Raven was never a good mother, and she didn't particularly score very well as a person either, but Shirou could say with certainty that she wasn't the worst he'd encountered. Hell, her ethics were of a considerably higher tier than most common magi who wouldn't hesitate to go to whatever lengths if it meant furthering their craft.
When Shirou silently walked out of the tent to see two birds squabbling up in the trees, trying to peck each other to death, the image of a confident and unwavering woman that Raven was trying to build helplessly shattered.
"Caw! Claws! Caw! Cheater!"
"Caw! Fucka! Caw! You!"
Ruffled feathers pried loose from sharpened talons, left patches of pink skin visible on the butt-end of one bird. The other stood menacingly overtop until the pinned bird squawked and roughly turned, toppling both from the precarious height of the tree and onto the dirt.
Once grounded, a glint appeared off of one bird's eyes before both birds flashed with a burst of faint white light. Raven and Qrow appeared with Raven straddling Qrow, and trying to choke the life out of him.
"Y-You lying bastard!" Raven seethed, wringing Qrow by the neck, his features turning blue. "Right to my face- for years!"
"Ack! Uncle! Uncle!"
"We don't have an uncle!"
Qrow narrowed his eyes and nodded right at his sister. "You're right," he wheezed out in a moment of clarity, snorting with a blue face. "Ack! Bitch! Bitch!" He hollered, tapping the ground.
Veins popped over Raven's features, grip tightening and nails digging into Qrow's skin.
"It's. Respected. Sister. You dumb shit!" Each heated word was followed by a thud until the final blow.
Raven butted heads with her scruffy drunkard of a brother, the two wincing in sync from the unexpected pain.
"Where's my Aura?" Raven groaned, rolling off of Qrow and cradling her forehead.
"Where's mine?" Qrow mimicked his sister's action, but they hardly dwelled on the matter despite the noticeable sound of someone clearing his throat for attention.
They were too heated, too caught up in early childhood routine from all the stress.
"Shut up!"
"You shut up, you liar!"
"What did you expect from us? We grew up bandits, you should have known better! It was for your own good!"
Raven sulked, realizing Qrow made a pretty good point. Wincing while nursing the bump she could feel forming on her forehead, she snorted and turned away if only to stifle a whimper. "Owwee." Damn, she hits hard.
Well, of course. It was her after all.
'Well, of course, it was me after all.'
Opposite from Raven, Qrow's thoughts and actions were practically mirrored on parallel sides from Shirou's perspective, the two now giving each other the cold shoulder.
Ignored, Shirou could only sigh lightly and dismiss the Mystic Code in his hands. It was nothing too complex or powerful as magic items go, but it was a tool with a basic single-use nullification rune inscribed in the steel. It was a customary practice between tense meetings with the heads of magus families to set several of these up to serve as anchor points in an agreed location where talks were to be carried out. This was to dismiss suspicions of the other pulling a fast one. It was a double-edged sword though since it nullified the magic of the caster as well, which made it less than useful in a traditional fight between magi.
Nonetheless, he didn't take into account that Raven and Qrow weren't magi. With only a single Mystic Code Traced, the boundary it created was limited to just a few feet in front of him. Aura was similar enough to magecraft that the effect still stood, hence the temporary disruption of Raven and Qrow's Aura.
Shirou had hoped that the Branwen siblings would have the sense and decency to stop squabbling knowing that their defences were down, but he was hoping for too much. If getting physical posed a danger, then words would work just as well.
"Get out of my sight," Raven sneered, irritation bubbling within her. "You're an eye sore."
"We're twins. Have you seen a mirror?"
"One that you didn't break?"
"I came here to help. You should be grateful," Qrow grouched, picking himself up into a seated position, his elbows propping across his knees.
"You? Pft, hehehaha!"
Raven wasn't impressed, and Qrow knew why. Often, the best help Qrow could be during early childhood raids was to infiltrate a town and willingly 'help' their defenders.
Qrow's brow twitched at the insinuation, but the times had changed. Mt. Glenn had happened.
Qrow shut his eyes, and focused.
An indistinct purple haze latched itself onto Raven's feet before working its way around her. Suddenly, in the midst of Raven's laughter, a bird flying overhead took a shit and white splatter spread evenly across Raven's head.
She wasn't laughing anymore. Staring at Qrow like he was a dead man.
"My Semblance doesn't feel very nice, does it?" He chortled.
"Take it off."
"Make me," Qrow knew exactly what Raven meant, but didn't comply at all. Instead, he flipped onto his feet and back pedaled a good distance away from Raven. "I'll stand right over here. Just try it."
Under Qrow's Semblance, even the most mundane of things between the two siblings could prove a detrimental obstacle. Bullet shells left lying around, food peels, coarse rope, even paper was up for debate.
"Qrow, I, you-"
"I'm right here. What are you going to do, slip? Fall into a trench? Lighting strikes? Test your luck. I'll bet. I know it all too well."
"Enough," Shirou pinched the bridge of his nose and interjected Qrow's goading.
In Shirou's hands appeared the same Mystic Code from prior which dispersed Qrow's Semblance around Raven, much to her delight. She immediately moved to lunge at Qrow, but Shirou's hand on her shoulder stopped her.
"But he-"
Shirou shook his head and gestured towards the tent flaps where Yang and Ruby's heads were peeking out, watching. There was a contemptuous sort of amusement bordering on glee, flickering over Yang's eyes when she took in Raven's current appearance. Unlike Emerald, Vernal, and Weiss who were taken in by the novelty of the Black Keys, Ruby and Yang already believed and experienced the concept of magic. Hence, when they noticed Raven and Shirou walk out, they were more interested in them than the Black Keys.
Raven immediately reeled her temper in, slashed a portal next to her, and stepped through. Who she went to with her Semblance, everyone could only guess, but when she came back less than a few minutes later, a slap mark was over her cheek?
She was tidy though, the bird shit over her head washed clean while in her hands, two baskets full of goods that smelled distinctly of freshly baked cookies and food. Grumbling, she roughly shoved one basket into Ruby's arms, the other to Yang, and a middle finger to an expectant Qrow. Obviously, she didn't bring his share back.
"Tch, see if I care." Qrow grumbled, smiling when Ruby left the tent and offered him a sandwich from her basket. "That's why you're my favorite."
Ruby preened, bobbing on the tips of her toes.
Oddly, Yang didn't contest with Ruby for Qrow's favour by offering the items in her own basket. She didn't know how to explain it, but she felt the oddest sense of familiarity in the scent of the baked goods. From the preparation of the food packaged in cute lunch boxes, down to the style of preparation. I-It reminded her too much of the 'mother' she acknowledged. Subconsciously, she was unwilling to share.
Raven didn't care for Yang's sentimentalism or Qrow's pleased expression.
There was a job to do, and she'd already stated her conditions.
"Let's get going," Raven said pointedly to Shirou who nodded.
"Wait wait, hold up. What's happening?" Qrow butted in, giving time for Raven to call Vernal to make preparations. Emerald left the tent at the same time that Vernal rushed out to do as instructed.
Yang didn't miss this opportunity when Raven wasn't paying attention to ready her own things, and cozy up to Qrow who was ignorant of Raven's arrangements.
Ruby wasn't so easily thrown off.
Pulling on Yang's sleeve, Ruby slowed Yang down enough for Raven to catch Qrow's attention with a gesture of her eyes.
Qrow stared befuddled at Yang's wronged expression, and Raven's stern glower. However, he still shrugged and sauntered over to Raven at Ruby's prompting, Ruby shaking her head vigorously from side to side.
"Sorry Yang, but you can't go-"
"Ruby, how could you!" Yang accused, aggrieved.
Be that as it may, Yang didn't get an opinion on the arrangements when Qrow seemed to agree with Raven on this one. He was defiantly still iffy on Ruby coming, but he remembered Summer telling him to trust Archer. If Archer was alright with bringing Ruby along, then so be it. Qrow knew he owed the man a lot.
Yang was soon dragged off by an unimpressed Qrow who understood the gist of things after a tongue lashing from Raven.
The group left the Branwen tribe soon after, Shay inevitably hassled to watch over Yang as a precaution.
Carefully navigating through the wild lands of Anima, a stone sword engraved with a runic pathfinder sigil pointed in a direction while floating in the lead. It was honestly surreal to say the least for Raven, Qrow, Emerald, and Vernal who couldn't help but marvel at how useful magic could be.
It's function?
'It would show them the way,' as Shirou had described it simply.
Vernal kept shooting glances Raven's way, looking for confirmation to pester 'Archer' with her growing curiosity of what other magic tools he might have had. Of course, Raven, ever prudent, ever cautious, advised against it. Hence, Vernal could only settle with inspecting the very stone sword that they were following like some invisible guide.
As for the rest, they all walked in pairs.
Raven and Vernal were at the front, followed languidly by, then Emerald, Ruby, then Shirou.
After a moment, Qrow scratched at his head and seemed to come to a decision about something.
Deliberately trailing behind, Qrow made it no secret for the others to understand his intentions when he matched pace with Shirou acting as the rearguard. From Shirou's position, he had clear sight of everyone and could react to any danger at a moment's notice.
Ruby was walking nearest to Shirou until Qrow had shown up.
"Hey, can I speak with you for a bit?" Qrow asked, making eye contact with Shirou. "Alone," he added.
Qrow stared at Ruby who was curiously looking up at him.
"Uhm, do I get a choice because I-"
Shirou patted Ruby on the back, coaxing her to match pace with a curious Emerald who was being mindful not to eavesdrop.
"Fine," Ruby deflated, shooting Qrow a dubious expression.
Shirou was hiding in Archer's guise, and Ruby was obviously concerned. However, she was horrid at hiding her intentions, and if anything, her awkwardness was amusing.
"I know they're beautiful and all, but are you trying to steal my nieces, or what?" Qrow drawled once Ruby was out of ear shot. "The blond spitfire never stops harping about how cool you are, and now you're trying to swindle little rose?"
Shirou scowled at the infuriatingly judging look Qrow was shooting at him.
"Is that all you wanted to talk about?" Shirou changed the topic immediately.
"Objectively, no. Personally, damn straight. You have no clue how their father would react to all this. He's already torn down Yang's posters of the Rose Mercenaries numerous times after calling them a bad influence on her."
Shirou outwardly didn't react, but he was nodding inwardly.
He knew exactly what Qrow was talking about. He watched it happen during one of Yang's attempts to skip classes and search for the Mercenaries. Granted, he probably should have visited her at least once, but he knew it would only encourage her behaviour.
"Speak objectively then," Shirou instructed, unwilling to dwell on the other topic for the time being. "What do you want?"
"You're the one who saved Summer, didn't you?"
Qrow's features grew more solemn, hardened. "She's never explicitly said it, what happened to her or, what she experienced, but with how she acts around you, you were the one who pulled her out of it. Then are you also…Behind that mask- no forget it?" Qrow changed his mind. It was insensitive, and they didn't have guaranteed privacy. "It's not important anyways. Just," Qrow scratched at his head, unused to being on the receiving and giving end of gratitude. "Thanks, I guess, you know what I'm saying?"
Qrow slouched putting a hand on Shirou's shoulder and looking at him straight in the face.
"I get it." Shirou squirmed out of Qrow's hand. "So, stop already. Your sister's giving us weird looks." Shirou never thought to make a big deal of the matter to begin with.
"Let her be disgusted," Qrow snorted, happily patting Shirou on the shoulder again and again. "She wouldn't understand the bond between us guys."
Emerald and Ruby were already whispering and pointing by this point, Raven advising Vernal not to look.
"You reek, are you drunk?" Shirou said exasperatedly.
"Sober enough. It's part of the charm," Qrow drawled, fiddling with a half-empty silver flask by his hip. "Helps when you're shit at trying to show gratitude."
"I told you it was fine."
"Oh, but you don't understand what it means for my team. Summer was the link, you saved her…maybe there's still a chance for this shitty team to get their heads on straight? Summer still cares. I know she does. It was her idea that I'm here."
"Start with yourself then," Shirou grunted, feeling a tad disturbed at Qrow's behaviour.
"Help me," Qrow said in a moment of clarity.
"No."
"Oh c'mon. Why?"
"It's not my business to meddle," Shirou shook Qrow off, before sighing and turning serious after some consideration. "Fine. I'll at least give some advise. You should focus on what you can do. I don't know about your other teammates, but you're the only one Raven tolerates long enough to keep company."
"…" Qrow seriously considered it. "Bah, you're right. If I'm used to the shit life throws at me, then this should be nothing. Its just Raven. Thanks again. Really. I mean it. If you find yourself in need of aid, I'll be there."
Qrow pushed off of Shirou and sauntered to match pace and hang over a disgruntled Raven who had no qualms shoving his face away.
Left on his own, Ruby and Emerald intended to slink back to accompany him, but he shook his head at them and jumped up to travel through the trees for better visuals. This wasn't some casual walk in the woods, but something that may lead to a danger for his Master. As a Servant, he knew his priorities.
Following the lead of the pathfinder sigil, the group soon came to the sight of a ruined settlement charred by wisps of flame and crackling lightning. Wooden buildings were toppled, and streets were upturned with swaths of dug up stones. Whoever done this was already gone, but the traces still remained.
Shirou sensed the lingering aura of magic keenly through the sensitivity of his nose. He frowned at the first real confirmation he had of potential magecraft users in Remnant. The logic of the moonlit world dictated that the fewer practitioners of mysteries that there were in a plane, the stronger the magic. It was like one person having access to a battery compared with hundred using the same spell and methods, but shared with hundreds. The difference was incomparable. Surely, if Remnant's magi had access to the untapped magic energy of the world, they'd be a force to be reckoned with?
At the very least, harnessing the power of nature wasn't out of the question.
Clouds writhed from up above, the lingering energies stirring up some sort of supernatural phenomenon.
Shirou frowned from the foliage.
On the ground, Raven and Vernal shared a look of confirmation. It was her. It had to be.
"What aren't you saying here?" Qrow butted in, eyes narrowed. He knew his sister better than most, and no glare from Vernal could ever intimidate him.
"Haven's Maiden," Raven whispered. "Weakling came to the tribe to grow stronger, but couldn't make the cut. Hell, she even went back on her word. I didn't want anything to do with her anymore, least of all the bitch her magic would attract."
"Doesn't look like it stopped you from taking her in," Qrow pointed out. "Let me guess, relations soured?"
"She wasn't fit for the tribe," Vernal grumbled at the side. "The power was better in more capable hands."
Qrow mulled the words before his eyes widened at Raven. "Y-You didn't…" he trailed off.
"I would have," Raven didn't deny it, not even blinking at the concept. "Your lies however, changed my mind. Taking the power would have only made me a target, therefore, we kicked her out of the tribe and left her for dead. Seems she holds a grudge. We didn't part on the nicest of words."
"She came to you for support and you just abandoned her without informing me or Ozpin?"
"The tribe isn't some charity group, and Ozpin? You act as if you don't know me."
"Then why didn't you tell me?"
"Are you reliable?"
Qrow gnashed his teeth in reply before shaking his head and thinking deeper. "Then the reason you refused to bring Yang…?"
"This is my problem. My tribe that's being targeted. My decision to decide who gets the power. Vernal or I will be the last one she sees. So, be sure to keep the others away, unless you want Ruby to get involved?"
Qrow said not a word, his hands balling into fists.
The context of the matter just got a whole lot clearer.
"It's not fair!"
"-Right, of course."
"That woman drives me crazy!"
"-Wonder where she gets it from?"
"What does she even care?!"
"-What do I care?"
"Who does she think she is to decide things for me?!"
"-Truly. You are the epitome of wronged. None will ever hope to match you."
Yang paced back and forth in the Branwen tent securing her within, unmindful of her Aura flaring around her. Across from her, was her unwilling audience, subject to her ranting.
Weiss felt utterly defeated in practically the lowest point in her life. First was being captured and subject to forced silencing, then being ignored, followed by having her perceptions shattered…then now this! Slowly, surely, from deep within her, she was feeling her motivation, ambitions, and hopes dying a cruel death.
Whitley, oh Whitley, no- he wouldn't understand.
Sister, oh sister, it's scary outside. Everyone's unhinged and unmannered…
Be strong Weiss. Be strong. You're a Schnee. The Heiress.
"I've had enough. I'm gonna- I'm gonna bust out of here and give them a piece of my mind!" Yang snapped her head up, fists cocking as she equipped Ember Celica into gun mode.
"How do you expect to get out? To know where to go?" Weiss snapped, a twitch in her eyes, rosy complexion drooped. "There's also that incorrigible sleaze guarding the front of the tent."
"He's a twig. I can take'em."
"And the rest of the camp?"
"…No sweat."
"I can see why you were left behind. You're too impulsive."
Yang glared, the tips of her hair shifting crimson as her locks floated up in frustration until Weiss's cold tone cut in.
"You help me, I help you. How's that?"
"I'm not falling for it. If you're so capable, how did you end up here in the first place?" Yang accused.
"I told you before! I was ambushed! Bullheads to Vale were diverted to supply the Mt. Glenn settlement, and I didn't want an escort from Atlas for VIP treatment! Mistral was the only choice, and I was ambushed and brought here during the lay over!"
"Wow, VIP. You must be rich," Yang murmured, taken aback.
"Is that what you're going to focus on?! You're infuriating!"
"And you're helpless."
"Yeah? And you were abandoned-"
"Shut. Up." Fire blazed in Yang's eyes, mouth biting on her lips, shoulders trembling in agitation. "You don't know anything."
Weiss opened and closed her mouth, feeling as if she might have pushed a little too far in her fluster. Her barb was intended to point out that Yang was left behind by Shirou and the others, but there was evidently a deeper connotation here. Investing further into this argument was counterproductive and may even lead to physical confrontation.
"Alright, enough," Weiss took in a calming breath despite the frustration in her snobbish tone. "That's enough. We're not arguing anymore."
"What, scared?"
"No. Tired. Do you want to cooperate with me, or not? I've been here long enough to understand this barbarian tribe's patrol patterns and the personality of the sleaze outside. All I need now is my weapon, and the ability to move."
Saying this, Weiss gestured fiercely to the Black Key still stabbed into her shadow, immobilizing her. Yang need only remove it.
Yang considered what was being said, doing her best to reel back her temper threatening to overwhelm her. Gradually, the red in her hair began to recede, as her rationality took the forefront.
A decision needed to be made.
"I'll be the brains; you'll be the brawns. Don't you agree?" Weiss coaxed at her wit's end.
Yang hung her head low, pursing her lips. Anything was better than being forced to stay here. However- wait. She glanced up accusingly at Weiss.
"Brawns? What are you trying to imply?"
"…"
Weiss groaned.
This partnership was a mistake in the making, but it was all she had.
-Sister grant me strength.
Thanks for reading, and thanks to my newest patrons: Tommy F!
Sorry for shorter chapter. Today was my last day before the holiday, and I didn't have much time to work on this update
Next update: Birth of a Legend V2
P a treon. com (slash) Parcasious
Book links:
Fatedlegacydark. ca
The Lonely Peak
New Book: Out on Amazon (Remove dash on link)
Survivor's Log Reflection: Amazon.c-om/dp/B08VDDGN7Z?