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CHAPTER TWO

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The Eye Of Truth

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How much money was a good night's sleep worth?

EZ would give anything to know, and even more to know who to pay to get one.

Since he left the force, pleasant dreams never came to him. His sleep was troublesome at best, and full of nightmares at worst.

Too many of his dreams had Elfour's face in them… He almost swore that the Change of Heart cube had been deactivated a second before his blade struck her…

He knew that wasn't true, at least on the surface. But he had a hard time convincing himself it was true within.

As he got dressed the next morning, he noticed that his gauntlet was cracked. He frowned. He must have busted it against that stupid Dark Blade's helmet.

As he went to his closet to get a new one, he told himself for the hundredth time (and probably not the last), that he had to control his temper better.

He opened the closet and looked at it in disgust.

When was the last time I cleaned out this thing? he thought, looking at the mess.

He sighed, and removed his cape and helmet.

No time like the present, he always said.

He started removing the items from the closet and placing them in piles. As always happens when one cleans out a closet, he started to wonder why he even had some of these things.

Three books that he got halfway through and never finished…

A jackknife that he had never found a use for…

Some tool that he didn't even know the purpose of…

His eyes opened when he found a harmonica.

Hey, I've been looking for that, he thought with a smile.

After about an hour of this, three piles of things (one that he had mentally labeled "save", another labeled "give away", and a third labeled "toss") were on the floor…

…and on the farthest shelf was a small box.

Hello? he thought, looking inside.

He sighed when he saw the two objects inside.

Why did the lords of the Higher Plane torture him like this?

One of the two objects was a cheap toy. The other was a very expensive trap cube.

He took them to his desk and sat down. He stared at them for a minute…

Four months before Elfour died, it was All Shadow's Beginning, one of the most joyous days in the Shadow Realm. EZ had taken Elfour to Toon World, the standard way to celebrate the holiday. It was almost a perfect day – it had even snowed that day. And Toon World was a great place for two monsters to just have a great time; a huge carnival where you didn't have to take anything seriously.

While they were there, Elfour had won the toy at a game booth – a stuffed plushie in the shape of a Gyaku-Gire Panda. She had given it to him, and he had thought it rather cheap for an All Shadow's Beginning gift. Oh well… it was the thought that counted…

And then she gave him her true gift – the trap cube.

EZ was stunned. This was something that she could never have afforded on a cop's salary. He at first didn't know how she had gotten it, unless she had confiscated it from some crook. But she had claimed that she had simply known someone powerful in the Pyro and Thunder Living Quarters.

Who? Mr. Volcano? Still, the wise thing about gifts is not to press about where your benefactor got them.

If he had needed proof beforehand that she had loved him, he didn't need any more.

Four months later, he killed her.

For a long time, he stared at the stuffed toy and the trap cube…

His train of thought was interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Come in," he said. "Don't mind the mess…"

The door opened…

He sighed when he saw who it was… He always got nervous when his landlady decided to pay a visit.

Leslie was an intimidating Warrior. She stood six-foot-five, and wore a maroon kimono, with her hair tied back in a ponytail. Most frightening was the razor-sharp cleaver hooked to her belt.

THAT tended to scare everyone. Sure, the rumor that she had decapitated a tenant who had refused to pay his rent was likely false, but there was always the chance that it wasn't… After all, she had worked as an executioner – from time to time – when she was a Beautiful Headhuntress (not that death sentences in the justice system were very common).

"What can I do you for, Leslie?" he asked.

"I just wanted to…" started the Warrior of Tradition.

She looked around.

"I know," sighed EZ. "If I knew you were coming, I would have cleaned up."

"Uh huh," she said. "Well, I'm just going around with a warning – a Warrior Dai Grepher was mugged last night just two blocks from here."

"Really?" asked EZ. "Wasn't…"

"…an Axe Raider mugged the night before?" she replied. "Yes. Some nut is using some sort of poison on them. So everyone should…"

Her eyes fell on the trap cube.

"Is that a…" she asked.

EZ nodded.

"EZ, I don't understand you!" she said with a smirk. "You could hawk that to one of the richest monsters in the Council Lower Quarters, and you'd be set for life, but instead you work as a P.I.!"

EZ placed the trap in his pocket.

"Let's just say I'm saving it for a special occasion," he said.

"I'll never figure you out, EZ," sighed Leslie. "Anyway, watch yourself…"

She turned to leave.

"…and the rent is due in two weeks!"

EZ sighed.

He threw up his arms.

"Send me a sign, somebody!" he yelled.

As if on cue, his stomach rumbled.

Well, it's not fire from the sky, but it's something, thought EZ. Maybe I'll go eat at the Red Cent…

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EZ left his apartment and passed by an office who's nameplate said HE D-007-B: Exterminating Services.

And as he did, he heard a huge crash.

He threw open the door, and saw a very flustered Hero of the East picking up the contents of a toppled shelf.

"Seven, what happened?" he asked.

"Uh…" muttered Seven. "That is what we like to call in the exterminating business… a mistake."

"Do you often make these… mistakes?" asked EZ.

Seven sighed.

"I'm nervous," he said, picking up his helmet. "I just got hired for my biggest job ever… Would you believe the Forbidden Palace?"

"The Forbidden Palace has Kuribohs?" asked EZ, surprised. "Who knew?"

"Mum's the word," said Seven. "They found a nest in their basement, and they're very eager to clear them out before a patron with too much influence finds out. The owner thinks that some customer who got bad service planted them there.

"But this could be my big break… If I can start doing jobs in the Council Lower Quarters, this small business could skyrocket."

"Well, congratulations," said EZ. "Hey, I was just going to go eat at the Red Cent… Want to join me?"

"Well, I have to be somewhere," said EZ, "but I'll walk out with you…"

By the time the two monsters had reached the front door of the building, EZ noticed there was something missing. He felt his pocket.

"Oh, I forgot my wallet!" he cursed. "See you later, Seven…"

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It took him half an hour to find his wallet – it had been buried under the junk he piled on the floor while cleaning out the closet.

It often pays to think in advance.

When EZ walked out of the building, he saw that quite a crowd had gathered across the street. Several monsters were watching something… A Kanan the Swordmistress, Chthonian Soldier, and a Rocket Warrior, among others were watching something on the sidewalk.

"All right!" said a gruff voice. "There's nothing to see here, people! Everyone go back to what you were doing…"

The onlookers slowly dispersed, and EZ saw who the gruff voice belonged to… Not that he didn't already recognize it.

The Vorse Raider on the sidewalk was Sergeant VR D-101-C, or Earnest, as he had called himself for several years. Behind him were two Mysterious Guards, kneeling over a figure.

EZ grimaced as he walked up. He knew Earnest, and he often wished he didn't.

Taking names was a risky gambit for monsters of Level Four or less, but not many wanted to argue with Vorse Raiders. They were just plain intimidating. And Earnest was more intimidating than most. His face seemed to always have a scowl on it, and while he carried a police-issue Sparks gun, he also carried the traditional axe that all Vorse Raiders had when they came into existence, in Earnest's case, strapped on his back.

Earnest was a bad cop, and a worse friend. EZ knew that well… They had worked together a lot when EZ was on the force. EZ just knew that he was on the take… And it was no secret that he was a bully too.

The Beast-Warrior was lighting a cigarette when he noticed the Obnoxious Celtic Guardian walking up.

"EZ?" he said with a frown. "I thought I told all civilians to clear out!"

"Just thought I'd keep you company, Ernie," said EZ with a smirk. "For old time's sake."

Earnest took a drag on the cigarette and flicked the ashes away.

"Eh, suit yourself," he replied, "but it ain't pretty…"

He walked up to where the two Mysterious Guards were, and they moved aside.

"Someone heard a scream and alerted a patrolman…" he said. "THIS is what they found."

Seven was lying on the ground. His face was contorted, and his eyes were glazed over.

"Is he dead?" asked EZ.

"No," replied Earnest, "but when he'll be able to move, he'll feel like he's been slugged by a Big Koala. Someone poisoned him and made off with his wallet. This was sticking out of his neck…"

He held up a small dart.

"Is that a…" started EZ.

"Yep!" answered Earnest. "A Blowpiper's dart. This is the fifth time in a week in the Level Four Warrior Quarters."

"Why would an Amazoness Blowpiper start robbing Warriors?" asked EZ.

"No idea," said Earnest with a shrug. "Maybe those floozies started deciding to take a more hands-on approach.

"And if I were you, I'd watch yourself. Darts today… maybe swords tomorrow!"

"Have any of these Amazons been seen?" asked EZ.

Earnest stared at him.

"No," he answered. "We even questioned the victims when they could talk again, and they didn't see anything."

"You worry too much, Ernie," said EZ. "This looks pretty much too obvious if you ask me…"

"Really?" asked Earnest. "Well let me give you some advice, EZ… Mind your own business! We didn't tell you to quit the force, but now that you have, you'd best leave this to those who are still on it!"

EZ took the cigarette out of Earnest's mouth. Then he put it out in his own hand.

"See you around, Ernie!" he said, walking away.

"It's Earnest!" shouted the Vorse Raider.

EZ sighed. So much for Seven's big job at the Forbidden Palace.

Maybe this was the reason that Paladin was casing the neighborhood – so one of her "sisters" could take one of the residents by surprise.

Maybe these Amazons were working as a team. A Blowpiper could hit a victim with a dart, and then a Fighter could punch his lights out…

…but that didn't explain why none of the assailants were ever seen.

As he pondered this, he saw something at his feet.

He reached down and picked it up…

An earring.

A strange earring. It was a cylindrical gemstone colored midnight black – he'd never seen something like this before…

It certainly didn't seem like something an Amazon would wear. Their jewelry tended to be made from the claws and teeth of Beasts or the talons of Winged Beasts. They tended to go into the Beast and Winged Beast Living Quarters just to get such material for "trinkets"…

EZ paused. He looked back to where Earnest had been.

He's right, he thought. I should mind my own business. What business of mine is it if a group of indecently dressed Warriors turn into crooks?

He sighed.

It's none of my business… I should just throw this away…

He looked at the earring.

So why is my heart racing? And why do I feel like grinning?

He paused again.

Well, I was going to the Red Cent anyway…

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In the Warrior and Beast-Warrior Living Quarters, the Red Cent was a landmark. If you wanted a good place to eat, this was the place to go. Everyone in the neighborhood loved it for the pleasant atmosphere, low prices, and – especially – the large portions.

A sign on the front door said:

NO LOITERING

NO FIGHTING

NO PIKERUS

Exactly why this restaurant was in the Warrior Quarters wasn't clear, because the two permanent members of the staff weren't Warriors. The owner of the place was a guy named Orville. Once you got past the fact that Orville was a Fiend – a Bistro Butcher to be precise – he was actually quite a decent guy. The reason he wasn't afraid to take a name was very different than Earnest's: quite simply, everybody loved him. His food was among the best you could get at such low prices. That and the fact that he was a cheerful fellow who loved to tell jokes – customers were often treated to his great sense of humor.

Some other restaurant owners with nasty streaks accused Orville of putting addictive substances in his food to keep his customers, but not many attempts by competitors to discredit him worked. Addictive or not, the food was superb.

At least one person had claimed he knew someone who knew someone who saw Dupin (the Chief of Police, formerly known as Freed the Matchless General) eat here once. EZ wouldn't have blamed him – the cafeteria at the CSRPD Headquarters wasn't the best place to eat, even when you were the boss.

Once inside, a small form in a black dress and a bunny-eared hood was usually seen tending the tables. Sally was Orville's waitress, an Ebon Magician Curran (and the reason why White Magician Pikerus weren't allowed here – that would be a disaster waiting to happen).

Sally was also Orville's weapon in case trouble broke out in the restaurant. She always had a Gravity Bind cube on her, and on the first sign of trouble, she'd activate it… And then use a Compulsory Evacuation Device cube to throw the troublemakers out.

Of course, Gravity Bind cubes were illegal for anyone but the police to use, but the cops tended to overlook this illegal use of trap cubes – and not just because Orville made the best Reuben in the Central Shadow Realm. Orville also had many underworld contacts, and as a result, was just the right person to see when you needed information. His sources were rarely wrong.

As EZ walked in, the place seemed to be having a slow day. A Battle Ox sat at one table, while a Protector of the Throne and a Guardian of the Labyrinth sat at the other (the Guardian's sword and fiery shield set to one side).

"Coming though!" shouted Sally's high voice. She rushed out from behind the counter. EZ moved aside as she ran past, carrying a sandwich to the Battle Ox's table.

Having done that she turned to EZ.

"Coffee, EZ?" she asked.

"You know how I like it," he said, pointing.

He sat down at a table.

"Strong?" she asked with a smile.

"Make it sit up and bark!" he replied. "And get me a BLT too…"

Then Orville himself came out of the kitchen. He wiped his hand (the one that he had – all Bistro Butchers had a hook in place of their right hand) on his apron.

"EZ!" he chuckled, pulling up his trousers. "It's been how long?"

"Two days, Orville," sighed EZ. "Good to see you too. C'mere, I need some help with something…"

"Oh?" asked the Fiend, sitting down at the table. "Run into a snag with the private eye work?"

"Well, something's come up…" sighed EZ. "I don't know if this means anything, but…"

He took the strange earring out of his pocket.

"…do you have any idea what this is?"

As Sally brought the coffee to his table, Orville looked intently at the piece of jewelry.

"Hmm…" muttered the Fiend. "Where did you get this?"

"Found it on the ground, believe it or not," answered EZ.

"Well, this is a Nightshae Crystal," answered Orville. "A rare gem. Female Dark monsters like to wear jewelry made from them – they say it preserves their… dark beauty."

"Really?" chuckled EZ.

"Yes, in fact Meanae the Thorn came in here the other day…" started Orville.

"Meanae the Thorn?" asked EZ surprised. "The Dark Scorpions come in here?"

"All the time!" laughed Orville. "I love them – they tip great! And I always know what they're going to order; Don always orders the club sandwich… Cliff always goes for seafood salad… Now Gorg is a little more of a spendthrift, he always wants steak…"

"Yeah, yeah," interrupted EZ, "but you were saying about Meanae…?"

"Oh yeah," answered Orville. "She comes in, she's in disguise of course, but I can tell it's her because she comes in so often, and she has a huge necklace made of these things. She tells me she lifted it from the Cosmo Queen who had made a foray into town a week ago."

Orville chuckled.

"Bet there's one mad Cosmo Queen out there!"

EZ sighed. That was the thing about Orville. He sold food – and information – to cops and criminals alike.

Orville's philosophy was like this – if the Dark Ruler Ha Des went into a deli and bought a cheese sandwich, and the guy behind the counter gave it to him, did that make the deli guy a bad monster? Everyone's got to eat, and everyone needs information. Orville had never done anything that had resulted in a serious crime being committed, as far as EZ could tell, and he had stopped a lot of them from occurring, so even cops who knew he went both ways overlooked it. Maybe Orville was a mercenary, but he was a Fiend, after all. Orville was too precious a commodity to shut down.

"Anyway," continued EZ, "this isn't the kind of thing that an Amazon would wear, would it?"

"An Amazon?" chuckled Orville. "No! Not a chance. These things are bad luck for non-Dark Monsters.

"Now why don't I get you that BLT…"

"Heavy on the mayo…" answered EZ, as Orville went back to the kitchen.

As Sally went back to the kitchen, EZ felt something snuggling around his feet…

"Purr…" cooed a voice.

He looked down.

A female creature, humanoid in form with catlike features and wearing a green bikini and boots was cuddling against his feet.

Well this was odd…

Nekogals were strange monsters. A Nekogal #1 (like this one was) was a weak Level Three monster, and also a Beast. They were smarter than most Beasts, although that wasn't saying a lot. But they tended to live in the Warrior and Beast-Warrior Living Quarters rather than the Beast and Winged Beast Living Quarters for one specific reason.

Whenever a Nekogal #1 came into existence, a Nekogal #2 almost always appeared with her. Instances of one or the other appearing alone were almost unheard of. Nekogal #2s were Beast-Warriors, and were much stronger and smarter, being Level Six. From the moment of their existence, the #2 treated the #1 like a little sister (even though they were the same age) and took custody of her.

A sure way to invoke the wrath of a Nekogal #2 was to harm her sister…

But right now, a Nekogal #1 was here, and her sister was nowhere in sight.

Sally brought the sandwich to his table.

"Oh, you've seen her," she sighed. "She came in here about an hour ago, and we can't drive her out. We've been hoping her sister shows up, but…"

EZ looked at the Nekogal's neck, where a collar had been placed. The name "Alice" was on it.

"Alice?" he asked.

The Beast purred.

"Do you know where your sister is, Alice?" he asked.

The Nekogal sadly shook her head.

EZ sighed.

"Sally, bring some Flying Fish salad here, and when I leave, I'll see if I can find her sister. It's not like I've got anything better to do anyway…"

EZ may not have been very nice to anyone who wasn't worthy of niceties, but he had compassion. A lost Nekogal #1 would be bait for the Graveyard if someone like that stupid Dark Blade found her before her sister did…

Although there was a problem which he pondered while he looked at her…

He couldn't exactly just waltz into the Level Six part of town – he wasn't welcome there. While he had a badge, it would have been easy, but not many Level Six Warriors liked the idea of lower-level ones being in the upscale neighborhood. Sure, it wasn't illegal, and he liked to think Warriors were more civilized than the monsters in, say, the Fiend Quarter…

But this was going to be difficult.

At least he knew that her sister wasn't dead – this monster would know it if she was, and she wouldn't be nearly as happy as she was now.

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EZ was still wondering what to do as he started back to his office, with the creature following him. He was about to consider finding a phone and calling a cop who was still on the CSRPD payroll…

He started to look for a phone…

…when he tensed. He looked into an alley…

With a plop, a trap cube was tossed out…

"ALICE!" he shouted. "Get outta the way!"

He rolled out of the way, but the Nekogal just starred in puzzlement.

She shrieked as the cube went off, and she was frozen in a shimmering pentagram!

"Crud," thought EZ.

He was about to fish his Remove Trap cube from his pouch…

But then he realized he had other problems…

"You missed, you moron!" shouted a gruff voice. "She's gonna kill us!"

"Whoever is in there had best come out," warned EZ, "or I'm coming in to get you!"

Two chuckles came from the alley…

Followed by two muscular creatures with horns holding clubs.

EZ was a little nervous now. Swamp Battleguards and Lava Battleguards were usually found together, and this particular pair was bad news.

"Who on earth sold you two lunkheads a Spellbinding Circle?" asked EZ. "Or did you just swipe it like you did the other stuff for C-Note Pete?"

C-Note Pete was a fence who was doing time thanks to EZ – these two jerks used to work for him.

"Save it, EZ!" grunted the Swamp Battleguard, hitting his club against his hand. "You ain't gettin' outta this one so easy!"

"Or mebbe we'll jus' take out yer girlfriend an' make ya watch," chuckled the Lava Battleguard. "That would be…"

"Would be what?" asked EZ, fingering something behind his back. "You know something, Clyde, you smell like a Giant Orc with overactive glands!"

The Lava Battleguard roared! He raised his club and ran at EZ…

…only to have EZ activate the Rush Recklessly cube, and make one swipe with his sword. The Battleguard howled, and collapsed.

EZ turned to the other one, who backed up one step.

"Silver blade slash!" he shouted, making a swipe with the sword.

The Swamp Battleguard collapsed, and then both of them shattered into shards.

EZ sighed. Fortunately, no real cops had been around, or he'd have had some explaining to do.

He looked at his Rush Recklessly cube, which had burned out… Lovely.

"Good riddance," muttered EZ, pulling the Remove Trap cube from his pocket.

He activated it, and the Spellbinding Circle vanished. Alice fell into his arms.

He sighed.

"How long were you watching?" he said to someone who he knew was behind the building.

A very embarrassed Nekogal #2 walked up to them. Alice purred happily and hugged her.

"For about a minute," she replied in a fearful voice. "I suppose I could have helped, but you were doing so well…"

Her voice quivered as she hugged her sister in relief…

"…thank you."

EZ looked at her. Yeah, right. More than likely, she had gotten scared and frozen for a second. She was likely more a farmer than a fighter…

"What happened?" asked EZ.

"I'm a supervisor at one of the farm towers," answered the Nekogal. "Alice was at work with me, and she… got bored. She tried to find her way home I guess…"

EZ smiled.

Yup, a farmer, he thought.

"Impressive," he said. "She must be pretty resourceful to have taken the train from the Work Quarters here on her own…"

"She always was…" muttered the Nekogal, cradling her sister. "I left to find her and I was able to track her here… Oh, she could have gotten killed…"

Tears welled in her eyes…

"You'd best keep her on a leash next time," chuckled EZ.

The Nekogal #2 smirked.

"I'll remember this," she said. "My name is Ashley. Look me up if you have a problem a Level Six Beast-Warrior can handle."

Yeah, right, thought EZ, turning away. Like that will ever be the case…

He sighed. He put his hands in his pockets.

Well, I saved a life, reunited two sisters, got rid of two thugs, and wasted two spell cubes in the process. What more could happen today?

EZ was good at noticing things… And he was almost certain that those Battleguards didn't attack him of their own volition.

But he didn't notice an alley across the street where two glowing red eyes looked at him… Their owner was somewhat disappointed…

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As EZ got to the floor of his building where his office was, he started to get that feeling again.

Someone was following him again.

He frowned. This time, he was going to take the follower by surprise.

He slowly turned the hall corner and slipped into an unused office. He knew that the door was never locked. The lock was broken, and Leslie refused to fix it.

"Why fix a lock when there's nothing in there that anyone would steal?" she'd ask.

Leslie was a cheapskate.

He peered out the glass window, and saw a shadowy form stop and look around.

"Where in the world did he…" said a female voice.

The next moment, the door flew open, and EZ grabbed her…

…and the moment after that, his sword was at her neck.

The Amazoness Paladin gasped.

"All right…" snarled EZ, "I want some answers…"

"This always the way you greet a woman?" she asked, calmer than he expected.

"I don't like being spied on…" he said, pressing the blade against her throat.

"Force of habit," she replied. "We like to scope out employees before attempting to hire them."

"Hire them?" asked EZ, in shock.

The Amazon gave him a look.

"Do you mind?" she asked, pointing to the sword.

He slowly lowered it.

"Aren't you a private investigator?" she asked. "Doesn't that make your services open to the public?"

EZ looked at her for a second.

All his life he was taught not to trust Amazons… They were unfriendly, unkind, and unsociable…

But he could always use another client…

He motioned for her to follow.

"I thought you girls didn't like guys like me," he mused. "I thought you didn't like guys, period…"

"We don't," said the Amazon, "and we likely won't after this is settled. But desperate times call for desperate measures…"

EZ opened the door to his office.

"You realize the cops are suspicious of you girls lately," he said, "some Blowpiper…"

"That's a lie, Sergeant," she interrupted. "No Blowpiper or any other Amazon has been poisoning civilians."

EZ sat at his desk.

She sighed and sat on the couch.

"You can call me Sonja, by the way…"

"Sonja?" asked EZ. "You have a name? Aren't you…"

"Most of us do," answered the Amazon. "And no, we aren't afraid to. There's nobody who can tell an Amazon what to do!"

EZ smirked.

A tough woman… He liked the type. Elfour was that type.

"So what's the case?" he asked.

"I saw you help that Nekogal's sister," sighed Sonja. "How about helping someone else's sister?"

"Pardon?" asked EZ.

"You said it yourself, Sergeant," sighed Sonja. "Someone is poisoning people to rob them, and we're getting blamed. And your friend Earnest is in charge of the case. Three times so far, he's been down to our part of town to question everyone, and he isn't nice about it… He's been shaking up everyone, especially the Blowpipers…"

"That sounds a lot like Ernie," agreed EZ with a sigh.

"He hasn't arrested anyone yet," she continued, "but everyone's afraid they'll wind up in jail soon… especially my sister…"

EZ raised an eyebrow.

"…and she's scared to get out of bed…" she added.

She paused.

"Cora and I… We appeared in the Central Shadow Realm together twenty years ago, at the exact same instant, five feet apart. I remember seeing her for the first time… She was clutching that blowgun of hers in sheer terror – Blowpipers have the worst weapons – and I had to cradle her to calm her down. We got to Beginner's Hall all right, but she cried for the first few nights, and I couldn't let her out of my sight – I was afraid she'd be hurt. To this day, she's always been a coward, and she wouldn't last long without her 'sister' helping her.

"Yesterday, that accursed Vorse Raider came to our apartment, made the worst accusations, and even slapped her. She was a quivering wreck by the time he left, and she didn't stop crying for three hours."

Bastard, thought EZ.

"Look Sergeant, the reason I came to you is because you're his friend, and maybe you can talk some sense into…"

"Let's get one thing straight," interrupted EZ. "Me and Ernie are reluctant friends at best, and we always made uneasy partners…"

He turned his chair so that his back was to Sonja.

"If you want him off your case, I can look into these muggings and find out who's behind it… That is, if you're absolutely certain it isn't really a Blowpiper."

"Amazons never lie," said Sonja, crossing her arms. "We bluff and deceive those not worthy of our respect, but never outright lie. It's against the Code."

"Right," sighed EZ. "That… thing you have. Well, the fee is two-hundred a day, plus expenses…"

He turned back to her.

"And maybe you can help me out right now. This is a long shot, but have you ever seen anyone who wears stuff like this?"

He dangled the Nightshae earring in front of her.

"Humph," she grunted. "All I know is that no Amazon would be caught dead wearing that…"

"Well," sighed EZ, "unless it belongs to a local Getsu Fuhma or a Penumbral Soldier Lady came into this part of town, there's a Warrior out there who doesn't believe in jinxes…"

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Later that night, EZ would reach the obvious conclusion: that the earring's owner likely a Warrior at all.

And the owner was too busy right now to confront him for a lost earring. After all, she had four other pairs.

A Labyrinth Tank burrowed up from the ground into a place that almost no-one ever asked them to go – the edge of the Plant and Insect Living Quarters. This was a dangerous place, and you rarely had reason to come here unless… well, unless you were a Plant or Insect.

Fortunately, the drivers of the Tanks didn't ask questions, and if this one did, she'd have told him to shut up.

The passenger walked out, and activated a Sword of Deep-Seated. She checked the more powerful spells in her handbag on the off chance that wouldn't be enough.

She looked around at the immense forest around her.

Insect Soldiers of the Sky and Killer Needles flew overhead, and odd chirping came from the bushes. She was safe from the minor creatures – they wouldn't want to mess with the likes of her.

She looked towards the center of the forest. She knew that there was a huge nest several miles inward where the Insect Queen slept. She had seen her herself once. But she wouldn't be messing with her.

Why was this intruder here? She had a problem that needed cleaning up…

…but to clean up, she'd need some extra-strength detergent.

She wandered into the forest. She turned and saw a Flying Kamakiri to her right.

They eyed each other for a minute. She shook her head, and the huge mantis flew away.

She continued. She saw a patch of Rafflesia Seduction...

She knew that those plants were in demand by the Ha Des Syndicate. Their sap could be made into a cologne that Fiends and Zombies fancied, called simply "Evil #7."

Venomous, yes, but not the right type of venom for her purposes.

This would take something special… Something particularly deadly…

After a while of wandering, she came to a cliffside. A Cocoon of Evolution was stuck to a large tree overhead (a very new one – it wouldn't hatch for years, if it would at all).

"I wouldn't go down there if I were you…" said a slow voice.

She turned, and looked at the Trent who had spoken to her.

Trents were helpful creatures – and they were very indifferent, not caring who they helped.

"Why?" she asked. "Dangerous Insects?"

"Uh huh," answered the Trent, nodding.

"Then I'm going down there," she replied.

"Don't say I didn't warn you…" muttered the Trent.

"Oh no…" she answered. "I would never do that."

She spread her arms, and simply fluttered down into the valley below.

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Coming up next:

The story heats up. EZ starts on a major case, which leads him to a few not-too-friendly confrontations with his old "friend". And who is the mysterious owner of that earring? This crazy, mixed-up world starts to get crazier, in the next chapter, "Night Assailant"! Coming soon…