Thrice Great

Run(a)way

Athens International Airport, Athens, Greece, 2005 AD

The busiest airport in Greece, with flights going many places around the world. Very modern.

Hermes and Thoth sit in plastic chairs, fidgeting. Rini sits beside them, also fidgeting.

"I'm tired," Rini complains. "When can I sleep?"

"Once we get on the plane," Hermes replies, sipping some coffee. "Just because we're in the human world doesn't mean we're safe from the alternate world."

After escaping Hatred and his minions, they fled to the human world; the world of non-magical folk. The human world will be much harder for Hatred to get them in.

After entering the human world, they went to their hotel's counterpart and retrieved their suitcases. The alternate hotel clerk anticipated them coming back in the human realm, so she gathered their things and gave them to them.

They tipped her 100 euros.

After, the three headed to the nearest major airport, which was in Athens. As long as they stayed in Patras, danger followed them.

"Where are we going again?" Rini asks, yawning.

"Turkey," Thoth says. "I have a safehouse there."

"Oh."

Hermes' eyes shift around, scanning the airport for any threats. In one hand, he holds his coffee, and the other rests on his thigh, close to his wand pocket.

"The airport is practically empty," Thoth says. "There's no threat as of right now."

"As long as we're in Greece, there's a threat!" Hermes slams down his coffee and puts his head in his hands. "Human or alternate, they can track us. This method of travel is just buying us time."

"Are you okay?" Thoth asks. "Ever since we found Rini, you've been nervous."

"I just...." Hermes falters. "I'm not good with kids. You know that. They stress me out."

"Why? Do their presence stress you out or something else?"

"They're just so little. And innocent. And slightly stupid." Hermes picks up his coffee and takes a swig. "Man, it's too early for this."

"Or too late, depending on how you see it."

"Just shut up, Thoth! You aren't helping anyone with your philosophical bullshit!"

Thoth frowns. "You do realize you're in the presence of a child, right?"

They look over at Rini. She leans on the arm of the chair, eyes shut and feet curled beneath her.

Hermes reaches over to wake her, but Thoth stops him.

"Let's just let her sleep, okay? She's had a long day."

"Fine."

Their conversation falls silent. They don't speak another word until a flight attendant announces over the intercom in both Greek and English that it is time to board their flight.

This time, Hermes carries Rini.

--------------------------------

"We haven't really thought of it much."

"Thought of what?" Hermes says, rousing himself from his doze.

The three boarded the plane quite a while ago, along with a few other people. Now, the plane flies somewhere over the Aegean Sea, between Greece and Turkey.

Rini sits in the seat closest to the window, asleep. Thoth sits next to her, and Hermes sits in the aisle seat.

A flight attendant comes by with the beverage cart. Thoth orders a glass of water, and continues.

"We haven't thought much about what we'll do with Rini once her wing is healed. Returning her to her parents is out of question."

"Well, no shit Sherlock."

"Fuck you, Watson," Thoth replies. "Anyways, I was thinking that after we heal her, we should put her in some type of government care, one that will take in someone of her kind. I was thinking maybe RAL, or TOAL-"

"TOAL?! Are you kidding me!?" Hermes yells. A flight attendant glares at him.

"Giving her to TOAL would be almost as bad as giving her back to her parents!" Hermes continues in a stage whisper. "Do you know what they do to children in their program? They make them learn magic and then send them to fight monsters and Disgraced, thinking they're doing something noble, and then they slaughter them!"

"I know that, but-"

"And don't get me started on their program for mortal-borns! They lure those children in with the prospect of a dreamy fantasy world, and then once the kids realize TOAL's true intentions, it's too late!"

Hermes breaks off, grabbing Thoth's water and drinking it.

"And the worst part is their brainwashing! They trick those kids into thinking they're fighting monsters and Disgraced for the good of the entire Alternate world, but in reality, the monsters and Disgraced are just enslaved puppets of TOAL, helping these kids become stronger! And kids die in these fights! Even young, innocent kids!"

"Are you done?" Thoth asks.

Hermes shrugs. "I guess."

"Well first off, I said maybe. Maybe she'll end up at TOAL. Maybe she'll end up at RAL. Or who knows, maybe she'll end up in Perm's program. And second off, even if she does end up at TOAL, she could do well. She's quite intelligent for a girl her age. And with her half-demon blood, she'll prove to be strong."

"She'll be discriminated against, as well. She's part demon. TOAL doesn't like demons. And she's also the heiress of the Disgraced, for Zeus' sake!"

"She'll most likely be discriminated against wherever she goes. We can't help that fact, and neither can she." Thoth takes his glasses off and wipes them on his shirt. "Anyways, I'd like to hear your opinion on this matter. We've discussed my opinions enough."

"I think we should wipe her and put her in the human world."

Thoth stares at him. "What?"

"It'll be safer. Even the Disgraced can't violate the Human Sanctuary Act."

"But you know what happens. They always find out who they really are eventually. Living in the human world doesn't mean you're human. And the mental torture those kids go through. Most live a simple life, unaware of the Alternate world, but they always have the feeling that they're different. The feeling that can get so strong, it leads to depression or suicide."

"But it'll be safe for her. Neither the Disgraced nor TOAL or any of the governments can get ahold of her and use her until she's a certain age. Even after that age, she'll be difficult to locate, so they can't find her."

"I understand that, Hermes, but you're forgetting how cruel the human world can be as well. She'll spend her life hating herself for being different, even though she won't know exactly what makes her different. And she'll be dumb and ignorant. Ignorant of what really goes on in the worlds. When she does eventually rejoin the Alternate worlds, she won't know anything."

"You just said yourself that she'll be discriminated against wherever she goes, and you're saying that we shouldn't put her in the human world because she'll be outcast. You should just shut up, Thoth."

Thoth's eyes widened. "But...never mind."

He reclines in his seat. "Wake me up when you're more reasonable and willing to debate like a decent person, instead of accusing me of random stuff. For now, let's let this go until Rini is healed."

Hermes rolls his eyes. "Man, where's another cup of coffee when you need one?"

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