Well...The fact of the matter is, sometimes people check out books. And they don’t return them. And, well, seeing as how Kitty is agoraphobic...
She rubs her neck with a certain amount of embarrassed distress as she recalls how many times she’s called the younger Detective Azalea to retrieve a lost book. To be perfectly frank, she thinks as she nervously bites her lip, she wonders just how Detective Azalea puts up with it all. She’s either a true friend or even more desperately in need of money than Kitty is. Kitty privately assumes the latter in her continuing desperate bid to not be important to people.
>Reflect on your relationship with the princess?
My relationship with the princess, thinks Kitty as she picks the envelope up in terribly clammy hands. My relationship with the princess travels through her mind again, in a desperate search for an end to that sentence. It’s...Complicated. You see, ah...You see...The princess and her are...They’re...Well...The princess is a very nice woman, but...I mean, it’s not as if Kitty...She...They...
Kitty swallows back a confusing lump of emotions and opens the envelope, shutting her eyes for a moment. Afraid, even ashamed to see what’s inside.
> Kitty: Open that fat envelope. Might as well see what the admirer wants.
As she feels the envelope tear beneath her fingers, she feels something underneath. Her fingers paw at the contents inside, grasping a thin piece of paper and pulling it out...
Kitty opens her eyes.
There’s three one hundred dollar bills, the city’s hastily made paper currency, in her hands.
She shuts her eyes and tries to push the guilt and fear and embarrassment and all the stupid little physically painful and uncertain feelings away, deep into her heart. She sets the money down neatly, letting out a sigh with the emotional weight of about ten tons.
She looks at the empty envelope again, seeing the rest of the contents. A letter seems to be folded around a small box. She removes them both, unfurling the letters as she sets the box down.
The letter smells of thick, sweet perfume mixed with ocean salt and foam.
Dearest Kitten,
I hope my letter finds you in good spirits and health! I would launch into the usual stuff about palace politics, but you’re probably pretty bored with me talking about that by now. I’ll try to keep this one quick. >D
You’ve probably already notice that I’ve decided to utterly lavish you with gifts again in spite of your continued protests against anyone showing you the slightest bit of kindness. The three hundred dollars is for you and You (is that how it’s spelled? I feel like it’s not, but I’m never quite sure. I’m sorry I’m so bad with East Agean [sp? Sorry again!] names). Please get something nice for the both of you, okay? I know nothing I say will probably matter and you’ll just hoard it and buy cheap, bland food with it over a long period while refusing to tell Yoo and Lady where you’re getting it from, but please consider it anyway!
The second gift is a bit special. I dunno if you opened it yet, because I haven’t figured out how to see the future (yet ;) ) but can you guess what it is? Huh?? Can you??? >D???????
It’s another charm. Yeah. >P Like I don’t make you enough of those already. I decided to make it a bit special this time and used a symbol from one of those ancient cultures you love! <3 I hope you like it. If I read correctly and didn’t muck anything up it represents power, wisdom, and life! Which of course are all things I hope it confers on you. <3 <3 <3 If nothing else...I know I can’t be with you all the time, but I hope that when you feel sad and alone you take a look at it and it’ll make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside, as if I was right there with you giving you the biggest hug of all time!
Don’t you dare try to pawn it. This one is kind of a big deal.
I know I said I’d be busy this week, but I’ll probably see you soon! You know how it is. I’m predictably unpredictable sometimes. >P But mostly I don’t feel like spending the week with myself and my brothers getting ignored by Mum and Papa. Again! Can you believe it?
Anyway, see you soon! XOXOXOXOXO
Love,
your princess
P.S. Heard Lady’s report on the art community over the radio! Tell her it was awesome!
P.S.S. I still hope you’ll reconsider the offer to live at the palace with me. I know, I know, the answer’s still no! :( It doesn’t even have to mean anything! But you’d be well taken care of...
P.P.S.S. Sorry, I can’t remember how the p’s and s’s go and in what order. But have you told Yuu where you’re getting the money yet between Lady’s paychecks? I guess it’s fine if you don’t, just saying...
S.P.P.S.P. I’d like to borrow another book on witchcraft soon! I don’t suppose you have any recommendations? I’ll probably forget by the time I show up (you know how much of a dunce I am) so remind me if you do.
She gently folds the paper back up and set it down, and open the little jewelry box.
Inside is a shining, polished silver ankh on the end of a beautiful and equally silver chain. In the empty center of the ankh is a blue sapphire, as vivid as the ocean. As she turns it over in her hands, it’s almost as if she can see the movement of sea waves within the stone...
She’s blindsided by the genuine calmness and warmth that seems to be washing over her from the gift.
She smiles a little.
>Have a customer.
Her brief bout of inner peace is not just stopped, but brutally beaten to death in a back alley by the sound of a fist frantically knocking on the Library’s front door. Kitty looks up, startled, reflexively putting a hand on the shotgun. A human figure is visible through the glass of the double doors, pounding away.
There’s still ten minutes before the Library officially opens. There’s a notice outside to this effect. Kitty’s certain of it. No one in their right mind would be knocking on the door for her to open up already...
The monitor buzzes to life abruptly with a distressed and grating beeping noise, signifying that someone, somewhere, has just begun to be the unfortunate and foolish owner of an overdue book. A listing appears on the computer with information for someone named ILUCIS, DANTE stands out as the background periodically flashes red, trying to catch Kitty’s attention.
What will she do?
4 comments:
>Kitty: Stay calm. Do you have your towel?
>Kitty: See who's banging, it could be the person with the overdue book! After all, the banging started just a few seconds before the beeping, so you GUESS you shouldn't be TOO rough on them.
Kitty: Open the door. As you said, nobody in their right mind would be banging on it. As such, something is probably wrong.
Collect late dues with extreme prejudice.
> MAKE THEM PAY.
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