The snow fell easily that cold night… it dusted the rose petals that stood defiant to the world's cold saping at their strength. Without roots what chance did they have to survive in this bleak world. He sighed in a depressed tone as the moon illuminated the world around him. Another failure, another life gone…
He stood outside the home of the young daughter of Summer and Raven, he stared at the door endlessly. His fists shaked slightly, as he felt his chest tighten. He'd lost a good friend, and now to tell her own family that there would no longer be a mother in their lives. In his hand held the tattered white cloak of Summer, it fluttered softly in the wind, glowing silver in the moonlight.
With a bitter sigh he approached the door and with a few firm knocks he stood back from the door. He waited for a moment as he heard distant noises approaching heavily from inside, Tai…
Slowly the light creeped out of the door and into the wild, illuminating Ozpin's eyes, his eyes raised to meet Tai's.
"Ozpin? What are you doing here?" He asked softly, the young children were asleep and he did not want them to wake.
"Good evening Tai… I… I have some grave news…" Ozpin said as he sighed once more. He opened his mouth to speak again, but the words caught in his throat.
"News? What do you-" Tai quickly frowned in concern before he glanced down the fluttering fabric in the silver haired man's arms. "I-I should have known this had happened…" the man collapsed against the door frame as he leaned for support and with a sigh he held his arms out, the soft cloak was placed in his arms. A tear ran down his cheek as he shuddered, caressing the fabric.
"W-why don't you come inside… we should talk." Tai said, staring at the cloak in his arms. Ozpin wordlessly stepped inside of the doorway and felt the warmth spreading through his coat as he walked over to the table they had sat at times before and let his cane rest against it. He slumped into a chair his normal poise gone as he continued to grow weary of his constant failures, the now widowed husband gently sat across from him.
The two men sat there in silence, a clock ticking away in another room, Ozpin watched as the man slowly came to terms with his feelings. He would handle this better than your average person, to flirt with death constantly changed a person.
"Do you know what happened?" Tai asked quietly.
"..." Ozpin sat in silence, "Qrow found it in the badlands, he had been following her for a time trying to find her… By the time he had finally reached her she was gone, laying against an old tree.."
Tai pushed his face into his hands and sighed, resigned and defeated. "What am I going to do with the kids, I-I can't raise them by myself."
Ozpin looked on sadly, "Then who will Tai?", he looked to his right a fireplace glowed and the snow continued to drift beyond the window. "Who else is there…"
Tai said nothing, only sitting there in silence as he propped his chin up on his hands with his eyes closed. A log in the fire split with a crack distracting both men as a flurry of embers flew up and flickered into nothing.
"There is only me…" Tai muttered tiredly. "I-I am going to need some time… Can the children stay with anyone for a little while?"
Ozpin slid his hand into his pocket and retrieved his scroll, opening it, he paused before his hands slowly typed away as he sent a message. A slow ding rang out from his scroll, How many children are there?, it asked.
He typed in response ,Two.
"I just don't know what to do with Ruby…" Tai said slowly, "I want to take Yang to see her mother, I need to speak with her anyway. Ruby is too young to travel though…"
"You are leaving Ruby?" ozpin asked with a cold face.
"No. no i'm not i just need her to be kept safe, Raven's tribe is not a safe place for a child of her age and well yang is her daughter so hopefully that will keep her safe." Tai said offended that he would even consider abandoning even one of the children.
Ozpin watched the man for a moment before nodding and returned to his scroll, sorry, it's only one child.
Who's?
Summer's.
Summer's? You wouldn't text me for something so casual Ozpin, what's happened.
Ozpin stared at the message. He hesitated before he continued, It would be best explained in person, but can you provide for the child for a time?
Yes, my wife and I are willing. Anything for Summer, we owe her much.
Ozpin sighed in relief, Thankful that Summer had never resisted helping those in need. Let's speak tomorrow, I will have some more details for you tomorrow.
Ozpin closed his scroll and looked up at tai who had been watching him expectantly, "well? Who was that?"
"The schnees." Ozpin let the well known name hang, "I know that their business reputation is ruthless Tai but, Jacques is a fair man." his thoughts wandered to the man who had changed after his two daughter had been threatened by assassins, who were repealed by Summer who had caught them in their schemes. "Willow can provide a mother figure for Ruby at the very least. They have two young daughters for Ruby to become friends with, and they can certainly provide for her."
Tai stopped and thought holding his wife's cape in his hands, "you promise she will be safe there?" he nodded. "Alright i trust you." the blond man stood up and put his hands on the back of the chair. "I am going to go to bed, I'll talk to you in the morning." and without another word the man walked away holding the cloak.
Ozpin sat alone staring at the embers, time continued to march on, conducted by the clock. He stood softly and walked to the room he knew to hold the young Ruby. Slowly opening the door he walked in and admired the room that Summer had constructed for her young child. She had been so excited and loved this child with every fiber of her being, but fate was a cruel mistress.
He slowly walked with a heavy heart as he gazed on at the child that had roused from her slumber. Beautiful silver lit the child's eyes, they glowed faintly in the darkness. Those eyes were the opposite of the creatures of Grimm, they were pure in every sense of the word, untainted.
"H-hello? Who are you?" Ozpin walked towards the window so the child could see him better in the moonlight.
"My name is Ozpin, I am a friend of your father." he said in a hushed voice, "tell me Ruby do you have many friends?" A child such as herself was isolated in the deep woods of Patch Island, she could use a friend.
"I uh.. Yang is my friend!" she said happily as she tilted her head to the side, "why do you ask mister?"
"Tomorrow I will be taking you to meet some new friends, they will take good care of you." Ozpin said as he watched the child rubbing her eyes. "Sleep little one you will have a big day ahead of you, I will be here in the morning." The child nodded as the desire to sleep quickly overtook her as she calmed and slowly slipped back into her sleep. He tucked the child in before departing the room once again, making his way to the window. It would be a long night...
The snow continued to fall.