Chapter 13 – Pantry Raid

Chapter 13 – Pantry Raid (Jacob)

Jacob was on his way back to his room on Thursday, around noon, a little after lunch. As he walked through the dorm he approached the door to William’s room, just to say ‘hi.’ Right before he knocked though, he overheard something.

“That’s the gist of it. If it goes like we practiced, we should be in-and-out in no time.”

That sounded like Corvo.

“How much time would we have, exactly?”

And that sounded like William. In-and-out? Like they practiced? What were they talking about? Jacob glanced left and right. Curiosity got the better of him, and he pressed his ear to the door to listen.

“I’d give us ‘bout twenty minutes, more or less. Plenty o’ time if we’re quick.”

“And we’ll leave once everyone else is asleep?”

“That’s right. It’s for a good cause, brother. And it’ll pay off for you, especially.”

“I would hope so. I have a few books to return before training today, so I’ll head to the library. I’ll meet you back here in the evening.”

“See ya then, brother.”

Jacob’s mind buzzed with anticipation! Where were William and Corvo going? Did they have some kind of adventure in store? Before he could delve down into the mental Buneary burrow, he jumped away from the door as William opened it and walked out. The Charmander quickly caught up with him.

“I want to come too!” Jacob blurted.

William spun around quickly, holding his club halfway up. “Oh, hello Jacob.” He relaxed his stance, lowering his club. “What exactly are you referring to? Game night?”

Jacob shook his head. “No, I wanna go with you and Corvo! On that night trip!”

William took a step back. He lowered his voice. “You were eavesdropping?”

“Huh? I was doing what now?”

“You were listening to Corvo and I, just then.”

“Oh.” Jacob nodded. “Uh-huh! And I wanna–”

“Jacob,” William interrupted. “Two things. One, eavesdropping is considered a rude thing to do.”

Jacob flinched. “S-sorry…”

“Ah, worry not. I’m a bit guilty of it myself.” It kind of looked like William smiled, but it was hard to tell. “Regardless, the second thing: it would be best if you didn’t involve yourself in our affairs.”

Jacob took a step back. William was gonna close the door in his face, just like that?

“But, why not? You guys are going on an adventure, I just…” He trailed off, still confused. They were friends, right? Why wouldn’t William want Jacob to come along?

“This is a delicate matter,” William said patiently. “And I haven’t time enough to explain everything. It’s nothing personal, Jacob.” He placed a hand on Jacob’s shoulder. “It’s just something for Corvo and I. Besides, you and Leon ought to get as much sleep as you can. You’ll need all of your energy for tomorrow’s test.”

Jacob stood there silently, trying to think of another way to convince William to let him join. Yet nothing came to mind.

“I’m on my way to the library,” William said. “You’re welcome to join me there, if you want.”

Jacob sighed and shrugged. “O-okay, I guess.”

He followed William out the dorms and downstairs to the library, where they spent about an hour looking through history and adventure books. Though as much as he tried to get into it, he couldn’t absorb anything he read. His head was stuck in the clouds, trying to piece together what Will and Corvo could be up to.

‘In-and-out. Leave when everyone is asleep.’ Those were some of the bits he overheard. They were going somewhere at night? Where would they be going, and why would they need to keep it a secret? Jacob mentally jumped through some fantastical ideas, and tossed them out as quickly as they came.

Whether they were planning a surprise party, or secretly helping out with tomorrow’s test, that wasn’t what got Jacob’s attention. He was close to William, so why couldn’t Will tell him what’s going on? He had a burning desire to know, and being left in the dark made that desire burn hotter. Asking William over-and-over wasn’t gonna work, though. What else could he try?

“…Jake? You still there?”

Jacob blinked. “Huh?” 

Leon stood in front of him, gazing at him with an amused expression. When did he get here? “I said it’s time to head outside. You know, to help Aaron.”

Jacob glanced around, realizing he was in the main hall. He must have been daydreaming for so long, he didn’t realize how much time had passed. “O-oh. Right.”

He followed Leon through the guild and out the back doors, where William and Aaron had already started working.

They spent the next couple of hours spiffing up the field again, like on their first detention. They also had to give the obstacle course a once over, fixing snapped ropes and replacing any crates and planks that were damaged. Some were cracked, at least one was burned– which may or may not have been Jacob’s fault.

“Y’all have got your work cut out for ya tomorrow,” Aaron talked as they worked. “Wolf Company initiation ain’t no joke. Can’t tell ya too much, but yer gonna be runnin’ around like you lost yer heads.”

“Whatever they throw at us, we’ll be ready for it,” Leon said confidently. Then his stomach rumbled, loudly.

“Not on a collapsed belly,” the Scraggy remarked.

Jacob once again felt guilty for Leon’s hunger. His brother had his heart set on giving him his nightly rations, but still, it was hard to see him go hungry. While Leon and Aaron continued pushing crates, Jacob made his way over to William, who was sweeping mulch and gravel off of the track.

“Hey Will,” Jacob waved as he approached.

William glanced up. “Jacob.” He stopped sweeping. “Something I can help you with?”

Jacob raked his thoughts for ways to start the conversation, though he couldn’t think of anything other than being direct.

“So like, are you planning a party or something?”

William tilted his head. “A party?”

“Or like,” Jacob tapped his fingers. “You know, helping the guild set up tomorrow’s hunt?”

“…Oh,” William’s expression flattened. “You’re still wondering about that.”

“I gotta know!” Jacob threw his arms up. “I know you said you can’t tell me, but not knowing is driving me crazy! Are you guys going into town or something?”

“We’re not,” William answered. “We’re just getting ready for tomorrow’s final test.”

“Then why not let me come? I could practice, too!”

“Jacob,” William met the Charmander’s eyes. “Please.”

“But I don’t get it!” Jacob protested. “Why not?”

“If I could tell you, I would. And like I said, it would be better if you and Leon both got as much sleep as you can tonight.”

Jacob’s mouth opened, but no words came out. Once again he struggled to think of a reply. He went through the same cycle as he did before. What was it? Did William find a clue about his own past? Was he putting himself in danger?

“A’right,” Aaron spoke up. “I think that’s enough. You all head back inside, get yer rations. An’ get plenty o’ sleep tonight, you’ll need it.”

While they walked back inside, Jacob’s mind buzzed with anticipation. If William did find a clue about his past, and it was dangerous, is that why Corvo was going with him?

Before he could dwell on it, they made it to the main hall where the Linoone handed each of them a small bag of food, as per usual. This time they contained almonds, Oran berries, Pecha berries, pretzels, and some beans. And once again, Leon poured out half of his and gave it to Jacob.

“Leon, really,” Jacob argued.

“You need this more than me,” his brother insisted. “I’ll be alright. I’ve survived this long, haven’t I?”

Jacob sighed. “Okay…”

They split up for the evening. William slinked off somewhere with Chase, while Leon said he was going to take an evening jog around town. Meanwhile, Jacob retreated to his room. He thought about knocking on the door to Corvo’s room to try and get some answers from him, though figured that might not work, either… Not to mention, Leon would’ve popped off if he saw him anywhere near Corvo.

Between tomorrow’s test and his own wild imagination, Jacob restlessly paced back and forth in his room, driving himself crazy. To keep himself busy, he decided to light a candle and read a book to pass the time– Daybreak on Corviknight Island . Though he could use his own tail for light, using a candle was more comfortable. In any case, his daydreams kept trying to steer his attention. His eyes darted between his book and pocket watch, both laid open on his desk, as he waited for something to happen.

After about thirty minutes, Leon returned.

“I am exhausted …” Leon announced as he fell onto his bed.

“If anyone deserves a break, it’s you,” Jacob said. “Are you sure you’re alright for tomorrow, bro?”

“Don’t worry, I’m fine,” Leon replied.

Jacob didn’t say anything, though his brother didn’t sound fine at all.

“It’s crazy how fast these two weeks have gone by, right?” Leon continued.

“I guess so,” Jacob agreed. Things had been pretty fun at the guild, for the most part. He didn’t know what it would be like after they passed the test… assuming they did. “I kinda wish we had more time, you know?”

“Are you nervous about tomorrow?”

Jacob tilted his head. He hadn’t told Leon about what he overheard– how William and Corvo are up to something tonight. That was on Jacob’s mind more than tomorrow’s test. Would it be a good idea to tell him?  “Maybe? I’m not sure how to put it.”

“It’s okay to be nervous,” Leon said. “Whatever they throw at us tomorrow, we’ll have each other’s back.” Just then his stomach rumbled. He put a hand over his belly and groaned.

Jacob felt a pang of guilt. “You’ve been giving me your food after detention every day. Are you–”

“No, really, I’m fine… I just need to push through tomorrow and I’ll be good.”

“Okay…” Jacob stared off for a moment. Would Leon really be okay? Maybe it was Jacob’s imagination, but Leon kinda looked skinnier since they joined the guild. “Just… just don’t burn yourself out, please?”

Leon gave him a thumbs up. “You got it.” He pulled a blanket over himself and his head sank into the pillow. He was out like a light within a minute.

Jacob’s attention jumped between his book, his watch, and Leon. All the while, he kept listening for any sounds in the hallway.

Minutes passed, yet the only sound was the occasional gust of wind rattling the hedges outside. The candle on Jacob’s desk gradually shortened, dimming like the flame of his tail as his eyelids drooped. He wound up reading the same paragraph three times before realizing he wasn’t actually absorbing any words.

A glance at his pocket watch told him it was just after 10:00. What if they had changed their minds? Or what if they already left, and Jacob missed them? Maybe it’d be better to just go to bed…

“Looks clear. Follow my lead, quiet as you can.”

Faint whispers jolted his ears and he sat up straight.

Jacob hastily blew out his candle, grabbed his bag and his watch, and rushed to the door, hopping on his toes to stay quiet. Behind the door he strained to listen. 

Tap, tap, tap.

Light footsteps, right to left, passed through the hallway.

He carefully pushed down the door’s handle, opening it just enough to slip out of the room. Out of the corner of his eye he saw William’s backside as he vanished behind the door to the main hall. Jacob softly closed the door behind him, then dashed down the corridor quickly and quietly.

Once again he gingerly opened another door, poking his head through. A few seconds passed and his vision adjusted to the darkness. 

The second-floor landing was, unsurprisingly, dark and empty. But he saw two shadowy figures moving straight ahead: William and Corvo. They had their backs against the wall between the staircases, side-stepping over to the left staircase. One of them made some kind of gesture to the other, then vanished from Jacob’s view.

Jacob slowly crept out of the door, approaching the corner to the right staircase. The main hall was mostly empty, except for the Linoone night attendant, sitting idly at the front desk. He seemed lonely down there… Did he ever get bored, sitting there all night?

Suddenly, above the other staircase, something like a tether shot out toward the ceiling. Jacob’s attention snapped to it.

A dark shape swung above the stairs, grappling onto a wooden beam just below the ceiling. It must have been Corvo, swinging around with his vines. He soared up and over, backflipping onto the beam.

“Now that was cool,” Jacob said under his breath.

Corvo turned and waved a hand. Jacob then spotted movement on the left staircase. Or rather, just the handrail.

Another shadowy figure– William– had climbed onto the railing, hugging it as he quietly shimmied down. Once he moved down enough, a pair of vines swayed over his head. He reached up and grabbed onto them, allowing Corvo to lift him up.

“Didn’t know vines were that strong,” Jacob whispered to himself.

Once William climbed onto the rafters, Jacob sprang into action. Wherever those two were going, he was going with them!

He tiptoe-dashed to the other staircase and mimicked what he saw, hugging the handrail and scooting down a few inches at a time.

He slowly shifted his arms and legs, carefully controlling his speed. Though he could hardly ignore the excitement in his pulse, and his imagination buzzed. Party, secret guild test, or finding lost memories, it all sounded too awesome to pass up. Once he got down far enough, he could get picked up and find out… But how would he get their attention? Maybe he could–

Squeak!

Jacob’s belly slid down the polished wood as he lost his grip. Panic flared as he flailed his limbs, scrambling to slow himself down, but nothing worked! The wall between the staircases slid past…

Suddenly the handrail fell away from Jacob– the whole staircase did. Dread and confusion seized him as he fell up towards the ceiling, but jolted to a stop.

He swayed midair, dangling above the stairs. It took Jacob a moment to realize that something had snared around his ankles, holding him in place. Whatever it was, the snare tightened its grip and yanked him upwards.

He curled his head up and spotted William and Corvo. The latter braced against the wood, hauling Jacob up with his vines. The former kneeled down, offering his hand.

Jacob heaved himself up, straining to reach William’s outstretched arm. Once they connected, the Cubone pulled him up onto the ceiling beam.

“Are you alright, Jacob?” he asked in a hushed voice.

“Y-yeah…” Jacob stammered.

“Quiet!” Corvo hissed. “The hell are you doin’ here anyway?”

“H-hey, I just wanted to come with!” Jacob defended himself. He saw that they both had backpacks, and William’s had a metallic lamp poking out. They were definitely going on some kind of adventure.

“Keep your voice down,” William whispered. “Else the night attendant will hear us.” He pointed down.

Jacob glanced down, once again seeing the Linoone, Mark, sitting at the front desk. He gulped. “That’s a long drop…”

“Still don’t know why you’re here,” Corvo grumbled, folding his arms.

“I’m here to find out why you’re here,” Jacob whispered back.

“None o’ your business,” Corvo answered. “You oughta scurry back to bed.”

Jacob shook his head, then turned to William. “So, what is it? Did you find a clue about your past?”

“What?” William uttered. To Jacob, he never heard him sound so confused before.

“What’s he on about?” Corvo asked.

“I should explain,” William turned to him. “He was eavesdropping on us. Must have thought we were doing… something else. I asked him to stay behind, but it seems he insists.”

“Something else?” Jacob repeated.

Corvo sighed.

“I know it’s not ideal,” William continued. “But it can’t be helped now. We won’t have time to help him back and run our errand. Might as well let him tag along.”

Jacob smiled and his tailflame brightened. “Thanks, Will.”

The Snivy shook his head. “Yeah, cuz when you’re sneakin’ around you’ll want a big light for a tail that says ‘hey everyone, look at me!’ Real smart.”

“Corvo,” William cut in before Jacob could respond. “Talk like that isn’t going to make this any better.”

Corvo rolled his eyes. “Fine. Listen up, flametail.” He turned to Jacob. “Stay with us at all times, and if we tell ya to do somethin’, do it exact. Otherwise Nightwatch will come and we’re all screwed. Got it?”

“Got it,” Jacob answered with a salute.

The Snivy mumbled something under his breath. “Follow my lead.” Corvo lifted his arms out, balancing as he walked along the wooden beam. William mimicked him, and Jacob copied William. He felt very uneasy up on the rafters, what with the wood being so narrow, and the fall so far…

“Where are we going, anyway?” Jacob asked.

“Corvo says they restock food on Thursday nights,” William answered. “We’re going to gather some of it for ourselves, at the pantry.”

“What?” Jacob stopped. All this hype, all this secrecy, and all they were doing was getting a snack? “That’s it? We’re just… stealing food?”

“Don’t even start, flametail,” Corvo said. They reached a point where the rafters criss-crossed each other. He turned left, guiding them onto a new beam. “ You wanted to tag along. Besides, they’ve been robbin’ you blind, given ya only table scraps–”

“That’s not the point!” Jacob shot back. “I thought we’d be doing something more fun! Or at least helpful.”

“Pfft, what, you don’t gotta eat?” Corvo jeered.

“No, but…” Jacob trailed off.

Now that he thought about it, if they were getting food, maybe he could get some for Leon? He had been starving himself at dinner, giving half of his detention snacks to Jacob. Hearing his belly growl wasn’t a good sign for tomorrow’s test.

But if he could get his brother some extra food, then he’d stand a better chance. Not to mention, no more bellyaches from hunger. Actually, this started to sound like a great idea! Well, except for the whole ‘stealing’ part, but–

Jacob wobbled, rattled out of his daydream as he lost his balance.

“W-whoa!”

He whirled his arms as he tilted to the side. One foot was already over the edge–

Another hand pulled on his own, William’s. The Cubone braced himself to the rafter with his notched club. “I got you,” he said.

With William’s help Jacob steadied himself again, though his legs shivered and felt like jelly. “Whew, thanks.”

The quick glance down below made the main hall seem bigger than ever. It was like a vast expanse of dark wood with scant candlelight casting flickering shadows. He didn’t even want to guess how high up they were.

“You gonna need us to hold your hand the whole way?” Corvo deadpanned.

“N-no, I’m fine,” Jacob answered. He straightened his back and forced his gaze forward. “Sorry.”

“Then keep up,” Corvo said, and he moved forward.

The three continued walking across the beam, approaching the east wall. Up ahead was a rectangular hole near the ceiling. Jacob hadn’t noticed them before, but several of these cleanly-cut holes lined the entire wall.

Corvo ducked and walked in through one such a hole at the end of the beam. William ducked and followed, and so did Jacob. Though he glanced back, still afraid that the Linoone might spot them.

After a drawn-out glance, he wobbled slightly and hurried along, ducking through.

As he regrouped with the others, he stepped into an even darker room than the main hall. Without candles, there were only two sources of light: dim, silver moonbeams through the windows, and the orange glow from his own tail. Down below, he could make out several long tables on the floor.

“So, this is the dining hall?” Jacob asked as he caught up.

“It is,” William answered.

“Why are there holes on top of the wall?”

“Do I look like an architect?” Corvo replied.

“Calm, Corvo,” William cautioned, then turned back to Jacob. “He’s just tense.”

“Well uh, where’s the food?” Jacob asked, changing the subject.

“Just a little further,” Corvo answered.

The three continued along the wooden beam, walking past the windows that framed a thin, crescent moon. Jacob stopped to cartwheel his arms for balance, while William stood by, ready to catch him. Corvo continued moving, until he reached the end of the beam.

“There,” Corvo pointed to another rectangular hole in the wall ahead. Beneath that hole, on the floor, was a plain-looking door. “That’s the pantry. Food’s stored in there.”

Jacob’s tail flame brightened with excitement! But he glanced between the window and where they stood. There was a gap too wide for him to jump across.

“This wood doesn’t go all the way to the window,” Jacob noted. “How do we get in? Vines?”

“Not from here,” Corvo replied. “Too far for mine to stretch. First we gotta get down.” He pointed to a few stacks of crates to their right, some shorter than the others. He promptly leaped to the tallest stack, landing silently.

William jumped next. He couldn’t jump as far, but he grabbed the edge with his bone club, clinging on like a climbing axe. He waited a moment, then dropped harmlessly to the floor. 

Jacob looked down and remembered how high up he was. If he messed this up and fell… Yikes.

“What’re you waiting for?” Corvo called out. He had already started climbing down. “Jump!”

“Uh,” Jacob looked back up at him. “Can I… can I just stay here?”

Corvo groaned and facepalmed.

Jacob’s flame dimmed and his tail drooped. “Guess not…”

“You’ll be okay,” William called up. “Just step back first.”

Jacob gulped, but he took a step back. “I can do this,” he said to himself. “I can do this.” A few seconds passed, though he remained rooted on the spot. Come on! He forced himself forward and leaped.

His feet left the beam and Jacob soared through the air! Excitement jolted him, and he reached out to grab the crate’s edge, but it seemed to fly up and away… He wasn’t going to make it. Panic flared through his whole body, just barely holding in his urge to scream–

“Oof!”

That… didn’t actually hurt much. It wasn’t that loud, either. He opened his eyes and saw that he was on the ground. Everything seemed alright, but something about the floor felt weird.

“Jacob.” He heard a voice coming from somewhere. “Could you please get off?” 

It was… below him? Jacob shook off the shock as he realized where exactly he landed. He quickly stood up and turned around, seeing William crumpled on the floor. He propped himself up, hand to his side. “Ow.”

“I– I’m sorry!” Jacob pleaded.

“Don’t worry about it,” William said, standing up. “I’ll be fine.”

Corvo chuckled. “Well, looks like I got dinner and a show.”

“Let’s move on,” William said with a sigh.

“Right, enough fooling around,” Corvo replied. He led them toward the pantry.

Down on the floor, the absence of moonlight made Jacob’s orange flame all the more noticeable. As he walked he cast a shimmering orange glow on the nearby tables and walls.

Corvo glowed a shade of apricot in the flamelight. He stopped in front of the door.

“Alright, figured the door would be locked,” the Snivy said after fidgeting with the handle. “Gotta go through that window. My vines can only reach so far, but with you here, bonehead won’t gotta stand on his toes.”

Jacob cocked his head. “Toes? What?”

Corvo tapped his feet. “You just had a bit of practice with ‘em just now. Put two and two together.”

“Corvo wants us to lift him up,” William said calmly. “We stand on each other’s shoulders, with Corvo on top.”

“Oh.” Jacob sheepishly scratched his neck. “Right… Can you go first, Will? I don’t think I can hold you both.”

The three gathered around the door. William kneeled in front of it, then Jacob clambered onto the Cubone’s shoulders.

“Perfect,” Corvo said. “And, uh, keep your tail down, alright?” With one leap he hopped onto Jacob’s shoulders.

William stood up, lifting them up. Jacob took his cue to stand as well.

Thwip.

Corvo shot a pair of vines upwards, grappling the bottom of the window sill. 

Jacob idly wondered about Corvo’s plan. If he couldn’t reach the window without two other mons, how was he planning on getting inside to begin with? Moving the crates?

But such thoughts were blown away as he breathed in through his nose, and he could smell the food on the other side. All sorts of berries, like Orans and Pechas and Rawsts, smelling as fresh as a patch on a forest trail. His daydreams turned to pies, like what mom and dad made at home around this time of the year. He perked up in excitement.

“…Ooh, ow. Ow! Ow-ow-ow! Hot! Hot!”

The noise shook Jacob out of his daydream.

“What’s going on up there?” William asked, sounding alarmed.

Jacob craned his head up and saw Corvo swinging, smacking his smoking tail against the wall.

“Damn it, kid!” he hissed. “What did I just tell ya!”

“I-I’m sorry!” Jacob stammered. “I didn’t mean–”

But he lost his balance, whirling his arms as he tumbled off William’s shoulders–

“W-whoa!”

–and he crashed onto his back, bumping his head on the cold, hard floor. It hurt a lot more without a Cubone for a cushion, and left stars in his vision.

Speaking of Cubones, one knelt down next to him. “Are you okay, Jacob?”

“…Just, just leave me here,” Jacob said meekly. “You were right, I should’ve just stayed in my room…”

“You’re doing your best, and that’s enough.” William put a hand on him. “We need you on your feet.”

“My best is awful…”

“Kid,” Corvo raised his voice, climbing onto the window sill. “We ain’t got time for this! I need both of y’all to get your asses up here, cuz they’re comin’!”

Jacob craned his head to listen. He heard faint footsteps… coming from the main hall. They were getting closer. Louder.

“Hurry!” William urged as he pulled Jacob to his feet.

Jacob shook himself out of his daze and ran with William. In just a few seconds, he was shakily climbing onto Will’s back, then lifted by Corvo’s vines around his wrists. It almost felt like taking flight, though it ended quickly as Corvo grabbed his hands and hoisted him up.

“And mind the flame this time!” the Snivy snapped. 

“Sorry– get Will!” Jacob urged.

They looked down at William, who was watching the door to the main hall. Lamplight spilled in through the crack beneath said door.

“Gotta make this as quick as we can,” Corvo said, readying his vines. “Come on, jump!”

William glanced at them. “No time.”

“W-what do we–” Jacob uttered.

But a deafening creak silenced him as the main hall door opened, echoing off the walls. A silhouette appeared, holding up some kind of lantern.

“Shh, get down!” Corvo hushed as he grabbed Jacob and took them both over the other side. They landed with a thud!

With no other windows, the pantry was shrouded in darkness. Jacob’s flame provided their only light, casting a shade of amber on their surroundings. It looked like they landed on some kind of shelf, thankfully an empty one.

Jacob turned to Corvo–

“Shh, quiet,” the Snivy covered his mouth.

They waited in silence. Jacob’s body locked up, tense with fear. He could only hear two things: his own heart beating like crazy, like it wanted to burst out of his chest, and the distant, slow footsteps on the other side of the wall. 

He kept listening for something else to happen, like the footsteps getting louder and faster, or for someone to start shouting ‘stop right there!’ The footsteps continued their normal pace.

Pause.

More footsteps.

Both the footsteps and heartbeats grew quiet.

“Alright,” Corvo’s whisper made Jacob flinch. He looked eerie in the dark, with faint orange light cast over his face. “I think we’re safe. Just keep quiet and stay close.” Corvo leaned over the edge of the shelf they were standing on. “After you.”

“What?” Jacob pointed to himself. “You, you want me to go first?”

“Well, bonehead was carrying our only light.” Corvo crossed his arms. “So now we gotta use the cards we’ve been dealt– your tail.”

Jacob cringed with guilt.“Right… Okay.”

He stepped forward, painting the nearby walls with orange light. Slowly, he dropped down onto a lower shelf, then again onto the floor.

Almost immediately, he spotted wheels of cheese, jars of jelly and drinks, loaves of bread, pies, and once again all the wonderful aromas filled his nose.

Corvo landed softly beside him, dusting off his hands. “About time. Make yourself useful and fill your bag up with as much as you can easily carry. If ya need to grab a bite, that’s fine. Just don’t bloat yourself.”

“Y-yeah! I can do that!” Jacob saluted.

Corvo rolled his eyes. “And stick close. I need to see, too.”

As they scouted the pantry, Jacob started making his own bags of trail mix: dried berries, peanuts, and bits of dark chocolate. He stored most of them in his bag, while nibbling on other free snacks. He smiled as he reached for the desserts and grabbed a jar of honey and a slice of pumpkin pie, safely sealed with a lid. After a couple of minutes he started to feel the weight of his bag, so he was about to stop.

But then he spotted something else, glowing warmly from his flame. A bright, yellow seed with green dots. An Energy Seed.

“Ooh,” Jacob breathed. This would put pep in Leon’s step in no time. So he grabbed the seed, gingerly holding it in both hands, then placed it into his bag. Finally, he zipped up his backpack.

“I’m all set,”Jacob announced.

“Just a bit longer,” Corvo answered. He had climbed up high on the shelves in the back of the pantry. Whatever he was after Jacob couldn’t see it, as his tail illuminated Corvo only up to his waist. Jacob heard some kind of clanking noise, like glass. Finally, Corvo climbed back down. “Alright, let’s get outta here.”

Jacob looked toward the window: a faint blue rectangle that stood out in the darkness. He felt his heart sink. “Do you think William’s alright?” he asked.

Corvo shrugged. “I dunno. Didn’t hear anything, he’s probably fine. Come on.”

They walked toward the door, turning to some barrels to climb back onto the shelves. Corvo loosed his vines–

Knock knock knock.

They both froze. There was a long pause, Jacob and Corvo exchanged nervous glances.

Knock-knock-knock!

“Window,” Corvo whispered. “Hurry!”

“We’ve got the window covered,” a voice from the other side called out. “So don’t bother. We’re comin’ in. No funny business.”

Jacob’s eyes turned watery. “It’s over…” he said. He set his bag down as his head and tail drooped, burning dimly. He trotted toward the door.

“Kid, what are you doing?!” Corvo rasped. 

“This was all my fault,” Jacob answered. “I-I’ll take the fall. I’ll tell them… this was my idea.” He wiped a tear from his eye. 

“Kid, now’s really not the time for melodrama,” Corvo said.

Jacob wasn’t listening, though. He stood in front of the door, which opened promptly. A ray of light spilled into the room, blinding Jacob. He held a hand up in front of his face.

“So, Jacob and Corvo,” the mon addressed them. “You’ve broken your curfews and stolen from the guild. I’ve only one thing to say to both of you…”

The light shut off. “You get anything good?” the stranger asked. His tone was suddenly lighter and even friendly. In fact, he sounded familiar. Jacob lowered his hand as his eyes adjusted. In the low light he started to make out who was at the door.

“Aaron?” Jacob gasped.

“’Sup!” The Scraggy answered with a smile. Then William stepped into view.

“What the,” Corvo stepped forward. “You all know each other?”

“We’ve… been helping him in detention,” Jacob replied, still a little shocked.

“Mark said he heard some kinda ruckus in here,” Aaron explained. “Asked me to check it out. Tch, couldn’t put that book o’ his down. But all for the better, I guess. I came in here lookin’ around, and boy it started to feel like a horror story! Dark and dead silence. And when I was walkin’ around, ‘bout to leave, then this guy–” he pointed at William, “–scared the damn daylight outta me!”

“Not intentionally,” William replied.

“Hey, it’s all good. Now normally I’d have to report ya, but hey, y’all are just hungry. You wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for that Veronica bitch.”

“Right… Veronica.” Corvo said.

“So I’ll make an exception for y’all. Make sure ya get something for Leon, too. He’s been giving all his snacks to Jacob, that poor dile!” 

A bittersweet smile grew on Jacob’s face.

“I’ll keep quiet about all this,” Aaron said. “And I’ll distract Mark and the rest of Nightwatch for y’all so you can get back to your rooms safe. Sound good?”

Corvo stepped forward and grinned. “Sounds good.”

---

Jacob had finished telling his story. They were still in his and Leon’s room. The brothers sat on their beds, William in a chair, and Corvo leaned back against the wall. Jacob didn’t share all of the details, like how Aaron arrived at the end.

“But… we didn’t get caught!” Jacob pleaded.

Leon stared at him with narrowed eyes, like he couldn’t decide if he was more shocked, upset, or something else.“You’re really lucky you didn’t,” he said, shaking his head. “But that’s beside the point. We came out here so we could be adventurers, and you’re on your way to becoming a thief!”

“No! T-that’s not–!”

“You really gonna bite the hand that fed ya, sawjaw?” Corvo spoke up.

“I don’t wanna hear what you have to say,” Leon replied. “You’re the one who dragged him into this! And you…” he set his sights on William. “In the short time I’ve known you, you helped me and my brother lots of times. But now you just… Sign up for thievery?” He closed his eyes and shook his head. “…I thought better of you.”

Jacob felt like he was about to burst. He wanted to speak up, but the words were stuck in his throat.

“Yes, I’ve helped you,” William replied, keeping his tone calm. “And that was my intention, to help you again. Now I want to make this abundantly clear: Corvo and I were going on our own. I had cautioned Jacob against pursuing us, but he followed us anyway. We didn’t strong-arm your brother into this, Leon.”

Another spasm of guilt surged through Jacob, causing his flame to flicker.

“That doesn’t change the fact that you were complicit in all of this!” Leon barked. “Working with a criminal!”

“We were all going hungry, Leon,” William argued. “I was, Jacob was, and since you were giving him half of your food, I can’t even imagine how you must have fared over the past two weeks. Don’t you see? This was done only to help us, and you especially. Not out of greed or any other nefarious reason.”

Leon paused, looking at the floor. “…We wouldn’t have been in that problem in the first place, if it weren’t for you…”

“That’s not fair!” Jacob forced his words out. “If it weren’t for Will, we wouldn’t have even gotten into the guild! And it’s not Will’s fault he lost his memory!”

“We don’t know if that’s even true,” Leon said.

“Leon, how would I ever benefit from pretending to be an amnesiac?” William asserted.

“I don’t know, why would you want to make friends with a con-mon?” Leon tilted his head towards Corvo. “If you’re fine with Corvo and all he stands for, then I don’t know what to think of you anymore.”

Corvo rolled his eyes. “Why are you gettin’ so worked up about this, sawjaw? You got to fill your belly and nobody got in trouble.”

“Yeah, you didn’t get caught ,” Leon emphasized as he hopped off his bed. “So why not do it again? What’s stopping you from sneaking off another night? And if bringing friends made it so much better, why go alone?”

“Please stop…” Jacob said meekly, but no one heard him.

“Leon, this is something we did under unusual circumstances,” William said. “Right now we no longer have a reason–”

“You love eating so much, Corvo,” Leon pressed. “You never stop talking about food.” He strode toward Corvo. “Well, how much longer ‘til you bite off more than you can chew, huh? How many more times do you think you can get away with this stuff ‘til you’re caught? And if you take the rest of us down with you, heh, would you even care? Who cares if we get into trouble cuz of you? Cuz we’re not you !” Leon bellowed. “‘Am I right?’”

“Yeah, sure, okay. I’m the bad guy,” he said, pointing to his chest. “I’m always the bad guy. I never expected a ‘thank you’ from a square like you, but I thought you at least wouldn’t gimmie flak for helping you out.”

“You call this helping ? You’re trying to make my brother a criminal! I ought to turn you in!”

“Leon please!” Jacob pleaded, jumping off his bed. He ran between his brother and Corvo. “Look, I’m sorry! I didn’t mean for this to happen!”

Leon’s expression softened.“Jacob…” He sighed. “I wish you didn’t get swept up in all of this… But I hate seeing you upset.”

Jacob stared at his brother, who now looked torn between anger and some kind of sad concern. Everyone stood around in awkward silence, like they were all waiting for someone else to say something.

“Then where should we go from here?” William spoke up, drawing everyone’s attention to him. “We cannot change what has happened. And we could trade scathing remarks all night, but would anything good come out of that?”

No one had an answer for William’s question, so he continued.

“As much as you’d like to turn in Corvo and I, Jacob is entangled in this as well. There’s no way you can report us without endangering him. It would be better to focus on trying to ease the tension between us now. And since you’re the one who was most wronged by this, Leon, your opinion counts the most. What would you like to do?”

Leon’s shoulders slumped a bit. His face was still carved with disappointment, but Leon didn’t look like he was yearning for a fight anymore. He looked somewhat comforted by William’s sympathy, but also conflicted. After a while he sighed heavily, then answered.

“…Like I said, Jacob and I came out here so we could be adventurers. Not outlaws. Breaking the rules will put that all in jeopardy. With all that’s happened, I still don’t get what your motivation is, but I think you know where I’m coming from. So I hope you’ll also understand what I’m about to say, even if it’s upsetting.”

William nodded. “I’m listening.”

Leon waited a moment, drawing breath before making his declaration. “When we came out here, I planned on it being just the two of us. So… William, Corvo? I’d like you both to stay away from me and my brother.”

Jacob’s face grew wide with shock. His mouth hung open, speechless.

“Fair enough, Leon,” William agreed. “We’ll give you both your space.”

Leon nodded solemnly. “Thank you. Now, if you don’t mind…”

“Of course. We’ll be on our way,” William stood up. “I hope that, someday soon, we’ll be able to leave this behind us.”

Leon didn’t comment, and Jacob was still standing there, dumbstruck.

“I’m sorry, Jacob,” William said as he and Corvo turned their backs and walked out of the room.

Leon sighed. “Well, that was something. But, I think we still did good today. And, there’s still that feast. They’re probably ready by now. Let’s go check it out… Jacob?”

Jacob had walked over to his bed. He crawled in and buried himself under the blankets. All this drama, and anger, it was all too much, too fast.

“Jacob, are you okay?” Leon asked.

Jacob pulled an extra blanket over his head, muffling the noise. This was just a bad dream, it had to be. Everything would be normal again in the morning…