Holding the bucket, Norbert could feel the same changes again throughout his body. All at once, black liquid poured out of him. Puking it up, he saw it start to sweat through his skin. Whipping the tears from his eyes, they came back black; when he looked at his hand, confusion on his face before he re-doubled again and was lost in pain.
***
Norbert woke up several times, consciousness coming for him and sitting over the bed, unable to move his body an inch before he needed to puke up something more. Each time it took longer before his body needed to expel anything. Sitting there waiting, Norbert slowly looked around. The once-white sheets now had a black circle originating from himself.
Slowly Norbert looked down, seeing the pool of black filth around his feet. Shuddering, Norbert slowly stood up, feeling his feet squelching on the floor. Careful to step in the least amount of black liquid, Norbert made his way over to his bag of clothes.
Seeing that a towel and bucket of water were placed near it, Norbert quickly washed himself down. The towel afterwards becomes noticeably darker. When he had finally clothed again, Norbert breathed in, satisfied that the trial was over.
As he stood there, he listened to the sounds around him; he could hear the cries and whimpers around him, the groans and the rustling of blankets. Hearing people walking around the room he was now in. Able to hear each distinct person.
Shocked at what the elixir did, improving what he heard, Norbert thought about what it could do for his other senses. He is not looking forward to the intense smells he can now smell with it. Norbert slowly looked at the black filth once more without thinking about how this area would be.
His eyes grazing over his bed, Norbert spotted Obsius sitting on the opposite end of himself, on the end of the bed, just staring at Norbert. With a smile, Norbert picked up the little bird, cradling it like a baby and patting it down.
Chirping to itself, Obsius started wiggling around; Norbert placed it on his shoulder again. Satisfied that everything was right, the room suddenly went bright. Looking down, Norbert saw the circle appear on the ground. Quickly, Norbert threw the belt on the bed, not wanting to explain that to anyone. As he was about to take off his coat, Norbert once more was surrounded by darkness.
Looking out into the black expanse, Norbert looked at himself, now able to see his knees. Norbert was happy at the progress made. As he stared out into the darkness, waiting to be sucked into his world, he thought he saw something twinkling in the distance. Before he could look closer, light surrounded him once more; before Norbert was surrounded in the half-light.
Looking around, he was back on the street, just outside the pizza shop. Looking to the side, Norbert saw the discarded pizza. Picking it up, it was still warm. Quickly Norbert felt around and confirmed he could feel his phone. Relief overtaking him, he pulled it out and confirmed it could be used; swiping around the device made him smile.
Norbert picked up the pizza, feeling Obsius dig into his shoulder, knowing the bird had made it with him. Smiling again, Norbert ran towards his apartment, pizza in hand and stomach grumbling and not wanting to leave Jack waiting too long.
***
As Norbert stood before his apartment door 17, he awaited a response. Able to hear Jack inside watching TV, he heard him scruffle around, complaining to himself then. As he stepped up and opened the door, he stopped and looked at Norbert.
Jack looked at Norbert confused, only for realisation to hit his face a couple of seconds later when he looked down and saw the pizza box in his hand.
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"Dude, where did you go? You've lived in a forest for the past month."
Grabbing for the pizza box, Jack placed it on the kitchen table, opening it up, the steam rising off it. Ripping the pizza box in two, he moved his four slices to the side, picked up half of the box and made it to the couch.
"So where did you get your fancy new coat and still have time to get the pizza? The same place you grew your hair."
"Yep", Norbert replied. "The very same place."
"Keep your secrets then", Jack whispered under his breath, slowly going quiet as he started watching the tv.
Sitting at the table, Norbert looked at the pizza he hadn't had. Sitting down again, his mouth-watering, Norbert took a bite, an explosion of liquid engulfing his mouth. Tears went down his cheek in joy at the sensations he had. That was the best slice of pizza Norbert had ever put in his mouth.
Smiling, he looked at the other slices. Pulling one apart, he rested it on the side for Obsius. The bird saw landed as well and began pecking away at it. The two of them sat in silence, only the sound of the tv and the biting and chewing coming from around the room.
When Norbert had finished, he sat back, feeling content at being full. Reaching over, he took a sip of his cup of water, looking at the ceiling. Thoughts went through his head. What would he do now in the other world? Feeling around, Norbert removed the pendant around his neck, which still glowed the same amount. Spinning it around on its cord, he saw it climb up and back down. He was looking at the glowing stone in the centre.
Thinking about the day's events, Norbert thought about escaping from them; maybe he could slip out and find his way around. As thoughts spun of him making a dastardly escape plan, avoiding guards, and somehow getting out, it was all cut short by reality. Being trapped in a strange world, surrounded by people training to stop the very thing he was trying. With gear, he knew nothing about what could be, not even if they already had some way to track him to the ends of the earth.
With plans of escaping The Frontier blowing out the window, Norbert's thoughts changed to what he could do to help his situation. He had an unknown amount of time to plan for whatever the organisation had for him. Still looking at it, Norbert only knew his job was finding and reporting things. Thankfully he wouldn't need to fight anything; not like he would know what to fight.
As he mulled over what to do, Norbert yawned, the day's events finally catching up with him. Slowly Norbert made his way to the bathroom. Wanting to clean himself off properly, Norbert went and had a shower. Finally able to relax and bathe in the warm water, Norbert saw the liquid running off him was not clear at the start. It came off dark either from his body excreted recently and unable to wash it off or from the time he spent in the other world.
Once feeling clean, Norbert went and dried off. As he was wearing fresh clothes, he passed the mirror; abruptly turning his head back, Norbert looked at the man he saw. Norbert looked across at the mirror, seeing the unkempt hair all over his head. Looking down at his hands, Norbert saw the tan lines where his hands were. He received the nicks on his hands from wielding the knife and looking at the lines he had received from working hard to survive day after day and integrate into the town. Slowly looking up, Norbert saw his pale arms, from not having enough sun, now looking even paler due to his tanned hands and face and looking up at his face, his grizzled look back at him.
Norbert looked at the man in the mirror, not knowing what to do. The changes in the world, not even the magical ones, were already impacting him. Nobody would believe he had changed this much in just a few days. Pulling on a stand of his hair, looking at it go longer and longer. People didn't grow their hair a month's worth overnight.
Happy that at least Jack wasn't insisting too much on his recent change Norbert looked for his razor. Even if Jack wouldn't ask questions, he was sure others would. Turning it on, Norbert held the razor above his face. Thoughts of what The Frontier might say with his sudden change of hair, would they investigate, would he be interrogated. Thoughts are swirling through Norbert's head, his hand staying perfectly still. Slowly his hand descended, going to his face as the hair fell off and into the sink. The water was already running and taking it away.
Norbert cut it all off, being clean-shaven once more. Looking down at the hair in the sink, slowly being washed away, the clarity of it took him away. Able to start to see the individual hairs. Looking up at his face Norbert was satisfied with his choice, and he wouldn't let himself be swayed one way or the other. With his decision secure, Norbert left the bathroom and headed to his room.
Opening the door, he saw Obsius lying on the pillow; Norbert assumed he was already asleep. Placing his clothes on the ground, thinking of how to take the coat with him, Norbert slowly went to sleep, leaving his worries for tomorrow.