Nygrune~

I watch the mapmaker struggle for access and answers. She could easily be a spy. I'll see what I can find out about her later. 

Since the girl is occupying everyone else's attention, I turn mine to the General's chamber. Her door is ajar, but everything I can see looks fine. There are no signs of a fight. The General can take care of herself, so I step back just in time for a brown-haired girl with a Resistance badge to shove past.

The mapmaker continues her bullheaded course of action, and it's not my fault if I get pushed up against the now-closed door and hear most of the conversation.

~Hehe, this was fun.

"Wha-where are you taking me?!" I yell.

Two lanky guards are dragging me off to my barracks. I see an older girl watching me with sympathy and interest from behind the door. Sprocket jogs behind with a look of regret.

"You risk being a spy. You are barricaded in your room until further notice," they chant in unison.

"Oh goodness. Drama already?" I mutter to myself. 

Nygrune~ 

I watch a pair of guards drag the mapmaker away, probably to be contained until she can be interviewed. They'll want a truth spell if that's the case. I step away from the door. I need to report this message first.

The door opens, and the General steps out and apologizes for all the commotion. I accost her before she leaves.

"General Mina, I have received a message of possible importance. Would you like to pass judgement on it, or should I report to someone else?" 

I quickly walk through the doors of the Resistance Base, carrying my suitcases with me. I can’t wait to meet everyone—I’ve been wanting to help Kyngdom for a long time. As far as I know, Catastrophe is in posession of the Sword, nobody knows where the Shield is, and the Resistance has the Crown. 

I soon find a random woman who wears a stern expression. She has on the Resistance uniform and the pin. She sees me and stalks over. “Who are you? State your business!”

I drop my suitcases and show her the Resistance pin I wear on my shirt—the same pin she wears. “Relax, ma’am! I am Lady Sylenia Pur Northcliffé. I’m a new but trusted member. May I pass?”

“Where exactly do you plan to go?”

“Just to the rooms where the Generals sleep!”

“You aren’t a General. Therefore, that area is restricted.” She crosses her arms.

“But I’m here to see an old friend!”

“Whom is?” She glares at me.

“Well, er...” I try to remember her name. I haven’t seen her since we were children, and after I learned that she works here, I came immediately. “It begins with an M...”

“General Mina?”

“Yes! Do you know where she is?”

“I told you, that area is restricted!” She glares again.

Suddenly, another Dolor Felis in a Resistance uniform walks toward us. “I heard my name? Am I needed?”

We stare at each other for what seems like a long time.

I can’t believe it! “Mina? Is it really you?”

~~~ 

Did anyone notice that the 1, 2, 3, last at the bottom of every page is actually forced into bold at the bottom of the first page of this thread?

Mina mutters something about rooms and a crazy cat. “What?” I ask.

She looks back at me. “Oh, nothing,” she murmurs.

We soon get to the room next to hers. It looks fairly nice, with a great bed. “Wow! Do I really deserve one of the nicest rooms here, as new as I am?”

She shrugs and laughs a little. “You aren’t just a soldier, though. You’re our fashion designer, remember? And that means you need a nice room to concentrate in.”

I giggle. “Whatever you say, I guess.” But then, as we sit on the bed together, something seems...odd about her. I can tell it isn’t the same Mina I knew as a kid...the same Mina I knew through our letters.

”So how’ve you been?” She asks me finally. “How’s Cora?”

”I’ve been okay, but Cora’s ill again.” I sigh.

”Wasn’t she ill last time you wrote?” She asks, obviously concerned.

”Yes. But it’s come back. But this time....I feel like she’ll give up on it. If you know what I mean.”

Mina gasps. “Well, that’s terrible! How are you going to talk to her, Syl?”

”Through radio. Unless...unless I’m too late.”

There is silence for a few minutes. Then Mina stands up. “Well...I guess I’ll let you get settled in and all. If you need anything, just knock! Cats gotta look out for each other, right?”

”Yeah,” I giggle.

She leaves and closes the door behind her. 

I unpack my two suitcases and find my Photo Book. I flip to one of the first pages and find a picture of Mina with her arm around me, back when I was a kitten. I smile and tape the picture above my bed.

I turn on the fairy lights in my room. Mina gave me these lights as a birthday gift when I turned 8. I remember crying when they broke, but the two of us fixing them together. 

I open my door and knock on Mina’s. Suddenly, I hear a punch in one of the walls. Then I hear a voice, yelling, “Who is it?!”

”It’s me, Syl! Are you okay?”

”Don’t come in. Please.”

”Mina, what’s wrong?”

”I said, DON’T COME IN!” She shouts, obviously annoyed for some reason.

But I don’t care. I open the door a smidge and peek inside. I see Mina punching objects in her room, not noticing I’m there.

I walk in and see her...glowing. Her face is covered with pure rage.

“Mina...what happened to you? What happened to the Mina I know and love? Why, for the love of Kyngdom, are you glowing?” 

Top!

(Also, a question--was it Jaaws who made the Sword, Shield, and Crown?)