Everyone thought I was strong.

Despite being under the rubble for probably an hour or so, my aura had actually managed to protect me for the majority of the time I'd spent under there, leaving me with only a few broken bones, which wouldn't take too long to heal up. And, even though I felt a lot of pain, I still managed to pick myself up off the stretcher, and walk, despite the broken bones in my waist area.

Everyone thought I was strong. I couldn't disagree more.

If I was strong, how come I couldn't get myself to hate (Y/N) even when I tried? How come when I looked over the countless people dead or clinging to the last ounce of life they had, I still loved (Y/N) deeply, and just wanted to see him normal again?

I felt weak, hopeless.

I was in a camp set up a few miles outside of what used to be Vale, where medics were scrambling to keep people alive. Most of them were unsuccessful.

"Ruby!"

I turned around to see my teammates running up to me. They embraced me. Their hugs, especially Yang's, only added to my already terrible pain, but I endured.

"Where's (Y/N)?" I asked.

"He left," Yang said, breaking the embrace. "He's in the ocean."

"I meant the kid," I said.

"Oh," Yang said. "He's looking for his mom. Did you find her?"

"Yeah," I said. "But she's hurt really bad."

"What happened?" Blake asked.

"What do you think happened?" I said. "(Y/N). He tried to kill me, and I was keeping her close. I should've led him away from her--"

"Don't blame yourself," Weiss said. "You were thinking in the moment. It would take a much quicker thinker than you to think of something like that in a situation that terrible."

"I don't know whether to be offended or thankful," I said.

"She's right you know."

I turned, and I saw Oobleck standing next to us, looking over the survivors and corpses filling the tent.

"None of this is your fault," he said. "It's (Y/N)'s."

"Yeah," I said. "I tried to stop him. And I almost reached him. But he didn't think I could actually forgive him for... all this."

"Do you?" Blake asked.

"Do I forgive him?" I said. "I know I shouldn't but... I do. I understand why he did all this. Even though I know it's wrong... I still love him so much. I just hope we can save him before he kills anyone else..."

"I don't think we can," Oobleck said. I turned to him. "As much as I hate to admit it... I don't think there's any way of reaching (Y/N). He's long gone by now."

He started to lower his head, looking ashamed.

"Profes-- Doctor Oobleck?" Weiss said. "Is something wrong?"

Oobleck looked at me. "Ruby... do you remember that... thing... I showed you and (Y/N) the other day?"

I tapped my chin, trying to jog my memory of anything that happened before all this Godzilla stuff. Then, it all came back to me.

The Oxygen Destroyer!

"Yeah," I said. "You told us... to... keep it... secret..."

"Keep what secret?" Blake asked.

"Oops," I whispered.

"It's fine, Ruby," Oobleck said. He turned to the others. "Over the past few years, I've been experimenting with oxygen. In the process, I made something horrific. I only showed it to Ruby and (Y/N), because I was afraid it could be used as a weapon."

"Yeah," I said. "But... I don't see what that has to do with all--" Suddenly, it snapped. I gasped, and covered my mouth with both hands as I understood what Oobleck was getting at. "No... you can't..."

"I don't have a choice," Oobleck said.

"What?" Yang said. "What's going on?"

"No!" I shouted, ignoring Yang. "We can still get to him! I almost saved him last night! Maybe there's still a chance--"

"I don't want to do this any more than you want me to," Oobleck said. "But if we don't take action fast, he might kill more people."

"But I know he's still in there!" I said, tears starting to form. "If I can just reach out to him--"

"Ruby, you already tried!" Oobleck said. "He's gone, Ruby. I don't want to believe it either, but we both know it's true. You can't save him any more than we can."

"That doesn't mean I can't try!" I said. "He's just scared and angry! I just need to talk to him!"

"Ruby, please, he could kill everyone if we don't do this--"

"WELL MAYBE HE'S RIGHT!!!"

Everyone stared at me in complete shock. Even I couldn't believe I said that. He killed so many people. But then again, it was their fault, not his. They hurt him. They forced him to turn into that. They tricked me.

I turned around, and ran. Where was my destination? Didn't know, didn't care. I just had to run. Away from them. Away from Oobleck. Away from the one who wanted to kill the person I loved the most.

But the running only made my injuries worse, and I finally gave in to the pain, and fell to my knees, sobbing. Sobbing from both the pain, and the thought of losing (Y/N).

He didn't deserve any of this. He was so innocent, and they all did this to him. Why couldn't anyone just let him live?

"Mommy?"

I stopped crying when I heard the familiar voice of Y/N Lectrie. I moved my hands away from my face, and turned to see Y/N walking over to his mom.

I got up, and walked over to see the exchange.

Emi smiled at him.

"Hi, Y/N," she said.

"What happened?" Y/N said, starting to cry.

"Oh, Mommy's just a little hurt is all," she said. "How are you doing, baby?"

"I'm okay, Mommy," he said. "Did Ruby bring you here?"

I bent down next to Y/N, and patted his back. Emi smiled the moment she saw me.

"Yes she did," she said. "You made a brave friend, Y/N."

He smiled at her, and nodded. "She's really nice."

Emi smiled at him, and started to cough.

"Mommy?" he said, getting scared.

"M-Mommy's got to go now," she said. She turned to me. "Ruby? Promise me, no matter what, you will take care of Y/N."

I started to tear up, and I nodded.

Emi placed her hand behind Y/N's head, and pulled him close to kiss his forehead. "I love you so much. Be a good boy while I'm gone. Okay?"

He nodded through his tears.

Then, right before his eyes, she passed away.

"Mommy?" he said. He shook her, and was starting to cry. "Mommy?!"

I pulled him into a hug. "She's gone."

He cried into my chest. "Where did she go?"

"I don't know," I said. "I really don't know."

"Why did your friend do it?" he asked. "Why did he kill her?"

I stayed silent, as I thought about the situation. (Y/N) may have had a good reason for all of this, but he just killed an innocent woman, and turned this innocent kid into an orphan.

"I... I don't know," I said. "I really don't know."

Later, I was sitting down, watching my teammates try to cheer Y/N up. Unsuccessfully.

"Hey."

I turned to the source of the voice, and saw the one behind all of this.

"Hey, Cardin," I grumbled.

He sighed, and looked over everything in front of him.

"This is my fault," he said.

I looked at him in shock. "What did you just say?"

"It's just..." Cardin said, struggling over his words. "Why couldn't I just have left him alone? It would've been better for everyone..."

"Are you... taking responsibility?" I said.

He looked at me. "For once, I guess so. Ruby... I'm really sorry. I guess I finally understand why you guys wanted to leave. I was a real jerk."

I chuckled. "Yeah, you really were."

"I just... I wish there was something I could do to make all of this up to you."

I smiled at him. "You just did."

Then, I frowned as I came to another realization. (Y/N) killed so many people, and tore apart so many families. But not only that, the people who did this to him had some kindness in them. They just needed help finding it. If even someone like Cardin could find it in themselves to change, then we had to do this. As much as I didn't want to, there was no other choice.

I stood up, and made my way to Oobleck.

"Where are you going?" Cardin asked.

"I'm going to do something I'll regret," I said.

I walked up behind Oobleck, who was talking to Ozpin, obviously about the Oxygen Destroyer. They looked at me.

"Miss Rose," Ozpin said. "I know that you--"

"Do it," I said.

"What?" Oobleck said, confused.

I shut my eyes tight, and my heart shattered as my next words came out.

"Kill him."