AN: This is a long one
As Alice and I make our way back to the coffee shop I catch myself pondering on what to do once we get there.
Since Alice has been very well behaved, at least for a child her age, she hasn't destroyed nor broken anything out of my expectations. Though it still irks me that my polished wood got stained with blood. I wipe a metaphorical tear from my eyelid at the waste of money that I had indulged in to make my abode a little more comfortable. Though i don't hold it against her as it wasn't her fault for her condition.
I have always been a person of few possessions other than for books. I remembered barely having toys back when I was Alice's age. The few that I did were always useful in other aspects of life such as a rubix cube, a device made for learning a way to solve a problem by learning a set of patterns that can cause you to unlock its solution. Truly a benefiting gift that excelled at opening a child's intellectual capability to problem solve.
Ahh... What a fond memory...
In my daze I didn't realize that we had already arrived home, it took Alice tugging at my shirt to bring me back to reality and unlock the front door.
As I did so I heard the familiar bell jingle as we proceeded to shuffle further into the house.
Alice darted off to the back and I for one could use a coffee to reinvigorate myself after sitting through that awful church session. Today was my day off and I had been planning on reading this very interesting book on finance when we arrived home but I really needed some coffee.
Though I guess it was fun watching Alice play football. Small victories I guess, but still better than none at all. I went over to my bookshelf and grabbed the book I was thinking about and set it on my round table for customers.
I went off and grabbed my proper dark coffee beans and pulled out my favorite coffee brewer.
The reason for this one in particular being my favorite was due to who owned it before I did.
Yes this was my sister's brewer and it had definitely seen better days. It's silvery cold metallic look from when she first bought it had long since been covered in the old soot and mud that was forcibly stained on the device and causing it to be a more bronze color, rather than its initial metallic silver.
Alongside its history as my sister's heavenly device, I also felt that when I used it to make coffee for myself that I felt like I was being guided on how to make the perfect brew. Just like the way she did it.
I smiled at the thought and dumped my coffee beans into a strainer. I rinsed it once, then twice. Removing all the dirt what not that had undoubtedly been collected during its transit.
I then dump the coffee beans into the top container alongside pouring in just the right amount of water. If someone were to ask me how much water I use for my own brew, I couldn't give them a straight answer. I pour until I feel that it is right and revel in the godly brew that seems to come from this machine's every use.
Now it was time to grind. I slowly start at first, breaking up the roasted coffee beans into smaller chunks. As more and more get broken up I pick up the pace and start to churn the machine ever so slightly faster until I can see the coffee grounds start to sink into the basin below.
I do this for about 5 minutes until I am completely satisfied with the amount collected .
Next I grab my coffee strainer and affix it on top of my coffee pot. I pour my beans into the strainer and let the water run on low as it starts to mesh with coffee grounds and absorb their flavors, before sinking below and into my coffee pot. Where I have the burners on high so that when the newly brewed coffee reaches its basin, I don't have to wait long till I get the chance to drink it.
Though before I could enjoy my refreshment, I heard a loud crash on the other side of the wall. "What was that?" I called fiercely as I sprinted toward the door and swung it open.
I haul myself through the doorway and survey the area. My counter for cooking and dishwashing is fine, and the wall where I hang all my mugs to dry are all still in place.
I switch my gaze over to the other side, my eating area and favorite chair are still there and without harm.
Finally I look straight ahead toward my makeshift weight room.
I stare in suppressed horror as I see that one of my 5kg dumbbells was laid on the floor and next to it was the cracked remains of my feverishly polished floor!
I hold my anger inside and look toward Alice who for one looks to be on the verge of tears. Alice squeaked out, "Ehehe, s-sorry." in almost inaudible ramble.
I swallow my anger and regain my composed stature. I need to find out what has happened.
"Alice" I said in my voice of authority, the very same one I would do with the 203rd, just not as much yelling, " I am not mad, just tell me what happened here, now." I could feel a bit of my old venom seeking out as I said it.
She stares at me like a deer caught in headlights. Completely frozen and terrified of an impending doom. It reminded me of the looks I would be given on the Rhine Front when I would sneak across no man's land and slit the French soldiers throats. Confusion, worry, and fear. Oh... so much fear I would see in their eyes. I could only hope that that fate would not befall on me someday. I saw this and I was angry. A hot fire seeped into my soul, but I buried the furry burning inside me and let my more rational side take over and hear her out.
"I wa- was do- doing-" she stumbled with her words while pointing at one of my 5kg dumbbells. I still couldn't fully comprehend what she was deriving at so I let her continue to explain herself.
Children, especially young ones make mistakes and it is up to the guardian to make sure they are either appropriately rewarded or punished for their actions. This, alongside my own personal experience of children at the orphanage not being able to properly speak in front of potential parents, gave me the knowledge to let Alice finish explaining herself before I made an acquisition.
"I- wa- doi-" her speech sounded more like she forgot how to talk but her example motions seemed irely similar to that of a dumbbell curl. Which is a great interest to have at a young age, as self betterment is always a good thing to strive for, but doing so at such a young age inclined me to believe that she doesn't feel at peace with herself nor with her situation.
What I need to do now is to build a better bond between us and further my unknowing disguise, into thinking that we truly have a mother daughter relationship.
As taking from men much smarter than me in the psychological sciences, I will adhere to Skinner's operant conditioning theory. Reinforce positive acts and punish negative ones.
As Alice had tried to better herself, I will reward her and her actions toward physical betterment, but for cracking my floor I will punish her by showing her how to repair the broken bits.
I smirk to myself, a perfect cause and effect relationship for where I can seem to be both fair and righteous in my actions.
"I see." I said as I dropped to one knee to wipe away her gathering tears. I never really knew when these actions started to become more natural, all that I could say was that I was glad that they had been. Being guided by this instinct allowed me to be a much better parent to this child.
"Now Alice, follow me to the front." I said after I had finished wiping her tears, and discretely observing the actual damage to my floor. Thankfully, it didn't seem like it was too badly damaged and within an hour or two I would be able to guide Alice on how to fix it.
I took off to the front and went over to my bookshelf. I knew for a fact that I didn't have any child friendly stories, but what I did have was some science fiction. Though this type of book would not help anyone gain skills that could be used in the real world, other than comprehension. It was still a good way to pass the time, and with the setting being in space and about adventure. There was no doubt in my mind that the little star in my life would like it...
Wait... did I just call Alice my little star?
...
I shake my head. This instinct that is helping me be a better parent is really potent stuff. It feels like the mental corruption from the type 95 but not. Unlike the type 95 where I was forced to pray to that bastard, this sort of mental assistance is just pointing my thoughts in a way to better help me understand how to be a parent.
The extra assistance is nice I have to admit.
I chide myself for my stray thoughts and grab the sci-fi book. I go and sit down with my coffee in my off hand and the book in the other. I set it down on the circular table and waited for Alice to come.
A little while later I saw her poke her head out of the door and make her way slowly to me. Like a grandma trying to cross the street, both completely aware of the imminent danger on both sides of them, but still decide to go slow as if to extend the thrill of death being so close, with bodies old and worn out from all of their years of excitement. Though I compare them, Alice definitely didn't like the thrill of being so close to a metaphorical death, so I decided to end her suffering and just pick her up and drag her over.
When I did so, I thought I would've been met with quite the resistance, but I got none of that and only the resignation of a defeated person was what I attained.
I sat down first, then I grabbed Alice and sat her in my lap, repositioning as necessary so that I could grab the book and start to read.
The first expression other than an animal giving up its life was that of confusion of action. I could see the questions building up in her eyes and decided not to confront them until she spoke first. A great tip I picked up from my propaganda outings in the empire was to let the children speak before you change their thoughts.
This led to them expressing themselves freely, without the misguided nonsense that came for the older kids or even adults in the room trying to lord over them with their own crafted opinion.
"I'm not in trouble?" Came the weary words of Alice as I was reading out loud. No doubt that she was searching for something in her question.
"No Alice, You're not in trouble," I say as soothing as I can, which for once actually came out genuinely calming. I reposition my voice and take on a more grounded voice as I continued, 'I have seen the merit in your actions of self betterment, and as a result have opted to reward you for your efforts."
I took a peek at Alice to make sure that my words were being heard and understood. I was greeted with a child finally trying to wholeheartedly smile and it felt gratifying knowing that I was a part of that smile. A smile that I could only remember in my dreams. Of the children calling out my name and the Empire actually looked like they had a fighting chance. I was met with senses of serenity that I thought would be lost to me and blood stained hands, yet when I saw the children I know for a fact, that my subordinates and I needed that glimmer of hope of a brighter future.
That future sadly didn't come to pass...
I took another gander at Alice to lift my downed spirit and thankfully it worked. Though I did have one more thing to say, "Though that doesn't mean that I'll let the floor stay as it is, and when your reward is over I plan on teaching you how to fix and refurbish that chipped wood." I saw the happiness dim in her, but it was a necessary step in educating a child on the morals of this world.
"Okay..." she said.
I saw her hands rub her stormy eyes and didn't say anything. I started reading again. The story that I had chosen was one where the setting was space, thousands of light years away from Earth, where ships or Legions contained a bit of habitable land where an entire culture would blossom and thrive. I hadn't read the book beforehand, but I could tell I was getting engrossed in the story as I read it to Alice. This was the first mother daughter thing that I had done with Alice without the normal sub text of pretending. I was actually enjoying my time immensely. Maybe that was the reason U reacted so badly to being interrupted.
Bang! Bang! Bang! I turned toward the sound, it was my front door being broken into by someone. I reacted fast. I scooped up the startled Alice and paced her behind the counter. "Alice, listen to me right now, take the back door and get out of here." I ordered and turned around to confront the people breaking down my door.
I saw the figure emerge into the store and knew exactly who it was at first glance. It was Mr. Handley and a couple of huge goons at his side.
He had not only broken my door down, but he disrupted my bonding experience with Alice! To put things lightly I was hell bent, "Ah- Mr. Handley, how nice to see you again!" As I was saying that, I quickly closed the door behind me and made it look like I was coming to the front of the story to investigate the loud noise in front.
Mr. Handley didn't respond right away and waited for all four of his party to enter before he started to talk.
"Hello there Mrs. Defikai, I am truly sorry about our rude entrance, but it was something that couldn't be helped."
I bite my lip at the obvious power play that he is presenting. I almost went for the type 95 that I had hidden in the grandfather clock, but I tempered my anger and spoke in a steady tone. "Then forgive me for not being as hospitable as I usually am Mr. Handley."
I take quick glances at the thugs and at anything that could lead me to incriminating behavior. I was still a criminal of the highest degree to the World Alliance and being caught here and now would be problematic.
I tense up as I await whatever it is he is here for.
I stare directly at him and he... sighs? "What is the meaning of this Mr. Handley, if you have just come to my store to break a door and sigh then I must inform you that I will get the repair costs straight from your person." I threatened.
That got a reaction out of his party and saw them motion for their firearms, but before they could be unveiled, Mister Handley held his arm up and they all returned to a neutral stance. At least some people are good at taking hints.
"I am sorry miss Defikai, but you have to come with us, the WASP's are hot on your tail."
I give him a confused look? WASP's, what the hell is he doing bringing up an annoying insect that likes to be around people picnicking? "Mister Handley, you mean to tell me that you broke down my door just to inform me that a horde of wasps are on their way here?" I say with some disbelief.
Though it looks like it was shared as that sentence seemed to rile him up, "What do you mean you are not afraid of the WASP's! You don't know how powerful they truly are, yet you should with your intelligence network!" e screamed in irritation, yet I was only further confused, intelligence network? What intelligence network? I came here by myself and built a life here after I had escaped from the Empire. I have no contacts here and I was still looking for the only remaining members of the 203rd. If I had connections to the intelligence network that he speaks of then I would have used it already. Dammit!
Leaving me in the dust he continues, "Come with us, they are only a few minutes away, and I'll be damned if I lose my best informant to them when they are just passing through a dead zone."
I slam my hands on the counter in front of me and hold up one hand for him to wait, "Mister Handley, I don't know what delusions that you have, but I have never been a part of or owned an intelligence network, what are you talking about!" I asked hysterically.
He curtly responded, "Don't mess with me woman! I did not come here to play your games this time! We need to get out of here quickly, I know you have kept up to date with our war against the WASP's and now is time for you to fall under our protection." This though, only further confused me. I had been keeping up with his gang war? This was the first time that I had even heard of it, how could I have been keeping tabs on them when all my recent effort has been how to sustain myself and a child?
I needed to be inquisitive, how did he come to know something that was tracking me that I didn't know about? I need information on how he was able to even think that I was keeping watch on them or else they would just come back with more excuses to ruin my home. I hadn't thought that Mr. Handley was just like the other local scum as he was usually good conversation.
I guess my perception of this man was slightly altered due to him buying my most expensive drink every time. I mentally chide myself for letting profits outweigh proper analysis of a person, but return to the conversation at hand.
I need to play the part of his delusion and act like he had caught me being some sort of spy. "Impossible," I wager under my breath, making sure that he could see my lips move, giving him more confidence in his own victory, "How? How did you know?" I questioned with a confronting tone.
Thanks to my acting, he went along with my story and revealed the information I was searching for, "Twas, simply my dear, the radio that I had gifted you a year ago has been active since the last SOS broadcast of the North gangs." He said with a smirk and continued, "Ever since, it has been activated. I have had some of my magitech engineers inform me of all active signals, and yours has been active for the past few weeks. That also brings me to why you need to depart this place immediately with me. The WASPs have cracked our code and have traced all of the radio devices in Londinium." He checked his watch, "They should be here any minute now let us flee to the south and make a stand there." He closed by extending his hand out.
I stared at it for a moment, "I feel like we haven't been honest with each other, Mr. Handley, I will no-"
"Call me Charles, Charles Darby, though I'm sure that you knew that already." He said while cutting me off.
At first the name didn't mean a thing to me, but as the older recesses of my mind fired off, it clicked. Charles Darby, an almost synonymous name with that of mafia boss. I had been having an altercation with such a man all this time and wasn't any the wiser of his true character... I was stunned by the lack of foresight That i had employed against this man.
Mr. Handleny, nay Charles Darby, revealed his identity to me and his motives for barging into my store. My mask of indifference was dawned. No longer was the widowed coffee shop owner standing in front of them, oh no, I was now channeling my psyche from not long ago. The one where I am the invincible Argent. The one where I am a nation's reason for fighting.
I looked up toward the gangsters at his side, who harbor sleek, clean, unused guns. They have never seen the blood and grit of war. Never have they had to pierce a man's chest, soak their arm in blood, only to fire through him to kill another.
Their beautiful clean weapons look more for show than use, showing their inexperience in handling their arms. A weakness that I could easily exploit.
As everybody has to start somewhere, that starting line is almost always one of two ways.
One they draw their weapon fast and shoot fast. Without experience in the craft of killing, the kickback and sound will deafen you. Making one always miss their target.
The second, they know of the drawbacks and are a little experienced, knowing the gun has kicked back alongside a deafening sound, but remain utterly cautious of the facts. Making them slower to fire but fast on the draw.
Sizing them up I can clearly see which one is more experienced and which is not. I let my magic flow like a river, calm but fast. Quiet but deadly. I had once used my name and image to set alight the flames of nationalism for my country, making them the greatest meat shields one could ask for, but that had always left me a little appalled.
I am a pacifist per say and when push comes to shove I will make the Decision that keeps me alive. Yet, now with my door blown open and felons on both sides. I no longer need to find a justifiable reason as to why we are here, why we fight, why I must fight. This is my home and I will damn well protect it!
He keeps his hand outstretched. I do not move at all. I will not throw the first punch and as he is clearly on the run, there is no need for me to be pressured by time. We both wait a moment longer.
His outstretched hand falls and he turns away, "Well, see you around Mrs. Defikai, I hope nothing terrible happens to you in the near future." He foreshadowed with obvious displeasure.
"Lets move out boys, the WASP's will be on us any moment now." he declared and his fellow Mafioso listened and quickly filed out. I watched them leave to make sure that they wouldn't do a double take to try and catch me off guard.
When I used a bit of magic to make sure that they had left. I let out a sigh of relief, "Finally, they're gone." I said to myself to let my nerves return to me. I slumped down behind the counter and held a hand to my forehead, "I really need to keep better tabs on the people that I speak with."
Looking back to the moments before, I couldn't help but smile at my refusal to join the gangsters, but now that my situation was calmer and I could think straight. WHY DID I DO THAT?
I could've easily had protection for life if I joined up with THE Charles Darby, leader of multiple gambling rings and weapon trafficking! The man was so famous in my first life that he had become an icon of the UK gang violence era, and I had just refused all of his protection, and for what!
The serine smile of Alice pops into my mind and I can't help but become dreary eyed at the thought. 'Dammit.' I kicked myself for my stubbernous. I draw my legs close so I can hold something close and rest my head on my knees. Contemplating what I had just done...
I was so lost in thought that I didn't hear someone walk in. The person had stopped at the counter and looked around until they spotted the mess of a person that was myself.
He cleared his throat and I looked up at him. I don't know what he saw, but he looked at me less sternly after I met his eyes. "Mamn, could you introduce me to the owner of this establishment? I have a few questions that I need to ask him." He said
I stand up and brush off the nonexistent dust that had gathered on my garbs and look the man straight in the eyes, though it wasn't as level as I had hoped and it was more like I was staring and his neck rather than his eyes until he tilted his head downward for me to see. "HEllO" My voice cracked. I cleared my throat after that embarrassing act, "Hello there, I am the owner of this establishment, Tanya Defikai." I said to him and stuck out my hand for him to shake.
He took my hand reluctantly and introduced himself, "Likewise, Thomas Andrew with the World Alliance Secret Police (WASP) for short, I have a few questions for you. Are you willing to answer or should I come back at a later date?" He said while glacing over to my broken door.
"Today, is fine officer." I said, but can't help but think that a secret police force has such an acronym that indicates that they truly were the insects of high society. I sighed internally at the revelation that these were also the people that were out for my 'nonexistent' blood. As my execution was still shrouded in mystery even a few years after it happened.
"Good. First can I see your right of ownership of this establishment and any form of identification." He said professionally with a hint of doubt.
I know that in the time period that we are in, women are still very much stuck in their gender role, but I was previously a man! I know how to present myself so that I am taken seriously.
Instead of falling for the obvious bait for my temper I responded calmly, "That won't be a problem. Give me just a moment." I said with bravado and went into the back of the store to collect my identification and right of ownership. While I'm back here I also went over to where Mr. hand- Darby's radio was and tossed it right into the rubbish bin behind the shop.
I return back to the front with all the needed information and present it to the officer, "Here you go officer, is there anything else that you need?" I asked out of courtesy.
"Yes there is," he said with a deadpan tone. Well a, fuck you to!
"What is it, officer?" I asked in the nicest possible voice.
"What happened at the door?" he pointed at it with his pen that I just noticed, alongside his notebook. Well shit, how am I supposed to explain that? Tell the person chasing after him that he was just here and broke my door just for kicks? Not to mention that this is also the same group of people after my skin.
Well, when all else fails, go with vagueness and let them fill it in for themselves. "You know how it is in East Londinium," I tried to lead him on.
Biting, he replied, "Yes I do know how it is in East Londinium." He countered before explaining himself, "East Londinium, the sole place in Londinium where unofficial gangs and low class workers outnumber the organized mafias and well off Commonwealth citizens." He paused for a second, "Truly the slum of our great nation."
Yes! He had led himself down the path I needed, now all I had to do was confirm his suspicions. "You would be correct in saying that we do have the most rowdy of adolescents here, and that some get overzealous with their pranks." I said while looking toward my broken door.
The officer followed my eyes and curtly nodded in acknowledgement. "I see. Well then, Mrs. Defikai was it? I have no further questions." He finished with his statement and handed me back my right of ownership and Visa.
I received them and went to the back of the store to place them in the right cabinets, and when I returned back to the front the officer was gone.
I sighed for the second time today, relieving my stress, yeah there was still work to be done this Sunday afternoon. I look toward my door and realize that I need to put in a notice for a new one at the carpenters soon, but for now I need to close it up so I don't have any other miscreants come in through the front.
I still had some leftover wood from when I built my weightlifting equipment, so I could use those to help lock the door in place while I waited for a new one to be built for my shop. But I also need to look into refinishing my store as the darker dreary atmosphere that has been held over since this place used to be a bar didn't really help the esthetics of what I thought a proper coffee shop should look like.
I look back at my broken door and just like my motivation, I crumple my way to work. First, I learned my lesson when I first tried to build something. I need to clean up the area, that means sweeping and prepping my work area.
I take to my dustpan and broom and make quick work of all the chipped wood and other scattered debris in my store. Taking all of ten minutes to have a nice clean floor told wonders of my efficiency in doing basic cleaning and I could take pride in this. I smiled to myself at the thought...
"Wait! Why am I enjoying the work a housewife would be enjoying! Am I to further descend into the gender role of a female Being X!" I screamed out loud and threw down my cleaning equipment.
After a moment to ground myself, I looked back at the now scattered debris of the dustpan that I had just swept and felt the desire to clean it... I couldn't get the thought out of my head. That I was turning into a housewife...
I... I need a reason to justify why I am cleaning so thoroughly.
...
...
"Ah!" I interject myself. "It is to stop all of the diseases that run rampant throughout Britain during the early 1900s. Where hygiene wasn't at its peak yet and where getting ill usually meant that you would lose your job. "Yes! With this I can justify my cleaning habit." I said to myself and went back to work.
Sweeping up the debris and depositing them in the rubbish bin behind the shop.
After that I went to the back and grabbed my spare wood and nails and brought them to the front. Examining the door that had been knocked off its hinges I could see that it had cracked horizontally and would need some reinforcement if I wanted to stand it back up and use it temporarily.
I grabbed some of my wood and using a mage blade formula, I cut it into 4 blocks about 4 inches in length. When I was done with that I grabbed my hammer and 16 penny nails and hammered them in at a 45 degree angle so that they would pierce through both the block and the door, conjoining them together.
I repeated this process on the bottom half of the block and then on the other three. This made the door somewhat sturdy and I was satisfied with that.
Now what I had to do was lock the door in place, but to make it not so stuck in place that it would be difficult to tear down when I got a new one. I debated whether or not to do an X shaped pattern or not like the movies, but I had a thought about some prick and decided against that.
I found myself boarding up the door with 4 planks. Two on the inside and 2 on the outside. Both were nailed into the wall to support the door being locked up for good.
Time seemed to go by in a flash. I took a step back from my work and noticed that the sun had started to set. 'Did that small project really take that long?' I found myself wondering.
Well with the sun setting I headed toward the back door to start making dinner for me and Alice...
Alice! Where did she go! I started to panic as I had completely forgotten about her in the hustle and bustle of the day. "Shit." I found myself saying.
"No, stay calm Tanya, you taught Alice how to get back here, she is probably waiting till dark to come back." I talked to myself to reassure myself.
If need be, I'll look for her an hour after nightfall.
I still hadn't eaten much today and with the lack of caloric intake, if I needed to use magic in any sort of way I would be lower than I should. I needed to recharge and giving myself an hour to do so would be the best option.
With that in mind I headed toward the kitchen and whipped up a quick turkey sandwich and ate quickly. From my time during the war I had found that if I meditated, I could recharge my magic faster. Though this was purely speculative as it had never been proven nor tested by anyone else.
I go into my room and start my meditation. As I am originally Japanese, meditation came fairly easily to me. In mere moments I was in a state of fluid consciousness. I controlled my every breath and tuned out the world around me.
I don't know how long I was meditating for, but I know it was less than an hour, and as to what awoke me from the trance before the hour was up was loud banging.
My eyes flew open and I jumped out of the bed and raced toward the front of the store. Only to see the barricade still in place with the banging stopping. All I heard for a moment was silence. Then a crash through the back, accompanied by a muffled scream.
I raced to the back and what I was met with was Alice being held tightly by an African Caribbean male. Alice looked to have passed out. While the boy now that I look closer was staring at the back door with great intensity.
I knew that look of absolute concentration on a single thing. It was the look that I saw when people went after my life in the skies. One of either total focus or fear for I, was chasing them.
I looked a little closer and saw that Alice was bleeding and I will not lie to myself. My blood exploded. I looked at the boy with such animosity that I could almost feel my magic already eviscerate him.
But, by some miracle I held my anger at bay. Be it to my many years as a corporate cruiser or years in the military I held my emotions at bay and let my words speak for me instead of my ability. "Who are you?"
To my surprise the young man turned around and screamed to the high heavens, then passed out. I squeezed my hands until they bled. I wanted answers as to why Alice was hurt and all I got was a teenager passing out at my mere inquiry. I, oh so badly, wanted to interrogate the teen and make him answer me, but reasoning started to break through.
I... I have seen him before.
Then it clicked, the reason for my innate hostility and animosity. He was a part of the group that I had knocked out early today. Great that just gave me even more of a reason to kill this bastard, But!
He was also bleeding and was alone with Alice, judging by his build he could have easily taken her away and to the fat noble's house but didn't. Why!
With so many unanswered questions. I just wanted to scream. Yet, I don't, I have lived far too long to break down like this over a minor scuffle. I cool my jets and remove Alice from the teen. Though it took some effort, The boy was steadfastly holding onto Alice for dear life. It was as if he was trying to protect her...
Why does he have to make this difficult...
I take Alice away and start a bath for her. I go to the teen and rag him into one of the side rooms that I have and tie a rope to his leg. The rope leads over to my furnace. I would've liked to put him somewhere more humane, but with how small this shop was I wasn't taking any chances of a stranger being let loose throughout it. I already sleep lightly. If i don't do this I won't be able to sleep.
I took one look over at him, I saw him shivering next to the furnace. I want to just ignore him and heal Alice, wash up and head to bed, but my conscience doesn't allow me. I went and grabbed an extra blanket and pillow where I laid him down and covered him. I also started the furnace so that he could be warmed by the fire. With my consciousness satisfied, I backed out of the room and locked it.
I went over to Alice and checked her wound. It was only a light cut, but I could see some bruising on the back. Seemed like she hit her head. I felt around her head to make sure nothing else was bleeding or indented and when I found nothing I stripped her and got her into the bath. I followed soon after. Like true Japanese I took her through the showering process first and washed her head to toe. I did the same for myself.
I put Alice in the bath shortly after I had finished showering and climbed in beside her. When I submerged most of my body in the warm water, I finally allowed myself to relax, holding Alice close to me. I unknowingly let out a faint whisper, "I finally have you back..."