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"From 24 Hours of Hell to 24 Hours of Heaven" (Muse) The golden sun had set over the cloudy sky and it was nightfall in Muse, one of Jowston’s major cities. All around people were getting ready to enter slumber land and forget the troubles of the day. Everyone that is, except for Clive. Stuck in Muse, Clive had to find Elza and track down the Howling Moon’s Treasure. “(If I don’t return with that treasure, they’re going to kick me out of the guild, no doubt.)” Clive thought to himself as he continued to walk the darkened streets. Clive was exhausted. In the morning, after being chased to Muse by a pack of flying squirrels, led by one particularly huge one, he was chased around the city by a particularly big woman. By asking the common townspeople, Clive knew she ran a shop in town, that she was related to Elza, and her name was Bertha. Now Clive knew how crafty Elza was, and he figured that she had probably found another way out of the city even though the main gate was locked. The question was, where did she go? Clive had asked the townspeople if they had seen Elza, and all of them had given the same answer: ‘I sure did sir, about an hour or so ago…’ Clive sighed, and after all this time of trying to think of a Plan B, he knew what he had to do. With a sigh he made the final turn and trudged to the door of Bertha’s Shop. With one final sigh, he walked in the door and shut it behind him. Bertha was behind the giant oak-crafted counter, polishing a vase, when she saw the door open. In walked her dream hunk from before. At the sight of Clive, she dropped the vase in her hand, and ran over to the door. Before she could wrap her muscular arms around Clive, Clive pulled out his gun and pointed it at her, giving her his typical gritty stare. “All right lady, no more games. I want information, and I want it now.” Clive said, determined not to let this woman squeeze the life out of him. Bertha backed away, scared for a moment. However, a grin came over her face as an idea popped into her head. “Of course hot buns, I’ll tell you everything you’ll need to know. But, will you have a drink with me?” Bertha begged her hooded Romeo. Clive did not want to have endless chatter with this woman, much less have an argument with her. Putting his gun down and sighing once again, he nodded. “All right Miss. ONE drink and that’s it.” Clive said as he plopped down in a chair waiting to be served. Bertha giggled and ran over to her antique liquor cabinet. “I’ll make my special drink, ‘Bertha’s Beastly Blast’.” she said, as she began to mix a bunch of different alcoholic drinks together. After about a minute or so, she walked over to the table with two glasses full of the same drink. She gave one to Clive, and he took a sip. When the bitter beverage entered Clive’s mouth, he felt like he had been hit by that giant flying squirrel that was chasing him earlier. He swallowed, and immediately he felt the effects of the alcohol upon his judgment. He looked at Bertha, who had finished almost her whole glass. Clive could drink many of his fellow Guild members under the table, but it had been a good 5 years since his last drink after the guild banished alcohol. When he saw Bertha’s glass almost empty, he figured it couldn’t have been THAT strong. Clive then proceeded to down the drink. Clive then set his empty glass down, immediately becoming intoxicated. Everything then appeared blurry and cloudy to Clive. His judgment was shot, and he didn’t realize what was coming next. Bertha smiled. “Well then, would you like to come up to my room for a while, cutie patootie?” Bertha grinned, knowing that she had him right where she wanted him. Clive looked in her direction with a glazed look. He tried to speak. “Ghaa…Nu…Yewwww.” Clive said in perfect gibberish. Bertha seemed to take this as a yes. “Well, I’ll help you up.” Bertha then proceeded to pick up Clive over her shoulder and she climbed the stairs to her bedroom. She plopped him down on the bed, closed the door, and lay down beside him. If Elza was sleeping over that night, she would have been sickened and at the same time smiling by the noises that were originating from upstairs… Morning came, and Clive woke up. Not knowing where he was, he looked around to find himself with a killer headache and lying in a bed. He thought to himself, “(The last thing I remember is having a drink with…OH NO!!!!!!!)” Clive looked down, to find himself in his birthday suit. Realizing what had happened, he felt very nauseous, and began to retch all over the bedroom floor. Luckily, Bertha was out like a light and didn’t hear him. After temporarily regaining himself, he knew he had to get out of there. He put on his clothes as quickly as a hung over man could, and trudged down the stairs. However, Clive did not watch where he was going, and he missed a step, causing him to fall to the bottom of the stairs with a loud THUD. Hearing a noise, Bertha got up to see Clive fully dressed and lying in a heap at the bottom of the stairs. “Now where do you think your sneaking off to?” Bertha asked with a giant grin on her face. Regaining himself for a moment, Clive screamed, and for a hung over man, ran out of her house like a bat out of hell. Bertha just stood at the top of her steps and was shocked. Then, she giggled and returned to her room, satisfied with herself. Clive ran all the way across town, and ducked into an alleyway. He sunk down behind a stack of fishing crates, and breathed a sigh of relief. After upchucking a couple more times, Clive passed out behind the crates. Clive then awoke again in a bed. Thinking Bertha found him and took him back to her place for a ‘second round of lovin’, he frantically looked about for the muscular woman, only to find himself in a single bed. Looking under the covers to see his clothes still on his body, he sighed with relief. He then wondered who sheltered him for this night, when a knock was at the door. A beautiful, blonde haired woman walked into the room. She was wearing a pale pink dress and was carrying a tray of breakfast food. “Oh hello sir, your awake. I was just coming to see if you were awake yet. I brought you some eggs and sausage.” The comely woman smiled. Clive just looked at the woman wit ha dumbfounded expression on his face. He was enchanted by this woman’s beauty. Realizing that she was waiting for a response, he quickly replied, “Oh thank you Miss.” Clive said, sitting up. He looked to his right to see his gun Strom on the table. The woman smiled. She set the tray down in front of him. Clive then began to stuff the food down his throat like a wild warthog. The woman snickered at his eating habits. Clive, realizing he was making an ass out of himself, blushed and said. “Sorry about that. I haven’t eaten in a couple of days.” Clive smiled sheepishly. “(What is this feeling?)” Clive thought to himself. “(I’ve never felt like this before.)” The woman smiled again, her pearly white teeth shining. “It’s ok, mister….” “Clive,” Clive interrupted. “The name’s Clive.” Clive then continued to eat, this time at a more proper pace. When he was finished, the woman picked up the tray and returned it to her kitchen. She then returned to his room to find him fast asleep. Three hours later, Clive waved goodbye to the hospitable woman as he made his way towards the gates of Muse. Keeping a sharp lookout for Bertha, Clive thought about how he was going to find Elza. But first, he had to get out of Muse. At full physical and mental strength, Clive instantly thought of a plan to lore the gate guards away. Clive went over and hid behind an alley near the wall the gate was. Raising the pitch of his voice, he threw his voice so that it sounded like a child trapped on the outside corner of Muse. Clive said, “Help! Someone help. The Highland soldiers are going to get me!” Clive said, sounding exactly like a scared little child. Hearing Clive, the guards opened the gate and ran over to the right outside corner of the wall. Clive gave a slight smile, and he dashed towards the gate and ran in the opposite direction. Finding nothing, the guards returned to their posts and closed the gates. By that time, Clive was out of sight and on his way to his next destination: Coronet.
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