The Bunnynapping [Sage]

“Wow sir! You must have a number of mouths to feed at home!” The large motherly woman at the stall beamed, her well practiced hands combining the ingredients for the meat pies she sold as naturally as someone else might breathe. She barely took her eyes off the gentleman before her. To her side, a small child helped his mother eagerly, standing atop a stool and ladling the steaming hot shredded meat out of the pot in front of him unto the buns as his mother readied them. “Normally that would be 20 vyndergold, but since you’ve been so generous as to buy out my stock for the moment why don’t we call it good at 18?”

Ezra smiled kindly in return, watching the pair work with surprising quickness to ready his order. It was heartwarming to see, though his heart felt a small pang of sadness as he remembered his own childhood, his siblings and himself helping his parents with much the same eagerness this child showed. “If you insist… then just consider the rest of this a tip for doing such a wonderful job!” Ezra finished his sentence with a smile directly at the child, who beamed up at Ezra when they were praised. Ezra set a handful of coins on the counter in exchange for several small bags of meat pies.

“20, 30, 40…” The large woman counted, her eyes widening. “Sir, thanks so much but this is..”

“Something you and your family absolutely deserve!” Ezra interrupted, still smiling at the pair. Money was a means to an end for the Lapin, and as a doctor it wasn’t as though he really found himself in short supply of the stuff. The rich got sick just as the poor did, and basing his own prices entirely off what others would charge left Ezra lacking for little. Only a couple of hours ago, Ezra had found himself in the home of a rather wealthy businessman whom had given him an absurd amount for managing to allow their daughter to wake again and giving them a regimen to follow that should get her back on her feet again given a month or two of work towards it. He had offered an even sillier amount to have Ezra stay on as his own personal doctor, but in the end Ezra found himself treasuring the smiles these two gave him far more than he might any amount of gold. “I insist, and if not for me, for that big helper next to you.”

“If you are quick I’m sure you can get another batch ready before the dinner rush hits.” Ezra added with a wink, turning and beginning to walk away with a slight limp. The man in green made his way out of the market square hoisting the load of meat pies, then turned down an alleyway off the beaten path. Just as he had seen earlier, a handful of bodies lay hidden amongst the trash in the alleyway. A single head towards him, meeting him with dejected looking eyes in shallow sockets framed by a sallow face. The others didn't even look up, though thankfully Ezra could see they were still at least breathing.

“I bought a bit too much at the market, I don’t suppose you fine folks would be interested in sharing with me?” Ezra said to them, dropping the limping act so he could use his cane to drop one of the bags of pies in the midst of the homeless folks without getting too close and possibly causing them alarm. At first, only the one who had looked up at him approached the bag cautiously, though Ezra had gained the attention of the others as they shifted looks between him and the bag. It wasn’t until the man who had been brave enough to take a peek inside the bag took out a meat pie that the others sprang into action to hungrily tear into his gift. “ No fighting please, I promise I brought enough for you all!”

Gross. So...nice. It was probably fake. Dude probably had children locked in a closet somewhere or dead bodies feeding some trees. And throwing money around like that! Braggart. Sage's deeply seated bitterness and spite welled up within him at every blink, only highlighting the fact that he was only disgusted because he wished he had that type of wealth to throw around when he was frantically rubbing two coins together at any given point and hoping they'd multiply. If he had so many vigs that he could buy out a whole stock of meat pies and pay double as a tip, well, his mother and sister would likely be healthy as Exo-spine Scorpions and not bedridden and dying.

The shorter young man lingered nearby, his rickety table that he'd found in a back alley lined with little glass bottles filled with a rainbow assortment of liquids, as well as some curiously murky ones. A sizable grimoire rested on the backside, and scrawled on a piece of wood hanging on the front was his explanation of wares.

'Potions and Spells for Whatever Ails! Best Prices in Mirinah!'

He'd had a little bit of business today, but not enough to solve any of his problems. Just a woman with some unfortunate warts (though they were far from the reason she was hideous), a man in love with a stripper (poor choices all around), and yet another man with such horrific gas that he'd been single his whole life (Sage sorely wished he'd been upwind of the man). While Cesage was actually a very skilled witch with a talent for potions, he wasn't very ethical. In the interest of making more money, he cut some ingredients out that were either too hard to find or too expensive to harvest. As long as it had the bare requirements to solve the core issues his customers were concerned with, it was close enough and he could fill the rest with whatever. Did it give them embarrassing side effects? Absolutely, but that was hardly his problem. Besides, return customers for side-effect remedies meant double the cash, customer satisfaction be hecked.

It also meant he couldn't stick around any given area for too long, lest he be hunted with pitchforks and pelted with rotten vegetables.

So irked by the wealthy blond was he that Sage abruptly swooped all his basic potions into his sack, strapped his spellbook to his back, and kicked his table back into the alley. He was on the hunt, entertaining the idea of trying to snatch the limping, hatted man's coinpouch. As ill-tempered as Sage could be, he usually wasn't one to resort to outright crime like thievery, and even now he hadn't quite decided if he was ready to sink that low. He was quite desperate. The last letter he received was alarming, yet no matter what corner he cut or how hard he tried, he couldn't seem to find any cure, magical or otherwise, that he could make or buy to save his family.

Removing his large hat, he peeked into the random smelly alley Richy-Pants McStupid-Hat had ducked into and watched with open-mouthed revulsion as he gave those meat pies to the bums laying in the trash. A supposed humanitarian, huh? Well, what about the guys out there who also hadn't had a meal all day but were busting their witchy humps to keep himself and two very sick people alive? Sage was out here risking his life (often his own doing but not the point) for a few Vyldergold, and these guys were laying and napping and getting free handouts.

All of them, even the limp-faker, were menaces!

And so he remained in stealth mode, testily brooding at the mouth of the alley and telling himself he wasn't jealous of the rich guy or the stupid pies! Maybe the shady guy had some sort of scheme he could get in on?

[wc: 652 || total: 1325]

Ezra nodded to himself in satisfaction as he watched the homeless in this alley enjoy the sandwiches he had brought to them. He might have left already, if he truly trusted in the kindness of others. While he would certainly attempt to be the change he wanted to see in the world, he had no illusions about the darkness others held in their hearts. Even these folk, downtrodden as they were, might very well be tempted to hoard the sandwiches to themselves to the exclusion of some of others despite the fact Ezra was sure there was more than enough in that bag to feed those present for a handful of meals. He very nearly turned around to make his way to another alleyway where he had noticed the homeless population seemed to lurk when a shape a bit further down the alleyway gave him pause.

“Ah… I wouldn’t worry about her, sir. She’s not long for this world, if you catch my meaning.” As if on cue, one of the beggars voices cut through Ezra’s thoughts. Ezra looked down to see the grizzled, dirty man watching him intently while polishing off the last bit of his meat pie. “Best to stay away, like us. I wouldn’t want a... kind soul such as yerself comin down with nothin.”

Ezra’s smile faltered for just a moment as he looked upon the beggar. It was disheartening to see how quickly someone would attempt to flatter him while caring nothing for those in the same situation as themselves simply because Ezra was in a position to offer him something and the sick beggar had nothing. He had to admit to himself that wasn’t exactly fair… the beggar likely really couldn’t help the unfortunate soul further down the alleyway. Ezra composed himself and smiled once more, the next delivery stop would have to wait a moment it seemed.

“Ah, don’t worry your head about me. I’m not so fragile as that, though I appreciate your concern.” Ezra said, making his way towards the sickly figure further down the alleyway. When he reached them, he set his remaining bags and cane down at his side, gingerly rolling the figure unto their back. Beneath the ragged cloak that had made the figure that much harder to discern, Ezra found himself looking at a pale girl in her teens. She moaned weakly in protest at being moved, but seemed either unwilling or unable to resist. Sweat beaded on her forehead, and her breathing was extremely shallow.

Ezra raised a hand over the girl, closing his eyes and concentrating. Upon his palm, a handful of pale blue dots appeared, slowly rising into small bubbles floating above his hand. After a second of hanging suspended in midair, the bubbles unfurled into butterflies of the palest blue. The butterflies floated down gently to the woman below him’s body, the small swarm seeming to slowly drift in the air just above her body for a few moments before seeming to converge on her midsection.

Ezra’s eyes opened slowly and he reached down to lift the rags this poor girl was using as a shirt, revealing a small but nasty looking cut on her midriff. Ezra frowned, looking over the injury… by itself, the cut was likely hardly dangerous. The real problem was the fact that this young lady was on the streets, covered in rags, laying in filth, and hadn’t likely seen a bath in months at the least. The perfect breeding ground for a dangerous infection, and it showed in the sickly green and yellow that marked not only the wound but it’s surroundings. The pale blue butterflies descended upon the wound, covering it entirely.  Ezra closed his eyes and allowed his hand to hover over the wound. Sweat began to form on his brow as he concentrated, silently calling spirits to his aid… and after a moment he was rewarded by the slow trickle of tiny light blue particles gathering on his right hand.

The butterflies scattered after a moment longer, revealing a wound that looked far less green and puffy than it had before. Ezra made a fist, seemingly concentrating the spirits that had gathered upon his hand, then extended his pointer and middle fingers. Ezra wished he had time to give this young lady anesthesia but he didn’t have his normal supplies nearby. He stuck his fingers into the wound, willing the spirits to combat the infection inside this girl, at the same time eliciting a weak, pained moan from her. He paid it little heed as he continued his work. Moments or minutes later, Ezra couldn’t tell which, he removed his hand revealing a wound free of infection and lightly  covered in a batch of fresh skin. Ezra wasn’t good enough yet to do it and leave her scarless, but it was enough in his opinion that he had been able to fight off the infection at all.

Word Count: 822
Personal Total:1495
Thread Total: 2147

Nose wrinkling, the spy watched with disgust as the blond man continued on. He moved down the alley a bit where Sage could no longer see properly. That wouldn't do. What was he doing to that lump of garbage? Creeping into the dark gap between buildings, he glared at the vagrants chowing the pies and dared them to make a sound as he crept to get a closer look.

Watching the man only intensified his look of disgust. What was he doing to that lump of trash? Yes, finding out that it was a girl had done nothing to correct his previous assumption. Was he a pervert, too? He did some magic thing on her, then, oh Heknys, he penetrated her goopy puss-filled wound with his fingers. It was like a carriage wreck. The male witch was utterly sickened, yet couldn't look away. It wasn't as if he needed confirmation that this guy was a fraud to feel better about robbing him, but robbing a deviant would sound better when he explained to his family where all the money came from.

Then the nose-wrinkle disappated as dark blue eyes beheld the truth of the matter. All the pieces fell into place. His mouth fell open, then spread into a greedy grin. He might has well been a golden goose. A doctor. A magic doctor made rich off of his successes. This guy just used butterflies and fingers to purify infection and heal a wound. And he was a sappy altruist, probably, since these gutterpuddles certainly had nothing to reward him with other than something bleach couldn't wash off.

This was far more valuable than that fat satchel of vigs.

Sage sprung as if he'd had a plan in place all along, which was not the case. Reaching behind him, he pulled his grimoire out, flipped open to a page somewhere in the middle, and started quickly chanting as he approached the man.

"Body in trouble covered in bubble. Mind your own, my movements alone. Heed my flow until I let you go, or try to fight to Heknys' delight."

With the enchantment loosed, a purple bubble appeared and wobbled toward him, engulfing him before becoming a skin-tight film. Sage paused to make sure it worked. He'd never tried it on a person before, but it seemed to work the same as with animals and monsters. "Gotcha, Doctor Do-Good," he grinned, snapping the book shut and replacing it on his back. Though short in stature, his attitude and menace made up for it. "You're coming with me," he said, turning to walk them both out of the alley. "I sincerely hope you don't start yelling. The only other spell I have to stop that also happens to stop breathing altogether. I imagine, as a doctor, you know why that would be bad for you."

[wc: 473 || total: 2620]

The good doctor heard the quiet incantation with barely enough time to grab hold of his cane, catching sight of the purple bubble that struck him only in his periphery. By the time Ezra had even thought to do anything, he had already been snared. At the moment of impact, Ezra barely felt anything as the raw purple energy enveloped him, but the doctor didn't even have a chance to vocalize this before it constricted around him. It wasn’t exactly uncomfortable per se, though there was a rigidness to it when Ezra tried to turn to meet his would-be captor.

The situation became abundantly clear when a mocking, malicious yet satisfied -sounding voice came from the direction Ezra had seen the purple shot out of the corner of his eye. Ezra’s eyes widened in surprise as he found himself standing and turning towards the voice to meet the one who seemed to want to keep his company forcibly.

His captor was shorter than himself, though Ezra estimated at a glance that he was about the average for the area. Sapphire eyes shone beneath the brim of an ornate, wide brim hat, just above a smile that oozed a mix of contempt and sinister intent. The boy stuck a tome he was holding into his bag and beckoned Ezra to follow, something the doctor had no choice but to obey.

“This is an impressive spell, my friend.” Ezra said to the boy as they began to walk, throwing on his most friendly well-practiced grin. Dealing with difficult patients was something all doctors had to learn, after all. “If you’re after my coin, I’m afraid I don’t have much left… though if you’re hungry I did have another bags worth of meat pies back where I was sitting before.”

Ezra craned his neck to look back down the alleyway where they had come from, taking note of the numerous eyes upon the duo. The homeless beggars Ezra had just fed made no move to come help him, likely knowing full well that there was little their emaciated bodies would be able to do against a mage such as this. It was simultaneously relieving and disappointing… Ezra didn’t wish any of them to come to harm, but a part of him wished they would’ve shown some sign they wished to help him. Instead it seemed as though they were simply waiting for this new fellow and Ezra to turn the corner to go for the bag the doctor had left behind, with little care for Ezra’s fate.

[wc: 424] [Total: 3064]

"I am no petty thief. I don't want your coins!" he spat, lifting his chin in a haughty display. "In fact, if you perform well enough, you might make a little more coins to buy some more worthless urchins some scraps."

Sage was content to march his victorious tush out of the alley without so much as another world to the doctor, but that was prior to the mention of the bag of meat pies. He faltered mid-step, his foot hovering a few inches from the ground as he mulled it over. Leaving the man to stand where he was, he hastily turned back and snatched the other bag of food, finding his own rumbling belly a much more useful home for its contents than the diseased meatbags littering the back streets.

"You can hold this," he said as he passed the bag off to his prisoner, not that the doctor had much choice in the matter. He'd carried it in, so he could carry it out. Sage did snag a pie, though, just before resuming their way out of the pretentious human town with their ignorant king.

As with all things, the witch ate with contempt. "You paid way too much for these," he snarked, secretly glad to have something to eat but unwilling to let any kind nonsense pass his lips. Also, it was true. They were alright, but hardly worth that kind of tip. Pretty basic to keep people from starving.

They'd hardly made it more than a couple dozen feet onto the main path leading out of Engloria when he heard "That's him!" from somewhere behind him. See, the mystical witchy getup with his snazzy, wide-brimmed hat was a great attention-getter, but it was also an attention keeper. As much as it made him look the part of the professional he was, it was also extremely memorable and stood out in a crowd. Peeking over his shoulder, he smelled him before he saw him, since he and the good doctor were downwind. A man who was constantly either farting or burping was frantically pointing at him, whining to the authorities. That man had come looking for a potion to give him a little extra excitement for a special someone, but Sage had been a little short on the slugjam and hollow muck that would absorb the gasses produced by the heavy hitters ground aphrostems and proggy membranes. Ungrateful jackass! One glance told him his potion worked, which was making the authorities even more uncomfortable than they already were with the onslaught of fumes, but that also meant they were more than willing to put distance between themselves and the pointy victim and chase after Sage.

"I hope that limp really was fake, old man, because we must run now," the young man said with a nasty grin on his face. There was a bit of thrill in being run out of town and nearly arrested, though at a time like this, it was getting in the way of something very important. He didn't have time to play around like usual and make fools of them. His family's lives might depend on it, and it was already quite a long journey home. Even Sage knew when to be serious.

Taking off in a full run, his spell dragged the bleeding heart he'd kidnapped along behind him. He occasionally turned to send zaps of purple magic from his fingertips that barely missed Ezra's head on their way to the guys chasing them. There was no choice but to slow them down because... as much as he wouldn't admit it, the magical boy was no athlete. He huffed and puffed from the small amount of running they'd done, looking quite vexed. No stamina, really. He was a thin, bookworm, sit-at-a-table-and-make-potions kind of guy. Taking out his spellbook, he proceeded to place invisible magic circles on the pathways and storefronts as they ran by, visiting all manners of inconvenient traps on the chasers and innocent passersby who may trip them.

Oop, there went one! No one ever expected a tsunami of swamp frogs!

Sage darted them both into an alley in light of the distraction, hoping to hide while the guards ran on by... and so he could catch his breath. Physical activity sucked! Plus, paying the energy for all the spells in such quick succession? The young mage looked about ready to topple over.

[wc: 735 || total: 3799]

Ezra blinked in confusion once the little man spat that he was no petty thief with some hint of pride. For the life of him, he couldn’t understand what the smaller man was after, Ezra didn’t think he had any enemies that would wish him KIDNAPPED. Or did he? Had the wealthy businessman decided he would take the doctor by force? That seemed silly, but not completely out of the realm of possibility, Ezra supposed.

Ezra was still preoccupied with his musings when he found the bag of sandwiches forced into his hands. Ezra noted with some satisfaction that although the rude young man claimed he had paid too much for the sandwiches, he still finished every bite of the one he had snagged. Ezra found himself following behind the rude young man despite himself, and sighed helplessly. Entertained or not, it seemed for the moment he was at this young man's mercy.

The next few moments went by extremely quickly for the good doctor. One moment they were walking the streets, the next Ezra felt as though he had been smacked in the face by a raunchy, sour smell that reminded Ezra almost of a corpse after a day in the heat. He might have thrown up himself had he not had experience keeping his stomach settled no matter the smells and sights he was experiencing. A doctor who couldn’t was hardly a doctor at all, in Ezra’s opinion. The source of the smell was a giant, rotund man who was surrounded by guards and… seemed to be pointing their way with both a bloated finger and an additional digit that strained his pants to an absurd degree. Was this a spurned lover of this young man or something?

Ezra didn’t have time to voice that particular thought before they were off, sprinting through the crowded streets with the guards and the fat man right on their trail. It was like something out of a nightmare, with the young man causing absurd amounts of chaos spraying bolts of purple lightning at their pursuers, barely missing Ezra himself with no small number of the shots. Yells of outrage and pain told Ezra at least a few of the bolts found their marks, though that was apparently not enough for the young man the doctor continued to follow. A quick point here and there as the ran, Ezra was barely able to see the hint of a spell circle before it disappeared an instant later. Seconds later, a chorus of yells and screams from the onlookers joined those of the guards signifying some kind of traps were being set off, though Ezra was unable to turn to see exactly how trapped as he was by the limb-controlling spell. Thankfully none of them sounded particularly pained, more shock and surprise.

Another trap was set off just as the young man, and by extension Ezra, made a sharp turn down a nearby alleyway. Ezra studied the man, noting just how much their short escapade had taken out of him. Ezra was certainly out of shape compared to how he had been at one point in his life, but he found himself barely winder whilst this young man seemed on the verge of collapse… he wondered idly if that could all be attributed to the difference in their races. Lapin were known for their speed, of course, but he hadn’t thought it was to this degree. Perhaps the boy's magic drained his physical stamina on top of the mental strain it caused? Ezra was now curious about the circumstances of his captor.

For a tense moment, the two waited in the alleyway as the young man sucked down deep gulps of air, watching as the cadre of guards stumbled past their current location… followed a few moments later by the fat man still sporting an extra limb and an unfortunate smell. Only after the immediate danger had passed did Ezra turn his head to his captor.

“I’m not sure what you would need me specifically so badly for, but you’re not looking so great my friend.” Ezra said carefully, attempting not to sound insulting but still tell it like it was. “I promise to tag along peacefully if you would at least be willing to tell me what might be so important you would risk this in broad daylight?”

WC: 725 Total: 4524

Whether the doctor sounded insulting or not didn't matter, the ill-tempered young man would take offense all the same. "I don't remember... asking for your... evaluation..." he huffed, internally cursing showing any kind of weakness, especially to his hostage. A hand clamped over his mouth and he stifled a fit of coughs, hoping not to attract their pursuers back to their hiding place.

He was lucky enough to avoid whatever mysterious disease afflicted his mother and twin sister, but he wasn't exactly the healthiest of people. While verbally admitting it would happen when The Shambles became a public theme park for all the races, he was well aware that his body was more fragile than it should be. The way he coughed and wheezed as soon as he began to run or fight was a clear indicator, and there was a reason he relied so heavily on alchemy and magic spells. Plus, he got a cold every single time he was caught in the rain.

Perhaps it was being so winded that drew the honesty right out of him, or maybe it the urgency he could scarcely hide behind an upturned face and smug smirk, but the witchy lad suddenly blurted it right out. "It's none of your business!" he instinctively snapped, though really, it was every bit of this guy's business once he'd been kidnapped, wasn't it? "My family needs a doctor and you were dumb enough to walk alone into an alley and do some miraculous crap." By miraculous crap, he meant a blend of real medical knowledge and healing magic, a combination that was apparently so rare that he'd never seen it before. Combined with his own knowledge of botany and alchemy, this seemed like his best and last shot.

Sage was still hiding behind some sort of mean-spirited bravado, but there was nothing he could do to keep the desperation and fear out of his azure eyes, so he hid them by pulling the brim of his hat low. He'd tried everything he knew to do and had searched high and low for anything to save them. It was a big world and travel was hard with transportation and palliative care being so expensive. He was losing them and it terrified him more than anything else in this big, cruel world.

"Don't think I want your pity. I'll pay you once they are cured," he added, finally able to breathe a bit better. It was time to get moving again, and this time he took them on a path through the back alleys until they were peaking out at the main gate and freedom. Sage paused to peek his head out, searching for any sign that they were planning an ambush as soon as he and the doctor made for the exit. With any luck, they'd think the pair was still hiding in this human dump.

Taking the risk, the young witch quickly marched himself and the blond man out of the alley, across the cobblestone main street, and right to the gate. His grimoire was back in his hands. At least he was smart enough to be prepared.

"There he is!" Sage heard his former customer cry, and thus he rattled off an enchantment in a strange language that filled the area with thick smoke. Or rather, a thick cloud that would proceed to rumble with thunder and rain snakes.

The screams were delicious. They brought a twisted grin to his devilish face. "Time to run, gramps!" he tossed back at his prisoner, once more doing what he hated and dashing out of the city and into the open countryside to their ultimate safety. Sage was merely a nuisance and maybe a bit of a conman, but he hadn't caused so much trouble that the guards would chase him further than the city walls. Mr. Pointy Pants might feel differently, but he didn't seem keen on flouncing out into the wilds in his condition either. "Whew..."

It was going to be a long journey to his hometown.

[wc: 672 || total: 5196]

The immediate vitriolic reaction Ezra received from the young man was something that he had expected, even if he had hoped against hope for a more amiable reaction. No, what truly surprised Ezra was, as the young man had worked to catch his breath, he let slip that his reason for needing the Lapin doctor was in order to cure his family. The look in the young mans eyes before he hid them under the brim of his somewhat outlandish act lended credence to the story. Ezra couldn’t help but be moved by that, and his normal happy-go-lucky facade slipped to something slightly more somber.

A small corner of himself whispered that this could all be an act, and that this young man hadn’t exactly shown any real redeeming qualities, but Ezra quieted that voice down almost immediately. He had decided long ago to try to believe the best in everyone and to be the change he wanted to see in the world, no matter what his darker instincts might whisper. The boys’ bitter rebuking of any pity and promise of payment after this was said and done served to remind Ezra of the exact negativity he was up against, both inside and out, if he wanted to make any kind of change in their bleak world.

Before Ezra had time for any more introspection, his captor seemed to finally catch his breath and decided it was time for the duo to be back underway. His captor guided them through the maze of back alleys, obviously no stranger to their layout. It didn’t take long before Ezra’s mind blurred, with absolutely no need to pay attention to where he was going, guided as he was. Before he knew it, the two were staring at the front gate.

Ezra and the young man marched towards the front gate, though almost on cue as soon as they exited the alleyway that familiar voice shouted. Ezra’s attention snapped back fully to reality just in time to hear his captor recite a line seemingly out of his grimoire, the words somehow forgotten by Ezra the second they entered his ears. The results, however, were not so forgettable; a thick plume of black smoke rose up behind the duo, raining down SNAKES and thunder upon their would-be followers. If not for the binding that kept his body from being under his own control, Ezra had a distinct feeling he would have found himself in a dumb stupor given the events surrounding them.

“Time to run, gramps!” The boy shouted to the dumbfounded doctor, bringing his attention back to his captor, who sported a devilish grin. Perhaps his instincts were not so wrong after all… not that he had long to dwell on it, since his body moved at the boys command. The two ran right past the gawking gate guards, who looked as dumbfounded as Ezra felt.

The two were a ways outside the city before Ezra finally managed to gather his wits about him once more. Not only had the boys peculiar magic thrown the poor doctor for a loop, his downright villianish behaviour had had Ezra doubting himself and to top it ALL off, the boy had referred to Ezra as “gramps”. It shouldn’t have bothered him as much as it did, given the far more pressing circumstances, but he couldn’t remember a time that someone had referred to him as old. Was he going grey? When was the last time he had really had a chance to check himself in a mirror? Had it been so long?

“So… that was… impressive.” Ezra stammered out eventually. He knew he had to at least try to build up a rapport with his captor, or this trip would be even more miserable than it was already likely to be. He had been tempted to say wholly unnecessary, but that would likely sour this young mans mood even more, and Ezra was in no hurry to see what he might be like when he was truly angry given his expression after unleashing that mess back there. “My name is Ezra, by the way. Though I suppose you could just call me doc if you’re so inclined.”

After a moments pause, Ezra spoke up again. “So… uh… does your family live nearby?”


WC: 715
Total: 5911

The devious smirk was still playing on his winded face as his captive was rightfully impressed with his magical prowess. Yes, old man, marvel at your better. Sage adored feeling better than other people, probably a mix between genetics and being stepped on for most of his life by people and the universe alike. If he had a way to get even one fingernail above someone else, best believe he'd take it and flaunt it. Of course, he was impressive. Where others hesitated or blundered, the make witch tossed out whatever spell would work best without reservation. His collection of spells were unrivaled by those still wondering Vyldermire...in his opinion anyway. His head swelled.

But also did his lungs, it felt like. He wheezed and coughed for a moment, trying to keep the pace but also falling victim to his own treacherous body.

"I feel more inclined to keep calling you gramps or something like it," protested the young man, a true contrarian to the end. As Ezra would quickly learn, the more people wanted certain things from him, the more he was likely to do the opposite unless coin was involved. And even then, a nasty surprise was still included on the heals of whatever he'd played along with.

Ah right, the good doctor didn't know just how far they'd have to go. The docnapper idly reached over into the sack his two-legged pack mule carried, bringing out another pie and munching on it now that he could breathe again. On that note, though, he wondered how long he could keep up the spell that kept him restrained. Perhaps he should be thinking up a plan B...

"I live in what used to be a town called Endor. No one lives there anymore other than my mother, my sister, and the caretaker I pay," he explained, surprisingly upfront with it given his earlier reluctance to answer questions. He hated to admit when anything was less than perfect, but he was going to see the craphole relatively soon. Might as well. It was going to be a long trip, and no one recognized Endor anymore anyway. The witch population had gradually joined up with the others in The Shambles after his good for nothing father left. "Just so you know, it's basically a rundown dump surrounded by other dumps and bogs. And lots of birds. Near the river northeast of Sinhaven. However, while I can call it a dump, you can't. We used to have the healthiest ingredient fields and the best trained birds, and so you will pretend it's still just that."

As he spoke, his tone was a bit odd. He hadn't been home in a long time. It felt strange to be heading back, especially when he was terrified of what he'd find but unable and unwilling to show it. Sage wasn't a hopeful soul, so in a way, he was already expecting the worst. A particularly dark thought seemed to hit him and he soured. "That old bag better not have been taking my money this whole time while they turn to dust in their deathbeds!" he said suddenly, fierce and wild at his own thoughts. "If I find them both dead and that woman's pockets fat, you'll be helping me dissect her for usable parts."

The outburst soothed him a little, enough to notice a carriage nearby. He paused, blue eyes considering beneath his showy hat. "Now, what do we have here?" he asked, the corners of his mouth quirking upward a bit. Scanning the area, he saw a neko male half-hidden behind a tree. The driver, eh? Thought it was safe to take a leak and leave his unicorn and cart unguarded.

Poor sap.

"Well, they say while the cat's away," he muttered under his breath, sprinting toward the unattended feet-saver. This would cut down travel time and spent energy quite a bit. Riding by cart would likely mean he could restrain the man physically and release the spell!

Dragging the doctor up into the wide driver's seat with him, Sage seized the reigns and gave them a snap, lurching the cart into motion, much to the screaming neko's dismay. He had hardly even gotten his pants up when they were too far to catch up with on foot. "WOOOHOOO!" Sage whooped, though the cart was careening from side to side like he was drunk driving. Had the young man ever driven a carriage before? Nope!

[wc: 742 ||  total: 6653]

The wandering lapin doctor had to admit that this case so far had him baffled. He had never met someone quite as unrepentantly selfish as this strangely dressed boy, at least insofar as his actions in front of Ezra had led him to believe. Yet, on the same note he didn’t get the feeling that the boy was lying about his reasoning for kidnapping him… it was always possible that the boy was lying of course, but considering this binding spell seemed to have Ezra well in hand it seemed unnecessary. Not only that, his conviction when he had mentioned it just seemed genuine, despite his other actions causing Ezra to wonder if the boy truly had the capacity to care about anyone other than himself.

Another coughing spurt from the young man reminded Ezra of yet another concern that had been slowly growing in his mind; this boy hardly seemed the epitome of health himself. Ezra could hardly be certain without doing a real checkup, but this young man seemed awfully weak for someone the doctor estimated to be about in the prime of his life. The boys magical prowess and pale complexion almost made Ezra believe it was simply the fact he was more suited to the life of a bookworm, yet his quick thinking, if selfish actions in the face of adversity seemed to show that this young man was too worldly to be a mere bookworm.

With a sign and a shake of his head, the doctor decided it wasn’t worth racking his brain over right at the moment. He listened with interest as the boy was surprisingly upfront about their destination, even if he had never heard of Endor. Sinhaven though... that rang a bell for the doctor. He had heard of the major settlements of the Eldritch, and he had even pencilled in Sinhaven as an eventual destination in his mental map, even if he hadn’t had any intention to head in that direction for some time yet. He supposed whether he was ready or not the decision had been made for him. Maybe by the time the two had made their way to this “Endor” Ezra might finally figure out how to interact with the boy, Ezra thought wryly.

The unexpected outburst from the young man caught Ezra by surprise, painting a dark picture of what the doctor and his captor might be returning to. If the boy’s treatment of those chasing the two was any sign of what lengths he was willing to go to just to escape, the doctor worried about what fate such a betrayal could lead to. If the boy gathered all of his help like he had gathered Ezra, though, the doctor could hardly eliminate the possibility that they might be walking into just that. He sincerely hoped that the rumours of the cruelty of the Eldritch people were overblown stories that the human folk spread rather than truths.

As the duo came across the temporarily abandoned carriage, both Ezra noticed it at about the same time. The frown that formed on the doctor's face matched the grin that formed beneath that hat, the boys' excited plans likely matching perfectly with Ezra’s fears. Those fears were realized as the duo broke into a sprint towards the unattended carriage, the driver seemingly oblivious as he relieved himself behind a nearby tree.

The thought to shout a warning had crossed Ezra’s mind for only a moment before he quickly reconsidered. The driver was likely far safer being oblivious to his situation until it was too late to change it than to be warned and catch a face full of snakes or whatever other nefarious spells the boy might have in his arsenal! Instead, Ezra strained against the confines of the spell that currently entrapped him, and to his surprise he was able to manage just a little bit of wiggle room. The doctor wiggled his fingers near his belt loop, barely managing to make enough of a gap that his coin purse was allowed to fall free of its confines to the ground. It wasn’t much, but it was better than nothing at least. With any luck, the carriage might eventually make it’s way back into the neko’s hand as well, though the doctor wasn’t about to hold his breath for such an outcome.

Ezra was dragged onto the driver’s bench beside the boy then they took off with a loud whooping, swerving back and forth on the road as the boy wrestled the reins for control. Ezra looked back as the city faded into the distance, after a few seconds seeing a catfolk struggling to pull his pants up as he got back to the road to find his carriage speeding away from him. In the same way watching a train wreck was mesmerizing, it was impressive just how much chaos this boy could cause in such a short amount of time… though Ezra decided against sharing that little tidbit with his captor.

“I don’t suppose I could- WHOA!” Ezra began as they tore off down the road, barely swerving to avoid finding a ditch the hard way as the boy fought with the reins. Ezra had been about to ask the young man his name, especially since it seemed they would have a long way to travel together, but instead he couldn’t help but exclaim, “Have you ever driven one of these things?!”

"Nope!" Sage called back in answer over the frantic squeaking of the carriage wheels and the confused gallops of the steed he tried to control. His face was alive with pure adrenaline and maybe a little bit of stress, but certainly not a single ounce of remorse. He even laughed a bit, though it wasn't a particularly pure sound. The young witch brimmed with the confidence that he could get the hang of this rather quickly, but whether that would be the case or not remained to be seen. It was even more difficult to do it one handed, since his other was occupied by keeping his giant hat from blowing off. However, after a few more moments of swerving at unsafe speeds, he figured out that tugging back on the reigns would slow them, and when they were slower he had a bit more control. Though he wanted to get home as soon as possible, there was something to be said for taking enough care to actually arrive in one piece.

The unicorn seemed to know that the current driver was not the most upstanding citizen, since it rebelled against its trained nature every so often and tried to run them off the road, but it wasn't anything some screaming and vicious tugging on the leather strips in his hands couldn't correct. Once things were calm enough, the devious urchin sighed, his body and face showing signs of fatigue now that the adrenaline was wearing off. The spell on his captive was wavering dangerously, so much so that if the man made an honest try of moving around, it'd likely give out. Acutely aware of this fact, Sage searched deep inside himself to his spent magic battery, hovering just enough for him to cast another small spell that required little upkeep. Hopefully this old guy ended up being as "good hearted" as he tried to play at.

Rustling around in his satchel, the young man produced a small length of rope. He tied it around his own wrist and then Ezra's. "Gilpherisha abluntik boros, venilo hekspher zyrq," he muttered, and just as his eyes and hands flashed with purple energy, an aura of the same color coated the poor-man's handcuffs and made them unable to be untied, severed, or otherwise broken.

Slumping back in the driver's seat a bit, clearly exhausted, he did his best to seem like he wasn't. "I've released the other spell for now since there's no sense in full body control when we'll be riding for a while. But don't think you can escape! I have you bound to me, and one false move and I can still liquify your innards," he threatened, though this time it was a bluff. Barring severing a limb, even if they did run, the doctor would have to drag Sage like dead weight. "Be grateful that you can stretch now. No one can say I'm not benevolent. Get comfortable I guess, old man."

[wc: 494 || total: 8052]