Gilbert walked along the peaceful hallways of the tavern, his footsteps echoing softly against the worn wooden floors. It was his shift today, and the familiar scents of ale and roasted meat wafted through the air, mingling with the muted sounds of conversation and laughter from the main room. 

As he walked, he faintly heard some suspicious thuds and thumps coming from an inconspicuously closed door at the end of the hall. Curiosity got the best of him as he started to slowly approach the door.

The noise grew louder, more defined—muffled voices, a clatter of something metallic, followed by a faint, high-pitched giggle.

He opened the door cautiously, the hinges creaking slightly as he peered inside. The scene before him was bizarre and chaotic.

"-will show you my majestic-!" you stopped midway through your glorious announcement and turned to the figure at the door. 

"Right on time, newbie!" you exclaimed, a wide grin spreading across your face.

Gilbert turned towards the poor witch at the stage, who he faintly remembered was named Timothy. The witch was visibly uncomfortable, squirming in his seat.

The three other kids were sitting peacefully on a couch, chips and snacks in hand, watching the spectacle unfold with a mix of amusement and trepidation.

"You just picked the worst time to be here," Derwin said with a sigh as he looked at Gilbert, his eyes reflecting a resigned acceptance of the madness unfolding before him.

"Wha-" Gilbert was cut off as he felt a shiver up his spine when someone from behind grabbed his arm. 

Your figure on the stage was suddenly beside him, having appeared there spontaneously as if by magic. You dragged him over to one of the sofas, your grip firm but not unkind. "Come and join the show."

Katya shook her head as she watched. "Close your eyes," she advised, her voice tinged with a mix of concern and resignation.

Gilbert felt a little unnerved as he turned to you, who jolly hopped back onto the stage where the squeamish Timothy sat. You cleared your throat dramatically, capturing everyone's attention once more.

"Like I said, welcome to my potion show-off!" you announced with theatrical flair, waving your hands in the air as if conducting an invisible orchestra.

"What is this?" Gilbert whispered to Amber, who was sitting right next to him.

"I think it's best you close your eyes," Amber said with a nervous laugh, glancing sideways at the stage.

Tweet. Your little palisman, couldn't care less about the commotion. The tiny creature continued to munch on snacks on the table, its tiny beak making quick work of the treats.

Then came the painful process of watching the poor coven guard on the stage become publicly tortured and treated as a lab rat. The scene was both fascinating and horrifying, like a car crash from which one couldn't look away.

"And here is my new hair growth serum. Don't worry, this is relatively safe, I think," you smiled as you produced a bubbling vial from thin air, the liquid inside glowing an ominous shade of green.

Timothy immediately tried to bolt, but magical restraints snapped into place, forcing him back into his chair. His eyes widened in fear as you approached with the vial.

Without finesse, you poured the entire vial onto his head. The effect was immediate and dramatic. 

Poof! His head started growing a horrendously long and huge amount of hair, causing him to become completely covered in a thick, tangled mass.

"Is this legal?" Gilbert turned towards the other kids, his voice a mix of disbelief and concern.

"Yes, as long as you close your eyes," Derwin said nonchalantly, munching on chips as if this were a regular occurrence.

"Will he be okay?" Gilbert asked, his eyes wide as he watched Timothy disappear under the growing mountain of hair.

"And here I have the bald serum!" you declared, holding up a new, differently colored bubbling vial with a gleeful smile.

"Probably," Katya said, then paused as if thinking. "If you close your eyes, yeah."

Gilbert had always thought he had witnessed the most horrendous and traumatizing experiences life could offer. He had fought in battles and faced unspeakable horrors in the emperor's coven. 

But nothing had prepared him for the nightmare that awaited him in a seemingly ordinary tavern from a psychotic kid.

"What in the actual hell is that?" Gilbert's voice trembled as he watched you drag a grotesque, otherworldly creature out of what you called your "tea time room".

"My cat," you replied with an innocent smile.

"Cats don't have more than a hundred eyes! And certainly not five hands!"

Gilbert's eyes bulged as he took in the full horror of the creature. Each of its hundred eyes blinked independently, giving it a perpetually confused expression, while its five hands waved in an almost mocking manner.

"Well, then you're wrong." You huffed, seemingly offended by his lack of appreciation for your pet. Holding the leash firmly, you nonchalantly walked past the shell-shocked grown witch.

"Where are you taking that... thing?" Gilbert asked, his voice barely a whisper as he kept his eyes glued to the monstrosity that looked like it had crawled out of a horror tale.

"A walk, what else?" you replied matter-of-factly, giving the leash a gentle tug. The creature followed obediently, its multitude of eyes scanning the tavern with a curiosity that bordered on unsettling.

Gilbert could only watch in disbelief as the bizarre parade continued. He pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling a headache forming. 

"Oh Titans, I think I'm going crazy," he mumbled, his mind reeling from the surreal encounter.

Just then, Derwin, who was passing by, stood beside Gilbert. "Welcome to the club, I guess," Derwin said, patting the poor grown witch's back.

"Is this is normal?"

"As normal as anything gets around here," Derwin said, then turned to him with a serious gaze. "You'll get used to it. Or you'll lose your mind trying."

Gilbert slumped on the wall, feeling the weight of his sanity slipping away. 

He watched as you and your abominable pet strolled out of the tavern, the creature's many eyes blinking in eerie synchrony. He made a mental note to avoid the tea time room at all costs, and perhaps to reconsider his life choices.

"I think I'm having hallucinations," Gilbert said, his face contorted with trauma, eyes wide and unblinking. "I think I just saw witches turned into zombies last night."

Amber, who had been half-heartedly checking his pulse, paused. "Oh, that was one of (Name)'s potions getting out of control."

Gilbert's mouth hung open, and for a moment he looked like he was about to spit out blood in sheer disbelief. "That was real?!"

"Yes," Katya interjected with a weary sigh, barely looking up from her hex scroll. "Though it was handled briefly. No biggy."

"Am I the only one who is sane in here?" Gilbert groaned, clutching his forehead as if it might actually explode from the sheer absurdity of his situation.

Amber gave him a sympathetic pat on the back. "It's alright, we've all been there. First time I saw a werewolf breakdancing in the moonlight, I thought I had lost it too."

Gilbert gazed at his boots, feeling like he was truly about to lose his sanity. "This is crazy."

"Oh, come on," Katya said, rolling her eyes. "If you think witches turning into zombies is bad, wait until you see what happens when (Name) tries to grow plants through potions. We had to set an entire forest in fire. Twice."

"And don't even get me started on the time they contaminated the cafeteria with a laughing potion," Amber added, with a helpless sigh. 

Gilbert stared at them, his sanity hanging by a thread. "Why do I feel like I'm that side character in a badly written fan fiction?"

Amber smiled softly. "Welcome to the club."

Raine was busy these days. They had to handle many affairs in the secret organization and the political affairs in the coven system. After dealing with some affairs at the head quarters, they came back to the tavern with the most unexpected surprise.

Raine breathed deeply, clasping both hands. 

"(Name), would you mind telling me why half the tavern is trying to serenade the lamp posts?" they asked with a forced smile as they watched the chaotic scene of the tavern members weirdly hugging the lamp posts and declaring their unending love.

"I will forever love you, my dear," a tavern guard said, hugging the lamp post lovingly.

You laughed nervously, "The power of uh, love?" 

"Alright, what have you done this time?" Raine asked helplessly.

Before you could respond, Katya burst out of the tavern, her eyes blazing with fury. "YOU! GET BACK HERE!" she shouted, pointing an accusatory finger at you.

You quickly hid behind Raine, grabbing the back of their clothes. "It's not my fault that the chef mistakenly used the love potion as seasoning!" you shouted as you dodged Katya's attempt to grab you by pulling Raine and making them face her.

"Love potion?!" Raine cried out as they tried look at you you over their shoulder.

"Why would you even put that in the kitchen cafeteria?!" Katya exclaimed.

"I left it there by accident!"

"Okay, okay, stop!" Raine put a hand before you and Katya. "You contaminated the cafeteria with your potions again?!" Raine turned to you.

"For the record, it wasn't deliberate this time," you muttered, crossing your arms defensively.

Raine sighed deeply. "Do you have the antidote?"

"Probably," you replied, avoiding eye contact.

"Probably?!" Katya narrowed her eyes.

"I never expected this to happen so why would I even want to make antidotes?" You rolled your eyes.

"WHY YOU—" Katya lunged at you, but you ducked behind Raine once more, using them as a shield.

"Raine, help me!" you pleaded.

Meanwhile, across the tavern, chaos reigned supreme.

"Gross, gross, gross, help me!" Gilbert cried out, desperately trying to fend off Timothy, who was attempting to plant a kiss on his cheek.

"My feelings for you are true!" Timothy declared dramatically, arms outstretched.

Gilbert let out a not-so-manly ear-splitting girly scream and delivered a swift kick to Timothy's stomach, sending him sprawling to the floor.

"I am too tired to deal with this," Derwin grumbled, clutching a towering stack of paperwork.

"I really hope Raine comes back soon," Amber sighed, watching the affected tavern members as they hugged and professed their love to various objects, including a broom, paintings, trashcans, and a barrel of beer.

"I wanna go ouuuuut," you complained, your voice dragging out in a melodramatic whine as you stretched your limbs, sprawling over the couch with an exaggerated display of boredom.

Raine glanced up from their desk, where they were diligently working through a pile of documents. Their eyes met yours, filled with a mix of sympathy and frustration. 

"I'm afraid I cannot do that," Raine sighed, their tone resigned but firm.

"But why?" you pouted, sitting up abruptly and crossing your arms in a childlike display of defiance. "I dealt with the love potion problem yesterday!"

The memory of the previous day's chaos played vividly in both your minds. The love potion incident had led to a bad series of events, resulting in chaos and near-catastrophe within the tavern. After that, Raine had deemed it necessary to ground you in their office, a precautionary measure to prevent any further disruptions.

Raine shook their head, flipping over another page. "Yes, while you may have managed to resolve the catastrophe you caused, I fear you might start another. We can't afford to have our workers wanting to quit again."

"Oh please, we can just threaten their families and they'd never quit," you waved your hands dismissively, a mischievous grin spreading across your face.

Raine's expression turned to one of incredulous disbelief. "That is immoral! Wai- where are you even getting these ideas from?" they asked, their voice rising with a mix of incredulousness and exasperation.

"My brilliant mind, of course!" you proclaimed, puffing out your chest with mock pride.

"Using threats and violence is not brilliant, (Name)," Raine sighed deeply, pinching the bridge of their nose as if trying to ward off a headache.

You clicked your tongue and shook your head in mock disappointment. "Perhaps you will see one day."

Raine rolled their eyes, a faint smile tugging at the corners of their lips despite themselves. "I will be out tomorrow for work. Please, don't cause any more chaos, let alone an apocalypse in the tavern."

"Trust me, I won't," you laughed, the sound light and carefree, yet filled with an undertone of mischief.

"That does not sound reassuring," Raine chuckled softly, then sighed, the weight of responsibility pressing heavily on their shoulders. 

After a short silence, Raine spoke, "How is your... condition coming along?" They turned to you, their eyes filled with genuine concern.

You glanced down at your wrist. "It hasn't blown up these days, surprisingly," you replied.

"That is good to hear," Raine smiled warmly, a glimmer of hope in their eyes.

Usually, your wrist would just start to burn and your magic would blow up unexpectedly once every three weeks. However, these days, the burning and blowing up seemed to stop. It was uncanny, you didn't know what caused such change. Was it the power of being happy and free of stress? 

"So can I-"

"Nope, you'll be staying here with me," Raine cut you off, their tone gentle but unyielding.

"But-" 

"(Name)," Raine said firmly, their gaze steady and unwavering.

"Fine," you huffed, flopping back onto the couch and turning away, swinging back to being moody.

Raine watched you with a mix of amusement and exasperation, their smile tinged with helplessness. Despite the chaos you often brought into their life, there was an undeniable fondness in their eyes as they returned to their work.

It was a good day. The sun was shining, the air was blowing, the water was running, and the land was... landing...? That aside, it was a very good day.

Gilbert had just woken up, he opened his window, brewed some coffee, and breathed deeply. 

Everything should be normal. Everything should be good. He hoped not to see werewolves breakdancing, witches falling in love with lamp posts or turning into zombies, and he hoped not to see that 'cat'.

"To a normal day," Gilbert said with a smile, lifting his coffee cup in a small toast to the morning.

In high spirits, Gilbert walked towards the door, ready to embrace the day. He swung it open with enthusiasm.

"SAVE YOURSELVES! GET OU-"

Bang. Gilbert promptly shut the door.

"Must be my imagination," he murmured to himself, his smile unwavering. 

Today was still a good day.

He opened the door once more.

"RUN AWAY! HIDE EVERYONE!" Timothy shouted, sprinting down the hallway with wild-eyed terror. Behind him, a swarm of angry pixies with razor-sharp teeth buzzed like a living nightmare.

The corridor was a chaotic scene of frantic movement, people darting in every direction to avoid the vicious little creatures.

"Run! Over here!" Four familiar figures emerged from the pandemonium, making a beeline for Gilbert's room.

Gilbert barely had time to process what was happening before he was shoved backwards, his coffee spilling onto the floor in the commotion.

With a loud bang, Katya slammed the door shut behind them and leaned against it, her chest heaving as she tried to catch her breath.

Gilbert, with a smile that was starting to twist into a frown, sighed in utter defeat. "This is not a normal day," her murmured. Perhaps it was time for him to give his sanity away.

"Are you serious, Name?! Pixies?!" Katya's voice was tinged with disbelief and accusation.

"I didn't think my potion would work!" You shot back defensively.

Recently, you had been experimenting with potions that emitted scents designed to lure pixies. It was meant to be a clever way to capture the elusive creatures for their valuable ingredients, saving you the hassle of chasing them down with a net. But... some complications happened.

Hey, it's not your fault you managed to mass produce your incredibly amazing and not-so-hazardous potions through Vitimir's chalice that Darius had given to you.

Katya's fists clenched at her sides as she struggled to contain her frustration. "There was a freaking pixie infestation in Hesxide, and you thought it was a good idea to use your pixie-luring potion here in the tavern?!"

"I didn't think it would be that effective!" you exclaimed, crossing your arms defiantly. You really hadn't been expecting the potions reach so far across Bonesborough. 

Though, it may be explanatory since you did throw the potion at the lake near the tavern.

"Alright, everyone calm down," Amber interjected, stepping between you and Katya with a placating smile. "Let's focus on solving the problem at hand."

"The problem is them!" Derwin exclaimed, pointing an accusatory finger at you.

Gilbert finally chimes in, "I'm sorry, there is a pixie infestation?"

"Yes," the four of you said in unison.

Katya inhaled deeply, "Do you at least have a way to deal with this?"

A mischievous smile spread across your face as an idea sparked in your mind. "I have a solution," you declared confidently.

"Thank goodness," Derwin sighed in relief, his shoulders relaxing slightly.

"It involves fire."

"No," they all said in perfect unison.

You furrowed your brows. They didn't even ask more about what you had in mind.

"Well, do you all have a better solution?" you crossed your arms.

"I don't know, maybe you need to be the one to work on that." Katya said as she gazed at you with a hint of annoyance.

"Yeah, and I said I have a solution."

"No," they all said once more, leaving no room for argument. 

You played your flute, creating a weird melody. Your fingers glided in a rough manner, seemingly untrained of playing such an unfamiliar song whilst condensing your magic strangely. 

"HELP ME!" Gilbert shouted as he ran across the wide hall with a horde of angry pixies threatening to bite him with their sharp razor teeth.

"It's not working, (Name)!" Katya exclaimed as she struggled to keep the barrier along with Amber and Derwin intact. The angry pixies tried to chew the yellowish barrier made with magic but to no avail, causing them to choose flying after the unprotected bait running around instead.

You threw your pitch black flute up in frustration. "I told you I wasn't good at beast keeping magic!" you complained.

"Try harder!" Derwin shouted as he gagged over the salivating mouths of pixies trying to chew the barrier off.

"I am trying harder!" you shot back with frustration.

In the end, they all settled with the idea of using beast keeping magic to lure all the pixies away from the tavern. Unfortunately, you were the only one who had an inkling of how to use beast keeping magic. 

Yes, you did use beast keeping magic. It helps a lot with collecting beast parts for your potions. However, if healing magic was the basement of your rock bottom, then beast keeping was the one just above that rock bottom.

So, instead of being able to lure the pixies away, let's just say that they became more furious than before. Your music was like profanity towards them, causing them to go feral.

"I AM GOING TO DIE!" Gilbert screamed while trying to run away from the horde of pixies trying to catch up to him.

"(Name)," Amber turned to you with a worried face, beads of sweat forming in her forehead from the excessive use of magic that they weren't used to. 

"Hey newbie! You're from the emperors coven right?!" you shouted towards Gilbert who frantically ran to survive from being devoured by the hundred pixies. "Can't you do some beast keeping magic at least!"

"I don't know shit! Just save me!" Gilbert shouted as he jumped over the table. With a wave of his hands, he drew a circle in the air and conjured fire to scare the pixies away. 

Seeing the fire, your eyes glinted. You clicked your tongue and turned towards the three kids who were weary from keeping the barrier. "So, are we still going to continue your plan or mine?"

Katya took a deep inhale.

"Fine," said Amber. "But please don't set the tavern on fire again."

"Yesss!" You cheered triumphantly.

With a circle drawn in the air, a bottle of purple potions appeared in your hand. "Hey newbie!" you shouted across the hall towards the poor witch.

"Catch this!" You shouted as you threw the bottle towards him.

Gilbert desperately ran towards the purple bottle and caught it with is hand, almost tumbling to the ground. 

"Open that and get the pixies towards the lake! Don't spill it!" you exclaimed.

"Why do I have to do this?!" Gilbert cried out. Without much choice, he opened the bottle. The horde of angry pixies quickly all stopped in their tracks and turned towards the grown witch holding the alluring potion.

"AHHHHHHHH!" Gilbert screamed in the highest pitch he could muster and ran outside the tavern with all the pixies on his trail.

"Easy peezy," you huffed confidently and rubbed your hands together.

"What now?" Katya asked with heavy breaths.

"Well, we set everything on fire," you grinned deviously as you poofed another orange potion in your hand.

"I thought we weren't going to set the tavern on fire?!" Derwin exclaimed in alarm.

"No dimwit, it's a metaphor," you rolled your eyes.

"Then we better get going or else Gilbert is going to get eaten," Amber smiled wearily.

"Timothy," Raine said, their voice tight with barely restrained exasperation, taking a deep breath as if trying to calm an internal storm. "Lakes are made of water, right?" They looked at Timothy with a forced calmness.

"Yes," Timothy replied, his tone cautious.

"And water repels fire, am I right?" Raine continued, their eyes narrowing slightly.

"Yes," Timothy answered again, his apprehension growing.

Raine took another deep inhale, their lips curling into a strained smile. "Then would you kindly explain why the entire lake is on fire?"

Timothy turned to the large lake, which was engulfed in deadly hues of red, orange, and yellow. The flames danced wildly on the water's surface, casting an eerie glow on the surrounding area. 

Near the lake, a group of kids sat on logs along with many other workers in the tavern, roasting marshmallows with sticks, their faces illuminated by the flickering firelight.

"(Name)!" Raine called out, striding towards you with a not-so-happy expression etched across their face.

You sat there, a stick in hand and an abnormally palm-sized marshmallow stuffed in your mouth, looking up at the approaching figure with an innocent expression, as if oblivious to the chaos around you.

Raine's eyes scanned the scene, taking in the weary kids sitting on the logs, the new guy—Gilbert—lying on the ground half-dead, and the workers gathered around the fiery lake, beers and food in hand as they chatted and laughed. It was a bizarre and atmospheric sight, reminiscent of a camping vacation gone horribly wrong.

"What have you done this time?" Raine demanded, crossing their arms tightly across their chest.

You swallowed the large marshmallow in your mouth and grinned mischievously. "Nothing much," you said, feigning innocence. "We just decided to have a night out."

"(Name) contaminated the lake with pixie-luring potions," Katya interjected, her face deadpan.

"And caused a pixie infestation in the tavern," Derwin added, his tone equally dry.

"So, we lured the pixies out to gather them in the lake," Amber continued.

"And we burned them all," Gilbert finished, staring up at the night sky, his voice flat with exhaustion.

"A pixie infestation? Fire? Burned them all?!" Raine's face twisted with incredulity as they turned to you. "(Name)!"

You smiled guiltily. "Surprise?"

Raine took a deep, long breath, the kind that spoke of utter defeat and resignation. Then, they sat down on the log beside you. "What am I going to do with you?"

"Smores?" you offered, handing them a perfectly cooked marshmallow sandwiched between chocolate and graham crackers.

Raine couldn't help but smile helplessly. "I think I could use a night out," they admitted, accepting the treat.

The entire night took on a festive atmosphere, filled with cheer and laughter from the workers, Gilbert's occasional complaints, and lively chatter between you, Raine, and the trio. 

All of you ate with satisfaction, throwing at the back of your minds the fact that the fire used to cook the marshmallows may have caused more than a hundred pixie deaths. 

The bizarre sight of the lake engulfed in fire added a surreal backdrop to the evening, creating a memorable, if unconventional, night out. 

You sat atop the rooftop of the tavern, watching the quiet moment of Bonesborough, basking under the moonlight. The fire at the lake had long been exhausted and everyone had returned with satisfaction from the eventful night.

"I knew I'd find you here," a soft voice resounded from behind you as their footsteps slowly made its way beside you.

"Raine," you called out their name and smiled as they sat down.

"Is something wrong?" Raine asked, a hint of worry in their voice.

You laughed softly. "Nothing, just enjoying the moment I guess," you said, looking at the sky filled with stars. "I just like how things are right now."

Raine watched as you smiled with your eyes gleaming with happiness, something that they had longed to see. They smiled warmly upon seeing how happy you seemed to be. It gave them a sense of... fulfillment. 

"I wish everything could remain like this," you said, resting your arms and head on your knees. 

You were starting to get attached to this  kind of life. The life where... you didn't have to worry about your past, where you didn't need to think about the future, where you didn't think of the resistance and just spend time with Hunter and Darius, the kind of life that you feel like everything is fulfilled. 

You feared that everything that you have now, will soon be taken away from you. 

If there was one thing tat you learned, it's that nothing ever remains the same. Life constantly changes, who knows, the next moment life might just decide to throw shit at you. And you were scared of that. 

"And it will," Raine said and put a hand on your shoulder reassuringly. "Life will change but the people you love will remain."

You raised your head and smiled, scoffing at how pathetic you were for fearing of what the future holds. "That I'll bear in mind," you whispered, gazing up the moon, wishing it would remain true.

With a circle drawn in the air, Raine summoned their violin. 

"We haven't played together for a long time," they said with a knowing look on their face.

You giggled and summoned your flute. "Alright then."

You brushed your behind and stood up, flute ready in hand. Raine did the same. The two of you took your stance, back against each other.

You played your flute.

Raine played their violin.

An enchanting melody filled the air as everything seemed to stop at that moment. It was as if the universe had paused to listen, captivated by the harmonious blend of beauty and emotion. 

In that moment, the music became a living, breathing entity, wrapping itself around the soul and whispering secrets of a forgotten era.

In the hush of midnight's veil, they meet,

Two souls entwined by a melody so sweet.

Beneath the silver gaze of Luna's light,

Their instruments whisper secrets of the night.

The flute's airy sighs, a gentle breeze,

Caress the violin's strings with ease.

In harmony they dance, their notes a duet,

A symphony born where shadows met.

The sweet, enchanting melody pierced through the silent dead of the night as it swooned the ears of those who listened. You liked to call this duet piece, "A Duet's Euphoria".

It was a long time ago when you and Raine created this piece, you can still remember the days when the young adult Raine had taught you how to construct your own pieces of music. The papers were scattered around, your flute and their violin on the floor as the warm glow of the sun embraced your being.

Beneath the tender glow of the silver moon,

A guardian and a child find their cocoon.

In the soft embrace of the night's gentle hue,

They share a bond, timeless and true.

"Perfect," Raine smiled as the last note was hit.

Both of you sat under the moonlight's gaze. It was quiet, yet at the same time peaceful. You gently leaned your head against their shoulder, closing your eyes and enjoying the peaceful atmosphere.

These moments, were the moments that you treasured most. Moments that you wanted to keep going. You hoped and prayed to the Titans for everything to remain as it is now.

Upon a blanket, under the celestial gleam,

They sit together, sharing dreams.

Their head rests on their shoulder light,

As they bask in the beauty of the night.

Author: Awww, what a sweet moment. *ruins the happy moments by writing whack angst the next moment*

Just kidding:P