[She had been through a lot, yes. But that didn't mean what Ozpin was going through was any less important. She knew the amount of people he had lost because of her. She had seen his pain back on the beach, felt it when he was in her head. She wouldn't forget that.]
It's been a hard time for everyone, I can't forget that regardless of what I've been through.
It... Was an experience and it was terrifying to say the least. But... I'm back and that's what counts.
Coming to terms with what happened while I was that thing. That's a little different.
[ He reflects, not for the first time since sharing space in her mind, that she is really astonishingly brave. He could not fault her for wanting to turn away, after all that. He could not fault her for retreating in despair, and yet here she is, politely worrying over him.
Ozpin settles in to consider his reply. ]
I can imagine.
If the past weeks have been difficult for me, it has been in a way I am already deeply accustomed to enduring. This was something altogether new.
Recovering from an experience of that nature takes far longer than the simple wounds.
[Giving up was not something Ruby was very good at. Now that she knew a little more about her history with Ozpin maybe it's something that she got just as much from him as she did from the rest of her family.]
Well you don't have to bear it alone anymore. ...Not here and maybe one day back at home too.
You're right though. I... Well I didn't think something like that was possible in the first place.
I don't know how to describe what it was like-
It. Well I wasn't me- But I can remember what it was like.
[ You don't have to bear it alone. But he always has, of course. He has always outlived all those who would seek to comfort him, and typically he outlives them because he brings an early death. Deerington is looking to be no different. It's only that they can each die to her again and again... should she return.
He focuses on this, instead. ]
We can only hope it would not be possible at home, and is merely an artifact of the dream.
[ The alternative, the possibility of there being someone beneath that Hound that prowls the halls, is more than he can bear. ]
I can only imagine how upsetting it would be to harm those around you without conscious control.
I am sure you have been told a hundred times over, Ruby, but please know that no part of what happened was your fault. I can say with great confidence that Oscar assigns no blame to you.
You will both need time to recover from the ordeal.
Yeah... I've been wondering about that. How much of that was Salem's actual doing and how much was the dream enhancing it and making it worse.
[Ahahaha- If only they knew. But... Ruby can't help but wonder if that might have something to do with why Salem had wanted Tyrian to her alive.]
It... was more than a little terrifying. I'm not going to lie. My stomach twists in weird loops the more I remember of it.
Yeah, I know. I already had a talk with him. He seemed to think this was somehow all his fault. I just wish he didn't have to live with the consequences of what had happened.
...Yeah. I have some ideas about that actually. At least to help with it.
[ It is promising that she can talk about it at all. He has lived a hundred lives more, and could not so openly do the same. It is remarkable to see, and he cannot help but respect her for it.
As for Oscar: ]
He will adjust. I can be of some help to him in that regard.
[ This is not their first time recovering from such a grave injury. Oscar will have Ozpin to lean on in ways no one else could offer.
And as for her ideas... ]
Anything with which I might lend assistance?
[ He has made her struggle without his help for long enough, to be sure. He'd like to lend it now. ]
[When she first arrived she might not have been able to do something like this. But her time in Deerington had helped her open up about the things that distressed her, knowing Oz's connection with her family line had helped too. She was... more comfortable talking with him about things like this.]
If you could that would be great. He might be more comfortable talking with you too. After all of this.
...I want to build him a new leg when he's ready. or do what I can. I know you've got some skill when it comes to building weapons, and I've got Ironwood's information on prosthetics.
[ Build him a leg. Yes, that is only logical, for all that it is still an uncomfortable pang to know that it will be needed. They are not all like James; the recovery will be slow and painful. Oz can help just as he could guide Ruby through bowling, in a sense, but...
It will not be easy.
As for the project itself, there may be more qualified individuals within Deerington. But it is not, ultimately, a bad idea. He has not been an engineer for lifetimes, but he was at one point an engineer, and he owes something to the both of them. He would like to make good on that. ]
Yes, Ruby, if you would like my help in engineering something, I would be glad to help. We can at least review the information that General Ironwood provided.
I'd like that. A whole lot actually. I think Oscar would appreciate it too, if we worked on something like that together. He's kind of taken to your aesthetic a little lately. Or at least he's less defensive about it. We could try and work that in a little? Make it a kind of uh... family project?
For a moment, Ozpin is rendered speechless. He cannot remember a time he was open about the origin of silver eyes. Most like her never learn of their true connection, and no one— much less a young Huntress who has been put through so much on his behalf, survived so many of his worst mistakes— has ever learned the full truth and been glad.
He cannot fathom why she would want to claim him as family, after all that he has done. And yet here she is offering an entirely undeserved olive branch.
He will take it. ]
I would be honored.
Yes, let's.
I would be glad to meet you in your workshop whenever seems best, Ruby.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
It's been a hard time for everyone, I can't forget that regardless of what I've been through.
It... Was an experience and it was terrifying to say the least. But... I'm back and that's what counts.
Coming to terms with what happened while I was that thing. That's a little different.
no subject
Ozpin settles in to consider his reply. ]
I can imagine.
If the past weeks have been difficult for me, it has been in a way I am already deeply accustomed to enduring. This was something altogether new.
Recovering from an experience of that nature takes far longer than the simple wounds.
no subject
Well you don't have to bear it alone anymore. ...Not here and maybe one day back at home too.
You're right though. I... Well I didn't think something like that was possible in the first place.
I don't know how to describe what it was like-
It. Well I wasn't me- But I can remember what it was like.
no subject
He focuses on this, instead. ]
We can only hope it would not be possible at home, and is merely an artifact of the dream.
[ The alternative, the possibility of there being someone beneath that Hound that prowls the halls, is more than he can bear. ]
I can only imagine how upsetting it would be to harm those around you without conscious control.
I am sure you have been told a hundred times over, Ruby, but please know that no part of what happened was your fault. I can say with great confidence that Oscar assigns no blame to you.
You will both need time to recover from the ordeal.
no subject
[Ahahaha- If only they knew. But... Ruby can't help but wonder if that might have something to do with why Salem had wanted Tyrian to her alive.]
It... was more than a little terrifying. I'm not going to lie. My stomach twists in weird loops the more I remember of it.
Yeah, I know. I already had a talk with him. He seemed to think this was somehow all his fault. I just wish he didn't have to live with the consequences of what had happened.
...Yeah. I have some ideas about that actually. At least to help with it.
no subject
As for Oscar: ]
He will adjust. I can be of some help to him in that regard.
[ This is not their first time recovering from such a grave injury. Oscar will have Ozpin to lean on in ways no one else could offer.
And as for her ideas... ]
Anything with which I might lend assistance?
[ He has made her struggle without his help for long enough, to be sure. He'd like to lend it now. ]
no subject
If you could that would be great. He might be more comfortable talking with you too. After all of this.
...I want to build him a new leg when he's ready. or do what I can. I know you've got some skill when it comes to building weapons, and I've got Ironwood's information on prosthetics.
Maybe we could put something together.
no subject
It will not be easy.
As for the project itself, there may be more qualified individuals within Deerington. But it is not, ultimately, a bad idea. He has not been an engineer for lifetimes, but he was at one point an engineer, and he owes something to the both of them. He would like to make good on that. ]
Yes, Ruby, if you would like my help in engineering something, I would be glad to help. We can at least review the information that General Ironwood provided.
no subject
A whole lot actually.
I think Oscar would appreciate it too, if we worked on something like that together.
He's kind of taken to your aesthetic a little lately.
Or at least he's less defensive about it.
We could try and work that in a little?
Make it a kind of uh... family project?
no subject
For a moment, Ozpin is rendered speechless. He cannot remember a time he was open about the origin of silver eyes. Most like her never learn of their true connection, and no one— much less a young Huntress who has been put through so much on his behalf, survived so many of his worst mistakes— has ever learned the full truth and been glad.
He cannot fathom why she would want to claim him as family, after all that he has done. And yet here she is offering an entirely undeserved olive branch.
He will take it. ]
I would be honored.
Yes, let's.
I would be glad to meet you in your workshop whenever seems best, Ruby.