The scene started with a black void. Voices were heard, as if in conservation.

"You shouldn't be running." a strange voice spoke.

"Do you think I have a choice?" a younger, yet slightly familiar voice spoke.

"Ozpin..."

"I'm not helping you. Besides, I have enough to worry about as it is."

The brief conservation ended and the void vanished.

Oscar found himself waking up... in a place that was both familiar and foreign to him. He got up from a bed in a forest green room with a mirror-door closet and white and pine green bed. To his left was a window showing the night sky.

He looked at himself in the mirror, only to find... that he wasn't himself.

"What is this?" Oscar wondered.

"Professor Ozpin, your presence is requested in the Headmaster's office."

Oscar, as Ozpin, noticed that the door to his room was open and that a woman named Glynda Goodwitch was speaking to him. Somehow, it seemed he knew just what to say, but when he spoke, it was with Ozpin's voice. "I hope this is important."

"It is."

"Give me a few minutes and I'll be right there."

Glydna left and went back towards the office. Oscar, as Ozpin, looked at the calendar on the wall. January 20th, 69 AGW. It was towards the beginning of a new school year for Beacon Academy. The man combed out his hair, took a sip of hot cocoa, setting the mug down before deciding to take the entire thing, and left his bunker.

What could possibly be going on this time? a voice-over of Ozpin's thoughts were heard.

As Oscar found himself walking down the halls of Beacon Academy, he saw many students talking with their friends or teammates, or some individuals just walking by themselves. As he walked by, he found Professor Port giving a lecture within a classroom. He also saw Bartholomew Oobleck just dashing by him. Ozpin wasn't even mad, and neither was Oscar for that matter.

What is this? Is it just a dream? Oscar wondered. Or... is it... a memory?

Eventually, Oscar's predecessor found the office and saw a team and a lone student, each respective party sitting down on a wooden bench without a back or armrest. They appeared to be in their early 20's. All of them wore their Beacon Academy uniforms.

The team consisted of three men and one woman.

The first was a tall man about 6'3 with slightly grown out pale skin, black hair and green eyes. Faintly visible from his shirt sleeves was a horseshoe charm bracelet.

The second was a man with blue eyes, blond hair and fair skin. He had no accessories, but he had a unibrow at the base of his forehead.

The third man had brown skin, hair and eyes. He had a black horse emblem tattooed onto his right knuckle. He also had a brown horse tail, identifying him as a faunus.

The huntress trainee was a woman with pale skin, blue eyes and bright red hair that fell a few inches down her shoulders in a ponytail. She wore a golden faux flower headband in her hair.

On the other bench was a lone student. She was a short student, about 4'7 with pale skin, peach pink eyes and white cream colored hair and pink eyeshadow. She wore a silver fairy charm necklace above the shirt of her uniform.

Somehow Oscar knew their names. The teammates were Noah Sable, Santiago Urdin, Evan Eachann and Anastasia Chrysanthe of team SSEA (Sea), who were presently a team of veteran huntsmen and a huntress, still active. Active in Aquarian.

The lone student was Thumbelina Peach, who would become a teacher here after graduating Beacon Academy. However, after Beacon's fall, she was now majorly depressed and most of her optimism was gone.

How do I know all this? Oscar thought.

"So, what seems to be the problem here?" Oscar, still speaking as Ozpin, asked Goodwitch.

"Fourth year team SSEA (Sea) has gotten into a massive fight with solitary student Thumbelina Peach." Glynda answered.

"I see. I'll take it from here."

The deputy headmistress raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure? Santiago is a real trouble-maker, and Noah..."

"Yes, Miss Goodwitch. I can handle it."

The deputy headmistress gave a sigh of defeat. "Very well then. I'll leave you to it."

With that, the deputy headmistress exited the room.

"So, what seems to be the problem?" the headmaster asked.

"Thumbelina cruelly pranked Santiago." Noah answered.

Ozpin raised an eyebrow, keeping a poker face all the while. "And what did she do?"

"She took him, tied him to the rope of the flagpole, and hung him up by his underwear."

Thumbelina scoffed. "What choice did I have? You left me to die out there during our mission to Lower Cairn. You were supposed to help me with my student mission so I could get more experience, not leave me to the wolves!"

"We did not leave you to die! We called out your name!" Evan exclaimed.

"My vocal chords were strained that day! I wrote it out twice!" She folded her arms. "I couldn't have answered back even if I wanted to."

"Look, I know you're mad, you have every reason to be." Anastasia spoke to her. "But we didn't mean to leave you behind! Honest!"

Thumbelina lashed out, "And how do I know you aren't lying, faux-flower girl?!"

The flower girl was instantly triggered. "How dare you say that! My family are proud florists!"

"Why should we concern ourselves? She's a lone student, pathetic and she still believes in magic!" Santiago lashed out.

"That's enough!" Ozpin yelled. "Your arguments are not solving anything. It is human to make mistakes. However, there is a fine line between justice and revenge. You, Thumbelina, have crossed this line. On the other hand, your teammates did have a task to do, and an obligation to aid you in said task, and they left you behind. Judging by their looks, I'd say that team SSEA is lying. They knew you were stuck under the rubble and they abandoned you."

Evan was outraged. "What?!"

"How dare you accuse us!" Anastasia cried out.

"It is not true, and even if it were true, you have no proof!" Noah shouted. "With all due respect, Thumbelina is a fool. She's childish and shouldn't even be in this profession! If she can't stand on her own two feet, then she should have perished back there!"

"And that confirms what I knew to be true all along." Ozpin gave them all a look of disappointment and disapproval. "You all get detention. All four of you. Three hours; tomorrow tonight."

All four team members groaned.

"So that's it?" Santiago asked. "We get punished and the little fairy girl gets off scot-free?"

"I will speak with her personally and decide what punishment she will receive, if any. Now go, all of you."

Santiago groaned as he and his team left, with Noah giving her a 'I'm watching you glare' with his fingers before closing the door.

Thumbelina looked at the headmaster sadly. "Are you... planning on giving me a worse punishment than what they got?"

Ozpin smiled. "No, Thumbelina. I am not going to punish you; provided that you answer these next few questions truthfully."

"Okay..."

"Your teammate said that you believed in magic. What did you say to him about it?"

"Well, I told him that I was always fascinated by fairy tales as a kid, both lighthearted and the grim ones." she answered truthfully. "However, there was one thing that I didn't tell him, or anyone else for that matter."

Ozpin glanced at the glass for a moment. "What would that be?"

"Well... Many years ago, back when I was in Atlas, I thought I saw someone, a woman. No, wait, an elderly woman, aged to her 60's I'm guessing, making snowballs from her own hands. I thought it was magic, but it also could have been a very rare semblance. I tried to approach her and ask her what the power was, but she ran away before I could learn anything."

Did she see the Winter Maiden? Ozpin wondered. Or any of the other maidens?

"And you never told anyone about this?"

The future teacher nodded negatively. "No. Never."

"Hmm... I appreciate your honesty, Miss Peach. I won't punish you this time, but if this rivalry with team SSEA continues, I may have to. I advise you to take care of yourself and remember this event."

"Thank you, Headmaster Ozpin. If that is all that you ask of me, I will bid you goodnight and sweet dreams."

"You may go. Have a good night."

With that, she left the room.

She seems to know a little about magic. Ozpin thought. Should I let her into my inner circle? Then again, she seems so happy and optimistic. I don't want to ruin that for her.

But in the end, it was...

Meanwhile, in the present day of Mistral city, the moon shone from above. Isabelle Bluebell, dressed in a navy blue nightgown, looked down on Mistral from her balcony.

"I must say, it is a beautiful night. I can't believe my good fortune. First a successful judge, and now a member of the Mistralian council. I have to say, things have gotten very good for me this decade. Perhaps this one will bring even more blessings." She yawned. "But for now, it is time for me to retire. Good night, Mistral."

She went over to her bed; a large bed with a canopy and white dome netting over it. The bed had varying shades of blue for the bedspread and a bunch white pillows at the head. Bluebell stepped through the slip in the net, pulling away the covers to expose the fitting sheet. As she crawled into bed, she pulled the covers over herself, closing her eyes.

Later that night, she was shown sound asleep. The sound of glass breaking startled her.

"What was that?"

For a moment, complete silence. Nothing. She tried to dismiss it, going back to sleep. However, she soon heard soft footsteps, getting louder and louder with each step. Brianna leapt out of bed and scanned her room. She frantically looked for something to use as a weapon. She went to the fireplace and grabbed a metal fire poker to use against the intruder.

The door opened, and Isabelle gasped in terror.

"Maura?"

The ethereal-esque figure had dark skin with dark green scales and loose black hair. In the darkness, it was impossible to see her eyes clearly, but she wore the same outfit she wore on the day she worked with Athena; the green sundress, green sandals and green derby hat. However, she was wearing white gloves and the green ribbon on her right wrist was now tattered. However, there seemed to a greenish-white glow surrounding her.

"Hello, Your Honor."

Isabelle dropped the fire poker, too terrified to speak.

No, this... this can't be possible! How is she here?

"Are you scared?" She laughed. "You should be. You sentenced me to death with no hesitation and no remorse!" The ghost of Maura went forward, pulling out a knife as Bluebell found her back against the wall.

"No... please... Leave me..." she pleaded.

"It's too late for that, Bluebell." the ghost spoke. "It's time for you to join me in the underworld." She held her knife to the judge's throat, the cold metal pressed against her. The judge shivered in terror. "Oh, and one more thing; I was never at the Destruction of Argus Harbor Prison."

Isabelle gasped. "Huh?"

She had no time to think, because the ghost had slit her throat, the blood staining her gloves as Bluebell tumbled down, dead as a doornail.

"That went well. Hopefully I'll never have to wear this silly disguise again." Tawny smirked, reverting back to her normal voice. "But it did make for a good scare, and the dust-laced dress worked like a charm. Now to return to my lady."

The imposter left the manor, leaping off the balcony and landing on the ground below. All the while, a prison warden on his way back to his job. He had orange-red hair and bright red eyes. He wore a red uniform with black shoes.

Warden Cayenne saw the girl running away, a flash of white that came and went and stopped in his tracks.

"Am I seeing things?" he asked himself. "Or is there truly a ghost walking among us?"

All the while, the farm boy was sucked into a vortex and taken back even farther in time.

He still appeared as Ozpin, but this Ozpin was notably younger than the man who was a headmaster. He appeared to be eighteen years old, but yet his hair was already silver. As a younger Ozpin, Oscar found himself in a ski mask and black outfit, his eyes obscured with a pair of specialized shades/eyeglasses. He was shown running away with a bag of money over his shoulder as he exited a bank in a city Oscar didn't recognize.

I... or... Ozpin... was a thief? Oscar thought. How far back am I? There was a moment of silence before Oscar found the answer. Thirty years ago. Ozpin is eighteen here, but died at the age of forty-eight.

The young thief Ozpin was shown running from the authorities. There were five officers on his heels, and Ozpin needed to ditch them. And fast.

"Stop right there, thief!" one of the officers ordered.

"You'll never take me alive, coppers!"

Ozpin snickered, which was a very unusual sound for Oscar to hear. He ran into the city, the cops firing bullets at him. One of the bullets got him in the arm, and he screamed like hell, even if there was no blood.

Oscar tensed, feeling the pain that younger Ozpin felt.

Pressing himself to continue, Oscar noted as Ozpin ran, He... had his aura unlocked, and was trained in combat.

You shouldn't be running. a strange voice spoke.

Do you think I have a choice? a younger, yet slightly familiar voice spoke. Besides, you're one to talk!

Ozpin...

I'm not helping you. Besides, I have enough to worry about as it is.

The first voice sighed. You think you're stressed out? You think you have problems?

Shut up! Young Ozpin yelled within his mind.

Why are they fighting? Oscar wondered.

The younger Ozpin went into the commercial district, forcing the cops to cease fire, lest they accidentally hurt a civilian.

"Split up and capture him! He can't get too far!" the police chief ordered.

Young Ozpin weaved his way through the alleys and streets, quickly moving amongst others while also pick-pocketing unsuspecting civilians.

"Hey! Where's my wallet?"

Ozpin smirked but did not laugh.

Where the heck are we anyway? Oscar wondered. Aquarian? A city outside kingdom limits?

The young thief ran by the Old Aquarian public library, showing a younger Eric Green with a book in his hands. He became dizzy and dropped his book after Ozpin dashed by him.

Young Ozpin then noticed police officers right in front of him, forcing him to turn around.

"There he is!" one of the officers exclaimed.

"Get him!" the police chef commanded.

He jumped up, climbing to the roof of the library and started to dash from one rooftop to another.

"He's too fast!" another one cried out.

"Damn it!" a third one cursed.

"Language!" the fourth rebuked.

The police chief groaned as Ozpin found himself stranded on the roof of a lone apartment complex. He stopped to catch his breath and the officers soon found him on top of the complex.

"End of the line, thief!" the police chef ordered. "Surrender and maybe we won't have to hurt you!"

Ozpin looked down in terror as the officers climbed up the ladder, one after another.

Now what? Ozpin's predecessor asked.

Don't worry. 18-year Ozpin spoke mentally. I have a plan.

As the last officer made it up and the others came towards him, Ozpin jumped off the rooftop and the others went towards the ladder. The thief dashed around and dragged the ladder away from the ledge. Unfortunately, the chief, the fastest of them, latched onto the top of the ladder. Ozpin noticed and dropped the ladder against another building in a panic, sending the chief flying.

The thief ran through the city until he found his secret hiding place; the laundry room of an abandoned cottage. Not too long thereafter, he put his back to the wall and panted.

"Phew. That was close. Way too close for my liking."

He took a few minutes to catch his breath, during which he argued with his predecessor.

How long are you going to do this? the first voice asked.

Lay off, man!

You're stealing, which is not only breaking the law, but it's also morally wrong!

Do you know anything about me?! I don't have a choice! Do you think I like stealing?! I have to steal to survive! Ozpin retaliated.

So why are you doing this?

I had no home for most of my life, and I still don't have one!

But why not? With the money you've stolen, you'd probably be able to afford one.

You sure? Last I looked, I only have 1,000 Lien or so. Not counting today's profits.

The young farmboy expected a response from the older, wiser Ozpin on his past self, but there was nothing. Young Ozpin counted the money. Once done counting in his head, he smiled to himself.

"1,500 Lien. Not bad."

You say that you have no home. With the amount you have, you could get a job, find an apartment, one or more roommates, and split the rent.

I don't know... Even if I tried to be good, would I even succeed? Or would I still walk in the footsteps of my father?

Another sequence of events was shown. A flashback within a flashback.

Ten year old Ozpin was shown in a lonely room within an orphanage. He was packing a small bag of things to carry via bindle. With the bindle stick on his back, he left the city of Lower Cairn and went to a cottage in the Old part of Aquarian. He looked over the address written on a piece of paper.

"Well, this is it."

The even younger Ozpin folded up the paper, went up and knocked on the door three times. A woman exclaimed from afar, "Be right there!"

Soon the door opened, revealing a woman with pale skin, long black hair and emerald eyes. She was barefoot and wore a purple woven skirt with a loose emerald green shirt. She had a look in her eyes, bordering on anger and sorrow. Right now, they showed more anger.

"Can I help you?"

"Are you... Esmeralda Ozpin?"

She scoffed. "That's me. What do you want, kid?"

"I'm... I'm Emmanuel. Your son. I... I..."

"Stay away from me!" she interrupted, turning away from him. "You are not my son!"

Ozpin was shocked and saddened, becoming confused. "But Miss Crystal told me..."

"Forget what she said! You're not my son." She held her neck to her neck. "The only one worthy of claiming you as his own is your wretched father! That bastard Sustrai!"

"Sustrai?"

"Now, go, leave me before I call the authorities!"

He pleaded, "But mom..."

"I am not your mother!" Esmeralda threw a large vase at him, breaking into pieces and causing him to scream in pain as he was hit. "Now get!"

She slammed the door on him, and Ozpin silently cried.

The scene showed a ten year old Ozpin, not cloaked and covered in dirt, at the sheriff's office. He sat down in a chair, facing the sheriff at his desk.

"So... who was my father?"

"Oh... How do we even begin to explain this? Your father... is a man named Urdin Sustrai. Unfortunately, he was... a criminal. A faunus criminal. A clawed faunus of some sort. We were never able to figure out what type of faunus he was. And even worse, to this day, the authorities haven't found him, but he has been known for a wide variety of crimes, including thief, murder and... even worse things.

"Your mother Esmeralda... was forced into having you, because he forced himself upon her. Five months into her pregnancy, she kept you as evidence to use against him in his trial, but we had made a mistake and let him go. During the trial, we heard evidence that indicated he was not guilty. However, several days after the trial ended, my predecessor realized that the words captured on camera didn't match up with what we had heard in our heads. We came to the conclusion that he had an illusion or hallucination semblance that messed with our heads. She was furious with our mistake, and we realized it much, much too late. We did our best to learn from our mistakes and warn others, but he was never caught. Last we heard of him, he was seen in Mensonge, but the police department... isn't very good at their job. It's likely that he may never be caught."

Oscar briefly paused.

Was Urdin Sustrai... ever caught?

He received no answer, but looked on at the younger Ozpin, whom he had no connection to.

"So my mother is a victim, and my father... is a rogue criminal?" child Ozpin asked.

"I'm afraid so, kid."

"This... this can't be. If it is, then... I left Miss Crystal's Greenleaf Orphanage in Lower Cairn for nothing."

"Don't worry, I'll take you to the nearest orphanage. Maybe you'll find a loving family."

And trouble just followed me wherever I went. He narrated. I was angry. Angry with my mom for abandoning me in Lower Cairn, angry with my dad for cursing me into existence. And the other kids, when I told them my story, wanted nothing to do with me. They insulted me, calling me a freak, half-human and 'cursed blood'. And it's likely the reason why no one would adopt me! The eighteen year old Ozpin spoke to his predecessor. And if no one would help me out of this nightmare, then I would drag them into it and find a way to survive myself!

An image showed a thirteen year old Ozpin beating up the other kids and leaving them bleeding and bruised. He then ran away, donning a mask and became a thief.

The flashback faded away to adult Ozpin.

My mother abandoned me, all because I'm a halfblood child of rape! When I found her and tried to get help, she didn't even acknowledge me as her own son! My father's long gone, and if mother wouldn't help me, then what makes me think he would? I've been a thief my entire life, not giving my name, first or last, to anyone in order to hide my past. My first name doesn't even fit me... Why did mother even give me it? Emmanuel means savior, but I'm no savior. I'm not even a hero! I'm a thief, and that's all I ever will be!

There was a long moment of silence before either one spoke again.

Ozpin, I know you're troubled. We all are, in one way or another. But the truth is, you don't need to be a thief to survive. You can ditch your criminal ways and be a better person.

Mr. Oobleck, are you sure about this? Crime's in my blood, and I've been rejected by society at large. I could never be the hero! Psychology speaks about the whole nature vs nurture debate, but what am I supposed to do when both nature and nurture (or the lack thereof), are against me?

I told you, you can just call me Oliver. And forget psychology! History's the more important subject!

Oliver Oobleck, as Oscar knew him, was Ozpin's predecessor.

You don't have to be a thief. There's a better way. You can take steps now in the present, to build a brighter and better future. These are the lessons I imparted to my own son, and you can apply them as well. Besides, if you don't overcome your past, then no one has a future in this world. Oliver told him.

The younger adult thief grimaced. What do you mean by that?

I believe you know exactly what I mean Mr. Ozpin.

An image of Salem flashed through his mind.

The scene switched to Ozpin, no longer hiding himself and appearing as an innocent civilian. He was nineteen now; his tattered clothes replaced with a green suit, similar to one he would wear as Beacon's headmaster. He stood outside a huntsman testing facility building in Vale City.

Emmanuel. At the mention of his real first name, Ozpin stopped. Are you really going to go through with this?

"Yes. I will." Ozpin said. "It's time I stop running and start fighting. And if I am to have any hope against Salem, I need to know that I can use martial arts and aura, and not be overly reliant on my dwindling magic."

The scene cut to Emmanuel Ozpin, standing outside the testing facility. He shifted from one foot to another as he waited for the results. Eventually, a woman holding a clipboard and a pen came up to him.

"Well? How did I do?"

"I.. I'm shocked. That was the finest performance I've ever seen, Mr. Ozpin. Congratulations. You're officially a huntsman."

She handed him a physical copy of his license and a notification appeared on his Scroll, letting him know he was recognized in the digital system.

But you don't know the real reason why I passed with such flying colors. the younger Ozpin thought to himself.

Oliver sighed. I can't believe I helped you with that test. You owe me big time.

Yes, I do. I'll never call on your power like that again.

You're lying.

No! Maybe. Okay yes.

Scenes of Ozpin's life went by in a montage;

It began with Ozpin becoming headmaster at the age of twenty-one so that the old headmaster could retire, teaching his students the art of escape maneuvers, and running the office...

Followed by recruiting Glydna, Ironwood, Lionheart, and Theodore into his inner circle, and later on, the members of team STRQ as well. A brief scene was shown of a video call with Theodore and a female teacher.

Ozpin was slightly annoyed with Shade's Headmaster. "You told Ms. Rumpole about this?"

"Yes, I did. I figured you could use some more help, especially since Raven abandoned you to go back to her tribe, and since Summer and Taiyang are semi-retired, raising a family together. Also, in case anything happens to me, Rumpole can take my place and be aware of the importance of your mission."

The former thief sighed. "I guess that's true."

To meeting with some of the members in the teacher's lounge. Glydna was shown looking at Ironwood with a playful smile as he sipped on coffee.

As years went by, I tried so hard to forget my past as a thief, forget all the mistakes my past selves had made, but in the end... I fear that it may have come back to haunt me.

Ozpin was shown being flash-incinerated by Fall Maiden Cinder, and everything turned black.

"So you send your guardians, your Huntsmen and Huntresses, and when they fail and you turn to your smaller soul, know that you send her to the same pitiful demise." the voice of Salem began. "This is the beginning of the end, Ozpin. And I can't wait to watch you burn. Or perhaps I should say, Ozma. You're the one who started this war, and you will burn."

Oscar woke up in a fright. He sat up and breathed in, trying to steady his heart.

"So all of this... is real?"

I'm afraid so. Ozpin spoke. This problem isn't going to go away. I've tried multiple strategies over the years, decades, even centuries and millennia this has been going on. I still don't know why you have been chosen as my successor, but I suppose we'll know within time. But time is not a luxury we have on our side, especially now. So now you know the truth, but what will you do with this vital information?

The farm boy looked at the window. It was early morning; so early that it was still dark out.

"I'll start packing my bags. I'll also need food and supplies. You've waited for months, trying to convince me to take the mission of getting to Mistral. You think you can wait until midnight tomorrow?"

I suppose. Although, why midnight?

"Because it'll be dark, and my aunt will already be asleep. Somehow I don't think I can tell her the truth, lest she think I've lost my mind."

True. You'll also need a weapon until you can get Long Memory, which is in the hands of Qrow Branwen. You have a wide variety of farming tools to choose from.

"I still can't believe I'm actually sane. I'm really sorry about your parents, though. That's... just awful."

It's alright. I know now that my life will be mourned by those who knew and cared for me, even if I do have a new host. Ozpin sighed. I guess the only thing I wonder now; does my own mother mourn me, now that I am gone? Or my father? Or are they some of the few who don't care?