Will Be Realized

          This isn’t right.

     Eyes flutter open and immediately Kazumi Mishima knows he shouldn’t be awake. Well, calling himself that is pretty generous. After all, he’s an AI; he remembers that much.

      He also distinctly remembers being in a screen, his monitor, his... home? Just by the act of inhaling, of looking around the empty room he’s in, Mishima knows he’s no longer confined to a screen. A body? He lifts a hand to gaze upon before looking over his new form. It looks exactly the same as he would be, suit and all. How.. strange. Can AIs like himself have those? Bodies? Yes, for clearly he has one now, but... does that mean he’s an android? Odd. So truly utterly strange and foreign to have one of these, despite the plethora of memories stored in his system. Of living, growing, walking, and talking.

      But the most disturbing thing of all is the other memories he retains. Of being in that Monitor, talking to a beloved student.. seeing the pain in her eyes, learning his original is dead, that he left her behind. She told him so much: about what she’d been through, the friends and allies she’d made, what she’s still going through, and most importantly her determination to move forward.

     Oh Miss Nao. She’d become so strong. His existence, this existence a copy of her beloved mentor, was only causing her pain so he- Miss Reko.

    He should be gone.

     ‘Pretty funny how you thought you could take your life into your own hands!~’ A memory of voice rises unbidden in the back of his mind. The sound of it fills him with abject terror, though he does not comprehend why. Blue eyes appear in his mind’s eye piercing and unforgiving. ‘Don’t forget! Your existence, life and death, are in my hands! Okay?’

     Well. That.. explains a few things. Perhaps. Somehow he’s been brought back, for purposes unknown. Frankly, he’s terrified of what that could mean, but after spending a few moments standing alone, he steels his courage. He must... find what to do next. Figure out where he is.

    He steps outside. An empty lobby? The lights are on but it’s so still and quiet. It feels... lifeless. How haunting. As he walks the hallway and peers through the doors connected to it, he doesn’t see much of interest. He stops in the monitor room, staring at the broken screens.

      “Need something Kanna?”

       It’s an innocent enough question, though Keiji already has a good idea why the middle schooler keeps staring at him, at his neck. That little exchange after they’d put the books to rest- how he took the ‘tag’ from her, who’d snatched it from Sara to begin with. From the corner of his eye, he can see the red glow reflect off his hand resting near his neck.

     Her partner, Kurumada stands in wait by the door. Grey eyes narrow as the ex-policeman glances over at him before resting his gaze on the small determined figure in front of him. Honestly he doesn’t trust these partners at all, not since the start, and Kanna’s safety has been a concern since the end of the last trial. All he can do right now is keep an eye out though. He doesn’t perceive immediate malice for the moment.

    Huh. This sure as hell is a situation. Keiji exhales a heavy sigh as everyone starts splitting off to search this mysterious place. Of course one face sticks around, watching him carefully. Kid’s been eyeing him since they all found each other. Though, if he’s honest, the blonde’s been keeping an eye on him too.

      After meeting up with Megumi and allowing her divine judgement and execution to play out in front of him unheeded, well... Keiji’s unsure if he can let Joe’s resemblance to a certain ghost slide so easy as just coincidence. He rubs his neck. Of course, it’d be trouble to get too caught up in the past right now. (Don’t acknowledge the hand on your shoulder, Shinogi.)

“ i’ve half the mind to leave a doorknob near your favorite perch. “ ozpin replies ever so swiftly back, taking care to brush a stray leaf off of the retainer’s shoulder. an unspoken visitor, certainly, though even old souls will be reluctant to admit that it was a readily welcome one. “ you’re pushing me to my limits, after all. it’s a dreadfully long walk to the window. “ 

“ but you wouldn’t like my answer if i told you. “ he continues, though the knowing smile that remains on his features suggests that he might be aware that he already let slip whatever the other already knew. without breaking eyecontact, ozpin reaches into the depths of his desk and pulls out a mug. it seems that qrow is in luck; the cocoa pours smoothly into the ceramic piece, before he goes to refill his own. always accommodating, that bastard.

“ how have you been? “

     “Pft.” Qrow scoffs, but it’s clear there’s a hidden grin in his voice. He watches the leaf fall to the floor with a warm gaze. “Maybe it’d make it faster for me, but you probably need to get up from that desk and walk more anyway.” At least during these all night stints of his, which frankly still furrows the man’s brow. 

       “You’re right I wouldn’t. So please don’t make me take Glynda’s side for once and at least take a couple more naps?” Hesitating a moment, he gingerly picks up the mug- it’s new one since well. He had happened to the last spare. “And I mean voluntarily falling asleep- in case you try to bullshit and ‘loop hole’ your way out of it.” Like always. 

       Speaking of like always, Qrow cracks a smile staring down at the familiar smelling drink. Old man never did change this up any, outside of candy canes and marshmallows, but somehow that’s comforting, in way the rogue would rather not dwell on. “Thanks. Been a little busy juggling two jobs. Hah. Firecracker seems to be adjusting to Signal alright though I have to get on her about sleeping too.” Of course he directs the conversation away from himself at the nearest opportunity. 

Tap. Tap. Tap.

A crow hovers outside Beacon tower’s window very late at night, giving a loud caw after his tapping goes immediately unanswered. (Seems like an impatient bird.) There’s more tapping, and another caw. Relentlessly, it repeats the cycle until the pestered Headmaster finally rises from his place at the desk and goes to open the small window to let the pest inside.

Flapping over to the desk, it alights and quickly swaps his form so a certain huntsman is half sitting on it instead. He rests his chin and cheek against his knuckles, observing Ozpin with a grimly raised brow.