a year ago, I quote rt the bottom one as I began to brainstorm abt ruby's relationship with people she prays to never be seen again, (it's inevitable, ruby, they'll come n get you)
i navigated my lens from different perceptions abt her: a childhood friend, a family member, and someone who thought she had a potential...
and the result came to one simple conclusion: she was seen weak.
Witches r known to be independent, resilient, and intelligent, but they're lacking empathy...
Ruby, who seemed to be protective and caring over a mermaid was considered weak.
She reduced her potion making skills to accommodate Tinkle's needs, she traded half of her powerful fire magic for a transportation spell, she sacrificed the life she had before, for something these three viewed insignificant.
"Playing house", "emotional support pet", "unending escapism"
then they started to connect this abnormal behavior of hers to her mother's, telling her that trying to act like Vilisca, would lead to her demise.
did i go too far????too far. i had to pause whole thing😭 it was so overwhelming and i felt kind of guilty....
days, months, a year...
then after gathering some courage, i wanted to give this a try again, went here and there never perfect at first, so i looked back n read some older stuff..
stumbled on this...
ruby's whole life changed when she decided to save timkle in the very last minute before the poisoning happened... desperately calling her name by the small shore where they met once and continously...
i asked myself why would she do that? why would she go such length for a mermaid she met so randomly? what benefits could she get?
looking back, ruby was raised by a witch who saw kindness in everything, who changed her father into someone more empathetic and touchy feely... when they were gone, she then was raised in a demanding environment
a cervene must be intelligent, strong, and always aims for the first place, ruby flawlessly achieved all that, she was admired and stuff, things she easily gained from her family status and integrity, praises n achievements here and there...
that environment she grew in stole away her joyful side and ruby strides for nothing but higher achievements
until well she met tinkle...
that creature was so carefree, clueless, and didn't know a thing, but ruby saw her reflection in those wide oceanic eyes and that's when her diminished persona began to crack,
it felt like she was looking into the child version of herself in those eyes.
the whole story is actually ruby's journey in embracing her inner child she had tossed away long ago
so when the poisoning occured, what ruby didn't realize when she was saving tinkle, is, in that very moment she was also saving a part of herself ruby never wanted to lose again...
so what those three didn't know, what they thought ruby's clingy behavior was just her form of escapism..
is actually so much more than that ...
Tinkle was a part of Ruby that she can't let go...
ruby was not getting weak, she was getting stronger.
