Chapter 16 Aftermath of the Battle for Haven.

Zack's POV

It has been hours since the battle for Haven, and as much as I hate to admit it, I couldn't sleep the whole night. Stupid nightmares of Cinder impaling me and the phantom pains even though the wound's healed already… And it's like, what? Five in the morning? I could only sit on my bed with my hand rubbing my head as Qrow snored quietly in the background. The thing is, every time I tried to go back to sleep and close my eyes, I kept finding myself stuck in the same bloody nightmare.

I have some sort of trauma, do I?

Fuck, man…

My eyes soon drew towards the part of my chest that Cinder impaled me through, and lifting the shirt slightly was a nasty scar I got from her stabbing her spear into me. Fucking hell. I don't have time to suffer from what I could guess is a form of PTSD. As if to drive the point even further, my hands…

They were shivering when I thought about her...

Perhaps… some time to think outside will allow my mind to think freely and away from this mess. So, with a soft sigh, I slowly pushed myself off my bed to not disturb and wake up Qrow from his sleep. And as I sort of learned first-hand, Qrow gets fucking pissed and cranky like an old man if he does not get enough sleep.

And as I did, I remembered that I placed the Relic of Knowledge in my bag for safekeeping, and as I remember it, the Golden-teal lantern shimmered inside the bag. Good that nobody tried to take it. I would have torn the whole of Mistral down to find it if someone had indeed taken it while we were sleeping.

And as I slowly walked towards the door, I remembered something. Right, I have my semblance unlocked by Ishmael. Yes… that's her name. And it's a hereditary Semblance, similar to the Schnee's glyphs. Except my bloodline gained access to Dust manipulation.

And Dust, as crazy as it sounds. I now know why they exist and how. They are AWOR's blood, in a way. Perhaps some time to experiment on my semblance would allow me to pass the time. I need to figure out how it works and perhaps see its potential in action. Maybe Weiss can lend me a hand in this matter with her speciality in Dust.

Right, and I passed her that unique Dust that Ishmael made, I think. I wonder how it is different from regular Dust.

With what I wished to do in my mind to pass the time, I ran my hands through my pocket and found several vials that contained different types of Dust within them. To keep my experimentation simple, I only took fire Dust, rock Dust, Wind Dust and electric Dust and shoved them into my pocket before leaving my room.

Yet, as I walked through the dark hallways with night vision assistance, I felt my mind begin to play back everything that had happened yesterday during our battle and the aftermath of it. Yea, I remembered everyone asking me questions about what happened, but… I told them that I would explain to them the next day. I remember being the first in and out of the showers when we returned, before collapsing on my bed from physical and mental exhaustion.

Shaking my head in hopes of erasing that thought from my mind, I soon found myself back in the training room and with a flick of the switch, the lights of the training room on as I closed my eyes simultaneously. Yeah, I learned that lesson, and like hell I intend to blind myself again temporarily. After a few seconds, I slowly opened my eyes as I walked to the middle of the room and pulled out one of the vials of Dust I had with me.

Dust manipulation… It sounds broken from what its name suggests, and to think this is the semblance I inherited from my ancestors. But why do I feel this semblance was intentional by their design? I mean, the ability to manipulate the essence of Remnant itself with my fingertips because of my blood's connection to the sisters? I… part of me says I should accept it without question and move on.

And I agree.

With a subtle shake of my head, I returned to reality as I unscrewed the vial containing rock Dust before bringing my hand up. I wonder if I could revert Dust to its liquid state. Taking a breath, I felt my semblance activate as the powdered rock Dust within the glass vial began to flow through the air before it gathered around my hand.

With a slight frown on my face, I brought my hand face up and watched as rock Dust began to flow just above my hand into a ball. And as I slowly brought my fingers together, I could only watch with awe as the powdered rock Dust began to compress into a single sparking dark-orange crystal over my hand.

It looks roughly three inches tall and an inch wide. I think.

And how interesting… I can change how its form. I wonder if I could convert the crystals back into powder versions. So, with that thought in mind, I watched the rock Dust crystal slowly dissolve back into its powdered form before gathering just above my hand. But as I thought about what to do next, I heard a familiar voice inside my head.

"This is new."

"Ozpin. Good to hear from you again." I spoke up, while I couldn't help but smile with relief upon hearing Ozpin back up again. His presence alone brought some comfort to me. Not like I'll admit it to him.

"Good to be back, Arakan. What happened after Cinder wounded us? Is the battle concluded and the Relic of Knowledge retrieved?" Ozpin spoke again as I sent the powdered rock Dust into the empty vial in my hand.

"Much has happened since then, and… yes. The battle for Haven's concluded, Leon is still alive and not dead, And lastly, the Relic of Knowledge is in our possession. But, currently, it is like five in the morning, and I… couldn't sleep well." I softly sighed out as I sat on the floor with the vial full of rock Dust still in my hand.

"I see… If I may ask, was that your semblance just now? How did you unlock it?" Ozpin asked curiously as I nodded my head before using my semblance to make the powdered rock Dust flow out of the vial and crystallise over my hand.

"Yeah. Unlocked it a while back while you were unconscious." I explained as I stared at the rock Dust floating above my hand. "The semblance I got is called Dust manipulation. And I learned much you must know in my time in the afterlife."

"Truly…" Ozpin hummed. "The foreign magic on your arm has grown substantially. Hearing your explanation should bring me into the context of what has transpired after you reawakened."

"Yeah." I agreed as an idea struck my mind. With a grin, I imagined a chair in my head and sent my arm forward. And much to our awe, I watched as the rock Dust took the form of a chair before activating. As a result, a chair made of stone appeared before me, right as I glanced at my hand and back to the chair.

"Fascinating…" I heard Ozpin muttering as I stood up and picked it up after much effort. And yup. That's a bloody chair made up of stone! And to make it even more awesome! It's not covered in jagged surfaces and resembles a chair from my old world! Because of it, I ended up letting out a childish giggle as I slowly put it down and sat on it.

"Well… buckle up, Oz, cos this gonna be doozy." I then began to explain everything AWOR said to me in my time in the afterlife. It took some time to explain and answer any questions I could, but in the end, Oz was overwhelmed by everything. I can see he was.

I mean, I was, too, when AWOR told me everything.

"This is overwhelming…" Ozpin mutters, as I can only self-deprecatingly chuckle as I share his feelings. "I will not lie. This explains much of how Faunuses come to be. I have been searching for a reason why they suddenly appeared in my past lives as if they materialised out of nothing. Nor am I aware that they were created with the sole purpose of helping us."

"Yup, exactly how I felt about the whole thing. And we Arakans are marked as the sister's chosen, and we can use magic. Which I still have no idea how to use it to be with." I added as I leaned back on my stone chair. It isn't comfortable, but it's an excuse to test my semblance.

I'm sure you'll find a way. And to think Dust is the essence of AWOR. That explains why it doesn't work outside of Remnant's atmosphere." Oz hummed as I simply nodded my head before Ozpin mentioned a point. "I assume you will be telling everyone about this?"

Well… They deserve the right to know. And I wonder how Blake would react to me, since I have met our Gods and learned of our purpose to help Humanity. Hopefully, that would not cause her to have a crisis or something. And don't wish to know how the sisters feel about the White Fang's actions. They probably are like disappointed parents if I have to guess.

And I have to wonder… how would the current Faunuses react to me? From what I could tell, Leon seemed to recognise me, or at least my bloodline, and Blake kept staring at me on our way back to our hotels while catching up with her team and friends. Oh, right. I also earned Kali and Ghira's eyes on me last night. So, I guess it makes sense for the Belladonnas to know of the Arakans.

Are they technically my ancestor's successors, since they rule Menagerie? Perhaps I could ask Blake's parents before we leave. They might be staying in Mistral for a while…

"Yeah. I believe they should know of this… and a way to defeat Salem permanently." I sighed as I stared outside the training room, which was still dark. "Even if there's a chance that there is no way to stop Salem, I prefer them knowing the truth than lying to them about it."

"Even if it could potentially affect your relationship with them? There's a reason some secrets must remain hidden from the world, and if so, the consequences could be immense." Ozpin then points out as I felt the blood in my veins freezes momentarily. Do I wish to take that gamble?

No.

I've come this far with a plan. I can't back out of it right now. Even if there's a sliver of a chance to defeat Salem permanently, I will take it. If not for myself in an attempt to end the war before my merger, then it is for the sake of my friends.

"Yes, Oz. Whatever the case, they need to know it. Better to know the truth than hide it for the sake of their feelings." I sighed as I rubbed my forehead. There will be no going back after today. If Jinn explains that Salem can be defeated, then good for us, and we have a goal to strive for. If not…

I hope the others will understand and do not lose themselves to despair.

"I understand."

"That's all I'm asking, Oz." I smiled as I stood up from my stone chair before extending my hand towards it. I wonder if I could turn them back into Dust or if it's permanent once changed. But much to our surprise, the stone chair I made just now began to fall apart into nothing but dirt.

Okay... I thought I would convert or absorb them back into Dust. I was not expecting them to fall apart and disintegrate into nothing. And here I thought that Dust Manipulation is like Matter Manipulation. Guess I was wrong.

"I am assuming you do have no idea what your semblance is capable of, am I correct?" I heard Ozpin whispering in my head, and for a moment, I swore Oz was amused at my attempted effort.

"Yea… I'm going to need to test out its limit…" Now that I think about it, what if I were to mix particular Dust types together? I could create floating platforms made from stone Dust and gravity Dust. Or perhaps electric fire Dust attacks? So many ideas that can only be limited by the imagination. Maybe having this Semblance isn't so bad when I could get creative with it…

"I believe it will be wise to garner the assistance of your friends. I am sure they'll be willing to help you out." Oz says, as I simply nodded my head and turned my eyes to the staircase that goes up. Perhaps a drink would be nice to have… and breakfast.

"Hey, Oz, I feel like making breakfast for everyone. Do you want some hot chocolate?" I hummed as my tail swayed when I felt the cold wind blowing against me. "Having some tasty breakfast does sound nice."

"I appreciate the offer. What do you have in mind?" Oz then asked as I hummed, closed the lights, and made my way up.

"Not sure either, Oz. I need to check the fridge to see what's in stock, and if there's nothing in there to cook with, I might have to Taobao food back for everyone to have." I couldn't help but chuckle to myself when I felt Ozpin's confusion about what I meant for a moment, and I could feel him peering into my memories about what I had just said. And it wasn't long until he spoke, fascinated by my choice of wordings.

"Ah… so it means 'to take away'. I understand now." Oz murmured as I soon arrived at our kitchen and checked the fridge. And huh, not enough ingredients for everyone… I might have to buy more now or Taobao back. And that means I need my wallet and scroll since I'm going shopping early in the morning.

With a plan in mind, I quickly but silently returned to my room before wearing my Huntsman outfit and grabbing my scroll, wallet and Ozpin's cane. But strangely enough, my jacket seemed to lack the hole it got when… well… yeah…

Did someone patch it up while I was sleeping?

It looks like someone sewed up the damage, and now it barely looks like it was damaged, to begin with. I might ask everyone about it later.

And before I left the room, I wrote a simple note that stated that I went off to get some food for everyone and stuck it on Qrow's face. I'm still amazed the old man didn't wake up from having a note attached to him, but whatever, I'm sure he would understand.

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Minutes later, I decided to ask Ozpin as I walked through the streets with vendors setting up shops for the day and the occasional early birds minding their own business on the streets. "Hey, Oz. Whatcha feel like having for breakfast?" I mentally asked as my eyes surveyed everyone around me. And I could tell that most of the locals here had their guard up more than yesterday before the battle.

I guess the White Fang's attempt to blow up Haven rattled most of the locals on the upper levels, though not sure about the lower levels. Not like I intend to go down there, for I have no reason to do so. But, as I made my way to the market, I could tell that Ozpin's mind was coming up with something he desired to have, and it wasn't long until I got a reply.

"I am not particular when it comes to food, Arakan. But perhaps some cakes and pastries do sound wonderful after yesterday." Cakes and pastries, huh? You know, it has been a while since I had such tasty treats, even more so from that Japanese cream cake company.

What was its name again?

Right! Chateraise! That's its name, and I miss their soft, light, fluffy cream cakes! Oh, and the cream puffs too! I'm sure the gang would love it if they could try them out!

…

And now I just made myself sad that I can never get the opportunity to eat that fluffy strawberry cake again.

"Zack," I heard Oz calling me out as his voice snapped me out of my cake depression. "There is a popular cake store nearby that we could get for everyone," Oz said before adding in. "You should be able to feed your craving for strawberry cake, and based on your memories, I understood why you missed it. It's surprisingly delicious compared to Remnant's."

Wait, what? Can he taste food from my memories? When could he do that? Oz chose to add in as if guessing what was going through my mind.

"Remember, I'm simply reliving parts of your memories, and whatever you tasted during that time, I can feel it as well."

"That's totally not, creepy as hell, headmaster." I couldn't help but dryly point out, as I could tell that Oz agreed with my point.

"It does. But you simply thinking about it brought up that particular memory, and I couldn't help but be curious about why you were thinking about it." Oz just about admits as I roll my eyes. Sometimes I enjoy the time Oz and I have, and I'm reminded that I lost almost all my privacy.

Ah, whatever. I hope the cakes are just not expensive. Actually, where is that place located at? "Hey, Oz," I whispered to Ozpin in my head before I passed control of my body to the old wizard, much to his surprise when he was suddenly controlling our body. "I'm unsure where that cake shop is, so you'll take us there. And I hope the price tag is alright and not overblown."

A soft smile grew on my lips as Ozpin affirmed. "Very well then, and fret not of the pricing. It is surprisingly affordable for its quality, and I believe you'll enjoy it." Oz hummed as he took us to the cake shop without his cane to ensure no one could ask why I had Ozpin's cane.

And just like what Ozpin had said, we found the cake store run by a lovely couple that had been baking for years. And oh, man! The cakes they're selling look pleasant and affordable! Strawberry shortcake, chocolate cake, cheesecake, and fluffy cream roll cake! If I could have expressed how ecstatic I saw the cakes before my eyes, I was now as my fluffy tail wagged all over the place!

Even more so when they are not discriminating against Faunuses! That's great!

And I might have gone overboard as I bought three cakes from the lovely couple for everyone's breakfast, much to my embarrassment, which Oz teased me about. And I was surprised that the cakes I bought were worth at least a hundred Lien in total.

Though at this rate, I will definitely burn through my bank savings, but just for today, it will be worth it before we get serious again. And then, as if to add fuel to the fire, Ozpin helpfully points out that I could have asked him nicely that we could have used his account to pay for the cakes.

I was understandably pissed that he didn't offer earlier, but he counters that I never bothered to ask him. Cheeky bastard. Anyway, by the time I was on the way back to our hotel, it was rapidly approaching Seven, and I got a text from Qrow about what I was getting for breakfast. And apparently, everyone was restless about our important talk that would happen later and what I could have gotten for breakfast.

Also, he was understandably annoyed that I stuck a note on his face. But I just laughed it off and said I would be home soon before I ended the call with a smile.

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It did not take long for me to reach back to our hotel, and by the time I knocked on the door, it took only a second before it was opened by Ruby, who had a big smile on her face as she greeted me. "Morning, Zack, and welcome back!" Ruby smiled as I simply gave my own back. "What did you get for us?"

Ruby simply asked as I raised the plastic bag in my hand. I could see the others curiously peeking in. Blake was also there watching silently. "Well, Ruby, since you asked, I got three cakes of different flavours for breakfast!" I grinned as I, for a moment, saw stars in Ruby's eyes before she squealed as she began physically vibrating on the spot.

"Oh!Whatdidyougetforus!" Ruby began babbling as I simply walked in and closed the door while trying to stifle how adorable Ruby could be.

"Wait, Zacky got cakes for breakfast?!" I heard Nora speaking in the background ecstatically, before I soon spotted everyone giving surprised looks at me. Of course, none of them figured I would go this far and get cakes for breakfast. And frankly, seeing their faces was worth it.

"Wow. Are you treating us like this after yesterday's fight? I knew I liked you for a reason." Yang simply said as she leaned on the sofa. Blake remained impassive as she watched me, though her ears were twitching. Weiss then asked next as she sipped on what I could tell was tea.

"How much did those cakes cost, if I may ask?"

"Around a hundred Lien for three cakes," I admitted, as I swore everyone's eyes bulged out of their skulls when they heard me. "What? I simply wanted to reward everyone after yesterday's fight, and I believe we deserve it after a hard-fought victory."

"A hundred Lien cake breakfast…" Ren mutters in shock as I can't help but giggle.

"Yup! And I got different flavours for you all." I said casually as I walked toward the dining table as Ruby tailed after me.

"So… what did you get for us?" I just smiled as I explained loud enough for everyone to hear.

"I got strawberry shortcake, a black chocolate forest and a cheesecake, so you all better make it all worth the costs by eating it all." I pointed out as smiles grew on my friend's faces before they all stood up and began gathering at the dining table while Ruby and Jaune rushed off to get a knife, plates and forks for all of us.

"One more thing, where is Qrow, by the way?" I then asked as I felt an arm resting on my shoulder while I heard Oz letting out an amused snort.

"Right behind ya, kiddo." I heard his gruff voice behind me as I faced our resident Huntsman. "Need to ask me something?" Qrow then asked as I simply nodded my head.

"Privately."

I whispered back as Qrow nodded his head. And with that, we walked to the living room while my friends got ready to have cake for breakfast. As soon as we sat on the couches, I addressed him. "Qrow, do contact Leon to come here in an hour or two. That should give us plenty of time to have breakfast and talk about yesterday." I explained as Qrow raised an eyebrow directly at me.

"You sure that's a good idea to have him come here? What's stopping him from acting as a mole to Salem again?" Qrow then questioned me as I shrugged.

"Yea, Leon may be a coward and a traitor, but I need him here to ensure stability in Mistral and in addition, Salem kills him for cowardice in the story. I know she will never want him on her side. And even traitors have their uses…" I simply said as I took out Oz's cane and unfolded it unconsciously.

"Is Oz okay with the plan? And asking about Salem?" Qrow then asked as I nodded.

"Ozpin is okay with it, and we're doing it. I… only hope this will end well…" For the first time in a while, I allowed myself to look weak in front of Ozpin's friend. I've been acting strong for a while for the sake of everyone, and it's tiring.

"I guess I was hoping that Salem could be defeated permanently, but… if not…"

"You're afraid that everyone would lose hope, right?" Qrow merely finished my sentence as I nodded at him.

"Yea… Everyone, including you, did that when Jinn revealed that Salem couldn't be defeated later. But I refused that is the case, and I believe it has to be how Oz worded it that made it seem impossible to kill Salem. But there's only one way to find out, I guess." My eyes simply hardened as my eyes found their way towards Oz's cane in my hand.

A tired sigh soon exited my mouth as Qrow stood up and rested his hand on my shoulder. "I'll be blunt here, kid. Perhaps the story is right, and Salem couldn't be stopped. But we all found ourselves in this mess and might as well see it through. And… I believe you, kid." My head rose to meet Qrow eyes while the memory of Qrow punching Oscar hard and mentioning that meeting him was the worst luck of his life.

"I honestly hope you meant what you said, Qrow…"

Hiding my fears away with a chuckle, I spoke, "Thanks. You sure you're not saying it because I am Oz's next incarnate?" I point out with a cheeky grin as Qrow rolls his eyes.

"Don't bet on that kid." And so, Qrow walked off before I stood up and called out to him as he was on the stairs.

"Yo Qrow. You sure you don't want cake for breakfast?" I then asked as the veteran Huntsman shot me a teasing grin.

"Eh, you're offering some to me?"

"Well, you are part of the team Qrow, and you will have at least a slice of it, whether you like it or not." I said before adding, "That and Oz would be disappointed in you if you rejected my offer."

"I did not say that, Arakan." Ozpin indignantly whispered in my ear as I ignored him and watched Qrow chuckle.

"Heh. Sure thing, kiddo. Save a slice or two for me. I got a call to make." And with that, Qrow climbed the stairs as I went to the dining table to see my friends sitting by the dining table about to start breakfast. And Nora has a massive slice of cake on her plate. Three of them, if I may add.

I hope there's enough for everyone…

"Sorry about that, guys. I need to take to Qrow about some stuff." I smiled at my friend before I joined them at the dining table.

"It's alright," Weiss was the first to speak as she bit into the strawberry shortcake on her plate. "We were about to start eating when you arrived." Weiss explained as I heard satisfied moans from Yang, Ruby and Nora. Oh, and Blake was also enjoying a slice of cheesecake as well.

"Good. We just need to save a slice or two for Qrow, and the rest is ours," I got smiles back from everyone as I took a slice of strawberry shortcake and took a bite into it. And man… If its scent wasn't divine enough, the taste was more than that. Its texture was airy and light, and the cream was amazing! Even more, the strawberries on it were fresh and sweet!

I wasn't even aware that a tear dripped down my cheek as the taste of nostalgia hit me full force.

"Uhh… Is he okay?" I heard Ruby questioning everyone before her sister spoke up.

"He's having a nostalgic moment. Can you see, Ruby?" Yang points at me as Nora happily shoves more cake into her mouth.

"Ah, don't worry about that. I was… just fondly reminded of a past." I happily state as I wipe a tear away. "There was a cake franchise back on Earth that sells amazing cakes and pastries, and this strawberry shortcake reminded me much of what I missed back home. I'm sure you'll like it if you could try it out." I smiled as everyone nodded to me understandably. Well, except Blake, who had no idea what was going on.

"Can someone tell me what he's talking about?" The cat Faunus asked as everyone paused momentarily as they forgot that Blake wasn't aware of my background since she just joined us. And I admit, I kind of forgot about her as well.

"Oh right, you were not there when I told them," I mumbled as I smiled and placed my fork down. "Well… I believe an introduction is in order."

For the next hour or so, we filled our newest member in to who I am and my history.

Naturally, and understandably, Blake was sceptical of my words until her friends mentioned something she never heard of. Then, much to my amusement, I even temporarily spoke in Mandarin to prove it further. And before anyone or I forgot to do it, Ozpin joined in and introduced himself to his student who joined us.

Much to Blake's surprise, to hear Ozpin's voice coming out of my mouth.

And as we continued explaining the details to Blake, Qrow arrived and took two slices of cake before having them in the living room since there was not enough space for him. Yeah, sorry about the lack of space… We then moved on to what exactly happened to me in Haven as I explained as much detail as I could to everyone, and not to my surprise, it overwhelmed them for a moment.

After a minute of pure silence after my explanation, my fellow Faunus spoke up. "So let me get this straight, you have memories of another person whose world had us in a story, who also so happens to be part of the ancient bloodline of the Arakans and has met the Gods who created us," Blake spoke as Yang added in.

"That so happens to have our headmaster in him."

"I originally thought you were messing with me when you said our headmaster is inside him." Blake deadpanned as Yang shrugged before Weiss chimed in with an uncertain expression on her face.

"And Dust happens to be her essence or blood. I'm still unsure how to feel about that revelation…"

"Also, his body now has their magic, and he will physically change as time passes." Ren added before Nora happily jumped in.

"Oh, does that mean Zacky will have a bigger tail or grow more than one tail? Oh! what about a new pair of ears?" Nora asked me with the same enthusiasm she always had, while I could only dryly reply back.

"She did mention I would eventually become a Kitsune Faunus, and hopefully not… washing and brushing my tail has already proven to be bothersome and time-consuming. But I'm unsure how I'll handle it if I suddenly grew a new tail or have another pair of ears… It will be a pain to manage the new additional body parts." I muttered as my tail flickered before Qrow joined in and listened to our conversation in the background.

"And let's not forget that the Sisters were the embodiment of Remnant and the Moon themselves, and the Brothers were outsiders and imprisoned the sisters away, and now they want to take back what's rightfully theirs." Qrow concludes before he mumbles as took out his canteen. "I need a freaking drink."

"Yeah, I think we get you, Mr Branwen. This is a lot to take in." Jaune then dryly said as we watched Qrow slurp his alcohol. I don't think it is okay to drink after eating cake, but what do I know? Anyway, I simply shrugged and nodded in understanding. I would have also asked for a sip if it weren't for my biological age.

"Please refrain from drinking alcohol, Zack. You're still young right now." Oz suddenly spoke uup,as I nodded my head in agreement.

"I know. I guess it's time to face the music to see if Salem could be stopped?" I changed the topic as Oz paused momentarily, but eventually, he agreed.

"Yes, it is time; we will face it together, whatever happens next." That sounds cheesy as hell, Oz. What the fuck was that? Rolling my eyes at the way he said it, my eyes soon met Qrow's, and I nodded my head at him as he nodded back.

"Alright, with that out of the way, let us wash up, guys, and meet me later in the living room. We have a meeting to do." Also, I thought we would have eaten up all the cake by then, but we still had a few slices left. It appears to be the case. I guess anyone could eat it for supper or as a snack if they're still hungry. And with that, we cleared up from the table, and I soon left to retrieve the Relic of Knowledge.

Time to face the music.

I only hope it goes well…

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Ten minutes later, Zack returned to the living room with the Relic of Knowledge on his belt, and everyone was already in their seats as they idly chatted until they saw their fox Faunus friend walking in. Qrow could also be seen leaning on the wall as if expecting someone else to arrive, yet he has been vague about who he was expecting to see.

"Is he here yet?" Zack asked as he sat on a couch and held the Relic of Knowledge in his hands as it hummed.

"Supposed to be kid." Qrow muttered as his response made Zack's eyes narrow down. But before he could say anything, the sound of someone knocking on the door made everyone perk up. Qrow, already standing and relatively close to the door, soon made his way and opened it, and it revealed to be Leon himself.

Much to everyone's surprise, except for Qrow and Ozpin's incarnate, who dismissively signalled him to come in. "I was wondering if you planned to show up, Leon. But since you're here, I'm glad I won't have to find and drag you here myself."

"Well… uh, you did ask me to come here in the morning, Ozpin." Leonardo timidly walked in as the veteran Huntsman could be seen giving the stink eye at their newest guest he let in. "What do you need me here for?" The cowardly lion Faunus then asked next before chaos broke out instantly as several of Zack's friends verbalised their shock and confusion at the same time.

"What is he doing here?" Yang was the first to recover as her eyes flashed red for a second while her hand pointed straight at Haven's headmaster, who visibly gulped.

"I concur," Weiss added as her eyes glanced at Leon and back to Zack. "Why did you invite Mr Lionheart into our home, Arakan?"

"What's this traitor jerk doing here? Can I smash him with Magnhild?" Nora could be seen angrily gripping her couch exaggeratedly while Ren rested his hand on her should.

"Nora, please calm down. I am sure he can tell us."

"Zack? Why is Leon here for?" Ruby could only ask as she scratched her head, glancing worriedly at her friend's anger and fearing a confrontation would happen in the room. Jaune was no better as he stared quietly at the Headmaster, who allowed Cinder to sneak in and was responsible for the destruction of Beacon and the murder of Pyrrha.

As for Blake, her eyes were going back and forth between Leon and Zack. And the Fox Faunus's reaction alone makes it clear he despises Leon for selling them out, as he describes him to her earlier. Yet, here he is invited into the hotel by Ozpin for some reason.

But for what reason?

"It's simple, really," Zack spoke with the Relic of Knowledge still in hand. "The only reason Leon still lives is because of pragmatic reasons." Zack began to explain as the eyes of his friends turned to his. "He is the most powerful and influential person in Mistral, and in second place is Lil' Miss Malachite and her crime syndicate of the Spiders. Am I correct?" Ozpin's incarnate soon has his eyes on the traitor who confirms it.

"Well… yes, that is true, Ozpin. I-" Leonardo says, only for Zack to raise his hand.

"I'm not Ozpin yet. Get it in your head, Leon." The Fox Faunus glared at the Headmaster of Haven, who simply nodded quietly. "If Leon were to die in the battle for Haven, the spiders become the most influential people in Mistral, and I prefer not having a criminal syndicate have a major influence on Mistral's matters," Zack explained as he brought the Relic of Knowledge up.

"The second point is this." Zack took a deep breath to calm his nerves as he spoke loud enough for everyone to hear. "I believe it's time we find a permanent way to stop Salem for good," Zack explained as his friend's eyes widened at what he would do.

"The Relic of Knowledge allows any user can ask any question, and the Lamp will provide an answer. And I intend to use it to help us." Zack said as awe grew on everyone's faces, including Qrow and Leonardo.

"Intriguing…" Ren muttered as Blake joined in.

"That's incredible…"

"It is, but it can answer only three questions every hundred years, which seemed like a strange restriction. And Oz used one of the questions years back. Thus, we only have two questions left." Zack explained.

"So… how you gonna activate the relic Zacky?" Nora asked as her legs danced for a bit while the others were glancing at each other. Unsure how to process their friend's plan to stop Salem.

"Do you have to rub it or something?" Yang guessed as, for a moment, Zack choked on his saliva as his hand went to his mouth while coughing his lungs out.

"Are you serious?" Weiss gave a ludicrous look at her blond friend, who simply shrugged while everyone else looked concerned at their friend trying to get himself in order.

"What? It was a guess at this point."

"Sorry." Zack then spoke as a soft smile appeared on his face. "Yang reminded me of an old show I watched in which the main protagonist, Aladdin, stumbles along a magical lamp that, once rubbed, will summon a magical genie that can grant three wishes. Sounds familiar?"

A grin soon grew on the Fox Faunus's face as he let the lamp in his hand grow to its original size. "Hmm… the tale of Aladdin… What a fascinating setting and story…" Ozpin muttered in Zack's head as the Fox Faunus agreed.

"It was. I wished the modern movies pushed for plot instead of weird political views, which are pointless to me. I come to see a movie to be entertained, not to learn about politics." Zack grumbled in his head for a moment before bringing himself back to reality.

"Soo… Zacky has to rub the Relic?" Nora adds in as Weiss and Zack give themselves a facepalm while others chuckle at their similar reactions to Nora. "Or do you need to slap it?" Nora continued with ideas about how to use it until Zack coughed into his hand.

"Not like that, Nora. Though the idea of slapping a relic to use it is rather humorous." Zack smiled as he adopted a serious look and held the Relic of Knowledge out. "I hope I'm not making a mistake here…" Zack thought briefly as the Relic began to glow in his hand.

"Jinn!" Zack called to the spirit residing in the Lamp

And upon his words uttered, everything seemed to begin to slow down to a crawl, much to everyone's surprise and awe, as the Relic in the Fox Faunus's hand began to emit cyan smoke as he let his hand go of it. The Relic of Knowledge soon began to float up into the ceiling before cyan smoke engulfed the Relic.

It took only seconds before someone appeared in the Relic's place as a semi-nude feminine figure with blue skin and hair. And covering her body was golden jewellery and ornaments that would make wealthy people jealous. Everyone in the living room could only watch with awe as Jinn stretched out her body and let out a satisfied moan as she awakened again.

"Ah… Wonderful…" Jinn mutters while her eyes observe everyone watching her with stunned silence.

For a moment, Zack received a flashback of a memory. The first time Ozma used the Relic to try and find a way to stop Salem all those years ago, the Fox Faunus felt the despair that overtook the man that now resides in him when he learned that Salem could not be stopped. And for a second, doubt clouded his mind that history was repeating itself because of his action.

Shaking that memory off his mind, Zack returned to reality as Jinn introduced herself. "I am Jinn, a being created by the God of Light to aid Humanity in its pursuit of knowledge. I've been graced with the ability to answer three questions every one hundred years. And you're in luck, as I can still answer two questions in this era."

"Whoa…" Nora murmured out with awe as Jinn turned her body and faced Ozpin's incarnate before she laughed softly at the familiar soul she recognised.

"It's a pleasure to see you again, old man." Jinn greeted as she gave a slight bow as Zack dryly murmured.

"Not him yet… But yeah, good to see you again, Jinn, even if this is our first time seeing each other."

"Likewise, now then, what answers do you seek?" Jinn asked as everyone turned their eyes to their fox friend, who sucked air into his lungs through his nose while the tension in the room snowballed. This is the moment to decide what happens next, and the next Incarnate of Ozpin, for a moment, felt like he was going to faint from stress.

Pulling out Ozpin's can and unfolding it with his eyes closed, Zack opened them again and, with a determined look, the fox Faunus spoke as his and Ozpin's voice seemingly laced over one another.

"How can Salem be defeated? Permanently."

A sly smirk soon appeared on Jinn's face, as if she was happy to help. "To permanently defeat Salem, you will need to gather all the four relics, the assistant of the sliver-eye warriors and the gods to perform a ritual to defeat her permanently," Jinn explained as a frown grew on her lips. "But sacrifice must be made to do it." And with that, the spirit was engulfed by teal smoke as she returned to her lamp and sank into Ozpin host's hand.

For a moment, there was pure silence from team RWBY, JNR, Qrow, Leonardo and Zack as they absorbed the revelation about how to stop Salem permanently. Though, the more observant of the group noticed that Jinn never mentioned how to perform this ritual or what must be sacrificed to defeat Salem. Or even how the gods are supposed to help them. But which gods specifically?

As Zack stared at the Relic of Knowledge in his hand, his thoughts were distracted as Ozpin whispered in his head. For the longest time ever since he asked the Relic how he could stop Salem, Ozpin felt hope in his soul. Yet one thing bothered him heavily, much to his utter frustration and embarrassment.

"And to think I believed I was fighting an unwinnable war because of how I questioned her… I am legitimately embarrassed and… all the sacrifices I made. Was it all worth it? Do I even deserve this chance to atone for my mistakes?" Ozpin wondered for a moment as his host chose to speak.

"You tell me, Oz. But now there's a way to stop Salem just within our reach. Shouldn't we take it? Even if there's a price to pay to see this war end? And not everything is your fault to blame, old man. Sometimes, things are beyond our control. besides that, are… you going to tell them about your past?"

"Perhaps on a later date, Arakan. We all need time to process this."

"Agreed. And then prepare to head to Atlas as soon as possible with the Relic? Good. I prefer we get there fast to stop General Ironwood from going paranoid and crazy about us. But we should ask them about it after informing them of its ability to attract Grimm."

Zack hummed as he turned his eyes to Leon, who looked shell-shocked.

"I will ask for more details about what you meant about my dear friend going paranoid and crazy to me later. But allow me to deal with Leonardo." Ozpin said that as Zack subtly nodded as he allowed him to take over his body. Ozpin, now in charge, attached the Relic to his belt and stood up from his couch.

Without delay, Ozpin walked towards his once trusted lieutenant, who betrayed him as team RWBY, JNR and Qrow silently watched from the sidelines. "Leonardo," Ozpin softly spoke as he stood in front of his old friend and lieutenant with a dry look while the Lion Faunus flinched and refused to look at his friend and ally he had betrayed to Salem.

"Ozpin…"

Yet, the ex-headmaster simply shook his head disappointedly at him. "The actions you have done against me and everyone who trusted you are inexcusable, and I cannot forgive you for them. However, now you've seen the truth now that Salem can be defeated. The question is, what will you do next, Leonardo?"

"Why… Why are you giving me a chance after everything I've done against you? I should have died for my crimes." Leon could only ask as Ozpin narrowed his eyes at his friend as his grip on Long Memory tightened, and his tail was notably fluffed.

"I'm only doing it because you can still be useful at maintaining stability in Mistral, Leonardo. Nothing more, nothing less. And I doubt Salem will come for you since she'll be focused on us since we possess the Relic of Knowledge." Ozpin explained as Leon looked like he was about to burst into tears any second now.

Ozpin could only raise his hand and place it on his lieutenant's shoulder. "But even against my better judgement and my host's desire to see you suffer as payback for everything you've done," Ozpin said as his eyes glanced at everyone before returning to the man before him. "I may not know how long you've been working with Salem. But I simply wish to see the man I knew all those years ago return." Ozpin paused for a moment.

"You can do your best to redeem yourself and help us fight Salem. Or you could pretend this never happened and retire peacefully. Never will the world know what you've done, except for everyone here. It is up to you, Leonardo." Ozpin sighed as he brought his hand down and turned his back on him.

Without even looking at his lieutenant, Ozpin continued. "You may go now. We'll talk again at a later date."

"Ozpin I… I understand…" With his head low, Leon left the living room through the door, as Zack commented.

"Well, that was rough… Are you assured that giving him the choice to choose his fate is a good idea? He betrayed everyone and screwed himself anyway. With how the afterlife exists, I doubt death would be peaceful for him.

"That is for him to choose what he does next after today."

Ozpin simply concludes as he opens his eyes as Ruby speaks. "So… now what's our next plan, Ozpin?"

"For now, I recommend you all spend the rest of the day recuperating and catching up with one another, students." Ozpin's eyes soon fell on Qrow, who silently nodded. "We need to plan our next move, and we will tell you later."

And with that, Ozpin passed control back to Zack, who gasped before he kept his- Ozpin's cane. He really needs to get it into his head that Long Memory is Ozpin's. Not his. With that out of the way, Zack decides to change the topic for the best.

"Okay… with that out of the way, I got a question to ask."

"And that be?" Jaune asks as everyone glances at each other confused except Weiss, who looks momentarily proud as if she has achieved something.

Zack's mouth opened before his scroll suddenly released a ringtone that caught his attention. Taking his scroll out, he read the message text on it. "Meet me at this location now, and I've attached a map. From Neo."

"What does that midget want with you now?" Yang narrowed her eyes as her partner Blake tilted her head in disbelief.

"Neo? Are you talking about that Torchwick's henchwoman I saw yesterday working with us for some reason?"

"Yes, and I remember you and Sun were about to attack her before Ruby told you she was on our side," Ren commented as Weiss sighed and wondered.

"What business does she want now? The battle's over now, and your deal with her is over, right?"

"Wait, what?" Blake quickly gave Zack a ludicrous look of disbelief that he, of all people, made business with the criminal partially responsible for Beacon's fall. But, then again, he proves to be much more after their earlier talk. This is definitely going to bug her for some time.

The cat Faunus can feel it. And she still has questions left unsaid.

Zack simply nods his head as he rubs his chin. So why would Neo send a text wishing to see him now? Is it because there will be a debriefing between himself and her about yesterday? Or something else entirely?

"Yup. Only one way to find out. I'll meet up with her and see how it goes." Zack hummed with a shrug as he walked over to Ruby. "Here, Ruby, you may hold the relic and whatever you do. Do not let anyone ask Jinn a pointless question, or I will be mad at you. There will be a possibility we may need it again in the future." The fox Faunus explained clearly as Ruby gingerly took the Relic of Knowledge from Zack.

"Worse case, pass it to Weiss for safekeeping."

For a moment, Ruby gave a pout before it became a smile as Zack was about to depart when he remembered something. "Oh yeah, one more thing," Zack said as he did a 180 turn towards Weiss.

"Did you manage to find anything from that Dust crystal I passed you yesterday, Weiss?"

Only for the ex-heiress to shake her head. She hasn't even got time to try and understand its properties. She was busy with something else… Yes, something else. It is definitely something that requires her attention. "Not yet, at least, but I was planning to look at it after this meeting concludes."

Zack simply blinked. "Oh. Uhm. Sorry for acting all pushy and stuff…" Everyone swore they saw Zack acting weird for a moment before he regained his bearings. "Take your time, Weiss, and perhaps you guys can help her out." Zack explains as his eyes turn to everyone else.

"Of course, we can do that! I'm also curious about that Dust crystal you passed to Weiss-." Ruby smiled as her sister jumped in.

"As a gift? I didn't know you had it in you." Yang gave a shit-eating grin to the Schnee ex-heiress and Arakan, who blushed at her comment while the others laughed. Very quickly, Zack managed to sputter out in denial.

"N-Not gift! Just curious about its unique properties! And since Weiss is the Dust specialist, it only makes sense to ask her." Zack says as Weiss heavily agrees with him.

"I concur!" Weiss says as she recomposed herself. "At first glance, I could tell that the Dust crystal he passed me yesterday differed from anything I've worked with."

"In… what way, Weiss?" Jaune then asked, while Nora could be seen jumping around while spouting ideas of what properties Dust could have. As for Zack, he chose to depart from the living room quietly. He has a meeting to see through, but with Oathkeeper in hand. Like hell, he's going to see Neo without his sword.

What a morning…