RWBY Through Worlds (End)

228: Cradle to the Grave

After the laughter died down, Ozma felt ashamed of himself.

"But of course," he said hastily, "I should be begging you for forgiveness, though I know I don't deserve it."

He fell to his knees. "I never imagined the damage I would do by my rash choices and the pain it would cause, and using your staff was horrendously despicable, and--"

"Oz, please leave off," Alicia said, looking down at him with some annoyance. "Do you want to waste what little time we have on this? I know all already, that I need to know of your regrets. Do you think I care? I know that there are risks to this job, and let's settle this once and for all--I forgave you at the time. The curse was a hard thing to kick, and I see now that you clearly needed Oscar's help. I'm not upset. I was given the opportunity to be able to help him, and now to see all of you... this is more than I could ask for. God is kinder than we are. I didn't think I could be so happy."

In fact, she was glowing.

"But to see you all in person finally after you won just... I know it's all come right," she put a hand to her heart. "And you may not believe this, as you hardly know me, but I loved you all, as I watched you, and I prayed for you all along your journey."

"Perhaps it was this that made us have so much aid even when we didn't know we needed it," Winter said. "Perhaps, even, it was why Shine and Wally were sent to us."

"You never gave up," Shine said, in awe. "It's amazing..."

Even Shine was amazed.

Ozma looked up.

"Get up already," Alicia said.

"Oh, for goodness' sake, Ozma." Salem folded her arms. "Stop groveling."

"This is not about you," Ozma said, standing up and giving her a salty look. 

Salem rolled her eyes.

"Well, she's right though," Alicia said. "I think I've heard enough of your apologies for the curse... Are you all right now?"

"I... think I will be," Ozma said. "The truth is... the curse is gone, and all that feels right now. But I have no place in Remnant anymore. I think I finally know how you felt while you walked the world. Like you never fit. It's like that for me."

"I didn't feel like that all the time." Alicia looked down. "I believe that was why we got on even when we didn't get on. You were just as lost as me--it was a little less lonesome... so I do understand."

She leaned on her staff, and they could see how Oscar had modeled his after it, but hers was a bit older and more classic looking. You knew it was not a Remnant-made object.

"Of course, the entire thing might be different than you think," Alicia said after a pause. "It just occurred to me that there's something in the fact that there're so many roads here."

"What do you mean?" Ozma said, but he looked around and he seemed to understand.

"You mean," Salem said oddly, "he could leave? Leave Remnant, but... not die?"

"I don't know, darling," Alicia said, "that I can say for sure who will and will not die. But I know leaving the world really is not death, not in this way. Unless you're dead already perhaps, and then how do you know what it is? But what is death but leaving the world? In one sense it would be death, but in another, Ozma might go on for a long time even in this body and then forever in eternity, as we all might if we choose it. But for this moment now, I believe the choice is perhaps clearer than you'd think."

"You mean he's going to go to another world?" Ruby asked.

Alicia shrugged.

Everyone looked at Ozma.