Black dress shoes padded slowly down the hallway. Their noise was second to none with empty status of the grounds. Headmaster Ozpin strolls on his way to the Bullhead docks with a grimace set upon his features. His grip on his coffee mug is slightly tight and his suit has a button un-clasped.
A problem, one that is not new but certainly has found itself unwelcome with me. I can only hope his future is bright in another field. A part of me want's to give this boy a chance, but I know I might be killing him in the process. Sadly, my mind is made up. Ozpin thinks to himself as he steps from cool concrete onto even colder metal. His personal Bullhead was nothing special. It's black and green paint-job being the only thing he requested.
Even though he had a hand in designing the original all those years ago, he never did like riding in them. Something about the thousands of years he walked on foot made flying an uncomfortable experience. I imagine this is how it must feel for the Brothers, so far above us yet un-capable of impacting the events on the ground. Ozpin mulled over those thoughts for the entire ten minutes it took to land in Vale proper.
Even with all the ways he has died, ranging from old age to being burned, he never wants to experience a crash landing fatality. It is unnatural in ways he can't explain. But he casts away these thoughts as he makes his way to a taxi terminal. Paying the automated vehicle with his scroll wirelessly, he set the destination and breathed out a heavy batch of air. He never likes to make the hard decisions, he feels beneath them. Afterall, he was raised and first lived as a warrior with simple direction. Though he has change immensely since his first life, he still feels as though his first life was most important. He learned how to look at and judge others, and how to seek victory and achievement along with personal fufillment.
As the metal construct engaged brakes outside of his destination, he considered for a moment turning around. He contemplated signing his name back in his office and not having to crush this young man's dreams. But logic forced his feet to step outside and onto the sidewalk. And suddenly Ozpin felt twice his weight. His face held it's grimace as he pushed the buzzer next to the building's front door. With dread, he entered after the front desk unlocked the door. He asked the clerk for the apartment number belonging to the young man he looked for.
Less than a minute passed before he had walked down the hall and found the apartment. How unfortunate... This is an omen if I have ever seen one. Ozpin thought grimly as he stared at the number. The glaring thirteen sat on the door and mocked him. His free hand raised to knock on the door. Not even three seconds had passed before it was wretched open by the habitant teenager.
"Uh...How can I help you?" Jaune Arc spoke with a nervous hand scratching his neck.
This is going to be harder than I thought. Ozpin said to himself while a sad smile made it's way to his face.
...
Qrow sat slack in his booth, his head tilted back and his arm resting on the counter in front of him while his fingers held onto a glass. The world was smudged and distorted, but in a confortable way. Almost as if his sorrows had been washed away by the alcohol swimming through his system. Oh wait, maybe that had been his intention. Yeah, it was. He leaned forward untill his head found itself held up by his neck rather than by the cushion of his booth backrest.
He thought back on his recent mission. Why couldn't he have just surrendered? He wasn't even older than Yang the poor bastard. He didn't need to die. His mind lingered on the incident, the teenage boy who had taken a girl surrender when the police came for him. Given his particular skill in espionage and stealth approaches, he took the emergency call and responded. Afterall he was passing through, and what kind of Huntsmen wouldn't help.
He swooped in and transformed behind the boy. Being paranoid or cautious, he seemed to have expected a sneak attack. For he swung around and fired on him, Qrow being who he was, deflected or dodged the rounds until the boy emptied his weapon. Making sure to pull the hostage from the perp's grip first, Qrow managed to floor the boy. But while he was consoling the poor girl he saved, the boy had pulled a knife and made for them both. Shots rang out and the boy hit the floor with several grotesque holes blown in him.
Those damn cops, letting the snipers go loud without seeing if Qrow was going to handle it. To be fair to them, they did not know if his aura was up at the time and it was better safe than sorry. but Qrow caught himself wondering what could have been. He would have served time sure, but maybe he would come out the other end a better man. Maybe he would have done something reformative and productive. With that final image in his head, Qrow downed the rest of his glass and held up the green paddle at his booth signalling he wanted more.
Soon enough a bar-maid made her way over and set a platter of three glasses down.
"I went ahead and got you top shelf, I am a whiskey fan too." The cute woman said with a suggestive wink and walked off.
Normally he would have pursued her and had himself a fun night, but he was far more inebriated than usual and wasn't feeling it. So he started on the new and admittedly smoother whiskey with practiced ease.
Then there was a commotion as the bouncer grabbed someone from the main bar and made to drag them out. A mop of blonde hair flung about as the man it belonged to fought against the bouncer with pure fury. As they got close to passing him, Qrow noticed more. It wasn't a man at all, but a boy. His face drawn back in a snarl and his eyes dark sapphire like the sea in the late evening. His features, and the way he spoke reminded Qrow of someone.
Before he knew it, his hand shot out and gripped the bouncer's jacket sleeve. Both men stopped and looked to him.
"Qrow, is there something wrong?" The bouncer replied.
"Sit the kid down here Cal, I will sort him out without all the fuss." Qrow said, defusing the situation.
A few seconds of consideration from Cal, and the boy was forcefully sat down across from Qrow and given a warning to stay.
Before saying a thing, Huntsmen instincts made Qrow examine the boy sat in front of him. His eyes were a little raw, the skin around them red. So it was evident that not too long ago he was crying. His skin was light and pale, so he wasn't overly active or out in the sun much. His hoodie was faded everywhere but the center over the rabbit. So he wore a breastplate often. But the most glaring thing about him, he looked like an old classmate of Qrow's. The stupid heirloom strapped to the boy's waist only aided in concreting the fact that he was of relation to before mentioned classmate.
"Well kid, go ahead and tell me why you are here. Then, tell me why you were getting the boot." Qrow said setting one of his three glasses down for the boy.
"A really bad thing happened, something that I deserved. And for some reason I ended up coming up with the stupid idea of going and having my first drink to toast the death of my future. It sounds stupid I know. But I came and they instantly denied me cause I don't look seventeen. And I have a newfound hate for being denied, and I snapped at the bartender. So just like that, I am sitting here now." The blonde said taking a long drag of whiskey and coughing a little.
"Well kid, that raises one question. What happened that made you hate denials and that you deserved?" Qrow said trying to piece together the events.
The boy hung his head and unclipped his sword inside it's sheath and laid it upon the table. With an explosive sigh he spoke.
"I applied for entry into Beacon, with falsified transcripts. But lo and behold, Headmaster Ozpin showed up in person to explain why he could not take me. Brother's above I want to hate him, but I just can't. Not only was he right, but he didn't even want to do it. He wanted me in because I was of right mind and my determination was admirable. But if i was found out or my records were pulled up... We would both be in deep waters." He stated with his fists sitting on the table clenched.
Qrow mulled over the information. So the young Arc tried and failed to get in, and Ozpin wanted him. If you are hoping for him to have his mother's semblance, then why not take the risk and train him Oz? His thoughts were of course rhetorical, for it doesn't matter why. The boy has had his dreams crushed and is now at the bottom of a glass.
"Well kid, I have a story for you. I was raised outside of the settlements and i wasn't trained formally. I learned most of what I know from fighting to survive and picked up a few things from some very bad people. I moved to Vale when I was your age and joined Beacon with no transcript records to my name. I was only okayed because I came as a package. You see, my twin sister has incredible power. Her semblance and her prowess in combat makes her one of the most dangerous people on the face of Remnant." Qrow told while downing the rest of his glass and placing Harbinger on the table next to Crocea Mors.
"So the former headmaster saw her potential and rushed to accept her. She said it was both of us or neither of us. So just like that I was in. I hated the thought that I was not good enough to get in on my own merit. Of course, I realize now that it doesn't matter. Truth be told kid, I learned very little that I wasn't going to learn in the field anyway. But there was one time you should know about." Qrow finished as he halved the remaining glass between them.
"Well that all seems like a dream compared to getting denied." The boy said with a grimace.
"So there I was, my second year in and I hit a plateau. My team and my sister-team were growing and I was dragging behind them. I was stealing booze from the teacher's lounge and getting drunk to drown my sorrow on the cliffside when a friend found me. She beat the ever-living shit out of me let me tell you. She busted a bottle over my head and drug me to my team and they all got up in arms too. She told me that all I needed to do is stop getting into my own head so much. She told me what I needed was to find a way to just work harder to achieve what I wanted." Qrow said rubbing his head. Sometimes he swears he feels a scar where she busted that bottle.
"She sounds like a nightmare, but at least she cared about you." The boy said with a chuckle.
"Kid, I would watch your tongue. I am talking about your mother here." Qrow said smirking.
The boy's eyes shot up to meet Qrow's. His hands eased and his smirk straightened to being a stiff line.
"You went to school with my Mother?" He asked suspicious.
"Yes, June Arc. The Blazing Blade herself. She was the leader of my sister-team and she was the one who taught me that lesson. I knew your dad too, before he quit being a Huntsmen and became a History teacher in rural Vale. I even know you Jaune, your mother sends me a yearly winter wishes card to my scroll with the damn family photos." Qrow explains while holding up his scroll and cycling to the said photos.
"Well that explains why you got me sat down. Im guessing you are gonna call my parents and tell them everything huh?" Jaune says slumping into his seat.
With a chuckle and and snort Qrow responded.
"You think I am going to sit here and listen to her tear my throat out over the phone? No way am I ever getting on her bad side, even if it would be indirectly. No kid I am not going to do that. I am instead going to pass on her lesson. I am going to help you find another way to achive your dream. Ozpin clearly saw potential and I know what Arcs are capable of. So I am going to get you the next best thing from a Beacon education. I am getting you the teachings of two advanced huntsmen full-time." Qrow says says standing and motioning for him to follow.
...
Taiyang sat at the kitchen table in his log cabin with tears in his eyes. He stares down at the family photo album with a whimper.
"Why do you girls have to grow up so fast? One day you are running around my heels wanting cookies and hair products and the next you are leaving me all alone!" He cries with anguish.
"Don't be such a wuss Dad, it isn't cool." Yang says as she pads into the kitchen to open the fridge and snag the jug of orange juice.
"Well that is easy for you to say! one day you are going to have kids and you will know the pain Firecracker." Tai says wiping away his tears and closing the album.
He stands and pads over to the cubbards to get a mug down. He pours some water in it and dips a tea bag into it before placing the mug in the microwave and hitting go. His shoulders ache and his back calls for him to lay down. Dang old age! I am thirty-nine, not seventy! I should really take time to exercise more. He catches Ruby enter out of the corner of his eye.
"Eww, it smells all fruity in here again!" She says waving her hands in front of her face as if it would help.
"You know that green tea is much better for you than those sodas you drink Rubes, you should be like me and look after your body's systems." Tai says trying his best to set a good example as always. He retrieves his now hot drink and waits for it to cool slightly.
"Dad, not to hurt your feelings but you are a total Atlean at times. Health this, diet that. Oh help me, this bagel is going to attack my waistline!" Yang says mockingly holding up the mentioned bagel and dramatically posing with it above her head.
"AH me too! The evil count cookie is going to make my teeth crumble before him!" Ruby says striking a similar pose.
Both sisters started laughing and snorting as Tai chuckled once.
"I will have you know smarty-pants, that bagel has protein and fibers that help with muscle-growth. It is also whole-grain so it will keep you full longer and provide much needed nutrients. And Ruby, that cookie has raisins!" Tai says laughing as Ruby spit the cookie into the trash while making dramatic heaving noises.
"I guess you could say this bagel is... Well rounded? Eh? Eh?" Yang responded proud of herself.
Both father and younger sister groaned loudly and shook their heads. A loud buzz drew all three sets of eyes to Tai's scroll laying on the counter. Yang nudged him in the ribs while Ruby went for the phone.
"Got yourself a date for when we leave old-man? You never get texts." Yang asked and declared at the same time.
"It is Uncle Qrow, he says to call him when you have time alone. What is this about Dad?" Ruby asks curious.
Taking the scroll and stepping out onto the porch, Tai shrugged to answer his daughter's question. Now in a private setting, he hit the call option and waited. After a few rings, Qrow's face came up and his easy smirk and squinted eyes told it all.
"Dammit Qrow, you are drunk again." Tai said shaking his head disapprovingly.
"Wha? I am no such thang Tai! I am jus having a good time!" Qrow says from the other end.
"What is it you need at this time at night Qrow?" Tai asks with a sigh.
"I... I need a major favor. I need you to look after and train someone." Qrow said suddenly serious.
"What? And why on Remnant would I do that Qrow? I have a job, and unlike you I have hobbies!" Tai says trying to say no.
"Watering flowers and weaving aren't hobbies Tai, they are elderly pass-times." Qrow retorts with a snort before straightening. "Listen Tai... This kid has promise. He got denied by Ozpin for a spot in Beacon, but Oz clearly didn't want to do it. Plus..." Qrow muttered a few more words that Tai did not catch.
"What was that Qrow?" Tai said annoyed at his teammates drunken rambling.
"...He is June's son. It is Jaune Arc I want you to take in." Qrow said with an uncharacteristic amount of pleading in his voice.
"You know better than me that she doesn't want her kids to follow in her foot steps Qrow..." Tai said softly, he knows why this matters so much to Qrow. It is no secret among their age-group of Huntsmen that the dusty old Qrow still has a soft spot for June Orchard. Or as she is now, June Arc.
"Tai... Please just meet him, give him a chance." Qrow almost pleaded.
"Fine, be here next week when the girls leave. I will do this on one condition! You don't get to fly off forever, you have to come back once a week and train him too!" Tai says in his fatherly lecturing tone.
"You got it Tai, thanks for this. I will see you Monday." Qrow says ending the call.
What have I gotten myself into? Dang Qrow and always giving me trouble. But I guess this will keep me occupied. Brothers above know it will be too quiet without my girls at home. I just hope June doesn't decide that now of all times is going to be when she shows up to check up. With a shudder at the thought of June turning him inside out, Tai went in to tell his daughters to go to bed before heading to sleep himself.