[hider= Reminisce-mas on Christmas] It was Christmas night when Oswald decided he’d take a walk, grabbing a large jacket and donning his signature cloak. “I’ll be back, just gonna take a quick walk, get some air,” he called to the rest of his team as he stepped out of their dorm room. A few minutes passed of Oswald walking silently through the halls of Beacon, most of which were devoid of his fellow students. They’d either gone home for the holidays, or stayed behind with their teams for one reason or another. At this hour, though, all but a few of those who’d stayed behind were behind their doors, keeping warm in the comfort of their rooms.

Soon enough he reached the place he’d been looking for: the main avenue outside of Beacon. It was where the new-coming students got their first look at the Academy when they arrived. For a minute or so, Oswald simply walked away from the Academy building. Feeling far enough away, he turned to look at the place he’d be calling home for the next few years. It was grandiose, to say the least. Even the walls at his village seemed small compared to the massive school in front of him. 

Oswald stood there and stared for a short while, his cloak fluttering in the breeze as icy winds buffeted him. The cold was far from comfortable, but he wouldn’t be out for too long. Besides, he had more important things to worry about than feeling a little cold at the moment. 

Making his way around the Academy grounds, Oswald eventually found the famous Beacon Academy statue. Two proud warriors atop a defeated Beowulf, it was a representation of what Huntsmen and Huntresses both did and were: they slew beasts, they protected the people. 

At least, to the best of their abilities. Not all could be heroes, and even those who were often had long paths of blood and pain behind them. It might be their own blood, or their friends’ blood, but it was rare to find a hero whose hands and hearts were unsullied, even if only in their own minds. 

Oswald didn’t consider himself a hero, even if he’d once fancied himself one. No, Oswald had become his emblem: a lone survivor, standing atop a crumbling legacy, fighting back the darkness with everything he had. He'd lost one team already, and seen tragedy and hellscapes with the next. He’d been beaten and broken more times than he could count, but if he was good at anything, it was surviving against the odds. He’d survived the Siege, he’d survived a rogue Huntress-turned-Pseudo-Grimm, and he’d survive much more as time marched on. 

“I’m sorry it’s been so long since I’ve talked to you. And I’m sorry I’m doing it so far from the usual place, but I figured if any place was as fitting as your tomb, this’d be it: the memorial for Huntsmen and Huntresses everywhere.” A grim smile crossed Oswald’s face as he reminisced. “I still miss you guys. Miss you every day. That hasn’t changed. I try not to beat myself up over it, but…it hasn’t been easy. I’ve seen a hell of a lot more than just the Siege now. Turns out the rest of the world’s even more fucked up than we were. Our parents taught us that much, I guess. It’s not all bad out here, though.” 

Taking a moment to think, Oswald nodded as he found the words. “My team’s alright. We have a cat faunus with us, as well. You might’ve liked her, Yahto. They’re good folks. We have some rough patches here and there, for sure, but it’s not like we’ve been training together for years and years like we did. Vale’s a pretty nice city. Sure, there’s some lowlifes out here, but you take the good with the bad. Lots of places to get food, Dust stores every few blocks, it’s a land of abundance compared to back home. As long as you’ve got the Lien for it, that is.” 

His world had changed so much since he’d last been home and talked with his old team. “I like it here. It’s new. It’s different. I’ll be back home someday, and hopefully I’ll be ready to keep things moving forward. Keep the people safe like we tried to.” 
Reaching into the pocket of his coat, Oswald pulled out a slightly worn-looking photo. “I keep our little family photo with me out here. Try not to take it on missions, but it’s good to remind myself where I came from every now and then.” Smiling as he pored over every inch of the old picture, Oswald sighed peacefully. “Thanks for everything, guys. I miss you all so, so much. It hurts to think about the old days, the days you were all still here and we could sit around the fire, drinking and laughing about some stupid bullshit.

“But life’s different now. I wish sometimes I could turn back time, just to have one more day with you all. But I know that can’t happen. I know it’s just a stupid wish. Besides, it’s not so bad here. Food’s better than the shit we ate, that’s for sure.” A hollow laugh left Oswald’s throat as he tried to keep his mood from dropping. “I was never good at small talk. I’ll, uh, let you go now. Don’t worry, guys, I’m in good hands. I’ll keep safe, at least as best I can. As much as I wanna see you, it’s not gonna be for a long, long time. I’ve got a nice little thing going on here. It’s not quite like our little family, but who knows…” 

Gently pushing the photo back into his pocket, Oswald turned away from the statue and headed back inside Beacon proper. His journey back to the dorm was as quiet as it was the first time, but as he came back into the CODE dorm, Oswald wore a smile. “Did I ever tell you guys about the time I wrestled an Ursa?” 

It wasn’t the same as it had been, with this new team, but he didn’t very much mind. This was his family now.
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