The village in the park, Thursday evening

[kintsukorosu]

Hannibal had come back here in the early hours of the morning, more to reassure those here that he was still safe and to stay involved in what was going on than out of any real desire to socialize

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[raven_unhollow]

Raven was one of those glad to see he was still safe.

"Hannibal, I wish you would stay here at the village," she said, probably for the thousandth time.

[kintsukorosu]

"Until Jono can, I won't," Hannibal answered stubbornly. No matter what he looked like, Jono belonged here. But as most of the others didn't seem to see that, he'd just have to keep visiting.

And since he had no intention of arguing... "He says there are new ones in town. Not hollows."

[raven_unhollow]

"You know I want Jono here as well," Raven said. She understood his appearance alarmed some people, but she knew he wasn't hollow.

She nodded. "I felt something. Has he met any of them?"

[kintsukorosu]

And that was why Hannibal appreciated you, Raven.

"Not yet, I don't think," he answered. "He only felt them." He shrugged. "They'll probably mostly attract attention and die before we even see them."

[raven_unhollow]

Raven rubbed her temple and shook her head. She could still feel traces of the emotions around her, battering against her shields, but she'd locked down her empathy. But that didn't mean she didn't care.

"I will try to find them and warn them," she said. "It may be that they are only temporary, like Fandom has done in the past, but to let them blunder into danger would be wrong."

[kintsukorosu]

"So you'll get yourself killed trying to help them?" Hannibal asked. "Anyone who can't tell it's dangerous out there won't last long anyway. Let them go; maybe they'll keep the hollows busy for a day or two."

He was glad he hadn't told her Jono had said there were children.

[raven_unhollow]

Raven's eyes flashed red. "I am not so easy to kill," she said evenly, "and you know it is not in my nature to just sit idly and let others be harmed."

That had probably been a good idea. If Raven knew there were children out there, nothing would've stopped her from going out to find them.

[kintsukorosu]

Hannibal snorted. "If you're not back by morning, I'll have Jono keep an eye out for your body."

[raven_unhollow]

"That will not be necessary," Raven said. She shifted into her demon form; her senses were sharper that way.

Fuchsia energy crackled on her fingers. "But I appreciate the sentiments."

[kintsukorosu]

"I don't do sentiment," Hannibal said. He gave her a grim smile. "I just like to know where the bodies are buried."

He turned back to the pipe he'd been looking at. "And stay away from her."

[raven_unhollow]

"Stay away from whom?" Raven asked. She had an idea who he meant, though.

[kintsukorosu]

Hannibal just gave her a grim smile. "I don't think I have to warn you to stay away from her." Everybody knew to stay away from the school. It was the other 'her' Hannibal meant.

"One day one of you will kill the other. Or you both will. No matter what happens, you'll hate it."

[raven_unhollow]

There was that familiar twist in her heart. "I owe her peace," Raven said quietly. "I cannot rest until I grant her that."

If she died doing so, well, she was resigned to that.

[kintsukorosu]

"And that's why you'll get killed one day," Hannibal said. "You have power, but you have no sense."

[raven_unhollow]

"And would you do nothing if Jonothon were truly hollow?" Raven snapped. "One might say you have no sense as well. You put yourself in danger every day, so do not lecture me on sense."

[kintsukorosu]

"If Jono were truly hollow, I wouldn't be visiting," Hannibal snapped back. If Jono ever went truly hollow, Hannibal was lost as well. He refused to think of that. "I'm in less danger with him than anywhere else."

He tightened the pipe back to where it had been and gave up. "Do what you like; you will anyway." He picked up his things and stalked off to his hut.