Alone. Headmaster Ozpin was alone in his office. Despite what most others would say about Glynda spending more time here, he does spend a significant amount of time in his office. It is his office after all. It is just that he would prefer being here only during meetings that he has to be. Otherwise, he would normally not be here unless he wanted to be alone. Such moments of silence save for the ticking of the clocks eased him as he pondered deeply about things.
He was looking down on his screen. The first rounds of the Vytal Tournament had begun. It was between two teams that he didn't recognized; they had come from other schools. At the moment, he was simply an audience watching from afar. He could have had a VIP seat if he wanted but he would rather not. The headmaster was no stranger to combat between students, he had seen and even taught some of them himself. It was better that he would give his seat to someone else who might not have or haven't watched them as often as he did.
But soon, it won't be as a mere audience member. He sighed as he waited in anticipation for a particular team to participate. To be more specific, he was waiting for the performance of one individual; the individual whose name is the only one that hasn't been crossed from the list that he had prepared.
"I'm sorry, Jekyll," he said. "But time is running out. We cannot afford to dally any longer. She wouldn't survive past the end of the school year."
Closing the feed, Ozpin leaned back into his chair that it was much closer to say that he was turning said chair into a bed. Fuzzy memories of lifetimes not his own flashed before his eyes. How many lives had he taken now? How many good men did he deprive the right to live as they saw fit? How much of himself was really him at this point? Was he really himself anymore or was he just an amalgamation of everyone that came before him? Ozpin couldn't tell anymore. The only promise he ever made, both for himself and his hosts, is that he would live his life for as long as he could, not for survival but to give whoever would follow more years to live out theirs before they would be thrust with a burden that shouldn't be theirs.
Thoughts of Henry Jekyll came back to him. Ozpin never really saw his... condition as two separate souls. The headmaster of Beacon knew a thing or two about having more than one soul in one singular vessel. It was much closer to say that this Jekyll and Hyde were fractured halves of the same soul. In that regard, that is the difference between them, he supposed. At least Ozpin's case had the added caveat of being similar to himself. He didn't want to imagine what it would be like if he had been in the mind of someone his complete opposite. Strange things, the human soul could be.
Which one would be worse? He thought. Is it even his own anymore? With Jekyll and Hyde, he supposed that the threat comes from being trapped in the recesses of your own mind while someone else has taken control. With Ozpin, it came in the form of the merge. It always started slow and small, adopting similar mannerisms of speech and posture. Then, the host and himself would agree more often that the last would have no need to be a guide as the host could draw more from their shared memories. Eventually, everything becomes quiet; the lines that had once separated the two entities had become so blurred that he could no longer tell anymore where one ends and the other begins.
He laughed bitterly as a memory of this life returned to him. It was recent, back when his faculty members had dealt with the apparent threat at Mountain Glenn. This one was certainly of this life. They were so close, so close to saving Amber but they weren't. Ozpin will make no denial that he had been making plans even before that but that prospect of it being so close was just too tempting that Ozpin would have been like a man dying of thirst and seeing the last drops hit the sandy grounds of a hot desert.
Thankfully, he had been alone that time. The mess he had made in this office was as though a thief came and wrecked the place in search of something. They were close! They had been so close! He had been ready to throw his list into the shredder before he had been disappointed again. Part of the list had already been shredded before he deliberately jammed it. Thankfully, it was his personal shredder; replacing it would only be out of his own pocket. At least he didn't lose his necktie.
He had volunteered himself to shadow some team from Vacuo just to alleviate his own frustration. Let the Grimm come to him, his cane had been waiting. Gave the students a passing mark, regardless of how well they actually performed.
Now he was back again, with a nearly shredded piece of paper. Most of the names had been dashed out leaving only one name: Pyrrha Nikos. A powerful student with much potential and one who is kind and humble. Ozpin would like to say that with her friends, there was little else for them to fear. However, to bear this burden is to bear it alone. He will not deny that the young Nikos' experience of being alone, of being above the others, was one of those reasons that he had chosen her. She was used to it.
He could see the small sights of celebration. As huntsmen, soldiers, and civilians, celebrated whoever it was that one that round. Ozpin had the schedule for the match that he should watch but that was still some time away.
Standing up, Ozpin approached the glass panes that gave him a clear view of everything that was happening below. To see the people enjoying themselves is something that he cherishes every time; they're a constant reminder of his reasons for fighting. Ignorant of the dangers that lurk beyond their walls, Ozpin had hoped that it didn't have to be this way but knew that even with the Queen, they would still have to face those dangers eventually. He would rather that they do so without him anymore; he had lived a long enough life. Too long, in fact.
Returning to his chair, he did not yet open the feed to the next round. Instead, he went for his cane that was resting nearby. His fingers traced the aged patterns. His eyes followed the scratches and roughness of its surface from the many years of its use. Its name being the Long Memory was apt indeed.
"Jekyll did have a new weapon," Ozpin said. He then remembered. "Right, he should be with the rest of team MGHT. They'll be watching the first rounds by now." He could wait. He had been waiting for a long time now, what's a few more minutes going to do anyway?
Ozpin had used his time in the office long enough. Not even the comfort of solitude and the rhythm of the clocks brought him comfort anymore. The weight of everything up to this point was becoming too heavy. As much as he disagrees with Qrow's habits, perhaps the headmaster could indulge himself in a glass or two. He hadn't been seen with his coffee mug for days now. Never needed it as of late.
The lights of each floor passed by his spectacles as he made his descent. The humming of the elevator was silent to the noise that had been happening in his mind.
"Oh." Ozpin felt an absence from his hand. "I left my cane in the office… again."
The dinging of the elevator signaled his arrival to the ground floor. He shook his head. Rather than go back up, he might as well keep going. He brought his wallet with him anyway. The grand halls of Beacon, one of his proudest achievements was empty. The ceiling above him was could not be reached even with the tallest ladder that one could feasibly have. It would take many teams' members squishing against one another to fit the width of these halls. His hands were free to stretch however he felt and he would only be met by whatever breeze would blow into what open windows he would walk past.
The bright colors that it once had had begun to fade now. Perhaps they needed repainting. The carpets could be replaced too and in need of a thorough washing. Some of the light bulbs were blinking but those were far away from the frequently traversed halls that few would notice them. Pillars, doors, and window frames had scratches on them. From what rooms that have been left open, some of the chairs there were wobbly, having lost pieces of themselves. The floors were need of waxing with some of the corners being darker than the rest of the floor.
Ozpin stopped by a thin line of crack on the wall. There was a line of ants there. Harmless but still a sign of what needed to be done at some point. A few students were walking past him. Did they greet him? He wasn't noticing if they did.
Moving onward, Ozpin kept walking. One foot in front of the other. Oh, his shoes had a slight smudge on them. He didn't have any tissues. Not like that they were too noticeable.
The faint scents of foods foreign to Vale tickled his nose. Grilled? Smoked? Fried? It was a cacophony that filled his senses, some of which he was certain would stick around for a time after they had been gone. Part of Beacon did have some kind of stain on them the closer one gets to those food stalls.
"Beacon could use some paintings." Ozpin mused. "Something to consider if these walls have been repainted."
The number of students, those who aren't or are no longer participating in the Vytal Tournament, had begun to increase. Ozpin had bumped into a few of them with how much in a hurry they were. The headmaster apologized of course. It wouldn't do if he had been caught off-guard by some Grimm.
Ozpin checked the time. "Oh, I missed it," he said, shrugging. He could always watch the recording and the highlights later. Considering the one he had chosen, there was certainly going to be some media coverage, one way or another.
The number of students began to increase. Most of them had come from behind him. Looking ahead, Ozpin noticed that a small crowd had begun to circle around something. He couldn't see the full picture but he noticed that there were some flashes of light occurring; the kind that could only have occurred through the clashing of steel. Sighing, Ozpin approached the apparent brawl that was occurring on Academy grounds.
The figure of Winter Schnee was getting bigger in Ozpin's eyes as she appeared to have been launched in the air. An earlier clash must have sent her flying towards him. She landed on the ground but the momentum kept her moving closer until she had nearly crashed into him. Ozpin raised his arm forward as the Atlas Specialist who should have had better control of herself as a representative of her kingdom stopped in her tracks.
"Headmaster Ozpin, sir!" She immediately stopped and sheathed her blade.
"Oh, hey Oz," Qrow Branwen spoke loudly from further behind. Of course it would be him. The old drunkard had a smirk on his face that said that nothing could have been better. "Didn't see you there."
If only Glynda was here. Ozpin was never really the kind of person who could be truly strict with anyone even if it had been warranted. He had just seen too much to really care about such matters anymore. Was it experience? Or was it apathy at this point?
"I'll downplay the damages," he instead assured Winter. "And no, I will not accept lien from your personal account as an apology. No matter how much you have nor how much you would insist."
Winter's mouth remained open before she could even begin. Rather than what she had intended to say, she said, "he started it."
"Technically not true," Qrow retorted, approaching them both. "She attacked first."
Knowing the Specialist's disposition and Qrow's reputation, the latter was certainly correct in a sense. The drunk should consider being a lawyer.
Turning to the crowd, Ozpin put on his usual demeanor as best as he was able. "Sorry to disappoint everyone but this impromptu demonstration has come to a close but rest assured, there are sanctioned fights happening which would be just as entertaining and has popcorn."
Winter took it as her chance to leave. She did what she could to maintain some sense of composure but the hastening haste of her strides betrayed her.
"Heh." Qrow stood by the headmaster's side. "For all her talk about being above these things, she sure is quick to throw down."
"Was it Henry Jekyll again?" Ozpin guessed.
"Nope, not this time." Qrow replied. Ozpin mentally apologized as his companion's smile grew a little wider. "Why? Anything happened when the Ice Queen came to visit? Anything I should know?"
"Want, you mean."
"Me and Ice Queen are old news. It ain't my business if those two actually went out."
"Well sorry to disappoint you, Qrow." Ozpin's tone was dry. "But Jekyll has been more concerned about another woman."
Qrow's expression changed. He didn't miss the hint. "Sorry, Oz. Still haven't them."
"Don't be. It is expected."
"There is one thing I picked up though."
"Oh?"
"Members suspected of being White Fang. They're on the move again. Tried to interrogate one of them, couldn't get much out of them being recruits. Did pick up one thing though: they got new pieces."
/-/
Adam Taurus kept his hood up. While his face wouldn't be recognized on account of having always worn his mask, the mark on his face was something that he could not afford letting others see even if he had hidden behind a cloth. The mark that the SDC had left on him was a reminder of his mission: to be the hero of faunus kind and to ensure that those humans will pay for their sins. Even if they are merely the sons and daughters of those vile enough to whip and chain the faunus, they still carry their sin within their blood.
He gritted his teeth. Adam had just seen a faunus happily working for a human. Traitors is what they are. Unlike those who would call them domesticated, Adam was above such things and called them as they are.
A pang hit his heart as he saw one faunus' cat ears moved. It wasn't her ear; it was of a different color. But the reminder still pained him then. He would have acted to bring her back when she, along with her new friends—a bloody Schnee among them—but he had other targets for now. The older one, the Schnee that is directly responsible for apprehending his comrades under the guise of criminal activities.
The older Schnee was there at Beacon Academy. His fist tightened at the thought and it wasn't because of the Schnee for once. Instead, it went back to one particular huntsman that had been the main cause for the many lives of his comrades that day. Cinder called him Hyde but the official records state that he is Jekyll.
Adam never saw his face personally. But the records and public displays were enough that he managed to commit it to memory. Older news reports showed that both he and the older Schnee were in each other's company. So, he was complicit at minimum to the plight of the faunus? His partner was one as well, a traitor that other professor was.
Lives, weapons, and resources were nearly completely lost in one fell swoop. The White Fang cell in Vale would have been disbanded and left the kingdom were it not for his apparent allies in other places.
A temporary alliance at best. He wouldn't be working with a human otherwise but Arthur Watts had proved himself to at least be a man of the deal. Information on both the Schnees had been a constant update on every White Fang member in Vale. The middle child had advanced to the doubles round, it would seem. Probably paid the opposition to give them the win.
His people moved in secret. Placing what little Dust that they could gather in key locations that have been mapped for them. It wasn't the same in impact but it could trigger a chain reaction that would wreck chaos and havoc throughout the kingdom of Vale. It wasn't enough of a payload but as long as it would cause discord among those tyrants, it would be well and considered a victory.
From there, it was only a matter of putting his people to deal with the Schnee or that other human. Adam himself would rather deal with the Schnee first, it is most helpful for all faunus while the other one was simply more for those here in Vale. In time, he will deal with Jekyll himself.
Although he kept his head low, Adam did nothing to hide the rage and anticipation he felt. He kept the sword that hung on his hip on full display. They had no reason to arrest him yet, they would just assume that he was a huntsman. Those so-called defenders of the people touted their weapons all the time. If they really defenders, the White Fang would not have had any reason to exist. The fact that they do means that these huntsmen weren't doing their jobs.
A message rang his scroll. On it was a recording of an apparent scuffle between the older Schnee and some other huntsman. It had circulated online and eventually reached their eyes. The Schnee moved like a soldier indeed. Strict and precise, it had the air of someone who thought themselves above everyone else. Typical of Atlas; that sort of thing must have been taught in their schools.
Another message. This time it was of Jekyll. The man was seen among the crowds, spectating the tournament along with his team; the same team whose half of its membership were responsible for Mountain Glenn. He didn't look like he belonged among those huntsmen but he wasn't about to write off just like that. His comrades' lives were paid because of that assumption.
Turning around a corner, Adam walked down an alleyway that few people would go to. The dark shades that the two buildings gave did little to cover his figure but it was also unsuspicious for anyone to pass by here. It was a shortcut to another portion of the city with the only negatives here being the stench and stains this part would have on his shoes. Having breathed stenches worse than this from his previous missions, it was practically an aroma that he didn't even mind at all. Nobody cared to notice the faunus coming out of that alleyway, as expected.
Other faunus, those from the White Fang, also dispersed as they did their duties. They had to be separate and keep to themselves lest they be caught and the mission would be another failure. Adam couldn't afford to fail this one; the losses of resources and manpower would be too severe for the Vale cell to suffer.
Walking closer to Beacon Academy, Adam had to stop himself before he would do anything hasty. Right now, Beacon was at its most guarded with the students and professors having returned after the first day of battles. While some would be out celebrating, the winning competitors would be there planning their next moves in the coming rounds. The small number of Bullheads flying out of Beacon was clue enough on that.
Instead, he moved along. With the crowd of people, he kept himself as perfectly hidden as one with a sword could. People kept their distance but that is the case for many huntsmen as well.
"…will be talking about this." Adam heard a voice. Male by the sounds of it.
"I am aware." A feminine one replied. This one was more familiar. He had heard her voice many times already, they had to as propaganda within the White Fang. "However, I still require a tour around Vale. Consider it a favor repaid after Atlas."
"Didn't you just spend a day with your sister the other day?"
"Weiss is busy with her team. It would not do well to have her distracted when she could be preparing for the next couple of rounds."
Adam followed the voice. He found the older Schnee walking alongside that Jekyll person. So, the two were together, were they? Perhaps not. He could not see even the slightest bit of intimacy between them. If anything, the man looked like he was dragged along instead.
"Weiss will only be participating up to the doubles round."
Adam could see the twisting of the Schnee's face at the notion. "Impossible. A Schnee doesn't back down from a challenge."
The White Fang leader's hands gripped the handle of his sword. He approached them as close as he could while making sure that he didn't give himself away, hiding among the crowds. It would be so easy now. There they are, two people responsible for the plight of the White Fang. Not yet, the distance between was still too much for his blade to reach, about the length of around five people in a line with their arms extended forward.
"It is more that team RWBY wants to maximize their chances of winning," Jekyll reasoned.
"And?"
"And that Miss Xiao Long is the one who is most capable of meeting whatever challenge that may come during the singles match."
Adam took another big stride. Around four people now. There were too many witnesses. His eyes darted left and right as he planned his escape for after he had finished them off. The length of about three. He had to maintain some pace so as to not garner any suspicions. Neither of them noticed him yet. Turning and moving around the crowd that he found himself in, his cut needed to be as efficient on space as he could. Then again, the lives of these civilians is a small price to pay for the justice that must come down on these two.
Another stride, the length of two people. With a flick of his thumb, he freed the sword from the locking mechanisms of the sheath. Taking a breath, the faunus calmed himself. Would he risk it all here? That is the only reason that he even agreed at this point. The reward of this achievement was right there in front of him. All he had to do was take it.
"Perhaps she really has grown." The Schnee wasn't even noticing the faunus behind her. Typical of those from up above. The same can be said about Jekyll. "Her time in Beacon must have been good for Weiss that she is willing to let others take the lead."
"To be fair," Jekyll replied. "Yang is rather powerful in her own right, and her abilities is one that is rather difficult to counter for most others."
The crowds of people have begun to disperse and separate. They were making their own turns and went off to their own destinations. As for Adam and the still ignorant duo, they were still traveling towards the same direction. Two people. Not close enough given the length of his blade.
One person. Both of their guards were down. Engaged in whatever conversation they were having; they would not have had time to notice that Adam was now behind them. His fingers wrapped around Wilt's handle. He drew his blade and—
A message pinged him, stopping him in his tracks. Quickly, he returned the blade to its sheath as Jekyll and the Schnee both turned in surprise, probably thinking that it was theirs.
"Sorry." He kept his head low. "I was expecting a message, I'm in a bit of hurry. Excuse me."
Neither of them suspected anything as he moved past them. Taking a turn, he went down another alleyway. It was less to avoid suspicion and more to hide the crack on the wall that he had made. So close. He was so close. He could have ended it there and have the White Fang retreat from Vale. The cell could rebuild in time but news of the Schnee's head would have made it so that they could rebuild faster.
Checking his message, he better be receiving good news. It was from one of his people. Everything had been put into place and they were waiting further orders. Adam sighed. No. It wasn't quite good but it wasn't quite bad either.
Turning back, he already lost Jekyll and the Schnee. He gritted his teeth.
I'll have my chance again, he thought. Enjoy it while it lasts you two. For the White Fang, for the faunus, I will make sure that you all pay for your crimes.
Adam Taurus returned to hiding among the crowds. Having failed in this endeavor, the people were more comfortable now in being physically close with this stranger. Still, he kept up his pace. The sooner he was out of there, the less likely he would be recognized.
AN: Probably the most deliberately political I'll get here, but is it just me or does domesticated sound like a fitting slur if a faunus is called a race traitor?