I was amazed at what Crane has been telling me. I'm surprised that he's so willing to just tell me this stuff, it seems to be pretty important information.
"And what do souls look like?"
I asked him.
"This'll be easier if I just show you something,"
He said grabbing my wrist and taking me to a safe like room. He entered a passcode and the door slowly opened.
"This is the soul vault,"
He said. I looked around, the room was this long hallway that turned into a basement, all the walls were shelves with jars that each had these odd flame like orbs, all of them were a variety of color. Since the magic seemed to be the color of the eyes, I guessed each soul was the same color as well.
"Why are all of these here?"
"When we die, our souls come here in there respective jars. Each Kingdom has one,"
"That's...... Dark,"
"Well, if you really think about it, they're safe here. If they never show up that means someone absorbed it..... Giving them that persons power......."
He stopped for a second.
"But that's against the law, so no souls have been missing. All empty jars are people who are still alive,"
Crane said grabbing my hand again and leading me out. His stubby fluff of a tail was flicking fast.
To be honest it was kinda cute.
He took us back to the main lab and sat down in his chair, and continued what he had been doing before I interrupted him.
'I guess those are the only questions I'll get answers for from him today,'
I went back over to Duck to see what he was doing on that computer. It looked like he was checking security cams, or spying on someone. It looked like it was live footage of Hazel and someone I don't know talking to each other. There wasn't any sound, but I saw Duck was reading the subtitles.
"What are you doing?"
He jumped a little and immediately turned off the screen. He turned and looked at me furiously.
"Don't sneak up on people like that!"
He hissed.
"Well I'm sorry sir eavesdrops a lot,"
He growled at me before responding.
"I was bored okay?!"
He retorted with a flick of his ear.
"Ok, then who was Hazel talking to?"
He was silent for a few seconds.
"No one important in my opinion,"
"Ok, fine. Be that way,"
I said walking away towards Crane again.
"Anything I can do to be useful?"
Crane nodded.
"Could you put these in that file cabinet alphabetically for me?"
"Yeah,"
I said taking the papers that he gave me and headed over to the cabinet that he pointed to.
It's been a few hours now, and I've helped Crane with a few things before Duck walked up to me.
"Time to go,"
He meowed and turned walking towards the exit of the building. I followed soon after I said goodbye to Crane.
Duck wasn't heading the direction we came, but instead was heading to the castle.
"Where are we going?"
"I'm going to the gardens, you can do whatever ya want. I don't care what it is,"
He growled walking away from me.
I slowed to a stop and looked around.
'What does he expect me to do?'
I thought, then settled for seeing if Hazel was busy.
I entered the castle and headed for Hazel's room. Hopefully I can remember where it is.
After at least thirty minutes of looking, I finally found it. I thought about if this was even a good idea, but knocked anyways. Soon enough Hazel opened the door.
"Oh! Hi Sarah, what do I owe the pleasure of seeing you today?"
"I have free time that I don't know what to do with,"
"Heh, that happens a lot around here! Nothing interesting usually happens,"
"Oh..... Well, um. What are you doing?"
"I was just filling out papers, ya know. Boring adult stuff. You can come in if you want,"
"That would be nice,"
He stepped aside and I entered the room. I heard the door shut behind me and he went back over to the desk and sat down.
"How are you?"
Hazel asked.
"I'm good. Just wondering about a few things,"
"And what might they be?"
"Well, I read this history book at Jade's house, and it said stuff,"
"That's..... Not very specific dear,"
"What I mean is it said that you guys are the war kingdom, but then Hazel Jr completely denied it. Saying this kingdoms never been in a war,"
"It said what,"
'Why does he need me to repeat this?!'
"The book said that the Obsidianite's used to be argue mining kingdom before some events happened, and then they were known as the war kingdom,"
Hazel was strangely silent for a moment.
"It's probably a mistake,"
He finally said.
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah and you sweater believe it,"
He said emphasizing on the pun with a cheesy smile.
'When did sweaters enter the conversation?'
I shrugged it off, and smiled at it just to humor him. I guess it did, because he continued.
"Knock, Knock!"
"Who's there?"
"Police,"
"Police who?"
"Police hurry up, it's chilly out here!"
Hazel chuckled a bit.
I have to admit that, that one was kinda funny. Seeing that I giggled he went for it again.
"Knock, knock!"
"Who's there?"
"Rhino,"
"Rhino who?"
"Rhino all the knock knock jokes around here!"
I gave him a similar reaction to the last one before I did my own.
"Knock knock,"
"Who's there?"
Dishes,"
"Dishes who?"
"Dishes a nice place you got here,"
He started laughing at that. When he calmed down more I asked him a question.
"Why do you love knock knock jokes so much?"
"Knock knock,"
'Really?'
"Who's there?"
"Alex,"
"Alex who?"
"Alew-plain later, it's dark out and I think you should find Duck and go home,"
Hazel said.
"How'd you know I was with Duck?"
"Jade told me,"
"Oh, well um ok. Bye Hazel,"
"Goodnight,"
I left the room and found the wall map Jade had shown me to find where the garden was. I saw it on the map compared to where I was, and it wasn't that far.
I went outside and ran in the general direction of the garden.
Hazel was right, it is getting kinda dark.
When I finally reached the cobblestone, high walled gardens arched doorway. I could see Duck and Autumn doing something from where I was.
As soon as I got close enough I could see the two were drawing, looked like drawings of the garden flowers in front of them.
I just stared at the drawings, examining the detail put into them, I bet that if I put Autumn's up to the flowers it would look like them pasted onto paper.
"Excuse me?"
I said tapping on Autumn's shoulder.
She jumped a little before looking over her shoulder.
"Y-yes?"
"I think me and Duck should start going,"
"Oh oka-"
"No, go on without me. I wanna keep working on this,"
Duck meowed, interrupting Autumn.
"But I don't know the way back!"
"And?"
My shoulders slumped in annoyance.
"I-I could maybe take y-you home. J-Jade's house right?"
I nodded with a smile.
"That'd be nice of Autumn,"
I say happily, shooting a quick glare at Duck who just huffed in response.
Autumn and I were walking down the road, the horizon darkening as the sunset.
"What does Duck like drawing best?"
I asked, trying to add a light conversation in the mix with this shy cat. Who I guess has a stuttering problem.
"Oh, um. H-he loves wolves w-with a passion. W-whenever he's given a choice in class or has freetime, it'll always be guarantied to b-be a wolf. He just l-loves the concept of them, th-their sense of purpose,"
Autumn finished as we walked up to the doorstep.
"H-have a goodnight S-Sarah,"
"You too Autumn,"