Yang lifted up her head, arms at the ready for a fight. Taiyang took a swing at her with his left hand, but she easily blocked it with her robotic wrist, pushing his hand away from her. Bayonetta then rushed in with a jump kit, but Yang easily spun out to avoid the attack and palm Bayonetta between her shoulders to send her away. Tai then came at Bayonetta with a punch, but Bayonetta deflected it with an outside crescent kick from her left leg, planting the foot back on the ground and slamming both fists into her father's chest. Yang rushed back in, throwing a round kick Bayonetta handspringed away from, before throwing some punches at her dad, eventually going for another kick. Taiyang bent backwards to dodge it, his legs in a lunge. He gave his daughter a solid punch, pushing her back a few feet.
Bayonetta rushed in again and traded several blows with Yang, matching each other move for move, before separating as their father came in between them, managing to defend against both of their attacks.
Nearby, Zwei watched the three spar, panting happily. Beside him was a low stool with three white towels. His head changed angles, oscillating to the sounds of grunts and contact. Abruptly he held his head straight and made a noise of surprise.
Taiyang stood alone and moved forward, doing his own roundhouse kick. Yang joined both hands atop each other to block Tai's landing foot. Bayonetta rushed in with a sliding kick, but Yang moved her arms, grabbing Tai's arms and jumping, holding herself up by her father's arms, allowing Bayonetta to slide under her. She then leaned back and pulled Tai with her, throwing her behind him. She then ran up to Bayonetta, throwing a couple of kicks, grabbing her arm and spinning, letting go and reversing herself, jumping and knocking Bayonetta down with a jumping round kick. Taiyang regained his footing in a flip while Yang waited for his landing. Using her robotic arm, she knocked him back with a single hit.
Holding onto his right bicep, Tai slid through the dirt, his feet flat on the ground until he came to a stop. "Whoa, that thing packs a punch!" He laughed.
"But the arm and brain behind it aren't bad, either." Bayonetta told her sister as she got up.
"Thanks, sis." She said, before looking to their father. "We've been at this for weeks. I get it, you wanna make sure I can still fight." Yang said, bumping her own fists. "I think I'm doing just fine." She said confidently.
"And I certainly haven't lost my edge, either." Bayonetta said.
"You're close." Tai said as he stood upright, no longer nursing his arm. Walking around his daughter in a circle, he assessed her progress.
"Oh, really?" Yang questioned.
"You're still off balance." He told her. He then looked to Bayonetta. "And you still have a lot to figure out yourself." He told her.
"Oh, like what?" Bayonetta questioned.
"And I am no off balance!" She argued, to which her father chuckled.
"Honestly, I'm kind of surprised." She said as she lifted her robotic arm, looking down at it with a smile. "I thought it would be just this huge weight, but it feels... natural. They did a great job with this thing." She explained.
Taiyang came in from off-screen, delivering a left hook right into her face, spinning and hitting Bayonetta in the stomach with a rear kick. Yang's upper body reared back both from impact and surprise as Bayonetta staggered from the kick. Yang was ready to block his right hook, however and used the turning momentum to deliver an elbow jab. Grinning the entire time, Tai blocked it and then dodged all the kicks she followed through with. Bayonetta rushed in and struck with several knife and spear hands, which Tai managed to block, jumping back as Bayonetta flipped and tried to come down with a leg smash on her father. Yang switched to punches, but Tai was too on point for her. While she used her left hand to block an elbow thrust, Tai grasped her robotic arm and pulled it forward. The position put Yang in the position of having her balance rely on the weight of one leg.
"I wasn't talking about your actual balance." He informed her as he swept her forward leg, sending her onto the ground on her back. "Although, that could use some work too." He added. He then turned as Bayonetta as she tried to hit him with several more kicks, then grabbing her wrists as she tried to strike him with knife hands to his neck, rotating and throwing her to the ground as well. "And as creative as you are, Cereza, you focus more on being flashy than what actually damages your opponent." He told her.
"There's always room for a bit of style in everything you do." Bayonetta told him.
He left them there and walked over to Zwei, who happily got the top towel for him. "That may be so, but you're giving it too much room." He told her as he took the towel and gave Zwei a rub on the top of his head. Zwei hummed happily.
Arms spread on the ground, Yang took a breath before speaking. "So, what should we do about it, then?" She asked.
"I saw your tournament fights. During the Vytal Festival." Tai started, toweling off his sweat.
"Let me guess. 'I was sloppy.'" Yang answered with a mocking accent.
"I toyed with my opponents too much." Bayonetta mocked as well.
"No, no, you were predictable. And... stubborn. And... maybe a little boneheaded." He told her. Yang sat up and spun to stare at her father. "That goes for both of you. Yang, Do you realize that you used your Semblance to win every fight after the qualifiers?" He questioned. "And Cereza, I don't think there's a fight you HAVEN'T used your semblance in." He told the younger twin.
Yang spun again to have her back to him. "So what? How is us using our Semblances any different than someone else using theirs?" She asked.
Tossing the towel on the ground, Taiyang moved toward Yang. "Well, for you, because not everyone else's is basically a temper tantrum." He started, laughing and crouching by her side. "I'm serious! Once you take damage, you can dish it back twice as hard, but that doesn't make you invincible! It's great when you're in a bind, but what happens if you miss? What happens if they're stronger? What then? Now you're just weak and tired!" He explained.
"He's got a point, Yang. All that built up energy is gone after you dish out the blows you have to." Bayonetta told her.
"Hey, this applies for you, too. You've always been one to burn brighter than everyone else, whether it was with your smile, or, well, I remember your first haircut." He said and playfully tugged the hair on the back of her head. Smiling, Yang batted him away. He chuckled and got up, walking away a few paces with Zwei just behind him.
"But you gotta keep your emotions in check. Keep a level head, and think before you act. Your Semblance is a great fallback, but you can't let yourself rely on it. It won't always save you." He warned her, then lowers his head, sadness creeping into his tone. "And Cereza, you're semblance is incredible and seems to be growing every day, but no matter how powerful it is, it's not a trump card for every situation. You need aura to fuel that semblance, so if you burn through it all, you've got nothing left to defend yourself when you really need to. And what if someone's immune to your semblance? No matter how good it is, there will always be a counter to it. And if you can't rely on the one thing you always rely on, you're finished." He told the younger twin.
"I suppose I haven't considered that. But it's definitely something I should consider." Bayonetta admitted.
"Obviously. You definitely have your mom's stubbornness." He said.
Taiyang faced one of the trees, not looking at Yang. Between the three of them, Zwei moved his head back and forth as each spoke.
"Oh, so now we can talk about her?" Yang asked.
"I'd prefer if we went back to not talking about her." Bayonetta said.
"Well, as I have been informed, you're adults now, remember?" He told them both.
"Well, sorry I remind you of her." Yang said.
"You should be." Bayonetta said.
"No she shouldn't. Raven was great in so many ways - her strength, her ambition, her dedication to whatever cause she thought was worth fighting for." He explained, then turned around. "I'm proud of how much of her I see in you." He said.
"I'm not proud of seeing any of her in myself." Bayonetta said.
"And that's why I'm glad I don't see all of her in you." He added.
"Why?" Yang asked.
"Your mother was... a complicated woman. Like everybody, she had her faults, but those faults are what tore our team apart. And, it did a real number on our family. You both act like the easiest way to tackle an obstacle is through it." He started, pointing at Zwei. "That strength is all that matters in a fight. But if you just take a second look, then maybe you see..." He went on, walking toward her, stepping around Zwei. "There's a way around as well." He finished and extended hand. "Come on - one more before dinner." He said.
"Alright. This one's for keeps." Bayonetta said, jumping back a bit.
Yang took his hand and he helped her up. The three of them circled each other, arms at the ready. Taiyang made the first move with a left hook at his blonde daughter, followed immediately by a right cross and a kick. Yang blocked and dodged, continuing to avoid being hit even when Taiyang flipped in the air. She cartwheeled, avoiding him and he landed across from her. Bayonetta rushed, delivering several kicks, elbow strikes and knife hands her father managed to block. She then turned and faced off against Yang, matching each other blow for blow, before separating as Taiyang came in to try and attack them both. Th two blondes faced off again, Taiying doing a single punch and kick. Veering to avoid it, Yang rolled a few feet away before turning and rushing at him. They met in the middle, each with their left hand on the other's right elbow, pushing against each other.
"Heh. See? Alright! Now you're using your head instead of your—" He started, before Bayonetta swept his legs out from underneath him but Yang caught him as he fell back. They paused in that pose, grasping hands and smiling together. Bayonetta stood up and smiled at them as well, Yang pulling Tai back to his feet and the family sharing a hug.
Dante and Weiss were sparring, Weiss now able to move and fight alongside her summon, her Armor Gigas fighting against an enlarged Nelo Angelo as Dante and Weiss fought each other as well. The two of them matched each other blow for blow, countering or avoiding each attack, before Weiss launched herself forward with a glyph and striking with an attack similar to Dante's Stinger attack, sending him back. However, this wasn't a complete victory for the older twin, as Nelo Angelo impaled and dispelled the Armor Gigas. "Not bad, sis. You're almost at Winter's level with your summoning. Don't forget, though, that isn't the only thing you can do with your Semblance." Dante informed her.
Weiss smiled at her brother's concern, but rolled her eyes. "Well, obviously. It has far too many uses to be used simply in one way. Turning it into a one-trick pony would be an injustice." She said.
"Well, just as long as you know, that's good, then." He told her.
Weiss then thought of something. "Dante... What will we do now that Whitley is the heir to the SDC?" Weiss asked.
"Become a Huntsman and Huntress instead. Wasn't that the plan before we left?" Dante questioned.
"Yes, but I imagined being like our grandfather. A huntress AND leader of the company. It would be what brought our family name back into the light after Father tarnished it. And Whitley will likely follow Father's example, so our family name may never be ruined forever." She said.
Dante hugged his sister. "We'll think of something, Weiss. Maybe Winter will have some ideas. But I promise you, Jacques and Whitley will not ruin our family name. I won't let them." He told her.
The landscape was looking dreary as Ruby could be heard breathing heavily. "Just hold on, Uncle Qrow." She told her uncle as Ryu and Jaune carried Qrow on a makeshift stretcher. Ren was before them on the path, leading the way while Nora brought up the rear.
Qrow was groaning in pain and is a touch delirious. "Tai. She's not... coming..." He said, likely hallucinating from the poison, grunting in pain. "Tai." He repeated, then coughed repeatedly.
"He's getting worse." Jaune told Ruby.
"Nightmares and hallucinations are an advanced symptom of many poisons. He doesn't have much longer without an antidote." Ryu warned.
"How much farther?" Ruby asked.
"We've gotta be close."
Ren holstered StormFlower and looked at the map. "No..." He said.
"What is it?" Ruby asked.
"We're close... But the rest of the way is impossible." Ren explained.
"What does that mean?" Jaune asked.
"It can't be..." Ryu said as he saw the signs.
Directly ahead was a fork in the road with a signpost. They were coming from the direction of Higanbana. Kuchinashi and Mistral were to the right, where the land was mountainous. To the left was Kuroyuri, its name crossed out. The path that way remained low ground.
"Hey, hey! Mistral! We're on the right path! Oh..." Nora pointed out, before recognizing the name on the other side.
"Does it say how close?!" Ruby asked desperately.
"No. And it looks like the path takes us up the mountains." Ren explained.
Jaune and Ryu set Qrow down. "Guys, I don't know if all of us can make that climb." Jaune said.
Ruby looked at Qrow, concerned, before rushing forward to the signpost. "Okay. Well, what about this place?" She asked, pointing to the sign opposite of Mistral. "Kuro... Kuroyuri? Can we get help there?" Ruby asked as Jaune approached.
"That village was destroyed years ago." Ren explained.
"But if it takes us around the mountains, it's the best bet we've got." Jaune explained.
"It will take too long." Ren snapped sternly.
"The town would have had a doctor, right? Maybe we could scavenge for medicine!" Ruby tried, sounding more desperate by the minute.
"Right!" Jaune agreed.
Ren closed his eyes, lowering his head and shaking it. "We're not going to find anything! We just have to press on!" He snapped.
There was just a brief moment of silence. Ruby watched him, clutching her hands before her chest. "Ren, why are you acting—" Jaune started.
"Jaune." Ryu interrupted, stopping the blonde. He then walked up to Ren and put his hands on his shoulders. "Ren, I know what Kuroyuri meant to you. It was my home, too. But right now, it's our only option. There's bad memories there for all of us, but you can't move on if you don't face your problems. And if we don't go through, Qrow isn't going to make it. Remember why we wanted to become Huntsmen in the first place. To save as many people as we can. Well, if he doesn't make it because we didn't go through a town with some bad memories, we failed that job. What would your father have said?" Ryu asked.
Ren was shocked at these words, lowering his head for a few moments, before nodding. "You're right. If I can't face this and Qrow dies because of it, how can I call myself a Huntsman?" He said, looking to the others. "Sorry for snapping. We should move." He said, the 6 of them heading into Kuroyuri.