"'Divide is told from the perspective of Salem addressing Professor Ozpin and SIT DOWN OZ THIS IS HAPPENING WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT.'" True to the text, Ozpin had noticeably flinched, as had Glynda, and was holding on to his cane. That was...unsettling for most of them. Still, Ruby continued. "Besides, you knew this was gonna happen eventually, don't lie to yourself.'" And with that, Ozpin relaxed a little. Because he did. Of course he did. "'So, I'd say "enjoy"...but you really won't be able to like those on Earth do."
Everyone looked as Ozpin as he put his head in his hands. Most of the students were shocked at that...but as for Blake... "Are we finally getting some answers?"
"Blake, don't-" Weiss began to chastise.
"It's a fair question." Yang interrupted, narrowing her eyes.
"Uh, what's happening?" Jaune asked.
"Something we've been waiting for for a while." Nora answered. "So spill, Oz!"
"Nora, don't be rude." Pyrrha chastised, though she looked uncertain.
"That WAS a rather extreme reaction from him, however." Ren noted.
"...Ozpin, should we..." Glynda asked.
"...Professors?" Ruby asked in concern.
"...No." Ozpin eventually answered. "The note is correct. As were you. We can't stop this."
Glynda looked...rather relieved at that from Blake's perspective. Okay, what...WAS this? She knew that Yang wanted to know more about her mother while Nora was more excited at the secrets possibly being revealed...but while Blake had wanted to know whatever it was the Professors were hiding...she knew that she may not like the answer.
All that she knew right now was that that answer had a name. Salem. No one she'd ever heard of before. Who WAS this person, & why did they provoke THAT reaction? Well, they wouldn't find out by waiting, so Ruby pressed Play.
[Song Starts]
[*Evil Buildup*]
"Oooh, fancy." Nora immediately noted.
"So, "Divide", like what the "villains" want?" Weiss asked.
"A "villain song", then." Ren theorized.
"Which makes this "Salem" a villain." Blake continued. "Probably a major one, judging by their reactions."
"Not a bad way to sum her up, no..." Glynda muttered under her breath. Only Blake heard that. Okay then.
"But, what about-" Ruby began.
"Like Pyrrha said, a simple criminal conspiracy can't last 8 Volumes." Blake replied. "If I'm right, judging from the reactions...she's the bigger threat."
"Okay but who IS she?" Ruby asked.
"It's a VERY unusual sounding name." Weiss noted, trying to stall her own nervousness.
"I suppose-" Pyrrha began, before the lyrics did.
[Does it
Feel
Good?
Knowing you tried?]
"Wha-it feels great!" Ruby immediately protested. "Screw you!"
"Oh yeah, super evil vibes already." Nora agreed.
"We've already heard this stuff, get it over with." Yang told the screen.
"...Do remember that the note said it was addressed to Ozpin." Blake reminded everyone. And looking at him...he'd taken his head out of his hands & was focusing intently on the screen.
"Hey, uh, Professor Ozpin..." Jaune began. But Ozpin said nothing. Just continued to look ahead.
[Knowing that
All that remaaaaains]
"I mean, what "remains" is 80 years of peace." Weiss retorted.
"...Perhaps there's a reason this song is at the END of the Soundtrack." Ren theorized.
"...And if the villains win this one, then..." Blake looked uncomfortable.
"How's Salem even related to that, though?" Ruby asked.
[Is the slow, cold,
BRUTAL death]
"Oh, right. The second verse." Nora deadpanned.
"THAT is all that remains?" Pyrrha rhetorically asked. "What would have...?"
"Did anyone else FEEL that?" Jaune asked.
"Yeah, Casey's pretty pretty good, huh?" Yang noted.
"Very." Glynda agreed.
[Of the fools that
Will all die in vain]
"Ah, yeah, bad guy speech, heard it before." Ruby declared confidently. "I don't know who you think you are, lady, but..."
"Means nothing without the power to back it up." Weiss agreed.
"...But the previous songs, Die, Sacrifice, I May Fall...they kind of imply that she might." Blake reminded them.
"Who the hell IS this person?" Yang asked before looking back at Ozpin. He...didn't look so great.
[How
Does
It
Feel?]
It didn't feel great, no.
[Knowing your
Efforts will fail?]
"Well they haven't YET, have they?" Nora retorted.
"But if in Volume 3 we DO fail, then..." Ren pointed out.
"That doesn't mean "ALL" of them, though." Jaune retorted.
"There is still more "show", after all." Pyrrha agreed.
[All that you've built
Will be torn down]
"Well that's consistent at least." Weiss dryly noted.
"...What's Oz actually built HIMSELF?" Nora nitpicked. "I mean, I don't wanna sound like a jerk, but the Last King of Vale made the schools and the Councils and stuff, so..."
"...More than you know, Ms. Valkyrie." Glynda answered.
"...What does that-?" Blake began, before looking over to the man himself. Still laser focused.
"Perhaps it's...us?" Pyrrha theorized. "We wouldn't be here of not for his administration."
"Let's, uh...go with that for now." Jaune nervously proposed.
[The hope of your
People assailed]
"Urgh, I don't like you." Nora complained. "Why are you like this?"
"She IS the bad guy, apparently." Yang pointed out. "Why break the streak?"
"...I suppose if that's the goal, then..." Weiss trailed off. Amity Arena would be arriving in Vale in a few days, she knew. And...
[Send your
Guardians]
"Is that supposed to be us?" Ruby asked. "I mean, that sounds kinda ego-y but the show IS named after us..."
"It...may be." Glynda half-answered, looking to Team JNPR's spot.
"Well, that's helpful." Nora complained
"Why are you being so vague?" Yang demanded.
"Going over everything will take time, and the song has barely even begun." Glynda explained. "I promise you that we WILL once it's over, however."
"...I guess that works." Blake admitted. Oz himself seemed to flinch a little at Glynda's declaration, but then seemed...what WAS that?
[They
Will
Fail]
"'But not like this, it won't be by your hand!'" Ruby recited. "...I'm starting to appreciate that song a lot more."
"Very...defiant, wasn't it?" Weiss agreed.
"I suppose it's...our counter to stuff like this." Pyrrha theorized.
[Legends and heroes
Will crumble and fall]
"Yeah, no, I think they'll do fine." Nora declared.
"A lot of...a lot of the people held us a heroes and legends were...very fallible underneath." Blake pointed out. "She's likely well aware of that."
"Yeah probably..." Jaune muttered. How much of his great-grandfather's legend had been exaggerated, or flaws downplayed? He didn't know anymore.
[You will not
Prevaaaaaaiil]
"Wanna bet?" Nora rhetorically asked.
"Fuckin bring it." Yang agreed.
"...This is addressed specifically to Ozpin, though." Blake reminded them. Looking at the man himself...well, he was matching her gaze with his own.
And still said nothing.
[When allied together
A threat they display]
"Was that...was that lyric altered?" Weiss noticed. "The word "they" seemed to flicker a bit."
"I thought we were saving that for the AMVS." Yang pointed out.
"So who ARE "they" supposed to be, then?" Ren asked.
"Again, is it supposed to be us?" Ruby asked. "That's not really specific, right?" Then her Scroll buzzed. "'Yeah there's no one syllable non gender specific word for "Humans and Faunus", I think, so "they" will have to do, sorry.'"
"...So, what was it originally?" Nora asked.
"...Millennia ago, as Remnant was adapting to a unified language after the Fall of the First Kingdom, assuming it was real of course, the word "men" meant, well, Humans and Faunus by extension." Pyrrha explained. "It's rather archaic and exclusionary by today's language of course, so..."
"You know your history." Glynda praised.
"Wait, so does she mean all of us? Like, ALL of us? All Humans and Faunus?" Jaune asked.
"It's starting to sound that way, yeah..." Blake confirmed. "Which means the scope of this-"
[Divide them with doubt
It will all wash away]
"-Is gargantuan." Blake finished. "Far bigger than we thought."
"That's...a bit of a leap." Weiss weakly stated, trying to deny that.
"It...feels right, though." Ruby offered.
"The...the way she seems to separate herself from humanity and the Faunus..." Pyrrha nervously stated.
"...what does that imply about HER?" Ren finished.
"Maybe she's just delusional like that..." Weiss muttered, but after today...she wasn't sure she believed that.
[One spark can
Incite their hope]
"Oh, well that's good!" Ruby remarked. "Who are you talking about?"
"It may just be a more..."general" thing." Weiss offered. "Given that...Humanity and the Faunus as a collective...allied are an admitted threat, it could be any number of things."
"Sometimes a small spark is all it takes." Blake agreed.
"I can help with that!" Yang declared. "Oh so much..."
"...What was that you said before?" Glynda whispered while looking at Ozpin. "A smaller, more honest soul? The first intro said it as well."
Still, Ozpin said nothing, though he did shoot an apologetic look Glynda's way.
[And ignite the hearts
Of their weary souls]
"So...she's aware of what might be a threat to her." Ren surmised.
"Alright, so we shove a firecracker down her throat..." Nora began.
"Part of me wants to say NORA NO," Jaune admitted, "but the other part..." Nora beamed.
"The thing is, though," Pyrrha countered, "is that if she's thought ahead as to what might stop her from...whatever "tearing it down" means to her, then-"
[I will extinguish that
Flaaaaaaaaaaaaaame!]
"-yes. That." Pyrrha finished.
"I feel weird." Ruby admitted with an uncharacteristic grimace.
"No one's omnipotent, though." Weiss countered. "No matter how far she's planned ahead, she can't account for EVERYTHING."
"Indeed not." Glynda agreed. Still...
"So you're just not gonna say anything then, okay..." Yang mumbled.
[*Calm Interlude*]
"Well, this is nice." Nora declared.
"So, okay, there's someone named Salem, Professor Ozpin knows her, and she's like...a BIG villain." Ruby summarized. "That's...still not a lot."
"We know that she may consider herself separate from Humanity and The Faunus." Blake added. "Though what exactly that means we don't know."
"And she's planning...something. And a lot of people are going to die." Jaune noted.
"...Yang, are you...?" Pyrrha asked. Indeed, Yang looked like she was contemplating something.
"...I just remembered the note from Sacrifice." Yang stated. "It said that it might be from "the perspective of someone Oz knows", or something. This is her, isn't it?"
"No, but, that was far more accusatory and...and that might be what she thinks." Weiss corrected herself.
"So she's been important to the "story" for a while even if we weren't aware of her, then." Ren theorized.
"That's...most likely, yes." Glynda admitted. "Again, save all questions for the end."
Ozpin just looked at them. Ms. Belladonna, Ms. Xiao Long, Ms. Valkyrie were as suspicious as they'd been since Sacrifice, and a few of the others-Mr. Arc & Ms. Nikos most prominently-were starting to adopt the same look.
But before anything more could be said...
[Form your armies
Dream your dreams]
"Uh, wouldn't that fit Ironwood better?" Ruby asked. "I mean, he's the only one with an army."
"It depends on who you ask about the Hunter system." Blake explained. "Some people think that Hunters are just armies under a different name. Of course, they're probably just thinking about Atlas."
"Yeah I never really GOT their whole thing." Yang admitted.
[Make your plans
And plot your schemes]
"Hey, you're the bad guy here, YOU'RE the one doing schemes!" Nora declared.
"Also, "plot your schemes" is somewhat redundant." Ren followed.
"Sounds more dramatic that way, though..." Jaune admitted.
[Send your fighters
One and all]
"Alright. One at a time, or..." Yang trailed off.
"I...truly don't understand how you're taking THIS so lightly now." Glynda admitted. "It's..."
"Yeah yeah, big evil lady with big evil plans that we have no idea who or what she is cause you won't tell us, we need to cheer ourselves up somehow!" Nora defended.
"...I suppose there's merit to that." Glynda admitted. "I still don't entirely understand it."
"And Salem hasn't answered my question yet!" Yang pointed out. "I say we rush her."
"Well, maybe some of you do, but others..." Jaune began to stratergize.
"I...feel like it won't be that easy." Blake declared.
[Then in battle
Watch
Them
Faaaaaaaall]
"Yup, classic villain taunting." Ruby summed up. "Don't worry, Professor Ozpin, you won't have to!"
Ozpin just looked pained at that remark. Oh, this was interesting. He was so used to keeping it contained that...
"What?" Yang demanded. "That's what THIS is for, right? So-" she was cut off by the music.
[*Small Rock Interlude*]
"Alright, back into the swing of things!" Nora declared. "...No, still don't like this."
"Well, at least we're able to joke about it a little bit?" Weiss offered. "Though that was...only the first part of the song..."
"Hopefully the next part has some more answers." Ren replied.
"I REALLY don't have a good feeling about this..." Ruby muttered.
"Nope." Yang agreed.
"Not like we have a choice, though." Jaune reminded them.
"Well, we DO...but we've already made it." Pyrrha countered.
"So let's see it through." Blake recommended. Looking at the Professors...well.
[It was
You
Who
Ended their lives]
Was it just Blake or did Ozpin flinch at that? No time to dwell on that, as...
"Whoa, what?" Nora demanded. "You did WHAT, Oz?"
"Nora!" Weiss shouted.
"Ms Valkyrie!" Glynda shouted at the same time.
"Look, the note says this is about Ozpin, so..." Nora defended.
"It would seem to tie into Die's themes..." Blake muttered to herself.
"Guys, wait for the next part." Ruby ordered.
[Made them to dig
Their own graves]
"Ah, the "it's your fault for fighting me" garbage, right." Nora calmed down. "Sorry about that, Oz!"
"That was completely uncalled for." Weiss chastised.
"I mean, was it?" Yang asked. "There's not telling people things and then there's...this."
"Yang..." Ruby muttered.
"I...I know, I just...come on." Yang defended.
"She's...not really wrong." Jaune added.
"Ozpin, are you...?" Glynda asked. He just gave a weak nod & continued watching the screen.
[With your
Dark
Sick
CRUEL design]
"Is it any worse than whatever YOU'RE doing?" Weiss retorted.
"She's not making a good first impression of herself." Ren agreed.
"Yeah, that's a bit much." Nora offered.
"Still don't know WHAT that is." Yang reminded them.
Blake took a look at Ozpin. They both knew that she was doing this, & yet he...didn't seem to be as resistant as before. Perhaps the note was right.
And Blake noted (heh) that his reaction to this VISCERAL attack was...was that a flash of anger?
[Convinced them their
World could be saved]
"I mean, yeah, it totally can." Ruby argued. "We're still here, aren't we?"
"She's failed so far, yes." Glynda agreed.
"...She said "their world"" Blake noted. "Not "our world" or "this world". That's..."
"...disturbing." Weiss agreed. "Still, this...reads more as hyperbole than anything." She sounded uncertain as she said that, but...
It's not, part of Ozpin wanted to scream. But the rest told him to be quiet.
[Have
You
No
Shame?]
"Well, YOU'RE one to fucking talk." Yang had to admit. As...distrustful as she was towards Ozpin right now, the fucking gall on this woman...
"Self-awareness is clearly not HER speciality, is it?" Weiss nodded.
"Really going for the emphasis on theses parts, aren't we?" Glynda noted.
"Well," Blake took a look at Ozpin, "I suppose that she wants to pound the point into the ground." Said point Blake could disregard, though.
"Well she's just pissing me off." Nora declared.
[Signing them up
For your war]
"Hey, WE signed up for this, thank you very much!" Ruby shouted. "I don't CARE what Time To Say Goodbye said, screw you! Uh, again."
"...To fight the Grimm, yes." Blake countered. "But at no point did he EVER mention Salem. And given how big of a threat this song-and Professor Goodwitch-is implying, seems...something of an oversight."
"We signed on to fight Grimm, not whatever she is." Weiss retorted.
"That's not what the song's saying, though." Yang pointed out.
"Ah yes, the villain is OBVIOUSLY the best source of information here." Weiss shot back. "How exactly has he done any of that?"
"I...have noticed something." Ren admitted. With all eyes on him, he continued. "That Team RWBY seems to be getting a certain amount of...attention from Professor Ozpin. Allowing you to go to Mountain Glenn to chase the White Fang, sending you, a team of first test students, after Dr. Merlot and his mutant Grimm."
"Hey, we did awesome!" Ruby defended.
"Besides, if it wasn't you it was gonna be us, right Glyn?" Nora added.
"...Yes I suppose it would have been." Glynda admitted.
"And you think...this is some sort of stealth thing?" Jaune asked.
"Possibly, though I suspect only one of us knows for sure." Ren admitted.
Ozpin said nothing.
[Train them to fight
What they can't beat]
"I mean...we can beat The Grimm pretty good." Ruby retorted again. "And that's what Beacon's for, right?"
"I don't want to sound like some conspiracy theorist," Pyrrha began, "But perhaps there's more to it than that."
"Especially if Ren's right." Nora agreed. "Which he usually is."
"Well, we could ask, but..." Yang pointed over to the Professors. Yeah, that was a dead end. For now.
[Your sins are what
They'll pay foooooorrr]
"So, you're planning against...everyone because one person hurt you?" Yang summed up. "That's just...dumb."
"It's MUCH more complicated than that." Glynda spoke up.
"But that's still part of it, or she wouldn't have brought it up." Blake replied.
"Still an extreme overreaction." Weiss added.
"Obviously, but..." Blake trailed off, still looking at Ozpin. Yeah, there's still that.
"Yeah..." Ruby muttered. She was starting to see where Blake & Yang were coming from
[Sacrifice
Them
For your needs]
""You can't have my life."" Ren recited.
"So is she saying this is stuff he DID do or WOULD do?" Nora asked.
"I'm...surprised you're taking this so...personally." Pyrrha told her.
"Yeah well, I don't like people lying for stupid reasons." Nora explained. "I mean, we're, like, the main characters. If there's something THIS big, we'd probably run into it eventually."
"That became...rather clear as the soundtrack went on, yes." Glynda admitted.
"And you...didn't do anything about it?" Blake questioned.
"What do you think we were actually talking about over our Scrolls last time?" Glynda retorted.
"...Huh, yeah, that was kinda weird." Ruby added.
[Slaughter is coming
The end drawing near]
"I mean...there's a lot of show left, so...kinda doubt it." Ruby pointed out.
"Perhaps it's not THE end, but rather AN end." Ren theorized.
"Well, things probably aren't going to be the same after this, no." Blake continued. "It feels like we're...going to be thrown into a lot."
"The end of one phase and the beginning of another..." Weiss muttered.
"Are we...ready for that?" Jaune asked. There, he'd said it.
"...No, but we don't always get to choose." Glynda answered.
[You'll
Regret
Your
Deeeeeeeds!]
"Looks like he already is." Nora pointed out. Indeed, throughout this part of the song, his composure seemed to be slipping ever so slightly.
"Nora, don't be rude!" Weiss chastised. "I am SO sorry about that."
"...Well, do you?" Ruby asked. When everyone turned to her she clarified. "Letting us do this, I mean."
Ozpin said nothing, didn't even give a gesture. Then he sighed. It was very...resigned, Blake thought. Maybe even a little...accepting.
"Well, too late to back out now." Yang pointed out.
"I suppose it is." Pyrrha agreed.
[Legends and fairy tales
Scattered in time]
"The return of the fairy tale motif!" Nora shouted out.
"I don't see how it's applicable, though." Weiss admitted. "Legends I suppose, but..."
"..." Blake thought back to the previous songs. Applying that motif, & things that were sung, she hit upon a terrifying possibility. "This, whatever it is...it's been going on for a LONG time, hasn't it?"
"...It has." Glynda confirmed.
"...How long are we talking about, exactly?" Jaune asked.
"Or is that all you can give us right now?" Yang sardonically offered.
"I mean, the song's still going on." Ruby interrupted. "I get it." Speaking of...
[Maidens and kingdoms
Wrapped up in a lie]
"Wha, like, women?" Nora asked. "You're not being very specific!"
"The only other thing I can think of, considering the fairy tale motif, is The Story of Seasons." Blake added. "That's what they called. And I suppose the four of us," she gestured to her team, "ARE young people presenting as women." That wasn't entirely accurate in Blake's case, mind you, as she wasn't entirely that, she thought, & possibly not in Ruby's either, but she's still young. Give her time.
"Or perhaps it's more in an...old fashioned sense, if that makes any sense." Pyrrha offered. "Though none of us are quite like The Girl in the Tower."
"Well, not entirely..." Weiss muttered. "I kind of related to her a bit." Was it just Blake or did Ozpin flinch a little at that?
"I believe we should be focusing more on "kingdoms" for right now." Ren offered.
"So...what's the lie, then?" Ruby asked.
"...Maybe it's her." Blake theorized. "It's not like the world at large knows about her. Not even with her name, and that would...stand out these days."
"Like Ozpin?" Yang pointed out. That WAS one of the reasons that the "young prodigy" was noteworthy, after all, though from what Weiss said that was a family tradition.
"Well, he and Professor Goodwitch DO seem to be the only ones here who know who she is, and look how they're acting. How they've BEEN acting." Blake stated.
"Is she THAT important?" Weiss asked. There was a twinge of incredulity...but also a pervasive sense that...yes. She WAS.
"Kind of looking like that..." Jaune admitted. Was he going to be able to-?
Oz & Glynda just stayed silent. They were...VERY close, huh?
[These children you mislead
You'll watch them all bleed]
"Maybe." Yang granted. "But I think we can give you some cuts, eh?"
"He's been an excellent teacher so far." Weiss shot back at the song.
"You know, except for hiding all of this stuff." Nora countered.
"We have reasons we do so." Glynda reprimanded.
"Sure, but..." Blake trailed off. "You've already admitted you've taken it too far."
"Believe me, it wasn't my idea." Glynda responded. Ozpin could be...frustrating at times, but this was something else. Still, she could also see that it was taking its toll on him, so...
"Also, uh, no, no dying, thanks." Ruby retorted.
[Strength Will Not Bring Victory!]
"...heh." Ozpin finally spoke up. "The one thing we can actually agree upon."
"Ahhh, don't scare me like that!" Nora shouted.
"Does this mean you're actually gonna talk now?" Yang demanded. But no, he just resumed his routine. "Okay."
"What does that mean?" Jaune asked. "I mean, we've been over how sometime you gotta fight, yeah?"
"...Remember the Volume 1 intro?" Blake asked them.
""Victory is in a simple soul.'" Ren recited.
"But who's it talking about?" Ruby asked.
"...Well, the intro ended with you." Weiss pointed out. "And, and I'm not saying what you think I might, YANG, but...I think it's...more that you make so easy. That's why Ozpin made you Team Leader, I think."
"I believe it is, yes." Glynda confirmed.
"It's rather admirable." Pyrrha smiled. Ruby started blushing at the praise.
"...Okay good." Yang calmed down. "But she is NOT touching my sister!" A touch.
"We won't let her." Nora declared. The others's nodded along. Though...
It may be beyond their control, Ozpin thought. Was he going to explain THAT on top of everything else? Well, the Volume 2 Intro made a point of emphasizing it, so...
[Divide them!
Tear them apart!]
"Well, that's pretty clear, thanks." Yang snarked.
"There's always the part where you need to emphasize the point." Weiss explained.
"Still hate it, though!" Nora shouted out.
[Sever their trust
It will strangle
Their hearts]
"It is good that we have a clear sight on her...well, not goals, but methods." Ren offered.
"Which only goes so far. Knowing what someone's trying to do doesn't mean you can instantly stop it." Blake countered.
"It's a start, at least." Ruby counter-countered. Was that the right word? Eh, she didn't really pay much attention to that.
[Inside them
Plant seeds of doubt]
"She would only need the right piece of information." Pyrrha agreed.
"Honestly, it kinda looks like she's doing it already." Jaune pointed out. Lots of doubt towards their Professors going around. Still...
"And we WILL clear that." Glynda reiterated. "And...I hope you'll understand."
[Hope will be smothered
They'll turn on each other]
"Why fight everyone when you can get them to fight each other?" Blake rhetorically asked. "Old tactic, but..."
"...It's already starting to work." Weiss finished. It really was, wasn't it?
"Far too much." Glynda agreed, thinking of the same person. Dammit, James, why can't you start showing trust instead of just demanding it?
[Hatred will sprout
Suspicion and doubt]
"I'm not sure how many "no yous" we can use against this." Nora admitted.
"It may be best to keep thinking of it as what she wants." Ren replied.
"I mean...like Weiss said, it's already started." Jaune pointed out.
[Friendships deny
While allegiances die]
"And as Weiss theorized in Die, that's the point." Pyrrha responded. "Or at least part of it."
"Really wish she wasn't right about that..." Yang admitted, though really, why would she be surprised?
"Not for us. I won't let her." Ruby declared.
[The taste will be sweet
When you get
What you've earned]
"Other way around, thanks." Yang retorted.
No one really felt like saying much else. Teams RWBY & JNPR rallied around Ruby's declaration, though, Glynda could tell. The youngest of them all, and yet...it was good choice, in the end.
And as for Ozpin...he'd looked composed but pained throughout but at that latest bit...he started to look a little angry, glaring at the screen, Blake thought. Given that Salem was blaming him for whatever she was doing, that seemed an appropriate response. It only lasted a minute, though.
[And I'll
Watch
You
Buuuuuuuuuuuurn!]
"..." And with that, the song had ended on its final hateful note. That was intense, and visceral, and everyone could sense that the questions it asked will change their perspective on...many things.
"...Well, that was...a lot." Nora undersold.
"That's one way to put it, I guess." Blake muttered.
"I'd go with "absolutely terrifying", myself." Weoss admitted.
"It would help if we knew what it was." Yang pointed out. "So?" She asked the Professors.
"...yes." Ozpin admitted. "I...realize that I haven't been very forthcoming, and the song has given you ample reason to doubt-"
"No." Glynda cut him off. "Whatever you may have done in the PAST absolutely doesn't excuse THIS response."
"Hm." Ozpin muttered. Everyone just looked at him for a bit, before eventually...
"...Professor Ozpin?" Ruby spoke up, a determined gleam in her silver eyes. "Who is Salem?"
Ozpin just shut his eyes again. This...truly was unavoidable. ...Alright then. After taking a moment to compose his thoughts, Ozpin spoke up.
"Before I answer that, I need to ask a question: What's your favorite fairytale?"
~
"...I ask because some of them happen to be true. The Story of the Seasons, for one. There are things that cannot be explained by science alone, the Four Maidens being a primary example of such. Each passing on their power to another host when they pass away...or are killed. That is one of Cinder Fall's objectives, without a doubt: To finish what she started to Amber, the Fall Maiden, who is currently on life support."
"But she did not set out on this task alone. The truth is...the Creatures of Grimm have a leader. Salem. A perfect mix of human and Grimm, an ancient being desiring dominance over all. Myself, Glynda, your Uncle Qrow, the other Headmasters...and, in the past, the rest of Team STRQ, are a..."secret order", I suppose you could call it, dedicated to fighting her machinations in the dark."
"Our...predecessors determined that it best that certain knowledge be...removed from public awareness. Salem herself primarily. If Remnant knew that the Grimm could be controlled, and HAVE been since the dawn of recorded history, it would...just get her what she wants. And that is division. As the song said, together humanity and the Faunus are a threat, but divided..."
"And she cannot work with the Grimm alone, as they are still mostly mindless, if...usable. Hence Human and Faunus servants like Cinder Fall, who she sent after The Fall Maiden & sent to Beacon to enact her goals. We have been...struggling to understand her current goals, but we knew that she was doing SOMETHING. It's the reason, the REAL reason, James brought his army."
"And while we still don't have the full picture, it's become very clear the goal: To use the Vytal Festival to create disunity, to claim Amber's power...and to claim something else. I...realize that I've already given you much to think on. Glynda had insisted on doing this earlier, and I should have listened. But when I tell you this, know that I am telling the truth: The final piece of this puzzle...is another fairy tale that happens to be true. The Two Brothers."
"The Elder created plants, animals, and ecosystems. The Younger, in jealousy, created The Grimm. They compromised by collaborating on humanity, and by extension the Faunus, beings that held the same capacity for Knowledge, Creation, Destruction, & Choice that they had. And when that left, they took the magic with them...save for four Relics of incredible power, each representing one of the four gifts, that when brought together have the power to change the world."
"THAT is Salem's true goal, to claim the Relics. And with the magical ability that the Gods took from the rest but she held on to, and her army in the Younger Brother's creations, it's not impossible. And so we stand against her, led by...well, thousands of years ago, there was a man who also retained magic, who failed to stop Salem. As punishment, the Gods cursed him to reincarnate: Upon every death, his soul would merge with another, "like-minded", & the two would become one. Not a...pleasant process."
"Over the millennia, this man would attempt to live his lives and counter Salem's machinations. History would often, thankfully, overlook him, or remember him in different ways. As stories. The Wizard from the Story of the Seasons, in reality the man giving a great deal of his magic to four young women who helped him...refocus. The Infinite Man, a debacle that grew beyond his control. As the Last King of Vale, he ended the Great War and established the Hunstman Academies...and in his current form, serves as the Headmaster of Beacon."
"...I helped design these schools, & became the "youngest" Headmaster ever appointed because of their hidden purpose: Beneath each school is a Vault, housing the Relics, which can only be opened by their equivalent Maiden: Spring for Knowledge under Haven, Winter for Creation under Atlas, Summer for Destruction under Shade, & Fall for Choice under Beacon. Though, I've made that one a BIT more difficult to find. The purpose of the Hunstman Academies is not only to train Warriors to fight the Grimm, but to protect the Relics, hence the Headmasters being brought in."
"I...realize this is a lot to take in. Hopefully the "magic multiverse cube" makes it easier to come to terms with. But yes, THAT is who Salem is, that is what she wants, and that is why she was addressing me. Because of my mistakes and failure. It has been a...long time since we met face to face, but her influence is everywhere. And that is how the "show" can move on from a "simple terrorist plot": Because that plot is only the first move. One that has yet to be fully executed here, but on Remnant Prime, obviously has been."
"There are...other things. Your eyes, Ms. Rose, contain a sort of power even I don't understand, all those with Silver Eyes do, Warriors who would turn The Grimm to stone with a look. Think The Warrior in the Woods. THAT is their significance, Ms. Rose. I gave Qrow & Raven Branwen the ability to turn into birds, to serve as..."advance scouts", I suppose, though obviously Raven has abandoned us. And yet, clearly, it wasn't enough on Remnant Prime. I was cursed because of my failure to stop Salem in the past. But we must stop her now. Hopefully, this will be the edge that we need."
"I did not want to bring you into this yet. You're still young, you shouldn't have these kinds of burdens. But it's become clear that we don't have a choice. On Remnant Prime, your destinies seem to be headed in that direction, sooner than any of us would have liked. It's been obvious since the end of Volume 2, I just didn't want to admit it. As I said, I should have listened to Glynda on that count. My apologies, Glynda. And...I know this is a lot, so if you need time...take all that you need. At least, before the Vytal Festival starts up."
~
For several minutes after that, Ozpin's office was the picture of silence. Teams RWBY & JNPR just...tried to absorb what Ozpin had told them. Most of them wanted to deny it...but after today, and after the utter sincerity in his voice, along with Glynda nodding along to confirm it...they couldn't.
"...Okay, so..." Ruby began. "...okay. The Grimm have a Queen, she's trying to tear down the Hunstmen Academies to get magic relics, she's making people distrust each other to do that, The Story of the Seasons, The Silver-Eyed Warriors, and The Two Brothers are REAL, YOU'RE immortal kinda sorta, and she..." Whatever Ruby was thinking of, she couldn't bring herself to vocalize it.
"That's...the bare basics, yes." Glynda confirmed.
"Okay. Okay. Sorry, this is...this is a LOT." Ruby apologized.
"Would you believe that your mother, father, and uncle had much the same response?" Ozpin weakly smiled.
"Yeah, can't blame them!" Nora shouted.
"And...the other Headmasters?" Pyrrha asked.
"James, Leonardo, and Theodore know all of this, yes. Given what their schools are protecting, it was rather unavoidable." Ozpin confirmed.
"Does...does anyone else know?" Jaune asked.
"Outside of whomever they, Raven, Tai, or Qrow choose to tell, the older Maidens, and Salem's own Human and Faunus servants...I don't believe so, no." Ozpin answered.
"And then only some of them." Glynda continued. "I doubt Roman Torchwick knows why he's REALLY working for."
"...This is...insane." Weiss declared, trying her best to deny it. "All of this is absolutely insane, but..."
"...but we can't exactly deny it, can we?" Blake finished. So many pieces just fell into place.
On the surface, all of this information was absurd...but so was the magic multiverse cube that had songs from a world where they were fictional. Songs that were completely accurate, at least in terms of the personal ones. And if what Ozpin was hiding was something of THIS magnitude...then she certainly could understand why he was so reluctant to tell them, even as they got closer.
She still didn't agree with it, though. Glynda was right; he should have told them once it became obvious that Salem would be part of it.
"...No, we can't." Weiss conceded. She realized that she'd been holding in her breaths. That...that wasn't great. Most of the others were the same, of course, but...
"And...my mom, I mean Raven, I mean..." Yang stuttered. "Did she leave because of..."
"Again, only your father and uncle can say for certain." Ozpin reiterated. "All I know is that she left. And returned to her previous life."
"Which was WHAT?" Yang demanded. "You can't just..."
"It's still not my place to tell, Ms. Xiao Long. I'm sorry." Ozpin responded.
Before Yang could interject some more, Glynda spoke up. "But...if and when it becomes relevant, we can offer our theories. I don't think Tai or Qrow will blame us."
"...Alright, fine." Yang grumbled. "...But the bird thing-"
"Wait!" Nora interjected. "Qrow. Raven. They're birds! Hah!"
"Was that intentional?" Ren asked. He'd gone grey, & so was focusing on helping the others calm down.
"...a little bit, yes." Ozpin admitted.
"The POINT is," Yang cut back in, "is that, my whole life, I keep seeing these birds. They all look the same, but they couldn't be the same, right? But..."
"...It very likely could be Raven, yes." Ozpin confirmed.
"...They why does she just...watch?" Yang asked quietly. "And the one time she didn't, she..."
"...What I can offer now is that Raven has a...particular way of looking at the world that puts her...somewhat at odds with the rest of us." Ozpin acquiesced. "This, your uncle can certainly explain better once he arrives."
"...Fine. Just...no more hiding things, okay?" Yang demanded. "And n-no half truths or whatever. Not with all this."
"...Agreed." Ozpin said. But then people can SAY anything. "That said, I AM going to have to insist that you not tell anyone who isn't already aware of any of this. If that news got out, it would cause panic, and make her work all the easier."
"...Okay." Ruby agreed. The others nodded along, some more reluctant than others. "We can do that."
"...Thank you. I understand that this is a lot and it's quite late," Indeed, the sky was pitch black, "so take all the time you need."
"Yeah, we should...probably be heading back, right?" Jaune declared. Leaning on Pyrrha, he began to do so...only for Ruby to interject.
"There's...one more song in Volume 3, though." Ruby explained. "I know we just learned a LOT, but..."
Ozpin looked out the window. "...There should be just enough time for one more, yes, though that decision is yours."
Teams RWBY & JNPR looked at each other, & Zwei offered cuddles to his humans (the Faunus wouldn't let him. Only his younger blonde human) as Ren's Semblance helped calm them down. After a few moments, they all nodded at Ruby.
"Alright. Okay." Ruby declared. "To finish off Volume 3, and tonight, we haaaaavee...Cold. Yeah okay."
~~~~~
Old Geezer Talks about the Good Ol' Days
Nora was quite the ass in this chapter.
or at least that's how I read it.
So anyway, Pyrrah Duckin Dies
YOU ARE READING
RWBY Listens to The Soundtrack
RandomHow much of the future-and indeed the present-can RWBY, JNPR, and Ozpin & Glynda gleam from a soundtrack? Some context will be provided, but only a bit. _____ This is a Repost of the Original from Spacebattles. Original Author said some "choice word...
