"So you're here in our little mining town to figure out the whereabouts of the Far Reaches of Hell eh Cyrus?" Asked Odette, the evening purple glow illuminating her face from the kitchen.
The Scholar nodded his head as he was unpacking his bags. "Yeah I understand Headmaster Yvon wanted a bit of information on the tome and I came to investigate the area as request of Acrayran." His Ranger had convinced his former Colleague to let everyone stay the night in her little house, but they would be her errand boys and girls since the inn was full.
Primrose's cousin and Ivana were helping cook dinner over by the stove top powered by Fire Magic and Odette was boiling something in a kettle. She took out some cups from her pantry and poured whatever it was into all 6 cups. "Hmmm, what does this little one know about untranslated books on the mind boggling topic of necromancy and dark arts?" The oldest woman sipped from the biggest cup and then stirred it slightly before adding something from a jar.
Acrayran, Alfyn, Tressa and Prim were sweeping and dusting the floor as they had finished chopping up firewood outside. Next to Cyrus the tray with all the mugs were placed and then without warning Odette used Ice on the entire tray, engulfing the surrounding furniture in ice. "Lady Odette, Sir Albright was sitting there, did you attempt to harm him!?" asked one of the knights.
Cyrus was okay, just chilly after he ran his flames through the sheet of ice engulfing him. "Nah its fine, here's -"She broke a mug off the tray and gave it to her fellow scholar. He stared at in confusion as she jabbed a hot spoon into the ice twice, melting it. "The mutherfucking!"
The woman slammed the the rest of the cups ice away again in two strikes. "Tea! Everyone get your asses in here, it's dinner time bitches!" Odette called to her hardworking guests since dinner was in fact ready.
Worn out, the whole party complied and combined all the tables into a makeshift dinner table. The Ranger pulled their filthy gloves off and pulled up a chair next to Ivana and Alfyn."You must not be aware of what caliber Acrayran Ramos is my dear." Defended Cyrus as he pulled out a set Belmont Side B and Neutral B Axes. Acrayran's eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets and had to be held down.
The homeowner tilted her head sideways and finished chewing. "Wow, you've grown some balls last time I talked to you, acting all cocky before I can even make a point Professor." Odette then took out Joker's gun then pointed it at the Ranger, firing a round.
"So Acrayran, you're knowledgeable on the disappearances that have been happening in this town as of late? Cyrus has told me you are an outsider, from a land that is distant from Osterra and her cities." The female blond grinned as the youngest person managed to block the shots with their own move ;Zelda's Down B, the Knight.
Odette tried to wait for them to slip up for an easy counter. "Yeah, but do you know who is causing them and where they are staked out? Do you assume I don't know things you don't just cause I'm not a Scholar or something?" shot back the black haired teen, realizing they have facts they can dangle over the adult's head.
Before the woman could answer the Ranger added some more questions with a quick Side B of Fire. "Do you wanna know what an RPG is, what technology they run on and how it can project audio and visual content at the same time?" That was Acrayran using their final smash, the Triforce of Wisdom on her.
This broke the minds of both Professors and they remained silent for the whole dinner. Primrose waved a hand across Cyrus's face and he didn't move a muscle. "Simultaneous output of b-both senses from a device? What the blazes?" Hot steam came out of his ears like he was a coal train and Odette was just 3 stocked instantly.
The Dancer turned to Acrayran and her friends in dismay. "That's how easily you can shut them up? Please, teach us how to do how to do that kid, I need some leg up on Cyrus, I've only faster and agile than him. "
The Ranger smiled and continued eating as their Knights Ardante left to go for night watch. "Nah, I'ma just go down to the baths for a quickie." Primrose then winked at Ivana as she held her clothes and toiletries. "Would you like to come with cutie, I could tell you need a bit of Sunland TLC."
With that bold move the Knight turned bright red and her friend shot his cousin a look. Excited at the chance Odette quickly got up to take up that offer. But was stopped by Tressa, "You should avoid following Primrose less unfortunate events happen. She's in need of some alone time, let's wait for tomorrow night."
Hours later as it was pitch black outside and most of the travelers were fast asleep. Odette and Acrayran slept in her modest bed, the CA boys were forced to share a cot as Morning Glory wouldn't allow Primrose to sleep with either mages or on the floor, so she was with Tressa on the couch.
All of them were too tired to try anything stupid so that was a blessing. The Ranger could finally get some shut eye without having to worry about one of their travelers acting a fool, well not on their watch anyway. They didn't need to have the teen awake to create trouble.
"Tressa." Whispered Alfyn as he rubbed then shook his hands onto her shoulder and sides before it young woman slowly opened her green eyes, wincing at the light from the oil lantern. "Come with me, please."
She leaned forward, confusion on her face as the hardwood floor met her feet. "What, where do you want me to go Alf? It's like 1 or 2 in the morning dude." The Merchant asked back quietly, to make sure her bedmate would not wake.
Her older friend leaned down to her ear glancing side by side with worry. "I have to pee, can you come with me bud? The toilets are apparently in the full inn thats somewhere near the mines and-" Alfyn stopped to pause, blushing like a silly schoolgirl "I didn't want to wake up Cy or P-prim since they seemed the most deep in-"
Tressa pushed him away, snatching the lantern out of his hands. "Jeez man I get it, I get it!" She had a bright flush lit up on her face as they snuck out the house. Once they were in the brisk canyon air the Merchant let him have it. "Don't whisper in my ear with that tone of voice Alfyn, it's bothering me a bit." Dammit Greg Chun, you play too many roles!
He snapped his head to the girl as he held onto an unused hatchet and peered down, a flush also along his face. So she's perv ,I forgot she could actually can get turned on by stuff like I can . Damn I'm fucking impressive, holy shit. "By golly I'm terribly sorry about that, at least we can feel uncomfortable together, I'm just worried." The man glanced up at the quarter moon, a cold feeling crept down his spine.
"About what, not finding them without me and having to resort to plan B?" Smiled Tressa as an idea came to her. "Or maybe our trusty Apothecary is afraid of pissing himself, thinking he can hold it till morning?" When he is desperate, he'll be weak to my teasing, just like when they teased me earlier!
Alfyn almost jumped out of his skin as they walked down the creaky wooden stairs that lead further into town. "O-of course not Tressa, you perv!" He nearly swung at a stray dog that was spooked by their footsteps. "It's the disappearances, that's all nothing more, nothing less." The much taller traveler held the axe in one hand, the other gripping onto his nightshirt bottom.
Tressa held the oil flame farther away and looked equally nervous as her partner, trying to focus on two many things at once. "Y-yeah sure I'm the perv, sure I'm the perv. Keep telling yourself that bud."
They past by the armory and bar by the stairs and as soon as they took a single step up another section of stairs there was a blood curdling scream. "Shut the fuck up with all that yelling! Some people are trying to get some sleep!" Shouted the barkeep from his window, the general shop owner turned on his lights and started yelling back.
A mysterious red light grew brighter, despite being out view of the travelers. "The crap was that all about? Who was the one who screaming, it sounded like 4 or so people? Wanna check it out later maybe?" Asked Alf, Tress nodded her head after picking up a coin pouch someone had left by some metal bins.
After about 4 or so minutes the pair reached something that resembled the back of the inn, where the public restroom was. The men's and women's wasn't exactly separated by doors but Alfyn didn't have as much patience as Tressa and since he bursting, scuffling away to relieve himself. "Wow, I guess he wasn't lying. Might as well go too now that I'm here." She realized, anime sweat drops down her face.
The man almost jumped out of his pants when suddenly someone else grabbed onto his boots. "!" Panicked the Apothecary, his hands yanking down his britches and snaking away. The figure just lay on the ground and waited for the man to return. For some reason the Metal Gear Solid theme could be heard.
It was Morning Glory, blood stains and bruises all over his body. "Uh, Mister Greengrass?" He coughed as he tried to crawl further up. "Its me sir, Morning Glory Azelhart your Knight Ardante Escort!"
Now that he had emptied his bladder the Dirty Blonde had returned, his left boot missing. "Aw shucks you scared me half to death there Morning G, the hell happened to you?" His concern took over as he ignored his wardrobe malfunction. Alfyn didn't have his pants up, just his old-timey boxers, tightly hugging his waist.
While Primrose's cousin explained his situation, ominous cackling could be heard, growing louder with each foot step of someone on the other side. "We need to go back to Lady Odette's house and wait for daybreak, then he can't harm us." He begged to the Apothecary as he winced with pain.
Tressa had finished up as well and walked up with the Lantern to see her friend leaning over the other man, clearly stressed out. Sweat drops and a curious grin quickly appeared on the girl's face. "Ok so now you manage to seduce men with your body this time Alf?"
"No, its Morning Glory and he's hurt, dumbass." Shot back the Apothecary as he pulled up his pants, trying not to flash his female companion. "Oh, sorry bout that, you didn't need to see my drawers too."
"And Miss Colzione, Mister Greengrass wasn't trying to g-get that type of attention from me, I've been badly injured can't you see he's trying his best."
"Shoot, I can't even use my skills without my tool box, Gosh Dangit Alf, can't go anywhere with that heavy old thang." groaned Alfyn as he didn't have enough SP to use First Aid and had no brewing items on him.
Tressa cocked her head to the side. "Well let's try to ask for some help or we could just -"Then she took a double take and dropped the lantern onto the ground, it turning into a cardboard box. " Wait behind you guys, is that the-
Fear and surprise was a heavy weight in the vast room. Two blood red lights were being reflected into the mirrors, from behind the travelers. "GET OUTTA MY INN YOU DAMN TROUBLEMAKERS!" The figure demanded when he was finally in sight. "YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE A ROOM BOOKED HERE I'VE NEVER SEEN YA, COME BACK LATER!"
With split second thinking Alfyn and Tressa grabbed their Knight off the floor and scampered the hell away. "He's gotta be the one behind this, he's gotta!" Repeated the Apothecary, Last Stand coming in handy as they ran all across town.
His Merchant was more worried about Morning Glory, as he was slipping in and out of consciousness. " MG is running low on stamina, and I just had to drop the lamp, fuck! The hell are we gonna do if that was the boss dude, would Acrayran kill us for doing something like this without Cyrus!?"
Back at the Full Inn the innkeeper shook his head as he lit torch fixtures up atop a wall. "Oh, and they left this strange lantern behind, why is it completely made out of this hard paper like material? Guess they'll come begging for it on the morrow." The employee next to him shrugged and kept handing him the torches.
When Alfyn and Tressa finally managed to calm down in front of Odette's house Morning Glory was on full alert. "Ivana, that stubborn- augh- she was fast when that damn - hhrr- struck us. I managed to chase them all the way here but then -gahh then it-" One of the travelers opened up the front door and tripped on a pot trying to lay the injured Knight down.
"Shh, shh save it for later pal, I've gotta get you stitched and patched up before the others wake." The Apothecary whispered as Tressa pulled out the Apothecary Kit, from underneath piles of blankets and clothes. Morning G was soon stable, sleeping softly like everyone else.
Many hours later Acrayran was woken up by their bedmate. "Well good morning sweetie, I hope you had a great night's rest, cause I sure did!" The Scholar smiled and ruffled the drowsy teens hair. " I've missed having such intimate moments with others I may have gone overboard. Did I crush you or somethin', what's with that glare?"
The Ranger pushed her hand away, a frustrated look in their eyes as they stared at their Travelers. "No, I didn't Odette. It's mainly because someone got up in the middle of the fucking night for whatever." Alfyn and Primrose were also up, still in bed clothes. "Which one of you was it?"
Prim blushed as she turned around from unpacking some supplies. "It was me, I was the one who up making noise-"
"No it wasn't, someone left the house and broke that pot by the door trying enter. It wouldn't be you, you are plenty graceful." Shot back the homeowner, while she walked towards Alf, who was up using First Aid. "Something must have happened, spill it bud."
Acrayran picked up pieces of the pot and handed them to the Scholar while their Apothecary sweated bullet bills. Morning G also sweated but that was cause he was hot.
Knowing he was the one the request was directed to Alfyn bullshitted "Spill what Miss Odette?", then continued cleaning the older man's wounds. "I've noticed I haven't done anything wrong and yet-"
The older woman slammed a hand on his shoulder and looked down. "The tea dumbass, all your information from last night. I know at least two of you left, and it was more than just Morning G and Ivana." Then her eyes widened at the lack of another person in her house.
"Speaking of Ivana, that annoying hothead, where is she? Did she, did she vanish? Nah she must've taken by in one of those disappearances, but how? Weren't you with her Morning Glory, care explain to us what unfolded?"