3rd Pov
Oscar Pine carries a pitchfork into the barn, which has loose bits of hay strung about the floor. He passes a sink with a mirror behind it, and something makes him pause and take a closer look. He sees his own reflection and lifts a lock of his hair, as if expecting something different.
He leans forward and examines the mirror more closely.
Oscar: "Hello?"
Just as Oscar is about to back away, a voice booms out, sending him crashing backward.
Ozpin: "Hello! I'm Professor Ozpin!"
Oscar looks up at the sink and mirror from the floor of the barn, breathing heavily. From outside the barn, a woman's voice calls out.
Oscar's Aunt: "Oscar? You be careful with those tools!"
Elsewhere in Yang's Nightmare
Yang is inside a nightmare. All around her are broken pieces of buildings and darkness. She is lying on the ground completely wounded. She struggles to lift her head up to see Adam Taurus, a few meters away from her, strangling Josh in the air. Josh struggles to turn his head towards Yang. His face was bruised up and bloodied. Adam then turns to Yang as well. He grins and he starts to unsheathe his katana from its sheathe.
Yang was able to figure out Josh's lip movement, mouthing for her to run. She shakes her head furiously as she tries to get up on her feet, and desperately tries to limp her way towards them. Adam reels his katana back, and then impales Josh in his abdomen.
Yang awakens with a gasp. She is in her room, lying on top of her bed. The robotic arm was given and, delivered by her boyfriend Josh, rests on her bedside table, out of the box. Yang looks at it for a moment before turning her face away. She then hears laughter coming from downstairs.
Yang heads downstairs to discover Professors Oobleck and Port, and Josh, who is now seen without his light blue coat, sitting at her kitchen table and laughing with Taiyang.
Port: "And, and, and then, in comes Qrow, wearing a skirt! I was just a TA, I-I didn't know what to do, so I just... I just left the room to laugh!"
Yang comes to the kitchen door while the four laugh.
Taiyang: "We told him it was a kilt! He'd never worn a uniform before, so he didn't know!"
Oobleck: "That is terrible! What is wrong with you!?"
Taiyang: "Hey! The girls all said he had nice legs! I did that jerk a favour! But, that's not even the best part! See, then he-"
Port then suddenly puts his right leg on the tabletop, cutting off Taiyang.
Port: "Like what you see?"
There's even more laughter. Taiyang claps from mirth and Port joins in the hilarity as he fells down on the floor out of sheer laughter. Yang giggles too, covering her mouth, but Josh and the three teachers become alerted to her presence. Oobleck stands while Port gets up off the floor. Josh, on the other hand, just remained in his seat.
Port: "Oh, uh, Miss Xiao Long! Uh, please, join us."
Yang enters while Oobleck laughs, a little bit embarrassed.
Oobleck: "Oh, yes, yes, pull up a chair. Please, pull up a chair."
Yang: "I'm good. Still here, Josh?"
Josh: "Yeah well, I can't exactly just go around and leave you alone, can I?"
Yang shrugs her shoulders as she hoists herself backward up onto the kitchen counter, besides where her father stands. Port and Oobleck sit then back down on their chairs.
Yang: "So, what are you doing here?"
Oobleck: "Despite popular belief, teachers do have a life outside the classroom."
Port: "Professor Goodwitch, along with a very close student of hers, is working 'round the clock to restore Beacon to its former glory! But, Mistral wasn't built in a day. And we all need rest from time to time."
Taiyang: "Now look, let's not worry about that right now. So, there we were, standing in the auditorium, looking at Qrow, wearing a skirt. Then Oz tells everyone, 'It's time to work on our landing strategy!'"
Oobleck: "The Branwen twins have always been... interesting, to say the least."
Port: "Agreed. That sure didn't seem to stop young Tai."
Taiyang: "Hey, come on, man, she's right here."
Port: "Oh, please! She's a mature young woman! If she can handle combat, she can handle a few jabs at her old man!"
Taiyang: "That's not the issue, Pete! And besides, she's still a teenager!"
Yang: "She' is also in the room, and can be directly spoken to."
Taiyang: "You've still got a long way to go before you're ready for the real world."
Yang: "What about Josh? He's about the same age as me, and yet he manage to do tons of dangerous stunts during his time working in Vacuo!"
Josh: "Look Yang,"
Josh stands up from his chair and slowly walks towards Yang, giving her a firm look.
Josh: "As much as I hate to admit it, I'd like to call myself more of an adult than you will ever be. I've spent more time on the cruel outside world than you."
Port and Oobleck look at each other as they argue, a touch uncomfortable. Oobleck takes a sip from his mug while Port pulls at his collar. Yang and Josh started to stare at each other intensely.
Yang: "Is that so?"
Josh: "As a matter of fact, it is so! If you really think you're ready to go out there on your own, I guess you lost some brain cells along with that arm."
Yang gasps and pulls back from her boyfriend's face while Taiyang blinks his eyes in disbelief, a stunning Port leans forward and Oobleck's mouth drops open and his glasses slip down. There's a comedic beat before the mug slips out of Oobleck's hand to safely land on the table. All four stare at Josh for a few seconds.
Yang: "You... jerk!"
Yang playfully punches Josh on his arm, and the couple laugh together.
Oobleck: "Are we finally talking about the Goliath in the room?"
Josh and Yang look at each other before they continued laughing. Relieved laughter comes from both Port and Oobleck.
Port: "Oh, Miss Xiao L— Yang, if you don't mind me asking, why haven't you tried on the arm yet?"
Oobleck: "Oh, yes, yes! A piece of Atlas technology given out like that is rare indeed! Not to mention the effort and persuasion it took for it to be designed by Mr. Josh Hamilton himself."
Josh: "Not to mention the effort it took for me to bring the arm to you, Yang. It wasn't really easy to deliver, since I have to make a lot of stops and ride so many trips along the way. So, why haven't you tried it on yet?"
Yang: "I'm... scared."
Taiyang takes a sideways step closer to Yang, watching and listening, and then he decides to ask something from the wine-haired lass.
Taiyang: "By the way, Josh. How come you were sent to deliver the arm instead of some Atlas Operative or something? Not that I'm bragging about it, of course."
Josh: "The job description was from Mr. Polendina himself."
Josh takes out a small envelope from his pocket and tosses it at the table for Oobleck and Port to look at.
Josh: "It was written that the snowstorm was still going at that time, making it difficult for planes and boats to travel from Atlas to Vale. Pilots would even complain about the hassle of going around the snowstorm, so you could say it is a pain in the butt for them. Bunch of spoiled, lazy idiots if you ask me. So, Mr. Polendina eventually found out I was working around and decided to give the job to me instead."
Josh sat back down on his chair as he pours himself a cup of water from the pitcher that was on the table.
Josh: "I was fine with it, of course. The pay was really more than decent, and I saw it as some kind of challenge."
The three professors glanced at each other before they shrugged their shoulders as Josh drinks his glass of water. When he was finished, he sets down his cup and wipes his mouth.
Josh: "It seems a lot of people want to see you returned to normal for them to pay me that high just for the delivery.."
Yang: "Everyone keeps talking about me getting back to normal. And I appreciate it, but... this is normal now."
Oobleck and Port exchange sad, knowing glances.
Yang: "It's just taking me a while to get used to it."
Taiyang: "Well, normal is what you make of it."
Yang: "What is that supposed to mean? Do you want me to just pretend like nothing happened? I lost a part of me. A piece of me is gone. And it's never coming back."
Josh: "You're right. It's not coming back. But if you think we want you to pretend nothing happened, then why am I wearing this."
Josh exclaimed at her while pointing at his slinged arm.
Yang: "Your situation is different, Josh. We both know you're more fearless than I am. Not to mention you still have both arms! So it's easy for you to pretend nothing happened, even with that brace."
Josh: "If you truly think that I am scared of nothing and I'm wearing the sling to pretend nothing happened, then I think you are an even bigger idiot than I thought..."
Yang almost reels back from Josh's painful words. Josh starts to walk away from the kitchen, with a disappointed look on his face. Just before he could reach the door frame, Yang's father intercepted him.
Taiyang: "Josh, please go easy on her. You know she's still suffering from her trauma."
Josh: "Mr. Tai, Yang has been like this for over half a year now. Half. A. Year! She can't be like this forever! Even if things won't be hundred the same we need to push forward!"
Oobleck: "Just out of curiosity, Mr. Hamilton. May I ask how you cope with the situation?"
Josh lets out a downhearted sigh before she replies.
Josh: "I'm not coping with the situation, Professor. I just refuse to mope or cry around. Neither of those fixes any problem. At least that's what Bri told me before.... before......"
Just before he could finish his statement, he shakes the thought out of his head, and walks past Taiyang. All of the people in the kitchen watched as Josh leaves.
Port: "Fear is like any other emotion. It comes and goes. It's all in how you handle it. Why, even I find myself wrestling with that emotion from time to time."
Yang: "Really? You?"
Oobleck: (whispering) "He's afraid of mice."
Port: "They bring only disease and famine!"
Yang laughs while Port rants about the creepiness of mice.
Port: "And don't even get me started on their tails! So hairless, and simply unnatural!"
Oobleck: "Port, I assure you, you are safe. There's no mice here right now."
Meanwhile upstairs, Josh, with the door of the room given to him still open, laughs to himself in secret as he listens to Port's rants. However, he thinks about the fact that his team leader was the bad guy this whole time which made him sad and angry.
Josh: "Why did you decide to go down this path.......Brisa."
After passing the time with the other professors, Yang is taking the last steps at the top of the stairs when she turns partially and lifts her hand to those below.
Yang: "Goodnight!"
The arm on the bedside table is the first thing she sees when she walks into her room. She looks at it for a moment but then moves to the window when she hears the front door to the house open followed by the voices of the three men. She decides to stand out of side beside the window and listen.
Port: "Thanks for having us over, Tai."
Taiyang: "Any time. You're always welcome."
Oobleck: "It may be a while before we return. There is still much work to be done at the school. Such as the aftermath of the sudden melting of the snow."
Port: "I hesitate to ask, but is there any word from young Miss Rose?"
Behind Taiyang, Yang moves into visibility at her bedroom window.
Taiyang: "Not yet."
Oobleck: "Have you thought about going after her? Trying to bring her home?"
Taiyang: (sighs) "I've got to... look after some things."
As Taiyang glances toward her bedroom window, Yang moves out of sight again and squeezes her right upper arm, looking dejected. As she begins to mope, a voice startles her all of a sudden.
???: "Some sister you are."
Yang reels back in surprise as Josh's is seen in front of her in the darkness before he finally becomes fully visible. He lets out a dejected breath before he sits on a chair at the end of the room.
Josh: "Wow letting Ruby go on a dangerous mission alone. That's not something you usually did back then."
Yang looks away as she sits on the side of her bed, her attention fully taken by her feet.
Josh: "I'm not angry at you for letting me, your boyfriend, go on a dangerous mission while being injured and travelling. Why? Because I know I can take care of myself. I'm not angry because of that. I'm upset at you for not supporting your little sister. For all, we know Ruby might need her friends and her big sister to help. It's as if you don't care for your little sister anymore! What is happening to you, Yang?!"
Yang just looks down, not answering Josh's question, making an uncomfortable silence.
Yang: "I still care for Ruby, Josh. I really do."
Josh: "Then why are you not out there with her, like how a real big sister should?!"
Yang was almost at the point of flaring up in anger but she knew she had to keep her nerves in check or it could end in a fight. She knew she was in no state to fight physically, even with Josh's left arm still pretty injured with a brace sling on.
Yang: "If you care for Ruby that much, then why are you not out there with her?"
Josh: "Look at this!"
He shouts as he points to his injured arm.
Josh: "Do I look like I can help anyone, or do I look useless?!"
Yang couldn't reply. He had a point. He may be a hothead, but boy was he clever. Josh rubs his temple to clear his nerves as he continues.
Josh: "Listen, I'm as scared you are of not being able to protect anyone. I'm only a guy working around to push my limits in case I run into that son of a bull again. Unlike you, who is sulking and crying as if you want someone to come and make everything better. Well let me tell you this, crying won't bring people back, fix bodies, or even get sisters home safe and sound."
Yang stays silent for a moment, thinking carefully about the right words to say.
Yang: "I just... can't pretend nothing happened."
Josh: "Are you seriously kidding me right now? Do you really think I have this sling on so I can just pretend nothing happened? I know you lost your right arm and my left arm is damaged I'm so close to getting amputated if it never heals. Those are real, yes. But that arm is a second chance. No one's asking us to pretend, Yang. I'd suggest you think about it more clearly with an open mind, instead of making up excuses."
With that, he gets up from his chair, clearly tired of giving his girlfriend a lecture, as he leaves the bedroom. Although to be honest with himself, he's never been that wise before. He reaches out for the doorknob and turns it, but just before she could step out, Yang spoke.
Yang: "Why?"
Josh: "Hmm?"
Yang: "I'm just curious why you care so much for Ruby. Even though you two aren't even related, or even close."
Josh looks away from her as she stares out in the hallway outside of Yang's bedroom.
Josh: "I'll tell you, but only if you want to come and find Ruby with me. I'll tell you when finally come back on our side."
With those words, Josh shuts the door and slowly walks to his given bedroom to get some shut-eye. Yang was left in her bedroom, her head hanging down as she contemplates in thought.
Timeskip
Cyra sat up from her sleeping bag, and looked around only to see the others still asleep, and Jaune, much to her amusement is drooling in his sleep and Nora was snoring loudly as usual, while the rest were sleeping normally. Cyra noticed it was a couple more minutes before the sun will show up in the East. She just sighed as she started packing up her sleeping bag.
After packing up her things, she decided to wait for the others as she sat by idly near the dimly lit campfire. Cyra was just about to stand up from her place and maybe get some more fresh air, but she saw Ruby suddenly sitting up from her sleeping bag with a horrified look on her face. She quickly went to Ruby's side as she tried calming her down.
Cyra: "What's wrong? You looked scared just a minute ago."
Ruby: "It's nothing, Cyra. It's just....."
Cyra: "It's Pyrrha isn't it....?"
Cyra had already known about this ever since the day she practised with Jaune. Needless to say, most of the early mornings would be like this one. She looked down in sadness for a moment, before deciding to lighten up the mood.
Cyra: "I'm sure Pyrrha wouldn't want to see that now. Tell you what, since you have the energy to be this emotional, we might as well use that energy to find ourselves something to eat."
Ruby tilted her head out of curiosity, which, to be honest with herself, and stared at her in confusion for a moment.
Ruby: "Huh? We already have food in our ba--"
Cyra: "Now where's the fun in that? We're in the woods, Ruby, and near a river."
Ruby: "But---"
Cyra: "Stop relying on ready-made meals. They're bad for your health."
Cyra grabbed Ruby's hand and pull her out of her sleeping bag, and walked their way towards the river. As they made it towards the river they see someone trying to catch fish with their weapons.
Cyra: "Huh?"
???: "Uhhh--"
The guy looked back with they seemed to recognise his face. It was Razor trying to catch fish he didn't have his boots, jacket or shirt on as they were put to the side of the riverbank.
Razor: "Oh you guys are awake."
Ruby: "Razor? What are you doing here?"
Razor: "I...I uhh............been trailing you? I mean I was gonna get you guys some food."
Cyra: "Thanks... but why are you here and where are your teammates?"
Razor: "Oh we went our separate ways, Owen went home, Kazey and Grace are exploring and I'm...here."
Razor said as he jumped out of the water and landed in front of the girls.
Razor: "I meant to see you off sooner but my mother didn't want me to go. So I had to sneak out it did take me a little while to catch up with you guys."
Cyra: "Well, why don't you join us and we'll talk about it later."
Razor: "Sure."
Cyra: "So you and me Razor, we'll catch fish okay?"
Ruby: "So, what do I do?"
Razor: "Hey Ruby. Look at me."
When she finally turned around, Razor was suddenly in front of her, and forced her to look at his eyes.
Razor: "I want you... to....."
Ruby: "To wh-what?"
Moments pass by slowly as she waits for the words from his mouth to come out.
Razor: ".....To grab a pot so we can bring the fish back to camp."
The whole situation becomes entirely silent. Ruby blinks her eyes for three to four times, until she was able to grasp the situation, and an irritated look appeared on her face.
Ruby: "Wh-WHAT?!?!"
Cyra: (chuckles) "You really don't want to do much do you but don't be lazy."
Ruby: "NOOO!! RAZOR!! CYRA!!!!"
Razor: "But that doesn't mean it didn't work."
Ruby: "Wh-What is it now?"
Razor: "We...... still need a pot you know."
Ruby uses her Semblance to leave.
Razor and Cyra just laughed to themselves as they stared back into the river, which is shimmering due to the rising sun's light.
Cyra: "Did you really have to flirt with her?"
Razor: "Hm? I wasn't really trying to."
Ruby: "Watch out!"
Cyra: "That was qui—"
The two turned around to see Ruby dashing towards you with incredible speed. On top of that, she wasn't stopping.
Cyra: "Whoa! Whoa! Hey! Ruby! Stop!!!"
Ruby: "AAAAH!"
Ruby knocks Cyra and Razor over and they all fell down into the river.
Timeskip
After having breakfast with the caught fishes from the river, Team RNJR continued on their path through the woods now with Razor with them, with Ruby looking at the map. But Cyra was nowhere near the team, for some reason.
Ruby: "Come on, guys! If we pick up the pace, we can hit the next town before sunset!"
Jaune: "Assuming it's still there."
Ruby: "Of course it'll be there. This one's supposed to be pretty big! Hee-gan...bayn-a."
Ren: "Higanbana. It's a well protected village with a popular inn."
Nora: "Which means, no camping in the rain!"
Ruby: "See? Everything's going to be fine!"
Jaune: "You know, we've had a lot of ups and downs. But things could be a lot worse. I really thought we'd see more Grimm."
Ren: "As did I."
Nora: "I guess our luck is finally turning around! To Higanbana!"
Jaune and Ren: "To Higanbana!"
Ruby:" To Higanban... ban-a!"
Cyra just laughed amusingly as at her bestfriend's awkwardness, until she heard a very faint sound of steel slicing through the air. Cyra stopped in her tracks, and instinctively placed a grip on her spear's handle, making the group stop as well, their weapons ready to be drawn.
Jaune: "What is it, Cyra?"
Cyra looked around trying to trace where the sound came from, but to no avail.
Cyra: "I thought I heard.... Nevermind. Let's just go before the rain catches up to us."
With that they all continued on their path, not knowing Qrow, who is standing over a hill as he just killed a Beowolf, with three more slain behind him. A black crow caws from a tree branch on eye level with Qrow. He looks at it and it flies off, following RNJR.
Qrow: "Heh, 'Luck'."
The group is seen getting a room as Ruby counts everyone there. Suddenly, a waitress sets a glass with liquor and ice in front of him.
Qrow: "Oh, I didn't o—"
Waitress: "From the woman upstairs. Red eyes. Said you wouldn't mind bottom shelf."
Qrow turns and looks up at the balcony on the second floor before Qrow turns back to his table..
Qrow: "Thanks."
Waitress: "But I went ahead and gave you top. Lucky you."
With a pleased smirk, Qrow watches the waitress as she walks away. After she is gone, he looks through the two windows to see no one visible in the lobby of the inn.
Qrow: "Yeah."
He takes his glass and heads upstairs, where a woman with dark, long hair and red eyes waits for him at one of the tables, her mask settling atop it.
Raven: "Hello, brother."
Qrow stares at her from the top of the stairs for a moment before moving towards her.
Qrow: "Raven."
He pulls the chair that was beside her and drags it to a position across from her instead. With his hand on the back of the chair, he simply looks at her expectantly. Raven rolls her eyes and moves her mask to the side. Qrow sits down.
Qrow: "So, what do you want?"
Raven: "A girl can't just catch up with her family?"
Qrow: "She can, but you're not. Now how 'bout we get on with it? Unless you plan on keeping these comin'."
He sets the glass down.
Raven: "Does she have it?"
Qrow doesn't answer right away, instead running his fingertip along the edge of his glass.
Qrow: "Did you know Yang lost her arm?"
Raven: "That's not—"
Qrow: "Rhetorical question, I know you know. It's just obnoxious that you'd bring up family and then carry on like your own daughter doesn't exist."
Raven: "I saved her."
Qrow: "Once. Because that was your rule, right? Real 'Mom of the Year' material, sis."
Raven leans forward and grabs Qrow by the forearm, stilling his sarcastic, nonchalant motions. The view slowly spins above their heads as she speaks intently to him.
Raven: "I told you Beacon would fall and it did. I told you Ozpin would fail and he has. Now you tell me. Does. Salem. Have it?"
Qrow: "I thought you weren't interested in all of that."
Raven: "I just want to know what we are up against."
Qrow: And which 'we' are you referring to?"
Raven glares and finally lets go of her brother and sits back down with a noise of disgust.
Qrow:" You should come back, Raven. The only way we'd beat her is by working together. All of us."
Raven: "You're the one who left. The tribe raised us, and you turned your back on them."
Qrow: "They were killers and thieves."
Raven: "They were your family."
Qrow: "You have a very skewed perception of that word."
Raven stands up, upset.
Raven: "I lead our people now. And as leader, I will do everything in my power to ensure our survival."
Qrow: "I saw. The people of Shion saw, too."
Raven: "The weak die, the strong live. Those are the rules."
Qrow: "Well, you've certainly got someone strong on your side. I've seen the damage."
Raven: "We couldn't have known the Grimm would set in as quickly as they did."
Qrow: "I'm not talking about the Grimm."
Still not facing Qrow, Raven looks up, eyes widening slightly at his words.
Qrow: "And I'm not talking about you, either."
Raven: "If you don't know where the Relic is, then we have nothing left to talk about."
As she reaches for her mask, Qrow grabs onto the top of it.
Qrow: "I don't know where the Spring Maiden is, either, but if you do, I need you to tell me."
Raven: "And why would I do that?"
Qrow: "Because without her, we're all going to die."
A moment of tense silence passes between them as a nearby lantern dies out.
Raven: "And which 'we' are you referring to? And besides you already have someone as a replacement for the Maiden."
Qrow: "You're not talking about Cyra, are you?"
Raven: "Maybe I am, maybe I'm not."
Qrow grimaces as Raven walks away. As Raven places a hand on her katana, she suddenly remembers something.
Raven: "Oh. I almost forgot."
She then turns back to Qrow, who raises his head up to look at her.
Raven: "Did you know that Josh Hamilton is actually of the Amethyst Clan?"
His face lightens a bit at the aforementioned name of a particular clan.
Qrow: "You mean that band of assassins? I've already figured out. Yeah. Amethyst, friends of the tribe."
Qrow: "The Amethyst Clan and I know you did not kill the leader, Raven. But we know that they were last seen with you. Assumptions were already made from that. So, how did they die?"
Raven: "If you really want to know, find the answer the way her clan did."
Qrow: "What? I'm going to sneak inside like they did?"
Raven just ignores his question. She unsheathes her katana and slashes through the air, creating a red portal. Just before she could walk into it, Qrow called out to her.
Qrow: "What do you plan to do with Josh then?"
Raven, however, does not answer Qrow's question. She walks into her red portal and disappears. There's the sound of breaking glass and a gasp. Qrow turns to see the waitress, trembling at the sight of Raven disappearing. She takes a cautious step backward as she looks sideways at Qrow, who gestures to his glass.
Qrow: "Make this one a double."
Back at Patch, Josh decided to help around the household and is seen outside the house, watering a bed of sunflowers, his left arm still supported by a brace sling. Yang suddenly comes out, wearing the robotic arm. She uses it automatically to shade her eyes from the sun, and then looks down at the metal hand interestingly, moving the fingers around. Josh smiles as he sets down the watering can and stands.
Josh: "Took ya long enough love."
(A/n Josh's Automatic Brace sling that will move by his nerves and mind commands.)