Significant Glitch

Chapter 12

Alvarie sat on the obsessively ornate bed in her room, staring at the ugliest thing she had ever laid eyes on. When she had returned after speaking to Alger she had discovered it laying there, draped across a stiff armchair by the window. "It" was a dress and the last thing on this earth that she would ever considering wearing. She did not know its purpose and thus, sat there looking at it distastefully. Suddenly, she felt a vibration coming from inside her jacket pocket. Quickly pulling out her phone, she checked the messages section.

"John is having his daughter's birthday party here. I expect you to attend. There is a dress laid out for you in your rooms -MH" She stared at the text numbly, her eyes beginning to widen. Looking back and forth from her phone to the dress her heart sank deeper. Getting up with one last look at the hideous thing, she exited the room to find Alger.

After walking a few doors down, she knocked, hoping he hadn't fallen asleep when she had left. Pressing her ear to the door she heard footsteps coming close to where she stood. Pulling away she straightened up just as the door opened. A sleepy looking Alger stood in its place, rubbing his eyes and looking highly irritated. Alvarie pushed past him and spun about his rooms twice before finding what she was looking for. Alger looked on confused as she practically tore the place apart in her search. At last she pulled open a wardrobe in the far right corner to reveal a neatly pressed gray suit, white shirt, and matching tie. A pair of dress shoes lay underneath the ensemble, stiff and uncomfortable looking.

"Ha!" Alvarie said grabbing the suit and thrusting it at Alger. "You got some too!"

"Wha-" Alger replied taking the clothes and inspecting them curiously.

"John is having this party thing for his kid here and we have to attend wearing crap like this." She gestured to the suit Alger held while she spoke, a look of wild anger in her eyes.

"Oh..." Alger said, processing. "He didn't give you a dress did he?" He added, realizing what she had been implying. She nodded in response, heaving a great sigh and sitting down on an armchair similar to the one she had in her room. A loud buzzing noise emanated from Alvarie's jacket again and the pair of them jumped.

"When I meant you had to attend I meant within the next hour. John and Rosie will be here by then. -MH" Alvarie could hear her Uncle's annoyed voice through this next text and it did nothing to lighten her mood. She tossed the phone to Alger and he caught it, reading through the texts himself.

"You got another one." He said absent mindedly while scrolling through the phone.

"What does it say?"

"It says.." He paused, scanning the message. "That you are to get my disastrous head of hair under control." He spoke the last words in his best Mycroft expression, scowling when he had finished. Alvarie laughed, sinking further into the chair.

"Well," She said, "I guess we better get to it, we couldn't dare be late." Alvarie put on a face of mock horror grabbing Alger's arm and practically dragging him to her room.

Once they were inside, she sat him down on a bench in front of a vanity, taking the suit from him and throwing it next to her dress. She then rummaged in the many drawers in front of her until she found a brush in the third one. Taking a deep breath she began to try and brush out the rat's nest before her.

"Ow!" Alger said, sounding almost offended.

"You never brush this thing, how'd you think it would feel?" He didn't respond but just sat there, grudgingly in his seat. Several minutes of agony passed for Alger before they finished. He looked up into the mirror in front of him, feeling his brushed hair cautiously.