Potion Hunt

I’m currently on the way to the city with my new partner in tow in search of potions. Even with the effects of the drug relaxing her, as she constantly smokes one blunt after another, she keeps a pretty cheery attitude. While I enjoyed the silence of walking through nature alone, I must admit it’s way better sharing that experience. Though the stories of her everyday life aren’t boring to me, I can’t focus on them since I’ve got so many questions stuck in my head about all the revelations she told me previously.

“Were you serious? About the potions, I mean. Do they really provide magical effects?” I ask, interrupting her storytelling.

She looks surprised at first, but then explains with an understanding expression, “Yes, they really do. And of huge variety as well. Fire potions, speed potions, regeneration potions, pretty much anything you can think of!”

“But I still can’t grasp how workers can afford them. Food is already so expensive, I could barely afford it. I have no idea how one could keep buying such special oddities.”

With a confused look on her face she looks at me in silence, before asking, “You bought your food?”

A similar confused expression forms on my face, “Yeah, how else would I get food?”

“What about your scrubs?”

“Scrubs?”

“Aye, y’know…food coins…meal tokens…they have several names,” she explains what is again inherently unknown to me.

“Seems like you don’t know about them either. Well, what most workers call scrubs are food coins handed out by the country. You can apply for them and then get a certain amount every month. Then, trade them for food in a tavern of your choice for a meal or drink or both!”

Perplexed at the existence of these so-called ‘scrubs’, I ask, “And you really get by with them?”

“Aye! They provide enough for two meals and drinks per day. It’s so the workers don’t die of starvation and can actually get work done.”

Well, now I feel dumb…My god, I didn't have to waste my money like that…No matter. I couldn’t have known and I can’t change it. However, what throws me off is the existence of that coin in itself. ‘To keep the workers alive’, she said. If it’s because of the government's humanism, why would they do that when so many workers don’t even make enough money to build a life worth living or to afford a home, or even medical care? Why not help them out financially, directly with money?

“Ye aren’t from here, are ye?” Alyssa suddenly asks.

Taken aback by her question, I still decide to answer her honestly, “No, I am not. I arrived here not long ago.”

“Figured,” she shrugs, gazing over my clothes, “so where do you come from?”

“Uhh…from a different continent.” My honesty subsides fairly quickly, leaving behind an unsure answer.

“A different continent?! Really?!” She holds up her hands as fists, staring gleefully.

“Y-yeah…and you? Your accent is also very different from the one in Previl.” I try diverting the conversation.

“Aye, I am also not from Previl originally. I grew up in the north of Manoford. My family and I traveled through the country all the way down here to search for work. It ended up working out well, as my father did find a job before…y’know.”

After the topic of her father came up again, it went quiet.

To change up the mood I focus back on our current goal, “So, the plan is getting our hands on potions, correct? Why not make them ourselves?”

“You know how to make them?!” She jumps into my face again with sparkling eyes.

“N-no, I don’t. I thought you had some knowledge about that. I figured if you sell them then you must have gotten them somehow.”

“O-of course! Well, about that…” She scratches her neck while obviously avoiding eye contact.

She kept quiet about it until we arrived at Previl. The city is bustling like always, people making their way hastily. As we continue further on the road, it doesn’t take long until I also witness the alleys and homeless again. There are even people chained up and dragged around, presumably as slaves. It’s so strange that people here just accept it as normalcy. I look towards Alyssa again, noticing something I have never thought about before.

“Hey Alyssa…most of the chained up people here have the same ears as you…” I tell her with worried confusion.

“Not most…all do. You probably don’t know about us when you’re not from here. We are nekos, pretty much the same as humans but with feline ears, tails and traits. However, it doesn’t matter that we’re almost the same, since we’re being treated like animals…” Her voice is low and brooding. However, her usual smile is unchanged.

“I’m sorry…” Feeling guilty I bring up one bad topic after the other, I decide to keep quiet.

“No no, it’s fine, really. Of course you couldn’t have known. My family and I have been pretty lucky to not end up in chains. There is no explanation other than luck. What you should know is that it wasn’t always like this, at least according to my father. He told me that nekos and humans were indifferent, never treated differently. Though, it changed not too long ago when alchemy changed the means of production, automising pretty much everything. Power lines, web stools, all that kinda stuff resulted in the segregation and enslavement of nekos.”

Of course it did. Greed was always a thing but once it hits automation, of course the world goes downhill. What is interesting though is how industrialism shows itself here. While factories and tall housing exists, most people are dressed like in the middle ages. And alchemy also explains how there are such great advancements here like power lines, yet the architecture and jobs resemble the times of knights and silver.

“So, where exactly are we going to find them here? You said we’d find them in the city beforehand,” I ask, switching up the conversation yet again.

“Aye, we’ll find them in Previl. Maybe you have already seen those stores with signs that have some kind of vial carved into them? Those are the potion stores.”

I faintly remember spotting one when I first arrived in the city. I wanted to check it out but I think it was closed.

"Yeah, I’ve seen them.”

“Then you know the drill: buy potions, put the crumbled leaves in it, sell it. They’re gonna get hooked on it and buy the actual, more cheaply made drug.”

Though, what sounds like a solid plan, turned out to not go as smoothly. And this time it wasn’t my fault…

“No! Get out of here! I will not sell you or your friend anything!” Is the first thing we hear once we enter the first store.

“I’m sorry, we just wanted to buy some potions-”

“Yeah? How about your friend pays up what she owes me first!”

Alyssa stands shielded behind me, curled up and twiddling her fingers.

“Alyssa? Do you know this guy?”

“W-well, do ye remember when you asked how I get my potions?” she answers nervously with a guilt ridden voice, “I maybe, sorta, kinda, perhaps took some…without…payment?”

I should’ve seen this coming. Dammit.

“How much does she owe you?”

“About 12.000 gold coins.”

“Alright…we’ll be right back with your money.”

“Wait, really?” Alyssa whispers behind me.

I nudge her to follow me. The seller continues rambling with annoyance while we walk out.

“Of course not! Where do you expect me to find that kind of money?” I exclaim once we’re far enough from the store.”

“Aye, listen. I didn’t think he would know that I was the one who stole his stuff, alright?”

Pinching between my eyes, I would have at least liked to know that this could happen. However, I can’t and don’t want to get mad at her. It’s not like she had any other choice.

“It’s fine. It’s not like every store is gonna kick us out.”

Well, at least that’s what I thought, but it has gotten dusk by now. Not only were we not able to buy a potion but we were also subjected to such an amount of verbal abuse that I have never experienced before. One of the stores even threw vials at us when we just opened the door.

“I’m…sorry. I thought this would go a bit better.” Alyssa looks down at the muddy ground.

“Hey, it’s fine. We still got one more shop to check out.” Trying to cheer her up, we approach the last potion store for today.

It’s a small, relatively remote, wooden shack. There’s a simple candle light outside that illuminates the sign.

Entering the small abode, we’re greeted by a small, old man behind the counter, “Hello there, searching for potions at this late hour?”

“Yes, we’re interested in-”

“Wait, don’t I recognize you?” He tilts his head, looking towards the covered Alyssa behind me.

“N-no, I don’t think so-”

“No no, I definitely know you. You stole some potions from me a while back, didn’t you?” He strokes his long, white beard with a raised eyebrow.

“Aye…I did…and I’m really, really sorry. Would you at least be so kind as to sell my partner here some of ye potions?” The blond girl asks, facing downwards.

“Hey, you don’t have to look so ashamed. See, you apologised for it. That’s enough for me.” He waves her off.

“That’s really kind of you sir. So, how much would some…uhh…”

“Fire potions and Drowsiness potions. Low concentration,” Alyssa whispers, still ashamed.

“Yeah…how much would they cost?”

“Together, it would be forty gold coins.”

“Fourty?! For just one of each?” I ask again, unsure if I heard it right.

Alyssa’s ears perk up upon hearing the price.

“That's way more than in center Previl, how come?” she asks, her guilt replaced with curiosity.

“Well, I guess I can tell you. Unlike most shop owners around here, I’m not the one making the potions, my brother does. The thing is we’ve both gotten old. He can’t and doesn’t want to make as many potions anymore like he used to. That’s why I have to sell them at such a high price, so we can afford our pension. However, he is also skilled with more than fifty years of experience, making these potions worth their price.”

Makes sense. Of course people here have to work until they die. It’s not the first time I hear about it but it still makes my gut wrench.

“We wish we could help you out but we are short on money as well.”

“But then what are we going to do now? We have already gone through so many shops, I’m not sure if we’re ever going to find someone who wants to sell us potions, at least everywhere I was in Manafort," Alyssa speaks quietly with concern.

In silence we continue looking at his wares. Though, in actuality we’re just thinking about what to do.

Half an hour passes and the sun has already set.

“I’m about to close, is there anything you need?” the old man asks as he rummages in the back”

Looking at each other, Alyssa and I know there’s nothing we can do here anymore. The man comes back and stands still before coming around the counter.

“I thought about it for a bit…Maybe, I can help you out with potions. But that’s not a promise all right?”

Our hearts light up anew.

“My brother could teach you how to make potions. However, it’s not likely he’ll do so. If he does, I ask you sincerely to make use of that and help my brother and I out with our pension, so that we’ll finally be able to retire after so many years.”

Alyssa’s eyes spark up, barely containing her excitement, “Yes!, it’s a deal! We will afford your pensions and much more! Thank you so much!” She shakes the old man’s hand violently.

“Yes, thank you a lot. Let’s hope he’ll actually teach us though.”

“Just…don’t get offended by him. He has become bitter, don’t let it get to you. Once you exit to the south of Previl, go off the road south-west. It’s a bit hard to find the house, but you’ll manage.”

“We’ll keep it in mind. Have a good evening.”

“Aye! Thank you!” Alyssa waves strongly as we head out.

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Lights flicker in the darkened streets. Sometimes you hear voices from taverns but otherwise it’s dead silent. The chilly temperature adds to this depressive mood. It’s honestly a bit scary to walk these streets so late at night.

“So…what now?” Alyssa asks with her usual smile.

“Gonna head back to my dusty flat. What about you?”

“Aye, uhh…I’ll head to my mother and brother. They’re probably worried sick and cold,” she replies with a hint of gloom.

“Cold? But you also have a place, don’t you?”

“No…We still sleep in the alleys,” Alyssa responds, almost as if she blames herself.

Seeing her in such a depressive state, I ask, “Do you want me to bring you there? It’s not very safe at night.”

“That would be very nice of you.” She rubs her arms, trying to warm herself.

We go down the main street until we turn towards the dark, dirty alleys I’m all too familiar with. Passing by the fire dumpsters where people try to warm themselves, as well as bricked in housing used as shelter, Alyssa guides me through alleys that appear more and more familiar to me. It was exactly this block of alleys I spent most of my time in. However, that’s when we arrive here. The very alley I always slept in. A shiver runs down my spine from the memories of harsh winter nights crawling back up.

“This is it,” she says, “my home.”

Wait, she lives here? How come I never saw her?

Walking over to two people laying against the brick housing, she tells them, “Hey, I’m back mom.”

She unveils the pile of clothing sheltering the two, revealing a woman and a boy with the same blonde hair as Alyssa.

“Welcome back, we were worried about you.” The woman places her hand on Alyssa's cheek.

“Sister?” The young boy rubs his eyes, having been woken out of his sleep.

“Yes, I’m back. Sorry it took so long.” She pets her brother

“Where were you? And what’s with your eyes, they’re fully red!” her mother asks with concern.

“Don’t worry, nothing bad happened. However, it’s a bit of a long story.” Alyssa looks back at me.

I take a few steps forward to fill the empty silence.

“He’s my new work buddy. If things turn out good for us, we might have a bit more money to help ourselves with.”

“I’m Friedrich, nice to meet you.” I wave.

She really is Alyssa’s mother. Her face is pretty much identical, almost like I’ve seen her somewhere…

“You’re the man who slept here a while ago too, correct? I’ve seen you selling seashells until you suddenly didn’t come here anymore. I was wondering where you went.”

Right, it’s the mother and her son with the shells, of course! I never really noticed they had the same ears as Alyssa.

“That’s right. I didn’t come back since I was able to afford a run down flat on the outskirts.”

The mother smiles, “That’s wonderful. I’m always glad to see people making it out of these streets, especially in these hard times.”

“So, you’re off, right? See you tomorrow then…” Alyssa holds onto her other arm.

“I guess so…” I turn away, ready to leave.

While it’s what I would do, I can’t just leave them here. Not only did Alyssa help me out while I was at a dead end but she wants to continue doing so. Nevermind her brother whose idea brought me out of the alleys in the first place and her mom taking care of him.

“So, uhm…Would you maybe…like to stay at my flat? I don’t have any beds and it’s still dusty too…But the floor is solid and it’s a bit sheltered…,” I ask awkwardly, scratching my neck as I turn towards them.

“Do you really mean that?” Alyssa’s head snaps towards me in disbelief, grabbing my hands.

“Sure, why not? I have so much space and you already helped me out so much…”

“I don’t think I did that much. In honesty I probably caused more harm than good.”

“Not at all. You really dragged me out of a dead end and I wanna help my partner and her family out as much as possible.” I offer a warm smile.

“You’re…too kind…” Alyssa wipes away her tears.