List of oneshots part 4
chapter 73
What if a Young STRQ Raven gets sent to the future and meets all those that her future self hurt, and rebels against her 'evil self' by trying to make amends, leading to a strange future for all?
Series: RWBY
Xxxxx
-Remnant, Sanus, Patch, Xiao-Long/Branwen Residence-
It was a quiet night in Patch, the Grimm were far away and the wind only brought a quiet breeze that lulled those it touched into a tranquil sleep. However, for some, there were important things occurring that pushed back the wind's gentle song.
This included a tall pale skinned young woman with long bushy jet black hair tied by a red bandanna in neat done up in a ponytail, a small cowlick on the top of her head, bright crimson red eyes, a E cup chest and wide ass, wearing a long sleeved shallow cut black and red dress, red gauntlets, black fingerless gloves, several black beaded necklaces wrapped around her neck, a black belt, a red and white bandana hanging from the waist and went down to her ass, black shorts, a black sword sheath with a red hilt on her right hip, black mid-thigh high leggings with red splatter patterns and black high heels, who looked down upon a bundle of cloth and yellow hair in her hands with a sad smile.
This was Raven Xiao Long Branwen, member of STRQ and right now, conflicted mother.
Reason being was that she was unsure on whether she could stay or leave for her tribe.
On the one hand, she and Ozpin had a falling out and she didn't want to be anywhere near the immortal, but on the other hand...her daughter needs her, her family needs her. And this was eating away at her consciousness and in effect, her mind.
Should she return to her tribe or stay and raise her daughter?
She felt like she was choosing life and death, making her feel like drinking would be a better alternative.
'What should I do? Stay or run? Leave her alone or raise her?' she thought while her anxiety started to take effect and she took several deep breaths to calm herself down...to no effect.
Her daughter began to stir in her arms, slowly opening her eyes.
Raven felt her heart ache as the little girl yawned and she carefully placed her on a nearby chair. "Don't worry, mama's just going to take a walk."
The child yawned a little before Raven quickly took out her sword and slashed the air, forming a red portal in the process. "Mmmua."
"...I'll be back, my little one." she muttered before walking in as the portal vanished, a small tear forming down her right cheek in the process.
(Elsewhere)
-Anima, Mistral, Haven Academy-
ZOOP!
Raven sighed as she calmed her nerves...only to realize she was in Mistral and a group of teenagers were looking at her in confusion and distrust. "Um...did I have any connections here?" 'Of course not! Why would I have anyone here that likes me!? And wait...why does that blonde look like me?'
"What the?" said a familiar voice as the younger swordswoman turned and saw an older version of herself standing right next to her with three strangers.
"..."
"..."
"...what the fuck!?" Raven yelled while pointing to her older self. "What the flying fuck is going on here!?"
"I should be asking you that!" the older Raven frowned. "Just who are you?!"
"Raven Branwen...no Raven Xiao Long Branwen." She frowned. "And just why are YOU wearing my skin? Are those winkles? Oh gods, I look hideous!"
"Why you little!"
"...this is getting weird." muttered the blonde look alike to the silver eyed girl.
"Yeah, why is there another Raven?!"
The older and younger version looked at each other while a little on edge, especially the younger version who seemed to be completely flustered on what just happened.
"Explain." glared the older one. "What's your real name?"
"I just told you." She said while putting her hands on her blade's hilt. "I'm Raven Xiao Long Branwen, who are YOU supposed to be?"
"MY name is Raven Branwen, the only Raven in existence. Now talk, how did you appear from that rift? That's my semblance."
"Last I checked, it was MY semblance." the younger version frowned. "Who else would have the ability to travel through a portal connected to your loved ones?"
"Me."
"You? That's something only an absent minded hag would think of."
"Hag!?" She scowled. "I'm hardly that much older you brat!"
"Who are you calling a brat!? I'm old enough to have kids!" the younger version snapped. "Hell I JUST gave birth a few months ago!"
"Huh, so that's why you still look chubby."
"I am NOT fat!" she snapped as the group of teenagers and the older copy's group watched on in confusion. "I worked off the pregnancy fat easily!"
"I'm lost here." Mercury whispered to Emerald.
"Agreed." Emerald said while Cinder was just confused as they were. "Two versions of Branwen? How is that even possible?"
"No clue."
Yang turned to Qrow, who was currently watching the scene in absolute horror, and tapped him on the shoulder. "So Uncle Qrow, should we be worried about this...at all?"
"I...I...I have no idea. One Raven is trouble, but two!? Dear gods, I need a strong drink, or two." He groaned while the two Ravens glared at each other in agitation.
"Wait." the younger Raven muttered in realization. "If I'm here in this crazy dream...AHHHH!"
The older Raven quickly clamped her ears shut with her hands as the two groups were shocked at the younger version's loud outburst.
"My baby! I left her alone in the house! Ahh! Shit shit shit!" she yelled while slashing the air with her blade, making a portal in the process. "I need to find Yang!"
Zoop!
As the younger version ran through the portal, she quickly realized that she only came back into Haven Academy and panicked again as she tried multiple times to return home, and failed miserably.
"Shit shit shit! Wake up Raven! WAKE UP! OH GODS! YANG!"
"...should I tell her?" asked Yang while whispering to Ruby.
"Yeah." Ruby said as Yang walked over to the younger version of her mother and grabbed her by the shoulder.
"Hey." Yang said with a frown. "Calm down-"
"How can I calm down! I left my baby back home...well I was going to leave her for the tribe but NO! I can't take the pressure!" she yelled while Yang flitched at her outburst. "I need my daughter! Ahh! Yang! I'm coming-"
"You already left her." the older Raven said as the younger version stopped moving. "That already happened."
"...what?" She turned to the older version. "How do YOU know about that!?"
"Because it's what I did."
"...wait." She said while pointing at the older version. "YOU left Yang!?"
"Well yeah, had to, since Ozpin's involved."
"..." the younger version blinked while slowly letting that sink in. "So wait...if that's true..."
"Yep."
"...oh gods! I turned into a hag!"
"Can we get this over with!?" yelled Mercury in agitation. "We have a relic to get!"
The younger Raven frowned before pulling out her blade. "I might not know what's going on or why Ozpin let that bit of information slip, but I'm still his eye and anyone that tries to get the relics will be cut to ribbons!"
"I forgot how foolish I could be back then."
"Foolish? Says the me who is trying to take the relics! They were hidden for a reason!" Young Raven snapped. "If she gets it then the world is fucked! And if you're going to help them, I'll cut you down as well!"
Yang blinked along with Qrow as she didn't expect this version of her mother to be this...Yang like.
"You may be me, supposedly, but that doesn't mean you have my experience." Older Raven frowned while pulling out her blade.
"Maybe but I have one thing you don't have." she said before dashing towards her older copy.
POOF!
Only to turn into a raven and claw at her older counterpart's face as the older version backhanded the bird away.
POOF!
Which led to the younger version to appear right next to the counterpart and swing downwards, the blade getting blocked by the older copy's blade.
"I have warrior's pride!"
"So do I!"
Clang!
Clang!
As the two fought, Oscar, now possessed by Ozpin, looked at the scene with interest and looked at Qrow.
"Fascinating isn't it?" he asked while Cinder's group started to shake off their initial confusion, especially when Hazel realized that Ozpin's voice was lingering in the air.
"Get them!" Cinder yelled while forming glass blades, only for them to shatter from Ren's pistols, which allowed Jaune to charge at her in anger.
And just like that, a battle ensued as both sides attacked each other, the two Ravens still duking it out and trying to outdo the other.
CLANG!
CLANG!
Young Raven frowned while pushing her blade against her older counterparts. "Wow, you're rusty! Even Qrow could beat you into the ground."
"I'm not rusty! I have other things to occupy my time."
"That and you're fighting on the wrong side." she frowned while firing Dust blades at her older counterpart, making said woman jump back to avoid them. "If you were me, you would be helping these teenagers against Salem's minions, not helping the immortal bitch!"
"I fight only on the winning side."
"Bullshit! That is not my creed." she growled while dodging a Dust blade. "I do not fight with the strong, I fight for the weak AGAINST the strong! To keep hags like you from destroying the world in their arrogance!"
"It's because of weaklings that the world always fails! The strong need to be in control to get anything done, that's why Ozpin failed, because he's weak!" Older Raven yelled while slashing at her younger self, only to see that the counterpart had just turned into a bird and clawed her face. "AH!"
POOF!
"That is where you're wrong!" Younger Raven yelled while stabbing her other self in the arm, making her scream in pain. "The strong don't have the perspective of the weak. Like our father, they are stupid, old and pathetic, if we kept them in power then the world will be destroyed. Are you willing to let Salem, Ozpin's ex wife, destroy the world just for survival of the fittest!? I think not!"
The older version kicked her younger self in the stomach and was about to strike when Yang punched her own mother in the face. "Ah!"
"Thanks." Younger Raven said before quickly dashing at the counterpart and stabbed her in the stomach, making her cry out in pain before Yang jumped in and knocked her out with a quick punch to the jaw. "And your fighting style is kinda...familiar. Are you by any chance a Branwen Tribe member?" 'I hope not, if she is then I have another enemy on my plate.'
"I'm her daughter." Yang deadpanned while the younger version blinked and cocked her head to the side.
"...eh?" she simply said before getting stabbed by a glass arrow, making her a little pissed off. "AH! Oh that's it! I'm going to murder the bitch that just shot a fucking arrow at me! DIE!"
Cinder smirked as Raven came at her and easily avoided the slash.
POOF!
"CAW!"
"AHH!" she screamed as the bird began to claw her eyes out, making the woman flail about in pain, making it easy for anyone to attack her.
STAB!
Which included Jaune who stabbed her in the neck, killing her instantly as an orange energy formed around the bird and vanished instantly.
POOF!
"...what just happened?" Younger Raven muttered before seeing Hazel attack a small boy and quickly blocked one of his punches with her Dust blades. "Hey! Hands off the boy!"
"Stay out of this, it's between me and Ozpin!" Hazel yelled while Raven picked up the boy and dodged the incoming fist in the process.
"Yeah no. Not happening." she frowned before hearing some sirens in the distance. "Eh?"
"Ah, that must be the Mistral Police." Ozpin said through the body of Oscar, shocking Young Raven in the process. "Right on time to stop whatever disturbance is going on out-"
"OZPIN!?" she yelled in surprise while jumping out of the way of Hazel's right fist. "You're a child!?"
"Yes, unfortunately."
"But I thought you were immortal!"
"I am, just not in the way you think." he said before seeing Hazel launch himself right at them. "And I suggest you dodge now, Miss Branwen."
"AHHHHHH!" Hazel roared before Young Raven got an idea and opened a portal right in front of the man.
ZOOP!
(Elsewhere)
-Patch Shoreline-
Taiyang sighed as he was currently fishing near the edge of a deep lagoon, hoping to get some fish for dinner. "Ah, I love the smell of salt water in the evening."
ZOOP!
"AHHHHH!"
SPLASH!
"...what the?" he muttered as the portal vanished and the stranger began to struggle in the water, seemingly unable to swim due to his bulk.
(Back with Raven)
"That...was close." Young Raven panted while letting Ozpin down.
"You do know where he is right?"
"...no. First time using my semblance in that way, also how are you a child Ozpin!? I mean...why!?"
"It's a long story, but I'm more curious about how you came to the future."
"...future?" she squeaked out while Emerald and Mercury, seeing as the tides of battle have turned, ran for their lives out of the building as Vernal, who was a little confused about the entire thing, decided to run away as well.
"Yes, you're in the future and given the fact you had your child a 'few' months ago, I say you're about twenty or so years in our past, your present."
"...EH!?" She let out with wide eyes. "But...that's not possible! My semblance doesn't work that way!"
"True but." he pointed to the knocked out older version, who was being tied up by Yang with some curtains she pulled off of the nearby windows. "From our perspective, the present day version of you just arrived at the same time as yourself. Meaning that you, at the same time as our Raven, made a connection between past and present and allowed yourself to appear in the future. Although this would break all the laws of science and magic."
"...oh gods." Young Raven muttered while her eyes widened in realization. "That means...oh gods! I left Yang alone with my drunk of a brother!"
"I heard that!" Qrow yelled while Young Raven groaned in frustration.
"Gods...I let Yang down...I should've just brought her with me!"
"Yeah no." Yang said while deadpanning at her. "That wouldn't help at all since-"
"Ozpin." Young Raven said while unintentionally interrupting the blonde teenager. "What happened to my child?"
He blinked, looked at Yang before turning back to the Branwen. "Why don't you talk to Miss Xiao Long."
"...wait. Xiao Long." Young Raven muttered before groaning. "Oh great, Tai fucked Summer. Damn it Tai, stop being so horny!"
"Ew!" Ruby gagged while Yang walked straight up to the woman with a frown. "I don't wanna hear that!"
"Ahem."
"Oh um...are you Rose's kid by chance?"
"No, and before I say anything that answers that question I need to say this." She frowned. "Leaving your daughter alone makes you a shi-"
SLAP!
And cue Young Raven slapping Yang's left cheek, turning it red in the process.
"I am not a shit parent! I was contemplating my actions between raising the child I gave birth to and running away from Ozpin's war. But seeing my hag self made me realize that I am not like her, I didn't make that choice and I'll be damned that I will let that ever happen again. So do NOT call me that young lady!" She growled while Ozpin facepalmed, making her turn in his direction. "What?"
"Miss Branwen, Miss Xiao Long IS your daughter."
"..." she paled while turning slowly back to the now red eyed blonde and quickly went on her knees and bowed. "OH GODS! I'm so sorry! I didn't know!"
"Oh you're gonna be!" she growled as she raised her fist before her friends ran over to hold her back. "Let me at her! Let me at her!"
"It's not worth it!" Weiss yelled while holding Yang's leg.
"Oh hell it is!"
"Yang! That's not your mom, that's the past Raven!" Ruby yelled while holding Yang's waist.
"She's still going to pay for everything!"
"Yang." Ren said while holding Yang's left arm. "She hasn't made that choice yet, you heard it yourself."
"Words! That's all they are!" she snarled, looking close to foaming at the mouth.
"Yang!" Jaune yelled while the blonde started to actually foam from the mouth. "Ew! Yang calm down!"
Young Raven looked up and shivered seeing her daughter's very pissed off face before noticing her right arm and turned to Ozpin. "What happened to her arm?"
"Oh that, her partner's former ally cut it off. During Vale's destruction."
"...eh!?" She stood up quickly while looking a little shocked and very angry. "Who would DARE hurt MY daughter!? And an invasion!? Ozpin! What the fuck is going on in Beacon for my little baby to experiance an invasion AND losing an arm!?"
Ozpin sighed while Yang looked ready to explode. "It's a very long story, but in summary, it was a surprise attack with a lot of mistakes on my part."
"Grrrrr." she growled before seeing a cat faunus run in along with some Menagerie faunus. "Ok, I'm going to find that bastard that hurt my little girl and slice them into ribbons! No one hurts my child and gets away with it!"
"...what's going on?" Blake asked in confusion.
(Sometime later)
Yang frowned while currently being pestered by her 'past mom', who was taking this moment to ask her various questions like her likes, dislikes, clothes size, favorite foods, and the like, all the while the group of 'misfit' Huntsmen were busy making sure that the older version of Raven was tied up in a corner of the now occupied headmaster's office. "Buzz off."
"Why?" Young Raven said while currently looking over Yang's hair. "I'm trying to spend time with my baby."
"You don't deserve it."
"...I'm not the hag, I never made that choice."
"But you did consider it."
"...yes, but not anymore. I'm not going to let you go ever again."
"That doesn't change what happened!" Yang growled.
"No it doesn't, in your history." Young Raven sighed. "But I really want to change that, to make an effort to be a mother that you deserve."
"That was Summer's job, not yours."
"...please, I really want to connect to you." she said while giving Yang a rather comforting hug. "To be a part of your life, even if it's only a short while."
"...I don't trust you."
"I know, but that doesn't mean you can't acknowledge me as a stubborn old mother."
"...it's hard to call you old when you're around our age."
"True, but it's a start right?" Younger Raven asked with a smile, something that made Yang's heart jump for a moment.
'Just….Just how did this woman…become HER!?'
"If you're willing, I can prepare a meal for you."
"You? You can cook?"
"I'm not Summer, but I can make small meals that can even make that drunk brother of mine pleasant for an hour."
"Keep in mind, I'm taller, bigger, and older than you right now. Keep that up and I might really get on your nerves." Qrow interjected with crossed arms.
"True, but you're also a little unclean." she said while pointing to his beard. "There is a thing called a razor you know."
"Oh ha ha ha."
Young Raven shook her head before looking at her older counterpart, who was now being pushed into the room by Blake and Weiss. "So, that's me? An old, winkle filled, sourpuss with a stick shoved up…well my ass?"
"Yep." Yang and Qrow deadpanned.
"...just WHAT happened to her!? I know having a child is difficult, I mean I just HAD you of course Yang, but….how did she turn into a miniature version of a Ursa!?"
"I heard that." the older version of Raven frowned while trying to get out of her restraints.
"It's called stating the truth!"
"It's not the truth if you're just calling me names, idiot."
"You called yourself one." Younger Raven deadpanned. "But what I don't get is why you left our daughter alone…wait, did you divorce Tai!?"
"More like I left him."
"...WHY!?" She snapped in anger. "He was one of the FEW things in this world that CARED for us! Why would YOU leave him!?"
"Because he was weak!" she snapped. "He might have had the skills, but he didn't have the guts to realize what mattered in life!"
"And that would be?"
"The strong need to live, the weak must die."
"..." she looked at Yang, then at Qrow, before turning to her older self. "That is a perverse ideology of my creed. And being strong isn't the only option, especially when there is strength in numbers."
"Heh, like that will help when the queen pops up and destroys everything."
"..."
"And she can-"
"Can not die. I know." Younger Raven sighed as Yang, Blake, and Weiss looked completely lost at the moment. "It was one of the first things I learned about her during my time as an Eye, yet looking at you now, I can see you became terrified about her inability to die. That's 'pathetic' in my eyes, a joke."
The older Raven growled at that and tried to jump at her counterpart, only to fall on her face.
"If this truly is how I wound up, then I can safely say this. I will NEVER be the thing you've become." Younger Raven said coldly before stepping on her older counterpart's head with her left heel. "I will never become a hag that cares only for themselves. In fact, I will make sure that never happens."
"What are-"
"I'm a being from the past, according to Ozpin." she said while Ruby, Jaune, Nora, Ren, and Oscar walked into the room. "My arrival here was a mistake, but since it's MY actions that will cause the future to be written in stone, then I will be remaking ALL of the bad choices you started, but this time, I'm going to change it so that MY actions bring closure to the ones you hurt. I will be the better person while you…well watch as your actions are fixed by me."
"...are you NUTS!? If you do that then this future will cease to exist!"
"Maybe." Younger Raven said while putting Yang's face in between her cleavage. "But my first line of action is to raise my daughter with love, happiness and-"
"MMMMMM!?" Yang let out in surprise before pulling back with wide eyes. "What the heck?! Who goes and hugs someone's face in their chest like that?!"
"Sorry, heat of the moment." Younger Raven sweatdropped. "Happens sometimes." 'Damn it!'
Ruby chuckled while Weiss facepalmed.
"So the feared queen of bandits likes to do that. Why am I not surprised that she is like Yang the dolt?" She muttered while Yang glared at her.
"Wanna say that with a fat lip?"
"You're the one complaining about it when you've done it how many times to Ruby?"
"Yeah!" Ruby huffed while Blake sighed.
"To be fair, you and your….mother have that down to a 'T'."
"Whose side are you on!?"
"Neither side." she remarked blankly.
"Huh." Younger Raven muttered out loud. "My daughter really seems to be picking up the family….genes. Ugh."
"What?" Yang frowned.
"Oh just well….your father was always a ladies man, even as a student so, perhaps you and those two." she pointed to Weiss and Blake. "Are you know, in a rela-"
"What?! No no no, me and Blake are just friends!" Yang yelled while Blake coughed a little. "And Weiss isn't into me!"
"Are you sure? They seem hot and bothered right now."
"That's because they JUST fought the older you!"
"Ah…..so you three aren't dating?" she asked while instinctively moving her right hand towards her blade. "Because it would be a shame to murder them for dating my little baby."
"WHAT!?" Weiss screamed in disbelief as Blake facepalmed and Yang looked shocked at what her 'mother' just said. "You would do that!?"
"Hey! She's too young to date more than one person at once!"
"And you're going far off the rocker!"
"It's my duty as a mom to kill anyone that hurts my baby, including girlfriends!"
"You're insane!"
"It's called being a mom!"
"Just like dad." Ruby and Blake muttered at the same time while a little embarrassed at the scene taking place, especially when Qrow was chuckling at Yang's flustered face.
"You're smothering me!" Yang yelled in frustration.
"Look on the bright side, kido." Qrow smirked. "At least now you don't have me being the responsible one. I mean, if I was the one in her shoes, I would be kicking those 'friends' off a cliff or something."
"Uncle Qrow!"
"Hmmm, not a bad i-"
"Stay out of it mother!"
"...you finally called me mother, finally." Younger Raven smiled while giving her daughter a smothering hug. "I was so worried-"
"MMMMMMMMMMMM!" Yang yelled out, trying to pry the woman off.
(Some time later)
"Ahem." Younger Raven said while currently sitting next to Oscar, all the while Teams RWBY and JNR were sitting around a small desk in the cafeteria. "So….you might need to fill me in about a few things, I mean I am a literal person out of time so….I have NO idea what the world is like out there or what I should do to fix it."
"Oh. Well…I'm not really sure if I can tell you much." admitted the farm boy rubbing the back of his head. "I really haven't been outside the farm in a long time."
"..." she looked at him and then Ruby. "Is he serious?"
"Dead serious."
"..." she turned back to Oscar's direction. "Well…..that's unfortunate, but since Ozpin is in you, can he come out and talk? Or at least stop acting like a silent scarecrow?"
Woosh.
And in a flash, Oscar's eyes changed color as his demeanor became a little more…wise.
"I do not act like a scarecrow."
"Well you do have a lack of common sense, I mean you literally kick your graduating students out of Beacon, while giving them parachutes!"
"I don't like long winded goodbyes."
"You nearly killed Summer and Tai! They couldn't fly!"
"I had the utmost trust they would be fine." he said while Qorw deadpanned at him. "Oh come now, you did survive."
"You didn't have a semblance that tried and kill you by having the parachute explode in midair."
"...so that was what that explosion was. I actually thought it was a miniature Fire Dust explosion from a passing airship." He admitted while Raven and Qrow facepalmed at him. "But in accordance to your question Miss Branwen-"
"Xiao Long. Still married to him."
"Right. To answer your question, a lot has happened since your 'passing'. The Vanille family is no more, Vale is less corrupted…well was at the time, Atlas created new Atlesian Knights and I believe young Rose here became the first student to attend Beacon Academy at age fifteen."
"...what!? You're letting fifteen year olds in!? That's dangerous!"
"Only because she has much potential, like Summer."
"Oh." she said while looking at Ruby's direction. "So she can use those eyes?"
"No. She has no experience."
"A shame, I saw Summer use her eyes to blow a small hill in seconds." Raven chuckled as Ruby's eyes widened in surprise. "It was fun, until she tried using her eyes to cook and then she caused all sorts of problems."
"That it was, that it was." Qrow sighed while recalling the insane cooking 'classes' Summer had to take before even stepping foot into a kitchen.
"But." Raven said while looking at Ozpin. "What I don't get is why you're in the body of a small boy."
"Oh that, I got murdered. By the woman that Jaune killed by accident." He said while pointing to Jaune, who looked away with embarrassment and some level of guilt. "And that woman killed the previous Fall Maiden and then her replacement. Which led to Vale's fall."
"...wait, so the boy is a Maiden now? A 'Maiden'?" she asked with a raised eyebrow. "I don't mean to be rude but the boy isn't a girl, at all."
"Yet he looked good in a dress." Nora grinned. "Like really good."
"Nora!"
"...still. I feel like the Fall Maiden's powers are going to kill him." Young Raven said while Ozpin shrugged.
"I never set the rules for the Seasonal Maidens. It just so happens that most of the hosts are girls, so really Mister Arc is safe…." he said before playfully smirking. "But if he does turn into a woman, it would be an interesting side effect."
"H-HEADMASTER!?"
"What? I've never seen it happen, so who knows."
"Mmmm!" He huffed while Young Raven chuckled before re-composing herself.
"Right, but how bad is the state of the world so far?"
"Oh that, besides Vale nearly becoming extinct, the Crown organization is running rampant in Vacuo, Atlas has just closed its doors and imposed an embargo for some reason and as for Mistral, apparently Leonardo was allowing the 'queen' to kill off the staff here in Haven." Ozpin sighed. "And from what Miss Belladonna told me, her former superior killed the previous White Fang High Leader and was going to use it as a stepping stone for possible genocide."
"...Ozpin. You really fucked up, given you HELPED formed the Kingdoms and let this go down the drain!"
"Eh?" Ruby said while looking confused.
"Right, none of you know the truth, at all. And unlike my future self, I don't know everything about him, just pieces. But I do know that Ozpin is older than this version of humanity, and married." She said while Ozpin started to get slightly uncomfortable. "Among other things."
"You told me something about that at the camp." Yang said before facepalming. "Right, different you. Ugh." 'This is hurting my brain!'
"Hold up, you tied the knot?" Qrow questioned while Ozpin looked slightly sheepish.
"Well…more than once, but-"
"The Grimm have a queen and that queen is his wife." Younger Raven interrupted while the group was shocked by this revelation. "And her name is Salem, the girl in the tower. The same character from the fairy tale."
"WHAAAAAAT?!"
"Um…"
"Both of you are immortal, but why is a mystery to me." Young Raven sighed. "So in a way, you two are in a cold war that's never ending, is that right?"
"..."
"Ozpin?" Qrow said while hoping it wasn't another drunken dream of his. "Tell me that's not true."
"..."
"Oz?"
"...it's true, but even then I had my own reasons." Ozpin said while looking away. "And it's better to not let anyone down then give them false hope. I learned that the hard way."
KAPOW!
Qrow, in no time, dashed over and knocked him with a square punch to the jaw and had to be held back by Yang and Jaune.
"Ow."
"You lied to us! ALL OF US!"
"Uncle Qrow calm down!" Yang yelled while Ruby held his waist. "There's no need to just punch him!"
"There's a damn good reason! He lied to everyone! He knew the truth and didn't say jack shit!" He growled while trying to get out of his niece's grip.
Young Raven sighed. "Brother, I understand you're frustrated, but he does have some good reason for it, even if his actions are kinda dumb."
"Like what?!"
"He used to rule the world, with Salem." She said calmly. "But he let bliss take over and while he caused a lot of deaths, including a Circle organization that seemed very similar to Huntsmen, he really had a fucked up time. From seeing people die to just not being able to 'save the day'. His actions are horrible but he did try to be a hero, even if he's kinda…..a has been, sorry."
"...it's fine." Ozpin said while not getting up from the floor. "I am a terrible human, a very bad one at that. Comes with the territory."
"Yet you have the ability to change that." Younger Raven said with a blunt tone. "Just trust these children and just help them instead of keeping secrets. I mean look at my haggy future self, she did the same thing as you and to be frank, I'm not going to fall into the self loathing trap you got yourself into Ozpin."
"...when did you become an advisor?"
She shrugged. "I have my moments."
"Very far inbetween." remarked Qrow.
She gave him a glare before looking at Yang. "So want to learn more about me or….are you wanting me to leave?"
"...ok, you wanna offer? Tell me the whole history about your side of the family. Dad…never really brought it up and I'm curious."
"Damn it Tai." She muttered to herself. "Alright, I'll be blunt about it, I'm a bandit's child, same with Qrow, and we were killers LONG before Beacon. Like hired guns on occasion and we only became huntsmen to learn how to kill them….which was stupid in hindsight given we NEEDED them to keep the Grimm from killing all of us but the Branwen Tribe was lacking in logic back then."
"...ok, I can believe that one."
"As for how we live, it's how you imagine. Raiding when we needed to and taking what we had to survive." She sighed. "And as for marriage, we had to basically attack our lovers to the death and if they won, we became their spouse. Worked wonders with Tai given he was into that sort-"
"We don't need to hear that!" Ruby yelled with a blush. "It's filth!"
"Not when you are taught about sex at age four." Young Raven grumbled while pointing to Qrow. "It was not fun, believe us."
"Ugh! Stop reminding me of that Raven!"
"Not until you stop drinking."
"It's part of the reason I can deal with the early sex ed talk!"
Oscar blinked as he regained control from Ozpin and blinked. "What's sex? I know about animals and mating but-"
"I'll teach you!" Nora grinned with glee. "And Ren can help!"
"No."
"Come on! The boy needs to learn!"
"He can learn the old fashion way. I don't trust you to teach him." Ren deadpanned before Nora dragged him, Oscar, and Jaune away by the cuffs of their sleeves. "Nora."
"What? It would help if we did a threesome! No wait!" Nora smirked before grabbing Weiss' dress and dragged her away as well. "A foursome!"
"WHAT!? LET GO OF ME!"
"Relax, we'll help each other as we go along." Nora chuckled while Yang and Blake stared at the door with confusion and worry.
"FILTH!" Ruby yelled as Young Raven looked at her 'younger' brother.
"Looks like someone else got the 'Team STRQ' fever." she said with a chuckle.
"Ugh, don't star Ra." he rubbed his nose. "The last thing I need is the kids getting ideas to experiment and get into some REAL weird stuff while I'm around."
"I see, but given how we were hormonal teenagers in a school full of huntsmen, it turned out somewhat ok."
"..."
"I rest my case. Now, I'm going to need a favor from you."
"And that would be?"
"Can you help me travel to Vale, I want to meet flat chest Glynda again."
"She's not flat anymore Raven."
"...EH!?" she said with shocked eyes. "Just how FAR in the future did I travel for that to happen!?"
"Not much, she had a growth spurt after we left."
'...this future is weird!'
(Some weeks later)
-Sanus, Vale, Vale City Library, Temporary 'Beacon Academy' Headmistress Office-
STAMP!
STAMP!
"I hate paperwork." Glynda muttered while currently at her desk, approving reconstruction efforts left and right, with no rest in sight. "A teacher I can somewhat handle, but this is more work than I had to deal with before."
STAMP!
STAMP!
Tap.
Tap.
She blinked while staring at her stamp in confusion.
Tap.
Tap.
She turned around and noticed a small black raven tapping against the window with its beak.
Tap.
Tap.
"What is it doing? Go on, scram, shoo." she waved her hand. "I'm busy."
Tap.
Tap.
"Go on shoo….wait, Qrow. If this is a prank, it's not funny." she frowned while getting up and opened the window. "Go on, s-"
POOF!
In a puff of smoke, a…..younger version of Raven Branwen appeared in place of the bird and…smiled back at her!?
"Yo, been a while flat chested Glynda….or should I call you big booba Glynda now?" 'Wow, Qrow wasn't kidding when she got a growth spurt. She's like a stern MILF now, and I should know!'
"AHHH!" she screamed before slamming the window shut.
"OW!" Raven yelled while opening the window again and jumped into the room. "What the heck!? You nearly broke my nose!"
"Who are you!?"
"Raven Branwen, and before you say it, no I'm not the one you knew." she sighed while taking a seat on one of the stacked library books. "I'm a much younger one, and rather sexy too if I don't mind me asking." 'Way better than that old hag any day.'
Glynda stared at the woman with confusion and slight panic as she moved towards her riding crop. "Right, whatever you SAY!"
WOOSH!
"AAAH!"
Glynda frowned as she held her weapon out before Raven found herself grabbed by the semblance. "Talk! Who are you really?"
"I just told you, Raven Branwen. Oh right, forgot that name is stupidly hated." She said before coughing. "Names Raven Xiao Long. Wife of Taiyang Xiao Long and his first wife."
"He divorced you."
"...right, but I really don't need to be reminded of that factoid." she frowned.
"I haven't seen her in years. You really expect me to believe you're the same Raven, just shorter?"
"I am NOT short!" she yelled in anger. "I'm the same height as that hag!"
"Hag?"
"The older Raven, she's a hag."
"..."
"Just let me down and I'll explain, please, I'm starting to lose all feeling in my limbs."
"...fine, make it quick." she said while disengaging the semblance, causing Raven to fall face first on the ground.
"GAH! OW! Ok that was uncalled for!"
"Just explain. Now."
(A few minutes later)
"And that's why I'm here." Young Raven said with a shrug. "To right the wrongs of my 'future' self and remake the future as a result. Because to be frank, I don't want my little baby to grow up like me, cold and quick tempered….no matter how much she hates me at this moment."
"...you know, I'd call foul on that, but you STILL have that annoying nickname for me in mind, while the Raven I'm aware of wouldn't bring it up or else it would be admitting she used to be tolerable."
"Yeah, she's a bitch." Younger Raven nodded. "And I don't want to become her either, so I'm repairing the Branwen name through good deeds. Which is why I'm here, to help with the repairs and the Grimm exterminations."
"Ok, in that case, you can work on the paperwork."
"...what?"
"You are on paperwork duty."
"...Glynda, I'm a fighter not a secretary. You know that right?" she said with sweat beading down her face.
"You can be both now. I'm older than you after all." she smirked. "So I'd get to it if I were you, I'm going on a break."
"Wait what?!" she yelled while seeing Glynda walking out of the room. "But I have no idea about the future events! Or anything else here!"
"Don't care, I'm in need of a break and you're going to help with that."
SLAM!
"GLYNDA!" she yelled before turning towards the mountain of paperwork with dread. "...oh gods, this is going to age me into a hag."
(Later)
"UGH!" Raven groaned while slumped on the ground, her hands unresponsive as Glynda returned to the office. "Can't…do….any…more….ugh…."
"How the mighty Raven has fallen. Can't keep going after a little paperwork." she smirked before seeing Raven glaring at her.
"Yuck it up. Once the feeling in my hands returns…I'm going to….ugh." she groaned while unable to move at all.
"Now you know the feeling of someone mocking you when you're down. Brings back memories doesn't it?"
"Ugh…..don't remind me." she grumbled before seeing a cup of tea being placed near her face. "...thanks."
"I'm not heartless, seeing you suffer like this is enough to make me smile." Glynda said with a sigh. "Although seeing you like this makes your entire story plausible."
"..." she groaned before slowly moving herself up on the chair. "So Glynda, I heard from my brother that there's…a stone Wyvern on top of Beacon that's summoning the Grimm? Is that true?"
"Unfortunately, yes. And we can't destroy it or even get close to it due to the other Creatures of Grimm keeping it protected."
"Which means the longer it stays, the less pleasant the area will be until help comes."
"Yes and given how scattered our huntsmen are after the Fall, it's a matter of time before the Grimm population overwhelms the human and faunus populations."
"...well I can help with that. I might not be as strong as my hag-self, or crazy powerful with magic, but I can get close enough to topple it to the ground." she said with a smirk. "And shatter it like bad Mistralware."
"You wouldn't make it." she remarked bluntly.
"I can turn into a bird. I have Dust based swords and I am trained to find weaknesses." she huffed.
"But you don't have the firepower to even get to the Wyvern, or even the strength to push it off the tower."
"True, but I like a challenge."
"Then you'll die." she remarked bluntly. "If you want to throw your life away and make your actions pointless, that's the quickest way to do it."
"Yet it also leads to this future being mooted." Younger Raven muttered to herself before seeing Glynda and got an idea. "Wait, I got it."
"Eh?"
"I just have to drag you and your powerful semblance to Beacon and YOU can help me while I fly around like a tiny airship." she smirked while flexing her right arm. "I might not look like it, but I am strong like a bull, thanks to Tai training me with weights."
"Says the girl who is younger, weaker, and less experienced than she would be in this time period." deadpanned Glynda.
"Oi! I'm still in my prime!" she huffed. "And if you don't want to help me, I can always get someone else that's less big boned and less…."
"Less what?" Glynda frowned while Young Raven poked her chest with her fingers. "Hey!"
"Less likely to laze around here while I, the heroine, take the credit." she said while hoping her bluff would make Glynda say 'yes' to her team up plan. "I mean you have been in this office for a long while now so I wouldn't be surprised if you became flabby-"
"Oh please, I can see the baby fat you had when we went to school. You'd probably get winded after a few feet."
"HA! Like that would happen, but you with your fun bags? That I can see, heck I'll be surprised if you can even outrun the Grimm once we get there."
"Oh you're on!" she growled before realizing what Young Raven was doing and paled. "Wait-"
"Great, let's get going tomorrow. I'll be at your place as a bird and I'll fly you to battle." Raven said with a wide grin.
"Now wait just a sec there!"
POOF!
"Later." the now transformed Raven said before flying out the window, cackling all the while as Glynda looked rather miffed.
"RAVEN!"
(Later)
-Beacon Academy-
"By the gods this place is….depressing." Raven muttered while carrying Glynda's left shoulder with her taloned feet, which surprisingly worked given they were a few feet in the air and flying over the ruined academy ground filled with Grimm. "How's the ride Glynda?"
"I'm still shocked about the human level of strength you have as a bird."
"Blame Ozpin for that one, he turned us into birds but forgot to get rid of our human intelligence and strengths. He's a scatterbrain like that."
"And yet you can still talk because…"
"No idea, maybe because Ozpin is a goof." the bird said while seeing the stone Wyvern on top of the now ruined Beacon tower. "Ok, I see the target and I don't see any Nevermores or Griffins anywhere. Huh, we might actually sneak in and out of this place."
"Don't jinx it you birdbrain."
"I'm not-"
"CAW!"
And cue several Nevermores appearing from the sky and right towards the flying duo.
"...nevermind! Glynda, time for a little sky battle!"
"I knew you'd jinx it!" Glynda yelled before using her riding crop to send purple shockwaves at the Grimm, breaking their wings in the process as the monsters fell to the ground.
"Let's just get to the tower before more show up." Raven said before flapping her wings and moving right towards the tower. "And keep them off me, I'm not the best fighter in this form or the fastest!"
'Obviously!' she thought before sending a blast of energy at the nearby Grimm, destroying them instantly.
"RRROOAAAR!"
Raven flapped her wings as fast as possible, adrenaline REALLY kicking in through her tiny body. 'Gods she's heavy! Really HEAVY!'
"CAW!"
BOOM!
As the bird flew closer and closer to the Wyvern 'stature', she noticed that several deep cracks were forming from within, revealing a pair of deep red eyes in the process. "Well shit, this thing's about to break out soon!"
"Then we don't have time to lose!"
"Then I suggest I drop you and I'll keep the Grimm distracted while you push it off the tower!"
"Go!" Glynda said before feeling the talons releasing her shoulder and the weight of gravity returning to her. "Wait, not yet! AHHHH!"
"Hurry! Use that semblance now!"
Glyna held her crop out, using her semblance to slow her descent as she landed on the side of the ruined tower and saw more cracks growing on the statue.
Crack.
Crack.
"GGGGGGGRRRRRRRRR." growled the Grimm as it began to shake, rock and hardened crystal falling off its hide and onto the ground below.
"Do it now!" Raven yelled while flying circles around a flock of Nevermore.
She nodded before her body began to glow purple, her semblance enveloping the Grimm as it thrashed within its prison, the power of the soul forcing the laws of reality to bend to her desperate wims of protection for her fellow citizens.
CRACK!
CRACK!
CRACK!
"You…won't….leave!" Glynda muttered before seeing the tower crack under the weight of the stature. "I will…not let you destroy Vale again!"
CRACK!
And in a single moment, the tower buckled, metal and stone falling to the ground as the statue followed soothe, a dust cloud forming as Beacon's grand castle began to shatter into pieces.
RUMBLE!
RUMBLE!
"RRRRRROOOOO-"
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!
Leading to a large crash that could be heard for miles in every direction.
Yet for the headmistress of Beacon, she had just lost her footing and went plummeting downwards into the Grimm infested depths below.
ZOOOP!
Well, she would've if a red portal didn't appear under her and she found herself back in her office, the table now broken due to the collision between her and the mahogany wood itself.
"Good work out there." Raven said as she appeared from another portal, transforming back from a bird to her human form within seconds. "You destroyed the statue and saved everyone from a massive Grimm insurrection."
"Only after you helped."
"True, which means I take about ninety five percent of the credit." she said with a cocky smirk.
"...I think I preferred you more as an adult." She deadpanned as Raven gasped in shock.
"But she's a hag! Ugly in personality and appearance!" she yelled in disbelief. "Nothing like me at all!"
Glynda shook her head and stood up. "Regardless, you did help make it happen. So…thank you."
"Any time." she said with a chuckle. "It is my duty as a Huntress to help out others, especially after what that hag did to screw my image up."
"Mmm."
"So, is there anything else for me to do or shall I fly off into the sunset and look for another place that needs saving?" she asked while Glynda deadpanned.
"This isn't a Flint Westwood production."
"What? I like pasta westerns."
"Just try not to get your daughter hooked on those."
"Trust me, my business with my daughter is going to be perfect. Especially when I introduce her to the wonders of strawberry cake." she smirked before Glynda facepalmed.
"Just help me with paperwork."
"Fiiiiine." Raven groaned while regretting her life choices, for a moment at least.
(Elsewhere)
-Mistral, Mistral Police Department, Maximum Security Cell 888-
"Damn it all." muttered Older Raven as she was currently in an orange jumpsuit and stuck in an aura damping cell, awaiting transfer to Atlas for her crimes against Remnant. She had heavy shackles on her wrists and ankles with chains holding them to the ground. "Just damn it all. I hate this so much!"
As she grumbled in her cell, she noticed something…off about her hands.
"What the?" she muttered before going wide eyed.
For her hands were becoming translucent and almost…ghost like.
"What's happening to me? Guard! GUARD!" she yelled before realizing something.
Her younger self was still out there…and if her hands were starting to fade away that means…
"Oh gods, she's screwing up my timeline! She's 'fixing' my life and destroying me along with it!" she gritted her teeth and tried tugging against the chains, desperate to break them and get out of here. "I have to get out of here now! Before I cease to exist!"
"What is it?" asked one of the security guards with a frown.
"Let me out of here!"
"No can do. You are to be transferred next month, meaning you're not escaping any time soon." He said before turning to walk away, only for Raven to grab at his right arm, only for her own hands to phase through it. "Hey!"
"Look at me! I'm not going to last that long!" She yelled before the guard walked off.
"When pigs fly."
"Guard! Release me!" she yelled out while the guard disappeared behind a corner. "RELEASE ME!"
As the prisoners tried to sleep, they heard Raven's cries for freedom, becoming more desperate and fearful every second.
"I can't fade away! I can't!" She cried out in fear. "This isn't how my life is supposed to end!"
BAM!
BAM!
"THIS ISN'T MY STORY!" she yelled while banging against the bars with ehr left side. "THIS ISN'T MY STORY!"
"Shut up over there!"
"We're trying to sleep here!"
"Take your baggage elsewhere!"
"IT'S NOT MY STORY! IT'S NOT!" she screamed to the ceiling as the camera zoomed away from her. "IT IS NOT MY STORY!"
(Many years later)
-Patch-
A quiet sunlight afternoon on the island of Patch, a perfect setting for anyone with small tiem dreams.
Yet for Raven Branwen…no, Raven Xiao Long, she was happy all over again, her white and red wedding dress flickering in the light due to her red rubies, as she applied makeup for her big day…again.
For she had saved the world, she had helped fix the problems she had caused by the actions of her now deceased future self, and she helped fight against Salem in the final battle, providing transportation as the castle began to fall into the Grimm Ooze…although she is left with a missing left arm from a Creep attack, granting her a red prosthetic arm just like her daughter ironically.
And now, she was about to remarry her sweetheart at the nearby church, something she didn't expect to happen twice in one lifetime.
"Ok Raven, you can do this. Just keep it together and don't get misty eyed." she muttered to herself while looking at her left arm, feeling a sense of sadness for her missing appendage, yet casted that aside once she applied the yellow lipstick on her lips. "Just marry the blonde numbskull and just rock his world."
Knock knock.
"Hey mom." called out Yang from the other side of the door. "Car's here to pick you up."
"Coming Yang!" she called out while putting some raven shaped earrings on her earlobes, after which she followed her daughter out to their transportation and tried to steady her nerves as it drove onwards.
"Relax." Yang said while currently having an orange visor over her eyes, a painful reminder of the Beowolf attack that left her blinded forever, as she was currently wearing a yellow tux. "This is supposed to be your day, live a little."
"I know that, but when you get older and get married, you'll understand it can be nerve wracking."
"Mom, I'm married to Blake." She deadpanned. "I know the feeling."
"I thought it was Weiss, or was it Jaune?" Raven deadpanned at her now nervous daughter's face.
"Um….what's wrong with having a harem?"
"I swear you have your father's horniness."
"Mom." she groaned. "I'm not that horny."
"Yeah." she said while shaking her head. "At least Ruby chose to stay with one partner…what was their name again? Winter?"
"Wait what!? She's married to Winter, why didn't she tell me!?"
"Because you married her partner, her sister in law."
"I didn't hear about this!" she yelled while speeding a little in frustration.
"That was the point." Raven sighed before seeing them pass the church. "Yang, you missed our turn." 'By a mile or two.'
"Shit!" she cursed before hitting the brake, making the car skid before she turned and hit the gas. "Sorry."
"It's fine, but you need to go back to therapy."
"But Oscar is still trying to graduate from Haven!"
"So? You can call him and Ozma for a few sessions."
"I can handle myself on my own." She huffed before parking the car near the side of the church and got out, moving towards the side door. "Anyway, it's time for the bride to meet her Taisband."
"...no more puns for a year. That one was really bad." Raven deadpanned while taking Yang's extended left hand.
"Oh come on!" Yang huffed while leading her mother to the front gates and coughed. "Mom, are you ready to be remarried?"
"..."
"Cause I'm not driving you back if you get cold feet."
"...yes." she said while looking at her daughter with confidence. "I am ready."
The blonde Huntress nodded before opening the doors, a bright light filling the screen as Raven smiled happily at the screen.
'Finally….I found my happiness.'