- Ch. 8 - Plans of a Canary

When Dinah finally had Lianne calmed down, Faith motioned with her eyes and a slight turn of her head towards the door when they met the blond mother's own pair. 'I think she's saying follow me so we can put Lianne down to bed.'

Dinah's guess was proven right when Faith turned around and headed towards the door. Before she followed her Captain, she told the other 2 teens who were working away at the dish pile, "Good night you two."

Dinah then continued after Faith; while she held Lianne's hand with her unoccupied one, who lead them upstairs and towards one of the rooms with a door that had Lianne's name on a plaque placed on it. The doors to each room in the hallways that they passed by all looked similar; besides the slight and minuscule deviations, except for the plaques of silver metal with the names of different kids and teens etched into them in big bold letters. The mahogany wooden doors, darker doorway frames, and the silver plaques gave the bland hallways a tasteful splash of color.

They lead Lianne to her own room and before she opened it, Faith told the little, hume bunny girl, "Have a good night, Lianne. Prep for bed and sleep tight."

"Go on, we'll see you tomorrow.", Dinah encouraged with a smile.

Lianne let go of her hand and hugged her for a few seconds before she gave Faith the same treatment and promptly went into her room and softly closed the door. Before it was fully closed, they heard a soft voice saying, "Good night."

Faith nodded to her and then she lead Dinah to her office on the 2nd floor. Once they entered, Dinah was reminded of Panacea's office on the 1st floor, except the coffee table was replaced by a square foot table, scrolls dominated the shelves on the walls, there was an area in the corner with a table filled with beakers, bubbling concoctions, some kind of heated stone stoves; powered by crystals of some kind, tubes, mortar and pestle for grinding down herbs, and other things. 'That must be for potion making.'

'It looks like an exact copy of Panacea's office.', thought Dinah with an appraising gaze. Panacea was sitting down at one of the couches while drinking tea. When they entered, she greeted them with a nod and a smile.

"Mother.", greeted Faith. The half-elf bowed her head slightly and then she went to her desk and sat down on her chair. She laid her gnarled staff against the wall and to her right and she laced her fingers together while she gave Dinah an assessing look filled with a whirlwind of different emotions.

Dinah, following her lead, sat down on the couch across from Panacea. She cradled Conner to her bosom while she took off her satchel and sat it down beside her.

Silence permeated the room for a few seconds before Faith spoke out. "Thank you for being gentle with Lianne. She was our recent addition to the Familia 2 years ago. And it's been pretty tough for her to adjust."

"Don't mention it. She's a very sweet girl. Time heals all wounds, but I found that opening yourself up to people can help hasten the process.", Dinah replied gently while she stroked her baby bird's head softly.

While Panacea smiled behind her tea cup, Faith steered the conversation to different matters. "Once again, thank you for joining the Familia. I know Mother Panacea's given you the basics and rundown of how we work. However, I'd like to clarify a few things to help you out and make you further understand our current situation in the city. Most of the Familia work with the Guild at the Babel Medical Ward for reckless and unlucky Adventurers who've ran afoul of the dungeon. I've been working there for 7 years now and I've heard and seen plenty. That damned dungeon is very much sentient. I've read it, and heard it before, but the eye witness accounts from the wounded give a much more gruesome tale."

Faith paused for a few moments to let her words sink in, before she continued. "I'm sure you'll find out about these things soon. I'm not here to talk about how dangerous the dungeon is, because it's common sense. The world outside these walls are also dangerous. Our Familia's safety is paramount, so I strongly advise for you to utilize the knowledge they've accumulated in the Guild's library. It will save your life."

*Sigh* With a deep breath, Faith straightened her back and her eyes hardened to pools of green steel. "I'm the Familia Captain. I'm in charge. I've got 2 Vice-Captains I've chosen and it's Zack and Kim. Kim was the 15 year old teen at the corner earlier that was helping feed and calm down some of the other young ones earlier at dinner. You've already met Zack. You'll get to know everyone sooner or later. Now then, you Dinah, will be directly under my command. I don't know you, but if Panacea gave you her blessing, then that's one check mark in your favor. You helped out Lianne, talked to Zack, and to Gil. What you've done tonight is cement yourself into everyone's hearts. You, Dinah, also have a look of a woman of action. I've seen my fair share of female Adventurers and dungeon divers and you have that look about you. It may not be tomorrow, the next day, or maybe even a week from now, but I suspect you'll be dungeon diving soon. I'm not going to stop you, but I want you to listen. I don't want to repeat these words, but I want you to cement them within your consciousness and subconscious. DO. NOT. DIE. We can ill afford to lose anyone in this Familia. Our Familia is our family. So make sure you come back."

Dinah felt a chill and a weight behind her Familia Captain's gaze that both impressed and also scared her. 'How does she have Batman's glare?! And what's this icy grasp touching my skin and giving me chills all of a sudden?!' Dinah nodded at Faith's words with an expression of seriousness; while she kept her features schooled, as well. Panacea was hiding her lips behind her tea cup and looking between her two eldest children with a proud feeling spreading and churning in her chest.

Faith paused once again and her hardened pools of green steel eyes shifted back into her usual emerald color. "Our Familia is rank I. We make a decent amount of Valis working at the Babel Medical Ward, but it isn't enough. We are currently in debt and we're slowly trying to pay it off. But the way things are going now, it would take us 30 years to pay it off completely; including taxes and interest. Thankfully, we got a loan from the Guild and their the ones we're paying off. Any other Familia that we could've received a loan from would've drained us dry or worked us as slaves. Our Goddess Panacea has a few friends amongst the Gods and Goddesses in Orario, but they'd rather keep their reputations than help us. Some are too high up in the food chain and focused on exploring the depths of the dungeon to give us the time of day. A few are just plain busy because they're a primarily production based Familia. We may be in debt, but we're not beggars and I refuse for us to further burden the hard working producers of this city."

Dinah raised her hand slowly, and Faith nodded at her to proceed. Faith knew Dinah would ask the dreaded question, so she was preparing herself to answer. Panacea slowly winced inwardly while she poured herself more green tea.

"How much are we in debt?", Dinah asked slowly while she looked between Panacea and Faith.

"As of now, we are currently 5,587,000 Valis in debt...", Faith said gravely while she clenched her hands tighter. "It was originally 8 million, 7 years ago, but we've all been working hard to chip away at the debt. My 30 year timeline estimate is because not a lot of Adventurers are buying our wares like before. They've been getting better potions, elixirs, tonics, and medicine from other places, so our revenue from that direction has been slowly declining."

That number was like a punch to Dinah's gut. '5 million..., holy shit!', she shouted internally. "I currently have 975 Valis to my name. I'd gladly add them to our Familia's coffers.", Dinah said calmly while she reached for her satchel.

"Don't.", Faith said kindly with a gentle look to her face and a raised hand. "If I had to hazard a guess, I'd say that besides a few clothes and the ones that you're wearing, you've got nothing else."

"Actually...", Panacea interjected. "A friend of Dinah's left her that satchel. There's some food for both her and her son, the 975 Valis, a map, and a few changes of a woman's underclothes."

Dinah nodded to Panacea in thanks, while Faith's look grew evermore softer and gentler. *Sigh* "I see. Then that's even more of a reason for you to keep your Valis. Buy yourself some changes of clothes tomorrow, and any dirty laundry you have can be placed in the hamper in your room. Mother, does Dinah have a room ready?"

"Yes she does, I took care of it earlier.", Panacea said with a smile. "I'll lead her to her room when we're done."

"Splendid.", Faith nodded in thanks. "Dinah, I want you to explore the city, visit the library, get your bearings, and when you feel that you're ready, then I want you to tell me before you head into the dungeon. Mother Panacea will help take care of Conner in your absence, is this agreeable?"

"Yes, it is. It sounds like a plan. Thank you for your consideration, Captain. We'll get rid of that debt in no time."

"I'm counting on it. Now, before I have Mother Panacea lead you to your new bedroom, I'd like to ask a few more things of you."

"If it's within my power and ability to do so, then all you need to do is ask."

Faith nodded at her gratefully, before she continued her inquiry. "As your Captain, I'd like to view your complete Status sheet and I'd like it if mother would tell me of your circumstances. Would that be alright? You don't have to agree out of obligation. It's just, as the Captain, I'd like to get to know the capabilities and history of those I'm in charge of, but if you feel that it's strictly need to know, then I would gladly acquiesce to your decision." Faith sort of floundered and subtly deflated in her momentum as she continued, but Dinah chose to ignore it out of respect.

Dinah conveyed her respect towards the half-elf with a nod and a resolute look to her face, before she told her Captain her thoughts. "You are free to do so, Captain. It's a mark of a true leader to ask their subordinates for their thoughts while never wavering from sensitive topics of discussion. Know yourself and your comrades, and a commander need not be afraid of a hundred battles. Panacea chose you as her Captain and I can see why." She then gave the blond half-elf a smile, before she turned towards Panacea and nodded to her. "Good night, Faith. I'll see you in the morning."

'I'm pretty sure I just botched that quote from Sun Tzu. Batman would be correcting me right about now. I think I need a journal to keep my thoughts in order.'

Before she knew it, Panacea was at the door and opening it for the mother and son duo. Before she left to guide her Songbird to her new room, she looked back and said, "I'll be back in a bit, Faith." Panacea gave her half-elven child a proud smile, before she left with Dinah and Conner.

When they left, Faith slumped down on her chair and held her face in between her hands. Her cheeks were blushing, and the blush quickly spread to the tips of her ears. "Oh my gosh, she called me Captain so many times." She had to muffle her squeals of joy and embarrassment. 'I need to calm down. I'd rather not have mother see me like this again. The teasing alone would be endless.'

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As Dinah was being lead to her new room somewhere on the 3rd floor, she couldn't help but say, "Faith's very intense."

Panacea just laughed gently at her Songbird's blunt honesty and whole heartedly agreed with a nod. "Yes, she is, but there's many sides to her that you've yet to discover for yourself. Faith loves our Familia very much and she's been running herself ragged. She'll open up to you eventually."

As they were walking, a few thoughts popped into Dinah's head.

'I'm getting a sort of Batman and Zatanna vibe off of her.', with a raised brow, and widened eyes, she suddenly realized it just now. 'My god, the magical vibes I always get around talented Magic users were constantly pinging off ever since I got here. I thought it was just the Gods and Goddesses and their children that were pinging off of my senses; which they were, but it wasn't just that. The Zatanna vibes that Faith was subtly setting off now made sense.'

"Hey Panacea, does Faith know any Magic?", Dinah asked for her own peace of mind and to confirm her suspicions.

"She does. And hearing the name of her Magic Spell always gives me happy chills.", Panacea said with fondness.

"What's the name? If you don't mind me asking.", Dinah asked with some curious intrigue while she was mentally congratulating herself for trusting her own instincts.

"It's called Panacea's Light. It's a healing spell that she only uses in emergencies. Besides the Guild, and the other medical staff at Babel, as well as everyone in our Familia, no one else knows about it. Thankfully, she's only ever had to use it on unconscious and gravely injured patients. If the other Familias found out, then they would've tried to poach Faith a long time ago. What made you want to ask?"

Dinah nodded her head at that information with a slightly furrowed brow. 'It looks like I'll have to formulate a plan to further secure my Familia's happiness and security for the foreseeable future. This city is more dangerous than I thought.'

"I'm pretty sure I can sense magic.", she answered without preamble.

Panacea stopped in her tracks and did a 180 like a top before she looked at Dinah with a serious expression. *Sigh* Her expression changed to a slight exasperated look, before a grin tugged at her lips. "Why am I not surprised?"

"No wait, I am surprised, but I already expected another extraordinary thing to come from you later on. I just wasn't expecting anymore surprises to jump out at me again tonight." With that said, Panacea laughed to herself while she played with her gorgeous black hair.

With a shake of her head, Panacea looked into her eyes and told her, "Keep this within the Familia. You'll be performing a magical oath of our Familia's binding to bind our secrets within our Familia alone. It'll be done tomorrow in the early morning, so don't leave the premises until it's performed. It's so that no one can be coerced, forced, drugged, blackmailed, spelled, cursed, and accidentally reveal any sensitive Familia information to anyone outside our family. Everyone's done this of their own volition, and it helps keep us all safe."

With those words said, Panacea continued leading her to her room without pause. It took Dinah a few moments to digest that, before she continued to follow her new Goddess towards her new bedroom. 'It makes sense. A magical binding oath would definitely help us keep our secrets from being found out too soon. But there's always a problem about keeping secrets. Sooner or later, someone will stumble upon them by accident or divine intervention. And since I'm now living in a city with who knows how many Gods and Goddesses roaming about, then the part about divine intervention is looking more and more likely to happen in the future. I need to make plans...'

Dinah pictured Batman's scowling face in her mind, before a slow smirk tugged at her face. 'I think I'll have to take a page out of Batman's book and make back up plans on top of back up plans. And then, make fake back up plans hiding secret plans... It looks like I'm going to need a journal after all. I've finally found a use for the jolly old english of my old world. Hmm, should I teach it to my Familia?...'

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After Panacea lead Dinah to her room, helped put Conner down to sleep in the old wooden crib; that was next to the bed, and said her good nights, she went to her office, grabbed Dinah's Status sheet, and went back to meet up with Faith.

Once she was back in her half-elven daughter's office, she gently closed the door, strode forward with a serious expression on her fair face, and she gently placed Dinah's Status sheet on the desk facing towards the Familia Captain.

"Let me tell you the story of a young woman who was born and given the name of Dinah Laurel Lance. What I'm about to tell you is all true and I verified it earlier when I talked with the young woman. You know mortals can't lie to a God or Goddess unless certain situations, circumstances, and other things are shielding them from our purview. Ms. Lance, is a human, but she's no ordinary woman. I want you to keep an open mind, can you do that?"

Faith nodded resolutely while her curiosity was slowly reaching critical levels.

"Dinah is her real name, but she was also known by another alias... she was known as the Black Canary..."