Chapter Text
The first time Taiyang saw Raven Branwen in the light of day, he fell in love.
Or at least, that’s how he often liked to tell it, as he had actually tripped over a broken piece of concrete and fell flat on his face – and it made for a better story if he stretched the truth a little bit.
“How charming.” Were the first words she’d ever said to him, giving him a dismissive glance that felt like it struck straight into his soul, before turning her attention to his would-be partner. “You’re the last to arrive. Not that that’s unusual for you.”
“Hey,” Qrow protested, “I was making good time until this guy showed up.”
“Oh yeah, blame it on me.” Tai grumbled as he picked himself up, brushing off his clothes. “I wasn’t the one who led us right into a trap.”
“We were fine.”
“The arrows were on fire, Qrow.”
“Eh, we made it, didn’t we?”
He shot the other as harsh a glare as he could that was only met with cold indifference. This was already gearing up to be a spectacular partnership.
“Um. I believe this one is yours then.” The quiet voice drew their attention to the fourth among them, the white-hooded girl pointing to the key on the pedestal. It was one of the relics that Ozpin had advised them they were to collect.
One look at Qrow told him who between them was expected to go fetch it, and he resisted the urge to roll his eyes as he crossed over, picking up the brass key. The bow of it was in the shape of a long, oval-shaped leaf. He rolled it around his fingers, before glancing at the girl. “You were on the airship coming in with me. Summer, right?”
She nodded, her smile muted. “And you’re Taiyang. People were talking about you.” Her voice was as seemingly meek as she was. It was strange to see her applying for a bold job such as being a huntress. She looked over her shoulder, towards the twins who were across the platform, whispering to one another. “Not as much as those two though.”
He hummed in agreement. “Yeah, I hear they’re pretty weird.”
It was nearly all anyone was talking about last night. Who was who and from where, what marks did they get, how they fought. The twins though were a total mystery and that only seemed to increase the interest about them. Despite having students from nearly every school across Remnant, no one knew where they came from or what school they had graduated from. Natural curiosity spurned rumors and by the next morning, he’d heard pretty much everything one could come up with – the most ridiculous being that they were aliens from outer space trying to take over the school.
(He came up with that one.)
“It’s sad.”
“Huh?”
“They’ve only been here a day and everyone wants to make up stories about who they are rather then get to know them.” Summer looked up at him. It was the first time he could see her entire face, but it was her eyes that struck him most. Silver, like the razor-sharp blade of a dagger. And they seemed to strike him through, accusing him. “Don’t you think?”
“Uh.” He swallowed down sudden guilt. “Yeah.”
And that was the first and last time he ever underestimated the power of Summer Rose.
He was on a mission.
Tai would like to say it was one of great peril; that he was being surrounded by a horde of snarling Grimm, alone – no! No, protecting his entire team that had been left weakened and defenseless, counting on him to finish them off. Unafraid as he snarled the fear right back at the Grimm’s faces before he bashed in their mighty teeth and saved the day.
But he wasn’t.
Instead, he had spent the better part of an hour scouring the entire campus for Qrow on what Summer deemed as ‘Mission: Communicate, but Don’t Agitate’.
“We’re not going to make this team work if we’re not getting along. So, as you are one half of the part that is not getting along, I am now ordering you to fix it. Today.” She had given him a motivating smile – meaning it was a falsely innocent looking one, hidden behind a guarantee that the next few years would be nothing but pain if he didn’t come through. “Got it?”
He wasn’t really sure how fair it was that he was the one tasked with this when it was Qrow who was avoiding them like the Black Grimm Plague. Despite having been a team for three months, the jerk never joined them for meals and he was almost never in their shared quarters. If it weren’t for classes, he wouldn’t see him at all. Tai had only had a handful of conversations with his would-be teammate – most of them ending antagonistically. Qrow seemed the type who’d always pick a fight with whomever pissed him off. It wasn’t his fault that he somehow ended up on that list.
Raven had told them to just leave it be; but unsurprisingly, Summer wouldn’t stand for that.
(Never mind that she whispered the plan to him as if certain the wrath of the slightly murderous-looking Branwen twin might come upon her if she overheard.)
He pushed open the doors to the library, scanning the tables as he slowly walked down the main aisle. He noticed, while there were a few people studying, most tables were cluttered with Remnant: The Game. He hadn’t played it yet, but he knew the new boardgame was designed specifically to appeal to those in the huntsmen schools, seeing as it was conveniently designed to have exactly four players.
“I place down Ice Storm! It’ll stop your army right in its tracks.”
“Ah, come on!”
Distracted as he walked by, Tai almost missed him – but he caught the flash of red in the corner of his eye that made him look around, starting in surprise when he realized Qrow was wandering between the rows. He quickly shuffled his way between the tables, hurrying after him. By the time he had caught up, Qrow had dropped the book on a table already cluttered with quite a few and had just settled down in front of it.
“Huh. So you do read.”
The other teenager tensed some, but relaxed just as quickly when he looked up at him. “Oh, it’s just you. If you’re looking for the raunchy stuff, sorry to tell ya it’s a pretty prude culture in here.”
“No,” Tai said, mustering his patience. “I was looking for you.”
“To do raunchy stuff with? Gee, at least take me out on a date first!”
He forced himself to take a deep breath. Don’t agitate, don’t agitate… He pulled out the chair opposite him, taking a seat. “Look, I think we got off on a bad start.”
“I’m surprised you had the brain capacity for that one.” Qrow quipped, tone bored as he flipped through some pages. “Except I know you don’t because little flowerbud put you up to this, didn’t she?” When Tai opened his mouth to – well he wasn’t entirely sure what he was going to say so maybe it was a good thing the other cut him off before he could. “So, since those blonde roots of yours definitely go all the way down, let me say this very simply: I don’t want to be part of this team.”
He was, admittedly, a little surprised when that stung. “What? Why?”
He shrugged. “It ain’t my thing. Or Raven’s. So, you and Summer can get all buddy-buddy if you want, but keep the two of us out of it, alright?”
Briefly, he worried about how Summer was doing on her own self-appointed mission of ‘No Homicide; Socialize!’, but quickly brushed it aside to focus back on the man across from him. “But Qrow-”
He paused when a prickly feeling ran across his senses and threw him into high alert. Acting quickly, he jumped up onto the chair and twisted around, planting one foot up on the back of it as he reached up, catching the edge of the fifth shelf just as it started to come down. The books shifted, some of them teetering close to the edge of the shelf, but none falling. “Well, that’s one concussion avoided.” He joked to himself, glancing over his shoulder. Qrow was just staring at him, eyes wide. “Um… little help?”
That snapped him from whatever trance he was in and he hurried around the table. Tai handed him down the books, which were then piled onto the table until the shelf was empty. He pulled the shelf down next, balancing it on his shoulder so he could inspect the wood, rubbing his thumb across the hole the shelf pin had been in and found it badly cracked. How unfortunate.
“How…” Qrow was staring at him like he wasn’t sure what to make of him all of a sudden. “How’d you know it was going to fall?”
“Huh? Oh.” Tai hopped down from the chair, leaning the shelf against the bookcase. “My semblance. It’s, uh-” He struggled, realizing he’d never had to put it into words before. “Well, I guess it’s like a form of hyper awareness. I can feel the things that are going to happen around me and respond to it – sometimes my body does it before my brain’s even processed it. So, like that shelf.” He tilted his head upwards. “I sensed it was going to fall, so I acted accordingly.”
“That’s how you avoided all the traps in the maze.”
He nodded. “It’s not foolproof or anything. The range of how far I can sense is very limited and some things just can’t be avoided. Still, definitely helped me avoid my fair share of scrapes.” One look at his partner told him he was still trying to absorb that information, though he couldn’t quite fathom why it was so amazing. They knew Glynda Goodwitch for Maidens’ sake. “Anyways uh, about our utter lack of teamwork-”
“You have a passive semblance too.” Oookay, never mind then.
“Uh, yeah?” Tai lent back some when Qrow angled him with an impressively intense stare. Alright, this was getting a little weird. “Are you, okay?”
In answer, he pointed upwards. “My semblance did that.”
He looked at the empty space where the shelf had once been. Where a crack in the hardwood had caused it to collapse. He looked back at Qrow who, back in the maze, had led them into no less than six traps, all of which he had evaded. Qrow, who was avoiding them, as if he couldn’t stand to be in the same room as them-
Oh.
His own eyes widened. “You know,” He said, still a bit stunned, “If you had just said something, you could have been sleeping in your own bed three months ago.”
“If teamwork isn’t a strong point of mine, how in all of Remnant do you expect my communication to be any better?”
“Fair point.” He conceded, and without any real reason the two of them started to laugh. Three months and finally, finally, they had connected.
Once the chuckles subsided, Qrow waved a hand to the books. “I was actually hoping to find something on it here. Maybe some way to… deal with it.”
“Can I help?” He blurted out, not really thinking about it.
Surprisingly, it was met with no resistance. “Sure.” Tai smiled turning to take his seat again.
Without missing a beat, his hand shot up, catching the right hook aimed for his chin. His eyes shifted, staring down the other huntsman. “Really?”
“Just checking.” Qrow grinned. Cheeky bastard.
“Alright, Team STRQ! We’ve all had a rocky start. But now, it’s time for us to get serious!” Summer proclaimed as she stood before the three of them. “Starting today, this will be our training grounds!”
She waved out her arms to encompass the grass field she had led them five miles west to. There was a sparse knot of oak trees here and there, but for the most part the plains were clear as far as the eye could see. The only thing out of place that seemed to even make the area stand out was the freshly felled tree turned into a log and the leftover stump that had a ring of blackened bark as if whatever had sliced through it had been aflame.
To the left of their “training grounds”, the massive structure of Beacon Academy could be seen in the distance. Behind them, the faint line of blue indicated the cliffside where it dropped into a massive bay and the faint roar of the tides could be heard even from here. Much further west, where the trees grew thicker and the area seemed cast in shadows, was the beginning of the Emerald Forest.
“This isn’t exactly the surprise I was hoping for.” Qrow grumbled. He wasn’t so much sitting as he was sprawled out on the grass, lounging back against the log with his arms spread out behind him.
Raven was standing a few feet away, her arms crossed and the heel of one of her boots balancing on the edge of the stump. “It’s also a waste of time. We’re not a bunch of sniveling kids, you know.”
Between them from where he sat on the log, Tai rubbed the back of his neck, saying nothing but the expression on his face clearly implying he agreed with both of them.
“I thought you would all act like this!” Summer said, placing a hand on her hip. “So, if you all think you’re so great, then I guess you won’t have any problems taking me on, right?”
The shock he felt seemed to be mirrored in the twins. It was the younger who said, “You can’t be serious flowerbud. Three on one? We’ll destroy you.”
“Then I guess you have nothing to worry about, now do you?” Her grin was confident. “If you can get me on the ground, I lose and I’ll drop the idea of team training entirely. But if you hit the ground, it’s game over for you until all of you are out and you have to hear me out. Sound good?”
They shared a few looks between each other, before Raven placed a hand on her sword, taking a few steps forward. “Fine, I’m game.” After a moment, Tai and Qrow also got to their feet. The twins walked a few paces in opposite directions, spreading out while he stood right in direct line, crouching into a defensive stance. He stretched his fingers some, hearing the click of the metal knuckles on the inside of his glove activating the dust discs within. In the corners of his vision, he could see both Qrow and Raven drawing their swords.
“Alright,” Summer started, hands falling to her hips where her weapons were. “Let’s go!”
Starlit Brier hit the ground with twin, cracking snaps, and instantly the world was nothing but fog as ice and fire dust collided. Tai jumped backwards, out of range of the thick of it, guard up as he prepared for the possibility of his leader’s advance.
But when he saw a shadow running right, he knew it wasn’t him she was after. It was –
“ARGH!” Qrow gave a yell as he threw his weapon upwards to block the attack from the thorned whip as it came swinging for his head. The gears in his sword that were trying to turn Harbinger into its scythe form suddenly came apart as one of the thorns lodged itself right between them. “What?!” The man cried as metal cogs and bits littered the ground.
“Whoops!” She struck for him again, teasing him all the while as he jumped back. “Hope you can fight like that!”
Tai was quick to charge across the field, trying to round behind her. He was, admittedly, at the largest disadvantage with Summer’s weapons being so long-ranged that even his semblance couldn’t compensate. Equally dangerous were the dust canisters that rested in the handles of the whips that she could revolve at will, which would fill the thorns for an elemental strike. In a one-on-one match, he actually didn’t think he could beat her.
But, he wasn’t alone, and that gave him a window of opportunity to strike when her focus was elsewhere. And as he came at her back, rearing up for a solid strike to her sternum, he knew he’d have to take every single one of them if he wanted to be useful.
Except his fist went through air, two small explosions of fire dust making him stumble back as Summer snapped her whips downward, using the energy to vault herself up into the air. He blinked away the ash and smoke, seeing the lithe form up in the air twisting around, smiling down at him as she swung downwards. He jumped backwards, only to realize his mistake too late when he felt the presence behind him and slammed into Raven.
“Watch it!”
“Sorry!” He called, catching her shoulder as the two of them tried to find their balance – only to feel the freezing sensation around their ankles as the end of Starlit swept over their feet. Summer winked and gave them a two-fingered salute before she disappeared into the mist, no doubt searching for Qrow.
“Ugh!” Raven snarled as she redrew Bloodlust into its flame form. One slice between their feet and the ice melted instantly. She whirled on him, glaring him down. “Stay out of my way, got it?” And then she was gone, also running into the fog.
He rolled his eyes, grumbling under his breath, “Go team.” He could hear the sounds of shouts and clangs, even the crackle of electricity as Summer fended off either one or both of the twins. He looked around, trying to see something before sighing, lifting up his right fist. “Alright, done with this.” He vaulted upwards several feet, before he came swinging down, slamming his fist into the grass. A powerful burst of warm, red energy swept out, instantly clearing up the fog.
When he straightened, it was just in time to see Summer twisting around one of Qrow’s strikes with as much grace as a dancer. Her whip came down around his wrist and as she came out of the twist, used her momentum and threw the taller man right into his oncoming sister. Raven pushed him back by his shoulder, the twins sharing a glare.
Summer was slowly circling them, eyes flickering to catch his as well when he started to pace forward. “Did I ever tell you guys what my semblance was?” That caught all their attention, all of them watching her carefully as she stopped walking. “I call it Wind Blossom. You see, it’s not much. Just the ability to make a little breeze.” A flutter of leaves came up, twisting gently around her. As they fell though, she turned to look at them, grinning, “However, when combined with dust…”
Oh no.
She rose her whip, the thorns glowing red. “The results can get a little… explosive.”
Tai bent his legs forward, the muscles straining as he jumped backwards. From the vantage point, he could see the twins running in opposite directions right before Summer swung out her whip. A wave of fire and heat blasted over the field. He quickly crossed his arms in front of his face as it billowed towards him. His aura protected him from the burns, but not the brunt force which flung him. He flipped through the air as gravity brought him down, the balls of his feet ripping through earth as he landed, sliding several feet.
Raven was nowhere in sight. Qrow was crouched in front of his blade like it were a shield, the ground several meters in front of him ripped apart. Tai could see Summer rushing for him again, so darted forward as well, intercepting her and her swinging whip. He rose his arm, feeling leather wrapping around it. The thorns dug in but couldn’t pierce his aura as he grabbed hold, about to rip it right out of her grasp.
He sensed it too late and though he tried to jerk his leg back, tied up as he was, he didn’t have the leeway to do so quickly enough. The second whip got his ankles, thorns shimmering a light blue. He realized, from the satisfied look on her face, that he had walked right into her trap. She yanked him forward, the ice under his feet easily pulling him down.
He breathlessly blinked up at the blue sky, noticing the constriction on his ankles was gone as a shadow passed over him, Qrow sprinting past and throwing all his weight into his swings as he came at Summer full force. He didn’t have the finesse his sister did though, and Summer quickly took advantage of that as her weapon wrapped around the blade.
A millisecond too late, Qrow realized the thorns were yellow. “Shi-” His curse cut out with a shout as he was shocked, the paralyzing effect bringing him to the ground next.
Without pausing, Summer was spinning around, a shattering sound echoing the field as her weapon ripped apart Bloodlust’s dust blade. Raven hopped back, bringing her hilt back to the sheath. The two girls eyed each other warily. Things were about to get very nasty.
“Okay, hold up.” Tai called, making both of them pause though they didn’t turn away from one another. He sat up, unwinding the whip from his arm and letting it fall in the grass. He crossed over to where his partner still lay, throwing the man’s arm over his shoulder as he helped him to his feet, Harbinger dragging behind them as Qrow kept hold of it. Once they were, hopefully, well out of range, he called, “Alright, have fun killing each other.”
They both struck forward and the world exploded into motion and dust.
Now on the sidelines, it was easy to appreciate just how talented both the women were. They’d been in the training ring a few times, but the matches never tended to last long enough because both of their skills far exceeded the grand majority of the other freshmen. (And most people didn’t even want to get in the ring with Raven. Summer would say it was because she looked too murder-y.)
Here though, free to go all out, the two threw all that they had at each other. It was like watching two opposites try to best the other. Raven was like a pure force of power, rushing the field with purpose, sword swinging with such speed it was just blurs of color. On the other hand, Summer was evasive and cunning, keeping her distance and using dust mixtures to keep the other back when she managed to nearly overtake her.
“I get Raven, but should we be worried Summer’s enjoying this so much?” Qrow asked, shaking off the aftereffects of the shock.
Watching them dance across the field, blade after blade breaking, swipe after swipe missing, the two of them jeering or laughing all the while as they played a dangerous game and relished every second of it, Tai could only shake his head and smile.
It all ended minutes later when a fire-dusted blade clashed with an electric whip, the chain reaction instant as the heat overcharged and exploded. Both girls gave a yelp as they were thrown off their feet, skidding along the earth before coming to rest several feet away from one another. Neither made a move to get up, both of them just lying there and panting. After a bit, Summer rolled onto her side, grinning towards her partner. “Good shot.”
Had he not been looking her way, he would have entirely missed the little smile Raven shot back.
Glancing at his own partner, they both stood and crossed over the field, helping the girls to their feet. “Gotta say, that was a good show.” Qrow praised, using his sister’s shoulder as an armrest, much to her chagrin. “I think I also speak for us all when I say you also drove your point home flowerbud.”
“I sure hope so.” Her eyes swept over each of them. “I didn’t ask us to train to insult you. I think you’re all amazing fighters in your own right, but I also know each of you, and even myself, have a lot of potential to become even greater.” She glanced back towards the towering building, saying, “We’re here at Beacon to learn all we need to know so that when we graduate from here, we’re gonna be able to handle whatever the world throws at us.” Though she appeared calm and collected as she faced them once more, he was close enough to her to see the way her hands shook behind her back. “I know we haven’t really been a team for long and maybe it seems silly I’m taking it so seriously but… as your leader, I feel like it’s my responsibility to make sure you’re all ready.”
When no objections rose, Tai placed a hand on her shoulder. “Alright, then tell us where to start.”
Misty clouds fluttered in front of his face with every breath as he trailed behind the girls, following their footsteps with care. He glanced over his shoulder where Qrow was hanging further back and eyeing the icicles dangling from some of the branches with trepidation. He resisted the urge to roll his eyes, about to tell the other that he was pretty sure their auras could handle a little ding from some falling ice – when Summer groaned loudly.
“This is boring!” Abruptly, she flopped over, spreading out along the snow. “We’ve been walking for hours.”
Raven, who was leading, turned and placed her hands on her hips. “It’s been thirty minutes. And this was your idea.”
“Yeah but, you didn’t tell me it would be so boring!” She whined. “I was trying to make things more fun not more dull!”
“We’re hunting for food. It’s not exactly a thrill-seeking adventure.”
Turning her head away, Summer pouted, grumbling, “Would rather be hunting Grimm.”
There was an annoyed huff from the other, but Tai was quick to intervene before the two could really start arguing, stepping over and offering Summer a hand. “Maybe we should just finish the mission as normal?”
She took it, though reluctantly. “This wasn’t really the mission I was expecting.”
He smiled to her placatingly, though he couldn’t help but agree. They had chosen ‘Survival in the Atlas Alps’ because it was one of the few on the list that didn’t require to be overshadowed by a senior or professor. But when they arrived, eagerly awaiting to be set free into the icy wilderness with nothing but their skill and their wits to keep them alive, and instead being shown a well-worn and well-marked trail that lead up to a cabin on the hillside, they were disappointed to say the least. To add insult to injury, they didn’t even have the hope of running into Grimm, the trail guide who saw them off proudly telling them that Atlesian soldiers had already cleared them out for miles prior to their arrival.
“We’re freshman. I guess we couldn’t have expected too much.” Tai said.
“I know but – Eep!” Summer flinched when his arm suddenly jerked up to shield her face, a small explosion of snow hitting his forearm and dusting across her hair.
He shot a glare to the cackling twin. “Qrow!”
Finally catching up to what happened, Summer ducked under his arm, asking in a measured tone, “Did you just try to nail me with a snowball?”
“That about sums it up, yeah.”
“Well then, I hope you know,” Snap! A whip wrapped around a branch of the tree above him. “THIS MEANS WAR!”
She yanked down sharply and a mound of snow fell onto Qrow, neat little piles being left on his shoulders and head while the rest tumbled around his feet. He shook it off, and yelled back, “BRING IT ON!” With a war cry, she went charging for him, bowling him over with a rough tackle. Tai watched them yell and wrestle with each other, snow flurries kicking up as Summer pinned Qrow and tried to stuff as much of the icy cold down his shirt as she could manage, much to the other’s alarmed shouts.
“Are they seventeen or seven?” Raven grumbled as she came to stand a few feet from him, regarding them sourly as Summer squealed when Qrow managed to get a snowball in her hood and throw it up over her head.
He waved a hand towards them. “Do you want to join them?”
“Don’t be ridiculous!” She looked away, frowning tightly. And though she was playing it off like she thought the entire idea was just silly nonsense, to Tai it looked like she felt like it was impossible. As if allowing herself a simple pleasure would break her in a way she couldn’t come back from.
Admittedly, he didn’t know her well. Even after three semesters, they hadn’t shared much of a conversation that didn’t either relate to school, fighting or both. And while he knew he could trust her in a heartbeat on the field as his teammate, anywhere else she still felt more like a stranger than a friend. He could gather, with the way she and her brother acted at times, that they had grown up similar to how he had; in a situation where youth was much too short and a luxury was having dinner on the table at night. But whereas Qrow was finding solace in bonding with him and Summer, Raven seemed inclined to reject them as hard as she possibly could.
She was just so stubborn and reserved, keeping those around her at a distance and hiding most of her emotions behind a tough front. She hardly ever talked about things that interested her or what things that she liked and when they were at the dorm, she seemed to prefer to just retreat to her side of the room, quietly cleaning her blade or studying alone. Summer would try to entice her, and Qrow, if just fed up with asking, would plop right down on her bed and demand her attention. It never worked and he couldn’t grasp why they kept trying, especially when afterwards, Tai caught the heated looks she would send them when they shuffled through a game of cards or yelled over each other’s shoulders as one of them failed miserably while playing the newest platformer on Summer’s Brickboy.
It wasn’t until that moment though that he understood it wasn’t annoyance she was feeling, but jealousy. And maybe, just maybe, some of that was his own fault for never inviting her like his teammates did.
Man, what an idiot he was.
An idea, a crazy one, struck him at that second and though he knew it could result in him becoming Bloodlust’s new sword sheath, in a fit of total idiocy, he took a risk. “You know what, Raven? You should be like this tree,” As she looked at him, he kicked back at the trunk of the tree behind him. “And lighten up!”
He briefly had a chance to see her eyes widen before he jumped away and, unlike the little mound that had fallen on her brother, an avalanche of snow tumbled off the branches, burying her.
Qrow and Summer had frozen, both of them staring with wide eyes, seeing nothing of their former teammate except the stubborn little black cowlick poking out at the top of the pile. It was the former who lost it first, an uproar of laughter coming from him, though Summer and Tai were quick to join him. They couldn’t stop, even as flurries flew everywhere when Raven burst from the snow, her cheeks rosy red with how livid she was.
At least, that’s how she tried to appear to be, but Tai gathered she was just a little embarrassed.
Her eyes flickered to each of them in turn, her hand on her weapon’s hilt. “That’s it. You’re all dead.”
“Run!” Summer yelled, voice high with delight, and together they rushed through the woods, Raven hot on their tails. They all ducked their heads when the woman took to the trees, slicing her fire blade over the branches, causing a rainfall of liquid ice water to pelt them from above. Shaking it off, their leader pointed to the branches above her. “Qrow, let’s nail her!”
“You got it!” He twisted his weapon into its scythe form, the two of them zigzagging up into the trees as well. Tai kept running forward, seeing Starlit Brier wrap around the end of one branch and Harbinger’s long staff pressing against the branch of the tree opposite it. The two of them bent the branches as far back as they’d go without snapping, before they let go. Like a slingshot, the branches whipped around the other way, the snow on them flinging off and flying through the air like a raid of missiles aimed straight at Raven.
Seeing it coming, she rapidly redrew, the now blue sword slicing through the attack with ease, sparing herself the same fate her fire-dusted blade had given them. She was also quick to deflect the snowball Tai quickly formed and hurled her way, batting it back with ferocity. He dodged out of the way as the now solid ball of ice zoomed past his head, leaving nothing but a hole in the ground where it impacted.
“Uhh, Plan B?” He called up at Summer.
“Keep running!!”
He about faced, zipping around the trunks and hearing the rustle above him as the other three followed from up high. He heard a few snaps from Starlit and the cracks of Harbinger’s gun as the two tried to shake loose more snow, but Raven cut through every attempt. Then, without warning, she changed tactics as she hopped down, freefalling from the trees and swinging her sword around. A vortex of red and black appeared and swallowed her.
Qrow’s loud cursing and Summer’s screeches told him Raven was now above them. The two ducked under her swipe that split apart the branches, both of them diving down to the ground below. Using her whip to catch a hold, Summer flipped neatly through the air so she could land on her feet and continue to sprint on his right. To his left, Qrow used the scythe’s sharp, crescent-like blade to spiral down a trunk, before he too was on ground level and racing with them.
All the while, doom continued to shadow them from above, drawing ever nearer with every step.
“We got a problem!” Tai said a bit breathlessly, seeing their path before them was nothing but a sudden drop. They all slid to a stop just inches from where the incline started, seeing the slope that led down into a large valley about twenty feet below. There were no trees, just a wide-open space of pure, untouched white that seemed to go on for miles.
They heard the soft crunch as Raven jumped down behind them, saying victoriously, “Nowhere to run.”
Summer whirled, hands poised by her hips. “Well if we’re going down, we’re going down fighting! Right boys?”
“Yeah!” They loudly agreed. Tai rose his fists while Qrow kept his hand angled back for his sword’s hilt.
There was a beat, and then, as if fate had been quietly waiting for those words, Tai suddenly felt the ground shift below his feet. His eyes widened, a yelp escaping him as he started to fall backwards. Qrow and Summer both turned, each of them reaching out to grab either arm, but his weight was a bit much for them and instead gravity took them with him as the snow collapsed underneath them all. He hit the slope on his back, the three of them tumbling the twenty feet and falling into a pile at the valley’s base.
A little dizzy, he sat up slowly, seeing Raven standing at the edge of the hill. “Well, that’s one way to do it.” She called down to them. “Heh. Hehe. Hehahaha!”
Tai blinked slowly, almost unable to believe it. He grinned, glancing between the two who seemed equally surprised. Then, just joyful as they joined her, laughter seeming to brighten the air around them.
It seemed to also awaken it, snow bursting outwards from the side of a more inclined hill to their right. They jumped to their feet, seeing a dark shape lumber out of the hole on clawed wings, before it rose up to a towering height that could have sent a Nevermore to shame. The bat opened its mouth, emitting a loud cry that made his ears pulse.
“Whoops, looks like we woke up sleeping beauty!” Qrow said, drawing his sword.
Tai watched dozens of smaller Grimm file out from the hole to surround the Night Echo. These ones stood on their hind legs and were lizard-like in form, with large heads, rows of sharp teeth and long tails. Swift Seizers. “It has plenty of friends too.”
Raven skied down the hill by her heels, sliding to a stop by his side. “Well at least we found the exciting part of the trip.”
“Let’s get ‘em team!” Summer ordered and as one, they charged forward.
Rows of sharp teeth snapped in his face, threatening to shred him to pieces, but Tai held on tight to the protruding bone of the Swift Seizer’s mask as his free hand balled into a fist. “You should chill out buddy.” He said, delivering a swift uppercut to the underside of the raptor’s chin. The force vaulted it up and over the incline, where it tumbled back down the snowy cliffside. When there was no shriek to indicate it had lived, Tai continued up the slope.
Raven was there, pacing back and forth agitatedly as she held her scroll high. At another time, in another place, underneath the moonlight that seemed to make her glow, she would have looked strikingly beautiful. But right now, the sight of her only made his heart grow cold as he accepted they had failed again.
“There’s nothing.” She reported, frustration laced in every inch of her. “What is the point of these stupid towers if they don’t do anything?!”
“Raven…” He said, voice rasping with soreness. And though she was doing her best to hide it, he could see her shivering from here. They’d been out in the wind and cold too long.
“Ugh, useless garbage.” She spat at the device before shoving it in her pocket, whirling around and almost stumbling. “Let’s try to the west.”
He shut his eyes, sighing softly, but shook his head. “We need to get back.” When she started to protest he cut in, “Raven, the sun set hours ago and it’s only getting colder. I’m exhausted. You’re exhausted. Let’s go back for now, get something to eat and warm up. Maybe rest for a few hours. And then we can try again when we’ve got some strength back.”
Stubborn to the very last second, she glared him down as if he was the enemy. “And if she doesn’t have a few hours?”
“Then we’ll head right back out.” Tai promised, placing a hand on her shoulder. “But, let’s try to make sure we’re not going to collapse in the meantime, okay?”
She seemed to still want to fight, but the resolve in her eyes was wavering with her weariness. Finally, she looked away with a sigh before she drew her sword and swung it outwards, the swirling vortex of black and red acting as her own personal white flag. He gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze, before following her through the portal.
The first thing that greeted them as they stepped into the cave was the violent sound of coughing. It was enough to shake off some of the tiredness that had seeped into his bones miles ago, replaced instead by the same anxiety and fear that had first consumed him the moment Summer had been knocked back by a vicious hit and had fallen through the frozen lake hidden under the snow.
Some of the initial panic subsided as he got a good look at the scene, eyes slowly adjusting to the dim lighting of the campfire they had constructed. Summer was cocooned in every blanket they had in their supplies and he could tell some of the stark paleness had faded, leaving her skin more colored then it had been when they had left. She was also much more alert, her eyes bright and her smile wide as she said, “You’re back!”
“And you’re awake.” Raven replied in a tone comparable to as if she was giving a weather report. But, though she wasn’t one to often wear her emotions on her sleeve, the absolute relief on her face and the way she hurried over to take the spot on Summer’s left side was all Tai needed to know how she was really feeling inside. On her right, Qrow’s walls had apparently come down as well, the smile he gave the two girls surprisingly gentle.
The whole sight of the three of them, together and okay, filled Tai with a sudden, happy warmth. So much joy was zinging through him he felt on the verge of either laughing or crying. As he approached, Qrow looked his way and the expression didn’t waver – if anything he only appeared further comforted to see him.
“It’s good to see you both.” Qrow said, throwing an arm across his shoulders once he’d sat down.
“You guys too.” Tai returned, both the sentiment and embrace.
“We were able to get signal the next morning and they sent an airship for us. General Steele says we’re welcome to stay as long as we need until we’re all feeling up to traveling back.” Tai was reporting as he looked at the fuzzy picture reflecting back on the monitor.
Ozpin sat on the other side, his hands wrapped around the white mug he was rarely without. “And how is Miss Rose doing?”
“A little weak right now, but the doctor says it was only mild hypothermia and she’ll make a full recovery.” He replied, unable to help a smile. “Summer’s already complaining about being ordered all this bedrest.”
His headmaster chuckled. “I certainly can’t say I’m surprised. She is quite the spirited one.” He took a sip from his drink, before peering at him over the rim of his glasses. “I do wonder, however, how it is you all ended up five miles off such a carefully marked trail, though.”
“Uhhh….” Tai averted his gaze, suddenly wishing one of the twins was with him now as he tried to come up with a logical excuse.
He didn’t have time before the professor spoke up once more. “I suppose I’ll just have to accept it’s a mystery I’ll never solve.” He looked up, seeing Oz was now leaning back, smile knowing and eyes glinting almost merrily. “For now, I trust you all won’t be getting into any more trouble. I don’t need Zion questioning his hospitality to my students, after all.”
“Of course not! We’ll be on our best behavior.” Tai promised. He didn’t particularly desire to get on the other headmaster’s bad side either; Atlas students or not, General Steele would probably still make them run laps if they acted out of turn.
He gave a nod. “I’ll be awaiting your safe return.”
As Oz reached for the disconnect button, he spoke up, “Professor? Can I ask you something?” At the questioning eyebrow, he continued, “Have you ever heard of dust that creates light before?”
The professor drew his arm back, tilting his head some. “Light?”
“Before Summer got thrown by the Night Echo, there was a bright light that lit up the sky and then the Grimm disintegrated.”
“Perhaps fire dust?”
“I thought that too but the light was white. I’ve never seen anything like it before and Summer’s memories are a bit jumbled; she doesn’t seem to remember what happened.”
Ozpin hummed softly. “How curious. It almost sounds like magic.”
Tai snorted at that. Yeah right, like he’d believe that.
He laughed, shaking his head. “I suppose that is a bit out there, isn’t it? Mr. Xiao Long I’m afraid I don’t have the knowledge you seek. But, even in my time, I have found there are many phenomena out in the world. Perhaps it was a one-of-a-kind reaction from the dust. Or maybe a new level to Miss Rose’s semblance she has yet to fully realize. Or even something else entirely unexplained.” He folded his hands over his desk, that knowing gaze back on his face. “One thing I can say for certain is that if Miss Rose is indeed the cause of what you saw, then the answer also lies with her. In time, maybe she’ll be able to recall what exactly happened and tell you herself one day. For now, I recommend not shining to much light on an unknown gift and rather focus on the positive outcome of it.”
It wasn’t exactly what he was hoping for, but he knew it was the best he was going to get. “Yeah, you’re right. Thanks professor.”
“Anytime.”
Tai left the communications room, the conversation still rolling around in his head. Though, he quickly pushed it aside when he noticed the tall, well-dressed upperclassman who stood across the hall, staring out the window. “You didn’t have to stay James.”
“Hmm?” He turned to face him. “It was no trouble. I did promise to show you around after all. Was there anywhere else you would like to go?”
“Ah, I really should get back to my team. But uh,” His eyes darted around at the many large buildings spread along the campus that all looked exactly the same. “If you don’t mind showing me the way back to the dorms, that would really help.”
The other man smiled. “Of course.”
“I appreciate it. I definitely would have been wandering around forever otherwise.” He replied, honestly grateful. Atlas was built very differently from most places he had been to and the academy itself was three-tiered – training its soldiers, its Huntsman and its youth all at once – which left the area crowded in a way that even made him a little reserved. Finding James Ironwood in the middle of one of the halls had been a bit of blessing in disguise.
Tai had easily recognized him as he had been one of the combatants in the bi-yearly Vytal Festival, which had taken place last year in Haven. The way the Atlesian had led his squad to swiftly pincer the opposing Vacuo team in the corner and take them out within minutes had been one of the big highlights of the tournament. James especially had stuck out though because, though he had a weapon to aid him, he was also a talented hand-to-hand combatant – something that was becoming rare with the innovation of more complexly designed and tactfully combined weaponry.
If things had been different, he would have loved to of challenged the older man to a duel.
Trying not to dwell on how much his teammates would get a kick out of knowing he was becoming as combative as them, Tai followed the other as he led him out of the building and across the quad. Now that he didn’t have to worry about where he was going, he started to notice just how many people were sneaking glances or outright staring at him as he walked past. He stuffed his hands in his pockets, feeling strangely self-conscious as he tried to square his shoulders and walk with more of a stride like the other beside him.
“Did your call go well?” James asked.
Happy to latch onto the distraction, Tai was quick to answer. “Yeah. Just had to let our headmaster know we were going to be a bit late returning.”
“Professor Ozpin, right? He congratulated my team when we won the tournament.”
He smirked. “Don’t get too smug about it. Next year, my team will be able to enter and we’ll be taking the gold.”
James arched an eyebrow, anything but impressed. “You’ll catch attention, I’ll give you that. But win? Probably not with your level of recklessness.”
Tai nearly stumbled over his own two feet. He jerked his head away just in time to see two girls whispering behind their hands, giggling as they eyed him. He felt heat on his face, stubbornly staring at his shoes.
“There is certainly something remarkable about a group of first years tackling quite so many powerful Grimm and being able to return to tell the tale. However,” A heavy, firm hand clapped him on the shoulder. “While enacting a little self-discipline might sound tedious, it is through it one finds success. It is what leads us away from what we want now into obtaining what we want most.”
“You sound like the elders from my village.” Tai mumbled, ducking his head even lower.
“Then perhaps it’s time to consider if such advice was not unfounded. Nor is considering that your team could possibly use a voice of reason among them.” They came to a stop in front of the dorms. James nodded to the doors. “We’re here.”
“Thanks. I’ll uh, see you around.”
He paused part-way up the stairs to the entrance when James called, “Taiyang?” When he looked over his shoulder, the upperclassman offered him a curt nod. “If we end up facing one another in the ring next year, I will certainly not be holding back. Make sure you’re ready to give your all when that happens.”
Tai let those words sink in before facing the other fully, holding his fist towards him. “Wouldn’t have it any other way.” The bump of their knuckles sealed the promise.
Stepping into the dorm room, what Tai expected to see was Summer peacefully asleep while Qrow and Raven tiptoed around her, doing their own thing or maybe even sleeping themselves.
What he was given instead was Qrow and Raven angrily yelling at each other as the curtains burned behind them, while Summer rushed out of the bathroom with a cup of water in hand that did little to quell the flames. Mainly because she nailed the twins with it instead, causing them to turn on her.
Fighting the temptation to just back up into the hall and close the door, he roared over the teams’ combined shouts, “WHAT’S GOING ON?”
They all paused, turning to him. It was Qrow, face full of guilt, who told him, “We were trying to make tea.”
Trying to make…? Tai shifted some, spying between the space of their bodies where the fire also crackled along the top of the desk. And in the middle of it was his now blackened tea set.
His eyes widened, waving his arms around frantically. “Put it out. PUT IT OUT!!”
A half-hour later found him sitting on the floor, pouting pathetically as he ran a cloth over the little dragon head that acted as the spout to the kettle. Beside him, Raven was silently helping with a few of the teacups, a little bottle of polish between them. Qrow had taken out the ruined curtains and was working at sanding out the top of the desk. Summer was still apologizing profusely.
At the third run through of ‘We really should have asked first’ that was broken apart by a few violent coughs, Tai finally sighed, looking up at her. “It’s alright. See?” He lifted up the teapot which was starting to shine like new again. “No harm done.” He turned it to point the snarling dragon towards Qrow. “That goes for you too.”
“Yeah, yeah.” The man mumbled, though it did seem to lessen some of the tension in his face.
“I’m more worried about the fact that I just promised Professor Ozpin we wouldn’t cause more trouble, and now we have to explain why this room is lacking curtains and about an inch of wood from the desk.” Tai said.
Raven set one of the cups down, saying with absolute seriousness as she reached for the next one, “Stray lightning bolt?” When they just stared at her, she added irritably, “That was a joke.”
“Well that’s…” He paused a beat for effect, “Shocking.”
She threw her polishing rag over his face.
Laughing, he peeled it off and she took it back without complaint, not hiding the smile she wore.
Once everything was cleaned up, one way or another they found themselves all settled on Summer’s bed, sipping at the newly brewed tea. The girls had propped up the pillows along the headboard, resting against them. Qrow had stretched out on his side longwise the bed, one hand propping up his head. Level to where his stomach was, Tai sat cross-legged, a sense of warmness and familiarity stirring through him that he didn’t quite understand.
Though his birthplace had been rooted in the significance of tea shared between comrades, family, or simply those of respect and class, and it was something he had carried with him long after he’d left, it was not as if someone like him had ever been allowed into a teahouse – unless, that is, he wanted to work for it. He did not have the experience the other citizens had; that of having good tea alongside those one cared for – and he wasn’t quite sure brewing it back at the cave to keep his team warm counted. So, where this feeling came from he couldn’t explain, but he enjoyed the comforting embrace of peace and humble joy he had never been granted in his younger years.
“So,” The silence was broken gently by Summer, “Professor Oz wasn’t too mad, right?”
He shook his head. “We’re not in trouble at all.”
The twins seemed more alert suddenly, sharing a glance he ultimately didn’t comprehend. “Really?” Qrow tested, a measure of suspicion in his tone.
“….Yeah?”
“Hmph. How generous.” His sister added, complete suspicion in hers.
Their leader’s eyes flickered between them, looking as confused as Tai felt. “Perhaps, he thinks we’ve been punished enough. Not a lot of people nearly lose teammates on training exercises you know.” That managed to deteriorate the mood almost instantly. Summer sighed softly, bumping shoulders with the girl next to her. “I meant to ask you… how did you save me? I know it was you but everything else is a bit blurry.”
“I…” She frowned, unable to go any further as she looked away. “Does it matter?”
Tai glanced at her, wondering as well. They had all panicked, which had only excited the remaining Grimm surrounding them. The elder twin was the one to split from them, yelling how she would get Summer and told them to make sure the Grimm didn’t get close to her. He vaguely remembered hearing Raven screaming to her partner to hold onto the ice but by the time the field was clear and he had turned back around, Summer was already on the bank, shuddering and hyperventilating from cold shock.
When the silence continued on too long, Qrow gave an impatient sigh, pointing towards his sister. “Her semblance opened a path to you.” Raven’s blood-red gaze didn’t even make him flinch.
“Wait. Wait, what?” She twisted, sitting up on her knees, utterly flabbergasted. “But, I thought you said it only worked with Qrow?”
“I thought it did. I thought I could only bond to one person at a time.” Raven said, staring at her reflection in the metal of the teacup before sighing and setting it on the nightstand beside her. “Apparently though, if I feel strongly enough about someone that I want to protect them, then I create the bond.” Her lips were turned down in frustration, as if this newly discovered element to her semblance was unacceptable. “I never had reason to feel that way, until now.”
The last bit was barely a whisper, but impossible to miss. Watching her closely, Tai saw the stages Summer went through as that information really sunk in. From jaw-droppingly speechless and wide-eyed, to radiantly grinning and eyes glittering like stars as she held back tears. “Raven that’s, that’s amazing! You-You-”
“It wasn’t supposed to happen!”
“W-What?”
She shook her head, wild hair flying across her shoulders. “None of this was supposed to happen. It’s all wrong.”
Summer seemed frozen, and when she finally found the strength to speak, her voice came out hurt and small. “You mean, saving me…?”
Raven turned to her abruptly, tone vehement. “No.” Just as quickly, she was averting her gaze again. “It’s…it’s complicated.”
Astonished by the unfolding events, Tai was unable to tear his gaze away from the two, even as Qrow shifted to sit up.
“Raven, we should tell them.” The look she shot him was, if possible, even more deadly than the last. Still, her brother remained unmoved.
“We promised to wait until we got back.” Even without knowing what they were arguing over, it sounded like a weak defense.
“And what excuse will you make for us when we do? We agreed on this weeks ago. And anyways, if they end up being disgusted by us, they can at least leave us by the loading docks.”
That got him to look at the man beside him, though he steadfastly avoided his eye. “…Qrow?”
“Raven?” Summer echoed him.
As they had many times before, the twins shared novels between each other without uttering a single word. Finally, Raven conceded with a sigh, swinging her legs off the edge of the bed but not leaving, just perching there, tense with the need to run. When she spoke, her voice was as tightly coiled as her body was. “You know, when some kids turn twelve, they’re given a longer curfew or an allowance.” Her fingers tightened in the bedding. “When Qrow and I turned twelve, we were thrown into a Grimm pit and told to survive.”
Slowly, Summer sunk back to the bed.
“Survival and strength. Those are the only things that matter to our tribe. Anything that you needed, had to be taken. If you weren’t strong enough, if you died, that was just the natural order of things.”
In his gut, Tai felt something sick settle there, slowly looking to Qrow. His expression was completely closed off, as if he had frozen his emotions.
“As we’re here now, I guess you can imagine we passed all the tests. We were considered full-fledged members of the tribe. We had been so proud.” Raven continued, tilting her head back to grin manically at the ceiling. “And then, one day, our tribe leader pulled us aside. He said he had a very important task for us. Something that would strengthen our people and protect us for years to come. Can you guess what it was?”
Silence stretched, thick with unease and horror. Raven faced Summer, her crazed look replaced with something more sinister as she hissed, “Kill Huntsman.” She leaned forward until their faces were only inches apart. “You’re paired with a murderer, Summer.”
Their leader balled her shaking hands into fists. After a moment, her eyes shut and she took a deep breath. When she opened them again, her eyebrows had drawn down, jaw set as she challenged right back, “So are you.”
Raven was the one to back up, voice breaking with surprise. “What?”
Tai felt like the world had tipped underneath him. Not even Qrow could keep his façade up as he choked on his shock.
“I was thirteen. Someone had invaded our home. I was the only one home. He made… threats and cornered me in the kitchen. So, I grabbed a knife and stabbed him as hard as I could in the chest.” Summer’s expression faltered a little, pain and fear there as she whispered. “I don’t regret it.”
Something similar seemed to reflect in the other’s face, before she scoffed and looked away. “Tch, that’s just self-defense.”
“What does it matter?!” She snapped back. “You said so yourself; you were ordered to learn how to kill Huntsman. I know you’re not dumb. That means you understand becoming a Huntress means not every enemy we may be hired to fight will be Grimm. It doesn’t matter what the moral grounding of the other person is. In the end, it’s still taking a life Raven!” She gripped onto the woman’s shoulder, her turn to draw in close. “And I’d appreciate it if you didn’t insult my intelligence by thinking this little act will scare me away. Did you really expect me to believe that, after telling me this that – what? You’d just plunge your sword into me when I’m not looking?”
And then, without any preamble, she smacked her forehead into Raven’s as hard as she could.
“Ow!” The Branwen yelped, jerking back to hold her injury.
Summer winced, rubbing her own head. “That’s for thinking I’m weak, you big jerk.”
Raven’s smile was hesitant. “A mistake I will make sure not to repeat.”
“You better not!”
“Uh, guys?” Qrow spoke up, drawing their attention. “I think we broke Tai.” The bed shifted some, and a hand suddenly waving in front of his eyes had Tai jerking back, teeth clacking as his jaw snapped back in place. His friend rose an eyebrow at him, but something about him seeming cautious, like he wasn’t sure if he was stepping into a minefield. “You okay, buddy?”
“I-I-I need a moment to process this.” He stuttered, drawing a hand over his forehead where a cold sweat had broken out. Like their leader had, he shut his eyes, trying to calm the race of his heart and organize his thoughts.
He couldn’t deny that the whole conversation was disturbing, but as he dug into the reasons, he found it was less for what the twins had done and rather that people would put children in the position to have to make those decisions to begin with. He also couldn’t deny Summer’s logic, both on the Huntsman level and on the twin’s level. And while he couldn’t quite grasp the circumstances any of his teammates had been in that would force them to make such a permanent decision, he could at the very least understand growing up in a situation that was less than ideal.
When Tai gazed upon them again, he felt steady and sure. Minutes ago, he had felt more tranquility with them then he’d ever achieved in his entire life. Every bit of their past may be a fact, but this, right now, was the truth he could hold onto. “Why now?” He directed the question to Qrow. “What made you guys decide to tell us now?”
The other eyed him. “Are you afraid of me?”
“No.” His answer came instantly.
Qrow moved almost faster than he processed it and his semblance screeched at him, but other than a slight twitch, Tai didn’t move as Harbinger stopped scant centimeters from his neck. “How about now?”
He looked down the length of the sword, the fatal edge gleaming back at him, mocking in the way it promised it could kill him. Slowly he faced the other and, more firmly, repeated, “No.”
That was what finally seemed to thaw the other, and if he didn’t know him better, he would have said Qrow looking scant seconds away from crying. “Do you know not even Raven and I trust each other this much?” (Well, he did now.) The sword was placed back along his back and he scoffed bitterly. “I used to believe every word the tribe would feed me. For years, I focused on how the only important thing was survival. But now, I’m starting to understand that survival and living have two very different definitions.” He bowed his head, hiding his eyes. “I feel like I’ve had my entire life stolen from me and only now am I getting it back.”
“You know, there was a saying someone told me once.” Tai said, trying to sound as wise as the elder who told it too him that one rainy afternoon so many years ago, “Misfortune is like a falling glass. You don’t get to decide where the pieces fall, only how you pick them up.”
“Misfortunate, eh?” His grin was twisted. “Did you know that’s what they say crows bring?”
“A name doesn’t foretell or limit who you’ll be.” Summer said sternly. Her voice was like an electric shock; he had almost forgotten she and Raven were here at all.
The other male shook his head, grumbling, “What do you know about it?”
“Everything. You think you’re the only one with a special name here?” She said, jabbing her thumb at herself. “In my culture, we aren’t born with last names. Instead they’re earned once your semblance is unlocked.” Her hand fell to the flower medallion on her waist. “Mine was given to me because the nature of my semblance is similar to how flowers pollinate. The elders chose roses specifically because they’re both beautiful and dangerous. They thought it would fit well for the warrior I would-”
“Blossom into?” Tai cut in, unable to help himself. For it, he got punched in the arm from the petite woman while the twins groaned exasperatedly. Totally worth it.
“Very funny.” She huffed, but it was mostly show. “Anyways! I remember back then, how excited I was when my name was given to me. To my people, plants are seen as an ultimate symbol of life. They can be like a mother, providing nourishment to people and animals. Wood provides safety and shelter, like a family does. They grow and die. And, especially, if say a fire wipes out a forest, it always grows back.” She chuckled, “That represents the strength and stubbornness of humanity.”
“So, to be given the name of a plant must be a great honor.” Raven deduced.
She nodded. “Right! And at first, it was wonderful. But…” As she hesitated, her smile turned into a frown. It was like watching her wilt before their eyes as she curled into herself. “It wasn’t long before I began to see how much it also put pressure and expectation on me. People began to see me more as a name then a person. I can’t tell you the amount of times I heard what great things I would do and how much I was destined for and how unstoppable I’d be. But ‘Rose’… it’s just bunch of letters; the only one who can do anything about it is me.” She sighed softly, looking down at her lap where her hands rested. “Really, you can’t imagine the relief I felt when I had teammates like you three. You guys don’t treat me like I’m invincible. You treat me like I’m human. It’s… nice.”
The words quickly grounded them, but it was what she said next that had a true effect: “And anyways, if anything is going to make me great, it’s you guys.” Tai felt his face heat a bit, shaking his head, while Qrow snickered and Raven groaned again. “What? What?!”
“How do you always say things like that with such a straight face?” The woman next to her grumbled.
“Because it’s… true?” She said, baffled like usual. There was something endearing about how she could always say such heartfelt things so easily, even if it was a little embarrassing.
When she started to cough again, Tai slipped off the bed, stretching a bit before collecting the cups that had gotten scattered during the conversation. “I’ll make more tea.”
As he ducked into the bathroom, he heard the hum of conversation continue behind him. He flipped back on the dust powered hotplate, enjoying the calm, relaxed tone coming from the other room that settled so naturally even after everything that had been said. Upon his return with the refilled cups, he found that the girls had both settled against the headboard once more, Summer smiling contently as she nestled a little lower, leaning on Raven’s arm. Qrow was still sitting up but he had slid down the bed so he could stretch his legs out, one of his socked feet poking his sister’s knee in a mostly-ignored effort to annoy her. Maybe it was something in their expressions or just the general air around them, but Tai couldn’t help but see just how much lighter the twins appeared now that the weight of their secrets was gone. Once the tea was handed out once more, Tai placed the tray on the ground and sat back down on the bed.
“Man,” Qrow was the first to speak, clinking his cup together with Tai’s. “That was one hot minute of getting all touchy-feely with our emotions wasn’t it?”
“Yep. Only one remedy for it.” Summer said, before pointing with a grin. “Your turn!”
Tai spluttered a bit. “Wait, what?”
She traced the rim of her teacup with her finger, beseeching, “Complete the circle. Tell us a story about how you grew up.”
His heart hammered uncomfortably in his chest, which felt a little ridiculous because with all the things they just told him, what did he really have to hide? “Uh, there’s not really much to tell.”
“So, what? You just had a perfect little family on the countryside?” His partner said, seeing right through him.
“No. It’s more that I just don’t really feel much pride in how I grew up.” He shook his head. “You see, my culture isn’t really kind to… people like me.”
“And that means?” Raven pushed, her eyes seeming to pierce him.
He shut his eyes briefly, their combined stares quickly dismantling his defenses. Well, it wasn’t like he had anything to lose.
“Where I grew up, your family name, your ancestry and your honor means everything. It decides your social standing, what opportunities you have available, even who you’ll marry and how wealthy you’ll be. Everything is decided the moment your born and you have to carry your family name well, because if you don’t, you can destroy the future of your entire linage.” He averted his gaze, focusing on a loose thread in the bedding. “Then there’s people like me. Those who lived on the outskirts and had their homes ripped to nothing by Grimm. So many of us get lost that way. And when you have no family, nothing to your name, no ancestors…” He looked up at them, “You are nothing.”
The words had a varied effect. Raven’s lips merely tightened some, her expression disapproving. Beside him, Qrow was frowning. And Summer just seemed sad. None of them spoke though, so he continued, “Being that low on the social ladder meant I only had two choices: Become a servant, or leave and try and make a name for myself from the ground up.” He chuckled. “No way was I delivering tea to the snooty upper class for the rest of my life. So, when I was eight, I started to learn how to fight. Of course, I didn’t have money for classes, so I just found ways to peer in on some martial arts lessons and practiced in my own time. And when I was ten, I set out. Eventually, I was able to stowaway on a boat, and ended up in Patch. Got into Signal and worked my ass off to become the top of my class – not because I wanted to but because I had to.” He lounged back on one of his hands. “It paid off in the end. So many roads were suddenly open to me.”
“So why here?” Qrow asked.
“It’s, kinda embarrassing to say out loud. But,” He hesitated, the sight of his torn apart home being pushed to the forefront of his memory. Not that he had to go searching very hard, since it was the only thing he could recall. “Had I known what a hunter was back then, I know I would have wished for one to be there to protect my family. Because I didn’t have that, I decided I wanted to become some other kid’s wish instead. So, here I am.”
Raven snorted, crossing her arms. “How fitting that Mr. Sunshine has the most honest reason of us all.”
“Ssh!” Summer smacked her arm lightly. “I like it.”
She rolled her eyes. “You would.”
Taiyang smiled behind a sip of tea, letting them bicker. Not quite as brave as their leader, he couldn’t say it out loud. But he knew, that after thirteen long years of being alone, he had finally found a family.