"So, you wish to demonstrate your loyalty to me, Glinda, and that it surpasses any allegiance to Ozpin. Once I reveal what I know, you will likely renounce all reverence for him."
Shizuo declared.
"I am prepared, Shizuo."
Glinda responded.
Glinda stood frozen, her heart pounding as the hologram of Shizuo's memories played out before her. The revelations were staggering, far beyond anything she had ever imagined—Ozma and Salem's twisted history, the gods, the daughters, the whole shebang. And, honestly, it felt like her entire belief system was being flipped upside down.
The revelation that Ozpin, the man she revered, was nothing more than a parasitic soul hopping from host to host, was horrifying. And perhaps worst of all, Shizuo's final words hung heavily in her mind:
"Ozpin has no plan for victory."
When the hologram finally flickered off, Glinda was speechless for a moment, just trying to wrap her head around it all. This was no small revelation; it was a gut punch. Everything she'd been working for, all her loyalty to Ozpin, suddenly felt... misguided. Like she'd been playing a game without knowing all the rules.
"So, yeah."
Shizuo said, leaning back, clearly letting her soak it all in.
"That's the real story. Ozpin's been keeping a lot in the dark, huh? You still think he's got some grand plan to fix all this?"
For all these years, Glinda had trusted Ozpin, believing in his wisdom and leadership, thinking he held some secret strategy to defeat Salem. Now, it was clear: there was no plan, no final move that could end this endless war. The entire conflict was a bitter, centuries-old struggle between two lovers, tearing apart the world and everyone in it.
Glinda let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding.
"So, Ozpin… he's not even really Ozpin."
She said slowly, more to herself than to Shizuo.
"And Salem… the four maidens, they're his daughters?"
"Yup. It's a whole messy family feud. And here we are, stuck in the middle of it, all because Ozpin can't figure out a way to win."
"I... I don't understand."
Glinda stammered, her mind reeling.
"Ozpin... He's supposed to be our leader. He's supposed to guide us. Protect us. How could this be?"
Shizuo watched her intently, his expression calm but unwavering.
"Ozpin's been keeping secrets from everyone, Glinda. He's been playing a game of control, always being someone in the center of power. A king or the Headmaster, which only one exists in each kingdom and he had his hands in place each one of them."
"Making everyone believe he knows how to win. But the truth is, there is no victory for him. He can't defeat Salem because he doesn't want to. This isn't just a battle for Remnant—it's the longest, most destructive divorce in history."
She paced a little, her heels clicking on the floor.
"This is... I don't even know where to start. I've been following him all these years, thinking there was some kind of endgame. But what you're saying—he doesn't even have one, does he?"
"Nope."
Shizuo said, popping the "p" for emphasis.
"It's like we're all running around trying to solve a problem that doesn't have a solution."
Glinda stopped pacing, facing Shizuo.
"And you? What's your solution, then?"
Shizuo shrugged like it was the easiest question in the world.
"Simple. I'm not looking to clean up their mess. I'm building something new. A future that doesn't involve being stuck in their endless drama."
Glinda felt her legs weaken, the weight of the decision pressing down on her, and she steadied herself against a nearby desk. She'd spent so long under Ozpin's wing, trusting him, believing in his leadership. Everything she had fought for, everything she had believed in, felt like it was crumbling beneath her.
But now? Now it seemed like she'd been backing the wrong horse. She had trusted Ozpin with her life, and now, it seemed like that trust had been completely misplaced. And Shizuo—he was offering something more tangible, something that made sense, even if it was still unfolding.
"You want to join me?"
Shizuo asked, his tone casual, but the weight of the question hung heavy in the air.
"This is why I need you to choose, Glinda. You're caught between two forces, and you can't remain divided. If you continue to serve Ozpin, you'll be serving a man who's more interested in prolonging this conflict than ending it. But if you stand with me... we can change everything. We can forge a new future for Remnant."
Glinda's thoughts raced. She looked at Shizuo, the man who had shown her a side of the world she never knew existed, a side of herself she hadn't fully embraced. Could she truly abandon everything she had worked for with Ozpin? Could she turn her back on the man who had been her mentor?
But deep down, Glinda knew she had already made her choice. The truth was undeniable. Ozpin had been deceiving them all, keeping them trapped in a cycle of endless war. And now, Shizuo was offering her a way out, a chance to make a real difference.
Glinda took a deep breath.
"Looks like I've been loyal to a lost cause. If what you're showing me is the truth—and, God, I think it is—then yeah. I'm done with Ozpin's lies. I'm with you. I'll stand with you, Shizuo. For Remnant... and for a future where we can actually win."
Glinda answered with a quiet determination settled over her, her mind clearer than it had been in years. Shizuo was offering a path forward, a chance to break free from the cycle of endless fighting. She wasn't just following a man now—she was fighting for the truth, for the future of everyone in Remnant.
Shizuo smiled, his eyes gleaming.
"Good, I knew you'd come around. Welcome to the real fight. You've made the right choice, Glinda. Together, we'll change the world. And I'll make sure you receive everything you've been denied."
Glinda's heart raced as she realized that her journey had just begun—one filled with more uncertainty than ever before, but also with hope. The shackles of her loyalty to Ozpin had been broken, and now, with Shizuo revealing the truth, as hard as it was to swallow. Now, she was stepping into a future where she would no longer be kept in the dark.
Listening to her advice Shizuo showed General Ironwood his hologram memories.
General Ironwood stood in horrified in silence, staring at the hologram memories that Shizuo had shown him. His mind raced as his semblance Mettle tried to make sense of everything—the history of Ozma and Salem, the destruction wrought by the twin gods, and the revelation about the four Relics. It was all too much to process at once.
His initial reaction had been one of denial.
"This... this can't be true."
Ironwood had said, his tone sharp with disbelief.
"You must be working with Salem, trying to confuse us—trying to sow doubt in our ranks."
But Shizuo remained calm, his eyes unwavering as he let the General absorb the gravity of what had just been revealed.
"I understand this is hard to believe, General, but this isn't about taking sides. This is about the truth. Even if you somehow manage to defeat Salem, which is far from guaranteed, summoning the gods through the Relics will only bring about the same fate as before—humanity's judgment. And from what I've seen, it's unlikely they'll be pleased with what they find."
Ironwood's jaw clenched, and his hands tightened into fists.
"So you're saying... that even if we succeed, even if we do everything right, humanity might still face extinction?"
"Exactly."
Shizuo said, his voice steady.
"The gods wiped out humanity once because of their disappointment. Do you really think the world, in its current state, is going to meet their standards? We're fractured, divided, constantly at war, and the faunus, do I need to say more? This isn't a battle we can win with just strength and strategy, General. The real threat is bigger than Salem—it's the judgment of the gods."
Ironwood turned away, pacing as he processed the implications of what Shizuo had said. For years, he had committed himself to protecting Atlas, to defending the world from threats like Salem. He had made sacrifices, tough decisions, all in the name of securing a future for humanity. But now, it seemed like all of that might be for nothing.
"Everything... everything we've been fighting for."
Ironwood muttered, his voice laced with frustration.
"It's all just part of some twisted game between the gods. And we're the pieces on their board."
Shizuo nodded.
"That's exactly it. And Ozpin has known this for centuries. He's been trying to hold everything together, but there's no plan to truly win this war. It's just a cycle—one that Ozpin has been perpetuating, knowingly or unknowingly. The truth is, he's not fighting for victory. He's fighting to delay the inevitable."
Ironwood stopped pacing, his eyes hard as he faced Shizuo.
"Then what do you suggest we do? If this is the truth, if there's no way to win by following Ozpin's path, what's the alternative?"
Shizuo stepped forward, his gaze serious.
"The alternative is to stop playing their game. We stop trying to summon the gods with the Relics, stop letting them dictate humanity's fate. Instead, we focus on building a world that doesn't rely on their approval or their judgment. That means we fight Salem, not because we think it'll end with some divine intervention, but because we need to protect humanity on our terms."
Ironwood listened intently, his face a mixture of anger, determination, and deep conflict. He had spent so long trusting in the mission Ozpin had laid out for him, believing that there was a greater plan, a light at the end of the tunnel. Now, that light seemed to be nothing more than a mirage.
"And you think we can do that?"
Ironwood asked, his voice low.
"You think we can defy the gods and build a future without them?"
Shizuo gave a slight nod.
"I do. But it'll take more than just strength—it'll take unity. We need to stop letting old rivalries and fears divide us. If we want to survive, we have to stop following the rules that have been set for us and start making our own."
Ironwood exhaled deeply, his shoulders slumping as the weight of the decision bore down on him. He had always been a man of action, a leader who prided himself on making the hard choices. But this... this was something else entirely.
"I'll need time to think about this."
Ironwood finally said, his voice steady but weary.
"But if what you've shown me is true, then everything we've been doing is wrong. And if that's the case... then maybe it's time we start rewriting the rules."
Shizuo nodded in understanding.
"Take all the time you need, General. Just know that the clock is ticking. The longer we stay in this cycle, the closer we get to repeating the same mistakes."
As Ironwood left the room, his thoughts heavy with the weight of what he had learned, Glinda stood by Shizuo's side, watching the General go. The truth had been revealed, and the first cracks were beginning to form in the foundation of Ozpin's carefully constructed narrative.
"Do you think he'll join us?"
Glinda asked quietly, her eyes still fixed on the door Ironwood had exited through.
Shizuo smiled slightly.
"He's a man of reason. He'll come around once he understands that the old way isn't going to save us. He's too pragmatic to cling to a broken strategy."
Glinda nodded, though she still felt the tension in the air. They had taken the first step toward breaking free from Ozpin's control, but the path ahead was fraught with uncertainty. One thing was certain, however: the future of Remnant was about to change, and there was no turning back now.
RACE: Lion Faunus
NAME: Shizuo Heiwajima
Semblance: Energy Absorption
LEVEL: A Rank
Aura: A- Rank
Vitality: A- Rank
Endurance: A- Rank
Strength: S- Rank
Dexterity: A- Rank
Perception: A- Rank
Skill: A- Rank
Charisma: A- Rank
Libido: A+ Rank
Virility: B Rank