Chapter Five - An Old Friend Returns

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After meeting with Leonardo Lionheart, Katooni as well as Team RNJR and Qrow take refuge in a three story house in Mistral. As Qrow leaves to go to a bar, Katooni goes to her room and meditates on the Force alone. She meditates on everything she knows about Darth Jadus. Her encounter with the Sith Lord as well as the revelation that Team SHDW were loyal agents of the Sith Lord had shaken her. There was much about the Sith that she didn't know. Up until the years leading up to the Clone Wars, the Sith were thought to have been extinct for thousands of years. During the course of this journey, Katooni began to feel fear of what would happen. As she continued to meditate, she heard excited voices coming from the living room. Katooni got up and saw the members of Team RNJR fawn over a simple farm boy. 

Katooni: Who is this? 

The farm boy got up and approached Katooni. Something about him seemed familiar to her. 

Katooni: Do I know you?

Oscar: I don't know you, but someone does. 

As Oscar said this, a familiar voice began to speak through him. 

Ozpin: Hello, young Katooni. 

As Ozpin spoke through Oscar, Katooni was in shock. The last time she had seen Ozpin was right as the invasion of Beacon began. She had found Ozpin's body in the Beacon Vault where she and Petro encountered Darth Jadus. 

Katooni: Headmaster.....

Ozpin: There is no need for formal titles anymore. I am now merely Ozpin. Though I may be the one speaking, Oscar is still present mentally. He's merely handed over the control, so to speak. I'm afraid this all must be very perplexing.

Nora: And alarming, and bizarre, and just really kind of hard to believe overall!

Ozpin: It's good to see you children still have your sense of humor. I know you've all been through tremendous hardship already. I'm sorry.

As Ozpin said this, Katooni thought about everything they she and the others had been through. Before she could say anything, Ruby stepped in. 

Ruby: I mean, it's not your fault.

Ozpin: It's all my fault. I told you once that I made more mistakes than any man, woman, and child on this planet, and I wasn't exaggerating. I'm... cursed. For thousands of years, I've walked the surface of Remnant, living, dying, and reincarnating in the body of a like-minded soul. The Professor Ozpin you all met was not my first form, and clearly wasn't my last. It's...an extraordinarily strenuous process on everyone involved.

Jaune: So who...what...are you?

Ozpin: I am the combination of countless men who've spent their lives trying to protect the people of Remnant. With every rebirth, my soul is eventually merged with another and I am changed, but my memories stay with me. This curse was bestowed upon me by the Gods, because I failed to stop Salem in the past. But we must stop her now.

Ruby: And how do we do that?

Ozpin: We start...by ensuring the safety of the Relic of Knowledge.

At that point, everything began to make sense for Katooni. She now understood why Ozpin had brought her and her fellow Jedi into his group. 

Nora: This is perfect! We were stuck at a dead end, but now, we can just take little cute boy Ozpin to Lionheart and have him set things straight!

Katooni: That might not be a good idea, Nora. 

Nora: What?! Why not?!

Katooni: Because Mordred and his team is still out there. And for all we know, Darth Jadus is not far behind them.

Ren: Even so, I thought the Headmasters all took their orders from you.

Ozpin: That was the intention. Four lieutenants I can trust, especially during times of reincarnation. But Qrow told me about your meeting with Leonardo. He isn't just behaving irrationally, he's disobeying specific instructions I had left him. Something's wrong. I don't want to jump to conclusions, but I don't want to rule out any possibilities, either. No one outside of this room knows that I've paired with Oscar, and I think it may be best to keep it that way.

At that point, Katooni grew suspicious of Lionheart. She began to wonder if Lionheart's behavior is connected with Darth Jadus. 

Ozpin: Katooni, you seem to know this Darth Jadus. He is the only one aligned with Salem that I do not know. What can we expect? 

Katooni: What we're dealing with is a....maelstrom of darkness. 

That description of Darth Jadus sent chills down everyone's spines. Jaune and Qrow were the only ones besides Ozpin who had witnessed Darth Jadus's powers. 

Jaune: She's...she's right. Back at the Beacon Vault, I tried to attack him, but he took me down before I could land a hit. 

Qrow: I saw what he can do. I watched him destroy an entire army by himself as well as pull down Bulkheads from the sky. 

Katooni: And that's only a fraction of what he can do. If he's working with Salem, then all of Remnant is in serious danger. 

Ozpin: Then we have a long journey ahead of us. Not only must we enlist more Huntsmen to our cause, but we must train for the coming battle ahead. 

In that moment, Katooni and Team RNJR prepared for the long journey ahead. With Ozpin's words, Katooni had found her strength and resolve. Just like back at the Crystal Caves on Ilum, Katooni had once more learned to overcome her fears. But the journey was far from over. 

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