Based on the concept of The Anima/Animus and The Shadow according to Jungian psychology.
"This is why the animus is sometimes, like the anima, a demon of death."
M.-L Von Franz in Carl Jung's Man and His Symbols
Ruby laid down in her sleeping bag. It was roughly 10:30 at night and Blake had the first watch. They were in the Forever Fall forest, on a mission that had them gathering data on a new type of grimm that had recently been sighted there. She was the third watch so she could get four hours or so of sleep before it was her turn. As she drifted off she whispered "I love you Blakey."To which Blake responded "You too Ruby."
Ruby opened her eyes and saw that no one had woke her. Inquisitive she looked around and saw that she was no longer in the Forever Fall Forest. This was somewhere she had seen only while around she saw a beautiful forest that glowed blue, illuminated by massive mushrooms. She was in a clearing and could hear the crackling of the fire beside her. Slowly she turned knowing exactly what she was going to see.
"It's been a while Ruby" said the man sitting around the fire. He was taller than her, probably 5' 6". He wore a long brown tailcoat and a white button up shirt underneath. Long brown dress pants accentuated his black leather shoes, and to top it all off he was wearing a top hat, but his eyes were the strangest part, the left one was bright gold the other was Ruby's own silver. Across from him was sitting a woman who was Ruby's inverse. Black was white, red was blue and her skin was brown.
"Who are you" she asked the man genuinely inquisitive.
"Ah, where are my manners, you must forgive me of course you've forgotten. I am Russet Rose, your Animus" his voice was sweet, like nectar, but yet it sent chills down Ruby's spine. He gave off an air of formidability.
"My what?"
"Your Animus, The manifestation of the masculine half of you."
"So you're like a part of me?"
"In a sense yes."
"In a sense?"
"At the moment I'm more like a separate thing from you, but that doesn't matter right now, what matters is that we become one."
"And how do we do that?"
"To tell you the truth, there is no exact way."
"Why am I here?" she asked in a confused state.
"Because you needed us."
"Who is us?"
"Why Carmine and myself of course."
"Is she Carmine?"
"Yes, she is Carmine, but it is not time for you to meet her yet."
"Why not?"
"Well… She's too dangerous for you to confront at the moment."
Deciding to leave that matter for later she asked "Where are we?"
"Inside my corner of your subconscious, but in the real world this place is called 'Saltus tenebris deos'."
"Why am I here?"
"I told you it's because you need us."
"Why do I need you?"
"Because you choose to be blind to the cruelty that others would afflict you with, bearing it without so much as a noise. Sigh. You need help to cause this apocalypse-"
"Wait an apocalypse? Like the end?"
"No no no, I use it in the original context, the unveiling or uncovering of the truth."
"What truth?"
"As I was saying before you interrupted me, you need to confront what is clearly in front of you. You need to train again under me and become someone all to aware of the cruelties of the word. Because if we cannot become one then the world may come crashing down around you. The truth we need to uncover is that of how to be genuinely connected with people and monsters alike."
Taking in what she just heard she needed to know "Then why you?"
"Because if you cannot truly connect with yourself then how can you possibly connect with others. But obviously you still don't believe me so wake up now and confront reality."
Ruby blinked and when she opened her eyes again she was in her sleeping bag, away from the fire that still burned.
"I known you prefer the cool breeze to the warmth of the fire but please go to the fire, but stay hidden and silent no matter how much it hurts." said Russet. He was standing beside her in full regalia. "Shh, only you can see me." he whispered.
Quietly she approached the fire standing behind trees. She looked into the fire circle to see Yang and Blake sitting around it. Odd thought Ruby Blake's watch is already up why is she still awake? Then she heard what Blake was saying.
"I don't know Yang I can't keep doing this in secret. I… I need to be with you or Ruby. I just can't do both any longer. I can't deal with the feeling of going behind her back with the sister she trusts so much." Blake said as if she was truly unable to decide. While ruby sat with her back against the tree tears streaming down her cheeks silently.
Just then Yang spoke up. "You know sometimes I envy her. She gets to be so innocent, as if she's to perfect for the world to corrupt. Instead of the cruel reality we have to confront every damn day, she gets to be ignorant of all that pain. She's like some little girl in the woods ignorant of the wolves."
"You're jealous of her?"
"In a sense, I don't want to be like her I just wanna drag her down to us. But I don't want to lose her like I did when she was 7."
"Lose her?"
"Let's not talk about that now." Yang said hastily.
"I'm going to break up with her when we get back from this mission." said Blake solemnly.
"Sometimes I wish she would hear us talking and end all this herself, maybe then she'll understand the cruelty we face."
A sad smile grew on Ruby's lips. "Careful what you wish for." she said just loud enough for the two of them to hear.
"Wha-" said Yang.
Blake ran to the spot she heard Ruby from only to find a trail of rose petals leading to where she had been sleeping. She followed it to where Ruby had been sleeping only to find that all of her things were gone and that the rose trail continued on."Shit." said blake with her head in her hands. She looked over at the fire only to see Yang laying on the ground. She ran over and saw that Yang was unconscious. "What the -" Before she had time to finish her sentence a red laces black boot connected with her forehead knocking her out but not before she saw the tears that dripped right in front of her. "I love you Blake." was the last thing she heard before the whole world went black.
"Where do I go now?" Ruby asked Russet.
"To join me in a place where we can train undisturbed, Saltus Tenebris Deos." He replied calmly.
"How do I get there?"
"You already know the way."
