Adventures of Naletia: Thieves and Beggars

Caroline didn't expect to get hit by rain today, it was supposed to be sunny with very little clouds. It was such a nice day, too. She watched Era struggle with his new friend with a smile and a little bit of a giggle. She wasn't much for laughing at the expense of others, but this was pretty harmless. “Be careful Era,” Caroline teased, “you don't want the thing slipping away.” Caroline glanced across the pier to the other side, where Jens and Anna were still fishing. Jens saw her and gave a short wave, Anna had her back turned. They had no clue what just happened. “You're secret is safe with me, but I don't think you'd have to worry about Jens. Anna on the other hand wouldn't let you live it down.”

Caroline took the fish from Era, easing it into the small cooler that already seemed full now with two large fish residing in it. She dropped a couple worms in the water to at least keep the fish from eating each other. These things had teeth and were quite aggressive, Caroline knew. She was bitten by one once during a fishing trip with her mother before she passed away. It was not a pleasant experience. Caroline brushed off her hands on her pants and straightened her back. Which is also when she noticed the two men standing at the other end of the pier. They were blocking their exit, and they looked serious too.

These two men were dressed in the green tunics that was the style of the city guard. They wore red arm and leg braces and were each equipped with a sword, a whip, and a rifle. The whip was more of a long rope for tying people up, but Caroline knew better. The knots in that rope hurt as much as any blade could. In an attempt to give peace to the men, Caroline stepped forward to address them, instinctively putting herself in front of Era – it seemed he was their focus. “Can we help you gentlemen?” Caroline inquired carefully.

“Ma'am, please step aside. That man behind you is dangerous,” the taller, bald one spoke first. Caroline had a feeling she knew what they were going to say, and her heart sank into her gut. “We have several eye-witnesses and reports depicting a green-haired man with a strange blade assisting the now-escaped convict Veronica Salwoth. That man and his blade match the reports we have.”

“Gentlemen, please, I believe that you have this all wrong,” Caroline spoke slowly, calmly. She was in control, she had to stay in control here. If she lost it and panicked, they really would take Era away to be questioned and tortured. “Allow me to explain, and I'm sure we can resolve this without conflict-”

“No, this man is inexorably linked to Veronica Salwoth. We cannot allow a man such as him to remain a threat to our public.” Now the shorter, brown-haired man spoke in a booming voice that did not match his thinner body shape. “Come with us quietly, or we'll simply take you by force.” Now these men did not look like very good fighters. The tunics they wore offered little protection, but Caroline knew better. Those tunics held old enchantments on them, barrier magic essentially, that protected them from almost any harm. Even Era's blade could not penetrate those barriers.

Caroline was not at a loss for what she should do. She knew who she needed to go and see to get Era out of harm's way. Even if this never happened before, Caroline knew all the important figures in the city, so she was absolutely certain that she could get Era out of trouble before anyone decided to torture him. So she told Era, “They're intent on taking you alive, at the very least. I can get you out of this, I'm one-hundred percent certain.” Caroline turned to face him and stepped a little closer. She placed her hand on his chest and smiled. “Don't worry about a thing, okay? I will protect you.”

So Era would be able to survive without the other two being aware of his embarrassing encounter with the wiggling fish. Caroline took it from him and he was glad to hand it over to her. She fed them for some reason, maybe to keep their interest and to lower their guard. He didn't care. He was just ready to land another one, but a sudden movement from Caroline alerted him to the presence of what looked like two rather official people. They wore uniforms practically. Guards perhaps? Police? He shouldn't have been surprised. He stood up as well, placing his fishing rod gently on the dock as he listened to Caroline try and reason with the two fellows but they were pretty determined when it came to their task. He was taken aback when Caroline placed a hand on his chest. She told him not to worry.

"Ah, I wouldn't be worried regardless. I know I'm in good hands when it comes to you, Caroline," Era stated with a similar grin. "And I always have a way out," he added to her quietly. When it came to his powers, he always had an ace in the hole. Focusing on the men, he gave them a courteous bow. "I have nothing to hide. There is definitely a story here. I will go quietly if I must go."

The city police walked forward and bound Era's hands together behind his back. The bald one took his sword from him as well. Whether his powers came from the sword or not, it would not be very diligent to leave a weapon in the possession of an effective prisoner. The other man jerked his head forward and the three of them moved away from Caroline and the pier. She soon lost sight of the three. As soon as she did, Caroline found herself confronted by Jens and Anna. Before they could say anything to her, Caroline held up a finger and pointed at her own lips. She would speak, they would listen.

"Era is being held by the city police to be questioned about Veronica. They saw her whisk her...well, me in her body, away from the execution site. They think he has something to do with her escape. I know what I need to do, both of you just stay here. Finish the job, we don't want any failed mission on our background. We've done little enough as it is." Caroline turned the two around and sent them back to the other pier. She fiddled with the goggles on the top of her head, fixing them over her golden-brown eyes. Caroline snapped a hook on her suit that she never left home without and the machine sprouted from her backpack to lift her into the air. She needed to work quickly if she was to avoid the most trouble.

~

While the two city policemen escorted Era through the city, many got a good look at his face. There would be no erasing this image from their memories anytime soon. The men were silent to Era the entire time, regardless of whether or not he spoke. They were bidden not to speak when not necessary, especially to citizens while escorting criminals. Eventually they came up to one of the thicker buildings in the city. The Town Hall was a very round building and rather intimidating with statues and banners depicting the beast Sar'tu once revered as a god.

The beast's large body was only matched by the size of it's tusks. The bone curved up and back behind it's head. Unlike normal horns, these giant, serrated blades could crush its prey or slice it to ribbons. Eating with fangs like these would be problematic, one would think. The boar-like creature's statue was soon out of sight as Era was escorted inside the building. He could see only the main hall of the building, which was mostly empty save for the few very official-looking men standing in a small circle. They all glanced over as Era passed them, expressionless faces glaring straight through him.

The two soldiers pushed Era down a flight of stairs located in the far corner of the main hall, out of the way of the main attractions. Darkness enveloped them until one of them decided to light a small flame to light their path. During the journey down into the ground, the air began to grow heavy and warm. It was a wet heat and quite stifling compared to the mostly clear atmosphere by the river. The ground flattened out and extended further onward a long ways once the stairs ended. On either side of the hall stood many cells, cages for condemned criminals mostly. Most never saw the light of day after being thrown into these.

One of the guards opened a cell door and Era was thrown inside. With the sound of the gate locking behind him, "You'll stay here for now," one of them said. And just like that, Era was left in his cell.

The walk was a long and quiet one, much to Era's pleasure. He didn't exactly have anything to say to the guards. He wasn't curious about their job, or about their lives. He glanced at his surroundings, most of which looked familiar to him. The citizens looked at him as he passed, but he paid them no mind. His eyes were focused on the Town Hall building which he had never been in before. The outside design was enough to deter such thoughts of entering. Why they made it so intimidating was beyond Era's comprehension but he figured to each their own. Things were so as solemn on the inside of the building as they were on the out, maybe even more so. More silence. And then pain. Era fumbled down the stairs not exactly expecting to be pushed. He got up and tried to look around but saw nothing but darkness. He was seized again as a small light in the form of a miniscule flame. The hall was dark and lined with cells on both sides, and sure enough, there was a cell with his name on it. The guards roughly tossed him inside, but he remained calm all the same.

"I'll stay here for as long as I must, but when the time comes, I will leave. And time is always on my side," he stated simply as the guards departed. They would probably think he was talking about when the truth of the story was revealed he would go or something of the sort. But they knew nothing of the power Era held. For now, he had to remain. In the darkness. It made him a bit nostalgic. I get the feeling no story I tell will help me get out of this situation, Era thought as he made himself as comfortable as he could in his temporary hold. They have no reason to trust me. Caroline's the only one who can bail me out now...

The cell was silent enough, but Era was not alone there. That became evident enough by the light breathing sounds behind him. Whoever was behind him was sleeping. At least until the noise started, now the breathing was slightly erratic. A moan and a yawn later and a figure rose from the shadows of the dank cell. Whoever it was, they had a skinny frame and long legs. The figure stepped forward, its left leg making an odd metal-like sound as a woman came into sight in what little light was provided to them.

"Youer the one making all that racket?" she sniffed, obviously displeased. "Quit it wit tha tough talk, little guy. You ain' gettin' outta 'ere." The woman's rough way of speaking made her seem almost barbaric. She was not a native to the city, that much was clear. Her accent was more similar to the southerners, but Era had no way of knowing that part. "This 'ere's top sec'rty. Wotch." Without warning, the woman lifted up her left leg, which was entirely composed of metal now that Era could see it, and slammed it with a massive amount of force against the bars of their cell. An incredible screech pierced the air as the metal hit each other and the woman's leg scraped the cell bars. The cell bars remained still, though they still vibrated from the collision.

"Ha! See?" The woman thought she had proved something with her actions. All she really did was make a whole lot of noise. "Top foking sec'rty." It was clear she was being sarcastic now, "Fok those bitch-ass whores for leaving me in this shit'ole of a prison. Veron'ca's gonna pay something fierce for leaving me to rot in 'ere." the woman was about to kick the cell bars again, but looked at Era instead. Here was a person, not some inanimate object that didn't respond to attacks. "Oi, squishy. Com'ere."

Well, that was quite the display. The bars were certainly sturdy, but such constructs could not contain Era. He was confident in this matter, but he couldn't let this woman know what he was truly capable of. Not yet. He didn't know her; he certainly didn't trust her exactly, and when she mentioned Veronica, that raised about the biggest red flag that could ever be raised. However, much to his pleasure, she seemed to have a large degree of ire towards the assassin. Perhaps she was a victim of the assassin's trickery? That was a valuable card he would have to keep up his sleeve as well. The more cards, the better. He could not act until they were fully stacked. Besides, for now he would just bide his time. Caroline was the main part of this equation. What she did outside of the jail would be of utmost importance. Perhaps there would be no need for him to take things into his own hands. There was no need to worry, but having a plan B was always viable.

"So you're acquainted with Veronica as well?" Era posed ambiguously, trying to put a little sinister spin on his tone. The woman would not know whether he was a victim or a previous associate with the assassin. He was leaning towards making himself appear as the latter because this was the vibe he was getting from this woman. When she beckoned, he obliged and drew nearer, paying no mind to being called "squishy."

"Aquinted wit 'Ronica?" the woman seemed entirely confused by Era's words. "Tha fuck is that word supp'sed ta mean?" The woman squinted her eyes at Era. Now that he was closer, she could get a better look at him, and he could see her. She wasn't exactly the most attractive woman, her face was kind of plain and her nose was too long. Her hair was dark, the exact color couldn't be seen in this light, but her eyes were a piercing bluish color that glowed with malice. This was not a woman to mess around with. "Renate Virrin 'ere might be an idjit for hanging around a bitch like 'Ronica, but I ain't no fuckin' pube-licker if tha's wot you mean."

The woman, Renate, suddenly grabbed a fistful of Era's shit and shoved him around so she could slam him against the cell bars. She grinned at him, showing him one of her missing teeth in the process. Or not showing him that tooth, as the case might be. "Yeh, I used to hang around tha bitch, 'fore she stabbed me in the face with that fuckin' gun of 'ers. We used to pain each otha's nails too. Wanna see mine?" Before Era could confirm, Renate had already raised her fist and slammed it into his cheek. "An' from the sound a' you, youer in wit tha bitch. An' you got caught, so she left ya to rot in 'ere wit me.

"Tell ya wot, you just go 'head an say youer still loyal to tha bitch, and I'll just kill ya now. I been itchin' to hit summfin anyway."

Though the woman was hard to understand, Era certainly caught what she said in regards to what she thought Era was hinting at, and he blushed. That was definitely not the case! Talk about twisting the things he said. Things seemed docile enough and he was about to clarify but it seemed the woman, Renate, was a bit impatient, and suddenly Era became more acquainted with the prison bars than he particularly cared for. Despite the pain, he had to listen to what this woman said. They hung out together at the very least; what activities they were up to was left to anyone's guess. But Renate was stabbed in the back. Betrayed. Left to die in prison. That much was clear as day. His thoughts were temporarily scrambled as a fist collided with his face. This woman could pack a punch. As much as he hated it, this woman was so unpredictable, he had to play with the cards he had.

Time froze. It was a familiar feeling, and it instantly brought him back to just yesterday when he stopped time in order to help Caroline escape while she was trapped in Veronica's body. Force meant nothing now. He easily wiggled out of the woman's grasp while her strength was made nonexistent in this frozen timespace. He touched his cheek gingerly. That was going to sting for a while. He backed up quite a few steps, time starting once more.

"I'm afraid you have it all wrong," Era said to the woman, his voice suddenly coming from behind her, and he was sure she would notice quickly that she had a grasp on nothing. "Veronica did harm to a friend of mine. Switched bodies or some shit like that!" He was wondering if Renate knew about Veronica's strange power, or if she had succumbed to it personally. "She thought she was gonna get away but we caught that bitch and beat the hell out of her," he said smugly. Mayhap that would be a pleasant thing for this woman to hear? She was too unpredictable to really know. "Some goons came and got her before we could really do some serious harm though." Would she know about the goons? If their identities were revealed, that would be a great boon for sure.

"Wot tha!" Renate snatched at the air in front of her when she saw, or didn't see, Era disappear. She spun around to face him at the sound of his voice and started towards him, fists clenched tightly. Until he kept talking, then she stopped and glared at him with those piercing blue eyes. She didn't say anything, even when Era finished talking. She just stood right in front of him, close enough for him to hear her quick, erratic breaths, and glared. Then, the corners of her mouth curved upwards into a huge grin.

"Ya beat tha shit outta her?" It wasn't really a question, the grin on her face didn't fade away though. "Aye, that'll do fer now. But ya didn't kill her. Ya shoulda kill'd her. Now she'll just come back, pull that bullshit plan o' hers out of her pube-lips, and walk away wit yer king's head off 'is body." She didn't seem to react to the goon statement at all. Renate either wasn't paying attention to that part, or she just didn't know. One thing was clear now though, Renate was definitely not a Northerner. "Yer fuckin' guards here just want me ta die tomorra, but if ya can make that bitch 'Ronica pay, I'll letcha in on a secret. 'Ronica's main base is in the South, but she ain't headed there. She's goin' ta tha runes in tha forest. Yapago, Yipaga, sommfin with a 'y' in it. She wonts ta'-"

SNAP. Renate collapses down onto her knees and screams in agony as the noise reverberates through the cell. Behind her, holding some kind of gun, two guards stand by the cell, one of whom was opening the door. Renate continued to scream and writhe on the ground at Era's feet as the guards opened the door and stepped inside.

"Come on, you're being released," One of the guards told Era. This was Caroline's work, no doubt. She certainly did quick work. "You and Miss Maier have done the city a great service, we apologize for our actions, but you understand it was necessary." These were the same guards as the ones that brought Era to this cell. The bald one held onto the gun that he shot Renate with, and he didn't seem intent on helping the woman, whom had since stopped screaming and now only whimpered and twitched on the ground. The other gestured for Era to follow him out.

Era gazed the woman right in the eye, and he was just about sure that she was going to knock him into next week, but he let out a sigh of relief when she saw that huge grin on her face.  It was enough to make him burst out laughing.  She was thrilled that they beat Veronica up, but was disappointed that the assassin had escaped alive.  Who cares if the goons took a corpse?  But no, she had to have made it out of there with her life.  Era did regret that but there wasn't much they could do at the time.  Shaking such thoughts from his mind, he listened intently to what Renate had to say.  She was apparently doomed to die tomorrow, but was willing to share some secrets regarding what Veronica's next plan of action was.  She didn't get far before the guards arrived and silenced her.  Era cringed as he heard her wails of agony; what had they done to her?

They were releasing Era.  Caroline certainly did move fast.  He took a few steps forward until he was next to Renate's trembling form.  He glanced down at her...and time froze.  Era and Renate remained unaffected; he needed to speak with her.  Crouching down, he wanted to make it quick.  "If we could bust you out, would you want to escape?  If I were in your shoes and I had a vendetta to take care of, I know I wouldn't want to be finished off by any guards.  I'd take on my foe and either kill them or be killed by them."  How much resolve did this woman have?  She was fierce.  And she was also determined that there was no way out of this place, but maybe Caroline and the others could help him concoct a plan.  With his power, it would be easy, but what happened afterwards would be an issue.  Where would Renate go?  Could she evade the authorities long enough to make it home?  Or settle her score with Veronica?  There were so many questions to be answered in such a short amount of time, IF she even wanted out.  Maybe she was content to die.  All he could do was await her answer.

Renate had no grasp on time or place anyway, so when time stopped, she didn't really notice. What she did notice was that the pain stopped. It was so sudden and unexpected that she twisted her body around and glanced up at Era and the guards. Only he and she were moving, the guards remained motionless in whatever position they stopped in. Beckoning for Era, keeping the door open. It didn't matter, she still couldn't move with the paralysis poison taking effect in her body. The woman, who had been so aggressive, so fierce up until this point, reached out with a shaking hand and grabbed a fist full of Era's shirt and brought him close.

"Give me tha chance," Renate growled through tightened teeth and a whole lot of spit, "an I'll kill the bitch myself. I. Want. Revenge. Fuck this nationality bullshit, I don't give a fuck if youer a Yank or wot. All I wont is to rip out her pubes and wotch her scream like I did." Renate held on for a little longer, her grip tightening before her head hit the floor and she let go, her body limp but breathing.

Era grinned in delight as Renate made her desires clear before passing out promptly, definitely still alive for now. "If it's a chance you want, it's a chance you'll get. It's the least I can do for you, Renate." He still had no idea what exactly this woman's history was like, but this was no way to go. They might not have been allies, but they had a common enemy. "The enemy of my enemy is my friend," Era whispered to himself contentedly before dispelling the time freeze, making sure his expression was the same as before. To the guards it would seem like he had just stopped and glanced for a second, and now he was moving forward, bowing his head graciously to them.

"I understand perfectly, sirs. That's why I didn't put up a fight. I knew what had to be done and I respect you guys for such thorough work," he said kindly. He figured they would escort him out. Would Caroline be waiting for him in the building? Outside? He had to speak with her as soon as he could. Though he had a decent control over time, it was certainly against him now. His power had its limits. He wouldn't be able to use it again until he enacted his escape plan for Renate. He didn't want to formulate any concrete ideas until he was able to talk to the whole gang. They all had their strengths, and if they were all put together, surely they could come up with something.

The two guards didn't even notice that the time had passed. Even though Renate's position changed slightly, they didn't notice her, as if she didn't even exist to them. And why should she? As far as they were concerned, she was a threat to the public and to the king, being acquainted with Veronica of all people. Not to mention a Southerner at that. The relations between the two nations were high-tension, that much was clear.

The guards took Era up out of the prison, up the long staircase that he would remember going down just a few moments prior. By the time they reached the top, it was dark, the sun had already completed its final descent. That was incredibly strange, for the sun had only been close to the first descent when Era descended, and there was no way that much time had passed. "One of the things about our prison is that the moment you set foot down there for more than a minute, your sense of time just vanishes." One of the guards explained, scratching his bald head.

"Era!" Caroline's voice. A rush of short blond hair flew towards him and embraced him. "Oh, thank god you're alright." Caroline's embrace was short-lived as she realized she was pressing into him a little too much and backed off. A light flush of red flashed across her cheeks and she coughed into her hand. A little too awkward for her tastes. Why was she being so antsy anyway? Caroline shook her head, "come on, the others are waiting for us in the airship. Thank you, sirs," Caroline said to the guards, who only grunted at her in response.

Caroline stayed close to Era as they walked back to the airship, as if she were afraid to lose him again. It certainly turned out to be a strange day for the both of them, for sure. She didn't tell him how she managed to get him released, only that it took most of the day to get herself heard. "You'll be on probation for a little while, so we can't leave the city for a month or two, but that shouldn't be a problem." Caroline was saying as they made their way into the airship that was their home.

The moment they entered, a flash of green hair appeared before Era, just as Caroline had, and leaped on him. Anna. She had been crying earlier, from the redness in her eyes. She was smiling now and put herself back on the ground. She didn't say anything, she couldn't really say anything, her happiness at seeing him return was enough to leave her speechless. Jens was waiting further inside, standing sentinel near the E.M.M.S. machine. He didn't seem worried, but his posture relaxed upon seeing Era enter.

Era followed the two guards along the same path he had traveled just moments before, but upon stepping outside, he was astonished to see that the day was almost over. Already? One of the guards easily let him in on the secret and he had to hide the smirk that was threatening to form on his face. Losing a sense of time? A second meant nothing in that prison. This was all the better. It would make the mission much more easy. His scheming was put to an abrupt end as he heard Caroline's voice, a very welcome sound. She embraced him and he didn't hesitate to hug her back. After all, if it hadn't been for her, he probably never would have been released. But now it was time for someone else to be freed as well.

On the way back to the airship, Caroline explained what it took for him to be released and that he would be on probation. Being restrained to the city wasn't a problem. After all, he was planning on breaking the law anyway, granted he wouldn't be caught. Upon entering the airship, he was leapt upon by Anna. He wrapped his arms around her; the poor girl had been crying. Over him. He blushed immensely and closed his eyes in glee. Jens was being less than sentimental but it made him smile all the same. To think he had only been with the group a day, and then separated from them for about a day, but even still he was so glad to be back. If he was ever forced to leave them, he would be devastated.

After gaining his composure and everyone seemed to have settled down, he turned to Caroline with a determined expression. "Caroline, there's something really important I need to run by you," he said seriously. "There was a woman in my cell by the name of Renate. She was an acquaintance of Veronica's, but was stabbed in the back by her. She's bloodthirsty and hungry for revenge. I offered her a chance to be broken out so she could get said revenge and she was all for it. She might not be an ally to us, but she is the enemy of our enemy. And you know how the saying goes.." Era paused. "This woman also seemed to know what Veronica was up to. Said something about her going to some runes in a forest. Yapago maybe? Or Yipaga? She wasn't quite sure of the name but she gave me those...options to go by. Renate's doomed to die tomorrow. There are three possible outcomes: we break her out and she kills Veronica, we break her out and she gets killed by Veronica, or we leave her in and she dies at the hands of the government. There isn't really a losing deal for us, but the best if she eradicates Veronica. She didn't know about the goons who saved Veronica, but at least we wouldn't have to worry about the assassin herself."

Caroline was about to herd everyone further in so she could prepare some kind of meal for them. Fish was on the menu, Jens and Anna managed to complete the task left for them and catch a little extra for tonight. But he started with her instead, and spoke of many things. Her face darkened when he mentioned Veronica, but she said nothing, only listened. Several times, Anna opened her mouth, as if to speak, but Caroline silenced her with a shake of her head. Once Era finished, Caroline silently began herding him and Anna back to where Jens waited for them.

After she sat, Caroline spoke: "I know that you want Veronica dead, Era. We all do, believe me." Caroline grimaced a little. "The thought of letting Renate Virrin out of her cell alive is just...a little much. No matter what kind of information she told you, we can't trust her. She was Veronica's closest ally."

"Not to mention she almost killed you." Jens added helpfully.

"A healed scar, Jens, but yes," Caroline sighed. "The ruins she mentioned, I'm a little curious about that."

"Yamga Ruins, I think is what she's referring to," Jens answered. His fingers were in a small book with a blank black cover. A journal, perhaps? "Um...there's nothing very unique about them. Yamga was one of the first cities in Sar'tu that was ransacked by Ermith a few centuries ago."

"Any reason why Veronica would want to go there?"

"No idea, but it might be worth checking it out if we can."

"Either way, we can't trust Renate on her word alone," Anna put in. "she's too erratic. Dangerous. Imbalanced, a Libra gone very wrong. Let her rot, I say." Caroline nodded in agreement with Anna. That was the safest option, sure, and she would love nothing less than to see Renate executed for her crimes. Jens, it seemed, was of a different mind.

"Hold on, guys," Jens closed his little black book and slipped it into his pocket. "We might be able to take advantage of Renate's rage. She was betrayed, that much is probably true, and she's a very angry kind of person. She won't help us, but we could let her take us to the ruins. we might find Veronica there, and we could kill her."

"Or it could be a trap," Anna stated pointedly. Jens shrugged.

"I don't trust her," Caroline was looking at Era when she said this, and she kept her gaze on him as she spoke. "But if you really think she could lead us to Veronica, and help us finish her off..." Caroline frowned. It was clear she was not a fan of this plan. It was Era's decision at this point though, Anna and Jens were split, and Caroline herself was neutral, leaning towards Anna's side. That wasn't enough to make a decision here.

So it seemed that the group was aware of Renate's presence. They had history. This was certainly not a good thing. As much as he hated to make any of them feel uncomfortable, he had to go through with this. He promised her a chance at revenge, and he was absolutely certain that the woman would give her life for a chance to drag Veronica down with her. It wasn't so much that he wanted Veronica dead, but as long as she remained alive, she would remain a very serious threat to all of them, including the very king of Northern Sar'tu. This had to be done. "I think it's a safe plan. You had to have seen her, Caroline. True be it that she's extremely unstable, but apparently she's lost her sense of time thanks to the prison. It's made her a little...bonkers? I don't know what she was like before, but she has a one-track mind right now and I already put her on that one track: to defeat Veronica. In her current state, I don't think she's capable of thinking of much less, like say a trap or anything like that." He placed a comforting hand on Caroline's shoulder. "I know we can't always trust what we see, but I think this might be the best opportunity for us."

Era paused for a moment, realizing something that would be a huge wrench in their plans. "Wait, what about my probation? Would we be able to go to the ruins? How closely will I be supervised or my location monitored? It might not be a good idea after all... If we're seen with Renate it'll be all over." He grimaced. This was a huge setback and he was out of ideas at this point.

Jens Approves

Anna Disapproves

Caroline Slightly Disapproves

The reactions the others had to Era's decisions were plain to see. Caroline was the only one still unsure of this idea, but of course there was another complication for them. Era's probation. Caroline had only just mentioned it moments ago and already forgot about it. She bit her lips in thought, looking towards Jens for some kind of insight he might or might not have. He was the one who was the most knowledgeable about places and government systems. Caroline knew how to get around, but she had no idea what the consequences would be for Era disobeying the probation.

"Punishment usually involves a full day and night of torture and interrogation," Jens said. He tapped his fingers on his leg, still contemplative. "But if we come back with Veronica's corpse, they'd lift his probation instead. Probably. They might even exonerate Renate."

"We don't care about Renate's fate," Anna muttered loudly. Caroline and Jens didn't respond to that, though they felt somewhat the same. Jens was only willing to use Renate's anger for their gain, manipulate her to their wills. Caroline would rather not set Renate free, and Anna wanted to watch the bitch burn, so to speak.

"Renate's execution is scheduled for tomorrow evening, around the time of the sixth descent, right?" Caroline asked aloud. She was certain that was the case, but the confirming nod from Jens was helpful. "Alright, then I suppose we should figure out some kind of battle plan. Emm, mind lending us a hand?" The machine sparked to life at the sound of Caroline's call, spinning around and transforming herself into a 4:3 grid, a wide map of the city appearing on it. The grid highlighted the major building complex they would have to infiltrate and zoomed in on it.

"Guard patrols during the day here," Caroline pointed to the small, red lines marking the map around the building. "Emm, can we get a real-time progression look?" Without a word, the lines turned into dots and began moving. There didn't seem to be any gaps from the front, but the back of the building was barely patrolled at all. "There is no back entrance, so of course no one's going to look there." Caroline puzzled over the map for a few more minutes before sighing. "We can't enter without permission, and in broad daylight that would be impossible."

Anna looked at the grid for a moment, she had lost interest as soon as Caroline and Jens and Era began devising their plan. She shook her head and looked away again. Clearly she was upset, but her eyes kept glancing at. "Anna?" Jens wondered at the girl, "you have any ideas?"

"No, I don't." Anna replied firmly. "And don't bother asking me to help, either. I'm not coming." With that said, Anna rose and marched herself out of the airship. The metal door closed loudly, making Caroline flinch a little.

"Well, that could have gone better." Caroline sighed, rolling her shoulders. "She'll chill off eventually. We need to focus: If there was a way to get underground, I'm sure we could find our way to the prison. Any ideas, boys?" Jens shrugged.

Era felt his heart drop as Anna departed. There was no doubt that she was upset that everyone was going along with this plan, but she wasn't there. Era thought nothing more of Renate than a tool. She was going to be a tool, a weapon to use against Veronica and that was all. After what she may have done in the past, she could not be thought of as a person. Not anymore. She gave up that right herself. Caroline now questioned whether he had any ideas or not, and there was one that surfaced to his mind that he was surprised he thought of so quickly. Seems the lack of school wasn't making his mind lose its sharpness after all.

"Does this city have a sewer system of any sort? As disgusting as it sounds it would be a prime point of entry. I'm not sure to what point within the establishment a path through the sewers would lead, but if anywhere it would have to be the lower levels of it. And that's honestly where we need to be. The closer to the prison the better. We will have a time limit. If I don't use my power until it's time to execute the mission, then we will have ample time, so no worries there. But we will want to act fast nonetheless," Era posed his idea and explained his thought process. However, his plan was focused entirely on the idea of the city having a sewer system and it leading to a possible entry point within the building. If any of that faltered, they would have to find another way.

"A sewer system?" Caroline looked towards Jens, who shrugged at her. "We don't have anything like that, not that I know of. Anna is the one who knows everything about the city, not me."

"She's not exactly in the mood for helping us out, I think," Jens pointed out unhelpfully.

"I'd like to avoid using Era's power, if at all possible," Caroline said, ignoring Jen's comment and glancing up at Era. It looked like she was worried that using Era's power would increase the chances of him being whisked away again. The magic behind his power was still an unknown factor and she would rather not risk it. "We can still get underground, I'm absolutely certain of it. But I don't quite remember how. Anna must have mentioned it to me once, she would know."

"So you want to ask Anna again? She is your sister, after all," Jens replied, frowning a little.

"I don't know if she would listen to me," Caroline admitted. She glanced at Era. "Besides, you probably should say something to her. It was your decision to go through with this, and it's you she's angry at."

"If you're gonna look for Anna, I'd start with the dock by the river," Jens offered, a little more helpful this time.

It seemed like the two Era was counting on to know something didn't happen to know much at all. It was the one who had departed in anger that held the knowledge that he sought. Of course Caroline had to be rather blunt about the source of Anna's anger: him. His heart dropped once more but there wasn't anything that could be done. It was true. He was the only one that could get the answers necessary to complete this mission. However, if Anna deigned to not give it to him, then he'd have no choice but to abort. He would not pressure her. Renate would just have to die without her chance. She would die thinking something had went wrong with his plan. The government was crafty after all, in her eyes. She was sure nothing could escape. That made him feel a bit better, but it would still be a good idea to loose her vengeance upon Veronica. He would keep such thoughts to himself when addressing Anna, however.

Telling the others to wish him luck, Era departed the headquarters and started heading back to the main part of the city. Luckily he knew exactly how to reach the docks whereas before meeting his new companions, he may have not had a clue. It didn't take him too long. When he got close he had broken into a jog, but boy was he not exactly an athlete. When he finally reached the dock by the great river, he found himself out of breath, doubled over with his hands on his knees. He panted wildly trying to catch his breath, not even having a chance to look to see if Anna was there or not, but he hoped not. It would be embarrassing for her to see him like this.

Anna was by the dock, sitting away from the piers with her back pressed against one of the buildings. She was watching the river from here. The current had since picked up and was rushing close to top speed at this point. One trip, one fall was all it would take to be washed away and never seen again. Anna loved the water, but she preferred living over getting close when it was dangerous. Anna had been picking her nails, trying to get rid of the dirt that had collected during the day on the piers.

She didn't want to think about Veronica or Renate or Era. It hurt her to think that someone she had begun to trust would want to risk his life for someone who almost killed Caroline. Even after he himself saved Caroline from Veronica. It confused Anna; someone Era had just met in prison of all things, and he wanted to save her. Anna didn't care if Renate wanted to kill Veronica now, the berserker deserved to die.

Anna looked up and saw something that made a sting of pain run through her heart. Era was there, doubled over but there. He must have been looking for her. Why? Why was he here? Didn't she make it clear she wasn't going to help? Besides, they already had everything they needed to make their mission a success. Anna pushed herself up off the ground and maneuvered herself around to stop behind Era. Once his heavy breathing slowed down and he started looking around for signs of her, she spoke up.

"What are you doing here?" Anna demanded, crossing her arms over her chest and giving Era her disapproving stare. "Shouldn't you be preparing to rescue that girl that tried to kill Carol?"

Era jumped and straightened up immediately, turning on his heel to come face to face with Anna. It seemed as though she was merciful enough to spare him the toil of searching for her. Her tone, however, was not merciful. It was one of anger. There was no doubt that she was still very upset and the feelings behind her words punctured his heart making it hurt worse than it already did. He sighed. He'd best explain.

"I...well, we were planning but something major came up. We have no way to infiltrate the building...," he said, none too thrilled about anything. "I could easily use my power but Caroline wanted to avoid that option. If it be the only one, I would abide by Caroline's wishes and not use it, leaving us with no choice but to leave Renate where she be, and let fate have its way with her." He paused wanting to be sure that he said all of that first. If she were truly against this plan, now was her chance to stop it. He hoped he wasn't too forward and obvious about it, but he really didn't want Anna to be uncomfortable and upset. He hated seeing her like this. Even if they couldn't use Renate as a tool to eradicate Veronica, they still had enough information to go on to track her down themselves. That was enough for him should it come down to that.

"Caroline said you'd be the one to ask in regards to knowledge of the city. Do you know of any way to enter the building where they're keeping Renate?"

Anna frowned, slightly irritated that, after she had stormed out of the airship, Carol would still ask for her advice. She already told them she wasn't going to help out. But this was Era asking her, not Carol. If it was Carol, she could brush it off and tell her to go away like she usually did whenever she got mad at her. But this was Era. Her heart ached when she first saw him, but didn't realize that's where the pain was coming from. Anna's lips thinned out and she felt like she was on the verge of tears, the familiar sting making her look down and away.

"Why are you here?" Anna asked with a slight sniff to regain herself. "Why did it have to be you to come here? I don't understand." Anna lifted her chin again up at Era so she could gaze into his eyes that had enraptured her so well before. Waer was still forming in hers as she spoke. "You saved my sister's life. I can't even begin to repay you this debt, but what you ask is impossible for me. I can't tell you how to get underground to save someone else, who tried to kill Carol. I can't, I can't, I..." Anna sniffed again, wiping her eyes on her sleeve. Without bothering to ask, she stepped forward and pressed her head into Era's chest and embraced him.

Through a small, muffled voice, she spoke to him again. "On the outskirts of town. In one of the abandoned houses you will find your way underground. Everything in the city is connected to it, even the prisons. You can save Renate without encountering any guards." Anna paused for a moment, then added, "but I don't know if I can forgive you if you go through with this."

It was obvious that Anna wasn't expecting Era to come after her, and Caroline must have foreseen this outcome. As intuitive as that was, he still couldn't help but to feel guilty about everything. There was so much distress in Anna's eyes as water began to form and she sputtered about being in his debt, but there was no logical reason for him to aid someone who had tried to kill her sister. As unstable as Renate was, all it would take would be for her one track mind to switch onto a different track and then they were all doomed. If the doubts weren't enough to deter him now, the words that Anna spoke last really pained his heart. Could he live the rest of his life with her mad at him? With her in pain? That the fellow she had come to like had done something so terrible? He would forever be forbidden from her good graces. And that...well, that was something he could not live with.

"You won't have to worry about not forgiving me, Anna," Era said as he took the girl's hand, his heart tightening as if it were in a vice. "I should have known better..." The pain was becoming unbearable now. How could he be so resolute about this terrible plan? It made no sense! How foolish could he have been? "To think that that woman who had done so much evil in her past could be redeemed through one selfish act...I was so wrong. There is no redemption for a soul that wicked. If what you all say is true then that torture and her imminent death are all perfect for her. Justice deserves to be meted and I shall not interfere, I promise it." Era held Anna's hand between both of his and gazed deeply into her eyes.

"Please forgive me for even considering it...I beg of you... I want not for a rift to come between us. I value you far more than some criminal that may or may not betray us in the end."

"Then you'll...?" The look of surprise and happiness on Anna's face rose to meet Era's, her eyes lit with a new fire. Her smile reached both of her ears and she embraced Era even tighter than before, burying her face into his chest again. "Of course I'll forgive you, I'm just grateful that you see why this was such a bad idea in the first place!" Without warning, Anna reached up and planted a small kiss on Era's cheek before twirling away from him with that same big smile.

Anna Greatly Approves

"Let's run back and tell Carol!" Anna said, her hands folded behind her back and a light blush settling in on her cheeks. "The information you got from Renate will be useful in any case. We can go to the ruins and see what we can find. Everyone here will be at the execution tomorrow, so we'll be able to sneak you out without any problems." Anna skipped forward again and grabbed Era's hand, intent on leading him back to the airship herself. She giggled a little bit, her mood had taken a complete 180 turn. Some traces of the tears she had shed were still there, but her face was so bright and cheerful that Carol and Jens would hardly notice it by the time they got back to the airship.

The time it took to reach the airship would seem short considering Era and Anna walked back instead of ran. Somewhere along the way, Anna entwined her fingers with Era's and kept hold of him that way until they entered the airship. She seemed a little nervous at the prospect of revealing her feelings for Era in front of Caroline and Jens. Caroline was the first to take notice of the two entering.

"The lovebirds return," she teased, laughing when Anna shot her a glare. "I'm only kidding, Anna. So, if you came back that happy, I assume the mission is off. Can't say I'm displeased."

"There goes our shot at finding Veronica," Jens sighed, shaking his head.

Caroline Slightly Approves.

Jens Slightly Disapproves.