“You’re doing what!?” Potions and brews rattle from atop the shelves lining the walls as Runella - my reclusive herbalist friend - slams her hands down atop the counter of her apothecary. The shop itself is a peculiar place, set up inside the trunk of a tall, hollow, oaken tree that she grew herself for the express purpose of turning into this venue where she sells her wares. Everything inside — all the chairs, tables, shelves, even the countertop — are a part of the tree, as though she was somehow able to coax the plant to grow into the shapes of the furniture she needs.

“We don’t have to tell anybody about it! I-I’ll find some place where she can stay and we’ll keep her away from the city!” I stumble over my words as I try to persuade her, “Look — I know she’s a kobold. I know that they could charge us with treason if they so much as found us talking with her, let alone aiding and harboring her. But Runella, if you’d have seen this girl— she was absolutely miserable. I don’t know what happened to her, but I couldn’t just ignore her,” I think back to earlier as I try to remember everything she said, “And she asked if I was working for “them.” I don’t know who “they” are but she seemed pretty afraid that someone was trying to hunt her down.”

Runella closes her eyes, taking in a deep breath as she thinks, still looking rather stern and unconvinced. I step back just a bit as I nervously rub my arm, giving her an awkward smile. She may be my closest and longest-known friend, but even still she terrifies me sometimes.

Runella is a strange one — her attire consists of a brown, twisting, pointed hat reminiscent of that of an old wizard, coupled with a set of stylish yet strong and practical green and brown leather armor. She dons protective gloves crafted from a special kind of leaves, and is never seen without her ingredient pouch hanging along her waist. Her hair is long and unkempt, falling behind her back and landing just below her shoulders, colored a shiny chestnut color nearing on black, and a few freckles sprinkle her acorn-brown skin.

“Listen, Percy. I’m sure this girl was pitiful, but I had to pull a lot of strings just to get clearance make and sell my own brews out here without guards and inspectors constantly breathing down my neck. I hate seeing someone in need just as much as the next alchemist, but do you have any idea what I’d be risking helping you out with this? It’s bad enough you’ve already got her walking around wearing one of my bandages — I’ll be lucky if the guards aren’t already on their way to take my ass out and yours along with it.”

*KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK*

“Oh god!” I leap up with shock as an unexpected knock on the door rings throughout the room. Runella gives me an exasperated glare as she adjusts her hat, stepping out from behind the counter firmly with a tough and uncompromising demeanor, prepared to argue any point she has to in order to protect her shop and her livelihood.

“Speak of the friggin’ Devil, Percy,” I slink back meekly as she walks past me, starting to wonder if I’d made the wrong choice, “You’d best find somewhere to hide if you don’t wanna incriminate my ass more than you already have.”

“Sorry…” I take a step back, gritting my teeth as I desperately look around for somewhere to hide. I watch Runella reaching for the door, and my eyes dart around the room before I leap behind the counter, hearing several sharp clinking sounds as I accidentally knock over several tonics and potions

I listen intently as Runella slowly pulls the door open, “Alright, what do you guys want this tim—” I notice as she cuts herself off mid-sentence. Several thoughts racing throughout my head, I consider peering up to see what’s happening, but ultimately decide against it and try to focus on whatever I can hear.

“You’re not a guard,” Runella’s tone shifts from the stern, irritated voice she had before, mellowing out into something more conversational.

“I-I’m sorry— if you’re expecting someone else, I can come back another time!” I hear a meek, high-pitched voice from inside the doorway. I can’t tell for certain, but it almost sounds like… no, there’s no way she actually decided to show up. It’s way too dangerous for her.

“Oh no, no that’s totally fine!” Runella reassures her, “Come on in — I’d rather deal with just about anybody else in the world than those goddamn power-hungry guards.” She chuckles a bit, trying to ease the tension.

I hear some lightweight footsteps as the door closes behind them. My curiosity peaking, I begin to poke my head out from behind the counter but quickly shrink back down, not wanting to do anything until Runella gives me the all-clear.

“Wow— this place is very nice. I love how natural it feels.” The visitor’s voice shakes a bit with nerves and anxiety as she speaks to Runella.

“Thanks. I grew it myself — you’d be surprised how little there is that some tonics, elixirs, and a bit of elbow grease can’t do.” They laugh as I feel the tension starting to ease. Should I come out now? No— I don’t wanna risk messing anything up for Runella.

“So— um—” the visitor speaks quietly, as if trying to hide her presence to anyone else who may be listening, “I— I had a… um… a friend tell me that I— um, that I may be able to get some help here,” quickly, her tone moves from conversation to apologetic, “But— um, i-if that’s not the case it’s totally okay! I-I dont wanna cause any trouble for anyone!”

I hear a sigh from Runella as she takes a step towards the counter, “Alright Percy, you can come out now,” she crosses her arms as I cautiously rise from behind the counter, trembling just a tiny bit as I give a nervous smile. Runella gestures back toward the visitor, “So is this the girl you were talking about?”

I look back and I see her standing there just a little awkwardly. She still wears the tattered underclothes she had before, and her scales are just as bruised and beaten as ever. But there is one difference - the bandage I gave her is gone, and the wounds on her forehead seem to have healed up entirely. I look to Runella with a smile, “Damn, your stuff really works,” my gaze moves down to Apple, “How do you feel, Apple?”

She takes a seat upon one of the natural-grown chairs and she closes her legs before putting her hands on her knees, sitting as politely as she possibly can, “A little better…” she gives a weary smile, looking up at Runella, “Y-your salves are very good, ma’am. Percy gave me one earlier and it healed up the cuts on my head faster than any other ointment I’ve ever used,” she speaks just a little formally, clearly nervous and trying to make a good first impression.

“Well what can I say?” Runella shrugs confidently, “I’m simply the best there is,” she chuckles a little bit at her own bragging before looking back down to Apple and taking a seat directly across from her, “So, Apple is it? I’m Runella. I’m an herbalist by trade but I dabble in all kinds of alchemy and medicine,” she extends a hand to Apple, who returns her handshake quite a bit more firmly and confidently than I had expected.

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“Well I’m pleased to meet you, Runella,” she smiles, “I appreciate you letting me in here, given my— um—” she glances down at her body and flicks her tail a little bit, “species.”

Runella giggles through her nose just slightly before lying her arms on the table and relaxing her posture, starting to grow more comfortable with Apple, “Anything to help a friend in need,” she grins at Apple warmly, who smiles in turn. I sigh with relief to see that they seem to be hitting it off so well, although I’m unsure why Runella seems to be doing such a full 180 on the things she told me when we were alone.

“Hey wait, but you said—” I reach out as I call to Runella, who slaps my hand out of the air, “Ow! Hey!”

“Shut up, Percy. I changed my mind.” I shake my hand off — that really hurt! I wanna know what changed her attitude so quickly, but at this point I don’t dare utter a word about it.

“So whaddaya need, Apple? Potions, ointments, tonics? I’ve got plenty, so don’t worry about paying me back,” Runella gestures around to room to the many medicines she has set up throughout the shelves and tables, and Apple looks around curiously.

“I-I don’t want to take your things! You worked hard on those, Miss Runella!” she nervously twiddles her fingers together as she studies the room, her gaze shifting from potion to potion and bottle to bottle.

Runella reaches out and gently lays a hand on Apple’s, “If I say I don’t mind, it means I don’t mind. I don’t beat around the bush, that doesn’t get anyone anywhere.”

Apple’s eyes widen with gratitude as she stands up and begins looking around the store. She takes notice of a rather large bottle of moonbell ointment that Runella keeps on the top shelf as she stands up on her toes to try to reach it. Everything is fine for a moment, but she begins to stumble and I can immediately see where this is going — I turn away and wince as I hear several bottles come forcefully plummeting off the shelves as they crash and shatter against the floor. Apple looks absolutely mortified — her lips quiver, and she seems to be on the verge of tears.

“O-oh my god— I-I’m so so sorry, Miss Runella— I, I’ll pay you back, I swear—”

I watch Runella blink a couple times as she stares down at Apple, and without taking a moment to think I jump out in front of her, desperately waving my hands as I plead to Runella, “Runella, please don’t be mad— it’s not her fault, and I have some money at home that I can pay you back wi—”

Before I can even finish my sentence, I’m interrupted by the sound of loud, boisterous laughter coming from Runella as she bowls over, grabbing her knees as she cackles hysterically. I look down at Apple, and we both seem just about as confused as we could possibly be.

“Hahahahaha!” Runella takes a moment to steel herself and catch her breath before standing up straight, patting her chest to try and stifle the laughter as she slowly takes a few deep breaths. Finally, she smiles at Apple playfully as she giggles, “Oh my god — you are adorable!”

Apple and I trade glances once more before we look up to Runella. Sheepishly, Apple gives a nervous smile as she says, “Y-you’re not mad? I-I ruined all of your potions…”

Runella wipes some tears of laughter that had begun to grow in her eyes and kneels down to be at Apple’s level. She holds out a hand to help her up off the ground as she says, “Kid, I’ve got dozens more of these in the back and they take about five minutes to make. The thing I’m most worried about is whether or not you got any glass shards stuck in your ass.”

Apple blushes intensely as she looks around to make sure there’s no shards of glass cutting into her, and she turns back to Runella with a slight smile, “I— still, I’m sorry.”

“Don’t sweat it, kid. Wait here a minute, I’m gonna go see if I can find some more of that ointment for you. Percy, follow me to the back, I’m gonna need you help moving some boxes.”

I follow Runella to the back storage room as she shuts the door behind us. She begins digging through some boxes, not looking up as she whispers, “You know you’re gonna have to pay for all those bottles, right?”

I rub the back of my head and chuckle, “Yeah, I figured. But thank you for being nice to her. What made you change your mind so fast?”

Pulling out several tonics and potions and setting them aside as she digs around for a bottle of moonbell ointment, she answers, “I haven’t. I still think this is dangerous and reckless. But she was right there and I couldn’t just turn her away. But if the guards come knocking because of this, I’m blaming you for everything.”

Funnily enough, I smile with a bit of relief, “Well thank you for helping out; I know how dangerous it can be. I feel bad putting you in this position, but I didn’t know anywhere else I’d be able to get what I need to help her.”

Finally she reaches for a bottle of glowing blue fluid as she stands up and begins putting everything else away, back into its proper place. She looks at me with a bit more serious demeanor, “Just don’t come crying to me when it all crashes and burns,” she approaches the door and places a hand on the knob, “I hope you know that there’s absolutely no way I can put her up here. You’re gonna have to find room in your house for her if she wants to stay.”

I give an understanding nod as we walk out the door, and there we see Apple down on her hands and knees with a small broom taken from Runella’s wall, trying her best to clean up all the broken glass. She looks up at us and begins speaking fast, still nervous about everything that happened, “Um— Miss Runella, I’m sorry for getting your broom wet but I wanted to try and clean up this mess as much as I could— b-but I couldn’t find a mop so I wasn’t able to get all the liquid up, but if you want me to I-I’ll— I could use my, um—” she blushes as she looks down and remembers that she’s still only wearing underwear, “I-I’ll find a rag or something to clean it up with,” she smiles anxiously, her lip quivering just a bit.

Runella walks over to her and takes the broom out of her hand, “Don’t worry about it. Percy can clean it up.”

“Hey!” I call out as I hear her throw me under the bus, but then I see Apple once again and don’t want to make her feel bad, “I mean— yeah, it’s not a problem. I’ll get it, don’t worry about it,” I head into the back to see if I can find an old mop or rag as Runella sits Apple down on one of the chairs again.

“You’re probably cold running around naked like that,” Apple blushes yet again as Runella opens a closet door and pulls out a woven plant-fiber blanket, gently wrapping it around her, “Just stay here and try to make yourself comfortable. And here—” she reaches into her satchel and pulls out the bottle of moonbell ointment, “Use this. There should be enough in there to fix up all your cuts and bruises, but if you need more just let me know.”

Apple looks up at Runella with big eyes, her whole heart filled up with gratitude, “T-thank you, Miss Runella. You’re very very kind.”

As Apple begins applying the salve, Runella makes her way to back where she sees me grab a mop that I found tucked away into the corner. Curiously and still a little confused, I ask her, “So why did you and Apple hit it off so well when she still seems so nervous around me?” My tone isn’t jealous or accusatory, but it’s something I genuinely can’t figure out.

Runella dumps the glass shards that from the dustpan that she’d picked up on her way back as she speaks, “Percy, you’ve got a kind heart, but you’re such a dumbass sometimes,” she looks up at me as she leans back and takes a seat on one of the potion crates, “The girl has clearly been abused, and I’m about certain it was by a man,” she takes off her gloves and hat and hangs them up as she continues, “It doesn’t mean she’s sexist, but when you have trauma like that, it makes it hard to know who to trust, and I’m sure it’s a bias that she’s not even cognitively aware of. It’s not that all men are dangerous, it’s that some men are dangerous and she doesn’t know which ones. Obviously there are plenty of dangerous women too, but it’s not something she has the personal experience to consider as strongly.”

I nod and think as she explains it to me. I hadn’t thought about it, but it makes perfect sense, “Yeah, I guess you’re right. I want to do everything I can to help her out and make her feel safe, but I don’t wanna accidentally scare her by getting too close or overstepping my bounds.”

Runella dusts her hands as she stands up again, “Just keep being nice to her. Don’t touch her without her permission, and don’t offer help for something more than once if she says no,” she walks over the door and opens it up once again. I follow her with the mop in hand, but I leap back further into the storage room and my face goes red and I see Apple from behind holding her tattered bra in one hand as she applies the salve to her chest — fortunately I’m at the angle where I didn’t see anything sensitive, but I feel bad about it nonetheless. Runella steps out and starts to close the door behind her, looking at me one more time before she does.

“And you absolutely never look at her while she’s changing.”