Chapter Text
It happened on a mission, with Ironwood now knowing that Ozpin was indeed back and also having the knowledge of Jinn and everything else that happened before they arrived in Atlas, James finally allowed Oscar to join his friends on missions, now believing that if Oscar was in a too big of bind, that Oz would help him. And while that was true, they both had an agreement when it came to swapping in and out. Ozpin told Oscar that he would only do so, if he truly needed help. If Oscar either asked for it or is Ozpin's own anxiety for Oscar's well being made him switch on the spot, but for the most part, Oz simply stated he would let Oscar take the reins from here on out.
Everything had been fine, in fact they were just getting ready to head back to Atlas, when there was suddenly an ambush of Grimm. Several different Grimm ranging from Ursas to Beowolves to Nevermores, they all just appeared, as if out of thin air. But there was one Grimm that was different then the rest, it was smaller then the rest of the Grimm, it was like the size of a regular wolf but something about the way it moved, the way it sounded, how its limbs would twist and break, set off so many red flags. And what was even stranger is that unlike the rest of the Grimm, it was the only one who seemed to be producing a this liquid.
Thick, black droplets of what looked like tar fell from it's form and stained the ground it walked on.
And no matter how many other Grimm he and his friends took down, Oscar found that he would always gaze right back at the creature, as if he was being mentally drawn to it. Apparently, Oz felt that same pull as well because the old wizard felt cautious but also curious. "Be on guard, Oscar. This one appears to be..." Oz paused for a moment when they both noticed the Grimm was staring in Oscar's direction, it seems that it was drawn to them too. "...different from the rest."
Oscar also noticed that when the others tried to fight it, it would simply slam them away, as if it didn't want to be bothered by them, that they were simply an annoyance to them, it's red eyes never leaving Oscar's. And when they finally did clashed, Oscar was taken aback by how strong the Grimm was despite it's size. Muscle memory kicked in for Oscar and he knew he had to go on the defensive.
"Breathe." Ozpin instructed softly, as to not distract Oscar, "Focus of the fight. But remember to know your surroundings."
But then as he was gaining the upper hand, suddenly the tables turned and now the Grimm was somehow stronger then before, having managed to knock him off balance just enough that he didn't have time to react and now had Oscar was pinned to the ground, there trapped with no way out as the Grimm furiously snapped at him.
It hissed, growled, and did everything it took to reach him, trying so hard to sink its teeth anywhere it could find as it's claws pushed down and dug into his arm. Oscar had barely managed to keep it at bay with The Long Memory until those droplets from before started to drip down it's body once again, falling like a poison on the cement, smoking upon contact and as much as Oscar struggled, he could do nothing as one single drop touched his bare skin and it felt like agony.
It felt like someone had poured acid on his face, as he felt it seep into his skin, but the pain didn't stop there, through blurry vision, Oscar watched his skin slowly turning black. He cried out in pain as his fight or flight instincts kicked in and he blindly slammed his feet into the Grimm, sending it flying off him.
Then he lay there on the ground he lay there, all his strength gone, feeling like his entire body was being burned from the inside out. Spots blackened his vision, the last thing he heard was Ozpin mimicking his screams of pain.
When he opened his eyes, he was in a place he didn't recognize. Everywhere he turned was covered in a deep dark blackness, he couldn't see anything and what was worse, what made fear spike in his heart was that not only were his friends no where to be seen, but also couldn't feel Oz anymore, and that's what scared him, because he's always been able to sense the old wizard. Even when Ozpin had locked himself away, Oscar could still feel him there, he just couldn't hear him anymore, but this was different, now where ever he was, Oscar could no longer hear nor feel Ozpin.
"Hello?" He called out, his voice echoing a crossed the vast void he found himself trapped in. "Oz!?"
But there was no answer.
A pit grew in his stomach, it was the same feeling he got during the weeks Ozpin went silent. Those days had been bad enough but this? Being all alone in this big black abyss of darkness, with nothing but his own loud thoughts, that was even worse. Because while he never said it out loud, his worst fear was being left behind, being abandoned, and this place just screamed isolation.
His anxiety spiked the longer he stood there, so he decided to move, one foot in front of the other, he blindly walked along the pitch black cavern he found himself in, maybe if he was lucky he'd find Oz or maybe his friends. Soon though after a few minutes of walking, he began to hear whispers; faint, hushed whispers that echoed a crossed the abyss he was trapped in. They started off slow, and soft but then quickly grew louder and louder and then all at once they stopped, like something had cut through them. A bright light suddenly shine out of no where, having been surrounded by darkness this entire time, seeing light so abruptly hurt and he had to squint to see what was in front of him.
There he saw his friends, they were all smiling at him, Ruby's smile seemed to shine the brightest, and he felt a sense of relief wash over him. Suddenly the fear of loneliness was no longer there, because they were here now, they were here for him and he smiled along side them. But then that smile turned to dread when he watched them all turn away from him and walked away.
He felt ice form in his veins as he watched them go, a desperate crying "Wait!" was torn from his lungs, reaching a hand out as he attempted to follow them but no matter how fast he ran, he couldn't catch up to them.
Then they were gone as quickly as they had come and he was alone again.
His parents flashed in his head and he felt that same feeling of abandonment, no matter what he did, he always felt so alone, he always felt like no one wanted him around, that he didn't belong. And this was living proof of that, his friends were right there and they left him without so much as a glance back, even Ruby had kept her back towards him, as they all seemed to be laughing at his expense.
His heart ached, tears welled in his eyes and he sank to his knees, a feeling of helplessness consumed him. He could help the sound that bubbled up his throat, couldn't help the way it tore itself out of his mouth, it was raw and painful but it happened against his will
He screamed
"So this is Ozpin's latest incarnated?"
A new voice, as clear as day echoed around him and he sank into despair, feeling like a thousands pound weight was dropped onto his shoulders.
"An emotional, helpless child?"
The voice seemed to grow louder and louder, with each shallow breathe he took the weight increased and she seemed to revel in it, seemed to enjoy how lost he felt, how much pain he was in from being left behind.
It was getting harder and harder to breathe, his lungs felt like they filled with air but also deprived of it at the same time. Please, stop— He silently begged, Please... He needed help, Oscar knew he needed help desperately, because he couldn't do this on his own, he didn't want to do this on his own, he had no strength to do so, no will to go on. Because what was the point when everyone left him in the end?
"You are not Ozma."
Oscar knew that, he knew that.
He knew he wasn't Ozma, he knew he wasn't Ozpin, he was just Oscar, but was that really so bad? Ozma was a hero, and Ozpin was a great headmaster, they both excelled above the rest, but couldn't he just be himself? Did Oscar really have to meet their levels when he was already so far behind?
"No merging will ever make that possible."
Oscar felt like his heart was shattering, curling his arms around his legs he buried his face in his knees and sobbed. He didn't want to be here anymore, he didn't want to so this anymore, he just wanted it all to stop, wanted that voice to go away. Then gently, Oscar felt a tug on his wrist, at first he didn't really register the pull, but then as it happened a second time he blinked through his tears and as his eyes adjusted to the darkness once again he saw that there was a thread wrapped around his wrist.
Where had that come from?
It hadn't been there before. Or maybe it had, and he just never noticed? He truly didn't know but all that he did know was that it was there now and it— confused Oscar. Curiously, he lightly brushed it with his fingers tips, within a second he felt a spark jolt through his body, the string slowly glowed a bright green. The green hue traveled slowly down his wrist and it was then that he realized that the thread was longer then at first glance, it seemed to go for miles as it gently left a trail of green through the darkness, it was like a pathway.
Then he felt an emotion that wasn't his own, scratch the he felt multiple emotions that weren't his own.
Panic
Desperation
Guilt
And within a second he knew that these emotions belonged to Ozpin, he was here someone in this prison just like he was and that this must have been the connection the old wizard spoke often of, during their training sessions. Immediate tears started flowing down his cheeks, because if Oz was here then that means there was hope, hope of getting out of here, if Oz was here that means he wasn't alone, hadn't been alone at all. Frantically, he reached out with both hands and grasped the tiny string in his fingers, as if that small thread were his only life line in the world and at this point it probably was. He clung to his close to his chest and took a moment to let out a small laugh that sounded more of a cry.
Slowly, he stood up and followed the thread. And the longer he walked the more he realized that the string had now seemed to be glowing a bright orange along with the green. And Oscar knew, he just knew that Ozpin was close, he could feel it. "Oz!" He called out his voice held so many emotions that his voice cracked at the end.
Then he waited
And waited
Until eventually—
"Oscar!"
Hearing another voice besides Salem's and more so the fact that it was Oz's made another cry escape his lips. "OZ!" He said louder, laughing wetly, as he continued to follow the string, And then finally, finally after what felt like a thousand years, Oscar began to see a silhouette of a person through the darkness. Then he started to feel those emotions again but this time they were mixed with his own.
Then the thread glowed in brightly, a hue of green and orange, it seemed to light up the small space and suddenly the silhouette wasn't a shadow anymore, it really was Ozpin, the old man's white hair seemed to glow in the light of the string.
The moment they laid eyes on the other it was like time froze, it was as if neither could really fathom that the other was there.
"Oz?"
"Oscar?"
They both let out a little laugh in unison, and Oscar felt a relief wrap around his heart. His emotions were now on overdrive, he couldn't comprehend anything else but the fact that he wasn't alone anymore and that Oz was here with him, therefore everything would be okay. Tears swelled in his eyes and cascaded down his cheeks, voice cracking, he found himself babbling, "I–I was all alone, and I didn't... I—!"
"Oscar." Ozpin's gentle voice made him freeze, looking up through blurred vision, Oscar saw Oz kneel down to his level and open his arms out, it was an invitation to offer some comfort that they both needed. Oscar wasted no time, breaking into a run, he practically dove in Oz's arms, there in the darkness, and there is when Oscar truly broke down.
He clung to Oz's coat, his arms tightened around the old wizards waist and refused to let go, his heart feeling so full and yet painfully empty all at once, breathe hitching in his throat Oscar let out a muffled sob as his body trembled. Ozpin held him tighter and it seemed that Oscar's emotions and fear transferred themselves to Ozpin because now it Oz who was trembling, now it was Ozpin who was clinging to him close to his chest, one hand wrapped around the boy's back and the other in Oscar's hair.
"Are you hurt?" Oz asked his voice genuinely concerned, "Are you alright?"
Oscar shook his head, "No, I was alone and everyone left me... I saw them! They just left, like my parents—! And I couldn't sense you and I'm so useless!"
"Shh..." Oz soothed, holding him closer. "Oscar, I need you to listen to me," Ozpin pulled away just enough to look Oscar in the eyes, "What you saw, what you heard, none of that happened, this is all happening in the mind. It's not real."
"But—" Oscar sniffed, tears still flowing down his cheeks, "The voice—"
Oz shook his head and gently wiped away his tears tracks with his thumbs, "That was Salem."
"Salem?"
"Yes, all this is happening in the mind and whatever she told you, Oscar. She's wrong."
Oscar remembered the whispers from before, "But she—"
"No." Ozpin interrupted, his voice firm but gentle at the same time, as he brought Oscar in for another embrace, "She's wrong," Throat tight, emotions on overdrive, Oscar could simply nod his head once, and still clinging to Ozpin.
"Okay."