Otherworldly

Awkward Beginnings

Autumn leaves crunched under Benjamin's feet as she walked through the forest, a stringed instrument singing a cheerful tune as she strummed the strings. A breeze blew her lilac hair out of her face. As she approached a hill, she put the instrument into the bag on her shoulders, and slid down on the grass.
There was a sudden drop off, and Benjamin flew off the edge and landed on her feet while landing on something else with a large crack. She looked down and saw she was standing on a pile of broken bones.

"Ugh!" she stepped back and onto more bones.
"Must be an old bear cave." Benjamin said as she adjusted her suspenders and tightened her scarlet bow tie.
"Wait a minute..." she picked up a bone and examined it.
"This looks fresh."
From the darkness of the cave behind her, three pairs of eyes blazed in the shadows, a low growl coming from the creature.

Benjamin took off down the hill as fast as she could; her eyes a shocking silver as a fire bear chased close behind her; all six of it's eyes a different colored flame.
"Shoot shoot shoot shoot shoot shoot shoot oh my gosh oh my gosh SHOOT!"
Benjamin dodged rocks scattered throughout the grass. She took a three of diamonds card out of her pocket and turned it thrice.

A sword appeared in her hands; the blade made of sapphire, it's silver hilt sprinkled with emeralds. Turning, she lounged at the bear; her eyes ruby red; and sliced it's right paw clean off. Clear blood spewed from the stump, coating Benjamin instantly.
"Ewww!"
The fire bear roared in agony, placing the stump near it's flaming eyes. Benjamin kept running down the hill and deeper into the forest.

After a while, Benjamin finally stopped to catch her breath. She felt something move in her shirt pocket. Sitting in the pocket was a teal lizard.
"Aw hey Little Guy. You ok?"
Little Guy blinked his eyes a couple times, then just kept them closed. Benjamin smiled as her eyes went back to their usual amethyst purple.
"Hey, would you look at that, a town!"
A road led into a part of the forest, and two hills on either side that had a mansion on top of them.
"The town must be in the forest." Benjamin said to herself as she made her way towards the giant oak trees.

++++++++++

A boy looked out the cottage window from the table, tucking a piece of red hair behind his ear.
"Hey Manny, can you try this? It's a new recipe I learned at the market."
"Sure Charity."

Manny got up from the chair and took  a pastry from the plate Charity offered him. He took a bite and a sweet jam oozed across his tongue, complementing the crisp dough perfectly.

"Oh my gosh, Charity you've done it again!" he said as he ruffled her pastel pink, green, and yellow hair with his hook.
"Oh shut up." she said, lightly elbowing his side as a blush deepened on her cheeks.
"I'm serious! How are you so good at cooking?"
"It isn't that hard, really."
A bell rung from the other room.
"Can you get that?" Charity asked.
"Sure thing Cherry." he wiped some crumbs off on his ripped jeans and walked into the front room.

"Welcome to Pinewood Potion Things, how can I assist you-"
He stopped short as he gazed at Benjamin as clear blood dripped onto the wood floors, her hair and clothes sticking to her skin.
"Do you know anywhere I can wash off?"

"Ugh!" Manny put his left hand to his nose. "Hold on."
He turned back into the kitchen.
"Charity can you handle this? She smells like blood bane bark!"
"Manny don't be rude! She might have heard you!"
Charity put down her spoon and walked into the front room, wiping flour onto the apron she was wearing over her loose blouse. She saw Benjamin and noticed the smell of the blood, and her face scrunched up.
"Ok maybe you're right." she whispered to Manny. "Wait a minute..."

Charity walked over to Benjamin and scooped a little blood into her fingers, feeling its consistency.
"This is fire bear blood!"
"Really?" Manny said from the kitchen doorway. "It smells awful."
"Look, you can take some for all I care, I just want to know where I can wash it off, and maybe somewhere I can stay for a while."