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Mouse in a Cat's House

Asedri sat on the counter of an empty market stall, legs swinging back and forth as she listened to the music a man was playing on the nearest street corner. Soterios sat on her shoulder, large ears perked, tail flicking back and forth. It seemed he liked the music too. She took a big bite from the apple she had nicked from a stall down the road, juice running down her dirty chin. She really was a filthy child; people often walked wide circles around her and stared, like they were doing now. The stares never bothered the girl however, being too used to them. Besides, she was hardly ever clean- you can't miss what you never have right? A rather bleak view for a ten year old, but that is how she saw things.

When the man's song finished Asedri went back to looking at the Pantheon, or at least what she could see of it over the tops of the buildings in the market. The gods lived there, or so people claimed. She had never seen one of these gods herself, so there was no telling. Soterios' whiskers twitched.

*You really aren't thinking of going there, are you?*

<Of course, how else am I going to find out if there really are gods there?>

There was no speaking this this exchange, simple glances between the two said enough. They had been together ten years after all, and had long since learned one another's opinion on such adventures. Soterios was the type to want to keep his nose out of trouble and Asedri often found herself in it. The two were complete opposites, but that was how it had to be with bonded- they were meant to check and balance each other. They were two halves of a whole person, despite the mouse having his own name and personality.

Asedri finished the apple in a few more bites, dropping the core onto the ground and wiping her hands on her ragged dress. <Shall we go then?>

*Of course, it isn't like I have any say in the matter.*

She jumped down from the market stall and darted off into the growing crowd. It was easy enough to find her way to the Pantheon, one only needed to follow the green and growing things to reach it. The girl had seen the gardens from a distance but had never dared to venture in before. It was quite possibly the most beautiful place she had ever seen! Flowers she had never seen before and animals everywhere! She made a sound that might have been a squeak as a squirrel darted across the path just in front of her feet. Did you see that Soterios?

The mouse wiggled its whiskers, ears perked and alert. *Someone's coming!*

Asedrei darted off the path and knelt behind a line of bushes, peeking through the branches to watch the person as they passed. Once they had gone by she crept out onto the path again, looking both ways before continuing on. It would not do to get caught here after all! Thankfully she came across no one else on the path or on her way into the Pantheon proper. She headed up the steps and found herself in the apartments hallway. <Oh wow.> Pale blue eyes widened, seeing how many doors there were. <I wonder what is behind all of these?>

*Oh...I don't like this.* The mouse shook its head then hid it beneath its paws.

<You are just afraid.>

A squeak was all she received in answer, but Asedri headed down the hallway anyway despite her companion's protests. It turned out this was a rather long hallway, much bigger than this place had looked from outside. All the doors were different too and that was odd. After all in a house weren't all the doors supposed to match? She frowned, finding herself standing in front of a plain wooden door. It looked odd and out of place next to the other fancy looking ones.

<Shall we try this one?>

She did not even wait for an answer as she knew what it would be. Soterios did not even want to be here, let alone try a door. Perhaps this door was a secret way to somewhere? The girl opened the door just a crack and peeked inside. It was not a hallway at all! In fact it looked like it might be a house of some sort. <Hn...> There was a thoughtful expression on her face and Soterios did not like it one bit.

*But...Asedri. We could get in big trouble!*

<We won't get caught. We've done this loads of times before.>

*This isn't like stealing tarts. This is someone's home!*

<Don't be such a coward Soterios.>

Asedri opened the door wide enough to slip in and closed it soundlessly behind her. So far so good. Now that she was inside, it would was easier to have a look around. The rooms were shaped strangely, its like everything was rounded. <Who builds round houses?> An eyebrow quirked beneath the dirt covering her face. There was also a staircase that went upward. A round house with more than one floor? <Hn..what else is there?>

The sound of footsteps broke her from her thoughts and she ducked into a hastily picked hiding spot. Hopefully whoever it was would not see her. She wanted to look around some more. After what seemed like forever footsteps disappeared around the bed and she sighed in relief.

*Oh no, you aren't thinking of going....?*

<Up the stairs? Why yes, I am.>

The mouse huffed and ducked into her gnarled and braided hair. It wanted no part of this. If they got caught she would be the one in trouble. They should not even be here, let alone looking around! Asedri sighed and ignored him, picking her way carefully over to the staircase that seemed to be as odd as the rest of the house. She had to be quick and quiet there were no hiding places here. Three doors awaited her at the top of the staircase.

<Which one to try?> She put a finger to her lips, considering. The one closest to the inside maybe then work her way out? Grubby hand went to the door handle of her chosen room and turned it, opening it just enough to peek inside again. The room did not look like much, mostly open with a few chairs and another door along the right wall. Well well, it looked as if her investigation could continue after all! Asedri slipped into this room, careful to keep low in case anyone did come into the room suddenly. If need be she could probably duck under one of those chairs and not be noticed.

Thankfully no one appeared and she was able to get to the next door unhindered. The next room was much the same as the last, but looked more like it belonged in a house. Now there were two doors to choose from. <Left or right?>

*Neither. Lets go.*

Right it was then! And behind this door was...oh a bathroom! That tub was huuuuuge. Big enough to swim in, in fact. Both eyebrows went up. <I wonder what lives here?>

*I would really rather not find out.* The mouse's whiskers flicked nervously as he peeked out of her hair.

<Don't be such a spoil sport.> There were two doors leading from this room as well and she chose the right one again. Might as well stay on the same path, the rest could be explored later after all. Behind this door was a room with a huge bed, cushions, desk, trunk and was that a wardrobe in the corner. A bedroom then.

*Asedri, really, its time to go before we wander into someone.*

Perhaps it was time to try another path, she seemed to have run out of doors. Oh wait, was that a window over there? <Perfect!> She tiptoed across the room to get a better look and see about opening it. When the girl went to tap on the glass she was surprised to find there was none. Windows with no glass...maybe because they were indoors? She leaned out the glass free window a bit to see what was on the other side. A balcony? That certainly had possibilities. What would she be able to see from out there?

Only one way to find out! Over the windowsill and out onto the balcony the little ragamuffin went to see what she could see.

Demonic Takeover
Asedri greets Tajnevaki when he returns from Eshurian with the others.
Word Count: N/A

A Mouse's Worries
Asedri has been overhearing the adults and is worried about them going somewhere dangerous.
Word Count: N/A

Mouse in the Market
Asedri sneaks out to the marketplace to see her friends and runs into Xun Jiang instead.
Word Count: N/A

Pic-A-Nic
Asedri and Xun Jiang go on a picnic.
Word Count: N/A

Garden Gate
Word Count: 1,001+

Time did pass, though not nearly as fast as Asedri might have liked. She spent most days in the library or in her room reading. Those she did not were spent with Mi'shala, Itzal and the other faeries, helping Delphine in the kitchen, or making further attempts to sneak out and see her friends. Sometimes she had been caught, other times she had been able to elude Saljin. Still, again and again she had seen no sign of her friends- they must have gotten themselves in pretty bad trouble, or her luck had just hit a bad streak.

Perhaps she would try looking around the market again tomorrow. Though, in the meantime there were other (possibly) safer places to get into. Namely that garden. A few nights ago she had found what very well might be the door, but there had been very little time to investigate it. Excentrique had come around the corner and would probably have shooed her away if the aoide had realized what she had found. So rather than be caught red handed, so to speak, Asedri had snuck away back to her room. Now she was headed back and peaked around into the hallway from the garden doors.

It seemed the coast was clear- Delphine and Felista were busy in the kitchen, Excentrique and the other aoidei were busy elsewhere, which meant it was the perfect opportunity. She crept down the hall quietly, just as she had done on her first "visit" here. (At least what she was doing now was not a crime...hopefully.) When she reached the spot where she thought the door might be at first there seemed to be nothing, just the plain wall. But after a few minutes of turning her head this way and that to look for any oddities the door revealed itself to her.

<Oh wow.>

Soterios sensed trouble and poked his head out from beneath her hair. *You are just trying to get us in trouble aren't you?*

<Shhh and stop being a coward.> Asedri put a finger to her lips.

Though her excitement was tempered somewhat when she saw the old lock on the door. Where was she supposed to find an key like that? Tajnevaki probably kept it in his pocket or something. That would be just her luck. She frowned slightly and chewed the inside of her lip, looking thoughtful.

The mouse peeked up her expression and squeaked. *No key? All the more reason to leave it alone.* Not that it would deter the girl any, it never seemed to.

Where do people usually leave keys?

Her first thought would be somewhere near the door and when she looked again sure enough there was something hanging there. It was not a key, or at least not a whole one. Asedri stood on her tiptoes to pull it off the hook and and examined it. It was rectangular and made of metal with a pattern worked into two sides of it. From the looks of the grooves on one side it fit together with other pieces.

Now where was the rest of it?

Perhaps under the mat? Though...did this door have one of those? Suddenly, under her feet did not feel quite like the wood floors of the hallway anymore. And when Asedri looked beneath the mat she was rewarded with the second piece of the key. The two fit together easily and it almost looked like it might be complete, except for one little piece maybe.

She glanced upward and saw something metallic and shiny balanced on top of the door frame. That had to be the last piece!

Getting it without drawing too much attention to herself however might prove to be an issue. A quick glance to her left and right down the hall revealed no one in sight, so she jumped arm stretched upward to try and reach the key piece. On the first jump Asedri was able to move it some, but not quite grasp it. She checked the hallway before making a second jump and was able to grab the piece.

<YES!> She looked quite gleeful as she snapped the last piece in place.

*Oh brother.* Soterios squeaked and ducked back beneath her hair. He wanted no part of this.

Though now that she had put this 'not a key' together, she was not quite sure what to do next. Was it like a puzzlebox, with the key inside or something else? Asedri tugged at the box, checking to see if there was some sort of lid that could be popped off- nothing budged. Did it twist at all? She turned the box over and over in her hands to see if there seemed to be any spot to twist from and there was none.

Unless...the grooves on the inside were a clue?

She turned both sides against each other and sure enough the rectangular sections on the side moved and the patterns on the side changed. Now on one side a spiral radiated out from the center and on the verse there was the relief of a cat. Tajnevaki. That certainly seemed like progress in the right direction.

The now 'almost a key' was turned over in her hands again as she looked for what might to be adjusted next. The pattern on the outer edges did not line up properly with the rest. A quick slide along the edge with her finger fixed that small problem. Something inside the key clicked, sounding very much like it was locking into place.

So close!

But then there was the sound of footsteps rounding the spiral, headed her way.

<Drat!> The key was quickly shoved up her sleeve and Asedri smiled at Excentrique as the aoide passed, making her way to the kitchen.

Once she was sure the coast was clear again, she tugged the key out of her sleeve and examined it again. There was a more visible seem now, up the middle between the two parts. Perhaps she needed to turn it that way? Well, if nothing else it was worth a try. The last turn revealed an actual key and she had to scramble to catch it before it hit the floor.

Soterios squeaked, having been nearly shaken loose from her hair. *If we get caught...I had nothing to do with this.*

<Fine by me. Shall we go have a look then?>

Asedri put the key in the lock and turned it. With the noise currently coming from the kitchen- it seemed Excentrique was causing mayhem already- they likely would not be caught anytime soon.

Answers in the Library
Unsure of what to do about the gem Asedri seeks out Akakios to talk.
Word Count: 1,001+

A Little Bird and a Little Mouse
Asedri meets Caelia who just wandered off on Akakios.
Word Count: 553