Happy belated father's day to everyone!
REAPER IN RED
Chapter 45
"It is the duty of a team leader to keep the opinions and concerns of your compatriots. There is a reason why teams are set into groups of four. It has been conclusively proven that in times of severe stress, which huntsmen and huntresses are oft in, a combat professional can at most properly strategize the movements of just three other individuals."
Professor Oobleck continued reading through the Team Leadership textbook, rambling off its contents. The class often had a rotating cast of professors teaching it, with this week supposed to be taught by Headmaster Ozpin himself.
As soon as I stepped into class seeing professor Oobleck's messy green hair, I knew that Ozpin was keeping his distance.
I wondered what he knew.
About me. About -Reapers- us. Maybe even about what happened with Blake.
She didn't sleep in our room with the rest of the team. I had told Yang and Weiss that we had talked and that she was just jumpy about something White Fang related. She had taken that fear and everything that happened and her brain sort of mushed them together haphazardly. Yang seemed to believe me fine -we were sisters after all-, but Weiss kept side-eyeing me, not fully believing my, albeit very made up, spin on events.
I had trouble sleeping. Well, I could feel my eyes drooping all night, but I just couldn't fully commit. Whoever was singing or playing music around the dorms really helped. I wish I knew who it was so I could thank them. Their voice was… peaceful. Melodic.
I really needed it after such a fraught filled day.
Everything felt like it was changing, and I didn't know how to stop it, much less bring things back to how they used to be.
I sighed, leaning my elbow on the desk, staring blindly at the professor's handwaving. Things hadn't been normal for a long time. I could pretend they were normal when I first started at Beacon, but that wasn't true at all either. I was a Reaper, and I was going to school. Living among the humans.
Which apparently was not out of the ordinary, if Cinder was anything to go by. Had mom been lying to me about us staying away from humans? Had it all been stories to keep me away? No, I shook the thought from my head.
Mom always told me the truth. Not everything about her past, or even everything about what it means to be a Reaper, but she never lied when she spoke. To me, at least.
And Cinder knew mom. She knew her.
And Cinder knows Ozpin?
And she's a professor at a huntsman academy?
I groaned. This was all getting too confusing, and I didn't even start really thinking about how headmaster Ozpin featured into all of this.
Or Blake.
She was my friend. My really close friend. I had done some research into the White Fang group that she was a part of, and it seemed like humans thought that they were bad. They hurt a lot of other humans too. They stole dust, and kidnapped people, and even joined the creature trade.
That reminded me, Mr. Torchwick had been in town all those months ago. Wow, fighting that skin-crawler and traumatizing all my friends was so long ago. I wondered if he was still in town. He had been working with the White Fang or something.
No, that wasn't it. He had been selling to the White Fang. I scratched at my head, trying to remember… something. Whatever the thought was, it was gone now. Now, all I could picture was Weiss and Blake and Yang's faces when they saw me for the first time in my Reaper form and how scared they all were.
And then my thoughts were back to Blake. She was out there somewhere. Or maybe some-here? I had no idea if she was still in Beacon or not and I doubted she would tell me either way. I was just happy that we had this class apart. One less class during the day for her to worry about being near me in.
"Ms. Rose?"
But maybe in a few days she'd get her running out of her system and we could be friends again. I could tell her everything going on with me, without any of the lying. That would be so cool. Actually, it would be better than so cool. It'd be awesome. Amazing. Fantastic. Stupendous!
"Ms. Rose?"
But that was something I could only hope for. These humans had gone their entire lives being taught to fear my kind. I doubt meeting one -especially after the trauma they'd gone through- would shake all these beliefs. And great Salem, they had been learning so many incorrect things about us too! Nothing about our solitary lifestyles. Nothing about how we help humanity. Not even about Bities and Chompies!
Humans -especially hunstmen and huntresses- love to talk about evil creatures and how to fight them!
Hey, wait a second… Cinder is an academy professor. Why hasn't she cleared things up?
"Ms. Rose!" My head fell off my hand and smacked into the desk below as I was jolted from my thoughts by Professor Oobleck.
"Reapers!" I accidently shouted.
"Your answer to the question of whether team leaders should be given complete authority over their teammates in regards to field rationing, provisional training and group time management is… Reapers?"
I looked around the classroom at each of the students. Many of them were holding back laughter. Cardin Win-something was rolling is eyes, while Jaune was smiling sympathetically. I turned back to the professor. "Yes?"
"It seems like Ms. Rose will be rereading chapter twelve tonight and presenting me with a detailed, two-page report on the answer to this question, to be brough to me tomorrow during our history class."
The class finally started to laugh, no longer holding it back.
It took a few minutes for Professor Oobleck to settle everyone back down, but once more the class proceeded through the textbook.
"As I was saying-"
The professor was cut off as the classroom door opened to professor Peach. "Excuse me for the interruption doctor Oobleck, but might I borrow one Ruby Rose for a moment? The headmaster is wishing to speak with her."
Professor Oobleck huffed. "Go on ahead, Ms. Rose. And please do remember to complete your report for tomorrow."
"Okay, doctor," I mumbled in reply, packing my things to go.
Professor Peach hurried on, not paying attention to whether I was following her or not. I guess it made sense. Not many would try to escape from a direct summons from the school's headmaster. Except for me maybe.
Though, I was a little confused as to why he was calling me to his office, when he could have just taught my class and talked to me afterwards.
Wait, we weren't heading to the headmaster's office; this was the way to-
"Here we are, headmaster." Professor Peach said with a friendly smile.
"Thank you, Thumbelina," Cinder responded with a smile of her own. She held out her hand for professor Peach to shake, which the woman immediately did.
"Ozp- in? H-headmaster? …" The professor blinked, looking around the room confusedly. "Cinder?"
"Yes Thumbelina, are you doing alright? You were telling me about the intricacies of growing beansprouts in Mistral's upper districts, before spacing out. Do you need some water?" Cinder withdrew her hand from professor Peach's letting it fall to her side. The professor's arm remained outstretched, unsure on what to do next.
Professor Peach still looked dazed. Then she glanced at me, immediately perking up and out of her confusion. "Hello Ruby, when did you get here?"
"I… had a question for Miss Fall?"
Professor Peach nodded. "Well, it seems like you are busy, and I have a class in… oh, in ten minutes. Please Cinder, let's have lunch sometime. Or tea and sweets if our schedules line up."
"That sounds delightful Thumbelina."
With that, the professor left, scratching her head but altogether not looking totally perturbed.
"You changed her memories? From right in front of her?" Immediately I began questioning the older Reaper. "How did she still know you? Did you make her forget who the headmaster was? What about-"
"Little one, patience." Cinder interrupted with a raised hand. She gestured to the side. "Please, why don't you have a seat."
I didn't think it was a question, so much as a command.
I flexed my magic, feeling the bounds of my territory strengthen. I sat down, stifling a heavy yawn with my forearm.
"The human has all her memories," Cinder began, taking her own seat in front of me. She held poured herself a cup of tea, -presumably how she lured professor Peach to her- then gestured to the second cup, asking if I wanted any.
I nodded.
Pouring me my cup, she continued, "I'm not so foolish anymore as to rewrite all her memories pertaining to me. It's a lot simpler to change just those times which my name is mentioned, so she believes that my name is 'headmaster Ozpin'. Thus, if I ask her to get you for me, she believes she is just calling a student out of class, like any good professor is able to, while your green-haired professor is none the wiser that I'm the one calling you in."
She took a small sip, breathing in the tea's strong aroma. Mint.
"And of course, there is less of a reason to question why a foreign teacher is calling you in than the headmaster himself. Dear old Ozzy will back up any claims, not that any would ask."
"Why do any of this at all?"
Her eyes levelled at me. "Because we must talk, and there is much on your mind."
My own eyes went wide. How did she know I was thinking about her and the headmaster during class?
Cinder gave me a dumb look.
Oh, right. It would be pretty obvious, wouldn't it.
"So… what do you want to talk to me about?"
Cinder chuckled. "No, little one. It is I who should be asking you this. There is plenty for me to say, let alone teach you, but I am now more interested to hear what concerns you the most."
"What are you doing here?" I started off with my most broad question. It had been something I've been wondering in the back of my mind since I first saw her. But I hadn't expected to see her here as a teacher. Maybe sort of just someone sneaking into Beacon, like she did before.
"Now, now, young one. I have graciously allowed you to continue staking your claim on this territory, regardless of our previous arrangement. I trust you would respect my privacy."
She said it with a smile, but I could feel the power coursing through her.
She was… old. Much older than I'd first believed. Probably at her very peak. She wasn't the kind of Reaper one should pick enemies with.
"Okay then. Then what were you doing with the headmaster?"
Cinder paused for a moment. "I was helping him… reconnect. It is his story to tell, unfortunately. I would be remiss if I didn't allow that human his privacy, after everything I've… anyways. How is your relationship with the cat-eared human girl going?"
"Blake?"
Cinder hummed.
"Well, I.. I-erm, I told her. I showed her that I'm… what I am. I showed her my other self." I couldn't help but stutter as I told Cinder. Especially with her piercing gaze.
She took another slow sip of tea, dragging on the silence between us. I shook in my seat, just waiting for her reaction.
"I see." A pause. "How did the girl respond?"
"She, umm, she left. I haven't seen her since yesterday."
"Well, it is fortunate that I have."
I perked up. "Really? Where?"
"Little one, it is imperative that in the coming days, you save your energy. Your territorial claim will soon start growing exponentially stronger. I predict that you will need all your remaining strength."
She placed her cup down on the table harder than I expected. "Now, it is time for you to head to your next class. Think on what I've said. Everything that I've said. A smart Reaper, is a living Reaper."
I left her office before I realized I hadn't even touched my own cup of tea.
That was a weirder conversation than I expected with Cinder. Not that Cinder was ever truly open with her thoughts and opinions, but it reminded me more of my early conversations with headmaster Ozpin. Were they related? Could humans and Reapers be somehow related?
I trudged ahead; head stuck in thought.
Was Cinder ever going to teach me anything? Or would she just continue this circle-talk that she's been doing? I thought back to our conversation, trying to piece things together. What had I learnt from it, if anything? I learned that Cinder was super strong. I learned that she is letting me claim a territory, thank Salem for that. And I learned that something big was coming.
Oh! I also learned that my territory was going to get really strong soon! That last bit made me happy.
Now, what was I missin- "oomph!"
"Hey, watch where you're go- Reaper." The boy's voice started off serious, but quickly morphed into fear.
Did he just say Reaper?
I looked up and into grey eyes. "Do I know you from somewhere?" I shook my head, letting my face fall into a dead-serious frown. "How do you know who I am."
His eyes widened. "I'm Mercury. Mercury Black. Please, I didn't realize you were still here."
"Oh. Wait, you're the vampire!"
He held a hand over my mouth, "sshh!"
"Oh, right. Sorry." I smiled politely up at him. "I'm Ruby Rose if you don't remember."
"Oh don't worry, I remember."
"What are you doing here?"
Mercury shrugged. "You know, learning a bit. Hanging out a bit more. Trying not to get caught by the huntsmen crawling around this place? Mostly just training for the up and coming Vytal tournament."
I stared at him funny. "That's a weird thing for your sort of humans to do."
"My sort of? I'm not human!"
"I thought huntsmen tended to try and kill your kind." I didn't pay his interruption any mind.
"Ugh," he groaned, running an exasperated hand down his face. "Look, as long as you don't kill me and eat my soul, we're square. Good?"
I flinched at his words, dread and panic running through me, leaving my heart pounding in my chest.
"I told you last time, Reapers don't kill. And Salem forbid we eat souls. Don't… don't even bring that up again." I looked around, praying that the shadows which lingered on every surface weren't moving. "Please, don't bring that up again. Especially not out loud."
He nodded, confusion clearly written all over his face. "Chompies," I helpfully answered.
His confusion seemed to only grow more.
"I… I guess I'll see you around?"
"I guess you will."
Apologies for the dip in quality. Turn out, mental health is important when writing. Speaking of, there will not be a new chapter next second-week, like there usually is. My final course projects, exams and presentations all happen around that time, and I feel like practicing/studying for that should take precedence. But then we'll be back to our usual Reaper goodness!
videocrazy - Blake was definitely trying to talk to Weiss during that span of time. As well as trying to get a handle on her emotions to make sense of what she had seen. I guess seeing it for real and up close was the straw that broke that camel's back.
TM Calypso - Blake's a runner alright! And Weiss got to run in the earlier closer-to-canon arc. So now it's Blake's turn!
thewolfgod99 - Hooray!
dragonqueen1993 - Ruby's too stubborn to leave! Probably. Who knows? There's still 2 more people that need to learn what she is!
Shadow Walker - *shrugs* I sure hope so.
Dragon Lord Draco - Oz's story is a fun one
firewyrm2 - We just had a while with Blake's perspective. I'm enjoying spending my focus once more on Ruby. And RUby was pretty lucky that Yang and Blake didn't listen in.
Tiberiumsnow - Thank you!
TheGatorWrite - ya, i tried to be pretty clear that Oz knew, even in his totally Ozpin sort of way
Devashish - I'm glad you enjoyed!
Sm0keyPanda - Dammit Blake!
DeOPOrange - *looks both ways, leans in, whispers in your ear* spoilers. ;)
Mexicat03 - I was totally shocked by the Ozpin knowing twist.
cassnova5424 - I'm just sad that the cliff is being dragged out a little bit
zharshoul - Very close. Reapers help a soul peacefully transition from living to dead. Without a Reaper, people would still die, but it'd be extremely, excruciatingly , a win-win for humans and Reapers alike.
Nagaichi - Hopefully I can make good on all this!
Alucard45 - Thank you for picking up on that! I like the parallels between Blake and Ruby. And I'm totally going to make you squirm!
diamon002 - Wooh!
Hoo boi strikes - merci!
JackTheSpades - Oh, don't worry, there is a whole detailed story about Ozpin and Cinder. That's a whole lot of lore that this entire story will barely be scratching the surface of what my notes have outlined. mainly cuz only the broad strokes of it are important. The big hint about Reapers I'm going to give (mainly cuz it's not super essential to the plot) is that all Reapers are female. Ain't no lady-Oz in this story! And as for Blake escaping, it's definitely more so Ruby letting her leave, then Blake managing to get around her.
Okay, this was a lot of reviews. I'm beyond thankful to everyone who's reviewing and I do wish to respond to everyone, but I think I might need to start picking and choosing who I respond to here, so the responding doesn't get longer than the actual story text. :P