Octopath Travelers, plus one

Chapter 4

Goldshore was a pretty place. It, unlike any of the other coastland cities, had their cities shuffled around in sections. "Looks like there's another apothecary in town. I'm going to go meet them!" Alfyn exclaimed. "Okay! Have fun!" Tressa said. "Hey, alf, can I come along?" Isla asked. "Sure! But didn't you want to redye your hair? You said something about the roots getting brown again." Alfyn asked. "I can do that later." Isla said. "How long would it take?" Alfyn asked. "I just need to buy the right ingredients, and then I can just do it myself, it only takes around thirty minutes. Why?" Isla asked. "Well then, let's do that first." Alfyn said. "Okay, thanks!" Isla said. They walked into a store, and found actual boxes of dye. "Wow. You don't even have to mix random ingredients!" Alfyn said. "Isn't this the shade?" He asked. "Yeah, but I'm going to try something different. I kind of miss my original hair color." Isla answered. "Awesome!" Alfyn replied. "This should be it." Isla said, walking up to the register and handing him some leaves. "Just give me twenty minutes." She said to alfyn. Twenty two minutes later, she came out, her hair wet and dark brown, and really curly. "Wow. That looks good, like really good." Alfyn said. "Thanks.""Lets go to meet this other apothecary." Isla said."Yes, let's do it!" "So, what's your plan here?""Help people, I dont know." They walked towards the tavern, hoping to get some information, when a little girl crashed in front of them. "Oof!" She said. "Are you okay?" Alfyn asked. "My knees." She whimpered. "Here, this should help." Alfyn said, applying some sort of salve on the girl's knees. "Thank you mister! Are you a Magic healer?" The girl asked. Alfyn laughed. "No, I'm an apothecary." He said. "An a pock a therry?" She asked. Then she looked at Isla. "Woah! You're pretty! Are you a princess?" The girl asked. Isla smiled. "Almost." She whispered in the girl's ear. "I'm ellen. I'm collecting seashells for my sister because she's sick. Can you help her, Mr. A pock a therry?" Ellen asked. "Yes I can! And you can call me alfyn." Alfyn said. "Okay! Lets go!" Ellen said. Isla smiled and followed. They walked into a house with a girl laying on a bed. "Ellen! Who is this man, and why is he in out home? And that girl?" Her mother asked. "He's an a pock a therry! He can help flynn!" Ellen said. "His name's alfyn!" Her mother shot alfyn a dirty look. "I don't want this conman in my house. Flynn has already gotten some help, so get out!" Her mother said. "It's alright ellen. We'll just go out of our way, sorry to disturb you, ma'am." Alfyn said. They walked out. "Sheesh. She was rude." Isla said. A woman with lavender purple hair, strided by them, and muttered something to herself. "Hello! Do you happen to be the other apothecary in town?" Alfyn asked. "Yes, Vanessa Hysel, at your service." Vanessa said. "You're one heck of an apothecary, miss Hysel. My names alfyn, and I'm an apothecary too!" Alfyn said. "Are you now?" Vanessa said. "Well, I do have stuff to do, but maybe we could meet at the tavern and get something to eat?" Isla mumbled something. "Of course! That would be great!" Alfyn said. "Okay! See you tonight!" Vanessa said as she walked away. "Alf. You know you just got asked out on a date, right?" Isla said. "No, I think it was more of a formal meeting, wouldn't you think? By the way, your hair is so frizzy." Alfyn said. "Ha ha." Isla replied, rolling her eyes. "Let's go get you ready for your date." Alfyn started to protest, but was stopped by Isla, who grabbed his arm and broke out in a run, giggling. She dashed him into the girls room of the inn. "Alfyn? Wait. Are you two up to something?" Tressa asked. "Nope. Ladies, alfyn's going on a date. He needs some serious help here." Isla said. Tressa squealed, while prim turned away with a hurt expression on her face. "Okay. First of all, we're getting rid of the mullet." Isla said, pulling out some scissors and a comb. "You're going to cut it off?" Alfyn screeched. "No, we are going to give you a little trim, and put your hair in a different style." Isla said. "I have somewhere to be. I can't help." Primrose said coldly. "Okay, that's fine!" Ophilia said. "Isla, did you dye your hair back?" Tressa asked, as she was pulling alfyn's hair into a little ponytail. "Yeah. You like it?" Isla responded. "It's super pretty!" Tressa said. Isla laughed. "Phili, can you go find alfyn something to wear that is not his apothecary suit?" Isla asked. "Okay!" Ophilia responded. "This isn't a date!" Alfyn protested. "My apothecary wear is just fine!" Isla just frowned. "But you can bring your bag!" Isla said. "Urgh. Fine." Alfyn said. "I'm back!" Ophilia said, holding some sort of suit. Alfyn groaned. "Hey, it's either this or a dress." Ophilia said. After a couple of hours, they finally made the apothecary presentable. "Alfyn! You look so good!" Tressa said. Alfyn blushed and made his way to the tavern. "Now we just sit and wait." Isla said. "I'm going to find prim." Isla walked out in search of the dancer, hoping that she would be somewhere in sight. Isla walked down to the beach, hoping to find the dancer. It was getting dark, and Isla started to get a little suspicious. She didn't have time to breathe, or even take in her surroundings, before something grabbed her. She tried to scream for help, but whoever was holding onto her had an iron grip. "She's struggling! Get the sand barrel and tie it to her, quick!" One of the people said. Definitely a man. The man grabbed a bandana of some sort, and gagged Isla with it, while the other person tied a heavy barrel to her feet. "Get her hands too!" The other one said. The man grabbed a rope and pulled islas hands together and tied them. "Take her weapons!" He said. The other seemed to be a man too. One grabbed her dagger and scimitars, while the other picks her up, and tosses her in the water. Isla tried to cry out, but couldn't. She could hear a bit of the men's conversation as she went down. "Why does miss hysel want this girl gone anyways?" One of them asked. "I get paid to do work, not ask questions." The other responded. Isla needed to breathe. She tried to breathe through her nose, and immediately regretted it. Water filled her systems, and she choked and coughed, only getting more water inside of her. She was about to lose consciousness, when something splashed in the water. She couldn't tell who it was, but Isla hoped they were coming to get her out. She had almost drowned before, and everything was acting up, her anxiety, her breathing, and her bones felt like they were on fire. Isla sunk deeper as the person got closer, as they grabbed her and pulled her upward. "Isla! Oh my gosh, are you okay?" Someone said. "This isn goode." Another said. "Isla, can you hear me?" Another sounded. Isla fell into a coughing fit, bringing up water from her system. Voices yelled and swam around in her head, as darkness overcame her. -------------‐-------------------------------------‐------‐--------------------Olberic noticed some men by the beach and kept a close eye on them. He had been feeling more like his old self once Isla had trusted him enough to give him a glimpse into her real self. It got dark, and the men weren't at the beach anymore, and olberic started to become uneasy. He had noticed that the girl had dyed her hair back to brown, and noticed that it made her look more like her people. He smiled. Maybe she has decided to take it back, olberic thought. Then he saw it. The men were back, and tossed someone in the water. He turned, and ran, as he heard therion yell out from the rooftops. He didn't even give a second thought when he knocked the men out of the way and dove into the water.-------------------------------------------------------------------------------Tressa was buying stuff off of random people when she heard a yell come from therion. She ran off to the sound, and found him and olberic fighting two men who had tossed something in the water. Not wanting to miss out on anything, tressa ran and threw her spear at one, which landed straight through his neck, while he made a strangled choking sound. The other one however, didn't go down as easily. Olberic charged at him, knocked him out of the way, and dove into the water. -----‐-------------------------------------------------------------------------Haanit was playing around with the odd beaver tailed animal, tevin, while keeping a close eye on a wrestling linde and hagen. Suddenly, linde growled and ran out of the room. Haanit, not really thinking, grabbed the platypus and ran after the snow leopard, while hagen followed. When she found them, it was a ghastly sight. Therion and tressa were fighting off some men, while the warrior charged and splashed into the water. Haanit grabbed her bow and took in the fight, only to find that linde was on top of the mysterious man, clawing him to ribbons. Haanit was concerned. Linde had never shown any aggressiveness like this before, at least not often.-----------‐--------------‐----------------------------------------------------Therion watched with horror as the men tossed Isla into the water, and he rushed forward. He was going to jump in, but the knight beat him to it. Him and tressa were losing the fight with the second man, when haanit and linde showed up, only to find that linde had been feeling a little violent, and scratching at his limbs, and clawing at his face, and gnawing on his neck. Therion watched with sheer terror as he waited for olberic to surface. When he did, Isla had a coughing fit, and passed out. "I'll go interrupt alfyn's date." Tressa said. ----------‐--------------------------------------------------------------------"an apothecaries duty is to ease suffering, is it not?" Vanessa said, hoping that her men had disposed of the other girl, and quickly. A smaller girl rushed into the tavern, and grabbed alfyn, her face pale and white. "What's wrong tress?" Alfyn asked. "Some men threw Isla in the water! We got her out but she needs help!" The girl stuttered. They failed? If they're still alive, then those two are going to die slowly by my hand, Vanessa thought. "Sorry Vanessa, I have to go help my friend!" Alfyn said. There still might be a chance that I can make sure she doesn't survive this, Vanessa thought. "Let me come with you, we might be able to get her better faster with my help as well!" She said. "Great! Thanks vanessa!" Alfyn said. Vanessa smiled. They rushed out into the beach clearing, where one of her men had a spear in his throat while the other was barely recognizable, probably clawed to death by the weird animals. My, these people have more fight in them then I would have thought. Better manipulate them, then try and fight them and I'd better secure some help, she thought. "She'll probably come up with a fever in a couple hours. Have her take this, she's already getting warmer by the minute." Vanessa said, holding out some of her gabbora evergreen salve. "It will reduce the fever, and fast." "What's in it?" Alfyn asked."I'm sorry. My employer won't let me say, because I work for his company. But I can be sure that it is perfectly safe, and it's been curing everybody's fevers around town." Vanessa lied. "I trust you then. You said it yourself, it is our sworn duty to ease suffering." Alfyn continued.Vanessa smiled. He was falling for her every move. A man in a purple poncho watched her give the girl the medicine, and watched her suspiciously. Do I have to get rid of him too? Vanessa thought. "I'll carry her back to the inn." The man finally said. He had a thick clasp around his wrist. Ha. Fool's bangle. He's a thief. Vanessa thought. She got a good idea to get rid of him too. Frame him for something. He picked up the girl, bridal-style and walked away. Now, to get back to my room. She concluded, bidding alfyn goodbye and walking to her room. "Now, I just need to find something worth stealing." She said, heading for the richer parts of town. She nicked something and handed it to one of her hired help. "Frame the white haired thief, but make it look like he left in the middle of the night to the rest of them, and give him this." She said, handing the man some of the gabbora evergreen salve. Vanessa smiled as she fell asleep, dreaming of the riches that she would soon behold.--------------------------------‐-------------‐-----------‐--------------------"Miss hysel! My husband has come down with a terrible cough!" Vanessa smiled. "Hey Vanessa, have you seen therion?" Alfyn showed up. "The white haired man?" She asked. "Yeah." Alfyn said. "I haven't." Vanessa replied. "Him, and all of his stuff are gone. It's like he ran off." Alfyn said. "Miss hysel, please, it's my daughter flynn, she's come down with the same cough!" Ellen's mother came in to view. "Well, well, it's alright. I do have something that will help, but it is rare, and I only have a few. Let's say 100,000 leaves apiece?" Vanessa said. Gasps wrung out in the crowd that had gathered. "I'll take it! No amount of money is more than my father!" One said, handing Vanessa a large bag of leaves, while alfyn just watched in horror. "I'll take one too!" Another sounded, soon enough, the crowd had all gotten just a small bottle of the glowing moss. "Miss hysel, please, this is all we have, can you spare some of your salves, please?" Ellen's mother said. "I'm sorry, I wish I could, but supplies are limited, and I have only one bottle left." Vanessa said, walking away. Ellen's mother was in hysterics. "Now, I need to get some more of that moss." Vanessa muttered to herself. -------------‐------------------------------------------‐-------‐--------------Isla noticed that she was alone, even before she woke up. She didn't understand, but she felt someone's presence not too far away. Alfyn could be at flynn's house, i need to tell him about Vanessa, she thought. Standing up, she walked out of the cold inn into the warm, bright, sunlight. Walking over to the twins house, she stopped abruptly. No one she was used to was here. A yelp and a scream echoed in her head, leaving Isla to turn and run. More yelps came, and Isla just followed her head into a dingy looking gaol. Isla inhaled sharply at the dense, rotting smell. She heard the yelps and screeches, only to find that they were coming from a familiar voice. Isla stopped and before she knew it, she was in front of a cell containing therion, and she had knocked out the guards. Therion was kneeling down on his knees, while two men were beating him. Isla whimpered and kicked open the door, and killed both the guards. Isla grabbed him, not noticing he was shirtless, and dragged him out of the prison. Isla coughed, but kept on running into the inn. Once she had gotten into the boy's room, she tried to set the man down, but therion didn't agree. He whimpered and threw himself in her arms and whispered, "make it go away," tears were streaming down his face. Isla nodded and touched one of his cuts gently. Images of children and kids getting lashed out at flushed through her head. Isla searched the man's head for a good memory and found one of him and a redheaded boy running from some guards. She tried it, but came with a gasp of air and a little yelp. Isla found one of him and alfyn traveling together. The thief let out a shaky breath and settled down. Isla left him on his bed and went to get rags for his wounds. She returned to find the thief looking at the ceiling. Isla moved forward and placed a rag on one of the deeper cuts. She coughed again, and soon enough, she crashed down onto the floor, coughing hard. She finally pulled her head up off the ground and therion tossed her a little bottle. "That should help. Alfyns girlfriend went on and on about it." He said, raspy and weak. Isla downed the little bottle of thick, sappy liquid, and the coughing immediately went away. "T-thanks." She stuttered, moving towards the thief. "Is everything alright?" She asked. "No." Therion said. "They gave me a night terror thing when they dragged me to the gaol." Isla looked down. Without thinking, she wrapped her arms around the thief. Tears ran down his face again as he laid his head on her shoulder. She tended to the bigger cuts, and by the end, therion was doing somewhat better. "Looks like they aren't back. Imma go see what they're up to." Isla said. "But you have no idea where they are." Therion said. "I figured out by being with you guys, I have some connection to you all. I'm able to see where you are." Isla explained. "Try and get some rest while I'm gone." Therion chuckled. "Stay safe, okay?" He said. "I will." She said. She sensed her way for the group and ended up in a cave. "Isla, oh my gosh, what are you doing here? You should have come up with a cough a while ago!" Ophilia exclaimed. "Figured out that I'm immune to it, no need to explain, I know exactly what's going on. Turns out your date was the one who tried to drown me." Isla replied. "What?" Alfyn said, in complete shock. "You're surprised by that?" Isla asked. "Well, yeah." Alfyn mumbled. Vanessa cackled evilly and threw a poison bottle at Cyrus. "Ngh!" He mumbled, holding his head. "Cyrus!" Ophilia screamed. "She's about done, I can tell!" Primrose said. With one final dagger strike, alfyn went and pricked her with a thorn. "Slumberthorn. It will make you fall into a deep sleep, bringing your worst memories come back in your sleep." Alfyn said as they dragged the snoring apothecary back into the gaol. "Wow. Good for you she turned out evil, I wouldn't be able to sleep with her as my bed partner." Isla said. Alfyn blushed and growled. "Didn't you say you were immune to the evergreen?" Primrose asked. "No I'm not, therion stole one for me." Isla said. "Where was he?" Alfyn asked. "In jail. Vanessa threw him in there. When I found him, the guards were beating him." Isla growled. "Is he okay?" Alfyn exclaimed. "Im not sure. I took care of the cuts, but it wouldn't hurt to take a look at him either." Isla replied. "I can't believe this! Why did i-" alfyn cried. "Stop. It wasn't your fault that you trusted her. You're not the only one alfyn. I let you go on a date with her." Isla said. She was about to say something else, but then Cyrus collapsed from walking with Ophilia. They all gasped. "Lets get Cyrus back to the inn. Me and ophilia can go distribute the cure." Isla said. "Check up on therion too." Alfyn explained how to make the cure, while ophilia fussed over Cyrus. Isla grabbed her and took her to the twins house. Isla knocked on the door. "Alfyn went to check on some of our companions, but I have the cough medicine." Isla said to the twins mother. As she gave flynn the cough medicine, alfyn ran in. "I took care of Cyrus, but therions worse than we thought. You and phili go help him!" Alfyn exclaimed. Isla shot up and bolted towards the door. She rushed towards the inn to find therion, bleeding out of multiple wounds on his stomach. "One of Vanessa's men came and took it out on him." Olberic said. "Put some pressure on the wounds. Phili, healing magic. It will only do so much. Prim, get me some blankets and bandages. Isla walked over and looked at his wounds. "Tressa, needle and thread." She said. "Gonna have to stitch him up a bit." After fixing up therion, everyone but Isla and ophilia went to go get something to eat. ophilia was humming something. "He'll be alright." Isla said, walking out. She pivoted and went back to therion. "I'll stay here, actually." Isla said. Therion breathed softly. She went into the kitchen area and sat behind a wall. "hello Ophilia." Cyrus said. "You're okay!" Ophilia exclaimed. Isla smiled as therion seemed to wake as well. He cleared his throat and groaned. Isla laughed. "Morning." She said. "Urgh." He grunted. Isla went and got a piece of bread. "Here." She said, throwing it at him. It landed on his face, then slid down to his hands. She went to her room and fell asleep. Isla woke to a snoring tressa. It was still dark outside, and she went for a walk. She hopped up the roof and wasn't surprised when she saw therion. She smiled. "Couldn't sleep?" She asked. "No." Therion rasped. Isla walked forward and sat by him. She nodded and looked down from the rooftops. "Cmon, cyrus!" Ophilia giggled. Isla jerked her head towards the noise. Ophilia had dragged the scholar into an alley. Therion glanced at her, grinning. He grabbed her and flung from roof to roof, until they were right above the little cleric. "So, why did you bring me here?" Cyrus asked. "W-well I was wondering if you-" ophilia stuttered. "A lecture on something?" Cyrus guessed. Isla facepalmed from the roof and chucked a little pebble at Cyrus's head. "What was-" he started. Ophilia didn't even let him finished when she pulled him in and kissed him. "Ophilia!" Cyrus exclaimed. "I like you!" She said, running off. "Wait, ophilia! What do you mean you like me?" Cyrus said. Isla rolled her eyes and looked at the thief. His face was red and his shoulders were shaking from suppressed laughter. "That was, eventful." He finally spoke. "Beat you back to the inn!" She exclaimed, running off. "And no running! I don't want to stitch you up again!" Therion laughed. Isla smiled, and went back to bed, only to find a humiliated ophilia and the rest of the girls cuddling around her. "Isla! Ophilia confessed!" Tressa said. "Not really, confessed. I kissed him when he was distracted and ran off. A pebble flew at his head." Ophilia said. "Dont get mad at me, but I threw the pebble at his head." Isla confessed. "You saw that?" Ophilia whispered. "Yep. But I'll help you, okay?" Isla said. She grabbed a pen and paper, and said, "dear Cyrus. This is an important matter. Hurt phili, and there will be blood and violence involved. Be afraid. Be very, very afraid. Love, isla." Isla said as she wrote it down. "Prim, go put this on Cyrus's nightstand." Prim nodded and took the note. Isla went to sleep. By the next morning, Isla moved to the tavern to get something to eat. She sat down next to therion. She silently ate while thinking, I wonder what will happen next,