Insanity Clinic: Season Two

[The Aspiring Archivist any pronouns]

Just now, Edema Rue said:

Rue raised an eyebrow, but before she could answer the man hit TAAron with his dueling cane. “Move, skaa.”

TAAron bore it easily, and began to walk.

[-Redacted- he/him]

47 minutes ago, Edema Rue said:

"…maybe slow down there, friend. I know it’s good, but…uh…you don’t want to be sick…”

"Alright, I'm done! Jaddeth be praised for that meal!" the gyorn said, sighing.

[Edema Rue she/her]

12 minutes ago, The Aspiring Archivist said:

TAAron bore it easily, and began to walk.

Rue frowned, but followed. “This isn’t right,” she whispered to him. 

The man seemed to be leading them to a richer part of town.

3 minutes ago, -Redacted- said:

"Alright, I'm done! Jaddeth be praised for that meal!" the gyorn said, sighing.

Tal’s eye twitched. “That meal didn’t come from-“ He took a deep breath. “Yup, chouta’s pretty great.”

[The Aspiring Archivist any pronouns]

5 minutes ago, Edema Rue said:

Rue frowned, but followed. “This isn’t right,” she whispered to him. 

The man seemed to be leading them to a richer part of town.

Tal’s eye twitched. “That meal didn’t come from-“ He took a deep breath. “Yup, chouta’s pretty great.”

"What about it?"

[Edema Rue she/her]

11 minutes ago, The Aspiring Archivist said:

"What about it?"

“What right does he have to do this?”

[The Aspiring Archivist any pronouns]

1 minute ago, Edema Rue said:

“What right does he have to do this?”

"He's a noble, and we, ostensibly, are skaa. He can do more or less whether he wants."

[Edema Rue she/her]

1 minute ago, The Aspiring Archivist said:

"He's a noble, and we, ostensibly, are skaa. He can do more or less whether he wants."

“What?” Rue hissed, more emotion that usual in her voice, though it was hard to tell what. The man glanced back, frowning, and she looked at the ground, gritting her teeth. “How long has it been this way?”

[The Aspiring Archivist any pronouns]

3 minutes ago, Edema Rue said:

“What?” Rue hissed, more emotion that usual in her voice, though it was hard to tell what. The man glanced back, frowning, and she looked at the ground, gritting her teeth. “How long has it been this way?”

"About... a thousand years."

[Edema Rue she/her]

8 minutes ago, The Aspiring Archivist said:

"About... a thousand years."

“And no one’s risen up?” That isn’t right…no one lets their people be oppressed for that long…what’s wrong with this world?

[The Aspiring Archivist any pronouns]

2 minutes ago, Edema Rue said:

“And no one’s risen up?” That isn’t right…no one lets their people be oppressed for that long…what’s wrong with this world?

"There's a god emperor maintaining absolute stability. A single man enforcing total control for a millennium."

[Edema Rue she/her]

30 minutes ago, The Aspiring Archivist said:

"There's a god emperor maintaining absolute stability. A single man enforcing total control for a millennium."

“Of course,” Rue breathed. “Of course. One man, with too much power…”

[The Aspiring Archivist any pronouns]

1 minute ago, Edema Rue said:

“Of course,” Rue breathed. “Of course. One man, with too much power…”

"The consequences of extreme power are definitely a theme..."

[Aeoryi she/her]

2 hours ago, Edema Rue said:

The man snorted. “Idiot skaa. Tell me, who’s your master?”

Rue was giving him a cold look, really a regular look for her, and it was making him visibly angrier.

“Ah…it’s okay to get attached,” Tal said, smiling softly and forcing down memories that tried to rise up and remind him of someone he’d once been. “It can hurt to lose it, but the joy of loving something is always worth it.”

“…maybe slow down there, friend. I know it’s good, but…uh…you don’t want to be sick…”

"The benefits are outweighed by the negatives. Give me an example and I'll explain." 

[Edema Rue she/her]

8 minutes ago, The Aspiring Archivist said:

"The consequences of extreme power are definitely a theme..."

“It’s awful.”

The man stopped in front of a mansion. Several guards opened the gates, and he stepped through, gesturing for Rue and TAAron to follow. He walked into the house. “You,” he pointed at TAAron, “come with me. And you,” he eyed Rue, “get some tea and bring it to the study.” 

4 minutes ago, Aeoryi said:

"The benefits are outweighed by the negatives. Give me an example and I'll explain." 

Tal knew he’d regret it, but…best to let her talk. “What’s so bad about getting attached to the clinic?”

[Aeoryi she/her]

1 minute ago, Edema Rue said:

“It’s awful.”

The man stopped in front of a mansion. Several guards opened the gates, and he stepped through, gesturing for Rue and TAAron to follow. He walked into the house. “You,” he pointed at TAAron, “come with me. And you,” he eyed Rue, “get some tea and bring it to the study.” 

Tal knew he’d regret it, but…best to let her talk. “What’s so bad about getting attached to the clinic?”

"What happens if it gets destroyed? Their only safe place, gone. And they'll be lower than ever before, and you'll feel bad because you think it'll be your fault."

[The Aspiring Archivist any pronouns]

1 minute ago, Edema Rue said:

“It’s awful.”

The man stopped in front of a mansion. Several guards opened the gates, and he stepped through, gesturing for Rue and TAAron to follow. He walked into the house. “You,” he pointed at TAAron, “come with me. And you,” he eyed Rue, “get some tea and bring it to the study.” 

Tal knew he’d regret it, but…best to let her talk. “What’s so bad about getting attached to the clinic?”

TAAron immediately glanced at Rue, worried. "Yes... sir."

[Edema Rue she/her]

23 minutes ago, Aeoryi said:

"What happens if it gets destroyed? Their only safe place, gone. And they'll be lower than ever before, and you'll feel bad because you think it'll be your fault."

"Ah," Tal said with a wink, "but they have a safe place for now, and the chances of the clinic getting destroyed are...very, very low. 'Their only safe place'....isn't it wonderful that we can offer safety?"

23 minutes ago, The Aspiring Archivist said:

TAAron immediately glanced at Rue, worried. "Yes... sir."

"Yes, sir," Rue said, utterly serene and filled with anger. She walked off in the direction he'd pointed.

The man started up the stairs, turning into a small study on the second floor. He nodded for TAAron to wait outside, then walked in. "Father."

[The Aspiring Archivist any pronouns]

1 minute ago, Edema Rue said:

"Ah," Tal said with a wink, "but they have a safe place for now, and the chances of the clinic getting destroyed are...very, very low. 'Their only safe place'....isn't it wonderful that we can offer safety?"

"Yes, sir," Rue said, utterly serene and filled with anger. She walked off in the direction he'd pointed.

The man started up the stairs, turning into a small study on the second floor. He nodded for TAAron to wait outside, then walked in. "Father."

TAAron listened, trying to hear the conversation and understand what was happening.

[Edema Rue she/her]

25 minutes ago, The Aspiring Archivist said:

TAAron listened, trying to hear the conversation and understand what was happening.

"Inen...do you have news?"

"House Tekiel has refused our offer," The man-no, the boy-sounded angry.

"It is as we expected," the older voice replied. 

"But, Father, this leaves us with no alliances-"

"We have no need for their alliances. If they don't believe that there are other worlds...that just means more for us."

At that moment, Rue walked up the stairs, carrying a tray of tea and covered in significantly more ash. "This is humiliating," she whispered. "We should go."

[The Aspiring Archivist any pronouns]

3 minutes ago, Edema Rue said:

"Inen...do you have news?"

"House Tekiel has refused our offer," The man-no, the boy-sounded angry.

"It is as we expected," the older voice replied. 

"But, Father, this leaves us with no alliances-"

"We have no need for their alliances. If they don't believe that there are other worlds...that just means more for us."

At that moment, Rue walked up the stairs, carrying a tray of tea and covered in significantly more ash. "This is humiliating," she whispered. "We should go."

"Wait," TAAron said quietly. "The people in there. They're talking about other worlds."

[Edema Rue she/her]

11 minutes ago, The Aspiring Archivist said:

"Wait," TAAron said quietly. "The people in there. They're talking about other worlds."

Rue froze. "What?"

"Of course, Father...has the Ministry agreed to this?"

"The Inquisitors will be at the ball tonight. I'll get their blessing, and then...well. The other houses will finally learn to fear the Elariels as they should."

[The Aspiring Archivist any pronouns]

1 minute ago, Edema Rue said:

Rue froze. "What?"

"Of course, Father...has the Ministry agreed to this?"

"The Inquisitors will be at the ball tonight. I'll get their blessing, and then...well. The other houses will finally learn to fear the Elariels as they should."

"They could be talking about other worlds in the Cosmere, but... It's definitely a strange coincidence that we're here. And if they plan to make a public display of this, it's nothing like what is supposed to happen, according to the books. Something is wrong here."

[Edema Rue she/her]

2 minutes ago, The Aspiring Archivist said:

"They could be talking about other worlds in the Cosmere, but... It's definitely a strange coincidence that we're here. And if they plan to make a public display of this, it's nothing like what is supposed to happen, according to the books. Something is wrong here."

"You think?" Rue asked sarcastically. She raised a hand and knocked on the door. The conversation paused. "That will be the skaa I sent for tea," the younger voice said. "You really ought to be more strict with them, Father...Enter!"

[The Aspiring Archivist any pronouns]

Just now, Edema Rue said:

"You think?" Rue asked sarcastically. She raised a hand and knocked on the door. The conversation paused. "That will be the skaa I sent for tea," the younger voice said. "You really ought to be more strict with them, Father...Enter!"

TAAron watched Rue go with trepidation. He realized now that he had been afforded a certain level of comfort here by his knowledge of this world. He began to feel that slip away.

[Edema Rue she/her]

4 minutes ago, The Aspiring Archivist said:

TAAron watched Rue go with trepidation. He realized now that he had been afforded a certain level of comfort here by his knowledge of this world. He began to feel that slip away.

Rue entered, stepping inside. She shouldn't be afraid of these people. They were...they were just...but they looked so much like him. Or did they? Was it just her mind playing tricks on her again? I need to be stronger. I can't fall apart every time...Rue realized she was looking the Lord in the eye and quickly dropped her gaze.

The older one, the Lord, frowned and nodded for her to set the tea on a desk. She did, and he stood up and walked over to her. He put a finger under her chin and lifted it, and she stiffened, forcing herself not to magically slam him against the wall. "I don't recognize you..." he said, voice silky and honeyed. "Where did you come from?" She didn't answer, and grabbed her chin. "Answer me, skaa!"