"..."
"They all look so happy,"
He's right, since we got out of Ella's world, they've been humming.
"!"
"... oh,"
Hehehe, you're definitely hired!
"Ok!" He clapped his hands together in joy, "Dreary weary I don't want, tear-ry and drea-my I want," and uttered the vilest chant ever heard by any kind of being, Ella conjured up a spray of blood from her ears garnering chuckles from those around her, even Park who was earlier, back from his "stupor."
"Yes! That's good! Some hearty chuckles!" Even if it's at my expense...
He shed a tear away from view.
"Anyway, it's time,"
The crew, in quick motion, sunk through the ground, and in mirror-like fashion they were all now seemingly on the other side of the floor which they stood on, but it was different now. The earlier cracked and chipped off floors were now a fragrant filled type of wood with a red stretch of carpet from the majestic desk at the middle of the room to the huge ornate door which stood on the opposite end.
"Why's my tongue salty?"
<...>
...
"Now let's see, where did I keep that key...?"
As he was ruffling through his pockets, a mark on his hand lit up, "Ah! Would you look at that, I almost forgot the thingamajig that he gave me!" at the desk, a small compartment gently slid open, and into view, came out floating, an oddly misshapen key coated in a dark-bluish hue of energy. The compartment slid to a close, as the key glid across the air and came to a rest on top of the young boy's stretched out hand.
[A similar energy resonance to the Seal of the Perverse Caregiver has been detected]
[Object: Key]
"Now if you could just stretch out your hand for me...," a second clone materialized right next to Park, taking the rest a bit aback, as even with their enhanced senses or any of their species' benefits, they did not catch onto the second presence's existence.
"... I'll make you the new proud...," the dark-bluish hue of energy held Park's hand in place, flat out open, as the oddly misshapen key sunk into his flesh, "... owner of the medicinal crypt... and it's settled in, great!"
[Key of ??? has settled in the user's body]
[Rights to room of ??? have been granted]
[Unlocking of the 1st Circle, Access, has been achieved]
[Revealing information, Access, 1st star:
Can reveal data on an individual based on their state. A fundamental required to be fully accepted by the room]
[Forcefully shutting down due to an external interference]
"I think that's enough, any more you'll listen to it later," the clone said, as he walked over to the main body, fusing with it, in a cloud of dust.
What's he talking about?
"Gretsa!"
Oh! right, I forgot!
Can we please use our outside voice?
"Yes, sir."
"Oh please, no more of the sir, you can call me Greg. So, where off to? I think I can cough up some retirement benefits..."
A piece of crumpled up paper fell as he checked his Trouser's back pocket, dust formed a small hand around the piece handing it over to him.
"Thank you, me."
The hand saluted as it reverted back into his body.
"So, in that paper...,"
Gretsa received it in kind,
"... Is a little something, somewhere, I've pulled some strings to give you. I hope it will be to your liking,"
"T... Thank you, S...,"
"Hmm?"
"Sorry, I mean G... Greg. Thank you, Greg."
"I almost never believe it every time I see it," Gretsa ignored Anu as she pocketed the piece of paper safely within her coat.
Ella chuckled.
"She's quite a dear, isn't she?"
"Only with the right people," she whispered back, making glances over to Anu and Park.
"Don't worry, they won't be in your hair any longer," Greg whispered back.
He resumed to address the group as a whole,
"Ahem! So, I'd like to announce Gretsa's retirement as our dear nurse and also once more, announce the hiring of our new nurse, Park Hayes!"
All their hands immediately went up in applause, jubilant whistles filling the room.
"Now I wish to speak to our new hiree, a little bit of expose here and there, but as for our wonderful crew leaving us,"
A book hidden within rows of many, slid down, gently opening a column of the shelf. Within was a sea of dark liquid, slowly swirling with a calm thrumming to it. Ella curiously peeked to see if the opposite of the shelf was perhaps of a darker tinge,
"One of these days, I'll get one,"
"If one lacks, sure you will,"
"..."
"... Once you go through, you open up the paper, follow exactly as it says and you'll be good, your belongings have already been taken care of and are on the other side, would you wish to say anything before you go?"
"Thank you, sir...,"
"Bye!"
Ella charged through the portal, wounding pairs of tentacles around Gretsa, cutting her off and pulling her through.
"... and they were two," Greg turned to the remaining guests in his office.
"... Cookies?"
"... Hah, I don't think we can continue taking these dives, if we don't do something about it, those maniacs are gonna..."
A thrum pulled his attention towards it. As the inky bubbling sea slowly expanded, he cautiously made distance in between albeit still training his eyes on it. The eyes of the snake-like medallion that he wore, lit up, perfectly blending his flesh with the nearby chipped wall surrounding. He held his breath in anticipation, eagerly waiting to see what new wonders were going to happen, maybe it could be of help with the situation that he was currently in.
There was a gleeful cheer, then a blur of pink and white appeared. The bubbly girl laughed heartily as the pool behind them closed up. She recalled back the scarlet-tinged tentacles that she momentarily shot out a small while ago to cushion her and against the beast that closely tailed her. Dusting themselves, they took a moment to absorb their scenery. They had been coughed up in a small alleyway, chockful of bricks all around them, from the arcs above them all the way down to the very path they walked.
"Where are we exactly?"
"First, I hope that he fully removed that gag he had on you, completelyy, and as for where we are, we can ask our dear friend hiding back there."
"!"
What?
"I think you spooked him,"
"PLEASE DON'T RUN, WE MEAN NO HARM...! I think this where they run...,"
Redirecting energy into his feet, the alarmed individual, took off running. Being made by unknown individuals fired off all senses that he had within, and they had only one thing to tell him, that he had to run, he had to use all the energy that he could muster to flee from these dangerous individuals...
"... Got him!"
"Huh?!"
The one thing that he trusted himself in, was bested, by pink suckers that latched onto his lower body. He tried to tug away only prompting for the redness to hug him tighter. In no time, was he yanked back to the summoner.
"A small break for you, don't you think? Also,"
Immediately, one of Ella's subordinates got into action, ripping the figure's clothing into two,
"NO!"
"Ah! Now "he" speaks!"
"You realize you should let them breathe, it stands against our laws to see such dishonourable actions that you're committing here, and for that, once we're done here, I know just the perfect way that you're going to atone for your sins,"
"No! Please, I'll tell you everything you wish to know! Please have mercy on me! Please, I beg of you! I promise...!"
"Mmmph!"
"See if you were this eager earlier, I would have let you be. But now that I won't do anymore, I want to do something more fun!"
"Mmmph! Mmmph!"
Ella sunk in for a kiss, Gretsa slightly twisting her face in disgust. She pulled back, a tiny wisp of pink escaping the now bewitched captive.
"Sorry for that... Impulses,"
"Yeah, whatever."
"Okay... Let's first do some digging and then get to the grumpy one later,"
"Oh my, can't wait."
"..."
"Want another one?"
"I feel like I'm fully back, I feel like I was drunk for a while, Thank you, Greg."
Park was finally feeling like himself again, with each bite of those mysterious cookies, his lucidity was back to its peak, and he could fully feel his surroundings once more. He took another cookie as Anu silently tried to understand Greg. A thing, at this point, that wore many faces over many more faces beneath. He did not like it, as one who did wonders not being able to understand Greg's own, irked him so. You could even say he was jealous.
Anu---, aren't they to your liking?
One of the many wonders that Greg did, he could say Anu's true name without paying the price as per law, heck, he might not be the only one. Anu was done.
"Is it okay if we go now?"
"Hah, you guys and your names,"
A small bulge appeared,
"I believe this is how you did it?"
His awareness already knew what it was. He was ready to go.
"... Fine, you may go,"
Anu got to his feet, the clouds pulling Park right after him.
"... And here are some cookies for your friends, sort of like a welcome bonus. Just say the word, and a pack for each of you appears, even for Lily! Did a little twist to the library one..."
"Have a wonderful day, Greg,"
And they were gone. The little boy all alone now, looked out the window, a small smile shaping on his face.
I'm going to help raise you a fine young man, -----, just you wait.