When I wake up at first I don't remember where I am, but then it hits me and I immediately pack up my bed, tuck the tattered paper into my breast pocket, and start up the ladder. The only thing that I still have that reminds me of yesterday is the paper and the swimmy less aware feeling that has slowly been trickling into my brain since I spawned here.

I need to go to Spots. That was where Shadow's search had run aground when she ran out of time. At least this saves me some six months of observations and searches. I wonder how she got the paper into the library, and who built this place. I'm about halfway up the ladder. It wouldn't surprise me if the library's floor had been built directly on top of bedrock.

I'll have to see about a map shop, or maybe some advice from the local cartographers. But they aren't nearly as good in Shakkets. In some cities you could buy minecart tickets, fully drawn maps, beacon transpores or even a place in the caravans from cartographers. The best cartographers were from Ayolum and Enveyo. Enveyo fell to the Ender's first strike, but the two cities had once housed cartographers who had the entire world memorised, down to each building's address. These more modern cartographers had started to become a whole new denomination of cartographers, called Guides, or Guiders.

Finally I reach the top of the ladder and shift my body weight so that I can squeeze under the belle. A quick look at my clock tells me the time. Quarter-sun. I have plenty of time. I think, wincing at how my mind has automatically jumped into shakket time. Then I see the talkative cleric bundling towards me. When it rains it pours. I mumble, my face involuntarily brooding.

"Ah, Miss S!" He says, "we all wondered where you went! Sun was especially worried. Listen, I am so sorry to offend you the other night! My niece is named Esse, and it's so similar to S. I'm quite apologetic, I had no idea-"

"No, it's fine. I suppose I'm the one who should be sorry. Thank you for all your help, would you care to point me to the nearest cartographer?" S spoke more politely than she could bear.

"We're quite out of cartographers. We had one until Old... never mind." He looked worried, like he had said something he shouldn't have. "Yes, yes, never mind... perhaps you need some ingredients now? I have some lapis lazuli on discount-"

"Spill it. Now." I say, reforming to my usual manner. He starts again, huffs and puffs, and starts,

"Well... we had old Hage Hagel. Brilliant, really. But he was... fired you could say. He went a little rogue... and shakket policies, you wouldn't really understand... but it's for the best!" he brightened. "Now, where were we...?"

"About the time when you tell me where to find him this instant. Or..." I force a convincingly sadistic smile onto my lips with some effort. The Cleric eyes widen fearfully and he mumbles,

"Down Steps High Street, second to the end of the line. The password is cherrybee." and with that, the priest hurries down the road fearfully. I feel terrible, but I force myself to turn my back to him and down Steps High Street. Why do I need a password? I puzzle. I should have known. When I approach the house, the first thing I see is an iron door and an outdoor lever. He has no way out. And a fisherman-guard stands by the lever awkwardly.

"I'm here to see Hage Hagel, former cartographer now under... house arrest." I say, unable to keep a slight scathing note out of my voice. The young fisherman falters and says in an uncertain tone,

"Hage is not seeing visitors at this time."

"Yes, as a matter of fact, he is. Now, thank you very much but I will kindly ask you to step aside." I feel elated to be myself once again. Politeness, shmoliteness I can get more done by being myself. And I am indeed myself. My shakket had been strict as a stick on politeness, and ever since I left I have to admit a lot of my personality is the opposit of what I was taught in my shakket. But sometimes it comes in handy. Like dealing with traders. Then you have to be polite to get good deals. And that alone I can bear with some inner reserves. Nothing more.

"No," the fisherman finally said, looking rather embarrassed and awkward.

"Yes." I stared with an easy superiorly, daring him to argue. Unfortunately, he is stupid enough to do just that.

"This is a password-protected place by the order of our shakket, you will be escorted out of the village if you fail to comply."

"What, did you memorize that?" I scoff, easing into a comfortable roll.

"Oh? Um, y-yes." he stammers. He can't be a scarce three years older than me. I would love to continue for the rest of the day, but now I have a deadline. An expiration date. And that date is when my life expires. I don't have time for this, oh well S, just cooperate for a little while. Cooperate. How I hate that word. I sigh, but know what needs to be done.

"Cherrybee, please and thank you," and with that, I stride right past him and slam down the lever a little too hard. The baffled guard's eyebrows draw together and he looks ready to throw his sword into my heart. I smile only a tad sadistically and burn, "put that toy away, shakket boy. I don't have time for this." and with that, I wrench the lever out of the wall and let the iron door slam shut behind me. So there!

The interior of the plank house is quite nice. I can tell it used to be a cartography shop due to the little counter and various maps which lie on carefully arranged shelves. I knock. I can be whatever I want to be, kind, loving, joyful, flashy, brooding. And nobody knows what I really think. Except for Ay, and that's why I still don't really accept her. "Oy!" cries an old man's voice. He trudges down the stairs and his eyes widen when he sees me.

"S, thank you very much. I need to get to Spots. And you need to tell me why you're under house arrest. Spill. Now." I snap. Maybe a tiny bit rough on the edges but this approach usually works one way or another. But apparently not on Hagel. He raises his eyebrows, crosses his arms, and sits down behind his desk. I make an irritated tut and tap my feet on the ground.

"How bout' a little politeness, ay? How'd you get in here anyway, traveler?"

"I have my ways." I scowl.

"So... Spots. That's quite remote. You'll only get there with a guide. A guide. Perfect. And I suppose you know where I'll get one. As if reading my mind, he speaks, "Patience... S. I know people. And that's the only reason I'll help you for all your manners." he hushes me before I can get a clever remark in, "You've entered the dark side. Subconscious, other side, mirrored face, whatever you want to call it, you have a deadline. And I don't interfere with these matters, rude or not, you're to be pitied."

He hushes me again before I can say something a little more rude than necessary, but totally worth it if I could have pulled it off. "You'll find the llama guides passing through at the tavern over the hill. Some of our folks work there and keep the inn for them. They're shady, but they're the only way you'll make it. If you have any livestock leave them here or bring them by lead if they're so important to you." he rolls his eyes like having an animal companion is stupid.

I take a moment to process the good news. They have llama guides! This is amazing, and if I get there now I can stay the night at that inn and find a llama guide! But there is one more thing I need to know. "Why did they lock you here?" I ask, hardly daring to whisper as I gaze into his surprising honest, and kind eyes despite his gruff tone.

"Knowing too much." His sad eyes look back at me. He silently reaches above his head and takes out a silky scroll, placing it in my hands. "Good luck," he whispers gruffly. "Leave now, before they come for you." He smiles wanly and shows me to a concealed back door. I frown.

"If you have this, why haven't you escaped?" I whisper.

"It's not worth the risk. Now go, now."

"Thank you," I whisper. "Thank you..." and with that, I'm running at top speed to Pint's pen. The second I get there I saddle him and jump into high gear, leaping the fence and galloping toward the only hill in sight for what seems like forever in all directions. Alright Spots, here I come!

Author's Note

Wow! Okay, over 70 reads! Thank you guys so much, I was not expecting this, wow! 

I had to multitask this while there were a bunch of really annoying noises in the background and no auto-correct (good and bad I guess :D).

Character competitions are on and I already have a few - you can find them in this chapter and the few past ones, and next chapter lookout for another awesome character created by you guys, so this should be fun.

If you like this story please consider voting because it encourages us authors so much!

Just Be!