Oscar couldn't stop thinking about his talk with Ruby.

In all honestly, he felt quite bad for snapping at her. But he just didn't get it... he was swept into this ill-fate by some random chance, something he wonders if he'll ever be able to handle. But Ruby... when you think about it, she chose this fate. She probably was already aware of the difficulties being a huntress would bring, and despite suffering more than she bargained for...

...she still chose to keep going.

He was amazed, really. So much so, he couldn't get to sleep.

He wandered off into the living room, sitting alone on the sofa with a hot drink in hand.

'Are you thinking about her?'

"Gehh...!"

Startled at first, he frowned, rubbing his temple in annoyance. "Please get out of my head..."

'I'm afraid that's not possible.'

"Yeah well... be considerate, and leave me alone tonight."

That was another problem. He had someone else living in his head. What did he call it, reincarnation? Well, this was the most bizzarre form of it, since Oscar was his own person and this professor simply paired up with his aura out of nowhere. Wasn't reincarnation supposed to mean rebirth? Why couldn't it have happened that way?

Sighing, he did his best not to think of it too hard, lest he get a long winded explanation from Ozpin. That's not even why he's up. His conversation with Ruby was still vivid in his head. He was so scared... she obviously was too, and yet she wasn't afraid to fight.

He admired that about her. Right now, he wishes he was like her.

"Whatcha doing out here?"

"Huh?" he turned his head, seeing a pajama-clad Ruby with her hands behind her back.

"Mind if I sit here?" she asked whilst already taking a seat beside him.

"I guess...?" he said shyly.

"Awesome! So...uhhh..." she tried to think of a way to make conversation. She honestly wasn't very good at socializing, despite her personality. "So uh, why are you up? I just came to get a glass of water and saw the lights on."

"Oh, it's nothing..." he replied, staring down at his cup he hadn't even drank out of yet.

'Why don't you talk to her?'

"Shut up, please!"

Ruby was startled by the sudden outburst. "I-It's okay, sorry for bothering you!"

"N-No, not you!" he quickly said, embarrassed.

'I'll leave you two alone.'

"Huh?" his eyes widened. Is that even possible?

"Umm.. Oscar?" Ruby leaned over, waving her hand in his face.

He snapped back to reality, but was immediately overwhelmed with frustration. This caused a concerned expression to come on Ruby's face. "Oscar, I know we've really only just met a few days ago, but if something's bothering you-"

"I'm sorry. I just..." he sighed. "I just don't know what to do. I keep thinking about what you told me, but I still don't get it. I want to be strong, but I can't. I really wish..." he looked at her. "...I wish I could be like you."

She was slightly taken aback. "Like me? Why?"

"You've been through a lot more than me. I was... dragged into all this, but you weren't. I wish I had the option to choose, but I didn't."

"You mean about having to live with Professor Ozpin in your head?"

He sighed, looking downward. "Yeah... that."

"What's it like, anyway?" she was genuinely curious, but her tone almost sounded excited.

"It's horrible... my mind feels violated." he moaned.

"What about when you switch sides?"

"What do you mean?"

"You know, when Ozpin is in control and you're in his thoughts!"

Why was Ruby so fascinated with this? His blank staring caused Ruby to laugh in embarrassment, looking away. "Sorry, I get a little carried away sometimes."

"That's why I wish I was like you..."

Her head immediately turned to look at him again.

"You always have a positive outlook. Instead of being horrified by my situation, you find it interesting. Heh... I wish I felt that way..."

"Well, it's not everyday you meet someone with two souls."

"Yeah..."

Ruby noticed how anxious that made him feel. It was obvious having Ozpin's presence was a lot more confusing and scary than he's letting on. She remembered a book Blake was reading their first night at Beacon. A man with two souls, fighting for control over his body... why is Oscar's situation making her remember that? Professor Ozpin was a good guy, she trusted he had no malicious intention, but how does Oscar feel without having known him at all?

"Are you scared you won't be yourself anymore?"

Oscar gasped at the bold question. Ruby herself couldn't grasp why she let it slip, but she did. She was worried about him. "I know you're confused right now, and so am I, but I know Professor Ozpin isn't a bad person. I'm sure this is only temporary-"

"Did you hear what he told us?" Oscar's voice cracked when he said that. "I am cursed. Those were his words. What about the last guy before me, huh? What happened to him?"

Ruby put her hand to her mouth.

He said for thousands of years he kept living, dying, and reincarnating into a like-minded soul. This wasn't a normal rebirth... who was the person Ozpin was before, the professor she knew? Was the original soul still present mentally, like when Ozpin and Oscar switch out?

"What's eventually going to happen to me?" Oscar's eyes moistened a bit, but he managed the strength to keep himself from crying. "I'm going to disappear, aren't I?"

"No, you're not." Ruby said this sternly, even though it was more a hope than anything. "I don't think Professor Ozpin would let that happen. And I won't let it either. He said he was cursed because he failed to defeat Salem, so we're going to defeat her... together."

"I'm sure tons of people said that, and look where it got them."

"Oscar!"

She took his hand, which startled him a bit, causing some warmth to his cheeks. He looked at her with wide eyes-she looked like she was about to cry.

"That's why they failed, because they gave up! But we need to stop giving up, or we'll never move forward, we'll never win." her hands were shaking, and the tears were already falling from her eyes. "I know you don't believe me... but I always believed as a huntress, I could help make the world better. So many people have given up because it was too hard, and that's why nothing will change. And even though I'm not really sure how it works, if Ozpin's with you... then you must believe it too, deep down."

"I want to believe it..." he looked down at his legs, clenching his fists. "But I don't know how."

"I'll help you." she smiled warmly at him, putting her hand on his shoulder. "We're going to stop Salem, and we're going to stop people from hurting. Pain will never go away, but it doesn't have to be this bad."

He laughed nervously, looking away shyly. "Maybe I can become like you in the future."

"Don't be like me. Just be you." she rubbed his back. "You'll always be you."

He smiled, blushing a bit. "Thanks, Ruby. I will."

"Well, my throat's reeeaaaly parched now..." she jumped up, stretching her arms. "I'm gonna get some water from the kitchen. It was nice talking to you~

"Same. "

He watched as she walked off, unable to keep himself from smiling.

'She really is an amazing girl, isn't she?'

Oscar sighed. "You were here the whole time, weren't you?"

'Not entirely. I did say I'd leave you two alone. So, are you convinced yet?'

"Convinced of what?"

'Fighting.'

"I want the same thing she does. To make things better."

'Good. Do you mind if I talk to her? I promise it won't be long.'

With a glass of water in hand, Ruby walked out of the kitchen and into the living area.

"Ah, Miss Rose."

"Gehh!"

Startled, Ruby lost her grip, and the glass fell to the ground in pieces, spilling water everywhere. Ruby looked down and whined, "Awww..."

"I appear to have startled you. My apologies."

She tilted her head. That obviously wasn't Oscar at the moment. "Professor Ozpin?"

"Correct."

"What are you doing here? Well, I mean, you're kinda always here, but uhh..."

"I wanted to speak with you a bit. Don't worry, it won't be long, then you can get another glass of water and head on to bed."

"Alright. So... what's up?"

"I'd like to thank you for encouraging Oscar the way you did. He was getting a bit bothered by my presense, so I mentally left him alone for majority of your conversation. But I could feel it made a difference."

"Yeah, well, I was just telling him my feelings.." Ruby looked off to the side, anxiously scratching the back of her head with her cheeks a bit flushed.

"You are an amazing girl, Ruby Rose. If only I had met someone like you earlier, perhaps things would not have gone on as long as they have."

"You know, I've been thinking... uh..." Ruby was a bit nervous to ask this, but curiosity always got the best of her. However, before she could speak-

"You're wondering what eventually happens to the person I've merged with."

"Uh, yeah... that..."

He sighed, pacing a bit with his hands behind his back. "As I've already said, it's a rather streneous process on everyone involved. A process that would be best fit to speak about another time, or rather... I... am just not ready to talk about it just yet."

"Will Oscar be OK?" she asked this with genuine concern. "I mean, he's not going to lose himself, will he?"

Ozpin grew silent for a moment.

"Professor...?"

"Know this." he began. "If we can defeat Salem, not only do we save Remnant, but this vicious cycle will end."

"You're not sure what's going to happen... huh?"

"I wouldn't say that, but..." he slightly smiled. "I'm positive things will work out this time."

"Will Oscar be OK then?"

"I think with your help... yes."

She smiled, feeling assured. "Good. I'm happy to hear it!"

He smiled back at her, bending down and scooping up the shards of glass from the floor. "I might as well clean up since I was the cause of your accident. Have a good night, Miss Rose."

"Ah, goodnight!" she waved as she watched him disappear into the kitchen. "Hmm..."

She got to thinking. Everything was still so confusing. But for some reason, she just knew in her heart things would work out. Despite what has happened, despite who she's lost, things were going to get better. If only others could see it that way, maybe Salem wouldn't have reigned as long as she has.

"Ruby...?"

At the sound of her name, she spun around to see... well, she assumed it was Oscar standing there, holding up a glass of water. "Uhh... I heard you... dropped it last time, so um... here."

"Oh, thanks." she took the glass and downed it in one go.

"Even though we share the same body, there's still a lot I don't know..." Oscar suddenly said. "But now that I think about it, perhaps it's for the best. Maybe Ozpin doesn't want me to worry or I could falter. So I'm going to trust what you say, that we can do this... together."

Hearing that just filled Ruby with so much joy she couldn't contain herself. Without even thinking, she wrapped her arms around him in a tight squeeze.

"Nn..." he was blushing, but whether or not that was because he was shy of the contact or the fact it became difficult to breathe was uncertain.

"Oh, sorry!" she quickly let go, putting her hands behind her back. "I got a little too excited, aheh."

"N-No worries. I'm... just not used to it."

"Well, you better get used to it since you have me around! I'm... kind of impulsive. Sorry..."

"Again, no worries. I like that about you."

"Huh?"

"N-Nothing. Uh, I think I better catch up on some sleep. You should too."

"Alrighty~ Goodnight, Oscar!"

"Goodnight, Ruby."

As they parted to go to their own beds, Oscar couldn't help but warmly smile at everything Ruby said. She was so sure, despite the odds. He really wanted to be like that... but, she was right. He should just be himself. He'll always be himself. He was sure of that now.