Rob X Punzel ~ Fourteen!

A solid year passed as Goldie fell into the intense routine of waking early to cut her hair, rushing to get official training, working the day away picking pockets and grabbing small goods, then finishing out her day by sparring against Chay’s crew. After so long practicing together, she’d practically adopted all three of them as her brothers—only excluding Chay, as he was supposed to be her boss, and that always… confused things.

As she prepared for yet another day of the same, Goldie looked at herself in one of the warped mirrors in the small bath house of the orphanage and realized she was practically an adult. She was lean, both from long years of barely enough food and the intense physical exercise she had devoted herself to since she’d been fired from Sorin's Curio Shop. Her hair was down to her midriff, though she knew it would be brushing against her ankles by the end of the day if today ended up being as stressful as… every other day of her life.

She’d gotten so used to her routine that she had optimized her actions and found herself standing and staring at the locked gate with more time than usual. She was crouched, already preparing to break into a sprint as soon as the metal bar removed itself. Even so, Goldie felt restless with the wait, so she swept her fingers across the inner portion of her left arm to see changes in her skills. 

As she looked over the newest addition to her Advanced Class, she could only shake her head in bemusement at the requirements her hair had decided to generate this time around. 

Basic Class Breakthrough Skill: Ponytail Pixie: Level 7/10.

Wraps around interesting or shiny objects with [Proficient] effectiveness.

Moves and reacts autonomously, with [Proficient] user control to keep it still.

Strengthens neck muscles by [350%].

Hair becomes [Proficiently] shock-absorbent, reducing impact damage.

Toughness is [Proficiently] amplified, making it harder to damage.

Gradually develops [Proficient] immunity to various damage types.

Requirement to advance to level 8: Ha.

“Why do you keep taunting me by showing this one first, system? It hasn't grown in a year!” Goldie impatiently swiped at her arm, trying to speed along the text writing itself out on her arm. 

Advanced Class Basic Skill: Hair Do’s and Dont’s: Level 10/10.

Minor telekinesis of [10] feet past length of hair.

[Perfect] autonomous auto-hairstyling to reflect conflict with user.

[2,000%] increase in hair growth during moments of stress.

[Perfect] muffling of sound emanating from user for areas reachable by hair.

[Perfect] cushioning of impact. 

[Perfect] tracking of the most recent person to inflict damage on hair for up to 30 minutes.

“Now this… was a long time coming.” Goldie ran a hand through her thick, wavy hair, causing it to curl and shift into a bubble braid perfect for maintaining speed as she ran. “Thank you, hair. Must be almost time to go, huh? You know, I've been thinking about my newest skill since we got it yesterday, and… I’d really like us to figure out how to be more friendly to each other. It's been a long time since I lost my job. You had learned how to move for the first time, and I can't hold it against you forever. Especially if you keep giving me Mythical skills like this.” 

As she looked over her newest skill, she felt a pang of guilt in her stomach as she read over the only way her hair had to communicate with her in words. 

Advanced Class Advanced Skill: Dreadful Locks: Level 1/10.

Dreadful Locks is a continuous passive skill which has been altered due to the user's hair feeling underappreciated. When the hair senses danger approaching that the user does not, the user's bangs [minimally] curl with a dramatic bang to ensure there is no mistaking its helpfulness. Around toxins or poisons, the hair reacts with [minimal] distress, thrashing about to make clear its displeasure over such threats to the skill user. 

In the presence of water, the hair will wrap around the user's head, surrounding their face with an air bubble which lasts up to [20skill level] seconds. When any form of lightning is near, the hair puffs out excitedly to absorb at minimum [10skill level]% of the delicious energy. 

The user's hair has developed an interest in puzzles and mechanisms, and is [minimally] adept at unlocking doors and chests, even without the user's intervention. It has also discovered a deep loathing of parasites and is [minimally] adept in finding them. The hair then takes extreme delight in destroying any hair or scalp-affecting parasites in range. 

Requirement to advance to level 2: Detect food or water that is unsafe to consume when you intend to consume it 20 times. 0/20. Unlock 5 different locks. 0/5. Absorb one-tenth of the power of a lightning bolt. 10,214/100,000,000 watts.

Trying to put aside her guilt over the skill being altered due to an entire year of fighting with her hair, Goldie tried to focus on the positives of her situation. For the first time, she had a skill that could actually be of some use for earning extra coin in a safe and legal manner. “So you hate parasites, huh? We could find an inn or even a hospital and offer to clean out the bed bugs and lice that are probably swarming in them!”

Her hair shivered violently, as if it were trying to throw up but had no stomach or mouth to do so.

Goldie could only shrug. “Maybe not, if you feel so strongly about it. See? Look at us, learning how to compromise. If we keep this up, do you think we could figure out how to get a fully positive set of modifiers for our next skill? You help me out, I help you out? Maybe I can start thinking of our relationship as mutually beneficial instead of you being nothing but a leech?”

She looked at the final requirement for reaching level two in her new skill, uncertain what a ‘watt’ was but happy to see that the number was constantly and continuously climbing. In fact, when she shook her head, the number increase spiked slightly. “Must have something to do with movement?”

At that moment, the bolt on the gate flung open, and the barrier between herself and the outside world moved aside. “Hair we go!”

Breaking into a sprint immediately, she flung herself out of the gate and pivoted hard left, her hair flying out in the opposite direction to allow Goldie to make an instant left turn without losing any speed. As was her usual routine, she picked up her pace, moving as fast as possible to Cutter’s door. She settled into her maximum pace possible, not quite a full-on sprint, so she would have time to avoid anyone who stepped into her path.

Three turns before arriving at her destination, her hair suddenly jerked and smacked against itself with a resounding *bang* directly above her eyes. Goldie flinched and spun to a stop; she would’ve fallen if her ponytail hadn't wrapped around a too-large board covering a broken window. “Ow! What the abyss was that, hair? I've heard of ‘bangs’ before, but I never thought it would be so literal.”

The hair just above her forehead was usually long enough to be melded into the rest of her hairstyle, but after the first thunderous sound, that stretch of hair had switched over to incredibly tight curls. Even now they were bouncing up and down, letting out soft bangs as though someone were snapping their fingers right in front of her eyes. “This was something from my new skill; what did this mean again?”

“You! Girl!” An authoritative voice reached Goldie's ears, and she looked over with wide eyes, wondering who would be so bold as to call this much attention to themselves in the slums. Her gut dropped, and the blood drained out of her face as Goldie came face to face with a pair of guards in full plate mail. “Are you Goldie? She matches the description!”

One of the guards rushed into position behind her, as Goldie had frozen in place instead of running from the sheer shock of the sudden encounter. The first man spoke again, while the second stared at her silently, ready to make a move if she tried to dart away. 

“Goldie, reported member of the thieves’ guild, I am a protector of the capital city, and I’m here to follow up on information we've received about an active thieves’ guild in this area.” The guard stepped slightly closer, looming over her to increase his overall intimidation. “I’m told you’re in the crew of a thief we have in our custody named ‘Chay’.” 

The man's eyes practically drilled into her as he stared her down. “He’s identified you as one of his subordinates. By the look of you, I'm not inclined to believe him. Even so, now that we’ve made contact with you, attempting to flee will result in you being charged as a thief. As of this moment, we aren’t after you. We just need someone to come identify him and swear he’s a thief. If you cooperate fully, you’ll be released. Do you understand?”

“I… I do.” Goldie managed to gasp out, cursing the slight spark of hope that had ignited in her. 

“We’re going to escort you to the nearest guard station at this time, and we’ll be taking your statement there.” He edged to the side ever so slightly, motioning for her to start walking. “I'm sure you understand that thievery in the Brute Kingdom isn’t tolerated. Right now, you aren’t a thief in the eyes of the crown, you’re just an unfortunate orphan who knows someone with a high rank in an illicit guild. Walk.”

Goldie began moving woodenly, her legs barely following her commands. The guard gave her a knowing look, a small shake of his head indicating his approval as he kept pace. “I'm glad you’re complying. That means we won't need to cut your hand off before dragging you over there. You're going to comply, and at the end of the day, you'll be escorted back to the orphanage to live your life like normal.”

Her head was swirling with fear and confusion as they hustled her along the streets, the guards glaring at anyone who dared to glance in their direction. One guard spoke in a soft buzz of noise as they walked. “Listen up, when we get to the station, you're either going to be put in a holding cell with a large group of other criminals, or you're going to need at least ten silver as a bail bond in lieu of detainment. If you can come up with that amount, I highly recommend doing so. It’ll be paid back to you in full at the end of questioning, as well as one copper per hour that you are inconvenienced for your help in bringing down a criminal organization.”

Turning to her, he softly growled, “Do you have that amount on you, or, if we allowed you to stop for a few moments, could you come up with it? You don’t look like someone who’s had issues with the law before. I’d rather not see a sweet, clean, innocent girl like you get tossed into a room with the worst criminals we pull off the streets and out of the slums.”

“I don’t… I have no way to come up with ten silver!” Goldie frantically squeaked out, barely able to see the guard through the thick, watery barrier building up on her eyes. She did see the grim look the guards exchanged and felt panic welling up within her. “That's an impossible amount. You know that, right?”

“Not my job to know what you can or can't do,” The guard stated gruffly. “I have the procedures I'm supposed to follow, and I follow them. If you're unable to pay… you'll just have to hope for the best. I’d been hoping we could get you in and out as fast as possible. Anyone who can make bail gets put at the front of the line.”

“I could do… maybe three silver?” Goldie frantically searched for an option. “That's everything I've been able to save for the last three years!”

The silence that met her plea was enough for her to understand they wouldn't be budging on that issue. “No, wait, three and a half!” 

“She's just a kid… maybe we could get them to put her near the front of the line with that much?” the second guard reluctantly argued with his comrade. “She's not going to last half a day in the cell with those combatants they tossed in last night. Half the group is probably bleeding out by now.”

“Maybe, if she remains compliant like she has been.” The first guard turned his full attention to Goldie once more. “We can try with three and a half, so long as you don't try to run or go back to the orphanage. As soon as you do, we go from a civil case to a criminal one and cut you down when you make a break for it. Do you have those coins stored somewhere else?”

“I’ve got them… there's a loose cobblestone I hide them under, right next to a manure pile,” Goldie whispered as she pointed in the general direction of her stash. “A double handful of minutes if we walk in that direction.”

“Don't like being in the slums that long,” the second guard casually called to the first, before giving Goldie his full attention. “If we hurry, and you stay quiet, not calling attention to us so we don't have to worry about someone trying their luck, we can give it a whirl. Consider this a gag order. There's no one here who can offer you legal help, so if you call out to anyone, we're going to assume you're trying to get us hurt.”

They walked for a few minutes, and ever so slowly, Goldie started to calm down—though her bangs kept popping up and collapsing with a tiny *bang*. Finally, frustrated with the continuous noise, which apparently no one else could hear by the way they didn't react to it, she trailed a finger across her arm to jog her memory on why it was happening. “C’mon, short version…”

Advanced Class Advanced Skill: Dreadful Locks : Level 1/10.

When the hair senses danger approaching that the user does not, the user's bangs [minimally] curl with a dramatic bang to ensure there is no mistaking its helpfulness. 

Around toxins or poisons, the hair reacts with [minimal] distress, thrashing about to make clear its displeasure over such threats to the skill user. 

In the presence of water, the hair will wrap around the user's head, surrounding their face with an air bubble which lasts up to [20*skill level] seconds. 

When any form of lightning is near, the hair puffs out excitedly to absorb at minimum [10*skill level]% of the delicious energy. 

The user's hair is [minimally] adept at unlocking doors and chests even without the user's intervention. 

[Minimally] adept in finding and destroying any hair-or-scalp affecting parasites in range. 

“That’s barely shorter… but… my hair is sensing danger that I don't? I know I'm in danger, why does it think I don't realize that?” Goldie glanced to either side of her, where the guards were warily watching the slum dwellers they walked past. “At least Hair Do’s and Don'ts is managing to muffle the sound it’s making… and my mumbling, I suppose.”

Over the next few minutes, as her mind calmed and she was able to view the situation more rationally, Goldie began to realize there were details of the situation that were extremely out of place. “Do guards even arrest people from the slums? I’ve only ever seen or heard of them just chopping off a hand or cutting someone down.”

Looking more closely at the quiet guard, the neophyte thief realized another small fact. “He looks just like everyone else in the slums… malnourished and thin. Have I ever seen a guard look this… rough? They usually have plenty of coin for food since they extort it from anyone who wants help or to get past them at the checkpoints.”

As soon as she voiced her concerns aloud, her hair stopped *popping* as loudly, though it didn’t stop. With this validation, Goldie started to get concerned for completely different reasons. Her fear faded into extreme suspicion and frustration, but she held her tongue for the moment.

The talkative guard looked over at her and glared, puffing up to try and appear more intimidating. “You slowed down. Are we getting close? We need to get over to the station soon; there's plenty of other work for us to do.”

“Right, we should hurry to the nearest guard station in the merchants’ district.” Goldie nodded along vigorously, increasing her pace slightly but adjusting her path. “We’re almost to where I have every copper of my savings.”

As soon as the man heard her speak, he closed his mouth and simply motioned for her to continue onward. 

That settled it in Goldie's mind: the closest station was actually in the citizens’ district. Anyone outside of that area was on their own, except in the most extreme of circumstances. Which could only mean… these weren’t truly guards. 

She needed to escape before they realized she had figured it out.