Swan Song

Humpty Dumpty Sat On The Wall

When Lock woke up the morning after, he dragged his aching body out of the empty bedroom, and followed the sounds of plates clattering and people talking, only to end up in the Karma family's kitchen.

"Took your sweet time," Ted said, a piece of toast in his mouth.

"Come here, boy," said friar Frau urgently. "You're practically a skeleton! Here - have a seat - go on now. Don't be shy. Chirs, make some for him, would you?"

The boy nodded as Lock sat down, and a plate was placed in front of him. "I already did," Chris stated, wearing pink apron.

"We decided to take the day off," Lily started. "Y'know, since we almost died n' all. Frau told your parents."

"I had some free time on my hands," the friar said, sipping his coffee.

"They're gonna kill me," Lock replied, pulling on his hair nervously.

"Nonsense," insisted Frau. "You'll be fine. I had a stern talking with your father."

"And it worked?"

"Nonsense. He kicked me out."

"Then how will I be fine?"

"You're a tough kid."

Slumping in defeat, Lock started eating.

"So what's the next step?" Lily asked. "In finding the Head Hunter, I mean."

"Well, I don't really have any leads, so I guess I'll have to get creative."

"What'd'ya mean 'no leads'?" said Ted, his mouth still full. "We just fought three of them yesterday, didn't we?"

Glancing suspiciously at Frau, Lock hesitated to answer.

"You can trust him," encouraged Lily. "Frau is good people."

The friar looked up from his newspaper, looking confused. "Did someone mention me?"

"No," said Chris, and the man shrugged, then went back to reading.

Continuing, Lock answered Ted's previous inquiry, "Well, there's no actual proof the three of them are involved with the head hunter."

"But they have holy relics!" the other boy replied. "Isn't that the reason you've expanded your suspect horizon?"

"Did any of them seem like they had relics that let them decapitate people to you? 'Cause I can't imagine fire, light or shadow doing that."

"Fair point. What do we do, then?"

We? Lock thought, looking around the room. Chris had spilled something on Frau, and was making a bigger mess by trying to clean it up. The friar was waving him off, pouting slightly, and Lily just laughed at them.

Is this what a family is supposed to look like?

That thought reminded him of something else he had to do.

"If you want to help, you should know Crispin offered his help, too. Oh, and Allen is in on it."

"Really? That guy?" said Ted, grimacing. "I don't like him."

"'Cause Maria left you for him," sang Lily, then promptly had a piece of toast thrown at her.

"No playing with knives!" reprimanded Frau, though no one had a knife in their hand.

"What's wrong with Allen?" Lock asked, knowing full well the several things which were wrong with Allen.

"He's a bit rough around the edges," answered Lily. "And a bit on the inside, too. Oh, and in his very core. Can't forget that."