LOCATION: Beacon Academy - Patient's Room
The machine's rhythmic beeping filled the sterile room. A stark reminder of the fragility of life. Izuku's gaze shifted from the heart monitor, with its fluctuating green lines, to the girl resting in the bed. She appeared serene, her gentle breaths a stark contrast to the beeping that surrounded her. Glynda Goodwitch remained seated beside her, her expression a mix of concern and hope. Professor Ozpin, standing resolutely next to Izuku, offered a reassuring presence, his eyes reflecting a depth of understanding and wisdom. The atmosphere was thick with unspoken words, each character grappling with their own emotions as they watched over the girl, hoping for her recovery.
"How is she?" Izuku asked.
Glynda glanced at Izuku.
"She's okay, much to my surprise," Glynda explained. "She didn't look like this the last time I checked on her."
Glynda cupped the girl's cheek. Her thumb brushed along the girl's skin softly, while the latter's countenance stared at the former's peaceful expression with a frown.
"How is this possible..?" Glynda murmured under her breath.
Professor Ozpin cupped his chin thoughtfully.
"I may have a theory," Ozpin began, glancing at Izuku. "Mr. Midoriya, do you remember the incident that happened the other day?"
Izuku glanced back at Ozpin.
"Yeah," Izuku nodded, still looking at Ozpin.
"Well, the media was having a field day about it," Ozpin explained as he moved closer to the bed. "Even now as we speak, the news outlets are reporting that many people, Humans and Faunus, that had illnesses or major and minor wounds were both healed and cured in just one day. I have a very close friend stationed in a hospital who called me earlier today; he told me that he woke up early in the morning with both his arms and legs intact, not even scars left."
Izuku's eyes grew large. He shifted his gaze toward Glynda for confirmation. The woman with glasses merely nodded with a small smile.
"Which is why I have reason to believe that your Aura awakening may have something to do with Amber's fast recovery," Ozpin suggested, briefly glancing down at the aforementioned girl and then shifting his gaze back at Izuku. "And, yes. That is her name."
Ozpin turned away from Amber's bed to face Izuku.
"However, that is not why I brought you here," Ozpin added, stopping at the bed's end with Glynda also standing up. "I need to tell you something, Izuku. But I must have your word that what is said in this room stays between us."
Izuku paused before nodding his agreement. Ozpin smiled gratefully at him. After a moment of silence passed, Ozpin continued.
"In this world, there are four fairy tales," Ozpin started to explain. "There's the Tale of The Two Brothers, the Shallow Sea, the Girl in the Tower; and the Story of the Seasons. But the fourth outshines the three. The story tells of a callous old man, who refuses to leave his home and is visited by four traveling sisters. The first understands his reclusive nature and urges him to use his time in solitude to reflect and meditate. The second brings him fruits and flowers, tending to his crops and revitalizing his garden. The third warms the man's heart, convincing him to step outside and embrace the world around him."
"And the fourth and final sister begs him to look at all that he has and be thankful. In return for their kindness, the man grants the maidens incredible powers, so that they may continue to help others all over the world. They graciously accept, and promise to share their gifts with the people of Remnant 'til the end of days. Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall; the four maidens."
Ozpin took a steady breath after talking for so long. Izuku stared at the Professor in awe after listening to the tale. Even the predecessors of One for All were fascinated with the story, however, Bruce and Kudo were still eyeing Ozpin distrustfully.
"That story was…beautiful," Izuku finally found the words to say. His voice was soft, and filled with wonder. A hint of a smile appeared on his lips. "I think my mom would've loved it if she had heard this story."
"Yes, indeed it is," Ozpin agreed, nodding his head.
Silence settled upon them again.
"Would you believe me if I told you that one's been around since I was a boy?" Ozpin broke the silence with a question.
Izuku blinked blankly at him.
"What do you mean?" Izuku inquired, confused.
"What if I were to tell you that four maidens were existing in this world, that could wield such tremendous power, without Dust?" Ozpin probed, staring intently at the young hero.
"You mean... like a Semblance?" Izuku asked, trying to make sense of this development.
Ozpin smiled.
"Like Magic," Ozpin confirmed.
Izuku blinked in disbelief.
Did he hear that right?
Magic?!
"What? Magic?! But hold on, that kind of power is supernatural and only exists in fantasy stories and video games," Izuku objected immediately, glancing down at the floor while holding his head. "But I am in another world where everything does look fantasy and real, so the possibility of Magic existing in this world is not as unlikely as I may think. Which means there could be magicians somewhere in Remnant but I haven't seen them yet…."
Ozpin and Glynda stared surprisingly at Izuku as he proceeded to mumble incoherently about Magicians and Fairy Tales. Glynda's mouth opened, but nothing came out.
"Uh, Mr. Midoriya," Ozpin said, trying to get his boy's attention.
"Huh? Oh, sorry professor," Izuku apologized sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head. "I have a bad habit of mumbling to myself sometimes."
"I see," remarked Ozpin.
Silence settled once more.
"Why... Why are you telling me this?" Izuku questioned, staring at Ozpin with uncertainty.
"We are telling you this, Midoriya Izuku, because Amber here." Ozpin gestured toward Amber's unconscious form. "Is the Fall Maiden."
Izuku's eyes grew large. His countenance was completely stunned as he looked between Amber and Ozpin. Glynda stepped up to him.
"I'm sure you have questions," Glynda stated, gazing at the boy.
Izuku nodded his head.
"Maybe one. Or more, I mean, how do these maidens operate?" Izuku pondered aloud, looking at Glynda curiously.
"The Maidens have existed for thousands of years. But much like in nature, the seasons change. No two summers are alike," Glynda explained. "When a Maiden dies, her power leaves her body and seeks out a new host, ensuring that the seasons are never lost and that no individual can hold on to that power forever."
"How does it choose?" Izuku asked.
"At first, the only thing that was certain was that the powers were specifically passed on to young women," Glynda continued. "But as time went on, it was discovered that the selection process was much more... intimate."
Izuku looked concerned. "Intimate?"
"As we understand it now, when a Maiden dies, the one who is in her final thoughts is the first candidate to inherit her power. Unless it's a man or an elderly woman. Then the power goes to someone random, and our job gets a lot harder." Glynda explained.
"That's what happened to Amber," Ozpin chimed in. "When the last Fall Maiden died, the power chose her. I've never met her in person, but I have spoken to her over the scroll after an incident half a year ago. From what she told me, she discovered her maiden powers when she was five years old. Since then, Amber has been honing her skills ever since. She is quite talented, but unfortunately, it wasn't enough to save her from the assailants that attacked her."
Ozpin glanced down at Amber's sleeping form with a frown.
"My trusted companion, Qrow Branwen, managed to save her before her attackers could finish their ruthless task," Ozpin added. "At the time we placed her underground Beacon Academy's Vault, using Atlas's state-of-the-art technology to keep her stable. But there was a lot about this situation that is... unprecedented."
Izuku arched a brow.
"What do you mean?" Izuku was confused.
Glynda sighed, eyes closed.
"We didn't know what would happen if and when she passed," Glynda admitted sadly.
"Won't... her power... just transfer to the next host?" Izuku asked.
"Under normal circumstances, yes," Ozpin replied. "But this is a delicate situation. It's not uncommon for the last thoughts of the slain to be of their attacker. And to make matters worse, no one's ever seen the power split like this before. For all we know, it will seek out its other half."
Ozpin closed his eyes.
"And that would not bode well for any of us."
Izuku glanced down at the floor. He had to admit, all this information was both interesting and frightening. However, there was still something that didn't add up with the young hero.
"If all of this is true, why keep it a secret? If Amber is so important... if she's being hunted by these attackers, why not tell one of your Huntsman or Huntresses to protect her?" Izuku pressed, looking between the Headmaster and teacher with curiosity burning in his green orbs.
Ozpin and Glynda exchanged glances before shifting their gaze back at Izuku.
"From what we understand, it used to be common knowledge," Glynda began slowly, clearly choosing her words carefully. Izuku blinked at her in puzzlement.
"How do you think legends and fairy tales get started? Even those with an insane mind come from somewhere," Ozpin elaborated, taking a sip from his mug. "Our group was founded to protect both mankind and the Maidens; those hungry for power hunted them with the hope of inheriting their strength, and as you can imagine, the ones that succeeded weren't exactly the kind of people you'd want to have unimaginable power. And so this brotherhood chose to remove the Maidens from the public eye, allowing their existence to fade away into legend."
"The things we're telling you go against hundreds of years of human history, and religion," Glynda continued. "No one would want to believe us. It would cause an uproar—panic from all around."
"And we know what that would bring to clawing to our Kingdom's walls," Ozpin concluded.
Izuku glanced at the floor with narrowed eyes. He bawled his fist tightly when his mind processed what Ozpin said and put two and two together.
"The Grimm," Izuku uttered, recalling his encounter during the attack at the Emerald Forest. Ozpin nodded his head in confirmation.
"For the past few years, Atlas has been studying Aura from a more scientific standpoint; how it works, what it's made of, how it can be used. They've made... significant strides. And they believe they've found a way to capture it," Ozpin revealed, glancing at the floor with guilt. Izuku redirected his gaze back at him while Glynda snapped her head at the headmaster with horror. "We couldn't allow the essence of the Fall Maiden to get into the enemy's hands, so we planned that on the day of the Vytal Festival, we would look for the next candidate. We couldn't transfer Amber's power to the person, but we could give them what those powers are bound to."
Izuku's eyes grew large. Even the spirits of One for All assumed the same action as the former.
"Her Aura," Izuku breathed, shocked by what he was hearing.
"Her life... would become intertwined with theirs," Ozpin clarified solemnly. "What would it do to them? I…am afraid I don't have an answer to that."
Izuku shook his head slowly.
"That is…that's wrong," Izuku breathed, clenching his fists. Glynda frowned at him.
"We know. Please believe me when I say the last thing I wanted was to put this kind of burden on one of my students," Glynda reassured. "And we were not gonna force them to undergo the procedure, we were gonna offer her the choice."
Izuku blinked upon remembering something.
"But she's all better now, right? Which means you won't have to go through with your plan, right?" Izuku asked, trying to hold on to a semblance of hope.
Ozpin nodded his head with a smile.
"Yes," Ozpin replied. "It is true that yesterday's incident was quite unexpected. But it is because of your intention that you, unintentionally and without knowing, saved her life. For that, we owe you our thanks."
Izuku began pacing back and forth around the room. Indeed, Ozpin was right. Izuku didn't even know she was here, nor of her injuries for that matter. It was a stroke of luck, sure, but it felt like so much more. He couldn't shake the feeling that fate had played a hand in all of this.
"Forgetting about the Aura transfer machine right now, you said that someone can become a Maiden if she is the last person in the previous Maidens' thoughts. If that is the case, can someone have more than one power?" Izuku asked.
Ozpin arched a brow at him.
"I don't follow," Ozpin replied.
"Let's say, for example, the current Summer Maiden dies and her last thoughts are on the current Spring Maiden," Izuku explained. "Would that individual, who already has a Maiden power, inherit another? I mean, all the Maiden powers came from a single source, right? It would make sense."
"Ah, I see." Ozpin understood. "Truthfully, I do not know. It is a possibility that one could inherit more than one Maiden power, but it is also equally possible that because the body is already serving as a vessel, it can no longer inherit any further power. So the deceased would end up being someone random."
"Okay, one more question," Izuku continued. "How would they give up the power if the individual doesn't want it anymore? Can't they pass it on to someone else they trust?"
That caused Ozpin to wince as he and Glynda shared concerning thoughts. That brief hesitance did not sit well with Izuku. Not even the predecessors of One for All.
"They cannot…" Ozpin revealed.
Izuku retreated backwards with one step as he stared wide-eyed at the headmaster.
"What..?" Izuku stammered, completely taken aback. Glynda sighed.
"A Maiden cannot give up the power of their own accord," Glynda revealed. "The only way they lose their power… is if they lose their life."
"…WHAT?!" The predecessors of One for All screamed simultaneously, causing Izuku to flinch back. It was a good thing neither Ozpin nor Glynda could see or hear them.
"As much as I do not like the burden that comes with their abilities, giving them the ability to give it up would create more risks," Ozpin elaborated with a slight grimace. Izuku narrowed his eyes on him.
"So what do you plan to do with her when she wakes up?" Izuku demanded sternly. Ozpin sighed as he closed his eyes.
"When Amber reawakens, we will have a discussion with her revolving around the incident. In hopes that she can identify those who have attacked her," Ozpin replied. "After that, she'll have to disappear, for her protection."
"But that would mean she'll be all alone for the rest of her life!" Izuku shouted, taking two steps closer to Ozpin. "You just said that the Maidens don't officially exist! You erased their history to keep them away from anyone like the assailants to find them! Which means they'll be living alone forever! If you make Amber go down this path, she won't ever make friends she could call family! It'll be like she never existed at all!"
"Hold on a moment, we wouldn't…" Glynda tried to speak, only for Ozpin to raise his hand to silence her. She fell silent as well and looked away, biting her lip.
"I understand that you're angry, Mr. Midoriya," Ozpin stated calmly. "You have every right to be. Which is why I have a request for you."
"Request?" Izuku questioned curiously, his countenance softened.
"There's no doubt in my mind that the assailants that attacked Amber would come back for her - to retake what they claim is theirs," Ozpin explained gravely. "I humbly request that when Amber is ready to depart from Beacon, you would accompany her as her guardian; I've seen the way you fought in the Emerald Forest - how undeniably powerful you are, and I have hope that with your strength you'll provide her some form of protection."
Izuku's gaze fell to the floor. The weight of Ozpin's words pressed heavily on his mind. It was undeniable; the reality of Amber's vulnerability struck a chord within him. The thought of leaving her unguarded, especially with the looming threat of her assailants returning, was something he couldn't bear. He felt a surge of determination as he considered the strength he could provide.
With his presence, he knew that no villain in Remnant would dare to approach her. The decision was clear; to turn his back on her safety would be a foolish act of negligence. He resolved to stand by her side, ready to face any danger that might arise.
"I will accept your request." Izuku shifted his gaze back at Ozpin with eyes filled with determination. "But only on two conditions."
Ozpin stared at Izuku with a raised brow.
Curious as to where this was headed.
A/N: Well, there you have it young readers. Hope you all enjoyed today's sixteenth chapter. Back from the last chapter, but when everyone saw Amber for the first time, Team RWBY and Team JNPR were planning to ask Professor Ozpin and Glynda some questions. But because they have to get up from the bleachers and go a long way around, they missed their chance. This sixteenth chapter is a prologue for the second arc of this story, where after we're done with the whole Jaune situation, we will be focusing on Izuku and Amber's time together. Heck, maybe even another character that might tag along with them. With all of that said, I'll be taking my leave.
See you all in the next chapter, young readers!