Oscar Pine sits on his bed in his room, reading a book by the light of a lantern.
Oscar's Aunt: (yelling from another room) "Oscar, supper's almost ready!"
Oscar: "What're we having?"
Oscar's Aunt: "Doesn't matter! You're eating it!"
Oscar: (jokingly) "I never agreed to these terms!"
Oscar's Aunt: "It's part of the "living under my roof" contract! Read the fine print, then come wash up!"
Oscar closes his book and stands up. He is walking toward the door when a voice resounds, causing him to pause.
Ozpin: (disembodied) "We have to leave."
Oscar continues forward.
Ozpin: "Oscar. Oscar!"
Oscar is about to grasp the door handle, but holds back.
Oscar: "I've decided you're not real, so you might as well give up."
Ozpin: "I understand how you're feeling. I went through the same panic and confusion."
Oscar turns around and looks at an open book on the floor. He bends down and shuts it, talking aloud as he puts it and the one next to it away on a shelf.
Oscar: "It's not real. It's not real. It's not real."
Oscar stands up and his reflection is visible in the window.
Ozpin: "I can assure you, you are perfectly sane."
Oscar: "I'm talking to a voice in my head."
Ozpin: "I didn't say you were normal. I said you were sane."
Oscar starts to leave his room again.
Ozpin: "There's quite a significant difference between--"
Oscar: "Shut up! You think this is funny? It's not."
Ozpin: "We are in complete agreement on that matter, I promise you. Believe me, I wish this weren't the case. But as I've told you, our Aura, our souls are combined."
Oscar looks up at the ceiling without really focusing on anything but clearly showing his disgust.
Oscar: "I'm done listening to you."
Ozpin: "Have you ever been to Haven?"
Oscar: "I told you I'm not going, and I told you I'm done listening."
Ozpin: "Do you think you could describe the Headmaster's office?"
Oscar: "No. Why would I know that? I've never seen--"
Ozpin: "Try. Right now."
Oscar: "It's probably... It's..."
His eyes widen and his face slackens. The visual pans around his head in a circle as he continues to speak.
Oscar: "It's autumn-colored... with a large mahogany desk. There's a small table with chairs in a corner for guests, with a tea set that... I... I gave him."
The pan stops when Oscar refers to himself in the first person. He puts his hand to his head, disconcerted.
Oscar: "Why did I say that? Why did I know that? Why did I say that?"
Oscar becomes increasingly bothered and he starts backing up, dropping his hand.
Ozpin: "Because I helped build that school, and the tea set was a gift to the man running it now."
Oscar sits on his bed and holds his head, groaning.
Ozpin: "If you don't believe me, you can look it up. If I recall, your aunt has several books on Mistral downstairs. I'm certain you could find a picture in one of them."
Oscar: (straightening up and lowering his hands) "That... that's right, I must've seen it in a picture." (sighing)
Ozpin: "Oscar..."
Oscar stands upright, tightening his fists at his sides and shouts.
Oscar: "Stop talking to me!"
Ozpin: "I have a grave responsibility to uphold. We both do."
Oscar: (falling to his knees) "I never agreed to anything."
Ozpin: "No, you didn't. And neither did I, at first. But you do have an opportunity."
Oscar: "For what?"
Ozpin: "Greatness, hopefully. Greatness in knowing that, when the world needed help, you were the one to reach out your hand. It won't come without hardship, without sacrifice, but I know you don't want to live the rest of your life working as a farmhand in Mistral."
Oscar: (hands on his head again, eyes wide) "So you just decided to read my thoughts?"
Ozpin: "I... well. They're our thoughts, now."
Oscar: (groaning) "Get out of my head!"
Oscar's Aunt: "Oscar! Supper time! I better see clean hands!"
Oscar looks toward the door, but remains silently on the floor.
Meanwhile in Atlas
Raiden's Pov
After my sudden outburst at the party, I hid from sight, but I am furious with myself for saying something that made the belief of me being a part of the attack look true.
Raiden: "Should've just kept my mouth shut. Like I how I always did back then....."
With great utter frustration, I slam my fist on the wall I was leaning on, cracks appearing upon impact. After calming myself down, I suddenly become confused as to where I am.
Raiden: "Where am I anyway?"
I take time to survey my surroundings until I finally recognized that I was in the Schnee Manor's backyard, with the knowledge of knowing Weiss' room just above me. I just sigh to myself regrettably as I lean on the wall behind me, crossing my arms while doing so. Then suddenly, my ears caught the sound of footsteps in Weiss' room. Intrigued, I turned into a bird and flew up. After reaching the window's ledge, I peeked in and saw Weiss sitting on her bed with her head bowed and her hands folded in her lap. Her father, Jacques, pacing in front of her.
Jacques: "Unbelievable. Absolutely unbelievable."
Jacques suddenly stops, then turns and points at her.
Jacques: "Do you have any idea what your stunt cost us? Standing up in defence for Braxton's daughter and that beast of a boy?"
Weiss: "I—"
Jacques: "And don't think I'm just talking about Lien here! Our reputation! Our... our..."
Jacques sighs angrily and holds his head, unable to come up with the words to finish expressing the gravity of her mistake. I watch as Weiss waits for a moment before speaking.
Weiss: "I want to leave."
Jacques: "I beg your pardon?"
Weiss: "I said I want to leave. I don't want to stay here anymore. I don't want to stay in Atlas anymore!"
Jacques: "Young lady, I don't give a damn about what you want! This isn't about you. This is about the Schnee family name and your apparent insistence on dragging it through the mud!"
Weiss: "I have done nothing but fight to uphold the honour of my family name, a name that you married into!"
Jacques slaps Weiss hard on her left cheek, sending her head to the side as she gasps in reaction. I had to fight the urge to barge in through the window and intervene, but I knew better not to make the situation worse as it is.
Weiss puts her hand on her slapped cheek and turns to face her father, looking at him a little incredulously as she lowers her hand. He looks right back at her, unrepentant. When he begins speaking again, his voice suddenly sounds calm yet intimidating.
Jacques: "This behaviour of yours is incredibly disappointing. You couldn't possibly understand the lengths I've gone to in order to keep this family where it is. You think running off like your sister is going to make the Schnee name stronger? You're wrong. Siding with her only divides us. And siding with Brisa will only ruin the family reputation."
Weiss: "I'm not siding with just anyone. I'm siding with Brisa and Rai because I know that they were not behind the attack. I'm doing what I feel is right, and that does not include wasting my time up here..."
Jacques walks away, rolling his eyes as his daughter finishes her rant.
Weiss: "...with these clueless people in Atlas. The Schnee family legacy isn't yours to leave. It's mine, and I'll do it as a Huntress."
Jacques stops and slowly turns to face her again. As he speaks, he moves to stand in front of his daughter, peering down at her.
Jacques: "No... you won't. You're not leaving Atlas. You're not to leave the manor grounds unless I specifically allow it. You are going to remain here, out of sight and out of trouble, until you and I come to an agreement on your future."
Weiss: "What?!"
Jacques: "Your presupposition that you can simply have whatever it is you want is a clear sign of our failure as parents. But from now on, I'll be giving you the full attention you require, starting by keeping you where I can see you."
With that, Jacques turns once more and walks away.
Weiss: "You can't just keep me from leaving! You can't just... forbid me from seeing the only friends I have in this place!"
Again, he stops and turns to look at her.
Jacques: "I can, and the staff here will make sure of it."
Weiss: "So now I'm just your prisoner?!"
Jacques: "You are my daughter. You're a child, and children are grounded when they misbehave."
He walks away, and this time, he continues walking even while his daughter speaks.
Weiss: "This is only going to make things worse, Father. People will ask questions! They'll want to know why the heiress to the Schnee Dust Company is suddenly nowhere to be found!"
Her father stops in front of the door and faces her.
Jacques: "Which is why you are no longer the heiress to the Schnee Dust Company."
Weiss takes a step back, stunned. The news also surprised me as my eyes widened.
Weiss: "Excuse me?"
Jacques: "Clearly, the trauma you, Brisa and Raiden endured at the fall of Beacon was too much for the three of you. Which is why you've generally revoked your claim to the company and its earnings and passed it on to your brother Whitley. As for Brisa and Raiden's situation, his claim for both of them is merely hanging on by a mere thread, add the fact of Raiden lashing out and making a scene at the charity event."
Weiss stares at her father, breathing heavily as she digests the news.
Jacques: "It's time to wake up and face reality. And I forbid you to see Brisa or Raiden ever again, until their matter is resolved."
After hearing Jacques confining Weiss to her room and forbidding her from seeing me ever again, I just grit my teeth in anger and fly down from the thin ledge I was resting on and land on the ground with a crouch, only then to be found by Brisa's sister Arisa, casually leaning on the wall with her arms crossed. Needless to say, her sudden appearance surprised me.
Raiden: "How....?"
Arisa: "I don't have to remind you I'm a faunus?"
She says so as she leaves the wall she was leaning on, and slowly walks towards me.
Arisa: "As much as I hate to admit it Raiden, Weiss' father is correct. Your sudden outburst at their event only raised the people's assumption of you being connected to the attack in Beacon."
She reveals the news by taking her Scroll out of her pocket and showing a picture of me, much to my annoyance as I clench my fist and look away.
Arisa: "It's not only that, I'm afraid."
She then shows another set of pictures with me talking to Bri about our plans. I was incredibly shocked that my knees almost buckled down to the ground, but found support on the wall near him.
Arisa: "What were you thinking, Rai?! Talking to someone who is supposed to be on the run! Just what were you trying to do Raiden?!"
I adapted a pained expression, while Arisa seemed remorseful for raising her voice. She heaves out a sigh to calm herself down before speaking to me again.
Arisa: "So, why Rai?"
Raiden: "I just.... wanted to fulfil a promise. To her Brisa and come here to look after Weiss."
I just turn away from Arisa, and look down at the ground out of depression.
Raiden: "I want to leave..."
Arissa raises an eyebrow at me for a moment, before looking at me sceptically as she crosses her arms.
Arisa: "Oh? And do what exactly?"
Raiden: "To find some sort of evidence. Anything just to prove me and Bri are innocent. That we're not the ones behind the attack. If it means hunting down the person truly behind this even at the ends of this world, then so be it."
I give Arisa a determined look to convince her I'm true to my goals, but Arisa only scoffs at me and turns her back on me.
Arisa: "You're not ready. Not yet, at least."
She then turns her attention back to me.
Arisa: "First, you must find these to people, as I will not always be there to help you they will help you with your problems."
Arisa gave me an address, I looks at her incredulously.
I look down in downcast, knowing she is right. I looked up at Weiss' window as I stayed quiet. As I turned into a bird as I fly away I looked back to see Weiss watching me leave. I look on with sadness.
Raiden: 'I'll be back soon Weiss'
Meanwhile
Cyra's Pov
The man pulls his tail back, as Qrow turns around, swinging his weapon and holding it at the ready by his side. The purple fire sparks around my body slowly fades away as the glow in my eyes subsides.
Nora: "Cyra!"
Tyrian: "As I live and breathe, Qrow Branwen. A true Huntsman has entered the fray!"
Ruby gets up and sets Crescent Rose on its end as she supports her body by leaning on it. Qrow then glances back at her.
Ruby: "I don't know, this guy's weird."
Qrow: "Look, pal, I'm not sure who you are, but you need to leave my niece alone."
Tyrian chortles.
Tyrian: "Why, friend, my name is Tyrian. And I'm afraid that is not possible."
Cyra: "Right. Why would we let you take her?"
I asked pointing the tip of my daggers to him. Tyrian turns to me and just grins back at me. He composes himself and narrows his eyes at the cloaked figure as he glares at her.
Tyrian: "One does not upset the Queen!"
Ruby: "Queen?"
Qrow: "Salem...."
Cyra: "You've got a lot of explaining to do after this is over, Qrow."
With that, I shifted my daggers into long swords and adapted my own fighting stance.
Tyrian: "Hmm, I think we've had enough talk now, don't you?"
Tyrian assumes a crouching position, readying himself.
Qrow: "Took the words right out of—"
Tyrian rushes Qrow before he can finish voicing the thought and the two fight. As Tyrian attacked Qrow I tried intercepting as that happened Tyrian just pushed me back, which surprised me. When I finally held my ground, the Tyrian started unleashing his attacks, while blocked and countered with my own until the two of us were at a standstill. Shifting my stance, I made a roundhouse kick towards his stomach, effectively knocking him back away from me.
Tyrian: "You've got potential hehehe."
Cyra: "What are you talking about."
Tyrian: "Don't worry I'll take you back with me and then I'll explain."
Without warning, he lunges at me again with his weapons, the same ferocity and fervour clearly present in his attacks as before, but I was able to keep up with his strikes without much problem, much to his shock.
Tyrian: "How...?"
I just smirked at him as I found an opening and viciously slashed his side, a purple Aura shimmering across where the strike was made. He screams in pain before he delivers two kicks to my torso and a spinning kick to my face. I staggered from the attack, as Tyrian went back after Qrow, I saw the fight between Qrow and Tyrian, how their fight was nearly hard to keep with my eyes. Suddenly, Ren and Nora rushed towards the two.
Cyra: "No! Get back!"
I wanted to stop them but looks like the kicks were almost through my Aura. As I looked again Tyrian manages to gain the slight upper hand when he uses his tail to disarm Qrow. This slows things down enough for Ruby, who is positioned on top of the roof of a building, to repeatedly shoot at him, but Tyrian just deflects each easily with his tail. Recovering I come from behind and swing my sword.
Tyrian: "Tsk tsk. Not so hasty."
I jumped back only to be caught by Tyrian's tail. He wraps his tail around my neck. He spins me around and tosses me into the air. A bullet was released nearly hitting him. Tyrian deflects more bullets with his tail as Ruby kept shooting him. Qrow looks over his knuckle and clenches them. I jabbed Tyrian in the nose with the hilt of my long sword. Tyrian looks up only to get another jab from the right and kicks him in the stomach. Tyrian was stunned as to what happens while Qrow walks past him with a smirk. He pulls his weapon but he was almost caught off guard when I blocks Tyrian as he was coming toward Qrow. He looks back at Qrow.
Cyra: "Guess all that training really pays off, didn't it."
Qrow: "More fighting, less talking, kid."
I smirk at Tyrian. I spin behind him and suplexed him. As Tyrian was getting up, I lands a dropkick on him. Me and Qrow were hitting him, taking turns. Qrow was a bit sluggish but his punches landed in the right area while my dagger jabs were quick, delivering fast hits but not doing much damage. However, the two worked together and Tyrian was having difficulty trying to get away.
Tyrian: "Enough!"
Tyrian wildly swings his tail at me. I barely dodge it when Tyrian swings his tail again causing me to crash into one of the buildings.
Qrow: "Kid!"
I crash through the building. I struggled to get up but my aura had dropped into the red. Qrow looks furiously at Tyrian. Qrow rushes at Tyrian. He brings up his sword from left to right. Tyrian jumps away and shoots in midair. Qrow blocks them and sees a rotten part of the house he's standing. He ran over to it and Tyrian follows only for him to fall through the roof. Qrow tries to jump away but Tyrian pulls him with his tail. The whole building fell on the two of them.
Cyra: "Q...Qrow!"
Ruby quickly went down and over to the side of the building. I follow suit. Qrow was tossed through the wall outside. He tossed his sword and stands on top of his sword. His aura had dropped into the red while Tyrian was still high. I rush again at Qrow only to be interrupted by Ruby.
Tyrian: "Do you wish to be taken!?"
Ruby: "No. But I won't stand by awhile someone gets hurt."
Cyra: "Looks like you need to face three of us instead!"
Ruby went to the right while I went to the left and Qrow in the middle. We clash with Tyrian blocking their attack. Tyrian kicks away Qrow and uses his tail to attack Ruby. Ruby blocks it with her scythe. She brings her scythe only to be deflected. Caught off guard, Tyrian sees his chance and attacks Ruby. I managed to block his attack in time and both of them were locked. I turn towards Ruby.
Cyra: "Ruby! Get back!"
Ruby: "This is my fight too!"
Cyra: "You don't stand a chance! Ruby!"
She attacks Tyrian while I am still locked blade-to-blade with him, but his legs arch away from the swing of her scythe.
Qrow: "No, it's not that. It's—"
Ruby attacks again, and Tyrian moves to her. He flips and sends her back with a two-footed kick. She slides closer to the building and gains her ground, but the wooden beams near the roof have been shaken up too much and a heavy one breaks and descends upon her. Qrow slices it in half so it falls in pieces to either side of Ruby without touching her.
She smiles at him in gratitude and affection, and he raises his head from his stance to look at her, only to gasp in pain as he is immediately cut in the abdomen by Tyrian's stinger, and Ruby gets kicked back.
Cyra: "Qrow!"
Tyrian laughs maniacally as he watches me rush in.
Tyrian: "I'll get you too."
He dodges my attacks with ease since I was attacking in exhaust, until he finally pinned me against the wall. I had barely enough energy and no Aura to fight back.
Tyrian: "The Queen has strictly ordered me not to kill you. I will make you suffer slowly, and make sure you'll live for the plans she had laid out for you."
Cyra: "What do you–"
He raises his scorpion tail and stabs its stinger through my left shoulder. I gasp in pain as I clutched into his tail trying to release it from my shoulder. An idea suddenly occurred to me as I gathered the last of my energy to slowly raise my dagger above Tyrian's tail. I smirked at him.
Cyra: "Consider this..... a 'handicap'."
With my remaining strength, I swing my dagger down against Tyrian's tail it cut off, a part of Tyrian's tail that was connected to its stinger. The stinger bounces, spurting purple liquid, to the ground. Tyrian reels back and cries out from the pain, letting me go in the process as I fall to the ground.
Tyrian: "You bitch!"
He takes a step or two forward but is off balance. Razor, Nora, Ren and Jaune all move to block his path to me, Ruby and Qrow. I tried getting up, but I can feel the poison coursing through my body.
Tyrian takes a few awkward steps, not engaging, as he talks to himself.
Tyrian: "She'll forgive you."
He runs away in a panic, Qrow, who had still been upright with his weapon at the ready, collapses to one knee and clutches at the wound, panting heavily.
Ruby: "Uncle Qrow! Are you okay?"
Qrow: "I'll be fine. He just grazed me."
He pulls his shaking hand away to show the blood on it.
Qrow: "You should help your friend, she's in more trouble."
Ruby looks over to where I was, and sees Jaune helping me up by slinging my arm around his shoulder.
Ruby: "Cyra!"
Ruby runs over and helps Jaune bring me over to Qrow.
Ruby: "Are you alright?"
Cyra: "I'm fine. I've to stop the flow with my breathing."
Razor: "Can we address the Goliath in the room."
Nora: "Who was that guy?"
Ren: "How did you get here?"
Jaune: "Why are people after Ruby and Cyra?"
Ruby: "Uncle Qrow? What's going on?"
Qrow took in a few deep breaths as he faces up and replies;
Qrow: "What's your favourite fairy tale?"