GojiraFan455515- Yeah perhaps I should have explained that Qrow in crow mode was the fastest. He didn't waste time hence he came alone, with hopes that Salem in an airship could meet him halfway.

Merendinoemiliano- Thank you for leaving a review every chapter. I probably would have giving up writing this if y'all weren't so consistent.

He laid on the ground in the Garden. He didn't want to look at skin. He missed the vile and kind wizard in his head that drank sickeningly sweet hot chocolate. He missed the boy that loved being in this garden and drank black coffee. Oscar was petulant. Ozpin was too withholding. They weren't a good team. Still Oscar should have had more life before...this.

In the distance, "Fine take my weapons! I know where the Gardens are!"

He chuckled and stayed flat on the ground, perhaps Oscar and Ozpin deserved more credit.

"Oscar?" She knelt next to him, her hand on his cheek, "Your skin."

"The merge is complete." Held her hand to his face, she was such a lovely creature.

"Is it because we?"

He chuckled, "Look who thinks highly of herself." He embarrassed her, so he softened "I don't know exactly when it happened. Then the memories." He feigned a shudder.

"You want to tell me about them?" Those silver eyes held so much potential for violence, yet right now he could only see concern.

"I can show you." He tugged Ruby's arm until she laid next to him on the grass her head rested on his chest.

"Do we need to be like this?"

"No. I am afraid you'll leave again, so I want to hold you while I can."

She nestled in, relaxed, "Okay."

A Memory

Ozma gasped, he was coated in muck and blood, the distinct smell of a battlefield. Rolled onto his knees he vomited. Looked down at the chewed meat, something he'd never eaten before. He gagged at the idea of it. Wiped his mouth he stared at his hand, light skinned and faint blue veins showing through, it wasn't his. He felt a niggling thought that he wasn't in control, he crushed it because that was ridiculous. He felt the brass knuckles in his hands, a dumb weapon, but it would suffice.

He needed to find out where he was. First though he had to get clean and warm. Hopefully find some food that wasn't repulsive.

He managed to find a stream to wash himself, start a fire. Reluctantly he caught a rabbit, skinned it, and cooked. Said a prayer and remember the Gods admitted to abandoning Remanent, at least temporarily. Still he prayed, stifled a retch, and ate.

He wandered for years, he met humans with distinct animal features. They called themselves Faunus, and were good and bad just like humans. Which seemed to make the Gods' task of 'worthy' even more difficult.

He heard of a witch near the woods, and he found it. It was close to where Salem was held prisoner when he first met her, although now there were only a few weathered stones remaining. The house nearby looked unstable, likely only held up by magic. There was an expansive garden out front. Rows upon rows of herbs, carefully weeded and cultivated. On the edges of each row were hyacinths. He smelled the fragrance of his-

"Your favorite flower." she looked the exact same as the day he left her. He was showered with kisses and he wasn't sure who was crying. She dragged him inside.

The next morning he woke up, his naked wife sat up in her bed with a mug in her hands and watched him. "You are much more handsome." She gave him her mug.

He laughed, "You know I hate coffee, especially how you make it." He gestured at himself, "I'm glad this pleases you."

"It's not coffee." Glancing downwards, "Certain aspects were a little difficult."

He took the mug sipping, "You hate hot chocolate! Yeah sorry about that, this body seems to have its own preferences."

"It is a true horror that one would ruin wonderful chocolate by dissolving it, still it made me feel like you were here." She began to cry and he held her closely. Rocked her gently as she screamed in agony over the centuries of missing him.

XXX

Ozma sat patiently as Salem's hands glowed over him. He wanted to touch her, because her in front of him seemed too good to be true.

"Ozma, this is astounding. It seems your magic is now bound to your soul, not your flesh anymore. I kind of understand how it was done. "

Ozma chuckled, "You would know, you made a study of magic. Not I."

She frowned, "I was locked in a castle, studying magic passed the time." She gestured to a small bookshelf, "those four books were all I could salvage on magic. Mainly on transfiguration, I don't see the value of transforming into an animal."

Ozma shrugged, "Maybe someday."

Salem sighed, "We should find the relics you mentioned and cast some protections over them."

Ozma nodded, "it wouldn't do to for someone to stumble upon them and abuse those powers. Or worse bring them all together before we're ready and set off our doom."

"It will take centuries to negotiate peace amongst humanity, but we have time." She kissed him lightly.

He wanted to say it was impossible, but they had centuries of being together. World Peace seemed like a suitable couples hobby for immortals.

XXX

Ozma died getting to the first relic. They didn't plan effectively for the swarm of Grimm. Later he would find out Salem had done her duty and buried it deeply with protection spells. She called it 'The Vale'.

It took months for Ozma to rush back to their house. He had crushed out that strange confused thought that he wasn't in control of his own body. He didn't have time for it.

The herbs in their garden were overrun by weeds. He called her name and she ran out the door. When she set her eyes on him she sank to the ground, cried that the world had collapsed around her. He rushed to her side and saw that her wrists were bled. She died in his arms, turned to ash, only to materialize in her blood stained clothes. The deep gashes gone and her panic, gone. She touched his cheek.

Smoothly, "You're quite the old man this time."

XXX

Once all the relics were secure. He and Salem built a nicer home in Vale, a large and beautiful one. They had four bratty but charming daughters. It was idyllic, the storybook ending they deserved, if only centuries ago.

Salem and him were poured over a map. She marked four spots, "This is where we are, I say we move the relics into these other areas."

Ozma shook his head, "Those are all near major sources of water and easy travel routes. Despite our magic seals Grimm still flock. It will eliminate flourishing settlements."

"I suggest we build schools there, to protect the relics and train ambassadors to negotiate peace."

"It's a good idea, but that is four academies and there are only two of us."

"We have four daughters." Salem offered.

Ozma shrugged, "If that is what they want I don't see why not. I don't think their children should inherit the mantle though. A monarchy if you will."

Salem leaned against the desk combing her fingers through his hair. "Fair, those get corrupted. Perhaps the leadership of the academy isn't the leader of the surrounding town."

"The surrounding towns get their own government and the school is just a school."

Salem laughed, "A very good school. Still we can take our time here, build up an academy. Leave it in the hands of someone we trust if not a daughter and move on to the next."

Buried his face into her neck, "I love working with you."

"Well, I am brilliant."

He kissed her neck, enjoyed the change in her breathing.

"Do you honestly want another child?"

"Salem I want you, only you."

"Always you." She sighed and pulled his hips towards her.

XXX

Ozma was frustrated, he trained students who didn't have magic to defend themselves. Attack Grimm without magic turned into dangerous business. Simple swords, shields, and teamwork didn't cut it. They need something more, ugh.

Stomped down the hall to grade papers, he felt a ripple of magic. Powerful, raw, binding. He ran, Salem or his children could have had an accident. Heart pounded, he turned a corner into Salem's office. Vials, gemstones, and herb's strewn about most of which he remembered Salem mentioned whenever she studied his reincarnated soul. He chanted in his head 'No'. His daughters lined up on the ground. Salem leaned against a wall, her breath heavy. He checked the girls' pulses.

"They're dead, Husband."

It suddenly became an insult rather than the joyful title. "What did you do?" he sneered, "Wife."

"I made them like you. I bound their souls with their magic. It worked and it killed them, but they'll be onto their next life along with their magic."

"You are no god, I saw what you used. You made them much worse than me."

"Has immortality been unkind to you? We'll find them"

"Has it been kind to you? I see your suicidal panic in the fear I won't come back. I kill every soul in the body I inhabit so I can make it as quickly as I can back to you."

Salem hugged her arms about her, "Our daughters will have to share."

"They won't even have a voice. They will be silent witnesses, their magic used however the host pleases. You will have to control them with an iron fist if you want them to lead the academies."

"We can figure this out Ozma." She grabbed his hands to plead. "I can't do this without you."

"You doom our generation of humans, and I tried to help you clean up your mess. I want nothing else to do with your mistakes."

"Ozma please." He could see her panic rising.

"Pull yourself together woman, your children are missing"

End of Memory

Ruby gasped, He held her tightly. She wiped tears off his face.

Pressed his forehead to hers, "I was so cruel."

"She just killed your children. You loved her so much." Ruby had been overwhelmed by the depth of feelings.

"I was a different man then, I-" he choked out a sob. Ruby kissed all over his face until he caught her lips with his and allowed her to roll him onto his back.

Cinder walked to the entrance of the garden and turned away, muttered, "Ugh stop with your sad fucks."