Featuring:
Chapter 1: The Girl with White Hair
On a sunny day in Vale, a truck was driving around town. The truck stopped in front of a shop titled “The Shining Blade” and a man stepped out. The man opened the back of the truck and revealed a whole bunch of wooden crates.
Manager: Hey! Can you lend me a hand, Lock!?
The passenger door of the truck opens and Lock hops out. Lock walks to the back of the truck and looks at all of the crates.
Lock: *takes off his hat and scratches his head* You’re gonna help me with these right?
Manager: *smiles* You kiddin? And break my back? Get lifting while I set up shop.
Lock: *sigh* Fine!
Lock begins to carry the crates into the shop. Midway through, a girl with white hair watches while licking ice cream.
Lock: *looks at her with a perplexed look on his face* Uh….Can I help you?
????: *licks ice cream* I heard there was going to be a blacksmith’s shop opening here today.
Lock: *sets the crate down and wipes his forehead* Yup. This is that shop. Manager’s inside. Wait… how did you know we’d be setting up shop here?
????: *she continues to lick her ice cream* I have my sources.
Lock: *he looks at her with a suspicious face and notices the emblem on her wristband* Excuse me but may I ask for your name?
????: *she looks at him intensely* It’s rude to ask for someone’s name when you haven’t even introduced yourself.
Lock: Lock Noire…
????: Bianca Snow.
Lock: *holds out his hand* Nice to meet you.
Bianca: *bites her ice cream* Likewise…
Lock resumes lifting the boxes into the shop
Manager: Will you hurry up!
Lock: I’m sorry!
Lock finishes lifting the crates and collapses onto the floor.
Lock: Can…can I have some water?
Manager: Sure but it’ll cost you.
Lock: I hate you…
Bianca walks into the shop and over Lock. She stands at the counter and rings the bell.
Manager: Welcome to The Shining Blade! How may I assist you young lady?
Bianca: *she hands him a list of metals and parts* Can you fetch these for me?
Manager: *drooling* Such expensive items. One moment please. *He looks at Lock with an angry expression* Hey! How long are you gonna lie down on the job!?
Lock: Ugh...
Lock stands up and grabs the list
Lock: *he looks at it and his eyes widen* Coming right up.
A few moments later, Lock returns with a box of the items on her list.
Manager: Now then, about the costs.
Lock: Hey. How about selling it for a discount?
Manger: *looks at Lock* What are you? Insane?
Lock: *looks at Bianca with a serious look* Either that or sell it for free. Otherwise the Snow family might shut us down before we even begin.
Bianca and Lock pull their guns on each other. The Manager ducks behind the counter.
Manager: Snow? You mean as in The Snow Arms Corporation?!
Lock: I knew I’ve heard your name before. Bianca Snow, daughter of Ivory Snow, the company CEO.
Bianca: How do you know about me?
Lock: I only know that you’re her daughter. White hair, blue eyes, that emblem on your wristband, you’re basically advertising your identity.
Bianca: *holsters her gun and begins to head towards the door* I’ve changed my mind. I won’t be buying these so I’ll be on my way.
Lock: *holsters his gun* Wait. We won’t tell anyone and you can keep coming back here.
Manager&Bianca: What?
Lock: Customer secrets are valuable when it comes to running a business and when a customer trusts an establishment; they tend to rely on it.
Bianca: *turns and looks at Lock* So you’ll stay quiet about me? Just like that?
Lock: *sighs and closes his eyes* Well you’re our first customer here and it would be bad for business if you leave unsatisfied. On top of that, a detective doesn’t share information with just anyone.
Bianca:*smiles and chuckles* I see. Thank you.
Bianca pays in full for the parts and walks out the door. The Manager looks at the money and his eyes sparkle.
Manager: Hohoho! Lock, you are the man!
Lock: *looks at him seriously* That goes for you too, you know. Not a word.
Manager: Who do you think I am? I value customer secrets too and it would be such a waste to lose a customer who pays like this.
Lock: But still, it’s weird. Why would someone so high up, shop at a place like this? What’s her deal? I wonder…
Manager: Hey! Can you lend me a hand, Lock!?
The passenger door of the truck opens and Lock hops out. Lock walks to the back of the truck and looks at all of the crates.
Lock: *takes off his hat and scratches his head* You’re gonna help me with these right?
Manager: *smiles* You kiddin? And break my back? Get lifting while I set up shop.
Lock: *sigh* Fine!
Lock begins to carry the crates into the shop. Midway through, a girl with white hair watches while licking ice cream.
Lock: *looks at her with a perplexed look on his face* Uh….Can I help you?
????: *licks ice cream* I heard there was going to be a blacksmith’s shop opening here today.
Lock: *sets the crate down and wipes his forehead* Yup. This is that shop. Manager’s inside. Wait… how did you know we’d be setting up shop here?
????: *she continues to lick her ice cream* I have my sources.
Lock: *he looks at her with a suspicious face and notices the emblem on her wristband* Excuse me but may I ask for your name?
????: *she looks at him intensely* It’s rude to ask for someone’s name when you haven’t even introduced yourself.
Lock: Lock Noire…
????: Bianca Snow.
Lock: *holds out his hand* Nice to meet you.
Bianca: *bites her ice cream* Likewise…
Lock resumes lifting the boxes into the shop
Manager: Will you hurry up!
Lock: I’m sorry!
Lock finishes lifting the crates and collapses onto the floor.
Lock: Can…can I have some water?
Manager: Sure but it’ll cost you.
Lock: I hate you…
Bianca walks into the shop and over Lock. She stands at the counter and rings the bell.
Manager: Welcome to The Shining Blade! How may I assist you young lady?
Bianca: *she hands him a list of metals and parts* Can you fetch these for me?
Manager: *drooling* Such expensive items. One moment please. *He looks at Lock with an angry expression* Hey! How long are you gonna lie down on the job!?
Lock: Ugh...
Lock stands up and grabs the list
Lock: *he looks at it and his eyes widen* Coming right up.
A few moments later, Lock returns with a box of the items on her list.
Manager: Now then, about the costs.
Lock: Hey. How about selling it for a discount?
Manger: *looks at Lock* What are you? Insane?
Lock: *looks at Bianca with a serious look* Either that or sell it for free. Otherwise the Snow family might shut us down before we even begin.
Bianca and Lock pull their guns on each other. The Manager ducks behind the counter.
Manager: Snow? You mean as in The Snow Arms Corporation?!
Lock: I knew I’ve heard your name before. Bianca Snow, daughter of Ivory Snow, the company CEO.
Bianca: How do you know about me?
Lock: I only know that you’re her daughter. White hair, blue eyes, that emblem on your wristband, you’re basically advertising your identity.
Bianca: *holsters her gun and begins to head towards the door* I’ve changed my mind. I won’t be buying these so I’ll be on my way.
Lock: *holsters his gun* Wait. We won’t tell anyone and you can keep coming back here.
Manager&Bianca: What?
Lock: Customer secrets are valuable when it comes to running a business and when a customer trusts an establishment; they tend to rely on it.
Bianca: *turns and looks at Lock* So you’ll stay quiet about me? Just like that?
Lock: *sighs and closes his eyes* Well you’re our first customer here and it would be bad for business if you leave unsatisfied. On top of that, a detective doesn’t share information with just anyone.
Bianca:*smiles and chuckles* I see. Thank you.
Bianca pays in full for the parts and walks out the door. The Manager looks at the money and his eyes sparkle.
Manager: Hohoho! Lock, you are the man!
Lock: *looks at him seriously* That goes for you too, you know. Not a word.
Manager: Who do you think I am? I value customer secrets too and it would be such a waste to lose a customer who pays like this.
Lock: But still, it’s weird. Why would someone so high up, shop at a place like this? What’s her deal? I wonder…