'm not sure. It really hurts but I feel kinda… light? Like something holding me up from the inside. I don't know how to describe it, it feels really weird."

"Why is your eye glowing?" Qrow's question made the two look up, Tai checking her remaining eye.

It was indeed glowing softly, barely visible over the light of the fire around them. "It is? Strange, I don't think there are any Grimm around. At least it doesn't feel like it." She shook her head, getting back to her explanation. "Not important right now. When I came in, I saw Blake and the boy, what was his name again, my head feels fuzzy. They were both in Rufus' circle so I tried grabbing them both. I took Blake first but then the little shi- Adam! Right, that was his name. He stabbed me with scissors! Right in the eye! Kept screaming something about leaving his princess alone. Rufus showed up shortly after so I focused on protecting Blake."

She looked down at the trembling girl in her arms, a soft smile blooming on her face. "Totally worth it. And hey, now I will finally beat Glynda at the costume party during Hallows Eve! My pirate costume's gonna be the most authentic it can be! Yangs gonna love it."

"This is not the time to joke, Summer! Your eyes are important to you and because of me you lost- I'm gonna get Klein, I have no idea how to treat a wound like this. Qrow, help her out of here, I meet you two halfway." With that, Tai ran out of the warehouse.

"Great, there he goes blaming himself again. I'm gonna-" Summer moved to follow her husband only to dip sideways after one step, right into Qrows broken arm. He clenched his teeth, holding Summer with his left. Trying to concentrate on his breathing, he started leading Summer out.

Summer noticed nothing of it, being led along on autopilot while she focused on the girl in her arms. Her vision was blurry, her entire face felt like it was on fire, and whatever was helping her to stay up was fading fast. But she couldn't collapse yet, Blake still needed her. "Hey Blake, sorry I couldn't say hi properly before." She scratched behind her cat ears, remembering that the girl used to like it. Was it ok to do this? Wasn't there some sort of protocol for kidnapped children? "You… you remember us, right? I'm Aunt Summer, and this is your far less cool uncle, Qrow."

When Blake looked up, tears still streaming down her face, part of Summer feared that she didn't. That she would hate them for taking so long, that Cho got to her somehow, that their family would forever be- "A-Aunt Summer?" Her voice sounded so small and hurt that Summer couldn't help but press her closer. "Y-Your eye… I-I'm sorry…" She started crying again, sniffling as she tried to rub the tears out of her eyes.

"My eye?" A laugh left her, shaking her entire body. She couldn't help it, the very thought of her eye seemed so ridiculous to her. "What about it? I would give ten eyes if it means I can bring you and your dad home. Though I guess it would be hard to get eight more somewhere. You think I could get donations or would I have to steal them?"

Blake giggled, small hiccups leaving her as she tried to stop crying. Looking over Summer's shoulder she saw the empty warehouse as they left the building, seeing no one around. Adam lied and now he was gone. He told her that STRQ would never come for her, that all humans were nothing but cowards and liars, but she kept believing, sharing stories about her family whenever she could. It was the only thing that gave her hope when she sat in the dark caves of the White Fang base.

Adam had lied and she had been right.

Her family had come back for her. She told them they would again and again and Adam and Cho had been wrong wrong WRONG-!

"Why are you crying? Don't you remember the first rule of Huntsman?"

Blake rubbed her eyes again, the soft rain hitting her face, mixing with her tears. "I… A H-Huntsman only cries when a-all is lost?"

"Exactly! And the second rule?"

"A… A huntsman never cries."

Summer pressed her close, running soothing circles across her back as Tai and Klein ran up the hill, meeting the three.

"That's my kitten… Welcome back."

---

Kingdom of Patch - Koa's Edge Residential Area

04:15 am, August 17, 68 post-Great War

The city of Patch was founded during the early days of Vale's expansion efforts. Starting as a coastal village, over the coming years the city would expand upwards the hill that took up most of the southern part of the island, where they built Sanctuary Tower, the pride and joy of Patch and center for most of the kingdom's military and huntsmen. Situated close to the military compound, expanding into Koa forest, was the similarly named Koa district where a large part of Sanctuary's staff lived.

And there, along the fence surrounding Sanctuary Tower, was the home of the STRQ family-

"Come on you stupid- FUUUU…dge…" Junior trailed off, stopping the curse at the last minute as he tried to open the front door to the STRQ home. The giggles behind him didn't help his mood in the slightest. "How am I supposed to get your brats home if you don't give me a key?" He turned the bag she had left at his bar upside down, the content spilling out over the front porch.

"Oh, I know. We can throw Ruby down the chimney! No no, throw me! Mama taught me how to use my aura, I can totally do it!" Yang grinned happily, her face covered in leftover ice cream.

With a sigh Junior stopped shifting through Raven's stuff, looking at the two girls that sat a few feet away from him, finishing their ice cream cones without a care in the world. "We won't throw anyone anywhere, least of all down a chimney. Remember what happened the last time you ended up on my bar's roof somehow? I was sure your mother was going to murder me and I would rather not press my luck." Yang pounded, looking away. "Besides, this is a wealthy neighborhood. If I start throwing kids I'm gonna be arrested."

"But Mommy threw Zwei down the chimney the other day." Ruby happily explained, ignoring Junior. "He opened the door for us when we got locked out."

"I'm not sure what's worse. That I'm not sure which of your mothers did that or if this is what they teach you. I rather not think about it, to be honest." He knocked on the door, whistling once. "ZWEI! Come here, boy!" Silence answered him, only broken by the continued giggling of the two children behind him. "Come on Zwei! I've seen you use a can opener once even if Qrow doesn't believe me, OPEN THE DOOR!"

"Zweis not home." Junior took a deep breath, slowly counting to ten in his head. The momentary relief he would gain from yelling at Yang would not be worth it once Raven was done with him for scaring her daughter. "Grandma Hima took him with her to cheat at bingo."

"Of course she did. Because somehow, the former criminal is the most responsible and morally sound adult you have in your life." He wasn't sure if he should laugh or cry. Maybe both. "First Neo robs me blind for keeping her shop open after hours, then she makes me pay for a chair you guys didn't break." Yang slapped her hand over Ruby's mouth. "And now this? If this is how Qrow feels every day I'm gonna stop cutting him off so early."

Ruby looked at Uncle Junior's face. She was sure that he was… frowning? Yes, that was it, and that was bad. "Don't be sad, Uncle Junior. You got ice cream! That means it's a good night!"

He looked at the innocent smile of the little wolf Faunus before him, seeing her silver eyes shine happily while her tail waggled back and forth. "You know pup…" His large hand found her head, patting it as she leaned into his touch. "You are right. But we still need to find a way to get you two inside your home and into your beds." He got back up, looking around as if the answer would magically appear before him. Yang and Ruby watched him, neither having considered that an adult couldn't open the door for them.

While Yang folded her arms, trying to think about what they could do, Ruby sniffed the air, having caught a familiar scent. "Why don't we ask Mama to open the door?" She pointed towards the fenced-off area, right at Sanctuary Towers hangars. "I can smell her from over there."

"Good work Rubes!" Yang held up her fist for her sister, the younger girl pumping it with a giggle.

Junior held his head, feeling a migraine coming. "Girls, I'm not sure if you realize, but this is a military base. You can't just wander in there, no matter who your parents are."

"Not if you go in the front! That's why we had Zwei make a hole under the fence. We worked a whole day to make it big enough for us to fit through. Now normally I would need to swear you into secrecy for our super special secret entrance but if you get us more ice cream you can use it too!" Yang explained happily, already following Ruby towards the fence.

"A hole. Under the fence." Junior sounded dumbfounded. "You made Zwei… dig a hole… into Sanctuary Tower."

"Yep!" Both sisters yelled, popping the P as they started running.

"Hey, wait!" Junior ran after them, quickly losing the two in the darkness. His legs burned as he ran through the woods, calling after the two with no success. He was more out of shape than he thought. "Unbelievable. You survived Mistral's great purge, a goddamn Grimm worm in Vacuo, and the freaking invasion of Vale. And now you're gonna die because you lost track of two brats. What did I do to deserve this?" He looked at the lights of the hangar in the distance, then at the large Tower behind it. The pride and joy of Patch. "I can't believe I'm doing this." He got out his scroll, calling a number he never thought he would use. "Come on James, pick up…"

Ruby and Yang ran across the airfield, the former's nose leading them toward their mother. The first soldier that saw them only shook his head, a fond smile on his face. He let them pass through without much fuss, knowing that it was better to let the STRQ family reunite uninterrupted. The two simply ran past, laughing as more soldiers and personnel greeted them, the base becoming busier the closer they came to Raven.

By the time they entered the hangar where Raven was waiting, they had managed to gather multiple sweets and snacks from the people they met on the way, all of them used to the two kids somehow appearing to see their parents. "GIRLS!" A shout behind them made them stand stock still, backs straight as Patch's high General appeared, followed closely by their grandmother. "What are you two doing here? This is a military base, not a playground-"

"Oh don't be such a spoilsport, Jamey" Maria hit his chin with her cane, opening her arms wide. Her grandchildren wasted no time, almost barreling her over as they hugged her. "And how did you little rascals get in here? Did you finish your secret entrance?" The two smiled, both zipping their mouths shut to keep the secret. "Ha, good job girls. I guess you are here to find your mother, aren't you? Jamey, get that boy of yours, you know the pretentious one, to get my girls some juice."

"Maria, this is highly irregular. And Specialist Ebi is a trusted and valuable-" She wasn't listening to him, completely focused on the two girls telling her about everything they did today with Junior and probably a lot of things that didn't happen. "Sigh, why do I bother?" He sends a quick message on his scroll to Clover. "How do you girls keep finding holes in our security?"

"You know what they say, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree." Maria cackled as James gave her an exasperated look. Oh, it was too much fun to tease the man. "Now come on girls, let's get you to your mother."

The two shouted happily, Ruby clinging to her grandmother while Yang decided she wanted to have a better view, climbing up Ironwood's back. The general could only sigh, setting the girl on his shoulder as he followed Maria. "Isn't Mister Grant coming?" Ruby asked, her eyes fixed on the broken moon above them. She could feel something like when her momma unlocked her aura. Something deep within her reached out, but she wasn't sure for what.

"Not tonight pup," Maria said, stroking Ruby's ear. "At least one of us needs to pretend not to be involved in this. That's how you keep yourself out of trouble."

The little group wandered through the hangar which was rapidly filling with people. Ruby pressed herself closer to her grandmother while Yang looked around, waving at everyone. James was silently glad for her laughs, keeping his nerves in check as the girl he tried so hard to save was coming closer by the minute.

When they exited the hangar onto the runway, they found an entire medical tent already set up, and even more people running around. Yang tensed when she saw them, having a vague understanding of what it meant when so many doctors waited. Ruby ignored all of it, running straight at her mother who was pacing around next to the tent. "Mama!" She jumped into her arms, Raven barely able to catch her in time. "I missed you, mama! Did you miss me? Did you?"

Raven smiled weakly, glad to see her girls. She planted a kiss between Ruby's ears, shifting her around when Yang jumped down from James' shoulder, watching the aura injector she still had attached to her arm. "Always, pup." Seeing her eldest so worried she opened her other arm, picking Yang up when she threw herself into her mother's embrace. "I did it, girls. I really did it." She held the two close, her forehead touching both of theirs as she whispered. "It broke my aura but I did it."

"What did you do, Mama?" Ruby asked innocently, seeing Kali come out of the hangar. Her face looked weird, nothing like any of the cards she had. She couldn't tell what her aunt felt but it felt bad. She didn't like it.

"Used my semblance, all the way to Atlas. Across the entire world. And I couldn't have done it without you two." She kissed both of them, hoping that someday they understood what their support meant to her. But despite her efforts, the two looked troubled. She managed to convince the two that Ghira and Blake had only been on a long trip, but the tense atmosphere wasn't lost on the two.

Kali approached the three, trying to give Yang and Ruby an encouraging smile before looking at the horizon. James joined them moments later, waiting with bated breath for their arrival. They didn't need to wait long as the telltale signs of a Bullhead became visible in the distance. The runway became a flurry of activity as specialists and medics prepared for their landing.

All the pain, worry, and fear finally found an end as the battered Bullhead landed, part of it falling off as it rolled to a stop.

None of it mattered as the side door slid open, Winter coming out first to throw herself in James' arms as Kali ran past her to see her husband and child for the first time in a year.

They were finally home.

---

Yang was worried, clutching her mother's hand as the doctors checked her over. Summer kept a tight grip on her hand, running soothing circles around it with her thumb. Yang tried to calm down as her mother told her about the fun they would have when they looked for their new pirate costumes but she knew, deep down, that something bad had happened. Raven and Tai hovered around them, both looking tense as the doctors slowly removed Summer's eye patch.

She looked away, trying to focus on something else. A familiar girl caught her attention at the Bullhead, making her smile. Blake was back! She wanted nothing more than to run over and ask her all about what she had done on her trip but her grandmother had told her that she would be exhausted and needed space to recover. So she stayed there, still clutching her mother's hand as her Aunt Kali hugged Blake and Uncle Ghira as hard as she could.

Leaning to the side, she caught a glimpse of white, seeing another girl she didn't know looking out of the Bullhead. Her hair was pure white, glowing softly in the moonlight and her skin was paler than she had ever seen. That meant she wasn't from Patch. Still, even from here, Yang could see her big blue eyes look around in wonder. She liked her already, and Ruby seemed to share her feelings, fully focused on the strange girl. She would have to ask her dad about her later.

No way would Coco beat her to a new friend again.

The first moment Blake woke up, she thought it had all been a dream. That she was still back in the dark caves, with Cho casting her large shadow over her. But when she smelled her father and felt his arms around her, she knew that she was safe.

The Bullhead shook as it landed heavily, the side door opening moments later. The familiar scent of tropical heat and the ocean hit her, the smell of home. For the first time since they left Cho and her White Fang behind Blake dared to open her eyes and look around, her eyes finding the large blue ones of another girl. She looked strange to Blake, with pale skin and hair white as snow.

'They are like poison, child. The worst their wretched kind has to offer!' She closed her eyes, trying to ignore the voice that told her so many lies. Blake looked again, seeing her shuffle around nervously. And even though she couldn't say why, Blake knew that she could never hate the strange girl.

Her father started to get up, still holding her safely when the cry of a familiar voice reached them. Before Blake could look up, another pair of arms enveloped her, bringing with it a sense of warmth she had missed so much. She threw her arms around her mother's neck without hesitation, crying into her shoulders. She blinked, seeing two familiar kids standing outside, her two best friends.

Yang had gotten much taller than she remembered, her hair even longer than before. Yang loved her hair, she knew that. Ruby looked more like she remembered, clinging to her father's legs. But that strange silver of her eyes was unmistakable.

When her mother finally turned around to leave the Bullhead, not letting go of Blake, she knew that she was truly home again.

Weiss remained in her seat, watching her sister throw herself into the arms of who she assumed to be Ironwood. She looked around nervously, unsure what to do when she met the deep amber eyes of the Faunus child they had saved. She wasn't sure why, but she felt transfixed, a strange calm settling over her as they watched each other. Until another Faunus jumped into the Bullhead, looking like the girl's mother. Weiss felt herself smile, happy to see the girl reunited with her family.

She had unbuckled herself but didn't know what to do. No one was waiting for her outside and she didn't know if she should wait there or not. So she stood there, letting the warm breeze ruffled her hair. It smelled different from Atlas, almost sweet. Like it was welcoming her to a new home.

Her brother wasted no time, jumping out to join Winter as she talked with the general. Weiss, feeling too shy to follow him, peaked out from the Bullhead, looking for Summer. She found her surrounded by medics, right next to Klein, with a young and tall blond girl standing next to her. A smaller girl joined her moments later. She looked scared, Weiss thought, watching the small faunus look around until their eyes met. They were the same color as Summers but somehow they seemed even deeper, almost glowing as she came closer, solely focused on Weiss. She had to look away, a harsh voice in her head reminded her that this was unbecoming of a Schnee. But she wasn't a Schnee anymore, was she? She looked again, remembering what Summer had told her, and decided that the blond had to have been the one that set the couch on fire.

"Ruby?" Her father's question went unanswered as Ruby rushed to her mother, trying to block out the noise.

It was all too much, too fast, too loud. The Bullhead door had fallen open with a loud bang that rattled in her head and suddenly everyone had been talking, shouting, and moving around her. She grabbed her mother's hand, to calm herself, but all she could hear were the shouts around them as they poked and prodded her face. Something was wrong with her mother and it was all too much too much too much!

Everywhere she looked she saw strangers, all looking off and being loud and smelling weird. She could feel her mother stroke her hand with her thumb but it was not enough.

"Ruby?" Another voice, her second mother, came behind her. A hand started stroking her head, the mix of Raven and Kali's scent managing to distract her racing mind a little. She closed her eyes, trying to focus on the smells. It was still too much, but she could make out something oddly familiar, coming from the Bullhead. She looked, seeing a large man hugging Aunt Kali. Aunt Ghira, yes. Then that meant…

She moved a little closer, trying to place the third scent. Nightshade, darkness, and hugs. Yes, she knew this person, but she couldn't concentrate, all the noise and smells and thoughts were too much for her little mind to handle. Then something pierced through the cacophony around her, a glimmer of white and blue in the corner of her eye.

A different girl was watching her.

"Ruby?" She didn't hear Summers' question as she walked towards the pale girl. She looked so different from what she was used to, her glowing white hair and big blue eyes captivating the little wolf. She caught her scent, like a fresh spring morning, almost fridged, with a hint of roses. Her mother's scent.

The cold girl looked away, making an expression Ruby could not place. She wanted to move closer, but two arms grabbed her from behind before she could take one step. "Ruby!" Her sister slung her arms around her, holding her close. "What are you doing?" Ruby had no answer, instead looking up at the broken moon glowing gently down on them.

A smile found its way on her face as calm finally settled over her. Something inside her knew that this had been a good night, and she couldn't wait to see what tomorrow would bring.

---

Why did I decide to look upon our creation once again?

I knew she would not learn her lesson, it was not within her to understand such things.

But I saw that my brother had interfered once more, bringing her beloved back, only to reignite the hatred we tried to snuff out.

Our creation had changed. My creations had changed. They should not have been capable of doing so.

Was it her doing? I felt her tug at the strings that governed them, using my gift to use them for her purpose.

I felt her rage and hatred, burning so brightly in her soul, threatening to destroy everything.

He could not find out, so I left my throne to walk Remnant once more, ready to be done with it once and for all.

I thought I would find them helpless without my gift of power.

Instead, they wielded new magic, one born from within them. It was not of our making. It was wrong, a perversion of the soul we granted them.

And with this power, they dared to stand against me once more.

They had not learned, so I was ready to teach them one last time. Watch their feeble power falter as their hope burned, as it did before.

Instead, they survived.

They defied me, clinging to their hope even against a god!

I left, my rage burning across the world, returning to my throne.

I thought it would be enough.

Yet still they live, believing in their hope.

And so I sit as one question taunts me endlessly

Why?