Nalin fidgeted and looked back and forth. There was someone in the bushes. He couldn’t see anyone but it was just that prickly feeling that one get when someone is staring at one behind one’s back. It was unsettling and he was beginning to feel a little stressed by it all. The last time this feeling arose, he ended up tied up with Abel in a room with mistletoe above their heads. [1]
“Nalin? Are you alright?” Mr. Mayor asked.
“What? Oh yes,” Nalin replied. He looked around once more but still couldn’t see anyone. As he turned his attention back to Mr. Mayor, he missed the glint of a camera lens, poking out from the bushes.
“You’re working yourself too hard, Nalin,” Mr. Mayor said, watching the shopkeeper scan the surrounding again. Nalin looked frazzled and clearly jumpy about something.
“I’m sorry,” Nalin apologized. “I just want the gardens to look right and I can’t help but think someone is watching me…”
Mr. Mayor smiled. “The gardens look wonderful, Nalin. Here I made a fresh pot of tea. Take a break and have some to calm your nerves.”
“Oh alright,” Nalin agreed. He took the cup of tea from Mr. Mayor. That was nicely of him. Taking a sip of the tea was the last thing he remembered before he blacked out.
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-Several Hours Earlier-
Birthday Cake Hat Girl had a brilliant and wonderful idea that involved tea, cookies, ropes and duct tape. One always needed duct tape.
Over the past three days Nalin had been working in Menewsha Gardens every day. Like clockwork, Mr. Mayor would always bring him a fresh pot of tea and they would take a break before Nalin went back to work. She gave a dreamy sigh as she looked at all the pictures she had taken the last three days of Nalin working.
Birthday Cake Hat Girl shook her head and focused on her plans. Right so all she had to do was to break into Mr. Mayor’s kitchen, mix some sleeping powder into the tea leaves (or maybe just coat the teapot with it?) then sneak outside and wait! It was a lot easier to do then she had though. A pair of wings, an open window and some ninja stealth, it was easy as pie.
She watched as Mr. Mayor offered the now drugged tea to Nalin and crackled silently. Soon they both collapsed over into a drugged sleep. “YES!” she shouted, jumping out of the bushes. BCH pulled out a roll of duct tape and began to tie Nalin up. She looked down at the still form of Mr. Mayor.
“Hmmm. Well I can’t leave him like this…” she muttered to herself. “What to do? AH! I know!”
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Nalin groggily opened his eyes as he felt someone kicking him and calling his name. ‘What happened?’ he wondered. His vision focused on the person kicking him. Silver hair, duel colored eyes and pointy ears. “Abel.”
“Nalin,” the elf greeted in a bored tone. He was tied up with duct tape and leaning against the undoubtedly locked door.
Nalin sighed. “It’s that girl isn’t it?” The same one that pulled off that mistletoe trap.
“The one with the Birthday Cake Hat? Yes.” Chances are pictures were already circling in the underground already.
“You’re taking this well,” Nalin pointed out.
“I figured Mr. Mayor is going get angry enough for the two of us,” Abel said nonchalantly.
Nalin looked to the side to see the still unconscious Mr. Mayor tied up next to him. “WHY IS HE HERE?!” Nalin shouted.
Abel shrugged. “With any luck Yumeh will rescues us again.” It was highly unlikely but better than the alternative.
Nalin gave another frustrated sigh. “This has to stop happening.”
“Agreed.”
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[1] What is Nalin talking about? Read
here
