My Huntsmen Academia

Chapter 29: Yang Xiao Long

Yang and Ruby moved into the dorms with the rest of their class. The sisters were next to each other on the same floor as Tsu, Uraraka, Midoriya, Tokoyami, Jaune and Sun. After everyone set up their rooms, Nora suggested everyone show off their room.

Midoriya's room was filled with All Might merchandise. Uraraka called it the ultimate fanboy room. Tokoyami's room looked like a middle school goth's fantasy. Jaune's room was pretty plain. Sun had a bunch of crates in his room along with his bed. He wouldn't let anyone open them. Uraraka's room was pretty simple. Yang assured her it was nice. Ruby had all her weapon supplies in her room, along with a large picture with a four-year-old Ruby and Summer. Yang remembered helping her dad take the picture.

"Is that your mom?" Kirishima asked.

"Yeah. She was the best." Ruby replied absentmindedly.

Yang showed off her room. It was filled with her biker gear and gauntlet supplies.

"What's that?" Todoroki asked, pointing at Yang's map filled with red marks.

"Oh, it's a map of Japan."

"I can see that. What are the red marks?"

"Everywhere I've looked for my mom. She left when I was a baby and I've been trying to find her."

"But wasn't that you're mom in the picture?" Tokoyami asked.

"No, Summer was my stepmom. She was the best, and I didn't know she wasn't my mom until Summer died. Ruby and I are half-sisters."

Everyone looked even more uncomfortable, so they cleared out and went upstairs since Tsu went to bed early. Yaoyorozu's room was crammed with rich people's furniture. Blake's room was practically a library. Penny wouldn't let anyone in her room, stating that they wouldn't like it. Some of the girls tried to push her away, but she wouldn't budge. They gave up and went into Weiss's room, which was as fancy as Yaoyorozu's room but less cramped. Todoroki's room was traditional Japanese, it had been completely remodeled. Bakugou had gone to bed too, and so they skipped to Kirishima's room, filled with Crimson Riot things. Ida had a simple room with a lot of family photos. It was pretty cute. On the last floor, Ren's room was peaceful and charming. Nora's room was filled with bright pink decor and fluffy pillows and blankets, along with tons of band posters. Kaminari had a fairly average room, the only standout things being a lightning poster and an electric guitar. Pyrrha had a trophy case, a bunch of weapon upkeep materials, and a stack of different books on fighting, teaching and strategy.

The kids went back down to the living area and decided Todoroki had the best room. As they discussed, Uraraka pulled Yang, Todoroki, Midoriya, Yaoyorozu, Ida, Kirishima, and Pyrrha outside. Tsu was waiting for them, looking upset.

"I'm kind of blunt, you know that." Tsu began. "But when I told you that you'd be no better than villains when you went to save Bakugou, I said that because I thought it was true. But now, seeing what you did, you were super great."

Tsu started crying. She apologized for being so mean, and the group hugged her. Tsu eventually calmed down and they all went back up. As they entered the living space, Yang felt a tap on her shoulder.

"Uncle Qrow?" She said as she turned, surprised.

"Hey Kiddo." He said, smiling.

The group had turned and began to thank Qrow for the escort. Qrow nodded and fixed his attention on Yang.

"There's someone here that wants to see you."

A woman in a mask appeared around the corner. She stood next to Qrow; arms folded. Qrow nudged her, and she begrudgingly took off her mask.

"Hello, Yang." Her mother said.

Yang felt dizzy. She had looked for Raven for so long, and she just popped up right in front of her? Had Qrow known where she was the whole time? Why was she here now? The worst was this woman didn't feel like her mother. She seemed cold and distant, so unlike Summer.

"I... I'm sorry." Raven said in the silence. "I never should have left."

Yang felt the tears running down her face, but her anger was rising, too.

"You left me for fifteen years! You had fifteen years to come back! You abandoned me, 'sorry' doesn't make up for any of that!" She shouted.

Her classmates were coming into the hall, but Qrow ushered them back in, leaving Yang alone with Raven Branwen.

"I was watching you. I saved you from Neopolotion!" Raven argued back.

"Oh, well, thank you for that. I'm so happy that you could have come back any time you wanted."

"I thought you had moved on! You were perfectly content when you thought Summer was your mom!"

"And when she died, I learned I had you! Why didn't you do anything? I wanted a mom again! I wanted my own mom back!"

"I'm here now! Stop acting like a child!" Raven scolded.

"I am a child!" Yang screamed. "I'm YOUR child!"

Yang was letting her tears fall. Raven just looked angry.

"I don't know what to do! I shouldn't have left, and I should have come back! But I let my emotions get the better of me and convinced myself you were happier with Summer and without me. Then Summer died and I thought wouldn't be happy to meet me. Looks like I was right."

Raven turned away.

"I love you, Yang. You deserve so much better than anything I could ever give you. I wish you the best of luck in the Vytal tournament. I'll see you soon. When we're both stronger."

With that, a red portal opened and Raven left. Yang sat down against the wall, crying harder than ever. She cried for a while until Qrow sat beside her.

"It's going to be alright, Blondie. Your mom doesn't have much confidence, and she is very bad handling emotions. But she'll get herself sorted out. She's rarely that vulnerable. She does love you."

"Did you know where she was the whole time?" Yang asked.

"I found her a few days after she left. She said she needed some time and was going to come back. After a month or so I went back, and she was gone. Found her again about two years later, but she refused to come back. After Summer died, I went back to find her. Took me another few years. Still wouldn't come. Then I found her one more time, and she finally listened."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"You think I was about to tell nine-year-old Yang her mom didn't want to see her?"

"Coward." Yang mumbled.

Qrow laughed.

"That's your mother's favorite insult. Everything's about strength and bravery to her. She's a strong fighter, but she's as cowardly as they come. She didn't run from you, Blondie. She ran away from her responsibilities."

Yang pulled herself together and stood up. Qrow bid her farewell and went after his sister.