Chapter 12: 11- Overdued Conversations
[Remnant/ 3 of November 83 A.G.W/ Yang Xiao Long: 10 Years old/ Vale's Hospital/ 6:30]
It took her some minutes to calm down, but, really, who could blame her? Anyone else who has lost a limb like her would probably cry even more if they somehow managed to get it back.
When Tai and Raven arrived they immediately rushed to Yang and comforted her, Raven in particular shot her with a clothes beam, giving her a replica of her own outfit.
Tai on the other hand held her and let her cry in his arms, she will not lie, it was a good feeling, to have someone she can rely on hold her, she remembers when her Mother hugged her after the fight against Nue, and just as she remembered, it was awesome.
Well, maybe that isn't the right word to use but, who cares anyway.
Her little sis also comforted her, with hugs, they were super effective, but now she is sleeping, the little cookie used all her energy when she was crying so she'll let her rest for 30 minutes more.
But what is far more important is what is about to happen, sitting on one end of the hospital bed Yang looked at her parents, her Ma had created two chairs for her and Pa to sit in front of her.
And now, both were looking attentively at her while she patted Ruby's hair.
Sighing she tried to relax, it didn't work, but even then, she will not give up, she has to say this, she has to gather courage and say it, she knows that if she doesn't do it now she won't have the courage to do so in the future.
And so, even with her body trembling slightly, she spoke.
"You know when I was in the Forest I… came to realize many things." Forcing herself to look forward she stared directly at her parent's eyes.
"Dad, I… I'm sorry, it wasn't your fault, so, let me explain myself, look, you… are a wonderful father, and I'd never ask for anyone else to raise me."
Tai's eyes widened as he opened his mouth.
"No! no, please, if you interrupt me I don't think I'll have the courage to keep talking if you do, so, just… let me speak, please."
Closing his mouth Tai simply sighed and relaxed, giving a side eye to Raven the woman too relaxed.
"When I was 8 something happened, it… changed me, don't ask me what it is I… Dad, Mom, do you know what my semblance is?"
Tai made a confused expression and shook his head while Raven shook her hand as if to say more or less.
"Hmn, my semblance's name is Return, with it I have the power to return everything I have lost, be it feelings, states of mind, body, objects, and even… people."
Closing her eyes Yang activated her transformation, a second later her hair turned a familiar shade of white and blue.
Wasting no time she used her semblance, and immediately felt her Aura dropping in half, weirdly it stopped there, it felt… as if her semblance stopped.
For one second she thought she failed, but not a moment later she felt a familiar hand land on her head.
Looking up, she couldn't help but smile as she saw her mother, Summer.
The specter smiled down at her, had she not cried before she is sure she'd be doing it right now, instead, she simply hugged her.
Summer reciprocated by hugging her with one arm, before looking directly at both Tai's shocked face and Raven, trying to not smile.
She almost laughed, but it wasn't the time for jokes, she doesn't have much time.
"This little dragon's soul is quite powerful you know, just like her mind, her semblance although powerful is… sad."
Her eyes turned melancholic.
"For someone, my daughter nonetheless to lose so much and wish to have something back so deeply her very soul reflected such a wish… it's saddening, you know."
"Although I know I couldn't have helped you then it still feels as if I failed you, we all failed you Little dragon."
Freeing herself from Summer's hug Yang looked at her with a complicated expression.
"No, no! It wasn't your fault Mom, and in the end, everything paid out. Now that I have Return I can bring you back, all I need is your body and bam! You come back!"
Summer smiled sadly, she ignored the hitch in the breaths of both Tai and Raven, both were holding themselves back from saying something for the sake of Yang.
"No little dragon, your suffering is never, you hear me, your suffering was and never will be something to be celebrated, I am undoubtedly happy at the possibility of being brought back but if I had to die a thousand times more so you would never suffer as you did, I would."
Touching Yang's cheeks with her hands, Summer looked directly at her daughter's eyes with a serious expression.
"If I had to choose between you being weak but happy or strong but sad, I'd choose the former every single time, it's a parent's duty to take care of their children until they no longer need us, not the contrary."
"Do you understand me Yang Xiao-Long? If you ever try to put yourself at death's door just to bring me back, or even try to do this at the cost of your own well-being, I'm coming back just to beat some sense into your head ok?"
Yang tried to move her head, but Summer did not let her.
"Do. You. Understand. Me?"
"... Yes, m'sorry."
Summer smiled and kissed Yang's head before releasing her.
"Good, your well-being is much more important than some measly power, ok, and one more thing, I don't care if you're strong or not, you are prohibited from fighting against any Grimm until Raven deems you ready."
"B-but!" Yang stuttered, if this happened before she would probably stay angry at her but after the Forest, she came to realize something very important.
She does not own the truth, and even if she feels upset with something, she is a child, one might say that she isn't due to her previous life but… she accepted her death.
She is Yang Xiao-Long, a 10-year-old girl with no sense for anything outside of fighting. If her parents prohibit her from doing something, they certainly have a good reason why.
Contrary to her previous ones, these genuinely care about her.
"No, no, no little missy, you almost died multiple times in that forest, Raven and Beaks, Me and even Zwei saved you multiple times, if not for them you would have died."
Yang lowered her head and looked to the side, using her peripheral vision she saw the faces of both her mother and father.
Her dad seemed to be disappointed while her mother simply smiled slightly, even if she saved her multiple times her ma seemed to be proud of her.
She smiled too.
"Ouch!" Right before summer hit her in the head.
"And Raven, don't encourage her!"
The woman in question simply made an unbothered expression and shrugged her shoulders.
Turning her eyes toward Yang again, Summer spoke.
"Until you learn how to heal yourself with Magic, Ki, Aura, and with your semblance without your wounds returning you have to promise me you won't purposefully fight against any grimm without oversight ok?"
Yang looked at her mother and nodded lightly.
"Good, now you can speak with them about what you want, ah, and one more thing, your semblance helps me to arrive in the physical world but not to stay."
Yang's eyes widened.
"That's why your semblance only consumes aura when you bring me here, to stay I have to do my own thing, and even then I can't do much or even stay for long, so don't expect me to help you in a tight spot ok?"
Meekly Yang nodded.
"Your semblance is somewhat poetic you know, it is something that perfectly reflects who you are, although it allows you to regain what you once lost it doesn't allow you to keep it, after all, you believe that you have to earn everything, don't you?"
Yang's eyes widened.
"To keep what you treasure you will have to be the one to fight for it, not your semblance." Summer winked as if telling a secret.
"And remember, you should use those blue flames if you find yourself in a difficult situation."
"If you train with them enough you'll be able to use my full power, and let me tell you something, I've been training for a loong time in the afterlife so I'm quite powerful now ya know, much more than my living days."
Summer smiled sadly as her form flickered in and out, she seemed to be slightly uncomfortable as her being became unstable.
"Yang, I already said this but you are my daughter, no matter what is inside that mind of yours, you were and always will be my Little Dragon, never let someone tell you otherwise, not even yourself."
With those parting words, Summer slowly disappeared into blue particles of light, she seemed to want to talk to both Raven and Taiyang but in the end, she didn't have time for it.
Silence permeated the room, for a moment all of them looked at the spot where Summer had been.
"When I bring her back."
All eyes suddenly snapped at Yang, who in turn stared at both of them with unwavering determination, had the atmosphere not been so serious it would have seemed cute.
"When I bring Mom back, I'll tell you everything, but until then, you have to promise not to ask me anything, ok?"
Both parents glanced at each other, communicating through their eyes they looked back at Yang and nodded with serious expressions.
The girl on the other hand simply smiled, she doesn't want to lie to her family, but she knows things can go south if she doesn't manage to explain things properly.
Doing it with Summer at her side would be much better, wanting or not her mother saw the entirety of her soul, it was embarrassing but, for the woman, she had no secrets.
Still doesn't have any actually, she has no doubt even now she is looking after her on Otherworld.
She shook her head.
"I… going back on what I was saying, two years ago something happened, something that changed me, changed my way of thinking, some things were good, I gained more maturity for example."
"It was very helpful, I'm sure I would have been lost otherwise, in my opinion, it was worth it, without it I wouldn't be able to take care of myself, or even Ruby."
Her expression worsened.
"But… not everything was good, and what came together, made things worse."
"I… hated myself, and I hated that I heated myself, I believed that I was a… for a lack of a better term, piece of trash, but I wanted to change, I wanted to change so, so much."
Raven adjusted her position, she had to hold herself back from saying something, and even more just to not get up and hug Yang.
She stood in place both because of her daughter's request and because she believed hearing her would help her to help her girl.
This might sound hypocritical of her but she believes Family members shouldn't lie to each other.
"That's why I didn't back down on the forest, at first that is, before that spider caught me on its illusion I… believed that if I ever broke a standard I set for myself, a promise I made to myself I would just… prove to everyone that at the end, I was that same piece of garbage I believed myself to be."
She didn't cry, she held it, she would not allow herself to cry, not yet.
"This might sound weird but… that spider, I am thankful for it, it made me, no, it forced me to see what kind of person I really was."
Yang looked at her dad, tears formed on the side of her eyes, she had allowed her past life to cloud her judgment of this man for far too long.
'It ends now.'
"I'm sorry Dad, you… after what happened two years ago you became nothing but a wonderful father to me, I just couldn't see it."
Tai's eyes softened as his breath returned, he felt… as if a weight had lifted from his shoulders, but at the same time, another replaced the one before it.
The word, it's not my fault, would bring happiness to many people in many situations, but this… is not the case for him, he would have preferred to be the one to have the blame, instead of hearing that his daughter had a problem that even after years he could not see.
"I… overreacted, I was afraid of you, you… drank too much, and I know that people who do this… poison, people that are under it, become something they are not."
"I stood the furthest away from you I could, and I can't help but feel ashamed of myself for doing it so."
Yang breathed deeply as she tried in vain to hold her tears, for 2 years she had been bottling everything up inside her, for two entire years, it Is a miracle she didn't start to cry sooner.
"You were hurt, I was too, but I gave my all to help Ruby while Ignoring you, it's pathetic, I was a pathetic human being, even while hurting and bottling everything inside me I always wanted someone to save me."
With a blurry vision, Yang looked at her mother.
"Someone like you Mom, I dreamed of you coming back and taking me away to a cozy home in the middle of nowhere, where I'd never have to sleep hungry again or work to stay alive."
Her vision became blurry, and the tears in her eyes made it impossible for her to see the faces of her parents. but even then, she was sure the woman had a pained expression, it isn't every day your child of all things slaps you in the face with your failures.
"And even still I ignored you Dad, ridiculous right? A pathetic little hypocrite girl who dreamed of being saved just ignores someone in need of help."
Sniff*
"I should have helped you, you needed it, but I couldn't, my mind, my idiotic mind wouldn't let me, hence why I am very thankful for Uncle Qrow, he helped you snap out of it, something I should have at the very least tried to."
.
.
.
.
"I… didn't deserve your help."
Silence took hold of the room once again, Yang used her shirt to wipe away her tears and sniff the mucus on her nose.
Taiyang on the other hand held his breath and forced himself to stay in place, he… understands things better now, and it only made him feel worse because of it.
It was insane, he was blaming himself for not being able to read minds, it was completely irrational, and yet, he still felt like a failure, an even bigger one.
"After that, I… started to feel better around you, I trusted you more, even got back to calling you dad, it, felt good, knowing there was someone there to take care of me, that genuinely loved me you know."
Yang smiled sadly.
"DustTube, I… wasn't upset because of the contract or anything, no, that damn thing could go to hell for all I cared, when you signed that contract, all you wanted was the best for me right?"
With a serious expression, Taiyang nodded, he had been wanting to talk with his daughter about this for some time now, and although the circumstances were not ideal he was happy to talk to her.
Seeing his response Yang's mouth went up in a smirk, even then, it somehow managed to be a sad one.
She… made many mistakes in the past, and this conversation, for her, is the best way to make up for them, no, perhaps not make up but… to start fixing it, yes.
That's all she wants, to have her family back, and not commit the same mistake again, she will not be the one to ruin her own life, not again.
"I… didn't see it that way, my mind was very over-reactive, I made absurd connections that shouldn't even exist with things that happened in my past, and connected you to… a bad man."
Crack!
The arm of the chair broke as both Raven and Tai crushed them under their fists, for one second she felt an enormous amount of pressure around her, weirdly it did not make her feel uncomfortable just… safe.
Her eyes widened as she realized the way her words could be interpreted, lifting her arms she shouted.
"Wait, wait! Mom, Dad, calm down! It's not what you're thinking, in my 10 years of life nobody has ever tried to… you know R or abuse me."
Both parents looked at her with angry expressions, they were not angry at her, they just didn't fully believe her words.
She sighed.
"Look, I know I said something weird, and I will say things like that again, weird things I mean, but they are related to the thing I told you before, I… will only talk about it when I bring Mom back."
"I… don't want to lie to you or even hide something important but, the truth is, I… I'm afraid I'm not courageous enough to tell all of you the truth without Mom beside me, she… saw my soul, with her I have no secrets she saw everything that is me."
She lowered her voice.
"Everything that is Yang Xiao-Long, and even more."
She stood silent, for the next seconds all she heard was the sound of pieces of wood falling to the ground and the breathing of her parents.
They were angry, extremely angry, her words did almost nothing to calm them down, but… she smiled, feeling the pressure around her brought a feeling of happiness.
A feeling that she was safe, looking down she patted Ruby's head, she had no doubt her sister was feeling the same in her dreams.
"I felt, no, for me, it felt like… like you didn't care about me, I thought that you dismissed me, that my words, my feelings were… irrelevant to you."
"In my mind, you were the type of person that wouldn't care whatever I wanted or not, that you would simply say 'I know better' and either force me to do something or completely ignore my words."
"The phrase Children should be seen, not heard passed through my mind many times."
Taiyang looked at Yang with a serious expression, now… he understands, he, it surely wasn't his intention to do such a thing but now he comprehends something that perhaps he should have understood much sooner.
His daughter is still a child, it sounded obvious but somewhere in the way, seeing Yang act so mature, he forgot it.
Even mature as she is, his daughter is still a child, people, say mature children are easy to raise, but now he understands this couldn't be further from the truth, if anything, it just takes some difficulties away, and adds on new ones.
His daughter's mind is that of a woman, but her brain is still of a child, she… being much more mature than anyone in her age group she most likely can't stand children of the same age.
Now that he thinks about it, she always had a good relationship with her teachers, from what they said she always talked to them as if they were the same age.
If not for her appearance, maybe they'd even believe it.
He blinked, yes, it was obvious now, Yang saw herself as an equal to everyone, an apt description to her, so when she was dismissed, when her voice was dismissed as something irrelevant, she didn't take it well.
Having the brain of a child, mature or not, she still couldn't fully control herself like an adult, nor could she rationalize his actions for what they truly were.
An attempt to help was taken as a signal of disrespect, a signal that when on an important occasion, her voice wouldn't be heard, her feelings wouldn't be taken into account.
All due to her age.
'Ah.' It was all he could think, the answer was right in his face.
Communication.
That's it, all he had to do to fix everything was to talk with her, take the first step, not care about his fears and just go for it.
'Hehe.' He almost laughed, it was pathetic, he, a grown man, was too afraid to take the first step, while his 10-year-old daughter was here, barging her heart out to him with the entirety of her body shaking in fear.
'Really, who's the adult here?'
Yang laughed at herself.
"Stupid right? Mom died being a huntress, and even then you let me train to become one, it must have been hard, so much so that I can't imagine it."
Yang looked with a serious expression at her father, she tried her best to look as honest as she could.
"So… thank you, you were a wonderful father, don't blame yourself for me being a horrible daughter, I will do my be-"
Before Yang could finish her words Tai suddenly appeared in front of her.
"!"
The man opened his arms and then hugged her gently.
"No." He said in a deep tone of voice making her heart skip a beat in surprise, she… had never seen him be so firm.
He was always kind, and never raised his voice at her, even when he should, even when she deserved it, he… was still kind, she could feel it, somehow, in his ki, it was… agitated, upset, angry, but towards her, it felt… protective?
She was given no time to think as he pushed her away and looked directly at her eyes, a sad yet determined expression married his face.
"No, you, were not a bad daughter, you are not a piece of garbage and never was, and most of all, you were not pathetic, never call yourself that again, understood?"
Unconsciously she nodded, her eyes open wide in shock at her father's actions.
"Put this on your head Yang, no matter what happened two years ago, to both me and you, I don't even care if you somehow came from the future or were someone else, I. Don't. Care."
"You are my daughter, my 10-year-old daughter, you are a child no matter what" He pointed his finger at her head "This might say."
"You are a child, and… I am sorry if I have ever acted in a way that made you believe that I disregarded your feelings because of that, I promise That was never my intention."
"I am your father, and although I unfortunately can't say that I have loved you unconditionally since the day you were born, I can sure as hell say that I have loved you as my daughter for years."
"I am Taiyang Xiao-Long, and You are my daughter, which means you are my responsibility, no matter what complicated mental twists you make or how you think, the blame falls on me."
Yang opened her mouth but stopped as she saw her mother shaking her head at her.
"A child should not have to help their parents in any way, you should have been enjoying your childhood, playing, watching some dumb cartoons and even making friends in the street."
"You should not have been working, you should not have been taking care of your sister in my stead, and you sure as hell shouldn't think for a fraction of a second that you needed to fear your own father."
Huff*
Huff*
Huff*
Taiyang breathed heavily as his heart kept bouncing in his chest, he promised to her he'd not speak but enough is enough, he will not stand still while his daughter blames herself for things that should have been his responsibility.
"I failed you, yes I might as well have to be a mind reader and an empath above that to have realized your problems but you know what? It's still my fault for not being either of these things."
"Eh?"
Tai laughed at her confusion.
He… he was being completely irrational! She said everything, it should have been obvious the fault lies with her.
He laughed more.
"It seems ridiculous, doesn't it? But even then I'm right, let me tell you this Yang, and take what I'm about to say for life."
With a stupefied expression she nodded.
"No matter how tough life gets, being a parent means putting your child's needs before your own. It is a… gigantic responsibility, as a parent I have the very Life of another human being in my hands."
"Relying on me for food, protection, guidance, and above all, Love, one day you will leave my house, one day I will die, and regardless of which comes first, it's my duty to raise you to a point where you no longer need me when one of these does happen."
"And let me tell you something little dragon, that day isn't even close, your actions are my responsibility, not yours, your problems are my problems, and your pains are my pains."
"And I hope, no, I Know that your happiness, is my happiness too, do you understand me? your very life is my responsibility to nurture, so don't go acting like your pain isn't my deal, it is, and if you can't deal with it you should know, I'm always here."
Yang's breath hitched, and her vision became blurry as she felt something fall down her cheeks.
30 years, the full extent of her existence, for 30 years she, even if never knowing, always wanted to hear this.
She is happy, no, the word happy doesn't come close to expressing what she is feeling right now, finally, Finally after So long, she has a father that loves her back.
She didn't say anything, she didn't even move her head, she just rushed forward and hugged her Dad while doing her best to hold her crying back, she didn't want her sister to see her like this.
Not even if it is the happiest day of her life.
—---------------------------------------------------------------
[Remnant/ 3 of November 83 A.G.W/ Yang Xiao Long: 10 Years old/ Vale's Hospital/ 6:44]
It took her some time to regain her composure again, but by the end of it, she was smiling, everyone was actually.
With clear eyes she looked at her mother, before ending here she wants to do one last thing, and so, after a deep breath, she spoke.
"I… want to ask you something Mom, and please be truthful, why did you leave?"
Raven sighed, she knew her time would come but even then, she couldn't help but feel afraid, lifting herself from her chair she kneeled in front of her daughter and looked directly at her eyes.
"Before I answer this I want you to know something, I… have talked with your father not long ago, and he made me realize that my actions could be interpreted in a very wrong way."
"I am not trying to justify myself, I admit fully, I was wrong, I should have never left you Little Dragon."
"I should have stayed with you, to help you grow into the wonderful woman and the wonderful warrior I should always have believed you could be."
"When you were born, you had a ridiculously small power level of ten, the Power Level or Battle Power of a being determines the strength of their Ki, mine for example is 37.987 you-"
"Ehhhhh?????!!!!" Raven's mouth closed as her daughter shouted in both shock and awe, she had to admit, the feelings coming through Bond did make her smile.
Maybe she turned a little bit egotistical and prideful at that small moment but who cared? Her daughter thinks she's awesome and she can be happy about that.
She laughed a little and then patted Yang's head.
"Hehe, your Ma is pretty strong you know, but there are people even stronger than me, your grandma being one of them, last time I saw her she had… 55 no 57.000 if I'm not mistaken."
Yang's eyes almost budged out of her face, she knew her mother was strong but not by that much!
'Wait, if she's that strong then how powerful is Salem? I doubt she wouldn't have neutralized that woman if they had the power for it and grandma? Is she a saiyan too?'
'And even more, if she's that powerful and Salem is still around then that means that woman either trained like hell with her magic for however long she's alive or she knows about Ki.'
'Oh shit, oh shit shit Shit SHIT! Ki combined with her immortality would give her the power to train without limit, not only that but if her curse works the way I think she most likely has an infinite amount of Ki, as soon as it gets consumed it is instantly replenished.'
Yang's mind froze, the situation is much MUCH worse than what she imagined, but even then, she calmed down.
If she knew of this before the forest then she is sure she would be even more panicked but now… now she knows what these negative emotions can truly do if they find a foothold within her mind and so.
She did not allow them to have even that.
'But… this changes nothing, as long as my plan is complete even the Brother Gods won't be able to defeat me, remember, I am not trying to have the maximum battle power possible as soon as possible, no.'
'I am trying to transform myself into a monster, one that evolves thousan- no, millions of times in a single fight, the stronger my enemy is the stronger I will become.'
Breathing deeply Yang looked with a serious expression at her mother, the woman on the other hand only felt confused at the emotions coming off from her daughter.
"Wait but… I felt the Ki of everyone around, although there are people stronger than me most seem… mudded?"
Raven sighed and promptly ignored the feelings she felt through Bond, her daughter has… deep secrets, and although she is curious she already knows she will receive her answers when Summer is brought back.
For her, it isn't a question of if but when, her daughter has THE strongest semblance of the Planet, she'll be sure to draw out every drop of potential stored inside it.
Smiling she answered her daughter, no matter what, nothing would separate her from her heart, no fights, no feelings, and much less some pathetic secrets
"Your father's power level is 7.537 but he can only extend about 60% of that, so about 4.522, Ki is not a secret per se but for most people of Remnant they can only use it by transforming it into aura."
"And aura is significantly less powerful when it comes to strengthening one's body so most people only get about 40% of efficiency while using it."
"For them to even dream of using ki without aura they first have to reach 100% efficiency and even when they reach that they have to learn how to release their Ki outside as to lash out energy waves but some can't even do that first part, much less the second."
"The reason why most people can only use Ki through aura is that they evolved in a world full of it, Ki is only a very recent discovery, 80 years old in fact."
"Unconsciously they transform their Ki into Aura, making it extremely difficult for them to stop doing that when they are older, by then it's a soul-deep action and not a mental one hence why they have to train extremely hard to stop it."
Raven's face grimaced.
"While yes training children to do such a thing would fix the problem, it would also make many more, first, although Ki is not a secret the users of it don't bother to spread its existence, more than 90% of the planet will never be able to use it after all, why bother?"
"And they also have common sense, true Ki users I mean, If the knowledge of Ki is openly spread I have no doubt some insane bastard will try to train child soldiers."
"They already do that with Aura users, introducing Ki would only make things worse, not to mention for a human/faunus child to be disciplined enough to train they would have to do some very… bad things to them."
"It might seem obvious but for those insane bastards it might as well be a puzzle, children aren't adults, neither physically nor mentally, any training involving Ki will inversely damage their growth."
Briefly, she looked at Ruby, and then back again at her daughter.
"There are of course exceptions, but they are the minority, between ten thousand people, only one has enough talent in Ki for them to use pure ki without aura efficiently and do more than just reduce a building to ash, meaning only about 2.700 people in this planet are more than weaklings."
Glancing behind she looked at Tai and then turned back to look at her daughter.
"Your father is one of them, and so the reason why I choose him to give me a child."
Raven smiled.
"And he gave me a wonderful one, I am sorry It took me ten years to see that Little Dragon."
Taking her mother's hand Yang snuggled her cheeks into it.
"But I've strayed from my point too much, going back, your Grandma, my mother, Popura is… a harsh woman, do not be mistaken she was a wonderful mother, but after what you have told me I am more than sure that hiding you from her until now was a good choice."
"She… believes how a Saiyan is born is how they will die, had she seen you she would be furious, she would not have accepted a weakling for a granddaughter."
"She would have put you through what she put me and… I didn't want that, don't get me wrong I wanted for you to be a powerful warrior, one that surpassed even me and your grandma."
Raven grimaced, she didn't want to say it but, she has to.
"But… I didn't believe you could."
She sighed.
"I was… disappointed that your power level was so low, I will not lie to you, Yang I dreamed of getting a powerful child, but."
Lifting her daughter's chin she forced out of her diecast look and made her look at her eyes.
"Independently of what I wanted, the moment, The very Moment I held you, I knew that I would give my life to protect you."
Yang smiled, it… hurt, her mother's first words hurt in a way she thought it wasn't possible but, the second part of her sentence brought forth a joy she had never felt, not in this life and certainly not in the last.
She may have already said it but… having someone that truly loves her is… amazing.
It was something she couldn't quite describe it maybe because she never felt it before but, the closest thing she could come to describing it would be to compare it to the warmth of a campfire.
She doesn't want to lose it, now knowing how truly powerful her enemies will be she will be sure not to.
Unseen and unheard by all, inside of the small Saiyan her cells pulsed rhythmically, at that exact moment she made a promise, a body and soul-deep promise to herself.
She will not lose this warmth, No. Matter. What.
She is not as alone as she thought she was, and… she found it to be quite good, she doesn't have to fight the darkness of the world alone, and neither will she have to.
"I had to sacrifice much to protect you Little Dragon, I could have fought against my mother but… she is still someone I dearly love, it would hurt her, and it would hurt the entire family to see us fighting."
"Ever since I was a brat I was taught that family comes above everything, something I took to heart even now, and so, to not hurt anyone close to me I decided to hurt myself, to spare everyone else."
"I left you with Summer, for her to raise you like you were her own, I asked for her to never mention me to you, Summer would be your mother, and Raven Branwen would just be some stranger you have never heard about."
Unnoticed by the two women Taiyang flinched slightly, he knows Raven forgot completely about his existence, and as a result, he also knows the woman to be speaking from her heart.
It… opens his eyes, to see a woman he considered to be cold, rude, and uncaring talking with such kindness, such… emotion in her voice.
He really should have learned this before but, perhaps he is only realizing it now that, not all is what it seems.
"But somehow, someway you found out about me, and it hurt you, it hurt you to know you had a mother, and she wasn't there to take care of you, to comfort you."
"I had to force myself not to just go to you and bring you with me, you… you have no idea little dragon, of how much it killed me to stay away from you."
"Had I known you knew about me I don't think I'd have been able to stop myself, damn the consequences you'd be with me and you'd be happy with it."
"Today, I… I was planning to meet with you today, bring you with me to the tribe, that boy, the one that ripped your tail out he… he is a puppet, for a very powerful woman, one that wanted to do something horrible with you."
Yang's eyes widened, she suspected who her mother was talking about but she thought she had more time before anything happened.
"Had you not punched that boy's jaw off a fate worst than death would have awaited you."
Cold shot out from her spine as she realized how close to disaster she was, not for a second did she ever think the world moved around her but she too never thought about the things happening in places she could not see.
"When I found out about that I felt as if everything I had done was for naught, all the pain inflicted on both me and you by MY decision, it… meant nothing."
"In the end, I left to fight, to build a world where you could be as weak as you wanted, where you would never need to fight to survive, a world where you knew nothing of hardship, only happiness, I killed my heart to make that world, but a single incident was all it took to show me that nearly ten years of work served for nothing."
Raven held Yang's face with her palms, tears fell down her eyes as she looked at the only living being that could ever make her react in such a way.
"You were almost taken away from me, because I didn't believe you could ever be a powerful warrior, you weren't ready for what came, had you not trained incessantly for those 2 years something horrible would have happened."
"I was lucky, and I realized that, after that, I decided that even if you had to suffer, even if I had to force myself to do it, you would have to train with me, to become someone that could fight for herself while I was not there."
"I didn't believe you could reach anything meaningful, but by that point, I didn't care I just wanted you to be stronger, and so, I decided, that I would show myself and finally bring you with me today."
Taking her hands away she pointed up.
"But, something happened, you flew over to Forever Falls, and then, everything changed, I… don't think you realize just how insane everything you did truly was."
"Your power level skyrocketed after each fight, you created dozens of new techniques, a new energy, your Ki control briefly surpassed even mine and in the end you almost killed a pool guardian, monsters capable of threatening even large cities by themselves."
"Little dragon you Surpassed me when I was the same age, you found a way to multiply your power level without using ambient Ki, do you have any idea how insane this is? You are the first, the FIRST on this planet to do this, and by yourself nonetheless."
"2.437 this was my power level when I was your age, and that only after I bled daily with insane training sessions made by my mother and fights with creatures that came very, VERY close to killing me, that would have done so had my mother not saved me."
"And you surpassed all that, in less than 7 hours."
Raven smiled as she looked at her daughter, the pride she felt couldn't be quite put into words, her little dragon's talent encapsulated everything she had ever seen even if she put Summer and her together she is sure her daughter would still win in the talent department.
As she looked at her daughter happily Yang blushed, embarrassment and happiness flooded her being as her mother looked at her with a proud and exhilarated expression.
She felt butterflies in her stomach, this… this is all she ever wanted and quite honestly she felt a sense of surrealism as if she couldn't quite believe her life was going exactly in the direction she dreamed of.
"You entered that forest with a measly 58 battle power and released a Ki wave with 6.477 power level, right now you have exactly 998 battle power meaning that in seven hours you gained 940 battle power!"
"This might not sound much but you gained less than 50 in over two years of training little dragon, what happened in that forest allowed me to see the truth clearly, your talent only comes to bloom when you fight those stronger than you."
"So… you will train me?"
"Of course, I will little dragon, you may be a genius but I have seen your fights up close, you have much to learn, some of your mistakes were truly atrocious, and if kept will undoubtedly take your life in a real fight, by the time we're done you will be a killing machine, I'm sure of it."
Briefly Yang blushed at the compliment and the high expectations of her mother but soon enough she shook her head and looked at her mother with a serious expression.
"Mom, I… I have a condition."
"Hmm?" Raven looked at her daughter with a confused expression.
"If you want to train me then you have to train Ruby too!" She spoke quickly as her heart hammered in her chest.
Looking at the smaller child below Yang, Raven had to hold the urge to smile down, with a raised eyebrow she flickered her daughter's forehead.
"Ouch!"
"Foolish girl, I already planned to train that little rascal, you might not know it but her mother talked to me while that spider hypnotized you, now let's go, I'm already tired of this damn hospital."
Behind her Tai lifted himself and borough Ruby's sleeping form onto his arms before turning and walking out of the room the mother and daughter pair following closely behind.
Seeing this Yang quickly jumped out of the bed, glancing at her mother she froze for one moment, before lifting her right hand.
Raven smiled before extending her left hand and holding her daughter's own, until she reached the exit of the hospital Yang had a skip on her steps.
Something that quickly died down as she looked around the city.
Around her, the city seemed to be in a state of panic, not many people walked around, most who did were either policemen or paramedics.
A feeling of uneasiness bubbled up inside her stomach, her senses picked up stray vestiges of Ki, her Ki.
She could feel it now, unlike before she sensed the ambient ki of the World, it wasn't particularly dense, that is, with the exception of the place around her, something that only got stronger the closer the energy was to the forest.
Had she… done this? She… no, her fight against Nue only affected the forest, it only damaged THE forest, none of her attacks could ever hope to reach so far.
Except… except for the explosive sphere and her Kamehameha.
Thump*
Her heart hammered in her chest, both of these attacks surpassed by a long shot the power of a Nuclear Bomb, she knows very well what would have happened had she not restrained that sphere but… she… she did it right? She restrained herself, contained that sphere, it should have been enough.
Enough not to kill anyone… Right?
She… she didn't kill anyone, Right?
Her throat felt tight as her breath got stuck in it, her eyes turned down as she reflectively avoided looking around, she is no empath but… any ki user would be able to pick off the tension and pain emanating everywhere.
"Hey."
Suddenly everything went back to normal, the feeling of oppression coming from all sides disappeared as her mother's voice entered her ears, it took less than a second for her to snap her face towards her.
"Nobody died, you did make an impressive light show from their perspective however, and besides, do you really think I'd let stray attacks hit the city?"
Her heart slowed down as a sense of embarrassment took hold of her, she felt somewhat like an idiot, of course her mother wouldn't let anything happen, why was she even contemplating the contrary?
"Not that I particularly care about these wor- people but even if useless I wouldn't let their deaths inconvenience you, If there is something that I understand is that even if a Saiyajin you are still young."
Raven smiled, with a tug of her Ki she lifted her daughter into her arms and looked happily at her while still walking, at this distance Tai could perfectly hear their conversation, but she didn't care.
"You weren't raised like me, so I understand being a little soft toward some weaklings, with time, you will understand that they only matter if their numbers are big."
A forced smile found its way into Yang's mouth, her mother might not be a pure Saiyan but she did take some very… bad traits from them, luckily not as severe as those of her mother Race.
She didn't like it, her Saiyan side is indeed a big part of who she is and does have a heavy influence on her being to the point where it synchronized with the very mirror of her soul, her semblance but… it's not everything.
She's human too.
Her feelings of anger did not originate from her Saiyan heritage, no, they were enhanced by it yes, but not originated.
Human, Faunus, Saiyan, her feelings and thoughts don't originate from any of these Races, nor is she more one than the other.
In that forest, she learned many things, perhaps one, if not the most important of them is that Yang Xiao-Long is most of all, a mesh of many, many things, and not one in particular.
Perhaps she can teach that to her mother too.
And she knows just where to start
With a smile on her face, she looked at her mother and then spoke with the most sincere tone she could muster.
"You know… we are a hybrid race, Human, Faunus, and Saiyajin, we are a combination of all of these things, not just one in particular, we aren't any more Saiyan than we are human or Faunus."
For a moment she saw the smile on her mother's face becoming stained, ignoring it she continued with her small speech, her mother needs to hear this, she will not allow her to have the same twisted view of the world she had.
"Yes, we draw Strength from one much more than the others BUT, life is not all about how hard you can punch."
She lightly punched her mother's shoulder
"Or how powerful you are."
She lifted her finger and put all her power into making a small ball of Ki, even if weak the ball had more power than most of the creatures on the planet could ever hope to achieve.
With a simple thought, the Ki sphere began to evaporate, leaving her slightly dizzy as the energy expenditure, ⅓ of her energy gone, just like that.
"No, life, in my opinion, is all about what's in here."
She tapped her chest.
"Other people give meaning to life, our interactions, relationships, connections, it gives us something more to live for you know, an animal just exists, survives, its only worry is to wake up tomorrow, it doesn't live, it just… exists."
"So, I know you don't care for them, be it for their, strength, importance or even way of life but… you can't deny something mom, you ARE connected to all the people in this world."
"You are Human too, and Faunus, and Saiyan, not just one but all three, it's all three that add something to you, all three that make you… Raven Branwen."
She pointed at her mother who was silently looking at her with what could only be described as a surprised expression, she had long since stopped moving, together with Tai who was looking over them with a smile.
She pointed at herself.
"And all Three that make me your daughter, Yang Xiao-Long so! From now on I will no longer be called a Saiyan!"
Raven tensed her body as her breath stopped, her heart beat quickly at her daughter's insane proclamation.
"From today onward I and any of the Branwen line will henceforth not be referred to either Faunus, Human, or even Saiyajin, NO! We will, from this moment onward be referred to as Fahujin!"
Smiling widely she hugged her mother with the strongest hug she could muster, the woman returning the hug a few seconds later.
"Haha…" Raven's chest shook as she laughed wildly, children… are not supposed to give speeches like that, goddammit.
"So… I guess I am a Fahujin now."
Pushing herself away Yang looked directly at her mother's eyes with proverbial stars in her own.
"And don't you forget it!"
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I have no excuses, I've just been reading some long fics
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