I wonder if there is an ancient magic that could turn back time, I think to myself as the spirit girl eagerly flattens the pamphlet onto the floor and gestures for me to sit next to her. There were things that could not be changed, and decisions that could not be undone tonight but for now I was just an innocent man trying to do a girl a favor. Was it to impress her, appear to be more macho or was it just purely out of kindness?

“Alright, so here is the plan”

Who knows, she enthusiastically gave me the plan on the rather cartoonish drawing on the pamphlet for the school. “Hard work is the skeleton key to all locked doors towards the path to happiness.” the slogan that Angel usually says during her announcements is printed on the back, the words ring in my head as Mary lays out the plan for getting to the laundry room tonight. She grabs the guards patrol roster and points out the positions and routes they will take when rotating out. We brainstorm on possible routes we could take to make it to the laundry room without being seen by a guard.

We end up finding the optimal path to take. Down the hall, through the main courtyard where we’ll then head through as they are replacing one another during their shift changes. From there we should have a clear shot to the laundry room from there. After agreeing on the plan and thinking of alternate routes, we put it into action, starting with me putting my suit on.

“Why are you putting that thing on?”

I start adjusting the cat head to fit properly as I respond.

“There’s a blessing on this door that won’t let me through without my suit being on.”

She makes a small ‘Ooo’ like sound that implies that she is somewhat impressed, I guess.

“Is the scarf and tail necessary too?”

She says in a sarcastic tone, and I snap back.

“IT IS! The scarf is designed to squeeze my head off if I try and take the suit off outside of my room and the tail is a… a uhh… leash.”

“Whatever you say furboy, can you go nya~ and paw at the air like a cat?”

“If I find your panties first I think I might just burn them.”

She sticks her tongue out at me and laughs at my expense.

“You said you can hear my thoughts, right? I won’t be able to talk with this thing on.”

“Yep, I’ll just tune into your mind radio.”

She slaps the back of her hand on her head open palmed giving a goofy salute with her tongue still sticking out, and I put the mask on.

“…”

Let’s do this I think to myself and open the door. The door does not open. I stare at the door blankly for a moment, it hadn’t occurred to me that maybe they lock the doors before leaving.

“Allow me.”

Mary punches below the doorknob and her hand phases through. She proceeds to twist and pull in various directions before an audible click is heard. She gestures for me to attempt the door again. I twist the knob and the door gives way, showtime. We make it past the first few guards and we slink to the courtyard where we lie low and wait for the next shift to take over the current shift. I look at Mary and catch her staring at my tail.

“You said it was a leash right, how does it work?”

I grab it and I begin to explain.

I’m not entirely sure but the guard on duty in charge of watching me usually attaches the end to his wrist and we are locked to each other until he releases me at the end of the day.

She makes a noise likes she’s intrigued before staring off at something else. I started to think about what it is that she used to do in class all the time and why she was held over. I then thought about the fact that she was a spirit, I wonder how she died. I was thinking about asking her however she interrupts my thoughts when she pulls on my arm and tells me it is time to go. We follow the plan to the T and make it to the laundry room without getting spotted by any of the guards.

Alright we’re here where did you put it? I think to myself.

She taps a finger on her chin and makes humming sound like she’s trying to remember.

“I forgot which drier I had put it in, can you check the ones in that corner, and I’ll check the ones in this corner.”

I begin to open and rummage through all the driers, most are empty and the ones that are filled have random articles of clothing in them but nothing panty related. I then think to myself, what do these panties even look like.

“Hey, did you ever want to leave this place.”

I hear Mary ask some distance away from me, I try and think of a response.

I’ve never thought about leaving here, this place is great, but it looks like I will be leaving soon regardless. I hate that I made The Vanarch that mad and that I am in the hold overs but I will do whatever it is that she wants me to do to make amends with her.

“I see.”

We continue to rummage around, and I wonder again trying to grab Mary’s attention to give me the details on the panties so I can find them easier.

“If you had the opportunity to not go to the place they send holdovers would you.”

I stop and think for a moment, I mean yeah I’d love to stay here. I would’ve loved to actually do The Vanarch proud and be able to work and make her happy, it kills me that I made her so upset but if it makes her happier to send me there, then at the very least I can do that much to make her happy.

“I’m sorry.”

I hear her voice, but its volume is louder as if she were standing right behind me. I hear the familiar click of my tail leash and I dart around. The cuff of my tail leash snaps around her wrist as she looks at me with a somber look. What are you doing, why did you do this are you crazy! My thoughts roar as I grab her wrist.

“I’m sorry, I… j-“

“…”

My mind is a roaring storm as I try to yell and comprehend what in the blazes was she thinking. You realize that the only ones that can undo this leash is one of the guards. They’re gonna realize that we broke out of our rooms and they’re gonna kill us! I grab both of her arms as my mind continues to burn in anger and confusion.

“I knew you’d be like this so I didn’t tell you!”

Tell me what!? That you were just planning on screwing both of us over. The whole planning process to avoid getting caught was just an elaborate plan to get us both caught anyway. What were you thinking!? Were we even really getting your panties in the first place!?

“That this was a one-way road.”

One-way road what are you talking about!?

“In exactly 1 hour there is a vehicle that is gonna show up to take the bulk laundry, the blankets and comforters that are too big to fit in the washing machine to a facility that will clean them.”

What in the world are you going on about?

“We are gonna go through the window that you left open and we are gonna get on that vehicle and ride out of here.”

I start furiously trying to rub my hands through my hair, but I only rub on the cat head. Why why why why WHY, do you hear yourself do you understand what you are asking me!? I am in this mess because I already messed up with The Vanarch once and made her upset, I don’t want to go and make her even more upset by going against her wishes of being a hold over and breaking out of here!

She slams her hand on the wall.

“The people here don’t care about you and they never did when are you going to realize that.”

I stand up and meet her in the face.

They do care about me, I just spat in their face after they showed me all this hospitality and I am being punished for it rightfully.

Her voice begins to tremble.

“Do you hear yourself right now you sound like a brainwashed idiot!”

I will finish my time here and go to the place they send hold overs and redeem myself. Then and only then will The Vanarch and Angel herself will welcome me back and be happy.

“Don’t you realize that they send people there to die, they just want you to die and that’s it.”

I slam my fist into the wall.

That’s just a rumor! Do you believe every fairy tale you heard growing up huh!? No one knows what happens there, the people there never wanted Angel’s approval anyway, and who are you to give me crap anyway! Just because theres no one left to love you doesn’t mean you have the right to give me crap to try and fight for the people who will still love me!

Instant regret flushed over my face, why would I say something like that, why did I say something like that. I look at Mary in face, her face looked defeated, and hurt. Her face glistened as the stream of tears washed down her face and dripped onto the floor. Her mouth jittered for a moment as she looked like she was going to make a response but nothing. The lights began to flicker in the room as she balls up her fist and makes the motion of pushing me out of the way.

“Who the hell is in this room at this unlordly hour, make yourself known or face the wrath of Angel’s finest soldiers!”

We both stop dead in our tracks and stare at the door in shock. This is it, this is the end, there’s no way out of this one.