#emerald ross

“You’ve been talking with us all this time, yet we haven’t got your name?”

“Oh, how rude of us!” Sir Jakob gasped.

“My apologies, dear lady,” Ser Sequin said, scratching their head. “What is your name?”

My name? I could go by Jo, but I kinda wanna use it as something… else. These guys are really nice. I don’t remember the last time I’ve taken a role in a fantasy world. Or met nice people that aren’t family. Shit, what do I say?

“Brenna,” I end up answering. The old Gaelic word for ‘raven’. Of course.

“My name is Brenna Cadieux. I’m glad I met the four of you.”

“Ah, now we have a name to the face,” Chevalier responded, smiling.

Kyda rolled her eyes. “You sure took your time with that, Brenna.”

The slight smile on her face meant she wasn’t really annoyed anymore so that was a good thing.

—————————————————————————

The storm had been reduced to steady rain pattering down on the roof and the occasional howling of the wind.

Most of the customers had left the tavern by now. How am I still here? This has to be the longest I’ve spoke to people for a while, albeit fictional.

I guess I’ll have to go before a caught a cold from my wet clothes.

I stood up from my seat, picking up my head-rail from the table. The fire was dying out.

Sellanddatter lifted her head.

“Are you going home?”

I sighed, adjusting the cloth on my head.

“Unfortunately. It was a good night with you knights, but it’s getting late.”

“The lady’s right,” Sir William agreed as he checked his pocket watch. “It’s half-past eleven.”

“I forgot to mention how flattering it is of you knights to even consider me a lady,” I admitted, crossing my arms.

A lady does not fall flat on her face the way I did. I touched my cheek which was starting to bruise a bit from that fall on the street.

“Au revoir, and bonne nuit!” I exclaim before walking to the barkeeper and paying for my meal with five jetons and two grains (currency units; jetons – Jeh – tuhons; grains – GRA - ns)

As I turned to leave, Woolf stopped me.

“Oui?” I asked.

He was bent over behind the counter, reaching for something. He got up with a folded piece of slate-grey fabric.

“A cloak for you, Fräulein Brenna. It is still raining outside.”

“But what about you?”

“Nein, I have plenty here. All stocked up for the winters.”

I hesitated for a second. He did say I could have it. Oh well.

“ Uh… Danke.”

“You speak Deutsch, Brenna?”

“Not really,” I reply, pulling the cloak over my shoulders. “I know bits and bobs of a few languages, really. Comes in handy.”

Now warmed both on the outside and the inside, I took leave of the Nimble Hawk’s Tavern. I walk a few steps before realizing what my heart wanted.

I had a change of plans.

—————————————————————————

“All in a day’s work, Em.”

The tired group of college-aged students and one high-schooler finally had a chance to rest after most of their work. The person who spoke was Nancy Molchalskaya, who had bleached hair with baby-pink ends in cornrows. She had just finished pouring everyone some watermelon juice.

“Thank you, Nancy,” smiled the tallest, whose name was Alexis Edler. He was seated on the ground, leaning back on the couch to give room for everyone.

Emerald Ross sipped on some of her iced drink. Her fiery-red hair was tied up in twin braids.

Elisa Leferve-Chang and Avery Reis both had dye their hair as well. Aegean-blue and mauve respectively. They were both sprawled at both ends of the couch.

“Welcome,” Nancy replied, seated between Avery and Elisa.

Emerald sat in thought. “Have any of you seen Jo this week?”

Elisa furrowed her brow. “No, not really.”

“She did say she was busy with something on Tuesday,” added Avery, clinking the ice cubes in his drink.

A sudden rip of a portal takes them by surprise.

“What the-”

Out walks a figure in a worn-out slate-grey cloak, with the hood pulled over their face. Though the cloudy composition of portal blocked any visual of the other World, the sound of heavy rain can be heard, which is further proven by the fact the stranger was dripping wet.

Avery squinted. “Jo? Is that you?”

The portal snaps shut and of course the stranger was Jo.

—————————————————————————

I’m not the only person who can make portals. Sure, it’s rare, like only one in a whole World but hey; Avery’s one. A portal is unique to a person and my signature parakeet-green cloudy portal is bound to be recognized by the rest of the squad.

Avery squinted before realizing it was me.

“Jo? Is that you?”

I pulled back my hood, grinning from ear-to-ear. I just couldn’t help it.

“Of course it is, silly! You guys had a good day?”

“A tiring day,” Lizzy sighed.

“But a good day nonetheless!” Nancy added, crossing her legs.

“Where the hell did you come from?” Avery asked as I took my cloak off, hanging it on the coat rack to let it dry. Compared to Equinox, I think the Australian Outback was warm enough to let it dry.

“Medievalish European kingdom,” I replied.

Alex tilted his head. “That explains the outfit.”

“You seem excited,” Emerald gushed, standing up.

“And cold. Were you walking in the rain?” Lizzy questioned firmly.

“There was a thunderstorm,” I explained, taking off my head-rail. “But there’s more to it, I promise. You won’t believe what happened!”

“You can tell us all about it,” Avery offered. “After you change into something warm. And dry.”

“Fair enough.”

—————————————————————————

“You went to a freaking tavern?!” Nancy exclaimed, unable to hold back her surprise.

“And met an actual group of knights?!” Alex piped up.

“Yes, and yes!” I cried, throwing my arms in the air. I had changed into a T-shirt and shorts long back as I told the tale.

“What surprises me more is how long you’ve been talking to them; didn’t you say you were an introvert?” Avery jested.

“Look, quarantine got to me, ok? I am not a full-blown introvert.”

Lizzy asked, “Do you have plans to visit the place again? With the number of Sub-Heroes around S-UIN, you’re not so busy as Green Raven anymore.”

“Oh,” I replied wryly, raising my brow. “I’m not planning on just visiting as Brenna.”

“Sounds like you have something up your sleeve, Jo,” Avery suggested.

“I’m going to be a knight.”

Silence filled the room.

“Just because you met a good bunch of them?” Lizzy grimaced.

I scoffed, folding my arms. “C’mon guys, have some faith! I’ll do research-“

“Just research won’t help you with this,” Emerald insisted seriously. “You’ll need to do some training.”

“Emerald’s right, Jo,” agreed Nancy.

I sighed. “I know. But first, two things;” I gestured with two fingers.

“One, my green crystal pendant enhances my strength and endurance and heals wounds.” I pull out the shamrock-green pendant from my pocket, where I had earlier kept it.

“And two, as the Green Raven, I’ve got the basics figured out.”

I know they’re worried about me. But I’m not going head-first into this! Really, I’m not!

“There’s more to it than that,” Lizzy countered. “First off, are knights allowed to use magic?”

“I, um…” I trailed off, leaning forward. I looked back at Lizzy. “Most knights don’t have magic.”

“Do you know how to fight with a sword?”

“No.”

“Can you follow a military drill?”

“Maybe?”

“And can you move around in iron mail, padding and armor plates?”

“Oh my g- I don’t know yet!” I snapped, exasperated.

Lizzy went silent, staring at the floor.

I took a deep breath. Gotta be patient about this. Remember their reaction to becoming a full-time Hero?

“No, I don’t.”

Was this really a good idea? I just ruined their good day at this point. But they would’ve been madder if I never told them; if they needed me for an emergency.

“I trust you.”

I glance up at Avery, who had spoken. Avery trusts me? Avery who is more worried about our well-being even though I don’t get hurt in an actual physical sense in S-UIN?

As if he read my thoughts, he nodded and placed his hand on mine.

“As long you’re not a fucking idiot out there; and you know what you’re doing. I can trust you out there.”

Everyone else seems to be just as surprised as I was.

“Alright,” Alex added, looking up at us. “If he trusts you, then so do I.”

Nancy put an arm over my shoulder. “Give it a hurl, Jo!”

Emerald chuckled, “I think you can take care of yourself out there; it’s not like you’ve never done it before!”

Lizzy stood up. She looked down with an unreadable expression.

She stated calmly, “Medieval military isn’t full-time. But there is great demand of soldiers during a war.”

She turned to me with a look of concern.

“If a war starts, you are not fighting it.”

She was thinking that far ahead?

“Please. You have enough problems.”

I stood up and walked toward Elisa. Then, I gave her a hug.

“Don’t worry Li. I’ll try not to get myself hurt.”

I gave her little pat on the back before letting go.

She stared at the ground again.

“Okay. You can go,” she agreed.

“When you’re ready.”

—————————————————————————

A/N: Alright.

This only took me a day to make which is- WOW HOW THE HELL DID I DO THAT-

You may have recognised the Green Banana Squad here, but if you haven’t these guys are the GBS members. Including moi~

I actually had to do plenty of research for my stories lol. If some things aren’t historically accurate, keep in mind that this is a fantasy World. Some are intentionally kept that way yo. I haven’t worked on anything this hard that I would be sharing online and the fact that only two other people are reading this is humbling.

I’m pretty sure more people will find this eventually tho~

Lil’ spoiler: There are 4 volumes for these ‘chapters’. Volume One is A Tale of Kingdoms and Knights. Volumes Two and Three are all planned out in here (points to head)

Anyway, if you’re reading, I’d love if you’d reblog this so more people can read. And I’m about people other than @transgender-er.

“Are you sure your corset isn’t laced too tight?” Avery asked.

“Yes,” I said.

“You have everything you need?” Lizzy asked.

“Yes,” I said.

“Then show them who you are!” they said.

I will. I’ll try at least.

—————————————————————————

I wonder why it’s winter. Well, it is November, so…

I tread carefully on the snowy road, careful not to slip again. Even with all those layers, I still feel a bit cold. I am not built for this weather, am I?

Not many people were outdoors, other than the merchants and the sparse passers-by. I think I blended in. Mostly. Some townsfolk are staring at me.

The smell of mist overwhelmed me in the beginning, but now it’s just plain annoying and freezing.

Everyone’s still smiling, however. Some are hard at work, while others are resting. Children are playing near the doors of houses either with little cloth dolls or wooden blocks.

‘Hey Monsieur!”

I look down at whatever was tugging at my knee. Which was a little boy. He couldn’t have been older than seven.

He's glaring at me for some reason. “Are you new here?”

I laugh, unlatching his little hands from my leg.

“Ouais, petit garçon.” (Yes, little boy.)

Before he could say anything more, a woman’s rough voice called.

“Pierre! Where are you?!”

He quickly looks around then runs away, holding onto his woolen hat.

“Arrivant, maman!” (Coming, mom!)

I smile and continue searching for the training hall for the soldiers.

—————————————————————————

I arrived at a large establishment. Stacked stones and marble pillars made up the exterior of it. From here I can hear the clashing of swords and voices.

The sign outside does say “L'entraînement Hall”.

Might as well go in.

The walls were mostly bare and unpainted, large torches on the higher ends of the walls. There were many soldiers dressed in tuscan sun-yellow and grey. Black tricorn hats with gold thread were worn on top.

The Order’s here too, with surcotes furlined at the edges.

One man seems to be monitoring them, with a similar uniform to the knights. He seems to be a knight as well, actually.

I stand dumbly, trying to observe what exactly’s going on over here. I look back at the knights, only to realize some of them were looking at me. A knight with long chestnut hair and blue-grey eyes and another one with black messy- wait are those the knights from the tavern!?

That’s Sir Will and Dame Kyda! They better not recognize me, or I’m toast! I should’ve thought this through.

….

Ok, I have to make a move, even some of the soldiers are staring at me. I take off my coif and stuff it into my pockets because I look stupid in that, like a baby. Not to say babies are stupid.

I marched towards the man in charge, whose build was of a warrior’s.

Jet black, ear-length hair and sharp mocha eyes that took notice of me with a look I could only describe as some sort of contempt. He clears his throat.

“Are you lost, boy?”

I shake my head firmly, standing straight. First impression’s the best impression.

“I am not lost, sir. I have come to become a knight,” I answer, having to look up at him.

He guffaws at that, waving his hand dismissively. In response to that, the soldiers too started to laugh. Now that’s amazing. My eyes are burning… no, not going to cry!

I keep standing with a defiant expression on my face, waiting for those idiots to stop laughing.

“I meant it. I want to become a knight.”

He doesn’t find it so funny now. He’s scowling at me.

“Go home, boy. This is for real men. Understood?”

—————————————————————————

Real men? I can’t stand this drittsekk! There are women and others as well in our army! Just that send him away already! He’s what, 20 something? If Commander Laurens wants to be a ‘real man’ or whatever he calls himself, he should drop that macho act!

—————————————————————————

Well, I’m not a man! But I can’t go ahead and tell him that, can I? I guess being persistent will have to work.

“I’m not going home. Did you not hear me, General?”

“General?! I am a commander, morveux!” he spits, now angry.

“It’s Commander Laurens to you,” he barks, towering over me.

“Did you hear me?”

I hesitated, taking a step back. This guy wasn't just intimidating, he meant to be. He clearly isn't someone I can mess with.

"Excusez-moi!"

Dame Kyda raised her hand from the group of knights. She steps forward.

"Whatever you want to say, Sellanddatter, it better be good."

"Well," she responded nonchalantly.

"He is already here. Why not test his strength with a duel?"

The commander raises an eyebrow, intrigued.

"A duel, you say?" he questions, looking at her.

Murmurs emerged from the curious crowd. They're excited by the chance a duel could take place. This wasn't supposed to happen… I'm not ready for this!

Commander Lauren's grins. Which isn't exactly comforting. In fact, I have a bad feeling about this….

"Traver!" the commander calls.

A young man with jet black hair styled in a taper fade, walks over. He's wearing something similar to the soldiers, but not quite. He has mocha brown eyes like…

He seems pretty submissive, with the way he's cowering. "Oui, C-commander?"

"Find Sir Samson, and bring him down here."

Laurens glances at me.

"Tell him he has a little runt to duel."

Traver pales. "A duel?! But Commander-"

"But Commander!" Laurens mocked in a singsong voice. "Go get him."

Traver gulped, and plodded out of the room.

Oh dear.

Oh no. No no no.

A duel?! I'm not that good! I remember Sir Samson… he was the concept of like a really strong knight. I can hope that he isn't that guy… no, I'm definitely screwed.

What was the dame thinking?! I'm going to have a word with her… if I'm alive..

"At first blood?" I say, mustering every ounce of courage I have. It wasn't a question.

"Of course," the commander agrees.

"Wouldn't want to hurt the little baby."

I'm the only one who could run into situations like this in an almost utopia. I gulp.

"The name's Jonas Raven. And I'll put on a fight."

"Really?" Laurens questions, lifting his head.

He turns to the crowd.

"We want a good duel, don't we?"

Shouts and cheers of agreement emerge from the soldiers and knights.

"So don't disappoint us. I'm sure you don't want to."

—————————————————————————

Dame Kyda begins to regret saying anything. Sir Samson was much bigger than the kid; and size difference was a landslide advantage to the former.

"He could crush him like a twig! Why is this kid accepting the duel?" Will exclaims in disbelief.

"Kyda, why did you even suggest that?" Jakob rebukes.

"It's Sellanddatter during work hours," Kyda countered.

"And do you think I asked him to hurt the 'kid'?"

Aurand pinches the bridge of his nose. "You know Laurens. He doesn't let things go so easy. You gave him the chance."

"Give her a break, Jakob," Sequin supported her. I-I can't watch this, I'm going."

Someone laughs. "And you call yourself a knight, Chevalier?

"Are you scared?" he sneers.

"Ta guele, Cartier," Kyda scorns, turning away from him. "He has a conscience. You don't. And that is the difference."

"Blablabla.."

Kyda sighs. Jonas, you better have something good up your sleeves.

—————————————————————————

Did I say Jonas? I meant Joseph! I wasn't even thinking of Mr. Woolf! Ugh, nevermind, it's not a big deal. No one's bound to notice.

None of the soldiers are sparring anymore. They're waiting for that duel they were promised. Placing bets already. Through the windows I can see the snow fall. Something I can't see where I live.

Oh, what I'd give to be walking in the snow with the rest of the squad! Then we could drink some hot chocolate and talk and play board games and word games…

Focus moron!

No turning back. I'm not turning back. I'm not even gonna think about turning back. Because then I'd be a coward, and that's one thing I'm not gonna be.

Okay, enough of this monologue. You're probably gonna get bored.

Maybe if I just proved to the commander that I'm decent, he'll won't be so annoyed? I don't know.

More importantly, I cannot make a fool of myself. No siree!

We'll have to wait and find out.

—————————————————————————

A/N: Yeah, present tense is hard to write. I keep writing my verbs in past tense!

[and this is me from a day later; actually lost half of what I wrote and recovered it today. That was a scare :’)]

Anyway, about the whole Joseph/Jonas thing… I planned while writing Chapter 2. It's based on something I've done irl lmao.

Basically, I had the opportunity of writing a skit for the morning assembly in school a few years back.

To those who don't know what that is every morning everyone in school goes down to the auditorium (we didn't have one, we had to stand outdoors TwT) and say prayers. I study at a catholic school so yeah. There's bible readings, thoughts of the day and the fore-mentioned skits.

It was something about anti-littering, and I was supposed to be Miss Caroline; teaching students on the effects of littering and what plastics to use and not to use. I didn't really get nerves on stage but for some reason I forgot what my character's name was. My brain automatically substituted it with 'Catherine' and the rest of my class went with the flow. (In my school each class got a weekly turn in the school assembly)

Apparently my lil sister's teacher was a Catherine and that her class and the teacher liked it very much that the educator was named Catherine as well. I ended up meeting her after and I'm sure remembers me even today. I saw her a few months ago too and she seemed happy to see me 😊

‘Ta guele’ means to ‘shut up’ in French, btw.

I've actually had to practice swordfighting with a bamboo stick haha. Props to my sister for helping me with this. Tho I think that she had the bamboo stick and I had a curtain rod lol-

I've got a decent amount of muscle, and I'm somewhat apple-shaped, and I feel if I tried I could pass as a boy. Except my thighs are 'womanly'...

With that out of the way, you'd be surprised to know that the commander was one of the oldest characters for this story, along with Princess Bianca. I'll explain that soon~

A few lit candlestands are scattered across the long rectangular table in the middle of the room, parallel to the fireplace. A few loaves of bread and bowls of soup lay on the table. The room in front of me reads ‘Chambre Neuf’. Neuf could mean ‘nine’. So, mine should be…

Slipping the bag into my other hand, I move from the door to Room 9 to Room 12. Chambre Douze. It only takes me a few steps left to before I lodge the key in and turn it to open my door.

A small bed pushed against the sepia wall with faded flaxen-yellow sheets is lit up by the faint light from the windows. Moonlight, or starlight is the question. An empty lantern and an unlit candle on a stand lay on top the bedstand. I close the door, yawning. I place my bag near the tall cupboard.

I summon a matchbox and strike a match across its side.

Chhhk.

A bright flame sparks on the tip of the match. Enchanting. I press the top against the unlit wick of the candle, lighting it.

Blowing out the match, I sit on the bed. Soft, but not as much as the sheets of the modern era. Don’t think it’s linen. Placing the candle in the lantern, I pick it up and walk to where my bag lay. I open the oaken cupboards and unbuckle my duffle bag. Time to put some part of my clothes in.

—————————————————————————

Jo let her mind wander, remembering what things were like before she left to see this kingdom. Obviously, she was from a modern World. Or Universe in her case. If you haven’t read the explanation, the two Universes mostly discussed are the ones Jo was born in (aka; where you, the reader, was also born) and the one she made. Different planes of existence.

Anything that she imagined, it was real here, in one World or the other. Of course, she did have her favorites. One of them had a few friends of hers. Technically speaking, they were her imaginary friends back when she wanted them. She’d speak to thin air from someone else’s perspective.

While it was the one she visited, she didn’t go to Perth in Western Australia. Rather, she went all the way to London in the UK. And what better way to go than flying as the Green Raven?

No, not environmental-friendly exactly. More of green being her favorite color and it being incorporated into her Hero costume. There are Heroes and Sub-Heroes. Whole other story. Basically, a superhero. And you’d think that was enough for her. But with a surge in the number of Sub-Heroes and less crime, she got bored.

“Any civilians who spotted the Green Raven zooming across the darkening skies of London would’ve been lucky. I’m pretty fast. Normally, I’d have stopped to check in on the ravens of the Tower, especially after Huginn and Muninn’s chicks had become more than a year old. Their feathers must have grown by now. I’m sure they look dashing.”

The candle’s light flickered precariously. Jo put her bundle of petticoats down, before cupping her hands around the flame. A draft must have blown in from the window. Jo looks up to be proved right when the casement window was open.

She got up and closed it before she continued unpacking. The bag was almost empty now. Almost. She stuck in her hand and felt something small and hard. There were several of them.

“Huh? What are- wait. Don’t tell me.”

She pulled out a fist full of gold coins, bearing an insignia of the sun. Equinoxian jutons! How’d they get in the duffle bag?

…

“Right, Avery and Eli insisted I took extra, just for precaution,” she realized, scratching her nape. Twenty jutons and fifty grains. “The exact amount I carried in my cloak. That is not extra. I guess I can pay back my debt sooner than I thought.”

Jo could hear oh so clearly both Avery and Eli’s ‘I told you so!’ in her ears. She sighs, shaking her head at the thought.

She put her bag to the side, picking a night-gown from the shelves. That’s what she’ll appear in when she spawns. Either by a knock at the door or voluntarily. She moves the candle to the bedstand.

Jo glanced at her pendant. Green crystal. A simple name for something that was worth more than a few diamonds. It healed you and kept you safe. Magic, of course, was involved.

She flops onto her bed, undoing the ribbons in her braids gently. Well, who wanted to pull their hair a little too hard on accident? Putting them aside on the bedstand, she blows out the candle.

Foo.

She pulled the covers to her shoulders, slowly exhaling.

If she were in her own bed, she would have spent some time world-building and making up scenarios that gradually get fuzzier and more illogical as she started to fall asleep. In a story? Not quite. Especially when she wasn’t in a default World. Those were where she spawned.

She closed her eyes, letting the exhaustion blanket her. Taking a deep breath, the girl feels herself dissipating. A relaxing feeling, really.

Any ache in her body faded away as bliss took over her being. She smiled softly as she dissolved into bits and pieces of nothing. A white glow replaced the exhaustion, shining tenderly with a certain nostalgia. And like that she was gone. The covers deflated without the person under them. Everything else in the room stayed where they were. But she was gone.

—————————————————————————

Sunlight shone through the blinds, beside a much younger girl.

Emerald Ross leaned against the cushioned armrest of the squashy cerulean-blue couch playing on a Nintendo Switch. The eleven-year-old had short curly hair the shade of marmalade put in pigtails. A round framed pair of glasses circled around her round eyes, the color of which was the same as her name.

Behind her was Elisabeth Leferve-Chang, previously referred to as Eli. Straight, dark aegean-blue hair tied up in a bun as she vacuumed the carpet. Her almond eyes were a curious shade of rose, framed by a pair of browline glasses.

It was a Saturday, and no one was up yet, excluding the two of them and Milo Ross, who had an early work shift. Since Emerald got up at around six-forty in the morning, brushed her teeth, combed her hair, and did some homework; Eli gave her the Switch that she got on her birthday a year back.

With noise of the vacuum, Emerald didn’t immediately notice the soft glow emanating from the seats of the couch, including the one below the cushion she sat on.

When she did, she saw a familiar someone fade into existence, piece by piece. Her head lolled drowsily onto her left thigh. Startled, she dropped her Switch only to realize.

“Eli, Jo’s back!”

Eli, who was now in the other side of the room looked up to observe Jo, who sat up stretching. No longer in her nightgown, she wore a green T-shirt with black stylized font and knee-length shorts.

Emerald picked up the Switch that she dropped on the floor. Luckily, it was unscratched. Yet, she pouted.

“You made me drop my Switch! I lost now.”

Jo rolled her eyes, grabbing a pair of glasses out of thin air. Sure, she could change her appearance and give herself better vision permanently; but she was just too used to her low-bridged glasses.

And no, not everyone in this house wears glasses. Emerald only wears them while reading or using screens. I should have mentioned it earlier.

Now, shouldn’t she apologize? “Sorry, Emmie. Good morning. You too Li. Li?”

Eli was nowhere to be seen.

“What’re we doing up this early?” Jo smiled.

Emerald shrugged, glancing at the player menu which reflected off her lenses. Jo stands up. Patting the kid’s head, she ambles to the window. Peeking through the blinds, she glances at the houses on the other sides of the street.

Jo sat back down at the couch when Eli joins them with two cups of chocolate milk and one cup of tea.

“So how was it?” Eli asked curiously.

Right. She almost forgot about it. How? She doesn’t know how. It didn’t help if she had argued with someone and forgot about it five minutes ago and- wrong story.

“It was nice,” Jo replies, cocking her head to the side. “Much better than I thought it would be in a few ways… and worse in others.”

Eli tilted her head. “What d’you mean?”

Jo leaned back, resting on the soft pillows as she crossed her arms. “Well, there was a storm when I went in.”

“And?”

Jo blinked. “Wait, you knew?”

The older nodded along with Em, who was sipping on her cup. Yeah, no, almost everyone she knew in this World had seen her depart since it was a while since she did something like that.

“Yeah, we heard the rain. It wasn’t some white noise like you thought. But we realized that after you stepped in.”

“Oh my- really?”

“Yes, really,” Eli echoed, drinking her tea.

Emerald looked at Jo. “You’re not sick, are you?”

Jo shook her head, taking a sip. The milk was a bit too sweet for her taste, but barely. At least the milk was warm. Only psychopaths liked their chocolate milk cold. Unless it was a milkshake. No, off-topic.

“I managed to get myself a spawn point and met some friendly people,” she continued.

“Who’d you meet?” Em asked.

“Knights,” Jo responded. “There’s Sequin, Jakob, Will and Kyda.”

“Nice,” Emerald commented, placing her cup on the floor. She picked up her Switch, ready to start over.

Eli tutted. “Now, that’s enough. Go continue your work.”

“But-”

“Emerald, I said fifteen minutes.”

“But-”

“Emerald.” Eli insisted firmly.

Em groaned, putting away the Switch and walking upstairs.

“Finish your milk!”

“I’m already done!”

“Good job! You’ll get another fifteen minutes soon, okay? I’ll be up soon.”

“Okay!”

Emerald nipped up the stairs, leaving Jo alone with Eli.

“What’s the time here?”

“Hm.” Eli picked her phone up from the coffee table.

“Seven-forty a.m., fourth September.”

“Fourth?”

“Yeah,” Eli confirmed, finishing off her tea. “Where’s your portal stop?”

“Inn room,” she answered, staring at the table. The girl sat in silence for a bit. Sure, the latter part of the visit wasn’t so bad. But it kept tugging at her mind how different it was from her expectations. Why? It didn’t seem like that when it was just Level-1, a skeleton. A one-dimensional draft. It was sunny and ethereal, and like a warm hug. Comforting. There were so many places Jo could’ve visited. She wasn’t as outgoing in her real life. She was definitely staying longer. But, the storm….

“I don’t know why it was stormy. It’s literally supposed to be the kingdom of the sun!” Jo admitted with pent-up frustration. She leaned forward, her voice increasing by an octave.

Eli raised her eyebrow, taken by surprise at the sudden outburst that broke the silence. “It is stormy for you where you live, right? That could be the reason.”

“Yeah, but the thunder wasn’t loud enough to make my heart beat out of my chest! I never got wet in the rain and I almost got drenched! Where did that come from?!”

“Jo-” Eli interjected.

Jo didn’t listen. “Really, I come here to enjoy myself and to make myself happy! If I’m not safe here then-”

She cut herself off, shaking her head. No, that wasn’t right. She took in hard breaths, realizing she spoke too fast to breathe. The girl glanced up at the older.

Eli stared at her with an unreadable expression. Fear? Confusion? Concern? Disbelief?

Annoyance?

Jo sat back, regretting even thinking about it in the first place.

Eli opened her mouth to speak. “Hey, Joanna-”

She got interrupted by two figures walking into the living room. One was a man and the other a woman.

“Oh, you girls are up already?” asked the woman, who had curled short pecan-brown hair and a friendly face.

“We are, good morning Mr. and Mrs. Ross,” greeted Jo, snapping back to attention.

“Good morning Mum, Dad.”

The man grinned. “And a lovely morning to the both of you.” He had a hooked nose and a receding hairline. Barely.

“Now, Jo, you know you could just call us Willow and Henry,” Mrs. Ross stated for what she considered the umpteenth time. “Is anyone else up?”

Eli got up with the empty cups in hand and left to the kitchen.

“As far as I know, only Emerald. She’s upstairs studying,” Jo answered.

“Oh? Well, then I’d better start on breakfast. Henry, come on.”

Willow made her way to the kitchen with Henry following right behind. Jo slumped back onto the couch, laying lazily. Close one. She remembered how this all started…

—————————————————————————

A/N: Yes, a cliffhanger. Mm-hm. No, we won’t be staying for here longer than a few chapters, so I’m not taking the medieval out of Medieval Adventures.

You can’t write about lighting candles if you don’t light candles. Just kidding. But writing about unpacking luggage. That you need experience if you want to write it in a unique sort of way.

Just to clarify, neither Em nor Eli (pronounced Ellie) are Willow and Henry’s biological kids. And they aren’t the only ones. Any more than that would be spoilers.

That feeling of ‘dissipating’ is based off my experience of falling asleep in a much faster pace. Relaxing, but feels like you’re fading into the realm of unconsciousness comfortably.

There’ll be more new characters if you aren’t familiar with my YT. They’ll all be introduced though, and there isn’t that much on my channel, but you could check it out. Be prepared for cringe though. I also de-aged Emerald from there.

Anyway, thank you for reading!