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“Selkie, can you help her?” Auburn asked sleepily, from his bed after being woken up by screams.
It was a common occurrence that Violet would wake up in the middle of the night screaming from a nightmare. She would then until she fell back asleep murmur, shout and cry in her sleep then finally whimpered until she calmed down. It was a lot on the rest of the group as they weren’t accustomed to such things, making them get very little sleep at night and starting to fall behind on their classes. It wasn’t like she was getting a lot of sleep but she was unaware of it all.
“We need to talk to Professor Ozpin about this - there has to be something that can be done?” Selkie moaned as she got to her feet, looking at the Faunus sleeping in the bed at the corner pressed against the wall.
“We can talk to him in the morning. . .” Dirk grumbled as he shoved the pillow over his head trying to drown out the sound.
“She must have had a bad childhood. . .” Auburn said contemplating on the past of his fellow student.
His family had been rich and been a long line of Huntsman not ever really needing anything as he got all he ever wanted. Spoiled he might be but he was still a considerate person. Selkie got into the bed with Violet, making sure not to lay on the tail of her friend as she started to stroke her hair. Violet was shaking, crying and moaning in pain in her sleep, her pillow damp with tears the small stuffed cat plushie Selkie had bought her months ago in her arms.
It broke her heart to see her friend in so much pain, she didn’t know what was causing her nightmares as Violet didn’t speak much about her time before Beacon. They hadn’t known each other for long, only being on this team for a few months now but she knew she liked Violet a lot as a friend. It was frustrating that she had these nightmares several times a week causing them to lose sleep and have their grades suffer being ranked at the bottom of the class currently. Selkie didn’t care much about grades, she just wanted to learn how to use her Semblance better.
“I go to sleep,” Selkie sang, activating her Semblance, stroking her friend's soft purple hair, dark skin complimenting the pale features nicely. “And imagine that you’re there with me, I go to sleep.”
Her Semblance worked if she sang a song that she really connected with and made her feel a certain way it would affect anyone that hears it to feel the same way she did. It worked really well but if the song got stuck in her head she would be stuck feeling that way until she could get it out of her head and sometimes the Semblance would have a residual effect and make people feel that way even if she hummed it.
“I look around me and feel you are ever so close to me, each tear that flows from my eye, brings back memories of you to me, I go to sleep.”
Soon the cries became whimpers then soft gentle sleeping sounds as the rest of the group started to yawn feeling the effects of the Semblance. Selkie soon fell asleep curled up next to her friend, wishing she had brought her blanket over.
After finishing breakfast I had received an alert on my Scroll that Professor Ozpin had requested to see me. It was strange - had they found me secret? I started to panic, doing my best to mask my fear of being caught. I didn’t belong here putting down my tea cup and I shakily stood to my feet. The rest of my team were a bit concerned about my reaction as they knew why I had an alert from Professor Ozpin but they didn’t say anything to comfort my visibly shaken nerves.
Heading to the office I spotted two members of Team STRQ leaving Ozpin’s office. The Branwen Twins Raven ignored me as she was on her Scroll - Qrow winking at me as we passed each other. In the Professor's office I was feeling scared, did they know I forged my transcripts? That I really don’t belong at Beacon that I never trained at a prep school? I was taught by my parents before they left me that they never believed in the mandated curriculum of a school? What would they do to me? I had barely enough money to pay to get to this school from selling my parents home and items, I never spent any money on anything frivolous I wouldn’t be able to bribe them to keep me here. Would I be fined? My mind was going crazy as I was trying to find out why I was being summoned to his office without obvious reason.
“You requested to see me, Professor Ozpin?” I asked as I entered the room. It was a small and cozy room.
Professor Ozpin was sitting at his desk, a steaming cup of coffee on his desk as he was pouring over papers.
“Ah Miss Lee you have arrived, please sit.”
“Sir please don’t kick me out. . .” I blurted as I abruptly took a seat, sinking into the plush chair in the front of his desk, the strong scent of leather hitting my nose.
“I don’t think I will kick a student out for having nightmares, Miss Lee.” Professor Ozpin chuckled, giving me a small smile, soft brown eyes catching my purple eyes as I started to blink back tears.
“Nightmares?” I was shocked that it was about my nightmares and not my forged documents.
I didn’t know how to react.
“It happens in our line of work but generally when we are older.” Professor Ozpin mused. “But I feel for you Miss Lee that your childhood wasn’t as idyllic and most. Your teammates have come to me with concerns about you.”
“Oh. . .They don’t want me?” I asked downcast, worried that they would want to get rid of me.
“No that’s not it. They just want to know how to help you, apparently Miss Breeze has spent most of the time lulling you back to sleep with her Semblance. It has affected your overall grades a lot which isn’t something we like to see, especially on how talented your team is.” Professor Ozpin said, taking a sip of his coffee, eyes still on me watching and studying.
“What are these nightmares about?”
“I don’t know. . .” I stalled not wanting to speak about it - they were too terrifying.
“Miss Lee, I care about each and everyone of my students, they mean a lot to me. I value your mental care just as much as your physical. I promise I will do what I can to help you overcome what is bothering you.” Professor Ozpin said with a kind tone of voice.
I wasn’t used to having an authority figure be kind - I was still getting used to the kindness but firm tone from my teachers just used to my parent’s abusive tones. I was afraid of telling them what my life had been like before Beacon, I didn’t even like thinking about it myself. Looking down at my feet, staring at the frayed shoelaces of my old boots, the mismatched socks that stuck out with my slightly used school uniform that had a few soft spots from being well worn.
“Violet,” Professor Ozpin said, placing the cup down the soft thud of the porcelain cup, startling me a little shrinking in the seat. “You are safe, many of us have come from perilous backgrounds. It is what drives some to become huntsmen and huntresses.”
“My. . .” I started feeling a bit nervous but I felt that Professor Ozpin was being genuine about caring about my wellbeing.
“My nightmares are about my parents - they hurt me a lot as a kid. Locking me up in a closet making me try potions they were developing. Forcing me to do things I didn’t want to do. . .I get so scared they will take me away from here.” I explained fidgeting with my nails as I broke them down after a few weeks of attempting to grow them out.
I couldn’t look at him afraid of the reaction to what I had said, I hadn’t told anyone about my family and I said as much I could without telling him everything including how I got here into Beacon. After breaking my nails and working on my cuticles, I picked at them in attempts to control something around me. I flinched as Professor Ozpin got up to his feet rounding the desk, handing a notebook to me, a kind smile on his face.
“You can rip up these pieces, Miss Lee better than your fingers.” He said with a kind tone looking at me as I shakily took the notebook, on the verge of tears.
“Thank you. . .” I said flipping open the book, slowly tearing pieces of the paper.
Grabbing his chair, Professor Ozpin sat it down beside me watching me tear the paper, eyeing that my heart rate was finally calming back down.
“I apologize about the childhood you had to deal with, Miss Lee. No child should have to go through such a thing. I figured you had reasons for forged documents when you came into my school, with a little digging I found some information but nothing leading to that. I was hoping life here at the school would be enough to assuage the fear but trauma can follow us wherever we may roam in life.”
“You - know?” I said shocked, hands shaking as I tore more paper.
“Yes, I plan on keeping you here at Beacon. You are an excellent student. As for these nightmares I understand there is not much you can do about having them. I do suggest talking with your teammates about it, as sometimes just talking about things can help give them no power over you. Shedding light on them making them less daunting. I wouldn’t fear their reactions as they cared so much to come to me to ask for help knowing something was scaring you.”
“But what if they are scared?” I cried as the emotions hit me, scared that they would be scared of me that I might snap and be like my parents.
“The only way to find out is to talk to them. I am very sure they will accept you. They care a lot about you.”
“You are right, thank you Professor.” I said sniffling a little looking up at him, giving him a smile.
“Now it’s time for your first class, Miss Violet, you don’t want to be late. If you need to talk more I am always available to help, any of your teachers are.” Professor Ozpin advised me as he assisted me to my feet, taking the notebook and scraps from me.
“Thank you Professor Ozpin.”