Red-Handed

Jackal was kneeling right outside Mercy’s door, picking away at the lock. She thought idly that it seemed like Worldling had been gone for a long time– and the flash of worry she felt melted away into a sense of somewhat relief. There was only so much enthusiasm she could take at a time; and was Worldling ever enthusiastic.

Just as the door opened with a small click, Worldling turned down the hall, jogging a bit to catch up.

“Hey! How’d it go?” she asked. Her voice was more hushed than usual, but it still might not have been as quiet as Jackal would have liked.

“Just got in,” Jackal answered.

“Great! Well, hopefully Mercy and Oleander will be a while,” Worldling said. “Let me tell you– he was not happy to see me. Not after the debacle I caused twenty years ago– it’s a fun story! I’ll tell all after we’re done here.”

“Great,” Jackal said. She was a little bit curious, sure, but Worldling told so many stories. Seemed to her that he just liked to hear himself speak.

“Um, excuse me?”

Jackal and Worldling turned their heads. Jackal immediately went on the defensive, glowering at whoever was catching them in the act of breaking and entering; but Worldling took on a more casual stance, turning to look at the individual joining them.

The individual in question had long hair, pulled back and done up in a braid. Maybe the more notable thing about their appearance, though, was the blindfold they wore with a golden eye in the middle.

“What? Jackal, this isn’t the bathroom!” Worldling exclaimed.

Jackal stood up. “What?”

“This is Mercy’s office,” the stranger stated. “The bathrooms are down that way.” They pointed down the hall, calling the pair’s bluff.

“Oh! Thanks,” Worldling said. “Well, we’d better… get to it.”

“What? Fuck that,” Jackal scoffed. “Look, you caught us. Who are you?”

“Oh- it’s, uh…?” They let out a nervous laugh. “We’ve- we’ve actually met before. I’m Harmony. I helped a bit when the envies first arrived.”

“Oh, oh, sure,” Jackal nodded, the name not ringing any bells. She met a lot of people at the time, and it wasn’t as though Harmony had actually kept in touch. “And you’re here because…?”

“A file went missing from the archives last night,” Harmony answered. “I was here late, so the higher-ups assume it was me. But I might have a fun little nugget of information that indicates it wasn’t.”

“Ooh, I love a good scandal,” Worldling input. “Oh, where are my manners?” She held out her hand. “I’m Worldling, adventurer, great to meet you.”

Harmony took the offered hand. “I do not have an introduction locked and loaded like that, but, uh, I’m Harmony, I’m an archivist, and Jackal is actually exactly the person I’ve been thinking about lately.”

“What a coincidence!” Worldling exclaimed. “Why’s that?”

Harmony eyed Worldling up and down. “...You probably know about the feather if you’re here now, right?”

“Yeah, Jackal and I found it the other night,” Worldling replied. “Wow, word travels fast around here.”

“It actually doesn’t! I just so happened to be here late, and I ran into Mercy who was holding it,” they said. “They asked me to keep it a secret. And I have. But, so, a file went missing from the archives, right? I’m betting they took it.”

“What does the file say?” Jackal asked.

“Not sure! I’d love to find out, though.”

“Well, let’s get searching!” Worldling pushed the door open, revealing the room in complete disarray.

“We are so lucky Mercy does not work in the archive room,” Harmony remarked.

--

Harmony stayed behind while Worldling and Jackal climbed out the window. They stared into the open file, eyebrows furrowed. They couldn’t quite place the feeling they had– but it was similar to the one they’d had when the envy buns had first arrived. A deep-rooted, personal concern; they always had very personal feelings about the treatment of young and baby buns.

“Harmony, can I help you?” Mercy asked, opening the door.

Harmony closed the folder. “...No. Oh! Um, yes, actually. Can you let my superiors know that I did not in fact steal this file?”

“You were rifling through my desk?”

Technically, no. That was Worldling. “Not so much– the drawer was just a tiny bit open, and I caught sight of the folder.”

“I see.” Mercy strode over. “I’m sure I don’t need to tell you that you will have to be reprimanded for this.” They took the folder from Harmony, and opened it. “Where’s- where’s the feather?”

“What do you mean?” Harmony asked. “The one Jackal brought in?”

“No! The one- did you take the feather enclosed in this file?” They glowered at Harmony. “I know you have a particular interest in this case.”

“I didn’t take anything!” Harmony exclaimed. “I’m only here to prove that I did not take something. That’s it.”

Mercy couldn’t quite place their finger on what about this interaction with Harmony was strange. They couldn’t shake the feeling that they were being lied to.

“And I have done that,” Harmony continued. “So, now I will leave. Do you want me to take that back with me, or…?”

“Of course not,” Mercy snapped. The damn archivists would share a simultaneous aneurysm if they knew a whole artefact was missing– oh, oh. That was what was wrong.

“Alright, then, bye!”

Harmony was out the door before Mercy could follow up.