The Bird and the Garden

Chapter 14: The Vytal Festival (Part One)

And here we are; the deterioration of the brothers, and their family.

Ruby is in a coma, and Yang is very upset. VAO hates Y/N with every fiber of his drunken self, and Y/N has fallen into depression. Summer has gone back into a reclusive state, and Tai is barely able to help her. Raven is unable to visit her son without the risk of him attacking her, and Qrow is overworking himself to repair what he cares about.

But now, the gears of Salem's plan have started to turn; their fate has already been sealed. The Vytal Tournament has begun.

Y/N was walking down a dark corridor, the faint roars of the Vytal Tournament filling the silence. He didn't know why he was here, and he didn't know why he kept going. But his feet moved on their own, and he felt as if he was searching for something. Just up ahead, he could hear voices.

"S-stay the fuck away from me!" The voice was undeniable. Y/N rounded the corner, excited to see his brother again. But instead his eyes widened with horror.

A white cloak stained with red fluttered gently to the ground, followed by something heavy. VAO turned around to face Y/N, his face pale with terror, and his eyes dilated to pinpricks. At his wrists were thick black veins that led into the sky, and in the sky Y/N could make out a dark figuring playing with the strings, like a puppeteer. Y/N looked back down at VAO, who's lip was quivering, and his eyes growing wet.

"Y-Y/N... I'm sorry...! I-I'm sorry!"

...

Y/N woke up with a shrill scream, sweat rolling down his face. In an instant the light was clicked on, and Roman and Neo's bothered faces faded into view.

"... can you scream any louder... I don't think the people down the hall heard you..." Roman grumbled tiredly. But even though he was frustrated, he climbed out of bed, Neo following. The two former criminals sat down next to him, Roman lighting up a cigar. "So tell us, team leader. What's got you so scared?" He asked.

"T-there w-was V-VAO, and, and...!" Y/N's voice was high pitched and panicky, and Roman was beginning to look a little worried. He sighed, taking another drag off his cigar before answering. "Y/N, VAO's okay. He told me he's living at Juniors for a while. But for now, it's best to focus on ourselves. The Vytal Festival is in the morning, and the tournament right after. We're a team, and we can pull through this," he reassured.

Y/N tried to tell Roman that he wasn't worried about the tournament, but he couldn't force any words out. Only noises. Neo looked at him worriedly. This wasn't how Y/N normally acted. Usually he'd mope around and regret the school dance, but now... his breathing was off, and his face was white. His eyes were wide with panic, and he was very shaky. She felt like something was very wrong, but lacked the ability to understand.

Y/N tried to calm down, but he couldn't. He couldn't stop seeing the image of his nightmare in his mind. He hated and feared that woman, but... to see her die... it was terrifying. And the figure above; he felt a horrible feeling when he stared at it. A malevolent feeling. Fear, anger, sadness... he felt it all. And he couldn't make out a damned feature of it. Roman stood up and moved back to his bed, flopping down and putting his cigar out in his ashtray.

"Everything will be okay, Y/N. Just get some rest, we have to prepare in a few hours," he mumbled. He rolled over, throwing the covers across his body. Y/N expected Neo to do the same, but she stayed next to him. And then...

She hugged him. She hugged him to make him feel better. Y/N hesitantly hugged back. It only helped a little. Neo pulled her scroll from her pocket and typed something, before showing it to her leader.

'It's okay.'

Without another sound, she reached up and patted his head, before hopping down and skipping to her own bed. Y/N felt a bit better. But he still couldn't forget his nightmare. He waited until the sun was just peeking over the trees, and he left the dorm without a sound.