Edema Rue

Rayvyn watched him for a long moment. He sounds like he cares. Maybe it would be okay to leave...no. Something about this isn't right. "Would you and your brother like to stay at the Mishmash Inn with the rest of us?"

Ravelast: Sixth Archive Gateway Rue nods. "How are you going to change this? What are you going to do so that if a situation like this ever comes up again, it will turn out differently?" @InfiniteInsanity

Rayvyn, who was also there, eyed the house suspiciously. "Why aren't your parents here? Do they not care about their son? Tacien, do you think you'd be safe here?"

Rayvyn raises an eyebrow at the brother. “You happen to forget any details about your relationship?”

Rayvyn intercepts him. "Fair point," she acknowledges, knowing how harsh streets in any universe can be, "But I'm still not just going to let you take him." Addressing the boy, she says, "Is this what you want? Will he hurt you?" She grabs a paper from the stack and hands it to him with a pencil. The look in her eyes dares the brother to challenge her.

Rayvyn shrugs. "Where did he get the bruises?"

Rayvyn cocked her head, pulling her knife away and twirling it carefully. She was a different person with her knives in her hands. "Are you the reason he's hurt, the reason he won't talk? Family means nothing when you abuse the privilege."

"No," Rayvyn said, and suddenly her knife was at his throat. "You aren't taking him."

Rayvyn swallowed, slipping out 2 more knives. I really am going through a lot of these today, she thought ruefully. Covering her nervousness with impatience, she opens the door and says, “Yes? What do you want?”

Ravelast: Sixth Archive Gateway “Oh,” Rue says awkwardly. “I…I’m sorry, Insa. I don’t know if this helps, but I don’t think you’re the kind of person who would purposely kill others. I’m sure it was a simple mistake, one that whoever it was will understand…” @InfiniteInsanity

Rayvyn smiles at the boy, trying to calm him. His first picture was of him climbing out of a window, but I didn't think much of it. She hesitates, then sends firmly, I won't give him to his brother without fighting, and trust me, I can fight. If he really did run away, then it was for a reason.

Rayvyn stiffens, feeling a strange burst of protectiveness. What do you need to know? He's terrified, he doesn't talk, his eyes change color. Nothing's changed.

Rayvyn gasps as the voice. Stay out of my head, she thinks. Also, uh, hi. Is there a reason for this?

"How--nevermind, actually. I don't think I want to know. No, I don't have more food for you. And why is someone so young all alone?" That's a very bad question, and Rayvyn knows it. She was alone when she was that age. "Um, well, I guess you can stay here, if you like."

Ravelast: Sixth Archive Gateway "We all wish we could change some of the choices we've made," Rue says. "Light, but I do. I don't...that is...is there anything we can do to help these people now?" @InfiniteInsanity

"I'm glad you enjoyed it," Rayvyn says dryly. "Now, would all of you except him," she gestures at the boy with shifting eyes, "like to explain why you're all in my room?"

Rayvyn took a deep breath. "One sec," she says to the original boy, then to the newcomer, "Now that you've eaten my dagger, tell me your name." Then to Marilyn, she says, "And who are you?" How do I always end up surrounded by so many people?

Rayvyn sighed tiredly. I'm in a new universe, in a strange inn, in a room with a 6 year old who eats knives and a 7 year old who draws pictures. This is fine. I've been in weirder situations. Maybe. She takes a breath, trying to sound patient. "How about we make a different trade? You can eat more graphite, and then tell me your name. Or if you'd rather, you could get your own room here. I'm sure it will have lots of tasty things to eat!"

“It—no—that’s—My daggers are not food!” Rayvyn eyes the newcomer. “What did you say your name was again?”

Rayvyn stepped forward, her own dagger suddenly in her hands. “Who are you? And why do you want to eat daggers? I have nothing against you, but my daggers are very precious to me and if you harm one, I will be very angry.”

Ravelast: Sixth Archive Gateway “To change the way you feel about going on, or anything like that.” She shrugs. “You don’t have to tell me what you remembered, but how is it affecting you?” @InfiniteInsanity

Rayvyn blinked. “That was…weird. There’s a spare here somewhere.” She finds one and hands it to him. “But it’s something to do with moving from the floor to the bed?”

“You were on the floor, then the bed. I know, I saw you both places. What’s wrong about that?”

Ravelast: Sixth Archive Gateway “Bad enough to change anything?” @InfiniteInsanity