10 . september catchall

[clocktowers]

Who: Ozpin and CR; tap me at ochrona for a starter.
What: A return from the sea, among other things.
When: Late August into September.
Where: Throughout Trench.

Comments

[clocktowers]

[ He takes the seat, then takes the towel. Ozpin is truly too soaked by the rain for this to do him much good, but even so: he peels off his long green overcoat and hangs it over the back of the chair, then begins to unbutton his vest with clammy fingers, so that he might at least strip to his shirtsleeves. It is very difficult not to be hyperaware of Stanford, as he does. ]

I suppose we must be thankful that it hasn't progressed further. [ But he sounds lowly thoughtful, mouth drawn tight with concern. ] Still... it is unlike any wound I have observed in Trench, or even upon Remnant.

[cryptograms]

[ Ford pointedly doesn't look at Ozpin as the other man strips down to his shirtsleeves, instead busying himself with retrieving a cup of coffee before he sits down. Fortunately, Ozpin immediately provides him with his favorite go-to evasion tactic: talking about literally anything else. ]

I haven't seen anything quite like this, but unbreakable curses - or curses that required overly specific methods to break - are fairly common.

[ Or at least, common when it comes to something that's not exactly easy to put into action. ]

Unless it's not working as intended, I suspect it's meant to be some form of blackmail.

[clocktowers]

[ Ozpin, for his part, is deeply relieved to be talking about anything else. ]

Ah. Breakable only by the one who laid the curse, but at a cost, I imagine. I do not find myself eager to work with Reaper any time soon.

[cryptograms]

Neither do I. I only ever knew him by reputation, but...

[ Well, he seemed unpleasant. Ford glances to Ozpin, electing to not notice how easily conversation is coming right now. ]

Did you ever meet him?

[clocktowers]

Unfortunately. [ There is a moment's hesitation, differently awkward. ] He was involved.

[ It hurts every time. She's not here, and it still hurts just the same. He will have to wonder over that in private, later. ]

When the house burned, he was among those responsible.

[cryptograms]

[ Ah. The sudden change in the air isn't lost on Ford, if only because he's so attuned to the particular brand of tension that normally exists between himself and Ozpin. He taps his fingers against the table just ones, then wraps them around the mug to stop himself from doing it again. ]

Yes... Willow didn't give me many details, but I gathered it was a group effort.

[clocktowers]

Reaper, Chara, and Vira-Lorr. [ His mouth twists, tense and unhappy. ] There may have been others, but none that I personally had the misfortune of facing. In truth, I don't know how much further trouble we must prepare for... July was a powerful influence upon many, and it is possible that the atmosphere of violence has subsided.

[ But Ozpin is not known for his bracing optimism, so he adds: ]

However, I fear the enemies we've made will not be so easily appeased.

[cryptograms]

[ Right, Vira-Lorr. He can only assume (hope) that July was most of the reason she made a showing at the group effort to burn the Remnant's home to cinders, but it's still a bit awkward knowing that someone he considers a friend was involved.

Much easier, then to focus on the other subject at hand. ]

I doubt they will. Willow alone has made some persistent enemies.

[ Ford doesn't say this in a judgemental tone, because even Ford knows he has absolutely no room to judge people for their ability to make enemies with the worst people imaginable. He does adopt a thoughtful expression, however, and rises from his seat to investigate the living room bookshelf - or more specifically, the journals he has stored there. ]

But now that you know who exactly they are it'll be easier to build defenses against them. I know a barrier spell that isn't too difficult to modify, provided you can find the right reagents.

[clocktowers]

[ This comes as a surprise to him, though it shouldn't. It is another of these unsettled little moments in which he finds he's stepped too far into comfort, and is now thrown upon remembering the cracks. There is an awkward fumble, and then he nods. ]

I would be glad to hear it. Willow has defensive magic of her own, of course... but I will be little help in that regard, and it seems best not to rely on the very person they'd seek to target.