DISCLAIMER: I don't own any of the highly recognizable characters. The rest
are all a product of my overactive imagination.
A/n: I actually wrote chapter one during physics (is it just me, or does time seem to come to a standstill during physics?) class out of pure boredom. I had some vague ideas of what was going to happen next, but I still have no plot. If you have any ideas, on what should happen in the story please let me know. I'm actually letting my imagination run away while typing the story, so anything can happen, and all suggestions are welcomed.
ChocolateEclair: Glad you liked chapter 1. I like "Between Hope and Death" a lot. Hope you update soon. I can't wait to hear more about Wyn, Morgan and Rhys.
Calcifersgrl: Surprisingly, I used to play this computer game called "Gizmos and Gadgets" when I was younger, and the villain's name was a mad scientist called Morty Maxwell! I had no idea until you mentioned it. But I don't think Morty is like Morton Maxwell, because Morton is a sly sort of person, where else Morty's just crazy.
Thanks for your reviews, it really made my day!
Chapter two: In which Kate goes to Ingary and makes a new friend.
The journey to Ingary was long, hot, and horribly bumpy. It didn't help that Kate was shut up in a covered wagon surrounded by hundreds of colored bottles rattling in their shelves. Kate sat on a bunk bed attached to the side of the wagon and hung on for dear life in fear of being jolted off. She couldn't believe she was actually sold off to be an assistant of a travelling, tonic selling businessman. She thought of Sally and Elsie. Knowing their tempers, she knew they were probably throwing a huge rage at their uncle and aunt. Kate just hoped that they wouldn't do anything stupid like poison her aunt and uncle and then come looking for her.
Kate soon began to loose track of the time she spent, clinging on to the side of the bed. She began to get restless and wanted to look around the wagon. It was a very narrow wagon, with two bunk beds on top of each other. The shelves stretched from the top of the wagon till the floor, and all sorts of colorful bottles were lined up in there. It took some time for Kate to get used to the bumpy motion of the wagon to actually get up and explore. First, she went and picked a corked bottle randomly off a shelf. The faded label read flea powder. She put it back on the shelf and took up a brown bottle. This said "Hair Tonic" and it had a funny stale smell.
For no reason, the wagon jerked to a stop, and she heard Morton Maxwell's voice shouting abuse at the horse. Then the door slid open, and Morton stuck his plump face in.
"We're here. Come step outside and have your first look at Ingary. Gingerly, Kate took a wobbly step out of the wagon. She could smell a salty, fresh smell that revived her considerably. Kate found herself on a narrow cobblestone road with funny old looking houses lined up at both sides. The loud squawks of the big white birds circling in the brilliant blue sky was not like anything she had seen before.
"So what do you think of Ingary?" Morton asked Kate, as she was drinking everything in.
"It's not very different from Strangia," Kate said. "But we don't have that sort of birds back home," she pointed to the squalling birds.
"Oh those are called seagulls. You usually find them near the sea," he said as he grabbed a worn suitcase. Kate wanted to say that she had read all about seagulls in a book, but Morton towed her into an inn. "We're going to start work today," he told her as they entered. " I don't want to waste any time."
Kate wanted to tell him he was being very hasty, but held her tongue. "Your uncle asked me to take you in as an apprentice," he informed her. "I didn't want to at first, but he insisted. Told me you were a fast learner. That I wouldn't regret taking you under my wing."
"Thank you very much then," Kate said uncertainly. They sat down at a table and Morton ordered some mince pie and beer. The food came quickly enough, and to pass the time, he felt the need to tell Kate what she needed to know about the "tonic business."
"You see," he said. "Your task is quite simple really. All you have to do is just sell the bottles of stuff to whoever asks for it and stick labels on the bottles. I'll be in the wagon, mixing the tonics. Isn't it simple."
Kate had a feeling there was more to being an apprentice than just selling bottles and sticking labels on them, but didn't say so. She just sat there quietly listening as she sipped her ginger ale. Morton went on telling her, this time about the adventures he had, just by going around selling his tonic.
"You see, once, I sold my famous teeth whitening tonic to the Sahib of Salak," he said with a mouth full of mince pie. "I had a suspicion he was a nobleman or something, but I had no idea he was of the royal house. The next day he came back to my wagon and praised me. I couldn't believe it myself, there was the Sahib himself, standing there with a mouthful of teeth that glittered like the ivory palace walls of Salak." He displayed a grin that needed a major dose of the said tonic to Kate's opinion.
Somehow, the tone of his voice made Kate think that he was somehow bragging, and noting more. She just gave a polite smile and nibbled on her portion of pie. Morton had already eaten three times more than she had.
"I think we ought to make a move now," he said, wiping his mouth with a cabbage colored handkerchief. "I want to get a good spot to sell my tonics." He summoned the innkeeper, and tossed him a small silver coin. Harnessing the horse, they went around a few roads before Morton managed to find a busy corner. It didn't take too long for him to set up a table and arrange the tonics on it.
"Watch how I do it, and you follow along alright?" he asked. Kate, who was feeling a little out of things just nodded and hoped that she could pick the skill of tonic selling and making fast.
"Come and buy, come and buy!" Morton Maxwell roared out to the busy crowd. "Morton 's famous tonics. Are you losing hair? Try my hair growth tonic. Having problems sleeping at night? Have a go at my Super Strength Sleeping Potions. Troubled by gout and other ailments? Take the All Occasions tonic, for any discomforts you have!"
This went on for quite a while. It was a wonder that Morton didn't get hoarse from all that loud shouting. Quite a crowd had now gathered around the stall and was hustling to get at the miraculous tonics. All Kate could do was to just stand at the side of the table and collect payment.
"Quite a good deal for today, quite a good deal," Morton said as he put more tinted bottles on the table. "Now it's your to mind the stall. I'll be in my wagon, preparing more tonics, eh? All you have to do is just stand outside here and sell it to them alright? Good." With that, he vanished into the wagon and left Kate outside to deal with the throng of customers.
#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@ #@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@
It was about that time of the day where the sunny skies give way to the coming night when Kate finally managed to sell the last bottle. Morton praised her for the good work and allowed her to go town exploring for a few hours.
"Meet me here at the Spotted Dog Inn at about dinner time. I've booked a table especially for us. Now run along, "I've got something to attend to." He strode off to a dark his fat, bulging pockets jingling as he went. Not quite knowing what to do, Kate wandered of to the seaside.
At that time, the sun was already sending long orange fingers across the darkening sky, but there was still enough light. She spent some time looking at the people bring their little boats in and towing their catch of fish away in wheelbarrows. Kate couldn't help wondering how were Sally and Elsie getting along with Uncle Jonas and Aunt Helga. For a moment, she missed fiercely, and would have done anything to have them close by. She stared at the darkening sky hard; trying to stop the hot, prickly sensation she was feeling in her eyes and pinched her nose hard.
"It looks like its going down to the sea isn't it?" someone beside her asked. Upon turning, Kate found a young man with a long angular face and darkish hair standing next to her, staring at the sinking sun as well.
"It is rather," she said, feeling a little embarrassed to have a stranger seeing her in such uncomfortable moments. However, her embarrassment melted away quickly when he flashed her a white, even smile.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to intrude on you like that. It's just that you looked a little, well, sad."
"Oh," she said, while turning to an uncomfortable shade of red.
"You must be a stranger. I haven't seen you in Porthaven before," he said, after a quick glance at Kate.
"I just arrived here today actually. My name's Kate Baker and I'm from Strangia."
He grinned and extended his hand. "Morgan Jenkins, and pleased to meet you very much."
#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@ #@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@
I'm not going to bother to check and edit this chapter, so please excuse my mistakes. I'll be leaving for my mum's hometown tomorrow morning, since we're celebrating Chinese New Year there. Is there anyone celebrating Chinese new year as well? if there are, well, happy Chinese New year!!
I know there might be some long boring explanations here at first, but bear with me alright? I felt that I needed to explain a few things before I introduced the rest of the gang.
Anyway, I guess that's it for now. I hope I can update sooner, since I have a short holiday (in conjunction with Chinese new year). tell me the bits that aren't nice, and I'll improve on them. In other words, review!!
Love, Lady Artemis
A/n: I actually wrote chapter one during physics (is it just me, or does time seem to come to a standstill during physics?) class out of pure boredom. I had some vague ideas of what was going to happen next, but I still have no plot. If you have any ideas, on what should happen in the story please let me know. I'm actually letting my imagination run away while typing the story, so anything can happen, and all suggestions are welcomed.
ChocolateEclair: Glad you liked chapter 1. I like "Between Hope and Death" a lot. Hope you update soon. I can't wait to hear more about Wyn, Morgan and Rhys.
Calcifersgrl: Surprisingly, I used to play this computer game called "Gizmos and Gadgets" when I was younger, and the villain's name was a mad scientist called Morty Maxwell! I had no idea until you mentioned it. But I don't think Morty is like Morton Maxwell, because Morton is a sly sort of person, where else Morty's just crazy.
Thanks for your reviews, it really made my day!
Chapter two: In which Kate goes to Ingary and makes a new friend.
The journey to Ingary was long, hot, and horribly bumpy. It didn't help that Kate was shut up in a covered wagon surrounded by hundreds of colored bottles rattling in their shelves. Kate sat on a bunk bed attached to the side of the wagon and hung on for dear life in fear of being jolted off. She couldn't believe she was actually sold off to be an assistant of a travelling, tonic selling businessman. She thought of Sally and Elsie. Knowing their tempers, she knew they were probably throwing a huge rage at their uncle and aunt. Kate just hoped that they wouldn't do anything stupid like poison her aunt and uncle and then come looking for her.
Kate soon began to loose track of the time she spent, clinging on to the side of the bed. She began to get restless and wanted to look around the wagon. It was a very narrow wagon, with two bunk beds on top of each other. The shelves stretched from the top of the wagon till the floor, and all sorts of colorful bottles were lined up in there. It took some time for Kate to get used to the bumpy motion of the wagon to actually get up and explore. First, she went and picked a corked bottle randomly off a shelf. The faded label read flea powder. She put it back on the shelf and took up a brown bottle. This said "Hair Tonic" and it had a funny stale smell.
For no reason, the wagon jerked to a stop, and she heard Morton Maxwell's voice shouting abuse at the horse. Then the door slid open, and Morton stuck his plump face in.
"We're here. Come step outside and have your first look at Ingary. Gingerly, Kate took a wobbly step out of the wagon. She could smell a salty, fresh smell that revived her considerably. Kate found herself on a narrow cobblestone road with funny old looking houses lined up at both sides. The loud squawks of the big white birds circling in the brilliant blue sky was not like anything she had seen before.
"So what do you think of Ingary?" Morton asked Kate, as she was drinking everything in.
"It's not very different from Strangia," Kate said. "But we don't have that sort of birds back home," she pointed to the squalling birds.
"Oh those are called seagulls. You usually find them near the sea," he said as he grabbed a worn suitcase. Kate wanted to say that she had read all about seagulls in a book, but Morton towed her into an inn. "We're going to start work today," he told her as they entered. " I don't want to waste any time."
Kate wanted to tell him he was being very hasty, but held her tongue. "Your uncle asked me to take you in as an apprentice," he informed her. "I didn't want to at first, but he insisted. Told me you were a fast learner. That I wouldn't regret taking you under my wing."
"Thank you very much then," Kate said uncertainly. They sat down at a table and Morton ordered some mince pie and beer. The food came quickly enough, and to pass the time, he felt the need to tell Kate what she needed to know about the "tonic business."
"You see," he said. "Your task is quite simple really. All you have to do is just sell the bottles of stuff to whoever asks for it and stick labels on the bottles. I'll be in the wagon, mixing the tonics. Isn't it simple."
Kate had a feeling there was more to being an apprentice than just selling bottles and sticking labels on them, but didn't say so. She just sat there quietly listening as she sipped her ginger ale. Morton went on telling her, this time about the adventures he had, just by going around selling his tonic.
"You see, once, I sold my famous teeth whitening tonic to the Sahib of Salak," he said with a mouth full of mince pie. "I had a suspicion he was a nobleman or something, but I had no idea he was of the royal house. The next day he came back to my wagon and praised me. I couldn't believe it myself, there was the Sahib himself, standing there with a mouthful of teeth that glittered like the ivory palace walls of Salak." He displayed a grin that needed a major dose of the said tonic to Kate's opinion.
Somehow, the tone of his voice made Kate think that he was somehow bragging, and noting more. She just gave a polite smile and nibbled on her portion of pie. Morton had already eaten three times more than she had.
"I think we ought to make a move now," he said, wiping his mouth with a cabbage colored handkerchief. "I want to get a good spot to sell my tonics." He summoned the innkeeper, and tossed him a small silver coin. Harnessing the horse, they went around a few roads before Morton managed to find a busy corner. It didn't take too long for him to set up a table and arrange the tonics on it.
"Watch how I do it, and you follow along alright?" he asked. Kate, who was feeling a little out of things just nodded and hoped that she could pick the skill of tonic selling and making fast.
"Come and buy, come and buy!" Morton Maxwell roared out to the busy crowd. "Morton 's famous tonics. Are you losing hair? Try my hair growth tonic. Having problems sleeping at night? Have a go at my Super Strength Sleeping Potions. Troubled by gout and other ailments? Take the All Occasions tonic, for any discomforts you have!"
This went on for quite a while. It was a wonder that Morton didn't get hoarse from all that loud shouting. Quite a crowd had now gathered around the stall and was hustling to get at the miraculous tonics. All Kate could do was to just stand at the side of the table and collect payment.
"Quite a good deal for today, quite a good deal," Morton said as he put more tinted bottles on the table. "Now it's your to mind the stall. I'll be in my wagon, preparing more tonics, eh? All you have to do is just stand outside here and sell it to them alright? Good." With that, he vanished into the wagon and left Kate outside to deal with the throng of customers.
#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@ #@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@
It was about that time of the day where the sunny skies give way to the coming night when Kate finally managed to sell the last bottle. Morton praised her for the good work and allowed her to go town exploring for a few hours.
"Meet me here at the Spotted Dog Inn at about dinner time. I've booked a table especially for us. Now run along, "I've got something to attend to." He strode off to a dark his fat, bulging pockets jingling as he went. Not quite knowing what to do, Kate wandered of to the seaside.
At that time, the sun was already sending long orange fingers across the darkening sky, but there was still enough light. She spent some time looking at the people bring their little boats in and towing their catch of fish away in wheelbarrows. Kate couldn't help wondering how were Sally and Elsie getting along with Uncle Jonas and Aunt Helga. For a moment, she missed fiercely, and would have done anything to have them close by. She stared at the darkening sky hard; trying to stop the hot, prickly sensation she was feeling in her eyes and pinched her nose hard.
"It looks like its going down to the sea isn't it?" someone beside her asked. Upon turning, Kate found a young man with a long angular face and darkish hair standing next to her, staring at the sinking sun as well.
"It is rather," she said, feeling a little embarrassed to have a stranger seeing her in such uncomfortable moments. However, her embarrassment melted away quickly when he flashed her a white, even smile.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to intrude on you like that. It's just that you looked a little, well, sad."
"Oh," she said, while turning to an uncomfortable shade of red.
"You must be a stranger. I haven't seen you in Porthaven before," he said, after a quick glance at Kate.
"I just arrived here today actually. My name's Kate Baker and I'm from Strangia."
He grinned and extended his hand. "Morgan Jenkins, and pleased to meet you very much."
#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@ #@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@#@
I'm not going to bother to check and edit this chapter, so please excuse my mistakes. I'll be leaving for my mum's hometown tomorrow morning, since we're celebrating Chinese New Year there. Is there anyone celebrating Chinese new year as well? if there are, well, happy Chinese New year!!
I know there might be some long boring explanations here at first, but bear with me alright? I felt that I needed to explain a few things before I introduced the rest of the gang.
Anyway, I guess that's it for now. I hope I can update sooner, since I have a short holiday (in conjunction with Chinese new year). tell me the bits that aren't nice, and I'll improve on them. In other words, review!!
Love, Lady Artemis