Chapter 7 {Scarlet}

The Professor takes us down the hall, his house, which seems like it once would have been grande looks like a sadder version of his laboratory.

"What happened here?" Professor asks in relation to my bleeding arm.

"Ah, it's nothing. Little accident, doesn't hurt a bit." I dismiss him, I trying not to look into his eyes knowing that he does not believe me for a second.

"Scarlett, you know I don't like when you're reckless like this," he makes eye contact with me giving me a meaningful look, "I know I won't ask you what you're up to, just be careful."

With that he rips a strip of fabric from his filthy shirt and wrapped it tightly around my arm. He gives me his usual smirk, then plants a light kiss on my cheek and without another word turns his back and descends down the hall.

I watch Professor's retreating form tall and slender, the flickering light casting odd shadows across his figure. A soft creaking sound broke the silence, making my heart jump into my throat, I instinctively reach for my sword. Soft even footsteps pad softy on the wooden floor, of course it's just Poppington. I tear my eyes away from the form of the young man and follow Alice into the chamber. The small glow of the flickering candle light reaches only a small radius like feeble stars about to go out.

I slowly raise my arm, holding the light, moving it slowly to get a better view of the room. It's small, square shaped and covered in dust. Two small four poster beds pushed against the wall in the back two corners. The hangings are ripped and one is scorched, which is not surprising knowing Professor. In between the beds is a small square table, made out of a dark wood. One of the legs is missing, and has been replaced by some kind of metal contraption involving a whisk.

Fatigue crashes over me, I stumble to one of the beds and fall on to it. A large puff of dust rises from the bed, almost as if it is huffing indignantly, upset that I disturbed it. Alice trots over to me lightly takes the candle from my hand. I would've gone to sleep there and then but sleeping with a sword and knife strapped to you is not the best idea. I tried it once and it wasn't the most enjoyable experience. Groaning I drag myself up into a sitting position my whole body feeling like it's made of led. I unstrap my sword and knife. I then pull off my boats and drop them all beside my bed. I then stuff my scarf into my top hat along with my waistcoat and put them on the table. Finally I fall back onto the bed, I sink into the hard mattress as if it's my salvation. When you're tired enough anything feels like paradise. I'm so tired I don't even notice the dull ache of my wounded arm.

Groggily I opened my eyes, suddenly an odd smell hits attacks my nostrils. Eyes widening I am fully awake, I rush out of bed grab my things, I haphazardly try to pull my boots on while buttoning my waistcoat. Hopping on one foot, my eyes lay on Alice.

"Oy! Alice! Wake up!" I hiss.

She stirs, slowly opening her eyes. She looks at me with her wide, doe like orbs. Confusion flits across her face then panic.

"Is that smoke?" she asks in a hurry.

"Yes! Com'on," I mutter, grabbing her hand and pulling her out of bed.

I throw her dress at her, which she quickly pulls on over her underdress. I pull the strings for her and tie them. Running out the door, I see smoke rising through the hallway.

"Damn it Professor!"

We barge into the smoke filled kitchen. Coughing I make my way to the singed young man standing in the middle of the room.

"Professor, what happened here?"

He looks a bit disappointed and points to the stove. I see a few pans with what I can only guess is charred food.

"I was trying to cook breakfast for my guest," he says cheerfully.

I grin, it is a nice gesture, even if he did set his house on fire. He is a strange boy, he understands chemistry and mechanics better than could or should, but for some reason he can't cook without setting fire to his house. Alice steps forward, I jump a little, I had forgotten she was here.

"I would be quite honored to cook if my services are needed," Alice says.

"No!" I shout a little too loudly, Alice and the Professor stare at be in shock for a second.

"I'll cook, you two get better acquainted." I state awkwardly.

I hate cooking but it's better than the other options: being burned alive or Alice's cooking. I can't decide which is worse.

"Are ya sure? I don't want you to have to work," says the Professor with his trademark grin.

"It's no trouble," I assure him.

The Professor's kitchen was a mess. His stove was made of different materials cobbled together, everything in the room had been dismantled and put back together with random parts that he must've found lying around. I could tell he'd been bored. The Professor always tinkers when he's bored, his house has always been comprised of cobbled together items but never to this extent. The Professor has always been the closest thing I had to a friend, he used to treat my wounds and I would stay at his house. We would always laugh and goof off, there's also this charm about him. I get a little giddy and flushed sometimes, which annoys me because he's always so smooth. I have been avoiding him, I felt like we were getting too close and it spooked me, but I know he can take care of himself, and I hate to admit it I've really missed him. He's going crazy here, all alone, nothing to do, I only came here to get help with my ship… I promised myself I wouldn't do this. Well I did also promised myself I wouldn't let Alice come along, and look where that got me! And the Professor would be ever so helpful, he did make my sword for me, he could make Alice something.

Smoke hits my nostrils and I realize that the toast I was making is starting to burn.

"Spades!"

"It wasn't me this time!" The Professor shouts, while waving a fork around at the smoke.

"What're you gonna do? Poke the fire to death?"

I scowl at him, though a small laugh escapes my lips. He looks quite mad, waving his fork at the smoke, his top hat ascue, hair a mess, clothes singed from the flames earlier. I drop two plates with toast and eggs on the table. I grab another piece of toast and shove it in my mouth. With half of the bread still sticking out of my mouth I exit the room. I faintly hear Alice's voice asking where I'm going, the Professor tells explains that I wander off sometimes and that its best not to follow me.

I walk through the corridor of his house, munching on the burnt piece of toast. Toast is odd, its twice baked bread. Who thought of that? Oh here I have some bread, let me cook it again! The world is a weird place.

I continue to wander through the house, the lights on the walls fliker, giving an eerie vibe. I stop at a large wooden door, it's dark and looks heavy, it looks perfectly normal, this door seems to be the only thing in the house that the Professor hasn't tampered with. Looking around to make sure no one is coming down the corridor, I turn the knob and push open the door. The room is dark, I feel around and find a gaslamp sitting on a table, I fumble around for a second before the room if filled with light. There's a large fireplace on one side of the room, on the other is an ornate writing desk, in the center of the room is a large bed. This must be the Professor's room, it's oddly clean, devoid of mechanical parts and projects.

I would think that his room would be filled with bits and bobs. I am about to turn and leave before a glimmer catches my eye. On his bedside table there is a frame with a photograph. That's odd, what would he have a photograph of? I take a step forward the boards creak loudly, I lightly make my way to the side of his bed. I pick up the square frame to inspect it closely. It's us, it's a picture of me and the Professor standing in his lab, he has his arm around me, he has a large grin on his face, and I look like I'm laughing. I remember this, he had just built his own camera and he wanted to test it out. I refused to smile, so he told and joke and he I started to laugh and he took snapshot. I smile slightly at the memory, we look so young in the photo, I still had my red scarf, but I didn't yet have my waistcoat. I looked so happy then, scars are visibly missing and I look cleaner. The Professor was better groomed, his hair was still a mess, but he didn't have the stubble on his chin, or the dark circles under his eyes, he was less pale too. This wasn't that long ago either, maybe two years at most. But my so much has happened since then, we've grown up so much, it feels like an eternity.

A creaking sound alerts me to the presence of another person. I look up to see the Professor standing in the doorway. He slowly walks towards me, I can't tell if he's upset with me or not.

"You kept this all this time?" I say softly. I feel his eyes on me trying to read what I was feeling, I sternly refuse to look up at him.

"Of course, everytime you visited it was like a dream," he nods to the picture, "that was the only way I could convince myself you were real."

I'm lost for words I try to stutter out a response. I hate how he trips me up like that! He strides towards me and falls onto the bed.

"Sometimes I feel like I'm losing touch with reality..." he looks up at me "Scarlet, I think I'm going mad."

His hands are shaking, I sit next to him and held his hand in mine, I feel him tense up next to me. I look at his eyes, dark and gorgeous, filled with fear and pain. Eyes I know so well, I quickly shut mine. Shut out the rush of emotion and memory that threatens to wash over me.

"You're not mad you're brilliant." I look him in the eyes and I see a glimmer of the old Professor in his eyes.

"The whole world's gone mad hasn't it?" He asks a grin starting to creep across his face.

"Completely off its rocker!" I say with a pained smile.

Back in the brightly lit hallway, me and the Professor make our way back to Alice. She is sitting at the table her legs crossed all prim and proper, she looks completely out of place in the cobbled together kitchen.

"Scarlet my dove, would you do me a favor?" The Professor croons.

"We would love to!" Alice exclaims excitedly jumping out of her seat.

"Oy! Don't go agreeing to things on my behalf!" I repremant Alice, "What is the favor anyways?"

"It's to go out to the market and get some parts for a project I've been working on."

He then takes out a small coin pouch and a crumpled piece of paper and put it on the table.

"That should cover the cost, and that there is a list of parts."

"Oh, that reminds me, something's wrong with the engine on the ship, can you take a look at it?" I ask.

The Professor rolls his eyes, "You know I would do anything for you, but that ship is a mess! I've told you time and time again to trade it for a newer model!"

I grab the coin pouch and the list and start to exit the room. I call back behind me, "The engine Professor!"

"I don't know why she won't let the heap of junk go!" the Professor complains to Alice.

"I heard that! Oy Alice you coming?"

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