The Bird and the Garden 3: The Final Adventure

Chapter 77: Family

"You got no fucking idea!" The First Yin screamed. It had been a while since they had seen him blow up like this, but it wasn't a surprise given his intense PTSD. "You got no FUCKING IDEA, you piece of shit! While you were out throwing your temper tantrum killing everything that moved, you have no fucking idea how much she wanted to talk to you again! In the Vault, you have no fucking idea how happy she was when you called her 'mom', even after you threw it in her fucking face! She was the only one on Remnant who wasn't rooting for your execution! She sent hundreds of letters to Winter begging to just lock you up because she didn't want you killed! You killed the Third Raven! You telling me you ain't satisfied with that-"

"No, I'm not."

Click.

Summer and Ruby shrieked and tackled Raven to the floor, laying down on top of the blind woman. Everyone in the room had frozen - even the First Yin had stopped screaming.

The First Vao had drawn a loaded Grimm Demise and pointed it at Raven. He was about to kill her.

"You think it was the Blood that made me kill the Third Raven?" The First Vao snarled. "Partly. I wanted to kill her. You can take the Blood away, and I'd do it again. That little puke wasn't even worth eating!"

"Vao. Put the weapon away," Ozpin said slowly. "If you kill her Soul, she won't be coming back."

The First Vao began to pull on the trigger, but stopped just short of firing. "That's the point, Ozzie. I don't want her coming back."

Yang shivered, standing up. Her hair had begun to smolder and steam. "Y-you really are a disgusting person," she stammered angrily. "Dust, she couldn't have been any more wrong about you. You're selfish, you're angry, you're an all-round piece of work. You didn't deserve her support!"

"Didn't ask for it. Never wanted it," the First Vao growled. When he saw that neither Summer nor Ruby was going to move away from Raven, followed by Qrow and Tai stepping in the way, he lowered his weapon. But he didn't put it away like Ozpin wished he did. The ancient headmaster scratched his chin thoughtfully before holding out his hands.

"Vao, please give me your weapons."

"Eat shit."

Ozpin narrowed his eyes from behind his oddly-shaped glasses. "... It wasn't a request. Please give me your weapons for everyone's safety-!?"

THOCK!

Misery, the serrated dagger, flew past his right ear and stuck into the wall behind him, shaving a few grey hairs off Ozpin's scalp. Before he could even process the fact that his face had almost been shredded to ribbons, the First Vao folded Grimm Demise and tossed it at him, the sheer weight of the weapon bowling him over and nearly crushing him.

"O-oof!?"

"Take them," the First Vao rasped. "If you can even lift that axe."

Qrow and Tai moved to try and help Ozpin get the weapon off his chest, but they were struggling. "H-how much does this thing freaking weigh?" Tai groaned.

The weapon's murderous owner crossed his arms. "Four-hundred and fifty pounds. So wot's it gonna be? Gonna swing it on me?"

Ozpin was panting as the three of them finally lifted it, shaking his head. "N... No," he groaned. He paused to catch his breath, heaving a deep sigh. "... We're taking away your primary means of attack." But the First Vao only chuckled.