Claire looked down at Raven with a relaxed posture and said, "Raven, why don't you follow me? I'll show you to your room." Her voice remained calm and composed as she added, "You're lucky enough to get a room all to yourself. Some of the kids here have to bunk together, but since you're a girl, you get your own room." Raven blinked in mock surprise, raising her eyebrows and letting her mouth part slightly. "Really, Ms. Claire? That's so nice." Claire's expression softened further as she tilted her head. "Aren't you just a little sweetheart? Follow me. I'll show you to your room."
Raven followed her down a hallway lined with fading wallpaper and slightly creaky wooden floors. They reached a staircase, and Claire led her up. The house had a quiet, lived-in feel—aged but not neglected. At the top of the stairs, Claire stopped at the first door on the right. She opened it with a brass key and gestured inside. Raven stepped into the room and looked around. The room was small but clean. A twin bed with light blue sheets sat against the wall. A wooden bookshelf filled with a few books and folded blankets rested near the foot of the bed. To her left, there was a door slightly ajar revealing a private bathroom—complete with a bathtub and shower.
"Ms. Claire, this is far too nice. Won't the other kids be jealous of me having my own bedroom with a bathroom?" Claire chuckled and waved her hand as if brushing away the thought. "Oh, no, no. This was a special arrangement the station made for you." She stepped into the room slightly. "They felt a little bad about not being able to locate your parents, so they pulled some strings and got you this room with its own restroom." Her tone turned gentler. "You should be happy about it. Not many kids ever get this kind of privilege." Raven exhaled through her nose and lowered her gaze slightly. "My life is truly improving. I feel like before, I didn't have such a good childhood. If only I could remember my past, Ms. Claire." Claire's eyes softened. She reached out and patted Raven gently on the back. "It's all right, dear."
She pointed towards the bookshelf. "Why don't you get familiar with your room? There are some books on the shelf that explain the rules of the orphanage." She took a step back toward the hallway. "Once you're done, come downstairs in about two hours and have something to eat. I'll have the kitchen prepare something nice for you, okay?" She gave her a half smile. "I'll even give you some sweet apple pie with it." Raven's eyes lit up. "Okay, Ms. Claire." Claire paused before exiting. "I assume you can read, dear, can't you?" Raven tilted her head and smiled with light sarcasm. "Of course, Ms. Claire. I'm not completely useless. I may not remember much, but I can remember how to read." Claire laughed softly under her breath. "My, you're such a dear." She turned and closed the door behind her.
The moment the door latched shut, the look on Raven's face changed completely. Her expression turned calm and pensive. Her lips flattened, her posture shifted from eager to introspective. "It seems like securing a place to stay is easier than I thought." She stepped forward and lowered herself to sit cross-legged in the middle of the floor. "But it feels like the longer I'm here, the more I'm able to manipulate and interpret the magic around me." She lifted her hand, extending one finger. Without a word, she pointed toward the bookshelf. Several books rose from the shelves, pages flipping rapidly as they floated into a slow orbit around her.
She narrowed her eyes slightly and read each one as they spun. "It looks like I really am in London." Her brow furrowed as she studied the words. "These historical events… the mention of Merlin… magic." Her lips drew into a line. "There's far more mentions of magic here than there ever was in my world. These folktales feel exaggerated—but not enough to lack some kind of factual basis." She paused and closed her eyes briefly, focusing on the energy she felt in the room. "I can sense this strange magic and manipulate it. It isn't affecting my own." After a few moments, she lowered her hand, and the books gently floated back to the shelf in the exact order they had been.
"I have a better idea of my situation now." She pressed her hands against her knees. "I guess it really is 1990. And I'm definitely in a different world." Her voice lowered. "Beyond that, the facts remain elusive—what was that lightning and what did it do to me." She tapped her fingers against her thigh. "It's a good thing I thought quickly and said I didn't remember my parents. If someone suddenly showed up and claimed me, that would be a problem." A subtle smile tugged at the edge of her mouth. "It's nothing a little magical manipulation of memories can't fix. If someone tries to cause trouble for me, I can simply make them forget—or regret—trying to cross me." Her gaze swept over the room. "Overall, this is an improvement from constantly running from my father, Trigon."
Raven suddenly felt something tugging at her focus. She closed her eyes and allowed herself to float upward slowly. Her body lifted above the floor without sound as her legs crossed beneath her again. She whispered under her breath. "Azarath Metreon Zinthos." Her voice was calm and focused. The room dimmed slightly as energy gathered faintly around her. "I can sense my father's magic… but I can't sense his presence. Or his awareness. Or his gaze." Her brow tightened. "It's almost as if his power is still there—but the being known as Trigon is not." Her lips parted. "That shouldn't be possible. My father is an interdimensional entity. He should exist across the multiverse."
She opened her eyes again slowly. "The fact that I can feel his power but not him means I'm somewhere cut off from his physical presence—even if his energy still echoes here." She floated down, her feet touching the floor with a soft tap. "That means I'm not in Kansas anymore." Her voice dipped further. "But I doubt this is some simple Wizard of Oz story." She looked around again. "There's not much I can do right now. I'll have to investigate slowly." Her gaze landed on the door to the bathroom. "I guess I can get changed and shower."
Later, as steam drifted gently through the cracked door of the bathroom, Raven stepped out wearing a gray sweatshirt and gray sweatpants, her hair still damp. She glanced down at herself. "Still as comfortable as ever. At least I can manipulate my own clothes." She pulled the sweatshirt sleeves tighter around her wrists. "You know what? A vacation from my father and that world… I think that might actually be pleasant." She stood still for a moment, her eyes distant. "I don't know what awaits me here, but for once, I'm looking forward to it." A small, genuine smile appeared on her lips, calm and quiet. "Perhaps in this world, I can truly find happiness." She turned toward the door. "I'd better go get that apple pie."
Raven ran downstairs with light steps, her feet barely making any noise on the staircase. The kitchen was warm and smelled of pasta and cinnamon. On the table sat a plate of spaghetti with a slice of golden-crusted apple pie. She sat down quickly, her eyes wide as she looked at the food. Claire, seated nearby with a cup of tea, looked up and smiled. "Ms. Claire, I'm going to eat with gusto." Claire laughed softly into her sleeve. "Enjoy your pie, my dear. And be sure to chew your food thoroughly before you swallow." Raven gave a thumbs-up with one hand while twirling spaghetti with the other. "You got it." She began to eat, her eyes half-closed in focus, savoring every bite of the warm, home-cooked food.
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