Prometheus

Chapter 3: Education is Important

Chapter 3: Education is Important

"What the hell am I looking at exactly?" Flint asked with a raised brow, crossed arms, and a hint of disgust on his face.

One might be asking what would have Flint looking like this, and the answer is quite simple:

There was a giant slug-like creature's corpse in front of them.

The residents of the owl house were currently standing on a beach and looking at the corpse, around the size of a trailer home, surrounded by trash and muck. They could even hear all the flies buzzing around even from their current distance, which typically would've been far enough.

Luz plugs her nose. "Thisth sthmellsth dithsgusthting." Luz said.

Eda ignores both of their concerns as she walks up to the slug-creature. "Yes, it doesn't get much more inspiring than the trash slug. It makes a home, a life from what others have thrown by the wayside." Eda reaches for something from the trash-slug mouth, revealing to be a rubber chicken that squeaks as she tosses it to the side. "Until, blam, it gets blasted by a wave one day and croaks from all the salt. And then we get to sell the stuff it ate." Eda pulls out a pickaxe and holds it out to Luz expectantly.

Luz recoils in horror. "Please don't make me," Luz said, her pupils shrinking at the implications of what Eda wanted her to do.

King walks a bit away and begins laying out a towel on the ground. "Aw, come on, Luz. It's not every day you get to go to the dump and pick apart a garbage carcass." King says sarcastically, shooting an unamused look at Eda.

"Ah, nuts to you lot." Eda swings the pick at the trash slug, breaking some things.

"So, Eda..." Luz began as her mentor started to pick away at the trash-slug's corpse. "What if we tried some new lessons for my apprenticeship? Like...read ancient scrolls or mix together potions, or-"

Eda groans as she tosses things from the trash slug's mouth. "Ugh. That sounds like a bunch of magic school stuff."

That caught Luz's attention and piqued her curiosity. "Wait. Is there a magic school here? Like, winding towers, cute uniforms, dark plots that threaten your life kind of magic school?"

"Oh yeah, didn't you mention something about a school the other day? Most witches get a staff that way right?" Flint asked curiously.

Eda dropped the slime in her hand and pointed at Flint with a grin. "Good memory. It's such a drag though, since they force you to learn magic the 'proper' way." Eda said with air quotes. "But magic isn't proper. It's wild and unpredictable. And that's why it's so beautiful. Eda picked up her...pick and rested it over her shoulder. "I didn't finish school, and look at me! Who wouldn't envy where I am right now?"

Seeing the number of flies going around the pile of trash Eda was currently standing in wasn't exactly the most appealing to either of the humans. Luz's expression falls, as every turn in this magical world continues to flip her magical fantasy on its head.

"Do you really want an answer to that question?" Flint asks with a deadpan expression, rubbing a spot on his chest that felt almost as tight as it was the other day before he'd cast magic. It was getting rather uncomfortable honestly, and his shortness of breath wasn't helping.

The hand gesture the woman sent his way gave him his answer.

Eda notices Luz's mood and starts to think of a way to cheer her up. She may be a criminal and would forever deny it, but she liked the kid, at least marginally more than any stranger that is. "Uh... hey, here's a lesson. A great witch is resourceful, like this," The woman takes Luz's hand and sticks it in a puddle of trash slug bile nearby. Eda drags Luz's hand back and forth before letting go. Luz continues digging until she pulls something out.