Chapter Nineteen: Raven's Secret
Vacuo… seventeen years ago… The Dying Oasis Tavern…
Raven signaled the bartender for another round, causally leaning back against the bar to survey the room while she waited. She watched the bartender out of the corner of her eye, of course – she wasn't about to drink from anything that she hadn't watched be prepared – but she wanted to give the appearance of just being a casual patron. Subtlety was important for her mission – a spy was only as good as his or her skill after all, and there was a reason that she and her brother were among the best, and a reason why Ozpin had hired them in the first place.
The bartender placed a glass of whisky next to her left hand and she dropped a lien card to pay for both rounds before picking the glass up and taking a sip, feeling the burn of the alcohol down her throat and the artificial heat in her chest. She hid her distaste with the ease of long practice – whisky wasn't her preferred choice of drink. Qrow was the one who liked the harder alcohols, while she preferred a fine red wine, or a white wine if she didn't have a choice for a red wine.
Unfortunately, this wasn't the sort of tavern – or even the sort of neighborhood – where one could expect to find a decent wine – not in Vacuo. What arable land Vacuo still had after the Great War and all of the unrestricted Dust mining was insufficient for the farms needed to grow the grapes to make their own wine and importing it in from other places like Vale or Mistral was expensive. Only the few that could truly be deemed wealthy – Council members and those connected with the Schnee Dust Company primarily – would be expected to offer wine to their guests or to be able to afford it at the few dining establishments in the "wealthy" quarter of the Kingdom. This tavern was not one of those – it lived up to its name in more than one way. So instead she had to suffer through whiskey and bourbon and cheap beer. She was more than ready to get back to Vale and get her hands on a decent wine after two weeks prowling the darker sides of Vacuo.
Fortunately, she was planning to head back tonight. She'd already picked up the last of Theodore's reports and had them securely encrypted in her Scroll for safekeeping. She could have used her Semblance to return to Vale, but she had decided to make one last pass through the lower quarters to listen for any rumors. If nothing came of this, then she would head back as soon as it was full dark and no one would notice if she found an isolated area to open her portal to Taiyang. Then, come morning, she would be able to take the ferry from Patch back to Vale and return to Beacon to give her report to Ozpin and pass along the files from Theodore. This sort of information wasn't the type to trust to the CCTS, even over a secure and encrypted transmission. But unless something changed drastically within the next few hours, she wouldn't have much to report.
If Salem had agents here working among the poorer or criminal classes of Vacuo to spread her influence, Raven couldn't find any evidence of it. Thus far she hadn't seen or heard any indications that Salem was planning on making any moves in Vacuo, which wasn't really a surprise. Outsiders tended to stand out in Vacuo, since the communities here were much more close-knit than they were in Mistral or Atlas. The harsh desert conditions and limited number of available jobs – especially jobs that didn't involve Dust in any way – meant that people tended to network and rely on each other for survival. While it was an unwritten rule that anyone who could survive the harsh conditions was welcome, it still took time to build the connections that those who were born here formed naturally. It also meant that outsiders were more closely watched until they'd proven themselves in the eyes of the natives and adopted locals, so anyone trying to stir up trouble would just as likely to get the boot themselves than to actually succeed in fomenting dissent.
She'd felt eyes on her almost constantly for the past two weeks, and she was already something of a known presence here since she'd visited on missions for Ozpin before. She was making no waves and giving off no signals that she was planning to put down roots, so she was mostly ignored when she wasn't being watched, having been tagged in people's minds as a transient – here for temporary work of some kind, and then heading off on a new job soon. Theodore and his agents – whether or not they were native to Vacuo or not – wouldn't fit down here even as much as she and Qrow did thanks to their bandit upbringing. The Branwen name came with a built-in reputation, after all. Qrow was currently in Mistral, doing the same sort of reconnaissance among their lower classes.
Another sip from her glass as she considered where else she could look for information without drawing undue attention to herself. On her previous jobs here she'd started making casual contacts among the seedier parts of the Kingdom – careful not to reveal that she was a Huntress, of course. She'd already reached out to them on this trip and gotten nothing – not even the normal sorts of rumors she would have expected to hear, like an interesting bit of burglary going down.
Given what she knew about Vacuo and had seen on this trip, it would make much more sense that nothing was going on here. Outsiders would stand out, which she knew all too well, and a native would know to be careful about doing anything to stir things up. With her current contacts coming up dry, her frustration was starting to build up over what seemed to have been a pointless assignment. She was a Huntress after all – not a mere messenger.
Ozpin always claimed that even though Salem worked in the shadows, she was also patient and willing to move slowly. Making a big, overt play wouldn't be beneficial to her in the long run. While the Kingdoms tended to keep to themselves on a day-to-day basis – each with their own governing Councils and unique problems to solve – if there was a large-scale external threat, Ozpin was convinced that all four Kingdoms would band together to stop it now. Raven wasn't as convinced of that, but she kept her opinions to herself.
In all honesty, however, she knew there was more to the story than what her former headmaster was saying. She could feel it. For as long as he claimed to have been living – well, reincarnating was more accurate – he'd barely told them anything about Salem and the full scope of what they were facing, and she didn't buy it. Taiyang, Summer, even Qrow all seemed to be willing to accept the tidbits of information they were being fed, but something about the story stank in her mind. If Ozpin had been opposing Salem all these centuries, how could he claim to know so little about her? It just didn't add up.
Finally, she decided that she couldn't nurse her drink any longer without appearing suspicious, so she downed what remained and placed the glass on the bar with a clink, waving off the bartender when he appeared ready to refill it for her. Clearly, nothing of interest was happening here, and it would be better by far to appear to be a common patron than someone to be wary of. Shifting her sword on her hip, she headed for the door, pretending to ignore the way the other patrons watched her go, and the way the atmosphere in the room immediately lightened as she reached it, as if they realized a dangerous unknown had just left.
The streets were sandy from the most recent sandstorm that had come through three days ago and her feet churned up a bit of dust with every step. She had time to make one more circuit around the city, listening for anything that might be of interest before she headed home. One last check with a couple of her contacts wouldn't hurt. Things could change quickly, and she'd made a point of telling them that she would contact them, rather than giving them her Scroll number or any way to contact her – she didn't want her identity as a Huntress exposed, or some of them would never trust her again.
The closest contact to her location was a fence for stolen goods. She knew his name – Gray Larkson – from her years with the tribe before Beacon, and he knew the Branwen name all too well. In addition to taking in stolen goods, he had a way of acquiring items for his clients, and that included information. Of all of her contacts, if anyone had a chance of coming up with something, it would be him. If it weren't for the fact that he wasn't a fan of Huntsmen and Huntresses interfering in his operation, she would have recommended him to Ozpin as a possible contact to add to his network, since he had clients and "employees" that even she didn't know.
A few minutes later, she pushed open the door to his shop, glaring up at the small bell that rang as she entered. Larkson looked up as she approached. "Fancy seeing you here Raven. What have I done to deserve the honor of two visits in two weeks?"
She leaned casually against the counter, her hand in easy reach of her weapon, since she knew he had a weapon close at hand as well. In this area of the Kingdom, it would be foolish not to. "The same as last time, Gray. Just looking for any interesting rumors or jobs that you might know about. I'm heading out tomorrow unless a quick score might drop into my lap."
"As it turns out, I do have something," he replied. "Don't know all of the details, but my contact wanted me to keep my ears out for someone with some skill. A Branwen – especially one able to operate without the rest of the tribe – should certainly qualify."
"I'm interested. What can you tell me?" Best-case scenario, this could be a lead. Worst case, it would be something she could report to Theodore in the morning and the local authorities could put a stop to it without her getting involved.
Gray slid a small piece of paper across the table. "My contact gave me this. He'll meet you at this location with more details about the job."
"Sounds good. And if I get anything good out of it, I'll make sure to give you a finder's fee cut, of course." Raven took the paper and tucked it into one of her belt pouches without looking at it, not taking her eyes off Gray.
He smiled. "And that's why I like doing business with you, Raven." He tipped his head in acknowledgement. "I'll look forward to hearing all about it."
She nodded back and turned from the counter, feeling Gray's eyes on her back, and doing her best to ignore the prickling sensation between her shoulder blades. Only once she was back out on the street did she pull the slip of paper he'd passed her out and unfold it.
The meeting place wasn't far, and the time was in about two hours. She could find a quiet place to transform, do an aerial flyover to scope the place out, and then arrive at the appointed time. Odds were that nothing would come of it, but any chance of finding out something was better than going back empty handed.
She winced a little as her stomach rolled. The damn whiskey – she knew there was a reason she hated it. It always left a bad taste in her mouth. How Qrow could drink that crap on a regular basis…
An alley ahead of her caught her attention. No one was around – it would be a perfect place for a quick transformation. Slipping around the corner, she took a swift glance to be sure that she was alone, before she reached for the magic inside herself, and felt the transformation begin.
Two hours later… The Iron Rock Pub…
Raven paused at the entrance to the tavern. Her earlier flyover hadn't aroused any suspicions, and it was a tavern she had patronized on past visits, so she didn't see any reason to be suspicious of the location for the meeting. The note had been short, but it had instructed her to go in and sit at a particular table, and from there her contact would join her.
She pushed open the door, took a quick, sharp glance around, and identified the table from her instructions and she made her way over, taking a seat with her back to the wall and a clear view of the entire room to wait. It wasn't long before one of the servers came over. "What can I get you?"
"Just a water for now," she replied. She couldn't handle another whiskey or bourbon today, and this tavern wasn't much better for her chances of getting a decent wine.
"Be right out!" the server said cheerfully and hurried away. Raven shifted in her seat and settled back to wait. It wouldn't be long before her contact arrived if Gray's instructions were to be believed.
The server returned less than two minutes later with a clean glass and a pitcher of ice water. She poured the glass for Raven before setting it down in front of her. "Anything to eat?"
"Maybe in a little while," Raven said. "I'm waiting for someone."
"Okay. I'll come back over when I see someone else arrive, and you can let me know if you've changed your mind." The server hurried away to tend to another table, while Raven took a sip of the cool water, already enjoying it far more than the whisky earlier.
The tavern slowly filled up with dinner guests, but it wasn't much longer before she saw a man enter the tavern. Like she had, he looked around, and she saw his eyes rest on the table where she was sitting before making his way over. She took the opportunity to get a good look at him. Tall, with iron-grey hair and dark blue eyes, he wore the same sort of clothing that people living in this area would wear, blending in rather than trying to stand out. However, the way he carried himself conveyed authority, and she knew that he was probably a nightmare of a boss to anyone who was one of his underlings.
"Well, this is a surprise," the man said as he approached. "Raven Branwen, according to our mutual friend Gray. When he said he would find someone for me, you're the last one I expected to see."
"There is pleasure in surprise," Raven said calmly. "Gray didn't tell me anything really, only that I was to meet you here for more details." She indicated the seat across from her. "Please, take a seat and tell me what you want from me."
Her "host" smiled and took the offered seat. "It's not much of a job for someone of your skills, most likely, but potentially quite lucrative."
"I'm listening." Raven took another sip of her water before putting the glass back down on the table.
"There's a woman living in the upper district who has… let's say some close ties with some of the members of the Council," he said smoothly. "According to others that I've spoken to, she has some documents that she shouldn't have."
"What kind of documents?" Raven asked. On the surface, this didn't sound related to Salem, but if it was true, it could become a nightmare for Vacuo and Theodore as a whole. Council matters were confidential unless the information was put out for the Kingdom to view and prepare comments for the monthly open forum. That alone made it worth her investigating it, if only so that she could report to Theodore in the morning about it.
"Upcoming legislation that hasn't been released to the public yet, from my understanding."
"And what makes you so interested in these documents, other than as a concerned citizen?" Raven asked, allowing a hint of a taunt to flavor her voice, hoping to draw more out of this man. There was something too smooth about him – if she weren't here for Ozpin, she would never even consider working for or with this man – even a bandit wouldn't trust him, and the tribe was notoriously untrusting.
"I would think that would be enough, but if you must know…" he trailed off for a moment as he studied her. "I have some political ambitions of my own, and having those documents can give me an edge over my competitors – if you think you can acquire them, that is."
"And do I get to know your name?" she countered. "For job security you might say, so I know that I won't be cheated out of my cut, of course."
"I believe you would understand if I desired some security of my own and refuse, at least until I know the job will be done and my information won't be taken advantage of solely for your gain." The sense of slimy smoothness she was getting from him increased. "If this job goes well, then we might be able to come to some sort of long-term relationship."
Raven studied him in her turn, considering the job, turning it over in her mind. She wouldn't be doing it, obviously, but she had to make a show of considering it. This kind of life had its own rules, after all. She reached for her water again and took another sip. "Say I am willing to do so. What sort of fee are you prepared to offer?" She was expecting to negotiate of course. Blinking quickly, she set her glass back on the table.
"Let's say… fifteen thousand?"
She scoffed at the offer, which was a lowball for the type of job he was talking about. Even if he gave her all the information of where to find this woman, that price was ludicrously low. "I hope you're joking, because I wouldn't even run a raid with my tribe with a profit that low."
"I don't know you, other than by your tribe's reputation," he countered. "I don't know that you're actually good enough to be worth more."
"Seventy thousand," Raven riposted, "and considering that insult, I should make it more than that."
"Thirty thousand – and the promise of another job in the future if this one goes smoothly and you bring back what I need."
"If those documents are as valuable as you claim they are, you'll ultimately make more profiting off of them than any job you could offer me in the future," Raven retorted. "Fifty thousand."
"Forty-three, and that's my final offer," her contact replied. "If you don't want the job, I'm sure there are others out there that Gray can find who would be willing to take it for that. This isn't Atlas or Mistral, with all their wealth and prosperity. You can't expect the same types of prices here."
"But I can expect to be fairly compensated for my efforts," Raven snapped. "Don't insult me. You yourself said you weren't expecting to see someone of my caliber here. If that's all you're preparing to offer me, I'll be leaving." She stood and shifted her sword. "Good day, sir." She started to turn, expecting him to name another offer to get her to stay, only for the world to spin dizzily as she moved. "Wha-?"
Her prospective employer stood as well and caught her arm. "My dear Ms. Branwen. I rather think you won't be going anywhere at the moment." He steered her back over to her chair, and smoothly removed her sword and its sheath from her hip. "Except, perhaps, to my mistress."
Raven blinked and tried to fend him off, unsuccessfully. A portal – she could get through a portal back to Taiyang… but her mind felt disconnected and she couldn't focus enough to bring her Semblance into play. "S-salem…"
A wicked little smile crossed her enemy's face. "Indeed, Raven. I'm certain she will be quite interested to meet you. Sleep now and rest. You'll need it when you wake next."
Her head hurt – it throbbed with every beat of her heart. Her stomach roiled and she could taste something bitter in her mouth on the back of her tongue. With a grunt, she managed to open her eyes and blinked dully at the stone a few feet in front of her nose. The light was dim, with a strange reddish tint to it that cast everything into shadows and made it difficult to make out the finer details. After a moment, she managed to push herself up into a sitting position, even though her head felt like it was going to explode as her position changed.
Where was she? She blinked several times, trying to focus her vision on her surroundings. Finally, the fuzziness cleared and she took in the sight of stone walls, a heavy iron-bound door, and a barred glass window. Through the window, she could see darkness, with the hue of a purple and red glow radiating from somewhere.
Her head still ached, but she tried to remember what she had been doing before she woke here. She'd been in Vacuo… she'd picked up the data from Theodore… but then she'd… what? Left the Academy to head back to Vale?
No, no. That wasn't right. There was something else – if she'd left for home, she'd already be in Patch with Taiyang. She'd left the Academy…waiting until nightfall for… something…
The answer came to her with sudden clarity. Gray! Gray Larkson's so-called "contact". The man with the iron-grey hair must have been one of Salem's agents and had taken advantage. How they'd managed to drug her though – it had to have been a drug, since he wouldn't have wanted to cause a stir in a public place like a tavern.
She tentatively tried to raise her head again to get a better look at her surroundings, ignoring the lance of pain between her temples. Her weapon lay a short distance away, which was instantly baffling – why bring her here and then leave her weapon? Not that they could be expected to hold her – her Semblance would take her right to her brother or her fiancée in a heartbeat.
She started to push herself to her feet, intending to grab her weapon and open a portal to take her home – Ozpin and Theodore needed to know about the man with the grey hair so they could put a closer watch on Vacuo, since it seemed Salem was, in fact operating there at the moment – but a jangle of metal stopped her. She looked down to see manacles around her right ankle and left wrist.
That… presented a bit more of a problem. Not a lot, since she could transform into her other form, and the manacles should slide right off of her – but if anyone was watching, she would give away one of her most closely guarded secrets.
"I see you're awake," a soft, feminine voice said.
Raven's eyes went to the door, where a small hatch had opened in the upper half of it. Looking through were a pair of red eyes set into a face whiter than bone – Grimm white, in fact, streaked with red veins. Ozpin had never given them a physical description of their enemy, but Raven knew immediately that she was looking at Salem.
Master of the Grimm. Oz's eternal nemesis.
Raven couldn't believe the terror that went through her, even though she fought not to show it. She was a Branwen and a Huntress. The Branwen tribe wasn't afraid of anything, and a Huntress was trained to control their emotions since negative emotions like fear were what attracted the Grimm.
There was a click of the lock on the door, and a moment later it swung open and Salem glided three paces into the small room. The black fabric of her gown both clung to her and flared out behind her, blending in with the darkness that seemed to surround her. Her gown seemed old-fashioned to Raven's eyes, but there was no denying that – if she were not so Grimm-like – she would have been beautiful.
"So, you are Raven Branwen," she said after studying Raven for a few moments in silence. "One of my dear Ozma's newest agents, as I understand it."
The name made Raven blink for a moment. Ozma? And why refer to him as "my dear"? That implied something far more than just an eternal rivalry especially since the words were said with no hint of malice or sarcasm. "What if I am?" she asked, defiantly, trying to inject confidence into her voice to hide just how terrified she was. Salem wasn't what she had expected when Oz had first told them about the dark witch with the ability to command the Grimm and she cursed Ozpin for not telling them more – for not preparing them better for a moment like this. Why was she so Grimm-like in appearance? Was the dark aura that seemed to cling to her a result of the dark magic she practiced, or was it her own innate nature?
A faint smile turned up the corners of the witch's mouth. "It doesn't really matter, in the long run," she said carelessly. "You're merely one of the latest, of course, but you certainly won't be the last."
"What is that supposed to mean?" Raven demanded.
A slight laugh. "Why, isn't it obvious, Raven? Think about how many lives my Ozma has lived. He's had so many agents working for him over the centuries. He'll use you and then discard you when you are of no further use to him. That's just how he is. Every time he comes back in a new life, a new form, he discards his allies from his previous life, because they are no further use to him and they know too much."
"Why should I believe anything you're saying?" Raven asked, holding up her wrist and jangling the manacles. "From where I'm sitting, you are the one who could be lying." Her heart was racing but she was determined not to let Salem know. She didn't know what the witch was capable of, other than controlling the Grimm, but if Ozpin was right and Salen did have access to true magic – the same magic that had created the Maidens, the same magic that he had – then she would be very dangerous indeed.
"Believe me or not, I care not," Salem said with a shrug. "I don't intend to keep you prisoner here, Raven. My associates did that since they don't know everything that you are capable of."
Raven stared at her. This was not how she had expected an encounter with Salem to go. She'd always imagined a fierce battle with hordes of Grimm and having Ozpin, Qrow, Summer, and Taiyang by her side. "Then what do you want?" she finally managed after several seconds of staring.
"From you? Merely the chance to talk. I'm sure Ozma has told you his version of events, but even you must have sensed that he hasn't told you everything, and I'm sure you also have your doubts about the veracity of what he did say."
She couldn't deny what Salem was saying. After all, hadn't she been thinking much the same thing at the bar earlier? She knew that Ozpin held information back – she'd seen him do it more than once, giving it out in small pieces depending on the results of a mission or whatever he felt they needed to know before beginning one. Summer and Taiyang had laughed at her the first few times she'd mentioned her frustration, pointing out that Ozpin had lived for so many centuries, so many lifetimes, there was bound to be more information than he could give them all at once, and so he told them what they needed to know to avoid overwhelming them. It made sense when they explained it like that, although it had never satisfied her desire to learn more.
Despite her efforts, her thoughts must have shown on her face somehow, and Salem's lips turned upward in a small smile. "I see that I'm not wrong. So tell me, Raven, what has he told you about our little war? Did he make me out to be the one in wrong? Tell you that the blame for everything rests with me? Did he ever mention his own betrayal?"
Raven hesitated. What was the witch talking about? Had Ozpin fed her nothing but lies? Was he the one to blame for everything? She didn't know what to think. It seemed like it should be so simple – the Grimm attacked humans, and Salem was the Master of the Grimm. Didn't that automatically make her the one who was in the wrong? Even if Ozpin had lied about his role in everything, did that really negate everything that Salem had done?
"So he didn't," Salem continued. "He's never been able to admit to his own faults, after all." She looked Raven up and down. "He likely never told you that we were partners once, doing everything that we could to help the people around us. The people loved us – they were willing to fight wars for us. We were their rulers, and some of them were so loyal to us, they would have preferred us to be their gods instead of the Brothers."
Somehow, she could picture everything that Salem was saying. The distance that Ozpin kept between himself and his allies – an aloofness, like an uncaring god? Oh, she could see that all too well. It didn't make her trust Salem, but she could still see the possibility being there.
"But then he decided that wasn't enough for him," Salem continued. "He decided that I was a threat and he betrayed me. He tried to take away everything I had ever loved and desired – yet to this day he claims he is cursed by the Brothers because he failed to stop me."
"But…?" Raven asked cautiously. Two such conflicting stories… who was she supposed to believe?
"But he lied, of course," Salem replied. "It was a curse, of course, but it was a punishment from the gods over the way he betrayed me. And he continues to betray every person he comes in contact with. All of his hosts – he steals their lives to wage war against me. He uses and discards people at a whim, keeps the truth from those he claims to trust…" She raised an eyebrow in an expression that invited Raven to ask more questions. "Surely you can see this pattern in his actions since you became one of his agents?"
The truth was… she did. It felt like a stab to her gut as the realization of the pending betrayal washed over her. She was being used – and not just her, but Taiyang, Summer, Qrow… all of them. They were just tools that would eventually be thrown away.
"But there is something about you, Raven…" Salem said thoughtfully, studying her intently. "There's a trace of magic about you. Not enough for you to be a Maiden, of course, although you are young enough…"
Raven stiffened a little bit. Salem could detect the magic that Oz had gifted her to be able to turn into a raven? She was that powerful?
Salem must have seen the way she stiffened. "Ah – so he gifted you with a fraction of his power for some purpose, then?" She shook her head. "Just like him, to offer tidbits in exchange for unquestioning loyalty."
"Like you would do any differently?" Raven shot back, but even she could tell the retort was weak, her voice not as strong as she wanted it to be.
"Oh, but I do, Raven," Salem replied. "My associates side with me because they know that I can give them what I've promised them. I don't tempt them with information and promises that I have no intention of fulfilling, so there is never any betrayal on my part towards those who aid me."
Raven didn't know what to think or believe any more. So much of what Salem was saying made sense in more than one way – and contrasted so sharply with the information she had been getting from Oz over the last few years since they had graduated.
"I would like to have you on my side as well Raven. If there's something you want – something I can provide that Ozma cannot. I know of the Branwen Tribe, and I know how they are persecuted by the Huntsmen and Huntresses – Ozma's own little private army." She looked thoughtful. "Perhaps protection for your tribe would suffice as a sign of my goodwill?"
The offer was tempting, Raven had to admit. The tribe had raised her and Qrow before they were sent off to Beacon as part of the tribe's plan to counter the Huntsmen and Huntresses. Originally the plan had been for the two of them to return with the training, and use that to train other members of the tribe. But if she could return with that training and protection from Huntsmen and Huntresses? It would keep the tribe safe and give her a higher status among the tribe's leadership.
Salem turned and moved back towards the door. "I'm sure you have a lot to think about, so I'll give you some time. You'll understand if I don't release you until I have an answer, since you are currently one of Ozma's agents, and I can't have you wandering around my home." She exited the room and the door closed and locked behind her with a click. Fortunately, some of the darkness went with her, and Raven found herself able to fully release a breath for the first time since the witch had entered the room.
Adrenaline had spiked through her, unnoticed under the general terror, at some point in the previous few minutes, and now that Salem was gone, Raven found herself shaking uncontrollably. It was probably a good thing that she was in this small room, even if she was in the heart of the Grimm's territory. If she had been anywhere else, her fear would be attracting Grimm towards her in droves. She pulled her knees up as far as the manacle around her ankle would allow and just allowed herself to shake while the adrenaline faded.
She needed to get out of here. Taking Salem's offer was out of the question of course – she couldn't trust the Grimm's Master to hold to any promise that she made. But was it worth risking a transformation to get out of the manacles and to her weapon? Her ability to shapeshift was only valuable to her as a spy as long as it remained a secret from their enemies.
But if she did portal home from here… then what?
She wasn't sure that she could ever trust Ozpin again, that much was certain. All these years, she'd always had the sense that he was keeping something back from them. His evasiveness when questioned about his past lives, the fact that he would take their information and give out so little back in return – Salem's statement that she and Ozpin had once been partners, only for Ozpin to betray her? It would make more sense for Ozpin to have been cursed for a betrayal than anything else – a punishment for his own actions. But Salem hadn't referred to him as Ozpin, but as Ozma. Who was Ozma?
Just how much was Ozpin keeping from them?
Click.
"Have you had a chance to consider my offer?"
Raven looked up at the sound of the door unlocking and saw Salem standing in the doorway. The aura of darkness still seemed to surround her, but since Salem remained outside her cell, it didn't feel as oppressive as it had earlier. She had been doing a lot of thinking over the past few hours but hadn't come to any real conclusions as to what she should do.
If she refused Salem's offer, would the witch simply kill her, since she would have declared her allegiance with Ozpin? Or would she still have Raven released? Ozpin had always said that Salem worked from the shadows to try to divide humanity – and particularly to divide his allies – but could that statement even be trusted?
But if she agreed to Salem's offer – it would mean breaking contact with her team in favor of the tribe. Qrow was Ozpin's man, through and through these days. It was unlikely that he'd be willing to come back to the tribe with her. Tai and Summer – they'd never been part of the tribe, so they would be even less inclined than Qrow to come with her and abandon Ozpin's fight.
Even if she told them about everything that had happened to her – she didn't think it would be enough to sway their opinions. She and Qrow knew the gritty underside of society – the parts that most people didn't like to think about. Summer and Tai – they were naïve, despite the things they'd seen since they enrolled at the Academy and since they'd become part of Ozpin's inner circle. For them, it would come down to the choice of good versus evil, since that was how they saw the world still. They didn't see the grey, the murky in-between shades that someone who had grown up with nothing did.
She hadn't been able to bring herself to attempt to break free just yet – she didn't like the idea of possibly giving away the secret of her magic unless she had no other choice. As terrifying as Salem was, Raven was not about to show fear by running away without bringing back valuable information. Maybe she could use that information to finally get more details out of Ozpin, and try to confirm one way or another who was telling the truth.
"I…" Raven hesitated, again wondering what Salem's reaction to her response would be. There hadn't been any overt threats made, so… would Salem actually let her go if she refused? Or would the witch deem her too much of a threat at that point? Would she ever see Tai, or Summer, or Qrow again?
"You need not fear, Raven," Salem said, voice soft and… kind? "I prefer to have those willing to aid me within my followers. If you can't accept my offer, I won't hold it against you. I'll have my followers escort you back to somewhere safe, and you can go back to Ozpin and judge for yourself if what I've said is true."
Raven took a deep breath. All or nothing – if Salem kept her word, then it would lend some credence to what she had already said. If she made a move to attack, well – Raven could transform quickly, get to her weapon, and then portal out. The sudden transformations might surprise Salem enough for her to gain enough of an advantage to escape. "I'd like some more time to think about it, if that's the case. I've been away from the tribe for a long time, and I don't know what the leadership of the tribe is like these days."
Salem was silent for a moment, before she nodded. "Of course."
She raised a hand, and the iron-grey-haired man from the tavern came up to the doorway. "My lady?"
"Release Raven and return her weapon to her. Then escort her to the airship and return her to Vacuo. She can make her own way home from there. She's not to be harmed or drugged in any way."
"Yes, my lady," her captor replied, producing a key. "It will be done as you say." He entered the room and moved over towards Raven, reaching towards the manacles.
Salem looked over her shoulder just as she crossed the threshold of the cell. "I look forward to welcoming you into my services, Raven. I'm sure that once you've had some more time to think things over after speaking with my dear Ozma, you'll come to the right decision."
Raven met Salem's blood-red gaze – Grimm-like and alien from Qrow's, and thus far more chilling – as the first manacle fell free from her wrist. There was a gleam of… something there that she didn't remember seeing at any other point since she'd woken up in this cell. But she didn't dare comment on it, nor did she reach to rub her abused wrist, even as the second manacle fell free. That would be a sign of weakness, and Raven was not about to show weakness again.
She wasn't weak. She was a Branwen. She was a Huntress. Neither of those allowed her to be weak.
Vale… Beacon Academy…
Beacon was the same as it always was – students coming and going from class and the dining hall. Normally, coming back to the Academy after a mission felt welcoming, but right now Raven's temper was too fired up to notice the beauty of the campus. After being dropped off at the edge of the city's outskirts in Vacuo, she'd opened a portal to Tai on Patch. He'd seemed relieved to see her, but she hadn't even bothered to greet him before she'd shifted forms and headed straight for Beacon. Her Scroll had pinged with missed messages as soon as she'd landed and transformed, but she'd ignored all of them.
The Tower was right in front of her, and she stormed past small clusters of students, some of whom looked up in surprise as she blazed past them. Her hand was tight on the hilt of her sword, in an effort to contain the anger that had been growing inside her since she'd been 'escorted' from her cell. All of the lies, the misdirection, the… her emotions left her feeling nothing but a red rage – all of it directed towards the sly wizard at the top of the Tower. She yanked her Scroll out of her waist pouch and scanned it at the elevator before pressing the button that would request entrance to Oz's office. A moment later there was a soft chime, and they elevator began to ascend.
When the double doors opened, there he was – in his usual green and black palette. She barely registered the fact that Summer was standing in front of the desk as well as she burst out of the elevator. "You son of a bitch," she hissed, stopping inches from the desk and slamming her hands down on the surface with all of her strength.
"Raven! What are you doing?" Summer cried, but Raven ignored her team leader, keeping her gaze locked on Ozpin.
Ozpin held up his hand. "Summer, why don't you go back downstairs and let Raven and I talk about whatever is troubling her? I'll call you when we're finished, and we can continue our discussion then." If he found her words threatening in anyway – which she hoped he did, so he would know she was serious – he made no move to defend himself or reach for his weapon. As soon as the elevator door closed behind Summer, he nodded. "What have I done to deserve that greeting, if I may ask?"
"You bastard – you've been lying to all of us for years."
"I don't recall lying to you about anything. Could you clarify what you mean by that accusation?" His tone remained even and calm, but there was a flicker of something in his eyes behind those dark-shaded lenses, and she knew she was on to something.
"You know damn good and well that Salem is unstoppable, but all this time you've been manipulating us and making us believe that we could stop her if we worked with you. But instead of facing her directly, you would rather hide up here in your little tower and send children out to fight for you."
"What happened, Raven?" he asked calmly. "If you have concerns about something…"
"Concerns," she sneered. "Oh, you'd better believe I have concerns."
"I'd be happy to discuss this with you and alleviate any of the concerns you may have. If you feel that I've withheld important information about anything I've asked you to do…"
"I'm done," Raven said. "No more missions, no more scouting – I want nothing to do with this damnfool quest of yours." She'd had enough time to think since her release to know that – regardless of what she decided about Salem's offer – that she couldn't work with a leader who would lie to her and betray her trust.
"Very well," he said quietly. "If that is your decision, I won't stop you. However, before you go, I would ask two things of you. If you have your report from your mission, I'd like to see it. And…" he paused for a moment. "I would ask that you keep the things you've learned while you've been working for me to yourself or only among the people who are already in the know. More than anything, it is important to prevent the spread of panic, and while many people would not believe the truth about Salem and the Grimm, there are still enough out there who would. It would either cause panic amongst the people, or it would give her allies as people who crave power seek her out. Will you promise me that much at least, Raven?"
She yanked her Scroll out again, opened the file where the reports she'd collected from Theodore were encrypted, and tossed it down onto his desk. "Take your damn reports if they mean so much to you."
He picked it up and quickly downloaded the files to his terminal with a few taps of the keys, before he slid it closed and pushed it back across the desk towards her. "Thank you, Raven." He folded his hands behind his back. "What will you tell the rest of your team about your decision?"
"That's my business, not yours," she hissed, half-wishing that he would do something other than maintain his Brothers-bedamned calm so that she had an outlet for her frustration and anger. "From this moment on, we're done."
She snatched her Scroll back and – again resisting the urge to strike out at him – drew her sword, using it to open another portal back to Tai. Flying back to Patch in her alternate form would burn off some energy, but at the moment she wanted to destroy something, not expend her energy in a lengthy flight. She stepped through the portal and as soon as she saw the green lawn of the home she shared with Taiyang, she clenched her fist and closed the portal behind herself.
"Raven!" Taiyang must have been watching for her, as he came racing out of the house. "Where have you been? You were two days overdue from your mission!" He extended his arms, as if to hug her, but she shoved her way past him with a hiss.
"Don't touch me!"
"Raven…" Taiyang looked confused, but allowed her to pass, his arms dropping to hang loosely at his side. "What happened?"
She didn't answer, storming into the house with her frustration and anger still pent-up inside her, and only continuing to rise every time she pictured Ozpin's damnably-calm face. She slammed the door shut as she reached the bedroom, trying to release some of the anger before she burst, but it only provided a moment's satisfaction. She sank down on the edge of the bed she shared with Taiyang and dropped her head into her hands, feeling herself beginning to shake all over again.
The next few weeks were hell.
Ozpin must have quietly informed the rest of her team about her decision because it was less than forty-right hours later when the questions started.
Qrow was – unsurprisingly – the most annoying about the whole thing, and by far the angriest about her decision. He constantly peppered her with questions and demands for an explanation and couldn't seem to accept her refusal to discuss it, given what they knew about the truth of the world and the secret war between Oz and Salem. Even with the efforts of Summer and Taiyang to diffuse the tension, it all finally culminated in a massive argument that led to Qrow heading off on a mission of his own just to get away from them long enough to cool his temper and take out his frustration on the Grimm.
Taiyang tried to express his concern for her a few times, but she shut him down every time. But it didn't stop his concern or his support. If anything, he became even more supportive and understanding, which confused her. Qrow's reaction she had anticipated, but in its own way, Taiyang's calm acceptance was nearly as infuriating as Ozpin's, and the fact that – like the rest of her team – he wasn't seeing the lies they were being fed by the old wizard only made her more irritable. More than anything, his concern wasn't the fact that she was no longer taking missions – it was concern for her and the fact that not only had she been overdue to return, but that she had returned so angrily and with such a sudden change of heart.
Summer was – also unsurprisingly – the quietest about the situation and the most accepting. After a few attempts to get her own questions answered the first few days after her return, and Raven's angry refusal to talk more about it, their team leader stayed quiet and simply watched, as if she could figure out the answers on her own.
It was made worse by the fact that Summer and Qrow – before he left on his mission – were almost always around. Tai had invited their teammates to live with them after he finished building their house on Patch and had even had bedrooms set up for them. Until this latest mission, it hadn't been a problem – they'd all roomed together at Beacon, so it wasn't like they were unaware of each other's living habits, and it had always been familiar and comforting to come back from a mission and know that her whole team was around her when they weren't on their own missions. Now, however, their presence grated on her nerves, and made her feel like they were silently judging her.
The intangible pressure that she felt coming from her teammates didn't help with her own internal turmoil. Salem's offer continued to weigh on her thoughts – as well as the implied threat that had been issued at the end before she had been released. How long would Salem be willing to wait? Could Raven just wait her out and hope that the witch would forget about her? If she didn't reply eventually, would Salem turn her attention on the tribe out of spite? Or would she go after the rest of the inner circle more aggressively in an effort to push Raven into making a decision?
To top it all off, her emotional state often left her feeling nauseous, and even waking up feeling like she was going to throw up. So, all in all, Raven was quite miserable.
And then came the next development that rocked her world completely.
Summer had been the only other one at the house with her when Tai had been asked to lead a group of Beacon students on a training mission and would be gone for a week. The team leader had pulled out supplies for sandwiches to make lunch and the sight of the various ingredients and condiments and caused a surge of nausea to go through her. Raven had bolted for the closest bathroom and been violently sick, coming back to awareness to find Summer crouched beside her, holding her long black hair back away from her face to keep it out of the sick in the toilet.
"Raven, are you okay?" Summer asked quietly once the heaving faded and she was able to sit back on her heels again.
Raven shook her head weakly, still tasting sickness in her mouth and throat and the sensation almost made her want to throw up again. Summer merely reached up and got a glass of tap water and a wet rag, offering both of them, then sitting back herself and giving Raven a chance to calm down and compose herself.
"Are you feeling any better, Raven?"
The water had helped, so Raven nodded slowly. The nausea had come on so suddenly… and she was never sick.
"Have you been getting sick a lot lately?" was the next question.
Raven nodded again, more slowly, feeling like she was admitting to a weakness that she didn't want to acknowledge.
Summer hesitated, and then reached up and brushed some of Raven's hair back so she could look her teammate in the eyes. "Raven…is it possible that… are you pregnant?"
The word didn't register at first. Raven just stared at her team leader, unable to speak while she processed the question. Pregnant?
Pregnant?
She and Tai had finally become "official" a few months after they had graduated, and they'd moved in together once Tai had finished building the house. Qrow and Summer lived here too, but…
They'd never really talked about the possibility of a family. They were always passing each other by – one coming home from a mission as the other left, except for the occasional joint mission where fighting skills were needed more than spy skills.
"I…"
"I think we should go and see a doctor, get you tested," Summer said softly. "I know you've been under a lot of stress lately, and if you are pregnant, it won't be good for the baby. Tai and Qrow will both be back soon and we can figure out what to do after that to help you out." She stood and offered a hand to help Raven up to her feet.
Raven stared at the offered hand for a moment before taking it and allowing Summer to pull her up. Summer hurried to put the food away, and then they were out the door and heading for the small doctor's office down near the village market. The next few hours passed in a blur, but finally Raven was staring at the blood test results on the tablet the doctor handed her.
Positive.
Tai and Qrow were both thrilled with the news when they returned from their missions. Summer insisted that she and Qrow would find a place in Vale, to allow the two of them time to come to terms with this new event in their lives. If – after the baby was born – they wanted their teammates to move back in, they could discuss it further then, but Summer was adamant that they needed time to themselves.
It felt – strange, not having them there, after four years of rooming together at Beacon. Taiyang was extremely attentive to her and did everything he could to help without smothering her. Any questions or conversations about her decision to stop taking missions stopped, and most of their conversations settled on the future – what would they name the baby? Was it going to be a boy or a girl? Would the baby look more like its mother, or its father, or would there be a combination of both of their traits?
The first few weeks after the confirmation seemed to pass in a blur, but slowly she started to warm to the idea as the shock faded. She and Tai might not have planned for this to happen now, but it wasn't a bad thing.
Summer and Qrow left on a mission together that was expected to take two weeks, clearing out a nest of Grimm that were starting to encroach on some of the smaller villages near Mistral, after Leonardo posted an open notice on the mission boards that as much help as possible was needed, since the nest was larger than had initially been reported. Neither of them seemed worried, and for good reason, since they were among Beacon's best graduates, and they wouldn't be fighting alone.
Raven's Scroll chimed with Summer's ringtone. That was unusual – their team leader didn't usually call when they were on an active mission. She pulled the device out and answered it, seeing Tai standing in the doorway from where he'd been starting dinner preparations. "Summer?"
"Raven! I need one of your portals, now!" Summer's voice was urgent and sounded breathless.
Their training was too ingrained and Raven stood quickly, concentrating on Summer and slashing through the air with her hand. The red-edged portal opened in the center of the room, and moments later Summer staggered through, Qrow half-walking, half-draped over her shoulder as they nearly fell to the ground. "Close it!" Summer gasped.
Raven clenched her fist and the portal snapped closed in an instant. She and Tai rushed over, Tai taking Qrow's weight, while Raven helped Summer straighten up. "What happened?"
"There were so many," Summer gasped. "But Qrow's hurt – we need to get him to the hospital. His Aura broke in the fight and he went down, but I managed to beat them back long enough to get to him and call you." Summer's face was streaked with dirt and splashes of Grimm ooze.
"Right – let me call Ozpin, see if he can send an airship for us. The ferry will take too long," Tai replied already going for his Scroll as he led Qrow over to the couch. Her twin had some deep lacerations on his arms and face, bleeding sluggishly, but he seemed dazed and not entirely conscious. His red cape was even more tattered than usual, and also splashed with blood and streaks of black Grimm ooze. Tai lowered Qrow down, before he spoke again. "Oz, we need help. Summer and Qrow just had Raven evacuate them out of their mission – Qrow's hurt, and we need an airship or an ambulance to get him to Vale General."
"I'm sending help now," came the familiar, calm voice. "I'll meet you at Vale General."
Raven helped Summer over to one of the armchairs, scanning the other woman for any injuries, but Summer seemed fine – just exhausted. There were stress or pain lines forming across her forehead and causing her eyes to have a pinched look, but other than that, she seemed uninjured save for a few small scrapes and bruises.
"I'm okay," Summer said. "Qrow…"
"Help is on the way," Taiyang assured her. "Oz will meet us at the hospital and you can fill us in on what happened."
It seemed to take ages for the air ambulance to arrive, but the attendants were quick and efficient and got Qrow onto a stretcher and into the ambulance. The rest of them followed, and a short time later, Qrow had been whisked back to the treatment rooms at the hospital, and the rest of them had commandeered a waiting room reserved for Huntsmen. Summer was checked over and deemed fine, other than exhaustion due to Aura drain and advised to rest for a few days when she rejoined them in waiting for news on Qrow's condition.
"Summer, what happened?"
The familiar voice of the Headmaster immediately ignited Raven's anger again, but she tamped it down with an effort, wanting to hear what her team leader had to say.
"It seemed so straightforward at first," Summer began. "We met up with the Mistral Huntsmen and Huntresses and they filled us in on what they knew. It was a large group of Grimm, but nothing we couldn't handle – Beowolves, Boarbatusks, some small Nevermores, and a few Ursa. But they seemed unusually coordinated for Grimm. I'm not sure how, but at some point there was enough of a lull in the battle that I looked around and realized Qrow and I had been separated from the other Huntsmen and Huntresses. We could still hear them, but we couldn't see them, and then…"
"What?" Tai and Ozpin asked together. Raven remained silent, her arms folded over her chest as she listened.
"There were…new Grimm. Some I've never seen before, and I've done plenty of missions in Mistral," Summer said. "Huge, thick-bodied Grimm that dragged their bellies on the ground, but they had massive jaws and incredible biting force. I saw one bite a thick branch clean in half. Anyone caught in the jaws of one of those would have little chance, Aura or no Aura. There were also these gorilla-looking ones – they were so strong and so tough. They had a huge reach, so getting around them to do any damage was difficult. And there were these strange, winged Grimm – not Nevermores. They stood more upright – almost like a human, but the head was hunched forward, and there were four-clawed hands on its wings."
Summer paused for breath. "They swarmed us, but they seemed more intent on Qrow than on me. We were still close enough to the other Huntsmen that I didn't feel safe enough to try to use my eyes. One of the winged Grimm got underneath Harbinger's reach and managed to break through Qrow's Aura, and then they piled on him. I jumped in, managed to beat them back long enough to buy us some breathing room, and got Raven to open a portal so we could get out."
"They were focused on Qrow? Not on you?" Ozpin asked.
"It seemed like they were trying to push both of us back," Summer replied. "The new Grimm didn't start showing up until we were well away from immediate help from the rest of the group, but Qrow was cutting them down so smoothly with Harbinger, it was almost like they focused on him to get rid of him. It made my job easier, but it prevented me from helping him as efficiently as I normally would." Summer's silver eyes were full of guilt. "I just – I've never seen Grimm coordinating their attacks like that."
Focused on Qrow…
"I'm sure that once you've had some more time to think things over after speaking with my dear Ozma, you'll come to the right decision."
Was this…was Salem trying to remind her about the decision that was in front of her. Had she targeted Qrow deliberately somehow to force her to make a choice?
"Family for Branwen?"
They all looked up at that and Raven stepped forward. "I'm his sister, and these are his teammates," she said gesturing at Tai and Summer, and deliberately ignoring Ozpin.
"Your brother's going to be fine," the doctor said. "He has some minor injuries, but a strong Aura, so they should heal quickly and completely. We didn't find any signs of poisoning, or anything that would cause lingering damage. My best estimate is that he'll be back on his feet within a few days, and at full strength in a week."
Raven nodded wordlessly, seeing Summer and Tai relaxing out of the corner of her eye. "Can he come home?"
"We're going to keep him overnight for observation as a precaution, just to make sure his Aura begins recovering satisfactorily, but he can go home in the morning."
"Okay," Raven said quietly.
Qrow recovered quickly and fully, as the doctor had expected, and within a week he was back out on missions with Summer. But the scare impacted all of them – Summer and Qrow going out together more often than not to watch each other's backs. Tai kept his missions more local, mostly helping with training missions for the Beacon students, so that he would be nearby as Raven grew closer to her due date. But Raven couldn't get the idea that the attack on Qrow had been a warning to her – a warning that Salem was growing impatient.
And what about her child? What sort of a world would it be born into? Salem and Ozpin were still waging their secret shadow war, and that wasn't likely to change before the baby grew up. It would mean the child would be at risk for becoming one of Ozpin's secret soldiers, since she couldn't imagine that their baby wouldn't want to be a Huntsman or Huntress when it was old enough. Another sacrifice to a shadow war? And if Salem found out about the baby, it would be another target – like Qrow, Summer, and Taiyang.
It was an endless cycle of worry and fear and resentment building inside her again every time she thought about the likelihood of her child becoming one of Ozpin's weapons – one of Salem's victims.
And finally the day came.
Her labor started early in the morning. Ever prepared and organized, Taiyang called for an air ambulance again and got her to the hospital, where it would be safer. Pain was one of many negative emotions that could attract Grimm, so getting into the Kingdom itself, where the defenses were higher, was much safer than trying to deliver the baby at the doctor's office in Patch.
Qrow and Summer were alerted and came to the hospital to wait with them as well, until it was finally time for Raven to go to the delivery room. The next span of time was a blur of pain and effort as her body fought to expel the baby, Tai holding her hand and whispering encouragement into her ear as she pushed.
"It's a girl!" came the phrase they'd been waiting to hear, followed almost immediately by a short, angry cry as their daughter tested her new lungs.
Raven reached out to accept the baby, already seeing the bright gold fuzz on the infant's head – like Tai's, rather than her own dark locks. Taiyang was right there, slipping a finger into the baby's palm and watching as she instinctively clamped down on the digit. "She's beautiful, Raven. A little ray of sunshine." He smiled. "That's what we should call her – Yang. Yang Xiao Long, our sunny little dragon."
Raven only nodded in acceptance and held her daughter closer. She was here now – and immediately a target if Salem ever learned about her. For her daughter's safety… Raven couldn't stay – but she couldn't accept Salem's offer either. For her family – Qrow, Summer, Taiyang… Yang… she would have to leave.
Oh my gosh folks! This took SO long to finish! Raven is SO hard to write since we know so little about her past. I'm sure something is going to happen in the show canonically that will make all of this just complete AU, but this was my attempt to put some backstory on Raven with the few clues that we have been given.
I was determined to get this out before Volume 9 premieres, and I managed it! Hopefully the long wait hasn't cost me any readers, and again I apologize for the delay. Going to try to get back to more regular updates now that I'm past this chapter and basically having to make up backstory wholesale for a character who is still not of primary importance in the main series - yet.
Thank you once again to my beta - TheFullMetalBitch for all your help with this chapter and for finally kicking my ass into gear with your encouragement!