I don't own Threads of Fate/Dewprism


Ch.3 Witchin Witch Shop

The rain poured down, creating the infamous mist in the small town called Carona. It was the night time where normal people usually choose to sit on their comfy couch and enjoying a mug of hot chocolate. Well, normal wasn't the right word to describe two red haired people who drove all around town with Ford Pinto just to find a certain injured man.

"[Expletive] ! This mist makes me hard to see the road"

A woman with twin ponytails was shouting while pressed her face to the car's windows in the passenger seat, trying to look out of the window. Too bad, the mist made it hard to see the street.

"Maybe God already decides it's time for us to give up? After all it's almost midnight!"

"Shut up Rod! Don't complain and just drive!"

Rod just grumbled under his breath while cursing his luck for making him searching a total stranger….for almost eight hours!

SMACK!

"I told you to shut up! and drive faster!"

Gah! When he found the stranger he would pay back the brat for all the trouble he put him in.

"…."

"What?"

Nope…He couldn't do it

Mint would kill him for that. Oh joy.

c~-~c~-~c~-~c~-~c~-~c~-~c~-~c~-~c~-~c~-~c~-~c~-~c

A man with white hair could be seen walking at a narrow dirty alley, wearing a hospital clothes which already dirty by his constant falling. He was actually a really 'lucky' guy. Why not? Falling from a helicopter and still alive and manage to ran away from the hospital right before the police interrogate him. Lucky

THUD!

Alright, scratch the lucky part.

"Damnit!"

After latching several curse to no one for the nth time he tried to stand up with more effort than necessary. His wounds worst than he thought and it was getting more painful each time he took a step with his bare foot. He clutched his most painful wound and tried to remember the right path to Mel's new shop. Every time he went to the shop, Mel always changed the location of her place. Sigh…The damn 'witch' was scary, how could she manage to move her shop so frequently?

BRAK!

How many more he needed to fall before he reached her shop? The pain in his stomach made his mind foggy. He really wanted to just lie on the floor and sleep.

f-~-f~f-~-f

"ありがとう そして…さようなら"

She walked away. The softly falling snow shone in the waning moonlight.

"Wait! What are you talking about?"

She walked forward without looking back. The red drops illustrated the thing beneath the veil.

"Don't go"

And disappear from the branch of lament.

"Please…"

Every day, you do something and lose something. Having stood at the ready made it easier.

I always shut my heart to people. Claire was the one who found me. She opened my heart, giving me the reason to life. Until that man came. Came…and destroyed everything. My hope, my purpose in life…

My world…

f-~-f~f-~-f

It was so unbelievable, the strength he gained just by thinking about 'him' and his oath to find Claire.

"Right…I don't have time to dwell on the past"

Rue tried to move faster.

"Ah!"

Found it! It's really hard to miss the bright shop. With colorful mushrooms and floating stars decoration all over the place you even didn't need to read the sign to know that place is 'Mel's Atelier'. She had a strange taste with the decoration. No wonder people called her 'Fancy' Mel. He pushed the door with his shoulder. The bell on the door made ringing sound, announcing his arrival to the whole shop.

"Welcome to- -Oh my God! What happen to you?"

"Mel?"

A woman in her late thirty with blonde hair and school girl attire approached him. She assisted him to the nearest couch while calling for her helpers. A few kids appeared in his blurry vision. Yeah, Mel's little helpers were a bunch of kids. Mel called them Poppul Purrels. He had no idea where she got the name. While the kids tended his opened wounds she started to interrogate him. Unfortunately, Rue already too tired for an interrogation.

"Mel! Please, I'm tired and feel like a shit! Will you stop pestering me?"

He shouted while rub his forehead with annoyance. Mel stopped her train of question. She looked at Rue intently for a few second. Then she smiled while pat Rue's head like a little kid.

"Yeah, I'm sorry Rue. I just worried, that's all"

"No, I'm the one who should apologize. I'm sorry"

Rue felt really bad. Here he was…getting a treatment from her and all he did was shouting to her.

"I guess Rue is still Rue huh…"

Her eyes looked so sad. It was looking at him but it almost felt that she didn't see him at all.

"Excuse me?"

She just giggled. Was she in her 'playful' again?

"Time to go to bed~ "

Alright, she was…

"Mel, I'm serious"

"And so do I…You need to rest. Use the first room on the second floor"

"…."

"Now!"

He hurried to the stairs, of course with the help from Poppul Purrels kids. If he wanted to 'life' longer it was better to followed Mel's order. The shop's stairs was in the left of main entrance. The stairs decoration was different from the rest of the shop. The railing had strange carving on it and shaped like some sort of symbol. He also realized the first step of the stairs was higher than the rest of it and the most important part was there's no pink or bright decoration on the stairs. Was Mel forgetting to redecorate it? Rue just shrugged it off. After all, he tired and the idea of sleep filled his mind. Maybe he could ask her later.

d~-~d~-~d~-~d~-~d~-~d~-~d~-~d~-~d~-~d~-~d~-~d~-~d

The morning came faster than he though. Rue wished to just close his eyes and snuggle in the comfort of the bed. He would do that if only someone didn't try to wake him up.

"Breakfast, Mister….wake up"

Rue groaned and then sat on the edge of bed. The protest from his stomach made him comply. He showered and change to a clothes that the kid prepared. It was already a weeks since his last encounter with the stunning sharp red eyes woman. He wondered what happen to her after his little 'ran away'. Rue followed the kid downstairs for breakfast. His wounds already felt much better. Maybe he could start another work by the end of the day. Not another big job like last time of course.

"Morning Rue"

"Good Morning"

Mel greeted him from the counter. She wore her 'uniform' which consist with pink plaid skirt with matching school girl shoes and white shirt. Oh, and white bunny ears with green ribbon on top of her pink hat. The first time he met her Rue freaked out and though he was dreaming. But now he already accustomed to her choice of dressing (kind of). Rue sat on the chair at the corner of the shop while one of the Poppul Purrels put his breakfast in front of his table. He muttered simple thanks then grab a bite.

"So…"

Mel began while sealed some boxes contained her wares.

"Care to explain what exactly happened to you?"

He explained everything to her. After all, she was patient enough to wait until his wounds healed. That's what you call patience, unlike a certain red haired woman. He started with his failed mission, the meeting with 'abusive' woman, until his effort to run from the hospital. Of course he left the little details behind (the pillows and shoe projectile incident). He still wanted to keep his little pride.

"I see…So, that mean you'll stay in this town, right?"

"I guess"

She looked like she's in depth though then suddenly she clapped her hand.

"You need a place to live!"

"Obviously"

He eyed her curiously. Was she planning something again?

"Okie dokie, here"

She handed him a key.

"You don't need to pay me, Rue. Just think it's my thanks for always help me around."

She shoved him out of the shop while Rue just stared at the key dumb founded. Mel seriously the most 'fancy' woman he ever met.

"And it is room number 419 from Cartha Apartment, good bye Rue!"

With it she closed her shop door. He could still hear her voice ordered Poppul Purrels to move thing here and there. After a few second he realized he still stood like a fool in front of her door.

"She is planning to move her shop AGAIN huh?"

Rue just chuckled then started to walk away. Well, at least he got a place to stay, free. Maybe his luck wasn't that bad.


Hint for his chapter: The stairs in the Mel's first shop at Carona town