Ever The Contrarian

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

"Here. this is the part that terrorized me - I tripped going down the steps because at the time there was so candle, so I face-planted knot the moss over there." Mags narrated, pointing to an old dried-out lump of moss that was climbing up a wall. The steps themselves were also quite worn out, and a few patches were scraped and a few chipped. Mags easily stepped down and then held a hand out for Mercury. chivalrous! Mercury's heart skipped a beat, lol. She took it, using the opportunity to confirm her suspicions. no hidden pockets, nothing up his sleeve, and definitely nothing in his hand. So how did Mags light the candle...? Black magic???? LMAO. Or maybe he as just houdini. "hmm? Are you going to step out? or just hold my hand?" Mags asked, smirking, and Mercury was jolted out of her thoughts. No! not again! thats so akward! She hopped down the step and pattern the longsword hidden in her cloak. It was there if she needed it.

"So, where do I get my ID...?" Mercury asked, and Mags nodded. he opened another door, whih was as dark as the one they had originally went down. "ARE YOU ALLERGIC TO LIGHTING OR SOMETHING! NOT AGAIN!" Mercury wailed, grabbing the edge of a random column and holing on for dear life. Not the strangely dark doorways again! "Hey, stop overreacting. Plus, we have a candle this time. It's right here. we can forge you a nice fake ID, under any name you want. I have all the stuff here." he said, entering, and moving the candle around to illuminate rows of quills, scrolls, parchment, ink, and even imperial and noble stamps.

"Speaking of names, I don't think I ever got yours. hmmmm?" Mags said, turning to her. "Oh, it's Rue." Mercury blurted, and Mags smiled. that blinding smile, again? Mercury could feel her brain cells slowly frizzing away. in the face of the sun, she was losing all sense of reason. she needed to get out before she did something reckless, lol. "Alright, Rue. Nice to meet you."

Momentarily blinded by his bright smile, Mercury hastily nodded. "Same here. Anyway, you can just register my name as Rue, and a usual lower-circle government representative." she babbled, leaning on the desk. "Of course. It would be my honor." Mags said, smiling. "So, Rue is your fake name, then?" he asked, and Mercury flinched. Oh my god, too sharp! wayyyy too sharp! Why can't you just be dumb, Mags?! Why you gotta make our MC panic like this?! Mags noticed her expression instantly and hurredly waved his hands. "Oh, I didn't mean anything by it. I just - usually, people only register under fake names." Mags said, smiling. This time, though, Mercury found it eerie. He was too quick to catch on to dub it was just a slip of the tongue. She gently wrapped her fingers around her longsword.

Mags simply smiled again and turned around to uncap the bottle of ink. "Can you pass the thinnest ink pen on your right?" he asked, dripping a few drops of ink onto his hand, and rubbing it ur to see the shade of ink. After a few tried, settling on the right shade, he took the pen from mercury and scrawled an ID onto parchment in perfect writing - that only the highest government representatives were taught to write with. Oh, it was noble. I should have noticed that sooner. Mercury thought, resting her head on the desk as she watched smooth strokes across the paper. her eyelids were slowly closing, and she felt woozy. "Good, right? What's your last name?" Mags asked, and Mercury replied, "I don't have one. Orphan." It didn't come as a sting to her anymore - though it had once - whoever had left her was missing out on all the quirky jokes and stories they could have had.

"Oh. I'm sorry." Mags said, and Mercury nodded sheepishly. she was really getting sleepy now. "It's not your fault. whatever." her eyelids dropped a bit further. "Oh, yeah. You're probably getting sleepy, huh? Yes, it's because of me. I am a bit sorry for all of this." Mags said, and Mercury's eyelids fluttered open once again. This time, in shock. What...? because of him? "Here's your ID. Don't worry, it's in the house. As a way of apology, I guess. It's a shame though, that you won't need it." Mags said, flashing a perfect ID in front of Mercury's face and then rolling it up and tying it neatly. "Hmmm? why wouldn't I... need it?" Mercury asked sleepily, fighting to stay awake. No, No, No! she needed to stay awake! Mags smiled, perhaps the world's saddest smile.

"You won't need an ID if you're dead."

Mercury finally dozed off, as a hand grabbed Mag's mouth from behind. huh? didnt he say that he had planned it out? so... why was he being tied up? "MMIEH FU!" Mags said, struggling. the black hooded figures just punched him in the face and proceeded to tie him up. what was going on...? Mercury's eyelids closed. It was too hard to stay awake. She's a fast sleeper, after all.