On butterfly wings

Never had she needed to use her Semblance so many times and in such quick succession before. In hindsight, the brief moments of clarity she received when not being completely corporeal allowed her to see past Neo's lies without her knowing it.

The fight ended when she feigned going for Neo's decoy, only to shoot the real one through the leg and leaving her at her mercy. By that point, she was completely spent - hollow. As if not all of her came back after she used her Semblance so many times.

She had Crescent Rose pointed right at Neo's chest, her finger resting on the trigger.

All she needed to do was pull it. Put an end to the Summer Maiden on Salem's side - and Neo knew it too. But the woman showed no fear. Still defiant. Wasn't going to grovel for her life. She knew the price for losing coming in.

She would've been in the right if she chose to kill her.

...And yet there was a difference between killing someone in the heat of battle and killing someone that was no longer a threat. And as stupid as that thought was - a Maiden without aura is still dangerous, especially one dead set on killing her...

...she couldn't bring herself to take that next step.

She just stared straight into Neo's eyes - feeling the grief, the anger, the rage, the loneliness...

And just walked away.

Walked back in the direction towards Vacuo.

Hoping the choice she made wouldn't come back to bite her.

---

Her team naturally didn’t like her decision.

Uncle Qrow was particularly vocal about it, given that he didn't like the idea of a murderous Maiden nearly killing both his nieces.

But what's done is done.

They didn't like it, but they accepted it.

---

When she woke up the next day, she found a familiar bowler hat on top of her chest.

And the Relic of Destruction stabbed right next to her head.

---

Question:

"So what exactly is a god then?" Ruby asked, "I mean what makes them different from a Hunter with an overpowered semblance or even a Maiden?"

Oscar pondered the question before he grimaced and closed his eyes. It didn't take a genius to know he was conversing with Ozpin. Ozpin was still not particularly trusted, but their relationship was on the mend after that disastrous revelation involving the Relic of Knowledge.

"...A Maiden. A powerful Hunter. They're all still mortal in the end. Limited by Aura. Limited by the Physical. Limited by Death. A god no longer worries about any of those things, " Oscar said - except not quite. The boy's pose was straighter, though a slight gloom lingered on his face, "There is many a tale about the gods and about becoming one, but Remnant has only ever had two gods."

"The Gods of Darkness and Light, the Brothers Grimm," Ruby replied, "But it's not like they didn't come from nowhere, right? They created Remnant, but who created them?"

"Who knows? Maybe they existed from the very start," Oscar leaned back onto the chair he sat on, "Their powers transcend logic. Maybe their origins do too."

Oscar hummed a bit.

"But it is interesting though," Oscar continued, "in Remnant's history, all myths about creating a god always have three common points: Aspect, Worship, and Sacrifice."

Ruby mouthed the words silently - curiously.

"Aspect would be the god's specialty. Worship would be the faith directed towards them. And a Sacrifice to allow them to shed their body. The ingredients to create a god."

"Many sought godhood throughout history," Oscar lectured, "Committed atrocities against their fellow man for just the chance."

"All have failed except for one," Oscar sighed.

"And that one hasn't failed yet simply because she is immortal."

---

Return: 

Ruby quietly placed the last of the white knight pieces onto the shrine, glancing at the rest of her team and the remnants of Jaune’s team. 

It’s funny how life is sometimes. After traveling through Remnant in search of the relics, it was oddly fitting that all of them would return to the beginning, the Emerald Forest, when life was more simpler back then. More innocent times when the titles of Hunter and Huntress were synonymous with hero and not of responsibility and painful decisions. 

Normally, she wouldn’t think about such sentimental things - she’d always been the type to strike first and plan later - but time was all she had during the long flight from Vacuo to Vale. Just her and her thoughts.

Her hand gently pulled out the Black Bishop pieces from her satchel and placed them onto the checkerboard-shaped dais, the empty starting spots nearly filled. Ruby glanced over at Cardin and gave the matured Hunter a nod. Like the rest of them, he too changed after the Fall of Beacon, more empathetic to others and able to trust his life to those he once considered lesser than him. The fact those he hurt could trust him now spoke of his growth as a person. 

Perhaps it was a lesson that team CRDL could’ve only learned in Vacuo, the continent where if one could survive there, they were welcome there. Jaune probably would've been happy to know that his once tormentor matured into someone he could respect. 

She pulled out the Black Queen piece from her satchel. Her gaze turned to Emerald, the Fall Maiden, and Mercury who hovered close beside her like a bodyguard. The small knowing smile she made was something she couldn’t help - and something that the illusionist noticed, for she scowled and turned her head, pushing the boy away.

Ehehe. Even someone as dense as herself could tell Mercury’s feelings for Emerald, though what would come of it was a different story. Hopefully, their ending would be happy. They risked a lot to steal this piece from Salem’s clutches. It’s only right they’d have a good ending.

Ruby turned her away from the pair, drawing the last piece from her Satchel. The White King piece. Her gaze turned to Oscar who only nodded his head quietly, his presence filled with a wizened air. Hard to believe that this boy was, a year and a half ago, just a farmer - now he fought like the best of them, gave them advice like Professor Ozpin did.

With him and the rest - Weiss, Yang, Blake, Nora, and Ren....her best friends, her family, the ones she could leave her back to - she could find the courage to walk towards the future.  

Was it Destiny that allowed them to return here?  

The ground she stood on glowed with a brilliant light. 

----

A darkness surrounded her, speckled with orbs of light.

She was alone.

“Welcome. I have been waiting a long time for you," said a voice directly ahead of her. A familiar young-sounding voice.

“...Who are you?”

“I am the instant where Will becomes Action. I am the progenitor of both Regret and Satisfaction. You know who I am."

“The Relic of Choice. Do you have a name?”

“Choice does not exist without the Will, just as I cannot exist without you. My name is yours.”

“Ruby?”

The darkness and light in the room seemed to meld into one shadowed figure, a silhouette barely visible in the dim light of the Shrine. It was her - back when she was fourteen and begging Ozpin to enter Beacon - maybe even a little younger than that. The only difference was a shining crown on her head - the Relic of Choice.

“Correct. Why have you come?”

“I wish to obtain the Relic of Choice, reunite the four relics, and defeat Salem once and for all.”

“That’s possible. But first...” her figure said hesitantly, “May I hold her?” Her hands pointed towards Crescent Rose. The question shocked her for a moment; Crescent Rose was her most trusted companion, something more than just a weapon to her. She instinctively wanted to say no.

But the look in the Relic's eyes...they were familiar. Like a kindred spirit.

With a bit of reluctance, she held the top of Crescent Rose's folded form and allowed the Relic to grab onto the grip.

The relic smiled as she hugged and nuzzled her weapon with her cheek. A moment later, she sighed before giggling, “Thank you. Though I am not you, I still feel your sentiments. For us, Crescent Rose is like...”

“An old friend,” she understood. Not the whole having a weird clone thing, but she couldn’t really be wary of someone who clearly loved Crescent Rose so much.

“I can allow you to have the Relic of Choice, the heart of the Relics,” the relic said, “It can lead you to victory, but you should know the consequence of using it.”

“I know. I asked Jinn of what I can do to defeat Salem. I know the cost of the relics’ power is my life,” Ruby quietly said, “I’m willing to do it.”

“You shouldn’t sacrifice your life so readily," the Relic said sadly.

"But I will respect it," continued the Relic, "I sense the day that the future will be decided.”

“You can defeat Salem at the price of your life but everyone around you will die. Or you can save everyone at the cost of your life but you will no longer be able to kill Salem with the Relics.”

What?

“I...”

“You don’t have to make a decision now. I just wanted to inform you of the choice you will need to make,” the shadowed figure said as she flickered and appeared in front of her. Taking off the crown from her head, the child that looked like a younger her placed it upon her head. 

It was heavier than it looked, shining with a white glow.

“You look good with it,” she said with a sad smile, “Now go. All that’s left for you is the Staff of Creation.”

She felt the world turned dark around her, the young girl in front of her was slowly moving further and further away as if she were being repulsed.

“Wait! What about you!?” she screamed. 

The young girl smiled, “Do not worry about me. I’ve been waiting here for a long time. Now I’ll finally get to rest.”

“Come with me!” she yelled out.

“Sorry, Ruby Rose.”

She reached out to the younger girl's fading form.

“But if I may give some advice...”

“I hope you’ll allow yourself to follow your heart this time around.”

“Goodbye.”

----

“Ruby, are you okay?’

“Huh?” Ruby managed to exclaim as she shook her head. She was back at the Abandoned Shrine, surrounded by worried faces both new and old. 

“Are we missing something? No, all the pieces are here.”

“Hey, Oscar. Was something supposed to happen?”

Several teams started whispering in confusion.

“...I have it,” Ruby interrupted the growing commotion and closing her eyes.

The Relic of Choice appeared over her head, its heavy weight settling down onto her.

Mod Green

Ozcury AU - Mercury's training Ruby.

Ozcury AU - Fight at Haven with Oz-Mercury in the middle.

Crack/Reference to unknown?!Adam is a total fanboy of Summer Rose and discovers he just maimed her stepdaughter.

DevilMayCry!AU - Distant cousin Dante drops by for a visit to the Schnees.

Ozcury AU - Instead of Oscar's head, Ozpin ends up in Mercury's!

AU where Raven isn't a coward - which makes her into an overly enthusiastic mom

Weapon Souls AU - Crescent Rose is Ruby's twin.

Konosuba!AU Aqua Weiss + Megumin Ruby

Weapon Souls AU - Crocea Mors acting as Jaune's mom much to his annoyance.

Konosuba!AU Darkness!Pyrrha explaining why she likes Jaune.

Weapon Souls AU - ModAsk: Huntsmen weapons have human forms a la Soul Eater

Jaune gets no respect AU (Dangerfield AU?)

Ruby unintentionally steals Emerald and Mercury through sincere kidness

AU where armor does what it's supposed to do. And why Jaune is seen is a tough guy.

GrimmPyrrhaAU! - A clone of Pyrrha that sorta ends up defecting.

AU where the filler villain adam is cut out

SaturdayMorningCartoonVillain!Salem AU - Ozpin suffers.

Ben10!Mercury AU

Ironwood calls for backup for Mantle. Master Chief, Duke Nukem, and Doomguy show.

Nicholas Schnee is still alive. Visit Vytal to see the grandkids.

Bluby x Jaune shipping

Bluby x Jaune shipping

AU where the heroes save the world by wearing the tingle outfit from BoTW.

AU where Watts has a crippling Pokemon Go addiction.

Jaune is recruited to teach Ruby to dance for her wedding!

Emerald Schnee AU!

Tyrian developed a fear of Ruby after she maimed him. Discovers her again at the Rally.

Mr. Taurus Grinch Song.

Aura-amp AU! Ruby and Weiss get an unfortunate speed boost.

Conspiracy!Raven meets Penny

ModsInRemnantAU!

Mod Yellow

All of Yellow's most recent posts till 2019-ish.

Mod Lilac

The Things Jaune Arc (and the rest of Team Remnant) are not allowed to do at Beacon Academy (post-saving the world)

Evil Ozpin AU - Picking the Kids Up

The Vytal Campaign (RWBY is a DND campaign)! - Salem and Ozpin play out the Lost Fable.

MetalDong69 - Crack!AU where Salem gives up her plans for consquest because she got addicted to FortKnight. Ironwood is her greatest online rival.

Blake's Book Trade - Blake never becomes a Huntress and becomes a bookstore owner instead.

Medical Intern AU - Jaune never becomes a Hunter and becomes an medical intern instead. (pt 1b)

Crack!Like an Oz (to the beat of Like a Boss)

Becoming AU - Ruby mistakenly believed to be a secret professor at Beacon - Pyrrha's perspective

Rising Snow AU - Pieces 12-14 - Where Whitley had been keeping the company viable since he was young - Meeting "Acacia"

Becoming AU - Ruby being made an offer she can't refuse - aka Weapon / Weapon Maintenance Club.

Crack!Glynda Runs an OnlyFans account???? - not as nsft as it sounds.

JAUNE IM GOING TO KILL YOU - Jaune's semblance is to make other people turn into harem protagonists. Blake suffers.

Someone asks a stupid question while Salem is trying to ask Jinn her questions.

Rising Snow AU - Pieces 10-11

Destiny AU - Epilogue: Oscar

Becoming AU - Perspective: Yang's POV on Ruby being mistaken for a Professor.

Becoming AU - Perspective: Weiss

Becoming AU - Start - Crack(taken Seriously)!Ruby is mistaken for a Beacon professor and Ozpin just rolls with it.Uncle Crow AU - Pt 2

Uncle Crow AU - Pt 1

Rising Snow AU - 7-9

Rising Snow AU - Crack!Beginning: Whitley is the sole reason why the SDC is up and running.

Of Caerbannog - Crack!Why you don't piss off Velvet Scarlatina

Team STRQ - Loudly observing at two girls' competing affections for the same guy is bad for your health.

FullmetalAlchemistAU! Reenactment of the Chimera scene. (I'm sorry.)

Actors and Actresses AU - convincing - blake convincing yang.

Actors and Actresses AU - first interview with lisa - weiss

Scatter - Summer kills Salem. It doesn't take. - incomplete

House!AU - Dr. Arc - incorrect quotes style

AccidentalMastermindAU!Salem - the Rainforests of Vacuo

Be Careful Who You Blackmail AU - Jaune and Cardin have a heart to heart in Forever Fall.

big brother jaune to Oscar and Whitley AU

Other - Submission

Planeswarden AU - watcher-servant

DevilMayCry AU! Dante and Winter cousins that don't get along - random-reborn

Mod Green:

Ozcury AU - Mercury mentoring Ruby in a kick-based style

Berta Beef - (LetterKenny reference)

Ozcury AU - Watching Penny and Ruby interact has Mercury convinced they're dating

Ozcury AU - Mercury whacking Cinder while pulling off SAO Abridged Kirito's "humans are a write-off as a species" lines

Mercury and Emerald with a kid AU - Mercury's bad choice of movie material for his daughter

Kobayashi Dragon Maid AU starring Saphron and Terra Cotta-Arc

Vampire Mercury Black AU - Emercury

Crack Ship One-Shot Neo x Penny

Dog Faunus Jaune AU One-Shot

Mercury Meets Deadpool instead of Cinder after killing Marcus AU

KonosubaAU! character's comments on Darkness!Pyrrha's masochism

Yang embarassing Ruby at her wedding.

Crack!Alternate ending of the Fall of Beacon for Pyrrha discovering she's a Salem clone.

Star Trek Fan AU

Vampire Mercury Black AU - Mercury's casual convo with Emerald about hunting

Vampire Mercury Black AU - Mercury on Witches and Necromancers

Vampire Mercury Black AU - Meeting Tyrian

Ozcury AU - Sass-off while fighting back to back with Ironwood

Salem finds it awkward and disconcerting to talk to Oscar

Ozcury AU - Not quite fully in control.

SAOAbridged!Kirito Mercury doing the Bridge speech.

Ozcury AU - seeing Penny in Atlas

Mama Black, the Winter Maiden

Singer Mercury

Ozcury AU - nsft - Not quite asking the right questions with Jinn

Ozcury AU - awkward meeting with Ironwood

Weiss chasing Jaune AU

Conspiracy Theorist Raven AU

Mod Yellow:

BatFamAU - Emerald after meeting the Joker the first time and the BatFam's reaction

BatFamAU - Fanart of Em from thatfreak03

BatFamAU - Batgirl Emerald facing the Joker for the first time

BatFamAU - Batgirl Emerald taught Bruce's bad tastes in companionship

BatFamAU - semblance descriptions for the BatFam

BatFamAU - Battle of Haven (I think this is Mod Yellow's but I'm not sure since it was untagged.)

BatFamAU - Emerald Wayne's first gala

BatFamAU - ModAsk: Waynes' Thoughts on the Schnees?

BatFamAU - ModAsk: Is Season 1! Ruby a fan of the Batfam?

BatFamAU - ModAsk: Lazarus Pit?

BatFamAU - ModAsk: Emerald's Thoughts on Other Batman Characters

LazyTownAU (Crack AU)! Pyrrha alternate ending to Fall of Beacon

Accidental Pun Master Raven (it puns in the family au)

Remnant saved by Salem getting a cold (Sick Salem AU)

BatFamAU - ModAsk: Did Batfam intervene at the Grimm invasion?

Bleiss AU nsft: "This isn't a nude beach!"

Redemption AU - Ruby and company unwittingly getting Emerald and Mercury to defect

CampCamp AU - Harrison is Ozpin's son.

BatFamAU - on the Fall of Beacon

BatFamAU - Emerald and thoughts on the other Batgirls

BatFamAU - ModAsk: Who is Azazel?

BatFamAU - Emerald and thoughts on the other Robins. Also, the Tim Test

BatFamAU - ModAsk: Ironwood's thoughts on Bruce Wayne

BatFamAU - ModAsk: Is Bruce part of the Ozpin's inner circle?

BatFamAU - Training and Bruce Wayne

BatFamAU - Which Kingdom is Bruce Wayne in?

Crack!The Real Reason why Salem hates Oz

Ozpin picks Nora as the Fall Maiden instead.

BatFamAU - Bad habits die hard.

Everything is the same but ruby speaks in owo and uwu UVU ovo

BatFamAU - Emerald meets the Batman

Mod Lilac:

Untitled Piece - The end of a dream and Ruby's attempt to make it right.

Accidental Cult AU - 6. Blaspheme (and maid!Ruby's reaction)

Actors and Actresses AU - The Schnees Play Monopoly

Accidental Cult AU - 5. Worship

Accidental Cult AU - 4. First Recruit

Fleeting AU - Ozma returns to the Beginning with nothing but a whisper to come. Everything changes.

Accidental Cult AU - 3. Ruby meets Weiss again

Accidental Cult AU - 2. Chance Encounter

Accidental Cult AU - the Church of Weiss Schnee / Maid Ruby AU

WinterMaiden/ Untitled Goose Game AU - picture

Dabbing is the real reason why the worlds ends Crack AU!

Persona AU picture - Ozpin as Igor

Unnamed Crack Time Travel AU Part 3 - Featuring Chronic!Backstabber!Syndrome!Cinder

Evil Ozpin AU - except Ozpin is more "this is hella inconvenient evil"

Prankster Summer Rose

Crack!Blake writes very terrible smut. Jaune likes to use it to interrogate his enemies. Poor Tyrian.

Uncle Crow AU - Intermezzo

Unnamed Crack Time Travel AU - part 2

Ozma lets Salem play out her megalomania fetish. She gets tired of it very quickly.

Unnamed Crack Time Travel AU - part 1, features ChronicBackstabber!Cinder and DonewithEverything!Ruby

Misc (Submissions, Reblogs or I don't know who wrote them aha):

Crack!Headmistress Ruby AU - unknown

Adopted Mercury Arc - submission by plaidgamer64

CosmoKyrin's collection of nuts n dolts - them as animals.

Young Headmaster Ozpin AU - "now unlock it"

Yang, Weiss, Ren, Oscar, and Emerald all stood at attention. The lost members of Team Remnant were all too evident: Blake, Penny, and Nora. Blake had dropped dead among hundreds of thousands of others throughout the continent while Nora had passed on in her sleep from her injuries. Penny had died even before that during the battle for Atlas, sacrificing herself to save Ruby who had expended too much of her powers to take down the whale.

Most people in the continent thought the sudden deaths that cleared out whole villages was a new type of Grimm that killed invisibly, possibly as punishment for Ruby’s declared exposure of and resistance against Salem. Ruby half-laughed half-cried when she heard the rumors. They were blindly firing accusations, yet they still got the right person anyway.

The real story was even more unbelievable – only remotely plausible due to Salem’s desperate pleas and vicious threats for the Staff of Creation - threats which turned the rest of Remnant against them.

Somehow the staff created an illusory world where everyone’s desires came true, but it came at the expense of the real world, which slowly continued to pass while they were all stuck in the illusion. By the time the illusion ended (Ruby didn’t explain clearly on what caused that), two days had passed before reality had reset to the moment where the Staff was used. Whoever had died in those two days just dropped dead when time reset.

The infirm, the hospitalized, most of Mantle who were exposed to frigid temperatures, a good portion of Vacuo within the desert, nearly all of Vale amidst Grimm just dropped dead. Blake and Nora were also among the victims. Taiyang and the professors in Vale had also died like the rest. The resulting Grimm attacks became all the more worse with the sudden deaths of so many.

“Why would she do that?!” Yang said as she shook her head. She knew the events affected Ruby quite badly – Ruby admitted that she used the Staff of Creation to try and bring back Penny. Ever since the team acquired the power of the Summer Maiden and retrieved the Relic of Destruction, Ruby had been very quiet. A little part of her blamed her for what happened to Blake, but she knew her sister – she knew she didn’t mean for all this to happen.

“She just clocked me in the face, said she was going to make things right, and stole the Relic of Destruction. And then she ran off with her Semblance!”

“Where’s she going to run to?” Ren said carefully. Oscar stiffened visibly. “Oscar?” Weiss questioned. “I told her where the true location of the Vault of the Fall Maiden is... She has the other relics. She has to be going there. ” Oscar whispered.

--------------------------

Cinder sacrificed her humanity for power and freedom. And for what? Now she was at the mercy of the one she hated so much. How could a girl who knew nothing of suffering best her?

She’d been winning.

They’ve been winning due to her prowess and to a lesser degree Neo’s illusions. Even the girl’s everpresent scythe had been mangled into molten slag. She and Neo had wounded Ruby severely, forcing the other girl to flee into the forest. Only she had the ability to keep up with the Huntress’s speed and the determination to make sure that the little brat didn’t get away. They crossed kilometers of distance before it looked like Ruby ran out of steam, collapsing on a flat plateau with her aura spent.

She approached her and gloated, ready to repay the humiliation she’d received from the Huntress a hundred times over.

And then she learned that the Silver Eyes didn’t need Aura to activate.

She had been blasted by silver light, every inch of her body in thunderous agony. Spasming and twitching and burnt black and red, her entire body now refused to move. Her aura has long since been burned away by the girl’s ploy. Even her Maiden powers refused to activate, such was the damage inflicted to her body that she was now at this girl’s mercy.

A young girl who now stood before her with a sword, the Relic of Destruction, in her hands.

She wanted to say something spiteful. A plea. An insult. She can’t accept this!

“I hope you’ll make better decisions the next time around,” the Huntress said.

Was the brat going to spare h-?

The cold steel plunged into her chest.

------------------------------------------------------

As soon as Ruby had stepped foot in the Vault of the Fall Maiden, a familiar figure popped up.

It was her, only as a young child, draped in a red cloak while wearing a crown on her head – the Relic of Choice.

“Welcome,” the spirit of the Relic of Choice said with a patient smile on her face. “I see you’re determined to see this through.”

The young child that looked so much like her lifted the crown off her head and placed it into her hand, “There’s not much future left past this point. I hope you can find the ending you seek.”

“Wait, why do you look like me?” Ruby yelled belatedly as the Vault turned dark around her and the figure before her faded into the shadows.

“You’ll know when you see your choice through.”

--------------------------------------------------------------------

She’d plotted for centuries, boasted millions of years of experience, commanded an army that could bring the world to ruin…and she still couldn’t beat this wet-behind-the-ears girl who had managed to achieve what she and Ozma failed to obtain – godhood. She couldn’t help but feel indignant at the thought as the girl literally shined with the four Relics revolving around her, donning a white dress more suitable for a grand wedding than a battle.

She couldn’t even think about resisting – such was the difference between a god and a mortal. One that she’s tried and cross, only to be left alone for billions of years as the gods exterminated all, and life tried to evolve to become what it was like before. She couldn’t live like that again.

“Why? We were all happy, Ruby Rose! And you took it all away!” Salem accused as she recalled her four children and the love she found in that wonderful illusory world, “You are not worthy to be a god! You’re no better than the gods that left this world behind!”

“I know,” Ruby said as she wielded the Relic of Destruction in her hand, “I’m the last person who should be a god. I cheated my way into it. Betrayed the trust of my friends to get the Relics and to obtain the final piece.” Her head nudged upwards towards the crown on her head.

“Why couldn’t you have let us all be happy? Even your friends? Your family?” Salem desperately asked, hoping that the girl, now goddess, would see reason. They didn’t need this dead world. Why exist here when happiness was a simple wave away?

“Because she couldn’t bear to see this world – the world she loved so much – be destroyed,” Ruby stared directly at Salem with pain and hollowness, “I wanted to be happy too.”

For a moment, Salem didn’t see a goddess but a young girl pining for the one she lost, a girl who would sacrifice everything for that love. She saw herself in those hollow eyes, back when Ozma saved her from that tower and when Ozma left her through sickness.

Her body tensed in panic as her eyes saw the new deity point the sword at her chest. A dark light suddenly emerged from within her and poured straight into the sword. The dark veins that crossed against her skin receded against her face – the desires for destruction, the whispers inside her head that’ve been present since she dove into the Grimm pool, vanished into nothing, leaving her mind oddly blank and empty for once.

“What did you do?” Salem said shocked, looking at her hands and the faint yellow in her previous white locks. “I can’t get rid of your immortality as I can’t undo another god’s work,” Ruby said as she looked at the sword in her hand, “But for something you’ve done to yourself, I can reverse – and make it persist after I do what I’m about to do.”

The goddess pointed the Relic of Destruction at herself, the tip against the white fabric on her chest.

“What are you-“ Salem rose a hand as if to stop her before she stopped herself. Why did she do that? Wasn’t Ruby her enemy? She couldn’t help but feel something in her chest, a strange feeling she’d forgotten after all the millenia passing alone.

“I thought about it a lot,” Ruby said casually, “What I would erase so that this timeline no longer existed.” The girl said guiltlessly without aggression or hate, “I first thought about you. About how good it would be if you never existed. No more fighting in the dark. No more war guided by a hidden hand."

"But the Grimm will forever exist even without you. But more importantly, by erasing you, I would likely guarantee that she would never come to existence.”

It didn’t take a genius to realize who Ruby was talking about. The robot girl with a soul. It was part of her plot to destroy her, to break the hope of Remnant.

But Ruby only came back stronger and more galvanized, and now the girl was here with the winning hand.

“The answer was simple,” Ruby smiled, “Maybe if Ruby Rose didn’t exist. Perhaps everyone can be happy… even you. Maybe Penny wouldn’t need to sacrifice herself for someone who’s just ruined more lives than saved – someone who’s unworthy of being the Goddess of the Hunt.”

Salem couldn’t quite figure out what to say in response to that, and in a way, she didn’t need to because, without fanfare, Ruby simply said.

“Well, I guess that’s all.”

She plunged the Relic of Destruction into her chest.

The world ended.

=========

Epilogue 1:: Qrow::

Life was going great for Qrow Branwen.

He had finally gotten a handle on his Semblance, had a cute niece and nephew, was the most eligible bachelor in Remnant, and was even slated to become a professor at Beacon. He wanted to go to Patch and tell everyone the great news, except…he didn’t really like going to Patch.

In particular, he didn’t like to visit the Roses/Xiao Longs/Branwens home. It’s not that he didn’t like their company – his niece and nephew were the greatest. Summer always cooked up a storm when he came to visit. He could rib Tai about marrying both his teammates and get in a good old game of bragging going. It was those times that even made being around his sister almost bearable.

But whenever everyone came to greet him... Tai with his brotherly affection, Summer’s sincerity, Rory’s politeness, Yang’s excited babbling, and Raven’s sarcasm...

He couldn’t help but feel there should be something else. Like someone hanging off his arm with more excitability and enthusiasm than everyone in the family combined. Maybe screaming "did ya miss me? did ya miss me?" right in his ear.

That feeling of loss strikes him right in the heart every time.

And he’d have to excuse himself lest everyone see him cry for what seemed like nothing at all.

-----------------------------------------------------------

Epilogue 2: Summer and Salem

Salem:

It’s been years since she’s been able to think so clearly. The whispers of destruction and nihilism in her head seemed to fade away every so often. She almost didn’t want to destroy Humanity anymore, but she’d been running on momentum for the past couple millions of years, and it’s hard to think of living a life filled with anything else. Perhaps the effects of the Grimm pool weren’t permanent after all; even now, she could feel her connection with the Grimm become more tenuous – weaker.

Taking another dip into the pool would probably solve the issue, but she’d leave that for another time. It’s unusual for her to have such lucidity, and she’d like to enjoy it for on-

She felt a blade slip into the back of her head, followed by a sudden explosion of pain. She didn't even have the chance to scream before she was rent to dust.

She thought no more.

-------------------------------------------

Summer:

Summer Rose couldn’t quite understand it. Why did the Queen of all Grimm spare her?

She killed Salem. Found an opening and took it. Expended all of her aura for a single attack that would disintegrate her to ash.

And the Grimm’s master reformed from the ash that she had become, screaming in agony and rage all the while. She was sure she was going to die that day. The world around her lit up with hundreds and thousands of brilliantly colored lances, a beautiful power that could only be the magic that Ozpin spoke of.

But Salem didn’t. Just as the lights were about to descend upon her, they disappeared entirely, and Salem just had a strange look on her face, trembling.

In the end, Salem just gave her an angry, frightened? look and fled, leaving her behind.

But why?

-------

Salem:

She should’ve annihilated that woman. Summer Rose had been a thorn in her side ever since she joined Ozpin’s Circle. The fact she was able to kill her was proof of her threat level.

And she still let her go.

She couldn’t forget that sensation she felt when she charged up her magic, ready to smite that thorn in her side after so long.

A pair of silver eyes staring from on high and the feeling of being locked down by a force that eclipsed her own.

It promised pain.

It promised punishment.

Should she harm a single hair of that woman’s head, it promised suffering beyond anything the likes she could possibly imagine.

It was like being in front of one of the Brothers Grimm again, except even more so.

She let that woman go, and the feeling disappeared like it never even happened.

But she would remember this moment for eternity. …With this newfound clarity she now seems to have, maybe it was time for her to reconsider what she’s been doing with her immortal life.

---

Epilogue :: Penny – 1 :

There was a girl in her dreams. Sometimes she wore white and carried a bow. Sometimes she wore red and carried a scythe. But somehow Penny knew that she was the same girl.

The girl seemed so familiar like a long lost memory deep within a motor servo, not meant to be there but still there all the same. Sometimes she felt like that she was on the cusp of remembering who this familiar face was, but then the girl would reappear and shake her head, and she would just forget... as if the other girl didn’t want to be remembered or recalled – as if she were content just watching her live her life.

Whenever she saw the other girl, Penny could feel this burning, pulsing feeling inside her chest – something that was more than just pneumatics and electronics. Something that she dared to even call love…because she just knew. She tried using the CCT to figure out who the mysterious girl was, but the closest match was a Summer Rose who was far too old to be a match – and her kids didn’t look like Ruby at all.

…Ruby?

----

Epilogue :: Willow :

It all started from a dream – a vision – where her loving family was estranged. Winter never came home after she went to the Military. Weiss ran away to Vale because staying at the mansion was a nightmare. Whitley turned into a cold, cruel child under the guidance of her husband. And Jacques… the man she loved turned into a monster beyond recognition. Initially she didn’t believe the dream - dismissed it as nervousness from just having her third child and being overly anxious that something was going to go wrong.

Except she continued having dreams. All of them were about Jacques, her loving husband…except he didn’t seem so loving in those. A disdainful sniff about her opinion that she would’ve never noticed if she paid less attention or a roll of his eyes about her complaints that he’s never there for his daughters. Dreams that inevitably came true. And as each one came true, that dream where her family fractures into pieces came to mind - the dream that gave her sleepless nights on her empty bed with no one to comfort her.

It all came to a head when Weiss came back from her recital complaining about her dad not being there once more. When Jacques arrived home, she spoke up to try and convince him to come the next time. And that’s when Jacques dropped his bombshell – that he never loved her, that everything was to get control of the Schnee Dust Company and that he no longer had to hide it anymore. Fear and indignation filled her, but Jacques’s true feelings weren’t as much as a surprise anymore. It felt now like the dreams were preparing her for this moment where she had to choose… take her kids away from the monster her husband would become but have nothing to their name or let her kids grow in wealth but be forced to endure her husband’s abuse.

It’s clear from the dream that she tried the latter.

She won’t fail them now.

“I want a divorce, Jacques.”

“You dare?! I’m the one in control. You are just my trophy!”

Crack.

She felt the sting on her cheek, the man that used to be her husband had his hand raised with a gloating sensation on his face. As if he felt like she didn’t learn her lesson, he raised his arm to strike her again.

“No!” her youngest daughter tried to step in front of her, but she just pushed her behind her back. She didn’t want Weiss to get hit.

“You dare get in my way?!” Jacques yelled as he tried to kick at Weiss – or tried to.

Boom.

“AH!”

The scroll in Jacques’s pocket exploded, setting his pants on fire. Screaming, he dropped to the ground and rolled.

Distracted as he was by being on fire, Willow found the nerve to finally say, “We’re leaving, Jacques. Wait to hear from my lawyers.”

Gathering her kids, she left the Schnee Mansion for the last time.

---------------------------------

She got that divorce. Other than her family mansion which she sold, she didn’t get anything else – became a small-time programmer for Atlas, which paid enough for a small townhome down at Mantle.

Jacques took the company naturally, but things didn’t work out as he intended. The mines he controlled all over Remnant, which should’ve supplied enough Dust to last for decades, seemed to have dried up entirely, and the Atlasian Government seemed like it was going to take control of the Schne-err… Gele Dust Company any time now because of how badly in the red they are. Meanwhile, her youngest daughter has been having unprecedented success in the music industry, finding inter-Kingdom fame in almost a year's time. Any factor that could go smoothly did go smoothly. Meanwhile, those that plotted against Weiss seemed to inevitably end up in some sort of trouble, whether it’s horrible weather during their concerts or their instruments and technology failing to work or a revealed scandal from an accidentally-on webcam here or there.

What really took the cake was when some people tried kidnapping her daughter and its aftermath. The men who kidnapped Weiss begged to be taken into custody and admitted that it was Jacques who hired them to kidnap her child and “convince” her to tell tales of abuse about her mom so that he could get custody. Though the kidnappers kept mum about what happened to themselves, the severe burns and broken bones that all of them sported as well as the destroyed scrolls spoke a lot about what happened to them.

This combined with her dreams and what happened when Jacques tried to lay a hand on Weiss, Willow was finally convinced.

An angel was protecting her youngest daughter.

====

Epilogue :: This Will Be The Day:

And silently but surely, time fell upon the moment when the end of one world was decided.

Tick.

From all over Remnant, certain people lifted their heads startled just as a pair of eyes that had been watching them all this time finally closed.

--

“Ruby,” said Yang and Blake at the same time, eyes wide. They were about to eat lunch together when the memories of another life were dredged up. A young girl with a scythe, dressed with a red cloak, who fought by their side.

“Sis…” Yang choked out, Blake holding onto her and quietly crying for the one member of team RWBY that never came back with them.

--

“Ahhhh!” Roman screamed as he nearly fell over from his swivel chair, plotting the next heist. “Little Red? What I became griffon shit?!”

Neo stared at her mentor for a moment, eyes tearing as the memories of a previous world came over her. Her arms opened wide.

“Wait wait! NO HUGS. I HAVE A REPUTATION TO MAINTAIN,” Roman complained before the young girl wrapped his arms around his waist, silently sobbing in his stomach.

“Okay one hug,” he added before he tapped his foot for several seconds with no sign of Neo letting go, “You’re taking too long! ...Okay fine! Hug as long as you want then,” Roman threw up his arms in defeat before awkwardly patting Neo’s head.

------

“Ruby…” Weiss wiped her red eyes as she stared outside the window and back to the empty composing board. She wrote the composition’s title “Red Like Roses.”

------

“Ruby,” Cinder snarled before she softened her tone, “Ruby…” She knew what her life was supposed to be like, neglected and tortured by her stepsisters and stepmother, only to be ultimately betrayed by her mentor. But that didn’t happen. The first couple of times the shock necklace was used on her in the Gilded Unicorn, a young redhead hanging out with a young boy and his family – tourists - had immediately turned towards her and literally yanked the shock necklace off her neck. The fact the girl looked worse than she did when getting zapped, with lightning crackling in her hair and eyes, made everyone in the Gilded Unicorn, a place for cultured, high-end folk, to panic about their reputations.

Pretty soon, it was her stepmother and stepsisters heading off to jail, and she was being sponsored by Ren’s family like Nora was with Nora trying to convince her about the wonders of pancakes.

It's been several years since that day.

Ren and Nora quietly whispered “Ruby” as well before staring at Cinder.

“I…I…” Cinder stuttered, not knowing what to say at the ones who were previously her enemies.

Nora smirked, “Pfft! If you haven’t cooked me alive for making the HRRRRRRRRRRRRRR sounds by now, I don’t think we have anything to be afraid of.”

Cinder stared at the other girl who just smirked.

“HRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR” Nora growled out her poor impression of a sloth.

“Ha..shut up!” she couldn’t help the half-laugh half-cry that escaped her lips, punctuating her comment with a pillow toss into Nora’s face. The mirth soon left her as she turned to a pensive Ren who met her gaze and smiled softly.

“What we remember doesn’t matter. We’re different people now,” Ren said with a smile and shrug, “To us, you’re still Cinder - can’t decide on a badass last name after a couple years.”

Cinder snorted with that remark. “And you are still a smartass.”

“OKAY. OKAY GROUP HUG,” Nora screamed as she gathered Ren with one arm and grabbed at Cinder with the other.

“Nora!”

“NORA!”

------

“Ruby,” Salem rose her head to the skies. That feeling from before, when she was about to smited with the wrath of a god.

That must’ve been her.

Remnant now has a goddess, a Goddess of the Hunt. She once again glanced at her veinless skin and blonde hair in the waters of the oasis. She’d been exploring the ruins of Vacuo with the expedition she joined, trying to find something new to enjoy. And well…

“Salem, dear! We found it just like you said where it would be. A dedication to one of the Vacuoian kings! We’re relying on you for the translation.”

“Well…It’s nice to be needed, Doctor Oobleck.”

“Please call me Bart,” Bartholomew said before he offered a hand to her, “Maybe we can discuss the translation of the dedication and expand our knowledge…perhaps over a cup of coffee?”

She paused stunned before smiling, taking the offered hand, “It’ll be my pleasure.”

------

“I love you,” Penny said quietly as she stared into Remnant’s broken moon from the heights of Atlas. That feeling she’s felt, the longing – it was love. A love born from years living with each other in that illusory world.

She’ll find a way to see Ruby.

They’ll meet again one day.

That’s a promise.

=======

Epilogue :: Penny :: Last:

The Atlas project has been decommissioned, the floating city touching land after decades of floating. Some said that the city no longer had the Dust needed to keep it afloat while others said the government found it a horrible waste of resources. Only she knew the truth – that the Relic of Creation was to be repurposed for another project, one that has yet to be decided. Penny could think of a few uses for a Relic, its powers awesome and terrible at the same time, but her heart only could think of one.

She discovered the truth of Ruby’s existence from Salem herself. Or at least the blonde, human-looking version of Salem who was apparently dating one of Beacon’s ex-teachers.

Ironwood had a lot of words to say about that – how Salem couldn’t be trusted, that Doctor Oobleck was crazy for planning to marrying her even after she told him her past. What’s hilarious though was that she spotted Professor Ozpin congratulating Dr. Oobleck on his marriage even though he’s supposed to be the weird reincarnating ex-husband. In any case, Salem had made the process of decommissioning Atlas easier by providing a protective zone with her magic - though Ironwood still blamed her for crimes both past and future.

It pretty much ticked off Salem enough that she finally used the taboo words, “So Ironwood, shot any kids lately?”

Yeah their relationship still needs work. In any case, Salem told her about Ruby and of a way to communicate with her. When she asked why Salem was telling her this, Salem gave her a convincing reason why.

“I owe a lot to Ruby,” she glanced over at a Dr. Oobleck sleeping on his chair, having passed out with a book in hands, with a kind smile, “The least I can do is help you, the one she fought so hard for.”

-----

And now she was holding the Staff of Creation about to let a goddess once again descend onto Remnant.

Not in her entirety, just the part that represented how she was before – her humanity.

“Ruby.”

Time paused, even the rain outside stopped moving. Everything stopped except for her.

Petals appearing from thin air coalesced into a single figure, adorned with the cloak and clothes she remembered her in last. Her best friend – her love – her wife – suddenly collapsed, and she caught her before she fell. Silver eyes fluttered cautiously before confusion and then panic set hold.

“Penny…” Ruby started to breathe hastily as her wide eyes darted around at the world she sacrificed herself for, “I-can’t-be-here-I’ll-ruin-everything-again-you-have-to-send-me-back-I-can’t.” She trembled and began babbling about her failures in the past. About how she betrayed everyone’s trust to acquire the relics. How she nearly killed everyone with the Relic of Creation. How she got Penny herself killed. How the world worked better without her than with her.

Penny gripped the other girl tightly in a hug, feeling the other girl shake in her grip.

How long had Ruby been holding onto this guilt? This burden?

“It’s okay Ruby. You made things right. I’m here, right?” Penny quietly spoke, “Everyone’s okay. You saved everyone. You, most of all, deserve to live in the world you created.”

“I can’t, Penny. I might ruin everything again,” Ruby glanced at the Staff of Creation before burying her head into her shoulder, “You have to let me go.”

“Do you really want that, Ruby?” Penny quietly replied.

“No, but-“

“Then stay,” Penny pleaded, “I trust you. So please take a chance on yourself.”

“I can’-“

“I promise you that if this world has room for a robot girl, then it definitely has enough room for a goddess,” she said with a playful smirk, “even if she is a bit of a dork.”

Despite herself, Ruby let out a choked laugh amidst her tears, “This dork is your wife!”

“Don’t I know it,” Penny laughed before smiling peacefully and staring into her eyes, “Ruby. I’m looking forward to a future with you...”

“It’s all I ever wanted,” Penny finished.

“…It’s all I ever wanted too,” Ruby quietly replied, silver eyes closing shut before opening again with renewed resolve.

It was hard to say who moved first, but as Ruby lifted with her toes and Penny leaned forward, their lips met softly in a kiss.