The new language must be because of some thirteenth kind of magic. That makes this nowhere in the spatially contiguous universe Har is in.

The alley looks like it might be a public place, which would be better than accidentally trespassing, but it would be even better to find out where she can read the local laws before anyone decides to enslave her. She picks a random direction to walk in and hopes it'll lead her somewhere useful.

The random direction leads her to an inner courtyard of a bunch of apartments. A man wearing a mask looks at her and then abandons trying to pry open one of the doors to bolt down a stairwell in one corner.

Strange. Very strange. She examines the apartments for a while and goes down the stairs - slowly, not trying to catch up to the masked man.

The stairs lead to a dark hallway with a few pipes running along it. A sign says 'Exit to street - 300ft right'. The man is running in that direction. No doors or windows.

That might be private property. She goes back the way she came and looks for some other way to go.

A woman is peeking out of her door into the courtyard. She sees Lanisal. "Miss? Are you alright?"

"I didn't mean to be here. What would you like for telling me where I am and local laws I need to worry about following?"

"...Do you have any food?"

"Not on me right now."

"Look- It's not safe to stand around talking, okay? I'll tell you what's up if you can give me something useful right now."

"...I have my clothes?"

"Your- No, whatever, never mind." Her worried face softens into sympathy for a moment. "Good luck." Then she shuts the door and locks it with a clunk.

Not a good sign at all. Okay. Maybe she should follow that masked man after all. Back down the stairs.

Masked man is holding his hands up in front of three other men and a woman at one end of the hallway, a couple hundred feet off. They're arguing but she can't make out the words. They don't seem to see her - it's dark in here.

She watches but doesn't move and tries not to make any sound.

"---------- doing here --- kill someone ------------- bullshit ----------- for himself ------"

"----- my family. Please ------------ no no no ------------ little girl she's two ----"

"--------- Police?"

"Fuck ----------- here anymore ----------------"

"--------- off ----------- die."

The masked man takes a step back. One of his assailents shouts, "Take it off!"

He takes off the crude mask, hands shaking. The band of four talk quietly for a moment. Then the biggest one punches the unmasked guy in the gut, hard, before they all step aside. The unmasked guy leaves, looking up and down the street. The group of four head for her spot in the hallway.

She stays where she is for the moment. She looks at them long enough to tell if they seem to be looking at her.

They're not looking at her. They're talking quietly to each other. One of them is carrying a lumpy bag. One's limping. But they'll see her soon, coming down the narrow hallway towards her like that.

They're dangerous but she's not wearing a mask, which seems to be what made them angry with the man. She waits where she is but doesn't look directly at them.

They seem wary of her, when they finally notice. They're paying particular attention to her ears.

"...Oi, who are you? You going to be trouble?"

"I have no intention of being trouble. I'm a bit lost, is there anything I have that you'd like to trade for some information about where I am and the local laws?"

"Lost? Lost? Ha! You've got terrible luck if you got lost here of all places! Also, it doesn't look like you have anything except that dress."

"Gene, ears."

"And whatever's the reason you've got pointy ears I guess."

"Gene."

"I have many skills. At home I produce shows with audiences in the tens of thousands, for instance."

"Nobody cares about theater right now."

"Gene let's just get out of here."

"Right. Lady, the place is called Remington. You're welcome to go find the law up at the top of this screwed up city but I don't recommend it. We're gonna go past you now, don't try anything, you hear?"

"I hear you and I won't try anything while you pass me."