When I got back to my room, my teammates pummeled me with questions. I saw the anxiousness in Elise's face and knew why.
She was afraid I had spent the night with Daren.
"I was doing a little investigating." I said throwing them off guard. Elise still felt nervous.
Since the boys were already packed, I sent them to go get us good seats while I packed myself and spoke to Elise.
"I wasn't with Daren, sweetheart. He and I are nothing but dance partners and close friends. I'm too strange looking for him." I said.
She blushed. "Oh... I-uh... I thought that... maybe..." I laughed and wrapped my arms around her. "You are adorable when you're embarrassed." She growled at me and hugged me back.
"Does he...?" She began to ask. I smiled thinking of Daren's feelings for Elise. They were nothing like my strange relationship with the School headmaster but I remembered the night before when Daren had brought a rose for the little girl who had charmed him with her first dance.
She had been so stunning at the dance. Soft, sweet and sexy.
I slowly nodded.
I remembered feeling his exasperated affection for the feisty blonde and how he had bravely put himself between her and the fight to keep her safe. And to keep those boys alive. I had merely beaten them. Elise would have murdered them right there on the dancefloor.
Her relief and joy lit her from within.
"Oh, great." She sighed, smiling sweetly. "We'll go visit him before we leave today." I said. "Sometimes, having an empath for a friend is annoying but other times like now it's the best!" She said throwing her arms around me.
"But wait." She said pulling back. "If you weren't with Daren, then who were you with last night?"
I stuttered. "I know you weren't investigating Dally. Your Dallas Hartman clothes were still here. So..." She propped her chin on her fist. "Where were you?"
I had forgotten how bloody deductive she was. She put seemingly unrelated pieces of a puzzle together and made connections others never did.
To my frustration, I began to blush.
"Ha! I knew it! You were with someone! Who?" She said nudging me.
I couldn't say Yang because I had already told her about my botched attempt at drunken romance outside Raindance.
"I can't tell you." I said, looking away, shoving my matte polish into my bag. I only had one medium sized backpack. As an assassin, you learned to travel light.
"Of course you can. Friends tell friends about the people that make them blush as dark as you do. Especially best friends. We are best friends, right?"
"Of course!"
She grinned. "Then you can tell me."
I sighed and winced. I wanted to tell her but I was so afraid. I closed my eyes and tried to forget the power I had felt with Oz. How strong my feelings were for him.
Yet what if she didn't understand?
"Wow, I can't imagine who it is for you to hesitate so much. You were the one that said there was no reason Peyton and Elin couldn't be together. If two people cared about each other it was something amazing and was to be cherished." She said, her big brown eyes staring gently into mine.
"You can trust me. You know I won't tell anyone. It can't be that bad." She said, scooting closer to me.
My determination crumbled. The secret was too much. It wasn't something bad.
It wasn't like I was telling her about Omar.
I was telling her about Oz, who loved me just as much as I loved him.
"You promise you won't judge me?" I whispered, terrified that she would. Would she understand?
"I promise. My brother has a boyfriend. Not much surprises me anymore." She said nonchalantly.
Just say it, Dahlia.
"P-Professor Ozpin." I said, almost too quiet to hear. I closed my eyes and waited for the screech of disbelief and disgust.
"Oh." She said, shocked. She felt confused and surprised. "That was unexpected. My best friend is canoodling with the Headmaster... that's new." She said laughing a little, slowly accepting it.
I opened my eyes. "Y-You're okay with it?" I said surprised. She really laughed. "What did you think I was going to do? Yell at you? Hate you? Stop being friends with you? Run to the nearest adult and tattle tale?" She said. When I didn't laugh, she sobered.
"Dahlia, that's not what friends do. Now, I have no idea why you went for the headmaster but I'm not attracted to him. Obviously, you are. What you have is to be cherished, just like you said." I felt tears fill my eyes.
I stood up and hugged her tightly. "You're the best friend anyone could ever ask for. Thank you. Oh Gods, thank you!" She hugged me tightly. "You're welcome, Dahlia. You're the sister I never had. But now that you've finally told me who your mystery man is, you have to tell me everything!" She said pushing me onto the bed.
I looked at the clock. We had plenty of time.
I blushed as she fixed me with her best fascinated stare and felt the intense curiosity inside her.
"Well... uh, well... I mean it started the first day we were here. I thought he was handsome at the speech... then we made eye contact before I was thrown into the Emerald Forest and I thought I was scared of him. But that night, after I had my first talk with Blake, I saw him in a special garden by the library and he welcomed me inside and we laughed together. I hadn't laughed so hard in ages. It was just really nice and he told me he thought I was beautiful and that he had never seen a woman like me." I said blushing as Elise fawned over the romance. "And we said we would meet in the garden again soon. He didn't come back though. I would wait till you guys were asleep and then go and sit out in the garden for him every night for months. He was afraid that I would reject him so he avoided seeing me alone." Elise awww'ed, feeling for Ozpin. She had been terrified that Daren would reject her out of hand.
"Then, when you guys rescued me and I went to talk with him, he held me when I cried and made me see that it wasn't anyone's fault. He let me lean on him for strength and that night he came to the garden and we talked all night. He accepted some of the darkness inside me. I think that was when I first began to fall for him." I said, remembering it like it was yesterday.
It felt so good to talk about it.
"The first time I kissed him was the next night when I got super drunk. After I got Yang in bed I walked the wrong way. I couldn't find my way back to my room and by coincidence, he found me stumbling through the halls and walked me back. And I kissed him on impulse. Kind of surprised him." Elise was enraptured. It was such a strange love story.
"He doesn't know that I remember, but I clearly remember him saying 'Do you know the best thing about being drunk? You never remember what happened in the morning.' And then HE kissed me!" Elise squeal and grabbed my pillow to cuddle with. "So cute, oh God! I can't imagine stoic Ozpin being so romantic."
"Oz says he isn't very good with the whole romance thing because he's never done it before but he is actually very romantic."
"Oh, you call him Oz!" She said hugging my pillow tight.
"Then the night Blake accidentally spilled her secret, he heard me talking to her and figured out about Blake being my blood-sib."
Elise nodded. "So that's why you were frustrated when I figured it out. He had already found out and then I did and two people knew your secret." She said sagely. I nodded.
"And after the whole docks incident, he worried and fussed all over me. I have no clue how he'll survive me being a Huntress. He worries every time I get into trouble. He told me I wear trouble like a crown."
Elise laughed. This was a whole new side of the Professor, one no one saw. "You do."
I stuck my tongue out at her. "He missed me while we were gone at your house for the break but that gave me time to make everyone's books. I made one for him too, but there were more of me and him than in other people's books." She pointed. "So that's who you were thinking about whenever you'd go all dreamy eyed!" I blushed. I had daydreamed about him often while I was away. Thinking about it made me smile.
"And then he felt so happy to see me when we came back."
She smiled and then looked shocked. Laughter bubbled up. "Oh! When he- oh man!" She burst into gales of laughter.
"Oh, I could've kicked him when he baited you guys into getting me with desert." I said. "But later, after you guys covered me with whipped cream and chocolate, we were in his office and he was helping me clean up."
She eyed me. "That sounds like the beginning of an interesting por-" I hit her with a pillow before she could finished. Especially because that was direction it headed. "He was telling me that he missed me and I told him about his surprise and I told him I'd give it to him if he was nice to me." She arched her eyebrow and heat traveled across my face and neck. "And he..."
"Tell me! This is good stuff!" She said and I grew hotter.
"He licked the whip cream off my neck and we really kissed then. Up until then it had been light easy kisses." She winked at me.
"I had never felt so hot in my life. It was like someone had set me on fire." She began fanning herself. I smiled, cooling myself down.
"We had our first fight the night before the dance. I had gotten hurt and he was mad at me for trying to keep him in the dark about it. He snapped at me and I got mad and I left with it hanging between us." She smiled. "Aw, your first fight. Peyton and Elin fight too so you must be doing something right."
I laughed. Peyton and Elin bicker lovingly as we said. To anyone else not in team DEEP or our sister teams thought that their relationship was awful.
"Then last night I was mean and used Daren to make him jealous, which worked. And in the end, we danced and made up. Then he told me to come to his room. I have a special way of getting into his room, even without him and he doesn't know how I do it but then I was in his room and he wasn't there. He was probably still closing out the dance and I made him a cup of tea. And I was so tired from not sleeping for a long time that I laid down on his bed and fell asleep. He came in and I woke up a little but I don't remember waking up at all. And I talked to him before falling asleep. I felt so safe and warm." I said, going all soft remembering all of it.
"I told him something last night." She leaned in close. "What did you tell him?"
I smiled. "I finally told him I love him."
She squealed and fell back, "So utterly adorable."
I laughed. Oh, it felt so good to finally tell someone! And even better, Elise wasn't mad or disgusted! She was just happy that I had fallen in love. It was the greatest gift anyone had given me. Acceptance.
"I can't believe it, Dahlia. You love Professor Ozpin. The Headmaster of Beacon Academy. Wow, no wonder you kept it such a secret." She said, brushing her fingers over my leg. "Yeah. People just wouldn't understand it. We love each other, Ely. Like true love." She smiled.
"You would know, wouldn't you?" I nodded. "Of course I would. I'm an empath."
"Well, I would have NEVER guessed it so you two have done a great job keeping it a secret." I nodded. "Ugh, now I'm not going to be able to look at him without thinking about the two of you together and all the cute stuff he's done." I laughed at her. That was her problem.
"Would all first year students please report to the amphitheater." Glynda's voice said over the speaker.
I stood and finished packing. "Well, let's go dear. It's time to pick our shadowing." I said. "Oh, you mean time of Ozpin's speech. I know that's what you really want to go to." I shot her a look.
"You just want to get this over so you can go see Daren."
She shrugged in agreement.
We left with my arm over her shoulder and her arm around my waist.
"You know, it feels weird. I've never had a girly talk before. Like the ones you see in movies." I said. She patted my hip.
"Get used to it. Now that you're in love, you have to keep me informed."
It didn't take us long to get to the amphitheater. We dropped off our bags with everyone else's.
Elin and Peyton waved to us and we meandered over to them. "Finally. You guys took forever." Elin groaned.
Elise smacked him in the shoulder. "We were having girl talk."
"Girl talk, huh?" Peyton drawled crossing his arms over his massive chest. I winked at him and he grinned.
Team RWBY came in and I sniffed the air.
What smelled like dog?
I looked over at Blake who wore a strange expression on her face. She had once looked at me the same way when we were younger. My Mother had thought it was so strange that a Wolf and a Cat would become Blood-Siblings but she had witnessed the ceremony. Her last gift to me.
There were some interesting feelings running around inside of them and I didn't have the will to figure out what the four girls had done.
"Quiet, quiet please. Professor Ozpin would like to share a few words before we begin." Goodwitch said to the crowd of students, who had divided themselves by school.
Then my attention was caught by the man who came on the stage. Elise nudged me with a sly look on her face and I blushed redder than Ruby's hood.
She was going to be insufferable.
He was so handsome. He stood with his feet shoulder width apart, shoulders back in a proud almost military stance with his cane in both of his hands planted before him, reminding me of the first time I had ever saw him. It was so long ago. It felt like another lifetime.
He was nervous but no one would've known just by his face or bearing.
"Today we stand together, united. Mistral, Atlas, Vacuo, Vale. The four kingdoms of Remnant. On this day nearly eighty years ago, the largest war in recorded history came to an end. It was a war of ignorance, of greed, and of oppression. A war that was about much more than where borders fell or who traded with whom, but about the very idea of individualism itself. We fought for countless reasons, one of which being the destruction of all forms of art and self-expression. And as you are well aware that was something many could not stand for." His eyes were fierce and his expression regretful.
"As a result, those who opposed this tyranny began naming their children after one of the core aspects of art itself: color. It was their way to demonstrate that not only would they not tolerate this oppression, but neither would the generations to come. And it is a trend that held to this very day. We encourage individuality, expressionism, and unity, through diversity." He felt a tenderness as he gazed amongst the students gathered, everyone dressed in their own battle attire, unique to a person's own personality. I smiled to myself.
For all our love and care, Oz has still yet to tell me his real name. It was something he just wasn't ready to tell yet and I could respect that.
He still had no idea that he loved a killer.
"As I have said, today we stand together, united. But this bond cannot exist without effort. Which is why today, while the rest of the world celebrates peace, Huntsmen and Huntresses will work to uphold it."
I felt a thrill of pride. Everyone in the room was moved by the passion and sincerity in his voice. How could one not be moved? He spoke with his heart.
Screens rose around the room and there were blocks of missions. Each team would choose one.
My teammates began whispering excitedly but I just kept my eyes on Oz.
"As first year students, you will be tasked with shadowing a professional Huntsman or Huntress on a mission. Some of you may be taken out of the kingdom for several days, others will work within the walls for the rest of the week. But no matter which path you choose," His eyes found mine in the crowd. "Remember to be safe, remember your training and remember to do your very best." He said before walking off the stage with a smile.
Elise saw the interaction and had to suppress a wide smile.
I already knew where we needed to be assigned. "Guys, come with me." I said standing. "Why, oh fearless leader?"
"This leader knows where we need to get assigned to continue with our... extra assignment." I murmured quietly. There was that subtle change in my teammates as they switch into that mode they had when we spoke of the secret mission.
"We need to get assigned to a South east quadrant."
Peyton nodded. "I'm on it."
He began weaving through the crowd with us following. For his size, he slipped easily through the crowd. I was proud. My training had done him good.
"Team DEEP." That voice called. We all stopped and turned as Oz came towards us with a Scroll in his hand.
"Yes, Professor?" I said.
Elise was going to burst.
"You four have already been assigned a mission. You'll be briefed later. You leave at midnight. Your Huntsman is still getting here."
My eyebrows rose.
Already assigned?
"I see. Well, sir, could you tell us where we've been assigned?" I said, nudging him inside me. He nudged back.
"A very popular region at the moment. Now if you'll excuse me, I will see you all later."
He smiled and walked into the crowd.
Peyton was confused. "What just happened?"
I shrugged. I had never heard of first years getting assigned for missions.
"I'll go find out. You guys, I guess, take our bags back to our room. We don't leave till late." They nodded and went to grab our bags. "Team meeting after we farewell our friends." I called. There was acknowledgment and then they were gone.
I turned and followed Oz.
I found him with team RWBY. I couldn't get close enough to hear what was being said, but I didn't need to hear to understand.
Team RWBY was trying to get assigned to the Southeast. But the Grimm activity blocked it from first years.
Oz, what are you up to?
He was filled with mirth as he spoke to the four embarrassed girls. Then he typed something on his Scroll and suddenly, it popped up that team RWBY would be on a Search and Destroy mission in Quadrant 5.
Curious.
Then he turned very serious. He was worried for the team but he knew they'd end up in that quadrant one way or another.
He walked away, leaving them sober.
"What are you up to, Professor Ozpin?" I said, leaning on Orchid. He smiled.
"Bending the rules, Ms. Derivalle, before they break." He said before walking away smiling.
My eyes narrowed and I could feel his laughter as if he was standing next to me.
"Dahlia, Team CFVY is back!" Elise called, leaping over people.
She and I dashed out.
My second year friends had been gone for far too long.
The four older students were walking in. Coco and Fox smiled and hugged us before walking away. Yatsuhashi, a boy who almost beat Peyton out for size and bulk, fist bumped us stone-faced before walking away and then beloved Velvet came and hugged me tight.
"It's so good to have you back. I was beginning to worry." I whispered. "No need to fear, Mommy Quicksilver. I had Yatsuhashi to watch out for me."
I held her shoulders and stood back, gazing at her with a healer's eyes.
She was worn down but relieved to be back. Their solo mission had been hard on all of them.
Her battle attire was a long black leotard beneath a short crop brown long sleeve zip up jacket and matching shorts trimmed with thick gold straps with golden spaulders on her shoulder and matching vambraces on her forearms. Her gold belt hung diagonally across her hips and her brown boots had heel and toes gold plates. On her chest over her heart was her emblem. It looked like a dark brown heart on a gold circle. The brown heart looked like it was ripped and sewn back together with white thread.
"You need plenty of rest to restore your energy. I'll make a restorative tea for you tonight. Healer's orders." I said smiling at her.
"Oh, Dally, you're mothering her already." Elise groaned. Velvet laughed and hugged her and I again.
"Where are you going for your mission?"
Elise shrugged. "Ozpin assigned us. We have no idea where we are going. We find out later and we leave tonight. Apparently our Huntsman is still making his way here."
Velvet looked confused. "That's strange." I nodded.
"Yeah but it's kind of already done. So we'll have some time for me to mother your team before I leave." I grinned.
Velvet smiled back. "See you later?"
I nodded and ran a hand down her hair before she left.
"O jeez, Dahlia. You and Oz need to just go ahead and have kids so you can focus on your own brood instead of the rest of us." Elise murmured in my ear.
I blushed thinking of Oz and I.
"You wouldn't know what to do if I didn't mother you." She laughed.
"You'd make pretty babies." She said winking.
The idea of having children, especially with Oz, both thrilled and terrified me.
Thrilled because I wanted it. I wanted a child of my own to teach and love and cherish like my mother hadn't.
Terrified because I had seen what had happened to the children and spouses of the assassins who got caught.
They didn't die quickly.
"Hush up, you." I muttered trying to cool my burning cheeks.
"Since you're a Wolf Faunus, would you have a litter or just one?" She asked when we were alone.
"Elise!"
She laughed.
Everyone was preparing to leave. Elin and Peyton came to say goodbye too.
Team RWBY was the first off. Team RWBY... and dear Dr. Oobleck.
I couldn't keep a short bark of laughter back. Oz had done that on purpose.
"Three minutes behind schedule ladies! Give my regards!" Oobleck said before zipping onto the airship.
Yang was the first one to me. "Whatever Gods you worship Dahlia, please ask them to help us." She muttered under her breath. I laughed and kissed her cheek. "You'll be fine. I know you'll keep them safe." I said, before passing her off to Elise, who bear hugged the air out of the other blonde. Same with Elin and Peyton.
As an oldest, Yang, like me, had a protective streak. When I reassured her that she'd be able to keep her friends safe it eased a spike in her.
Weiss just needed a hug and a confidence boost. She was not expecting to be lead about on a mission by a history teacher. I reminded her that she wasn't alone. Her smile was sweet.
Blake's goodbye was especially hard. These months together had been sweeter than any sugar. I had missed having my sibling around. "Be brave, little sister." I whispered as she hugged me. "You too, Big sister. None of us will make it without you." I eased her fear of leaving me. She was afraid that I wouldn't be here when she got back, just like the last time she had left. "You'll be fine without me, kitten." I said kissing her cheek.
When Ruby approached me I got a whiff of dog smell. I had to control my features and I hugged her tight. She was afraid. Afraid to fail again, afraid that she wouldn't be able to keep her team safe, afraid that they weren't ready to be out on their own.
I eased her fear and gently warmed her confidence. "I'm only a click away if you need me." I whispered to the young leader.
It made her feel better knowing that Mommy Quicksilver would be there if she was called.
"Well, alright then, looks like we're going to save the world with Dr... Oobleck, okay yeah when you say it out loud it sounds worse." Ruby said, aiming for positives before ending with despair.
"Save the world?" Nora cried. Team JNPR joined us. "You're going on world saving missions without us?! I'm hurt! Sad! Maybe a little hungry? That last one is not your fault though...Ren." Nora said putting her hands on her hips and glaring at the tall black haired boy, who crossed his arms across his chest and put his nose in the air with a fake frown on his lips.
"Sounds exciting. Where you guys going?" Jaune asked. Ruby hooked her fingers in the straps of her backpack. "Oh, just outside the kingdom." She said casually. I smiled, "We get our assignment later from the Headmaster. We ship out tonight."
"We leave tomorrow!" Nora cried. "We're also going outside the kingdom."
"Ren and Nora wanted to shadow the sheriff of a nearby village." Pyrrha commented putting her hand on her hip. "Sounds like an adventure." Elin said sweetly.
"Hey, so who is leaving tomorrow? You can party with us tonight!" Sun strolled up to us with Neptune. "Hello boys." I said.
"Hey, Mommy." Neptune said off handedly. "We're shadowing a crime specialist. All inner city detective stuff. We get junior badges."
Jaune stared at Neptune with awe in his big blue eyes.
"We normally go to the city with you guys, which means stuff's always exploding and junk. So we thought this might be a better chance to check out the kingdom when it's you know, normal." Sun said in the way only Sun could.
Ruby began to comment when Oobleck cried the four minute mark.
Everyone got quiet and just stared at team RWBY, sympathy radiating from everyone. I laughed and then they looked at me weird. I controlled myself. "You guys are funny."
Ruby grimace grinned. "Well... wish us luck." She said lamely. We walked the team to the airship. "Good luck guys! Remember, one click away!" I called out.
"Good luck, Dr. Oobleck!" I waved. "And to you, Ms. Derivalle! And to all of you!" He yelled back before the airship flew away.
"Be safe." I whispered staring at the retreating ship. "Don't worry Mommy. They'll be fine." Sun said, putting an arm over my shoulders as Elise wrapped hers around my waist. I put my right arm over Elise's shoulders and wrapped my left around Sun's firm waist after I shrunk Orchid down and stowed her away.
"I hope so."
I had to learn to trust them with their lives.
We all walked away, Sun refusing to let me go, so Neptune joined in the chain, putting his arm over Elise's shoulder and my arm. Then Pyrrha, Nora, Ren, Peyton, Elin and Jaune joined in, putting arms around shoulders and waists.
It was nice to walk without needing Orchid. With Sun and Elise's support, I could walk almost like normal.
I whispered in Elise's ear. "Later, we'll go to town and see Daren."
She blushed. "Actually, I was planning on going after we meet with Ozpin... and you don't need to come with me. You could give your man a proper farewell and get working on those kids." She whispered back.
Both of us were alarming shades of crimson from embarrassment.
"What are you two talking about? Why are you such funny colors?" Sun asked loudly.
We turned deeper red.
"We'll tell you when you're older." I said in a motherly tone. He was about to try and argue when Peyton piped up.
"Don't try man. You'll just end up more confused than before." He said with the voice of experience.
We all laughed and matched our footsteps up as we went.