Birth of Raven Branwen

Chapter 5: Test and Sensei End

*3rd person*

The spectators in the arena could only watch as menma got up shakily and watched as his sister walked away with her friends and could feel that something about his sister had changed even if only marginally so, whatever has happened while he was out he could only thank kami that he now had a chance to prove himself to her and that he would soon earn her trust but for now he had to leave the arena. Those watching the blood siblings could note the same thing as the namikaze heir but would not mention it as they wanted to keep themselves in one piece though, they had some idea as to what happened no one could truly guess what it was though they may try but it always will end with something that the sandaime has been telling them for some time because; of that it could only mean that one of them had visited her the main question was who did it.

Only the ice princesses would know that qrow had visited his sister and even fewer would know what was said the look of peace that showed itself on ravens face was something many were hoping to see but, couldn't get to come out now though those few were able to see that she would finally heal from the wounds of her past piece by piece because; now she could be hole again even if for only a little while. Menma could do nothing but watch from where the mednin had him as his sister left the grounds for a while though he could have had a way to make things easier so, he had to prove himself to his sister well he would do it if it meant he could have her back in his life even only for a bit.

~Menma 3rd person~

Having read Ravens medical files and the after-action reports of what happened those years ago and to see the truth for myself as to why raven has been so ruthless to us made me rethink the respect I had for my parents as I knew there would be no way in hell Raven would call them her parents ever again so, as the mednin helped me to my feet and healed my wound I swung the weapon that I now know belong to qrow Branwen on my back and walked over to my friends. I am sure of one thing in particular and that is my parents were fools to leave her behind when she needed us most so, no I am not upset for the beating that she gave me because; I fully believe that I deserved it and if I have anything to say about it so too does my mother and father. The things she has been through because they had decided to leave her here in favor of training me even if I didn't have a choice in the matter the fact still remains that they had done so, and there was nothing I could do about it without them I wouldn't be able to do much of what I could with the way they trained me to be how I am.

The look in her eyes made it all the more real when I saw how she looked at me and I couldn't even figure out why the things went the way they did so, maybe they could figure out as time went by then again they shouldn't have left her to their mercies and even then they should've made absolutely sure that my sister was well and truly protected yet they did not I can guess because; it didn't fit their plans otherwise why would they abandon their daughter to the mercies of the fools in this village rather than their son or why not take us both? These are the questions that have plagued my mind and are some of the questions that I am sure are plaguing Ravens mind as well though, I believe she truly isn't agonizing over the decisions made by those two because; if she did then that would mean that she regretted having her daughters and that is one thing I can tell as I look at them now is something she will never regret.

The actions of the past are catching up and soon I know my father won't have any sort of political leg to stand on not to mention that of my mother as she knows the Uzumaki now Branwen creed 'family before duty' meaning you don't leave your children to be raised like a pig in the slaughter house in this case? The damn fools shouldn't have left Raven here knowing that grief was rampant after the fox attack all those years ago so, due to stupidity and blind trust in people who shouldn't have been trusted in the first place let alone at all.

The amount of times she had been subjected to the things she was shouldn't have happened but, I can't change the past the only thing I can do is make sure it doesn't happen again because; if it did then Raven just may go the way of orochimaru so, in order to keep that from happening again I made a vow 'I will be there for you Rae from now on and forever more you will never be alone again' he didn't know it then but his vow flipped the worlds course off its axis and fate would be forever changed.

~Minato 3rd person~

Looking through the sandaime's crystal ball all the jonin who were to take a team saw the spar as the battle got more heated especially as raven noticed her brothers blade it made his heart ache to know that his daughter didn't consider them family as well as the fact that she had kids of her own whom he knew she would never allow near them unless they chose to become a shinobi of the village though, he thought that there wasn't much of a chance of that happening. The way Yugao explained it her life isn't what it was supposed to be from the number of time she and her friends had to stop these people whom I thought I could trust with my only daughter so, to hear that she had just under five thousand attempts on her life and close to four thousand on her chastity before succeeding and murdering her friends did they really have no shame at all?

These people then have the nerve to party and act like my family and I came back to get rid of some blight on the village only to be told once we arrived in the sandaime's office that the same people I just about gave my life to protect treated my daughter like shit I couldn't even begin to understand how they thought that I would want what they did to happen much less accept it. The mere thought that they misinterpreted my wish to be the very disappointment that they have become is sickening so, I knew that I had to make this right even if she never accepted me I only want Raven to be safe for her daughters to be safe because; at the very least I owe her this much for the major disappointment I caused her to have in us for not being here for her. I didn't know it then, but it would also, seem that menma and I had the same idea much less how we could go about it.

For all my vaunted knowledge I couldn't figure out something as simple as how to apologize to the daughter that I left to the wolves it would take some time but, I knew that if I just left things to Kushina we might have her back faster but, I can't help it I have to find some way to make her understand that we did this for their safety and not some bullshit plan though could we really blame her for thinking that was why we left her here? I highly doubt it. Looking out of his office window he saw a red portal appear on top of the monument with Raven and her friends walking out of it and going into the forest behind it making him wonder just what could be back there that would continuously have her attention he also, wondered if he should have them followed to see for himself but he didn't want to invade her privacy because; he truly wished to change things between them.

He was so lost in his thoughts that he hadn't felt his wife enter the room only noticing when she placed a hand on his shoulder in order to get his attention and spotting what had him so, distracted when she came into his office and took notice of her daughter and her friends going behind the monument wondering just like her husband what could possibly be there for her to have to worry about but, decided to see for herself later just what it was.

~Kushina 3rd person~

It didn't take me long to figure out that my husband was trying to find a way back into Ravens good graces and the truth of the matter is that I should also, be doing the same thing having watched the battle between her and menma I can tell we really screwed up where she was concerned because; no child should have that level of killing intent and brutality. The fact that she agreed to give him a chance gave Kushina some hope that her family can be mended now though, she was worried about the injuries sustained by her son and how bad the damage was she had to first figure out the amount of torment and what should be done about it because; the way things are going Raven and those close to her would soon leave the village and there would be nothing that we could do to stop it.

The looks she gave us when she first saw us it astounded me how much hate a thirteen year old girl could hold so much hate in their heart even if most of it was mitigated by the fact that she herself had daughters whose resemblance to their mothers were uncanny and because; of my husbands blind trust and foolishness in believing in the people of this village our daughter has suffered. I often wonder if there is something that I could do to make it up to her in hopes that she would forgive me for the mistakes that I made because; at the time I hadn't thought to truly challenge minato on why she needed to remain here though, I often wondered going against his wishes as an uzumaki never abandons family no matter the circumstances. I can't help but look back over the years away if doing things as we did them was the right thing to do or if it shouldn't have been done at all knowing full well the ramifications of what all of this truly meant so I spoke.

"Do you see what your decision twelve years ago has wrought my love? Our only daughter has had to suffer alone while menma received the training that she too should have and to make matters worse these bastards that you have once again sworn to protect did this to her." She stated as her husband turned his chair around to face her while she stood in front of his desk.

"What do you want me to say Kushina? That I fucked up our family and that Raven has a valid reason to hate us? That I should've taken her with us when we left." he asked? I could see this was eating away at him just as it was me but what could I do? I trusted the sandaime and jiraiya to look after her just as you trusted Tsunade to do the same and we both know all three have failed just as much as we have even if hiruzen did indeed try to protect her." He said as he looked at me, I could do nothing but nod it was the truth.

We both realized it then we truly fucked up when it came to raven mind you we did the very same when it came to raising Menma so, now comes the truth that we cant really act all disappointed with the others when we weren't there for her in the first place because; then we would be hypocrites the only one truly blameless mostly would be hiruzen who at least tried to make sure she had an easy life the same life that we afforded our son and not our daughter. I wonder if Raven would want a battle of blades against me as more often than not it is said 'you can only know someone by how they battle' I find myself wondering if I can figure out just who Raven Branwen really is and what she enjoys doing in her spare time so, I needed to get creative and try something that hadn't been done in the history of this village and hope for th best because; anything less and I would lose my daughter before I regained what we once had though it looks like minato might have the same idea as he spoke again.

"Did you ever find out why she always appeared up there through those portals of hers or what could be behind the hokage monument." He asked? Hoping to find out why his estranged daughter would be going behind the monument every other week.

"No and I am not going to whatever is up there it's the only thing she has besides Yugao her daughters an her friends that keep her tethered here in the village and I suspect that whatever lead menma to his new sword was a onetime thing to help heal the rift between the two." I said, knowing for a fact that minato won't disobey me anymore than he already has.

When I looked back at the monument I saw Raven and her friends come to stand on the heads of the previous hokage before they leaned forward and fell from the monument as she opened a portal just below them so, I held my hands over my heart as I watched from Minato's crystal ball that they had arrived back at the academy safe and sound because; of that I nearly had a heart attack walking over to the couch in the office I sat there and waited as the other jonin came inside for team placements. The looks she and her friends got when they fell from the other side of the portal the way that each girl landed and the shear ferocity of their expressions it was like looking back in time something that most of the clan heads forgot how they acted back during the war so, the way that these girls coordinate around my daughter has me wondering if something similar can be done with that same closeness in regards to us because; it is my hope I might be able to have at the very least a working relationship with Raven if not then so be it.

*Yakumo 3rd person*

You ever get the feeling that you're being watched and that someone is waiting to learn things about you that they have no right to the knowledge of and the fact that they would likely claim it as for the good of the village? The fact of the matter is no one truly knows what is for the greater good nor where the hell the phrase was coined because; so many have claimed to have done something for the benefit of the village that all they really did was make shit worse so, what do they do? They torture an innocent girl in some sick form of justice for those long dead when in fact I am sure that those who died that night wouldn't have wanted their loved ones to do half of the sick shit the dumbasses in this village committed making me wonder just where they got the rational for their acts? Yet in all this time not once has Raven struck any of them down and the only things keeping her tethered to sanity are her daughters yang and ruby.

Her battle with Menma proved that much for sure now it was our turn to make sure nothing would come to hurt the three of them even if we had to give our lives so, we gathered around her in order to fill the hole Summer, Qrow, and Taiyang left in her heart because; we know that deep down she was still hurting and sooner or later the continuing looks of pity being sent her way she is soon to leave the room meaning one of us would have to tell her who was on her team. Listening as Iruka made his farewell speech I kept my eyes and ears on Raven knowing that she would soon enough leave in the middle of his speech because; some people couldn't leave well enough alone and will continue to irritate her enough until she leaves so, among the other girls and I agreed to after her with one instead of all of us.

Sure enough it wasn't too long before she reached her limit as we watched her get up and walk out of the classroom door and through a portal with all of this going on no one but, our core group noticed as Menma got up and followed her through the portal she made as it closed because; of that maybe those two could have the bond they didn't get a chance to cultivate due to the actions of their shared parents. Team assignments would begin in a moment though, we all agreed that we would tell her which team she was on should she miss it then again Rae always had a way of knowing things others did not making many wonder just how she did it there was a tense silence in the room and then we heard it the soft strumming of a guitar along with a voice. It sounded like Raven.

*Raven*

Little do you know

How I'm breaking while you fall asleep

Little do you know

I'm still haunted by the memories

Little do you know

I'm trying to pick myself up piece by piece

Little do you know

I need a little more time

Underneath it all I'm held captive by the hole inside

I've been holding back

For the fear that you might change your mind

I'm ready to forgive you, but forgetting is a harder fight

Little do you know

I need a little more time

You could hear the pain in her voice how much more could these people take from her before she becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy is anyone's guess I just hope menma can help her right now and not make the shit that she has gone through worse it was the next voice I didn't recognize because; he never actually sung anything during the breaks from the last few weeks of the academy.

*Menma*

I'll wait, I'll wait

I love you like you've never felt the pain, I'll wait

I promise, you don't have to be afraid, I'll wait

Love is here, and here to stay

So lay your head on me

Little do you know

I know you're hurt while I'm sound asleep

Little do you know

All my mistakes are slowly drowning me

Little do you know

I'm trying…

*Yugao 3rd person*

She knew how easy it was for Raven to be irritated and nothing irritated the dark haired red eyed girl more than looks of pity some say they know what she is going through but, the truth of the matter is no one really knows what she is going through from either external or internal struggles because; none of the people saw her as the child she once was now she is the epitome of a shinobi no she is the epitome of a warrior with only a few seeing her nice or maternal side. I couldn't help but watch as my surrogate daughter was once again surrounded by looks of pity and then taking off while leaving the portal she had made open having known that one of her friends would follow in order to calm her down so, it was to my great surprise that Menma followed instead of Yakumo or one of the others because; even I knew she was volatile toward him maybe the girls knew something that I didn't?

It wasn't long before the sounds of music came drifting into the hokage's office.

*Raven*

Little do you know

How I'm breaking while you fall asleep

Little do you know

I'm still haunted by the memories

Little do you know

I'm trying to pick myself up piece by piece

Little do you know

I need a little more time

Underneath it all I'm held captive by the hole inside

I've been holding back

For the fear that you might change your mind

I'm ready to forgive you, but forgetting is a harder fight

Little do you know

I need a little more time

The looks on every jonin here right now were astonished to say the very least they had never heard the hard ass Raven Branwen sing and for the namikaze heir to be heard with her shocked the hell out of most of them it didn't phase me much as I had heard her singing to yang and ruby on multiple occasions so, I had the opportunity to enjoy the more emotional and maternal side of Raven as opposed to the hard ass bitch that the others see her as because; of how she is when not around family or friends.