Unexpected Love

Chapter 3

          As Jinn began explaining that she still had two questions left to answer, Ozpin tried to cut her off. However, this failed, so he asked Ruby not to ask anything. Qrow even began to step closer to Ruby, earning everyone's weapons to be pointed at him. He sighed, "Do what you think is right, Kiddo." Ruby nodded and looked up at Jinn, "Jinn, what is Ozpin hiding from us?" An anguished cry broke through the air as Ozpin ran toward Ruby. However, he was too late as Ruby and the others were in a world manipulated by Jinn herself as she told Ozpin's tale from saving Salem as a young human woman to falling in love to what Salem did when a single illness took his life. Everyone watched in horror as they saw what Salem had done and had later become. Jinn then began to recount how Ozpin later returned to the world when the gods left Remnant. She explained that the God of Light tasked Ozpin with one day collecting the four Relics he created so that mankind to be judged as either redeemable or something to be destroyed. When Ozpin agreed to these terms, he returned, fused with a like-minded young man. However, he found Salem and the two built a life and a family together. She described how when he finally told Salem what his task was, she rejected the task and tried to convince him that they could become the new gods of Remnant. He knew that this would lead to humanity's downfall once again, so that night he tried to leave with their four daughters, only to be confronted by Salem. Ozpin had tried to defend himself as well with his daughters, but the battle became too fierce, and their daughters were all slain. Ozpin had also been defeated. He tried to crawl away, Salem easily reaching him. That was when she killed him and began his endless cycle of deaths and reincarnations until he finally became the man he was now, fused with the soul of a young boy. She also explained that Ozpin had come kneeling to her feet asking how he can destroy Salem, to which the answer was that he can't.

          With that, the vision ended, and Ruby awoke in the snow along with the others, Ozpin sitting on his knees in the snow, "Now you know..... You know the truth behind all of this......" he looked at everyone as he stood, "Are you all satisfied, now?? Does it please you to know that I failed to do my duty long ago, so now I have to correct my mistake....? That i lost every--" He fell to the ground as Ruby tackled him. She was crying as she tightened her grip, "I'm so sorry..... You didn't deserve this fate..... And yeah... we are satisfied.... Now, we know what you've had to endure.... Now, we know what this mission means and how to help you, too..... Professor Ozpin, you're not alone..... We understand why you didnt want us to know..... But you should've told us from the beginning....." Ozpin's eyes filled with tears; Ruby reminded him of his youngest daughter with Salem. He wrapped his arms around her and hugged her tightly, "Thank you, Miss Rose..... I understand that I should have told you all sooner, but I simply could not bear to admit that I failed countless times to fulfill my task..... I'm so sorry, Miss Rose....." She shook her head, "Just promise us...... no more lies or half truths......" Ozpin smiled softly and nodded, "I promise....." That was when Oscar came to and was given back control of his body. Of course, he was still hugging Ruby, so when he noticed he blushed madly. However, he tried to play it off by slowly letting her go. "Looks like you were able to comfort him somewhat..... I just cant believe that he went through all of that....." Ruby shook her head and looked down, "I can't either..... Is he alright...?" Oscar looked down toward his hip as if in thought then nodded slightly, "Yeah... He said he feels a heavy weight being lifted off his shoulders. Right now, he's resting. Our struggle and all of this sorta took a lot out of him surprisingly." Ruby nodded; that made sense. She was just glad that he finally felt that he could be open with them (not that he had much choice anymore, though). "Come on... Let's rejoin the others and find a place to set up camp...." Oscar nodded and began walked beside her.