Hey all! Sorry for the taking so long to write! Life got a bit out of hand for me, but things are all good now! Well besides crippling college debt, but who doesn't that am I right!?
Gotta keep that education strong so I can get a job and afford to keep writing this story and all, so hopefully I didn't cause you all too much trouble. If I did, then the pitchforks and torches are now 50% off at your local mob store!
Anyway, I won't keep you guys for too long. Let's get things rolling, it's show time!
}Episode 25: The Fly Trap{
What is your favorite fairy tale?
Such a simple question really, borderline innocent with how short and to the point it is. Add in all the different answers and the reasons behind them, and you've got an interesting conversation starter, even if it's a bit outdated considering today's media.
Such a simple, easy question...yet when it comes out of the mouth of the Headmaster of Beacon it sounds sinister and underhanded. Like it's some sort of forbidden question that should never be said aloud, and that so much as thinking about it would lead to your own destruction.
There was a darkness hidden behind his words, turning a simple question into a complicated, world changing inquiry. Something that should be so easy to answer, instead feels like your life hangs in the balance, no matter what you say.
What is your favorite fairy tale?
A simple and pleasant question twisted into one of complexity and danger. A question that I feared ever since I had arrived in Remnant. A question that would doom me, the plot, and anyone foolish enough to eavesdrop on the answer.
The dreaded question, with innocent words hiding the dark intentions behind them.
A question...that I was sadly forced to answer with no option to avoid it. The answer I gave would determine my continued existence, and my standing in Ozpin's secret war.
Sadly for me, I chose the wrong answer…because there was no right answer to give. I was already trapped in Ozpin's schemes, I just never realized how long I had been.
}Line Break{
There was nothing but silence after Ozpin asked the one damned question I never wanted to hear. My brain had completely shut down and if it wasn't for my heartbeat monitor, I would have sworn I died then and there. Probably would have been preferable if I had.
I mean, think about it! Ozpin no doubt knew of my last act before my short death, which means he knew I knew about the Four Maidens, which in turn meant I knew about his secret war with Salem, and a whole other pile of knowledge that no normal person should know.
But that wasn't the worst thing, oh no! The worst part about all of this was that I purposely hid that I discovered the biggest secret in all of Remnant. Essentially, it was the equivalent of someone finding out some Top-Secret Government information at Area 51 and then holding onto the info for blackmail or waiting for the perfect moment to whistle blow. That's just how humans work, and it was no different on Remnant.
So why then, was the lowly janitor he hired out of pity just now revealing his knowledge about the other side of Remnant at what he thought was his deathbed? Simple, he never tried to say anything because someone told him not to. Someone with enough influence to silence him if he got out of line and enough power to make sure no one's the wiser when he does get put down.
Someone who had finally had enough of him and sent a known enemy to finish him off for good.
You all see where I'm going with this yet?
In Ozpin's eyes the only reason why I would bother keeping quiet about the Maidens being real, and by probable extension Salem, was because I was either forced to or hired to. Either way it painted a very bad picture that the janitor was in cahoots with the crazy she-devil of Remnant.
And I know what you're all thinking, how there could be plenty of other reasons why I hid the information that weren't so incriminating. But to those people I need to remind you all that Ozpin has been fighting the same war for who knows how long. True I didn't exactly know about his reincarnation thing at the time, but I was fairly sure he'd probably seen every trick in the war handbook twice. Hell, he probably even wrote some of them. The point is, in this kind of war, you don't assume that something is a coincidence. You consider that your enemy planned this, and now you need to come up with a counterattack to fight back.
So yeah, for all intents and purposes Ozpin probably thought I was a spy sent by Salem and him questioning me was his way of confirming whether Beacon was going to need a new janitor or not.
Stay calm, stay perfectly calm. Deep breaths man, deep breaths!
I coached myself as I tried to will my heartbeat to slow down. There had already been a bit of an irregular blip when he questioned me, but I didn't want him to give him any more fuel for his suspicions. But my odds of accomplishing that were about the same as Raven becoming a decent mother, which is to say pretty much zero, but I tried none the less.
Before the silence could get too awkward, I let out what I hoped didn't sound too much like a fake chuckle as I said,
"Really sir? I thought you were going to ask me some deep and meaningful question there, what's with the ice breaker?"
"I know my question may seem pretty unorthodox given our situation, but there is meaning behind why I asked it," Ozpin responded with his ever-monotone voice, his face betraying nothing. "Surely it's not too difficult a question for you to answer?"
Why is it that even in monotone you still managed to sound smug!? I thought crossly before answering,
"Of course not sir! It's just that it's a little strange that you stayed behind so late to ask such a simple question. I mean you couldn't have just waited till tomorrow, or at least ask when I've gotten some sleep that wasn't caused by racist cops?"
Ozpin's eyebrow twitched slightly at the mention of the two douchebag detectives from earlier, but he continued.
"I would like to apologize again on Ironwood's behalf for allowing that to happen Mr. Sullivan. I assure you that those two soldiers have been properly reprimanded."
Okay nice, the incompetent guards will be scolded. Now can you please leave already!?
To my annoyance Ozpin seemed to catch onto the discomfort I had been trying to hide as he smiled one of those fake smiles' politicians give.
"But anyway, I know it's late and that the nature of my question is rather…obscure but please rest assured that I am merely curious as to your answer. Why don't you simply entertain this old man and I'll be out of your hair so that you may get some proper rest?"
His smile was as fake as a three-dollar bill, and it brought me no comfort. I knew there was no way out of this, and it only served to aggravate me more.
Old my ass! There's not a single wrinkle on your pale ass face you horrifying puppet master!
"Alright alright Bossman, I'll humor you. The sooner I do the sooner I can get some actual sleep right?" I said with a tone of reluctant acceptance.
Apparently, Ozpin either didn't notice or didn't care about my tone as he simply nodded his head while sipping on his damn coffee cup and waited silently.
Okay, didn't think I'd ever have to use this plan, but here we are, I thought sullenly with a sigh.
If you somehow hadn't gathered it already over my narrative, I'm a man who has plans galore for practically every worst-case scenario and beyond. As slim as it was, I even had an answer planned for if I was ever asked the dreaded question. During my first few months working for Ye Old Dust Shop, I had brushed up on a lot of Remnant's fairy tales and there was one that I actually did enjoy and could answer truthfully if asked. To me, it was just a simple open and cut story that was very similar to one back home, and would be the least likely to cause any problems. So, with an act of making a decision, I answered,
"Well…out of all of them, I guess my favorite would have to be 'The Girl in the Tower.'"
…
WAIT! HOLD UP! I know, I know! Just let me explain before you all rip me a new one will ya!?
Look, I told you all before that when I got sucked into Remnant Volume IV had only just reached the halfway mark! I had no god damn way of knowing it was Salem's freaking backstory!
…
…
…
No it wasn't obvious! Who the hell reads the Remnant version of Rapunzel and thinks 'gee, this girl must be the crazy evil chick trying to kill all of humanity!?' Because I sure as hell didn't!
…
…
…
Oh for the love of-Will you all knock it off already?! I didn't have the luxury of hindsight you morons! But let me tell you, I found out pretty damn fast that I'd screwed up, because the minute I said that, Ozpin gaped in genuine surprise which set my heart rate dancing.
What!? What's with that face?! What did I do?! I panicked as he leaned towards me.
"Truly? That is a rather…odd one to pick as your favorite Mr. Sullivan. May I ask why?" Ozpin asked, his monotone never leaving despite his intrigued glare.
Why is that odd?! It's just Rapunzel! I gulped before I stuttered out,
"Ah we-well my little sister and I used to wa-er-read it all the time! S-so it holds sentimental value ya know?" This wasn't exactly a lie. We used to watch Tangled all the time when she was little, and I still enjoyed it, but I guess sentimentality is what got me hung out to dry.
Ozpin stared at my panicked form, or more likely through me for an intense few seconds of silence, before he nodded, took a long sip of his coffee, and put his mug down on the table.
I repeat, he put his mug down.
Oh fuck.
Just like with Blake putting her book down, I knew that meant only one thing. I had his complete and undivided attention. He then took a deep breath, and his politician's smile disappeared as well, leaving only an eerie look of authoritative calm. Needless to say, my heart rate monitor was creating symphony.
Without even turning his face from me, he reached out his hand and flipped a switch, silencing the machine, leaving only our breathing to break the silence.
What did I do?! What Did I Do!? My mind raced as my eyes refused to leave the sight of the mug.
"Ah, so I'm guessing your mother read it to you and your sister? Quiet an old-fashioned way of family bonding in this day and age, but certainly not one I would discourage. Fairy tales tend to teach valuable lessons after all." He spoke, staring me down like a teacher who knows you didn't even try to pass their test.
"Uhhh…" I trailed, not knowing how to respond. Ozpin merely raised his brow questioningly at my response before he asked,
"Tell me Christopher, do you remember the lesson this fairy tale gave?"
Why is he calling me Christopher?! Mom only used my full name when she was pissed!
"It-it was that a person's patience will eventually be rewarded, but that greed can warp and corrupt any reward and blind the person until it's far too late?" I guessed as I felt compelled to answer him. And if that sounds profound, that was because that was honestly what I'd gotten from it.
The girl who left the tower after longing to be free with her prince was rewarded for her patience with a happy life, but her greed to keep that life left her in ruin. She was unable to move on from her prince's death and forever left to wander her last days alone and cold. It was a harsh lesson, but compared to some Brothers Grimm tales back home, it was mild. Or so I thought.
To my honest answer, he gained a thoughtful expression, before slipping back into an authoritative disappointed glare.
"Ah yes, a harsh but needed lesson. A lesson that, in the end, Salem never could learn…"
I know for a fact that my heart stopped, even with the monitor off, because my whole body seized up in fear and surprise and the blood paled from my face. I'd planned for many things, but having the Grimm Queen's name casually thrown out by Ozpin was not one of them.
"Ah, I thought as much…" he said calmly and maliciously as my reaction became the final nail in the coffin and cold hard dread filled my entire being.
Shit! Quickly, deny everything! We know nothing and no one!
"Huh? Know what? What's a Sal-"
"That name provoked a response, don't bother lying." Ozpin ordered coldly, shutting up every denial on my lips.
Oh God… I whimpered as adrenaline coursed through my system.
Despite seeing my destroyed will clear as day, he slowly got up from his chair and, with cane in hand, began to slowly walk around my bed.
"You know Christopher, I'm afraid I must admit that I have had my suspicions about you for quite some time now, though you made that rather easy to do so," he announced calmly and with purpose. "Not only did you insert yourself into the life of a Silver Eye, but your constant loud and boisterous attitude has kept you in the public eye, as if it was a code to someone to let them know you were still active."
The suspicion was thick in his tone, and every word he said made it more and more obvious just how deep the shit I was in. Sweat began to fall from my forehead as it all set in and I couldn't even defend myself by saying it was Ruby who butted into my life, and that I wasn't trying to make headlines. He wouldn't have believed me even if I had.
"After that incident with Torchwick I decided that I should look into you myself, and Ms. Rose was more than helpful with relaying the job position to her 'best friend.' A part of me truly wondered if you would take the bait, or if I would need to send one of my associates to bring you in."
Another gulp escaped me at that, as a certain drunk huntsman and a not so pleasant encounter had I tried to leave Vale played through my mind. Stopping at the foot of my bed, he gave me an unnerving prideful smirk, the same one he'd given me after the job interview so many months ago.
"To my surprise you actually took the job, and for a moment I assumed you were more reckless then I had initially thought. But after our chess match…" His grin somehow grew larger, "Well let's just say I wasn't expecting to be surprised twice that day."
He then rested his hands on his cane and leaned over me, which caused me to try to melt into my bed further, but to no avail.
"A person can learn many things about another in a game of chess. You played sporadically and almost impulsively, as if you were making it all up as you went. But hidden behind that impulsiveness was strategy after strategy, each one adapting from the last with each move. Tell me Christopher, what do you think that says about you?"
I don't know! What is happening right now?! I silently cried. At my silence he looked me straight in the eyes and said,
"It tells me that you are a very cautious man, always planning for the next move. You're adaptable, yet you tend to over think and over exhaust yourself. You're protective of yourself and yet you put yourself in harm's way time and again if it moves your plans forward. And yet…" Ozpin leaned back giving me more breathing room, "You never made an attempt to sacrifice any of your pieces, a sign that you care far more for those in play then those playing."
I am so confused! Am I being psychoanalyzed or interrogated? Is he just gloating before he has Qrow bury me alive?!
Ozpin then let out a sigh as he paced from my bedside.
"Of course, I could be wrong, you do have a habit of proving that to me after all."
"Huh?" I choked out, unable to say anything else.
"These last few months I have tried time and time again to categorize just where you stand in all this. Yet each time I think I have you down, you act in the exact opposite and prove me wrong once again." This open admittance only added to my growing anxiety as it actually sounded like he was frustrated.
"For your entire time you've been at Beacon, I've had eyes on you. I've known every dust experiment you've done in those halls, every one of your 'pranks' on the less than honorable students, and yes I even know about your living arrangements in the Maintenance Room, despite Ms. Zatanna's attempts to pull the wool over Glynda's eyes. I've known it all Christopher."
I went a little bug eyed at that. I had always wondered how I'd been able to get away with such things. Not at all apparently.
And wait, what was that thing about Emerald? I thought absently as it was yet another piece to throw onto my overloaded brain.
"And yet..." he trailed off as he shuffled to the window. "That entire time you did nothing to steal any serious intelligence, sabotage the students, or try to assassinate me or any other faculty. The worse you did was take those team flags and nick some items from the lost and found." Shaking his head, he pulled the curtain aside, flooding the room with moonlight.
"You wormed your way into the life of a Silver Eye, yet at every opportunity you try to distance yourself from her. You've taken the fight to a Faunus terrorist cell, escalating the situation to the extreme, but at the same time you've become an advocate for anti-discrimination amongst the Faunus in the student body." He pinched the bridge of his nose at that and continued, "And then there's the events from two months ago. Barreling forth and seemingly luring out Teams RWBY and JNPR into a den of your enemies…but then sacrificing so much to protect them when they arrived."
He then fixed me with a glare that seemed more frustrated than angry.
"They followed you into an active warzone, and yet you, a man without Aura, shielded Ms. Schnee from interrogation and took an arrow meant for Ms. Xiao Long, giving up your life in the process. That. Makes. No. Sense."
Despite my state of mind, that last bit of information actually took root.
Wait, Cinder was aiming for Yang?! Why? She hasn't done anything yet to get on her radar. It's me she was aiming for and Yang was just there, I theorized as he let out another sigh and continued.
"Honestly I can understand Ms. Schnee's disposition towards you. You don't fit any kind of bill that makes any rational sense," he admitted before looking me dead in the eye once more. "And so, the only conclusion I can come to is you aren't on either side of this chess game. Rather, you're a fly that landed upon the board, darting between the pieces. And yet, it'd be foolish to dismiss that fly, because it had to have come from somewhere…"
Oh fuck, please don't force me into Operation: My Turn! I mentally panicked as I knew the jig was up. I didn't want to turn the world on its head and cause everyone to have an existential crisis by revealing they weren't real, but he was already so dangerously close to the truth and knew I was a fraud.
And at this stage he'll just think I'm blowing smoke and might push him into thinking I am a spy for Salem!
Thankfully, before I had a chance to make things infinitely worse, he made his way towards my bed once more.
"However, even if I were to ask you now I doubt you'd tell me anything I'd like to hear. No doubt you will just give me what you think I want to hear, and not the truth. But, all things considered, that's okay."
Even with how scared and confused out of my mind I was, I still was able to blink owlishly at that. Ozpin, the troll he is, gave one of those false chuckles before he said,
"After all, you don't ask a fly where it came from. You either observe it's movement's…" he trailed, as he leaned close to my face with a bone chilling glare, "Or you squash it."
And that was the moment I pissed myself.
"Caw!"
I jolted at that sudden noise, but Ozpin didn't even flinch, he just merely turned his head towards the window like he didn't have a care in the world. Following his line of sight, I finished up soaking my pants as I spied a crow perched on the windowsill, staring into my soul.
What the hell are you doing here so early Qrow?! What even is the plot at this point?! I mentally screamed, my heart hammering so hard it hurt.
Ozpin let out a quiet hum at the sight of the bird before he quietly mumbled,
"Well, I suppose it has gotten late hasn't it?"
With that said Ozpin turned back towards me with his calm face returned and hands leaning on his cane.
"Now Christopher, you will remain here for the weeks of rehab ahead of you, with no cost to you of course. And if you wish, your friends may visit you," he said as if he hadn't just threatened me.
"I…" I tried to annunciate and failed.
"When you return, your job will still be available, though I think after your harrowing actions, an upgrade to your sleeping arrangements are in order."
I-What? My job?! But you know I know about-
"Of course, if you don't like these arrangements I could always contact one of my friends on the council. I'm sure they could arrange a nice, secure place for you to stay for the rest of your time here in Vale."
I could read between the lines to hear his threat, and I did not want to end up in a government prison. Of course, while my objections were silenced some part of me wasn't. Underneath the layers of fear, confusion, and dread, there was a rage that was building and building.
What are you playing at?! Why are you trying to keep me at Beacon?!
"Now then, I believe you should get some rest," he said nonchalantly as he picked up his coffee mug and turned towards the door.
"W-Wait!" I called out, finally finding my tongue. He paused and turned back to me with a raised brow.
"Yes?" he insinuated.
"I…Look, I don't work for this Salem, or whatever the hell you said," I admitted, even if he didn't believe me.
"Clearly," he said plainly which made me grit my teeth.
"But if you think I'm dangerous, or know too much, why are you doing any of this?" I asked, nearly pleading for an answer.
"...Because you can't see where a fly lands without watching it closely, even if it's buzzing is aggravating and random," he answered hollowly and I gulped.
"But, uh, wh-what if I told you that fly would definitely end up getting set on fire by someone at your school who wanted to finish the job?" I prodded. Even if I didn't understand his frightening reasons, me going back to Beacon only meant Cinder could finish me once and for all. My question hung silent in the air for a few heartbeats as he stared through me once more.
"Ah, so you know about Ms. Fall's past then…" My eyes could only widen so much at that declaration and I momentarily forgot how to breathe. "Even more curious how you would know something so hidden…and yet be so wrong."
"Uhhh…" Was all I could say to that.
"Your assumptions on your assassin's identity are grossly miscalculated Christopher. A Sin may have put you here…but it was not Cinder Fall."
…
…
…
Yeah, I pretty much broke here. With that said Ozpin opened the door and prepared to step out, before he paused and fixed me with an unreadable expression.
"I trust you won't disclose this information to any of the students. It holds no bearing on their education and would earn you a reprimand."
"…"
"Very good…And when it's all said and done, I don't believe you work for her either…but with you the truth isn't so easy is it?" I didn't respond and he just shook his head softly. "Don't think of leaving Vale Christopher. Housefly's have a short enough lifespan as it is."
And if I'd had any more in the tank, the sheets would have been soaked even more. After once more casually threatening my life, he smiled and winked at me.
"I look forward to working with you again. Get well soon Mr. Sullivan…"
And with that he closed the door behind him.
}Line Break{
Needless to say, I didn't get any sleep that night, or the subsequent night after it either. I was too caught up in worry over Ozpin's semi-introduction into his circle that he forced upon me, not to mention the other mountain worth of bombs dropped from our chat.
For one, I had never not been on Ozpin's radar despite my efforts and had in-fact painted a bigger target on my back because I enjoyed the wrong freaking fairy tale, and for another, he knew about Cinder already. Not only did he know about her, but he was perfectly okay with her sticking around under his roof. I'd heard of keeping your friends close and your enemies closer, but this was just ridiculous!
I couldn't begin to comprehend his decisions for keeping me around despite his suspicions and adding her into the mix didn't help. If he knew she was working for Salem, then how had that benefitted him? There was a frozen half-dead lady in the basement whose powers were her sole goal in leveling up and yet she hadn't gotten them already? She had been working at Beacon for years and hadn't yet made her move for some reason, and that didn't make sense to me.
Unless of course the Maiden isn't under the school anymore, I thought with a chill. With all the changes that had occurred, I couldn't even begin to deny that as a possibility. I began to ponder whether that was the reason Cinder had stuck around. I sure hadn't gone into the basement looking for the biggest plot point for obvious reasons, so technically I didn't know if she was even there, and perhaps that's what Cinder was looking for. If that was true, then I had even less of a road map for future events than I thought.
If this plot ending situation was the case, then her years here could, in a way, be explained. Maybe Ozpin knew that she was a spy and was just stringing her along until she made a move and fell into his trap, maybe she was a double agent and only pretending to help Oz while giving info to Salem, or maybe, just maybe she wasn't the same Cinder Fall.
No! That's stupid as hell to think! I shook my head at the last one. No matter how conflicted I felt about Emerald, there was no doubt fire ho was still my enemy. She was the only one who could create those flaming arrows, and while there were Semblances that were similar, they were never exactly the same. I didn't know why Ozpin wanted me to think otherwise, but I knew who had kebabbed me and nothing was going to change my mind. For all I knew, Ozpin wanted her to kill me so he had a reason to expose her or something.
And then there was Emerald. Ozpin had called her by her fake name, so there was the chance that he didn't know about her, so she might have been Cinder's ace in the hole. I mean, I was taken aback when I learned she'd covered for some of my dumber activities in school, but that could have just been to fuel Cinder's machinations. Honestly, I just didn't know anything anymore.
So I sat there for two days, losing some progress health wise as the stress and worry preyed on my mind. So many hypotheticals and unknown variables that I had to try to plan for, all while still trying to fathom if any of them were viable. I had to plan for being considered one of Ozpin's trapped rats, I had to plan out how I was going to avoid getting killed by Cinder and Emerald while being forced to work with them, and I had to plan for what I could and couldn't say to the others. Because apparently everyone thought I'd heroically jumped in the way of an arrow meant for Yang, but it'd just been a fluke.
How could I explain to them that I wasn't a hero? I had pissed Cinder off and messed up her plans numerous times, so I had more reason to be the target than Yang, and that was a fact…or so I thought at the time.
Eventually though, after two days and nights of dwindling sanity, I finally slept. It took me awhile, but I was able to compartmentalize my situation and come to one conclusion. I wouldn't be able to enact any of these plans without being fully healed. Ozpin had practically ordered me to get better before I became his test specimen once more, and I couldn't show him I wasn't a spy for Salem unless I could walk on my own. I was already damned by the universe, but I wasn't going to keep letting it kick me while I was down. Instead of focusing on how trapped I was, I determined to free myself from atrophy before tackling anything else.
Of course, that goal didn't come without its share of complications, because of course it wouldn't.
}Line Break{
It was a few days after Ozpin's little chat with me and I had finally taken to the physical therapy room for my rehabilitation. I'd probably have been there earlier that week if two rogue jackass cops hadn't roughed me up and then had insomnia for two days after talking to my boss/captor, but I digress. With Dr. Grey and Nurse Snow assisting me, I went through a few stretches and chest exercises that didn't strain my wounds too much, before they had me struggling to place one foot in front of the other while holding onto two parallel support bars.
It may surprise you all to know that that was actually my first time going through physical therapy. Despite ending up in my aunt's hospital a number of times, I'd never been this grievously injured before, so it was certainly a new and rather unpleasant experience. I mean, using long neglected muscles again is a chore and everything, but it was infinitely worse because of a certain nurse,
"Come on! Move those legs Sullivan! Left, Right, Left, Right!"
And her very annoying ability to be hyper-supportive. I knew she had to be there since I was once more a toddler learning to walk again, but dear lord was it nerve wracking.
"Come on you slowpoke! I know you can move faster than that! My grandma can do better and she's got two replacement hips!" she "encouraged" in the same vein as a drill sergeant. The only saving grace was Dr. Grey, who would slap her upside the head if she went overboard, but it was only a small comfort. Still, it was rather satisfying when he threw an empty soda can at the back of her head for the fifth time.
"Ow!" Snow exclaimed and rubbed the back of her head before turning to glare at the unamused Dr. Grey, "Why do you keep doing that!?"
And how'd you hit her with your back to us!? I wondered as he still went over paperwork. Without even turning around he sighed and said,
"Because Mr. Sullivan is our patient, not one of those Atlas soldiers guarding him. All you're doing is causing unnecessary stress for the poor man."
"I'm just trying to motivate him Doc!" she growled irritably as her tail twitched. "The guy's been stuck in a bed for months, and I won't let my Soap Opera pal fall into the pits of laziness because of it!"
'Soap Opera pal?' You made me watch those crappy plotlines ya little-
"First off, it's Doctor Grey while we're working, not 'Doc,'" he scolded in a calm tone. "And secondly what did I tell you about how we treat our patients?"
"Uh, to treat them like they're made of glass and could break at any moment?" Snow answered, titling her head in confusion at the sudden change in topic.
"Exactly. And…" he turned toward her with a stern look, "What did we discuss about the relationship between a patient and their caregiver?"
Snow's tail stiffened in fear at the doctor's tone change and she gulped nervously before she quietly said,
"That we must maintain a profess-"
"Professional relationship at all times, am I right?"
"Y-yes sir. But you said I needed better bedside manner, so I looked up a few books to help! Plus, he's my first full-time patient and all so-"
"First patient or not Nurse Snow you must show a standard of professionalism when dealing with someone in his condition. He is your patient first, friend second. Am I clear?"
Once again Snow twitched slightly at the doctor's tone as she looked down trying to avoid the doctor's stern eyes.
"Y-yes sir," she stuttered, sounding downcast.
Yikes, Dr. Grey really is a stickler for the rules huh? I thought, somewhat sympathetically for Snow. Only somewhat though.
If there's one thing I learned about Grey, it's that he was strict and to the point despite his knock off anime look. With me, he was the very definition of a professional doctor, but with the other employees he was akin to a dictator. Hell, the guy would probably yell at a jaywalker crossing an abandoned road in the middle of the desert. Don't get me wrong, he was a nice dude once you got to know him, but if you broke the rules, you were on his list, and Snow just so happened to be the VIP on it. I did wonder how Ozpin, in all of his shady, underhanded ways was able to keep someone like that under his thumb, but I supposed fear was always a good motivator.
Snow seemed to lose some of her energetic glow from this tongue lashing, and once again I felt a tad sympathetic. Aside from her horrible taste in television and her horrifying puppet master ability, she did a pretty good job taking care of me. Any of her shortcomings I knew weren't malicious, they were just from ignorance, she was only a newbie after all.
"It's okay Dr. Grey, Snow's not doing any harm," I interjected as I took a moment to wipe the sweat from my eyes. "I honestly appreciate the extra motivation, through maybe she can tone down the 'maggot' lines hehehe."
I honestly didn't mean to sound so awkward with that cringey fake laugh, but in my defense, most of my mental faculties were utilized to make sure I didn't fall over like a sack of potatoes. Anyway, Grey just gave me one of those 'you're joking right?' eyebrow raises while Snow grinned in gratitude.
"I'll take your word for it Mr. Sullivan," he said with a tired sigh before looking to his watch. "And I think that's enough of the bars for the moment. Nurse, please help him to the bench for a breather."
"Yes sir!" she said enthusiastically before giving me a support shoulder and walking me to my padded seat.
"Thanks," I nodded as she gave me a towel and bottle of water.
"No problem," she said with a brighter smile.
Well, at least she isn't barking at me anymore.
"Now Mr. Sullivan, you can go ahead and relax for a bit, and we'll be back shortly," Grey said as he stood up and picked up his folder.
"Huh? Where are we going?" Snow asked in surprise.
"We have a performance review with the Head Director, remember?" he said plainly, and her eyes widened.
"Wait, that's today?!" I thought that was next week!" she exclaimed, causing him to once more sigh into his face mask.
"You should really make a habit of checking the company email more often," he said, sounding disappointed.
"…I forgot my password," she whimpered meekly and he rolled his eyes.
"Of course you did. Now come along," he motioned her towards the door and she obediently followed. "Now Mr. Sullivan, we'll be back as soon as possible, but in the meantime, don't do anything strenuous and just relax."
"Way ahead of you," I said as I sat back and took another swig of water.
"And if you need anything, your protection detail are just outside," he said with a nod before following after the nurse. Before the door closed, I could make out the barrel tips of the Atlas soldier's guns.
Hmmph, surprised those two even remembered to bring their guns, I thought sourly, remembering how it was only because of them slacking off that I got roughed up. Though if anything, they'd probably accidentally shoot me.
I had yet to actually meet my supposed bodyguards, but in my restless days of worry, I'd caught enough information about all of them to be less than amused. There were four of them, with two-man teams rotating every twelve hours, and yet both groups were full of inane idle chatter.
"Damn man, squirrel girl has got it going on," one of them muttered.
"Dude, shut it! Talking like that is what got the other guys stuck with the graveyard shift!" the other chided.
"Pfft, yeah, because those two are idiots," guard 1 dismissed. "I'm not going to just turn on the charm during business hours."
"What charm? You don't have charm," guard 2 insulted.
"Like hell I don't! Faunus girls love me."
"Lying to yourself isn't healthy."
I just rolled my eyes at their antics, having heard plenty of conversations from both groups that went nowhere, and pondered more about my current standing in the world.
Now that Ozpin is going to be looking over me more than he used to, then I should just be grateful for the idiots right now. Once they get me back to Beacon, those overseers will probably only show themselves if he thinks I'm actually a threat.
I shuddered, remembering the cold black eyes of the magic bird man that had landed on my windowsill.
If Qrow kills me, what would happen if Ruby found out? Would she ever believe their side of things? Would Qrow do it if he knew she would hate him forever? I wondered in true pessimistic order. Much as I hated to admit, the plot, twisted and a mockery of what canon once was, had a hold of me, and there was no backing out. I was stuck in no man's land between both sides of the war. In order to preserve what little life I had, I knew I only had one solution.
I'm actually going to have to become slightly more involved with the main characters if I want to live, I thought with a heavy sigh.
"Hey, where do you think you're going?!" Guard 2 suddenly barked, taking me from my thoughts.
"Uh, to the therapy room? Like I've been doing for the last few weeks?" came a familiar voice with a snarky reply and my eyes widened.
I didn't mean immediately!
"Sorry pal, but we weren't told any-"
"He has permission to use the facilities you dolts," Grey's voice echoed from further down the hallway, shutting him up.
"See? Told you so," Sun's voice said smugly and I began to breathe heavily. The last time I had seen him, he had been leaking blood out of his gut and chest, his breath getting shallower and shallower as the pressure of the entire world crushed me further and further down.
I slightly snapped out of these horrible flashes of memory as the door opened and the monkey Faunus strolled on in.
"Wonder why they're amping up security so mu-" he cut himself off as he spied me on the bench. I forcibly stopped my arms from shaking and willed myself not to feel the phantom burns as I took a few deep breaths.
Calm down Chris, he's still alive. He's still alive. Just look up and talk to him before things get weird, I mentally prepped. Steeling myself, I took one more breath and looked towards him…only to find his eyes only a few inches away from mine.
"Oh hey! You're that janitor guy Blake mentioned right? You here fo-"
"AH!" I yelped at his sudden proximity and fell off of the bench onto my back. "Oooohhhh..."
"Heh heh, easy there buddy," he chuckled at my predicament, holding out a hand, "Blake wasn't kidding about your jumpiness."
"Anyone would be jumpy if you invade their personal space! Who the hell sneaks up on a guy who just got out of bed rest?!" I grumbled and sat up, ignoring his hand. Apparently pain and annoyance is a good way to rid yourself of apprehension….though I felt a bit more guilty when I actually got a good look at him.
Like me, he was wearing hospital garb and had his own bandages wrapped around his torso. Unlike me however, he seemed fit as a fiddle.
"Heh heh, sorry about that man, I guess I have forgotten some manners. But can you blame me? Anyone would go stir crazy here," he said with a smirk, still offering me his hand.
Stir crazy? Wait, it's been like two months, why are you still here? I wondered as I took his hand and he lifted me back to the bench.
"Thanks," I said as I sat myself more comfortably. "And, uh, sorry for bitching."
"Nah, don't worry about it, I kind of deserved it," he handwaved. "But anyway, you're Joker right?"
I tilted my head at that, because despite saying that was my nickname countless times, nobody on Remnant actually used it.
"Uh, yeah…that's what my friends called me back home," I said suspiciously.
"That's pretty awesome, wish I had a cool nickname. Blake said none of her friends call you that because you're kind of like a teacher and that it would be rude or something, but they should. They really should," he chuckled, and I found myself nodding.
"I know, right? If I'm gonna be called Mr. Sullivan, I feel like I should at least be wearing a suit."
"Exactly," he snapped and pointed at me. "Well, luckily for you, I'm not a student, so I think I'll stick with Joker. The name's Sun Wukong by the way."
"N-Nice to meet you," I said a bit humbly, as I looked at his bandages once again.
"Well, we kind of met briefly…but I think these are much better circumstances," he said with dark humor.
"Yeah…" I trailed off with a nod.
Things got awkwardly silent at that as we both sought to say something, anything else.
"…So, I'm guessing you were just on the bars right?" he asked.
"Oh, uh-huh," I nodded again.
"First time's a pain right? Heh, even for me it was tough, and I'm sort of an expert on monkey bars."
"I can see that," I said and we both chuckled before things got quiet again.
"Um…how long have you been-"
"Doing rehab? About three weeks," he answered quickly. "Would have liked to start sooner, but hey, can't really do much when the white coats put you under for a big snooze after surgery."
My eyes bugged at that.
"Surgery?" I questioned.
"Yep," he nodded. "That bastard's shots ended up resting near my heart and spinal column, so they had to cut me open more to fix me. According to the docs, I was a hair length from getting stuck in a wheelchair." His nonchalant tone took me off guard and my jaw dropped.
Paralyzed…he could have been paralyzed. I…I almost inadvertently ended his whole Hunter career before it started, I thought in shame. His life and dream were nearly shattered, all thanks to me being transported to Remnant.
"After they got done exploring my insides, they put me into a drug induced coma for a few weeks so that my aura could heal more efficiently," he said before looking back at me. "Though my little naps got nothing on you buddy…But anyway, that doesn't matter. I've got something to tell you, and I haven't gotten a chance till now thanks to the Docs stonewalling me."
Sun's words managed to snap me out of it, but not in a good way. They filled me with a whole new wave of dread and guilt, and I couldn't look him in the face. My thoughts were consumed with a continuing downward spiral of negativity at what he might say.
Oh god he knows it's my fault he almost got crippled! This is the universe's sick way of drilling into my head just how much I screwed up, isn't it?!
As you could tell, my mental faculties were still frayed and on the doom train, but I don't think I could be faulted for such thinking. With everything else crashing down all around me, optimism was not at the forefront of my mind.
"I just wanted to thank you for saving me man."
"Wha…?" I gaped, not comprehending why he would thank me when it was all my fault he almost died in the first place.
"Blake and the others told me about what you did to stop that cane wielding jackass," he said while subconsciously making a fist. "I…I owe you my life."
"N-No, no you don't," I tried to dissuade but he shook his head.
"Yeah I do. That punk got the better of me, and the only reason I'm still kicking is because you stopped him," he then looked me straight in the eye and smiled. "So Joker, if you ever need the help of someone that can climb real good, I'm your man."
Only three days ago, and I would have found any and all excuses to make sure he wasn't indebted to me, and I still felt that way, but the overhanging threat of both Ozpin and Cinder kind of changed that.
"I'll, uh, keep that in mind," I said hollowly. I doubt he could protect me from Cinder or Qrow, but I also knew better to dissuade someone who'd already made up their mind. He'd had that same look of determination as Ruby did.
"Awesome," he smirked as he looked me over and frowned. "Dang man, and this is all after two months? Being Aura-less must suck."
"Wha-what?!" I stuttered out in shock. "How do you know about that? Dr. Grey told me that was confidential?"
At that Sun got a sheepish look on his face as he looked away guiltily.
"Uh, well…" he scratched his neck sheepishly. "I may have snuck around the hospital out of boredom, and in doing so I may have accidently took a peek at your medical records…"
…Do Faunus just like stalking me or something!? First the brat, then Velvet, then Blake and now you? What is with you guys and following me around damn it?!
"Okay…and why were you checking up on me in the first place?" I inquired and he just shrugged.
"Had nothing better to do. Plus I was curious about why you hadn't woken up yet despite having less serious wounds than me."
"Trust me, this shit was anything but 'less serious,'" I gestured to my bandages a bit grumpily and he frowned.
"Yeah, I figured that after some snooping," he said while fiddling with his fingers. "But that just made me respect you more. Living without aura, and yet you went all out to save us all. That's pretty damn cool in my opinion and by simple logic, that makes you and me bros."
"Is…is that so?" I said with a massive amount of hesitation that the monkey Faunus didn't pick up.
"Yep! So for now on we're gonna hang as much as possible till we're both discharged, and some more once we get out. Actually, how about I help speed up your recovery while I'm here? I'm practically good to go and the only reason the doctors are still keeping me here is because of Blake's Headmaster for whatever reason. But that's fine, as long as I don't have to talk to any cops, plus I sneak out whenever I want snacks."
I couldn't stop the look of horror starting to creep up my face at the idea of Sun helping me recover 'faster.' I'd known guys like him in High School and College, and his attitude just screamed "Gym Rat." Spending hours sweating and lifting pieces of heavy metal was not my idea of a good time.
"Uh, Sun? I appreciate the fact that you want to help me but I don't think that's the best idea. Dr. Grey was really specific about what I had to do to recover an-"
"Yeah yeah yeah, I hear ya Joker. But come on, a good workout will get you back on your feet in no time!" Sun interrupted me while gesturing to his abs for emphasis.
"I can't do that! My torso is still healing and-"
"But your arms and legs are still around, and I'm quite an expert on those. Don't worry, we'll start out light and gradually build up."
"But-"
"And in no time, I'll put some muscle on that skinny frame, and then you'll look like a rugged mountain man instead of a tweaker," he said putting his arm around my shoulder.
"Gee, thanks," I deadpanned.
"Don't get me wrong, the hair and beard are slick, though you could trim them up to be more tidy, but we'll worry about that once we get you walking, climbing, jumping and parkouring."
I sighed in defeat as he let go of me and grabbed the lightest dumbbells off of the rack.
"Now, we'll just focus on some biceps and avoid pectorals till you're ready," he ordered, holding the weights to me.
"Grey and Snow are going to flip their shit if they see this," I complained and he just hand waved my worries away.
"Ah it'll be fine. It's not like you're doing this unsupervised after all," he smirked, grabbing a heavier set of weights and curling next to me.
"Fine," I grumbled and began struggling to lift the 5 lb weights.
"There you go Joker! Feel the burn!"
I was starting to find out that all in-training Hunters and Huntresses are immovable forces with a high stubborn streak. I know it's a generalization, but this was happening far too much to be coincidental.
}Line Break{
Needless to say the rest of that week during my physical therapy would be much much more tiresome thanks to Sun's "add-ons."
The hunter-in-training was not kidding about hanging out as much as he could, as the monkey Faunus would show up for every single one of my sessions. And oddly enough, Grey and Snow didn't find anything wrong with this arrangement at all, almost as if they had expected it.
"It's been shown that two patients going through such labor helps to increase their resolve Mr. Sullivan," Dr. Grey had excused.
"Having a rehab buddy will make you get better faster," Snow had said less than eloquently, but I knew there was more they weren't saying.
Ozpin set this up, I thought with surety. Even after revealing that he basically had me checkmated, he still liked to set out his little, subtle tests. The question was 'Why?' Why did he want me and Sun interacting? Maybe he knew Sun would feel indebted to me, and he's manipulating him for yet another pair of eyes, I theorized.
Whatever the reason for this, the monkey boy did actually help me recover faster. Sure his gym-bro encouragement pushed me to the edge quite a few times, but he not only helped get me walking again, but also ensured that some tone started showing on my frame. For my arms and legs at least, as my core was still off limits for some months. The point is though, that I was finally able to get up out of my bed whenever I wanted.
This small victory though was quickly overshadowed however, when Ozpin went through with one of his little threats and lifted my ban on visitors.
…
Okay, maybe it could be seen as a kind gesture, but I couldn't trust any act from him not to be a test of some kind from then on. And thanks to one of his actual threats, I couldn't exactly tell any visitors any new developments, or dissuade them of the notion that I had heroically saved Yang from the fire arrow.
I knew teams RWBY and JNPR would show up, just as sure as the sun would rise, and no doubt they would try to ask me about my final words. Thanks to the douche cops and Ozpin, I now knew they had misheard my last words as "Stop sin" instead of "Stop Cin," which sounded very ominous and supernatural in its own right. Then of course, I had mentioned the Fall Maiden as well, which had even more ramifications.
So yeah, they would have questions, and I wouldn't be able to give them a straight answer, even if I wanted to, in other words, another test from that manipulating bastard. He even arranged it so that only two people at a time could see me and make it more personal. The way Dr. Grey described it, it was so as not to 'overwhelm me and cause dangerous side effects,' which was just a BS smokescreen. So, the minute Grey informed me of the new arrangements, I began coming up with more lies and excuses that sounded plausible.
Of course, they didn't give me much forewarning when the day finally came.
I had just finished a grueling session of walking up a step machine, followed by some intense yoga stretches from Sun, and had been led back to my room by Snow and my idiotic day guards. Like usual, one of them proved he definitely wasn't racist as his eyes stayed glued to under my aid's swishing tail, and the other just grumbled and attempted to appear professional.
After getting me to my room, they left me to my own devices as I showered by myself, which was an accomplishment I hadn't been able to do just days prior, and I lied down in bed. Glancing at the clock, I found I had time to kill before Snow and I found out whether Jorge was actually Arturo's father despite the actors looking the same age, so I did some light reading. Medical Usage and Applications of Dust probably wouldn't be considered light by many, but knowledge is power, and in a world where I was weaker than tissue paper, some alternative healing tricks were very tempting.
Awhile later, my soap opera addicted nurse walked in, and I sighed, ready to watch crummy afternoon television.
"Alright, let's get it over with," I snarked and she pursed her lips.
"Sorry Chr-Mr. Sullivan, but looks like I'm going to have to record today's episode," she nearly whined and I raised my eyebrow.
"Oh?" I questioned and she nodded.
"Yeah, turns out you've got visitors on their way."
"What?!" I nearly choked and she smirked conspiratorially at me.
"And let me just say, I didn't figure you for a lady's man Mr. Janitor," she teased, and I did a double take.
"Huh?" My befuddled face must have done a very good job of conveying my thoughts as Snow laughed lightly before she said,
"Oh you know what I mean. Now just make sure you don't turn out like Jorge in Grimm and Bear It, I hate to have to clean off your blood from the floors!"
"Ah yes, the bloody date night episode where he tried to go on two dates at once and then both Tracy and Gloria were suspects in his supposed murder and-Ugh! Why do I remember so much from this trash?!" I grumbled while she giggled. "And why would I end up like that?"
"Why indeed Mr. Playboy?" she teased before skipping out of the room.
Playboy? Me? I'm pretty sure getting strung around by attractive women and suffering the consequences for not telling them no is the opposite of a playboy, and that was back home! I thought with bitterness, remembering more than a few terrible dates that bled my wallet dry. And right now, I look like Charles Manson's long lost brother, so who would she even be talking about here in Remnant?
"And just where do you think you're staring buddy?!" an upset voice rang outside my door and the pieces clicked.
"Uh…is that a trick question?" perv guard asked hesitantly and a moment later, he let out a pained, "Hooomph!"
Ah, so it's Yang, I nodded in understanding before scrunching my face up in disgust. And for real Snow, stop thinking like one of your soap operas, she's 17 and in high school! Sure she doesn't look it, but come on! And Ruby is only 15 years old for God's sake! Gross! Stupid Faunus and their jumping to conclusions!
After promising to have a talk with squirrel girl later, I prepared myself for an eventuality I knew I couldn't avoid. I'd had a feeling the sisters would be the first ones up for obvious reasons, but I'd still wished I'd had more prep time.
"Hey, I'll hang back so you can go first alright?" Yang said a bit more tenderly as the guard whimpered and I gulped.
Ah crud, coming one at a time to try and soften me up eh? I predicted as I sat up straighter and tried to seem more presentable. Okay Chris, steel yourself. Ruby is probably going to cry, so be strong and don't lose yourself to the sadness. Yang's gonna definitely act all tough and stuff, and then try to ask questions about-
My thoughts were cut off when the door fully opened, revealing Yang in her student uniform… and Emerald still in her Zatanna disguise.
Almost immediately my whole body stiffened in panic. My eyes were glued onto hers as her own eyes widened in so many different emotions I couldn't even pinpoint what they were. Thankfully my heart rate monitor was no longer in use, so my distress wasn't audible.
Oh God she's here to finish me off! I knew this would happen! Crap, that's probably Cinder illusioned up to look like Yang! I gotta get out of here! I gotta find Sun! I got to-
"CHRIS!" she shouted and darted into my room, and I knew I was toast.
Not again! Not again! I shifted uselessly as she grabbed a hold of me. Clenching my eyes shut, I braced for her hidden blade…but it never came. Instead, all I heard was whimpering.
Uh… I droned as I opened my eyes in shock and saw her body convulsing with her sobs as she rested her head on my shoulder.
Wait, what? Those were my ever so smart thoughts as I realized two things. One, that she wasn't grappling me, but instead was embracing me in what was probably the gentlest hug in the whole wide world, and two, that the dampness soaking my gown was not from my blood, but from the tears streaming down her cheeks.
Okay, what is happening here? I wondered obliviously.
…
…
And to those spamming that 'It's so obvious' I will physically fight you! Why don't you try dying after seeing someone's face and then meet them again after being held hostage in a war you didn't even want to be a part of?!
Obvious my ass!
…
But…I will admit there were some things I could have picked up better on. And it was a nice hug.
}Episode End{
Be honest, who here thought I was just going to have Emerald stab the poor guy? I mean sure I like messing with the guy, but even I know to give him a break now and then.
The beginning of this chapter not withstanding of course. Oh I can't wait to see your guys reactions to that. I expect at least two 'f# 4 you Ozpin' in the reviews!
Now before I give you all this chaps Omake, I need to tell ya all something! You see by popular demand before in reviews and pms (so…so many pms…) I have decided to make this Omake a Canon one instead of the planned Noncannon one! A lot of you wanted to see how the cast was dealing after Chris's accident, and who am I to deny you all such sweet sweet angs-content! I meant content, ya that's what I meant hehehehe…
Anyway! That's not all! You see the Omake I had planned was, honestly, way to long to be considered an Omake. It was practically another chapter in the AN! Or at least it would have been if I got everyone's reactions to Chris's almost-kinda death. Yet I didn't want to not write it as I got a lot of good ideas for it. So instead, I came up with an idea!
Before I get into through, you guys probably want to read at least part of the Omake right? Well, don't say I was never a generous guy! Enjoy this little possible sneak peek!
}Omake 9: Regret, Worry, Blame, Yield [Canon]{
We shall take a step back from current events and take a peek at those left behind while dear Chris lay dormant after the dock incident.
Two months earlier, just a week after Chris was placed in the hospital. The general mood around Beacon seems to be the same, with bright eyed youths excitedly talking about the upcoming Vytal Festival, their lives, or the recent explosions caused by their resident janitor.
But if one were to look deeper, they'd realize that all is not as it seems. For there is a cloud of somberness, of pain and regret, of grief and rage clouding the school, hidden by false smiles and half-truths.
But such strong, negative feelings can never remain hidden for long. For there are always those who see behind the masks we wear, to help heal the broken or breaking...
}Flames that Burn, Fueled by Rage{
We go to the school's gym, full of equipment ready to help the students of Beacon further their skills during their off time. Usually it has an atmosphere of hard work and determination, but today there is a more negative feeling hidden among the usual atmosphere.
In the punching bag corner, where normally many individuals could practice at once, there stood only one student who tore into the bags with a fevered rage. Her fellow classmates avoided Yang Xiao Long as she attacked the sandbags with an uncharacteristic glare upon her face.
We did all we could, but it looks like he won't come to for quite some time. If ever…
The echoes of the past haunted the young Huntress-in-Training's mind as she continued to clobber the sandbag.
He has absolutely no aura. It's a miracle he even managed to say anything after that projectile hit him, much less survive it!
Yang's punches began to increase in intensity, her anger seemingly rising.
It's likely that the projectile was intended for you. It probably would have pierced through your aura and struck your spine, giving you extensive damage.
Her punches continued to increase in intensity and speed, her hair slightly glowing as her semblance activated.
Mr. Sullivan will not be allowed visitors until he is fully healed. Do not worry about his safety, for we will have the best on the force protecting him 24/7. Not some kid in training...no offense.
More and more memories of what happened after her friend was attacked replayed over and over again in Yang's mind. Her anger growing more and more till her semblance was in full effect with her eyes glowing red. The poor punching bag was beginning to leak from the intensity of her assault.
However, it wasn't until one specific memory surfaced that Yang's anger finally hit its breaking point.
Yang...is Chris going to be okay? He's going to be okay right!? He...he won't leave right?!
"AHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
Yang's sudden shout of rage startled the other students as he hit the sandbag with all her might, snapping its chains and causing the bag to go flying from the force of the hit. It impacted the wall behind it with such intensity that it burst as soon as it hit, sending sand and burnt leather all across the impact zone.
Yang paid no mind to the destruction she caused, her rage still radiating off her with her semblance showing no sign of stopping. Her fists were still clenched tight as she huffed and puffed, and soon the anger found a new outlet.
"What are you all looking at!?" she growled to the spectators who all flinched and gave her even more distance to avoid the killing intent radiating off of her. Yang rolled her eyes at the fleeing students before noticing the destroyed sandbag as if it were the first time.
"Damn it," she muttered with an impatient sigh.
"That's the third one you've destroyed this week Ms. Xiao Long. I hope you can afford to replace it...again," The stern voice of Glynda Goodwitch sounded off from behind her. Usually Goodwitch's no-nonsense tone would have caused the blonde to stiffen in fear, however, given her current mood, the blonde could not care less about her teacher's words.
"Whatever." Yang grumbled heatedly, not bothering to turn towards the older woman as she began to leave the gym, her mood no better than when she had arrived. Her escape however was halted as suddenly her whole body stiffened and stopped her in place.
"What the-?! Let me go!" she snarled as the familiar purple glow stifled her movement.
Goodwitch ignored the brawler's words as she flicked her riding crop, forcing the angry student to face her.
"I'm afraid I can't do that Ms. Xiao Long, we need to talk," she said sternly.
"We don't have to talk about squat! Now let me go already!" Yang growled and continued to uselessly struggle against Goodwitch's semblance.
"Ms. Xiao Long please calm down," she responded with a quiet sigh. "I know you are upset about Mr. Sullivan's condition but-"
"Upset! UPSET!?" her voice echoed throughout the gym as her struggling increased tenfold.
"My friend was almost killed taking a shot that was meant to for me!"
Goodwitch opened her mouth in an attempt to pacify the raging blonde, but whatever words she said were drowned. "He might never wake up again and I can't do a damn thing to help him or my sister! So no Glynda, I'm not upset! I'm Fucking Furious!" She shouted, dropping all formality as her crimson eyes burned.
There was nothing but silence for a few moments before Goodwitch spoke up once more,
"Ms. Xiao Long, I understand how you feel. Truly I do, I am just as upset about the situation as you and your friends are. But losing yourself to your anger is not the solution!"
Yang let out a dry chuckle at Goodwitch's words before she grumbled out,
"You have no idea how I feel, much less the others! You have no idea what it's like to feel powerless to help someone you care about, much less how it feels knowing it's your fault he's in this mess in the first place!"
Once more Yang's word we're met with silence from the teacher, but it was ended when the purple glow surrounding Yang vanished, roughly dropping her to the ground.
"Hey! Just because I'm right doesn't mean yo-"
"I do know how you feel Ms. Xiao Long."
Yang's words died in her throat as she looked up to Goodwitch. Her usual stern look replaced with one she'd only seen before on her Uncle Qrow when he stayed dry, a weary, exhausted face of someone who has seen and done enough in life, with eyes that stare through you and yet not at all.
"I know far too well your anguish," Goodwitch spoke softly, devoid of her usual sternness. "What you feel right now will never go away. It will dull and soften with time as all things do, but it will always be a part of you whether you want it or not."
Her tone broke through Yang's fury, leaving only the hollow feelings of guilt and shame that she had been trying to ignore for so long. She tried to push them back down, to hide them once more, but it was too late.
"H-how do you deal with it then?" she asked, nearly pleading. Uncharacteristically, her teacher gave a gentle smile before kneeling down to eye level with the young girl.
"You keep pushing forward. You don't let this feeling drag you down and keep you chained. You push on and always keep in mind why you do the things you do."
"Why I do the things I do…" Yang repeated aloud, her face deep in thought of the meaning behind her teacher's words.
"You'll find it eventually, we all do at some point in our lives. Besides…" her smile became coy as she stood up and continued, "From my interactions with Mr. Sullivan he isn't the type to go down that easily. He'll be back in no time to cause more property damage, you'll see. Just give him time."
Yang to chuckled slightly at that as she took a deep breath and stood up as well, the soreness in her limbs now felt in the absence of adrenaline.
"You're right teach, the only way he'll want to go out is with a bang after all. Thanks for the talk Ms. Goodwitch, I-I needed that. And…" Yang scratched the back of her head sheepishly before she said, "Sorry for...well all of that."
Goodwitch smiled with a strange glint in her eyes that Yang couldn't quite figure out.
"It's my job to help the students Ms. Xiao Long, so it was no trouble for me. Besides, nothing like a few hours in detention to help make up for your outbursts."
And with that, Glynda Goodwitch donned her trademark scowl and casually walked away, leaving the dumbfounded Yang to gape.
"…I should've seen that coming," she sighed.
}End Omake{
I seem to be continually writing angsty Omakes involving Yang lately haven't I? Eh, probably nothing to concerning…probably.
Anyway, here's that idea I mentioned! I will be hosting a poll on my bio for a .5 chapter! What's a .5 chapter you ask? Well it is a chapter sized Omake posted as its own chapter, but since its not an actual 'episode' of the fic it can't be called episode 26 or 27 and so on. Hence, it will be dubbed a .5 chap!
Like I said its basically an Omake in the size and quality of a usual chapter. Think of it like those OVAs anime do when a series ends and the animator's want to write something that didn't happen in the manage or source material.
The poll is pretty simple, asking you guys if you want this kind of episode or not. If you guys vote yes than I'll write and post a .5 chap after episode 26 (which I got a decent amount of done before posting this chap) featuring the rest of team RWBY's and other's dealings after Chris's coma. If you vote no, then I just won't do it. Pretty simple there am I write?
Considering how long it takes me to post chaps the poll will stay up until next episode is finished and published on the site. Please make sure to participate, and if doing the poll is too much of a hassle just leave your choice in the reviews!
Speaking of reviews, you guys know what time it is right? Let's call you all out!
bwburke94: Hordor? Hor-dor hor-dor, ho-ho-dor!
TM Calypso: And people say a fanfic can't suck people in like a good book. Take that modern literature and the people who get payed to write! Also yes, creepy Ozpin is creepy. All old, vague and mysterious wizards are creepy (psst-it's the beards)
ubivashka-kun: What can I say, after watching so many noir films I know how to write a gruff dirty cop or two. Ozpin's intentions were made semi-clear here, through he was still his vague cryptic ass self so who really knows if that's all the reason why? As for Chris's age and relationship, who knows what will happen? Time will tell and all that. Thanks for the compliment through, glad to see my fic still stands out in the sea of ships and Jaune-fics!
Unsettling-A.I.R: I blame my friends that I got all those Fate references, dragged me out to watch practically everything during my break, So many Lancer deaths…through I doubt Chris will become the next Lancer anytime soon…probably. And I don't hate Chris, I just have fun giving him a hard time is all. Also yes I do play, and I'd have to say Alter-Saber and Cleopatra are my favorites so far (with Nero in second). You can pm me if ya want the details why since this AN is as long as it is now hehehe…
Bomberguy789: Man your right about that song, works great with Chris's situation even more now with what Ozpin's done (which also answers that question for ya). And I gotta get those world-building skills in, so what better way then with the disgruntled police force? As for Snow, those guys were asshole cops not patients so I think that gave her some leeway with sassing them.
Thomas Knightshade: Good news! I'm not dead after four months this time! And I think we can see what happened after Chris used that second tale, Ozpin knows it well indeed…
The Mad Author: Chris still can't risk the plot, so with his final revenge against the world blowing up in his face he has to try and keep a lid on things. Lotta good that did him give how his talk with Ozpin went, but at least he tried. As for the trap…well I think I'll just keep my mouth shut. Where's the fun if I give you the answer now, when I can watch you stumble around and find the truth when its staring right at ya *maniacal laughter*
Prestige Productions: To his credit, Chris did try to avoid the question. I mean he failed miserably at it, but he did try. Also Ozpin a manipulative bastard, while us fanfic authors are sadistic manipulative bastards. Not something I'm proud of, but I mean name one fic were an author doesn't force their characters into doing something they'd never do in canon. And yes I mean those fics as well.
GuestA: All great examples, can't believe I never thought of them when I made that. Nice catch!
Stryker: It was his final finger to the universe. If the plot was going to kill him then he was going to screw the plot over before it got a chance to finish the job. Kinda petty and vindictive, but hey dying painfully can do that to people.
Soggy Socks 117: Sorry for the wait, and I did! Plus some more if you guys want it. Remember to do the poll!
JohnAxios: Thanks for the praise, and now all I can think about is the chibi version of Ozpin doing the Jigsaw routine.
Soggy Socks 117: An interesting thought, through considering Chris's current position who knows if it'll happen or not~
NoteBlade: Yeah he's pretty screwed isn't he, even more now. Wonder how much chaos he's gonna cause *not so innocent whistling*
GEStorm: Yeah great to be in season 2, only took a year but hey whose counting? Yeah Chris isn't in the best of situations, is he? And I like to think anyone who suddenly got teleported to another world would react, life's not all sunshine and rainbows especially in a world of bloody evolution. Also I love the achievement joke!
point: In another time and another place I imagen that this would be how this conversation would go…probably a crack version through. Maybe the Chibiverse?
GuestB: Those are pretty rare huh? Glad you're enjoying this fic!
King of Darkness: Murder Hobo Wizard…god that so so tempting…so many explosions, so many Magumin references…rain down fire…What was I talking about again?
Neorasu: I image that kind of information would be kept under wraps to avoid unnecessary attention. But we all know how snooping those teams are, so who knows?
DarknessLink: All valid points, through I feel like running from the Grimm would just end in a bloody end. Your average joe trying to outrun monstrous animals who are probably far, far faster than normal animals? Yeah, that's death right there.
Elmoslayer569: Thanks!
DarkFox17: All good comedies need a bit of drama to keep things interesting after all. Also I probably laughed way to long at that porn parody joke. God imagen Ozpins face if he said that…actually it'd probably still be his poker face wouldn't it?
Hickory Ham Mike: Well he does practically resemble a Wookie with how much hair he's got, not to mention his in need of trimming beard.
a54321: Thanks! I hope you enjoyed this chapter as well!
NazgulBelserion: I'm pretty sure it's the whole 'extinction of humanity including you once its all said and done' thing that make most people side with Ozpin.
mp07: What can I say, the guys got a motor mouth when he panics. Besides once insured by the puppy dog eyes there's no avoiding it. It is the fastest killer of men, as none will know till they are already ensnared it its adorable grasp.
TruemooV: Thank you! I hope you enjoyed this chapter as well!
sonic123456a: I'm glad I've managed to gain your interest and I hope you continue to enjoy reading the fic! As for Chris and aura…well who knows?
Ah! Nothing like calling you guys out after four months of not doing it. Let's all hope it doesn't take any longer huh?
As always please feel free to leave ideas for future jokes or Omakes! I can never get enough inspiration and I honestly just love reading your guys reviews!
All logic used in this fic is completely head-canon, especially in relation to dust and the physics behind it. If you don't agree then that's okay, its just how I see things.
So in our four month waiting period the follow count has soared to 789 and favorites have made it past the five hundred fifty mid-point at 588! As always I cannot thank all of you enough for your continued support, especially since I know it can't be exactly easy keeping an interest with a story that takes so long to update like this. So seriously guys, thank you so much!
This has been LightDusk16, signing off!