Three

[pendantry]

[Fighting and weather chaos seem to have given way to...new arrival chaos instead. Unless someone shows up from her world, Raven'll be steering clear of the New Feathers given half an opportunity, at least until they know more about what's going on.

No, today she's taking steps toward all the things she made tentative plans about. First, to the flower shop and the item shop, looking for seeds that might result in food that could restore Rune Magic. Or a certain special kind of blue flower, one she's not likely to find until the fall - but she'll look, for the flower and the seeds.

Then she swallows her weird mix of fear-pride and goes back to the smithy. Time to ask about work. Now that her arm has healed and she's gotten a little practice in again, making accessories doesn't sound bad at all. Whoever is around in there will see her awkwardly stare at the building for several minutes before going inside to stare in a similar fashion at them.

Next comes an early dinner at Seventh Heaven, and that's where she lays out the journal and a small bag of somethings and speaks a message.]

I want to talk to some of you. I'm at the restaurant. [A very long pause.] Do all worlds have monsters?

[[ooc: Basically, if you had a moment with Raven thus far since she's been here, she made you something while she was getting herself back into accessory-crafting shape. Anyone can run into her (literally, if you wish) as she wanders around the village and tries to eat dinner in peace.]]

Comments

[grapecape]

[Well, he has two questions, but they're "What do you need" and "Why do we have to be all the way out here" and he gets the feeling that both are going to be answered whether he asks them or not.]

Is...everything all right, Raven?

[pendantry]

Yeah. ...Just stay there. Okay?

[She keeps walking. Turns to face him, but doesn't actually look at him. Is she really going to do this? It's not at all too late to back out, she could make something up about home and loneliness and maybe things not working out with sharing a living space and-

Lie. As usual.

Three seconds later she's a phoenix instead.]

[grapecape]

[Holy shit.]

[pendantry]

[Well that's a face she's never seen.]

...Well?

[grapecape]

Ah.

[He brings a hand to his chin, one knuckle resting over his mouth in a pondering gesture that doesn't do much to hide the gobsmacked astonishment on his face.]

I...yes. I see.

[Give him a second okay. One breath...two breaths...]

This is...most people don't know, then?

[pendantry]

I was like this when I arrived. [So that's Silver and Masaomi.] And...it was easier to fight this way. The enemies all could fly. [So that's...a lot more other people.]

...I'm a monster.

[The way she says it isn't broken for the reasons a human might cite - terrible deeds, or mistaken bad choices. But it's still somehow broken. Even after beginning to come to terms with the imbalance her life creates.]

[grapecape]

[...And she lives in Sharance.

Oh, Raven.

Ondorus closes his eyes and gives a long, quiet sigh, thinking.]

So that's why you were asking about monsters that morning.

[pendantry]

[Instead of answering, she changes back. Still not looking at him. The ground never makes that shocked expression.]

[grapecape]

[Ondorus might be startled - amazed - but he won't let it distract him for more than a minute. He can try for a calm smile.]

I hope you weren't expecting any trouble to come of this?

[The words could have had a sarcastic edge if his tone wasn't so genuine.]

Raven, thank you. I am honored - and very glad - that you have chosen to confide in me. And you have my sincere word that as long as you wish this to remain a secret, I will not breathe a word of it to anyone.

[pendantry]

[Was she expecting trouble? Ondorus was also a monster, and he hadn't seemed to take living with a "hornless" very badly at all.

But maybe she was still expecting trouble. He would have a better concept of her species, after all. She looks further away until his words and their meaning register with her.]

...What? ...Really? [Enough people know already that it's not a very good secret, and that's been driving her crazy.]

[grapecape]

Of course.

[pendantry]

[But he said honored.]

...Thanks.

[Though her eyes only meet his for a few seconds, it's the most genuine emotion she's put into her words since she told him people died.]