Ozpin wasn’t sure how to feel about his secrets being revealed like this. He’d known it was coming, sure, and he was quite upset about things being laid out so… plainly, but…

If it was being laid out like this, then Second Thoughts had known the truth the entire time.

Their very first interaction starting off with an accusation of being a secretive little parasite should have tipped him off well enough, but even with all of his suspicions, Oz had hoped that things weren’t quite so clear to Second Thoughts.

Second Thoughts didn’t know everything after all. He’d proven to grow less and less reliable in the information he could give as time went on. The worry had always been there, yes, but he could not have lasted so long in his fight against Salem if he had given up on any and all wishful thinking.

It was one thing to know that when he died, his soul would be forced into a new host. Plenty of people had been informed of that over the many, many, many years he’d been around, if only to ensure that the transfer of power between the unfortunate people deemed similar enough to him was a somewhat simple affair.

It was one thing to know that there was a war in the shadows, one started by the woman he loved and those accursed Brother Gods. Dealing with the Maidens and the Relics and those who used the grimm was a task he’d been seeking help with for millennia.

These things getting out, while definitely troublesome since there were so many witnesses present, were things that he had dealt with time and time again.

But Jinn revealing the question that had broken him was an entirely different thing altogether.

“How do I destroy Salem?” A voice that he had all but forgotten asked in the void.

“You can’t.” Jinn answered.

This was it then.

He hardly suspected that Qrow and Glynda, whom he considered his two most loyal supporters at the moment, would be terribly receptive to that information. Qrow especially, given what he’d lost in this fight against Salem. His team shattered. His sister estranged. His leader, and the mother of his nieces, buried in the ground. Any chance of a normal life tossed to the wayside to chase after Salem and her pawns on dangerous missions for all these years.

And the rest of them?

He could only assume that their reactions would be considerably worse.

Though as Jinn showed them more, and more, and more… he couldn’t help but wonder.

Second’s attitude towards him had never been cordial. That had gone out the window with their first conversation.

But the semblance had always tried to include him. Tried to paint them as potential allies, even if they would never be friends.

Why would that be?

Given what Second had apparently known all this time, he knew this fight was a fool’s errand. They could never win, only delay and prolong.

So why work to stop Salem and her agents? Why give them knowledge that would prevent their schemes?

Was it simply to ensure that Jaune and his friends lived? He supposed that could be the reason, and yet that was a goal that could very well be achieved without drawing the attention of Cinder, and by extension, Salem.

With all the information he had, it would have been difficult, but possible to manipulate them all into going elsewhere while Beacon fell. Kept them far from the danger.

Yet here they were, still in Beacon.

Was it some sense of obligation? The same sort of thing that led many to become huntsmen? “I have the ability to save all these people, and so I must at least try.”

Given what they’d seen of his past, that was a possibility. Someone who had grown up reading tales of heroes finally getting the chance to live as a protagonist, even if he wouldn’t quite consider it his story… many would jump at the chance.

But Second was from a world, a culture, completely alien to them. It could be for reasons that he might never understand.

Whatever the case, he could only hope that Second Thoughts had reason for taking things down this route. That despite the trouble they were assuredly going to experience with interpersonal relationships, he would help to keep them all focused on their true enemy.

It had been quite some time since he’d been put on the backfoot like this.

Ozpin didn’t like the feeling.

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

Scene after scene after scene after scene was played out before them.

Jaune lost track of just how many there were. The timelines… no, the stories started to blend together in his mind, and he had trouble keeping track of which scenes should be grouped with which, beyond the ones that had obvious tells like the video game world.

Eventually though, things slowed to a halt. The scenes of the various versions of him and the people he knew stopped appearing before them.

Instead, the two Brother Gods from Ozpin- no, Ozma’s story were before them now, standing in the blank void just like he was. What had the God of Light called it? A place between realms?

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“But if you are to truly know the truth behind Second Thoughts, then the moment where this timeline branched off is of particular importance,” Jinn’s voice rang out. “The decision that led you all to where you are now.”

“It is unfortunate that our experiment failed, but I have hope that the next will be more fruitful.“ The God of Light told his brother.

“I still think that we should wipe them from existence immediately.” The God of Darkness whined.

“Now, Brother,” The God of Light placed a hand on the other’s shoulder, “We can create countless worlds. It is of no importance. Either they shall see the error of their ways, and we will be worshiped once more, or they shall not and we will erase them. What is time on a human scale when compared to the eternity we will exist for? They shall be judged before long.”

That seemed to calm him down.

“Now, what should we do this time around? Obviously something needs to change if we want our experiment to succeed this time.”

“Hmm. Perhaps-”

“Excuse me, I couldn’t help but overhear that you’ve abandoned a world?” A third voice chimed in.

Jaune and the Brother Gods turned to it, all seemingly just as surprised as the others.

Jaune couldn’t see it.

He could tell that something was there, but unlike with the Brother Gods, he couldn’t… perceive it? There was a figure but also void, and whatever it was, his brain refused to comprehend it.

The Brother Gods didn’t seem to have this problem. But they also didn’t recognize the figure, if the guarded body language was any indication.

“You…” The God of Light started.

“How is this possible?” The God of Darkness demanded.

The third figure let out a hearty laugh. “Ah, to be young again. You are not the only Gods, you know. Your realms are not the only ones out there. Or rather, your realm, at least for now.”

“The Brother Gods were confused,” Jinn explained. “Until now, they had only known each other and their creations. They did not think it possible that there were others like them. But the evidence was before them. If there were two Gods, then who was to say that there could not be a third? It was not like one of their creations could be here without their intervention, so what else could this new figure be? Even if it was a shock to them. And if there could be a third, then why not a fourth, or a hundredth, or a millionth, or countless other Gods, somewhere out there. Perhaps they were not as special as they previously thought.”

The God of Light recovered from the shock first. “I see… What is it that you want from us, then? You mentioned our creation, before.” With all of the prayers sent his way, he had long grown used to requests, even if this was the first time he’d get one that wasn’t from one of their creations.

“Oh, nothing much,” the third God answered. ”If you’re abandoning this realm for a new one, you should hardly even notice! I just thought it polite to ask…”

The God of Darkness growled in annoyance, but the third God only laughed again.

“You’ve been playing with reincarnation, correct?” The God did not wait for a reply. “I myself am quite a fan, but having my creations reincarnate in my own realms grew tiresome so, so long ago. And so, when the opportunity arises, I give the souls I’ve created the chance to live a life in a new realm. I’d like to add your realm to that list.”

“You would tamper with our creation?” The God of Light asked, clearly not pleased.

“Were you not just speaking of wiping the realm from existence? Why should it matter if your efforts are going to be focused on a new one? It’s not like I would do much. There are many other Gods, many other realms… what would one measly soul be in your creation?”

The Brother Gods turned to each other, deliberating wordlessly, before speaking simultaneously. “You may bring one soul to our realm, and in exchange… you will teach us more. It seems we have much to learn.”

The third God laughed. “Of course! Of course. Why, I was planning to do that anyway, you know!”

With a flick of the God’s hand, a tiny wisp of light appeared above it. The God held the wisp close to its face. “How about you, little one? You’ve been dreaming an awful lot. Would you like to go on an adventure?”

The wisp didn’t respond, at least not in any way that Jaune could pick up on.

“Perfect.”

The wisp of light vanished from sight.

“Now, would you like to meet the others? Or some of them, at least. I think you’d get along well with-”

The Gods faded out with a puff of blue smoke.

Jaune blinked, and the endless white void was gone.

He was back in the Atlesian airship, plenty of shocked faces staring back at him. Or maybe through him was a better way to phrase it, with the looks they had on their faces.

“Reincarnated?” A soft voice called out.

It took Jaune a moment to realize it was Second who had said that. It was strange to look at him now, knowing what he did.

His semblance… his friend… his…

Second looked down at his blue hands. “I… died? That’s… oh….”

He didn’t know that? How could you not know that you had died?

The room was silent beyond Second’s apparent realization.

For a moment at least.

“Fuck me.” Qrow groaned, bringing everyone’s attention to him.

The man turned, walking back to the room he had been hiding in when they arrived. “I’m raiding your bar for real this time, Jimmy. I’m way too sober to deal with this shit.”

Roman ripped the duct tape off his mouth, apparently no longer held on by Goodwitch’s semblance, and made to follow. “I think I’ll join you. Fucking hell… a cartoon? Really?” He wiped a hand over his face.

The woman was only loosely holding onto her crop, but Roman’s actions snapped her to attention. “What do you think-”

Ozpin stopped her, removing his own gag. “Not now, Glynda. I think we could all use a drink. Yourself included.”

“Does that include us?” Yang quickly piped in.

“Yang!” Ruby turned on her sister.

Ozpin seemed to actually consider the question for a moment.

Goodwitch glowered. “Absolutely not. I’ll not have everyone taking on Qrow’s awful coping mechanisms.”

“I have a bottle of your favorite vintage, Glynda.” Ironwood commented, following behind Neo, who was at Torchwick's side.

Goodwitch wavered.

She looked at the shell shocked expressions still on most of those present.

“...perhaps a sip wouldn’t hurt.”

Yang cheered loud enough that he was pretty sure she didn’t hear Winter mumble about a non-alcoholic selection.

Jaune tuned out the conversations from that point on. If the lot of them were going to just ignore what they’d just learned and try to forget by drinking their problems away, then he didn’t need to pay attention to what they were saying.

Instead, his focus was on Second Thoughts.

His semblance.

His friend.

…or was he?