Chapter 29: The Wandering Alchemist

The train arrived at the sixth stop at around 12:30 am. They were all very exhausted, and ready for some rest. Linn was dragging her feet toward the cabin. Kuhn, who could now walk, trudged slowly behind her.

The only one who didn't seem phased by the journey was the girl.

They all picked up the pace eventually. Walking seemed to fill them with some energy, temporarily numbing their exhaustion.

"So I guess dirge-town was an illusion? What was that old woman thinking, sending us into a place like that!?"

"I don't know..." Said Linn. "All I know, is that when we left the apothecary, the entire town was gone."

The girl spoke. "Yes. Without the puppet master, his puppets are rendered useless. Without my sister, dirge-town is no different. Even those you saw dancing. They were but mere interpretations of the caster's mind."

"The caster's mind...?" Kuhn asked. He felt a shiver go up his spine.

"If that was a fragment of what went on in there, I don't even want to think about the big picture..."

They soon showed up at the cabin, Zeniba was waiting for them.

"I'm glad to see you've all made it back, who's your friend?"

Linn fumed as she walked up to Zeniba.

"You know, we're lucky we all didn't die! Are you crazy? Because dirge-town was a SUICIDE MISSION!"

Zeniba blinked. "Did I say dirge-town?"

She burst into laughter. "No no, I meant 'Splurge-Town'. The vendors there are awful! Giving you 'free samples' and charging you for them later. Pah! A bunch of Conn Artist's!"

Kuhn was physically twitching.

"Y-You mean to tell me, that you gave us the wrong town!? If you weren't an all powerful witch, I'D TURN YOU INTO A LEATHER PURSE!"

Her eyes went wide. "Oh yes, dirge-town... You survived!? Well, I am impressed."

The redheaded girl spoke before the situation could escalate.

"Yes, they were able to dispel the illusion by destroying the caster. Oh, were these the ingredients you wanted? Here, I had them organized. I hope it is to your liking."

Zeniba took the ingredients, and looked at them.

"This is better than I'd hoped, how did you get to know so much about plants and herbs dear? This is really quite impressive."

She held out her hands, which were covered in burn marks and calluses.

"I specialize in all kinds of Alchemy. Poisons, potions, medicines, and antidotes."

Zeniba grabbed her hands and examined them.

"Yes, and it seems you have learned the long and hard path to mastery."

She nodded. "This is true. It was a difficult task, but it seems I have managed well enough."

The girl turned away from the group.

"If that is all you needed, then I should be on my way."

Kuhn stepped forward. "Wait, before you go... Can we at least get your name?"

She tensed, but remained turned around.

"A name..." She said softly.

"Name. A word that refers to, or can refer to a specific person. ...I don't have one."

"Well why not?" Asked Linn curiously.

The girl began to walk away.

"Really, I must be leaving!"

"Well, we can't just let you go alone." Said Kuhn. The girl had stopped now, and stood motionless.

"You really helped us back there in dirge-town, the least we can do is walk you home. Where do you live anyway? Don't you think your parents would be worried by now?"

She stood in silence for a moment.

"I'm not living anywhere specific. My parents are not worried, I promise."

Linn spoke. "I've heard that line before, in fact, I used to say it a lot myself. A girl your age shouldn't be living alone."

"I am quite capable of taking care of myself." Said the girl, a hint of bitterness in her voice.

"I don't doubt it." Linn replied. "I mean, it must be lonely all by yourself."

She turned around. "Do not patronize me, as if I were some small child who needs constant attention! You have no idea what-!"

"Hey! Don't be like that." Said Kuhn, cutting her off.

"We really just wanted to repay you for your kindness. By the way, it sucks being alone whether your a child or not. I don't want you to be lonely, but if you insist, no one can stop you. I won't stop you, but it's a miserable existence, just saying."

She told there frozen, her face was more calm.

"The offer's still up." Said Linn. "So are you going to stick around, or not?"

The girl sighed. "I suppose... if I can make use of myself."

Zeniba laughed. "Oh, there will be plenty to do! I think I have a student you should talk with tomorrow. She's training in alchemy."

"Are you saying you want me to train this pupil of yours?" Asked the girl.

Zeniba smiled. "That would be the reason."

She gave a hint of a smile. "Well, by the end of our training she will surely hate me. You may be sorry you hired me."

Linn held the bridge of her nose.

"Uh oh, looks like Chihiro's in for a real treat."

They all went back to the cabin and rested for the remainder of the morning. It was a fairly short rest.

...

I was in the cottage... I was standing in the corner next to the stove.

I saw myself with Kahn...

Kahn!? Why him!? Why were we...? This is a dream isn't it. There's no way I'd sleep with Kahn. I mean, yeah he's really attractive, but I'd never be that shallow! Besides, I like Haku better... He's just so... well in my opinion he's way more attractive than Kahn.

But why was I dreaming about this!?

"Chihiro..." He whispered. I tried my best to ignore it.

The room disappeared, and I was now in the dream. Kahn was dying, tears streaming down his face... tears of blood. He held my face in his hands.

"Don't let me die here, Chihiro..."

I was trembling heavily, forgetting that this was a dream.

"Kahn, snap out of it! I won't let you die, I-"

"DON'T LET ME DIE!" He screamed.

I sat up, my face covered in tears.

I looked up, and saw an unfamiliar face staring down at me. I jumped.

"Ah! Who are you!?"

"I'll be your new alchemy teacher. Your former instructor Zeniba, she is the one who hired me."

This girl!? She looks even younger than me! Zeniba you can't be serious...

"Are you sure? You look a little young... No offense."

She shrugged. "I take some offense to that, but no matter. Get up. I am going to teach you alchemy."

Geeze... This girl was even colder than Kahn was.

I stood. "Alright then..."

"You say that as if you doubt my abilities." She stated.

"Don't read so much into it..." I said. She was already starting to get on my nerves, who was this girl?

We got set up with a table of ingredients, a mortar and pestle, some cutting tools, some measuring cups, and beacers of various shapes and sizes.

After everything was set up, the girl sat down, and began giving me instructions.

She pulled out three bottles of this strange liquid, and set them on the table.

"These are vials filled with a poison that destroys the nervous system and the brain. It directly attacks the spine, causing severe damage. When it reaches the brain, it causes a most agonizing death."

Well isn't that just lovely...

She gestured toward the ingredients.

"You will be making an antidote for this poison. It will require 3.76 milligrams of glow snake venom, 1.2... No, 1.35 grams of concentrated bloodweed solution, exactly 6 milligrams of hormones extracted from the pineal gland of a red toad, and 0.41 milligrams of shell shavings from the Ambrosia fruit. You will mix the ingredients in that order, with the alchemical solution that I provide. The amount of solution you use will be three times the mass of the ingredients in the mixture."

I felt my face grow pale, and my eyes widen. This girl was the real deal, wasn't she?

"So... which one of these are the ingredients I need. I mean, I know what the Ambrosia fruit looks like, but I'm lost on the others."

"Well then you know where to start with the Ambrosia shell."

She dropped a pile of books on the table.

"These should have all you need to know, oh, and you'll have to do all of the measurements yourself. I'll expect results in three days. Good luck."

With that, my new alchemy teacher waltzed right out of the cabin.

Great, there was no way I'd figure this out in three days! This girl had to be out of her mind!