JB's RWBY Volume 5: First Stand (Male OC Insert)

Chapter 14: Raven

The battle was over...

...Or was it?

Kai pointed his blade, still alight with crimson flames, directly at Raven. Raven glanced over at him, then scoffed and walked away slowly towards Vernal's lifeless body, which was still gazing upwards to the ceiling.  Raven sighed and muttered softly, "Thank you Vernal", before using her hand to shut the girl's eyes permanently. Kai watched her closely as Raven once again began walking slowly, this time, towards the giant doorway at the end of the vault. Tentatively, she placed her hand on it. The markings on the door glowed brightly with magical energy and there was a rumbling sound as the door parted open, revealing a magical doorway, a portal into a vast desert, with the Relic of Knowledge sitting plainly atop a rocky pedestal a few meters inside. As Raven made to step inside Kai spoke up, "That's as far as you go Raven!" Raven slowly turned around, "You are not going to stop me Kai"

Kai: "Cinder was our common enemy, but she's gone now. I can't let you get the Relic" Raven smirked, "You talk a big deal about your friends, so let me ask you this. Are you really prepared to kill Yang's mother?" Kai stepped backwards in shock, as if the question hit him with an unseen force. Raven noticed this and her smirk grew, "Didn't think so". Suddenly there was a loud thump, as someone landed in the vault from above. Kai and Raven turned to look at the new arrival, which turned out to be...

...Yang Xiao Long herself.

Yang stepped forward towards the two, glancing shortly at Kai, whose red flames had died down completely, before turning fully to face her mother, "You've made quite the mess here, mom"

Raven: "I warned you Yang, I gave you every opportunity to walk away from Qrow and Oz, so you can believe me when I say, this wasn't personal" Yang narrowed her eyes angrily, but kept quiet. Her lilac eyes then darted over to the magical doorway behind Raven, "You opened the vault" Raven smiled, "All thanks to the chaos you and your friends caused upstairs. I knew you could handle it. You're my daughter after all"

Kai: "Bullshit! You left her and everyone of us up there to die"

Raven: "She made her choice. That's not on me" Yang shook her head silently before speaking again, "Qrow and Oz told us how the maiden powers are transferred. The girl you found, she would have had to trust you if you were in her final thoughts...cared about you a lot..." Raven averted her gaze from Yang's and stared into the darkness of the surrounding cave, "Well I'm sure they told you plenty, and you just sat and obeyed"

Yang: "No. I'm starting to ask questions like you said, so tell me. What happened to the last Spring Maiden?..." Raven narrowed her eyes in frustration as Yang continued speaking, "...Did she die in battle? Was it sickness?" Raven finally turned to face Yang again, "And what does it matter to you?" Yang gasped silently, and her eyes widened in realization, "I can already see the answer...it's all over your face.." Kai clenched his fists tightly, "You...you murdered her... What the hell is wrong with you?!"

Yang: "How could you?" Raven crossed her arms over her chest defensively, "She was scared when we found her, weak. No matter how much training I put her through she never learned! She wasn't cut out for this world, and with those powers she would have been hunted her entire life! What I did..."

Yang: "...Wasn't personal"

Raven: "...It was MERCY!" Kai frowned at Raven, "You kill people in the name of mercy. The strong live and the weak die. I was only twelve years old when you nearly killed me..." At this revelation Yang gasped softly, but Kai went on, "...So tell me Raven. Would that have been mercy as well? Or were you just looking for an excuse to satisfy your bloodlust?" Raven glared at Kai, but made no effort to reply. Yang spoke up again, "Mom, are you merciful, or are you a survivor?" she began to walk around Raven, all the while maintaining eye contact, "Did you let me walk into that trap because you knew I could handle it? Or because it meant you could get what you wanted?"

Kai: "You're willing to cut down everyone and anyone in your path, just to get whatever it is you want" Raven turned to snap at him, "It's not that simple, you don't know me, you don't know what I've been through, the choices I've had to make"

Yang: "You're right Mom. I don't know you..." Raven turned to face Yang again, who was now standing in front of the doorway to the Relic, "...I only know the Raven Dad told me about. She was troubled, and complicated, but she fought for what she believed in, whether it was her team or her tribe" Yang glanced shortly at Vernal's lifeless body and scoffed, "Did you kill her too?"

At that, Raven snapped and her eyes glowed with the maiden's flames as she raged, "I've stared death in the face over and OVER again, and EVERYTIME I've spat in that face and survived, becaused I'm strong enough to do what others won't!" Kai tightened his grip on Raze in response, ready to strike at any moment, but Yang took a bold step forward, "Oh shut up!" she began to move around Raven again, "You don't know the first thing about strength! You turn your back on people, you run away when things get too hard, you put others in harm's way instead of yourself" she came to a stop on Kai's left, still facing Raven, "Sure you might be powerful...", and then pointed at Raven with her robotic arm and a sad smile, "...but that doesn't make you strong"

Raven seethed with anger, "WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE LECTURING ME?! STANDING THERE SHAKING LIKE A SCARED LITTLE GIRL!" Yang visible shook at the outburst, and Kai placed a steadying hand on her right shoulder, whispering softly, "It's okay. I got you". She grew stiff at first, but then welcomed the touch, bringing up her left hand to enclose his own. He nodded at her, and she nodded back, before turning to face her mother again, "Yeah...I'm scared. But I'm still standing here. I'm not like you. I won't run. Which is why you're going to hand over the relic to us"

Raven: "And why would I..."

Yang: "BECAUSE YOU'RE AFRAID OF SALEM!" This time Raven took a step back in shock, "W-What?"

Kai: "If you thought having maiden powers puts a target on your back, imagine what'll happen when Salem finds out you have a relic"

Yang: "She'll come after you with everything she has. OR, she could come after me. And I'll be standing there. Waiting for her" Raven's eyes softened and lost their glow, and  she stepped towards Yang with a sad look on her face as she spoke softly, "You don't want to do this Yang" Yang shrugged, "Nope. But I'm gonna do it anyway" Yang shoulder checked Raven, walking past her and towards the doorway, while Raven simply watched on, shoulders sagged in defeat, her scarlet eyes filling with tears.

Raven: "Yang...I...I'm sorry" Yang replied without turning around, "Yeah. Me too" and then walked through the doorway.

As Raven wiped her tears and turned to leave, Kai grabbed her arm, much to her surprise, "It doesn't have to end like this Raven. You can come WITH us. Help us fight against Salem. Use your powers to save lives not take them" Raven shrugged dejectedly, staring at the ground, "You heard what she said. It's true. I don't want to face Salem. I'm...afraid"

Kai: "So are we. But here we are anyway" Raven shook her head, "I don't have the strength you kids have. You guys are...really something else. Especially you" She raised her eyes to meet his, "You're strong, and you have the power to back it up. Not many people can take on two maidens at once. Or come back from the dead"

Kai: "I believe I have this power for a reason. And I will do everything I can to save lives, help people, and most importantly, to protect the ones I care about. With every ounce of strength I have" Raven looked at Kai in awe, then gave him a small smile, "How the hell did you survive with my unfortunate brother all these years?" Kai smiled back, "I was a pretty tenacious kid"

Raven: "You're definitely one of a kind. Qrow's lucky to have you..." she turned to look wistfully at Yang, who was making her way to the Relic, "...I wish I could say the same for me and Yang"

Kai: "She misses you, you know. Been trying to find you ever since" Raven sighed and turned to face Kai again, with new tears welling up in her eyes, "Promise me one thing, Kai"

Kai: "What's that?"

Raven: "Promise...promise me you'll look after my little girl" Kai looked over at Yang, and he replied softly, "Of course. I won't let anything happen to her. I promise" To Kai's surprise, Raven wrapped her arms around him in a loose hug, and he awkwardly put his arms around her as well.

Raven: "Thank you" and with that, she shifted her form, and the bird flew up and out of the cave, leaving only a black feather behind.