The Flappy Stingray, Damerel

...I think I'm done covering pages with stress scribbling. I would almost be bothered with the amount of paper wasted, but it's better than accidentally starting fires, I suppose. But I might need to buy a new journal sooner than I planned.
 
Bell's not with us anymore. I understand why she wanted to leave, I think - she found her friend again, and she's been having trouble getting along with the group since the mirror punching incident. She seemed happy enough to leave with Clikx? As much trouble as she could be, I'll miss her. I've gotten used to checking to make sure she's not getting into trouble, or hearing her cooing over CJ in the background. It's strange not having her around - I keep expecting her to wander back in from the forest and complain about being indoors.
 
We've been spending a lot more time indoors than usual and actually sleeping in real beds. By now I think it's been a week since we dealt with the magical rabies issue? I lost track of the date after the first of Garland Moon.
 
On that note, I convinced Hail to come out with me to collect flowers on the first, since she's a druid and I was sure she would know where to find plenty. Gathering flowers.... doesn't seem like something Hail would enjoy, really, but she got really into it! It was pretty cute. Maybe the holiday is important to her and her family too? We got more than enough for the both of us, even after she forgot about her claws and shredded her first few attempts at making garlands, and everyone kept the flower crowns I made on for the rest of the day, even Damiel! Which is... probably the only reason I had the guts to actually go through with asking if we could date. Or "court"? Apparently that's what the elves call it.... that makes me suspect that there's more to it than just adding a gift to the question like Bell said, because she didn't call it that. Fuck. I'm going to have to research this to do it right, aren't I? Gods, I hope asking Damiel isn't the only option, because that might kill me. It was already awkward enough saying anything, or after he agreed, or after Hail apparently overheard, or....
 
Anyway, we were trying to figure out how we would locate Clikx's weasel when we had no idea where to find it or M. Channail, and through an extremely convoluted series of events, learned that people were being turned into animals by drinking some "Miracle Elixir", which we pretty much immediately blamed on M. Channail because of course it would be his fault. And to be fair, we were right about that.
 
We decided to divide and conquer to try to solve the issue after failing to locate the cart that had been selling the elixir - Zsoana, Glow, and Nabith went around looking for more people that might have been affected, while Iltiari staked out the place where the elixir was usually sold and Damiel and I went back to the inn to wait for people who had bottles of the elixir so he could figure out what was in it. I was just there to keep him from scaring them all off. Apparently he used to be part of a Potioneers' Guild? Which is entirely unsurprising.
 
Once we'd found out where M. Channail was up to no good from one of his employees, we left Damiel behind at the inn to try to figure out an antidote for the elixir while we dealt with the production (and hopefully kicked that bastard's ass). We did manage the first part... but the second was a lot harder. First Bell fell into the cauldron of elixir, which apparently doesn't need to be ingested to turn you into an animal. She became some kind of giant tailless rat that kept barking and tried to bite M. Channail's crotch, which is exactly what I expected of her.
 
That fight was... rough. I've never needed to cast more than one healing spell in a fight, and it's just about always been enough to heal whatever damage's been done, but M. Channail's lightning spell was so strong and hit so many of us that I needed two of them just to get everyone out of danger, including myself. For as many of us as there are, and as good as we all are, we're outmatched. We're going to need to get stronger to give him the asskicking he's earned.
 
There was one terrifying moment, right before he escaped, that he made Zsoana vanish, and we had no idea what to do, but she thankfully reappeared a minute later - and knocked herself and Iltiari straight into the elixir. She turned into a snake, they turned into an octopus... and with three animals in tow and still half-charred from lightning, we went back to the inn. It was a mess and Damiel still doesn't know that Zsoana temporarily vanished and I'm not going to be the one to tell him.
 
I did help more with whatever he's trying to make. I'm still mostly following his directions without really understanding why I'm doing them, but I'm doing it correctly most of the time! Alchemy is still interesting, for its potential; I do want to work out what medical uses his potions could have. It's... also a really good excuse to spend time with him without everyone getting too weird, and it's... enjoyable, to work together. The teamwork is the nicest part.
 
(there are a lot more scribbles here)
 
Fuck