Predictably, no one said a word at first. Everyone stared at Professor Ozpin as though he had told them all individually that they had been diagnosed with an incurable disease. In Summer's mind, that was exactly what she had heard… and she was the first to make a noise. Her breathing became audibly distressed as she stood up off the couch and shook her head. The girl's face was white as snow, and she rapidly began to back away from the group as she put her hands up as a sort of weak barrier.

"That's… no, we're not letting that happen," Summer declared, though the wavering in her voice made it clear that she wasn't at all convinced by her own words. "We're not going to become puppets, or thralls, or… or whatever. How do we stop it? How do we undo whatever deal, or curse, or…"

"Functionally impossible," Professor Ozpin said softly. "And believe me, it isn't for lack of trying. I've been in search of a way to truly die for ages, now, and while I have found a few leads… I've yet to see anything that could take care of both me and Salem together. If I am to die without removing her from Remnant first, then the entire planet will be worse off for it. That is an apocalypse scenario, and while I may have some ideas to permanently bow out of this existence… all I have found are all single-use methods, thus far. Methods that need to be actively chosen, meaning we cannot simply use them to erase her against her will."

Kali stood and moved toward Summer, keeping her eyes on Professor Ozpin all the while.

"So, what, we're just screwed until then? Possibly destined to inherit some… soul parasite named Ozma?"

"It's going to be me," Summer said, quite suddenly sure of her prediction. "None of you have to worry, it'll be me…"

"What?" Raven asked, suddenly alert as she watched Summer back away. "Why are you… you saw something. What aren't you telling us?"

"….saw something?" Cerise asked, beginning to bounce her knee anxiously as she watched the exchange. "What do you mean saw something?"

"I didn't," Summer denied, shaking her head as Kali caught up and put a hand on her shoulder. "I didn't, but I just know in my gut that it's going t-"

"Don't start this," Qrow advised. "We need to stay calm and hear all the details so we can begin working through… something, somehow, a-"

"Are you serious?" Roman asked, looking almost as panicked as Summer. "You want us to stay calm and just act like this isn't life-changing information? Summer's right to panic!"

Professor Ozpin let out a sigh and adjusted his glasses, somehow remaining totally calm.

"The details do matter, yes. You should all know that it is highly unlikely that I a-"

"Oh, fuck this," Roman interrupted, throwing his hands up as he moved to join Summer and Kali. "What's highly unlikely is that we're going to take it sitting down after you tell us that we're just screwed now and have to deal with this in addition to Salem! How could you just keep this a secret until now?"

"And if it's unfixable, why tell us at all?" Kali added. "Do you think this somehow makes us stronger? What are you thinking bringing this up n-"

"Everyone shut the fuck up!" Cerise declared as she, too, stood up. The girl was fuming, though the target of her anger wasn't immediately clear. Once all eyes were upon her, she fixated her glare on Summer in particular. "That's it! I've had enough of this constant back-and-forth bullshit between constantly shifting teams of people, and finding out there's more and more I don't know about this whole situation. Forget what you did or didn't 'see' right now- and forget the constant whipping straight into panic. Ozpin? Ozma? Who or whatever the hell you are- do you even have a normal lifespan?"

"…I was getting to that," Professor Ozpin answered. "And that is the partial answer to your question, Kali. I am bringing it up because of Sasha's discovery, if you have forgotten in your anger, but that is not all. Part of why I am telling you this now is that I do not have a normal lifespan. I, like Salem, am immune to the effects of aging, and should I be allowed to live in this body without life-ending trauma of some sort, no transfer will occur. That being said, I can hardly remain looking like this forever while headmaster of Beacon Academy without raising questions. I do, however, have options."

Summer blinked, and then it was her turn to look furious.

"So… so you can just… stay as Professor Ozpin, theoretically?"

"If I am protected and do not fall prey to Salem and her minions, then yes," Professor Ozpin confirmed. "If not, my soul- that of Ozma- will transfer to someone seemingly random that I have met in this lifetime and formed a bond with. Any of you would be likely candidates."

"…see?" Cerise asked, putting her hands on her hips. "This is a worst-case scenario that you're all freaking out over, and that's exactly what he wanted so whatever other bullshit he's about to drop on us doesn't seem as bad. Everyone just sit down, shut up, and let's get through this. Enough screaming, enough stalling… let him tell us whatever else we need to know, if he's putting all the cards on the table."

"All cards is a bit of a stretch," Professor Ozpin admitted as he shifted his grip on his cane. "That being said, I can give you a bit more information than you have now. To Kali's point- it may not help you directly, but you will at least feel as though I still trust you."

"Do you?" Adam finally said as the standing trio got back to the couches. "That's a weird way to say that. Do you still trust us? Because some of us don't trust you right now."

Professor Ozpin met Adam's gaze, unblinking.

"Do either of us have a choice at the moment, but to trust each other?"

"…we always have a choice," Adam countered. "Doesn't mean we have good choices, but… we could turn on you. You could turn on us. If our interests no longer align, it's going to happen eventually. I doubt everyone in this room is going to stay loyal, Professor. I think you doubt it, too."

Taiyang ground his teeth for a moment as he gave Adam an incredulous look.

"Are you trying to get him to withhold more information from us? What the hell, man?"

"I'm trying to get rid of the intellectual dishonesty going on here," Adam snapped. "We're not stupid, and neither is he. What reason do we have to believe that we're still going to be your 'special' teams anymore, after we took a stand during that call? You probably have the resources to have us just removed from Beacon, or you could send us into a losing battle to get rid of us. How do we know we haven't destroyed everything between us already?"

Professor Ozpin let out a weary sigh and shook his head, his voice becoming softer.

"…this is a needless diversion from what truly matters at the moment, but it is a question I will entertain. You can take comfort in knowing that I will not abandon you because, realistically… I have no stake in this war with Salem. If I so desired, I could let Salem simply take over Remnant. It would be all too easy to leave the humans and faunus that currently occupy Remnant to their own devices and let my sister play this out as she desires. I have no stake in this- I have no fear or likelihood of permanent death. I, personally, have no reason to fight for you and yours, other than that it is the right thing to do."

"…sister?" Qrow asked, glancing briefly at his own. "Did you just… Salem is your sister?"

"No, time out," Cerise ordered, making a 'T' with her hands. "Don't let him distract us from Adam's line of questioning with that sudden nugget of info. He's playing games and trying to guide our attention around to what he wants to talk about by dropping a little trail of crumbs away from the topic at hand. Are we supposed to be happy with that answer? You could still easily just choose another group of people to be your little special operative squad or whatever the hell this is and still 'care about humanity' in that way. They all still have no real reason to believe that you're invested in them specifically, and we're not letting that point go. They want proof, and quite frankly, so do I. I'm quickly becoming a thorn in your side, so why should I believe you're not here to do something sinister to them, and me?"

Professor Ozpin finally blinked, though his expression didn't change.

"…were my hands free, I would clap for you," the man said, sounding almost amused. "You, Cerise- believe it or not, I'm beginning to like you. You have spirit, and you are unafraid to take a stand against stupefying odds to protect what you believe in. I see much the same thing in Sasha."

"…please don't," the faunus warned as her feline ears flattened into her hair. "I'm not here for empty praise."

"It is hardly empty," Professor Ozpin corrected. "Though I understand why it might feel that way, at present. While I am rather upset with all of you at the moment… what can I do to prove to you that I remain invested in your futures? Cerise's points are valid, and, quite frankly, I am trying to steer this conversation a certain way, for your sakes and my own."

Roman cracked his knuckles, taking the opportunity to chime in while everyone else was still reeling.

"Start by explaining the 'sister' thing."

"You dumbass…" Cerise accused, putting her face in her hand. "Right back on track…"

"It is something I suppose we should discuss, and Professor Calavera is already aware," Professor Ozpin began, ignoring Cerise's comment as he turned his attention to Roman. "Ages ago, Salem and I were family. Twin sisters, in fact… born along with a pair of twin brothers. When I was originally born as Ozma, I was a female. I have been male, female, human, faunus… every skin color and body shape you can imagine. Salem has, after all this time, retained her original body… more or less. My brothers and I have been jumping from host to host for well over a millennium at this point."

Bartholomew cleared his throat and moved toward the kitchen to turn off the tea kettle that had begun whistling.

"…so, you and Salem are two of a set of ancient, immortal quadruplets? Why have your brothers not been mentioned before, alongside Salem?"

"Now that is an answer I am hesitant to give," Professor Ozpin considered as he watched the boy begin making a cup of hot chocolate for him. "I feel compelled to remind you that Summer's visions are what led to the name Salem being revealed to all of you in the first place- it was never my intention to mention her this early in our partnership, Mr. Oobleck. That being said, I would like you to put the two of them out of your mind and focus solely on Salem. It shouldn't be difficult to do, considering the fact that both of them are deceased. Permanently."

"How?" Raven asked immediately. "And can we use that same method to get rid of Salem?"

"Therein lies the problem," Professor Ozpin warned. "She's the one who killed them, and I have no idea what exactly she did. They've both reincarnated previously, but to my knowledge, it has been hundreds of years since either has walked the surface of Remnant."

"Who were they?" Cerise asked. "I'm taking over again, and you're doing that stalling and redirecting trick. If you want us back on your side completely, that's my condition. Tell us about them. You clearly don't want to, so it's time to go off-script. Fill us in, or I walk."

"And I suppose telling you that you do not want to know the full answer because it will change your view of Remnant as a whole won't dissuade you?" Professor Ozpin tried, getting no response from Cerise other than an annoyed stare. "Fine. If those are your terms… their names were Marius and Rinnal. You would know them as the Gods of Light and Darkness… though those domains are somewhat inaccurate…"

Author's Note:

And if you think that's confusing…

-RD