Ozpin woke up to a mute morning light, he was in a large tent so he wasn't sure just what time it was. Groans alerted him that he had company, he lifted his head to see he was in a medical tent. A rather full one. He blinked a few times and wondered why he was here. He got his right hand under him, he shoved himself upright and bit his lip to keep quiet. The last thing he wanted was to notify some doctor that would poke and prod him that he was awake.
Oz looked down at his torso and groaned. "Why can't they just let me die? I'm tired of healing from this kind of thing." Bandages around his middle and over his chest, he didn't feel much pain but it was quite clear something had cut him up. It was his left arm though that caught his attention, it was completely bandaged from his left pectoral all the way down to his fingertips. He tried moving his fingers.
Nothing.
Panic started to rise, he reached out and poked his hand firmly. Nothing, he couldn't feel anything. Ozpin looked down at himself, someone had changed his pants so where was his gear. With some difficulty he swung his legs off of the thin bed and his foot found his bag. He knelt quickly almost hiding behind the bed and yanked it open as best he could with one arm. The armour Naga fashioned for him was on the top.
It was as cold as always as he grabbed it and put it on. Thankfully it was a motion he was very practiced at, though having to lift his other arm made it harder. He managed though and he could feel the cold from the armour seep into his skin. Oz let out a sigh of relief at being able to feel anything and after a minute the feeling dwindled from a more sharp stabbing cold pain to a pleasant cool upon his skin. Slowly he ordered his fingers to move and they did. Just a little twiddle, slowly he moved his arm raising it up to be level with his shoulder then he brought his hand level this his heart palm down with the other hand palm up.
Ozpin whispered his thanks in prayer. "Thank you Naglfar for this gift you gave me that keeps on giving." He didn't bother to put a shirt on, instead stuffing his feet into his boots.
When he was finally ready to go Oz slipped out the back of the tent. A quick glance at the sky showed it was almost noon. The camp was largely rebuilt already, only with the addition of a pryer in one corner, clearly there were dead to be burned. He could see the smoke coiling up into the sky but thankfully couldn't smell anything. Bits of wood crunched under his boots as he looked around. Where was his family? Where were his weapons? It hurt to breath as he walked but it was a feeling he was used too and only took shallow breaths.
A few people dropped various items in shock, as he walked by. Jaws upon the ground as they stared at someone who most had expected to die before noon. Walked calmly and carefully through the camp.
He came upon the centre, the tower had already been rebuilt and at it's base stood a reporter and cameraman, Lydia, Qrow and… Oh Gods not HER. Doctor Rutile. Ozpin turned on his heel and was ready to bolt but it was too late.
"OZPIN!" Rutile couldn't contain her shock at seeing him up. "What are you doing?! How are you standing?!"
Ozpin raised both hands in a placating gesture. "I'm fine doc really."
"Your ARM! How are you doing that?!" Rutile reached for his arm as she came close.
Ozpin side stepped her shifting his body so his left was away from her. "It's nothing really, I've always been a quick healer. I'll just be getting my weapons from Qrow and I'll be off. Given that this camp is being fixed rather then taken down I take it the hunt is still on?"
"That is of no concern of yours! You will get your ass into back into that medical tent right now! I fully expected you to be dead hours ago, it's only because Lydia said to keep you here that you weren't already shipped back to Mistral to be hospitalized." Rutile chased after him.
"Well as you can see I am just fine and clearly there are still Grimm to kill so I'll jus-."
Lydia had sneaked up on him, she jabbed two fingers just under one of bandages covering his side. The air went out of Oz's lungs with a stifled "Heee~" sound pain as racked through his body as whatever had been keeping it a bay was promptly turned off. Ozpin went down like a marionette with it's strings cut. Lydia caught him so he didn't kiss the dirt even if he still fell to his knees. Oz head lolled onto her chest. "Evil witch."
"Hmmhmm, I learned from the best. Now if you want your painkillers back you will get your butt back to that tent." Lydia said in good humour.
Ozpin grit his teeth and shoved himself away from her staggering back to stand again. His chest and back felt like they were on fire and his arm, well he could feel nothing in his arm other then the numbing cold. "I'm fine, what's going on?"
"You are most certainly not fine!" Rutile said eyes wide as he stood on his own. "I'm amazed you're not bleeding through your bandages yet. And you're arm, I almost decided to amputate it, it was only because of Lydia I didn't and now you're moving it!"
Qrow who had been silent watching for now could see the sweat gathering on Oz's temple. He walked over and put himself under Oz's right arm. "Ruby has gone back to Haven, along with Weiss and Jaune. Blake, Yang, Ren and Nora are all fighting. Seems that when you got the Revenant the rest of the Grimm scattered, it's just been a matter of picking off the survivors. We are good Oz, now please let's go back to the tent and get you horizontal again."
The reporter came over with her assistant. "Excuse me, we were just interviewing Miss Ivanova, Mister Branwen and Doctor Rutile on the camps condition. The Revenant has been taken into Mistral for study it's so rare to get a Grimm so intact but how did you manage it?"
Ozpin glanced at the camera seeing the little red light blinking showing this was being aired live. "That is a question for Lydia. All I did was play decoy till she could do her thing."
"But you are one of the strongest Huntsmen of our age. How did the Revenant hurt you so extremely?"
"My insides are bleeding and you're asking me how a Grimm managed to harm me? Really?" Ozpin scoffed. "Revenants are old Grimm, Grimm that predate written history. This particular one had an affinity for magic ice and a strange fire. I may be good, but there are some Grimm you just don't win against without cheating."
"Speaking of fire." Rutile pulled off his gauntlet before he could stop her and pulled a pair of safety scissors from her belt. "How are you moving this?"
"Give me back my gauntlet!" Panic raised in Oz's voice, he couldn't feel the scissors even though he knew they were against his skin. He couldn't move his fingers anymore. The bandages came away and the reporter gagged.
"I don't understand you were moving it." Rutile put her scissors away and reached for the black arm.
Ozpin wretched his whole body away. Kicking his gauntlet up into the air he grabbed it and pulled it back on, clipping it in place. "I am not your latest toy!" He shoved himself away from Qrow and got half a dozen steps before his chest felt like it wanted to burst open. Wet coughing started up as he dropped to his knee, his legs wobbling. In an instant Qrow and Lydia were besides him, holding him up straight.
Rutile jumped up, coming to kneel in front of him a hand on the bandaged chest. "I have hardly considered you a toy but you are making me question the lengths I'll go to to ensure the well-being of my patients." He couldn't feel the hand on his chest as it moved over to his shoulder, the whole area was both unresponsive and agonizing at the same time. "You've pulled the stitches, come on get up."
The reporter got a signal for a break and turned off the live broadcasting.
Oz had little choice as Qrow and Lydia kept a firm hold of him and all but dragged him back to the tent, thrusting him inside a little more harshly than necessary. Oz used his good hand to rip away the reddening bandages and froze. On his chest and froze, he remembered the scythes driving into his chest, but not a whole lot after touching the heart tree. He had intended to die there, a sacrifice to the grove so it would protect his family. Why in all the Gods was there wood in his chest? The two wide punctures through his pectorals, sealed by grey wood. How was he even breathing? He yanked the rest of the bandages off, the line across his stomach as sealed in the same way, his side again the same. He remembered his back getting sliced open and dreaded what he couldn't see.
Panic started to rise up in him, just what had happened to him? Why was he still here? Why did they make this… wood be here inside of him? Gods what was it doing inside of him?
"Ozpin what are you doing?" Rutile, Lydia and Qrow came in the last thankfully keep the reporters away.
Ozpin dug his fingers into the the gut wound trying to grab the wood. Lydia raced towards him. "No you have to leave it!"
"Leave me be!" Oz roared, he staggered to his feet. "You did this, I didn't want this. I'm a walking corpse! Why won't you just let me die! You know what I am, you know what I can do. The pain would finally stop if you would just let me go."
"Oz please you don't mean that, we don't know to much about that. You'll have a daughter soon, for all we know you could miss her entire life if you gave up now." Lydia raised her hands like she was approaching a wounded wolf, ready to bite her at any moment. "Please calm down and I will explain everything."
Ozpin shook his head and backed away from her. "Don't touch me, I know you. You'll put me to sleep and I think I've slept more than enough."
Qrow wasn't sure what to do, he had never see Oz like this before. This blind panic, this was more Ruby's area. "Oz please, don't say things like that. We know you can just reset, but don't forget why you can do that. We don't know what that really does to you."
Oz's head snapped towards Qrow and and saw that Qrow had his sword. He lashed his hand out without thinking, the weapon flew to his hand and he extended it to it's full length. Lydia stopped at that, she had never imagined he'd arm himself against her. "Ozpin love please stop this, calm down we can talk about this."
"GET OUT OF MY HEAD!" Ozpin roared, even as his body screamed in pain. He saw Rutile pick up a needle out of the corner of his eye. He snarled and swept his free hand out a torrent of air staggered them all back, in the same action he spun and ran for the side of the tent, cleaving a cut through it.
"Qrow don't let him get away!" Lydia screamed in fear.
Qrow as already charging through the gap only to hit an invisible wall, the force knock him to the ground with a bloodied nose. "Oh that bastard."
Ozpin ran, the forest speeding by him. He didn't think just flew, trying to put as much distance between him and the camp and doctors as possible. He didn't know how far Lydia's range in the forest was but he wanted away from here. His feet hit stone and he slowed down, stone was good. No roots in stone. He glanced around and found himself on a flat shield plain. Good enough.
The tall men let his legs give out, everything hurt and he was so tired. He knelt sitting down and touched his stomach again. This couldn't be happening, he could feel the wood in his insides, digging in trying to stop the bleeding his run had caused. Oz shivered in disgust and pain, he looked at his sword again then clicked it back into dagger form. He turned it on his gut, the gauntlet felt cool against his belly as he tried to grab around the edge of the wood but it had already created a smooth seal against his skin.
Ozpin set his blade against the joining of skin and wood and cut. "AH-hhh." He dug his cold fingers in as he cut grabbing at it till he got a good grip. It was agony to pull but he did, he could feel the blood gush out his front. He summoned and focused Aura on his stomach even as the pain made black and white spots dot his version. He ripped the frankly large piece of wood free, roots were long stretching out from it's underside. He tossed it away and blacked out, tumbling into his side. Blood pooled around him and he welcomed oblivion as all sensation faded.
The piece of the heart tree was not just wood though, it slinked across the ground returning to him. It could feel him going cold as it crawled through the growing pool of blood. It turned itself to line up properly over the wound and dug its roots back in. Pulling itself back where it needed to be to keep him alive. It mimicked veins, filling the gap between connecting points. Sealed intestinal wall, replaced muscle then with the weak Aura that lingered it encouraged skin to grow over it, hiding it.
"I don't understand what is wrong with him?" Rutile asked as she helped Qrow up from the floor.
"He's afraid." Lydia said she tried reaching for him but the speed at which he fled was astounding.
"Of what? He sounded like he wanted to die." Rutile asked, annoyed as she put the sedative she had been playing to give him down.
"Cause he does." Qrow grumbled holding his nose. "You know Oz is special, he doesn't die like we do. Just takes a break from the world and then comes back in a perfect new model. He's been wanting to cast off the current body he's been wearing for a long time. It's only cause we don't have a idea of when he comes back that he hasn't tried more actively to off himself."
"I think we may hit the breaking point though." Lydia walked over to the tent wall and pushed against the barrier Oz had created, it vanished without much effort on her part. "You heard him," She shook her head. "It doesn't help that he is terrified of Doctors."
"What, why?" Rutile asked, though it did explain some of his behaviour since she met him. She set about treating Qrow's nose.
The silence stretched for a moment before Qrow spoke softly. "Look Doc, Oz is… well walking talking PTSD. He's been… tortured a few times in the name of science. You scare him, being in a hospital scares him, any type of foreign object in him terrifies him. He doesn't even like stitches. He's very much a oh-natural kinda healer because he's so afraid of doctors. He's afraid someone will figure out that he is immortal and decided to repeat history to try and figure out why. He'd rather suicide and reset then risk himself in the hands of someone he doesn't know or trust." Qrow stood as the doctor finished his his nose. "I'll go find him. Lydia could you call Ruby? Once she's in range, I'll be able to reach her through our bonds."
"I will, don't forget he's got his sword. If he thinks you'll bring him back to our doctor here I wouldn't put it past him for him to turn it upon himself. He's not afraid of death." Lydia said pulling out her Scroll.
Qrow ran through the opening and transformed into a crow to look for Oz the old fashioned way.
Rutile sat heavily against a table. "Just what can I do?" She glanced up and saw the reporters peeking in. "OUT AND YOU WILL GIVE ME THAT FOOTAGE OR I WILL SUE YOUR ASS!"
Ozpin woke warmed by the sun, a quick look around made him glower. The rock was uncomfortable under him, he could feel sticky blood drip from his lips. Everything hurt so much he couldn't even move, he took a slow breath and it wheezed through him. He moved his good hand through sheer force of will and set it over his stomach. It was completely sealed, new skin even. He looked around him for the piece he had pulled out, he couldn't see it anywhere. Panic raged anew through him, had it gone back inside of him? Was the skin just it trying to hide?
Fear made him able to move he grabbed his sword again and flipped it around. How was he supposed to get it out if he couldn't stay conscious long enough to burn it or something? Maybe if he could just see it he could burn it out from inside of him, like an infection? His hand shook as the edge of his sword neared his gut, so many memories of others doing this to him. Could he even do this? Cut into himself, the pain of the past and the terror of the present waged war in his mind. He needed to deal with this before anyone found him, they'd take him back to those Doctors.
His hand wavered and the blade tip cut into his stomach he could feel the resistance of wood but continued to press in. Tears gathered in his eyes, it hurt so much. He wished whatever painkiller Lydia had applied came back. He hated this, why couldn't they just let him go. He didn't even want to think about his arm, the armour practically resurrected it but he knew it was bad. The wood pulled at his skin and he cried harder. Gods he didn't even feel human anymore. Why did they all fight so hard against letting him go, if only for a little while? What good was he when he was held together by magic and dumb luck? He didn't want their daughter to meet him like he was. Guanters brand on his face, rough, broken, beaten and scared. Their child deserved better than this. Ruby and Qrow deserved better than this.
Oz rolled onto his back so he could grab more easily at his stomach as the skin was flayed away. He dug his free hand into his stomach and tried to summon fire. Even as his mind ordered it his body rebelled against it. His own magic wasn't going to allow him to burn it out, the instinct of self preservation winning out. His sword fell from his fingers and clattered on the stone. It hurt to breathe, it hurt to cry, why didn't they understand that he just wanted the pain to stop for a little while.
He curled back into his side and stared at his sword through the tears. It would be so easy to just turn it on himself, then he would get to be warm again. No more aches or pains, no more brands or burns or scars. He'd be pretty for his daughter, Ruby and Qrow knew where to come and get him. That cold he knew all to well crept into his bones, but what if they didn't come in time? What if he was ready to crawl out of the pool before they got to him? He would be cold and alone again.
Twigs snapping brought his attention back as he stared at Qrow who was sweating and breathing hard. Thoughts about returning did nothing but enrage him but the moment he tried to stand Qrow was there, grabbing onto him with arms like steel.
"Get off!" Oz tried to shove the smaller man away but Qrow tightened his hold and ducked his head into the crook of Oz's good shoulder. "I let you do that once but not again."
Oz struggled in those arms, his body felt weaker then a kitten's and it caused the pain to increase around his chest the more he fought Qrow. "Why can't you just let me go!"
"Please Oz, don't do this, at least not right now. I know its hard but I need you. Ruby needs you. We all do."
Those tears continued as Oz slowly stopped struggling, short wheezing taking over. "It hurts Qrow everything hurts."
Qrow felt Oz's shoulders shake, either from the pain or sorrow he wasn't sure but continued to hold him firmly, hoping to get through. "I'm sorry."
"Let me die Qrow, after all the times I've protected those around me, taken bullets for them, for you, is this not the least I can have!" He knew it was a low blow, to bring up such things but in that moment Oz didn't care. He registered the shock going through his lover as Qrow froze up and wanted to take it back. Qrow blamed himself for a lot of things, to have Oz blaming him now was cruel but the immortal didn't care, wanting only to be heard.
"I'm sorry."
Oz stopped moving altogether now, laying limp in Qrow's arms as he stared into the stone ground, wondering if it could swallow him up whole. The damage done to his body was immense but nobody was letting him go. "Why can't you all see I'm broken, not good to any of you anymore."
"You're not broken Oz, maybe a little cracked here and there but everyone has their scars and if you truly were then you would have pushed Ruby and I away a long time ago." Qrow said dipping his head further, his voice quiet.
"I should have, I was supposed to die. Just another sacrifice for a favour from the grove, I'm not strong enough to just hang myself anymore. Just look at my arm, it's dead Qrow. I can't move it, can't feel anything without the armour Naga made for me. There is wood inside of me. I feel like a monster, how can I be good to anyone like this. You all fear that I will take to long to resurrect but I rather resurrect then be like this for our baby." Oz murmured.
Qrow shook his head. "Oz, it takes more strength to live then to die, you taught me that and you are the strongest person I have ever had the honor of meeting. Don't let one or two failures take away that strength from you. As for the rest I don't pretend to understand how this magic stuff all works but I know you are still here for a reason. If you were meant to die it could have happened at any time. During Beacon, your escape to Vacuo. The Gates or hell even when you had tuberculosis but you didn't." Red eyes snapped open as Qrow moved around, still holding onto his lover but now facing him instead. "I get that feeling, thinking you're a monster, a curse, a burden but no one believes that! Not any of us think you a monster Oz so stop believing it yourself. You are good and kind."
Ozpin shook his head, he reached over and pulled the armour off, letting the unnatural metal clang to the ground bit by bit. Exposing the black thin arm underneath. "You don't understand. There is no fixing this, maybe if I had a decade to hide in some isolated corner of the world. But it's dead Qrow, do you think I haven't thought about this? Do you think I want to hold my baby girl with a hand encased in metal? Just so it works at all? Do you think I want to put her on my chest only for her to feel wood rather then skin?" Ozpin sagged, his shoulder dropping low. "I want to die."
"Do you think our daughter would love you any less? A child sharing Ruby's accepting and loving beliefs. My good looks and your stubbornness?" Qrow smirked. "If I could tell you her thoughts right now I believe she would be horrified that her papa wants to kill himself because he can't bare to be different."
"That's not it. Have some faith I have learned something in my time in Mistral. What if I cut you open and put something alien in your body? Would you be able to function normally knowing it's growing inside of you? I can just die, resurrect and be clean again be useful again. My arm is never going to get better, what about when the time comes to fight Cinder and I can't bare fire. What if the Revenant comes back and I am still in worse shape then I was this time. We live in a world where I need to strong, the strongest of us. Cause lets face it, you… none of the others will ever come close to me in skill or Aura. You fight together you'll die together. That Revenant would have killed us all if we hadn't been in Lydia's grove. And now I am worse, and none of you will let me hit reset. Scaring slows the body Qrow, how much more before I can't fight anymore. You're immortal, you can teach Ruby to be. You both can wait for me if you have too." Ozpin reached over and lifted his left arm by the wrist, then dropped it. He couldn't even engage the muscles to slow it's fall. "We at war and I am growing weaker with every fight."
Qrow gently removed his arms from around Oz to take hold of his hands, looking them over with serious thought and turning them before he raised his eyes again. "I don't see anything wrong with these hands. Sure they may not work and be different but they are still the same ones that hold me at night." His smile dimmed. "I get you're scared Oz, that you feel you have to be the strongest so we all survive but none of us became Huntsmen and Huntresses with the thought that we would live forever. Fighting the Grimm, fighting Salem, it's our duty, the one we picked up the moment we put our faith in you. Don't underestimate us."
"I don't. I know your limits, why did you really think I told you to keep Lydia and Ruby safe. You were afraid and rightly so." Ozpin reached up and pet over Qrow's cheek. "I don't know how to make you stronger, I don't know how to make you my equal. Against the greater Grimm you might as well be a first year student again. We have Ruby, bless her soul but their will always be Grimm be monsters beyond you. Remnant is old, for all my fucked up memory I remember that. We didn't even kill that one Revenant and it killed me for all intensive purposes. It would have killed you in under a minute, with or without my help. I can be better Qrow, how is it true death when we all know I will just come back? How is it even… suicide when I know it's just temporary. I'm tired of everything hurting, I'm tired of it being hard to breathe or of my voice being so damaged I can't sing more than one song at a time. I want to be free of this pain. I wish you all would understand that."
"I do." The red eyed man whispered. "I see it Oz, its written so much all over your face that I can't not see and understand it. I wish you weren't in pain, that you felt comfortable in your own skin, I guess we've all been a little selfish in wanting to keep you near us. But!" Qrow shouted and tugged Oz's broken hand closer to him. "That doesn't mean you have to fight alone. If you believe I would have died so soon then we're train harder! I'll not stand on the side-lines just because my life is at risk and yours isn't. All our lives are at risk everyday but we still have to keep fighting and if I keep learning, keep training then when . . . 'when' I die, I will have no regrets for how I lived my life."
"And I'll be alone again. I can die and keep you all safe over and over and over. But when you die, that's all and I'll still be here." Oz dropped his hand from Qrow's cheek. "You don't get it. I'm expendable. You are not. That will never change, sort of making a very stupid deal with some higher power you will never be like me. I won't risk you and Ruby because I wasn't at my A game." He looked back down at his arm. "Is it bad, that I have become so mute to this mutilation of myself? I look at it and can't feel anything more then… I don't even know irritation? Disappointment? Disgust?" He reached for the armour and put it back on piece by piece till the gauntlet clipped into place and the cool magic seeped into his bones. He tested moving his fingers one by one.
Ozpin looked up to Qrow who had lost his voice. Oz reached up and touched him with the cold metal between them. "Could you imagine this touching you? Stoking desire? I can't. I don't want my daughter to cry when she feels how wrong I am. That I am past the point where I can be fixed, where I can only degrade. You can't tell me this cold doesn't feel wrong to you? I know it is the cold of the Gates of Death of the undead." Ozpin moved his hand to wrap it around Qrow's neck. "This doesn't feel the same and it never will." He withdrew his hand. "What even about everyone else? Hmm? Ruby won't change, we are connected by our souls. The others will though, whether they mean to or not they will feel now unnatural this is. It's so easy to fix."
"And what if it takes you a decade to come back? Or a century, or even a few months? You'll miss our babies birth, how she crawls, walks, talks. You'll miss watching Ruby grow bigger, how she glows even now. What about when Salem moves on Atlas or Vacou. You could die now and we'll lose this war without you. We need you Oz and we need you now. Not in a months time, not in half a year, not in some distant future. Now. And I have faith in you, you'll get past this. Yes, if you were to pull that wood out you would die. Not even you can heal through his, bone won't heal like it would need to meld you. Lydia told us that wood is filling in for bone that's missing, veins, organs. It's a part of you now, so much so if you didn't think about it I am sure you would forget about it." Qrow reached out and sent is Aura into Oz's stomach calling the skin back together and healing it."If you give Lydia a chance I am sure she could heal your skin and hide the rest of it. No one will need to know what keeps you together. As for your arm. We'll work it out, yeah it's worse then your back ever was. But, you've got me, Ruby and even Jaune. Between all of us, I am sure we can put it back together again." Qrow leaned forward and kissed the cheek without a bandage on it. "You want to protect us, to take the hits for us. Just let us put you together again, till we don't have to fight anymore. We'll hold you together so you can be our shield for as long as you want the role. We'll be your strength so you can be ours."
Tears dripped down Oz's cheeks, he had no good argument for Qrow. "You're right." He croaked. "I'm sorry." He forced a smile as he half laughed. "It's only pain, I am a coward for running from it."
"You are anything but a coward, and I thank you for baring this pain for us." Qrow kissed him.
"You two!" Ruby walked up the stone face. "Need to have your existential crisis, someplace closer to home!" She huffed as she walked the last few steps and sat down beside them on Oz's free side. Lydia following her even more slowly. "I agree with Ruby!" She put her hand on her heart. "I'm to old for this."
Ozpin reached over to her and hesitated with the left side. Ruby saw him swallow thickly and got up again with Qrow's help. She stepped close to him and drew him in to rest his head against her baby dump. Oz could feel a tiny hand press for a his cheek for a minute and his heart melted. He wrapped his arms around her holding her tight forgetting about the cold. He turned and kissed her belly. Then nuzzled it with tears gathering in his eyes.
"Oz, if you'd let me finish healing you please. I can hide the wood. You weren't supposed to know about it at all." Lydia said and reached out putting her hands on his bare shoulder. She focused her Semblance on the mind lurking within the wood and gave it further instructions. "There, now all you need is a lot of Aura and we can cover up the wood."
Ozpin drew his head away from Ruby's belly to look at her. "It can't be taken out?"
"No, Oz there are no other fixes for this we take any of it out and you'll die. You'll just have to live with it." Lydia focused her Aura and let it flow into him. "You won't even notice once it's done assimilating into you, if anything it will give you a few spots that if anyone decides to stab you in the future they will have a much harder time of it."
Ruby and Qrow quickly helped, letting it flow more directly over the bonds. By the time the three were exhausted the wood was gone from sight and Oz could breathe much easier. Ozpin drew away to look down at his chest when they were done. He blinked a few times in surprise. It looked completely normal, he poked a spot and did notice it was harder underneath but it would take hard jab for someone to tell.
Lydia sat back on her hands exhausted. "The feeling may further improve as your body can heal muscle so it may in time slowly trade places with the wood and the wood may dissolve. It's never been something easy to study."
"How did you know to do this at all?" Ozpin asked touching his chest marveling at the new skin.
"Skogr was crippled as a child, his spine twisted the wrong way. His parents offered him to the heart tree and it put a piece of it's branches into his back. And as he went through puberty his spine straightened out. When he was an adult one very secret x-ray revealed that the wood had grown through his spine as he had straightening it out till it was normal. I've talked the Weld about it a few times since then and bit by bit it's told me about it's healing properties." Lydia was exhausted and with the rush of all the things that had gone wrong finally slowing down she thought on the last day and what Ozpin had told her about the Relics. "Ozpin, I am changing my mind on your offer. With the last two days in mind, I think it's safe to say I will need all the help I can get to keep up with you three and keep you safe."
"What is this?" Qrow asked, already not looking forward to the walk back to camp.
"I asked Lydia if she wanted to learn how to use Aura for eternal youth. Like you, she said no before." Ozpin explained.
Ruby lit up and clapped her hands together. "Ohh! Now you are going to change your mind!"
"Yes. Though I think that will be a lesson for later. Let's go back."
When they returned to camp Rutile honed in on Oz like a missile. Then stopped staring eyes wide at his mended chest. "How did you…" She walked almost dazed up to him and started to touch around where she knew there should have been injuries.
"Lydia fixed me and yes you can take as many x-rays as you want later. So long as they stay out of any hospital system." Ozpin said her awe was almost cute as she felt around his chest. "I am sorry for snapping at you earlier. I was afraid and panicking."
"You're forgiven, Qrow explained you have had some very bad past experiences with doctors. I will be taking you up on those scans." Rutile stopped touching his chest. "You better not be heading out to fight anymore."
Ozpin shook his head. "No we will find the rest of our friends and go home, I think some rest is overdue."
"I agree, I was about to send your teams home as it was." She pointed at the airship bay. "If you are quick you'll catch them on that ship."
"Thanks Rutile." Ruby pulled Oz and they made quick-time through the camp after grabbing Oz, Qrow and Lydia's gear.
"You're okay!" Was all the warming Oz got before he had to catch an armful of Nora and Weiss.
"Oof, yes sore but okay." Ozpin put the young women down and they all headed up into the ship. It took off and after a quick change of clothes Oz sat in a side chair and asked. "How are the rest of you?"
"Nothing time and Aura couldn't fix." Yang said with a smile. "But Doc has sent as all back into the city to rest up. I am putting forth a vote for movies popcorn and-."
"A very healthy lunch." Lydia cut in and hugged Ruby. "You all have energy to replace and muscles to heal, plus this one has a baby to feed. Otherwise yes, that sounds like a fantastic plan, I may even order in so no one as to cook."
"NO DISHES!" Nora declared with glee.
They chuckled at her antics and Ozpin looked down out the bay door as they flew into Mistral. The city looked the same as ever and the airship dropped them off at Haven. The school already had students who had been too injured to return to the field in it but they were few and far between. They all ended up in Lydia's living room flopped out on the furniture.
Yang turned the tv on only for a news channel to turn up as the first thing.
"Repairs continue after a large Grimm raid that took place over night. The raid was led by the rare Revenant Grimm which Headmaster Ozpin, Professor Branwen and several students worked together to fell." The report showed a image of the entrapped Grimm. "While it is still unknown why a Revenant Grimm and it's horde of Mula were even this far south the attack has been repelled and the Wylde Hunt will be pushed back to Friday to allow the Huntsmen more time. Still several Huntsmen lost their lives and many more suffered injuries that will take a long time to recover from. Even Headmaster Ozpin." A image of Ozpin out cold in the medical tent. "Was seriously injured and at the time of this report is not expected to live through the day. We all here at Mistral News will pray for his recovery and all the other injured Huntsmen. With their numbers already so low we can afford to lose no one."
Yang crossed her arms over her chest and glared. "Why does she make it sound like she hopes you would die."
"In related news during the attack our reporters caught this rare sighting."
It showed a brief twenty second clip of silver light overtaking the camp and freezing all of the Grimm. Many huntsmen taking advantage and killing the Grimm.
"This flash of light marked the turning point in the battle. Many are speculating just what it was and why it hasn't been used against Grimm before. Our sources from within Mistral's military are calling for the source of the light to be found so it can be properly weaponized. If Ozpin recovers it is expect that he will give a statement on this mysterious weapon as the second time this weapon was used was in close proximity to him."
Another clip this time it was mostly dark as the reporter ran through the forest only for the silver light to radiate out again from beyond the reporters sight. However they then quickly came upon the scene of team RWBY, JRN, Qrow and Lydia all pressed back against the heart tree with Ozpin dying at it's feet but the Revenant stopped in it's tracks.
"Given the proximity to the weapon it as assumed someone in teams RWBY and former JNPR know what the weapon is but all have declined to give a statement. Professor Branwen was questioned as well.
Qrow was giving the reporter a very unimpressed look. "My fiance is dying and you're bothering me about a weapon? I can tell you right now you can search any of us and you won't find some crazy anti Grimm gizmo."
"But you don't deny the light?" The reporter asked.
"Look up your fairy tales." Qrow scoffed and started to walk away. "Please excuse me, I need to go check on Ozpin again."
"Do you have any comment on your lovers condition?" The reporter pressed.
Qrow turned on his heel. "Fiance."
"I beg your pardon."
"You keep calling him my lover, he's my fiance." Red eyes glared at the reporter. "I am confident Oz will recover, his…" Everyone could see the discomfort and pain rise in Qrow. "Injuries are severe. He may never fight the same again, but I think he'll live."
"Qrow." Ozpin looked pulled his lover closer to him.
"I'm sorry I know I shouldn't have said that, but I was worried you. You're arm and at the time I didn't know your armour could let you use the arm still and…" Qrow trailed off and shifted to snuggle into Oz's side more. "You had just scared me deeply and I didn't know what to think yet."
"Being sent back to Mistral was worse." Ruby said lips pursed at Lydia.
"Ah yes, we should speak about that. You are all aware of the Relics correct?" Everyone nodded and Lydia continued. "Well Ozpin told me that the Relics draw Grimm, which likely contributed to the attack last night. Ozpin's sword and Ruby's tattoo are two of the Relics."
"You've got a tattoo?" Jaune asked.
Ruby got up and pulled her shirt off showing everyone her back. Nora got up and touched her back among the leaves of the tree. "That's really pretty, but why is it here?"
"Because I felt Ruby's powers as a Silver Eyed Warrior would be the best thing we have to protect it. Within her it can't be stolen and is as well hidden and protected as I could make it." Ozpin said, he as a little miffed that Lydia just told everyone this but he'd deal.
"Well, it did rather work didn't it? Ruby used her eyes twice last night and they did slow down the Grimm." Lie said as Ruby put her shirt back on and sat on Oz's free side.
"Yes, I do also believe Ozpin made the right call. However in future if at all possible we should work to keep Ruby in the city. That means if a teacher wants to do a field trip we work out a way for her to avoid it." Lydia said as she picked up her Scroll.
"This just in from the base camp. A warning to our viewers some of what you are about to see is disturbing." The news caught their attention again.
This time it was the footage of Ozpin walking in on Lydia, Qrow and Rutile. Ozpin could do nothing but watch the event play out in horror though he had to admit it was pretty funny watching Lydia sneak up on him. However any humor was gone when Oz's left arm was exposed. The recording ended swiftly after that.
"While there was more recorded Doctor Rutile of Mistral General hospital confiscated the footage sighting rule fifty six of Huntsmen medical confidentiality. As well as quickly enforcing a gag order on our reporter before anything could be sent to our studio. However from what footage we do have it seems that Headmaster Ozpin will not be returning to active duty in the near future. We've shared this video with our own professional medical consultant. Doctor Glenn what you say about Ozpin's condition?"
A old balding doctor with beady eyes and a big smile was show on the screen. "Well give Doctor Rutile's shock at Ozpin being able to walk, albeit temporarily we can assume the wounds under those bandages are extremely severe. I believe that Ozpin was simply managing the pain up till this Lydia touched him. Now if we were to look at that arm."
The image changed to zoom in on the arm. The image was way to high definition for Ozpin's liking. "As you can see the damage is extensive, were I to guess I'd say Oz's has lost significant muscle mass through the arm and most of not all of the nerve endings would be utterly destroyed. The curling of his fingers when the gauntlet was removed suggests damage to his tendons as well, likely running through the whole arm."
"What is your medical recommendation?"
"Had that appeared in my emergency room I would have amputated it immediately. The risk of infection and necrosis would be, no is extreme. I do question Doctor Rutile's choice to leave the arm attached but then I have not seen the rest of the wound. Perhaps she thinks it can be salvaged, but there is no way that arm will ever return to completely functionality. Burn wounds are prone to infection and other complications. Doctor Rutile will definitely have her work cut out for her and I wish her good luck."
"Turn it off."
Yang had it off before the last word was spoken and everyone was looking at Oz. Weiss was the only one brave enough to say what they were all thinking. "Can we see it Oz?"
Ruby got up and left, then returned a moment later with a thick towel and saran wrap. Yang caught on and helped her sister arrange the towel on the arm of the sofa and laid the wrap over it tucking the edges so it wouldn't move. Ruby moved to stand before Oz and he only nodded and looked away nuzzling Qrow's head as Ruby started to remove the armour and set it aside. He lost all sensation as the armour was set on the table. He couldn't even feel the air over his skin. Ruby carefully lifted the black limb and set it on the protected towel.
Ozpin hate the silence, he could hear them moving around but couldn't feel any of the touches. Only when did he feel something, a warmth did he look over. Jaune was standing beside him his own green Aura lighting up in response to Jaune powering and focusing it on the spot. "It's weird usually when I do this something happens."
"There is a lot to heal." Lydia said softly and put her Scroll away lunch ordered for delivery.
"He can't wear that armour all the time, it can't be good for the muscles underneath." Weiss said already thinking on what to do.
"I will make him a few gloves as you are quite right." Lydia said already working out what material to use.
"But it's useless without the armour, something about it makes it so I can feel with the arm, use it." Ozpin did not like that idea, he vividly remembered when his shoulder had gotten shot up and was in no hurry to repeat that.
"I hate to break it to you Oz, but you are just going to have to get used to not using it much. I not ever sure if therapy will be a thing anytime in the near future. You'll have to let it breath and let it be idle, we don't know how the magic in that armour works. For all you know it could be harmful to you now that Nito is out of your body." Weiss said pulling up her Scroll and looking through a medical site for long term burn treatment.
"I agree with Weiss, especially considering how much of my tree you have in you now. For all we know it could do something like it did with my Skogr's spine and mend your arm from the inside out." Lydia said.
"The thought of roots crawling or growing through me is not a thought I needed right now Lydia." Ozpin shivered violently, yes no thinking about the wood holding him together.
"Sorry. My point was, I don't believe you won't eventually be able to recover from this."
"I understand but can we talk about something else now please? Like are we all going out for the Wylde Hunt on Friday? I'd still like to go, I think I'll be fine at least internally by then." Oz asked look up but trying to avoid looking at his arm.
"We're all good and after what we went though to make it safe we should be able to participate!" Nora fist pumped.
"It would be a shame to miss out." Ren said and got up. "I'm going to make tea, requests?"
"Blueberry, Peach, Lemon, Raspberry, Blueberry, Jasmine, Peach."
Ren took down his orders mentally and head off to the kitchen. Lydia departed as well, off deeper into the house. Yang parked in front of the tv and started to scan movie disks. "So what are we watching?"
"Nothing with lots of fighting." Blake said from her perch. "I think we've all had enough fighting to last as us while."
"Daww, that cuts out a lot of good stuff." Nora bounded over and sat beside Yang joining in the scanning. "How about a musical then?"
"Nope, the last one you made us sit through was agonizing." Qrow shook his head.
"Murder mysteries?"
"No thank you, I think we've seen enough death for a while." Ozpin said.
Lydia returned with a short blanket she shook it out and set it over Oz's arm. "Silk lining, shouldn't catch on anything."
"Thanks." Oz found he could relax a bit with the black husk he called an arm hidden from sight.
"How about something animated? Maybe Howl's Moving Castle?" Yang pulled the case from the self and held it up.
Ren returned with a tray of tea. "I think that would be wonderful."
"Seconded." Ruby finally chimed in.
"Third."
"Fourth."
"It's one of my favourites." Jaune said.
"We have a consensus." Ozpin chuckled, when in doubt a trip back to one's childhood was always a good idea.
The doorbell rang and Lydia, Nora and Jaune went to go collect lunch. Which to everyone's surprise turned out to be traditional Mistral food everyone with their own box and several communal dishes. Oz was handed his already popped open with chop stick stick into the side. Ruby moved to sit astride his lap and took his box from him and put it on her baby bump. Oz could only chuckle and happily eat his noodles from it.
The rest of the day was filled in much the same way. Good company, silly talk about even sillier things. A steady stream of movies, good food, cuddles and tea. All the best things in life.
By the time it was getting late and several yawns were being muffled unsuccessful Ruby decided to slip off to bed first and took a moment to admire herself in the mirror. Though the more she looked at her glowy wide belly she thought it looked lovely, as she pet over her belly. Her skin was as flawless as ever, she had put on just enough weight to be perfect for her baby. She felt fit, healthy and vibrant. The silver eyed warrior turned to admire her body from the side when she saw her lovers in the doorway. Ozpin was leaning on the eve with his good arm, while Qrow had already slipped through.
"You look like a goddess." Ozpin purred.
"You always say that." Ruby grinned turning too them.
"Because your beauty knows no bounds." Qrow walked to her and touched her belly. "You glow and this, well it makes you even hotter then before." He knelt and pressed a kiss to her belly, before rubbing his cheek over it. "Makes me want to do all sorts of naughty things to you."
Ruby saw Oz's hand wander over to his bad arm. "Don't think you're allowed to not play anymore Oz." She drew Qrow up. "That last romance movie got me all worked up." She walked away and moved into the bed arranging the pillows to her liking. "I want you over here, I could go for some nice gentle love making right now."
Qrow saw right through what she wanted to do. As Oz stode in Qrow moved to him and their clothes hit the ground slowly. Lingering kisses and caresses of skin against skin. They moved to the bed and touches grew more heated. Adjustments made without word or care. The bliss on Ozpin's face when he entered his fiancee, a position she chose lending very nicely to her pregnancy letting him admire her in the fullest and encouraging him forget about his other arm. With only the thought of pleasure and togetherness between them all.