BaFS Fanfic Chapter 1: The Death of Dawn
The Cracked moon shine bright against the concrete streets of Vale. All was peaceful until a sickening noise of tearing flesh and malicious laughter filled the air. Only people nearby the alleyway had heard it and dashed outside, both curious and scared as to what could have happened. They were so involved with finding what had startled them that they didn't notice a small girl, no more then 6 years old, sobbing into the arms of her rescuer. Her thick, gold burnette hair hid her green/blue eyes as tears streamed down her pale face. The fear was evident in her shaking body, which clung to her rescuer.
The rescuer in question, was a tall man, whose silver hair shone in the moonlight. His hazel eyes beheld the tramatized girl in his arms, which awakened a feeling of sad remorse. His name, was Ozpin, and he was the Headmaster of Beacon Academy, an elite school where Remnant's greatest warriors and protectors were trained and taught to combat the creatures of Grimm, a destructive force of evil that roamed far and wide upon the surface of Remnant. The Grimm took many forms of frightful monsters that lasted only a minute before they dissolve into thin air after they were slain.
Ozpin contemplated on how this happened. One minute he was walking the streets of Vale when he heard the murderous noise, along with a frightened squeal and felt a small figure bump into him. He had looked down and saw a small girl, sobbing and crying. He hardly recognized the child at first and was puzzled by this sudden reaction. Suddenly, looking up, he saw the reason why. Another figure had stepped out of the shadows, with bloody hands upholding a pair of knives that were dripping with blood. The mysterious assassin braced himself to lunge for the young child who was still clinging to Ozpin's legs. Realizing what was happening, Ozpin pulled out his cane and readed himself, while quickly picking up the child and holding her close with one arm. She held on with an iron grip and watched in fear as Ozpin lifted his cane, protecting her. The assassin clicked his tongue and lunged,his knives hitting Ozpin's cane. Ozpin threw him off and managed to hit a few vital points on the assassin, as he didn't want to fight, no matter whoever this murderer was. The opponent seemed to read his mind, as he turned and fled when they heard the sound of people running.
Ozpin simply stood there, panting from his standoff and hoping the assassin would try to attack him again. His eyes then wandered to the girl clutching onto his jacket, sobbing and crying for all she was worth. After getting a better look at the girl he had saved, Ozpin suddenly noticed the collection of spots on her right wrist, forming a shape. He lifted her chin and took a better look at the girl's face. Her eyes were starting to get puffy after all the crying. He froze when he saw that her eyes are both different, one a bright green, the other a light blue. As Ozpin touched the side of her face, he felt something sticky on his fingers. He saw that it was blood. There was a small scar, where the blood trickled down her upper cheek. The assassin must have cut a small scar, leaving only a small wound and a raggedly cut part of her hair.
Ozpin paled at the seemingly accurate description that this child offered. He put his cane away and ran towards the alley that girl had been running from. By now a small crowd had gathered. Ozpin made his way through them and looked down at the corpse, paling with fear and dread. He then knew who the child that he held in his arms was. Stjerne Fallende, the only child of the now late Saffron Fallende, the former bearer of the Virgo heritage.
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Timeskip.....
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Ozpin sat on a box, near the crime scene of the murder, doing his best to sooth the weeping child in what little way he could. The doctor that had arrived at the scene bandaged Stjerne's head, claiming it was merely a flesh wound, and that it should heal nicely. Stjerne seemed to calm down, but it was still clear to see that the memory of what she saw was visible in her mind. Stjerne had witnessed the death of her mother, a memory that would last until her dying day, Ozpin thought. Ozpin had known of Saffron's child for a long time now. He was even present when Stjerne was born, when Saffron and her husband Verusium took refuge at Beacon, as no other place would suffer to take them in their time of need. She was no more then an infant, and after the death of Verusium, Saffron had started using her maiden name again, and was taking on smaller missions, trying to earn more money to support them. Peach Blossom, Saffron's old partner and a Professor at Beacon, had volunteered take up the responsibility of babysitting Stjerne while her mother went on missions. In the past, Saffron was a bit reckless, taking on missions that offered a small chance of her survival. Peach had avidly protested her behavior and eventually managed to rope Glynda Goodwitch into the intervention. This all happened after Verusium's death and thus Stjerne grew up without a real father. Since Saffron left Beacon, Ozpin had barely seen the child and lost track of her upbringing, due to the fact that his duties as a Headmaster were needy and immediate. It surprised him now to find that the child he had seen as nothing more then a newborn, was now a 6 year old girl, crying over the horrible scenario she had just witnessed.
Ozpin hugged her, feeling guilty for Saffron's sake. He felt he should have taken special care to watch the child, even if it was from afar. Now, Saffron was dead, and Stjerne was an orphan.
"Maybe not." Ozpin thought. In the back of his head, there was still one thing he could do.
The police had started asking Ozpin questions, as they thought him to be a key eyewitness. However, Ozpin could give them little information, because he barely saw the criminal despite the fact that he challenged him to fight, but chose instead to run. The police nodded with disappointment, as they took note of all that Ozpin had told them.
"Thank you very much Headmaster." They said before leaving. A nurse came forward.
"I'll take the girl now." She said softly. However, she was met with stubborn resistance, as Stjerne clung tighter to Ozpin, crying louder. Ozpin quieted her and looked up at the nurse.
"What will happen to her?" He asked.
"Since you told us that this girl had no living relatives, we'll put her in the foster care system." The nurse answered. Ozpin didn't really like the idea of Stjerne being put in the hands of a family that would care more or less about Stjerne's upbringing. Plus, being Saffron's daughter, the former owner of the Virgo Powers, Stjerne was destined to receive them, as was shown by the mark on her wrist.
"What if I were to spare you the trouble and take her back with me." Ozpin offered.
"Sir, are you sure about that?" The nurse was a bit surprised and taken back by the offer.
"Stjerne, as this girl's name is, is the daughter of a huntress. I've known her mother, Saffron Fallende, myself. She used to be one of my students at the academy and started working for me a few years ago. She personally asked me to watch the child for her, should anything happen to her." Ozpin half-lied at the last part. He never liked lying, but he knew that he wanted to repay Saffron for her years of service, he would have to take care of the one thing that she left behind: the child she had bought into the world.
"Well. If you insist headmaster. But you'll need to sign the necessary paperwork." The nurse shrugged. Ozpin stood up slowly, the grip on his jacket slackened a bit. Stjerne was sobbing, wetting the shoulder of his jacket. Suddenly, Ozpin heard a call. Peach and Glynda walked towards the scene on the sidewalk. Ozpin climbed over the yellow tape, Stjerne in his arms.
"Oz, what happened here?" Glynda asked.
"Hey Stjerne, what's wrong?" Peach gently tried to take Stjerne from Ozpin, but she clung tighter.
"Leave her be, Peach. I'm sorry to say this, but Saffron...." Ozpin couldn't bear to say the last part. Glynda gasped in horror and Peach went pale.
"Saffron....." She gasped. Peach darted around Ozpin and Glynda, and froze at the sight of the covered corpse, a strand of golden hair peeking slightly out of the tarp used to cover the body. Peach collapsed to the ground on her knees, tears falling silently. Ozpin closed his eyes in silence.
"Who did this?" Peach asked after a few minutes had elapsed.
"I-I don't know Peach. I'm sorry. I wasn't able to get a very good look." Ozpin admitted. Peach clenched her fists.
"Whoever did this is going to pay.....with their life...." Peach looked up at the moon, her tears shining.
Meanwhile, Glynda looked at Stjerne with concern.
"What will become of her? The girl, I mean?" She asked.
"Stjerne will be staying with us, at Beacon." Ozpin stated firmly.
"Ozpin...."
"Glynda, please don't try to dissuade me. I owe it to Saffron, for all her years of service to our group. She risked life and limb to get all the info we needed." Ozpin stopped her.
"I was going to say that I'm okay with this. I agree with you. Saffron had worked diligently and painstakingly in our group for years. She never doubted or contradicted a word you said." Glynda said quietly.
"Sorry. Thank you, Glynda." Ozpin sighed.
"You're welcome." Glynda nodded.
"Could you?" Ozpin gestured over to the nurse who had a clipboard in her hand.
"Of course." Glynda walked over and offered to sign the papers. Ozpin came over and signed the last part after the majority of it had been filled out. Peach wiped her tears and walked with the trio back to Beacon, where welcome would be met with sorrow.....
