29: Secrets of the Church
Phantasia wondered how long it would take them to realise after entering the church. It took Korrigan four seconds.
“Oh! Oh! You live here!” she said, “That’s your flowery shirt! And your velvet waistcoat! And that gorgeous dress you looked really uncomfortable in! And boots? You have boots? But you never wear boots And-and-and you live in a church! That’s so awesome! Ceres, this is even more awesome than your place!”
“A church,” said Hermia, shaking her head in despair, “Do you really live in a place like this?”
Phantasia tried to hide behind a nervous giggle. “I try!”
Hermia rolled her eyes skyward and marched over to Horatio. “No peeking into a girl’s home now,” she said as she dragged him outside by his belt. He looked downcast, his face flushed with embarrassment, but didn’t protest.
As Korrigan skipped into the ruins, poking around every cupboard and corner she passed with associated ooh-ing and aah’ing, Ceres examined the plant life that sprouted through the cracks and ran up the walls.
“It’s a pretty place,” she said, “If it weren’t sacred ground, and I weren’t who I was, I’d sure be living ‘ere meself. It ain’t been messed around with for centuries – well, until…” her voice trailed off and her eyes narrowed on Phantasia.
“I-it was Mr Payne’s idea!” she said, “He said I could live here!”
The forest-girl’s eyes widened in surprise. “Well, I guess if they said you could live here, it must be alright!” She turned her attention back to a tree that had burrowed through the stone. “Sorry. It’s just me being a bit protective an’ all that, yanno? This being sacred and all,”
“It’s just an old building,” said Hermia, who had returned from lecturing Horatio, “You’re too sentimental!”
An awkward silence was broken by Korrigan’s cooing. “Ooh, this is a bit kinky!” she said, holding a lace corset Kaori had given Phantasia to ‘help her blend in’ the next time she went to the World’s End.
Hermia strode forward and raised her hand, but stopped short of slapping her friend. “Korrigan! Stop snooping around other people’s private property! I thought you came here to investigate some old crypts, not Phantasia’s personal possessions!”
“But-but-but look at wh—”
Hermia’s hand struck like a whip, lashing across Korrigan’s face. The blonde girl slunk down and hid behind her hair. Hermia left her wallowing in pity and walked over to Phantasia.
“I am so sorry,” she said, “Korrigan may be our top athlete, but she lacks basic social skills and manners. I really am truly, truly sorry.”
“Ah, ain’t your fault,” said Ceres, “We should’ve said something beforehand. Korrie’s always pokin’ round other people’s stuff when she gets a chance,”
“I just wanted to get to know her better,” said Korrigan from behind the curtain of hair. Ceres moved over to comfort the socially eccentric student, who whimpered into her shoulder like a wounded kitten. Phantasia didn’t know what all the fuss was about.
“It’s okay,” she said, “I don’t even know what ‘kinky’ means!”
