The trouble with Fey Relations

Ultime starts the encounter with a look of slight puzzlement, but by the time the note is tossed out it has resolved into comprehension. Nodding to Mina and the others, he says quietly, You did your best. Pitching his voice a little louder, he adds, I guess that’s all we can do here. Let’s go get some rooms at the inn. We’ll need a quiet place his eyes flick to the concealed note to rest if we want to leave first thing tomorrow. He glances up at the window one last time before motioning the group towards the inn.

Mina nods numbly. Following Ultime's lead, she heads toward the inn. Ears drooping, she pulls her hood over her head in an attempt to hide herself away.

Despite the literal note of hope pocketed away, she feels like an utter failure. This mysterious being -- they had clearly reached out to the wrong person. Everything about this task was stretching her beyond her comfort zones, and despite her trying her absolute hardest not to offend anyone, the entire town now seems entirely set against her. All she wants to do is crawl into a little hole and disappear.

After looking at the note Aizashi looks at his companions, Well it seems a new path has opened for us. I'd suggest we take a look at the situation tonight, what do you all think?

Mina nods, wondering to herself if it might be an ambush... suspecting it's not.

I think... until then... I will be in my room, she says quietly.

The foxkin nods to Aizashi and Ultime and then retreats to her room.

Locking the door behind herself, she sets her pack next to the bed, crawls under the covers, and silently cries for a good fifteen minutes, only emerging briefly from under the blankets to fetch a hanky to wipe her eyes and nose. (The work of healing Hany had drained her quite a bit, and then everything that had happened after was.... Well, it was too much for this socially anxious little foxkin.)

She dozes for a bit after her emotional processing, and when she awakens she feels better: more refreshed and capable. Seeing that the sun has not yet lowered to the horizon, Mina takes the opportunity to pull out her writing materials and magical scroll. Dipping her pen in the deep blue ink, she notes in tiny writing:

Mina reads the response several times over before writing back:
After the ink dries, she rolls the magical parchment back up, gives it a gentle hug, then tucks it and her writing implements away in her pack. Glancing out the window, she sees it's almost time to go.

We are here to help. Please talk to us. Let us help you.
Aizashi replies to the voice.
He was tired and exhausted, things seem to have gone from bad to worse since they confronted Malgrim.
But he wouldn't abandon the children or his new found friends.

We’re ready to listen to whatever you can tell us, Ultime says soothingly. We’re just a bit on edge after today. I guess it gives us a hint at how you folks have been feeling. He shakes his head a little sadly. But maybe if we worked together, we could help fix that a bit. We could share what we’ve learned, in case it might help. He nods encouragingly to Mina and takes a step back, looking hopefully towards the voice.

For a moment, Mina just looks at Ultime, her brow raised with surprise at the level of empathy he'd demonstrated.

Realizing it is her turn to speak, though, she sighs and turns, leaning her back against the shed and squatting there. She gazes up at the stars, reflecting on this child's inner experience and choosing her words carefully.

Earlier today, I spoke to your class about the importance of compassion in ending cycles of violence. Coming here out of concern for the wellbeing of relative strangers ... against the instructions of others... you've demonstrated to me that you have that compassion in spades, along with a good dose of courage. You couldn't look away, knowing that harm might befall us if you did.

I think, perhaps, you of all people are uniquely positioned to understand how we feel in this moment. This morning, I healed little Hany and experienced first hand the pain and distress that she had suffered. I know it as if I had gone through it myself. Now we are here, against everyone's instructions (much like yourself!), because we, too, can't look away and risk the harm that will most assuredly continue....

Mina exhales and turns her head, talking directly into the crack between the boards. Her voice is low and serious as she continues.

We aren't the first to come to this town trying to help, and we won't be the last. More will come until this situation is resolved. Of that, I am absolutely certain.... But you're right. We do need you. So I hope you will give us a chance to end this cycle here.