9-Volt grumbled a bit as he made his way home. The weather was perfect in Diamond City right now, the snow was finally melting and spring was making its way out of slumber, but 9-Volt himself felt none of the cheer going around at the moment. His mom had caught him playing games in bed the previous night, and confiscated his 3DS until he could prove he'd take his school studies seriously. It wasn't like he was flunking! He was doing just fine, and had even found a way to turn around his math grades too! She insisted he'd ruin his health and grades at this rate though, and her word was law...he was also half sure that his mom took it from him to play herself. And when he complained about it to Fronk, all he got was some mumbo jumbo about truly enjoying his youth while he had it.
9-Volt was so caught up in his thoughts and not paying attention that he didn't look up to see that he was about to bump into a certain red imp, who also seemed quite distracted. Red was caught in a conundrum. Ashley had told him to go out and get a human volunteer for her latest potion, one that she insisted would grant her a tremendous boon if it had been mixed properly. Red himself wasn't so sure that this'd end well, but he was more than happy to not be the test dummy this time. Something to do with it needing to work on a human specifically. Red had thought he was in the clear until Ashley send him out to find some sucker to rope into this. Her shyness got the best of her, not that he'd dare bring that fact up. Red pondered who to get, and his mind of course wandered to their odd circle of acquaintances...Orbulon, Dribble, and Spitz were out...possibly Wario too, who knew WHAT that guy was. Penny and Crygor were more likely to scoff at the idea of a magic potion, despite the various formulas they made...maybe Jimmy then?
It was then that the two wandering suck-employees of WarioWare Inc bumped into each other, knocking each other down.
"Hey, what gives, I was-Oh...9-Volt! Hey hey pal!" Red saw the young helmet wearing kid dusting himself off as he stood up, it was then that Red saw that he looked kinda glum.
"Oh, hey Red...how's it going?" 9-Volt said, the lack of enthusiasm evident in his voice. Red frowned slightly at this as he floated over to the young kid.
"What's got ya down squirt?" Red hadn't really talked to many of the employees outside of Ashley, but he did appreciate 9-Volt to a degree. He, Kat, Ana, Young Cricket, and Penny had managed to break her out of her shell a bit with trick or treating, and there was that potluck that 5-Volt held too...
"Oh, it's nothing much really, just got my games taken away for a bit..." 9-Volt sounded more down that Red would expect for such a reason. He knew the kid was absolutely loco crazy for games, especially Nintendo ones...that's when Red got an idea. A potentially devious idea...ah well, it wasn't like Ashley's potions ever were lethal, and besides, he bet the kid would have fun with what he had to offer.
"You know 9-Volt...if you wanted to come over to Ashley's mansion, I have a Switch~" Red said, in an easy going voice. He'd won the thing in a raffle and had a blast with it...until he couldn't play it anymore at least.
"A Switch!? Really!? Do you have-"
"The new Zelda? Sure do. Tell ya what, why don't you come over, try it out!" Red said, genuinely offering a good time to the child. Of course, there was the catch, though that shouldn't be an issue.
"I dunno Red, my mom would flip if I didn't get home on time, and besides...I thought Ashley hated guests."
"Whaaaaat? Whatever gave you that idea?" Red asked, trying to play it off.
"The fact that she said if any of us set foot in her mansion she'd turn us into newts." 9-Volt said, deadpan.
"She was exaggerating, for effect! Besides, even if she did you'd get better." Red said. 9-Volt frowned.
"I really do want to try the Switch though..." His mom promised if he got all A's on his final grades this year, though she'd settle for a B in gym then he could get a Switch for his Summer break...but that was 3 months away, practically a lifetime, and he was being offered the chance to play it now! Just a taste...though he was still hesitant. It wasn't that he hated Ashley, and in fact he did think the witch was fun to be around at times. But he also knew just how prickly she could be, and just how powerful she was. She was easily the second most intimidating person he knew, second only to his mom.
"...And Ashley won't turn me into a newt?" 9-Volt asked.
"I promise! well probably not. Actually, she sent me out to find someone to do her a favor! And you might be just the guy for it!" Red said. 9-Volt tilted his head at this.
"Really? Ashley needs a favor? What is it?" Now he was curious. He never knew her to ask anyone for help aside from Red.
"Well, why don't you let her explain it to you, come on, let's get going to the mansion!" Red said, floating ahead of 9-Volt, down the path towards his home.
"Hey wait up!...I hope this is worth it...I really want to use that paraglider." 9-Volt said, trailing behind the red imp, slightly slower.
As the sun started to set on their walk, 9-Volt felt himself audibly gulp at the foreboding clouds above. He didn't know if she was behind it, the weather was behind it, or somehow the very forces of nature itself knew, but there was always a dark and looming atmosphere when it came to Ashley's mansion. On Halloween it was certainly festive, but now, here alone it was bringing its own tension to the young boy.
"S-so, uh...is it true that you c-can really go anywhere in Breath of the Wild?" 9-Volt asked.
"Huh? Oh uh, yeah! Pretty much after the first hour or so." Red said, not sure why the kid was so stuttery.
Red casually floated towards the entrance of the mansion, 9-Volt still following, much slower as he almost felt like the mansion itself would eat him if he stepped in. He had never seen the inside...but the outside was more than enough to frighten anyone away.
"Come on kid, she's inside!" Evidently 9-Volt hadn't even walked up the steps, he almost looked petrified as Red rolled his eyes. "Look, I promise that i'm bringing you here on Ashley's request. She ain't gonna do anything to hurt you!" Red was starting to get impatient, but 9-Volt finally started to ascend the stairs to the mansion, and eventually...enter the door.
He didn't know what he expected inside. A dilapidated mansion with cobwebs, a dark horrific dungeon, an entryway to some nightmare dimension!
Instead it was kind homey. A nice, well lit mansion. He saw a small table, some books, the entire place seemed candle lit. 9-Volt frowned at this. He actually didn't see much in terms of electricity at all!
"Hey Red, where's the TV, for the Switch?" 9-Volt asked, confused. Maybe it was in a different room?
"Oh, there isn't one."
"...So you played it in handheld mode?" 9-Volt asked, now starting to feel like maybe he was duped.
"I did...until the battery died." Red confirmed.
"So you didn't charge it?" 9-Volt had to confirm it.
"Don't have the means sadly...sorry 9-Volt, but if you do this i'll let ya have the thing!" Red said. 9-Volt's eyes widened at this. He could OWN a Switch if he went through with this!?
"Really!? Okay Red, what does Ashley need!" 9-Volt sounded enthused as he heard a quiet, but firm voice behind him.
"You're too loud. Be quiet." He gulped as he turned around to see that familiar witch. Her red dress, her black hair in pigtails, and those piercing, commanding red eyes...there she was, Ashley.
"Oh, sorry...um, Red said you needed a favor? And something about giving me his Switch if I do it...?" 9-Volt asked quietly, almost timid. Ashley eyed the little Imp before returning her attention to 9-Volt.
"Yes, that seems reasonable. 9-Volt, come with me. I promise this won't take long." Ashley turned her back to 9-Volt, proceeding into another hallway leading to who knows where. 9-Volt gathered up his courage and ventured behind her, leaving the red imp where he was.
"Good luck kid...because yeesh will you need it." He muttered, glad to be free of his duty. "Now where did I put that Switch...?"
As 9-Volt passed a variety of rooms and closed doors, he almost wanted to ask some questions about them, but bit his tongue. He did not want to say or do anything that would slight the young girl leading him, and she seemed content to not say a word. As he followed behind though he noticed a sense of dread creeping its way into his head.
It was then that he was led into what looked to be a room full of various rainbow colored vials and chemicals, a potion room...and Ashley procured a light blue looking potion from a nearby table.
"I merely need you to drink this, and allow me to observe the results." Ashley said, in her usual monotone.
"Oh uh...okay, and it won't...do anything bad to me?" 9-Volt asked. Ashley didn't change her expression.
"If my mixing is correct, you should lose about 2 centimeters of your current height...that is it." Ashley said.
"Oh, that's it...? Why do you care abo-" Ashley started to glare and 9-Volt took the hint to shut up. Her look softened though as she saw how scared 9-Volt looked.
"...I'm too tall." Ashley finally muttered.
"Oh...okay then?" 9-Volt certainly didn't think so. If anything she seemed short for her age, but he knew better than to argue.
Taking the vial in his hands he braced himself...this was for a Switch he encouraged himself, as he gulped down the potion.
"Ugh! Bitter..." He muttered, before he felt his vision start to swim.
"Ashley...I don't feel good..." He muttered, and before long his consciousness started to fade...though his last sight was certainly odd. It almost looked like...Ashley was getting much, much larger than he.
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