The story so far: Darklis and Nikole have just secured a gold bar, and are deservedly pleased with themselves. Only four more items to get for a perfect score on their Thieves' Guild entrance exam....

Darklis, way pleased, grins her way down the street, not actually skipping, but, well, way pleased.

It's very dark now, and the streets are emptying out. Here and there a knot of light and noise marks a tavern, but otherwise it's quiet.

As you approach Mindy's, a figure sitting on the stoop stands up. It's Reynard.

Nikole stops!

He bows. "Good evening, ladies."

Darklis scowls and looks around for a stone to bean Reynard with, just in case.

Nikole stays well back and picks up a rock from the street. Just in case.

Argus stands up, too. "Hey."

Nikole says "Whadda *you* want?"

Reynard says, "I have a proposition."

Darklis folds her skinny arms over her skinny chest. "What," she demands suspiciously.

Nikole says "Oh aye?"

Nikole bounces the rock in her hand.

Argus hangs a bit back, eyeing the rocks nervously.

Reynard looks injured. "Please, we mean you no harm. Can't we have a simple discussion with no violence?"

Nikole says "We haven't hit you *yet*."

He coughs. "Well." Twiddles his fingers. "Have you by chance attempted to acquire the holy water yet?"

Nikole says "Why d'you wanna know?"

Darklis scowls. "Maybe. Wh--at she said."

Nikole looks Reynard over carefully for signs that he suffered as much as she did from their last encounter.

In fact, Reynard does look rather the worse for wear. His cloak is torn and muddy, and he's using it to hide the garments beneath. There's also a cut on his cheek.

Nikole is unable to not look smug.

"Because," Reynard says smoothly, "both Argus here and I have made separate attempts on the Church of the Apogee, and met with determined resistance."

Darklis taps a toe impatiently, waiting for an answer. Where's the gold bar? "So?"

Argus puts in, "They dumped us on our heads," bluntly. He's got a lovely black eye.

Nikole says "If we can get in, why d'we need you? And if we can't, why d'you need us?"

"Because we haven't given up. But now it's going to be much tougher; they've added extra guards.

Nikole remembers what she was doing! "We'll talk to you after we're done with Mindy."

"So," Reynard takes a deep breath, "eve- what?"

He blinks. "Oh. By all means." Stepping aside, he pushes Argus with him.

Darklis eyes Reynard suspiciously, and follows Nikole's lead!

Nikole gestures with the hand holding the rock. "Outta the -good. We'll be out in a minute."

Nikole skirts around the Boys and goes into Mindy's.

Mindy is bent over his desk in a pool of light from oil lamps, sorting something.

Darklis clears her throat.

The gnome looks up. "Back so soon?"

Darklis smiles brightly. "You can't get rid of us!"

Nikole stands between Darklis and the door, peering out suspiciously at the Boys.

With a toothless grin, Mindy pulls a soft cloth from a drawer and lays it over the things on the table. "Pfhem. What is it this time? Holy water?"

Darklis snorts, and comes forward to plant the bar of gold on the table.

Nikole gets distracted and holds out her hand to the parrot. "Here, here."

Nikole isn't sure what noises to make to attract a parrot!

Mindy's eyebrows arch. "Perhaps I shouldn't be surprised. Surely you didn't rob the mint?"

Violetta nips at Nikole's fingers.

Nikole jerks her fingers back! "Hey! Bad bird!"

Darklis sniffs. "We got the bar. That's what counts, huh?"

Nikole spares a smile for Mindy. "No, lots cleverer!"

Nikole goes back to watching the Boys.

Tsk-tsk-hem. Mindy is turning the bar over in his hands, examining it. "I see. Did you waylay one of your rivals?"

Nikole says "Hey! We never!"

Darklis sniffs again. "We don't -have- to resort to that."

He grins. "All right, then. You'd like me to keep this safe for you? Do you have another to go with it, by chance? Always a market for gold."

"Just the one," Nikole says over her shoulder.

The Boys, visible out the peephole in the door, are hunched on the stoop whispering to each other.

Nikole cranes her neck to try to overhear them!

Darklis grins. "We'll try to get you another one sometime, maybe."

The bar gets wrapped in the cloth, and tucked away; the revealed tiny gems, scattered across the table, throw rainbows into Darklis' face and spangle more across the room.

Alas, they're too quiet to overhear.

Darklis oohs. "Those are pretty."

Nikole gets distracted again. "Ooh! What're those?"

Mindy picks up his magnifying glass again. "Mm? Oh, these. Phoenix teeth, these are, and admirable specimens too. If you run across any, let me know...pfm-hm-hem..." He becomes lost in contemplation.

Nikole stares admiringly at the gems for a bit more, then turns toward the doorway.

Darklis blinks. "Phoenix teeth? Wow." She peers at the gilttering stones a moment, then turns to follow Nikole. "Wonder what the boys want..."

Nikole says "Us ta do all the work."

Darklis snorts. "Probably."

As you open the door, they spring off the step, startled. "Um!"

Nikole steps back out onto the porch. "You gotta plan, I reckon?"

"Yes, actually." Reynard folds his arms. "As you no doubt know, holy water is blessed by the priests two hours before services, and then left in the bowls by the altar to imbibe the divine presence."

Nikole says "Aye?"

"Sure," Darklis says defensively. Everybody knows that. Right? Hrmph.

"Aye, I mean, yes. During this time, it's guarded by the acolytes, who are only our age and half asleep anyway. But, after this morning, there will be adult guards there too."

Nikole says "After this mornin' we don't care."

He blinks. "What?"

Nikole says "Oh you mean last mornin'."

Darklis blinks. "Is it after midnight?"

Nikole shakes her head. "Anyhow, if it's just kids, howcome you got beat up?"

Reynard sets his teeth. "It wasn't just the kids this morning either, I'm afraid. There were...complications."

Darklis regards Reynard, nonplussed. "What do you want from /us/?"

Nikole laughs. "I reckon so!"

"What he means," says Argus helpfully, "is he made so much damn noise the priests came out, and they were still there when I tried."

Nikole laughs harder!

Abruptly, Argus yells, "Ow!"

Reynard removes his foot. "As I was saying. The guards recognize us, now. But they won't know you. We have the means to get the water, but we need someone to distract them."

Darklis says "I thought you didn't want to work with girls."

Nikole, with somewhat more beer than sense, says, "*We* can get the water. And they don't know us!"

Argus snickers. "Told you they wouldn't go for it."

Darklis sniffs. "Well. What do *we* get out of it?"

"In that case," the redhead continues with an edge in his voice, "all four of us can show up at the temple and fight over the water, attracting everyone in the area and doubtless failing. Isn't it better to work together?"

From out of his grubby tunic, Argus produces several small bottles. "Lots of water. One for each of us, and with luck more to sell."

Nikole hates it when boys make sense.

Nikole looks over at Darklis.

Reynard puts on his best sincere and helpful expression.

Darklis looks sideways at Nikole, then jerks her thumb and indicates Nikole should come over where they can mutter out of the boys hearing.

Reynard looks about to protest, but Argus yanks him back.

Nikole backs away from the boys, around the corner of the building.

Darklis whispers, "They have a *point*."

Nikole whispers, "I know! But they'll stab us in the back if they can."

Darklis nods. "But we've got three items already. Should we try for the holy water or go for the wizard and the carp?"

Nikole says "We want all of 'em!"

Nikole says "I reckon if we wait and do the water later, those lummocks'll have woke up the whole temple and we'll never get in."

Darklis wrinkles up her face. "That's true. Well. Should we trust 'em as far as we can throw 'em, and go for it?"

Nikole nods. "Aye. We just gotta make sure we don't leave 'em alone with the water."

Darklis nods firmly. "Okay!

Nikole leads the way back to the Boys. "Aye, we're in."

They both beam. "Wonderful!" enthuses Reynard. "I've seen you do distractions. You'll be perfect."

Nikole's face clouds.

Darklis nods firmly, and then her eyebrows fling up. Uhoh.

Nikole says "I'm keepin' my shirt *on*!"

Argus sniggers.

"Uh," Reynard adds quickly, "That's not what I meant."

Nikole says "Good!"

Darklis snorts. "So what's the plan."

Nikole glares suspiciously all the same.

He starts walking. "Shouldn't we be on our way?"

Nikole says "What's yer plan?"

Argus follows. "Hole in the ceiling."

Nikole hurries to catch up. "How d'we get to the roof?"

Darklis sighs. "Not the same way he got into Frond's, I hope!"

It's Reynard's turn to snicker.

Nikole says "Wasn't the roof he was gettin' on top of there!"

"We've got a route to the roof," the redhead assures offhandedly. "While you're distracting the priests in front, we'll lower a rope and climb down far enough to scoop up the water."

Nikole shakes her head! "One of us hasta go with you!"

Darklis grins at Nikole, following along. "Uh, so how do we know you won't run off with the holy water? One of -- "

"Oh, no," protests Reynard, at the same time as Argus says, "Nope."

Darklis stops dead. "No deal, then."

Nikole says "We aren't lettin' you alone with the water."

"It's too _high_ for you," says Argus wearily. "You'll fall and mess everything up."

Darklis smiles. "You can boost me up."

Nikole says "Hah! I've climbed mountains higher'n this city's wide!"

"Hmph." Reynard thinks. "All right. If you think one of you can distract them alone....and you can keep up..."

Nikole says "One'a you should help out front."

"Actually," Argus puts in, "We can use a third person to take care of the kids."

Darklis says "...the kids?"

Nikole says "What're you gonna do to 'em?"

Reynard gives Nikole a Look. "They _know_ us, I told you already. If one of us goes in with you, the game'll be up."

"Whatever it takes," says Argus laconically. Reynard steps on his foot again.

Nikole says "If they see your ugly snout, won't they come runnin' to keep you away?"

He adds hastily, "Not-ow! hurt em, ocourse."

Argus looks somewhat boggled by this.

Reynard tsks in a superior sort of way. "One of them would. And the others would all run for the bowls and get the water away. They're not stupid.

Nikole says "Wouldn't take much to keep *you* out!"

"What's that supposed to mean?" he snaps.

Nikole smirks at Reynard. "What're these guards like?"

Darklis, dubiously, says, "I'm not so sure this is a good plan. Was it *your* idea?" to Reynard.

He stops. "What's wrong with it? It's a _fine_ plan. We spent an hour cutting the hole in the roof."

"If you've got a better one talk fast," adds Argus. "Not much time."

Nikole says "Did they see it?"

He gives Nikole another Look. "If they had, would we be here?

Nikole says "Aye! If they had, you wouldn'ta got the water."

Nikole says "Anyhow, what're these guards like?"

Reynard wrinkles his nose. "Is she drunk?" he demands of Darklis.

Darklis says "Um. A little. But not much."

Darklis says "Lookit, how are we supposed to distract 'em? I think you an' Nikole oughta have another fight in front of everybody."

Argus starts walking again, pointedly. "Big," he calls back. "Big bald priests."

Nikole says indignantly, "I am not!" Her breath disagrees.

Nikole says "Aye! I'll whup Red here in the front hall!"

Nikole looks unreasonably enthused by the prospect.

Darklis grins. "Yeah! Argus' and I'll sneak in."

Reynard throws up his hands. Argus sighs. "Look," he says, clearly using Very Small Words. "Red here was seen by every single one of them. If ye beat him up in the front hall, they'll know we've got a scam going."

Nikole says "I'll say he was tryin' to rob the temple!"

Reynard says, "That's the stupidest-"

Argus cuts him off. "Maybe. Can ye look like a churchgoer?" He eyes Nikole dubiously.

Darklis grins delightedly. "Sure she can!"

Nikole tries to remember what the girls in the church dressed like. "I'll need the clothes, I reckon."

Argus chews on his lip. "No time for that. We've got to get into position. Any other ideas?"

Reynard glares at him. "I don't _believe_ this. We had a plan; why are you listening to them?"

Darklis says "Snitch a nice cloak, maybe? Cover you up properly."

"Right!" He points at Reynard. "Give her your cloak."

"What?"

Darklis nods. "There! See? It'll all work out."

Nikole looks dubious, muttering something about 'cooties' under her breath.

"Your cloak, Red. 'Less you're afraid of showing your pretty knees."

Nikole guesses she's for anything that Red's against, so she holds out her hand. "Hand it over."

Muttering under his breath, Reynard unclasps his cloak and throws it at Nikole. The outfit underneath is a ruin: soaked in mud, torn in a dozen places, crusted with blood.

Nikole snatches the cloak out of the air (barely). "Hey! They did you up proper!"

Nikole swooshes the cloak around herself, muffling her from neck to ankles. "But you're goin' in the back, so no one'll see you."

Nikole makes sure her hair is all tucked up under her hat.

Darklis grins, clapping her hands together. "Great. Argus, why don't you give me one of those vials just so we'll be sure?"

Nikole says "Half 'n half."

"What do you mean I'm going in the back? I thought we were having a fight in the hall?" Now Reynard looks thoroughly baffled and annoyed.

Nikole looks embarrassed. She *did* have a lot to drink.

Nikole covers quickly. "Well, you haveta sneak in, so it looks like you're really tryin' ta rob the place."

"When we get there." Argus turns on his heel and strides up Lavender Street.

Muttering, Reynard stalks after. "You better not screw up..."

Nikole says "Then I'll spot you, and then there'll be a fight so everyone'll expect you to look whupped."

Darklis chases after Argus, letting Nikole and Red argue it out among themselves. They should be in fine fighting form by the time they get to the temple.

Nikole tries to brush or beat some of the mud from the cloak as she goes.

The church looms up ahead, in the darkness. Argus ducks into a side alley, and beckons you in.

Darklis follows after readily enough, though a bit suspicious. She got attacked once today already.

Nikole steps into the alley. "Where's a good place for Red to sneak in and look like a thief?"

This alley contains nothing but a rope, hanging down the wall. Argus shrugs. "Front door?"

"Dumb thief," Darklis says happily, and takes a poke at the rope. Hm. Let's see if she can climb it.

Walking has simmered down Reynard's anger a bit, but you can still see it in his eyes. "The back door's more thieflike, but it's also close to the bowls."

Nikole says "Is there a back room you can't see the bowl from?"

"Maybe," Reynard says dubiously. "Never been through the back door. Why?"

Nikole says "If you're actin' like a thief, I reckon it's kinda odd for you to walk in through the front door."

Argus checks the bottles, and starts clinging the rope deftly. He clinks a bit.

He sighs. "Okay. How about a window?"

Nikole looks up at the wall of the building.

Darklis waits for Argus to reach the top, and follows after. She's got burglary. She should be able to do this!

Nikole points. "How about that one? Gimme a minute to go in and stand near it, and then you come in an' I start screamin'?"

Another martyred sigh. "Why would you be standing near a window? Wouldn't you be praying?"

Nikole says "I'll be at that end of the bench!"

Darklis gets maybe two feet up the rope, and slips, falling right on her butt. She lets out a grunt of dismay, and stands up, rubbing her behind. Try again!

Nikole says "Not right under it, but near so I spot you first."

Darklis falls *again*. But gets a little further up the second time, so it's thwump! harder. Ow.

"Fine." Reynard stalks off to stand by the window, pausing to snicker at Darklis.

Nikole hisses, "Darklis! Stop playin' around!"

Darklis stares grumpily at Nikole, and tries it one more time. This time she gets several feet up, slips, skins her hands, and hisses with pain as she determindly makes her way up. At the top she shakes her hands violently, fighting back tears. Ow ow ow.

Nikole hurries around front and slips inside, opening the door no wider than necessary and generally being stealthy, or at least self-effacing.

The temple is brightly lit by torches, still, but mostly deserted. Two priests are sitting in the pews, one facing the door, one facing the altar.

Slumped against the altar and clearly fighting sleep are a boy and a girl, about your age.

Nikole slips in, head meekly bowed, and hurries to sit at the end of the pew nearest the window. Was it the third or fourth window? Fourth. Definitely fourth.

The priest facing the door turns to watch Nikole, suspiciously. He is in fact large and bald. And muscular.

Nikole tries to look ladylike and demure. And well-wrapped. And sober. With varying levels of success.

Darklis whispers to Argus, "So where's your hole?"

Argus is perched up on the top of the roof, which rises at a steep angle from the edge Darklis is standing on. He waves a finger at her, beckoning.

Darklis creeps up the roof carefully, wincing every time weight lands on her hands. She's quiet about it, though, biting her lower lip.

Inside, Nikole is sitting with her head bowed, looking devout or at least sleepy. Hope Red doesn't leave her sitting down too long.

There's a very faint tap from the third window, and then a soft creak.

Argus whispers to Darklis, "What took you so long?"

Darklis turns her hands up, displaying the rope burn.

He winces. "You're not climbing down, then. Told you."

Darklis has to admit the odds of success are pretty low, with her hands torn up that way. "You'll have to go alone," she says doomedly.

Below, Reynard slowly creaks the window open, then stops as he catches sight of the priest. Frantically, he makes a face at Nikole.

Nikole casts an eye over at the priest. Has he noticed?

The priest hasn't noticed the window yet, but he looks depressingly alert. His partner, facing the altar, has his gaze firmly fixed on the bowls.

Argus sighs. "You can hand me down the bottles, I guess." He pulls them out of his tunic one by one, setting them on the roof. "Don't clink 'em."

Nikole peers about surreptitiously. If Red comes through the window and she "catches" him, will they be between the priest and the door?

Darklis nods. "Be careful," she whispers.

No, the window's off to one side. You'd have to take the fight a ways into the room.

Nikole beckons to Red.

With excruciating care, Argus edges a section of roof tile off to one side. The space beneath it looks directly down on the altar, the basins, and the heads of the acolytes.

Reynard rolls his eyes, but creaks the window open a little more and starts to climb in.

Nikole waves her fingers in the direction of the best location for the fight.

Darklis adds, "Don't go until you hear them fighting!"

Reynard shrugs with an air of one doomed, and rolls nimbly from the wall to in front of the door. The priest yells, "Hai!"

Nikole jumps and looks around! "Yeek! A thief!" She piously tackles Reynard!

Argus eyes Darklis. "I _know_. So what do we do about the kids?"

The priest is way ahead of Nikole, springing over the pews. He tackles Reynard with enthusiasm. "Ough!"

Darklis chews her lower lip. "Hope they watch the fight?"

Argus looks dubious. "They're s'posed to watch the basins. Maybe we should knock 'em out. Can you sling rocks?"

Nikole hurries to the aid of the priest, at least! "Yeek!" Her foot catches on the hem of the cloak and she tumbles into him!

Darklis nods! "Yeah!"

Darklis digs out the sling she's got tucked into her waistband, and eyes the edge of the roof for rocks.

"Ack!" The priest stumbles a bit, but keeps hold of Reynard's shoulder. "Stay back, woman, he's dangerous."

Reynard doesn't look very dangerous. He closes his eyes with a piteous wail.

Nikole picks herself up off the ground. Oh dear, how did her foot get all tangled between the priest's knees?

There are a fair number of rocks on the roof, happily. Argus nods. "Good. When the fighting starts-" He breaks off to listen.

Darklis collects rocks, then, as rapidly as she can. "Sounds like it might've started. Look, can you ... lower me down so I can whack them with the rocks?"

The priest stumbles, and drops to one knee on top of Reynard, who screams. "Get away, woman!"

The other priest (who is not visible from the hole, by the way) turns around slightly, to watch the fight. The acolytes also wake up a bit, stretching.

Nikole backs off a bit, looking all flustered and clutching her cloak closed again. "Are you gonna kill him?"

"Not likely," says Argus. "Lean down into the hole, I'll hold you in place?"

Nikole gauges the distance to the door. If she can get Reynard free, can they make it?

Possibly. You're not very far at all from the door, but it's closed.

"Maybe," growls the priest. He shakes Reynard, who is dangling limply. "Didn't learn anything the first time, did you?"

Nikole shrieks! "HE KILLED HIM!"

"Shh!" say both priests, agitatedly. The boy at the altar looks over interestedly. "Coo!"

Nikole shrieks more! "He's DEAD!"

Darklis holds her breath. "Okay." She leans, adjusting her sling to swing and bean a kid.

The priest glares at Nikole. "Be _quiet_, woman. Go sit down and pray for his soul." He bends down to look at Reynard's face.

Nikole says "You can't just kill people! I'm goin' to fetch the watch!"

Nikole makes for the door, hoping the priest will drop Reynard.

Leaning down, Darklis can see the whole front half of the church. Two basins, one altar. One priest alarmingly near you, though he's looking the other way at the moment. A small boy, watching the fight. Lina the scullery maid, watching the basins dutifully.

The priest by the door ignores Nikole, putting a hand to Reynard's neck to feel for a pulse. He is a bit suprised when Reynard grabs him by the throat. "Nikole, help!"

Nikole turns around, grabs the priest (who is already leaning over Reynard) by the collar, and pulls!

Darklis holds her breath, and swings her sling, and whooshes a stone at the boy's head!

Nikole falls on her rear as the priest topples, but keeps her grip on his collar!

A stone falls from the heavens and whacks the boy acolyte on the head! He yells in pain and staggers. The second priest turns around. "What's wrong?"

Between Nikole grabbing his collar on one side and Reynard squeezing on the other, the first priest is starting to look a bit purple. He gives a strangled yelp.

Nikole twists the priest's collar in an attempt to help with the strangulation! "Reynard, get his hands!" Hey, if he can yell out her name, she can yell his!

Damn! Darklis fumbles for another stone to whack the boy again! Or better yet, the priest, if he's close enough. Is he?

"Something hit me!" howls the boy.

The priest is _just_ close enough if you lean far out. Fortunately, he's moving closer to peer at the boy.

Reynard hangs onto the throat, grimly. "Whack him in the head!"

Darklis holds her breath *again* and wings another stone at the priest's head.

The first priest, thrashing, manages to kick Nikole in the knee.

Nikole tries to bang the priest's head- "Ow!"

The second priest is felled by anger from the heavens! Or so it looks to the boy, who starts to scream. Lina looks around nervously.

Darklis very very quietly hisses, "Yes!" and scrabbles for another stone to shut the damned boy up.

Nikole says "Ow he broke my knee!"

Nikole makes *all* *kinds* of commotion! And continues trying to bang the priest's head on the floor!

Darklis misses the boy by a hair! Damn! And misses *again*! "I need more stones!" she hisses up at Argus.

Reynard, who is still trying to strangle the priest, does not appreciate this. "Shut up! And stop that!"

The priest gargles, and kicks at Reynard, who lets go to dodge.

Darklis, thoughtfully, if rapidly, says, "Or just go get it. There's just a couple kids, you can handle them, right?"

Argus whispers "No time!" and hauls Darklis back up.

He grabs the rope away from Darklis. "Right."

Darklis nods, getting out of the way!

Nikole tries to hamper the priest's attempt to clobber Reynard! Although she's not sure why.

Because the priest, no longer being strangled, is trying to drive an elbow into Nikole's ribs, that's why.

Nikole squirms out of the way, sliding backwards along the floor!

Argus lowers himself a bit on the rope. "Feed it out slowly," he whispers to Darklis.

Darklis wraps her hands in her too-long sleeves and nods at Argus, taking hold of the rope.

Foiled, the priest next tries a kick which catches Reynard square in the chest. He falls over with a sickening thump.

Slowly, Argus descends into the room. Lina screams and points. "There!"

Nikole tries to get disentangled from the cloak so she can toss it over the priest!

The boy acolyte, who has been fidgeting in anxious terror, springs up. "Got ya!" He grabs Argus' ankle.

Darklis yells, "Kick him!" and then squeaks and shuts up, up there on the temple roof.

Argus kicks helplessly, and reaches up a hand to Darklis. "Bottle!"

Darklis hands down a bottle!

The priest turns on Nikole. "You're one of them."

Nikole throws her cloak over the priest's head!

Argus, still trying to shake off the boy's grasp, leans over to scoop some water into the bottle. Lina quickly pushes his hand out of the way.

Darklis wails, "What's going *on* down there!" But quietly.

"Agck!" Argus drops the bottle, which breaks. "Hit them!" he hisses up.

Darklis arghs and scrabbles for a rock, and flings it down at Lina's head.

Darklis leans forward and hisses, "Hey!" at the girl. "Hey! It's me, Dara!"

The stone goes splash into a basin, sploshing water all over. "You spilled it!" wails Lina.

"Oif!" Reynard's cloak fits nicely over the priest's head. He attempts to claw it off.

Nikole tries to wrap the ends around his neck to keep it from coming off!

Lina's eyes go wide, and she stares up at Darklis, ignoring the kicking fight that Argus and her fellow acolyte are engaged in. "You!"

Blindly, the priest tries to stomp on Nikole's feet.

"Sit on your pal there, won't you?" Darklis asks desperately. "Accidental-like? For me?" Hopeful blink.

Nikole jerks her feet out of the way!

Nikole holds up her closed hand. "Reynard, I got it! Let's go!"

The priest takes a moment to pull the cloak off his head. Reynard groans, and stirs. "..wha?"

Nikole grabs Reynard and heads for the door! Oof! Boys eat too much!

Lina's eyes are saucer-sized. "Oh, _no_." She tries to tug the basin off to one side, but it's too heavy for her to move.

Argus finally manages to kick the boy in the head. He screams and drops to one knee, holding his eye.

"Bottle!" whispers Argus.

Darklis hands a bottle down!

Darklis adds, "Aww, c'mon, Lina! What're friends for, huh?" She's just hoping to distract the girl.

Reynard is dragged along, stumbling. The priest finally gets the cloak off his head, flings it aside, and dives after Nikole.

Nikole runs fast!

Argus hastily scoops water into the bottle and hands it back up. "Another!"

Running fast and staying with Reynard are incompatible. Which does Nikole choose?

Nikole shoves Reynard out ahead of her! Thus slowing herself down...

Lina wrings her hands and darts over to try and grab Argus. He slaps her away.

Darklis trades bottles, tucking one into her rope belt!

Reynard lurches into a stumbling run. The priest ignores him and tackles Nikole's legs.

Nikole goes down splat, barely keeping herself from hitting the floor chest-first *again*!

Reynard keeps running. The priest holds Nikole down with one hand, and takes a moment to catch his breath.

Nikole kicks at the priest's face!

Argus fills a second bottle, and passes it up. "Go away or she'll brain you," he hisses at Lina. "Bottle!"

Darklis sends a third bottle down, and grabs a rock to wave threatningly at Lina!

Lina backs away, frightened. "Please, miss," she calls up. "Don't take the water, they'll beat us something terrible..."

Oh, that's harsh. Darklis kind of deflates. "Run?" she suggests.

The priest evades Nikole's kick easily. "What did you take?"

Third bottle filled. Argus reaches up for another. "Keep her talking!"

Nikole makes a throwing motion toward the door!

Darklis trades another bottle down. "Running's what *I'd* do," she says decisively.

Lina sniffles. "Mistress'll turn me out for sure, then where'll I go?"

Unsure whether to buy this or not, the priest looks from Nikole to the door, makes up his mind, and bolts for the church.

Darklis, frantically, says, "Ask Kempe at the Mint Mark -- uh, the Wronged Man -- for a job. Tell him you're escaping that horrible Aspatia and he'll take you on, I bet."

Argus hands the fourth bottle up. "Lift me!"

Nikole runs and finds someplace to hide!

Lina snivels dubiously, looking wretched, until Argus blocks your view of her.

Darklis hauls Argus up with all her strength!

Nikole wants to stay close enough to provide a distraction for Darklis if she needs it.

The priest runs up the aisle. Lina points helpfully. "There!"

The closest obvious hiding place is the side alley you stopped in to plot.

Nikole hides there, then, since Darklis will be coming back down there, probably.

The priest jumps up, grabbing at Argus's feet, but is just a second too late.

Darklis hisses, "Kempe!" one more time, down the hole, and then once Argus is up scrambles (carefully!) for the alley. Don't want to break those bottles!

Argus gasps and scrabbles the roof tile back into place, cutting off the sound of the priest starting to swear at Lina.

Reynard is in the alley, hunched over and groaning.

Nikole hisses, "You all right?"

Darklis climbs down the rope carefully, hands still wrapped up in her long sleeves. "Gor, what happened to you? Does this alley lead out the other end? We need to get this to Mindy!"

"Ugh. No." He eyes Nikole sourly. "I see you didn't get hit."

Nikole peers down the alley. "He grabbed me but I fooled him into lettin' go."

Nikole looks notably smug.

Nikole says "He got your cloak, though."

Nikole says "Darklis! How much did you get?"

Argus' feet appear, scrabbling downard.

Darklis, urgently, says, "We should get *out* of here." She beckons to Argus. "C'mon! Hey, does holy water cure wounds?"

Argus drops to the ground. "Nope." He holds out a hand. "Divvy up and run."

Darklis hands two bottles over, readily enough. "Good job," she says, without the slightest amount of grudge. "I hope you're okay, Red." She really does.

Nikole beams at the extra loot!

Nikole looks to make sure Argus is happy with the division, and if so, takes off down the alley with Darklis!

Argus nods, eyes Red for a second, and then takes off running out the other end of the alley.

Nikole and Darklis run right back to Mindy's!

Running footsteps are approaching from the church.

Darklis begins to run, then stops. "Wait," she whispers. "He's leaving Reynard alone."

Nikole turns around and looks.

Darklis protests, "We can't *leave* him."

Reynard is crawling slowly after you, being very quiet. The priest is peering into the alley, suspiciously.

Nikole grimaces, but can't argue.

Nikole picks up a stone and pulls out her sling.

Darklis makes sure the water's tucked safely into her belt, then skulks back towards Reynard. "I hope you don't weigh too much," she mutters, and offers him a shoulder. Ooh! Go Nikole!

The priest spots Reynard and Darklis, and charges.

The redhead grabs at Darklis for support, teeth clenched.

They *moved*! He would have gone away if they had held still! Too late now. Nikole winds up (whirr whirr) and lets fly at the priest's belly!

The stone goes whizzing over the priest's head. He stops to look around, warily.

Nikole hasn't been spotted? Time to bluff! "Hold it right there, or he won't miss with the next one! Don't turn around!"

He freezes, squinting into the darkness of the alley.

Darklis ducks a bit, instinctively, as the stone goes zooming, and groans very quietly as it misses. "Hold up," she hisses at Reynard, and scrambles for her own sling and a stone. Don't fall down, Rey, while she winds up for an attempt herself. Aiming at his head, though. The priest's.

Nikole grabs Reynard's arm with her off hand and drags him further into the alley!

Reynard slumps onto Nikole, in turn, and staggers along.

Nikole hisses, "Watch your hands!" but doesn't drop him.

The priest steps cautiously into the alley, just in time to meet the stone smack in the forehead. He drops.

Darklis rolls her eyes, sends up a quick apologetic prayer to whatever gods are listening, and chases after Reynard and Nikole, to support Reynard from the other side. "Mindy's!" she whispers urgently.

Nikole stifles a squeak! "I hope you didn't kill him!"

Reynard mumbles and nods. "Thanks," he says after a moment.

Nikole hasn't gotten far, being unable to carry Reynard.

Darklis and Nikole stagger back to Mindy's, dragging Reynard!

Nikole says "That bastard! I thought Argus was the good one!"

At Mindy's, you find a gnome, a parrot, and one bottle of holy water sitting on the desk. "Ah," he eyes you. "This was left for young Red, in case he made it."

Nikole says "Here he is, mostly."

Nikole lowers Reynard into a chair.

Darklis shrugs a bit. "He figured his chances were better alone." She helps lower Reynard. "And he left him some holy water, so that's good."

Reynard closes his eyes. "Ogh. Thanks."

Nikole says "I reckon boys just naturally run out on people."

"You know," he says slowly between gasps, "we were gonna leave you. Thanks."

Nikole saved Reynard, but that doesn't mean she has to like him.

Darklis looks at her ropeburned hands, and sighs. "Yeah, so. We're better than you are."

Mindy whistles tunelessly and wanders off to the back to make some tea. "Be off, young ladies, I'll look after him."

Nikole gets a good look at Darklis's hands finally, and winces. "Ow! That looks terrible!"

Nikole says "Should we sell the second bottle, Darklis?"

"It hurts," Darklis admits, and looks up at Mindy. "Do you have anything to make rope burns hurt less?"

Mindy provides bandages, advice on the usefulness of gloves when climbing ropes, and a cot for Reynard to rest on for a bit.

Darklis smiles gratefully. "Thanks, Mindy."

Nikole bargains fiercely on the second bottle of holy water, since it would look bad for Darklis to drive a hard bargain.

Darklis is going to kind of hover worriedly over Rey while Nikole bargains.

Mindy buys the second bottle for forty coppers, "and that's only because I like you, hmem."

Reynard looks absolutely terrible. He falls asleep as soon as his head hits the cot.

Darklis snorts. "It's real holy water, at least. He'll be okay, huh?" Worry worry.

Nikole is not going to show concern for Reynard. No, no. Um. "He got kicked pretty hard, but if he's not coughing up blood, he'll be okay."

Nikole beams at Mindy just as though she had gotten the better of him. Best to stay on the right side of the fence.

Mindy tsks. "He's young, he'll live. Mind you don't fight with priests, young ladies; they're trained."

Darklis sighs worriedly and nods and rubs her nose a couple times and says, "Well, I guess we better go, then." Off into the wild blue yonder again! "We'll remember," she says sheepishly.

Nikole rubs her leg where she got tackled. "I sure won't!"

Continued next week...