The Price of Knowledge, Part 1
"Space"
Glynda Goodwitch was late.
It was her first day at Beacon academy, and she was late. She scrambled out the doors of the restroom, hair still wet from the shower and made her way down the hall. She clutched her meager belongings as she pulled her shoes onto her feet as she half-walked, half-hopped down the halls toward the locker room. She nearly dropped her crop and only hastily managed to keep her glasses from falling to the floor. She reached the locker room only to realize that the place was already vacant. Shit! The rest of the first-years had probably already made their way to the cliffs; Glynda likely would have gone on to miss the initiation completely had she not heard the announcement by Professor Verner over the loudspeaker, asking first-years to report to the cliffs.
She finished pulling on her other shoe and hoped that her appearance wasn't too bedraggled. She pushed open the door and made all haste across the grounds, shoes ringing on the flagstones. She adjusted her glasses again and found herself struggling to beat down the tidal wave of anxiety she felt now that the day had finally come. This was what she had been waiting for, wasn't it? Training for since she was barely a teenager? To be Huntress like her mother and grandmother before her, all the way back to before the War?
She had the skills, the knowledge, the drive... and she was not about to let herself ruin all that by being tardy!
She found the other initiates standing at the edge of a great cliff. Hundreds of feet below, the Emerald Forest sprawled across the landscape like a leafy carpet. As she came to a skidding halt and nonchalantly adjusted her glasses, two dozen pairs of eyes swiveled to her and she felt her cheeks burn. A few students snickered as Professors Verner and Silva regarded her with calculated disinterest.
"Very kind of you to join us, Ms... Goodwitch, is it?" The green-haired professor studied his scroll before looking back to the slightly ragged young woman before him. She nodded mutely and brushed a stray strand of hair out of her face, waiting. Professor Verner looked up from his scroll, seemed confused (and slightly irritated) that she was still standing there and jerked his head toward the lineup. As Glynda made her way to the line and placed her feet on the wide stone bearing the Beacon crest beneath her feet, Professor Verner turned to Professor Silva and spoke aloud.
"With Ms. Goodwitch's... timely arrival, we have all but one of our new initiates."
All but one? Glynda thought to herself. Someone else is still later than me? Whoever the poor sod was, chances were he wasn't going to make it in time. Maybe he wasn't even here anymore; not everyone could handle the stress associated with attending a battle school, especially not one as prestigious and rigorous as Beacon was bound to be. He probably bit the bullet and took the airship home the night before.
Even as she had the thought though, the sound of shoes clicking on pavement caught her attention. As she and the rest of the students craned their necks to look behind them, Verner made the same dissatisfied sound he had when Glynda had arrived late.
"And you, would be Mr. Ozpin, is that correct?"
Glynda's eyes alighted on the tall young man standing behind the row of fellow initiates and as they did she took in a myriad of details that simultaneously baffled and impressed her. Firstly, despite being horrendously late, his expression showed no sign of distress or even acknowledgement of his own tardiness. A regal face, adorned with intelligent eyes, fashionably unkempt hair and high cheekbones, was as placid as still water.
Second, he was dressed far to well for whatever exercise the Professors had planned for them. A broad dress jacket added width to the young man's already impressive shoulders, and a pair of dress pants and shoes seemed incredibly out-of-place on someone attending a combat school. A long, emerald scarf wrapped its way around his neck and down his front to where it was tucked into the folds of his jacket. The only accessories Glynda could spot were a pair of circular glasses and a silver, cross-like ornament affixing the scarf to his upper chest.
Third, he had stopped to get coffee. A paper travel cup, still steaming in the early morning chill, was clutched in his offhand. As he examined the silent crowd before him he took a short drought and silently found his place in the line, three spots down from Glynda. As she watched him, baffled by how calm he seemed in the face of the circumstances, he took another drink and balanced nonchalantly on the long, silver cane in his other hand. Professor Verner shook his head, amazed that these were the students he would be training for the next three years. Setting aside his bafflement and disappointment however, he turned to Professor Silva. "We're ready," he said as he stepped aside.
Glynda had seen the headmistress of Beacon twice before; once the previous day when she addressed all the first-year students at large and once five years ago, at Locasta's memorial. The headmistress had attended Beacon at the same time as Glynda's mother, and though the two had never been close the middle-aged Huntress had nonetheless taken the time to travel all the way to Atlas for her funeral. She had spoken briefly, reflecting that Locasta Goodwitch had always been a kind and dependable Huntress and, though they had never truly been friends, someone who a troubled student could always go to for help. She also acknowledged that though her daughter would have her work cut out for her, she held no doubts that Glynda would grow to become an even greater Huntress than her departed mother.
To this day, Glynda doubted that, especially given the events of that morning. If she couldn't even show up to initiation on time, what hope did she have of doing her mother proud? She shook these thoughts from her head and forced herself to focus as Professor Silva began to speak.
"I trust you all rested well; all the better, because you are about to partake in a tradition that dates back to the founding of Beacon Academy itself. Should you pass, you will have taken your first steps on the long road that will lead to your potential greatness as Huntsmen and Huntresses. Should you fail..." She trailed off ominously as Professor Verner stepped forward again.
"At the far end of the Emerald Forest is a ruined temple, within which rest several relics. Your task is a simple one; retrieve these relics and return them here, to the cliffs. However," he said with a gesture toward the forest. "Knowing your goal and accomplishing it are two very different things. The Forest is teeming with the creatures of Grimm." The whole crowd seemed to collectively shudder at the word. Grimm. Creatures of darkness, adversity, evil. The stuff of childhood tales to scare small children into behaving, and fear-fueled nightmares after evenings of crowding a fire and telling ghost stories with friends.
Silva quieted the discontent with her words, though the prickling of fear bred into every human persisted. "The Grimm here will show you no mercy and no quarter; you must respond in kind. They are not human. They are not animals. Do not hesitate to end their torturous existences. That said, you will not be facing these challenges alone. A few students began to murmur excietedly to one another before Verner quieted them with a glance. Silva continued, "Pairings are an important part of your tutelage at Beacon. Your partner is someone you will work with, eat with and live with for the next four years of your life. They must be someone you can work with and depend on; someone with whom you can place your trust and whose trust you can, in turn, be gifted with." She took a deep breath.
"Upon landing, the first person with whom you make eye contact will be your partner."
There were outcries all down the line. Some of outrage, some of excitement, many of confusion. Professor Silva held up a slender hand and waited for the noise to die down before throwing forth her closing remarks.
"Be careful. Do not take unnecessary risks, and remember your task. Other than that, all I can offer you is luck. Prepare for launch." Glynda wrinkled her brow as Silva turned away, Verner continuing to watch with muted amusement. Launch? What was that supposed to-
Flying.
Sky, earth, sky, earth, sky, earth...
Falling.
Earth, earth, earth, EARTH, EARTH!
As Glynda's mind struggled to process her situation, her body went into auto-pilot. Turning herself in midair, she managed to arrange her body so her legs were pointed diagonally at the rapidly approaching tree canopy and grabbed her crop from her belt.
You didn't fail mother or grandmother, she thought, as if telepathically sending a message to the unassuming weapon. Don't fail me now!
Channeling her aura - feeling it fill and expand all around her - she pushed the force of her very soul outward in front of her as she felt herself break through the canopy. Leaves and branches exploded all around her and the very air seemed to clatter and crash, but when she opened her eyes she saw herself (still approaching the ground) riding down on a cushion of projected aura, glimmering violet in the morning light. Willing the manifested energy to slow her descent, she felt herself decelerating and eventually stopping, mere inches off the ground. Smiling to herself and releasing the energy, she felt a slight rush of vertigo as her feet found solid ground. She swayed for a moment, catching her breath, as the rapid expense of aura caught up to her. Reassured that the usage of her semblance had not impacted her significantly, she set about surveying her surroundings. Grass, trees and bushes. Shadows and pillars of weakly-filtered light through the canopy.
She took a moment and looked upward, trying to gauge by the sun what direction she had come from. Had she landed facing the same way she'd been flung? What if she lost her way? The Emerald Forest was huge, if she got lost she might never find her way out again.
Almost as soon as she had the thought, a whistling noise began to pervade her ears and she looked up just in time to see another initiate fly overhead, roaring appreciatively at the rush of adrenaline he was no doubt reveling in. He moved by to quickly for Glynda to get a good look at him, but as he shot overhead Glynda turned and faced the direction he had been heading. It was as good a course as any, she supposed.
Several long minutes of walking later, she found where the other student had landed. A scattering of broken branches and fallen leaves coated the ground and a set of tracks led off in the direction Glynda had been walking. She smiled, mentally thanking her fellow student for paving a course. As she made her way through the underbrush, she reflected on having the good sense to wear simple, close-fitting clothing. The constant struggle to force ones way through the brambles and briers was unavoidable, and she didn't envy folks like that Ozpin fellow who had arrived late to the initiation. She couldn't imagine how unbearable a suit must have been for him travelling through conditions like this.
The sound was subtle. Had she not already been on alert from her recent plunge off the cliff, she likely wouldn't have noticed it until it was too late. As it was though, she paused, eyes and ears alert as she searched the immediate area. Another student? Or... something else?
The answer presented itself nigh-immediately as a flash of pitch-black, bone-white and blood-red materialized from the dim light of the underbrush and struck at her. Glynda's aura flared as razor-sharp claws raked the air where she had been only a moment before. Leaping as nimbly as she could through the brush, her eyes focused on the dim outline of her aggressor. The Grimm snarled and roared at her before swinging again, massive paws the size of tires rending the space between them. Dodging backward, Glynda felt the underbrush dissipate at her back until she came to a halt in a well-lit clearing. A series of thundering thumps and low growls accompanied the sight of the Ursa bursting from the treeline and swinging angrily at the slender pest that had twice now evaded it. As Glynda stepped aside once more she brought her riding crop up and, with a flick of her wrist, projected a wave of energy that forced the massive creature back. As the Ursa roared a challenge, Glynda raised her nose defiantly and adjusted her stance, practically inviting the brutish beast to try again.
Naturally, it did, and Glynda was ready. Ducking under one paw, she pitched sideways and used her left arm and leg to prop herself up as her right leg delivered a powerful kick to the underside of the Grimm's jaw. As it stumbled back, roaring in defiance and pain, it swung again. Glynda forced herself up and jumped over the Ursa's paw, even as the second one came in from the opposite direction. The blow struck Glynda squarely and sent her cascading through the air. Her aura absorbed most of the hit, but even as she righted herself in midair and landed on her feet, the Ursa closed in for another attack.
Sidestepping the wild swing, Glynda forced another pulse of energy from her crop, staggering the brute. A pair of spinning kicks to the side of the head seemed to do little more than irritate the creature, and as both its arms came swinging back at once Glynda leapt aside, feet finding purchase on the trunk of a tree. As she pushed herself away, she swung in midair and wrapped her legs around the Ursa's thick neck. As the beast roared and staggered, arms desperately trying to tear Glynda off, she held fast. Realizing that its current efforts were accomplishing little, the Ursa gave a roar and planted both its front paws before kicking wildly with its back legs. The sudden shift in momentum was too much and Glynda found herself airborne for the third time that day, struggling to maintain her balance as she landed in a heap.
Exhaustion was beginning to set in; her limbs burned and she could see the gargantuan Grimm preparing for another charge. Even as she rolled onto her back and faced the incoming Grimm though, she could feel the gravity of the situation. As she raised her crop in a last-ditch desperate attempt to deflect the incoming Grimm, she heard a voice cut through the sound of the charging monster, clear as a bell on Sunday morning.
"Down!"
Instinctively, she did as the voice bid and threw herself flat against the ground, and felt as the air above her was disturbed. A moment later, a green-black blur materialized in front of the Ursa and the creature staggered back, groaning in pain. Glynda's eyes widened in surprise as they focused on the form of the boy who had arrived late; Ozpin, Professor Verner had said his name was. He stood in a combat stance, knees relaxed and torso erect, arms holding that cane of his at arm's length as his eyes bored into the enraged Ursa. As the beast swung in anger, Ozpin's arm twitched and his cane smacked the incoming blow in response, as easily as if he was swatting a fly or cracking a ruler across the knuckles of a disobedient student. Pivoting on his left foot, Ozpin brought the cane back around and repeatedly cracked the cane across the face, shoulders and chest of the Ursa, twirling and spinning the weapon as he went. His form was immaculate and the beast staggered repeatedly, outraged before settling onto all fours and baying.
With a confident smile and a sound like a latch being undone, Ozpin's arms separated and with them, the cane came into two separate parts. With a flourish, Ozpin stood now like a fencer. In one hand, the empty body of his cane was held in a reverse-grip, whilst in the other a long, gleaming stiletto extended from the handgrip. Even as Glynda took in these details, Ozpin began his attack. Whirling left, right and center, the cane and blade worked in tandem to simultaneously stun and wound the Ursa. Slashes followed smacks, stabs followed whacks and every clumsy counterattack the Grimm made was effortlessly deflected or dodged.
The creature jumped back for a moment before swinging with all its remaining strength overhand, the blow sending up chunks of grass and earth where Ozpin had been a moment before. The Ursa scanned for half a moment before Ozpin dropped down atop it like a falling star, bringing the blunt cane-sheath scathingly across the back of its head and knocking it to the ground. As he rolled and turned, Ozpin charged forward and twirled around the beast's final attempt at an attack before plunging the thin blade up to the hilt in the Ursa's face. The bone-white mask cracked outward like a spiderweb as the hilt slammed into it and the steel punched through the beast's skull.
As Glynda stood and made her way slowly across the clearing, already feeling the stinging and aching as her minor injuries healed themselves, Ozpin removed his weapon from the Grimm's smoking carcass and returned it to its sheath. Her eyes widened as he nonchalantly used a handkerchief from inside his coat to clean off the blade. Placing the cane beneath him again, he turned and seemed to notice Glynda for the first time. As sublime green eyes met a pair of simple hazel ones, the well-dressed Huntsman-in-training gave a weak smile.
"Fancy a walk, Ms. Goodwitch? I hear there's a lovely little temple at the far end of the forest."
AN - Woo-hoo! Finally got this shit done! For a bit of context, this is the first installment in a story that was voted on by the /r/RWBY community for me to write, and will focus on several older characters during their time as students at Beacon. Ozpin and Glynda will be principle characters, as well as Ironwood and an OC of my own creation. Also expect a few cameos from other older characters who you'll just have to keep reading to discover!
NOTE: This story will draw heavily from my personal headcanons; namely that Ozpin and Glynda are roughly the same age as Ruby and Yang's parents, that the Faunus Rights Revolution was ~20 years prior to the show's events and a few others that I won't mention because it would spoil large segments of the plot.
I hope you guys have enjoyed this first chapter and I look forward to writing many more chapters in this story. For now, please feel free to give feedback and support through your favorites, follows and reviews. Thanks for reading!