RWBY Through Worlds

48: Bring You Down

Oscar thought Shine looked very tired after Qrow left...but never defeated.

"Hmm," Ozpin said, inside his mind. "Perhaps it's time I talked to Qrow myself. After all...this is partially my fault."

Couldn't agree more, Oscar thought back to him. But one conversation is not going to fix Ruby and Yang being gone...or anything else.

"No, but perhaps it's time I opened up a bit more about Alicia," Ozpin said.

Oscar froze for a moment, then he walked up to Shine, who had sat back down and rubbed her head.

"You okay, Babe?" Wally came over, rubbing his head.

"Hanging in there," Shine said.

"My brother was always one for being moody," Raven said. "I wouldn't worry about his opinion too much."

"Unlike you, I have a respect for Qrow's opinion," Shine said. "And I can't tell if you care about his feelings or not, but I have that burden also."

"I'm sure he'll come around." Wally patted her shoulder. "He's just hurting a lot right now. But he's a good guy, deep down."

Raven blew hair out of her face in an annoyed manner.

"What was Ozpin saying, Oscar?" Shine turned, startling him.

"Oh...uh...well, first, I'm...sorry about Qrow," Oscar said. "But Ozpin, he says he wanted to tell you more about Alicia."

"Well, it's about dang time." Wally sat down eagerly. "I knew there had to be more to it."

"Who's Alicia?" Raven asked.

"The person who was what we were, once," Shine said, "but 1000 years ago, wasn't it?"

"I've lost count, but more or less," Ozpin said.

"Much as I love talking to you, Oscar, perhaps you'd better put him on to spare us having to repeat all this," Shine said.

"Right, I'll still be listening," Oscar said.

His eyes flared.

Ozpin's voice sounded a bit catchy at first, like it used to when he changed, as if it was less integrated.

"Miss Branwen." He nodded.

"Ozpin," Raven said in a very flat tone. "So you've finally had the nerve to face me, huh? After what happened to Yang, if I find out that you knew about this, I might kill you on the spot."

"You won't be doing that," Shine said.

"Can I at least get a free shot?" Raven said.

"No," Shine said. "I said to leave him alone."

"Well, then he's hella lucky he's in that kid's body," Raven said.

"Yes...well, that has become apparent," Ozpin winced. "I know it doesn't make up for the past, Miss Branwen, but I truly did not expect that hole in the plan, quite literally. It's been a long time since I've heard of portals, and even if I had been warned, I'd long forgotten exactly how it worked."

"But something that would lend some explanation to this," Shine said.

"The truth is, Miss Likstar, I was ashamed to admit any more of what happened back then," Ozpin said. "Alicia was...like you, but a little different. Your gifts are from your power, right? Well, she had something like your ability to see people--but she could see the future, and the past, I think. She called it Visions, a thing I've only seen in the Lamp comparatively, but hers were far clearer. The Lamp only shows you what the gods know and what the people know, if you don't word it carefully. You guessed it before, I think."