A Perfect Storm.
It is daytime at the Branwen Tribe camp. Raven sits in her tent sharpening Omen. Mareeta was sitting nearby, making sure her own blade was in good shape. If there is one thing she's learned from growing up in the tribe: Always make sure your equipment is working properly, or it would spell certain death.
Suddenly, Vernal enters "Raven, we have a problem".
"What is it?" Raven asked.
"Salem's found us" Vernal answered.
Raven's eyes widen briefly "Salem... okay".
"Five of her followers are waiting to speak with you" Vernal said.
Raven stands up "Right. We planned for this... Bring me my helmet. Mareeta, stay inside".
"But I-" Mareeta began but Raven gave her a stern look.
"I mean it. Do not disobey me again" Raven ordered sharply, making Mareeta look down in defeat.
Outside of her tent, Cinder, Watts, Emerald, Líf and Mercury all stand and wait while the bandits surround them, eyeing them carefully.
Raven steps out of her tent with her mask on as she addresses her bandits "I don't recall inviting so many guests into our home. Either I'm losing my memory, or you've all lost your spines!"
"Don't be too upset with them, Raven. Your men simply recognized the power of a Maiden when they see it" Cinder said as her eye glows and trails fire "Which is why we'd like to have a word with you".
Raven addresses the bandits "Leave us. Pack your things, then break down camp. We're moving".
The bandits all leave to do so, Watts eyed them for a moment before he spoke "Little late to run and hide. You've been on our master's list for some time, so you must understand that we cannot allow you to slip away".
"I know all about your master, but I don't believe we've met" Raven said.
"We're the guys you should be afraid of" Mercury said with a cocky smirk.
Raven scoffs behind her mask "I doubt anyone should be afraid of you".
Mercury drops his smirk and glares at her "Oh yeah? Tell that to-"-
"Quiet" Cinder ordered and Mercury relents.
"That's what I thought" Raven said, of course Mercury wouldn't be important enough to fear.
"I'm Cinder Fall. This is my associates, Arthur Watts and L´f, and my disciples, Emerald and Mercur" Cinder introduced.
"Two children you've tricked into following you, a disgraced Atlesian scientist, a boy who clearly holds a grudge, and a Fall Maiden with a surname so appropriate, she probably picked it herself. Something tells me you've got more than a slight case of egomania, is that about right?" Raven asked.
Mercury and Emerald exchange a brief look, while Watts clears his throat "Technically, I was also a doctor, but I must say, the rest was spot on".
"Aren't you perceptive" Cinder said.
"It's what's kept me alive" Raven said.
"I'm afraid the only reason you're still alive is because you have something our master wants. Of course, if I'm wrong..." Cinder activates her Maiden power again and holds out a small flame in her right hand, grinning evilly.
"Vernal!" Raven called out and Vernal steps out of Raven's tent and walks up next to her.
"So, this is the long lost Spring Maiden. Prove it" Cinder demanded.
Raven and Vernal share a glance with each other, with Raven nodding. Vernal sighs and closes her eyes. She holds her hands out and suddenly, the wind starts to pick up gradually. The blue sky turns to gray as clouds cover it. Leaves blow in the wind. Watts, Mercury and Emerald cover their faces as thunder is heard, while Líf kept looking, his expression never changing, and Cinder smiles in amazement as she watches the Spring Maiden unleash her power. Vernal then lowers her hands and opens her eyes as her powers settle.
"That was the power of a Maiden alright..." Líf said, though his tone almost made him sound suspicious.
"Vernal has done well under my guidance. I'd take that into consideration before you try anything" Raven said.
Watts and Mercury brush themselves off as Cinder speaks "Raven, I won't underestimate you, so please don't insult my intelligence. There is a slim chance you and your Maiden could escape today, but if you know our master as well as you claim to, then you know you could never truly escape her. But we come bearing an olive branch".
Watts walks up to Raven "The Maidens are merely a means to an end. Salem's true desires are the Relics locked inside the Huntsman Academies. Come with us. Allow Vernal here to unlock the Relic of Knowledge, and all previous acts of defiance against Salem will be forgiven" He whispers up to Raven's face "It's the best deal either of you are going to get".
Watts walks away from them to rejoin his group.
"You talk as if walking straight into Haven will be easy" Watts said.
"Easy indeed" Líf spoke up "You see Raven, cowards are disgusting worms. But they do have their uses. Lionheart's fear made it easy to scare him in to doing what he's told, and he will let us walk right in to the vault. However, his help is useless for as long as the Relic remains locked away. We need the key".
Raven grips the hilt of her sword "I'm not helping Salem, I'm not helping Oz! I don't want a part in any of this!".
"That ship sailed when you chose to harbor a Maiden. But if you come with us to Haven, we'll leave you, your tribe, and your little secret to live out the rest of your lives squabbling in the wilderness. We just... need... the Relic" Cinder said.
Raven looks down "I need time to think this over".
"You don't have time. In two days, Haven Academy will be destroyed by the White Fang. You're going to choose now" Watts said.
"And if you insist on being stubborn. Maybe we should ask for the opinion of the one you're hiding inside that tent of yours" Líf said in cold tone.
Raven's eyes widens behind her mask as Vernal gasped and glanced back at the tent. How did he know Mareeta was in there? Raven made sure she stayed out of sight.
"Let's just say, it takes more than some old rags to hide something from me" Líf said as he took a step forward.
"Don't take another step!" Raven warned as she slightly pulled her blade out.
Líf stopped and smiled behind his mask "Very well, I won't. But I highly encourage you to make the smart choice here".
Raven glares "Backed me into a corner, huh?".
"So, are you with us, or against us?" Cinder asked.
After a tense moment, Raven removes her grip from her hilt and takes her mask off "Agreements like these are built on trust. And forgive me for saying, but I don't trust a single one of you. You're going to need to give me more".
"You are in a poor position to negotiate" Watts said.
"I want my brother dead" Raven's unexpected declaration momentarily stuns the five.
"Qrow?" Cinder asked.
"That's right. He knows I have Spring. And if I help you get your Relic, he's going to become a problem. I have enough problems to deal with. Qrow doesn't trust me, but he does trust Ozpin's other lieutenants. If Leo really is loyal to you, then you can order him to invite Qrow into an ambush. He arrives at Haven, we take him down, you get your Relic, and we all leave happy" Raven said.
"You would kill your own sibling for such a petty reason?" Líf asked, sounding disgusted.
"Wouldn't you kill anyone if it meant getting what you want? Even family?" Raven asked.
Dark aura began forming around Líf as he reached for his blade, but Cinder stopped him "Apologies, family is a very sensitive topic for him. But that is a proposition I can get behind".
Watts steps forward "Alright ladies, let's pause for a moment. We have one objective - retrieving the Relic of Knowledge. Now Qrow Branwen may be on our list of individuals we would very much like dead, but he's not going to go down without a fight, and he's not going to fight quietly. Our advantage here is just as you said - we walk straight into Haven, no resistance, no one the wiser. A battle with your brother throws that all out the window".
"He's good, but not that good. All of us against him? It'll be over in a heartbeat" Raven said.
"But it's not just him. He has the students with him. He has Ruby and Lucina!" Emerald reminded.
"He certainly does" Cinder said, angered by the thoughts of Ruby, but seeing Lucina again would make it worthwhile.
"If we leave that school a bloody mess, we will draw the attention of the authorities! The Kingdom will be on high alert, and the White Fang's attack will be ruined!" Watts said.
"Then we wait. We wait until the full moon. Leo invites Qrow and his little fighters to Haven the same night Hazel and Adam arrive with the White Fang. As soon as the battle is won, the White Fang demolishes Haven, and any evidence we may have left behind is lost along with the school" Cinder said.
"Then, Salem leaves my people alone. For good" Raven said.
"You have yourself a deal" Cinder holds her hand out to shake with Raven's, but Watts suddenly grabs her wrist.
"Wait. Don't think I don't see what you're after. If this falls to pieces over your grudge with a child, I will not be taking the blame" He warned.
Cinder glares at him "Then what are you worried about?" She activates her Maiden powers and burns Watts' hand, causing him to remove his grip and hold his hand in pain "Fly back home and tinker with your machines. And tell Salem she'll get what she wants - and more".
Raven stands still for a moment, glaring at Cinder's hand in front of her, but then offers her own hand out and shakes it with the Fall Maiden, sealing the deal.
Back in Menagerie, gunfire can be heard from within the Belladonna Family Home, as well as sounds of fighting grunts and efforts. Ghira is leaping around the entry hall and uses his claws to hang from one of the pillars, before pouncing on a White Fang soldier and clawing him down. A female White Fang soldier charges at him with a spear, but Ghira grabs it, lifting her off the ground, and tossing her into Fennec. Corsac holds out his weapon, which starts to glow red as Ghira preps to launch the spear at him. A fireball is launched from Corsac's weapon as Ghira throws the spear. The two attacks manage to hit their targets, with Ghira's Aura shimmering from the fireball and Corsac getting pinned to the wall by his hood.
"Brother!" Fennec gets back up and activates his weapon, which glows white as a wind gust is conjured from it.
Ghira brings his arms to his face to block the attack, and his feet drag backwards a couple of feet as a result. A White Fang soldier with an assault rifle is hiding behind a pillar and takes the opportunity in an attempt to attack Ghira. Suddenly, Sun bursts in from the window behind him and knocks him down. Corsac discards his hood and joins his brother as they prepare to launch a combination attack with their weapons. A stream of wind and fire whirls toward Sun, but he blocks the attack by twirling Ruyi Bang and Jingu Bang.
He then calls out to someone "Hurry!".
Gambol Shroud is seen being loaded with a new cartridge, getting the attention of Corsac and Fennec. Blake jumps down from the terrace above them, dodging a fireball and a wind attack in the process. She does a three-point landing in front of them. The brothers attempt to stab Blake, but she uses her ice Dust-enhanced Semblance to trap their hands and weapons. She leaps away from them to join her father and Sun.
"Dad! Where's mom?" Blake asked.
"I'm not sure, I got ambushed right away" Ghira answered.
"Once we take down Corsac and Fennec-" Blake began but was interrupted.
"No, go now" Ghira said.
Blake looks at him "But-
"You keep assuring me your friend isn't a complete waste of space! Let's see him prove it" Ghira said.
"We got this, Blake. I've wanted to sock these creeps since the day we met!" Sun said in support of Ghira's plan.
Corsac uses the fire Dust in his weapon to begin melting Blake's ice clone.
"You'll have to get in line. Blake, go!" Ghira commanded.
Blake does so and leaves the room. Corsac and Fennec free themselves, and prepare to fight.
"I won't let you down, sir!" Sun declared.
"Shut up" Ghira ordered.
"You got it!" Sun said.
The both of them proceed forward.
Meanwhile on the roof, Lyre is fighting of several white fang members who were planing to drop in from above. She disarms a female Fang of her rifle before striking her across the face with it, the force of which causes the rifle to snap on impact. A male Fang tried attacking her with his blade, but she gabbed his arm and delivered three strikes to his chest before throwing him down and finished him of with a hard blow to the face.
She then leans her head back just in time for a bullet to pass right by her face. She glares at the Fang member who keeps shooting at her. Running on all four, she quickly closes the gap before jumping and wrapping her legs around his neck before using her whole body to throw him in to one of his comrades, knocking both of them of the roof.
Lyre sighs, but had no time to rest as she saw more White Fang climbe up to deal with her.
"I've had it with you! Just stop destroying our lives!" Lyre shouts as she runs at her hated enemies.
Back at the Branwen Tribe camp, Raven sits on her bed leaning her forehead to her hand. She hears someone enter her tent.
Raven speaks without looking up "Yes, Mareeta?".
"Vernal just came back. She told me she followed them as you asked. They are staying at a nearby ship" Mareeta said.
"Thank you, Mareeta" Raven said before she looks up "Anything else?".
"You... you don't actually believe they'll leave us alone once they have the Relic, right?" Mareeta asked.
"Of course not. They'll never leave us alone. Once our purpose has come and gone, we'll be discarded. Salem only uses people until they are no longer useful. If we want to have any chance of defending ourselves against her, then we need this Relic. If Qrow and those brats want to follow Ozpin, then let them. When the chaos reaches its peak, we'll grab the Relic and make our escape" Raven answerd.
"But what about Yang?" Mareeta asked.
"Doesn't matter. I warned her. She made her choice" Raven said as she approaches the exit of her tent.
"But she is our family! I only just got to meet her! And I... I..." Mareeta said but was struggling to keep calm.
Raven looks at her before she sighs before walking up to her and put a hand on her shoulder "This path won't be easy for any of us... but we must do what's right for the tribe".
"But this isn't right! Non of this is! Yang and Qrow are our family, just like this tribe is! We'll be killing our own!" Mareeta shouts.
Raven looks at her for a moment before he face grew more stern "You don't have to be a part of this if you don't want to. But like it or not, this is something we need to do. Besides, we don't have to kill anyone, we can grab the Relic and leave everyone to fight among themselves. But like I said, it's your choice if you want to sit this one out, or fight alongside me".
Mareeta looks down for a moment before looking back "I... I will fight alongside you... Mother".
"Good girl. I trust you, more than you realize" Raven said as she exits the tent. Mareeta walks out to see where she has gone and notices a cawing black bird and the sound of Raven's portal activating.
Back in Mistral, Qrow and Severa were working on building their bond. And so far it was going pretty well... All though, Severa had an odd request.
"Come on, let me try it" Severa said.
"You're not gonna like it kid. This is adult stuff" Qrow said.
"I'm no kid, thank you very much! Now give it here!" Severa demanded.
Qrow sighed before handing over his flask to her. Severa opened it and the smell alone almost made her gag. But she took a sip... And immidietly she began coughing and gagging.
"What the hell is that stuff!?" She asked loudly while trying not to puke.
Qrow smiled "Told you it was to much for you".
"Ugh, how can you even drink that...?" Severa asked, sounding really sick.
Qrow chuckled before he hears the sound of Raven cawing, he looks and sees her through the window.
Oscar walks up to his doorway "Hey, Qrow?" Qrow turns his attention to him "Oz needs to talk to you".
Qrow looks back at Severa "Later kid?".
"Sure... I'm just gonna-" Severa began but covered her mouth and began sprinting for the bathroom.
Qrow smiled "Just like her mother".
Back at the Belladonna home, Lyre keeps knocking down several White Fang members. She dodged a punch before grabbing him and tossed him of the roof. She dodged a gun shots and rushed at the shooter, kicking the gun out of his hand before performing a Capoeira move to sweep the Fang member of his feet before kicking him in the chest, sending him flying in to another one, knocking them both of the roof.
Lyre began to catch her breath, before she heard someone land behind her making her quickly turn around "Lethe?".
Lethe walks up, her mask gone "Hello sis...".
The two sisters looked at each other... whatever happens next... will decide their future.
.
Tell me what you think.
