RWBY: Am I Your Teacher or Mother?
Chapter 11: Unlock
Earlier that day….
Ruby's POV
Ruby was brimming with excitement as she woke up that morning. It was Friday, in her opinion one of the best of the week, for this was the day that built up the thrill for the weekend, a time she could spend unimpeded by things like work and school.
"Maybe Mommy and Yang can take me to the park then!?" She shouted with joy at the prospect as she sprung out of her large bed. She darted out of her room in a flurry of rose petals, almost forgetting to breath as she rushed to her mother's room and blasted through the door.
The woman in bed gasped awake as Ruby cannonballed onto her chest.
"Morning mommy!" Ruby yelled to the image she saw of Summer Rose.
Glynda, little did Ruby know, huffed as she stabilized her breathing, fixing the child a tired glare that made her wince.
"Uh-oh! I made mommy made." She thought to herself.
Glynda fought the urge to shout at Ruby, merely sighing in exhaustion as she clasped her forehead and massage it to ease her discomfort.
"Good morning Ruby….gaawd! I'd expect to get a hole in my stomach at work getting shot, not from my daughter. Don't divebomb mother like that again or your grounded, do you hear me?" She quietly but sternly ordered.
"R-Right! S-Sorry mommy." Ruby said wearily. "Just wanted to see you before you went to work."
"*Sigh* That's fine dear, I had to get up anyway, just wish my alarm clock did the job instead. Now get off and let mom use the shower." She ordered and Ruby nervously complied. When "Summer" disrobed her purple bathrobe and entered the showers, for some reason Ruby felt a chill to her spine, as if instincts were shouting at her that something was wrong. To Ruby though things felt sort of…off instead.
"Why do Yang and Mommy look so grumpy or nervous lately? They hardly smile anymore?" She thought to herself.
The people she saw as Yang and Summer Rose, to her were the spitting image of those she grew up these last "5" years. Yet every now and again she got some nagging feeling something wasn't what it seemed. Yang wearing a weird ponytail, Summer wearing glasses and having some "wand" on her, and they both didn't want her to watch cartoons without them handling the remote at all times and checking the channels for some odd reason.
"Maybe I could go a day without them around. This feelings such a buzzkill." Ruby thought to herself, ignoring the guilty pit in her stomach from what she knew was a naughty thought.
After the shower, Mom ordered her to go next and get dressed. She oddly kept emphasizing a need to dress almost strictly and proper, even for simple things like having breakfast. As she made her a bowl of cereal, Glynda was still fixing her an admonishing glare Ruby knew was for the tackle that tingled her stomach and nearly caused her to lose her appetite….until she saw the huge rainbow marshmallow chunks in her bowl. Her mouth began to salivate as she eyed the bowl with her eyes flashing stars.
"Ruby dear." Glynda sighed annoyed as she drew a handkerchief from her pocket. "Do mind your table ma-" She didn't even finish her sentence before her voice was overshadowed by the teen's screech.
"SUGAR!" She cheered as she gorged herself, not noticing in her frenzied eating Glynda rolling her eyes annoyed.
"Gosh I need a break from this walking sugar rush." Glynda sighed.
No sooner did she utter that wish was it seemingly granted as a ring on their doorbell bring a jolt to the two.
"Hm? Ma….*chew* who…door?" Ruby muffled, spitting out a few marshmallows and oats from her full mouth.
"Don't talk with your mouth full. M…Momma will check dear." Glynda ordered. Ruby raised an eyebrow confused at the tone her "mom" gave.
"There it is again? Why does she seem so weird when she calls herself mommy? She is my mommy ain't she?" Ruby thought to herself as she nodded and swallowed her breakfast load. Before she could voice her concern, she noticed "Summer" talking to some new lady, sporting glasses like her and wearing a work clothes like her mom usually did at the front door. As much as she wanted to run up and greet their guest, she winced at the thought of her mom's scowl. She had ordered her not to run, especially to use her semblance, in the house. Last time even making Ruby pick up each petal she left behind to her annoyance. But something else kept ruby plastered to her chair, something she began to commonly see these days to her own displeasure, her mom looking worried.
"It's that stare again. Mommy's looked sad for so long now, even when me and Yang hug her. What's up with her?" She thought to herself. She was soon snapped out of her thoughts when she noticed this new woman approaching her, her cheeks tinting as the woman crouched down to meet her eye level.
"Hello Ruby, my name is Terra. Did you have a yummy breakfast?" The lady asked.
Ruby's eyes beamed as she felt a jolt of energy from the soothing tone, a rather refreshing sound after this melancholy morning.
"YUP! IT WAS SWEET! RUBY LOVES MARSHMALLOWS!" Ruby exclaimed.
Soon she was filled not just with excitement, but relief as she heard the faint chuckling of her mother behind the smiling woman.
"Can she play with me mommy?" Ruby asked innocently. The woman turned to Goodwitch, cocking an eyebrow.
"Well….can we "mommy"? Doesn't look like her sugar rush is going down anytime soon." Terra teased, causing a faint blush on Glynda's cheeks to flush.
"I'm still not sure if-" Glynda couldn't even finish her sentence, as Ruby didn't even process a single word as her blood rushed with excitement and she grabbed Terra's palms, jerking her forward easily to her own surprise, not knowing when she was so strong. But she soon disregarded it as excitement overtook the teen as Ruby ran to the living room, "PLAYTIME!" She cheered repeatedly, unaware of the sad glare "Summer" was giving her ignorant "daughter".
For the next half hour, Ruby was living it up as she began playing games and sang songs like ABC's with Terra. She had an assortment of board games and Grimm toys with action figures in a duffle bag she brought. Her absolute favorite was Remnant the Game, which she found herself so enthralled with she just had to keep playing. But before she could play her trap card in her hand to destroy Terra's Atlesian forces, she soon saw her talking with her mom again.
"Mamma, we were playing" She whined, giving a cheek puffy pout.
It was shut down by a sharp glare from her mom.
"Grown ups are talking sweetie. And don't look at me like that hear?" She said sternly, making Ruby nervous as she nodded quickly.
"Okay then…I'll leave her to you." She sighed to Terra who nodded.
"You leaving mommy?" Ruby asked, almost hopeful after that mood killer.
"Yes, Terra here is gonna play with you till I get home from work. Now be a good girl for her, listen to her like you do for…." Her mom began to say before her lips paused to Ruby's confusion.
"Miss Rose?" Terra said equally confused. To both surprise, a chuckle escaped those lips.
"Pff! On second thought, forget that. She won't listen to you at all then Terra!" Glynda joked, Terra actually having to cover her hand with her palm as she nearly lost herself in laughter. A warm heat arising in Ruby as her cheeks flashed hearing that mockery.
"Meanie!" She pouted as she stuck her tongue out.
"Yeah, Yeah. Just don't cause Terra trouble Ruby or no stories tonight." Goodwitch warned.
"Noooooo!" Ruby whined.
"Then behave." She insisted again sternly. Ruby felt her energy drain as she heard that warning, only perking up again when Terra patted her back and flashed her a warm smile.
"Y-Yes mommy." She said as she sniffled and rubbed her eyes with her….very long arm to her confusion. Was her arm always so big. She didn't notice it, or the look of worry Terra had before she suddenly grabbed Ruby by the shoulders and propped her on her lap.
"Lets play horsey Ruby huh!?" Terra offered as she began to bounce her up and down on her knee to the teens amusement.
Glynda sighed in relief at the display, glad the ruse was still up.
"Have fun sweetie, and behave see you tonight." Was the last bit of Summer Roses voice Ruby would hear tonight. It wasn't just that she was lost in the joy of the fun Terra was giving her, from the horsey ride to watching fun cartoon videos she brought, Ruby soon found her world go dark and cloudy a couple hours later when something heavy and firm struck the back of her neck. All she heard then was her name from Terra cried out in panic, followed by the sound of steel slashing something, and the nice lady's scream of pain.
As she opened her eyes, not easily as heavy lids fought her efforts, she soon found herself staring into a new smiling face, one with red eyes and a gruffy beard though, and carrying a strong sensation that stung her nose worse than her sore neck right now, making her clasp it.
"Eeeeeew! You stink!" She whined. The man chuckled as he heard that, downing from some metal flask a drink of some kind that smelled just like him.
"Yeah well, booze will stick to ya kiddo. Best you never suckle on that." He laughed as we waived his flask.
"Go take bath old man!" She demanded, her voice nasally as she pinched her nose harder to avoid the smell.
The man faked a wince "ooooh! Geez Squirt, you never did mince words. Guess you got some of my blood in ya after all." He chuckled.
"Blood? Why would your blood be in me? Isn't it in you?" She asked confused, only more so as he kept laughing, although he sounded oddly sad while doing so.
"Old man saying I guess you could say kiddo. What I mean is, I'm your uncle Qrow." He explained softly.
Ruby's eyes beamed as she heard this news, the mentally damaged teen unaware it wasn't anything new.
"I HAVE AN UNCLE!?" It hurt Qrow more in the heart than in his ears to hear her say that, though not much as he rubbed his ear painfully, it once more serving as a reminder of his failure to save her mind from a greater pain.
"Again." He thought to himself as he frowned guilt ridden.
Meanwhile…
Weiss's POV
In cold room of Vale's City Hall, Weiss sat nervous as hell, chilled to the bone with fright watching her 3 friends stand before the courts, some eyes plastering them dangerously as if they had already been found guilty. She hadn't felt this frightened since witnessing the killing that brought them to this point. First her friends were arrested for murder, ones she felt were justified but still, then she was disinherited by her cruel father for having the "gall" to care for a mentally damaged girl she didn't hesitate to call friend, and now said friend was likely to remain a prisoner of her own mind as her remaining ones fought to avoid being confined in a real one.
Regardless, Ruby was at the forefront of the former heiresses mind. If she were to ever recapture her past identity those disgusting boys from team CRDL stole from her, what kind of frightening reality would she find herself back in? A world without her friends Blake and Nora, a world without her sister Yang, and worse she might even shut down her and Goodwitch for playing into her delusions this whole time.
"As much as I hate to admit it, I wish Ruby were here right now. I'd love to distract myself just hugging her and seeing that smile...even if its based on a lie." Weiss thought to herself.
Weiss clutched her stomach as guilt riddled her. She had a deep-seated feeling, a joy from playing the role of guardian sister to Ruby, just as Winter had done for her growing up.
Weiss sighed heavily as the memories flooded her. Her own mother passed out drunk in bed after yet another argument with Jacquees, how frightened she was shivering in a dark corner of the manor, hoping to hide from her birth father during his fling of extreme anger. One of the many things that knotted Weiss's stomach further was the phantom pain she felt consume her face. Her father could hide many things from the public, his abuse of her and Winter when angered was one of them unfortunately. Soon Weiss felt her shoulders loosen as the phantom pain was replaced by a soft sensation. She smiled as her cheeks flushed as she actually felt Winter's arms squeeze her.
"You aren't alone sis. I'll be your shield no matter what, and I'll be…."
"Tougher than any glyph." Weiss whispered to herself.
"Guess you got good grades from that amazing memory huh sis?"
Weiss sprang upright as she awoke at the sound of that familiar voice. She soon realized the warmth around her was coming from the source, actually holding her tenderly. She turned her head to see a woman looking much like herself, only more mature with a combed haircut, smiling almost smugly at her.
"W-Winter?!" Weiss gasped.
"Hello sister. I came to Vale to check on you." Winter replied warmly.
"But….I thought you were working in Atlas? That's why you haven't been-"
"Answering your calls….I got the General to let me come down here for the time being to check on you, but I'm sorry Weiss." Winter said with shame in her tone. "I know I wasn't exactly able to keep my "shield" promise. I know Father disowned you, just to try and get his rope back around your neck. I wish I could have gotten here sooner, helped you more."
"D-Don't be ridiculous sis. You help people all the time with your position, that's more important. Besides, you did get me a lawyer for my friends."
"And the best I could afford on a limited budget ends up being a rookie faunus." Winter said deadpanned. Weiss recoiled a bit at the tone, mixed with disgust and remorse. She didn't honestly know if they came from a bigoted view of Faunus or lack of experience. It honestly wouldn't surprise her with the latter, her muscles ached as she remembered how many sleepless nights Winter hammered her with training her glyphs to be perfect. It made her feel an urge of sympathy for Marrow, sympathy that beckoned her to defend him.
"Well….from what I gathered meeting him and watching him lately, what he lacked in experience Marrow there makes up for with persuasion" Weiss said, mindful of the eyes around her not to bring up his special talent. Her friend's futures depended on her being subtle.
"Lets just hope he can pull off a puppy dog eyes appeal to wow the jury." Winter snarked.
Boy was she right, and Weiss was unnerved more a little by how much so. Marrow strode to the front of the courtroom, pressing his blue suit firmly as he smiled confidently. Weiss however knew despite his secret semblance, how he'd present his case still mattered to all eyes around. His powers could work on those in his sight, so he'd have to appeal to the jury and the judge to get his way, for her friends sake.
One such friend wasn't on trial right now, but he might as well have been as Marrow called him as his first witness.
"Headmaster Ozpin. Thank you for joining us today." Marrow said as he approached the bench.
Weiss saw her headmaster eye her and his other students sitting on the defense bench, handcuffed in aura cuffs, solemnly. She felt for him, how often do you get pulled on trial as a character witness in a murder case that happened in your own place of business? She knew it wasn't often but still very painful, almost as much as her heart as she knew where Marrow would be going with this. It almost made her cry a gasp of relief as she noticed her scroll buzzing silently in her pocket.
"Professor?" She whispered, mindful of the atmosphere. The last thing she wanted was to be held in contempt of court. But as she heard the heavy breathing of her teacher and Ruby's caretaker, her own breath nearly choked her throat as dread and panic began to seep in.
"What's wrong?" Winter asked concern. She only saw Weiss this frightened when their father was around. Weiss ignoring her only furthered her fear. Her eyes widened when she heard the faint bit of conversation from the scroll.
"Did I just hear her say kidnap!?" It was a thought both Schnee sisters absolutely dreaded, hoping to be some sick joke.
Yang Blake and Nora POV'S
Blake's cat ears scrunched sideways as she felt the damning glares of the humans not just in the viewing benches behind her, but the Jury as well judging her and her friends today.
"If I wasn't a Faunus maybe these two would have better odds at least." Blake thought bitterly. Her bow was taken when she was remanded and couldn't hide who she was here. She'd love nothing more than to just dart out of this courthouse right now as the pressure was getting to her as she saw Nora twiddling her fingers nervously, averting her gaze and Yang just gripping the table and nearly cracking it, clearly also under pressure right now. After all, she had to get back to her family after all.
"I know I deserve to be here. I'm a criminal, but please Gods, let these two get free. Ruby needs them more, they deserve to be with her and free more than me." She thought guilt-ridden as she eyed Arthur Watts smiling smugly at her once he caught glimpse of her panic.
Arthur had torn into their first Lawyer when he demanded bail, countering with her past as a White Fang soldier he somehow had gotten out of Beacon's concealed records to get them remanded, and worse, scrutinize them further in the news. No wonder their first lawyer broke down into tears at the mess he had to deal with, the mess they made for him.
Now she was left dejected as she saw one of her kind that replaced him bring on Ozpin, the very man who gave her a second chance at life at Beacon, before the courts to receive the very glares she had been subjected to all her life, just to try and save her and her friends hides.
Yang and Nora however, felt different.
For Nora, she just felt scared. Scared she'd go back to that cold prison, scared she'd never get to scrunched up in those nice warm beds she and Ruby would share with the others on movie nights in their dorms, followed by pillow fights and hangovers. She didn't care for the glares, whether aimed at her or Ozpin, she just wanted this ordeal to be over so she wouldn't have to wait patiently anymore. She wanted to go home to Ren, to Ruby and see them both again as a free woman. She couldn't even look up or behind her to meet the pitiful gazes instead of glares from her friends and Ren she knew were eyeing her.
"If we don't get outta this soon, I might just smash my hands through the wall to get to Ruby and Renny." She thought to herself.
Yang meanwhile was trying her hardest not to hurt Ozpin or the guards protecting him and the others around her, being a prisoner and all. She knew Marrow's defense, or rather attack coming up, and frankly agreed with every bit of it. Her eyes narrowed dangerously on the headmaster, almost excited to see him accosted for what happened to her sister.
"Headmaster, isn't it true you lead the only huntsmen academy in Vale?" Marrow asked.
"Indeed." Ozpin merely replied cautiously.
"And why is that sir?"
"Sadly the other 2 academies built over the last 50 years we're decimated by Grimm volleys. Our Academy survived the onslaught and had to preserve our efforts by focusing on Beacon solely." Ozpin replied, actually rubbing his tired eyes as he remembered those battles vividly, his skin getting goosebumps Blake and Weiss could tell.
"Yes, we all know the tragedies that arose from those, much like Mt. Glenn's travesty." Marrow said a bit unmoved.
"Objection! Relevance your honor?" Watts quickly interjected.
Marrow simply smirked as he focused his gaze on the judge about to speak.
"Goes towards the defendants situation, as it focuses on what led up to the accused incident and their motivation your honor. I'll bring up why shortly." He said confidently.
The judge breathed a bit sharply as his neck twitched a bit at Marrow's words before nodding. To the naked eye it was mere contemplation, though NBY and Weiss knew otherwise.
"Overruled then. Please continue." Watts huffed as he heard that ruling, unaware of what transpired behind it, only serving to amuse Marrow more, his dog tail wagging a bit to Blake's irritation.
"Show tact! Don't degrade us here you dumb dog!" Blake thought annoyed.
"So in your experience as a teacher AND huntsmen, great danger can arise from this profession." Marrow asked.
"Sadly yes, but it is all for the greater good of the people of such fallen kingdoms." Ozpin said calmly.
"But such danger can be expected even within a "secure" academies walls?" Marrow asked coldly.
Ozpin actually shook a bit as he heard that question, a few murmurs from the crowd actually serving to drop the temperature in the room as the defendants especially focused on those words.
"Within? The danger of the Grimm invasions came from-"
"Outside, but that doesn't change that some dangers came about from WITHIN Beacon lately, right professor? Beyond the fact your academies initiation involves catapulting children into Grimm infested forests without parachutes, but I am of course also referring to informed incident that led my clients to being on trial today." Marrow countered.
"Objection, all this dog has done is dug his own grave your honor he just admitted in his own way his clients are guilty of the murder and assault counts against them." Watts interject.
Quickly as he saw the jury and judge focus glares on him and his frightened clients, Marrow inhaled sharply and sternly eyes the judge.
"But we have yet to affirm WHY they acted as they did, I was just about to get there your honor. If I may please?"
"O-Overruled Mr. Watts." The judges motion making Watts grind his teeth, a vein sprouting on his neck as he sat back down in frustration.
"As I was asking, Headmaster, your academy has gender mixed dorms is that correct?" Marrow asked.
"Indeed. We we're considering making gender specific dorms in the future-" Ozpin didn't even finish before Marrow cut him off.
"Small dorm rooms having hormonal teenagers like Team CRDL within them, unbound by divisions of gender even if necessary correct?" Marrow pressed on.
"Y-Yes sir." Ozpin nervously replied.
"The crimes my clients stand accused of, murdering Team CRDL, occurred because such hormonal teenagers had their way with the youngest student in your school ever, a 16 year old girl, injured in the Grimm forest by your own school correct!" Marrow yelled.
Yang nearly snapped the wood on her desk she gripped off as she heard that accusation, the painful memory burning her mind as much as her hair would be if not for her cuffs. The jury and courthouse were aghast as they heard this revelation. Even Ozpin was tongue-tied as he simply stared sadly at the reminder of what happened that day, especially as Marrow took a folder off his desk and unveiled a few photos he passed around, catching a glimpse of one.
"Miss Ruby Rose ladies and gentlemen, a huntress in training who was admitted into Beacon 2 years early from Signal by our headmaster Ozpin here himself. While she was training at the school grounds, she was injured by Grimm and while she was awaiting med evac, was assaulted by fellow students from her school. The prosecution wants to pant Team CRDL as victims of ferocious homicide, but my clients here only acted as they did, because our headmaster here runs a cruelly unsafe school that has no boundaries between even their own hormonal students who'd rape a child hurt like the so called "victims"' Marrow yelled passionately towards the jury, some recoiling as they met his gaze and even teared up a bit.
Ozpin felt aghast hearing such words. Yet he could not find it in him to speak up for himself as he eyed Ruby's picture, one not showing her bright smile he and so many others were accustomed to, but her sniveling face riddled with bruises cradling Weiss as she cried into her lap.
"Yes…I have made many mistakes in my life. And sadly one of my students, a bright a pure one, was tainted as a result of another one." Ozpin sadly admitted.
As Yang and her friends eyed Ozpin lower his head in shame hearing this brutal accusation, they too teared up as they remembered how pitiful Ruby looked that day. Soon more screaming would plague this courthouse, but not from the defense, but from the pew behind them as Weiss burst out of her seat.
"YANG!" Weiss hollered, her frightful tone making the girls burst up from their seats. Winter was tugging on her shoulders, urging her to settle down, but she was shaking her off unwilling to heed the command nor the judges. "ORDER MISS SCHNE-" The judge tried to holler as he smacked his gavel angrily, but Weiss's own scream overshadowed him.
"RUBY'S BEEN KIDNAPPED!" Weiss yelled as she tearfully gripped her scroll almost cracking it. In that moment, the world seemed like it froze for everyone. A deafening silence plagued the room as everyone struggled to process this outburst of frightening news. Yang's eyes trembled as they flickered between lavender and blood red at the news.
"My baby girl? She's gone? Someone took her?" She thought with a grimace. Images of Ruby as a child playing with Yang, whether rocketship being swung in the air, or fighting with Grimm toys and play wrestling on their first night of Beacon, all filled her with sadness and joy. Soon anger began to consume her as she focused on those thoughts,
"How dare someone take her from me!?"
"G-Goodwitch called, she said someone attacked Ruby's babysitter and took her away." Weiss whimpered, her eyes pulsing with fear as she uttered that terrifying news.
Yang slowly walked up to Weiss, her every footstep echoing in the room. Everyone's hearts skipped a beat with each step as a small heat began radiating off the Xiao Long. But it was her cold tone despite that which really shook everyone including Weiss.
"Who?" Was all Yang could utter with what little control she had left. Weiss almost forgot to breath, deathly frightened to utter the name she knew would send her into a frenzy. Winter tried to get in between, but Ruby took precedent, even before the Ice Queens own safety, for hers and Ruby.
"Y-Your Uncle Qrow Yang." Weiss revealed.
That was the last straw indeed. Yang felt all the blood rushing to her head and arms as she heard that news. As crazy as the last few months had been surviving in that cold hell hole of a prison, now she learned her own Uncle kidnapped her hurt Ruby? The poor girl was trapped in the mind of her 5 year old self. Yang knew there was no way the poor girl could endure more torment and stress. She saw it once on a dark day how badly she handled it, Yang just couldn't take all the stress herself anymore either. She didn't even care about the reason Qrow might have had for what he did; it didn't matter. One thing did though, one desire filling the brawlers mind in that moment that overwhelmed her.
"BURN!" Yang's mind roared as she too did as she slugged Winter, her cuffs scrapping off the woman's blue aura on her jaw as she fell to the floor in shock at the surprise attack. Taking the chance, Yang grabbed the saber off of Winter's belt and stabbed it into her cuff's, cutting them off her wrists. She soon felt a swell of energy rush all over her body from her core, causing a glow to begin radiating from her hair to erupt in full force as it soon became a raging inferno, her yellow aura exploding on her body as she screamed in fury as she unleashed all her built up energy over the months.
"QROOOOOOOW!" She roared.
The citizens and Weiss ducked for cover from the massive heat radiating off her. The judge even quivering behind his podium.
Marrow rushed up to meet her gaze, trying to utter a command to stop her. "She's gonna blow this case up with this blow up if I don't stop her!"
But before he could utter the "stop" command of his semblance, his breath caught his throat as he met those red murderous eyes of Yang, glaring at him in warning. They screamed "death" to any that approached her. In that moment, he knew what was Cardin's last thought of fright before he died by her hand.
The court officers and Winter stood at attention as they shakily brought up guns and Winter her saber to oppose the fiery warrior before them.
"Yang Xiao Long…cease and surrender, or we will use lethal force!" Winter hollered, forming a glyph behind her.
Yang just grit her teeth at the sight, snarling almost like a feral animal.
"Y-Yang? What are you doing?" Weiss called out to her in fright.
"I…am going to find…my sister." Yang began to grunt. As she stepped forward towards the door, the guards began to shoot, but their bullets just melted off the girl's mane. Seeing this Winter grit her teeth as she eyed her frightened sister.
"I am sorry, but I have my own to defend. I warned you." Winter said coldly as she jammed her saber into the ground, the Glyph behind her having a large white hand pierce through, claws like knives screeching the air like a chalk board as soon a giant white dragon's head seeped through. Winter pointed her saber at the Xiao Long, leading to the summon to roar, the white sea fenglong opened its mouth to charge a beam of energy as it lung at Yang, Winter soon rushing to Weiss as she saw her run towards Yang as well, seeing Blake and Nora do the same.
"DON'T!" They all screamed before Yang roared, her glowing fist of fire exploding upon punching the ball of energy, creating a bright glow that blinded everyone and caused the roof to erupt from an explosion of energy. Weiss and Winter felt the force of a tidal wave struck them as they cradled each other through the shockwave.
When the dust settled, Weiss wearily opened her eyes, the light from the glow still burning her retina's it felt like. But when she opened them at last through the pain, she felt her heart ache with more.
The courtroom was filled with ash and fire, everyone around her knocked unconscious, the few who weren't being Ozpin and Winter beside her, their aura's flickering as they cradled their heads, Winter's even bleeding slightly from the ordeal. But was even more frightening for Weiss wasn't the chaos in the courtroom, it was the mayhem she knew was coming as she saw a gaping hole in the wall on her right within it. Outside the courthouse, she saw melted aura cuffs, as well as ash marks of footprints belonging to the boots she knew belonged to Yang outside, with no sight of Nora and Blake in sight. They had escaped!
"Yang…girls. What have you done?" Weiss whispered in fright, knowing things were going to get more hectic for the now fugitives she called her friends.
As said friends rushed out into the city, hiding amongst the dark alleys nearby while carrying an exhausted Yang, their shoulders actually red as she still felt hot to the touch, they all began to feel the rush from the chaos soon fade from them as they soon got far away from the courthouse and neared the edge of town and set Yang beside a dumpster to rest, able to contemplate what just happened at last with no fear of police. Nora could no longer feel the excitement from getting free at last from those cuffs and having the chance to see Ruby and Ren again, she was just confused by what had just happened, much like Blake. They barely minded the pain on their burnt shoulders, allowing their aura to come to life to heal them, feeling almost exhilarated after such a long time if not for the chaos, they couldn't stay calm right now.
"So…Ruby's been kidnapped by Qrow, Weiss's sister can summon White Grimm, and Yang just blew up the courthouse, what the hell is going on tonight!?" Nora yelled in frustration as she clasped her forehead.
"I was hoping you could tell us that Yang. Yang?" Blake asked her partner exasperated, before noticing her huffing almost feverish breathing. She knelt down and placed a hand of Yang's forehead, immediately regretting it as she winced from the heat.
"Jeez! Your burning up! Yang, use your aura, try to fight the cold." Blake urged her.
"Its….not a cold. I'm just trying to keep it all in. M-My Aura, my anger, its been too long since I unloaded like that. I need to focus is all. For her." Yang groaned as she gripped her shoulders, her aura flickering. Aura withdrawal was dangerous, especially for power types like Yang. Blake knew Yang was trying to contain herself still, not wanting that explosion at the courthouse to finish them all off before they could even find Ruby.
"So what's the plan then? How are we gonna save Ruby?" Nora asked.
"How are we even gonna find her? And what then? We're fugitives now, no way Marrow can charm that crowd after this." Blake countered.
"*Inhale sharply* We…go to the one source I know *EXHALE* That can track my uncle down." Yang huffed. Her aura flushed her blood with boiling energy as her anger at the thought threatened to leak out of her, but she willed herself to bury it again to conserve for a fight. She knew she'd need it for Qrow…and perhaps her source who just infuriated her beyond belief just thinking about. Her friends curious but frightened looks at her notion only made her stomach burn worse, but she had to get on with it, for Ruby's sake.
"My mom." Yang said coldly, making her friends eyes widened in disbelief.
Author Notes
Painful memories cause problems when they break the seal we place on them. The hunt for Qrow and Ruby begins as Yang escapes the law for now after breaking her restraints, but in order to try and save her sister she sacrificed her future. Now she must rely on a fellow criminal to help her and her friends save Ruby from her Uncle, only question remains, how will Weiss and Goodwitch be able to help them? And why is Qrow feeling so guilty about his niece? What dark secret is locked within her only Yang and Qrow seemingly know? Find out next time in CH 12: Scars of the Past