Lords And Ladies (2.11)

Zoe tackles Rhoda to the ground, pinning her to the floor as she screams and kicks.

“You can’t touch me!  I am the princess’ handmaiden!”

“Don’t hurt her,” says Jenna, quickly.  “Just sit her down next to the princess.”

“Are you sure, ma’am?  That seems quite dangerous.”

“It’s true,” Annie says, as Zoe hoists the flailing handmaiden over her shoulder and carries her to the couch.  Annie pulls her legs to her, letting Zoe plot Rhoda down on the couch.

Rhoda’s head snaps around like a tornado, glowering at Kitty.  “You!  I should have known she would be here, cavorting with you.”

“You already did know,” says Kitty.  “I told you.”

Annie smiles at her friend/servant.  “It’ll be okay, Rhoda.  You’re here, I’m here, just relaaaaaaax.   Just sit back and think of the prince...”

“T-the prince?” says Rhoda, her voice increasing in pitch.

“Just imagine him,” continues Annie, in a soft, calm tone.  “Giving you a deep, relaxing, sensual massage.”

Rhoda taps her fingers together nervously.  “B-but that would be wrong.  He outranks me.  H-he’s royalty.”

“Yesssss,” says Annie.  “That’s what makes it so delicious.”  Annie cocks a devilish grin at Rhoda.  “Now close your eyes and think about it.”

Rhoda obediently shuts her eyes and sighs deeply.  A distant smile crosses her face.

Outside of the corner of her eye, Kitty notices that Jenna has taken another sip of her whiskey bottle.

“There you go,” says Annie, cheerfully.  “She wants my brother to do things to her,” she helpfully explains to the room.

“Riiiiight,” says Jenna, taking another sip.

The phone on the coffee table rings.  Annie picks it up, handing it to Kitty.

“Hello?”

“Phone call for you,” says Anastasia’s voice, in a gentle, almost purring tone.  “Lord Durante’ Ilucis, I believe.  He says it’s important.”

“Transfer him, I guess.”

Dante’s voice is even more hurried than last time.  “Kitty, I think you’re life is in danger.”

Kitty sighs, and rubs her forehead.  “I know.”

“You know?”

“Someone tried to kill me.”

“What!”

“I’m fine.  It’s been a busy day.”

“How can you be-Okay, well.  There’s another...I got a package in the mail.  The note says...It’s the Zoinomicon.”

Kitty’s eyes widen, her mouth drops.  Her heart pounds.  “Are you sure?”

“Yes.  Well, that’s what the note says, only...”

“Only?”

“Only...Kitty, what size are grimoires, usually?”

“I don’t know.  I guess the size of any other manual, just...uh.  Magic.  Or eldritch.”

“So they wouldn’t normally have to be shipped in giant crates?”

“...No, Dante, I would assume not.”

“Okay, well, I...I think...I think this might be a big book.  I need you to come over and check it out.”

“I can’t, Dante.  I’m under armed protection.”

“...Right.  Okay.  Hmm....I’ll see what I can do to get it over there, then.  Probably safer.  I’ll call my people, maybe...Oh, have you had lunch?”

“Um, no?”

“We’ll bring lunch.  We haven’t had it either.”

“...Ahuh?”

“What do you guys want? Let’s work something out.”

“...Um, okay.  Hold on.”  Kitty put a hand over the phone.  “You guys hungry?  Anyone?”

***

Elsewhere...

The Wolf District looks strange, even net to the other Districts..  Tiger Island was a nation unto itself.  The Dragon District was the center of town, a decedent, gleaming beacon of light and sound on dark nights.   The Raven District was taken up partly by the towering Wall itself - the one thing separating the City from the ruins and the outside world - and small, simple buildings.  And the slums, an unofficial ruined section of the Dragon District that was incorporated into the city only because of convenience, were...Well.  Slums.

But the Wolf District dominated the well-defended peninsula, stretching out from the Dragon District to the beaches.  In between was a wide, green, luxurious land suitable for farming, as well as natural freshwater.  The Wolf District - safely hidden behind the city itself - produced almost all of the city’s food supplies (the remainder being produced on Tiger Island).  It was, in a way, the city’s little secret; an extensive little Paradise hidden from the rest of the ruins and protected on all sides by the Shark Fleet (also known as the Shark District or the Floating City).

The people of the Wolf District itself were varied in ethnicity, tracing their pre-Titania ancestry from the Americas and the Middle East.  As with the rest of the tribes, there was a sizable Asian population as well, but the Wolf District was especially notable for it’s high population of Native Americans.  Of special note was Matriarch’s Wolf family themselves.

The Wolves valued both privacy and law.  As such, Lady Wolf did double duty as the commander-in-chief of the police force, giving her a rather tumultuous relationship with Lady Dragon, who was unofficially commander-in-chief of organized crime by sheer virtue of being Lady Dragon.

There will be a test on this later.  Of note right now, however, is a little ranch house by a dirty road.

It was a small, unassuming little place, well-maintained but old.  Corporal Lincoln had bought it after his promotion, on the cheap, and spent most of his free time fixing it up, with a few small alterations to house a pet eagle.

Lincoln has just finished packing for the most part, with an eagle sitting on his shoulder.  The last luggage has been shoved in the back of the squad van (which, of course, doubled as Lincoln’s van).  Lincoln stood by it with his eagle on his arm.

“‘Bout time to get our cat friend, Washington,” says Lincoln, as the eagle cocks its head to the side and stares at him.  “I know, I know.  But I wouldn’t feel right otherwise.  It’ll be fine, you’ll see.   Probably.”

Lincoln walks over to the side of the porch, sand crunching underneath his boots.  He kneels down, peering into the darkness.

“Miu?”  he calls out gently.  “Are you there?  Miu?  Kitty kitty.”

Two amber eyes peer out at him, blinking.  The eyes turn away from him, and he hears a sickening crunch.  The eyes look back.

“Sorry if I interrupted your hunting, little miss.  I’m going to...go away for a little while, for my job.  I don’t want to leave you here alone, so I thought I’d...Well...I’d be mighty obliged if you wanted to come with me.”

The amber eyes blink, regarding him carefully.

“‘Course it’s fine if you don’t want to.  I’m sure there’s plenty of rats and snakes around, and you’ll probably wander off somewhere anyway.  And there’ll be people.  I don’t know if that’s a factor, little miss.”  Lincoln tips his hat.

The amber eyes look away for a few moments, before approaching him.

Something licks his nose.

“...I’ll get the bag, then,” says Lincoln.

Lords And Ladies (2.10)

Kitty considers the possibilities.

Assistants?   God, no, not the assistants.  Anything but  assistants!  It’s my Library!  It’s mine!  Miiiiiiiine!  I can do this job all by myself!

...Though it is a pretty big Library.

No! No, I can do it.  I’m competent.  I’m a good girl who is in no way emotionally stunted by losing my mother and spending her teenage years shut inside a Library.  Mom will come back if you’re a good girl.  She will!

...Isn’t that kind of absurd?  She’s not going to know if you’re a good girl.  It has no bearing on whether or not she’ll come back.  She told you to be a good girl, she didn’t say if she would come back if you were.

But what if she does?

She won’t.

...On the other hand, I’m the boss of these people, right?  I can make them do whatever I want!  I’m the boss!  I’m a lordy!

Lady.  You’re a Lady.

Oh, right, thank you.  Almost had a stupid moment there.

You’re welcome.  Continue.

I’m the Lady!  I’m the Librarian!  Master of stories and biographies and informative text books!  Knowledge is my wizard...y domain, and these are my pupils!  I have the power!   I could make them strip or something!   Ahahahahahahahahahahahahaha-

No, no, that’s bad.  SIgh.  All right.  Training.  I should train them.

“So,” says Kitty.  “How many of you know about the Dewey Decimal System?”

They all stare at her, blinking.

“...Anyone?”

No one raises their hand.  No one exclaims “I do!” excitedly.  They just stand there.

“Really?  Not even the middle aged women.”

She coughs.

“Well, I had my own system...” she begins.

“Don’t care.  We used Dewey here.”   Kitty reaches under her desk and pulls out a thick book, standing up.  “Come with me.”

***

“Every book has a number,” says Kitty.  “And that number indicates it’s place in the Library, according to class, division, and section.   They are classified in ascending numerical order and further by alphabetical order according to the first letter of the author’s last name when multiple books fit within the same number - and they do.  All the time.  Each section of the Library’s extensive floor space holds a different class.  For example, we are presently standing in Class 100, which broadly covers Philosophy and Psychology.  Right?  Got it?”

She turns around, still holding the book.  The girls nod at her.  “Good.  The first floor of the Library holds Classes 000, 100, 200, 300, and 400. Computer Science, Information, And General Works; the aforementioned Philosophy and Psychology; Religion, which apparently includes evil Grimoires, so be aware of that; Social Sciences; and Language.  Right?  Now up the stairs.”  She heads up a set of stairs in the corner of Class 100, up into Class 600.  It looks nearly identical to the first floor, bookshelves stretching on into infinity.  Kitty does not bother to look back to make sure they’re following her.  She just continues walking and talking.   “Second floor.  Classes 500, 600, 700, 800, and 900.  Science; Technology; Arts and Recreation; Literature; and finally, History and Geography.

“The space for each Class of the Library includes a number of rooms around the outer wall.  Study rooms, bathrooms, water fountains, that sort of thing.  Some of them have lovely views of the outside, so keep that in mind when you’re on break.  This book I’m holding contains all the information you’re going to need about the Decimal System as well, and there’s also maps of the Library hanging on walls here and there, as well as one at the entrance.  Both this and the entrance map are to remain at the front desk at all times.”  Kitty turns back around.  “Any questi-”  Kitty notices a curious gap between Anastasia and Evangeline White.  She sighs.  “Where did Nicolette go?  Is she lost?”  She turns to Jenna.  “I think she got lost.”

Jenna unclips the walkie talkie from her belt.  “Library Guard, this is Crescel, be advised.  Assistant Nicolette is lost somewhere in the Library, around Class 100 or 600.  Keep an eye out.”

“Right,” says Kitty.  “Let’s keep moving...The fiction section is sorted a little differently, mostly because we keep the erotica in a side room.  Do not, I repeat, do not put the erotica with the rest of the books.  It freaks people out, for some reason,”

Jenna laughs nervously.

“Now, as you go around this place, you might find some boarded up side rooms.  Please tell me when you find them, so we can decide what to do with it.  If you run into any books that seem to be supernatural in some way, please tell us that as, um, well.  Any mundane books you happen to find out of place, put them back in their place.  Now, the third floor...”

She leads them up another flight of stairs.  It is quite different, less a forest of bookshelves and more a forest of hallways.  It is also, surprisingly, quite dark.  Kitty flips on a switch, illuminating old, musty hallways.  “This used to, I think, be where the family lived in happier generations.  You may pick any room you would like to stay in, if you wish to live at the Library.”

“And if you don’t,” adds Jenna.  “Please remember that curfew begins at ten.  No one goes in or out after that without special permission.”

“My younger sister and I live on the floor above this, which is a bit smaller than the other floors, but still mostly unused.   There’s a kitchen and living room on this floor as well...”

***

Lincoln and Richard stand in the Librarian’s living room, watching as Officer Lee ascended the ladder to the skylight.  He pushes it open, sticking his head out.

“Holy shit,” says Lee.

“How does it look, Lee?” asks Richard.

“It’s a godsdamn field up here.  We’re lucky the Library is practically beachfront property, we’d need like...twelve of me to cover each end of this mess.  Maybe more.   Even with two sides I don’t think I’m going to be able to cover it all.” Lee glances down.  “I’m going to get started scoping it out.”

:”Good luck.”

Lee scrambles out onto the roof, leaving Lincoln and Richard.

“We should get to our posts,” says Richard.

“In a moment.  I want to finish this last sweep.  Something ain’t right about this place, and I’ll be damned if I let it escape my notice.”  He put his hands on his belt buckle, looking around at the doors nearby.  Richard, impatient, picks one, pushing it open and peering inside.

“Clear.  This just seems to be another empty room.  Bit of a balcony view.”

Something upstairs creaks.  Lincoln looks up.

“...What’s that?” asks Richard.  “Is it the little sister?”

“Gonna check it out,” says Lincoln, walking up the stairs with a weapon in hand.

“...Not even a response, huh?  Just going to head on up there?” asks Richard.  Lincoln keeps walking.  He sighs, pulls out his pistol, and follows.

A door at the end of the small hallway is unlocked.  Lincoln presses against the wall next to it, trying to peer into the crack as Richard leans against the other wall.

“It’s dark,” whispers Lincoln.  “Ready?  We go on three, two, one...”

Lincoln kicks the door open, and Richard moves in, training his gun on the darkness.  Lincoln follows his lead and hits the light switch.

“You’re not Kitty,” says the woman on the bed, wearing far less clothes than they would have liked.

Richard and Lincoln turn away.

“...Is that the princess?” asks Lincoln.

Richard glances back.  The princess waves.

“Yep.”

“Just checkin’.”

“This seems a bit scandalous.”

“Is it?  You’re the noble.  This is your area of expertise.”

“The Tigers and Sharks have a longstanding animosity towards each other.  Someone shot someone else or something.  Of course, the Sharks and Dragons have always been staunch allies, so the Tigers don’t get along too well with the Dragons either.  The Tigers do get along with the Ravens, on account of both getting shafted politically.  Our tribe on the other hand is neutral.”

“...So the princess sleeping with a Tiger would be bad?”

“It’d be politically complicated, sure.  Accusations of one of them being forced into it, violent arguments about succession lines...”

“We should probably not let the world know, then.”

“Probably not, no.”

“Great.”

***

A few panicked walkie-talkie conversations and a round-up later, Kitty and a now-pink-nightgown-clad Annie are sitting on the couch. Annie sits across Kitty’s lap, laying against the armrest.  She is presently cheerfully painting her finger and toenails.

Kitty, on the other hand, looks like a sad child who was just caught in the middle of sticking her hands into the cookie jar.

Officer Crescel presently holds her pals over her face, staring at the ground in thought, her strange cyborg tail wrapped around her waist.  The rest of the squad, sans the presently roofbound Lee, stands around her.

“Okay, uh...So you two are...?” asks Jenna.

“Yep!” says Annie, enthusiastically, still not looking at her.

“Okay, uh...Look.  Curfew is at ten o’clock in the evening, so...I’m sorry, but you’re going to need to-”

“I’ll stay here,” she says, flatly.

“...But-”

“Mother knows where I am.”

“She knows?”

Annie doesn’t answer.  She just continues turning her thumbnail pinker.

“...Right, uh, okay then.  Listen, I appreciate that you’re...romantically involved,” Jenna says.  “But there’s some rules you’re going to have to follow.  Try to keep all displays of affection out of sight of the public, all right?  And, um, any extreme displays of affection out of my sight.  I...have a problem,” she adds, quietly pulling a small bottle of whiskey out of a pocket, unscrewing the top, sipping it, and putting it away.

“Um, okay,” says Kitty.

Jenna turns around to the rest of the squad.  “What else?  Have we found Nicolette?  Or Lady Yu?”

“Not yet, ma’am,” says Zoe.

“Okay...We still need to get furniture and supplies, and stuff from our own homes.  Assistants Evangeline and Anastasia are presently manning the front desk, so we’ll keep the Librarian and the princess up here for now.  The rest of us will go home in shifts.  When the night watch arrives and takes over we’ll put together a list of what supplies we’re going to need to purchase.  Lincoln, you go first.  I understand you have pets at home?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Jenna turns to Kitty.  “Are you fine with pets?”

“Er...Yes, as long as they’re well-trained and don’t ruin the books.”

“They won’t, ma’am,” says Lincoln, flatly.  “Only I’m not sure the cat will want to come.”

“Cat?” says Kitty, brightening up considerably.  “There’s a cat?  I love cats.”

“She’s not really my cat, either,” continues Lincoln, cautiously.  “She’s really more of a stray who frequently visits my house.  Not sure where she came from, really...”

“That’s so cute,” says Kitty.  “Isn’t that cute, Annie?”

“Very cute!”

“Awwwww.”

“Lincoln,” says Jenna.  “Bring the cat, all right?  You live out in that field all alone, that cat’s going to be lonely otherwise.  And it’s not like we have any other ”

“I suppose you’re right...” says Lincoln, uncertainly.

“Well?” says Jenna.  “Go on, get going.  We don’t have all day.”

Lincoln stands still for a moment, nods, and tips his hat before heading out of the room.

Jenna turns back to the princess and Librarian. “All right, is there anything else important we need to cover right n-”

Someone kicks the door open.  Rhoda storms in.

“WHERE.  IS.  THE PRINCESS?”  she shouts at the top of her voice.

Lords And Ladies (2.9)

“This is not good, this is not good at all.  This place seems hard to defend.”

“Well, with the front door open all day...”

“It has to be open.  It’s a public library.”

“Why would you keep something like this open?  Anyone could walk in and steal shit.  Or burn it down.”

“It’s called freedom, Bobby.  This library is a place of freedom.  Can you smell the freedom?  I can smell it, and it smells-”

“Like old books?”

“Exactly.  The oft-forgotten smell of Old World democracy.  Ahhh.”

“Hey, guys?  I think the Librarian’s calmed down.”

“Great.”

Kitty had finally stopped screaming some time ago, controlling her breathing and trying to relax in the minutes since.

There were now, she notices, five heavily armed strangers hanging out in the front hall.  They were all wearing badges.

“Um, excuse me,” says Kitty, raising a finger gingerly.  “Hey.  Um.  What’s going on?”

“We’ve been assigned to the Library’s day watch,” says Lincoln.

“...Ah,” says Kitty, not at all reassured or satisfied by that answer.  She glances down at where a few minutes earlier a dead body had been, until the police had dragged it off somewhere and scrubbed down the desk.

“We were told to come here ahead of the staff.  Good thing we did too, miss, or otherwise...”

“Staff?” says Kitty.  “Staff?  What staff? There is no staff!”

“Staff incoming,” says a woman with a shaved head, as she and a Chinese Shark - apparently the officer named Bobby - open both sides of a door.  Lincoln turns.

“Y’all can come in now!” he shouts.  “Situation’s been resolved.”

People seem to flow in from outside. Their ethnicities are all over the place, primarily Asian and Middle Eastern countries.  Every single one of them was wearing those ridiculous/fashionable cat headbands, which Kitty had learned apparently were only instated a few generations ago by a relative of hers with a severe interest in fursuits.

“Who are all these people?” says Kitty, as they walk in and mill about in the front hall.  Many of them held luggage.

“Staff,” says Richard, arms folded.

“Who’s in charge here?  Is it the guy impersonating a United States President?  I feel like I need to talk to someone in charge.”

Lincoln looks at Richard.

Richard looks at Lincoln.

Lincoln shrugs and calls out.  “Hey, boss lady!   Miss Kitten wants to talk to you.”

A woman turns from the crowd of alleged staff and strides forward with her chin held high.  She looks...Nothing like Kitty expected.

Most of her body was concealed.  Not by traditional body armor, or a police uniform, no; the only sign of that was a badge pinned to her chest.  What she did have was a fuzzy pink jacket, with equally pink pants, boots, and gloves (the latter two of which had a little fuzzy trim where they met her other clothes).   The jacket’s hood was presently pulled down, revealing thin, straight hair about shoulder length.  Thin, straight, pink hair.

Two pistols were strapped to a holster around her waist.  A third, smaller gun was strapped to her chest.

She stops in front of the desk, and bows.  “Jenna Crescel, at your service my Lady.”

Kitty blinks.  “Nice boob gun.”

Officer Jenna looks as if Kitty has just shot her grandmother.  “W-what?”

Lincoln leans in.  “Ix-nay on the est-chay.”

“Erm, sorry.  I mean...Uh...What’s happening?”

Jenna relaxes a little, her shoulders dropping.  She lets out a relieved sigh. “Miss,as I understand it, Lady Tiger has been pushing for various reforms to the Library in the Court all week.  She wanted you and the Library put under armed guard both day and night for the foreseeable future, and help hired from the Tiger community.  She brought Ladies Wolf and Raven over to her side and, well, that was that.  Lady Wolf sent the orders down the line, and, well.  Here we are, on order from Captain Isabella Faust-”

“What!”

“-to protect you.  As a Tiger, I am also here to help you coordinate things and act as a bodyguard.  If there’s anything we can do for you or help you with, just let me know.  I am your right hand.”

“...Okay, good to know.”

“Also, I need to use your desk.”

“...Okay?  Go ahead.”

“Thank you, ma’am.  I appreciate it.”

Jenna proceeds to hop up onto the desk, turning around and looking at the servants.  She whistles to attract attention.

.A polished metal tail hangs in front of Kitty’s face.  After a moment of confusion she realizes it’s going into Jenna’s clothing.  It swishes back and forth, almost realistically.

“Listen up, everyone!  We’ve already had one attack today, so we’re on high alert.  I doubt they’ll try again, but that’s no excuse.  We’ve got to get settled in as quickly as possible.  Kitchen staff, we found an old but still functional large kitchen and quarters in the basement on our initial sweep, get down there and scrub it clean.  There’s a whole unused floor up top, so I want some of you up there checking it out.  See if we can convert that into something.  The assistant Librarians should talk to Kitty, figure out where everything is.  Bob, I want you to set a sniper’s nest up on the roof.”

“Gotcha.”

“Richard, Lincoln, Zoe, you’re on patrol.  Keep an eye on the front and back exits at all times.  I’ll stay with Lady Kitten, try to help her get acclimated.  Got that?  Dismissed!”

The crowd disperses.  A small group of them approaches Kitty.

One of them appears to be a middle aged woman with pale skin.   She’s wearing a dress with a knee length skirt and boots and, somewhat more strikingly, a long flowing cloak.  Gray eyes peer out from under the cloak, but there’s a gentle, knowing smile there.  Curiously enough, Kitty notices that two long, braided blonde pigtails hanging from underneath either side of the cloak’s hood.  Other than her skin color suggesting various European descents, Kitty can’t place much about her ethnicity or tribe.

Standing further away is a tanned white woman, around Kitty’s age, in a floppy beret covering shoulder length (and very straight) brown hair. Kitty can see her unusual white lipstick even from behind the desk, as well as her slightly scuffed looking black slippers.  She watches everyone in the front hall like a field mouse ready for the end, a slight frown on her face.

She appears to be trying to hide behind a much taller woman, who seems very familiar-”Evangeline?” gasps Kitty, genuinely surprised.

She smiles and waves at Kitty, still dressed as if a gothic formal dinner party might break out at any moment.  “I said I’d visit.”

“Is that an axe?”  Kitty says, pointing at the sharp weapon she’s hoisting over her shoulder.

“Yep.  They said I should probably come armed.  Of course, I told them that was silly, we’d have plenty of protection.”

“...Right.”

“I have full faith in the police department.”

“Um.  All right then.  Glad to have you aboard.”

“Oh, yes,” says Eva, waving a hand towards the other two woman.  “I met these two at your sister’s  place.   She gave us a bit of a briefing on the Library, you know.”

“That’s good?”

Eva smiles enthusiastically.  “That’s Anastasia over there.”

The middle aged woman nods.  “Pleased to meet you, Lady Kitten.  I have plenty of experience with books.”

“Oh, good.”

“And  the girl is Nicolette.”  She frowns.  “I think she’s a street orphan.”

“Oh...”  Kitty waves sheepishly.  The girl stares at the hand, then waves sheepishly back.

“Um, sorry to hear that, Nicolette,” offers Kitty.  “Um, I’m sure you’ll fit in well here.  Oh, I know!  Any books you particularly like...?” Kitty says, in a rising hopeful tone.

Nicolette frowns more deeply, rubbing her arm.

“...I’ve said something wrong,” Kitty says quickly.  “Um, I am so sorry-”

“She’s mute,” says Eva.

“...Oh.”  Nicolette nods with embarrassment, as Kitty rubs her neck with some embarrassment of her own.  “Well, that’s all right.”

“So, boss,” says Eva, winking.  “What are your orders?”

“Orders?”

“What do you want them to do?” says Jenna, causing Kitty to jump a little before she remembers her presence.  “They’re your assistants.”

“Oh.  Um...”

Lords and Ladies (2.8)

The man smiles.  “The woman, miss.”

Destiny nods.  She puts her hand on the crystal ball, concentrating...

“I see...the Library,” she murmurs.  “A beautiful morning.  The woman awakes...”

***

Kitty yawns, brushing her hair as she hears Annie snore behind her.

It’s been a week since the Mystery Of The Zoinomicon (as Pamela liked to refer to it), and already it’s starting to seem like the distant past.  Kitty’s days had returned to their usual banal tone, aside from her dresses becoming fancier and a bit more tiger themed thanks to her sister’s insistence.  That, and Annie was staying overnight regularly now.

Annie would never explain why; she was always her usual, chipper self.  But if she was spending the night, it usually meant that something was going on at home that she didn’t want to face.

Kitty sighs, putting the brush down.  She heads downstairs, saying good morning to Yu as she does every morning.  She prepares a nice breakfast - today it’s eggs and bacon, once again thanks to Lady insisting on stocking her sisters’ fridge now.  She sets an extra spot for Annie, and then heads down to the front desk, unlocking the door and sitting down.

Another comfortable day of Librarianing.

Ahh.

The phone rings.  Kitty picks it up.

“Hello, this is the Library,” she says, forcing herself to sound chipper.  “Kit-...Duchess Kitten Tiger speaking.”

“WHERE IS THE PRINCESS!?” shouts Rhoda’s voice on the end of the phone.

Kitty rolls her eyes, sitting back in the chair.  “Rhoda, she’s right here.  She’s safe.  You just need to come down here.  It’ll be fine.”

“But mother-” hisses Rhoda, but Kitty doesn’t let her finish.

“You and Annie’s bodyguard are supposed to keep an eye on her, yes?  Then stop bellyaching and come down here.  It’s that simple.”  Kitty heard a click as the door opened.  “I have to go.  Good-bye, Rhoda.”  Kitty puts the phone down and turns to the new patron.

He’s a nervous looking fellow in a large overcoat, with a bowler hat.  Probably a dragon.  He glances back and forth, looking around.

The phone rings again.  Kitty sighs.

“One moment, sir,” she says, picking up the phone again.  “Hello, this is the Library.  Duchess Lady Ki-”

“Kitty!” hisses Dante’s voice on the other end.

“...Dante?  Uh, hi, what is it...?”

“Look, we need to talk somewhere.  Something very strange has happened.”

Click.

Kitty’s eyes drift towards the nervous man.  He’s now pointing a gun in Kitty’s face.

Out of sight, her hand drifts towards the shotgun under her desk.

“I’ll call you back later, Dante,” she says, hanging up.

Her hand touches the shotgun, moving around the trigger.

“Duchess?”  says the man, his face twitching and then turning into a grimace.

“Yes?”  she raises the shotgun.

“The Mother sends her regards,” he says.

There’s a muzzle flash, and the sound of a gunshot.

Blood splatters on Kitty’s dress.

Thump.  The man falls forward onto the front desk and begins bleeding out of a rather unpleasant hole in his head.

Kitty slowly looks back up at the space formerly occupied by the dead body.

A man over six foot tall is standing there now, holding a double barrelled shotgun with one hand.  It’s still smoking.

The man is white but heavily sunburned, his face covered in a thick black beard.  Black, shaded goggles cover his eyes.

He’s wearing a black stovepipe hat.  And wearing a long black overcoat, with a badge hanging off the side.  It’s unbutton, and inside is a belt that appears to be covered in pistols.

He slings the shotgun over his shoulder and takes off his hat, revealing a clipped mess of shaggy black hair.

“Miss, are you alright?”  he asks, his voice deep.

Kitty just stares, her heart pounding, one hand still on her own gun.

“We ought to introduce ourselves.  I have no name.”

Kitty continues staring.

“But most folks just call me Lincoln.  Officer Lincoln, with the Police Department.”  He nods.

“Muh,” says Kitty.

Another man walks past Lincoln.  This one’s wearing a more traditional police uniform, admittedly rare in the city.  He seems to be of Native American descent, and carries a pistol in one holster and a sword in the other.

“And I’m Officer Richard Wolf,” says the other.  “The rest of our squad is still getting unpacked.”

“...Um.  Am I allowed to scream?”

Lincoln and Wolf look at each other.

“...Yes,” says Lincoln, flatly.  “If it will help.”

“Oh good.  Excuse me.”

Kitty screams.