“Gosh you guys are totally like, the flattest, most boring people I know.. you kill my vibe.” Tobi yawned, strolling along the path alongside us. 

We walked in silence for the majority of it, Tobi occasionally pointing out wild rabbits and deer in the wilderness around us, and Emery often pondering over the plants, but otherwise no other interaction was particularly made. Which was how I liked it, no loud noises, no weird appearances, tricks, abilities, species, just plain old silence. Me and him were the best of pals. 

This continued on for a bit, until Tobi suddenly brought us all to a stop. 

“Aha my dearest friends! This is where I’ll get good old Seth his mighty disguise! It is.. right in this shop!” Tobi beamed, pointing gleefully at the shabby old cottage infront of us. It looked nothing like a shop. 

“Ah, good old ‘Potions and Ashes’, I haven’t see Mx Ash in quite a while!” Tobi said, wiping an imaginary tear from his cheek. “Anyways good friends, onwards!” 

He bounded into the shop, leaving both me and Emery to both slowly make our way up the stone path and enter the shop behind him.

The shop looked like something out of a storybook, ones children were told to help them sleep at night. The walls were plastered in shelfs, bearing their bright potions that glowed ever bright. Directly across from the door, at the back of the room, stood a wooden counter at which Tobi was leaning his elbow on, chatting away to the thing behind it. It was a stunning creating with pale porcelain skin, and luxurious black hair that flowed endlessly down it’s shoulders. It had thin gold circular glasses, and appeared to be wearing a crown of antlers, and a silky black gown. 

Tobi turned to face me. 

“Ah, you guys haven’t met, but this is Mx Ash of ‘Potions and Ashes’ my dearest friend! Aren’t they just stunning?” Tobi winked at the figure behind the counter. 

“Hey Ash, long time no see huh?” Emery perked up, engaging in the conversation. 

“It’s been a while, how have you been darling?” Ash enquired in their soft voice. 

“I’m alright, uh, are you perhaps able to make a disguise for my friend here?” Emery twiddled his thumbs about as he responded, awaiting a hopeful ‘yes’. 

“Well I suppose I could.. it’ll cost you though, you know I don’t do things for free darlin.” Ash said, twirling their black hair with their fingers. 

“Just put it on my tab Ash, I can cover it.” Tobi stretched, somehow already having too much energy to spare. I didn’t understand this guy. 

“If you say so hun..” Ash responded, scribbling something in a book. “Anyways, you may want to stay for the night sweethearts, the disguise will be done fairly soon, but it’s getting late now and wolves lurk in the shadows round this place at night..” 

“I suppose we’ll probably have to..” Emery sighed, defeated by the walk. 

Tobi scratched his chin, “I could have sworn yesterday we would have made it by tomorrows morning, but I suppose my calculations were wrong? Ah well, I can’t be right all the time I suppose..” He sighed, as if he was crushed by this news. I definitely didn’t get this guy. 

Ash opened the barrier to behind the counter and allowed us through to the living accommodation. Carefully guiding us through their endless amounts of books and scrolls, they showed us to separate guest rooms, and wished us good night, in a hurry as to begin the disguise crafting. Tobi wished both me and Emery goodnight, as he stepped into his own guest room, and closed the door. Then Emery was next, wishing me a goodnight also and then following Tobi’s actions in stepping into his own room and closing the door. That left me. 

I slowly stepped foot into my guest room, shut the door behind me, and almost instantly flopped onto the comfy bed mattress. I hated to admit it, but I was tired, so very tired, and something in my gut told me it would be far worse as the journey went on. Best to treasure the sleep now as it came to me served on a silver platter.

Yeah. 

..

Yeah.