The Lion in the Witch's Wardrobe

[ParamountKeymaster]

"Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuugh..."

Sam Goldwyn was well and truly used to waking up with migraines. It wasn't anything new. But experience did not make the pain easier. If anything, it only made it worse. The stabbing pain in his cranium and the overwhelming desire to vomit were bad enough, but his sense memory seemed to amplify these feelings every time he felt them. To say that he felt like garbage was the understatement to end all understatements.

Should've quit while he was ahead...

Against his better judgment, Sam opened his eyes. As dark as the room was, the tiny crack of light above his head was enough to ignite a mortar shell of sensory overload in his brain, causing him to instinctively groan in agony again, close his eyes and rub his sore temples.

How could last night have gotten so out of hand? It was great to fly again, but he told himself he wasn't going to go overboard at that party. He had appearances to keep up, now more so than ever. In hindsight, though, he was well aware that he should've known better. Sylph was a wily mistress. This wasn't the first time he had acted like a doofus under its effects. Everything stupid little thing that happened up to that point was done wholeheartedly and unabashedly. And it was fun while it lasted.

Now he had to deal with the consequences of his actions. Oh deep joy.

So... first things first. Where the frig was he??

Cautiously cracking his eyes open again, bracing himself for that sliver of white, Sam quickly realized that he was staring up at the light shining underneath a door. That certainly explained the rush of blood to his head, but he was sprawled in such an awkward, upside-down position, stuck inside such a tiny space, that adjusting himself was nearly impossible. Feeling around in the dark, he soon found a broom and some spray bottles. A supply closet, no doubt. Wouldn't have been the first time he woke up in one.

He didn't even have time to further question his predicament before his head and stomach lurched from the stimuli. Why did everything huuuuurt?

"Rrrrrgh... Friiiiiiiiiig...!"

[DMis]

Another was on the other side of the door. Her hand rested on the door knob.

Not only had a customer thrown up in the main shop, they had gotten it on her as well. She blinked seeing a new bond writhe in what seemed like pain.

Against her better judgement, Beth knocked on the supply closet room.

[ParamountKeymaster]

"Nyaaaaaaaaaagh...!!!" Sam flinched, knocking something over with his foot. Every bang felt like a nail being driven into his head. "Nod nooooow! Leeme looooone!"

It was hard to tell if that high-pitched squeal was Leo's obnoxious ten-year-old voice or just a particularly loud ringing in his ears. "Sh-Shuddup, Leo...! Go... Go gemme some ibuprofen...! Bluh..."

[DMis]

"Sir. I will have to get security if you don't come out," Beth warned as Myrtenaster was summoned to her side. This person had gotten in before she had opened the shop.

[ParamountKeymaster]

It took Sam a moment to register what the woman on the other side was saying, not that he was able to respond appropriately once he did. Whatever she intended to do was the least of his concerns. He still could barely move, let alone muster up the desire to move. If he was getting out of here, it wasn't by his own will, whether he liked it or not.

"Just... Ngh..." Sam took a deep breath, calming down significantly in the hopes of saving face. "Just hold on... I can't... Ough... Maybe some Benadryl too..."

[DMis]

"I have some in my purse," she offered. "Along with Tylenol, Advil, and Ibuprofen."

The rapier was still in her hand. She wasn't willing to let some thief play her like a fiddle.

[ParamountKeymaster]

"Mmh..." Now Sam was getting a little worried. The realization that he didn't know who this woman was had kicked in. If she recognized him, this could potentially be a serious detriment to his public image. He had to play it cool. He had to ensure that this didn't come back to bite him in the tail.

"'Kay... 'Kay, just... just open the door... Don't- Don't kill me..."

[DMis]

Beth sighed and opened the door for her unknown guest. The blade was still out and she still had yet to clean the vomit off of herself and the floor of her shop.

"Your sitting on my cleaning supplies..." she offered pointing to the bucket this lion was sitting on.

[ParamountKeymaster]

From behind his eyelids, Sam could see the light from outside shining on him in full. It took him a moment to come down from this fresh wave of pain. For the time being, he simply lay sprawled out, legs propped up against the back wall, mane a tangled mess, eyes closed, mouth limply hanging open, golden scarf framing his head in a messy loop.

"Hi..."

[DMis]

Beth sighed and dismissed the rapier. "Let's get you cleaned up. I have a shower in the back," she offered it was obvious that she had gone into Mom mode seeing this lion in such a state. Her voice was soft and almost a whisper. "Partied a little too hard I presume?"

Must have been a rager for him to have ended up in my supply closet, She thought as she watched his bond attempt to grab around and writhe. Didn't help the guy smelled of a weird perfume that was surprisingly pleasant to the mini-goddess.

[ParamountKeymaster]

"Shower..." To be fair, a shower sounded like a heavenly idea. Sam would've preferred a bath, but beggars can't be choosers, and while he was most certainly NOT a beggar, he at least understood that the position he was in was precarious enough. It was probably best not to scorn this woman's offerings.

"Y-Yeah... I... Ugh... H-Hold on..." Gathering up every little bit of his energy, Sam pushed himself up just enough to flip over, tumble out of the closet and smack face-first on the floor, immediately groaning in misery. "Ooooough... 'm sorry..."

[DMis]

Beth winced as Sam fell face first. "Guessing that you're not from Nexus Island?" She asked as she went to help him up. One of his arms over her shoulders much like she had done with her brothers back during their war to revive a world. "On your feet big guy."

She slowly started to stand. She might have looked small and weak but surprisingly the girl was strong.

[ParamountKeymaster]

Sam raised an eyebrow at Beth as she hoisted him up; despite clearly being in pain still, he seemed baffled by her ignorance. "Um... No, I- HRK-! Oh God...!"

Holding his stomach with his free arm, Sam doubled over, hacking and gagging violently. This lasted for only a few seconds until the discomfort in his gut was released in a long, noisy belch. "Mmph... Ugh... S-Sorry. False alarm." He stared at Beth, looking more tired than anything else. His expression didn't change when he noticed the puke on her clothes. Wasn't his, at least.

[DMis]

"Wouldn't be the first to do that today..." she admitted after Sam had his fit. "Wouldn't be the last time either. Name's Beth Snider. And you?"

Beth was careful with her steps as s he lead him to the back.

He could see that this was a store room, a class room and in the back corner was a curtained off bit. "Shower is behind the curtain. All soaps should be safe for you."

[ParamountKeymaster]

Once again, as he was guided towards the back of the store, Sam raised an eyebrow. Exhausted as he was, his expression unmistakably read "Don't you know who I am?" in a particularly smug way. "Sam Goldwyn... And, uh... if you would be so kind..."

He reached into his pocket, pulled out his wallet, withdrew five 100-clam bills and handed them to Beth. "I would appreciate it if you didn't go spreading this around. Thank you." He then put his wallet away and started shuffling towards the shower, wanting nothing more than sweet, sweet relief from this bodily torment.