Doctor Blanca’s Eccentric Abode

After a quarter of an hour, the car pulled over on the mountain road. Following a less conspicuous mountain path for another ten minutes, Chloe finally spotted a small wooden cabin, so seamlessly nestled within the forest it was almost indistinguishable.

“A wooden cabin? I’d imagined at least a small villa,” Chloe exclaimed, her gaze sweeping over the dwelling with a fresh sense of wonder.

“It is a wooden cabin. Doctor Blanca has a fondness for all things natural; she seems to hold a strong aversion to concrete and steel.” Tia, scaling the small hillside with effortless grace, extended a hand to pull Chloe up behind her.

“Whew! Ugh, I’m utterly exhausted… Though, I must admit, I rather like wooden cabins. They feel incredibly romantic, imbued with a fairytale atmosphere.”

“You’re a grown woman, and you still enjoy fairytales?”

“What do you mean, ‘grown woman’? And besides, are adults forbidden from enjoying fairytales?”

“I’m too disinclined to argue with you.”

Reaching the cabin door, Tia rapped her knuckles against the wood, calling out, “Doctor Blanca, could you open up?”

A muffled thud of footsteps on wooden floorboards echoed from within, followed by a soft ‘click’ as the door creaked open a sliver.

“Tia?”

A head cautiously emerged from the narrow opening, observing the visitors with a wary glance. Doctor Blanca appeared to be Tia’s contemporary, her glossy black bob a disheveled mess, further accentuated by a pair of cracked, round-framed spectacles. A closer look revealed that one lens was entirely missing. Her pronounced dark circles were as stark as an amateur’s attempt at smoky eye makeup, and her entire being exuded the tell-tale aura of someone who had long since embraced a reclusive existence.

“Greetings, Doctor.” Despite Doctor Blanca’s somewhat unreliable appearance, Chloe offered a respectful wave and a polite greeting.

“And you are?” Doctor Blanca adjusted her glasses, her eyes narrowing as she tried to discern if Chloe was a familiar face, before ultimately shaking her head. “My apologies, I don’t recall who you are.”

“My name is Chloe. This is our first meeting, so it’s only natural you wouldn’t recognize me.”

“Ah! You must be the girl Tia mentioned bringing for an examination! Please, both of you, come inside.”

As Doctor Blanca pushed the door fully open, a potent aroma of potions immediately enveloped them. The distinct scents of countless herbs assailed Chloe’s nose, each step seeming to introduce a new, unique fragrance.

“There isn’t a traditional living room here, you see. The place is filled with bottles and jars, so do be careful not to knock anything over. While nothing here is particularly valuable, some of these concoctions are rather dangerous.”

The cabin was crammed with shelves, each one laden with bottles of eerily colored potions. Some emitted a faint luminescence, others contained animals Chloe couldn’t identify, and a few even held creatures still alive, thrashing and struggling within their viscous liquid prisons.

Is this truly not some medieval witch’s alchemy lab? A cabin deep in the forest, bizarre elixirs, an eccentric proprietor – all the quintessential elements were present.

“Don’t be alarmed,” Tia reassured her. “These potions only appear frightening because they’re specifically concocted for magical girls. Naturally, the ingredients and preparation methods are quite unconventional, but their effects are remarkably potent.” Tia offered comfort, recalling her own initial apprehension when she first arrived here. Doctor Blanca had brewed her a bubbling, viscous green potion that, by its appearance, seemed destined to inflict ridiculously severe side effects. Yet, in reality, the potion tasted akin to freshly squeezed grass juice. Astonishingly, its effects were instantaneous. From that day forward, Tia had placed immense trust in Doctor Blanca’s capabilities.

Driven by a profound curiosity regarding Tia’s formidable magical power, Doctor Blanca had requested Tia to visit her periodically for research purposes. Consequently, Tia had become one of Doctor Blanca’s precious few friends.

“You’ve drunk it?”

“I have.”

“Then tell me, what does this particular potion taste like?” Chloe inquired, pointing to a bottle of shimmering purple liquid on a nearby table.

“Let me see… this bottle… I don’t seem to recall it. Doctor Blanca, is this a new invention?” Tia pondered for a considerable time, yet couldn’t recall ever having consumed that specific potion. She then turned to Doctor Blanca, who was rummaging through a cabinet.

Doctor Blanca spared only a cursory glance before returning to her search. “That one is for improving the constitution of magical girls who are naturally weaker. You, a veritable physical marvel, have obviously never needed it. Didn’t you mention the girl you’re bringing has a delicate constitution? This was prepared precisely for her.”

During a lull in their conversation, Chloe idly wandered through the cabin. On a windowsill, she discovered a potted plant bearing a red and purple flower, its four petals tightly furled. As Chloe leaned closer for a better look, the petals abruptly unfurled into a starburst shape, its center pointing directly at her.

How incredibly strange…

Chloe experimented by shifting her position, only to be astonished when the flower continued to track her movements, much like a sunflower perpetually turns towards the sun. Like a child, she began to play, attempting to move too swiftly for the flower to follow, or ducking behind obstructions to see if it could still detect her presence.

“Chloe! Come back, the examination is about to commence!”

Upon hearing Tia’s summons, Chloe reluctantly tore herself away from the captivating plant. The moment she rejoined the two, she immediately began questioning Doctor Blanca about the mysterious flower.

“Ah, you’re referring to the Witchbloom,” Doctor Blanca replied, still tinkering with her instruments. “That flower is used in potions to identify witches. Its sap contains a unique compound that reacts solely to witches, causing its petals to unfurl into a starburst when one is in close proximity. It’s quite remarkable, isn’t it? I imagine you haven’t witnessed such a sight before.”

Doctor Blanca’s casual explanation sent a sudden chill down Chloe’s spine. Why had that flower bloomed specifically for me? Could a witch have secretly infiltrated this very house?

“Um… I have a question…”

“Ask away.”

“Given your crucial importance to magical girls, what would happen if a witch were to come knocking? You’re a regular human, aren’t you?”

“An excellent question. Observe this.” Doctor Blanca, with an air of distinct pride, gestured towards a spherical purple crystal resting on the table, much like a child eager to showcase a cherished toy. “This crystal is infused with a high concentration of Witchbloom sap. Should a witch of sufficient power approach this vicinity, it will emit a stark red glow. Upon receiving that alarm, I naturally have a means of escape. As for how, there’s no need for concern; I possess numerous contingency plans.”

Looking at the crystal, which calmly pulsed with a soft purple light on the table, Chloe felt an urge to conduct an experiment. She slowly drew closer, and at a specific distance, the crystal’s core abruptly flickered with a crimson flash. Chloe recoiled instantly, and the red light vanished. Her heart gave a heavy thud. She cautiously glanced at Tia and Doctor Blanca, who were engrossed in their own conversation, their attention diverted elsewhere.

What could this mean?