Draco tells Witch to get her out of her tanning bed within ten minutes. Finding herself busy with an influx of customers, Witch tends to them, and time passes. Requested by a tumblr anon!
A Case of Elapsed Time
"Okay! Make sure I get out in ten minutes or my beautiful skin will get burned," Draco said, holding the top of her tanning bed.
As her friend narrowed her eyes, Witch rolled hers. "Yes, yes, I get ya. Hurry and start tanning so I can get back to work."
Sticking out her tongue, Draco slammed the top down. She sighed, contently easing her back against the warmth pressing into her. The rays were subdued, yet they provided just the right amount of heat in order to properly tan her skin.
When she decided to use the tanning bed in Witch's store, she knew it was for a discount. Witch owed her after she fended off some robbers from stealing her treasured potions right out of her shop. With her addiction to suntanning, she wouldn't call it that – it was more like a hobby despite what her friends would say, she asked to use the portable tanning bed Witch procured to sell to any schmuck who would buy it.
Yawning as she stepped away from her backroom, Witch entered the quaint foyer of her shop. Bubbling potions lined the oak shelves. Magical knickknacks of all kinds were presented at a slightly unfair price for any naive magician to buy. She had supposedly ancient gemstones and tomes on her glass counter and stood by the register, a bored hum pressing against her lips.
"Hello, hello! I'd like to buy some rope!"
She broke into a grin, the friendly face of Archan popping through the door. "For your pitfalls, I presume?"
"You bet! Even I fall in them sometimes." The little elf scampered over to a shelf and snatched a roll of rope. Fishing through her pockets, she dumped a few coins on Witch's counter and waved over her shoulder. "Bye bye! Careful on your way out!"
"Oh, I will be! Come again!" Witch sang only to raise her eyebrows at her next customer.
Glaring at the potions, Rulue stormed over to a burbling, crimson vial. She snatched it, threatening to crush it between her tense fingers. Taking a sharp breath, she pivoted on her heels and turned to Witch.
Snickering, the saleswoman hid her mouth behind her fingers. "Oh, seriously? A love potion?"
"I'm desperate," she snarled, smacking down several silver coins.
"Well, the customer is always right." She swiped the coins and dumped them into her register. "Make sure Satan ingests that mixed in a cup of juice or wine."
"Thank you. Never mention this to Arle." She sighed, a dramatic flair to her as always. "She'll warn my darling Satan otherwise, and I'll look like such a conniving fool."
"Desperate times call for desperate measures." Witch giggled as the martial artist stomped off. She supposed it was another day of Rulue's antics that Arle had to endure, some she wished to see for herself.
As the day went on, she faced many colorful customers. She informed Minotauros that he had just missed out on her last love potion. She sold Skeleton-T some nice teas she had picked up in Primp Town, engaging in a lengthy conversation about whether or not spices should be added in herbal tea. When Nasu Grave bounced in asking for a height potion, she whipped one up for him for a high price, and it was one that he was willing to pay. She even found time to take an hour nap and make herself some rich stew for dinner, sharing it with Arle, Carbuncle, and Seriri when they visited.
All the while, she failed to hear the beeping from tanning bed mingling with Draco's snoring.
At the front door, the bell dinged just as she was finishing selling Parara some healing charms. Looking up as she waved him goodbye, she smirked as Schezo ambled inside. He didn't return her greeting, glancing over at the array of goods she provided.
Leaning forward, she jeered, "Oh, come on. Are you not gonna greet me with one of your perverted sayings?"
Curling his upper lip, Schezo asked, "Are your wares always this cheap?"
"Excuse me?" She slapped her hands on the counter, the goods underneath trembling as Parara scurried out. "I'm an honest saleswoman who makes an honest living selling honest goods. Don't you trust this honest face?" She flashed a pearly white smile, a glint of mischief ever-present in her eyes.
"I'd trust Gorgon's face over yours." He sidled up to the counter, resting his elbow on it. "I noticed you sold Parara some healing charms. Are they actually usable?"
"Oh, yes, they work wonderfully, but I have no spares for you." She chortled behind the back of her hand. "Besides, I'm training to become a dignified sorceress, you know. I can't slack off on anything I make."
"That's somewhat reassuring, but hearing it from you, I'm wary of what's underneath."
She groaned. "Goodness, you still can't form decent sentences, but did you want something?"
"I'm here to inform you of something."
She raised her eyebrows. "You are?"
Schezo pointed at the door behind her. "When I was passing by, I noticed there was smoke in your backroom."
"Huh? Smo-?" Her eyes shot open, horror seizing every fiber of her being. She dashed away from the counter and ripped open the door, forcing smoke into her face. Choking, she covered her mouth and waved her hand, squinting into the darkness in hopes of seeing her.
Schezo summoned a shield and enveloped them. Hearing Witch thank him, he grimaced as a fiery blast smashed down onto his shield. He winced, summoning his blade, and he faced the snarling, scarlet creature stomping towards them, noticing that every footstep she made smashed through the wooden floorboards and felt like a small earthquake.
"W...it...ch..." Hacking, Draco heaved out a snort, fumes shooting out of her nostrils, the tanning bed on fire behind her. "How...long...did you...leave me?"
Swallowing, Witch checked her watch. "Oh, dear. It's been almost six hours."
From head to toe, Draco was caked in blisters. Her skin seemed ready to peel at any moment, and a faint sheen of smoke decorated her hair and swimsuit. Her tail seemed charred to a crisp, and the slightest touch could have disintegrated it. Only her pinprick eyes baring down at Witch gave her any sign of life.
"GAO! Gao, gao, gao!" Draco's fire breath scorched the entirety of Witch's shop, sending her into a screaming fit. Without a care in the world, she rampaged, bashing through potions, smashing through counters, chomping down on leftover stew with her toothy jaws, and she even stole money from the register. "This is what you get! This is what you deserve! How dare you leave me in there to fry! You ruined my perfect skin! How the hell am I supposed to compete in beauty contests now? I'll destroy your shop like you destroyed my future!"
"I-i-i-it was an accident! Stop! Stop breaking my things! Stooooop!" Witch cried, escaping from Schezo's shield and desperately tried putting an end to Draco's blind madness.
As the shop fell to pieces, Schezo escaped, wondering if he had done a good deed or bad deed by telling Witch about the smoke. With Draco's roars and Witch's pleas echoing behind him, he was still uncertain as he hurried back to his nearby cave, the pale moonlight obscured by smoke and flames.