Chapter 4: mystery uncovered
Somewhere on the railway to Argus...
"Great! This is just great! We're stranded, we lost a third of our party, and we've gained a defenseless old lady!" - Yang complained.
"Now now, Yang. Has some respect for the elder." - Drake said.
"My name is Maria Calavera, and I am not defenseless!" - the old lady now named Maria said.
"I'm just a little hard of hearing. And blind without my eyes, that are in desperate need of repair." - Maria said as she tapping on her prosthetic eyes, which open wide and close and then open narrowly.
"Ok, i starting to see your point." She gave up. At that time, Ace finally cancel his transformation.
"Excuse me ma'am, i hope you don't mind but... I'm quite tech savvy so i might could fix it." - Ace said as he took out his screw driver.
"Really? Oh thank the god, you are the savior, young man." - Maria cheered.
Few moments later...
"There, good as new." - Ace said. This time Maria eyes work perfectly fine.
"Thank you, i own you a bunch mister..."
"Akira Artemus, but you can call me Ace." - Ace introduced.
"Well, thank you mr Ace." - Maria thanked.
"Anyway, what do we do now?" - Qrow asked.
"...! I got an idea! How bout you all get inside the car train and i'll use Gaia form to push it. It should buy us some time, what did you say?" - Ace asked.
"That's... Awfully nice of you Ace. But that'll be a waste of your strenght, so how bout we find our way to go down the hill and then find our way to Argus?" - Weiss suggested.
"Hmm, that'll work as well. Since everyone know "Landing Strategy" but Oscar and mrs Calavera don't, i'll help them get down first. But I'll be ready to catch in case something's gone wrong." - Ace said.
"Alright, one question: how am i supposed to get my bike down without break it?" - Yang asked. Then Ace give her a chip.
"Here, stick it to your bike. It'll shrink to the size that you can bring it anywhere just like mine." - Ace said.
Another few moments later...
"Alright, we all make it down here without break a toe." Ace said. However, Ace notice Yang has an unamused look on her face.
"What's wrong, Yang?" - Ace asked.
"Oh i don't know, is just that i'm start to think that what happen to no more lies and half truth?!" - Yang turn to Oscar/Ozpin.
"Yeah, I think we need an explanation..." - Oscar said. His eyes start to glow and he's now Ozpin.
"... I didn't lie to you." - Spirited Ozpin said.
"Well, you certainly didn't tell us everything about the Relic." - Weiss said.
"Girls look, i thought the plan was..." - Ace was going to say something.
"Shut your ass, Ace!" - Yang angrily exclaimed. Ace could only raised his hands in fear and weakly said "okay..."
"It's true that the Grimm are attracted to the Relics. It's faint, but undeniable. I believe it has to do with their origin, but I'm not entirely sure. Regardless, I feared that making you all aware would only add anxiety and negativity. It seemed like the safer option." - Spirited Ozpin said.
"Alright, you know what, i'm tired of people choosing what's best for me." - Weiss said.
"Is that why you lie to everyone about professor Lionheart?" - Ace said.
"When did yo.."
"Ruby and the others tell me, and i've know what happened in Haven. But it seems like there's more where that came from." - Ace said.
"I.."
"I know the truth wasn't always pretty, Headmaster. But that doesn't mean you have to hide it, so why did you?!" - Ace exclaimed.
"Look, what Professor Lionheart did was reprehensible. I am not here to argue differently, but does one lapse in judgment truly negate all of his good? Do we not all have regrets? You may have met Professor Lionheart, but you never met the man he was before Salem found him." - Spirited Ozpin said.
"And we don't want to argue about that either! I thought we're on this together! We all trust you, so why the frick would we turn our back on yo.." - Ace said.
"Do you really think Leo was the first?!" - Ozpin raised his voice which surprise everyone.
"That he didn't say those excat same words to me? I'm sorry, but you have to understand that my behaviors are backed by experience. I'm not saying that I have reason to think you will betray me. I'm saying that I have reasons for the things that I do, the secrets I keep, the reason i..." Ace approach Ozpin and kneel down.
"I know that, Headmaster. I know you meant good and all. But please... We can't help you if we don't know whatever you're hiding off." - Ace demand. Ozpin look at him then look down hesitately.
"But... I ca.. Gah!" Suddenly Oscar right arm suddenly hold himself down.
"Oz? What are yo.." - Qrow asked.
"Oscar!" - Ozpin exclaimed. Then Oscar came back.
"Get the Relic! Hurry!" - Oscar exclaimed as he resisting with his inner Headmaster. Then Ace yanked the Relic off his hip in a flash.
"I'm sorry Headmaster, we've tried to reason with you. But you leave us no choice." - Ace said.
"Gargh.. Give it back!" - Ozpin said as he struggling against his host.
"Jinn!" - Oscar exclaimed.
"Huh?" RWBY and Ace wondered.
"Her name.. is Jinn. She is the spirit inside the Relic, say her name to summon her!" Ace look at the Relic, it was glows in his hands.
"... Jinn?" - The moment he said the name. Everything around was stopped as if time has stopped, even the snow flakes are stuck in midair as well.
Qrow: what?
Ace could only said "what the frick?" in silent tone. The relic in Ace hands soon floating away for a short distance. Suddenly, the Relic was covered with cyan color smoke. Then a giant, almost nude feminine figure emerges. Her skin and hair are blue colored, and decorated with gold jewelry and ornaments. She stretches and moans as she has been awakened.
"Wonderful." - Jinn said. Everyone stares in awe at her.
"Ok, i am definetely not Aladdin. And.. Actually, forget it." - Ace said, he was about to make a joke but decide not to.
"I am Jinn, a being created by the God of Light to aid humanity in its pursuit of knowledge. I've been graced with the ability to answer three questions every one hundred years. You're in luck, i am still able to answer two questions in this era, tell me. What knowledge do you seek?" - Jinn asked with her hand on her chin.
"That's enough!" - Ozpin exclaimed.
"*chuckle* it's a pleasure to see you again, old man." - Jinn said to Ozpin.
"Please... Don't..." - Ozpin plead.
"Do what you think is right, Ace." - Qrow said. Ace look at Qrow, look at Ozpin and then look at team RWBY. He took a deep breath, and...
"Please tell us... What is Ozpin hiding from us?" - Ace said.
"NOOOO!" - Ozpin shouted then rush at Ace. Ace was prepared to fight back, but suddenly find himself in a white blank space.
"What th... Ruby? Master Qrow? Mrs Calavera? Anyone?!" - Ace desperately called out for his allies but nothing happened.