"You should come back to Beacon."
"Weiss we can't leave her alone."
"Blake I'm not saying that, dump her at a hospital and let the police take care of this."
"You know Yang won't do that."
"I don't care. Remember what happened last time we did this stuff."
"What do you mean?"
"Going out to save the world on our own, you three running into the sewers to find me. Uhhhhgg…"
Disgusted, Weiss groaned and turned around pacing away from Ruby at her dorm room desk hunched over the scroll on speaker currently connected to one Blake Belladonna down in the city.
Ruby spoke up, "Did Raven say anything?"
"No," the Faunus replied. "She's still unconscious, and she's heavy."
The red head snorted, Weiss finally got over her quiet tirade and returned.
"Anything else?" The Heiress asked.
Blake did not even pause.
"No that's it I guess," The Faunus said, "Though I don't think I will be making it to my duel tomorrow. Can you apologize to whoever it may concern?"
"Of course."
Still leaning one foot on the twisted iron railing of their temporary balcony Blake turned back to look away from the cloudless and very red late afternoon sky into the hotel room they had rented for the night.
It was a simple thing, one room, two beds, a small bathroom in a closet sized space in the back and a bunch of rickety wooden furniture strewn about. Plus a little square window at the back which didn't offer any views to write home about, but conspicuousness wasn't something they needed right now.
Yang was sitting on another chair on the farthest side of the farthest bed. Hands on her knees and a wandering expression on her face. Looking down at Raven, flat on her back head on the threadbare pillows and still thoroughly unconscious.
They had done what they could for her injury. It looked like two deep puncture wounds to Blake, probably fangs. Raven was lucky to be alive. Too many precious veins and arteries ran through that portion of the body. But that wasn't the only damage done, the skin beneath the sheets of dried blood appeared to have been charred somehow.
The cat Faunus brought the scroll back up to her human ears one more time, "Okay good luck you two we'll call in the morning."
She didn't hear their reply, and Blake didn't need to. Though she could picture the debate now over who she wished more luck upon. But all that had needed to be said had been said so the Faunus shut the scroll down, entered closed and locked the door behind her, and took a seat on the empty bed and stared silently at her partner.
"You didn't tell them about the Grimm." Yang said,
"No need to cause a panic right now. And we have no reason to believe there are more," Blake said, "Do you want to try and wake her up again."
Yang shook her head, "That's probably not a good idea."
She reached over her left shoulder and brought her long blond mane up and over her chest. Tugging and unknotting the golden strands just to keep her hands busy. A well-practiced habit of keeping her mind off of her troubles
She looked up to Blake, "I can watch her. You don't have to stay if you want to head back to school and rest up for your duel."
"I don't think so. I'll just forfeit I don't care, we've got bigger fish to fry right now." She said,
Yang laughed just a little, "Was that a joke Blake?"
The Faunus practically bristled with annoyance, "You know what I meant…"
But her partner just laughed it off, before adopting a more serious tone once again.
"I appreciate this Blake,"
"That's what friends are for."
They each bowed their heads nodding in silent agreement and thanks once again.
Time passed in slow silence, the sun finally set and darkness filled the sky. Both girls quietly took up positions in the room keeping watch. Neither had to talk and waste their time on what they knew, for each had said what was needed to be said.
Alicia wove and ducked beneath the spinning sickle chains, her hazel eyes narrowed watching the green haired Mistralan,
Emerald spun and jumped swinging her twin weapons in a whirlwind of steel and green glinting light reflected off the Aura flowing through her weapons.
The Huntress form Beacon slid backwards down the little slope of solid Dust. The arena floor turned now into a roulette of hazards to spice up the next phase of the tournament. The first roundhouse blow slashed against the black leather covering her right arm, knocking down her Aura. Her left hand came up and a smaller red glyph appeared at her injured side like a buckler shield. Emerald's blades struck against the barrier and lost all momentum, stopping her spin as she touched back down.
Alicia lunged forward snagging the tip of her knife into a steel loop. She pulled, spun clockwise, brought Emerald into reach then slammed her elbow into the back of the other girl's head.
The thief yelped and tumbled forward, still clinging onto her weapons. Flecks of ice cooled against her dark skin when she slid to a halt and looked back up the little blue hill.
Detergeo spun and its' cylinder clicked as Alicia reversed her grip before she let herself slide after her opponent. She was stronger than Emerald and arguably just as fast. Cinder's only female protégée shouted out with what remained of her strength, sweeping her weapons from down on her knees over left, up, and down at Kad's partner.
Adopting a risky strategy, Alicia let the chains strike and wrap around her upraised arm. Her Aura took a noticeable hit as the blades slashed into her side. Resolute APRC's second member grabbed right beneath the sickle heads and yanked backwards.
Emerald saw what was about to happen and let go of the handles. Keeping herself upright and a little dignified but now defenseless.
"I didn't sign up for this," She raged quietly, teeth bared in a silent snarl.
She stepped back after glaring for a micro-second. Alicia threw the two chained blades far back behind her. Emerald began trying to plot her escape, pondering forfeit just to save herself some pain. Emerald had just reached the yellow zone with her Aura, Alicia's semblance usage had knocked her down deeper into the yellow range, but she had managed to turn the tide and looked poised for an easy victory.
But the pale girl laughed once when she reached the flat mirror space of ice right on the border of the fire field. Emerald narrowed her red eyes in defiance.
Only to open them again in shock, watching Alicia sheath the Dust knife on her left hip.
Her grandfather had always spoke of how these duels were nigh on sacred, fair tests of skill. If your opponent fought unarmed more power to them. But if you happened to disarmed them.
Alicia brought both fists up. Bobbing her shoulders and shifting her boots on the tips of her toes.
Emerald blinked twice recognizing the challenge, then mirrored the pose. Part of her mind was screaming "What are you doing!" But another was imagining of the look of praise Cinder would have, no matter how small, if she triumphed. Her semblance and only advantage at the moment forgotten in her pride.
Shouting with effort Emerald jabbed forward, Alicia smacked the right punch down, and danced left. Emerald hopped and kicked low left. Alicia raised her bigger boot and caught the blow.
The two of them boxed and fought back and forth, giving ground and trading blows. Emerald's strength was fading fast. The green haired thief ducked under another brutal cross, and her eyes landed on the thing she had been searching for sticking out of a jagged little crystal outcrop.
The jungle green hilt of one pistol-sickles caught on the Dust.
But before her feet could carry her to the missing possession a glyph burst to life beneath them. And for one costly second she fell for Alicia's distraction, never seeing the black boot heel that crashed into the small of her back and buckled the last of her Aura shield.
Nor did she see the rest of her fall to the floor, only opening her eyes sensing stillness and defeated while she lay helpless on the ice. Blinded by soreness and a crushing realization, she couldn't even scowl when Alicia bowed low. Sweeping her right arm back up and her left across her midriff. Wearing a sinister smile,
"Remind me to thank Kad," She told Emerald,
Emerald's previous inhibition evaporated as the words clicked in her brain, and anger burned even hotter at her interpretation of those words…
Neither Blake nor Yang had much of an appetite today,
They had each eaten a little around noon. Pragmatism and training, demanding they keep their strength up no matter how tasteless the assortment of produce and protein Blake had acquired felt in their mouths. The long night of thinking and keeping watch in the dirty little hotel hadn't been particularly taxing. At least not physically. And the morning was a repeat of the last night. Both just sitting around in a fog of patience waiting for something to happen.
But Raven was still laid out on the bed. She had shifted and turned in her sleep just a little bit. The late night minor disturbance causing the girls to crowd close, but Raven remained still as stone. Frustrating no doubt, yet there was nothing either of her caretakers could do but wait as time dragged on.
So Yang lounged aimlessly on her bed closest to the door. Alone since Blake was shut in the adjacent bathroom taking care of a little personal business after their light lunch.
The blonde flipped through highlight reels and some small talk segments from professors and other Hunters about the future of the tournament just to pass the time. None of which she could tell would apply to her which she found slightly vexing. The tournament had seemed like a grand adventure, but paled in comparison to what was transpiring now in the real world.
She pressed a few sliding icons and muted the frenzied cheering of the aftermath of the latest final rounds. Thinking of calling her sister back to at least prep Ruby for her coming fight just to pass the time. Shifting idly, looking at the ceiling and pondering when to re-dress the bandages.
Blinking at the rapid blood flow through her veins when she heard Raven gasp and wake.
The half Faunus had no idea where she was, as her mind came back from oblivion right in full panic mode. Her gaze flickered around the room, terrified and unfocused.
Yang swung her boots down, and stepped close, at the same time whistling for Blake.
"Raven!" Yang tried to balance her tone, strength and softness in equal parts to get Raven to calm down.
Her breath came in short rapid burst, she lifted a pale hand over her heart, still looking for a threat that wasn't there.
The bathroom door swung open with a screech of un-oiled hinges. Blake's better hearing had already alerted her to the commotion. Yang leaned close and locked her hands down on Raven's left arm. The dark Huntress twisted and fought to free herself.
"Come on Blake, help!" Yang shouted,
Her partner shimmied into the narrow gap between the bed and the far wall, grabbing onto Raven's right arm.
It took all their combined strength to hold the girl in place. Still her feet bucked and kicked, her torso twisted bunching up the sheets. Yang tightened her grip on Raven's wrist, then moved her right hand over to the wrist where Blake was holding on.
"Go get some water," She told the Faunus.
"Are you sure you have her?"
"Yes. Go." Yang insisted, her voice getting a little rise in tone.
When Blake let go Yang drew back, lifting Raven's arms up, then she crossed her own arms and pressed the tangle of limbs down onto Raven's upper chest. Yang raised her left knee up onto the mattress and leaned her full body weight down.
The frenzied movement slowed somewhat. But Yang's death grip was slipping. Blake moved as quickly as she could finding filling and returning with a little green glass filled with tap water.
Which she promptly threw onto the face of the struggling girl.
Yang turned her head but couldn't avoid some of the splash, Raven got the worst of it. She shut her eyes and sucked in a deep breath. Finally coming to her senses.
Satisfied the fit was over, Blake went back to get water to actually drink this time. Conveniently avoiding the murderous glare that her partner shot at her back.
"Where… Where am I?" Raven asked between quick shallow breaths. Still pinned to the mattress.
"You're still in Vale. With us." Yang answered.
Raven paused for a moment. "Us?"
A gentle cough came from the foot of the bed, Blake waved her empty left hand in a mute greeting.
"Are you done struggling?" Yang asked.
Raven sighed, and let her body go limp. Yang took that as a sign of submission and stood up. Taking advantage of her freedom Raven pushed up on her elbows and pulled her back to the wall pushing the few pillows into a pile behind her. She looked like hell, bloodshot eyes and streaks across her face. Her hair a tangled sweaty rat's nest.
She quickly surveyed the room and then looked back to Yang, "How long was I out?"
"Day and a Half?"
"…Shit."
Blake decided to cut to the chase, "Look, Raven?" she asked, making sure to get the name right.
Each locked eyes on the other, "Right," Blake continued, "What happened to you after the attack?"
Again Raven stopped to gather her thoughts and her red eyes wandered out of focus, "…Listen… whatever I say. You have to believe me… We are in so much more danger then I thought."
Kad did feel a little bad about just walking away from his team and classmates once again.
After Alicia and Emerald had their fight, team JNPR and team SSSN had planned on a little soiree out on the town. Meant to congratulate those who were still contenders in the tournament.
He promised to meet up with them later. A few gave the giant some looks of various flavors ranging from hurt to annoyed, but he just smiled and waved them off. Cinder wanted to meet and he absolutely couldn't miss this.
He kept to the darker side alleys through the antiquated architecture of the southern end of the high class zone of the city making his way steadily to the airport. Reminiscing about the first night he had spent walking through Vale almost a year ago now. Steadily heading back towards the airship station that would take him to Beacon.
Cinder was sitting on a bed looking out the window in their nearly barren dormitory. Running her right hand smoothly along the rolled up brown piece of animal hide placed along the low bookcase, while at the same time distractedly stroking the low neckline of her red dress. Counting down the seconds wondering who would return to her first.
Two things happened almost at once,
First the locked door clicked open, Mercury and Emerald walked in. The taller boy a perfect image of smugness and Emerald with her head down still stinging with defeat.
Over at the window, Cinder heard a grunt of effort then a set of thick fingers landed on the concrete sill. Kad pulled himself up one handed, hoping not to crack the little fixture. Pushed up further on his right elbow and then brought the rest of his gigantic frame up into their room.
He only stood for a moment, ducking his head the outer bits of his close cropped hair brushing the ceiling. Just long enough to unbuckle the weapon harness across his back and lay the massive red sword back against the wall to his right. After making sure it wouldn't fall over he took a seat on the throw rug in front of the shelf, leaned back and waited for the others to arrange themselves.
"Close that and shut the blinds," Cinder ordered as she stood.
Kad twisted and reached left behind him grasping for the window paneling. Mercury and Emerald sat side by side an uneasy distance apart on the first bed furnishing their half of the room to Kad's right. Mercury was still grinning waiting for Emerald to lay into their giant companion.
"Your friend says thanks by the way," Emerald said.
He turned back as darkness closed in the dorm, "Oh yeah?"
"Yeah," Emerald agreed, voice getting lower and more threatening. "Thanks for working against us."
"Spiteful are we?" He tried to joke, not sensing the depth of her ire,
Mercury was just loving this and decided to add some verbal fuel to the fire, "Maybe we should get Kad to bring his team on board,"
Emerald turned, "Don't tell me you're…"
Kad spoke up once again, "The tournament isn't your problem." He brought up his right hand upside down, rubbing the thumb across the pointer and middle finger, "You're for less direct facets."
She bared her teeth and prepped to stand up, "At least I'm still working for the cause, not playing all high and mighty in this dump."
Cinder finally intervened, "Quiet, all of you. We don't have time to bicker… Own your failures Emerald."
Emerald cast her eyes downward, "…Yes Ma'am."
Their master stepped into the dead center of the dorm, smoothing down her dress. She had to calm them down and restore their cohesion before she began, "Don't worry. We're still on track, today's tournament meant nothing. Even unfavorable finals will not be very detrimental."
The pyromancer brought the ancient skin parchment up. Focusing their scattered attention.
"It all comes down to this…"
"What kind of danger?" Yang asked,
Raven looked up to her right, to the little window and what sunlight could find its way through, "I didn't think any of them would be at Beacon."
Blake shifted her eyes over to her partner. Yang shook her head, her brow furrowed even more. She didn't have any clue.
"To quote a friend of mine," Yang said looking back down, "Who?"
Raven breathed deep, preparing for a long explanation. But starting with a question, "Don't you remember?"
"Remember what?" Yang said, willing the other girl to continue.
Raven didn't understand, "The big guy. The one who came down to the river, do you know him?"
Blake shifted a little thinking, Raven saw the movement but cut off the other Faunus before she could speak, "No, whatever you think. If he has told you anything. You're wrong, he's wrong…"
She drew breath to continue but Yang held up her palms, "Woh there. Calm down, please, less drama more facts."
Raven shifted on the bed, looking more to the blonde, "Yang he's one of them."
"One of who?" Blake asked.
"The ones who let the White Fang loose on the city… The ones who brought in that guy, Roman Torchwick. Behind all the crap that has happened last year all over the planet. The ones who let in the..."
But she stopped before she could finish. Fear spreading over her once again, she looked down. Slowly bringing her knees up to her chest and hugging onto the bare skin. Subtly shaking and narrowing her eyes, lost in memory.
Blake took a step forward, leaned down and placed her hands on the foot of the bed. Not quite convinced of Raven's sincerity, "Do you have any proof?"
The question at least snapped the other girl out of her trance, "Huh?"
"Proof, do you…"
"Yang," Raven turned and stuttered a little, "I showed you… I showed…"
"No you left," Yang corrected her, "You didn't even bother to say bye."
"No… No, not then. That… that night."
Yang moaned in frustration, still having no memories of any dreams the night after the Blast, "You and your fucking games."
"Please… List,"
Fire sparked in Yang's golden mane of hair, and she stabbed one finger down, "No, no, no, no, no," She had enough.
"You come into town looking for me… Just because you say you knew my birth mother. Who I never met! You follow me out to one of the most dangerous places in the world, and rope me into helping you with some vendetta against…"
Her whole thought train derailed with this magnification of all her troubles coming to a head.
"I don't even know!" Yang shouted, "None of that makes any sense! Raven you tell me the truth now. Right now or I'll take you to the police and personally throw you in their most cramped, dirty cell and let their goons try to actually get a straight fucking answer out of you!"
Cinder held the object out to Kad first.
Gently, he unrolled the ancient scroll. Mercury stood up then crouched down next to the giant for a closer look,
The animal skin was old, worn and leathery beneath his fingertips. Dark smudges made the text hard to read but neither of them recognized the language.
Emerald spoke up, "What is it?"
Kad straightened out his arm gently brushing Mercury out of his way, offering the skin. She took the offered scroll, tilting her head in confusion.
Above lines of archaic dialogue none of them could read there was an image. Faded with time, etched by some unknown substance. Showing three abstracted figures, the old style representations of Humans.
Holding their hands up to the sky.
Reaching for the crystal floating above them.
"That, is our objective," Cinder said gesturing for Emerald to give the scroll back to Kad.
"Okay," The giant said, taking another glance, "This is?"
"Power," Their master said.
"Not very helpful," Mercury mused.
Cinder ignored him, "It is a crystal, old, powerful. A lynch pin of nature."
The three of them shared a confused look. The older woman continued.
"I've heard whispers and myths all my life. A conglomerate concentration of Dust. The purest crystal in the world, not even really of one element. Maybe the one and only, maybe one of thousands, one for each kingdom, the only one left. No one knows."
"But you know where this one is," Emerald said.
The thief got a nod of confirmation, "Right here at Beacon."
Kad was slightly miffed, thinking back to his seemingly pointless departure to the school. He probably would have left them all with a little more enthusiasm if he knew he was being sent to their goal to begin with. But he couldn't blame Cinder for keeping the whole plan compartmentalized, just in case one of them had been compromised.
His mentor carried on, "This will change everything. Give us what is needed to build a new foundation for a stronger world. The old order… Ozpin has kept this from use for too long, turning Hunters into mere weapons to be used and discarded. Letting so much go unchecked, and unpunished because…"
Kad shifted a little, the knife on his belt suddenly felt just a little heavy.
Cinder drew in a deep breath, then moved her eyes looking each of them square in the face, "The White Fang are still in place. At the end of the tournament, when all of Remnant is watching that stadium they will move. We,"
She pointed to both Mercury, and Emerald then back to herself, "Will have done our part to prepare the students here, so that they will be ready for Kad during the revolt. The viruses I've been planting in the communication towers will blind all the kingdoms. White Fang cells in each will move, set to motion at their goals which I still support."
She pointed down at Kad, "You, tournament victor, will keep the rest of the trainees here in line, for the moment. Or move them if I need it. And then we will seize the crystal."
"What are you going to do with it?" he asked.
"Study it, learn to control it. Use it to find any others if they exist. Don't worry, not your concern. You will have your moment Kad. You will take the next generation of hunters and help shape this grand new world. Are you ready?"
Kad smiled, "Ready and rearing."
She leaned her head back and sighed, a shimmer ran across her fiery Aura.
This was the happiest any of them had ever seen her.
"It is almost time, I…" Cinder's voice lost its lighter tone, "No, nothing. You each know your parts. Nothing can stop us now."
Neither Blake nor Yang could believe their ears.
Raven was crying.
Short muffled sobs, choked out between her knees hugged tightly to her body. Little tracts of tears forcing their way from between her hard closed eyelids.
She tried to speak, but her voice kept cracking "I… I… didn't come to Vale… just to hunt… the… them… I…"
The darker Huntress turned her head, "Yang… I just, hic… I… fucking dammit!" Her voice started to even out, just a little bit. "You're right, it doesn't make sense…"
She sighed, "I just wanted to see you. Stop… Stop just wondering… Stop being so alone, maybe… I had no one else left to turn to that I could potentially trust…"
Yang's heart thudded against her ribs, Blake was starting to back away. Looking to the door, feeling a deep sense of dread and doom.
Raven sighed, "I lied to you. But you never would have believed me and… I just couldn't find the right…"
"The right what?!" Yang hissed,
Raven sighed, "…I didn't just know your mother… I shared her… We shared her…"
All the rushing blood in her ears suddenly fell silent to Yang. Her entire body froze in information overload, and her mouth drifted open just a hair, as their eyes found each other one more time.
"I'm your sister Yang."
A/N This is just my head cannon for volume 3, adapted a tiny bit for here. Fuck you CRWBY for retconning Vol2's end And ALL THE OTHER "The ONLY cannon is the current volume moments I swear to Tzeentch… Anywho hey from the future I removed a chapter I feel wasn't conducive to the flow of the story. Yeah, Yeah. If you made it this far you know what I'm about. And struggling with.
Still Love to hear from all of you, Thank you and good day.