AN: Just a really stupid idea that demanded to break free.
Yang Xiao Long blinked.
Like she'd seen on tv, she began to rub her eyes and then peered outward again. Nope, it was still there. There was still a giant tower that hadn't been there before. That by itself would have been confusing all on its own, she'd hiked far enough that she would have remembered something like this on Patch. No, what made it truly confusing was the rest of it that made her doubt her senses, just as Ruby began to wake up from her place on the wagon, yawning cutely before she too, saw what was happening and froze before bouncing in her seat.
"Yan', Yan', lookie!"
There was a wooden fence being built entirely without people. Trees would be knocked down by massive creatures that might had been Petra Gigas, but without the trademark mask as they shaved the bark and branches off, sorting them. The logs would be converted into usable lumber, the branches set down as axes floated and chopped away. Stacks would be tied, taken off and pass through a door, the sense of industry ongoing as once more, a complete absence of people only heightened the eerie feeling as Yang began to pale.
"G-g-ghost tower!"
She shouldn't have come here. Even if she only wanted to find her mother, terror filled her body as she sank to her knees, Ruby giggling before realizing her sister was in trouble as she approached her, carefully working her way off the wagon as she waddled over and hugged her.
"Don't be scared!" And she began to pat her back, like dad did as Yang shuddered and then slowly, began to calm down. The two of them looked and stared, watching as no, it didn't suddenly fall over. No one popped out to yell 'surprise', and it looked very much real. Yang's curious and braver nature began to take over as she rose up and moved to carry her sister, hefting her in her arms. Ruby giggled, leaning on her head on her shoulder and utterly content, both sisters staring out at the tower and utterly missing the Beowulf stalking them from the woods before one of the stone golems smashed its brains in almost absently with the log it was holding.
Neither noticed in the least as they cautiously approached what would have been the gate entrance, pausing at a black paintbrush carefully writing out the words on a sign.
'No Fun, No Visitors, No Heroes. This means you.'
"Wha's it say Yan'?" Ruby asked, trying to read it and Yang, with the easy confidence of all big sisters ever said as she puffed out her chest. "It says 'Wizards Tower.'" Ruby gasped as Yang suddenly blinked, as her sister began to squeeze her neck and bounce in excitement. "Canwelookcanwelookcanwelookcanwelook-!"
"O-of course we are!" Yang said proudly, as she thought at the same time how smart she was. This place was obviously a wizard's tower. Wizards knew everything. The wizard here, would obviously know how to find her mother!
"I am the smartest." Yang said proudly and Ruby giggled.
Both missed the second Beowolf as it was punted into the sky and impacted with an incredibly, unlucky crow.
And without fear, ignoring the weirdness the two sisters entered the wizards tower, the defenses utterly uncalibrated to regard two little girls as any kind of threat as they blithely walked over an arcane matrix that would have electrocuted them, through a hallway of armor on display that garnered an impressive sound of awe where they normally would have come to life in defense of the place, and finally to a room where both froze and stared at something entirely outside their experience.
Out of all the character sheets I could have integrated with, I had the enormous luck to be Mind Flayer exile and epic tier wizard, 'Dr. Hannibal.' Built for a monster race campaign, entered into high levels and overall, one of my favorites. Hannibal was an intellectual at heart, someone who yearned to discover the why of the world and resented the concept of 'shackling' himself in any way. So, when the time came, when it was no longer viable to remain with his colony, he took his books and left them all, only to find himself embroiled in a campaign rife with skullduggery, politics and yes-war.
High tier wizards are bullshit, more so when backed with a Mind Flayers natural abilities. Good times... Much less, when you wake up and realize you have a hankering for brains, powers that makes crowds even more of an annoyance and a sense of humanity all but muted by the Illithid physiology. Well, not for me. I was well and determined to keep my humanity, dammit and so I went about working and crafting the tools needed to do just that.
My magic tower of course would be present. Some golems, some invisible servants and a few traps to keep away the nosy, at least for now. The worst however was the sheer rage I kept feeling, every single day. Muted, distant, but never gone-I had no idea what it was, but I wanted it as far away as possible, so I instructed my constructs to smash whatever kept radiating that racket. It was like trying to sleep and getting constantly bombarded by heavy metal in your brain, and it didn't help my mood at all. So, I could be forgiven for perhaps being a little distracted, especially in my personal study where nobody but I was meant to be.
The door opened and I ignored it. The Invisible Servants got everywhere, and it was best to let them clean up, but then I felt it. A touch of innocence, a little fear and even bravery-but stunted, no not stunted... Unproven. Green. I turned rapidly around and loomed from my seat, clad in my robes as my psionic powers let me float off the ground. I was a typical Illithid in appearance, save for a few bits and pieces. One of my tentacles had been severed off and was now sealed with a bone cap, crafted as a gift and spelled with the same enchantment as a typical hat of disguise. I had more scars than my kind should have normally, and my skin tone was a dark purple as I stared, with eyes that had terrified many upon two little girls, who looked shocked and oddly familiar. But to my Illithid eyes, almost all humans looked much the same and we typically went off of psionic recognition.
And then the yellow one spoke. "Why are you wearing a dress?"
The smaller one smacked her friend and then spoke, earnestness echoing from her words.
"Sorry Mr. Wizard. Yan's an idiot."
Ignoring the offended 'hey', I immediately whispered an arcane word and the robes shifted into a more, traditional suit.
"I'm not a wizard." I lied easily as I breathed, my voice echoing in their minds.
"Yes, you are. You have a staff." To this logic, I turned it invisible and leaned it to the side. "What staff?"
Tiny one was patient, less so than the blonde as she cried out. "And what happened to your face? It was a magic accident, right?!"
Ah right. Alter Self and suddenly, I was human as I blinked, and my vision was a lot clearer.
Before my eyes, were two children I recognized instantly and suddenly, everything made waaaaay too much sense. "Nothing happened to my face. I'm as human as both of you."
Ruby looked at me scrutinizingly and added. "You're still floating." I immediately dropped and lied. "I was jumping and got stuck." Yang peered up at me, eyes squinting as she gave criticism like it came naturally. "You're still speaking in our heads."
"Bleh-bleh-bleurgh." Was my eloquent reply. Bah. I had spent too long as an Illithid, speaking mentally. We were capable of regular speech, it was just beneath us as a whole. Also, it was hard to recapture that sense of awe when you spoke like your tongue was numb. Ruby began to giggle, her little cheeks bulging with her smile and radiating happiness, and I fought the urge to pat her head. No. I would be immune to this... Cuteness. I would be aloof, distant. I was a proud Illithid and the lesser races would not see me bowed so easily. I opened my mouth to kick them out and instead, I said something else.
"... Would either of you like some cookies?"
Dammit.
It was morbidly fascinating, watching them eat and drink. My kitchens in my personal tower were always stocked, my Chef Utensil proficiency and expertise later on, something of a table joke. The two children ate like them, like they were starved, and I remembered suddenly what they were doing here as I sent a mental command to my golems and servants to stop working and for the latter to pose as if they were decorations.
I didn't know how close Qrow was, and I had no mind to be dragged into the conflict that was their role to deal with. Still, even with their surface thoughts giving me all I needed and my metaknowledge the rest, I waited and then asked them both. "What exactly are you both doing here anyway?"
Ruby looked at the empty plate, looked to me and I sighed and waved a hand, an invisible servant taking the plate to her awe, as a fresh batch would be collected. Yang's smile vanished, her eyes suddenly pleading as she clasped her hands. "Mr. Wizard, we're looking for my mom. She used to hang out around here. Please, can you help us?"
I fought the wince, both from her unshielded emotions and my own recollections of her mother. That was another can of worms, and I pondered before speaking. "Yang. I'll make you a deal. I'll scry for you, your future. In return, you will leave this well enough alone and me into the bargain. Have we a deal?"
She nodded, the cookies floating in on a plate as Ruby, idly swept her hand through the space where a person normally would be. "Deal!"
Good. I called for one of my crystals, something suitable for the occasion and began casting light. Odd smells filled the air, the windows creaked as thaumaturgy made my eyes glow and the sound of ravens echoed. "I see a woman... Black of hair and red eyes. She wields a sword and has the shriveled heart of a bird. She flees, continues to do so and so long as she does, you will never see her again."
Yang was heartbroken, but despite that she growled, and I held up a hand. I looked into the crystal, as little flashes of electricity began to crackle and Ruby watched, amazed as she kept eating cookie after cookie.
"But I see something else. I see a strong girl-blonde of hair, with a sister with silver eyes. She is strong because she is herself, because she is more than what she came from. This future could be yours, child if you grasp it with both hands and take comfort and love, from those here and now. And if you do, there will be friends like you cannot imagine for the both of you." I pause and add. "Also, Bumblebee is a wonderful name for a bike." Yang gave a violent start, eyes wide as I hid a chuckle. I knew that was what she wanted to name her future motorcycle and she suddenly grinned broadly.
"Hey... Thanks Mr. Wizard!" I could feel her emotions running wild, as she grabbed Ruby, the latter squealing in protest as she hugged her. I watched her, as she looked at me and added. "We'll keep your secret, we promise!"
"I'd rather you kept your promise." I say dryly as the cantrips end and I add. "Alright, back home. Your uncle is looking for you, shoo." I walk them to the door, see them stride to a wagon outside of the rural fence I was having my servants build and as Ruby gets in, both wave goodbye to me as I watch them go and against my own wishes, spend a ninth level spell slot as I take out a gold inlaid vial, filled with some components as I whisper arcane words.
And the wind responds, swirling around me as I give it orders, reverting back to my true form.
"Escort the children back home. Kill any of the black beasts with white masks you find."
The Air Elemental swirls around my body like a particularly affectionate cat and is soon gone. An invisible guardian, as I put the matter out of my head and close my door. Alright, so I had a lot of preparation to work on. Anti-Grimm defenses primarily, among other things. But overall, I should be fine. Aside from one tiny hiccup in canon, the kids would grow up and be the heroes, yadda-yadda. And I would be able to get back to my research and my other projects, like my cows. I had no desire to eat sentient brains if I could help it and that sort of behavior entailed torches and pitchforks, sooner or later. To say nothing of the bullshit of this world, and the power that could be brought to bear if I did fall off the wagon. I mean-I'd likely win, but I'd rather not worry and have my precious time interrupted more than it should. So back to my study, the incident filed under 'that was weird' and nothing more to deal with for the night.
Three days later, there was a knock at my door. An unfamiliar mind and I swiftly took human form this time, altering my staff into a cane as I walked to the door and opened it. The smell of casserole wafted from a basket, as a smiling, blond human grinned as two, familiar girls waved.
"Hi, Mr. Wizard!"
"Hello sir, I'm Taiyang Xiao Long. You helped my girls a few days ago, and I just wanted to express my thanks! It's nice to meet a new neighbor!" He beamed and something in my head flat lined.
Wat.
Wat.