Hello my readers, I am back.

I have finally done it...after four months of struggles and countless upon countless of writing sessions...it is here, this absolute beast, a behemoth with a sole direction in its very principle: to reshape the very foundations of my story.

It is no secret that my writing style and my writing skills have flourished and improved over the three years (almost four!) that have gone by since I began to write my very first long-spanning project...It hurts me to gaze upon the former chapters to see their hideousness and their simplicity. They are neither bodies nor souls: they are empty husks, barely even bones...

I have embarked on a journey, my readers, to reshape my mistakes...

To re-write the chapters...

And so: I present this humble chapter to you, a lowly introduction to characters I've grown to cherish and love as they developed in my mind and in my texts...

Do not be taken aback by its length, for it was born of sheer necessity, as the juxtaposed group of Stanley and the other has had eight chapters to come to life...to raise and knit cohesive and human characters, a writer in place shouldn't ever choose to conform with less...

So, my readers, I insist...Sit back, clear your schedules and...Enjoy!


Hello everyone! See? An update on time! I'm so proud of myself...Here's...This. I wanted to space out of the main plot for a bit to follow the adventure of Aurora, and how her character develops over time, to the point where everyone meets. I'll be altering between Aurora's chapters and normal chapter as I wish, it's my story after all...ENJOY!


*The microphone picks the sound of a hand flipping through sheets of paper* *It goes on for a moment until it suddenly stops, and the voice of a man is heard instead* Aha! Here it is Kayle, I told you I didn't lose the draft I bro– *The man is cut by a quiet voice behind the microphone* What do you mean we're live already?! *The voice speaks again, far too quiet to distinguish any words* …And why didn't you say so before you turned on the mic? *Silence reigns for a few seconds, until a heavy sigh is heard close enough to saturate the audio, and then the man speaks* Okay…Hello again, my listeners, and thank you for joining in on this lovely afternoon.

Today I come to you not with the usual, but with a different story…or rather, a different side of our story…Do not fret, listeners, I assure you we won't dawdle in it much for it is not the tale of the heroes we've grown to love. But I must beg for your attention nonetheless, because be it as it may, the world we set our narrative in is hardly ever defined by the doings of just a few brave souls – several cornerstones can sustain even the smallest of occurrences…

…And what is a story if not a progression of occurrences?

It is so why it's only natural to have someone else play a crucial role where our main heroes can't…

…The story to be told it's done so under a different light; our protagonists are no different than us, average men and women. They strive not to be the saviors of mankind, neither do they have the means to be so – To put it simply, our protagonists have found themselves enwrapped in this tale by the mere workings of casualty, by a twist of fate, and it certainly shows…

This is a story about regular people, living in a world where a secret society and a mega-corporation fight to decide the fate of the Universe…And how they found themselves in the middle of their conflict.

This is the story of a girl with flaming hair and her friends; this is the story of a girl named Aurora…

The Misadventures of Aurora Gen-Capilli:

|Oh, what a lovely day it was in Warsaw. The sun was high, the breeze was warm, and the clouds of rain were nowhere in sight near the city. A flock of birds soared over the calm woods of the Łazienki Park, and the usual boats made their way across the Vistula, full of tourists and locals alike. The rare gift of the summer brought with it a mood of ease, of peacefulness, that settled gingerly on the chests of the inhabitants of the capital; almost making them stop for just a moment to say "Golly, what a beautiful day!", but sufficing with drawing a smile from them. Undoubtedly, no-one could even come remotely close to having a bad time on such a perfect noon…but as the wind carried down south, and the buildings of the downtown became bulky houses and then smoke-puffing factories, an exception to that statement arose to defy 'the rule of good day', for it was such the case that a certain girl of long-flowing red hair was about to experience what she could possibly – or most accurately, 'would certainly' – describe as the worst day of her life. Worse even than "that one time back on your friend's house". And let it be a minor discontinuity, but I implore you listeners to pretend everyone who I'm about to present to you lives in a futuristic Poland where people use the English tongue to communicate. Except when they don't|

?:God dam– You, with the orange overall! …No, not all of you! You, the one near the wall! Yes, you – good! Gather up a crew and go fetch the sand buckets, and – *they were interrupted by the loudest alarm in the universe (or what must have been running for the title)* – AND GO TELL AURORA TO HURRY THE FUCK UP GETTING HER LAZY ASS HERE!

|The benzene-producing local factory 'Lemuria' was highly regarded on the industrial circles of the region for being one of the select few whose 'days since the last incident' counter refused to be returned to cero after scaling up for almost a decade now, maintained spotless on the high-end of the front wall of the factory, as a reminder of what true efficiency and professionalism meant. No-one had their share of doubt that it would continue on ascending, going up and up, and that it'd still be adding digits after the young grew and the snow fell a dozen times over…Well, until someone decided that such a pretty record had remained unsullied for far too long, and promptly carried on to do something completely stupid to ruin it. A fire broke out underneath a leaky flow-pipe and none other than our protagonist was the one who started it. This was the horrible day of Aurora Gen-Capilli|

A*Talking to herself*:Ah…Well done you dumb Burny-locks, you can count yourself officially SCREWED…

|Hidden behind a fuse-box and a large fire-hose and still deciding on how many safety-protocols and laws they were violating by having them next to each other, Aurora observed her boss bossing around her coworkers to contain the flames that just started. That she had just started. In her mind, the heavy hand of her conscience slapped her forehead ceaselessly for being a teeny-weeny bit careless, as the owner of said hand yelled "dumb" at her loudly, over and over again. In her defense (against her own mental presence), how could she know the leaky substance on the ground wasn't just sprayed water? "You smell it ya dingus. If it smells like benzene, it is benzene!" She – mentally – stayed silent for a moment. Everything. Smelled. Like benzene. "Well, ah –but what about its color, eh? Bet you didn't even bother checking that" Her conscience retorted as it continued to incriminate her. She questioned her own sanity sometimes, but benzene didn't look a hair different than spilt water to her, and she absolutely refused to lose an argument when started. Even if she was discussing with a fictional creation of her mind whose purpose was to help her cope with the stupidity of her actions. But her cathartic conversation was interrupted when something that wasn't you average 'splash of chemical on the back for good measure' got a hold of her shoulder, and her body rattled so violently that she barely managed to restrain herself from jolting all the way up to the ceiling. She turned expecting the worse, and she found it: Her friend and co-worker Rubella was smiling at her in that silly way of hers that made her cringe on the depths of her soul. But god damned, she thanked ye god or whatever that it was her, and not some other busybody who found her. She let out the breath that she was holding|

A:Ru– *She lowered her tone to a whisper* …Rub! You did it again! Don't appear behind me all of sudden! I've asked you, kindly even! I've lost the count on how many times I did…

|Her face clearly showed annoyance – indeed, it was not the first time such a thing happened. The face of her friend showed how many flying fucks she gave|

R: I cognize you've told me to put a hold on this habit. I, however, do not bother.

|Aurora gritted her teeth and huffed a bit louder than she would have liked to, enveloped by exasperation of not only having to deal with her juggalo bullshit every other day, but with her quirk of using synonyms for everything as well, an old habit she picked up when she tried – and I stress, tried – to have a go at her Linguistics Degree. Confusing your professors with words that hadn't been used in over a century was one hell of a way to flunk your career. Hey, not everything had a spanking fresh synonym! Aurora was no professor, but her common sense told her there was some resemblance to be found; Much like them, she failed to understand her at times, and – well, much like them again and probably every single time – she absolutely didn't want to add that burden to her expanding list of 'things that sucked today'. But a friend was a friend, and there was no way she'd be flipping her shit at her right then and there. But one day, though…|

R:I must say, what a mess you provoked here, girl…

|"HOW". "How did she know?" Aurora asked herself, flabbergasted|

A:But, ho– You know what? Never mind! I don't even want to hear it; I'll just roll with this shit. Let's leave it at 'friendly intuition', alright? Good…

|There was a shit-eating grin almost literally painted on her friend's face. Good thing she was her friend and not some random, irrelevant-to-the-story worker. She was sure she would have punched the hell out of any other fucker. Believe me – she would. But when it came to Rubella, she couldn't get mad at her, no matter how exasperating she might be. Maybe it was the smile – she had asked her many, many times how did she do it, but the best answer she ever got was that exact shit-eating grin. Go figure. Letting go of her internal rant, she focused back on the world around her, where no shit-eating grin would save her from the wrath of her boss, and she looked at her friend with a serious eye, and spoke with an evened voice, neither too carefree nor excessively preoccupied or demanding. Just conscious. And, as most things my characters say, awkward|

A:Ah…Hey Rub, could you, uh, like…not tell your brother I started the fire…please? 'Cause, you know, if he gets ear it was me – lord almighty, ho-ho!…I'd be in deep. Not the one to give him more reasons to hate me, you know?

|And Rubella nodded, but her gaze was so lost somewhere that probably wasn't even on this astral plane that Aurora had her slight, very slight doubts if she'd remember to cover for her. Odds were ten-to-one she would, but you really couldn't know when it came to her friend. Ever since she came to work butt-naked claiming that she forgotten clothes existed on this layer of 'reality' Aurora trusted her mind just a bit less than the usual. But this time, she had a whole lot more of faith in her. There was no bias on that thought whatsoever |

R:Do not preoccupy yourself, I will not uncover you in front of Tristis. And you know it greater than anyone that he doesn't despise you.

|The redhead let out a breath of relief as she nodded absentmindedly. Having her acknowledging her question was half the battle. Progress, yay. On a side note, she tried to picture being in the shoes – cartoonishly pompous shoes – of her friend, as the underling of your own brother who took you in when you were booted out of university. She guessed most family dinners got awkward quite fast. If they could, of course, understand what she said most of the time. Oh, and speaking of family…What a surprise she got when a thin shadow materialized above her, and she raised her green eyes to find the icy blues of a man whose face was as white as milk, unless he were to be angry. What a coincidence that he was. Of spiky, jet-black hair and a semblance defined by his brows ever-furrowed in worry, Tristis – also known as 'her boss' – looked at her condescendingly, to avoid saying 'about to pop a blood vessel'. Aurora smiled sheepishly and searched for her trusty friend on the vicinity. Naturally, Rubella was no-where in sight|

T:…Miss 'Responsible for Health and Safety', fancy seeing you here…mind telling me why was there a fire on my plant…?

|A far corner of her mind thanked the heavens above and the hells bellow that he didn't already know she had been the cause of what probably was the stupidest incident of the year. Of the last ten years. Didn't I mention her offense? Well, it may have had something to do with repair pipes being smashed onto the ground because someone was bored, and how that someone soon discovered that the leaky substance on the ground was, in fact, not water. A spark shot out from the metal hitting the ground and – you can fill in the rest, listeners. Aurora's forte had never been Thinking Things Through; she relied mostly on her 'pizazz' to wing just about everything she did. Tristis cleared his throat, imperiously of course, to nab back her attention. Oh, yeah, this someone who caused the fire just so happened to be the one in charge of not letting it start in the first place. Whoopsie|

A*In an awkward tone*: T-the fire? Oh, ha-ha, yes, the fire! The thingy! Well, uh, I– I was, err, in – In the restroom! Yeah, I was, you know, heeding the call of nature and all that. You understand me, you do? Yeah of course you do, one has its needs and all that…right?

|His brows reached critical furrowing-levels and he had that look in his eye where he didn't know if he should just fire her or shake it off as another one of her mistakes. She knew it all-too-well. But her deceiving powers were phenomenal – fuck yeah, they were – and she was also the BFF of his quirky sister. That last thing had a little more weight when he ultimately dropped his shoulders and breathed out in defeat. He shook his head in a very deliberate way of showing his disappointment, but who cared? She got him on the ropes|

T:I – God dammit…I'm forced to believe you by…let's go with policies of the company. But it doesn't excuse the fact that you should have told me if there was a benzene leak. Because that's kind of your job.

|His arms folded themselves and she wondered if he even noticed they did. She liked to assume it was an automatic thing he did when he transitioned from suave-boss to steely-boss. But it was not a bad thing – she could work plentifully with that|

A:Yes boss, I know, I'm sorry…I was making the usual rounds today and I didn't get here before the fire went lit. I'll be more careful the next time – start here instead of the other end of the factory. You'll have my report ready before we–

T:–No, I won't, there'll be no report from you today. I…I'm suspending you.

|Aurora froze on the spot, jaw slightly agape. That, she didn't expect. "Did he just say what he just said? No! This- this can't be! Not when I'm so close…" she thought as her heart-rate picked up, and anxiety knocked at her door|

A:You – You're suspending me? Tristis, no, please! Give me a couple more days, I'll make the rounds thrice as fast, four times as efficient – I need the money, boss, you know it….please….

|His face was smeared by the kind of sorrow you'd see in someone if they were at a funeral. He was a big softy on the inside; she didn't want to know how much it hurt him to say those words to her. But there was no way she could stop now, when she was so close|

T:Aurora, I…I'm sorry…But I'm still your boss, and there's only so much I can look past…I'll have to report to the higher-ups about this later, and what you think they'll say if my comment on the incident is "Oh, you know, it was a leaky pipe that caused it but we got it covered; couple of workmen with light burns and some equipment severely crisped but nothing too bad out of it. Oh, yes! Our qualified professional didn't notice it cause she was taking a leak, so I gave her a pat in the head and told her to be more careful next time, that ought to set her straight…"? Who do you think they'll fire first; me, or you? …Listen, I know you need the money…but this is best I can do…

A:B-but I'm this close to getting the money for the flight ticket, and I can't ask for another loan from the bank because I'm already paying one. I'm due to be in New York for the interview ina week! You vouchered for me with them, boss, please, just let me work my ass off for a couple more days – I'll be out of your hair before you know it…

|But deep down she knew he was right; this was probably their best option|

T:I'll put a note in, to see if they can delay the interview for a few days. I promise. But until then…go to your house, try to relax, have a change of air and all that…I'll move earth and sky to get this sorted out as quickly as possible. Then we'll settle the last bit of payment…I'm sorry Aurora, but…you have to understand…

|He rubbed his neck awkwardly, not a hundred percent alright with his choice, and she knew that the slightest push would tilt him her way. But she nodded in understandment, because he was too good to her and she didn't want to actually cause more trouble than what she already caused that day. Her feet worked fast, and she was heading towards the dressing room before she could truly process what had happened. She changed in silence and looking straight up ahead, boring a hole on her locker. At a given moment, she thought she might cry, but she was a big girl, and a Gen-Capilli – mostly Capilli nowadays. She'd pull through. Her walk of shame carried her briskly to the front door, or at least she tried to imagine she was brisk. She still felt disconnected, shaken up from the news. Only a good mug of coffee, some chocolate and a cheesy chick-flick would lift her spirits right then. Oh, that would be good. Her mouth salivated at the thought, and she wasn't even ashamed of it. She was way past something like that, so she shoved her fantasizing aside for the time being and she hurried up her pace to get out. There was a lot she had to do; first, she would sulk, then she'd probably cry (she hated crying), then she'd pull herself together, then she'd have her 'coffee n'chocolate n'flick', and then she'd get piss-drunk. A girl needed to have her priorities straight. Well, you know, as straight as she could be. Yeah, let's drop it. MOVING ON – Aurora was not surprised, at all, when she turned a corner to the main entrance and almost crashed with the toothy grin of – you guess it – her best friend forever who definitely didn't leave her behind with their boss. She even forced out a smile|

A:Rubella! My TRUSTED friend, how I longed to see you! …get it? As in, you left me behind?

|Her pun was shit and she knew it. Dare you to say that to her face, though|

R:I am…effectively sorry…I…Fuck it, I'm sorry girl, but I didn't want to get in trouble as well, so don't go around getting mad at me for doing the right and proper thing…

|She actually (see what I did there?) had to stop for a moment because shit just got a little too real. It was one thing to hear her conjuring words from their linguistic graves, but it was a gosh-darned-whole-other-thing to get her so worked up about something that she couldn't even synonym properly. Maybe, maybe she overdid it|

A:Ah- O…kay? I'm…sorry? I mean, you know – I'm not, but I will be in about twenty four hours so…it counts?

|Aurora grinned at her friend and hoped with all her heart that she would quit making that serious face because it was unnerving her, it gave her CONNIPTIONS|

R:…It…accounts. If you forgive me, then I will pardon you…

|She threw her arms for a hug and the redhead took it because what else could she do? Friends were friend and she felt kind of dumb for jumping the gun at her. Accepting a hug was barely scratching the tip|

A:So; here to wish me goodbye, Rub? That's so very sweet of you! I think I might just bawl out over that wall…

R*After laughing quite hysterically*:I–pff, god dammit. I'm not here to salute you; I'm departing with you, silly!

|Aurora stopped laughing instantly, and deadpanned on the girl|

A:…You…WHAT? You're coming with ME? No siree, I WILL NOT allow that! You have a life to look up to! Don't waste it following a washed up like me to–

R:–I'm at the end of my shift Aurora.

|And the girl blinked, once, twice, a third time, and she lost her hope that the earth would swallow her on the fourth. So she played it cool|

A:Thaaaaat – makes so much sense I honestly don't know how I didn't think about that! Well, you fair maiden; where to now?

R:*She snickered and smiled*I thing we both realize where we are mobilizing to…

|She thought about it for a second until it her, and then she grinned viciously|

A:…Oh, hell yeah we do jest-face…let's roll!

|And off they went, across the Industrial Park and out towards the main highway running through Piaseczno. Oh yeah, did I mention they worked like a trillion light years away from Warsaw? I'm pretty sure I did. Aurora thought, as they carried themselves to the bus stop to wait for the next ride to main Warsaw, that if there was one good thing she could salvage from such a disastrous day, it would probably be that she got kicked off around midday, so they wouldn't have to wait a kajillion years for a bus driven by a lazy fuck to get them to the city by nine PM. "Always look on the bright side, dear", that's what Robert would say on her place. His advice was rather sagely, so they often tried to listen to him. That was a blatant lie. Clocks struck two PM when the metal mastodon pulled over to their stop and let them up before taking the seventy-nine up to the city. They picked a nice, quiet spot on the back and they literally deflated over their seats. Well, Aurora did, and Rubella just went through with it as moral support. They didn't talk much during the rather long ride, just looked out the window or up at the ceiling, in a silence that wasn't really awkward but mostly deserved. The friend of the redhead understood that she needed some time to wolf down the shock, so she laid back and relaxed, waiting patiently to reach their destination. Curse the ten mile ride; they reached the downtown stop at three. The Aurora that hopped off the bus had an uplifting smile adorning her face. Rubella was proud|

A:Alright Rub, I'm feeling very much better now. And hungry. Like, I think I could eat you whole with a side of fries of how hungry I am…

|It ashamed her how much it took her to decipher the intent behind the raunchy look her friend threw at her. Suffice to say, there were lots of blushing. Furious blushing|

A*Absolutely embarrassed*:THAT-THAT'S NOT WHAT I MEANT AND YOU KNOW IT! Also, ew…Shagging your bff is like shagging an old sweatshirt. NOT cool...

R*Grinning like a fool, quite content with herself*:…It did appear like you meant it, though…

|Her agility stat was high enough to dodge the slap coming her way. Aurora mumbled a curse under her breath. Rubella grinned even more, her smile becoming so wide in fact that her lips began to tear up a little|

A*She sighed*:Yeah, okay, whatever. Let's get this over with and drag our rumps to lunch. Late lunch, actually. Did I mention I'm starving?

|They began their walk in a fit of giggling. The bus left them at the Downtown Hotel, so they still had some walking left to do to reach the Mirów Neighborhood; they trekked up through Marszałkowska Street making some casual conversation to kill time. Oh look, now would be a good time to say "Aurora took in the sight of her friend". Brace for exposition. Rubella was tall. Like, really, really tall, way over six feet. And scrawny, the girl was flimsy like a wet noodle. She probably weighted less than a hundred and ten pounds, which wasn't a healthy thing, but since Aurora wasn't that far behind with her one hundred and fifteen pounds, she couldn't bring herself to say it to her. She fit in every dress. Literally every dress, and she had to use double the amount of straps or laces on some to make them tight enough on her non-existent hips. Plus, her rack was bigger than Aurora's, whose weight seemed to fall strictly on her posterior, so she not only fitted in every dress she could throw on, but she also rocked every dress she could throw on. The redhead reminded herself she was NOT jealous. Her consolation prize was her laidback attitude – she only got to see her in a dress ONCE in their twenty-odd years, at her graduation party. "Man, that was one wild ride of a night with so many people tearing it down at the Ogród Gardens" Aurora thought, "…And those busty soldiers with their fit builds and their tight bottoms, mmm…" and her mind went to places you did not want to gaze upon…let's get back to her friend. Her wardrobe was mostly comprised of baggy joggers and loose cotton shirts, old and worn, obviously. Oh, and her shoes. A pair of abhorrent bright-red rubber moccasins that were four sizes bigger than her feet. It went with the whole 'buffoon-ey' theme she so loved, alongside the jester hat she had won on a medieval fair some years ago, and the light clown-like makeup she put on each and every morning. It was a hilarious sight to behold the first time, but you got used to it fast. As for her attitude, she was essentially a goddess of chill, defining such words as 'easygoing' and 'laidback' and 'zen' and other crap that was synonymic with 'she won't bring herself to lift a finger 'cause she's always too relaxed to give a damn'. Aurora's words, not mine. She was that kind of person who you couldn't bring yourself to hate when they're piling you with warm smiles and warmer gestures. They had hit it off rather quick. A turn landed them on the Świętokrzyski Street (Which I don't think you should try to pronounce, for your own good) and set them on their way to the neighborhood, where the most wonderful and amazing restaurant in the world was located: "The Lowest of the Low"...yes it was a stupid name, but it was a THEMATIC stupid name so quit your giggling and wait for the next exposition dump. Half-way across the Świętokrzyski Park, Rubella decided to prod the waters a bit to see how the redhead was faring|

R:Hey, so, how are you going to narrate the others about today?

|That…was a mistake. In a single motion, Aurora's face went through surprise, then deep-thought, and finally worry as she flipped the fuck out, all gratuitously illustrated by her brows. Rubella made a face and cringed|

A*With a hand on her mouth and her eyes opened wide as plates*:Shiiiiiiit – I fucking forgot about the others...what will I say to them…? HELL, WHAT WILL I SAY TO NORAH?! I mean, Robert might fuss a little 'cause he's himself, and the Big Guy will do his thing but what will I fucking say to her?…Fuck, fuck, fuck…

|She had that look in her eye which could only mean one thing: She had fucked up big time. And her friend thought she might know why…|

R:…Aurora…did you…recite Norah about New York…right?

|The redhead went silent. Rubella sighed and shook her head disapprovingly. This called for a scolding, and she hated scoldings, they had no chill whatsoever, but Aurora beat her to the words|

A:Yes, I know it sounds really bad but how do I tell the only person in the entire universe from my family living in Warsaw, who's also my roommate and would be on welfare without my part of the rent, that I'm heading off to another continent by the end of the week and that I might not return?

|Now the other girl fell silent, which was enough of an answer for Aurora|

A:…Thought so…it's not so simple you know...not all of us can be whatever we want since we have a family supporting our decisions from behind...

|That was a jab at her, but Rubella knew it was very justified. Not all of them were…her. The redhead began to sulk again, to make things worse, so her friend decided to act. Putting a hand on her shoulder and another on her chin to raise her eyes, Rubella looked at Aurora deeply, in all seriousness, out of her comfort zone. And she spoke words that she knew the redhead would need to hear sooner or later. She demonstrated her seriousness by refraining of using synonyms. Once again, shit was gradually becoming more real by the second|

R:…Aurora, listen. How long has it been since we've known each other? Two decades? Correct me if I'm wrong, but…How many times in those years did your sister say anything negative when you approached her for advice on your future? Go ahead, sum it up, I'll wait…*She stopped for a moment, and continued when Aurora shook her head in answer to her question*…that's right, never. She's your SISTER, god dammit! Not your mother! She's the one who goes out to buy you booze when you're underage but still pesters you to use protection if you fuck a guy, which won't happen but whatever. She's the one who knows all of your secrets because you told her every last one of them, because you know she would never, ever share them with anyone. And you know what else? She's the one who will always have your back, no matter how much she annoys you or you annoy her, or how many times you bicker with each other, or how many times you punch and claw and bite each other. I guarantee you, Aurora, that she won't only not say jackshit bad about New York, but she'll also encourage you, and hug you and she'll tell you how great it'd be for your future. So snap out of it, woman up, and when we get to The Lowest you'll go ahead and you'll have a serious chat with Norah…

|At some point Aurora had to lower her gaze in shame, but now her eyes began to rise, and something different glimmered inside her pupils, a realization. It was not confidence, but it was a start. She was still afraid of how she might react, of what she'd say, not only about New York but regarding the incident as well, and Rubella knew she couldn't do anything to fix it, but 'this' would have to make do for now, so she crossed her fingers and prayed to some random pagan god. She hoped Norah would react in a less…'herself manner', for everybody's sake, and to settle some…things with her sister, once and for all. Aurora looked at her friend and she nodded without a word to add, and they both understood what she'd have to do then. Rubella answered with a nod of her own, and so they resumed their walk, in silence, and minutes later they were turning a corner to arrive at their destination. The famed restaurant know vastly across the lands was…a fast-food place. However, it was a FANCY fast-food place. It wasn't much from the outside except for the big logo over a spinning pole to the side and the distinct blue paint on the walls sticking out on the street like a sore thumb – the real fun was inside. They entered through a pair of glass double-doors with seashells for handles, and the atmosphere of the place instantly sunk to their very bones. High on the ceilings, fickly white lights barely illuminated the place through crystalline lamps, which combined with the deep azure walls and the bass oceanic sound blasting through the speakers on each corner, they created a mesmerizing feeling of being under the sea. Seashells, sea stars, corals, rocks and several kinds of fishes lined the walls, and every booth was separated by a coral barrier decorated with anemones and sea plants, giving each group its own little piece of the ocean for privacy. Also, the food was killer. Never doubt the exquisite taste of the double-oyster-cheddar-bacon-herring hamburger, or 'The Sea-Pounder', in short – "a true maelstrom of flavor thrashing within the confines of your mouth-sea" as the slogan claimed. Yes, every dish was either a sea pun, a fish pun or it was named after a famous ship or a mythological sea-creature. They strode through the rows of tables casually, knowing by heart that they who were definitely waiting for them (because they messaged them to be there with a threat of murder if else), were on the last booth on the far-right end, as always. Lo and behold, the whole gang was there: A little man with refined manners and a mouse-like face; another short guy with a long, gray-dyed beard and a woolen hat; a fit girl with a slight tan, almost amber-colored eyes and pink-dyed hair tied in several small knots; and a towering black man with no hair on his head whatsoever, and an ever-present pensive expression on his face. A bunch of weirdos they|

?:…Took your sweet bloody time you two, figured you'd be here 'fore us given that heart-warming threat you gave us…

?:…Language Pis…

P:Lenguage what, you thickhead! I told you I dropped that– that blasted bet already!

?:And yet, you continue to force yourself out of your way to work around the F-bombs…Never knew your self-pride ran so deeply as to make you lie blatantly in my face…

P:My pride fu– bloody what?! Shut your mouth 'fore I beat the living shi– uh, the living life out of you!

?:You're only digging yourself deeper in your hole…

P*in a gritty, dangerous voice*:Oh, I'll show you a bloody hole…

|Both kept bantering to the amusement of everybody else…well, amusement might be too strong of a word for something that happened every other day but…It truly amused them how they could keep going after years of constant clashes. And Aurora had to admit it never got old to see Piscea and Óengus bicker; one so rash and the other so thoughtful, their antics were legendary. Oh yes, Piscea was she who looked through amber eyes and pink locks, and Óengus, he who had no locks on his dark head impairing his deep-brown sight at all. Exposition, yay|

A:Hello my fellows, I see you have all responded accordingly to our invitation, your princess is thoroughly pleased!

P:Oh spare me, I had to leave kick-boxing early to get here in time, so you better show some bloody true gratitude, all right?!

Ó:…Language…

|She slammed her fist on the table hard enough to almost make the salt and pepper bounce. Finn did that for them. Piscea turned dramatically to confront Óengus pointing a stingy finger at him…who was casually leaning on the back of his seat, looking rather sheepish, and that only grinded her gears ever further|

P:YOU SAY LANGUAGE ONE. MORE. TIME…

| And off they were again; Aurora decided to take her seat, doing so on the open spot left for her at the edge of the booth. Rubella took her place at her side, dragging a chair from another table to sit on at the end of the thematically stylized piece of furniture. One thing I forgot to mention was that each piece of decoration such as the tables and the chairs were designed as if they were part of a sunken ship's decorum. Oh yeah, Aurora loved this place. To her side, her two other friends, Robert of the refined manners and Finn of the long beard, were discussing some interesting topics, so she leaned towards them to listen in on their conversation|

Robert: –And I assure you my fellow chap, once you've tasted the inlaid essence of class, and refinement emanating from within the confines of a mere, humble cup of 'earl gray', you shan't ever go back to other trifling flavors of the beverage of the royals – such is, the tea…

F*Scratching his beard*:Eh, I think you went a wee bit the extra mile there Rob…I only asked you what verdammt flavor of tea I should pick, since I've already eaten, you schurke...

Robert:Ah…well, uh, a gentleman must always vociferate his love for tea, as it is stated as such in–

F:Robert, the tea…

Robert:Just go with 'earl gray' you git…

|Aurora leant away shaking her head and biting her lip, and grinning, as they proceeded to desecrate an innocent cup with the blasphemous flavor that was 'earl gray'. Her friends, they never changed. On the one hand, Robert dearie was a London-born merchant with a slight obsession for the higher classes and for upholding his sacred "honor" at all cost, and on the other, Finn was a deutsche exchange student who scared rather easily – as in, all the time – and often lost track of his English. What, you don't identify with my cast? Well I don't care so let's move on. Aurora's friends kept talking with each other as if the two girls who just arrived weren't there at all, so the redhead began to bore. Luckily for her mood, Óengus seemed to notice the tiny detail (by looking at her eyes spacing out and at the hand propped on her cheek), and promptly cut his discussion with Piscea to move the conversations towards the two. He developed a face that meant he was about to do something really, really despicable. Norah would have approved|

Ó:*He cleared his throat* Ah, so Aurora, tell me, you've gather all of us here, mind telling us what went wrong at work?

|'CRASH!' went the cup on Finn's hand as the words came out of the black man's mouth. He turned to Aurora to voice his concern|

F:Wait, something went wrong? Oh my götze, did – did someone get hurt?! Did–DID YOU GET HU– HMPF!

|He was silenced by the hand of Piscea, who stretched across the entire table to put an abrupt end to what was probably the beginning of a panic attack|

P:Now, now, you jitter-ball, don't get your beard tangled up on us…or else I'll have to rough you up!

|His eyes grew big as plates and the man besides her gave her shoulder a nudge that meant "Fix your mess"|

P:Err, I meant rough...your problems up! Yeah, not you, silly! Why would I. Ever. Do. THAT.

|She gave his head a pat with each last word, simply to, ah, to accentuate the meaning of her words. Óengus breathed out displeasingly. Now back to Aurora|

A:You all may think I should probably be flipping my shit right now, but honestly? I can't bring myself to give a damn anymore…*She sighed* There was an incident in the plant, a dumb fire broke out and some people got burnt trying to put it off…and I caused it…

|It wasn't as hard to admit her actions to her friends as it was to come to terms with them. She was still holding her mental trial for the thing she did, and right now it was not falling greatly in her favor. It was nothing short of soul-crushing, the seeming 'reality-check' that sprung from speaking about her deep mistakes so freely, and she felt its weight in full force. Her eyes dropped to the table and she just…darkened, wanting nothing else but to be swallowed whole by the earth. But then a hand was placed on her shoulder, and then she was being hugged by someone, and then by someone else, and then by more and more people, and she didn't want to cry, but her stupidly good friends were making it very stupidly hard for her. Breathing was hard too|

P:Heey, Aurie, it's okay…we all make mistakes, don't beat yourself up so much girl!…Take me for instance – I still believe that leaving this coc–pole sucker's *She pressed her thumb to Finn's prominent nose* face unharmed is the worst mistake I'm making. And that's like, all the time!

F:Do I get any say in this?

|She elbowed his side and mumbled something about "shutting his trap" that Aurora couldn't hear completely, pinned down under a pile of LOVE. But she laughed, a giggle at first that blossomed into a muffled snickering, healthy and reassuring. Rubella heard her, and smiled, knowing full well how hard pulling through such a thing was. And yet, far in the back of her mind, she knew this was only the first mountain she'd have to conquer: a small hill before the true climb began. As everyone who was priving her of her priced air removed themselves from the poor girl and finally allowed her to breath, Aurora cleaned out the slate that was her mind, preparing herself for the climb|

A:I-I don't even know what to say…Thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you…Heh, comforted two times in the same day…that's a new high for me…

?:…Two times is new mark for you? My, girl you are so green…

|And just as if life had suddenly become a parody of itself, Aurora froze on the spot, mouth slightly agape, and brows shooting into the stars. Her very being refused to turn around to face she who had spoken, but Rubella to her side was not her very being, and she took no remorse in spinning the redhead one-eighty degrees towards her impending doom. A pretty, smiling waitress was before them, wearing the pirate attire each worker was given, and yes, she did hate it. Her height was rather normal, just under five-seven – She was shorter than Aurora (It boosted her ego to no end). She was pale, with her hair dyed an incandescent shade of white, and her blue eyes framed by black eyeliner. Her easy grin told a story greater than what it showed; there was a hint of playfulness in the corners of her mouth, and dare I say…fire in the glimmer of her eye? She was a fierce tornado of energy, wild in every aspect of the word. She was the girl who spat in the face of the world when it came to claim its tolls, flashing a cocky grin and probably a lace of undergarment. She was Norah Gen-Capilli, the last person in the universe Aurora wanted to see. Too bad she worked at The Lowest of the Low|

N:My dear sweet little sister and her goons! Do tell, what can this humble servant of capitalism do for you? ...Besides cleaning the mess your friend made over there…*She waved her finger at the broken cup and the splashed tea*

F*Looking deeply ashamed of himself*:…Entschuldigung…

A:N-Norah! *Lowering her voice to a whisper*I…had forgotten you changed your shift to midday… *In a normal tone again, albeit rather fake and strangled* So, how you doing, sister?

|The white-haired girl pulled up a chair from another table where a couple was eating, not even asking if they were using it 'cause that just wasn't her style…and she had a lot of style. She put it to good use by sitting with the group as if nobody cared that she worked there and had to make the rounds to take orders. I wish that was a pun|

N:Oh, you know, the usual – dropped by half an hour late, made myself some breakfast while a good line gathered at the counter, flirted a little with the boss when he tried to give me some lip, and yeah, I'm extremely bored right now, so I'd kill with my bare hands for something even remotely amusing…

|Even before Óengus could open his mouth to recite his already trademarked disapproving comment as every single day they ate there, Rubella decided she had to push things a bit forwards if her friend wanted to fix her troubles any time soon. She didn't do it because she was malicious, dastardly or wicked. Not at all|

R:Don't we have the most thoroughgoing thing for you, then! Narrate her, Aurie!

|The kick the redhead delivered to her friend's knee was, by all means, purposely hard, like the daggers she glared at her for a microsecond. She'd get her back for this, one day…of that she was sure|

N:My, have we a story to tell? Hell yeah, I love stories! Come on you matchstick, tell me!

P:Yeah Aurora, tell her what happened at work today!

|Norah's grin suddenly disappeared, and the knot in the redhead's throat tightened just a tiny bit more, because who needed breathing anyway? Also, Aurora should have seen it coming: She was her sister – what more could she need, to deduce something had gone sideways?|

N:Wait…did something happen at work?…Are you okay?

|The tone in which she talked now was one Aurora knew excruciatingly well, and it was one of the things she had hoped to avoid. Norah was not the 'touchy-feely' type; either she was incredibly blunt and expressive or blatantly insensitive when it befell on her to ask about a delicate topic. It was only a matter of time before someone would get mad at her for acting in any of these two ways, and when it happened it was Aurora who finally blew up on her. The strangled, serious tone meant she was trying her hardest to be sensitive, and it also meant that she cared. And Aurora didn't want her to care – In fact, she didn't want anyone to care, she didn't want to trouble anyone, but she rarely ever got what she wanted, did she? And now, she was thrown face to face with her insecurities, and there was no turning back. She had to face the dark; she had to confront her sister|

A:…Well, yeah, I'm okay, but…thing is, a fire broke out today at the factory, and…*She sighed*…And it was my fault…

N*Slowly, as in to measure her words*:Oh...and…did anyone get hurt? How did it happen?

A:Trisis – uh, my boss – said some workers got burnt trying to put down the fire, and some equipment got overcooked but…it wasn't that bad I think…As for how it happened…I did something dumb, and then there was a fire…

|She was deliberate with the vagueness and the finality of her answer, and everyone seemed to notice her intent…but Norah was nosey. Very,very nosey|

N*Playfully throwing her arm around her sister's shoulders*:Nuh-uh! You won't slip away this time! Come on, tell me how it happened! I demand it by invoking the powers belaid on me by the gods of the older siblings!

|Aurora's blood began its steady climb to boiling point, even though she tried to quell it by laughing off at her silliness. "She'd better shut up now" she thought in a remarkable strangled tone as she answered, hoping to end her explanation there|

A*She sighed, again, and spoke with a dry, evened tone*:…I smashed a puddle of benzene with a broken pipe, thinking it was water…'cause, um…'cause I was bored…

|There was a muffled snicker behind her. If someone didn't die by the end of the day it'd be a miracle. She was about to turn, fuming mad, to glower at her friends, when she stopped an instant away, because her sister bursted out laughing, and what little restrain she was still holding on to packed it's bags and moved far away from the epicenter of the escalator of destruction and damnation that Aurora was about to become. She saw red, and it was not her hair coming into her line of sight|

N*Shouting, and laughing, and being obliviously raucous*:HOLY SHIT THAT SOUNDS AWESOME! I've always wanted to do something like that! Tell-tell me, did it 'flame-on!' instantly or was there a delay? OH, TELL ME THERE WAS AN EXPLOSION! 'CAUSE THAT WOULD'VE BEEN AMA–

A*Shouting as well, suddenly getting up from the table*:–SHUT THE FUCK UP NORAH!

|And she did, as well as the whole restaurant, but Aurora didn't give a damn about anyone else at that exact moment. The universe was down to her sister and herself, and it was about to go through a second Big Bang centered on the supernova that the redhead had just become. Her green eyes pierced her sister's blue ones, and for just a moment she remember how much she looked like their mother, and she got even angrier|

A*Lowering her shouting just a bit*:Shut. The fuck. Up…I came here worried about you, you know? Worried you'd get mad at me for being utterly reckless, and irresponsible, and – and I just HOPED you would, really. But you NEVER worry, you NEVER take things seriously. I could have HURT MYSELF BACK THERE – I TOLD YOU I HURT PEOPLE ACTUALLY, AND ALL YOU DID WAS TO LAUGH YOUR MORONIC ASS AT MY EXPENSE! AND YOU ASKED STUPID FUCKING QUESTIONS…And you want to know something? This is barely scratching the surface of EVERYTHING I was afraid to say to you, but why would I bother with the rest when you can't even pretend that you care?! You NEVER care! …I wanted to believe you changed…I convinced myself that you did, that all the irresponsible shit you do is just a ploy to keep up appearances with those crooks you call friends…but I was wrong. This is you, Norah, this is the true you. And you won't ever change…that's the sad truth…

|And just like that, she stormed out of the restaurant, and disappeared onto the street. It took her sister a moment to bring herself up to follow her, but a strong hand to her wrist stopped her. She turned enraged, or most accurately, ashamed, and launched her free hand carelessly towards the one who had grabbed her. But her attack was stopped by another hand, and she saw it was black. Óengus looked at her inexpressively, but she wouldn't put up with him today, right then. She had to go after her sister|

N*In a threatening tone*:Óengus…let go of me…right. Fucking. Now…

Ó:I will, don't worry, but you won't go after her, at least not yet.

|Norah's face became fury itself as she answered|

N*Shouting*:WHAT DO YOU MEAN THAT 'NOT YET'?! DIDN'T YOU JUST FUCKING HEAR WHAT SHE SAID?! I HAVE TO GO TALK TO HER BEFORE SHE DECIDES TO HATE ME FOR LI-

Ó:–This is not about you, Norah. Don't you see where you are wrong? You say you want to do this for your sake, to be at peace with yourself. You asked her about her problem to show that you cared, to satisfy a need you have to be seen that you cared…but you didn't do it for her…

N:Okay *She chuckled humorlessly*, I did NOT fucking do it for myself, you…you big idiot! She's my SISTER, GOD DAMMIT! I WORRY ABOUT HER! Now let go off me, before I–

|But Rubella appeared at her side, and cut her off. As an insight into her mind…well, she would never admit it, but she had the slight feeling that she might have rushed things a little, teeny weeny, wee bit. But she was determined to see this through, and so she knew deep in her mind she had to intervene|

R: –Before what, exactly? What do you think you'll do? Hell, what do you think she'll do? Do you think she'll do something irresponsible, something she'll regret? Do you think she'll do something you'd do?

|Norah's silence was enough of an answer for her to continue, even though the visage of the slightly older girl was livid and it struck fear in her heart|

R:She's not you, Norah…nothing is about you. She's going back to your house, she'll cry, she'll feel bad. And believe it or not, it's not your fault; you don't know half of what's troubling her, of what she went through already…

N:She's…I – I don't want her to hate me, okay? After mom di-died she didn't talk to me for months...she didn't talk to anyone...Do you know how I felt? How soul-crushing it felt to mean nothing to the only person that means everything to you?

|Both her assailants' faces softened, if just a bit. There was sorrow in her voice, desperation. She had never told this to anyone, or at least not to them, but she was losing her sister now, and she'd do anything to have her back|

Ó*He sighed deeply*:….Norah…we know it was hard…we were there with you two when your mourned her…but…*He paused for a moment, searching for the right words to say*…but there was never any given moment where you meant anything less than everything to her...

R:She's not you, Norah…She isn't strong, she can't lock her pains and insecurities on a chest to put up a smile for the world, even though she tries. She tried today…that's what you don't understand…

Ó:Don't take this the wrong way…but it doesn't matter how hard you try to teach her how to be you, she'll always be Aurora…

|Norah deflated; Óengus let go of her. She searched with hollow eyes for a chair and she dropped carelessly over it, putting a hand to her face and throwing her head back, to fight back what felt like tears. It was only a moment, but to her it might have been a lifetime, before it clicked in her brain, and she looked at the two who were there not only for her sister but for herself as well|

N*In a weak voice*:…What…what should I do now…

|There was something in her eyes that Óengus saw; it was all the confirmation he needed to know something shifted inside of her. He almost smiled|

Ó*He sighed*:…Go talk to her, but leave your own insecurities here; don't treat her like you'd treat yourself, try to understand her pain, and don't try to convince yourself you're doing it for her. *He leant closer and he set his hand on her shoulder. He deadpanned on the girl* Do it for her.

|Norah didn't waste a second to fight back her tears as she ran away through the front door. Óengus closed his eyes, and visibly relaxed – His job was done. He sat back on their table, not before looking severely at just about everyone in the restaurant, who were still silent and observing them. They quickly went back to their own businesses with his glowering. Rubella took her own seat, deliberately ignoring their friends, who looked at both with big eyes and slacked jaws. Silently, of course. It took Finn approximately a minute to break the silence, and she didn't even bother to stop her chewing on Piscea's fries to pay him attention. She was rather done for the day|

F:…I feel like we're missing out on some things, guys…mind explaining what all of that was about?

Ó:I'm sorry you had to be here for our fight, but Norah's had it coming for a long time…

|When she finished swallowing, she sipped some cola from the nearest cup, and when she felt her thirst quenched, she answered, far too bloody done for, as I said earlier, to elaborate on her synonyms|

R:It's not so much that you've been missing out on stuff…this dates back to a time where we didn't even know you three yet…

Robert:Can…Can you tell us about it? If it's not too much of a bother, of course…we don't want to tug at the painful strings in your hearts…we just want to know so we can help if something of the sort happens again…

|Rubella looked up to her three not-so-new-already members of their group, and she felt old. They met Piscea at a fighting competition in the same medieval fair where she had won her cap; Robert approached them once for a spanking deal on car ownerships, and he stayed for a bargain on friendship. And Finn came to them for tutelage on some chemistry classes a while back, and then to go out for a drink after it. Rubella had always been there for Aurora, wherever they were, and Óengus had his own story tracing back far back into the past of the sisters. She opened her mouth to tell the story, and it came out easy like breathing. It was a memory still so fresh that it hurt like the day it was made|

R:…It was some time ago, about fifteen, or so years…I lived in Rouen with the girls, in France. I was already friends with Aurora, and tagging with Norah was fun so we hung out often. *She tilted her chin towards Óengus* He came in around that time, and we bonded quickly…

Ó:I…I was a vagabond living in the streets, very young, and starving to death…not something I want to dwell deeper into just now…the girls saw me one day and they bought me dinner…after that I began to follow them wherever they went, and we became friends after some time…Aurora and Norah are the reason why I'm here with you, why I managed to complete my studies…do you want to tell what happened, Rub'?

R:N-No, it's ok…you can tell it, you know it better…

Ó:Okay…*He sighed* One day, the girls' mother died of a heart attack…

|He stopped for a moment and he dragged his eyes around the table. Each face showed a mournful, yet respectful expression, and he was almost tempted to smile, because they had good friends…but what he was about to tell weighted heavily in his conscience, so he didn't smile, and he continued|

Ó:…She was the leading flute of their father's orchestra – She overworked herself to death, it was very tragic…but that was the beginning of their problems…

|Rubella saw it in his eyes that he needed a moment, so she took it from there, in a strangled but steady voice|

R:…Their father blamed himself for her death, so he…vanished to Iceland alone, to mourn the death of his wife, and he left the girls under the care of their aunt, Umbra, who moved here to Warsaw with them when Igniculus and Cordelia, the older siblings, went to work overseas…

Ó:She wasn't – isn't – a bad woman, their aunt…but she had her own family to take care of, her own problems to deal with, and the girls were old enough to mostly take care of themselves when they arrived so…she didn't abandon them, but you can say that was what she did…

R:…Let's say she decided to draw back most of her presence on their lives…and, well, it affected them both differently – hence why Norah's working at a fast-food restaurant and Aurora finished her studies in record time…but the scene they made here today had little to do with their aunt and her cares…

Ó:Indeed it didn't. She's a part of it, no doubt, but she's far from its epicenter…We were all very young when their family broke down, and as Norah told it, Aurora grew apart from everyone, as she tried to deal with her feelings. And well…with their father leaving, and their older siblings trying to sustain the family with their jobs for some time…Norah felt utterly alone, by herself, and she coped with tragedy in a different way than her sister…

|Óengus needed another moment – that much was clear. Rubella got up and dragged a chair to his side. She sat while gently pressing her palm over his back to comfort him. She took the next bit, as she knew it as well|

R:Where Aurora grew weaker with the sorrow; Norah got stronger. She began to laugh in the face of the world, and she started to act as she does to this day…but she had a weakness, and it was Aurora, and her approval, I guess. When you know someone for this long, you start to see through the cracks of their façades…

Robert:…So she developed a sort of addiction around her, am I right? She desperately wanted to improve the image her sister had of her, she wanted to reform the bonds that were broken…

Ó:I couldn't have said it better, Robert…Yes, she tried her best to help Aurora deal with their loss, and the only way she knew how was to have her become a copy of herself–

|But he never finished, because Piscea suddenly slammed her fist into their table, and even Óengus jumped a little. You don't want to know how Finn reacted|

P: –You want to know what I think? I think I'm getting pretty bloody tired of sitting here while our friend is losing her body weight in tears. And don't even get me started on 'dear sweet big sister'…I say we drag our asses to their home and we hug the flak out of our redhead!

Ó*Shaking his head*:Piscea, no…I understand your concern, but this is something they need to work out by themselves…

P:Yeeeah, I don't give a darn. As I see it, Aurie's been having a real turdpile of a day, and sister bitch-tits has only made it worse. *She got up as she kept talking* Dunno 'bout you, but I'm paying my friend a visit. I'd like to see you stopping me, Baldspot…

|She maneuvered around Rubella and bee-lined for the exit with her chin up and her shoulders squared. There was some hesitation between the two, but after sharing a look, Finn and Robert got up as well, and it took Rubella another moment to realize checking in on her was more or less the right thing to do. Maybe they'd arrive after Norah, and everything would be worked out by then. Dreams, dreams, the sweetest were made of this|

Ó*Getting up after everyone was nearing the exit. Also sighing*:…We're making a big mistake here...we were going to check in on her sooner or later, but I had something like tomorrow in mind, really…

P:…Tomorrow is too bloo – It's too fucking late, alright? This ain't the sort of thing that waits calmly for you to check in whenever you fucking want…so we either go now or we don't go at all, understand?

|That…actually made some sense…and the black man had a feeling that she somehow spoke from personal experience. He made a mental note to prod at her reluctant past some other day. His mood was a different one when he caught up with the rest of friends in front of the entrance; he smiled smugly at his short and pink-haired compadre, opening his mouth to say the exact words he'd been yearning to say for some time now|

Ó:…Language Piscea…

|The expected reaction he predicted was that she would hit him, either playfully or in all seriousness, and he had thoroughly prepared himself to receive his punishment for such a dense joke on his part…but she grinned at him wildly instead, and spoke with overconfidence on her next words, much to his amusement|

P:Óengus, you big fuckstick, I concede…You win the bet, congratulations…

|She pulled out her wallet and produced two hundred euros, which she promptly and unceremoniously shoved into his broad chest. He took the money without further comment. He was fairly certain they hadn't agreed on that much money when they settled the bet…but he was in no position to deny free money whatsoever…and it was that, or his inner hobo would jolt out of his very skin and it would clobber him to death with his own femurs. They fired up some casual conversation as they stepped out of the fast-food place and onto the street outside, but Finn excused himself to remain inside for a moment, explaining that there was one last thing he had to do. He turned one-eighty and headed for the main counter, where some dude whose pin-card read 'The Manager' was talking to the girl from the couple Norah had stolen the chair from, and was trying to convince her that she should not, by any means, sue the place for customer harassment. Finn didn't have time for that, so he asked her if she could spare him a moment with the guy, and she accepted after he flashed her a heart-melting smile. She went back with her cheeks reddened and puffy to a thoroughly confused boyfriend who was probably re-evaluating his physical appeal by then. He sort of had that effect on people. The manager breathed out an air of pure relief|

Manager:Hey man, thanks a lot for that…gosh the things Nox gets away with these days, I still don't know why she hasn't been fired…big boss must really like her, if you catch my drift…

F:I share your doubts…hey, listen, I'm from the table where Norah and her sister made a scene, sooo… I wanted to ask how much it was for das ess– um, for the food…seeing as the rest has already left…

Manager:Don't worry dude, won't charge you after what happened, you all deserve the least amount of flack….Mighty throwdown those two had, am I right? Been a while since I saw Nox as pale as she was…is everything okay now?

|Finn wouldn't comment on the color his cheeks took when he spoke of Norah. But I would, and I will, because it is my story. The short, bearded man was tempted to raise his eyebrow, but he composed himself a moment away. He didn't want to waste more time|

F:I'm afraid not, really…Norah, um, Nox and Aurora have a lot to talk about, and we don't want to be too far away when that happens…Anyway, thanks for the solid, kumpel, and the food was stellar as always…

Manager:*He flashed him an appreciative smile* We always welcome some good feedback mein herr, good luck with your friend, and have a good evening!

|Finn said his goodbye and he quickly paced out of the building in a jolly good mood, catching up with his friends at the end of the street|

Robert:Have you squared off your trifling matters, good chap?

F:Totally; dude at the counter didn't charge us for the food, which you, oder kurs, didn't even remember to pay for…

Robert:Oh, ho ho, that's why we have you to be the goodie two-shoes, dear Finn. Embrace your destiny!

|He muttered a German curse under his breath, but he did so while laughing, because his mood was just too good to be ruined. Robert appreciated his easy-going attitude. They all crossed the road as they set course for the sisters' house in Praga Północ. Hey, not everyone could live in Śródmieście like Rubella's family. Thank god they had moved in to Poland when their daughter wanted to follow her best friend. Tristis working there was purely coincidental. They trekked their way up to Solidarności Avenue, and they went east from there. They had a long way to go still; good thing they gave the sisters a head start. Óengus stayed at the back with Rubella while the other three put in some distance at a faster pace|

Ó:…You are evil, you know that, right?

R:…I have no notion of what you are chattering about…

|She smiled in way that could only mean she was lying about not knowing. Óengus laughed, even|

Ó:I see you are back to your synonyms, I missed them, frankly…are you sure they'll make up in the end? 'Cause you will be the responsible for a lot of trouble if they don't…

R:I don't know if they'll conciliate, but there has been no superior chance as of yet to make them talk to each other…We need to have fealty to their diplomatic capabilities, Big Guy…it is now or never…

|And with a quick nod, they caught back with the rest as they drifted off into the downtown of the city, and approached the Śląsko-Dąbrowski bridge, ready to cross over the Vistula and to further up their position closer to their friends. My, my, weren't they fast?|


|Aurora had to admit she almost didn't feel the time flying over her head; the sun was hiding under the horizon by the time she reached their apartment building. Its sight sprung some old wounds on her chest, still – some deep cuts that had not yet healed to their fullest. She wasn't sure they would. The pain…it was too much to bear for her after everything she went through that day. She leant against the front wall for a moment, trying to clear her conscience, to remind herself this was not a testament to their misfortune, even though it was, in a sense. The place was an old concrete mastodon of the sort you could see in old Cold War movie adaptations of the satellite countries of the Soviet Union. A shabby tenement rising up to six storeys in its full monotonous glory, gray from the bare concrete as the rainiest of days, and rotten as the most foul of carcasses, drying in a scorching desert for the carrion birds to pick at. Some crude graffiti's lined the lower walls, providing a refreshing contrast to the expansive gray areas that seemed to soak all life from the surroundings. Each storey added a row of rectangular-shaped windows to the outside façade, of rot-eaten frames and dust-ridden glass plates. The front door was worthy of being a museum exposition. It was, as the sisters would often say, a 'dumpster', but its rent costs were cheaper than bubblegum, and neither Aurora nor Norah – Most definitely not Norah – could afford something costlier for the time being, so they had to make it work. And that's where their misfortune failed to reach them, because they sure as hell made it work. The redhead opened the front door with a massive creak that would be heard all around the block and she stepped inside, being real careful to pull on the door handle as lightly as a feather gliding in an autumn breeze to close it back. She breathed in the stale air of the inside as she navigated through the claustrophobic three-by-six corridors rowed with wooden doors and humming fluorescent tubes, and then through the creaky deathtrap of a stair leading up to the second floor, and then at last, she stood before her slice of paradise. Her apartment door opened without creak – she made sure to grease its hinges every single day – and she stepped inside. Her whole being rejoiced. Their apartment was not, by any means, luxurious, but it was as homely as it could get. It was a double room space if you counted the bathroom, with a small window opening up to a shady backstreet and a remarkable set of picture-windows that offered a sunset or two from time to time. The floor was completely covered with a brown, fluffy carpet, and the walls were painted a soft orange, not too overwhelming thanks to the dim yellow light of energy-saving ceiling lamps. Their house was a testament to life itself: Everywhere you looked, there was a personal touch left by the girls, fully intended to fight the monotony clawing at the rest of the building. Be it a ridiculous decoration, or a petty trinket, or a drawing, or plainly something silly like a phrase written in marker over a surface, they made their den feel alive, colorful, and so very them. It was the proof that misfortune could only get to you so much, and both girls were very proud of that. But that didn't excuse the fact that Aurora was mad out of her mind when she crashed face-first into the fort of pillows that was her bed. And then she screamed|

A*Muffled by a pillow*:UUHR – GOD DAMMIT, WHY IS SHE ALWAYS LIKE THIS!? WHY CAN'T I MAKE HER CHANGE FOR FUCK'S SAKE! UUUGH…!

|She tossed, she pounded her mattress, she cursed her lungs out, and when she was finally out of energy, she cried. The tears came easy, and without warning, as if they had been waiting for some time now to stream down her face. Which was true, actually. Aurora sobbed helplessly into her pillow for a while, feeling powerless…again. This was not the first time Norah had screwed up royally. Aurora had forgiven her many, many times in the past for her lack of…touch. Maybe it was because she was fed up already thanks to her bad day, or perhaps it was buffered by the countless of times it happened, but her sister drew the last straw with her this time. This was the last time she would deal with her bullshit, with her oblivious behavior, with her–|

N:*Knocking softly on the door*: Aurie, it's me…can you open the door please?

|Aurora's answer was to fish her keys out of her pocket and to hurl them towards the door. They collided with the wood and then dropped rattling to the floor. Norah winced as she pictured the damage done to the woodwork. This was the good door|

N:…I…see…Aurie come on, please, open the door, I want to talk to you…

A:You – YOU HAVE YOUR OWN FUCKING KEY! Open the damn door yourself!

N:Yeeeah, you see…I kind of left running after you back at the Lowest…and I may have forgotten to change back to my civvies…or to grab my things from my locker, at least…Listen, I had a, um, a talk with Óengus and Rub' and… and I want to talk to you, okay? …Can you open the door…please?

|Aurora took a moment to think about it, but just a moment, because in all her right, this was also her home. She got up while grumbling curses and she lumbered groggily to the door, where she bent down to pick up her keys before getting back up and completely disregarding the atrocious damage she had caused upon the innocent wood. Norah was met with the saddest face she had ever seen, and she'd seen a respectable amount of sad faces in her life. There were puffy cheeks, quipping lips and reddened eyes; it was the epitome of a sad face. She had an urge to reach out to hug her sister but she stopped herself a second away from committing to it, as she remembered her place. So she instead put her hands to good use, rubbing the back of her neck as she propped her palm on her hip, assuming what was commonly known as the awkward, apologetic pose. Naturally, her eyes went to the ground, in a sign of shame. She was sure to win her over with this|

N:He-hey…hi…how-how are you feeling?

|When Aurora didn't answer in the next ten seconds, she realized her choice of words wasn't the best to start with, probably, so she handed the wheel to the monkey with a typewriter running her brain, and she decided to let it all out|

N:Okay…*She inhaled a big gust of air and she let out slowly* Aurie, I'm sorry…I'm sorry for a lot of things. I'm sorry for how I reacted; for how I've always reacted…I'm sorry for being careless all the time, for trying to show off that I care only to ruin it after by saying something stupid…I'm sorry for being selfish, for trying so hard to make you into something you aren't, for treating you like – like some twisted image of me. An-and, and I'm sorry for every fucking time I got you mad at-at…*She sniffed* at me for being a shitty sister, and f-for always making every-ev- *She sniffed, again* God dammit, for always making everything about myself, and good fuck this is so h-hard and I hate crying and I'm sorry, can you forgive your dumb, irresponsible, selfish sister and g-give her another ch-chance? *She sniffed for a third time*

|Her eyes were pure water by the time she finished. It'd take someone with a withered heart to not hug her like Aurora did the moment she broke down in tears. Each cried into the shoulder of the other, right there in the doorstep of their apartment. A curious neighbor peered out of their door at 'whatever the fuck was going on outside' and they quickly went back inside when Norah got a look at them and frowned deeply. By the time they ran out of tears the sun was nowhere out in the sky, and the cold tendrils of the night were clawing at their skin even though it was bloody summer, so they got inside their stove-heated apartment each with a shoulder soaked and plastered with snot and yes they were both looking rather disgusting. They took turns in the bathroom to wash their eyes. Aurora looked at the mess she was in the mirror and she thought to herself, that she wasn't any less mad at her sister, but that she could come to terms with accepting her apology one last time, and she might have smiled if it weren't for everything else that danced around inside her head. "So this is it, huh…" her reflection in the mirror told her, "This is where we tell her about New York…" she finished, and she nodded, because it truly was time to get this over with, as much as she didn't want to. When she got out of the bathroom she was presented with a cushion of their black, puffy sofa liberated from one of the many piles of clothes Norah left lying around their home, and with a plate of chocolate and a cup of Americano resting on the coffee-table in front of it. And of course, a re-run of "Dirty Dancing" already playing on the flat-screen Igniculus got them for Christmas. And a pajama-wearing Norah, seated on her side of the sofa with her feet propped up over the coffee-table, covered by dozens of blankets and drinking merrily from a bottle of Żywiec. 'Cause Norah didn't do coffee. This made the redhead smile, finally|

A:I am genuinely surprised you managed to set this up in the time it took me to wash my face…

N:It was though, that much I can assure you. I had to break out my secret stash of 'emergency chocolate' at the same time I was manhandling your accursed coffee machine. I swear that thing is diabolic. And about the movie…well, what can I say? I know you too well, Matchstick Head

A:And I know you know me well, Shiny

|She took her seat and she ripped off a blanket from her sister's cocoon to cover herself with. Her hands darted to her treats, and all of sudden she was in heaven within her paradise. This was the life…but it only lasted so much, as she could spy Norah with the corner of her eye, seeing her face growing steadily serious, as if she was gathering courage to ask her what she would inevitably ask her at some point. So Aurora decided to take the initiative before the other girl popped a blood vessel|

N:…Aurie, I–

A:–I'm leaving for New York…

|There was a brief instant of silence where Norah tried to understand if her sister had just said what she had just said|

N:…What?

A:Well…I was going to leave for New York…at least until I got suspended…

N:…WHAT?!

|Alright, she just dropped it off just like that, and now the white-haired girl felt her blood beginning to rush. No. "This is not how I should react, behave Norah…" She said to herself as she fixed the flabbergasted expression she had and she sighed|

N:Okay…I feel like you haven't told me the whole story of what happened today…want to take it from the top? Please? I swear on my, uh…my honor, I guess – I swear that I won't laugh goddammit!

A:Alright, alright…It's not so much more really…I did something dumb, and Tristis had to suspend me from work cause I'd get fired if he didn't…and I kind of needed the money of these few days…cause I am due to leave for New York this Friday…If I can manage to get the last bit of money to pay the ticket, that is…

N:And…and what about New York, what's your deal there?

A:Tristis hooked me up for an interview some time ago, with a big-fish company with lots of ground on research, nested in New York. Don't know if you remember, but I hate working on the factory, with my years of study going to waste…So I talked to him and he offered to help, and that's why I've been working a lot of extra time lately…

N:You've sure been doing that, uh-huh…I barely see you at the house these days, you just crash in for the night and you leave before I even begin to wriggle my way out of dreamland…how expensive is the ticket?

A:It's…really expensive…at least for us, and for our inexistent budget…

N:Have you tried getting a loan from the bank?

A*She nodded absentmindedly*:Already have, but it was a small one 'cause our income is…well, shit. I'm still a little bit short on cash and – WHY AREN'T YOU GETTING MAD AT ME?!

|She was trying really hard to keep her calm, to go with the flow, expecting the blow to come at any moment. But Norah didn't bulge, Norah didn't raise her voice, or complain, or anything of the sort, and it was getting on her nerves. Her sister flailed|

N*Now with her voice raised*:Why-why would I get mad at you for this?!

A*Shouting, as well*:BECAUSE I DIDN'T TELL YOU, AND I'D BE LEAVING YOU, AND YOU CAN'T MANAGE ON YOUR OWN, AND-AND, UGH!

|She deflated over the couch, grinding her teeth and hiding her face with her hands. Her sister was literally impossible. She sighed and dropped her arms to her sides, finally done for. This was it, all the work up, all the fussing, all the anxiety. It all lead up to this, the culmination of her comeuppance, and she had prepared for it, she had embraced that she'd feel so bad she'd probably call off the interview. But Norah was not getting mad at her, and she was so surprised that she exploded with annoyance. She had not prepared for this. A sly hand crept up to her own and intertwined their digits together, and Norah spoke|

N:Aurora…you really thought I'd get mad at you for wanting to chase your dreams? Really, girl?

A:IT'S NOT – It's not that, but– …I thought you, you know, that you'd say something! Anything, really! That you'd be mad, or that you'd feel betrayed or I dunno, something…I didn't think you'd be this-this–

N:…This supportive?

|Aurora didn't answer with words because it was not necessary. Her silence spoke for itself. Her sister let out a sympathetic whimper and she made a face, and she tackled the redhead in a bear hug so powerful it almost knocked the air out of her lungs|

N:…Your flaming locks are really scorching your ideas now…the silly things you manage to come up with are going to be the end of you one of these days…Aurora, listen. I am not one of your friends, or some nobody you met at work. I'm your sister Aurie, I'm family. And I won't EVER get in the way between you and any goal you set your mind upon, even if it's completely diabolical to a point that it might cause the world to end, I won't try to stop you – hell, I'll support you for fuck's sake! Who doesn't want to watch the world burn, if just a little?

|Aurora couldn't hold back the giggle that escaped her lips. It was a healthy sound that Norah cherished, and it encouraged her to continue onto the more sensitive bits of her sisters' problems|

N:Hey *She placed her hand on Aurora's shoulder*…I may not be the right person to talk about commitment given my history, but I know a thing or two about chasing your goals, the most important being to never lose sight on the goal. Ever...or else you'll end about washed up like me…

|Norah made a brief pause then, during which her sister could see her gaze lost somewhere far away from their house, with regret bubbling within her eyes…It only last but a moment, however, and the white-haired girl was quick to compose herself when that wounded gaze of hers finally noticed Aurora, who could clearly see now the cogs and gears of her mind turning furiously behind her pupils. She decided she would not comment on it, as sometimes it was better to left matters untouched…and to let old wounds heal for themselves|

N:W-Well Now! Listen carefully…as I defuse some of your worries...

|And just as quick, her sister was once again back on track, and Aurora couldn't help but admire her determination, her strength, her will to keep going on with life, taking the hits and getting back up each time, again, and again, and again…she wished more people could be like her…herself included|

N:You pick your mind about how I'd fare without you, right? Well *She clicked her tongue as her eyes shot upwards for an instant, clearly debating something in her head*…It will be tougher keeping up with the rent and the taxes, I won't lie to you. But you know me, I'm street-wise! There are lots of ways to go around earning cash, and after spending so many years on what I can now proudly call my stomping grounds, I am not afraid to dip my toes in a little…I'll manage alone – better yet, I think I'll manage so well with this…job, I guess, that I kind-of picked up that I think I'll finally be able to send some cash to dad after all the months we've been evading it! *She was grinning, but it suddenly dropped, as she averted her eyes to the floor and she rubbed her neck awkwardly. One side of her mouth quirked a bit and she clicked her tongue again before speaking*…Oh, yeah, figures I can use this as a mean to tell you it's probably high-time you pay him call, you know…

A:*She groaned and tossed her head back* Uh, do I have to? I've been calling him forever; can't you call him for once?

N*Still looking fucking awkward*:I…No, not really…I don't think I can speak to him yet…

A:But…It's been years, Norah…don't think it's time to…move on?

N:It's…not so simple, Aurie…I don't expect you'll understand…*She shook her head to clear her thoughts* Yeah, bad topic to bring up…can we skip along? Won't pester you about it again…

|Aurora sighed in defeat, sympathetic but not quite understanding of the feelings her sister harbored towards their father. Yeah, he was a dick in all sense of the word; he abandoned his kids in the worst possible time…but he was their father nonetheless, and Aurora still had some good memories of him…Norah was a different case. She…the redhead didn't want to think that she loathed him, so instead she figured her feelings leant towards…disappointment? She had tried to crack into the case a few times, but Norah was very tight-lipped about it, so she ultimately dropped it. This time would be no different|

A:Alright, see if I manage to sneak in a call in after we finish our movie…shall we?

N:I suppose we could…but…

|Her sister stopped dead mid-sentence, and her gaze was once again somewhere far away. But her eyes didn't show no regret, neither pain…there was another things shining dimly now. There was…a realization? The white-haired girl broke into a mischievous grin that Aurora knew rather well then. It meant trouble|

N:…But what if we do something a little more adventurous tonight?

A:Oh no, no, no…I'm not going out to hang around with those junkies you call friends again! One of them almost MUGGED me the last time I tagged along with you…besides, I'm not really in the mood to trash over another dumpster into oblivion – and don't give me an outrageous look, because you know very well that your bunch seems to be obsessed with filth and shit like that…*Her face contorted in disgust* Ugh, can't wash that damned smell away from my clothes, how do you expect me to wash it from my mind…?

N:Oh pish-posh, the lads are not that bad, they are just a tiny bit…uh…deranged? …No, that's a rather strong word …how about demented…? …Oh you know what let's drop it – that's not what I had in mind, sister dearie…

A:Oh…then…what, did you have in mind?

|Her grin developed into a full-blown smile of pure wrongness, and that face, Aurora also knew, and it meant really awful trouble|

N:Remember I just told you I've picked up a job recently? …what do you say…if we see it through together? Tonight?

A:Just for shits and giggles or… –?

|She flailed her arms around to gesticulate her question. Her sister sighed, and rolled her eyes as she answered in an exasperated tone|

N:–Yes, the guy who called for it did offer cash as payment…*She breathed out her words in a sultry tone* and quite a hefty sum too for a task this easy…

|Aurora was fast to assume her stand, which was really the one your average law-abiding Joe would take when a shady individual approached them with a shady deal. She folded her arms and cocked her head backwards a bit, squinting her eyes to show her distrust. Norah couldn't be in a worse spot now, her sister was so boring. She groaned; Aurora spoke in an ironic tone|

A:…A task this easy, huh…Is this 'job' of yours illegal, by any chance? 'Cause let's not forget…you don't have to best of relationships with the boys down under at the cop shop…

N:It's…*She gave out an exasperated groan. Her sister was impossible* Okay, it's kind of illegal, but it's not like we'd be stealing some shit or anything worse!…Job says we need to get inside this building and check if they have a certain info on a certain character. No stealing involved, I swear!

A:Norah for the love of – 'getting inside some building without permission to do so' is called breaking in, and yes, it's very much illegal, so thanks for the offer but–

N:–The payment is enough to pay the full price of any flight-ticket you can think of…and some more too…

|That…made Aurora's brain short-circuit for a moment…enough to actually think it over. Really think it over. Perhaps the offer wasn't as bad as it looked; perhaps nothing was as bad as it looked. Perhaps it'd be…worth it? If this went right, it'd be the start of a life-changing experience for her. She'd call in with Tristis to tell him she had the money, she'd fly over to New York, she'd have her interview…she could get accepted, and she could live her dream of researching and experimenting for the benefit of human kind…or she could call this off, struggle with the ticket…risk to lose the flight…and the interview. Her dreams would go down the drain or morph into benzene, as she'd probably work at the factory for the rest of her life...and then, at the bottom of her misery, she'd die of a stroke while eating her breakfast…She blinked idly for a moment. She was overthinking things again. But most of it could be right. She could witness her ambitions go up in flames right before her eyes…or she could latch onto them and never let go. Two presences clashed and bickered over this inside her head, rationalizing, presenting arguments, shouting…but some distance away from them was the comfortable sight of her intuition, and she could see it smiling, as if it already knew what her decision would be…Aurora decided to go by her intuition then, to make the single most difficult decision she'd have to take in her whole life|

A:Norah, I–…Alright, I'll bite, tell me more about this 'illustrious' job of yours before I change my mind…

|Her decision was made, and there was no turning back now. Norah gave her a smack on her back so hard she even coughed|

N:Atta girl, that's what I wanted to hear! So, here's the deal, sparky…Last weekend, guess it was Saturday, I dunno, I was kind of drunk back then, though I didn't skip any details of what he had to say…Or maybe I was high? No, I was definitely not hi–

A:NORAH, FOCUS.

N:Right! Right, so…I was hanging out with *She put up her fingers to make air quotes* "those junkies I call my friends" on some back-alley at night, you know, drinking and smoking and all that jazz, when this old dude strolls up to us and says – and get this: "Is any of you, youthful members of our society, interested in earning some money for completing a rather pestering job?" with a pace so slow that I thought I'd die of age before he finished his damn sentence. Now, you've seen a couple of times what happens when you cross a heavily inebriated gang in an alleyway in the dark of the night, but this dude – man this fucker had BALLS! He was smiling the whole time super chill, and he had this "resting serial killer" face going on – like, like if he knew we wouldn't lay a finger on him…and well, he surprised us with his confidence…and he won us with the unnerving creepiness, so we bit in and we asked him what the deal was about.

A:Sounds…believable, I guess?…and then what?

N:*She sighed* Well the other meat-heads "kindly" told him to go away, 'cause – between you and me here – those idiots don't care 'bout no thing except for their own asses…but he got me hooked on the deal, so I followed his rickety old self for a while…or I least I thought I did, until I discovered I was following someone else, and that he had vanished…

A:Ooh, this is getting intriguing, tell me more! …did you find him in the end?

|Norah grinned playfully at her|

N:…Better…he found me...

|And as the girl continued to tell her sister of the encounter, the memory resurged to her head crystal clear as water, in the shape of a vintage-styled, black-and-white flashback…|


|Norah didn't even know why she still bothered to go out at night, at all. It was cold, and windy, and it was cold, and she was a teeny-weeny bit drunk, and she had to work tomorrow, and god dammit it was cold. The buzz of the alcohol was fading away now, and she could feel herself growing more tired by the moment at such an ungodly hour of the night. She made a futile attempt to write a post-it note in her brain to remind herself how bad of an idea it was to get sloshed every single night, but her subconscious knew her better, enough to know it wouldn't even work, as she was too uncoordinated to write anything, or to remember about it the next morning, for that matter. She dropped down on the curb with a sigh, and she threw her head back to clear her thoughts a bit, letting the cold breeze sweep through her. It seemed to help a bit, and she could feel the world spinning a little bit less erratically around her. Mind you, Norah was no stranger to the drink; she was so acquainted with it, in fact, that she was often dubbed the "Chug-Queen" thanks to her high tolerance. That night one of her goons had challenged her for the title, and well, she simply had to put him in his place. Naturally, she won, but now she was sloshed like she hadn't been in a long time, and it was not cool. Besides, she was almost certain she wouldn't find the guy. Worse; she was starting to think he was never real at all, that he was just a ghost who appeared to torment them. To torment her. And she didn't even think it might have been a deviation of her drunken mind. She was ready to call it quits and to head back to the alleyway (A Queen needed to keep her subjects in check!) when the unmistakable echo of footsteps was caught by her ears. The street was deserted, as it was the middle of the night. But she wouldn't bother with some random passerby. She had shit way more important to think about–|

?:Hello there, young lass! I believe you've been looking for me!

|Norah didn't jump. She didn't try to hit him either…It was all just a perfectly natural, organic and automatic reaction to have when someone spooked the fucking fuck out of you at god-knows-what-hour-of-the-night. She was sure her fist would connect with something soft, like a face or a gut. She wasn't aiming all that well. But it met with the nothingness of air instead, as her wrist was suddenly yanked and twisted in a wristlock that didn't manage to be painful yet, but that it was getting there|

?:Now, that's no way to "greet" to an old man, dear…How about I let you go and we start over in a fresh sheet, yes?

|Norah nodded vigorously and her arm was free instantly. She got up and looked at her attacker viciously, only to find – surprise, surprise – none other than the old man staring back at her. Her jaw didn't drop, because she had a reputation to uphold, but it was an instant away from doing so|

N:I-I…Damn, you're strong! How old are you anyways?

?:*He chuckled humorously* Why, thank you for the compliment, but my age is besides the point. I am a busy man, and I'm sure you're a busy woman as well, so I wouldn't doubt for a second that you carry enough information in your head to only make it a burden if I told you about myself; may we introduce ourselves in a civilized manner?

|He extended her a hand, a Norah took it while she composed herself a bit, to adapt her expression for a more confident one, to even out the power balance between the two. He was strong, and most certainly agile, but she was cunning, and reckless enough to act bold in his presence. Thank some whatever god that her buzz was not entirely gone. Liquid courage did her wonders|

N:Very well, sir. The name's Nox from my part…with whom do I have the pleasure? And no cryptic anagrams, please…*She gave him a playful side-smile* sorry, but you look like the type…

|He let out a hearty laugh that carried on far into the quiet night. Norah supposed that if he didn't care about secrecy at all, that she could relax a little with him, and act a tad more casually. She wouldn't, but she could|

?:I suppose I have to concede a sort of personal information to ensure a respectable level of trust between us …you can call me Mr. B. for the time being, dear. Is that alright with you?

|It was a fucking anagram or something like that – she would bet her ass on it. But she decided to roll with it for the sake of them both|

N:Absolutely! Now, Mr. B. …I do think it's my call to tell you the meaning of my actions, and I believe you'll be thoroughly pleased to find that no, I wasn't following you to mug you or anything…though after having a taste of you old-Fu I don't think I'd have had any chance of scoring a hit with on you…

Mr. B.:I…I suppose the right and polite thing to say would be along the lines of "Oh darling, I'm sure you'd have managed on your own…", but the sad reality would unfold as you say it…do continue, please…

N:Very well. Mr. B., I've been following you – trying to follow you, this night, to approach you about the job you spoke of in the alleyway…I must say I am thoroughly interested in it, so would you mind discussing it a bit more with me?

|And he smiled again with so much confidence that Norah instantly knew she wouldn't win the power struggle ever, but she still felt a little vindicated for trying anyways. So she let go of her manners and decided to be herself at the fullest|

Mr. B.:Those are wondrous news to hear, Miss Nox! Very well, let's open up the negotiations…

N:Couldn't have said it better myself, oldie…let's parlay!


|…The mist in her eye blended back to reality as she came to the end of her anecdote, and she found her redheaded sister listening closely to her words, and looking at her with eager eyes. She wanted to know more, and she couldn't blame her, she knew the real meaning of struggling for cash, of surrendering your dreams, and she was sure that if an opportunity like this would have presented itself to her when she most needed it…well, her life would be very different now…perhaps she could have pursued her Doctorate in Musical Arts instead of working endlessly to pay the rent…but Norah shook her head to cast away her own open wounds, for this was not her time to take the spotlight…and she was not doing this for herself. This was the time for Aurora, and her sister was content with pushing her towards the spotlight she deserved. And besides, this story is almost entirely written in Aurora's POV, so no Norah's side story…for now|

N:…And well, that's more or so the whole shebang. We talked about the job for a while and then we went off, myself stumbling and tumbling my way here…He was a charming fellow, that I can tell you, said we were to *She put up her fingers in air quotes, again* "reconvene" – Gosh, his fucking manners – somewhere near the airport up waaay off to the west when, and not if, I finished the job. Said he had a small-time camp-site going on there or something…

A:Wow…that's like…not the weirdest thing I've heard coming from you…but it's definitely one of the…boldest…are you sure we can trust this guy? You know, "Small-time camp on the outskirts of the city, set up in what is probably a clearing forsaken by mankind" doesn't scream 'trustworthy'…I still have my doubts about this, but I'm calling it off right away if we're dealing with terrorists or some extremist group…

N:Oh, Aurie! Relax, geez! Yes, of course I don't trust the rag! Not a bit more than you…but he definitely didn't look like a terrorist or an extremist…believe me when I tell you, people usually look a little more unkempt if they hang around those cliques…I'm speaking from personal experience here…ugh, never hook up with someone who rambles on about some whatever god when he's driving the beef bus to tuna town…

|Aurora bursted out laughing. She laughed so hard that the neighbor was forced to bang on their wall to ask for a bit of peace. He couldn't enjoy Na Wspólnej in these conditions!|

A:O-Okay Norah! Pfff…you still got the touch to make me laugh…that was the single most silly thing I've heard you say, and it's not a stretch…good fucking lord…

N:Well, I'm glad you still fancy my humor, but can we get back on track for a second? Gee, that was some random pun I threw out there and you just rolled through the floor with it! Focus, Aurora, come on…

A:Alright, alright…*She let out a couple of deep breaths to compose herself* so, I'm glad to know we're on the same page with this guy, but I'm still not sure…maybe if you drop the secrecy and you tell me what in all the rings of hell we are going to be searching for and where? Maybe that will give me a small confidence boost…don't you think?

N:You…did you really waste all those fancy words to tell me to spill? Really?

A:Desperate times call for desperate measures, dear sister…and yes, now spill before I grow a conscience and I bail out of this ridiculousness.

N:Oh I will, be sure about that…but there is a small problem we need to address first…and I have a feeling you won't like it a single bit…

|Aurora raised her left eyebrow in question, but her brain didn't catch up to the subtlety of her sister's words. Norah rolled her eyes as she got up and walked slowly towards the door, careful to not make a sound, as she didn't…she didn't want someone, or someones to hear her approaching. And yet, Aurora still didn't catch up to her subtlety|

A:Norah…what the fuck are you doing all the way over there?

|And her sister smiled as she reached their entrance and she heard a slight rustle outside|

N:Oh, you know…I'm addressing the small problem I told you about. With you, and…

|In a single motion she opened the door, and standing there in the corridor was a group of people they both knew very well, looking surprised and a little bit scared|

N:…Gentlemen and gentlewomen…care to step inside?

Ó:…I suppose there's not much else we could do at this point…Alright people, we're going in!

|Aurora heard grumbling from behind the gigantic man, and before long the house of the sisters was crowded by her very best friends, who looked thoroughly embarrassed at being caught. But Norah was oblivious to that|

N:So, Aurie…shall we address the problem…?

|And they would, but first we should talk about the late-afternoon of the eavesdroppers…|


P:…I absolutely refuse to believe it took you two goods-for-nothing that long to get through your story…The stupid Sun's going down already!

F:Well, it was a long story, I don't know what you expected…

|And Piscea screamed something nasty at him, and everyone else shared an exasperated look as they prayed to some bored god for them two to get a room already. The sexual tension between them was palpable, so it could only be a matter of time before one or the other made their move…but until then, everyone had to suffer through their bickering. And that clown-fiesta was, in fact, getting kind of annoying to bear|

Robert:Pissy, for the love of everything sacred in this life and the next one, I IMPLORE you! Cease your wailing, please! Besides, you're going to make him faint at this rate!

|The "lady" looked at her victim and – yeah, okay, she might have stepped overboard a little this time with Finn. A heavy sigh broke free through her lips as she put down the arm she was flailing about, and the closed fist that came with it as well. The bearded man relaxed so much he felt like he was floating. "Hot-dang that was so sexy…" His brain betrayed, and his everything else agreed with it despite the fact that she scared the living crap out of him. One day, he'd build up the courage to face her, but as of then…|

F:T-Thank you for easing her a little Rob…an-and Pissy…hey, sorry for, uh, for…whatever I did that got you riled up…

|Piscea's mind knew the course-of-action for when someone spoke to her like that. She'd smile, she'd get close, she'd attack with blinding speed. But she didn't do any of those things, because even though her mind knew all of that, her body refused to answer its command when his eyes looked "so fucking pretty" when he apologized to her. Something a little bit under her belly told her it'd be a bad idea to ruin such a pleasing face, and some inner voice on her mind protested loudly at her lollygagging; she should be strapping him against the floor of some room at this point, but a little bloody bug in her gut was restraining her from jumping at him. One day, she'd build up the courage to face him, but as of then…|

P:Uh – 'twas nothing you twat…let's keep going 'fore I grow bored of my fucking idea…

|The bridge was, all-in-all, quite deserted of a runaway redhead and her sisterly chaser when their friends finally reached across it to Old Praga. Piscea – who was, as she said, the one who came up with the idea to go look for their friend – groaned out in annoyance|

P:Dude how fast did she fucking run to reach her house?! And where is her house in the first place?!

Ó:Couple of blocks away, really. And I'm mostly sure she didn't run, as I know we took our time with their story, as Finn said…

F:D-don't get me involved in this! I don't want her to unleash her wrath upon me again…

|Piscea decided – for the good of everyone – that she would make as if she didn't hear a thing from him|

P:I know we took our sweet time, but come on! We skipped through the blocks in record time; we should have at least caught up to Norah!

Robert:Well, we have not, as you can see – so I suggest you forge on forwards with us…*He leveled his tone to a whisper*in silence, if possible…

P*Pretending she didn't hear the last bit, again*:I am using my two meaty legs, you dimwit! Though I would LOVE to know where the fuck we're going, really. I mean, I know they live around here, this side of the river, but where, exactly? Gimme a street, and address, something, dude! This "hunt for Waldo" shit is getting on my nerves as not many things can…

Ó:Well, I'd tell you their address…but I've been instructed not to do so...

|Piscea stopped dead in her tracks and look at the towering man with incredulous eyes. If an observer would pay close attention, they'd see the bubbling sea of rage within her slowly making its ascent|

P:…What. The. Fuck. Óengus…

R*In a tiny voice and looking down, and ashamed*:…I have been advised to withhold that data as well…

|Rubella had intended for Óengus solely to hear her words, but the wind felt quite mischievous that afternoon, for it carried the words across itself towards the open ears of the pink haired girl. And she got hella mad|

P*Screaming, as she turned to Rubella*:WHY WOULD SOMEONE EVEN TELL YOU TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT?!

|The lady of auburn hair winced ever so slightly, and searched apologetically for something on the eyes of the black man. He sighed and shook his head, rather exasperated. But he was not alone on his exasperation, as everyone else cringed at the sudden outburst of the clueless girl. 'Clueless about what?' you might ask, and to that I'll answer by saying that everybody else was able put two and two together, as it wasn't that hard to figure out who issued such an order, or the meaning behind it…but she was DENSE, like no-one else in the planet…|

Robert:Pissy, dearie…*He sighed and rubbed his neck, eyeing his other friends awkwardly. He was answered with equally awkward looks*…Hey, I don't know how much attention you pay to Aurie, but…you should know the answer to your question. Both answers…

P:Yeah, I know it was her who told these two effers to keep their traps shut, but why? What's the deal with their house? And this isn't the first time we've been through some shenanigans surrounding the topic! They never talk about it, why?

|It was at this point when her dense-o-meter exploded, and when Óengus could take her stupidity no more. So for the first time in a long while, he raised his voice to speak|

Ó*Whit his voice raised, but just a tiny bit*:COULDN'T IT BE BECAUSE SHE'S ASHAMED OF WHERE SHE LIVES?! BECAUSE IT'S IN A CRAPPY SIDE OF TOWN?! BECAUSE IT FEELS LIKE GARBAGE TO HER?!

|Rubella put a hand to his shoulder then, and he set his eyes on her, brimming with anger. But her calm expression soothed him, and so he closed his eyes and sighed, mouthing a fast "I'm sorry" to her friend before looking back at Piscea with a venomous glare|

Ó:…Piscea Drust,I didn't even know someone could be so oblivious to something…until now…

|The breeze itself seemed to freeze at his words. Everyone was suddenly rooted in their places, looking at their friend with big eyes and raised brows. Silence made its home between them for a moment, until the girl of pink hair spoke with a soft voice|

P:I…I didn't know that…*She paused for a moment and swallowed a couple of times before answering, in a dry voice*…I'm sorry…

|And she didn't waste another second as she turned around and she urged her legs to take her forwards, wherever that meant. The others followed shortly after, albeit at a respectable distance from Piscea, as her posture alone showed just how much the words of her friend had affected her, and that she needed a moment of solitude to reflect upon herself. They sped across a few more blocks before Óengus signaled them to take a turn, and they cut into a god-forsaken road of cracked pavement worn off by thousands of cars, that marked the beginning of a rather shady part of town: Szmulki. And that title was real business: Weeds outgrowing in the sidewalks, streets quiet like the dead of the night, passersby swift as the wind with weary eyes of a cat…they were not on the downtown, but luckily for them they had a guide. Or rather two. Robert, ever the upbeat one, decided then to intercede with some conversation to defuse the small tension that lingered between them|

Robert:*He cleared his throat to get some attention* H-hey, anyway, so…hey, has any of you heard anything new about The Stanley Parable? It's been down for some months now, and the Narrator's Company is refusing to issue any sort of statement whatsoever…

F:Nein, Rob, there hasn't been anything new for a while as you say it…and trust me on this one, you know I'm a big fan of the game…

Robert:Ah, blimey…I was looking forward to the update…

|The conversation piqued Rubella's interest, and so she decided to partake in it|

R:Have I hearkened correctly? An afresh update for The Stanley Parable?

Robert:*He nodded* As you hear it – our dearest friend Finn here told me about it…do you wish to explain it to her?

F:Jawohl. See, I was browsing the internet that afternoon when ein freund back in Hamburg told me they had updated their site, so I naturally rushed to check what the fuss was about, and indeed, someone had made a new post on their newspage. It went on about some changes on upper management for a couple of lengthy paragraphs until it got to the good part, where they stated that a new adventure would be added to the game the following day. Notice how ich sagte "Adventure", and not "Ending". Shit was being flipped on every social media, shorty after…ach! *He tossed his arms over his head in frustration*The servers went down precisely the next day, and nothing new has come out of it…

Robert:Nothing new, indeed…you know, what irks me the most is how they skip over questions about it on their interviews, almost as if it were a secre–

Ó:–We are here already…

|They really couldn't recall how many turns they took to get there, but it must have been a lot, for the sun was nowhere in the sky already, and the sole light around was that of the dusty, flickering streetlights above them, which bathed the streets in a dull yellow mood. The edifice which served as the house of the sisters was in their eyes the definition of decadence, and its sight made them understand the resentment the girls had for the place. It was a bitter realization that weighted in their guts, and they felt a sympathetic pity for their friends. Piscea had stopped a bit ahead of them, still postured to show her reflective state. Óengus took a few steps towards her and he set his hand gently on her shoulder. She turned to face him, and her reddened eyes told him she had been crying. He didn't comment on it|

Ó:Pissy, hey…I'm sorry about what I said, okay? I was too harsh, unjustly so…it's just…you, and the boys…don't know the girls like I do, like Rub does…*He paused for a moment to search for words* it got really bad back there at the Lowest, serious type of bad…for all we know, either of the girls could be packing their bags to move out as we speak – they might have done it already…so yeah, I'm a bit jumpy because I know how both of them could react, but you don't deserve to bear the blunt of it…so I guess owe you an apology…

|She could see her inner self sharpening her claws already; tensing her body to pounce. But a tiny voice in the back of her head persuaded her otherwise, miraculously. It was her conscience most likely, which found itself in a moment of clarity the will to call out to her, to tell her it was not the right time to be herself…and so…|

P:…I understand, big man…and I take your apology…

|She gave him a reassuring smile that she kind of pulled out of her ass. Because I don't even know where she got the willpower to must one. Regardless of my antics, it did the job on Óengus, and soon he was smiling as well|

Ó:*Giving her shoulder a light patting* Atta girl…are you ready to go in? Again, I'm worried about the girls, and how they might be treating each other in there…

|This was the exact moment when her conscience decided to be quiet, as indeed, now it was the right time to open the floodgates, to let Piscea become Piscea again, and as she gave the wildest grin ever produced by humankind, the tiny sparks of her inner flames went nuclear, and boom goes the dynamite, I give to you Piscea Drust, reborn in her full glory like the most savages of phoenix birds|

P:…Hell fucking yeah, I'm ready…let's do this!

|Everyone agreed with her, and so they stepped into the building. Now, that should have been impossible, right? Apartment buildings often have a door barred with a lock, right? Yes, and yes. But this building was shit, so it merely took Óengus a slightly hard tug to get the rotten wood to give in. The sound of the creaky hinges would forever-on remain in their heads. One by one they stepped into the claustrophobic corridor walked by their friends just a few minutes prior. A few long minutes prior, but minutes nonetheless. Óengus led the procession as he seemed to know his way within the concrete maze, so no-one decided to question his leadership, not even Piscea, who walked stiffly besides Robert and Finn with her jaw tight and her brows furrowed. Robert rarely questioned the mental maturity of his friend nowadays, for he had a long-spanning list of "Things to Question Himself About Piscea" with each addition ranking higher in priority, but sometimes – just sometimes – he lost track of his thoughts and he wandered once again if she was nothing more than a toddler trapped in the husk of an adult. And as every time his mind drifted towards a resolution, he found himself before a mental wall, stopped in his tracks, literally unable to even. Rest assured, he sighed, because all of my characters sigh when someone is being haphazardly dense. Let's get back to the story. Their remarkable leader guided them to the first floor of the tenement, where they halted their advance before the first door of the long row littering the wall. Distinct from every other entrance, a "Welcome!" mat preceded the wooden construction, which itself was carved from a dark wood, uneven from its peers of unvarnished, rotten exterior. A shining ornament had been nailed into it a few inches above eye-level, reading "A&N" in bronzed capital letters. It didn't take a super-sleuth to deduce it was connected to their friends|

Robert:Well fellow, I must say I'm thoroughly impressed by yo–

|He was abruptly silenced by the gargantuan hand of Óengus, who used his other remaining 'meat hunk' to bring a finger to his lips, calling for silence|

Ó*Whispering*:Shhh, be quiet…I think I can hear both of them in there…I think they are discussing som–

A:…–WHY AREN'T YOU GETTING MAD AT ME?!

|That was Aurora alright. That was Aurora finally giving in to her anxiety alright. That was Aurora who-then-proceeded-to-discuss-something-important-with-Norah-only-Óengus-managed-to-hear-because-he-was-amazing, alright. The left brow of Mr. Tall, Dark and Handsome began to rise steadily as the conversation progressed, followed by several brows of his friends who didn't quite manage to eavesdrop the argument. Except for Finn, who couldn't lift just one eyebrow, the poor thing|

F*Whispering*:…What are they saying…?

Robert*Whispering*:I do not know, for I cannot distinguish clear words…

Ó*Whispering*:They're talking about – well, I think Aurora has fucked up and now Norah s trying to lift her spirits…

P*Whispering (trying to whisper)*:Is it about the factory thing? They're still going on over that?!

Ó*Whispering*:N-No, I don't think so…this is something else, something more personal…*He paused to listen a bit more* now they are talking about calling their father, that's not a good topic for neither of them…

F*Whispering*:Yes, you told uns the story already. What else are they saying?

Ó*Whispering*:…Now…now they are…

|Óengus frowned, which could only mean something nasty was going on inside their residence. Rubella pondered briefly it had something to do with New York…yeah, it probably had a lot to do with New York…|

Ó*Whispering*:…Now they are talking about some odd job Norah scavenged a few nights ago…she's telling a story about some old guy and their encounter…and – hold on I think she's coming he–

|But he couldn't finish, because the door suddenly opened up in his face and he was met with the coy eyes and the mischievous smile of Norah, and all that managed to come out of his mind were the simplest of words any human being knew in times of extreme fuck-uppery: "Well, fuck…"|


|Aurora Gen-Capilli was at such a point in her life that if someone came to her and claimed that she had been nothing more than a character in a cheap soap opera all along – she might have actually believed it. She had to admit it; all in all, time and time again, fate proved itself that it could fuck her over ceaselessly and repeatedly, like that old movie of some kids and unfortunate events. Maybe some bored gods enjoyed watching her struggle every Saturday night, sipping on some gin-tonic with their illustrious bottoms firmly planted on their astral lounge-chairs. She imagined them all hurdled together on some godly pent-house now, enjoying their mutual company and what must surely be an hour-long special of "The Misadventures of Aurora Gen-Capilli", because that was the best description she could give regarding her day. There was drama! Action! Hell, there was passion too, for all she cared! (She didn't even care)…these were the thoughts that filled her mind when her friends stepped into her apartment one by one, looking deeply ashamed of themselves for doing something as ridiculous as eavesdropping on Norah and herself arguing and planning. In all honesty, and following her theory of the life-long soap opera – this particular scene was nothing compared to the biggest set-pieces she had been in…boy, she would have paid some good cash to see the faces of the bored gods when she had to tell her grieving daddy to not abandon his children by themselves in the middle of the night. In the rain. When she was like ten. How she would have loved to taster their tears|

N:So, Aurie…shall we address the problem…?

|Oh, look, her sister was talking. She nodded absentmindedly just to keep the conversation flowing. Maybe with enough chit-chat her evens would come back to her|

N:Grrreat! So – I know you've been out there for quite some time, but I do not know how much you picked up of what we said to each other…

|The white-haired woman looked like she was about to say something more when a sudden realization crossed her brain, and her eyes betrayed an expression of concern|

N:ho-hold on a second…how did you…? But how di– …please tell me the front door of the building is still functional…

|The face of Óengus said it all, apparently. Norah brought her hands up to her face and cursed in six different tongues – one of them being Polish, which she totally didn't speak already even though she lived in Poland. Weird thing, you know? Ever since that-one-guy became president in 20XX, Polish had been vastly outnumbered in its quantity of speakers by English. God bless 'murica, and all that. Anyway, let's move along and stop making these Fourth-Wall-breaking interjections. Enjoy the story. Ehem, Norah looked back at Óengus with tired eyes|

N:Duuuude, why! That was the nice door, with capital 'THE'! We go through doors faster than moss spreading on a damp attic thanks to the shitty-ass rain-guttering grids whoever-the-fuck-made-this-building slapped into place a couple of decades ago! *She sighed and remained silent for a good minute before opening her mouth again*…Whatever dude, let's move along…Ah! So, how much did you all pick up from what we said to each other? Please tell me you heard something of importance, at least, I really don't want to go through this again…

Ó:…Well, I listened to a buncha' things; a little bit of your discussion, the odd job, the story with the old man…but just the outlines, though…these doors are remarkably sound-proof…

A*By the low*:…Oh, you don't even know…you could scream your lungs out in these rooms and maybe, if you're really lucky, the neighbor next door might hear you…

Ó:Did you say something Aurora–

A*Really fast, and loud*:NOTHINGISAIDNOTHING!

N:Yeah…*She looked at her sister and she winked at her, clearly showing that she heard her words*…People can get pretty freaky around here thanks to the soundproof doors and walls…I'd advice not listening into the other rooms…seriously…don't…BUT WHATEVER! You said you heard a bit about the job? Excellent! Now you really made my life easier by not having to explain it all aga–

Ó:Hey…I'm kind of…the only one who heard you…

N:…Well fuck – Alright kids, scoot over closer! Mamma Nox has one hell of a story to tell you…

A*By the low, again*:…Ugh, there you go again with that stupid pseudonym…

Ó:Okay, now I'm sure you said something…

N:Yeah, I'm gonna side with the Big Man on this one – *In a mocking tone, clearly showing that, again, she had taken ear to her comment* anything you want to share with us Burny-locks?

|Aurora pondered the options in her head; to feed the antics, or not to feed the antics? That is the question. I, your writer, pondered none, as the course of action is always – and it shall always be – clear to me. Oh crap, I broke the Fourth-Wall again…whoopsies! Forget I said anything, focus back on the story…|

A:…You know what? As a matter of fact, I did say something! Norah, why do you even bother with calling yourself by your "Name Generator" certified pseudonym? You know we won't ever bother, right?

|Norah's eyes shot open like plates, and her pale complexion acquired a threatening red coloring, as she began to flip the fuck out|

N:OH, YOU–!

|But her eyes diverted to Óengus for a moment, and that was enough to remind herself of the delicate spot she was still in. The white-haired vixen swallowed both literally and figuratively, and she breathed in and out to ease the overwhelming seething rage that was burning in her chest. It worked, she guessed|

N:…Youuuu – should stop trying embarrass me in front of your friends. You don't look cool doing it…and w-well…It's not like you need to call me 'Nox'…Big Man, Clown and you are clear but…*She turned to her sisters' friends to speak*…I – I would maybe like if you three could, you know…do it?

|Aurora and Óengus raised an eyebrow at the same time. This was…new? Neither of them remembered seeing her as fidgety about something as she was then. They shared a telegraphed look, silently asking each other, seeking advice, if it would be okay to tease her about it to no end…they decided against it, for the time being, but both of them stored the information in the long-time storage center of their brains for…further usage. They let the conversation unfold|

Robert:Well, ah…I suppose I could indulge your grace…it is not as if it changes anything for me…

P:Bah! Matters not how you call yourself ty pizdo! Nox, Norah, all the fucking same to me – you'll still be my friend's badass sister who can hold her own in a fight!

F:Um…Nox is a…scary name, ja… I guess it suits you…

|Norah smiled, and she seemed to unwind, if just a little bit|

N:Heh, thanks, kids…means a lot to me…

|Aurora looked at her sister again, knowing that she was just a slip away from opening up to her friends, from saying something just because it was needed for context. She also knew her sister didn't like to talk about herself one bit. So she decided to intervene|

A:–We all know it means a lot to you, but the day won't last much longer, dear sister…It's rounding up to Eight already, so I suggest you finish this up rather fast if you want us make any progress whatsoever…

|Norah spared her a look that lasted exactly one microsecond, which was enough to convey the absurd amount of 'thank you's' she now owed her. Aurora gave her a subtle and quick nod – "She better be glad that I know her so well…" was the thought in her mind when their past came briefly to haunt her after a good year without episodes. All of sudden she was young again, about to apply for her career in biochemistry, and she was walking down the street on a rainy day, with her hair tucked under a beanie and protected from the rain by a heavy trench coat: she was just another generic passerby. Vague and hurried as she was, she failed to notice the group of three individual clad in black clothes that were following her. She remembered taking a turn into an alleyway which might have sealed her fate if it weren't for her insane luck…The three figures had backed her into a dark corner, with wholehearted intentions to mug of them had approached her and they were a step away from being on top of her when they stopped, and she heard it, a faint and strangled "Aurora?" from a voice she could recognize anywhere. She had looked up to meet the eyes of the mugger, only to find the blue eyes of her sister staring back at her in horror. Norah had backed off then, one, two steps, before she tripped and fell over the pavement in a splash of dirty rain water…but she had kept on moving, putting distance between the two, as if the redhead was radioactive. Then she had heard it, one of her accomplices turned to her and he called her by that name, "Nox, hey, what the fuck do you think you are doing?!". Her sister hadn't stopped moving…until then. Dead in her tracks, she had turned to face the person who spoke, and she had uttered an answer of finality, "Leave, now. If you lay but a finger on her I swear I will hunt you and I will kill you…slowly…". That was when she fled, followed shortly after by the other two…she didn't come home that night, neither the next one, or the next. It was well past midnight on the fourth day when Aurora had heard the jingling of keys outside of her door. She had pried herself away from her pillowfort to meet her, still crying even though nothing could fall from eyes after four days of weeping. Her sister had been so, so sorry…Aurora shook her head to snap back to reality, tucking that horrible memory back into her closet, hoping that one day she will be able to face it…|

N:I…you're right, we should focus…So! Gather around me children, just a bit closer and get comfortable…for mama Nox has indeed a story to tell you…It goes like this…

|And 'indeed', Norah proceeded to tell her sisters' friends of her encounter with the mysterious old man, and the baselines of the odd job she had accepted, only to once again return to the moment before she had opened the door for them, point in which she decided to address the "problem". For real this time|

N:…And so, I opened the door for you, the end…now, you are up to par with us two, so I suppose it is time to lay it on thick…this job I accepted and my dumb sister is a step away from welcoming is *She paused for a moment, clearly looking for the right words*…not as easy as I panned it to be…

|She gave her sister a side-glance, and she nodded to her in response. She figured as much – she may continue|

N:…indeed not as easy…and there is a reason for the vagueness of the description I gave about it…I gave Aurie, about it…You all weren't here to hear it the first time…

F:And…why is it important that we hear about it…?

|The realization struck Aurora before anybody else. Her eyes went big as she locked her gaze with her sister and she shook her head subtly but vehemently. She did not like where this was going, no siree. Her sister couldn't possibly be think tha–|

N*Smirking in spite of her sister's response*: –Well, you silly…isn't it obvious enough? I needed you to be here, to be listening to my words…because we will need you help to see this through; teammates!

|Silence befell on the apartment…until Aurora lost it in an astronomically gargantuan fit of…annoyance|

A:Okay, we are NOT involving my friends in this RIDICULOUS plan you've managed to coax me into! This is between you and me Norah! Don't go thinking for a second that you–

Ó: –Yeah, alright, let's hear the rest of it; I'm kind of curious now…

|Aurora did not have any evens as of that moment, so she decided to get a loan of evens from the 'even-bank', only to lose them again|

A:…WHAT?! WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK ÓENGUS?!

Ó:…What? We like where this is going! Also, we'd like to help.

A:Wh-Wha – But, how…You don't even know why I'm accepting to do it ! YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT WE ARE DOING – I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT WE ARE REALLY DOING! HOW CAN YOU SAY THAT YOU'D LIKE TO HELP!

|There was yet another moment of silence, where all her friends looked at each other while they shared a knowing smile. Robert was the first to talk, stepping up a bit and placing his hand on the redhead's shoulder|

Robert:Aurie, dear…we've been through this already today…we're your friends, love…we will always have your back, no matter what…Indeed, this mysterious job does sound rather queer and ominous…but if you're going to attempt it, and if it calls for our help…do not overthink it for a moment that we'll be right there with you, up until the bitter end or the sweet success…

|One by one, each of her friends took a step to close in on her, each pressing their hand to her shoulders, smiling warmly|

P*As she pressed her hand to her shoulder*:...word, you stuck-up snob...I'll follow you to the pits of hell n'back girl…

R*As she pressed her hand to her shoulder*:You will consistently have my advocation, Aurora…

Ó*As he pressed his hand to her shoulder*:…Do I need to say it out loud…? Also, Rubella, that word does not fit in this context…

|Only Finn remained out of hands reach, but it took merely one side-glace of Piscea to make him comply, as he stepped closer to his friends|

F*As he pressed his hand to her shoulder*: ja, ja…du wirst meine unterstützung haben, mein guter freund…

N*As she stepped up and put her own hand on her sister's shoulder*:…I have no idea what he just said, but face it Aurie, we're all here to help you…

|And…much like hours prior, she didn't want to cry…but there was no amount of willpower in her that could hold her walls from the emotional tide that washed over her. She didn't welcome the tears, but they flowed free careless of the impression they made, and Aurora had to admit…deep down, it felt good to cry out of happiness for once. Norah decided to go the extra mile then, as she stepped forth to embrace her sister in a borderline chocking-hazard of a hug. The redhead's response to bawl helplessly straight into the welcoming shoulder pressed against her face was completely automatic|

N*Rubbing her sister's back tenderly*:There, there, better to let it all out, Burny-locks…though you might want to consider drinking some Gatorade or something to replace all those gallons of fluids you've lost already…

|Aurora shuddered softly with a giggle and she held onto her sister just a bit tighter. And then she felt it, all of sudden – the realization she had all but accepted finally made itself clear to her. So what if her life wasn't a bright as it could be? So what if her biological family was as broken as the portrait of her father that rested in her bedstand? So what? None of those things mattered…now that she found herself the one true family she belonged to. Her sister, her friends…they were the one who had always been there for her, who had had her back through thick and thin, who had been there to pick her up when she fell and who brought the rays of sunshine to her days. And as I said, Aurora had accepted this in all but the title, and seeing now the big picture didn't hit quite as hard. It only made her smile|

A:S-sheesh, you guys…I don't even know how many times I've cried today…and to think I started in this trainwreck by telling myself I wouldn't…*She chuckled softly at her own silliness (and the rest followed sort to avoid the cringe that would follow)*…I don't know how to thank you for…for-for being there. I guess all of this will have to do…

Ó:Well Aurora…we should be the ones thanking you, ourselves…for granting us the priceless gift of your friendship…thank you so much for every great moment we've spent together…thank you…

|Annnnd the sappiness of the situation was about to hit critical mass, so it was on that moment that Norah decided she had had enough of the excessive sugary fluff-fest|

N:Oookay, we could just sit around here in the apartment all night crying and hugging and being as sappy as a romcom, OR – we could do something productive like, say, going along with the blasted job I was just about ready to reveal to you…? Please, I've been in one-too-many feel-parades today, cut me some slack…

|That…was a rather compelling argument the white-haired vixen presented, and it easily swayed the minds of the presents to get their serious on. However, Aurora had one last card to play before; one gigantic skeleton to get out of her closet, and a weird instinct in her underbelly told her she wouldn't find a better moment to let all out. So she did|

A:W-Wait! *Everyone turned their attention to her*…before…before we jump to anything, I – I want to come clean, guys…on this, and I mean 'this' *She threw open her arms and spun around, encompassing the whole room to show that she meant "this day" with her actions*…

R*Smiling a knowing smile and nodding*:Go ahead, dame, you can do this…

|Norah didn't say anything but the expression on her face was more than enough to show her true colors. Aurora tossed her weight between her feet a bunch as she tried to weave together a sensible way to speak her mind…until she ultimately remembered she was Aurora Gen-Capilli, master of all things insensible, and she told to herself "Fuck it", as she opened her mouth to say it, once and for all|

A:There's some…stuff that's been going on in my life, that I've been…hiding's not the word…that I've been keeping you guys out of…well, at least most of you…I don't know why, in all honesty. Maybe because I was – am – scared of how you might react…but you deserve to know…*She breathed in and out for a moment*I – I'm going to leave for New York – or at least, that was the plan, until 'today' happened…

|More silence crowded the room as the revelation began to sink into everyone's bones. Reactions were very different. Finn and Robert nodded sagely, Piscea threw her brows up and stared at her with incredulity, Norah and Rubella smiled with pride, and Óengus…he had a look in his eye that she couldn't fully figure. The one thing she could spell out was that it was not a look of happiness. And, well, it was more or less what she had expected…from all of them…Óengus was the first to talk|

Ó:I…see, but…what's the reasoning behind this…drastic decision?

|Aurora and Norah both winced slightly at his words, and at the accentuation of his displeasure, but the redhead was hella strong, and she had the hand of her sister strangling her own. She. Could. Do this|

A:Well, it's quite simple, really…I despise the work I do on the factory. I really do. I have a Master's Degree in Biochemistry, Óengus…I studied here for almost a full decade to earn it. And what am I doing with my life now? I swagger around a greasy, dirty and inflammable factory every. Single. Day…Looking for shit that doesn't follow regulations. I wanted to jump head-on into researching, Big Man; you must remember that…I've wanted to, ever since I was this big…

|She brought her palm close to her navel to show that she meant "Ever since I was a boogie-eating kiddo". Óengus nodded unwittingly, genuinely remembering those days of old when they had first moved to Warsaw, when they had first attended to a Chemistry class, and he too remembered the face of his friend, of pure awe and wonder. It had been the face of someone who had found the light of their world. And here she was, decades later, with her studies completed but with her dreams unfulfilled…The lumbering man began to understand, as the redhead kept on talking|

A:…Now, that's the whole backstory, but this New York thing starts around a couple of months ago or so, when Tristis – um, the factory owner an Rub's brother – found me crying my eyes out in a corner of the factory. It had been a bad day…a major case of depression had struck me, and well...I spilled the shit to him, told him I hated what I was doing, and he…I guess, he sort of connected with me…

|Rubella was the one who raised a curious eyebrow now, because that was information that had never reached her ears until then. Aurora looked at her friend with sympathetic eyes, and that only served to deepen her doubts. When the redhead spoke again, she did so looking at her|

A:I..I've never told this to anyone, not ever you, Rub…*She whispered a quiet "I'm sorry"*…but Tristis sat down to talk with me then, and he dropped his stern eyes, replacing them with ones full of sorrow. He told me, sincerely, that he never wanted to own the factory, that he never wanted to follow the family business…he has a Bachelor's Degree in Particle Physics for fuck's sake! He told me that he too wanted to research shit, maybe work on one of the particle accelerators they were building a couple decades ago in the world…he went on to blabber a tale of how he had applied once for a position on some high-end research facility in Argentina, the 'Balseiro' or something like that, and that he had been accepted! But…he told me that just as he was about a step away from leaving…your father, Rub, he came to him and they sat him down to talk about the family business…and well; he inherited the factory and all of that…

|A whimper echoed across the room, and everyone turned to its source, Rubella, who they found crying against the front wall of the apartment. Her make-up was all smeared down to her jawline, with her eye-liner cascading in black lines across her face, and with her white base make-up puddling in the floor before her. Her eyes were red, and she shuddered helplessly, as she held her trusted hat, which seldom left her head, against her chest, clutching onto it tightly, and looking at it|

R*Between helpless sobs*:H-He ne – *She sobbed* –never t-told me about…*She sobbed again*…about that…

|Aurora ran past her friends directly towards her, and met the poor woman in a tender hug. Rubella couldn't hold it any longer, and so she bawled out into the shoulder of the redhead, smearing everything in the vicinity of her face including it, beyond any salvation. One by one, her friends came near her and joined the hug, carefully wrapping themselves around the layer of flesh underneath them. They stayed like that for a few minutes, unmoving and sharing bodily heat, until Rubella finally whispered a lowly "I'm good, I'm good…", and everyone began to untangle themselves. When the brunette was free at last she flashed each and every one of the presents a warm smile before she darted straight to the bathroom, closing the door and turning on the faucet. She had a good half an hour of make-up cleaning before her. The group that stayed in the main room shifted towards the couch once again – that is to say, the middle of the room – where Aurora made herself at home at her own home and she stretched herself over her bed. Which was a meter away and it still counted as the "couch area". She continued|

A:…Well, after that I don't hear anything from him in the following week until he sits to my side one day and he says that he has managed to coin me an interview with some real-deal American company with a heavy focus on cutting-edge research and development. Naturally, you can imagine I was ecstatic and practically vibrating during the following months, as I worked the skin of the skin of my ass to add up the money for the flight-ticket, the hotel I would be staying, some fancy clothes…And well, I'm a baby step away from having it now, but…well, the whole "incident fiasco" happened and now I'm sorta delayed for the payment and I have to be on a plane next Friday. And I am suspended from work…

|No-one said anything for a moment, until Robert began to open his mouth, only to be talked over by Aurora again|

A:Rob, dear, don't even bother – I know what you are going to say, that you can lend me the money I'm missing, and I appreciate it profoundly but I'm sorry to tell you I can't accept it…I need to do this by myself, and by myself alone. I've neglected money from Rubella even…please, don't…

|And Robert, indeed, closed his mouth, as he had been robbed of his words. And there was another moment of silence again, as nobody really knew what to say – I mean, what can you say in a situation like that? Honestly, guys…Oh, don't bother, because Piscea had something to say alright…|

P:…Well, that's very fancy and all…but what about us, Aurora?

Ó*Turning to face her with a bewildered face*:Piscea Dru–

P*Cutting Óengus via a punch to his sternum*:Shut up Big Man! What about us, Aurora? Where do we fit in your little grand scheme of things?

N*She threw her hands in the air and she went to sit at the couch, mildly exasperated*:Oh my god, this just keeps on going, Azathoth all-mighty please cut me some slack…

|Aurora turned to face Piscea very slowly, joining her own gaze with hers for eternal seconds, as she struggled to find her words…which was more than enough for Piscea to catch onto the signals…|

P*In a threatening tone*:…Oh, I see how it is…I've seen this before, you know? I've had friends that have gone down this same path…they say they have to make a trip to 'Bumfuck Wherever' to do some other shit and then…they never come back. They don't call, they don't write, they don't mention you on social medial, and you know what comes next? DO YOU?! …What comes next is the worst thing of all…because when you finally get to see them one day, because they are back in town for some binding reason or something – when you catch them walking down the street, all grown up and wealthy and successful…when you get in front of them and you wave at them to say hello…they will walk right past you, not even bothering to say anything because they don't even remember you, your name, your face or the stupid, petty friendship you once shared…I've lived this shit one too-many-times Aurora…I've suffered enough…and if this is how it's going to be, then…then don't count me in for the ride…

|And just like that, before anyone could ever say anything, Piscea turned around and she stormed towards the door, stepping outside into the corridor and disappearing down the stairs…anddddddd Aurora went back to crying. Great. The three men looked at each other for a moment, engaging in a silent conversation regarding the topic of "who should be the one who'd haul back the little minx that just made a scene back to the room", until Finn of all people decided nothing was going nowhere, and he got in motion without even thinking about it as he followed Piscea out of the room and down the stairs, with his mind set on fixing shit…|


|Sometimes, being Piscea Drust really sucked, she recognized. It wasn't until she was standing outside of the tenement under a storm that came out of nowhere that her words finally caught up to the redoubt of conscience in her mind, and she was washed over by miles-high waves of regret. It was in that state, as she clutched her knees into her face, sitting under the roofed entrance to the building and doing her best to avoid crying, that the bearded man found her. The front door was broken beyond repair thanks to Óengus, and it was spread wide open to prevent it from slamming shut repeatedly given to the pressure differential. He had to stop for a moment to look at her, to look at the broken figure before him that he never, in his whole life, thought he would see. But he gathered all of his courage and he strode forth, stepping out into the pseudo-porch quietly, with a plan in mind. He ushered his steps to be noisy, to avoid any sort of ugly reactions, and he walked in little strides to her side, where he pulled out his phone and searched in his social medias for the right thing to win the argument. It wasn't until he giggled for the third time that Piscea finally paid his attention|

P*In a humorless, dry tone*:What the fucking hell are you giggling about now, huh…?

F:Oh, nothing, nothing! Just a funny post mein freund wrote down on this here social network – hier, take a look for yourself…

|He extended his phone to her, who took it with a curious face and brought it close to her sight. In the luminescent screen ofthe device, a picture with a caption written below it stared back at her. The image showed a much younger Finn, practically glued to some blonde dude to his side, a bit older than him, both posing for the picture and smiling wildly. The comment below was written in German, which prompted the pink-haired girl to question its meaning|

F:"Einmal ein Freund, heißt immer ein Freund…Viel Glück in Polen, Finn. Bis bald.", "Once a friend, always a friend…Good luck in Poland, Finn…See you soon", that's what it says. My childhood friend, Avo – the blonde there – posted this as I was boarding the train to come here. Funny thing really, we took that photo during my birthday, just a few days before I left for the exchange program. We were so drunk we had to ask his father for cash to buy more beer…It was amazing…Heh, I still remember his face when I came back with the twenty euros I owed him in my hand. We both bursted out laughing…

|It didn't take a genius to understand the meaning of this, and indeed, Piscea's face showed a different reaction when she handed him his phone back. He put it back in his pocket and he sat beside her, closer than ever before. It took him a moment of inner debate, but in the end he decided to take the leap of fate as he did the unthinkable: he got his arm around her shoulders – one-hundred-and-one percent sure that she was going to tell him to get the fuck off – in an attempt to comfort her. But to his dismay, five full seconds went by and she didn't even flinch at the sudden invasion of her personal space. He risked a look at her face, and he later chided himself for doing so, because the sight of her sadness was something that stung too close to his heart. They stayed like that for a while, hearing the sound of the pouring rain and feeling the cold wind sweeping across them. The silence was not born of an outage of words, but of sheer necessity – he knew she needed her time to process everything, and so he granted her all the time in the world. It would be a good ten minutes after he sat down when she would finally open her mouth to speak|

P*In a quiet, and somber tone*:…I shouldn't have been that rough with Aurie, it was uncalled for…but what I said still stands true…I know I never speak of my past, that none of us speak of our pasts and that only now we're discovering things about each other that we didn't really want to know…but I've lived through some awful friendships that have ended in, well, nothing but sad reminders. That have ended up forgotten by others…but I never forget…

F:*He breathed in and out before speaking* I go back to Germany to visit Avo twice or three times a year. Not meine Familie, but my friend…It's not the lack of friendship what makes us grow apart…it's the lack of trying…I could opt right now to never go back to Germany, to never visit him again…but I know, deep in my heart, that even if I did that I would never forget him,…that's what true friendship means…and of course, it goes both ways…

|Another silence settled as Piscea processed once again the words of the bearded man. A minute went by before Finn spoke again|

F:I've known Aurie for two years now, you know her since…Ich weiß es nicht – probably way more than me…I want you to look me in the eye Pissy and I want you to tell me, with sincerity, if you really believe that she'd forget us, that she'd forget you, if she decides to go live in New York…

|He finished his sentence by turning to look at her, and only then he realized how close they were to each other and how fast his heart was beating. He hoped his face wasn't as red or hot as he felt it, but he put those thoughts aside for a moment as he focused on putting on his serious face, waiting for the answer of the girl. She didn't look back at him right away. A minute, two, three…he forgot how many went by before she finally moved. Before she finally locked her eyes with his, prompting him to discover a trail of tiny, tiny tears streaming down her cheeks. He contemplated, briefly, if he should just go for the kiss he longed for, but he restrained himself and told his mind that "it was not the right time…yet". Little did he know that the exact same antic was happening in Piscea's mind|

P:You…*She gave him a weak smile after drying her tears with her sleeve* you have a point there, you pansy…I dunno what I was thinking…Bah! Come 'ere!

|And that was the only cue she gave him before she threw her arms around him and she crashed onto his body in a constricting, bone-crushing hug. Finn endured, and he even managed to force enough blood and oxygen to his brain and muscles to put his own arms around her, and to rub gentle circles on her back with his palm. He supposed he'd have to thank her later, because she was blocking his blood circulation so effectively that no blood could go up to his face, to make him blush with the intensity of Aurora's hair. He even chuckled at his ridiculousness. When they finally broke the hug and he could breathe once more, the face he found plastered on the pink-haired damsel was one much more resembling of her usual ones, of confidence and playfulness. She got up in one over-dramatic jump, and she yanked him to his feet by almost dislocating his shoulder. Then she looked at him|

P:I'd never would have guessed you of all people would be my intervention…thank you, ya pan – thank you, Finn…you're a good friend…

|He muttered a lowly "Thank you", but in all honestly he didn't feel his mouth moving, as all his brain focus was then directed at the "Don't blush in front of Piscea" sub-routine. The extents to which he had to go for her were getting more ridiculous by the second|

P:Come on, let's go back up upstairs…I have some shit to sort out, you feel me?

|That was the last thing she said, before she flashed him a toothy grin and she darted for the corridor, leaving him behind, oblivious to the fact that he too was "sorting his shit out", which meant he was trying to compose himself…and once again, little did he know that she had gone before him to hide the blossoming blush that began to spread across her cheeks the moment she finished saying his name. A brief thought led her to conclude that her antics would be the perfect material to write a rom-com about. She could earn millions…well, they two could… if they only knew…|


|Looking at the bright side, Norah had managed to hug her sister into drying her tears. On the other hand, the sappy fest had returned in full force, and she was not liking it a single bit more than before. Rubella had stepped out of the bathroom a couple minutes ago, with her make-up undone and her hair gathered in a messy ponytail, looking remarkably unkempt and…weird. Her face was pretty enough, Norah would give her that, her skin was pale and her cheeks were a tad red. Her eyes were a bit smaller that she'd guessed they would be but not too small, and she had no wrinkles of any sort except for some nigh-invisible laugh-lines. She didn't even remember the last time she had seen her without her jester-hat…nope, she couldn't remember alright. Her hair was auburn and she guessed that it probably reached a bit past her shoulder blades, cascading in thick locks that were probably a nightmare to comb. Óengus and Robert had sat down on the couch and they were whispering to each other, probably talking about Piscea or something like that. And speaking of the devil…the famed girl stepped into the room as if on cue, followed a moment later by Finn. Weirdly enough, they both had an ethereal blush tinting their cheeks. It raised some…questions on Norah's mind. Óengus was the first one to react, instantly getting up the moment he saw her, and already taking long steps to intercept her. But something unbelievable happened then, because he never reached her, as he was stopped by Finn who got in front of her and put his hand to the tall man's chest. Questions upon questions surged in the mind of the older sister as Piscea walked softy across the room straight to where Aurora was, stopping before her|

P:H-Hey, Aurie…how are you doing, girl…?

|She put her hand on the redhead's shoulder and squeezed, but Aurora didn't move an inch. She didn't even raise her eyes to meet those of her friend. On the back, Óengus exchanged a severe look with Finn, who returned him one that urged him to trust the woman. Piscea made face, and took a moment for herself to re-evaluate her choice of words. She sighed before speaking again|

P:Aurie, hey, look – please, look up at me…*Aurora obliged, and allowed her friend to meet her eyes with a pair of angry ones, red and swollen from crying. Piscea made another face*…Look…I'm not the best with words, alright? In fact, I'm going to risk it, and say that between all of us, I'm the shittiest spokesperson. Like, by a lot.

|That earned her a chuckle from younger sister, which managed to subdue Óengus's silent bickering with Finn. "So far so good" Piscea thought|

P:…But…I'm going to try my best right now, and I want you to listen very well, cause if this comes out alright I promise you that I won't be able to say it again. Ever…Alright…We've known each other for how long? Three, four years? And I want to risk saying that you know me and my reactions as well as I know you, and yours. And, well, I also want to risk saying…that even if what I said, what I did, are things that do fall inside of the spectrum of my reactions…what I did to you was not a thing that a friend should do. I said it earlier on – I've had some real shitty friendships in the past years, but I want to say now that I was wrong! *She pointed at Finn* This bastard right here made me understand, made me realize that I was wrong…

|In the distance, Finn could be heard muttering "I did…?" before she continued|

P:Because friendship is not only built on having a good time with each other, or a laugh or whatever…friendship is built on perseverance, on trying, again and again to hold together bonds until the stick and can never be broken…what I had in the past, just now I know that it wasn't a friendship – that they weren't friendships…because a true friendship is like a god-damned superglue that joins two people by their hips! That it can stretch so god-damned far that it wouldn't rip even if one of them jumped to another continent…and yeah, that's friendship…and let me tell you babe…what we share between us is not only friendship…but the cutting-edge, experimental, ultra-super-mega-glue that can loop around the god-damned universe two times over without showing signs of ripping! …And so, what I did was real shitty…to compare you with some other nobody I had regarded as a "friend" in the past…that was not right…because you can't put a fucking lightbulb next to a blazing sun and say they are the same thing because they both give out a form of light…and I know these metaphors are really, really crappy, but I don't care! Because I'm trying to get a point across here, and I guess what I'm really trying to say is I'm fucking sorry for what I did, Aurie…can you forgive me?

|And the reaction of the redhead, to spring up and to hug the girl, was almost as instant as the raspy "Yes" that she managed to get out as she crashed onto Piscea. The apologizing girl closed her eyes as she hugged back her friend like if her life depended on it, and she didn't even turn back when a row of applause came from around the room. The girls separated only when Norah got up and started talking again, clearly done with the sentimental bullshit. For real this time|

N:Okay! Yay! Friendship trumps once again over being an asshole! Wohoo! …Can we get back to the fucking topic we were discussing like half-an-hour ago, please? It's like ten PM already and it's raining and I JUST WANT TO CUT TO THE POINT, CAN WE DO THAT, YES?!

|Everybody was startled by her shouting, but they did, in fact, gather up to – finally – listen to what she had to say. Norah felt like she might float away, completely relieved. But after spending so much time and saliva coaxing the twerps into accepting her proposal…well, she didn't want to think about what the gods would do if she were just to cut everything there and kick her sister's friends out of the apartment. It would be real funny though. FOCUS NORAH|

N:Well, let's summarize…I spoke with the old guy, he told me to go research if some fuckers knew about some other fucker, and I – Aurora and I – are going to need your help…you are probably asking yourselves – which is not a bad thing at all – 'why in all the hells and heavens of the universe I accepted to lend my help for something I don't even know anything about?', and well, let me tell you that the answer is pretty simple…it's just not a two-man job! No, really…this is going to require some people, alright, but only because things might get ugly, and well…youuuuuu – are kind of the only people I know who won't jump the ship if things get ugly…uh, ta-da…?

|Her argument…had a center of logic to it. It was most likely true, given her sister's…"Acquaintances", that she really didn't have anyone trustworthy enough to stay with her down to the bitter end. Aurora supposed that she could work with that explanation to justify to her fuming conscience that she was actually going to go through with the ridiculous job. She could already see the little minx in her brain testing her swings with a baseball bat, which she was later going to use to bash her brain into a pulp if things were to go awry. She prayed it didn't come to that|

A:Alright, you can proceed…Care to elaborate on the big mission?

N: Not at all, dear sister! Okay people, here's the gist…This guy, Mr. B. or whatever, really, like really, really wants to know if some mofos running a building here in the downtown know of the existence of a girl called Patricia Tannis, or whatshername, and – Aurora, dear, are you alright?

|And "Aurora, dear" was definitely not alright, because of all the god-damned millions upon millions of nobodies in the world, the one that had to be the target of their mission…just so happened that she had to be a one-time lay of her. Go. Fucking. Figure. Her red cheeks knew what was what. And worst of all, Rubella beat her to the answer, and Aurora managed to see the cheeky smile appearing in her lips. In slow-motion|

R:Hey, Aurie, isn't that the name of that one-time infatuate you had a shtup with on that one occasion during our graduation-shindig?

|And everyone turned to look at Aurora and the redhead wandered briefly if this had been written down in the script of "The Misadventures of Aurora Gen-Capilli", because its writers were clearly masters of the soap-opera genre. The face of her sister was priceless, and she supposed that her own was somewhere along that path|

N:No. Fucking. Way. Aurora, please don't tell me you banged our target…!

|Aurora felt her blush transcending the redness of her hair, and it was then when Norah bursted out laughing so hard that some random hobo below began shouting profanities at the "bitch who couldn't keep her god-damned volume down". Aurora was officially in hell|

N:Oh my god, you did bang her! Holy fucking shit! And during your own party no less…*She gasped and she threw her eyes open. Quite widely* Oh! I bet she was a soldier – was she a soldier, Aurora?

|And Aurora nodded, having just resigned the last bit of her dignity that she still held. She proceeded to answer|

A:Australian chick of the special ops that participated on that incursion over Bratislava. Must be thirty-something by now, she didn't look too young back then. Black hair, brown eyes, amazing tan. Pretty, very pretty. Atrocious accent. Best lay I've ever had…

N:Sounds like your average good night to me, girl! I congratulate you! …You don't have, you know, by any chance, any idea of why we're fishing for them wordies about her, right?

A*Shaking her head negatively*:Nope, not a clue really. She was gone when I woke up the next day and I haven't heard of her since. Like, nothing. Never again. No news or anything. She just vanished from the face of the earth…

Robert:That is some…Interesting intel regarding her, in all actuality. Mayhaps…the job that lies ahead of us is liked to such a thing…?

N:Maybe, maybe not – I don't really care as long, as we get paid. It's been nice and all to learn that we live in a fucking handkerchief but I really want to get this info-dump across to you all…are you ready to know where we're going? Where we'll have to sneak into?

|A collection of nods served as the answer. Norah continued by getting up from her bed and walking up to the window, where she signaled at a building in the distance|

N:Well people, why don't you take a look at it yourselves…?

|They all closed in around the window to see what the fuzz was about and indeed they were met with quite a surprise. Far in the distance, across the Vistula and well into the northern side of the Śródmieście District, probably in the Muranów Neighborhood, give or take a street or two, there was a building that dwarfed its peers by a wide margin. It was definitely an office building, given its size and structure; it was modern but sober, straight to business, with just one punctual and distinctive detail in the form of a gigantic neon logo running along the entirety of its roof. It was an ominous surprise to know they were going to break into the offices of "The Narrator's Company: Poland". It raised some valid questions on everyone's minds|

P:…The Narrator's Company? Really? I mean, they are like one of the biggest corporations in the entire word, but really? What could those pansies do to have some info on some random pew-pew girl?

N:Your guess is as good as mine, babe…but the B-man – I'm calling him B-man from now on – seems to know a bit more than we do and he gave off the sort of vibes of someone who knew his conspiracies…before we go through with preparations, anybody wants to step down?

|Finn was fast to present his answer|

F:Step down…Step down?! You're asking me if I want to neglect an opportunity to sneak into the verdammt gebäude of The Scheiß-Narrator's Company? Nein, mein fräulein! Not even in a million years, and to hell I say with my mein furcht! You will have my aid!

N:…O…kay…anybody else wants to…say, like, something inspirational like our pal here? Preferably in a language that we all understand, S'il vous plaît?

|The one-second silence that followed was a plausible enough answer for her. Finn's huffing and pouting didn't count as sounds. She walked back to her bed, where she started rummaging through its underside, as she kept on talking|

N:Alright people, let's skip right ahead to the preparations then, sound good? ? See, I know you bunch are all respectable enough guys and gals with a clean enough social upbringing, but here in the Lowest of the Low – not the restaurant but the social gathering, that is – we do things a little different…say, with a bit of stealth; and one thing that does, indeed, require a sort of stealth would be sneaking into a building, undetected, of course. I'll be honest with you, I'm pretty sure that none of you except miss ninja over there *She pointed at Rubella* can be as silent as…think of a metaphor that suits the context for me cause nothing comes to my mind, m'kay? Point is I need to teach you how to get your stealth on…especially you, tall man!

|Óengus frowned and he folded his arms, clearly offended. Norah didn't even care. She pulled out from beneath her bed after a moment and she walked towards the couch carrying in her arms a box completely covered by girl-power stickers. It was extremely ridiculous and she was very proud of it|

N:So, without further ado, let me welcome y'all to "Stealth For Dummies"! *She made a cheering gesture to go with her antics* Lesson number one: When you walk, don't drag your fucking feet across the ground and don't even think of stepping wherever the fuck you want. Try to be gentle, like when you woo around a girl or a dude or something, I don't care – step softly and try to throw your weight around when you do, to suppress vibrations and sounds. Try to take your steps with the balls of your feet firstly, and then throw in your heels, alright? Always try to lower your center of gravity or whatsitsname to have better stability and control over your movements. Oh, and be careful, like, real careful where you step or you might end up making a whole lotta sound that you don't want to. And, you know, things could get ugly. Y'all following? Here, let me show you how a real woman walks…

|And so she scooted them to the sides of the room and she used its center to demonstrate her stealth-walking, effectively muffling any sort of sound, even as she treaded over the creaking floor of the apartment. Aurora had to admit that she was genuinely impressed with her sister – she was sure she couldn't do that. Which was probably an important thing to point out but just for the sake of her pride…well, she didn't|

N:Remember to play around with your weight. I can't tell you exactly how to move because only you bunch know your bodies well enough to move smoothly in them. Got it? Great. This next here part is crucial, like, the most important of all the pieces of being stealthy. Always – and I mean it – Always have a place to hide in sight. A dark, spooky corner, a smelly locker with topless pin-ups in it, a shady box that was probably used for nefarious purposes – I don't care. What I do care is that you don't compromise the op – yes, this is an op now, congrats – by being caught red-handed. When we step into the building, there's going to be a nearly one-hundred percent chance that we're going to have to elude some night guards, and even if they are fat bastards they're going to see you if you don't duck for some cover as they stroll across. This is no video-game, people, go find some good hiding spots or you'll be toast…which, incidentally, brings us to our next topic…Piscea, could you step up right here and throw a good ol' punch at my cheek, please?

|The girl did raise her eyebrow, but she complied before Aurora could ram her complaint down their throats. She complied with too much gusto, to be frank. That was not healthy. She hurried to Norah and she threw a lightning-fast punch at the girl's face…what happened next was hilarious. Norah dodged to the side in less time than it took Aurora to blink, at the same time that her right hand flew to Piscea's extending arm. She yanked on it by the wrist and she made a turning motion which Piscea followed to avoid the pain, that lead up to having her arm bent over her back. Norah exploited this by pressing her free hand to her shoulder and applying pressure, effectively performing what was most commonly known as a wristlock. Piscea couldn't even (She couldn't even move, either). They stayed like that for a moment until Norah finally released her and helped her up. The look on the pink-haired girl's face was…priceless|

P:Where in all the fucks of the universe did you learn to execute a wrist-lock like that? I've done kick-boxing for a decade now, Nox…you shouldn't have been able to catch me like that…

N:Babe, us street-folks go rough! And we hafta get our dukes up a couple of times a-night, sadly. Trust me, when you have to fight for your life, body integrity, wallet, drink or whatever against some burly drunken bastards at least two times each night you end up picking up a trick or two, asides from broken noses and bones, cuts, bruises, burn-marks, odd-looking bodily-fluids stains and…well, cash and beers…preferably the first one of the two, if I'm choosing…

A*By the low and in a mocking tone, and pinching the bridge of her nose*:…I absolutely did not abide this, Norah…dear fucking god…

N*Completely disregarding her sister*:So, I hope that little demonstration served to explain it, that the last piece of being stealthy is, well, not being stealthy! Or, if you want to label it differently, the last piece is what you're gonna have to resort to when things get ugly – err, if they get ugly…which is fighting. That's why I want all of you with us tonight, because together we'll be a fuck-load of people and no flimsy guard will get the upper hand on us. I know that at least two of you know your way around the ring, but I implore the rest of you to come to terms with your 'fisticuffing'. It might come down to that…So, with that said and taking it for granted that you've listened to my words religiously – I will very happily announce that you have graduated as masters of the "Arts of the Stealth"! But we're not stopping there, no siree – we're going for the PhD people! And to get it, you simply have to haul you ass with me to the test that's taking place later on in the night…all good on this front?

|Everyone in the room nodded, and so Norah continued|

N:Amazing! You're the best students I've ever had! And it's doesn't have anything to do with the fact that you are, for once, sober enough to listen to my words! Bah! I'm losing focus here – let me tell you about the plan!

A:You even had a plan? Sister dear, how long has it been since you've caught ear of this job?

N:More than I'd like to admit, Aurie! But whatever, come listen to this shit!

|She opened the box that she had left over the table, and she pulled out a badly-drawn map of the building and its surroundings. Aurora couldn't even believe it|

A*Pointing at the newly closed box*:Is that your stash right there, sis? Where you keep all your guns and drugs and organs and – apparently – maps?

N*She scoffed before answering, in an exasperated and sarcastic tone*:Yes Aurora, that's where I have the hearts of my enemies, just next to the guns and knives I used to kill them…no you dummie, I have my personal shit there, and I mean personal. Cash, emergency underwear, tampons, condoms, a half-smoked joint or two, and my collection of Swiss-Army Knives…nothing out of the ordinary!

A:…You have a collection. Of Swiss-Army Knives of all things…

N:It's legit! I swear! Come on, can't we all have a fucking hobby?! I've been collecting them ever since I found one back in Rouen when we were like nine and now I have over a hundred or so – take a look yourself if you don't believe me!

|She tossed the box towards her sister who opened it with an unbelieving face, to find…well, a collection of Swiss-Army Knives, of different sizes, handles and steel-alloys…and of course there they were the condoms and tampons and half-smoked joints and a black G-string that left nothing to the imagination and the withered case of their Dirty Dancing DvD. "Ooooh, so that's where she was hiding it…" She thought as she closed the box and she passed it back to her sister, who was looking at her smugly|

A:What do you know – I suppose I should be proud of you for picking up a…sufficiently healthy hobby…

Ó:…It doesn't take away the fact that she still indulges in her other…'hobbies', from time to time…

N*She threw her arms around in a sign of exasperation*:Oh, and now you jump in the wagon as well – hey, people! Anybody wants to take a dis at me? You feel like you haven't said something to me? Here's the chance folks, go ahead, I won't bust your teeth in, I swear!

|The rest of the gathered shared a look of confusion – except for Finn, who shared a look of utter fear – and for a moment it seemed as if Piscea – go figure – was about to interject with a comment…but Aurora was clearly done with the joke|

A:Hold your tongue right there, Pissy! *She turned to look at her sister* Can't we please move along, for once? Can't we just…not dabble in every. Single. Joke? Didn't you have a map to show us or some shit like that?

N:No, no, no – you're not getting off the leash that easy, missy! This was your joke to begin with, so now we're going to embrace it, and we're going to hold its hand along the way until it becomes senile and we'll have to visit it in the retirement home for jokes, and then we'll attend its funeral, where I'll say some warm words about it…that's what we're going to do, you hear me–

A:–Or, I could tell my minions *She made a gesture to reference her friends* to cook up bad shit to say about your 'Nox business' – and don't I know how much it can hurt your precious self-esteem…?

|And Aurora and Norah kept on bickering like the certified sisters they were, and everyone else just sighed in tandem. Because my characters can do that. Without asking each other when they're going to sigh. Because they are that awesome. Oh, uh…I guess there goes the fourth wall…again…sorry…|

P*Leaning onto her friends to whisper*:…Well, for once, I'm glad I don't keep in contact with my siblings, because our arguments would have put those of the girls right there to shame…what about you all, how's your brotherly or sisterly situation?

R:My brother is my foreperson, and besides that, we've always been in great parity

Robert: I'm the sole offspring product of the candidness of a youthful couple…no blood-siblings to bicker with for me…

F:Zwei Schwestern – Two sisters back in Hamburg, and one living in Berlin – Alys, Frieda and Brunn, all lovely the three of them and too jung to bicker with…

|Everyone turned to look at Óengus then, who had stayed silent during the entire conversation|

P:Hey, big man! What about you, have a sibling equally gigantic to grapple with during Christmas?

Ó*With a sad expression in his face*:…I…I don't want to talk about it…

P:Wuh – why not? Any bad blood with them? Boy, you don't even know how we treat each other with my sister; I've gotten two death-threats just this month! Come on, what could be worse than that…

|It was on that moment that Norah – of all the people who knew of the man's past – felt her Óengus-senses tingling. And she turned, and she discovered him caught between a rock and a hard place and about to lower the mood into a pit of shittiness…so she resorted to the unthinkable and she resigned the argument to her sister, who only caught onto the current and imminent disaster about to occur a moment later. They both strode to their friends like the lances of salvation that pierced through the forces of inquiring. Sick metaphors, yo!|

N*Bumping onto Piscea and Óengus*:Heeey, people! I'm growing real hungry in my old age, you see, and I would hate to wolf down the week-old mac'n'cheese I'm saving in the fridge without finishing my exposition with this lovely map I took the time to draw for you…go sit by the couches and get ready to journey back to high school, to some fill-end class plagued with endless and monotonous PowerPoints! Go, go, sit!

|And as she hurried everyone to stop their train of thoughts, Aurora took it upon herself to boast about her own awesomeness since she had managed to win yet another argument against her sister. Everyone laughed. Everyone, except for Norah, who made a silent vow to make her pay for that some other time…But for the time being…she flashed a quick glance to the towering man and his face was one of infinite gratitude. They both shared an imperceptible nod then, because they both knew that he wasn't ready to cross that bridge just yet. Norah would go even further, so much as to say that he wasn't ready to cross…a handful of bridges just yet, but all would come in due time and most of them were linked to each other so she guessed that when it'd come to that, it'd come down hard. She dispelled her thoughts via shaking her head – she had an exposition to carry on. She got to the coffee table and she unfolded the map, using various objects that loitered in its surface to pin each side of the paper. As Aurora had seen, the crude pencil-drawing of the building was plastered in the paper, accompanied by the streets surrounding it and a handful of the buildings across them. But furthermore, what she hadn't seen before were the thin lines that went around the main building, noted with captions of…hours to the side? This was about to get very interesting…|

N:So! Good people of Warsaw, what I have laid down before you is a *She made air quotations* "detailed" map of our target area and its surroundings. I'm sure most of you know the building as it is stuck in the middle of the god-damned downtown like an ugly pimple in your forehead – especially Finn – but let me just go ahead and give you a brief picture of the place. *She complemented her words by pointing at various spots of the map* The target itself it's sort of like a compound, which is not all that accurate but that's the best word I have to describe it. It's surrounded by a wire fence about yee high *She pointed to a spot in the wall to show its height*, that is then followed by a good five or six meters of parking lots, and then you get to the building. During the night it's guarded by eight guards – eight fucking guards, people and then some bastards have the audacity to complain about the bouncer we want to hire for The Lowest…Whatever, don't let me sidetrack, please…

A*With a smile of pure malice adorning her face*:Got it…leave it to me to point you back in the right direction…

N:That…doesn't sound ominous at all…bah, listen! The night shift of guards arrives at Nine PM, which was like two hours ago now but that doesn't matter, because we're making our move much later on in the night. As I was saying, eight guards sniff around the compound, but not all of them walk it at the same time…around Three AM an alarm sounds on the guardhouse by the main entrance and that's when the second batch of beaters comes in. Now, the shift happens real fast – fast enough to trample any plan of sneaking in that anyone might have…if it weren't for the flaw I discovered! Man, if I'm fucking amazing!

Robert:A flaw, you say…but what flaw could plague a shift that happens faster than we could move…

N:That's the thing, Robert – it doesn't! *She pointed back at the map* The main entrance to the place is along Stawki Street, where it meets Dubois, and it eats up the track where Niska used to run along, cause it's a fucking big fat building, which makes it that its backside is left facing the Jewish Cemetery, and –

A:–Please don't tell me we're breaking into a cemetery as well…

N*She made a disregarding gesture with her hand*:Oh, be quiet, you! I've dragged you along to shittier places – you should be thanking me that I'm talking about a cemetery and not, like, a dumpster…

A*She fumbled with her hands and she made a pouting face*:I'm still not okay with it thought…

|Piscea put a hand to her shoulder then, and she flashed her a smile|

P:Hey, look – little known fact: I'm Jewish! And let me tell you that I'm one-hundred percent okay with breaking into a cemetery of my people…come on, it'll be fun!

N:Yeah! And besides, we're not "breaking" into the cemetery – it's a public space Aurora for glob's sake! We're just gonna loiter around for a while, pretending we're mourning our great-grandfather who died to the Nazis or something like that, it's not like we'll be digging out coffins or secret pathways!

A:…Norah that was…very insensitive, you know that? I know that World War Two happened like a hundred years ago but you still shouldn't joke about it…

N:Duuude, you're dense, you know that? Here, take Piscea – Hey Pissy! 's okay if I joke around with the Holocaust and the deaths of millions of Jews that served to bolster the soap industry?

|Auroras' eyes bugged out in a fit of complete bewilderment|

A:NORAH, WHAT THE–

P:–Yeah girl, is cool and all! We joke about it all the time!

|And to seal their stupidity, they shared a bro-like fist-bump in front of Aurora, who could already feel her carotid artery swelling up to dangerous proportions. "Breath in, breath out, Aurora…"|

A*Through gritted teeth*:I…Fine, whatever…let's move along and please…hey, if you'd like to – you know, by the by – desecrate some historical monument and maybe steal a candy from a toddler, by all means go ahead…it's not like I have a say in that matter or anything…

N*Trying her best not to burst out laughing*:O-Okay, I'll keep that in mind…So, as I was saying – at Three AM they execute the guard rotation leaving a seemingly nonexistent window for us to sneak in…but that's not quite right. If my timing isn't flawed, I've discovered that there is, in fact, a window of about thirty seconds during which the very middle area of the back is left unmanned. I haven't tested it first-hand 'cause thirty seconds is like not enough time to slip in and out, but I'm confident enough that we can make it work…

Ó:Thirty seconds…that's a…very small window to move…are you really certain we're going to make it into the compound and inside the building before we're caught red-handed?

N:Óengus, dear, I'll let you in on a little secret: these things – like, illegal, breaking-into, trespassing-property – they only work if you are certain you can make it. If you are confident you can make it. It's all about the mind games really, tricking your feeble little conscience into not ruining your mood with thoughts of failure…and besides, it's better than the "Beat 'em up" alternative. It'll be us against the guards and prolly the cops if word gets around that we're breaking into a private compound. Rubella'll get bailed out of jail, that's for sure, but the rest of us? Straight to the gutter my friends, and I've got a mile-long record of minor infringements that abides the guards to give me the 'shitty jail treatment'. Don't wanna go down that path any time soon…

Ó:You make a…valid point…so how do we get into the building proper?

A:Yeah, all this talk has been about jumping a fence and skipping a yard – what do we do then? And better yet, how are things going to be once we're inside?

N:There you go, now you're asking the right questions, sister of mine! Keep it up like this and you'll become a master-thief in no time!

|Aurora blinked idly, one, two, three times. It was on the fourth blink that she realized she had doomed herself into teasing hell. She'd done it all by herself|

A:Norah, come on! Can't you be a little less jokey about all of this? Dude, we're breaking into a building. And we're rummaging through their files or something like that – that's like a major crime! Be serious for once!

N:Err! That's where you got it wrong kiddo! If the mood were to be shitty already how do you think it get when we go through with the plan? Joking and saying stupid shit defuses a bit of the tension to the thingy – it's healthy!

Robert:She's right, oddly enough – I do not know if I would have accepted to help at the start if…if things were to be grim…

A*In a tiny, disbelieving voice*:…Unbelievable…you know what? I'll shut up now – let Óengus do the questioning, he seems to be perfectly okay with all of this…

Ó:In my defense…I've done worse things…

P:But what does that even mea–

N*Cutting her fast enough*:–SO! As I was saying…the building is square-like, with rows of boring-looking windows for each of the ten floors. We're using a ground-floor window from a random office that's occupied by a guy named Bob to get in. Leave the window-busting to me…

A*Whispering to herself*:And she even knows the name of the employee…

N:What's that dear sister? I couldn't hear you!

|Aurora bit her tongue and she went to sin in her bed, turning her back to her sister and gazing off into the window|

N:Yeah, that's what I thought. So, inside – I don't have all that much info 'cause I ain't been to every level…however a week ago I pulled some strings in my contact grid and I earned myself a "private tour" of the offices…at least up until the fourth level, where the guy that was touring me had his office…It got pretty lewd from there on out, and I couldn't look at much else before his superior kicked me out, sadly…but I believe that the first four levels are enough for now, because in the second floor lies the main archive room of the building! It's just a matter of sneaking in and we'll have ourselves the info!

Ó:Alright, what about night-watchers? And workers? Where is this archive room located?

N:Yes, yes, I'm on it – I was just about to yap on about that. So far, I've seen a handful of uniforms inside, and only in the first floor, guarding the entrance and the main lift. First and second floor didn't show signs of guarding, but I managed to catch eye of guard-rooms as I was leaving, so I'm going to guess that maybe the shifts change at night. We'll need to be alert. The archive is directly across the main cubicles area of the second floor, fairly visible…and that segues to the last bullet-point about the workers…I don't know how to explain it in words, but…I'm confident we won't have any trouble with them…you'll have to see for yourselves to understand…it still gives me the shivers…

Ó:O…kay…that doesn't sound foreboding, not at all…how do we get out when and if we have the information?

N: I have two plans for that…plan number one is we disguise ourselves as workers and we claim that our shift has just finished. We'll need to 'incapacitate' some random workers there to get their attires, however…

A:Don't. Even. Think about it…

N:Alright, alright! Plan number two is we wait it out inside an office until dawn breaks, where we scurry away during the next guard shift. Easy enough, ay?

Ó:It's a bit more solid that impersonating workers…I suggest we go for that one…

Robert:I second that.

A:Do I need to spell it out?

N:Very well, then sneaking out at dawn it is. Are we clear with the plan, people? Anybody has a last minute question before we move along to equipment and then to eat some food?

|Their silence could only mean one of two things: that they had understood her explanation to its fullest or that they were terrified enough to be unable to speak. Norah felt proud of them either way|

N:Perfecto mi gente! So – equipment! Nothing fancy, this isn't a spy's movie. Dark clothes to blend in with the shadows, maybe ski mask…I'll check in a bit if have some, but let's stick to the basics for now. Comfortable footwear that isn't rickety or anything like that, tight clothes – that shit, m'kay? As for 'equipment' equipment, go ahead and nab a Swiss Army Knife from my collection, they might come in handy. Just…just be sure to return them, alright?

|Aurora got up and walked back to the couch, where she too followed her friends as they opened the box and started testing the tools. Aurora acquired one with a blood-red handle small enough to fit her hand, and Óengus picked up a gigantic rarity with a wooden finish. Fitting, both of them. The others got theirs until it was Norah who fished out her own, which had a white handle. Again, fitting. She continued|

N:I'm serious when I say that you must bring them back – some of those are quite costly and unique…looking at you Óengus…

Ó:…Why is it always me, with you…?

N:I don't know, man! Stop getting yourself in these situations, I dunno…whatever, moving on – these babies are really the only tool you'll ever need, but I suggest you go back to your houses to look for a flashlight – just in case. I don't have enough for all of us, which is a nice way of putting it, that I only have two…And, well, beyond that I suppose latex gloves would be useful, if they somehow discover someone has broken into their building but I'm not betting that any you have some to spare, and I guess that's it. That's all I need to tell you. Don't bother asking for lockpicks, 'cause I only have mine and I'm confident enough that none of you can crack open a lock as fast as me.

A:Wow…we're really going through with this…hell, you even make it sound like we have a tangible chance of succeeding!...I guess a big ol' thank you is in order, Norah…hug?

|She finished her sentence by throwing her arms open, and her sister was all too happy to comply, darting for the hug|

N:Well, that wraps it up. I'd invite you to dinner but, you know…we're like poor and stuff so we barely have enough mac'n'cheese for the two of us, and dispenser water is too expensive to share it, so…I guess I'm trying to say 'get the fuck off my apartment'

P:Oh, I know that one a little too well…see you later gals…Oh, wait! We forgot to ask – where are we meeting up?

Ó:Piscea Drust asking the right questions? This day just keeps getting better…

P*As she punched Óengus in his gut*: Oh, can it, you bald fucker –seriously, where's the rendezvous point?

N:Good question…How about the park where the Jewish Museum is? What's it called…the something-something park? I don't even recall…

Ó:The Willy Brandt Square– got it. See you there at…Two AM? One-thirty?

N:Two AM sounds about right, see you there you magnificent fuckers…

|And so, everyone said their goodbyes as they exited through the apartment door one by one, until Norah and Aurora were once again alone in their house. It was at this point that Aurora let go of her façade, as she deflated over the couch, with a grim expression in her face. Norah got to her side a bit later, after she managed to effectively insert the frozen bowl of mac'n'cheese into the microwave. She put her arm around her sister's shoulders and she squeezed, waiting for her to talk fist|

A:…It's just…this is so…different from what I thought I'd be doing tonight…I guess I still haven't caught up with reality…what if this goes bad, Norah? I know you mentioned jail before, but what if it gets worse? What if the guards get frisky and they pop up their guns?

|Norah stayed silent as her sister unloaded her fears, but she knew where her little speech was going, she could have seen it coming from a mile away, and so she decided to beat her to it, to ease her some slack|

N:…You're afraid aren't you? Of the 'what ifs'…you're afraid that I might get shot, right?

|Aurora's silence spoke volumes of the redhead's thoughts. Norah's face shifted to a softer expression, to sympathy and understanding, because she knew her sister very, very well, and this was the epitome of her thoughts. This was so very her. And it was okay|

N:Aurora…I can't promise you that nothing bad is going to happen…there's a high chance that something might go wrong, that'll we have to make up a new plan on the fly…but I can promise you something, Burny-Locks…whether we come up on top or in the back of a police van…I assure you, in neither of those cases you're going to see me laying in state. We both, you and I, and your friends – we're all going to live to see another day…I'll take care of that…I swear it on mother's flute…

|And with that last bit, Aurora finally understood that her words were not without backup, that her claims were going to be upheld. And she smiled, because a promise by the flute was a promise of the highest order. The knot in her chest eased up, if just a little bit. The alarm of the microwave went off then, and Norah hurried herself to her feet to go serve up the dish of exquisite food she had cooked. What was presented before Aurora over the kitchen counter where they ate their food was a gooey paste that might have been mac'n'cheese, once. She dug in her spun regardless; she dug it in with gusto. She even went for seconds given the fact that she hadn't eaten any lunch. What Norah said about "not enough for more people"? Yeah, a total lie. She didn't put much thought into it, because from where Norah got her money was not nearly as important as how she spent it, and as what was about to transpire. And they finished after a while, emptying the heavenly paste until nothing remained. Aurora restrained herself from licking the bowl as Norah got up and darted for the bathroom, where the shower head could be heard open a few moments later. Aurora lounged by the couch, checking her phone idly, trying to fish some passing information regarding the whereabouts of Miss Tannis, but it was as if she had never existed. No social media, no news, she even checked on the Australian National Registry and she wasn't there…it all sounded very suspicious to her, but her investigation was cut short when Norah stepped out of the bathroom, butt naked, and she streaked towards her drawers where she kept her clothes. Aurora rolled her eyes at her sister's obliviousness to social constructs as she too made herself at home under the warm shower. It was one of those good days where the warm water of the building hadn't been closed just yet, due to extreme bills for the douchebag owners. It probably wouldn't last, and she began to feel a chilling stream as she finished her business. She changed inside of the bathroom, like any sane person would, and she stepped out, wearing her prune, old-hag-certified, under-garments. Her sister had the audacity of laughing. She was waiting for her outside, sitting in the couch, fully dressed in the blackest clothes she owned already. She could see her own black attire sprawled over her bed, courtesy of her ever-working sister. She changed on a whim and she got up to look for a cap or a beanie of some sort to cover up her hair|

N:Hey, you lookin' for what there in my drawers?

A:Something dark to cover my hair you dimwit – got anything useful? I mean, you hair is white of all the colors you could have chosen…I'd have guessed you owned at least twenty beanies. Or more.

N:Oh yeah, right, the ski masks things – last drawer, behind the panties, got two ski masks with eye-holes…

|And indeed, behind the crappy, second-hand pink panties that her sister owned, Aurora found herself the masks, which she pulled out, throwing one at Norah who caught it expertly. The redhead tested its size and – OH GODS THE SMELL, she pulled it off in an instant. She deadpanned on Norah|

A:Sister dear, just wondering…do you, like, roll your clothes in piles of shit for fun or something like that? 'Cause this smells like the dead and we both know how the dead smell…

N:Whassat? *She got up to walk by her side* Oh, right, that's the…um…"Borrowed" one…sorry…

A*In a calm, evened tone*:…Define "Borrowed"…

N:Oh, well, uh – hehe, funny story really – I was in the middle of a bar fight in the local pub down the street a couple of months ago, when this fat bastard steps in my way and I bust a chair right across his teeth…he was wearing that ski mask…which I, you know, borrowed since he was not using it…'cause he was passed out, and drunk but not in that order…I suppose it hasn't seen a washing machine since I've brought it here…*In a really small voice* …I'm sorry…

|And it was on that moment, that Aurora didn't know what to even say at such a thing…she let her mind take control as she fished her own drawer for a deodorant, which she promptly unloaded in its entirety over and inside the ski mask. She tested it once again and…it still smelled like shit. She threw it the fuck away|

A:Well, that covers the grossest of it…how are we clocking on the sensible timescale we agreed to follow?

N:It's rounding up to midnight in a yiffy, so we still have plenty of time to get our mindsets in the zone. Besides, it sounds like it's still raining. Which sucks…say, got anything you'd like to do before we soak ourselves?

A:Hmm…well…we did miss most of Dirty Dancing

N*Smiling widely*:Sissy, you just read my mind…

|And so, they sat down to watch the age-old movie for the thousandth time in their lives, reaching its ending just in time to nab their flashlights and Norah's lockpicking set before they finally stepped out of their apartment and traversed the building towards the main door, which was still spread wide open even though the raining had subsided. Thank the Old Ones and all of that|

A:Well, here we are Norah – the point of no return…I mean, we could turn back and call everything off…oh, you know what I mean…

N:I do, I do…Hey, uh, this is gonna sound awkward, but, uh…we really shouldn't walk around the streets dressed like this. I know that it's midnight, and that it rained up until now and that it ain't a weekend day…but it's around this hour that cops start sniffing around the main streets and avenues. I don't know if you've taken a look at yourself on the mirror dressed like that, but…well, we stick out like a sore thumb. So…is it too much if I ask you to put your trust in me and that you follow me?

A:Well, you're the expert delinquent here…lead the way…

|Norah flashed her sister an all-too-proud smile before she turned around and started heading down their street, right past the main entrance that lead up to the Solidarności Avenue, and into a shady set of backstreets that Aurora didn't even remember as part of their neighborhood. Which, by itself, was shady enough, already. But she had put her trust on Norah, and so she was going to stick to her word. So she forged onwards, never losing sight of her sister, until they emerged safe and sound into Wybrzeże Szczecińskie Street, from where they trekked their way up to the Śląsko-Dąbrowski Bridge, which Norah skipped across at a fast pace. From there, they went down to the deserted Karskiego Boulevard, and they kept on walking upwards until they cut into the city by stepping into an alleyway, using small streets from there on out to reach their destination, just a minute away from Two AM. Naturally, the park was deserted, asides from the handful of slumbering homeless occupying the public benches, and Óengus, who the girls just barely distinguished in between the shadows of the museum's backside. His eyes were a giveaway|

N:Dude, what are you doing over there, playing Batman or some shit? Get over here, come on!

Ó:I'm…quite surprised you managed to spot me…I admit I've never been any good at being 'stealthy'…

N:Not as useful as your other 'skills' in your previous line of work…?

Ó:Indeed…*He fidgeted idly for a moment* Hey, I–

N:–I know big man, we both do…we got you covered and insured…

A:Norah's right…but it's gonna come down to it one day…and you'll have to open up that can o'worms to them… you can't just ignore it for the rest of your life…

Ó:I…I suppose you are right, but…it's something I'm trying to leave behind…unearthing it again would…it would only bring back pain

N*As she put her hand to his shoulder*:We know, Big Man, we know…take your time, you've earned it…and also, by the by, remember to pick up the flowers I bought for your brother…you know how hard it is to find bouquets of Calla Lilies in the middle of Warsaw? The dude who sells them told me he has to take a flight to Maputo two or three times a year to meet with some shady guy from Nelspruit who basically runs the stock market on the flowers near the border. And worst of all, he had to build an entire greenhouse to grow them in…he wails about this every time I stop by…

|Hearing Óengus's laughter brought a warm feeling the hearts of the sisters. It had been too long since they had listened to it|

Ó:Well, I'll make sure to drop by…it seems to me like a risky enough investment…hope they weren't too expensive…

N:They did cost me a pretty penny, big man…*Her cheery expression shifted to a darker one as she squeezed his shoulder* but you know they are worth it…that he's worth it…

|His eyes lost themselves on the distance then, and neither Norah nor Aurora could really comprehend the depths of his sadness, even though they were both well acquainted with the feeling…|

Ó:..I know he is, Norah…pumzika kwa amanindugu

|The allowed the man a moment of silence, that lasted until the rest of Aurora's friends arrived, all together. Óengus was the first to see them coming their way, and the first to change his attitude back to his calm, reserved usual. Norah squeezed his shoulder for one last time before she too put on her mask, or in her case, her smile, for the rest of the world|

N*As she checked her phone*:tsk, tsk…ten minutes late people…we'll need to work a bit on that…though I see you've put on the proper clothes for the occasion…I honestly expected you wouldn't even bother!

P*She groaned before answering*:Had to ask the girl next door for a pair of black pants. She's so into me that she didn't even bother asking what the fuss was about. Met up with these three at the Ogród Gardens about twenty minutes ago. Rubella had a drawn-out and awkward dinner with her parents; Finn and Robert were bunched together since Finn lives a fuck-load of streets away and they were briefly detained by some cops until some random woman jumped to their aid…

Robert:Karla was a lovely lady with the mouth of a sailor and the biceps of a strongman, thank you very much…

N:Well that sounds just about like what I expected, good job getting here, though…so, before we get going – anybody wants to back down now? All jokes aside people, and I hate leaving them aside…what we're going to do has more chances of winding us up in jail than…*She fidgeted with her arms a little bit* you get the idea…if any of you isn't ready to bear that burden…I don't know how it'll be with the rest, but I won't judge you for bailing out…anybody?

|To be fair, she did, in fact, think that at least a couple of them would back down – most accurately Robert and Finn – but she was pleasantly surprised to find that nobody decided to step down…not even Finn, even if he looked pale enough to impersonate a ghost. Aurora, too, raised a curios eyebrow at the audacity of her friends. She was expecting even more of them to back down…She felt and odd fuzz of pride in her chest then, because the misfits that were standing before her never ceased to demonstrate how god-damned amazing friends they were…and you know, dear listener, more along the lines of family to Aurora than anything else…it was a weird feeling for the redhead to feel more at home here than in her former household in Rouen. Weird, but not unpleasant|

N:…Would you look at that, folks…*She turned to look at Aurora* Hey, Burny-Locks? Remind me to never ever doubt your friends again.

A*Smiling at said friends*:Oh, sister dear…I will…

N:Well…with that big 'maybe' out of the way…*She grinned at them mischievously*shall we?

|And with nods of approval from all parties, Norah got in motion again, as she walked up to Lewartowskiego Street and she crossed over to Zamenhofa, trekking then towards Dubois and Mila, with the rest in tow. The cemetery as was dark and gloomy as they expected it to be, lit only by the dirty yellow light of the lamps running along the streets. And, as a bonus, it was deserted, with not even a Caretaker in sight. Aurora didn't even need to look a Norah to make her sigh|

N:No sister, I didn't make the Caretaker "vanish"…I just cut him a deal that he couldn't refuse, which led him to "mysteriously" leave the grounds for the night…

|The redhead squinted her eyes at her sister for just another moment before she gave her a curt nod and turned around to forge onwards into the pasture. The rest followed sort. Eventually, Norah caught up with the leading girl, who in turn decided to tell her sister what she had held back before. She leant slightly to her side to whisper into her ear|

A:…That deal with the dude, sister…you didn't, you know, fuck him out of the cemetery…right…?

N*Feeling her cheeks flourishing with color*:Oh, um…you see, sister of mine…an enchantress never reveals her secrets, I'm afraid…

|Aurora snorted. Yes, she snorted, and it was her sister's fault, because she knew her too well to not latch onto her hints. She made a mental note to chant a prayer later on in the night – maybe one day her sister would stop using the "hay-rolling" as her primary bargain chip. Maybe. It didn't really matter, as they seemed to have reached the row of willows which signaled the border of the cemetery grounds, and the beginning of the private property of The Narrator's Company. The metal-wire fence Norah had spoken about was, indeed, hindering their progress before them, and beyond it, the light of what could only be a couple of flashlights shimmered in and out of their view, signaling the presence of night guards. Norah stepped forth and glued her back to one of the trees, giving the others a hand signal to do the same. Óengus ended up climbing a tree to disguise himself - He was just too big for the bark to cover him|

N*Checking her phone and whispering*:…Right, okay…our little trip was shorter than I imagined it'd be with you, five jitterballs of nervousness, walking behind me…it's Two-Twenty AM right now, so we still have forty minutes to kill until the mofos make their move, so…anybody knows how to play poker?

|After thirty-something minutes of Norah sweeping the floor with everyone on cellphone-poker, the white-haired girl decided she had done too much schooling for the night and promptly stepped down from the latest dealing. Everyone visible relaxed|

N:Hey, wrap it up fast, can you? Time's at T-minus two minutes and these guys are spot-on with their maneuvers.

|She could swear she heard at least two people complaining, one of them being Finn, most likely, but she ignored them like a champ. Like she could actually keep her head focused on the game for more than one second. She kept surprising herself that day. You know what? She deserved a treat! She'd use the extra money her-sister-would-totally-hand-to-her to fix herself a solo night-out on some very fancy club where she could fish herself a money-pooping big-wig to buy her stuff and–|

A*Knocking on her sister's forehead. Softly*:Norah! Hey, you there?! An alarm just went off and the guards are leaving – we going in or what?

|Oh, look. She sidetracked. There goes her streak, she guessed. Also, RUN! She snapped back to her senses and bolted to action right away, muttering (thinking that she was muttering, really) a cue to the rest to get their asses moving. She jumped onto the fence and she climbed over in in record time. Because climbing wire-fences was more or less a brainless task to her at that point. Don't think too much into it. She surely didn't. Because she was running the moment she had her feet on the paved grounds on the other side, not even daring to look back as she trusted her sister and her sister's friends to do their part. That was only a partial lie. She reached to the wall of the main building moments later, and only then she looked back, to find her five accomplices tailing behind her at a frenetic pace. She didn't stop for a moment to smile at them but damn if they didn't deserved it. Using her entire will-power to focus, she walked along the wall until she reached the right window – the only one which showed the lights on inside – where she got to work with her lockpick, hearing the familiar 'click' of the lock giving in to her wiles in a matter of seconds. Again, brainless task. She pulled up the wooden framework as silently as she could and she stepped inside, wasting no time at all to pounce over the poor worker named Bob who was just doing his damn job looking for each and every image of The Stanley Parable on ''. His motto was "Even those dirty pics bolster our sales, guys!". He even said it when he got demoted. Norah let out a chuckle as she released his neck when it was painfully clear that he was unconscious. A damned good job in her records, yes sir. She was so proud of her workings that she didn't even notice the deadpan adorning her sister's face as the white-haired turned to close down the window, just in time to conceal their trespassing from the fresh batch of guards who were making the new rounds on the back. Then she looked at Aurora. Her face was the definition of sheepish|

N:…What?

A:…Really Norah? You really need me to spell it out here? *She pointed at the unconscious man*

N*Furrowing her brows*:Hey I told you this was going down! Can't you take a guess once in your life? What did you expect it'd happen when I said "We're sneaking in through some guy's office"? I knew he'd be working here tonight, and I knew his door to the corridor there *She pointed at the door of the office* would be open, unlike the other doors of the other rooms. Sheesh!

A:That still doesn't excuse the fact that you just put down some dude who literally didn't do anything wrong! That's how it's going to be with every random drone we encounter? I didn't sign up for this, Norah…

|Her sister sighed and she looked for some support on her sister's friends, who just looked at her awkwardly or plainly averted their gazes, signaling that this was her problem to deal with. Figures. She walked up to her sister and she got her arms around her in a soft hug. The tsundere faces Aurora was making urged Norah to focus onto her hair as she spoke. The boobs would have been too weird|

N:Aurie, please, listen…yes, Bob didn't do anything asides from flirting with me a little when I came to visit, but he was in the way of the op, and he was a potential threat who could have called the guards at any time he desired if he had seen us coming…Knocking someone out is never okay or the first choice you should go to, ever…but this time it was the only choice we had, 'cause we couldn't risk to tie him or to bribe him. Aurie…this is real and it's going down…one wrong move and it's jailtime for us…I'm not asking you to be cool with it, but I'm asking you to understand…every measure I'll take from here on out will be solely based on necessity

|Aurora fumbled for a while with her response, shifting between annoyed and pitiful expressions every so often…and in the end she chose pitiful, and she nodded in understanding. Norah squeezed her shoulders a bit as she let her go, knowing full-well how hard it was to be on the other side of the 'road'. But it was not the time to feel reminiscent. It was the time to kick some sneaky ass|

N:Alright…listen guys, beyond that door lies the corridor, also known as our second enemy. Stick to the dark and follow my teachings. Don't get caught, yadda yadda, okay?…Okay…

|She wasn't going to show weakness before them by any means, but the truth was that she was just as scared shitless as the others about the job. She had never gone for a hit of a caliber nearly as high…and it was a little bit surreal to be actually sneaking into some place in the dark of the night to do some unfounded "corporate espionage". She breathed for a bit to calm down her anxieties, and then she opened the door. Naturally, the corridor was deserted, and just barley illuminated by the thin lines of light pouring out from under some doors. The floor was a fluffy brown carpet which she had all but forgotten and the walls were a light shade of beige. But fuck the walls, the floor was carpeted and that made her smile in genuine glee because there was nothing that spies loved more than noise-muffling walking-surfaces. Besides waterboarding. And being portrayed by the Cruise kids in movies. She guessed it ran in the family. Oh, wait, she was sidetracking again – she reeled herself back to earth in an astounding demonstration of commitment, and she hurried the others into the cozy corridor, closing the door as Óengus stepped out last|

N*Whispering very softly*:Alright…we go right *She pointed to the right, where more corridor extended* and we take the emergency stairwell to the second floor…*She gave a couple of steps but then she turned back to face the rest once last time* hey, guys? I don't like to repeat myself but…be really silent now…like, for reals real this time –it's one wrong sound and everything goes ka-put…also, we haven't reached the cubicles yet…

|And with that not-at-all foreboding comment, she got in motion and headed down the corridor for the right, followed by the others as they shared a 'just-below-average' creeped-out look. It didn't take them long to find the stairs – it wasn't that big of a building – which were lodged in the very corner where the corridor took a turn. Norah walked the rest over towards the end of their left-s iding wall, where she made a hurried signal for them to stop. Problem: There was a guy with a flashlight coming their way. The others heard it moments later, sending their faces (and their heart-rates) to the moons of concern. But Norah kept her cool and followed her own teachings to look for a hiding spot, which ended up being the restroom to her side. Suffice to say, she managed to get everyone into the tiny room. "A bit cramped" wouldn't have done justice to their state|

P*Who actually seemed genuinely cool-headed in the face of their adversity; whispering*:Hey, is he gone…?

N*As she looked through the keyhole*:…Almost gone…he's loitering there in the corridor, dunno what he's doing an– Oh-oh, hold that thought, I think he's comin– *She grunted in annoyance* god dammit! Be ready!

|And before anyone could mutter a dumb "Ready for what?" the door of the restroom opened to reveal a rather dumbstruck guard with a coffee mug in one hand and the fly of his pants on the other. That was the moment when shit hit the fan. He couldn't even part his lips before Norah yanked him inside and closed the door as softly as she could. Now, if this story were to be an old-school cartoon, the beating that followed would have lasted a couple of second at best, and the entire building would have shaken with the force of their punches and the cheesiness of their onomatopoeia's. But this story is gritty, and sweaty, and very much respondent to reality, and most definitely not a cartoon. The beating lasted five minutes, and the only thing that shook was the guard as he was gagged and bruised by the trespassers in the crowded restroom. When they stepped out, more than one person had a little bit of blood on their hands, and other unidentifiable fluids. They resolved to not talk about it, as they quietly closed the door and stepped into the stairwell. "This will be fun to deal with later…" Norah thought, as she darted some worried looks towards the…weaker members of their group, which in actuality meant "The members with the least amount of guts to be cool with brutality". Her eyes lingered mainly on her sister, but they went over to Finn every so often, just to check if he hadn't fainted yet. He looked just about ready…at least the adrenaline rush seemed to have kicked them into the right mindset for their op, which was great on Norah's books. There was a whole lot more to do and they didn't have time to take their damn time. They were on the clock. Stepping out on the second floor, they all peered to their right to see a well-lit corridor that opened up to what had to be the main area of the floor: The cubicles. Norah signaled the rest to wait for a moment by the stairs as she skipped over to the remaining corridor in front of them, which wasn't nearly as well-lit, and she popped her head into a room near the corner – the guard's room, most likely. She pulled back quickly enough, mouthing a clear signal of the absence of pesky guards as she came back to the statuesque group. She didn't go as far as to laugh at them…but she was very sure that she had never been partnered with prunes like them. Damn noobs. They seemed to snap out of their dazing then, as they got walking to reach all the way to the main entrance, where Norah finally decided that it was high time to tell them about the workers|

N:Alright guys, stop right here, we've glossed over the workers-thing for much too long…let me tell you a little bit about them…*She made sure to have everyone's attention and she continued*…Yeah, so, here's the thing…Imma be blunt now: These guys are pretty much catatonic to everything that isn't their work…

|…Silence – and I mean, how could you even respond to something like that with anything that wasn't a sound "What?". Aurora didn't know, because when she finally broke the ice, she did so uttering said word|

A:…What?

N:Well, you see…I don't know how to explain it, but it's like they don't even register anything asides from their work – and I mean it…it's really off-putting but what I'm trying to say is that I don't think they'll be a problem, as they won't even notice us walking alongside them. Do you copy?

A:I…guess I do…but how can that even be possible? Are they wearing headphones or something like that? Maybe they have a whole lot of conference-calls, or something like tha–

N:–Aurora, no. They are not having conferences, they are not using headphones. There are like real life zombies, and it's really creepy so I want you all to be ready…are you ready?

|Aurora gave her an automatic nod, still a bit confused by the whole ordeal, and that was enough for Norah to get in motion again, stepping into the big room. It was almost a carbon copy of the setting of the Stanley Parable, only a couple times bigger than those sets of cubicles, and they were swarming with corporate drones doing their work, for a change. At Three AM in the morning…it was that type of company, apparently. And, incidentally, that was the moment when they found out Norah had been right all along. The white-haired girl stepped into the room and nobody paid her mind. The white-haired girl walked across the rows of workers and nobody paid her mind. Hell, the white-haired girl went ahead and hugged a poor guy and nobody. Paid her. Fucking. Mind. Naturally, jaws hit the floor and were dragged behind by the others that followed their guide|

Robert:I must say…I was not expecting this, at all…

P:Tell me about it, Robbie guy…this is just…wrong

F*In a concerning tone and with a hand to her mouth*:Mein götze…they…they are just like Stanley at the beginning of the game…heilige Scheiße, what is wrong with these people…

A:You…are right, Finn…they do seem to be acting like Stanley…I don't know about you all…but this raises some questions and warning signs on my head…

N:Yeah, sure, whatever – how about we get this over with and then we complain about their workplace policies, how's that? See that door over there? *She pointed at a small wooden door on the far back in front of them* Yeah, you can't read it from here but those are the Archives…I say we take a look!

|And thus, she strode forth, and the rest followed sort a moment later. She was right, again, questions came later. They had to get their job done. True to Norah's words, the door to which they arrived read out "Archives", carved into its wood in a rather curtly manner. Their leader didn't even look back once as she turned the pommel and opened the door. The rest did, however, look back before entering, giving the zombie-like workers one last eerie glace before they were once again out of sight. It distracted them from thinking about why the door opening up to one of (if not) the most important rooms in the building had been left without its lock on. Interesting, indeed. The Archives were…not what they were expecting, really. It wasn't every day that a building would put a name like "Archives" to their main storage servers. Not even knowing where in all the nine circles of hell they had found the space to put them, before the trespassers, rows upon rows of server racks stretch out into what seemed to be a blackened infinity…and beyond. This time, Norah herself was the one who answered accordingly to the situation|

N:…What…? Ho–? Where is all this stuff packed onto?!

Ó:This is…mildly concerning…

N*Turning to look at him*:Just mildly? This is like a whole new freaking dimension or something! How the fu–

F*Interjecting with a trembling voice*:H-Hey, jungs!…I don't think this is "just" like a whole different dimension…

|Everybody turned to look at the man, who had found himself a seat before a single computer Aurora figured it served as a terminal to browse through their database|

N*Approaching the man in question*:…What's that you say, Finn?

F:Well…I found this pc here a moment ago and I hacked into it to see what's what, and–

|But of course, even when the information at stake was a matter of life and death, Norah had to cut him off|

N:Woah, woah! You say you hacked into the pc? I don't even know how to do that – how the fuck did you learn to do that?!

F:Uh, um…can I tell you later? I really want to get this through to yo–

N:Nuh-uh, nothing of that sort, young man! How the fuck did you learn to hack shit and why haven't you taught me to do it yet?

A:Norah can you–

N*Turning to look at her sister*:NOT YOUR DISCUSSION, PRINCESS! *Turning back to Finn* Now, you were saying, dear…?

F*Deadpanning on the girl*:I'm…I'm a Computer Science graduate Norah, and I've told you like a million times; my thesis is a two-thousand-pages long essay on "Security Protocols and Break-In Counter-Measures"…I can hack onto a terminal like this with my blutige eyes closed…Can you let me finish, please?

N:Alright, alright, sheesh! You don't have to be the drama queen, you know that, right?

|Aurora could hear the eyes of everybody rolling. Just. Norah. Things|

F:Y-Yeah, okay…I was browsing through some glänzend-looking files and…I found this…It's not just that we seem to be on a different dimension…we are on a different dimension…or "Time-Line" to be precise…

P:A what of the what? Where you say we're in?! How the fuck is this possible?!

F:I-I don't know, I don't know…! It's really too long to read into it just now but it's there on the screen…

|Aurora went ahead and confirmed what their friend said, as the document was several thousand pages long…which wouldn't do…at all. In turn, Óengus put his hand to Piscea's shoulder, and gave her a look that meant "Calm the fuck down, you're scaring Finn", which was the wholehearted truth. It the end, it was Rubella who took the reins to get them all back on track|

R:People! We've skied in here with a clear enough ambition in mind…We can discuss all of this later, but time is growing scanty for us, so I would really suggest that we flit up!

N:…You are right, Rub, we're getting off track here. Finn, can you search for our info?

F*Holding a smug grin*: Can I…?

|He typed so fast on the keyboard that Aurora could swear that his fingers blurred out a little. They couldn't even blink before a neat document that read in "PATRICIA TANNIS" in bold letters appeared onto the screen, it even had a picture of her, which brought warm memories to the redhead's mind and a wolf-whistle to her sister's lips|

N:Oh, buddy! That's the babe you winged in your glory days? Sweet lord, even I would have hit that and I'm as straight as the Carbon Dioxide!

A*Covering her face to hide her nuclear blush and trying her absolute best to hold her nerd laughter. She was not having the best of times*:Y-yeah…that's her…what can you tell us Hackerman?

|And that was the moment when everyone deadpanned on Aurora|

F:…Hackerman? Really? That's the early two-thousands referenz you're going for? Aurie dear, your memes are a weak as your passwords…Bah! Let's see…birth date expunged, age expunged, born in a lovely little place called Birdsville, in the Queensland state of Australia…moved to Sidney in her youth, joined the army in her teens with a friend whose name seems to be expunged here…climbed through the ranks with staggering speed, served as a sniper for some time – that's when she was sent to Bratislava, Aurie – and then…she joined a special ops team with said expunged friend – black ops most likely – and she served there for a bit more than a year or so until…she kind of went rogue a year ago with her friend and joined some organization that's called "T.L.S.", and nothing else…rings any bells?

|A silence settled between them until Norah decided to speak of her experiences|

N:Yeah, it kind of does…there was this rumor doing the rounds back in the day, in the places I frequented – uh, more than ten years ago, I'd say…that some whatever factory was actually the cover for a shady organization called…"T.L.S."…up north in Targówek…though I wouldn't know much about it, I was like fifteen back then and apparently the place burned down shortly after–

F:–Ten years ago…Nox, it burned down ten years ago…and mein götze, take a look at this…

N*Leaning in to look at the computer*:Hm, what's this?…They have a whole document regarding "T.L.S."?…Why on earth would a multinational company care for some random…espionage agency? Called "Totally Legit Spies"? Really, now? That's the name they went for? That's just…sad…

F:That's the funny thing…here it says that their headquarters, which were there on Targówek, were attacked and destroyed ten years ago…

A:Attacked?…By whom?

F:Well, it says…*He made a pause as he read on the next lines, growing paler. He only managed to speak up once again when his friend put her hand on his shoulder*…it says it was attacked by them…by The Narrator's Company

P:What?! That's fucking impossible! This is a company not an army for fuck's sake!

F:I…I wouldn't count on that, actually…look at this…*He pointed at the screen where several files were showing* Tenths of documents detailing militaristic operations, bases, assets…

Robert*Whispering*:Dear Queen Elizabeth spare me…

A:Are you trying to tell us that the fricking Narrator's Company has been plotting something nasty right under our noses this whole time? There's just too many question left in the open…

N:Indeed, there are…I say we stick to our end goal people, everything else goes later…Finn! Go back to Tannis and please tell me you have a pen-drive or something…

F:Nox, bitte…I have two.

|He pulled out two devices from his left pocket, which were clearly pen-drives. Norah smiled|

N:Nice one, you sly dog! How much data can you pack in each of them?

F:Eh, you know, a couple of terabytes, nothing too fancy…

|His grin was an ode to the pride of a thousand nerds around the globe|

N:"A couple of terabytes" isn't too fancy for you? Where the fuck did you get monsters like that?!

F:Well…with the right freunds there's a million different things you can get…

N:Well buddy, you and I are going to have a drawn-out chit-chat once this is all over and you're gonna take me up to those "right freunds"…but for now copy her file into one of them and any other files that you deem important! Just fill out your thingies, alright?

F*Plugging the first pen-drive into its port*:Darauf!

|And it took him a while, but in the end he finally signaled the rest that he was filled to the brim with data, putting them in motion once again. They left behind the Archives in a flash, and the cubicles as well. They walked hurriedly towards the stairs, aiming to get back to the office they used to get in to wait out the night…but as they were taking a turn to face the entrance to the stairwell, they encountered their demise…in the form of "Bob the Porn-Addict Worker", and "Officer Smash-My-Face", and neither of them looked happy to see them. At all. Because they looked surprised to see them|

Bob:Phil! These are the guys that assaulted us!

Phill:Damn right they are…Say, pals, how about you come with me, a representative of the law, for some…'questioning'?

|The way he said it – as he cracked his knuckles – implied that there wouldn't be that much questioning going on if they came with him. Naturally, their first instinct was to fucking leg it. Being six, they charged forwards and past the two poor idiots blocking their way, only to hear a loud whistle going off behind them, which couldn't mean good news. They dove into the stairwell and went down to the first floor, where they had to take a detour as a swarm of guards bursted from the entrance on the ground-floor. From there, they stumbled their way across the corridors, eluding and dodging guards, who simply added themselves to the growing numbers tailing behind the runaway trespassers, as they looked desperately for an opening to escape. It was only a matter of time before they reached the main area of the first floor, where they found themselves corner on every entrance by a group of guards. Why did the building have a ridiculous amount of guards? Any other day I would have said "only some x deity knew" but looking at the recent discovery Aurora and her friends had made, it was only natural that the place was swarming with suits…but still, only Tzeentch knew. And so, everyone looked at each other as they were steadily pushed back into the windowed area of the room, feeling their chances of making it out alive diminishing with every passing second. It didn't take much to figure that their situation was not a "call the police to arrest them" example…this was going to be the end for them, because they knew too much. They were going to die. Finn started sobbing, and Piscea could be seen struggling to hold her tears, as she readied her fists to go out with a fight…Norah turned at her sister then…|

N*Between ragged breaths and in a fast-paced, anxious tone *:Aurie, Aurie, look at me – I…I am sorry, I am so sorry…I'm going to fail you…I am sorry…

|And that was how her sister broke into tears as well…but Aurora wouldn't have it. Something clicked inside of her then, something that had been buried very deeply into her core. She had given every drop of her sweat, of blood and every second of her life to fulfill her dreams. She had done things that she never believed she would do, like breaking into a building, stealing information (She even came to terms with the lie her sister told her of not stealing anything!), eluding cops...she had quelled her eternal strife with her sister, once and for all…and it was all coming down to this…to her death at the hands of corporate guards…No. She refused. She was Aurora Gen FUCKING Capilli, and she had gotten this far on her crusade…and she did not play to lose. She looked everywhere at once, analyzed every possibility, every outcome, every sound failure…until she came up with a solution|

A:…No…

N:…N-No? 'No' what, Aurie? What does that mean? I–

A:–I'm not going down like this after everything we went through…

N:Wha-what are you talking abo–

A:–FOLLOW ME!

|And so…she turned to look at the windows…and she jumped through the glass. The others shared one last glace for a minuscule, almost insignificant, instant…but in reality what other choice did they have? They all jumped behind her as well, praying to each of their gods for an intervention on their impending deaths…that was when they landed over something soft…something like a sand truck stationed in the parking slots, from the guardhouse that was being constructed in front of them, facing Dubois. They blinked once, twice, until they heard the voice of the redhead from the ground level, and they moved faster than ever before in their lives to escape out of the complex, guided by Norah to lose the persecuting squad that had been sent after them…An hour later, resting between the woods of the Powązki Cemetery and catching their breath…they had effectively lost their chasers, and the night was just rounding up to Five AM. It was on that moment when Norah stepped up to her sister and…she slapped her across her face so hard that she went tumbling down, only to help her back up and into a hug before she could say anything…and what could Aurora do asides from returning the hug? Also, she, Norah, was crying again. Lol|

N*Between helpless sobs*:G-Goddammit, you Matchstick-Head…*She sniffled* Next time, leave the c-crazy to me, would you?...Sweet baby Ilúvatar, at least give me a fucking heads up before you go crashing through a window! I mean, good grief thanks the providence that there was a fucking dump truck parked right there! But what if there wasn't a fucking dump truck parked right there? You'd have breezed through a whole storey, landing hard on the concrete, breaking your legs and other nasty things, and we would have died and you would have died as well! What the hell were you thinking…?!

|Aurora smiled as her sister ranted on, slowly remembering that despite everything – her way of life, her friends, her attitude, everything – Norah Gen-Capilli was still her sister deep down in her core…and she had to admit that it felt good to see that side of her resurface every once in a while. So she said nothing, and held her arms in place around the white-haired as she went on, and on, and on, and on, unloading her anxieties onto her shoulder, with a side of tears to sprinkle up the sappy dish. She tried to ponder the assaulting questions of the girl who clutched to her like a rabid koala (For a while); why had she jumped? Why did she risk it? Was she as crazy as the minx that was her sister? In all honesty…Aurora didn't even know how she built up the bravado to do what she did…but she did know that it came from her depths, from her core…their mother used to say something, many, many years ago that seemed fit for the occasion…she said that "If there was one thing that defined the Capilli women…it was their absolute stubbornness to go against the current when the current was going against them…" and she had never believed in those words, being the behaved dame that she was, but…there had been something just so primal inside of her chest, that moved her to jump through the window, something that made sparkles fly in her lizard-brain…Her mother had been right on many things…and maybe, she had been right for one last time, as well…|

N:–And, and…! It was like that one time when I told you to not wake the sleeping hobo and you just went and kicked him in his belly and he chased us and I told you you were crazy, and, and–!

A:–Norah! Norah, calm down…it's okay, I get it, what I did was a very…rash thing to do…but it saved our asses, and we'll live another day to tell the story …heh, all in all, I'd say you're finally rubbing off on me! You should be proud, and cheery! Not gloomy and anxious! It's like this sis' – after years of trying to sway me to the wild dark side and seeing no progress, you've finally done it! You've finally triggered the Norah Gen-Capilli gene in me! Goodness gracious, that deserves a celebration, not a mourning!

|The redhead gave her sister a sarcastic applause, and the other girl let out an exaggerated sigh, rolling her eyes so hard that the earth itself shook when they came down again|

N:Oh yeah, wohoo! I can check that out of my list of life goals, after all this time! "Corrupting little sister to be like me"? Checked! *She put her arm around Auroras' shoulders* Next stop: Introducing you to the criminal way of life…say, have some energy left to pull off a good ol' heist? Promise you it's easier that it looks! The trick is to actually shoot the cashier after they give you the money…witnesses make things difficult, you know…?

|Her grin was…not playful at all, oddly enough…it was a little too sinister for the redhead's likings…and it reminded her of the sad truth that she was never going to out-creep her sister. Her sister was the very queen of creepy things|

A:…Yeah, I'm not going to top that, whatever…*She turned to her friends, who were draped against trees and graves alike. She didn't think too much into it* Anybody has anything to say to me? I'm in the mood to deal with chiding – that is to say, the adrenaline has yet to leave my body and I feel like I could wrestle a fucking t-rex right now. So, hit me with the best you got, you sickos…

|The first one to retort, predicatively, was Óengus, who got up from the age-old stone he was sitting on and swaggered his way to her. Because Óengus didn't just 'walk'. He swayed her way as if he was dancing to an unsound rhythm. And he did that every time he walked. Every. Time|

Ó:Aurora Marie Genovefa-Capilli…*The redhead physically winced at his words; he continued to approach her*…what you did was reckless, stupid, statistically bounded to fail, and you could have died…

|Aurora smelled the trouble cooking. Óengus wasn't just distressed or angry…Óengus was mad. Furious, even. And he had used her full name, which she despised down to her very bones…coming to think of it…she didn't believe there was a word invented to describe how he felt – furious didn't come close to do him justice…and then he finally walked up to her, burning a hole through her skull with his piercing eyes. Or course, she didn't look at him, how could she? She could handle her sister well enough; she could handle her friends well enough...but the Big Guy? Yeah, that was a whole other story altogether. The tension was thick in the air as his perpetual silence wrapped around her, lowering her emotional being into the pits of emotional hell…but then he let out a long, long breath, and he relaxed his face and his posture, as he placed on hand to her shoulder. That's when she looked at him, and for once he didn't seem all that mad at her…|

Ó:But…but despite all of that, you saved our sorry asses tonight, and I am grateful…my friend…

|And he hugged her, and Aurora didn't cry, but not because she couldn't, but because she didn't even know what to feel at that point. So she went with the flow and held onto the hug until he was done, seeing as no-one else had anything to say to her. They understood Óengus's words well enough – enough to stick to them. It was at that moment that Norah saw fit to speak again|

N:…Well then, we did it people…we got in and out with an hour to spare and all of our body parts intact…how about we get this over with, once and for all? I promise you all I'll get you the biggest fucking burgers back at The Lowest when we get back after we meet with Mr. B., and for free no less!

|A chorus of 'Hell yeah!' echoed over the tree tops. Nothing like a promise of junk food to raise up the spirits|

Robert: Nox, dear, could you, perchance, give us a rough estimate of the distance to our destination? For my feet are indeed quite tired despite the agitation in my heart…

N:Oh, yeah, distance…well, we've gotta get to the Babice Airport, which is…uh…a wee bit off the city to the west…

|Another chorus – very different from the previous one – of groans echoed over the tree tops. Nothing like mentioning a far-off destination to lower down the spirits|

N:Yeah, yeah, I know it sucks but when you gotta go then you gotta go! Also, bus time-tables are kinda wonky at these hours of the night, and don't get me started on train-lines…*She sighed in defeat*…I guess that what I'm trying to say is…our best shot would be to walk all the way over there…please don't hate me…

|More groans, more spirits plummeting to an endless void. They were at a stage or resignation right then. They didn't even say anything else as they got moving, towards an excruciatingly long journey to the god damned airport, with Norah following behind…|


|Two hours, several piggybacks, an almost-faint and a bit over four miles later, the mismatched group – still dressed in shady black clothes – finally stepped out of the dense forest that bordered the accursed airport, and walked into a clearing forsaken by mankind. Into the clearing. In front of them there was a little encampment – if "a bonfire with three 'not-hobos' sitting around it" could be labeled as one. There wasn't even a tent, only three mats laid down a step or two away from the fire, in which a hefty pot was placed, most likely cooking up a yummy stew. Aurora discovered that 'Stew of what?' was not the right question to ask herself, for it lead down through some interesting paths that her vast imagination conjured…or least it did, until her train of thought was stopped when a bullet whistled past her ear, snipping away a few threads of her hair. In the whole three seconds it took her to react, she saw in a crawling slow motion how each of her companions reacted. And then she fell, and she screamed|

N:WOAH! WOAH! HOLD YOUR FIRE! WE'RE HERE FOR THE JOB!

?:IDENTIFY YOURSELF!

|The three figures sitting around the bonfire were standing now, and making their way towards the intruding group whose members had lain down on the grass with their hands to their backs, in a sign of peace. One of the figures, the one who spoke, clearly a man, rushed to their encounter brandishing a shiny machine gun. Yes, a machine gun. That he used to point at them threateningly|

?:I WON'T REPEAT MYSELF AGAIN, IDENTIFY YOURSELF OR I'LL OPEN FIRE!

N:N-NOX! I'M NOX! I CAME TO SEE MR. B., PLEASE HOLD YOUR FIRE!

|And it was on that moment when another voice interjected|

?:Yes, Sergei, would you please be so kind as to hold your fire? These young men and women are no threats to us…they are guests!

|The machine gun dude, Sergei, reacted instantly, lowering his gun and putting the safety back in place. That was the moment when Norah raised her eyes to see again, because that last voice…that last voice she had heard before…and the man who uttered those last words…she had seen him before…|

Mr. B.:Why, hello there Miss Nox, it's truly a pleasure to lay my eyes on your form again…I do suppose apologies are in order, but you must excuse this young man – he was just doing his job, and with mighty effort if I may add!

Sergei:Thank you, sir!

Mr. B.*Walking up to the group that was still on the ground*:Oh, Sergei, you fine lad – there's no such need for copious formalities like 'sir' or whatnot! *He extended his hand to Norah to help her up, who took it with a cautious grip* Miss Nox…I speak truest words – you are in no danger at the moment! Please, make yourself at home on our humble abode – Sebastian is the stew ready, perchance?

Sebastian:Uh, I'd say it has another hour to go still, Mister…uh…Mister B…

Mr. B.:Oh, curse it! I would have loved to have you all sample the delicacy of my dish…alas! Come, join us near the fire! Lads, help the others up if you're so kind…tarry not, Miss Nox, for I do believe we have much to discuss!

|And he turned to head for their camp then, leaving behind a group of very confused and mildly startled individuals…and a girl who almost got shot. Suffice to say…Aurora found herself not in the best of shapes as she was helped to her feet by the beefy arms of the so-called Sergei|

Sergei*In an awkward tone*:Uh…sorry for shooting you, girl…I guess…wasn't personal or anything like that…

A*With a hollowed and whispery voice, giving him the thousand-yard stare*:Yeah…no biggie…

|She got walking because her brain had descended to "serving for only one thing at a time". But at least it was working, unlike others…|

P:Hey, Big Man, can you give me hand? The pansy's out cold!

|Finn, being Finn, had fainted. There was only so much the weak man could take. Óengus gave his a pitiful look as he, effortlessly, got him over his shoulders|

Ó:Well…that was something…

P:Yeeeeah…been some time since I've been shot at…

|That made him raise his eyebrows, all the way towards his inexistent locks|

Ó:Some…time? Care to elaborate on that?

P:Meh, maybe some other time…but keep in mind that some fight can go sideways reeeeal fast…

Ó*Whispering to himself*:Oh, you don't have to tell me…

P:Wussat'?

Ó:O-Oh! Uh…nothing, I said nothing…

|She gave him an inquisitive look that she held for a moment before she bursted into laughter, clapping his back (And Finn's face) along the way|

P:Pfff–! I'm just playing with you, Baldie! *She turned to look at Robert, who was walking alongside them in an eerie silence* What about you, Rob? How's your regal ass handling things?

|Robert gave her a short-lived cackled, that showed some undertones of delirium slipping in…it was a very out-of-character thing of him and it kind of put the hair of her neck on edge|

Robert*In a sarcastic, dry and concerning tone*:Oh, dear! I'm faring wonderfully! I've never been shot at, prior to this moment, and I must say that it is an…invigorating experience! Ha-ha!

|He gave her a maniacal laughter and – yeah, whatever, Piscea didn't care that much. Way over in the front, Norah and Mr. B. were chatting rather eagerly, laughing and flashing each other smiles. Of course, it was all a ploy from both parts to hide their true reactions and they both knew that, but Norah had a feeling that he would have been very disappointed if she didn't play her own game against his. It was evident, a little bit at least, that the guy had some experience in the field, which segued to a shady past. The plot thickens. Arriving at their bonfire, the old man gestured at the older sister to take a seat, signaling to the stone set directly in front of him, in a not-subtle manner of telling her to face him. "Damn, he's good at this…" Norah thought as she held onto her façade and she kept her cool. The rest of her gang followed her steps shortly after, sitting in front of Mr. B. and who seemed to be his underlings, Sebastian and Sergei. Finn was laid down on the grass to Óengus's side, between Piscea and him – in case anything were to happen…Óengus knew there was no such thing as being too prepared|

Mr. B.:So! I trust you're here to discuss a matter of the task you so gracefully accepted a week prior to now?

N:Yes sir, that's the gist of it…

|She made a switch from jolly to chill casual, and he smiled when he noticed it. And she had been abrupt with the purpose of him noticing|

Mr. B.:Oh, marvelous!...I'd say that given your character, you're not the type to come back to someone empty-handed, and given that we're having this most illustrious meeting at such an unreasonable hour, I do believe it is fair for me to ask if you have indeed brought me the information I so asked you for.

|Norah flashed him a fetching smile that answered the question prior to any wordsmithing|

N:I see you're still sharp on your game, old man! Just as sharp as our previous encounter…Yes, I, myself, and this group of individuals, my accomplices *She waved her hands to gesture at their presence* have successfully infiltrated into our targeted destination and we have retrieved the designated intel, to this here rendezvous spot…

|Another chance of attitude – this time it made him raise his eyebrow…which could have been a mirage itself to sway her off her thought-path, or it could have been a genuine reaction that signaled her that he was not expecting another change…that he could not read her in every spectrum of reactions. Useful information in each instance|

Mr. B.:Oh my – dear, why the sudden formality? Please, make yourself at home, I insist! No need for those pesky, pesky big words here…but with that aside…you say you do have the information, which is wonderful!…Now…before you ask me in another tone, I'd say a rather dry one with undertones of a threat here and there, that you have some questions you need answers for before you give me what I want – Let me tell you, first hand, that I won't try anything of a rather 'funny' sort, the moment I have the data in my hands…you will have your questions answered, but not before you describe to me how you managed to go through with this, in a detailed manner…a bargain for a bargain, my dear – then you'll have your money and we'll all be on our ways…how does that sound to you?

|How did that sound? I left her jaw slacked and her mouth agape. He wasn't just good at his game…he was the bloody best. It took Norah a whole two seconds to compose herself back to her comfort zone – which was very wide and yet he still managed to get her away from it. "Keep your cool Noxxie, don't let him get to you…" She told herself as she gave him another practiced smile before she spoke|

N:A bargain for a bargain sounds rather fair…Robert, dear, could you please hand him Finn's device? I'd take a guess that despite the dumpster appearance of this place, you are probably hiding some rather fine looking tech here and there…copy yourself your data, and…have a little treat as well…Rob, hand them both devices, actually…there's a little something I want him to see before we leave…

|She didn't even look at the man as she spoke – her eyes were fixed on Mr. B., as they should have been. He said no 'funny' stuff, but you could never be too careful. Robert humored her, and fetched Finn's pen-drives from a pocket on the unconscious man's pants. He walked slowly towards Mr. B., never looking at him in the eye. Norah empathized with him; the gaze of the old man was very overpowering. The devices were passed on to their addressee, and Robert seemed to find in him the boldness to speak up to him|

Robert:Say…what's a Welsh chap like you doing here in the outskirts of Warsaw?

|Now the brows of the old man went up, and Norah needed little to no deductionist prowess to verify that it was a genuine reaction|

Mr. B.:O-Oh my! Might I say the same, young man? What is a fine Londoner like yourself doing so far from his city?

Robert:Oh, this and that – the wind blew me over to Poland and thus here I am…same thing for you?

Mr. B.:Almost, you know…Welsh winds are something tamping…they've landed me in many a-places, Poland being one of them…

Robert:Oh, I don't doubt that for a moment, dear chap…

|Roberts' eyes lingered over his form for a moment longer than what would be considered…appropriate…it didn't go unnoticed by Norah, and the way his face transfixed itself as he turned to head back to her didn't slip past her eyes either. He had discovered something, and Norah was very interested in knowing what it was. Only when he took his seat a little to her side he decided to speak, with an unreadable deadpan over his face|

Robert:If this man's from Wales then I'm a bloody Texan. I know accents like the back of my hand; I've been everywhere in the UK, and I've lived ten years in Swansea – you're not Welsh, not even close. You have undertones of a Scottish accent sir, but you're definitely an Englishman given your lisp. Ever heard of Carlisle? Lovely little town near the border – matches your accent…you definitely don't hail from a forsaken country-side village, your mannerisms don't even match…you're a high brow person, but you're accent holds you off from being a bit more southern…

|Norah's jaw dropped – every other jaw (except the ones belonging to Mr. B. and his underlings) dropped. The white-haired girl would risk to say that nobody expected that…let alone from Robert of all people. But she figured it was only natural – his devotion to his culture was fanatical…there was a very high chance that he, indeed, would know his accents…but with such precision…Norah searched for a reaction on the old man's face, and she found one…his expression was neutral – unnaturally so. It could only mean one thing: He would blow his façade if he were to allow emotions to surface out. Robert had gotten to him. When did her sister's dorky friends become so resourceful?|

Mr. B.*In an almost playful tone*:Oh my…that's a very accurate deduction you have weaved, Mister Robert…

Robert:Why, thank you, Mr. B., though I do suppose you have concealed your origin from me merely from principle…I'd risk to say that it's a principle – which in turn would lead me to believe that you shroud your origins in a regular, or semi-regular basis, which would lead me to believe that you do such a thing for a living, which would finally take me to the conclusion, sir…that either you are either a highly skilled actor and we are on a concealed set for a TV show, or you are what's most commonly referred to as a spy of some sort…and given the current situation we encounter ourselves in, I think we both know which one of those you are…

|Alright: Norah was officially speechless, and both her jaw and her evens had fallen to uncharted depths. Even Mr. B. and his lapdogs seemed surprised – scratch that, Sergei's mouth was clearly agape, he was impressed. Mr. B. himself was impressed; he demonstrated that by giving him a warm applause|

Mr. B.:My, my, my! Mister Robert, I must say you've genuinely surprised me; I take my hat off to you…

|That got him to smile…but Norah instantly knew that something was wrong. It was his eyes, the way they blinked at uneven intervals…he was anxious – he knew something that they didn't. She decided that she was done with playing games of cat and mouse; she lent forwards and spoke with a grave tone|

N:Alright B-man, cut the bullshit – what are you hiding from us?

Mr. B.*Doing an over-dramatic gesture of displeasure*:Miss Nox! A little bit of manners, god almighty! I was just about to speak now, for it's simply so nostalgic, the way this young man has figured me out…it reminded me that deductionism runs in the Bolmus family like that mousy little nose that he has…or more precisely…it reminded me of his father, Arthur

|…What?|

Robert*In a dry tone, deadpanning on Mr. B.*:What…did you just say?

Mr. B.:Why, that you remind me of your father, Robert Bolmus! Same old intuition the old man had; that's what I see in you…

|Norah turned to look at Robert, finding him…in not the best of conditions. He seemed angry on the surface; red as a tomato and with a thick vein threatening to burst out from his neck…but Norah knew better than to look at the surface, because his eyes told a different story…he was grieving|

Robert*Slowly, in a barely evened tone*:How…do you know…about my father…how do you know about me…?

Mr. B.:Oh, I knew him from a handful of places – we used to be partners in the MI6, mates even!…I've known you since you were this small!

|He brought his hand to his leg, to show him that he essentially knew him since he was born. Also hold the damned phone; Robert's father was an MI6 agent? What?! Norah couldn't say the word, because Mr. B. was talking again|

Mr. B.:In fact, my dears, I know most of you and your intricacies…but I dare not to reveal your secrets as I also know of the fondness you have towards your anonymity…*He turned to look at Piscea, right in her eyes* isn't that right Priscylla Drozd?

|"Priscy – whaaaaaat?" was all Aurora could think in her head before the girl in question sprung from her seat and charged towards the old man, ignoring the warning Norah tried to give her. She readied her fist to land a blow on a poor face – any face really, but there was something not quite right on the receiving end…nobody was moving…in fact, Mr. B. seemed to be smiling|

Mr. B.:*He clicked his tongue* Struck a chord, have I?

|That finally did it for the girl. He first was in course to deck the man before anyone could blink…and then it was on her back, and she was on the ground, before anyone could even…even, I guess. She was on the ground, with her hand on her back and a surprisingly sturdy old man holding her down…how serious was this, again?|

P:LET ME GO YOU CREEPY HAG! LET ME GO OR I SWEAR I'LL BREAK EVERY FUCKING BONE IN YOUR BODY AND– HMPFH!

|Of course…he mushed her face on the grass…effectively muffling her…|

Mr. B.:Now, now, Prysc – oh, I mean, Piscea…there's no need to resort to a violence so rash as this *He gesticulated with his free hand*…you know you can channel your anger better than this…*He leant down to whisper to her ear*…Say…how about I tell your petty little friends a bit about the family business…?…will that get you going proper, or are you going to behave yourself…?

|And as if by magic…Piscea, Priscylla, whatever, suddenly stopped squirming, and went totally limp. The smug grin of the old man grew to unreasonable proportions|

Mr. B.:There we go! Now; I'm going to let you free, and I want you to behave because I'm not in mood for fisticuffing, it is not even Seven O'clock…are we clear?

P*Nodding with her head*:'esss…uie 'lear…

|And loyal to his word, Mr. B. let her go, and Piscea darted straight for her seat, from where she didn't move away from for the rest of the conversation. The old man took his seat as well, and looked at each of the presents in their eyes, one by one and slowly; as if he had all the time in the word…and he sure looked like it|

Mr. B.*Posing his eyes on each person he mentioned as he spoke*:Miss Nox, or should I say Norah Genovefa-Capilli, and your little sister Aurora Marie…Finnick Mahthildis…Robert Bolmus…Rubella Aerostati…and the tragic Óengus Kategida…I know about all of you, and it is no coincidence…I do not wish to use my knowledge against you, or to cause you any sort of harm…but I do want to make one thing clear…do not lie to me…do not try to deceive me…I will find anything you may try to hide from me; every word, every thought, every secret…have I made myself clear…?

N:…Y-yes Mr. B., you have…

|Norah decided to act fast – nobody could know how the others would have reacted. Mr. B. seemed to be please by her answer, because he relaxed a little|

Mr. B.:There we go, that's all I wanted to hear from you…now, I suggest we carry on with our schedule, for time is always short…any of you, who'll probably be Miss Norah, could be so kind as to tell me, in a detailed manner, what transpired tonight, and how you managed to come to me?

|And yeah, as everyone looked at everyone, the member of their group who eventually received every look was the girl of white hair, who let out a defeated sigh before she began to recite every event of the night, in a very methodical tone. She started by talking about the preparations, her scouting and such, and then she went over the events themselves; how they traversed the city, how they got in, how they accessed the archives and how they escaped, not glossing over the stunt of her sister, following with their pursuit and their eventual arrival at their encampment, reaching the present as the sun timidly bathed the clearing with orange lights. Mr. B. had a look to his face that Norah couldn't place. It wasn't a bad look, that was for sure…he almost seemed impressed, again|

Mr. B.:…So, Miss Norah, you're telling me that not only you managed to carry out a successful and carefully planned infiltration…but that one of the members of your metaphorical cell was able to access the encrypted database of their servers, and managed to retrieved several terabytes of information…and that you successfully evaded your captors who discovered your doings and sent off the alarm?

N:…Well…yeah, that's what happened, essentially…

|An ominous silence settled in the clearing then, as Norah didn't know what else to say, and Mr. B. was purposefully holding his tongue to create suspense. Oh, the drama…But in the end he laughed, wholeheartedly, and he smiled at the group in front of him…whose members were now officially confused as fuck. Norah included|

Mr. B.:Ah, Miss Norah…when I found you in that wretched gang…I must say I didn't think much of you – I lured you to meet me just because the look in your eyes showed me you had at least one more brain cell than those other thugs…but then I began I to research you, to trace back your past…and that eventually led me to your friends, dear…and I began to research them as well…*He made a slight pause before he continued* I found…oddities, in all of your pasts, that led you to possess several traits that a man like me would find most useful…and now I see that I was right to trust you with the mission, to trust you and your friends...

N:I thank you, on behalf of all of us… but now I want to ask my own questions, Mr. B. …*Her expressions suddenly changed to a sly grin* Or should I say Bucephelus Deadlift MacElroy

|His eyes went very, very wide, and it took Sergei and Sebastian point one second to level their guns towards her. And Norah smiled, she smiled so smugly that it was as if she was asking them to shoot her. The old man's façade had finally cracked, she had finally hit him where it hurt…and he didn't seem happy about it. At all. He even got up, and walked towards her, stopping right before her as he lowered himself to be face to face with Norah|

BDM:…Little…curious…girl…would you mind to tell me where exactly, did you get that info?

N:Oh, here and there…I've been doing my research as well, you know…?

|And so, they stared. She stared into his grey eyes, he stared into her blue ones, and nobody said a word, as the tension grew and grew. On Norah's side, Óengus and Piscea were already getting in position to jump at the barest hint of trouble, and Robert was trying to deduce if the guns were a bluff or a genuine threat. And Aurora sat there, speechless, unable to comprehend what the fuck was going on. Which was classic Aurora. A minute went by, then another, and it was on the third unending minute when someone finally made a move…someone, being MacElroy, who once again bursted out laughing|

BDM:Oh, kid, that stare of yours is going to get you far someday, I was not expecting that, I must say…!

|His men lowered their guns at his words, and it was on that moment when Norah knew she had won|

N:Thank you, Mister MacElroy, I'm honored to hear such words from the former director of T.L.S…who, just as a fact really, is supposed to be dead.

BDM:Well, Miss Norah…I am dead…technically speaking…every country thinks I'm dead, at least…surprise! However, I am most definitely not dead, as you can see…

N:Quite right, mister, quite right…

|MacElroy let out a humorous chuckle before he went to sit back at his previous spot in front of them, He looked rather lively, with a happy glimmer in his eyes|

BDM:Oh dear, it's been some years since I've been beaten at my own game…by a civilian-type no less! Oh, if I'm growing sluggish in my old age…I'll take it you've read about me on the files those pesky Narrators have of my cherished agency, haven't you?

N:Ah, guilty of that, mister…I saw your name and picture on the cover and well…what can I say, everything clicked into place for me…it wouldn't have been wise to let it all out from the beginning…I had to see how you'd develop, you know? Though I must say…the things Robert said? That was not scripted and I was not expecting that…and I was genuinely impressed.

Robert*In a vague tone*:Why, thank you, dear…

BDM:That I can see, dear, that I can see…let me tell you, Miss Norah…that's a rare talent you have…you hide your emotions flawlessly, better than many agents I know…I honestly didn't expect your revelation…and you were right to hold onto your knowledge…it's almost as if you're an agent yourself!

|And it was true. Everything she had said, everything she had shown; every gesture, face, reaction…they had been carefully planned, meticulously developed and they had been executed with surgical precision. It brought a gigantic surge of pride to her chest that nobody – not her friends, not the underlings and not even Mr. MacElroy himself – had seen through her schemes, through her tactics to weight out the power balance…Norah demonstrated the extent of her capabilities again as she switched her attitude towards a regal, almost-royal-like one. She brought her hand to her chest and she gave him a practiced smolder of abashment|

N:Oh, mister MacElroy…you flatter me! I've been practicing my facetiousness, have I told you? Ever since out first illustrious meeting, good sir…I pledged my grace to never again be out-played by your self…

BDM*Smiling widely*:See? There you go again! You are gem, Norah…

|And he stayed silent, but the look he gave her showed her that there was more to that last sentence than what he let out…it was time to prod again, then|

N:Thank you, thank you…say , mister…why is a man such as yourself sniffing around for information regarding one of your underlings? There's just something that doesn't…click, you know?

BDM:Oh, dear…I'm terribly sorry, but…that's classified information, only for my fellow agents to know…and please, do not address my fellows as my underlings, for I am merely another one in their ranks at the current time…

|Norah decided to skip the sugarcoating, and to jump right to her goal, as she leant forwards and gave him a serious look, shifting her tone to a slightly edgier one|

N:Agent MacElroy…there's something that you are not telling me…and it's not related to the Tannis situation…I suggest you do speak now…there's no more need for secrecy at the current time…

|The agent MacElroy smiled at her, and Norah knew right off the bat that it was not a facetious smile he was showing her. It was as real as the sun and the stars…and she also knew that he was going to speak|

BDM:Oh please, there's always a demand for secrecy, Miss Norah…let me tell you something, dear…you and your colleges, each and every one of them, including your own sister, have very unique and very rare talents, pasts and resources at your disposal…you know very well what it means to live between two worlds, one of which grants you an outlet to put those talents and resources to use…but not to good use, I'm afraid…however…what if I told you there's a big, big world outside of the bubble you live on…or rather, on the inside…a world that will welcome you and these young men and women, that will allow you to put your skills to good use, and that will show you things you never thought you'd see?

|And Norah looked at each of her sister's friends, and then at her sister herself, and she smiled widely when she saw an almost unseen glimmer on their pupils, an unwitting glimmer…a glimmer of desire. A glimmer that reacted to words they'd been wanting to hear for a long time now…and yes, she didn't know each and every one of their pasts, or their stories, or their talents…but Norah knew one thing for certain…what happened that night wouldn't have happened if she had gone with other companions. She knew right off the bat that they had a chemistry that she had never felt with anybody else. And it was because of that, that when she turned back to look at MacElroy she had a smile on her lips and a warm feeling in her heart, because she knew that what she was about to do was the right choice, so when she spoke, her words were confident, and her tone was steady|

N:Agent MacElroy…I think I'd say 'where do I sign up to be a spy?'.


And that's a wrap folks! I had so much fun writing this, you have no idea. Once again, I want to CLARIFY that none of the characters and the places are actually related to Child of Light, I wanted to pay tribute to the awesome game so I used some names and "kinda" some scenarios and appearances here. Another thing, is that Gen will be called Piscea here, since I used Gen in Aurora's full name T_T. Hope you liked it and see you soooooooooooon.


It is strangely surreal to tread over your own former words...I hope you've enjoyed this very distinct and...I'd like to say more tangible approach at they ever-weaving story in my mind...

Be sure to pledge a small morsel of your time to what is to come, dear readers...for it is much, and it is in its way...

See you all on the next chapter...