The Bird and the Garden

Chapter 18: A Long Journey

The Rose was on edge. He hadn't expected that to work. It was his last ditch effort, but now his leg was healed. He gripped his katana tightly, until his knuckles turned white.

Long ago, his brother had given a name for this weapon. It was a stupid name he had ripped straight from something he had seen on T.V., and Y/N had long since dropped the name. Instead, he gave it his own name.

Shingi to Giri. It's name was of Mistrali origin, and meant loyalty and honor; traits Y/N held in high regards. The Rose looked up at his opponent, a fire burning in his eyes.

If he failed now, he'd fail everyone. Ruby, Yang, Ren, Neo... all of them. He charged again, and Oscar readied his cane, dodging another slash from the Rose. Y/N shot his foot out, landing the blow directly on the farmhand's solar plexus. Oscar flew back, bouncing across the tiled floor. The wind was knocked from him, and he struggled to catch his breath. Y/N leapt forward, thrusting Shingi to Giri towards the farmhand's chest. But Oscar swung his leg in a sweeping motion, kicking the side of the blade and out of Y/N's hands; deflecting the attack near perfectly.

Y/N was caught off guard, and was barely able to raise his arms in time to block a punch. Oscar continued his beatdown, and the Rose's forearms were beginning to hurt. He kicked out again, but Oscar gripped his ankle and twirled him in the air, slamming him against the floor with an echoing thud.

Y/N raised his hand as if telling Oscar to stop, and another flash obscured the younger man's vision. When it cleared, he was met with a storm of dust-infused bullets. Y/N had reclaimed his weapon, and was chipping away at his opponent's Aura. Oscar leapt to the side, and charged forward. Y/N transformed his weapon into its katana function, and deflected a strike from The Long Memory.

They clashed at each other, their Aura's brought to a minimum. Y/N deflected another strike, and roundhouse kicked the farmhand, finally depleting the last of his Aura. He breathed hard, and Oscar looked up at him with a prideful expression.

"Y/N Rose... you have won. Congratulations. With this, we will proceed on to your quest. It is time I finally relay what is going on to you," Oscar said.

At first Y/N was quiet, catching his breath. But finally he asked the question that was burning in his mind. "Why? Why haven't you told me what my quest was before? Why have I trained so hard, and you have never told me? I only know what Qrow told me. Why have you kept this a secret from me?" He asked. Oscar dipped his head, before looking back up at his friend.

"... I did not tell you because you were not ready. It is a secret held only by my Circle, and her Circle. I am sorry for keeping secrets, but I couldn't risk you failing your training, and then walking free. I refrained from telling you so I would not kill you, Mr. Rose. Do you understand?"

Y/N looked down at his feet. "... yes..." he muttered after a long time. Oscar smiled. "I am glad you succeeded," he said before his face went dark, "but now it is time I tell you everything."

Y/N awaited his story eagerly. Oscar sat on the floor and gestured for Y/N to do the same. He obeyed, and suddenly Oscar had an older look to him. It was the look of Ozpin, though much more stressed.

"... where do I even begin...?" He moaned tiredly. "... you're fighting a woman named Salem." He said the name with venom dripping from his voice. "She is the Queen of Grimm, the Wicked Witch, and many, many other names. She seeks to destroy this world, and anything she does not see eye-to-eye with. She's willing to kill and destroy whatever it may be that stands in her way of achieving those goals. And as of late, Raven has told me she has finished training VAO," he explained.

Y/N's jaw dropped slightly upon the mention of his brother. He hadn't talked about him in six years. He had hardly even heard his name, except for a few times where Ruby explained to Yang about her family. But nonetheless, the name brought upon bad memories. He remembered Summer, and instinctively clutched the white cloak that shrouded his body in his grasp. Oscar continued.