#taiyang-too-long

[strqyr]

if tai is guarding the crown of choice i'm not even expecting him to fight cinder or anything, quite the opposite; this is the same man who said that instead of tackling an obstacle by going through it, why not find a way around it:

"but if you just take a second look, then maybe you see... ("perhaps there was something that you just weren't seeing?" - maria) there's a way around as well. come on—one more before dinner."

like at this point he might as well go "are you hungry? i'm already making dinner so would you want to eat something?" he keeps cooking for multiple people even tho no one else is at home bc he's so used to it and now he's just like please somebody eat this food. like he knows who cinder is but by gods will he play dumb just so he has some company other than zwei for dinner.

(and cinder gets to eat a home-cooked meal for probably the first time in her life. i need this to happen okay, hunger is her thing, let her eat!!)

[anthurak]

An In-Depth Analysis of the Interpersonal Relationships of Team STRQ (and why Rosebird is DEFINITELY a thing)

So I’d like to do something of an analysis on the interpersonal relationships of Team STRQ. More specifically, analyzing Qrow’s, Taiyang’s, and Raven’s respective relationships with Summer, based on what the show has directly told, and shown us.

Starting with Qrow, as I think this analysis is the most straightforward. Now to get one thing out of the way, I think we can definitively say at this point that Qrow is NOT RUBY’S SECRET DAD. Beyond CRWBY thoroughly debunking the theory at this point, nothing we’ve seen or heard really paints Qrow as having been in any kind of romantic relationship with Summer. Or at least any that would supersede any romantic relationship with Raven and/or Tai in some ‘Poly-STRQ’ scenario.

To begin with what we’ve heard of Qrow’s relationship with Summer, we’ve actually heard quite a bit, relatively speaking. In terms of dialogue, we’ve heard more about Summer from Qrow than either Tai or Raven, which is helpful in getting a sense of what their relationship may have been like. From his conversations with Ruby in Volumes 3 and 7, we can say that Qrow views Summer with both admiration (“She was always the best of us…”) and fondness and affection (“Bit of a brat though. But hey, I like brats.”). But the detail I find most telling is the ease that Qrow has in talking about Summer, particularly in Volume 7. When Ruby asks him about Summer and her ‘last mission’, Qrow isn’t hesitant or all that uncomfortable with talking about his teammate. Which gives the impression that Qrow has actually coped with Summer’s (apparent) death fairly well.

Which in turn is notable because THE go-to narrative method of hinting that a character was romantically involved or had feelings for another character long missing/dead is to show them being clearly uncomfortable TALKING about that other character (something we’ll be revisiting in a little bit…). Something we don’t see from Qrow when he talks about Summer.

It’s also notable that while Qrow, along with almost all the other adults in the show, was something of an unreliable narrator in the early volumes, his talk with Ruby about Summer happened AFTER Volume 6 when Qrow opted to finally start being open with and trusting of his niece and protégé. Meaning that I think we can trust that Qrow is being genuine in his talk with Ruby in Volume 7.

And in terms of what the show has so far directly shown us about Qrow’s relationship with Summer, the answer is notably: Nothing. Because unlike Tai and Raven, Qrow was absent from the big important flashback giving us our first look at Summer. Which combined with what we’ve heard from Qrow, tells me that the narrative of RWBY considers Summer’s relationship with Qrow to be less dramatically important/significant than her relationships with Tai or Raven.

Moving on to Taiyang, what’s interesting is that Tai’s relationship with Summer is kind of in the inverse situation of what we see with Qrow’s. In that with Qrow we’ve heard some but seen nothing, with Tai we’ve seen some but heard almost nothing.

I mean, consider for a moment that prior to the tenth episode of the NINTH volume of the series, EVERYTHING we knew about Taiyang’s relationship with Summer Rose came to us second-hand from Yang in ONE conversation with Blake back in Volume Two! I’ve spoken before in other posts that if feels quite curious that while the overlying text of the story claims that Summer’s relationship with Tai should be very important, given that they are supposed to be Ruby’s PARENTS, yet we have heard effectively NOTHING about it. Other than a simple claim that ‘it existed’. I mean, forget how we’ve heard more about Summer from Qrow than we have from Tai; we’ve heard more about Summer from RAVEN than we have from Tai (more on THAT in a little bit XD)

Now of course, unlike with Qrow, as of the finale of Volume 9, we have actually SEEN a look at Tai’s relationship with Summer. Albeit a brief look, but enough to get something of a sense of it. What I find interesting is that despite this being our first look at Summer’s relationship with Tai, this scene/vision doesn’t really tell us, or Ruby, anything she/we didn’t already know about these two. That Summer and Tai were really close… and that’s pretty much it.

And what I find even more interesting is a curious amount of ambiguity towards the nature of Summer’s and Tai’s relationship in this scene. Despite the text of the show claiming that these two were lovers, this scene is notably lacking the kind of overt romantic gestures we might expect, such as a kiss or long held gaze. Yes, Summer and Tai have a very close hug, but let’s not forget that RWBY has used close, intimate hugs like this as a gesture of platonic or familial love/affection just as much if not MORE times than as a gesture of romantic love. Just look at Ren’s hugs with Jaune, or Jaune’s hug with Ruby, or even that time Ironwood hugged Qrow. Simply put, I don’t think that hug tells us nearly as much about Summer’s and Tai’s relationship as people might think.

Finally, we come to Raven. And funny enough, unlike Qrow and Tai, I would argue that we have both heard AND seen QUITE a bit about Summer’s relationship with Raven.

When it comes to what we’ve heard, it’s not just what we have heard from Raven about Summer that’s important, but what we HAVEN’T heard as well. Across Volumes 4 and 5, we see Raven all too happy to mock, criticize and generally smack-talk just about everyone from her old life, from Ozpin, Qrow, Taiyang and even Yang.

But not Summer.

For some reason, Raven NEVER has anything bad to say about SUMMER.

And the ONE time Raven does mention Summer, it is during a talk with Ruby, Summer’s daughter. Not only that, but rather than criticizing or mocking Summer’s memory, Raven’s line of “You sound like your mother,” is at worst neutral and might even have an undercurrent of respect.

Finally, Raven’s tone and demeanor when she says this line come off as very guarded and restrained. Combined with how she never mentions her outside of this scene, one thing becomes quite clear:

Raven does not like to talk about Summer.

Remember what I said back in the Qrow section about characters having difficulty/resistance to talking about another long-missing/dead character as an easy way to hint at a prior romance or romantic feelings?

Yeah, this is EXACTLY what I was talking about.

And then we come to the flashback/vision in Volume 9’s finale. The scene which, while also brief, showed us a LOT about Summer’s relationship with Raven.

Whereas Summer’s scene with Tai merely showed us things we already knew from Yang, her scene with Raven is a MAJOR reveal that establishes a whole new dynamic that both Ruby, and much of the audience had NO idea about.

That Summer and Raven were actually quite a bit closer than anyone ever realized. That Summer apparently trusted Raven more than ANYONE else to help on her secret mission while also having apparently taken Raven leaving Yang, Ruby and herself rather personally. And that Raven herself was actually quite a bit more upbeat and joking around Summer than we see her in the present, while also specifically showing a joking, awkward and even bashful side around Summer that has a lot of curious similarities to how Yang has acted around BLAKE.

And when we take this scene in conjunction with what we see of Raven in the present, a surprisingly consistent and complete picture emerges of Raven’s relationship with Summer.

In Volume 5, Yang notes that Raven is different from the woman she heard about from Tai and Qrow. Introducing the question that something changed Raven from the driven, determined and loyal woman Qrow and Tai knew to the bitter, angry and fearful woman we see at present. Well now we know almost for certain WHAT that something was:

Raven lost SUMMER.

Taking these two elements together, we can see that Raven CARED about Summer. Cared about her so much that loosing Summer almost certainly BROKE Raven. Whatever happened during that mission turned Raven from this…

…to this.

We also know that Summer encountered Salem during her last mission, and whatever happened during that encounter seems to have inspired Salem to begin her grimm-hybridization experiments. And now that we know that Raven was with Summer on that mission, it becomes pretty easy to guess why Raven is so convinced Salem cannot be killed, and is so utterly TERRIFIED at the prospect of facing her again:

Because Salem took Summer away from her.

Raven’s refusal to smack-talk Summer and the great difficulty she has in even mentioning her, Raven’s utter terror of the woman who did SOMETHING to Summer, that we now know Raven was almost certainly present to witness, and Raven being both quite friendly and awkward and willing to help Summer with her secret mission in the past.

All of it adds up to Raven having cared about Summer a GREAT deal. Likely cared about her the most out of her teammates. Given how she’s clearly taken Summer’s loss far harder than Qrow or Tai.

And when we add in Summer’s clear trust in Raven, that she trusted Raven above anyone else to help in her secret mission and even her clear resentment of Raven leaving Yang, Ruby and herself, we get a sense of just how close these were.

Summer and Raven were in all likelihood closer with each other than they were with anyone else. Sure, Summer certainly cared about Tai and Qrow, but it is Raven whom she TRUSTED above all others. And despite whatever caused Raven to leave her team, she still came back to help Summer with clearly no hesitation or reservation.

The funny thing is, with this scene we now know, or at least can reliably infer, more about Summer’s relationship with RAVEN, than we do about her relationships with either Qrow OR Tai.

And the thing is, this makes perfect sense when you consider the story arc going forward that this scene is almost certainly setting up:

That Raven is now THE pivotal figure in the mystery of what happened to Summer Rose. Because it is now clear to both the audience and to Ruby that Raven must KNOW what happened to Summer. Going forward, it is Raven whom Ruby and her team and family must pursue for the answers of what happened to Summer.

With this scene, the relationship between Raven and Summer just became THE most consequential among those of Team STRQ for the story going forward.

It’s one of the big reasons why Rosebird as a pairing just feels so fitting for these two. It’s why it suddenly makes sense we don’t hear all that much about Summer from Tai or Qrow, and why neither of them know what happened to her; because the story of who Summer was and WHAT happened to her isn’t theirs to tell.

That story is RAVEN’s. And of course, Summer herself once we find out she’s not actually dead.

And the crazy thing is, even Raven turning out to be Ruby’s father feels like a natural extension of this: The relationship between Summer and Raven is now established as this very significant and consequential element, and now Ruby will almost certainly be driven to seek Raven out for answers as to what happened to her mother.

(Note that I say RUBY specifically. Because while Yang will certainly be involved and invested in this search as well, it is ultimately Ruby and only Ruby who saw the vision. Thusly, SHE is the one ultimately driving this arc.)

So we now have Ruby on a quest to find Raven to find out what happened to Summer. The young girl seeking out the older woman whom she bares a curious resemblance to in order to find out what happened to her mother, whom this other woman was actually quite close with.

The writers might not have confirmed or directly hinted at Raven being Ruby’s secret dad, but they sure as hell put us on a narrative path the could absolutely lead to such a reveal.

[corvidhorrors]

SHES FUJOSHING OUT‼️‼️‼️

[gaymakima]

How good is STRQ when it comes to cooking?

woe. strq headcanons be upon thee.

Summer: We already know Summer at least was good at baking, arguably even great since that was one of her primary characteristics for years (and still kinda is 😭). Her desserts are legendary, to the point that they became something of a legend back in their Beacon days. This woman made baking into an art. Literally. She would bake some elaborate over-the-top cake as a hobby if given the tools and time.

But when it comes to anything other than baking? Uh. Well. She can make it look nice, at least, but the taste will either be the blandest thing you have ever tasted or a blend of flavours that REALLY don't mix well together because she decided to 'experiment'. She's not bad. It's edible. Sometimes even great! But her strength lies with desserts.

Taiyang: There has never been a more Grill Dad on Remnant. You put this man in front of a grill, give him some sausages and a pair of tongs and he will deliver the perfectly grilled barbeque you need. If Summer's expertise is dessert, his is dinner. And lunch, and breakfast, and—

Point is, Taiyang puts a lot of care into what he cooks and everyone's dietary needs. He's the one writing a meal plan every week and making sure his team has a balanced diet that compliments their lifestyle. He's shit at desserts but hey, he's packing their lunches for them, he can't be good at everything.

Raven: Surprisingly, pretty... decent? Because of his semblance, Qrow was often left out of hunting, foraging or even cooking in the camp—which was sort of bad seeing as the tribe's 'everybody out for themselves' mentality meant that they were likely hoping he'd just starve. This left Raven as the one who had to cook for the both of them, using what limited materials they had. She learnt all she could about poisonous plants and fungi, what she could find around her that was edible, how to make sure neither of them starved. If Taiyang is the health nut, Raven is the safety nut.

I think her (and Qrow too) would also hate wasting food, given how close they've come to dying of starvation many times before.

Qrow: Has a fear of cooking due to his semblance and many, many incidents in the past. Would much rather stick with 2 minute noodles instead thanks. Though, once someone drags his ass to the kitchen and starts teaching him how to cook, I think he'd be really into it. He'd push himself to learn until his cooking was on par with Taiyang's. The problem is for him to overcome that barrier and also make something that isn't a depression meal.

Just do NOT expect him to wash the dishes. This man will eat soup out of a shoe if he has to.

[thornsofrosesdumps]

Team STRQ as sports med quotes.

Tai: now all we have to do is find the proximal anchor.

Qrow: I’m not a goddamn Ship, What Anchor?

Tai: How are you not falling this class

———

Raven: I just remembered how your arm bones work, I am not having a fun time anymore.

Qrow: I don’t think you’ve ever had a fun time.

———

Tai: How much trouble do you think I’ll get in if I Maim one of the coaches

Summer: No, bad, no. Don’t.

Qrow: which one?

Tai: Uh, Coach James

Summer: I retract my statement do it. Now.

———

Tai; I think god hates us.

Summer: I think we hate ourselves more.

———

Raven: The worst mistake I made was spending my money on this class.

Summer: You have to spend money on this class?

Raven: Yeah

Summer: I thought education was free in this country.

Raven: Then think again!

[renabe4life]

The campfire crackles loudly.

"Sorry, I thought-"

"My jacket…"

Both fall silent as they interrupt one another.

"...thanks," the man says at last, reaching a hand behind his head.

Feeling somewhat sheepish, Clover huffs a soft laugh. Leans down to pick up the extinguished article and hold it out toward its owner. "Hope it wasn't a favourite."

~In which Clover is a cyclist on his way to meet up with friends, and he happens to stop for the night at a campsite next to a certain Branwen and his family.

[unlockthestars]

@badluckqrow asked: Yang and Ruby appear, with a batch of homemade chocolate chip cookies for Tai and Qrow. "Happy fathers day!"

The two men had been working on fixing a few things around the house that required two people when the girls appeared, cookies in hand. Qrow had been about to ask what the occasion was when they told both of them 'happy father's day."

Tai smiled, letting out a little laugh when he saw the cookies. "Is that why you pointed out that the fence needed to be fixed?" he asked, touched by their thoughtfulness. His girls were the best.

Qrow swallowed hard, a lump in his throat when they had included him in this, too. He had helped to raise them, and he loved both of them dearly…., but it still meant a lot.

"Yeah, yeah, we still gotta fix the fence," he said, but there was a smile in his eyes.

[aceironwood]

Some fun facts from the newest chapter of OCIN, “Burning the Candle”

Ozpin, Amber, and STRQ playing Remnant Quest was a reference to how RWBY played a board game together back during Welcome to Beacon in canon and the DnD themed merch for the show

Amber was playing a sorcerer, Summer was playing a cleric, Taiyang was playing a paladin, Raven was playing a rogue, and Qrow was playing a fighter

James is lactose intolerant, which is why he always gets almond milk with his coffee. And his preference for peppermint mochas is in reference to how he’s canonly said to like mint chocolate ice cream

Remember how Chae-Yeong was protective of her music box way back in chapter 9? That’s the same music box she mentions this chapter as being a gift from her dad

[dragynkeep]

The more I convert others to the Arctic Summer ship, the stronger I become-

[thecapturedafrique]

While discussing with a friend what Taiyang’s allusion could be, I ended up reflecting on this meta and thinking of perhaps another way the Three Bears could be divided, where prior to Ruby’s birth we have Tai as Papa Bear, Summer as Mama Bear, and Yang as Baby Bear.

This is a very bare bones analysis that could perhaps be shored up by learning more about Taiyang and Summer’s relationship, but so far they’ve been positioned as opposites: even before Summer’s death, Yang describes her as the adventurer who went out on missions while Tai was the teacher who stayed home. We’re also told that Tai lost heart completely in the wake of Summer’s death, whereas everyone who’s compared Ruby to Summer has done so primarily by stating that they are both the type to press on despite the odds/losses.

(If we do a bit of theorizing, we could also assume Tai’s first big battle against depression occurred when Raven left him and Yang, until Summer comes along with her positivity and love and heals his first heartbreak.)

So Papa and Mama Bear are opposites who still complement one another until a tragedy befalls their family and Mama Bear dies. Our Baby Bear Yang is suddenly forced to grow up very quickly because things are no longer just right, and with Papa Bear having shutdown completely, she takes up the role of both parents for the new Baby Bear, Ruby. And as Baby Bear, Ruby forces herself into the role of being Just Right, aka repressing her own problems to maintain her seemingly endless positivity.

But we see that the allusion is breaking down, because Ruby isn’t actually Baby Bear; she’s Little Red Riding Hood, and in her fairy tale, the protagonist is indeed flawed. LRRH has stuck religiously to the path thus far, but as OP’s other metas point out, she must listen to her inner wolf to find the flowers which lie beyond from the path (very neat symbolism for our rose!) and thus become the Huntress in full.

Tai does eventually return to his role as Papa Bear (recalling how one of the first traits we learn about him is his overprotectiveness), but by that point his Baby Bear has already begun growing up and into herself as Goldilocks. Yet we still see the sliver of the bear remain in Yang, most notably when she’s juxtaposed with Ruby.

I believe this is indicative of how the “final” piece to Yang’s self-actualization revolves around her relationship with Ruby. Specifically, she needs to learn that Ruby isn’t actually the Baby Bear and thus is not someone to strictly be protected. Just as she learned by defeating Adam and becoming the Golden Prince to Blake’s Beauty, Yang must accept that her little sister has grown up into someone who can offer her protection and support too, and that she is as deserving of it as she believes Ruby to be.

Yang's Goldilocks is Beautiful

Scathing eyes ask that we be symmetrical, one sided and easily processed. Yet every misshapen spark's unseen beauty is greater than its would be judgement.

The Yellow Trailer - like all trailers - foreshadows Yang's arc on multiple levels and it gives some hints on how our Sunny Little Dragon's allusion is used in her story.

To be more specific, Yang's trailer can be read in 2 ways:

The Yellow Trailer is Goldilocks and the Three Bears in a nutshell: Yang enters the Bears' turf (their house), asks about Raven and then trashes the place. She fights 3 opponents: the Malachite twins (red and blue, so too hot and too cold) and Junior (The Baby Bear). After all the ruckus, Yang simply jumps from a window and disappears, like her literary counterpart.

The Yellow Trailer also contains a super condensed version of Snowhite and Red Rose: The Malachite Twins play Snowhite and Red Rose, a pair of sisters that befriend a Bear. The Malachites use discarded designs of Weiss and Ruby and fight side by side with Junior, whose name means Black Bear. Their fairy tale should end with the Bear becoming a Prince with a Golden Armor. However, here comes Yang to take central stage. She plays the part of the Golden Prince herself and defeats the bear-curse (Junior). In other words, she enters the Malachites' story and makes it hers.

These 2 readings are complementary and offer 2 interpretative keys to Yang's allusion. The first is rooted in Goldilocks' plot and gives us the recurring motifs of Yang's arc. It helps us understand where we currently are in Yang's fairy tale and how much we still have to cover. The second instead adds a meta-element that gives Yang's Goldilocks an even deeper meaning.

Here comes the 2 reading clues:

Yang's Goldilocks motifs are the too hot/too cold (the Malachites Twins) and the Baby Bear/Just Right (Junior). To be clear: to reach her just right Yang has to go through her hot/cold sides and face her inner beast (the Baby Bear), so that she can emerge as a Golden Prince.

Goldilocks enters a strangers' house and tries to fit in. Well, Yang does the same, but with others' fairy tales instead. This is why her trailer is the only one with 2 fairy tales instead than 1.

You aren't convinced by this last point, are you? And yet, it is a very easy point to prove. Let's consider, for example, Yang's flashback in Burning the Candle:

Yang: I waited for Dad to leave the house, put Ruby in a wagon, and headed out. I must’ve walked for hours. I had cuts and bruises, I was totally exhausted, but I wasn’t gonna let anything stop me. When we finally got there, I could barely stand, but I didn’t care; I had made it. And then I saw them. Those burning red eyes…

This memory is clearly key to Yang's character to the point it can be considered the beginning of her story. So, it is no surprise it has some similarities with her fairy tale. A rebellious little girl wanders in the woods and finds a mysterious wooden house. The child hopes she will find a place for her there, but she discovers soon it is home to 3 scary beasts.

However, something feels odd. For starters, the 3 Grimms Yang meets are not Ursai, as one would expect, but Beowolves. Secondly, Yang does not run away, like in Goldilocks, but is saved by her Uncle Qrow, a model Huntsman. So, Yang disobeys Tai and goes alone into the woods, she is almost eaten by Beowolves and is saved by a Huntsman. This isn't Goldilocks and The Three Bears. This is Little Red Riding Hood.

Wait, what? What does this all mean? Let's start from the very beginning...

ONCE UPON A TIME THERE WAS LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD...

Once upon a time, there was Summer Rose's daughter. She lived happily with her little sister and was protected from evil beasts, be them wolves or bears alike. Then, something bad happened:

Yang: Her name was Summer Rose, and she was, like… Super-Mom: Baker of cookies and slayer of giant monsters. And then… one day she left for a mission and never came back.

Summer disappears and is revealed not to be Yang's biological mother. This is a double-layered trauma. On the one hand Summer not coming home triggers Yang's abandonement issues. On the other hand the discovery of Raven's existence just make them worse. Not 1, but 2 moms left Yang. Then, it must be Yang's fault. By the time of her expedition into the woods, Yang is clearly facing these very complex and painful emotions, that get metaphorically explored through a short version of Little Red Riding Hood. Let's analyze it, by considering these 3 elements:

The Mother Yang is looking for

Ruby - the real LRRH - being with Yang

The Big Bad Wolves Yang meets

1 - Who is Yang really looking for? She is searching for Raven, but unconsciously she wants to know why Summer left. This is why the scenario resembles LRRH more than Goldilocks. Yang is a child that has just lost her mother twice - both physically and psychologically.

In her mind, this double loss materializes in the form of 2 distinctive mothers: Summer who is missing and Raven who is tormenting Yang's mind. Yang's reaction is to go hunting for both.

2 - Yang puts a sleeping Ruby on a wagon and starts her journey. The scene describes how Summer's grief was handled in Yang's family:

Yang: Ruby was really torn up, but… I think she was still too young to really get what was going on, y'know? And my dad just kind of… shut down.

Tai is absent because he shut down, Ruby is unconscious because too little to understand what's happening (or so Yang thinks) and Yang starts her lonely pursue while trying to take care of her sister.

3 - Yang meets 3 Bewolves with burning red eyes. Here is where Little Red Riding Hood starts blending with Goldilocks and The Three Bears. Hood meets only 1 wolf (2 at most in some versions), while Yang meets 3 at the same time. 3 like the bears of her fairy tale.

At the same time, the motif of the eyes is very dear to LRRH:

"Oh, grandmother, what big eyes you have!"

However, the idea of 3 beasts seizing you up as different and unwelcomed is really Goldilocks-like. In the original story, the 3 bears find Goldilocks in their house and immediately condemn her behavior and attack her. She is a stranger, an outsider. She shouldn't be there. She brings chaos in their symmetrical world:

Scathing eyes (scathing eyes) That see things from only one side

So, the wolves' scary eyes become the bears' judgemental ones and Little Red Riding Hood is degraded into Goldilocks.

Wait, why degraded? I have nothing against Goldilocks, but it is often considered an imperfect fairy tale with no beginning nor conclusion. Where does Goldilocks come from and where does she go after the 3 Bears? There is no answer.

Goldilocks lacks an objective and a drive:

Yang: At least you two have something that drives you. I've just kinda of always, gone with the flow, y'know? And that's fine, I mean, that's who I am. I wanna be a Huntress, not really because I want to be a hero, but because I want the adventure. I want a life where I won't know what tomorrow will bring. And that'll be a good thing. Being a Huntress just happens to line up with that.

She is not like Little Red Riding Hood:

Yang: I'm not like Ruby, she's always wanted to be a Huntress. It's like she said, ever since she was a kid, she'd dreamt about being the heroes in the books. Helping people and saving the day, and never asking for anything else in return. Even when she couldn't fight, she knew that's what she wanted to do. That's why she trained so hard to get where she is today.

Yang's transformation into Goldilocks, then perfectly describes our girl's interiority and self-perception. She feels wrong, incomplete and asymmetrical. She isn't Summer's daughter, but Raven's. She isn't Little Red Riding Hood, but Goldilocks. The flashback in Burning the Candle simply gives an origin and an explanation to this unconscious feeling of inadequacy:

Yang: There we were: A toddler sleeping in the back of a wagon and a stupid girl too exhausted to even cry for help. We might as well have been served on a silver platter.

Yang is almost responsible for Ruby's death. This is why the red eyes imagery appears and sticks with Yang from here on out. After all, nobody thinks of Yang as unfitting or different, but Yang herself:

She is at the same time Goldilocks and the Bears judging her.

HERE COMES GOLDILOCKS!

Goldilocks and the Three Bears makes up the meat of Yang's story. Once again, the Yellow Trailer tells us how to interpret this fairy tale. There Yang is looking for Raven, but finds 3 downgraded versions of her teammates. The Malachites are Ruby and Weiss (Red Rose and Snowhite), while Junior is a Black Beast, just like Blake. This brings 2 considerations:

Whenever Yang fails to find Raven, she discovers one of her teammates instead. In the Yellow Trailer, Yang finds Ruby. At the Branwen Camp, she meets Weiss. When Raven runs away at the end of the Haven Battle, there is Blake waiting for Yang.

Ruby, Weiss and Blake are respectively the too hot (red), too cold (blue) and just right (red + blue = purple) of Yang's fairy tale.

Let's explore these patterns up until now, with a special focus on the Mistral Arc.

YANG AND RAVEN: TOO COLD, TOO HOT AND NEVER RIGHT

So far, Yang has tried to find Raven 3 times, which can be seen as a set of too cold, too hot and just right.

Too cold - As a child, Yang goes alone into the woods, but she is too weak to fight the Grimms waiting for her. She can only stare back frozen in fear.

Too hot - In the Yellow Trailer, Yang has grown strong enough. A douchebag flirts with her? She catches fire and punches him in the face. However, she still lacks knowledge of Raven's whereabouts.

Strength and Knowledge are the 2 ideas Raven has built her whole persona around:

Cinder: You know, I've heard so many stories about you, Raven. They say you're a cunning leader, that you're strong, that you're clever.

This is why Yang too has to prove she is strong and clever enough to find her mom. Third time is the charm and, as the gas station called Just Rite lets us know, things are finally just right for Yang and Raven to meet.

Just right:

Shay: Seriously. Not too bulky. Not too lean. You're… Yang: Just right. Yup. Like I said, I'm good.

Everything looks perfect, doesn't it? After being told twice she is too young:

Junior: Aren't you a little young to be in this club, Blondie?

Just Rite Bartender: Aren't you a little young to be drinking?

Yang is welcomed by her mom, who is ready to tell her all the truths adults have been hiding:

Raven: But I must admit that you've proven yourself. So any questions you have I'll be happy to answer.

After the Strawberry Sunrise of the trailer (too fancy) and the water bottle of the gas station (too plain), Raven offers her tea (just right), adding she likes it hot (just like Yang herself). And yet:

Yang refuses Raven's cup and chooses to leave her mom just after finding her.

Why is that so?

There are 2 thematic reasons. The 1st is about Yang and Raven's foiling, while the 2nd ties with Goldilocks and the Three Bears in general.

1 - Yang is too selfless, while Raven is too selfish

Let's compare these 2 scenes:

Raven: I'm giving you a choice. Stay here, with me, and I'll answer all your questions and more. We can have a fresh start. Or…you can go back to Qrow and join Ozpin's impossible war against Salem, and meet the same fate as so many others.

Yang: Because you're afraid of Salem!!! And if you thought having Maiden powers put a target on your back, imagine what she'll do when she finds out you have a Relic. She'll come after you with everything she has. Or she can come after me.

Yang and Raven are offered a choice. Yang must choose between Raven and Ruby. Raven between herself and Yang. Yang chooses her little sister and puts Ruby's safety before her own wishes. Raven instead chooses to survive even if it means Yang may die.

The end result is apparently the same. Both Yang and Raven leave through a window (a portal), like Goldilocks. However, their choices reveal 2 very different takes on the character. To be more specific, Raven plays the Little Old Woman to Yang's Goldilocks.

Goldilocks and the Three Bears is, in fact, a recent rewriting of an old fable, where a Little Old Woman enters the Bears's house to steal their food. In this version, the intruder isn't painted as a charming beautiful child, but as a greedy burglar only interested in stealing from the Bears. This fits Raven, a bandit who attacks towns and leaves them an easy prey for Grimms.

At the same time, Goldilocks' fairy tale may be the evolution of the Little Old Woman's fable, but it is not the same story. Similarly, Yang is Raven's daughter, but she isn't like her mother:

Yang: I'm not like you. I won't run.

Yang decides to write a brand new version of the story, which doesn't follow Raven's narrative. She chooses to become a Goldilocks that doesn't run. Not a Goldilocks who steals out of selfishness, but one who steps in out of selflessness.

2- Goldilocks and the Three Bears has no fairy-tale ending:

Yang: All of this endless death, because something bad happened to you once upon a time?! Nobody gets a fairy-tale ending!

Goldilocks runs away in the woods and doesn't have to face consequences for her behaviour. Similarly, the Bears do not really have to solve the mystery of this strange intruder. Who is the child? Where does she come from? They don't know and they don't care.

Goldilocks is ultimately a story of characters that run away from difficult things. In this way, though, they do not evolve and there is no proper closure. The central problem of Goldilocks's identity and of where she fits is left unsolved. Ironically, the famous "just right" is never found:

This time it was neither too hot nor too cold. It was just right and so delicious that she ate it all up. But she was too heavy for the little chair and it broke in pieces under her weight.

Even when the porridge tastes good, the chair breaks and Goldilocks falls.

The same goes for Yang and Raven in volume 5. Yang initially struggles to see Raven in her complexity (like the Bears), while Raven eventually runs away (like Goldilocks).

Most importantly, though, they both get a chance to choose the other, but don't. So, even if both heartbroken, they never find their "just right".

TEAM RWBY: HOT, COLD, JUST RIGHT

Ruby, Weiss and Blake are Yang's hot, cold and just right. This doesn't mean Ruby and Weiss are "wrong" for Yang, though. In reality, all 3 girls are necessary for Yang's arc, starting with her recovery after the Fall of Beacon.

Ruby is too hot: in volume 4 Yang is defeated and depressed. Her inner fire is out, which is why her hair (her flames) is in a pony-tail, restricted. For better or worse, Ruby is the reason why Yang pulls herself back together. The determination to find and protect her little sister is enough to fire Yang up and to start her recovery. This is also why the song Ignite focuses specifically on Yang jumping in the fray to protect Ruby (her family):

Usually I devastate This time, might annihilate Any minute now You're gonna rue our meeting Messing with my family Means that soon you're history The moments of your life are fleeting

Weiss is too cold: in volume 5 Yang deals with a lot of inner turmoil and is very easy to trigger. Be it Raven or Blake, her eyes are quick to turn red with anger. The one who manages to cool Yang down is Weiss. She is at Yang's side at the camp and checks on her well being several times. Later on, she is the one that helps Yang see things from a different perspective when it comes to Blake:

Weiss: You're right though. I don't know loneliness like you do. I have my own version. And, I'll bet Blake has her own version too.

Blake is the just right: Yang's journey in Mistral leads her to Blake. She has to face her demons, overcome Raven and reach her inner "just right" (balance) to find Blake once again. At the same time, Blake herself spells out what the "just right" is in volume 6.

Not too hot:

Blake: Hey, I'm not leaving. And if we ever see him again, I promise I'll be there. And I'll protect you. Yang: What? Blake: What? Yang: Forget it. Let's just head back.

Not too cold:

Adam: Heh, do you really believe that? Or are you just trying to scare me away so you won't have to die trying to protect her?

Just right:

Blake: She's not protecting me, Adam. And I'm not protecting her. We're protecting each other.

Ruby gives Yang love, warmth and inspiration, even after Summer's disappearance. Weiss cools Yang off and teaches her empathy better than Raven. Blake is ready to accept Yang in all her vulnerability and strength. Her teammates are the place Yang belongs to. Three people that have welcomed Yang. Three kind bears.

IS THE MISTRAL ARC'S "JUST RIGHT"... JUST RIGHT?

Yang's arc up until now has been the search for the "just right" both inside and outside.

Inside: Yang has learnt not to rely on her Semblance too much. After all, Burn is nothing, but a metaphorical representation of the "too hot" of her fairy tale. This is why Yang has had to reduce its use in order to find her just right. On a deeper level, she has had to face her anger towards Raven and Blake to see her 2 loved ones clearly, in all their contradictions. She has had to tone her emotions down, so that she could let go of her interiorized "scathing eyes".

Outside: she has restored her bonds with her teammates that right now are stronger than ever. In particular, her relationship with Blake has been progressing and, after Adam, they have grown even closer.

So, is everything done? Can Yang reach her happy ending provided that Salem doesn't destroy the world? Obviously, the answer is "not yet".

On the one hand it is clear Raven is bound to come back into the story, so that she and Yang can have some kind of closure. On the other hand Blake's resolution to stand beside Yang no matter what is beautiful, but has not really been tested, so far.

By this, I mean that Bumbleby's focus in the Mistral Arc has mostly seen Yang be there for Blake and help her complete her arc through defeating Adam. Sure, this has been an important development for Yang as well, but Blake has been interestingly absent from Yang's personal subplots, that have instead seen a major involvement by Ruby and Weiss. I wouldn't be surprised if this tendency were to be changed towards the end.

Let's briefly consider the 2 instances where Yang's Goldilocks has been alluded to directly: the Yellow Trailer and the Just Rite scene. The 2 situations are clear paralles. Yang is looking for Raven and she wants something to drink. However, there is a difference:

Yang: Strawberry Sunrise. No ice. Oh, and one of those little umbrellas.

Yang: A water. It's hot out.

The meaning is clear. In both situations Yang wants to find Raven, but the first one is the "too hot" (no ice) and it ends with Yang meeting Ruby, while the second is the "too cold" (water to cool down) and it ends with Yang meeting Weiss.

So, there might still be a "just right" scene in the future that involves Raven and Blake. If this is the case, it may offer proper closure to Yang and Raven's mother-daughter's relationship.

Blake may play a part in this by assisting Yang. Alternatively, she might support Yang when she faces the true issue at the root of her struggle: Summer Rose, LRRH's mother.

After all, Yang's story starts with Summer's disappearance, so it only makes sense that it ends with her return. She left as LRRH's mother and is probably going to come back as the Big Bad Wolf in some form, at least in Ruby's story. What about Yang, though? She isn't Little Red Riding Hood, so which form is Summer gonna take in her story? Well, she may very well be the Cursed Rose that brings out Yang's inner Beast.

... AND THEN THE BEAUTY AND THE BEAST LIVED HAPPILY EVER AFTER

Blake and Yang are each others' Beauty and the Beast. Blake's name can mean both black and white, so she is both shadow (beast) and light (beauty). She is the Beast that looks for redemption and the Beauty that temporary leaves the Beast.

What about Yang?

She too is Beauty and Beast, with her duality easily found in her fairy tale. She is a beauty that burns (Goldilocks) and a wounded beast (the Baby Bear). In this way, RWBY solves the mystery behind the character of Goldilocks. Who is Goldilocks? Just another story's Baby Bear, a child whose place in the world has been threatened. A child who has been looking where to fit since then.

Luckily for Yang, Blake is ready to take her in. When her inner beast, which is nothing, but her vulnerability, comes out, Blake will accept it and welcome her in their shared "happy ending". After all, Blake's fairy tale is the opposite of Yang's. Goldilocks has no resolution, while Beauty & Beast has a "happily ever after" that needs 2 people to be meaningful. This is why meta-narratively, Yang looks for a fairy-tale that can fit her, while Blake wants someone that can complete her story. This is why they are perfect for each other. Together, they make a tale as old as time. As old as the very beginning of our story:

Black the beast descends from shadows. Yellow beauty burns gold.

YELLOW BEAUTY BURNS GOLD

Yang's presentation line in Red Like Roses foreshadows her happy ending with Blake. Still, there is another deeper meaning to it, which is probably going to be the main theme of Yang's arc.

First of all, Yang is built on the idea of "hot". Our pun-loving girl is herself a pun on "hotness":

You're standing too close to a flame that's burning Hotter than the sun in the middle of July

She is introduced as an eye-candy hot girl. Then she is revealed as a ruthless and hot-blooded fighter. This is the dualism Ember Celica is built on: they appear as a pair of bracelets that transform into explosive gauntlets. Is that the root of Yang's character? There is more, which becomes clear the moment Yang loses an arm and becomes "asymmetrical".

What does Yang's "asymmetry" stands for? Once you think at her fairy tale and semblance, it becomes clear: Yang is "too hot". This is why she loses her arm, as well. She explodes in flames when she should have stayed cool, and loses a part of herself as a result. This is why her development is essentially... "her cooling down".

This process is shown also through her Semblance. When Yang uses Burn, her hair catches fire and her eyes go from purple to red. The symbolism is clear: she is usually the "just right" (purple), but her semblance makes her "too hot" (red). Her own semblance is a metaphor for Yang's inner asymmetry and unbalance. This is why she is the only one among her friends that has had to reduce the use of her semblance, instead of developing it.

Still, Semblances represent who people are, for better or worse. This is why a development that ends with a character simply repressing their Semblance is not gonna work. Burn will most likely evolve and affirm itself again in all its "hotness", in all its beauty:

Neon Katt: Ooh! Flashy eyes! Y'know, you're actually kinda pretty when you're angry.

When Yang uses her semblance she is beautiful. That is not just a physical attribute, but a thematic statement. There is beauty in Yang taking in the trauma and using it to grow stronger and protect her loved ones. There is beauty in her showing her emotions instead of keeping them hidden. Sure, she must pay attention not to "burn out" nor to let anger blind her. Still, there is value in her asymmetrical "too hot".

And here comes the final twist on Yang's fairy tale. Goldilocks and The Three Bears is a story that celebrates the "just right", but never finds it. Yang's story has her discover the "just right" does not really exist and that in itself is good. Because there are not "just right" people and then the rest. Everyone is asymmetrical and complex. Weiss seems cold, but has a lot of warmth inside. Ruby is Yang's little sister, but also her competent leader. Blake runs away, but she is also braver than anyone else. Raven and Tai's relationship may be hot/cold, but it still generated Yang, who is the "just right" (her purple eyes mix Raven's red and Tai's blue).

As a child (Goldilocks), Yang feels she doesn't fit, but as an adult (Blake's Burning Beauty) she realizes it is okay not to fit. After all, she is beautiful (hot) precisely because she burns gold:

Crash and burn (crash and burn) Some lessons are just hard to learn Scathing eyes (scathing eyes) That see things from only one side Yet every misshapen spark Suffers the judgment and pain But just as light conquers dark There's a beauty that's greater Than pure symmetry can contain So let's start the game!

Yang is the "too hot" of her fairy-tale and that in itself is "just right".

[obligatoryjauneblog]

For @pilot-boi 's Twins AU: where Jaune was born Yin Xiao Long

Taiyang knelt in front of three graves, placing a stick of incense by each and lighting them. The last one he placed in front of a tombstone that read;

Here lies Jaune Julius Arc, beloved son and brother

Tai: I... I brought something, wanted to share it with you when you were older…

He pulled out a bottle of whiskey, pouring some of its contents out in front of Ruby and Yang’s tombstones.

Tai: The first time I lost you, I became a lush… To the point I couldn’t take care of your sisters, and.. and I promised I wouldn’t go back to the bottle unless to celebrate you or Sum coming back.

He paused, as if the stone slab was replying. Tears started to form as he kept going.

Tai: And.. and when you did, I missed out on so much… You were basically already a man at that point, who didn’t need his pops anymore… I couldn’t teach you to shave, how to talk to girls, or even play a game of catch because you were too old for that.. But I thought we could share a drink at least, introduce you to the ole’ Xiao Long vice…

There was still no response.

Tai: I should have been there for you, I should have been a better father to all of you, I-I’m sorry, Yin.

He broke down, clutching the tombstone and sobbing into the rock. Freezing when he heard from behind.

Jaune: ... I forgive you.

[thornsofrosesdumps]

WHY THE FUCK DO I KEEP GIVING CHARACTERS BIPOLAR DISORDER SYMPTOMS

[evenmorefatallyobsessed]

Prof. Xiao-Long AU Concept

Note this one is way longer since it did in fact win the polls

Yang Xiao freaking Long was just what her name would suggest XL, bigger then life, the center of attention and life of the party! She was arguably the toughest gal to step through Beacon’s doors. At worst she was tied with her partner Glyn.

They were the strongest duo, Glynda’s ability to bullshit just about everything with her telekinesis and Yang packing enough raw strength to shatter boulders with just a punch. Heck, they were the two time Vytal Festival Winners of Beacon’s Golden era, Even STRQ came second to them.

And that team had her brother Taiyang in it, okay, true it did have the clearance sell, looking knock off of her too, Raven definitely dragged them down… No, she was not pissed at the bandit at all, nope, not a single inch of rage for abandoning her team, leaving her brother broken hearted, she totally didn’t spend months tracking her down and wrecking every member of the Branwen tribe’s shit that she could.

Well regardless she’d gotten over that who issue with her brother’s team, graduated, spent a few years living the dream, journeying around Remnant, helping people, exploring, just outright enjoying freedom. Life had been good. But eventually she got bored of it, bored of it, turns out Yang wasn’t for the lone wanderer shtick, didn’t live up to the hype…

It got lonely, and then her brothers wife died… Summer, Summer disappeared and Tai went into a depression. him remaining teammate Qrow tried, but he could only do so much, and she knew he was avoiding spending a lot of time with them cuz of his semblance the idiot. So she made her decision without hesitation, Yang starting crashing at her brother’s place and helping him with Ruby while beating the depression outta him.

And thankfully Glyn had a job she could work, a Professor at Beacon, she tried to get one at Signal but in her partner’s own words “That School already has to Suffer One Xiao-Long, why would you curse them with two.” And hence begun her domestic life as the stand-in mom for her adorable silver-eyed niece. And Yang realized she was freaking Maternal has all hell! Like Whoa, the amount of times people assumed she was Rube’s mom was scary, and not just cuz it implied she was banging her brother.

And hey, she was a pretty great teacher too, sure she was really more a couch, and every once in a blue mom stand in for Port but hey when she did the students were a heck of a lot more invested in her telling them about her past glory. It had nothing to do with her love of high cut tee’s she swore, she was just that charismatic.

Life was good…

-0-0-0-

LIFE WAS NOT GOOD!!!! She Was Gonna Murder Thos Little Turds! Few Things were as precious to Yang as her hair, and they, her students had abused her trust! She could understand a pulling pranks, heck she still pulled them on her fellow teachers. But The Fuck! CUT SOMEONE HAIR WHEN THEY SLEPT!!!

Beacon was starting up in several weeks! And she was gonna have to show her face now! With her hair like this!

Oh She Wasn’t Fooled For A Fucking Second!!!

This Had Bitch Written All Over It! It had to be those girls who’d been giving her the stink eyed just cuz the boys she taught couldn’t pull their eyes off their bombshell of a teacher! Or Maybe it was one of those douchebag students she put in their place when she caught them claiming they’d bed her.

The fact of the matter was she didn’t technically have concrete evidence of who it was, all she did know was when she went to bed she was fine and when she woke up she felt horrifyingly light. Her beautiful locks of golden magnificent hair scattered across the ground. All she saw after that was red, too bad her partner was there otherwise she could’ve slaughtered the perpetrator, true she would’ve ended up killing a few innocent students, but sometimes sacrifices had to be made for the greater good, and were they really innocent if they just sat there and let such a tragedy happen!

They were lucky her partner Glynda was there to restrain her with several dozen times gravity being forced down upon her. And now here she was in Vale, already on her fourth group of A-Grade assholes clobbered for trying to pick up a red-eyed and incredibly pissed off Yang.

She stopped before it, a salon, one Ozpin had recommended, and one whose life and current state of function was on the line. Because if even an inch more of her remaining beautiful hair was ruined there would be hell to pay.

On the plus side they all seemed to know who she was, a negative is that that also meant every stylist was hesitant to do said firey dragon’s hair. She couldn’t blame them but if someone didn’t hike up their skirt and do something soon she’d-

“Ma’am, th-this way please, our new hire offered to do you hair.” Her eye twitched, a new hire, what the hell, she was ready to tear into him before a voice cut in.

“Hey can you calm down please, your kinda scaring everyone.” She blinked before looking up and meeting eyes with a fellow blonde. A guy around her student’s age, one who was standing up, facing her down with a stern look.

Your scaring the kids her with their parents, she noticed that in fact he was right as she saw some kids looking at her and backing away. And… She suddenly felt terrible. And when she went lack she heard it, a relieved exhale leave her fellow blonde, looking his way she met the boy’s gaze and felt a bit embarrassed.  Leave it to her to go and get worked up and have a kid around her niece age tell her off.

The boy examined her, or to be more precise her hair and she saw his eyes narrow with recognition.

“Prank gone wrong?” She growled.

“No, I think it went just how those little shits wanted it to.” He blinked before shaking his head.

“Well then guess they could count their lucky stars they didn’t do that to a sister of mine or they wouldn’t live to regret it.” That made her smile.

“Oh trust me, I intend to do just that.” The blonde chuckled, shaking his head.

“Well hopefully not with your hair like that you won’t, kinda hard to instill fear in them while their laughing at the result of their prank. C’mon, let’s fix that.” Turning her made his way to a chair, expecting her to follow as he walked confidently to it. She blinked again, well, the new guy was definitely interesting, few people had it in them to sass her while her hair was so much as touched let alone ruined like this.

“Hey you just gonna stand there and gawk or do you want me to fix your hair.” She couldn’t help it, nobody talked about touching her hair.

“If you mess it up I’ll mess you up blondie.” Instead of the usual whimper or retreat the blonde boy… smiled?

“’Snort’ You sound just like my sis Beryl, relax, I have experience with styling long, blonde fine hair okay, your in good hands.” She rose brow, but slowly started to make her way to him. Noticing a picture of a boy and seven girls stuck up in his station.

“Whoa, is that you with all your cousins or something?” He laughed.

“Sisters actually, and I’ve done each of their hairs more times then I can count.” Okay, she was willing to risk it, at the very least the kid had experience. So she plopped herself down and let him do his magic… Okay so she might’ve had to stop herself once or twice from decking him when he touched her hair.

But hey his small talk took her mind off it, heck she only threatened him once when he pulled out the clippers. The boy seemed totally in his element. They talked about tons while he worked his magic, washing, shampooing and clipping her hair.

Eventually she begun asking how long he’d been doing this, she was surprised when he admitted this was his third and last week at the place. Something about needing extra money and having picked up several jobs before he hopefully got into his dream school. She couldn’t get much more details outta him, the boy was very cagey about it.

Finally thought he moment of truth came out and she saw… A pretty good looking cut, a bit shooter then what she’d come in with but not bad. In fact she was sorta digging it! Huh? Who’d’ve thought she could pull off a short due just as epically as she could a long one.

She grinned the boys way, walked up to him and gave him a full on huge, lifting the blonde up in the air as she did. And suddenly he went from her confident sassy groomer to a flustered, confused mess of a teen as socially awkward as her own niece.

It was honestly kinda endearing, guess he was the sort who just got in the zone when it came to doing their job. Well not like she was gonna complain he was so freaking expressive now it was actually kinda hilarious not to mention a bit adorable. She teased him once or twice, and got the boy to fluster pretty bad before she gave him a big fat tip that hit the triple digits. Hey her hair was a treasure, he earned it in her not so humble opinion.

And so she walked out and made her way back to Beacon, all smiles and snark as usual, much to her fellow staffs relief… Until the next day. Where she realized she couldn’t style her hair the exact way the guy had! Made sense, she never had short hair after all!

She made a mad dash back to that salon… Only to find out he wasn’t working there anymore… WHAT!? She had to all but threaten the boy’s name outta the manager! Yes! She threatened a civilian, but this was important! And she got exactly what she needed, a name.

Jaune Arc.

She rushed to Juniors, needing to use Vale’s best info broker to find out the single most important information in the entire kingdom… Why the hell did he go on about Torchwick and White Fang when she said that. Obviously the info she meant was on the blonde stylist!

He blinked at her, and then asked about the name again… Then went pale. And then called Jaune over, apparently one of the jobs he was working also happened to be here as a bartender. One look at her and he flustered going all red face… Yeah, she did dress up, she was in a club after all, had to look good. Glad to see she still had it, not that it was ever up for debate.

Anyways she had him now, made her demand had him promise to teach her how to do her hair, and until then would have him do it. She’d pay him obviously, she wasn’t a monster, and a guy who could actually style her glorious hair was worth his weight in gold.

He told her she’d have to wait till his break, she was about to drag him off as her waiting simply wasn’t a option, until he offered to give her a free drink, a thanks for the huge tip she gave him yesterday. Well, she was already in Vale so why not… And again he shocked her!

Seriously what had she been drinking up until this point? Cuz it sure as hell wasn’t a Strawberry Sunsrise compared to the one he served her. She was about to ask, but he seemed to pick up on her question and gave the answer of ‘Seven sisters’ which just sorta answered it, guess a few of them liked drinks.

And he was back to being mister focused on his craft, sassy and cool as a cucumber… She just had to mess with him. Wasn’t hard, just a little shake here, a suggestive pun there and a wink or two and the boy went cherry red.

It was the best time she had out in a good minute, and then slowly, things started to relax and she fell into that age old troupe of shooting the breeze her the bartender. Talking about her brother and niece who’d get into Beacon this year and how freaking proud of her she was.

It was great, fun, and she was… tipsy, so maybe when his break came around she chose to drag him to the dance floor for some fun instead of out to do her hair… And once again he surprised her with another skill of his. Jaune Arc, could dance.

He even dared suggest he was better then her… the nerve. She had to prove to him wrong, she just had to. So they spent his whole break dancing, drinking, laughing and just having fun, and one stink eye from her and Junior let her new young buddy take the rest of the night off.

And then everything went dark and she woke up in a bed, naked… Oh no.

Then she realized thank Oum there was no blonde boy right by her, instead her Scroll had a message, saying how he’d taken her to one of junior’s rooms to rest after she’d gotten wasted. And how he swore he left the room when she started to strip…

Yeah, that sounded like her when she got three sheets to the wind, he also sent her a message about how to do her hair. She asked Junior about the blonde but the guy insisted he was just a temporary hire.

-0-0-0-

Well, it was time her baby niece’s first day was upon them! It took everything she had not to charge up grab little ruby up in a huge and completely embarrass her in front of everyone of her potential classmates.

Yang might’ve been wary of Ozpin when he first suggested it but still, she was aiming to enjoy this, to watch her niece, thrive in Beacon, to make a name for herself and have the best experience she cou- And she exploded…

Then some little white haired bitch started hounding her niece! She readied to walk up there and clobber the uppity brat. But before she could the spoiled brat left when some other goth looking chick got in the way. The black themed kid left too, leaving her poor niece all alone looking miserable!

She readied to make way only for the last person she expected to show up.

“Jaune?”

-0-0-0-

She stood with Ozzy and Glyn watching things go down in the emerald forest, watching her niece having the misfortune of teaming up with the bratty Schnee. But there was also someone else who interested her, Jaune Arc, AKA her personal stylist, bartender and clubbing escort to be the next four years of Beacon.

What could she say, the kid was a man of many talents that she very much appreciated. She’d looked his files over, and yep… Guy had fake transcripts, so that’s why he needed all that extra scratch. Still though, considering they had a ex-terrorist in their roster this year she couldn’t view it too negatively, heck Qrow had been a freaking bandit.

Also, the kid really wanted this, I mean guy let Ozzy launch him into the forest… without aura! Yeah that was a shocker, the fact the kid was even willing to fight Grimm with having aura much less knowing what it was spoke volumes to his bravery, stupidity too yes, but mostly bravery. And hey, when the cereal girl herself unlocked it turned out he had a bunch.

Yep this year was shaping up to be a interesting one.

-0-0-0-

Glynda didn’t know what to think of how Yang was acting, given she rarely knew what to do when it came to said brawler, but moreso today the usual, Yang was acting quite perplexing, well more then usual. Focusing on miss Rose she could understand, the woman all but raised the silver-eyed warrior after all. But her interest also seemed to focus on a second individual as well.

Mister Arc, a student she still had doubts about, but who also seemed to gain her partners attention, she sighed for the poor student. She didn’t wish her partner’s teasing on anyone, much less a seemingly easy to fluster first year like him.

Oh well, she supposed sacrifices had to be made for the greater good, a happy or at the very least entertained Xiao-Long mean much less collateral damage for the school and free time for herself. Perhaps she could offer him a bit of favoritism for such a burden, he did have a lot of aura, she supposed she could give him advise on control of it, he’d need it in case her partner ever tried to spare with the poor thing after all.

-0-0-0-

Okay, this was not good, Yang had not expected Jaune to be in Beacon, much less for him to befriend her precious niece and be such good friends with her… What was this kid? He could, do hair, make drinks, dance and could even be a reliable man when the chips were down if him turning back to help against the Deathstalker was any indication.

Seriously, the kid didn’t even have aura for a full hour and yet he turned to face a grimm most huntsman would think twice about facing much less potential first years. And all for some strangers… Yep she didn’t care if his transcripts were real or not, Jaune earned his place in the school with that bit of bravery there.

She nearly laughed when he was declared leader of his team, not cause it was funny, kid was the obvious choose, he was quick the decide, enact and didn’t hesitate. Hell, he had no actual training and yet when the chips were down he lead three people he didn’t even know the name of into battle.

Ozpin would have to be blind not to pick him, at the after party she made her way right to him ready to tease him to high heaven. But instead caught him talking to one of his sisters, well her her wife and… And. AND THE MOST ADORBLE THING SHE’D SEEN SINCE BABY RUBY!!!

Apparently, it was his nephew Adrian! So yeah she sorta cut in and got involved, talked to his sister, baby talked his cute nephew and informed said sister that her little brother was on the fast track to being a kick butt huntsman. What? you didn’t it so many checkmarks with her and not get a few benefits for it. Yang Xiao-Long was the kinda teacher who definitely played favorites, and Jaune Arc was certainly one of them.

-0-0-0-

Yang did not know what to do… Well, that wasn’t true, she knew exactly what she wanted to do, or to be more specific… Who.

How had it come to this!? Seriously, she just didn’t know what to do… Okay, maybe she should back up a sec and explain. So she, Yang Xiao-Long, Huntress extraordinaire, hottest teacher in Beacon (Okay… Maybe Glynda and her were tied) was lowkey crushing on one of her students…

No! It was not Blake! She didn’t get why Port assumed that? Nope, she had found herself thinking of and gioving extra attention to Jaune, yep, Jaune, mister fake it till he made it. HE JUST CHECKED OFF ALL THE THINGS SHE WAS LOOKING FOR IN A GUY!!!

Yeah, she was surprised too, as it turned out, you didn’t need to be a huge giant of muscles like Yatsuhashi or that transfer student Sage. Nope, lean was good too, maybe not Lie Ren lean but a nice in-between. And Jaune Arc hit that sweet spot, heck he was decently built even before Beacon, it was just more like a farmboy than a actual knight. But now, ‘heh’ Yang very much approved his teammate Nora’s insistence on weightlifting.

He was blonde! Which yeah maybe that wasn’t strictly necessary for him to catch her eyes but it didn’t hurt. He got along with her niece, heck he was her first friend in Beacon. And he was brave, something she knew when he turned back to help his team against that Deathstalker during his Initiation.

He proved it again though about a month later when he saved Cardin Winchester against a Ursa Major, now that said a lot about him. While his team ran for their lives Jaune stood his ground and fought to save his bully… the threatened him to not mess with his friends… Yeah, that was when she realized he was on her radar.

More then that he checked off things she didn’t even know she was looking for a guy, he was good with hair (though not his own if that mop of blonde was any indication), dancing drinks, And Oh My God Cooking! The Boy Could Cook! Again Thank Oum For His Sisters and Mom For Forcing Him To Learn Those Glorious Glorious Domestic Skills! But More Then That thank Mama Arc for giving him that ass!

And she was perving on Jaune again… Great. Ugh she needed to settle this already, heck she wasn’t even able to hide it anymore. The Staff totally made fun of her over it even!

But like, she didn’t wanna be all weird, plus the blonde liked the little icy no tit princess, and she was in a mood again… Was she really jealous of a teenager who was built like a ironing board… Yes, yes she was and that more then anything else infuriated her.

Heck he was on a team with Pyrrha-Obvious-Nikos! At least Yang could accept losing to the spartan! Okay… Maybe lose was a bit much. After all if she went for it she would nab that blonde up in a second. So why didn’t she?

Cause, cause she was a teacher… Y-yeah, that was it, totally not because she had cold feet, and never been in a relationship that lasted more then a weekend… Gods Dammit.

And then she stumbled upon it, Jaune and her partner training, Glynda had taken a shine to Jaune, not at first, her partner was pretty peeved about the whole Transcripts thing. But after a few weeks her favorite student (Ruby being the exception) had used his Arc charm on her.

Glyn was a bit softy underneath all that stern strictness of her’s. Wait? Was she… checking him out? Yep, Glyn was focusing pretty hard on her blonde Himbo’s ass… And she was touching him! WAIT WHAT!? Glyn Didn’t Touch People, She didn’t need to with her semblance! Why Would She… OH THAT BITCH!!!

That’s right Glynda had been benefiting from Jaune’s talents as much as she was, actually he was also helping her with paperwork apparently (something about paying her back for the aura control lessons) NO NO NOOO!

She was not losing Jaune To Her Partner and the stick up her ass! Yang never thought of herself as the jealous type but here she was, going into her room and grabbing some of her risqué clothes… Yeah they were pretty old, she at least went up to cup sizes since she last wore this to… Perfect.

Now all she needed was a night to alter them, thank Oum she was used to sewing cause of Ruby. And she was ready, and as she stepped into class, ready to teach unashamed and with a cocky smile on her face she looked to her mark. Jaune Arc much like the other boys in her class was staring just like she wanted him to.

Yep, Yang Xiao-Long might’ve been scared of screwing up, of causing issues for Jaune or more importantly Beacon and the moral implications of a teacher screwing her student, but that all came second, because more then that she refused to lose to anyone. And now that Glynda might be in the competition she wasn’t gonna hold back.

[majoringinsarcasm]

I’ve been thinking about this a lot recently because it hits close to home in many ways. But Yang’s feelings about

Raven: Biological mother who left without any reason Yang could find, who acted aloof when Yang finally tracked her down.

Blake: Partner and best friend and budding love interest who left after a traumatic event, also without a reason Yang could find.

Tai: Emotionally stunted or unavailable father who shut down for a period of time, and once he got himself back together never released her from the Mother role of Ruby by fully stepping up as a parent again.

The hurt isn’t the same.

Being disappointed in someone you love, being disappointed in the PARENT that you love, is very very hard. Especially if you’ve got siblings. You don’t want to influence how they feel, you want them to make their own connections and options, you want them to have faith in that parent. Because if they become jaded and angry and you’re both in an environment where you HAVE to interact or live with them, well that’s going to be awkward and difficult. And the more they shun that parent the more they rely on you. The less emotions you’re allowing yourself to show.

There is no doubt that Tai that loves and cares about Yang. I feel like his “when you’re done moping around” in V4 was more of a projection of how he thinks of himself. We don’t know what the emotional labor was like when Summer was around. If he was just as Fun Dad or if he was more in tune with the little things. But once he got his stuff together he seemed to take on a functional role. Go to work so you have money, get the kids clothes and put food in the house. Take them for fun outings now and again.

It’s Very Very hard to understand how you feel about a parent who is There but still doesn’t do Enough. To know you are loved and valued but not in the way you need as a child. Raven left. Blake is her partner and that pain is different. I say disappointed rather than resentment because I think Yang resents The Situation, but not necessarily Tai himself. And of course these kinds of feelings overlap. But when people think of resentment they see her anger and her blunt words and her no nonsense responses, like how she was with Ozpin. No more lies or half truths. Or you may be powerful but that doesn’t make you strong.

Being disappointed for a long period of time. Remembering the happy times and knowing the deep contrast. I’m not saying she can’t or doesn’t resent him. But to me I think the biggest emotion with Yang towards Tai is disappointment. And that’s a lot harder to overcome especially when you still love that person. When the love they have for you isn’t enough and you have to Make Due. It’s hard man and Yang has been cycling through this since she was five or six. That kind of hurt doesn’t get resolved with only time when there are no actions taken to make things better.

So, I wanna tackle this "resentment" angle, in a general "Does Yang actually express trauma via resentment as outlined in a recent debate regarding her feelings about Tai's parenting. IE, the claim is that when Yang is traumatized she is prone to resentment, leading to sniping, anger and shouting.

Long story short, Yang does sometimes response to trauma & hurt with some degree of anger. However it is far from universal or her default, instead it is extremely situational. In all instance I've seen of Yang responding to trauma in such a manner there were two elements in common:

1: The pain was recent - Blake abandoned her recently, she lost her arm recently, Ozpin lied recently, ETC.

After she had sufficient time to process the pain and trauma however, Yang's responses tend to be more a quiet resigned state. Such as when the prosthetic came, or when she discussed Raven leaving her, or when discussing having to hold the family together alone.

2: The anger is a defense mechanism - Yang can be angry its one of my favorite things about her, but her anger is situational & in control.

She gets frustrated and overwhelmed in the Emerald Forest, lets her anger out to blow off steam & calms down. She gets angry when Blake is endangering herself but only uses enough strength to make her point then hugs her. She's angry when Weiss is hurt but she still fights strategically by destroying the ground so Neon can't skate & turning Flynt's weapon on him.

These are trends that continue through the course of the series.

When Yang is used to a sort of pain or grappling with trauma she is generally just quietly sad about and rarely all that expressive unless forced to be or overwhelmed.

She kept a smile on her face in V8 even as she was grappling with the idea Summer had been mutilated into a Grimm monster until Ruby's ow defensive anger forced her to break the mask.

The times she uses anger are because the hurt is very recent or someone is actively stamping on her trauma; like Raven did in the tent. It is a defense mechanism against pain she hasn't fully processed.

Conclusion:

So, in that regard & with that in mind, I don't think Yang not expressing overt resentment of Tai indicates much of anything about their relationship.

Its well established Yang tries to cover for her anxieties by adopting a cheerful façade and to keep others happy. & that in most cases, when she is dealing with trauma, especially longstanding trauma, she's usually resigned and sad about it rather than bubbling with resentment and snark.

So no, I don't believe Yang having to keep the family together and her ensuing parentification was a brief period, long since dealt with. (Ruby outright says Yang raised her) If anything it seems that she has just accepted the situation for what it is because what else can she do?

[anthurak]

Taiyang Xiao Long: The Latest in a Long Line of Fuckups

So there’s been quite a bit of discussion by this point from a number of people, myself included, about the idea that Taiyang Xiao Long isn’t actually the ‘Good Dad’ that much of the RWBY fandom has long seen him as. That he is in fact just as much of a dysfunctional fuck-up parent as Qrow, Summer, and yes, even Raven. There are a few different factors to this that others have gone into more detail on, but for me it really comes down to one core point in particular:

If you have checked out of parenting to the point where the two girls under your care can both state overtly and matter-of-factly that the older of the two raised the younger, then it frankly doesn’t matter WHAT your reasons were for checking out or how hard you may have been grieving. You have unequivocally, massively, FUCKED UP as a parent. The fact that the show has made it clear that Ruby considers Yang, her SISTER, to be her primary parent-figure does not speak well to ANY of Team STRQ’s parenting, Tai included.

However, with that said, I thought it would be worth talking about what all this discussion could actually mean in practice, ie; how might all this end up being actually explored in the story of RWBY itself?

After all, it’s not like Tai’s failings as a father have really been directly focused on or confronted or even overtly spelled out in the show thus far. The most direct we’ve gotten was during Yang’s talk with Weiss in the episode Alone Together, and even that wasn’t so much directed at Tai himself so much as describing how Yang was forced to take up so much slack in the family after Summer’s apparent death. Right now, discussion of Tai’s failings as a father is still very much ‘reading between the lines’.

And I believe that is all deliberate on the part of the writers. Thus far, the references to Tai’s failings as a parent haven’t meant to be overt and obvious to the audience. But rather they are meant to be hints and foreshadowing hiding in the margins and not immediately obvious to the viewer.

At least until it’s time to MAKE them obvious.

You see, I believe that Taiyang as a character is going to turn out to be all too similar to the likes of Qrow, Ozpin and Ironwood.

Men who are introduced appearing to represent noble and good-natured archetypes, but who wind up being revealed to have DEEP and extensive personal failings and flaws that wind up hurting themselves and all those around them. The warning signs of which turn out to have been floating around the margins, between the lines and just outside the audience’s field of view since practically their first appearances.

Consider for a moment just how characters like Ozpin, Qrow, Ironwood and Tai were/have been overtly presented in their early appearances. In other words, how the story at first wants us to view them:

The Wise Teacher

The Quirky Mentor

The Heroic Soldier

The Good Dad

And now let’s remember just how the first three wound up failing our heroines. And all of the hints we got that FORESHADOWED that failing:

All of the ‘Shady Oz’ behavior that people were noticing as early as Volume 2, and which only compiled and built over the subsequent volumes until being finally dragged into the light at the start of Volume 6.

Qrow’s rampant alcoholism, which he was outright introduced with in Volume 3 and later noted by Glynda to ALWAYS to be drunk. And shown later in Volume 5 when Ruby doesn’t bat an eye at Qrow showing up at their house near-passed out drunk.

And of course, ALL of the red flags that Ironwood was on the fast-track to fascism right from his first appearance when he showed up for the preparations of a festival celebrating peace and unity with a fleet of giant warships.

Now we have Tai, a character who turns out to have all kinds of indicators pointing to him actually being a complete dysfunctional fuck-up as a father once you start looking closely. From Yang’s multiple recountings of how Tai shut down and left HER to care for Ruby, to his shall we say QUESTIONABLE mentoring advice to Yang, to Ruby outright stating that it was YANG who raised her…

Really if you just start taking a closer look at Tai’s actions and behavior across the show, you can start finding plenty of hints and red-flags to his dysfunctional parenting hiding under a thin veneer of ‘expected’ character-archetype behavior, just like what happened with Ozpin, Qrow and Ironwood.

For example, just look at Tai’s ‘mentoring’ of Yang in Volume 4. At first glance, this scene is framed like a typical ‘hero gets tough-love advice and help from their wise and experienced parent’ situation, which is the takeaway most of us probably got on first viewing. Yet the moment you take a closer look and start unpacking what Tai is actually saying in this scene, it becomes clear, particularly in hindsight, that Tai is FULL OF SHIT. To the point of seemingly not even understanding how Yang’s semblance even works.

Or how about his claim that Raven ‘did a number of this family’, which if you actually take a minute to analyze, ESPECIALLY now in hindsight, makes no goddamn sense. How exactly can Raven have ‘done a number’ on the family when she’s been GONE from said family for the past 18 years? Particularly now that it seems like if any member is guilty of ‘doing a number’ on the STRQ, it’s actually SUMMER for going off on her super-secret suicide/martyr mission. We can’t even say that Tai can blame Raven for what happened to Summer because as Ruby’s Tree Vision made clear, Tai doesn’t even know Raven was involved. What this statement REALLY feels like is a shitload of projection and Tai blaming Raven for all of HIS fuckups as a parent.

HOWEVER, because none of this is directly framed by the show as being explicitly ‘bad’ and doesn’t present Tai with traditional/obvious ‘bad dad’ traits (see Jacques, and more on him in just a bit…) and generally couches his behavior with a veneer of ‘feeling baseline care and affection’, it’s easy to overlook on a first viewing.

Really, it feels all too much like how Volume 4 also presented Ironwood on the surface as the noble, heroic ‘only sane man’ among the authority in Atlas, all while slipping in NUMEROUS red-flags of him being on the fast track to fascism.

Speaking of Jimmy the Child Shooter, it’s been noted by a few people at this point that in hindsight, it’s pretty clear that Jacques Schnee effectively served as a red-herring villain to distract the audience from the growing red-flags surrounding Ironwood, both in Volume 4 and again in Volume 7.

Well, what if Jacques was also being used to distract the audience from TAI’s own parenting red flags in Volume 4? After all, it’s easy to be more forgiving of Tai’s sketchy parenting choices when the show keeps cutting back to Jacques’ brand of ‘parenting’.

Really, I think in hindsight Volume 4 is giving us three different looks at fatherhood: We’ve got the caring, nurturing father in Ghira, the abusive villainous father in Jacques, and the dysfunctional fuckup in Tai. A real ‘the Good, the Bad and the Ugly’ situation.

And finally, the simple fact that Yang raised Ruby. The biggest indicator of Tai’s, as well as the rest of Team STRQ’s, MASSIVE fuckups as parents which goes all the way back to Volume 1 when Gold framed Yang as a motherly figure to Ruby, outright comparing her to Summer.

It all points to Tai being set up for the same kind of big, subversive narrative rug-pull as Ozpin, Qrow and Ironwood. Men who are introduced as these strong, capable, ‘good-guy’ archetypes, only for it to be later revealed to both the heroines and the audience that these adults that they trusted are actually massive fuck-ups who have been making a mess of everything.

The only difference with Tai is that the story simply hasn’t decided to shine the light of narrative focus ON all of his numerous problems and fuckups and force our heroines to confront them like it already has with Ozpin and Qrow in Volume 6, and Ironwood in Volumes 7 and 8.

At least, not YET.

And wouldn’t you know it, the last RWBY Beyond episode set up what could be the PERFECT opportunity for that with Yang’s line about Tai being on ‘special assignment’.

Sure, people have been saying stuff like ‘Oh he’s gotta be doing something super important like guarding the Relic of Choice’, but this is RWBY we’re talking about. The show that ALREADY made a big point about how the ‘Daddy had a good reason for abandoning you’ trope is utter bullshit.

So frankly, I’d say there is NO WAY IN HELL that Tai has an actual ‘good reason’ for not having come to Vacuo to see his daughters.

And that this is instead the setup for Ruby and Yang to finally have to DEAL with all of their parents’ dysfunctional bullshit.

[howlingday]

Hyena jaune and lion yang would hate each other but they like each other but must keep it a secret

In the African savanna, there are two animals constantly at odds with one another. The African lion, often symbolized to be associated with kings, with lionesses who fight fiercely to protect their cubs and sisters for the sake of their male leader, and the Spotted hyena, the top scavenger with an appetite for rotting flesh, where the lowest ranked female ranks higher than the highest ranked male. Both animals compete for food to the point of developing a natural animosity with one another. In some cases, hyenas will specifically target lion cubs and elders, while lions will maim hyenas with mortal wounds and leaving them to die.

Though not the same as their animal counterparts, two clans of faunus which share these traits compete with each other over the continent of Sanus. The Xiao Long clan, whom value loyalty, honor, and justice, reside on the island of Patch, under the protection of the Kingdom of Vale. The Arc clan, whom value freedom, community, and legacy, reside to the south, in the shadows of Mountain Glenn, in the village of Ansel, not bound by the laws of any one kingdom.

Would it be possible for these two clans to be reunited under the banner of one? Perhaps, long ago, before the raids began. Raven Branwen, the leader of the Branwen Bandit Tribe, attacked the Arc clan for their resources. However, when they sought retribution, the Xiao Long clan protected her. A child of the Arc clan was killed in the assault, and the Arc's sought the death of Raven's child, who was held in protection by the leader, Taiyang Xiao Long. He refused, declaring that any who made an attempt on him or his kin would suffer greatly.

This is when an unknown member of the Arc clan made the attempt on the wife of Taiyang, spurring the clan head to declare war on the Arcs. Bloody combat was engaged for days, even weeks on end, until the Arc clan was forced to surrender before the might of the Kingdom of Vale. However, the Arcs vowed that one day, they would see the end of the clan of Xiao Long.

--------------------------------------------------

"Are you sure you want to do this?"

"I'm sure, Mom." Jaune nodded, taking the hug from her and hugging in kind. "This is something I have to do."

His mother looked to his father. "If... If this doesn't work out, then there's no shame in coming home."

Jaune frowned at this. Were they expecting him to fail? To quit when things got too difficult for him? A part of him wanted to shout at his parents for insinuating this was what they meant, but he instead chose to keep his mouth shut. Especially with his mother as the clan matriarch. Punishment for a man contesting with the matriarch was harshly dealt, regardless if the man was correct.

Besides, deep down, he knew they were right.

"Jaune?" He looked to his mother. "Be careful. Please?"

"I will, Mom." He smiled before he turned and left to board the bus. He sat in his seat and looked to his family waving to him. His mother, his father, his sisters, his aunts and uncles. They all waved him off, to which he waved back. Next stop, the bullhead. And from there, Beacon.

--------------------------------------------------

"Yang," the eldest daughter of Taiyang looked to him, "there's someone here to see you."

Standing next to him was her mother, Raven, her hand resting on the pommel of her sword. Same as always, she didn't have a smile on her face. She'd never seen the woman smile, but that's also a slightly unfair statement since the woman was never around for longer than a day since Yang was old enough to notice. Maybe even before then.

"Yang." Raven greeted, entering Yang's room. She looked around, as if she were judging Yang's choice of decorum. "KickerZ?"

"What do you want, Raven?" Yang replied.

"You're going to Beacon."

"Yeah? What about it?"

"I went there, too, a long time ago."

"What, and you're choosing to offer me advice now when I'm about to go?" Yang stood up, doing her best to keep her temper reigned in. "Because the last we talked was... Wait, we never talked. Because you were never there."

"I was busy."

"Being a thief?"

"Bandit."

"Right, because that's so much better." Yang rolled her eyes. "Why are you here, Raven? Don't tell me it's for a hug goodbye because I'm not hugging you."

"Be careful."

Yang blinked. She didn't expect Raven to offer caution, partially because in all the stories Dad told about her, Raven usually was the one to disregard such warnings. It would be sweet, if it came from anyone other than Raven.

"I will." Yang crossed her arms. "I don't make the same mistake twice. Especially with the Grimm."

"It's not the Grimm I'd be worried about." Raven stared at the KickerZ poster with a muscular blond man with fangs and a tail. His eyes were as blue as hers... "You know about the Arcs?"

"A bunch of bandits south of Mountain Glenn." Yang said off-handedly. "Friends of yours?"

"No." Raven turned away, walking out the door. "I mean what I said, Yang."

"Yeah, I'm sure you did." Raven then left. Yang stepped out shortly after, but found the woman had already left without a trace. No trace, that is, except for a single black feather. Probably fell off of her while walking. Did that woman ever change clothes, or bathe? Yang didn't want to think about it.

Mostly because she needed to meet up with Ruby before they left for Beacon together.