Double Standard
“There’s just one thing I don’t get,” said Nashu.
“Just one thing?” Briardien snorted derisively. “I highly doubt that.”
As the party trudged vaguely northward through Eastern Thanalan to catch up with the Warrior and Gentleman of Light, Nashu turned to walk backward so she could face Cecy. And point accusingly at her. “You called Inspector Hildibrand a cross-dressing pervert!”
Julyan’s head turned toward Cecy, her eyes gleaming ominously. “I beg your pardon?”
“He— he put on a dress and a full face of makeup!” Cecy protested. “To deceive me into thinking he was Arabella!”
“Fair’s fair!” Nashu shot back. “You were disguised as Vannes to deceive Arabella!”
“That’s different!”
From ahead of most of the group, and behind the backward-walking Nashu, came the sounds of yelling and skirmishing as the local band of Qiqirn descended on Highbridge for the third time this week. But Nashu would not be distracted. “It’s exactly the same!” she replied. “When we catch up with him, you need to apologize.”
Cecy looked around at the others in hopes someone would come to her defense.
“The inspector went to such great lengths to solve a case?” Humphrey marvelled. “What an amazing man!”
Briardien rubbed his chin. “Try as I might, I cannot find a flaw in Nashu’s logic.”
“Help! The ratmen kidnapped my son!” cried a woman on the bridge.
“You called my Hildy what?” Julyan demanded.
In the ensuing silence one could hear a pin drop, were it not for the nearby Brass Blades swinging their swords at the onslaught of Qiqirn or the residents of Highbridge screaming bloody murder. The Manderville-adjacent party, however, was wholly focused on how Cecy would respond.
“I… I was playing a role!” Cecy stammered out. “I was just reacting the way Vannes would have!”
Nashu folded her arms across her chest and puffed her cheeks out. Her tail swished in annoyance. “So you’ll apologize to the inspector?”
“Yes! I promise!”
Nashu grinned and clapped her hands. “Hurray! Thank you, Cecy! I just know he’ll be thrilled to hear it!”
“Assuming there’s enough room in his thick skull to even remember the insult…” Briardien muttered.
One of the Qiqirn traffickers turned its gaze on Nashu as she turned back ’round to walk forward again. Before it could try to grab her, a Lalafell in a straw hat appeared out of nowhere and punched it in the face, then turned tail and fled as the Qiqirn and about five of its friends gave chase.
Propelled by the gleaming light-trail of the Treaty-Blade, Hildibrand quickly vanished from sight. Nashu took off, on foot, in vaguely the same direction.
Julyan’s head whipped around to glare at Cecy, who realized with a sudden jolt of horror that Hildibrand had blasted off before she could render her apology.