The mornings were always cool, so the training was always a bit more tolerable. He swung the scythe, the blade cutting smoothly and silently through the air. Reaching the end of its path with a twist of his wrist and a turn of his body, the leverage of his shoulder helped guide it back up in a wicked swipe.

"Well done," Lamagier said quietly. Sitting on a stump nearby his own scythe rested across his lap as he watched with a meticulous eye, as Jaune went through his training regimen. The boy before him moved with few errors, soon enough he'd be ready to move to true high level training with the weapon. The old man could see the hints of a great warrior that Raven had promised.

He said nothing to his grandfather, simply kept going, continuing his forms, until she showed up at least.

"Jaune, you should drink some water." Violet said, coming up to him with a flask. A smile on her face.

"Violet… Grandfather is instru-" he started, the old man shooting a cold look at her.

"No buts! Drink some water. It will get hot soon, and you've been training all morning, I don't want you to be dehydrated." she snaps with a grin, she looks over at Lamagier, returning his cool look. "After all, you can't train yourself into exhaustion if you pass out from dehydration first."

She tosses him a flask, and he looks to his grandfather. The old man glares, but nods. After drinking his fill, he takes up his scythe again, and begins moving twice as fast. Knowing if he didn't he'd just be punished. Shaking her head, but accepting the small victory, Violet moves and sits down next to Lamagire before speaking quietly.

"What's with the cold look Lam, you know I'm right."

The man silently adjusts his robes. And doesn't say anything. Just grunts continuing to watch Jaune.

"You really think he'll end up a failure taking a couple seconds to drink?" She says looking disgusted at him.

"My Son did."

"From the stories Qrow wasn't drinking water," she snaps back.

"He went from hiding behind his sister, to hiding behind that school. The boy doesn't hide behind you. But you push him behind you enough that he's no better than my fool of a son."

"I keep you and Raven from killing him. Is the pride of the Branwen name so important to you all that you have to push a child to these extremes?"

"The name must live on." he says plainly.

"Doesn't Raven have that other brat? Vernal?" she asks, already knowing the answer as she's watched said girl follow the bandit queen around like a loyal puppy.

"Just a tool, not blood" he says, before calling out for Jaune to correct his form and move faster.

"I don't think the girl sees it that way."

"Does a tool know it's a tool? Or does it work loyally at its master's beck and call?"

She stretches with a grunt feeling her back pop in all the right places. Before shrugging.

"If you use a tool wrong it'll hurt you. Just a heads up. The girl is a pretty strong tool too from what I've seen. I'd hate to see Raven make a nice shiny tool only to have accidentally made her own guillotine."

"If she loses to her own servant she deserves it for being weak."

"Says the old man who lost to Raven herself. What does that make you? Father being beaten by child."

The air near them seems colder with the sheer hate coming from him. He turns to her with a killing look. But Violet just snears back. All in the tribe Know Lamagier lost to Raven, and all know as a result the man isn't a fraction of the fighter he used to be. Unable to even competently help with raids. Still a master with the Scythe, but unable to wield it for extended fights. Violet and him had fought once, a spectacle for sure when the younger woman unexpectedly won. From then on, only his title as former chief had stopped the other members of the tribe from robbing him of all his best possessions.

"Be silent. I have instructing to do."

"It's a raid day… Raven said I had to bring Jaune. The camp's getting ready right now."

He grunts with displeasure.

"Boy! Go with Violet, Raven wants you." he barks out loudly. Jaune stops mid slash, sweat on his brow. He looks at Violet before looking to his grandfather. The old man snorts before looking away with a glare.

Returning the blade to his back he nods and follows Violet.

He's been so quiet as of late. Violet knew it had to do with his father. She had been there when Raven had broken the news. Qrow had stopped following them. She could see in his eyes he didn't believe her, but at the same time some part of him did. He had been taken when he was only eight, now he was thirteen. She had done her best to keep him safe, healthy, and loved. The boy like her younger sibling.

Despite his words Lam was wrong, she had gotten much stronger. With every training session that went too far she would fight them. Lam or Raven. And had the scars to prove it. But she'd never back down. She needed to keep him safe. Figure out a way for them to escape. And maybe today was their chance.

Wrapping an arm around his shoulder she gently rubbed his other arm in support.

"You're getting better using that every time I see you, Jaune." she says, booping her head against his. She couldn't see it, but the way the air just seemed lighter, and how he walked a little straighter told her he was smiling, proud to receive the praise. She then stopped them on the path back to camp, before gently turning him to face her.

"Jaune… I need to tell you something."

"... are you leaving?" he asked before she could think of a way to tell him about her plan.

"What? No, no no no no, of course not. It's not that at all." she says looking panicked for a second. Visible relief crossed his face.

"I thought you might have gotten sick of fighting Raven over me all the time… I see how hurt you get. And I wish I had a semblance or something to help you." he says quietly, "It's not good for you to fight her so much. I-I think if you don't stop soon she'll kill you… I don't want that…" he looked so uncomfortable even saying it. She had been the one steady hope that everything would be okay for years. But even he knew the fights between her and Raven kept getting more and more serious. And soon they wouldn't be just fights till Violet was unconscious anymore.

Even if she wasn't as strong a fighter as Raven, her weather semblance kept getting stronger. Like nature itself obeyed her every whim.

She stayed silent for a second before finally saying with a nod.

"I know… I can see it in her eyes. I don't think there will be a next fight for us," She looks him in the eyes. "That's why I think it's time you and I run away."

The sudden shock across his face would have been comical if it had been any other scenario.

"Her semblance, she'll find us without even having to try" he says quickly in a panic. Everyone knew no one ever leaves the Branwen tribe.

"I know, I know… but I think I have a plan for that. You just need to trust me okay?" she says, he looks away, the fear still in his eyes. The idea of ever escaping such an alien thought. "Hey… it's me. Trust me okay?" She leans forward and presses a gentle Kiss to his forehead.

"I swear, I won't let anything bad happen to you, you just gotta trust me."

Finally looking back at her, he closes his eyes, taking a deep breath he nods.

"I will. I'll trust you."

"Thank you, now listen closely. Raven said today is gonna be your first raid. And since we all know she'll only fight the strongest. She ordered me to keep you close. Once all the chaos starts, we're gonna run. I want you to run, first. To the east. I'll help cover your escape and meet you soon enough. It'll be too obvious if I run at the beginning of the raid. So I'll have to chase someone off into the forest. Do you understand?"

"Running wont stop her." he says solemnly.

"I know. But you just gotta trust me that I have a plan for Raven too. I just can't tell you about it."

"Bu-"

"You said you trusted me." she says looking him dead in the eye.

"I do bu-"

"No buts! Just trust me. I know it's scary. I'm scared too. But you gotta trust that I know what I'm doing." she gave him a small, but comforting smile. Finally he sighs before leaning in to hug her. And whispering

"I'm sorry, I do trust you."

Jaune saw the camp get ready for a Raid before, it was always a massive event. People got ready for it in all different kinds of ways. Some drank, some fucked, some got high, since there was always a chance an strong hunter would make it your last day on Remnant. But others like Raven, Violet, and now Jaune cleaned and sharpened their weapons. Sure they did the same the night before, but just to ensure their equipment was in peak condition Raven sat cleaning Omen meticulously.

Jaune watches his Aunt work. At moments like these it was almost like she wasn't the same woman who would train him till his bones almost broke, and body almost gave out. She seemed almost human. The small smile on her lips as she slid the whetstone across the blade's length, checked and double checked her dust supply. She seemed happy. Which to him was a rare sight.

But he knew under that grin was still the horrible woman he had the misfortune of being related to. The one who could tell such vile lies like his father had stopped looking for him. He knew it was just empty words that she used to hurt him. His heart filled with hurt remembering the way she had smiled down at him,

"What did I just say? He. Stopped. Looking"

Those words had triggered one of the few times he genuinely fought back against her. Of course it had been brutally one sided, and had nearly cost him his life. But he'd never accept those words. Those terrible horrible lies. He knew in his heart his dad was looking. And one day they'd be together again. Dad, Mom, Yang, Ruby, uncle Tai, and now hopefully Violet. Once they got away, he'd take her home to Patch. And they could all be family again.

"Jaune. This is your first raid, excited?" a familiar voice said, pulling him out of his thoughts of happier places. Turning to his side a girl about a year or so older than him plopped down next to him. Her clothes, pretty simple, combat pants and boots, a brown leather jacket with the sleeves cut off and a black tank top under. Her circular blades on her hips, a wide grin on her face, and her shoulder length hair pulled into a wolf's tail. She grined bumping his arm.

"Yes it is Vernal." he says, honestly unsure how to act around her. She was surprisingly nice to him. Probably due to his ability to beat her in a fight. Remembering their first meeting when she first joined the tribe. She was instantly aggressive to him and challenged him to a fight. Raven wouldn't let him ignore it. And it had ended with his sword to her throat. After that, she'd be all nice and buddy buddy with him. Raven actually took her as a third student, even if she mainly focused on training Violet and him over her.

Maybe her thought was the closer the two got, the more serious Raven would take her training. He didn't know, and frankly didn't care.

"Fuckin sweet, you're gonna love it! I've never felt such a rush!" she says happily moving her arms animatedly as she talks.

"I'm sure it is." he says finishing his polishing on the Scythe his grandfather had given him until he makes his own weapon.

"But just wait till you really get your hands messy," she says wistfully, "that's something else."

"I guess I'll have to experience it myself to know," he says feigning interest, Violet looks at him and rolls her eyes at the younger girl's words.

"Hell yeah you will, hey! Lets make a bet!" she says suddenly grabbing his arms, he looks up from his work at her again, mildly annoyed shes grabbing him like that.

"A bet?"

"Yeah something easy liiiiike… if i get more valuable stuff than you, you gotta give me something I want. And if you win. Hmmmm. I'll give you a kiss." she says giving him a look that made him uncomfortable.

"Doesn't seem like a fair trade," Violet says, interrupting them with a frown, "Besides, doesn't look like he's terribly interested anyways Vern"

"Vernal" she snaps angrily at Violet, before recoiling at her cold stare. Both know Violet would still snap her like a twig despite Raven always calling her "weak", Vernal had seen them fight, and knew she wasn't by normal people's standards. So with a huff she gets up and storms away. Jaune can't help but feel a bit better knowing this was one of the last times he'd have to deal with her. She definitely was only trying to get close because she wanted the key to training that would make her strong like Raven. Too bad for her, even if he asked nicely Raven would just ignore his requests like all the rest.

"Alright you degenerates!" Raven said, shouting out as she stood up sheathing her blade.

Men and women, faunus and humans alike came from their own prep places, some stomping out cigarettes and chugging their last few drops of whisky, others stumbling from tents adjusting their clothes as their partners followed doing the same.

"It's time to live up to our reputation!" she crys out! Holding her arms out as she stands over her gathering bandits. Cheers ring out, the glee in their expressions filled with murderous intent, "There's a village ripe for the taking! So what are we gonna do!?"

"TAKE IT" they roar

"What are we gonna take!?"

"WHATEVER WE WANT!!!!" they scream

"How are we gonna take it!"

"BY FORCE!!!" they rage

"AND WHY ARE WE GONNA TAKE IT!"

"BECAUSE WE ARE STRONG!!!!" chant, weapons unsheath, guns are cocked, and smiles of violence and malice are spread.

"Remember the plan" Violet whispered into his ear just before Raven gave her final command.

"Then go fucking take it!" Raven says her own wild smile as she grabs her helm and jumps from her position, the others flocking around her as they charge.

Jaune ran hard, and fast, able to outrun all but the fastest. Raven, Violet, and a few other adults in the tribe who had aura.

They descended on the unsuspecting Village like a hurricane. And in what seemed like a moment, fire, smoke, and screams filled the air. It all happened so fast, the small militia fought desperately, and a duo of hunters supported them. Until the moment Raven descended on the Hunters. Even the two of them. A fit looking woman, and hulking man were no match for the incarnate of death that was Raven Branwen. He only saw a few seconds of the fight, but anyone who knew anything about battle knew dead people standing when they saw it.

The way she so easily slipped through the gaps in their defenses, contorted around their weapons, and struck at them with the fury of a thousand storms… It was a beautiful dance of brutality. Other tribe members overtook the militia with ease, and those not obstructed by fighters simply stormed houses, taking what they wanted and leaving them engulfed in flames. The scent of blood thick in the air. Other members dragged people screaming and thrashing from the homes taken to be ransomed, or killed.

Fear engulfed him as he watched all the evil explode around him. His head pounding in his ears blocking out everything, until the one thought burst forth.

Run. and he did.

With the majority of the fighting starting to die down, Raven already slain one of the huntsmen. Violet made her escape. She Ran, letting the wind help her move even more quickly, until with lighting on her tail she crashed into Raven. The shock in the older woman's eyes was almost vindicating as she launched them deep into the forest before finally stopping. Raven flopping down to the ground hitting roots and finally a tree before coming to a halt, her blade sticking in the ground to stop her momentum.

"Violet" she growled looking up at her. Before standing up to her full height looking down on the younger girl. "What are you doing?"

"Informing you I'm leaving, and taking Jaune with me" she says definitely. Flames flickering in her eyes, the sky starting to blacken as thunder rumbles in the distance. Rain gently started to fall. "Consider this a warning to stay the fuck away from us."

Raven glares and pulls her blade from the ground.

"You know if you keep using those she'll come for you. Stop now and I'll only beat you half to death. And I'll let my nephew rest for a week." she says her voice cold, not even a hint of her usual condescending, or smug tone.

"I mean it Raven! No more! This is it! Done! Over! You act so fucking smug but you're afraid of this power I have!"

"I'm not afraid of it. I just know who follows where it goes." She says her tone unchanging.

"Then maybe we'll just run to that person! Cause no one can be as fucking horrible as you!" she screams, her chain scythes in her hands. The chain drops to the ground as she takes a fighting stance. Raven's eyes narrow. And she takes a stance of her own.

"If you knew anything you'd watch what you say. I've been nothing but tolerant of your foolishness and weakness. I've indulged your whims too many times to count. But this is where the line is Violet. Go back to camp. Now."

"I won't, and you know that." she says her eyes narrowing.

"Then you've dug your grave, now lay in it."

No more words were exchanged, as both women launched at each other. Sword and chain scythe met in a shower of sparks, before engaging in a violent exchange of slashes and blows, each aiming to kill, nothing but bloodlust present between the two.

Violet's style focuses on range, knowing in an outright fight she'd never win. But Raven made it incredibly hard to keep distance as she kept pressing forward with blade of dust after blade of dust. Her power fills her, and in a powerful gust of wind, Raven is thrown back, righting herself midair, she lands horizontally against a tree before launching herself back at a mindblowing pace sword outstretched.

Swinging her chain around her head, Violet brings it down with a snap like a whip, managing to force the blade to the side, but unable to stop Raven from crashing into her. Sending them both tumbling across the ground. Feeling as a handful of her hair is taken, Violet cries out feeling as it's tugged up before being violently smashed into the dirt. As her head is lifted again. She manages to twist her leg around before using her thigh to flip them over, now able to move her arms better, a scythe blade is swung aiming for Raven's ribs,

Forced to let go of her hair, Raven maneges to move her sword in a way that the tsuba catches the blade taking the attack. With her superior strength she throws Violet off her. With a simple backwards somersault she's on her feet again, launching herself towards the still stumbling Violet. With a powerful slash across her stomach and a glimmer of aura she's sent flying. Taking a moment to catch her breath Raven changes her blade from standard to a Ice dust blade.

Violet gets to her feet with a wince, aura or not the slash hurt. With a click, her scythe shifts into a gun and she gets off a few shots, but most of them miss or are deflected by Raven's blade. With a deep breath, Violet focuses on her power, knowing she'll need it to survive. As it bursts to life under her skin, her eyes finally fully burst with flame as a bolt of lighting falls from the heavens to her hand.

Raven glares but keeps moving forward, Violet jumps into the air propelled by rushing winds, before rushing down at her, bolt of lightning in her hand aimed like a spear. With a thought, suddenly Violet finds herself diving into a black and red portal, now instead of rushing at Raven, the woman's Knee finds her gut, as the but of her blade meets her spine.

With a cry of pain she pushes herself away in a panic falling to the side, only to suddenly be falling down into a wide slash again to her back launching her back into the air. Before she finally falls roughly into the ground.

With an angry growl she slams her hand onto the ground and it shatters, disrupting Raven's footing, giving her enough time for one of her chain scythes to catch her by the side slamming her into a tree. She lets lightning fall down in wild strikes of lightning. All Raven can do is jump through portals and dodge as Violet pursues her. Trees splinter in her wake, as her power brutalizes them with wind, fire, and lightning.

Finally diving through one portal, Violet barely has time to react as Raven collides with her mid-air knocking her from the sky, leaving a patch of ice on her arm. The cold burns until she melts it with her fire. She can feel she doesn't have many hits left before her aura shatters, and Violet looks determined launching back into the fight. Knowing this is her only way out, Jaune's only way out. The death of Raven.

The two charge each other. Raven's skill with a blade, tested with Violet's influence over the elements. Each attack carrying the weight of bloodlust, each flicker of aura a single step closer to promised victory. Till finally as she ducked under a blast of fire, Raven's blade struck true, a thrust to her throat that finally made Violet's aura blaze in defiance, before shimmering and giving out in a dazzling final glow.

Falling to her knees, Violet coughs and gasps for air, the power of the spring maiden dying down as she takes massive gulps of oxygen. Raven, can feel her own aura could likely only take another hit before it too shattered.

"I tried to help. You. I tried to be kind, but all you've ever been is a weak brat who doesn't know when to keep their nose out of other people's families."

As she looks back up from her coughing and gasping, the flame returning to her eyes, Violet feels a sharp pinch in her chest, before blaring pain. A warm wet feeling as the blood pumping through her heart spilled from the wound leading in right between her breasts and exiting along with the end of Raven's blade through her spine. And there they sat for a good while, blade in her chest, all thoughts and memories flooding her mind faster and faster until just a quiet hum of pain invaded her mind. The blade was pulled and her body crumpled. But the last thing she felt before her final breath was the sudden overwhelming feeling of static electricity flooding the air.

Jaune had done as told, running as far as he could. That was until the sky blacked, and the ground shook, looking back over his shoulder he saw it. The way the clouds swirled unnaturally in the sky, the eye of the storm was where he knew she would be.

"Violet… What are you doing?" he whispered to himself. Before turning and running in the direction of the forming storm. Getting ever closer he could hear the cracks of thunder, the sizzle of lightning, and feel the force of the howling wind. He knew it was her, he'd felt her power a few times before. But never like this. Never so much of it. Whenever he asked her about it, she said she couldn't control it well enough to show him very much.

But from what he saw and felt. He knew it was her. Running past shattered and burning trees, past frozen trees, and scared ground, he kept pushing himself closer, even as his lungs burned with the effort, and his legs began to feel numb. Finally seeing something in the distance, he saw two figures, one undoubtedly Violet, and the other one… the other one he also knew without a doubt. Cause who else could fight her.

Seeing she was coughing on the ground, and the storm instantly was letting up, Jaune forced himself just a little faster, he needed to get to her. To help her. He just needed to. He could feel in his gut something bad was about to happen. But with speed it would take him years to catch up so he could only stumble to the ground, eyes wide, as he watched, as if in slow motion. The tip of Omen touches her chest, before pressing forward and with a horrid squelch exit her back in a small splash of gore. His heart froze at that moment and he could only look, as if watching some horrible dream unfold.

All he could hear was his own heavy breathing, as the blood rushed in his ears blocking out all but that and his own heartbeat. The way she coughed again and blood spilled across those lips he often found smiling at him. Those arms that often wrapped gently around him falling to the side, as her hands that often bandaged him dropped her weapon. Her head slumped forward against Raven. But he couldn't see Raven at the moment, her visage not important enough to distract him from the way Violet shook, as her clothes were stained red.

Save her. A little voice called to him. Save her. Save her. Save her. I need to save her. Move to save her. You need to go save her. It called to him again and again. And just as he began to move, getting to his feet. He felt those scarlet eyes on him. The Nevermore helm seems to have been dropped in the conflict. Those cold and horrible scarlet eyes looking into panicked mirrors. With a wet sound his eyes returned to Violet. Just in time to see the blade withdrawn from her body, before it slumped to the ground like a broken doll.

He stared for a second. Then two. Then who knows how long he lay on the ground, eyes fixed on her body… no, her corpse.

Finally after what seemed like forever scarlet eyes met their doppelgangers again. And with them, came flooding the hate. Drowning the fear, downing the cowardice, downing sense and logic. The unyielding hate.

Hate. hate her. Hate her. Hate her. Hate her. Hurt her. Hurt her. HURT HER. HURT HER. HURT HER

No.

KILL.

That single word, a prayer to any god that may exist, grant him the power to kill. Thunder cracked through the air, as the sky blackened once more. Scarlet eyes glowed with power. Winds picked up, and the temperature rapidly fluctuated, but as this happened, a second pair of scarlet eyes crackled to life full of deadly intent. And in the moment they met again, fire met lightning, lighting the color of blood. And with a crack, two bodies hit the ground, one in agony, and one overexerted and unconscious.

Qrow was sat in the living room of the Rose-Xiao Long household, watching tv with his teammates, the children in bed for the night. The three of them enjoying some late night program when Summer's Scroll was suddenly playing some silly jingle and buzzing, throwing her for a loop due to the late night call. Pulling it out, she looked at the caller ID, before glaring and silencing the device.

With a sigh he knew what was about to happen. Summer still hadn't forgiven Oz for his reluctance to throw them all his support in finding Jaune. A problem that still plagued all of their hearts. So she hadn't been answering his calls. Which of course led the old wizard to call him and ask her to pick up the scroll. Or take the mission himself. And just as if on cue there it was his call.

Buzz buzz, buzz buzz, buzz buzz

"Yeah I get it." he mumbled to himself but still smirked as he saw Summer frown at him. Being respectful he got up and walked into the kitchen to take the call, "Hey Oz, what do you need?" he asks in his usual tone.

"Yes hello Qrow. I hate to bother you this late at night. But I could feel it. Seems the seasons have changed again. And some weather reports in Mistral would support this idea." the headmaster says in a very serious tone. Qrow understood at once. It was code, just in case the line was being listened in on. There was a new maiden. It was impossible to know which one. Or who. Are exactly where. But Ozpin had enough connection to his old magic that he could feel when it changed users. And the weather report only helped the case. Typically new users couldn't control the power at all in their first day or so of having it. Unable to hide themselves due to the sudden weather changes.

He knew what Oz was going to ask now. If he'd go looking for the new maiden. Probably hoping he'd take Sum and Tai with him.

Leaning against the counter, Qrow listened to Oz ask pretty much exactly that, and in turn he told him he couldn't promise anything, but he'd try. Mistral, a place he had to go back to soon anyways.

Alone in the kitchen, he could only ponder for a while. Wondering if this would be one of Salem's minions finally getting control of one of the maidens, or perhaps just some unlucky soul. He didn't know. But as long as they were unknown he hated to say it, but she was a potential threat.

"Dad? I'm hungry" a voice suddenly cut though his thoughts, and he smiled. Shaking his head he spoke with a chuckle.

"Well then lightning rod, let's find you a snack. But again… you should really still be in bed Nora."

AN: fear not loyal readers. All shall be explained soon enough. Sorry if Violet's death felt rushed, admittedly it kinda was, but also to be fair, i wasn't sure what to do with him and her for 5 years other than training, and her protecting him here and there. Idk. Anyhow, I hope you liked this new chapter. Even if its reaaaaaaally fucking late lol. Sorry about that. Life really is just so messy and busy. On that note. Haha! FIND OUT MORE ABOUT EVERYTHING NEXT TIME ON DRAGON BALL Z!!!!!!!