Next September

Skie's Shop

  

    The three trolls stepped inside the small building. A tiny bell on the door dinged as they entered.
In the room was a small shop, filled with different herbs and plants stacked on shelves. Others contained bottles of different color liquids; potions most likely. 

   In the very front was a wooden desk where the register and a small tray of business cards were kept. In the back of the room were two curtains; one larger then the other. They both had signs hung above them reading "Welcome" and "Staff only" in fancy purple letters.

   The whole place had orange-y, red wall paper and dim lighting. Some crystals hanging in the window projected small rainbows and other beads of light around the room, giving the store a very mystical, eccentric feel.

   The bell from the door caused rustling behind the curtain marked "staff only" and a light yellow troll stepped out from the back room. She approached the front desk where the others waited and greeted them with a smile.

"Hello! Welcome to Skie's. I'm Skie, how may I help you?".

   The group shoved Butterfly to the front, she grinned, "hi, um, we were wondering if we could ask you a couple questions about some problems we've been having with our friend".

"Oh of course! Let me take you back to the reading room, we can chat there" The employee lead them to the room behind the other curtain.

   In there continued the same rust colored wallpaper and a round table sat in the middle with chairs gathered around it.

"Please, take a seat".

   The three chose their seats across the table from the yellow troll. Once comfortable, she continued speaking,

"Now, what issues have you been having?"

"Well" Butterfly began again, "our friend has been acting strange for some time now. At first we thought it could be stress or because she's pre-"
Branch stomped on her foot before she could finish the sentence.
"Because she's just so busy at the moment, but we're starting to think that's not the case"

"Uh-Huh...and what do you suppose is causing these problems?" Skie asked.

"Well uh, we're lead to believe that it is the work of a spirit called the  Káki Enérgeia. My friend Popcorn recommended that we come and see you about it".

"Oh! You all know Popcorn...oh man we hung out all the time back in the day. Haven't seen her in awhile though, anyways...this sounds like no joke to you all. I need to grab something if I'm going to of be any use to you. One second". She swiveled in her chair to face the curtain, "Mallory! Can you come in here for a minute?" She called.

   Afterwards, another troll walked into the room, "what is it?"
She asked, her British accent rung through the room.

"Can you grab me the second issue of North-Eastern Legends from the back? The one with the navy blue cover".

   As Skie talked to her assistant, Mallory glanced over at their guests, she stared a second, rolled her shoulders, and turned back to the shop owner.

"Absolute, Miss. I'll be right back" Mallory left the room, eyeing Branch as she went.

"That's my assistant, Mallory. She's not a very social person but, she means well" Skie smiled.

   Mallory returned shortly with a thick, leather-bound book in her arms. She dropped it on the table and Skie flipped to a random page.

"Here we are, the Káki Enérgeia, or bad spirit, is ghost like creature that possesses its victims and feeds on there positive energy. This can lead to delusions, fever, and sudden changes in personality".

"Sounds about right" Branch said.

"Hmm" She twisted her lips to one side, "well I'm sure we can find something here in the store".

   Skie stood up and lead them back to the main room, Mallory tagged along.

"Now, each herb or potion is labeled", Skie continued, "it will tell you what it's use is and why it's helpful".

   The three exchanged glances then began scanning the selves. Sparkles took the herb section while Branch and Butterfly tackled the bottles.

"If you don't mind me asking" Skie interrupted, "what's your friend like? Before this all happened".

This time Branch responded, "she's...energetic, and caring, and adorable, and just...the most beautiful troll in the world".

"He's her boyfriend" Butterfly added.

"I see" Skie responded.

"Dating a Queen must be pretty great, huh?" Mallory said suddenly.

   Branch paused and turned around, "We never told you she was a queen...".

   Mallory's eyes widened, "o-oh", she chuckled nervously, "guess there are two psychics in this room" she turned away from the group, "Excuse me".

   Branch went back to searching the shelves, perplexed.

"So she's a queen as well?" The yellow troll continued.

"Um, yeah. She rules Troll Village, it's not to far from here" Branch said.

"Huh. So I guess that makes your situation more serious".

"Ugh! There's seriously nothing here!" Sparkles interrupted.

"Yeah Sparks's right" Butterfly said.

   The store a had antidotes to everything from troll flu to curses from Bergen witches, but nothing dealing with spirits.

"Oh well that's a shame...well good-bye then" Skie swiftly lead them to the door, "thank you for visiting, have a great afternoon".

   "What? Wait we still have more-" Butterfly said as they got pushed out of the front door.

  "Have a good day, Ma'am. Bye, bye now" Skie quickly closed the door, but Branch's foot stopped it.

"We still need your help" he said.

"Listen dude, I'd love to", she said through the crack of the door, "but, I work with magic, I don't mess with spirits".

   "Please, we really need you're help" Branch pleaded.

  "I already told you. I'm not the person you're looking for".

"Please Skie. Where else are we going to find somebody else to help us" Butterfly said.

The shop owner held her breath, "Huh, fine I'll make you a deal: I help you find a way to defeat the
Káki Enérgeia But, after that you go and take care of it without me".

"Deal"Branch responded.

   Skie opened the door and let them back inside. She then locked up and flipped the open sign to close.

I'm working on the next chapter right now, so there's will be another update later today.