Chapter Four Hundred and Thirty-Four - Ribbon Me This

Chapter Four Hundred and Thirty-Four - Ribbon Me This

Chapter Four Hundred and Thirty-Four - Ribbon Me This

So, you like hats, right? Booksie asked.

I nodded. I did like hats.

At the moment, we were in the shopping district of Port Royal. I didnt recognize the place until we passed the shop where Amaryllis had bought my usual blue outfit. Wed ended up going back into that shop, and at the moment we were waiting while the owner fussed over Amaryllis who was having her armoured jacket looked over. It was clean, of course, but clean wasnt perfectly maintained.

The lining was coming loose, and the tailor was seeing to that.

Okay, so hats are nice and all, Booksie said. But we buns have a racial disadvantage when it comes to headwear.

Because of our ears? I asked. I wiggled mine a bit.

Booksie nodded, her own ears wiggling even more.

I was definitely envious of Booksie's unconscious ear posture. Even when she was clearly focused on other things, they always stayed nice and straight. If she wanted to listen closer to something, she could smoothly turn them without needing to think about them, like she'd ... well, like she'd been born with them.

Mine were both very unruly. My left ear kept folding in half in the middle, and no matter how often I perked it back up, it would just flop back down.

I was very tempted to find this worlds equivalent of a popsicle stick and glue it into my ear so that it would stay up.

Plenty of millineries will poke some holes in hats for you, but if youre buying second-hand, youre almost entirely out of luck, Booksie said. I had to cut holes into my only hat, and theyre uneven, and they kind of cut into the base of my ears. Its very annoying. Have you had that happen? Your ear falling asleep?

Our ears can fall asleep? I asked.

Oh yeah. Its like when you sleep on your arm and you wake up to find it all tingly, Booksie said. But its your ear. Its awful.

My helmet has a few holes cut into the right place, and my captains hat is too narrow for that to be a problem, I said.

Booksie nodded. Its not that big of a deal, I think. But Im going to show you a cheat.

A cheat? I asked.

She nodded again. To make you look cute without hurting your ears.

But I dont wanna look cute, I said. I was not pouting. I was definitely not pouting!

Booksie blinked, then looked me up and down. Are... are you sure? she asked. I dont mean to be rude, but it feels like youre trying really hard to be as cute as possible. Just look at your nose.

I touched my nose. Whats wrong with my nose? I asked.

Nothings wrong with your nose, Booksie said. Its cute.

I stepped over to the side and looked into one of the mirrors hanging off the shops walls. I looked... like me. Maybe Id lost a bit of weight over the last few months, what with all of the running around and such, but I hadnt changed that much. My skin was very clear though, without a button of blemish, which was probably my Cleaning magic at work.

I checked out my nose. It was small, sitting in the middle of my face, as it should. I twitched it left then right. Yup. Normal nose. Entirely uncute. Awen! Tell me my nose isnt cute! I said.

Awen looked between me and Booksie, then I saw her eyes dip a little to stare at my nose. Its... small?

I gasped, covering my nose with both hands. My nose isnt small! Its perfectly average!

Its small because you keep sticking it into things that arent any of your business, Amaryllis snapped from across the room. She immediately turned back and continued to converse with the tailor, as if she hadnt just struck me a devastating blow.

Anyway, I said as I turned back to Booksie. What was that trick you were talking about?

It only took a glance to realise that something was up at the sylph embassy.

The wrought-iron fence was shut at the front, and there were a lot of guards patrolling around the building. They werent guards lazily making their rounds. These guards were on high alert, attention scanning across the street and eyes darting all over. I saw hands with white knuckles gripping spears and could almost feel the electric buzz of unreleased magic even though I was still some ways away.

Fantastic, Amaryllis muttered. We let Caprica out of our sight for an hour or two and this happens.

"What happened?" I asked, turning toward Amaryllis.

She gave me a weird look for a second, then realized I was asking her a question. "How would I know?" she answered.

"But ... you said 'this happens' with so much confidence!"

Amaryllis huffed, rolling her eyes. "Broc, I meant this," she gestured to the sylph embassy, where the guards were eyeing us with open suspicion. "This, as in, the extremely high alert posture we can see right in front of us. Those guards look like someone just told them that theyre about to be invaded within the hour. I bet if you set off a firecracker theyd fling a dozen spells at you before the echo has time to retort.

That was oddly specific, Awen muttered.

I hummed, then glanced across the street from the embassy. An old grenoil gentleman was sitting on a bench, one leg crossed over his thigh, his eyes regarding the embassy with interest. One sec, I said before I walked over to him. I felt my friends keeping up behind me. Hello, sir!

The grenoil blinked. Yes? Can I help you?

Hi! My names Broccoli, Broccoli Bunch, I said.

Ah, ze name is Flix, he croaked amiably.

Do you happen to know what's going on with the Sylph embassy? I asked, gesturing towards the compound.

Ah, oui, zere 'as been quite ze commotion, Flix said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. Ze embassy, it 'as been on lockdown since zis morning. I 'eard zat someone 'as been kidnapped.

Kidnapped? Who? I asked, my heart sinking.

Flix looked around conspiratorially before leaning in closer. I 'eard it is someone very important. A noblewoman, I believe. I avent eard gossip zis good in a long while!

Oh no, thats concerning, I said, a pit forming in my tummy. Thanks for letting me know, Monsieur Flix.

He nodded, a mischievous glint in his eyes. Ah, ze young people always bringing excitement.

I rejoined my friends, who were looking both concerned and impatient. So? Amaryllis pressed.

Looks like theres been a kidnapping, I said, trying to keep my voice steady. Someone important, likely a noblewoman.

Amaryllis and Awen exchanged looks. I really hope its not Caprica, Awen said, her voice tinged with worry.

Its definitely Caprica, Amaryllis said, dashing any hope Awen and I might have had.

Do you think I can help? Booksie asked. Cholondee has her mobsters, and I could convince Rhawrexdee to help. Hes hard to ignore when he wants something.

That would just cause a bigger diplomatic issue, Amaryllis said. The sylph dont like dragons for... historical and dietary reasons. Broccoli, go bother the gate guard into telling you everything he knows.

I dont know if I can do that, I said.

Just wiggle your cute little nose at him, she said.

I covered my nose again. You heard that? No, I mean, my nose isnt cute! Or little! Its a perfectly average-sized nose!

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