"You're really alive, right? I'm not dead, am I?!" Ruby Rose asked weakly as she burst upward to hug her Uncle Qrow tightly, her eyes shut tight as she mumbled into his neck and rose petals fell around them.
She felt his chest shake as he chuckled wetly at her questions. "Of course we're not dead. We're both alive."
"Really? Are you sure? Are you really really sure?!" She whined, making Uncle Qrow laugh as he tightened his own hold on her.
"Of course I'm sure! Look around you, Ruby. Does this look like the afterlife to you?"
Ruby finally opened her eyes at that and looking past her uncle's shoulder, she saw flaps leading to the outside world. Turning her head around with wide eyes, she took note of the messy bed she was on with Crescent Rose and Harbinger leaning beside it.
The room, if it even really was a room, was spartan but itvwas quickly becoming clear that they were in just a makeshift tent.
If that was the afterlife then it was a poor representation of it. Not only that, if this was the afterlife then Ruby shouldn't hunger.
Her stomach suddenly growled and she blushed as her Uncle Qrow laughed loudly.
"Come on, little rosebud, let's get you some food." Uncle Qrow said as he twirled her around and put her on her feet.
Ruby stumbled a bit, leaning into Uncle Qrow as they slowly walked outside. She squinted her eyes and winced as sunlight pierced her eyes the cacophony of a busy camp assaulted her ears.
"Where are we?" She asked slowly, taking in the rugged men and women bustling through around them.
Some stopped to stare at them and Ruby squirmed awkwardly at the attention before her uncle glared at them and pulled her closer.
"I'll explain later but we are somewhere in the middle of Mistral." Uncle Qrow answered, laying an arm over her shoulder and keeping her close before leading her to one particularly large tent teeming with people. "You're lucky you woke up at this time. Lunch is still probably being served."
Her stomach growled again at the word lunch much to her own embarrassment. She paused in front of the large tent however.
Even from where they were, Ruby could already hear loud voices coming from inside the tent.
Anxiety struck her then but when her Uncle led her through the flaps, her lips curled at the smell and noise of about forty to fifty people mingling together.
"Stick close to me and don't look at anyone else." Uncle Qrow whispered down at her and she could only nod shakily with wide eyes as they grabbed a tray and joined a line of people being served some food.
Those words alone raised the tension for Ruby and try as she might, she can't help but have her eyes wander despite her uncle's orders.
Already, people stared at them back but it only took Uncle Qrow glaring at them to ward their gazes away from Ruby. She was so busy observing the other people around them that she jolted and almost dropped her tray when a bowl was placed on top of it.
"O-oops! S-Sorry!" She chuckled nervously, her head snapping forward to look at a heavy-set man scowling at her behind the steaming hot stew in front of her.
"Move, fresh meat, we've got more mouths to feed."
"R-Right!" She squeaked out, her feet automatically taking her forward just as her Uncle Qrow took his hand off of her to receive his own food.
Qrow's eyes immediately widened at that.
"Ruby, wait!" He shouted but it was just his luck that he only made things worse.
Ruby turned her head to look back at her uncle, heedless of the person in front of her.
Her feet tripped, her hands flayed upwards, and her food...flew forward.
The next thing she knew, someone was screaming as steaming hot food flew everywhere.
The world slowed down and Ruby's eyes widened as a fist approached her face. Only gravity and inertia saved her as she was already falling downward and the fist passed by her head by mere inches.
And then...everything happened so fast.
People screamed as food flew everywhere and Ruby kept her head down as fists were suddenly flying.
"Ruby! Keep your he-ack!" Uncle Qrow shouted but he suddenly found himself shoved backward as someone shouted above the cacophony.
"FIGHT!"
The word echoed inside the tent and just like that, people were taking up the chant as they suddenly backed away.
"""FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT!"""
What was supposed to be a chaotic brawl suddenly turned into an ordered spectacle as people backed away into a circle.
A circle with Ruby in the middle of it together with four other people.
Ruby Rose blinked just as a man suddenly walked in front of them to the cheers of everyone there.
"Alright, everyone! Place your bets! Place your bets! On one side we have 'Fresh Meat'!"
"""FRESH MEAT! FRESH MEAT! FRESH MEAT!"""
Ruby blushed as the announcer waved at her. She turned around to look for her Uncle Qrow only to see him doubling over in pain and being shoved to the back of the crowd.
"Uncle Qrow!" She shouted worriedly but her voice was drowned out as the announcer started again.
"On the other side, we have Big Bobby B and friends!"
Big Bobby B was certainly big and his three friends were not that far behind. Ruby gawked as a heavy-set man who must have neared 7 feet tall growled at her while wiping hot steaming stew from the back of his head.
"Oops?" She laughed nervously even as the announcer continued.
"Alright! Ground rules, everyone! Punching, kicking, and choking are expected! Biting, scratching, and hair-pulling are also on the table! We are A-Okay with stabbing! We don't expect it to happen but it would be a pleasant surprise if it does!"
Cheers roared out at that even as Ruby snapped her head towards the announcer with wide eyes.
"Wait! Those are the ground rules?! Is there anything off the table?!" She asked incredulously but the crowd only oohed at her as the announcer laughed happily.
"Damnnnn, girl! You got something really sick you wanna do, huh? Oh, you nasty pervert, you."
"I-what?! No!" Ruby sputtered with a blush but everyone only laughed at her.
"No, no, it's okay! Don't tell us, surprise us!" The announcer said with a wink and in any other situation, she would've appreciated his kindness!
Ruby shook her hands frantically even as the announcer raised his.
"Now are you ready?!"
"No, no, no, I'm not! Four against one, don't you think that's a little unfair?!"
"Life is unfair, little one." The announcer winked and Ruby gawked as he turned towards her opponents. "How about you, Big Bobby, you guys ready?!"
"I was born ready." Big Bobby cracked his knuckles as his friends nodded grimly beside him.
Ruby gulped, bringing her fists up as the crowd roared in approval.
"Alright, everyone! Let's get ready to-"
"-WAIT!"
"-wait? Huh?" The announcer asked confusedly and everyone turned to the source of the shout to see her Uncle Qrow panting as he finally managed to push through the crowd.
"T-that'w my niece and we are not here to fight!" He shouted but the crowd only oohed and ahhed at his presence.
"Qrow Branwen! Here to join his niece! Place your bets, everyone and let's give Qrow a warm welcome home!"
"Home?" Ruby mouthed incredulously as her uncle cringed beside her.
"I'll explain later." He replied as he tried to pull her away but the crowd only tightened around them.
"Now, now. Don't be in such a hurry to leave. You know how this goes." The announcer smirked cruelly, making Qrow groan as the crowd roared louder.
"I'm changing my bet to Qrow and his little girl!"
"Nah, he's still injured. I think Big Bobby has this!"
Injured? Ruby looked at her uncle worriedly at that. Her uncle however only smiled atvher assuringly.
"Don't worry, I'll take the big-"
Before she even knew it, her uncle was pushing her away with wide eyes as they felt the ground shake.
"Enough talking! Let's fight already!" Big Bobby roared as he charged in between them.
"And there you have it folks! No more betting allowed now that we have started!"
His friends weren't far behind as they rushed towards her Uncle Qrow while Big Bobby turned towards her.
"I..uhhh...you're not going to hurt a fifteen-year old girl, right?" Ruby asked nervously, crouching as the crowd cheered around her.
"Don't worry. I'm not going to hurt you...much."
Big Bobby B charged at her with grasping hands and the world slowed down to Ruby's point of view.
People would he forgiven for thinking that she didn't know how to fight in hand-to-hand. Sure she wasn't as good as Yang at it but with her dad and her sister showing her some tricks, Ruby was far from helpless.
She ducked under Bobby's hands and zoomed towards him. Her legs tensed for a moment before launching her upwards. Rose petals burst around her as she used her Semblance for some extra boost before she completely reformed in front of her opponents face and her knee just an inch below his jaw.
She didn't have the mass but she had the speed.
Bang!
Her knee slammed with the force of a bullet and her Aura flashed even as Big Bobby's head snapped upward.
Ruby bit her lips in pain even as the crowd cheered around her.
Holy cow! Just what were they feeding this guy?! It felt like she just kneed a wall!
She smiled shakily at the crowd however before her eyes widened as she felt a hand grab her ankle midair.
She looked down in shock to see Big Bobby grinning at her with a bruised chin.
"Nice hit but let me show you how we do it Branwen style."
Branwen? All she could do was mouth the words before she was suddenly gasping as Big Bobby slammed her into the ground.
"Branwen Rule of Fighting number 12!" Bobby shouted and the crowd shouted back.
"""IF YOU GET HIT, HIT BACK HARDER!""
Her Aura flashed as she bounced back into the air while she lost her breath. Her eyes widened when Big Bobby raised his foot and slam it down towards. All she could do then was use her Semblance to burst into petals and fly between his legs.
She materialized behind him and immediately turned her head around to look for her uncle.
"Uncle Qrow! I could use a little help over here!"
"Sorry but I'm a little bit busy over here!" Uncle Qrow shouted and Ruby's eyes widened as she saw her uncle have one of Big Bobby's friends in a headlock, another one choking on his boot, and the last one being blocked by Uncle Qrow's other hand.
Holy crap! Her uncle was cool!
He must have seen the admiration on her face because he winked at her with bright eyes. "Just remember, Ruby! Everyone is the same height when they are off their feet!"
Ruby smiled back, her eyes brightening with confidence as she turned back to Big Bobby.
Big Bobby must have liked something in her expression because he barked a laugh before waving his hands to himself in invitation.
Ruby smirked and then the fight was on.
She rushed forward, staying low as Big Bobby swung a meaty hands towards her. She slid below the strike, using her momentum and small size to slide below between his legs.
Rushing back, she elbowed the back of his knee before bursting into petals just as he roared back and swung around.
Ruby materialized behind him before running forward again, this time, Big Bobby raised his foot to kick her.
It was a big mistake because she sidestepped the blow and swiped towards his remaining foot.
Unbalanced as he was, Big Bobby could only widen his eyes as he toppled backward.
The ground shook at his fall as the crowd cheered in approval.
Ruby Rose was not done yet however because for her finishing move, she burst into existence high above him with a grin and carried on by the crowd's cheers, does what can only be called as a wrestling move.
She fell straight towards Big Bobby's face elbow first and a grin on her face.
SLAM!
Blood spurted out of his broken nose but before Ruby could even react in mortification at the harm she had done, the crowd was already cheering for her.
"""FRESH MEAT! FRESH MEAT! FRESH MEAT!""
Ruby cringed embarrassedly as she started to rise up. She looked towards her Uncle Qrow to help him but already she saw him slamming his own opponents to the ground.
The crowd cheered even more but as her eyes locked with her uncle's, she saw them widen in fright.
"Ruby, watch out!"
She tilted her head but before she knew it, a hand grabbed her foot pulled her off her feet.
She gasped as her back hit the floor and the next thing she knew, Big Bobby was rolling above her with his hands on her neck.
"Sorry, girlie, you did good but I knew you were going to try something that. Almost had me though. Next time, just make sure your opponent is actually down before celebrating." Big Bobby laughed down at her and squeezed even as blood dripped down from his face towards hers.
Ruby could only gasp as the air was choked out of air. Black spots started to fill her vision just as she saw her Uncle Qrow knee Big Bobby on the side of his face.
Ruby inhaled precious air as Big Bobby released his hold on her. She coughed and gasped as she rolled on her knees once her uncle got the man off of her.
As she looked up, she saw her uncle beating on Big Bobby's face even as the man tried to push her uncle away.
Once, twice, thrice.
Three punches was all it took before Big Bobby's hands fell limp and her uncle finally let go of him with a roar to the heavens.
"WELCOME BACK, QROW BRANWEN!" The announcer shouted and the crowd roared back as she saw money being exchanged between multiple hands.
Claps and whistles greeted them as her uncle walked back towards her while stretching a hand.
Ruby took it just as another voice cut through the tent.
"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?! YOU KNOW THE BOSS HATES YOU GUYS WASTING LUNCH TIME!"
The crowd immediately froze before rushing back towards what they were doing before. Mainly getting back to their tables and eating their meals.
Ruby stood up and she blinked as she and her uncle were suddenly left in an open area with four other people on the ground.
Uncle Qrow groaned as he turned towards the source of the voice. "Hey, Vernal."
Vernal narrowed her eyes before shaking her head. "And here I thought you said you weren't back with the tribe."
"I'm not." Uncle Qrow grumbled as he kept Ruby behind her.
"Could have fooled me." Vernal raised an eyebrow, lookong at the groaning men around them.
"We were just getting some lunch." Uncle Qrow replied stoically, making Vernal shake her head exasperstedly.
"Well go get it then so you can eat with us and your sister."
Sister. Ruby blinked in shock at the word.
"Your sister? As in Yang's mom?" Ruby gasped at Uncle Qrow but the mention of her own sister's name however jolted Ruby as unpleasant memories slammed into her mind.
Yang, a train, then a sword, and finally, blood. Lots and lots of blood.
"Yang! How is she?! Where is she?!"
"Slow down, little rose. We're headed towards her now and as for how she is...well, she's as well as she could be." Uncle Qrow answered, grabbing another tray of food even as a frown crept up his face.
Ruby could only bite her lip worriedly as she received her own tray of food. She stepped to follow her uncle as the woman named Vernal received two trays before turning around.
"What about them?" She asked, nodding towards the men she and her uncle defeated but she watched as Big Bobby only waved her away.
"We're fine, girlie. You did good by the way." He said gruffly, giving her a thumbs up even as he laid down on the ground. "Come back next time. We'll be happy to have a rematch with you."
"As long as you're not trying to kill me then I'm happy for a rematch!" She giggled at the casual invitation before wincing apologetically. "Sorry for accidentally throwing food on you by the way. And elbowing you on the face, I guess."
"Bah, think nothing of it. Now leave me be and let me die in peace. You and your uncle have slain this mighty warrior." Bobby snorted, giving her a bloody smile before groaning and snoring to himself.
Ruby laughed before turning around only to pause as she saw her uncle frowning at her while Vernal smirked.
"You know, for someone who isn't built for hand-to-hand, you seem to have held up well."
"Awww, thanks! I have good teachers!" Ruby beamed as she happily nodded towards her uncle. "Uncle Qrow's one of them!"
Her uncle's frown turned upside down as he smiled brightly back at her.
"Of course I am! I'm the most badass Huntsman around after all!"
"Well the most badass Huntsman around should not leave their guards down and get injured!" Vernal rolled her eyes as Uncle Qrow scowled at her.
"Hey! It was one time! One time only! It won't happen again."
"Yeah, yeah, I've heard that before. Now come on! We're wasting daylight!"
Ruby and her uncle followed even as Uncle Qrow grumbled to himself.
She watched as Vernal led them outside. Her strides purposeful as she ignored the hustle and bustle around as they headed to one particular large tent.
It was smaller than the one they came from but it was noticeably bigger than anything else around it.
As they entered it however, Ruby's eyes snapped towards the figure laying on a cot and the woman sitting beside it with her back towards them.
"Yang!"
Raven immediately snapped her hand back from sweeping her daughter's hair when she heard the tent flaps swung open.
It wasn't long before that when she heard the cry.
"Yang!"
Rose petals burst into existence beside her. Her daughter breathed peacefully as Ruby Rose flitted and fluttered above her.
It took Raven's all to stop her hand from reaching out tightly to pull the little girl back from disturbing her daughter.
Gods, she could still remember how close to the edge they had been. Loathe as she was to admit it, she still felt weak from the amount of blood that left her body and there was a moment back then that she feared that she wouldn't have enough for the both of them.
Fortunately, Branwen blood proved strong and she was able to supply enough blood for the both of them.
Still, the weakness and pain of seeing her daughter in such a state left her low but Raven Branwen could hardly show herself in such a state.
Instead, she breathed deeply as she leveled her steely gaze towards Summer Rose's get.
"Calm yourself, child. Yang is recovering but it would do you no good if you disturb my daughter's rest."
Ruby Rose snapped towards her with wide eyes as her mouth formed the word daughter in wonder.
A tick formed on Raven's forehead but she only kept herself still and silent.
Ruby Rose cringed before fluttering back behind her and it didn't take long before she heard her brother's scoff following behind her.
"Your daughter now, is it?"
Again, she only kept silent even as Vernal solemnly delivered her her food.
"The men are getting restless." Vernal announced and this time, Raven could not hold back the sigh from leaving her lips.
"They're always restless, Vernal. That isn't news."
"Maybe but there was a fight in the canteen this time. Your brother and...niece were involved."
Raven raised an eyebrow at that and she finally turned around to look her brother in the eyes.
"And here I thought you didn't want to be a part of us." She smirked as she saw Qrow groan exasperatedly. "And bringing in Summer's get with you too, I see." She added, turning to look at Ruby Rose from head to toe.
The girl squeaked, pulling her hood around her in a move so nostalgic that Raven couldn't help but remember Summer Rose.
Before she knew it, her lips were already curling upward into a smile. That smile only grew wider as Vernal added something interesting.
"She fought Big Bobby and won. He approves of her and wants to fight her again."
She couldn't help but have her eyes widen a bit at that. To get a tribe member's approval was akin to getting a pass from being mugged. It was as close to an offer of friendship without being outright invited to the tribe!
Ha! Summer Rose's daughter, a member of her tribe!
She barked a laugh at that even as Qrow and Ruby looked at her in shock.
She only shook her head at them however before tilting her head at Ruby with a smirk. "Heh. Who would have thought the daughter of Summer Rose would have some Branwen in her?"
"Branwen...in me?" Ruby Rose gawked before her head snapped towards Qrow beside her.
Raven raised an eyebrow at the action but both her brows climbed upward as a truly interesting thought wormed its way into her head a moment later.
She grinned and she saw Qrow immediately pale at her expression.
"Unless of course...you actually have some Branwen in you?" Raven waggled her eyebrows meaningfully as Qrow's jaw dropped in mortification.
"Raven, no!"
Raven, yesssss. A laugh threatened to explode out of her mouth but she only smiled coyly and tilted her head at her brother.
"What is it, brother? Do you actually have something to tell us?"
Vernal's head snapped towards Qrow and Ruby in surprise even as Ruby screeched towards her uncle.
"Uncle Qrow! Are you really actually my dad?!"
"Ruby! We have talked about this! We're family and that is all that matters!"
"Yeah but you didn't actually really answer my question!"
Raven couldn't hold it in anymore. She laughed. Loudly. It came from the soul and even Vernal looked at her in wonder as she continued to bellow in mirth.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Please continue." She wiped happy tears away from her eyes as she looked away for a moment.
She knew they would think it was out of character for her but truly, embarrassing Qrow never failed to make her happy.
Summer told her that it was natural for older sisters to embarrass their young brothers and perhaps it was true. It was only natural for her to put her brother in his place after all.
And right now, there was nothing better she could do than make him squirm uncomfortably.
And squirm he did because Ruby Rose was suddenly pouting at him and it was all thanks to Raven.
"Answer me, Uncle Qrow! Did you or did you not sleep with my mom?! Is there even a chance that you could actually be my father?!"
"Ruby?! Why would you even ask me that?!" Qrow shot back in embarrassment but Raven only watched as she put her down with a light blush on her face.
"It's a yes or no question, Uncle Qrow! Or should I start calling you dad?!" Ruby made a complicated face at that even as Qrow sputterred incoherently.
Dad. Ha! Imagine that, her brother, a father? What a strange world they were living in.
Raven shook her head in mirth but eventually, Ruby Rose reached the edge of her patience.
Silver eyes locked with Raven's red even as she raised an eyebrow in curious expectation.
"Aunt Raven..." Ruby trailed off as a funny feeling bloomed inside Raven's heart.
Aunt Raven...Aunt...Raven.
What a curious title. She rolled the term aunt in her mind and she found that she did not mind it as much as she thought she would.
She was not going to say she liked it but she certainly did not hate it just because of the fact that it made Qrow uncomfortable.
Still those were thoughts for later when she was alone and no one was there to watch her.
Right now, she only kept her face straight and nodded lightly at Ruby Rose.
"Did Qrow sleep with your mother?" She prefaced and a disgusted face appeared on Ruby Rose before she mastered it and sighed resignedly.
"Did he?"
Raven stayed silent for a bit even as Qrow shook his head frantically and Vernal watched curiously.
There was only one way she could answer that question.
She smiled as she put a hand to her cheek. "Oh you sweet summer child."
Ruby and Qrow blinked at her in shock but she only smirked at their faces at her intentional pun. It would only make their reaction to her next words all the sweeter.
As Ruby continued to look at her in shock however, Raven launched the finishing blow.
"We all did."
Vernal blinked. Ruby gawked. Qrow paled. And Raven-
"What the fuck did I just wake up into?"
A hoary whisper froze Raven in her tracks and threw any mirth she had right out of the proverbial window.
When she turned towards the source of the voice, lilac eyes burned weakly into her.
Yang.
Her breath left her body as she saw the angry red scar over her daughter's throat even as rose petals suddenly burst beside her.
"Yang!" Ruby exclaimed, fluttering and hovering over her sister as her earlier distress was entirely forgotten.
"Hey, Ruby." Yang weakly muttered, her voice hoarse as she tried to smile.
Raven only gulped heavily as she grabbed a cup of water and stretched her hand towards Yang.
"Here."
That was the first word she had ever said to her daughter in years.
Here.
Gods, even for Raven, she knew she was a mess.
Yang only kept her eyes on her however even as Ruby helped her to slowly sit up.
"Raven Branwen."
Her name grated at her daughter's throat and Raven immediately found her head shaking at that. "Don't speak. You'll stress your throat out."
"Damn my th-ack-hack!" Yang tried to shout before dry coughs interrupted her.
Raven only pushed the water into her daughter's hand and she lost her breath when she took it.
She masked her emotions however, keeping a close lid on them as she looked flatly straight into Yang's glaring eyes.
Thankfully, her daughter drank the water silently before harshly throwing the empty cup away.
Good. That was good. If she had the energy to be angry then she had the energy to recover.
In fact, other than the angry red scar over her throat and the paleness of her skin, Yang looked none the worse for wear.
Yang even had the energy to glare at her.
"I have questions."
Raven stilled at that before relaxing as she took on an indifferent nature.
"I'm sure you do."
Mother and daughter stared at each other as the tension rose between them.
She could see Ruby worriedly biting her nails beside Yang but Raven kept her eyes on her daughter.
Yang gritted her teeth at that before she stopped and a sly smile crossed her face.
Raven raised an eyebrow at that but kept silent as she allowed her daughter to speak.
"First off, what do you mean you all slept with mom?"
Ruby squeaked even as Raven's eye twitched at Yang calling Summer mom.
That was until she realized that was what Yang was going for.
Raven huffed a laugh at that even as she saw Yang smirk at her.
Her girl wanted a reaction from her.
She wanted to unsettle Raven and as far as questions went, what she asked was one Raven did not expect Yang would throw at her.
Clever.
Still, her daughter would have to do better than that if she wanted to unsettle her.
She only leaned back and crossed her arms under her chest as she smirked at both Yang and Ruby before launching her own attack.
"I meant what I said. We all slept with Summer."
She heard Qrow groan at that as Ruby's jaw dropped at her. Yang, for her part, only frowned at her reaction but oh no, Raven was not done yet.
She shrugged affably as she sent a devastating blow. "She was a slut, you see."
Qrow and Ruby snapped at that immediately.
"Raven!"
"How dare you say that about my mother?!"
Raven only nodded however, keeping her eyes on her daughter who glared at her. "It's true. Ask Qrow."
"I-uh-that is to say-Gods, Raven. Why do you have to be such a bitch?" Qrow sputtered before sighing resignedly.
Raven shrugged silently but it was then that Yang decided to shoot back.
"She was still better than a coward who left her family."
The accusing tone was like a gut to the punch and blew away any victory she had on the conversation as Vernal gasped behind her.
She only kept silent however even as her gaze took on a hard edge.
"What? Nothing to say?" Yang scoffed at her but Raven only snorted at her and her mouth moved automatically.
"I have nothing to say to you."
It was an automatic response to an insolent question and in hindsight, it was the perfectly wrong thing to say betweem them.
"What the fuck do you-gchack-hack!" Yang tried to lunge forward but harsh coughs seized her body.
Before she could even stop herself, Raven was already off of her seat and gently pushing Yang back towards the bed.
Both their eyes widened and Raven paused, unsure of what to do until Yang slapped her hands off of her.
Raven stood there, biting her lip in frustration as she clenched her hands tight.
Gods, she was a mess.
"Why?" Yang asked.
There were a lot of answers she could have used to answer such a vague question but she again kept silent as she looked at Yang.
Perhaps she was being delusional but Raven hoped she wouldn't ask what she knew she was about to.
Alas, Yang opened her mouth and-
"Raven!"
Her tent flapped open and everyone inside jolted as they all turned towards the source.
Never did she ever thought she would say it but she was relieved that Shay stood there, panting as sweat caked his forehead.
"They're fighting again and they're getting out of hand! Big Bobby just took out his warhammer!"
A curse flew out of her mouth at that.
Fighting between tribe members was good as long as it was healthy but bringing out weapons just raised the stakes to unhealthy!
Damn it! The men really were restless! Vernal even warned her about it!
Her hand automatically moved to grab Omen on her belt only for it touch air. Looking around, she saw her sword laying against the well beside the bed.
The same bed Yang was currently sitting on with her sister.
Her breath left her body at that
Part of her wanted to turn and leave but something in Yang's eyes stopped her.
It was...resignation...defeat...hopelessness.
Things that she should never ever see on her daughter's face.
Before she knew it, her hand was already moving towards Omen's direction or more specifically, the sword beside it.
Her hand gripped Harbinger and she turned around to throw at it Qrow.
"Hey!" Qrow's eyes widened and he only barely manahed to catch his own sword even as orders automatically flew from Raven's mouth.
"Consider this your final test, Qrow. Take the tribe to raid and you can leave with your sword once you get back."
They both knew he wouldn't. He would never leave without the girls here with her.
"Woah! Woah! Woah! Just what are you having me do?! You know I'm out of that now! I'm not going to raid an innocent village for you!" Qrow shook his head vehemently but Raven only bulldozed on.
"There's a slaving band roaming the forests south of here. Vernal will guide you towards their last location. They should be right up your alley. Take them out and bring back every single slave they have towards the tribe. Anyone strong enough to survive them is worthy of being recruited to the tribe."
Vernal raised an eyebrow at that, crossing her arms as she looked at Raven.
"Are you sure, boss? They mainly take Faunus and we've always let the White Fang get the hit on these slaving bands to get their recruits."
She heard Ruby gasp at that but Raven only glared at Vernal for questioning her.
"Fuck the White Fang. They cut my daughter."
Yang gasped at that but again, Raven only kept her eyes aimed towards Vernal who nodded with a glint in her eye.
"Roger that, boss. Come on, Qrow. It's time we show the tribe you're back."
"I'm not back! And why can't you do it, Raven?!" Qrow shouted before turning towards her with a glare.
Raven only snorted, staying silent as she turned around and sat back on her seat to stare at Yang and Ruby's gobsmacked expressions.
For better or for worse, she had made her decision.
Eventually, silence dominated her tent again as Vernal finally pulled Qrow outside.
Tension rose again as mother and daughter stared at each other with Ruby Rose as witness.
"Your daughter, huh?" Yang started, making a complicated face but Raven only nodded stoically.
"You are my blood. Why do you think I saved you?"
There can be no denying that Yang was not her daughter with that but the question only seemed to hurt her daughter.
And it is with that pain that Yang asked the question Raven had been dreading.
"Then why did you leave in the first place? Why leave me from the start if you were just going to suddenly appear out of nowhere?"
Tears appeared on Yang's eyes and Raven had to grit her teeth as the pain echoed through her as well.
Why? She knew why and it was something that was hard to admit.
Regardless, she decided to stay here. She decided to be asked. And now, she had to decide to answer.
"Well?" Yang asked impatiently as she furiously wiped the tears off her eyes.
Raven took a deep breath at that before closing her eyes.
Where to start?
The beginning of course.
She opened her eyes and asked a question of her.
"Did you ever play with dolls, Yang?"
The question came out of left field and understandably shocked her daughter as she frowned in confusion.
"I-what?! What does that have to do with anything?!"
"Just answer the question, Yang." Raven said softly and her tone must have shocked Yang as well because she pursed her lips and nodded slowly.
"Yeah but I-"
"I didn't." Raven interrupted, cutting Yang off mid-rant before continuing once she got her attention. "I didn't have dolls. Instead, I had knives I used to stab the boys who used to try to touch me and beat Qrow."
Childhood memories rushed through her mind and Raven struggled to keep her breathing under control. It was always unpleasant when she tried to go down Memory Lane.
Both Yang and Ruby gaped at her for that but she only continued.
"At what age did you learn to read? Both of you?"
Yang and Ruby looked at each other at that before turning to look back at her.
"Six or seven I think?" Ruby answered and again, Raven nodded.
"Qrow and I didn't learn until we were twelve when we posed as beggars to spy on a village, and even then, we were starving when we learned."
Ruby got teary-eyed at that and even Yang cringed at her but she was not done. She was far from done.
"Have you had your first time yet? A boy you liked perhaps?" She asked, her tone soft as she looked at both Yang and Ruby.
Ruby paled at the question but shook her head furiously even as Yang frowned at her.
"I've kissed boys before but I haven't really had my first time yet."
Raven laughed at that before nodding to herself.
"That's good. That's good. I had my first time when I was fourteen after my first period. Qrow doesn't know about it but it was with the guy who trained us. He was maybe twenty years older than us and he forced himself on me."
Both Ruby and Yang gasped in shock at that. Raven however only shook her head.
"He's dead now, of course. I killed him before I even left for Beacon."
She smirked at the memory of how it felt to stab the guy in his neck.
Ha! He actually thought she was going to give him a farewell fuck before she went to Beacon!
No, it was the perfect time to do it because she was strong enough to at least fight back if it came down to it. Her getting out of the tribe and training to become stronger right after was just the perfect circumstance to let Raven get away scot free.
She is jolted out of her thoughts however when Yang spoke again.
"I...I'm sorry that happened to you but...that still doesn't answer my question. Why leave me? Why leave dad?"
Yang's gaze was strong even if there was pity in it for her. Normally, she would have lashed out at being seen as weak but this time, Raven only sighed.
"Yang, look at me. Do I look like motherhood material to you?"
"Obviously not." Yang answered and her lilac eyes widened immediately at the realization her mouth moved on its own.
Raven however, only nodded albeit a bit painfully.
"I don't, do I? And it is a fair assessment." She admitted, shaking her head with a sigh before looking at her daughter with pain in her eyes. "Look at me, Yang. What life would I have been able to give you? Nothing normal, that's for sure. I don't even know what normal feels like." She finished with a wistful sigh as Yang made a pained face.
"That's it, then? You just had a shitty life and so you walked out on me. You didn't even try, damn it!"
Her wistful look turned into a glare at that. "Don't you dare say I didn't try. You have no right to say I did not try! I tried, Yang! I tried to be normal! I tried for you! I tried for Tai! I tried for one year and it didn't work out!"
Her voice rose without her notice and Yang reeled back in surprise at the hurt in her voice. Raven's eyes widened at that before she leaned back and sighed in resignation.
It galled her to admit all of it out loud but more than Qrow and perhaps more than Tai, it was Yang who had the right to these answers.
And when Raven gave those answers?
She felt herself tire and weaken as of the energy was sapped out of her.
"I tried to cook and I almost burned the house down. I tried to clean and I only made a mess. I tried a lot of things, Yang ,and I failed at all of them." She admitted as the truth softly flowed out of her.
"I...why didn't you ask for help? You didn't have to do it all alone." Yang asked hesitantly before cringing at what she thought was an offense to her.
Raven only barked a self-depreciating laugh however because she did.
"I did, Yang, and you know what? That's when I realized you didn't need me."
"What? Why would you say that?" Yang asked tearily and Raven had to look away as pain lanced at her heart.
"Who do you think I asked for help? Better yet, who was the only one I could ask for help?"
"Summer." Ruby breathed out with wide eyes and Raven turned towards her with a nod.
"Summer Rose, your mother."
"I-I'm sorry!" Ruby choked out but Raven only shook her head.
"Don't be. Summer was the right choice. She made you strong. Both of you."
Her words lifted Ruby's spirits and for a moment, she smiled as she wiped the tears away.
There was a moment there when Raven feared Ruby would leap to hug her but she breathed a sigh of relief when Yang cut in with a hoarse voice.
"But why didn't you stay?"
Raven tilted her head at that. "Like I said, you didn't need me."
"Bullshit." Yang barked, shaking her head as she cleared her throat. "How can you say that?! You were my mother!"
Mother.
Mother.
MOTHER.
That was the first time Yang had ever said that to her directly and it broke Raven's heart.
A breath lodged itself in her throat and she struggled to clear it as she looked away.
"It...It was just after your first birthday."
Memories threatened to overwhelm her and make her cry but she bit her lip and bulldozed on.
A Branwen was strong and no heartbreak, no matter how painful was going to bring her down.
This was close though.
This was very very close.
"It was just another day but this time, I was more tired than usual. Summer was there to help as usual and...I took a nap."
It humiliated her to say it but both Yang and Ruby patiently looked at her as of they knew there was more to the story and there was.
"She was taking care of you...playing with you and she probably didn't notice me waking up but...you...called her mama."
Hearing it now from her own lips, it sounded ridiculous but who would know the kind of pain she sufferred? Even Yang looked at incredulously now.
Raven only shook her head at that.
"Do you know how painful it is? To be replaced by your best friend in the eyes of your own daughter? It was excruciating." She gritted out and Ruby looked like she was almost going to cry because of her again but Raven continued on. "I knew she and Tai still exchanged longing looks. How could I not? We practically lived together! And so, I decided...I did not want to see it."
"What...what do you mean?" Yang asked hesitantly and Raven mastered herself to look resolutely at her daughter.
"Just as how we assign our roles in the tribe based on our abilities...I assigned...myself away from you and Summer as your mother."
Yang's face crumpled at that, her voice failing her as Ruby patted her sister comfortingly.
"That's messed up." Yang eventually muttered but Raven only shrugged tiredly.
"It was the right thing to do."
"No, it's not. You're messed up." Yang said, tears actually falling from her eyes as Raven looked at her worriedly.
"You see why I am unfit then."
Again, it pained her to admit but it was the truth.
Yang however only shook her head as she wiped the tears away from her eyes. "No, it's not. That's not why you're unfit. You're unfit because you left!"
"You would have me stay and experience that pain? The pain of being replaced by my best friend as a wife and as a mother?" Raven frowned but Yang shot back with an answer that would shake her to her core.
"I know you had a shitty life but I would have had you stay for me! You should have stayed for me, damn it! I! We! We could have built something together! And Summer was never going to replace you! She and Ruby were just going to be added to the family!"
Raven froze at that and the anger in Yang's voice before she shamefully lowered her head.
Thinking about it now...perhaps that could have been the case. Sharing was nothing new to them but...
"I...I couldn't. I wasn't strong enough." She shook her head.
She just couldn't bear to see her baby being stolen from her.
"You're damn right, you're not!" Yang glared and Raven could only look away in shame.
"I'm sorry."
Silence dominated her tent at that and it took Ruby Rose clearing her throat to break it.
"What now?" She asked softly while looking at Raven apologetically.
Raven bristled at that and cleared her throat even as Yang continued to glare at her.
"Now? Now you recover and rest-"
"I'm fine." Yang interrupted harshly even as a frown crept up Raven's face.
"Yang-"
"No, I don't know how you took us here but you need to send us to our team. Unlike some people, we don't abandon our loved ones."
Raven cringed at that and even Ruby started to look at her worriedly.
"Please, Aunt Raven."
Raven sighed loudly at that, closing her eyes and rubbing the bridge of her nose. "It's too dangerous and we don't even know the situation in Vale from where I took you. Not to mention, you're too weak to actually do anything."
Yang actually growled at that but Ruby laid a restraining hand on her shoulder.
"So what can we do?" She asked but Raven only huffed in annoyance.
"Gods, why were you even in that kind of situation in the first place? Beacon never should have sent first years like you to tangle with terrorists. The same terrorists who got lucky and actually managed to jump Qrow I might add."
It was a question borne of annoyance and one she didn't really expect to have an answer for but today really was just full of surprise, huh.
"Headmaster Ozpin sent us-"
"Stop. Ozpin sent you?" She raised a hand incredulously, cutting off Ruby who started to answer her question.
Ruby nodded quickly. "It actually was a mission for higher years but Headmaster Ozpin waived that requirement for our team because he said Uncle Qrow was in the area!"
Raven groaned loudly at that as her palm met her face. "Damn it, Ozpin. Now I have more reasons not to send you back."
"What?! Why?!" Yang glared at her heatedly but unlike before, this time Raven thinks she really is validated and justified.
"Because Ozpin is just going to use you as his pawns." She answered flatly to both girl's confusion.
"What do you mean?" Ruby asked and Raven sighed in exasperation.
"He is not who he seems."
"And so what? He's still doing a lot more to protecting the world from the Grimm than you who is apparently leading a bandit tribe!" Yang scoffed and a tick formed on Raven's forehead at that.
"You don't know anything, Yang." She hissed but her daughter only met her with more fire.
"Oh, yeah! I know you're a coward! I thought you were only afraid of facing your family but it turns out you're afraid of facing the Grimm and others like the White Fang too!"
"This is more than terrorists and Grimm hordes, Yang!" Raven yelled, gritting her teeth as her daughter scowled at her.
"What could be more than fighting bad guys and destroying Grimm hordes?"
Raven looked at them flatly and immediately comes to a decision.
She turned into a bird.
"What the fuck?!"
"I beg your pardon?" Pyrrha asked as she and Jaune blinked incredulously at both Headmaster Ozpin and General Ironwood.
The two looked at each other briefly before repeating the question.
"What is your favorite fairytale?"
Sorry for not posting last week, everyone. Baby Light got sick and got confined to the hospital. Understandably, fanfiction was the last thing on my mind. But we are okay now though, got home safe and sound and finally got around to posting.
Anyways, here is the chapter! I hope you like it!
P.S. Please consider supporting me, I will be posting every Monday from now on.
P.P.S. had some issues with uploading stories which is why I was not able to post this here on monday. But it seems to be fine now.
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