Chapter 8: Answers

Oscar had been taking time after lunch to meditate with Ozpin in his (their?) dorm when the commotion outside caught his attention. Out of habit rather than fear, he pocketed his cane and hurried outside; he did not want to miss out on whatever was happening.

Once there, he quickly saw through the joyous, six-strong throng of Huntsmen-in-training that two were there that had not been before. Almost immediately, memories from his - no - from Ozpin's time at Beacon Academy rose to the surface of his mind like bubbles from an ocean vent, and the newcomers were identified as Yang Xiao Long and Weiss Schnee...and with that came quite the information dump concerning their personalities and pasts. It was not the first time this had happened, of course; he had experienced a similar sensation of wanting to reel physically from the sheer magnitude of it all when first meeting the members of RNJR. At least then, he'd had time to process through everything while they trekked up the mountain. Now, though, he found himself standing still and gawking at the spectacle while he tried to sort through all of the new input, and probably with a really dumb look on his face.

As if that was not enough to make him feel awkward, Oscar could not help but fall into a slight envy at the camaraderie before him. Naturally, the teenaged boy desired acceptance by his new peers, and here was a motley band of tight-knit friends with trust and bonds already running deeper than any he might ever hope to forge with them. This was yet another reminder to him that he was the newcomer, the outsider - and the fact that he was also the reincarnation of Ozpin himself would do absolutely nothing to help with that image. Oscar shook his head, feeling a little silly about this envy; only a day prior he had been the focal point of RNJR's attention as they mercilessly lampooned him and Ozpin with non-stop questions for hours on end, and he had many a time wished for it to end. (Lionheart had ended up affording him the private dorm for this very reason.) He would not let the irony of turning tables get to him so easily; he knew he ought to be too clever and mature for that.

By then, most of RNJR's attention was being directed towards Yang's prosthetic, which she seemed to be quite enjoying as she showed off its many capabilities. Oscar noted that while the girl was behaving fairly true to what he - what Ozpin remembered her to be like (gods, he was going to lose his mind at this rate), there was something off about her...it was almost as if seeing the Yang of before had been like watching a sunrise, while the Yang of now was more like watching a sunset.

How quickly they've all grown.

"Oh, oh - Jaune, show them your upgrade!" Ruby piped up through a lull in the tangled dialogue. Jaune happily complied, showing off his weapon's new offensive feature. Weiss and Yang both looked like they were about to say something critical, so he preemptively defended himself.

"Okay, look, it is not just a 'sword-sword' - it can also do this!" And he removed the blade from its sheath, then rotated the sheath on its mag-clip to point with his forearm. He activated a switch, and the bronze blades extended out from the sheath to create an armblade of sorts. "See - it's also a sheath-sword!"

"No Dust or firearms? I'm disappointed." Weiss had her arms crossed and eyebrow raised teasingly.

"I have absolutely zero experience with Dust," Jaune retorted, "And I really didn't wanna blow myself up trying to learn on the fly; we already have one Crater-face in the group."

"Hey!"

"Sorry-not-sorry, Ruby. And I did want to put a gun on it, but the smith told me that the most he'd be able to add onto there without completely compromising its effectiveness would be basically...you guys remember that little pea-shooter Dove Bronzewing had on his sword?"

"Oh, yeah," said Yang. "Yeah, that thing was just sad."

"So, yeah. That's what I'd have been putting on there, and it honestly wouldn't be doing me much good against anything bigger than a Creep or a baby Nevermore. And also, screw Dove, he really had a stick up there."

"Fair enough, on both accounts," said Weiss, still a little sore about that one time when Dove bested her in a fencing match and wouldn't stop bragging about it. Yang, for her part, noticed that the bronze additions to Crocea Mors looked very familiar...and thus she elected to save that thought for later. Besides, there was a far more pressing thought at the front of her mind:

"Okay, guys - never ever to be a party pooper, but Weiss and I should probably go clean up. We've, uh, had a rough day."

"Yes..." Weiss sighed exultantly, already feeling the purifying heat of a shower washing the filth from her body. Ruby looked questioningly at Yang.

"Yeah, what's with all that orange stuff on your - " And then she looked down and saw that it had gotten on her, too. "It, uh...it washes off, right?"

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It did, thank goodness.

Two very long showers and a change of clothes later, Oscar, Qrow, Lionheart, and the students all sat crowded on the beds inside RNJR's dorm with the doors locked and the curtains drawn. The predictably stifled atmosphere complemented perfectly the blanket of apprehension now settling heavily within the room.

Yang and Weiss were about to get some answers from Qrow.

"So...how'd the visit with your mom go?"

"...I'm still not sure," said Yang. "But she told me...well, a lot of things, about you and about the world. I - we need to know if any of it's true."

Qrow nodded. "Lemme guess...she told you about the Maidens, the Relics, the gods, Salem, and Ozpin's whole reincarnation jig. And knowing her, she also told you about my Semblance."

Yang and Weiss shared a glance of slightly surprised confirmation before the blonde nodded. "Yeah. And - sorry, I'm still kinda having a hard time buying this...but that's Ozpin, right there?"

"It's weird, I know," said Oscar, whose dual-souled nature had been revealed to the two Huntresses earlier on by an overexcited Nora. "I'm still getting used to it myself."

Yang turned to Ruby. "And, you guys know all of this, too?"

"Yeah. We ran into this crazy guy working for Salem who wanted to kidnap me for her. Uncle Qrow told us everything after we fought him off."

Weiss perked up in remembrance, and looked at Oscar.

"Raven also showed us that she could turn into a bird, and that you - I mean, Ozpin gave her that ability, as well as the Maidens' powers."

Oscar's eyes closed briefly, and when they reopened, it was Ozpin sitting on the bed. All eyes were on him, as Weiss's revelation was news to RNJR.

"That is correct, Miss Schnee. I did so because they had sworn oaths of secrecy and loyalty to me and to the people of Remnant. They were to be my trusted agents - spies against Salem, if you will."

Lionheart scoffed. "Clearly, only one of them knew how to keep a promise."

"As you can see," Oz continued, "Raven's betrayal did not sit well among those within our ranks. I may have magical abilities, but they are far faded from what they once were, especially since I bestowed my magic upon the Maidens. Gifts like those I gave the Branwens are not given lightly, which is why I reserve them and the knowledge of them only to those whom I can trust."

"So, why - /What about - /You can - "

Yang, Jaune, and Nora all began their questions at the same time. Ozpin raised his hand against the tide.

"One at a time, please," he chuckled, then pointed at Nora. "You first, Miss Valkyrie."

"So, if you can give people the ability to turn into birds..."

"Yes?"

"...then, can you do it for other kinds of animals, too?"

"Nora, he's not going to turn you into a sloth."

"Don't burst my bubble, Ren!" She looked at Ozpin with round, pitiful eyes. "...Please?"

"...Ah...Mr. Arc, you also had a question?"

Jaune nodded, ignoring Nora's sad noises. "What about the Maidens? Why did you give them their powers, especially if they risk sending them off to people like Cinder? The process could be completely random - and yes," he stopped Ozpin from interjecting, "I know you didn't realize that someone would be able to steal a Maiden's powers like Cinder did when you first gave them, and I don't blame you for that. But if you were as powerful as the four Maidens combined at one point, then why didn't you just use all that power yourself so that others couldn't use it for evil?"

"Because, Mr. Arc, I know that there will come a time when I no longer live on this world - when Salem is finally destroyed. Yes, Miss Xiao Long and Miss Schnee," Oz addressed the looks of surprise on their faces, "It can indeed be done despite what Raven may have already told you, and by a means which will be explained to you all in due time." He shot a quick glance Ruby's way before moving on. "But while defeating Salem once and for all would certainly be a great victory for humanity, it will by no means solve every problem in the world. Take the Great War, which in hindsight was bound to have happened even if Salem had nothing to do with it - or the myriad of injustices committed against the Faunus, past and present. The Maidens were, and still are, meant to be my successors in guiding Remnant to an ever better future once I am gone forever. There is a reason I gave them and them only the ability to access the Relics: so that they themselves could use them when the time was right."

Oz let that sink in with the students and continued:

"Now, as for their reincarnation process. That, unfortunately, was unavoidable. Magic can do incredible things if fully explored, but even then, it has its limits; the spell in question simply could not be configured in a less restrictive manner than that which we are dealing with today. Considering that, I do understand your skepticism, Mr. Arc. However, even with the spell's limitations, my allies and I quickly managed to develop a system that, until only recently, has worked very well in ensuring that the Maiden powers reside in good hands. When a Maiden was approaching the time of her death, our agents would scout out potential candidates far in advance. Once one was found and she agreed to take on the responsibility, we would simply bring her before the current Maiden, where she would remain until the latter's inevitable passing. It must be noted that Spring and Fall are compromised because of outside interference; Fall's situation is well known to you all by now, and Raven has evidently bent Spring to her will."

Jaune seemed to find Ozpin's answer satisfactory, but Yang and Weiss appeared shocked.

"Wait - what?! You mean the Spring Maiden's with Raven?!"

Qrow laughed. "Whoops...looks like she forgot to fill you in on that little detail. That sounds about like my sister."

"It must have been Vernal..." Weiss said subduedly, blanching at the thought of having clashed blades with what was effectively a demigoddess. "She called lightning from the sky, and made that big thunderclap."

"Wait," Lionheart interjected. "What did you say her name was?"

"Vernal."

"And...what did she look like?"

Weiss, understanding what he was getting at, described Vernal's appearance (with perhaps a bit of negative personal bias in terms of generosity). The three elders on the room shared a concerned look.

"Oh dear," Lionheart lamented. "Poor Olwena...I should have known that she was not ready for such a burden."

"The fault was not yours," said Oz. "None of us could have foreseen - "

"What happened?" said Yang. "I mean, the Maiden...was she somehow captured by Raven?"

"No," said Lionheart. "About ten years ago, the recently appointed Spring Maiden...well, the magnitude of her responsibility was apparently too overwhelming for her young soul, and she ran off into the wilds within a few months of receiving her powers. We never found out what became of her...until now, it seems. This Vernal woman must have taken the power for herself after killing Olwena."

A thought flashed across Weiss's field of mental awareness, but was quickly buried under the exhaustion that had been slowly creeping through her body throughout the day. She remained silent.

"And, Miss Xiao Long - you had something to say as well?"

"Yeah. Why all the secrecy? Why try to hide all of this from everyone?"

Qrow, Ren, and Jaune all looked like they wanted to say the very same something, but they deferred to Ozpin.

"Firstly, to protect the Maidens and the Relics from those who would use them to their own nefarious ends. However, there is also the matter of avoiding massive public unrest, of which everyone here knows the consequences. Now, I do not know that any of you are or were previously religious or spiritual, so I will take a minute to elaborate on this. There are many who view their spirituality or religion as a source of hope and morality - the source, in some cases. Take that hope away, and we would create a state of despair and panic, not to mention the violence that might potentially come from religious groups who would feel threatened by such revelations. I know it may seem manipulative, but the best thing we can do to ensure the safety of the people is to continue to hide the truth from them and, yes, to let them believe in things that we know not to be true."

Lionheart sipped his coffee.

"So," said Qrow after a brief silence, "Any more questions?"

The students had been sharing looks varying in comfortability; JNR seemed mostly content with what Oz had had to say, though Ruby and Weiss appeared less at ease. Yang, however, had an immediate answer.

"Yes. But, just the two of us. There's still something we have to talk about."

Qrow, apparently, knew exactly what that something was; he got up and motioned for Yang to follow him. As he made to leave, Oz tapped him on the shoulder and mouthed an indiscernible question to him. The Huntsman thought for a moment before nodding slowly and whispering a terse, equally discrete response. He and Yang then left the room together. Ozpin filled the silence:

"Miss Rose, there is also something that Leo and I will need to discuss with you. If you would accompany us to the office?"

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Qrow and Yang sat across from each other in the dorm that would soon be occupied by her and her teammates.

"Well, then. I'm assuming Raven told you all about what happened the night she left."

"She did. What I wanna know is...is it true? That she tried to take me with her?"

There was a subtle change she saw in her uncle - an almost-crack in that grizzled mask smelling of booze. Behind it, she knew, lay a man whose heart so many losses throughout the years had rent asunder.

Yang had long suspected that he carried something of the like with him; after all, she was never so innocent and naive as her sister that she did not recognize his drinking as a symptom of something else. However, he had never before allowed her to see that part of him surface.

"...Yeah. It was a real mess that night." He sighed heavily. "I'll be honest, part of me wanted to take her side. I'd seen how she looked whenever she held you, and - gods, you shoulda heard her screaming at Tai when he told her she couldn't take you with. There was just this desperation in her voice. But..." The crack widened. "...I also knew what she'd be taking you to live in. Our - the man who raised us was...well, without going into detail, he was not a good person. Raven just never allowed herself to see that, and so she reflected a lot of who he was in herself. And she still does. So I did what I did, because first off, I knew you'd be a whole lot better off with your dad. But..." He shifted on the brown bean bag he was sitting on. "...there was another reason I did it, and for more selfish reasons."

"...And what was that?" Yang prompted Qrow out of his reluctance.

"I knew that if Raven raised you as part of the tribe, she'd have made you into a fighter. Didn't bother me by itself, except that I'd given my word to help Oz in his mission. Raven was defecting and going back to her old ways, which meant that our goals would be in opposition. I knew there might come a day when I had to fight the tribe, and...going against Raven was bad enough, but I couldn't stand the thought of one day having to draw my sword against my own niece."

Yang said nothing, instead contemplating the hidden depths of her uncle that she had only recently uncovered.

"I know," Qrow said after a few seconds. "We've kept you from your mom all that time, let you think that she just never cared. Maybe it was to protect you, but don't think I didn't know that it hurt. And I'm sorry it had to - "

"No," Yang cut him off. "You did the right thing. I don't know what might have happened if I'd run after my mom - I don't know what I might have turned into, and I don't think it would be something I'd have ended up liking. But no matter what would have happened, I'd have been pushing away the family I already had." Her gaze lowered painfully. "Back home at Patch, I realized just how much harm that can do, and how much it can screw things up. It got to a point where I just about destroyed things with Dad. And then when I got here, I thought Ruby would be so hurt and angry at how I treated her...and instead she tried to apologize - " She sniffed, pausing to wipe away a round of welling tears. "...I got lucky, in more ways than one. I see now how I would've lost that, how I would've lost Ruby if it weren't for you and Dad doing what you did. And, yeah," she smiled, having seen Qrow grimace at one of her words in particular. "Say what you will, but I'm lucky to have had you with me."

Yang could see a dull warmth light up inside her uncle as he looked her in the eye. Years of cynicism had done much for that dullness, but it was a warmth nonetheless. It glowed through the slight tug of a smile on his face that served as his thanks. The moment lasted for a few seconds.

"There's a couple more questions I've got, though. The time when you told me how I could find Raven...she said she'd also told you to say that she loved me. If you were ready to give me the green light to go after her like that, why didn't you tell me that, too? It would have at least been nice to know!"

Qrow's shadow of stubble accentuated his darkened countenance.

"Because Raven has a very...shall I say it, skewed definition of the word 'love', among other things. I didn't tell you because I didn't want you getting your hopes up, or getting any wrong ideas of what was coming. To her, love is a conditional thing, tied to usefulness and strength. She'll toss even family aside if they don't meet her standards - and she has."

"Really," said Yang, interested.

"Yeah." Qrow leaned over on the bean bag, gazing out the window at the sinking afternoon sun. "We used to have a cousin. Bit of a shitbag, yeah, but not a monster like our... Well, anyway, shortly after Raven took over the tribe, she decided that he would go the same route as we did and join a Huntsman Academy. He was sent up to Atlas, but when she went to check on him a year later, he'd been kicked out of the Academy and ended up in a Dust mine. So she just left him there. It's the last I ever heard of him."

Qrow turned around to face Yang and was about to continue, but:

"Uhhh...you mean Zarik?"

"...Yeah, that's him. Did she tell you about - "

"No, he was there with the tribe."

"Wait, what? Really?"

"Yeah...unfortunately. I remember Raven mentioning that he'd returned from Atlas at some point, so...I think he must've found his way back himself. Though I guess that explains why you also didn't bother telling me I had a second cousin."

"Yeah, didn't think he'd still be around. Guess it's good to know he didn't bite it up in - " But then he blinked, the mild relief brightening his face giving way to suspicion. "Wait a minute...what do you mean, 'unfortunately'?"

"Oh-ho-ho, do I have a story for you!"

Qrow leaned back with half smirk on his face. This oughta be good.

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"Do you remember the first time we met, Miss Rose?"

They were seated on a trio of armchairs in the left-hand corner of the headmaster's office, a small, single-posted roundtable separating teachers from student.

"Yeah, the night you let me into Beacon..." Her presence of mind flashed back to her conversation with her uncle on Patch after the school fell. "You said that I had silver eyes, didn't you?"

Oz grinned. "That I did. You have a good memory, indeed." He and Lionheart shared a look, and the latter got up to get something from his desk.

"Well, actually...it was Uncle Qrow who kind of remembered that for me, a while back..."

"Ah, yes - he must have told you something about that after the fact."

"Yeah. He said that I'm 'special like my mom was'...that's what we're talking about now, isn't it?"

"Precisely," said Lionheart, who had returned with a plate and the crinkling of cellophane, very much securing the Huntress's attention. He set the plate on the table and let a dozen or so cookies slip onto it from their gold-colored packaging. "I have heard much about your love of cookies; fortunate it is that I like to keep some for an occasional indulgence. I do hope you like snickerdoodles?"

"Mff? Mmh-hm!" Ruby had taken all of two seconds to narf down half the plate. Neither headmaster was terribly surprised at this, considering the well-known, direct correlation between Aura usage and metabolism. Ozpin waited until she had finished her current mouthful.

"What else did did your uncle tell you?"

"He...well, he mostly talked about it being a really old legend, but...he said there were warriors who the Grimm feared, and who could destroy them with only a glance. But, besides that...not much else."

"Then what he elected not to reveal, shall be today," said Oz; Ruby was once more fascinated of his ability to make her forget that he was cohabiting in the body of a fourteen-year-old farmboy. "Ruby Rose, you are indeed special like your mother was. You are descended from an ancient and deadly line of warriors with nigh-unparalleled capabilities in fighting the creatures of Grimm. It is true, indeed, that their gaze could reduce even the mightiest of Grimm to ashes; what you did at Beacon was only a shadow of the true potential of your lineage. As might be inferred, they have therefore proved invaluable in protecting humanity throughout the millennia of my existence." The headmaster's visage clouded with apprehension. "...Now, I stated earlier that Salem can be destroyed by a means which would later be explained. Perhaps you can see where I am going with this...?"

"I think so..." Ruby said without much conviction. Oz sighed.

"Salem is...not human. Not anymore. It is...difficult for me to explain the details now, but what I can say with confidence is that she cannot be killed by conventional means. However, the nature on which she has taken draws upon the same, quintessential forces of which the creatures of Grimm are composed...the same forces that your abilities are hardwired to undo."

If Ruby was unsure of what Ozpin was going to say before, she was no longer so.

"You mean, I'm the only one who can destroy Salem."

"Yes," Lionheart picked up after Ozpin. "And sadly, in a very literal and individual sense. The abilities of your bloodline are well known to Salem, and while she herself is vulnerable to them, the same does not hold true for other humans. So, because of her concerted efforts through her proxies...you are, as far as it is known to us...the last of your kind."

It seemed to take a moment for Ruby to awaken to the gravity of what she had just heard. Through the turmoil of innocence teetering, both Lionheart and Ozpin could see the wheels of her mind turning about.

"So...so that's how my mom died, then...she had someone kill her."

"Presumably, yes," said Oz, "but I feel that I must elaborate further on her case. There was an attempt to kill Salem, about...almost twelve years ago now, I should say, that she took part of, alongside myself and the veteran Winter and Fall Maidens. There was no guarantee of success against the likes of Salem, but it was the best chance we would have had in a long time. Indeed, I had hoped that this time, perhaps, we might win. But there were some...unforeseen circumstances that led to this mission being your mother's last."

"...What were they?" Ruby exuded a sort of reluctant curiosity, as if wanting to know what is behind a door, yet afraid for what it might be.

"They...Salem had apparently managed to procure a number of allies previously unknown to us. To this day, even I do not know who exactly they were, and no sightings have been reported of them since. What I do know is that they were very dangerous, and one of them was a highly accomplished practitioner of magic - enough so that he held his own against the Winter Maiden herself. He also managed to separate Summer from the rest of us, after which Salem unleashed her wrath upon us; we were barely able to escape with our lives, and Fall spent her remaining years as a cripple. Most disturbing, however, is that I could sense illusion magic surrounding these allies...leading me to speculate if they were even human at all."

"Faunus, maybe?" said Ruby, remembering how Blake had hidden her identity in the past.

"...I sincerely hope that is the case. If not, we may be dealing with something far larger and more dangerous than we had thought. I hate to think that this could be...but we must consider the possibility of sentient Grimm creations."

"...Do you think that's what Cinder might be? I mean - what I did on the tower..."

"Yes, I heard Qrow's account of the aftermath...it is possible, I suppose. However, we also know from him that Cinder utilized some form of Grimm creature to steal the Fall Maiden's power. It could have been that the creature had intertwined itself within Cinder's body, thereby causing her harm when you used your abilities."

There was a bit of a pause as Ruby sorted through all she had learned.

"So that's it, then," she spoke at last. "I'm gonna have to try and destroy Salem one day, like my mother before me."

"Not necessarily," Lionheart was quick to put in. "The last attempt has given us some pause as to whether we will launch such an attack in the near future. Certainly, we are in no position to do so anytime soon. But, well...there is another thing to consider..."

"And that is the fact that you are the last of your kind," Oz continued for his obviously reluctant friend. "So even if you attain or surpass the proficiency that your mother did, we cannot afford to have you risk your life in a direct confrontation against Salem until...well, until you are no longer the last of your kind."

"Oh." Ruby immediately understood the awkwardness of the situation. Lionheart was again quick to further rectify.

"This is not to say, of course, that you must have children as soon as possible, but - "

"Yeah, uh, I think maybe I'll finish my training before I get into all that...and, you know, find someone I love, uh, you know..."

Oz cleared his throat as Ruby trailed off.

"...All that said, I know how it seems that I am simply using you and your family as a tool to fulfill my own designs. And perhaps there is some truth to that; it was one of Raven's less self-centered reasons for her departure, as she believed that Summer was being given no choice. But I assure you that such is never the case; with me, there is always a choice. I am of the conviction that each man and woman is the charter of their own course, the captain of their soul. So if you do not wish to embark on the path I have shown before you, I will neither stop you nor begrudge your - "

"I'll do it."

The young woman's swiftness of decision took both headmasters aback.

"You say that everyone has a choice," she continued, "but I'm not so sure about that. To me, it almost seems like there never was a choice; now that I know what's going on, I can't back down. I think that this is my destiny."

Lionheart and Ozpin shared a glance once more, and the latter's answer came with a warm smile.

"Then you will have our assistance in all you do to fulfill it. And you have my undying pledge that I shall do everything in my power to protect your family, present and future, from Salem's grasp."

Ruby returned his smile in thanks, and then looked inquiringly to Lionheart. "Is this what you were going to tell me later, Professor? About my mom?"

Lionheart forced himself to bite his tongue, and lied instead. "...Yes," he answered, appearing to have done a cursory sweep of his mental files. "That was about the essence of it, I think. I had intended to reveal it later, but with your sister's arrival and the revelations she brought with, Ozpin and I deemed now an appropriate time."

Ruby opened her mouth, then closed it, looking a little disappointed. Lionheart felt a pang of guilt for that, but to tell her everything he did know about her mother...that would not only risk exposing himself before the time was right, but would also put Ruby herself in even greater danger by potentially dragging her into his schemes. He knew the world could not afford that, and thus said no more as he assumed his kindly smile.

"Now," said Oz, "we have told you as much as we have in confidence, but we by no means require that you keep it between the three of us and Qrow. If you so desire to inform your friends and teammates, you may certainly do so. We know that yours is a heavy burden, and you may need the support of those you love to help you in bearing it. Keep in mind, though, that this is information that directly concerns your safety, so be sure to know whom you can trust with it."

"So, Miss Rose," said Lionheart. "Are there any questions about this that we can answer for you?"

There were two issues that Ruby could think of at the moment, but only one was fully articulated in her mind, and it was certainly the more pressing of the two.

"Yeah. How am I going to learn to use my powers? I mean, I have no idea how I was able to in the first place..."

"Normally," Oz answered, "we would seek out another of your ilk for that, but as there are none of whose existence we are currently aware, I will take upon that role myself. While I am admittedly unfamiliar with the realm of magic from which your powers stem, it is still magic, and I will do what I can to guide you along."

"Well, then...I have no more questions! Thank you, Professor."

Ozpin nodded, and with that, Oscar returned to the domain of his body. Farewells were bidden, and the two students left the building.

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"Hey, Oscar, can I ask you something?"

"Sure, what is it?"

"Well...follow me."

Intrigued, Oscar did as asked. Instead of going on a straight path to their supposed destination, Ruby took a very long detour around the campus. When they finally stopped, they were not in front of their dorms, but standing near the edge of the mountaintop. Oscar realized he had forgotten just how high above sea level they were as he gazed down the steep, sparsely vegetated slope. He looked up at Ruby to see if she was doing the same, but she was staring straight into the distance - at what in particular, he could not say.

"I think Lionheart's not telling me something," she said after a long thirty seconds. It was a moment before Oscar realized what she was referring to.

"Oh, uh...you think?" That was really dumb, he then chastised himself, but Ruby seemed too lost in thought to have cared about that.

"Yeah. About my mom. I'd asked him about it the day we got here - you'd left already, though. That's what he was talking about when I asked him that question."

"Huh, okay..." Oscar grasped pretty quickly what Ruby was getting at. "And so, you're wondering if I can tell you anything about it?"

She nodded. "Yeah. I mean, I guess I could also ask Professor Ozpin, but I guess there's not really that much of a difference."

"Yeah, I guess not," Oscar chuckled. "So, what was it you wanted to know? Seems like you had a whole bunch of questions answered back in there."

"I mean, I did, but..."

"Not the questions you were thinking about?"

Ruby sighed frustratedly. "It's just - you remember what he said about my mom the first time we met?"

As a matter of fact, he remembered exactly what Lionheart had said. He immediately began troving through his - Ozpin's - his - (whatever!) memories in search of anything relating to it.

"Yeah, that you didn't sound like her, right?"

"Mmhm. And for some reason, Uncle Qrow didn't like that or something, and so he stopped talking about it. It just - it bothers me that they're totally fine with telling me about how she died trying to save the world, but not with something really minor like this! It's like they think I won't be able to handle it, or something!"

"Uh, yeah," said Oscar, trying awkwardly to listen to Ruby, figure out the right response, and sift through a library's worth of memories, all at the same time. "That's, uh..." He took note of her expectant look, and realized that he had been standing there with a dumb, blank look on his face (again). It was to his immense relief that he just then happened upon a very interesting, if not exactly relevant, memory. "Well, actually, I think I've got some- "

Oscar.

Huh? He nearly said out loud, but thankfully caught himself. What is it?

Now is not the time.

What? Why not? This really doesn't seem like a big -

It is...part of something that her family wants to forget. We have to respect their wishes, even if we may not agree with -

Oh, come on! She's basically an adult, what's so -

Oscar, listen to me. It is not our place to -

No! This is dumb. Look, I'm just gonna tell her, and -

Let me put it this way, then: do you want to really piss off Qrow?

Memories showcasing the Huntsman's undeniably terrifying combat prowess - and equally legendary drinking habits - flooded Oscar's mind for good measure. Nothing more was said (thought?) between them. Though Oscar didn't like Ozpin's insistence any more than he had before, he did not want to anger Qrow and betray his trust. But at the same time, Ruby had also just put her trust in him...which, to a boy who had left the only home and family he had ever known to throw himself into the fray and the unknown, meant a security he very much desired. Trust! Friendship! Hell, maybe even...

But Qrow had also been very kind to him in the past couple of days, despite their initial first encounter. He had taken him under his wing, listened to his story, answered all of his questions - he was just there for him whenever he needed it. Oscar had never known his father, and Qrow...well, he felt a little silly for leaping after such fantasies so quickly, but the man at least seemed like someone he could look up to and rely upon. He certainly didn't want to ruin that -

"Uh, Oscar? Are you okay?"

Dammit! "Huh? Yeah, I - just, uh, talking with Oz. But, you know, in my head."

"Gotcha," Ruby smiled understandingly. "So, you were saying you got something?"

"I..." Dammit. Whatever decision he was going to make, it would have to be now.

So, in a moment of extreme reluctance and reflexive panic, he did.

"...Actually, I, uh..." Ruby was staring at him, her smile fading.

Dammit.

"...I shouldn't, actually." His gaze dropped like an iron weight to the ground. "It's, uh - it's just real complicated, and Oz was saying that - "

"Oh," Ruby said dejectedly, and Oscar stopped to hold his breath. "You too, then."

It was clearly aimed at Ozpin - or at least, that's what Oscar hopefully assumed. She didn't seem angry, either - just disappointed, which was initially much better in his opinion than angry (especially having felt the strength of her kicks just hours prior).

But it was when Ruby looked away that Oscar saw the opportunity he had missed. She had hoped that perhaps he would trust her, that he would be someone she could confide in. And he had quenched those hopes. Doubtless, she wouldn't treat him any worse for it, but that much-desired closeness...Oscar didn't know when he would get that kind of chance again. And yet, his course was set.

Ruby turned and walked off without another word, her cape fluttering in the mountain breeze. Oscar just stood there, wanting to call out to her and tell her what he knew, but his own nerveless irresolution glued him in place. Eventually, she disappeared behind the corner of a maintenance building.

Dammit, Ozpin.

============================================================

Night fell on the city of Mistral. High above, the clouds dissipated before the eastward winds, rolling back like a black scroll. No longer obstructed, the shattered moon cast its bright shadow, watching over Remnant like an ancient, fallen guardian.

Ruby rested her head on Yang's shoulder, the sisters sitting back against a bed as they wound down for the night. It had been quite the afternoon as RNJR regaled Yang and Weiss of their trek across Anima, thoroughly impressing them. Equally so was RNJR after hearing all about Weiss's daring escape from Atlas and Yang's account of Raven, Zarik, and the Branwen tribe - though the latter's lack of puns did not escape Ruby's notice.

JNR had since headed back to their own dorm, leaving the three girls to their own devices. Soon after, Yang had taken the liberty of bringing back a tradition from her younger years: bedtime stories. It had been a long time since last she had done so, as her sister had since grown out of the need, but Ruby very much enjoyed the surprise. The fact that Weiss was also present for the stories made the evening all the more delightful.

As the moonlight broached through the window and Yang went on with her atypically traditional tale of knight-versus-dragon, however, Ruby's mind wandered elsewhere. She thought back to the mystery of her mother, wondering what her uncle could possibly be keeping hidden about her. Whatever it was, she wouldn't be getting it out of Lionheart, that was for certain. Ozpin, too, wouldn't say anything -

She then remembered Oscar. He, at least, had seemed willing to impart what information he had before Ozpin apparently stopped him.

Oh, man...I probably could've handled that better, too. He might think that I don't like him now, and he doesn't deserve that! I'll have to go apologize to him later...

With that resolved and out of the way, Ruby's mind returned to that strange limbo soup of thoughts, vaguely guided by Yang's continuously unfolding story until she made a conscious shift to focus entirely on said story. She was relieved she did, as Yang had just gotten to the exciting part where the hero faced down his ferocious, draconic foe.

Ruby had forgotten just how good of a storyteller her sister could be. The lack of visuals hardly shook the illusion; the battle was primally fierce and filthy, yet also elegantly choreographed. Gouts of blood-red fire carved black swaths through forest and meadow and splashed off the hero's great shield, with said hero's magical spear/anti-armor assault rifle in turn working relentlessly against the beast's iron scales. (Ample detail was given concerning the weapon's form and function, much to Ruby's excitement.) At last, the spear struck true, piercing the dragon's heart...but, rather than falling dead, it instead began a stunning transformation into a gorgeous lady - the same lady, in fact, whom the hero had set out to rescue from the dragon's clutches. Their reunion was truly heartwarming - that is, until the lady apologized for all the trouble she had caused, to which the knight responded that the rest of the month spent with her would more than make up for this comparatively trifling trial of husbandhood.

From the cheeky, toothy grin on her sister's face, as well as Weiss's visibly faux-assaulted sensibilities, Ruby pretty quickly picked up on what Yang had just done there.

"You - !" Weiss spluttered out. "...You can't - you can't do tha- Yang Xiao Long, you are absolutely awful!"

The sound of Nora's high-pitched cackling bled through the thin, Mistralian dorm walls. Yang's laughter joined the chorus, bolstered by the knowledge that JNR had been listening in as well (she had not taken any measures to remain quiet, especially for the battle scene). Ruby just stared ahead in what appeared to be some sort of shell shock; she never remembered any of Yang's stories ending like this! Then again, at this point they were all essentially adults...she realized she probably should have seen this sort of thing coming.

"Oh, come on, Weiss-cream," Yang guffawed, "You know you liked the story. Let's hear a round of applause for that one, everyone!"

Weiss glared at the wall as applause and cries of "Bravo!" erupted from the three traitors in the next room over, with Ruby joining in as well. At last, urged on by the latter, the Ice Queen rolled her eyes and begrudgingly awarded Yang a half-smile and a series of slow, aristocratically suppressed claps.

At last, the cheerful clamor died down, and Yang flopped down onto her bed.

"Whew! That was quite a ride, huh? Thinking I've got enough in me for one more, though...hey, Rubes, how 'bout you pick the story?"

Ruby perked up at that, an idea immediately brewing into clarity. How to articulate it, however, proved a little more difficult...

"It can be just a theme," Yang prompted. "Maybe a genre, or - "

"Actually, uh, I've got something more...specific."

"Oh? Do tell..." Yang's eyebrows waggled mischievously, which brought out Ruby's quick response.

"Yang, it's nothing inappropriate!"

"Awww, you sure? I can cook up some really hot scenes between the red-hooded maiden and her charming, blonde knight..."

"Yang! I don't like Jaune like that!"

"Feeling's mutual!" They all heard Jaune call out from the other room, towards which Ruby gestured confirmedly.

"Okay, okay," Yang conceded. "Y'all wanna keep it under wraps, be my guest. I won't snitch!" She was rewarded with an incoming pillow missile.

In all seriousness, Ruby was inwardly ecstatic to see the fun-loving side of her sister re-emerge. It had been so very long since she had last seen it...and that was when? Before she lost her arm - no, even before that! - before the singles at the Vytal Festival. Before they set her up...

But it wouldn't do for Ruby to dwell on that now, especially with what was on her mind as of late.

"So, uh..."

"Right, you had a story idea! Shoot it at me, sis. I'm all ears."

"Well, it's more of a real-life type of story..."

"Oh." Yang's interest was visibly piqued. "Go on."

"...I was thinking...maybe you could tell a story about Mom?"

Well, this was certainly intriguing for Yang. She wondered what could have possibly brought this about...she suspected it had something to do with her earlier meeting with Ozpin and Lionheart, but those questions would be better saved for another day.

Right now, Yang was going to make up for time lost.

"Yeah, I think I've got a few. Now, where to start..."