Video; UN: Rubitsune

[rutilance]

[ The video starts and the girl on the other side of the camera looks... Concerned. ]

Just how many of us are there? [ She starts, almost tripping over her words to elaborate. ] Kids, I mean. Just how many of us here are kids?

Are we all staying at the inns?

[ She pauses, biting her lip for a moment before speaking up again, her voice a little more sure this time. ]

I think we should look out for each other. [ Because adults can't be trusted to. Even the ones who mean well. ] A lot of us are small, I'd bet. And a lot of the other kids I've seen don't really seem like fighters. Those of us that are, we should help them.

Those of us who don't know how to fight can learn from those of us who do know, and those of us who don't want to know how to fight can be taught how to keep a better eye out for themselves and the rest of us.

The more of us that know how to defend ourselves, and the more of us that can keep an eye out for each other, the better chance of survival we have in a situation where we are at a noticeable disadvantage.

[ She wasn't quite suggesting a gang of feral children, but close enough. ]

Comments

video; un: boomerang-guy

[bendless]

Why does it sound like you're forming some gang?

[rutilance]

Gangs do illegal activities. There is no illegal activity desired with this. [ She looks at him a little annoyed. ] Unless you think kids being able to protect themselves and having a system in place that allows them to help each other is a gang.

The jobs in town allow us to make money required to eat, maybe even to eventually move out of the inns, but so long as we have access to food and housing as we do currently, there would be no reason to turn to crime.

[ Unless of course an adult did them serious harm, and no one stepped up to take care of the issue. Then it's just being prudent to team up and teach said adult a lesson. Adults didn't like to admit it when kids got the better of them, which provided the kids some safety... Though of course she wasn't going to say that. Not where adults could see and then use as proof of ill intent later! ]

video; un: bluerose

[birdflipping]

Seriously, Ruby?

[rutilance]

What? Kids have to look out for each other. [ She states this so very manner-of-a-factly... ]

video: un - secondbutterfly

[cureofmanyworlds]

Kids? Well, I'm honestly not sure how old I am... It's really complicated, but I could try to help!

[rutilance]

I'll welcome all help we can get. I figure that as long as you don't think of yourself as an adult, it works. Different worlds probably have different ideas of what counts as a kid anyway. If we do this right, even if some adults are in the group things will be okay. As long as we understand that we're doing this to keep an eye on each other so there will always be someone watching our backs we'll have succeeded.

What sorts of things do you know how to do? Are there any things you would like to learn? What are some things you consider yourself bad at?

video: un - coordinated

[sinnohcoordinated]

Hmm, it's been really rough, honestly. I... really have been doing things by myself and it's quite awkward with everyone else being adults.

[rutilance]

Believe me, I understand that. It's weird that all of the adults are practically random strangers to us. There's no signs of who we can or can't trust. A part of my goal is for us kids to be able to have a kinda list of who can be trusted for what sort of stuff, too. There are some trustworthy adults, [ Darin, for one, ] but I know I'd feel a lot better having other kids to compare experiences with.

What are some things that have been hard for you to do by yourself, or that you think would at least be easier with help?

voice; UN: firstfallen

[corruptedsave]

[Sounds like a kid talking, at least on this end.]

And what if we don't care about other kids, what then?

Voice

[rutilance]

I'm not going to force anyone to join.

That said, you don't have to care about people to see the wisdom in working with them towards a shared goal. Yes, you have to do work that benefits them, but in return they do work that benefits you. It's just that working in a group makes each individual burden lighter.

Video: UN: CalamityHawk

[wherethewindtakesme]

I'm not sure how many people are around either. I hadn't really thought about younger children.

So is your plan to have a few children in a house and have someone a little older, if not an adult, to help them out?

[Because that's not a bad idea, actually...]

[rutilance]

That's a later goal. The house I mean. [ She smiles a little. ] We're still figuring out the specifics, but we'll need to earn a lot of money if we're going to be able to afford a house big enough to house more than just a couple children. We'll also need to make sure we have furnishings so that we're not sitting on bare floors. It's a long term goal.

We at least have someone who knows how to cook already, and I'm going to learn, and will be teaching any of the others who want to know, so we'll hopefully have more than enough people capable of cooking by then.

First we're hoping to be able to get a bunch of us together to train each other in various things. How to fight, how to run, how to hide, how to be lookouts. Cooking. Making magic training more fun so it's easier to learn. Those sorts of things.

Once we're far enough along I'd like for us to be able to provide a second meal on top of the one the inns give for free. I've been saving the majority of my money, so I think all we're waiting for there is for enough people to know how to cook for a lot of people. And maybe renting out the inn's kitchen if they won't let us use it for free like they do when we bring our own ingredients.

When it comes to help from adults, it will be welcome, just so long as it doesn't come with a catch.

text; un: ruffestrabbit

[zunge]

The more of you know how to defend yourselves, the less burden you are on unrelated parties here.

Voice

[rutilance]

Exactly. The more we know about how to defend ourselves the less people will feel the need to get themselves wounded on our behalf, too, and while I personally don't worry too much about that, I've known kids who do. [ If someone gets hurt because they assume she can't defend herself that's hardly her problem. Not when she definitely knows how to keep herself safe. ] The more competent the least of us is, the better it is for all of us.

Audio | un: nnnnneth

[scalesdown]

Erm, I'm not sure exactly what sort of help I could offer, but... well, I'd like to help if I can.

Audio

[rutilance]

Are you good at math? Because we need someone who can help us with that.

We're also happy to accept any martial help you can give. Or even just practical skills in general. I'm hoping to help other kids learn how to find various jobs they can do, and the more skills we have, the better. We're hoping to eventually be able to afford a house, though that's far down the road, and even skills that can help there would be appreciated.

video; un: songdiva

[songstressedout]

Well... I'm all for looking out for each other. People here solve conflicts differently than we do where I come from, so... knowing how to defend myself would be nice.

Re: video; un: songdiva

[rutilance]

I'll be happy to teach you what I can. Would you prefer to learn to fight for victory, or for safety? What are some skills you're good at?

( Video; UN: dragonspirit )

[kohaku_river]

I look like a child. ( Does that count? ) I wouldn't mind showing others how to defend themselves.

[rutilance]

I'll be more than happy to accept your aid. [ It absolutely counts! ] What types of fighting are you familiar with?

video; un: Kyrie

[sweetsurrenders]

[This is quite a situation...]

There has been a concerning number of children...while I don't quite agree with their methods of selecting people, if you ever need a home or a meal, I'd be happy to help you out. I'm not much of a fighter myself, and my magic is healing.

[rutilance]

If the inns won't let us cook a large amount of food in the kitchens for free, would you let us use yours? That would be very helpful and might let us start offering a free meal a day to all learners and teachers a lot sooner than planned.

We're planning to eventually buy a house, but we're going to need to find some steady income before that. And probably someone who knows math to help me with a plan I have. So if you know math and are willing to help, I would appreciate that a lot!

We're probably going to have healers every so often. If you think you could help train them in their magic, that would also be welcome.

video; un: RRRrrrr

[wuf]

[ He appears, and he nods. ]

Can help show how to fight. Know how to use weapons and hunt.

[rutilance]

[ Ruby smiles, seeing him on the screen. ]

Hello again! What type of fighting do you know how to do? I don't think hunting will be one of the first lessons, but it's definitely one we'll want to learn once we've expanded a little.

Video; un: Shoto

[itsmypower]

[As someone awkwardly pressed between worlds (school-age, youth, though "almost-Hero"), the realization leaves him cold.]

No one's looking after you? [His brows drop.] How long have you been here?

[rutilance]

[ She doesn't stare, but the girl is instantly intrigued by the fact this other teen has bi-coloured hair. For a moment she'd have assumed it was dyed, but his eyes seem to be different colours too. ]

I've been here a little over a month. I'm doing fine, I know how to take care of myself and others besides, but a lot of other kids aren't having nearly as easy of a time as I am.

video; un: kyoshiwarrior

[warfan]

We should all look out for one another. Dividing up by age won't help anyone.

[rutilance]

[ There is a part of her that wants to scream at this. That wants to rail on and on about how unfair it is that this is an attitude she's had to deal with twice. It would be very, very cathartic to actually act like the child she is, for once in her life. But instead she goes in with a calm voice, with only an edge of exasperation riding along it. ]

Say you have two men before you. You have one fruit. It is the evening. Your goal is to give help where it is most needed.

One of the man last ate lunch. The other man has gone three days without eating.

You are close enough to civilization that more food can be gotten.

Do you give the fruit to the man who has eaten less than a day before, or do you give it to the man who can barely remember his last meal?

If you want to do the most good, you'll give the man who has eaten less recently the fruit so that he might have the energy to make it to civilization, so that you won't have to carry him there.

The fact of the matter is that the adults are like the man who has had lunch in the last day. The adults need help, yes, but they don't need as much as the children do. We don't have anyone to look out for us as a group, and while some like myself can look out for ourselves, others are not so lucky.

Keeping with my example, what I want to do is to give other children the food they need, and train them in how to find food in the wilds, so that the adults don't have to slow down and carry us.

And while it's true that we should all be looking out for one another, that's not the reality of what's actually happening. A lot of the kids here need help, and they're not getting it, and they aren't being told who or where to ask. I'm proposing to step up and fill a gap that needs filling. I'm willing to do it on my own if I have to, but I know I'd much rather get the help that everyone seems so keen to remind me that we all need.

[ Okay. So maybe she gave in to the urge to be a little bit spiteful with that last little bit. She feels like she's received a lot of lectures over something that seems very obviously a net good to her. ]

The best part is that with what I'm planning, we'll be better able to lend the adults the help they need, once there's been enough training.

video; un: mr. priest

[mycrosstobear]

[Wait, wait. He knows that face. He knows that concern. At this age...is it Ruby or Haru? The user name seems to suggest the former, which he hopes means she's out of the worst by now.

Wolfwood's not usually one for video, but he'll make an exception today. She won't remember him. But he can, at least, try to make sure he doesn't do anything to make her more afraid.]

It's a good idea, but you're still going to end up pretty limited without some adults to help.

[rutilance]

[ And there she is on the other side of the screen. It's definitely the same girl he saw before, perhaps less thin than the youngest he'd encountered her in that other world, but still young. She does not remember him. ]

I am happy to accept the aid of adults. I'm just not going to rely on what I can't guarantee will be there. That's all.

[ To her, she sounds pragmatic. There's nothing accusatory in her tone, just practicality. For all the visual differences, like the red hair instead of the brown dye-job, the round glasses instead of oval, the auditory differences are... Well. Quite a lot smaller. She sounds younger, yes. But her manner of speech remains the same. ]

Video : Un; fashiondiva (Private)

[corpsewarblade]

Hey. Like, not exactly a kid, but gimme a shout if you need me, 'kay? I know my way around a fight and don't mind training people up if it's on the down-low.

[A pause, before adding: ]

But seriously it's cool you guys wanna look out for each other, but adults aren't the enemy. Already seen what happens when kids turn from 'we can't trust the adults' to 'adults are the enemy', not in a hurry to see that again.

[The Warriors of Hope were...their own special disaster. She never saw how that ended, but knew it couldn't be good.]

Just keep your wits about you and know your enemies. But you don't need to hear that from me, you know what you're doing.

[...She's trying to give advice, given everything that happened in the elevator. She's just really, really bad at it.]

(Private)

[rutilance]

I accept help from adults, too. I'm just not going to rely on them always coming through. [ Ruby gives a slightly exasperated smile. ] I never meant to make it sound like I think adults are the enemy. I just don't think they're as reliable as they think they are. After all, there would already be adults doing all this if they were, you know?

Besides. Seeing adults as the enemy isn't sustainable. Everyone grows up eventually, right?

[ She then smiles. ]

I would appreciate more help with training in fights. I'm not sure how down-low I can promise in general, but I can train anything you train me to do, I think. And I know I'm not perfect by any means. I'm just good at brawling and getting away is all.