Beacon Academy
12:21 PM
316 Days to the Fall
Y/n Pov
Looking up from the screen, Ozpin and I held eye contact. Despite my best efforts to hide it, I was panicking and I was sure that it was visible. The worst case scenario has just played out in the worst way possible. I didn't dare look back at Yang and Ruby. The silence was only broken by Ozpin asking the question that was on everyone's mind.
Ozpin: So Mister Rose, how are you alive?
Y/n: None of your business.
Ozpin: On the contrary, I believe that it is my business as well as the business of Miss Yang and Miss Ruby there. I'm sure your father would be rather happy to hear-
Y/n: Cut the bullshit! You have me right where you want me so why don't we skip to the end.
The hostility was palpable. Ozpin didn't so much as flinch at my tone, but Goodwitch was clearly taken aback by it. Guess she was still trying to come to terms that I was the vigilante that's been a pain in the ass for Huntsmen around remnant for the last couple years. That, or maybe she was stunned by how I went from the overprotective big brother to this. I didn't pay her much mind outside of making sure she wasn't about to attack. I wasn't going down without a fight. Not after everything that's happened up to this point.
Yang: H-h-how...? W-why...?
Y/n: There's more to the world than you could even begin to imagine. Now didn't I say to take Ruby and your team and leave?
Yang: WE THOUGHT YOU WE'RE DEAD FOR TEN YEARS AND THATS WHAT YOU SAY TO US!?
Ruby: *Crying* Why didn't you come back!?
Y/n: I didn't have a choice! What was I supposed to do!? I was declared dead and aunt Raven had-
Yang: YOU'VE BEEN WITH MOM!?
Ozpin: Children, I believe we are getting sidetracked from what we are all here for.
Yang and Ruby both looked between Ozpin and I. I wasn't about to say thank you for getting us away from that because I couldn't explain to them about magic or the lazarus pit for several reasons. Most notably, knowledge of magic is inherently dangerous. Especially with the League still active. Haven't had the opportunity to take them down and its looking like I wont with each passing second.
Blake: Before we go back to that, I want to ask you something Y/n.
Y/n: Shoot.
Blake: Why do all of this? I asked when we were on the warehouse roof at the docks, but you turned the question back at me.
Y/n: ....Ask Ruby and Yang about Tai. After all of... That, I was trained by Raven. When I was sixteen, I started participating in her raids... I hated it. For four months, we stole and killed whoever resisted. Then one day, I was exiled....
Ruby: Why were you exiled?
The memory of that girl in the village resurfaced for the first time in months. I gripped the chair so hard that I could hear the wood creaking under my grip. It was like I was back in that moment. Remembering her screaming and realizing that she looked like Ruby... I closed my eyes and forced it back down as deep as I could. That was one of the many things I didn't want to ever remember.
Y/n: ....I broke camp rules and couldn't stay, leave it at that. After that, with nowhere else to go, Roy and I made our way to Atlas.
Yang: Who's Roy?
Goodwitch: He was the one known as Arsenal, correct?
Y/n: Yeah... He was my brother... *Sigh* The two of us went to Atlas and got involved in the Black Mask incident shortly after we left the tribe.
I looked back as I continued since I was mostly telling this to the girls. Weiss obviously knew everything but there were a few details she didn't know, like my time with Raven. She knew as well as I did that the chances of me walking out of here were near nonexistent, even with all of my information. Now that Ozpin knew who I was, even if I did escape, there was nowhere to hide.
Weiss: He and Roy both saved my life.... But Roy....
Y/n: Is dead...
Ruby and Yang realized what I must have felt in that moment. Ruby took a step towards me but Yang grabbed her by the shoulder, holding her in place. That gesture alone hurt me more than any physical wound that I could ever have. Yang looked at me and I saw in her eyes that she saw me as a monster. I narrowed my eyes at her and hardened myself. I expected this... You don't get to live a bad life and have good things happen to you.
Yang: So you just up and decide that you get to be judge, jury and executioner!?
Y/n: LIKE YOU WOULDN'T DO THE SAME!? ACTUALLY NO, YOU WOULDN'T BECAUSE YOUR A COWARD!!
Yang: IF I'M A COWARD THEN YOUR A MONSTER!!!
Ruby: YANG!!!
Ozpin: ENOUGH!
Ozpin slammed his hand on the desk. Goodwitch looked shocked at the display. I didn't pay him any mind and continued.
Y/n: You don't know what monsters are. You couldn't even comprehend a fraction of what I've seen...
Yang: Like what?
Y/n: How about a girl who not only looked like Ruby but was no older than her being raped. How about something more recent? The day of your initiation, I held children as they died because there wasn't anything I could do to help them aside from comforting them as they left. A luxury that not a lot of people get.
Yang reeled back a little as I laid into her. I was having a hard time keeping myself in check. At some point my hands started leaking lazarus energy, something that everyone noticed. Ruby slipped out of Yang's grip and practically tackled me in a hug. The poor girl was hurt and confused. Weiss and Blake looked between everyone in the room. Neither knew what to do here.
I calmed down and stopped the energy from slipping out. Ruby reluctantly let go of me and stepped back a little. I smiled a little knowing that she still was the nice little girl from all that time ago. Now that I was calmed, I realized that what Ruby felt was ten times worse for Yang since she was actually old enough to remember everything.
Ozpin: You've told us how, but your still yet to answer why you do this.
Y/n: Because you people can't be trusted.
Goodwitch: What do you mean?
Y/n: Huntsmen are not to be trusted. Tai played you all as fools and we suffered for it. Not only that, but then you people have the audacity to sit here and act like your infallible. Tell me, in the time since I got to Vale, what's the crime rate looked like.
Goodwitch: That has no-
Y/n: It has everything to do with this! Since I've been around, the crime rate has gone down astronomically.
Ozpin: That is quite a accomplishment, but I fail to see how that is important now.
Y/n: Because it's not really down.
Ozpin raised a eyebrow intrigued.
Ozpin: Then why are you drawing attention to it?
Y/n: Because you and your Huntsmen have failed. You cant stop crime, that's what you don't understand. I'm controlling it. You want to rule them through the fear of prison time and disgrace, but what do you do with the ones who aren't afraid? I'm doing what you won't, I'm taking them out!
Ozpin: And that's the crux of the problem.
Now it was my turn to raise a eyebrow.
Ozpin: You believe that Huntsmen are inept and corrupt because of your experience with Tai Xiao Long. So you feel that in doing what you think Huntsmen should have done to protect not just you but your sisters and every other unfortunate soul to suffer at the hands of who you believe to be evil, that you are morally justified in what you do.
I held my silence because he hit the nail on the head. There were some people out there who took pleasure in hurting others. It was those people who didn't deserve to breathe. Ozpin knew he had it right because I saw a ghost of a smile on his face like he was enjoying this... Or maybe there was something more to it then I'm thinking.
Ozpin: I will not dispute our failure ten years ago, that was a tragedy that should never have happened. But, you seem to think that the only constant is the evil that dwells in this world of ours.
Y/n: Skip to the part where you tell me what you want.
Ozpin: *Chuckle* I would like to offer you a chance to see that evil isn't the constant you seem to think it is. Stay at Beacon, give yourself a chance at normality.
Y/n: You want me to be a Huntsman....?
Yang: Professor Ozpin-
Ruby: Stop! He needs help and he can get it here. We thought he was gone but we can have our brother back. Don't you want that?
Weiss: Y/n, I tried to save you two years ago like you did me. Please accept.
Blake and Yang didn't say anything. I was appalled by the offer. I've killed close to a hundred now and this man wants me to come to school. And what's this "Needs help" bullshit I just heard from Ruby? That's what this is, isn't it? They think they can "Fix me"? I looked Ozpin dead in the eyes. The slight smile he had disappeared the instant my cold eyes met his.
Y/n: I would sooner die then be a Huntsman or be anywhere near your type for longer than I need to.
The silence in the room was heavy. It was more than likely that everyone was shocked at how quickly his offer was shot down. Ozpin himself looked perplexed while everyone, minus Yang and Blake, looked visibly upset. I just said no to my only out after all. That is until Ozpin opened his mouth shocking us all.
Ozpin: ...A shame but very well then. Since I have already discovered who you are, I, and everyone else present, will keep it secret and I will leave you be. In return, you give me the information that you brought today and contact me regularly.
Y/n: So you can keep tabs on me...
Ozpin: No, but If that's how you wish to perceive it then by all means. Are those terms acceptable Mister Rose.
Y/n: ....Perfectly....
Ozpin: Then we have a arrangement. You have access to Beacons network so you don't need to use those burner scrolls and encrypted emails you've been using.
....I knew that Beacons security was too light to not have a trap set up somewhere.... Well played....
I tossed the flash drive to Ozpin and stood up. I had nothing left to say to him or anyone else in the room. That is until Ruby stopped me before I made it out of the office. I looked down at the scroll in her hand and saw what she wanted.
Y/n: I'm sure Yang wouldn't approve.
Ruby: She'll come around. But I want my brother back now and by Oum, your giving me your scroll number.
Y/n: *Chuckles* Just as demanding as you always were.
I saw Weiss and Blake walking up while I was giving Ruby my information. Weiss was the first to speak. She was probably going to be in some hot water now because neither of us did a good job hiding our connection to each other.
Weiss: We're going to have a talk about the whole Y/n Todd thing.
Y/n: I figured you knew that was a alias.
Weiss: No you dolt, I didn't. Not to mention things are going to be awkward between Ruby, Yang and I.
Y/n: You'll figure it out.
Weiss: Of course I will!
Now it was Blakes turn.
Blake: You still haven't answered why.
Y/n: Huntsmen can't be trusted, I said that already.
Blake: But why YOU.
Y/n: ....Its who I am. Nothing more, nothing less.
Blake looked at me a moment longer before her gaze softened a little and she nodded ever so slightly. I looked at Yang but she turned away from me. Ruby saw and tugged on my arm just like she did when we were kids. I rested my hand on her head for a moment before turning around and walking to the elevator. I hit the button and turned back to Ruby.
Y/n: Its was good to see you again Ruby.
Ruby: You too, big brother!
A small smile graced my lips and I looked at Yang who still refused to look at me. It hurt that I was right about her thinking I was a freak. I knew it was a possibility but it still hurt me. My smile fell a little as the elevator arrived. I stepped in and stopped once more and turned to Yang.
Y/n: Yang... It was good to see you too...
Yang didn't even acknowledge me and I pressed the button to go down. Ozpin actually let me go. I couldn't understand why he would do that. Why would he? Maybe he saw me as an asset that he could exploit. Probably, since he wants regular communication. All things considered, I'd have to look at this as a good outcome.
I unclipped my busted mask from my belt and put it on while flipping my hood up. I had work that needs doing. I looked at the time and saw that it was well past one. I sighed...
Y/n: 'This is going to be a longer night then I thought...'
I payed the security officer no mind as I walked out of the building. I beelined it for the Beacon cliffs overlooking the Emerald Forest. I wasn't about to risk being caught out on a Bullhead after all this. I'd rather take my chances with the Grimm. I looked over the forest and out towards Vale thinking about everything that's happened tonight.
I didn't get much time to myself as my scroll buzzed. I took a look to see that it was Ruby. She didn't waste any time. I opened the message and it was enough to make everything infinitely better.
"You probably won't be going to sleep any time soon but for when you do, I wanted to wish you goodnight!"
I laughed a little at how silly it was. I felt... Human again. I messaged her goodnight back and turned back to the forest. I closed my eyes and steadied myself. Then I jumped off the cliff. Ready for whatever came next....
Vol. 1-End
(A/n: Alright guys, I'm going to take a short break, maybe a couple of days before starting on the next chapter since I have to watch Vol. 2 and see what events I want to have Y/n be apart off and where to put some original events. The next Volume is going to be a doozy though, I can promise you that! See you then!)