Nothing is free. Flora always knew that; what she didn't know is the extent that this truth reached to.

Her choice in clothing for example such as the bodice she always wore often limited her physical activity which was quite irritating considering how many adventur-no...Investigations Luke had repeatedly told her. For every "Investigation" she went on, Flora was limited in her physical ability and was about as helpful as a rag doll. Without it though, she felt naked and walked uncomfortably. Not that she was intent on letting the Professor know, she already had enough trouble convincing him to let her go on his regular investigations. She didn't need to give him a legitimate excuse to lock her away forever...she had already been locked away enough...and the price she had to pay for that was a harsh slap in the face at her first taste of the world.

Everything had a price.

The price she had to pay when she fell in love was a sorrowful heartfelt goodbye that only existed in those mushy romance novels that she never read because she wasn't that kind of person. The price paid of her liking murder mystery novels was odd looks and patronizing tones from the many she met on her adventu-no...she had to stop doing that. They were investigations. Investigations investigations investigations.

On her most recent investi-well, she supposed that she could for once refer to it as an adventure. After all, it had only been a simple trip to the grocery but it was certainly quite the adventure.

The reason she was going was that a new friend of the Professor's...a purple haired woman named Celise was visiting for the evening. She seemed to be nice enough as far as Flora was concerned, she and the Professor seemed to get along well...but that still didn't make her any less suspicious of her. It seemed that the Professor was able to sense that so being the kind hearted gentleman he was he suggested a Dinner for the three of them. Flora immediately offered to cook and that was that.

Flora Reinhold didn't consider herself someone with a very perceptive sense but she was aware that someone in the store was watching her. There was no doubt about it; the question was who? She looked at all the people present in the store. A friendly cashier lady that reminded her of the nice girl she met before named puzzlete, an elderly moustached gentleman with his elderly wife and a young lady looking through the magazine rack. Her first instinct was to go over to the young lady but that was too obvious. So Flora immediately walked up to the elderly couple and stared at them, trying to see if either bore any suspicious behaviour.

The Old Woman stared back at Flora while her Husband looked through a few things before getting a frantic nervous look in her eye and tugging on his sleeve uneasily. The The man glanced at Flora before giving her a strange look and glaring at her suspiciously. They both left the store leaving behind a stammering Flora.

"Really now." Interrupted a voice as she looked after the couple helplessly "And here I even made sure to make my presence obvious."

Flora turned around dully to face the person she should have approached. The young lady from before was staring at her with a look of disgust? No...it was pity as plain as day. She looked as if she wanted to cry. Flora immediately felt defensive.

"I-I thought that it was TOO obvious..."she stammered. The Brunette raised an eyebrow at her warily.

"I see..." She sighed "You're Flora, right? The Professor has written about you..."

Flora blinked. She had been expecting something like this but for this woman to mention it out of the blue like this...well, two could play that game

"Who are you?"

"E-Excuse me?!"

"You're a random woman I've never heard of that suddenly drops into my life claiming to know me through a mutual person but I have no idea as to who you are!"

An animation of emotions passed over the woman's face. Shock, hurt? Anger...and suddenly she was calm.

"He...never mentioned me you say?"

Flora shook her head, feeling guilty. She attempted to make the woman feel better.

"Well...he never really talks to me much about anything...really...He's like a locked diary with no key..."

"Oh..." Said the woman looking slightly relieved and a little troubled at the same time "That's to be expected I suppose..."

Flora nodded.

"So you say you met him through his father?"

Emmy nodded.

Flora turned to look at her. Emmy sounded exactly like the heroines in the Novels she read, she even looked the part. The only thing that seemed off was her name. No offense was meant to her, Emmy was a very pretty name. It was just too...ordinary. This coupled along with her aversion to Mice ("they're cute!" Chirped Flora as she picked up a nearby mouse stuffie and hugged it. Emmy immediately grabbed it from her and put it back protesting "No they're not!") made Emmy seem very ordinary despite the truth being very much an opposite.

For a while, they were both silent. What exactly do you say to someone else who knew someone you knew before they became the person they are Hello? Nice to meet you even though I've never heard of you before? I like your name?

Come to think of it...Flora felt like she had read about her somewhere. She could simply ask her but that wasn't as simple as it sounded. For one thing she was built rather muscled and always looked aware, like she was ready for someone to randomly come from the street and attack her away. Flora really didn't want to provoke her. Maybe she was expecting an invitation? Well Flora couldn't very well invite her over when there was going to be a dinner tonight. And she knew that the Professor was going to be extremely busy for the next week. A new case had come up. She couldn't invite her over for Tea then!

Unless of course...

Flora grinned at Emmy. It wasn't a polite grin or even a awkward grin. It was the kind of grin that one gets after dipping a toe in insanity and it frightened Emmy. She had every reason to be frightened considering the circumstances. This strange girl that her old friend had one day randomly adopted, the so called "timid" Flora Reinhold that she sought out to satisfy her own curiousity was now suddenly regarding her in the same manner that many of her fallen comrades regarded those they had beaten, those they knew they had an advantage over.

And those who knew that they had a mad but brilliant plan and looked at you, knowing that you weren't going to say no to it. Because they knew that you were at the peak of desperation and they knew that they were about to offer the one thing that you wanted most.

An escape.

But just as quickly as the maddening frightening grin flashed onto her face, it was gone and was suddenly replaced with the timid grin that Emmy had instead expected. She knew that she had to leave immediately or she would get sucked into this mad girl's mad plan.

"I'm Sorry." She mumbled apologetically "But I really have to get going"
"Hang on" stated Flora in a simple manner that somehow held the power to prevent Emmy from leaving.

"I'm really sorry...I wanted to invite you over so you could visit the the Professor...but he's going to be busy for a long long time..."
"Th-That's alright...I really must get going though..." Her voice faded away as Flora continued
"However...I do have a plan that ensures that both of us get to see him for quite a bit...If you'll humour me, I can explain it to you on the way home"

And Emmy knew that she had no choice but to go along.