brother's retry (the beginning after the end)

strange encounter

I decided to stay home one more day before heading back to school. I was going to come back next week for the Aurora Constellate, but I guess Mother and Ellie had developed some sort of trauma, that I was going to somehow get hurt every time I left home.

As a change of pace, I was determined to spend time with my family, namely my mother and sister. Father left at dawn for work after checking up on me so it would just be myself, Arthur, and the girls. Tabitha decided to tag along and after a rather brief discussion; they wanted to go shopping. It was fairly apparent to me that they wouldn't take no for an answer.

Sigh...

I could at least use that chance to take a detour, after, to Xyrus Academy. I knew that everyone was safe according to what my parents heard from Professor Glory, but I shouldn't keep them in the dark about what happened to me for an extra day. I was also a bit worried about the condition of Tess's assimilation.

I lost count of the many places we visited after the umpteenth store but I didn't dare show my displeasure in front of the girls. While browsing through the stores, I couldn't help but find myself enjoying this. It was relaxing to just walk and listen to my family chat with each other.

"Aunt Helstea, are there stores where they sell something that can help me train faster?" Arthur asked while we headed inside a store that exclusively sold scarves.

"Hmm? You mean elixirs? Of course." Tabitha gave me a confused look as if he had asked some sort of trick question.

I'd never used the elixirs here, but if they were anything like the drugs some practitioners used in my old world, then I didn't want to go anywhere near them.

"There's actually a small elixir and medicine shop around the corner if you want to go take a look while we shop for some scarves..."

Arthur was already setting everything down and nearly took off before I got to ask him. "Hey! Wait, take this and grab me some stuff too!" I quickly pulled out a gold coin I had been saving for a rainy day and threw it to him.

"Thank you! I'll meet you in front of the store! I'll bring you the best of the best, Bro." I shouted while running out after carefully dropping the bags I was assigned to carry.

"Kyuu!" I saw Sylvie extend a paw out towards him in a desperate attempt to escape Ellie's firm hold on her but he just gave her a look of condolence before running off.

Once I registered what he had called me I nearly fainted he had never called me bro before. At least not since he found out I was red before. I guess my mother must have noticed and asked "are you alright Ash? If you wanted to go with-"

"No it's not that. I'm fine staying with you three." I gave a big smile and then picked up the bags Arthur left behind. For about thirty minutes we shopped in the buildings right around the area ending with me now wearing a red scarf, black trousers, a gray shirt and black and white shoes.

Sitting down at a table in front of the scarf shop I waited about twenty minutes before I got up and said "hey, I'm gonna go see if Arthur needs help with anything he's taking a while."

My mother gave me a slightly hesitant expression but ultimately nodded. Tabitha agreed as well and Ellie asked "can I go with you?"

I shook my head and ruffled her hair as I walked by. "It'll only take me ten mins at most so I don't think there's a need for you to come with me."

The corner I turned at led me into a narrow alleyway thugs probably used to mug unsuspecting passersby. At the end of the narrow alleyway was a dingy shack that even rats would find too revolting to live in. The wooden planks that made up the store looked like they had been painted with moss and fungus as a musty, stale air emanated out, drifting towards me. At least it complemented the sickly green weeds creeping out from the bottom of the store as if they didn't want to be stuck there.