Chapter: VII: Public Opinion
Katharina: What do we do now?!
Shara: You COULD go and get help ... though I don't know WHERE if the guard's in on it. Also I'm not sure Book would SURVIVE until we find them again.
Katharina: Oh NO ...
Shara: OR you can just let him go and find another boyfriend.
Katharina: THAT'S NOT FUNNY SHARA!
---
Shara: Survival's rarely funny.
Katharina: I CAN'T JUST LET HIM DIE!
Shara: ... then I guess you have to go AFTER HIM and wait for an opportunity to HELP HIM.
Katharina: I ... I can't do that alone! Y-you're coming with me, right? PLEASE!
---
Shara: ... you'll owe me a VERY BIG FAVOR for this, alright?
Katharina: W-what? Fine! I will!
Shara: You promise?
Katharina: I promise! JUST HELP ME SAVE BOOK!
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Shara: Okay: stay behind me and ONLY MOVE WHEN I TELL YOU! We don't want them to notice us!
<Shara starts moving>
Katharina: A-alright!
Shara: And YOU shut up for now, will you?
Katharina: What?
Shara: ... wasn't talking to you.
Shara: GREAT. Remind me to never expect help from you when I'M in trouble.
Katharina: You just yelled at me for running into danger! And now you want me to GO INTO THERE?!
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Shara: NO I DON'T! I want us both to GET OUT OF HERE! But I also don't give a shit about BOOK! But YOU do, don't you?
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Katharina: Y-yes! But HOW -
Shara: SHHHH!
<She heard a sound coming from the guard barracks and peeks around the corner>
Shara: Something's happening.
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<We see Book, with a sack over his head and his hands tied being led away by a bunch of hooded people>
Shara: Hrm. ... I think I might KNOW these guys.
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Shara: They're BLACK FIST. Your boy's IN TROUBLE, alright.
Katharina: Oh NO!
<Meanwhile, not far away. Katharina is outside of the guard barracks, hiding in a dark alley watching the building>
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<Katharina leans out behind a corner to take a peek at the barracks>
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<Shara sneaks up behind her and starts whispering>
Shara: ... Kat, don't freak out - it's me! Shara. But would you mind telling me WHAT THE FUCK YOU ARE DOING?!
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Katharina: SHARA! I'm so glad you're here! I-I know I should have told you first but I PANICKED ... !
Shara: Told me what? That you ran off into danger despite SPECIFICALLY PROMISING NOT TO?!
---
Katharina: It's BOOK, Shara! He's in danger!
Shara: Hold on, GENERAL danger or SPECIFIC danger? 'cause we know Lady V wants him -
Katharina: Specific! Kibble told me!
Shara: KIBBLE?! How did he -
Katharina: BY HITTING ON ME!
Shara: ... ok, we're gonna unpack that later. For now just CALM DOWN.
---
Katharina: I-I ...
Shara: <checks around the corner> So you're here to check on book. Why are we standing in an alley looking at the barracks, then, instead of GOIN IN?
Katharina: Because I saw some people going in when I arrived! And they didn't look like guards!
---
Shara: Right. ... so WHY are we standing in an alley, just watching?
Katharina: <buries her face in her hands> Because I am terrified and a coward and I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO!
Book: <thinking> Okay, Jester! Whoever paid to have a moment alone with you right now ...
<He takes his glasses off>
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Book: <thinking> ... you don't want to be here when they arrive!
<He dismantles one leg of his glasses to pull out a lockpick>
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<He starts trying to unlock his cell door by reaching through the bars>
Book: <thinking> Alright. You know how to do this. You PRACTICED this! SPECIFICALLY for a situation like this! Well ... KINDA like this.
---
Book: <thinking> Come on ... That has to be it ... ALMOST ...
<he is focusing hard and does not hear the cell tract door open>
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Someone: ... look who's trying to SLIP AWAY!
<Jester's cell in the guard baracks. It's dark and he is lying in his bed>
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<His eyes open a bit while we barely hear voices from the guards outside>
Guard 1: <whispering> ... is he asleep?
Guard 2: <whispering> Should be.
Guard 1: <whispering> Good. That'll make things ... quieter I guess.
---
Guard 1: <whispering> The Captain's distracted?
Guard 2: <whispering> Yeah, she left half an hour ago.
Guard 1: <whispering> Welp. Time for our BREAK then.
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<Jester is slowly getting up>
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<He picks up his glasses from the table>
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<He sticks his head out of the cell to look down the hallway>
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<The guards are gone and he is now all alone in the whole cell tract>
Book: <thinking> ... this is NOT GOOD.
<Shara is hiding behind a corner and watching Katharina sprint away>
Shara: <thinking> ... girl, are you SERIOUS?! First you won't leave the house without me and now you run off like a WILD RABBIT?
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Shara: <thinking> I KNEW she was gonna do something stupid! Spirits ... I'm gonna have to follow her again ...
Gideon: ... you don't HAVE to.
---
Shara: <thinking> She'll get herself into trouble.
Gideon: Which would be HER OWN FAULT. You wanted to visit ME.
Shara: <thinking> I can't just visit you BY MYSELF. She needs to vouch for me, remember?
---
Gideon: At some point you WILL have to find a way around that. ONE WAY OR ANOTHER.
Shara: <thinking> I'll worry about that once Kat is safe.
Gideon: What about MY SAFETY? Is that not important anymore?
Shara: <thinking> Not now, Gideon. PLEASE.
---
Shara: <thinking> Whithout Katharina I'll have a much harder time getting to you, anyways. So we NEED HER for now.
Gideon: ... Fine.
Katharina: ... you're here to WARN me?!
Kibble: Yeah. My brother said it'd be too dangerous, but ... y'know. I like Shara, and you're her friend ... and I don't like how everyone is talking about Mages these days ...
Katharina: Kibble! Warn me about WHAT?
Kibble: We hear a lot of stuff during our work ... and we never really liked Lady V and her types ...
Katharina: KIBBLE!
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Katharina: Look: I ... I APPRECIATE you trying to help. And I don't want to sound UNGRATEFUL, but ... I already KNOW that Lady Violet doesn't like us. Do you know anything more SPECIFIC?
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Kibble: Well, I think they are going to do something TONIGHT ...
Katharina: TONIGHT? What are they going to do?
Kibble: I just heard two of them talking about it this morning!
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Katharina: <grabs him> Kibble, WHAT are they doing?!
Kibble: I-I'm not sure! It was something about ... "getting rid of some problem", I think?
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Katharina: A prob - OH NO. BOOK!
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<She runs off in a hurry, leaving Kibble standing who looks unsure what to do next>
<Katharina angrily pulls Kibble close>
Katharina: <whispers> What is this?! What are you trying to do here?!
Kibble: <whispers> I'm sorry, Ma'am! I REALLY need to tell you something! But ... but I can't let anyone know I told you!
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Katharina: <whispers> So you decided to HARASS ME ON THE STREET?!
Kibble: <whispers> I thought ... I thought nobody would know what we really talked about if we acted like ... you know ... you were a CUSTOMER ...
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Katharina: Oh, BY LHÛN'S GRACE! That is the MOST IDIOTIC THING I have heard in a while.
Kibble: I'm SORRY, I'm not good at this! I would've done it at the Serpent's Tail, but you're never there anymore! And neither is your friend!
---
Kibble: <whispers> ... now, can we at least go into a SIDE ALLEY or something?
Katharina: <whispers> I am not going into a side alley with you!
Kibble: <whispers> But ...
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Katharina: <sighs> KIBBLE. I have some REALLY BAD WEEKS behind me. And TODAY wasn't great, either. So either you tell me what you want from me RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW - or you LEAVE ME ALONE. PLEASE.
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Kibble: I ... I don't WANT anything from you. ... I'm here to WARN you.
<Katharina is walking around while the sun is setting, thinking to herself>
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<Someone calls from behind her>
Kibble: HEEEEEEEY Magic Lady!
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Katharina: W-What? Excuse me ... do I KNOW you?
Kibble: Of COURSE you know me! And I know you've been WAITING for me!
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Katharina: <starts looking annoyed> Wait - you're KIBBLE, right? From the ... er ... TWO BROTHERS?
Kibble: Oh, we're playing SHY, are we? GOTCHA!
Katharina: What are you TALKING about? What are you DOING here?
Kibble: I've been looking for YOU, of course!
Katharina: WHY?!
---
Kibble: Oh, you KNOW what I'm best at, sweetie ...
Kibble: <whispers under his breath> PLEASE, Miss! I need to talk to you! It's IMPORTANT!
---
Katharina: Wait ... what?
Kibble: W-why don't we find a more PRIVATE PLACE for us two, hmm ... ?
Katharina: I'm sorry things didn't work out with Pesh.
Shara: Eh, he was a jerk anyway. And so am I I guess. ... are you coming? We're back at your halls.
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Katharina: I know ... why don't you go on in without me? I think I'll just walk a little more as long as the sun's still up. I need to clear my head ... it's all been a lot ...
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Shara: Didn't you just take me along because it's NOT SAFE?
Katharina: That was the DOCKS, Shara, not here!
Shara: If I have to come rescue your princess butt again I'll be REALLY mad ...
Katharina: <smirks> I'll stay within screaming distance of the Guild Halls, I swear.
Shara: Fine. WHATEVER. But don't take too long - we wanted to see the blade again today, remember?
Katharina: Don't worry. See you in a bit!
---
<Katharina walks away while Shara is standing in front of the Guild Hall, looking after her>
Gideon: It's adorable how you try to keep her safe. ... even though she is keeping me LOCKED UP.
Shara: <thinking> ... I kinda understand it. But it's still annoying that they'll only let me touch you ONCE A DAY for a few minutes.
---
Gideon: I told you this would happen, didn't I?
Shara: <thinking> ... yeah.
Gideon: I know you respect your friend, but ... you HAVE to get me further away from here! You TRIED, but she didn't understand. So you'll have to find ANOTHER WAY.
Shara: <thinking> I know ...