...
The boy looked green around the gills as he tried to figure out how to explain his words. Roman waited with more patience than he felt. This child had asked him about the year. The date he could understand. Year not so much.
What could have happened for someone not to know what year it was? The look of absolute shock had mirrored his own when the boy said the Fall of Beacon. Beacon had not fallen. Roman had gone to look out the window at the Tower where a green light could be seen.
Cautiously the boy, Oscar had come to stand next to him. Hazel eyes stared out at the Tower. They were wide with wonder and just a hint of surprise.
Quietly Roman said, "I can't understand what you mean. You say I died at Beacon's Fall and that was almost two years ago. Yet here we are seeing the Tower with our own eyes. Beacon has not fallen. I'll ask you again. What did you mean, Beacon's Fall?"
Oscar swallowed. His shoulders came all the way up to his ears. Everything about his body language screamed anxiety.
Quietly he said, "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."
Roman frowned as he demanded, "Try me, lad."
Oscar said as his shoulder slumped, "Before I woke up I was 16. Now I'm about 11. By the date, you gave me it fits how I look."
Roman's eyes narrowed as he asked skeptically, "You're trying to tell me you are from the future? Kid if you are going to make up a story at least make it believable."
Oscar's eyes flashed to him. The amber in them became more pronounced than they had been before. It almost made Roman take a step back in fear. Only years of being on the streets kept him where he was.
The boy snapped his eyes showing his anger, "Do you think I want this?! Moments before I woke up here I had just been shot by a man I trusted. He tried to kill me because I told him a truth he didn't want to face. My aura had already broken and was only beginning to return and was broken again. Now my aura won't react the way it's supposed to. And!"
He was about to rant some more but then he stopped. A dark look crossed his face on that was turned inwards. Roman wished he knew more of what caused that kind of look.
Roman said, "I suppose I should tell you. Maybe this will get you to tell me the truth. I did a blood test on you to find out who you are."
The boy snorted, "Let me guess. You found a poor farm boy from Mistral. A child who had gotten caught in a Grim attack several years ago. An attack that killed his parents because he couldn't do as he was told."
Roman winced in sympathy. The loss of one's family was always hard. He could tell the boy truly felt all of the emotions that went across his face. Heartbreak is the most prominent. Something like that could not be faked.
Did he really believe that he was alone in the world? That he didn't have a parent living the world? A part of Roman was surprised at how cold old man Ozpin could be.
Abandoning one's kid? Even he wasn't that cold. Case and point was his adopted sister Neo. Neo's parents deserved everything they had gotten for their treatment.
Gently he asked, "You don't know? That you have a living parent?"
Shock crossed Oscar's face, "What?"
Roman sighed, "You don't. When I did the blood test I assumed you were from Vale. So I focused the search through the database here. Your father is a Huntsman and a well-known one at that."
From the corner of his eye, he could see the way he gaped like a fish. He tried to deny, "That's impossible. My father was a farmer and he died in an attack on my farm."
Roman continued slowly, "He's not. It seems your parents didn't tell you the truth. Your father is alive and he is in Vale. He is Headmaster Ozpin of Beacon."
"No," denied Oscar, "That's impossible."
Roman pulled out his scroll and brought up the test. Then he gave it to the boy who read through the test. There was a flash of concern when he saw the way the blood drained from Oscar's face. He swayed as if he was going to pass out.
Without realizing what he was doing he reached out to steady Oscar. Oscar in turn flinched away from his touch. When he found out who hurt this child he was going to make them pay. Hurting children was not okay. It didn't matter if you were a thief or a huntsman.
"Why didn't he tell me?"
Before he could ask what Oscar meant the boy seemed to retreat into himself. A wince ran through him. He hadn't meant to break the boy's perspective on life. When it became obvious Oscar wasn't going to move himself and his legs were shaking with the effort of staying upright he scooped him up. There wasn't a reaction this time.
