"There," I say, as the large white manor comes into view. Clark looks at me, the house, then back to me.
"This is it?" he asks, gesturing towards it as well. I nod, then limp down the soft dirt path that led towards its porch.
"Are you sure about this? I mean, what if this is just a set up?"
"Do we have any other choice?" I countered. At Clark's discouraged look I added, "besides, I don't think Nancy would set us up. I mean… It was a pretty grand distraction."
"I heard the noise. Mutant, what was that? Was it her?" I nodded. My last memory of Nancy was an awful sight. It was something that I would never forget.
We reach the porch, and there's only once visible light on in the whole house. I lift my hand up to knock on the massive wooden door, but I fail. My fist shakes in front of the door.
I can't do it.
Clark moves in front of me and knocks, lightly at first, then more serious. The three sharp staccato pounds must alert someone, because in the next second I can see the light traveling towards the door.
It's quickly flung open, and there is a black-haired guy greeting us. He is holding a candle in one hand and with the light illuminating onto his face I can tell he's stressed out.
"What do you want?" he asks sharply.
"Did you know Nancy?" Clark asks, and I want to yell at him for being so straightforward.
His eyes travel back and forth between us, then I feel something cold land on my shoulder.
Looking up, I can see that rain has started to fall. But it isn't entirely rain. There is some white, too, and I realize it has started snowing.
Had it turned winter already?
It was in the spring so many months ago when we had been forced out. It was in the spring when I had my last lesson from Professor Wiggle. When I last did a simple task.
Now I was on the run. I didn't have a place to stay. I didn't have anything except myself and Clark. I didn't even have Ravioli.
And now it was snowing and I was stuck in a terrible country, relying on somebody that I didn't even know.
After another moment's observation, the guy says, "come in."
Clark and I exchange a glance, and, for the first time in months, I walk inside first.
"You can call me Count. I'm not aristocracy or anything, but I guess I do have a pretty big house," Count explains as he makes his way down a hallway. Clark and I reluctantly follow.
"I keep a few of you guys here. You know, for refuge. I could tell by your blue hair that you belonged here."
"Actually, I'm not here for refuge. I'm here to try to solve this," I say. Count turns around and looks at me with a perplexed expression.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean I'm going to Kimbara Outback. To finish this. Nancy directed us to you for resources." He regards me with a thoughtful look.
"So you're here for my resources?"
"Just for the night," I correct him. "And if it's too much of a problem then you don't have to help us." Count shook his head.
"No, no. I'll help you. I'll do anything to stop this conflict." He points at my hair. "You're going to need something to cover that up. Bright blue hair might not-" Count pauses. "Wait, your eyebrows are brown? Oh. Then you don't need anything. Jamaa dye does that. Do you use Jamaa dye?" Count shakes his head. "Never mind." He stops at a door and opens it up, revealing a closet full of clothes. "Take whatever. It gets cold here, and you guys are basically traveling across the whole country, so I would suggest multiple layers." Count disappears, leaving the candle so Clark and I can sift through the clothes.
Clark takes a little while longer, while I don't pick and choose. In fact, the only thing I take is a black cloak with a small purple phantom emblem. It smells vaguely of salt.
"I'm looking for Mutant."
"Last name?"
"…His?" Mildew cursed silently at himself. What the hell was that guy's last name anyway?
"Yours."
"Rockengrooven. I know Mutant is with Doctor Peepers, if that helps."
"I'm afraid he just left, Mister Rockengrooven."
"No! Are you sure?!" The lady at the desk nodded her head.
"A few official-looking guys picked him and a red haired kid up. If it helps, he was talking to that man over there earlier," she said, pointing at a tall brown-haired guy that Mildew recognized.
"Alright, alright," he said and left, not bothering to give her a word of thanks.
He weaved his way through the crowds and finally to the front door. Outside, his ginger-haired friend greeted him.
"Finally. I'm freezing my ass off. Where's the kid?"
"Gone. We were too late." His friend groaned. "But Astro is still there," Mildew continued. "Mutant was talking to him. We're going to have to go straight to the execution plan."
"Are we going to tell Sir Astro?" Mildew shook his head.
"No. Knowing him he'll probably chase after the blue-haired freak."
"You know, Sabre is going to kill us for being gone this long."
"Well it's his own damn fault for assigning us to this whole Toontown thing."
"You can't blame him. Jamaa's gotten shit because of it. Everybody knows Neopia is next."
"But is it really? I mean, there are hardly any of u-… Toons left. Can they really cause more damage?"
"Well, Mutant seems to be." Mildew sighed.
"Okay, I'm done. Let's go the fucking Sol Arcade."
mmm... Bad bad people?
The first year anniversary is coming up! In five days! And I want to finish it by then. I can't believe it's been a year.
Thank you for the very kind reviews :D
Next chapter will be out veerrrry soon. (As in probably today! Or tomorrow. But probably today!)