The Winterlands

[Blind Hemingway]

"How does one become a Sorrowkeeper?" Atlantis crossed his arms, "That's not something I wanna hear coming from a pretty girl like you. No, no. It shouldn't be discussed for bad things always happen when you ask such silly questions. I'm warning ya!"

Rory raised an eyebrow at Atlantis, "And you say I'm superstitious..."

Atlantis then crossed his arms and stuck his tongue out at the older angel. These two had always fought like siblings and probably always would.

He then returned his focus on MD, "However, Atlantis is correct on one thing; it is for the best that you don't know how one becomes a Sorrowkeeper. Especially since you lack a shadow right now."

Rory then began to smoke on his pipe, "Since you have become settled here Michelle, I should set up some formal rules to keep you safe."

Atlantis nodded his head, as if agreeing even though there was no formal rules yet set forward.

"As the house keepers, you'll work from the time after breakfast to supper. You get a two hour break for lunch. After sunset, I do not want you to travel outside. Period. These are the rules I want you to follow. These are the fairest terms that you'll find amongst this village. Trust me on that."

Rory then took a closer look at MD. Something about her made the former knight seem uneasy, "And a personal request. Please do not wear those spectacles while I am in the same room. You don't need them to see in this world. Unless you have some desire to look "brainy."

 

[Fluffy]

MD made an understanding nod as he spoke, followed by a few others so he knew she was paying attention. There was no reason to speak, from her perspective. She had no questions, no concerns...

That was up until he mentioned her glasses.

Briefly, she made a nervous expression when he requested she not wear them. The glasses did more than help her see; they were a tool of security. Without them, she failed to feel confident. People in the past even told her she didn't look pretty without them. So, she hid behind them since the day of her childhood. Even if someday, somehow, she grew into not needing her prescription, she'd still wear reading glasses or something of that sort to help her esteem.

Certain that Rory wouldn't understand, she hesitantly removed them from her face and slid them into a pocket of her dress. He was right; she could see clearly in this world without those. Still, her face felt uncomfortably bare. MD almost didn't feel like herself. It was bad enough she had to dress in something that wasn't from her own closet.

"What should I do first?" she asked.

 

[Blind Hemingway]

Atlantis then protested, "Oh please. She clearly likes wearing them." The angel then got in MD's personal space and bear hugged her. "Besides, these seeing devices like what makes her; whatever persona she wishes to be!" He then blinked for a few moments and then spoke again, "Eyeglasses deal with how you see things in your world! That's what they mean! You know like moderation, balance, and virtue." He then grinned, because in his mind his was a strong argument.

Rory didn't seem very convinced. "No. She hides behind them."

"Stop being so judgmental of your new girlfriend Mr. Roru."

The Dreamkeeper rolled his eyes, "It doesn't take any of my abilities to see the facts that are laid out right in front of me." He then tipped his pipe upside down and dumped the spent ashes of the tobacco into the sink. "The lack of her shadow says that as clear as day."

Atlantis then brought MD as close to his body as she would allow him too. "You are such a cynical meanie!" Atlantis protested, "You really should be kinder to people...And you say us Peacekeepers are forcing our whims on the humans. Geeeez."

Rory then close his eyes and grinned, "Jesus commanded one to 'Love your enemy', my remark: 'But what if I should discover that that very enemy is within me, that I myself am the enemy who must be loved - what then?' The answer is that you must learn to integrate the dark side of yourself, which means accepting it and allowing it to proper expression under the control of your conscious mind. It will then cease to be dark and terrifying and hostile; instead, it will enhance the quality of your life, advance your personal development and increase your happiness."

Atlantis continued to smother MD, "But she's still but a child...You should be more of her mentor than just a cold and distant jerk that wears black and sulks around like an emotionally challenged mule."

"Certainly it is good to confess, what appear as, the less desirable - the'dark' - aspects of one's personality: without that, no further progress can be made. But merely acknowledging these aspects does not take us very far. A lot more work is necessary."

He then walked over towards MD and pulled her glasses out from the pocket that was barely visible under Atlantis slim arms. Rory placed them back on her fact, "Usually, the first encounter with the shadow leads only to a partial acceptance of it, a mere acknowledgement of its existence. Mere suppression of the shadow is as little a remedy as beheading would be for a headache."

Rory then placed his arms behind his back, "A lot more work is necessary for your missing shadow to reappear, dear MD. Let this be the first lesson for you to learn before I read your dreams."

 

[Fluffy]

Listening to the two of them bicker was something she'd have to get used to, she could tell. She'd also have to bear with Atlantis' constant affection. Not that she minded; people seldom gave her more than a handshake. Even her own parents wouldn't hug her unless they saw her broken down in tears. Even so, she didn't quite know how to react. There was red in her face that she couldn't banish and her body was petrified. If there wasn't an argument going on, she probably would have been more relaxed.

Childishly, she blinked when her glasses were set back on her face. Her eyes then looked at Rory, her irises twinkling with curiosity. The man spoke of a 'dark side', something she knew every person had. By no means was she familiar with her own, though. If she wanted her shadow found, she'd have to follow Rory's guidance, she knew. As depressing as he led on to be sometimes, she knew she could trust him. Who else was there, anyway? She'd be alone in the world had he not opened his home to her.

"I understand," she said with a nod, then made a smirk as she looked to Atlantis. He still clung to her with those skinny arms of his as if his life depended on it.

"You're such a darling, Atlantis. Thank you for helping me feel welcomed," MD told him sweetly, giving his body a hug. Having him nearby was comforting, somehow. Maybe it was because she could relate to him better, with his youthful demeanor and understanding that she was just an oblivious adolescent with no place in this world.

Of course Michelle believed in her shadow's existence. It was common knowledge, for one thing. Every person and every thing had a shadow, so as long as there was light. There was a fascinating philosophy to it, now that she thought about it. More was to a shadow than the scientific fact.

There was indeed more to learn in this universe.

 

[Blind Hemingway]

Episode Three: The Nobody's Man​

She was all alone but she was not scared. She knew that he was there for her, always.

MD heard the snow beneath her feet creak. She knew that she was now barefoot; yet, she felt no coldness embrace her feet. It had to be cold, she could see her breath.

She looked around. MD could see nothing but empty city blocks all around here. There was nothing to see there, only a vast city full of snow. Yet she couldn't break the scent of pine trees and woodwork out of her nose. It filled the air. This reminded her of someone, but whomever that was long gone to her memories.

What was the meaning of this?

MD desperately wanted to know...

Then appeared a blinding blue light! MD thought the world around her had grinded to a halt. A young girl with wings appeared before her. The snow falling around her seemed to dance as she came floating gracefully to the ground. Her eyes remained closed, as if she was in a deep thought.

The angel then softly spoke, "Wandern Sie?"

MD couldn't understand.

"Wandern Sie?"

It was trying to tell her something...

"Wandern Sie?"

It wanted to know something.

"Wandern Sie?"

The angel was asking her a question.

"Please.... Please ask me, again... I don't understand!" MD begged to the little girl.

There was a muttering, "Ree. Sie sind noch nicht fertig."

However, this scene was soon drowned out by the strong wind that consumed her entire form. She was at last free of that restricting shell.

She was free! This was a bliss she had never felt before!

Then it came towards her, the beast of darkness. It had a form quite like any mammal she had seen on the streets, but she didn't know what this one was.

She had no words to describe the pain she felt when she saw it.

So, instead she screamed.

"No! No, don't come near me! Ahhhhhh!"

MD felt a dead pain in her back as she opened her eyes and saw the light of the sun through the window. She had fallen right out of her bed and landed on a work dress that she had laid out the night before.

"Oh..."

MD sat up, pulling her blanket off the bed and embracing her body. The inside of her small bedroom smelled like Rory's tobacco. She then rubbed her eyed. MD didn't really remember why she had fallen out of bed now, it hurt her head when she tried to think about it.

Instead, she stood up and made up the bed again, distracting herself.

"Hmmm... So, I have to clean the kitchen and scrub the floors...." She ticked off his chores on her fingers, muttering as she did so

Then her eye caught sight of the time on her small alarm clock.

"9:30 AM"

"Oh dear... Oh dear!" She grabbed her clothes and ran into the bathroom to get ready.

"It's so late!!"

15 minutes later

MD practically jumped out of the washroom, having to run back a second later to shut the door. It wasn't necessary but she always felt insecure if she didn't.

She didn't stop running until she reached the lower level of Rory's home. However, when she reached the kitchen there was no one around. MD frowned as she tried to work out the situation, she then turned to look at the clock on the wall.

"4:30 AM"

She groaned as she leant against the wall. "It's so early!"

 

[Fluffy]

"I... I could have sworn..."

Michelle swept the back of her hand across her forehead, beneath her bangs, as she stressed about the time. The morning was ridiculously early! Her glasses were left behind in her room, since all she grabbed were her clothes. Silently, she looked around her surroundings. They were a tad scary in the dark, she noticed. Childish as it was, she had a fear of the darkness.

With a quiet sigh, she put her back to a wall and slid down to sit on the floor, bringing her knees to her chest. She suddenly felt homesick; she recalled memories of it in her dream. This world she was in... It wasn't where she belonged, was it? She hadn't a clue anymore. All things happened for a good reason, she knew, she just wished she was more aware of said reason.

Since getting back to sleep would be impossible, she decided to just relax there on the floor until her racing heartbeat calmed down. With her forehead over her folded arms, which were embracing her legs, she shut her eyes and tried to think of something cheerful. Intricate shapes and designs flashed in her mind, all stringing together into a whole new image to keep her mind busy.

'Wandern Sie... What does that even mean?'

 

[Blind Hemingway]

As Michelle rested near the wall, a light was turned on. Coming down the stairs, Rory came in wearing a white collarless long sleeved shirt. He retained the same black trousers with grey pipping going up the seems. His face was stern but not scornful. It didn't take him long to enter the kitchen were he saw the young girl huddling. He said nothing and left the room for a brief moment.

Upon his return, Rory draped his black cape over Michelle. "You will catch a cold if you spend too much time down here when the heat isn't on."

He knelt down and made sure it was firmly tight around her. "The villagers are under the delusion that theses lands are always in a perpetual winter. Make sure you don't fall for that trap."

Rory had figured that she would have nightmares. Most of the people that visited him always did. "You have something on your mind. You should tell me what you remember from your dream."

 

[Fluffy]

Michelle made an embarrassed smile when he knelt to her level, warning her about the frigid condition this floor of his home was. She closed the cape around herself after he made sure it was on correctly. It was large enough to serve as a blanket, she being the small girl she was in comparison to this grown man.

"I saw a little girl. She spoke in a language I don't understand," she started to answer, her gaze locked on her cape-covered knees that were still held to her chest. "Everything was pretty and covered with snow. But... Then I saw a monster."

Frightened by the image of that dark beast, she clutched tighter to the fabric draped over her, as if hiding in it would keep her safe. Talking about the nightmare was comforting, but the mention of that shadowed being made her uncomfortable, for some reason. That was a tidbit she wasn't happy to remember.

"I woke up before anything else could happen. I thought it was time to start the day," MD finished saying, another sheepish smile on her face.

 

[Blind Hemingway]

Rory made little reaction to Michelle's sheepish smile. "I see," he said while crossing his arms.

"Mister Rory?" She asked meekly.

Rory then stood up smiling at MD. As the girl's eyes stared awkwardly at the floor, Rory then stepped back. He closed his eyes and placed his hand on MD's forehead. "A little girl....Little girls tend to symbolise the emotions we link with childhood. They are often weak and need protecting. Yet they are also quite naive and have an over idealized view of emotions and life in general. We need to make an association to what's happening in your life right now. The question to ask is -Did you appear like the little girl lost yesterday - who really wanted some help?"

MD felt like a rush of information was bombarding her brain all at once with Rory's touch. His hand felt warm, like the embrace of a loving parent to a child....

She then spoke, having no control over what she was saying. Michelle felt every thought in her head spill out of her mouth. "...Like a little girl lost appealing for some help. I wish he would realise that I am quite vulnerable and sensitive on the inside. I wish that everything could be perfect!"

Rory kept his hand on her forehead. "Were you really frightened the day before the dream in any way?"

MD's eyes remained shut but her mouth continued to spill out her every thoughts. "Really frightened. I have to live in a dangerous part of town. I feel very frightened when I am there."

She then pulled back. Her eyes wide open. The bags under her eyes were highly pronounced and her heart was racing.

"I see." He said. Rory's two mix matched colored eyes continued their elegant dance on the subject matter, "Now don't you worry. I'm sure that in some way or some how, that the Mahoreopmec will be central to your understanding of the events that will soon unfold." With that statement, Rory's ever present smile finally faded. The air around Rory became cold and distant; even more so than from what she had seen of him thus far. MD felt scared suddenly, terrified Rory might not be what he had seemed, that he might not be trustworthy....

 

[Fluffy]

The moment she felt the cool air settle, she tightened the cloak around herself. Not just because of the chills... She was a little afraid. Rory was kind enough to let her live in his home and offered to read her dreams. To not trust him would be unfair, as well as unethical. To her, anyway. Even if this was all a well thought out trap, she was willing to face the consequences.

MD had nothing to lose, after all.

Slowly, her gaze shifted away from the man while she stood herself up, maintaining professional posture. A knuckled reached to her eye, rubbing at it with hopes of sending the drowsiness away. Michelle wanted to go back to bed, but sadly, she felt too scared. Sleep was hard to come by lately because of the damn nightmares.

"Your house is cold. Could I start a fire?" she offered while taking the cape off of herself. Being such a scrawny girl, it was hard to warm up. Rory's sudden change in mood was spine chilling already. With promise of a fire, or at least some time to find a jacket, she wouldn't complain.

"I feel like I might fall asleep right here and now, so a little labour would help wake me up."

 

[Blind Hemingway]

"No," he said. "I would rather that you get enough sleep. You've only been here for less than a day. I don't like my hired hands working off of less than eight hours of sleep." His voice was now soft.

"However, if you would like a proper coat I will buy you one. In the mean time, you may hold on to that cape. I am immune to the draftiness of the room."

"Oh no...You don't have too." MD said. "I'm alright."

The two continued to repeat these same lines several more times, until Rory said, "I insist."

MD smiled and thanked him.

"I want you to go back to sleep. You need the rest. I won't be here later in the morning, so Atlantis will be here if you need anything.‎" Rory said. He paused for a moment, " There is one more thing. I want you think about this statement: You can't hide from your past, those who do will crumble just as quickly as the greatest of empires that have also tried to hide from their past and been left in ruins, for your past is the greatest asset as to how to improve the future."

 

[Fluffy]

"I will keep that in my thoughts," MD promised him tiredly, noting the importance of the last phrase he spoke to her. After a respective nod of her head, she left him to go back to her room and sleep. The cape was kept wrapped around her even when she got in bed. For some reason, she felt safer with it on. There was a comforting scent on it and it being so large allowed it to be another blanket. Just like when her father would drape his coat over her during long rides in the car or late nights away from home.

When a few hours passed, she got out of bed again, leaving the cape on her bed with the bedding. After straightening it all up, of course. Now that she was more awake, she felt more able to get things done.

Some cleaning supplies were located so she could get to some dusty corners that started bothering her. Someone, like her, with allergies couldn't tolerate so much dusty build up in one place. In fact, during the cleaning, she sneezed several times. However, she didn't feel as bothered by it in this world. She didn't feel congested or sore like she would at home. 'Well, at least I'm getting something done, she thought to herself. This wasn't entirely for her benefit anyway; it was her job.

Downstairs was where she expected Atlantis to be. With the duster still in hand, she made her way down the stairs, looking for the boy cautiously. Somehow, she knew he would attack her with a hug...

 

[Blind Hemingway]

Atlantis grinned when he saw MJ walk down the stairs. "Hello, hello!" All around him were the largest sweet rolls that she had ever seen in her life. "Since Rory left a few hours ago, we'll have this place to ourselves for a while! I took the liberty of going to the local bakery to get some fresh foods. No, no. Don't you worry your little head, I have money and I bought them legally."

He then pulled out a chair and then smiled. She sat down since it would be rude to reject a meal from a kind host.

MD looked at Atlantis. The white haired angel had seemingly changed into a different costume than the one he had been wearing last night. He remindedMD of a mail man back in her home town.

"How come you have brown hair now?" MD asked.

"About the outfit. The town has several laws of some sort. I'm not exactly into the whole legal system mumbo jumbo, so here's the most important two I remember! Number one, every being must work Two, every being must take responsibility for their actions. So whenever I visit I take up the role of a mail carrier! The silly people of this town don't think much about the passage of time or my visits!"

"Where did Rory go?" MD asked.

"I dunno. He comes and goes a lot. Sort of like a cowboy that rides on the plains all alone. He's the sort not bound by the culture of the modern era." He then sipped his now lukewarm tea. "Unlike me. I live in the moment. I ain't the sort that likes waiting for the answers to come to me. All we have is this very moment and that's what we should all life for!"

"You should join me for one of my rides around town! Let's get you used to the world around you. A life of solitute doesn't help anyone out, if you ask me!" He then grabbed a hold of MD's left hand.

MD froze for a moment. Hadn't Rory told her that the townspeople would be scared of her since she lacked a shadow?

Atlantis grinned with a boyish charm. "We must find you the right role to play in this little game. Hrmmm..." He then put his hand on is chin and looked MD from top to bottom. "No, no! A maid outfit will simply not do! For we are going into town!" He then giggled, "I know! You shall be my new friend that is trying to becoming a messenger!"

 

[Fluffy]

The thought of going into town was frightening. Not just because Rory mentioned her lack of a shadow would be disproved, but because she didn't know anyone. Then again, that wasn't too different from home. She always walked the streets feeling like a stranger in her own hometown. It didn't matter that she knew peoples names; they didn't know her. Ironically, she was nothing BUT a shadow in the other world...

"I will have a cute outfit like yours, then?" she asked him with a friendly smile. The clothes he had were adorable, especially with the added accessories. This boy probably had the most amazing wardrobe. Also, he was right. The image of a maid did not suit her. Dresses never were her favourite thing to wear, not even when she was a small child.

Plus, she liked the idea of finding a way to belong here.

Still in thought, MD took one of the massive sweet rolls and tore off a piece to put into her mouth. She chewed slowly, analyzing the new flavour. Since this was one of the first things she ate here, it would probably be a favourite. She could see herself asking, in the future, to go to the bakery just for a sweet roll.

"You sure it won't be dangerous? I mean, I have no shadow..." MD brought up a bit nervously. "But I do want to explore."

Atlantis was more or less her new friend, she figured. So it made sense that she'd want to spend the day with him, doing something that wasn't sitting around in a house...

 

[Blind Hemingway]

"No worries! The people in this town are all dumb, anyways. It is highly doubtful that they'd even notice your shadow missing." Atlantis then said. He then gave her a wink, "Besides, I have the power to look into people's souls and hearts. I'm a Peacekeeper after all. And as I've said, you're a good little lady!"

A rare feeling of intimacy could be felt in the dining room hall, the first time in years. This home had been devoid of life, since Rory seemed to like coming and going at his whims. It seemed to have belonged to some family beforehand, MD just knew it. With Atlantis here, the walls seemed more cheery than they did when Rory was in the same room.

"Now!" He clapped, "To figure out your perfect outfit!" Atlantis then formed his two hands into a rectangle and started to move it around, attempting to get a feel for MD's size without having to use a measuring tool like a normal tailor would do. "Hrmm, your cut should go with your hair. Not quite like mine. Oh I got it!" He clapped his hands again. A sparkling light then touched her forehead. MD closed her eyes. Then upon opening them she was in a well tailored uniform. It was indeed like Atlantis' but with an open collar and well tied bow was around her neck. On her head sat a handsome blue post master's cap and she also wore a long skirt with long black stockings. "Now don't you worry about the cold! With me, there's always enough warmth to go around!"

Atlantis then grabbed MD's hand and led her outside. In front of the house, stood a 1920s vintage motorbike.

He then gently placed MD on the back of the seat and then he mounted the vehicle. "Now, let's go have some fun!"

"The innocence of the young,
Seeing the world as a peaceful place.
Nothing can break their will, and it should
Stay that way. Let us rediscover this for
Each other."

Atlantis began to sing, it was a routine that he had always gone through while starting up his motorbike. He believed that machines had souls just like the rest of the world. In order to keep them happy, one must always sing to them from time to time. "There, there. Here we go old friend." As the motor of his mechanical bike started up, the young angel then continued the ancient song...

"On wings of gossamer, They come to help.
Those behind the walls, That are lost or have forgotten.
Sweet and innocent, or Bold and brash, The angels of light,
One and all, Have descended upon this town,To fulflll their quests, and bring about a new dawn for Winterland, a place
Of rebirth."

 

[Fluffy]

MD looked over her new outfit curiously, amazed by how easily he could make one appear. One that fit her perfectly, too. Oddly enough, she felt more like herself in the postmaster uniform. Dresses were always too feminine to her. As a little girl, she was always tomboyish, but as years passed she was maturing into a more feminine figure. Despite that she was a nerdy one...

Only seconds later did he drag her over to the motorbike they'd be traveling on. Fascination lit her eyes the moment she saw it. The piece of work was old looking, yet in great shape. It wasn't often she got to see such a machine! Perhaps on the road once or twice because a collector was taking it out for a ride, but this opportunity was up close.

After getting situated behind Atlantis, she instinctively wrapped her arms around his waist to reassure her safety. Silently, she listened to his chant to the bike. The words were nothing familiar. It was most likely a song she was too young to recognize, otherwise he wrote it himself and shared it only with himself.

As the world passed in front of her, she watched scenery come and go, doing her best to register what was what. This place was foreign to her; she wanted to visit every place she could. With her new friendly companion, she felt much less shy about approaching it. Having Atlantis as her atlas was a comforting assurance.

"Where are we headed?" she asked him, wondering if they were going to anywhere in particular.

 

[Blind Hemingway]

The land drifted along slowly. The setting was peaceful and not at all dark and gloomy like the building that Rory called home. It was mostly farmlands from what MD could tell. Few trees were scattered here and there Fresh snow blanketed the ground. Above them, the sky was a splendid blue. It was unlike anything she had seen before. There was no skyline. It looked wild and free.

MD found it odd. It was clearly winter time but neither she nor Atlantis seemed to be effected by it. The only warm thing she had on was a scarf. Maybe his comment about enough warmth coming from him was true. This boy did have a big heart...

"We will be visiting various homes and the such around the village. I will warn ya, it is not the biggest place on the globe. The people here like things small and simple. Can't blame though, it is much nicer than the stuff us Winged Ones have to put up with in our everyday lives."

Atlantis then pointed to the side bag that carried the letters. "I have no real route ever laid out for my job here. It's all based upon my whims!" MD carefully grabbed one of the items. It was a package wrapped in a fancy purple tinfoil paper. She then read the address a loud, "3030, South Scottsburg Street."

He then laughed as he began to speed up. "Life is more fun when one decides to not follow the same old routine!"

"Now hopefully my singing doesn't bother you as much as it does when I'm around my fellow Peacekeeprs!"

Atlantis once again began to sing: "The winds of change ride on the backs of the ones with and without wings. They lead us all into that unknown realm. Changes come in all forms. Even those we think that are lost, may not always be! To those that find themselves, they will soon come to find this land to be a beacon of hope."

 

[Fluffy]

The weather seemed like it should be painfully cold. There was more snow on the ground than MD had ever seen in her life and the passing winds were chilly. Yet, she didn't make a single shiver. Atlantis was like a furnace! It made her wonder if all people were as warm as he was. Hugs from her parents were certainly comforting, but this seemed so much more different... Puzzling as it was, she knew she liked it. So she wasn't going to shy away from it.

MD put the package in her hand back into the mail bag after reading the address. By the way the homes looked and the address was named, everything was as simple as Atlantis said. That was a relief. Hopefully, all would be as normal as Rory's house! Or at least close to it. There was something odd about that house of his. She never believed in superstitions, but the place gave her the creeps. It made her wonder if there was a ghost spying on her.

'I probably dreamed about it... My dreams are so strange.'

"I don't mind your singing. It sounds pretty," she commented when he finished his song, a gentle smile touching her lips. That was an honest compliment. Atlantis' voice was soothing and she really liked the lyrics.

 

[Blind Hemingway]

Atlantis nodded and began to speed up the motorbike and soon they reached the main center of the town. The village was certainly larger than MD would have guessed from her short time here. There was a large clock tower that stood center. Her nose caught the smells of a bakery and it make her tummy growl. Atlantis continued on his drive and they soon reached a two story cream colored brick building. It was unassuming but Atlantis seemed almost giddy to be here.

"We've made it to our first stop! I love this place. Good draw MD!" He then stopped the motorbike and helped MD off.

Just then a fat man walked up, "So how about that snow storm from a few days ago? I bet that put dampers on your trade."

"It was alright. The Company has safe houses on all the major routes." Atlantis said to the man while he locked the motorbike. MD stood close to him as possible. Rory did say that the people in the town would be weary of a human without their shadow and she didn't want to scare off any potential costumers for Atlantis.

"Oh on ahead." Atlantis said, "The Lady that lives here is a witch of sorts. Red hair. Can't miss her. Nopes."

MD nodded and she grabbed on tightly to the package she had grabbed from the bag while on the ride.

"Is it afternoon already? Oh dear. I have over slept again." The woman with red hair said. "How can I help you?" The woman said with a forced smile on her face. She hadn't expected to have guests today. The woman looked at as her visitor enetered. She hadn't seen her before and there were so few people who came anymore it immediately made her curiosity grow.

MD looked around. This "house" as MD had assumed it was, in fact a library . A large one at that for being such a small building. Something caught MD's interest but she couldn't make out what the book was about. She then grabbed one of the books down from one of the shelves and started flicking through it.

"Ah!" The librarian recognized that book, a favorite of her's. A smile grew on her lips, this little girl had good tastes.

"Good afternoon, my name is Geneva and I would be glad to help you out if you need anything." She smiled and held out her hand a little meekly. "Please just ask."

 

[Fluffy]

MD could spend an entire day in a library. There were times when she'd go there to study, and when finished, she'd pull out a book to read until the library closed. There was something comforting and amazing about being surrounded by shelves of books. She always wondered if being a librarian would be the best career in the world. MD would even settle on a retail position at a bookstore! So as long as she had her books, she was happy.

The book in her hands was already distracting her to the point of feeling disconnected with reality. This book was something she'd never heard of, but something she was already enjoying. It felt as if the book called out to her. Already, she was waiting for a character she could relate to, an idea of the plot, what the setting was... MD didn't even read for a title or summary of the story.

At the turn of a page, she noticed she might have been being rude. MD quickly shut the book with her thumb holding her place, her other hand adjusting her glasses. They were in no need of adjusting; it was just a quirky habit of hers.

"M-Miss Geneva!" she said with some enthusiasm, letting the woman know she caught her name. At the last minute, too. The woman, said to be a witch, had a beautiful hair colour. This must have been the person she was supposed to give the package to.

"I have a delivery for you, ma'am," MD said, setting the book down and taking the mail into her hand. She offered it to Geneva, or else waited to be told where to set it.