Back for more huh?

Ch. 4 – Chemistry

The warm flames crackled as Amy closed her eyes, letting the heat caress her face. It had been a long and hard sixteen hours since she had first set out on her journey. She looked around at the many companions that had joined her since then and allowed herself a small smile. They really weren't that bad once you got used to them. She had never had many friends and as much as she hated to admit it, company was nice. She opened her eyes and looked at each of them in turn. Kilik, Talim, Cassandra…and this guy.

She was no longer calm and thinking warm fuzzy thoughts about friends and how nice it was to have their companionship. Why was he even here? Ugh he was soooo not good looking like Kilik either. Just some nobody. A nuisance. He didn't even have a weapon!

The man's eyes met hers but Amy did not look away. She simply did not care what this man thought. His mouth doing this annoying open close thing like he wouldn't shut up. He brought the chicken leg to his mouth and stopped before it reached his mouth. "Can I help you?" he asked her, noticing her glare.

"WHY ARE YOU HERE?" Amy burst out. She pointed to the rest of the party. "THEY obviously have some sort of purpose. THEY have reasons for being here. YOU don't. So tell me please, for the love of Dampierre, why you are anywhere NEAR me while I am on this very important quest!"

He put down the chicken leg he had been about to messily devour and what appeared to be a semblance of thinking flashed across his face. "Well…the food's good."

Amy scowled fiercely and turned her head toward Cassandra. "This is your fault, isn't it?"

"What ever do you mean dahhhling?" Cassandra said innocently, clasping her hands together and fluttering her lashes.

"We wouldn't be dragging this idiot along if he wasn't your brother-in-law, now would we?" Amy retorted.

"Hey! I can hear you, you know," Rothion pouted. The chicken leg fell to the floor as he put his hands on his hips in a show of disapproval.

"That's the point, you dumbass!"

Cassandra interjected. "Idiot or not, if something happened to him, I'd be the one in hot water. So I need you to promise me that you won't do anything crazy."

Amy glared at her for a few seconds before speaking. "Where IS your sister anyway?"

"Who knows? Probably back home. Just between you and me, she's a bit on the…loose side," Cassandra yawned. She casually laid her head down on Kilik's lap near his groin which brought a bemused look to his face.

"What a whore," Amy muttered.

"I KNOW!" Cassandra replied. Amy froze for a second. She didn't realize she had spoken out loud.

"You should see what she wears when she goes outside. I mean her boobs have been getting bigger lately for some reason and she just BAM! lets them hang out," Cassandra continued while sculpting the alleged size of her sister's chest in the air.

"I didn't ask," Amy said. "If she's back home, what's keeping the idiot from going back instead of making us all suffer by bringing himself along on this trip with us?"

"We…had a slight fight…" Rothion answered.

"What?" Amy said in surprise.

Kilik frowned. "How bad was it that it's keeping you from going home?"

"I will pray for you," Talim said, who had been silent up to that point.

Rothion looked down with his hands running through his hair in frustration. "It's so stupid of her."

"…stupid…of her?" Amy said. "Are you sure it's not the other way around?"

"No, no. It's definitely stupid on her part," he said with something that resembled a tear in the corner of his eye. "You see, my name is Rothion…and I'm an alcoholic."

The group was silent. Amy quickly grew angry again. "How can you be soooooo stupid? It honestly amazes me how every time you open your mouth, you prove you're an idiot!" She had to restrain herself from pulling out her rapier at this time.

"Now, Amy. Let's settle down," Kilik started. He was growing nervous. It had been a long time since they had started out and they appeared to have made no progress. He understood tempers were on edge and he wanted to prevent any more fights.

"You can't possibly defend this guy's existence!"

"…Kind of harsh, don't you think?"

Amy stared at the ground in silence. She appeared to be thinking for a moment. "No."

Talim spoke up for the first time in a while. "It has been many days since we gathered and still we have not made any progress. I feel as if our lack of chemistry is impeding us on our quest. We must focus!"

"Talim you are absolutely right!" Kilik shouted, abruptly standing up. Cassandra, who still had her face in his lap fell to the ground.

"Hey! Warning next time maybe?" she pouted.

Kilik ignored her. "I think the most important thing we're lacking right now is FOCUS. Let's all gather in a circle and meditate."

The group proceeded to attempt to form a circle.

A few hours later…

"Are you freaking kidding me! We can't even make a damn circle? Something is seriously wrong here," the normally calm Kilik shouted.

"I swear it's Rothion!" Amy said pointing her finger at him accusingly. "Ever since we met this fool, it's like we've been unable to escape this hidden realm of idiocy!"

Cassandra scratched her head. "You know, she's got a point."

Rothion looked around at the others in exasperation as a terrified smile slowly crept on to his face. "Oh come on…you don't actually believe what this…this…little…girl….is saying now, do you?"

Talim spoke with her eyes on the ground. "There is no denying that something is indeed off though."

Amy scoffed. "I've been saying this the whole time. He's throwing off our entire group chemistry. Next thing you know, we won't even be able to finish our sentences to each other because–"