The Potion 11

I do not own anything and if you're not a Keel x Lavi fan then don't read it. It is definitely OOC.

AN: I have changed by username. This is the conclusion of one story but the beginning of another.

[Lavi's POV]

I could barely get back to sleep after the kiss Keel and I had shared. There was something stirring inside of me, some kind of love struck maiden was crying out within me. My heart was palpitating and the entire night, I would roll around and disrupt my silky sheets. My cheeks burned and a teeny-tiny bit of guilt had eaten away from me.

I had started this latest adventure a bit like: "Ew, Keel, get away from me" and now I'm like "No, darling, no please stay". I legitimately don't know what I want to do anymore. I want to remain friends with Keel. That'd be for the best. The only reason he likes me is because he's human and humans crave affection and close proximity and all that jazz. As soon as Miki completes the ritual, Keel will go back to normal.

He'll go back to being a monster; to being the real Keel. The kind of Keel who swings from vines and fights monsters without hesitation... and probably kisses using his tongue.

No, bad girl. I shouldn't think like that. He's a monster... will be a monster. Not good for romantic relationships whatsoever. Nope. We should just stay friends. Completely and utterly platonic. Yep. That sounds good, right, normal.

I drag myself from my bed and flatten my hair. I change out of my pyjamas and wonder if we'll be eating before or after the ritual. Miki should surely be done by now. I feel good in my jumper and skirt, I feel out of place in my pyjamas as they represent more of my childhood and less of my womanhood. My womanhood, my adventurer-hood. I'm not making any sense.

I brush my fingertips against my lips and remember the kisses. All of the kisses, even the ones I didn't enjoy. There was definitely something special about the way Keel had kissed me last night. I wish to God that I could stop thinking about it.

I walk down the halls, past fancy artworks and over soft carpet. Keel, Blue and Mippy are all at the dinner table. So are my parents. Keel is the first one to see me. He smiles and lights up the room better than the chandelier above us. Oh God, did I really just monologue that?

'G'mornin' Sleepin' Beauty.' Blue said. Who would have thought that he knew of human fairy tales?

'Yeah, nice hair, princess.' Mippy snarks, he seems to be in a mood this morning. I wonder why... Maybe he didn't get much sleep either.

'Like you should talk, pig.' I snark back and I take a seat at the table; opposite the boys and next to Mother. Dad's at the head of the table like a king.

I glance around. 'Where's Miki? I ask.

'She's having a nap. She stayed up all night doing that drawing of hers.' my Mother replied.

'It's really pretty.' Keel added.

The maids came pouring into the room, delivering some plates of food for us to devour. Keel and Blue accepted them embarrassedly. The two adventurers weren't used to having their every need anticipated and catered for. I admit, it is a bit much but I suppose I am conditioned to it.

Had Keel been his usual self, these meals at the table would have been atrocities the likes of which my parents had never seen. He would be using all the social graces and manners of, well, a monster. He would have picked fights with Blue and brawled on the table. He would have ordered banana everythings and just turned civil occasions into a riot. It was odd to think that if we were to stay another night, that's exactly how meals would become. It was surreal.

We thanked the staff for our lovely meals and then made our way back to Miki. We stared down the immense and beautiful drawing. Miki had a half-smile on her baby-face which exuded more pride than it should have contained. 'Ready?' she asked.

Keel looked down at his feet and fidgeted. Then he looked back to me and I smiled. i gave him the thumbs up. 'As I'll ever be, I suppose.' he answered at last. He stepped forward.

Miki had already brewed a creation from the ingredients we had spent weeks gathering. 'Stand here.' she instructed and Keel followed her to the centre of the flowery drawing. She placed the sealed jar containing the gorilla-dragon side of Keel on another section of the drawing. It raged against the glass but it went unheard. Miki had her own podium sketched onto the floor. She knelt down and her smock grew dirtier still. She put her hands down into spheres in front of her section of the drawing.

My heart began to hammer. It was such a spectacle that every member of staff had come to loaf off and watch. Nobody scolded them because it was such an exciting thing, why should anyone have to miss it? It felt oddly insulting though. This should have been a private matter for Keel but it was becoming a carnival. It was hard to tell if Keel cared though. He was so nervous and consumed by the fear of becoming his crazy self again.

Miki began a mystical chant. I couldn't make out the words but they felt familiar like a childhood lullaby. The girl had such a lovely voice but soon the chant became harsh, it lost its song-like quality. It became reminiscent of the roar of a storm at sea. Anticipation built. Light began to erupt from the lines of the floor and I couldn't see a thing. Warmth filled the air and there was a bright flash. It blinded us all.

I wasn't sure of what happened in that momentary blindness. When my eyes regained orientation, Miki was a sweaty mess and the creature inside the jar had vanished. It was a bizarre magic. Then there was Keel.

He was sitting in the centre of the circle. The drawing had now faded and smeared. He was sweaty and breathing heavily. 'Can I go see him?' I asked. Miki smirked and she got up. Sh wobbled as she stood.

'Depends. Keel, how are you feeling?'

The pounding of my heart grew stronger. It was made of pure anticipation. Keel got up. He didn't wobble and he grinned. There was a wild glint in his eyes and a grin of pure mischief on his face. 'It is good to be back!' he proclaimed and threw his arms in the air. His tail whipped out from behind him. 'I am starving and ready to, God you look like a stupid asshole, Blue. Have I mentioned that lately?' Keel was clearly hankering for more than food. He marched up to Blue and shoved him.

'You think I'm an asshole?!' Blue retorted and shoved him back.

'Hell yeah!'

'Boys, not in the ballroom! Take it outside, at least!' I yell. I'm holding back a gaggle of giggles. Keel was clearly back to normal. No more civility, no more manners and no more romantic feelings for a human.

...Why does that off-put me? Like, it slants my happiness and dulls it. I feel a phantom graze of his lips from last night and wonder: What would this Keel kiss like? Would it be passionate or wild?

Miki walks up to us. She's breathing heavily. She's unbelievably happy but staring at her hands. She was clearly in disbelief. 'Buster Keel!' she yelled, spooking all of us. She had never raised her voice with us once. Her cheeks grew rosy and she still swayed.

'Do you need a doctor?' my Mother fussed. Miki waved away my mother as her response.

'Not yet, actually.' she breathed. She tried to still herself and she clamped her hands over her hips. 'Buster Keel, I would like to hire you for a request.'

'What?' I say. 'I mean, depends, no, I mean. What?' I stammer. She's my friend. I don't know if I ought to be asking how much she'll pay us or what is it or tell her that there'll be no fee.

'I want to hire you to find more potion ingredients for me. This is time it is for a spell for myself.' Miki said.

'Okay, it'll be fun.' Keel said.

'What kind of spell?' Blue inquired.

'How old you do think I am?' Miki asked, her voice sounding stronger than her body.

'A child!' Mippy answered.

'Well I'm not. I'm thirty years old this year. I am cursed. I would like to hire you to help me find a cure. Before you destroyed my wares, I had been very close to finally curing myself. I've been cursed like this for ten years. My own sister shunned me because of my curse, please, help me.'

Keel grinned. 'Like we'd ever say "no".' he scoffed.

'Who's your sister?' Blue asked.

'Pippa. You may know her because we met outside her inn.'

I was stunned. I couldn't believe what was happening but it made some kind of sense: how else would Miki behave so un-childlike despite her appearance or know so much about magics I hadn't even been heard of. This was an earth-shattering epiphany. For me anyway. I was stunned. I don't think the others were; they had seen all kinds of things in their lifetimes. They were monsters with the ability to take human guises over all.

Wow.

'Let me explain my story to you.' Miki said but then she fell to her knees and fainted. The staff rushed towards her and she was immediately coddled and given medicine. She was taken off to bed and didn't reveal her story to us until she was well rested late the next day.

MerryFortune :)

["Miki" will be written and uploaded as soon as possible. Wow, I can't believe I've finished The Potion. I can't wait to begin the prequel/sequel which is still currently unnamed. Also, any critiques are welcome. I'm unsure of how I like this very dialogue-centric writing style and I feel like Lavi is very OOC or is it just me?]