Down to the Depths

Michael nervously laughed. “Don’t worry about it!”

“I’m not worried.” Onni flared up at the very obviously taller man. “It seems like you’re worried.”

"We would like to worry about it, sir," said Sylvie. "Especially if you are also worried about it."

Michael sighed. “Look, that was a long time ago, and I’d rather not talk about it.”

"Maybe talking about it is what you need to move past it," said Sylvie, dropping the sir part for this one.

Michael crossed his arms. "Look, to get me to say anything, you need the Courage of a Coward."

"That sounds wrong," said Sylvie.

Micheal huffed. "Well, it isn't. That's simply how this goes."

Onni held up a finger. "How what goes, exactly?"

"Yes I think maybe you should avoid the riddles, sir" said Sylvie, "they are hard to decipher and the sooner we understand this the faster we can get out of your hair."

Michael simply closed the door in their face, the lock clicking into place.

Onni gasped. "Hey!"

"Sir, please," begged Sylvie, knocking on the door a few times for good measure.

No one answered.

Onni scowled. "Wow, thanks. Back to the gossiping grannies?"

Sylvie let out a sigh. "It might be the best option at this point."

Onni rolled eir eyes. "Now time to climb back to the floor and wander around until we find a coward or something."

"Yeah, although I think the biggest problem is figuring out how to get courage out whatever coward we find," said Sylvie.

Onni groaned. "Ugh, you're right! How are we going to do that?"