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Well, slight fuck up on my part. Doing a whole resubmission.
Tldr; longleynus , a good friend, helped with the thumbnail! This is Pete, my DnD character for a game I'm currently in. Really liking Pete as a whole, so decided that I'm gonna start making short stories of his adventures and pieces of why he became the man he is today.
Because back then, life used to be so much simpler...
................................................................................................................................................................
“Briolio, that's not how you mix.”
“Rochelle, make sure to add the ingredients in order.”
“Kolnil, you're messing up the- hold on.”
Pete quickly dashes over, creases at the edge of each side nearly bumping into a dozen glass vials. “You gotta make sure it's boiling at the right temperature, otherwise it'll mess up the purity of the potion.” He quickly adjust the dim flame into a burning blue using the dial at the bottom. “I know you like messing with raw ingredients, but sometimes it's better to let it cook rather than swallow down something less than ready for any amount of consumption.”
“But it's a haste potion!”
“Exactly! You want it to last, yes, but you don't want it to be permanent. That alters the body's chemistry in a rather harsh way and,” He pushes his body upwards, “we all know what happened to the last student who drank that right?”
A sigh, before- “Yes Professor Pete.” A collective groan. Good students… Good alchemists in the future.
“If today goes well, we'll be combining potions tomorrow.”
Excitement rose back up, smiles implanted on the faces of many. It wasn't often any scholar would allow such mixtures to happen, especially with freshmen nonetheless, but Pete himself found that boring. Why take away some of the best parts a student can learn instantly and teach them over the course of several years rather than give them a good taste, make them want to stick around? Made it easier to find alchemical prodigies, made it ten times that just to see who could use a nice speed boost- “SHIT!” And who needed a booster seat. With a snap of his fingers, a rising flame and the puff of smoke quickly zips out of the window, guided with a bit of magical flame control. “Ah- Sorry…”
Hmm… He walks over. It was some young, female red squirrel, Barely a month from ten, who's tipped ears followed his own. She was far younger than the grand majority of his usual, nearly a whole twelve years younger than even the ‘youngest’ amongst one of his many students in this college. Tiny little thing was attempting something. “Hmm…” He stares at the concoction, gauging it. A bit of pure holy water, somehow acquired through, as this college was an expensive venture to comb through, bought through a bag of gold, a nice enough looking piece of spring moss and some foxglove in the corner. “Attempting to make a restoration potion already?” He stares at their long, fur tipped ears as it drops down, eye's barely able to lift themselves up to meet his gaze. “Seems like you've heated it up too much.”
“Y-yeah…”
“... Well, you can't do that with holy water. Luckily for you, I always have a good stash of it in my bag.”
The student looks up, eye's staring as Pete quickly fishes a thick hand through a bag, pulling out an Alchemy Jug. Usually he wouldn't be able to even produce anything close to it, but with some finagling, blessings upon his Jug by a cleric and enough resources at his disposal- Within several seconds, he quickly pours out the purest he could find into an empty flask. “You don't heat up the temperatures too much in regards to Holy Water thanks to its already magically purifying properties, so rather than boiling it, you wanna keep it at a nice lukewarm temperature, keep the rest of the ingredients far away in a different space like here,” He quickly points towards the mini cauldron, “And here,” then to the circular flask at the bottom, “To make sure the rest of the ingredients is finely cleaned and condensed enough for it to perfectly shine.”
“When you are done, I expect a minor restoration potion on my desk.”
“Extra points if it's a restoration potion, Ms. Nut.” He looks away, body swaying as he quickly moves back to his desk. He squeezes past a dragon, ass nearly caving in some poor Goblin with how much space it seemed to take- Before sitting himself down in a wooden stool, supported by metal chippings, yet nonetheless bending the moment a single cheek sat into it. “Hmm…”
Then he watched. He kept an eye on everyone, glazing between some student attempting to forcibly add a Narcotic Stimulant to a potion, which he promptly maged hand away and that one squirrel. Most of the other students were working on regular sampling, save for the purple Kobold who couldn't decide whether he wanted a haste potion or something equivalent to a weight loss potion. He hopes it's the former, for everyone's sake. Last time someone did that, he had a student hospitalized, spitting out fat and pieces of his innards. Having to explain that again was not a part of any plans he had for today, which is why he’s slimmed the processes a bit and the ingredients handed out to… prevent such things from happening.
It was easier to simply dumb down the class rather than allow a random student their chance at coming anywhere close to death. His head turns to the glossy window, stained glass allowing a brilliant shine of emerald to come through. While he does understand his particular art isn't exactly interesting, at least compared to most magical related courses, it helps to know that the few people that chose his class and stuck to it will, at the very least, have a good idea of how to make their own potions through raw ingredients he had gathered through shopping spree, exploration of the mountains and… Lace. “Stupid Kobold…”
“We gotta meet up at some point.”
He'd love nothing but that- However, city guards would have his ass in cuffs before he could make it to the middle. “Professor Pete?” He turns his head.
“Yes Kolnil?”
“I- Uh-”
He leans forward, double decker belly pressing against the desk, chair making an audible squeak as he dared. “Hmm…” He looked at what they were holding in their hand, presented to him. “Ah, I see.”
He slowly raises himself up and walks around to meet his student. “You've made a,” He sniffs the air, “Haste potion… You failed the first batch before.”
“I made it better!”
“Better you say…”
He gingerly takes control of the vial, bringing it closer to his nose. Smelled… “Hrmm…” Disgruntledly high in caffeine, poking the nose and provoking the heart into a jump ahead, skipping an entire beat just by the mere whiff. Definitely stimulated, enhanced beyond its usual capabilities… “May I?”
“Oh- Of course!”
The eager kobold hands it over, the vial passes over- “Whatcha gonna do with- NO, WAIT!-” And his hand tilts towards himself, the cap released with a thumb before being drunk. “OH GOD, OH GOD!”
“SOMETHING GET THE-”
He holds them, hands over their maw. “Mmm…” Tangy, bit fruity even. Admittedly a bit much for his body at this age, at this weight, but- Not even fifteen seconds after feeling what felt to be pure energy, which would’ve thrown him out the window- The effects dwindled down, the flame that sparked within his belly soon dimming to a tiny speck of light before entirely disappearing. “Promise! Not entirely bad, though not nearly as pure as it needs to be for how little time it acted within my body.”
“Wha- What?”
The confusion, he understands it. “Boy, I am an alchemist.” He states, exaggerating by puffing his saggy chest out. “Do you truly think something so small could affect something so big?”
Kolnil seems to stare a bit into his gut. A gurgle emits from the bowls and before Pete could do much about it, an erupting, ear splitting burp came out the mouth. He grins. “See? Barely much of a difference.” He chortles, smacking his stomach as the mere laughter sends jiggles down his body. He quickly turns around- “Oops.” And soon hits a student with his swaying ass as the bell rings. Perfect timing! “Class is over! Make sure to gather your ingredients and prepare for the project next week! I want a minor potion of giant strength on my desk by next week or you’re not getting the chance to make a scroll of revivify!”
“And this time, I MEAN it!”
“Ah- Wait, you.” His hand reaches out, claws digging into the shirt of that same youthful looking squirrel, who's eyes frantically swing around. “I never said you could go home early, did I?”
“You dismissed the class-”
“The class, yes,” He began to grin, a pair of buck tooth teeth gnashing as he stared down at the lady. “Not you.”
“H-hey…”
“Now now… you owe me for that holy water. It ain't cheap y'know!”
“I-”
“Especially since it was expensive.”
Very actually. It cost him two platinum coins for the necessary enchantments on top of the fact that it also needed a high blessing so the water produced from it comes out, well, holy. Nearly a year taken in its creation, enough silver dust and ritual spells were spent into it that he was actually sure he could perform the damn ritual himself and this was on TOP of the pure ruby he had to use for the enchantment to continually apply the ritual spell on a daily basis. Two coins, into making sure everything worked the way it should and he still had to supply the silver dust in regards to its physical creation after the fact, thanks to having no way to STORE the damn things in something easier than a leather bag. It wasn't easy nor cheap to even get the gemstones fixed into it for such a thing to exist, let alone the fact that he'd be forced to solely produce specifically that and nothing else with such fixtures… like spending a small fortune on continuous alteration of an Alchemical Jug that is ‘cursed’ to stay in one mode.
“Usually I'd be plenty mad to have lost that much in quality holy water, especially since it's expensive as all HELL even after wasting two out of the ten platinum coins I've earned throughout my lifetime-”
“...”
”Ahhhh- Screw it, who cares. He can't stay angry, especially at her. “C'MERE!” He quickly scouts them by the armpits, lifting them into the air and doing a twirling motion. “My little Coco, you're GROWING!”
“DAAAAAAD!”
Lifted into the air and swung around, Pete pauses for a moment, a smile escaping what was supposed to be a neutral face. “You're getting so damn GOOD with those potions!” God, she WAS! He noticed the progress of her learning capabilities was quickening with age, intelligence matching and perhaps, hopefully, SURPASSING even his own with each well done concoction! He brings her close into his bosom, flappy fold at the bottom of his chin nearly covering her head entirely. “An attempt at a restoration potion in my own CLASS! Got me thinking I had a son rather than a daughter, with how heavy your courage has to be to be SWINGING like this!
She turns a grin to match his, holding up a sparkling red within a flask. “Don’t need it, got you to work off of remember?” She flails the very flask and nearly drops it, caught by an extra tail that suddenly appeared behind Pete. “Thanks!
“No problem, no problem at all…” He brought it close to his face, inspecting it using a combination of detect magic and identify. Not as pure as it needs to be admittedly, though the strong red with sparkles did say that this was successful. “My my… Such a wonderful red tint and on your first attempt no less!”
She seems to blush at the comment. “You can stop now y'know.”
“Oh hardly! Ten years and that head of yours,” He makes a kiss sound, “Is already at college level. Knew it was good to bring you here!”
“I shouldn't even be here-”
“Oh nonsense, you definitely should. If anything, that damn school is holding your talents back.”
“Well, luckily I have you!”
“Luckily, you have me!”
They both chuckle. He slowly sets her down, patting her between the long ears and right on a tuft of brown fur on the head. He began to guide her out of the classroom. “Though… Kolnil didn’t do too bad.”
“Oh, well, no, most certainly not.” He was duly surprised a bit. “He did wonderfully with that enhanced haste potion, though the effects leave more to be desired, especially considering most of those sorts of potions tend to have a rather harsh tint of lime yellow if it's actually good.”
“Sadly in his case, it was a more blacker coloration, likely indicating he didn’t do well when it came to heating during the initial startup.”
Which wasn’t much to critique the boy on, admittedly. Kolnil shows great promise when it comes down to it, as do the rest of those ‘children’. Young and wild, with fresher minds than him to make combinations and new brews for the people of Kazum to use, though if he had to compare them to his daughter- “I will praise you, oh child of mine, for you have done the best out of everyone inside!”
He’s always gonna choose her. “Thanks, but it’s only because of you that I get to do so MUCH!”
“Aaaa, blessing’s to my ears won’t get you a good grade, but… Perhaps a nice afternoon breakfast with your father might do such, wouldn’t you say?”
She sighed, glistening emerald eyes full of wonder and joy coming to stare right back at him. “So long as you give up that speech of yours, I’m all down for a good snack- Well…” She glances at Pete's stomach, taking notice of the thinly stretched buttons nearing that were smearing over an engorged middle, bits of fur sticking out.“Are you really gonna get more donuts and coffee again dad?”
“You’re kinda ballooning a bit yeah?”
He gasps- But not before waving at a fellow professor as they said hello. “Oh come on, it ain’t that bad!” He gives it a bit of a lift, noticing a bit of struggle when it comes to lifting the extra lard on top of his tummy, dropping it down immediately. “... So what, you’re gonna make your dear old pops cry?”
“Noooo- Just-”
“I’m kidding and besides,” He pushes the doors open to a new room, pacing himself over to a written teleportation circle he had personally written into the floor. “It’s not like I can’t go tailor some bigger clothes later on!”
“Twelfth time this year dad, thirteenth if we gotta go today.”
Well- His ears droop a little. “Well- Hmph!” He turns his head away as he snaps his fingers, instantaneously dropping them both in the middle of a rather busy town. Inner city of Kazum. Traversing adventurers of scholarly and adventurous pursuits came to this place, finding solitude in the peace it brought to most of everyone. Taverns were stock full of individuals and/or parties looking for another quest, the fountain and many attractions providing entertainment in the form of extracurriculars, along with buildings marketing away their many wares. It was typical, barely much of a note even digging deep inside, the grand library being realistically the only reason any proper adventurer or apt literature enjoyers would bother to come by, though through clean cobbled pathways and the less than rickety sources he could scour for days on end without feeling like his purse could get snatched, it certainly provided an amenity to his wallet to know his body wouldn’t even be in much of any danger; daughter much less so. “Stay near me hun.” Though it didn’t mean he wouldn’t try to keep her more safe. “Enhance Defence, guidance, protection of energy-”
“Seriously?” She scoffs, shining brightly for the magical bulb dimmed to barely a sheen upon her clothing. “We’re gonna be fine, why the spells-”
He rubs her head again, messing her hair up. “I gotta make sure you’re good if we get separated. Remember, a wizard ‘can’t be too careful.’ ” He quotes. “Always good to make sure your body is aptly prepared for everything that might come!”
“That’s… just paranoia.”
“I say it's preparation!”
“Yeah, because nothing says ‘preparation’ like tagging your daughter with three separate spells.”
“Exaaaactly! So smart, all your genes truly must come from me!”
She groans, continuing to follow him. His eyes looked around, vision spreading until it focused upon a single corner. He could feel the fur below the chin moisten a bit, drool collecting and then dropping right upon his fancily golden plaid shirt. “Dad, that's nasty-” She immediately responded to the bits of liquid escaping the maw. “I know it smells good, but can't you wait until we get close to Auntie Poco?”
“NEVER!” She wouldn't get it, the allure. A lifetime of adventuring and saving the world from tragedies well beyond the veil as well as co-conspiring with the many criminals just to make sure their ‘perfect’ little realm didn't get outright obliterated- It was tough business and business he had no qualms with doing, granted that it was his existence that was also being constantly on some verge of being torn away from his pocket of mental reality at any given instantaneous moment. “Sit with me honey.” So when he was finally given the opportunity to sit and lay his weapon to rest, when he finally was able to just sit and not worry for his bodily functions being disabled for whatever God forsaken reason by any number of reasons leading them into celestial or demonic realms- “An assorted box of donuts and some coffee please!”
It was no surprise that this red squirrel took the offer faster than that maw could water at the sight of round baked goods. “Dad…” But damn it all, he couldn't even look at the whiffling steam coming straight off the cup and his box without Coco. “Last time, you said I had a choice in donuts.”
“.... When did I say that?”
“A week ago, before you scarfed it all down.”
Ah- Yes, damn. “Yeah yeah…” She better not pick the jellied one with the coconut shavings, she better not pick the jellied one with the coconut shavings, she better NOT- “I pick this one!”
She picked the jellied one with the coconut shavings. “Damn you daughter…” He exasperated, dramatically holding a piece of what she had dared to lay claim to.
“Dad, there's another.”
Oh there is. “Yay.” He grabs it, inspecting its visage. Circular softness, dotted hole in the middle for the probability of some monster using it for an easier hold, the gull of such an idea pressing his MIND. Though that didn't matter- The shavings, oh god, they were always extra with those white lined pellets, decorating the entire outer layer with pieces of coconut they got from some island off of the coast. Then the inside- “Haaa…”
Pure red deliciousness just waiting to bounce off the tongue. “Why do you do that?”
“Do what?”
“Stare at the donuts like they're treasure?”
“Daughter, Coco. This is treasure.”
She looks over as he bites into it. “It isn't gold, magic or a potion.”
“It doesn't have to be. Material permanents aren't the only thing that provide wealth.”
“Say you.”
“Since I am the leading magician and current professor of Alchemy, I'd say my word is more than worth its weight in platinum.”
She seemed to choke on a donut for a moment. “Careful, I don't think you wanna be the one to figure out how awful I am at a heimlich maneuver.” He hums, grabbing a rather enlarged handful of a love handle on his right side, pinched fat barely hitting a single nerve as he gripped it. There was enough to smother any three foot creature and just enough poundage to snap someone in half by simply laying it on them. “Last time I tried, I ended up smothering a poor red Kobold with an eye injury!”
“Got a little bit huffy puffy with me after saving him.”
“Maybe,” She begins, mouth full of half the donut she was still munching into, “It's because you nearly snapped his spine dad- I've heard what happened to mom.”
He winces. “Hey, wasn't trying to break a vertebrae-” He may or may not have put all of himself on that lady and it ended in disaster. “I healed her up afterwards didn't I?”
“Juuuuuust saying dad, maybe you're packing in too much.”
“Mhm.” He grunts. He looks around, mug still in hand as he quickly notices something. He looks around, trying to find someone that could assist him. He waves his hand at a Goblin, beckoning them over. “Pass me the papers won't you?”
“Uhh-”
He pulls ten gold coins out of his bag. “Yes sir.”
“Dad…”
“I'm conserving my energy a bit, nothing wrong with that.” Flippant in his speech, his hand is filled with thick, multi-stack sheets of paper. He summons up ten gold pieces and places them in the hands of that goblin. “Thank you, you may go.”
And before his daughter could open her mouth, the man nods, disappearing from view. “Let's see here…” News always travels fast, especially when loud enough. “God, really?”
He takes a sip of his coffee. Seems like Lace, an old red Kobold friend of his, decided to station somewhere in Fairnreach, holed himself up deep within the damn place with constructions going towards a ‘legitimate venture towards the legality of selling bought goods’. He chuckles. “Oh, you old bastard, you ain't tricking me.” He knows better. “Got them thinking otherwise is work beyond insanity, but…”
“You've always been the one to do so, haven't you?”
“Whatcha reading?”
He, seat creaking as his body turns to the voice. “Your uncle finally opened up his store!” He excitedly announced. “Can't believe the damn place allowed it- But yeah, he's finally found a good spot in some good gold hoarding business.”
“Didn't you and him used to steal?”
He leans backwards a bit, letting then cling to his back. “We… used to procure items of specific values in order to make sure our realm didn't collapse in on itself, yes.” Which was just another way of stealing. “But we've both left that behind us a bit ago.”
“Why?”
“Your mother, his brother.”
“Wow…”
He looks back to the paper, sipping yet again. “So are they like- Dating?” He then proceeds to SPIT all of said contents out right into his donuts. “HEY, I'm not-”
He can't- He just. “BUUUUUUURAAHAHAHA!” Through an ear snapping burp, he slaps his knee, back bending forward as air hastily escapes his lungs. It hurts. “F-” He catches himself before he curses, though the laugh was inescapable. “Ok, ok ok, by every god imaginable, haaa.”
He’s gotta calm down, he’s gotta shift the flow right now. But shit, that was just- “By the God's,” he wipes a tear from his eyes. “You're my child alright.”
“Huh?”
“Look, those two? Might not seem like it, but they're brother's, a closely knit relationship that is tighter than what blood can provide.”
“... So are they, like, married?”
He reaches over the armrest, donut acquired. His body quivers for a moment, the intermediate feeling to simply burst into another fit just etching for a turn. Instead, he distracts himself, reaching over the armrest, donut acquired. “No honey, they’re close but not quite that.”
“Boyfriends?”
He sighs. “No. I- Forget sometimes you're just a child.” He says, hand extended backwards to scratch into their head. “My child, but a child nonetheless. What they are is far greater than such intimate relationships can provide.”
“Like me and your mother!”
“Is that why you two fight all the time?”
He frowns at the inquisition. “That is an entirely other matter.” He looks at the donut, to his clothing and then the body. “But… Yes. Very similar, complicated memories allowing us to love one another and give life to such a wonderful daughter.”
“Daaaad…”
“I know sweety, I know.”
She always did hate emotionally charged moments and had a knack for realizing when something of that nature would arise. Horrid for venting, but good to know that intelligence is at least being put somewhere useful, even if her social skills are far below negligible. In any case- His eye’s move back to the donut. “Dad, no.”
“What?”
“You already had like eleven!”
Did he? He looks to a mostly empty box, then back to himself, noticing the crumbs on his uppermost part of his belly, near the moobs. He could feel his stomach rumble as he noticed it, the belt around his waist feeling a tad tighter than before, buttons along the plaid golden shirt he adorned finally showing struggle as they attempted to handle what was happening above, in the maw. “So?” But why would he care? “Your old man isn’t going to pop y'know, I can handle a snack or two.”
She dragged a hand over her face. “You know that’s not what I mean.”
“No, but this donut is looking pretty good, soooo-”
“Nomf.”
She slaps her face, eye’s only widening when suddenly something makes a gurgle- “Oop-” He covers his mouth as suddenly he feels the belt drag across the waist, slowly unbuckling streams, the metal within the first five sockets snapping into the holes, shirt attempting to slip over what was now growing with pressure. “F- I- ourp, urp, uuurp”
Little burps, attempting to act in some control to the sudden increase in air production from seemingly nowhere. Wasn’t enough. The belt buckle was quick in its movement, snip snip snap snip snip the sound it made as it quickly made it down to four holes, then three, then two. His cheeks felt the expansion as he tried, desperately, to at least hold a modicum of decency. Through every fault of his own and one final snap of the final most hole- “BUUUUUUOOOOOOOOOOOORP!” Didn’t hold, much like five buttons did as it flung into the head of a nearby waitress, dropping them immediately as it connected. “Erm- Excuse me?”
He felt the bottom most part of his stomach have some room, finally. All it took was losing a very stretchy belt and… “Damn it.” Five buttons. God damn it. He could feel the breeze as it grabbed hold of his stomach, caressing it with cold winds as it whistled through the fur and onto the skin below. At least it wasn’t pouncing the lap much, nearly absorbing the entirety really, but god damn if his stomach didn't feel like it could fly off on its own. He felt a deep breath behind him. “Heeeeeey-”
“Come on dad, we gotta go to the tailor.”
“Before mom yells at you again.”
. . . . . . . . . . . . .
About eight hours after the fact, having to guide dad around to Auntie Bete to get another measuring of his waistline and several more hours due to the idiot that was my father, at least we were finally coming close to home. Night came faster than I realized, but… Considering the special circumstances regarding father’s clothing, it had to be done. “Dad, you gotta hold back on eating that much.” I outright told him about those habits- “I get it, I do, I really do. But do you have to snack every damn day?”
“Language.”
Oh come ON! “Dad, I'm SERIOUS!”
“Hi serious, I'm dad.”
“...”
“... It was funny and you know it.”
How much of my hate can be pushed upon a man who's weight matched their ego. “Wha-” I feel something wet on my forehead. “Dad.”
“Yeeeeeess?”
“Did you just- Ew.”
“What, I can't give my daughter smooches now?”
“Not like that.”
“But you used to love forehead smooches…”
Great, now he's moping. I'm ten, with memories as picture perfect as papa’s knowledge of potions, “Mmmrm-” I can't- gah, damn it. I suck on the teeth, making a sharp tch sound. “Dad, I'm just worried for you.”
“I know!”
“Ten is not a good age to lose a very important figure in my life. It will affect me mentally and who knows what I'll do when it comes to the more scholarly works.”
“Might even-”
Gak- I feel as though my ribs are being crushed between a pillow and the thickest set of arms physically possible as my next words were about to flow. “I won't die, so put that thought away my little coconut.” Though it didn’t feel bad… Ribs feeling a bit of pain aside, it just felt good. It always felt good. Dad was always doing stuff like this, parading me around like his best trophy when he had so many others he could be presenting, encouraging, giving bits of hope and happiness along with the responsibility that came with each passing year, assigning topics and works, magics and alchemical brews for me to grow, for me to strengthen-
For me to get better. Better than him, maybe someday, but right now? “You suck.” I'll simply take the hug and his loving embrace for as long as him and I walk upon this earth. “... Love you dad.”
“Love you too Coco.”
Right in front of the house no less. Could never say this, but I- Admittedly preferred dad and his whimsical nature over mom. He was joyful, a bit into the clownery that came with his personality and physical body type, barely taking anything seriously. It was irritating, very much so, especially when I required further detail on scroll creation and artificial creation and all he could give me was the word ‘creativity.’ Gave me all the tools I could ever wish for, without ever limiting me too harshly as to further my ‘potential’, always giving me extra options in-between and outside the one's he mentions, making sure my mind was aptly prepared and ready to learn whatever knowledge he was willing to pass along. Between potion making, learning draconic of all the languages, creating and enchanting objects and the magical list of spells that he just seems to be infinitely capable of producing- God.
How. Just… How.
Compared to him, mother was… too much, too pushy, too fierce for my liking, baring me for the responsibility of gaining a title under someone else's name, mother tried. Didn’t take to it, got smacked around, beaten, turned lopsided. Not to mention the physical training regimen- It was like she was intentionally trying to hurt me for denying her access to my freedom. Between the yelling, the screaming, the pain with those broken bones and bruised tendons- Honestly, I wonder sometimes how papa even got together with such an individual.
Even more, how he tolerated her and resisted such pressure to convince me to try and marry out when, eventually, I’d reach the ‘prime’ age of eighteen.
The hug ended, me and him splitting away. As he fiddled into a bag for a key, something hit both of our ears. Rustling noises, bed creaking. “Hey hun?” He whispers, kindness reciprocated in even his tiniest tone, holding out a bag of chingling gold. “You remember that Greater Invisibility spell I taught you?”
I can feel my fur rising. “Y-yes father, but why?”
“Quick lesson. How does silence work?”
“By disabling the passage of word to mouth movement or by simply making a person temporarily forget how to speak?”
“Meeeeh- No, but, but, you were reasonably in such deductions, so I'll give you a two out of ten.”
SIX OUT OF TEN?! “Hehe, first time I've ever given you a low score this year.” God damn old man- “It doesn't make a person forget how to speak or disable the muscle memory required for speaking, so much as it acts like a vacuum. It's the reason why thunder-like spells don't work and any verbal components you need for certain spells can't be used.”
He points a finger at the ground. “Like so.”
I tried to respond, but nothing came of my voice. “Use True Invisibility and…” He huffs, How was- Wait, how am I able to hear you? Your mouth isn't moving. “Your old man has far more tricks than you realized.”
“Cast Greater Invisibility and wait for me outside.”
And then he misty stepped into the house. What… Wait. That was- So damn COOL! He could speak into my head! My HEAD! That shouldn't be possible normally right? Oooh, he has to teach me this trick, he MUST! “Ah- Yes…” Remember what father said. I slap myself, pressing a thumb into my chest. “Greater Invisibility.”
I feel myself shimmering away, blending into the surroundings enough that I become one with the wall. Though why was a question. The hell was that rustling noise? And why was the bed creaking and the springs shaking without dad being home? “OH FUCK!” I lost concentration, fuck, spell ending immediately to the sound of a damn FIREBALL being shot out, alongside another and then another and then another- Grunts and moans apparent, then a sudden before it simply stopped. I open the door slowly.
The house. It's gone. Inside is torched, enchanted wooden planks delegated to ash. “Dad?” Years of my life turned to little more than burning firewood for warmth that was quickly collecting into blistering. “Mom- MOM!”
I run, sliding over to her body. “Oh god, Oh god.” She looked nearly torched, half the fur on her face gone, gray fur turned to a charcoal black. Disfigured. What did he do, more importantly though, why.
“What didn't he do?”
“Huh?”
Behind her, another squirrel, dressed in a suit and tie, decorated with a gilded golden chain running around the neck, with fur so red I could've thought he was some furred kobold… somehow. Something was off though. I can see it. His right arm smells burnt, body having essentially received a massive beating in the form of friction burns and harsh dark purple bruising.
“Hi sweetheart.”
My head snaps behind me. “Ah-” It’s uncle. Funny looking red squirrel, friend to father. Same overall build, same overall personality to dad, though… His right arm smells and looks burnt, body having essentially received a massive beating in the form of friction burns and harsh dark purple bruising. Father was nowhere to be seen and I know Uncle lives far in the center of the city, thanks to his political barings. Something is off, no, all of it is off. I look to my right again, seeing the ring father had, on the floor, returning to mother, then back to Uncle. I begin preparing a shield- “Already turning the gears… I can see why he loved you so much.”
Only for my maw to get grabbed within that same instance.
“Let's see if we can turn that love towards me.”
“Modify memory.”
Tldr; longleynus , a good friend, helped with the thumbnail! This is Pete, my DnD character for a game I'm currently in. Really liking Pete as a whole, so decided that I'm gonna start making short stories of his adventures and pieces of why he became the man he is today.
Because back then, life used to be so much simpler...
................................................................................................................................................................
“Briolio, that's not how you mix.”
“Rochelle, make sure to add the ingredients in order.”
“Kolnil, you're messing up the- hold on.”
Pete quickly dashes over, creases at the edge of each side nearly bumping into a dozen glass vials. “You gotta make sure it's boiling at the right temperature, otherwise it'll mess up the purity of the potion.” He quickly adjust the dim flame into a burning blue using the dial at the bottom. “I know you like messing with raw ingredients, but sometimes it's better to let it cook rather than swallow down something less than ready for any amount of consumption.”
“But it's a haste potion!”
“Exactly! You want it to last, yes, but you don't want it to be permanent. That alters the body's chemistry in a rather harsh way and,” He pushes his body upwards, “we all know what happened to the last student who drank that right?”
A sigh, before- “Yes Professor Pete.” A collective groan. Good students… Good alchemists in the future.
“If today goes well, we'll be combining potions tomorrow.”
Excitement rose back up, smiles implanted on the faces of many. It wasn't often any scholar would allow such mixtures to happen, especially with freshmen nonetheless, but Pete himself found that boring. Why take away some of the best parts a student can learn instantly and teach them over the course of several years rather than give them a good taste, make them want to stick around? Made it easier to find alchemical prodigies, made it ten times that just to see who could use a nice speed boost- “SHIT!” And who needed a booster seat. With a snap of his fingers, a rising flame and the puff of smoke quickly zips out of the window, guided with a bit of magical flame control. “Ah- Sorry…”
Hmm… He walks over. It was some young, female red squirrel, Barely a month from ten, who's tipped ears followed his own. She was far younger than the grand majority of his usual, nearly a whole twelve years younger than even the ‘youngest’ amongst one of his many students in this college. Tiny little thing was attempting something. “Hmm…” He stares at the concoction, gauging it. A bit of pure holy water, somehow acquired through, as this college was an expensive venture to comb through, bought through a bag of gold, a nice enough looking piece of spring moss and some foxglove in the corner. “Attempting to make a restoration potion already?” He stares at their long, fur tipped ears as it drops down, eye's barely able to lift themselves up to meet his gaze. “Seems like you've heated it up too much.”
“Y-yeah…”
“... Well, you can't do that with holy water. Luckily for you, I always have a good stash of it in my bag.”
The student looks up, eye's staring as Pete quickly fishes a thick hand through a bag, pulling out an Alchemy Jug. Usually he wouldn't be able to even produce anything close to it, but with some finagling, blessings upon his Jug by a cleric and enough resources at his disposal- Within several seconds, he quickly pours out the purest he could find into an empty flask. “You don't heat up the temperatures too much in regards to Holy Water thanks to its already magically purifying properties, so rather than boiling it, you wanna keep it at a nice lukewarm temperature, keep the rest of the ingredients far away in a different space like here,” He quickly points towards the mini cauldron, “And here,” then to the circular flask at the bottom, “To make sure the rest of the ingredients is finely cleaned and condensed enough for it to perfectly shine.”
“When you are done, I expect a minor restoration potion on my desk.”
“Extra points if it's a restoration potion, Ms. Nut.” He looks away, body swaying as he quickly moves back to his desk. He squeezes past a dragon, ass nearly caving in some poor Goblin with how much space it seemed to take- Before sitting himself down in a wooden stool, supported by metal chippings, yet nonetheless bending the moment a single cheek sat into it. “Hmm…”
Then he watched. He kept an eye on everyone, glazing between some student attempting to forcibly add a Narcotic Stimulant to a potion, which he promptly maged hand away and that one squirrel. Most of the other students were working on regular sampling, save for the purple Kobold who couldn't decide whether he wanted a haste potion or something equivalent to a weight loss potion. He hopes it's the former, for everyone's sake. Last time someone did that, he had a student hospitalized, spitting out fat and pieces of his innards. Having to explain that again was not a part of any plans he had for today, which is why he’s slimmed the processes a bit and the ingredients handed out to… prevent such things from happening.
It was easier to simply dumb down the class rather than allow a random student their chance at coming anywhere close to death. His head turns to the glossy window, stained glass allowing a brilliant shine of emerald to come through. While he does understand his particular art isn't exactly interesting, at least compared to most magical related courses, it helps to know that the few people that chose his class and stuck to it will, at the very least, have a good idea of how to make their own potions through raw ingredients he had gathered through shopping spree, exploration of the mountains and… Lace. “Stupid Kobold…”
“We gotta meet up at some point.”
He'd love nothing but that- However, city guards would have his ass in cuffs before he could make it to the middle. “Professor Pete?” He turns his head.
“Yes Kolnil?”
“I- Uh-”
He leans forward, double decker belly pressing against the desk, chair making an audible squeak as he dared. “Hmm…” He looked at what they were holding in their hand, presented to him. “Ah, I see.”
He slowly raises himself up and walks around to meet his student. “You've made a,” He sniffs the air, “Haste potion… You failed the first batch before.”
“I made it better!”
“Better you say…”
He gingerly takes control of the vial, bringing it closer to his nose. Smelled… “Hrmm…” Disgruntledly high in caffeine, poking the nose and provoking the heart into a jump ahead, skipping an entire beat just by the mere whiff. Definitely stimulated, enhanced beyond its usual capabilities… “May I?”
“Oh- Of course!”
The eager kobold hands it over, the vial passes over- “Whatcha gonna do with- NO, WAIT!-” And his hand tilts towards himself, the cap released with a thumb before being drunk. “OH GOD, OH GOD!”
“SOMETHING GET THE-”
He holds them, hands over their maw. “Mmm…” Tangy, bit fruity even. Admittedly a bit much for his body at this age, at this weight, but- Not even fifteen seconds after feeling what felt to be pure energy, which would’ve thrown him out the window- The effects dwindled down, the flame that sparked within his belly soon dimming to a tiny speck of light before entirely disappearing. “Promise! Not entirely bad, though not nearly as pure as it needs to be for how little time it acted within my body.”
“Wha- What?”
The confusion, he understands it. “Boy, I am an alchemist.” He states, exaggerating by puffing his saggy chest out. “Do you truly think something so small could affect something so big?”
Kolnil seems to stare a bit into his gut. A gurgle emits from the bowls and before Pete could do much about it, an erupting, ear splitting burp came out the mouth. He grins. “See? Barely much of a difference.” He chortles, smacking his stomach as the mere laughter sends jiggles down his body. He quickly turns around- “Oops.” And soon hits a student with his swaying ass as the bell rings. Perfect timing! “Class is over! Make sure to gather your ingredients and prepare for the project next week! I want a minor potion of giant strength on my desk by next week or you’re not getting the chance to make a scroll of revivify!”
“And this time, I MEAN it!”
“Ah- Wait, you.” His hand reaches out, claws digging into the shirt of that same youthful looking squirrel, who's eyes frantically swing around. “I never said you could go home early, did I?”
“You dismissed the class-”
“The class, yes,” He began to grin, a pair of buck tooth teeth gnashing as he stared down at the lady. “Not you.”
“H-hey…”
“Now now… you owe me for that holy water. It ain't cheap y'know!”
“I-”
“Especially since it was expensive.”
Very actually. It cost him two platinum coins for the necessary enchantments on top of the fact that it also needed a high blessing so the water produced from it comes out, well, holy. Nearly a year taken in its creation, enough silver dust and ritual spells were spent into it that he was actually sure he could perform the damn ritual himself and this was on TOP of the pure ruby he had to use for the enchantment to continually apply the ritual spell on a daily basis. Two coins, into making sure everything worked the way it should and he still had to supply the silver dust in regards to its physical creation after the fact, thanks to having no way to STORE the damn things in something easier than a leather bag. It wasn't easy nor cheap to even get the gemstones fixed into it for such a thing to exist, let alone the fact that he'd be forced to solely produce specifically that and nothing else with such fixtures… like spending a small fortune on continuous alteration of an Alchemical Jug that is ‘cursed’ to stay in one mode.
“Usually I'd be plenty mad to have lost that much in quality holy water, especially since it's expensive as all HELL even after wasting two out of the ten platinum coins I've earned throughout my lifetime-”
“...”
”Ahhhh- Screw it, who cares. He can't stay angry, especially at her. “C'MERE!” He quickly scouts them by the armpits, lifting them into the air and doing a twirling motion. “My little Coco, you're GROWING!”
“DAAAAAAD!”
Lifted into the air and swung around, Pete pauses for a moment, a smile escaping what was supposed to be a neutral face. “You're getting so damn GOOD with those potions!” God, she WAS! He noticed the progress of her learning capabilities was quickening with age, intelligence matching and perhaps, hopefully, SURPASSING even his own with each well done concoction! He brings her close into his bosom, flappy fold at the bottom of his chin nearly covering her head entirely. “An attempt at a restoration potion in my own CLASS! Got me thinking I had a son rather than a daughter, with how heavy your courage has to be to be SWINGING like this!
She turns a grin to match his, holding up a sparkling red within a flask. “Don’t need it, got you to work off of remember?” She flails the very flask and nearly drops it, caught by an extra tail that suddenly appeared behind Pete. “Thanks!
“No problem, no problem at all…” He brought it close to his face, inspecting it using a combination of detect magic and identify. Not as pure as it needs to be admittedly, though the strong red with sparkles did say that this was successful. “My my… Such a wonderful red tint and on your first attempt no less!”
She seems to blush at the comment. “You can stop now y'know.”
“Oh hardly! Ten years and that head of yours,” He makes a kiss sound, “Is already at college level. Knew it was good to bring you here!”
“I shouldn't even be here-”
“Oh nonsense, you definitely should. If anything, that damn school is holding your talents back.”
“Well, luckily I have you!”
“Luckily, you have me!”
They both chuckle. He slowly sets her down, patting her between the long ears and right on a tuft of brown fur on the head. He began to guide her out of the classroom. “Though… Kolnil didn’t do too bad.”
“Oh, well, no, most certainly not.” He was duly surprised a bit. “He did wonderfully with that enhanced haste potion, though the effects leave more to be desired, especially considering most of those sorts of potions tend to have a rather harsh tint of lime yellow if it's actually good.”
“Sadly in his case, it was a more blacker coloration, likely indicating he didn’t do well when it came to heating during the initial startup.”
Which wasn’t much to critique the boy on, admittedly. Kolnil shows great promise when it comes down to it, as do the rest of those ‘children’. Young and wild, with fresher minds than him to make combinations and new brews for the people of Kazum to use, though if he had to compare them to his daughter- “I will praise you, oh child of mine, for you have done the best out of everyone inside!”
He’s always gonna choose her. “Thanks, but it’s only because of you that I get to do so MUCH!”
“Aaaa, blessing’s to my ears won’t get you a good grade, but… Perhaps a nice afternoon breakfast with your father might do such, wouldn’t you say?”
She sighed, glistening emerald eyes full of wonder and joy coming to stare right back at him. “So long as you give up that speech of yours, I’m all down for a good snack- Well…” She glances at Pete's stomach, taking notice of the thinly stretched buttons nearing that were smearing over an engorged middle, bits of fur sticking out.“Are you really gonna get more donuts and coffee again dad?”
“You’re kinda ballooning a bit yeah?”
He gasps- But not before waving at a fellow professor as they said hello. “Oh come on, it ain’t that bad!” He gives it a bit of a lift, noticing a bit of struggle when it comes to lifting the extra lard on top of his tummy, dropping it down immediately. “... So what, you’re gonna make your dear old pops cry?”
“Noooo- Just-”
“I’m kidding and besides,” He pushes the doors open to a new room, pacing himself over to a written teleportation circle he had personally written into the floor. “It’s not like I can’t go tailor some bigger clothes later on!”
“Twelfth time this year dad, thirteenth if we gotta go today.”
Well- His ears droop a little. “Well- Hmph!” He turns his head away as he snaps his fingers, instantaneously dropping them both in the middle of a rather busy town. Inner city of Kazum. Traversing adventurers of scholarly and adventurous pursuits came to this place, finding solitude in the peace it brought to most of everyone. Taverns were stock full of individuals and/or parties looking for another quest, the fountain and many attractions providing entertainment in the form of extracurriculars, along with buildings marketing away their many wares. It was typical, barely much of a note even digging deep inside, the grand library being realistically the only reason any proper adventurer or apt literature enjoyers would bother to come by, though through clean cobbled pathways and the less than rickety sources he could scour for days on end without feeling like his purse could get snatched, it certainly provided an amenity to his wallet to know his body wouldn’t even be in much of any danger; daughter much less so. “Stay near me hun.” Though it didn’t mean he wouldn’t try to keep her more safe. “Enhance Defence, guidance, protection of energy-”
“Seriously?” She scoffs, shining brightly for the magical bulb dimmed to barely a sheen upon her clothing. “We’re gonna be fine, why the spells-”
He rubs her head again, messing her hair up. “I gotta make sure you’re good if we get separated. Remember, a wizard ‘can’t be too careful.’ ” He quotes. “Always good to make sure your body is aptly prepared for everything that might come!”
“That’s… just paranoia.”
“I say it's preparation!”
“Yeah, because nothing says ‘preparation’ like tagging your daughter with three separate spells.”
“Exaaaactly! So smart, all your genes truly must come from me!”
She groans, continuing to follow him. His eyes looked around, vision spreading until it focused upon a single corner. He could feel the fur below the chin moisten a bit, drool collecting and then dropping right upon his fancily golden plaid shirt. “Dad, that's nasty-” She immediately responded to the bits of liquid escaping the maw. “I know it smells good, but can't you wait until we get close to Auntie Poco?”
“NEVER!” She wouldn't get it, the allure. A lifetime of adventuring and saving the world from tragedies well beyond the veil as well as co-conspiring with the many criminals just to make sure their ‘perfect’ little realm didn't get outright obliterated- It was tough business and business he had no qualms with doing, granted that it was his existence that was also being constantly on some verge of being torn away from his pocket of mental reality at any given instantaneous moment. “Sit with me honey.” So when he was finally given the opportunity to sit and lay his weapon to rest, when he finally was able to just sit and not worry for his bodily functions being disabled for whatever God forsaken reason by any number of reasons leading them into celestial or demonic realms- “An assorted box of donuts and some coffee please!”
It was no surprise that this red squirrel took the offer faster than that maw could water at the sight of round baked goods. “Dad…” But damn it all, he couldn't even look at the whiffling steam coming straight off the cup and his box without Coco. “Last time, you said I had a choice in donuts.”
“.... When did I say that?”
“A week ago, before you scarfed it all down.”
Ah- Yes, damn. “Yeah yeah…” She better not pick the jellied one with the coconut shavings, she better not pick the jellied one with the coconut shavings, she better NOT- “I pick this one!”
She picked the jellied one with the coconut shavings. “Damn you daughter…” He exasperated, dramatically holding a piece of what she had dared to lay claim to.
“Dad, there's another.”
Oh there is. “Yay.” He grabs it, inspecting its visage. Circular softness, dotted hole in the middle for the probability of some monster using it for an easier hold, the gull of such an idea pressing his MIND. Though that didn't matter- The shavings, oh god, they were always extra with those white lined pellets, decorating the entire outer layer with pieces of coconut they got from some island off of the coast. Then the inside- “Haaa…”
Pure red deliciousness just waiting to bounce off the tongue. “Why do you do that?”
“Do what?”
“Stare at the donuts like they're treasure?”
“Daughter, Coco. This is treasure.”
She looks over as he bites into it. “It isn't gold, magic or a potion.”
“It doesn't have to be. Material permanents aren't the only thing that provide wealth.”
“Say you.”
“Since I am the leading magician and current professor of Alchemy, I'd say my word is more than worth its weight in platinum.”
She seemed to choke on a donut for a moment. “Careful, I don't think you wanna be the one to figure out how awful I am at a heimlich maneuver.” He hums, grabbing a rather enlarged handful of a love handle on his right side, pinched fat barely hitting a single nerve as he gripped it. There was enough to smother any three foot creature and just enough poundage to snap someone in half by simply laying it on them. “Last time I tried, I ended up smothering a poor red Kobold with an eye injury!”
“Got a little bit huffy puffy with me after saving him.”
“Maybe,” She begins, mouth full of half the donut she was still munching into, “It's because you nearly snapped his spine dad- I've heard what happened to mom.”
He winces. “Hey, wasn't trying to break a vertebrae-” He may or may not have put all of himself on that lady and it ended in disaster. “I healed her up afterwards didn't I?”
“Juuuuuust saying dad, maybe you're packing in too much.”
“Mhm.” He grunts. He looks around, mug still in hand as he quickly notices something. He looks around, trying to find someone that could assist him. He waves his hand at a Goblin, beckoning them over. “Pass me the papers won't you?”
“Uhh-”
He pulls ten gold coins out of his bag. “Yes sir.”
“Dad…”
“I'm conserving my energy a bit, nothing wrong with that.” Flippant in his speech, his hand is filled with thick, multi-stack sheets of paper. He summons up ten gold pieces and places them in the hands of that goblin. “Thank you, you may go.”
And before his daughter could open her mouth, the man nods, disappearing from view. “Let's see here…” News always travels fast, especially when loud enough. “God, really?”
He takes a sip of his coffee. Seems like Lace, an old red Kobold friend of his, decided to station somewhere in Fairnreach, holed himself up deep within the damn place with constructions going towards a ‘legitimate venture towards the legality of selling bought goods’. He chuckles. “Oh, you old bastard, you ain't tricking me.” He knows better. “Got them thinking otherwise is work beyond insanity, but…”
“You've always been the one to do so, haven't you?”
“Whatcha reading?”
He, seat creaking as his body turns to the voice. “Your uncle finally opened up his store!” He excitedly announced. “Can't believe the damn place allowed it- But yeah, he's finally found a good spot in some good gold hoarding business.”
“Didn't you and him used to steal?”
He leans backwards a bit, letting then cling to his back. “We… used to procure items of specific values in order to make sure our realm didn't collapse in on itself, yes.” Which was just another way of stealing. “But we've both left that behind us a bit ago.”
“Why?”
“Your mother, his brother.”
“Wow…”
He looks back to the paper, sipping yet again. “So are they like- Dating?” He then proceeds to SPIT all of said contents out right into his donuts. “HEY, I'm not-”
He can't- He just. “BUUUUUUURAAHAHAHA!” Through an ear snapping burp, he slaps his knee, back bending forward as air hastily escapes his lungs. It hurts. “F-” He catches himself before he curses, though the laugh was inescapable. “Ok, ok ok, by every god imaginable, haaa.”
He’s gotta calm down, he’s gotta shift the flow right now. But shit, that was just- “By the God's,” he wipes a tear from his eyes. “You're my child alright.”
“Huh?”
“Look, those two? Might not seem like it, but they're brother's, a closely knit relationship that is tighter than what blood can provide.”
“... So are they, like, married?”
He reaches over the armrest, donut acquired. His body quivers for a moment, the intermediate feeling to simply burst into another fit just etching for a turn. Instead, he distracts himself, reaching over the armrest, donut acquired. “No honey, they’re close but not quite that.”
“Boyfriends?”
He sighs. “No. I- Forget sometimes you're just a child.” He says, hand extended backwards to scratch into their head. “My child, but a child nonetheless. What they are is far greater than such intimate relationships can provide.”
“Like me and your mother!”
“Is that why you two fight all the time?”
He frowns at the inquisition. “That is an entirely other matter.” He looks at the donut, to his clothing and then the body. “But… Yes. Very similar, complicated memories allowing us to love one another and give life to such a wonderful daughter.”
“Daaaad…”
“I know sweety, I know.”
She always did hate emotionally charged moments and had a knack for realizing when something of that nature would arise. Horrid for venting, but good to know that intelligence is at least being put somewhere useful, even if her social skills are far below negligible. In any case- His eye’s move back to the donut. “Dad, no.”
“What?”
“You already had like eleven!”
Did he? He looks to a mostly empty box, then back to himself, noticing the crumbs on his uppermost part of his belly, near the moobs. He could feel his stomach rumble as he noticed it, the belt around his waist feeling a tad tighter than before, buttons along the plaid golden shirt he adorned finally showing struggle as they attempted to handle what was happening above, in the maw. “So?” But why would he care? “Your old man isn’t going to pop y'know, I can handle a snack or two.”
She dragged a hand over her face. “You know that’s not what I mean.”
“No, but this donut is looking pretty good, soooo-”
“Nomf.”
She slaps her face, eye’s only widening when suddenly something makes a gurgle- “Oop-” He covers his mouth as suddenly he feels the belt drag across the waist, slowly unbuckling streams, the metal within the first five sockets snapping into the holes, shirt attempting to slip over what was now growing with pressure. “F- I- ourp, urp, uuurp”
Little burps, attempting to act in some control to the sudden increase in air production from seemingly nowhere. Wasn’t enough. The belt buckle was quick in its movement, snip snip snap snip snip the sound it made as it quickly made it down to four holes, then three, then two. His cheeks felt the expansion as he tried, desperately, to at least hold a modicum of decency. Through every fault of his own and one final snap of the final most hole- “BUUUUUUOOOOOOOOOOOORP!” Didn’t hold, much like five buttons did as it flung into the head of a nearby waitress, dropping them immediately as it connected. “Erm- Excuse me?”
He felt the bottom most part of his stomach have some room, finally. All it took was losing a very stretchy belt and… “Damn it.” Five buttons. God damn it. He could feel the breeze as it grabbed hold of his stomach, caressing it with cold winds as it whistled through the fur and onto the skin below. At least it wasn’t pouncing the lap much, nearly absorbing the entirety really, but god damn if his stomach didn't feel like it could fly off on its own. He felt a deep breath behind him. “Heeeeeey-”
“Come on dad, we gotta go to the tailor.”
“Before mom yells at you again.”
. . . . . . . . . . . . .
About eight hours after the fact, having to guide dad around to Auntie Bete to get another measuring of his waistline and several more hours due to the idiot that was my father, at least we were finally coming close to home. Night came faster than I realized, but… Considering the special circumstances regarding father’s clothing, it had to be done. “Dad, you gotta hold back on eating that much.” I outright told him about those habits- “I get it, I do, I really do. But do you have to snack every damn day?”
“Language.”
Oh come ON! “Dad, I'm SERIOUS!”
“Hi serious, I'm dad.”
“...”
“... It was funny and you know it.”
How much of my hate can be pushed upon a man who's weight matched their ego. “Wha-” I feel something wet on my forehead. “Dad.”
“Yeeeeeess?”
“Did you just- Ew.”
“What, I can't give my daughter smooches now?”
“Not like that.”
“But you used to love forehead smooches…”
Great, now he's moping. I'm ten, with memories as picture perfect as papa’s knowledge of potions, “Mmmrm-” I can't- gah, damn it. I suck on the teeth, making a sharp tch sound. “Dad, I'm just worried for you.”
“I know!”
“Ten is not a good age to lose a very important figure in my life. It will affect me mentally and who knows what I'll do when it comes to the more scholarly works.”
“Might even-”
Gak- I feel as though my ribs are being crushed between a pillow and the thickest set of arms physically possible as my next words were about to flow. “I won't die, so put that thought away my little coconut.” Though it didn’t feel bad… Ribs feeling a bit of pain aside, it just felt good. It always felt good. Dad was always doing stuff like this, parading me around like his best trophy when he had so many others he could be presenting, encouraging, giving bits of hope and happiness along with the responsibility that came with each passing year, assigning topics and works, magics and alchemical brews for me to grow, for me to strengthen-
For me to get better. Better than him, maybe someday, but right now? “You suck.” I'll simply take the hug and his loving embrace for as long as him and I walk upon this earth. “... Love you dad.”
“Love you too Coco.”
Right in front of the house no less. Could never say this, but I- Admittedly preferred dad and his whimsical nature over mom. He was joyful, a bit into the clownery that came with his personality and physical body type, barely taking anything seriously. It was irritating, very much so, especially when I required further detail on scroll creation and artificial creation and all he could give me was the word ‘creativity.’ Gave me all the tools I could ever wish for, without ever limiting me too harshly as to further my ‘potential’, always giving me extra options in-between and outside the one's he mentions, making sure my mind was aptly prepared and ready to learn whatever knowledge he was willing to pass along. Between potion making, learning draconic of all the languages, creating and enchanting objects and the magical list of spells that he just seems to be infinitely capable of producing- God.
How. Just… How.
Compared to him, mother was… too much, too pushy, too fierce for my liking, baring me for the responsibility of gaining a title under someone else's name, mother tried. Didn’t take to it, got smacked around, beaten, turned lopsided. Not to mention the physical training regimen- It was like she was intentionally trying to hurt me for denying her access to my freedom. Between the yelling, the screaming, the pain with those broken bones and bruised tendons- Honestly, I wonder sometimes how papa even got together with such an individual.
Even more, how he tolerated her and resisted such pressure to convince me to try and marry out when, eventually, I’d reach the ‘prime’ age of eighteen.
The hug ended, me and him splitting away. As he fiddled into a bag for a key, something hit both of our ears. Rustling noises, bed creaking. “Hey hun?” He whispers, kindness reciprocated in even his tiniest tone, holding out a bag of chingling gold. “You remember that Greater Invisibility spell I taught you?”
I can feel my fur rising. “Y-yes father, but why?”
“Quick lesson. How does silence work?”
“By disabling the passage of word to mouth movement or by simply making a person temporarily forget how to speak?”
“Meeeeh- No, but, but, you were reasonably in such deductions, so I'll give you a two out of ten.”
SIX OUT OF TEN?! “Hehe, first time I've ever given you a low score this year.” God damn old man- “It doesn't make a person forget how to speak or disable the muscle memory required for speaking, so much as it acts like a vacuum. It's the reason why thunder-like spells don't work and any verbal components you need for certain spells can't be used.”
He points a finger at the ground. “Like so.”
I tried to respond, but nothing came of my voice. “Use True Invisibility and…” He huffs, How was- Wait, how am I able to hear you? Your mouth isn't moving. “Your old man has far more tricks than you realized.”
“Cast Greater Invisibility and wait for me outside.”
And then he misty stepped into the house. What… Wait. That was- So damn COOL! He could speak into my head! My HEAD! That shouldn't be possible normally right? Oooh, he has to teach me this trick, he MUST! “Ah- Yes…” Remember what father said. I slap myself, pressing a thumb into my chest. “Greater Invisibility.”
I feel myself shimmering away, blending into the surroundings enough that I become one with the wall. Though why was a question. The hell was that rustling noise? And why was the bed creaking and the springs shaking without dad being home? “OH FUCK!” I lost concentration, fuck, spell ending immediately to the sound of a damn FIREBALL being shot out, alongside another and then another and then another- Grunts and moans apparent, then a sudden before it simply stopped. I open the door slowly.
The house. It's gone. Inside is torched, enchanted wooden planks delegated to ash. “Dad?” Years of my life turned to little more than burning firewood for warmth that was quickly collecting into blistering. “Mom- MOM!”
I run, sliding over to her body. “Oh god, Oh god.” She looked nearly torched, half the fur on her face gone, gray fur turned to a charcoal black. Disfigured. What did he do, more importantly though, why.
“What didn't he do?”
“Huh?”
Behind her, another squirrel, dressed in a suit and tie, decorated with a gilded golden chain running around the neck, with fur so red I could've thought he was some furred kobold… somehow. Something was off though. I can see it. His right arm smells burnt, body having essentially received a massive beating in the form of friction burns and harsh dark purple bruising.
“Hi sweetheart.”
My head snaps behind me. “Ah-” It’s uncle. Funny looking red squirrel, friend to father. Same overall build, same overall personality to dad, though… His right arm smells and looks burnt, body having essentially received a massive beating in the form of friction burns and harsh dark purple bruising. Father was nowhere to be seen and I know Uncle lives far in the center of the city, thanks to his political barings. Something is off, no, all of it is off. I look to my right again, seeing the ring father had, on the floor, returning to mother, then back to Uncle. I begin preparing a shield- “Already turning the gears… I can see why he loved you so much.”
Only for my maw to get grabbed within that same instance.
“Let's see if we can turn that love towards me.”
“Modify memory.”
Category Story / All
Species Unspecified / Any
Size 120 x 101px
File Size 216.3 kB
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