Before Norbert could even say anything to Elizabeth back at the inn, he saw that everyone else had returned. Martitia stared at him, not saying anything as she indicated to the two latest members sitting at the centre of the room, the rest of the scouts surrounding them.
Turning back to Elizabeth, before he could say anything, she was already making a beeline to the back room, where the kitchens and food storage were. He heard a familiar voice before he could say anything or follow her. "Norbert, is that you? Watch wearing that monkey fit for?" They asked.
Turning to the two in the centre, Norbert wondered until recognition sparked on his face. "Grossly, what the hell are you doing here, man? And you to Chip. How did you even get moved here?" Norbert asked the two.
The room grew quiet. "Wipe-out of both our crews; only half numbers left, so move around," Chip said. Norbert just stared at Grosly as the man looked down. The bravado he once had now beaten out of him by the remark.
Norbert just nodded. "Well, at least the two of us can meet up like this. There is always a silver lining." Norbert replied. Receiving a few head turns about his remark before the group shrugged his shoulders.
Dobert turned to Mathews. "You know what this means?" He asked the other man.
"Well, of course, but a night of drinking to the two recruits. Hey Martitia, when do we start again?" He asked her.
Martitia piping up from the bar, "Heading out tomorrow, haven't been notified what we are after this time. Just said that it's big." Before taking another swig of her drink.
Dobert turned to the others, "Looks like we'll be drinking in today." He said as he walked to the bar, placing glass after glass on the bar and finally stopping with ten lined up. He poured out a clear liquid in a line, one after the other, spilling some over.
Norbert just smiled, knowing that it would be one hell of a night with this crew. As the others walked forward, taking the first drink of the night, Chip didn't move. When the others looked, he said booze didn't mix with him.
Dobert and Mathaos told him only one: he was suitable for a tradition of all new people. Norbert just stared between the two of them as he shook his head, knowing this hadn't happened at all to him. Chip relenting and drink in hand as one, they all downed the glass as one, hearing coughing all over.
The alcohol burned Norbert's throat as he stared at them all, happy that he was with all these people and unable to hold back on going to the next place.
***
"EVERYONE, WE'RE GOING TO BE LATE!" Norbert shouted to everyone in the main room. Clothes half taken off, the smell of booze and puke rich in the air. He looked at the bodies on the floor, counting up and saw more people there than he started. He shook his head as he remembered the night before.
Groaning filled the room as the others stared at him like a madman. Not giving in, he roused everyone, finally content when everyone started heading outside to wash themselves up.
Norbert nodded in approval as he headed upstairs to Martitia's room. Knocking twice, he declared he would enter. He was slowly opening the door. He ducked his head into the room. Seeing on the bed was a sleeping Martitia, the covers wrapped all around her. As he started walking in, about to wake her, he spotted the extra head there.
Silently, Norbert crept away to the chest, not wanting to disturb the two. Ruffling around, he brought the clothes and weapons he wanted and took the medical supplies. As he stood up, he carefully opened the door; turning around one last time, he thought he saw movement from the guest. Dismissing it, he closed the door, counting for several seconds before banging on it. "Wake up, it's time to head out before we're late!" He shouted through the door.
Hearing groaning from the other side, she almost imagined Martitia leaning forward, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes as her companion nudged her awake and let her know what was happening. Walking away, Norbert stood at the top of the stairs, content that everyone was moving about now.
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***
Walking into the waiting room, Dousan turned, surprised at seeing the scouts enter. Opening his arms as welcoming, he shouted across the room, "Surprised to see you all here so early!"
Everyone from the scouts just hissed in pain, giving the man death stares as they sunk into their chairs. Norbert, leaving them, stood beside Dousan, the two clasping arms together, grabbing each other's wrist.
"Yeah, I had to rouse them up to arrive on time. Nobody is too happy, but we are all here and ready to go. Though I don't expect to see them doing their job for the first day." Norbert replied as he turned around, looking at the sorry states of the scouts.
"It's all good; they are mostly like that, so nothing is unusual. They normally don't hit it this bad. Guess you give them a good reason to go that bit." Dousan replied.
Norbert just snorted his agreement. Although he had the most, he was the first on his feet, as usual. Dousan turned around, stepping away. "We leave in half a cycle. Need to plan for this expedition so it's not similar to the last," Dousan said to Norbert.
Just nodding in response, Norbert left the leader to walk away, staring at the others at his table and shaking his head. Obsius chirped, "Yeah, you can also hold your liquor pretty well." Norbert replied to the bird.
***
Everyone began shuffling around; Norbert opened his eyes, having closed them for a moment to rest them and having gotten no sleep the night before. The scouts were shaken awake as they all looked around bleary-eyed, some wondering how they made it out of the inn and into this bar. A few want to order another drink. They all got carried out of the room as Norbert followed behind, their entire expedition getting stares as they made it to the portal.
Dousan, leading the way, headed to a portal, already activated. As Norbert stepped through the portal, he felt his body elongating again until he stepped out and instantly felt humidity hit him. He continued to walk forward, feeling he was swimming more than walking.
As he looked around, he found himself surrounded by flora. Trees and bushes and vines everywhere. Staring up, Norbert saw a canopy above, the vines along the trees circling them. He was very much so in a jungle.
Walking further down, Norbert took his jacket off, trying to cool himself off before he sweated too much. Looking around, he placed it in his backpack, seeing that everyone else had done the same. Reminding back to the lava room, this wasn't hot, just crazy humid. Stepping forward, Norbert looked at one of the bushes with large green leaves.
Flicking it, the ground had a spray of water; Norbert just shook his head as he wiped his brow, seeing watermarks on his sleeve. Hoping he would get used to the temperature quickly and stop all the sweat, he looked around, wondering where the village or town was.
On the ground, Norbert spotted a wooden ladder climbing up a tree. Following it with his eyes, he looked up, now able to see the village. Nestled within the trees, the houses popped out at him—paths connecting them all as Norbert stared at them all there. Leaning out of the balconies were the people of this settlement, seeing their dark skin as they stared down at him.
On the bridges connecting it all, some people were leaning over, shouts popping up across the place as others stared at them. Wondering what all the commotion was about. Norbert felt the flatter of wings as Obsius left his head, watching the bird's flight. He saw her land on the traveller's head.
They nodded as their eyes met, and the traveller started talking to the bird, nodding along as they received chirps in response to the story being told. Norbert wondered what the bird told the person, hoping she wasn't throwing him under the bus again. As he looked at the two of them, he thought to himself the bird probably was, saying what a buffoon he was at the docks,
Looking around the group again, Norbert saw they started to head up the ladders and into the trees. Norbert walked towards the one that Dousan was climbing up, shouting, "Want me to head out to scout now?"
Dousan shouted back, "Negative, bring everyone else up here."
Norbert nodded in response, confirming that he heard them. He began ushering the rest of the expedition, wondering what was in the jungle that he would need to wait and talk to the locals. Ushering everyone up, I was surprised when the traveller came, portal deactivating, the blue smoke slowly dissipating into the air.
Following along, Norbert went up the steps, nodding to those he had seen along the way as the local children pointed, whispering between each other. The din surrounding him, unable to pick up the voices of everyone, unable to individuate them.
Following everyone, he spotted Dousan and the other leaders heading into a cabin in the tree. Slowly, everyone stepped through, Norbert standing at the back by the door, ensuring everybody made it up fine. As he poked his head through the entranceway, he nodded in approval of what he saw. The number of people in the large room had everyone packed like a can of sardines. On a skin hanging between two posts, Norbert saw the depiction of a beast. He was looking like a bear with antlers coming out of its head.
Staring at the beast, Norbert wondered if that was what he needed to take down. As thoughts swam through his head, the villager at the front voice echoed throughout the hut.