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Final Chapter
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"We have to much talk about" Raven started when Yang finally managed to walk up to her. Sure she hadn't expected her daughter to smile or run up to her for a hug but she was surprised of the lack of physical rejection. She actually expected her daughter to at least try and punch her, the only thing she got was a red eyed glare.
"Sure we do."
She hadn't expected the rejection to be emotional.
"I love you." she said out of the blue. It was something neither of them expected to hear today, now or any given time but the least she could do was be honest with her feelings and get the most important things out of her system. The following conversation was going to be heavy anyway, no need to start moody.
As if triggered by the sudden confession of motherly love Yang's eyes flared red, immediately releasing the burning hatred she knew her daughter had for her.
"How-How dare you-" her child started.
"How dare I just leave you when you could barely walk. How dare I just come back to save you on that train all those months ago only to tell Qrow that I won't come and do it again. How dare I just come back, tell you to meet me at beacon in the middle of the night and say that I never stopped loving you? I know what you are going to say…I said the same things over and over again to myself. For failing you."
"W-why." she couldn't bear look at her, her child, her little baby dragon. She couldn't bear hearing that strong girl break because of her. Because of her failure.
"I had to leave…had to keep you all safe…" she whispered, feeling excuses form on her lips, down her throat but didn't dare voice any of them.
"And from what?!" Yang screamed, aura flaring up and burning the ground beneath her feet "What was so important that you couldn't rely on anybody?! What was so important that you didn't even say anything to mum?" her voice broke at the mention of Summer. She couldn't blame her, but- "You loved her didn't you?"
Her eyes opened wide. Wider then they ever were. Taking a long good look at her child who was so close to tears, so close to breaking. She had to endure so much. Her baby had to face all those hardships all on her own without her mommies.
"How, how did you-…?"
"Dad told me before I came here."
"Oh"
"While arguing with Uncle Qrow for an hour."
"O-ka-"
"Before they started to fight with one another since they weren't supposed to tell me or Ruby for that matter."
"…Can I talk now?"
"…Sure."
Raven didn't know what exactly happened but the conversation she had envisioned with her daughter derailed faster than Summer's "accidental misdirection of affection". Her eyes focused for the briefest of moments on her daughters right arm, before she had to avert her gaze. The pain was still too fresh and the sorrow she felt nearly crushed her then.
"I actually expected something else" she admitted.
"Yeah" she looked at Yang, such a meek reaction from the once so bright and cheerful girl; she didn't know how to feel about that.
"Trust me when I say that the first thing I wanted to do was punch your face…" fiery red irises focused onto her. Her own staring back just as intently.
"…How come everyone wants to hit my face?" she asked aloud before catching herself. Great she thought, Pandora's box slowly opening "It ain't that pun-ny, knowing that my own baby-bird wants to n-(m)ob-e me."
She cursed inwardly. How dare she open her accursed mouth and start that after all those years! And those puns were-
"Those puns…were horrendous." Yang said, smiling somewhat at the lame attempt to lighten the mood. Raven didn't know what happened, she didn't care either but at least it was something that made sense to her.
"Hope this confirms your nightmares"
"I'm a tough cookie. You're nothing I haven't had to deal with."
"With or without chocolate dibs. And I doubt you've ever met someone like me in your entire life."
"Raisins. Bite me."
"HERESY!" she screamed unable to hide the wide smile on her lips "That dried up fruit has no place within the dough of delicious and sugary perfection that is Cookies!"
For but a second they returned to silence before the smiles grew in size and a fit of giggles escaped their lips. It was something she had dreamed about, wished for, desired without ever voicing it.
They continued to laugh for a while, unable to form words or thoughts. She leaned backwards and dropped unceremoniously onto her butt at the fountain. She motioned for Yang to join her but the little Firedragon refused. The smile on her lips dropping slightly.
"How come I can still laugh like this" she began gripping at what was left of her right arm "after all that happened" tears spilled from her eyes "Why am I laughing even though I-I-"
Concern flooded her heart and she got back up again, approaching her child but Yang stepped out of her range when she closed in.
"…"
"Yang? What happened to Ruby?"
"…"
"If you don't talk to me, at least punch me! Do anything with your anger!"
"And What!? What can I possibly do with how I am. All of you left. All of you. First you, then mum , then my friends one by one! My school was destroyed, my life was ruined by that Monster and all on Remnant went to hell! Then Ruby left. She left. She left and she will never return because I am fucking useless! I can't do anything! I – I-…Blake…" her voice starting from angry slowly dissolved into sobs. Tears fell from her eyes. Pain was in her voice. Sadness was in Raven's heart.
"Do you think Blake left because she thought your were weak?"
At her words Yang immediately looked up, eyes blazing red with unspoken venom nearly surfacing "How do you know that name?"
She had seen that look. It was the same she gave herself every morning to remind herself that she left her children on their own. That she was the reason that their pain didn't go away.
"I might have -accidentally- influenced her to get katana." she said starting to scratch her neck. Yang just continued to stare at her with a blank expression so she added "See, when I went to Atlas to observe a Faunus Rights Demonstration the Atleasean military decided it was the perfect opportunity to let their newest version of their KNIGHTs at the people. Of course I wasn't allowed to intervene but I still kind of saved Blake before she got shot…sadly enough Adam was there as well…he probably recruited her after I decided to disappear again."
A very long moment of silence fell between them.
Hesitant at first Raven decided to be a little truthful to her child, she did say they needed to talk about a lot, "From what I saw with your interactions I knew that you are someone irreplaceable to her. Think about it for a second, whom else but you could she turn to. You two were basically inseparable and I know that she struck the right kind of nerves within you-"
"Wowowowow! What?!"
"I mean," she decided to be blunt "You've got a big fat crush on her and I am more than sure that she was more than ready to throw herself at you, had you asked, but since her dear little vermin of an ex-boyfriend showed up she most likely stirred his attention from you to her – she cares about you, I'm sure of it."
She didn't know if she had said to much, Summer did always tell her that she talked to much when the night was far to short, but at least she got one of the biggest points crossed on her list. Except that Yang appeared as if her brain just stopped functioning.
"Come again? What? Why- How?" the light bulbs on her head started to light up "Have you been watching me?!"
"Oh, not only you but your whole team … and maybe Ren and Nora … okay maybe mostly Ren and Nora since the little Miss Valkyrie tended to be -what's the right word- dangerous and I didn't want her to make enemies with my girls."
"Wait what? Wait what?! Wait what?! And what do you mean with your girls?!" Yang screamed making Raven confused.
"What do you mean? I though Taiyang already told you that me and Summer were married."
"Wowowowowowow! He only told me that you and mum were a couple but married?! Your were married to MUM!?"
"And had Ruby together … although that was after I had to leave-" she admitted, sinking into her own mind to refresh the emotions and memories she had tried to forget.
"What the fuck are you talking about?!"
"I mean, she did kind of violate me without my consent, having Taiyang as our donor and choosing me to have the kid and than gave birth to your little sis without telling me" she already stopped listening to rearrange the things that made sense in her brain, coming slowly to the conclusion that Summer might have tricked her into taking a more important role in the life of their children.
"WOW! Hold the presses! What?!" Yang's voice rose to the unimaginable which resulted in Raven finally noticing he expression of pure horror on her babies face, slowly coming to a terrifying conclusion…
"Taiyang, didn't tell you." her face paled, all the blood in her body having decided to flow right into her legs where they cramped and petrified her.
"You-Mum-you both? But?" she saw the look of confusion on her daughters face as a chance to tell her it wasn't what it sounded like.
Of course her mouth betrayed her.
"Weiss' mum helped Summer."
"…"
"…"
The silence that followed was so unbearable that she wished Summer and Qrow hadn't talked her into meeting her children. She would rather go hunt down those Grimm loving bastards on the dark side of the moon before facing her daughter in the same way she did now.
"You followed me and my team" Yang voiced, her tone unsure and her eyes unfocused "How long?"
Raven didn't know what she was supposed to say or do. Taiyang apparently dropped the entire responsibility of explaining onto her and she never had to stay still for this long. The urge to punch a certain Crow came but she dropped it in favor of answering.
No need to run away if her heart was already settled on being honest.
"Since the day I left you. From time to time I visited Vale and Patch, took care of Nora and Ren when their parents died, then got hunted down by Summer…"she paused for a moment "I just…not on the day Summer disappeared."
"…"
"After…" a tear ran from her eyes, Yang saw it, eyes wide but not saying a word "After that I visited as many times as possible, watching you both grow and become stronger…During my journey I, well I kind of kidnapped Weiss and dragged her around for a bit, even visiting Patch, the grave…" Yang's eyebrows rose above her face, disbelieve apparent on her face, she actually enjoyed seeing that expression.
"Do, you want to take a break?"
"No"
"But-"
"I know it's a lot to take in but you and I both know that I'd lose my brain if I tried to make sense of what you told me so before that happens tell me the rest."
Raven looked at her slightly unsure "You aren't angry?"
"Heck, I could kill you for what you did to me and Ruby but that wouldn't give us back what we have lost…what you took from us."
Her crimson eyes widened. She knew those words were coming. Knew that they were going to hurt. But she couldn't imagine the pain her heart was in, it felt that all her time in silent self-loathing couldn't prepare her for the punch in her guts those were.
"Then, when me and Ruby-"
"You went to the old hut me and Summer stayed at when I gave birth to you…you know how they say Birds always know where their home is…I went there on that day as well…" she didn't need to say anything more, Yang understood her words. But that didn't stop the tears from falling. Her vision became blurry.
She took out a white handkerchief from her backpocket and slowly started to dry the tears that flowed on her cheeks. When she was finished she handed it to Yang. Unsure whether her child would take it she tried to push her luck.
It would pay out nicely.
"So I was that close." her little firedragon muttered burying her face into the fabric. Her right arm hanging limply from her shoulder. She averted her heating gaze, finding the grass at the distance to be the victim of her death stare.
"…I never wanted to leave." she admitted.
"Then why did you?"
She looked into her daughter's face, seeing how broken her soul must feel at this very moment.
"Would it sound cliché if I said that I did to protect my family?"
"Worse."
"Ouch. Qrow wasn't kidding when he said you took more after Summer than me." Yang averted her eyes. She sighed feeling the weight of all their lives on her shoulders. Yet she refused to rumble under the pain. Raven Branwen was done looking for excuses.
"There exists this old evil. It had existed for as long as man. It tried many times to destroy humanity but never succeeded-"
"And here we go." Yang said out of nowhere, interrupting her history lesson "There always is some kind of old evil thing from the past that will eradicate all of humanity if no one stops it. If read that kind of story all the time to Ruby. She loved those kinds of books, still does, so please give me the real reason."
Raven only stared at her "The Grimm are a hive mind." was all she needed to say to make Yang pale "They have existed as long as man for a reason and those old legends were woven to enforce your believes. To give hope and life where the Grimm take it away."
"Wait. We are talking about Grimm here?"
"Of course, and nothing else. Do you know how long Goliaths live?"
"Does anybody?"
"The longer they live the more intelligent they get. And let us not forget that they come in all forms and shapes." Her gaze was serious making Yang take a deliberate step back.
"I don't like where this is going." she whispered and Raven had to agree.
"There are human shaped Grimm, and I fought one." she admitted, her eyes lingering on the Grass, memories of Blackness and pain gripping her heart but a gentle gust reminded her off where she was "Since then they have been on the hunt for me."
Her baby-dragon looked scared. Terrified even. She couldn't blame her. That knowledge was terrifying in itself but to know the reason why her mother had to leave her was just cruel.
"You've been runnin-" Yang started but Raven wouldn't have that.
"Fought. And still do to this day. Me, Ozpin and maybe the Late Penny Mk1 were the only ones to know of their existence and we continued our fight to this day…I'm sorry for never showing myself to you, but I was always there. Watching. Guarding. I even met Ruby per accident-" and she just had to bring that up didn't she?
"Wait. You've met-" her baby's eyes turned red. She wouldn't blame her. Couldn't really "Am I the only one who never got to meet my mom? Am I the only one that yo-" and instead of letting her child rage on in her hatred she stepped into her personal space and embraced the child she wanted to hold for so long.
"I never stopped loving you." she whispered, her voice breaking from the tears falling from her eyes, and her child's fist slamming into her belly "And I knew that I wouldn't be able to leave if I ever saw you directly. I never wanted any of this." she tightened her embrace feeling Yang's resistance slowly dropping. The intensity of her hits slowing, softening.
She was embraced in return. So tightly she could have sworn her back was cracking. She didn't mind at all, once she felt a ghostly white hand slowly whipping the tears from her cheeks. Raven opened her eyes, meeting a Silver gaze directed at both her and their daughter. A smile grazed their lips as eh held onto Yang for a while longer.
"Can you let me go already?" she asked softly. But her kid decided she hadn't been hugged tightly enough and nearly crushed her in this embrace.
"…No…" came the sob and she couldn't help but smile once more.
"We have more than enough time, we can look for Ruby and Weiss, and Blake" Yang tensed at the mention "and I also want you to meet someone."
Apparently very reluctantly Yang slowly let go of her, showing her tear streaked face -incidentally mirroring her own- before her lilac eyes looked around "What are you talking about, here is nobody els-" her words left in a breath. Slowly Raven stepped backwards, out of her child's embrace and allowing the one she loved more than anyone else to finally reunite with their child.
"Yang" a ghostly whispered left Summer as she took in her daughter, slowly approaching the girl who hadn't moved since she saw the ghost. Without a warning their child jumped into Summer's embrace.
Incoherent noises flooded out of Yang's mouth while snot and tears and everything in-between ran down her face.
"She just stopped crying" Raven lectured "and you just had to make her cry some more didn't you?" the ghost smiled at her apologetically.
"Hey, no reason to look at me like that. You've been her mother longer than I could have ever been." she hadn't realized that Summer pulled her into the hugged when it was already too late- not that she minded but damn did her eyes hurt from crying.
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"So, what now?" Yang asked in the embrace of her mothers. Mothers. She still had to make sure she wasn't letting her brain run on overdrive. Right now she only wanted to process the information that One: her mother was apparently really keeping her and Rubes safe. Two: Mum was still somehow alive-kinda- and was running her ghost like fingers through her hair. Three: She had two mums and a sperm donor … the last one made her a little sad. So Taiyang had been lying to her and Ruby for their entire life -sure he raised them but she couldn't forgive how he shut down when mum well disappeared- so she had to punish him when the time comes.
"Don't worry. I'm going to give your bio-father an earful, a drop into Emerald Forest and a kick to the groin. Then we are going to search for your friends, teammate, Ruby and your beloved Blake." mother told her to which she had to blush.
"Oh gawd! Could you please stop that? I am not in love with Blake okay!"
"I never said you were in love ." Raven smirked and she know that her mother was just as bad a tease as herself … great at least something other than the puns was inheritory. Now that she thought about it, Puns run in the family?!
She hid from her mother's teasing in mum's arms slash hands -seriously she totally wasn't sure how to feel about her mother being a head, a cape, two hands and radiance- until she saw those silver eyes she missed so so much look at her right arm.
She hid it as best as she could, feeling shame invade her heart and mind before she felt soft hands pull her chin up. A warm and unmistakably familiar pressure was applied to her forehead. So wonderful that a tear slipped from her eyes -damn had she cried a lot tonight.
"Sorry about that." Raven whispered while Summer nodded "We could have finished him off…but somehow I couldn't break that promise with Summer, I even stopped him from cutting his throat."
Yang looked at them, seeing the apologetic looks and the regret in their eyes. A smile formed on her lips "Good, cause I wanted to be the gal to break his face."
Her mothers looked at her, both with wide eyes, before bright smiles marred their faces. The got closer to her and embraced her as wonderfully as before. And for the first time in a very very long time Yang felt the love and hope she had felt as a child burn brightly in her heart. Like the roar of a dragon breaking the silence of the cold night and basking the world in brilliant fire. She pulled her mothers up, smiling at them for the first time.
She knew what they were going to do next.
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A/N I love you people! I seriously do and I hope you enjoyed the final as much as I enjoyed writing it (for some strange reason RWBY Ost 6 . Gold quieter moments fit the emotional moments in this story very nicely) and I hope that you'll accompany me to the next RWBY stories I've planned out!
Since Rosebird is such a rare Ship I enjoyed writing for it even more and I plan to do so more in the future.
The next RWBY story I planned was a RWBY x Fate/Zero crossover drawn and written by me. NO the characters will not be summoned as Servants, I have a different twist for that, but I hope that you'll look to my websites and fin enjoyment in it as well.
I also plan to make a One-Shot collection story focusing on different Ships I like so look forward to that too.
See you next time,
Yours dear,
Sha Yurigami
p.s. Before I forget it, can anybody please be so kind and check my story F/Zero Requiem and tell me why barely anybody wants to read it? That would be most kind