Oscar was inspecting himself on his thirteen birthday looking into a small mirror and lightly smelling the pancakes his aunt was making. He could see a few darker hairs on his upper lip, not sure what he had expected to grow overnight. Somewhere in the back of his mind he heard a sharp intake of breath. Turning around, thinking for a moment that his aunt was there. He was alone, so he must've just been hearing things.

Heading downstairs his aunt smiled, humming happy birthday because he had asked her not to sing. It was embarrassing, but nice. He mumbled his thanks as he ravenously ate the pancakes, his aunt looked at him endearingly. "I remember my brother at your age. He couldn't eat enough either."

"Probably because Dad was working on this farm too. He met mom when he was thirteen right?"

"Don't be thinking you're going to find the love of your life this year."

Oscar could hear his mind gasp -You're thirteen, a child.

"I'm not a child!"

His aunt gave him a quizzical look, "Of course not. You are also not a man either." pushing a long box closer to him, "Now your father wanted you to have this. It is a more stylish way to protect the sheep from Grimm."

"The wood chopping ax works well enough." It was a small, plain, sharp ax. Oscar lifted it up, he had fuzzy memories of his father carrying it on his belt. Oscar with more skill than he had spun it a few times, then placing it in his belt.

-I'd prefer a little decoration, or some mechanisms, but it seems serviceable.

"You are a spitting image of my brother. Now that is only for fighting, don't dull the blade using it around the farm."

He nodded mentioning he needed to mend a fence. He had patched it up roughly late yesterday, and it had nearly fallen apart. He hummed as he worked trying to ignore the strange frustrated sounds in his head. He usually enjoyed his day, maybe he was feeling off about getting his late father's ax? Maybe he'd talk it out with his aunt later, she was good at helping him sort his thoughts. The boy moved from task to task occasionally seeing his aunt on a tractor, plowing the field. It was getting dark and he went inside to heat some water.

-Young man my name is Ozpin.

Oscar whirled around his hand itched towards his ax.

-While I commend your instincts I am not in the room, I am sharing your mind.

Oscar muttered, "Great for my thirteenth birthday I get to go nuts."

"What's that dear?"

"Nothing, just complaining about how long it takes to heat water."

"Well it's boiling now," She took the pot and poured it into two bowls. "Go clean up."

Oscar wiped his face and was cleaning his hands.

-Again my name is Ozpin and I imagine this is disorienting, let me assure you, you are not insane.

"Says the voice in my head."

A low chuckle, -Point taken, would you like to know why I'm here?

"I don't think you exist, so I am going to ignore you."

-We don't have time for that, you only have a few months before Grimm-ification begins.

"What?"

-A burden that comes with me, while it has its uses, you will pale and your blood will turn black. Now then, Remanent is being guided by dangerous hands. My role, now ours, is as protector.

"My family's farm is out of the way of danger or any possible wars."

-If Salem and her academies have their way. Your way of life will cease to exist.

"Beacon academy? The best hunters are trained there."

XXX

It was freezing, Oscar wished the wizard in his head was more useful. Instead he had to get creative in making his way across Mistral to the Land of Darkness. Ozpin had no interest in renaming it, Oscar had asked. He was getting closer to Argus and he hoped to find one of Ozpin's subordinates.

-Don't get lost in thought we're near Grimm.

"You know since I am turning into one, wouldn't they be friendly?"

-That is a very long conversation, over time your blood will become Grimm. Once we become one we'll have control over them again. I have my morals and you are too young for that. Draw your ax, you'll be fighting.

They were big and Oscar was small, but strong from his farm work and quicker with the training from Ozpin. The Wizard hoped Oscar would grow into a bigger man, because all of this dodging and redirecting his enemies attacks was not preferred. It could be worse, Ozpin had once joined with a man who was missing an arm back when prosthetics essentially just shapely sticks.

"I could use some help, old man." Ozpin was about to retort.

"I'm not old!" A man with spiky black hair sprinting forward, weaponless, Oscar didn't blink and a huge scythe appeared to cut three grimm down in a stroke.

-Ah the alcoholic, a blessing and curse.

Four girls and an old woman showed up behind him and began taking out monsters. Oscar saw Grimm about to bear down on a woman in red who also wielded a scythe. Knocking her aside he buried an ax into the grimm's neck, turning it into ash. Seeing that most of the Grimm were gone or almost dead from the others. He extended his hand to the woman he knocked down. Pulling her up he saw her eyes, "You-You have silver eyes! They're beautiful."

Her cheeks pink, "You have good eyes too."

"Yeah I can see pretty well." Oscar was aware of Ozpin face palming himself, or whatever the equivalent was.

The man with black hair, "I'm Qrow, you can let go of my niece's hand now."

Oscar jumped away seeing a blond with a metal arm elbowing the silver eyed girl. "I'm Oscar, thank you. I'm not sure what I would have done without your help."

The blonde not looking at him but wiggling her eyes at the silver eyed girl, "I'm Yang, what is a kid doing out here by himself?"

Oscar could feel the tense caution within Ozpin. "I'm heading to Argus. I'm on the way to see if a distant family member will take me in." The boy saw everyone read between the lines to pity him, and it rankled him.

Ruby grinned, "We're going to Argus, and you can come with us!"

Oscar hesitated, and then seeing everyone smiling and nodding, he agreed.

Qrow walked next to him, "Say kid, you don't happen to have some alcohol?"

Ozpin sighed