I Didn't Choose This. (1/3)

"*sigh* It's only a matter of time, now," Charlotte thought, exiting her lit sanctuary, wiping sweat off her face and reentering darkness. "But, I don't know if I'll be able to hide this." The cases she found were in place for the procedure she needed to do, but she didn't have everything that was necessary. She'd have to go up to the main floor for that. Hopefully, there'd be no crossed paths on the way. But, based on her and her roommate's... housemate's routine, that was highly unlikely, anyway. Still, to prevent suspicion... well, any more suspicion that she could get for being home hours later than usual, she stopped by her makeshift closet and replaced her scavenging, stereotypical ninja-like garb for an outfit much more casual - a style more like how she wanted Kristopher to envision her - except for a lengthy hammering nail that she had gotten dirty and wanted to clean, before taking her MacGyver-ed pulley system up to the first floor.

Charlotte's descent ended in a box-filled pantry at a hole hidden by a box of cleaning supplies. She liked the location because she could always exit the area quickly... and get a snack, too, if she liked. Plus, if Kris ever did find the entrance, it wasn't in such a 'noticeably bad' condition to be considered as a possible entryway for rodent or insect-like pests that would lead to fumigation - a large danger for her. While she never intended to be taking residence in a human home, let alone communicating and living with one, she was truly grateful for his offer and care in her time of need those years ago. 

Before leaving the space to obtain her supplies in the kitchen, she grabbed a chocolate chip in one arm, and in the other, she carried a torn-off corner of a cleaning wipe. Slipping through the ajar snack closet door, she walked into the hall and traveled across the floor into the kitchen, nomming on the chip and wiping down the nail that she brought along. However, when she made her plan of crossing to the sky-scraping refrigerator and nearby, house-sized cabinetry, she stopped when she heard footsteps coming her way, shaking her entire system, and a voice to complement them.

To keep out of sight, Charlotte instinctively hid with her back to the kitchen island (while also getting closer to her destination), being shadowed by both the stone overhang way above and the darkness of her current outfit. Getting noticed by Kris right now in there would have brought up too many questions... but getting noticed by a police officer would be worse! From her low position, she saw two sets of legs walk to the front door: a pajama pant-wearing, lightly striding couple that she automatically recognized as Kris' and a navy-colored pair that she assumed belonged to the officer, possibly the same man tracking her down before. However, she wanted to verify it, so she slowly creeped to the outer edge like a spy and listened in to their conversation.

Meanwhile, Kris couldn't believe the story the officer was spouting. While he wanted to hear more because of its 'ridiculousness', he was thankful that the guy got called to another crime being committed through radio. The officer continued to tell his tale until he reached the door to walk back down the alleyway. "Like I said, I have nothing against the little guys," he understated - his voice matching Charlotte's pursuer's, "but if those few continue pulling nonsense like that, more drastic measures will be taken. It just really grinds my gears. If you see anything that looks suspicious, make sure to inform us."

"I will, sir," Kris replied, with a bit of trepidation. "Have a good night." After a salutatory nod from the officer, he shut the door, in relief, and slid his back down its frame to fall on his bottom on the floor. "Oh my god, I didn't need that kind of nonsense tonight. I already have enough on my plate. I just can't believe that he even said that. What bad could they even do? At their... 'disadvantage', they're more likely to-" And that was when Kris was propping himself up to rise from the floor and saw his tiny eavesdropper. "-get... hurt?"

Charlotte knew she had made a mistake of coming closer at the shocked look on his face. But, when he also noticed her half-stained nail, he was petrified. As much as she wanted to run and avoid interrogation, she came in the room for a reason, so she was stuck between a rock and a hard place, and with Kris then beginning to reach over to her, it was now literal... mostly.

Kris couldn't not look at those beacons of Charlotte's staring at him, and the sight of her worried and panicked, holding a nail dipped in what he hoped was black cherry nail polish was even more frightening. Without giving her a chance to fight back or move, he plucked her off the floor in one swift swoop, bringing her right up to his face - a rare action for him. "Lottie, what the actual hell?" And then, his barrage of questions started. "What are you doing? What happened? Where have you been? Are you okay!?"

Within the human's grasp, Charlotte was conflicted, feeling intimidated and secure simultaneously. Well, that was what she thought, at first. But, he was never a threat, from what it seemed. During her stay, he always gave her private and personal space, never getting invasive (except for right then, obviously) yet always being protective. "Just what kind of impression have I been giving him?" she wondered to herself. "I just couldn't say anything, before. Then, things started happening lately, and I really couldn't say anything. But, now..." She didn't like keeping secrets, and the few she was keeping were just too important to reveal. However, as time seemed to stand still, she began to realize that keeping the most drastic parts of her life separate really made no sense.

Though she was silent throughout her inner struggle, Kris could definitely see that something was up. This was weird... even for her. "Lottie, are you keeping something from me?"

The question cut off all past thoughts in her head and made it blank, in surprise. Yet, it was just the right kind of push that she needed to bring everything to a close, all tying together in a knot. With a sigh, she admitted, "I've been keeping a lot from you, Kris." Of course, her answer resulted in a look of confused amazement from him, so she explained. "And I swear I'll tell you everything, maybe some of it even tonight, but I need to get some things from here..." Charlotte then lifted her weapon-tool for emphasis. "...or more blood'll be shed than can be helped. Please."

Kris was a natural skeptic, but with that plea... and that nail, her sincerity couldn't be denied. "Alright," he sighed, letting one hand off Charlotte to push himself off the ground to his full height, allowing her to have a half-sized view of the main area of the home - tables, television, and all. "What do you need?"

"You wouldn't happen to have one of those cloths for cleaning, would you?" Like it was nothing, Kris swiped a washcloth from a drawer near the sink. "And one of those tubes with the squeeze thingy at the end that sucks up stuff?" Kris got the reference but looked down at her, anyway, confused as to why she'd need one... or which size she wanted. Nevertheless, he grabbed both a turkey baster and an eye dropper. He then gave her a look of 'Anything else?', to which she replied, "All I need now is a... uh... one of those... ice block things... not the ones in drinks or whatever, but the... o-other kind... for pain."

The hesitation in her voice was real, but Kris didn't fight it and got what she requested. Though, he knew there weren't many good reasons why an ice pack would ever be used. "If that's it, then here it is," he stated. "Though, I have no idea how you're going to carry all of this. What's it all for, anyway?"

"Something very important to me... that only I can do," Charlotte boldly said. "Plus, I was kind of hoping you could carry that stuff for me? It's a pretty long way from here to where I need to go."

"'Long way'? Do I have to leave the place and go outside? Where have you been sneaking off to?"

"Not that it should matter to you, but if there's something that needs to be retrieved that cannot be found here, then I will go get it from elsewhere and use it as I desire. However, the place I'm referring to is just... downstairs."

Of all places Kris thought of Charlotte traveling to, still being on his property in his home was the farthest away. "You mean, in the basement? That's where you've been going?"

"It was usually just where I left from here and where I would come in, after my travels outside, and since it's under everything, it's usually not hard to find you, when you're here," she answered matter-of-factly. "However, for the past year, most of my time was usually spent there... for various reasons." With her just ending her sentence so drastically, Kris wanted to ask for more. But, he just stayed silent as he went to the basement's door.

Contrasting with the mod decor that was the inner, social workings of the home, the progression to the lowest level was dark, dank, and rather dreary. It may have even been deadly, with possibly molding and leakage, too. Kris had had plans in the back of his mind to renovate, once he had the funds, so the idea of Charlotte being down there for so long bothered him. He hoped that she hadn't contracted anything or had gotten hurt by something. It wouldn't be too difficult for someone of her stature. Still, he proceeded through the closet-looking door, down the rickety staircase, into the area where the main furnace and other power sources for the home resided. There were a few singular lights spread across the ceiling, making the space barely visible to walk over cords and other nonsense scattered across the floor and resulting in him not being able to notice-

"Whoa! Take another step, and you'll ruin my hovel," Charlotte spoke up, causing him to halt immediately and look to his feet to find an immense crater stretching to the wall, covered with surprising well-fitting planks of wood and a blanket of sorts. "Just... put me down here, and uh... give me a minute or two." Kris did as he was told and lowered his person-carrying hand to the closest opening - a dark hole on the edge, just large enough for Charlotte to fit through... and Kris' hand, too - and she dropped herself inside. 

"Was this hole always here?" Kris questioned, as he passed down the kitchen items to her, as gently as possible. "I'm pretty sure this is a hazard. Like, a family of raccoons or rats could burrow in there."

With the last item in hand... arms, she was relieved and utterly thankful for Kris being around. Though, with what she had to do next, and what will and might happen, her overall self was still very tense. Kris' last comment about her didn't help with that, either. "You're... calling me a rat, now?"

The human didn't expect to get a response, especially not an offended one. Kris, while speaking truthfully, was attempting to make a joke... that fell flatter than flat. "N-No," he apologized. "I'm just saying. It's low and dark. Are... you okay?"

Kris' already long face elongated even more at her reply, and before he could question it, she walked deeper into the hole. "*sigh* No."