Yang & Ruby

A/N: Hey guys, just a heads up, this story will be going on a temporary public hiatus for the next six weeks. Effectively, Chapter 39 will not be released from my P atreon until April 5th. I'll explain in more detail at the end of the chapter, for now just enjoy!

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Summer would wake up. Of that, Jaune was certain. Even if she didn't wake up naturally on her own, he would move heaven and earth to make her wake up if that was what he had to do.

At the same time though, there was a reason Jaune hadn't told Yang or Ruby that Summer was alive just yet. Even if he knew how much she meant to the two sisters, he didn't want their first interaction with her to be had while she was in this temporary coma, especially not after they'd both spent years getting over her death.

In the end, it was better to keep them in the dark a little while longer. Summer would awaken, and when she did, she would get to hold her daughters again. In the meantime, Jaune gives Yang a smile and shakes his head.

"What am I going to do with you? Well, I'm certainly not going to turn your sister into a living bomb or send the both of you off on some suicide mission while I stay behind in my ivory tower and sip a cup of coffee."

Yang's face colors at his unsubtle lampooning of Ozma. Jaune just chuckles.

"Come, there's something I want to show you."

With little other choice in the matter Yang and Ruby follow him out of their cell. Over in her cell, Winter Schnee begins to rise… only to go still and then sit back down when he pins her with an unimpressed and unamused gaze. He would get to her eventually. For now, she could sit and stew for a while yet.

Of course, Jaune wasn't an idiot. Nor was he ignorant of Yang's… strained relationship with her birth mother. Jaune was fully aware that Raven was an absentee mom, but she was currently the next best thing at the moment. As sad as that was, it was also true. The Lands of Darkness weren't a place for innocents like Yang and Ruby, but Jaune had been out of commission when they arrived and frankly, even now that he was awake, he was loath to send them back to Ozma and those who had abused their trust.

So instead, he takes the sisters to the sparring arena. The large indoor arena is on the far side of the Palace, but the three of them don't exchange much small talk as they make their way over to it. He does, however, notice how Ruby hides her face in Yang's arm whenever he glances over at them, and Yang stiffens and curls up all the more protectively around her sister.

… For a moment, Jaune thinks of his own sisters. All seven of them. He hopes they're doing well. He hasn't checked, mostly because… well, it hurts too much to think about. Seeing Yang and Ruby interact though, it reminds him of his interactions with his older siblings. He was definitely the Ruby of the family, even though he did have a couple of younger sisters too. He was the only boy, so he was constantly coddled and watched over.

He hoped his sisters were all doing well for themselves. He hoped his mother was too. He wasn't the Jaune Arc that they'd lost, he hadn't been even right after his resurrection. But he still cared enough about them to wish them the best.

Soon enough, the sounds of weapons clashing with one another and strangled angry feminine cries fill the corridor. They're getting closer to the sparring arena now, and Jaune sees out of the corner of his eye as both Yang and Ruby stiffen at the cries. Looking at them fully, he gives them his best reassuring smile.

"Not to worry. They're just sparring. Training, really. It's not torture or anything like that."

For some reason, that doesn't seem to reassure them very much. He wonders why. Perhaps its his face? Either way, they don't get the chance to ask questions, because a moment later they're following Jaune through a large open doorway and into the arena itself.

There, facing off with one another in the arena, are Cinder and Vernal. The two are sparring quite aggressively, while Raven and Glynda both watch on, arms crossed over their chests. The two older women don't immediately clock the arrival of Jaune and his two young guests, mostly because they come in from behind the women, and they're both focused on the fight going on in front of them.

Of course, to call it a fight is an insult to fights, if Jaune is being honest. Don't get him wrong, the battle is certainly quite fierce in appearance at first glance… but ultimately, it's little more than a slaughter. To anyone with a lick of battle sense or experience with fighting, it only takes a moment of actually watching the spar to recognize that Cinder is just toying with Vernal.

The latter has certainly grown in leaps and bounds since arriving here, especially thanks to the few lessons that Summer was able to give her before things had taken the turn they had. However, she just doesn't have the head start that Cinder has had. For now, Cinder is simply better than Vernal, full stop. But she's also not as good as Raven or Glynda either, leaving the two of them the closest matched.

As Yang and Ruby freeze up at the sight of other human women, Jaune turns and gives them a wink, pressing a finger to his lips to keep them quiet. Slowly, the two of them nod, making him grin. At least his scariness had some uses, it would seem. With their silence ensured, Jaune turns his attention back to the arena… but his focus is more on Raven and Glynda than on Cinder and Vernal's one-sided spar, if he's being honest.

More specifically, he finds himself studying Raven and Glynda's teaching styles and the differences between the two women. As Vernal is knocked to the ground once more and Cinder hops back with a smug look in her eyes, Raven is the quickest to speak… but one might argue that her 'advice' isn't the best.

"Get the hell back up girl! You think on a real battlefield your opponent is going to be so cocky as to let you lollygag?! Stand and fight, or you're not worth anything!"

The look Glynda throws Raven is one of pure loathing, before she speaks up in her own icy tone.

"You need to watch your left flank better, Vernal. Cinder knows that it's your blind spot and is taking advantage of that fact. Do be careful not to overcompensate, however, lest your right flank become a new blind spot."

Vernal just nods as she eases herself to her feet, rolling her wrists, bouncing on the balls of her feet, making sure everything is still in working order. The young bandit truly had come a long way in a very short period of time. Jaune was beginning to see what Summer had 'seen' in her, for lack of a better word. The girl really was a diamond in the rough.

Alas, before she and Cinder can continue their spar, Vernal's eyes catch upon his and widen before she can catch herself. Her reaction of shock at his sudden presence doesn't go unnoticed. Cinder's head whips in his direction too, and she looks torn between hunted and aroused at his presence. Salem's old protégé had ultimately broken to his and his Queen's not-so-tender touches, but she was still who she was and that would likely never change. Every once in a while, she had to be reminded not to let her ambition get ahead of her.

Meanwhile, with both duelists suddenly massively distracted by what's going on behind them, Raven and Glynda finally turn to look as well. Their reactions are also rather priceless. Raven blanches the moment she sees him, before quickly collecting herself. THEN, she blanches again when she sees Yang and Ruby standing right behind him, her eyes going especially wide at the sight of Yang.

Meanwhile, Glynda smiles fondly at Jaune… before looking just as flummoxed by the sight of Yang and Ruby. Though to be fair… Yang is also caught off guard.

"Professor Goodwitch?! What the hell are you doing here?!"

Glynda now looks almost as hunted as Cinder, but for different reasons. It's abundantly obvious that she has no desire to stop and explain to one of her former students why she's no longer at Beacon Academy, but suddenly living with the Grimm King and Queen in the Lands of Darkness. Even if it was all Ozma's fault, she clearly doesn't want to have to explain.

Luckily for Glynda, she doesn't have to. Mostly because just as soon as the words have left Yang's lips, the violet-eyed blonde catches sight of Raven properly and recognizes just who she is.

"You! What the hell are YOU doing here?!"

It's obvious that Raven is the one who's actually on the hook for an answer, despite Glynda being asked first. The former Bandit Leader stiffens up, pressing her lips tightly together as she glances at him for a moment before answering in a clipped tone.

"Same as you, I suspect."

That draws an incredulous scowl from Yang, who furrows her brow in confusion at the response.

"Wait, seriously? You came here to kill Salem as well?!"

It's obvious from all of their reactions that Salem had not bothered to inform the conscious humans in her Palace of Winter and her team's arrival and subsequent imprisonment, nor of their mission to the Lands of Darkness. Which… Jaune supposed was fair. Obviously she wanted to tell him first so he could decide how he was going to deal with it.

Regardless, after hearing from Yang's own mouth why she and Ruby were apparently here, Raven blanches again… and then lets out a bark of laughter.

"What?! No, of course not! Are you stupid, girl? You can't kill Salem. She's fucking immortal."

Yang looks appropriately chagrined by that, glancing at Ruby askance as if remembering what had almost happened to the silver-eyed girl. Clearly Ozma DID think Salem could be killed by the proper weapon. Either that, or he was just too desperate and reckless to think things through at this point. Jaune gave it even odds either way, though he would say it very slightly leaned towards desperate and reckless given how Salem had described so easily defusing Ozma's bomb to him.

Of course, Raven isn't done just yet, shaking her head as she crosses her arms over her chest and scoffs.

"Honestly, getting away from that bastard Ozpin was the smartest thing I ever did. Maybe it didn't pan out in the long run, but I'd probably be dead by now if I hadn't run when I did. Got out from under his influence while I had the chance and lived the good life… for a time, anyways."

That last part is said with a ducked head and a grudging growl under her breath as she pointedly doesn't look in Jaune's direction. However, a result of this is that she doesn't notice Yang flinch at the reminder that Raven getting away from Ozma also meant abandoning Yang herself. Jaune frowns, feeling angry on Yang's behalf as the blonde clearly gets distressed at the reminder that she was abandoned by her birth mother only to then have her adoptive mother die on her.

… He's beginning to think this was a mistake. Maybe he should turn Yang and Ruby around and take them to Summer after all, coma or no coma. However, before Jaune can do that, Raven suddenly pulls a one eighty.

"H-Hey. Uh… I mean… it's good to see you, kiddo. You're looking… well. Strong."

Yang is just as flabbergasted by Raven's sudden change of heart as Jaune is, the blonde staring at Raven with wide violet eyes.

"W-What?"

Sauntering over, Raven Branwen… pulls her daughter into a hug. It is, beyond a shadow of a doubt, the most awkward and tense thing that Jaune has ever witnessed. The former Bandit Leader is clearly no hugger. And yet, she's woodenly wrapping her arms around Yang's frozen body, carefully patting her on the back.

"There… there. Uh. It'll be okay. You're safe now?"

"What the fuck?!"

Yang's tolerance for weird shit has clearly been reached. The blonde all but snarls as she shoves Raven away from herself, causing the older woman to stumble back. For a moment, Raven is snarling too… but then she glances his way and blanches before plastering the creepiest attempt at a motherly smile across her face that Jaune has ever seen.

Finally, he begins to catch on. Raven had caught his anger, but not Yang's distress. She was pretending to be nice to her daughter because, in her cowardice, the woman had thought that was what he wanted. Of course, Yang is very much NOT impressed… and she's certainly not buying it either.

"Look kiddo, it's-!"

"Shut up! What the fuck are you even saying?! Just stop! I don't know what this is, but you are NOT my mother! Summer Rose was my mother!"

Raven opens her mouth, but to her credit, thinks better of it. Her eyes dart to him again, and though Jaune doesn't say or do anything one way or the other, she catches on. Yang and Ruby don't know Summer is alive just yet. They still think she's dead for now. And while Jaune is starting to think he probably should have told the sisters the truth, Raven knows better than to be the one to spill the beans.

Instead… she decides to get offended, of all things.

"I carried you in my womb for nine months, didn't I? I certainly deserve some credit for that, you ungrateful little brat!"

But of course, that's the wrong thing to say by a country mile.

"I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO BE GRATEFUL JUST FOR BEING BORN! I DIDN'T ASK TO BE YOUR DAMN KID!"

Finally, the blonde snaps. Her temper was already a short one, Jaune had noticed as much, and this? This was too much for her. With a howl, Yang lunges forward, clearly intending to punch Raven in the face. But of course, even Raven Branwen isn't willing to take a punch to the face lying down. Maybe if he outright told her she had to she would have out of fear of him, but Jaune hadn't said any such thing, and so she scowls and goes for her sword.

THAT is when he finally intervenes. In an instant, Jaune is between the two of them. One hand grasps Yang's wrist, stopping her fist from reaching Raven's face. The other grabs hold of Raven's wrist and forcibly makes her slam her blade back into its sheath.

"None of that now, Raven. And Yang… she's a bit beyond you for the time being. You're not quite ready to face her just yet."

Yang, clearly filled with more anger than sense at the moment, scowls as she yanks her hand free of his grasp.

"And what gives you the right to decide if I'm ready or not?"

Jaune can't help but raise an eyebrow at that. Seriously? Hm… it appeared a little demonstration was in order than.

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A/N: Okay, explanation time. Essentially, I have decided to bring the backlog for this story over on my P atreon up from two advance chapters to four advance chapters. This will bring it in line with all of my newer P atreon Story Polls, and when all is said and done, I will have 10 different Story Polls that are all four chapters ahead over on my P atreon. This effort will be finished on April 5th.

That said, starting April 7th, I will be retiring my old lowest tier price of $2 and replacing it with a new lowest tier price of $3. HOWEVER, anyone who is already pledged to my P atreon at the $2 monthly price point when I make this change will get to remain at the $2 price for as long as they stay pledged to my P atreon.

As such, you can consider these next 6-7 weeks to be your last chance to pledge to my P atreon at the old price and then get to keep that price going forward even with all of the additional content that my will be providing from this point on.

Basically, if you were ever on the fence about joining my P atreon and needed a solid reason to do so, now is the time. Not only will you get the lower price point, but you will also get the next two chapters of this fic immediately and uninterrupted reading as it updates over on my P atreon on its normal schedule over the next few weeks. On top of that, you will immediately get the first 4 chapters of all of my new P atreon fics that start releasing publicly next week!