⌠2nd Xplorer⌡

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The alchemist seemed to be stuck by Lento's dagger. "Aha, take that! Nice work Len-" Aivery's voice whimpered away at his first sight of Lento after the bottle was thrown. He was in a seemingly critical condition, someone had to treat him! The alchemist is free to hit, but I can't leave Lento like this! He ran over and grabbed onto his fallen comrade's arms. He started to drag him out of the inn, even using his wings in a futile attempt to propel him forward.
 
When Aivery had finally got out of the tavern all the clients and crew were outside. Some drunkards rescued the three slaves; two in bad condition, the dark elf was unscathed.

(Aivery can roll his 1d6 to heal, but he'll have to choose where each die go; also, +50 exp to both)
 
Seemingly safe for now, Aivery called upon his holy magic to attempt to heal those hurt. Unable to focus, he finds himself only capable of lightly healing Lento and the slave the alchemist harmed before running out of juice.

"Sorry I couldn't do more." The halfling pouted.
 
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Aivery's healing light is enough to bring back the girl, but Lento will need a good night of rest. Ron checks the girl blasted by Aivery to find a black hematoma on her chest.

"She'll scream and cry with this bruise, but she won't die." Ron smiles, lying the slave girl on the floor and looking back to the tavern. "Come on, we need to get out of here!" He screams to Rina.

A big crash is heard from where the alchemist was stuck: Rina used the flat side of her blade to hit the alchemist's butt like a baseball player hitting the fastest ball he could ever seen in his life, breaking the wall in the process and punishing even more that crazy, and now passed out, man. Guards finally come and ascertain the situation fast, dealing with the alchemic fire and treating the injured. Aivery is questioned and treated as well.

The next day...

"... and that's the plan. Got it?" Ron was explaining to Aivery what he and Rina usually do in dungeon crawls, allowing to the winged priest to imagine how and when his abilities should be used. "As we are usually a pair with a hireling to pack our findings, your healing ability will be the best thing we got till now. And, of course, Lento's arrows." Ron smirks at the sleeping man, Lento didn't woke up since their last battle and it was already past noon. Ron get up from the chair and picks a bread from the table. "The only problem here is where to get a hireling, now that our fight got so much unwanted attention."

Knocks at the door. The wooden doors of Shaved Dog Inn didn't had any lock, so prudence was always necessary. "Look what I found!" Rina comes in in a burst, dragging a dark skinned girl. "She said she wants to go with us, that's so cool!" Aivery recognized that dark elf in the spot.

nathalia.png
 
"I understand your plan perfectly!" Aivery responded with a small salute and smile. Even if a dungeon crawl sounded like it could go horribly bad, after so much time spent alone, it was just good to be around others. It also felt good to be around taller people as well, it gave him a sense of security. That... and the fact that monsters would more than likely target them first.

Suddenly, Rina busted in with peculiar luggage. "Ah, it's that dark elf girl!" Remembering what had happened to her, he ran over and started to inspect her. "You are fine from yesterday, yes? Any pain or uncomfortableness?" If she had any more injury, he could always try to heal her right up.
 
It seemed that the lasting damage wasn't as bad as he had thought. Groaning as he woke up, Lento found himself in an unfamiliar room. His vision was still a little blurry, and with his fist, he rubbed them clear. There were voices in the background as well, but, still in the delirium of sleep, he was unable to tell who was talking, and what they were talking about. His fingers hurt as well, but the pain was manageable by now. Pushing himself up slowly, it took the blond man a minute or two to get his bearings.

He was in an inn room with Aivery, Rina, Ron, and an unfamiliar voice. Then, his stomach grumbled, having been empty since noon of yesterday.

"Morning," Lento said, with a big, wide yawn, "Looks like I'm back to normal again. Got food?"
 
Aivery's curiosity alarmed the dark elf girl a little, forcing her to hide behind Rina. "Haha, aren't we cute, now?"

As Lento slowly rose up from the sheets, he noticed some art in the walls: paintings, a sculpture, some toys... then something stroke him: "that's what an Alta Grade does, embellishiment." But how an artist alchemist got hold of effective poisons, bombs and magic?

"This girl's name is Nathalia, she told me she wanted to repay our bravery and to live in the name of those who perished... I got that right?" Rina tries to force her voice like an old man giving a speech, but the owner was a girl. "Von Ricas, the whacko who fought you guys, gave us the antidote and now Nathalia is fine and well!"

"... and the other two girls?" Ron frowned. "Well, they are still being treated by the doctors, I think someone will buy them this week." Ron sighs. "So... WE have to go down there..."
 
Ah. Aivery figured he scared her. Wait, if she knew it was his fault one of her friends now has a laser beam sized wound on them, it would make total sense why he would seem scary. At least he hoped that was the case, and not the fact he might have a naturally scary face or anything else wrong. Maybe it was the wings.

From the look of things, they were going to have to go down the sewers after all. A little chill ran down his spine. The sewers... a dirty, dark, dirty, dangerous place that is full of whatever controls those insect things... and it's dirty. Whatever he decides to wear, he was going to have to remember to bless it with cleanliness before going down.

At Lento's awakening, Aivery gave a big dumb smile. "You're awake Lento!" Aivery ran over to his faux patient and tried to sit him back on the bed. "You shouldn't get up already. Rest a little more, okay? I'll make you something good in a little bit!" He actually didn't know how to cook, but that was something you have to do when looking after sick people.
 
Wait...struck by a sudden realization, Lento realized why the term 'Alta Grade alchemist' was so familiar to him. They were alchemists that made pretty dyes and things, an artistic profession. So how did that bomb bastard make those soporific potions and those explosives? The archer narrowed his eyes at this, before smiling at Aivery. "I'm fine," he said, flexing his bandaged fingers, "But food sounds great right now."

It looked like one of the slaves were going to help them in what seemed to be a fun little excursion into the sewer as well. Rubbing the back of his neck, Lento nodded, "Well, I was planning on doing something like that anyways. Does anyone here know anything about that Insect King?"
 
"A myth, of course." Ron stood up, reaching his sword with one hand and a flannel with the other. "There's no way those insects have a queen, they are too primitive to do something so... complex." With each stroke on his blade Ron let a "huff" out of his mouth, maybe his back was hurt. "I heard that we can confirm if they are from a hive or not with a rock powder... I think Rina got it for me?"

The dwarf girl was fast to show a jar with a pink slimy liquid inside; a red eye popped from inside, looking to everyone in the room. "Oops, wrong jar!" She pushed the jar inside her backpack and showed another, a dark green powder mixed with big chunks of lime green rock. "Here it is! We sprinkle this powder on that things and if they die-"

"-if they die, they'll confirm my suspects." Ron finishes Rina's part. "Also; Nathalia, what can you do?" The dark elf girl flinched, looking back at Ron with uncomfortable eyes. "I-I can carry your things... or do anything you masters wants me to do..."
 
The explanation was pretty boring already, and with Ron giving out a huff, he was prepared for a lecture. Surprisingly though, it seemed simple enough. All they had to do was sprinkle some dust on them? Actually this dust was a little concerning.

Does it stain if it touches clothes? What about things like tables and other things that should always be kept clean?! Aivery wanted to ask these important questions, but it would probably be seen as trivial to them.

Another thing just as important on his mind however, was making Lento's food. It was going to be difficult making food when he was no good at it. It was around that time the elf girl said she was able to do anything. That must mean she can cook! Maybe she could teach me how to cook too!

"I know what you can help me with!" Aivery exclaimed. He walked over and grabbed her sleeve. "I've got a secret assignment for you!" Aivery didn't want to admit he didn't know how to cook after all. "Just follow me~" He said, already trying to drag her towards the kitchen downstairs.
 
Huh, was Aivery hit on the head recently? Or had the priest always been such a bird brain? Lento shuffled back on the bed, so his back could rest against a wall, before pointing out the fact that powder doesn't stain clothes. It'd make it dusty, but by itself, that green rock powder shouldn't mess up the halfling's precious clothes. That being said, he shot a quizzical glance towards Ron when the swordsman thought that insects were too primitive to have anything like a ruler. Did the man never notice how industrious and well-organized ants were when bringing back bread crumbs to their tunnels? Clearly, they had some sort of creature commanding them, and the insects most likely had something similar.

Lento touched his singed hair with a sigh, feeling their frayed ends. While he didn't have anything against frizzy hair, he decided that after their sewer adventures, he'd definitely need to get a hair cut or something. Whistling as Aivery dragged Nathalia with him to another room, the archer couldn't help but smirk and say, "Guess little Aivery's found another girl. Isn't it sad, Rina?"

"More seriously though, what suspects do you even have, Ron? We're heading out today, right?"
 
Nathalia whited out when Aivery grabbed her sleeve and pulled her out from the room (she didn't passed out). When the couple enters the kitchen they notice a pair of neko girls leaving the place: one with white hair and other with black hair. "Oh, what you two wants here?" Says the cook, a mature woman in her late 40's. Her kind eyes and brown dress gave the impression she was someone's grandmother.

"Huh?" Rina tilts her head, crossing her arms in a confused expression. "He said he didn't felt anything for girls."

"Suspects, what to you mean? Someone working with those insects? I think not, as if this powder works as intended then we'll have a nasty answer." He sits again, leaving his polished at the table. "When this powder is sprinkled in oversized germs they tend to explode. This is what will happen to those creatures: mini explosions."
 
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At some point during his pulling, she became really easy to drag around. She probably accepted her fate as his mentor when it comes to cooking. Surely Miyudane would grace the elf for helping one of her children. With a simple "Good day." he greeted the two neko girls before entering the kitchen.

Giving another bow to the cook, he began to explain his master plan to the cook. "I'm here to cook a friend his breakfast and-" Aivery pulled Nathalia in front of him. "-she's going to help!" He gave the cook a smile. "She said she was able to anything I asked, so I'm having her help me make food." the halfling stated bluntly, unaware of any implications that the phrase gives.

After a few seconds, Aivery realized something. "Wait, your a cook master too aren't you?" Like the saying goes, too many cooks make the broth even better. At least as far as Aivery knew. "Do you think you can give me any tips as well?"
 
Oversized germs? That sounds like a rather...interesting theory for what those insects are. But if that's the case...would this be considered a plague then? And what WOULD the plague be? What sort of magic would have grown such massive germs anyways? His face was definitely full of scepticism as he considered what Ron had said, but, nevertheless, Lento nodded. "I'll trust that you have a back up plan if they aren't giant germs then."

"When are we leaving?"
 
With a sigh of relief Nathalia looked around: pots, raw food, spices, knives and other utensils. She felt somehow safe in there.

"For a friend, hum..." The woman scratched her chin, looked for something in a bag and put it in a pot. "We can make pastel: a thin pastry envelope with different fillings, deep fried in vegetable oil. The most common fillings are ground beef, cheese, hearts of palm, cream cheese and chicken."

Ron looked fiercely to Lento. "Of course I have a backup plan: run." He looked at the window and back to Lento. "We can go soon as we get something to eat."
 
"Is that so?" It sounded pretty good to Aivery. He might have to snatch a bite for himself after it was done. "Alright, let's do that then!"

He went over to where the ingredients and food was located. I wonder what would help Lento the most. Well, Aivery needed Lento to recover as quickly as he could. I got it! That of course meant one thing, to stuff the pastel with every ingredient at once.

The halfling returned with all the possible fillings. "I want to use them all." He said with a serious look on his face.
 
"That's a bad idea, isn't?" Nathalia looked at the cook, but... "Of course you can, sweetie!" The cook simply prepared the oil pot and told Aivery how he should use the fire and oil.

(Roll Race, and try to get 5 or more.)
 
Even though his proclaimed elvish cooking coach doubted him, Aivery was able to fully cook the food without burning it. That said, he still managed to dirty his robes with the cream cheese. The fire was also hotter than he expected, causing him to sweat a little with his comfy robe on. "Hee hee, guess even I can cook if I put my mind to it." He gloated. After a short time, he managed to make some for all the others as well, full of every ingredient of course.

He brought a plate over to Nathalia. "Here, you can help me take these upstairs. Punishment for doubting me!" He laughed. He gave the cook a big thank you bow as they left the kitchen. The halfling ran up the stairs to let every one know the good news, leaving Nathalia at the bottom. Entering the room first, Aivery entered with a grin of satisfaction. "Nathalia said it was a bad idea and that I couldn't do it, but I did it anyways. I won't lie though, it was pretty tough." He said covered in cream cheese and sweat. "But it was no match for a pro like me!" He was still trying to pass as someone proficient in cooking after all.
 
"Well, let's hope your suspicions are correct then, Ron," Lento said. If nothing else, he had confidence that he could outrun the larger swordsman, and that really was what the whole thing was about, right? When running away from monsters, one didn't need to outrun the beasts themselves. Of course, it was rather Machiavellian and cold-blooded, so it'd really just be a last resort type of thing. A few minutes later, Aivery and Nathalia entered the room again, the former holding a bowl of pastries and covered in...

The archer narrowed his eyes.

"Did something explode?"
 
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