Chapter 04 - Raining Cats and Dogs

"It's raining my soul, it's raining, but it's raining dead eyes" - Guillaume Apollinaire

A droplet of water dripped from the discolored ceiling, landing inside a grimy paint bucket. Estelle reclined in her regal rattan chair, its material emitting creaks and groans as she shifted her weight. Sinking deeper into the plush white linen cushion, she caused the chair to emit another creak. With closed eyes, Estelle wore a half smile.

Another water droplet plummeted from the ceiling, producing a resounding plop as it landed in the bucket. Estelle briefly entertained the idea of kicking off her shoe to topple the bucket, or at the very least, give it a good swift kick.

"Do I really want to soak my feet?" she pondered, glancing at her toes peeking through the white thigh-high stockings.

With minimal effort, Estelle redirected her gaze to the rattan pattern adorning the back of the chair. Although certain sections were broken or snapped off, it was still hers. She reminisced about the time Tunnel Cat had stumbled upon it while diving into dumpsters, presenting it to her as a birthday gift. Apart from a few minor rattan pieces that were damaged, the chair remained functional.

Her thoughts drifted toward the upcoming meeting with the Azul Council, causing her half-smile to transform into a sneer. As she squirmed in the chair, the fibers rubbed against each other, producing another creak. A smile resurfaced on her face. Estelle ran her hand along the armrest, eliciting a squeaking sound once more. However, this time it failed to evoke the same sense of relaxation.

"Must be a past life thing," she thought.

Another drop of water hit the bucket. She glared up at the ceiling.

"Point-37 milliseconds faster than the last one, the hole must be getting bigger."

Outside the room, feet stepped from the stairs to the hallway. Estelle's ears twitched.

"Four people," Estelle thought as she turned her head to the side. "Correction…one person and something on four legs, with that gate, perhaps a dog?"

She sank back into her chair, her posture slumped. Her gaze lingered lazily on the door, devoid of its usual curiosity. The wind intensified, hurling itself against the window with relentless force and throwing rain against it. She watched the shadows that danced across her body, their ever-changing patterns covered and uncovered her eyes. Each footfall from whoever this visitor was reverberated through the worn floorboards, adding to the twisted feelings in her stomach that enveloped her mind.

The inevitable knock resounded, compelling the door to swing open. An individual, donning a brown shoe, extended their foot gracefully into the room. The footwear exuded an air of luxury, with supple leather and meticulous craftsmanship hinting at its extravagant origins.

"Come in," Estelle said.

Indigo entered cautiously, glancing around the corner with apprehension. A black dog emerged, its long snout peeking out between his legs.

"Your door was unlocked," Indigo stated, his cheeks slightly flushed. "It just..."

"That's because the lock doesn't work," she interrupted.

Estelle sat up in her chair, her attention drawn. She inserted a finger between two strands of rattan on the armrest. Indigo inspected the area where the lock should have been, noticing that fragments of metal were gouged out. Meanwhile, the dog strolled in and curiously sniffed at the bucket.

"Triumph, mind your manners," Indigo said.

"Saw-reee," the dog and sat down in front of the bucket.

"Did the Azul Council dispatch you to make sure I would comply with their demands?" Estelle asked.

"Pardon?" asked Indigo.

"Are you not Indigo of the Four Corners Crew? The secret police and enforces of the Azul Council?" Estelle asked. "Should I be insulted that they only sent one enforcer or are the other three loitering about?"

The dog watched a drop of water fall into the bucket with another plop.

"Wait, Mistress Estelle," Indigo began, raising his hands in a gesture of innocence, "I sent a request to join the Thornewood Clan, but I never received a reply. So, I wanted to ask in person."

Estelle shook her head no and pressed her lips together. She ceased her previous act of digging into the chair.

"I left the Four Corners Crew for...personal reasons," Indigo explained.

"Really?" Estelle replied, her eyes rolling, and she rested her head on her shoulder.

"It's troo," Triumph said.

Another droplet of water landed in the bucket, prompting Triumph to glance up at the ceiling and emit a low growl.

"Fine, you're in..." Estelle said.

"Wait...you trust the dog more than me?" Indigo asked, a mixture of annoyance and excitement in his voice.

"How many talking dogs do you know that lie?" Estelle retorted.

Indigo blinked a few times and rubbed his chin. The dog started to wag his tail.

"Fair enough," Indigo conceded, shrugging his shoulders. "Before we proceed, I do have one request."

"Oh?" Estelle asked, sitting up to her full height in the chair.

***