??   welcome to the cathedral, are you -

??   oh. oh no. it's you!

Luckily, all the other staff here seem to be busy in other areas. It's just you and her, and all the little fishies swimming around outside.

CR   It's me!

CR   You remember me!! X)

She starts frantically looking around.

??   umm, i...

??   i should really get one of the elders, this isn't -

CR   No way!

CR   I didn't come all this way to get stuck with some stuffy grandma XP

CR   I want to speak to you!

??   m... me?

CR   Obviously!

CR   I was barely able to see you before all the fuss happened

CR   And it was not a big deal, by the way

CR   People were really freaking out over nothing X/

You sit down on the fountain's ledge and pat the spot next to you.

CR   X)

??   ...

CR   XP

??   ...

She scampers to the other side of the fountain.

??   i'm really sorry, miss!

??   please, just go away!

??   i don't want to risk anything!

The only thing you can see behind the stone and rushing water is a stray pigtail.

CR   Huh? Risk what?

CR   You're acting like I'm going to hurt you or something XD

??   th-then why are you here? why do you want to see me?

CR   Umm...

You look at the gardens, kicking your feet out from the ledge.

CR   Do you know a guy named Amir?

??   ...

??   huh?

??   you mean, amir chakrabarti?

CR   Yeah! Him

??   we... went to academy together

??   well, he didn't go to my school the whole time.

??   he had half the classes in some public school.

??   why do you ask? do you know him?

CR   Know him? We're BFFs! XD

Slowly, more and more of her becomes visible. You can spot the patterns on her holy garments and the cute curls of her pigtails.

??   really?

CR   Yeah!

CR   He always talked about that academy

CR   How much nicer the building was compared to ours

CR   But he also complained about how stuck up the people were

CR   (Not that the people at my school were any better...)

CR   Was it really like that?

Finally, she sits down, too. Maybe 90 degrees away, on the ledge's circumference.

??   kind of.

??   it's true that the amenities were nice.

??   but that second part is also true.

??   you don't realize it while you're there, but...

??   you take a lot of things for granted, being around people like that all the time.

??   that's why a place like this is good for me.

She dips a finger into the fountain water and swirls it around. You do the same. Just to have something to do.

CR   I don't believe in this particular faith

CR   But I think it's cool, the ways we all find peace in life and death

CR   And maybe I could learn from here

CR   Especially since people seem to... like you

CR   And trust you, and be comfortable around you

CR   It feels impossible

CR   How do you do it?

CR   What's your secret? X/

In your peripheral vision, you can see her looking at you.

??   i don't know.

??   but you sound sincere.

??   are you... some kind of missionary?

CR   Ohmigosh no!

CR   I just deal with a lot of serious stuff at work XD

CR   And people are always telling me that I could be better about this kind of thing

??   what do you do for work?

She's been creeping closer and closer. Kind of like you're some feral animal. Kudos for a good survival instinct, at least.

CR   I'm an assistant at a mortuary!

CR   Once I get my degree, I'll get to be professional

??   m... mortuary?

??   i haven't heard of a place like that before.

CR   It's a fancy word for where bodies are kept XD

??   b-bodies?!

And there she goes, behind the fountain again.

??   i knew it!

??   when they said you were speaking with the devil's tongue...

CR   Woah! There's nothing inherently satanic about a mortuary!

CR   Plus, we do funeral arrangements, too

CR   There's no one who respects the dead more than us!

??   i-i don't trust you!

When she comes out, you're awash with relief. But then, she takes out some kind of rosary and thrusts it at you.

??   speak no more about death and decay!

??   this is a holy place, of water and light!

??   i denounce you! begone!!!

Her knuckles are brushing against your chest. It's a little distracting.

CR   So... does this mean you don't want to talk?

CR   I thought you'd at least give me a chance X(

??   ...

Her arm lowers.

??   do you repent?

CR   Repent what?

??   for one, the way you disrespected the staff last time.

??   i didn't get to see all of it, but they were very upset!

CR   They were upset? I was the one kicked out so rudely! X/

CR   And all I did was ask questions. When did curiosity hurt anyone?

??   ...

CR   ...

CR   But, if it's really that bad...

CR   I'm sorry

CR   You can... forgive me, right?

She sighs.

??   only if you're really sorry!

??   then maybe i can give you a chance.

CR   That's great! Maybe you can tell me where Saint Angela's bones are XD

??   that's hardly an appropriate question!

CR   Aww, was it? Sorry

CR   More forgiveness please! XD

??   oough! you're hopeless!