Monique moved through the city streets expertly. She knew the layout like the back of her hand. This was her jungle and beware anyone who thought they might stake a claim to a slice of her territory without permission. It was evening when she arrived at her destination. Her contacts had been looking for Reed. She was beginning to worry that he may have left. The boy didn't need to use a horse or a carriage given his skills, but as luck would have it, he was still in town. The one place she figured he wouldn't be.

 

Monique gazed upon the town's only orphanage.

 

She would have wound up in this very place if her eyes had not changed to steel grey. Her parents sold her off and she went to work for her master in service to the kingdom. Ryan must have spent some time in a place like this. She found it odd he would be drawn to a location that would undoubtedly remind him of worse times. She walked up to the front door and knocked. The sound of what seemed to be a piano could be heard coming from inside. It drifted out of a large building that appeared to have been a converted nunnery. The door opened and a grizzled old woman answered. Her face was a mass of wrinkles. She seemed tough, like she was made entirely of sinew and old leather. Monique spoke quietly, "I am looking for someone. I-"

 

The old woman snorted, "He's not here!" and was proceeding to close the door when Monique heard Reed's voice drift in from another room.

"Tera?" the old woman looked over her shoulder as the music stopped, "Maybe I'm here for that one."

 

The old lady humphed and led Monique into a large play room where over two dozen children of various ages was gathered. They were whining and complaining about the music ending. Ryan was sitting at the piano and motioning for them to settle down, "I already told you I was going to have to go soon. I'll be back next weekend. I promise."

One of the girls ran up to Ryan and gave him a hug, "Okay, Ree-Ree!" Ryan stiffly received the hug and returned it with only one arm.

 

The child then kissed Ryan on the cheek which caused Ryan to pull back, "Hey! Hey hey hey hey HEY! No PDA! A'rite?" He held her at arms length and waggled a finger at her. The child just giggled and ran off. Ryan sighed and looked defeated. He glanced at Monique, "She does that all the time." Monique walked over to sit down on the piano bench next to Ryan, "How long you been coming here?" Ryan shrugged, "I dunno. A few weekends?"

Tera folded her arms and eyed Monique, "He's been coming by for about a month now and he is very well loved by the children." She narrowed her eyes at Monique, "So if anything bad happens to him we will all be very unhappy."

Ryan held up a hand to the old woman, "Relax. She's here to seduce me, not kill me."

 

Monique froze for a moment then shrugged, "Technically I'm just supposed to watch you."

 

Ryan nodded, "I first thought, hey, polymorphed demon, but you actually act like you have a soul, so either you are a human working for demons, or..."

Monique laughed, "King. I work for the king." She pushed back her hood, "When did I blow my cover?"

He snorted, "When you sat next to me. Anyone as drop dead gorgeous as you, sitting next to a mini-troll like me? Something is up."

She bobbed her head, "I'm supposed to keep an eye on you when Charity can't. She isn't allowed to attend classes, after all."

Ryan nodded, "So, the king sent you, eh?"

She nodded, "I misjudged you. I thought you might..." She cleared her throat, "Well. I see I used the wrong bait."

 

He nodded, "Big time." He paused, "If I send you away will they just send someone else?"

She shrugged, "Most likely." She looked around, "Since we know I'm sort of your bodyguard... How about we just make it work, eh? I mean, what better way to impress everyone than with a super hot girlfriend?"

 

He looked at her with a sideways glance, "And what makes you think I want to impress anyone?" He started to play the piano, "You like swing?" He began to play a bouncy tune.

She listened for a bit, "I like it... never heard it before."

He smirked, "If I had a keytar, you'd really hear something you never heard before." He paused, "Not the same without some synth. Been trying to figure out how to magic that up but research into illusion magic just isn't that advanced."

Sister Tera snorted and stood up, "You've got a good head on your shoulders, Ree-Ree." She tapped the side of her head, "Use it." The old woman turned and walked away, leaving the two alone.

 

Monique stifled a giggle, "Ree-Ree?"

 

Ryan sighed, "That little girl who kissed me on the cheek started it. She can't pronounce D's with her missing front teeth."

Monique tried not to laugh then did anyways, "Wow... that is so cute."

Ryan smirked and then leaned sideways to bump his shoulder into her, "I'm quite the charmer when I want to be." He straightened up, "It's a wonder I'm not more popular."

Monique's smile faded and she looked at the floor. Eventually she said, "I'm sorry. I'm supposed to watch over you and protect you and I..." She made a clenched fist, "Gods damn it. I'm a professional! It never occurred to me I'd have to protect you from crap like that!" 

Ryan shrugged, "I'm a big man." He rolled his eyes to look at the ceiling, "Metaphorically." He shrugged, "It just... would have been nice." He drummed his fingers on the keys a bit, "I'll never get a chance to go to my freshman dance again. I lost that opportunity forever."

 

They both sat there in silence.

 

He glanced at Monique, "Wrote you a song."

She blinked, "You did?"

He nodded, "Want to hear it?" She smiled and blushed a little, "I... uh... sure. What girl wouldn't?"

Ryan then started playing a song that was slow and just a little bit sad.

 

---

 

See that boy upon the stair?

Is it strange he wasn’t there?

The boy not there? That was me!

Don’t forget what you cannot see.

 

I’m a secret agent from Utopia

Holy man wandering Dystopia

Keep your head, smile right

Don a mask, move at night.

 

I'm Just an agent of Utopia

Utopia…

 

Moving through the halls of power.

Coming upon the assassin's hour.

Try to find my four oh four

Knives will flash. Think no more.

 

You’re a secret agent from Utopia

A holy one wrapped in Dystopia

Pray to the god which you upload

He's trademarked, bought and sold

 

You're just an agent of Utopia

Utopia…

 

Work toward what’s just and right

Wear a soul black as night

Supplying your martyr need

Whispers plant a poison seed

 

We’re secret agents from Utopia

Holy ones fighting in Dystopia

If they ask you, why you fight

One answer is always right...

 

I fight for the nation Utopia

 

Everyone is fighting for Utopia

 

We’re all on the side of Utopia

 

Just a secret agent from Utopia

 

Utopia…

 

---

 

He stopped playing, then closed the piano cover. Monique was quite subdued, "Hardly the... romantic ballad I was expecting."

Ryan shrugged, "I just said it was about you."

She nodded her head, "That cuts a bit deep there."

Ryan sighed, "Sorry. Was not my intension."

She clicked her tongue, "Oh... Don't understand parts of it, but... I get it." they both sat in silence for quite a while.

 

"The king and everyone will be having a shit-fit about now. It's time to go back, right?" Ryan glanced at Monique.

 

Monique nodded, "Yeah. Look... do you want help getting back at those people?" Ryan just shook his head, "Why? What's the point? In the end, it doesn't matter. I just hope the king and the headmaster will finally get off my case." He turned around and stood up, "Do I really have to keep going to school? I mean, let's be honest, I'm not welcome there."

She looked at him, then at the floor, "I honestly wish you didn't have to. I never attended a real school, myself. I'm technically a commoner, even if I have noble blood. I'm an adept. Polymorphing, specifically. I got recruited... climbed the ranks. I just have a natural talent for it."

 

She stood up to walk out with Ryan, "I think you got what it takes to get a REAL education." She sighed, "But I don't have permission to bring you in under our banner. I think the king wants-" She shrugged, "I dunno. I think he just likes you. He doesn't make any sense. He's being so impractical." Ryan headed for the exit. Monique followed, "Out of curiosity... why here?"

Ryan shrugged, "I heard the piano from the street one day walking past. It sounded terrible. I walked in and fixed it."

 

They stepped out on the street. The air was clear and crisp. He looked at Monique, "I walked here. You got a way back?" She smiled softly and looked up at him through her eyelashes, "I was going to get a carriage. You... want to travel with me?"

He looked her up and down, "No." Then scooped her up in his arms, "Hold on." Ryan started to 'skate' down the road holding her in a princess carry.

 

She let out a surprised little squeal, but settled down when she realized what was happening. She noticed that he was running on 'top' of a bubble of water. It seemed to make his movements frictionless so he could 'skate' regardless of the terrain. She clung to him tightly out of fright, but slowly relaxed. It was quite the sensation to be shooting along at such speeds, "Is this how air elementalists feel?" She pondered out loud. Closing her eyes, she stretched her neck to catch the feel of wind rushing past. She let out a musical laugh, "A girl could get used to this!"

 

Ryan responded with a low chuckle, "Well don't. I'm married to my work."

 

She looked at him, watched his face as he focused on the road ahead. Effortlessly he held her in his arms, reacting to every obstacle without pause, weaving in and out of foot traffic. It was only a matter of minutes before they were out of the city and on their way to the academy along long roads with lengthening shadows. Normally, moving at this speed in the dying light of day might seem like suicide. She knew she should be frightened, but for some reason felt no danger at all. For the first time in years, she felt perfectly safe.

 

Closing her eyes, Monique rested her head on his shoulder.

 

~Too late.~