CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
"Come in. It's not locked."
As Mercury walked in, she suddenly stared at the person sitting at the desk. black hair and deep blue eyes, and also a very fancy suit. Very. Very fancy. It blinged-up his entire face. His face was on par with Nox's, and a crest was on his shoulder. More good-looking people?! They just keep coming! Mercury stared at the dude - she was almost drowning in those seas of blue. Plus, jet-black hair was something only inherited directly by descendants of the royal family - and rightfully so, she didnt think the fangirl's hearts could handle it if there were more people walking around looking like that. ("NO! WE ARE ETERNALLY LOYAL TO NOX!!" the fangirls screeched, and Nox flinched as chills went down his spine. He felt like he was being watched, for some reason.)
Mercury's eyes widened. Jet black hair, the Royal crest, and fancy clothes. Ding ding ding! You just put the prices together, Mer, darling! Then this was - Iodine instantly sank into a bow. "Hello, Your Highness."
"Oh, uhm…." Mercury said, also entering a low bow. The prince grinned like a cat and nodded at them. "You may rise. In fact, Im here as a regular person right now. Perhaps you would help me out?" a normal person? BUT YOU'RE WEARING THE CREST OF THE ROYAL FAMILY! mercury internally screamed, bowing her head. "Yep, sure. what do you need help with?" Mercury asked him, and the prince smirked. "I am looking for… Lady Mercury?" he asked, checking a piece of paper in his hand. Mercury clenched her fist. Why now, of all times..? she didnt need to attract attention! (Ironically) She just wanted to infiltrate the stupid government and get out! why was the crown prince looking for a dirt-poor socialite? Why, oh why?! She knew from the abstract that she was a magnet for trouble, but this was getting ridiculous!
"What do you want with her? it could help with finding out where she is." Nox asked, brain working in full-speed, and the prince looked at the paper again. "Uhm, it says here… Do I need to execute her? I don't know why, but it's direct orders from my father. Must be important, then! Plus, she's putting the guild in danger." the prince read out, flipping the paper over so that they could peer at it. it was an arrest warrant for Mercury - signed by the emperor. Mercury glanced at Nox and Iodine. Directly from the emperor?! What! Ridiculous! Hogwash! This prince was a imposter! She refused to believe that the emperor was taking an ingested in her, even if it was interest in her head..! Perhaps it would be better to come up with a fake name for now. Maybe Rue…? She had always wanted to be named Rue. Yes, it would fit her rather well.
"So, who are you blokes?" the prince asked plainly, leaning back in a pose no elegant prince should ever take. Mercury was tempted to snap a picture.
"Ah, we're the new recruits. This is Nox, Iodine, and my name is Rue." Mercury said, pointing to each of them in turn and then jabbing a thumb at herself and the name "rue". "So…. why are you here? in my room?" the prince asked, uninterested, looking at his fingernails. "I have no idea. But, we can… help you find Mercury." Mercury said, scratching her head. it was getting more complicated by the minute. she should have confessed her identity right then and there, but that would only result in certain deaths. And not just her. Nox and Iodine, too."All alright. I'll take the help, and in return, you get the support of the crown prince to call on whenever you want." the prince said, taking off his royal crest. Mercury watched, dumbfounded. Why…?
then, she saw the reason. The prince flipped the crest to reveal its back - which had the emblem of a certain snakey squiggle. "I am the leader of the guild of Ultron. Welcome, new recruits. here's your first assignment." the prince said, getting up and shuffling into a formal position to offer it to them. There were three copies, so Mercury handed one to Nox and Iodine.
the first assignment was…. To kill Mercury. herself. Of course. You cant have good luck all the time, Mer, Darling! Your time is up! Mercury stared in horror at the paper. Nox's jay also dropped, and Iodine sharply elbowed both of them. "Ahem… why us?" Mercury asked, reigning composure, clearing her throat and holding onto the paper with clammy fingers. "Erm… you're the first people I saw? Are you questioning imperial judgment?" the prince asked playfully, raising an eyebrow at her, and she stuck her tongue out. This piece of…! Threatening without meaning to and while meaning too! The nerve! (She's talking about not meaning too, as in he doesn't know she's Mercury, and meaning too, as in what he just said.) Not the best thing to do to royalty, but oh well. She was immortal, anyway, as a main character."No, Your Highness, I was just curious. I wouldn't dream of it."
"Ha ha ha! I daresay you wouldn't!" the prince agreed, laughing. Mercury folded the paper and put it in her backpack. She'd worry about it later - for now, she needed to get the prince going down another trail. And, maybe, not following her trail at all! A completel standstill! Yes, yes! See what you can do, Mercury! "I think that we'd better be going now, your highness. we have to track this person down. See you next time." Mercury said slowly, turning to open the door. "Hmmm, alright. Report back to me later and tell me what you find. I practically live in this room, so you will no doubt find me here." the prince said dismissively, waving them out. Mercury slammed the door behind her so hard that the doorframe rattled. Temper tantrum mode : on. Meltdown mode : on. Sliding down the door mode : down. "I'M A WANTED CRIMINAL-" Mercury screamed, sliding down the door slowly while clutching her head. an arrest warrant? made by the emperor himself?
"Welp, there's only one way to go against the emperor's order." Nox said solemnly, crossing his arms over his chest. 'Kill the emperor..?" Mercury joked, her fingers around her skull, and Nox nodded. "Exactly."
"Very funny - WAIT, WHAT?" Mercury started and then whipped her head around to stare at Nox. "KILL THE EMPEROR?!" She shrieked, and Nox shook his head. "get off the floor first. You're not killing anything except your own brain cells." Mercury grabbed his hand and he yanked her up. "Alright, but first things first, we need to trash this. We'll be able to avoid the Prince for a week at least, but till then we need an excuse." Nox said, letting go of her hand. He grabbed the assignments and ripped them into shreds. Mercury sniffed, dabbing her nose with her sleeve. Her friends were really going against the crown for her. "Hmm?" Nox asked, and Mercury smiled. "Thanks for being such great friends guys. I know it's random but I mean it." Iodine was leaning against the wall, deep in thought. "Kill the emperor.." she muttered, rubbing her chin. Mercury flinched. "There's no way you're actually considering that! Please, someone else can kill him! Im, sure he has plenty of people lined up and ready, but why us?!?!?!?!?!?! ARGHHHHH." Mercury wailed, grabbing fistfuls of her hair and yanking as hard as she could. "Calm down, Mer. No one's going to arrest you right away, and you can just parade around as Rue instead. Heck, we'll even make a fake ID." Iodine said.
"Oh! a great idea! we're done with what we came here for, which was to get accepted in, so we might as well make a fake ID. right? let's go!" Mercury said, checking her mental checklist. Yup, everything was done. Until something new popped up, at least. "Let's split up. you don't need three people for an ID. we'll be at the Inn over there." Nox pointed to a run-down old Inn, and Mercury nodded. "Bye! I need to run before the shop closes!"
she dashed down the street, stopping occasionally to ask for directions. Luckily, everyone was friendly enough that she wound up at the building in 20 minutes. 'Okay! Let's go-" Mercury said, throwing open the door. the office was strangely warm - for the officials working in it. Beige tones and furs lined the walls and furniture. Cold stares from government officials greeted her, and she gulped, trying to keep her cool. Whatever. If looks could kill, though…. she'd already been clutching her heart on the floor…
"Yeah, so, Im here for an ID." Mercury started, feigning confidence. Fake it till ya make it, right? One of the officials stood up. he looked seedy, and his face was hidden by a hood. "You? it's you, the imposter? come with me." huh? imposter? what did he say? Mercury wasn't an imposter at all. (Insert THE IMPOSTER IS SUS meme.) "What, im not an-" Mercury started, but he was already walking away. 'Oh, uhm-" Mercury started, and then bit on her tongue. She wasn't sure what was happening right now. Imposter? She didnt have a good feeling about this, not at all, but she needed that ID, or it was into prison for her, and she did suppose that the seedy official was better than a seedy dungeon.
"Alright, alright! wait for me!" Mercury said, running after the official. there was a strange sinking feeling in her stomach, but she ignored it and followed him. "First things first. Hello, fellow member of the Ulteron guild. My name is Magnesium, but just call me Mag. Those officials are pretty hard to squeeze by, holy cows." he said, pulling back his hood to reveal a seedy face. seedily good-looking, that is. mercury gaped at his golden-brown eyes and messy, jagged golden-blonde hair. she could just drown in that stare. How?! How do you look so effortlessly good?! "What?" Mag said, and Mercury shook her head. Begone, weird thoughts! She thought, waving a hand over her head, which only made Mags tilt his head at her and smile confusedly."Nothing! nothing at all! But, I need to get my ID and scram. and what's this about an imposter?"
"Oh. That is just a term the government uses for… people who, uhm. Are… wanted criminals… but you're pardoned automatically since you're a part of Ulteron. So, all you're crimes have been erased, but government officials will be careful around you if anyone finds out you're an imposter, which is why I yelled it out to the whole room. I bet they're wondering what Im doing right now." Mag said, snickering. Quite the daredevil. "What are you doing right now? I need my ID! and then you'll never see me again!" Mercury said, baffled. her patience was wearing thin. Not the first time that happened, anyway. "Oh, yes. this way." Mags said, suddenly turning around mid-step to yank open a door. Mercury peered suspiciously down the dark corridor. She couldn't see an inch in the thick murky blackness. "Dramatic, right? You should have seen my reaction. They brought me here when I was six - I carried a candle around with me for months after that." Mags said, chuckling.
"WHAT WAS IN THERE THAT WAS SO SCARY! IM NOT GOING IN THERE! HELL NO!" Mercury said, jumping back. Holy jumps Are! Going down into a random dark room with a speedily-good looking dude?! NO THANKS. MERCURY'S GONNA PASS ON THAT ONE. She grabbed the first thing she could find for support. Never, she was going in there over her dead body. she realized she had accidentally plastered herself to Mag's arm and jumped back again. "S-sorry! but im going in there!" Mercury said, flustered. it was because she was used to clutching Nox's arm, but she never realized it was so instinctual. "It's fine. Let's go." Mag said, unfazed. "NOOOOO! PLEASE, NOT IN THERE!" Mercury wailed, and Mag patted her head. "it's fine, I promise. You have me, after all."
"That's not reassuring. I'd rather have no one." Mercury grumped, stalling by the doorway. Mag finally picked her up hefted her into the weirdly dark corridor and closed the door behind them. "Hold on, there's a candle somewhere. I swear!" Mag said, putting her down and patting around the walls, looking for a candle. "WHY DID YOU DO THAT?!" Mercury screamed, banging on the door. "Do you want the ID or not?' Mag said calmly. That moment, he lighted a candle, illuminating his *BEAUTIFUL* face in a warm glow. "Hmm? Where's the matches?" Mercury asked, tilting her head. She didnt remember seeing Mags pull out any matches. Mag's palms were empty. "Oh! their.. in my pockets." Mag said, and Mercury tried to keep a straight face. chills went up her spine. come on, don't let him see that you're suspicious. she thought.
Mag had no pockets.