Chapter 91 - Branwen Camp - Forcing the Matter

Year 73VE, December to Year 74VE, January

Cover Art by Mi Chumi

SUPER SPECIAL EXTRA CHAPTER CAUSE MERRY CHRISTMAS!

(AND A HAPPY HALF MILLION WORDS! WHOO!)

(If you've already read "A Branwen Kind of Therapy" one-shot, then you've read this chapter.

"I tell you, Qrow, she's using that eye of hers as a damn crutch."

Qrow Branwen regarded his sister sourly through the scroll. "Well, apparently we're in the end times, Rae, because I just fucking agreed with you." Raven barked a laugh. "No seriously, I've brought up the fact that Ironwood's offered to get her a state-of-the-art prosthetic at least a dozen times. And she keeps putting it off." He shook his head. "And the last time, I mentioned it in front of Tai, and that pissed her off. And then he pulled me aside, and told me that he was working on it, and to leave it."

"Bullshit." Qrow watched as the background rotated, which meant Raven was up and pacing. "Tai's wrapped around Summer's fucking finger. He's not gonna push her into anything. This is up to you and me." She frowned, and her voice lowered. "She thinks… that she's not up to it any more. That's the real problem, Qrow. She thinks she's…" Raven's face pinched like she'd eaten something nasty "weak." She eyeballed her brother. "And she ain't. You know damn well the only thing holding her back is her. We just have to get her to see it."

"Oh, and how the hell do you expect to do that?"

Raven's mouth crooked up. "I've got an idea or three, but we'll have to get Tai on board."

When Summer had contacted Raven to ask whether she'd be willing to give them a boost to Menagerie via portal, she was surprised at how quickly her friend had agreed.

"Not a problem, Summer. Visha's heading that way in a few days anyway, and I was hoping to convince her to give me a hand with The Tribe." She tapped her lips. "You're still thinking about moving to Menagerie next year?"

"When Yang starts Combat School, yeah."

Raven gave a genuine smile. "Good. The faster you're out of Ozpin's arms-reach, the happier I'll be." She went thoughtful. "Do have one demand, though."

"Oh?"

"Plan on spending a few days visiting with me first. I'd like to show you some Branwen hospitality."

When Summer stepped through Raven's portal, Ruby's hand in hers, her eyes went from Raven's pleased face to the camp spread out in front of them. Raven had opted to create the portal just outside its gates, which were wide open.

Branwen Camp… wasn't really a camp any more. Not the way it had been. When Summer had first been freed from the Grimmlands, she'd spent days there. She'd seen how Raven and her Tribe were living. The Camp had been a semipermanent thing. Sure, there was a log stockade, but the structures inside were all temporary with dirt paths, except for Raven's tent which was a little more semipermanent.

This was more like a rough village, just out of sight of the larger town of Kuroyuri. And it was double the size she remembered. A little more spread out. A little more structured. There were a few more formal buildings, including a blacksmithy. The most-used paths had crushed stone and borders to hold it in.

And there was a clear mixture of Tribe and townsfolk milling about, too. That was the other thing. She glanced behind her as the portal closed, and saw a handful of carts traveling to and from the camp along a well-tended cart-road. She caught Tai's raised eyebrow and nod, meaning he'd noticed the same things.

As her girls stared around in awe, Summer felt a warmth in her chest.

Raven was… changing, if her Tribe was any bellwether.

Changing for the better.

"Summer, Tai." Raven looked down. "Ruby." And then her mouth quirked. "Yang. Welcome to Branwen Camp."

"We gonna get some spars in, Auntie Raven?" Yang said cheekily, and her birth mother let the quirk turn into a grin.

"Damn right we will. And probably learn a few important lessons, too. You've seen most of this, but I'm going to give the other three a full tour. Might even stop by Kuroyuri so you can see the kind of respect the Branwen name gets these days."

"Sounds good to me," Summer laughed. "Lead the way."

. . .

Raven hadn't been joking. Things had changed. For one thing, the Tribe felt a lot less on edge. While they were still rough-acting, and much more physical in dealing with disputes than most civilians, it didn't have that 'you could get your shit taken and kicked to the curb any minute' feel that it used to. Summer remarked as much to Raven.

And got a scowl.

"Don't think we're getting fucking soft, Summer." Raven replied, with a hint of that old defensiveness.

"I didn't say that," Summer protested, crossing her arms.

"Well don't think it, either. We've cut our teeth on Grimm, and we're still seeing action at least once a week." She stared off into the distance and her voice lowered.. "Getting to be a pain in the ass, too, having to use my portals all the time." She continued more loudly, "I'm thinking about demanding a Bullhead out of the moneybags."

Summer rolled her eye. "They're not a bottomless pit of funds, Rae."

"They'll find the money, and hell, we can even count it against what they've been covering." She'd be damned if she called herself leasing a bullhead from them. But counting the bullhead as part of payment? That didn't sound half bad. "And we've been able to upgrade our gear, too, now that we don't have to pick up and move as often." She led them over to a reinforced structure. "Got a real armory now. The issue is being able to get people and weapons where we need 'em as fast as we need 'em." She eyeballed her friend. "Think you can give me a hand with that transport request?"

"Happy to ask Selene."

"Good. She fucking owes us."

"I still owe her, Rae."

"Whatever."

. . .

They met Vernal, who wasn't quite as much of a pain in the ass as the last time Summer had met her. Though that was hard to tell. Vernal tended to be wary of making Summer angry, because of Raven's reaction. And Raven mentioned that she'd be leaving the Camp that week, for reasons she didn't go into.

And they met the totally-not-a-huntress Dania, whose real name Summer and Tai were both fully aware of. She seemed a little wary of them at first, like they were a risk to her or a painful reminder, but warmed up fairly quickly. They talked a bit about the work she'd been doing, training Branwen's Aura users as well as a handful of kids from the nearby town.

And then they visited Kuroyuri itself.

Summer was, despite herself, shocked at the reception Raven Branwen received from the town militia guarding the entrance. It was a strange blend of pleased and wary. A grudging respect mixed with a tinge of fear. The townsfolk themselves, though, were an even greater shock.

Many of them stopped Raven and wished her a good day. Several offered her a trifle, a drink or cake or sweet. A handful of them remembered Tai and Summer by sight as well, and were effusive in their praise for how the Huntsmen had killed the Nuckelavee and saved the town three years prior.

And Raven soaked it up.

"They like you," Tai observed.

"Damn right they do. As well they should. Helped their asses out three more times since that night."

"Oh?"

"Yep. After that Nuckelavee fucker, there was a group of shitheads thought they'd sneak in a raid while the town was on its knees. And then two other Grimm attacks. Nothing we couldn't handle ourselves." She eyeballed Summer. "Though wouldn't have turned you down if you wanted in on some action." Her gaze scanned up and down Summer's form. "Gets the circulation going. Keeps you from going soft."

"I'm good, Rae. Happy to help when you need me, but… I'm focused on family."

"Right. Well, I'm family too, or so you say."

"Yeah. You are," Summer agreed.

"That's right, Auntie Raven!" Yang added helpfully with a smirk.

. . .

They met Mayor Lin and a handful of other notables, who again thanked them for their help. One of these, a husband and wife, had nearly lost their lives that night. The wife was still in a wheelchair, but the husband, Mr. Ren, seemed to have escaped without permanent injury. The group treated them all to dinner, and afterward the children played together for a few hours before they were put up for the night in a local hostel.

"You'll be more comfortable here than in one of our tents anyway," Raven observed. "I'll come grab you in the morning after breakfast."

"What's the agenda tomorrow?"

"Oh, a little exercise, I'm thinking."

. . .

The next morning, Tai begged off and agreed to stay with the girls in Kuroyuri. Yang and Ruby had asked to spend the morning with Mr. and Mrs. Ren's two children, one clearly their own by birth, one adopted, who were of similar age and compatible temperament. And honestly, Tai knew what was likely to happen at Branwen Camp, and didn't want to see it anyway. It was likely to get ugly.

He knew that Raven wouldn't permanently hurt Summer. If there was anyone in the world that he could say that about, it was Raven. And hell, it wasn't like they hadn't sparred themselves into the infirmary more than once at Beacon using weapons. This time, Raven had promised she would make sure neither of them were armed.

He knew exactly what Raven would be doing, though. Better than he or anyone else on Remnant could do.

. . .

Raven was… currently, trying very hard to push all of Summer's buttons. She'd been at it for a bit already, and wasn't making a lot of progress, though she'd lured her friend into the middle of their sparring arena, such as it was. Little more than a wide open space in the midst of camp.

"Oh, come on, Summer. It's just a little spar." She said, crossing her arms. "And I don't even have Omen on me."

"Really, Rae, I'm not in the mood." Summer rejected.

"Mood, schmood. This isn't about feelings, Summer. It's about staying in shape. You were the one complaining that Ruby was running rings around you."

"Yeah well, I can do some jogging if I want-"

Raven scoffed. "Fuck that. Jogging?! You trainin' to run away?"

That hit a nerve. "Rae…"

"Don't you Rae me. You've been trash talking ever since you got back about how I have to listen to you, cause you can kick my ass. And maybe you can. But I want to see you prove it."

There. The gauntlet was down. But instead of getting mad, Summer grew very quiet. Her shoulders sloping. "Rae, don't do this," she almost begged.

"Watch me."

Summer shook her head, and turned to walk off.

And Raven Branwen freaking kicked her feet out from under her.

Summer went down. Actually went to her knees and hit the ground. "Dangit Rae!"

"S'matter?" Raven leered, "Don't like the taste of dirt? Taste a little like failure?" She reached out a hand, and Summer, eye narrowed, took it.

Raven hefted her up, and then shifted it into an elbow strike.

That one did not connect. Summer wasn't stupid. She knew her partner enough to know that an offer to help like that was a ruse. She pushed Aura to her arms and deflected the strike. One silver eye met two red. One face frowning. The other bore a slight smile.

"I said," Summer growled lowly, leaning in. "I. Am. Not. In. The. Mood."

"Do. Not. Fucking. Care." Raven replied airily, and struck at her with a quick jab.

Which Summer blocked again. The two separated, circling warily. Summer thought once to glance back toward Kuroyuri, and nearly got a knee bent the wrong way for it.

"Freaking… hell, Rae!"

Raven grinned. She was driving Summer to cursing. That was a good sign. A very good sign. "Fight me."

"Why?!"

"Because you're afraid to, chickenshit. That's why." She lunged in, and Summer flinched back. "Because you've convinced yourself that you're weak. Broken. Fucking defective."

Summer's face turned several colors. "No. This isn't… that's not the way, Rae. Dr. Maz-"

"Oh, fuck that coddling fucker. He doesn't know you, Summer. He's letting you heal."

Summer's face went incredulous. "Isn't that the freaking point?"

"Not if you don't set the fucking bone right, first. If you don't do that, then you'll be crippled for life."

The look on her friend's face was eloquent. "Shut up, you don't know anything."

"I hit a nerve. That brain doctor doesn't know you, but I do. We're doing this," she loosened her knees and brought both hands up, fists closed.

"I freaking said shut it, Rae." Summer half yelled. Her body language screamed tension. Fight or flight. Fists balling and opening but not yet raised.

"You're gimping yourself!" Raven threw another punch, a jab, which Summer quickly blocked. Then a quick combination of strikes. Also Blocked. Summer wasn't lowering her arms now, matching Raven's stance.

"Stop that!" Summer yelled. Her eye was watering, and she hated it. She wasn't crying. Wouldn't freaking cry.

"Make me. Make me shut up," Raven hissed. And Raven Branwen threw herself at her friend. I'm going to prove this, if I have to beat the shit out of both of us to do it.

The fact was, Summer knew she wasn't strong any more. She wasn't the kick-ass Huntress. She wouldn't ever be again. She'd been beaten. Broken. Lost half her sight. She could be there for her family, for people. But she wouldn't be the one leading, not really. All the times she'd cowed Raven since she came back, it was just bluster, a bluff. Sure, it worked, but that was because Raven let it work.

And Rae just needed to let it go. Tai needed to let it go. Qrow needed to freaking let it go. She was doing fine the way she was. It was okay.

She should have known better than to think Raven Branwen would ever do something like that.

The fight turned ugly, fast. They weren't using weapons, other than their bodies. But despite her protestations, despite her lack of faith, Summer Rose had trained for decades to use not just Sundered Rose, nor its replacement Briar Rose, as a weapon. She'd trained to use her entire body just as all Huntsmen did. And despite her protestations, muscle memory refused to just let Raven Branwen beat the shit out of her without hitting back.

Somewhere around the first few seconds, she forgot about where they were.

She lost the ability to pay attention to the fact that they'd drawn a crowd of spectators, too. Spectators who were watching Raven Branwen, their Chief, and a known outsider wailing the shit out of each other. One of those spectators was Dania, who'd been given specific orders not to intervene unless someone's Aura broke.

. . .

Somewhere around 40% Aura, battered and bruised, screaming at her friend who'd apparently lost her danged mind, Summer Rose's survival instincts finally began to tell her higher brain functions to take a gods-be-damned walk. It stopped assuming the situation was "Raven being a butthead and trying to goad me into a fight" and starting being "Hey stupid woman, you're getting hurt here, and you're really starting to get pissed off about that."

What Summer Rose didn't realize was that Raven had been waiting for this. She'd been watching for this. Raven had been holding back. Meting out punishment right up to the edge of what she thought her friend could handle. And when Summer started really giving punishment back, Raven upped the ante with her.

Again.

And again.

And again.

The crowd began to murmur at the savagery of it. Bets were made.

Raven went in for another flurry of punches, and Summer managed to side-step her, grabbed her arm, and went down and backward, flinging Raven forward. She managed to twist so that she didn't catch a knee to the gut on the way past, but did catch a glancing head-butt to her shoulder. The combination felt like it nearly dislocated her arm.

"That's right, bitch! Fucking hit me!" Raven roared.

"Shut! The Hell! Up!" Summer screamed, and feinted left.

"Fuck yeah! Potty mo-" Raven started to cheer, and caught an elbow in the throat. She stumbled backward, coughing and rubbing at her abused larynx. "Oh yeah…" she rasped. "You're getting a boot up the ass for that."

"Try it!"

And they flew at each other again.

. . .

Back at the Ren Household, Taiyang Xiao-Long was attempting to enjoy the company. The four children were playing in the rear courtyard of the Ren home.

And frankly, it was enjoyable company. An and Li Ren made a heartwarming couple, working together seamlessly to provide him the maximum of hospitality. And they had apparently taken pains over the years to modify the household such that Mrs. An Ren could easily navigate and maintain it, though he understood from what they'd said that young Nora Valkyrie still provided significant assistance. An Ren was a lovely hostess, inquiring pleasantly about his family and career and pouring his tea expertly with all of the ritual that Mistralian hospitality required. Li Ren was a sober and serious man, but Tai could see the affection he had for his wife, the way that he hovered near. It reminded him a lot of he and Summer.

Summer.

If only he wasn't so worried about what had to be occurring with her, less than an hour's walk away.

That preoccupation might have been why it took him so long to realize the problem.

. . .

He frowned, and Li Ren paused in the question he'd been asking. "Is something amiss, Huntsman?"

"Do you hear that?"

"I hear nothing." Li Ren replied, tilting his head.

"That's the problem. I don't know about your kids, but when mine are that quiet, it means it's time to start doing an inventory of things that can cause damage or are easily breakable," Tai said, rising.

"Ah. Yes. You describe our Nora perfectly," An Li said with a smile. "She is spirited and imaginative. Something our young Lie desperately needed."

"If you don't mind…"

"Of course," the lean, muscular father nodded, and led the way to the rear of the home.

. . .

Yang Xiao-Long had enjoyed playing with her new friends, Ren and Nora. They're pretty cool. I mean, Ren's kinda quiet. Maybe even a little boring. But Nora is wild and more than makes up for that.

But what had kinda thrown her was that they freaking both had their Aura's unlocked and Semblances.

Not freaking fair at all.

Which was why she had, as soon as Nora had blurted out that little fact while telling them some insane story about fighting off a pack of Beowolves from the top of a freaking tree, Yang'd insisted they all march straight to Branwen Camp and demand that Auntie Raven unlock hers.

"Shouldn't we ask your dad to do it?" Nora asked, head tilted and aquamarine eyes wide.

"Nah, I tried that. He'll say no. But Raven's my… um… well she's got some say. And I just know she'll say yes, if I shove the fact that you guys have Aura unlocked in her face." Can't believe freaking Vernal's been training them…

"Okayyy but… I mean Ren's was by accident, but mine was completely planned out start to finish!"

"Nora..."

"Right. Maybe not completely planned out…"

And so they found themselves walking the busy path between Kuroyuri and Branwen Camp. They'd taken the side gate out of the courtyard. Sure, they were supposed to stay in Kuroyuri until mom came back for dinner, but… well this was important.

"You are sure your father won't be angry?" Ren asked for the third time as they walked.

"Renny, they're her parents. She'll know better than us, right?" She eyed little Ruby. "What do you think?"

"I… " Ruby eyed her older sister carefully. "I think Yang's right. I guess…"

And so it was that the four arrived at Branwen Camp to find a crowd gathered yelling and whooping about something going on in the middle. Nora and Ren spotted their trainer, Dania, off to one side, and started to work their way toward her.

Yang thought that she could hear Raven yelling. And she was saying some very not nice things.

She couldn't see their mom but…

"Stay here, Rubes, I'm gonna see what's going on and I'll come right back here." Yang said. "Got it?"

"Okayyy…. but… be careful," her little sister said, eyeing the crowd nervously.

. . .

Yang Xiao-Long was almost twelve, and she was, to put it mildly, a bit of an extrovert in personality. She was brash, and pushy, and not afraid to go after what she wanted. And people in the Tribe naturally reacted to that kind of vibe. Which was how Yang managed to make her way through legs to the front of the crowd without getting punched or told off.

Just in time to see her mom, clothing torn, hair full of dirt and leaves and twigs, bruised and bleeding, slam down onto the ground on her back with a grunt. And then Raven, her… other mom, tried to kick the living crap out of her, and hit her in the head with a glancing blow.

It took Yang a moment to realize that this was not a spar. She'd practiced with Raven and her dad. She'd seen her mom and dad spar. This was… insane.

The two women flew apart, and Summer rolled, shaking her head.

And then Raven made a flying leap, screaming like she was insane, like she was going to freaking kill Summer. And the look on her face matched how she sounded. Red eyes murderous, teeth bared.

Yang Xiao-Long had spent months training of and on with Raven. She'd spent months sparring with her dad. And in all that time, she'd not once sparred with her mom. Her mom wasn't in fighting shape. Her mom was… she shouldn't be fighting like this. She was going to get hurt.

And Raven didn't care.

Mom was going to get really hurt.

Something hot seemed to wash across her at the idea.

No!

Yang's feet were moving before she even realized what she was doing. She saw the move Raven was going to do. Where Raven's heavy boot was going to hit Summer. Yang's nearly twelve-year-old frame barreled forward like a blonde-haired comet on an intercept course.

She didn't hear the yells of surprise.

She didn't hear Dania yell for her to stop.

. . .

Raven Branwen was going in for a savage curb-stomp. She wasn't holding back anymore. Truthfully at some point, she'd kinda forgotten the point of the whole thing. Summer had fought back, and fought back hard enough to drive this past the point where it was about achieving something.

It was just a fucking good old-fashioned no-holds brawl with her partner. And she freaking loved it.

And then, in her peripheral vision, she saw an attacker trying to get at her from her flank.

Instinct took over. Raven Branwen twisted and diverted what would have been a stomp into a flying kick.

An Aura-enhanced kick that connected fully with her daughter's chest. A child. Her child. A child without Aura.

Yang Xiao-Long flew backward with a bone-cracking sound, what might have been a very final gasped exhalation, and a spray of saliva, above the heads of the spectators and into a nearby tent wall that imploded with the impact with the sounds of tearing canvas and splintering wood framing.

And Raven Branwen fell rolling off to the side in shock and horror as Summer started screaming Yang's name.

. . .

Dania Ghosted as soon as she saw what was about to happen, but she wasn't fast enough to intercept Yang before the tween met with Raven's booted foot.

But she did end up on a parallel course to where the young girl flew, so she held it on and only halted when she reached the tent. Behind her she could hear screams, but she was too focused on dreading what she would find when she arrived.

So, she was elated when she saw the canvas of the tent writhing around as she disabled Ghost. At least she's alive.

And then she saw the young girl finally emerge from the tangled wreck. She was holding her chest with one hand, gasping.

But she was also standing, which was… shocking. But not as shocking as the fact that her eyes had shifted from their previous color to a bright red, matching Raven Branwen's.

And her hair was a writhing, flaming mass of gold.

Yang Xiao-Long stared at Dania. "Raven freaking kicked me!" she rasped in disbelief.

Behind her Dania heard someone scream Yang's name, and half turned. "She's okay! She's okay! Her Aura unlocked!" And some kind of freaking Semblance, too.

Behind them, she heard Raven laugh slightly hysterically in relief.

And then more screaming and the sounds of someone getting the shit beaten out of them.

. . .

"You!" Summer punched Raven in the face. "Kicked!" A knee to the gut. "My!" Headbutt. "Fucking!" Another Headbutt. "Daughter!"

Fucking hell that hurt! Raven thought vaguely as she staggered backward, tripped, and landed on her back. She stared up at the vengeance demon that had possessed Summer Rose's body. Raven's Aura was well below safe levels and… well there was a very real possibility she was about to get royally fucked up.

And Dania ain't here to intervene so…

Well genius. Looks like your plan fucking worked.

Summer advanced on her, eye-patch long since torn loose and missing, murder in her visible eye, gasping for breath in her rage. Blood trickled from one nostril.

"Summer!"

Raven breathed a sigh of relief. Maybe I won't need a hospital stay…

"What?!" Summer snapped, sparing a look to her left where Taiyang stood, holding Ruby on his hip so that Summer could see her.

Could see the wide-eyed shock on her daughter's face.

"Oh… Oh freaking fuck…" Summer breathed out, slumping immediately. "Oh crap it all to gods-damn heck."

On the ground, Raven began laughing. "Potty mo-" And then Summer kicked her in the ribs.

"Shut up, you freaking idiot."

"Fuck!" Raven winced. "Told you. Fucking told you."

"Told me what? You goaded me into this to let me win?!"

Raven's eyes narrowed. "You say that again, and I'm getting Omen."

She had the pleasure of seeing Summer's face pale. "You're… you're serious."

"Fucking right. I've never lied to you, Summer. Never." She spat out some blood. "And I may have started off going easy on you." She sat up, grunting at the pain, and dabbed a spot on her cheek where the skin was raw. "But no, I wasn't holding back at the end." She frowned, "Yang's okay?" she called out.

Dania came forward, leading the tween by the hand as the spectators parted. Yang's hair was still alight and eyes a bright red. Red like Raven's.

"I feel weird," Yang said, voice shaking. "I feel freaking weird. And Raven freaking kicked me in the chest!"

"Oh, baby." Summer said

"I'm not a baby!" Yang yelled at her mom, and then looked horrified. "I feel like I drank too much freaking soda! Like I'm gonna explode or something!"

Raven smiled, and there was pride and affection in it. "You need to get that out. Bet you've got something stored up in there." She locked red eyes with her daughter's. "That was a hell of a hit you took. Have to be tough as shit to take a hit like that and stand up afterward, kid."

Yang stared at Raven, then at her mom and dad. Then at her sister, whose shock was giving way to something approaching envy.

Taiyang set Ruby down and knelt, raising one large calloused palm like a practice pad. He grinned at Yang. "Let's see what you've got cooking in there, Yang."

. . .

After they picked Taiyang up off the ground several feet away, and Yang had stopped shaking her hand out and wincing, the murmurs began.

"Who won?" One of the crowd asked.

"Summer Rose won on points," Raven announced with a grin. There were groans and a smattering of cheers as lien changed hands.

"Does that mean…" a woman began carefully.

"Oh, heck no," Summer cried. "I'm not leading a freaking-"

"Mercenary Company," Raven interrupted. "And we don't do trial by combat anymore, dummy." She addressed the crowd. "You want me out, you gotta vote my ass out."

"But Raven, you have 51% of the votes."

"Funny how that worked out, ain't it. Alright show's fucking over."

. . .

"Well, that was one way to unlock Aura," Ren said carefully.

"Admit it, you totally planned that!" Nora exclaimed. "Genius! I wish I'd thought of it!"

"Uh… yeah… sure… planned…" Yang rubbed her sternum. Aura had already healed what Dania had suggested was a cracked bone, but it was still really freaking sore.

"So, you gonna go next?" Nora turned to Ruby, who flinched back.

"Ohhh nooooo wayyyy. I'm not… I mean… that looked like it hurt."

"Yeah. No way, Rubes. We'll figure out something else for you. Promise."

"Good. Yeah. Something else. Something with less WHOOM and more WHOOSH, right?"

"Right."

. . .

"So did I fucking prove my point, or what?" Raven said a few minutes later in her tent. The three were, gingerly, drinking wine.

Summer regarded her friend. They were both healing rapidly, but hell's bells she hurt.

But… she'd also kicked Raven's butt.

Like into the ground.

If Tai hadn't shown up…

A fierce smile broke across Summer's face. "Yeah. You did. And don't freaking forget it, either."

"So, you'll call Ironwood," Tai ventured carefully.

Summer sighed. "I'll call him. And you realize this changes our situation with Yang and Cove, too. We can't exactly put her back in with her non-combat school classmates with unlocked Aura and a Semblance that apparently lets her hit back like that."

Taiyang glanced down at his hand. He still couldn't hold a wine glass with that hand, but it was slowly recovering. That had apparently been a stupid idea. "Yeah, it does. We can talk about options after we chat with Selene and Garek. What do you think?"

Summer sighed and leaned against her husband. "I guess so. And guess what I get to tell Qrow… again."

"That Raven was right."

"Fucking love it." Raven laughed, and took a gulp of wine.

. . .

When Raven opened the portal to Visha, Selene was ecstatic at the pleasant surprise of seeing Summer Rose and family step through. The family spent almost a week there, at Cove, touring the campus, catching up with the Grae family, and enjoying Visha's company. By the time they made their final decisions on logistics and timing, and Raven had opened a portal to retrieve them all including Visha, a Bullhead from Argus was already headed for Branwen Camp to meet them there and ferry the Rose-Xiao-Long family to Atlas.

But not before Summer Rose had some choice words, and warnings, for one Vernal Branwen.

"I'll be back, Vernal. And I have Raven's ear. I expect you to not be making Cinder's life a living hell." Vernal's sullen silence was answer enough.

. . .

And thus it was that the beginning of the Grae household's first full year at Cove / Breakwater began. It was exciting and exhausting and full of promise. And in weeks, the Rose household would likely be joining them, though their girls would be limited to private tutoring for at least the first year. Word was they wouldn't be alone. Blake Belladonna was apparently arriving for the same reason, to get her away from rapidly increasing tensions in Mistral.

It now was at the end of a long workday, and Garek and Selene had discovered, in their locked and secured bedroom, that they were not nearly as exhausted as they had thought they were. Much appreciation of bare skin was being expressed in a very intimate manner.

And then Garek's Scroll rang.

He ignored it. It was past midnight. And they were busy. Very busy. If it had been The Lone Huntsmen, they could get Sophia to use a panic alarm if it was critical.

And then Selene's. "Garek."

"Screw it, let it ring."

And then Selene's Scroll rang again.

"Dammit!"

Selene gave him an amused but patient smile, and reached over for the Scroll. "It is Rhodes."

"Better not be him wanting to see how Cinder's doing again. I'll kick his ass."

She answered the Scroll, audio only on speaker, and Garek growled out, "Dammit Irons, it's one in the morning."

Selene considered her husband with scarlet eyes, "And we were… occupied, Rhodes."

"Well tough, Claude," Rhodes' voice sounded slightly hysterical but not panicked. "And sorry Selene. But I couldn't sleep, and you want to hear this."

[A/N] So this was a bit of a character growth chapter. Showing how Raven is evolving, and finally breaking through Summer's wall (and one reader's valid complaint about why she hasn't gone for a prosthetic), and we unlock Yang's Semblance in the best/worst way possible which almost results in Raven getting her shit absolutely stomped in.

And we got a nice little visit with the Ren family including Ren and Nora with a brief cameo by Dania.