The Good Hunter awoke in the alley, unsure when exactly she had awakened, but rushed to the street to meet the two assassins nevertheless. The sky was still dark which was a good sign and it seemed the shop the two had exited still had the lights on. Looking around, there were no signs of the two teenagers or anybody for that matter, and the Good Hunter figured she would wait for them inside. As she opened the door, a bell chimed and a voice called out from somewhere in the store.
"I'll be with you in a moment," said the man inside. The Good Hunter remained near the door, looking around what she figured was a bookstore. It had a rather simple layout, and the shelves weren't too tall, likely to prevent thieves from walking out with any merchandise. The man's head popped up from behind a shelf a moment later. "Welcome to Tukson's Book Trade, home to every book under the sun."
"Is that true?" she asked, intrigued. She was in need of information regarding what she was fighting against. "Do you have books pertaining to Aura or possibly Semblances?"
"Yes ma'am," he said, pointed to a shelf on the other side of the store. He walked over to her, revealing his rather large physique. As he got to the shelf he pointed to, he ducked down and began to skim through the books. "Were you looking for anything specifically about those two things? Or a general overview?"
"A general overview of the two subjects would be appreciated, sir." She followed him to the shelf. He pulled out a few titles, skimming over them and placing them back before he pulled out a rather thick one. She noticed how meticulous he was with the organization of his shop, as he would make small changes to make the lineup make more sense to him.
"Here you are," he said, handing the book over. "Lots of kids hoping to go to one of the big four academies usually start with this. It's pretty easy to understand, but has good information in it. Is there anything else I can help you with?" The Good Hunter shook her head, walking over to the cash register. He turned the book and looked at the price. "That'll be sixteen Lien."
Lien? She thought to herself. "Ah, is there another form of payment I can provide?"
Tukson frowned. "You don't have any money?" he asked annoyed. He crossed his arms and stared at her.
"Perhaps a trade?" she asked. She took out several Shining Coins from her pocket, placing them on the counter. "This is the only form of formal currency I have. Would this suffice?"
"Coins?" he asked. He picked up a gold piece and inspected it. "Where the hell did you find these? I've never seen anything like this before."
"The coins are just small treasures I have come across on my travels," she replied. "Will you accept them?"
Tukson frowned and put the coin back. "Hmm, I'm sorry, but no. I wouldn't even know who to sell these to, or if they're even real. Do you have anything else worth anything? I'm not above bartering."
The Good Hunter nodded, taking her coins back. She reached into a different pocket and took out a variety of items. She placed in front of him the red jeweled brooch, gold pendant, several types of Molotov's and a blue elixir. "Does anything here interest you?"
"What the hell is that?" he asked, pointing to the vial. He was hesitant in picking it up, but did so and looked at it critically. He tilted it back and forth as if to test the viscosity.
"That would be a blue elixir," she replied, before realizing how little that answered. "The ones who created it were not very inventive with names. That medicine is quite difficult to come across, and fetches quite a high price. If one were to consume it and remain still, their presence would disappear from view and the user will become invisible for all intents and purposes. Would you like me to demonstrate the effects?" She added, seeing the skepticism on the store owner's face. Tukson nodded, placing the elixir on the counter. The Good Hunter took a few steps back, took out a second elixir and drank the vial in one gulp. Tukson looked expectantly, as if unimpressed. "It takes a moment," she replied, staying still.
"What the…" His eyes widened, seeing her form slowly dissipate into nothing. Soon, she was completely invisible. "Where did you go?"
"I have not moved," she replied, her voice coming from the same direction. She began to walk towards him, her form shimmering slightly as she did. She stood off to the side, explaining how the elixir works. "It works best when in shadows, as light can give away one's presence. As you can see, my form, while transparent, can still be seen at certain angles." The Good Hunter noticed movement outside the store. "Sir, somebody is coming. Act as if I am not here."
"W-what?" he questioned, before the front door chimed again. His stomach sank as he saw who entered, but remained stone faced. He kept his voice steady as he greeted them. "Welcome to Tukson's Book Trade, home to every book under the sun. How can I help you?"
The two teens entered, Emerald approaching the front desk. "I was wondering, do you have any copies of 'The Thief and the Butcher'?" she asked innocently. The Good Hunter frowned at her, and was surprised to notice that Tukson seemed to know who these two were. She decided to take in what information she could.
"Do you have any comics?" asked Mercury, who stayed at the front of the store. She realized that he was blocking off the only exit. The Good Hunter summoned her Saw Cleaver, not having a ton of room to swing her larger weapons, but remained still for now. She had to know why they wanted to kill Tukson.
The conversation continued, with Emerald finally asking about a book called "Third Crusade".
"Um, no, I don't think we carry that one," Tukson replied, nervously. He looked over to where he saw the Hunter last, unaware she had moved to the opposite side of the room. Mercury then slammed a book closed, an eyebrow raised. Emerald continued her line of questioning, becoming more and more threatening as she did.
"You shouldn't make a promise you can't keep, Tukson," she said slowly. Mercury began to dim the windows, making the room darker. "I hear you're planning on leaving. Moving all the way to Vacuo. Your Brothers in the White Fang wouldn't be happy to hear that…" she seemed to use her Semblance again, as she took a few steps back, while Tukson continued to look where she stood before. "And neither are we."
Mercury stepped closer, the windows all blacked out and Emerald continued to taunt him. "You know who we are, and why we're here," she began, Tukson nodding. "Are you going to fight back?"
"YES" he shouted, jumping onto the counter. Claws formed on his fingers and he lunged towards the illusionary Emerald. The Good Hunter used this opportunity to summon the Augur of Ebrietas and catch Mercury before he could prepare his strike. She ensured to wrap around his legs, now knowing that he had hidden firearms attached to them.
"W-what the hell?" Mercury shouted. As Tukson landed, not having hit Emerald and dissipating the illusion, he noticed that Mercury was being held in place by strange tentacles. He looked around for Emerald, who was looking towards the source of the attack. "Who the hell is that?"
"How the hell should I know?!" she shouted back, seeing only a vague outline of the Hunter. She took out her weapons and began to spray at her, causing the invisibility to drop. The Hunter swung the tentacles towards her, flinging Mercury into a wall. Emerald was able to duck underneath them, and jumped back.
Mercury had recovered rather quickly, staring down the odd pair of Hunter and Faunus. "Looks like he knew we were coming," he said glaring at Tukson. He raised his hands ready to fight, keeping most of his attention towards the Good Hunter.
"Should we abort?" asked Emerald in a whispered shout, clearly spooked by the Hunter's strange abilities.
"Hell no," replied Mercury with a scoff. "They've seen our faces, we have to kill them now. Leave no loose ends."
The Hunter summoned her Blunderbuss and shot at the two bickering. To her surprise, Mercury was able to block the pellets with his legs, while Emerald attempted to roll out of the way. It was becoming increasingly clear that Mercury was the bigger threat in terms of skill, while Emerald likely relied on her illusions to win a fight. Unfortunately, her illusions seem to work on Tukson without any issue, and given the bookstore owner's attempt to attack, he wasn't capable of handling Mercury either.
"Tukson," the Hunter called. "Take the Elixir and run. I will put these two down."
Tukson didn't argue and immediately ran toward the counter and grabbed the elixir. Emerald attempted to use her illusions on the Hunter to appear still, and tried to intercept Tukson herself, but the Hunter simply shot at her again with her blunderbuss.
"Ah!" she cried out, the illusion dissipating. Her Aura held strong, but she obviously didn't expect to be seen so easily. Mercury said nothing, and rushed the Hunter with the same approach as her previous life. She swapped her blunderbuss for the repeating pistol, and fired off two shots at him. He was able to block the first, but the second got him in the chest, knocking the wind out of him for a second. The Good Hunter then proceeded to go on the offensive, swinging her cleaver at him at odd angles. Mercury, to his credit, was able to evade and block them all. That is until he stepped back out of range, only for the cleaver to swing open and sliced across his stomach. He gritted his teeth, but seemed to be enjoying the fight.
'He resembles a Blood Drunk Hunter. I must put him down…' the Good Hunter thought. The Hunter heard Emerald's chains, and knew to duck under them this time. Swapping her weapon to the Church Pick, she stabbed two weapons' chains into the floor. "You are a nuisance," she said to Emerald. Leaving the Church Pick there, she summoned her Saw Cleaver once again. The three watched each other, waiting for the other to make the first move that never came. There was a crashing sound and a loud thud that was heard from behind the store, and faint choking sounds. Alarmed, the Hunter looked over for a moment to check on Tukson.
The second she did, Mercury rushed towards the Church Pick and kicked it at the Hunter, freeing Emerald's weapons. Forced to dodge the spinning weapon, the Hunter scowled as the two immediately ran out of the store. She wanted to give chase, but instead, she rushed toward Tukson, who was on the ground convulsing.
"Tukson!" she shouted, as the Faunus' eyes began to roll to the back of his head. She placed her fingers on his neck to feel a pulse. It was slowing down. Alarmed, she tried to think of what could possibly have gone wrong. Then she remembered the primary use of the Blue Elixir. It was a power anesthetic, one that numbs the brain. Yharnamites have always used powerful medicines, ever since the first blood transfusion… yet those in this world have not built up any resistance to the archaic and potent effects. Tukson's eyes eventually glazed over, and stopped breathing.
She cursed under her breath, and closed Tukson's eyes. She was used to seeing death, as well as being the cause of it, so she simply stood up and grabbed the book she was bartering for. He wouldn't need it where he was going. Almost out of habit, she searched him for anything useful. He had his wallet, which had an identification card and some other color coded cards, as well as some papers stuffed into the folds. She pocketed it, and decided that she should take whatever currency he had in the register. She had long since stopped feeling guilt for looting the dead. To her surprise, the register was moderately filled with more colorful cards. After pocketing it all, she gave one last look around, then decided that she should probably get going. As she began to walk out, she realized that his body would eventually be discovered, likely in the morning. She grabbed the Molotov's from the counter, contemplating whether she should light them. It would be a shame for all the books here to burn, but would it be worth it to cover her tracks? Before she could decide, the front door opened.
"VPD, put your hands in the air!" shouted a man with a gruff voice. The Good Hunter turned to see several officers in uniform swarming the front of the store. She had heard the cars outside, but thought nothing of it. Now, she realized that was a mistake.
"Shit," she cursed. A pair of officers walked over to her, attempting to cuff her, while another pair began to inspect the store. She was silently grateful that everything she pocketed had gone with the rest of her items, as one of them had begun to pat her down.
"She's clean," he announced. He was about to uncuff her, when another officer shouted from behind the store.
"We got a body!" he announced. "No identification."
The first officer looked at the Hunter with disgust. "You're coming with us," he growled. She allowed them to take her in, figuring she would simply explain what happened.
Ozpin sighed as he walked down the streets of Vale, only to see the swarm of police cars heading over to a quiet street, one he knew the Hunter had gone to. Upon arriving, she had already been taken in, and the shop was surrounded by police tape. He approached an officer who was taking some notes in her pad.
"Excuse me officer, but what has happened here?" he asked respectfully. The police officer turned and was surprised to see him.
"Professor Ozpin?" she said with disbelief. "Oh, wow, I didn't expect to see you here!" She looked back towards the crime scene and sighed. "It appears to be a homicide. The victim was a mid-aged man, but we haven't really been able to figure out anything about his identity yet, just that he works here. There have been whispers that this was a hate crime. He was a Faunus after all, although you can't really tell at first glance."
"Are there any suspects?"
"Actually, there was, and she was still here when we arrived. We got a phone call when a passerby heard gunshots." The woman crossed her arms. "One of my colleagues said that the suspect didn't show even a little remorse…"
Ozpin hummed in acknowledgement. "Thank you, officer. I shall go to the station and see for myself. If what you say is true, having a Huntsman looking into it wouldn't be such a bad idea."
The officer nodded, forcing a smile, but it was evident that she was tired. The Headmaster began his trek to the station, taking his scroll out. He typed out a quick message and pocketed it.
The Hunter sat in a small room with her hands chained to a metal table in front of her. She had not resisted at all when being escorted, but that seemed to put them more on edge for some reason. As she sat there alone, she began to wonder what other hazardous effects the items from Yharnam may bring. Would her Blood Vials cause another epidemic of addiction? The healing properties were wondrous, but she had no way of knowing whether these residents would take to it any better than those in Yharnam.
Before she could further delve into her thoughts, the door opened and two detectives walked in. The shorter one, who had a pair of canine ears atop his head was angry beyond belief, whereas his partner, a taller woman, simply held his shoulder as if to prevent him from attacking the Hunter. "Why'd you do it?" he demanded. "Why'd you kill him?!"
"I was there to protect him," she replied. She knew it wouldn't be difficult to convince the two that she was innocent once emotions weren't so high. She may be speaking in half truths, but she knew the only two witnesses wouldn't come forward. "Two assassins were sent after him, and I attempted to stop them. I was… unsuccessful in preventing his death or detaining the two assassins."
"Bullshit!" he shouted, before being pulled away gently. The woman sat across from the Hunter and sighed. She seemed to be used to her partner's antics and ignored him scowling in the corner. She cleared her throat and spoke.
"What is your side of the story? If you claim that you're innocent, tell us what happened. Who were these killers you tried to protect this man from? Why were they trying to kill him?"
The Hunter nodded, leaning forward slightly, reaching up towards her mask. She thought about removing it, but instead figured it would be best to keep her face hidden as long as possible, and only removed her hat and placed it on the table. "I came into the Tukson's Book Trade to protect Tukson, the shop owner. I made idle conversation with him until I heard the assassins arrive. I did not intervene until the fight broke out, and I instructed him to leave as I do not fight well with others. In the middle of the fight, I heard commotion from the back of the shop, which allowed the assassins to escape. When I got to Tukson, he was already dead. The assassins never gave a reason for their presence in the store, other than mentioning Tukson's brothers."
The two detectives looked to each other, unsure. "How did you know that the two who entered were assassins, and not just two customers?" the woman asked. The Good Hunter had no response she could convincingly tell. The canine Faunus' scowl deepened, but remained silent. "Ma'am, until we can verify your story, I'm afraid we will have to detain you. You're our only suspect, and what you're saying is not making the most sense. Once we have more information, we can discuss your release."
The Good Hunter looked a bit annoyed, but said nothing. The woman reached for some keys and unlocked the shackle that held her to the table. The two escorted her to a holding cell, which was much cleaner than the one in Hypongean Gaol. From there, they took her coat, gloves and headgear, leaving her with just her trousers and a simple shirt, although she had summoned another mask as soon as they had left her. While she didn't feel anymore vulnerable for not wearing her gear, she didn't like not having them. She also figured, like Glynda had, they would search her things and attempt to keep them away from her. Not that it would do them any good; she could put on another change of clothes whenever she wished, but she would play their game for now. Her thoughts wandered to the events of the night, as she sat in the cell. She was disappointed that she couldn't save Tukson, and even more so that she was being blamed for his death, but knew that she spoke the truth. It was her word against two would-be assassins, after all. In her mind, there was nothing that would stick, it's not like anybody else was there.
Many hours later, the Hunter was surprised to have a visitor. She stood in front of the cell door, only for the Headmaster of Beacon to walk in. How did he find out so quickly? More importantly, why was he here?
"Miss Hunter," he greeted grimly. His tone was completely different than before. "I'm surprised they let you keep your mask."
"Ozpin," she said evenly, remembering his name. "They did not, but I had another. What can I do for you, Professor?"
He didn't seem amused. He looked over to the guard who escorted him in. "Would you be so kind as to leave us? I'm quite sure I can handle myself."
"Of course, Professor Ozpin," replied the guard. He left the room, closing the door behind him.
The Good Hunter was amused by what she took was an attempt of intimidation. "Is something funny, Miss?" asked Ozpin.
"No, not at all," she replied, crossing her arms. "I must be honest, I did not expect to leave such an impression on you. Have you fallen for me? Or is there another reason that you are paying me this visit so late into the night? Do you suppose that I could exchange that favor to get out of here?"
Ozpin ignored her questions, his gaze ice cold. "Playing ignorant won't work anymore. I've been keeping an eye on you. You teleport to and from Vale, are able to summon weapons out of thin air and can turn invisible. I tire of your games. Who are you?"
The Good Hunter's smirk disappeared. She had not sensed his presence at all during her time in Vale. In fact, she ensured that she was alone whenever she went to the Hunter's Dream. Now she was curious. But before she answered any questions, she had to know what he knew about her. Her expression turned cold, and she stared Ozpin in the eyes. Her words came out harsher than she intended. "I am under the impression that you have already come up with some ideas of what I am. I have already told you, I am a Hunter, and I hunt beasts."
"So you're a human supremacist?" Ozpin asked in disgust. He had taken a look over the evidence the police had gathered, thanks to his status. He took out his scroll, tapping away at it with one hand.
The Good Hunter grew confused. "What sort of idiotic question is that? Of course I think Humans are the supreme species! What other could possibly compare?"
Ozpin's expression darkened at her admittance. "Did you warn the store owner of the so-called assassins?" he asked. The Good Hunter bit her tongue, and shook her head. "The detectives you spoke to informed me that you claimed that the two attacked first, but the footage they have showed that Tukson attacked first, after you turned invisible, appearing nervous as he tried to help them with their purchase." As if to prove his point, he held up his scroll, which projected the inside of the shop. The angle seemed to be from one of the corners of the shop. The silent recording showed Emerald and Mercury browsing, before Tukson jumping on top of the counter and swiping the spot Emerald stood a few moments before, causing her to jump back. Then, her Augur of Ebrietas showed coming from a small blue portal, grabbing Mercury, who had appeared to be prepared to defend Emerald. Unfortunately, the picture was grainy, and their identities could not be made out, especially from behind.
"Are you saying that I threatened him?" she asked incredulously, unable to explain the footage. She had no idea that this world had the ability to record events like this. Ozpin shut the recording off, placing the scroll back into his pocket. "You think that I walked into his store… to kill Tukson and attack two random people? You are mad!"
"I'll tell you what the police have concluded. You walked into a Faunus owned bookstore in the dead hours of the night, tried to extort him using your strange ability to turn invisible. Then, when you were going to rob him, two night owls came in to browse the shop. With your plans ruined, Tukson attempted to strike at you, and failed, as you were invisible. This alarmed the shoppers, which caused you to attack them. In the struggle, Tukson drank the poison you left on the counter that you likely convinced him was the source of your invisibility. As you looked back to revel in your actions, the two shoppers ran, hoping you wouldn't follow. Then, as they left, you looted Tukson's body, emptied his register and seemed to be preparing to burn down the shop." Ozpin's voice was cold as he recounted the events. He walked closer to the cell, meeting the Hunter's gaze. "Why are you here in Vale? Who are you?"
The Good Hunter was at a loss. She was confused by what a Faunus was, but the rest of the accusations took priority. It was true that it was her elixir that had killed him, but how could she have known that it would kill him? She looked away from the Headmaster, knowing she would be unable to convince him. Still, she answered his questions. "I have no particular reason to be in Vale. I already explained that my intention was to save Tukson, which is why I visited his shop. I have told you many times now, I am a Hunter, that is all I am. As for the elixir…" she reached behind her back, and manifested another. She held it up to Ozpin, who kept his expression unchanged. "I have taken this medicine many times and never suffered adverse effects. I can only say that the circumstances that lead to his death were accidental."
"Where did you get that?" he asked, knowing that she couldn't have possibly smuggled it into the cell. "Do you have some sort of storage Semblance?"
"No," she answered honestly. She grew tired of being interrogated. It was clear to her that Ozpin would no longer believe a word that she said. She was being painted as a villain, and she would have no way to prove she wasn't. Her memories of the Hunter's Night surfaced briefly. Countless men and women calling her a monster for what she did, ignorant that she was doing it to save them. She had stopped trying to convince those in Yharnman that she wasn't the enemy… Why should this world be any different? Her voice became breathy and higher pitched, as if recounting a whimsical tale. "The elixir… I dreamt I was in a small workshop, surrounded by tombstones. There was a fountain that appeared empty, but as I approached it, adorable little creatures rose from it. They sell me all sorts of trinkets, you see, but they do not barter with money. No, you must pay in blood and knowledge. You can ask the Doll, I am sure she would confirm my story."
Professor Ozpin was not amused. While the man had an incredible poker face, the Hunter's taunts had caused his brow to twitch in anger. He could not attack her while she was imprisoned, as it would look very poorly for Beacon. However, he had a suspicious feeling that she was allowing herself to be contained here. She did not seem eager to get out, nor did she seem to care. Wordlessly, he turned to leave. "Oh, do not be a spoilsport, Professor," she said, unable to hide the grin in her voice. With a laugh, she added, "would you prefer that I made something up? Fine, I got it from killing a man with a scythe! I snuck up behind him, and I plunged my sword into his back." The Good Hunter continued to laugh to herself as he left. She had wanted to live a quiet life, or at least try to for the Doll's sake, yet everything she did constantly put her in a bad light, but she couldn't find it in herself to care. The Night of the Hunt may be over for those in Yharnam but the Hunt was very much alive in her. A few hours passed again, and she could tell it was going to be morning soon. She raised a hand, and her clothes manifested in the cell with her. She would no longer interact with these 'Huntsmen', and would walk her own path. Putting on her Hunter's attire, she summoned a Bold Hunter's Mark, reawakening away from the cell.
When she awoke, she was surprised to see Ozpin waiting by the lamp. He didn't seem surprised when she arrived. "I had warned you that I was aware of your abilities," he said dangerously. He raised his cane at her, holding it like a sword. "I could not attack you while you were in police custody, but now you've escaped, and I am within my right in bringing you back in."
"How did you know I would appear here?" she asked, smirking. Ozpin was just another mad Hunter to her now. Almost instinctively, she gave him a Hunter's bow. "If I am to die here today, I would at least like my curiosity sated before I bite the dust."
Ozpin smiled, but there was no joy behind it. "Well, you see, I had a dream that you would be here," he mocked. The Hunter actually laughed at his taunt.
"So you do have a sense of humor," she said, shaking her head with a slight smile.
"I will give you one more chance, Hunter," Ozpin offered, although there was no hope in his voice. "Stand down and pay for your crimes."
The Hunter's expression became serious and the life in her eyes seemed to die. It took only a moment before the two recognized something in each other's eyes, but it remained unspoken. The two became aware simultaneously that they would not be able to talk the other other out of the fight.
The Good Hunter could tell that this man was dangerous, especially if he came alone. Glynda was already a handful with her strange arcane abilities, but she had no insight into how Ozpin fought, which meant one thing; she could not afford to hold back. Her clothes shifted into that of the Ashen Hunter to increase her frenzy resistance, and she summoned the Bloodletter. Ozpin seemed to be taken aback slightly when he didn't see her use the axe she was reported to be using in the forest, but didn't back down. Ozpin began to approach, but jumped back when she suddenly raised the weapon up as if to strike. It was easily telegraphed and the weapon lacked reach, but when she plunged it into her abdomen, he grew disgusted. She leaned forward, before pulling out the mace, revealing a massive and bloodied Morningstar. That alone would have given Ozpin pause, but the sickening aura it radiated alerted him of a deeper danger. He knew he could not afford to be hit by that.
The Good Hunter did not wince as the wound on her stomach dripped, her eyes locked with Ozpin's. Ozpin rushed forward first, using rapid strikes in an attempt to take down the Hunter swiftly, but was surprised when her body offered no resistance. His cane nearly stabbed through her a handful of times, causing blood to splatter everywhere. He was narrowly able to dodge the various swings she took, her weapon's size not seemingly affecting its speed.
"Oh, is that it?" she taunted, swinging the Bloodletter in a wide arch to force him away. She began to twirl it around, the Morningstar portion of the weapon creating scrapes and deep scratches as it gently rubbed against the walls of the alley. "And here I thought I would have trouble facing you. It would appear that I overestimated your abilities."
Ozpin did not fall for the taunt, and instead, readied himself again to fight. The weapon had strange properties that he did not want to experience firsthand. The Good Hunter raised her weapon up, hoping to get Ozpin to rush her again to use her bloodied frenzy attack on him, but he remained just out of range. Abandoning the technique, she rushed towards him, swinging wildly, laughing all the while. The grin beneath her mask widened even further, threatening to split her face.
"COME ON, PROFESSOR," she shouted, her voice uncharacteristically feral. "SHOW ME WHAT YOU ARE CAPABLE OF!"
Ozpin realized that if the fight dragged on too long, there would be a lot of collateral damage, and potentially innocents hurt. He rushed towards her in an attempt to blitz her a second time, but she unleashed a roar that forced him back, as well as shattering the lights that lit up the street, and cracked the lenses on his glasses. Her movements became more erratic, as she suddenly faded out of and into existence, making it difficult to predict where she would strike from. Ozpin attempted to take advantage of an opening he saw, and lunged at her with his cane.
To his surprise, she did not try to dodge it, nor block it. In fact, if his cane wasn't so deeply embedded into her torso, he wouldn't be sure if it had done any damage. Unfortunately for Ozpin, the blow did not slow down the Hunter, as she finally managed to land a massive strike with her Bloodletter. The bloodied spikes did not manage to pierce him, but the force behind the strike was tremendous.
Ozpin had taken hits before, and had also had his Aura broken a time or two. However, the impact of the strange bloodied weapon did something strange to him. While he did not sustain any immediate physical injury and still had most of his Aura up, he felt as if his mind was being attacked. He retreated further away, trying to fight the effects of the strange weapon. To his horror, the strange sensation in his head only continued to grow, before it suddenly came to a plateau. The strange sensation only lasted a few seconds, but that was a lifetime in a fight. He looked back towards the Hunter, who hadn't continued the assault, only to see her kneeling, and her body beginning to disappear.
"NO!" he shouted, running back at her, but it was too late. She had disappeared, leaving his bloodied cane on the ground. He was breathing heavily, for a moment, trying to understand how it all happened. He took out his scroll, calling a Bullhead to his position. Whatever mental attack he sustained from the Hunter, he would have to ensure that it had no lasting effects. He picked up his weapon, using a handkerchief to wipe the viscera from it.
The Hunter awoke in the Hunter's dream and immediately dismissed the Bloodletter. She had taken a risk by using it. Had she not landed that first and final blow against the Professor, the frenzy would have affected her. Luckily, it seemed that Ozpin was just as, if not more susceptible to the frenzy as she was, but had not experienced it before. Perhaps he knew a lot more than he led on. She walked over to the Doll's usual spot, and took a seat.
"Good Hunter, welcome back," the Doll greeted, stepping out of the workshop. "I see you have changed attire. Is all well?"
"No, not at all," she confessed. "In fact, I would say that everything has gone to shit."
"What has happened?"
The Good Hunter shook her head in disappointment. "In an attempt to save the life of one man, I have been branded a killer, as well as the would-be assassins getting away. Not to mention that the headmaster I came across not too long ago now hunts me for a murder I did not commit… well, not directly. I will likely have a bounty put on my head. Not two days in this damned world and I have become an enemy of the Kingdom."
"Whatever do you mean, Good Hunter?" The Good Hunter revealed the Blue Elixir to the Doll.
"I have never been affected by this medicine's mind numbing effects, thus I forgot that it was its primary use. I… attempted to barter with it with the man I was trying to save. After he consumed this… he was brain dead in mere seconds."
The Doll nodded in understanding. "It would appear that the humans in this world are not as resilient from the inside."
"They more than make up for it with their damned Auras," the Hunter sighed. "Not to mention that Ozpin appears to have eyes all around the city. If I am to go back, I will need a disguise, as well as not use the lamp to get there." She gestured to the spot next to her, and the Doll took the seat. "I do not fancy myself a detective and investigating the true killers will only give Ozpin time to prepare to take me down. I may have revealed too much by using the Bloodletter, but I needed to escape. The more good I try to accomplish, the worse my prospects become. Even if I were to clear my name, I doubt that attacking the Headmaster of a school training Hunters would be an easily forgivable offense." The Good Hunter took her hat off to run her hand through her hair. "I do not suppose you have had any luck finding a way out of this place, have you?"
"I am afraid not, Good Hunter, but we have nothing but time to unravel this mystery. What of you? Will you abandon Vale, or will you attempt to solve the case of the two killers?"
The Good Hunter shook her head. "There is nothing for me in Vale. I do not know what the White Fang is, or their connection with Tukson, but if it is anything like the factions of Yharnam, I would much rather not be involved." She remembered the things she took from Tukson's shop and decided to look over them now. She placed the things on the wall she sat on, separating them all to see what was of value. "It would appear that these strange cards are the currency used in this world," she remarked, taking them out of the wallet. She emptied the rest of the contents, which consisted of a photograph of Tukson and some woman, a sealed envelope and a hastily written address. Unsure what to do with the address, she opened the envelope.
"What is it Good Hunter?" asked the Doll, who fiddled with one of the Lien cards. The Hunter grinned.
"It is quite literally my ticket out of Vale," she said with a grin. It appeared to be a ticket to Vacuo. "If I make the necessary precautions, I will be able to take one of their strange vessels to another country, or Kingdom, as they call them, and be away from Ozpin's reach."
"What wondrous news," the Doll said, uncharacteristically joyful. "When will you depart?"
She opened the scroll gifted to her by the Messengers, to see if there was a calendar of sorts on it. To her surprise it was on the screen immediately as she opened it. Looking at the ticket, the grin grew wider. "It would appear I have a little under a week to prepare," she announced. "I doubt Ozpin would allow me to leave without facing some sort of punishment…but if he was otherwise distracted, I believe that it would become a non-issue."
"Distracted?" asked the Doll, seeing a tinge of madness behind the Hunter's eyes. "What do you plan on doing, Good Hunter?"
"I think I will take inspiration from the Powder Kegs, and create something a little... unorthodox. However, I believe it would be wise use of my time to find out more about these Huntsmen and their abilities." The Good Hunter cracked open the book from Tukson's Book Trade, and began to study.
Ozpin sat in his office later that morning, unsure of what to do. Was his countless years on Remnant a detriment to him? As far as he knew for the last hundreds and hundreds of years, Semblances had one major function that could be worked on to achieve different goals. This woman, however, had no such limitations. Her abilities ranged from invisibility, teleportation, summoning and storing items in some sort of pocket dimension, and even weaponized her own blood, not to mention he was still unsure what the bell she rang did. Never had he come across such an array of abilities before, even when magic was still prevalent.
Then there was that weapon of hers. She had not even approached getting through his Aura, but it still made him feel as if his head would explode. It was a frightening ability, one she had taken advantage of to escape. He wondered if the weapon itself was the source of the mental attack, or if it was in her own blood that she used to manifest it.
The elevator doors opened, Glynda stepping out as punctual as usual. "Professor Ozpin," she greeted.
"Hello Glynda," he greeted tiredly. Glynda seemed to notice this, and crossed her arms.
"From your rumpled appearance, I can assume you worked through the night?" she asked, approaching the man. "Honestly, for somebody who insists that I take as many breaks as I do, it's a bit hypocritical of you to turn around and work yourself to death."
Ozpin didn't give her the reply she expected. "She's more of a threat that I had anticipated," he informed. He pulled up the footage of the alley, as she began to appear. Glynda opened her mouth to ask questions, but Ozpin raised a finger and stopped her. "Just watch."
She watched the video of the Hunter in Tukson's shop, where she seemingly tricked the store owner into poisoning himself, then attacked two customers. Then, Ozpin pulled up the second video where he waited for her in the alley. She felt sick to her stomach when the Hunter stabbed herself, then shouted something that destroyed the camera. She looked back to Ozpin, confused. "Did she defeat you?"
"She nearly did," he confessed. "That weapon of hers, it isn't a conventional weapon. I was only hit once, and my Aura was fine, but the side effects of being struck made me feel like I was losing myself. I had never felt anything like it before, but it seemed that was her intention as she used that moment to escape."
"Losing yourself how?" asked Glynda, not hiding any of the concern on her face.
"I felt as if I was going insane," he replied, trying to find the words. "In that moment, it was like every fear I have ever known invaded my mind all at once… a deeper fear that I have ever felt before. The feeling built itself up, as if some presence was in my mind searching for these fears. My skull felt like it was going to burst open."
"What are we going to do, sir?" she asked.
"This woman can seemingly teleport to a specific area in Vale from anywhere she is, likely has a larger arsenal than what we've seen so far and is capable of manifesting it at will, possesses an unknowable magic that does not resemble my own in the slightest." He rubbed his temples, sighed and continued. "She admitted to being a human supremist, is highly capable in combat and showed signs of insanity during out brief scuffle. She either has an incredible pain tolerance, or simply does not feel the injuries I managed to deal to her. She is too dangerous to be kept alive."
Glynda had never seen Ozpin so afraid before, but remained silent. Ozpin always weighed every option and would always pick the most humane one, but this woman had affected Ozpin like only one other person had. The thought there being two such enemies made a shiver run down her spine. "Do we have a timeline?"
"No," he admitted. "We must remain vigilant until she shows up again. Hopefully we can take care of this discreetly… I don't want our students to get involved in this... She is leagues more dangerous than anything they've encountered so far, even the seniors." The presence of this threat could not have come at a less opportune time. He had four kingdoms worth of students in Vale, and had no idea where this woman operated. The mission boards had already gone up the day before, so a lot of teams had already taken their first mission.
"Perhaps we should investigate the area she appears in now that it's light out," Glynda suggested. Ozpin nodded, getting back up from his chair. "Oh second though, perhaps you should get some rest. I can take a look myself."
Ozpin was about to argue, but the memory of the madness gave him pause. "Glynda, if you encounter that woman, do not engage alone. You call for backup and keep an eye on her."
Professor Goodwitch was surprised that he didn't argue, but agreed. Something that made him a bit paranoid, but she would find out more when she got back.
The Good Hunter awoke in the forest south of Vale and began to travel the opposite direction of where she had met team JNPR. She didn't expect that Ozpin would send anybody to this lamp, but figured it would be safer if she avoided the walls of the City. She found herself retracing the area where she had fought the Executioner, when she noticed that the area was still damaged by the fight. "Time only ticks back when I die, it seems," she thought to herself.
She knelt down to where blood stained the grass, unsure if it was hers or the Executioner's. She lowered her mask and took a sniff of it, and concluded it was hers. It made sense to her, as the Executioner's body had dissipated, much like the Grimm do. As she stood up, she heard a faint growling. She summoned her axe, immediately extending the handle and began to approach. As she pushed aside some of the brush, her eyes widened.
"Oh… look at you," she said, lowering her axe. In front of her was a large male deer that was on the ground spasming. She could see the telltale signs of the scourge. However, the deer didn't seem hostile, not yet. She dismissed her weapon, and began to examine it. The scourge seemed to originate from its mouth, likely having lapped up the Hunter's blood. As she stroked the deer's face, it began to quiet down. "You will succumb soon. You will become a danger to all those around you, and to me," she said plainly. She sat next to the deer, and recalled Father Gascoigne's madness. "I do not know how much sanity a creature like you possesses, but any you have will deteriorate. Any loved ones you have will become unrecognizable, and in your madness, you will kill them. You will only know regret before losing yourself completely to the scourge… As is the fate for all those afflicted."
The deer stopped fidgeting, and simply lied still. The Good Hunter stood up, and knew she had to clean up any blood she had spilled. Deciding to let the deer live for a few moments longer, she walked over to the bloodied field and took out her Flamesprayer. Most of the area was covered in grass, which made her task easy. While she didn't use the Flamesprayer in combat as often as the traditional firearms she had, she always admired how the fire flickered and danced. It was almost mesmerizing, but she never allowed herself to stare for too long. She looked around more for her blood, when she noticed the red eyes staring at her from afar. She drew her Saw Cleaver wordlessly, and approached the beast.
The bear-like Grimm roared as it ran out towards the Hunter. She raised her weapon ready to strike, when suddenly the Grimm was pinned against a tree by a pair of antlers. The deer let out an unworldly growl, then tore its antlers out, leaving the Grimm dead. The Hunter was amused, as the deer acted very similar to the rabid dogs that followed the mobs of hunters in Yharnam. The scourge-ridden deer trotted over to the Good Hunter, almost as if trying to impress her. The Hunter smiled, and pet the deer.
"I was able to handle that myself," she whispered to it. The deer didn't seem to understand, and simply nuzzled its head into the Hunter's chest, its antlers getting caught on her clothes a few times. "I appreciate the help, little deer," she said, taking a step back. The deer looked at her, its head tilting sideways, as if inspecting her. The Hunter then summoned her axe, and drove it into the deer's skull without hesitation. It fell without a sound, and remained still. "But I cannot risk you spreading the scourge." She took out her Flamesprayer, and began to burn the deer's corpse. She needed a distraction, not an epidemic. Satisfied with the area being cleansed of her blood, she headed back to the fisherman's shack.
A/N
I hope that this chapter has answered most if not all the concerns regarding the resurrection mechanic. As I said, it won't be used to fix everything, because without conflict, there's no story.
To the Guest who pointed out the Hunter picking up a scroll, Team RWBY had already left to the dorms, so they weren't present. Team JNPR, however, could have seen her, but the Good Hunter died a few minutes later, so any interaction that they may have had would have been undone immediately. I appreciate the feedback though!