There were many things in her life that she'd been taking for granted that Ruby had always felt were justified. Stuffing herself with cookies and her dad unerringly locating her due to a trail of uncooperative bread crumbs, being uncle Qrow's favorite niece, and…Yang actually listening.
"C'mon Ruby, what's got you so down? We're going on an adventure," Yang bumped Ruby's shoulder, involuntarily lurching her forward down the ramp of a commercial bullhead that just landed a whole Kingdom away from Vale, into Mistral, and onto the continent of Anima.
Mistral was one of the four primary large kingdoms of Remnant where all the rage were tournament fights and champions to distract from the terror of Grimm. It was a large land mass with snaking islands and land bridges forming the shape of a serpent in the north and a tail in the south quadrants. Furthest west was the continental zone of Anima, a primarily boreal region away from the scorching desert it bordered.
An entire sea separated Vale from Mistral, and Ruby could already imagine what would happen if her father caught wind of this.
"Dad's gonna kill us."
"No, we've been through this. He's going look at you with disappointment for not stopping me, then at me for taking you along, but he's a big softy in the end." Yang corrected; Ruby deflated, askance.
"But that's even worse!" Ruby pursed her lips, tugging on the hem of her hood which Yang was still dragging if only to get Ruby and herself off of the bullhead before it took off again.
"What happens in Mistral, stays in Mistral."
"That's Vacuo! You have it wrong!"
"Semantics. Now let's make our way to whatever part of Anima we need to go."
"You don't even know where in Anima we're going!"
"Hey," Yang rolled her brows suggestively. "Easy, just trust me while the sun's still up. I have a feeling it will dawn on us eventually, hehehe, eh? Eeeh?"
Ruby stiffened, smacking Yang's hand away from her hood and silently smoothening the wrinkles. "I hate you right now," she said in deadpan. "Don't you dare start and make me hate you more."
Yang shrugged, but relented despite thinking she was being witty. Her dad would have loved that one, it's not her fault Ruby didn't appreciate greatness. However, Yang also knew she was being unreasonable enough to drag Ruby along with her, but she figured with their combined strength, they could take on anyone as Huntresses in training. It was best not to aggravate Ruby any further.
"I'll get you a comic of your choice on the way back home," Yang tempted.
Ruby perked up, eyes widening comically, but her features did end up softening. "Limited edition," she stressed.
Yang winced, knowing how much lien those collectors' items cost, and how old they could be. Still, she had to appease Ruby somehow. "D-Deal," she eked out for the sake of cooperation. "Now let's go."
Ruby grudgingly nodded, trudging after Yang with an enthusiasm far less then her sister's. She was too concerned to be overly affected by Yang's mood and optimism, lost in her own thoughts regarding the 'Sword of Remnant' as titled by her future diary. The fact that she'd found Yang in the exact bar written in the diary's annals was enough to authenticate the diary's contents to her. Moreover, her writing style and familiar quirks could be seen all over the diary.
For all intents and purposes, this really was a future her that wrote everything.
Then what did that mean for the warnings?
She grew uneasy, shivers travelling down the base of her neck and causing goosebumps to rise over her arms. While Yang was distracted, she glanced in the direction over her left shoulder where she could sense Shirou's presence watching over both her and Yang. At least with him around, she could rest at ease in regards to danger. However, this didn't remedy her worst problem.
"Shirou, can you contact Archer?" She asked inwardly through her link as Master and Servant.
"I can send him messages," was the curt reply. "It's his choice if he replies."
"T-Tell him not to go to the Grimmlands!"
A pause, a faint discussion while Shirou raised a brow in astral form.
"He's asking why not?"
"J-Just cause."
"That's not a reason. Also, he said that he's already there and doesn't have the time to talk while evading Grimm. A lot of Grimm apparently."
A-Already there?! Ruby's complexion paled in anxiety. Just from the way her older self had written the entry regarding Archer's embarkment to the Grimmlands screamed of grief and misery. Worse, it was the suffocating sense of self-loathing that she could gleam from it all, and Ruby could only think of a few possibilities that could make her feel in such a way.
"Tell him to hurry and come back then!" She roared apprehensively.
Shirou likely noticed the worry and urgency in Ruby's tone, and didn't bother questioning her about what he inferred was a subject she was hiding from him. Ruby had always been a bad liar, but Shirou also knew that she wouldn't lie to him without a reason.
He quickly regaled Archer with Ruby's message before anything else. Unfortunately, there was a problem.
"…He's not replying anymore."
"Ginger snaps!"
"Master, is something wrong? You've been acting uneasy since your trip to Vale?"
She stiffened, lips pursing as panic set in. If Shirou found out about her future diary and it disappeared, then there was nothing she'd be able to do, let alone know what to try and change. It didn't help that Shirou could be smart at the worst of times when it was for her sake or others.
"Ruby, who are you talking to?"
In her anxiety, Ruby had garnered Yang's attention, and in this case, she was thankful for it since it prevented Shirou from pressing her. She wilted from the weight of Shirou's stare on her back, but managed to hold strong.
"I was just mumbling," Ruby reasoned while Yang wasn't quite convinced and gave her an odd look.
Falling silent, Ruby felt lost. If Archer was already in the Grimmlands then what was she supposed to do? What would her mom say?
Ruby didn't hesitate, pulling out her scroll and asking for advice to a childishly paraphrased problem that she couldn't solve about a 'friend's' situation minus the details of a future diary.
'Focus on what's in front of you, Little Rose,' Summer messaged back, knowing her daughter well enough to know who the referred 'friend' was. Moms were just like that, spies in the making. '…and if you run into a certain bird in Anima, tell her that she better make a real effort or so help me, I'll never forgive her. Take care, and I'm sending your uncle Qrow to mediate.'
Mediate? What was that supposed to mean? Ruby frowned, hiding her amazement at how her mom knew where she was and what she and Yang were doing.
Shaking her head, Ruby put most of her thoughts aside to reread Summer's advice over and over again.
Focus on what's in front of you.
Ruby subtly took peeks at Yang, still bright and cheerful. The luster of her easy-going smile was a familiar sight, warm, carefree, and contrasted by the soft glow of the light reflecting off of her hair.
[Yang was never the same after this day, but she'd never explain why…]
Yang. That's right. Yang was also in trouble, wasn't that why she was here to change things for her?
Ruby knew she had to at least try and dissuade Yang again.
"Ruby, let me know if you see Emerald," Yang called out, breaking Ruby out of her stupor.
Ruby placed a hand on her face, and slowly dragged it down while rubbing at her eyes.
Anima was huge, and at present, she and Yang had only been wandering in the frontier town the commercial bullhead had dropped them off at. What was Yang trying to pull here?
"Yang, Emerald left earlier than us! Arrived in Anima way before us. She's long gone by now and it's not like she'd still be anywhere nearby!" Ruby reasoned, arms flailing up.
"You don't know that." Yang crossed her arms, scowling at the reality of it all. "Just try looking," she insisted.
"Do you really think if I just look in a random direction that I'll-"
'No way.' Exasperation clouded her features.
A mop of green hair and light caramel skin had appeared within view.
Ruby's mouth clicked closed in consternation before she quickly shut up and turned her gaze elsewhere, a jaunty whistled tune escaping her lips. It didn't work. Yang followed Ruby's prior line of sight and grinned.
"Yuuuup," Yang's eyes gleamed, her lips popping the 'P' while patting Ruby on the back; Ruby suppressing the urge to wail petulantly, at another failed attempt to discourage Yang.
"Nice going little sis. After her!"
If she was being honest with herself, Emerald felt as if she'd finally gotten a new lease on life ever since meeting Archer and Scarlet. She had a home, food, reputation, and the very first taste of comradery and companionship in the Rose Mercenaries. Neo and Roman weren't the easiest to get along with, but for crooks like herself, they were an alright sort. Then there was Archer, the Archer, the legendary mercenary chronicled in the history of Mt. Glenn alongside the Huntsman of Red.
To know that Archer was her partner, had allowed her to work with and stay beside someone like him had stunned her when she first saw the videos of his feats. She'd been flattered, emotional, overwhelmed even, then came gratitude and something more.
He was never hard or too critical on her, and kept her close in crowds when he knew she was uncomfortable spending too much time in them. Life on the streets meant trusting crowds to be difficult. Never know when you get shanked in there.
Archer gave her the chance to be something she thought she could never be, and to reflect on her future choices in life.
It was almost to the point where she might have been grateful that Cinder had shot her in the leg, but she was only human and took too much pleasure in relishing Cinder's misfortune.
Scarlet never really did elaborate on Cinder's current condition
In any case, Archer was her hero, her idol, her role model, and Emerald wanted to take after him, to impress him…to get him to look at her, and say 'that's my woman.'
The colour of Emerald's cheeks flushed red from the fantasy, giving her the impression of puffed and rosy cheeks that detracted all imposingness from her hardened street features. The concept of a crush, passion, or romantic feelings was still alien to her once she got passed the principle that there was more to love then sex, but Archer was never comfortable broaching the topic again. Roman's raunchy laughter still rung in Emerald's ears, causing them to heat up.
'Bastard,' she mused, but it didn't mean she stopped fantasizing.
Honestly, it was a good thing she was wearing a mask.
Her current mission was to investigate a string of attacks on a splattering of frontier towns in Anima. The pay wasn't that great considering the financial power of any settlement not a Kingdom, but Emerald had decided to take it anyway as she knew Archer would have done so.
Roman could call her a suck-up or whatever he wanted, but Emerald didn't care.
The likeliest suspect in this mission were bandits, with many pointing fingers at the most notorious bandit troop in Anima, the Branwen tribe. Hence, this was where she would begin her trail, and follow leads.
She'd spent over several hours already since her landing asking the locals about where the Branwen tribe frequented and their likeliest places to hit.
This decision obviously cost her when all too cheerful Yang, and pouting Ruby appeared within view.
Emerald opened and closed her mouth, but was too stunned to say anything for a moment before she frowned. "Oh, great. It's you…and you multiplied." She rubbed at her temples. "What do you want?"
Yang liked to imagine she had a witty response, heated, elegant even, but Ruby ruined the lead up.
"Yang be nice," Ruby tugged at Yang's sleeve, causing her to gnash her teeth.
"What do you mean nice? She had me talking to a table in the middle of a crowd! All my rep's gone!"
"Please, as if you had any," Emerald leered.
Yang growled, the two immediately starting off on loggerheads. Eyes swirling from a lack of social and mediatory skills, Ruby popped herself in between the two, practically squeezed in the center.
"Okay, I think that we all got off on the wrong knees- I mean foot. Urgh!" Ruby pushed with what little arm strength she had against Yang to get her to back off a bit. She then smiled awkwardly at Emerald. "Yang, and by extension me, just want to help," she reasoned.
Emerald grimaced, her lips thinning before she sighed and crossed her arms, one finger tapping over her bicep. "You want to make yourself useful? Don't get in my way," she said curtly before walking off.
Left standing on their own, Ruby tilted her head to the side. "I don't think I heard a, no?" She said within ear shot, irking Emerald inwardly.
"Don't worry Rubes, she's just trying to make herself look cool. Archer pulls off the mysterious vibe way better though," Yang advised.
'No. No she was done with this.'
Emerald took off into a sprint relying on her nimbleness to try and outpace Yang and Ruby, but her swiftness could only get her so far compared to Ruby's speed semblance and Yang's stamina.
A short chase later, Emerald found herself the leader of red and yellow ducklings.
"Why are you following me?" She stressed irritably.
"Who say's we're following you?" Yang defended. "What it we're just going the same way? Besides, same mission, same destination."
Emerald narrowed her eyes, almost growling at a sudden thought. "You don't have any leads do you!" She deadpanned while Yang flinched.
"I'm ditching you first chance I get."
"Hey, that's not very nice."
"Do I look nice, Tablewhisperer?"
Yang's eyes flickered from lilac to red then back to lilac as she took in deep breaths in order to not rise to the jibe. She knew better, having learned a valuable lesson in the bar. Glancing at Ruby, she whispered as discreetly as she could. "I'm not talking to a table or anything stupid again, am I? Wait, what if we're both talking to a table?"
Here, Ruby paused in alarm, her social anxieties already picturing a crowd gawking at her and Yang.
"S-Shirou?" Ruby called out mentally.
"You're safe. If Emerald has an illusion-based Semblance and is on a mission, she likely won't exhaust herself using it randomly."
"We're fine, Yang," Ruby answered, patting herself off in relief.
Emerald's brow twitched at how easily Ruby seemingly knew whether she was using her Semblance or not. Dammit. Now what? Yang was one thing, but if Ruby was this perceptive, then she may have to scrap any plans in losing them altogether.
"So, I heard we're on a mission," Yang probed for more details that Roman hadn't gave.
"I'm on a mission." Emerald grumbled. "You're just tag-alongs I can't seem to get rid of. How did you even find me?"
"Ms. Blondkickass has her ways," Yang played off. "Speaking of which, where are we heading to?"
Stubbornly, Emerald didn't answer despite the three leaving the frontier town and entering the forests of Anima.
"You know, Yang's just going to keep pestering until you fess up," Ruby warned.
Emerald didn't believe her. Surely someone Yang's age couldn't be that annoyingly petty and childish?
Emerald was wrong. So very wrong, and that was before Yang started using puns, and walking way too close to her for comfort.
"I'm searching for the Branwen's, alright, happy?!" Emerald finally snapped, glaring at the blond brawler, only to see Yang and Ruby sharing a look at the name.
"Okay, whatever Uncle Qrow's done I'm sure he fully deserves it but, he's like the coolest Uncle ever and he probably didn't mean it. Bad stuff and misunderstanding happen to him all the time."
"Yeah, Yang's right. Uncle Qrow means well, and uhm, if he broke anything, it wasn't on purpose."
"I'm not talking about whatever uncle you have! I'm talking about the Branwen Tribe." Emerald pinched the bridge of her nose. "They're a bandit group notorious in the frontiers of Anima for raiding and looting, and if you're uncle shares the name then he might be one. Based on a certain blond trying to steal a place she's never earned; I can see the relation."
Yang scowled, but Ruby intervened before another argument could break out.
"Uncle Qrow? A Bandit, puh-lease. As if he could be a bandit with how drunk he always is as a teacher."
"Whatever. The information I got in town says that the Branwen Tribe does regular patrols in this part of the forest," Emerald revealed before crouching low and signalling Yang and Ruby to do the same. "I figure we wait here a few hours and try our luck. The Branwen's are known to be highly mobile, so our best chance is tailing someone."
With nothing better to do, Yang and Ruby complied, agonizingly counting tree leaves to pass the time.
"Bingo," Emerald suddenly perked up when she noticed a group led by a lanky man passing by. The man had a missing upper left tooth, long dirty blond hair, and a dark blue and gray jacket with torn sleeves over a long-sleeved shirt. Around his neck was a bandana placed at the center of a shoulder pad on his left side. Fingerless gloves covered both hands, and the man looked the shady sort.
Call it profiling, but Emerald didn't think no ordinary man would be wandering in a Grimm infested forest on his own unless he was a Huntsman, and the man didn't paint that picture.
"Keep close, and don't make a lot of noise," Emerald pointedly stared at Yang.
Shifting into a low crouch, Emerald crept from behind the bushes and tailed the man a good twenty meters away, using her Semblance whenever the man thought something afoot.
"You're Semblance is bullshit," Yang commented.
"More like useful," Ruby chimed in.
"Quiet," Emerald shushed.
After an hour or so of tailing the man, they saw a walled off camp filled with tents and the sound of boisterous laughter and clanging steel. The timber palisade around the perimeter opened off at a small entrance where a man stood guard yawning.
As for the man Emerald, Yang, and Ruby were tailing, he didn't move in the direction of the camp and instead went off elsewhere after a glaring short haired girl started cussing at him to do his job.
Well, this worked out for Emerald.
With the man they'd tailed out of the way, she could use the man's appearance with her Semblance to get access to the bandit camp. Now, if only she'd come alone. Glancing at Yang and Ruby, Emerald just knew that Yang wouldn't be staying put if she left them here.
"Alright, here's how we do it. Play along, and let me handle this," Emerald stressed. "I'm going to make the guard see someone he trusts, and the two of you will be seen as dirty tribe members- don't try to ask for better. I don't know anyone in that camp other than the faces we just saw."
Yang shut her mouth while Ruby eeped and nodded at the seriousness of Emerald's tone.
Making sure that they were agreed, Emerald waited for a moment before making her way over with Yang and Ruby when the coast was clear.
Approaching the guard, Emerald strutted with confidence born from experience before it all suddenly went wrong.
"Ah, Shay you're back. Perfect timing," the man spoke gruffly, moving to Emerald's side and placing a hand on her shoulder.
"We normally don't do kidnappings, but we managed to nab a Schnee heiress on her way to Beacon's entrance ceremony. She'll probably fetch a pretty hefty amount of lien in ransom money, and you're the best rogue we've got to haggle. Can't trust Vernal for shit in this kind of thing. Can't harm the merchandise after all. It loses value."
Emerald, Yang, and Ruby glanced at each other, but could hardly react before the man continued.
"Here, let's get a move on."
"What about your post?" Emerald reasoned stiffly before regaining her composure.
"Fuck it Shay. Ain't no poor saps would dare attack the Branwen's anyway."
"Weren't you stationed here because of the latest attacks on the nearby settlements?" Emerald risked a venture.
The man shrugged. "Let the Boss's bitch handle the tough shit. We just need to rake in the cash. Now come on."
This time, the guard grinned before friendly wrapping an arm around Emerald and pulling her into the main part of camp. Ruby and Yang followed along.
Needless to say, but Emerald, Ruby, and Yang stood out like a sore thumb in the middle of camp. As great as Emerald's Semblance was, she grew too overfatigued when used on too many people. Fortunately, the others did nothing as the guard was the one who led them in.
Emerald was sweating bullets by this point in contrast to Yang and Ruby who were curiously looking around.
Soon, they were led into a sealed off tent where the guard told Emerald to work her magic before leaving in a hurry when some girl named Vernal was calling for the fucker who ditched his post.
The moment the guard left was the moment Emerald let out a breath of relief, using the back of her hand to wipe the sweat off of her brow. She then glared at Yang and Ruby, both seeming nonchalant about all this as if they could fight their way out. No, that's definitely what they were thinking to be this unaffected.
"Well, now what?" Yang drawled, elbows crossed and hands over the back of her head. "By the look on your face, I highly doubt being led in was part of your plan."
"Obviously it's to get out undetected. It was just supposed to be reconnaissance, not infiltration." Emerald scowled.
"Hey, there's a person," Ruby whispered, pointing and drawing both Emerald and Yang's attention.
It was a girl, bound and gagged onto a chair. Ropes were tightly bound around her ankles and wrists while a rum barrel of all things opened on the top and bottom ends was secured around her torso.
The girl seemed like a frail thing with stark white hair tied into a pony tail and a white dress caked with dirt and grime. A blindfold was over her eyes, and a gag that looked disturbingly like used socks sealed her mouth.
"Ew, that's disgusting," Ruby reached for the girl's gag and decided to remove it.
Emerald's eyes widened.
"Wait, don't remove-"
"Unhand me you barbaric curs!"
It was too late.
As soon as the gag was removed, the damn captive turned into a spitfire, spitting and retching to get the foulness out of her mouth. The noise was deafening, and for a moment Emerald feared that the jig was up. They were going to get surrounded, then captured or killed.
Oddly, no one seemed to come.
Emerald preened her ears and focused out the girl's screaming to listen outside.
"The Schnee's at it again. Dammit, will someone hurry and stop the harpy already!"
"I heard Shay's in there. He must have had to take the gag off to talk to her, poor bastard."
So the screaming was a common occurrence? Emerald's relief was palpable, but it didn't mean that the girl's screeching was any less unbearable.
"Make it stop!" Emerald grimaced.
Ruby finally got to work on the girl's blindfold, letting her get a better picture of what exactly was happening before she stilled. The blue of the girl's eyes widened comically, taking in Emerald, Yang, and Ruby's attire.
"Y-You aren't the bandits. Who are you?" the girl questioned.
"Emerald of the Rose Mercenaries," Emerald introduced. "You are?"
The girl's mouth opened in disbelief, glancing once more from Emerald, to Yang, to Ruby, searching for any sort of recognition but seeing none.
"Y-You don't know me? I'll have you know that I'm a Schnee! Weiss Schnee. Now if you would please kindly get me out of here! I was ambushed on my way to Beacon Academy and these brutes know nothing of class or hospitality."
"I'll have you know that you aren't in a position to be making demands," Emerald muttered.
"I think we should-"
Emerald stared hard at Yang, causing her to shut up before turning her attention back to Weiss. "It'll be hard enough getting out of here ourselves, and you don't seem to have a weapon," she explained. "Why should we help you?"
"Oh, please. I have money. Father said that's all those mercenary types want, right?" Weiss blurted out; desperation clear in her eyes at the reminder that the bandits had taken her prized weapon from her. Haggling wasn't her strongest suite but she had to try.
"I'll even buy something better for you all than those glaringly gaudy and colourful outfits." Weiss could see no effect from Emerald or Yang at her words. Her attention then fell onto Ruby. "Hey you! If you help me, I'll get you something more stylish than that childish red cape and hood."
Ruby blanked, before robotically turning to Yang. "D-Did she just?"
"Yup."
"Can we not save her. She looks mean."
"Y-You, seriously. Are you that petty?!"
"Enough," Emerald interjected before deciding on a temporary course of actions. "Ms. Blond Kickedass, go stand sentry outside while we come up with some sort of plan."
"Hey, I resent that!" Yang balled a hand into fist.
Meanwhile, Ruby glanced behind her and thought inward.
"Help Yang keep watch."
The wind blew.
Elsewhere, a portal opened near the edge of the Branwen tribe; dark and swirling, a foot stepped out before Raven appeared frowning. She'd deliberated agonizingly over what she should or shouldn't do, and finally managed to justify herself with the recent allegations leveled on her tribe.
She was here for the tribe. That was it. No other reason, she constantly reminded herself.
"B-Boss!"
In front of Raven was gruff girl a tad older than Yang with short cropped hair, blue eyes, and a bird tattoo over her arm. She wore a dark high-collared brown vest with dark lapels on the side, along with a pair of combat pants and boots. One leg of her pants was rolled up to reveal her thigh and holster. Her eyes widened at the sight of Raven.
"Vernal," Raven greeted. She was the only member of the Branwen Tribe that Raven had opted to form a bond with in order to use her Semblance. It was a convenient means of moving back and forth between kingdoms in the blink of an eye whereas Qrow would have to fly or take a vehicle.
Raven regarded Vernal, seeing her fidget and grumble before finding her words.
"How was your reconnaissance mission?" Vernal asked, shifting her weight from foot to foot before leaning on her right. "You said that there was something important you needed to look into in Vale before taking off years ago?"
Raven would only come back to check in with the tribe twice every month or so, leading Vernal to not question the importance of whatever Raven was doing in the meantime. However, that didn't mean that she and the others in the tribe weren't curious.
What could she possibly be doing, or hope to gain?
Curiosity was the worst sort of itch.
Be that as it may, judging from Raven's features, it wasn't difficult for Vernal to assume the worst.
"I-It didn't go very fucking well, did it?" The words just slipped out before Vernal could auto-tune them to be more considerate. It didn't help that she wasn't the politest of individuals either, and was more prone to shake-downs on first meetings rather than simple greetings.
Raven was someone Vernal respected, and it showed in how she was trying to be polite.
Staring at Vernal, Raven didn't take the words to heart, too many problems and issue to think about. One can heal physical ailments and troubles, but mental demons and cases weren't so simple.
Glowering, Raven shook her head and focused. "I take it that operations have been running smoothly in my temporary absence? I've been hearing word about our tribe's involvement in frontier settlement attacks all the way out in Vale. It's nothing new for the tribe, but to garner this much attention to alert the kingdoms, the standards are falling." Hence my return, was left largely unsaid, but heavily implied to Vernal.
"Ah, yeah, about that…" Vernal muttered, grimacing while staring at her boots and unable to meet Raven's gaze.
Raven's eyes narrowed.
"It wasn't us. We're just being blamed for whatever bitches or bastards are doing this!"
"All this to say that you haven't caught them yet?"
"It just makes no sense boss," Vernal growled. "Shay's not very strong, but he's the best at tracking and using his head, and even he can't find whoever's doing this. The villages destroyed should have left tracks, either from the initial attacks and cleanup, or from looting, but there was nothing. The manor in which buildings were destroyed and people killed were just too unnatural as if nature had decided to strike and kill…almost like magic?"
Magic, and wasn't that a major revelation throughout Remnant that Ozpin would never hope to be able to suppress anymore?
The old stories and fables of Remnant had garnered new found attention with the revelation of 'magic weapons.' Vermillion's Sword of the Sun and Mt. Glenn's Sword of Light were still heated topics to this day. Then there was Archer's bow and arrows, and the mystery surrounding him.
This brooked the question in Remnant's general public, did other magic weapons exist?
The archeological field had experienced an influx of interest with rumours that certain objects were being uncovered from lost civilizations that may have used magic.
Raven had never seen Ozpin so unsettled before since the last time she'd been forced into his office, but this wasn't the point.
"You believe in all that stuff?" She asked rhetorically.
"Only what you've told me, boss, but still." Vernal furrowed her brows. "The Branwen Tribe may not have a place to call our own in the middle of nowhere in Anima, but it doesn't mean we're ignorant of Remnant's happenings. What you were looking into in Vale, the things you weren't telling us, was it because of that?"
"To some degree, but I don't believe that's what you truly want to hear. The events of Mt. Glenn? Qrow flaunting a sword he doesn't deserve? Magic weapons to loot?"
Vernal nodded stiffly.
"They're all real. Everything you saw broadcasted that day was true regardless of what Ozpin or the media say by trying to play it off as special effects, but that's not what we're talking about right now."
"The settlements…"
"I'll have to see the destroyed settlements first to be sure, but logically if whoever's doing this is able to pin the blame on us, then they must at least have some idea of our movements and members."
"We ain't got no traitors," Vernal scowled at the implication. "Shay can sniff out rats and turncoats before they can even think about running, and I'd handle the rest or report to you."
"I wouldn't doubt the skills of my own tribe, but inadequacy in tribe management wasn't what I was referring to."
Then it clicked in Vernal's mind, a woman Raven had brought in years ago.
"You think it's her?"
Raven gradually nodded, but didn't confirm anything.
"I knew we should have killed that weak bitch."
"Save it until, we're sure. I'll look into things, and deal with it if necessary. Now get back to your post."
Vernal nodded, smirking. There wasn't a doubt in her mind that with Raven on the case, whoever was fucking with the Branwens were dead.
Left alone, Raven no longer had anything to distract her from what she was really avoiding.
With her Semblance, it was almost painful how easy it was to locate someone she had a bond with, and Yang wasn't making things difficult. Summer was right. Yang had indeed made her way to Anima, and obviously with some help, found the Branwen Tribe. Hell, she was already in it, and passed the tribe's guards nonetheless.
Did she just walk in?
Raven couldn't wrap her mind around it. Her tribe wasn't that naïve, so there had to be some sort of explanation. Regardless, she was pussy footing, her feet inexplicably skirting around the issue of moving forward.
What did she have to be awkward or regretful over? She'd done what she believed was necessary.
'Keep convincing yourself of that.'
Her thoughts, biting and curt were spoken in Summer's voice, as if it was her saying them. Summer had always had that affect on her, always believing she was better than some common bandit, and that there was good in her. Qrow ate it all up, but she'd always been doubtful, hesitant, scared even.
Raven's lips pursed, red eyes flickering with what Qrow could have only described as reluctance.
Growing up in a bandit tribe, expectation and good faith were the farthest thing from guaranteeing survival, and the fact that Summer practically embodied those concepts and still proved to be strong had rocked Raven's world views. Summer had believed in her to be better, to be different and unconstrained by perceived obligations and duties, and it had worked. She fell in love with Tai, confided with Qrow about the prospect of marriage, and she'd even helped build the home in Patch, STRQ's home away from home. It was funny when she thought about how naïve she was…that she'd actually thought she saw a future.
Team STRQ was many things, and there was a time in her life where she thought it invincible, nothing able to overcome it. Then came Ozpin, secret wars, Relics, Maidens, and the crushing realization that despite living through life and death together, no one saw fit to trust her judgements.
'Don't get involved she warned.'
'Don't be misled, used.'
'Salem's immortal, and we're nothing but tools to prolong a generation-by-generation war with no end!'
Why couldn't they have believed in me? Trusted me? My own brother, my husband?
Raven grimaced, shaking her head from past grudges, the unpleasant bitterness of it all rising once again. Most importantly, where did Summer get off trying to take the moral high-ground! Did Summer want her to have taken Yang to be part of the Branwen Tribe where life was difficult and bloody?
Raven knew herself well. She was too cold, too demanding, too pragmatic, Yang wouldn't last a week out here in the wilds of Anima on her own, let alone as a baby. She was in the right!
Righteous indignation was what carried Raven forward step by step, not realization or second-guessing herself. The more she saw herself in the right, the easier it became to move forward.
The worst days of Raven's life were the moments spent growing up in the tribe and learning the ropes. Do or die, hunt or starve, Qrow would know these mottos as well as her.
Tai was a lovable goof at the best of times, and his puns were ear grating, but Yang would be safer in Patch. The faith she still had in Tai just buried deep within her let her entrust him with their daughter.
Till this day, she didn't regret her actions. What she regretted was acting on limited information.
'Enough. Don't dwell on it. You can't change the past.'
Ozpin was a snake, ruining everything.
Before Raven knew it, she'd marched into the tribe, her presence silencing all until she reached a holding tent. It was obscured by crates and supplies, but the bundle of silk-like blond hair peaking out from behind a stack of grains was evident.
She strode forward, getting as close as possible before rounding around the stack to meet a face near identical to her own aside from colourations.
A chocked hiss echoed, sounding more like a whimper in Raven's ears, but the defiance and brash attitude she knew her daughter for wasn't there…only distress and agitation in equal folds. It didn't suit her.
"Little Dragon-"
She barely got two words out before Yang turned her back and ran back into the tent without saying a word.
Raven tried to reach out to Yang out of whatever maternal instinct she had left, but she slowly lowered her arm.
There were many thoughts about how her first meeting with her daughter in years would go considering Yang's general emotional approaches, and the fact that she knew of her daughter's pursuit of her, but Raven knew she had this coming.
Memories of a few years back when she'd first met Archer in the wreckage of a failed Schnee Dust bombing came to mind. Yang had been hiding behind several crates of inactive Altesian military droids and had heard her rip into her weakness growing up in Vale.
Whether Raven was feeling disappointed or not, she did her best not to show it, frowning at Yang's frailty of character.
It was true that she said a few hateful words that may or may not have been true, but running away from the problem wasn't something she expected of Yang.
Only the strong prosper, that was what she was trying to impart. Harsh words should only give way to rebellious motivation, not whatever that was.
This had to be rectified.
Raven knit her brows and moved towards the tent to apprehend Yang.
"I wouldn't press her if I were you," a voice stopped her in her tracks.
When Raven followed the source, she recoiled, a hand going to the hilt of her sword. "It's you. You're here."
Shirou had materialized from out of sight and had donned his guise as 'Archer.' He always kept it on hand in case he needed to intervene without exposing himself as the Huntsman of Red.
Stepping out into the open, not only Raven, but the entire Branwen Tribe tensed. All had seen what he'd done in Mt. Glenn, and understood the level of destruction he could wreak across the area if provoked.
"What I do with my own daughter should be no concern of yours," Raven found her composure first, tentatively lashing out on the premise that Archer was one of Ozpins and could be considered an 'ally.' He wouldn't harm her at the very least.
"You call Yang your daughter now?" Shirou scoffed. "This should be our second meeting, so what happened to before?"
And at that, Raven was left tongue tied. All her prior justifications and reasonings seemingly worthless in the face of Shirou's piercing eyes.
"Did Ozpin or Summer put you up to this?" Raven muttered softly.
Shirou paused. Again, with the Ozpin name? Raven had said the same thing in their first meeting, but that was because he was reciting the words Summer asked him to. This time was wholly different with Summer as her own person now and he no longer a glorified mouth piece.
"Would you believe me if I said no?" He inquired.
"…" The silence was telling.
"Then yes, it is. I'm only trying to prevent you from hurting Yang more than you already have. There are some things you just don't seem to understand, and believe me, I already know your reasoning and constant justifications."
"You know nothing about me!"
The sound of steel clanged as Raven directly drew her sword, metal visibly shuddering knowing the strength of the adversary before her. However, things went differently.
Shirou took no offence at Raven's stance, looking briefly at her sword, then back to her.
"Believe what you will, but I know that you don't trust Ozpin, not that I can blame you."
What?
Raven subconsciously loosened her stance, her taut muscles slackening in what she'd later describe as an amateur's mistake. She was no longer in prime form, nor able to react as swiftly to any unexpected attacks.
The words Shirou had spoken were inconceivable to Raven's mind. It almost sounded like… He understood how much of a manipulator Ozpin was and the pains she'd been through and endured. Summer, Tai, and Qrow had each other, but she'd been on her own after they decided to trust Ozpin more than their own teammate. The expression on Archer's face, no the comprehension and the little flecks of empathy in his gaze, it spoke volumes.
"Y-You think the same about Ozpin as I? Even though you work for him?"
"Who says I work for him?"
"But the train from before, you talked as if you knew him!"
"I know Summer, do I work for her?"
"Don't patronize me. You know too much, and Ozpin wouldn't risk an information leak."
Raven knew she was glowering and ruining her infallible image of composure to the members of her tribe, but this wasn't the time to care. The revelations before her were too shocking.
"Would it help if I told you that all I really know about Ozpin is from Summer?"
Shirou hit the final nail in the coffin.
Raven could easily tell a truth from a lie. It came with the experience of a banditry. Then didn't this mean that everything she'd been led to believe about Archer's affiliation over these years was…
"But Qrow said-"
The stars abruptly aligned.
"Those bastards!"
/-/
"Ruby, let's go. We're leaving."
There was something different about the way Yang was speaking, the urgency, the panic blatantly apparent.
Ruby suddenly got a bad feeling. "Why?"
"I don't want to be here anymore."
Thanks for reading!
Man this chapter felt long. I even had another section I could have tacked on but don't have the time to edit properly. In any case, not much action yet, but the set up for this coming arc been completed.
Next update: Birth of a Legend V2
P a treon. com (slash) Parcasious
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The Lonely Peak
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