Erybelle: Go back to Maple.
From Create Your Own Story
Your heart is just beginning to calm down when you decide to head back. There's apprehension in the air today that you can't stand and it's making you hear and see strange things. You're sure Maple felt it too earlier, so there's no way she can blame you. Skittering back with your tail between your legs, you soon break out into a run. Every corner there are monsters lurking and Maple is your light. You know for a fact that monsters hate light. They hate anything that's happy and unafraid.
Your own footsteps echo and bounce off the walls, making them seem everywhere, but you know that can't be true. You're fine, you're going to be okay, Maple's fine, Maple's going to be okay.
You round the corner and peer into the distance. There she is, content, unharmed, and organizing bushels of herbs and plants as she brews water for tea. You feel yourself let out a breath you didn't know you were holding. You dash over to her, not wanting to be alone all of a sudden, and sit down next to her, panting.
"What, back so soon?" she laughs as she carefully selects leaves to add to the boiling water.
"No, well, yes, but..." Sheepishly you show her the empty basket and she gives you a look. "You've got to listen to me. Something weird is happening! Don't you feel it? It's different today than usual but I can't put my-"
"It's probably just your overactive imagination, Erybelle." She tells you firmly, but somehow you know she doesn't believe it either. There's something that she isn't telling you.
"...Did something happen while I was gone?" You test the waters and twiddle your thumbs casually. Her face clouds over and her eyes turn a shade darker.
"It was the new Priest in town. He marched over to me with his bible and slammed it onto the table like it meant something. I'm glad you weren't here to hear all the disgusting things he called me. But I mean we've had people try to shut us down before. Nothing we can't handle, right?" Her words tremble with anger, but that's not quite it... you detect fear as well. It's true that your business always did have an air of mystery around it and the folks in this town hated things of the unknown. There were numerous occasions where they'd steal your ink or your table or just plain tell you to leave. The Head Mistress always stopped them for you though, since without you two the bills would be too much for her to pay. You two allowed her freedom and a limited amount of luxury she wasn't ready to give up just yet.
What should you say to Maple now?
