(3rd Person POV)

Currently in the home, Team RNNJRR, Dairoku, Qrow, Oscar and Athena were staying in, Oscar and Dairoku were in the training room, the former training and the latter in his newly attained, Barbatos Exia form acting as a test dummy. Oscar yelled as he slammed the cane known as, The Long Memory against the white and blue armor of Barbatos Exia, not budging it but creating a loud clang and a bit of a shockwave.

Dairoku: Come on Oscar! I know you can hit harder than that!

Even though he was panting heavily, he continued his assault on the stationary armor. After a while, he actually managed to knock Dairoku in his armor back a bit before rushing in for another strike, but he was surprised to see Dairoku caught it.

Dairoku: Not bad.

Then he punched him in his stomach, not at full force but hard enough for him to fall to the ground.

Dairoku: You're improving significantly Oscar. At this rate, you'll be able to go head on against someone like Nora or Celeste.

Oscar: *panting heavily* Well, I couldn't have done it without you.

Dairoku smirked before disengaging his armor and handing a water bottle to Oscar who gladly took it.

Oscar: But are you sure it's a good idea to use you like a target dummy?

Dairoku: Yeah, besides, the stronger you get, the more durable I'll have to get.

Oscar: Right. *looks at Dairoku and frowns* Hey... Are you feeling okay?

Dairoku: Hmm? Yeah. Why you ask?

Oscar: It's just... after what happened between you and Ruby, you... weren't looking the best.

Dairoku: *frowns* Oh... That... Yeah, I'm fine... Took me a while, but I'm feeling alright.

Oscar: We all saw what happened this morning you know? You and Ruby were sleeping on the couch together. Does that mean-

Dairoku: No. We're not back together. I don't even know how she got there.

Oscar: Do... you want to get back with her?

Dairoku: *sigh* I don't know anymore. I do but... *sigh* Look, let's just not talk about this anymore. C'mon, dinner will be ready soon, and if we're late, Nora will eat everything, again...

He began walking towards the door but as he reached for it, Ruby, stood there, shocked but tried to keep her composure.

Ruby: H-Hey Dairoku...

Dairoku: *sigh* Hey Ruby. You need anything?

Ruby: O-Oh! I was just coming to get you and Oscar for dinner...

Dairoku: *sigh* Right. Well, we're finishing up anyways. I guess I'll see you there.

He walked past her, avoiding looking at her; it was still evident that he still wasn't over what happened, even after the previous night. Ruby looked down, saddened before looking to Oscar who was putting his cane on a weapon rack.

Oscar: He still isn't over what happened huh?

Ruby: *sigh* No... and honestly, I don't blame him...

Oscar: So, how did this all happen...?

Ruby: ...During the Vytal Festival, Dairoku managed to evolve Barbatos but passed out while coughing up blood in the process. It was revealed to us that that was a failed attempt of Barbatos evolving and every failure, it slowly saps his life away... I made him promise me that he'd stop trying to evolve it cause he would die at the rate he was going at... and for a while, he kept it... But, it turns out he was trying behind my back... I don't know for how long but... *sigh* I was just scared... I couldn't lose him... He means everything to me and him dying would be like having my heart ripped out... But... He wasn't wrong... He is probably the only one of us who can take on Bale and our best bet against Salem... I... was an idiot for lying to myself, saying I wanted to just run away from all this fighting with him... I'd be abandoning my dreams... the dream of my Mom... Of course, he's not out of the clear as he hid this from me for as long as I know and didn't trust me to tell me... but... I'm also in the wrong... I overreacted and therefore, cost us our relationship...

Oscar: I'm... sorry...

Ruby: Don't apologize... Besides, I want to make things right with him tonight... I'm going to have a talk with him...

Oscar: I wish you both luck.

Ruby: *slightly smiles* Thanks.

She began to walk off, leaving Oscar to himself.

Ozpin telepathically: She definitely is a determined one don't you think?

Oscar: Yeah, she is. Dairoku's lucky.

Ozpin telepathically: That he is. Also, I would recommend you get some ear muffs to go to sleep.

Oscar: Huh? Why?

Ozpin telepathically: Let's just say... When they'll get back... Something will happen that you wouldn't want to hear.

Oscar: ...Okay...?

(DISCLAIMER: I'm skipping the talk Ruby had with Oscar since nothing changes. I'll just say they had the talk before this conversation above. Thank you.)

"WE DID IT TO LEARN HOW TO KILL HUNTSMEN."
CHAPTER 7: PARTIAL REUNION

(3rd Person POV)

Back in the Branwen Tribe, Yang, Kuraime and Weiss were inside Raven's tent as Vernal served them tea.

Raven: You can wait outside. Thank you.

Vernal left, leaving the three huntresses to the bandit/huntress.

Yang: So, what's the truth?

Raven: You know, it's better when it's hot.

Weiss: You know, you're really obnoxious.

Raven just rolled her eyes.

Raven: The truth is that truth is hard to come by. A story of victory for one person is a story of defeat for someone else. By now, your uncle has surely told Ruby and her friends plenty of stories.

Yang: Well, he's never given me a reason to doubt him before.

Raven: That doesn't mean those reasons don't exist. You know, you and your teammates might as well be the poster children for the Huntsman Academies. Your motives vary, but you all enrolled to try and makes the world a better place. It's adorable.

Yang: It's what Huntsmen and Huntresses do.

Raven: Not all of them. Some people just in it for the money and the fame, but there's even more that are just looking to grow stronger. You're Uncle Qrow and I didn't attend Beacon to become Huntsmen, we did it to learn how to kill Huntsmen.

Kuraime: What...?

Yang and Weiss looked at each other shocked.

Raven: Daddy and Uncle left that part out hmm? Aside for the Grimm, Huntsmen were the only ones capable of ruining our raids and hunting us down. Our tribe need a counterforce, and Qrow and I were the perfect age. The entrance exams were child's play compared to what we'd already been through. We were good, so good, that we caught the attention of Beacon's very own headmaster, Professor Ozpin. Even after we were put on a team, I could tell he was keeping an eye on us. Back then, I thought it was because he knew, but it was Team STRQ he was interested in.

Yang: What do you mean by that?

Raven: Constant attention, extra training missions, turning a blind eye whenever we happened to break the rules and get into more trouble we should've.

Kuraime: Wait... He's been doing that with my team and Team RWBY...

Raven: Rings a bell? In fact, our team wasn't the only one, Team KLLY, Kai Rein, Lucifer Sakura, Lucy Kasuka Ironwood and Scarletina Yuuki.

Yang: What's your point?

Raven: How much do you know about Professor Ozpin's past?

Kuraime: He was... a prodigy.

Weiss: One of the youngest headmasters to be appointed to a school.

Raven: Because that's how he planned it. Because the man you know as Ozpin designed those schools and has followers inside every academy on Remnant that are loyal to him and no one else.

Weiss: That doesn't make any sense! How could he have...? No. Why would someone even do that?

Raven: Because old man Oz has a great and terrible secret. One that could spread fear across the world, one that he eventually entrusted to our teams, and once I know, there was no going back. I needed to know more, but with every new discovery I made, the more horrifying the world became.

Yang: Okay, then tell us. What's the big secret? What's so crazy that the rest of us don't know?

Raven: The Creatures of Grimm... have a master named Salem. She can't be stopped, she can't be reasoned with, and she will NOT rest until humanity crumbles at her feet.

The three huntresses went wide eyed...

Weiss: What?

Raven: You know, you three haven't even touched your tea.

Kuraime: Damn your tea! Why should we believe any of this?

Yang kind of went wide eyed as she never heard Kuraime get angry or aggressive with... anyone.

Raven: Now you're catching on. So far, you've done nothing but accept what others tell you, but you need to question everything.

. . .

Raven: Otherwise... you'll end up just as blind as Qrow... *turns to Yang* your fool of a father... Kai... *turns to Kuraime* And Dairoku...

This got to Kuraime as she pulsed a dark aura and her eyes turned completely white as he pointed Poison Ivy at Raven's head.

Kuraime: Don't you DARE talk about them like that! About DAIROKU LIKE THAT!

Yang and Weiss stared at Kuraime, horrified by the anger she was showing until Vernal showed up and pointed her gun to Kuraime's head.

Vernal: You need to calm down.

What Vernal wasn't expecting was for Kuraime to suddenly use Evernight Raven to blitz right behind her and curve the blade around her neck.

Kuraime: And YOU need to fuck right off.

Weiss: Kuraime, please...

Raven: Listen to your friend, Kuraime. You're friends have never let you down before... well not always.

Yang stood up.

Yang: You don't know the first thing about my teammates! How would YOU know anything about Dairoku!? About me!? You were never there! YOU LEFT US! Why!?

Raven: I know more than you realize. Not just about you, and not just what I've been told, but things I've seen with my own eyes.

Weiss then stood up, also angered.

Weiss: So you tell US. How do you know about Dairoku!?

Raven: Hmph... Well besides the obvious, I trained him when he was younger...

Weiss and Yang: What!?

Kuraime's eyes went back to normal and her aura disappeared as she released Vernal and looked in shock...

Kuraime: You trained Dairoku... Raven...? You?

Raven: That's right...

She took out a picture and handed it to Kuraime. It showed Dairoku, standing in between Raven and his mother, Scarletina... They were all smiling while the two mothers hugged him tightly...

Raven: His father asked me to. When he or his uncle couldn't, me along with other Huntsmen and Huntresses would take up the mantle of training him; me... Tai... Qrow... Glynda... Ironwood... Ozpin... Summer...

Yang's eyes widen.

Yang: Ruby's mom trained him too!?

Raven: That's right. It wasn't for long since... well you know what happened... But she trained with him long enough that the two had a bond...

Weiss and Yang looked down in sadness while Kuraime just continued staring at the photo... While she did, she took time to inspect how Dairoku's mother looked... Short pearl white hair with silver eyes, a white combat-skirt with white gloves, black thigh-high stockings with black and white boots... a pair of white wings, positioned around her shoulders, just like Dairoku...

But what was strange, is that she had on a red hooded cloak... like the one Ruby wears...

Raven: You can keep the photo if you want. I have a spare.

Kuraime was slightly startled by Raven but just sighed.

Raven: I know the Grimm have a leader, I know people who can come back from the dead, I know that Magic is real, and I can prove it. You said Tai told you about my Semblance.

Raven moved over towards the exit of the tent.

Raven: Well, I doubt he ever told you what Oz did to my brother and me.

She left as the tree huntresses looked at each other.

Vernal: Go see for yourself.

Vernal left, while slightly eying Kuraime. Yang and Weiss walked over to Kuraime and took a look at the photo she was holding and gasped.

Yang: How come he never said anything??

Weiss: I... I don't know...

Kuraime: This woman... The one in white... She's wearing a cloak similar to Ruby's... is it possible that... she met Ruby in the past...?

Yang and Weiss' eyes widen at the realization.

Yang: Maybe...

Kuraime put the picture in her pocket as the three moved out of the tent, only to realize that Raven was nowhere to be found.

Yang: Mom?

Weiss: Yang, are you okay?

Yang: I-I'll be fine once we can get her to take us to Ruby.

Weiss: It's okay if... you're not okay...

Yang: You two didn't believe what she said, right?

Kuraime: *sigh* At this rate, I don't know what to believe...

Weiss: I... of course not... Well, not all of it. It was crazy... We have Dust, Semblances... but I mean, there's no such thing as Magic.

Yang: I... I just can't wrap my head around the fact the Dairoku knew about my mother...!

Kuraime: I'm shocked too... I knew he met Raven before but I didn't know she trained him.

Yang: Speaking of which, you never told me how you knew my mom.

Kuraime: Oh, it was nothing major or anything. It was a few months after my parents death and my sister's disappearance, Lucy and Dairoku's dad introduced me to her when I was younger... Nothing major happened between us, but I could at least consider her a friend...

Suddenly, a caw was heard as a Raven flew by.

Kuraime: A raven?

Yang: I've... seen that bird before...

Weiss: Maybe it belongs to your mom?

Kuraime: Or maybe... it-

Before she could finish, the raven began diving towards the trio but... it suddenly transformed into Raven herself, causing the three Huntresses to dawn shocked expressions...

Kuraime: ...Okay... I can turn into a raven-like form with my Semblance... but... I have never turned into an actual Raven...

Yang: How... did you do that?

Raven: Well, I could explain it to you...

Raven then drew Omen and slashed it behind her, creating a portal.

Raven: ...or you can ask your uncle.

Yang: You're letting us go?

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 Kai, and so many others. But can you really go back to trusting someone that's kept so much from you?

Weiss and Kuraime stayed quiet as Yang glared at her mother.

Yang: All I care about is making sure my sister is safe.

Raven: Ugh...

Yang, Weiss and Kuraime mounted Bumblebee and drove over to the portal.

(Again, that fucking bike's design makes it look like it can seat three people)

Raven: Yang. If you side with your uncle, I may not be as kind the next time we meet...

Yang: You weren't kind this time either.

They went through the portal, leaving Raven to herself.

Raven: *sigh* I know...

...........................

Currently, Qrow and Athena were standing on a balcony, both dawning expressions of distraught.

Qrow: This isn't right... I get one or two of them, but... all of them?

Athena: Something's up Qrow... And I know for a fact, whatever it is, isn't going to end well...

Qrow sighed and lowered his head as Athena patted his back in a comforting way, but the suddenly heard something and turned around to see a red portal.

Qrow: Raven...?

To their surprise, there was a motorcycle engine coming from it.

Qrow: Oh...

Athena: *smirks* Well I'll be damned!

..............................

Currently, Ruby, Celeste, Ren, Jaune and Nora were all cooking up a feast while Dairoku and Neo were with Oscar.

Ren: Alright, the first batch is just about done.

Ruby: Awesome! Now we just need Qrow and Athena and we'll be all set!

Nora: Do you really think they're gonna bring that many people? *eats carrot slice* This is a lot of food.

Celeste shrugged.

Ruby: Uh, I don't know, but it sounds like we could use all the help we can get.

The sound of the front door opening and closing was heard.

Qrow: *from living room* We're back!

Ruby: Be right there!

Ren and Celeste then turned to Ruby who was trying to cook.

Ren: You're going to overcook that.

Ruby: No I'm not, shut up!

Celeste help up a sign that said, "Yes she is." Ruby saw that and pouted at Celeste who began giggling.

Qrow: Hey, uh, Ruby?

Ruby: I'm coming!

Smoke then began to rise from the dish, annoying the hell out of Ruby. She looked at Ren and Celeste, the latter dawning a smug expression.

Ruby: Ugh Fine! You take over.

She handed Celeste the spoon for her to take over as she took up a tea tray and began walking towards the living room.

Ruby: So, we didn't know how many people were coming, so we just cooked all of it-

When she looked up, she saw Qrow and Athena... BUT she suddenly dropped the tea tray, shattering the contents as she saw Yang, Weiss and Kuraime with them... Tears began seeping through her eyes as she stumbled on her words.

Rub: Y-Yang, I-I'm so sorry! I-I should've stayed, and I should've talked to you more! I'd- I just... I wasn't sure if you wanted me around and-

Ruby was cut off by Yang hugging her tightly...

Yang: I love you.

That one sentence... Simple yet with so much meaning, especially from a family member. She began to cry more and buried her head into her sister's shoulder.

Ruby: I love you too.

Dairoku and Neo ran into the room to see what the shattering noise was, only to calm down when they saw Ruby and Yang hugging it out. Then, he noticed, Kuraime, who stared at him in shock...

Dairoku: Hey Kurai-

Before he could finish, Kuraime blitzed towards Dairoku and leaped into his arms, hugging him tightly as tears streamed down her face, tears of happiness.

Kuraime: YOU'RE OKAY! You're okay! Thank goodness! When... When I saw you unconscious... I... I... YOU ABSOLUTE IDIOT!!! *begins sobbing*

Dairoku just smiled as a tear went down his eye and hugged his teammate tightly back, while rubbing her hair, like how Yang did to her. She just buried her face into his shoulder and cried more...

Kuraime: *muffled and through tears* I... I missed you... so much... You have no idea...

Dairoku: I missed you too Kuraime...

Kuraime: I was so scared... that I'd... lose... one of my closest friends... that I'd lose my family again... I... I was afraid I'd be alone again...

Dairoku: Don't worry Kuraime... I'm not going anywhere, anytime soon... I promise...

She calmed down and they broke the hug and smiled at each other. Then Dairoku noticed Weiss, glaring at him.

Dairoku: Hey Ice Que-

Again, he was cut off by her running towards him and pulling him into a tight hug.

Dairoku: Why is everyone cutting me off today...?

Weiss: YOU DOLT! Don't you DARE give us a heart attack like that again!

Dairoku just smiled, and hugged her back.

Dairoku: I missed you too, Snowflake.

When they pulled away...

Ruby: Weiss...

She looked over, and saw Yang and Ruby calling her over for a hug which she, without hesitation, accepted.

As this happened, Jaune, Ren, Nora, Celeste and Oscar entered the room. Celeste's eyes widen as she gasped, seeing Kuraime and Weiss.

Kuraime: Hello Celeste.

Celeste just ran over to Kuraime and pulled her into a hug, which she returned, tears still welling up in her eyes.

Kuraime: I missed you too...

When their hug broke, Celeste turned around to see Weiss, staring at her in shock... Tears began to flow down Celeste's eyes as she saw the person... she never thought she'd see again...

Weiss: Celeste...?

Celeste couldn't believe it... Her... girlfriend... was standing right in front of her again... Weiss just ran over to her and pulled her into a tight hug.

Weiss: I...I missed you so much! I couldn't stop worrying about you!

Celeste just hugged her back while humming in agreement... The two broke the hug as they stared lovingly into each other's eyes before leaning in... and planting their lips on one another... Weiss and Celeste, have been reunited, and everyone was happy to see this...

TEAM RWBY: 3/4
TEAM RCST: 3/4

END
——————————————
And there we go! Teams RWBY and RCST are each one member away from being whole again! Next chapter's going to be a... "special". I'm going to sin, HARD so prepare your bible and holy water.