Mirror "Mirror mirror on the wall, who's the fairest of them all?" In an instant, the fairy behind the glass appeared before the queen and replied with a cocky grin. "Hate to break the news to ya lady, but there's a new gal in town that goes by the name of Jac." The queen was infuriated! She made quite a ruckus tearing down the window curtains before she tossed her bubbling drink towards the mirror, barely missing it. "WHAT HAPPENED TO SNOW WHITE?!" "Well, she met up with her sister Red Rose and is now in a cabin with a bear I believe. So she's no longer in this part of the fairy kingdom, ma'am." "Good. That bear will take care of her. But WHO IS THIS INTERLOPER JACK?" "Beats me. She just came out of nowhere, like poof! And she was there." "WHERE IS THAT GOOD FOR NOTHING ASSASSIN?!" Meanwhile, Jac and her giant friend Richard were stuck in a crossroad, both literally and figuratively. "The Wizard brought us through the wrong wormhole again! " Jac fumed. "This is definitely not Never Never Land!" "Never trust a wizard to do a fae's job." Richard replied as he held, and eventually fiddled, with a shining crystal in his hands. "Don't worry, I'm on it. I can open the Tunnel of Chaos again so we can get back and start over.. If I can just... ugh! Get this artifact to work!" "Or we could try to find the right checkpoint ourselves and head over there straight away from the tunnel." "Jac, we discussed this. The last time we did that we wounded up switching sizes. I'm not going to take that risk again." "But I liked being big.." Jac pouted as she folded her arms. Just then, a rugged man wielding a knife walked up to Jac from behind. She whipped around as soon as she noticed him, the sight of the weapon in his hand caused her hair to stand on end. She was about to do a quick draw of her own weapon, when the stranger backed up and held back his blade. He had a sorrowful look in his eyes. "Oh, oh... no you're pretty." He uttered. "What?!" Was Jac's angered response. "I'm sorry. I was hired to kill you. But once again I cannot. I am a weak man." "WHA?! " At that very moment, the man was suddenly plucked up by the rim of his coat and was just as quickly brought up to the giant's face. The assassin was flabbergasted by how he failed to notice this titan before, and began to flail about wildly. "What do you want me to do with him, Jac?" Richard bellowed in an almost beastly manner. "Please!! Mister giant!! Don't eat me!!" The assassin pleaded. "No. Why would I want to do that? You look disgusting. I was thinking more like... how about I throw you over the horizon? That sounds like it would be fun, wouldn't you agree?" "Richard!! Put him down!!" Jac was folding her arms and thumping her foot. The giant then turned his head and looked upon her in disbelief. "What~? Why don't you want me to mess with him? He did just try to kill you after all." "I think I know which story we're in! We're not supposed to screw around with things, remember? Just fix the other Time Warper's messes!" "All right, all right..." The grouchy Richard turned his attention back to the shivering man in his grasp. "You promise you won't tell anyone else about this?" "OF COURSE OF COURSE! I SWEAR BY THE QUEEN'S NAME!!" "O-kay. " The Wile giant then sat the man down roughly on the grass. He then lowered himself and looked at him straight in the eyes before returning with a growling voice. "Now BEAT IT before I change my mind." The man did a complete 180 and made a beeline for the hills, all while wailing hysterically like a madman. Richard got up to his full height and brushed the dirt off his hands. "He won't keep his word. We better get outta here before all the King's horses and all the King's men come after us with pitchforks." "The usual." Jac shrugged. Not long after, after reciting the spell for the umpteenth time, at last the crystal in Richard's hands lit up a bright blue and a portal started to form right in front of the two. They could hear the telltale hollers of an angry mob in the far distance, so the interdimensional tunnel couldn't come soon enough. As what was normally the case, the hole was only big enough for a human to pass through, though that wouldn't be a problem for Richard. Shrinking down to human height is a necessary evil (in his mind) when the situation called for it. As he took Jac by the hand, the two of them jumped in at once, and they were pulled in just as the wormhole was about to close behind them. Escaped by a hair once again. Hopefully their next actual adventure won't be nearly as harrowing.CozyJac watched the chopped up timber as it was tossed into the blaze. She was awe stricken by how massive the fire became in such a short time, but her sense of wonder grew to a sliver of uncertainty as her thoughts began to cloud. It was just right for a fireplace in a giant household, but from the perspective of a human, there was enough of an inferno to completely engulf the likes of a structure more scaled to her size. "There, that should do it." Bo said as he tossed the last of the firewood that was needed. "That'll certainly keep us comfortable for the evening." Jac sat at a safe distance on top of Bo's single seated couch, yet there was no escaping the sight of the caged flames. Jac couldn't help but stare blankly as she gripped her nails into the fabric. When Bo finally made his way over to her side, he could instantly tell that something was off. "You all right?" Jac was in a trance, she gazed without blinking but a few times that minute. It took several hand waves and near shouts before the young woman snapped out of it at last. "Elheim to Jac! Can you read me!" "Huh?" Jac literally shook her head, her hair whipped from side to side. "Were you daydreaming again?" Asked Bo. "S...sorta? I guess?" Jac took a deep breath and explained what she was seeing from her own point of view. Her words steadily opened the Bunyan giant's eyes. "Oh. I'm... sorry if setting up the fireplace scared you.." "Wha~? Nononono it's not like that. It just.. feels weird I guess." "Well I don't blame you... But doncha worry, that fire's 100 percent contained! You'll be safe without a doubt." "Yeah, I guess that should be obvious." Bo could tell that his adopted sister was still visibly uneasy, which was far from normal for her. But without a second thought, Bo was on it. He stepped into the kitchen for just a moment to whip up some pick me ups just for this occasion. As the microwave heated their drinks, he pulled out a couple of cookies to add as a topping. Right before he heard the ping, he pulled out the tiniest miniature he could find in the cabinet. Slowly and as gingerly as he could, he poured the hot brew of chocolate and cream into the tiny cup. He then shaved a little bit of the vanilla crumbles into her drink, not as fancy as he would have liked but it would have to do. In a few short minutes, Bo was back with the hot cocoa at hand, taking extra measures to stabilize his sister's helping. "There you go sweet pea. Sorry, I tried to add your cookie in just the right amount but it broke." "Well, I guess that's just how the cookie crumbles." That got a chuckle out of the Bunyan giant. Jac then looked at the mug with a big smile on her face. "But yeah, it's the thought that counts." Bo sat down and brought Jac over to his chest. The human then proceeded to walk over to the crook of his arm where she settled down. As soon as she took the first sip, Jac perked right up; the sugar gave her a much needed boost, but just the right amount, not overbearing as was the case when consuming most giant confections. Bo really knew how to make it work. The two drank in silence as they took their time to soak in the warmth of their brew. After Bo was about half way done, he finally spoke. "I used to be terrified of fires as a kid. Especially after what happened to my mom." "Yeah.." Jac replied quietly, "I can imagine." "But, I eventually got over it, and now I even volunteer to help stop small fires if there's ever a need. So, what I'm saying is, if I can get past it, so can you. Cause you're the bravest, most toughest person I know." "I'm not as strong as you. C'mon!" Jac laughed. "Not physically, of course! But you know what I mean. It'll take time, so don't feel bad about it. For now, you've got me to keep you safe." "Since you fight these things sometimes, I guess I don't have to worry." "Mmmhm!" Jac asked Bo to set the cup aside as she began to settle down. She was a lot more relaxed now that she was literally on top of her big brother, and she could finally bask under the warmth and the soft glow of the very flames she had gotten so worked up over just minutes before. The two continued to relax for the rest of the lazy evening in that very spot. And it would not be long before the two of them would drift to a sound slumber.Reverie Jac was walking in air. Yes, quite literally. After she stepped over a puddle, on a sidewalk paved with crayon graffiti of every color imaginable, she found the end of a rainbow. A fabled occurence, one that legends proclaim would lead to vast otherworldly kingdoms or treasures beyond the wildest dreams. Do any of these hold truth? Only one way to find out! The young woman placed her foot atop the prism of light, which caused the surface to solidify and morph in shape. Soon the rainbow arc transformed into a stairway of seven colors that appeared to reach up into the luminescent stratosphere. Jac wasted no time hopping on and she began her ascent towards the stars. "Jac..." Suddenly there was a low, echoing voice that cut through the air, it whipped and whirled pass Jac's body like a raging gust. Colorful dust started to kick around her; in turn, her body weighed down, like an enormous, unseen pressure was pushing against her. Yet not even this will take her down so easily, she'll fight against a literal storm if she has to. "I'm not giving up!" She exclaimed with true defiance in her tongue. "No matter what you say you won't keep me down!" "Jac, what the hell? Get back down from there!" "NEVER!" With a cackle and a raspberry that she aimed towards... the sky, Jac triumphantly ignored the voice without questioning it further, and carried on up the stairs. Before long, she had made it to the top of the arch, which she took great pride in by jumping around and dancing. "HA! I MADE IT! IN YOUR FACE - - Wh-WHOH!" At that exact moment, the ground beneath her began to rumble. The foundation of the magical staircase was weakening and it felt as if it was about to give way right under her feet. Sure enough, the stairs at the base of the rainbow began to break apart, effectively turning the colorful staircase into water vapor once more. Jac tried her best to marathon her way through the rest of the passage, but it was too late. "JAC!!" Down down down she fell, some ten feet, then twenty. She could see the world increasing in size in the blink of an eye before she ultimately passed out from vertigo. Immediately thereafter, there was impact. Her landing was soft, nothing too fluffy like the clouds that she ran past earlier, but leathery and warm. She slowly came to, just as she was gently being lowered into the dip of the palm that became her lifesaver. These hands would then cover her up as they folded together, embracing her on all sides. "Jac!! Wake up!!" Jac's eyes shot open. Moderate rain poured all around her as the chilling air whipped its way past the pillar of fingers she had laid against. She looked to the side to see the pavement where the graffiti rainbow was drawn, from up here it doesn't look as massive. And just in front of her was a giant sized jungle gym. It then dawned on her. "Was I... dreaming?" "Jac!! You could have gotten seriously hurt! What were you thinking!?" "I... got carried away... didn't I?" She said with a weak laugh. She looked up to see the face of her giant, and gave out a blep as a weak attempt to look cute. Richard looked angry, as well as fear-strickened, towards the tiny woman in his hands. He was trying very hard not to exclaim, though the cracks voice was enough to let her know that he nearly had a heart attack just before this. He paused to made sure nothing was broken, as he pulled her arms up gently like a ragdoll. "I'm fine." Jac said as she righted herself up in the dip of his palm. "I'm none worse for wear, as they say." "Let me guess. Did you get too much sugar into your system again?" "Uhhh..." "Jac!" "That new chocolate ball that they were handing out at the factory looked soooooo good! I just had to take a bite out of it... or four." "You can't keep eating candies made for giants! You know how dangerous it can be! Look what it almost got you!" Jac stared into the jungle gym as she tried to recall what she could remember. Blurry fragments of rainbows and the sky.. but not much else. "I must have been sleep walking hard..." "Your sugar rushes are intense Jac! If I hadn't come along, you could have been seriously hurt, or..." At this point in time, Richard was a lot more worked up than Jac was. The human tried to ease the tension by running a hand on one of his fingers. "I'm ok. The important thing is that you were here. Thanks... for saving me. And I'm sorry I made you worry." That was enough to get the Wile giant to calm down, if only by a sigh through his nose. His face still looked a tad judgmental however. "I should get you out of the rain at least. Bag, pocket, or..?" "Pocket!" Jac cuts in. "Sure thing." Without further discussion, the giant dipped Jac ever so gently into his chest pocket. She slid down into the warm felted landscape, the beating of the drum behind her also made for nice background music. Yes, a pocket without any obstructions and a seat belt for good measure was one of Jac's favorite hiding spots. "Now then. You can dream all you want in there." "It's night now. It's probably best if I can hold it off until I can get some real sleep in my own bed." "You're making sense. I like that." "Hey!" "Before then, let me treat you to a nice dinner and a movie when we get home! How does that sound?" Jac was beaming. "I'd like that. Would we get some of those chocolate vanilla shakes for dessert? Mmmm-mmm!" Richard had to sigh. "After what happened tonight? In your dreams!" "Aww! I'll behave this time! I promise!" "Not a chance!" "Aww c'mon!" This small back and forth would continue as Richard trekked towards home. Compared to what nearly happened earlier, this was a welcome calm.Moth"WAHHH! WHAT THE HECK IS THAT?!" Aiden ducked and flinched as the strange little creature fluttered around him, giving him the shock of his life. Richard stood by the shrunken Wile as he watched the ladder flail about. The sight of this was hysterical but the larger Wile had chosen to be discreet about it. "You're scared of a butterfly..." "Is this what a butterfly is?!" Aiden practically wailed. "I always thought that they were pretty little things, not murderous monsters out for blood!" Richard fell out laughing. "You're too much, you know that?" "Easy for you to say! Why don't you come down to my level and see just how terrifying this thing is with your own eyes?" Richard cracked a side grin. "I know what insects are like. Sure, they take some getting used to, especially when you realize that some of them defy the laws of physics as we Beanstalks know it. But once you can get past how freaky they are, they're not so bad... usually." "What in the world is going on here?" Jillian questioned as she walked in through the human entrance. As soon he saw her, Aiden bolted forward and made a flimsy attempt to hide behind the elf. Upon spotting what he was running from, Jillian held a hand to her mouth with endearment. "That's what the problem is?" "It was attacking me earlier!!" "It's a little white poodle moth! Such a gorgeous creature.. Why would you be so scared of this itty bitty guy?" It was obvious Jill was teasing the red head at this point. "You should have seen him earlier, he was practically being chased." Richard replied with a toothy grin. "Yeah! What he said!" Aiden cried. The moth was currently perched atop a Sprout-scaled shelf, sulking the bristles on its legs as it observed the commotion below. "Are you pulling my leg?" Jillian said. "I'm telling you! That bug wouldn't leave me alone!" Aiden then told his account while waving his arms around to set the scene. "I was here, just minding my own business. When suddenly that creature swooped down and crashed onto my head! And it kept doing it too! And no matter what I did to avoid it, it just dived and flung and loop-the-looped! I have no idea what it's deal was!" While listening to Aiden's testimony, Jillian gestured lightly for the moth to come closer to her. The insect's antennae twitched as it turned it's body towards the elf's coos and whistles. It then flew off of its resting post and swooped onto Jillian's finger. Which instantly caused the chicken-hearted Wile to hide for the nearest cover. "Aren't you a pretty little thing! Yes you are!" Jillian hummed as she hovered a finger over it. She took particular care to prevent touching any part of the moth's delicate body. Aiden slowly came out of his curled position to take a closer look, though he remained cautious. "You.. you tamed it." "Nah! These kinds of moths just feel relaxed around elves. We've had them as companion pets since ancient times so it's likely ingrained into their DNA! This one's in such prime shape too! I better work on getting it some life extension potions so I can rehome it to someone who can take good care of it." "Yeah.. you do that. So long as it stays clear away from me, I'll be... happy for it..." "Aiden. Aren't you wearing that woolly sweater?" "Um... yeah? Why?" "Well no wonder! I just found out that this is a little lady! So no, she wasn't really coming after you, she most likely just wanted to lay her eggs on your clothes." Aiden took a moment to fully process what he just heard. Before the realization settled in... and the start of a small, high-pitched scream commenced, which had increased in volume and intensity by the second. "All right!" Jillian shouted. "I'm taking her with me for now! Try to relax, will ya!" Jillian kept the moth by her side as she made her way back to her workshop. Along with getting her new charge somewhere safe, her ears needed a break as well. Aiden wouldn't dream of doing the last thing she said until the elf had shut the door behind him. It was only then that his bundle of nerves settled, if only slightly. He turned around to face the front of the giant sized desk he stood on and wondered where Richard had gone. Only to discover shortly after that the Wile giant was hunched over on the side of the furniture with a look of someone who was in pain. He immedietly exploded in laughter in spite of himself. "You're no better than Jac." Aiden pouted. "I'm sorry...!" Richard uttered before releasing the heckling maniac that he was trying his best to tie down. "If you can't handle a moth, I wonder how you would fare with other bugs? Like jumping spiders?" "Jumping what?!!" Aiden squealed. Richard almost wanted to tease him a little more, but he thought it'd be best to hold back... for now at least. After all, his friend has already had enough scares for one day.Gentle Bo stared at the potted plant for a good minute or so as the leaves quivered ever so slightly. He went to get a closer look, only to see a fraction of what appeared to be a much smaller being as they scurried to get away from sight. Bo could barely make out a figure, he could have sworn that he saw a familiar sleeve. There was only one person he knew who wore that particular hand-knitted sweater. "Rod...?" Bo uttered in the tiniest voice he could muster. The sound of his name caused the elf's ears to perk right up, as he scooted further into the cover of the leaves. "GO AWAY!!" He shouted desperately at the top of his lungs. He was pretty sure the giant couldn't hear him, but Bo was able to read the message well enough based one how intensely the leaves shook. Bo had never seen the elf in his normal five inch height. He was well aware that Rod would never show his true form out in the open, so that was enough to tell him that something was up. Bo also understood however that he couldn't just straight up talk to him upfront, as the latter would least likely trust someone so massive in his current state. The giant needed to approach this with care. After putting his thinking cap on for a moment, Bo pulled out his phone. He decided that the best solution was to make a call. In a moment's time, a faint fragment of a familiar ring tone sounded off from between the leaves. Realizing that there was no way to convince the giant to ignore this, Rod caved in and answered, though he said nothing at first. "Rod? What happened?" Bo talked not through the device in his hand, but in the same barely audible way as he did before. "Please, I want to help." After a minute of consideration, and much sighing, Rod finally spoke. "My magic just suddenly died on me. It happens when I've gotten low on energy..." "And you didn't want me to see you like this?" "I trust you as a friend. And yet.. I don't enjoy knowing that larger folks can see me in my vulnerable state... especially since, you know..." "Say no more! I can certainly see where you're coming from." Bo replied. "Even though I've never been in your position, I can figure out how uncomfortable you must be with someone like me at this time, friend or not. Although..." Bo rested his hand under his chin. "Was it your intention to be hanging around the plants?" "Um...no..." "So you're stuck..." "I can get off of this platform on my own...given enough time..." "Listen man... I know it seems like I'm the scariest thing in the world right now, but you're going to have to trust me on this one." Bo said with determination in his whispered words. "I've had to hold tiny elves and other smaller folks before. You've seen that with your own eyes! So please, let me get you out of there and into someplace more secluded. Okay?" Bo then took out a single finger, pointing it just before he touched the little pot itself. Rod looked at the digit with fear welling up in his core. He could see the fingerprints form craters on its tip; this in turn would cause the elven man to gulp, and vibrate even more. Sensing the tension from the silence, Bo did his best to remain calm for his bud no matter how much of his own nerves he had to quell. He took a deep breath from his nose, and said: "It's going to be okay. I'll be gentle. I promise." A minute passed. Then two. When it had seemed like nothing would change from this situation, Rod finally made his move. Carefully and gingerly, he placed his hands onto the warm surface of Bo's fingertip, and began to crawl. The tiny elf wrapped his arms and legs around as much of the skin he could hold onto, and he still shivered as if he was freezing despite the heat all around him. He remained silent throughout, but Bo knew from experience that Rod was about as good and ready as he'll ever be. As steadily as possible, without a single shake or sway, Bo transported his tiny passenger with his finger still extended throughout. After the initial uncertainty, Rod managed to return to his usual calm self gradually but surely. It would not be long before he began to feel grateful for this improvised ride. After all, this was certainly better than many cases of being held by other giants and even humans. Bo really did earn the title of one of the Beanstalk Society's gentlest giants. After Bo sat the elf down in front of the hole in the wall as per instruction, Rod got off sporting a weary smile. His confidence boosted profoundly once he got off of his carrier; he was relieved that this was over, but was also humbled by the events that took place. Bo noticed this as well, and had instantly released the bundled up worry he had been shouldering throughout this time. "Thank you, my friend," Rod said. "You were a great help." "Anytime." Bo chuckled. "Would you have expected any less?" Rod made a side glance to his giant companion and gave out a small grin. "Of course not." He replied. The elf would then retreat into the walls, retiring for the day and starting the process of regaining his magic as the night went on.Snowed OutWith a gentle breeze the snowflakes fell, becoming one with the sea of white that had made up the forest floor. Surrounded by the mighty cedars as she watched the powder dance and sway, Jac was reminded of a scene from a Christmas movie. A far cry from the storms that had whipped through the town the night before. Jac let out a foggy sigh. Long after the holidays have come and gone, the frosty weather had more than overstayed its welcome. In particular, Jac was left stranded outside after the previous night's blizzard, which had only validated her frustrations further. With this part of the Beanstalk Society largely buried underneath this icy menace, and her workplace being closed for the day, the young woman was left with nothing but to kill time. As she added the finishing touches to her snowman, Jac paused for a bit to admire her work. A standard effort, not too shabby. The doldrums were about to set in however, her eyelids drooping on occasion as she continued to be on the look out. If she was going to do nothing all day, then she might as well rope her best friend into this so they can spend the day doing nothing together. After all, she did happen to be staying over at his house when the blizzard passed through. For a giant like him, this was nothing that a couple of hours of shoveling couldn't fix. But any knee high snow pile for these gargantuan folk would be enough to completely engulf any dwelling within the human district, with Jac's apartment being no exception. Despite repeated reassurances from the townsfolk themselves, Jac could not help but let her mind wander. How were her neighbors doing? And what would she be doing at this very moment if she was trapped along with them? At that moment Jac had snapped back to focus as she heard a rumbling sound, a low growl that echoed in the winter air. Luckily for her, it came from a familiar voice. Sure enough there was Richard, who was making an effort to roll a massive snow ball nearly half his height up the hill. With every shove, extra clumps of snow added more to its size and weight, yet it somehow managed to maintain a perfectly rounded shape throughout. Jac couldn't help but be struck with internal laughter, for to her it appeared as though the Wile giant was pushing a mountainous boulder by the way he was panting. After what seemed like a tremendous amount of time (for the Wile giant at least) Richard brought the snow orb to a designated spot on flat, stable ground. As soon was taken care of, he immediately flopped down on his back red in the face as he huffed entire blimps worth of air in and out of his lungs. Jac clicked her tongue and shook her head, having to fight back from expressing her amusement further. "Who are you trying to impress?" Richard opened a single eye to side glance the woman as she made her way towards his head. His look held a playful glint. "I have no one to please but myself." He said in a fox-like tone. Jac was near his cheek at this time. "But why go through the trouble? You're not competing for some award or making something that could land on the cover of Better Homes and Gardens." "I'll have you know, I have good reason to make a perfectly round snowman bottom. Just... give me a minute..." Richard had to stop for a moment, for he was still recovering from exhaustion. He soon continued. "At least the hard part is over with." "If you aren't having fun, then what's the point? I made mine without using much elbow grease." Richard turned his head to the side to get a better look at Jac's creation. He watched it in silence for a good minute. "What is that?" "What do you mean what is that?" "I'm kidding! I'm kidding!" "Tell me the truth, Richard. What do you think?" "The truth...?" "Yeah! Doncha think it looks pretty good?" "It's decent." "Of course!...Wait, huh?" "Pfft" "Rich!" "I didn't say it was bad. I said it was decent." Said the giant as he perked his lips. "Ohh, go finish your own dang snowman. Let's see what you got, Biggs." With that, Richard steadily pulled himself up and back on his feet with renewed vigor. In less than a minute, his entire frame towered over the human, taller than any of the buildings in her local district. This same titan of a man gently lowers his hand with his palm face up on the snow. "Since you're not busy, do you want to tag along?" Without hesitation nor a reply, Jac climbed onto Richard's hand, and bolted for his shoulder as soon as he lifted her gingerly onto that spot. She dove straight into the loose opening between his neck and scarf, and quickly settled into the giant's warmth. With a small smirk, Richard waited for Jac to eventually poke her head out. They then began to play a little game of hers that she always does whenever she's tucked away like this. "Onwards!" Jac commanded, pointing out to the great beyond. "Aye aye, captain!" Richard replied. And off they went. . . . . . . . It didn't be long before Richard returned with the second snow clump in his hands. He stacked it atop the first, then went to work fine tuning the spherical shape as he made it appear like a shining bald head. After a while however, Jac noticed her giant had stopped moving for a few minutes. She peeked out of the shelter of Richard's scarf to investigate. As suspected, the Wile giant had already moved on to decorating the second piece with stones. "Oh? So tired that you're resorting to putting the face on his torso?" Jac teased. "No, I wanted to create a Snow Daruma instead of the standard one." "A Da..? What is that?" "A snowman based off of a Japanese wishing doll. My dad used to make them with me when I was a small kid. Ah! Wait... I need to explain that concept to you, too." "As you can see, I have time." Jac said plainly. Richard then went on in textbook dialogue about daruma facts. All this talk of a sitting Buddhist monk that the snowmen resemble and the history behind the curious paper machete dolls that also took to the monk's likeness was enough to make Jac's eyelids heavy. At least until he came to the part where he spoke of their ability to grant wishes. "-- their eyes are blank, see? So if you make a wish or set a goal in mind, you draw an eyeball on one of the daruma's eyes and place it on the shelf for the household to see." "And then the daruma helps you grant your wish?" "Yeah.. according to tradition anyway. After the wish comes true, you draw the other eye in. And send it off to a shrine to show thanks for its support." "I see. So it's like a genie." Richard's tone of voice grew disheartened somewhat. "It's not that foolproof." He reached for his pocket to pull out his phone, but stopped short after recalling his battery was nearly dead. "I could show you, but..." At this very time, something lit up like a fire in Jac's mind, a remnant of a small memory that has clicked into place. "Didn't you have a white, rounded face object on your shelf in your living room? It had a bunch of facial markings and it only had one eye!" "That's the one!" Pausing for another moment, Richard then replied with a softer expression. "I'm surprised you remembered it at all." "Of course! I can't forget that gigantic face that scared me half to death! I was nearly startled off on your shoulder that time." "For someone your size who isn't used it, I'm not surprised. I was afraid of it too before I knew what it was. When I was like, five.” Richard chuckled under his breath. "By the way, whatever happened to it?" Richard had expected this. He continued to pat down his snow daruma, as he seemingly tried his best to not let Jac's question get under his skin. "Is something wrong?" That got Richard out of his trance. "Oh? Oh. No, you see..." He hesitated a bit, as he struggled to come up with the best course of action; eventually he settled on being blunt without spilling all of the details. "I wasn't able to get my wish granted... so after a while, I gave it up." Jac gasped. That lit flame ignited into a blazing passion. "They still only had one eye, right? Why didn't you let them do their job? I'm sure that doll was working hard for you!" Those last words stung a little. If only she knew that Richard's daruma could never grant his wish. It was impossible, so it was better for him to not be reminded of it. He spent the next few minutes without saying a single word, as he covered his emotions under the illusion that he was engrossed in crafting his snow creation. Jac didn't question it, but she did finally speak when the silence became unbearable for her. "Are you okay?" She asked meekly. A half-startled Richard replied. "Huh? Yeah! I'm fine. And I'm just about to wrap this up." He knew if he changed the subject, Jac would likely forget about it, and sure enough this was the case. With a final pat, Richard backed up to give Jac a full view of his work. The girl gave the snow daruma her honest review: she had to admit, this snow person was picture perfect with two clean spheres that made up the head and body. The face was simple, yet effective with a cute emoticon-like smile. It definitely fits the bill as something you would see on a holiday postcard. And yet, Jac felt as though something was missing. "Hm?" Richard knew that look in her eyes. After a tidal wave of brainstorming, a spark coursed through the human's mind. And upon processing it, she couldn't help but give out a smile that shined brighter than any of her surroundings. She whispered into Richard's ear; since they were alone, there was no point in doing this except to get a silent reaction. And there it was, that smile was contagious. Richard spontaneously perked up the side of his lips, slightly showing his sharp canine teeth. "That's perfect." He whispered back. He made his way towards Jac's snowman and carefully lifted it up onto his palm. With precise and delicate accuracy, Richard slowly sets it down on the left shoulder of his snow daruma, adding just a tad more snow to the base of the miniature to keep the latter stabilized. The giant then backed up to let his friend marvel at this sight. The result was a perfect giant and tiny person snowmen pair. “I call it Beanstalk and Beansprout united!” "Eh, that works. Mine does compliment yours perfectly I must say." "So, Rich. Think my snowman is only decent now?" "No. Truth is, I thought my efforts were pretty decent as well. The standard round body, round head approach. Nothing fancy. I just got carried away with the first piece. But together? I think they increased both of their marks by at least a hundred percent." "You think?" "Am I wrong?" Richard turned his head to look at the young woman on his right shoulder with a smile as wide as she was tall. Noticing the giant's willingness to express his glee (something that isn't too common for the Wile these days), Jac returned with a large grin of her own. "Nope. Not at all. And I couldn't have made such a perfect work of art without ya, of course." "Likewise." So with that, the two friends continued to look at their accomplishments for some time. As the snow, while still light, was increasing by the hour, Jac watched as her thoughts began to drift away once more. Being lost in her own ponderings, she remembered something she forgot to ask Richard before. "Do Yu...um. Snow darumas? Do they grant wishes, too?" "I've never heard of it." "It wouldn't hurt to try I guess." Jac asked the giant to hold her in front of the snow daruma's face. She then clapped her hands together, before she broke the momentum and asked Richard. "Aren't you going to make a wish?" "I don't bother with these types of things anymore. Besides, I don't really have anything to wish for right now." "Ok then!" With that, Jac closed her eyes and thought about what she wanted the most at this very moment. She then reached and with a bit of trouble she pulled out one of the stones that made up the snow daruma's eye. She then handed the heavy rock to Richard, who placed it in his coat pocket without effort. The Wile giant was puzzled by this. "Aww. The snowmen look less than stellar now.." "Don't worry. I'm sure the Da-roo ma–” "Daruma." "Right. I'm sure they'll get it back soon. Sometime today, hopefully." "What exactly is this wish now?" "It's a secret." "You can tell me..." "Well...hmmmm... nah. Wanna make sure I get my wish, so I don't want to ruin it by saying it aloud.” "Suit yourself." Richard shrugged, with Jac teetering slightly on his shoulder. This got her to respond with a cheeky laugh that the Wile wasn't sure what to make of. But he chose to refrain from any further questioning about it. As the quiet snowfall continued to coat the landscape in a sea of white, the two friends continued to take advantage of this free time. Hopefully Jac will be able to return to her apartment by day's end. If not however, she would have Richard to give her a home away from home.Haunted 10: Mist (Final)The atmosphere was eerily quiet, so much so that one could hear the light scurrying of a mouse. A heavy patch of mist blanketed the entire field, but unlike their previous visit to this domain, not a single sign of marble-like trees, grass, or shrubs could be found. Jac slowly opened her eyes to find herself laying on a cushion in what appeared to be a house.. or rather, what was left of it. The flames had chewed out a large portion of the abandoned structure, which allowed the heavy fog to seep inside. The first thing she could discern as she gazed up was the charred remnants of what appeared to be a mural painting that had been discolored and withered over the span of ages. It depicted a battle between a woman wearing white robes and a large, multi eyed black monster with multiple people scattered about on both sides cheering them on. "Ah! You're finally awake!" The baritone voice shook Jac out of her laying position. She turned to find an older gentleman who wore a black cowboy hat. "I brought you over here to rest up. There was quite a commotion out there earlier. Destroyed this old place, it did." The old man sighed. He looked up at the mural when he noticed the young woman had taken an interest. "And to think that this was one of the few things that survived the onslaught. Such an odd thing, that fate is." "Am... I dead?" Jac said reluctantly. "Oh no! You still have that cord that's chained to your body. You can't see it, but it's there. You'll live. Oh!" The gentleman recalled. "There's someone outside who's waiting to see you. He's been worried sick about you ever since you arrived, and he kept on apologizing--" Without another word Jac sprung up, and while she struggled to maintain her footing, she managed to make her way past the burned up corridors until at last she found an opening. There on the Veranda stood a lowly person who carried a large plumage of red and gold feathered wings on his back. His arms were folded on the guardrail, and his face was completely sheltered in them as he slumped low in deep despair. Jac paused for a moment, before she found her voice again. "...Aiden?" The familiar red head swung his head back the instant he heard her voice and immediately lunged himself forward to wrap his arms around her. The young woman was no less shocked than she was a second ago, but she would nonetheless embrace this moment by squeezing him tighter. "I'm so sorry Jac!!" Tears were running down Aiden's face. "I didn't know what else to do to get rid of that witch, but I was so worried you might have--" "It's alright. You... saved me.. but..." Jac looked down at the enlarged wings on his back, and upon further inspection discovered that they were transparent. Tears started to form in her eyes as well, as she planted her face onto the chest of the puzzled Wile. Jac said nothing to alleviate his confusion but her crying grew louder all the same. "What's wrong?" Aiden sniffed. "You're dead, that's what's wrong..." "WHAT?!!" Jac then brushed her fingers on the tip of his wings, and that's when he realized what she was referring to. "OH! Oh no. This?" He then began to lightly swat at the wings while saying "Shoo! Shoo! Shoo!" And they in turn gradually faded out of sight. "This is just what happens when I use my powers too much and wind up in, um... limbo, of sorts." Aiden placed a hand behind his neck. "I may be gone for a little bit, but I promise I'll be fine, okay? I just need some time to recover, that's all." "Are you an angel?" Jac asked with sadness in her voice. "No.." "Are you... satan?" "NO!" Aiden grumbled. "I'm just a regular Wile giant who just happens to have magic that's a bit different from everyone else." "You weren't kidding..." Jac chose to drop it for now; she's seen him come back before, yet this was the first time she got up close and personal with witnessing his spirit form. Speaking of which.. "How long have I been here for? I hope it's not too late before I--" "No need to worry about that." Said the older gentleman as he stepped out to greet the two. "Even if you spend a long time here, it'll only be like a few seconds in your world. So you can take as long as you need to unwind.. Or not. It's your choice." "Oh. That's... convenient." Jac uttered. She felt a large weight thrown off of her shoulders upon hearing that revelation, but it would not be long before a new problem caught her eye. She turned her attention to the edge of the veranda, where she spotted two bright lights that were perched atop the railing. Jac squinted her eyes before she decided to have a closer look. The glow of the two objects had cut through the mist, as if they were a beacon from a lighthouse, except of course much smaller. "Is that...?" Jac gasped when she immediately recognized the glowing butterfly, which was laying on its side with what appeared to be a broken wing. "Yeah, that's her." Aiden spoke with a slight crack in his voice. "I burned up her spirit, so her core is all that's left. I believe all of her magic is gone." Jac breathed a sigh of relief. "Serves her right. Well, what is… who is that glowing bug standing next to her?" "I'm not sure. I found him inside of the collective demon's body, believe it or not. He actually helped me to get my head together and fight back." "You're kidding!" "Hold on just a minute!" The gentleman with the black cowboy hat pulled out his monocle and began to look very closely at the small speck. And upon a thorough examination, he nearly dropped his glasses in his flabbergasted state. "Mr. Jones!" He said rather bitterly. "Hello Reginald." The firefly replied after a brief moment of silence. With that confirmation, the old man took out his leather wallet and swatted at the poor bug, which caused audible squeaks to be heard from the two youngsters behind him. "I should have known you would show your face around here again! Scoundrels like you never get Tickets!" "Hey hey hey, no need to resort to violence, okay?" Aiden said as he stepped in between them. "He helped me out, so I brought him here. I had no idea he was...that guy..." "It's alright." The white speck said with a strained voice, though he was otherwise unfazed. "I had it coming for a while. When I was in the body of that beast I had about a hundred years to reflect on my past transgressions. I deserved every bit of punishment that I had received during that time, and I've accepted the fact that I won't be forgiven for most of them." He then turned to the golden butterfly and paused. "I haven't caught wind of everything, but it seems as though my wife had done all of these things with the sole purpose of trying to bring me back to life. If only she knew, that would have been impossible..." "After what you've done I don't understand why she would go through all this trouble!" Reginald huffed. "I knew of those rumors, and I understand why you don't see me as trustworthy. But mark my words, I've never cheated on her since we were together. When I made my vows to her... I wanted to change because she became the light of my life... and now..." The light of the firefly had grown to a mere flicker, as his voice began to well up uncontrollably. "Now she won't even speak. She's been unresponsive ever since she got here! It's as if she's dead, even though souls can't die... I expect some form of damnation. But not like this..." "Now now. There's no need to go that extreme." Reginald sighed. "I could transfer a little bit of my energy to her, but I don't believe it'll be enough to revive her." Nothing was said for the next few minutes as the room grew heavy with the Firefly's increasing grief. As much as it pained her to do so, Jac was also trying to come up with a solution despite her grievances against the witch. "Are you absolutely sure she can't regain her magic?" She asked the Wile. "Positive." Aiden replied. "Wait, why?" "Does your regenerative powers work on others?" "I... I never considered using it that way before. I don't think it's impossible, just... hard." "I have a suggestion." The firefly said after giving it a bit of thought. "Perhaps, lad, I could ask you to give a little bit of your energy to me so that I may use it to try to revive her myself? We have what you folks call, a Link, a contract of sorts. I can help her, but not if I'm trapped in this... pitiful state." "Well, I can sure try. Sharing energy is a piece of cake. If you think you can use that to charge up your powers, then go for it." "I'm willing to try anything." The firefly wasted no time getting on the shrunken Wile's hand as soon as he was prompted to do so. Aiden cupped him with the other and closed his eyes, and within moments his energy wings reappeared as he began to take on a gentle, yet otherworldly orange glow. Beams of light were absorbed into the small form underneath his fingers. Almost instantly, a bright light flashed between his fingers; as soon as the Wile opened his palms, the firefly shot out and reemerged as a tall, dark man sporting a pompous suit and a tuft of hair on his chin. "Great Scotts! I... I'm free...." Mr. Jones was nearly speechless. "Wait... I thought you were a much older guy than... this?" Jac questioned. "You're looking at someone who is eternally 38 years young! Whoever gave you that impression?" The man said as he gave a teasing leer to his former butler, who only raised his arms coyishly in response. Without further delay, Mr. Jones lifted the lifeless butterfly onto his open palms, and tried to imitate what was done to him just moments before. After a minute of no change, despite giving as much of his own light to her as he could muster, he immediately knelt down, and embraced the tiny insect in a pool of tears. "I... I'm so sorry for what I've done to you..." He whimpered as softly as he could, "none of this would have happened if I hadn't... If I didn't... with my own..." Just then, he heard the faintest whisper from between his palms. "It... wasn't your fault..." The man opened his hands and his expression melted as he looked down upon his wife. The former witch was now a tiny little thing, with small, white butterfly wings on her back. Her robe was a pure sheen of gold unlike the dusty white of her past self, and her expression was that of bewilderment and simultaneously of overwhelming relief. "Bartleby...?" She gasped. "Evangeline!" He cried. "Why are you so big?" "I don't know! Why are you so little?" He laughed while shedding tears of joy. "I'm sorry, but I'm afraid that I can't make you any taller..." "I don't mind. So long as I'm with you, I don't care either way." "Likewise." The two shared in each other's warmth for some time, as everyone cried tears of joy for them.. except for Jac. Laughter was shared and formal introductions were made, and while the young woman was still incredibly salty about what happened just hours before, this would change somewhat quickly after it became apparent that Evangeline couldn't recognize her or Aiden, and had seemingly forgotten everything that had happened since her reawakening. Jac thought 'If she was faking her amnesia, she was putting up a damn good act,' but she eventually dropped making any mention of it further. Bartleby Jones called for a celebration, but Aiden and Jac felt that they had enough adventures for one day. "Time for you two to be heading home then?" Reginald asked. Aiden looked at his friend for confirmation and got it with a swift nod. "I want to rest up in my own body, I think. Aches and all." She said. "Well, that's understandable. Feel free to come by and visit any..." The realization settled in that the ghosts didn't have any home to return to, for their mansion had been left in shambles. "I'm sorry..." Aiden felt guilty. "It was an accident." Reginald said, and with a long sigh he gave a fraction of a smile. "I guess this means it's about time for me to get a move on. Got a Ticket for a train I've been meaning to ride for quite some time. I heard the destination is nice." "I wish you the best of luck on your journey." Mr. Jones said. "Unfortunately, due to my... actions in the past, I was never gifted a Ticket." "Heck, almost everyone gets one eventually. Even scoundrels like the two of you!" Reginald chuckled. "You just have to earn yours over time. It may take a millennium or two, but it will happen." "Well, that's plenty of time for us to explore the world at our own pace, isn't that right, Bart?" Eva announced. Bartleby smiled at his wife on his left shoulder. "I'll be glad to go anywhere if it's with you, my love." ….. After one last goodbye, Aiden took Jac by the hand, and with the lift of his magical wings he flew her en route back to reality. When he finally sets her back down to the spot where her physical body laid, the Wile too, would have to part ways. "I have to go build my nest now… I'm so gosh darn tired, I'll likely need a month to fully rejuvenate. I'll be on standby if you need me." "Wait!" Jac exclaimed. Aiden turned around and saw that Jac was on the verge of tears. "Thank you.... For everything... for saving everyone!" Aiden didn't feel like a hero, but he accepted that form of sincerity nonetheless. "No problem, Jac. I'll see you around!" And with that his spirit took off into the air, heading off to what was likely a place where he could use his Phoenix reviving power in peace. ..... "Jac... Jac...! Please... wake up..." Jac slowly awakened to the sound of her Wile giant's voice. And the first thing she saw was his face overtaking her entire view, with his nose propped up against her cheek. "Rich…ard...?" She said weakly. "Y...you're alright..." "I'm the one who should be telling you that!!" Richard cried excessively, though the volume of his voice remained low. "I thought I lost you for real this time!...I can't!... I just want to..." Jac watched as the Wile giant's lips parted, to which she immediately reacted with a sharp "NO!" But the smaller human was surprised to get a series of soft kisses, wet kisses, and cheek rubs back to back. Jac had no energy to make a fake protest against it, for the overwhelming relief of surviving all of this had finally started to set in, as she too released a cascade of tears of her own. "I'll be ok Richard! Don't worry! We don't have to worry about that witch or the curse, or anything anymore!" Jac held onto Richard in a tight hug for a good, long time. A new dawn approached, and this meant that that frightful Hallows Eve had finally come to a close. The friends would take it easy for many months thereafter, with Aiden reuniting with the gang shortly enough. He made up with Jillian, and thanked her for helping him to snap out of it during his rage. To which she humbly replied no hard feelings towards. Everyone avoided high magic thrills and paranormal hijinks for a long, long time. After all that excitement, they all deserved a little break.Haunted 9: SkullDarkness Absolute nothingness surrounded him, as the Wile felt like he was slowly dissolving in a pool of black gold. Such is the fate of souls that get usurped by the man-of-war monster.. As if that wasn't hellish enough, swarms of piranha-like teeth were gnashing him from head to foot. No wounds were shed, no bruises nor blood. The very core of his spirit was under attack instead, the pain of which exceeds that of any other. Aiden genuinely wished for anything to put an end to this, the madness he was slowly sinking into seemed inescapable. The evil spirits had made good on their promise to make his suffering slow and merciless... The Wile was unable to ignite his flame no matter how much he yearned for it to burn, for the body of the collective spirit had completely enveloped him, just enough to not crush him. He had long since gone past the panic stage.. overwhelmed, defeated.. he was too tired to even turn a head. He was forced into a state of isolation within his annihilation, frozen.. without hope… 'What are you doing, lad?!' A strong, yet unfamiliar voice echoed in his brain, which snapped him straight out of his trance. 'You have to keep fighting!' "I... I can't!" Aiden whimpered in his mind. 'Yes you can!' The voice shouted. 'You've done it before! If not for yourself, then do it for--' Just then the Wile heard a nauseating scream. He followed the sound to the best of his ability against the intense pressure of his entire surroundings, when he saw that at least two of the foul spirits had ganged up on something that gave off a faint, minuscule light. Aiden could not understand why, but he had the sudden urge to squirm with everything he had. Pushing and thrashing his way towards the scene, the Phoebe Wile's internal ferocity was starting to build up, and with it the drive to slash his nails, loosening his hand just enough to reach out and grab the foul spirit that had just consumed the speck. With a quick squeeze, ignited with the heat of his mystical fire, the wisp-like blob let out a chilling shriek as the Wile ripped out its very core, revealing the weak essence of what appeared to be a glowing firefly from within. In their combined fury, the surrounding community of the single minded demons pressed down onto the Wile even harder, this time compressing his body to the point that it became difficult to breathe, let alone stay on the surface of the ever increasing black pool. But with a bit of good timing, Aiden was able to slip his arm pass the pressure point. Despite the numbingly intense pins and needles that snagged onto his loose appendage, he managed to grab the hapless firefly and absorb its essence into his body. And with it securely tucked away, and his main source of energy still exposed in the open, the Wile had just enough power needed to start wreaking havoc with his inferno. With his ferality no longer in check, the Wile set out a tremendous scream as he began to set himself ablaze. Aiden's renewed adrenaline gave him the perfect opportunity to push against the mass of blobs for just one second, which was all the time he needed to let loose all the chaotic energy that would make the kings of gehenna proud. ....... The chill in the air intensified as the entire yard became lit with a soft, yet unsettling white glow. Jac had kicked off her shoes and was walking towards her two dumbfounded friends. With each step she took, the grass would grow wildly around her bare feet- every blade of which taking on a dusty white color that gave them the appearance of marble. Her hair had turned a similar shade, and the light from her eyes had made her pupils a disturbing bleach. "Jac... what's happened to you...?" Richard spoke barely a peep. "Don't touch her!!" Jillian screamed. "Please," The witch and Jac's voice said simultaneously. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am called The Witch of the Dawn and I was once the goddess of the land you are standing on. Jac made a contract with me, and has become my host. She is sleeping now, but she will awaken and reunite with you soon enough." Richard had drowned out every word as he held Jac close and rubbed his cheek against her; tears ran down along his face, which had softened the glow of her hair somewhat as it made contact. He didn't care that touching her left his hands numb and caused his skin to crack, he just wanted his best friend back dammit! "Jac... This happened before, so I know you can snap out of it again! Please! I beg of you! Wake up~!!" Richard kept up his tight embrace all while Jac remained largely emotionless. A hint of reflection was spotted in her eyes, but it disappeared just as quickly as it came. She saw the damage done and the visible shaking of the giant's hands, which triggered a reaction that was likely from the possessed herself that caused her to jerk away and jump off onto the grass below. "The elf is right. It's best that you don't touch me while I am active." The witch said. With a renewed burst of rage, Jillian stomped on the ground. "What are you plotting, Witch? What is the purpose of all of this?!" "I came to reclaim what is mine." The witch proclaimed. "Where my long time enemy sought to reap what was left of this land, I choose to make it beautiful once more. I will do away with the industrialized cities that have encroached in my domain for far too long, and bring the forest back to its former glory! The way it was always meant to be!" "Your idea of paradise is a wild unchecked forest with weird looking white plants that don't even look edible and are already half dead. Got it." Jillian quipped. "Leave me out of it." "Talk down to me again elf, and I won't be so merciful next time!" The hair behind Jac began to rise ferociously, as it flowed eerily with the unsteady wind. Jillian remained firm but chose not to take it further, for any rash response could result in injury to Jac. Richard felt just as helpless, if not more so. He stared blankly at who he formally knew as his best friend, as she approached what was left of the cursed tree and began to spread her arms wide. "The time has come for me to reestablish my rightful place in this world! This will be the start of a new era! People will flock to my forest and worship me again...." Hints of tears began to fall from Jac's eyes, but it was unclear whether she or the witch had shed them. "Then my full power will be replenished and I will finally have enough strength to... bring him back to me..." The jewel in front of her chest began to float upward and took on a sinister red glow. The whirlwind then kicked up and surrounded her like a barrier which would have blown Jillian back if it wasn't for the giant hand that had caught her. The wild plants then exploded in size right where Jac stood, rapidly enveloping everything in her surroundings like an infestation of white, otherworldly weeds. "It's not safe here! We have to go!" Jillian shouted. "But... what about Jac?" The words that came out of Richard's mouth stung and the start of tears formed on Jillian's eyes as well. "I know! But we don't have a choice!" No matter what however, Richard wouldn't budge. It took a sudden lightning flash between them to break the Wile giant's fixation of his back-turned Link partner. The electrical current was situated at that very point in the sky before them- Jillian understood right away that this was far from any natural phenomenon, and her fears were confirmed when a ripple through space began to form just above the cursed snag. "Come hither spirits and lend me your power!!!" The Witch shouted with a fiery passion. “We shall take the night this All Hallows Eve!!” All of a sudden, just as the peak of the gusts were whipping, and the opening of the void had made a visible dent in the night sky, she heard a crack. And then another. And then... With a loud smash, the glass oval jewel shattered into a thousand tiny pieces. Immediately after, the storm had quieted and the disturbance had caused the magic to come to a complete halt. This left the Witch absolutely livid. "NO!!! THIS CAN'T BE HAPPENING!! HOW IS THIS--" At that exact moment in time, something caused her to lose her voice, as she, and the others behind her, gave out a series of audible gasps. A set of bony fingers as intense as the surface of the sun appeared from the ripple in the sky. They began to pull it apart, tearing a hole in space just wide enough for it to go through. And out of it came the biggest and most horrifying giant that anyone had ever laid eyes on. A macro being engulfed by flames all over its body, with a torch that bloomed from the top of its skull-like head. Blotches of mass could be seen all over, which wailed individually, and yet all at once in sheer agony, in tandem to the enigma's earth shaking shrill. It sat its foot down, instantly igniting the path it treaded, swallowing up the last of the cursed tree as it made its way towards the haunted house. Jillian screamed as Richard finally broke from his petrified state to scoop her up and onto higher ground. But try as she might, Jac couldn't move. No matter how much the holy apparition screeched in her head, the jewel was no more and the ability to have control over her was destroyed along with it. Jac's natural fear of immense fire kept her firmly rooted in place, as the titanic monster was now just a few feet away. The beast locked eye sockets with the young woman and was about to reach out to grab her with a finishing hand. Against her better judgment, Jillian struggled to break free from Richard's grip and charged head on towards the fiery demon. Her personal safety was put on the sideline in a brief moment of adrenaline and sheer willpower. Just as the infernal being's finger was mere inches from the terror stricken witch's face, Jillian dived as close as she could just behind the wall of flames and began to scream at the top of her lungs. "DON'T HURT HER!!!" Much to everyone's surprise, the giant suddenly paused. "WHATEVER YOU DO! PLEASE!!! DON'T HURT JAC!!" After a moment of tense staring, the surrounding flames caused the girl to overheat and collapse. The hand immediately grabbed hold, but not before its fire was let out, revealing a sun-like glow to an otherwise normal giant hand. Against the ground, the being laid his hand gently over the fainted Jac. And with a light tap of a finger against her chest, a part of her spirit fell out from behind, along with that of the Witch of the Dawn. The Witch desperately tried to get away but it was no use, for the giant instantly snapped her up. With the foul spirit now in its clutches, the glowing giant then proceeded to crush inward while reigniting its hand. With a horrendous final cry, the witch was disintegrated into hundreds of glowing butterflies, each one burning with an intense flame which had made all but one disappear as it's embers went out. When that was over with, the enormous skeletal beast pulled back and looked upon Jac with great concern. In this very position it gradually faded away, and along with it the flames it had left in its wake had all gone out at once. In the giant's place, a multitude of faint white orbs began to float into the sky, as if they were being pulled into the moonlit night. This gorgeous scene was overshadowed by the young woman who lay still on the forest floor, in front of where the tree once stood. Richard wasted no time to return by Jac's side, and with tears anew, he held her limp body to her face, and pleaded. "Please wake up Jac.... please! Wake up....”Haunted 2: Beacon It had been a week since Jac postponed the scavenger hunt. After that last ordeal with the haunted house, the young woman felt as though the prize at the end (which was kept in the dark as far as she knew) was not worth the amount of effort and energy spent to work for it. She had already gone through a dozen different clues, with each location increasing in difficulty and supposed "spookiness." But with a reward so vague, she felt too tired to bother wasting any more time on it. "If it were a million dollars then I'll be more obligated to go on, that's for sure." She thought. "But since there isn't any indication of that, well..." On the bright side, at least Jac had managed to get farther than anyone else in this game, so she felt that was as good enough of an accomplishment as any. Jac had the weekend off and she wanted nothing more than to spend that time simply relaxing away. It's not often that she would choose to spend her free time alone, but for whatever reason she was feeling more exhausted than usual since about a week ago. She figured it was most likely due to her strenuous work week. Jac trotted over to the fridge to clear her throat with a cold beverage, when she noticed something was laying about in the corner of her eye. The slight breeze that seeped in from the half opened window must have knocked a napkin off of the kitchen counter. She went to retrieve it, when she suddenly realized that this was no disposable paper cloth at all, rather a torn off sticky note. She winced when she saw what was written on the back. ’Your next clue is in the graveyard next to Bartleby's tombstone’ Great. She did not want to be reminded of this right now. Jac stomped her way into the living room and shoved the little piece of paper into the desk drawer. The sooner she can get it off her mind, the better. Later that afternoon, Jac was in a call with Jillian, when the latter had finally brought up the question of what the former was doing the previous week. With a sigh, Jac reluctantly told the elven woman about the scavenger hunt and that she and Aiden were essentially running in circles in a fool's errand. "You need to stop diving head first towards things without first considering what it is you're actually getting yourself into," the voice on the other end sighed. "Yeah, it's a hard habit to break though.." "Still, don't you think that the way the game is structured is a little bit, I dunno... suspicious? It did sound like they wanted you to cause vandalism towards the end." "I was told I was going to get a prize. And.." Jac felt like she was done as she fessed up. "I was bored and I needed something to keep me busy. Games are always fun, so I thought I'd give it a shot." "Do you even know the guy who organized this scavenger hunt? If I were you, I'd ask some serious questions." "I've only talked to him in a chatroom once with a bunch of other participants who gave up before me.. I recall he didn't have a face, but he spoke with one of those cheap, monotonous voices that folks do when they try to be spooky. It's all one big act." "If I was over there, I'd like to give that so-and-so a piece of my mind." Jillian huffed. After clearing some chores, Jac had the remainder of the day all to herself. With a very sweetened Cup of Joe on hand, the young woman was just about ready to listen to her favorite audio series, when the apartment shook with a sudden jolt. It was too loud and too brief to had been an earthquake, which had only meant one thing. Jac looked out the window, and sure enough she saw a shadow being cast by an unseen giant. "Oops! Sorry!" The giant said to the residents of Jac's housing unit, before she could be heard stomping away. Jac was able to see her after the latter was some distance away carrying what looked like construction beams. With a sigh, Jac checked around the unit to make sure that there was no collateral damage; thankfully nothing was amiss save for all of the drawers and cabinets which had swung open ever so slightly. None of the contents spilled, save for a few pieces of paper that had flown out of one of the desk drawers. Jac was in the process of picking them up when one of these managed to give her a paper cut. After putting the wounded finger in her mouth, Jac pulled up the culprit, falling into a near stupor when she realized what it was. Your next clue is in the graveyard next to-- Jac made an audible groan and shoved the wretched sticky note on the bottom of one of the heaviest books on the shelf. Surely she wouldn't happen to come across it again. She's just about had it up to here as far as the scavenger hunt was concerned. The rest of the day rolled on without much excitement, which was fine as Jac felt she's had enough. She felt a sudden headache coming on however, so she took a couple of aspirins and decided to turn in for the night. And while she slept like a dog for the first couple of hours, the next two were filled to the brim with constant distress. She was startled awake by a loud thumping noise, as she realized right then and there that her temperature had skyrocketed. With a pained groan, she slowly looked to the right… to find that the paper cut on her finger was starting to get bigger. The sight of this caught Jac off guard, but her body aches have become so intense that she could barely breathe, let alone get out of bed. Suddenly, another thump... The sound seemed to have come from the unit upstairs as the heavy footfalls made its way from one end of the ceiling to another. It crawled down to her level… like a large, heavy insect… Thereafter came a long stretch of silence, which had unnerved Jac more than she thought it would. Her breathing had intensified, and her heart began to race, but she wasn't sure why. At that moment, she heard a fluttering sound just to the right of her. She slowly turned her head to the hand that was sliced to discover that something was lying on top. She couldn't believe what she saw. A butterfly.. that was glowing with a shimmering yellow light. Jac could do nothing but gaze in awe at its sudden appearance; it rested on the opening of her cut for a bit before it took flight again. And in the blink of an eye, it vanished. Just then… a large thud. Jac turned her head slowly to the bedroom entrance, where she thought the strange butterfly flittered off to, but instead she would witness something unlike anything she had ever seen before. And it made her skin crawl immensely. A hand, much bigger than that of a human's, that was completely devoid of color pigmentation. It was far too bony with long, jagged nails. Jac stared at the apparition for about a minute.. her eyes pierced onto it, not a peep from her mouth. The appendix suddenly jolted to life, as if awakened from a spell. It pointed to her and beckoned her to come closer, before pulling back and out of the room. After taking a deep breath, Jac managed to speak as strongly as she could. And while her voice still croaked, he was able to make herself loud and clear. "NO THANKS! I'M STAYING RIGHT WHERE I AM, THANK YOU VERY MUCH!" And she pulled the covers over her and refused to emerge from them for some time. When she had regained consciousness, Jac bolted out of bed with a loud gasp. She took a moment to check around to make sure her body was in one piece- without a doubt, there was no indication of aches and pains, and the paper cut wound returned back to nothing more than a thin scab. "A nightmare..." She uttered. It was half past midnight, but there was no chance in hell that she was going back to sleep in her own bed. She felt a cold shiver up her back at the mere thought of it, the likes of which shook even one as stout-hearted as her. She knows that there was one remedy for this.. one she needed to take in order to have some sense of security again. She had to dial a number. "Jac...?" Richard asked on the other line with a groggy voice, "W-what's going on...?" "I'm sorry to ask on such short notice but..." Jac took a moment to gather her thoughts before proceeding. "Is it all right if I meet you over at the border of the human district? I.. need a place to hide for the night." Richard was silent for a moment, but Jac knew from experience that his eyes likely had widened by her request. He understood exactly what she meant. "Are you okay?" "Not really..." Jac replied quietly. "I have nothing to fear with you, so I just... want to be comfortable. Whether it'll be a hand, a pocket, or... you know. I just....Need this right now." "I'm on my way." Richard could be heard shuffling out of bed. "Please, hang in there." "I'll try.. Thank you."The First DayThe bells chimed their melody of eight. As if on cue, the halls came alive with the shuffling of shoes and the clanging of lockers as an increasing swarm of students pooled in, a scene that quickly escalated into a chaotic rush that was typical of the events that plagued every Monday. Far enough away from the stampede to not be swept up by it was Richard, who stood facing his locker on the furthest side of the room where sunlight from the window could not reach. If one were to look upon him, one would assume he was in some kind of trance; in truth, he was deep down the rabbit hole that was conjured up by his own dark ponderings. Among the few neatly organized things kept in his personal storage was a small, round mirror that stood on a pedestal. Richard silently seethed as he gazed into the pool of silver that colored his eyes- his reflection revealing that their sheen lacked the soft, inner glow that normally beamed from the magic within. The slit of his pupils, however, were just as predominant as ever. "Another year of this..." He spoke in a voice that was barely audible, with a tone flat enough to hide the bitterness that was gnawing him. Nonchalance is the front he puts out, for he tries his damndest to hide his true feelings. Why did I come back here? Perridi High doesn't care about the treatment of Wiles, Being isolated is the same as if I don't exist at all... Once upon a time, Richard was proud of his eye color. He used to boast that his silver was a cool shade, not fancy like the bronzes and golds of other Wiles. To him, they were just right. But as he grew older and he began to mingle among the rest of society, his eyes became a burden. Silver gives away a person's status as a Wile, and Wiles are known to possess wild and at times uncontrollable magic. And to others, that spelled danger. Without understanding the deeper meaning behind these abilities, no student dared to look straight at him after doing so once. The hymns and lullabies passed down through the generations among his kind spoke of how the world would treat them- as monsters- but Richard could not fathom that there would be actual truth to these lyrics in this day and age. For civilization at least in this side of the world has become more accepting of the many different types of mystical people of all shapes and sizes, encouraging them to coexist in harmony, or so the ad campaigns claim. But as the cold shoulders of many a passerby have shown, time and time again, he was greatly mistaken. Richard took a deep, sound breath, before abruptly and firmly slamming the locker shut. He had mentally tossed his frustration inside before swinging the door, making an internal scream all the while. So what if they're afraid? They aren't worth my time!! After a moment of pause, Richard placed his hands, one atop the other, facedown in front of his chest while slowly breathing in, and then out through his nose. Through this silent meditation, he quickly calmed down. But not before something, or rather, someone, abruptly broke his concentration. "HEY! WHY DON'T YOU WATCH WHERE YOU'RE GOIN'?!" A voice, hardly an utterance, but one that his ears could pick up with ease. Richard didn't have to look far to find the source of the near high pitched shriek, for his keen senses were quick to pinpoint, zero in, and lock onto his target. Pacing across the crowded aisle with a look of increasing frustration on her was an unfamiliar student, a human by the look of her. As she stormed her way up the hall and back, it became all too clear to her onlooker that the girl was hopelessly lost. Richard wanted to offer assistance but stopped short at the thought. He would dare not approach her without warning, as that would likely scare her out of her wits. Which is typical of how these kinds of encounters tend to be. His size was an obstacle in of itself, let alone him being a Wile. And yet, Richard could not bring himself to take his eyes off her. The young man pulled out a notebook from his backpack, using it as cover as he continued to watch the events unfold.. upon realizing this, he was taken aback. He felt like he really shouldn't be eavesdropping on the lass, even though his range of sight could span out to see her regardless. But she would repeatedly do something so strange, so bizarre, it... fascinated him, perking up his curiosity. Which in turn made her increasingly impossible for him to ignore. She tried talking to the other students. Students who were ten times taller than her. Students who were all too oblivious of her presence, and could have easily trampled her underfoot if it wasn't for her quick maneuvering skills, which were impressive in of itself. She would continue this exercise of yelling and dodging several times; either the passing giants had failed to pick up on her voice or- a more nefarious thought- she was being disregarded on purpose. As someone who was born and raised in an integrated part of the Beanstalk Society, Richard is used to the occasional appearance of Beansprouts - a collective term to describe the smaller folk, which included elves and humans. His city was built to accommodate them, yet sightings remain rare. Most would not dare to venture deep into Beanstalk territory, no matter what opportunities- or bribes- are given to them. Richard doesn't blame the Sprouts for thinking this way, for he has seen the hostile treatment of some of their people first hand. Which really makes the actions of this bold and seemingly reckless human all the more perplexing. Nothing's stopping him from going over to help her now, right? Since she appears to show absolutely no fear of the larger folk. However, he isn't like most others. Wiles in particular have been known for.. less than appetizing dealings when it came to Sprouts. Once again, his hesitation got the better of him. His muddled musings would cease however, as he started to instinctively pick up a sudden shift in the air. That was when he realized that the tiny human had stopped, for she finally noticed the Wile making side glances at her. Crap! The young man inadvertently ducked behind his papers once again, not that it would make any difference now that the jig has long since been up. In mere seconds, the girl sprinted into the crowd, diving and sliding past the heavy traffic of giant footfalls. The sight of this nearly gave Richard a heart attack. He bolted, opting to meet the crazy girl partway, but she had already made it through the crossroad of the main hall before he could even get a chance to react. She was obviously out of breath, but thankfully all in one piece. Richard had to get his bearings together. The Junior student shut his eyes and counted to ten, this time while braying out a long, shaky sigh. This couldn't have lasted for more than a couple of seconds however. Sensing that the smaller presence was close enough to the verge of being almost uncomfortable, he slowly opened his eyelids, and just as speedily looked down. The new student was now nearly touching the toe cap of his right boot. Richard spontaneously took a step back, giving out a startled, involuntary meep in response. "E...Excuse me..." The girl huffed weakly as she was trying to get air back into her lungs. She was positive she would have to repeat that, for it was barely audible enough for a giant to hear. Which made Richard's response all the more shocking to her. "I... It's ok... Take your time." That couldn't have been what she heard, could it? The girl then craned her neck as high as it could go, realizing right away that the titan had bent down to check in on her. As soon as she made eye contact however, Richard immediately averted his stare. But not before the sophomore caught a quick glimpse of that silver color. She never saw anything quite like it before. Richard didn't mean to be rude by that gesture. Of course he was too afraid to show his eyes to a regular sized person, let alone a Sprout. But upon sensing that the mood had not changed at the slightest despite being fully aware that she was able to see them partially, he slowly eased up as he found his voice again. "You needed help from a Beanstalk?" He spoke after clearing his throat, making sure to not verbalize too loudly. The girl had pulled back some of her long, light-brown hair that had flung to her face during her run earlier, revealing strong, determined eyes that took the young Wile giant by surprise. He paused for a moment and rolled his eyes back to her without realizing it. Even then, her confidence didn't waver, as she put on a stout yet relaxed tone that could only be indicative of someone who treated him as a person matching her own height. No, she definitely wasn't like the others. But he couldn't put his finger on whether this was due to sheer bravery, stupidity, or a combination of the two. Richard began to tilt his head like a bird, a typical habit of Wiles of his variety, examining the small one from head to sneakers. No doubt his inquisitiveness has reached its peak. He would watch as the human girl had closed her eyes, taking a long deep breath and-without further warning-shouted from the top of her lungs. "COULD YOU TELL ME WHERE I CAN GO FOR WORLD LITERATURE ART STUDIES?!!" Richard was forced to drop to his knees in haste, his shoulders quivering slightly. "Yeesh! Not so loud! I can hear you just fine!" He replied in a harsh whisper. "I was about to head over there myself! It's at room B-17." The girl blinked in surprise. She wasn't expecting to get an answer from him at all, much less his first choice of words. "R-really? Thanks! Sorry... I've been practically screaming my butt off all morning and you're the first person who actually heard me." "So I noticed..." Richard was still wincing, which the human scanned over with more curiosity than concern. "Are you all right?" Richard opened his eyes while grumbling something about noise under his breath before addressing her. "Yeah, I'll be fine. Just took me by surprise, that's all." "You're the first giant person I met my whole life who didn't have terrible hearing." Richard had to do a double take. Did I just hear that correctly? Of all the nerve! He could not believe the words that just came out of this Sprout's mouth. He would then loom closer and look at her squarely in the eye, his face now completely obstructing her view. "Oh, so bold of you to say that in front of one of them." He crooned. "Well, it's a fact. I've been around Stalks for a few years now and I'm used to shouting to get heard. But I can clearly see, you're quite different." Throughout this conversation, the girl's eyes never loses focus on his. Richard cocked his eyebrow slightly, narrowing his stare as if he had the look of annoyance. But in truth, he was enjoying the moment for what it was as it is the first interaction he had gotten in a while. And furthermore, it was certainly entertaining. Though it became clear to him now that this person had no idea who she was talking to. Which, once this thought crossed his mind, caused Richard to hold back what he wanted to say in response. Instead, he curved a small grin. "What's that look for?" The human girl asked. Richard replied in a teasing tone. "Shouldn't you be keeping your eyes on that clock?" With that revelation, Jac immediately whipped her head around to the timer that was centered at the middle of the halls. The large hand was mere inches from the fifteen mark. "Damn! Uh... Hey! Do you mind if you can take me over there?" Richard's almost menacing smile lessened into a milder one as the calm began to settle in. That wouldn't last. "Sure thing! Think you can keep up?" "Uhh..." The girl replied flatly, "that's not what I mean..." Richard took a moment to completely comprehend what the Sophomore could have possibly implied with that statement before it hit him. Like a wreaking ball. His eyes flung wide open, hair jolting nearly on end. "You want me to do what?! His voice had a slight, shrilly crack to it, though he remembered to speak lightly in spite of his turmoil. Jac couldn't help but roll her eyes. "Didn't they teach you how to pick up Sprouts in school?" "Nooo?! I think it's voluntary, like learning CPR!" The Wile giant was obviously panicking. The girl waved her arms out and grumbled under her breath."Great! And here I thought the education system was supposed to be better around here? Fine... " The smaller student then made her way just under his right hand. She was still lightly fumed, but she didn't let that get in the way of her instructions. "Let me guide you through this," she spoke in a humdrum manner. "It's not that hard. Take out your hand." She was actually going to go through with this. "OH NO NO NO. I'm going to call one of the school officials and they'll --" "We haven't much TIME!" The girl jesters to the clock, which had shown that it was roughly three minutes before the starting bell. "I can't be late on my first day!!" "Okay, okay!" The sooner he gets this over with, the sooner he can alleviate his nerves and get on with his life. Even though deep down he thought his idea was much better. "What should I do?" "Just lower your palm on the floor face up." Swallowing, Richard reluctantly did as he was told. Now that the platform of flesh and skin was resting in front of her, the young woman placed her hands on the tip of his index finger to try to help ease the giant's rattled nerves, though it only aided to increase his shivering instead. She would then suck in a breath before finally jumping on board. It felt as if a dozen different emotions washed onto the Wile Giant all at once; on one hand he was vastly in awe of the sensation of feeling an actual tiny person on his hand, one who would go so far as to entrust her life to someone like him. On the other however, the sheer pressure of holding someone this fragile was beginning to overwhelm him, as indicated by the continuing tremors that rattled the smaller human's form, which seemed to intensify by the second. "H-H-H-Hey! Calm down!" The girl's voice reverberated with the rumbling. "Sorry.." Richard replied with a low whisper, as he slowly brought her closer to his face. "I'm worried about carrying you like this all the way.." Sensing the unease of the situation at hand, the girl had to agree. Time was running out and she had to think up a storm. "How about you cup your hands around me? That'll keep me secure at least." In an instant, largely due to his unrelenting panic, Richard brought his left hand up and clamped onto the human a little too fast. The girl squeaked as she was being squished against his digits, but it wasn't enough to do any damage as the young giant loosened his grip within seconds upon realizing his mistake. From the way it looked, Richard was in a lot more distress than she was. "Daijou--uh, I mean! Are you okay? Did I break anything?" "I'm fine! Calm down! Ok?!" She felt it best to move on quickly than to dwell on the matter, going back to the crash course where she left off. "Just! Keep my body against your palm and curve your fingers over my chest and legs like so. Your thumb should be kept behind my head to prevent--" "Over your what ? No way! I'm not doing that!" "Relax.. will ya? Keep it a loose hold and you'll be alright." The Sprout spoke with a huff. And with that she pulled his fingers in over her like a blanket as a gesture for him to get a move on. Richard was clearly unnerved by this but he didn't have time to react before the girl shouted. "OK! YOU'RE ALL SET! WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? GET GOING! MOVE MOVE MOVE!!!" Richard scattered, returning to his senses just enough to pick himself up and start running (well, more like brisk walking) as he made his way through the massive halls. Wrapping both hands around the small one and holding her close to his torso, he felt the minute and a half it took to get to classroom B-17 to be the longest he's ever had. Keeping his mind focused on the task at hand both figuratively and literally, the Wile giant failed to notice the few students who were still about, eyeing the scene as he walked past. One of them shouted something at him, not surprisingly an insult, but he could not bother to pay any attention to it as he was so engaged in what he was doing and the sheer anxiety that came of it. Meanwhile, the girl was keeping silent while holding on tightly to the giant's paw. No doubt that this was a rougher ride than what she's used to, but all in all it wasn't nearly as bad as she was expecting. Keeping a firm but loose hold on her while stabilizing his hand with the other, the Beanstalk wounded up doing everything by the book. Not bad for a supposed first timer. After turning many corners and passing by what seemed like an endless row of doors, at last Richard had reached their destination at two minutes past the starting bell. Thankfully, the teacher had yet to arrive and the overall atmosphere among the students who were there was still relatively calm. They were early enough, which brought the two a much needed sigh of relief. Richard uncurled his hands and let the small one roll onto the dip of his palms. The Junior student looked down in horror when he saw that the Sophomore had curled onto herself. "Oh my gosh!! Are you ok!!?" She was slightly disoriented, but she wasn't going to let him know that if she can help it. "I'm good. Ya get so worked up over nothin'." She said as she righted herself up. "It was a pretty bumpy ride, but overall, I think you did okay." "This was my first time. What did you expect? " That got a chuckle out of the human. Seeing that she was smiling and thankfully well by the way it appeared, the Wile giant would let the feeling of success sink in, which finally allowed him the luxury to ease up quite a bit. Looking around his surroundings, Richard saw that the majority of the classmates were either Juniors or Seniors themselves.. and yet, he couldn't catch anything that signaled a place where tiny students would go safely. Every desk and chair was normal sized (from his perspective) not a single thing in this room indicated anything that would cater to Sprouts. 'Did I come to the right place?' He pondered. Just then, the class instructor walked in, a giant with a pompous chin and thinning grey hair. He immediately took notice of the young Wile giant, first by scanning down on the girl on his hands and then onto his face... and eyes. Richard knew that look. "Sir! I can explain!" What the teacher did next was not what the Junior had expected. The older Brobdinrang's expression quickly changed from perplexed to a much lighter mood. A wide, cheerful grin would then overtake his face. "Young man, I see that you've brought our newest student! We were expecting you, Jaclyn Fincher!" "Please. Call me Jac. I'm delighted to be here!" "Oh, but that's a boy's name! Don't you like Jaclyn? It's prettier and I think it suits you better." Oh brother. She could already tell she'll be having a swell time here. "I'd much prefer Jac, if you don't mind." "Well in any case, welcome to Perridi High!" He would then address the Wile. "If you would be so kind as to follow me while I show Jaclyn to her desk?" "It's Jac, sir." Richard corrected. "And, sure." Jac looked up at Richard with a thumbs up as he made that assertion. Without further ado, the teacher walked him through the class while Richard continued to carry Jac, making it past the main student body to a spot in the farthest corner of the room. This time all of the classmates had set their eyes on the three, and Richard in particular could feel the pressure of their judging glares tracking his every move. Despite all of this, the Wile giant was more confident in his ability to hold Jac, or at the very least, he didn't pay as much mind to it whether intentional or not. Jac was ultimately thankful for this as he held her without so much as a few awkward sways, being nowhere near as much of a rollercoaster as before. When they got to the spot in question, Richard could only see a bunch of potted tropical plants, nothing that seemed out of the ordinary. Upon further examination however, Jac quickly noticed the small entrance behind one of the giant leaves before the teacher could bring it up himself. When she mentions this, the older gentleman would nod his head, presumably impressed by her observation. "Good eye! Behind here is our state of the art miniature classroom!" The teacher then pulled some of the leaves back, revealing a square metallic box like structure complete with tiny windows and an entryway. Richard could not believe the remarkable detail that was put into it. "I'll give you two a minute to get yourselves ready, and then class will be in session." And with that, the teacher walked back to his desk. Richard was in awe upon witnessing this piece of architecture for the first time. Does every classroom have one of these? And furthermore, why did the folks who constructed these miniatures go through all the trouble to keep them hidden from plain sight? Jac cleared her throat, causing the Wile giant to break out of his trance. "Can you put me down now?" "Oops! Sorry!" Richard laid his hands in front of the entrance to the smaller facility. Jac hopped off and would proceed to make her way in. But not before spinning around and facing the giant once again, whose face was covering her entire view once more. "Thank you for helping me out. Honestly, I don't know what I could have done without ya." "No problem. I only did what I figured was the right thing." "I guess I'll be seeing you around then!" Richard was half expecting this to be the last time they would see each other up close, so upon hearing this, he perked up more than he thought he would. He couldn't help but smile for the first time that day. "Sure! I would like that." "I didn't get your name! I'm Jac, but you already knew that." "Ah. It's.. it's Richard. Richard Yamada. Well, I guess I'll see you later, then!" And with that, the looming giant backed up, spun around and stomped away. Richard was awfully proud of what he had accomplished that morning, for the first time during his attendance at Perridi High School, he felt exhilarated. Even if this was a chance of being just a one-off experience, no doubt this would be a day he would never forget. Little did he know, Jac would, for the first time in this entire morning, have a tingling hint of uncertainty in her mind. She turned to face the door of the Sprout tailored classroom, as she finally let out the breath she held back during this while. She darted her eyes onto her shoes and began to ponder, her thoughts even surprising her. Until this point, Jac had no reason to be fearful of Richard. That was, until she was caught by surprise when she saw his smile up close... really up close. That quick moment was just enough time for Jac to notice the unusually long canines that were protruding from within. She had heard stories of one particular kind of giant that were known for.. And yet.. That initial response, that bit of wariness, would soon pave way for unbridled excitement. 'A Wile giant in this school? So the rumors of this city are true..' Humans had always whispered about not making contact with Wile giants, and yet Richard.. was contrary to everything that she has heard. Typical...The kindest person she met since she had transferred to the Beanstalk Society was certainly someone worth checking out later. "I hope to meet him again over lunch!" She thought. And to that, a smile returned to her face as she charged into the classroom with a a bout of renewed confidence. "I wonder if someone as cool as that would let me be his friend?" Luckily for her, this wouldn't be the last she would see of the mysterious giant with silver eyes.