Wake Up As Ozpin

Ozpin stood in his office, staring at the hourglass.

The Relic of Choice.

It had always been there. A centerpiece of his office. A reminder of the past.

A symbol of control.

But now?

Now he wasn't sure it was just a symbol.

Step One Hundred and Twenty-Six: Determine If the Relic Is the Cause.

---

Step One Hundred and Twenty-Seven: The Test

Ozpin moved cautiously toward the hourglass, hands folded behind his back.

From a distance, it looked normal.

Massive. Ornate. Ancient.

But the closer he got… the more wrong it felt.

Like an itch in the back of his mind. A faint, creeping nausea that he couldn't quite place.

Step One Hundred and Twenty-Eight: Listen to Your Instincts.

Ozpin hesitated before lifting his cane, giving the glass a light tap.

The sand inside shifted.

…And then—

A pulse.

A sudden, sharp pressure in his skull.

Memories. Overlapping.

—Ruby accepting the invitation to Beacon.

—Ruby accepting the invitation to Beacon.

—Ruby accepting the invitation to Beacon.

The same event. The same words. Played over and over. Like a recording on repeat.

Step One Hundred and Twenty-Nine: Confirm That Time Is Broken.

Ozpin exhaled, steadying himself.

Alright. Fine.

The hourglass was involved.

Now came the real question.

Was it causing the loop?

Or was it trying to contain it?

---

Step One Hundred and Thirty: Consult an Expert

If anyone knew how to deal with an ancient, mystical artifact messing with time, it was—

The door to his office slammed open.

"Professor!"

Ozpin blinked.

Standing in the doorway, wide-eyed and frantic, was Ruby Rose.

Step One Hundred and Thirty-One: This Cannot Be a Coincidence.

She was breathing fast, gripping her hood.

"Something weird's going on," she said. "And—I think—no, I know—I've had this conversation with you before."

Pause.

Ozpin slowly set his cane down.

Step One Hundred and Thirty-Two: She Remembers.

---

Step One Hundred and Thirty-Three: The Ruby Test

Ozpin gestured toward the chair in front of his desk. "Sit."

Ruby practically collapsed into the seat, still jittery. "I—I thought I was just imagining it. But then Jaune said something weird, and Pyrrha got this look on her face, and then I realized—"

She clenched her fists.

"I remember things before they happen."

Step One Hundred and Thirty-Four: Contain the Crisis.

Ozpin folded his hands together, remaining perfectly calm.

"Tell me," he said. "What exactly do you remember?"

Ruby fidgeted. "It's not, like, huge stuff. But little things. Someone says a joke, but I already knew the punchline. Weiss gets mad at something, but I already knew she was gonna say it."

Her fingers curled.

"And—I keep dreaming about Beacon's initiation. But every time, it's slightly different."

Ozpin's expression remained neutral. "Different how?"

Ruby bit her lip. "Sometimes… I don't land near Weiss. Sometimes I don't meet Blake right away. But the biggest change—"

She hesitated.

Ozpin leaned forward. "Go on."

Ruby swallowed. "In one of them… Jaune doesn't end up on my team."

Step One Hundred and Thirty-Five: The Loops Are Diverging.

Ozpin exhaled through his nose.

This confirmed two things.

One: The loops weren't perfect repetitions.

Two: Ruby wasn't just remembering. She was experiencing alternate possibilities.

Which meant—

Step One Hundred and Thirty-Six: The Timeline Is Unstable.

---

Step One Hundred and Thirty-Seven: Damage Control

Ozpin met Ruby's eyes. "Does anyone else suspect this?"

Ruby shook her head. "No. I mean, Jaune noticed something was weird, but I don't think he gets it."

Ozpin nodded. "For now, keep it that way."

Ruby frowned. "But—"

"Miss Rose."

She froze.

Ozpin leaned forward slightly, his expression unreadable. "If we acknowledge this instability too openly, it could worsen. For now, we must observe."

Step One Hundred and Thirty-Eight: Control the Flow of Information.

Ruby shifted uncomfortably. "So… what do I do?"

Ozpin gave her a small, reassuring smile.

"Pay attention."

She blinked.

"Take notes. Watch for changes. And if anything major happens—come directly to me."

A pause.

Then Ruby nodded, more serious than before. "Okay."

Step One Hundred and Thirty-Nine: Establish a Watcher.

---

Step One Hundred and Forty: The Real Problem

Once Ruby left, Ozpin turned back toward the hourglass.

The Relic of Choice.

If this truly was the cause… if this was the reason time kept repeating—

Then the question was no longer why.

The question was:

Who activated it?

Step One Hundred and Forty-One: Who Broke Time?