In the Clutches of The Enemy
A/N: I honestly don't know where this came from, I thought of it out of the blue and ran with it. Will be a one-shot, but will add more if enough people ask for it.
…
Get up, Oscar.
Oscar wasn't sure why but he felt groggy and cold. Under him, he felt a rocking motion, like he was being swung in some contraption and that confused his disoriented mind. Why was his bed moving like that? It never had before. And it felt significantly less comfortable like he was lying on a very thin carpet on the floor instead.
Oscar, you must wake up.
Another thing he noticed was that his head and wrists hurt. His wrist was like that of constant burning, like something acidic was wrapped around his hands and his head pounded like he had the world's worse headache. Since pairing with Ozpin, he has had a few of those, but never this bad. This time it was like someone busted his head open and his brain was being slapped at constantly.
Oscar, please.
Oscar paused his sightless exploration of his surroundings when he heard the pleading quality of a man's voice. Why did that sound familiar? Why did he feel like listening to that voice was essential to his health right now? Why did he think equals amounts of trust and annoyance right now?
Oscar!
Then Oscar's eyes snapped open. He jerked up, so he was sitting, breathing heavily as he tried to get over the shock of hearing a shout in his head. It took a solid minute before he realized his wrists were tied together and he was in a dark place. The boy looked around, panicking more and more as he realized he was stuck in an enclosed space with no apparent way out. Where was he?
He could hear a deep sigh of relief in his head. Oscar. It's good to see you awake, I was worried you were mentally damaged somehow.
"Ozpin?" The boy asked, voice coming out hoarse and confused. He clears his throat before he spoke again. "What's going on? Where are we and why… why the heck are we tied up?!" He could comprehend that now, feel something extremely hot and dangerous keeping his hands together, preventing him from moving. There were small holes in the box, allowing a little light, but not enough for Oscar to see around his surrounding or determine his current status.
There was another sigh in his head. This time it held no relief, the only dread of the conversation to come. Do you remember anything that happened before?
Oscar nodded in the dark, slowly recalling everything that happened out loud. "We were called by Lionheart. He said he had a breakthrough with the council and wanted us to meet him. You and Qrow thought it was too suspicious, that it may be a trap. It was. Salem's forces were there, and so was Raven Branwen, Qrow's sister. Everyone was fighting someone, and we went to fight Leo. Then Weiss got stabbed and Hazel…" The boy frowned as he tried to recall exactly how the rest of the evening had gone down. "You took control of me even though I said you shouldn't. I don't remember what happened after that."
Oscar… He could hear the regret and sadness in Ozpin's voice now.
Shaking his head, Oscar asked lowly, "Why would you do that? You said I had to fight on my own and you promised you would ask my permission before you took control over my own body away from me. Why would you do the opposite then?"
Oscar, I understood Hazel. I knew how he would come after you and I couldn't run the risk of him hurting you. I — There was a brief moment of hesitation on the man in his head's part before he spoke again —I couldn't let anything happen to you. I care too much for your wellbeing to risk your life by allowing you fight Hazel.
The boy could hear the sincerity and honest fear in the former headmaster's voice, and it scared him a little. He was used to Ozpin little hints and usually hard lessons, but to be told to his face (so to speak) that the man cared about him, even though they hadn't been bonded for long and were usually at ends when it didn't concern saving lives? That kind of set off alarm bells in the kid's head, which did nothing to help a headache by the way.
I am sorry, though. Please believe me when I say that I didn't take the choice or control away from you because I was trying to hurt you.
Oscar sighed as he bent over his bounded wrist, squinting at the ground as he tried to think. "I know that. Just…try to make sure it doesn't happen again. I have to be able to trust you, Ozpin."
You have my word.
The boy nodded then gestured towards their surrounding as best as he could with tied hands. "So, how'd we get here? Where are we?"
He could almost feel the desire not to answer on Ozpin's part, the fact that the man wasn't immediately informing Oscar of their situation speaks volumes. "Ozpin, what happened?"
I was overpowered. Leo and Hazel worked together to take me down and, despite Qrow and the other students' assistance, they succeeded. We're currently being taken back to their headquarters. They are taking us back to Salem.
Oscar felt as though he had been punched in the stomach. He'd been merged with Ozpin long enough to know this was more than an unfortunate turn of events. The same way the boy could tell Hazel was someone to be wary of, he remembered being taken to Salem was the last nail in his coffin. He may as well have his death warrant signed now. And that was assuming the woman would be merciful and just kill him.
Oscar, you must stay calm.
"Calm?" Oscar asked in disbelief. "You want me to stay calm? In case you haven't noticed, we're going to meet Salem! As in, your mortal enemy that wants you dead. And I'm you, so she wants us both dead!"
She won't kill us. It's not her style, especially during opportunities like these. She'll use this opportunity to her advantage. She'll need information only I can provide. And she'll use any means to get it.
"And then?" Oscar asked, already knowing what will happen to them once their usefulness is outlived. Ozpin's silence spoke for itself. Desperately trying to distract himself, Oscar quickly asked, "Is everyone else okay? Qrow? Ruby?"
As far as I can tell, we were the only ones taken. From the conversations I overheard between Mercury and Hazel, Emerald is unconscious, Cinder is possibly dead and Leo—
Ozpin abruptly stopped speaking, but the farm boy got the gist of it. Leo Lionheart was killed. All things considered, this shouldn't affect them the way it was. The man had betrayed them, doing his best to take them down and had actually succeeded in helping to capture them. Ozpin shouldn't be mourning him, but he did. Because the man was once a trusted friend. Oscar could feel all that and couldn't help but grieve Lionheart as well. Just a bit.
He also noticed how tired he felt, physically and mentally. He thought he could sleep for months despite the circumstances he was in.
That would be because of all the fighting we did. Despite the improvement in your skills and the fact that our bond is growing stronger, we weren't ready for a fight like that. Especially against someone as perpetually strong as Hazel was. Although I do commend you for your match against Lionheart.
Oscar could feel his eyes closing, body going into REM cycle without his permission. "Oz, what are we supposed to do? What if they—"
Do not worry, Oscar. I will not allow you to suffer in any case. If I must be in control of your body at all times, I will. But I assure you now, no matter what may happen, I will get us both out of this.
"Promis'?" Oscar asked as he fell over, his eyes finally closing for good.
I promise, Oscar. The quiet voice said in his head. And then the boy knew no more.
…
When Oscar woke up again, he was in a cell. There was enough light from the room itself and the moon coming in through his window for him to see the bars and notice the chains to his feet and hands. He felt around the harden floors and walls, not sure where exactly he was again.
I would gander we're in Salem's resting place. Notice the colors all around us? The black, white, red and purple are all Grimm shades, and so is she.
Oscar nodded, a little relieved that Ozpin was up and talking to him. Even if he was putting on a brave face, he didn't really want to be alone right now.
"Have… Have you ever been in a situation like this? Or one of your other reincarnations?" The boy asked shakingly.
Ozpin didn't answer for a few moment. Once. And since then, I have made it my mission to stop myself and my host from ever ending up here again. You may understand why I take this failure personally.
Oscar couldn't stop himself from shuddering at the harsh self-reprimand in the man's voice. He was really beating himself up over this. "It's not your fault, Oz. They cheated and worked together. You did your best."
Yet, it wasn't enough.
Oscar wasn't sure how to respond to that, so he stayed quiet for a while. After a long time, he finally whispered, "When do you think someone will come for us? Or will it be Salem herself?"
Knowing her, she'll be here to personally gloat and make clear what she will do to us now that we're in her grasp. I will need you to be brave, Oscar. I will find a way out of this for us.
The farm boy nodded, sighing to himself and watching the shadows outside his cell. Someone would come soon. Whether it was Salem to interrogate him or Hazel to kill him, he would be strong. He refused to let them see him cry.
It wasn't long before she glided forward from the shadows like she appeared to form from thin air. She was terrifying and beautiful, her white hair and skin marred with black. She had on a long black dress, and her eyes were black and red. On her face was a small smile that spoke of victory and malicious delight. Oscar watched her, face expressionless as she turned her head down, so they locked eyes.
"Well, Ozpin." She said in a clear and ear-pleasing voice, raising a hand up as a group of small Grimm appeared behind her. "Shall we begin?"
…
So, that's all I could think of. If I write another chapter, it will be a time skip to Oscar's rescue by Qrow and team RWBY and JNR. Let me know if you want to see that.
