" Oh, heavens! What happened to you? You just disappeared out of the blue and reappear all black and blue, half beaten like a broken piñata. "
Aella exclaimed the moment Joey stumbled through the entrance.
"And you found him!"
Gale chimed as he runs up to Joey and stands on his tippy toes just to peer at Little One's sad expression that kept staring in the direction that they came from.
"What happened?? He seems down in the dumps."
Gale pointed out as Joey passed Little One to Gale, Little One instantly hug Gale and burry his face into Gale's neck.
" It's a long story, one that you won't be hearing from me."
Joey sighed out with much exhaustion as he takes a seat at the bar. Resting his back against the bar, prompting his elbows on top of the bar to give him more support as he leans back and gazes up at the ceiling. Silently, going through of all that had happened and letting the info sink in as his adrenaline wore off. Aella places a newly made drink next to Joey before folding her arms on the bar and leaning forward to study Joey.
Joey was pulled out of his daze by the sound of the glass being set on the bar. He gladly accepted it and glup it down in one shot. Taking in a breath as he felt the comforting burn of the alcohol down his throat and the numbing buzz that soothe his foggy tired mind. Dr Storm waltzed in humming a tune and stopped when he saw the state Joey was in.
" Damnnnnnnn. If you're looking like that, I imagine the other guy looks worse."
Dr Storm commented as he took his usual table by the fireplace. Joey chuckled as he shook his head.
" I barley even scratch the guy! I was lucky that the girl was able to stop his rampage."
Joey answered before realizing how true that statement was. He hutch over his knees as he held his head with one hand, fear and relief filled him knowing that he faced death and survived if it wasn't for Estelle.
" You must have been fighting drunk boy. There's no such formidable foe lurking so close. Probably was too intoxicated to move right."
Dr Storm theorized as he accepted his usual drink from Aella.
" Not anymore..."
Joey muttered to himself before tipping his glass to drink just to realise that it was empty. Aella noticing this, quickly filled his cup with the bottle in hand. Joey drank it in one shot, not noticing the look of horror on Aella's face when she realised that she had just served Joey, Dr Storm's mixture of coloured water and sleeping drugs. Joey slammed the glass onto the bar, standing up on unsteady feet as he shook his suddenly very dizzy and sleepy head. Joey took two stumbling steps towards the staircase before falling onto his left knee and winching in pain. Aella quickly rushed to help him to his feet and help him back to the room he was staying in under Philomel's coins.
The whole time Gale was trying to comfort Little One. He had sat down at the table closes to the entrance and was rubbing Little One's back soothingly.
" And what's wrong with that one?"
Dr Storm asked out of boredom as he played around the empty glass in hand while waiting for Aella to return and pour him another. Since he wasn't allowed anywhere close to the bar after that one incident where he drank himself silly and broke a few bottles by accident.
" I don't know, he was fine earlier but then he disappeared when I went to retrieve the toy he threw. Joey brought him back but ever since then he's been like this. "
Gale informed as he cuddles Little One.
" Hmmm, must be feeling bad from running off and getting caught in a dangerous situation. That's probably when the drunk Kangaroo found him, fought to protect him and getting badly hurt in the process."
Dr Storm guessed as he feels sad about his glass being empty.
" Joey."
Gale corrected.
" Whatever. The kid will feel right as rain once you tell him the Kangaroo getting hurt wasn't his fault and make the kid believe it. Maybe then he'll let go of all the guilt he has and finally move on... finding a reason to smile again."
Dr Storm stared at his own reflection on the empty glass in hand. His grim expression turned into a sad frown before setting the glass down with a heavy sigh and turning away from the glass.
" It's okay. Joey is going to be alright. Everything will be fine."
Gale taking Dr Storm's advice, whispered to Little One as he rubbed the toddler's back.
Meanwhile upstairs
" Here lay down. I'll get some herbs for your wounds. Would you like me to send Dr Storm up? He would definitely charge you for his service but I'm sure he can fix you up well."
Aella suggested which instantly reminded Joey that all Inn charges for their trouble when treating someone's wounds.
" No, no. I'm good. Just send up Amon and Philomel when they get back."
Joey waved her to leave as he laid back and struggled to fight the heavy weight of sleep. Aella nodded and left the room, the moment she closed the door behind her, Darzirak appeared. His form was still nothing bigger than a butterfly and crawled up to Joey like an insect.
" You doing okay? There's bandages in Philomel's satchel. We can go get you patched up."
Darzirak suggested with worry as he wondered why Joey didn't ask for Dr Storm's nor Aella's offer for help since Philomel had more than enough to pay for it.
"Hmm...."
Joey sleepily muttered as he breath out slowly and in an instant he was asleep.
"Huh... And here I thought you could hold your liquor. "
Darzirak tilted his head as he poked at Joey's cheek just to see how deep asleep the man was. There was no response and Joey's breath was even.
" Great... Now how do it do this? "
Darzirak groaned as he looked down at his small body. He sat for a moment thinking of what possible way he could grow in size before recalling the mana potion he had stolen from the greedy Lord's mansion.
Using shadow teleport, Darzirak appeared next to Amon's hand.
" No, I guess not."
Amon whispered as he slid his finger down Philomel's cheek and trace her cheek bone.
What in the world is going on here?
Darzirak silently wondered to himself as noticed Amon's forehead touching Philomel's and the two of them look into each other's eyes. Amon noticed a shimmer in Philomel's eyes and gently kissed her cheek. Philomel straighten her body in shock as she stared at Amon.
" We should head back, staying this long in wet clothes is never a good idea."
Amon reminded as he got up and offered his hand to Philomel. Philomel blushed as she shly looks away before taking his hand and allow him to help her up. Exchanging a smile to each they slowly being they journey back, hand in hand.
"What a waste of such a good chance."
Darzirak grumbled to himself as he looked back at the setting sun and how beautiful the scenery was. Letting out a tired sigh, he goes into Amon's hand, causing a shiver to run up Amon's spine.
"Darzirak?"
Amon called out in surprise at he looked at Philomel's and his joined hands. In an instant Darzirak came back out with his body stretched around a potion.
" Don't mind me, just here for me stuff."
Darzirak waved Amon off as he licks two drops of the potion and returns back to his normal dog size.
" You had that all along and you never thought to use it earlier???"
Philomel gasped.
" The potion was with Amon and no one saw that Orc nor the wraith coming .I didn't even had time to think, all I could was distract and dodge."
Darzirak informed as he shivered at the memory of the battle.
" We were definitely lucky enough to make it out alive. Joey is in bad shape, I'll go on ahead and treat his wounds. I'll see you both back at the inn."
Darzirak blurted out and quickly making an exit, not wanting to be the third wheel. The demon teleported back to the inn with ease and instantly started on Joey's wounds. Once he was done treating the wounds with Philomel's herbs and bandages, Darzirak summoned Scarlet to keep an eye on Joey while he checks on Little One.
By the time Darzirak reached Little One, Little One was feeling a little better and finally looking at the toy Gale was showing.
Gale did his best to get Little One to play with it but at most the toddler would just hold it before glancing at the door. Silently waiting for Philomel and Amon to return.
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