"You little--" Cole hissed through gritted teeth, but before he could continue Matilda grabbed the little carpet bag slung around her shoulder and reached a hand there.
Please turn him into a mouse. Cole thought. Or a ferret. Better yet, a beetle so I can squish the little sucker.
Scowling, the witch grabbed several gold coins and dropped them on the counter. "Perhaps I can joggle your memory." She growled.
Dullheimer perked up, then hesitantly picked up one of the Galleons. "Is that real gold?" He breathed.
"It's as real as you and I."
The store keeper chewed on his lip. He glanced at Matilda slyly. "I think I'm beginning to remember...The place is still hazy, though."
She dropped two more Galleons on the counter.
His eyes gleamed greedily. "I think I'm remembering now...Still need some help, though..."
"Any more remembering will end up with you on the floor with a bloody nose and no money at all." Matilda snapped.
Grinning, Dullheimer collected the coins and dropped them into a leather bag attached to his belt. "I get'cha point."
Cole held his breath as the man cocked his head thoughtfully and fiddled with the money bag. Would he hold up his end of the bargain?
Dullheimer nodded as if making a final decision. "Follow me."
* * *
A building the size of a huge mansion sat nestled between two steep mountains, overlooking a snow-covered valley that sloped sharply, a monstrous hill that would make a wicked-cool sled ride. The palace consisted of large domes the color of sand, several towers rising up around the main building. Surrounding the fortress was a tall wall guarding those within from cops and snoopers. All was surrounded by snowy trees on rolling mountainsides, save for the western area where the land dropped sharply down the long, steep hill. Other than this palace, there was no sign of human civilization.
Several guards could be seen patrolling the top of the wall, carrying spears, katanas, rifles, and hand guns. Cole could have sworn he saw one guy carrying a mop. Down at the foot of the gate people would sometimes go in and out, looking like dangerous travelers you wouldn't want to mess around with. A couple of gangsters were stationed at the gate to check whoever came in.
Dullheimer had led Matilda and Cole up to a clifftop that looked over the scene, far enough away that anyone from the palace wouldn't see them amongst the line of snow-covered pine trees. He didn't stay long, claiming he had to take care of the store. Matilda claimed it was more likely he would be spending his Galleons.
Now Cole and the witch gazed out onto the valley, surveying the palace. Despite the snow, it was a warm afternoon, making the white blanket sparkle. The snow up here was different from the snow Cole had seen. Wherever the snow wasn't disturbed thin sheets of ice grew like grass on the surface. The tiny, intricate crystals were only a little less than a centimeter thick, looking like the movement of a calm ocean. The sight would have been enchanting if Cole wasn't so worried about Philip and Liana and determined to rescue them.
They crouched in the snow between a couple of pine trees, silently watching Dog Bone's hideout. Matilda's brown-eyed gaze was unreadable.
After at least five full minutes of sitting in the cold snow and watching, Cole finally said. "Well?"
Matilda slowly turned her head to face him. " 'Well' what?"
Cole frowned. "Do you have a plan?"
She turned away from him. "I'm thinking about it."
He snorted and turned back to watching the valley. His mind worked furiously to collect all the details he needed in order to make a plan. The wall looks to be nearly a hundred feet high or so, and it's guarded constantly. No chance of getting over it. The way in as far as I can see is through the gate, and we can't do that because somebody could recognize us.
Cole wasn't sure he liked how Matilda was smiling when she led him away from the clifftop and into the thick of the trees. Snow scrunched under their weight, muffling the sound of their footsteps.
Matilda grabbed her carpet bag and began rummaging through it, muttering under her breath while Cole stood by uneasily. They were standing where they had brought the horses, each beast looking tired and bored tied to a fallen log.
"Uh...Matilda?" He finally asked. "What exactly is Polyjuice Potion?"
"It's our ticket into Dog Bone's hideout." She pulled out a dark green flask and kept searching her bag.
"Uh-huh."
She finally pulled a handful of little vials and inspected them. Cole leaned over to see what was inside. He was surprised and a little creeped out to see strands of hair in each vial, each glass labled in scrawled handwriting. Some vials held black, short hair, others held white, soft hair, some held long ginger hair, and so on.
"You collect hair??" He asked incredulously.
"Well, stamps aren't going to do us any good now, are they?" She retorted sharply. She looked at a couple of vials both containing ginger hair, one darker than the other, then nodded in approval. "These will do."
"Do what?"
Matilda ignored him and pulled out a couple of tea cups from her bag. She set the items on a nearby mossy stump half-buried in snow, then opened the flask. A rank, putrid odor hit Cole's nostrils, and he scrunched up his face in disgust. The witch tilted the flask into one of the tea cups, and a muddy, soupy, disgusting green liquid poured out. Cole could have sworn he saw smoke rising up.
It was a strange thought, but it was true. While both left their homes for different reasons, they both knew they would have to return one day...Once the heat cooled down, that is.
Cole grinned unexpectedly, a soft one, but a grin nonetheless. How odd that he, a grumpy, introvertive teenager who never fit in anywhere, found something in common with a witch a little over twice his age with too many secrets to count. Fate certainly had an odd sense of humor.
His smile diminished when he remembered about Philip and Liana. How in Ninjago are we supposed to save them?! He wondered, for rescuing them was the only option to him. He opened his mouth to ask Matilda what they should when he realized there was something in his hand. Opening his clenched fist, he saw a piece of ripped purple cloth, and remember he had torn something from Sidicles's robes.
Curious, he fingered the travel-worn fabric and realized a pocked was stitched to the side of the cloth, and he inspected it with his fingers. He pulled out what looked like a small paper bag of sweet-smelling herbs. When he dug further into the pocket, he pulled out a couple of odd-looking gears that looked as if they came from an old clock, and a piece of crumpled paper that looked like a receipt.
"Look." He held out his hand to Matilda, and she raised her eyebrows in interest. "They're from that dude's outfit."
"Hm." She took the items from his hand and scrutinized them. She picked up the wrinkled receipt and read. " 'Bits 'N Bolts Flea Store' ." She chewed her lip. "I believe we passed by that store when we were on our way to Global Kitchen."
"What'd Sidicles buy?" Cole asked.
Her lip quirked. "He was always a bit of a pack rat...He likes to toy with bits of machinery when he's not working for bandits and crime lords or trying to help his little club take over. A hobby, really."
They are all runaways!... :0 the meaning of the title is deeper than what I ever anticipated. o_o
The guy's lip curled. "Just because I'm organizing some stuff dosen't mean I'm selling."
"At midnight? Odd time to organize, don't you think?"
He snorted. "I've been making some deliveries, and sometimes I don't have time to do it in the day." His blue eyes fell on Cole. "Sorry ma'am, you can't pawn off your kids here." He jested.
Cole rolled his eyes. "Why does everyone think I'm her kid?!"
The store-keeper shrugged. "I dunno, you both seem to have this natural frown going on..."
Both Matilda and Cole's scowls deepened.
He chuckled. "Yeah, like that!"
Matilda gazed at him with narrowed eyes. "May we have the privilege of knowing your name?" She asked coolly.
Casually the guy stated. "Bertie Dullheimer's the name, and making money's my game." He sat down at the desk and began rummaging through the box of books and paper files. "So if you're here to sell something, scram. If you're here to buy something, scram. I don't do business at nighttime."
"Except for those so-called 'deliveries'?" Cole asked, crossing his arms.
Bertie glared at him from under the brim of his hat. "That's my business and mine alone."
"We're not here to sell, nor buy anything, Mr. Dullheimer." Matilda leaned on the desk and held out the receipt. "Does this look familiar to you?"
He looked at the paper with suspicion, then said. "Yeah...That's a receipt from my store. Sold a dude some knick knacks and old plants earlier."
Cole stepped next to Matilda and asked. "Had you seen him before?"
His eyes narrowed. "What is this, Nancy Drew and Magnum P.I. joining together? Why do you ask?"
"We need to find the man who bought these items, Mr. Dullheimer." The witch's gaze was unreadable.
He scowled. "I don't tell random old ladies and teenagers about my customers. If all you're gonna do is pretend to be detectives, buzz off." He went back to searching through his box of files.
1. Scowl squad!! 2. This man knows what's up. Sick rhymes. 3. I'm LIVING for your references, Tigress. Well done. xD
Narrowing her eyes, Matilda put both hands on the table and leaned forward. Dullheimer did his best to ignore the woman glaring at him less than a foot away from his face. The brims of their hats brushed against each other. "The man who bought those things today is a regular customer, isn't he?"
Dullheimer ignored her and picked up a ratty book, flipping through the dry, brown pages.
"How often does he come?"
"Beat it, lady, before I call the cops."
"You won't call the cops because you have some shady deals that you'd rather keep to yourself." Matilda's voice was dangerously calm, smooth. "We don't have to get the police involved, provided you give us what we want."
Dullheimer finally looked up and glared at her. He dropped the book and rolled his hands into fists. "Whaddya want?" He growled.
"We want answers. Nothing more, nothing less. Now," She gripped the edge of the table. "How often does this man come to your store?"
Dullheimer bit his lip, deciding what to do. Finally his shoulders slumped and he muttered. "Few times a week. Mostly plants and herbs, sometimes random junk. He pays me to deliver stuff once in a while."
"What kind of stuff?" Cole asked.
Dullheimer glared at Matilda. "The cops won't get involved in this?"
"As long as you tell us what we need to know, truthfully."
He sighed, then said rather reluctantly. "I smuggle weapons like rifles, hand guns, ammunition to large gangs for a pretty big price. This guy, Sidicles, is working for a huge crime lord, a dangerous dude. He's had his business going for nearly a decade."
Cole's thick eyebrows raised up. This was getting interesting.
"It's a real shady business, and I think I'd get in trouble if somebody caught me telling you this."
There was an eerie moment of silence. Then Cole asked. "Who exactly is this crime lord Sidicles works for?"
Dullheimer paused, looking nervous. "They could smash me for this..."
He took a deep breath. "He's known as Dog Bone."
OOOOHHHHH of course of course. More RoE connections woooooo
"You little--" Cole hissed through gritted teeth, but before he could continue Matilda grabbed the little carpet bag slung around her shoulder and reached a hand there.
Please turn him into a mouse. Cole thought. Or a ferret. Better yet, a beetle so I can squish the little sucker.
Scowling, the witch grabbed several gold coins and dropped them on the counter. "Perhaps I can joggle your memory." She growled.
Dullheimer perked up, then hesitantly picked up one of the Galleons. "Is that real gold?" He breathed.
"It's as real as you and I."
The store keeper chewed on his lip. He glanced at Matilda slyly. "I think I'm beginning to remember...The place is still hazy, though."
She dropped two more Galleons on the counter.
His eyes gleamed greedily. "I think I'm remembering now...Still need some help, though..."
"Any more remembering will end up with you on the floor with a bloody nose and no money at all." Matilda snapped.
Grinning, Dullheimer collected the coins and dropped them into a leather bag attached to his belt. "I get'cha point."
Cole held his breath as the man cocked his head thoughtfully and fiddled with the money bag. Would he hold up his end of the bargain?
Dullheimer nodded as if making a final decision. "Follow me."
* * *
A building the size of a huge mansion sat nestled between two steep mountains, overlooking a snow-covered valley that sloped sharply, a monstrous hill that would make a wicked-cool sled ride. The palace consisted of large domes the color of sand, several towers rising up around the main building. Surrounding the fortress was a tall wall guarding those within from cops and snoopers. All was surrounded by snowy trees on rolling mountainsides, save for the western area where the land dropped sharply down the long, steep hill. Other than this palace, there was no sign of human civilization.
It wasn't empty.
1. Cole hon you need to chill. o-0 2. Some beating will jog his memories faster than coins, I bet.
Cole wasn't sure he liked how Matilda was smiling when she led him away from the clifftop and into the thick of the trees. Snow scrunched under their weight, muffling the sound of their footsteps.
Matilda grabbed her carpet bag and began rummaging through it, muttering under her breath while Cole stood by uneasily. They were standing where they had brought the horses, each beast looking tired and bored tied to a fallen log.
"Uh...Matilda?" He finally asked. "What exactly is Polyjuice Potion?"
"It's our ticket into Dog Bone's hideout." She pulled out a dark green flask and kept searching her bag.
"Uh-huh."
She finally pulled a handful of little vials and inspected them. Cole leaned over to see what was inside. He was surprised and a little creeped out to see strands of hair in each vial, each glass labled in scrawled handwriting. Some vials held black, short hair, others held white, soft hair, some held long ginger hair, and so on.
"You collect hair??" He asked incredulously.
"Well, stamps aren't going to do us any good now, are they?" She retorted sharply. She looked at a couple of vials both containing ginger hair, one darker than the other, then nodded in approval. "These will do."
"Do what?"
Matilda ignored him and pulled out a couple of tea cups from her bag. She set the items on a nearby mossy stump half-buried in snow, then opened the flask. A rank, putrid odor hit Cole's nostrils, and he scrunched up his face in disgust. The witch tilted the flask into one of the tea cups, and a muddy, soupy, disgusting green liquid poured out. Cole could have sworn he saw smoke rising up.
It was a strange thought, but it was true. While both left their homes for different reasons, they both knew they would have to return one day...Once the heat cooled down, that is.
Cole grinned unexpectedly, a soft one, but a grin nonetheless. How odd that he, a grumpy, introvertive teenager who never fit in anywhere, found something in common with a witch a little over twice his age with too many secrets to count. Fate certainly had an odd sense of humor.
His smile diminished when he remembered about Philip and Liana. How in Ninjago are we supposed to save them?! He wondered, for rescuing them was the only option to him. He opened his mouth to ask Matilda what they should when he realized there was something in his hand. Opening his clenched fist, he saw a piece of ripped purple cloth, and remember he had torn something from Sidicles's robes.
Curious, he fingered the travel-worn fabric and realized a pocked was stitched to the side of the cloth, and he inspected it with his fingers. He pulled out what looked like a small paper bag of sweet-smelling herbs. When he dug further into the pocket, he pulled out a couple of odd-looking gears that looked as if they came from an old clock, and a piece of crumpled paper that looked like a receipt.
"Look." He held out his hand to Matilda, and she raised her eyebrows in interest. "They're from that dude's outfit."
"Hm." She took the items from his hand and scrutinized them. She picked up the wrinkled receipt and read. " 'Bits 'N Bolts Flea Store' ." She chewed her lip. "I believe we passed by that store when we were on our way to Global Kitchen."
"What'd Sidicles buy?" Cole asked.
Her lip quirked. "He was always a bit of a pack rat...He likes to toy with bits of machinery when he's not working for bandits and crime lords or trying to help his little club take over. A hobby, really."
They are all runaways!... :0 the meaning of the title is deeper than what I ever anticipated. o_o
The guy's lip curled. "Just because I'm organizing some stuff dosen't mean I'm selling."
"At midnight? Odd time to organize, don't you think?"
He snorted. "I've been making some deliveries, and sometimes I don't have time to do it in the day." His blue eyes fell on Cole. "Sorry ma'am, you can't pawn off your kids here." He jested.
Cole rolled his eyes. "Why does everyone think I'm her kid?!"
The store-keeper shrugged. "I dunno, you both seem to have this natural frown going on..."
Both Matilda and Cole's scowls deepened.
He chuckled. "Yeah, like that!"
Matilda gazed at him with narrowed eyes. "May we have the privilege of knowing your name?" She asked coolly.
Casually the guy stated. "Bertie Dullheimer's the name, and making money's my game." He sat down at the desk and began rummaging through the box of books and paper files. "So if you're here to sell something, scram. If you're here to buy something, scram. I don't do business at nighttime."
"Except for those so-called 'deliveries'?" Cole asked, crossing his arms.
Bertie glared at him from under the brim of his hat. "That's my business and mine alone."
"We're not here to sell, nor buy anything, Mr. Dullheimer." Matilda leaned on the desk and held out the receipt. "Does this look familiar to you?"
He looked at the paper with suspicion, then said. "Yeah...That's a receipt from my store. Sold a dude some knick knacks and old plants earlier."
Cole stepped next to Matilda and asked. "Had you seen him before?"
His eyes narrowed. "What is this, Nancy Drew and Magnum P.I. joining together? Why do you ask?"
"We need to find the man who bought these items, Mr. Dullheimer." The witch's gaze was unreadable.
He scowled. "I don't tell random old ladies and teenagers about my customers. If all you're gonna do is pretend to be detectives, buzz off." He went back to searching through his box of files.
1. Scowl squad!! 2. This man knows what's up. Sick rhymes. 3. I'm LIVING for your references, Tigress. Well done. xD
I'd nearly forgotten about that, too. O.O
1. XD 2. *bow* UwU 3. Man, I was all over the place. XD Thank you. XD
Narrowing her eyes, Matilda put both hands on the table and leaned forward. Dullheimer did his best to ignore the woman glaring at him less than a foot away from his face. The brims of their hats brushed against each other. "The man who bought those things today is a regular customer, isn't he?"
Dullheimer ignored her and picked up a ratty book, flipping through the dry, brown pages.
"How often does he come?"
"Beat it, lady, before I call the cops."
"You won't call the cops because you have some shady deals that you'd rather keep to yourself." Matilda's voice was dangerously calm, smooth. "We don't have to get the police involved, provided you give us what we want."
Dullheimer finally looked up and glared at her. He dropped the book and rolled his hands into fists. "Whaddya want?" He growled.
"We want answers. Nothing more, nothing less. Now," She gripped the edge of the table. "How often does this man come to your store?"
Dullheimer bit his lip, deciding what to do. Finally his shoulders slumped and he muttered. "Few times a week. Mostly plants and herbs, sometimes random junk. He pays me to deliver stuff once in a while."
"What kind of stuff?" Cole asked.
Dullheimer glared at Matilda. "The cops won't get involved in this?"
"As long as you tell us what we need to know, truthfully."
He sighed, then said rather reluctantly. "I smuggle weapons like rifles, hand guns, ammunition to large gangs for a pretty big price. This guy, Sidicles, is working for a huge crime lord, a dangerous dude. He's had his business going for nearly a decade."
Cole's thick eyebrows raised up. This was getting interesting.
"It's a real shady business, and I think I'd get in trouble if somebody caught me telling you this."
There was an eerie moment of silence. Then Cole asked. "Who exactly is this crime lord Sidicles works for?"
Dullheimer paused, looking nervous. "They could smash me for this..."
He took a deep breath. "He's known as Dog Bone."
OOOOHHHHH of course of course. More RoE connections woooooo
"You little--" Cole hissed through gritted teeth, but before he could continue Matilda grabbed the little carpet bag slung around her shoulder and reached a hand there.
Please turn him into a mouse. Cole thought. Or a ferret. Better yet, a beetle so I can squish the little sucker.
Scowling, the witch grabbed several gold coins and dropped them on the counter. "Perhaps I can joggle your memory." She growled.
Dullheimer perked up, then hesitantly picked up one of the Galleons. "Is that real gold?" He breathed.
"It's as real as you and I."
The store keeper chewed on his lip. He glanced at Matilda slyly. "I think I'm beginning to remember...The place is still hazy, though."
She dropped two more Galleons on the counter.
His eyes gleamed greedily. "I think I'm remembering now...Still need some help, though..."
"Any more remembering will end up with you on the floor with a bloody nose and no money at all." Matilda snapped.
Grinning, Dullheimer collected the coins and dropped them into a leather bag attached to his belt. "I get'cha point."
Cole held his breath as the man cocked his head thoughtfully and fiddled with the money bag. Would he hold up his end of the bargain?
Dullheimer nodded as if making a final decision. "Follow me."
* * *
A building the size of a huge mansion sat nestled between two steep mountains, overlooking a snow-covered valley that sloped sharply, a monstrous hill that would make a wicked-cool sled ride. The palace consisted of large domes the color of sand, several towers rising up around the main building. Surrounding the fortress was a tall wall guarding those within from cops and snoopers. All was surrounded by snowy trees on rolling mountainsides, save for the western area where the land dropped sharply down the long, steep hill. Other than this palace, there was no sign of human civilization.
It wasn't empty.
1. Cole hon you need to chill. o-0 2. Some beating will jog his memories faster than coins, I bet.
There are so many full-circle moments I'm starting to get dizzy. o.0
1. He can't chill, not when they've got Liana. 2. yAS JUST PUNCH 'IM ALREADY
Once the disgusting slop was in the tea cups, Matilda got out of couple of vials, both containing ginger hair, and uncorked the little bottles. She gave one the Cole saying. "Sprinkle those hairs into the potion, don't spill it." He gagged, but sprinkled strands of dark ginger hair into the green-brown slop, and the witch did the same for hers. The hairs, to his disgust, dissolved into the muddy soup, sizzling softly.
"Drink up." Matilda lifted her cup to her lips.
"Wait--What?!" Cole gaped. "I'm supposed to drink this stuff?! This is revolting, there's hair in there!"
She sighed impatiently. "If you drink this, you will have the body of another person for about an hour. This is the only way we can get into the palace undetected, pretending to be roadside bandits in search of a job. Otherwise somebody could recognize us and we'd be done for."
His jaw dropped in utter disbelief. "Uh--Wha--Have the body of another?!"
Matilda rolled her eyes. "I collected the hair from other people, just for a situation like this."
"You stole people's hair?! And you want me to drink it?!"
"That's what you do with Polyjuice Potion, kid, you drink it to be disguised as another person." She smirked. "You'll be going as a guy around your age, while I will have a slightly younger body."
He stared at her. "That's creepy on so many levels."
"Oh, here..." She reached into her bag and pulled out some clothes. She stuffed a pile into Cole's hand. "You'll need to wear something that fits." She gestured to a thick pine tree behind him. "You can dress yourself over there."
He stared at her, down at the clothes, over at the potion, then back at her.
"Again, creepy on so many levels."
She sighed. "Just drink it, you big baby."
Cole grimaced, then remembered why he was doing this. He took a deep breath and held the cup before his lips.
Philip, Liana, you guys had better appreciate this.
The guy's lip curled. "Just because I'm organizing some stuff dosen't mean I'm selling."
"At midnight? Odd time to organize, don't you think?"
He snorted. "I've been making some deliveries, and sometimes I don't have time to do it in the day." His blue eyes fell on Cole. "Sorry ma'am, you can't pawn off your kids here." He jested.
Cole rolled his eyes. "Why does everyone think I'm her kid?!"
The store-keeper shrugged. "I dunno, you both seem to have this natural frown going on..."
Both Matilda and Cole's scowls deepened.
He chuckled. "Yeah, like that!"
Matilda gazed at him with narrowed eyes. "May we have the privilege of knowing your name?" She asked coolly.
Casually the guy stated. "Bertie Dullheimer's the name, and making money's my game." He sat down at the desk and began rummaging through the box of books and paper files. "So if you're here to sell something, scram. If you're here to buy something, scram. I don't do business at nighttime."
"Except for those so-called 'deliveries'?" Cole asked, crossing his arms.
Bertie glared at him from under the brim of his hat. "That's my business and mine alone."
"We're not here to sell, nor buy anything, Mr. Dullheimer." Matilda leaned on the desk and held out the receipt. "Does this look familiar to you?"
He looked at the paper with suspicion, then said. "Yeah...That's a receipt from my store. Sold a dude some knick knacks and old plants earlier."
Cole stepped next to Matilda and asked. "Had you seen him before?"
His eyes narrowed. "What is this, Nancy Drew and Magnum P.I. joining together? Why do you ask?"
"We need to find the man who bought these items, Mr. Dullheimer." The witch's gaze was unreadable.
He scowled. "I don't tell random old ladies and teenagers about my customers. If all you're gonna do is pretend to be detectives, buzz off." He went back to searching through his box of files.
Once the disgusting slop was in the tea cups, Matilda got out of couple of vials, both containing ginger hair, and uncorked the little bottles. She gave one the Cole saying. "Sprinkle those hairs into the potion, don't spill it." He gagged, but sprinkled strands of dark ginger hair into the green-brown slop, and the witch did the same for hers. The hairs, to his disgust, dissolved into the muddy soup, sizzling softly.
"Drink up." Matilda lifted her cup to her lips.
"Wait--What?!" Cole gaped. "I'm supposed to drink this stuff?! This is revolting, there's hair in there!"
She sighed impatiently. "If you drink this, you will have the body of another person for about an hour. This is the only way we can get into the palace undetected, pretending to be roadside bandits in search of a job. Otherwise somebody could recognize us and we'd be done for."
His jaw dropped in utter disbelief. "Uh--Wha--Have the body of another?!"
Matilda rolled her eyes. "I collected the hair from other people, just for a situation like this."
"You stole people's hair?! And you want me to drink it?!"
"That's what you do with Polyjuice Potion, kid, you drink it to be disguised as another person." She smirked. "You'll be going as a guy around your age, while I will have a slightly younger body."
He stared at her. "That's creepy on so many levels."
"Oh, here..." She reached into her bag and pulled out some clothes. She stuffed a pile into Cole's hand. "You'll need to wear something that fits." She gestured to a thick pine tree behind him. "You can dress yourself over there."
He stared at her, down at the clothes, over at the potion, then back at her.
"Again, creepy on so many levels."
She sighed. "Just drink it, you big baby."
Cole grimaced, then remembered why he was doing this. He took a deep breath and held the cup before his lips.
Philip, Liana, you guys had better appreciate this.
I wouldn't drink it. I'd take my chances and wear goggles or something.
![[derp]](http://storage.proboards.com/6672327/images/YqNTPqyQUocVMYXZgUAI.png)
![[h]](http://storage.proboards.com/6672327/images/nPCskakrdhDERqIVGKuw.png)
