Fated Misfortune

About two weeks have passed since I finally sold my first badge of weed.

To think that it took so long, considering I had finished the product almost a full month ago.

Nevertheless, things are going smoothly. We’re already making pretty good money, despite selling it for so cheap. Due to the sheer amount of customers on the streets, it shouldn’t be a surprise. Still, this much?

For a first, I was finally able to afford beds for my home! The dusty floor became progressively uncomfortable to sleep on, so this purchase was a must.

Since Alyssa’s mom has been turning the food she’s been picking up with our collective scrubs into slightly better meals, I also went ahead to buy a few more and higher quality utensils for cooking. Maybe we’ll even eat fully cooked meals in the future.

A portion of the income of course went to the alchemist brothers and considering Alyssa and I were the only ones selling the product, my partner went ahead and recruited a few friends to sell the drugs for us, though, for a bit of payment as well.

Gives me more time to make the weed too. It’s actually fascinating how similar they are to her. They seem just like a bunch of stoner cats, but without them and Alyssa in particular, I would still be selling seashells probably.

“So you’re off again today?”

“Aye! We’ll stop by the city again,” Alyssa answers her mother.

“And sell the medicine, right?”

“Yep! We’re actually doing pretty good with it too.” Alyssa bites into her morning bread.

“That’s great to hear. I’m so proud of you.” She pets her daughter caringly.

“Can I come too?” Alyssa’s brother suddenly asks with enthusiasm.

“Sorry, but ye can’t, Josh,” Alyssa answers, taking a sip of coffee.

Doing the same as Alyssa, my gaze focuses on the gathered family. I’m starting to wonder…

“Friedrich?”

“Huh? Yeah?”

“Everything alright?”

“Oh, yeah, I was just thinking, all good.”

I continue enjoying my breakfast, listening to their heartfelt conversation.

“This is really tasty, I must admit,” I comment on the treat in my hands.

“Why thank you.” Alyssa’s mom smiles happily.

What I’m currently eating is at its core just bread. However, it has been laid in a mixture of milk, egg and sugar, followed up by being fried in butter. Well, not exactly like that, there are definitely substitutes in there considering how expensive these ingredients are. There’s also an indescribable taste in there too, like a really sweet berry of sorts. This wouldn’t be the first time I’m eating something like this. In fact, it hits relatively close to home. ‘Arme Ritter’, as we would call it back home. Though, it’s found everywhere else on earth under different names, so it’s no surprise they also have it here.

Still, it’s nice to have some connection to my previous life.

“Phew…I’m full. Thanks a lot!”

“Everything for you.” Her mother takes the place while kissing Alyssa on the forehead.

“So, ye ready to head off?” The excited neko already stands at the door, backpack and everything.

“Sure, just give me a second.”

I put on my coat, getting my bag as well.

“Come back soon!”

“We will! See ya!” Alyssa waves back at her family.

Birds sing in the distance, wind blows, making the trees rustle. It’s been getting warmer, a sign of spring coming to an end.

We march the path to the city gate, though Alyssa’s usual storytelling is interrupted.

“What about your family, Friedrich?” Her question suddenly pierces through my thoughts and fixation on the world around me.

“My family…?”

“Aye!”

“What about them?” I ask cautiously.

“Where are they? They must be worried.”

“And why do you think that?” My eyebrows frown.

“‘Cause you haven’t seen them in a while, haven’t you?”

She’s right. Though, I haven’t seen them for longer than she might think. How long? Maybe one or two years. Therefore I doubt they know I’m actually not there anymore. There where I should be.

“Ah, don’t worry. They’re fine. I’m pretty sure they will do well without me.” I light up, trying to end her prying.

“Hmm…if ye say so.” She studies my face before leaving me to it.

“Another thing…What are you gonna do now?.”

“What do you mean?” I ask back, thrown off by her question.

“Well…you made your weed and now you’re able to sell it! So, what’s next?”

“You…don’t expect that I just stick with this?”

“Nah, you’d never settle for this,” Alyssa responds confidently.

“How can you be so…sure?” I ask, unnerved by her certainty.

“Just a hunch.”

After a moment of silence, I give in.

“Fine…I do have some sort of plan. There’s a drug, much stronger than the weed, that I made before. You could say it would be revolutionary. Not only workers would buy them, pretty sure nobles and such would too.”

“W-what? Even nobles? Such a drug could bring you money beyond belief! Why didn’t you start with that?!” Alyssa asks astounded.

“Because I don’t have the plants for it, geez…In contrast to now, I had way different equipment and just…more stuff to make it with. Nothing compared to here.”

“Then why did you leave it behind?”

My heart sunk at that question. I didn’t choose this. They fired me.

“I didn’t…” I answer with heavy heart.

“I see…” Alyssa’s gaze returns towards the road.

Though, suddenly, she looks back at me.

“Then we’ll have to make it here, again! You’ve made it before, right? So it’s not impossible. If the time comes, count me in, aight?

“Thank you, Alyssa.”

Now at the gate of Previl, we enter the brimming city, lively as always.

“Let’s meet here, aye?”

“Sure, good luck.”

Alyssa leaves to the backstreets, just as I do.

Since we started selling the actual weed, we’ve devised a plan to split up in the city to sell more, meeting up again at a designated place. However, this also made it harder for me to sell it, since I’m not as experienced. Still, I manage.

“Heads up, shotter is back,” a low voice says from a group afar.

One by one, people standing in a group around the dumpster fire start looking at me.

“Ya got it, right?”

“Yeah, how many do you need?”

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“Mhm, today is going well,” I say, counting the money.

“Though, I wonder if Friedrich also has this many sales, it seems they’re going up.”

Even though the backstreets are pretty filled and dark, I seem to have reached what is probably the most shut off part. Not exactly where I wanted to go, but eh. If I can sell some weed here, it’s worth it.

Turning the corner, I witness my assumptions we’re a bit off. There are only like…two people here.

Just as I was about to leave again, a man calls out

“Oye, feline!”

“Aye?”

Better hope he wants some of the stuff.

“You got some?”

Bingo.

“Here ye go.”

Turning my head shortly after, he already has his blunt lit. I kinda want one too…

I take one out from the batch and put it in my mouth. However before I can light it, I suddenly feel someone poking me from behind.

Behind me is a cloaked figure, his face covered by a rather big hood.

I turn around, asking him, “Heya, need one as well-”

Suddenly, the sound of something piercing through flesh rings in my ears

A sharp, throbbing pain radiates through my body.