Chapter 34: Mission completed!
[Beacon Tower]
Qrow Branwen is standing by a window, leaning casually as he gazes at the wall with a bored expression. He's supposed to be here to meet with Ozpin and discuss his last mission, but for some reason, the headmaster isn't in his office. "Strange that he'd leave out of the blue," Qrow thinks as he lets out a slight snort. It's not something he's too concerned about; if Ozpin can take his time, so can he.
With his usual calm, he pulls out his trusty flask from his pocket and takes a long swig. The warmth of the liquor travels down his throat, drawing a small grimace on his face. "Not bad for passing the time," he mutters sarcastically, but just as he finishes savoring the moment, a strange noise interrupts his peace.
"Pop. Pop. Pop."
He frowns, irritated. The sound is annoying, repetitive, and worst of all, it seems familiar, though he can't quite recall from where. He tilts his head, trying to figure out where it's coming from, until he realizes it's from the outside. Which is already strange, given how high he is in the tower.
"Pop. Pop. Pop."
The noise doesn't stop, and with an annoyed gesture, he opens the window sharply, letting in a rush of fresh air. He leans his head out to take a look around, scanning the scene. Everything seems normal at first, but then...
Qrow blinks, confused. There, right in front of him, just a few meters away, a guy in a suit is climbing Beacon Tower using suction cups. He doesn't seem much older than Yang, and he's carrying a bag hanging from his back, swinging with each movement. The strangest part is the green, glowing creature on his head. "Is that... a lobster?"
He stares at the guy for a few seconds, trying to process what he's seeing. Then, with an automatic gesture, he looks down at his flask, observes it for a moment, and reflects, "No, this isn't it," he murmurs dryly, putting the flask back in his pocket.
"Definitely not drunk enough to hallucinate," Qrow clears his throat and leans out a little further, fixing his gaze on the daring climber.
"Hey, asshole!" Qrow shouts at the guy, his voice firm and full of annoyance. The shout causes the climber to stop for a moment, clearly surprised. "Stop climbing the tower with suction cups!"
"Fuck you! I'm climbing the tower with suction cups!" the guy responds, shooting him an annoyed glance while continuing to climb.
Qrow frowns and mutters to himself, "This guy's got some balls..." Then he raises his voice, more irritated than curious. "Why this tower?"
"And why not this tower?" the guy retorts, mocking tone, not stopping for a second.
With every movement, the guy leaves a trail of marks on the tower's windows, something Qrow notices immediately. The hunter points to the stains with annoyance. "You're marking the windows, asshole!"
"And I'm going to mark them as much as I want! Look at me go!" the guy replies, letting out a chuckle while raising a hand in an offensive gesture, showing his disregard for authority.
Qrow sighs, now at the edge of his patience. "Go stick to someone else's tower, idiot!"
The guy stops for a second, turns his head toward Qrow, and smirks cynically. "That sounds very suggestive!" he comments with a mocking expression.
"Suck my dick! Get down from the tower!" Qrow shouts, finally losing his composure.
The guy furrows his brow and asks with disgust, "What are you, gay?"
The question makes Qrow close his eyes for a second, trying not to yell again. He gives him a cold glare and answers firmly, "It's an expression, you idiot! Fuck off and get down already!"
Far from being intimidated, the guy shrugs and yells back, "No, fuck you!"
Qrow, not knowing whether to laugh or send him flying with his own hands, watches him intently. He needs a name, something to make sure this idiot doesn't get away with it. "What's your name?" he demands, pointing at him.
"Suction Cup Man!" the guy responds quickly, not taking it seriously, while continuing to climb as if nothing's happening.
"My ass!" Qrow exclaims, incredulous. He leans a bit further out, patience running thin. "Tell me your damn name already!"
The guy stops for a second, a wide grin on his face, starts humming while speeding up: "Dadadadada… Suction Cup Man, Look at me go!!" Qrow watches him in silence for a few seconds. "I'm going to need a drink after this..."
"Get out of the tower now!" Qrow shouts, his voice resonating with irritation and exasperation.
"I can't!" the guy responds, giving him a look as if he just said the dumbest thing in the world.
Qrow frowns, visibly confused. "Why the hell not?!"
"I can't go down, idiot! I can only go up," the guy explains, exaggerating his hand movements as if teaching a little kid. Qrow looks at him incredulously. "What!?"
"I have to get to the top to turn around and come down," the guy clarifies condescendingly, accompanying his explanation with exaggerated gestures that only increase Qrow's frustration.
"Can't you just turn around now?" Qrow asks, struggling to find any logic in this absurd situation.
"Of course I can't! What are you, stupid?" the guy retorts, glaring at him as if the question was a personal insult.
Qrow crosses his arms, watching him closely as he recalls his days in Beacon. "It can't be that hard," he comments.
"I don't see you climbing the damn tower with suction cups!" the guy responds, pointing at him accusingly.
Qrow lets out a mocking smile, leaning slightly toward the window. "I hold the record for climbing higher on this tower, kid."
The guy stops for a moment, as if trying to remember something. Suddenly, his face lights up. "Ohhh, I know who you are!" he exclaims in a tone that almost makes Qrow feel proud.
"Of course you know who I am," Qrow starts to respond, puffing out his chest a bit. But just as he's about to continue, the guy interrupts him with a burst of laughter.
"You're the idiot who fell and broke all his bones! Ha, ha, ha! Loser! You didn't even finish climbing it!" the guy yells, pointing at him while laughing as if he'd just heard the funniest joke of his life.
Qrow's smile fades, his eyes narrowing with fury. "Give me a minute," he says in a tone that could only be described as dangerous before disappearing from the window.
"What are you doing?" the guy asks, raising an eyebrow with curiosity as he watches him walk away.
A moment later, Qrow returns, now holding two plungers in each hand. He raises his arms proudly. "I've got plungers!" he declares with a defiant smile.
"Oh, this is getting serious!" the guy says sarcastically, raising an eyebrow as he watches him mockingly.
"I'm coming for you, bitch!" Qrow yells, taking a few steps back to gain momentum, clearly ready to join the action.
"You're going to kill yourself, old man!" the guy responds, trying to dissuade him, though his tone remains mocking. "Fuck you and watch me!" Qrow yells before launching himself toward the outside of the tower.
[Meanwhile…]
At the base of the tower, Weiss paces back and forth, clearly agitated. "What should I do? What should I do? Should I go up there? Should I call security?" she mutters, weighing her options. "I can't call security, it would probably mess me up somehow," she says to herself while rubbing her temples in frustration.
Finally, she makes a decision. With determination, she draws her rapier and murmurs to herself, "I'm going to bring that idiot down."
She looks up at the height where Daniel is still climbing. "It's high, but I just need one line of glyphs on the wall to reach him," she concludes, adjusting her stance. "I'll bring him down before anyone notices, and act like this never happened."
With that thought in mind, Weiss focuses, ready to create her first glyph. However, before she can even summon a spark of energy, a calm yet firm voice interrupts her.
"Miss Schnee."
Weiss spins around quickly, rapier in hand, startled. Her gaze lands on a man with gray hair, brown eyes, and an impeccable suit, holding a cup in one hand.
"Director Ozpin!" exclaims Weiss, surprised and terrified.
The director doesn't seem disturbed, but his words are sharp. "Miss Schnee, it is not polite to point a weapon at someone."
Weiss immediately realizes she still has her rapier drawn. Clumsily and quickly, she sheaths it. "I-I'm sorry! That wasn't my intention," she stammers, her tone full of nervousness.
Ozpin nods slowly, his gaze fixed on her. "I understand."
Desperate to redeem herself, Weiss straightens up and forces a polite smile. "It's an honor to meet you, Director Ozpin," she says with a voice that tries to sound firm, but ends up being more flattering than she intended.
Ozpin remains unmoved; he just takes another sip of his cup, his face as calm as ever. "Tell me, Miss Schnee, why aren't you with the group?" he asks calmly.
Weiss freezes for a moment. "A-and I… well, the thing is…" she stammers, desperately searching for a convincing excuse. Finally, she takes a risk: "Did I get lost?"
Ozpin nods, seemingly accepting the explanation. "I see. That's unfortunate. Beacon's facilities are really large; I suppose it's normal," he comments in a relaxed tone, as if he's used to this kind of situation.
Before Weiss can breathe a sigh of relief, Ozpin continues: "I suppose you'd like me to help you get back to the group, right?"
"Yes, thank you!" Weiss responds enthusiastically, completely forgetting her original goal of stopping Daniel. She was about to accept the help when Ozpin's voice halts her again.
"Just one question," the director says, studying her intently. "By any chance, you wouldn't happen to have anything to do with the guy climbing Beacon Tower with suction cups, would you?"
Weiss's face changes drastically. "I-I… No, of course not…" she responds, struggling to stay calm. She nervously looks around before raising her gaze toward the tower. "Oh! That guy… no, I don't know him," she adds, trying to sound convincing.
"I see…" murmurs Ozpin, pulling a scroll from his pocket. With a movement, he opens a holographic screen in front of Weiss. "I thought maybe yes, because of your whole story in the Bullhead," he comments as the video begins to play.
On the screen, Weiss is seen arguing with Daniel in the airship. Though the whole conversation isn't heard, Weiss's words are clearly audible:
"IF YOU DON'T SHUT UP, YOU'RE THE ONE WHO WILL BE THROWN OUT OF THE BULLHEAD!"
Weiss's eyes go wide. "That conversation is out of context!" she defends herself quickly. "He was being unbearable!"
Ozpin nods, as if taking note of her explanation, but the next video doesn't help the situation. It shows Weiss and Daniel entering the Bullhead's bathroom together. Weiss goes silent.
"That's not what it looks like…" she tries to justify, but Ozpin fast-forwards the video, stopping it a few minutes later.
"Bam! Bam! Bam!" The sounds of the bathroom door being knocked from the inside echo on the video, as the screen shows a fixed shot from the outside.
Weiss feels the heat rise in her face. "We were... fighting?" she exclaims, though her voice sounds less convincing than she would like.
Ozpin fast-forwards again. In the video, Weiss and Daniel are seen leaving the bathroom, both visibly tense. Moments later, a cleaning employee opens the bathroom door, only to slam it shut while shouting:
"OH MY GOD! WHAT A HORROR!" The employee runs out, clearly horrified, and Weiss feels the ground beneath her feet disappear.
"That…" she starts to say, desperately looking for an excuse that doesn't sound ridiculous, but her words die in her throat.
Ozpin just watches her in silence, taking another sip from his cup.
Weiss stays silent for a moment before speaking. "Do you have cameras everywhere?" she finally asks, a mix of disbelief and resignation in her voice.
Ozpin calmly nods. "From the training rooms, the bullheads, the classes, hallways, rest areas… Except, of course, the bathrooms and dorms. Everything in Beacon is covered by cameras for security reasons," he explains in his usual calm tone. He pauses to take a sip from his cup before continuing. "As soon as Daniel started climbing the tower, we were aware."
Weiss feels a chill as she realizes that every move she made could have been recorded. Ozpin says no more, letting his words settle.
Finally, he breaks the silence. "Now, Miss Schnee, I would like an explanation: why is Daniel climbing my tower, and what do you have to do with this?"
"No, no, no! I have nothing to do with this!" Weiss exclaims, waving her hands as if trying to erase any implication. She points at Daniel, who is still climbing with his suction cups. "He's crazy!"
Ozpin maintains his neutral expression as he listens "Calm down, Miss Schnee," he says in a serene voice. "You're not the first, and surely you won't be the last person involved in something… peculiar at Beacon."
Weiss feels a mix of embarrassment and humiliation hearing that, but Ozpin continues before she can respond. "Everything will be fine, as long as nothing serious happens."
As if fate wanted to mock his words, a loud impact resounds behind them. A body crashes to the ground at high speed, just a few meters away.
"NO!" Weiss screams, convinced that Daniel has fallen. She runs towards the body with her heart in her throat, but as she gets closer, she realizes it's not Daniel.
"Thank the gods, it's not Daniel…" Weiss sighs in relief. However, her relief is short-lived when she notices that the person on the ground looks… like a homeless person?
"What was a homeless person doing up there?" Weiss asks, confused, as she turns to Ozpin for answers.
Ozpin approaches the body with a calmness that almost seems absurd given the circumstances. "He's not a homeless person," he comments with complete serenity, looking at the fallen man with some familiarity.
"Qrow, could you explain what happened?" Ozpin says, addressing the supposed homeless man who is now lying on the ground.
Qrow, lying on his back with his aura flickering and an evident grimace of pain, responds in a muffled voice. "I don't want to talk about it," he says from the ground, clearly frustrated and in pain.
From high above the tower, Daniel's mocking voice can be heard: "Oh, good job, idiot! HAHAHAHA!" His shrill laughter echoes as he watches Qrow on the ground.
Qrow takes a moment to get up, growling in evident anger as he shakes off the dust. "I'm going to kill that idiot…" he mutters through gritted teeth, more to himself than to anyone else.
Ozpin, unflinching, shakes his head, clearly disappointed. "Qrow, could you do me the favor of bringing the young man down, please?" he says, keeping his calm tone.
Qrow growls, but nods with a sinister smile. "With pleasure."
As Qrow gets ready, Ozpin turns to Weiss. "I hope you understand, Miss Schnee, that this will have consequences…" he begins to say, but his speech is interrupted by a loud BAM!.
Both turn quickly toward Qrow, who now has his weapon in hand, aiming directly at Daniel.
"What is he doing?!" Weiss shouts, alarmed.
Up top, Daniel seems more entertained than worried. With agile movements, he jumps from one window to another just before a bullet strikes and shatters the glass behind him.
BAM! BAM! BAM!
Gunshots are heard again, but Daniel, like a ninja, slides between the glass, pressing against new surfaces just before the previous ones shatter into a thousand pieces.
"STOP!" Weiss yells, grabbing the tip of Qrow's weapon and pushing it away forcefully.
"Move, girl!" Qrow growls, furious, trying to regain control of his weapon. "I'll bring him down!"
"He has no aura! You can't shoot him, you'll kill him!" Weiss exclaims, standing firmly in front of him.
Qrow momentarily lowers the weapon and looks at her incredulously. "My ass!" he says, letting out a sarcastic laugh. "He obviously has aura! How do you think he moves like that?"
Ozpin, who has somehow pulled out binoculars from who knows where, watches Daniel intently. "Qrow, Miss Schnee is right," he says after a moment of analysis. "I don't see an active aura on the young man."
Qrow frowns, incredulous. "What? Are you sure?"
"Completely," Ozpin responds, lowering the binoculars. "He seems to be just a young man in very good physical shape."
And he wasn't lying. Daniel climbed with a speed and skill that almost defied logic, especially for someone who didn't use aura.
BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM!
The sound of more shots and shattering glass echoes again in the air.
"WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU?! I SAID HE HAS NO AURA, YOU'RE GOING TO KILL HIM!" Weiss screams hysterically, trying to stop him.
Qrow pushes Weiss aside with a swipe of his arm, lifting his weapon again. "Calm down, girl! I'm not aiming at him, just the windows. I'll catch him when he falls," he responds, as if his reasoning were completely logical.
Ozpin's calm but firm voice interrupts before he can shoot again. "Qrow, could you stop breaking my windows?"
They both look up. A considerable number of the tower's windows have been shattered, their fragments shining as they fall.
"My windows are expensive. And hard to replace," Ozpin adds in a neutral tone, but his displeasure is clear.
Qrow, growling, lowers the weapon with visible frustration. "So what do we do? Just let him continue?" he asks, clearly upset. "This isn't fair. I got shot when I tried to climb this tower back in my Beacon days! Why does he get special treatment?"
Ozpin, not responding immediately, pulls out a scroll and begins marking a number.
"Who are you calling?" Qrow asks, suspicious.
"I'm sending a message to Glynda," Ozpin replies calmly as he writes. "It'll be faster that way."
Qrow falls silent for a moment, processing what he just heard, then bursts out laughing. "HAHAHAHA! This is going to be good," he says, crossing his arms with a mocking smile. "He deserves it."
Meanwhile, Daniel continues climbing the tower, with Aegis monitoring his progress.
"Did they stop shooting?" Daniel asks, panting as his muscles protest from the effort.
"Yes, it looks like the academy director ordered them to stop," Aegis replies. Its attention shifts for a moment. "Hmm... looks like he's writing to someone..."
He didn't want to attract Ozpin's attention, now or ever. "Ozpin could be a key figure in this world... Better not risk him getting interested in me," he thinks aloud, trying to stay focused.
"Speed up!" he orders suddenly.
Aegis hesitates for a moment but finally obeys, pushing Daniel's body to move even faster. The pain in his muscles intensifies, but Daniel endures it, gritting his teeth.
"You're risking too much for a power you know nothing about," Aegis says, questioning his partner's decisions.
"It's necessary," Daniel responds, his voice tense from the effort.
"Explain," Aegis insists, trying to understand his logic.
Daniel breathes deeply, trying to regulate his pace. "We can't trust the gacha. It could give me something useless... or worse, a disadvantage like arachnophobia. Also, Semblances take too long to train to be useful in an immediate situation. This mission offers me a functional ability, one that I'll have full control over. I'm not going to waste this opportunity."
Aegis listens in silence, no need to respond. Though he preferred to optimize Daniel's body through training, he couldn't deny that his reasoning had some merit.
"We're here," Aegis finally reports.
Daniel reaches the top of the tower, his body at its limit. With Aegis still controlling him, he carefully lays down on the ground to avoid any accidents. A fall from this height would be fatal.
"Ah... ah..." Daniel gasps, trying to catch his breath.
Suddenly, a notification appears in front of him, projected by the system. A bright screen unfolds, lighting up his sweaty face.
[Congratulations, you have completed the optional mission]
[Optional Mission: Suction CupMan]
Climb the highest tower in Vale (Beacon Tower) using suction cups. [✓]
[Obtaining Reward…]
[Ability obtained: Surface Adhesion!]
Allows adhesion to any solid surface, granting the ability to climb walls, ceilings, and structures regardless of their angle or texture. This ability increases mobility in any environment, facilitates evasive and offensive maneuvers, and allows gripping objects or enemies with exceptional strength.
Daniel reads the ability and lowers his head to the ground. "Not bad," he mutters. "At least it's useful," he adds, looking at all the additional features the ability comes with. However, the system keeps showing notifications without stopping.
[New optional missions generated: The Spider's Path]
[Optional mission unlocked]
Climb the Hunter Academy of Atlas
[Reward]
??? ??? ???
[Optional mission unlocked]
Climb the Hunter Academy of Haven
[Reward]
??? ??? ???
[Optional mission unlocked]
Climb the Hunter Academy of Shade
[Reward]
??? ??? ???
Daniel reads the notifications and shudders at just hearing the word "spider." He notices that unlocking an optional mission opens up more options, which is positive. He reflects on his possibilities. Daniel didn't use Neo's appearance to infiltrate due to the aura cost it would have incurred, and considering how long it took him to climb, he wouldn't have been able to sustain it. But with this new ability, he thinks it will be relatively easier to complete the missions. Just as he was about to stand up and begin to descend, a system alert catches his attention.
[Alert!]
[Alert!]
[Alert!]
[Special Limited Mission Activated!!: The Way of the Assassin]
[Special Mission: Leap of Faith]
You are at the top of Beacon Tower, the highest in Vale. Step forward and jump. Don't try to stop your fall; have faith and let destiny do its part.
[Reward]
Item: ??? ??? ???
Ability Obtained: ??? ??? ???
Passive Ability: ??? ??? ???
Daniel finishes reading everything on the screen and lets out a heavy sigh. "Oh no," he mutters.
Aegis, who had remained silent, finally speaks with a tone that mixes resignation and annoyance. "That sounds like you're about to do something stupid."
Daniel stands up, stretching slightly to ease some of the tension in his muscles. "We've got a special mission," he announces, as if that justifies everything.
"Talk," Aegis responds, waiting for an explanation. Daniel gives him a quick glance before saying the key words: "But we have to jump from the tower."
The air fills with an uncomfortable silence. Aegis breaks it first. "Well, I can't stop you," he says in an almost mocking tone. "You can just leave me up here and jump yourself."
Daniel remains silent for a moment, not moving. Finally, he responds, though with a nervous laugh. "I can't do that…"
Aegis looks at him, or at least tries to from his position, clearly incredulous. "I highly doubt the mission specifically says you have to jump with me," he comments, almost expecting Daniel to reconsider.
"No, it doesn't," Daniel admits, while carefully picking up Aegis in his hands. "It just says I have to jump with faith." He pauses, as if thinking about something deeper. "And leaving you here would be like saying I don't have faith that I'll survive…"
Daniel steps back, clearly preparing. Aegis starts moving, trying to free himself from Daniel's grip. "Wait, wait, wait. Do you really think that system you hate so much isn't going to kill you?" he asks, clearly alarmed.
"No," Daniel responds with a smile that mixes bravery and stupidity. He starts running toward the edge of the tower. "I have faith that it would be really boring if it killed me like that. Ha, ha, ha!"
And before Aegis can argue further, Daniel jumps into the void, clutching his partner.
...
...
[Who will save MC? Weiss, Qrow, Ozpin, Pidgey, or a third option? Find out in the next chapter!]
-/-
Author's note: Nothing to comment on, maybe just that I'll take a break once this arc is over.
Leave a comment, I like reading them.
Kisses and hugs