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The Last Fairy Tale
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Legends.
Stories scattered through time.
Mankind has grown quite fond of recounting the exploits of heroes and villains
Forgetting so easily that we are Remnants,
Byproducts of a forgotten past.
.
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Before the Tower of Alexandria, Yang and Emerald stood. To their right, a passive Giza crossed its paws leisurely. Though, it still showed a keen awareness for the two, the Grimm appeared to permit safe passage into the structure.
As soon as Yang touched the doors to push them open, an energy signature left its impression on her fingertips. A familiar sensation that brought with it a small tinge of surprise, but also awe.
The cool, dark-green interior of the lobby greeted the two. Their footsteps fell with an echoing clack against the marble stone floor. The Tower's keeper waited patiently with hands clasped to greet them.
"Greetings. My name is Papyrus, the Keeper of Knowledge.
And I welcome you to the Tower of Alexandria."
Papyrus stared at the two visitors with silver, glistening eyes.
"Your arrival was expected."
Without another moment, she turned, causing her leopard-spotted dress to trail behind her. She led the guests to the elevator and waved her palm leafed staff to activate it.
As they entered and ascended to the higher levels, Yang couldn't help but watch their guide suspiciously.
"So, you… work here?" Emerald broke the awkward silence.
"Yes," Papyrus answered.
"What kind of books are here, exactly?"
"Everything."
"And everything includes…"
"Everything."
"Kay. Do you know about Salem and the Wizard?"
"Yes."
"Can Salem get us here?"
"The possibility exists."
"Any other guards besides Giza out front?"
"No."
"Huh. Doesn't sound very safe."
"The two previously mentioned parties are not allowed to enter these premises."
"Oh, yeah? By who?"
"Not accessible. Agreement is held by an accord," Papyrus answered without further explanation.
Emerald nudged Yang's side.
"She kinda gives a Masa vibe, don't ya think?"
"No surprise there," her teammate replied. "Masa built this place. Has her fingerprints all over it. I guess it's only natural she'd hire someone like her to run it."
Papyrus whipped around with an uncanny glimmer of emotion.
"You know the Architect?"
"Uh… 'Architect'?" Yang puzzled.
As if automatically rebalancing her emotions, Papyrus's excitement petered out into flat disposition.
"Apologies for the outburst. A long time has passed since I last heard word of my Master."
"Oh. Well, maybe we can bring her around next time."
The elevator stopped its ascent.
"Such an event is unlikely to occur."
The door opened and Papyrus guided them through.
Where they arrived, was a messy office with countless books stacked in mounds, almost like a canyon's trench run. What little of the glass floor they could make out, they saw whole levels filled with more tomes below. It was like exploring a dimension of knowledge that verged on being too much to contain.
In the lower levels, they caught glimpses of a single figure. A lantern moving through the clutter.
Papyrus led Yang and Emerald down to the additional reading rooms. They tripped over old scriptures and torn parchment. Charts and notes were pinned to the walls and ceilings.
When the group arrived at their final destination, they came upon a man disheveled and tattered. His clothes and moss-colored hair were unkempt. A thermos rocked back and forth in his hand. Its liquid content came close to tipping out, before the man brought it thirstily to his lips.
"Whoa…" Yang couldn't help but utter. "Professor Oobleck—that you?"
The man sitting on the ground with his back against the study desk looked up for a fraction.
"Yang Xiao Long… I didn't quite expect Temujin to send you…"
"Oh, man…"
"And Miss Emerald Sustrai… a surprise…"
"Oh! Yeah, she's not an enemy or anything—"
"It doesn't matter… Nothing matters…"
Oobleck bottomed out his thermos, then laid it on the floor. Papyrus automatically came forward to refill it.
"Ooookay," Yang said apprehensively. "I've never seen him talk this slow before."
"Yup. Dude's out of it!" Emerald snatched the thermos from the Professor's grasp, easily evading any sluggish attempts to take it back. She didn't have to smell it to know what was inside.
"It's not coffee," she shook her head at Yang.
"Professor," Yang kneeled down. "What happened? Dad said you discovered something big, and that it was a shock, but what in the world could have done this to you?"
"Oh, Yang… I should never have looked. I should never have learned."
"What? What is it Professor?"
"Everything. It's all going to end. It doesn't matter what we do. There is no future."
"Professor! Snap out of it!"
Yang slapped him across the face.
"It's…It's no use…" he continued to mumble slovenly.
Oobleck took off his glasses, drifting off into a sad sleep.
"No use… no use at all…"
…
"This… is the last Fairy Tale…"
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X
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Back in Atlas, in one of the training rooms of Cerberus Tower, a most unusual sparring session was commencing.
"Ruby! Even if it's a shallow opening, take it!" Qrow coached.
"Mind your form, Weiss! A stable charge relies on a firm foothold!" Winter advised her sister.
Ruby and Weiss reset their positions before reengaging their opponents. At the same time, their counterparts adjusted accordingly.
Pyrrha took up defensive position with her shield, while firing off a couple rounds with her rifle. Meanwhile, Cinder sent several obsidian arrows whistling past her shoulder.
The pairs squared off a few choice encounters before a winning team was decided.
"You need to be more aggressive, kiddo," Qrow lectured. "You can't always play the nice girl. Hit 'em where it hurts and don't let up."
"Okay. Got it…!" Ruby panted out of breath.
"You've got the advantage in reach. Dominate the midrange and abuse it."
While Qrow gave out more pointers, Winter did the same with Weiss.
"You can't always rely on your partner to deal the finishing blow or to create an opening. I know you like to lean on a flexible role, but you must push the offense when it is required. An opening to strike will not always present itself. Sometimes, you must force the issue."
"I know. I'm trying. It's just difficult grasping the new timing."
"Ruby Rose may be your team leader, but by no means must she always be the initiator. You have a tactical mind, seize the reigns of battle when you deem fit. Trust your partner to lead, but also to follow, when necessary."
While their sparring partners were being coached, Cinder and Pyrrha took their own break near a spectating Masa Moon.
The Black Queen tossed her teammate a water bottle and began sipping her own.
"How do the measurements read, Masa?"
"Impressive, this one evaluates. Reaction scale, attack sequencing, lag reduction, all nominal. As to be expected of top-level fighters, despite having so little interaction time."
"I must admit, this has been a very interesting learning experience," Pyrrha commented. "I wasn't sure at first, but I've never had anyone read my rhythm so quickly or I, theirs."
"I have my gifts," Cinder grinned with satisfaction. "Hopefully your partner isn't too jealous?"
The two glanced at Jaune, who wore an expression of obvious envy.
"I'm sure Jaune's learning a lot too…" Pyrrha said with an uneasy chuckle.
…
"Hey, I was wondering…" Ruby thought. "I think we could learn a lot if we saw an example."
"An example?" Qrow asked.
"Well… You and Winter have been coaching me and Weiss on our techniques, and how we should work together. Why don't you just show us how it's done?"
"You don't really expect me to—"
"Actually, I think that would be a fine idea." Cinder set down her bottle, making her way back to the center of the room. "I believe Pyrrha and I require a taller challenge. Facing the famed Huntsman Qrow Branwen and the specialist Winter Schnee should prove very educational. If you would oblige, of course."
"No freakin'—"
"We accept." Winter stepped forward to meet Cinder.
"Hey! Don't go making decisions on your own!"
"Are you afraid we'll lose? Do not worry. I'll make sure to cover for your mistakes."
"And don't get ahead of yourself either. You're still just a brat if you think you can keep up with me."
"Then, what is there to hesitate over?"
Qrow and Winter locked into an intense stare that made everyone wonder if the next spar would be against each other than as a team.
"Fine!" the scraggly Huntsman gave in. "Only to show Ruby how it's done."
"Do you think I would actually choose to pair up with you? Don't be ridiculous."
As the four combatants met at the center of the ring, Ruby and Weiss took spectator seats next to Masa. While Weiss seemed worried about the match, Ruby was positively excited.
The electronic signal resounded, and the battle began.
While making casual observations, Masa made sure to record the battle to upload to Penny's drives later on. Her laptop showed the Aura readings for each fighter. The values fluctuated with rapid change. She found herself paying particular attention to the somewhat erratic levels of Qrow.
Whether it was by chance, or by strange stroke of luck, Masa thought how fortunate it was Qrow never finished synchronizing with the Old One completely. He did not know it, but a terrible fate was avoided thanks to his niece's interference. But for how long that would last, Masa did not know.
Even without using the Tower's facilities, she saw Qrow and the Old One's Auras bond more closely with each passing day.
It is only a matter of time…
And then the person known as Qrow Branwen might disappear, too.
Just like Ozpin all those years ago.
"Masa?"
The engineer's attention drew to her left, where Ruby watched.
"What is it, Miss Rose?"
"I'm worried about Qrow. I think… I need to know more about the Wizard."
There was a piercing glint of silver to Ruby's stare. A sight Masa had seen more than she would have cared to remember. It left an impression of a being far removed from Human. An ancient one from times long past.
"I have to know, Masa," the girl repeated herself. "I have to know the truth, so I can save him. I don't know what the immortal inside him is trying to do, but I think I have to stop him. Am I wrong?"
"…" Masa took a moment to think. "No. You are not incorrect. This one does not believe Qrow Branwen would have agreed to his contract if he knew the extent of the Old One's true objectives. But whether he will retain his individuality is another subject."
Ruby pursed her lips.
"What… does he want to do? And while we're on the subject, what does Salem want? Do you have your own plans, too?"
"I did not," Masa sighed. "This one was at most, an observer—at least, until this recent lifetime. Summer, Raven, and your sister refuse to let this one settle into the simple role of bystander."
"Hehe! Can I throw my name in there, too?"
A slight wrinkle on the engineer's cheek twitched.
"It would very much adhere to the pattern your predecessors set, this one laments with conflicted feeling."
"Tell me what I need to do, Masa. Tell me what I have to do to stop what's coming." Ruby's sharp irises gleaned with some faraway connection.
"Tell me how to stop the Last Fairy Tale."
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X
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"You can't stop the end of a story, Blake. All stories, for better or worse, must come to an end."
Though, they were on separate continents, Blake heard Salem's voice as clear as she would right beside her.
"The curtains must be drawn. One last bow from the actors who played their part with such diligence."
Deep in the hollow crag of Vacuo's Grimm territories, Blake sat cross-legged on a slightly raised boulder. A dark Grimoire opened its covers, turning its pages by its own volition. Its letters and pictures projected clear for the eyes of its reader.
"The time of twilight is upon us, dear child. Will this world see a new day, or will it be forfeited to the darkness? It is to us to make sure life breathes anew."
Blake read the story for what may have been the hundredth time.
"It is the only way for your wishes to be granted."
The Tale of Two Brothers.
A version she'd never known until Salem introduced it.
The true historia of Remnant.
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X
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While asleep, Professor Oobleck found himself conscious amidst a lucid dream.
His surroundings were similar to the Tower of Alexandria, in that there were tomes covering almost every square millimeter of the study. The ceiling reached higher than the light from the fireplace could reach. A warm mug of his favorite roast coffee had its handle wrapped by his fingers.
Oobleck felt at peace. Far away from the outside world and the burdensome truth weighing down on him. Sitting in his comfortable armchair, he noticed his two visitors watching from the couch opposite.
Before he could ask, Emerald answered for him.
"It's a hallucinated dream, Professor. You passed out drunker than Yang's Uncle on a bender. Seeing as you wouldn't really be coherent if we woke you up, this seemed like the better choice."
"What happened, Professor?" Yang asked worriedly. "I didn't believe it when dad told me something you discovered actually broke you. I mean, you were the one who taught our team being a Huntsman and Huntress was more than just fighting. It was about learning and seeking the truth. Using brains as good as brawn."
Oobleck let out a hollow sigh.
"Some truths I wish I never sought, Yang. You don't know what Ozpin is trying to do. More accurately, what the individual known as Titan is trying to accomplish."
"'Titan'?" Yang asked.
"Yes. The original name of the immortal inhabiting Ozpin's soul, Titan—and he fooled us all." Oobleck gazed bitterly into the fire place. "He fooled us all! A lie about saving the world of Remnant, and we believed it without question."
"You're saying… he doesn't want to save Remnant?"
"…"
"I know that look," Emerald commented. "It's the look of someone who's found out they've been fighting for the wrong side."
"So, wait, what?" Yang cocked her brow. "Does that mean Salem's actually doing the right thing by fighting Ozpin, or Titan, or whatever?"
"The truth isn't so simple…" the professor muttered. "Though, in a certain light, you could say the Witch is the lesser of two evils."
"What?!"
"Ultimately, it does not matter. Remnant is drawing to its inevitable conclusion."
"Alright, enough!" Yang growled. "We came here to bring you back to Vacuo and maybe learn about where my mom is, but it looks like we need to hear this first. So, start from the beginning, Professor. Tell us everything."
Yang looked to Emerald for support.
"Yeah," her teammate agreed. "Something tells me this isn't just some boring history lecture—"
"This is the endgame."
.
X
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"Hi."
In the Never Realm version of Beacon Academy before its ruin, Raven watched the fluttering white cape of someone she held so dear.
"Hi…" she answered back. "This is a dream, right?"
Summer turned up her hood with a big smile.
"Yup! Which means you won't remember a thing when you wake up! I just really wanted to see you. Sorry," Summer stuck her tongue out playfully.
Raven rested a hand against her hip and shrugged.
"Pretty selfish of you. I wonder how many times you've done this and I just don't remember."
"Sorry… Not many, though."
"You know, it's funny. Everybody hero-worships you as the finest Huntress to ever live. Qrow and Tai still idolize you as our clumsy but faithful leader. Even Yang and Ruby still hope their supermom image of you stays intact. But, I guess they are getting a bit wise to that by now."
"I know. It's pretty bad."
"Why is it only me that sees this side of you?"
"Hehe~ " Summer hopped up to Raven and booped her on the nose. "Why do you think~ ?"
The taller woman lifted the smaller in her arms, like she weighed nothing at all. Summer smoothed out Raven's feathery hair intimately, as they closed for a tight embrace.
"You're alive…!" Raven's emotions finally overflowed, and she cried. "I missed you so much…!"
Summer's scent, the subtle rise and falls of her breathing, the shape of her curves— they were everything Raven knew. Exactly the way she remembered.
"Of course, I'm alive, silly. I wouldn't go off and die without saying goodbye."
"How much time do we have?"
"Not much," Summer shook her head regrettably. "I just wanted to see you like this before you came for me."
"Why?"
"…Everything I've put in place is about to move. When it starts, there won't be any stopping it—no second chances. You don't remember, but I told you what I discovered at the Tower of Alexandria once. About the true history of Remnant."
"Summer, why?"
The white-hooded girl put a finger to the other's lips.
"I don't have much time. And you might forget completely, but maybe because of our connection, you might remember some parts. So, just hear me out, okay? This is my last attempt before…" Summer's voice trailed off.
"…Alright, Summ. I'm listening."
"First of all, you need to go to Vacuo immediately. It's very important you do."
"…"
"There's a way to counter the curse that forces you to attack Yang. And it can make all the difference when the right moment comes."
"Tell me."
…
…
"Also, with just a little luck, you might be able to save one more life," Summer added to the end of her explanation. "On the night of the full moon, everyone will remember where I am. Not all of your memories will come back at once, but it'll be enough to go on."
"I understand," Raven nodded.
"Also."
"Yes?"
Summer threw her arms around Raven's neck and pulled her down to head-level. She pressed her lips against hers. A half-contented, half-longing sigh escaped her as they parted.
"I love you."
Raven's expression broke into a smile she hadn't made in years.
"And, I love you."
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X
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"Your mother is trying to stop the Last Fairy Tale at this very moment," Oobleck stressed. "A hope against all hope. But there is no solution."
"…!" Yang leapt angrily from her seat and grabbed him by the collar. "I… really respected you, you know that?!" Her rage slowly gave into a melancholy. "Maybe, even more than Professor Goodwitch and definitely more than Ozpin, I respected you the most… Maybe, it was because of that mission on Mt. Glenn, but I thought the hell out of you. I thought you were the kind of Hunter I wanted to be."
Oobleck stared back in shock.
"Not just someone who could only hold their own in a fight. I wanted to have the same curiosity you had. To travel the world and delve into its mysteries. I wanted to explore and learn, and use that knowledge to help others." Yang let go of him. "But I guess I was wrong."
She stepped back and took her seat once more.
"If you're going to stop being a Huntsman and a Professor, then teach me one last thing before you quit. Follow through to the end, Professor Oobleck. Then, you can do whatever you want…"
The man met Yang's painful stare and straightened his coat with a small sense of composure. His drowning in self-pity could wait until later. He was still a teacher and it was his duty to pass on his knowledge, regardless of his condition.
Oobleck held out his hand, and his dream sculpted his words into form…
…
In the beginning, there was nothing but emptiness.
Then, a Flame lit its way through the darkness.
From the Flame, came Life.
It borne Two Worlds to Two Brothers.
Oberon and Titan.
The two sought to create the best of the worlds they were given in their vision.
Oberon, the older sibling, was open-minded, idealistic, and creative. He embraced the highs and lows of random happenstance, and delighted in the ever-elusive nature of fate. This creator, molded his world into a body of chaos, but also—infinite possibility.
Titan, was the divergent opposite of his brother. His foundations were strong, solid, and secure. He based his ideals on experience and through the observations of his older sibling's mistakes. This creator molded his world into a body of order, and also—perfect balance.
For eons, these two worlds lived in harmony. Each existing on the opposite spectrum of causality.
As time passed, life on their worlds prospered.
Titan's inhabitants grew strong and obeyed the laws of nature. His magnificent creatures held to a food chain hierarchy; where predator consumed prey, and predator became nourishment for the land, where the prey grazed upon. An enclosed cycle of life and death, enforced by the world's core system.
This system, constructed on the principles of Titan's ultimate values was christened, the [Tree of Balance].
Even without the creator's observation or personal hand, the Tree of Balance would correct anything that upset its Order. The tales weaved on Titan's world exemplified justice, honor, morality, and the sustaining of peace.
…
In Titan's opposite orbit, Oberon raised a people known as "Fairies". These creatures possessed an extraordinary ability called Magic. It allowed them to create an infinite number of different matters from another object using a catalyst we know today as Dust.
With this power in hand, the fairies brought all manner of existence into the world; some good, some bad, and everything in-between. The tales they weaved were grand, both tragic and uplifting.
But true to Oberon's nature, the creator wanted to test the limits of the imagination. To surpass them and bring newer discoveries to his people.
To increase the Fairies' Magic, which relied on its original source and Dust, he gave them access to his mind. Oberon's very life force became a conduit of Magic to ignore the laws of time and space. This artifact would later be named, the [Never Never Realm].
With the creation of these two forces: the Tree of Balance and the Never Never Realm, the first true conflict was born.
And with it would come…
The Tale of the First Sin.
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X
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"It is every craftsman's fear to find a dark purpose awaiting their creation," Masa told Ruby in a distant tone.
"A sword can be forged for the purpose of protecting life, as well as taking it. Likewise, a device made to maintain order can be too cruel in its decision to correct. An invention to expand imagination can result in reckless misuse."
The engineer's voice was not her usual. It was weary and pain-stricken. Each syllable carried with it a timeless age.
"And in too many cases, the things we create end up becoming our masters."
…
In the journey to create more prosperity for Oberon's people, Magic ran rampant. Not only objects, but events not to exist were fabricated and erased on a whim. The usage of the Never Realm grew to such proportions, it triggered the defense mechanisms of the Tree of Balance.
Titan went to confront his older brother of an accord that may not have been entirely his own. He demanded Oberon close the Never Realm, to cease his careless ambitions.
During his visit, Oberon's beloved and closest advisor was also in attendance. Because of her standing, she was referred to as the Godmother to the Fairies, and she defended her husband, saying it was Titan's Tree that posed the threat in the first place.
The three quarreled at length. Violent tensions brewed. The Fairy Godmother's wrath reached its peak. She started to call on the Magics of the Never Realm as Titan drew strength from the Tree.
Oberon intervened. He stood between the two, knowing neither would do him harm. But that was where tragedy struck.
Titan aimed his might at the Godmother, but the Tree willed his strike elsewhere.
As a result, Titan slew his own brother.
And the First Sin was committed.
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X
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"We mourned his loss. Everyone did," Salem spoke with a tortured tone. "His death made both worlds grieve. Rains never ceased to fall over his grave…"
Blake could feel the Witch's broken heart like it was her own. And then, from the sensation of coldest watery depths, came a fury unimaginable.
"The death of someone so pure demanded blood as recompense."
"And that's how it began," Blake said. "That is how the battle between you and the Wizard began."
"That is how the War began."
…
I led the Fairies against the Old One's foolish creations! Beasts who knew little more than to obey the holder of their leash. Little did they know their master was held by a leash of his own.
Titan could not control Tree of Balance, as it continued to act of its own volition. Knowing that, an idea came to mind.
I would not simply destroy the Old One and everything he held dear. I would pollute it. I'd twist the little garden he took such effort into cultivating for my own. That would be my revenge.
Hahaha!
They called me mad. They labeled me Betrayer! A Witch!
How quickly they forgot Oberon after shedding such little blood…
The shallowness of their conviction still galls me to this day.
Fortunately, they had no say in the matter.
Blake felt her head tilt up, like Salem was lifting her chin. The girl gazed through the crack in the wall. The fractured moon in the night sky appeared bigger than she had ever seen it.
I destroyed the Old One's precious balance, and at the same time, dispelled my world of its weakness.
A new garden was created from the collision.
A Remnant.
.
X
.
Oobleck twisted his hand.
Images of legendary beasts formed into gruesome creatures, as a result of a world colliding full of the Witch's malicious will.
The Tree of Balance went into complete flux. The violent reaction caused by crashing Oberon's world into Titan's, set off a chain of events.
First, the Cataclysm transformed the inhabitants into what we now know as the Grimm.
Second, the destruction of the Fairies' homeland imparted many of its attributes. Most importantly, it introduced Oberon's magic element.
Dust.
To counterbalance the foreign material, the Tree produced Bane. A substance that possessed the same inherent nature as the Grimm.
Even so, as history will prove, in its attempts to correct the world, it would ironically find the means to its end.
…
For a time, what few Fairies survived the Cataclysm fought the creatures of Grimm. They declared both Titan and the Witch their sworn enemies, and ultimately, were hunted down by the Godmother who once watched over them.
With the Witch's victory complete, and Titan still guilt-ridden from the murder of his own brother, the Old One retreated into isolation.
Oobleck showed an old man building a small hovel for himself in a part of what would later be called Vale.
And there, the Wizard stayed.
His world in complete darkness and turmoil.
…
Until there was a spark—
A spark that changed everything.
.
X
.
"This one thought it was a miracle. A word not used lightly," Masa reflected.
At this point, everyone in the training room, except for Qrow and Winter, gathered to listen intently to the engineer's tale.
…
Human and Faunus kind rose from the ashes of the Cataclysm.
Beings born from both words. Though, with minor differences.
Humans inherited most of their features from the Fairies, while the Faunus were more closely related to Titan's Beasts.
While the Fairies used Dust to perform Magic, the Faunus and Humans primarily used it to enhance their soul's Aura. Still, there were exceptions.
Those who underwent special training could display some of the proficiencies Fairies could. Alternatively, a number of Bloodline Semblances mimicked Magic closely, such as the Schnee and Fall families' Glyphs and Runes.
One more special group of people, and the most accomplished users of the ancient ability were a small population, who bred with the last surviving Fairies.
A people whose descendants are marked with Silver Eyes.
…
At that moment, all attentions fell on Ruby.
"Ahaha…" she chuckled nervously. "C'mon, guys. Don't look at me like that. I'm just a normal girl."
Only a stagnant silence followed. Until,
"—With normal knees," Weiss smiled. "We know."
"…Yeah." Ruby returned the expression. Hearing her say that meant more than her partner knew. "Yeah. Thanks, Weiss."
Everyone else took a step back from themselves. Knowing a new truth about the girl made them curious, but one sentence from the Weiss banished any strange thoughts they might have had. Ruby was still Ruby. Whether she was descended from Fairies or not, did nothing to change their minds.
Masa watched the scene play out with a warm heart.
Ruby could not have known that she bore witness to the exact same scene with Summer. Although, the difference in treatment was night and day.
Those around Summer Rose chose to place her on a pedestal, once they learned the truth of her heritage. A savior and a divine weapon against the Grimm of unlimited potential. Or maybe even something of a deity walking among them.
Well, maybe all except one.
If there was ever a person who saw Summer with complete clarity, it was Raven. The swordswoman had her flaws and her share of failures, but she never faltered in recognizing Summer for who she really was. And because of that, she was the solace for her lover. A guiding constant to serve for Summer's whole life.
Masa watched the way Ruby and Weiss held each other in their gaze.
Your daughter is in good hands, Summer.
She won't face the same isolation you had. Not only a lover, but Ruby has many of those around to accept who she is.
I only wish I could have done more for you.
More than just Raven and I.
…
Although,
I suppose, there is one other who looks upon your memory with less than starry eyes…
.
X
.
"Yang?"
"Hm?"
Emerald called out to her, but was met with a reaction contrary to her expectations.
"You good?" she checked.
"Yeah," Yang shrugged. "So my sister and stepmom are part Fairy, can use Magic, and have weird glowy eyes. I always knew they were oddballs."
"True, that."
"So, Professor," Yang turned to Oobleck. "Papyrus and the Rakis siblings."
"As you have indubitably deducted," he pushed up his glasses. "They are also likely of Fairy descent."
Yang and Emerald took a minute to digest the new knowledge introduced to them.
Titan, the Witch, Oberon, Fairies, the Tree of Balance, and the Never Realm. It was a lot to swallow, but they made sure to commit each to memory. There was no doubt something in the lore would prove useful to defeating Salem.
Oobleck observed the two submerged in their thoughts with an energy he thought he lost.
You must remember, a voice resonated from his memories.
"To travel a new path to the future, we must know how to avoid the one of the past," Oobleck finished aloud. "My apologies. It seems I'd forgotten something so simple."
Yang looked up, and saw new life flow through her old Professor. Perhaps, it was the simple act of teaching someone, but there was now an electricity in his airs He looked freshly spirited, like he had been pulled out of a quagmire.
It gave clear sign to what came next, and it cheered Yang beyond anything else.
"Right, then! Where was I? Ah, yes! The introduction of Faunus and Humankind!" the Professor recited in his famed, quick-fire, rhythm.
…
From this point forward, history very much adheres to what is recorded in textbooks!
The two races met daunting adversity from the Grimm at the very outset of their conception! By the implementation of Dust, they were able to survive against overwhelming odds!
Our ancestors strived, they fought, they persevered, and in the end, they established civilizations! Civilizations that would one day evolve into the Four Kingdoms!
But this era of hard-earned prosper was cut to a halt as new challenges presented themselves. We are not perfect beings. We are petty—and stupid. SO STUPID! We began to quarrel among ourselves! It reached the point where our kind stood on the brink of self-imposed extinction!
It was then, seeing the clear plight their people faced…
Four remarkable individuals sought a solution to cease the downward spiral towards inevitable destruction. During the course of their pilgrimage, they found the Old One, who had thrust himself into seclusion.
…
In my heart, I'd like to believe he saw in those Four Maidens a chance at redemption. For there can be no other reason he would split his power, and offer it to them willingly. I believe he desired to do something good, something noble.
Unfortunately, those who came after the original Four Maidens were less than ideal at upholding the responsibilities that came with their Inheritance. Their corruption forced the Old One into the world once more, which in turn, incurred the Witch's wrath.
An old feud was born again, fiercer and more devious! Each side vied for the upper hand in the secret war…
And our people were used as pawns by both.
"You couldn't have known!" Yang interrupted Oobleck.
The Professor paused, blinking with uncertainty.
"You couldn't have known!" she exclaimed again. "It wasn't your fault, Professor Oobleck. They're thousands of years old. They know more about tricking people than anyone who's ever lived. But you know what?"
"…"
"They're cowards. They aren't even half the person you are."
"I fail to see that in light of the state you found me in."
"But you're better now. I can see it. There's no changing for them. But you and I still can, and so can Remnant."
"…Yes, I suppose you're right. Maybe, there is still hope. It would be shameful to stop my search for an answer with all of you working so hard. No! I cannot fall behind my students! I refuse! Especially, Summer! Her valiant efforts cannot be in vain!"
"My mom, huh?" Yang said with a trace of skepticism. "We'll put that on hold for now. You said everything was going to end, something about the Last Fairy Tale?"
"Ah, yes. As Miss Sustrai accurately assessed it, the 'endgame'. Quite an accurate term, indeed!"
"Great," Emerald muttered unenthusiastically. "I loooove being right about stuff like that."
"As do I! Matter of fact, the subject happens to coincide with the next sequence of events perfectly!"
"Yay…" she said, with decreased enthusiasm.
"As it is, Remnant now stands at a crossroads. A crucial turning point, if you would, for our world's existence hangs on the precipice! Human and Faunus will be discarded into eternal oblivion or forced reincarnation and submission, if we fail to derive a proper solution."
"Is that so bad? Sometimes, I wake up and just wish the world would just en—"
Yang covered Emerald's mouth to prevent any more snark coming through.
"Go on, Professor."
"Yes! Right so! The Last Fairy Tale is dependent on Titan's old construct, the very artifact that could be held accountable for the Cataclysm and all conflicts borne in the first place. It is also the core of Remnant."
"The Tree of Balance?"
"Precisely," Oobleck nodded. "As you know, the world is in complete conflict. Good and evil, light and dark, Grimm and those who possess Souls, are creating a constant imbalance. The Tree, by design, was made to counteract this issue."
"…This doesn't sound good. How does it plan to go correcting an entirely messed up world?"
"According to the logs of a certain Architect, there is a mechanism built into the Tree known to Salem and Ozpin. If the balance is upset beyond repair, the Tree will activate a fail-safe. It is, I must say, incredulously simple, absurd, and efficient."
Yang blinked a few times. She remembered Masa saying something similar when she reset Penny.
…
Hm….
Wait.
"Reset"?
Yang gasped so abruptly she almost choked.
"You can't be serious!" she coughed.
"Always."
"What?" Emerald asked without a clue. "What's going to happen?"
Yang turned to her with a wild, baffled, expression.
"The Tree's gonna reset Remnant!"
.
X
.
"…Is this true?"
"Unfortunately, this one can personally vouch for its validity."
Everyone around Masa offset their brows in disbelief, while Cinder shook her head.
"I must make sure I heard this correctly," the Black Queen worded slowly. "For lack of a better description, the Tree possesses a self-initiating mechanism to turn the world off and on again?"
"That is correct," Masa confirmed.
"Like, say, one would do with a malfunctioning appliance, or computer, or scroll."
"…That is correct."
"But on a global scale."
"…It was not one of my finest works."
.
X
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Oobleck gave an intentional cough, like he would in class when the lecture swerved off-topic.
"As ridiculous as the mechanism is, it in no way diminishes the graveness of the situation, or what the Witch and the Wizard have in store."
"But, why would they want to reset Remnant?" Yang pressed. "What would they gain? And if that's what they both want, why fight each other?"
"You are correct to ask these questions. The answer is, both view this world as a flawed vision of its original design. Think about it, Miss Yang. If a fundamental error was made in a drawing or the writing of an essay, how tempted would you be to simply scrap the project and start over?"
"…"
"The differences between Salem and Ozpin lie in what happens after. Salem wishes to make a new world as she sees fit. A reincarnation of sorts, but to her preferences. One void of any previous existences of Fairies and Grimm. I believe she also sees this as an opportunity to revive Oberon."
"That's… completely insane."
"Ozpin's intentions may be worse. He does not plan to restart the world at all. He wishes for the dead to remain dead."
Yang and Emerald had to think for a moment about what that meant.
"He wants to end all the pain and misery," Emerald said, with a hint of empathy. "He thinks it's too much and that it'll fail no matter how many times he tries or how hard… So, he just wants it to end—permanently."
"The suicide option, huh?" Yang echoed. "Now, I get it. That's why they both act the way they do. They've already given up on this world. That's so….!"
"Egotistical?"
"So, the plan's simple, right?" Yang rationed. "I mean, to stop the Last Fairy Tale, we just need to defeat Titan and Salem."
"If it were so simple, I would not have fallen into such a depression," Oobleck answered.
He waved his hand and conjured the fractured world of Remnant. The trunk of the Tree of Balance could be seen extending from the partial sphere with its branches interlaced through the crust.
The planet looked almost like a half-blown dandelion. One breath was all it would take, and Remnant would dissolve into nothing but ash and dust. It drove the direness of their situation deeper.
"The inherent problem lies with the Tree itself," Oobleck explained. "Once the imbalance of light and dark pass a certain threshold, the reset occurs automatically. The Witch and Wizard only wish to control its function at the last moment."
Yang and Emerald observed the projection, while walking around it.
"So, we balance it, then?" Yang suggested. "Then, it won't activate, right?"
"Obviously, the first answer to pop into anyone's head, but how do you balance a whole world, Yang? It's impossible. Not only the world, but you'd have to even out the emotions of practically everybody on this hunk of rock."
"Yeah, guess you're right. And we can't just remove the Tree?"
"Look at this thing," Emerald gestured to the image. "Remnant practically is the Tree."
Yang was now racking her brain to the point of verging a migraine.
"Okay! Maybe, we can buy more time? Can we stall the world from crossing the threshold, somehow?"
The two turned to Oobleck, who only wore a look of deepest sympathy. He knew his next words might break their spirits. It was the truth that had broken him and drove him further into despair.
"The truth is, Remnant has already crossed the threshold to trigger the Tree's reset function."
…
The answer stunned Emerald and Yang into complete silence.
Yang shook her head.
She momentarily looked to the professor and the projection of Remnant for answers but was met with none.
"So, you're saying… We already lost?"
.
X
.
Their loss is predetermined, Blake thought. By my hand or this world's.
She stood atop a cliff, looking down on the ranks upon ranks of Grimm. An army of darkness the world never bore witness to.
Black claws and fangs gnashed viciously in the direction of Vacuo. The cracks in their bone-encrusted bodies flared with malice. Countless burning eyes focused on the settlement waiting in the distance.
The world will start over.
Bean and Inna stood beside Blake. The young general kept in contact with the leaders of the Grimm Clans.
And in the world to come, everyone's wishes will be granted.
Adam appeared from behind.
But for that to happen, the old world must die.
Vulcan and Jupiter Black took their places as well.
And the Last Fairy Tale must come to its rightful end.
.
X
.
"Then, if the world's going to reset, why hasn't it already?" Yang asked.
"Summer Rose," Oobleck answered. "By using her Semblance, your mother has stopped the process midway. But it will not last."
"…Where is she? Where's my mom?"
"On an island that is forgotten, purged from all traces of memory and recording until the event of a full moon… save for this place, where all information is recorded for eternity."
Oobleck handed Yang a worn-out book, and opened it to its last page.
It was Summer Rose's final diary entry.
Yang read the name of her mother's last known location and ultimately, where the Last Fairy Tale would take place.
"The Lost Island Prison of Menagerie."