(Poll is up, your choices are Ruby, Yang, Blake, Weiss, Emerald, Velvet, Neo, Vernal, or Coco...happy hunting.)
A large horde of Grimm marched through the forest, a rather large Gorilla Grimm was carrying a large wrapped up package of some kind. Snarling, many of The Grimm communicated, acting as a unit with a purpose rather than a group of ravenous animals bent on seeking and rendering the flesh humans.
Many of Beowulfs stood away from the main entourage, scouting around, looking about. Some had blood on them from a run in with a human patrol, not a hunter, regular soldiers. The humans never stood a chance, besides offering their souls as a tasty snack, The Grimm had a purpose it seemed.
Very rarely did Grimm move with purpose, and it was a thing that would draw attention.
That attention they drew, despite being a large horde, was the attention of a dedicated group of Huntsmen specifically tailored to killing large hordes, and among them was their most feared warrior. A woman with silver eyes, a delicate face, and red tipped black hair.
A large blinding light of silver blasted through the main body of the horde, several figures dropping from the trees, taking out any stragglers that the silver light didn't catch. Her scythe found the heads of a King Taiju, slicing them clean off as her eyes glowed with power.
The power that made many of The Grimm scatter, only to wind up getting obliterated by a scythe-wielding man, whose eyes glowed red with power. The howls and death screams of Grimm around the pair of scythe-wielding warriors signaled that their team was successfully obliterating the horde.
Emerging from the woods, a cane-wielding man blasts several Grimm away with a wave of his palm, sending out energy blasts that made the creatures of darkness scream out a death howl so painful it made the woman by him wince.
She had blonde hair, was well figured, very tall. Amazonian like, her green eyes glowed with power as her hands held a riding crop, waving it about, summoning an ice storm that killed any Grimm coming towards them.
Back to back with the slightly shorter man, she maneuvers with as they turned around, taking down Grimm that came at them from all sides. Roaring out, her semblance grabbed at several large Grimm and allowed her to smash them together into a ball.
No sooner than she did a large torrent of fire came from a man wielding a thermos like a weapon that doubled as a flamethrower, he had a smirk on his face as he burnt The Grimm to a crispy ball of black matter before it bursts into smoke.
When a large reptilian-like Grimm was about lunge at the man with the thermos, a large man with a white mustache and rather short hair blasts it away with a large blunderbuss with a bayonet that he then charged it with.
"Tallyho!" He yells, jumping, and impaling it downwards.
"Thank you, Port!" The man with the thermos calls out, burning several smaller Grimm coming towards him, "Burn baby…burn."
"Indeed Dr. Oobleck, let'em burn!"
"Muahahaha!"
"Bwahahaha!"
Both men laughed boisterously as they got back to back, both firing their weapons at the encroaching Grimm, only for a silver light to flood over them and the woman to land to their backs as well. Pressing her back against them, followed by a blonde-haired man with lilac eyes.
"Mrs. Summer, Mr. Taiyang." Oobleck smiles, "thank you kindly."
"No mention it," Taiyang says, punching and blasting a ball of flame from his fist weapons, "been a while since I used Ember Firefly."
"Indeed, Crescent Moon has been waiting for a fight." Summer comments as she moves away, slicing a Beowulf in half, "this has been a rather fruitful hunt."
"Ozpin," Port looks over as the silver-haired man as he jumps up, kicking a Nevermore that was flying to the ground, landing on top of it.
Ozpin grips his cane with both hands, slamming it down onto the creature's head, and destroying it.
"Yes, Port?" Ozpin replies with a question.
"We got a runner, a Gorilla, it's carrying something!" Ozpin nods, leaping on top a few Beowulfs' heads as he makes his way towards The Gorilla Grimm.
The Gorilla turns around, it's red eyes widen as Ozpin strikes it's head with his cane and knocking it to the ground. On the ground, the thing that it had been carrying rolls, roughly on the ground. Over a few stones and such.
Roaring out, it took a swing at Ozpin, only to have its head sliced clean off by a woman with red eyes and ravenlike hair. She clicks her katana back into the sheath, patting it, and looking right at Ozpin as she crosses her arms.
"Raven, bout time you showed up," Taiyang comments as he drops by Ozpin, cocking Ember Dragonfly.
"Qrow," Raven calls out, watching as the man cuts the head off another Gorilla Grimm. "Is that it?"
"A few stragglers got away, but it's significantly less than what was here, it's strange that they were moving away from a village instead of heading back towards it." Qrow comments, "oh well…can't wait for some whiskey."
"Of course," Raven pinches her nose, "that's the first thing you'd think about after a fight."
"Now, Mr. Brawen brings up a serious question, why would Grimm run from a village instead of near it. I could have sworn that with such a large group we'd be expecting to fight Salem, she never commands this many Grimm without purpose." Oobleck comments only then did the air filled with a wail.
It wasn't the wail of a man or woman, it was the wail of a child.
Raven was the first to move, walking over to the little red clothed package the Grimm had been carrying, this only made the situation more disturbing. Kneeling, Raven grabs the blanket, peeling it back slightly, and her eyes widened.
"This is," Raven sees the black sclera around oceanic blue eyes, "very unexpected."
Ozpin moved, pushing Raven aside slightly, looking down at the babe. He noticed the blonde hair, but what was perturbing was the presence of violet nearly black veins flowing around the baby, the wailing of its cries was slightly distorted as well.
Like an echo, a ghostly echo, and only one person could ever mimic such a ghostly voice.
Salem herself.
Summer moved, looking at the baby, grabbing him she begins to wrap him back up.
"Summer put him down…" Raven growls, "that isn't a baby…it's Grimm."
"No," Ozpin looks at Raven, "it's an infant…it isn't Grimm either…"
"Ozpin, it's eyes, it's the same eyes!"
"I know Raven, which is disturbing unless she died…and reincarnated…"
"Impossible, who could possibly kill Salem besides us?"
"Power comes in all shapes and sizes, a child could carry a power we've never seen and done the deed…arrogance is her main weakness as well."
"It doesn't matter, it bears the looks."
"Raven," Summer coos the crying baby as she talks, "are you saying that we just…kidnapped Salem's child?"
"Oh, dear Gods…" Taiyang looks everyone, "that thing actually had a baby…"
"Fascinating, I thought Salem was a person incapable of feeling love." Oobleck comments, walking over towards Summer and looking at the baby. "He certainly doesn't look like his mother, well, minus the black veins and black sclera."
"The marks of a demon." Qrow comments, "I'm not saying we should kill a kid…but…this kid is Salem's…"
"We all should calm down," Ozpin says as he looks at everyone, "we're fresh off a fight. We need to think this very rationally."
"Headmaster," Summer looks at the boy, seeing the veins recede, "the veins are disappearing."
Everyone watches as the baby's eyes fluttered, slowly the black sclera went away. Ozpin was puzzled, was the baby intelligently manipulating them, was that even possible? Oobleck notices wounds healing on the baby, and concluded to what was happening.
"He's healing himself, apparently when he was dropped he suffered injuries, so his body was reacting naturally to the damage. Indeed, this is disturbing to say the least, especially since Salem would just…leave her child unattended." Oobleck looks at them, "it's possible she's near."
Raven looks at the group, she looks at the people, "if she is near…we can bait her."
"No, too risky, her powers are too strong to deal with when she directly attacks. Her child in our grasp would deter her from making a direct attack." Oobleck comments, "we must think carefully."
"Let's take him," Glynda offers up, "it will allow us to get somewhere populated. Vale City is too far away, but Salem doesn't have the forces to squash a well-armed village with us in it."
"Glynda is right," Ozpin says, "we must move quickly if that's the case."
"And together, if Salem is nearby, then she'll pick us off if we run ahead." Port points out, "stay together."
"Someone should keep a knife on the baby, just in case…" Raven reaches out, grabbing the babe from Summer's hands roughly.
"Careful, he's still an infant!"
"He?"
"Yes, he, he isn't wearing any clothes under the blanket."
"Hmm…interesting…"
Raven looks at Taiyang, "we could take him in, after all, my tribe could easily keep him hidden."
"Just because I didn't let you have Yang doesn't mean I will just let you walk off with a child of a demoness." Taiyang comments, "don't get any funny ideas…this was just an opportune team up."
"So, this is the current situation we face, we hold in our hands a child that could literally very well be Salem's child or some experiment important enough to safeguard with a massive horde," Taiyang says as he looks at the group as they sat a table, with Ozpin having bought the tavern for the entire night.
"His father appears to be human, I can't find any Faunus traits at my once over. However, it appears that he's properly nourished, or at least his needs aren't as needed when it comes to normal infants. He however as an aura, thus he is alive, not a Grimm. I suspect due to the presence of gender, due to the presence of a bellybutton, unlike in Dr. Merlot's experiments, that he's a natural occurrence. Maybe a few months old at least, it's possible that Salem is on the move once more, and was moving him to a future hideout." Oobleck openly explains his examination to everyone, "the fact that this horde was carrying the child means that with their destruction…it's possible she wouldn't know if he was alive or dead."
"We don't even know if she even cares for the child?" Oobleck shakes his head at Summer's question, "that is sad."
"I do believe that we can fake the infant's death enough to where it's believable, but it'll require me getting some blood from the infant itself," Oobleck states, only to hear a scream and wail from Summer as Raven grabs the child.
Stabbing a knife, she had been using to eat an apple with into the baby's hand, blood leaked onto the blanket he was in, all the while the infant wails horribly. Qrow bats his sister away with the blunt in of his scythe, glaring at the woman.
"What the fuck is wrong with you?!" Qrow screams, "what the fuck Raven!"
"I gave you all the means to the plan of faking the child's death," Raven answers, "he'll live."
"Raven, that wasn't supposed to happen, we're supposed to do it humanely!" Oobleck chastises her, "we can't become Salem just because it's her child."
"Fuck you all, don't bullshit me, I know what's on all your minds. It's simple, a few questions, is he a viable weapon? Can he use the same powers as the demon, can he control Grimm, is he capable of even baring human emotion when older? Don't play me Ozpin, it's what your thinking, you finally have a weapon that if Salem truly is a mother wouldn't be able to fight against, a child with her blood." Ozpin frowns, taking a deep breath.
"You're not wrong Raven, it's indeed crossed my mind." Ozpin watches as the baby's wounds started to heal, a red aura flowing around him. "But, I will do so with a gentle hand…not by forcing him into being a weapon."
"We never actually agreed to spare the child," Qrow points out, "because I still think it's a bad idea to keep him around."
"Vote…" Everyone turns to Taiyang, "we vote…and if we choose to spare the child then we'll decide what we should do next from there."
"I'll kill him if we choose to not to," Raven gets up from the alcohol rack she was knocked into, "I'll make it swift and painless."
"I can't believe we're actually voting to kill a child," Oobleck comments, watching the wound finally, "this is most cruel."
"It's only right, a demon for a mother, a god knows who or what for a father." Raven points out, "plus with the death of the child Salem could be sent to sullying herself if she chooses to come out to the public."
"No, killing a child is never right and using him as a weapon isn't either!" Summer stands up, "Taiyang, please…"
"Summer…I…"
"If you love Yang, you won't vote to kill him, he's just a baby…what if it was Yang?"
"What gives you the right to use my daughter, Summer?" Raven growls a little, glaring at the silver eyed woman.
"Oh, I'm sorry, incubator…were you talking?" Summer's comment made the room fall quiet, a deathly chill ran through the room, both women glaring at each other. "Oh, I'm sorry, who nurses Yang again?"
"I miss the days when you weren't having Tai's dick stuck into you, you're a real bitch now…" Raven retorts, making Taiyang glare at her. "Oh, what are you glaring at Tai?"
"Don't ever talk to my wife like that again…"
"Whatever, it wasn't even a year ago you were trying to make our marriage work."
"You walked out on us remember, you left Yang behind…"
"After you didn't let me take her…"
"Why would I ever want my daughter to be used as a thief and some thug?"
"You know less than I thought, and you think very less of me."
"Guess I should've never fallen for you back in the day, you were always angry at the world for the murder of your parents."
Raven goes to grab her sword, only for Glynda to step in, and hold her and Tai in place. "Enough!"
"If you two are done with the pettiness we've got a legitimate matter to discuss. Oobleck, is the blood on the blanket enough to fake the infant's death?" Glynda looks at Oobleck, the man nods, "throw it in the river if the infant is spared."
"I vote to spar the infant, it's an innocent life, it has no idea of what is even going on now." Oobleck tells the group, "killing him would make us no better than Salem."
"I vote to give him a painless death, if he's Salem's son, what's the odds that he won't betray us when mommy dearest figures out he's alive?" Qrow states, "I say we kill one Salem before we have two Salems to deal with."
"Qrow!" Summer was a gasped by her friend's vote, "that's cruel…"
"It's a legitimate argument, Ms. Rose, I vote in favor of the painless death." Port votes, "even if it's morally wrong. The risk of him growing up, growing the same powers, and then turning them onto us is too high."
"Port," Ozpin looks at his old friend with a frown, "I understand the argument…but…still, he's just a child."
"I know…" Port got up from the table, "if you excuse me, my dear friends…I need some brandy…I appear I need some things to help me think."
Shaking her head, she grabs the infant off the table, holding him close. "I vote to spare him, and if you all are too afraid…I'll take him in."
"No," Qrow, "no, because Yang would be in danger!"
"You just voted to kill a baby Qrow, a baby! What if it was Yang we were discussing?!"
"It isn't Yang, it's the son of a demoness!"
"It's still a baby, what has it done but be born?!"
Qrow throws his hands up into the air, "I'm going with Port for a drink."
"I vote to kill the child, painlessly." Raven looked right at the baby, "Port's argument even makes it too risky to put him in my tribe."
"Who said that we were ever going to let him go to the tribe?" Taiyang glares at her, "I vote to spare his life, and I can pass him off as my own son since we look alike while he's in his normal state."
"No," Ozpin shakes his head, "your hands are full with Yang as it is. Plus, I can sense life within you Summer…"
"What?" Summer looks at Ozpin, everyone turns to her, "that's not possible…"
"Is it such an impossibility?" Ozpin asks her, only for her to look at him, and she looks right at him. "What is it, Summer?"
"It doesn't matter, I'll gladly take the boy in, I don't care if I have to sacrifice any amount of personal life I have. I don't care if I'm pregnant either, I don't care! I will not have you all killing a child!" Summer slammed her hands on the table, "that makes you all monsters!"
"Summer…" Taiyang smiles, "I am with my wife on that choice, so, if you want to vote to kill a child…you'll lose my friendship."
"I vote to spare the child," Ozpin looks at them, "and unlike you all…I can keep him safe."
The whole table stopped, Qrow and Port who had been drinking stopped, looking at Ozpin. They were stunned as the man reached over, taking the infant into his hands, looking on as Summer smiled a little bit at her headmaster.
"Though the argument for death is certainly strong, let us not forget, we cannot lose ourselves to darkness. If we should kill because of heritage then I will end my own life, my family isn't reputable." Ozpin says, "if you think heritage should constitute death."
Nodding, taking a deep breath, "what's the vote count so far?"
"Four for life, three for death, Glynda?" Oobleck looks over at her, "you can either spare his life or tie the vote to a coin flip."
"A coin flip, for the life of a child?"
"If fate demands life be sacred…"
"Fine…"
Glynda takes a deep breath, looking at everyone, "life."
The slamming of glass followed by Raven storming towards the door made everyone look at her. "You are all fools, and you all will be the first killed off when Salem figures out the ruse."
"She will be death, unstoppable, and untamed. She will rip and tear, she will spill all of our blood for her child, killing the child might've held her back awhile…but let's all play paragon…I for one wish to live." Raven slams the door closed, storming out into the street.
"Then it's decided, the child will live…" Ozpin coos the child a little bit, looking at the boy's blue eyes. "But, as for your proposal to bring him up…Summer…Taiyang I cannot allow it."
"Why not, Summer is a good mother."
"I know she is, but she will soon be with an infant, and we cannot stress you two enough."
"I understand…"
"No, there is still a problem here, Ozpin you're not married. As far as everyone is concerned in the council you've never been with a woman or…a man for that matter." Oobleck points out, "you can't possibly pass off the child as yours without at least having a woman looking like the baby."
"My father had blue eyes," everyone turns to Glynda, "I can pass him off as…me and Ozpin's child."
Ozpin was slightly taken aback by the suggestion, but then found the logic in it, and nods. "I can agree to a civil marriage, on record, I have a friend who can manipulate the dates, so they correspond to the age of the child…if we're off even a few days."
"Today's date is just the first of the new year, so I will say the baby's birthdate is in October." Glynda says, "going off Oobleck's information about the possible age."
"I have a good name for the child as well, he'll bear my surname, but I want to name off The Tale of The Fox Boy. Naruto Uzumaki, that story is a fairy tale even before the time of Grimm, and the boy's present situation is no different. Naruto Snowberry, that will be his name." Ozpin tells them, "and on paper, me and Glynda will be married as to not arouse suspicions on any informants from Salem."
"Then our business is settled," Summer tells them all, "but what about the fact you want to use him as a weapon?"
"I will guide him with a tender hand, perhaps his powers won't even develop…" Ozpin tells them all, "now let us get some rest…"
"For the future is still unknown to us, and uncertainty plagues our minds."