As everyone settled into the train car, a quiet sense of relief washed over them. Jacques had drifted into a deep sleep on one of the seats, exhaustion evident in the lines of his face.For now, he looked uncharacteristically peaceful, almost vulnerable. The rest of the group took the rare moment of calm to unwind, the adrenaline of their escape finally beginning to wane.Yang stretched out beside Rinko, leaning back as she exhaled a sigh of relief. "How far are we from Vale?" she asked, a hint of weariness in her voice.Rinko glanced out at the passing landscape, then turned back to her. "At this speed, we're looking at about 30 to 40 minutes."Yang nodded, stifling a yawn. "Good... I could use a little nap," she muttered. "Besides, I don't think anyone even saw us get on this train. We should be in the clear."Rinko offered a faint smile as he closed his eyes, settling into his seat.Once Yang was asleep, he rose quietly and made his way over to where Weiss, Ruby, and Blake sat, each absorbed in their thoughts.The train car was blissfully empty apart from them; they had snuck into an isolated cart, and now the space felt almost like a refuge.Rinko sat beside Weiss, who seemed lost in her own thoughts, staring out the window as the darkened countryside swept by. After a moment, she broke the silence."I feel... I don't know, bad, I guess. For Father," Weiss murmured, her voice soft, as if admitting it were a vulnerability.Rinko—Kakashi—nodded, understanding the complex mix of emotions she was grappling with. "He's done terrible things, Weiss," he replied gently. "But even after everything, he's still our father. It's natural to feel something."Weiss drew in a breath, hesitating as she continued. "I just... I saw him as this unmovable, cold figure for so long. And yet, seeing him like that, broken, actually apologizing... I couldn't help but feel something. Maybe it's pity, or maybe I just wanted him to be more than he was."Blake, who had been listening quietly, placed a comforting hand on Weiss's shoulder. "People are complicated. It doesn't erase the pain he's caused, but maybe... maybe he's finally seeing it, too."Ruby offered a reassuring smile, her voice hopeful. "And maybe this is a chance for him to change. If he's realized what he's done, then maybe he'll make better choices going forward."Rinko nodded in agreement, his gaze thoughtful. "Sometimes people need to hit their lowest point to understand the impact of their actions. That doesn't excuse what he's done, but it could mean he's finally learning."Weiss looked down, her fingers tightening on the edge of the seat. "I want to believe that. I want to believe he can become someone worth... forgiving."But before anyone could respond, a strange, faint tearing sound filled the air. It was a sound unlike anything they'd heard—a low, ripping vibration, as though reality itself were being pulled apart. The very fabric of the space before them distorted, swirling crimson until it materialized into a dark red portal.Rinko's eyes went wide, a sense of dread dawning on his face. He knew this portal—knew it all too well. Raven."How did she—?!" Rinko muttered in disbelief. He still hadn't fully understood the extent of her Semblance, nor her ability to track people with such precision. The speed and accuracy with which she'd appeared was unnerving.The rest of Team RWBY felt their bodies instinctively tense, each of them shifting into a defensive stance.Ruby's fingers tightened around Crescent Rose, and Blake's hand hovered over Gambol Shroud. Yang's eyes snapped open, her hand already clenched into a fist as she looked at the portal, irritation and worry flashing in her gaze."Really? Even now, she's following us?" Yang muttered, a hint of anger in her voice. Her mind raced, wondering if her mother had tracked them across the wilderness, or if she'd come for something more.As the swirling energy of the portal steadied, Raven emerged, stepping out with a calm, predatory grace.Her eyes swept the group, calculating and intense, lingering just a moment longer on Rinko and Jacques, who sat up in startled surprise."Going somewhere?" Raven's voice cut through the tense air, cold and unyielding.Her piercing gaze flicked over each of them, assessing and calculating, her presence seeming to suck the very air out of the room, a powerful reminder of the threat she posed.Rinko stepped forward, drawing his long sword with a steely glare. "You're not taking him, Raven. I won't let you near my father."Raven's eyes narrowed, a smirk tugging at the corner of her mouth. "Jacques is mine," she said coolly, her hand resting on the hilt of her blade. "He's a danger to everyone around him. And you all are fools to think you can protect him."Raven's claim seemed to ignite something within Weiss, who took a defiant step forward, her own weapon ready. "You don't own us, and you don't own my father!" she snapped. "You've done enough to break this family apart. We're not letting you tear it down even more."Raven's gaze shifted to her daughter, and a flash of something unreadable crossed her face. But when she spoke, her voice was sharp and dismissive. "You don't know what you're dealing with. This is for your own good."Weiss's jaw clenched, her stance unwavering. "It's not your call."At that, Yang stepped forward, positioning herself between her mother and her team. "Mom, leave us alone," she demanded, her voice as resolute as her fiery gaze. "You have no right to interfere."Raven's expression hardened, her grip tightening on her blade. "Don't get in my way, Yang," she warned, her tone deadly serious. "I won't hesitate."Yang didn't back down, the heat in her gaze only intensifying. "Go ahead and try," she replied, a challenge in her voice. "But you're not taking him without a fight."Raven steadied herself, her crimson eyes flashing dangerously as she took in the scene before her. The entire team had rallied against her, and each one of them looked resolute, unwilling to let her take another step closer to Jacques. For a brief moment, she almost looked wounded—not physically, but as though seeing their unity cut deeper than any blade."Fine," she snarled, her voice low, almost like a hiss. "You want to do this the hard way? So be it."In one fluid motion, Raven launched forward again, this time with blinding speed. She targeted Weiss, her blade slicing through the air with deadly intent.Weiss managed to parry the blow with her rapier, metal clashing against metal, sending sparks flying and the sharp clang reverberating throughout the train car.CLANG!Weiss braced herself, teeth gritted as she fought against Raven's strength. Every muscle in her arms strained as she held Raven's blade back. "You're not going to win, Raven!" Weiss declared, voice filled with defiance.Raven only narrowed her eyes. "We'll see."In that moment, Blake leapt from above, aiming to catch Raven off guard. Raven spotted her just in time, ducking swiftly as Blake's blade sliced down, missing her by inches.Blake landed behind her, and the two tried to corner Raven, attacking from both sides in perfect sync. But Raven was quick—she moved with lethal grace, ducking and dodging each of their strikes, her movements as fluid as water.Blake swung her weapon in an upward slash, but Raven sidestepped, retaliating with a brutal kick that sent Blake flying back across the train car.Raven sent an ice ball towards Blake, hitting her chest with great force.Blake's back slammed against the metal wall, and she slumped to the floor, her aura flickering weakly as she struggled to rise."Blake!" Ruby's voice rang out, filled with alarm and fury. She charged forward, Crescent Rose in hand, swinging her scythe toward Raven.But Raven's eyes glowed with a fiery intensity, and with a quick flick of her wrist, ice manifested around Ruby's feet, freezing her in place just before she could reach her target. Ruby stumbled, her momentum cut off, and the ice crept up her legs, trapping her.Seeing this, Weiss surged forward, using her glyphs to propel herself with speed and precision. She managed to strike Raven in the side with her rapier, the impact forcing Raven to stagger back a few feet. Weiss landed gracefully, taking her position in front of Ruby, her eyes blazing with determination.With Raven momentarily off balance, Rinko saw his opening. He moved quickly, his own sword flashing as he closed the distance between them. But Raven, ever vigilant, spun around just in time to meet his strike, their swords clashing in a fierce, powerful lock."You're not laying a hand on my father, Raven," Rinko growled, pushing with every ounce of strength he had.Raven sneered, her eyes narrowing. "You have no idea what you're protecting."Meanwhile, Yang had rushed to Ruby's side, using her gauntlets to shatter the ice imprisoning her sister. With a loud crack, the ice splintered and broke, freeing Ruby. Ruby nodded gratefully to Yang, and the two quickly turned their attention back to Raven, ready to rejoin the fray.Raven, now surrounded on all sides by Team RWBY and Rinko, looked around, her expression a mix of frustration and scorn. She could see the unwavering resolve in their eyes, the fierce determination to protect each other and stand against her."Don't you understand?" Raven's voice rang out, cold and bitter. "You're all fighting for something that doesn't exist—family, loyalty... they mean nothing in the end!""We're done listening to you justify your choices," Yang shot back, her fists clenched, aura blazing. "This is the family we chose, and we're not letting you tear it apart."Raven's face twisted with fury. With a scream of rage, she summoned a powerful gust of wind that roared through the train car, sending everyone stumbling back.She used the moment to leap forward, the blade raised high, going straight for Rinko. But before she could strike, Weiss conjured a glyph beneath Rinko's feet, launching him out of harm's way.Raven's blade met empty air, and in that moment of vulnerability, Ruby and Blake lunged at her from opposite sides, coordinating their strikes to catch her off guard. Ruby's scythe slashed down, forcing Raven to block, but Blake darted in with Gambol Shroud, delivering a swift kick that threw Raven off balance.With a frustrated growl, Raven regained her stance, her breaths heavy. She glared at the team, realizing that their combined strength and unbreakable bond were forcing her into a corner.She gripped her blade tightly as rage reached its boiling point. In a sudden boom, Raven's aura shook the cart around them.Raven's transformation was terrifying and awe-inspiring all at once. Her Maiden powers radiated around her like an inferno turned arctic storm, the sheer intensity causing every metal surface in the train cart to flash-freeze.Frost crawled up the walls, ceiling, and floor, casting the entire cart in an eerie, crystalline sheen.Her eyes, glowing with an otherworldly blue flame, made her appear almost inhuman—a being of sheer, unrestrained power."Enough games," she intoned, her voice layered with the raw energy of her power.In a single motion, Raven gripped the frozen metal beneath her, and with a flick of her hand, the entire cart buckled as an icy shockwave rippled outward, sending everyone flying back.Team RWBY and Rinko crashed against the walls, their auras flaring under the strain of Raven's attack.Jacques, thrown to the side, scrambled to get to his feet, his face pale with fear. Though his aura had absorbed the brunt of the impact, he was clearly shaken and didn't dare move, trapped by his own terror."Mom! Stop this!" Yang yelled, pushing herself off the wall, her voice filled with a mix of anger and desperation. "This isn't going to solve anything!"But Raven seemed beyond words now, her face twisted in an intense, unyielding expression.She hovered mid-air, looking down at them all with a mixture of wrath and icy detachment. Her body was encased in a blue flame, flickering and roaring with each breath, and snowflakes began to form and fall in the chilling air.Ruby staggered to her feet, her eyes narrowed with determination. "Yang's right! There's more to life than power and control—you have family here!"Raven scoffed, her gaze shifting to Weiss with a coldness that could freeze fire itself. "Family? You think you understand what family is? I'm protecting my family. I do what needs to be done, unlike all of you, playing hero."Rinko took a step forward, a sign of defiance."I'm also protecting my Family, Raven. If you're too blind to see that.."Rinko raised his blade pointed towards Raven."You'll have to kill me first to get him.""You stubborn brat!" Raven, mid air, dashed in blinding speeds as her sword aimed to stab Rinko.However, Rinko was ready to counterattack, a shocking move unfolded before his eyes.Yang stepped in front of him as Raven's blade stabbed right through her daughter's abdomen.The world around them froze.Raven's eyes widened as her sword pierced Yang.She hadn't expected her own daughter to throw herself in the path, and the sight of Yang's form shuddering, her aura flickering around her, brought a flash of horror to Raven's face—a rare crack in her hardened mask."Yang!" Rinko cried, reaching out in an attempt to steady her as Yang's legs buckled.For a moment, the entire train car was silent. Weiss, Blake, and Ruby stared, paralyzed by the sudden, brutal twist. They were all too stunned to move, each processing the grim reality that had just unfolded in front of them.Yang's head tilted back slightly, and she looked at Raven with a pained, defiant gaze, her voice hoarse. "Mom... is this what you wanted? To hurt us all... just to prove your strength?" She gritted her teeth, her eyes shining with a mixture of anger and heartbreak. "I thought... I thought you were better than this."Raven's hand trembled on the hilt of her sword. The steely resolve in her eyes faltered, and her gaze shifted down to the blood beginning to seep through Yang's clothes, staining the icy floor beneath them. The reality of what she had done began to sink in, and for the first time, there was genuine remorse in her expression—a fear that went beyond her cold demeanor."I... Yang... I didn't mean..." Raven's voice was barely a whisper, her face painted with a flicker of regret.But before she could say more, Yang's aura surged, and with a burst of raw willpower, she gripped the blade embedded in her and pulled it out with a fierce cry of pain. Her legs wobbled, but she stood firm, even as the wound sapped her strength."You don't get to hurt us and just... walk away," Yang growled, her voice trembling with a mix of pain and fury. Her fists ignited in a blaze of golden light, aura flaring as she forced herself to stand, defiance shining through the haze of her injury. "If family means so little to you... then maybe I don't need you after all."Her words hung in the air like an accusation, but the moment the last syllable left her lips, Yang's body gave out beneath her. Her knees buckled, and the fiery glow around her flickered, her strength spent. With a soft gasp, her eyes rolled back, and her body went limp."Yang!" Weiss cried out, her voice cracking as she rushed forward. But before she could reach her, Rinko was already there, his arms catching Yang's falling form, holding her up with a strength that belied the shock on his face.Yang's breath was shallow, her body covered in a fine sheen of sweat as her aura flickered, fighting to keep her alive. But the strain of taking that blow, of fighting so hard in the face of her mother's betrayal, had drained the last of her energy.Rinko gently lowered her to the ground, his eyes filled with worry as he checked her pulse. She was still breathing, but barely.Raven's eyes went wide, her sword falling from her hand with a clatter that echoed throughout the cart.Her gaze turned frantic as she dropped to her knees beside her daughter, her hands trembling as they hovered over Yang's injured form. The fire that had once burned in her eyes now flickered with something more fragile—fear, regret, and perhaps something deeper, something she hadn't allowed herself to feel in a long time."No..." Raven whispered, her voice breaking as she touched Yang's bleeding shoulder. "No, Nonono! NO!" Her voice cracked like thunder, her entire body shaking with the weight of the realization that she had caused this. She had pushed her own daughter to this point.Her eyes darted from Yang's injured form to the rest of the team, her chest heaving as if she were trying to process the enormity of her actions. Her heart hammered in her chest, and for the first time, it seemed as if the hardened exterior Raven had built for so long began to crack.Rinko stood, his sword still in hand, ready to defend his team if necessary, but there was something in the air now—a tension, thick with unspoken words. Raven wasn't a force to be reckoned with, but for the first time, she seemed lost. Vulnerable."Is this what you wanted, Raven?" Rinko spoke, his voice steady despite the chaos surrounding them. "Is this the family you wanted to protect?"Raven didn't answer. Her eyes remained fixed on Yang, whose blood stained the floor beneath her. The battle between the mother and the daughter wasn't just physical anymore—it was a struggle for something far more elusive: love, guilt, and redemption.Blake and Ruby stood behind Raven while Weiss stood behind Rinko, waiting, unsure of what would happen next.Would Raven continue this fight?Or would the weight of her own actions be enough to stop her?"No... please..." Raven whispered, her voice raw, cracking as if the very air around her had become suffocating. The words were fragile, a far cry from the cold, commanding tone she'd wielded moments ago. The tears that threatened to fall were an unexpected tremor in the armor she had spent years forging.Rinko—Kakashi's—gaze flickered between Yang's still form and Raven, seeing the cracks in the woman who had once been so untouchable. 'Had she always been this broken?'"No, please," Raven repeated, this time her voice was full of desperation. "Yang... I didn't mean to... I never meant for it to be like this."Her tears, long suppressed, began to fall, a silent stream of regret and sorrow marking her cheeks.It wasn't just for the injury she had caused, but for the realization that the family she had turned her back on for so long might never be whole again. The weight of her choices crushed her, but there was no going back. There was no undoing the damage.Yang's breathing grew quieter, and the dark stain of blood on her clothes spread, each second a reminder of the fragile line between life and death.Rinko stepped forward, his voice cutting through the tension. "If you care about her at all, Raven, you'll do something now. Not later. Now."Raven's gaze shifted to him, but her heart was no longer in the fight. Her aura flickered, unstable, barely holding together as she hovered above her daughter.Her sword, her power—everything she had used to control and dominate for so long—felt like distant memories. All that mattered now was this moment. Her daughter. Her flesh and blood.Finally, Raven's shaking hands found Yang's injury, and a ripple of energy surged through her, tentative at first but then more solid.The healing aura—fragile as it was—began to repair the damage, slowly, agonizingly. Raven's eyes remained closed, her face twisted in an expression of raw anguish, as if each moment of healing was a small penance for everything she had done wrong.But as the blood began to slow, as Yang's breathing steadied, Raven couldn't help but whisper the one thing that had haunted her heart for so long."I'm sorry... Yang. I'm so sorry."It wasn't enough. It would never be enough. But it was all she could give in this broken moment.Rinko stood back, sword lowered, watching this fragile exchange between mother and daughter. There was nothing more he could say. The fight was over. The question now wasn't about winning—it was about whether any of them could find a way to rebuild the wreckage of their past.Weiss, Blake, and Ruby watched as Raven's healing aura fought against the damage, unsure of how to feel.Them seeing Raven like this—broken, desperate to save the daughter she had hurt—it shifted the atmosphere. The silence stretched on, thick and tense, as Raven continued to try and piece together the remnants of what she had destroyed.And for the first time in a long time, Raven Branwen was no longer the predator. She was the one who needed saving.Beside Weiss, Jacques Schnee, ever the calculating businessman, stood with his arms behind him.His gaze flickered between Raven and Yang, the coldness of his heart thawing for the first time in years.He watched the woman who had once been his captor, the one he had viewed as nothing more than an obstacle, now struggling to save her daughter's life. He didn't know what to make of it. It wasn't sympathy, exactly. Not yet. But there was something deeper—an understanding, a realization.At this moment, he couldn't help but feel the weight of everything he had lost and failed to protect—the same weight that now pressed down on Raven, who had so callously abandoned her own family.Jacques cleared his throat, the sound sharp against the heavy silence. It was a sound of authority, but it carried a deeper, more reluctant tone than it had in the past. His eyes softened slightly as he looked at Raven, his voice uncharacteristically measured."When we reach Vale," Jacques began, his voice low but firm, "I will ensure that she receives proper medical care. Do not worry, Branwen."Raven didn't respond immediately, her hands trembling as she continued to hover above Yang's wounded form, trying desperately to stabilize her.Jacques's words were an anchor, something solid in the midst of chaos, but it was the weight of the moment that lingered in the air.His grudge against Raven was still there.It wasn't something that could simply vanish in an instant. But something in Jacques had shifted. His time spent within the cage of the Branwen tribe had given him a lot of time to reflect and gain wisdom.Pain is truly the greatest teacher.It wasn't wealth or status that would mend the brokenness between him and his children, or between Raven and hers. It was something far more elusive—understanding, compassion, a willingness to make amends, no matter how difficult.He wasn't a perfect man. Far from it. But at this moment, he knew he could try. He could extend a hand, even if it was only a small one.His gaze shifted to Weiss and Rinko, who were watching him carefully. He could feel their eyes on him, waiting for a response, some kind of judgment.But now, watching Raven hover over Yang, her aura flickering weakly, he realized just how much he had been like her.Driven by his own demons, so consumed with his vision of control that he had turned away from everything that truly mattered. His children. His wife. And, now, even Raven, whose own actions had mirrored his."You're... willing to help her?" Weiss asked, her voice filled with a mix of disbelief and cautious hope.Jacques turned to face her, his eyes softening for the first time. "I would never have thought it possible, but yes," he said, his voice steady. "When we reach Vale, I will make sure she gets the care she needs. This... this is bigger than all of us, isn't it? All these years I thought I could control everything. I thought my wealth and power could fix everything. But the truth is, I've been blind."Weiss and Rinko exchanged wary glances. They had seen Jacques's cruelty up close—his unyielding nature, his willingness to sacrifice anyone to get what he wanted. But now, there was something in his eyes: A flicker of something more human.Jacques's gaze shifted back to Raven, his voice quieter now, almost a murmur. "I've spent my life trying to control everything. But sometimes... the most important things in life are out of our hands."Raven's eyes, still wet with tears, glanced up at him, the slightest flicker of surprise in her expression. She had never expected this from him. She had never expected any of this—from him, from herself. She had thought her actions would be the end of everything.But now, as her healing aura fought to keep Yang alive, as Jacques extended the smallest olive branch, Raven found herself in uncharted territory.She had spent so many years fighting against her past, running from her responsibilities, trying to protect herself at all costs. But perhaps, just perhaps, she could start to rebuild.And for Jacques Schnee, this moment—this small but significant step—marked the beginning of his own reckoning.He wasn't the man he had been before.He didn't know what the future would hold, but he was starting to see that family, not power, might just be the thing worth fighting for.It was a humbling realization—one that came too late for many things. But at least, in this moment, he was beginning to understand.And for Raven, the first glimpse of hope began to break through the long darkness she had surrounded herself with.[End]