A/N: This story starts a few weeks before the TV series starts in the timeline but will diverge heavily. To reiterate from the old version: This fic isn't for everyone, if you, in particular, have a problem with trans characters simply don't read the story. If you're from the old story, you'll find that some elements of this chapter have changed heavily while others are similar, I got back into RWBY and simply found I didn't like how I chose to approach some topics. That doesn't mean they'll be absent from the story, of course.
It was a clear, sunny day in my homeland of Mistral, the perfect weather to work in. The SWISH of my scythe freeing some wheat from their earthly bonds as I planted the scythe on the ground like a walking stick for a moment to look up at the sky. Some birds had been disturbed by my motion and took flight, seemingly flying straight towards the sun.
If only I could join them…
Taking flight and leaving everything behind, all my worries traded for wings to bear me to somewhere new. Somewhere where I didn't have to live with dread hanging over my head, somewhere I could start anew…
Somewhere I could be myself.
I shook my head, my aunt was always telling me I had my head in the clouds. She was right, rather literally this time. Big dreams like that were for bigger people, heroes and warriors. Those dreams were too big for someone like me. Besides! Life wasn't all that bad, the work was hard but honest, my aunt and uncle were loving, and life was simple. At least, as simple as it could get for someone like me…
I continued swinging my scythe and cutting down droves of wheat before finally, when all was said and done and more than enough sweat was coating my person I walked back to the barn, set the scythe down inside, grabbed a wheelbarrow, and went back to gather up the harvest for the day. Was it efficient? No, but unless I discovered that I had a semblance that gave me farm powers I would just have to live with it.
A semblance… I had wanted one for so long, and I knew most people got theirs even before my age, but I still hadn't found mine, if I even had one at all… As much as I loved farm life for how simple it was, I wished that my semblance had manifested, maybe then I could have gone to the academy and become a huntress…
…A huntress…
If only everyone would even call me that, I knew they wouldn't.
For now though, I had my niche. At least as long as I can stay here… I had no idea if my aunt and uncle would keep me around after I told them the truth, and I knew I would have to eventually. Living a lie like this was growing more unbearable by the day. I felt worse about myself every time I lied to them. I lied by pretending I was a boy, I lied when I agreed that I would one day go off and start a family with a 'lovely young woman' because even though I liked both, I knew nobody would want to be with me if they learned what I was. I lied when I agreed with every passive comment and idea about my future, knowing that it would all change once I told them the truth.
Lies, lies, more lies…
These thoughts followed me as I stored away the wheat for later processing into flour, then took the wheelbarrow back into the barn. Once there, I set it down and walked towards the back. The barn was old and rustic, well maintained tools contrasted old wooden walls and the occasional rusty bit of metal.
At the very back, past the ladder that led up to my bedroom, there was a standing mirror. I picked it up and moved it to the side, as I slid it away a small alcove in the wall revealed itself to me. I kept my most precious item back here…
Pulling out a magazine, I sat against the wall and looked at the cover. 'Mistral's Makeover Guide for Young Women', it was old. I saw it for sale once on a trip to town a few years ago and I snatched it up. Hiding it once I was back home was perhaps the most terrifying experience of my life so far. That time I had to scare off a bear to keep it from attacking our cows was nothing compared to all the scenarios that ran through my head for if they had discovered it. Questioned? Yelled at? Kicked out? Even if I knew deep down my aunt and uncle weren't bad people, the fear I felt made me conjure up just about everything bad I thought could happen to me.
Shaking off the bad memory, I opened the magazine and flipped through the pages slowly, taking in how pretty the girls looked, before stopping on one in particular. This one looked a lot like me, if I was born happy… Brown hair, tanned skin and freckles, her face even sort of looked like mine, except I could tell just by looking into her eyes that she was happy and had no worries in the world, certainly not working on a farm, certainly not what I was going through…
I stared at that picture for a time, just imagining if I was that girl and I was the one who was born that way… No worries, no feeling like my body was wrong or imagining myself more feminine in the mirror all the time… Nothing. That was at least until I felt a chill go through the room, the hairs on the back of my neck stood up and I immediately worried someone was coming. Scurrying quickly, I placed the magazine carefully into its hiding spot and then dragged the mirror back over to cover it. Then I stood up and looked towards the barn doors, expecting to hear my aunt or uncle call out to me.
…Nothing. I shook my head, just the wind…
I shook my head, "C'mon Ozza," I told myself just under my breath, "You've got enough to worry about without starting to imagine things. You're getting too paranoid…"
The barn I was in also had a large old sink that I used to wash my hands before and after going to eat dinner in the main farmhouse. As I walked towards it, I remembered helping set it up with my Uncle after convincing him to give me a room in this barn. I told them it was because I was old enough to have my own bed and wanted privacy, and while that was true, it was also because I could hide any sensitive material like that magazine if I needed to.
I had originally kept the magazine in my bedroom, under my bed, but as I got older my uncle started searching the room for 'magazines' or anything else a teenage boy like me might keep. I think he was worried I was going to get the wrong idea about women or something, because he was a very relaxed kind of person usually unless it involved farm work.
I turned on the sink and washed my hands before starting to splash water on my face, leaning over the sink as I did so. Yet once I was finished, I looked in the mirror and felt like something was off. I looked the same, but I still felt… Different. Like something had changed. I leaned closer to the mirror, squinting to see if I could make it out or if it was just grime and dust on the glass.
"Hello! I am Professor Ozpin!" A voice inside my head spoke with such clarity it might as well have been coming from right next to me. I immediately leapt backward from the mirror, stumbling back and over a pile of hay and fall backward, thankfully cushioned by the very thing that tripped me.
Now with hay sticking to my clothes, I climbed out of the pile, "Get ahold of yourself Ozza… You're hearing things now."
"Greetings, Oscar." The voice rang out again, causing me to immediately fall back into the hay again. One more time, I got up and continued to justify the voice, "Okay Ozza, you just had some bad stew… Maybe the meat was tainted, maybe the potatoes were bad… Yeah, it had to be the potatoes!"
Once I was up and got the hay out of my hair and off my clothes, I started to climb the ladder up to my room. Rung by rung I ascended, although I still felt like someone was watching me, even if nobody was in the room. It was like they were watching from inside my own head… It was nonsense, of course, it had to be! The only people who would come looking for me were my Aunt and Uncle, and they always knocked and called for me before coming into the barn.
Once I reached the top I opened the heavy refurbished door that I repaired after being allowed to live here. I didn't do everything on my own but I had the skill to do a lot of it, and I wanted to make sure my room was as 'me' as it could be. The inside was cozy, the single person bed placed in the middle while the desk my uncle built for me one birthday was nestled in the corner. A small bookshelf right next to it, I often sat there and read books if I wasn't doing it while laying in bed. On the other corner was a wardrobe, I headed to the desk and sat down just to immediately stand up again as the voice rang out once more.
"I can assure you the food yesterday was fine. You're not hallucinating, I'm very real."
I shook my head, sitting back down, "Knock it off brain… You give me enough trouble as it is, I don't need you making up voices next." I grabbed my book again and focused on reading.
"You prefer Ozza, correct? I've seen your memories… There's something different about you. I've never encountered this before in all of my many many reincarnations…"
"Shut up brain, focus on the book." I flipped a page, the voice wasn't even startling me that much anymore, now I was just getting annoyed. "You know who I am and my memories because you're my brain, not a voice."
"I'm very real, Ozza. I am Ozpin, former headmaster of Beacon academy and new tenant in your mind."
That was just too outrageous, I let off a mirthless chuckle, "Yeah right. Ozpin died, it was all over the news, auntie told me about it."
"I was indeed killed, my body grew weaker with age and the dark forces around us are growing stronger. In that state, it was easy to get a surprise attack to be lethal."
"There's all the proof I need!" I narrowed my eyes, continuing to aggressively try to read the book in my hands. "Ozpin wasn't killed, he died of natural causes, they said old age finally got to him and he died of a heart attack."
"That is what it seemed like to everyone, even my faithful second Glynda. It couldn't be farther from the truth, a lie put in place by those who killed me to prevent people from learning their plan too quickly."
I set the book down and threw my hands up in the air before groaning and placing my head on the table, "That's it, I'm going insane. First I don't feel comfortable in my own skin, change my name, and start dreaming of being a girl, the next I start hearing voices. I'm insane, the bullies in grade school were right all along."
"You're very sane, I assure you. Our auras have merged, our souls are now in the process of merging together. We will become one person in due time."
"Nope. Nope, nope, nope…" I tuned out the voice as hard as I could, and finally I heard no more talking from the air. There were no more upsets for the night. Instead I focused on reading my novel and imagining myself as the strong young heroine of the story I was reading.
After an hour or so of reading I heard Auntie call to me, "Dinner's ready, Oscar! Come on down!" I bookmarked my spot then stood up, heading down the ladder. Unfortunately, as soon as I got back to the ground floor the voice started speaking again.
"A farmhand… I've craved a life this simple many times before. Yet that is not our purpose, we are meant for bigger things you and I. Heroics, adventure, friends, lovers…"
"Shut up! I like living here, and I'm not gonna talk to you while I'm around people. You're nothing but a consequence of my ever worsening mental health and increasing amount of stress."
"I assure you, you don't need to talk out loud for me to hear you."
I threw my hands up in frustration again. "Oh great."
Soon, I arrived at the door and pushed it open, the wooden door creaked and the warmth of the main farmhouse hit me as I entered and closed the door behind me. The smell of veal mixed with the scent of spices bought from the nearby township we sold our produce at. "Set out the plates, Oscar." Auntie asked, and I obeyed.
"I'm a farmhand, not a butler, y'know." I quipped lightheartedly as I walked to do as she asked.
"Hmm, maybe I need to rewrite our contract!" She teased back at me, a mock serious tone in her voice.
I gasped in shock, not looking up from my task of setting the table, "We had that approved by a contract lawyer, I'll sue!"
The two of us shared a laugh, and I was in good spirits again, trying to fight against worries about whether or not this relationship would last once I told her about me. "I can tell you she would accept you, but that's not our concern right now. We need to get to Beacon Academy."
Repressing a groan as I stepped back to let my auntie serve the food.
I'm not crossing the world just to go to some academy, voice.
"It is our duty."
My duty is here, at this farm.
I finally sat down and as we began to eat food my Uncle came in and sat down, "Got all your chores done for the day, boy?"
I nodded, trying to ignore the sting I felt when he said 'boy.' He didn't even know yet... "Yes sir." I took another bite, swallowed, and continued, "Put the wheat away and everything."
"Good! That kind of work ethnic is sorely lacking in your generation, you're going to become a real man's man!"
I swore to the gods above, why did he have to talk like that all the time? It was absolute torture!
"I know what's going on here now…" The voice stated with a matter of fact tone.
Begone, voice!
The rest of dinner continued as I stopped responding to the voice. It seemed interested in learning about me, and was finding ways to do so in my mind. I was surprised this voice had to learn about me, if it was a product of my brain it should know everything already.
Once we finished dinner I gathered up the plates and helped get everything clean before bidding my family goodnight and heading back to my room, it was already dark outside, a chill setting in as the sun went down. Once I was back inside, I immediately went to bed and fell asleep, the voice thankfully stopped bothering me once I got into bed.
The next day
I tilled the field carefully and meticulously as the birds chirped and a gentle breeze blew through the farm. I took a deep breath and sighed contentedly, "So peaceful."
"Indeed. It's this kind of peace that you should be fighting to preserve by going to Beacon Academy."
"I thought I told you that I'm not going?" I retorted, returning to tilling the field in frustration, "I'm just fine where I am."
"What do you need to convince you to go? I can tell you want to be a huntress."
"You're not going to convince me to just up and leave my home. Sorry. Better get comfortable." I responded as I returned to tilling the fields and the voice fell silent again, I hoped it was going to stop but I knew it was going to find a new way to bother me eventually.
A few days later
The voice was silent for a few days, yet one day when I had just sat down and started eating dinner, beginning to think I was finally free of the torment, it came back on me.
"You know the food at Beacon is exquisite. I bet you will enjoy it when we get there."
I didn't respond and instead aggressively bit into my steak to make a point, earning some weird looks from my aunt and uncle. They thankfully didn't comment further.
A few days more…
Another several days went by and the voice had been trying to come up with different ways to tempt me into going to Beacon. Food, weapons, friends, a partner… All these things it claimed could be mine if I went and applied myself.
I didn't focus on it, however, and as I returned to my barn for the night I went to my old standing mirror and moved it to the side, kneeling down and producing my favorite magazine before sitting down to read it.
"You have a particular affection for this magazine. You know, the library at Beacon has many more issues of a similar nature."
"You're not going to convince me to cross a continent and a half just for magazines." I respond, frowning and flipping a page, "Besides… I'm not reading this for the girls, at least not like other people do."
"Hmmm…." Something told me the voice was getting some kind of idea, but what it was, I had no clue.
Finally on the tenth day of having the voice in my head I was reading a book when it spoke again, "You've lived a quiet life, I apologize for interrupting that, but I'm not just a voice in your head. I'm very real."
"Shut up!" I finally yelled at the top of my lungs, over these past several days I had been slowly feeling like this voice was telling the truth. Especially as I started to feel the presence of something extra in my heart, it was hard to describe but as the days went on I started to feel the presence more and more, it was wearing down my belief that the voice was fake. "Just shut up! Go away!"
"I cannot. We are one now, or will be soon. I will be you, you will be me. I am Professor Ozpin, and I was Headmaster at Beacon, you know it's true. We are destined to be great heroes, and I can help you get what you want. Even help you-"
"Don't finish that sentence! Don't give me hope! I gave that up a long time ago!" I stumbled back and flopped onto my bed, "Just stop talking."
"Listen. I might not know exactly what would need to be done, but we could find an artifact that will give you what you want. As much of your body you wish to change, we can get it changed. I cannot change it with my magic, but I can give you the strength and the power to get there. Listen… Think of our office back in Beacon, close your eyes and envision it."
I took a deep breath, I might as well humor this voice, person… Whatever it was. "Fine." I started to envision it, in spite of never actually being inside. "It's… There's a glass table. Oddly shaped… The walls and floors are covered in cogs… It's like the inside of a clocktower."
"See the coffee mug? Do you remember it?"
"...Yes, I remember. Glynda gave it to me for my… Birthday. Why do I know that? Why did I say that?" My voice cracked as I opened my eyes, my mind swirling, I drew myself into a ball on the bed, "What the hell is this about?"
"Think of any academy, any city, and you will have the same experience. I've been to them all, I helped build all the academies. You can even look it up online or in one of your aunt's books. You will know the truth."
"What is this…? Why me? God damn it… I have enough to deal with! I don't need some old man living in my head…" I shook my head and felt tears welling up in my eyes, "How am I supposed to be a girl with a guy living in my head?"
"I can help you get there Ozza, your emotions will be mine after all. You need to go to Beacon, and join a team in the academy. You have to become a huntress, that way you'll have the strength to stand up to the dark forces that are coming."
"What dark forces?!" I whispered, now fully in tears, "I don't want to have to worry about dark forces… I just want to be a normal farmgirl. I never asked for any of this!"
"I know, I know…" He sounded concerned, almost sympathetic for once, "But we cannot ignore the call, and you will be able to get the artifact you need to achieve what you want once you're there. I promise."
I let off a dry laugh, as I finally voiced what Ozpin had been saying to me this whole time, promising to me this whole time, "So that's it then? That's how you're getting me to go? By holding the one thing I've ever wanted over my head?" I opened my eyes, the tears were drying up and I just stared numbly at the wall, my voice monotone.
"You've put it rather cynically, but I believe that your happiness is paramount to our goals, and if I need to offer you that happiness in exchange for getting you to at least attempt what I've asked, then that's what I will do."
"Did you already know you'd need to do this? Bribe me with the possibility of a transition? Or is this new?" I was ready to fall asleep already, emotionally drained from the past few days, yet I already knew that I wasn't crazy. This wasn't just a hallucination. Professor Ozpin really was in my head…
"I've been thinking of this for a time. I wondered if it was going to be necessary to make sure you were both content and willing to try things my way. I've lived many lives, Ozza, and in those many lives I've lived through many different lifestyles. Yours is perhaps the most unique yet, but at the end of the day it won't be the first time I've merged with someone that wears a dress while combating evil."
I sighed, "I just wanted to be a farmhand…" I rolled onto my back and stared at the ceiling, "What do you need me to do?"
"I knew you always wanted more, I saw your memories of watching the Vytal festival, wishing you had a weapon of your own. We will get you one, but first you need to get to a train station and catch a train to a port town, so you can get the money you need to charter a boat to Vale. The rest of the journey will be straightforward as long as we follow the roads."
"Nothing about this is straightforward! I don't have the money to get a train ticket, even if I did, what am I supposed to tell my aunt and uncle?" I huffed, this was going to be rough, I knew it. Yet as much as I wanted to just go back to before any of this happened, I knew there was no going back.
"You could just leave in the middle of the night. They don't have to know."
I sighed, angry at the idea of doing such a thing, "They took me in when I was just a baby and have raised me like I was their own son. I'm not going to put them through that. Maybe you don't remember what it's like to have loved ones, Ozpin, but they don't usually leave each other in the dark."
Was it harsh to say that? Yes, but I didn't care. I loved my family.
He was silent for a few moments, perhaps taking to heart my words, "Talk to them if you wish. You may even be able to convince them to give you some money for the train."
I was staring at the ceiling while throwing around a tense idea in my head, "Fine… I wonder if I should tell them about me. If I never come back, if something happens… I don't want it left unsaid." That idea terrified me more than them hating me, because they would have died believing a lie, or I would have died before telling them the truth.
"Write them a letter once you get to Beacon. It will get back quickly, and the distance will make it easier to tell them the truth."
That felt weird, and a bit wrong, but… "Well, it's easier than telling them in person I guess…" I didn't think I could bring myself to tell them anytime soon. I just locked up anytime I even thought about it, there's no way I'd be able to vocalize it properly.
"Indeed."
I got under my blankets, "I'll tell them tomorrow, after I do my chores. I'm not going to leave without at least doing that much for them." Then I turned to face the wall and closed my eyes. Ozpin didn't respond, which I took as reason enough to believe he'd accepted my reasoning.
I ran through an empty field, I could feel it chasing me. A dark presence behind me, racing ever closer.
"You can't escape me!" It declared, sounding much like myself, but… Worse. Corrupted, angry, with unbridled hate in each word.
"Go away!" I shouted back, "I never asked for this! Or for you!"
The voice didn't seem to listen, instead yelling after me. "You think you can escape me? You can't! I am you! Oscar!"
"I'm not Oscar!" I called back, before skidding to a halt as I noticed an approaching cliffside. I turn around, "I'm Ozza, damn it!" I plant my feet firmly on the ground as the blackness crawls towards me, "You hear me?! I am who I am, and I'm not you!"
I braced for impact as the blackness raced towards me.
As it closed in on me, I shot up, suddenly pulled out of the dream, gasping for breath. "Gah… Fuck."
"Bad dream?"
"You don't see my dreams?" I asked aloud as I rubbed my eyes and began to get out of bed. I knew I was going to need to take a bath before I left, but it would have to wait until after I did my work and talked with my parents. Maybe I'd be able to find ways to make myself feel better about myself on the road… The more I considered things like that the more willing I was to leave.
"I lock them away so only you can see them. Some things deserve their privacy, and I respect those areas. If you ever need a private moment, then ask me and I will lock myself away for the day, unless I sense something dire, and I do mean dire."
"Well, thanks I guess." I put back on my overalls and shirt, covering up the boxers I was wearing. "Speaking of private things, how is falling in love going to work? It's going to be hard trying to find someone eventually when I have you."
"Those matters fall under what I mentioned before, although I assure you I've lived many lives before where I witnessed those kinds of developments before fully merging with the new soul."
That wasn't really much of an assurance, but I decided to close the matter for now.
Once my routine was finished and I was squared away, I climbed down from my room and left the barn. My chores waited for me, and they gave me ample time on how to drop the bombshell of wanting to leave to become a huntsman.
"Huntress, in your case."
"That does sound nicer… I need to start using that more. Thank you." I responded, grabbing what I needed for the day before setting to work.
"Of course."
When I was finally done with all my chores, I went back up to my room and pulled out a traveling bag I kept under my bed. I tended to use it for trips to the nearby village, but this time it would be with me for the long haul.
I held the bag, staring at it deep in thought. "Any idea on how I'm going to come out of nowhere and body my family with this decision?"
"It's better to just tell them and get it over with. Like ripping off a bandaid. They're not going to take it well regardless, dragging it out won't help."
"If you say so." I finished packing and slung the bag over my shoulder. "Let's go rip off this bandaid."
"You want to do what?!" My aunt shouted in shock, practically tilting her chair back halfway to the floor as she started to stand. It was a good thing she had been sitting down, because otherwise I think she would have fallen over.
My uncle was silent, his face stone. I couldn't tell what he was thinking. When he got like this it was basically impossible to tell if he was angry, sad, or just really deep in thought. I hoped it was the last one…
"I want to go to Vale and train to be a Huntsman." I reiterate, continuing my explanation as I gestured widely hoping it helped my point, "I love the farm, don't get me wrong, but I know there's more to the world, and I want to help keep people safe!"
"Why not Mistral, at least?" My aunt asked, I could tell she was close to having a heart attack even as she set her chair back down. "Vale is so far away!"
"Mistral is far more dangerous than Vale." My explanation continued as I pushed on, no going back now."The lower levels are too risky, and I don't want to become part of Haven if it means I need to participate in the classism in that place!"
Classism, really? I asked Ozpin, as he was feeding me things to say. We had decided during my chores that he could speak better than me, but while he admitted he could take control of my body temporarily, he didn't want to make it seem like I was acting totally different than usual, since his body language doesn't match mine.
"It's quite the problem." He assured me.
"So you want to go all the way to Vale? How will you even get there?!"
"...If you're willing to pay for a train ride, I can find my way to a boat."
"Absolutely not! We can't-"
"Matilda." My uncle finally spoke, his voice calm and soft, it seems the gods blessed me because I was right about it being the third choice. "Look at him."
Her.
Auntie looked at me for a few moments, tears welling up in her eyes before she finally started sobbing into her hands. "Just like your father, when he wanted to be a hunter. Fine! I'll support you, I know there's no way to talk you out of this…"
Uncle stepped away, "Let me get you some things. If you're leaving today, then you're going to need them." He eventually emerged from their room, first came a pouch of lien and… Shotgun shells? Then came the old shotgun itself, it wasn't much to look at, but I'd see it kill wild animals before. "We were going to pawn this thing, but it'll help you more than we need that money. This Lien is money we've been saving up for you, we were going to give it to you when you turned eighteen, but… It seems that you're becoming an adult a year early, hmm?" I could tell just from his voice that he was torn up about this as well, but he was ever the strong man and refused to cry. It tore me up inside, but I had to do this. I had to!
I put the shotgun rounds and the Lien in separate pockets, the shotgun had a sling that I used to put over my back. "Thank you both. I'll be back once I'm a true huntsman, I'll- I'll make you proud!" I fought back choking up, I didn't need to make them any sadder.
Auntie was still visibly torn up, but had resigned to this fate. "Just don't die out there, okay?"
"The least of her worries." Ozpin unhelpfully noted.
"I won't." I manage a smile, "Now cheer up, you don't want any Grimm coming this way."
After that, I gave them hugs before I finally bid farewell. The first steps outside the farm were the hardest, but Ozpin warned me against looking back, so I didn't.
Each step was lighter than the last, as the pain of leaving my family subsided for the moment and started to give way to excitement, I truly did always want to become a huntress, after all. "What happens now?"
"We start the rest of your life."
I stopped walking, looked around the forested area and took a deep breath. Then I looked at the sky, seeing birds once more in the sky. They were free to chase their dreams, and now because of this push, so was I.
"...The rest of my life… I like the sound of that."
It only took a few hours to get to the village, I knew the path well and the village wasn't really that far away. It was afternoon by the time I got there, worried I made my way to the train station. Thankfully though, they were still open and there were a few passenger trains that were going to be picking up passengers here soon.
Where do we go?
"Aqualis. It's a port town involved in the trade between Vale and Mistral, if anywhere has a boat willing to take you, it'll be there."
Taking his words into account, I bought a ticket to Aqualis and went to sit in the boarding area. I secured a bench for myself and at this time of day there weren't enough people around that I would need to worry about sharing a space. It took another hour before the train came, and when it did I boarded and took my seat.
The train was cozy, the cabin was heated and every so often a worker would come by and offer to bring me food or a drink. I did order some, maybe I needed to save money but I was hungry. I had to leave before dinner since I didn't want to possibly have to wait the night to get a ticket.
The food was good once it got here, and I had soon cleaned my plate, which the worker took. Lucky for me, I didn't have anyone sitting with me. Since it was a late train, I figured this might happen. Nobody bothered me, so I kept to myself.
Well, as much 'to myself' as I could, given the circumstances.
I settled deeper into the seat and looked out the window. This was going to be a long ride, one way or the other. So I shut my eyes and tried to get some sleep…
I didn't know what time it was when I woke up, but I could immediately tell what caused my rude awakening.
"Yeehaw!" A gruff voice hooted, I instinctively lowered myself into the chair more and looked around the car, I could see the other passengers cowering in fear.
"Bandits. Look."
I looked down to the end of the car and saw bandits jumping onto the train from an open door. It seemed they'd already taken one of the attendants hostage. "Alright listen up boys and girls!" The seeming leader yelled as he walked up and down the car, "No heroics, no funny business, and we all go home happy and healthy!"
What do we do?
"If they don't bother us? Absolutely nothing, it's far too early to be drawing attention to ourselves. If our enemies get any idea that I've found my new host they'll try to strike at you while you're away from the protection of Beacon."
As much as I hated the idea of just sitting here and doing nothing, I had to agree. I'd only ever fought wild animals and small grim before, never a human.
That didn't last long however, eventually one of them came up and pointed their revolver in my face, causing me to freeze up, "Gimme everything! Don't try anything funny!"
Terrified, I managed out, "Y-You're robbing me?"
He pushed the gun closer, "Duh, idiot! Now pay up!" Before I could do anything though, I felt a strong presence begin to overcome my own faculties, and before I could panic Ozpin whispered to me, "Relax. Let me deal with this."
I shut my eyes, and when I opened them again I was now a passenger in my own body, my voice spoke but it spoke with a tone that was somehow casual and chilling at the same time, it was kind of scary to hear myself speak like this, "Ooh. Big mistake."
Before the robber could respond, Ozpin grabbed the man's gun and tugged, pulling it past me as the robber began to fall towards me, only to be met with my fist, Ozpin controlling every move. Could I even say I was doing these things anymore?
Ozpin then wretched free the revolver, all of this happened fast enough that the other bandits barely registered it when Ozpin stood up. One tried to make a threat, "Hey, stop! I'll blow her brains out!"
Ozpin, the hostage!
Snapping his aim to the man's head, he pulled the trigger and before the man could even react he had a bullet in his skull. He collapsed backward, having let go of the woman, who quickly cowered in one of the seats.
The revolver only had one shot in it as Ozpin tried to shoot the next bandit, yet instead of letting that deter him he threw the revolver at the bandit, who wielded a knife and was charging at us. The big iron made contact with his head and caused him to stumble closer, just in time for Ozpin to pull my shotgun off my back and smashing the butt of the gun against his head, a sickening CRACK ringing out as his skull shattered.
In one fluid motion, Ozpin took out two shells and loaded the shotgun, before pointing it at the last two robbers. Both of them only had knives, and seemed far more inexperienced than the others. They put their hands up, one shouting, "Woah! Don't shoot! We just went along with their plan, promise!"
It took a moment for the civilians to register what had happened, but when they did there was cheering across the cabin as a couple burlier looking men grabbed the bandits and pushed them down, while a woman handed them a couple curtains to use as makeshift rope.
Ozpin placed the shotgun back on my back after unloading it, and that was when I felt control return to my body and immediately got hit with a wave of fatigue as I stumbled, "Woah, fuck…"
"Apologies but it was an emergency, I'll warn you next time, if there's enough time beforehand at least."
Before I could argue any further I had passengers congratulating me, patting me on the back and showering me with praise. One man in a suit spoke up, "Good work lad! Are you a huntsman?"
I shook my head, if only he knew how close to the truth he was. "Not yet, I'm going to Vale to apply at Beacon." I felt incredibly awkward and unsure of what to do with all this attention before showered on me, instead I just tried to smile at everyone who thanked me or congratulated me on a good job.
"I say!" He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a hefty pouch of Lien, "Here, lad." He holds it out to me, "Pay for your trip, someone like you is going to go far! Do the world a favor and pass your entrance exam."
I was overwhelmed with shock, "W-Wuh? I-I mean, you don't have to! I can get my own money." Yet he was already shaking his head.
"They would have taken this money anyway, and I've got much more than that! Just keep being a hero, and we'll call it even, eh?" He smirked at me, and I couldn't bring myself to refuse as I took the pouch and put it away.
"I'll try." Was all the assurance I could offer, and finally things began to die down after a few moments as everyone settled back into their seats. I was able to get some sleep while the passengers who subdued the bandits sat on their backs to keep them from trying anything while the unconscious one was also tied up. The dead ones were thrown out the back, no burial for trash they said.
When I woke up, it was daybreak. There were police waiting at the station, seemingly having been alerted already to the robbery attempt. The passengers handed over the bandits, the police then taking them to their prison. I guess even Mistral had law in some parts of the nation.
"Civility follows where Humanity goes."
I couldn't disagree, as everyone got off I thanked the man who gave me the money. "Thank you again, what's your name? If I ever come back into town I want to visit you and thank you again, maybe I'll have a gift of my own!"
"I admire the spirit, lad!" He grins, "There's truly no need, but if you do wish to look me up, I'm just called Mr. Blue by the locals, I own a bakery among a few other businesses here. Do look me up, I'll get you the best pastry you could ever want!"
"I'll look forward to it!" I responded, before we parted ways, having made at least one acquaintance then, that was one more than I had outside of my little village before! With nothing else to do, we headed straight for the docks to look for passenger ships, Ozpin assured me there would be a few willing to take me with them to Vale.
There were luxury cruise liners taking rich passengers on world spanning cruises with everything they could ever want, and there were small boats barely any larger than a fishing vessel that probably were offering an extra bed space on their way to Vale for other reasons.
With this kind of money we could get a ticket on one of the luxury cruises if we wanted! I was giddy at the idea of actually being able to enjoy something like that for once, yet Ozpin had other plans as he interjected with a different idea.
"I wouldn't. It would draw too much attention to us."
Awwh. If anything's going to do that, it'll be you Mr. Cowboy! I had to fight the urge to pout, a 'boy' in the middle of the dock pouting at nothing would probably be exactly the kind of thing to get weird looks.
"We were being robbed, I had no choice."
I couldn't argue with that, so I resigned myself to taking a midrange passenger ship, it would provide serviceable food and accommodations. At the very least I'd have a chunk of leftover change in order to pay for travel to Beacon once I reach land again.
The ship was leaving in a couple hours and had a few extra bedrooms, so I guess I was lucky. Once I had my key and ticket, I boarded the ship and headed to the room provided. Once I was inside, I immediately set my bag down off my back and did the same for my shotgun, then I laid in bed.
A few days of having everything looked after for me would be nice, not having to worry about cooking food or doing any sort of chores made me relax just thinking about it.
Indeed, a couple days into the journey I was very relaxed, having just come back to my room and laid in bed while sighing heavily. These sorts of trips would be even more amazing if I could truly be myself, but I had no way of doing that right now. If I tried calling myself a girl while looking like this, it wouldn't go over well with at least a few people I was sure. I didn't want to deal with an argument or god forbid a fight.
"I'm sure there are ways you can look more feminine that don't involve any physical change, we will have to look into that once we're in the city, having these things distracting you will only hamper your ability to grow. It needs to be assuaged as much as possible."
I was glad he was worried, even if it was only because it would hurt my ability to become the person he wants me to be. It was better than nothing, and nothing was what I had before a week ago.
Yet as I prepared to speak to him a massive crash caused me to get knocked out of the bed and land on the ground, "What the hell?!" I heard the metal of the ship hull struggling as I quickly got up and grabbed my stuff. I wasn't sure what was going on but if I needed to get out of here, that was what I was going to do!
"Well, this isn't good."
A voice on the loudspeaker crackled to life, "Kraken! All hunters please proceed to the deck, we need all hands on deck! Civilians and non-combatants must prepare for evacuation!" Those were real?! I always thought they were just myths!
"Oh they're very real. I've killed a few in my time."
"Want to kill one more?!" I asked frantically, holding my shotgun in my hands, backpack firmly on my back.
"If I took over your body again so soon after last time you would be far too fatigued to escape. You will have to do this yourself. Try to help the huntsmen but don't do anything reckless, you're far too inexperienced to take it on your own. Especially without a semblance."
"M-Myself?" I gulped as I loaded my shotgun, "If I have to…" I was terrified honestly, but I didn't see many other options aside from sitting here waiting for the ship to sink.
"Don't worry, I will step in if your life is endangered directly, fatigue is nothing next to death. Now get out there!"
Taking that as the kick in the pants I needed, I rushed outside and onto the rainy deck, a strong storm was raging above which must have made fighting this thing that much harder. Hunters and huntresses were taking shots and attacking the tendrils with their assorted weapons, one yelled, "We need to get this thing killed quick, or else it's going to take the whole ship down!"
I only stood there for a few moments before a hunter spotted me, "You, kid! You're in training right? Start shooting the tendrils! We need everyone on this thing!" I stood up straighter and nodded, starting to take aim and shoot at tendrils as they came and went. My shots were barely doing anything to it, but at least it was something!
This didn't last long however as I heard a loud CRACK as civilians began pouring out and into lifeboats, a huntress called out, "The ship is breaking apart! Everyone on a lifeboat, now! We need to get to land!"
Terrified as I was, I felt my legs move on their own, but Ozpin wasn't controlling them. Instead it was my basic instinct of survival guiding me to run for a lifeboat. I jumped onto the boat and waited as people tried escaping, but the ship was already falling apart and almost everyone who ran for my lifeboat was taken by the kraken or slipped and slid backwards as the ship continued to split down the middle. Only one man made it, a hunter, "Drop it! Nothing we can do for the others!"
Startled, I quickly slammed the release and the boat was freed from the ship, falling before landing in the water with a splash, thankfully it was still afloat. "By the brothers…" The hunter swore, "You!" He looked at me, "You're still young, starting your career. I… I've lost more than a few people at sea, I'm not going to let you die too! It'll kill us all if I don't do something…"
The man was running the gamut of several terrible emotions dancing across his face before his resolve seemed to strengthen and he steeled himself, "What's your name, kid?"
In a situation like this I felt compelled to tell him my true name, "Ozza." I was gripping onto the sides of the boat to try and keep it and me steady against the rocking waves.
The man had an urgent tone in his voice, "Listen to me Ozza. Take this." He grabs one of my hands and puts something in it, when I look I see it's a pendant, one with the symbol of Vale on it. "Take this and live. Live a long, full life, live for everyone who died here today. Including me. Can you do that?"
"Y-You?" I was still terrified, but worry crept into my voice as I started to question what he was planning.
"Can you do that?!"
"Y-Yes!" I had no choice but to accept, what else was I to do?
As the boat was tossed further away from the ship by the violet waves we saw the kraken emerge, it was a monstrous beast with its tendrils alone being a hundred feet long, and it must have been at least that tall as well.
The man's face grew grim, "I know what I need to do. Just live for us, Ozza. Remember old Salty, will you?" He asks, before hugging me, and I'd never felt such an immediate connection to someone as I did right then. Like I'd known him my whole life.
Then, Salty leapt into the water.
I couldn't tell you what he did, or how he did it, but a scant minute after he dove into the water a massive explosion plumed up from where the kraken was, it was all I could do to put the pendant around my neck and hope that it stayed there as a massive tidal wave swept away the lifeboat and I held on as tight as I could, knuckles growing white from the pure strain of it all.
Somewhere between the waves and the explosion I looked up and noticed a wooden plank rushing towards me all too late to dodge as it closed in on my vision. Then it all went dark.
"Ozza! Ozza, wake up!"
The voice in my head wouldn't give me a break as I stirred, "Uugghh.. What… Where am I?" I asked this but my mind was quickly catching up to everything that happened, my hand instinctively went to my neck and I noticed the pendant was still there. I relaxed in relief, although much more worryingly my shotgun seems to have been lost in the chaos. My bag was still there, at least…
"In the middle of the ocean. It's remarkable that the lifeboat held up like it did. Look through the storage chest on the boat and you'll find an emergency kit, use that to sustain you until we can find land."
My head was still pounding, but it seemed my aura prevented me from getting any major concussions. I sat up and opened the storage for the lifeboat, rummaging through it. Inside was indeed an SOS kit. A flare gun, some emergency rations, a collapsed fishing rod, medical supplies, and finally a radio.
"Thank god." I grabbed the radio and hit the emergency distress signal located on the side of it.
"That's the best we can do for now. At least you have enough food to keep you from starving for a few days while we wait for help."
"Yeah. Well… At least I'm not alone."
"That's the idea."
Minutes turned into hours, hours turned into days. Before I knew it, it had been three days at sea. I only had so many emergency rations left, and the supply of food I brought with me wasn't much better, nor was the money. Not like I could eat that…
It was the third day when I started asking Ozpin about Beacon, "So… Beacon." I speak aloud since nobody was around to judge me, "What's it like? What's Vale like for that matter? I've never been anywhere outside my town…"
"Beacon is a wonderful academy, I'm very proud of it. I wish I could provide you a truly objective account of it, but Beacon is one of my many life works, I have trouble speaking ill of it. The students are the cream of the crop, and while they get into hijinks sometimes, they are all good people... Most of them at least. The city itself is more of a mixed bag, there is crime but there is also law, love, hate, fear and bravery. Just like any city, it depends on where you are."
I guess that was all fair… We continued talking about Beacon for a few more hours before I finally spotted something, "Hey! Land!" Indeed I saw a coastline not too far from here. I immediately began to paddle the boat as fast as I could towards it.
Upon reaching the shore, I stumbled out of the ship and stretched my legs, pulling my bag and the remaining emergency supplies out. So much for the emergency radio… "We're on Sanus now, that's what's important. Let's not waste any time, we need to find transportation, this diversion has cost us too much time."
We started to walk, Ozpin had some sense of direction at least but whether or not it would get us to what he was looking for was still up in the air. As we walked, I jumped at every little noise, being outside of civilization like this made me far more susceptible to a grimm attack, although Ozpin promised me that as long as I kept my emotions under control and listened to him, we'd be able to avoid any serious encounters.
After everything we'd been through so far, I trusted him that much at least. So we pressed forward.
The City of Vale
Elsewhere, while Ozza and Ozpin tried to find their way to the city, sat a young man who had just been given the revelation of a lifetime. The young pale skinned man with black hair, silver highlights, and a look of total shock plastered over his face exclaimed loudly, "EXCUSE ME?!"
Seated in the very same office described by Ozza earlier, across from a stern blonde woman, who looked mildly annoyed at his outburst. "Yes, you heard me correctly. I could ignore it no longer after the incident that happened at the dust shop. As if the Rose girl causing a scene wasn't enough, you caused an explosion by igniting the dust with your magic! You're lucky none of it was in the building at the time or you'd be facing community service instead of what I've decided from you instead, or worse!"
"That was an accident! But wait! You're distracting me! You told me that I have what now?!" The teen was utterly dumbfounded.
"Your father was a very powerful man whose very genetic presence blessed you with the power of magic. It might be infinitesimal right now, but you have the power to do great things young man. You're going to Beacon, Alder, end of story. The trial is next week, and you will be in attendance, we cannot fast track you in completely, that would raise too many questions."
"Magic…" Alder depressed into his seat, "I thought that was all just myths and legends…. You're telling me I'm supposed to have some secret power? That sounds ridiculous."
"Weren't you supposed to be less outspoken?" She seemed annoyed at his reaction. He rubbed the back of his head as he tried to shake off all the confusing emotions.
"Yes… But this is special. I didn't expect to be able to actually ever be a hunter, now you're telling me that I have this grand lineage and I'm supposed to do big important things. I don't know how to feel about any of this…"
The woman relaxed, seeming to show a more sympathetic side, "Truthfully I understand. Yet this is not the type for skepticism, your father left me a note for you, he anticipated he might need to change bodies before he met you properly, so here." She held out a letter to Alder, which he gently took.
"Change… Bodies?" He asked timidly, opening the letter.
"My son.
I have long awaited the time you would be old enough to learn the truth. Sadly, if you're reading this that means I died. Don't worry, I will not be away for long. Although I might be a passenger in an unexpected vehicle. I will explain all to you in time, for now, just listen to Glynda and do as she says. I've informed her of you, and she will be your guide.
I will talk to you soon,
Ozpin, your father, headmaster of Beacon."
Now this was the final straw. Instead of yelling or getting surprised, the teen just straight up fainted, slumping back into the chair as Glynda sighed. She knew it would be too much for him, but he'd be better for knowing sooner rather than later.
Walking around, she scooped him up in her arms and carried him away, she resolved that he would need to stay at Beacon sequestered away until it was time for him to join a team. The less people saw of him, the less questions would be asked.
The less likely the forces that killed his father would find him.
