Regroup [https://img.comicfury.com/comics/205/43704a1607117969b3654f513408695.png]

"Find out what you can," you suggest. "Where Franklin was breaking into, how they caught him... if we can visit him, when, and if it'd be monitored. This whole thing stinks."

"Agreed," Kate replies. "I'm pretty sure $500 is a stupid amount for bail, but I need to look into it. Regroup at your place?"

"Yeah," you confirm.

You don't plan on exploring the dungeon tonight, but you can hash out sleeping arrangments later. Your house is as decent a meeting spot as any for now--you still need to fill Kate in on everything she missed last night, and that includes your "new" backyard.

You remember Afu mentioning that Franklin's done prison time--it's how he met Marlow, allegedly. If Franklin really did do a stint in, like, prison-prison, you imagine he can survive however long it takes for you to get him out of the local jail.

You suspect, anyway.

You hope.

The whole thing stinks hard.

The bus returns you to your house; you appear to be the first to arrive.

You unlock the door and enter your house. You put up your laundry. You do a lot of pacing and further snacking on your recently acquired candy. Both Kate AND Cici should be arriving soon, but you don't know how soon and not doing anything sucks.

Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.

You briefly ponder names. The dream ring works--you exchanged names with Kate, and you were able to access her dream powers in the dungeon. She hasn't mentioned anything about it, which suggests the power borrowing process just... kind of happens, without requiring the other party's participation.

Could you do that with anyone? ...With any name, regardless of whether or not they've entered the dream themselves?

Who all have you exchanged names with? Marlow Tuck? You know that's his full name, but you can't remember if you properly introduced yourselves or not. You and Maria swapped names but only first names--does that count? Is it good enough?

You haven't officially swapped whole names with Franklin that you can recall. ...You did ask the bus's name when you first met, but they claimed not to have one (though each bus has a unique ID and the entire network of Ninelives' buses have a network number).

...You exchanged names with Kate's mom, technically. Heather Halford.

Might be a little awkward to utilize that though.

Hmm. How much name do you need for an exchange of names?

Names. Names names names.

Money.

Ugghhhhh money.