A Hero's Dilemma

Chapter 19

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Cover art by: Notgustiarp

Chapter 19

"Was cutting the meeting short really necessary?"

"Hmm?" Finishing up his last financial report for later filling, he didn't bother to glance at the only other two occupants in his office. "Well Summer, sadly I have yet to learn mind-control lest no one arrive early to scheduled meetings. But when I do, you'll be the first to know."

Well, that wasn't entirely true. He could do that, but my what a most wasteful use of magical powers—even his father would balk at such a frivolous use. Or maybe it would've made him cackle at the possibilities. He couldn't really say anymore; eons would do that to one's memories. Still, he was also peeved at their new arrival's earliness, so he felt a little uneasy.

"Ozpin? Come in Ozpin."

"Yes Glynda, I'm here. Am I to guess their bullhead will be arriving shortly?" he replied, answering her hurried call.

"Yes, they're coming into view as we speak. Are the documents ready? Or do I need to step in again..." his loyal secretary—deputy headmistress, he meant, sighed.

"No, no Glynda I've got that covered." His pen was a blur as he scribbled out a signature that would make even a doctor like Bartholomew blush in sloppiness. "As soon as they touch down, have them escorted to my office. I'll soon have it cleared out..." he said, side-eyeing the only two occupants still present, Summer and Qrow—an unlikely pair due to an apparent falling out during their fateful reunion.

It seems I'll have to find a way to mend that bridge as well. Hmm...would young master Arc be able to help with that as well, I wonder?

"Of course, I'll message you when they are headed your way, but I'm sure you'll notice them long before that. You know how extravagant they can be, especially with regard to their upper elites."

Hmm, yes, they do prefer to make an entrance, don't they? Thankfully, he requested some level of secrecy lest the council get wind of this little back-room deal and freak out.

"Thank you, Glynda. Do just that if you will, and I'll see you in time." Hanging up the office scroll, he attempted to readdress the goliath in the room.

"Mistrals no longer its own kingdom..."

Mumbling off to herself, she wielded an expression of calm contemplation smeared on her face—one he hadn't seen for quite some time. While they hadn't been able to expand on that too deeply due to unforeseen time constraints, what Qrow and himself had expanded on should suffice. At the very least, it can wait until after these negotiations.

"But Ozpin—"

"Could you quit the yapping already? It's pretty obvious that ol' Oz here ain't with us right now." Qrow droned out, half speaking and drinking, a remarkable feat if it wasn't so common an occurrence these days after they're kidnapping. "His heads already in the future, thinking on how he's gonna deal with the extra bunch of crazies he's invited over."

And it seemed his old jealousy streak had made a return as well. His surrogate son does have his oddities...

Summer's eyes refocused on Ozpin, narrowing to slits as her seemingly almost inherited level of paranoia kicked in. "What does he mean by other crazies?"

"Well, I'm sure he didn't mean to imply you, yourself, are crazy—

"One, yes he did. And second, who else are you bringing here?"

He'd been hoping to avoid this, and by Fate, he would still try!

...

"...A delegation from Menagerie." Dammit.