Reunion Orange

Yang Xiao Long was both excited and nervous as she was about to spend her first weekend with Raven Branwen, her birth mother. She kept quiet about it and didn't tell her father because she was supposed to be grounded for going to Atlas behind his back and dragging Ruby, her little sister, along. The blonde girl quietly packed her things and waited for the portal to her mother. Not long after, the door to her room was opened by her little sister, and she was asked.

" Yang, has Raven come around to pick us up yet?"

" Not yet, Ruby, but it should be soon."

At her words, a red and black portal opened in front of her, and the girls grabbed their bags as they went through the portal. Their surroundings changed from the log cabin their father built to a camp surrounded by a forest, and Yang saw her mother again and said with an awkward feeling hanging in the air.

" Hey, mom..."

" Yang, Ruby..."

Raven acknowledged both of them and took a deep breath as she pushed through the awkwardness.

" A few ground rules before you settle down. First, there is a cave not far from here that you are not allowed to go to because it serves as a storage for some fragile and volatile items that a... friend of mine is using as a lab of sorts. Secondly, stay within sight of the camp because while I clear out Grimm around the area daily, accidents are still possible. Lastly, your father does know you are here, and your grounding will continue through me."

" What?! How did dad find out?"

Yang asked incredulously, and Ruby looked curious as well. The former bandit chief answered them.

" I told Qrow about our arrangement, and he convinced your father on my behalf to let you come regardless of your punishment."

While Raven wanted to reconnect with her daughter, her ex-husband was another matter. She and Taiyang only got together due to her getting impregnated by him after finding out the truth about Salem being immortal and drowning herself with alcohol which more than loosened her morals. So the former bandit chief had her ex-husband sign a marriage form to ensure he became Yang's legal guardian as she didn't want her daughter to become part of the Branwen tribe and wanted to give Yang the childhood she never had.

This led to things being tense and unpleasant between Raven and Taiyang, so she used her brother Qrow as a middleman to set things up. The ex-husband and ex-wife had an agreement; there was no getting back together under any circumstance. Yang's happiness and feelings were more important than whatever argument they would undoubtedly break into if they met. So they compromised and decided to let Yang decide and keep a distance from one another. Raven then informed what the girls would be doing during their stay here.

" Yang, Ruby, after you settle down, I will give you a list of your responsibilities which includes but is not limited to gathering firewood, fishing at the stream near the camp for our meals, helping April with cooking, and making me tea."

The sisters frowned as they originally thought they would have a fun weekend, but instead, their grounding continued at a different location.

***

Days have gone by since Jacques left Atlas, and right now, I am undergoing an examination to check my hearing.

" Well, Silva Branwen, your hearing has returned with no issue, and you have a clean bill of health."

The school nurse of Atlas Academy told me as I felt a bit annoyed at the fact that I was going to start attending classes again as a guest student. Well, it was nice while it lasted, but like all good things, it eventually comes to an end. I got up and went back to the dorm room and started wondering how to get out from under James Ironwood's thumb. Robyn has already been meeting with success in acquiring evidence of the Military Police's corruption which would help my case thanks to me providing information on where to look.

Plus, the vigilante has been talking to a few judges she is friendly with and some of her supporters who take part in jury duty to help stack my case in my favor. However, since I have started to use Soul Archive periodically on Tindick, I know he has been quietly putting pressure on my case against the mob that was going to attack the slum to delay it for as long as possible in hopes of changing my mind. Yeah, not happening since I know that Tindick views me as a possible strategic asset due to my main Semblance being strongly offensive-oriented that could hold its own against Maiden Magic.

I soon reached the dorm room and entered to see Winter waiting for me, and she asked.

" How did your examination turn out, Silva?"

" Please notify the instructors that I will not show up for another week or maybe even a whole month."

I replied with some theatrics, and the ice queen rolled her eyes at me and stated.

" So your hearing has returned, then."

" Unfortunately, but feel free not to tell the instructors that."

Winter sighed then said.

" Silva, I know you feel like you are not learning anything but-."

" I am really not learning anything new."

I interrupted the ice queen, and she narrowed her eyes at me but relaxed after a moment. She leaned back in her seat and said.

" I will neither confirm nor deny your wellbeing if anyone asks about you."

I was a bit surprised she decided to go along with me as I expected her to threaten to drag me to class if need be if I continued being stubborn about skipping classes. I asked her with half concern, half humor.

" Are you feeling alright, Winter?"

She looked at me and said with a dismissive tone.

" You wouldn't understand."

" Of course, I wouldn't if you continued to keep it to yourself!"

I sharply retorted and asked again.

" Come on, Winter, won't you tell me what's on your mind? Even if I can't advise you, I can at least listen."

After a few moments, she sighed and told me what was bugging her.

" My... mother invited me to dinner tonight, and with the rumors about my father's return, I..."

" You wouldn't want to deal with his nonsense after getting used to the idea of him not coming back?"

" Essentially, yes."

Winter answered curtly at my question, and while I knew the truth of the matter about her father, it would probably be better for her to hear it from family. I then offered.

" How about I join you as your plus one?"

" What?!"

Winter looked at me like she believed what I suggested, and I explained.

" Look, with me along; if your father is there and treats me rudely, you can use me as an excuse not to attend the dinner, or I can have your back, so you don't feel alone if you confront him."

" I... thank you, Silva."

The ice queen gave me a rare warm smile, the first I saw, actually, and I asked with a joking tone.

" Is there a dress code?"

***

Winter Schnee stood in front of the Schnee manor with knots in her stomach at the number of unpleasant memories of her former home held for her. She felt her arm being wrapped around and looked toward her friend Silva as he gave his silent support. The ice queen didn't mind his overly familiar action too much as she took a deep breath and rang the doorbell since the gate was left open. Soon the door opens to reveal Klein as he warmly greets Winter.

" Aw, Miss Winter, glad you could come."

" It's good to see you, Klein."

The ice queen gave the butler a genuinely warm smile as she considered him to be family, far more so than her own father. Klein then noticed Silva and asked.

" And this is?"

" A friend, Klein. This is my dormmate Silva Branwen."

The butler looked happy at what he heard from Winter and greeted the snow leopard faunus.

" I welcome you to the Schnee manor, young master Branwen."

" Please, just call me Silva."

" Certainly."

Klein then led the two to the dining hall, and as they walked, Winter asked.

" Klein... has my father returned?"

" I will let the mistress explain."

The butler happily replied, and soon they reached the dining room where the rest of the Schnee family gathered. The middle child, Weiss, called out excitedly to her elder sister.

" Winter!"

" Hello, Weiss."

The ice queen greeted her sister, then acknowledged her brother.

"Whitley."

" Winter."

The youngest Schnee curtly returned the acknowledgment, and Winter then focused on her mother.

" Hello, mother."

" It's good to see you, Winter."

After Willow greeted her eldest daughter, she noticed Silva, and he winked at her with a smile. The Schnee matriarch felt a sense of relief at knowing that she would have some help in reconnecting with her family. She kept her relationship with the faunus a secret and asked her eldest child.

" Winter, who is this?"

" This is... my friend Silva Branwen. He is my dormmate at Atlas Academy."

A brief look of surprise passed through Willow's face before she schooled it and greeted her secret benefactor.

" A pleasure to meet you, Silva."

" Same here, Mrs.Schnee."

Silva gave a polite greeting in return and noticed that the other Schnee children looked at him with guarded expressions. He greeted the siblings of Winter as well.

" Nice to meet you, Weiss, Whitley, if you don't mind me addressing you by your first names?"

The youngest was the first to reply with a cool tone.

" You may."

Weiss just eyed Silva and snorted at his greeting. Willow sent an apologetic look to the snow leopard fanus, and he shrugged as he didn't mind as that wasn't the worse reaction he had seen from a racist. Winter reprimands her sister for disrespecting Silva which shocks the sibling.

" Weiss!"

Before she could continue, the faunus placed his paw on her shoulder and said.

" It's fine; it's no big deal, Winter."

Silva already figured that the other two Schnee siblings were infected with Jacques's views on faunus. Until proven otherwise, they will retain them for the time being. Winter took a seat, and Silva sat next to her. As everyone waited for dinner to be served, Willow drew everyone's attention.

" As I am sure you have heard the rumors about your father's return, allow me to clarify that he is no longer a part of the Schnee family and has left the kingdom."

" What?!"

" What do you mean, Mother?!"

" How did this happen?!"

Winter, Weiss, and Whitley asked in shock at what their mother told them, and the Schnee matriarch continued her explanation.

" After taking over the company and transferring Jacques's assets under my name, when he returned, I gave him a choice. He can either accept a divorce, where he leaves with enough money for a fresh start somewhere else, or he can take it to court, where I would reveal all his dirty little secrets for the whole kingdom to see. Naturely he chose to accept the divorce and left the kingdom."

As this information sunk in, Winter then asked after a few minutes.

" What does this mean, mother?"

" There is no rush; Winter, we can all take our time discussing this and what all of you, my children, want to do in the future, but I will say this, the thoughts and opinions of your father do not matter as it is your choice and your alone. I will support each of you to the best of my abilities as a means of amending for giving you such a terrible father."

The table went silent at this declaration, and dinner was then served. Willow then told her children with a slight smile.

" I had the cooks make all of your favorites, Winter, Weiss, and Whitely. But I do apologize to our guest here."

Silva shrugged as he looked at the food he was served.

"It's fine; I don't mind. At worse, I will cook myself something later."

" Oh, you cook?"

Willow asked as she was honestly curious about her secret benefactor.

" I originally grew up in the kingdom of Mistral, so there was no shortage of variety in foods, and I personally see cooking as one of the most useful life skills you can learn."

" What would you recommend as a resident of Mistral?"

Willow and Silva continued to make small talk to fill the silence as the Schnee children had a lot on their minds.