Everything was quiet. He couldn't feel anything. All he could see was a warm, welcoming light that encompassed his surroundings. In the middle of this light stood a tall masculine figure; his body shined entirely gold with only large antlers on his head that betrayed his otherwise humanoid shape. His face was entirely devoid of features, which made him unnerving to look upon, yet his gentle body language suggested that he was welcomed into this empty world.

A faint sound came from the golden humanoid, almost like a voice, yet all forms of noise were so distorted that he couldn't make out what he was saying. The light around him grew brighter, and his voice boomed louder, but even more distorted than before. If one were to make a comparison, the humanoid's voice sounded like a recording that was played backwards with the sound of sandpaper smoothing a rough surface in the background. Was he reminding him of something long forgotten, or perhaps warning him of what's to come? The answer was lost to him.

"Oscar!"

He heard a different voice, one more familiar to him that contrasted the indecipherable sound.

"Oscar!"

And when the light faded, Oscar's mental processes slowly returned to him. He woke up to a place much colder and bleaker, yet with the same warm light in the center of his field of view. His vision slowly cleared, and he could make out the silhouette of another angel. She had the same petite frame and gentle demeanor that the last one had, but her eyes gleamed with a silver light instead of the crimson red ones that unnerved him.

"Oscar, are you all right?"

"Ruby," he mumbled, smiling. His whole body ached and he could barely move, but he was alive. At least, he thinks he is. Ruby quickly wrapped her arms around him in a caring embrace, only to recoil when Oscar's body seized in pain when he tried to return it.

"Heh…sorry," she mumbled. The fleeting awkwardness quickly faded when her face turned serious. "I was worried. You…you've been out for hours."

"I…what happened? How did I get here?" Oscar asked, keeping himself as still as possible. It had only now occurred to him that he didn't actually know where "here" really was.

"It was me," another voice answered. She sounded strangely like Ruby, but a bit off, yet her lips didn't move as Oscar stared at her the whole time. He thought his vision was still a bit off and rubbed his eyes, only to hear the voice again. "I brought you here."

Oscar noticed Ruby glance across the room. He slowly tilted his gaze in that direction, only to notice the same red eyes that put fear in his heart from earlier. It was that same Grimm from earlier; the one Ozpin warned him about.

"Y-you…"

"I told you," Grimm Ruby said with a gentle smile. "I won't let you die."

Just like that, the sight of Ruby's doppelganger made the events that led to his injuries come flooding back to Oscar's mind: the airship he flew, the Grimm he fought in the skies, the magical barriers he channeled over his ship, and…the crash. He remembered that one moment of inattention that led to a Teryx sinking its claws into his ship, causing that painful impact in the remnants of Mantle below. At that moment, Oscar shuddered. He fully comprehended just how close he came to a painful and fiery death.

"Oscar, I know you might be scared now, but," Ruby said with the same smile, caressing his hand with her own, "Gruby saved your life."

"She…saved me?" Oscar asked, gazing at Grimm Ruby in astonishment as it nodded. "But…you're a…I mean, how could a Grimm even—"

"It's…a really long story," Grimm Ruby said, turning away. "Some parts get kinda awkward, too."

"Heh…yeah," Ruby agreed, unconsciously gripping Oscar's hand a little tighter. "Oscar, I…I'm so glad you're okay."

"Ruby, we missed you. We thought…I…I thought—"

"I know. I'm so sorry! I was—"

"I'm sorry! I couldn't save—"

"S-sorry, didn't mean to interrupt!"

"Hehe…sorry!"

"What did you want to—"

"I'll let you—"

The two continued stumbling over each other's voices; their words indecipherable until they descended into awkward giggling. Their hands were slowly relaxing the entire time until their fingers interlocked. Oscar responded by caressing his other hand over hers until the two looked in each other's eyes. After a few seconds, the two gazed down on their hands and quickly pulled themselves away, giggling and looking away.

Meanwhile, Grimm Ruby quietly stared at the two, silently envious. It glanced down at its own claws; the brittle and cruel instruments that could snap a blade in half. It couldn't so much as give someone a handshake without the risk of tearing into their bones. It was such a simple and sweet gesture, yet as a sentient facsimile of a human, it felt compelled to deny itself even that much. The risk of getting careless and leaving an irreparable wound was too great. The burn on Ruby's arm was a testament to that.

"Oh…uh, Gruby," Ruby suddenly responded, having just remembered her Grimm self was standing nearby. "I guess you'll want to do that 'getting-to-know-you' stuff." She spread her hands open with her palms facing Oscar. "This is Oscar. I mean, you kinda already know Oscar; same memories and all that." She then gave Grimm Ruby the same gesture. "And this is Gruby. It's short for 'Grimm Ruby' 'cuz she's a copy of me."

"We already met before the Grimm attack," Grimm Ruby said, tilting its gaze downward. "We…kinda got off on the wrong foot."

"So…'Gruby?'" Oscar reiterated. "Huh. A copy. But why? Why would Salem even..?"

There was a brief moment of silence as Oscar couldn't finish his own question. Both Rubies glanced at each other, noting what he just said, then back at Oscar.

"What about Salem?" Ruby asked. Her eyes squinted in confusion.

"Oh…uh," Oscar mumbled.

"Why did you bring up Salem? We didn't ask about her."

"She made that copy of you," Oscar explained, pointing at Grimm Ruby. "Salem made that Grimm to kill me!"

"Oscar, why would you say th—"

"It's Ozpin," Grimm Ruby solemnly stated. "I don't know how, but he knows about me. That's…why we got off on the wrong foot."

"Huh," Ruby said with a note of irritation. "It's weird that you would both know that because…I didn't."

"Well, I didn't 'know-know,'" Grimm Ruby explained, carefully leaving out what the God of Darkness told it. "I just kind of assumed. I mean, Salem wants to destroy Ozpin, Oscar's the new Ozpin, so…I mean, it's not that hard. Kinda figured you pieced that together yourself; same memories and all that."

"Uh, okay?" Ruby was still confused, but let the awkward matter drop. There were more important things to deal with right now.

"So…how did you find me?" Oscar asked.

"I…I could sense your fear," Grimm Ruby answered. "It's kinda hard to explain. It's like there's this 'suffering radar' in my head. I knew something was off when someone was in danger, even after all the Grimm were killed. It stood out from all the other usual pain and sorrow. Your fear…drew me to you."

"My fear? Right…negativity," Oscar muttered, staring openly on Grimm Ruby's skin. "So my crashed airship drew the Grimm to me…and you were one of them?"

"There weren't any other Grimm," Grimm Ruby said, curling its claws inward. Its face grew savage and it let out a quiet growl. "We killed them. I…killed so many of them."

"You killed Grimm? Aren't they your own—"

"They're monsters!" Grimm Ruby seethed. "Every last one of them must—"

Dark flames coursed from its clenched claws and through its arms. They would have engulfed its body completely had it not noticed Oscar's terrified face and calmed down, extinguishing the flames.

"Ah-heheh…sorry," Grimm Ruby said. "Just thinking of one makes me…angry."

"Even though you're one of them?" Oscar asked.

"Yeah," Grimm Ruby's response was appropriately grim. The irony wasn't lost on it. "I was made to be a monster; one that's scarier than the rest. I think…Salem did too good of a job."

"You mean…she copied Ruby too well?"

"Yeah," Grimm Ruby said, surprised that Oscar could pick up on that detail so quickly. "I can remember everything the original me, I mean, Ruby, remembers. I could even tell you the little details she keeps tucked away in her mind, like this one time on her eleventh birthday, her dad caught her—"

"NO!" Ruby yelled, hastily covering her Grimm self's mouth. "Nononononono!"

Oscar could only muffle his laughter when he saw both Rubies interact like that. This wasn't the way that two people, made to be sworn enemies by opposing forces, would behave. This was more like two friends goofing off. There was an inner sadness to it, though. From Ozpin's memories, Oscar knew that he and Salem were once happy together, despite their differences, only to drift apart as Salem became increasingly ruthless and cruel over time. Considering that this Grimm copy of Ruby was built by Ozpin's timeless enemy, he could only wonder if it will stay by its inherited morals…or become as Salem did.

When her Grimm self backed away from Ruby's hand, the latter rubbed her palm. The two were oblivious to Oscar's worries.

"Ow," Ruby complained. "Your face is like—"

"I know!" Grimm Ruby interrupted, then spoke in a deeper mocking tone. "Like a titanium cactus. I already know that."

Another muffled laugh left Oscar's lips. He wasn't looking at a monster at all. This moment was too innocent. This felt more like looking at a reflection of the original Ruby than any doppelganger with each passing moment.

"Hey, uh," Ruby said, "we gotta get back to calming things down outside. People don't just feel better after the Grimm are gone."

"Uh, yeah…about that," Grimm Ruby said hesitantly. "There have been…a few scares with the people while we were fighting. Long story short, not everybody thinks I'm just doing a cosplay."

"Oh," Ruby inhaled through her teeth at the awkward explanation. "So, people freak out when they see you?"

Grimm Ruby silently shrugged. That wasn't the whole story, as Penny, Yang, and Blake were the only three to directly interact with it during the attack, but it wasn't technically a lie either.

"So…what are you gonna do then?" Ruby asked. "Just lie low until things calm down."

"Yeah, that might be a good idea. The people here need a leader, and so does your team," Grimm Ruby said, then added a quick addendum. "But let me know if the people here need more heat. I can totally do that."

"Yeah, okay," Ruby said, then turned to walk away. "Still can't believe that 'burning hatred' stuff inside you can actually help people."

As Ruby walked out of the room, Oscar quickly reached out to her, but words failed to leave his lips once he left. Seeing the spitting image of her in the form of a Grimm watching over him, he silently pondered to himself whether or not it was a good idea to be alone with it. It certainly seemed human on many levels, but there was still that lingering sense that something very frightening lied underneath its caring exterior.

"Uh…hi," Oscar said awkwardly, facing away from Grimm Ruby.

"Uh…hi," Grimm Ruby said just as awkwardly, also facing away. There was an unusual tension; one that could only be formed when the latest reincarnation of the ancient hero, Ozma, is barely avoiding eye contact with the very entity built to kill him…or worse. If there had been even the most minute deviation of the events regarding its conception, the two would be mortal enemies.

Or perhaps, this "Ruby Grimm" might have been compelled to fight the original in some kind of climactic showdown where the hero must conquer themselves, like in the climax of some fairy tale. Of course, real life wasn't always a fairy tale, but this…this was more bizarre than any story could ever be.

"So," Oscar said, scratching the back of his head, "I never did get to thank you…for saving my—"

"Oh yeah," Grimm Ruby said, also scratching the back of its head. "It…it's cool. Just at the right place at the right time. You know, 'cuz I was drawn to your fear and all that."

"Yeah," Oscar said, looking up at Grimm Ruby. "I'm sorry. This is…well, I don't think anybody could have expected something like this. That's…probably why people are still afraid."

"Well, actually…that's not really the reason I'm still here. You see…" Grimm Ruby's eyes fidgeted all over. It was very hesitant to explain itself. "I'm here right now because there's something I need to ask him."

"Him?"

"Ozpin," Grimm Ruby said with eyes that expressed desperation, yet its voice remained in its usual distorted tone. "I need…to speak to Ozpin."

A bloodcurdling chill crept through Oscar's spine. He knew Ozpin wanted him to stay as far away from Grimm Ruby as possible. There was still more the wizard hadn't told him, but the very idea of forcing him to face Salem's creation was cruel.

"I…don't think he'll come out for you," Oscar said after a pause.

"Yeah, I kinda figured," Grimm Ruby said, then stepped closer and looked in Oscar's eyes. The sight of Grimm Ruby's face getting so close to his made his arms numb, but he couldn't will himself to look away.

"Ozpin?" it said. "I don't know if you can hear me from in there, but I want to set things straight. I hope you'll hear me out. I'm not with Salem. I can't stand her. I never asked to be like this; a copy, a monster, but that's not important right now. What is important…is what might happen if this war keeps going on like this. You know, more than anyone, how much of a threat Salem is to the world, but what you might not know…is that there's someone else out there that could actually be more dangerous than her, and he has his own plans for this world. Ozpin…I want to ask you about the gods!"

Oscar's lips quivered, but his eyes never wavered. At first, it wondered if he really could hear its words. After a few seconds, his eyes shined briefly, signifying Ozpin's possession of him. Grimm Ruby's eyes widened as it backed up a step, surprised that it actually got through to Ozpin.

"The gods?" Ozpin said. "The Two Brothers that created this world together?"

"Yeah. I want to know…if you trust them."

Ozpin blinked in silence. As unusual as the situation of even being saved by this sentient Grimm was, its first action upon having him alone and at its mercy is not to declare an ultimatum or threaten him, but to ask him about gods.

"And why would you ask me a question like that?" he asked politely, displaying both genuine curiosity and a feeling of distrust.

"Because it all started with them," Grimm Ruby explained. "Every terrible thing that happened to this world from Salem, the Grimm…and even your mistakes all started because they made a bet."

"A bet?" Ozpin reiterated after a brief delay.

"The whole point of Remnant…no, the whole point of the world before it became Remnant was to settle a bet between the two gods. It's basically a popularity contest between Creation and Destruction, and humanity was the test subjects."

"That's an unusually irreverent thing to say," Ozpin said, slightly annoyed. "And something that Salem herself would profess to those that would lend their ears. Tell me, if you are not really allied with Salem, then what reason do you have to say such a thing?"

"The God of Darkness told me," Grimm Ruby stated with a calm resolve that contrasted the astounding nature of its words. Once again, Ozpin grew silent for a few seconds, but his face showed even more astonishment than before.

"What?" he whispered in disbelief.

"You know how weird all this is, right?" Grimm Ruby asked, spreading its arms and claws out. "I mean, Salem once rebelled against the gods, but the God of Darkness' monsters, the Creatures of Grimm, obey her. All…but one." It emphasized its words, tapping its upper torso with its index claw. "Well, it's not some miracle that I am the way I am. As it turns out, the God of Darkness planned all this."

"He…what?"

"You really didn't know?" Grimm Ruby asked, giving Ozpin a moment to react. All he could do was let his eyes drift downward. "Okay, I'll let you in on it. On the night I left Salem's castle with the original Ruby, the God of Darkness pulled me into some weird alternate dimension while she was sleeping in a cave. He told me that I was his servant, not Salem's…and he wants me…to destroy her soul."

"T-to…" Ozpin's reaction made Oscar's whole body quiver. "You can destroy Salem?"

"That's what the god said, but I'm not really sure that's the whole story," Grimm Ruby said, its eyes drifting to a nearby mirror. "He said these eyes can burn a soul; even someone that's immortal, as long as the soul itself is mortal."

"Jinn," Ozpin stuttered, "I-I asked my questions. She—"

"—said you couldn't destroy her," Grimm Ruby clarified. "But there's a problem. I know why she was made immortal. I mean, I remember why from Ruby's memories. The gods were the ones that made her immortal in the first place, and based on what the God of Darkness told me, he's throwing all the blame on his brother. So it got me thinking, if the God of Darkness really wants her destroyed, why doesn't he just take her immortality away himself? Why let Salem use his Grimm to do her bidding? And why choose me to enact some…divine judgment?"

"If…if what you say is true," Ozpin said, regaining his composure, "then the will of the gods aren't to be questioned. For all the stories humans shape around them, our minds simply aren't meant to truly understand them. It is possible, and this is entirely speculation on my part, that giving you this task is their way of granting humanity a reprieve; a way to help me fulfill my own task for the God of Light."

"To unite humanity," Grimm Ruby said, then added a bitter addendum, "so that the two gods can settle their bet."

"The God of Light chose to give me this task because he wants humanity to redeem themselves. Perhaps, in some way that only they can understand, the God of Darkness has chosen you with his own task. Dragging you into another dimension, as you claim, may be his way of giving you this purpose without breaking the letter of their vow never to return to this world."

"But what both gods want conflicts with each other," Grimm Ruby said. "You remember what the God of Light told Salem, right? He told her that 'life and death have a balance' and she could only rest if she understood that, but then he broke his own rules by forcing you to reincarnate over and over."

"I…I chose to accept this mission," Ozpin said weakly.

"Because you wanted to be with Salem. I remember what Jinn showed us…I mean, Ruby. He warned you that Salem wasn't the person you knew anymore."

"And that finding her would only bring pain," Ozpin said, trying to withhold tears.

"Yeah," Grimm Ruby said, instantly regretting what it said. "Sorry about that. My point is that he went out of his way to ensure that Salem could never die; not even those murky pools that Grimm come out of could kill her. So why does his brother just want me to burn her soul? Why now? If I were to follow the God of Darkness' command right now, it would be like going behind his brother's back. I don't have to spell it out to you, right? What if the God of Light gets angry if Salem's soul was destroyed despite her curse? How would he act?"

"I imagine he wouldn't be pleased, but," Ozpin said, sounding unsure, "I want to believe he wouldn't blame us. He possessed enough compassion to give humanity another chance."

"You mean the kind of compassion that lets him just look away when his brother wipes out all human life?" Grimm Ruby snapped. "He didn't even protect those that didn't side with Salem in her little uprising! He just let the God of Darkness wipe everyone out! So what about him? What if I don't do what the God of Darkness wants? What if Salem can learn her lesson? Would he be okay with that? Or would he be all jealous that his 'holier-than-he-is' brother was right all along and all the people go to him for their blessings and he's all jealous of his attention…just like before?"

"He…he would…" Ozpin tried to speak, but couldn't find the words.

"Ozpin," Grimm Ruby gritted its fangs. "This is the problem with taking sides between gods that could punish people with extinction…or just being unable to die at all. What happens if we take a side?"

"Then," Ozpin said, realizing the implications, "that choice might be the affront that turns brother against brother. Just as the two used this world to settle their differences eons ago, the feud between gods would begin anew."

"And this world would become the battlefield," Grimm Ruby concluded. "That's what I'm afraid of."

The two went quiet once more. For the past two days, this is the burden Grimm Ruby kept to itself, formed by the original's memories of what Jinn showed her and what the God of Darkness told to it personally. Seeing Ozpin grow so anxious made it wonder if it was even the right choice to confide in him.

"Have you told anyone else?" Ozpin asked with a quiet desperation.

"No," Grimm Ruby said with a slight delay. "You're the only one. Even Ruby doesn't know about him."

"Because the truth would destroy her hope?" Ozpin inquired, speaking as if he already knew the answer.

"You know, that's what I thought, too," Grimm Ruby said with a mirthful laugh. "But I spent two whole days with her. She won't break. She won't lose hope, no matter what. I…kind of envy that."

"So you don't have that spark? Even though you are, by hers and your own admissions, a complete copy right down to her morals?"

"I…I guess," Grimm Ruby said, glancing down at its claws. "I haven't really had much hope for the future. It's not like I lost it or anything. It's worse. It's like…I can't even comprehend what hope is anymore. No, wait…that's not it. I keep thinking I lived Ruby's life. Her memories…throw me off sometimes; makes me think I'm someone I'm not. The truth is…I don't think I ever comprehended hope in the first place. I feel…like it's missing."

"That's very peculiar, given your unique circumstances. Forgive me if I'm going off topic, but I must ask. If it's not hope that drives you, then what does?"

Grimm Ruby paused for a few seconds to contemplate the question. Everything in its mindset was identical to the original Ruby's…except this.

"Because," it clenched its claws, "I can't let this happen to anyone else."

"Let what happen?"

"Everything!" Grimm Ruby exclaimed, grasping both sides of its skull with its claws. "Beacon fell, the Grimm have attacked innocent people again and again and again…and now Atlas! Atlas is gone, too! Too many people have lost…everything! Their friends, their families, their homes, their lives! I…I saw a little girl die in front of me! I have this horrible power coursing through me and I still couldn't change that, and it's happening all over the world, every day!"

"So you look toward the past," Ozpin surmised, "and Ruby, the future."

"Uh…yeah," Grimm Ruby reluctantly agreed. "Maybe I am stuck in the past. I mean, all the horrible things in the past led to me being here today. I'm not even sure I know what it means to keep moving forward, but I do know that I can't let things like this happen again. That's why I had to ask you. I have to know if you really trust the gods to do what's right…because I can't! Not after everything that's happened! But if you believe, after all their choices; their mistakes, that they still have humanity's best interests at heart, I'll follow you."

"You what?" Ozpin asked in amazement.

"I don't care what the gods want! I don't care if I end up dead or cursed to live forever! I can't be some executioner against evil if the whole world ends up paying for it! I want to protect the people that can't protect themselves, like the heroes in storybooks."

"You're…just like her," Ozpin whispered.

"I'm sorry?"

"To answer your question," Ozpin said somberly, "I…don't entirely trust them."

"You don't?" Grimm Ruby's heart sank.

"I've been through…so much. I've lost so much. And it's these tragedies that molded me into the kind of man I am today," Ozpin said, pausing when he realized he's actually inhabiting the body of a young boy. "Figuratively, that is. I suppose I should just say it. I've become jaded. I can't completely trust the gods just as I can't completely trust those around me. After many years, centuries, even millennia, I've…lost my faith. And having met you face to face, I believe that I've come to understand the burden you carry."

"You do?" Grimm Ruby looked in Ozpin's eyes, and he nodded.

"You've been chosen by a god, just as I have. We carry the same unique burden, and don't wish to shackle anyone else. Even the original Ruby Rose has an entirely different burden, and her solution may not be your own. But just as I never found a solution to my own problem, I have none to offer you. I'm sorry. All I can tell you is that you shouldn't have expected a simple answer to your problem."

"Why not?"

"You have come to me in search of knowledge because you believe that will offer you direction and purpose. You assume that a clear answer will free you of your burden, but you'll find that even wisdom can only carry you so far. I know this firsthand."

"Right…I…I get it," Grimm Ruby mumbled dejectedly. It considered walking out the door at this point.

"Pardon me for changing the subject," Ozpin asked after a pause, "but do you remember the night I first met her?"

"Who? You mean Ruby?"

"Yes," Ozpin nodded.

"I do," Grimm Ruby said solemnly, glancing up at a single overhead light. It, too, was a reminder of that day.

"Then I'd like to ask you something about that meeting," Ozpin said. "What was the first thing about her that caught my notice?"

Grimm Ruby closed its eyes to recall that moment. It didn't take long for it to give an answer.

"Her silver eyes," it said, then glanced at the mirror again and saw the crimson red eyes in the reflection.

"And what manner of fruit did I use to make her feel comfortable?"

"It wasn't fruit," Grimm Ruby said with a smirk. "You gave her cookies. She…gobbled them all up while you were talking. She wasn't really listening to every word you said." It glanced down at its claws; a permanent reminder that it was built to be a weapon…without taste buds. "God, I miss cookies. And then you moved her ahead two years and let her in to Beacon, and she was sooooo excited. And the next day, her sister had all these friends that were just these black silhouettes, and she didn't know their names, and we never saw them again, and all Ruby wanted was normal knees."

The two gave a simultaneous sigh. Life was simpler back in the good old days.

"You wanna know something weird?" Grimm Ruby asked casually. "Everybody was angry at you for keeping secrets. Even Ruby was annoyed with you. And now, I'm doing it; the same exact thing even Ruby judged you for. Guess that makes me a hypocrite, huh?"

Not expecting a real answer, Grimm Ruby began to walk out the door. It was time to check on the bonfires again.

"Ruby," Ozpin said just as Grimm Ruby put its foot outside. Somehow, being called by the name of its original counterpart made time itself stop in that brief moment. "I've made more mistakes than any man, woman, and child on this planet. I cannot give you grief if you choose to follow suit. What I can tell you, however, is that my choice to withhold important information from my allies has…well, let's just say it didn't end well and leave it at that. You and I both know firsthand."

Taking in Ozpin's words, Grimm Ruby slowly nodded. It left without another word. Whatever it chose to do, it was burdened with a daunting responsibility. It needed time to think about how it would uphold it.