Chapter 3: Chapter 3 - Aid
Charlotte
Nothing...
Spending another solid time of thinking, Charlotte wasn't able to come up with ideas on how to pay the debt.
As time ticks slowly, Charlotte was getting desperate. If she wastes more time thinking her problems away, then she won't make any progress.
"Ahhh!!! Why must this be hard!" Charlotte cried. Leaning her head above in the ceiling, Charlotte thought of what her father would do in said situation. Amidst her thinking, Charlotte remembered a little story that her father told to her when he was still in his adventuring days.
The story mainly revolves the travels of Charlotte's father in the Rocky Shore. In which her father and his party members fought a giant clam monster that dropped a huge pearl when it was killed. Charlotte's father told her how massive and beautiful the pearl was and how much it costed when they tried to sell it. The money that her father and his party received was supposedly large enough that managed to host an all-nighter party with the people of the town near the shore.
Hmm... Father always tells me stories about his adventuring days. Maybe being an adventurer isn't a bad idea. Charlotte thought. But with that said... Does the Adventuring Guild even allow people in my age to join? Father always tells me many stories of his adventures but nothing useful in regards with the Adventuring. I guess, it's kind of my fault for asking Father about his adventures and not focus more on the internal workings of the Guild.
Stuck in dilemma, Charlotte became frustrated. She was now able to thought of a way to pay the debt but was stopped by her lack of knowledge.
But not wanting to easily give up, Charlotte stood up from her chair and prepared her brown boots. Determined to find a way to pay the debt, Charlotte went out of her home, in search of the Adventurer Guild.
"I'll be back!" Where the words she spoke before fully leaving.
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Making her way to the busy streets, Charlotte was a bit lost. She doesn't really know where the Adventurer Guild's Building in the first place, so she felt somewhat dumb for leaving her home all mighty and determined.
"I guess... this is a problem." Charlotte said.
Looking at the busy street, Charlotte saw a plethora of people walking and just going about their normal day and in the side of said street are a few shops and stalls. Thinking that she can probably ask some directions from the people in the stalls, Charlotte approached a small looking stall that sold what seems to be ornaments.
"Come all! Come all! Come and check my stall. Selling rings, necklaces and earrings for everyone to see." The person in the stall shouted. "Hey you! You seem to be fine lad, want to check my ornaments? I promise you that you won't regret it."
"U-umm... H-hello?" Charlotte said in a shy manner.
"Oh my, you seem to be a fine lady. Are perhaps interested in my ornaments? Questioned the person in the stall. "If you buy one now, I can guarantee a discount, young miss. So, don't be shy."
"S-sorry but I would like to decline, mister." Spoke Charlotte. "I just came here to ask some directions."
"If you have nothing of value, then get out!" Angrily shout the man the in the stall. "Can't you see that I'm running a business here!"
"S-sorry!" Hearing the angry shout of the man, Charlotte quickly left the stall as far away as possible. Arriving at a park, Charlotte then sat down in a bench to rest her legs from all the walking she did. While she was resting, Charlotte can't help but remember the angry shout she received from earlier.
"Why must I be yelled at?" Charlotte sadly wondered. "All I did was ask for directions." Saddened from the earlier events, Charlotte spent a few minutes sitting in a park bench. Not wanting to be yelled at again, she tried reconsidering some ways to find for the Adventurer Guild. In her deep thoughts, Charlotte remembered that the center of the town has a giant map that lays out the town's entirety. If she tries checking the map, then she maybe can find where the Adventurer Guild is located.
Motivated once more, Charlotte gets up from the bench from where she's sitting and tries making her way to the center of the town. But before she can make her way to the place, Charlotte saw a little girl in the park who seems to be in distressed.
Concerned and curious about what's happening, Charlotte tried getting near said girl.
"U-umm... are you okay, little girl?" Charlotte gently asked.
"...M-Mr. Whiskers... his missing." The little girl said in an anxious manner.
"Mr. Whiskers?" Charlotte confusingly questioned.
"U-umm... Mr. Whiskers, my cat. His been missing since this morning, so I'm looking for him."
"I see..." Charlotte said. "I now understand why your looking somewhat distressed, so it's because of your missing cat."
"Y-yes..." Cried the little girl.
Seeing the girl saddened by her missing cat, Charlotte has become even more concerned. Being a girl raised by her father, she was taught to help others that are in need. And with such occasion currently in front of her, she can't help but adhere to said teachings.
"Please don't be sad," Charlotte reassures the girl. "I'm pretty sure that this Mr. Whiskers of yours is just fine. His probably just lost looking a present for you."
"R-really?" The little girl gently asked.
"I'm sure of it... so please don't cry. I'll even help you look for Mr. Whiskers if you want?"
"I-I'm sorry but there's no need to help me, big sis. All I would be doing is just waste your day." Answered the little girl.
B-big... Sis!! Charlotte screamed internally. Being the only child of their household, Charlotte always dreamed of being an older sister. The fantasies of having a little brother or sister by her side, really fascinates the young Charlotte. She even thinks of different scenarios, if she has a young sibling to raise.
"U-umm... B-big sis?" Seeing the excited look of Charlotte, the little girl got somewhat worried.
Reassuring the little girl that everything is okay, Charlotte tried calming down. With a red face and a smile, Charlotte then embarrassingly spoke to the girl. "E-everything is fine... t-there's nothing to worry about. Rest assured that b-big sis will help you find Mr. Whiskers."
"B-but..."
"No, I insist!" Charlotte shouted. "With how big this town is, finding your cat by yourself, will be hard."
"I-I understand..." The little girl gently said. "Thank you for helping me, big sis."
Seeing the girl ease up, Charlotte was somewhat relieved. Seeing people get sad, is something that Charlotte isn't very comfortable with. So as much as she can, she always tries to make people smile.
"No need to thank me" Charlotte smiled. "Afterall, helping people in need is just normal."
With the little girl's doubts reassured, Charlotte then asked the girl some questions. In her questioning Charlotte learned that the car known as Mr. Whiskers is a black cat whose tummy area is colored white. The cat is supposedly somewhat thicker than average, which Charlotte immediately assume as being fat. The little girl also told Charlotte that despite being a housecat, Mr. Whiskers likes to take a walk once in a while, especially after lunch. The problem is supposedly that the cat doesn't usually take its walk early in the morning. It was uncharacteristic of Mr. Whiskers the little girl said, and there's also the fact that Mr. Whiskers has been missing ever since the girl woke up.
"Hmmm... What a difficult dilemma we have in hand." Charlotte said.
"I-Is finding Mr. Whiskers going to be impossible?" Worriedly asked the little girl.
"I didn't say that it's impossible, just hard." Charlotte answered. "With no current lead as for where we can start searching, we're kind of stuck."
"I see..."
"But no need to worry." Reassures Charlotte. "You already mentioned that Mr. Whiskers likes to take a walk, so we can at least search those areas. Who knows, we may even find Mr. Whiskers in our search."
With nothing much of a lead of where the cat's location is, the little girl along with Charlotte started looking in the areas of where they suspect the cat may reside.
Searching the entirety of the town park and the dark alleyways, both the little girl and Charlotte found nothing. And in the few moments of where they are able to find a cat, the one's they found has always been the incorrect one.
Not wanting to give up in their search, Charlotte suggested they go and search for more places. Agreeing to Charlotte's suggestion, both of them once more tried looking for the missing cat.
After a long hour of searching the duo arrived at an ominous alleyway. Seeing the lack of light in the place, the little girl grew somewhat worried. But with Charlotte reassuring the girl, once more. They bravely enter the place and began their search.
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Searching at the place, Charlotte observed that the place is ominously long for an alleyway. In her experiences of the town, most alleyway she observed tend to be not long. It usually just a few meters after which it cuts to a different street. Yet the one she is in now, is oddly different.
Weird... how come I never saw this place. Charlotte thought.
"Mr. Whiskers!!" The little girl shouted.
Hearing the loud calls of the little girl, Charlotte's thought was quickly disrupted. Hiding her thoughts at the moment, Charlotte quickly tried focusing her mind on the task in hand. Afterall, she came in this ominous alleyway to find a cat, not play detective.
In their efforts of searching for the cat, both the little girl and Charlotte searched every nook and cranny of the place. But after finding nothing once again, the little girl can't help but be distressed. They've been searching for many hours already and yet they still haven't found the missing Mr. Whiskers.
"U-umm... big sis..." Spoke the little girl. "It's already getting late. I would like to thank you for helping me, but I think we should stop for now."
Hearing the little girl's words, Charlotte can't help but be upset. They already came this far in their search, so stopping now is waste of their efforts.
"B-but we already search this far." Charlotte explained. "We can't give up now. Can we at least search one more place, before we stop our search? I'm certain that we'll find Mr. Whiskers."
"I understand your concern, big sis. But it's already getting too late, mother will get worried if I don't return home soon... Plus... I'm pretty sure that Mr. Whiskers will just return home normally, he always has been. I'm sure of it."
.
.
"Are you really fine with it?" Charlotte asked.
"It's okay, big sis. Even if Mr. Whiskers doesn't return, I'll just look for him in the next day" Answered the little girl.
Seeing the little girl's face and her positive outlook, Charlotte eventually gave up in the search. Being determined is one thing but said determination is going to bother others, then its better if she just stops.
Agreeing to leave the place, they then made their way out of the dark alleyway. But just as they made their way out of the place, Charlotte noticed an ominous tent in the middle of the packed buildings. Such an odd location for a tent, Charlotte thought.
"You both seem to be in distressed."
Hearing a woman's voice inside the tent, both Charlotte and the little girl momentarily stopped in their tracks. It seems that the woman's voice has caught their attention.
With a pleasing chuckle, the woman then spoke to both ladies. "Please don't be shy," Gently said the woman. "Come inside."
Hearing the woman's invitation, Charlotte felt an ominous feeling at the woman. It's as if her body is telling her the dangers of the tent. But at the same time, she's also oddly captivated at the place. As if something is alluring her to enter the place.
Seeing the firm Charlotte, the woman chuckle in a pleasing manner, once more. "How cute... two little young ones standing still in fear of me. It hurts my feelings too you know."
"What do you want?" Charlotte firmly asked.
"My, my, my... how bold, all I want is to help both of you. So please stop with that sharp glare."
Feeling scared at the woman in the tent, the little girl went closely to Charlotte and grabbed her hand. Wanting to protect the little girl, Charlotte also held her hand firmly.
"How very cute..." The woman muttered. "But there's really no need to fear me, young ones. For all I want is to help."
"Help?" The little girl echoed.
"Indeed,'' The woman answered. "You're looking for your cat isn't it?"
"You know about Mr. Whiskers?!" The little girl questioned.
"Know isn't the right word of choice, young one. It's more like I can see." The woman answered.
"See? What do you mean?" Charlotte questioned.
"Well... the young in your hand lost her cat, isn't it? And both of you have been searching for said cat for many hours"
Hearing the woman correctly and accurately guess their circumstance, Charlotte became even more worried. Such foresight isn't normal for the young Charlotte, so she became even more protective of the little girl in her side. "How do you know about that?" Charlotte questioned.
"[Chuckle...] Such question is unneeded, young one." The woman answered. "For I'm pretty sure that the young one in your side is more concerned about her cat's location."
"So, you know about Mr. Whiskers location?!" The little girl questioned, once more.
"I guess it's not entirely wrong."
"Eh?" Hearing the woman's vague wording, Charlotte can't help but be confused. Wanting a direct answer, Charlotte then confronted the woman. "Why the vague words, can't you just answer us clearly."
"Sorry." The woman apologized. "It's just how I normally talk, young one. But anyhow, as for the question of the young one in your side. I most certainly can say that I know where her cat is."
With the woman's word clear in their ears, the little girl then became hopeful. If what the woman is saying is indeed true, then they're long search for the missing Mr. Whiskers will now have some results.
Getting near to the ominous woman, the little girl then asks for her cat's location. "I-If you know about Mr. Whiskers location, then can you please tell us."
"Most certainly young one, just place you hand in the orb and I'll answer your desire."
Determined to know her cat's location, the little girl placed her small hand in the dark and ominous orb without hesitation. After a few seconds of waiting the dark orb then glowed a bright light, which somewhat blurred Charlotte's sight.
"I can see now... a black furred cat, which is thicker in size.."
"That's Mr. Whiskers" Said the little girl.
"Oh my? It seems that the cat is getting busy with another cat" Spoke the woman.
"Getting busy?" Charlotte asked.
"The black one is currently in pursue of a white cat. From what I can see, it seems that the white one is female."
"Pursuing a female... I-I-Is.. Mr. Whiskers in love?!" Cried the little girl.
How pure... Charlotte thought.
"I don't think that such creatures are capable of such feeling, young one." Answered the woman. "If anything, the case that I'm currently seeing is just a normal animal behavior. Which is being in he-."
Before the woman can even finish her sentence, Charlotte suddenly stopped the woman from speaking. "Eyyyy stop!!!" Shouted Charlotte. It seems that she was trying to save the little girl's innocence.
"My apologies." The woman said.
"Eh?"
"Just ignore what she said." Charlotte said. "Just tell us where we can find the cat."
"Such trouble would be unneeded, young one." Spoke the woman. "For the cat you're looking would return to its home before dawn."
"Really?" The little girl asked. Hearing the woman's words, the little girl became relieved. It seems that little girl trusts the words of the ominous woman.
"My words are the truth" The woman said. "Your cat will return normally with no harm, yet quite heartbroken at the same time."
"I see... then that would mean that Mr. Whiskers will fail in his pursuit of love."
"Unfortunately."
"How sad..." The little girl said in a saddened manner. "Then I guess I have to cheer Mr. Whiskers up, when he returns."
"How truly lovely of you, young one." Gently spoke the woman.
Flattered by the woman's words, the little girl can't help but blush. Appreciating the woman's help, the little girl then thanked the lady. "U-umm... thank you, miss." The little girl said. "How much do I have to pay, for your help?"
"No need to pay, young one." The woman said. "For I was the one whom invited both of you, in the first place."
Thanking both the woman and Charlotte, the little girl then said her goodbyes before quickly leaving the place. Waving her hands goodbye, Charlotte carefully watched as the little girl's figure slowly leave the area. Seeing how there's nothing much she can do in the place, Charlotte then also tried to leave. But just as she begins to walk out, the ominous woman said something that momentarily stopped Charlotte in her tracks.
"Leaving too soon?"
"I'm already done with my job, so there's no need for me to stay."
"You say that, but aren't you experiencing a problem, as well?"
"What do you know about my problem?" Charlotte asked.
"Not know but see." The woman said. "I can see a huge amount of negative energy engulfing your little body, signs of anguish, distress and worry. I'm quite impressed how someone as young as you are able to handle such negative energy."
"And I'm quite alarmed of the things you're saying. You're very ominous ever since I saw you, I can even tell that you're quite a dangerous person."
"[Chuckle...] How truly sad..." The woman smiled. "And I here I thought that by helping young ones like you, I will be more approachable."
"Being deep in this dark alleyway, is just making you more suspicious than approachable, miss. So, there's that."
"Hahaha... I guess you're not wrong, about that." The woman laughed. "So, how about it?"
"What are you talking about?"
"Aid. I already helped the other young one, so I'm asking you if also want some sort of aid."
Looking at the ominous woman in the eye, Charlotte still felt a lingering danger from her. A mysterious yet alluring danger. Doubtful about the woman's aid, Charlotte thought of ignoring the woman's words and leaving the place. But just as she tries to leave, Charlotte remembered what Mrs. Bloom have told her.
"You should try and accept any help that one offers, Charlotte. There are a lot of things that helping can provide."
.
.
"I-I suppose asking for help can't hurt."
-End
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone