Disclaimer: Anon Noir and Billy Bombastic do not own RWBY. RWBY belongs to RoosterTeeth and Monty Oum (RIP).
"We're here! Yay!" Nora Valkyrie jumped for joy as they finally arrived at the gilded gates of Beacon Academy.
Her companion, on the other hand, laid pale-faced from the…"trip".
"Oh no! Are you broken?" Nora gasped at the state of poor Oscar and knelt down to offer him some water.
"Thank… you…" Oscar croaked out, taking the waterskin and took a gulp of water.
"To be fair, I did take a rather long way." Nora looked behind her as she saw a long yellow brick road from Beacon to the city. To say it was a long road was an understatement.
"But, some nice people we saw along the way did say to follow the yellow brick road."
"Suddenly, the ride on that big bird felt much safer." Oscar muttered as he stood and dusted himself, but was waved away by Nora.
"Oh don't be like that, we're here now, that's what matters!" She said, pointing to the Academy.
"I guess…" Oscar said with some uncertainty before clearing his throat.
"What do we do now?"
Nora hummed before pointing at a stationed guard near the gate.
"We could ask that guard over there! Come on, follow me!" Nora skipped ahead, Oscar following close behind.
"If you say so…" Oscar muttered before nervously adding. "A-as long as you're the one doing the talking!"
Anon and Billy Productions present…
Vytal's Hope
Episode 8: The Man Called Ozpin
"Enter." Ozpin said as he heard a knock in the door, expecting Glynda.
Only to be surprised when a Beacon guardsman entered the room, something that while not unwelcome, it happened only on certain occasions.
"Ser, there's two youngins wantin' an audience with ya, something 'bout an apprenticeship." The guardsman said. A clear accent was heard that Ozpin mused to be from the northeastern coasts.
"Ah, let them in then." Ozpin said, an understanding look on his face as indeed, a young woman and a younger boy entered, both sporting engineer's garbs.
"I see you are the two seeking apprenticeship here?" He asked as the guardsman took his leave with a close of the door.
"Yup! Nora Valkyrie is the name!" The ginger haired one, Nora, introduced herself with such bubbly energy.
"A-and I'm Oscar Pine, s-sir." The boy, Oscar, introduced with a much more reserved, but nervous disposition as he bowed quite awkwardly.
Ozpin chuckled briefly before he stood and approached to shake their hands.
"And I am Grand Magister Ozpin, delighted to meet you both." Ozpin introduced with a small bow before seating himself back and going through some papers on his desk.
"Now, from the outfits, I assume you are here because of the note that the Siegemaster had left at the Guildhouse?" Both nodded and Ozpin hummed in thought before continuing.
"I see. Well in terms of apprentices, the Academy certainly has enough going around…" Nora and Oscar's faces fell at that.
"However, our fellow knights from the Ritterorden in the north have provided the Academy with their experimental "Dust-powered" weapons, one of which being called a Drachenflamme. A gift, courtesy of His Lordship the Prinz-Ritter." Ozpin explained as he gestured to the window behind him as Nora and Oscar saw a smaller tower across the way housing an odd iron tube.
"Woah…" Oscar said in awe.
"Awesome..!" Nora added, earning a fond chuckle from Ozpin.
"Awesome indeed. But unfortunately, while we do have dedicated engineers who operate these so-called "Weapons of Magic's Bane"," Ozpin chuckled humorously at that before letting out a small sigh of exasperation.
"Some, if not most of them, are a little new to Atlas' innovations, and can barely know how to maintain, much less properly operate the damned things, if you will excuse my South-coastal Valean." Ozpin's eyes twinkled at the excited look on the young aspiring engineer's faces.
"And as such, Beacon is in need of fresh blood, and you two seemed to have been rather eager since you've used the Yellow Road on your way here." He was amused at the sheepish look on Nora's face.
"S-so, you're saying..!" Oscar spoke up but his voice trailed as he guessed.
"Yes, young man. If you two are willing, you can and will be the first of this year's apprentice engineers here at Beacon." Their eyes widened before Nora quickly stood.
"We'll take it!" She declared, Oscar simply nodded but the excitement was not lost on him until he raised his hand.
"Yes, Mr. Pine?"
"Is there a sort of initiation that we should accomplish?"
"Certainly not, Mr. Pine." Ozpin handed the two a pair of contracts.
"While indeed there will be an initiation, it is for the Squires that will be coming in two days time."
"What's with the contracts?" Nora waved hers around.
"To ensure your employment as apprentice engineers of Beacon Academy, so that you may enjoy benefits of protection within the Academy grounds as well as access to its facilities." Oscar then had a face of confusion.
"Uh, do we need a quill, a pen, or…?" Oscar's face paled as he looked at his own hand but Ozpin waved his worries off.
"No need, and certainly no blood is needed for the contract, I assure you." Ozpin chuckled at the young boy sagging in relief.
"All you need to do is to simply place a little bit of your Mana on the paper if you are a Magi, and the seal below is made of Dust if you are an Auralite."
"Uh…" Nora and Oscar tilted their heads in unison at the multiple terms being thrown around.
Right. Ozpin sweatdropped before clearing his throat.
"Fret not, while you are apprentices and therefore employed in this Academy, apprentices like you two have a special privilege of attending lectures so you may understand the terms I used and more." Ozpin reassured as he handed pens to the two.
"For now, your signatures will suffice." Nodding their thanks, Nora and Oscar signed their names on the contracts and as soon as they were done, the contracts burst into green flames before dissipating, surprising the two.
"That's certainly something I might take a while getting used to." Oscar muttered as green flames appeared in Ozpin's hand before taking the forms of his and Nora's contracts.
"Quite." Ozpin grinned before placing the papers on his desk as he adjusted his spectacles and snapped his fingers.
Suddenly a dark green portal appeared from behind, shocking the two once more.
"I've made sure your accommodations are made tidy and your belongings are secured in your room, which is located in the Smith's Guild northwest of this very tower and just near the barracks where our Squires-in-training are to be housed."
Nora and Oscar looked at each other before looking back to the portal which showed their room before they felt a sudden shove towards the portal, courtesy of the Grand Magister's magic, as they were tossed into their rooms. But not before hearing Ozpin's parting words.
"Welcome to Beacon Academy."
A few days later.
Nighttime came as Ozpin compiled the last few papers on his desk, he let out a sigh of relief.
"Another day, another stack of paperwork done." He muttered to himself as he stood up.
Sometimes I feel like a thousand year old wizard with the weight of the world on my shoulders. Ozpin thought in amusement as he spared a glance at the neat stack of papers before turning his gaze to the outside world.
Then I forget, I am but a humble Grand Magister, paving the way for the future protectors of the realm, all the while searching for my successor, as is tradition. He continued before he felt his hairs stand on end, his senses flaring as he heard a commotion from behind.
Ozpin narrowed his eyes as he glanced behind him. Darkness. He long turned out the lanterns of his room, leaving only a lone lit candle on his desk as well as the light of the moon shining through the glass roof.
The news of a robed figure mentioned by Sir Corvus earlier in the morning had not been lost on him.
"'Tis not everyday that someone would breach Beacon's barrier." He called out, but only received silence.
"I know you're in there somewhere," Ozpin attempted again. "I may not have the soul-searching sight of an Auralite, but I can hear you, breathing in the dark."
WHISTLE!
Ozpin grabbed the arrow without a second thought, just as it was mere inches from between his eyes.
He studied the arrow with scrutiny. While normally it wouldn't be advisable, at first glance, the Grand Magister immediately noticed the peculiarities of both the arrow and the one who shot it.
Said peculiarities came in the form of the arrowhead being jade green in colour, as well as a sigil engraved on the arrowhead.
A lotus? Ah, I see… Ozpin had a brief knowing grin.
"I have heard songs about it, as well as whispers and rumours. Of how Clan Ren was entirely wiped out prior to the war." Ozpin spoke, but tilted his head as an arrow came whizzing by, narrowly missing his head.
"Clearly, you've been misinformed." A cold, yet young voice responded as Ozpin's would-be attacker came out of the shadows. Their outfit concealing most of his features but their striking yet cold magenta eyes was all Ozpin needed to know.
"...Quite, although I had my suspicions early on the moment you docked at Lower Cairn and made your way here." Ozpin could catch a glimpse of his attacker's eyes widening briefly.
"But… how?" The Grand Magister shrugged with a knowing smirk.
"A little bird simply told me." Ozpin then pulled out a teapot and two cups, pouring both. He then slid one cup towards the cloaked figure.
"I'm sure you are quite famished after some time travelling, and I reckon you come seeking something from me if you had the effort of passing through the Barrier, as well as the guards."
The cloaked figure looked to be in thought before Ozpin heard a silent sigh as the figure placed their bow on his desk and sat across from him, hesitantly taking the cup before them.
"I do not poison my guests, I assure you." Ozpin chuckled.
"Now, on to business…"
Anon: AAAAND cut
Billy: WHOOO, boy that took longer than it should
Anon: To be fair, we've been switching between this and the React-Fic, and College is not helping matters AT ALL
Billy: Amen, SO ANYWAYS. That's another batch of chapters done, for the next four, we'll be heading back to Jaune and hopefully get the Initiation Arc over with
Anon: So how are chapters five through eight? As always, Read and Review
Billy: FAVOURITE AND FOLLOW
Anon: Stay Cool and Anonymous
Billy: AND STAY BOMBASTIC!