risk

/rɪsk/

noun

1. a situation involving exposure to danger.

"flouting the law was too much of a risk"

verb

2. expose (someone or something valued) to danger, harm, or loss.

"he risked his life to save his dog"


After the longest shopping trip of Oscar's life, he and Ozpin were finally done, together they had come up with an outfit that made them both happy and acquired new combat gear.

The store clerk told them that their customizations would be done by the next day, and to return then to pick up all of their purchases.

After that, they had gone searching for an inn they could stay at while they planned for their meeting with Qrow and Team RNJR.

Now, Oscar sat at the small table on his room, pen and paper in hand and writing out all of the key events that he could recall from the last two years. From the confrontation with RW_Y JN_R about the relics and the Maiden's to the battle of Haven. The trip to Argus and everything that followed Jinn's revelation. The downfall of Atlas… and the last stand at Shade.

He wrote it all down.

He recalled every loss and every victory, each life lost and all enemies they defeated.

Everything, in as much detail as he could remember. Although he knew all of this could very quickly become useless to him, 'Knowledge prompts change, and change negates knowledge' he knew what was to come, and when he intervened, things would change and all he knows will no longer be of use, just more memories to haunt his nights and cause him pain without offering the comfort of knowing he can interfere and save those he cares for.

Oscar knew he had to pick the right moments to act on, and the ones he would have to let come to pass just as they did his first time around.

To manylives rested in the balance, if he made the wrong move or acted in the wrong way, so much could be lost and his journey back would all be in vain.

"I know that I have to stop the battle at Haven, Cinder and Raven can not enter the Vault of Spring. Jinn can not be freed" of that, Oscar was certain.

Jinn's knowledge had brought nothing but pain and despair, stolen their already frail hope once, Oscar refuses to allow her to be released again.

{If your primary goal is to stop Miss Branwen from opening the vault, then perhaps focusing on how we can deal with her should be our top priority.} Ozpin began, his tone level, but Oscar could feel anger beneath the calm he was attempting to put forth. For Raven to have become the Spring Maiden, she would have had to take the power at least seventeen years ago.

Ozpin remembered the last Maiden, she was young and small, afraid. Losing her mother and gaining immeasurable powers all at once, it had all been too much for the young girl at the time… she ran, unable to stand the weight of her new responsibilities.

And for Raven to now possess that power… she must have either gained the girls trust in a way nobody else could; or… she did something unforgivable. {If your timeline is correct, then we have almost two months to find a way to stop her from joining Salem's forces.}

"Raven is definitely our first priority. She needs to be stopped, by whatever means necessary." Oscar agreed, he didn't hate Raven, he didn't really have any strong feelings about her at all past the lingering betrayal Ozpin felt after she had abandoned their cause… after everything he gave her.

But Oscar himself, he felt nothing. If she had to be sacrificed to save the people he cared for, then she would be an acceptable casualty.

{There is no such thing as 'acceptable casualties' Oscar, Miss Branwen has done terrible things, and betrayed many who put their faith in her, but that does not mean we can just write her off an an acceptable loss.} Ozpin countered.

Oscar smiled sadly and looked down at his notes, "that's the one thing I never inherited from you after the merger, your innate ability to forgive those who wronged you, and to always see the good in people… even those that don't deserve it."

{It's what kept me feeling human, the ability to forgive is an important one. I hope that I can help you learn it, this time around…}

"I hope so too"