[ Smart. He stares at that one word for a very long time, perplexed. Then he reads, and re-reads, her description.
It certainly sounds like a Grimm, but there are large pieces left unexplained. ]
No. Typically, they present a very... acute danger. Their nature is inherently straightforward: they are creatures of destruction. On Remnant, they are the malevolent force faced by Huntsmen and Huntresses.
[That's a relief at least - from what Ozpin says, the wounds should heal like any other injury, and she doesn't have to be concerned about any ill effects from the encounter.
Once she has her injuries taken care of, she settles in on the couch and turns off the voice to text to continue.]
Well, it was more interested in me than anything - it didn't want anything to do with Puck, or the animals in the barn. Even then it didn't seem really interested in picking a fight - it just wanted to know where you were. It only got aggressive when I wouldn't tell it what it wanted to know. It said it knew I was lying.
Once the sun comes up, I'll cast a spell that should warn me next time it's within a hundred yards of here. I can do the same at your place when I'm done.
Grimm do not speak. Grimm certainly do not demand answers of their victims. That she could create something with enough direction to seek him out specifically— yes, that is possible. Her creations are ever more under her control. He would not be surprised, though he could certainly be despairing, to learn that she has made some new monster into her puppet.
[ And it processed her replies. It accused her of lying. It has the capacity to parse the concept of truth, and then make a judgment as to whether it is encountering truth or deception.
Grimm do not know of deception. It is counter to their being: they are mindless destructive energy, nothing more. There has only ever been a single being who might be considered partly Grimm and yet a reasoning, intelligent... person.
(She is a person, though there have certainly been times he would not have said as much.)
Is this some facsimile of Deerington's, then? Some new local horror? Might it even be unrelated to her? ]
[ But the timing cannot be a coincidence. If she is finally moving... well, Ruby is already missing. Glitch, as well. What if this is simply Deerington's effect on her creatures? What if it has not hindered her, but made her things more unpredictable, more horrifyingly complex?
What has she set upon them?
There is one way to know, and he asks it with dread, after a long pause: ]
[ He cannot convey all of this to her. He does not yet know enough to convey it to anyone. But he thinks of the Lab, and of how she had looked there, young and warm and human. He thinks of how she had tried to kill him, and then, worse, of how she had held him.
This place is changing her. It is twisting her as it has twisted him. He realizes, with a horrible lurch, that he can no longer predict her moves. This is not their usual chess game: the rules and the players have all been disrupted. This is something new, and it has been set upon all those he cares about.
For better of worse, Willow is one of them. ]
I am sorry to hear you were injured, Willow. Please do what you can to remain safe. It may be best for you to stay at your current location until we learn more.
As I have said, I've a great deal of experience facing creatures of this sort. You do not need to worry for me.
The first thing it said was 'fetch the wizard.' I hoped it was just a case of mistaken identity until it accused me of lying. Aside from Rei, you're the only other person here who uses magic that I hang around.
I'll be okay, you don't have to worry about me either. I'll be careful. Besides, I don't think it'll be back - it didn't find out anything useful, and I did manage to hurt it at least little too, I think.
We might not have Grimm at home, but this isn't exactly the first time I've ever seen monsters. Sometimes a little early warning can help, even if you don't think it's going to be able to surprise you. Let me know if you change your mind, okay?
This might gently be called alarming. Ozpin is not inclined to call it what it is, which is frightening and impossible. But Deerington does seem to thrive in making the impossible real.
No, he does not want her anywhere near him, right now. ]
This is very unusual behavior for a Grimm.
I will do what I can to investigate... and not to put myself in harm's way.
[She hates this, being essentially told to stay home and stay out of trouble. She's never encountered a monster in Deerington before that was determined it needed to single-mindedly go after one individual, and Ozpin pointing out that this is unusual behaviour for the Grimm in his world brings up plenty of questions.]
Keep me posted, will you?
Do you have any idea at all why it might after you?
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It certainly sounds like a Grimm, but there are large pieces left unexplained. ]
No. Typically, they present a very... acute danger. Their nature is inherently straightforward: they are creatures of destruction. On Remnant, they are the malevolent force faced by Huntsmen and Huntresses.
In short, they are simple monsters.
How did it behave, exactly?
no subject
Once she has her injuries taken care of, she settles in on the couch and turns off the voice to text to continue.]
Well, it was more interested in me than anything - it didn't want anything to do with Puck, or the animals in the barn. Even then it didn't seem really interested in picking a fight - it just wanted to know where you were. It only got aggressive when I wouldn't tell it what it wanted to know. It said it knew I was lying.
Once the sun comes up, I'll cast a spell that should warn me next time it's within a hundred yards of here. I can do the same at your place when I'm done.
1/3
Ozpin... processes this. ]
2/5 I was wrong
Grimm do not speak. Grimm certainly do not demand answers of their victims. That she could create something with enough direction to seek him out specifically— yes, that is possible. Her creations are ever more under her control. He would not be surprised, though he could certainly be despairing, to learn that she has made some new monster into her puppet.
But still it should not speak. ]
3/5
Grimm do not know of deception. It is counter to their being: they are mindless destructive energy, nothing more. There has only ever been a single being who might be considered partly Grimm and yet a reasoning, intelligent... person.
(She is a person, though there have certainly been times he would not have said as much.)
Is this some facsimile of Deerington's, then? Some new local horror? Might it even be unrelated to her? ]
4/5
What has she set upon them?
There is one way to know, and he asks it with dread, after a long pause: ]
How do you know I was its intended target?
no subject
This place is changing her. It is twisting her as it has twisted him. He realizes, with a horrible lurch, that he can no longer predict her moves. This is not their usual chess game: the rules and the players have all been disrupted. This is something new, and it has been set upon all those he cares about.
For better of worse, Willow is one of them. ]
I am sorry to hear you were injured, Willow. Please do what you can to remain safe. It may be best for you to stay at your current location until we learn more.
As I have said, I've a great deal of experience facing creatures of this sort. You do not need to worry for me.
[ This is, of course, a bald-faced lie. ]
no subject
I'll be okay, you don't have to worry about me either. I'll be careful. Besides, I don't think it'll be back - it didn't find out anything useful, and I did manage to hurt it at least little too, I think.
We might not have Grimm at home, but this isn't exactly the first time I've ever seen monsters. Sometimes a little early warning can help, even if you don't think it's going to be able to surprise you. Let me know if you change your mind, okay?
no subject
This might gently be called alarming. Ozpin is not inclined to call it what it is, which is frightening and impossible. But Deerington does seem to thrive in making the impossible real.
No, he does not want her anywhere near him, right now. ]
This is very unusual behavior for a Grimm.
I will do what I can to investigate... and not to put myself in harm's way.
Thank you.
no subject
Keep me posted, will you?
Do you have any idea at all why it might after you?
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[ (He doesn't need it confirmed. He has seen her, already. She touched him. He knows she is here, and real.) ]
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