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The Cosmic Foreigners CastBefore The Cosmic Foreigners: Johnny Fairfield Johnny Fairfield was born on October 25, 1999 (U.S, NY, Bronx). A 19 year old man who’s a delinquent who enjoys creating graffiti and committing vandalism in abandoned property. He is typically a snarky and troublesome individual whenever someone gets in his way to cause trouble for him, but if you get on his good side, then he’s usually down to earth to talk to. He’s 5’9 ft tall (177.8 cm) He wears a maroon leather jacket, dark pants, shirt, and boots. He has green eyes, sharing his mother’s and brown hair at birth. Confirming that he dyed his hair to a dirty blonde at one point in his life to his liking. One noticeable feature you’ll recognize is his scar across his right eye diagonally. How did he get that scar in the first place you’re wondering? Well, Johnny got his signature eye scar when he got himself in a fight after school by one of his peers at the age of 16. As one of them slashed him across his right eye with a pocketknife, resulting in him receiving a nasty gash that would’ve permanently blind him on one side of his eye if he's unlucky. Fortunately, one of his classmates, Palma, witnessed the aftermath of the fight and managed to get him to her house to patch him up until help arrived. He prefers to keep his sexuality ambiguous, but so far, it’s evident that he prefers women over men. Especially that Johnny might build up a relationship with Palma to see how it goes since they’re on good terms as friends so far. Palma J. Cárdenas Palma J. Cárdenas was born on October 29th, 1998 (Spain). A 20 year old blue jay woman who currently works as a waitress in a 50s styled diner that is up to this very day. She’s usually straightforward and has the “And I mean it!” attitude whenever someone is making a fool of themselves. She’s 5’6 ft tall (167.64 cm) While she’s not working at a diner, Palma wears an orange sweater and gray jeans. While working at a diner, she wears her orange vintage-styled waitress uniform. Her eye color is black, blue feathered hair that points upward, winged hands and gray talon feet. Along with having thick eyebrows. Palma is bilingual, meaning that she can speak Spanish and English fluently. She grew up in Spain a little bit with her parents at the time, it was until her parents managed to save up to move to America at the age of 3 hoping to have a better future for their daughter. While in America, one of her family who lives there taught her how to speak English and pronounce each word fluently with practice. Her sexuality is bisexual, she doesn’t mind dating a man or the same-sex as her. Harrison Burrows Harrison was born on April 5th, 1994 (U.S, New Jersey). A 24 year old white rabbit who’s a sleazy alleyway dealer in New York City. Always having a yellow, Cheshire cat smile on his face whenever his customers are ready to make a deal with him on what he has available to sell. He’s about 7 ft tall (213.36 cm) You’ll notice that he wears mascara and black lipstick to express himself who he is Alongside of him being muscular. Not much is known about his childhood, but he tends to drift from place to place to make ends meet by selling some contraband weapons like switchblades, drugs, and offering some recipes for improvised weaponry in the streets. He’s usually up to chat if that’s not your thing, he tends to get lonely at times in the streets. He wears a brown trench coat that reaches knee-length, blue washed jeans, and a red shirt underneath it with a dead yellow face decal design. He has yellow eyes, yellow teeth, pink inner ears, facial and body hair if he feels like growing them out. Before you ask, no! He does NOT have Jaundice, just naturally born with them from his father’s side. Same with his teeth, just born with them. He’s not too open about his sexuality, mostly due to him fearing about being discriminated against for his preference if he did while growing up. But he will leave you some hints that he’s gay. Gary Stilman Gary was born on June 8th, 1993 (U.S, NY, Manhattan), a 25 year old man who’s in his third year of working in the police force. Already prepared to protect and serve to make sure that New York is crime-free. Thus keeping his tough guy and confident attitude to prove that he’s capable at his job. He’s about 5’11 ft tall (180.34 cm) He has black hair, brown eyes, and a soul patch. The police department allows him to have his own K-9 companion during his work shift named Riley. A German Shepherd dog. Outside from work, he wears his white shirt with blue and purple flannel pattern on it, khaki and tan shoes. During his work hours, he’ll obviously wear his black police uniform. His sexuality is heterosexual, albeit an ally for the LGBTQ+ community. Your boy doesn’t discriminate!My Dearest ShadowIt wasn't the first time Mirskyn was tracking down something sinister and potentially dangerous. It wasn't the last, either. Though, what made this case different was the fact no one had assigned this mission to him, it was something he had decided to do after sensing a malevolent presence. But he wasn't alone with this, a Tideborn assassin Rhynx accompanied him. They had traveled quite a while together and had been on their journey towards the grand city of Archosaur after slaying a powerful Wraith; it was their intention to report this victory to general Summer. Mirskyn and Rhynx had spent one night at Arrowhead Manor while traveling to Archosaur; the head of the manor always let warriors rest there since he enjoyed their protection from the Wraiths. He had, however, mentioned that evening that there hadn't been Wraith activity lately. What Mirskyn and Rhynx detected the next morning lurking near the manor wasn't necessarily a Wraith, but something that had to be investigated nonetheless; you'll never know what could be happening in the shadows, away from the public eye. The two men took the road to the west, towards the Winged Elf territory, although they had just come from that direction. The traces of the sinister presence were leading there, however, which worried Mirskyn a little. He didn't question the skills of Winged Elf warriors, but these were the parts where the young Winged Elves started their training. If the entity they were tracking down was a powerful one… There's no way that inexperienced warriors would even hope to match it. It was important that Mirskyn and Rhynx would find it first, before any tragedies could happen. But as they traversed deeper into the lands of Winged Elves, the trail they had been following suddenly split. Now it appeared that there were two different entities. Or perhaps it was aware that the two men were following it and created one trail as distraction. They couldn't know for sure, but they had to check both tracks. This was where their paths separated; Rhynx followed the tracks that were going toward the River of Tranquility, while Mirskyn focused on the trail that was heading to the direction of Battlemark Village, the place where Winged Elf warriors began their journey. Whatever lay ahead, they both were skilled enough to best their foes. But still, Mirskyn was a little worried for Rhynx, he always was when they weren't together. After all, you'll never know if you can meet your companions again during the times of war. It was nighttime as the Nightshade walked through the Forest of the Plume, stepping from shadow to shadow. The moon was at its highest point, but barely any of its mystical light touched the forest floor. Forest of the Plume was a lush one and vibrant, even a little magical. It may be the most thriving forest in the Perfect World. But that night the beautiful forest was eerily silent, Mirskyn noticed. All the sounds of nature were gone. It gave him a bad feeling and he couldn't help but wonder if the entity he was following was so frightening it caused nature to hold its breath. Then he began to ponder whether it had been a wise decision to part ways with Rhynx. They were stronger together, after all. However, all Mirskyn's thoughts paused for a moment when he suddenly was able to feel a faint gust of wind toying with his hair and rustling the leaves of the ancient trees that had stood here for centuries, some maybe even longer. Winds were something he could understand as a stormbringer, and he could tell that his one was ominous. There was definitely something very wrong with it, it carried a hint of malice. He let it tell him its wicked tale, but Mirskyn couldn't have prepared for some of the words the winds were whispering into his ears. “Kahanmoru… Kahanmoru… Kahanmoru…” The Nightshade's blood ran cold as he heard the name he dreaded the most. Suddenly this whole mission of tracking down a possibly wicked entity got an entirely different tone. Perhaps the being was one of Kahanmoru's underlings, sent to lure out Mirskyn somewhere no one could see. He wasn't afraid of many things, but Kahanmoru was one of them. Mirskyn wasn't sure how to proceed from here; did he dare to find out the true nature of the entity he had been tracking? Or should he just cowardly flee the area? Usually he would take down his enemy, but now… While he was being torn to two directions by his options, he then heard something rustling faintly nearby, like a small rodent. His heart pounding against his chest, Mirskyn took a tight grasp of his scythe, his magical instrument, and stared into the shadows, trying to distinguish who was approaching him, if there even was anyone. The shadows were shifting and dark, but eventually a shade came closer to him. It took Mirskyn a couple of seconds to realize that the shadow moving toward him wasn't dangerous to him. It was Rhynx, who had skillfully blended himself with the surrounding darkness. Mirskyn couldn't possibly be more relieved and happy to see him. He let his guard down, relaxing a bit. He noticed that the winds weren't whispering ominous words anymore, it was like Rhynx's presence had completely banished them from the forest. Before Rhynx was able to say or do anything, Mirskyn had stepped closer to him, dropping his scythe, and he wrapped his arms around the Tideborn in a tight embrace. “Thank you”, Mirskyn whispered into Rhynx's ear. “For what?” Rhynx quietly asked, and he half-heartedly responded to the Nightshade's embrace. “For being here”, Mirskyn responded. He could probably never tell even to Rhynx what was going on because of the great shame he carried. The Nightshade wanted to bury that shame so deep it couldn't be uncovered ever again. He had done a horrible thing, but if he didn't acknowledge it had happened, would it then come undone? Nonetheless, that's how he was coping with it, just ignoring that anything had happened at all. Mirskyn released Rhynx from his embrace and picked up his scythe again. He looked at him and asked: “Did you find anything?” “No”, Rhynx replied. “I followed the track to the shore of River of Tranquility, but it ended there, I found no traces around the spot. Whatever it was, it can either fly or swim.” “I see…” Mirskyn's previous suspicion that the other track was there just to distract them came back. It felt even more likely now since he had heard the winds to whisper Kahanmoru's name. Mirskyn still couldn't be sure if the entity they had been following had something to do with Kahanmoru, but he felt better now that Rhynx was back to accompany him. Mirskyn eyed the Tideborn a little bit. With him, he could surely continue tracking down the being. He trusted that Rhynx would keep him safe – or at least safer. Mirskyn was ashamed that he had allowed fear to tiptoe into his heart and hoped that the Tideborn hadn't noticed this. “So… Shall we continue following the other trail?” Mirskyn suggested. “No, I would rather let all this time go to waste”, Rhynx responded sarcastically. “Just let me take the lead.” “Of course.” Mirskyn had a feeling that something was bothering the Tideborn as well. Maybe the wicked winds had carried something unpleasant to his ears, too. But Mirskyn wouldn't ask about it, he was pretty sure Rhynx wouldn't give him an answer, not a whole truth at least. The Nightshade remained quiet as Rhynx walked past him and began to look for tiny traces the entity that they had been following had left behind. Mirskyn was actually glad that Rhynx was giving him an aid with this, for he was better at tracking down beings, whether they were Wraiths or other monsters or even people. But after all, he was an assassin. Mirskyn couldn't possibly be more impressed by Rhynx's skills. It almost seemed like he could see every footprint, every bended leaf of grass and snapped twigs as if they were clearly drawing him a trail to follow – even more impressive it was because of nighttime. However, Mirskyn noticed something too as they silently walked through the forest. He could suddenly sense small traces of magic. They were faint and he couldn't be sure what sort of person had left them behind; was it a friend or foe? He tried to focus, letting his own magical energy touch the remnants and flow with them. Eventually he was able to distinguish that it was tainted magic, something that belonged to a wicked entity. These traces were probably left behind by the same individual Mirskyn and Rhynx had been tracking all night. And as these bits of magic kept slowly growing stronger, it was a clear indicator to Mirskyn that they were getting close to ending this chase. Suddenly Rhynx stopped, raising his hand in the air as a sign for Mirskyn to stop as well. They were now standing at the top of a small hill and a little bit further away downhill they spotted someone. The two men didn't share words between each other; they knew how to act. At first, they would stay away from sight and observe. Their target was about the same size as them, wearing a black cloak that veiled their body completely. They were currently busy doing something; they were standing in the middle of a purple magic circle, chanting words that ominously sounded like the language of Wraiths. Mirskyn felt relieved; if this entity was in league with Wraiths, they most likely weren't familiar with Kahanmoru. But what were they trying to accomplish here, in the Forest of the Plume? Were they planning on harming the Winged Elves somehow? Though, what could one spellcaster do, dark magic wielder or not, when they were this deep in the Winged Elf lands. Still, there was something sinister about the circle and the one casting it, Mirskyn felt like they had to deal with it. Rhynx appeared to be on the same wavelength as he whispered: “Let's get him.” He immediately rushed toward the dark entity, his daggers out and ready to spill blood. He was like a deadly swift shadow, completely silent as he approached the spellcaster who hadn't even noticed his presence yet. Mirskyn followed behind, but couldn't do much when Rhynx had already stabbed the spellcaster and slit their throat. The magic circle faded away as its master's focus was gone and the spellcaster gurgled a little bit before they fell on the ground, blood gushing from their wounds. The assassin had truly been fast and effective at taking down the enemy, Mirskyn was rather impressed. He walked closer to the corpse to investigate it, wanting to learn about their identity. Mirskyn kneeled down next to the body. Perhaps they had been Human once, but dark magic had mutilated their facial features so they looked dead. The skin had an odd pale green color and they had curvy horns penetrating their skull. The more closely Mirskyn observed their body, the more sure he became that this entity indeed was one of Wraiths; they had this same reeking energy enveloping their body, something that Mirskyn had become too familiar with during his time as a warrior. “Wraith”, he then muttered to his companion and stood up again. “Not a powerful one since you took them down so easily.” He then frowned. “But I'm worried about something.” “About what?” Rhynx inquired. “Even weak Wraiths can be part of something larger, something more awful”, Mirskyn said. “I'm worried that this one was just a piece of a bigger scheme, possibly a fragment of some sort of array that they're planning to establish here in the Winged Elf lands. They could be preparing for an attack against Winged Elves. I can't be sure if this is truly the case, but we should warn them anyway.” Rhynx nodded. “Better safe than sorry. Battlemark Village is near, we should head there. And after that, we can finally get back to Archosaur. I need my payment for the work.” “Yes, let's go then”, Mirskyn agreed and the men began to walk away from the scene, leaving behind the dead Wraith. They traversed through the forest in silence, Rhynx being the lead, but Mirskyn wasn't far behind. Although no words were exchanged, puzzling thoughts were swirling in Mirskyn's head. Not about the plot of Wraiths, not even about Kahanmoru, but something entirely different; they were directed at the Tideborn. This night would have turned out entirely different if the Tideborn hadn't been here. He watched how Rhynx walked, confidently and silently like a shadow. Mirskyn had grown oddly fond of him even though they hadn't known each other that long. He respected and admired Rhynx's skills as an assassin, sure, but there was something else that confused the Nightshade. On nights like this one, he would have loved to just embrace the Tideborn and shut themselves in a world only they shared. Mirskyn found himself pondering about how touching the Tideborn's skin would feel like, how his scales in his Tide Form would glimmer in the moonlight and what his lips would taste like. He felt such tenderness towards Rhynx that it baffled him greatly. But did these thoughts plague the Tideborn as well? What if they didn't? That would probably confuse Mirskyn even more. After walking for some time, the two men got Battlemark Village in sight. It was a small Winged Elf settlement surrounded by steep hills. The area appeared empty, which made sense considering the time of day. There was, however, a couple of guards standing, both women, and they were quietly talking with each other. Rhynx and Mirskyn started to slowly and carefully descend the hill and soon enough they got all the way down. The two guards noticed them approaching and their full focus was on the two men. “What business do you have in Battlemark Village?” one of the guards asked as soon as the men had come closer. It made sense for them to inquire about such a thing, these were the training grounds for young Winged Elf warriors after all and rarely other races had anything to do with the place. “We're sorry to pass through your territory like this, but we have something important to tell you”, Mirskyn answered. The guards looked at them curiously. “Oh? Please, tell us more.” “There has been suspicious Wraith activity in the forest.” Mirskyn pointed at the direction where they had come from. “We took care of the one we encountered and you may find the body from there. We're not sure if there's more, so I advise you to be vigilant and send patrols to the surrounding area, just in case.” The guards nodded in unison. Then one of them spoke: “Thank you for this message. We'll make sure that our Elder hears about this.” “It was our pleasure”, Mirskyn replied. “Farewell.” “We wish you safe travels”, one of the guards said as the two men headed to a path that slithered among the hills. Now that this ordeal had been taken care of, they could finally resume their journey to Archosaur. The men walked in the silence of the nightly forest, however, Mirskyn noted that the life of these woods were back. The crickets were chirping, he heard the hoots of an owl and the slight breeze that blew through the forest was mild and free of the previous malice. It seemed like everything was back in order after the defeat of the Wraith. This brought peace to the Nightshade's mind, but since he was free of worries, his mind was occupied by something else. Of course it was about the Tideborn walking ahead of him. He was close, and yet, Mirskyn craved to be even closer. He wanted to feel the warmth of Rhynx's body, caress his hair, kiss him… He desired for their hearts to beat as one. This night had proved that he felt safe in Rhynx's presence. Perhaps he couldn't even think about a life without him… Why was his heart trembling so? Why did he feel such adoration toward the Tideborn? And why did it feel so warm and right? Mirskyn's eyes were locked at the Tideborn. Should he tell him about his feelings? Before Mirskyn even realized, he had already opened his mouth. “Rhynx. I…” “Yes?” Rhynx inquired without looking at him. Mirskyn froze for a moment. An uncomfortable silence fell between the men. Then he just blurted out: “I'm glad you're here. You did fantastic work.” He couldn't get the right words out of his mouth. He didn't dare. Rhynx sneered. “Of course I did. What would you do without me?” A faint smile appeared on the Nightshade's face. Indeed, what would he do? But he decided that now wasn't the right time to reveal his heart. Surely a better, more suitable moment for that would come in the future. Despite all his desires toward Rhynx, Mirskyn wasn't in any hurry. He could just enjoy Rhynx's company, for now. They were on their journey to Archosaur, but who knows where their path would lead them next – and what kind of experiences they would share. Whatever may lay ahead, Mirskyn was sure he would stay by the Tideborn's side, no matter what.A Prelude To Destruction - Chapter 3Chapter 3: Just ordinary people The Village of Newfound Hope appeared more vibrant than before as Mengkai, Kelith and Raiica were able to look around at their own pace. It was a thriving little settlement and the way people were speaking and helping each other out gave the impression that the villagers were helpful folks that appreciated honest work. Everyone seemed to get along well, but seeing this made the trio feel a little wistful; the sense of belonging somewhere must feel nice, something they weren't familiar with. Though they didn't let this dishearten them too much and who knows, maybe they could become part of the community here as well. As the trio wandered around, they noticed how many flowers there were. Quite a lot of rose bushes were around, along with other patches of flowers, but the most remarkable part was that some were blooming on the walls of the houses and even on chicken coops. Lots of vines had taken a gentle grasp of the walls of buildings, the flowers attached to them and giving a colorful look. It was quite magical, seeming like somebody here really liked flowers as they had decorated so many places in the village with them. This was just one of the many marvels the world around the trio had to offer. After walking around the village for a while, at some point a beautiful melody travelled to the ears of the trio. They got curious about it, sharing knowing looks between each other, and began to follow the music. It led them to a small square where a wonderful piece of art was standing: a fountain with three sculptured horses standing on their hind legs, their backs against each other, and water was flowing in the middle of them. At the edge of the fountain sat a peculiar figure playing an instrument that resembled a lute. They were a swallow about the size of a human man, dressed in simple red tunic and brown short trousers. They appeared to be immersed in their own little world as they played the music, not really noticing the three creatures they had lured with their melody. Mengkai, Kelith and Raiica had never heard music before, so they were rather mesmerized by the melodies the swallow was playing. They were a quiet but devoted crowd, carefully listening to every little note. The music was beautiful, but also sounded somber, perhaps reflecting the inner world of the swallow. After playing their music for a while, the swallow then stopped. The trio applauded them and that was when the bird looked at them for the first time. “You're certainly a strange lot”, the swallow said, speaking with the voice of a young man. His dark eyes wandered around all the members of the trio. “A raven, a cat and a qilin. Can't say I have ever seen folks like you.” He then glanced back at the raven. “Except maybe you. You almost look like a child of my kin. But we don't have horns.” “Well, we have gained quite a lot of looks from the villagers here”, Raiica stated and shrugged. “So our appearance seems to be out of ordinary.” “Where are you from?” the swallow asked and there was a glimmer of curiosity in his dark eyes. The three creatures shared awkward looks between each other. “We don't know”, Kelith responded. “We have no memories, no idea who we are. Ihtiriekko just found us from the forest and brought us here.” “Is that so?” The swallow tilted his head slightly. “Ihtiriekko tends to visit the Forest of Cursed Cries, seeking for herbs that only grow there. No one else dares to enter because it's full of soul-devourers and all around just cursed. It has changed even Ihtiriekko. I don't understand what you were doing in the forest.” “We don't know, either”, Raiica said, shaking her head. “We just… woke up in there, having no clue how we ended up in that place.” “I have to say, you were incredibly lucky that Ihtiriekko found you as soon as she did”, the swallow declared. “You could have lost your lives and what's worse, your souls.” “Just how bad is that forest?” Mengkai suddenly opened his mouth. “We heard these eerie howls while traversing through and even encountered a terrifying purple creature, but other than that, we don't know anything except people calling it cursed.” “Well, I'm not the most knowledgeable person in this subject, but I can tell you the basics.” The swallow leisurely plucked the strings of his instrument. “Like one would expect, it hasn't always been cursed. That ground is a victim of an unfortunate series of events. Back in the day, a lot of newborn bastard children were abandoned in the forest because it was believed that a devil had impregnated many women who traveled here in search of a better life. The cries of these children that never got a chance in life still haunt the forest and it's their resentment and despair that has cursed the place. Then came the soul-devourers. Their origin is unknown to me, but they were lured into the forest as an attempt to seal them inside, so technically, the world would be safe from them. It was said that the God of Wind himself was the one who lured them there. After this, holy statues depicting the Mother Goddess were erected on the borders of the forest, their holy magic keeping the soul-devourers inside.” The swallow took a deep breath. “That's pretty much it.” “Oh… Poor children”, Kelith said quietly. Abandoned in the forest, never getting a chance to be loved and experiencing life was bad enough, but in addition, never getting peace on one's soul and being hunted by creatures that feed on souls was a horrible fate. The three creatures shared looks again, perhaps the same thought had appeared in their minds. Were they purposely abandoned as well, left to be devoured by vicious beasts? But who would do such a thing? After hearing the story of the cursed forest, all three appreciated Ihtiriekko's deed even more now. They would offer their deepest gratitude once they would see her again. “What can you do, bad things tend to happen even to those who definitely don't deserve them”, the swallow spoke. “The world can be an unfair place at times, but there's good things, too. We just have to remember them.” He raised his head and looked up at the blue sky. For a moment it looked like he had left his body, dwelling in some other plane of existence completely, somewhere where he was happy as a faint smile appeared on his face. But his memories were bittersweet since a sorrowful expression then took over and he shook his head slightly. “Do you three happen to have names?” the swallow asked abruptly. All three nodded, being sort of glad that they could actually answer this question. “Raiica.” “Kelith.” “Mengkai.” The swallow nodded to each one as they stated their names. “Pleasure to meet you. My name is Iirenz.” He then plucked the strings of his instrument again. “Say, how do you like the Village of Newfound Hope?” “It seems pretty peaceful and people look like they appreciate each other”, Raiica answered, gaining affirmative nods from the other two. “You're right about that”, Iirenz said. “We are a small community that generally gets along well. All of us have done crimes, but since this applies to all of us, technically we can better understand each other. At the end of the day, we're just ordinary people who have done bad deeds, that's all. What we have done doesn't define us.” Iirenz looked down and played a few somber notes with his instrument. Something had darkened his mood again, perhaps his past was still haunting him. Then he stopped playing and looked at the trio again. “Would you like to help me with something? Don't worry, it's nothing difficult.” This was unexpected and the three creatures exchanged looks again. But as usual, they were on the same wavelength and nodded to each other. “Sure”, said Kelith. “Great, follow me then”, Iirenz said as he stood up. He threw his instrument on his back with a strap that was attached to it and he began to show the way. Together with the three creatures they made their way through the village, heading to a western part of the settlement. The group appeared a little funny to bystanders, with the tall human-sized swallow leading them and three creatures that were only half of his height eagerly following behind like children that had promised candy. “What are we going to do?” Raiica curiously asked as they traversed through the village. “We are giving a helping hand to Nadaer, a lady that uses a small patch of land for growing things like carrots and potatoes”, Iirenz replied. “I promised to help her harvest them. She will then make soup and serve it to anyone who wants to have some.” “She sounds nice”, Raiica said. “I mean, offering food while expecting nothing in return? That sounds nice.” “Well…” Iirenz went silent for a second. “She can appear intimidating, but her heart is in the right place. Don't say I didn't warn you.” The group got closer to a small house that was one of the outermost buildings in this side of the village. It had been decorated with vines and flowers just like all the other buildings in the settlement. As the group was approaching, the door opened with a slight creak and a woman came out and watched them getting closer. Even at this first sight, the three creatures could tell what Iirenz meant when he had described Nadaer as intimidating. She was looking at them with piercing steel grey eyes and her posture as she leaned against a doorframe with her arms crossed over her chest was a sign that she would tolerate no nonsense. Another daunting detail was the few scars she had on the left side of her face. On her head she was wearing a black bandana that kept her curly ginger hair away from her face. She was wearing white shirt that however didn't cover her arms and exposed her belly. She also wore brown, baggy and worn pants. The three creatures didn't know what they had expected, but not this tough-looking young woman. “You got some new friends, huh, Iiz?” Nadaer stated as the group approached her. “Who are these twerps?” “These are Raiica, Mengkai and Kelith”, Iirenz responded. “They will help us.” “Really?” Nadaer said in a doubtful way as she leered at the three creatures. “Well, if you say so. Just don't let them get in the way.” She then disappeared inside her house, leaving behind Iirenz and the trio who were left a bit confused from this short conversation. “Don't take it personally”, Iirenz told the three creatures. “She's like that with everyone. You'll get used to it. Come, this way.” The swallow then began to guide the trio around the house and toward the backyard. There were a few small patches of land where potatoes and carrots were growing and some of them appeared to be ready for harvesting. Before the group got to work, Nadaer made a sudden appearance again and joined them on her field. She was carrying two wooden buckets. “So, if you twerps want to be helpful, take care of the carrots over there”, she said and pointed at one of the patches. “I'll handle the potatoes with Iirenz.” “Understood”, Raiica answered on behalf of all three. “Take one of the buckets and put all the carrots in there”, Nadaer instructed them. “Now, get to work!” Mengkai, Kelith and Raiica hurried to the carrot patch, Raiica carrying the bucket assigned to them. They began to pluck the vegetables from the ground. They had never done any sort of work before, at least they assumed they hadn't, so even this simple task felt new and exciting. They got a little dirtied with soil, but they were happy to help nonetheless, and together the trio managed to pick up all the carrots from the small patch. Since they had succeeded in that in a relatively short amount of time, they then moved over to help Iirenz and Nadaer. It was around afternoon when they were done with harvesting. Two buckets filled with potatoes and carrots, now that was a sight Nadaer was satisfied with. “Great, now we can make soup”, Nadaer stated. “Though I don't have all the ingredients in hand. Hey, Iiz, will you go fetch some chicken meat from Imnia?” “Sure thing”, Iirenz replied, nodding. He went to fulfill this task immediately and soon his figure disappeared from sight. “Now, you three…” Nadaer turned to face the trio. “You may still be useful. You can help me prepare the soup. Interested?” All three nodded, curious to see what this chore included since like with everything else, they had no experience in cooking – or even eating. Maybe that was the strange sensation in their stomachs they had suddenly started to feel. “Good. Come here”, Nadaer said as she began to walk toward her house's back door, carrying both buckets with her. “It would be nice if someone opened the door.” Raiica was the first one who hurried toward the house and she opened up the door for everyone else. Nadaer was the first one to go in and the three creatures followed right behind her. They found themselves from a rather cozy little place; the downstairs seemed to mostly consist of a kitchen and a big living space. The warm afternoon sun flowed from the windows and gave the insides of Nadaer's house a beautiful golden glow. Mengkai, Kelith and Raiica noticed how there were a lot of wooden figures decorating shelves, tables and cabinets; it appeared Nadaer was very skilled in carving. “So, here's the thing”, Nadaer said as she dropped the buckets on the kitchen floor. “I want you to peel off the skin of all these potatoes and carrots. Think you're able to do that?” “What does that exactly mean?” Raiica asked. “Are you idiots or something?” Nadaer asked, though she didn't wait for an answer. “Well, let me show you.” She snatched one of the knives that had been sitting in a neat row on a table that was standing right by a window. Then she picked a potato from a bucket and showed the trio how to peel it. “It's that simple, really”, Nadaer said. “Now, do this to all of them. And don't blame me if you cut your fingers. Meanwhile, I'll go fetch water.” She just dumped the contents of the two buckets on the floor. Staring at this pile of vegetables, the three creatures had a hunch that this task might take a while. But the sooner they started, the sooner it would be done, so all of them picked up knives and began their work. In the meantime, Nadaer took the buckets with her and soon disappeared from the front door. Mengkai, Kelith and Raiica were left alone, trying their best to do a good job. Though they were having a bit of trouble at first, they weren't used to doing anything with tools and the work's results weren't the prettiest. Raiica was the first one to master peeling off the skin of the potatoes and she showed her new technique to her two companions. With her aid, Kelith and Mengkai slowly began to get better at their job, although they did manage to slip a couple of times and accidentally cut their fingers. Nothing serious, however, and mostly they were enjoying this little chore of theirs. Eventually Nadaer came back, carrying two wooden buckets filled with water. “How's it going?” she asked as she placed the buckets carefully on the floor. “Do you all have all your fingers intact?” “Yes, we do”, Kelith responded happily, proud of this achievement. “Good.” Nadaer carried one of the buckets toward the little workstation the trio had formed and placed it near them. “Put all the ready potatoes in this one.” She then carried the other bucket toward a little fireplace where a big black cauldron was hanging. The three creatures peeked briefly at what Nadaer was doing and saw how she poured the water into the cauldron and lit a fire beneath it with a tinderbox. The gentle crackling of fire brought a comforting sound to the kitchen, somehow making it feel more homely than before. After these tasks, Nadaer got her hands on a knife as well and started to work together with the trio, sitting on a stool. “Where are you little twerps coming from?” she asked while immersed in her work, peeling off the skins skillfully and way faster than the three creatures. “I've never seen critters like you before.” “We don't know.” Kelith was once again the one to reply to this familiar question. “We woke up in the forest with no memories of who we are. Ihtiriekko brought us here.” “Are you fucking with me?” Nadaer glanced suspiciously at the trio. “You mean the cursed forest?” “Yes”, Kelith said. “We don't know how we ended up there.” “Well, good thing that Ihtiriekko found you or else your asses would be dead”, Nadaer stated and focused on her chore again. “But hey, maybe you are demons. Maybe that's why you were unharmed.” “What do you mean?” Raiica asked cautiously. She and her two companions remembered hearing from Flamenial something about demons being powerful and dangerous and having the desire to steal souls from others. Being called such didn't really sound like a compliment. “Well, all demons have horns, just like you three”, Nadaer said. “It's not impossible that someone sent you to wreak havoc or something to our village. Not anything too crazy, I reckon, you look like weaklings to me.” This puzzled the three creatures, giving them even more questions about their own existence. None of them felt like they wanted to spread chaos or steal souls or anything of that sort, but perhaps it was a possibility that their origin was darker than suspected, although this option seemed wrong somehow. They all went quiet for a moment, but the crackling of fire kept a complete silence away together with the silent and soft noises of knives cutting vegetables. The quiet moment didn't last for long when a knock on the front door was heard. Just seconds later, it opened, and the familiar figure of Iirenz peeked inside. “Hello, I'm back”, he cheerfully said and slipped inside, shutting the door behind him. He had a package wrapped in cloth with him. “Good”, Nadaer stated and got up from her stool, throwing a perfectly peeled potato into the bucket of water. “You can help these three. I'll start cutting up all the ingredients.” “Sure thing”, Iirenz responded and got to work after dropping the package on the kitchen table. After the swallow had joined, together the group was able to get the soup done rather quickly. Nadaer was terrifyingly good at handling her knife as she cut to pieces all the potatoes, carrots and bits of chicken meat. Everything got thrown into the boiling cauldron and Nadaer did command one of the trio to stir the soup with a ladle, Kelith being the one who ended up doing this task. The scent of the cooking became irresistible after Nadaer had thrown in some herbs. Eventually Nadaer deemed that the soup was ready to be served. “Your new little friends really were helpful”, Nadaer told Iirenz as she was carrying the cauldron toward the front door and the trio could just admire her strength. “Yes, they were”, replied Iirenz who was walking by her side, and he glanced at the three creatures that were following behind them. Judging by his smile, this was quite a compliment from Nadaer and the trio felt a hint of pride because of this. Nadaer carried the cauldron outside and placed it on the porch, looking quite satisfied with the cooking. “Now, Iiz, go spread the word to those who are hungry”, she said, facing the swallow again. He nodded. “See you in a moment.” He then walked away, his figure soon disappearing from sight as he wandered further into the village, other houses concealing him. As soon as he was gone, Nadaer turned to face the trio. “For your work, you'll deserve to be fed first”, she stated. “Wait here, I'll get some bowls and spoons for you.” Mengkai, Kelith and Raiica nodded in unison and watched how Nadaer disappeared inside her home for a minute. It felt nice that their work was appreciated. Maybe they were supposed to be benevolent entities after all, not demons. At least it didn't sound like demons would care about being appreciated for doing a good deed. When Nadaer came back, she offered a bowl and spoon for each one of them. They were made of wood, so probably Nadaer had carved them by herself. She grabbed a ladle and poured a portion for all three creatures. “Thank you”, they all said at the same time. Nadaer looked at them with a little amused expression. “It really seems like you just share one brain. Anyway, enjoy your meal.” The scent of the soup was so mouthwatering. All three took a spoonful from their meal, blew it a little to cool it and then put it in their mouths. It tasted as good as it smelled. However, Mengkai discovered that he didn't like the meat, for some reason it tasted wrong in his mouth. Kelith and Raiica noticed him leaving the bits of chicken aside, eating the rest of the soup just fine. “We can take the meat”, Raiica suggested, not really wanting anything to go to waste. “Alright”, Mengkai agreed. Once he had finished eating the rest of the soup, he offered his bowl to his two companions who then shared the pieces of meat that remained. While they were enjoying their meal, sitting on the porch of Nadaer's house, they noticed how a handful of villagers were approaching, each holding a bowl and spoon of their own. One by one people came over to have their share of the soup, all expressing their gratitude. While Nadaer didn't mention that the three creatures had helped her, they still were delighted by the compliments many of the villagers offered, since they had been part of the process. It was important to them, giving them a hint of a sense of belonging. As they basked in the beams of the afternoon sun, they watched how people came and left, wondering if they could be part of their world. A few folks talked about places beyond the village, which made the trio think. Maybe, their place was somewhere else entirely. The Village of Newfound Hope seemed like a nice settlement, but there was a whole other world out there. And perhaps somewhere out there the truth about their origin awaited. This thought was something the trio played with together as they quietly muttered with each other, sitting on the porch even after some time when the last villager had left and the cauldron was empty. But little did they know, their story was just beginning – and it would take them to a grand journey.Quilt When Jac goes to visit the family farm on a chilly day, there's one thing that she looks forward to more than anything else. It was surprisingly not her dad's wonderful singing, nor was it hanging out with the vegetable sheep herd and sleeping on their wool (though that would be a close second). That distinction belongs to staying in the living room and wrapping herself all around with her favorite quilt. This luxurious fabric was hand knitted by the nature giant himself from the fleece of the very sheep that he had raised. It used to be a part of a much larger throw that had decorated the sofa for more than a decade. But after seeing that his adopted daughter loved it so much, Gerald decided that it would be better for her to have a piece of it to claim for herself. So he had cut off a portion and presented it to her one fateful dawn, and the young woman had been enamored with it ever since. Jac was so comfortably snug in the center of her thick, warm veil atop her resting place on the back of the couch. Her figure reminded Gerald of a chrysalis, for the tiny human remained completely still in that exact position all throughout the morning. He knew she was awake, but he was also aware that she would not be getting up anytime soon. "I'd be careful if I were you, Jac!" Her father teased, "I wouldn't be surprised if you will turn into a butterfly in a few more days." "You know what?" Jac finally spoke in a muffled voice. "Let's test that theory." "I never saw a giant butterfly before, so I'm sure that would be truly remarkable! I bet you'll become a very beautiful one." "Thanks dad." And with that, she was done speaking for at least another hour. As the day rolled by and the nature giant was mostly done with his morning chores, he sat down to relax with a nice cup of joe next to the human cocoon. While she failed to notice his presence at first, Jac listened intently as more and more sounds began to perk up her ears. The creak of a tin opened, which was immediately followed by a plastic wrapper unzipping, that would then unleash a sweet yet tart smell that tickled at her nose. Jac slowly turned her head around to witness the majesty that was her dad's famous cookies, her eyes then widened to about the size of an owl's. "Well! That got your attention," Gerald said with a soft chuckle. "You want some?" Jac gave an audible gulp that even the giant was able to hear. But as soon as she unfurled the quilt that had protected her small body, she was quickly reminded of why she had it on in the first place. After merely a moment exposed to the surrounding air, which in turn caused her to shiver quite a bit, Jac backed up and took refuge underneath the safety of her quilted shield once again. "I think I'm good for now." She said. "Are you sure..?" "Yeah..." Jac was reluctant, but she had mostly made up her mind. "Well, that's too bad. I suppose I'll just have to eat the last remaining ones myself. Wouldn't want to let good food go to waste after all." One by one, the noise of soft crunching slowly reverberated through Jac's ears, which had made it excruciatingly difficult for her to ignore. The thought of missing out on this rare treat pained her, and it wasn't long before she had to take back her initial decision. Gerald patiently waited as Jac's inner turbulence was swirling around in her mind. After a time however, he felt that he needed to speak up. "Why don't you come on down here and help yourself? A bit of exercise will do you good! Besides," The giant was hesitant to suggest this but he thought it would be the next best solution. "You can always go back to that spot when you're done." "Deal!" Jac exclaimed in lightning speed. As much as Jac would have hoped to keep herself from tripping over her blanket as she made her way to the seat, this proved to be next to impossible for the tiny human. Thankfully, Gerald offered to lend a helping hand quite literally, so that she can enjoy feasting on a part of a cookie without the need to unwrap herself from the safety of her fluffy cocoon. Nothing could beat devouring one of the most delicious sweets that Jac has ever tasted, while simultaneously being nice and snuggly with the best quality quilt that she owns. Gerald watched in silence as his adopted daughter happily chewed away like a rodent, and during this time he had a good thought. "Why don't you take that blanket home with you? I know how much you like it, so it would only seem natural I think." Jac nearly dropped the cookie she was holding and swung her head to face her father much too quickly. "This is part of a set with the other quilts isn't it? I'd hate to break it up after all this time." "Doncha worry about it. I never cared about keeping a complete set or any of that hullabaloo. It's yours Jac. Feel free to take it and do whatever you please with it." It took a little bit for Jac to fully realize just how happy she actually was by that statement. With a great big hug to her pops, she thanked him wholeheartedly for the gift. "I promise I'll take good care of it!!" "So long as you remember to go to work and exercise and get out of bed every once in a while then I'm fine with it." Gerald suggested. "Sure thing dad." Somehow her father couldn't believe that, but he went along with it with a slight sigh.FragileThe most terrifying thing in the world for Bo was when Jac got seriously hurt, all because of a careless oversight on his part. After sheltering these memories for so long, he failed to understand why he was beginning to recall these events ever so vividly. The exact scenes would play over and over again in his mind, from his being late to go home due to soccer practice, to the fateful incident when he threw the ball at the human girl upclose. It was in that moment that his worldview shattered simultaneously with her bones, and he began to understand that these tiny people were much more fragile than they appeared to be. For a good while thereafter, he wouldn't dare pick up or handle anyone human sized or smaller. But given enough time and through some encouraging words from Jac herself, Bo managed to overcome his fears and would ultimately use this lesson as a resolve to better himself as a person. The chronicles of this particular past experience had been put in the back burner of his mind for some time. So why was he having relapses now all of a sudden? As was usually the case however, the Bunyan giant kept quiet about his thoughts. Off days were seldom had and relaxing outdoors with his little sister with no sneaky Wile giants lurking about was even rarer still. Bo wanted nothing more than to sit on the park bench and just relax without a care in the world. If only Jac would just stand still then he wouldn't have to get paranoid on keeping an eye on her, but then again that's asking too much of the energetic human. Just as he was about to doze off, a rustling noise caught the giant's attention. It was too loud to have been a friendly Wile, yet it was too quiet to be potentially caused by a comnon giant's footsteps. He turned his head to the source of the disturbance when he spotted something off the distance on the arch of a human sized bridge. A strange, smaller person, who looked as if he was rattling something hard within his fists. Curiosity had gotten the better of the Bunyan, so he decided to approach this lad while being careful not to draw too much attention to himself. Using a nearby bush as cover, Bo was still some ways away from the scene, but he was able to make out a figure: a boy who looked to be no more than ten years old. He was laughing and hollering at the object in his hands, swinging it around as if it were a toy. While Bo's hearing was no where near as good as a Wile giant's, the Bunyan was able to put two and two together when the sight of something on the side of the young man's hand caught the attention of the giant. His eyes widened gradually upon realizing what was going on. A skinny tail with a turf of fuzzy hair on the end hung mostly limp from the opening between the boy's digits. The Bunyan giant had only laid eyes on this humanoid a couple of times, but he knew immediately that he was looking at a telltale sign of a Maurognome's tail. Bo was readying himself to go over there to do something about it, but as soon as he had gotten up, he froze. He couldn't understand why this was happening. On normal days, he wouldn't hesitate to step in to try and defuse a situation like this, but this time he was low-key panicking. Once more, something else plagued his mind, a thought that was getting in the way of his efforts to stay calm and to keep his head together. Just then, a familiar voice cut through the air like a knife. "HEY KID! WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?!" Jac stomped onto the wooden bridge, her expression was seething with rage but she tried to keep it together overall. "I found him under my bed," the boy yelled, "he's mine! Go get your own!" Jac was just about ready to blow her top, but she took a deep breath through her nose and continued her interrogation with as much of a straight face as she was able to pull off. "I know a doctor," Jac exclaimed, "I've been around a few cases like this so I can tell that your 'friend' is in a lot of pain right now. So please, can I have a look at them?" "No! I'm taking very good care of him, so he can't be sick!" The boy said as he jerked his hands away from Jac, the little gnome's tail was now dangling dangerously close to the side of the bridge. "I gave him a little house to play in and he eats a lot of snacks and stuff. I wanted to get him out in the sunshine, but he keeps trying to run away!" "Gee I wonder why? Maurognomes can't be out in the sun for too long!" "Mauro-wah?" "You don't even know!" Jac sighed harshly. "Alright, hand them over." "Why?" "If you don't, I'll call the police." "Wha~?" "Maurognomes are protected! If you hurt one or have one as a pet, you could go to jail! Did you know that?" "No...?" The boy was beginning to whimper. "It may not be like that in other parts of the world, but this is the Beanstalk Society, and we take this sort of thing VERY seriously." The boy had gotten nervous, not only due to this revelation but the fact that everyone else in the park had now gathered around the bridge. Feeling smaller than usual, the young man finally give up on his prized possession, hesitating frequently before Jac verbally showed her displeasure with him not hurrying things along. The human woman opened her hands to see a middle aged gnome gasping for air. The clothes on his back as well as his carrier bag was left in tatters and he was as thin as a pencil. "Not a moment too soon," Jac thought. After the ambulance drove away with the Maurognome on board, Jac turned around to face Bo who had remained planted in place since the beginning of this incident. "What's eating you?" She asked. The smaller sister knew that Bo didn't enjoy that terminology, but she figured that would snap him out of his own thoughts. "I really don't know myself to be honest." He finally admitted. "I never dealt with a child handling someone much more smaller before and I guess, I was worried that I might escalate things if I approached too hastily. He may not be used to giants like me after all." "I guess that's valid." "But you were amazing, Jac!" "Ah, I'll admit. It was hard to stay calm. But I saw that a life was at stake, so I charged right on in." "You're braver than me..." "Nah, it was just circumstance. If you were human height I bet you would have done the same thing." Jac then rubbed the giant's hand as he proceeded to lift her up. "I know you're scared of your own strength sometimes, but you're the gentlest person I know, giant or otherwise. You don't have to worry so much!" "I saw myself in that little boy." Bo finally confessed his thoughts. Jac paused for a moment, she couldn't believe what she just heard. "You're comparing yourself to that brat? Bro! You were much better than him even when you were his age! You had a steady hand even then and you were never rough with any of us! Sure you weren't as good as you are now, but that's the point!" Bo paused for a bit as he began to contemplate what was said. "I keep thinking about that accident, Jac..." "That was thirteen years ago!" Jac shouted. "You take a lot of effort to prevent stuff like that from happening again! You're great at it! You should be proud of yourself!" That was what he needed to hear. Bo couldn't help but be touched by those words, as he turned his head to view the spectacular start of a sunset. Yet again, Jac had made his eyes water, even though he tried his best not to let his tears drop this time. "Thank you.." He whispered. Jac understood that he was feeling bad, so she thought about cheering him up the best way she knew how. "How about we get some ice cream before we go? My treat!" Bo took a moment to gather himself again and he spoke softly after clearing his throat. "That sounds great. Remember you can't eat off of my cone. You need to get your own, little lady!" "Not even one lick? Please?" There was Jac with her puppy eyes again... Bo couldn't help but sigh. "I guess one lick wouldn't hurt." He laughed.PuppetThe storm brought with it perpetual winds and torrential rains, flooding the area with water up to a giant's ankles. While Jac was safely within the confines of Richard's home, which had mostly been spared the brunt of the system, she still had to sit through listening to the weather pounding the roof of his house. The hundreds of thundering booms back to back was just as frightening; it wouldn't be long before the lights dimmed out as well, leaving the two in utter darkness. After he had spent a slow hour or so shifting through the rooms with only a dying cellphone and a little bit of illuminating magic, Richard was able to find the flashlights that had become their saving grace. During the much too long time she was left alone, Jac's usual confidence wavered bit by bit, as she peered out the window at the noisy cats and dogs that seemed to be eager to claw their way inside. Her unease lead to a surprise jolt when Richard suddenly turned the flashlight onto his face with a soft "boo!" Jac crawled backwards to the very edge of the armrest she was on, and breathed heavily just as she began to register what was going on. A small cackle escaped the Wile giant initially, but his mood instantly shifted to that of great concern over seeing her overall reaction. "Hey, are you alright?" "No," Jac admitted, "this thunderstorm is really pissing me off... I don't think I've ever witnessed anything this big since I moved to the Beanstalk society..." "I read on the newsfeed that it's a once every twenty year event." Richard replied. "There will be a few more days of this unfortunately." Just hearing that revelation made the smaller woman wrap her arms around her legs. Richard offered a hand which Jac nonverbally accepted, the giant's fingers providing relief somewhat from the relentless shaking she was having. He could feel her distress from her tiny heart thumps, and it was eating at him that he could not for the life of him figure out how to alleviate some of her anxiety. "If you think there is anything I could do to help, I'd love to hear it." He spoke in almost a whisper. As Richard sat the flashlight down, it's light glowing against the bare wall, he scooped up the tiny human with as much care as possible and brought her up to his face. Jac was paying less attention to the kind gesture at that moment, instead focusing on the shadow that they casted in front of their only light source. "Hm? What's on your mind?" "Well... it's silly. But I could use a bit of that right now." Said Jac. "I think I know of one thing we can do to pass the time." A little later, Jac and Richard brought some props that were just the right size for the human to carry, which was mostly everything she needed for her little improv show. With a circular paper mache on her back, Jac placed two fingers over her head and began to crawl and wriggle ever so slightly. On the wall, she almost resembled a snail. "Once upon a time, there was a very big snail who was minding her own business, just enjoying the simplicity of her days of eating and sleeping and... pretty much that's all snails do." "No kidding. They ruin my garden. I hate them." Richard said. "Wait, you have giant snails in your yard?" Jac had slight gleam in her eyes. "Stay focused on the play Jac.." "Oh, right!" Jac repositioned herself once more and continued. "One day, the snail found the biggest, juiciest leaf she had ever laid eyes on. It was out of the safety of the cover of the tree, but it was so delicious looking that she couldn't resist." "Famous last words." Richard mumbled. "What?! You keep interrupting!!" "Sorry! Continue." "Yeah... uhhh..." Jac then put her thinking cap on for a minute, but came up empty handed. "I guess that's all I got. Can't think of anything else to add right now." Richard fell on his side upon hearing that response. He then walked up to the makeshift platform and cleared his throat. "Just when the pretty little cherry, I mean, snail crawled out of hiding, a very handsome black bird spotted her from the sky!" "Oh boy." The Wile giant then put his thumbs together and spread out the rest of his fingers wide. He then began to flap his 'wings' as his shadow circled around the snail. "The bird realized that she was the most beautiful cherry snail that he had ever seen, and he knew that he must invite her to his home for supper! So using the moment when she was distracted, he swooped in as quietly like a, a bird, and snapped up the snail in one, quick--" "Wait!" Jac exclaimed as his hands hovered mere inches from her body. "That's not a bird hand puppet, that's a butterfly!" "Is it now? Hm... I don't know what the bird shape is, but I'm willing to compromise by calling this a bat instead. It does look like a bat, doesn't it?" "That's not how it--" "So the butterfly bat swooped in and caught the cherry snail in his claws! He then flew up and away with his prize." During this time, Richard scooped Jac up and began to flap the tip of his fingers as she rode up and away in 'airplane' mode. Jac could not help herself as she giggled excitedly with every swoop and dive. She noticed relatively quickly that Richard was slowly moving his hands towards his face. The Wile, being the cuddle bug he was, found it difficult not to bring Jac in and nuzzle her against his cheek. This brought even more laughter to the human, which made the giant even more relieved that his plan on cheering her up was working. Such a rush of exhilaration made the two of them lose themselves in the feedback loop. With hugs came pats on the nose, which lead to nose rubs, and then pecks and-- "Okay! Story's over! Time for the next one!" Jac shouted. "Wait, there's more? " Richard's voice turned mopey. "But, we were just getting to the best part!" "Nope! It's too early for that!" Richard gave out a small pfft. "Sorry, I got carried away." "All good, I barely stopped myself." Jac laughed. Richard sat Jac down on the table again as she began to switch props, this time she would don a cone shaped hat with a sash at the end. "Once upon a time, there was a princess who lived in a far away kingdom!" "A cherry princess?" Richard asked. "Just a princess!" "Aww." Jac then jumped on front of the light, which made her shadow cast a form to appear as if she was wearing a beautiful gown. Richard on the other hand was plotting for another prank to pull, which Jac anticipated quite well with the quick glances they continued to give each other. She continued on. "--but the princess was very lonely, and she had no one to talk to. If only someone would take her away to a more exciting, fulfilling life!" "My turn right?" "Yeah! I think I laid the groundwork for what you can do now." "Cool." With his arms and the end of his hands folded together, his palms and fingers spread out, the tips of them curbed slightly to resemble jagged fangs, the shadow of a mighty dragon swooped onto the table with a loud thud. "Fear not my lady, it is I, a noble dragon from the east. I have come to take you away to a much more exciting place!" "Richard, I was expecting a knight or something more catered to my size!" Jac squeaked, giggling slightly between every other word. "Aww, what's a knight got that a noble, devine creature doesn't?" The dragon replied. "I! Don't want to go with no overgrown, scaly beast! Shoo, vamoose or what have you!" "Hey, that's no way to talk to a royal, sofisticated dragon! That's not very nice! I'll.... have to, punish you for that!" "Ohhh, are you going to breath fire or something? Oh no, I'm so scared." Richard's hands then darted towards Jac. Try as she might, the shadow of the princess was unable to run fast enough as she was snapped up in the jaws of the shadow dragon. Wedged gently between the giant's palms, Jac wriggled and giggled extensively while she tried her best to tickle to giant back. Only to get the taste of her own medicine as the tips of his fingers tapped away lightly at her every form. They both laughed nonstop for a few minutes before they both ran out of air and were forced to stop. The two friends laid back, Richard against his chair and Jac against one of his hands as they huffed and puffed a good while. They both looked at each other tiredly and smiled, acknowledging just how happy they were just being in each other's presence. "I haven't had this much fun in ages." Jac said. "Me too." "Though, to be honest. I think I'm worn out from all these shadow puppets." "Same here. Though I wouldn't mind doing it again at some point. Since, well," Richard turned to the window, which brought Jac back to the reality of the noisy downpour outside. "We'll be stuck here for a good while." "Yeah.. You know, while we were in the middle of all that, I had completely forgotten about the storm. A guess a good distraction was all I needed." "I'm glad it helped you out," Richard said softly. "If you're ever in the need for more, then I'll be glad to assist where I can." "I appreciate that a lot." Jac began to make her way towards the center of Richard's chest, his heart beat offering much needed relief from the distressing sounds. She then gave out a yawn. "For now, I think this will do. If you don't mind." Richard blinked a little, before he returned with a smile. He cupped a hand over the human, surrounding her with warm bliss as he began to settle back himself. "With pleasure."Lullaby *‘Child, you are my little ray of light Like a fire that glows in the darkest night. If you find me I will hold you tight Never letting go I promise I’ll be there for you.’* Jac had awoken to the voice of her mother as she whispered into the young woman’s ear. She spoke such clarity, echoes like droplets of water, air like the soft wind against her skin. This had to have been real, no way it couldn't be.. But much to Jac's despair, reality had come for her as she gradually opened her eyes. She saw the full moon still beamed through the curtains as she found herself within the shelter of Richard’s hand. The Wile giant was sound asleep, yet he had subconsciously brought her up to his chest. On an ordinary night, his would have provided maximum comfort for the smaller human, but this time she was unable to feel the joy that this level of affection would normally bring. Jac couldn’t shake off the feeling that began to well up from her chest. It had been months since she had relapses of the visions of her mother, so for such a dream to just show up unexpectedly.. and with that particular song no less? This had put a damper in her spirits and unearthed unspeakable anxiety that was shaking her to the very pit of her core. She had fought hard to weather her fluctuating emotions, but in the end, she was unable to hold back hot, stinging tears. Richard steadily opened his eyelids by the sound of Jac’s various gasps and wheezes. He looked down at the small woman who was curled up in the dip of his right palm, his eyes gradually shedding off some of their drowsiness as he began to realize that she was actually crying. The Wile giant’s keen ears was able to pick up on her sobs despite the tiny human’s best efforts to try and hide them. “What’s wrong?” He spoke softly, his tired voice still lingering. Jac was too wrapped up in her own thoughts to pay mind to what was said, although she did quiet down somewhat. Perhaps she just chose to not answer him. Richard was not surprised to see her like this, but he could never get used to it. This exact scenario would play out every once in a while for about as long as he could remember; the trigger was apparently always the same, but he was never given the details as to exactly why. After seeing what this has been doing to Jac, and always getting the same dodging reaction whenever he had brought it up, over time he felt that it was better not to question it. Or perhaps he had become too afraid to ask. Instead, Richard brought his other hand behind the one that held Jac. He then slowly but surely placed her all the way against his chest, his hands completely covering her up as she was nestled onto the fabric of his shirt. He then began to start humming a sweet melody of his own. The tune was pleasant, as gentle as the giant could muster with his voice. With variables ranging from a cheerful, upbeat hum, to a quiet and more graceful sound. After a few short minutes, Jac’s sorrow had begun to dissipate, as she listened intently to the giant’s voice as her mind spawned new visuals that tapped into her imagination. It wasn’t long before she finally spoke. “What are these songs? They all sound so… refreshing.” “They’re Wile giant hymns,” Richard whispered, “passed down from generations. They have different meanings but nowadays they’re more commonly used for lullabies.” “Do you know the lyrics?” Jac said, as she quietly wiped the remaining liquid off of her eyes and nose. “I know of some. Many of them are probably difficult to comprehend for you, but I’ll try to think of one that I can sing.” Richard paused for a moment, before he found one that he thought would be easy enough to share with the human. He cleared his throat, and began in a near whisper. “Why are you crying dear child The heavens bring the stars and the moon The wolf in the forest, the birds in the trees, the night flies dance in the twilight there is much to see” “What do these words mean?” “I did say that they were cryptic,” Richard chuckled, “but yeah… I think it’s meant to be interpreted in different ways. But I personally think it means that even if there is stuff in the world that makes you feel sad, there’s still enough beauty in this planet to not want to… give up.” There was a hint of concern in Jac’s face, which the Wile giant picked up on right away. “I’m sorry.. It’s just… this was one of the many things I’ve used as a coping mechanism growing up.” “It’s okay, I understand.” Jac looked down on the indents of the giant’s hand momentarily. Her mind was drifting once more, but this time with a new resolve. 'Perhaps that’s what mother was trying to tell me all along.’ The beginning of new tears started to form on the base of her eyes. Richard realized what was happening and worried that it could have been his own fault, but instead of dwelling on it he chose to switch focus onto a more pleasant tune. “Ode to the bush warbler building his nest sweet songs that he sings, the cherry he brings on route to gather many food in his crop bring them home to seven mouths without stop.” That got a laugh out of the smaller woman, which brought a sense of relief to the giant. “Is that a real Wile giant song?” “No, you got me. I just made it up on the fly.” “That wasn’t too bad though for something you thought up in a few seconds. You should record that!” “Nah, I had already forgotten most of it.” The two friends laughed it out, before Richard continued to come up with different songs to hum. The new tunes ranged from an array of folk songs to popular music slowed to an almost music box pace. Jac chose to quietly listen through the rest of this special little concert that her friend made just for her, but it wasn’t long before she fell back into the world of dreams once more. This time the clouds that formed before were long gone, bringing with it clearer skies and sweeter dreams. Shortly after Richard followed suit while in the middle of a tune, he had apparently sung himself to sleep.HarvestThe Harvest Festival was in full swing, and the Fincher siblings were treated to some of the best crops this season had to offer. The pickings for this year in have been blessed with good bounty, as crops as far as the eye can see were brought out on full display. And the best part of all this for Jac was that every single one of these fresh produce were fit for a giant, so it became sort of a playground for her to explore. Fortunately her big brother was keeping a close watch. "This one looks to be a good size!" Jac hopped onto the tallest pumpkin in the patch, a gargantuan monstrosity that looked heavy enough to give even Bo some trouble. That coupled with the just as horrendous price tag caused the Bunyan giant to stop dead on his tracks. "We can't take this home! It won't even fit in our wagon." He exclaimed, as he reached out to grab the rambunctious little woman before she could leave any shoe prints behind. When he sat her off near the squashes, Bo managed to catch someone familiar off the corner of his eye. With the press tailing his every move, Rod was unable to safely meet up with his boyfriend at this time, but they would acknowledge each other's presence with quick side glances at every chance they got. Bo had to withhold waving hello on impulse, and while it was frustrating to not be able to make visual cues to his love, just being near him was more than enough to make weathering the rest of the day worth it. "I found a really nice one!" Jac said, as she managed to get some distance between herself and the Bunyan giant in a short span. Bo rushed over to meet his adopted sister, who was at this time on top of a fairly cute pumpkin that glistened slightly against the warm autumn sunshine. It wasn't too big and it was a fairly decent enough height, but the main thing that caught Jac's attention was how perfectly round, yet meaty it was. With a few light knocks, Bo nodded his head in agreement. "It's perfect!" He said with a smile. Just then, one of Rod's escorts walked up to the two, the elf shooing Jac off the fruit while he turned to the giant with a glare that could be felt even through his dark shades. "I'm sorry, but this pumpkin has already been reserved for Prince Roderick." "There's hundreds of others here he can choose fr--" Jac almost retorted, before Bo quickly yet gently placed a hand over her mouth. "I understand," Bo said with slight nervousness in his voice, "we'll be on our way then." "There will be no need for that." At that very moment, Rod walked in as if in a procession, with his hands behind his back and accompanied with escorts who followed every step he took almost precisely. The way he approached with a proper, almost gentlemanly gait was far from what the siblings were used to seeing from the high elf. Jac had to slap a hand to her mouth as air began to fill her cheeks; the young diplomat raised an eyebrow at the woman but made no further reaction towards her predictable response. Instead, Rod turned his head up to Bo, who was breaking out in a pool of sweat. The high elf hated to see his beloved in this way, but he understood the reason why. The pressure to remain proper and formal towards him in public was certainly getting to the Bunyan giant. "I was actually planning on buying this pumpkin for a very close friend of mine," Rod finally spoke. Bo gulped. "But, I'm sure I'll find another. Since this place has some of the best crops in the entire province, there are plenty more options to choose from. Besides..." Rod would then give a quick wink. "You folks look like you'd be needing it more than I do." The service elf with the shades approached the young dignitary with a series of nervous 'buts', but Rod quickly silenced him with a swift glare. The escort got the message and proceeded to scan for the other offerings without further question. Jac and Bo were not surprised upon seeing their friend throw his high magician status around, doing so with just about as much ease as breathing air, but it was still relatively jarring to witness at least for the smaller sister. They watched as the escorts began to take turns, the ones being relieved from their duties would shrink down to their normal five-inch-tall height who were then carefully carried away by other staff. Rod himself however stayed in human height all throughout the day. His seemingly limitless magic makes him a highly respected figure among elf kind, and his royal lineage on top of this only added to his reverence. Since he couldn't say anything aloud so long as Rod was close by, Bo sent Jac a text message that read. "They're just doing their job. Don't sweat it." Jac shook her head and moved on, her attention shifted deftly towards the bright plump tomatoes on the opposite end of where they stood. But just before Bo was able to follow, he received a notification on his phone. Much to his surprise, it was a message from a contact named 'Sparkle Bangs'. "You saved me the trouble of gift wrapping and shipping costs." Bo looked for Rod, who had walked some distance away at this point. The giant gave out a quaint smile and typed back. "Thanks. I'll show you pictures of the Jack o' Lantern soon!"Melody The morning announced it’s arrival with a brilliant orange that blanketed the entire eastern sky. Jac was early to rise, which was typically unusual when it came to weekends. But what prompted the young woman to remove the crust particles from her eyes was a sound so soothing, yet breathtaking that it resonated throughout the family farm. A nostalgic feeling welled up over her, and she was eager to watch and listen as the voice continued to echo across the fields and into the canopy of the resting trees. It came from none other than her stepfather, Gerald B. Fincher, who was singing a hymn that had been past down through generations of the Nature Giants since ancient times. It took on a strong baritone for much of the first half, with it bridging to a surprising yet seamless higher note which Jac describes as fluffy and ‘light as air.’ The song looped continuously as soon as the alto reached its climax, a true endless tune that only ceases when the vocalist deemed it so. The human understood not a single word of it but that didn’t deter her from becoming completely enamored by it’s sound. The best part of being a spectator of her pop’s “concert of the fields” so to speak is observing the reactions from the farm animals and the surrounding nature. The Giant's primary stock and trade are the fleece of giant vegetable sheep, and every morning he rounds up a herd of nearly a hundred of them simply by the calls of his song. The very melody seems to hypnotically tame the entire masses as they never fail to follow his every move; no need for a shepherd dog if he can do everything himself. What intrigued Jac the most was that he never seemed to tire or take breaks to catch his breath, working till the morning’s end largely without ceasing his tune. That to her was an amazing accomplishment all by itself. Unfortunately for the young woman, her stepfather stopped at its midst as soon as he spotted her in the clearing. He had successfully herded the sheep into their grazing pasture, so there was no need for him to continue at this point regardless. Jac however, was kicking herself internally for not making a better effort to hide. “Morning Jac! You’re up early.” “Mornin’ pops…” Jac said plainly. “You… don’t have to stop, you know… because of me…” “What do you mean?” “Your song! I love listening to it.” “Oh!” Traces of a blush could be seen on her stepdad's cheeks, but he kept focus on his work as he continued to speak. “Well, my song isn’t like other giant’s, you see… My voice is carried through the wind, so it vibrates across the fields far and wide! If I see you’re close by, I couldn’t possibly resume knowing that it could potentially hurt your ears.” “I know dad.” Jac tried her best not to groan, but traces of this could be heard from her voice. “I could get out of your way then..” “Now, now…” Gerald walked over to the human and bent down with the equivalent of a couple of yards away from her. Compared to the common giants his frame was enormous at a whopping ninety five feet, it still amazes her just how big he is in comparison to what she was used to. “If you want to leave, then I’m not going to stop you. But it’s been a long time since I’ve seen you 'round the farm. I could use your company, even if only for a short time. It would give me a much needed break to clear my throat after all.” Jac considered his words. After awhile she would nod, and while she was dissatisfied by not hearing the song again for the duration of their union, she was certain that she would be given the opportunity when the time came for the sheep to return to their pens. So without further delay, Jac hopped on to the hand that was presented to her, which then carried her steadily onto the giant’s right shoulder. For the next hour or so, the two would talk about this and that while Gerald kept a watchful eye on the herd. Jac couldn’t help but bring up the hymn after the topical subjects had run dry, and while her stepdad was hesitant to bring up the details surrounding it at first, he figured that it likely wouldn’t matter if he told her at least some of what he knew. He trusted his own daughter to keep it just between the two of them. “I mentioned to you before that my father taught me when I was a growing boy,” he explained, “The song has deep meaning to us, and is one of many that hold the primary source of magic for our own kind. When we utter it, the breeze will carry it adrift, making sick and dying flowers healthy again. When we sing it out loud, it’s like a gust that travels across distant lands. Or so I’ve been told. This has the power to tame beasts as you have seen, as well as hold other positive benefits.” “That’s amazing! I guess that the second one worked on me too?” “I wish it would calm humans down the way it does with you.” Gerald laughed. “But I’m glad you think it’s worth listening to.” “Of course! You’re the best singer I know!” “Oh please! You flatter me! You should have heard my grandmother, she was one of the best vocalists of our town! Folks from all around would gather to hear her voice.” The elder then had a darker expression over him, his eyes contemplating deeper thoughts that made him silent for a minute. Jac’s smile slowly fell upon realizing this, and she asked if there was anything the matter. The Nature Giant declined to elaborate at first, but he decided to ease her into the details bit by bit. “Jac, it’s important that you don’t speak a word to this to anyone.” “Uh… sure thing. I promise.” After a long sigh, her stepfather spoke. “The lyrics to our songs are from a language from this part of the world that is widely believed to have gone extinct.” As Gerald told his story, he took momentary pauses to wipe the hint of tears in his eyes. “Not even I know the meaning behind them. I wish I had asked my grandparents or my elders about it, but they have all left this world now…” Jac’s eyes began to water as well. This is the first she’s heard of this and it contradicted some of her previous thoughts. “I thought Nature giants can live for a millennia or more. That’s what I, heard..” “That was the case for a time..” Her father spoke with his voice hung low. “But… not sure if it’s true or not… but I have a theory that since we are like the plants and trees, I suspect that it may be to do with the ever increasing pollution in our planet. While we pretend that nothing’s wrong when we speak to everyone else, I suspect that there aren’t very many of us left…” “That’s terrible!” Jac exclaimed. “Why do you want to keep that a secret? Don’t you think that there’s folks that could help you in some way?” “I don’t want to be held captive in a greenhouse!” Jac was shaken by the words that came out of his mouth, as well as the pained anger that fueled the volume of that last statement. To his fright, Gerald put a hand to the tiny woman’s back and began to stroke her ever so gently. “I’m sorry..” “It’s okay dad. I’m just… I don’t know what to say…” “I was just as shocked as you were when I first heard about it. Simply put, it’s a domed city where they house small populations of Nature Giants in at least one other country. To try to 'preserve their lifespan’ under a controlled environment, or so they claim. They provide good food, good housing, clean air, but… I hate to think that I’d be forced to stay stuck in one place for the rest of my life. To me that sounds no better than a prison.” He shook his head. “If keeping my freedom to go wherever I please means that I will whither away sooner than so be it. I don’t want to be cooped up like that, I’m sorry.” After that there was silence, as the two tried to comfort each other the best they could. Afterwards what little conversation they had was small and light, as in what ice cream flavors they will be having after the workload had mostly been accomplished. While the topic was never brought up again, the gravity of the revelation weighed down on Jac for the rest of the day. Soon it came time for the older Giant to round up his herd. Jac was placed far enough away from the fields and the barnyard as Gerald thought was acceptable, which got a complaint from the smaller woman, though she chose not to dwell on it. Soon enough, the song was heard once more from a distance, which Jac couldn’t help but get a closer look but only slightly. As she watched her stepfather exercise his vocal chords and move the massive crowd of rams and ewes into their pens, a new sense of realization clouded Jac’s mind. The day her father passes away, the song will likely die with him. With a wipe to her eyes, Jac sought to appreciate the moment to the fullest and never failed to look away until the last sheep was brought in and the tune was done for the day. And she would continue to enjoy listening to the concert of the fields for many more years thereafter.Drowning In MyselfVoices echoed down the hall as Jazz left the group. They didn't need her there to decide the plans. Once she made it to the room she claimed as hers in the mansion, Jazz sat at the desk. She rested her head in her arms with a sigh as she watched the birds outside the window that was just to the left. Does it really matter if the Blackjacks win? What could they do? Just a bunch of random people following a Celestialite couldn't do anything. Let the rest of the Celestials, or even the monarchs, handle the whole situation. Vague images of her mom danced in Jazz's mind as she closed her eyes. I need help. Some days were better than others, sure, especially when she was getting along with Chance and Ace, or could go see Ed, but all the stress of the current events had taken a bigger toll on her than she realized. Jazz shivered, noticing that she didn't even care if she made it out of this battle or not. She couldn't keep living like her life was already over. She was one of the youngest in this whole mansion, damnit! Would any of them care, though? All she had was her super speed, and she'd never harmed someone with her bat and bow before. Maybe it was better to sneak off somewhere far away and start a new life, find someone to take her in, or maybe she could move in with Ed? Jazz shook her head. Life here wasn't bad, and despite the occasional bickering with Chance, it was peaceful. If she could get help, could she really learn to love life again? What was it even like? Was there any hope for her at all? Jazz promised to herself that she'd do her part in the battle, then once everything was over, she'd seek the help she'd so desperately needed all these years.Golden "Midas had it coming." Jac sighed as she shook her head. All across the room, there was a sheen of pure gold on every single platform imaginable, from the dining room table to the bedding, the drapes and even the walls themselves. Every food on the massive banquet was made up of the solid mineral; same goes for the meals that had been brought in through carriers, as well as the caterers themselves. And at the centre of it all, just before a similarly changed throne, was King Midas himself, who had also been turned into a golden statue. He was in a ridiculous ballot-like pose with his index finger on the tip of his nose. That was what likely done him in. "How much do you think this guy will be worth in modern BSK dollars?" Said Richard as he held back a snicker. "We're here on a mission, remember?" Jac replied. "We have to get to the bottom of what caused this so that we can let the progression of this story flow like normal." "What if this is how it was supposed to happen originally?" The shrunken Wile asked. "According to the other fairy world recorders, Midas is supposed to have another story right after this one. Dang it... This is a serious pain..." The detective was stumped. It would be near impossible for them to arrange to go back to before this timeline, yet she can't in her good conscience return to the present and leave things the way they are. Enough of this screwing around with the past could drastically disrupt the modern day fairy world, a domino effect that is difficult to correct once it's set in stone. But without any leads or a means to fix things, like it or not, this was looking more and more like a dead end, which frustrated the seasoned inspector. Just then, she heard a clanging noise... and what almost sounded like gnawing. Jac looked up, discovering to her horror that Richard had grown to his full height, cramped but thankfully just a snug enough fit to the roomy space to not have the ceiling collapse on him. He had taken a whole roasted chicken and chomped on it, but try as he might, he couldn't bite down. "What the hell are you doing?!" Jac hollered. "It's solid.. I was testing if it was gold plated. If that were the case, I would have been able to rescue Midas by chewing off the outside..." "You don't want to get beheaded by the king, do you? I read that he was pretty ruthless in the second story." "Relax, that plan's dead on arrival anyway." Just then, Richard was able to catch a whiff of something new in the air. He followed his nose to the back of the corridors, behind the hardened curtains he caught a glimpse of a strange, almost inhuman creature that was attempting to move out of sight. The giant spun around and with a quick swipe, he managed to catch this enigma in his bare hand. He couldn't tell what it was at first as he drew it closer to the light, only that it was fuzzy. Richard open his palms to reveal a lowly little satyr, who had become scared stiff about this whole being snatched by a giant without warning deal. "Well well well! Who do we have here? " "What in Zeus's name is a giant doing in the palace?!" The Satyr wailed, "Please! Have mercy on me!!" "Well then tell me what is a magic user like you doing snooping around? Where barely anyone else is allowed to come in, hm?" "I'm a friend of the King! Honest!" The Satyr explained while paying close attention to the giant's fangs every time the latter opened his mouth, "I came baring news from Dionysus with a cure for the Golden Touch, but I had arrived too late..." "Richard..." Jac didn't have to say another word- just the sight of her as she folded her arms and thumped her feet was enough to convince the mighty giant to put the horned man down, even though Richard wasn't too happy about it. "How do you know this guy can be trusted?" The giant frowned. "According to the fairy archives, a little known fact is that King Midas rescued a Faun and became friends with him in the start of the story! This led up to Dionysus granting him the Midas Touch as a reward." "Uh... it's a, Satyr..." The Satyr corrected. "So you're the person who's supposed to fix everything, right?" Asked Richard with a raised brow. "Yes! I would had arrived earlier, but the king was busy entertaining another guest. I heard it was a fairy, with green skin..." "The Time Warper. Of course!" Jac said while she slapped her hand in front of her face. "That guy's been giving us the slip for who knows how long..." Giving a moment of pause to press between the bridge of her nose, Jac then asked the half-human. "Is there a way you can reverse this?" "I believe the same way to remove the Golden Touch will also work to reverse the curse, but.. how can we move his majesty now that he's solid gold?" "You underestimate my natural strength," Richard then proceeded to pick up the petrified king with just two fingers, "I'll do the heavy lifting, you give me the instructions." So with no more time to waste, the Satyr lead Jac and Richard to the nearby river, with the giant carrying all of the humans who had been afflicted by the curse. While it was not the prettiest solution, it was determined that the only way to completely reverse this mess is to completely submerge the statues in the water, which Richard hastily accomplished by unceremoniously dunking all of the occupants in his arms into the drink at once. Jac looked at him with a stern while the giant returned with a smirk. "They were heavy, alright? My arms are sore." It took only a few minutes, but soon enough the entire river as far as the eyes could scan shined with a magical energy that turned the water a shimmering gold. The two guests marveled at the sight; Jac meanwhile couldn't help but snap selfies of herself and part of Richard's face with her phone, taking in the scenic view as a keepsake for their efforts. "What in Zeus' name is that contraption?" The satyr spoke. "Don't worry about it." Jac answered as she zipped the phone back up in her coat. And nothing more was said. When the spectacle had passed, the magic of the curse had been absorbed into the sand at the bottom of the river, which had turned into a brilliant shade of yellow. And with that, the afflicted had all emerged from the river at once with a large gasp for air. The Satyr fell into the arms of his beloved king. When Midas asked "Of whom were the folks who helped me remove the wretched spell so that I may thank them?" The Satyr quickly turned around, but much to his surprise, the girl and the giant had vanished without a trace. The curse has been obliterated and the entire kingdom had declared a celebration for this event. Jac and Richard couldn't stay for the festivities however- the less of a presence they had in the stories of the past, the better. It was better for them to sneak away than to resort in using forget-me spells, and the two detectives had plenty of work ahead of them as they would need to report their findings to headquarters. With the Tunnel of Chaos dispersed, Jac and the giant slipped into the portal. The day's task was over but who knows when the next one will arrive so long as the mischievous Time Warper was still on the loose.When the Universe Becomes ZeroWarning! This lore is extremely bleak, so be prepare to read it since this story is short anyway. This is the most darkest and bleakest lore I ever written for my series. In a alternate timeline, the people at the Global Across Network has discovered something really terrible while they were doing their research in the lab which they found out that their universe acting little weird and sensing danger as they trying to find out what is causing this and making people going sick and causing side effects. But upon realizing this, one female researcher who is a mathematician which she been studying about the universes and others for years and just find out about the ultimate doom which she been researching that something will turn their home universe into a infinitesimal point that includes any beings that become a one point that is worse than death. In a alert, the people in the organization trying their best to stop it and using their powerful invention to prevent it from happening, but their efforts from stopping it is futile for them. Every scientists been working on for whole hours from preventing their universe becoming infested by it so the universe won't become like a one point, after 14 hours which they trying to stop it, people in the organization realized they can't stop it and know it's virtually impossible to interfere with the 0 dimensional space and their minds can't not hope to understand such thing that is conceptual abstraction to stop it, let along using their machine to reverse it or to fix it which they can only grasp the concept of the 0 dimensional space. Due to their horror after witnessing such terrifying doom coming for every beings will become a one point, they alert the entire world about the incoming apocalypse that will come for them in days and turn their beautiful universe becoming like the one point, not just one universe, but more will spread to another more universes, and potentially effecting the entire dimensions which there is no hope for the organization to stop it, just no hope to save their universe and more.Serve The Broken DeityAn electric shock surged through Sidäx's brain, immediately waking her up from her sweet dreams. It was time to serve. If only she could linger in the dream world, detached from the cruel reality. She wasn't that lucky and perhaps never will. Darkness surrounded her for a while, a tender and comforting darkness. She was hooked up to multiple wires all around her broken body, carefully nurturing her and prolonging her life. It was like she was in their embrace, it felt pleasant, but one by one they retreated from her body, thus bringing an end to this comfortable feeling. She was in a small confined place, the sort that could make some people mad, but Sidäx didn't mind it, the walls surrounding her were soft, it was like a padded cell. More than anything, Sidäx felt like the space she was in resembled a womb, a place where she was safe. But a child must leave her mother at some point and the same applies to Sidäx. The hatch in front of her whirred open, exposing her to the outside world. Sidäx's movements were stiff, a lot like what you would expect from a machine, as she stepped outside of the capsule where she had slumbered. She was welcomed by a crimson glow, the light of a devil as she had worded it. The humongous space around her was filled with this red light, the huge light bulbs that were scattered around were like crimson eyes, staring, following every move of the people. Many had been driven insane by it. It wasn't just the sleeping chamber, it was the same in the whole facility. Sometimes the lights flickered as if they were blinking eyes. It was a bad sign that would make the hearts of people tremble; if they had hearts anymore. Calamity was the worst fear inside these stone walls and any error would make the anxiety spread. Sidäx had to get moving. And so did so many others. The vast space was occupied by the sleeping capsules; people were almost constantly coming in and out of them. There were probably hundreds of them, neatly arranged in lines. Various platforms made from metal had been built so all the capsules were accessible. Some of them had already malfunctioned to the point of beyond repair, but that was quite alright; some of their residents had perished as well. Nobody remembered them, not even those who had seen them frequently. Short is the memory of people with rotten brains. Sidäx and a group of other people were walking out of the rest area, their steps being like an out of tune rhythm against the metal beneath their feet. They marched forward like a horde of undead, hunched and sluggish with their movements. The frequent clanking of metal was a loud constant noise, for a lot of people had lost at least one of their legs, including Sidäx. No one here was made of just flesh and blood anymore. Eventually one's body will get damaged and when it does, it will be fixed with mechanical parts so they can keep going and fulfilling their duties. Sidäx herself had gone through several procedures as her organic body started to fall apart. Her right leg and left arm were just cold metal now, granting her the ability to move. A complex clockwork has been installed into her chest to replace her heart and lungs. A couple of cogs had replaced a part of her brain. She had only one organic eye left, the other one was mechanical now. All the people within the stone walls were in this condition, more or less. Some people didn't even have minds anymore, transforming them into mere walking corpses that followed one purpose, the only purpose the people inside the stone walls had. Sidäx walked among these braindead individuals, pondering how much longer she was able to be in touch with her own mind; it had already started to slip away a little. It frightened her, because once her mind was gone, what would be left of her? A mass of flesh, mended with metal, perhaps still having a shred of identity left in her face, but nobody's home. Though, she was already forgotten by many, even those she saw on a daily basis, and maybe the same fate would fall upon them all; just ghostly remnants of humanity clinging onto their despair. Sidäx made the mistake to glance at the eyes of someone who wasn't really there anymore; they were dead and soulless. What bothered her was the fact she couldn't remember this individual being anything else, ever. Sidäx did recall seeing them, but the fragile sign of life was gone like it had never even existed. She realized that she was starting to upset herself for no good reason and focused only on walking forward, avoiding the eyes of others because of what they would reveal from them – and of Sidäx herself. The crimson glow guided the people to the heart of the mountain. Sidäx and the group of others reached the great pit, the most spacious chamber in the whole facility. And right there, in the pit, sat the great machine, the one that never rested. In the very bottom of the machine a hellfire burned, powering its infernal parts. The people who hollowed out the mountain dug too deep and unleashed the fires that could never be extinguished. But they also realized they could use the fire's power to fuel the machine, keep it going at all times. The hellfire was still burning, so the machine was still working. But much like the people who existed within the mountain, even the great machine had seen its better days. Some parts were rusty and the faulty wires were sparking. Sometimes there was smoke and the machine would tremble with such intensity that people were afraid the whole mountain would collapse, crushing them all. The great machine needed its care and the people needed the great machine. Even though the hellfire sustained it, there were some fragments that required manpower to function – and this necessity was constant. Many platforms surrounded this grand device, Sidäx being in one of the middle ones. She and the others who had come here in the same group kneeled down in unison in front of the great machine, an act they performed flawlessly. And on her knees, she watched how the mechanical parts moved, how the limbs that looked like the legs of a metallic spider shifted and creaked and weaved matter that kept them all alive. And she threw her arms in the air to show devotion; she was a fanatic just like everybody else. This was their deity, worshipping it was their only purpose in life. Sidäx and all the others had served the machine for decades or perhaps even a century. It allowed them to live so they could take care of it and make sure it was working properly. It was a cycle and so long it had been turning that no one could break it anymore – or even have the desire to do so. Sidäx lowered her arms but remained on her knees for a while. She could hear the machine speaking to her, through all the clanking and humming and creaking and sparking. It comforted her, shattering any doubts she may have harbored after waking up. Life wasn't so bleak as long as she served the machine. It spoke to her about the horrors she had escaped and told her how everything was alright here, within these stone walls. She was special, she was lucky, for millions had perished in the cold outside world. She was still here and had a purpose as long as her body could move – even if with no mind. And still, the machine would adore her. Sidäx felt the warmth coursing through her body as she listened to the gentle whispers of the machine as it told her it needed her. With the power of devotion, she got on her feet again and headed to a lower platform. She descended a few more platforms, getting closer and closer to the hellfire that blazed forever. Sometimes Sidäx pondered what it would feel like to throw herself into the flames, get her body burned beyond recognition, but most importantly; could she become part of her god? Would it allow that? She wasn't sure, so she continued to serve it as usual. There were many cranks on the level she had reached and they needed to be rotated constantly. This was her place, she had worked here since the beginning. Sidäx walked toward one of the many cranks here, currently being operated by a man whose body was mostly flesh; a rare trait, indeed. Sidäx gently tapped his shoulder and he glanced at her, understanding her message and let her take over his post. Neither uttered a single word and the man walked away; it was his time to rest inside the capsule. Sidäx started her shift and began to rotate the crank, just like many other people around her. Sidäx's mind tended to be a wandering one while on duty, she was just doing the same motion over and over again and had a lot of time to think. The many noises of the great machine felt soothing in her mechanical heart, she was glad she didn't have a human heart anymore because now the machine's and her heart were made from the same material, thus making her feel more connected to her god. But although she was basking in the radiance of the machine, she sometimes pondered on what could have been. It was hard to remember things after decades, but occasionally visions were visiting her deteriorating mind. Sidäx had served the machine for so long she couldn't really recall what her life had been like before becoming a dweller within the mountain. In her head, there were remnants of a different kind of reality, something that felt so alien to her now. There were groups of people, their whole bodies just flesh and blood, but they had no faces. Regardless, Sidäx felt like they were important to her somehow, even though they were just nothing more but ghosts in her mind now. She could also see strange places, something that weren't made of stone and metal. A vast space with blue above, green below; the sky and the grasslands, she had struggled to remember them and even now they were something she couldn't really comprehend. Maybe they were just pieces of her dreams, something her subconscious mind would conjure up while she was resting. She couldn't tell the difference anymore. Little by little it was getting hard to remember or even think. Her brain was rotting, slowly but surely. Part of her body was still flesh and after working some time it would start to ache. However, Sidäx would keep going for as long as she possibly could despite the pain. She would happily bleed for her god if she could stay in the vicinity of it, listening to the melodies it played for her. Sometimes she would hum in tune with the sweet music. It eased her pain and helped her to finish her shift. Her sense of time was pretty much nonexistent; she could never tell how much time had passed. Even now she couldn't tell if she had been working for just a few hours or even a couple of days. It was the moment when she felt a harsh tap on her shoulder when she realized that her work hours were done. She would leave her spot for someone else and sometimes, it disgusted Sidäx. It was her place, the way she could fulfill her role as a servant. She would leave with a bitter mind, because her body, her cursed body of flesh, it needed rest. She would then ascend from the pit, offering a little prayer to her deity before she would head to the chamber of sleeping capsules along with others who had to sleep. The further away Sidäx walked from her god, the more bitter she became. Decades had taken their toll on both her body and mind; she could recall some hazy memories of the days when she had been more vigorous. But she had chosen this path of devotion and she would walk on it until the day when she would perish. She and the others had to keep the machine running so disaster won't fall upon their mountain refuge. Everyone who had a fragment of their own mind still intact could, however, tell that they were heading towards a slow-motion annihilation. Their numbers had decreased over the years and they had no means to reproduce as they all were infertile. It had left the rest with an anxiety that made them seek for methods to prolong their lives so they could continue to serve the great machine. They just had to go beyond the limits of a human physique, that's all there really was. They had tampered with nature in order to worship god. Sidäx along with some others reached the chamber with the sleeping capsules. Weary steps made them seek their own designated rest space; the people were walking like ants in the massive chamber. Sidäx had to climb a couple of platforms before finding her own capsule. Its hatch whirred open as it recognized her touch and she made a quick turn to retreat inside her back first. The many wires attached to various parts of her body in order to nourish her while she would sleep and the hatch soon closed, the comfortable darkness concealing her once more. It was like she was already a complete machine, her consciousness was turned off just like that. She could still dream, however. And in her dreams, she would offer all her flesh and blood for the machine. She didn't need them anyway. She would become a whole machine herself, evolving from her fragile human form. Together she and other worthy would serve their deity until the end of time itself. And she dreamed of how the hellfire would burn even stronger, so strong that it could melt the frozen outside world. And the machine would grow from the confines of its pit and lead the whole world to a new age. Such visions of grandeur in a simple mind. And then there were the tiny bits of memories of the forgotten past that sometimes invaded her head as she slumbered. How the breeze caressed her face, how the rain soaked her, how the sun offered warmth. She dreamed of a bright and vivid world, something that was completely out of reach. But these visions would corrupt her brain as they collided harshly with her dreams of the great machine, leaving her in a resentful state. She couldn't remember them afterwards, but the longing remained. And then Sidäx would wake up again, the electric shock starting her up like a machine. She would begin her waking hours with misery, until the machine would speak and sing to her once more, giving her sense of purpose back. She would experience this over and over again. It was a vicious cycle, breaking free from it was near impossible. But in the end, Sidäx probably didn't even want to be free.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.Secret“Jackie Newton? Is that really you?” Jac’s eyes shot open upon hearing that name. She turned around to see an older blonde haired woman with a large pink hat who was bent on walking towards her, much to Jac’s dismay. The young woman failed to recognize her, which immediately caused all of the alarm bells in her head to sound off. Her legs began to tremble as an unrelenting panic crept up into the deep corridors of her mind. Concurrently, Aiden stepped into the picnic area with an ice cream cone in each hand, one of which was appropriately sized for his much smaller friend. The Wile giant had arrived the moment the older woman walked up to Jac, and he thought nothing of the conversation at first. Just a friendly “how do you do” and all the casual chatter that was to be expected in a public park. That immediately changed however, when Aiden sensed the the ever bubbling terror that radiated from his human friend. Which in turn caused him to respond with a deep, guttural snarl. Jac had took notice of his low rumblings straight away, as did the stranger. “Is that…? Oh god!” The older woman backed up just as she was beginning to realize what she was potentially dealing with. A giant by themself was threatening enough, but a Wile giant was a whole nother issue altogether. “Aiden!” Jac shouted, as she put herself between the woman and the teeth baring giant. “It’s alright! She’s not here to cause trouble!” “Wa-huh?” Aiden paused just as he was leaning over the two humans, which caused the older lady to fall under the giant’s shadow. She cowered immensely from the pressure of those enormous copper eyes that stared directly at her, as she folded herself into a ball behind the more defiant Jac. “Uh, I thought…?” Aiden looked between the two several times. As he realized that he had caused the attention to shift towards him, he mellowed out instantly and stammered. “Oh! I’m sorry!! My bad.” “It’s okay.” Jac said as she patted the Wile giant on the hand that was firmly on the ground next to her. “You sensed my nervousness, and you were right to be worried about me! But I’m fine now, so try to relax!” Aiden turned to the woman, and gulped nervously when he saw her flinch at the mere notion. “Uh! I didn’t mean to scare you… uhmm…” The Wile figured that the best course of action was to back away as much as possible. He returned to the picnic mat several yards away, though he made sure to keep the two humans within his line of sight just in case. The older woman spent several minutes in a dumbfounded trance and took her time to get her bearings together. Jac rolled her eyes but did offer to help the lady back on her feet, which helped to calm the latter down considerably. “I… I can’t believe you actually tamed that… that Wile giant…” The woman finally uttered. “I don’t really care for such a condescending word. He left of his own will.” Jac spoke with a slight sternness in her tone. “Still, it was really brave of you to stand up to him! He was quite ferocious.” Jac had to hold back laughter. “Aiden’s the least ferocious Wile giant I’ve ever met! He wouldn’t hurt a fly, quite literally.” That still failed to put all of the lady’s fears to rest, though in hindsight it may have been for the best. Knowing that there was a "predatory" giant that seemed to come to Jac’s beck and call was enough to keep her from overstepping. And yet as the two began to talk once more, Jac’s wariness never fully ceased. For the woman, who had revealed herself to be a retired tax collector from Petithiem, would bring up things from Jac’s past that had made her substantially uncomfortable. Aiden meanwhile could not retain his focus on anything else as the human’s conversation continued. Perhaps most irritating for the inquisitive giant was the fact that, per Jac’s request, the rest of their discussion took on the form of near whispers. Which made it difficult for the Wile giant to hear amidst the distraction of other outdoor noises. Though even then, Aiden’s sharp hearing was able to pick up bits and pieces. This helped to fuel some of his anxieties however, but it was thankfully short lived. For just as sudden as she came, the woman had bid adieu to Jac and went on her way. Jac slowly walked up to her giant friend with a heavy look in her eyes. “How much of it did you hear?” She asked. “Not that much.” Aiden replied. “What part?” Aiden cleared his throat lightly as he lowered his palm to the ground, which Jac hopped aboard without question. “What was that lady’s deal anyway?” He whispered instead. “She didn’t even get your name right.” “She… she did.” Jac felt like she had no other choice but to explain at least the bullet points of what he had witnessed. As she was lifted up to his ear, Jac briefly gave him the rundown of her name, what it had connections with, and why the woman spoke to her the way she did. Jac made it very clear that the elder must never tell anyone else back in Petithiem where the former was today, in which the woman replied that she wasn’t planning on returning to that “stuffy old port town” if she could help it anyway, so her “secret would be kept safe.” Having the Wile giant around would insure that the older woman would make good on her promise. Aiden took all of this in without saying a word. He wanted to, but he just couldn’t find his voice after hearing this influx of eye-opening revelations. He was well aware of some of the heavier details from previous chance meetings, but it still brought a slight tear in his eye when he learned just how complicated and hard this was on his human friend. After a few minutes of processing what just happened, Jac broke the silence. “Promise me one thing. Please don’t tell anyone what happened today. We’ll take this to our graves if we have to.” “Of course.” Aiden replied softly. “Another added to the pile. But… what about Richard?” “Especially Richard!” Jac exclaimed, before she looked around and lowered her volume to a mere mumble once more. “He doesn’t even recognize the dag… err…” “I’m aware… But… but why though? Shouldn’t he of all people need to know?” “Please don’t…” Jac was in the verge of tears for a brief second before she collected herself again. “I beg of you…” Sensing the severity of the moment, Aiden quietly relented, speaking softly while gently wiping her eyes with the tip of his finger. “All right. I promise.” Relief washed over the tiny human as she fell back into the digits that were supporting her. As he brought her back up to the front of his face, Aiden smiled. Whether he agreed with Jac or not, he was much more inclined to respect her wishes if it meant that even a fraction of pressure could be lifted off her shoulders. Now that the tension had passed, the Wile giant felt that a nice cold treat was the best thing they could have for this occasion. But as he looked back at the cones on the laid out picnic cloth, he sighed. “The ice cream is probably a puddle by now. I could get you another.” “Mmmm, melted ice cream…” Jac mused, the thought of it made her relax even more. “Just what I needed today. But since you’re offering… ehh, I don’t mind seconds.” Aiden had to sigh again at that response. Not that he minded, of course.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.F.A.I.L.U.R.E.There was just darkness all around him. It was the first thing Starlai realized as he gained consciousness. But his senses were defective at the moment, it was like his head was filled with haze that prevented him from being in contact with his own body. Did he even have a body? He felt like he was just floating in a void, inside black nothingness. Starlai tried to move his limbs and he could faintly feel that he indeed had arms and legs. But moving them didn't feel normal, it was more like he was under water. It almost felt like the haze in his head was surrounding him as well. How was that possible, he didn't know. What did he know, though? A very high-pitched sound pierced Starlai's ears and distracted him from his thoughts. The sound managed to cut through everything, the blackness, the haze, even Starlai's brain. He opened his eyes, just a second before a bright red light began to flicker in front of him. Starlai's eyes were blurred, but as he stared at the light, his vision gradually sharpened. It was like the haze was now slowly getting out of his head. He realized that he was in some sort of confined space, it almost felt like a coffin. He heard another piercing sound and could feel from a slight tremble around him that wherever he was, it had started to move. Then his little coffin started to open, pouring in blinding light, and Starlai fell forward, on his stomach against a hard floor. He was a little dazed and remained on the floor for a moment, trying to get control of his own body. It felt heavy, but after a couple of attempts, Starlai successfully lifted his body from the floor, although his balance was a little shaky. He glanced at himself, noting that he was wearing some black and white outfit that resembled a space suit. It felt weird, like a second skin. Then he decided to look around, but couldn't be more confused. He had just emerged from a capsule of some sort. There were a lot more of them lined against a wall, but as far as Starlai could tell, they were empty. He was alone. He let his gaze wander and the bright rectangular lights on the ceiling illuminated the space so perfectly that it seemed like there wasn't even a single shadow around. The room was pretty much empty; there was just a console at the center and a door leading out in the opposite direction from the capsules. Starlai decided to check the console, but it showed just an "ERROR" with big red letters. He tried to get it to work, but in vain. It was stuck. It appeared there was nothing he could do, so he decided to leave the room, walking towards the thick metal door. It whirred open as soon as he came close to it, granting him access to the next area. It was dark at first. The door closed behind Starlai with a loud thump that ominously echoed in the dark space where Starlai had ended up now. He didn't know what to do, but then a spotlight suddenly lit up, revealing a singular screen in the middle of everything. Starlai started to slowly walk towards it and once he was close enough, he could see the message on the blue screen. “WHO ARE YOU?” Starlai was confused by this. He knew who he was, his name was Starlai. But the more thought he put into this, the more terrified the question became. He couldn't really tell anything about himself. His identity was a completely blank page. What did he like, what did he dislike? What kind of personality did he have? How old was he? Did he have any talents? And the worst of all, what was his past like? It was like he didn't have memories, just a few scattered small fragments floating in his brain that couldn't fit together, like an impossible puzzle. “I'm Starlai, a nobody”, Starlai said quietly to the screen. The screen turned off and went black. Followed by this, at the far end of the room a door opened, similar to the one Starlai had already passed through. A round green light got lit above it so Starlai could see it better. He figured that there was nothing else for him to do but to advance through this entrance and started to walk towards it. It automatically opened once it sensed his presence and Starlai noted that there was just darkness beyond it. But that's how the previous room had been like, so he wasn't worried. He passed the door and as it closed behind him, it left him in the darkness. Starlai waited. As if somebody had just flipped the switch, suddenly the whole room was basking in the bright light, almost blinding Starlai. He blinked a few times to get used to the illumination, then he looked around. He was now in an empty room with white walls surrounding the nothingness. There was just one thing, another monitor in the middle of the room. Starlai stepped closer to it, wondering what this one was saying. Soon he was able to read the question it had for him. “ARE YOU MALE OR FEMALE?” A simple question that most people could answer right away without having to think about it. But for Starlai, it was different. He looked at his body and could somewhat distinguish having breasts and a wide waist. Clearly feminine traits, but Starlai knew he was a male. He just had the wrong body. Had he always been like this or had someone transferred his mind to this body just to screw with him? Though, it made him question himself, was he right about being a man? Thinking about it was frying his brain, but in the end he came to the conclusion that at least, at that moment, he felt like a man. “I'm male”, Starlai answered. At this point he realized that even his voice sounded wrong. As soon as he had vocalized his answer, another door suddenly appeared in the opposite direction from where he had entered. It was like it had been invisible at first, gradually becoming visible. It was yet again a thick metal door and Starlai assumed that it worked just like the previous ones. He was right. Once he was close to it, it automatically whirred open and granted him access to a room that broke the pattern as it wasn't completely dark. The place was dim, bathing in green light. There were numerous screens hanging on the walls, showing nothing but glimpses to empty rooms of some sort of facility, and the screens glitched occasionally. The strangest thing about the room probably was that there were vines of actual plants slithering all around like motionless snakes. They were pulsating oddly and in a rather eerie way, Starlai noted. At the center of the room there was once again a monitor, so Starlai knew what he had to do. “WHY ARE YOU HERE?” Starlai didn't know how to answer. He had no idea where he was or how he had ended up here. There was nothing at all in his memory. It gave this extremely uncomfortable sensation inside his head, making him dig his nails on his scalp and he started to scratch himself violently, as if doing this would erase the feeling. Would he get the answer if he dug deep enough? Ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous. There was only one response he could give. “I don't know…” Starlai said quietly, but then he yelled: “I don't know!” A mass of vines that had gathered at the far end of the room began to suddenly move. Now they resembled snakes more than before as they slithered like they were alive, soon revealing another doorway. Starlai stopped hurting himself and for a moment he just stood there, looking with dreadful eyes at the entrance to the next room. It was very dark, but Starlai could see glimpses of dim lights that seemed to appear and disappear in a continuous cycle. The latest question had caused a turmoil in his mind and now he was afraid to continue forward. However, he realized soon enough that there was nothing else he could do. There were no alternate routes and he still didn't know where he was or what was his purpose in all this. He just had to keep going. With stiff movements, he began to walk forward again, all across the room of plants until he reached the next room. As he stepped into the darkness, the vines moved again, sealing him inside. This place was similar to the previous one, it just was a more mechanical version. Instead of vines there were thick and black wires that were like tentacles, spread around like a parasite. They were everywhere, at the ceiling, walls and floor, and they were holding onto screens that resembled the ones in the previous room. The footage they showed was cryptic, rotating weird shapes and objects that didn't seem to mean anything, but sometimes even people appeared, though they were way too blurry to identify. Some of the screens were cracked and even those that were in a good shape kept malfunctioning and glitching. Except for the one that was in the center of the room. It was held above the floor by a few wires, showcasing it like some ancient relic. Starlai walked towards it, noticing that his steps made no sound. He wasn't sure how to feel about that. He was a bit afraid to look at the blue screen. “WHERE ARE YOUR FRIENDS?” This confused Starlai more than frightening him. Friends? Did he have friends? Though, why else would the monitor ask him that if he didn't have any. But he just couldn't remember… But, he was all alone here. Where were his friends, indeed. Maybe they had all abandoned him into this hellscape. Maybe they had found a way out and were living a good life. Isn't that what he deserved? No meaningful relationships, just loneliness and being forgotten by all. Starlai didn't know who he was but he hated that person. And if he did that, then all the other people should too. “I have no friends”, Starlai said bitterly, his hands clenching into fists. Following the familiar pattern, a door appeared as soon as he had answered. It was once more a metal door that opened upwards, granting Starlai an access to somewhere… odd. He could see how the color crimson dominated whatever place lay ahead and he began to approach it. Once he was close enough to get a better look, he noticed that the doorway was leading to a corridor, breaking the pattern. He took his first step in the strange hallway, the door behind him rumbling down, closing him in. He could see nothing ahead of him, it was like the corridor was endless. Starlai began to walk forward, gazing at his surroundings. There were still wires intruding the structure from various spots, but they were dark crimson, not black like the ones in the previous room. They stretched far ahead, Starlai couldn't see the end of them. But as he walked along the narrow corridor, he noticed how the color of everything around him, the walls, the ceiling, the floor and the wires, they were gradually becoming brighter. From the dark crimson it transformed into a glowing red, the hue that brought violence, passion and blood and flesh into Starlai's mind. He wondered where he was heading to, if anywhere. Maybe he was in hell, walking through a corridor that had no end. As he progressed, he noted that the wires that had accompanied his lonely journey were slowly disappearing from the scene. For a while there was nothing but the empty hallway, until something rather disturbing started to appear around him. Eyes. Dark, bulgy, disgusting eyes were on the walls, watching his every step. It made him extremely uncomfortable, and it kept getting worse. More and more eyes appeared, some of them becoming bigger and bigger, and some fleshy tissue had started to replace the metal on the walls and ceiling. It truly felt like he was on a road to hell. But still, he had nowhere else to go, so he continued to walk. Starlai was relieved when he realized he could see the end of the corridor. Though his relief was only temporary as soon as he reached the room beyond the hellish hallway. The same kind of horrors were still surrounding him; the fleshy walls and the eyes, but in here, some of the eyes were absolutely gigantic, and Starlai felt like he couldn't hide anything from their gaze. All the eyes watched him silently as he insecurely walked forward, feeling so small and insignificant under their constant supervision. The redness of the place made him feel ill, it was like he was inside someone – or something – like a pesky little parasite. In the middle of all the redness was a blue dot, a monitor that had the next question for Starlai. It was held by a fleshy column; the tissue was framing the screen in a grotesque way. Starlai walked towards it, a little bit afraid of what it was asking him this time. “ARE YOU REAL?” It was an impossible question to answer. There was no way Starlai could know that. He could think, he could feel, but it didn't prove anything – he could be artificial, every ounce of him. Maybe all this was a simulation, somebody was testing him. The more he thought about it, the more distressed he became. “I don't know!” Starlai yelled, starting to nervously stomp around. “I don't fucking know! I don't want to exist!” The screen went black. His surroundings started to tremble violently, like an earthquake. But he didn't care. He could get crushed, buried in the flesh. He just wanted out and if this was the way, so be it. The eyes around him were getting bloodshot, frantically glancing all around. Starlai was just happy that they didn't pay attention to him. Something hit Starlai in the head. He wasn't sure what, because he could feel the impact, but not any pain. After that, he was devoured by pitch-black darkness. The sound of everything crashing down ceased. It was like he was floating in a void again; there was nothing and it was silent, being similar to the state he had started with. Had he died? He wasn't sure. But if he hadn't been real to begin with, it means he wouldn't technically die, either. He was suddenly blinded by a bright light, he couldn't look at it directly. It infiltrated his comfortable space of nothingness, but Starlai got the feeling that he had to reach for it. Somehow he got his body moving, like he was swimming through the void, floating towards it. Then he woke up again.Pokéumans re-lived part 1 "From parallel worlds" Chapter 1: "Waking up from a dream"I am not happy. I suppose you’ll want me to elaborate on why, well, first things first, introductions: I am Lex, that’s what everyone calls me (or at least what I try to get people to call me) Physically wise I have tan skin and dark very unkept hair, notable eye bags on my face, unusually long limbs and I’m slightly chubby. I’m 14 years old and I currently live in Mexico City. It is the year 2022 and the month of September, Today is Monday of my first week of high school which I absolutely wasn’t looking forward to, I was barely able to graduate from middle school pretty much because of the pandemic and although i had high hopes to be able to recover myself in high school, the fact i basically chose my school at the last minute and i still have no idea what i want to study really doesn’t make me feel assured. Anyhow, I was woken up by my little brother’s alarm at 6 o’something while my mum was making breakfast, dad was preparing for work and my brother was... Not waking up, I felt a little disoriented as I’m used to having to be ready by this point but since high school is at the afternoon instead of the morning I didn’t need to yet, anyway, i waited until everyone was gone and the sky changed from night to day to eat my breakfast my mother left me and shower, I put on regular clothes, an interesting deparute from the uniforms I’ve had to wear all my life, though my wardrobe isn’t exactly the most... Flattering, I only wear what makes me comfortable in my weird autistic sensibilities, and spent the morning trying to prepare myself mentally for 3 years of hell, and that’s if all goes well and I don’t end up repeating a year, anyway, nothing really interesting happens in this point so I’ll just talk about myself more. I’m into a lot of things and not many things at the same time, it’s hard to explain but basically I don’t get into any kind of media beyond small hyper-fixations, however there are a few exceptions though, if I have to give an example of one then I’ll probably go with pokemon, I love Pokémon, although I’ve never been able to afford a single game, still I’ve enjoyed it since I was 8 right when pokemon go came out and just before sun and moon were announced, with my favourite Pokémon being toxtricity, a recent addition from a frankly mixed generation but still ended up quickly rising the ranks on my list of favourites and I honestly don’t even know what’s about him that appeals to me so much, maybe its design? Its ability? It’s connection with music (I always have a song stuck in my head after all) Or maybe it’s just the general vibe? Even though I’m not punk even in the slightest I still find myself connecting to him for some strange reason. Like he speaks to me somehow. Anyway. Back to home, My mum came back in time to cook lunch so that afterwards I would head to school, my high school is a decent 30 minute walk away from my home, and I can go there by myself however I only walked the route once and it involves a lot of pedestrian bridges which absolutely terrify me as I have a fear of heights. Still there weren’t any major issues as I went there and I arrived in good time despite not knowing where a single thing was on this new building. Classes went about as well as I expected. It was the first day so it was only introductions but I still struggled having to join each teacher’s Google class, writing down the names of the books i had to buy and organising my notes since we didn’t have the time and money to buy notebooks for each subject yet so I had to use an old folder. Classes ended (at 9 pm I might add Jesus Christ) and right as I left I encountered with an old friend from my old school that also decided to be in this high school. “Alex!” “Lex, you know I hate having to remind people about it right?” She corrected herself. “Oh right, Lex, so how are you doing?” “Eh. Weird dreams I suppose.” “Really? How so?” “Hard to describe, nothing special anyway.” “The usual huh?” I nodded. “You shouldn’t come to expect more from me, Fer.” From then onwards the conversation faded into simple noise as we left towards home, she with her parents, I by myself. Now I’ve been friends with this person since the beginning of middle school and even though she’s nice and energetic and really my only option for socializing I still don’t feel close to her like other people would wrongly (and overconfidently) assume. Especially now that we’re not in the same group and in general our friendship has gotten a bit distant since the pandemic, and I’m just not a fan of being social anyway, I keep to myself and generally dislike others, i did not learn a single name of my clasmates and teachers and i have a feeling i won’t learn any till I’m gonna guess next month, Anyway I came back from school, had dinner, went to bed and ignored my parents when they asked me how it went and the rest of the week went flying by both astonishingly quickly and irritatingly slowly, that is normal for me though as i’ve never really led an interesting life, I really just stay on my room on my computer and never leave the house unless I’m forced to or become desperate, and usually when I do it’s to the same places every time, if it ain’t school which I’m forced to go it’s either the nearby park/market or the centre of Mexico city and it’s usually because my parents want to eat outside and if I don’t go I don’t eat, otherwise I would just stay, I’m not the adventurous type and I usually don’t like to get out of my comfort zone because honestly? Why should I? It’s called a comfort zone for a reason, oh well, I’ll move on to the weekend that went as uneventfully as the week did and eventually it became night time of sunday, where I just jumped into my bed, sighed after a long 7 days that weren’t awful but I knew was just the beginning, i mean I didn’t even have homework but I knew things were going to chane as I doze off... Unfortunately I never knew how much things would really change in the next few weeks. The sound of the crowd screaming barely registers to me as I walked into the side of the battlefield, with a massive gyarados as my opponent. I don’t even need to hear my trainer shout a command for me to start attacking, not that I could with all the noise granted, although the details of the battle escape me since I was never really invested in that stuff, I was able to decimate my opponent and bask in the glory of my victory, granted it wasn’t the cleanest and quickest fight in the whole world but I was still the decisive winner none the less, I felt the people in the stadium cheer me on and I instinctually played a short bass riff using the protrusions while letting out a loud cry“TOOOOXXX!!!”. After that small celebration solo, I was quickly recalled into my pokeball to rest as I grinned to myself in uncharacteristic confidence… I woke up yet again to my alarm as my first conscious thoughts of the day were: “Huh, that was a weird dream.” Not weird in the sense that it was strange, far from it actually as my dreams often don’t have any cohesion and are meaningless bizarre images conjured up by my mess of a brain, honestly to have a simple and, quite frankly generic dream like that is unusual on my part but oh well, that’s irrelevant for now, I thought to myself as I washed my body with soap and other cleaning products while showering, expecting the dream to fade with time though it never happened. As the second week went by not much actually changed yet aside from the homework and getting more used to the route and the layout of the school like i predicted and, I dunno, breathing differently, I guess? In any case I went through all my classes of every day and met up with Fer once or twice on recess where we didn’t really talk about much and it was very clear we didn’t have much to talk about. “Hey Alex- sorry, lex!” Sigh “Hey...” “Just wanted to check up on you, homework is only just beginning and it’s already hell.” “Tell me about it.” From then on we just stood in silence, ate lunch and sometimes one of us would draw, I have to admit I don’t mind doing stuff in silence, but it’s clear I’m alone in that and I guess i would appreciate a deeper connection with someone but it’s just not gonna happen, I’ll difficultly find someome to be more friends rather than just barely not acquaintances. As the week passed and I suffered through stuff I didn’t enjoy, aka school, I thought back to my dream, honestly the fact I remembered the dream for more than a day shows how special it is, I was showing off impressive battling skills for everyone to see, I remembered the confidence I had during that dream, like I was used to the battle, like it was my calling, what I was meant to do with my life, and i was good at it! ... Of course, these feelings are not here in the present, I’m not a confident person in the slightest, nor am I talented or skilled in any way, even though most people i knew like my friend Fer or even my dad were not that much different from me I knew they have a lot of hobbies and pastimes and interest that they were fairly good at (enviously so sometimes) like for example, me and Fer liked to draw but she clearly has more talent and experience than me, she already has a developed style while mine only just graduated from stick figures, my mum and dad are grown adults who already have careers and jobs and stuff to do with their life, while I’m just here going through the motions. And I think it’s starting to get to me. The week ended, in the weekend mum and I decided to buy some of the stuff I still needed, i had barely been able to finish my homework and i was only able to get a few books and notebooks but not all of them so that’s gonna screw me over, but in the meantime I’ll just learn to deal with it, I went to bed on Sunday night, not looking forward to the future. Being a solo explorer was a though job, even for a medium-ranked one like me. Although I would often partner up with other teams I still preferred to go on adventures solo as I’m not the best at working with other people, especially at the guild, I won’t lie however that sometimes I would struggle with a mission and end up needing rescue myself, but I managed, I was keeping up and that’s what matters. While I looking for a special artifact deep in the dungeon I found myself battling a rampant Aggron standing in front of the artifact, possibly protecting it? now even though the aggron was a lot larger physically and seemingly stronger I was still beating him rather easily, dodging most of his attacks and giving a good punch here and there, I did still struggled with a few of his attacks, including an earthquake that almost wiped me out (darn ground type moves), but apart from that the aggron was putting up way less of a fight than I expected, once the aggron fainted I smirked to myself and I grabbed the artifact, which was an orb of unknown effect. I was about to leave the dungeon to inspect when suddenly: “Shock wave!!!” A wave of thunder suddenly hit my entire body, luckily since I was an electric type it wasn’t very effective against me but I was unable to look at my attacker until it stopped, and when I did I found myself with another toxtricity, who immediately charged at me before I could react and I blacked out. I woke up like last Monday, same hour, same way, but with yet another dream that wouldn’t escape my waking mind, however unlike the last one this had me a lot less intrigued, guess I was getting used to it, still, I found myself thinking back to it throughout the day, and the next, and the next, and most of the week until in the middle of it where i had a repeat of the previous dream... only I was a little less confident than I remembered, i ended up going back to the versions of myself from that dream, an explorer similar to the ones from the pokemon mystery dungeon games, and a pokemon more akin to the base games, I never found it weird that i was a pokemon in either dream, honestly I wouldn’t mind it if I was a pokemon in real life, it’s a weird fascination of mine that probably came thanks to the pmd games, like I said before I never got to buy them but i heard their premise and so I saw a lot of gameplays of them and I enjoyed their plot a lot, and I would often imagine myself as a protagonist of those games (though I would never be able to choose a pokemon form, probably because the toxtricity line didn’t exist yet), however I don’t actually have any aspirations of becoming an explorer in real life, with my allergies and my sedentary habits? Hell no. It’s a little weird to me how I can know things I don’t want to be when I’m older but not things I do want to be, I sometimes feel like i don’t know anything about myself and not knowing what to do with your life feels like a problem since it seems everyone should have this figured out and everyone else around my age already has. Except for me. Well, in any case, school started to get a lot more settled in and routinary, assignments started to become hell and the days faded into the same of always that I’ve experienced all my life, aside from the minor changes from this new school, I could not tell you how many times I’ve had the same breakfasts of cereal or eggs, or the same meals of badly cooked rice, or just the constant over and over mundanity of everything, I know I’m not adventurous, but I’m also tired of this repetition, it feels like i live in the background sometimes. And as for how I’m doing, well? Unfortunately I’m starting to fail to keep up with the many assignments and constantly having to get new materials and things, I’ve already forgotten to do several homeworks and it’s awful, not only that but I’m already starting to hear about the coming exams, oh well, at least the month’s over. Weekend passed and I was avoiding answering my parents about how I’m doing constantly, I’ve not talked about them much or my close family but while I love them and all I’ve slowly started to feel disconnected from them, on top of our current living spsces being so tight I’m just too used to having to tune them out constantly, I much preferred living back in Guadalajara in our own house, not in a single room of my grandmother’s house, having to share a two-floor bed with my little brother who i never got along with, luckily with my new schedule he and my parents are mostly not at home in the morning and I’m not at home at the evening, which helps in giving us space, but not in connection. Oh well, not much i can do about it. Sunday night came and I fell asleep but not before pondering if I would have another one of those dreams, they’ve definitely taken my attention as i feel something different from them, something from deep within me rising, am i going insane? Eh, who cares right now, although apart from that intrigue, another feeling washed over me that I’ve been feeling a little bit throughout the week when i was outside my home, I don’t know where this came from, I have no reason to suspect it and yet... Was I being watched? This time my dreams strayed further from anything I recognized from any of the pokemon games, I was still a toxtricity however I appeared to be in a hollywood looking high school, filled to the brim with locker rooms, and like me the students seemed to be pokemon too. As I was heading to class, waking aimlessly across endless halls, I was harshly stopped in my tracks by a massive paw slammed in front of me crushing the locker it landed on into scrap. “Well, well, well, look what we have here.” I looked towards the person talking to me and I quickly recognized him as a VERY imposing pangoro, who looked at me with a cocky yet hateful smirk. “Ughh, listen, can you just let me go to my class for once dude?” I responded annoyed, not wanting to deal with dumb artificial drama like this. “Woah, woah, woah, don’t you dare dude me, you know you’re an embarrassment to all of your species? instead of a proud and tough rebel you’re a weak and wimpy loser that everyone laughs at, you should be ashamed of yourself.” Where is he even going with this? “I don’t care?” The pangoro smirks “Well, since I couldn’t very well stand and watch your pathetic ass walk around freely, I decided it was about time to teach you a lesson.” As soon as he says that I notice him charging an attack, I immediately jump to dodge it, turning this encounter into a full-blown battle, unlike the previous dreams I was struggling much more to dodge and resist his punches, beams and other attacks but eventually I was able to paralyze him and using one of my moves I eventually made him faint, I looked to the hallway assuming the other classmates had watched this but the whole area was strangely devoid of anyone, the hall’s lights suddenly deemed and I could no longer see anything beyond a certain point making it look infinite, save for one toxtricity, the same one from the other dream, he immediately tried to attack me only I was able to move away from it just in time, he kept charging at me and I wasn’t able to keep dodging and resisting his attacks like with the pangoro bully so I wasn’t able to stop myself from blacking out. I had woken up slightly earlier than normally, sweating, this dream was FAR from enjoyable as the previous ones, and it got me worried, taking my attention the whole week. And it was so weird too, I’m not an idiot, I could clearly tell my previous dreams had some unexplainable symbolism involving some of my struggles, yet this dream was different, because being a toxtricity was the center of it, and how despite toxtricity being a punk I’m far from it, I mean, I have a resting bitch face and eye bags similar to toxtricity and that clashes with my reserved personality but it’s not something that I focus on much, and yet that dream and those emotions still managed to get my attention for this week. Why? And what a bad week to be distracted in. Schoolwork was absolutely infernal, with exams right around the corner suddenly every class was demanding homeworks, projects, guides, etc. And I completely failed to keep up I had nothing and I got nothing done. And to think that there was a time where I did average at school and never missed an assignment, heh, what happened to me? My parents got fairly angry with me but I really just ignored them and tuned them out extra hard. On top of that the dreams repeated again and more often, and this time I wasn’t as succesfull in them, I struggled in the battle and failed the exploration, I didn’t see the other toxtricity however. I was so stressed that I ended up doing something I very rarely do and directly looked for my friend to talk to, unfortunately she came with... Mixed news. “Fer?” “Oh! Hey Lex!” she ran over and hugged me, she’s touchy like that and I don’t mind, aside from the fact it makes people think we had a thing, frankly I’m not interested. “How have you been?” she asks. “Oh awful, this week has been so bloody stressful.” “I can agree, I’m not doing too well either, I talked about it with my parents and, well, I actually was looking for yoy to tell you about something.” “Hm?” This intrigued me somewhat. “So... My parents found this new private high school that focuses on the career I’m interested in, remember those tourism classes in middle school? It specialises in that, well I ended up getting in which means I’m gonna leave this school next semester.” “Oh...” I felt... Complicated, on one hand, it sucked that the only person I was somewhat comfortable with is no longer going to be in the same school and talking to them will get harder, on the other, we were already growing distant, plus this is a really good opportunity for her and I’m excited! Maybe this was simply meant to happen. “I’m happy to hear that, it’s a bit of a shame that we won’t be in the same school anymore but it’s good for you, I’m probably gonna stay here, don’t plan on going anywhere since there doesn’t seem to be a better option for me.” “Yeah... I’ll still miss you though.” She hugged me again and then the bell for next class rang so she started leaving. “Well, see ya!” “Bye.” I responded. The week eventually ended, the weekend was even more stressful as a bunch of extended family was over and I don’t even want to get into the drama of it all, I fell asleep on Sunday tired and not looking forward to... Anything. …Various gunshots could be heard throughout the night as various groups of pokemon could be seen attacking each other through the city, I was in one of those groups, an army that was currently on a battle against an enemy group where we used a brutal combination of firearms and moves, and when I say brutal I do mean it, whatever was left of the city we were in was quickly replaced with more and more rubble as everything was blown up by the crossfire, there were several casualties, I could notice each time a pokemon, whether from our side or the enemy’s, fell to the ground in defeat, I don’t even have to look at them to know that they didn’t just faint and would never recover. We moved through the ruined city trying to avoid as many enemies as we could, the recent fights had left us worn out and tired, but we could not give up yet, the war between pokemon has been going on for many years, more and more is the world losing any sense of order now that the legendary pokemon have abandoned us and any kind of hierarchy or the like has fallen into anarchy, none of us knew what we were fighting for anymore and even though we’ve been here since the beginning of the war all of the other soldiers were little more than faceless people that I was each unfamiliar with. We kept walking until we were able to set up camp for the night, tired and drained as I was it wasn’t easy to fall asleep and no matter how much I tried I was unable to get any rest, the outside of my tent got quieter and quieter until suddenly I heard a bunch of screams, I left my tent only to be blinded by a flash of light, the moment I was able to recover from the sudden burst I noticed that all of the soldiers were on the ground, in the same condition as the fallen soldiers from the previous battle. In a state of shock I unintentionally lowered my defences, which caused me to find myself attacked by the same toxtricity who’s been showing up in all of my dreams and who seemed to have been the one to attack and defeat my teammates, I was able to resist him a lot more this time and put up a fight however I was starting to lose stability due to exhaustion, I kept charging and kicking but I eventually fell to the ground like everyone else and as my vision blurred I was starting to black out, or rather, wake up… I was panting and sweating, I had woken up way early in the morning, and no matter how hard I tried to go back to sleep I stayed wide awake, out of all the dreams this is the one that stuck with me the most, then again it seemed to be a pattern as each dream got more and more intense throughout the weeks, which is the worst thing I needed for this particular one during my morning routine and before the exam I kept thinking on said patterns, what did they mean? They’ve got to lead to something, my body was feeling a little weird that day, the whole day i felt like i was having a constant allergic reaction, ugh, I went back to the dreams to distract myself, how I was never really myself in any of them, even the ones that weren’t about Pokémon had me as a toxtricity which admittedly never felt wrong, sometimes it felt natural, just not like my current self, and how I was in situations that I just never see myself getting into, like the exploration, the battle, the fight, and in the last one I was part of some sort of military, something that I would just never do. Even though I came from a noticeable military background with my dad and both my grandfathers from each side having worked in the army I always vowed to myself I would never join one, it’s just simply a life that even as a toddler i knew was too far removed from who I was and i always saw it as pointless, war was pointless, everything was stupid and I very much don’t look forward to military service and all of this I’ve made very clear to everyone since day one, luckily my dad, compared to most military types is very undestanding about as he’s really just there for the job, and he really can’t blame me for my beliefs (instead he blames having watched the ender’s game movie as a kid, could not tell you a single thing about the film though). As much as I would’ve liked to spend the rest of the week trying to figure out these dreams, what they meant, why did they exist, Where they symptoms of stress, etc. And even though it bothered me throughout the whole 5 days, especially since they now happened every day to the point where my eye bags looked even worse, I simply couldn’t focus on it as I had to pretend to pay attention to the exams, which drove me insane and I don’t think I did good in any of them... except English, there’s a reason you’re able to read this after all. I couldn’t even talk to Fer, and My parents definitely noticed my lack of paying attention, they chewed me out for it several times since they knew it was exam week, but i simply lied and told them I was doing well, I’m not proud of it but I’m simply not strong enough to deal with the consequences, I’m weak. And on top of all of that my sick feelings from Monday stayed and intensified throughout, it was horrible, and like before I started feeling like i was being watched every time I walked outside and I really didn’t understand why. I returned home on Friday night, everyone else was already asleep, so I quickly ate what was on the table for me, sighed loudly and dropped into bed, this time looking forward to the two coming off days, I was going to need it. I did not have a dream that night, Not just a new dream, which was expected since those usually come in Sunday, but any dream in general, which was bizarre after this past week of nonstop pokemon related dreams. And yet it still felt like I was dreaming, but it was all sensatiIons, sensations that I could not describe, it felt like I was changing somehow, like a part of me was escaping some kind of constraint, and it was oddly painful, like it wasn’t supposed to happen, like it should’ve been there from the beginning, the feeling kept getting worse throughout the night, it started as a tingle, but then it changed to an ache directed at my hands, i looked at them but I couldn’t see them, they were mere blurs of colours, and I saw another blur, was that... The toxtricity? Yet... it felt like something else... Then the ache slowly grew into a burning sensation, rising in intensity, burning more and more without me being able to do anything about it until… I woke up dizzy, Saturday morning, rather late, feeling unusually refreshed, maybe it’s now that I’m done with exams at school, at least for the moment, but still, it kinda feels like all of the feelings that have been building up since i came back to school are... gone, released, the stress, the feelings that came from those dreams. Gone. I noticed that my parents weren’t here, I panicked a little but then I remembered a tuned out memory from Thursday that they weren’t gonna be here for most of the day, my brother wasn’t there either, though I was able to notice a half-eaten bowl of cereal on the table near our tiny kitchen so it was safe to assume that he went downstairs with my grandma and whoever other family member was staying in our house at the moment. Although I’ve interacted with them fairly little and so this shouldn’t be much of a change I couldn’t help but feel calm in this peaceful solitude, I didn’t even have those allergic reactions anymore, I smiled against myself. I was feeling oddly happy, I wasn’t even tuning out the day anymore and I was perfectly happy to do stuff like walk around a bit before serving myself cereal as breakfast now being able to forget all about those strange dreams and simply relax on this weekend which feels like it’s the first true weekend since I came back from school, excited, I moved the covers away from my body, hopped out of bed… And then I saw my hands.

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