Glynda and Ozpin
New
AndrewJTalon
Experienced.
- Joined
- Apr 24, 2015
- Messages
- 4,712
- Likes received
- 149,063
The heavy door to the basement levels of Beacon clicked shut behind them with a solid, final sound. Ozpin led the way into the basement lab, cane tapping softly against the stone. Glynda followed a half-step behind, riding crop already in hand, her posture rigid with the kind of tension that had been building since the previous night.
Raven was sitting cross-legged on the floor of her reinforced cell, fiddling with something small and metallic she'd clearly scavenged from somewhere. She didn't look up as they approached.
Ozpin's voice was calm, almost gentle.
"That won't work, Raven."
Raven snorted without lifting her head.
"Worth a try."
Glynda flicked her riding crop once. A wave of her Semblance rolled through the air, invisible threads of force checking every bar, every seam, every dust-weave reinforcement in the cell. Everything held. She gave a short nod as she snatched the tool from Raven's hands and caught it.
Raven finally looked up, eyes narrowing as she caught Glynda's stare. She leaned back against the wall, arms draped casually over her knees. On the small table beside her cot, the photos of her future grandchildren and the life she'd never had still lay spread out like silent accusations.
Ozpin moved to the main lab area, crouching beside Amber's stasis pod to check the readouts. Glynda remained where she was, staring at Raven through the bars in heavy silence.
Raven's lips curled into a mocking half-smile.
"So… how's your future husband doing?"
Glynda's nose wrinkled.
"He's fine."
Raven nodded slowly, as if tasting the words.
"Fits. I always figured you'd need an act of God to land anyone. Guess the universe finally took pity on you."
Glynda's grip tightened on her riding crop.
"It's no surprise you ran away from Tai. You could never handle anything more complicated than swinging that sword of yours."
Raven's eyes flashed dangerously. She pushed herself to her feet in one fluid motion.
"You're competing against my daughter, old crone. You'll lose."
Glynda's chin lifted.
"In my timeline, my husband and I… we get along fine."
Raven barked a short, sharp laugh.
"Then what's got you so insecure? You're practically vibrating."
Ozpin straightened from Amber's pod and stepped back into the main space, voice cutting smoothly between them.
"You really shouldn't be talking, Raven. You're already feeling the effects of age yourself." He adjusted his glasses. "Besides, Isabel will be down soon to check on you. Thank you for providing more life for Amber though."
Raven's scowl deepened, eyes narrowing to slits.
"What the hell are you talking about, effects of age?"
"Some women handle it better than others," Ozpin said, calm and confident. He turned as Raven stood up.
"What the hell?! What effect?!"
Ozpin ignored her completely, turning toward the lift with the calm certainty of a man who had played this game for centuries. Glynda followed, but not before shooting Raven one last cool look.
As they entered the elevator and the heavy doors sealed behind them, Glynda exhaled slowly.
"I'm sorry, Ozpin. I lost my cool."
Ozpin waved a dismissive hand, though his own shoulders carried a faint weariness.
"No need to apologize. The entire situation-old friends, new complications, Jaune… it has shaken all of us. I'm a bit off my game myself."
They reached the top of the tower and entered his office. Glynda's heels clicked sharply against the floor.
"I just… it's all hit me at once," she admitted quietly. "Jaune. The futures. Children... Everything."
Ozpin nodded.
"I understand. But we will make it through. We have eleven ways to win this war now. It won't be easy… but the chance of victory is real for the first time in a very long while." He smiled gently. "And you do have a happy future."
Glynda's steps slowed slightly. She nodded, but swallowed before she spoke again.
"…It wasn't without great cost in every timeline."
Ozpin was silent for several paces. Then he gave a single, solemn nod.
"Victory is never without cost. But it is a cost I will pay gladly, knowing we can finally save the world."
He stepped around behind his desk and sat down. Glynda stood at attention in front of him, then hesitated, biting her lower lip.
"Ozpin… I've learned something important from Dorothy."
He reached for his ever-present coffee mug and the pitcher from the coffee machine, pouring some into his mug and taking a slow sip as he turned back to her.
"What is it?"
Glynda drew in a steadying breath.
"Jaune… He's the Rusted Knight."
Ozpin paused mid-sip. He slowly lowered the mug, eyes sharpening behind his spectacles.
"I mean… he will be. He is right now… It's complicated."
Ozpin set the mug down with deliberate care. He swallowed once.
Then he tapped his Scroll.
"Weena? I think I might have a breakthrough for you."
Raven was sitting cross-legged on the floor of her reinforced cell, fiddling with something small and metallic she'd clearly scavenged from somewhere. She didn't look up as they approached.
Ozpin's voice was calm, almost gentle.
"That won't work, Raven."
Raven snorted without lifting her head.
"Worth a try."
Glynda flicked her riding crop once. A wave of her Semblance rolled through the air, invisible threads of force checking every bar, every seam, every dust-weave reinforcement in the cell. Everything held. She gave a short nod as she snatched the tool from Raven's hands and caught it.
Raven finally looked up, eyes narrowing as she caught Glynda's stare. She leaned back against the wall, arms draped casually over her knees. On the small table beside her cot, the photos of her future grandchildren and the life she'd never had still lay spread out like silent accusations.
Ozpin moved to the main lab area, crouching beside Amber's stasis pod to check the readouts. Glynda remained where she was, staring at Raven through the bars in heavy silence.
Raven's lips curled into a mocking half-smile.
"So… how's your future husband doing?"
Glynda's nose wrinkled.
"He's fine."
Raven nodded slowly, as if tasting the words.
"Fits. I always figured you'd need an act of God to land anyone. Guess the universe finally took pity on you."
Glynda's grip tightened on her riding crop.
"It's no surprise you ran away from Tai. You could never handle anything more complicated than swinging that sword of yours."
Raven's eyes flashed dangerously. She pushed herself to her feet in one fluid motion.
"You're competing against my daughter, old crone. You'll lose."
Glynda's chin lifted.
"In my timeline, my husband and I… we get along fine."
Raven barked a short, sharp laugh.
"Then what's got you so insecure? You're practically vibrating."
Ozpin straightened from Amber's pod and stepped back into the main space, voice cutting smoothly between them.
"You really shouldn't be talking, Raven. You're already feeling the effects of age yourself." He adjusted his glasses. "Besides, Isabel will be down soon to check on you. Thank you for providing more life for Amber though."
Raven's scowl deepened, eyes narrowing to slits.
"What the hell are you talking about, effects of age?"
"Some women handle it better than others," Ozpin said, calm and confident. He turned as Raven stood up.
"What the hell?! What effect?!"
Ozpin ignored her completely, turning toward the lift with the calm certainty of a man who had played this game for centuries. Glynda followed, but not before shooting Raven one last cool look.
As they entered the elevator and the heavy doors sealed behind them, Glynda exhaled slowly.
"I'm sorry, Ozpin. I lost my cool."
Ozpin waved a dismissive hand, though his own shoulders carried a faint weariness.
"No need to apologize. The entire situation-old friends, new complications, Jaune… it has shaken all of us. I'm a bit off my game myself."
They reached the top of the tower and entered his office. Glynda's heels clicked sharply against the floor.
"I just… it's all hit me at once," she admitted quietly. "Jaune. The futures. Children... Everything."
Ozpin nodded.
"I understand. But we will make it through. We have eleven ways to win this war now. It won't be easy… but the chance of victory is real for the first time in a very long while." He smiled gently. "And you do have a happy future."
Glynda's steps slowed slightly. She nodded, but swallowed before she spoke again.
"…It wasn't without great cost in every timeline."
Ozpin was silent for several paces. Then he gave a single, solemn nod.
"Victory is never without cost. But it is a cost I will pay gladly, knowing we can finally save the world."
He stepped around behind his desk and sat down. Glynda stood at attention in front of him, then hesitated, biting her lower lip.
"Ozpin… I've learned something important from Dorothy."
He reached for his ever-present coffee mug and the pitcher from the coffee machine, pouring some into his mug and taking a slow sip as he turned back to her.
"What is it?"
Glynda drew in a steadying breath.
"Jaune… He's the Rusted Knight."
Ozpin paused mid-sip. He slowly lowered the mug, eyes sharpening behind his spectacles.
"I mean… he will be. He is right now… It's complicated."
Ozpin set the mug down with deliberate care. He swallowed once.
Then he tapped his Scroll.
"Weena? I think I might have a breakthrough for you."