Triscythe59: I genuinely smirked at that. All I'll say is that it was a good guess!

Chapter 3: Black Wings, White Petals.

I woke up to an unfamiliar ceiling. Groggy, I looked around and groaned. From the looks of things, it seems as though I was in a tent. It was rather barren, with only thing being notable was the mat I was laid out on, and a pair of foldable clothes in the corner. My mind was rather slow, as I processed my surroundings. I could hear the sounds of people talking and moving outside.

That, was odd... matter of fact, where am I?

I pushed the covers off of me. As soon as I tried to sit up, pain lanced through my body and I collapsed onto my back with a pained groan. I slumped against the mat and grimaced, cradling my side and flinching slightly at the dull aches that rang through.

Soon, the memories of what happened before had come back up. Me and Summer made it out of Hinoki Forest, the cashier at JustRite was getting robbed by bandits, Summer fought the bandits, beat Vernal, then Raven appeared, then she suddenly snapped and fought Raven... and then I blacked out after that?

So either I'm dead, or Raven didn't kill me while I was down. I'm betting on the latter, so where am I...?

We're in the Branwen Tribe camp. Summer's groggy voice rang through my head and I craned my head to the side to see her materialize next to me. She let out a yawn and rubbed at her eyes. "You've been out for two days..."

My eyes widened. I was about to fall into the trope of screaming out in shock, before remembering where I was. So I forced myself to quiet down. "Two days...?"

"Yeah..." Summer winced, rubbing her arm. "Raven decided to spare you. I don't know why. I was kind of fading in and out because of how low my Aura was, so I decided to rest up and regain my energy in your head. You've been patched up by the way."

I lifted my shirt and noticed the bandages wrapped around the areas of my body that developed bruises. I grimaced at that. "So we didn't get out of that fight completely unscathed..."

"Nope. Your Aura has fixed most of the damage, but you shouldn't overexert yourself. I don't think we should use Resonance, either."

"Great..."

I sighed and ran my hand down my face. We fell into a small lapse in silence, which was only broken when I turned to Summer and asked, "What was that about, anyway?"

"What was what about?" Summer blinked in confusion. I stared at her harder, and a look of realization washed over her. She looked both guilty and sheepish. "Oh. That."

"Yeah. That."

Summer sighed and took a seat next to me, pulling her legs up to her chest with a soft frown. "... As you may have guessed, me and Raven, well, the last I remember, we weren't on the best of terms." she huffed, shaking her head. "After she left me and Tai, left our family, it was kind of hard not to be angry. I guess when I saw her, and when she threatened... us, I just, snapped."

Summer gave me an apologetics look, "I'm sorry. If I kept a level head, we probably wouldn't be here... and it nearly cost you your life, too."

I sighed, shrugging my shoulders. "It's fine. I'm not gonna pretend like I know the relationship between the two of you. So I can't judge, but--" I paused, as my brain focused on something that Summer had said. "... left you... and Tai?"

Summer blinked a couple of times, as if not having registered my question. Then, after a moment of silence, she let out a hum of acknowledgement. And in the most nonchalant tone, said, "Yeah? We were in a polyamorous marriage. Raven's my wife."

...

"I beg your pardon?"

Summer's brows furrowed in confusion. "What?"

My jaw dropped at her obliviousness, and I shook my head. "You're... you're telling me, that Raven didn't just ditch Tai, and then you swooped in, married him, and had Ruby?"

"What? No!" Summer looked affronted at that, and I was further shocked. "We all got married--where did you get that idea?"

I stared at her blankly before averting my gaze and staring off into space with wide, disbelieving eyes. There was absolutely no fucking way this was real. What am I hearing right now? Taiyang bagged two women at the same time, got married, settled down, AND had children with them?

Dude...

I think I hate him.

"Raph? You okay there? You're glaring at nothing and it's starting to worry me..."

I blinked and looked back at Summer, turning sheepish with a slight grin. "Uh--yeah. I'm fine. Just processing," I mumbled and slumped forward with an explosive sigh, while sending her a curious look. "So, polyamorous relationships are a thing here?"

"Well, yeah. It's a pretty common practice." Summer shrugged her shoulders. "Becoming a huntsman is a dangerous profession. The survival rate is pretty low, especially after the Great War. So, a law was decreed that a huntsman can, if they so choose, have multiple husbands or wives, as to keep strong bloodlines from dying out, that way, the future of their families are ensured with the next generation, who will be stronger than the last."

Holy shit.

Harems are real.

... That is not something I expected to hear in my life.

I stared at her again, expression blank. Eventually I nodded slowly. "That... is interesting. I think. I actually don't know how to feel about that."

Summer tilted her head in confusion. "Hm? Is it not common where you're from?"

"Nah... not in the slightest, dude."

"Oh. That's weird."

"You're one to talk...!"

The tent flap was pushed aside and I turned to come face to face with Vernal, who, surprise surprise, looked irritated. She blinked in surprise upon seeing me, and followed my gaze as it drifted down. In her hands was a bucket filled with water, with a rag thrown under the handle bar. I blinked and looked back up at her. Vernal, in record speed, swiftly placed the bucket down and nudged it out of the tent before coughing into her fist and putting on a serious face.

That's fucking hilarious.

"So you're awake. That's... good. Thought you were never going to wake up. Although I wouldn't be opposed to it." she grumbled that last part under her breath. My brows furrowed, as I didn't quite catch what she said. But judging by Summer's raised eyebrow, she did. "Anyway. The Chief wanted to speak with you once you woke up. Your old clothes are pretty much rags, so we got you some new ones. Put 'em on and I'll take you to her. And don't take forever."

With that, she stormed out of the tent. I stared on dumbly and shook my head in bemusement. "The heck is her deal."

Summer had a look of amusement. "She's probably still mad that you kicked her butt."

"... But that was you."

"She doesn't know that~"

I snorted and looked towards the pile of clothes set off to the side. I reached over and grabbed them, feeling the fabric. Smooth cotton wool, didn't seem too uncomfortable. Was a shame my clothes were damaged. I guess I was gonna be rocking it medieval style until I get my hands on some new threads.

I glanced at Summer. "What do you think Raven wants?"

Summer glanced at me, frowned, and crossed her arms. "Only one way to find out."

I sighed.

This was going to be a long day.

《ROSES》

Raven's mind was the equivalent to a hurricane for the past two days. The routine for the tribe was normal, that is, until Vernal's squad had been attacked during a scouting assignment. She'd expect her to handle herself, there weren't main trained huntsman or mercenaries around here for miles, but she was clearly mistaken in here judgement when that boy appeared.

Her face tightened at the thought. He was young, younger than Vernal but around the same age as Ruby or Yang, but he'd managed to wipe out Vernal's squad, who, while not the strongest the tribe had to offer, still had their Auras unlocked and were well trained. Coupled with Vernal herself, who could easily fight a pro-huntsman and even win, and even some professionals would have trouble.

And then he fought her. Raven was holding back, that was obvious, but he still managed to hold his own against her rather well. His fighting style was what she as focused on. He seemed focused on the manipulation of Aura and used an axe rather well, the way he moved and evaded her attacks, the way he countered, and even retaliated. The use of his Semblance. It was just like...

Just like Summer.

And that wasn't discounting his silver eyes. Raven had thought that Ruby was the last Silver Eyed Warrior after Summer's... passing. They'd hadn't encountered any others before and after their tenure at Beacon, and long into their careers as huntsman and huntresses.

They would have known if one showed up. And she knew that the kid had silver eyes. She'd been around Summer long enough to tell the difference between silver eyes and grey eyes. And that kid definitely had silver.

As if the similarities to Summer weren't suspicious enough.

No matter how suspicious this was, however, Raven saw this as a boon. The boy, despite his skill, was still young, and appeared to have no home. His clothes, especially after his fight with Vernal and herself, were little more than tattered rags now. He was already strong, but it was clear that he could use more training.

If she could convince him to join, that'd be another powerful asset to the tribe. That, and it was better than Ozpin getting his slimy hands on the kid and turning him into another pawn to throw at Salem, to inevitably get himself killed.

That's what he did to her and her brother. To Tai... and Summer.

That was likely what he was going to do to Yang and Ruby, once they applied.

Raven's grip on her tea cup tightened hard enough for it to crack, and she cursed under her breath as the counts began to spill under her desk. She swallowed the rest and grabbed a towel to wipe away the stains, just as her tent's flap open. Her blood red eyes flicked up to see Vernal step inside, and the boy following in soon after. Dressed in a dark blue tunic with gold etchings, dark brown baggy pants and black boots.

So it fits him. Good. Raven folded her hands over her hands and glanced to Vernal, expression blank and stern, but tone light. "So you've brought him. Thank you, Vernal."

Vernal bowed her head silently and stepped back. Raven's eyes shifted over to the silver eyed boy, who stood there awkwardly and avoided her gaze. A complete tonal shift to the intense, and dare she say angered way he looked at her two days ago.

It garnered a raised brow from her.

Vernal clicked her tongue and roughly shoved him forward, causing him to yelp. Raven's lips twitched slightly in amusement as he slowly took a seat on the cushion in front of her desk. "I take it the clothes are to your liking?"

"Uh--" his brows furrowed as he tugged at his tunic. "Not the most uncomfortable thing I've worn. Prefer more modern stuff but s' cool."

"Quite." Raven smirked, cocking a brow. "We have a lot to discuss... I myself have a lot of questions."

"Oh." he felt sweat roll down his chin. "... Yippee."

Raven let out a small snort, leaning forward and crossing one leg over the other. "First things first--"

"Actually..." Raphael ventured, and Raven raised a brow at his interruption. From the corner of her eye she noticed Vernal trying to burn a hole into the back of his head. "I'd like our talk to be private."

There was an emphasize on that, as he shot a glance towards Vernal. The woman in question blinked in surprise, before that look formed into a scowl. Yet, before she could tell Raphael off, Raven raised a calm hand and shot Vernal a glance. "Leave us."

"But-!" Vernal went to protest, but wilted at the sharp stare that Raven shot her. Her hands balled up into knuckles as she shot Raphael another glare, before ducking her head respectfully and marching out of the tent.

Once Vernal had left, Raven turned towards Raphael with a squint. "Now, what was so important that you-"

"I know about Salem."

The moment those words were uttered, it was as if a pin had dropped. The silence was deafening as Raven's eyes slowly widened, and she let those words repeat in her mind. Realization came next as she realized the blunt honesty in his tone. In an instant, she'd brandished Omen and held it to Raphael's neck, her face scrunching up into a mixture of fury and alarm. Her other hand twitching, as she felt the urge to call upon that power. But she refrained.

"Who are you. How do you know. Are you a spy?" Raven hissed, her lips peeling back into a snarl. "Give me one reason as to why I shouldn't kill you now."

"Chill out, for a sec!" Raphael yelped in alarm, his eyes widening as he held his hands up in an placating gesture. "Look, I'm not a spy for Salem, or anything like that. I can prove it!"

Raven's eyes narrowed, and her grip on her sword tightened. "How."

Raphael took in a slow breath, and closed his eyes. His body was encompassed in a flash of light, and Raven tensed, ready to spring into action. Yet, he didn't attack. Raphael's eyes open to reveal a bright shimmer of white swirling around his irises like a spiral, and his lips quirked up into a small smirk that felt all to familiar.

"Hey, Rae." his voice echoed, as if two people spoke as one. Male and female. The female side echoed stronger, and the tone sounded familiar. She knew that voice anywhere, and the way he'd addressed her solidified that. The only one who called her that were Tai, Qrow, and...

"... Summer?" Raven spoke up in a hush whisper, her body going numb as she nearly dropped Omen out of silence. Raphael's--or rather, Summer in control of Raphael--smirk widened.

"Yup." Summer popped with a hum.

"T-This is impossible. You shouldn't be... you're supposed to be-!"

"Dead?" Summer snorted, a tad bit bitter, but she smiled and shrugged her shoulders. "Well, I am, but not entirely. It's... complicated."

Raven's throat went dry, several memories she'd thought that would never haunt me again wormed it's way back up to the surface of her mind. Shakily, she sheathed Omen and slumped into her seat, her face matted with sweat as she ran her hands through her hair and down her face. A shuddering breath left her lips and she closed her eyes to calm her racing heart.

"... How." Raven croaked out, her voice hoarse as she looked up at Summer.

And so, Summer explained the events that happened two days prior. How she awakened in Hinoki Forest, met with Raphael, got attacked by an Ursa, used something called Resonance which essentially allowed Summer to take control of Raphael's body for a short period of time, all the way up to the conflict with Vernal and her squad. After the explanation was finished, Raven was still trying to wrap her head around it all. It was hard to believe, but everything appeared to have added up.

How Raphael fought, the skill he showcased with an axe, how he seemed to anticipate her moves and knew her fighting style, the way his Semblance operated, his silver eyes. It all tied back to Summer. And for some reason, they were both connected. Soul-bound. Summer could not interact with the living without Raphael. Without Raphael, she was nothing more than a wandering spirit, unable to move on.

Raven's hand curled up into a tight fist. Yet another thing to add onto my list of fuck-ups. she thought bitterly with a scowl.

"Ay, none of that self-deprecating crap. We've got enough of that from Qrow because of his Semblance." Summer quipped softly, crossing her arms and smiling. "It's fine, Rae. I'm... adjusting. But it's fine. There's no need to worry about it. At least for right now."

"But--you're... you're a spirit, Summer!" Raven hissed, clenching her fists. "Dead. You're dead. You can't even go on to the Gods damned afterlife, or whatever it is that's out there after we die!"

"Raven-"

"A-And Tai, Qrow, Yang, Ruby! You can't see them ever again! How is that fine?! How is any of this fine?! Does that not matter to y-!"

"YOU DON'T GET TO SAY THAT!" Summer snapped, slamming her fist against her desk. Raven's eyes widened in shock as Summer glared at her, but the woman inside the boy's body wilted and quieted down, sitting back in her seat with a frown. "... You, of all people, do not get to say that."

Pain gripped Raven's heart like a vice and her face scrunched up into a grimace, as she bit the bottom of her lip and peered off to the side. "... I wasn't... I couldn't..." she inhaled through her nose and exhaled, her expression becoming blank. "I was not suited for that life. You were."

"Bull." Summer glowered, "I'd never seen you so happy. When Yang was born, it was like you were a completely different person! You looked so... so vibrant! And then when Ruby was born, you up and left! You left Tai heartbroken, you hurt me! And for what? To go gallivanting back to the tribe? To be a bandit again? To put all the things you learned to waste?!"

Raven grit her teeth in frustration and glared at Summer. "You don't understand why I had to leave! None of you did! If you'd just listened to me, then maybe I-!"

"Maybe you'd what, Raven? Not have abandoned your family?" Summer scoffed and rolled her eyes, shooting her a glare of her own. "What was so important that you wanted to tell us, that we supposedly didn't hear out, that forced you to leave."

"Well? I'm listening now! What is it?"

Raven stared at Summer blankly, clenching her fist tight enough that her Aura began to flicker as it prevented her nails from piercing her gloves and digging into her skin. "... You don't know?"

Summer's brows furrowed, and the frustration that began to build weathered down slightly. "... Know what?"

Raven's jaw dropped slightly and she tried to work out a response, her mind warring with itself, wondering if she should tell her. She sat there in silence, as Summer stared, but eventually, like with everything else...

Raven cowered.

She bit the inside of her cheek and glared off to the side. "... Nothing."

Summer stared at Raven a bit longer before sighing harshly and rubbing at her eyes, shaking her head. "... Raphael is going to take back control. Do not," Summer glared at Raven, and Raven knew that glare better than anyone. "And I mean, do not, threaten him. Got it?"

Raven grimaced and crossed her arms in frustration. "Whatever."

"I forgot how adorable it was when you pout~"

"Shut the fuck up, I'm not pouting!"

Raven glared at Summer as she laughed. Raphael's body shined again, and the boy was in control again. His eyes no longer glowing, he sucked in an awkward breath as he looked up at Raven. She glared at him lightly, any sense of professionalism and faux politeness long since thrown out the window. "Well. What is it."

"... Well, we need your help." Raphael said, "To beat Salem and-"

"No." Raven's response was immediate, fast enough to give someone who wasn't prepared whiplash. Raphael, however, was.

Raphael sighed, frowning. "Alright, look. Unkillable, does not equate to undefeatable." he ignored Raven's shocked face. "There are a multitude of ways to beat an immortal. You just have to think outside the box."

Raven stared at him with narrowed eyes and hissed, "How much do you know."

"Enough," Raphael said dismissively, squinting at Raven. "I've got plans. Theories, but probably the best kind of plan we've got at taking Salem down. And I'm gonna need your help to do it."

Raven crossed her arms over her chest and frowned, glaring at Raphael lightly. "Why me, and not someone like Ozpin. If you know about Salem, you know about him too, right?"

"Eeyup." Raphael popped, scratching the back of his head. "I'm not going to the Wizard of Oz 'cause quite frankly, I'm not trying to get wrapped around his finger and become another one of his looneys. I can't exactly put my plans into effect being holed up at Beacon."

Raven stared at him in silence and gave the boy an appraising look. "So you don't trust him then." she huffed, shaking her head. "At the very least you have a good head on your shoulders. Makes me more inclined to listen in on your so-called 'plan'."

"I don't," he agreed with a nod of his head, but frowned. "But I also know that his help is going to be needed."

Raven squinted and went to retort, but Raphael cut her off. "Ozpin's got connections with the Council, so he's definitely got some sway over the public and likely has eyes and ears all across Vale, not to mention his association with the other headmasters from the other academies."

"That's something we can use," Raphael smirked, but was sweat-dropping internally. Except Lionheart. The snitch.

Raven eyed Raphael up and down and let out a snort, shaking her head and nursing her brows. Raphael continued to stare, refusing to not give away eye contact. Raven stared back unflinching, her eyes narrowing in thought as she weighed her options. There was the con of giving out her location to Salem's forces, the exact thing she didn't want. On the other, if there truly was a way to beat Salem, which he seemed confident in, and had an inkling of an idea of how to accomplish such...

... Raven inhaled through her nose and exhaled, sighing harshly and letting a dry smirk loose. "You seem to know more than you're letting on. I'll humor you-" Raphael's expression lit up, and she was quick to shut it down. "-But, I have conditions that need to be met before I agree to anything."

Raphael's lips twitched, and Raven smirked. Nevertheless, he nodded. "Alright, lay it on me."

"First, whatever plan of action you come up with, you always run it by me first. I already know we'll likely be using my resources for this suicidal plan, so I expect some leeway in the decision making."

"Sounds fair."

"Second, I want you to join my tribe." she held up a hand as his face scrunched up into what could best be described as a grimace, "I'll keep it up front. The only reason I kept you alive at first was because you had potential to be a valuable asset to the tribe. I still think that, so you can also think of it as insurance policy. For the duration of this partnership, outside of any operations regarding Salem, you follow my rules. Got it?"

Raphael grimaced harder, but eventually he sighed and nodded his head. Raven's smirk widened, and she held up a three fingers.

"Third, I want Vernal in on it."

Raphael's eyes widened in surprise, and he opened his mouth to respond. Raven was swift to cut him off. "She's skilled and strong for her age, and I trust her a great deal. I was going to clue her in on this side of the world eventually. If Salem were to find me, then it'd be best to have another ally in the know, to be better prepare."

Raphael looked down in thought. Well, Vernal already knew in canon anyways, she even pretended to be the Spring Maiden for Raven to trick Cinder--so her loyalty is solidified. he sighed, scratching the back of his head. "Sure, I don't see the problem."

"Then it seems we've got a deal," Raven hummed, nodding in satisfaction. "Now then... do you mind clueing my in on the first steps to this... master plan."

Ignoring Raven's blatant sarcasm, Raphael nodded. "Well, first... are Ruby and Yang at Beacon?"

Raven paused, and squinted at him in suspicion. "... why."

"I need to know the timeframe."

Raven blinked at his flippant tone, and leaned back in her seat. Sensing no deceit, she scoffed. "They are. Ruby was admitted two years early into Beacon by Ozpin... last I recall, their first semester should be wrapping up in time for spring break."

So we're either midway through Volume 1 or at the end of Volume 1, and on our way to Volume 2. Raphael nodded to himself. Still got time to prepare.

He looked up at Raven and took in a slow breath, donning a look of seriousness. "Second, I need training."

At Raven's raised brow of confusion, he continued. "You know that Summer was the one that you fought. Not me. I've got little to no combat experience whatsoever. And I can't rely on Summer to fight all my battles, so I need someone to train me. At least physically, and bring me up to speed. You're the best person to do that."

Raven crossed her arms and cocked another brow. "I could tell that much at first glance. I'm a busy woman, Emblem, and the chieftess of a tribe of bandits. I can't waste time training you. That would be me showing favoritism to an outsider."

"So that's a no...?"

Raven remained silent, appearing to contemplate something. She smirked suddenly, and focused back on him. "No... but you can earn it."

Raphael blinked in confusion, and Raven decided to elaborate. "As of late, the only one in the tribe that was able to earn apprenticeship under me was Vernal. I already know of your potential, what you need to do is prove it to the tribe, solidify your standing and strength. If you can grasp the basics and become strong enough to do that, then I'll train you."

Raphael stared at her in silence, glancing off to the side in thought. His brows furrowed, and Raven could only assume he was communicating with Summer in some way, something that made her brows furrow. His attention went back to her, and he nodded. "Alright. I'll do it."

Raven's smirk quirked up into a slight smile. Maybe you'll be worth the time.

"Now then, if that's everything... you can leave. I still need to process all of this. And maybe get a drink."

Raphael snorted and slowly pushed himself up to his feet with a grunt, stretching his arms out while withholding a yawn, and stepping out of the tent.

As Raphael departed, Raven sagged in her seat and let out a long, withering sigh. Rubbing away at the bridge of her nose and nursing her temples with a groan. "What the fuck am I getting myself into..." she grumbled and took a peek between her fingers, her eyes drifting towards the corner of her tent where a stash of alcohol lay.

Her lips curled up into a smile.

《ROSES》

I let out an explosive sigh as I collapsed onto my mat in my temporary tent. Exhaustion was beginning to come up to me and I felt a sense of fatigue wash over. Summer materialized above me, wearing a look of concern. That made me feel marginally better about the entire situation.

"You okay?" she asked softly, her brows creasing and her concern becoming more apparent. I smiled.

"Yeah, just didn't expect talking to be so tiring. I think my social energy is at an all time low right now."

Summer snorted in amusement, smiling. "That tends to happen when you talk with Raven..." she frowned. "You sure this was the right move?"

I knew what she was talking about. Telling Raven the truth off the gate. Admittedly, I was hesitant on doing so, but I had to weigh my options. We had no allies as of late and absolutely no resources whatsoever. Raven may have been a bandit, but she had more than what me and Summer had in spades, and if we could get her to share that with us, it'd make everything marginally smoother from here on out. It was best to rip the bandaid off and get it overwith. I was entirely banking on Summer being the key player in winning Raven over, considering their past... relationship.

Seems to have worked to some degree, with more convincing and bribery on my part using meta-knowledge, but all in all, not to bad. Being a bandit is probably gonna suck, but that's fine. At the very least, I'll be getting training from Raven. So long as I prove myself, anyway. Training from both Raven and Summer should turn me into a certified badass in no time for the coming battles ahead. And I needed every ounce of training I was going to get.

"Yeah, I'm sure." I nodded, and left it at that. "On the topic of Raven... are you okay? You got pretty heated, back there..."

Summer smiled a melancholic smile. Strained, she let out a rueful chuckle and shook her head. "I won't say I'm exactly, okay, but I'll manage."

"Alright... but if you ever wanna talk about it, I'll listen." I offered with an amused smile. "My mom used to rant to me a lot. Usually about work and her annoying co-workers. I'm a good listener."

Summer laughed a bit more genuinely that time, and smiled wider. "I'll hold you to that."

"Cool..." I yawned, rubbing at my eyes and slumped against my mat. "I think Imma get some shut eye... tired."

Summer nodded and began to fade into motes of white light, probably to rest herself. "You do that. Something tells me the coming days are gonna be a long one."

I snorted.

Understatement.

Not much of an author's note here; lmao. I just find it funny how I can turn my brain off when writing this fic and just end up writing.

Hope y'all enjoyed the chapter. As usual, I'll see you next time!