A.N. Hewo I'm back. Alright, I have my reason as to why this took over a month. If you read the AN a few chapters back, you would know that I am starting college, and it was tiring for the early weeks. It wasn't the works from professors mind you, but the mandatory orientation activities and tasks by the Faculty are tiring, and it will last for a month, plus I'm moving to a sharehome next week. So writing is kinda on the lower end of my priority list. On a positive note, I found a guy trying to make a visual novel in my faculty, yay.
Alright, that's enough for my rambling. Thank you for all of you who still read this story and hope you enjoy.
Ozma, now Emmanuel Ozpin the Headmaster of the prestigious Beacon Academy and The Great Owl of Vale, was a man with many regrets. The many deaths of those who fought for him—his subordinates, his hosts, all of them accompanied him from the day The Brother Gods appointed him their Champion. A Champion chosen to fight a war against his former wife. A Champion who fights a shadow war that finally surfaced to the world. A Champion shouldering the spirit of the Old World.
In hindsight, he should have stayed dead within the realm of Light. If he hadn't return to the living world, he wouldn't have to see his beloved Salem fall into insanity… He regretted not choosing the un-life of a man dying in his wife embrace, satisfied with his life and believing his wife would find something to do in the living world. He may not gain this second chance at life, but at least he would be spared from all the hell he went through in this eternal life.
The Champion sighed internally, shaking the negative thoughts away and returning to the real world.
On his side stood Qrow Branwen, his most trusted ally in this incarnation. The haggard man caressing his sleeping niece affectionately on the head with a big smile plastered on his face. He was worried for sure, but he too was a proud man seeing his niece grew over the years.
"Young Ruby made quite the impact in her latest mission, don't you agree Qrow?"
The Crow snorted yet still kept his smile, "If you mean her almost distorting, yeah that was quite an impact. Oh, and the Horizontal. Man, wish I was there with my scroll out, seeing a second Red Mist on the rise in person must be one hell of a moment."
The old soul could agree with that. Seeing a potential Color grew with his own eyes was an experience he enjoyed having. Considering that the current world was kept safe by the Colors, Beasts, and E.G.O., another one emerging was a moment worthy of rejoicing.
"Oz," a tired sigh accompanied him, "How long must I keep this up? My niece is here right in front of me and I can't even wait for her eyes to open. I am always watching as The Crow of The Night, longing for a time where I could hug her and tell her that I am proud, to tell her that Summer and Tai were happy to have a daughter like her. I only want a world where I could sit down with the last of the Rose and talk all day long about the glory of STRQ. When can I get that?"
Ozpin internally sigh again and closed his eyes. This scenario already played endlessly in his eternal life, yet they still felt like a pike through his heart. Opening his eyes and staring face to face with his friend, Ozpin answered, "This setup is beneficial to us. The Council believed you held resentment to Summer, keeping that illusion would lessen their attention to Young Ruby. Please Qrow, if not for the world, endure this for your niece. I promise you, after the next act is complete, you will have all the time in the world for her."
Qrow's smile was gone and his flask pouring alcohol into his system, before continuing to caress his beloved niece.
"You know Qrow," the haggard man gave him a side glance, "Choice has the ability to peer into possible futures. In one of them, I saw your nieces—Ruby and Yang—forming a team together with Atlas' idol and Menagerie's princess, team RWBY they were." A tiny smile graced his face as he talked about it, "It was a happy timeline…stagnation… and that's a problem. Too long have I been fighting this war and see nothing in this vast tunnel. Yet there was a light, this timeline that we are in. I took this path and I intend to reach its end.
"You may not understand the struggle I have endure in the thousand years of my life. You never will, for you are not the one with the curse of immortality. You may believe that my decisions have led to the death of your loved ones. You may curse me for eternity and even beyond the grave. But please my friend, I ask of you, fight with me till the end of this tunnel and I promise you the heaven that soon shall come."
There was a distinct stillness in the air as Ozpin finished his speech. Qrow would be lying if there aren't sparks of negativity as his Boss talk, his clenched fist already prove of that. But to him, dwelling on the past wasn't something he enjoyed, focus on the present and the coming future. Yes, he was angry at Emmanuel, but if such was the price for paradise, he'd gladly offer his soul for the world, he knew Summer would do that.
"For the world, for Summer, and for Ruby. I will fight for you Oz, you better bring that paradise to all of us."
A genuine smile came from the old soul, something that was getting rarer the more he live, "Thank you Qrow."
CREAK "Senior, is Ruby awake?" And Johnathan Amsel chose that moment to return.
The Headmaster of Beacon glanced at the door and was met with a flabbergasted young man with blond hair opening and closing his own mouth confused on what to say. Another quick glance to his left revealed a crow perched on his shoulder, good, at least Qrow still retain his vigilance. He returned to the young man who finally addressed him, "Greetings Beast Hunter Ozpin, Sir. It is an honor to meet you in person."
Johnathan Amsel, or Jaune Arc, was an interesting individual in Ozpin's view—every Arc was interesting on their own—but Jaune was the only remaining Arc so there was no competition for him. "Greetings Mister Arc, and please drop the formality, I'm only here as a concerned godfather." He took another quick look at the still sleeping Ruby, "Perhaps we should converse in the living room so as not to bother the young Rose."
Jaune glanced at Ruby and agreed with Ozpin.
The headmaster casually approached the table and sit down while Jaune went to the kitchen, "Coffee, Sir?"
Ozpin won't deny a good coffee, he loved the hot black liquid after all.
A quick brew of black coffee later and both men came seated on the dining table. The headmaster sipping his mug with a content smile, the young Golden gripping his mug tightly, and the small crow also taking quick sip form the headmaster's mug.
Ozpin did not begin a conversation for more than five minutes, content to just sat there and enjoy his coffee. He could see that the young Golden had something to say but Ozpin let Jaune gather his words. While normally an individual best performed when pressure is applied, Ozpin rather let the young man go at his own pace, and there wasn't any urgent matter he needed to address anyway.
True to his thoughts, Mister Arc finally began after another three minutes, "So… uh…" he then tsked to himself, "You know what, Sir. I think me going straight to the point is a better way to solve this situation."
Oh? What kind of situation was this young man referring to he wondered. The answer to that were two items suddenly appearing from his gloves. One was a red fabric folded neatly and the other one was piece of paper with something written on it. Mister Arc gave him the small piece of paper.
Ozpin and Qrow (still in crow form) spat their coffee afterward.
The shattered moon of Remnant was absent from the night sky. In its place, a fully circular moon hung alone in the clear night sky of the rose garden.
The rose garden, a place outside of this world confined in the small space of a maiden's dream. A place of peace where only an enormous patch of white roses stretched to the horizon. It was a place where one could get lost easily if not for a lone withered tree standing tall in the middle of the white sea.
It was under that tree where Ruby Rose slept in peace without a care in the world. In this world she was safe and in this world she felt her mother close by. Her eyes fluttered open and took hold of her surroundings. The place was unchanging, it was the same as the last time she visit, the moon did not move; the tree did not fall; the roses did not wilt. Honestly, she cares not for that. The fact that she was here already made her heart soared in joy.
From the sea of roses a figure approached. A figure clad in ethereal white bearing a smile that shone with the moon; a figure that was oh so familiar to the young maiden of rose.
"Hello my Rosebud. How's your day?" And from there, Ruby and the wraith of Summer sat under the dead tree just talking to each other.
Ruby rarely visited this place, how could she? She didn't even know where this place was! But one thing she knew for sure, when she was burdened by something, when the world was just too unbearable for her, something yanked her here. A place where Summer Rose always waiting for her Rosebud. This was the place where a mother and her daughter talked all day long with topic ranging from Ruby's life to something completely nonsensical.
This was also the place where Ruby vowed to kill Matchlight for the first time. And despite Summer's protest, Little Ruby kept moving forward without rest in search of that one weapon that could kill the wretched flame that razed her world.
Ruby knew she was weak, she knew that fact as early as her first real fight. But she kept going, she will avenge her mother no matter what. But for now, no talk of revenge should be brought here. She was here to unwind after all.
Yet it seemed that the world always find a way to make her life more miserable for every breath she took.
A presence made itself known to the two roses. It came from behind the withered tree. There, stood a being unfamiliar to the mother and daughter duo.
It was a Hunter, there was no mistaking about it. Yet it didn't have that friendly air of a Hunter who defended humanity. No, far from it. It bore a visage of a savage beast with its sharp canines and three feral golden swirls for eyes. A black hunter gear of Old Vale hugged its body tightly with assortments of trinkets dangling from it. And for the final touch, a cloak made of blood and rose fluttered in the wind.
"Rosebud! GET BAC—"
It spoke ▂▂▂▂▃▃▃▃▄▄▄▄▅▅▅▅▅▅▅
Ruby Rose stared at the dark ceiling of her own room. It was a familiar sight to her, something she was grateful for.
Just in case... She left her bed and physically interacted with her belongings; her desk, drawer, uniforms—just to make sure. After that she went to her gloves—just to make sure—and laid the collection of weapons she had amassed for years. All of them were real, this was the real world.
A sigh of relief escaped her when she confirmed that fact and she let the muscles on her legs go numb. The cold floor of her dark room greeted her in silence as she brought her arms around herself. She was trembling, even with her own attempt to stop it with her own arms, she kept trembling. Her bed, a place where she should be safe, regain her attention once more and the trembling intensified.
"What the fuck was that?"
Only dread and disgust she felt from that abomination. It was human, yet it was not. It was Hunter, yet it was not. It was something that should be glorious yet perverted into the opposite extreme, "A Distortion… why is there a Distortion in my garden?" She was terrified, rightfully so. The only place in which she felt truly safe was invaded by the very being that ruined her life.
What was that Distortion? Where did it come from? How can she kill it?
Deep within her fractured soul, Ruby Rose knew she was staring at herself. That abomination was her, she knew it deep down. Yet she didn't have the will nor courage to face that fact.
"WHAT!?"
A shout coming from the living room jolted her back to reality. That was John's, something big must've happened if he raised his voice like that. So with her inner turmoil forgotten, she hastily wore a shirt and pants before silently creeping over the living room with Evelyn in hand.
She went down the stairs and peaked around the corner, and boy what an abnormal sight she saw.
At her dining table was Johnathan with a distressed face and opposite him was The Owl of Vale. Yes, Emmanuel Ozpin was sitting leisurely in her home, oh and there was a crow on his shoulder. "What the fuck happened while I'm asleep?" She didn't need a long time before she got an answer, a vague answer at best but still an answer nonetheless.
"I say only the truth, Mister Arc. I have been planning this for over a decade with generous help from your Boss. Originally, we only require the participation of the First Ring, but the revelations she brought us are quite concerning. As such, after much consideration, I shall include Miss Ermessia's team into the plan. That means her team will be deployed as a contingent in case something escape the First Ring."
"What? What plan? Why did the Boss accept a deal with Sir Ozpin? And why did he call John 'Mister Arc'?"
"…Did Boss really agree to this, Sir?"
An amused smile graced the Beast Hunter, "Don't believe me Mister Arc? Go to your Boss with this paper, he'll have the same reaction as me."
"…Alright…"
It seemed that both warriors were done talking if their lapse into uncomfortable silence was an indication. Ruby decided to approach—
"But Sir…"
And immediately receded, she'd rather hear more before initiating contact.
"Ruby and I… we're not as strong as the others… why do we join this war if Matchlight can trash us around like that?"
"Circumstances, mostly," Sir Ozpin answered without hesitation, "The Golden in you has awaken and Damian was right regarding Young Ruby's circumstances. That is why Miss Ermessia, and by extension her team, will serve under me in the upcoming war." He paused and took a sip of coffee, "Do rejoice young man, the Arcs would be proud when you bring the Glory of Golden back to this sick nation. To be part of the army that extinguish A Progenitor is surely an accomplishment worth bragging aloud, don't you think so?"
Ruby did not have context for this conversation and thus couldn't truly understand what was being discussed here. Thus she settled with looking at Johnathan's expression. Apprehension was still there with how his eyes weren't fully open yet his uneven smile expressed his eagerness in the prospect of the coming glory, whatever that may be.
Both men lapse into another silence as they sip their mug of coffee. Confident that the conversation was over, Ruby finally made herself known. She did n't do something to grab their attention like any of her colleagues do at work, she stored Evelyn back into her glove and just walk calmly to the table.
Johnathan was the first to notice her approach when he jumped in surprise and immediately approached her, "Ruby, you're awake! How's your wound doing? Nothing hurt, nothing itch right? Just say if something's wrong and my Aura will heal you."
She liked this. Johnathan truly felt like a brother to her after that grueling battle, especially with his constant worry for her. She wished she had an actual brother… She would like this moment to last a bit longer, however there was another goal she was heading towards.
She faced the relaxing Hunter and placed her right palm above her heart and spoke, "Greetings Beast Hunter Ozpin Sir. Excuse me for being blunt, but I happen to hear a discussion about a war and I am curious as to why such discussion is held in my humble home."
Ozpin laughed, he actually laughed, "Hahaha, I too wonder about that Miss Rose. Surprisingly, it's more of a spur of the moment than actually planned. A series of unlikely events that just so happen to stack with each other, like a stage play unfurling into the final act. It is as if we are just mere actors following the story of a God. Considering that our enemy is The Relic of Choice itself who can peer into the future, we may as well be that, actors."
Ruby was taken aback. She had seen and heard all the Headmaster's public speeches. They all sounded easy on the ears, like a friend talking to you about the same problem they were facing together, yet still carry the charisma of a warrior that may as well came from the Emerald Order. This Ozpin in front of her was nothing like that. He looked so resigned, so tired of the world, yet his eyes still shone with a glimmer of hope for a better future.
Ruby did not like it at all. The more she thought about this matter, the more it sounded like an omen for disaster.
"I came here just to see how the daughter of my finest Hunter is doing, yet Mister Arc came bearing a message from the enemy. It is not a simple message—it's a declaration of war. The plan I've been working for this past decade might as well be crumbling to dust at this very moment. But I am a man who held hope for thousands of years—a man who survived by improvisation on the fly… such is the fate of a man cursed to be a parasite to one more of his fellow kin every time he dies.
"And this… this disaster that is looming over us, is a reason for us to hold our hope high with our own hands. My plan will not fail, I will incorporate this disaster in it. I don't care if we're fighting multiple Impurities backed up with Stars from all over Sanus—bring the Hunters, bring the Fixers! The Councilor Guard and all able warriors of Vale! This time won't be the same as the last, this time we will return Vale back to the people!
"The Huntress In The Woods spoke of a world where every man, woman, and child have no need to worry about their future, we fight for that as well in different ways! They believed bloody conflict will save the world, we will do the same, on this very place, on this sacred Kingdom of Vale!"
Both Ruby and Johnathan were speechless. Like, what the fuck were they supposed to say to a desperate man rambling like a mad man? And it's not like they don't believe him too—he's The Owl, The Wise, after all—his rambling must contained some wisdom or guidance buried in there. But in their current state, they didn't know what to do.
Ozpin rambled on about a plan, then about hope, then about disaster, then a bloody conflict in Vale… a rebellion. He was basically telling them about a war they would partake in soon, and they weren't sure if they were ready for it.
"But sir—"
And Ozpin cut them off, "Ruby, Jaune. The two of you have something you want in the coming war. Matchlight will be there, this is your chance in avenging your mother. While you, Jaune, can recreate the legend of The Golden and become the sun of this bleak kingdom just like what your great grandfather when served under me."
Ozpin pulled something from his pocket—a white orb—and put it on top of the red fabric on the table before giving them to Ruby, "Ruby, this cloak is from your mother, she told me to give it to you once the time is right. And this one is the Eye of The Moon, they say it prevents the mind from slipping into insanity." He then did the same thing to Jaune, but he only gave a golden pendant, "Jaune, this is something Jason always had on his person. Take it and bring it to your battle… Jason would be happy if you do so."
And with that, Ozpin downed his coffee before leaving with his crow without as much of a goodbye.
That left Ruby and Jaune in shock and confusion. The now know a war is coming and they don't even know what their role in it.
Ruby gazed at her brother's eyes, she saw horror in them, and she believed that her eyes were the same. The pressure of the coming war looming over him—over them. His identity as an Arc forgotten in her mind, all she knew was that the world they were in was crumbling soon and they would be right in the middle of it.
But then she saw his face morphed.
They became blank, the most neutral she ever saw on him. But his eyes, they were wide. He saw something with them, something that she couldn't even begin to grasp.
And then he spoke, "Let's go Ruby."
Huh, "Where?"
"The Boss. We are already neck deep in this disaster. If we want to win, we need to take the initiative. Our first destination, The Boss. He is our only guidance if what Ozpin said are true."
Yeah, The Boss. Ruby believed that was a good idea, and so she follow her brother to the Index Headquarter.
Deep within her soul, her Distorted Will watched the scene unfold with a smile.
A.N. And that's the chapter. Thank you for those who still read this far, I appreciate it. Do share your thoughts in the comment.
P.S. Ice Queendom is... mediocre, I guess?
P.S.S. Really eagerly waiting for Limbus Company to release.