The Obsession with Charity

“What… what was that? You can move my body?” After catching her breath, that was what Raven screamed at the mirror inside a public multipurpose toilet.

“You should leave this space for the ones who actually need it.”

“Don’t change the topic. And I definitely need it. I’m freaking out right now.” Raven rubbed her temples, too calm for someone who was ‘freaking out’.

“What if someone with an actual disability needs it?” That was merely hypothetical, but that was enough to steer the conversation in a different direction.

“Is someone waiting outside right now?”

“No, but that’s beside the point.”

“Then what’s the point?”

“The point is that you have no reason to panic. This is a blessing for you, you know. I can tell you a hundred different stories you could post on your website right now. You want evidence? I’ll tell you where to find it.”

Raven responded with a deep sigh, and then took out a wipe to remove her makeup. She also dug out a folded cloak from the mess in her bag, spreading it out so she could wear it; the clothing was barely passable as a coat, giving off the impression of a children’s raincoat.

“You’re giving me the silent treatment?”

“I’m not trusting a sketchy voice like you. You still haven’t told me your name.”

Excuse me? After I saved you? That was what I thought after hearing her bratty declaration. Giving it a bit more careful thought, I tossed my reply her way: “Excuse me? After I saved you?”

“Thank you for saving me, I guess? But what you did to that guy was totes inhumane. He was just doing his job. And you used my mouth, my voice, by the way, to tell him what? Pochi dying because of him? And something about a weak boy? I don’t know what exactly those things mean, but I saw his expression. I can guess how horrible he felt. And also, you didn’t ask for my consent before hijacking my body. It felt so… yucky! Hell! Always ask for consent!”

Her speech, laced with emotions, almost led me to cry… tears of annoyance. But instead of expressing that, I chose to return the silent treatment to her; speaking more would only sour our nonexistent relationship further. I needed to wait for the right moment.

She followed up with only a scoff and focused back on the finishing touches of her new disguise: sunglasses and a face mask, tying up twin tails on her blonde wig. And then, she strolled out of the washroom.

The air was filled with light chatter and the clashing of shoes and pavement. Stores on both sides proudly displayed the products they offered. Tourists and locals alike enjoyed their brief feelings of financial adequacy, as they produced their wallets to pay for products they would forget about in a year.

The world was very much recognizable compared to thirty years ago, but the minor changes were substantial. A lot more cameras lined the top of the concrete jungle, aiming at the conditioned mass below.

Sure, the footage would be stored in a database somewhere, probably never looked at by a human. But certainly, the video data would be heavily scrutinized by the gaze of machines, servants of humans that grew so much more advanced in just thirty years. The last time I was here, computers were just becoming popular, along with the invention of the first-generation smartphones. I was a little surprised that humans managed to use the mass of information collected by technology to control magic.

But not that surprised. After all, I always knew what humans were capable of. This had always been inevitable.

Raven and I maintained our silence throughout our electric train and bus rides. It was a multi-hour trip to the countryside. The security firm might not have access to the camera feeds around the area, but it was still better to be safe and throw them off the scent. I had to give her credit for this caution.

The rural wind carried an earthy scent that was completely extinct in the city. The saying is that the grass is greener on the other side, but in this case, I couldn’t imagine a place more verdant. The urban environment, though manageable for me, was still chaotic and slightly suffocating.

Raven marched through the muddy path, evidently with a destination in mind. One tiny limitation of my quasi-omniscience was that I couldn’t access any information about my host. All I had to go with was government records, items in her apartment, scraps of clues scattered around. None told me where she was going. Whatever. It was inconsequential in the grand scheme of things.

Since I was in a good mood thanks to the atmosphere, I presented a generous offer to Raven. “Do you want to ask me anything?”

“Nope.” She could have said it more politely.

“The bugs you planted near the meeting place were all discovered.”

“Duh? I didn’t leave any fingerprints. So who cares?”

“If only you were more careful with your stalking spot.”

“Huh? I’ll have you know. I totes would have been fine even if you hadn’t been there. If anything, sneaking away made me look guilty. I shouldn’t have listened to you.”

“Or if only you knew about what type of magic they use. How can you expose magic without knowing about it?”

“Don’t tell me what I can or cannot do.” Raven snatched a pack of white chocolate from her bag and shoved a few pieces into her mouth.

“Do you know how many people diabetes kills every year?”

“Gosh! Can you shut up?”

“The deal was about ancient magic artifacts.” I dropped this bombshell on her. The modern magical devices could artificially induce magic through the sheer brute force of big data. But magic was a much older phenomenon, persisting since humans could pass along information through myths. Magical objects naturally popped up throughout human history, and unlike the modern ones, those ancient artifacts were hidden from my quasi-omniscience.

I could still glean information through deduction. The buyer in the mysterious deal hired the security firm. I knew he was the CEO of a major retail company. However, the seller managed to evade the all-seeing eye of my quasi-omniscience. Curious, indeed.

Raven reacted with a single raised eyebrow. “Yeah? I knew that already.” Her responses were getting more infuriating, especially because of how impolite they were. Maybe I should have introduced myself as the spirit of her dead mother.

“Then, why are you here instead of chasing the next lead?”

“Do I have to say it? I thought you knew everything.”

“I do know everything. But I want to hear your excuses from your own mouth.”

Raven halted her advance. I could feel a frown straining her face. “I don’t need an excuse to help children.”

Helping children. So that was a clue as to where she was going. “Can charity complete your article on the underground magic relic market?” I intentionally employed a mocking tone.

The bodily response I felt from her was within expectations: rising heart rate, deep breaths, heat diffusing, and an awful chill in the throat. “My mom used to tell me that helping people is its own reward. And she meant it. She donated so much cash, blood, and sweat to that orphanage for nothing in return. We used to volunteer there together too. The kids there were like my siblings. So, no, charity can’t complete my article. Can you shut up now?”

I was inclined to comply with her, since I had already gotten the information I needed. My quasi-omniscience could infer the rest of the picture from here.

Raven continued forward on the trail, one that would lead her to the orphanage a few miles away. Along with a few other volunteers, she would act as a tutor for the children there. Her tendency for tantrums would fit her in with the children no problem.

I wished that solving this riddle would mark the finish line of my own metaphorical path, but there was still more to be done before Raven would become a well-behaved host for me. Still, at the very least, knowing about Raven’s charity work led me closer to completely understanding her. And for the next step, I could focus on observing the person who had been stalking her from afar.