Ch.8: A Shocking Reveal! The Past Weaved Through Fear!
Wes and Ella traversed the city in search for the museum. They checked the city map, of course, but they were doing a little sightseeing. There were a few nice shops and places to look at. Wes was a little disappointed there wasn't a pawn shop to check out amulets, but he didn't let it bug him for too long. There were some nice sights and places, at least. Maybe when they get the map fixed up, Gwyn might consider showing them around before they leave.
They stopped in their tracks and looked up at the building that stood before them. White building with marble columns, dome shaped roof, wooden doors…yep, looked like the museum. Aside from the sign posted in front of the building that said 'Marble Stone City Museum'.
They moved out of the way of people who were heading inside. Mostly adults and families. They believe they saw a whole group of kids being led by a few chaperones. Must have been a school field trip or something. Still, that proved to be a problem. Multiple people hanging around meant multiple witnesses to catch them stealing the flower. This was not going to be easy.
Ella looked at the Umbreon next to her, who looked like he was formulating a plan in his head. "So, got any ideas?"
"Well, asking for it definitely won't work. We can't take it with so many people hanging around. We're gonna have to scope out the inside and work from there."
She nodded. "Alright." They headed inside.
They entered through the main area. There were many different halls that led to separate wings of the museum. The main area had a large circular desk with some Pokémon manning them, answering questions visitors had about the museum. Perfect place to start their search.
They walked up to a Forretress wearing a bowtie. "Hello, welcome to the Marble Stone City museum. How may I assist you?"
Wes smiled. "Well, my good man, my friend and I are her because we heard you had a sapphire comet flower on display. Is that true?"
He nodded. "Oh yes. A rare beauty to behold. I've heard coming across one was one in a million chance."
"So I've been told. Anyway, where do we find such a spectacular plant?"
"You'll find it in the west wing, in the ecosystem hall."
He gave a mock salute. "Thank you, my good man! Come on, Ella! Let's go!" He speed walked forward.
The Forretress looked at Ella. "Excitable fella, isn't he?"
She rolled her eyes and smirked. "Oh yeah." She followed the Umbreon before he got too far.
They walked through the west wing and looked for the ecosystem hall. Along the way, they saw some pretty cool exhibits, like the evolution of machines throughout the ages. Machines still had their uses considering not everyone can use magic. There was a weapon hall, showing the advancements in weaponry.
Ella stopped and looked down it. "Ooh…"
Wes stopped as well and looked at her. "Ella?"
She shook her head. "Heh, sorry Wes. I've always had a bit of a liking towards weapons. Their unique designs fascinated me."
He smiled. "I didn't know you liked weapons."
She grinned cheekily. "Well, I've always wanted to take a class to practice them." She sighed. "Surprise, surprise, my parents didn't let me. I never found the time to take one because of classes and my job."
He patted her back. "Sorry to hear that. But hey, maybe you can take a class eventually. You just got to be patient."
She smirked. "Always the optimist, Wes." She wrapped her foreleg around him. "Thanks."
"No problem. Now enough dillydally, let's fine the flower." She nodded and they continued walking.
They entered the ecosystem hall and searched for the sapphire comet flower. The exhibits being shown talked about the individual zones that made Mysto. While most regions were made up of cities and varying environments, Mysto was a bit different. Everything was divided up into different stretches of land. The Earth Zone, the zone they were currently in, was mostly made up of earth and rock. There were some grassy area, of course, but you were more than likely to see rock and stone.
There were multiple zones. Sand, Swamp, Water, Fire, Storm; there were several. Each with their own different properties and atmosphere. Great places to visit and explore. Wes has only been to the Swamp, Sand, and Water zones. He had always wanted to visit the different zones of Mysto. And this journey might give him the opportunity to do so.
Wes continued looking at the many exhibits until his eyes landed on a crowd of people surrounding something. He and Ella gave each other a knowing look and walked over to the crowd, hoping to find what they've been looking for.
They tried to look over the crowd, but most of them were taller than the Eeveelutions, even if they stood on their hind legs. They tried jumping to get a better look, but they were obviously not experienced balancing on their hind legs alone and fell down. In a huff, they shoved their way through the crowd, earning some annoyed glares they didn't pay mind to.
They reached the front after some struggle and shook their heads. They then directed their attention to the display case in front of them. Inside the tinted glass was a beautiful flower radiating with energy. The stem was as black as the midnight sky. The petals were the deepest of blues, white comet patterns etched into them, with a midnight black bud in the center. Surrounding the petals was a blue cosmic energy that looked like the steady flame of a candle.
"Oh my…" Ella muttered as she leaned closer. "This is beautiful…"
"I know…I actually feel bad we're gonna use it in the potion…" Luckily, no one heard this remark, otherwise he would have been kicked out of here faster than when he went to Sandstone City. That was a rough day. And not just because he had sand in his clothes.
Ella looked at the crowd of people around them. She whispered, "Okay, first problem. Too many people around, so stealing it unseen will be tricky."
"We could cause a distraction and draw their attention away from it. That might be our best opportunity."
"True…"
Someone from the crowd interrupted their conversation. "Hey, are you gonna keep fogging up the glass or move?! Some of us actually want to see this thing!"
They grumble in annoyance and exited out of the crowd of people. They stepped away out of earshot of any bystanders. "Okay, second problem. Even if we do steal it, someone will notice it's missing and this whole building will be on high alert."
Wes rubbed his chin. "Another problem, definitely." He looked back at the case, where he could just barely see the flower. "Making an exact replica would be hard to pull off, but maybe one where we can fool them long enough to escape."
"You think you can do that?"
He smirked. "You kidding? I've done that kind of stuff for years. I'll just need a bit of time and I'll have something to work with."
"Okay, if you say so." She glared at the case. "How long do you think it will take to make a replica?"
"Probably about three to four hours, at best. You think Flint and Gwyn can hold off for that long?"
"I'm sure they'll understand. Now, let's get started on that fake flower." He nodded and opened up his bag.
"Keep an eye on my bag." He jumped up and did a cannonball inside, closing the flap along the way.
Ella picked it up and slung it around her body. "Three to four hours to myself, huh?" She gave a small smirk. "Well, in that case…"
"Flint, I need goblin eyes."
The Flareon walked over to the cabinet and pulled down the jar of eyes. They looked like they were staring at him, causing him to flinch in fright. "Creepy little things…"
Gwyn giggled. "Oh, don't let them bother you. They're harmless. And full of protein."
"You actually eat these?"
"Oh, heck no. I mostly eat fruits and vegetables."
He set the jar down and opened it. "So, you're a vegetarian?"
She picked five eyes out. "No, I sometimes eat meat. I just love the taste of fruits and vegetables more. Well, that and that's what I mostly eat." She threw the eyes into the pot she was using. Inside was a purple liquid, filled with the strangest of oddities. Aside from the goblin eyes, there was also dragon scales, a phoenix feather (how she acquired that, Flint will never know), various bones, and much more. No wonder this required a master to make. Half this stuff was nearly impossible to acquire. "The potions coming along nicely. Once the ingredients dissolve, I'll set it in the fridge to cool. Then, we just need to sapphire comet flower."
"So, we're done?"
"For now." She set her equipment to the side and placed a lid on the pot. She took her gloves off and threw them onto the counter. "Thanks for your help, Flint."
He waved it off modestly. "No thanks are necessary. I'm always willing to help out. Plus, I was interested to see how you made your potions." He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "I tried making a potion for our map on our way here."
She smiled. "Oh, you take up potion making too?"
"Not exactly. I'm trying to become an archeologist. Potion making was just a little side thing for the journey. Unfortunately, they kept…" He was too embarrassed to say it. Understandable considering he was in front of a potion expert.
Much to his surprise, she read him like a book. "Let me guess, some of them exploded on you?"
He blinked, feeling his jaw drop open. "How…did you know?"
She giggled and put her hands behind her back. "You can't honestly believe I didn't make those kind of mistakes myself. Potion making is a delicate process. Think of it like cooking or baking. Too much of one thing could ruin the entire dish. I know you're very studious, but it takes a skilled eye to make sure something is the perfect amount. Otherwise you might end up with something completely different."
"Wow…" he awed in amazement. He chuckled and shook his head. "Why am I surprised? You've had years of practice to master it."
"Very true." She lifted the pot lid to check on the potion. "Have you ever considered learning how to make potions?"
"A couple of times, but…well, I don't know. I've honestly always liked discovering new things." He smiled. "Which is why I used to love going on adventures with Wes."
She put the lid down. "Used to?"
"Ever since I started college, I've been going on less and less adventures, focusing mainly on my studies. But, now I get roped into this because I made a promise to join him. Plus, it would be nice to check out some unknown areas. I was skeptical about the idol's existence, but now I'm thrilled to be going. To find out where these keys are, leading to new places to explore…" He smiled widely. "It just makes me all giddy inside!" He coughed into his balled up paw and regained what little composure he had left. "So, uh…yeah.
"And, at the same time, I'm utterly terrified. My dad used to tell me stories of the idol when Wes and I were younger and they would always give me nightmares. I guess I'm a little nervous about what we might find." He gave a small smile. "But…it's that kind of excited feeling that makes you want to press on forward."
Gwyn smiled brightly. "Wow…that sounds amazing!"
He chuckled. "It's not for everyone. Sometimes you have to put up with camping outside. Sometimes in the rain."
That's when Gwyn said something that caught the Flareon completely off guard. "Camping? What's camping?"
He stared at her with eyes the size of dinner plates. "You're…you're joking, right? You seriously don't know what camping is?"
She flinched and looked around. "Uh…I mean, of course I do! Who doesn't?! It's…" She turned her back to him suddenly, confusing him even further. "Uh…to reside or lodge somewhere temporarily or irregularly…to settle down somewhere comfortably…"
He looked over her shoulder and glared. "Are you reading a dictionary?!"
She stared at him with a blank expression and threw the dictionary perfectly into a nearby trash bin. "No."
He stepped back and tilted his head. "You're acting weird."
She raised her hands and chuckled nervously, all while shaking like a leaf in the wind. "I-I-I have heard of camping in side conversations around the city, but never had the time to know what they are."
"Your parents never took you camping when you were younger?"
She stopped shaking and lowered her hands. "N…No…" Flint was taken back by her sudden expression. She looked sad.
"Are…are you okay?"
"I…" She turned toward the pot. "I…should check on the potion again."
He placed a paw on her shoulder. "Hang on, is something wrong?"
She shrugged his paw off. "I'm fine…I just don't like talking about my parents."
"Did…something happen to them?"
She pulled her hood down farther. "Can you drop the subject, please?"
"Gwyn, I'm just trying to help."
"I appreciate it, but I don't need help." She lifted the pot lid and looked at the contents. All the ingredients have completely dissolved. She turned off the burner it was sitting on and set to the side to cool, then she'll place it in the fridge.
Flint frowned. He could hear the sorrow in her tone. Did he say something to offend her? If so, that wasn't his intention. "Gwyn…I'm sorry…"
She shook her head. "You don't have to apologize. I…just don't want to talk about my family. Things have been rough for me."
"Why?"
She rubbed her wrist a bit. "There's a reason I hide under this robe. I'm afraid if someone found out who I am…they'll…" She found it hard to swallow. It was straining her throat to speak. "I don't want to talk about it. It's…too painful to recall."
His ears drooped. "Oh…sorry I brought it up."
"Don't beat yourself up about it. It's fine, really." She went into the living room and headed over to the fridge. "Do you want a drink? Raspberry lemonade?"
"Sure…" He sat on the couch and sighed. She said it was fine, but he couldn't help but feel bad for bringing up her parents. He wasn't sure what the problem was, but it was best not to bug her.
She poured the drink into two glasses and carried them over. "Flint, listen, I appreciate your concern, but I'm just not confident about-" In her rambling, she failed to notice the bucket on the ground. She stepped on it and it took her balance away. "WHA!" She stumbled forward and dropped the glasses, spilling the drink on the ground.
Flint's eyes widened and he shot up. "Gwyn!" He ran over and caught her, but it didn't stop her momentum from pushing them both on the ground.
They had their eyes closed when they fell, then slowly opened them. They stared briefly into each other's eyes. They then noticed the awkward position they were in, with Gwyn laying on top of Flint.
The Flareon blushed madly. "Oh man…s-s-s-s-sorry."
"It's…it's fine." She giggled a bit. "Thanks for catching me…"
He sheepishly grinned. "Heh…you're welcome." She got off of him, leading for him to get up as well. "You should really clean this place up a bit."
Gwyn stood up and dusted her arms. "Yeah, I really should. I've been behind on my chores and…" She glanced at him and blinked in confusion. One moment the Flareon was embarrassed by their little fall. Now…he looked like he just saw a ghost. "What's wrong?" She felt around herself to see if something was on her. When she reached her head, she realized it was the opposite. Something wasn't on her.
Her hood.
Dammit! She cursed herself. Of all the days to shirk her chores, today was the worse day to do so. She stepped back as Flint stuttered incoherent words. "F-Flint, c-calm down."
"Ye-e-e-You…nana…yeheh…you're a…a…"
He couldn't believe what was standing in front of him. He knew that tail looked familiar, but he wouldn't have imagined this. Standing before him was a sight that made him lightheaded from just how…impossible this experience was. Forget his skepticism about the idol. THIS is what he couldn't believe. He felt the room darken as he mustered up every ounce of willpower to finish his thought.
"You're…a…Mew?"
Everything went black for the Flareon.
Flint stirred awake, groggy from his sudden blackout. His head was killing him. He had a splitting headache hammering against the side of his skull. He sat up and held his head. He saw that he was still in the shop, laying on the couch with a blanket over him. Why was he asleep?
Then he remembered something fuzzy. Gwyn's hood fell off her head and…she was a Mew.
He shook his head. "That was some crazy dream…"
"I kind of wish you were dreaming." He looked to the side and squeaked in surprise. Gwyn sat in a chair, in front of him, without her cloak on. She wore a dark green sweater with a brown sash going around her side, laying on her right shoulder. The sash had notches in it, designed to hold vials. She also wore a pair of jeans. And, just as Flint muttered before he passed out, she was indeed a Mew. However, she was an unusual looking one.
Normally, Mew were pink and their shiny form was blue. Gwyn, however, had green fur. A light shade of green, to be exact. She also had short green hair on top of her head, reaching near her neck. She had a pink highlight running through it.
She was twiddling her thumbs with an awkward smile. "Uh…surprise?" she said weakly, doing some jazz hands for emphasis. His eyes widened again and he breathed rapidly to calm himself. "Oh no, please don't pass out again…"
He slapped his cheeks and forced himself to calm down. "S-Sorry…" He awkwardly bowed his head.
Gwyn tilted her head in confusion. "What are you doing?"
"Showing my respect to you!"
She blinked, even more confused. Why was he bowing to her? Unless…oh. "F-Flint…I'm not a goddess. You don't have to bow."
He raised his head. "B-But…you're a Mew! A Legendary!"
"Half-Legendary," she corrected.
He blinked. "Wait…what?"
"My father was a Mew and my mother was of the mortal world. I don't possess the same natural capabilities as my father. I can't fly or transform. The only thing unique about me is my fur color and eyes."
"What about your hair?"
"Oh, this?" she asked as she twirled her around in it. "I just didn't cut my fur for a while. I thought it would look cool and…well, I was right."
Flint shook his head, trying to wrap his head around what was going on. He was sitting in front of a Mew who was the assistant of one of the greatest potion masters in existence. What was going on?
"I…have some many questions."
"I'm sure you do…" She rubbed her arm. "Listen, I know this might seem strange to you…"
"Yeah. It's not every day you meet a goddess."
She glared. "Stop calling me a goddess."
He smiled sheepishly. "Sorry. You know what I mean." He narrowed his eyes seriously. "But really, why are you here? Working in a shop of all places?"
She gave a sad sigh and leaned back. "Flint…this may be hard to believe…but I own this place."
"What? How could you own this place? It belongs to Ms. Belladonna."
She reached into her pocket. She figured he was going to say something like this, so, while he was unconscious, she went fishing around for a few things. She pulled out a piece of paper and handed it to him. "This might explain a few things."
He took it in his paws and unrolled his. "Clara Belladonna's…will?" He looked up with shocked eyes. "Wha…"
She looked down, tears brimming near her eyes. "Just…keep reading."
He shook his head and read, still put off by…this sudden bit of news. "In my departure…leave all my possessions…and shop…to my only daughter…" He looked up slowly, the gears in his brain turning as he was starting to see something here. "No…"
She nodded. "My name…is Gwyn Belladonna…the daughter of the powerful Legendary, Mew…and the grand potion master, Clara Belladonna." She looked down. "Clara's my mother."
As if he had enough surprises for one day. "I…I don't know what to say. This is…"
She looked away. "Don't say it. I know…"
"I…I can't believe this. I can't believe your mother married a Mew."
She bit her lip. "They weren't…exactly married."
"Huh?"
She rubbed her arm. "I don't know all the details, obviously. All I do know is that they met each other by accident, got to know each other…then started a relationship from there. Then, roughly 20 years ago…they had me. They never meant to have a child, but…my mother did her best to care for me. She…loved me deeply."
"Then…what about your dad?"
"I never met him. Mom said he only came by to check on me when I was still a baby. After that, he never came back." She sighed. "But, it never really bothered me. My mother was one of the kindest souls in all the land. She was a great mom." She smiled sadly. "I remembered how she would…chase me around the shop when I was being a little mischievous. Or the thousands of times I screwed up on a potion and she was there to teach me. It was…such great times.
"Unfortunately, I was never allowed to go outside because she worried about what would happen if someone saw me. She worried that I would be kidnapped and…used for evil purposes. I can't blame her for worrying about me. It's quite clear my species is incredibly rare to come by. Since I don't interact much…I don't know much about the outside world."
"So that's why you didn't know what camping was…" Flint figured. "Still, don't you think she was…overreacting a bit?"
She shrugged. "I wouldn't know."
"That brings up another question of mine. What happened to your mother?" She looked away uneasily. "I'm sorry, I didn't-"
She raised her hand to silence him. She took a deep breath. "You've…heard rumors about my mom being a witch, right?" He nodded. "Well, they weren't made up as a joke. There is a reason people believe that. It's because…she was."
His eyes widened in shock. "What?!"
She shook her hands defensively. "She wasn't always a witch, I promise!" She placed her hands in her lap. "It's…hard to explain."
She felt a paw rest on her hands. She looked up at Flint, who stared with a serious expression. "I have time."
She smiled for a moment, then looked down. "Well, to start off…I told you how much my mother cared about me. She'd do anything to protect me." She gripped her fists tightly, then relaxed them. "It started when I was five. I was getting tired of staying inside, so I snuck out while she was sleeping…
"Of course, I did remember to cover myself up to make sure no one recognized me. I wanted to do some exploring and see what the city I was living in looked like. However, in my excitement, I got lost. I had no idea where I was or what was going on around me. That was the first time I've felt fear. I called out for my mother, hoping she would hear my cries. A few people came by to help me, but they tried to take off my hood, likely because they needed to match my species to my parents. I grew even more scared and ran away, trying to avoid being seen.
"I…ran into an alley and just sat there, crying. I wanted to go home, but I was too scared to get anyone's help. I regretted leaving the shop."
Flint frowned sympathetically. "It must have been a rough day for you…"
"It was. But then, out of nowhere, this Ariados lady crawls down from the walls and greets me. I was terrified, obviously. But my nerves were calmed when she gave me some chocolate." The Flareon saw her fists clench up. "Being naïve at the time, I took it without a second thought." She sighed. "She asked me some questions and didn't hound on me for my name. She ended up taking me home once she realized where I lived."
Flint smiled. "Well, that's good to know."
She sneered. "You wish…"
He blinked. "Huh?"
"She got me home and my mother practically begged her not to tell anyone about me. She gave her word and left, seemingly forever. My mom was pretty angry, but happy I was safe."
"I don't mean to sound rude, but what was so bad about that entire experience?" he questioned. "I mean, yes, that would be terrifying for a child, but you made it out like it was the worse day of your life."
She narrowed her eyes. "Sure…on the surface, it didn't seem all that bad. But you didn't go through what I've felt." She leaned back in her chair, hanging her arm off the back. "The first few days were uneventful. It was a normal week for us. Then I started getting sick.
"It started off as a minor cold, nothing serious. Then it turn into stomach aches. Again, nothing unusual about it. But Mom started to grow worried when I remained sick for over a week. I began throwing up, almost nothing sitting well in my stomach. My body grew sore and ached in pain. She didn't know what was wrong with me, so she tried making medicines to counteract my sickness. But none of them worked. Dare I say…they actually made it worse.
"Then I started developing black spots. Mom didn't recognize them from anywhere. She thought I was contracting some new disease. She didn't want to take me to the hospital because she didn't want anyone knowing about me, but she was running out of options. With each passing day, I grew worse and worse, wailing and crying with absolute pain."
Flint couldn't believe what he was hearing. "That's…that's horrible!"
She nodded. "It was. My mom was at her wit's end and considered taking me to the hospital…just when she returned."
FLASHBACK
"You!" Clara, who was wearing a lab coat, shouted as she pointed at the spider standing at her front door. On a table laid a five year old Mew with green fur, contorting in pain. Black spots were spread across her body. Vein like patterns ran off the spots, practically digging into her skin.
The Ariados chucked as she walked in. She wore a simple scarf and a silver necklace with a diamond shaped medallion. "Oh my, Ms. Belladonna. Your daughter doesn't look well. Is she feeling alright?"
Clara grabbed her by the scarf and lifted her to eye level. Her eyes burned with raging fury. "What did you do?!"
If the Ariados had lips, one would see the sinister smirk across her face. "Calm yourself, Belladonna. Keep harassing me like this and your daughter may never see the light again."
The Lilligant glared and dropped the spider, who landed on her feet. "What. Did. You. Do?" she emphasized each word with a sharp tone.
Ariados dusted herself off. "I say, you could be a little more polite with your words. But, I can't blame a mother for looking after her poor, defenseless daughter." She scuttled around the room. "I'll cut to the chase. I gave dear Gwyn some chocolate with an added ingredient that…may be the cause of her trouble."
"What is it so I can cure it?!"
Her eyes burned brighter as the spider laughed mockingly. "It's not as simple as you think, Clara. This disease wasn't cause by anything a simple potion can cure. No…she hasn't been poisoned. She has been cursed."
"Cursed?!" She looked back at Gwyn, who groaned in pain and hugged herself. She was shivering. A tint of blue could be seen under her fur. The vein like spots constricted her body even tighter.
"The Curse of Disease, to be precise. With each day that passes, she becomes unhealthier and closer to death. Those spots on her body will continue to dig into her skin and tighten around her internal organs. Eventually, once they've reached their peak, they crush her bones, organs, everything…until she dies from her suffering."
Clara stared at her suffering daughter with a panicked expression. Gwyn moaned as her shivering worsened. She ran over to the couch, grabbed a blanket, and threw it over the green Mew. It didn't seem to help her. A tear slid down the Lilligant's face. She held her hand out and rubbed her cheek. Despite being in pain, the young child nuzzled into her gentle touch.
The mother narrowed her eyes sweetly at the child before forming a glare and looking back at the Ariados. "Who are you?"
The spider rubbed her front legs together, almost like she was brandishing swords. "My name is unimportant, potion master. All you need to know is that I came here with a purpose." She pointed her foreleg at the suffering Mew. "Hand her to me, now."
The Lilligant wrapped a protective arm around her daughter. "What do you want with her?"
"I simply need her to complete a little ritual of mine."
"Ritual?" The potion master's eyes widened. It started to become clear who this woman was. Only one time of person could possibly place curses on people. She growled and clenched her fist. "A witch…"
The Ariados clapped. "Provo, Ms. Belladonna. You're sharper than I give you credit for."
She got in front of Gwyn and reached in her coat pockets. "If you do need my daughter, why didn't you take her when you had the chance?"
She clicked her fangs together. "I rather not have to deal with another witch hunt. If I did take her, you would have likely rallied up everyone to come after me. After all, you were just considering taking her to the hospital, risking her identity. Hiding would be next to impossible." She snickered. "So, I figured, why not have a little…incentive?"
"What are you getting at?"
She reached into her scarf and threw out a small book. "I'm offering you a choice, dear Clara. This book contains the needed requirements to remove the curse on your daughter. But there's a catch." She clicked her fangs and let out a snicker. "This curse can only be removed by means of witchcraft."
Clara clenched her fists tighter. "You can't be serious…"
"Oh, but I am. I'm not going to remove it. You are. You're going to use the demonized arts that have been outcast from this world to save your daughter."
She growled angrily. "Why?"
"Because you're the only thing standing between me and my goals. Going up against a potion master of your talents is instant suicide. And poisoning you won't work either." She hissed gleefully. "But forcing you to kill yourself doesn't sound like a bad idea."
"Kill…myself?"
"Removal of this particular curse is quite tricky. The Curse of Disease is responsible for numerous deaths in the fifteenth century. While a witch can remove the curse, there is one extra requirement to breaking it…" She chuckled. "The curse can't be destroyed, but can be sealed away. Meaning…you would need a living sacrifice to transfer the curse to."
The potion master was finally starting to see where she was getting at. If looks could kill, Clara's glare would be disintegrating the spider on the spot. "You wretched hag…"
"Oh, I'm not totally cruel, darling. You have a strong will. You should be able to fight the curse off longer before it takes your life. I just want you to spend the next few years of your life, in pain, wondering what will become of Gwyn once her precious mother is out of the picture. Then everything will fall into place. Or, you can take the easier route and just let her die, to end both of your suffering here and now." She poked the Lilligant and snickered. "I'll be back in due time. Then I'm taking Gwyn for myself."
Clara grabbed her by the throat and lifted her up. "Listen to me, arachnid! If you don't remove that curse on her, I swear, I will make the rest of your life a living hell!" A purple light bounced off of the Ariados and slashed Clara's cheek. She dropped the spider and covered the faint wound.
"Temper, temper…you have more pressing matters to attend to." She scuttled over the door, pulling it open with a web. "And, if you so much as send a mob after me, Gwyn will suffer a far worse fate, I assure you." She snickered and waved to her as she walked out. "Ta-ta, Clara Belladonna."
FLASHBACK END
"…it was a tough week for both of us. I was suffering and she had the only cure in the world that could help me, but didn't know what to do." She sighed. "I'm not sure what that witch wanted, but all I know is that she needs a Mew to complete some ritual of hers. And going after my father wasn't going to happen anytime soon."
Flint narrowed his eyes. "Well, judging by that you're still here…"
He didn't need to finish. She knew what he meant. "Yes…my mother had to use witchcraft in order to save me. Just seeing the look of disgust on her face tortured me, but she went through with it to save me. Immediately, we noticed the signs that she was dying.
"She got weaker, frailer…I couldn't stand watching her in so much pain. But she pressed ahead, only wanting to make sure I was safe." She paused for a moment to rub her eyes. "S-Sorry…like I said, I really don't like talking about…" Flint reached over and rubbed her arm soothingly.
"Take your time."
She smiled a bit, then sighed. "A-As time passed, we began hearing about the rumors. Someone heard the commotion in the shop and must have spread the word around the city. A few travelers heard about it and told their hometowns. Then the visitors there spread the words. Then the next. Then the next…you get the point. The rumors stirred up fear in a lot of people, and they were determined to find proof that Mom was a witch." She shook her head. "My mother didn't want to resort to witchcraft, but she had no choice. And she couldn't explain herself without exposing me."
"Why would revealing your identity be a bad thing?"
She threw her hands up. "Hello?! Powerful Mew here! If someone saw me, they might come and capture me! The same thing for that Ariados witch!" She hugged herself and closed her eyes. "When my mom died, I've become paranoid about the outside world. I keep hiding myself to stay safe. I've been alone for years. Ten long, isolated years…"
Flint looked down with a saddened expression. He could never imagine being alone for that long. It would have driven him mad. And yet, Gwyn managed to stay strong after all those years. She was tough, he could tell. Still, being having no family for that long…a fate worse than death, in his eyes.
He couldn't blame her for being paranoid. The world could be a cold, heartless place. Having dealt with a witch that wanted her for her own nefarious purposes can wind you up and break you. To think she had to deal with that kind of stress for all these years. He can't personally know what she's going through, but he knows it isn't a time he would want to experience himself.
Though…that did raise another question.
"Gwyn?" She looked up at him with tired eyes. "You said that witch was after you. If you have been alone for all this time, how come you haven't been captured yet?"
She gripped her arm. Oddly, she smiled a bit. "A parting gift from my mother. Before she died, she asked a friend of hers to give me some training. She knew I had a strong magical aura." She chuckled. "He was the only other person who knew of my identity. He was a nice man."
"Who was he?"
She scratched the side of her head. "Can't say I remember. It was a long time ago. I can't quite remember his species." She smiled. "Still, it really helped. I was able to defend myself properly. That witch tried to kidnap me, but I was able to scare her off. I haven't seen her for years." She sighed. "Still, even with magic, it didn't help my confidence…"
Flint frowned. "Gwyn…"
She shook her head. "I don't know much about the outside world. Even if I wanted to leave, I wouldn't last long out there. I'm just an outsider. I don't know what society is like." She smiled a bit. "What is it like?
Flint chuckled and rubbed the back of his head. "Well, it's not all bad. Just got to watch out for pirates…unless you're Wes, who steals their treasure while they're all drunk."
The green Mew could feel a laugh rising up from within her. It came out as a small snort. "Seriously?"
"Oh yeah. He raided their ship clean." He laughed. "He's wanted in multiple towns and by many pirate groups."
She chuckled. "Sounds like you two have a lot of fun."
He smiled. "Yeah…we did have a lot of fun back then. Hmm…" He glanced off to the side.
Gwyn laid her hands in her lap and looked up. "You really are lucky, Flint. You, Wes, and Ella…going on adventures…escaping doom and trouble…a constant thrill…" She squealed a bit. "It sounds amazing!"
The Flareon looked back at her and smiled. She really liked the idea of adventuring. She was afraid of the outside world, but she wanted the confidence to freely walk around in public. It was actually pretty funny. He wished he could help her, but how? She honestly believed the world would be after her if she was found out.
…okay, perhaps her worries weren't totally shortsighted. There were many reasons to be worried. Witches, bandits, pirates; all sorts of things. But if she could defend herself, why would she keep herself so isolated? Simple. The scars of her childhood are buried deep within her. She doesn't know what the world is like.
She didn't have anyone to guide her. To help her. All she could do was sit in this shop and let time flow by as she desperately wished for answers. But, as luck may have it, those answers came in the form of three travelers who needed her help with their map.
Flint smiled to himself, the Mew not noticing as she kept talking about the many wonders of the world she wanted to see. What she needed was a little push. A helping hand. Or, in this case, a helping paw.
"Gwyn…you want to go on an adventure, right?"
She looked at him and smiled. "Well, yeah, of course."
He smiled back. "Well, maybe I can help with that."
She gasped and leaned forward with an excited glimmer in her eyes. "Really?! You can?!"
He chuckled. "Yeah, I can. But first, you have to do something for me."
"What?"
"Come outside with me and join me for a cup of coffee."
Her eyes widened. "Out…side?"
"Gwyn, you said you wanted to see the world, right? Well, you can't stay in here for the rest of your life."
She hugged herself. "Flint, I don't know. I only leave the shop when the delivery man can't bring my potion ingredients. And, even then, I'm usually seen rushing to the store just to stay out of public."
He placed a paw on her shoulder. "I understand, but I want to help you conquer your fears."
"But-"
"I'm not asking you to go outside without your cloak. I'm asking you to join me for a cup of coffee. Nothing more, nothing less. If we're going to help you with your confidence, we need to start small."
She nervously looked at her door. The Flareon could feel her fidgeting. She was still hesitant to comply.
"I promise…I won't leave your side. You can trust me, right?"
She looked between him and the door. Her tail wagged as she considered it in deep thought. She only met Flint today, so it was hard for her to make any judgments. He was nice and very sweet, but how does she know this wasn't a trick? This could be a ploy to lead her into a trap!
Then again…the way he acted after she revealed herself showed it wasn't his intention to capture her. They just needed the map cleansed.
She held her head. It was her paranoia again. Constantly assuming the worse. But how did she know what was right or wrong anymore? Can she trust Flint?
She looked at the Flareon once more. He kept giving her a calm, patient smile. It was so gentle and caring, even comforting. It helped relax her nerves a bit. She felt she should at least give it a shot.
"…I trust you," she finally said.
He could feel the smile on his face stretch a bit. "Great! Just get your cloak and we can go out for coffee."
"Right." She grabbed her cloak off a coat rack while Flint walked over to the door. "One question, though."
"Sure, what?"
"What's coffee?" Flint face-planted in response, an action that made the green Mew laugh. "I know what's used to make it, but I've never actually had it before. Does it taste like chocolate? Because it looks like hot chocolate to me."
The Flareon pushed himself up and chuckled lightly with a small sweatdrop. Oh boy…