Activity

@emberynus-dragonslayer @dakota @kari-karast @urwen-starial @esmeralda-gramilton @kayla-skywriter @naiya-dyani @everyoneelse

________________________________________________________________________

Rin studied the map that Tawny had laid on the table carefully, scanning the quickly written notes that were on the side.

So this was the exceptionally hidden Knot House. He pulled out an extra notebook and a pen, vaguely aware of Tawny slipping out the door and exiting the building. Rin quickly sketched a copy of the map in the notebook, then flipped the page.

“Can I get out now?”

Kenma’s muffled complaint reached Rin’s ears and he rolled his eyes. He crossed the room and unlocked one of the dusty cabinets. Kenma tumbled out, shaking the dust out of his hair, and flicking a spider off his shoulder.

“About time.” He glared up at Rin, but there wasn’t any anger behind it. “So, when do you plan to do some spring cleaning?”

Rin shrugged. “Doesn’t matter. Come here.”

Kenma followed him curiously back to the desk, perching himself on it like he had before Rin had to pull him off and force him into the cabinet.

“So, who was that girl?” Kenma asked, raising his eyebrows.

Rin scowled at his best friend. This kid.

“She’s one of my co-workers.” He said, putting emphasis on the word co-worker. “And she brought me a map that apparently leads to the Knot House. I want you to mak sure it’s accurate.”

Kenma’s grin dimmed a little. “Okay, sure. Let me see it.”

Rin handed the orange-haired boy the map. Kenma looked it over, a finger tracing the lines and the streets, tongue poking through his teeth in concentration. A couple of times, his eyes widened, but he was silent.

Eventually, the younger boy placed the map down on the desk again.

“Okay, so, this is pretty much accurate.” Kenma said, his mood turning completely serious, which was rare.

“So the government could potentially crash the meeting that’s going to happen tonight?” Rin asked him, checking his notes for the time. “I’m required to check this out by law, but the people under my section are pretty small-minded and prone to violence, and I don’t want any bloodshed. Or wreckage. Even if you call off the meeting for tonight, if we search the place, it probably won’t be usable anymore, and there will be people stationed around there for months.”

Kenma smiled a bit. “Well, the building that we chose is pretty small, but it fits our needs easily.”

He grabbed Rin’s notebook and flipped back to the page that he’d replicated the map onto. He held his hand out to Rin expectantly.

“Pencil. Now.”

“You infuriating child.” Rin muttered, but he opened a drawer and dug around until he found a decent-sized pencil. All of his were worn down to nubs due to his unending pile of work.

The higher-ups sure weren’t helping with matters. Rin didn’t even think that they went out and actually saw the city, and there they were, preaching about how they’d do everything they could do to help, when they only halfheartedly came up with solutions, and then passed them onto the next level to deal with, preferring to stay home and worry, instead of taking action.

And Rin and his co-workers had to clean up the mess.

He wasn’t really complaining because it meant they didn’t really interfere with Rin’s attempts to actually do things to help the city, and they didn’t monitor his work as closely as they used to a couple years back, before Rin had joined.

Kenma suddenly laughed out loud. Rin looked back at they fifteen year-old, who looked like he’d just gotten an armload of free candy.

“Look.” He said.

On the flipside of Rin’s copy of the map, he’d traced some gray lines underneath some of the streets and buildings, all leading to a gray rectangle three times as large as the Knot House.

“What is this?” Rin asked, studying the lines, trying to puzzle out a pattern.

Kenma just smiled at him.

Rin rolled his eyes again, turning back to the map. Then it clicked.

“Kenma…” He said uncertainly. “These lines wouldn’t happen to be tunnels… would they?”

Kenma looked like Christmas had come early. His queer gold/orange eyes sparkled. “Exactly!” He said. “They’re left over from when the city was first built. Most of them are collapsed, but there are a couple that lead from certain buildings to the Nest of the Knot House. We use the main building and basement, of course, but there’s a second basement below it where we help people.”

He pointed to the rectangle.

“I think it used to be a bunker of sorts, and there’s a lot of dry food and medicine down there that we’ve been subtly distributing the last couple years. We can’t do it all at once, because you know, there might be a riot and it should be rationed out at first. But sometimes we take in sick people and care for them until they’re better. There are like, three of these spread out around Outopía.”

Rin’s head was spinning. That was a lot of information very quickly. But this finally proved his last doubts wrong. The rebellion really was only trying to fix the city.

Not that the higher-ups would believe him.

“Okay Kenma, listen. I’m required to check out the location. It would also seem suspicious if I didn’t. But you can’t access the Nest from the main building, right?”

Kenma nodded. “Uhuh.” He frowned slightly. “I’m trusting you with this information as my best friend, Rin. Promise me that you’ll keep this a secret. We have kids we’re helping down there. They’re like we were, some of them are even worse.”

Rin sighed, but nodded reassuringly. “I promise, Kenma. But remember, from here on out, we’re pretty much opponents on the battlefield. I won’t be able to talk as much, and if the government does something under my decision, you have to trust me. Okay?”

Kenma nodded quietly, rocking back and forth on the desk. “There’s going to be a war.” He whispered. “Even if it’s only a small one, we’re going to have to live through another one.”

Rin sucked in a breath, remembering the screams and the blood and the pain that filled his dreams at night.

“You’re right.” He said quietly. “But this time, we’re going to win the entire war. Not only a part.”

Kenma suddenly wrapped his arms around Rin, resting his head on his shoulder. “You’re right.” He said. “Thanks.”

Rin relaxed into the hug, then glanced at the clock.

“Kenma, it’s already nine thirty.” He said. “You need to get going if you’re going to tell your people that I’m apparently storming the building in a couple hours.”

Kenma reluctantly got up and grabbed his bag. “Fine. I trust you. See you soon?”

Rin smiled slightly. “Yes. Be safe.”

“I’m always safe.” Kenma said cheekily, dodging the last glare Rin sent him and slipping out the door and the building, and heading out into the dirty streets.

Rin waited a few moments before hiding the map Kenma had drawn on and heading out into the hall.

He walked quickly down a few halls until he entered the sleeping barracks where some of the lower-ranking people stayed. He rapped loudly on the doors as he made his way down the hall.

“Everyone up! We have somewhere to be tonight!” Rin snapped.

I hope you can keep this secret safe, Kenma. Or else we’re all in trouble.

________________________________________________________________________

Whew! I hope this works for everybody, and please tell me hat you think. It’s not really edited and it’s definitely not Beta read, so I hope it’s good. 🙂

Let’s get this war started! *whoops* Oh- um, excuse me, I got carried away. Haha. Carry on. *goes to hide under a rock to write more*