Slightly early update this time. Thought about waiting a couple more days to post it but fuck it.
Enjoy!
"So, Ozpin… Let's talk."
Lying prone on the lounge's couch, Ozpin stared up at the ceiling wondering what he had done to deserve this punishment. It certainly wasn't for all the lies; everybody did that. Maybe not as much as him, but still. Maybe it was for leaving the van owner to die, but probably not. That's not how karma works, according to Ozpin.
But if we were to examine that part of his psyche, we'd be here for a while.
Ozpin could feel every bone in his body aching, and could feel a few he never thought he had as well. If Ironwood was anything, it was thorough. The General had made the best use of his cybernetic-enhanced fist to beat him senselessly, all while Cinder died of laughter in the background.
And now here he was, beaten and battered before his own students. How shameful that he couldn't even stand on his own two feet and stretch the truth like a real man would.
At least he wasn't the only defeated one here. Tied up and gagged in the corner was Adam Taurus, unconscious and minus his mask. Too bad his usually slicked-back hair had fallen over his face; Ozpin was curious to see the kind of face Belladonna had once been entranced by.
"Earth to Ozpin," Qrow said, waving his hand in front of Ozpin's eyes. The Headmaster weakly pushed himself up, clutching his gut.
"I'm assuming you couldn't tell them anything," Ozpin winced, adjusting his bent glasses.
"I may have gotten slightly distracted," Qrow looked over his shoulder at Winter, "Got a little carried away, you know? Then Adam woke up and, well, things went downhill from there."
"I see… However, I am very much in pain, so if you wouldn't mind explaining things in my place-
"Not happening," Ironwood cut him off quickly, "Don't think you can get out of this one, Ozpin. We're waiting. All of us."
Ozpin looked from James to the housemates gathered around, each one of them looking at him expectantly. Even little Zwei was there, sitting patiently for him to speak. Seeing that Corgi there made Ozpin realize that stretching the truth wasn't an option. He could never lie to that cute of a face. Besides, he owed the dog anyways for rescuing him and Branwen from the van.
It was time to come clean.
"So… what would you all like to know first?"
"Qrow mentioned a website," Emerald pushed her way to the front of the crowd; this had been grating at her mind for too long, and she was fearing the worst about what that in tandem with the cameras meant. "What's its purpose?"
"Oh no!" Ruby cried, biting her nails, "He put us on one of those adult sites, didn't he? Like those ones Yang told me about! Ah, this is bad! We're porn stars now!"
"Ruby, how could he do that?" Pyrrha asked, "None of us have done anything that lewd here." She noticed Sun, Yang, Blake, Weiss, and Neo shifting uncomfortably at that claim. "As far as I'm aware of, at least."
"It is nothing of the sort," Ozpin clarified, "I assume you have all heard of reality television, correct?"
"No, we're only teenagers," Weiss said sarcastically, "We don't know about low-brow entertainment like that… Don't tell me you're implying what I think you are implying."
"You son of a bitch!" Cinder snarled, realizing her singing exploits may have been heard by millions, "You exploited our lives for cheap entertainment?!"
Qrow put his hands up in defense of Ozpin, trying to take some of the heat away from the Headmaster. "Look, look. Don't get up on Ozpin's case on this. It was my idea to do this."
"But why didn't you tell us about it then?" Yang asked her uncle, "If you hadn't kept it a secret, some of us wouldn't be angry with you guys now."
"It was kind of a last-minute thing," Qrow said, "You see, Ozpin had kind of, well… He never had any prize money for any of you-
"WHAT?!"
Qrow flinched at the erupting voices of Roman and Emerald (and the silent death glare from Neo). He could feel Ozpin burning a hole in the back of his skull as well for throwing him under the bus, but that didn't bother him as much. Ozpin was well-deserved of this humiliation. Qrow hushed the housemates as he continued.
"So that's why Glynda sent me here in the first place. I had to think of a way to earn enough lien to give to you all once this was over. When I heard Ozpin had installed cameras to watch over you, I figured streaming your lives would earn enough donations from viewers to pay you all evenly and heartily."
"…So, does this make us celebrities now?" Jaune asked, getting no answer.
"That..." Roman paused, thinking rationally, "That's actually a smart idea."
Many faces turned to Torchwick: had he actually complimented someone?!
"What?" Roman shrugged, addressing the staring faces, "I enjoy watching others suffer, and I'm sure as hell not the only one in this world that does. With all the shit we go through in this place, I can bet you all that there's a bunch of people giving good lien to keep watching us die slowly in here. Lien that's going to be lining our pockets soon enough."
"…Never expected a rational thought out of you," Emerald sighed, pointing to Ozpin next. "Still pissed at you for spying on us in the first place though, you pervert. That ain't ever going to sit well with me."
"At least we're still going to get paid," Merc shrugged, "If I hadn't gotten anything out of this, I was going to kill everyone the moment that barrier went down! Even you, Cinder! Wouldn't that have sucked?"
He started laughing. No one else did.
"…Yeah, on second thought maybe I shouldn't have said that."
"Just curious," Blake spoke up, "How much lien have we earned so far?"
"Hm," Qrow scratched his face, trying to remember the exact number, "I think something like 6 million or something close to-
"6 MILLION?!" the entire room shouted aloud, minus Qrow and Ozpin; even Ironwood and Winter were shocked by the huge number. Funny how the amount of zeroes can sway emotions in people, isn't it? Because everyone's opinion of the situation just flipped 180 degrees at that instant.
"We are celebrities!" Jaune cheered, throwing his arms around Pyrrha and Sun's shoulders.
"S-six million in ten days?!" Weiss's hand covered her mouth, "That's nearly a quarter my family makes in an entire year!"
"So doing the math," Ren raised his finger, multiplying and adding in his head, "That means by the end of this we will-
"Be super-duper-filthy-stinking rich!" Nora interrupted, "I can buy all the pancakes in the world! And a castle to put them in!"
"I'll never have to steal again!" Emerald said, moneybags in her eyes.
"I could finally drive a Lamborghini!" Yang grinned widely.
"I could rule a small country…" Cinder murmured, enticed by the potential power.
"Women will crawl to me on hands and knees!" Mercury boasted.
"A lifetime supply of tuna…" Blake drooled.
'You're the best, Uncle Qrow!" Ruby leaped onto her uncle, "Dad will be so surprised when we come home rich!"
Basking in the positive vibes, Qrow looked down at Ozpin and winked. The Headmaster bowed his head in respect; the dusty man had pulled it off, even though he had buried him in the process.
"So," Ozpin interjected, "Is there anything else you would like to know?"
"I've got something to ask."
The crowd turned to the Lieutenant, who had been silent this whole time. There was no hint of glee in his voice.
"What about Adam? He tried to kill Qrow, Yang, Blake… You said that once we start fighting among ourselves, we lose right? If he does that again, and I know he will once he wakes up, then we all lose. He… He can't stay here."
"I'm afraid that is impossible," Ozpin sighed, "If he was to leave, then that would be a breach of the rules. He must stay here for you win, unfortunately."
Now that turned everyone's mood upside down. The Lieutenant was right: Adam was going to bring them all down no matter what. Dreams of lives of luxury began trickling down the drain…
But not if Ironwood had anything to say about it.
"I actually have a solution to that," the General said, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a shiny collar with blinking red lights, "This is a shock restraint. It can sense high amounts of blood pressure within an individual and will strike them with a small – but intense – jolt of electricity upon detection." Ironwood approached Taurus and snapped the collar around his neck. "Only I have the key to unlock it. It should be impossible for him to take it off."
"Do you really think that will work?" Blake asked, imagining Adam being shocked over and over, "Can you give a demonstration?"
"And why the change of mood?" Qrow followed, "You came here to stop this, didn't you? Why try and help now?"
Ironwood smiled: a rare sight. "Knowing how much money these children have earned, I have figured out the way in which I will be compensated for Ozpin using my title without permission."
"And that way is…?"
"In due time, Branwen, you will know. Winter, it is about time we depart. I have a phone call to make. Until next time, everyone."
Saying his goodbyes to the housemates and Qrow with a nod (and a nice glare just for Ozpin), Ironwood saw his way out. Once the General was gone, Winter approached her sister and gave her a quick hug.
"Take care of yourself," Winter said, touching her sister on the shoulder, "And try not to tarnish our family's name with any extensive debauchery."
Weiss rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I love you too."
After another quick embrace, Winter turned to leave. She made brief eye contact with Qrow, but cut it off after he winked at her; how could someone be so disgusting and charming at the same time?
"So, that's that," Qrow yawned, hoisting Ozpin off the couch, "We better get back to our van now. Gotta treat his wounds and all, you know." He smiled at his nieces, saluting them briefly. "You stay good, kiddos."
"Try not to be a stranger!" Yang replied with a smile.
"Yeah, stop back in Uncle Qrow!" Ruby waved as the men went outside. The room fell silent once the door closed shut.
"Alright," Sun said, "What now? We're basically on a TV show. Should we just act all crazy and make fools of ourselves to get a bigger paycheck?"
"That's what every other reality star does," Jaune said, "Why should we be any different?"
"I would like to say," Pyrrha interjected, "That our 'audience' doesn't know we know we're on camera. If we begin acting oddly so blatantly, they will think this is scripted and won't be enticed to donate."
"Welp, there goes our plan," Roman sighed, tapping Neo on the shoulder, "Button that shirt up, Buttercup. Flashing is a no-go. Just the occasional nip-slip."
"Wait a minute," Mercury said, chuckling suspiciously, "That gives me an idea."
"Oh, this can't be good," Sun groaned, remembering Merc's last idea.
"We all know what time of year it is, right? Air's hot, wind's hot, everything's hot! And we just happen to have a pool out back. You know what that means?"
"…We go swimming?" Jaune asked.
Merc grinned, eyeing up all the ladies in the room.
"Not just that… Fanservice."