Beacon of Hope
This short fan-fiction is written to wish a speedy recovery for Monty Oum, and to pass on my sincere support and well wishes for his family and friends during this trying time.
The night was dark and the moon was only a vaguely circular collection of fragments when Ruby Rose was awakened by a gentle prodding. Silver eyes flickering open, Ruby was surprised to find Zwei's furry canine features hovering in front of her face.
"Zwei, what is it?" Groggily Ruby pulled her blankets over her head. Her muffled voice whispered out from inside her fabric cocoon. "I already showed you where the bathrooms are and told you to use them if you needed to in the night."
Once more Zwei prodded her with his nose. With an exacerbated grumble Ruby flung the blankets from over her head and sat straight up.
It was at this point that Ruby noticed an uncharacteristic seriousness on Zwei's features. Without so much as a bark, or a yip, Zwei hopped down from Ruby's bed and made his way to the door of the room. As the dog left the room Ruby sprang from her bed to follow. She was halfway out the door before she decided it would be best to grab her hood and scythe, not knowing where Zwei was leading her.
Through the halls and grounds of Beacon ran the little dog, Ruby in hot pursuit with daring speed and mouse-like silence. Eventually this dogged pursuit had Ruby find Zwei standing outside a door that she had never seen before. A soft white light poured out from beneath the door.
As soon as Zwei saw that Ruby had caught up with him, the little dog nudged the door open and scampered inside.
Not sure what to expect, Ruby followed her pet inside.
Sitting in a plain chair, Professor Ozpin turned to regard the newcomers to this room.
The walls of the room glowed with a pure white light. In the very center of the room was a large bed, a sleeping figure resting beneath the soft blankets. This figure was connected to numerous medical devices, holographic screens displaying various vital statistics. Concoctions infused with Dust were suspended from stands and were connected by tubes to deliver their contents to the sleeping figure.
"Ruby, how did you find this room? Very few people at Beacon Academy know of its existence, let alone how to reach it." Behind his glasses, Ozpin's eyes flickered down to Zwei, who had stopped at the top of the bed. The dog's muzzle hovered just in front of the sleeping figure, as though waiting for him to take notice. "Ah, Professor Oobleck mentioned your esteemed hunting hound. Although I did expect it to be larger based on the analysis of his abilities."
Zwei turned to regard Professor Ozpin and answered the critique with a pair of quick barks. Then he turned back to regard the sleeping figure.
With a smirk Professor Ozpin allowed a small nod to Ruby and her canine companion. "I meant no offense. It is simply all the more impressive his performance against the Grimm and the warriors of the White Fang. But, I digress. I will then change my earlier query to ask what you intend to do now that you have reached this room."
Through all of Professor Ozpin's comments Ruby's attention had been focused on the sleeping figure. "Who is he? Something about him feels very familiar, but I don't think I've ever seen him before. Was he visiting from another kingdom for the tournament?"
Again the small smirk pulled at Ozpin's lips, but there was a definite air of sadness around its edges. "He did not come to see or participate in the tournament, no. But he is from a land very distant from here, and is only with us until he recovers. Although you are correct in feeling that he is familiar to you. Some would even say that he is a father to all of us that dwell within this world of Remnant."
Rolling eyes at that final remark, there was a hint of attitude in Ruby's response. "You know, sometimes your riddles are more annoying than helpful. Besides, this last one didn't even make any sense. How could he possibly be everyone's father? He is so young. My dad is much older than he is. Why even you are way old…"
The look that flashed across Ozpin's face caused Ruby to stop mid-sentence and chuckle nervously to herself. Pulling at the collar of her hood, Ruby waited for Professor Ozpin to resume the conversation.
"We are looking after this man while he recovers. Our own finest healing technology has been augmented by General Ironwood's generous contributions in assisting in our guest's recovery. I am watching over him to be sure someone is here when he awakes. That way he can be thanked for all that he has done for us before returning to his home, the people that he loves and that love him with all their hearts. Until that time we give him a comfortable place to recover so that he may return to his loved ones quickly."
At that moment the door to the room opened once more and the clicking strike of boots echoed on the floor.
"Miss Rose, may I ask what you are doing out of bed at this hour and why you have come to this room?" Glynda Goodwitch's face was set in a mask of stern authority. When she noticed Zwei her gaze only grew sterner. "And what is an animal doing in this room? Miss Rose, I trust that you are aware of the Academy's regulations regarding pets being kept in the dormitories?"
"Of course, I'm totally read up on all the rules and regulations for Beacon." Again Ruby laughed nervously as she scratched the back of her head subconsciously. "It isn't like I deleted all those files from my scroll to make room for music and weapon schematics. I'm totally allowed to have a dog in the room, no problem at all."
Glynda did not seem impressed. "Once you have returned to your room I recommend you have Miss Schnee inform you as to the regulations you may have forgotten. And what is that dog doing now? Get it away from that bed at once!"
Ruby rushed over and picked up Zwei. Then she noticed a small metal object placed just beside the pillow. "Zwei, are you leaving your can opener as a get well soon gift?"
"A can opener?" Disbelief clouded Glynda's voice.
"It's Zwei's most treasured belonging. There isn't anything closer to his heart that he could give as a gift. Is that why you lead me here tonight?"
An enthusiastic bark served as Zwei's response. His tongue lolled from his mouth and his tail had begun to wag enthusiastically again.
"I should leave him something too before we go." Searching through her pajamas and hood, eventually Ruby held a golden brown chocolate chip cookie in her hand. "I really didn't come prepared for this, did I. But I can leave this with him for now." Then her eyes shone bright. "Oh, and he can have this hood too! It is my favorite, but if Zwei can part with his can opener how could I give anything less."
"Thank you Ruby, I will keep the gifts from you and your dog with me, so that they may be presented once he has recovered." Ozpin cradled the gifts gently as he lifted them, placing them beside his steaming coffee cup. "Now, it is late and you should return to your room. Good night."
"Good night professors." Ruby quickly made her way from the room, Zwei cradled in her arms.
As the door closed behind Ruby, Glynda turned to face Ozpin. "How is it that she of all the students would be the one to arrive here tonight?" She turned to face the small offerings beside Ozpin's cup. "And to think that both of them would realize just how precious our patient is. There is something very special about her, a knack for finding places and people that she shouldn't."
"Somehow, I expect that Ruby Rose will not be the final person that will visit us this evening." Raising his mug to his lips, Professor Ozpin took a long drink from it.
"Then I'm going to leave for now. I don't want to tell any more students that they shouldn't be roaming the halls at this hour." Before departing Glynda cast a long look filled with kindness over the sleeping man. "He is loved by so many. Hopefully we can get him back to them quickly."
Outside, with the cool night air washing over her, Ruby Rose stared up into the sky, Zwei doing the same.
"I wish there was more that I could do." With a sigh Ruby shook her head. "But there wasn't much that I could offer. And more cookies probably aren't the answer this time…"
An elaborate series of barks echoed from Zwei, piercing the relative silence of the night. Ruby stared down into Zwei's bright eyes, and then smiled. She brought out her scroll, and sent a message to every one of her contacts.
"Good idea Zwei. Hopefully Professor Ozpin won't mind a few more guests this evening."
A knock on the door drew Professor Ozpin's attention. His lips curled up in a smile before he set down his coffee and spoke up. "Please, come in."
The door opened and Weiss Schnee made her way into the room, fully dressed and made-up, dragging behind her an enormous case.
"Professor Ozpin, how could you be looking after someone so important and not let me know?" Weiss set to opening up the case near the foot of the bed. Within were dozens of Dust containers and pure crystals. "I had to pull some strings, but I was able to acquire some of the finest dust available from the Schnee family mines. I'm sure that the dust you are currently using is very good, but I simply could not rest without being sure that it was of the utmost quality. Now I can sleep easily."
"Miss Schnee, how much did all of this Dust cost you?" Ozpin looked at Weiss from over the top of his spectacles.
"That small detail doesn't matter at a time like this. Now, if you'll excuse me." With a small curtsy Weiss took her leave, the echoing clicks of her footsteps fading quickly.
Professor Ozpin had time to examine the massive container of dust before another knock came at the door. With a smile he walked over and opened it.
Outside stood Yang Xiao Long, and in her arms she carried a massive bouquet of flowers. "Ruby told me about this place, and it sounded like it could really use some color to brighten it up. It will help him recover too, plus make it nicer when he wakes up."
Eyeing the flowers, Ozpin smirked. "Now, I trust that if I were to explore the Beacon grounds I wouldn't find certain obvious holes in the bushes where these flowers may have come from?"
"No, of course not. No giant obvious holes. I made sure to take them from a bunch of different spots around the Academy." With a massive grin Yang looked around the room. "So, where can I put these?"
"Place them wherever you like. I will trust to your decorating skills after seeing your and Miss Schnee's fine organizing of the recent dance."
"Thanks." Yang moved to divide the flowers evenly between the corners of the room by the foot of the bed. Satisfied with her work, Yang cast a long look over the sleeping man. "Ruby said that she felt like she knew him, and now I know what she means. Sort of feels like I owe him a drink once he recovers."
She left the room with a flip of her hair and one last look at the flowers and the room.
The door hadn't even closed before Team JNPR made their way inside.
"I hope we aren't intruding Professor Ozpin." Pyrrha Nikos nodded as Team JNPR lingered just inside the doorway. "But we wanted to leave tokens of our own, so that he can have them when he wakes up. There isn't much that we have to offer, but we want to give what we can."
"Of course. I expected some additional visitors after Miss Rose's unexpected appearance." By this point Professor Ozpin wasn't even setting down his coffee mug any more. "Please, go right ahead."
"Jaune, as team leader would you like to go first?" Pyrrha put a hand on Jaune's shoulder.
"What, me?" Surprise raising the pitch of his voice further, Jaune looked over to the sleeping figure. "Well, I don't really have anything of value to give, so I was hoping for a bit longer to figure it out."
"Just give what you can." Professor Ozpin sat peacefully in his chair, expectation around the edge of his voice.
"Well, um, okay." Walking up to the side of the bed, Jaune stood looking down at the sleeping figure for a while. "I don't forge any weapons or armor, and I'm not the best with words. Heck, I don't even really have any important belongings beside my sword. All that I can offer are my honest and sincere hopes for you to feel better quickly, so that you can be back with the people that you love." Jaune instinctively reached out and touched the sleeping man's hand. For the briefest of moments a white glow suffused Jaune's being, and transferred into the sleeping man.
"I believe you have provided a very worthwhile gift, Mister Arc." Professor Ozpin said with a smile.
A smile of relief covered Jaune's face, and he stepped back.
Pyrrha came up next, and simply placed her shield atop the can opener and hood on the table beside Ozpin. "This shield has protected me from more harm and in more battles than I can count. I hope that it can continue to protect you as well, and aid you to a speedy recovery."
With deft movements Lie Ren set a wrapped package beside the shield. He didn't say a word, simply held a knowing look upon the sleeping man before turning away.
"My turn!" Nora called out energetic and chipper as always. "I brought pancakes and a bunch of syrup. It was hard to not drink the syrup on the way over, but I knew that this was an important enough occasion that it would be worth it, and I know if I woke up and found that all the syrup was missing for my pancakes I would be pretty bummed out." From nowhere Nora produced a massive platter piled high with pancakes, the stacks threatening to fall from their sudden movement. She set the platter down, and then beside it placed an enormous pitcher of bright red syrup. "Now when he wakes up he'll have a wonderful and filling breakfast. Mmm, pancakes." Nora began staring off into space, her eyes glazing slightly.
"We'll be leaving now Professor." Pyrrha lead the other members of Team JNPR from the room, Nora being nearly dragged out by Pyrrha.
By the time the last visitors had come and gone the sun had risen over another day at Beacon Academy. What had started the night as a bare white room had now been filled with tokens of appreciation, esteem, and well wishes.
Several minutes after the last visitor had left, Professor Ozpin turned to the closed door and called out. "Blake, you have been waiting out there all night and morning now. Will you finally come in or do you intend to skip your morning classes?"
Within a few moments Blake Belladonna made her way into the room. In her hands was gently held a piece of paper. "I needed to finish my gift first. And in order to make sure that it was done properly I needed to see everyone that came, and what they left."
Blake handed the paper to Ozpin, who looked it over.
Sketched upon the paper was an image of the room, all the gifts present and in their allotted locations. Around the bed were sketched each and every one of those that had come to visit, herself included. Every detail was cast with exquisite attention, all rendered beautifully, feeling as though it was one step from coming to life.
"I wanted to be sure that he knew just how many people came to check on him, to wish him all the best, and to help along his recovery. I needed to stay until it was done, I couldn't leave early and risk missing anyone. I'm not running away anymore, and when he wakes up he'll know that.
"Now, I should get to class."
With Blake gone, Ozpin continued to stare down at the sketch that she had made.
"There was no shortage of people that came to visit you, my friend." Ozpin said as he turned to watch the sleeping man. "And I know that the people of Remnant aren't the only ones wishing you a speedy recovery. We all look forward to seeing you again, and being able to express just how much you mean to us all. There is still much in the world that you can change, and we all look forward to standing with you as the world is made better by our actions, dreams, and love. For now sleep, recover, and be ready for the better days ahead with those you love."