99

Chapter 99: Dead Ringer

Vale Warehouse District

Far across town, a not-so-quiet corner of the warehouse district was deep in the middle of yet another bonfire party. The Branwen Clan was just getting started, food and alcohol spreading out amongst the crowd with practiced ease. By the next morning, there would no doubt be more property damage to fix and a sea of bottles to collect. But that was the future clan's problem. The current clan was going to party like tomorrow wasn't coming.

Unfortunately, Vernal couldn't join the rabble-rousing just yet. She was stuck in Raven's temporary office, fielding the mountain of paperwork that allowed the clan to take over a portion of the warehouse district. Normally, that would be a job for Raven herself, but the Boss had taken the night off to talk with her daughter. Vernal was fine taking over for a few hours, really.

At least, that's what she kept telling herself as she forged Raven's signature on yet another noise complaint they'd been given.

Vernal sighed as she stared at the pile of paper that just didn't seem to get any smaller.

Maybe I can get one of the runners to sneak me a drink.

Knock-Knock.

Vernal perked up at the soft knocking at the office door. "Come in," she called out, half-dreading that a new headache was about to walk through the door.

To her relief, when she looked up she was met with a head of pale orange hair and curious green eyes. "Hey, Vernal," greeted the girl hanging half out the door with a sly grin. "Bored yet?"

Vernal let out a low groan. "Like you don't know. You just here to laugh, or do you need something, Spring?"

The girl raised a brow. "So… does that mean you don't want me to give you this?" She brought her other arm into view, revealing a small crate of six brown bottles, condensation clinging to the frosted glass.

Vernal's brow shot high, her face breaking into a wide grin. "Percy, you're beautiful. Gimme."

Percy Spring giggled, the door clicking shut behind her as she moved across the room. "I figured you might need a pick-me-up after dealing with all… this." She gestured, not just to the paperwork on the desk, but to the cityscape out the nearby window.

"You figured right." Vernal took one of the bottles, bracing the cap against the edge of the desk. She swiftly slammed her palm against the top of the bottle, and the cap went flying off to who-cares-where. She took a long draught of the dark beer, leaning back in her borrowed office chair. Percy pulled a can from the pocket of her server's apron (Vernal eyed it as the girl pulled the tab, only relaxing when she saw the SDC Cola label on its side) and sat down on the couch against the side wall.

Percy glanced at the piles of paperwork. "So… we broke yet?"

Vernal snorted. "No, but not for lack of trying. I mean, listen to this." She picked up a piece of paper at random, shaking her head as she read. "Bar tab for Junior's Bar, 300 Lien. Tab at Jade Enchanter's gentlemen's club, 500. And then this!" She snatched up a receipt that was longer than her arm. "A bill for Nibelheim BBQ, party of nine: 800 Lien! For barbecue!" She threw the receipt down in disgust, leaning heavily in her chair and taking another drink. She let out a light groan. "We gotta get the clan out of this city and back to the country before we all get soft and broke."

Percy giggled into her soda. "The Boss said this'll be wrapping up pretty soon. We'll be going home any day now."

"We freaking better," Vernal grumbled, looking at the ceiling. "Though, we've been here long enough that word has gotten around to the locals. Even got a few business requests."

Percy perked up. "Really?"

"Yep. I'm actually considering suggesting to the Boss we expand the clan out here permanently, leave some volunteers to build up a base here in Vale." She then met Percy's eyes with a tired grin. "'Course, that'd just mean more paperwork."

A laugh slipped past Percy's lips. "Yeah, probably."

The two fell silent for a few minutes, but Vernal soon noted the way Percy's fingers tapped against the thin aluminum rapidly, the thinly veiled nervousness on the girl's face. "Something on your mind?" she ventured.

Percy's smile faltered, briefly looking embarrassed, maybe a little guilty. She bowed her head, gaze falling to the floor. "Sorry. I just…" She chewed her bottom lip, before quietly admitting, "I can't stop thinking about…" She struggled for a moment, before just holding up her gloved hand. "This."

Vernal hummed understandingly. "Wish I could help you, kid, but all this… Maiden-mumbo-jumbo is way above my pay grade." She gave the girl a speculative look. "I thought you and the Boss already talked about this?"

Percy nodded absently. "We did, but…" She shrugged helplessly, her eyes turning glassy. "I don't know. Anytime I think about these powers, all I can think about is how… how everything can go wrong. How they could go out of control, or… or I could be attacked, and… and I'd… I could end up just like… like…"

She trailed off, Vernal perking up a bit. She couldn't stop herself from asking, "Like…?"

Percy blinked at her voice, startled out of her head space. The moment her own words registered, she started to shrink into her shoulders, her eyes anywhere but on Vernal.

Vernal kept her voice calm and casual as she softly said. "Y'know… you never did tell me how you got those powers."

Percy shrank further. "I… I know. And… and I probably should, but…"

Vernal saw Percy's gaze turning distant, a faint tremor starting in the girl's hands as she gripped her soda can. The bandit Second took a mental step back. "Hey, you don't gotta tell me anything you don't want to. Your business is your business. Sorry if I pried."

It took a minute, but Percy eventually let out a slow breath, the shake in her hands slowing. "It… it's okay," she murmured. She looked back up at Vernal with a weak smile. "Thanks."

Vernal just grinned back, taking a quick swig from her beer. "No problem. And stop worrying. I may not know what Ozpin's scheming, but I do know that Raven's going to be right there with you through the whole thing. And if she catches so much as a whiff of you being in trouble, she'll portal you out of there before you could say 'ow'." Her grin then turned sharp. "That, or portal the lot of us there, and you just keep your head down as the lead starts flying."

Percy's smile grew, rolling her eyes at what she thought was a joke. "Yeah, right." Vernal didn't bother correcting her, the two just enjoying their drinks for a few quiet minutes.

The peace was soon broken by a heavy thump slamming against the door, making Percy jump in fright. Vernal was out of her chair in an instant, blade half raised when a head of shaggy blonde hair stuck itself through the door, a rough voice rushedly shouting, "Hey, Mini-Boss, got a sec?"

Vernal lowered her blade with an agitated groan. "Shay, you moron! I've told you a thousand times, knock before you-"

"Yeah, cool, uh, phone call!" the bandit yelled, a panicked look on his face as he held up an actual phone, one of the landline ones scattered around the borrowed warehouse. Into it, Shay rapidly spouted, "Here she is, sir, you're welcome, sir, bye!" He chucked the phone at Vernal, fleeing out the door before it even reached her hand.

Vernal fumbled with the phone as the door slammed behind Shay. She shared a look with Percy. Shay wasn't the brightest, but he was a survivor of the clan's former regime. It took a lot to spook him, let alone make him show outright fear. Vernal eyed the phone like it was a live snake before putting it to her ear. "Hello?" she asked hesitantly.

A moment later, her eyes bugged out, her face paling. "Ozpin!?"

Percy inhaled sharply, her face going ashen. Her body tensed like she was ready to bolt for the door any second. Vernal, seeing her growing panic, stepped over and put a firm hand on the girl's shoulder, giving a gentle squeeze to hopefully ground her. When Percy downgraded from 'scared stiff' to silent distress', Vernal cleared her throat, replying properly. "Yes, sorry, sir. You just surprised me. What do you need at-" She glanced at a nearby wall clock. "This late hour."

A moment later, the tenseness in her shoulders lessened, and Vernal let out a breath. "A security detail." She met Percy's eyes with an affirming smile, watching as the girl practically melted into the couch in relief. She gave Percy a comforting pat on the shoulder before moving back to the desk, shuffling through the scattered paperwork for a pen. "Yes, a security detail shouldn't be a problem. How many men do you need?... Yes, I can scrounge up a dozen or so, easy. How soon do you need them?"

Vernal was halfway through jotting down the headmaster's request when she suddenly froze. In a tight voice, she asked. "Come again?"

The change was so sudden it made Percy sit up straight, nervous once again. It didn't help when Vernal suddenly exploded, eyes wide in disbelief.

"An hour!?" she burst out, sounding righteously indignant. "You want me to throw together a fully armed security force in under an hour? With all due respect, sir, are you high?"

The sheer disrespect startled a laugh out of Percy, Vernal waving an arm for her to shut up. The clan Second then threw her free arm into the air. "And you want the Boss- Sir, I'm sorry, but Raven is busy- oh, you already know, but you're asking anyway!? What… Couldn't you ask Ironwood for some SDC soldiers if it's so urgent? Wouldn't that-?" She took a deep breath, tipping her head back as she glared at the ceiling. "Sir, trust me, money is not the issue, it… it doesn't matter how much cash you throw at us, sir, we just can't-"

Again, Vernal froze, though this time more from shock than disbelief. Her mouth worked silently for a moment, before she managed to squeak out, "Could… could you repeat that, please?" She nodded slowly at whatever Ozpin said, then started searching through the paperwork until she unearthed an old Lien-store calculator. She tapped at it for a minute before just staring at the tiny screen. She gulped. "And… this offer is legitimate?" she asked faintly. Vernal licked her dry lips, eyes darting about the room, finally landing on Percy staring at her in confusion and concern. She inhaled sharply, her expression flattening as determination warred with panic. "I'll see what I can do." Without waiting for Ozpin's response, she hung up the phone and tossed it on the desk. She briefly put her head in her hands, taking another heavy breath, before starting across the room towards the window, where the Branwen Clan's latest party bonfires burned merrily away.

"You're taking the job?" Percy asked timidly as she passed.

"Yep," Vernal answered without breaking stride.

Percy's eyes started to widen. "How… how much is he paying us?"

Vernal glanced back at her, giving the girl a view of her freaked-out grin. "Enough that I'm doing this." She shoved up the window, the laughter and joshing of the drunken crowd instantly overtaken when she stuck her head out into the night air. "SHAY! Get your ass up, now!... I don't care if you just sat down! Go grab the fifteen soberest guys here and get them outfitted. We need to be at Beacon's airfield, yesterday!" There was an annoyed shout back that Percy couldn't make out. Whatever was said, Vernal was not impressed. "Oh, so you don't want to get paid?... Yeah, that's what I thought! Now move it!" She slammed down the window without waiting for a response, whirling around and whipping out her scroll. "Now that that's taken care of…"

She glanced at Percy, flashing her a quick tense smile. "Never ends, does it?" Percy gave her a shaky grin in return as Vernal started tapping at her scroll, quickly putting it to her ear. After a few seconds, she groaned at the back of her throat, slowly starting to pace. "C'mon, Boss, pick up," she muttered under her breath. After a few seconds, Vernal paused midstep, her brow shooting high. "Boss, is that you?" Her eyes widened. "Wow, you sound like crap. You okay?" She winced, cringing away from the scroll. "Right, yeah, sorry, look; Ozpin just called. He wants to hire us for security… yeah, it is an easy job. Just two problems: One, he wants the detail to be at Beacon in under an hour."

Vernal snorted at Raven's reaction. "Yeah, that was about my reaction, but, uh, problem two: he wants you there specifically since you're the face of the company." Vernal winced again. "Yes… yeah, I figured, but… I kinda already said yes?"

She cringed at Raven's response, but her face quickly set in determination. "Because, Boss, he made an offer that, considering the clan's current financial situation, we'd both be stupid to refuse."

Percy gulped. Despite knowing how much faith Raven had in Vernal, no one spoke to the Boss so glibly. At least not without risking a broken nose, among other things.

Yet Vernal's face remained focused, a soft sigh escaping her. "Ma'am, I just did the math. He makes good on this, the clan as a whole won't have to work until the end of the year… yes, really." A moment later, Vernal let out a long relieved breath. "All right, Boss, we'll be ready. Will you be meeting us there, or…"

She trailed off, blinking in surprise. "Oh! Uh…" Her gaze slid over to Percy, her brow furrowing slightly. "Yeah. She's right here, actually." She pulled the scroll from her ear, giving Percy a perplexed look. "She wants to ask you something."

Percy flinched slightly, eyes wide. "Me? Why!?"

Vernal could only shrug. She held her scroll out between them, tapping the screen. "You're on speaker, Boss. She's listening."

"Percy."

Despite her ratcheting nervousness, Percy couldn't help but wince. Vernal hadn't been kidding, Raven sounded awful. "Are… are you okay, Ma'am?"

"I'm breathing," Raven responded bluntly, clearing her throat to try and remove some of the rasp in her voice. "Yang and I's spar just… got a little out of hand."

A humorless snort sounded in Raven's background. "Just a bit…" came a similar exhausted voice.

Raven breathed a tired laugh. "Yeah… yeah…"

Percy and Vernal shared a startled look.

"Look, Percy… I hate asking you… but I need a big favor."

Percy's brow furrowed in concern. "Anything, Boss."

Raven chuckled weakly. "Wait 'till you hear what I want first… Remember a couple of years back, when Maverick got dragged back to camp after stopping a Lancer stinger with his stomach?"

Percy's face paled. "Y-Yeah?"

"Think you could help me like you helped him?"

Vernal, equally shocked, saw Percy's face and took over. "Boss, hold up. You're that bad off?" A trace of guilt and worry entered her voice.

"No… no, it's not that bad," Raven assured. "I'm just… wha… wait, Yang-!"

There was the brief sound of someone fumbling for the scroll, then the second voice came back, much clearer. "She's a bloody, bruised mess because I beat her half to death," Yang stated bluntly, her voice disturbingly flat considering her words. "So if whatever ya got over there can fix her, I'd get moving now."

More shuffling, then Raven's tired voice came back. "...not how I would have put it, but… I think she got the point across. Percy?"

Percy wrung her hands nervously. "I… I can try. But all I've managed to do since then is bumps and bruises, though…"

"That's all I need to get back on my feet. Thank you, Percy."

Percy pursed her lips, caught between a grimace and a smile. Vernal patted her on the shoulder encouragingly, then said to Raven, "It'll take about half an hour to get there by car, Boss, so just sit tight."

To their surprise, Raven let out a frustrated breath. "Right, because I can't… Vernal, remind me later that you and I need to talk."

Vernal blinked. "Uh… okay," she said, slightly nervous.

"Then call Ozpin back. If whatever it is is so damn important, he can send a Bullhead to play taxi and cut your travel time in half."

Vernal nodded needlessly. "You got it, Boss. Just kick back 'till we get there."

Raven huffed tonelessly. "Not like we can do much else."

There was a click as the call disconnected. A beat passed between Vernal and Percy, the latter staring at the scroll with a mix of dread and awe. "Vernal?"

"Yeah?"

"Did… did Raven just say she fought her daughter… and lost?"

"...yep."

Percy swallowed thickly. "Do… Do we have a new Boss now?"

Vale Conference Stadium

Raven snapped her scroll shut, letting her arm fall limply to her side with a slow breath. She let her head tip back, closing her eyes to ward off her returning headache. After taking the moment, she sighed, tilting her head to the right with a tired smile. "Well… we've got fifteen minutes. If there's anything else you want to ask, here's your chance."

Yang nodded her head against Raven's side, giving a soft "hmm..." She tried to think of something, she truely did… but right now, after everything…she was just spent.

She didn't know how long she'd stayed kneeling in that mock street, crying in the arms of her mother. Just that when she'd finally run out of tears and they'd tried to move, her joints felt agonizingly stiff. It took her and Raven working together to stand, the older woman barely able to stand upright as Yang walked them away from the bloody mess to an aged wooden bench in front of the fake drugstore. Through it all, and even once they'd settled onto the bench, something kept Yang glued to Raven's side.

And, no, it wasn't the drying blood seeping from Raven's clothes into hers.

"I don't know," she finally said, her voice thick with exhaustion. She leaned into the touch of a gentle hand carefully running through her hair (she wasn't sure when that started, but she'd muster up something to feel about it later). "Any more secrets you can think of?"

Raven went quiet, her brow pinching as she thought (and Yang appreciated that the woman was honestly trying to think of anything she might have forgotten). Her face suddenly went slack, her eyes widening briefly… then, a forlorn look slipped over her face. "Not a secret… but something you probably… something you should know."

Yang gave a full-body huff. "Well? Hit me with it." At this point, she'd accept just about anything. Nothing could surprise her.

"Had things not gone the way they did, you and Ruby would have had another sister."

…nevermind.

Yang slowly turned to face Raven, utterly bewildered. "Wha…What?" She asked breathlessly.

Raven's lips pulled up in a ghost of a smile. "At the time, we were doing well financially. The house was big enough, our brothers were willing to help support us… Summer wanted a big family. There was no reason not to. We'd even started filling out the forms with the SDC when…"

"...the bomb," Yang finished with a defeated sigh, her head thunking against Raven's shoulder.

"The bomb," Raven confirmed. "Summer and I made plans that, once we'd dealt with the cult and I could come home, we'd continue, but… then she disappeared and…" She shrugged helplessly, her voice cracking slightly. "It just wasn't meant to be."

Yang blinked rapidly, shaking her head slightly. "What… what would her name have been?"

"... we didn't get that far."

Yang felt her heart twist. It didn't shatter, but she could feel a new crack form as she tried to imagine a life with another little sister, one where Ruby would've had the chance to be a big sister. A life where they could watch her grow and laugh and smile, all with the help of their caring mothers. A little smiling face with brown hair and red eyes flashed through her mind, and then was gone.

"...is it possible to miss someone who never existed?" she found herself asking, her voice thick.

She felt Raven nod. "Very possible, Little Dragon," she confirmed quietly, her voice just as rough.

Yang fell silent. Then a soft, near-hysterical laugh burst from her lips, a mirthless smile pulling at her lips. "Are we just cursed?"

A faint breath passed through Raven's nose, a faint smirk on her face. "Sure feels like it sometimes."

Yang choked out another laugh, shaking her head. She wiped at the corner of her eyes as she fought down threatening sobs. She took a few deep breaths to calm herself, then cleared her throat. After a moment, she said. "You need to talk to Ruby."

Raven's eyes darted to her, lips pursing. "I was planning to. I'm just… not sure how to tell her all this.

Oddly, Yang shook her head. "Not… I don't mean the stuff about Summer. I mean, yeah, she needs to know that, but… you need to talk to her more."

Raven went silent, trying to parse out her meaning. Her eyes grew distant as she came to a conclusion. "She's not taking things well, then? Me, being her mother?"

Yang huffed a humorless laugh. "That's the messed up thing, I'm not sure." At Raven's confused look, Yang rapped her knuckles lightly on the wooden bench, searching for the right words. "Ruby… processes things differently than most people. Usually, she wears her heart on her sleeve, but when something really gets to her… gets under her skin and she doesn't know what to do about it, she just kind of… buries it under a smile until she figures something out."

Raven frowned in thought. "Fake it till you make it?"

Yang shrugged. "Pretty much. Scary thing is, she's pretty good at hiding it, even from me. The only reason I can tell when it happens now is 'cause I'm cheating." She half-heartedly waved her hand towards her Mate's Mark.

Raven's brow furrowed. "I… I don't want to push her to accept me."

Yang scoffed. "Mom, she wants to accept you." With her gaze locked in the middle distance, Yang missed the startled look Raven shot her. "She's just so… blindsided by you that she doesn't know how."

Raven shook her head slightly, her eyes tightening in something close to desperation. "Yang, I… I don't understand."

Yang chewed her lip for a few seconds, then took a deep breath. "I don't really either. And us yammering at each other won't help anything. That's why you need to talk to her."

Raven frowned. She leaned back heavily into the bench, staring up at the empty sky. "Alright… yes, I'll talk to her. Should… should I text her like I did you, or…?"

Yang shook her head. "I'll set something up. I can leave later if you and her want to talk one-on-one, but… I want to be there when you tell her about Summer."

Raven nodded, absently running a hand through Yang's hair. "Okay," she agreed softly.

Yang relaxed against her side, and the two let silence fall.

It didn't last long. Just a few minutes later, the familiar whine of a Bullhead sounded above. The aircraft hovered above the stadium for a moment, trying to find the best place to land before setting down at the opposite end of the street. Yang watched dimly as two figures practically flew out of the bay doors, trying to force herself back together before the two finished their run up the road. She'd managed just enough to recognize Vernal as the first to reach them, pulling out her scroll as she came to a stop.

"Okay, Boss," She rushed out, breathing heavily from her run. "I brought Percy, but we gotta move fast. Ozpin's deadline is in forty minutes and OH MY GOD!" Vernal looked up, now close enough to get a proper look at them. And judging from her bulging eyes bouncing between them and her rapidly paling face, they must've been quite a sight. "Are you okay?!"

Yang blinked blearily at her. Her eyes trailed to the crimson trail from where she'd practically dragged Raven to the bench, back to the drying puddle at the front of the smashed semi. Combine that with Raven's collage of bruises, torn and burned clothes, and that Yang barely had a scratch on her save for her bruised, bloodied knuckles…

…Yeah, this doesn't look good, does it?

So, sore and exhausted, both physically, mentally, and emotionally, Yang said the first thing that popped into her brain to try and set Vernal at ease.

"Hey, Aunt Vernal."

…stupid brain.

Vernal's bulging eyes somehow grew even wider, her mouth falling fully open as she took a startled step back. "Wha… huh!?"

Raven snorted loudly, a full belly laugh bursting from her lips only to cut off into a hacking cough. The dark Huntress folded over, a hand clutching at her middle as she bowed her head. "Oh… oh, Yang, don't make me laugh right now…"

Yang grimaced, awkwardly patting Raven on the back as she tried to get her wind back. "Sorry…"

Raven took a few deep breaths. "It's fine."

Vernal looked between the two like they'd sprouted second heads. "Wait… Boss, you're telling me you got this messed up in a mother-daughter spar?"

Raven drew herself up to sit properly, an arm still wrapped around her middle. She met Vernal's disbelieving stare evenly. "Yep," she said plainly.

Vernal stared at Raven for a moment. She shot an accusingly confused look at Yang, pointing towards Raven. "You fucked her up this bad?"

Yang blushed tiredly at her, not expecting to be addressed. "Yep," she eventually managed.

Vernal looked between them in mounting disbelief. "And… we're all just okay with this?"

Yang shifted uncomfortably under her glare. "I didn't mean to…" she murmured.

Raven had the audacity to shrug at her. "We were working things out."

Vernal stared hard at Raven's bruised face, eyes darted to Yang's bloodied knuckles. "This is you two working things out?"

After a beat, Raven and Yang looked at each other. Something passed between them, not so much words as an understanding. They both turned back to Vernal, Yang even managing a weak smirk. "Yep," they said in unison.

Vernal could only stare. Then she put her head in her hands, her fingers digging into her temples. "Gods help me, now there's two of them." She gave a quick groan of frustration, then threw her hands down. She stood to her full height, just short of glowering at the two. "Fine. Fuck, whatever. I'll deal with this when we aren't on a deadline. Percy."

Yang blinked. She'd forgotten there was a second person there… though, given how said person seemed to be hiding behind Vernal, she couldn't fault herself too much. "Y-Yeah?" came a rather timid voice.

Vernal's face softened as she looked back. "Can you try to heal up the Boss? Y'know, before she bleeds out?"

"R-Right."

"The bleeding's stopped…" Raven mouthed, not resisting as the small figure darted out from behind Vernal, pulled a glove off their hand, and pressed it against her chest.

Before Yang could focus on the new arrival, Vernal shoved something into her view. "Here. Eat."

It took Yang a second, but she quickly recognized the smell coming from the small rectangle. She'd already taken a bite of chocolaty goodness before having the thought, glancing at the familiar wrapper. "How did you…?"

"You and Ruby mentioned how her Semblance tanks your blood sugar," Vernal smirked at her, shrugging. "You just had a big fight and you're acting a bit loopy. Call it a shot in the dark."

Yang swallowed down the half-chewed chocolate, already feeling some of the fog lift from her mind. "Good shot," she said with a thankful grin. She went to take another bite, turning to look at Raven-

Yang froze.

Raven breathed out a sigh of relief as her bruises slowly faded. Waves of golden light spread out from the hand on her chest, rippling across her skin like water. But despite her mother's rapid recovery, that was secondary. What drew Yang up short was the look of the girl doing the healing.

Small, thin frame. Light, borderline pale skin. Bright orange hair.

Glowing, neon green eyes.

"Penny?"

The girl startled so badly that she jerked her hand away from Raven, the older woman letting out a grunt of discontent as the golden waves ceased with the loss of contact. A strand of golden light briefly remained between Raven's chest and the girl's palm, which quickly broke and faded away, revealing a jagged misshapen scar at the center of her palm. With whatever power she'd been using ended, Yang could see the girl's wide eyes fade from bright neon down to a more natural light green. When she turned sharply to Yang, the blonde could see more glaring differences between her and Yang's robotic friend:

The girl was dressed in the same red and black leathers as the rest of the Branwen clan. The girl's hair was longer, down past her shoulders. A light smattering of freckles lined the bridge of her nose. Most obvious, to Yang's chagrin, the girl was much younger than Penny appeared, looking no more than thirteen, if that.

The clearer her head got, the more Yang felt she should be embarrassed for even slightly mistaking the girl for Penny. And she would be…

If said girl wasn't now staring at her like she'd seen a ghost.

"N-No, I-I'm Percy," the girl stuttered, a quiver in her voice. Behind her, Raven and Vernal shared a confused, concerned look. Percy paid them no mind, her attention solely on Yang. "What… what did you just call me?"

Yang winced a little at the girl's tone. It reminded her of facing a younger upset Ruby, with no clue why she was upset. "Sorry. You just look a little like a friend of mine." She tried for a grin, rubbing the back of her head. "Guess I'm still a bit out of it."

Concerningly, Percy didn't seem to register her last words, her eyes growing even wider, her posture more intense. "A friend named Penny?" There was a sudden strength in the girl's voice. She took a step forward, undamaged hand clutching her scarred one to her chest. "A friend who looks like me? With my hair? My eyes?"

Yang found herself leaning back as Percy started hovering over her with every word. "I mean, kinda, but-"

"How did you know her?" Desperation was creeping into Percy's voice now, her breath quickening. "Did… did you go to school with her, or, or, talk to her online? Do you know if Penny was short for something else, or-"

"Percy."

Percy froze at Raven's commanding voice, and Yang found herself stiffening as well. Which confused her for a moment, until she recalled long-ago memories of Summer calling her name in a similar tone, usually when she caught the toddler either about to do something dangerous or with her hand in the family cookie jar.

Oh, Yang thought. That's Raven's Mom voice.

She may not have any conscious memories of having Raven for a mom, but some part of her clearly still remembered.

…okay, filing that away to process later.

Percy's mouth clicked shut at Raven's stern tone. She blinked, only just realizing that she was leaning so far over Yang that she was in danger of falling on top of her. She flushed in embarrassment, taking a step back. "I… I'm sorry," she murmured meekly, averting her eyes.

Yang breathed out, letting herself relax. "It's fine… though…" She gave the girl a sheepish smile. "I'm very confused."

Percy shuffled her feet, retreating into herself further. Raven let out a sigh, sitting up fully as she looked towards the young girl, placing a hand on Yang's shoulder. "Percy, this is my daughter Yang Xiao-Long." Yang offered a small nod, pretending she hadn't stiffened at the unexpected contact. Raven made no comment, save quickly removing her hand after. She spoke to Percy, tone firm but kind. "Do you want to introduce yourself?"

Vernal shot Raven a worried look, glancing at her scroll. "Uh, Boss, we're kinda on a time crunch…" She trailed off when Raven turned narrowed eyes on her, instead letting out a resigned sigh. "Right, shutting up."

Percy's lips twitched upwards at the banter, giving her the extra push to meet Yang's eyes. "Sorry, um… I'm Persephone Spring, but everyone just calls me Percy. I help out in the clan kitchens and serve people during meals. I… I'm sorry for freaking out. I…" She sent a nervous look over her shoulder, seeing Vernal's growing concern. She turned around, being met with Raven's encouraging nod. She took a steadying breath. "I had an older sister, Penelope… but we always called her Penny. She…" Her breathing shuddered. "I lost her a few years ago."

Yang's throat went dry. "I'm sorry," she said softly. Then, because she couldn't help herself, she started to ask, "How…?"

She trailed off at the stern look Vernal sent her, but Percy just took a steadying breath. "Penny was all I had, I… I don't know what happened to our parents, but she took care of me. Five years ago, some… bad men attacked us. Penny stayed behind to buy me time to run, but… they ended up finding me anyway. I ran into Raven and Vernal before that, though, and they helped me get away. The Branwen Clan adopted me after that, but… I never saw Penny again."

Yang's heart sank. She shot a look towards her mother. Percy may have been speaking vague, but Raven's small solemn shake of the head told her all she needed to about this "Penny"'s fate. "I… I'm sorry to get your hopes up, but the Penny I know can't be your sister because…"

She trailed off because… well, how was she supposed to finish that? "She's alive" would be tackless, even for her. "She's a robot" would just open a whole confidential can of worms.

Unfortunately, her silence only prompted Percy to double down on her hopes. "Could you just check, please?" Percy tugged something from her shirt's neckline before Yang could stop her, a thin silver chain with a matching pocket watch at the end. "I mean, you took one look at me and thought I was her, so-"

"Percy…" Yang muttered as the watch was shoved into her hand, its cover popping open. "I'm sorry, but there's no way-"

On reflex, Yang's eyes darted towards the cracked clock face, then to the small photo tucked in the inside cover. She looked back to Percy, only to immediately doubletake, her eyes blowing wide.

In the photo were two shockingly similar girls hugging each other as they smiled for the camera. The first was likely a younger Percy, a trace of baby fat still curving her cheeks. But the other…

She had freckles Penny lacked. Her eyes were a pale green rather than neon. Her front tooth was chipped.

But that was where the differences ended. From her skin tone to the color of her hair, its cut and length, even the way she smiled, wide and beaming; even the clothes she wore emulated the same shades of browns and beige Penny preferred… She even had a similar bow in her hair.

If Percy looked similar to Penny, their Penny… then this girl was a near clone of her.

Yang's head shot up, not to Percy but to Raven. Her mother was also staring at the photo, her face unreadable save for the slightest widening of her eyes. Yang swallowed thickly, turning to face Percy and regretting it instantly. There was so much naked hope on her face…

Yang took a deep breath. "How old was Penny when this was taken?" She asked.

Despite trying to keep her voice level, Yang must have given something away, because Percy's hopeful look dimmed by half. "Sixteen."

"Then… the Penny I know can't be her." She looked back at the photo so she wouldn't have to see Percy's crestfallen face. "I'll admit there's a… spooky resemblance, but your sister would be in her twenties by now. And my friend is-" A robot girl that I just realized I have no idea if she was built in the last decade or last year. "-younger than that. Plus, she's from Atlas."

"...oh."

And there's that broken-hearted look I was afraid of. "I'm sorry," Yang could only repeat, shrugging helplessly as she handed back the watch.

Percy took it, staring down at the photo for a few seconds before snapping the watch shut, pressing it against her chest. She swallowed down her emotions, somehow managing a small smile despite her eyes swimming. "No… no, it's my fault. I should know better by now."

Vernal took a step forward, visibly concerned at the girl's lack of tone. "Percy…"

"Here, let me fix you up." Ignoring Vernal's call, Percy stepped out of her reach and placed her scarred hand against Yang's chest. The blonde opened her mouth to protest… but was struck silent as the girl's eyes glowed that bright familiar green.

Golden waves washed over Yang's body, just as they had with Raven. With every passing wave, Yang could feel all the little aches and pains fade away. Even her general exhaustion started to disappear. When Percy finally lifted her hand away, Yang felt recharged, like she'd gotten a full night's sleep and downed a half-dozen energy drinks. "Whoa."

Percy's grin twitched wider, maybe a tad more genuine. Then the girl blinked, rapidly. "Uh oh."

She swayed for a second, and her knees buckled. Before Yang could catch her, Vernal and Raven beat her to it. Yang balked at her mother's speed as she flew off the bench. Despite her blood-soaked attire and remaining bruises, Raven moved with all her original grace. The two women quickly maneuvered Percy to replace her on the bench, where the girl sank heavily, her eyelids fluttering. Raven looked down at her in disapproval. "You overdid it, Spring."

Percy just nodded heavily, mechanically pulling her glove back on her scarred hand. "Yep."

Raven let out a small breath through her nose. "Pushing yourself till you pass out is not the way to avoid a conversation, kid."

Percy met her eyes, giving her a weak smirk. "You want to be the pot or the kettle, ma'am?"

Vernal snorted. "She's got ya there, Boss." She met Raven's unimpressed glower head-on with a smirk of her own.

Raven rolled her eyes at her clan's insubordination. "Snippy brats." Then she saw Yang looking between her and the others, confused and contemplating. Raven thought for a moment, then sighed. She knelt next to Percy with a solemn look. "Percy… you do remember what I told you about your sister, right?"

Percy's face crumpled in an instant. Her eyes found the pavement. "Yes, ma'am…"

Raven's brows pinched. "Then why ask Yang that?"

Percy was silent for a long while. Her eyes drifted over to Yang, who could only stare back in confused curiosity. Percy looked away, moisture clinging to her eyelashes. "Because… if Miss Yang knew Penny… before… maybe she'd have a video or, or… a voice message or… or…" She swallowed heavily as her voice grew thick, choking on a sob. She bowed her head, hiding her face in her hands. "I'm forgetting her voice…"

Yang fought not to recoil away from Percy. She had just met this girl and somehow managed to put her foot so far into her mouth that she'd made her cry. She felt a hand on her shoulder, Vernal flashing her an understanding look before easing her off the bench to take her place next to Percy. Yang acquiesced immediately, rushing off the bench to her mother's side. Vernal put her arm around Percy's shoulder, the crying girl leaning into her hold. Vernal watched her sadly before turning to Raven. "I'll see her back to base safely, Boss."

Raven nodded. "Good." She gave Percy a long look before standing up, her expression became all business. "Now, what has Ozpin so panicked this late on a weeknight?"

"Well, technically it's not Ozpin. He made the call on behalf of the Belladonna's."

Yang snapped her head to Vernal. "What?"

Vernal nodded, pulling Percy closer as the girl's silent tears started to slow, her eyes slipping closed. "Yeah, surprised me too. There's an airship with White Fang markings hauling ass for Vale. Only word from the craft said 'no SDC'. Chief Ghira figures having a neutral third party- us- for security would be a good idea."

Raven hummed. "Good call, but why's Ozpin playing middleman? The craft's heading for Beacon?"

Vernal shrugged. "Sounds like, but I have no idea why. Shay went ahead with the guys. He'll have more info."

"Got it. When's the aircraft going to land?"

"In…" She reached for her scroll with her free arm, blanching at what she saw. "Twenty-four minutes, and Oz asked for everyone to be there at least ten minutes beforehand. So…" She shot Raven a distressed grin. "Ya got about ten minutes, fifteen?"

Raven gave a lazy grin back. "Then I'll be a few minutes early." Her eyes softened as she nodded her head to the side. "Now, get our girl home and in bed. Tell her she's got tomorrow off when she comes to."

Sure enough, Percy's eyes had slipped fully closed, leaning fully against Vernal as she breathed slowly and evenly. Vernal smiled sadly at the girl, then nodded to Raven. "You got it, Boss." With practiced movements, Vernal gathered Percy in her arms and stood up. She gave Yang a smile and a nod, then started walking back to the waiting Bullhead.

Once she felt they were out of earshot, Yang said aloud, eyes locked on Percy's sleeping form. "Mom-"

"I know, Yang."

"That picture-"

"I know."

Yang's head snapped to Raven, eyes wide and wild. "You know? You know how the hell Penny looks just like that girl's sister?"

"I- no, not that." Raven took a deep breath, and Yang could see in her eyes how unsettled she was. "I've never seen that picture before. Hell, that's only the second time I've heard Percy talk about her sister."

Yang took a shallow breath. "W-What was the first time?"

Raven shifted her weight, frowning deeply. "Right after we found her. She told me where she left her sister, hoping I might find her."

"... Did you?"

Raven shook her head slowly, looking down. "What I found was the body of a teenage girl burned to a crisp… surrounded by the burned bodies of at least eight men, all heavily armed." She met Yang's eyes. "That girl fought like hell to let Percy escape. I took the body back with me, we gave her a funeral… but with how badly burned she was, I think Percy's kept some hope that I found the wrong girl."

Yang's eyes darted around as she thought. "Then… could Penny somehow be…?"

"...no. Ironwood showed us how Penny was made, she's fully mechanical." Raven put a hand to her chin, deep in thought. "Though…" After a moment, she let out a harsh breath. "I need to speak to Ozpin."

Yang blinked at the sudden subject change. "Wha- Ozpin? Why-?"

"I have an idea. But he-" She stopped herself, looking to Yang like she just remembered who she was talking to.

"What?" When Raven didn't answer, Yang asked again more forcefully. "What?"

Raven stared for a moment, then nodded, coming to a decision. She faced Yang fully, looking into her eyes. "Can you wait three days?"

Yang flinched back. "Three days… three days for what?"

Raven took a step forward, face determined. "I promised you I wouldn't keep any more secrets… and I won't." At Yang's confused shock, she went on. "If you really want me to tell you what I'm thinking, I will. But if what I'm thinking's right… it's related to something Ozpin's already planning to tell you and your team after the dance on Saturday." She paused briefly to watch Vernal and Percy's Bullhead take off. "But if I'm wrong, I'm telling you a very dangerous secret I only have second-hand knowledge of."

If anything, Yang's confusion was just being amplified by concern. "Uh… is this more White Fang stuff?"

"It's… related." Raven let out a frustrated breath. "Like I said, it's not my secret, but it's one you're going to be told soon anyway. It might not even have anything to do with Penny. But…" She gave Yang a heavy look. "If you want to know… I'll tell you. Right now."

Yang stared at her mother. The curiosity burned at her, the conversation with Percy and questions about Penny urging her to say yes. But she could see how tightly Raven was holding herself, worry crinkling her eyes. Yang fidgeted where she stood, looking down sharply. She bit her bottom lip, considering. "You'd really just tell me?"

Raven nodded. "I will."

"... But Ozpin's going to tell us soon anyway?"

Another nod. "Right after the dance. Sunday night at the latest."

"... then…" Yang took a deep breath. She lifted her head and tried to smile. "I'll wait."

Raven seemed taken aback. "You will?"

Yang nodded. "Yes… I will. I'll wait to hear what Ozpin has to say. But!" She pointed a finger at Raven. "If he doesn't, then you tell me whatever… this is."

At that, Raven let out a sharp breath, smirking. "If Ozpin backs out of any of this mess, I'll kick his ass and make him tell you."

That prompted a genuine grin out of Yang. "Sounds good. I'll hold ya to that. 'Cause… I see Penny as a friend." Yang let out a semi-nervous laugh. "And I really want to know whether or not she actually has a dead girl's face or I'm just going crazy." She rubbed at her face, then let out another laugh towards the sky. "What the hell is this night?"

Raven let out a self-deprecating chuckle. "And for me, it's not even over yet. Do… you want to come back to Beacon with me or have me portal you to Ruby?"

Yang blinked. Then groaned. "Right! The date. I… I completely forgot."

"Don't blame yourself. Tonight's been…"

"Utter bullshit?" Despite everything, mother and daughter shared a companionable grin. Yang heaved a sigh. "Let me call Rubes first. Make sure they're not in the middle of something." She pulled open her scroll, bringing up Ruby's number. "Wouldn't want you to portal me right on top of some waiter."

Raven smirked. "Yeah, good idea. You wouldn't believe the chaos portaling into a crowded area can cause."

"Oh, that sounds like a story." The two waited as Yang's scroll tried to connect to Ruby's. The connection completed almost instantly. Yang's eyes brightened when Ruby's face came on screen, Weiss right beside her. "Hey, Rubes. How's-"

"Are you okay?"

Yang blinked. "Well, hello to you too."

"Yang, please." There was a shake in Ruby's voice, and Yang could both Feel and see the Worry, Fear, Desperation on her face. "The way you Felt, we…"

She struggled for words, Weiss quickly coming to the rescue, her Feelings calmer but no less strong. "You have us really worried, Yang."

Yang's face crumbled. "Girls, I… I'm sorry. I knew I was going to Feel rough, but I didn't think it would be that bad for you."

Ruby's brow furrowed. "How bad did it go?"

Yang, unsure, looked over the scroll at her mother. Raven merely shrugged, and nodded, leaving the conversation in her hands. Yang huffed lightly, then gave Ruby a sheepish grin. "A lot worse than I thought. And… a little better? I exploded just like I thought I would, only way, way worse. I, uh…" Her eyes flicked briefly to Raven. "I'll tell you about it later. But!... I think I got out everything I needed to, and Raven told me pretty much everything I wanted to know. It's not perfect, but… I think we each know where the other stands now."

Ruby's face relaxed a bit. Though the worry stayed plain on her face, Yang could Feel a trace of her Hope trickling through. "And that's… good?" she questioned softly.

Again Yang hesitated. She played back all the questions she'd asked, the answers she'd received… the reactions she gave. She thought of the anger she felt, the pain, the hurt… the hope. She heard Raven's words again as she cried her heart out, felt her arms hold her tight for dear life.

Yang looked back at Raven, the elder Huntress watching her face, her blank as she waited for an answer. Yang… smiled. "It's a good start."

Raven took a sudden breath, surprise flashing briefly on her face. Slowly, almost awkwardly, she returned the smile.

On the scroll, Ruby's face went slack, her eyes blowing wide. Then, she beamed. "Yang… that's great!"

Yang laughed softly at her sister's excitement. "We've still got a ways to go, sis. But… thanks." She sucked in a deep breath, and a wide grin took over her as she stood up straighter, feeling more like her usual self. "That said, I think we've done about all we're going to, so we were trying to figure out where she should send me. Are you three still eating or should I just head back to Beacon?"

Worryingly, Ruby and Weiss shared a troubled look. "Actually, Yang," Weiss started. "We had to cut dinner short. We're heading back to school now."

"What?" Yang shot Raven a surprised look, receiving a serious one in return. "Did something happen? Are you all okay?"

"We're fine," Weiss assured. "But…" She had Ruby angle the scroll to the side. In what Yang now recognized as the inside of a Bullhead, Blake was seated on Weiss's other side. Her cat ears were pinned back as she had a hushed conversation with her scroll. The Faunus looked over at Weiss's nudge, flashing a relieved smile at the blonde, relaxing slightly before her attention was pulled back to her scroll call.

Ruby's scroll was angled back so just she and Weiss were in frame, Weiss glancing back toward Blake in concern. "Blake's parents called during dinner. A White Fang Bullhead is almost to Vale, and they want her there when it lands in case it's this Sienna Khan. Ruby and I are going with her for support."

Yang quirked a brow at her resigned tone. "You sound so thrilled."

Weiss gave her the stink eye. "I have a rather poor reputation with the White Fang, Yang, let alone their leadership. I want to support Blake, but I don't want to cause an international incident just by being there."

Yang snorted. "If there's a chance of that, Ghira and Kali'll send you off before she gets there. Anyway, Blake'll have me at her back soon too. Ozpin hired the clan for security at the airfield and Raven's about to head that way. I'll tag along and meet you there."

Weiss and Ruby blinked in surprise but took the news in stride. "Sounds good," Ruby said. "See you in a bit."

Before Ruby closed the call, Yang thought of something. "Hold up!" Ruby and Weiss jumped slightly, startled. Yang rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly. "Did, uh… did the date go good, at least? I mean, I know you all Felt when I… so… I didn't screw it up, did I?"

Ruby let out a sigh of relief. Weiss smiled warmly, rolling her eyes. "No, Yang, you didn't ruin anything. The date went fine. We enjoyed the adventure film Ruby chose, and had a peaceful walk through the park…" She hesitated briefly, but continued softly. "We did have to stop for a moment when you… Felt your lowest."

"Which I want to hear about," Ruby cut in, crossing her arms with a stern look.

"-But we bounced back once we Felt you were okay." A faint smirk crossed Weiss's lips as she side-eyed Ruby. "Honestly, the only real blight on the night was Ruby pouting over her Alfredo Noodles."

Ruby's head snapped towards Weiss, looking betrayed. "There was no chicken in it! Every other restaurant I've ever been to, there's always chicken in it! Why even put it on the menu without chicken?!"

"So they can charge you more to add the chicken, Ruby."

"Well, that's stupid!"

Yang burst out laughing at Ruby's indignant yell as the two started a playful squabble. She slapped a hand over her mouth to muffle them, catching Raven waving at her. Despite sporting a smirk of her own, the elder Huntress tapped at her imaginary watch. Nodding, Yang said, "And on that note, I gotta go. I'll see you girls in a few minutes."

Ruby and Weiss paused their half-joking argument, flashing Yang matching smiles. "See you soon, Yang." Ruby tapped at her scroll, and the call went dark with a soft beep.

Yang put her scroll away shooting Raven an exasperated half-smile. "Guess I should have figured. Something crazy goes down, my team's gotta be there for it."

Raven returned it with a small nod. "You girls do seem to have a talent for finding trouble… or it finding you." She waved her hand and a portal formed behind her. "Shall we?"

Yang grinned. "Sure." She started walking towards the portal when Raven suddenly put her hand on her shoulder.

"Wait a moment." Yang turned to her and… did not expect how visibly unsure she looked. Raven grimaced slightly, before her brow furrowed in determination. "Do you want to do this again? Get together and… talk? In case you have more questions or I remember something else?"

Yang was surprised. She started to speak, then paused. Her eyes traveled from Raven to their surroundings, taking a last look at the dilapidated coliseum, distantly wondering who was going to kill the lights once they left. Her eyes traveled to the cracked and cratered pavement throughout the mock town. Lingering on the pool of drying blood not far from them. She turned back to Raven and smiled. "Sure. Just… one request?"

Raven started at the sudden acceptance. "Y-Yes. Anything."

"Next time…" Yang's smile shifted to a smirk. "Can we just go out for drinks?"

Raven blinked. Then all her breath left her in a soft, honest chuckle. "Yeah… we can do that."

Yang nodded, still smirking. Then she bobbed her head towards the portal. The mother and daughter fell into step with one another, striding through the portal together.

Beacon Academy

Around that time, at the entrance of Beacon's main building, a quartet of Headmaster Ozpin, Chief Ghira, Kali, and a rather disgruntled and bed-headed Roman exited the building. They started through the courtyard, heading towards the airfield like they were on a mission.

After the quartet had made it halfway to the courtyard statue, a small figure peaked out from behind one of the trees near the entrance, peering at the four. The figure darted towards the doorway, tripping slightly on the cobblestones before scrambling inside, the lamppost closest to the door briefly lighting up his youthful face and short, stark white hair. The figure disappeared down the hallways, off towards the elevators.

…

"... So…" Roman droned, looking over his shoulder as the door slid shut. He rose a brow at Ozpin, the two letting the Belladonna's step ahead of them. "We just letting the brat do that?"

Ozpin sighed lightly. "The alarms didn't trigger, so he has no weapons. And as the family of a student, he's welcome within our halls… even if he doesn't realize that." The headmaster then grinned. "And given where he's likely going… this may be a good learning experience for the boy."

"... for the record, you can't give me detention anymore, right?"

"You have aged well past the point where I can discipline you in such a way, Roman."

"You're an asshole, Oz."

"So I've been told."

Betaed by Covert Weapon

A/n: Hello! Yes, I'm still here! Yes, I'm still writing! And I don't plan on stopping. Just, as per usual, life is doing its best to slow down my writing time.

I feel like I should say something about all the crazy stuff happening in the last few weeks (RT shutting down, Toriyama passing away, along with a dozen other things that brought down any given day) but there are already people more skilled and more qualified than I who have covered those topics in depth. Instead, I just want to put something out there that'll hopefully brighten up your day.

…Even if that thing is a long, rather convoluted lore dump of a chapter, but, still, I'm proud of it, dammit!

Hopefully this chapter finds you all on a good day. All of you stay safe and stay awesome!

See ya next time… for chapter 100! (Which'll probably just be a regular chapter, but still, 100 chapters; not too shabby, huh?)