//------------------------------// // Leaving town // Story: Alchemist's shop // by Cookie_Pone //------------------------------// Peritia holds her father tight, tears threatening to flow from her eyes, but she holds them back, trying to look brave for him. She's scared beyond belief, her legs are shaking, but she does her best to stay calm, so her father doesn’t worry. Among all the fear, though, is excitement, the most excitement she's ever felt. She's leaving the town for the first time in her life, and not just venturing into the forest to find ingredients, actually leaving, for real! Peritia makes sure her saddlebags are secure before taking her first tentative step out of the door and onto the soil path outside. She turns back and exchanges a final smile with her father before steadying herself and heading for the Inn. The entire walk she thinks about the idea, about how stupid and impulsive it is, about the consequences. She holds herself together in public though, just barely. The Inn is foreign to Peritia, she's only ever seen the exterior, having always had a house to stay in. When she pushes open the door she's met with a hardwood floor and dusty air. She struggles against herself trying not to sneeze. In the corner of the Inn are the two adventurers from yesterday, the stallion intently revising a plan while the mare looks over to the door. The Unicorn waves Peritia over with a smirk on her face. Walking over to the two, Peritia makes to speak up but is silenced by the mare's hoof. She nods towards the stallion, who is clearly deep in thought. Peritia takes the hint, silently standing, feeling awkward. "We can leave tonight if that-" The stallion suddenly speaks up, turning to his partner and spotting Peritia, putting on a friendly smile. "So I take it you've made your decision then?" Peritia nods in response to the stallion's words. "So, what's your name?" The unicorn mare asks boredly as if the standard courtesy is nothing but filler to pass the time. Peritia tries to ignore the mare's tone, keeping a smile on her face as she answers. "Peritia, and you?" She does her best to remain polite and pleasant, a service the mare doesn't return. The unicorn's white fur is dirtied from adventuring, she had noticed this yesterday but had thought nothing of it. It had been a full day since they had come into the shop like that, so that means this mare hadn't bothered washing. Before she could look any deeper into it, the stallion once again speaks up, his voice distracting both mares from their conversation- if you could even call it that. "Peritia, a lovely name! I am Fortis. My partner is Letalis, she prefers Leta for convenience sake, maybe you have a shorter name as well?" The mare gives him a death glare when he exposes her name, but the stallion is unfazed. Peritia already likes this stallion much more than his associate, he actually has some common decency, unlike Leta. She thinks for a moment before answering him. "You can call me Peri, nice to meet you." She extends her hoof towards Fortis, he quickly takes it and shakes it, smiling still. Leta looks on impatiently, tapping her hoof to the ground repeatedly. "Fortis, we have things to do." Leta nudges his side, causing him to stop for a moment, nodding and grabbing the map again. He takes one final look at it before placing it into his saddlebag and heading out the door, closely followed by Leta. "You coming?" She asks as she steps out behind Fortis. Peritia hurries to catch up with them. Peritia follows the two adventurers around for hours as they gather equipment and resources for the coming journey. She decides to buy some ingredients while they're at it. The three sit down at the town's border, counting their supplies. The sun is on the horizon by the time they're ready to leave. "Peri, are you ready?" Fortis calls as he readies to leave. Peritia says she's ready, but even as the town fades into the distance she finds herself staring back at it. Fortis leads the group, Leta tailing him. Peritia follows a couple steps back, still feeling awkward. They walk for a couple hours without any encounters, Peritia can feel her legs cramping and her hooves aching. Thankfully, they soon reach a clearing where they can make camp for the night. Fortis and Leta move quickly, they've clearly done this hundreds of times. Leta rushes out of the clearing and returns with wood for a fire. She's about to head out again when she turns to Peritia. "Alchemist, do you know how to start fires?" Leta's disregard for decency wounds Peritia a bit, but she nods, ignoring it. She opens up her saddlebags and takes out a small red stone, holding it out to the unicorn. Leta takes the stone in her magic, her horn sparking as the stone glows briefly. Embers rise from the wood seconds later, the stone still gently glowing. Leta passes the stone back to Peritia. "Maybe you are good for something, after all." Leta comments, having no care for Peritia's feelings. She's about to respond when Fortis cuts in. "Do not let her get to you, she's cold towards new ponies." His voice is reassuring to Peritia. She sighs, placing herself beside the campfire. "You are not used to long walks, no?" Fortis asks, she looks over, shaking her head. He smiles, pulling something from his saddlebag. Peritia looks on curiously as he places a small cauldron above the fire. He smiles at her knowingly, she smiles back. She could have made a makeshift cauldron, but having a proper one will help greatly. "Make yourself something to keep you going. A vitality potion should do it, yes?" Fortis questions, Peritia nods and starts pulling things from her saddlebags. She passes a blue stone to Leta with a sheepish smile. Much to her delight, the unicorn lights her horn and the cauldron fills with water. It takes no more than 10 minutes for Peritia to make a small batch of vitality potion. She takes out some bottles and fills them up with the red liquid. She uncaps one of the small ones and downs it, feelings her aches and cramps disappear. She sighs contentedly as she places the other bottles into her saddlebags, keeping a couple to go into a special belt. Fortis is the first to retire into his tent. Peritia looks at Leta as they sit beside the fire, neither one wanting to sleep yet. Leta stares into the fire, the image reflected in her eyes. Peritia opens up her mouth, but closes it when Leta gives her a death glare. Peritia looks between Leta and the fire a few times, a question burning at the front of her mind. She inhales deeply, deciding to push onwards despite Leta's poor attitude. "So, how long have you been doing this? Adventuring?" Peritia's voice is shaky, unsure, but it seems to gain Leta's interest. She takes a moment to think before she answer. "3 Years. Why do you ask?" Leta's question comes out confused, as if she find small talk perplexing and alien. Peritia shrugs, unsure what to say. Leta rolls her eyes, getting up and entering her tent, leaving Peritia alone. Peritia sighs, taking a moment to rest in front of the fire before retiring into her tent. She takes off her belt and saddlebag, placing them beside her in the tent and laying down. She closes her eyes, the day flashing through her mind before sleep takes her.