"So a flower shop would just be too dull," he said. He came across some vines that were blocking the path, and moved them away gently, tucking them behind various cracks in the rocks so that they wouldn't spring back when he continued forward. "What about working with law enforcement or something?"
"Maybe," she said, "or maybe I'll become hitman!" She moved her arms with exaggerated motions. "Kill people for wealth!" She paused. "What about you?"
Jack was quiet for a moment, remembering. "I was studying to be a doctor before I joined the crew," he said thoughtfully. "I had to stop for a family emergency, and I had to go back home, and I prefer this life I think, but I liked helping people. I liked figrring out what was hurting and fixing it. It was like a puzzle, but with human interaction."
Avice lit up. "Wow, really? I never would've guessed." she walked next to him. "That's really amazing." For a moment she hesitated. "Can I have one of those painkillers?"
He pursed his lips and raised an eyebrow. "As your doctor," he said. "I strongly recommend that you do not take any painkillers." He reached his hand into his pack as he spoke, and pulled out a canteen of water, and a small bag. Inside was a handful of pea-sized pills, slightly translucent and blue. "As your doctor," he continued, passing the items to Avice. "I do not recommend that you take two of those with the water. Painkillers are for the weak minded. Your body would not put you through anything you couldn't handle."
"Well, with more money I could invest in getting a proper education or be able to work on my cooking. Cooking ingredients like flour and spices aren't cheap to obtain." He explained.
"As a patient, I choose to ignore you." She took a breathe before lifting up her mask and taking two then drinking the water. She pulled it back down. "Thanks." She likely inhaled outside air on accident, but not enough to do anything.
He nodded, and returned the items to his bag, tightening the rope securely. "If you need more, I can give you some in two hours. Is that okay?"
Avice nodded, kicking a pebble. "What do you think we'll find? A monster maybe?" She tugged on the one plants that stuck to wall, plucking a leaf from it's stem and twiddling it in her fingers.
Cobiah held up his lantern and one hand, and his sword in the other. "You know, I wouldn't mind living here if it weren't for the perpetual darkness. Or the isolation from civilization."
"That would be cool," Jack said. "I'm curious as to what creatures lie around down here. It feels kinda lifeless, though, don't you think?" *** "Keep the lantern," Jade suggested. "And get into the habit of talking to yourself. Bam. Paradise."
"Yeah, but maybe it's filled with bugs that we can't see." She discreetly tickled the nape of his neck with leaf she caught earlier, acting like it was an insect.
He gasped and jumped, sweeping his hand over the back of his neck, catching the leaf with his hand. He pulled it in front of him and squinted at it. After a moment, he turned and glowered at Avice. "Not funny," he said, but he was unable to hide his smile.
Avice brushed back her hair, grinning. "I thought it was funny. The only downside is that now my leaf has been confiscated."
"For good reason," he said, nodding. "Can't really have a prankster on this trip, now can we? Although, I figure you may utilize your dastardly connections and manage to get your hands on another one somehow."
"You mean like this?" She pinched another leaf off of the wall, and held it up in front of his face. "Evil, right?"
He held up his hands in mock surrender, but then he reached for the leaf with a gentle smile on his face. "Come on, Avice. Just give me the leaf. This doesn't have to be difficult."
Avice protectively pulled it close to her chest. "Never!" She looked the other way. "The only you'd ever get it is by prying it from my hands and making me give it to you."
He paused for a moment, and cocked his head as an idea struck him. "Right. Quick question. You wouldn't happen to be ticklish, would you?"
