Lilly and Stacy entered the shop in question. The owner - a humanoid mouse - was now only one foot tall, too small to stack things and had yet to find someone to help him.
"Hello?" - Said Lilly - "Er... 'm here ta help?"
Being a rodent, the owner, Arthur Finch, felt more at ease with Lilly. The same could not be said for Stacy, who stood back so as not to startle him.
"To help?" - Asked Finch, gently - "What do you mean?"
"W-well..." - Lilly began. Stacy gently nudged her into speaking. She continued - "I know you need help stacking the boxes. And I thought I could do it?"
"Uhm, there are laws against child labor..." - Said Finch.
"I'd do it for free!" - Said Lilly, smiling - "I just want to help. Volunt'ry work."
Finch nodded.
"Do your parents know you're here?"
Stacy produced a cell phone, sent both an SMS to that effect and showed it to Finch.
"They do now."
"Mew." - "Said" Sakura.
Finch blanched looking at the cat. He used to love cats, he had one. Not anymore. He had to have his brother pick up his cat, though it broke his heart. The sunlight saw to that.
"Oh... Sorry, Mr. Finch. This is Sakura." - Said Lilly, picking up the cat that seemingly had followed her there - "I can have Stacy take her home if you want..."
Finch paused.
This was a sweet kid offering to help him with a serious problem for nothing in return. And the cat seemed strangely harmless.
"No... She can stay." - he said at last, though he was still shaky on the cat - "And thanks for the help."
Adam caught herself wondering about the Orb of Air - the artifact that caused that mess with her city.
If air is one of the four elements... Where are the other three?
Jon read more of the book. She wondered to herself if she could maybe just visit the school today - just to meet Brittany and try her hand at magic once more. If she was the new Merlin - a position, not a name - wouldn't it stand to reason that she'd have to be at least somewhat skilled at magic?
No. - she thought - It cannot be that simple. Humans have free will. - she decided, and, while she wanted to learn magic, it wasn't due to her job or anything. Especially seeing as the implications to such a scheme of things would be quite jarring indeed.
Jon knew she had the Earth Stone. The element of Fire was with that woman she had met - and who had given Jon her number.
I wonder where are the elements of Air and Water... - She thought.
"Hello, David?" - Asked Rachel - "I'm fine. Listen... What about we go out today? The Angel Café... Good. Meet you at the Church? Great! See you there."
"So... The plan is what, butting in on some magical girl fight and helping?" - Asked Cecilia.
"I don't know how far we'll go, but yes." - Said Hawkins as the two walked around a grove by the church.
"And what are we doing here?" - Asked Cecilia.
"Call it a hunch." - Said Hawkins - "I just get a feeling we should be here..."
"Well, you can stay here as long as you like, then." - Said a voice.
Hawkins turned towards the tree that had spoken.
"Ah. We met at the party, though it was nighttime then... Father Maxwell, right?" - Asked Hawkins.
"Yes." - Said Maxwell - "How may I help you?" - he asked, gently.
"I... Don't know yet." - Said Hawkins - "Ever since my change, I have these... hunches. They allow me to do my job more effectively, I can sense connections between events. However, I can't identify these connections immediately."
"I see." - Said Maxwell - "If I may ask, what is it you need?"
"I need to convince one of the magical girls that we are not a threat. She is... A bit overwhelming. And very distrustful towards federal agents." - Said Hawkins.
Maxwell chuckled lightly.
"If I didn't know better, I would have thought Lucas had a relative here."
"We talked to Lucas. She was helpful, but couldn't solve the problem, really." - Said Cecilia - "We need some sort of an in. Becca said she wanted to use magic to change the world..."
"Well... If you trust me, tell me about this Morgan girl." - Said Maxwell - "Maybe I can help."
"No offense, priest, but... How?" - Said Cecilia.
Maxwell smiled lightly.
"I have majored in psychology. And I know some historical details that might well explain her reluctance to talk to you. She wants to change the world. Has it ever occurred to you that she might see you as agents of the status quo?"
Hawkins nodded.
"I understand. Lucas nearly drew her sword at us the first time..."
"Precisely. Lucas wished to change a status quo she deemed unacceptable, and would stop at nothing to reach that goal - when she saw it within reach." - Said Maxwell - "And she saw you two as agents of said status quo due to some historical precedent..."
"Well, yes. So... The question is what does she want to change and if we can help with that." - Said Cecilia.
"Precisely..." - Said Maxwell.
"Uhm, yes, officer, it is a silvery dress... No, I don't know why they would steal it or who did it. Okay. Thank you." - Said Mrs. Collins.
She then turned to her daughter.
"Sorry, sweetie. Good thing you have another one..."
Anneza nodded, still angry about it.
"Vrya ksandos. Shay nabri bliag."
She opened the door and floated out, seemingly intent on flying around to find the thief on her own.
"Anneza... Be careful!"
Anneza looked at her mother and nodded.
"Ricky? Anne is on the phone... Ricky?" - Asked her mother.
"Anything wrong?" - Asked her father.
"It's Ricky... I can't find her... She wouldn't go out without telling us like this even before she changed..." - Said her mother.
The parents searched their home, both them and Anna getting worried.
Artemis and Jenny walked around. This area of the town was one of the nicer places.
The two heard a snarl.
They didn't feel it. They heard it. From a ways away, too.
The two dashed towards whatever made that noise.
