[No wonder Peter was as spooked about all this as he was. It had been creepy enough seeing how things work with Oscar and Ozpin, but not having a clue what one or the other was doing while one was in control of their body must have been terrifying.]
That... Must be really scary. I can't imagine losing control like that.
[She pauses before answering. She wanted to be careful about how she brought Oscar up into this. She wanted to help both him and Peter but she'd have to speak with him first before bringing him directly into the situation.]
It is. I've watched it happen a few times and that's kind of how he'd describe it. There'd be a light in his eyes and suddenly the other one would be in control. They were both aware of what one another were doing. It was like two people were inhabiting the same body.
[She tried to think back on the words Jinn has used to describe the mess.]
It's strange but the soul inhabiting my friends body was someone who was cursed. A spirit with a mission he has to complete and until he does he'll reincarnate in the body of someone with a like mind. My friend was the lucky person that spirit ended up in next.
I don't know how like that situation is to yours. But I promised to help that friend and I'm willing to help you too. Because you're a friend too, Peter. No matter what happens to you.
[ Peter's listening to all of this with wide eyes, letting the concept of it absorb into him slowly. It's not a.... relief, to hear about this person going through something like this; it's horrible. But it at least means that Peter's not entirely alone with the concept of something foreign inhabiting him.
He's... met a couple of people here with more than one personality, and others who have dealt with possession before they came here, but those people had been cured of it before this place, and Peter's felt very alone in the concept of it being a thing that he doesn't know how to help. But clearly.... he's not the only one out there in the universe dealing with something like this. ]
I don't know, either. I.... I don't know much about this thing at all. Sometimes I think it's able to be.... aware more than I am? I think it can tell what's going on, even if it doesn't talk to me. I can... feel it. And it's.... getting stronger.
[ It's terrifying to think that where he blacks out whenever Paimon's in control, the demon's able to still be aware when Peter's in control. Does that mean it's.... stronger than him? ....Or maybe meant to take over his body? Is it listening to this conversation now? Lurking in him like some beast in the shadows?
Her words tug at his heart, her.... kindness. And bravery. Most people would be running for the hills at this sort of thing, and it still astounds him that he has friends here who... haven't. He wants to lean into those words so badly, but why.... why did Paimon attack her? What if it happens again? When he speaks again, it's almost a whisper, still afraid. Still horrified by what he'd done. ]
Has the thing in your friend ever tried to... hurt you? Like mine did?
[Ruby's run into one or two people who seem to be a similar situation as well. She hasn't had the chance to learn how like Oscar and Ozpin they were but the answer seemed to lean toward more than enough.]
Maybe we should try and find out more about it if that's the case? I don't want to scare you but it's possible it's doing both of those things. That doesn't mean we can't find a way to figure this out.
[A small sigh escapes her lips. She still wasn't exactly sure what her feelings were on Oz. He had left a huge burden on her shoulders and she wasn't exactly sure how to handle it yet.]
Not exactly, but kind of? It never physically attacked me. But... It was ancient being that knew a lot more about our world than the rest of us. It kept secrets and led us along with bread crumbs of what we were actually up against. We eventually learned the truth and it locked itself away in my friends head, leaving us to figure things out on our own.
My uncle had been following this things lead since he was my age. He was torn apart when he realized he had been lied to all along.
[ She uses the word "we" and Peter's stunned by it, because there are people like Luna and Louis and now Ruby offering to help him through all of this, and it still.... tugs at him. ]
I appreciate it, but you.... you don't have to help me. This thing's like.... it has to do with spells and rituals and shit like that. I don't want you to get mixed up in something bad.
[ Whatever Paimon truly is, he's something very ancient and very powerful, and neither Peter nor Luna really know the extent of him just yet. Dark magic and demonology.... those kinds of things are terrifying. Something could easily go wrong. ]
That thing sounds... manipulative. [ Which is a word he's heard others use about demons, before. Peter can't be sure that Paimon isn't just manipulating him, either. And Luna, and everyone he cares about. ]
I don't know what it wants. It gets... violent sometimes, but.... it doesn't usually attack other people as much as it attacked you. [ A shudder passes through him. Why Ruby...? ]
[ He wants to believe her — and he does. Ruby has always genuinely been kind, and helpful, to him. He believes that she would go out of her way to help him here, especially if she has some similar experience with someone else.
...But that's where the fear lies. It would be better if she were afraid of him, and stayed away. It would be safer, and he can't help still trying to convince her that keeping distance from him is the better option. ]
It's okay. I'm... I'm not all on my own. Luna knows about it, and she's... [ ...She's made some big, awful sacrifice for him. Tied herself to this demon in order to help control it, but he can't bring himself to voice that aloud. He's also afraid that if Paimon is listening right now, there are certain things the demon might not want him sharing, and Paimon's.... very protective of Luna, apparently. ] ....she's helping me.
[ It... asked what she was? Peter's stunned at that. She's... well, human, isn't she? Though he supposes he can't know that for sure, and all of this still feels very over Peter's head. After a long moment of silence, he finally just asks it outright, but shyly. ]
Are you.... human? Maybe it could sense something.
[It would be a lot for Ruby if she backed down from a challenge. It was unfortunately ingrained in who she was to protect the people she cared about. To the bitter end if it came to that.
She had learned just what that meant over the last couple weeks. And while it had shaken her, she didn't feel ready to give up just yet.
She cared deeply for both Peter and Luna. She wasn't about to give up on either of them.]
That's good. ...If there's anyone here who knows about rituals and weird magic that could help. It's Luna.
And you're both my friends. So I'll watch out for the both of you.
[That next question is complicated. She's goes quiet for a minute as she considers how to answer it.]
Yeah. ...Mostly. It's complicated. And a lot.
[Her fingers can be heard tapping against her bedside table as she debates getting into it. But if it could help Peter get a handle on what happened then it wasn't fair for her to keep information from him.
She didn't want to be another Ozpin.]
So a long time ago humans were wiped out by the gods. But we eventually came back to walk the world again. Or at least a piece of what humans used to be.
[She digs at her memories of Jinn's vision and what Maria told when they discussed it afterwards.]
And I'm a little different than everyone else. There aren't a lot of people around with eyes like mine.
[ Peter admits quietly. As hard as it is to voice it aloud, it kind of feels nice to, in its ways. To say one of the worries that's still nestled deeply within him. He trusts Luna with his... well, soul, literally — the pact she'd made with the demon was in order to try and save Peter's spirit. But his worries are ever-present. He has no idea what might happen. ]
Will you... keep an eye on her? She's really strong, she can use magic on me if she has to, but.... it never hurts to have back-up. Just... if something ever happens in the future.
[ Ruby's strong too, he knows that. She can fight, and she'd managed to stop Paimon somehow. Judging by the fact Peter woke up with a splitting headache and a knot on his head.... it's not hard to figure out how. Good, she did really good. Knock his ass out again if you have to, Ruby. But he hates that she had to in the first place. And he's still very concerned as to the extent of her injuries.
The next bit really is... a lot. Humans being wiped out by some kind of gods? She's "mostly" human? ]
Oh. [ Peter's quiet for a few long moments. He's.. nervous, to keep asking questions about this. If Paimon's listening, he might.... use this information, somehow? What if it makes him want to go after her again? (Unbeknownst to Peter, all it's going to do is make the demon intensely curious about Ruby, now that he's not all zonked out from the weird energy of the town.) ]
Now that I think about it, your eyes really are unique. [ He mulls softly. The grey of them, a sort of silver colour. ] I guess he could..... sense something about your situation. I'm sorry. I'll.... I'll try to keep him away from you, I promise. Until I can figure out what the hell's wrong.
[ That's going to translate into Peter actively going out of his way to avoid being anywhere near Ruby for the next couple weeks. Until, of course, he finds himself trapped in the high school hiding from a monster with her. ]
Are you sure you're okay? I know it's been some time since it happened, but... if you need anything, I can send it to you.
[Ruby hated the tone he was using right now. It sent her right back to the beginning of July. Being stuck in the confessional with Varian when he was on a slope toward the lowest she had seen him at. The promise she had made to stop him if things got out of hand. Her stomach twisted into knots as she considered the implications of what he was asking her.
...But she understood why he was asking her. There was someone he wanted to protect. She had no doubt in her mind that Luna could take care of herself but it never hurt to have back up.
She also knew that Luna would likely be doing everything she could to help Peter with what he was dealing with. Ruby wasn't magically adept in the slightest, but she could try her best to help there too.]
You don't have to worry about that, Peter. As long as I'm around nothing will happen to her. I promise.
But I'll do everything I can to help you too. If there's a way to help you, we'll find it. I don't want to hurt you if you can be avoided, even if it something else using your body.
[She's quiet at first considering why it might have been drawn to her. There weren't many demons in her world. It was just a word that they had used for Grimm occasionally. Except... Grimm were created by the God of Darkness and her eyes came from-
The theory hits her like a brick. She's not a hundred percent sure on it. She's not sure if there's a connection like that between worlds, but there was a chance.]
They're kind of special where I come from. There are stories about people with them. They say people with silver eyes are destined to lead the life of a warrior. That a single look could strike a Grimm down.
It's more complicated than that, but it's a fun story to think of.
[She's... Not sure if this thing could hear her. Like how Oz could hear everything going on with Oscar. But she if it could it might serve as a warning for it to back off. Or maybe enough information to get it curious. She knew she was bad at games like this but it might help to talk to this thing.]
You don't have to apologize for it, Peter. You didn't have any control over what it was doing.
Maybe I'll talk to Luna and see if there's any way I can help her figure things out.
[She considers his question briefly and rubs at her neck again.]
I'm okay. I'm still getting over some rougher injuries that happened last month, so in the long run it's not too bad.
I'll never say no to a snack or some comics. But only if you're up for the trip.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
That... Must be really scary. I can't imagine losing control like that.
[She pauses before answering. She wanted to be careful about how she brought Oscar up into this. She wanted to help both him and Peter but she'd have to speak with him first before bringing him directly into the situation.]
It is. I've watched it happen a few times and that's kind of how he'd describe it. There'd be a light in his eyes and suddenly the other one would be in control. They were both aware of what one another were doing. It was like two people were inhabiting the same body.
[She tried to think back on the words Jinn has used to describe the mess.]
It's strange but the soul inhabiting my friends body was someone who was cursed. A spirit with a mission he has to complete and until he does he'll reincarnate in the body of someone with a like mind. My friend was the lucky person that spirit ended up in next.
I don't know how like that situation is to yours. But I promised to help that friend and I'm willing to help you too. Because you're a friend too, Peter. No matter what happens to you.
no subject
He's... met a couple of people here with more than one personality, and others who have dealt with possession before they came here, but those people had been cured of it before this place, and Peter's felt very alone in the concept of it being a thing that he doesn't know how to help. But clearly.... he's not the only one out there in the universe dealing with something like this. ]
I don't know, either. I.... I don't know much about this thing at all. Sometimes I think it's able to be.... aware more than I am? I think it can tell what's going on, even if it doesn't talk to me. I can... feel it. And it's.... getting stronger.
[ It's terrifying to think that where he blacks out whenever Paimon's in control, the demon's able to still be aware when Peter's in control. Does that mean it's.... stronger than him? ....Or maybe meant to take over his body? Is it listening to this conversation now? Lurking in him like some beast in the shadows?
Her words tug at his heart, her.... kindness. And bravery. Most people would be running for the hills at this sort of thing, and it still astounds him that he has friends here who... haven't. He wants to lean into those words so badly, but why.... why did Paimon attack her? What if it happens again? When he speaks again, it's almost a whisper, still afraid. Still horrified by what he'd done. ]
Has the thing in your friend ever tried to... hurt you? Like mine did?
no subject
Maybe we should try and find out more about it if that's the case? I don't want to scare you but it's possible it's doing both of those things. That doesn't mean we can't find a way to figure this out.
[A small sigh escapes her lips. She still wasn't exactly sure what her feelings were on Oz. He had left a huge burden on her shoulders and she wasn't exactly sure how to handle it yet.]
Not exactly, but kind of? It never physically attacked me. But... It was ancient being that knew a lot more about our world than the rest of us. It kept secrets and led us along with bread crumbs of what we were actually up against. We eventually learned the truth and it locked itself away in my friends head, leaving us to figure things out on our own.
My uncle had been following this things lead since he was my age. He was torn apart when he realized he had been lied to all along.
So not the same, but hurt all the same.
no subject
I appreciate it, but you.... you don't have to help me. This thing's like.... it has to do with spells and rituals and shit like that. I don't want you to get mixed up in something bad.
[ Whatever Paimon truly is, he's something very ancient and very powerful, and neither Peter nor Luna really know the extent of him just yet. Dark magic and demonology.... those kinds of things are terrifying. Something could easily go wrong. ]
That thing sounds... manipulative. [ Which is a word he's heard others use about demons, before. Peter can't be sure that Paimon isn't just manipulating him, either. And Luna, and everyone he cares about. ]
I don't know what it wants. It gets... violent sometimes, but.... it doesn't usually attack other people as much as it attacked you. [ A shudder passes through him. Why Ruby...? ]
Did it... say anything to you?
no subject
I'm used to being in bad situations and I don't think anyone should have to go through something like this on their own.
[If Deerington and her home had one thing in common, it's that they wanted to divide people. She wasn't willing to turn her back on a friend in need.]
It was. Is. It's also desperate. I think it was trying to do the right thing but it lost it's way.
[She couldn't imagine going through what Oz had. He was a shadow of his former self.]
Last month things were a little more intense than they usually are. ...Maybe that did something to it? Made it worse than it usually is.
[That's what had happened to Varian, Chloe and so many others last month. It was possible it could be the same for this thing.]
I don't remember off the top of my head-
[She pauses and taps her chin as she racks her brain. Then suddenly it hits her.]
It asked what I was...
I didn't really think much about it at the time.
no subject
...But that's where the fear lies. It would be better if she were afraid of him, and stayed away. It would be safer, and he can't help still trying to convince her that keeping distance from him is the better option. ]
It's okay. I'm... I'm not all on my own. Luna knows about it, and she's... [ ...She's made some big, awful sacrifice for him. Tied herself to this demon in order to help control it, but he can't bring himself to voice that aloud. He's also afraid that if Paimon is listening right now, there are certain things the demon might not want him sharing, and Paimon's.... very protective of Luna, apparently. ] ....she's helping me.
[ It... asked what she was? Peter's stunned at that. She's... well, human, isn't she? Though he supposes he can't know that for sure, and all of this still feels very over Peter's head. After a long moment of silence, he finally just asks it outright, but shyly. ]
Are you.... human? Maybe it could sense something.
no subject
She had learned just what that meant over the last couple weeks. And while it had shaken her, she didn't feel ready to give up just yet.
She cared deeply for both Peter and Luna. She wasn't about to give up on either of them.]
That's good. ...If there's anyone here who knows about rituals and weird magic that could help. It's Luna.
And you're both my friends. So I'll watch out for the both of you.
[That next question is complicated. She's goes quiet for a minute as she considers how to answer it.]
Yeah. ...Mostly. It's complicated. And a lot.
[Her fingers can be heard tapping against her bedside table as she debates getting into it. But if it could help Peter get a handle on what happened then it wasn't fair for her to keep information from him.
She didn't want to be another Ozpin.]
So a long time ago humans were wiped out by the gods. But we eventually came back to walk the world again. Or at least a piece of what humans used to be.
[She digs at her memories of Jinn's vision and what Maria told when they discussed it afterwards.]
And I'm a little different than everyone else. There aren't a lot of people around with eyes like mine.
no subject
[ Peter admits quietly. As hard as it is to voice it aloud, it kind of feels nice to, in its ways. To say one of the worries that's still nestled deeply within him. He trusts Luna with his... well, soul, literally — the pact she'd made with the demon was in order to try and save Peter's spirit. But his worries are ever-present. He has no idea what might happen. ]
Will you... keep an eye on her? She's really strong, she can use magic on me if she has to, but.... it never hurts to have back-up. Just... if something ever happens in the future.
[ Ruby's strong too, he knows that. She can fight, and she'd managed to stop Paimon somehow. Judging by the fact Peter woke up with a splitting headache and a knot on his head.... it's not hard to figure out how. Good, she did really good. Knock his ass out again if you have to, Ruby. But he hates that she had to in the first place. And he's still very concerned as to the extent of her injuries.
The next bit really is... a lot. Humans being wiped out by some kind of gods? She's "mostly" human? ]
Oh. [ Peter's quiet for a few long moments. He's.. nervous, to keep asking questions about this. If Paimon's listening, he might.... use this information, somehow? What if it makes him want to go after her again? (Unbeknownst to Peter, all it's going to do is make the demon intensely curious about Ruby, now that he's not all zonked out from the weird energy of the town.) ]
Now that I think about it, your eyes really are unique. [ He mulls softly. The grey of them, a sort of silver colour. ] I guess he could..... sense something about your situation. I'm sorry. I'll.... I'll try to keep him away from you, I promise. Until I can figure out what the hell's wrong.
[ That's going to translate into Peter actively going out of his way to avoid being anywhere near Ruby for the next couple weeks. Until, of course, he finds himself trapped in the high school hiding from a monster with her. ]
Are you sure you're okay? I know it's been some time since it happened, but... if you need anything, I can send it to you.
no subject
...But she understood why he was asking her. There was someone he wanted to protect. She had no doubt in her mind that Luna could take care of herself but it never hurt to have back up.
She also knew that Luna would likely be doing everything she could to help Peter with what he was dealing with. Ruby wasn't magically adept in the slightest, but she could try her best to help there too.]
You don't have to worry about that, Peter. As long as I'm around nothing will happen to her. I promise.
But I'll do everything I can to help you too. If there's a way to help you, we'll find it. I don't want to hurt you if you can be avoided, even if it something else using your body.
[She's quiet at first considering why it might have been drawn to her. There weren't many demons in her world. It was just a word that they had used for Grimm occasionally. Except... Grimm were created by the God of Darkness and her eyes came from-
The theory hits her like a brick. She's not a hundred percent sure on it. She's not sure if there's a connection like that between worlds, but there was a chance.]
They're kind of special where I come from. There are stories about people with them. They say people with silver eyes are destined to lead the life of a warrior. That a single look could strike a Grimm down.
It's more complicated than that, but it's a fun story to think of.
[She's... Not sure if this thing could hear her. Like how Oz could hear everything going on with Oscar. But she if it could it might serve as a warning for it to back off. Or maybe enough information to get it curious. She knew she was bad at games like this but it might help to talk to this thing.]
You don't have to apologize for it, Peter. You didn't have any control over what it was doing.
Maybe I'll talk to Luna and see if there's any way I can help her figure things out.
[She considers his question briefly and rubs at her neck again.]
I'm okay. I'm still getting over some rougher injuries that happened last month, so in the long run it's not too bad.
I'll never say no to a snack or some comics. But only if you're up for the trip.