The professor Ozpin, or Oz as some friends called him sometimes, was standing behind the big window of his office in Beacon Academy while he was drinking hot cocoa from his favourite mug. Despite many colleagues and friends believed he drank coffee every time and what they could think about it , its sweet aroma and scent were just the only panacea for the bad thoughts in his head, while he was watching sadly the scenery throught the window. After all, a new scholastic year was starting very soon here in the Academy, and young people from every corner of Remnant were rallying to enroll it and to be able to become certified Huntsmen, after four years.
Promising young people with their respective dreams and hopes.
And yet he was going to use their wishes to his benefit and reforge them as weapons to fight a war.
He wasn't a simple teacher, but the he was Headmaster, the person who had the duty to protect the students, more than anybody.
Ozpin knew what he was doing and what were his reasons, and deep down he didn't want that his students fought a war...HIS damned war, but, in the same time, he wasn't kidding himself and he knew, when the moment would be coming, he would have done what he had to do without many thoughts.
Admitting the fifteen years-old Ruby Rose two years early, because her Silver Eyes and what they meant, and not because her skills that she showed when she foiled the attempted robbery at the hands of Roman Torchwick...
Wasn't it one of the things he would have done he would have to continue to do it, after all?...
His train of thoughts was interrupted, when he finally noticed his scroll was ringing since some minutes and and quite insistently. Ozpin hastened to answer it, especially, when he saw who was at the other end.
"Geez, finally...you didn't pick up and i was starting to fear you were dead...and honestly I don't know it's bad or good now..."
Ozpin sighed and he replied him with a dry tone:"Hello to you too, Qrow."
"What are you doing? Was you hearing the complaints of Glynda or maybe the daily bullshits of Jimmy? Or perhaps was you poisoning yourself with that garbage you drink every time?"
This time Ozpin took offense:"I'll let you know that "garbage", as you called it, is less probable to kill me than your usual stuff. I still don't know how your liver doesn't die..."
"It's 'good' stuff and it can help you in ways you can't imagine..."
"Interesting, but I don't think you called me just to talk me about the alcoholism and its advantages. Do you want to switch to the serious things or what?"Ozpin chose to cut him short: when he was in the mood, his associate couldn't ever finish it. Besides, he never called him expect for important facts.
In fact Qrow took the message:"All right. Talking about the reason i called you..."
"Did you manage to convince her about..."
"Yeah, sure...Honestly, i think it's easier bringing Firecracker to a hairdresser...No, I called you because I wanted to ask you to accept a new student to Beacon"
Ozpin was dumbfounded:sincerely, he could expect such request from other people...not from Qrow Branwen. So the Headmaster procrastined:"It's...a strange request...especially from you."
"I cannot deny, sadly"
"If they aren't in the list of the new students, why didn't they submit an application for it?"
This time Qrow didn't answer him quickly: it wasn't in his character." The matter is...how should i put it... he never attended a combat school."
Hearing this, the headmaster reacted accordingly:"What!? And you want I admit a boy without experience and gift to combat in a school for aspiring Huntsmen? If I don't know you well, Qrow, I would think the booze went to your head..."
However Qrow didn't seem fazed:"Wow, you talk when you do everything you want and in your way...The world is really finishing. And anyway, when you talk about talent and experience, I want you know I tested the kid and I bet he would put many third years in shame."
This time Ozpin was without words and for a good reason: expect his two nieces, Qrow Branwen never praised someone else in his life. Consequently he was intrigued and so he decided to investigate more deeply:"What is the name of this aspiring Huntsman?"
"Shirou Emiya"
A bolt from the blue for Ozpin who thought that nothing could surprise him, but apparently there was something that could and it was a name he didn't hear since long time...the name of a man he thought dead.
"Emiya...Emiya like..." He didn't manage to finish, but Qrow understood:"He's his son"
"His son? But he had just a daughter that..."
"He's his 'adoptive' son"
Did Emiya adopt some random child...after dying? Ozpin didn't understand anything more, so he decided to let talk his associate:"Qrow, explain to me everything...without neglecting any details."
The Huntsman took some seconds to collect his thoughts, and then he started to talk:" Well, as you know, two weeks ago, i was on the trail of what you asked me to do, when I got a call on my scroll...I thought i was very drunk when i saw the name who was calling me and ,when I understood I wasn't, i was starting to shit myself"
"Did you not cancel it ten years ago, when... it happened?
"Yeah, The fact is... I didn't do it for laziness. Anyway, i took the call and and so an unknown voice asked to me if i was Qrow Branwen. I confirmed it and then i asked him who he was and how he could call me through such number... a number of man I knew he was dead until that moment. So you can guess, my surprise when the kid presented himself as Shirou Emiya, adopted son of Kiritsugu Emiya, a great Huntsman years ago...and one of biggest jerks I ever had the misfortune to meet."
"So Kiritsugu is still alive..." Ozpin said with immense curiosity. After all, Kiritsugu Emiya disappeared ten years ago and all of his associates were convinced he was dead. Emiya wouuld have to explain many things at this point.
"Sorry to burst your bubble, Oz, but as the kid told me, Emiya died some years after adopting him, so we can say at least one of his lies became realty." Qrow said to him, almost if he knew what he was thinking.
Ozpin was disappointed, but he tried to not show it:"So, what did that boy want from you?"
"The kid wants to become Huntsman."Qrow answered him, but Ozpin was skeptical:" And why should he have called you? Why did he not attend a Combat School?"
"That's where it starts to get it complicated. That jerk didn't wanted he became a Huntsman, and so he didn't gave his permission to attend a preparatory school, but apparently he didn't deny him the wish of learning to fight, so he personally teached him over the years the concept of Aura and Semblance, how to using them, about the Grimm, their variances and how to fight them. When he was dying because an untreatable disease three years ago, according to the boy, he relented to his wish to become Huntsman, so he gave him instructions to call me through his scroll and ask me to pay my debts."
"And did he explain everything to you through scroll?"
"Damnit no. I let him explain some things before and so, after knowing where he lives, I decided to go over there and know the rest."
"What!? And you left the trail you were, just to follow a request from some unknown kid without any kind of evidence to his affirmations? Did you not think it was a trap?" Ozpin objected, even if he knew Qrow was a true professional and he knew the dangers
"I could permit such luxury and, if it was some kind of trap, I could say it was...flawed, at best. Besides, if it was all true...as I said, Emiya was a jerk and certainly I did't change opinion about him after many years, but I don't like unpaid debts, even with him."
The Headmaster wasn't surprised: back in the days, Kiritsugu and Qrow weren't friends and they could barely stand each other. But the differences were just characterial, and they didn't permit such things could impede their job, when they worked together.
"So did you go to him, isn't right? Where, exactly?"
"I found him in Fuyuki, a small town placed in a lost corner of Anima"
"Never heard about it, I'm afraid."
"Neither I, until that moment. When i reached it after some days, I was surprised when i found how it was. it wasn't so little, but neither so big. In hindsight, it wasn't so surprising that jerk chose that place to hide himself: it's a boring place. I started to drink two minuter after I arrived."
"Why? Do you need an excuse to drink?...Nevermind, but let me ask you something: how can such place like that survive with the Grimm out there, if, as I understand it, it situated out of the reach of Mistral?"
"The kid explained it to me. The town is situated near a rich Dust mine, one of the few points not owned by the SDC, I believe, and, in fact, the rights of exploitation belong to a local family. It's not much, if compared to the global market, but nevertheless it's enough to guarantee a decent lifestyle for the residents...and beneficial agreements with the local underground for protection, if you understand what I mean..."
"I understand it well. So, did you talk with the boy? What did he tell you?
"Not so much, I'm afraid. He told me the circumstances in which Emiya adopted him, but about that it's better he tells you about this point personally. Then he told me about his father and his life in the town, but it wasn't much and I don't believe he knows about his father before he met him. Anyway, as I told you already, before he died ,that jerk told him to call me , if he wanted to become Huntsman so much. Apparently and ironically, i was the only one he could trust."
"And so did you decide to test him?"
"Yeah, I told him that, despite I could have unpaid debts with his old man, I would never recommend an all words- no substance kid to Beacon , so I challenged him: if he managed to strike just one time within a hour, then I would have reconsidered my position."
"It was cruel enough even for you. After all, you are one of the best out there" Ozpin replied to him with a smirk, even if Qrow couldn't see it.
"Save the flattery, I accept it only from the ladies. After all, He could use his Aura and his Semblance, while I would have not used them. And anyway I wanted just to see how much he was skillful: it was never my idea he could manage to do it. It I judged him good enough, it would have been sufficient to me."
"And i guess he was skillful enough to call me, if we're having this conversation." Ozpin concluded, but strangely Qrow didn't reply to him
"Qrow?" The headmaster asked to him with a worried voice
After some seconds, Qrow answered him with a serious voice:" Oz, Kiritsugu Emiya was an asshole,I will never change my opinion about him and I will never understand how his own wife could stand him...honestly I will never understand how that guy could have a wife in first place. But anyway I admit he knew what he did and about that boy...he managed to strike me after just ten minutes since the start of challenge."
Once again Ozpin remained in silence: on the other hand what could he possibly say? After regaining his cool eh asked to his associate with a serious voice: "Talk me about the boy. Until now we talked about the father...what is he like? How he fight?"
Qrow didn't lose time:" He's polite and courteous, even if occasionaly he had a certain sarcasm and I fought with the need to strangle him. Anyway, he seemed a good guy, after all. And when he fight...Kiritsusgu trained him well: he seemed a seasoned professional and not a potentail freshman and I think he could give Cereal Girl a run for her money."
Ozpin was pleased: it was wonderful there was another student that could challenge Pyrrha Nykos. But on the other hand he knew Qrow well:"Qrow, what are you not telling me?"
The Huntsman sighed:"Wow, nothing gets past you, Oz...You're right there are two things I didn't tell you. When I talked with the kid, I noticed there was something that troubled me about him and his behavior , but until now I still not undestand what, I'm afraid..."
"And about the second thing?"
"When I tested him, he was good enough, but...It was just a sensation, but i got the impression he was holding back but not like me. Don't ask me what is, because I don't know."
Ozpin was troubled hearing these things: after all Qrow Branwen was one of the best and he knew many secrets...not all of them, but enough to amke a conclusion. If he wasn't able to understand something, then was troubling.
Qrow continued:"Anyway, I did what was asked to me, so the buck is all yours, Oz. What are you going to do with the kid? Despite his origins and what he troubled me, personally I think would be a waste to not admit him."
And Ozpin was of the same opinion, despite the misgivings about him. But after all, wasn't he ready to use any new card in his deck for saving humanity?:"Well, if you had not issues, then I don't have any objections to the admission of Shirou Emiya in Beacon, Qrow.
"Great, 'll call the kid."
"And after that, come back to the work, Qrow."
"I returned already on the trail, without you need say it to me. When i will have news, I will call you.
"And Qrow..."
"Yeah, yeah...if there is need, I will talk even with Jimmy. Satisfied? Now I go. Gotcha later, Oz" And so he closed the communication.
Ozin returned to admire the scenery through the window and he noticed the bitterness within him was lessened, after the call.
It would have been an interesting year, after all.
Could be this the turning point he was waiting for since many centuries?
Only the time could tell.