I'm in the town. Turns out the town is called Davidstown. It's named after David. Does that mean his mansion is called Davidsmansion? Davidshouse? Davidshome? No wait, he's dead. Does that mean this is now Madeleinesmansion? Merida signed the home deed thingy under my name for some reason. I don't listen when she talks about laws and stuff like that. Does that mean we can rename this town Madeleinstown? I should speak to the mayor sometime and ask if that's how it works.

Anyways, I got pickpocketed. How do I know? My daggers are not appearing in my hand, and I never forget my daggers at home. I'm also missing my mask collection, my other hidden dagger (Always keep a spare), my emergency tea bag, and the bell to call Speedy. Mel used to hold onto it until she realised I carry a lot of things under my dress. Fortunately, the pickpocket didn't steal the bag of gold in my pockets… thinking about it, if they didn't steal my gold, they suck at being a pickpocket. I do need my dagger, though. It's on my list of the five things I love the most. I'd say the other four things, but I think they're obvious.

So what am I going to do about the pickpocketer? No idea. I'd go alert the guards, but I probably shouldn't talk to them or even approach them after what happened the last time I was in town. They wouldn't like it.

The last time Madeleine was in town.

"I am become the shadow itself! Crumble before my might! Run in terror from the darkness!" said Madeleine, whilst on top of a pile of guards. Two hours before this incident, Mimi and Speedy, as a prank, replaced Madeleine's cup of tea with a cup of alcohol. 

I think I really scarred the guards. Fortunately, no one died, since before I went on the rampage, my daggers were taken by Speedy… wait, did Speedy pickpocket me?

"No, I didn't. I also got pickpocketed. We all did." I looked to my side to see Speedy and the rest of the gang (Minus Merida, Myka and Merry. They're missing.). I forgot we're having a grand old time outside, all together.

"I didn't get picked." Good on her. Did she avoid the pickpocketer with her thief skills?

"That's because you look like you own nothing, Mimi." It's true. She doesn't. Does she even own anything? I don't think she even owns a bedroom. I always see her sleeping under the table.

"You also look like a hobo, Speedy." Bandits are technically hobos, after all.

"At least I'm wearing actual clothes, unlike your stupid looking rags." We should really buy Mimi clothes.

"These stupid rags look cooler than your bandit ripoff look." Speedy does look like what kids think bandits look like. Did her bandit underlings not teach her proper bandit etiquette? Even I know that. 

"I am a bandit!" A bandit king, to be specific.

"As if a bandit would live in a mansion!" Yeah, they live in caves.

"Same thing could be said about a thief!" Those also live in caves.

"A good thief would live in a mansion!" Or a mansion cave. Cave mansion? Mansion in a cave, although we should check if there's a cave in our mansion. Is the dungeon technically a cave?

"You're not a good thief!" I don't know about that. Mimi once stole my heart. Literally. Not my heart, but technically it was. For some reason, the shadow clones have shadow organs, and Mimi stole one of their hearts. I took it back and now keep it in a jar next to the two jars of eyes I have that seemingly teleport to my room every time someone disposes of them.

And that's basically how our day has been. Speedy and Mimi bicker in the middle of the town while I comment on whatever they say in my mind. They act like they can hear my comments, though. Mel and Mila watch from the side, one pretending to not be part of our group while eating a sandwich and the other furiously taking notes on her notebook. Mel's eating the sandwiches I made for her, by the way. She used to make them herself, but she found out I'm good at making sandwiches. I'm one step closer, guys. Lastly, May is holding on to my arm. Ever since I learnt she had a human form (I don't remember when that happened, but I guess it did), she's basically been acting more like a child than a pet. Eh, whatever, she went from cute dragon to cute kid, I'm not complaining. I wonder what Mari would think of this… why is every child I know really powerful?

You've got that omnipotent ball of energy in the shape of a little girl, this ancient dragon, and I hope you didn't forget them, voices in my head, but that Chaos Storm that was supposed to be the place of my execution also happened to be a little girl, with those cute tiger ears and tail. A bit like that little tiger girl running towards me right now with an oddly familiar dagger in her mouth, followed by some sort of tree person with what appears to be an orphan on her shoulder. Hmm… I keep forgetting, but am I an orphan?

The tiger girl stopped at my feet, sat down, and spat out the dagger. That's why it's familiar, it's mine! I grabbed my dagger and then started patting the tiger girl, which led to May punching her right into the air. I looked up to see how far she was pushed, to then see May sprout wings and fly after her new target. Huh… that seems bad. Oh well. Soon after, a tree spirit ran over to me, panting as if she were chasing someone. Oh, it's the lemon tree spirit. Must have been chasing the tiger girl, then. She's carrying a female stranger on her shoulders... why?

"Hello there, maid. It has been quite a while. A few months, I believe." 

"Eh? Has it really been that long?"

"Since you were suddenly teleported, yes."

"Who are these people? Enlighten me. I need to know everything." Mila said whilst circling around the tree spirit, making a sketch of her. Mila has a sketch of all of us. They're all outstanding.

"Okay, time for introductions! Lemon tree, the one circling you is Mila, the two bickering over there are a catgirl and a bandit," I pointed over at them, who were paying no mind to their surroundings, then pointed at Mel, "and the one eating a sandwich is Mel. I'll invite you to our wedding whenever that happens. Gang, this is the spirit of a lemon tree. I have no idea what her name is, though. I lived with her and some others a while back. By the way, how's that immortal and Sally?"

"They've died."

"Oh… umm… sorry for your loss."

"Don't worry, they passed away peacefully. However, the Chaos Storm was quite angered, so the desert connecting Hamblin to the rest of the world was flooded."

"Huh. That explains why Speedy was wet when she dropped us off there. By the way, who's that on your shoulder."

"No idea. She's a Sacred Power holder, so I'll just hand her to you. If I remember correctly, you looked into Vandar's and Sally's eyes, so I believe you may want to look into this one's eyes too. Excuse me, I need to go fetch the Chaos Storm before she does something a bit too drastic to your pale child." The lemon tree spirit dropped the woman on her shoulder to the ground and then flew, flying towards the part of the sky where the clouds were being split up and thrown around.

"A lemon tree, you said? I thought that story you told about the Chaos Storm was mere hyperbole, but to think it was true. You continue to fascinate me, Madeleine."

"Coolio." I still have no idea how to deal with Mila. I'll figure it out someday. I walked over to the lying woman and looked into her eyes. A boring shade of brown, but we all can't be winners.

Oh, that explains where our stuff went. I searched her body and found a Bag of Holding that held many things. Guess I'll take my stuff. I took what was exactly mine, and anything I knew was owned by others in my party, then dropped the bag next to the woman. I don't need the rest, after all.

"You've got your dagger now, right? Can I have another sandwich?"

"Sure thing, Mel. Anything for you." I took out a sandwich for Mel, and then we walked away, leaving the pickpocket behind. As for May… she'll calm down at some point. Maybe she and the Chaos Storm will be friends, or maybe they'll get kidnapped. Who knows?

Character profile: Ashley

Sacred power: Pickpocket

Total weight of stolen goods: 3 tonnes

Description: The pickpocketer of Davidstown, who has a penchant for stealing belongings, not gold. Ashley comes from a very well-off family and doesn't really need to steal, but her Sacred Power compels her to steal. Sacred Powers with more active abilities tend to have this effect implanted within them, and a majority of people within Mendass are unable to suppress the urge. Unfortunately, this has led Ashley to become the thief she is, despite not needing anything. She does not steal from those who are obviously less fortunate than her, however, her only targets being those clearly affluent. Occasionally, she shares her spoils with the children in the slums.

Chapter namesake: Ashley The Pickpocket by Cory Harper