Welcome to Gaia! ::

Rhun was relieved that there was not much cleaning to do since Delilah had tended to the upkeep all those years. The outer grounds were a bit of a different story. They weren't too bad, but they would need to be maintenanced a bit to make the sanctuary a little more inviting. As much as he loved Melody and Leuk being by his side constantly, their over-stimulation was starting to become draining on him. Seeing as Melody had taken a liking to Delilah when they found a common ground of sign language to communicate to each other, Rhun sent them out on an errand to find a book from the scientist's laboratory. He had figured that it would give the kids some separation time but Leuk was still adamant about tagging along even though he would be left out of the conversation. Not for the lack of trying however.

Rhun remained in the main building on his own, looking over paperwork and making sure everything was in order. Even though he was calm, he had too much energy to just sit down. There was much to be done. He could feel a smile coming on. He was doing something that would make his loved ones proud. He hovered over the counter of the front desk jotting down a list of things to do. His eyes glanced over for a moment and noticed the flowers in the vase on the upper counter were heavily wilted. He started to chuckle to himself. "I guess I can't exactly ask Delilah to get more flowers, they'll never make it to the building... I'm sure the hedge still has flowers though..." he stood, grasping the vase carefully with his gloved hands and headed for the door to dispose of the dead flowers and obtain new ones.

Rhun took only a few steps from the doors of the main building as he leaned over to the side and poured out the contents into the bush. At least the water was still good. He intended to pick a few flowers then fill the vase with water again. Spruce the place right up.

He bounced gracefully down the short set of stairs and moved to turn down the gravel path that would certainly lead him to the hedge, and hopefully some flowers. He came to a halt mid-step as he heard the gate shut in the near distance. His eyes shifted eagerly toward the gated archway that led into the grounds of the once bustling school. It looked like a small dark haired girl had wandered into the property. She looked extremely thin and fragile, maybe she was scared or lost?

Rhun began to approach the figure with a soothing smile, he didn't want to scare off the small being more than he probably already had. As he moved closer, he began to notice more detail in the individual. Were those... piercings? What an odd thing for a young female to be adorned with, but he had no room to judge, hiding his own face behind a mask. "Don't be afraid. My name Rhun and I am the headmaster of this sanctuary. Are you lost? Or are you a..." his voice paused as he finally noticed their eyes. He froze as he stared with bewilderment at the petite meta before him. A twinge shot straight through his chest as the vase slipped through his grasp and shattered across the floor. As the crash rung out in the silence of the area surrounding them, Rhun snapped back to his senses as he exhaled sharply and swallowed hard before bending down to pick up the large shards of glass into his gloved hands.

"S-sorry" he managed to forced out as he quickly tried to regain his composure. This was the not the first encounter he had expected, and in fact things were spiraling downhill rapidly. He closed his eyes for just a few seconds before he opened them to look up at the frail boy.

"It's okay. You are safe here." he spoke steadily and calmly. "I promise." he added with a sense of longing and firm determination.

It took every bit of concentration to keep collected as he slowly came to a stand. An unlimited range of emotions begged.. no, demanded to surface. He could already feel his heartbeat beginning to swell in rhythm without any sign of letting up. Rhun felt relieved when Deskri didn't react in a way he had imagined. However, the reprieve was short lived as he felt burning anger ignite within him as Deskri appeared terrified and skittish. The meta that stood before him was a representation of all he hoped to stop from happening to the Metas, to his race. To his loved ones. Even if he knew that this was not the handywork of the humans, at least not predominantly.

He calculated his words, his actions, everything very carefully. "It's nice to meet you, Deskri." he forced out with a steady, controlled exhale. His eyes never broke contact for even a moment as he spoke clearly, masking the pain in his voice behind his articulation.

"...Would you like to come inside?" his words were hesitant as he pieced together his words one by one. "...We can talk more as I get a little information from you and get you set up with a room." he guestured toward the main building that he had exited from earlier, his eyes still fixed on Deskri diligently.

He had to look away. He had to. The profound rage that drove his passions were determined to be released if he continued to look upon what was clearly a man who'd done nothing but struggle in all these years. Almost completely focused on his breathing and controlling his stature, he reluctantly moved forward. Rhun turned and began to lead Deskri toward the main building. Maybe he could move past this, if he could just help him, even just this one person, that would honestly be enough. Yet, there was more work to be done than that. Rhun was rekindling his devotion to his current work. The sanctuary. The anger was beginning to subside now as his thoughts began to flow more clearly. A smile was even starting to find its way back to his face. Maybe this could work. This encounter was actually starting to look up.

Then he said it.

Deskri's question struck him so hard that he stopped dead in his tracks, his back still facing Deskri, he inhaled sharply. Rhun attempted to exhale but nothing could come out as he choked back quietly. "... why would you ask that." he thought to himself, devastated as Deskri's words repeated in his head. "...i know why..." he whispered, his lips betraying him as nothing could hold the words back any longer. It took absolutely every fiber of his being not to turn around and embrace the frail boy.

His body would soon start to forsake him, Rhun's muscles tensing up in reaction to the war inside his mind. What should he do? What should he even say? He struggled to keep the tears from gathering in his eyes. No, not like this. Rhun teetered on the edge of his temper; his desperation. One more second, and his body might have acted for him. He opened his eyes slightly and finally managed to release the breath that had been clawing at his throat to escape. He suddenly realized he had been clenching his fist tightly since Deskri's question was birthed into existence. He relaxed his hand as blood began to collect at his fingertips from beneath the cloth gloves, enough to start dripping onto the gravel. A few shards of glass clinked as they fell from his hand, the other pieces had become lodged into his palm.

"There's no catch." he muttered, he wasn't even trying to hide his anguish over the mere notion that he would seek something in return. "I know it may be hard to believe,... but this truly is a sanctuary. You will not have to pay anything. I will protect you, if you let me." his words were resolute.

Rhun dare not look at Deskri again for the time being. He wasn't sure his heart could take much more. If he had been the same person he used to be, he would have lost control a long time ago, probably causing a bit of property damage out of pure frustration that the situation was definitely not in his control. He may have grown as a person over the years, but he most certainly did not have the strength to handle this forever, despite his reluctance to admit it.

Now he had done it. Mentally punching himself, he'd let his anger get to him, even if he only managed to inflict a few minor wounds on himself, he still saw it as a failure to keep his composure once more. He would have to keep that under control if he really wanted all this to work. Yet, he knew that this was also a minor victory as he knew if anything could get him riled up, it was this exact situation. This very one. One that had played out before him in the past, even if created by illusions of a malice. This was merely a test. That's it. It must be. If he could handle this, he could handle anything, or at least he had begun to convince himself.

He sighed as he looked down at his own hand and shook his head very lightly. He meant to speak, but something beckoned him to look back, even for just a second. The temptation was too strong as he turned his head slightly to catch just a glimpse, which was just enough to notice the blood. No, was he hurt. How could he be so stupid as to not ask if maybe he had been attacked on the way here. Selfish was the word that echoed in his mind. Rhun couldn't believe he had been so worked up over meeting Deskri that he was blind to his injuries.

It was then that the nature of Deskri's malnourished body truly set in. He consciously decided to act calmly but his body was already moving. He looked down to see his hand stop just short of grabbing Deskri's. "..stop. That's not a good idea." he ordered his body subconsciously.

Words. Say something. Anything. His face softened into concern then he forced himself to face the building once more. "Say something, you idiot. You're probably scaring him."

"I have bandages in my office." he was struggling to make his mouth cooperate.

Without another word, he walked back into the main building. He assumed that Deskri would follow him if he hadn't already run away by now. Rhun walked past the front desk and into the headmasters office. "Please... sit down." he requested, making it obvious that it was a choice that Deskri did not have to take. Rummaging around the drawers, it took him a few moments longer than he would have liked to locate the first aid kit. It only took a few steps from his long stride to return to Deskri, making his priority to tend to Deskri's wounds first. He would worry about his own later. In fact, the glass hurt quite a bit as he unravel the bandages, but it was something that Rhun was familiar with and did not entirely mind enduring until he was absolutely sure Deskri would be okay.

Trying his best to make a bit of conversation to mask the unsettling silence, he spoke softly as not to frighten him. "So tell me about yourself... You don't have to go into detail, or divulge anything you aren't comfortable with. It's just a few things I'll add to your file so that I... we can accomodate you. Like your specific race, anything important you need to tell us for health reasons." he hesitated in his thought process, shifting his eyes down to the floor for just a brief moment. "If you have any children or significant others..." he knew that was not a listed question on the form that he would fill out later. Rhun wanted to know for personal reasons and he instantly regretted asking Deskri the moment he did. "...in case they might need sanctuary later." he finished the thought, his conscience already dipleased at his ulterior motive. "...what did any of that matter." his thoughts raced for just a second as he bent down to meet eye to eye with Deskri and offered his clean hand to him so he could start mending his cuts.

Something wasn't right, his stomach began to churn as he kept a close eye on Deskri. Maybe he had seen this before, he was sure he had but what did it mean again? His mind scrambled for the information within his jumbled memories. Keep him talking. Rhun's face was losing the battle of hiding his worry, his red eyes darting back and forth for an answer, scrutinizing his every action carefully.

He wanted to breathe a sigh of relief when Deskri answered that he was alone, but the answer didn't exactly please him either. In fact, he didn't know what he expected from asking him in the first place.

You're losing him.

"Files?" he blinked in stern confusion. Why would he ask that? What would any of that information matter anyway. It was true that the questions he had asked him would help him locate his file, but everything in that file, he already knew. Will you tell him the truth? "Yes, but there's nothing in those files that would hurt you. I assure you."

"A-are you okay?" his concern was overcoming him quickly as the answer surfaced in his thoughts.

"Deskri, how much did you take?" he blurted out without a second thought. What was he doing? This is not what was supposed to happen. Not like this. Not again. "Deskri, stay with me, okay? I need you to keep talking to me." he practically begged him as he reached out a hand once more as though to stabilize Deskri but hesitated, knowing he probably would protest. Rhun was having an excrutiating time keeping it together, his poise was completely gone now. It was becoming more apparent he might be legitimately scared. This was going horribly and Rhun had no control over what was happening to Deskri. "...did he hurt you?" he whimpered under his breath, barely audible at this point.

<******** ******** ********> This wasn't good at all. Was Deskri that desperate for refuge that he didn't care where he landed when the drugs kicked in. Rhun had to make an executive decision quickly if he wanted to ensure that the small meta would make it. If that was at all possible at this point, he wasn't sure. He had dealt with drug overdose case all too long ago when he was at the research facility with Mirabelle. Though, he had a feeling this was much worse, much deeper of a problem.

Rhun ripped off his gloves, ripping the glass free from his hand in the process. He pulled out a phone and dialed someone. After a brief pause. "Put her on the phone." he paused again. "Do it!" another pause. "Something has happened. Keep them busy. I will text you the details in a bit." without waiting for a response, he closed the phone, put it back in his pocket. "Deskri, please trust me. I will help you." not skipping a beat, Rhun scooped up Deskri into his arms and bolted through the door of the office, and out the main building. He jumped from the top of the small set of stairs, stumbling as he landed as though he almost didn't expect to come back down.

He would not let his body fail him as he forced his legs to take him to a nearby large home. Out of breath, he did not lose pace, kicking in the door to the mansion and bee-lining through the empty home for the bedroom.

No door stood in his path, he huffed as he came to a gradual stop and laid Deskri on the bed carefully. "Deskri?" Rhun tried to get a response from as he drew back Deskri's sleeves to check for other possible lacerations.

He was overcome with a lot of emotions as they spilled forth, the tears seizing his eyes completely as he turned away for a moment to wipe them away from beneath his mask then replace it. His breathing was still heightened as he stumbled about the room looking for something.

Rhun was desperate, angry, frustrated, and scared.

Focus.

He was comforted by the sound of Deskri's voice. He was still alive, still breathing. This was good. This was always good. He took a deep breath and began to rip through the room with determination. "I know it's here." he whispered to himself as he threw open drawers of the dresser in the bedroom. It became abruptly silent as Rhun held up a bottle, quickly scanning the label. Activated Charcoal. He swiftly moved back over to the bed and propped up Deskri, "Drink this." he commanded with a stern voice, straining from being choked up within his emotions. Rhun unscrewed the cap and held the bottle to his lips. He waited with bated breath for what would come next. Did he make it in time? His red stern eyes filled with distress over the situation. Maybe this was part of his purpose.

"Breathe.." he commanded himself as he realized how heavy he had still been breathing. He hoped for the best but could only expect the worse, just as it always is. Maybe this time would be different. Maybe.