Chapter 16: The Drunken Witch

The trio made it back to the helicopter by the afternoon. The heat was at its peak, so when they got there, the trio was drenched in sweat. Their chests heaved up and down as they tried to regain their breath. Anthony came jogging out of the helicopter holding a large jug of water.

“Here,” He said, sticking out the jug to Laura. “You could use this.”

Without saying a word, Laura snatched the jug and started chugging down the water. She let out a small moan of relief as the chill liquid went down her throat.

“I hate the sun!” Laura said as she lowered the jug to her side.

Half the jug was still full, so Berus exhaustingly walked over and snatched it in a flash.

“Hey!” Laura complained as Berus pressed the rim of the jug to his lips and started chugging the water too.

Once he had his fill, Berus lowered the jug and wiped his mouth with his sleeve. “Learn to share,” He told Laura.

Berus tossed the jug at Cello, who caught it with ease, finishing off whatever was left of the water. After it was completely empty, she walked over and shoved the empty jug into Anthony’s chest, then made her way back into the helicopter. The others exchanged glances before following Cello. Once they all got inside, Cello threw the severed arm of the red beast on the floor. The soldiers looked down to examine the inhuman appendage. Each of their brows furrowed with either confusion or disgust. Armin knelt to get a better look. He stared at the arm with great interest.

Armin stood up and faced the experiment trio. “Great job, you three,” He gave them a thumbs-up. “We’ll put that bad boy on ice, and I’ll be examining it during our flights.”

He looked to Anthony and continued, “Can I count on you for some assistance, Mr. Romanova?”

Anthony was taken aback by the question, but nodded and said, “Of course, sir.”

“Great!” Armin said, clapping his hands together. “Now, let’s see where our next stop is.”

As he was about to check his tablet, Laura raised her hand. “Hey, Uncle Armin,” She said, prompting the doctor to look up from the screen. “Can I take a shower before we leave?”

The entire group looked at her, bewildered by this sudden question.

“What for, kiddo?” Armin asked.

“I haven’t bathed in six days, and I’ve been sweating a lot being out here. I smell awful.”

Berus and Cello also smelled themselves and realized that they too had quite the odor. Even Armin, who had been with them the whole time, did a quick sniff under his arm. His eyes widened, and he embarrassedly tugged at her collar.

“You make a fair point,” Armin said. “We’ll stay here for the rest of the day and head off in the early morning.”

He picked up the severed arm by the wrist, dangling it in the air. He continued, “That’ll give me some time to study this thing too.”

Armin told the pilots to stay here and guard the helicopter. They understood, telling the doctor that they’ll take the time to make sure everything works properly. The group headed back into the city and found the closest inn. Armin asked the owner for two rooms, one for the soldiers plus himself and Anthony to stay, and the other for the experiment trio.

“Also,” Armin said, “do you guys have running water for showers?”

The owner nodded and said, “Of course. We use the water from the ocean that surrounds us as our source of all water.”

Most of the group’s eyes bulged out of their skull, baffled by what they just heard.

“Wait, wait, wait,” Armin said, shaking his head in disbelief. “You guys use ocean water? What about all the salt? All of the contaminants?"

The manager smiled and waved off his questions. “You don’t have to worry about that,” he said. “You see, during the very early foundation of the empires, the late Emperor Ferral invented and helped build machines that would finely filter out the salt and potentially harmful substances that were within the ocean or other bodies of water that were around each original village.

“The late Emperor Ferral had also invented machines that would filter all forms of pollution that permeated the air left by you humans. The bad air would get sucked into a large filter and come out as clean, breathable air. Moreover, these same air machines would heal the ozone layer much faster after you humans had been destroying it. Truly a great mind, the late Emperor Ferral was.”

The manager had said all of this with an innocent smile on his face; his voice was kind and polite. Laura and Berus smiled back, hearing how much good their father had done for the other empires. However, the soldiers grit their teeth and clenched their fists, letting their anger quietly stew. The manager took purposeful digs at humans while keeping his kind facade. All Armin and Anthony could do was smile and chuckle awkwardly, also aware of these jabs.

He handed Armin two keys and told them to enjoy their stay. They all headed to their rooms, and the two groups went their separate ways. Once the door closed, Laura noticed that there were only two beds. Which meant one of them would have to sleep on the floor. She heard a loud thud hit the floor; she and Cello looked down to see Berus had flopped on the soft carpet floor.

He stretched his long limbs before curling into a ball. “You guys take a shower first,” Berus said. “I’m gonna rest a bit.”

Laura and Cello exchanged looks. Laura shrugged and decided she would be the first to shower. She went into the bathroom and looked around the area. It was a fine space, having enough room. There was a square silver door above the toilet. The shower had a sliding glass door and a smooth, stone floor.

Laura started by removing her sword from her waist, placing it by the door. She took out all of her tools and her flute and placed them on the sink counter. Then removed her boots, belt, and hair ribbon. Her long, black hair fell down her back. She took off her outer robe, folding it and placing it on the toilet cover. Then her undershirt, and did the same. Once fully stripped down, Laura was about to walk into the shower when she noticed the white sign that was nailed above the silver door.

In black text, it read: FOR FAST AND EASY LAUNDRY. SLIDE DIRTY CLOTHES DOWN THE CHUTE.

Laura pulled the handle in the middle of the silver door, and it opened up a curved chute. She closed the chute and picked up her stack of clothes to give them a quick sniff. They did indeed smell terrible, so Laura held them in one hand and opened the chute in the other, sliding the clothes and even her boots down. She closed the chute door and walked inside the shower.

There were two knobs under the long, slender shower head. The left had a ‘C’ on it while the right had an ‘H.’ Assuming that they meant cold and hot, Laura immediately turned the left knob. She had more of her fill of the heat for one day. Water burst from the shower head and hit her face with a refreshing chill.

Once Laura was finished, she grabbed one of the white, cotton bath robes that was hung from a hanger on the door. She exited the bathroom, carrying all her stuff in her arms. She let out a sigh of relief before stepping barefoot onto the carpet. Laura looked to see Berus was snoring on the floor, still curled into a ball, while Cello sat cross-legged in the middle of the bed by the bathroom. When Laura came out, Cello’s head looked up and saw the clean Laura.

Cello smiled and hopped off the bed. “Feel better?” She asked, making her way to the shower next.

Laura nodded and said, “Yeah, I needed that.”

Cello could smell the scent of lavender emitting from Laura. “That’s a nice smell,” She commented, “Is that from the soap they have?”

“Smells great, right? Yeah, the soap and shampoo have the same scent.”

Cello nodded in agreement. The two passed each other, Cello closing the door to the bathroom. Laura placed her things on the bed by the window and sat on the edge. She grabbed the red ribbon and tied her hair into a ponytail. A few minutes later, there was a knock at the door. Laura got up and walked to the door, opening it ajar and peering her head out. She saw an elderly lady standing outside, holding a stack of black clothes with a pair of black boots on top.

“Your laundry, dear.” The lady said with a smile, her voice soft and polite.

“Oh,” Lara said, smiling back and taking the stack from the lady. “Wow, you guys are fast. Thank you, ma’am.”

The old lady nodded and lifted the first layer of the stack to reveal something red underneath. She said, “I took the liberty of changing that belt of yours. I hope you don’t mind. It just felt like too much black.”

Laura stared blankly at her for a second before laughing. “Thank you, ma’am.” She replied with a smile.

The woman nodded once more and headed off. Laura closed the door and set her clothes on the bed. She checked to see if Berus was still asleep, and sure enough, his eyes were still closed. Laura slipped off the bathrobe and dressed herself back in her regular robes. She gazed at the belt, which was blood red, matching the color of her ribbon. Laura smiled, then tied it around her waist. She took all her tools and slid them back into her robe and sleeves. She rested her sword and flute by the wall near the window before lying on the bed. Laura gazed up at the ceiling, inhaling the soothing scent of lavender that seemed to also permeate from her clothes. It must be a popular scent here. The smell eased her mind and body, and she began to doze off.

Laura’s eyes opened slowly, still looking up. The room around her was dark, and she turned to see Cello asleep in her bed. Laura quietly shuffled off her bed and looked out the window. Sure enough, it was nighttime. She was shocked she had even slept for that long. She reached down and grabbed her sword and flute. Placing them both on her hip. As she crept around the room, Laura saw that Berus was still asleep, now sprawled across the floor. She carefully tiptoed past him, making sure not to step on his hand or leg accidentally. She very quietly creaked the door open, peeking her head outside to see that the entire hallway was dark. She stepped out and gently closed the door behind her. Luckily for Laura, such darkness was nothing to her; she could still see as if there was still light. Her crimson eyes emitted a faint glow as she stood in the shadowless hallway. Laura decided to take a stroll, making her way to the lobby where there was no one to be found, then left the inn and wandered the dimly lit streets.

There were a few buildings whose lights were still on, mostly restaurants or bars. She haphazardly walked into one of the bars and looked around, scanning the area. Booths filled with people having conversations, some had their faces flushed, and their words slurred. Laura walked around the bar until she glanced at a booth with one man sitting in it. It was Duncan Gordon, chugging back a large glass of beer. She walked over and tapped his shoulder.

“Mr. Gordon?” She asked, leaning her head to see the man wiping the foam from his beard.

He turned his head to see Laura and said, “Evening, lass. Come for a little drink too?”

Laura looked at his large glass and raised an eyebrow. “That doesn’t look like a little drink,” She muttered. “I was just strolling around the area and just decided to check this place out. I wasn’t gonna stay long.”

“Nonsense, lass. Sit down, have a drink.” Gordon motioned with his hand for her to join and pointed at the empty seat across from him.

Laura smiled, shook her head, and said, “I’m sorry, but I don’t drink.”

“Well, no better time than the present. Come on, I’ll start you off small.”

Laura was hesitant at first, but given how she’s never had any form of alcohol before, it wouldn’t hurt to try at least once. So, she gave in and sat across from Gordon. A waitress came over and asked what Laura would like.

“Start the lass off with a shot of vodka,” Gordon said, “I’ll have another beer, please and thanks.”

The waitress nodded and took Gordon’s glass. The two sat in relative silence. Laura didn’t really know what to talk about with this man.

“You…uh…must really like beer, huh?” Laura said, attempting to strike up some form of conversation.

Gordon leaned an arm on the table and said, “Ay, it’s what makes life worth living. And when you’ve lived as long and seen as much as I have, it’s also a real blessing.”

“Why?”

Before Gordon answered, the waitress came back and placed the drinks on the table. Laura’s was put into a small shot glass, and she tilted her head, confused by the clear liquid. It looked like water, so what was different about it?

“You’re going to want to drink it in one go,” Gordon told her before he started chugging his drink.

Laura picked up the glass, raising it to her lips and doing exactly what he said, throwing the vodka down her throat. Her eyes widened as the liquid burned her esophagus. She slammed the glass back on the table and coughed a few times.

Gordon let out a hearty laugh. “Stings the first time going down, doesn’t it?” He asked.

Laura took a deep inhale and nodded her head. Gordon laughed for a little bit longer before whistling, and the same waitress came over. “Pour another glass for the lass,” He said, “And leave the bottle.”

The waitress nodded, leaving and returning with an entire bottle of vodka. She took Laura’s glass and poured more, then placed both the glass and the bottle on the table. Laura stared at the glass, taking a gulp that lightly stung her throat. She was intimidated by the drink, but after taking a deep breath, Laura grabbed it and quickly threw the vodka back. Once again, it burned her throat, but not nearly as much as before. This time, she picked up much more of a sweetness to it. She poured herself a third glass and repeated the same process. Then again. Again. And Again.

Having trouble sleeping, Anthony got up from the floor and headed out of the room. He stumbled and tripped as he tried to traverse through the dark hallway. After leaving the inn, he scoured the area. That’s when something caught his ear. There was flute music coming from inside a bar, and he had a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach. Anthony made his way closer to the bar; the sound of the flute grew stronger, as did the rhythmical clapping of the people. He walked inside, and his jaw nearly hit the floor as he saw Laura standing atop the bar’s counter and playing her flute. Her hair was let loose, all of it draped along her back, and the red ribbon that held it up was tied to the end of the flute. Those around her were enjoying the show; even the workers who stood behind the counter were smiling and bobbing their heads to the song.

Once the song was over, Laura bowed, and a roar of applause and whistles erupted inside the bar. She saw Anthony, who was looking back in utter disbelief, and she waved at him.

“Hi, Anthony!” Laura called out from across the bar and hopped off the counter, stumbling a little as her feet hit the floor.

She made her way over to him; every here and there would stumble and have to rest a hand on something. Once Laura stood in front of Anthony, she wore a huge grin on her face and waved again.

“Hi,” She said again, the smell of alcohol was imbued into her breath.

Anthony swatted the scent away and furrowed his brow. “Are you drunk?” He asked.

Laura shook her head and said, “Nooooo, I’ve just been drinking.” She covered her mouth and let out a giggle.

“How did you get like this? How much did you have?”

“I had…” She lifted three fingers in each hand and raised them. “This many.”

Anthony’s eyes widened, and he asked in a raised voice, “Why?!”

He remembered hearing someone leave the room earlier in the evening, and when he looked around the room before he left, Anthony figured out who else was here.

“Gordon did this to you, huh?” Anthony asked, upset. “That idiot, where is he, I’ll-”

Before he could finish, Laura pressed her finger over his lips and stopped him. “Shhhh,” She said in a quiet tone, “let’s go for a walk.”

Before Anthony could speak further, Laura grabbed him by the hand and dragged him out of the bar.

“L-Laura! Wait!” Anthony protested, attempting to remove his hand, but her grip was solid.

As they walked, Laura looked at the finger she had placed over Anthony’s lips and stared at it intently. They made their way into an alley. But with her attention lost, she accidentally tripped, but before she could fall to her face, Anthony grabbed her by the waist and pulled her close to him. She blinked a few times, her eyes wide as she turned, and the two’s gaze locked.

They stared at each other for a minute, Laura exhaling through her mouth, and Anthony picked up the mixed scents of alcohol and lavender. It was truly an odd combination. Both their faces flushed a light red, but perhaps for Laura it was simply because she was drunk. Anthony let go and took a few steps back.

“Sorry,” He apologized, “you were gonna fall.”

Laura said nothing as she reached to her right side and grabbed her flute. She removed the ribbon tied to it and slid the flute back into her belt. She turned and took a glance at Anthony, then looked down at the ribbon. In a flash, the ribbon was tied around Anthony’s wrist, and Laura had pinned Anthony against the wall of the alley. It all happened in a split second; Anthony didn’t have time to react. He looked up to see his bound hands held up by Laura. Their faces were only inches apart, Laura’s smile now replaced by a focused and soft stare. She gazed intensely into Anthony’s icy blue eyes, and he stared back. His heart raced, completely unsure of what Laura was going to do next.

Her gaze slowly lowered, moving from those bewitching eyes to his lips. Laura lowered her right hand and stuck out the finger that she had pressed against those lips, then placed the same finger against her own. After a few seconds, she placed her hand back on top of the other. Laura leaned closer, moving her face to Anthony’s left ear and gently blew at the side of it. His ear, along with the rest of his face, burned with a dark red. Anthony gulped, his heart racing even faster. Laura could feel the heat radiating from his face and his rapid heartbeat. She let out a soft, mischievous giggle as she coyly bit his earlobe. Anthony’s eyes widened even further, and he finally drew the line and attempted to escape, but it was for naught. Laura’s grip was like steel. She began to lightly place kisses on his cheek, down to his neck, and on his collarbone. Anthony’s fingers clenched, and his toes curled inside his shoes.

Laura repeated it in reverse, and after laying the kiss on his cheek, she moved her head and once more stared at the young man’s handsome face. He was on the verge of passing out, and the world around him felt dizzy. But just as Laura moved closer to his face, her brow furrowed, almost out of discomfort. Anthony looked at her, a little confused, but before he could ask, Laura quickly removed her hand and ran further down the alley.

She fell to her knees and held her stomach before violently vomiting. Her back was turned, so Anthony could only hear the sound of her retching and vomit splattering on the floor. He groaned in disgust, but ran over to comfort her. Not wanting her hair to get messy, he tried to untie his writs but the ribbon was too tight. So, he did the best he could and moved back Laura’s long, black hair.

In her bodily turmoil, Anthony let out a quiet sigh of relief. Better to have this happen than whatever she was going to do to him. He felt terrible for thinking this way, but it would’ve been wrong to have anything happen while one of them was drunk. Once she was finished, Laura passed out, nearly falling face-first into the puddle of vomit. Anthony just barely grabbed her by the collar and dragged her away. His hand still bound, he managed to pick her up, and the two headed back to the inn. He really hoped she remembered none of this.