AN: Oh, a little bit about Sol, Luni, and Nui here, since I forgot to put it up last chapter… Silly me. Those three were from another fanfic I started a long time ago. Yup, their personalities and everything were exactly the same as you saw back at chapter two… Sadly, the fanfic was a failure and never made it on the site. I lost interest in the story too (which involved them living as mortals for a year as punishment for wrecking havoc on Night of The Eye). It's somewhere in my hard drive collecting dust. Ironically, something pulled me back to them, so here they are now! I'm glad they got to play a part in Simply Love.
Oh! One more thing. If you look in my Bio, I have a two sketches of W.U.S.S. up for your viewing pleasure. I understand that some people would rather not see character pics (or maybe you would rather keep your eyes safe from my terrible drawings). You guys can imagine W.U.S.S. with a mohawk and a unibrow for all I care. This is what I see when I think of W.U.S.S., not you. Enjoy. :P
Dalamar Nightson- lol, thanks. xD Solunari is my favorite out of the three. :3
Click Clack- I... know... you. ; Your reviews don't count, sister dear. :P Thanks anywoo.
oOo
Chapter 3 "It's about Time"
Somewhere in a nearby universe…
The alarm clock rang. A boy in his early teens rose from his bed and stretched. What a glorious day! The sun was shinning, the birds were singing, and everything just felt dandy. After doing his toilet business, the boy ran downstairs to fix himself a healthy breakfast to start his productive day. He opened his freezer. It was crammed full with delicious breakfast pastries. Yesterday he had strudels, so today was waffle day! Selecting two blueberry eggo waffles, he turned to his toaster.
It wasn't there.
The boy staggered back, clutching his breakfast tightly, afraid that they might disappear too. He saw is whole life flush down the drain. Because if the toaster wasn't there, he couldn't make his breakfast.
And if he couldn't make his breakfast, he would starve.
And if he was starving, he wasn't getting the nutrition he was suppose to get daily.
Without his nutrition, he wouldn't think properly.
And if he couldn't think, he would fail his geometry test today.
Which would result in a dramatic change in his education (as in, downwards).
He would FAIL school. His dreams of being the world's greatest neurosurgeon and getting that master's degree in quantum mechanics was nothing but a pile of dog poo now.
The boy saw himself as a hobo.
He would be pushing a shopping cart.
Filled with dead animals.
And nobody would like him.
Thin water droplets ran down his hand. His frozen waffles were beginning to melt. All hope was lost, the boy placed the waffles down.
Or was going to.
They were stuck to his hand. He waved them frantically.
"I can't let go of my eggo!" He cried out in horror.
ooooooooOOOOOooooooo
Most people would hardly think the Tower of Palathas would have a kitchen. Raistlin himself hadn't known until a month later after he moved in. The kitchen was rarely used by both (humanoid) occupants of the tower. Obviously both Raistlin and Dalamar depended mostly on their magic to cook for them. The kitchen was small and dinky looking, but it did not have the same kind of gloominess the rest of the tower had. There were also stores of food in the pantry. It was mysteriously kept well-stocked no matter how much was taken out of it. It was creepy. Like, if you take a banana out, the next day there would be another banana inside. Isn't that freaky?
But so totally cool.
Dalamar wondered about this as he made his way to the kitchen. The mage was very hungry. He had skipped breakfast and lunch today. Too exhausted to conjure anything up, he decided to cook for himself. It wasn't the first time he had done it. The kitchen was the last resort the mage had used often when he needed something to eat. Dalamar opened the swinging doors. His heart skipped a beat when he saw the fireplace already blazing with fire (duh) and a dark clad figure with his head in the cupboards.
"Shalafi, what are you doing in here?" Dalamar asked, trying not to sound surprised.
Startled, Raistlin jumped, promptly bumping his head. He drew out and considered his position.
"I could ask you the same thing, apprentice," he countered swiftly.
All was silent except for the crackling of flames from the fire, who apparently had no interest whatsoever. The two mages looked at each other, feeling very, very awkward. Two stomachs growled simultaneously. Finally, Raistlin straightened up with a confident air, knowing that he was the master.
"It's about time we have a meal together," he said. Dalamar was about to reply, but Raistlin continued without interruption, "See if the guardian can locate the dinning room. It's a big tower, I'm sure there's one around here. Set up the table and get some drinks. Hot water, as usual, for me. I will cook. What would you like?"
"Just, um, s-salad, I guess…" Dalamar stuttered.
Raistlin whipped out an apron and a cool black chief's hat. He glared coolly at the dark elf. "Well? Be more specific." He frowned when Dalamar didn't answer quick enough. "Out with it, elf. Don't be a dimwit, what do you want in your salad?"
Dalamar picked up quickly. He was a fast learner.
"Forget the salad, I'll have a bowl of soup seasoned lightly with hot spices. Hold out with the meat. Fresh chopped fruits and some bread. Warmed, not toasted."
Raistlin nodded and turned away, already busy chopping thin slices of chicken. Dalamar hurried off to find the dining table.
Dinner was going to be very strange…
oOo
Raistlin and Dalamar sat across from each other. The table was a little less than seven feet long, but it was still considered big just for two people. The food was well prepared by Raistlin and smelled delicious. The table was neatly prepared along with the drinks. Dalamar had also done his job well. No one was eating or drinking however.
Raistlin was the first to make a move. After subtly throwing Dalamar's spoon in a corner, the dark elf had went to go pick it up (inwardly puzzled at how it ended up there). While Dalamar wasn't looking, Raistlin casted a spell over his tea. No poisons were found. Raistlin sipped it casually as Dalamar came back with a clean spoon.
Dalamar, on the other hand, had loaded himself up with antidotes beneath his robe. He cautiously ate his soup at first, but slowly warmed up to it. Raistlin was a surprisingly good cook. The bread proved excellent also and nobody in their right mind would poison fruit. It just wasn't right. (With the exception of apples.)
For the first few minutes, they ate in awkward silence.
"The food is very good."
"Thank you."
Minutes passed again. There was only the sound of clinking silverware.
"Who is Hickorysnicks?"
Dalamar checked a sigh, "Shalafi, are we still going on about that? Hickorysnicks was nothing more than an imaginary friend I had. He's gone now."
"Ah, along with your childhood and innocence?" Raistlin commented sagely. He was surprised to find that Dalamar paled with some sort of reaction.
"No," the dark elf said shortly, "he just disappeared one day. For some reason, I can't imagine him anymore." Aw, how sad.
"What did he look like?"
"I would rather not tell." Dalamar said dryly.
Raistlin shrugged.
They went back to eating.
Some time later, Raistlin erupted in a fit of coughs. Dalamar started to stand, but Raistlin shook his head. The spasm passed quickly.
"Are you alright, Shalafi?"
"Yes."
Raislin drank some tea. Dalamar started eating some fruit… and… yeah. …
It was pretty lame. Give me two coconuts and I could've gotten more discussion out of them.
"Pass the bread."
"Certainly." Dalamar handed over the basket containing the food in demand. He stared for a moment, then looked away. "You've got a little… something on your face, master," he motioned with his hand, using his own face as an example.
"Oh, thank you." Raistlin muttered, dabbing the indicated area with a hankie. Dalamar nodded.
They picked at their food some more. Golly-gee.
"It's been three months since you became my apprentice." Raistlin said suddenly. His face was serious.
Dalamar considered saying something like, '-and what a lovely three months it has been-', but it sound like he was sucking up. He tried '-I've learned a lot-', but it sounded stupid. The elf settled for a simple answer.
"Yes, Shalafi."
Raistlin sipped his tea and regarded Dalamar with a penetrating gaze. The elf didn't even blink.
"I was thinking…" he mused, sinking back into his chair. Seeing that the scrutiny was over, Dalamar went back to eating, but the dark elf was all ears. Raistlin's face became thoughtful, "maybe you can start assisting me with my experiments. I'm sure there's so much more to learn this way…" There was a note of sarcasm.
Dalamar paused, excited. He put down his spoon and looked at his master. There was a small smirk on Raistlin's lips. Through the haze of exhilaration, Dalamar was wary. He didn't like to think about it, but he suspected that his master knew that he was a spy.
"I agree," The dark elf said slowly, barely able to keep his smile off his face, "it would be a pleasure."
"Excellent," Raistlin murmured, pushing his plate away. "We'll start tomorrow. Get these dishes done and clean up. I'm going to bed." He got up and walked out of the room, leaving Dalamar to fend for himself from the dirty dishes of doom.
"Why is it," he muttered while stacking the bowls and gathering the cups, "that I feel like I've been tricked?"
oOo
About a week has passed and Dalamar proved to be an avid apprentice and assistant. Raistlin paid him very few compliments, but the dark elf had mostly been rewarded by being allowed to stay in the lab alone to work on his own experiments.
Raistlin now sat in his study, re-plotting STEP SEVEN. He was getting mixed up. The mage scribbled furiously, almost tearing his paper. Numerous books were piled high on top of his desk, most of them were blue leathered ones. "…then I'll leave her to die in the Abyss and challenge the Dark Queen next…" he muttered feverishly to himself.
There was a soft, but urgent knock on the door. Trouble already, Dalamar…? Tsk, tsk.
Raistlin didn't look up and continued writing, "Enter."
Dalamar came in. He looked a little bit edgy and breathless. "Shalafi, one of your live experiments has escaped. It was running loose about the tower."
Raistlin looked up, the word shock written on his face for only a quick moment. The last time he saw Jake the little bubbly slug could barely roll around, much less run about the tower. Perhaps it had mutated into something with legs. Raistlin kept the little fat slug in the equivalent holdings of a shoebox. It's chances of escape would be very likely. "And…?" he said.
Dalamar lowered his eyes to the ground for a brief moment, sighing. There was some visible internal struggle. When he looked up there was something on his smooth elven features I would like to call 'insanely calm with pure revulsion'.
"I was exiting the lab when I saw it. The… thing… was lingering in the shadows. When it saw me… It chased me until… I…" Something dawned upon the elf, "…finally locked it… inside my quarters." His face changed into panic, "My… things… not safe…" He broke off, looking very worried.
"I'm sure your things are fine." Raistlin snapped, getting up briskly. He headed for the door, "Come Dalamar."
"It knows my name, Shalafi," Dalamar trailed behind his master, seemingly in a state of shock. He had locked a monster in his own room. Terrible things could be happening. "It was looking for you too… It told me…"
Raistlin ignored the confused mumblings of his apprentice. So Jake had a mouth now with a pretty decent set of vocal chords. Impressive.
After a few flights down, they reached Dalamar's room. The elf undid the wizard lock and opened the door. A sickening odor washed over them. Dalamar groaned, almost afraid find out what the creature did to his living quarters. Raistlin's hand was in his pouch and his staff was pointed in front of him. Dalamar moved hastily aside as his master was about to cast a binding spell.
"Spri-" Was just about all he got out before a furry creature squealed with delight.
Throwing the square-ish white object to the astonished dark elf, Bupu ran over to Raistlin and clung on to his robes, grinning happily. "Raist!" The gully dwarf laughed, looking up at his face. It had been a long time… too long.
She felt the mage stiffened, but slowly, so slowly, she felt a gentle pat on her head.
"Bupu…?" Raistlin murmured questioningly.
End Chapter 3
oOo
R+R. I know there was some sever problems for the past few days. Hopefully that was the reason why I only got two reviews last chapter………………… oO;
I was practically going nuts waiting for SOMETHING. …Not that two is a bad number. I'm lucky enough to have that much, I know. I'm just overreacting. I swear, getting reviews is like getting drugs. Once I get one, I want MORE. … Ahem. I'll just go in a corner now and breathe deeply for a moment. -Eyes everyone-
-SE