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“How much longer can we trust him? How do we even know it’s really him? What if we’ve been talking to that liar this whole time?”
“Stop it! Just stop!”
Ruby led with her shoulder as Ozpin had taught her, slamming into Jaune and knocking him off-balance. Oscar slumped down against the wall, panting, and closed his eyes.
“He’s not WRONG, you know.” said Nora from behind her. Even without looking Ruby knew the expression that would be on her face: jaw set mulishly, eyes sparking as though hoping a thundercloud would materialize right above her head.
She looked around at everyone. Yang folded her arms and scowled. Blake’s ears drooped. Ren stood behind Nora, impassive as usual. Weiss had her hands clenched in her lap, and she looked as though she was biting back whatever she wanted to say. Oscar was looking from face to face too, flinching a little each time someone failed to meet his eyes. And Jaune - one of the kindest and most earnest people she’d ever known - looked as though he wanted to throw another punch.
She was glad the Cotta-Arcs weren’t here to see what was happening in their living room. She should be glad Uncle Qrow wasn’t here either, with what he’d been like lately. But she wasn’t glad. Her friends and family weren’t on her side right now.
And that was just dumb.
“I’m angry too,” she said. “We’re all angry, we don’t know what to do next or if we can ever trust Professor Ozpin again, and we’re scared of what’s happening to Oscar. He’s more scared than any of us.”
Everyone looked at Oscar, who looked at the floor. His hands clenched on air as though trying to grip a cane that wasn’t there for comfort. He’d given it to Weiss without a word as soon as they arrived in Argus; now it sat in one of her suitcases.
“But if, if we don’t stick together and trust each other, we’ll be making the same mistakes he did.”
“Ruby,” said Ren. “I admire how you trust and see the good in everyone. But life doesn’t always make that possible.” Nora reached back and took his hand.
“But - “
“If we’d fully trusted Headmaster Lionheart, how would things have worked out? If Yang had trusted her mother?” Ren shook his head. “Sometimes…it hurts, but strategy keeps you alive to win the battle, not sentiment.”
“Well, someone was paying attention in Oobleck’s lectures.” Yang gave Ren a nod. “I’ve got nothing against you, Oscar, but that guy’s in your head, and right now I’m questioning everything he ever said to us.”
“Surely that’s going a little far,” put in Weiss, and for a moment Ruby’s heart lifted. “He created the Huntsmen and Huntresses. He’s taught us a lot. He’s not an enemy.”
Yang just repeated, “Question. Everything,” She and Weiss exchanged a look Ruby couldn’t read.
“I’ll never forgive him for Pyrrha.” Jaune shook his head slowly. “Maybe…I’m starting to think maybe Hazel had a point.”
“I get it!” Oscar snapped. “I do. Where should I go then? You can’t just leave me in Argus, can you? I might be a danger to your family.” He’d never even raised his voice in Ruby’s memory, and there was something awful about the edge to it now.
“That’s not what I -"
“It is what you meant!”
“QUIET, all of you!”
Maria Calavera stood in the doorway, the twinkling fairy lights of the garden behind her, radiating a forceful authority that had nothing to do with her tiny frame. Everyone shut up at once.
“Even outside I can hear you all! Is this how a team of Huntsmen and Huntresses should behave? If we weren’t in a city, you’d be calling Grimm down on us right and left!”
“Sorry,” said Ruby meekly. The tension in the air seemed to lighten a little as everyone looked slightly abashed.
Maria coughed and thumped her staff on the floor. “Since I had to hear all your opinions, I think perhaps it’s time you listened to mine. I don’t know this Professor Ozpin like you do, but after seeing what Jinn had to say I’ve been doing some thinking. And I’ve thought up a thought experiment for you all to try.”
Nora rolled her eyes, but sat down with a huff. Ren sat down next to her. “What is it?”
Even a very short time spent with Maria had taught them all not to cross her. She could be like a tart version of Glynda Goodwitch; the two of them would probably get along.
“Imagine that you’re out on a mission, and someone you want to protect tumbles off a cliff. You were able to throw them a rope, but there’s nothing to tie the other end to, and you don’t have enough strength or leverage to pull them up. No help around. All your powers and fancy school training aren’t enough. You don’t even have a plan.”
Maria’s eyes clicked and whirred as she looked at each of them in turn. “Strategy tells you you can’t save this person. Do you let go? What do you do, hunters?”
“You’d…hang on and call for help,” whispered Jaune after an uncomfortable silence.
“That’s right. You’d call out to anyone who might hear, and somehow I don’t think you’d phrase it as “I need help, but just so you know, it might be impossible.” Time would pass. Some people would try to help and give up. Maybe some would fall over the cliff themselves. And many more would just…pass on by. “
Weiss flinched. Blake put an arm around her shoulders, without taking her own eyes away from Maria.
“This Ozma or Ozpin person has been hanging on for longer than any of us can imagine, trying to keep the whole world from falling. From the sound of it he’s made some bad choices. Not given you all enough credit. On the other hand, his arms are probably getting pretty tired by now. Harder to think straight, when you’re pushed past your limit.”
“…Yeah.” Jaune took a breath, and Ruby could hear the lump in his throat. “Yeah.”
“He still hasn’t let go,” said Blake. “He’s still there waiting. How did we not see?”
“He’s too proud,” said Oscar. “And kind of a jerk sometimes.” His eyes were shining, though.
“He’s waiting for us,” said Ruby. “We’re going to be the ones to finish this. Jinn told him he couldn’t stop Salem, but she didn’t say anything about us."
“Magical creatures are known to be very tricky about their wording,” said Ren.
“Well,” said Yang. “If we’re gonna pull the world up, we’re gonna need some more rope.”
“A LOT more,” muttered Nora. But she didn’t say no.