Ash and Pikachu were unceremoniously shoved forward, still bound as they stumbled into the Branwen Tribe's camp. Rough-looking bandits loitered around, some eyeing them with suspicion, others with mild amusement.

Vernal, standing confidently beside them with a smug smirk, crossed her arms and nodded toward a large hut. "Alright, time for the main event."

She called out, "Raven! Got someone you might wanna meet."

A moment of silence hung in the air, heavy with tension.

Then, the curtain of the hut shifted, and Ash and Pikachu flinched as a figure peeked out.

The first thing Ash noticed was the eerie, full-face Grimm mask. Then came the outfit—a striking black and red kimono top, a pleated skirt with shorts underneath, and a sash around the waist that carried a weapon's sheath. Beaded necklaces adorned her chest, and a long black fur-like object hung from behind her sash. Her forearms were covered in red armored gauntlets, protruding outward, and black fingerless gloves wrapped around her hands. Black thigh-high boots with red splatter designs completed the intimidating look.

Ash swallowed hard as the figure fully stepped out of the hut.

Then, with a slow and deliberate motion, she reached up and removed her mask.

Ash's eyes widened. The woman's face—strong, sharp, and framed by long dark hair—bore an uncanny resemblance to someone he knew.

"…Yang?" Ash blurted out in confusion.

Pikachu tilted its head. "Pika?"

The woman's crimson eyes locked onto him, glinting with amusement. A smirk tugged at her lips as she set the mask down. "So… a little boy knows about my daughter?" she mused.

Ash blinked. "Wait, daughter? You're Yang's—?"

Raven scoffed. "Surprised?"

Ash furrowed his brows. "I mean, yeah! You don't even look that old."

Vernal snickered. "Aww, how flattering."

Raven rolled her eyes. "Flattery won't get you anywhere, kid." Her expression quickly hardened as she turned to Vernal, her amusement fading into a sharp glare. "What I want to know is why there are outsiders in my camp. Without my permission."

Vernal, still smirking, shrugged. "Thought you'd find him interesting."

Raven exhaled sharply, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Vernal, I swear, if this is another one of your brilliant ideas…"

Ash, still trying to process everything, huffed. "Great. First I get kidnapped, and now I'm meeting long-lost moms. This day just keeps getting weirder."

Pikachu muttered, "Pika pika…" (You're telling me…)

Raven's sharp crimson eyes flicked back to Ash, who stiffened under her intense gaze. There was something about the way she studied him that made him uneasy—like a predator sizing up its prey.

Then, to his surprise, she took a step closer.

Ash instinctively leaned back, but with his hands still bound, there wasn't much he could do. Pikachu, also restrained, tensed beside him, watching Raven warily.

Raven hummed thoughtfully as she examined the young trainer. "Huh. So this is the kid my daughter seems to have taken an interest in."

Ash blinked. "Wait, Yang's interested in me?"

Vernal smirked. "Seems like it."

Raven exhaled, shaking her head. "Tch. I don't know what it is about you, but I guess I can see it. You're… kinda adorable."

Ash's face turned slightly red. "Uh… thanks?"

Vernal chuckled. "See? Told ya."

Raven rolled her eyes. "Don't get ahead of yourself, Vernal." She crossed her arms and scoffed. "Besides, what my daughter does is none of my concern. But you—" she pointed at Ash "—you've found yourself in an unfortunate situation."

Ash frowned. "Yeah, no kidding. First, I get kidnapped, now I'm being judged on how 'adorable' I am. This is definitely not how I planned my day."

Pikachu muttered, "Pika pika…" (This is getting ridiculous…)

Raven sighed, clearly already tired of the conversation. "Alright, enough of this nonsense. Let's talk about what happens to you now."

Ash tensed. "Oh boy…"

Raven stood still, arms crossed, as she weighed her options.

Ransom? Out of the question. The kid didn't have a recognizable last name, and he wasn't anyone important in Remnant. No one would pay for his return.

Killing him? Tempting, but not worth the headache. Yang would throw a fit, and Vernal would get annoying about it. Not to mention, something about the kid's bright-eyed stubbornness reminded her too much of certain people she used to know.

So… what could she do with him?

The silence stretched long enough that the other bandits began exchanging glances, waiting for Raven's decree. Finally, she exhaled and made her decision.

"…Let him go."

The camp erupted into protests.

"Are you serious?!"

"We can't just let an outsider walk outta here!"

"What if he leads someone back?!"

Raven's sharp gaze cut through the noise, and just like that, the complaints died down. Her orders were final.

"I don't have time to waste on dealing with whatever nonsense he's involved in," she stated, flicking her hand dismissively. "The longer he stays here, the more problems it creates."

Vernal frowned, clearly displeased, but she respected Raven's authority too much to argue. "…Fine," she muttered, before cutting Ash loose with a flick of her blade.

Ash rubbed his wrists, relieved but confused. "Uh… thanks?"

Before he could react, a hand landed on his head, ruffling his hair.

Ash froze, blinking in disbelief.

Was she—?

Pikachu tilted its head. "Pika?" (What's happening?)

Raven smirked down at him. "A parting gift," she mused, tousling his hair like he was a kid.

Ash pouted, swatting her hand away. "Hey! I'm not a little kid!"

Raven chuckled, clearly entertained by his reaction. "Sure you aren't." Then, in a low murmur, just loud enough for Vernal to hear, she added, "If I were twenty years younger… I might've stolen you away from my foolish daughter."

Ash's face went bright red. "W-WHAT?!"

Vernal snorted, shaking her head. "Wow, Raven. Didn't know you had a thing for cute dorks."

Raven merely smirked, before stepping back. "Get lost, kid. And try not to get kidnapped again."

Still flustered, Ash scooped Pikachu up and quickly made his way out of the camp, muttering under his breath. "This is officially the weirdest day of my life…"

Pikachu nodded. "Pika…" (Agreed…)