It had been some time after he, Wolf, and Aram had explored Mephisto's abandoned laboratory, and William was still troubled. First by his' guilt at allowing Andras and Vera to be almost taken by Galbrek's minions, then by Galbrek's minions' plight themselves, then by the situation with Vittorio. He needed to save both the young man and the other Mephisto's students from Mephisto himself, not only for their sakes, but for the sake of the city. For the Evil Greater than the Ancient Evil was approaching Rhea, and the best and brightest were stuck in feuds among themselves.

And with that, William Ascot looked for another connection to form, a mutually beneficial bond that would allow him to forge another link in the protective armor of Rhea. In the early morning before classes, the boy would wake up a few hours earlier than usual, drink some extra strong coffee, and stroll to a park close to St. Lucifer's in civilian clothes. Other than said civilian clothes, he did not declare himself, but he did not make any further efforts to hide his identity, either. He would also carry a white flag of parley, which he would pull out of his backpack and wave around every so often...

He wasn't there for very long before he heard a shout, a yowl, and a resounding explosion shook the trees around him.

A cat, old, scarred, full of piss and viniger and still slightly smoking from the tips of its blue ears suddenly tore ass around the corner like the devil himself was chasing it and bounded into a nearby tree. The rythemic thuds of heavy footfalls resounded around the park, followed by the appearace of something that might very well be the Devil to the delinquint scum that attended St. Lucifers. Bak's heavy frame skidded into view, he gun already spinning up still apsent its counterpart on her bandaged arm. She leveled it at the cat.

"Is nowhere to be running now, blue eyed mongrel!" She shouted, ignoring William, tunnel vision seemingly focused on the enemy in front of her. The cat stared back, it's glassey blind eye refelecting only scorn for its pursuer. It cocked its head, seemingly taunting the girl, then began cleaning itself in its private areas.

This disrespect seemed to enrage the metal girl. "You and your horde of skanks will never darken the doorway of St. Lucifers again!" She opened fire, the bullets ripping through the tree and scattering its branches around the base. The cat, homever, had other plan. With a graceful leap that should have been impossible for something that looked so much like roadkill the cat tumbled out of the tree, leaping from falling branch to falling branch, a bridge that led it right to William. With a final tumble in landed directtly on his shoulders, and he could feel the fleas in eminated as it raised one paw and placed it uncofortably close to his neck.

Bak had followed the creatures trajectory, but seeing it land on another person gave her pause. She stared intently at the cat as she let her gun wind down, and held her hand up in the universal sign to be calm. "Do not make a sudden move." She said, in the voice of someone trying to talk another person through defusing a bomb. "Do not turn your head. Do not look at it in the eye." The artiller guns on her shoulder slowly lowered downward. "Turn, slowly, till the animal is facing me if you want to live."

The briefest of nods, before William turned around as slowly as possible, resisting the feeling of gnats on his skin, until the feral cat faced the girl's artillery. Bak Tsarvena from the last tournament. The name itself sounds like it came from The Tsardom of Yekaterina. Once his back was fully turned on, well, Bak, he would wait for the sound of gunfire.

He didn't have to wait long. The cat let out a low growl as her turned, looking between him and Bak, before she let out a "GAH!" that caught its complet attention. As it fliched she let lose with both barrels, catching the beast in a miniture explotion by Williams head. Its claws were yanked out of him as it tumbed end over end, landing in a momentary heap before wriggling back to its feet and bounding off into the underbrush.

Once the thing was off Bak wasted no time and running up to asses the condition of the boy. She held him by the shoulder to steadie him. "Are you allright? You are lucky, I have seen him slice a students nose in three."

William laughed good-naturedly, smiling widely at Bak. "That was awesome! Such precision is to be envied. And yes, I am all right; thank you."

Well, this is new. It seems that like most people, Ms. Tsarvena has a different side than she shows in battle.

"No, no, it was nothing." Bak said bashfully. "I do this most mornings. His guts are not fit to string violin." She took her hand off his shoulder, then scowled at it. Little red spots had sunk into the glove, and when she looked back at his sholder the reason became apparent. Old One Eye's claws had sunk in deeper than she'd relized. "You are bleeding. This should be dissinfected. I have alchohol in first aide kit. I will go fetch this. Stay right here." She started to stomp off, hurrying toward the gym. There was no telling what was on that old mongrels claws. He could be dying of going insane at any moment from some yet undiscovered strain of hyper-rabies.

Besides which, he hadn't flinched when she'd walked up to him. That deserved some special treament, didn't it?"

---

Bak handed over the kit, basically shoving it into his arms. "There. I am not so good at bandaging, so you will have to do it yourelf. Why were you out near this place so early in the morning? Normal students avoid area around St. Lucifers like it is plague infested. It has well earned reputation." Despite the fact that she seeminly spent every waking moment fighting agaist that reputation it was impossible to miss the hint of pride that crept into Baks voice when she spoke of the seedy underbelly of her school. Suddenly an idea struck her. "Were you meeting girlfreind? It would be so romantic to tell her you braved danger such as Old One Eye to see her so early!"

As William cleaned his wound and bandaged it, he felt at ease around Bak, before saying, "No. I have a boyfriend in the school, but he'd rage at me in worry if he knows I went anywhere near it without protection. Said boyfriend is a brown-skinned hottie with ice powers, by the way."

A smile at that. "No, I came here for the sake of the city. I need to meet more people from all three factions if I am to...expand my horizons." A pause. "The fighting between all three factions; two schools and a private group, it's gone beyond friendly competition to a blood feud. That is dangerous for us all, especially if there is a Greater Evil than the Ancient Evil, or just new machinations by the latter. Then again, I might just be seeking meaning beyond the conflicts and causes presented before me.

"Point is, I came here to meet someone, and that someone seems to be you." William then faced Bak. "Life is more than just tournaments and battles between superpowered students."

As the boy talked about his hot boyfreind Bak's eyes wandered down from his face to his flat, flat chest. The gears turned in Bak's head as she put two and two together, recieved an error message, and rounded back down to one. Good gods, she is even more unfortunate than me.

The rest of the speech, though, was something else. Fighting for the city? A blood feud? A greater evil? What was all this all of a sudden? Wait, no, before any of that, "You were here to meet with us?" She asked, then she arrived at four. "So you knew we would be around here?" She asked, a little more suspitious. That meant this person knew where Mephistos was. At least the area. That was...unusual. Had she made a mistake?

"I..." she started, nervously. "I do not know anything about great evils or creatures like that. If you would like to know about such things, Tovari-, Clara would know more than me. If you can find her."

William blinked as Bak stared at his chest, and decided to head off a rather humorous misunderstanding in the bud. "I'm a boy. Who likes other boys. And girls too. As for Clara...I can't do that; we've never met, but she'd regard me as an enemy the moment she sees me. More to the point, I don't plan on revealing myself to her yet. The other two of 'The Triad' already know of my existence but hold me beneath notice; Clara won't."

A pause before he resumed. "Clara, King, and Alto - yes, I said his name - are either the linchpin of the city's defense or its main weakness. They are the triple suns that the planets - and by planets, the superpowered children and teens of the city - revolve around. That is dangerous as they're trying to undermine or destroy each other, or at least Alto and Clara are. And King is enigmatic, a mystery. I do not feel comfortable just waiting for the mystery to be revealed."

Saying such words, do I look like I am craving the same position of importance that they have? That I want to be the Sun that the superpowered people of Rhea revolve around? Am I really such a narcissist and all my desire to protect just a cover for it?

He then remembered how sad Vittorio looked, and the sorrow that the young man held, a sorrow and brokenness that wrung tears from his heart. He remembered Christine (Baumann) as she agreed to an adoption she was skeptical of. And he looked at Bak herself, and saw the kindness in her voice and actions.

Another smile. "You're a kind person. That's why I want to protect this city."

Bak's head was sort of spinning. A whole lot of concepts were being thrown at it all at once that she wasn't really comfortable with parcing. She was a simple, straghtforward sort of girl. She shot at things. It's all she did. It's all she was ever going to be able to do. Protect the city? That wasn't in her range. Her bullets didn't fly far enough for that. She could only protect this, here, the life that was right in front of her. That was within her range.

She struggled until she found something to latch on to, like a sailor adrift in a storm. "How do you know Tovarish thinks you are enemy? You say yourself you have never met. How could she hate you then? It does not come from nowhere, if someone hates you you must have done something to them first."

The laughter from William's tone was loud, clear, and lasted a few seconds more than what was comfortable. "You actually think that? This world is more complex than you give it credit for. People hate each other for all sorts of petty reasons, like what powers they have or don't have, where they live, what language they speak, and even what clothes they wear! And Clara hates me because of the school I go to, the people I am studying with, and if she watched Galbrek's dumb video, my name."

He then faced her. "William Chekova Ascot. Of St. Laurel's. That's my name. And if you hate me because of this, even though I haven't done anything to you...well you know what that means."

The spinning suddenly stopped, the world coming into sharp focus as the boys laughter dragged across her confusions throat like a knife in the dark and left it choking on its own blood in some forgotten gutter. The whole girl seemed to stop, eyes raising up to look at him with none of the kindness he had seen in them before. "You are wrong." she muttered. "You have done something to me. And now you should leave."

William knew not to press further, and made to turn away, but not before saying this: "Make sure to make friends other than your 'Tovarish'. Vittorio desperately needs a connection to this world. And if you decide that the city - all of us - are more important than this current feud, have Vernon call me. And now I should go."

And with that he began to walk away. He felt the impulse to run, to stew in guilt over what he had done to Bak. But illusions had to be shattered; he can only hope it was worth it.

Bak watched him go. She wanted to scream out that there was no need for him to tell her that. She was already doing everything in her power. But she could only watch in silence, fuming. He wasn't a bad man, she didn't think. Not like Galbrek made him out. If he had been brainwashing her she would never have gotten so mad. But they were never bad people, were they?

The villagers wern't bad people.

Her parents wern't bad people.

She just brought out the worst in them.

The boy stopped as the girl's silence got to him; a signal that something was wrong. Turning back to Bak, still finding her within shouting range, he would say: "And if you don't hate me forever because of what I did, I just want to say: You're not a bad person! So think for yourself and all will be well! Also, if you want a proper kitten, ask Vernon if I can smuggle you one; I know a place!"

And with that, William Ascot would run off into the sunrise.

Vera entered the Blackgate household a little later in the day. They had a day off from dealing with William, so Vera had gotten a day off from babysitting Andras. Recent events in mind, she supposed she really didn’t mind the girl’s company… but almost nothing was enjoyable for two weeks straight, and she wasn’t sure she liked Andras that much.

So, the previous night, she’d let herself go home, figuring she’d pick things up the next afternoon. She ran into Anna first, and asked if Andras was up yet. The kid just shrugged. Useless.

Well, the demon who only pretended to be a demon in a house filled with demons tended to sleep later, so she was probably still sleeping. It was hit-or-miss at this time of day. She knocked on the guest room door, and got no response. She carefully opened the door and saw a small lump laying in the bed Andras was using.

It was eerily still and not quite right in shape. She stared for a moment, thinking her eyes might be messing with her. Nope, still not right. Tip-toeing over, she gently poked Andras’s very, very soft shoulder.

“You little shit…” Vera snarled and whipped the sheets off. Pillows. “SERIOUSLY!?” she screeched. It meant only one thing. No one pulled a stunt like this unless they were sneaking around behind people's’ backs! She’d gone off on her own.

She, who was being hunted by killer doll people, had gone off on her own! For all she knew, even Seth could be out for revenge! He was a bit of a coward, so that was less likely, but the point was that Andras had enemies.

She quickly pulled out her phone, swiping through the screens almost but certainly not frantically until she found Andras’s number. She’d just had to be cute and put her under World’s Worst Demon instead of taking advantage of the fact that both her real and fake name began with an “A”.

Andras’s phone vibrated in her bag. Without thinking, Andras had already begun to answer it. “This is-”

‘Wait. I was supposed to be sneaking out.’ Andras froze mid-greeting. ‘I can’t be just answering my phone like this! I’m an idiot!’

Very quickly changing her voice to an impression of a gruff store manager, Andras continued. “Joe’s Meat Shop. Whatchyu want.”

Vera was surprised, but only for a moment, by the voice that answered. However, if the brat honestly thought Vera hadn’t noticed her almost answer it in her own voice, she was sadly mistaken.

“Oh, hi, yes. I’ll have a ham and cheese sandwich with a side of WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU, DAMMIT?! What kind of idiot runs off alone when people are trying to kidnap them?!” Vera’s harsh yell would have peaked out the phone’s mic. “I better know where I’m going in five seconds or so help me!”

Andras almost dropped her phone from the sudden yelling. “I-I was just heading out to the library… You know, a friendly neighborhood library…” Andras said weakly, and added, “D-Did you want any books?”

“Sure,” Vera said curtly as she attempted to compose herself and immediately headed back out. “How about a book on knot tying, so I can tie you down! Or maybe one on welding so I can put you in a cage! I just… What the hell were you thinking!?” She pinched the bridge of her nose. “L-look, just stay put, in a crowd, and keep talking to me so I know no one’s grabbed you! I’m on my way…” She didn’t even want to think of what Wolf would do if he found out Andras got taken on her watch. It would be humiliating! Her, Vera Goh, being scolded by Wolf of all people!

“I-I don’t think there are any welding books at the library, Vera…” Andras muttered. “Though, there probably are knot tying books. I don’t really want to go back in, though, I was just being nice and offering…”

Vera didn’t bother resisting the urge to sigh tiredly, but soon enough she was able to hang up the phone. Andras had probably just picked the library because she was a nerd who liked libraries, but Vera had allowed it since it wasn’t too terribly far from the Blackgate household. She quickly stormed over to Andras and grabbed her face in one hand, squishing her cheeks. She turned her head this way and that, looking her over as if she’d just pulled her out of a burning car and not just had her run off to… read.

Once she was done giving Andras the world’s most disapproving look, she let go and let out a long breath.

“Well I suppose you’re still in one piece and not in some creepy dollmaker’s dungeon, so that’s… something,” Vera crossed her arms.

Andras let out a low chuckle, crossing her arms. “A demon like me would never be caught by something as mundane as a dollmaker. Your fears were clearly misplaced.”

“Really, even if it’s a demon whose dolls can shoot lasers?” Vera scowled. “They almost got you last time! Twice!” She held up two fingers for emphasis. “Do you know how much shit I’d have to deal with if they actually got you? I can’t believe you’d be so selfish as to just run off!” And the old familiar bubbling anger began to rise up. The same one that happened every time someone didn’t just quietly fall in line and listen. She clenched her teeth and for a moment was just silent. “And besides… I still owe you a night out that doesn’t get crashed by drug dealing exes.”

‘Ah. I knew I screwed up, but I guess she was taking this really seriously…’ Andras felt a little embarrassed. However, she was also interested by Vera’s last comment. ‘Maybe…’

Andras leaned forward, close to Vera, with an innocent-as-possible smile. “Oh, so you were worried about me, huh?” Andras always wondered what Vera would do if she tried this.

Vera’s eyes snapped wide at the suggestion but then she squinted and her mouth scrunched into a tight frown. The girl was just asking for it now!

SQUISH!

Vera soon once more had Andras’s face trapped, this time sandwiched between both her palms, mercilessly squishing her cheeks and giving her a fish-face.

“Oh who the hell would be worried by a delusional little shit like you!” Vera growled, still tormenting the girl as she spoke. “I-... I wouldn’t… GRR!” She’d never been much for lying, but… Why the hell did she even have to worry about lying? She was just some burden Wolf had dropped in her lap! At least…

She finally let go once she figured Andras had had enough, “If you’re done being a pest, I should be bringing you back! I’m not exactly a bodyguard you know! I can’t protect you from those things!” She felt a pang in her chest at the words. It was just an obvious fact, but…

‘Ah, so that’s what happens when I do that.’ Andras thought, as she gingerly touched her cheeks. However, Vera’s response overall OTHER than the physical attack was… ‘Well, it wasn’t technically positive, but I feel happy about it, somehow.’ Andras mused to herself.

Andras eventually managed to work a smile back onto her face, after some effort. “Don’t worry. We’re not that far from the house, and I’ve got some responses to anyone who wants to get in between us.” Andras confidently flashed the pentagram on the back of her hand, as if to show proof of her magical enhancement. After a moment, Andras spoke up again in a lower voice, “That being said, I’ve been considering carrying that divine spear of mine around nowadays. You didn’t happen to bring it with you, did you?” Andras’s eye looked Vera up and down.

“Yeah, it’s right here in my purse,” Vera spoke deadpan. “Obviously I was too busy trying to find you to worry about remembering something like that!” She then clamped her mouth shut. That had been a bit more straightforward than she’d liked. And in hindsight, as weird as walking into town with a golden spear would have been, it would have been a nice safety cushion. “Let’s just go…” She grabbed Andras’s wrist, ready to literally drag her back.

Andras followed along with Vera’s guiding grip. If Andras was feeling more reckless, she might have tried to poke fun at Vera’s apparent concern, but she didn’t want her cheeks to be assaulted any further. “I was going to head home right now anyway!” Andras huffed.

The dolls came to a halt as Adam motioned for the remaining dolls to stop in their tracks, Fegin had not yet departed with Celine and something had caught his attention up ahead.

"What's the matter big brother~?" Eve asked in a curious manner, trying to be polite yet at the same time condescending.

"I am about to find out.... follow me, all of you." Adam beckoned the three other dolls to follow, with Eve joining right behind him, followed in turn by Celine with Fegin guarding the rear.

Up ahead Adam then saw a familiar sight. The girl whom master Galbrek had wanted to get. She was out there with someone and on their own. It would have baffled Adam, would he had known the meaning of the word. "It's the girl the master wants. Andras. Change of plans. We are going to capture her, show your loyalty to master Galbrek and aid. He will surely reward us all well."

Celine looked troubled, nothing was going as she wanted. She still had the number that Celestine had given to him. But she had no phone to call with, neither could she see any phone booth. Even if she would have seen one, would she had been able to get there and live long enough to make the actual call. Then the possibility of once again falling under Celestine's hands. Stuck in between two different evils as far as she saw it.

She petted the rat she carried with her, now being the only one she could really trust would not be out to kill her. For now though she had to go with the other dolls, if the chance would present itself she had to run. Adam nodded his head to Fegin and Eve. "You two.. move up and draw their attention and keep them from spotting the rest of us. They've seen us before but not you two."

"Wiieoow... that's kinda smart. What would I know? I am just a jester." Fegin tipped an imaginary hat to Adam before moving forwards with Eve. Leaving Adam and Celine behind a corner, where the two could later flank the two girls.

"Good someday! What a fancy meetin' and greetin' a pair of fair ladies out here. Don't you agree, Eve'y dear?" Fegin gave Andras and Vera an overly ambiguous bowing motion.

"Very so~" Eve licked her artificial lips.

"Oh no! Dread and doom, I am left in such a gloom. This lady here be Andras the brave, the powerful, the attractive! How could I not see this being so?"

"My brother is a little bit on the flamboyant side. Do forgive him~" Eve stepped closer towards the two young women, biting her lower lip as it was starting to curl up into a smile.

"Autographs! Oh goodness me, please grace us with your fine mark on a humble piece of paper! To be donated to help all the poor orphans!" Fegin placed his hand on his chest and dramatized believably how sad it was. While those two dolls were busy with their own thing, Adam and Celine had snuck around a building and have arrived to the sides of the two young women. Giving them a good flanking position.

It didn’t take more than two seconds for Vera’s blood to run cold. Andras being famous enough for people to want her autograph? For a second, it had been laughable. Then she realized that the odds were against them that this was in any way innocent. It probably helped that she’d pretty much been in panic mode since she’d realized Andras had run off.

“Sorry, you probably have the wrong person. We’re very busy, please excuse us,” she spoke hastily, her hand clamping down on Andras’s wrist like a vice to the point of being painful. She needed to get the message across and hope the girl was actually paying attention for once.

“Ow ow!” Andras winced. Even she could tell that Vera had very quickly changed her tone with these newcomers confronting them. As much as Andras DID want to give out an autograph, she felt it necessary to stick with Vera’s lead - Especially after all the worry she caused already.

Andras’s lack of excitement over an autograph gave Vera the slightest bit of relief. She quickly turned away from the two and hurried off in a new direction with Andras in tow. They had the smallest window of safety right now -- witnesses. In a city where every other person could potentially spew flames, kidnappings in broad daylight were dangerous. But that safety was limited. If they stuck around, the crowds would eventually disperse or their enemies would have time to come up with a plan, their pray just sitting and waiting for them to figure things out.

But the only two safe havens that Vera could potentially reach sat in private neighborhoods, with plenty of empty streets. Head deeper into the city, and there would be empty alleyways to be dragged into. No, there was no easy way out of this.

Vera tugged Andras closer and leaned toward her ear, “Get that angel of yours ready, now!” she whispered. They were bound to run out of luck, and probably sooner than she’d like. They were gonna need a buffer.

As the two young women had begun to move so did the two dolls which had approached them, the first to act was Eve who energized her whip as she'd put it into her hand, flinging it out aiming to latch around Andras throat, seeking to hold her back and apply pain from the energy surging through it. While the hula hoop carrying jester doll jumped up into the air using his ring as a helping tool to make the jump, he flew over the two girls and landed on his feet. Not flawlessly but decently.

"'Fraid we cannot let you pass without meeting our benefactor." The jester offered a playful smile as the ring he held unto began to light up in purple energy. "Willingly or not you will come with us."

Adam and Celine had also moved forwards, Adam had shot dark shards of energy right in front of Vera, seeking to stop their advance forwards while Celine had moved further up. "Stop! Two of my siblings have died because of you.. don't make more die. Surrender..." Celine said in a grave tone of voice.

It had to have been more instinct and reflexes than anything else. As Vera had pulled Andras in, she’d turned her head and out of the corner of her eye…

“Shit!” She pushed Andras’s head down just before the whip reached her, but cried out as the whip instead raked across her shoulder. She had to bite her lip against the pain, and could do nothing more as the dolls surrounded them. “I don’t care if all of you die, you fucking monster!” Vera shouted at the doll. “You’re trying to kidnap people!”

Now she could only hope Andras could do something again...

“Vera!” Andras shouted as Vera saved her from the whip. Andras heard Vera’s cry of pain. Calling her cards to her hand, she quickly analyzed the situation.

‘I’ve got to create an opening, and get my angel over here too…’ Choosing a card in her hand, she took a breath and cast it. Throwing the pinpoint of light directly towards Eve, it burst into a shadowy substance that wrapped around her arm, manifesting itself as a heavy ball and chain.

Andras had instructed the angel to look for her signs of casting from above, so she hoped that it would have seen her at this point. “Let’s go, Vera!” Andras grabbed Vera and started running, hoping that the weakening enchantment would let them get past the doll.

Eve blinked, the girl had ducked away from her whip and instead slashed the other over the shoulder. She readied her whip once more but stopped as she saw a bright light, which then turned into a shadowy substance. She was creeped out, what was this?

It attached itself to her and suddenly she felt a deep push through her entire form,, her legs broke by the ankles, then she was thrown down at full force, her arm first and then the rest of her body. She was pressed against the ground and felt her body begin to press in on itself, she gritted her teeth before screaming out in terror. "Ahhhh-! Help... me... please.."

She felt her body beginning to form cracks over it, artificial tears filling up in her eyes as she closed them tightly, then a sound in the air as her arm was torn apart. she waited for the crack that wound break her body into pieces, but it did not come. The hula hoop ring sliced over her arm up by her shoulder and severed the link with the dark spell.

Leaving her face down against the ground but no longer pressing against it. The entirety of the spell had caused the dolls to freeze for a moment, until Fegin had sprung into action to aid his fellow doll. Quickly moving up to lift her up in her broken state.

Celine stood still, not patting the rat in her possession nor aiding. She felt fear. True fear. Was this what their creator wanted to obtain? Such a horrible power. Adam looked to his fellow dolls before he gritted his teeth together. "We are-"

Fegin interfered and threw Eve's battered body into Celine's hands. "You know what to do." He winked before he flipped backwards. "Let's go Adam." He nodded towards the young women. Something about the jester bothered Adam, but he could not pinpoint what it was. The two began to chase after Andras and Vera.

Vera swallowed hard against the pained sounds as they ran off. She hadn’t seen that one coming. Somehow she felt a little guilty for saying she was OK with all of them dying now. It was easy to say until they started begging. However, those thoughts were left behind almost as soon as they’d entered her mind. She had bigger problems to worry about.

She quickly directed Andras which way to run. They needed to go to the closes safe-haven, and they needed to not run in a straight line and be found too quickly again. That said, there were only so many twists and turns they could take without just wasting time or going the complete wrong way.

They reached a house that Andras wouldn’t recognize. In fact, Andras likely would have been quite lost for some time now. Vera stumbled through the arched gateway of the house and through the courtyard. It had never felt quite so long before, just trying to reach the door before they were capture.

A raven, perched on the tall, stone walls began screeching its fool head off, as if angrily shouting at the two girls. Somehow this amplified the feeling Vera had in her spine, as if a knife was just hovering there the whole time.

She grabbed the door and pulled. Nothing. It held fast.

“LOCKED?!” Vera’s heart sank. If the door was locked, that meant no one was home. “Fuck, fuck, fuck.” She dug in her purse and pulled out a key. The door mercifully opened quickly enough and she shoved Andras inside before following and locking it behind them.

But it was just a door. It was just a house. Without anyone home, it was nothing so special.

“Dammit, Guntram…” Vera panted, clutching at her shoulder. “Shit, that means Wolf isn’t here either!” She just sort of stumbled deeper into the room. It was a large room, with numerous portraits hanging from the walls, some with little tables on the floor beneath, holding some sort of artifact that might have belonged to them. The rest of the floor was empty. No furniture to sit at, and the tables that were there were too full to hold one’s belongings.

Most noteworthy was one portrait, larger than the rest, of a woman. Below it, its table might as well have been a shrine. On the wall beneath the portrait was a sword in a glass case. There seemed nothing there that could help them all that much, unless they suddenly learned how to use one of the various, antique weapons lying about.

“Oh!” Andras stared at the portrait, only managing that much in between gasps of air. After some time, she finally managed to speak up further. “W-Where are we, exactly? And who is this?” Andras gestured to the painting. Rearranging her cards, she quickly added, “How valuable is this house to you?”

“It’s Wolf’s house. Don’t get too excited, because that one is his mother. He doesn’t talk about her much… and judging by the shrine, I assume she’s dead.” Vera frowned. Her next question was a tad concerning. “Err, less than our lives, but considering Wolf’s dead mother has a shrine in here, I’m pretty sure his father might kill you if you mess it up.” Not to mention she didn’t like the odds of them standing and fighting. It had worked out last time, but that only left that at Andras with a 50% win rate against these things.

“OK, I… I have an idea. It’s stupid but it might save us…” Vera swallowed hard. “How lucky do you feel?”

Andras briefly thought over the previous events. Weighing getting free ice cream against being attacked by dolls, she figured… “Can I answer that after you tell me your plan?”

Adam had forcefully made his way after the two girls, keeping them within sight but out of reach. Some bystanders had decided to give chase after the tall doll in order to apprehend him but the doll had other plans, thus toppled over a few neatly placed fruit-stands causing a large ruckus in an alley. The other doll, Fegin on the other hand, had jumped up unto the nearby roofs and ran after the girls in that way. Less hindered but a bit more risky if one didn’t watch ones steps well. Both of the dolls ultimately saw the girls enter a house and close the door behind them.

Adam looked up as he heard a slight ‘beep’ sound. The jester-like doll had jumped up on top of a lamp post and used that as a viewing platform, placing one hand above his eyes and the other holding unto his hula hoop ring.

“Fun fun. Looks like the missuses decided to enter the house. Should we be proper unwanted guests or?” Fegin turned to look down to Adam who was partly dirty from tomatoes and various fruits that had gotten in his path.

“I will look for another entrance or window and enter through it. You take the main door, clown.”
“Horrible! Simply horrible! I am so unappreciated for my particular set of talents, have you ever seen any jester like me before, Adam?” The doll smiled as he jumped down to inspect the house closer.

“Yes.” Adam answered. “Our master redecorated his face after some ill placed words.”

“Oh that’s not good at all! Not good at all! So why not quit? Send in your leave application to our holy benefactor!” Fegin did a jump forwards to look at the main door, like a curious cat looking over an area it should totally not be in.

“Watch your mouth or I will make you pay for it. I will not allow anyone to betray master G-” Adam paused and remembered something his master had told him. That William person was able to find out things which had been said by others, revealing his master’s name in a place like this would be disastrous for him.

“Enter.” Adam simply said as he walked around to look for another door or neatly placed window to break into.

Fegin on the other hand went up to the main door, felt the handle and turned it down. Locked. “Oh dang, why must it always be locked. Why can’t they just leave all doors open. It’s not like they don’t want visitors right Adam? Adam? Oh… right.” He coughed gently into his hand before knocking on the door.

Vera jumped at the knock at the door. How… polite. She carefully inched over to it to look who was there. Guntram had a number of friends, all good fighters. Maybe it was someone who could help. But one glance revealed it to be one of the freakish dolls. Seriously, why the jester appearance? They were already inherently disturbing enough.

“Forget it, let’s just go!” Vera rushed back over to Andras, leading her through the house to a side entrance. It was another courtyard, only reachable through the house. This one also had a gateway, but it led back behind the house. All that was back there was forest and a small mountain, barely more than an oversized hill. “So… um… this could be my worst idea ever, but… I don’t suppose I can just ask you to trust me?” she said to Andras. She had no idea what was out there, just that Wolf had told her that it was the one thing she had to listen to him about. Never, ever go into the woods behind the house.

It was dangerous.

Andras looked over into the woods. ‘Maybe she knows something I don’t… This doesn’t seem like ‘worst idea ever’ material.’

Fegin had waited but none had answered the door, he tapped his beeping boots against the ground. “Just rotten luck is all, typically typic.” He tilted his head from side to side. “Oh well!” Before he raised the hula hoop ring above his head and made four slicing motions around the door edges, then poking at it with his free hand, causing it to fall in. “Roomservice!” He peeked around but saw none but was met with a painting of a knight or so it appeared. Something had to be done about that, she didn’t look right at all.

Fegin fetched a color pen from his pocket, where had he found it? Who knows. Perhaps his master would not find his. Fegin jumped up on a dresser or table, whichever was closest to it and then began his work. Adding a mustache and chin beard was just what it needed. He gave his masterpiece a look before putting the pen back and resuming his search, finding a second entry point. “Oho? Sneaky little rabbits.” He clapped his hand on his chest.

On the other end of the house, Adam had seen the two girls exit through some inner courtyard of the building. He watched them for a bit before giving chase, making his presence discreet if he could. Moving from trees to bushes to rocks, whatever was about to give him cover.

On the other hand, this was no time for idle discussions. Andras nodded, and said plainly, “I trust you.” Partially to reassure her, and partially to potentially give another signal for her angel, Andras manifested her cards at the ready. “Let’s go.”

Vera took a deep breath, hoping Andras wouldn’t regret that. She led Andras into the woods. There was a path, about three people wide, cut into the landscape. Tall walls of earth and roots surrounded it, ending just above their heads. It was as if they were walking beneath the forest, rather than through it.

The trail stretched on longer than one might have expected, leading toward the hill’s peak. However, before they even reached much of an incline, there was a rustling in the forest. Vera came to a dead halt, motioning for Andras to do the same.

She’d expected perhaps the danger was at the destination, or that it was just a lie to keep her away. Was there actually something out here? There was a bit of a slope cut into the side of the path ahead, and the rustling became crashing as a furry shape tumbled down it and onto the path ahead. It was a small dog? No… a wolf?

It was a baby wolf. The actual animal, of course.

It righted itself and then planted its feet, lowering itself and growling as viciously as a wolf pup could. It had the strangest eyes...

“You’ve… got to be kidding me…” Vera stared at it. There was something familiar about it, but that was important. This wasn’t helpful. What would it do, bite at their ankles and make them into a chew toy? But then the one or two nature documentaries she’d seen as a kid came back to her. Where there was a baby, there was a parent not far off.

Something landed behind them. There was a softness to it, but also a weight. Like a massive object landing upon a cushion. The two girls would feel breath on the back of their necks.

Vera felt herself begin to shake and she slowly turned around. It was white, with only occasional patches of grey mottling its coarse fur. There was something wrong about it: its eyes seemed to burn, one of its monstrous eyes even having two pupils, and its teeth barely fit in its mouth. Most horrifying was the fact that its shoulders were up to Vera’s chest. It just completely dwarfed poor Andras. It turned its muzzle up, mere centimeters from Vera’s face.

It bared its fangs, a low growl coming from it that could be felt through the ground below them.

“P-please… w-we aren’t here to trespass…” She knew next to nothing about these creatures, save that she’d been told they existed. She just wish she’d been told they were the reason this forest was dangerous! She knew they were smart, but could they understand her? Judging by the fact that it was still growling at her, she had reason to doubt this.

It sniffed at her, and then it turned to sniff at Andras. Terror turned to horror as its mouth began to gape open, growling turning to a vicious snarl.

“No!” Vera stuck her arm out, barring its path to the girl. “I-I’m here to protect her!” The wolf’s gaze snapped back to Vera, the fury clear in its eyes. It barked at her, and took a step forward, as if to ask how dare she confront it.

Vera felt her legs give and she shrunk down to her knees, the beast staring down at her…

“P-please…”

Andras was taken aback. ‘She’s going to such a length?! Amazing…’ Vera had some serious courage, to stand up to something like that despite everything.

Adam had stalked the girls through the wilderness, getting all manner of moss, branches and thorns over his artificial body and clothing. But nothing was going to stop him from completing the mission which was going to bring him closer to his master. The thing he needed to do.

The girls had been stopped further ahead by some form of beast. Adam believed it was known as a wolf. Master Galbrek had allowed Darla to watch some form of documentary regarding it. But it didn’t matter much to Adam, it was now both aiding and obstructing him. It was keeping the girls still but potentially harming Andras which he sought to capture. If she would be deeply wounded or killed then his master would not forgive him. Thus the creature had to be-

He suddenly felt something on his shoulder, a quick yet firm thing, like a paw of some great beast. Adam turned to look at what it was. That damn clown. Fegin had caught up with him somehow.

“Found ya. Ya really should train on sneaking, I saw you from far away…” He said in a hushed voice, then looked ahead to the two girls. “Now that’s a problem.”

Adam gave Fegin an annoyed look and then said in a serious tone. “Yes. I shall take it out…”

The tall doll stood up and stepped forwards, raising his both hands to unleash a barrage of dark purple shards of magic towards the fur clad beast. Fegin at the same moment let out a slight noise and began to run forwards trying to get to Andras and Vera, his steps now causing beeping sounds. “Outta! Heya fancy meeting you out ‘ere, ‘fraid we got a schedule to pass so mind to tag along?” Fegin gave a smirk with a slightly carefree look to his face, despite the really bad situation they were in.

The wolf’s ears suddenly perked up and turned. This was followed by the whole beast suddenly throwing itself aside and skidding to a stop a few feet away. A second later shards of energy struck the ground where it had stood.

This was followed by… beeping? What? Oh, the damn creepy clown doll.

The wolf was already mad, but then… it inhaled. Its nostrils suddenly flared and it gave two more quick sniffs of the air. In an instant, its lips pulled back and thick ropes of drool began to leak from its mouth. Its eyes had gone wide and it let out a ferocious roar like no proper wolf should have ever been able to.

Vera had seemed to set it on edge and Andras’s presence had seemed to upset it. But now, something about these intruders had sent it into a mad rage. It seemed any moment now it would-

Beep. Beep-beep-beep.

Everything screeched to a halt as the dolls shoes began rapidly beeping… as the wolf pup had latched on and begun chewing at them. Apparently the beeping had gotten its attention.

The painted doll had peeked down to his boots at the sight of a wolf pup chewing on his flawless boots. He made a pouty face and quickly leaned down to pick it up with his free hand before whistling over to it’s apparent parent. “Yohoo! Who's a good pup? Oh you are! Who's a bad bitch? You are!” Fegin went from looking at the pup to it’s mother, whistling to get the attention of the mother before starting to run with the pup in hand. His boots beeping along his fast stride.

Adam’s attention went to Fegin for a moment and watched what the big wolf like creature would do, he was prepared to use another barrage of dark energy shards. Right now his power was far greater than it had been before, if these would hit it would hurt it. The power master Galbrek have bestowed to him, his most loyal and determined servant. A sense of pride filled him.

If Fegin could lead the beast away he would have the opening he needed to subdue the girls or so he thought. They seemed to be out of tricks. This is for you, Lord Galbrek

Adam prepared himself for what would come.

Vera couldn’t imagine that running off with a something like that wolf’s baby could ever be a good idea, but the gravity of the situation soon became apparent when the wolf bolted after him. At the speed it took off, it would catch up quickly, but that still left them wide open to the other doll. But, if it was just one, maybe Andras would be OK. If only she was actually a factor in this fight, then they’d definitely win… but as it was, she was about as useful as a screen door on a submarine.

One of the dolls distracted the wolf, leaving it between the two of them and a single doll. Of course, that was hardly a fair evaluation, considering that it was a Demon Lady of Despair versus a mere doll. Andras laughed to herself lightly, a card rising from her hand and glowing white. “Knight of Rath, hear my voice, and break the lines of darkness!” Her summon chant materialized her spell. From the card burst an armored knight, mounted upon a horse.

“Clear our path!” Andras commanded, and the knight charged towards Adam, holding its sword in a reversed grip.

Adam kept his both hands raised and as the knight materialized from Andras’ summoning, he changed his target to it. A knight who would try break the lines of darkness as her chant went. The tall doll narrowed his eyes and focused.

“This is for the one whom I respect and love, the one whom gave me a new life as a homunculus! This is for Lord Galbrek!” He unleashed his barrage of purple shards of magic towards the approaching knight.

A distance away Fegin was running and cutting down any tree close to him using his hula hoop ring, causing it to fall behind him to hinder or possibly fall over the large beast, buying a bit of time until he finally took a leap up on a tree stump and up unto a large branch on a tree, a fair distance from the ground, still with the pup in his other hand. “Oof. That was… stressful. Bad dog. Stay. Stay.”

He looked briefly at the pup, making sure the bigger creature saw it. All he had to do now was to buy a bit of time for Adam to get out of there with the target.

The wolf eventually wised up, breaking off from following directly behind. One of the trees had come close to crushing it, right when it had been inches from tearing Fegin in half. Again, it was moments away, snarling and flying through the air just as Fegin leapt, its fur brushing the heels of his boots as it sailed past.

It turned back, circling the tree once and then stopping. It reared its head back and howled. It was a low, droning howl, one befitting its twisted appearance. The whole forest seemed to tremble. The pup in Fegin's arms squirmed and joined in chorus, though not as deafeningly loud.

The issue that may have presented itself to Fegin was when the chorus was joined by something a little bigger. Two more howls echoed through the forest in response to the first. Then… the wolf charged off, out of sight.

For a moment.

The next thing Fegin knew it stormed back onto the scene, jumping, rebounding off a tree, and then up toward his branch, jaws clamping down on the branch. It was only a question of what would occur first, the branch snapping off the tree, or Fegin being shaken loose.

Adam’s attack may have hurt a lesser knight, but Andras’s summon was specifically trained to endure attacks while charging. The shards clashed against the paladin’s armor, but his horse continued galloping forward, and it bore down upon Adam. The paladin swiftly struck at the doll with his sword as it passed him, slashing the doll with his sword. Rearing around, the paladin turned back to face his opponent after his charge.

Andras grabbed Vera’s wrist, which was the opposite of what was usual so far. “Vera. The doll’s wounded, and the other one ran off. Now’s our chance to run!”

“Wh- Huh?!” Vera was all for getting far away from the dolls, but somehow going farther down the path just seemed… almost as bad. Her fears were founded, but not before the path began to wind up the hill, leaving them quite deep into the old forest.

They rounded a corner to see another giant wolf sitting there. This one had long, dark, stringy fur that left its eyes almost completely hidden and gave the impression it had a beard. And, whereas the first wolf looked like it might have just had birth defects, this one was clearly not normal. It had two rows of short horns sticking out of the fur on its head.

It sat there, like a guardian monolith, halting their advance. Just like the first, the forest’s silence was soon broken by a low rumbling as it began to growl. And then another, white like the first, but without the spots to mar its fur. It also seemed a bit smaller, perhaps younger, but this ones fangs were so long they stuck out when its mouth was closed. They were trapped between the two.

The shaggy one stood, stalking toward them as the second circled, as if they were trying to herd the girls out of the forest. It was merely a question of if they could safely turn their backs without being set upon… and how patient the wolves were.

And if it was even safe to head back yet.

Andras gripped Vera’s hand. “D-Do you have a plan?” She said, her voice shaking with fear.

“W-w-walk backwards… don’t make any sudden moves… and hope they aren’t hungry…” Vera really hadn’t thought things through this far ahead. Mutant wolves hadn’t been part of her plan. They were bred for a purpose, and killing them wasn’t it, but that didn’t mean they weren’t still vicious and plenty able to do so.

Their harrowing, uneasy retreat went on for about a minute. The longest minute of Vera’s life. It seemed it might work, that showing they would leave the forest was enough to keep the wolves from attacking.

But then their path was blocked off. The first wolf was back, seeming to have reclaimed the pup from the clownish doll. They could no longer advance in any direction. They hadn’t exactly been able to finish, err, negotiating with the first wolf either, and no doubt it was in a truly foul mood.

Then, an oddly familiar noise. The screeching caws of a raven as a large, black bird soared past, unusually low. It seemed to distract the wolves, and then a high pitched whistle rang through the forest.

And suddenly, just like that, they backed off. All three with pup in tow, albeit with noticeable reluctance, loped off into the forest.

“OK…” Vera said breathlessly, on the verge of hyperventilating. “J-just go! Go!” she urged and took advantage of the sudden clear path.

Halfway back, the man Vera had been looking for in the first place greeted them, though it wasn’t with a smile.

“Vera!? My goodness, what are you girls doing out here!? You could have been killed!” His face was taught and his lips pressed tightly together. “Well, judging by the fact that my door is in pieces, you must have had a reason. Come, it’s safe enough now. You can explain inside…”

Adam had quickly dashed to the side and moved past the knight, withdrawing from the area. The cut the knight had made was causing his dark purple power to begin to leak out, he placed one hand over the wound as if to prevent it from leaking out as much.

Gritting his teeth but realizing this battle was lost, he began to run off, dashing behind a couple of trees and making his way back the same way he came. Hearing some noises in the distance, likely more of those beasts and possibly the knight following him. He didn't stay to find out but ran as fast as he could. Taking advantage in his inhuman physique, that he never gets tired. He could make it if he kept running with the advantage he currently had. Fegin had to find his own way out.

The jester had just managed to raise his hula hoop ring above his head when the large beast lunged for the branch he stood on, grappling unto a partly decapitated branch a little bit further up, before he decided it was time to move, he pulled himself up on the partly decapitated branch and took a leap to another tree, with a branch further down, before sliding down the tree, holding unto the wolf pup in one hand and then flinging it like a flying bowling ball towards the larger one.

That would distract it for a bit he thought, and ran quickly, slicing down a few trees along his way, causing them to fall down to obscure his path.

He was faster than Adam, tougher and more endurable. He flung himself acrobatically over some of the trees which fell to the sides or in front of him due to his cutting, most fell backwards though.

While he might had been able to kill such a creature he pondered on the morals of doing so. They were likely only defending their home and they were not part of the mission they had accepted. Even so he couldn't lower his guard until he was fully out of the forest.

Andras sat in the house, still shaken up considerably. ‘This is not helping my fear of dogs at all…’ She stuck close to Vera, as if leaving her would suddenly cause the wolves to come back.

Clearing her throat, Andras eventually spoke up to introduce herself. “H-Hello… My name is And- Er… Alexandria Sova. Me and Vera had been… Well…” Andras trailed off, not sure what to say exactly. Given the situation, even something like using her demon name seemed rash. Andras shot a look at Vera as if to ask for her to explain it for her.

Vera took a deep breath and explained the situation to Guntram, allowing him to bandage her shoulder while she did so. She was getting sick of being hurt because of the whole Andras situation, but she couldn’t find it in herself to blame the girl. She couldn’t even say she and Andras were even. Andras had pretty much come to her own rescue in the end.

“So… it is most likely the work of this… Galbrek?” Guntram sighed. “Children these days.”

“I… can’t swear that he’s the master these dolls keep talking about, but I don’t think him being there the first time is a coincidence,” Vera told him.

“Hm. A lack of evidence then. Well, I suggest you lie low for a bit. Rash action has been the cause of most of this grief, I imagine,” he spoke, leading the girls back to the main room. He suddenly whistled loudly, the same whistle that had warded off the wolves before.

He stood, staring at the defiled portrait of Wolf’s mother -- his wife.

“And yet… I don’t think I’ll be staying silent.” His arms were folded behind his back, but Vera could see his knuckles turning white. “There is a line.”

The sound of hard nails on a wooden floor echoed into the room.

“Yes, come in. You may as well see what they did to her,” Guntram said, but it was unclear to who. And then the white wolf with the odd eye walked in, just barely able to fit its broad shoulders through the doorways. Vera scurried back at the sight of it, clinging fearfully to Andras. “Have you calmed down then?” Guntram asked the wolf.

The beast wandered over and sat, almost politely, before the defiled portrait. It stared at it, as if transfixed in reverence.

“No need to be so afraid girls, he won’t harm you while I’m here. They know to be on their best behavior in this house,” he told them.

Andras instinctively edged away from the newcomer. No amount of reassurance would not have her on edge after what she had experienced previously. Now that most of the danger had passed, she had lost her adrenaline kick. Pressing up against Vera, she inched away from the wolf. “N-Not scared at all, sir.” Andras managed to mumble. “What exactly are… They?” She gestured toward it.

“What? You’ve never seen a wolf before?” Guntram raised an eyebrow. There was a silent pause and Vera just smiled nervously, assuming it was some sort of attempt at humor. “Right, I suppose this isn’t the time for levity.” He sighed and turned to face them directly. “Well, the ancient evil may have been driven back, and the great lines of defenses rendered mostly unnecessary, the veil was left… thin in some places.

While remnants still occasionally leak into this world, they are rarely any real threat. In the world we live in now, even school children can push them back. However, the host of demons may also take advantage of these weaknesses. The gods in all their power are not omniscient, there is evil that can shield itself from their gaze.” It seemed he was going to give them the long version.

“Now, there are those who hunt demons. My wife… her family fought alongside wolves. In time, their lineage grew so engorged on their blood and corruption that they… changed.” He gestured to the example before them, and then to the portrait. “The monster that lays slain in that picture is what happens when instead of gaining a hunger for that corruption, it takes over. It was as much her job to slay them as it was to raise them.” He shook his head and then looked at Vera. “That side of them is why they’re so well suited for the job, but it also makes them incredibly dangerous. I imagine the only reason he didn’t attack you immediately is because you spend so much time around us, he probably felt he recognized you. Still, if he hadn’t let out that war cry, I might not have returned in time.”

Vera wondered if something in that story explained why the wolf had reacted so violently to the presence of the dolls…

“Well, umm, Andras has been staying with the Blackgates for safekeeping… Do you think you could get us there?” Vera asked.

“Ah, yes, Wolfram told me as much. Hard to find a place safer than that.” He looked away for a moment. “This house should have been just as safe. You have my apologies that I wasn’t here,” he told them. “So yes, I will happily escort you back.”

The great wolf looked over its shoulder at him.

“I assure you, I will deal with this.” It continued to stare. “No, I’m afraid I cannot bring you with me.” It lowered its head, whatever spell the portrait had seemingly cast over it now broken. It then trudged off, presumably back to the forest.

Andras let out a sigh of relief, now that the wolf had gone. She also realized how much she was pressing against Vera, and quickly scooted away without looking at her. “I don’t think… I’ll take a trip to the library alone again. I’m sorry, Vera.” Andras stood up after some thought. “I’ve also got something to attend to, right now…”

‘The knight I summoned, and the angel… I almost forgot about them.’ She walked back outside. ‘Agh, how am I going to keep the knight around?! The angel at least can fly and stay out of people’s view.’ Andras scratched her head.

Summoning her cards and having them hover around her, she provided a beacon of light for her summons to congregate towards. Andras didn’t have to wait long before the knight emerged from the forest path. She began to instruct the knight for what to do. “Okay, I’m going to lead you to the Vigilante’s base, and hopefully you can stay there and help out anyone who has a job… Ah. Stay here until I come back for you.”

The angel that Andras had summoned had finally found her. Turning to the angel, Andras took a bit of a scolding tone, wagging her finger at the heavenly being. “You need to follow me more closely next time! I know I said to stay high up to keep suspicion away, but you’ve got to be able to track me. Stick around more from now on, and if anyone sees you, evade them before circling back to where I am. And keep an eye out for my cards!” Andras emphasized her point by having her cards do a quick spin around her. “Stay close when me and Vera return home. I’m not sure when I’ll leave the house next time, but I’ll give a signal when I do.”

With that, Andras dismissed the angel with a wave of her hand. ‘Okay, we’ll have to stop at the Vigilante headquarters again… Hopefully it’ll be fine.’ She thought as she walked back into the house.

“Now that I’ve sorted that out…” Andras trailed off.

‘I hope he wasn’t watching me out there… He could probably see me talking with an angel from any of the windows in the house!’ Andras hadn’t considered that somebody probably would be watching her consult with her summons.

Guntram raised an eyebrow at the sight of the girl conversing with her… things. He clearly had been caught off guard by Andras’s capabilities.

“You… have an interesting friend,” he said to Vera. “She seems to be scolding an angel. Never thought I’d say that.”

“I don’t think she knows you can see her. Do me a favor and pretend like you didn’t,” Vera requested with a sigh..

“What’s this? Considering other people’s feelings? How unusually nice of you,” Guntram smirked.

“Wh-!?” Vera puffed her cheeks out. “I can be nice! I’m always nice to you!” she insisted.

“No, you’re polite. There’s a difference.” Those few words and the lack of hesitation behind them shut her down instantly. Well of course she was polite to him, he was the kind of person who demanded respect just by existing, like Victor, who she not so coincidentally was also very “polite” with.

And thus their exchange ended just as Andras walked back into the room.

“All set then?” the man asked Andras, not giving any indications that he had or had not seen anything.

“Well, it might be necessary to stop at the Vigilante’s base to-” Andras caught herself from saying something about the knight she summoned,’ “-report that Vera’s job is going well!” Andras gave a warm smile towards Vera. “Isn’t it?”

Vera was silent a moment. Andras was making it real hard to be so considerate.

“Well, it’s more like I’m doing Wolf’s job for him while he’s busy,” she let a little venom creep into her voice. If Wolf had actually been around today, none of this would have been a problem! “Great’s probably a strong word, but last I checked you and William haven’t been flayed alive, so sure. Everything is peachy.”

“I see. Well, I’d be a terrible father if I didn’t know where my son did business, so I’m quite aware of where that is. Not too terrible of a detour I suppose.” He gave Vera a sly wink as he continued to play along, causing her to grimace slightly.

“Let’s get going then. My shoulder hurts and I’m tired.”

And so go they did. Vera wasn’t sure how the hell Andras hid an entire horse with mounted knight on the way back, but she did it. Well, they could make out the clip-clop of hooves on pavement in the distance, but they just acted like they couldn’t.

Vera figured that Andras had earned the right to keep her pride fully intact.

Finally, some time later, Andras’s torture was ended as they stopped by the Vigilante outpost and then Guntram later bid them farewell after a short chat with Victor. Vera found it strange that he didn’t mention anything about the portrait or the break-in, but perhaps he wanted to deal with it on his own.

It was at this point Vera took advantage of the ability to get Andras alone.

“We need to talk… I’m acting like your babysitter, but you’re the one who can actually fight,” Vera told her. “A little awkward, don’t you think?”

Andras fidgeted in her seat a little. “W-Well, it’s just the nature of the job, isn’t it? Technically, at least…”

“Andras, you know I’m not really a Vigilante. I just follow around my boyfriend because watching him get mauled by a rabid raccoon is hilarious.” Usually the little odd jobs they did were so boring she could pass out on her feet, but sometimes… “Point is, it’s not my job. The other point is that all I can do is try to keep you out of trouble. The second trouble finds you, there’s not much I can do…” She absentmindedly rubbed at her aching shoulder. “And if they’re bold enough to go for you in broad daylight with witnesses, there’s even less I can do. You have to be more careful.”

She was silent for a moment, looking down at her feet, “I don’t need you on my conscience.”

Andras was taken a little off guard, but she felt that everything that had happened today had definitely proven Vera right. Getting herself in trouble meant problems for everyone else… Especially for Vera, who wasn’t even technically on the job. Andras sniffled a little. ‘I’ve put her through a lot today… All for some books?!’

Andras suddenly hugged Vera. “I’m sooooorry!!” Andras cried. “I wasn’t thinking at all and I screwed everything up…”

Vera flinched at the sudden hug. She was never gonna be used to that. All she could do was awkwardly pat her on the head. Eventually though she decided she wanted her personal space back and pried the girl off. Most people wouldn’t even make it to eventually, so Andras was lucky.

“You really did,” Vera said bluntly. “But… the most important part of screwing up is what you do to make it right. I figure you did OK.” Vera almost managed a full smile to punctuate her words. “You know, I said by the end of this we might be ‘besties’. Keep impressing me and you might actually make it that long.” She didn’t let Andras get a word in though. In true Vera fashion, she dropped the bomb and then went to make her escape. She booped Andras on the nose to keep her off guard and then stood.

“Anyway, Wolf wasn’t around when I needed him, so I figure he’s earned himself a long, angry text.. Or maybe I should be passive-aggressive and make him sweat… Hmmm,” she mused to herself as she walked out of the room.

‘Did… Did she just boop my nose...?’ Andras thought. Stunned for a moment, she began to lean backwards until she plopped onto the guest room’s bed. ‘I should be mad, but…’ Andras yawned. ‘We might be besties, so… Maybe it’s not all bad.’ With that as her last thought, Andras fell into a long nap.