The Peculiar Alchemist

2 || Useless and Nervous

               Seems like things only got stranger after Aubrey accepted one of his kidnappers as a mentor – or maybe it was weirder that they accepted him as their apprentice in the first place.

Apparently, the old lady's name is Agnes, and she had a nefarious reputation that he couldn't care less about. Every time he asked someone about what they knew about her, they'd either sigh in annoyance or avoid answering him altogether. He never got a real answer.

That should have made him a little bit concerned, but he still found himself going back to her to be taught alchemy. Was it wise of him?

No, absolutely not.

He should have fled the moment he had the chance. That would have been the sensible thing to do, but he was just so intrigued by her. There were so many questions swirling in his head as he found himself walking towards her cottage, and the moment he got to it, he knocked.

A very displeased faced greeted him. "Just walk in next time."

"Alright..." He trailed off unsure of what to do when the tall guy didn't move away to allow him in, he just stared down at him with a look that made it clear how he felt about his presence. For some reason, he disliked Aubrey and Aubrey couldn't say that he liked him as well. "Can you please move?"

The guy stayed still, blocking the door. "I can, but I kind of want you to go away."

Aubrey let out a frustrated sound still not knowing what to do in that situation, so he bit his lip and turned around already giving up. He could always try his luck another day. "Fine, I am going away."

A yelp came out of him when he was yanked back by his shirt and found himself stumbling backwards inside the cottage. He almost knocked over a few things as he did so, but thankfully he managed to not do so as he regained his balance.

"Unfortunately, she wants you here." The guy muttered not sounding too pleased about it, and Aubrey couldn't help but glare at the treatment. "Welcome in, I guess."

"What's your problem with me?"

"Nothing personal. I have a problem with everyone."

"He does." The nervous guy confirmed coming from the other room holding a box filled to the brim with all kinds of plants. He looked a bit exhausted from moving around. "I would have left here, honestly, but I'm kind of stuck."

This was another sign telling Aubrey to flee, an indirect warning that he shouldn't be staying here any longer than he has to, but instead it only made him even more intrigued as he regarded the guy with curiosity palpable on his face.

"How did you get stuck here?"

The guy looked away grumbling as he set the box down on one of the tables, so the irritating one answered for him with amusement in his tone. "Our dear Toby decided to drink one of the potions here. Turns out he didn't have enough to pay for the ingredients."

"Toby." Aubrey found himself repeating finally having a name associated to the nervous guy. He then looked at the irritating one questioningly. "What about you? Who are you?"

The guy stared at him for a moment too long before he answered. "Kevin."

When Aubrey made a face, it made Kevin arch an eyebrow at him. Somehow this guy did not look like a Kevin to him, the name just didn't fit. Plus, it sounded like an obvious lie that was said in a way that was intentionally obvious just to garner a reaction from him.

Which is why Aubrey didn't react and nodded his head in acceptance.

"So, Kevin, do you know where Agnes is?"

"She's in her stupid garden. Just go through that door." Toby answered him not realizing that the question was directed at 'Kevin' to annoy him. It made Aubrey almost relieved that he didn't have to deal with him anymore, so he gave Toby a quick thanks before he headed to the back door.

Surely enough, he found Agnes wrestling with a few stubborn vines that kept on wrapping around her arms and he cautiously walked over not wanting to involve himself in that mess.

"I am losing my patience with you." Agnes growled pulling her arm away to stab the plant with the trowel in her hand, and she turned around finally noticing Aubrey standing there watching the whole thing in silence. "Good, you're here. Hand me the blue bottle, dear."

"Um..." Looking around, it took a while for him to locate the blue bottle she had requested in all the mess she calls a garden. While her collection of plants was undoubtedly impressive, it seems like being organized was not one of her strong points. In fact, it'll take Aubrey conscious effort to be half as messy as her.

He wasted no time handing her the bottle, and he watched as she poured it down for the plant to absorb.

"Stupid tenacious thing." Agnes muttered as the vines slowly let go of her seemingly relaxing with each passing second. It almost made him wonder just what was in the blue bottle that made the plant react in such way, but then the green vines started to darken as they slowly shriveled up and withered.

And just like that, the vines were no more as they slowly dissolved.

"I needed it for my potion. I should have let one of the idiots handle it for me." Agnes grumbled kicking away what's left of it before she looked up at Aubrey with a sigh. "You're here for a lesson?"

He nodded his head wondering if Agnes would ever stop surprising him with her actions. That plant that she just killed was a rare and valuable one, but he failed to figure out what exactly it was used for. His knowledge was not yet advanced enough, but she killed it so casually, so impulsively...

She almost looked pained at the idea of teaching someone anything, but she threw away the trowel making it disappear somewhere in her mess of a garden before she motioned for him to follow her inside.

And Aubrey wordlessly did wonder what she'll do next.

There was a table littered with clutter that she led him to, and she made him sit on a short unsteady wooden stool that was barely holding up his weight. Every piece of furniture seemed like it was about to fall apart from all the abuse Agnes subjected it to, but somehow the place was holding itself together. Barely.

"Useless," Agnes called moving away some of the clutter before Aubrey found a few empty bottles placed in front of him. Kevin turned to her in attention seemingly used to being called that by her. "Make sure he doesn't drink anything like that idiot over there."

Toby scowled but didn't say anything.

"Pretty sure a rich snob like him can actually pay for it this time."

"I am not a snob." Aubrey found himself mumbling but he was ignored.

"Just make sure he doesn't ingest anything." The table shook when a heavy book was thrown on it, and it made Aubrey jump in surprise not expecting it. A long thin finger pointed at the book as he stared down at it while Agnes leaned over his shoulder. "Choose any potion and make it, let's see what I am dealing with here."

Aubrey tentatively brought the book closer to him. "Sure."

However, Kevin found a problem with that. "You're not making me babysit him, are you?"

"Shut up." Agnes cut him off quickly allowing no room for any more protests as he sank back in his seat looking peeved. "If he asks for anything, you give it to him."

Without waiting for a response, she walked out of the back door slamming it as she did so making the whole place shake. Awkward silenced followed since loudness and chaos followed Agnes wherever she went, and Aubrey found himself opening the book just to distract himself from the glare aimed at his back. He couldn't see it, but he knew it was there.

And he also wondered if Toby knew that Kevin was discreetly casting a curse on him.