Omake 20: The Meeting (C)

"But perhaps victory is in the simpler things that you've long forgotten; things that require a smaller, more honest soul." – Ozpin

I should have refused. I really should have.

Yet I had to take on the invitation that Summer had sent us to visit Patch and Signal Academy. Despite her new unwillingness to become a huntress, Nora still wanted to see how students at these schools had it compared to those that studied to join the militia.

It was a simple request, one that I saw no reason to be worried about. It wasn't Beacon, I thought to myself, gaining a sigh out of Ozma and a quiet hum from Sally. The trip was smooth and uneventful, granting me just enough comfort to feel that something was going to happen the moment we were to reach Signal. My danger instinct proved to be as sharp as they were after a few years of getting refined by awkward situations and sudden brawls.

It was like a coincidence, yet I could tell it wasn't. On the very day that I was visiting with my family the small island, a certain individual I had tried to avoid at all costs had decided to come and visit the pre-combat school which Yang had joined just this year. Since it was the end of the school year, these few days saw many parents and their children visiting the Academy to confirm their support for it.

Raven was the tensest, keeping the farthest possible within the group as we ended up approaching the principal of the school, the man busy talking with someone I was more familiar with. Ozpin looked particularly… normal. There was no difference between the one I was looking at and the one that was shown in the canon timeline.

The moment we were close enough, there was a strange jolt going through my mind and… into one of its corners.

I… I feel him.

[And, knowing our luck, he feels us too.]

Lucky for me, if the headmaster was really aware about this, then he was doing a fine job hiding away this very notion. I could notice his gaze on me, and his greeting felt particularly forceful, as if he was holding back someone to ask me directly.

The little meeting didn't look much at first, but I would soon realize that the situation wasn't as calm as I would've hoped it to be. The visit became a complete tour as I was granted full sight of the building there. Signal was really impressive and, after checking the building for a while, we eventually were brought to the principal's office. It was there that things seemed to pick up in pace.

"Your children are getting close to adulthood, Mr. Bukharin," The man started the conversation fairly calmly. "I suppose you have already taken steps to secure their future."

"Yes. Cinder is already well-set to reach the top through the Militia, and Nora has mentioned that she wanted to follow the same footsteps as her sister."

"What about young Emerald?"

"She was interested in working as an assistant to Mr Watts."

The green-haired girl wasn't exactly a fighter, so it made sense to her to actually try her hand into studying and getting a job that was still going to make a huge impact. With her understanding of standard machinery currently quite good, she was easily taken in by Emma to work at the labs. She was learning every day, and she even started to do some paperwork. The former thief was now sympathetic every time I brought up the massive burden of paper and ink that I had to face every single day.

"I would have expected for one of them to at least considering of… becoming a huntsman."

I blinked, faking ignorance. "And why would that be important?"

"It's only a surprising element. Many young men and women tend to aspire to one day rise to become the paladins of humanity as a whole."

"Which is why they preferred the Militia. It's quite similar," I replied.

"I believe some would just improve faster by becoming huntresses."

"Debatable, Mr. Xavier."

The exchange eventually took a longer and sharper turn of events. One escalation after another, a single conversation stood out.

"Mr. Bukharin, I've seen many terrible things."

"Some of which, I presume, you could have prevented," I flatly remarked, drawing a surprised look out of the headmaster. "I've heard this spiel way too many times to actually feel it matters. I don't know how much you suffered, why, when, how and with who and what. In fact, with all due respect, I don't see why I even bother talking to you, good sir."

There was no continuation to that and the visit concluded shortly after as I saw 'no genuine interest' to continue with the tour. The principal was surprised by this choice, but he didn't say too much about it as we were finally freed of being around Ozpin. But as I left, I saw the old headmaster staring blankly at the floor, his eyes unfocused and devoid of emotions. Despite his self-disappointed self, I kept on walking back home and… groaned when I ended up sparing a private conversation with Sienna about the matter. She easily sided with him when I mentioned what I knew Ozpin was capable of and… we decided to take a careful stance now that I had gained the headmaster's interest by being around for him to notice.

Yep, those were going to be some tough years.