((WARNING: This chapter also includes information from episode 12 of Season 6 so if you haven't watched yet or don't want spoilers, please don't read until it's available to everyone! Otherwise, you have been warned.))
The night before they enacted their plan, Marcelle stared at the ceiling and tried her best to clear her head. The thought of going up against the Atlas military was scary for her. She didn't know why, but it just was. She thought back on it for a long time, pinning it on all the yelling she associated with the military when they pestered her grandfather for weapons or enhancements or plans… she sighed again, not noticing Oscar standing at the door. "Marcelle?" She bolted up, turning to Oscar with a small smile.
"Oscar… sorry, what is it?" she asked. He walked in, sitting next to her and leaning his head on her shoulder. "… Oscar…?" she felt something change, looking at the boy as he looked back up. But it was no longer his stare. It had been a while, but Marcelle would never forget that look. "… Ozpin…?" he smiled a little, pressing his forehead against her shoulder and smiling to himself.
"Oscar was very upset with me… he said I needed to apologize." He added. "… Forgive me, Marcelle… I should have been there for you and yet all I did was run…"
"… You did no such thing, Ozpin." She rubbed his head a bit, smiling softly. "You only need to apologize for leaving me alone for so long… I was starting to think I'd never see you again." She added. "Though because I did the same to you for six years, even that is minor…" she turned, smiling still.
"Well, I told you… to go be free for a while…" he smiled. "I'm just sorry it couldn't have lasted longer." He nuzzled against her shoulder a little, Marcelle still rubbing his head.
"It was long enough… I was starting to miss you." She added, Ozpin chuckling a little at how open she was being about her own feelings. "I…"
"I heard…" he replied, earning a nod from her. They sat in mildly awkward silence for a while, Marcelle wanting to say something. But words wouldn't come. What could she say now? Ozpin was here… he heard her when she said it… He pulled back and stared at her, Marcelle noting his expression. He still blamed himself.
"You aren't at fault." She told him, seeing him almost shake his head, but stopping himself short of the action. "Ozpin…"
"I know it's silly of me to ask you to save me now…" Those words made Marcelle stare, seeing him smiling but eyes averted. But all the same, he was asking. No, more than that even… he was admitting it… that he wanted to be saved. He was admitting to wanting her to help.
"It's not silly…" she shook her head. "You saved me Ozpin… so I'm just trying to return the favor." He smiled, looking up at her, eyes widening as her hand slid up his cheek, caressing it a little. Ozpin leaned into her hand a little, appreciating the warmth.
"Marcelle…?" They stayed that way for a little while, Marcelle very cautiously giving Ozpin affection, the man hesitating every time, but allowing her to do as she pleased. He looked up at her, wondering why suddenly she wanted to shower him with affection. But then again, he HAD vanished right after she told him, so of course it had been pent up until now. He didn't want to stop her, either.
"Apologies in advance." She stated, leaning in and giving his forehead a little peck, Ozpin drawing back in embarrassment. Accepting her love like this was too much. As much as he wanted her, he also knew that was as far as she could take it. For both his and Oscar's sake, he withdrew himself to prevent it from getting any more heated. Oscar returned just as Marcelle was letting go, face redder than Ruby's cape. "Haha, sorry… I know it must be rough…" she smiled at him, the boy almost sputtering before he managed a response.
"I-it's fine." He replied, averting his eyes. He felt Marcelle wrap her arm around his shoulder and squeeze him tight in a hug. "M-marcelle…?"
"… You're too cute~" she nuzzled him, making his face turn even redder. "I'm sorry that you have to be a go between when he's like this. I know it's not exactly fair."
"It's alright…" he let her hold him a little longer. "I don't mind…" truth be told he wished she would be so open with him. But he assumed because of his age she wouldn't. Maybe never. He sighed, Marcelle ruffling his hair.
"Lonely, huh?" she smiled. "How do you think I feel?" she asked. "I'm the one who would get in trouble if we took any further actions, aren't I?" she smiled. Oscar nodded, having forgotten for a moment that was something that weighed heavily on her mind. "I'll have to wait four years till you're even legal… and even at that, who knows what will happen… you might lose interest in me… or we might split off and never see one another again…"
"Geez, you're worrying me now." He turned to her and buried his face against her shoulder. "… No matter what happens…" he began, Ozpin's voice overlapping his. But he stopped there. The uncertainty showed. Marcelle just hugging him tighter. This was all they could promise. "No matter what happens… we'll try." And that was all Marcelle needed to hear.
Marcelle looked around, the entire room black and red… where was this? She looked around, not seeing anyone. But she knew someone was there. She stopped, feeling someone staring at her. She turned her head just enough to see who it was, eyes widening. Deathly white skin and hair, eyes burning almost crimson in the dim lights. A black dress that draped to the floor and almost seamlessly bled into the blackened surface. Salem. Salem stood there, smiling at Marcelle.
"Dear girl… do you not yet understand…?" she asked in a whisper, walking closer. Marcelle couldn't move, hands shaking as Salem stopped right behind her. Marcelle felt something at her feet, eyes widening to see blood pouring over her shoes. She turned forward once more to see bodies piled up. Some she didn't recognize, some she knew well… Qrow, Glynda, Ironwood…most of the kids that she'd been travelling with… She felt a drop land on her from overhead, causing her to flinch. Salem just kept smiling, not speaking a word. Marcelle hesitated a moment before looking up to see Oscar, rooted to the roof overhead. Bloody… bruised… but still alive. "If I could just kill him, I would." She heard Salem say. "But he'd escape again… I cannot allow that." Marcelle couldn't even scream, but her body suddenly moved, whipping around and slashing at Salem. But she wasn't there. "You don't understand yet… how sad…" Salem's voice was coming from every direction, and a moment later three more bodies hit the floor. Ruby, Alder, and Noir.
"It's all because of you." She stopped looking around, looking up to see Argris. Well, at least sort of… he was distorted… a grimm arm replacing his dead one… black lines cracking his face and making his eyes blood red. His skin deathly pale. "All because you couldn't do anything."
Marcelle jumped from her sleep, hand on her heart and tears in her eyes. That damn nightmare… She did her best to shake it off but this one was different than the last… like someone was manipulating it to make her feel worse. She'd never had anyone else involved, especially not Oscar or the kids… She got up to change, staring at the mirror once she was done. "… No…" she told the lingering feeling of someone watching. "I'm not going to let those words shake me. I did not sit by and let that happen." She told herself. Once downstairs, she ate breakfast with everyone and spent most of the morning just listening to everyone's part of the plan.
"Marcelle?" She turned to Ruby, who looked a little worried. "You okay?"
"… I'm sorry, I…" she sighed. "I think the thought of the military is just getting to me." She added.
"Well they have worked with your family before… they'll know you." Ren stated. "Perhaps it is better that Marcelle sit this one out?"
"Work from the shadows? Or maybe go help Yang and Blake?" Weiss asked, but Marcelle shook her head.
"Yang and Blake are capable of handling the tower on their own." Marcelle sipped her drink before continuing. "I can just stand aside until necessary." She added, Oscar noting her discomfort. Something told him that she was obviously upset by the idea of facing the military. He just sat a tiny bit closer as she went back to eating. Once the plan was confirmed, they headed out in groups to their designated points. But things went downhill quickly, and with the entire situation in dire straits, Marcelle couldn't help but lean back and shake her head. "This is bad…" Marcelle sighed, looking bothered by the turn of events. "Taking action against Atlas Military personnel… no, let alone someone like Cordovin…" she sighed. "Oh well." She smiled. As they figured out their strategy, Oscar turned to Marcelle. "I'll wait here. She hasn't seen me… No, more like if she does, she'll know pretty immediately who I am from the fighting style and weapon." She added, knowing Cordovin had worked with her grandfather before, and since using Umbra Falsa was basically her copy of his style, it would be obvious. "I'd be of most use as a sneak attack… my weapons aren't good for big flashy shots either, so it wouldn't help much in grabbing her attention."
"Right, I'll come find you after we take it down." He stated, smiling up at her. He went off, Marcelle sighing and keeping her cover in the trees. But she could feel herself sinking into thought, eyes hitting the floor. What would be the point? The nightmare came back into her head, causing her to start spiraling into a bad place. But as hard as she tried, the doubt always stuck… it made her scared. She found herself drowning in those thoughts of doubt for what seemed like forever, until she felt Oscar's hand on her shoulder. She jumped, turning to him, seeing him staring up at her.
"Oscar…?" she looked around the tree to see that Ruby had beaten Cordovin's robot. How long had she been standing there before Oscar found her? She felt bad, but the radio going off caught her ear. Argus was in trouble. She tensed, turning to see the grimm flying overhead and towards the place they'd been trying to leave behind, Oscar still holding her shoulder.
"Marcelle… if you don't want to fight, you don't have to." He hadn't ever seen her like this, but now hearing Ozpin whisper in the back of his mind to find her was making sense. He must have seen it before quite often. This self-doubting side of Marcelle.
"I can fight." She replied. "… I just… I got lost in old memories, is all." She smiled. Oscar ruffled her hair and leaned up to her, not visible to the others, Marcelle's cheeks coloring as the two made contact. It was brief, but it was still enough to make her flush red with embarrassment. He was so… warm. Her hand went up to her mouth to assist in processing that he'd just initiated their first kiss.
"Well I'm here to help you find your way… if you need me." He whispered, taking her hand. "So, let's go." He added, his own cheeks red but his smile so bright that it made Marcelle smile as well. "We have a city to save."
"Yes, we do." She hurried with him onto the ship, going with the others as fast as they could back to Argus. Protecting this city was, though necessary, also something that Ozpin told Oscar would help her calm down. Fighting Grimm was her forte. Now they'd really get to see Marcelle in action.
((It's been a while~ Sorry, everything's been a little nuts recently and I'm working more hours. I hope you all like this chapter~
I'm seriously contemplating writing for Ozpin and Marcelle though, in a what if scenario (If Beacon Never Fell). I can't get over the amount of side story fluff I'm writing... there's a lot... and I might write for Oscar too. Ahahaha. If I do I'll post it in a separate fic though. Can't go confusing everyone, right?
-Winter Cheshire))
