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ᴏᴏ2 : ᴠɪᴅᴇᴏ/ᴛᴇxᴛ
[ filtered to ALL remnant folks EXCEPT torchwick, emerald, mercury, cinder, neopolitian, and team bad guy in general ]
[ ozpin appears on camera, settled comfortably in an armchair, though he looks anything but relaxed. it's rare, that ozpin appears serious. he's normally ambivalent and calm and always with a smile, but he is none of these things today.
emerald has forced his hand. and while ozpin would rather be doing anything else in the world right now than this (and he knows telling this has risks, he knows it has repercussions, but weiss had said that the knowledge of this world stays in this world, hadn't she? telling the truth has no ramifications in remnant, and here, they must remain unified. they must. the other side is bound together, a force to be reckoned with, and his is splintering.
he needs to reclaim control, and trust -- trust of not only his students, but the students of atlas, haven, and vacuo that may arrive here. glynda had insisted upon it -- the students trust and adore you, beacon needs you, and while ozpin sorely disagrees with his own level of importance, it doesn't change the fact that his students need him to tell the truth now.
so. finally, ozpin starts off with a faint smile, though it doesn't reach his eyes. ]
As most of my students know, I love a good story. I tell them frequently -- instead of standard forms of discipline for casual property destruction, I force them to listen to a three hour detailed explanation of Remnant's heroes past. [ team rwby, surely, has endured many a lecture ] Stories are essential, in telling Remnant's history. None of us would be where we are today without the power of oral tradition -- stories make up who we are, and how we make our decisions for the future. We learn lessons from mistakes past, and we gain hope for decisions moving forward.
[ ozpin pauses, here, to allow that to settle. ]
Some of you may be familiar with the Story of Seasons. It is frequently told as a bedtime story, to young children across the kingdoms. It revolves around an old man, who lived on his own, and had no real friends or family. Four young girls happened upon him, and were kind to the old man. The first sister, Winter, encouraged him to meditate, to reflect upon his life. The second sister, Spring, brought the old man fruit, and gave new life to his garden. The third sister, Summer, encouraged the old man to step outside of his home and embrace the beauty of the world. And the fourth sister, Fall, encouraged the man to be thankful for what he had.
When the old man asked the four sisters why they were kind to him, the four sisters responded that they were kind to everyone. So moved by their generosity and selflessness, the old man decided to impart upon the four sisters incredible powers, and unbelievable strength. They are encouraged to go throughout Remnant, spreading their kindness to the kingdoms, and they promised to return to visit the old man once a year. And so, it is told, that is how seasons were born.
[ ozpin stops again, to allow that to settle. and here, he looks like he almost wants to stop, for the briefest second -- but the students deserve to know the truth, and he exhales slowly before refocusing his attention. ]
Like all good stories, it is a bit exaggerated, and fanciful -- but grounded in facts. These four sisters -- Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall -- represent four powerful entities known as the Four Maidens, and they are very much real. They keep balance within Remnant, and guard our world -- it is their destiny to safeguard the balance of Remnant, and the four kingdoms -- and to only use their powers when necessary. This power has been passed on for thousands of years -- from Maiden to Maiden. As one dies, the next is born, and the power moves on. Because of the nature of their gift, it was decided that they must be protected, at all costs. So a society was formed, built of powerful huntsmen and huntresses, to protect the Maidens, and keep the power out of the hands of those that would use it for ill.
[ he pauses before offering a faint smile ]
I am the current leader of that organization. Myself, and my collective, keep the positions of the Maidens out of the public's eye, in order to protect their identity, and allow them to work in peace. We remain in the shadows, because knowledge of this power would have catastrophic results, should it fall into the wrong hands. And I, as the leader of that organization, am responsible for the safety of Spring, Summer, Winter, and Fall.
[ he runs his fingers along the arm of his chair, pulling at a loose thread idly, his expression faltering from peace into something a bit more troubled ]
Our Fall Maiden, Amber, was attacked -- lured into a trap, by Cinder. She removed half of Amber's aura -- crippling her, leaving her practically dead, and leaving Cinder with half of the Fall Maiden's power. Amber was recovered by one of my agent's and brought to me immediately -- and I, having no other choice, put her in stasis, underneath Beacon Academy. Keeping her safe, and stable, until ... until the next Fall Maiden could be found.
[ here, ozpin definitely looks troubled, and he draws in a breath before letting it out slowly. ]
The next Fall Maiden was to be Pyrrha Nikos. And I am not going to... speak for Pyrrha, or for her decisions, or our conversations together, and I will ask you all not to ask me to. But I will say that on the night that Beacon fell, I was in the Vault with Pyrrha to... to transfer what remained of Amber's aura to Pyrrha, in order to complete what was meant to be. And it was dangerous, and a foolish last hope -- something that I had never wanted to occur, but -- well. Hindsight, as they say, is always twenty-twenty. Cinder had managed to get into the Vault, and she killed Amber before the transfer was complete. The power transferred to Cinder, and I attempted to get it back. [ which is professor ozpin's gentle way of saying i tried to kill her ] And -- well. You all know the rest of the tale.
[ he stops again, and ozpin finally allows himself to look slightly tired, and rests his head back against the amchair. ]
I tell the students of Beacon, at the beginning of every academic year, that knowledge can only carry you so far. Your experiences, your trust, your loyalty, and your tenacity will carry you further -- books, and school, can only teach you so much, and it is frequently not enough. And that is true -- but I did not listen to my own advice. I treated you all as students, as children, and I did not allow for the possibility of war because I wanted, desperately, to avoid such atrocities for all of you. No one should live through war, especially those that are still finding their place in the world -- but war has arrived at our doorstep, and we must remain unified against it. The other side -- Cinder, Torchwick, and their followers -- they know precisely what they want. We -- collectively, Vale, Vacuo, Atlas, and Haven -- must decide what we want in return.
It is a lot to ask of you -- overwhelmed as you are, and surely angry, frustrated, grieving, and distrustful. All warranted, and all necessary. But I ask of you to remember who you are, and why you fight, because it is not for me, nor is it for your headmasters, your professors, or even your kingdom. You all have, in your hearts, a specific reason why you elected to become huntsmen and huntresses in the first place. You know, in your hearts, why you took this oath to protect Remnant. Do not forget it, even here, because we must rely on our own faith, and our own strengths, to get through this difficult time.
[ he's silent, after that, for a solid thirty seconds. ]
Please ask me whatever you like, and I will do my very best to answer. But I ask that you do not share this information with those not from our world. I do not want to start a war here, over the Maiden's power. Protect yourselves, and each other, and know that I could not be more proud of a group of students as I am all of you.
[ and he disconnects the video feed. for now. ]
[ filtered to qrow, glynda, and ironwood]
And now we wait.
[ ozpin appears on camera, settled comfortably in an armchair, though he looks anything but relaxed. it's rare, that ozpin appears serious. he's normally ambivalent and calm and always with a smile, but he is none of these things today.
emerald has forced his hand. and while ozpin would rather be doing anything else in the world right now than this (and he knows telling this has risks, he knows it has repercussions, but weiss had said that the knowledge of this world stays in this world, hadn't she? telling the truth has no ramifications in remnant, and here, they must remain unified. they must. the other side is bound together, a force to be reckoned with, and his is splintering.
he needs to reclaim control, and trust -- trust of not only his students, but the students of atlas, haven, and vacuo that may arrive here. glynda had insisted upon it -- the students trust and adore you, beacon needs you, and while ozpin sorely disagrees with his own level of importance, it doesn't change the fact that his students need him to tell the truth now.
so. finally, ozpin starts off with a faint smile, though it doesn't reach his eyes. ]
As most of my students know, I love a good story. I tell them frequently -- instead of standard forms of discipline for casual property destruction, I force them to listen to a three hour detailed explanation of Remnant's heroes past. [ team rwby, surely, has endured many a lecture ] Stories are essential, in telling Remnant's history. None of us would be where we are today without the power of oral tradition -- stories make up who we are, and how we make our decisions for the future. We learn lessons from mistakes past, and we gain hope for decisions moving forward.
[ ozpin pauses, here, to allow that to settle. ]
Some of you may be familiar with the Story of Seasons. It is frequently told as a bedtime story, to young children across the kingdoms. It revolves around an old man, who lived on his own, and had no real friends or family. Four young girls happened upon him, and were kind to the old man. The first sister, Winter, encouraged him to meditate, to reflect upon his life. The second sister, Spring, brought the old man fruit, and gave new life to his garden. The third sister, Summer, encouraged the old man to step outside of his home and embrace the beauty of the world. And the fourth sister, Fall, encouraged the man to be thankful for what he had.
When the old man asked the four sisters why they were kind to him, the four sisters responded that they were kind to everyone. So moved by their generosity and selflessness, the old man decided to impart upon the four sisters incredible powers, and unbelievable strength. They are encouraged to go throughout Remnant, spreading their kindness to the kingdoms, and they promised to return to visit the old man once a year. And so, it is told, that is how seasons were born.
[ ozpin stops again, to allow that to settle. and here, he looks like he almost wants to stop, for the briefest second -- but the students deserve to know the truth, and he exhales slowly before refocusing his attention. ]
Like all good stories, it is a bit exaggerated, and fanciful -- but grounded in facts. These four sisters -- Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall -- represent four powerful entities known as the Four Maidens, and they are very much real. They keep balance within Remnant, and guard our world -- it is their destiny to safeguard the balance of Remnant, and the four kingdoms -- and to only use their powers when necessary. This power has been passed on for thousands of years -- from Maiden to Maiden. As one dies, the next is born, and the power moves on. Because of the nature of their gift, it was decided that they must be protected, at all costs. So a society was formed, built of powerful huntsmen and huntresses, to protect the Maidens, and keep the power out of the hands of those that would use it for ill.
[ he pauses before offering a faint smile ]
I am the current leader of that organization. Myself, and my collective, keep the positions of the Maidens out of the public's eye, in order to protect their identity, and allow them to work in peace. We remain in the shadows, because knowledge of this power would have catastrophic results, should it fall into the wrong hands. And I, as the leader of that organization, am responsible for the safety of Spring, Summer, Winter, and Fall.
[ he runs his fingers along the arm of his chair, pulling at a loose thread idly, his expression faltering from peace into something a bit more troubled ]
Our Fall Maiden, Amber, was attacked -- lured into a trap, by Cinder. She removed half of Amber's aura -- crippling her, leaving her practically dead, and leaving Cinder with half of the Fall Maiden's power. Amber was recovered by one of my agent's and brought to me immediately -- and I, having no other choice, put her in stasis, underneath Beacon Academy. Keeping her safe, and stable, until ... until the next Fall Maiden could be found.
[ here, ozpin definitely looks troubled, and he draws in a breath before letting it out slowly. ]
The next Fall Maiden was to be Pyrrha Nikos. And I am not going to... speak for Pyrrha, or for her decisions, or our conversations together, and I will ask you all not to ask me to. But I will say that on the night that Beacon fell, I was in the Vault with Pyrrha to... to transfer what remained of Amber's aura to Pyrrha, in order to complete what was meant to be. And it was dangerous, and a foolish last hope -- something that I had never wanted to occur, but -- well. Hindsight, as they say, is always twenty-twenty. Cinder had managed to get into the Vault, and she killed Amber before the transfer was complete. The power transferred to Cinder, and I attempted to get it back. [ which is professor ozpin's gentle way of saying i tried to kill her ] And -- well. You all know the rest of the tale.
[ he stops again, and ozpin finally allows himself to look slightly tired, and rests his head back against the amchair. ]
I tell the students of Beacon, at the beginning of every academic year, that knowledge can only carry you so far. Your experiences, your trust, your loyalty, and your tenacity will carry you further -- books, and school, can only teach you so much, and it is frequently not enough. And that is true -- but I did not listen to my own advice. I treated you all as students, as children, and I did not allow for the possibility of war because I wanted, desperately, to avoid such atrocities for all of you. No one should live through war, especially those that are still finding their place in the world -- but war has arrived at our doorstep, and we must remain unified against it. The other side -- Cinder, Torchwick, and their followers -- they know precisely what they want. We -- collectively, Vale, Vacuo, Atlas, and Haven -- must decide what we want in return.
It is a lot to ask of you -- overwhelmed as you are, and surely angry, frustrated, grieving, and distrustful. All warranted, and all necessary. But I ask of you to remember who you are, and why you fight, because it is not for me, nor is it for your headmasters, your professors, or even your kingdom. You all have, in your hearts, a specific reason why you elected to become huntsmen and huntresses in the first place. You know, in your hearts, why you took this oath to protect Remnant. Do not forget it, even here, because we must rely on our own faith, and our own strengths, to get through this difficult time.
[ he's silent, after that, for a solid thirty seconds. ]
Please ask me whatever you like, and I will do my very best to answer. But I ask that you do not share this information with those not from our world. I do not want to start a war here, over the Maiden's power. Protect yourselves, and each other, and know that I could not be more proud of a group of students as I am all of you.
[ and he disconnects the video feed. for now. ]
[ filtered to qrow, glynda, and ironwood]
And now we wait.
[Video]
Why are they named after the seasons?
[He's eating while Ozpin talks, but he's not paying his food much mind. When Ozpin mentions the previous Fall Maiden, Amber...he loses his appetite all together. His breathing shifts, and his pupils dilate in fear. There's an angry edge in his voice that wasn't there before as he struggles not to keep it together.]
You didn't know Amber was going to be attacked that way until it happened. Why have that Vault down there in the first place?
[Video]
The seasons were named after them.
[ with the barest amusement in his eyes -- but it's quickly gone, at the next question. ]
The Vault, and the caverns beneath the Academy, have always been there, and used for many purposes -- storage, training... but only for my purposes. The life support system was placed there after Amber had been collected by one of my agents, gifted by Atlas.
[ so. really, it had been a repurposing of storage space. ]
[Video]
[So it went beyond to the other kingdoms.]
...What about that giant Grimm? The one that Ruby somehow stopped. Did you know about it?
[Video] casually makes shit up....
... it had been trapped there, a long time ago. As Beacon is.... normally free of such emotions that fuel the Grimm, [ something ozpin prides himself on, and constantly reinforces to his students ] it remained trapped there. As headmaster, I felt it unwise to free it in order to attempt to kill it, with so many students within the perimeter. Moving it was not an option.
[Video] \o/
And by keeping it a secret, no one in Beacon felt afraid. [see? even he can add things together at times.] I was just-- I was wondering, because it really helped mess things up.
I mean. Don't you wonder if your organization is so secret, how did Cinder find out?
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...I know I can't speak for anyone else, Professor Ozpin but... my reason for wanting to become a Huntress was for Vale, for Remnant, for my friends. It's always been my dream, the only thing I've ever wanted to be, and I'm not going to let anything stand between me and that. And I am not going to let anyone else hurt my friends.
[She pokes a button to switch over to a private feed as the weight of the whole legend really starts to bear down on her.]
...There is one thing I have to ask. Am... am I one of them? Uncle Qrow said my mom and I were special, that there was a legend of silver-eyed warriors... but... is that real, or was he just... trying to protect me?
[Private]
[ it's said quietly, with deep gratitude in his tone. ]
As for your questions...
[ god, how much does he say. is this even something he should say? he isn't ruby's father, or uncle, or family member. he is simply a guardian, a professor, but -- ]
You are your mother's daughter, Ruby -- you are certainly special. But you are not a Maiden, and what powers you possess do not stem from those times.
[ here, he pauses ]
I also believe that Qrow was trying to protect you, and certainly did so, to the best of his ability. He is, at least, good at that.
[ somewhere, the drunk squirms uncomfortably ]
[Private]
...Was my mom part of this organization?
[Read: Is this why Summer died?]
[Private] will probably retcon later but ???
Yes.
[ but whether or not that was the reason summer died, ozpin will not say ]
[Private] Yay retocns! :D
...What about Yang's mom? ...Wait, don't answer that. That's not any of my business. If Yang wants to know, she'll ask.
[She's just... going to sigh.]
I just wish I knew how to do... whatever it was I did...
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She wanted to become a huntress to change the world. Or at least have some small impact for good in it. To not let the bad in the world have its way all the time. But every time she joins a group to do it, it literally falls apart and burns.]
I see. That's quite a lot to take in.
But Cinder only has one maiden's powers. That means the others are still out there, right? [She dares to look hopeful.]
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he should know better, by now, than to underestimate them. ]
They are.
[ quietly ]
We have much on our side. Hope is not lost -- even here, without the rest of the Maidens, I believe we can defeat Cinder. But only if we work together, and we do not allow her to divide us.
Re: private video
I understand not going and shouting this story to the whole world. I've seen most of my life what can happen to power when it's abused and when the wrong people get it. Still...[Her voice is quiet, but not accusing. What's the point, now? It's done.] ...any of us might have been able to help if we'd known. Even if it were just Pyrrha's team.
[She thinks she knows what he's getting at, but Blake's conflicted. It was different when it looked like all of her friends were going to go home and lead their lives and that all she had to do was stay away so that they'd never be associated with her. Cinder,Torchwick and Neo being out the picture didn't hurt things either. Now, Genessia has thrown her off balance. Everything is upside down. What's the right thing to do?]
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{ with a faint smile, though he looks tired ]
I trust each and every one of you, with more than you know -- but I could not risk such information being spread so carelessly. And while I respect that you all wanted to help, it was not a risk I was willing to take.
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If there was one thing that Weiss learned, it was that having someone to fight by your side was sometimes the only way you could survive. She'd fallen at the hands of the White Fang's lieutenant- if Blake hadn't been there, she would've never even lived to see the fall of Beacon. Pyrrha had pushed Jaune away because she believed this was her burden to bear alone, because she had been placed on a pedestal and finally started to believe it was where she belonged.
Of course Weiss was angry for her friend. But there was one question that kept ringing in her head, one that she couldn't figure out a potential answer to. Because Pyrrha may have been a better fighter, but to say that she was any more ready to be an adult, to accept a war than the rest of them? Weiss couldn't see it. Pyrrha wanted to be the same as the rest of them- a dumb teenager who fell in love and was really good at fighting. Team JNPR as a whole could hardly be called perfect, and someone who frequently undermined her leader just because she was so used to being in charge because Jaune wasn't as capable at the beginning? That was the whole reason she'd ended up gleaning as to why she couldn't be a team leader- because she needed to learn to follow if she ever expected to understand and respect those who would one day fall in line behind her.
It wasn't that Weiss thought she or anyone else in particular deserved it- but if Ozpin hadn't moved, they never would've found her. Cinder only found them because she followed Ozpin into the vault. Ozpin had said he was the only one who could make it down there. He could've waited until she was ready, if they could hold that power where it was. As good as Pyrrha was, Weiss understood what perfection was- and what being ready was. Pyrrha didn't fit what she would consider ready for anything that could land the responsibility on her shoulders. For someone claiming he didn't want his students to be landed in a war, he sure chose one for it.
Weiss took a deep breath, then forced herself to calmly ask. Because if she didn't, she knew she would end up ranting at Ozpin, blaming him, going off and saying things she didn't mean out of anger. ]
Why Pyrrha?
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however, he did intend to tell the truth. and so -- ]
... there are certain souls that come into existence that are destined to become a part of the lineage. Pure, good, honest. Selfless, honorable. Those that would do everything within their power to serve the greater good, and not abuse what powers they have been gifted for themselves. A prodigy, with an unusually talented grasp upon both her aura and her semblance. Not arrogant. Not manipulative. Genuinely good, with no request to be anything more than the best that she can be.
[ and while ozpin does speak with quiet pride, his eyes also hold a great deal of sadness. he knows, obviously, that the loss of pyrrha is devastating to his students, but he is grieving too. ]
Pyrrha is all of those things, and more. She would have been able to not only receive the power, but use it for good, and keep it safe.
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now, if he could go back and change it, would he have done any of this? obviously not. but what is done is done, and this isn't an adult speaking to him, but a teenager -- a brilliant teenager, and one who has been through much, but still a child, who has no proper idea of what it truly feels like to have the world resting on your shoulders. it requires patience, and ozpin calls upon every single ounce of it before continuing. ]
Weiss.
[ but his tone indicates that she is toeing at a line that ozpin rarely has crossed with his students, but she has officially touched it ]
No part of what happened -- Cinder attacking Amber, and stealing her powers, and the succession of the Fall Maiden being forced into action far earlier than it should have ever been -- was "okay." I did not make this decision lightly, nor did I tell Pyrrha all of this on the night that Beacon fell. This was carefully considered by all parties involved. I said I would not speak for Pyrrha, and I will continue not to do so. But I did not throw her into a situation blindly, and I did everything within my power to stop what happened that night from happening, from the moment I became headmaster of Beacon Academy to the moment that Beacon Academy fell. It was not enough.
[ clearly. as ozpin is missing. ]
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Daaaaaaaaamn.
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props to you bro. ]
Yes, that about sums it up.
[ mildly
... well, it's true ]
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I'd ask if this is some kind of joke, but I sure haven't seen anyone laughing about it.
[ He leans forward a bit, chewing on his lip in thought for a second or two. ]
... Maybe this is kind of a backwards thing for a student to ask a professor, but - do you think you did your best? Dealing with all this... maiden stuff, I mean.
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[ with half a smile, though it doesn't reach his eyes. ozpin encourages discussion, and debate, and dissent -- turning a blind eye to certain things, allowing students to make their own mistakes. he would never want any of them to feel uncomfortable talking to him, or asking him questions. ]
... I believe that I have failed, atrociously, at protecting both my students and keeping my life's work from falling into the hands of those that seek to destroy both of them. But sometimes, trying your best results in failure. I did everything within my power to keep both Beacon and Vale safe, and I will continue to fight for them, in both Remnant and Genessia.
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This doesn't really change anything for me, I guess. I can't be upset or anything at you, because It's not like you're my Headmaster or anything. I can't even say I'm surprised that the story about the Maidens are real.. [A lot of things and creatures he's seen here are pretty fictional in their world, yet they are real here. So, his disbelief level isn't so high after all of this.]
If anything, maybe us Haven students should have realized that none of them even went to our school. Things might have been different. [He shakes his head a bit.]
I wished things could have been happened and handled differently, but nothing changes for me. I'm still going to stay at Haven in our world, and I still want to fight to protect people. It's just the list of things that I want to protect them from has expanded.
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also who the hell is your headmaster]The unification of all kingdoms is equally important to me. If one kingdom falls, the rest of them will struggle to continue on. Vacuo, Haven, and Atlas are all required to save what remains of Vale, which means you, and your friends, will be called upon as well.
My truth is yours, too.