At the top, the Stranger advances towards the waterfall, intending to pass through. Immediately, Echo flashes in front of him to take the lead. He holds out a hand.

“No…it’s fine. Stay back. You don’t know the way,” he tells her and she falls back after a long glance. It’s the first time I’ve seen her do anything close to defying him. Guess even the Stranger has problems with overprotective security. My sympathies. Echo takes up a position between us and him, occasionally glancing back at us warily. The Stranger steps through the waterfall. As he passes, I notice the water spraying off his clothes, an invisible barrier preventing it from being absorbed. Echo also goes through in much the same way. Neat trick. Meera harrumphs, seeing my impressed gaze, and I hear her mutter-

“Tch…a real assassin would cut the waterfall.”

Yea we can’t all be Romy’s okay, Meera?

Meera goes through next, slashing apart the water and flickering through the gap it makes without a backwards glance. When I pass underneath the water, I quietly whisper a Gust and create a little umbrella of wind, feeling somewhat embarrassed that I have to resort to magic when everyone else is using Qi. It sucks being the only mage. On the other side, I find the Stranger facing us, his back turned to the darkness. He quietly approaches, his mask taking on a mysterious tint in the low light. Echo watches silently as he comes back to the entrance.

“My boy, one last thing,” he tell us. Holding up his black-gloved fingers to his face, he flourishes them over his mouth like some sort of theater actor. “You two should put on your masks. I have a few associates of mine helping to search for the Ferry-Rat. While I’ve vetted their backgrounds thoroughly…you never know when it might be better for someone not to know your face.”

“Thanks for the warning…” I reply. Motioning to Meera, I don my cheap cat mask from the stalls. Meera puts on her own beautiful feline Rainstopper face and we become two nameless figures in the sewers. Unfortunately, the mask does little to cover up the fetid stench. It’s not as bad as you’d think, but it’s pretty bad. Like someone dumped rotten eggs and a little rancid milk into the water. Seeing our new look, the Stranger nods appreciatively and turns back to go to Echo.

“Come along. My associates are waiting.” He holds up a hand over his shoulder and snaps his fingers. We leave behind the tinkling waterfall, going deeper into the sewers. There’s just a tiny bit of light, it’s not quite pitch-black inside. At least, not exactly. I’m a little bit confused actually. Why can I see where we’re going? It’s almost like the metal pipe walls are glowing. But not all of it. Just parts. Little stripes which look different than the rest, lines in the skin of this strange beast we’ve entered. Meera goes up to the wall as we follow the Stranger and trails her finger against one of the glowing sections. It’s jutting out slightly, and I shiver as she whispers to me-

“Bone. It’s…some sort of bone.”

“Really?” I reply. Meera nods, drawing closer to me. Her gaze behind the mask becomes wary, and I can see her hands surreptitiously clenching and unclenching. Keeping her weapons warm. “All this glowing stuff…it’s bone? From some creature?”

“Oh absolutely!” The Stranger laughs from up ahead. He has sharp ears, along with his acerbic tongue. “Perhaps some monster from the Yuulie Sea, but don’t ask me its name. It’s likely extinct. As I mentioned before, this city is old. Even I don’t remember everything anymore. But…dearest girl…please do be careful. Touching strange things in the dark is rarely a good idea in the undercanals.”

“Tch…I was just checking,” Meera sticks her tongue out the mouth of her mask. The effect is rather lost on the Stranger who hasn’t turned around. “How exactly do you know so much about this place anyway? Who are you?”

“Hmm…hmm…mysteries, mysteries, if only everything had an easy answer! Shame, those in the know don’t always feel like sharing though!” in a sing-songy voice, the Stranger eerily ignores her question. I almost prefer Echo over his annoying performance. She at least remains steadfastly silent. We travel down a long stretch of undisturbed pipe without anything but the Stranger’s whimsical humming. My eyes linger on the glowing bits of bone embedded like light strips in the walls. Sea-monster huh? Some of these bones are longer than I am. Did they catch a whale? And why put it inside the pipes? God, sometimes I think I understand this world and then something like this happens. Hmm, I suppose it makes sense though. Glacia did always tell me never to take ships. I always thought it was because she can’t swim but maybe there really are monsters in the deep?

“…Does he ever shut up?” Meera whispers to me, and I shake my head. While I barely know him better than she does, I can say firmly without a doubt that the Stranger in fact can keep talking for a very long time. She sighs irritably, glaring daggers at the Stranger’s back. “Like…is he even worried about stealth? What kind of assassin hums on a mission?”

“Just…be thankful he’s not singing anymore,” I tell her, patting her shoulder. She nods, falling quiet. We’re coming up to an opening in the pipe. I think there’s a connection up ahead. However, my brow furrows as a creepy feeling runs up my spine. My head is throbbing, but I realize I’ve heard the Stranger’s hum before. I have no idea where but the tune, it’s…oddly familiar. Did I hear it at a bar? Or maybe someone hummed it in the shop? No…no…I don’t think so. But I swear I’ve heard it before. This blasted headache. If I could just remember, might tell me where he’s from at least. Damnit, every time I’m near him it just makes my head hurt more!

“Ah that’s it!” the Stranger suddenly yells out. Just as Meera said, he seems awfully unafraid of any ambushes in the dark. A moment later I see why. “No need to be scared. These two are helping us find our missing Ferry-Rat tonight! Come on out!”

“About time you showed up.” A gnarled voice calls back from up ahead. Someone steps into the light at the end of the tunnel, his silhouette just barely visible beneath a man-sized glowing vertebra hanging from the top of the archway. It’s a man, by his voice at least, he’s hooded like Echo. However, his form is too burly to conceal entirely, he’s big, almost as tall as me, and much wider. There’s a white mask on his face, just like the Stranger’s, but rather than smiling, it’s twisted into a vicious open-mouthed frown. As if he’s permanently howling. When we get closer, I notice a pair of curved wicked swords on his back. Scimitars. “Shadow, you’re late!”

“Blame the kid. You know I’m all about punctuality. But he’s a bit like me. Wouldn’t come until he got something out of it. Drives a hard bargain!” the Stranger banters while waving us forwards. Glancing back at us, he motions to us in turn, “You two, meet Blink. He and his men will be helping us search for the Ferry-Rat.”

“Blink? Nice to meet you.” I say, extending my hand as we come close. “I’d tell you my name…but…?”

“Don’t worry, that won’t be necessary.” Blink nods at me, his hand coming to shake mine. “I know how much Shadow loves his secrets. Sometimes, I think he doesn’t even want the men to know my name.”

“Oh, come now, Blink,” the Stranger says wryly, “You know I trust you. It’s just…people’s tongues have a way of slipping when a hot iron is applied. Wriggling about in all the wrong ways. A name has a tendency of getting out once someone knows it. Kind of like just now…” At this, the man named Blink glances between the Stranger and I. He stiffens as he realizes the Stranger is angry at him. Shadow, huh? Did you choose that yourself?

“Sorry Boss!” Blink apologizes quickly. “You came with him, so I figured you were close. Didn’t mean to say anything I shouldn’t-”

“It’s fine.” The Stranger, or perhaps I should say, Shadow, holds up a hand. “The boy had to learn one of my names eventually. However, I was rather getting used to how he calls me the Stranger. It makes me sound so very…mysterious. Yes, boy, I think I’d prefer it if you kept calling me that.”

“No problem.” I tell him. “I’ll pretend I heard nothing.” Heh, I’m totally asking Jasselryia tomorrow if she knows anyone who goes by the name of Shadow.

“Appreciate your discretion, Kid.” Blink catches something of the youth in my voice, despite my height. He nods at Echo and Meera who have been watching us talk, standing as far away from each other as possible. “Echo…good to see you again. It’s been a while. As for you…now who might you be?”

“She’s no one.” the Stranger abruptly interjects. He laughs as Meera hisses in anger at the slight. “Time’s ticking and I won’t have it wasted on pointless introductions.” Pushing past Blink, he marches out of the pipe into the opening beyond. “Come! No more questions. But I suppose you’ll need names in case we need to converse. How’s this…the boy can be…Big Cat. As for the girl…call her Small Cat.”

“Small Cat?” Meera yells, “Are you serious?!”

“What? You’re both…?” The Stranger innocently glances back at us and waves at our feline masks. “It fits! Doesn’t it?”

“Well…well yea I suppose we’re both wearing them,” Meera awkwardly admits. At this, the Stranger nods and starts walking again. “But seriously? Small Cat…?”

“Cuz I’m taller than you,” I say in Meera’s ear while putting my arm around her shoulder. Quietly, I lower my voice so only we can hear, “He’s slipping up. We can learn stuff so…please, can you just…not piss him off tonight?”

…

At my words, Meera stiffens.

“Whatever!” she yells out loudly for everyone to hear. Afterwards, Meera breaks away from under my arm and gives me a catty one-eyed wink. Sticking out her tongue, she breathes in my ear, “Yea, yea. You enjoy your boy’s talk. I’ll just be hanging out with Echo. You know, the girl who doesn’t talk…the one I hate? Making sure no monsters sneak up on us…all alone…in this creepy dark tunnel…it’ll be s-o-o much fun!”

“You’re the best, Meera!” I tell her.

…

“Ugh…you so owe me!” she grumpily replies

“When we get back, you can have anything you want!” My offer causes her head to tilt thoughtfully. “Any product!”

“Does that include the ones in your secret stash?”

“You knew about them?!” I yelp.

“Nope…so you were hiding something!”

“…” Speechless, I can only gulp. Perhaps I underestimated Meera.

“Gotcha.”

“I was wrong. You should be the one doing the spying instead of me.”

“Nah that’s your job. I’ll be waiting for my reward though. Just yell if you need help…like you always do!” Slapping my back, Meera falls back to walk next to Echo. The short assassin pointedly steps away to avoid crossing paths with her. Their hands twitch and I’m certain if they bump into each other blades will be drawn. Watching the two of them struggle not to kill each other in the narrow pipe, I sigh and hurry to catch up with Blink and the Stranger. Honestly…I’m not sure which of us has the worse job.