A/N: Oscar will be a bit older in this. And as such I want to make it clear, I DO NOT have a problem with the canon two year age gap between Oscar and Ruby, I just can't justify Ozpin bringing a child that either has no training or not even a full year's to Beacon.

The fic's title comes from Moonlight Concert from The Liar Princess and the Blind Prince. The chapter title comes from... well if you're reading this I'm sure you know.

There's a farm in Mistral, just outside a town so small it doesn't even have a name. It's not very noteworthy in the grand scheme of things, but it is loved by the people of the little town all the same. The people that live there are much the same, irrelevant in the grand scheme of things, but loved by those around them. Despite what some may claim, there is no shame in this. Quite the opposite, actually, living a simple life surrounded by people who love you can be a very beautiful thing. But there is equal beauty in dreaming of more and working towards it. And the smallest on the farm dreams of precisely that.

"I don't want to be a farmhand forever," Oscar Pine says to the cow he's milking. "Don't get me wrong, I love Aunt Em, I love our farm, I love the other farmhands, and I love the animals, but Remnant is just too big to stay cooped up here forever."

Some would question why Oscar is telling this to the cow instead of one of his friends or one of the aforementioned farmhands or his Aunt Em. But truth be told there aren't really any people his age in the little town where the Pines sell most of their goods, and he doesn't want to talk with the adults in his life about it until he's sure he can convince them. "Moo," the cow says, and Oscar decides to take that as agreement.

Oscar nods, still milking the cow. "Yep, I want to try and become a Huntsman like Dad was," the dark-haired boy says. "Of course, that means going to one of the combat schools, and there aren't any nearby… Which means Aunt Em will be down a farmhand…" Oscar's expression turns downcast at the thought.

Really that's what's held him back from bringing it up before now. He's been thinking about this a long time, ever since he was old enough to understand what being a Hunter meant. But he's never quite managed to talk to his aunt about it. Because, despite the fact their farm is successful and well regarded by their little town, Aunt Em isn't exactly rolling in lien. Oscar's honestly not sure if she can afford paying for him to go to a combat school and hire a new farmhand to make up for losing his share of the work while school is in session.

Oscar sighs. If he tells Aunt Em about it, she'd at least try to help. But she's done so much for him. Ever since his father… Oscar shakes his head gently, trying to distance himself from those thoughts.

The cow, ever sympathetic to Oscar's plight, gives an affectionate, "Moo," as the farm boy stands up from his work.

In most worlds this is as far as Oscar Pine's ambitions go. Wistful conversations with livestock about what could be or what might have been, until an old wizard's duties are passed onto the boy. But here, in this world, Oscar and the cow aren't quite as alone as they think, and Oscar's wish to become a Huntsman may be closer to being granted than realizes.

Juniper Yew, June to her friends, has been working for Esmerelda Pine for years now. And that meant the fox faunus was also quite familiar with her boss' nephew, Oscar Pine. He was a good kid, if a bit quiet. So, when she hears him chatting merrily away to the cow, she's surprised. When she hears him talk about becoming a Huntsman, she's even more surprised. Oscar had never really expressed interest in leaving the farm before, to the best of her knowledge.

The idea he might've had wishes beyond being a farmer had never occurred to her before, though she supposes it makes sense. His father had been a Hunter after all and, while June had never met him, Em's always spoken highly of the man and how he would defend villages that other Hunters wouldn't because they were too poor to make any jobs they offered particularly profitable. So, the idea that Oscar admires him and seeks to live the same way shouldn't be much of a shock.

She's happy for the boy, being that dedicated to something is an idea to cherish. And with this new information in mind, the times she saw him training with his father's old staff take on a new significance. But then she watches the boy's face fall, and become clouded by worries about doing right by Em. About the farm. June shakes her head. "You're too young to be worrying about stuff like that," the faunus woman says in a low voice so that he won't hear. "We can take care of your aunt just fine. You should be free to live your life, Os."

June brings it up with Em later, and the older woman smiles sadly. "I should've known," June's boss says. "That boy's always had too much of his parents in him. He'd never be happy stuck on this farm forever, not really. But he's not interested in hurting anybody, either." Em smiles wistfully. "He really is just like Cy was…"

"Ma'am?" June says confused.

"I'm not the first owner of Pine Farms," Em says. "It was my parents before me, and my mother's parents before them. We Pines have lived on this farm for a very long time. But that wasn't enough for my brother. The first chance he got; Cyrus left for a combat school. My parents tried to talk him out of it, but Cyrus was too stubborn to ever stop when his heart was set on something. He took every job he could get in town and then some to pay for his tickets to Vale, and then worked the entire time he was a student to keep himself enrolled." There's a bittersweet smile on Em's face. "That brother of mine couldn't stand being cooped up here when people needed help. And Jade was the same way, even though she wasn't a Huntress."

"She was a field medic, right?" June asks, trying to remember what she'd been told about Em's sister-in-law and Em nods.

"That's right. It's no coincidence that we lost my brother not long after he lost his wife," the older woman said sadly. "When he got in over his head protecting the latest village that couldn't afford more than one Huntsman, and one willing to work dirt cheap at that, she would patch him up. But she died not too long after the boy was born… and, well, Cyrus never could bring himself to slow down."

"You're going to have to talk to Os about combat school," June says. "I doubt that he's going to bring it up himself."

Em hums in agreement. "His birthday is coming up," the elder Pine notes. "But the next term won't be until next fall. I think that'll be as good a time as any, don't you?"

June's purple eyes sparkle. "If it's alright with you ma'am, I want to tell the other farmhands," the young woman said. "Oscar's a good kid, we all like him. If we pool our lien, I'm sure we could get something nice to help him out."

Em chuckles. "Go right ahead," she says merrily. "What you all do on your own time isn't any concern of mine."

When his chores are done, Oscar practices with his father's staff. Even if he doesn't go to a combat school, he needs to be able to fight off any Grimm that menace their farm. So he goes through the drills that were suggested in one of his books, paying careful attention to how it advises holding the staff. He tries to perform some of the basic maneuvers, but the way he's gripping the staff doesn't feel quite right. Oscar pulls up pictures of his father in his scroll, comparing the man's stance to the recommended one in his book. That's weird, Oscar muses as he tries to mimic his father's style. He's holding the staff more like a club. Still, he tries to adjust his grip on the staff to be more similar to his father's. The grip feels much more natural, but now the staff feels too long… Oscar muses, and then has to fight the urge to knock himself on the head with the staff as realization sets in. This was his father's staff. It was built for a man grown. Not a twelve, almost thirteen, year-old boy.

Still though, right now it's all he has. So Oscar focuses on finding a sweet spot between the suggested grip and how his father held it, and continues to practice the recommended positions as best he can.

November arrives, and with it Oscar's birthday. Pine Farms buzzes with a quiet kind of excitement as Em and the farmhands prepare for the celebration. Their boy will probably be in another kingdom this time next year, after all, so they've been planning to go all out for this celebration.

Em's baking a cake, and June is making Oscar doesn't come inside until everything is ready for his birthday dinner.

It hadn't taken much convincing for June to get the other farmhands on board. The Pines have always treated them all more like family than workers, so Oscar is more like a nephew or a younger cousin to the majority of them. They all want to see him thrive. If that means becoming a Huntsman, then they want to help him in whatever way they can. Pooling their money together, they were able to buy him a gravity dust crystal. Just one, Dust is rather expensive, but at least this way he won't be the only kid coming into Signal without any Dust of his own.

Em eventually shouts for everyone to come to wash up and come for dinner. After the Pines and their farmhands are seated around the dinner table, the elder Pine clears her throat. "So," she says, "as you all know today is a very special day. Oscar is turning thirteen-" a few of the farmhands cheer, "Happy birthday Os!" – "but today is also the day we get to help make Oscar's wish come true!"

Oscar looks decidedly confused, but he also looks excited. Em pulls a covering off the cake revealing a cake covered in chocolate frosting and written on it in green icing was:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HUNTSMAN!

Oscar blinks. His eyes go wide, and the farm boy starts to cry. He's beaming, so he's clearly very happy, but he's crying all the same. "A-Aunt Em," he says, choking up. "How… How did you know?"

June grins, patting the birthday boy on the back. "Heard you talking to the cow," she says. "Kids like you should be free to chase their dreams, y'know?"

"I know you want to go to Signal like your daddy did," Em tells her nephew. "And you're thirteen now, which means you'll be able to start the next term." Oscar hugs his aunt tight, actions doing more to express the incredible gratitude he feels for being able to pursue his dream more than words ever could.

After letting the Pines have their moment, June presents the farmhands' gift. "This is our contribution," she says, indicating herself and the others. "I know it's not much, but we didn't want you to be the only kid without some Dust to train with."

"Not much?" Oscar asks incredulously. "June, it's only thanks to you this is happening at all. How did you all even afford Gravity Dust? It must've cost a fortune."

The boy's exaggerating a bit. Dust is expensive, certainly, but one crystal wouldn't have broken their budgets. "We pooled our money together for you kid," she says. "Just remember us all when you're a big shot Hunter out there saving villages like ours from the Grimm, yeah?"

"I'll make you all proud," Oscar promises. The farmhands all cheer, coming up to shake his hand or ruffle his hair or pat him on the back.

June doesn't think the kid has anything to worry about there. She's seen him diligently train with his father's old staff, even though it wasn't a great fit for him. Em's told her how he studies up on Dust and types of Grimm at night when his chores are done. He didn't even think he'd have this opportunity, but he's been diligently working for it all the same. He's already made her proud, and she's sure Em and the others feel the same way.

After the foods all been eaten and plates are washed, Oscar sits in his room looking out the window at the shattered moon. "It's going to happen," he says, gazing up at the fragmented silver orb. "I'm going to become a Huntsman like you Dad. Wherever you and Mom are now, I hope you can see what everyone's doing for me. So don't worry. I'll pick up where you left off."

There's no answer from the celestial body. But Oscar smiles, and rubs at few stray tears from his eyes. His grand adventure is mere months away, and he'll be walking the same steps his father once did.

Oscar's fate in this world has already veered off the intended course. Eventually this change will ripple outward, touching others in its wake. In time. All things in time.

A/N: I hope you all enjoyed. Please feel free to give feedback.