The streets were bustling with activity, people interacted with one another as Kade followed the young slime boy to the cafe. "Such a curious place, right under my nose! I would love to take my mother here for a little vacation day or two, she'd think we were dreaming!" Kade said mostly to himself but out loud for Tulip as he nodded. "Tulip agrees. Polar Growth pretty town to be in. Very fun, Tulip likes town!" he said in that same garbled but understandable voice as both smile. "Aye, would it be nice to have a break, but I have a duty now! So long as this town and my home city may be in danger, I will not see it fall…hm, now there’s that familiar feeling again…" a thought that came and went as he spoke until they arrived at the cafe. "Ah, I've missed this place already!" he said excitedly. How quick was he to adapt to this environment like he had from the situation, a change he did not mind as they entered. It was relatively peaceful once again, the strange employees worked as they were before as Kade looked around, not seeing the group as he approached one of the hallways. One of the employees stopped him and Tulip at first, but for a split second of her eyes glowing red, she lets them through, a combination of recognizing Kade and knowing Tulip is allowed entry by his big sister. They continued on to the break room, knocking on the door as the chattering inside stopped. Alex would be the one to open the door, taking a second or two to remember Kade and Tulip as his worried expression turns into a contagiously joyful smile. "Kade! I was damn near close to getting a search party for you, damnit, where did you go after visiting the shop?" he asked as Kade simply sighs. "Door got fucked, apparently, lucky I met this little gentleman before I turned into…whatever those machine things eat, if they do at all" he answered, entering with Tulip as he looks around the room. The faces he was used to, and a new one. There was Sugar, Jafk, and another slime fellow similar to Tulip, but wearing some sort of pressurized suit around her body and was orange instead of green. Kade looks down to Tulip, now having noticed the machine’s head had now finished dissolving.
"And that is where he ran out to, hm?" she said, tilting her head as she sighs. "Least he knows his way around. What prompted you to go out there, Tulip?" she asked him as he approached her, giving her a big hug. "Molly! Tulip missed you already. Tulip was in the big city because star things told me to look for and help a detective, if I remember. Star things wanted Tulip to help so Tulip did!" he explained to her as she nodded. "The stars told you, hm? How reckless to put a child in danger so long as it interests the safety…of another star…Kade, am I correct?" she looked up towards as he nodded, doing a small bow. "Kade Gears Wonder, ma'am. You are Molly, I presume, the one who gave me quite a trip with a photographed picture" he answered with a small chuckle. "It is a pleasure to meet another curious person" he extended his hand out to shake hers, but she shakes her head as he defeatingly puts his hand down. "You would be correct. Molly is the name I chose when I first woke up, sir, hope to be a useful asset to our little team".
Kade could only chuckle a bit as he nodded. “Of course, and also, I’m sure you don’t need to worry about our gentleman. Ate a whole machine head, and from what I heard from some passing Living Angels, lucky to live I know, but…a certain someone had taken out and presumably ate patrol Machine 7” he said a bit teasingly as Molly sighs even more. “Tulip…”
And from there, Kade explained everything that had happened, of the trio Butcherhearts, of Master, and new things he had found out from reviewing the camera footage more. The trio will likely start helping them now, he said, before he finishes off with what he heard from the Angels, connecting the three living creatures to the Butcher Kids, and the 1 living being to Tulip, who came up to save Kade. And once he finished, Alex would nod before grabbing ahold a letter, opening it up and tossing over the written paper
"Forgive me, I know I said we would start the operation, but…I believe things are getting complicated now…” Kade catches the paper, reading it quietly at first. A written report from someone. He would then begin reading out loud. "Place Of Writing: Lake Town. Writer: Penny Drag & Denny Prag. Report: As per given requests, I have asked the Mimy Clan to keep watch on the perimeter of the forest around the local town and Lake Guard while keeping an eye on Sprei Uok, a guardian of the lake presumed to be one of the Lake Children. As of late, the soldiers of the clans have reported sightings of unnatural metal beings attempting to attack and capture Sprei Uok, usually resulting in death due to the young spirit's power. But how long he'll be able to protect himself from them is what concerns me. A couple of your allies will be much appreciated, at least before the official time comes to raid the tower. Thank you, Penny & Denny…"
The room was silent at first before Kade breathed. "A mouthful of words! Now then, who is coming along with me? I seem like an obvious choice already to learn about everything" he asks the group as Alexander and Jafk raise their hands.
"I suspect Molly and Sugar would prefer to stay behind and watch the town, so as long as Molly can handle the cafe while we are gone, we'll be going with you, Kade" Alexander said as Jafk nods in agreement.
"You are rather good at guessing, Alexander" Sugar said with a small smug smile as Alexander chuckles. "My mother always told me so" he responds.
"Hmph…Now then, no one has raised a voice so I say we are off…after I sleep, this whole thing has buggered me out already and being tired is not ideal. Sugar, accompany me to the surface, could you? Unless we know of another way up without going through the city?" Kade asks as Sugar sighed, getting down from the table as she fixes her hair.
"Why not a shortcut, then, I trust you enough now for it…come" Sugar already leaves the room as Kade panics slightly. "Ah, of course, yes, okay, uh, goodbye you all, amazing to meet you Tulip and Molly, and do be careful!" He immediately grabs hold of his air-tight luggage and begins to follow Sugar's path until they exit town and reach the elevator far from it.
"Wait, you are telling me we didn't have to swim? Did you make me swim, and put us in danger to test me out?" he questioned with a slight anger to his tone as Sugar shrugs.
"Hm…you are a good guesser too, I suppose"
"Shut up"
The elevator began to go up as Sugar looked over. "Same as before, Kade, think about traveling to another world as hard as you can and we'll be there," she said as he nodded. Both began to think hard as the next thing he knows, the material and visual difference of the rusty underground elevator changes into the more modern version as it stops. "Do remember this for later."
"I'll remember to think of a worse name to call you for a while for this like…Sour…also...do you think I could borrow like 78 Silver Cogs later tomorrow?
"Sour does seem more fitting…"
"Shut up again!" he said as Sugar giggled slightly. "And sure, not too much, just remember to pay back, what's it for? The workshop?
"Aye, a tool is being made that'll prove quite useful for me"
The door opens to reveal the ever familiar hallway of rooms as he sighs, the noises of the city, annoying at best before but calming now. "What of the time then?"
"Time is different between, so for all I know…I do not know" she said, shrugging it off as Kade exits the elevator, but Sugar stays.
"I'll see you in…9 hours of my time, I suppose, or you won’t see me, I have my own business to conduct to. Rest well, we will have work for the next time" she said, waving goodbye as the elevator closed and began its descent.
"Hmph, see you later then, Sour" he said teasingly, watching the number above the door go down as Kade looked back towards the hallway. First stop, his mother's room. He would walk through the hallway, taking quick peeks at each door, the only one being occupied was Castle's office. As per usual. Castle Ling Yu, always working to the point Kade never saw them outside the building at this point, only ever at the kitchen break room, but he shrugs, doing mother's hard work as the co-owner of the agency does that to you sometimes. He would continue towards her room before doing a soft knock, opening it slightly as he hears a gun cocking. "Oh, silly me" he would do an extra two knocks followed up by a delayed 3rd knock as he can hear her sigh. "Sorry, disturbed your sleep?" he asks as he opens the door enough to peek his head through.
"Yes, now that we are holding Silvia under our custody, I've been under even more stress than usual, really utilizing our little secret knock this time…hello, dear, how was your adventuring down in this other world~?" Celeste asks, sitting up as Kade fully enters the room, closing the door before sitting next to her on the bed, with a large sigh followed by pure excitement.
"By the…whatever the hell is above us now, I am…breathless! Speechless! and all those other words to express this feeling…everything! If there wasn't a potentially impending doom to our city and the other cities near us, I swear I'd never leave that place!" and so he began to tell all of his findings to her as she listened and nodded. Every question she asked was answered with something or an 'I don't know'. He told her about the species he saw, Gorgeous People, Core Slimes, the dangerous machines and the little fairy and her adopted children, the trio who caused a bit of trouble up here, and it was absolutely exciting to him, he could not hold in any single detail.
And she simply giggled, and then laughed at the end of it all. It took a good while for her to stop as she sighs in relief of her laughter stopping. "It's almost like you are telling me a story like when you were young, going on and on about 'wonderland' and all that…but I wouldn't doubt, not with the evidence we have to prove it is real. The more important fact is that you are quite alive and having some fun at least…”
"Of course, If I were to die, it would be in your arms for our final, dramatic goodbye's before the kiss of death reaches my forehead, and then…" Kade would gently fall onto the floor, his arm over his eyes as he let out his tongue.
"Death."
Celeste simply applauds tiredly as he quickly gets up. "Thank you, thank you, I've always had a dream for the theatrical" he said as he calmed down a bit now. "Now, question, where is our lovely Silver Wanderer?" he asks as Celeste thinks for a bit.
"Need not worry immediately, for a start. She is in the hands of Ashwin at the cafe nearby, he told me before they went so I don't turn every stone trying to find her if I woke up to not seeing her anywhere…" she said as he nodded. "Good man Ashwin, always could trust him...what of…” Kade wanted to ask her about Grear but…decided not to stress her even, even more as he shakes his head. “N-Nevermind about that!” he adds as she nods with a soft smile. “Well, I am…getting tired now from my long adventure of people, mysteries, and all that nonsense…best I go to sleep now, mom, good night!" he said as he left immediately.
"Night, dear, and sweet dreams…" he left as quickly as he came in as she giggled once more. "Wonderland…he was always amazed with The Timeless City…good to know things are still well enough down there, I suppose…" she would lay back down on her bed as she grabs ahold of her pistol, taking the mag out and putting it on safety as she places them onto the desk next to her bed.
This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.
And so, the mind slumbers again, her consciousness leaving the waking world to return to her dreams. Of him.
-
"Silence…brings violence…" Silvia whispers before snapping out of it. "Huh…" she wonders, looking over to Ashwin. They seemed to be back in his office, and there was no longer a drink in her hand, instead she was laying down on a couch. And he seemed worried.
"Oh, you're awake now, friend, you passed out suddenly when we were in the cafe for…I think an hour? I just brought you back into the office. Are you okay?" he asks as she thinks for a moment.
"Don't…remember…I was…dreaming, I think…no…not dreaming…thinking…" was what she could mutter as he nodded. "You know…I never properly acknowledged your Knowledge, Silvia…all that I could assess is that you are quite difficult to hurt, eliminate, and hide…is there anything else in your head that is not obvious, anything you could indulge me in?" Ashwin asks, pulling out a notepad, scribbling details down already.
"Anything else…”
'Anything else?' a voice whispers in her head as she nods. 'Anything else, anything else…starry people. Me. Speak to you. That is anything else. Like others. Like brothers and sisters' it spoke as she responded to Ashwin in the same pattern.
"Starry people…like others. Like brother…" he says quietly as he writes it down, connecting pieces here and there together. "Just like Kade. He can hear them as well, Silvia, these 'starry people' that whisper." he tells her as she tilts her head.
"Kade…" a friendly name to her now, one she couldn’t dare forget now. "Kade, Kade, Kade" she repeats to herself as Ashwin chuckles lightly. "Yes, Mr. Detective, Kade, dear, you seem quite open to him…but he is currently sleeping so I can't bring him in unfortunately but mayhaps another time…" he scribbles again in the notebook.
"Is that all that you know of, Silvia?"
'No' the whisper responds in her head before she responds to Ashwin the same way. "No"
'Room in head'
"Room…in…head, room in head" she points to her head as he nods.
'Room is safe, no monsters from outside can come in'
"Room safe, monsters can't come in"
'Room has a starry person. Me. When stressed, can return to Room'
"Room has…someone…starry person who whispers…stress…return to room" she tries her best to repeat the whispers as Ashwin tries his best to translate, noting down all possibilities and circling what he is definitely confident in.
"Well, 'starry person', do you have a name?" Ashwin asks Silvia as she waits for an answer.
'Name. Don't like names. But names are helpful…Pippy'
"Pippy. It said Pippy is name…" she answers as he nods.
"Well then, Pippy, can I ask what the purpose of this 'stress-free' room is?" Ashwin would get a journal now. It was bigger and better to translate Silvia's words when necessary. Ashwin would store the notepad into his purse as he waits for an answer, and so did Silvia.
'Complete Safety, nothing can hurt mind. Strategic Planning. Room has books and films of memories of the now and the past to help think. Time Slow or Brain Fast, Silvia can think of escape and solutions in one second. One second in head is 30 minutes of thinking. Useful. Silvia uses room a lot, always forgets afterwards, simply acts on a planned instinct from herself and me. Room is perfection.'
And so…Silvia copied every word, every pause and sentence in its entirety to Ashwin, who, in slight amazement, writes it down in the journal. "Silvia, you are…very, very peculiar, you know?" he adds, adding finishing touches as he spoke one more time.
"Is that a-"
'Is all'
"Is all"
"At least let me finish first, Pippy" he laughs softly, closing the journal as he gets up. "Now, the both of you, watch this" he said as he cups his hands, shaking it a little bit before getting it closer to her face, opening up, showing what appears to be…a pretty tiny horse on his hand, a single, tiny neigh comes from it as Silvia's eyes light up.
"Horsey!" she said as he nodded. "Yes, my friend, a horse of my own, at any time, any time I require, at any size. That's one of my secrets I reveal to you two as a thank you gift for the information. It helps me determine precautions of safety and all, you know? But it makes me wonder if Kade has a starry person friend…" he said, whispering at the end as he cups his hand, opening them once again to reveal the horse has disappeared.
"But could I ask…what did you mean by 'Silence brings violence', Silvia and Pippy"
And so Silvia waits for an answer…yet nothing. "Pippy…didn't answer. I…do not know" she answered, and she was being honest. "No answer from Pippy? How strange, they seemed quite content with answering everything else, but not this strange phrase? No matter. If you are feeling tired, you can continue to sleep, Silvia, I have small businesses to do. If not, do feel free to…do whatever it is you do in this building" he said, smiling at her as he walked over to his desk, placing the notepad and journal down on the table, sitting down behind it as he began to re-read everything over.
Silvia took on his words, walking out the office after giving a small wave, which she received one back, before closing the door.
"What do…you think of…uh…Ashy…no, no, Ashwin…"
'Good man. Trustful. No more questions. Thank you"
"O-Oh…okay" she nodded, and then silence in her head.
And she began to walk. Her footsteps echoed in the familiar halls as she looked into each door now, this time beginning from Ashwin's office. It was the same as ever, colorful like Ashwin. And then Grear's office gym, empty, left as it was, she swore she could see dust piling up on the exercise equipment.
Kade's office. A lot of the paper she has seen was now properly cleaned up and placed, albeit messily, on the desk. And there was Kade, napping away on the large bed, as one of his cats seemed to have joined him with his nap.
"Cat nap…" she quietly whispered before giggling, continuing her snoopy journey as she arrives at Castle's office. Same like all the others, but empty this time, with no one at the desk.
"Trying to catch sight of me again, hm?" a deep voice spoke from behind her as she jumped, turning around immediately to see a tall person, their suit incited more business than detective work, and so was their sleek long hair, kept very straight and together as they tilt their head.
"Silvia. No last name, child of a sinful man, now protected in this city by a bunch of unrelated ex-citizens from below…Castle Ling Yu, miss, might I ask why were you looking into each office?"
"O-Oh, uh, I…uh…" she couldn't think of an answer, Castle was very menacing in appearance and way of speaking, they stood well over her as they tilted their head slightly. "Oh, am I making you nervous, dear? Forgive me, that was not my intention" they would place a hand on her head and do a little pat.
"I-I was just being…curious…mister" she was able to say as Castle nodded. "Curiosity. Always apparent in children of all ages, in all situations…why not come in?" he would open the door as he gets in first.
Silvia was nervous at first, her eyes wandering between the office and Celeste's room, but with a small deep breath, she would enter his office. She can trust these people, Celeste told her so, and so did Kade…and Ashwin…and like practically everyone else in the building, sometimes it even feels like the cats do as well.
She would close the door gently behind him, looking around, seeing details she hadn't noticed at first. There were tons of frames with photos on a wall, small text occupied under them. Castle notices her looking around as they chuckle slightly.
"Old photos from my days in the city, under the facade of 'sets'. Kade believes it, but I am sure you already find some of them taken in familiar locations." they would point to one, which was a picture of a much younger Castle and a girl with reddish, curly hair. They were holding a small plaque, the text on it too small to read from where the picture was taken. They stood in front of a small building.
"Theater acting in highschool, but not really, it is more like when Celeste and I were first starting a little photography business at first, she always had a love for it, and I helped her with the boring stuff, you know?" they said, now pointing to another picture, containing a picture of them playing with a small kid. Castle was older in the picture, the small boy had curly black hair, and a large smile on his expression. Castle was silent on that one, as Silvia read the text under the frame. "Little…brother?" she read it out loud, the field was not familiar to her. Green grass, bright sky, and a big city in the background farther away.
"I prefer not to explain that one, miss. Private stuff, for now" they said as she nodded. "O-Oh, okay…what about that one?" she points to one, another picture of Castle but from behind, someone took it for them, whether they knew then or didn't. In front of Castle was a vast piece of land, and what appeared to be remnants of a town, being built in the moment. The text under the frame said: "First Place Winning Photoshop."
"Hah, I remember that…I am an old individual, Silvia, compared to the time above ground anyways…when our 'artificial safety towns' were being made for emergencies…I do not know whether to feel glad they are put to use, or feel…saddened that they are being put to use…" Castle explained as they started up a personal coffee machine.
"Who took the photo?" she asked them as they made their coffee. "Kade's father, John, was a good friend, and a great father. And then, it happened so suddenly. One of the trains Kade's mother and father were on was rigged with magic explosives, and the moment it explodes, Celeste was free of death, suddenly outside, still clutching onto her stomach of an unborn Kade, but John? He sacrificed himself to save as many people as possible. He was powerful, he had Time Knowledge, he could stop and change the present for only…I think a few seconds, I don't remember exactly, but I know It was enough to save 10 people, including his wife, but not himself, as he tried to get the explosive away from everyone. Mangled and burned beyond recognition, is how they found his body. It was quite a sad day…" Castle explained it all, even having finished making their coffee and already taking sips.
And then, Pippy came along again in her head.
'Kade. Alive.'
"Kade…alive?" she whispers under her breath as Castle tilts their head. "Did you say something, Silvia?"
"U-Uh, no, m-mister" she said as they chuckled a little. "Oh, please, just call me Castle, dear" they would nod, putting the cup of coffee down near the desk as they sigh. "Best I work on money stuff again, you may take your leave, my curiosity, and hopefully yours, is filled. But do feel free to visit whenever, though, it gets quite quiet nowadays, mkay?" they said as Silvia nodded with a tiny smile. "Y-Yes, Castle…" she would bow as she turned around, the sounds of the strange click-clack machine already started to fill the room as Silvia quietly left, closing the door before sighing.
'Truth. Not all' Pippy whispers as Silvia tilts her head. "What do you mean?" she asks herself out loud as she can feel the energy of a figure shaking its head. 'Person. Not give it all. Something hidden. Pippy Knew Kade since he was young.' it said as she just shrugged. "Silvia is tired. Silvia will sleep now. Silvia says goodnight" she said, copying the voice's speech as she can hear a small groan from it before silence.
Silvia begins her way towards Kade's office, wanting to sleep with him as she quietly opens the door, peeking her head in as she hears the soft, quiet snore of a tired man. After sneaking in and closing the door quietly, she would walk on the tip of her toes to his bed, removing her shoes and laying them by the bed next to his shoes before climbing in. She notices the cat was awake, but it would simply look at her before giving a small wink.
"Everyone really meant that everyone else in this building is in the know except Kade…Hiss, right?" she whispers under her breath as the white cat nods, returning to slumber after leaving space for Silvia, which she gladly takes as she snuggles next to Kade. "Nighty, mister…and Hiss" she whispers as her eyes slowly close, the thoughts in her mind slow down as the world quiets down around her.
Silence. Perfect silence. Once again.