I let her go once we had reappeared safely, and she proceeded to freak out in the most British way I had ever seen: standing stock still and carefully looking around the room breathing heavily. She did eventually start speaking again however, “Jake… I think perhaps you should call an ambulance. I seem to be… hallucinating.”

“You’re not hallucinating Mum, everything you thought you saw is happening.” I told her calmly, trying to keep her from having a panic attack. She carefully and slowly looked down at her hand with horror in her eyes.

“Jake... my hand… I saw it vanish.” She said worried.

“Yes, that happened to, but it’s back now.” I agreed and pointed out.

“W-what is happening?” She asked.

“Mum, let me introduce you to Suma.” I said motioning to her. Suma was crouched on the floor breathing heavily. “Um, are you okay Suma?” I asked once I noticed.

“That *huff* was *huff* hard.” She said in-between her panting.

“A… sparkly bird?” My mum asked confused. “But I thought you said Suma was a friend from school?”

“Yes, but to be fair… how was I going to explain this.” I said. She quickly looked back and forth between Suma and myself.

“Ah, I get it. This is a prank.” She laughed in denial. “Jake, you know how much I disapprove of pranks, but I have to admit this one is pretty impressive.”

I shook my head no, “It’s not a prank Mum. It’s just… a very long story.” She didn’t seem to believe me, so I decided to move on and continue with introductions. “Anyway Mum, like I said, this is Suma. And Suma, this is my mum.”

“Nice to meet you.” Suma said standing up and collecting herself. I looked over at Mum, but she didn’t seem convinced. Then it hit me.

“Mum, what do you hear Suma saying?” I asked. She looked at me confused.

“It sounds like a bird. Why is it glittery? You didn’t pour glitter on this poor thing, did you?” She scolded.

“No mum I-” I turned to Suma, “Suma, what do you hear my mum saying?”

“Well, it kind of sounds like barks and grunts honestly.” She said after finally catching her breath and standing up straight again. Needless to say, I was annoyed. I didn’t exactly want to spend this whole time acting as intermediary between a woman who thought I was going crazy, and Suma.

“Suma, how did you get me to understand you when we first met… or rather, third met.” I asked.

“I linked with you and showed you my memories, that is all I know. I never figured out how we actually ended up understanding one another’s languages.” She told me. While Suma and I talked, my mum looked on with worry and awkwardness.

“Okay, well let’s just try that.” I said. “Mum, Suma is going to enter your mind and show you some of her memories. We think that will allow you to learn her language, but we aren’t sure.”

“Jake, I think we need to both go to the hospital.” She said putting a gentle hand on my shoulder.

“Trust me Mum, and don’t freak out when it starts okay. You will be fine.” I told her before telling Suma to begin. She bowed her head and raised her wings, then a magic circle formed around her and Mum. I wasn’t privy to the memories, but I could guess what was happening based on my mum’s reactions.

“Jake I… what is happening? AH” She gasped.

“How far should I show her Jake?” Suma wondered.

“Just show her up to the point where I accepted being your familiar.” I suggested.

“What is that monster?” Mum said shocked. She was probably at the part with the Borog. Her hands covered her mouth and she looked as if she were going to be sick. I should have expected this part honestly. Mum hates violence and she can’t handle gore, she never wanted to watch action movies on family movie night when I was growing up; it’s why I have seen 13 Going on 30 seven times. “AH!” She jumped, “Goodness Jake, where on Earth did you get a gun?”

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

“I rented it at a shooting range.” I said, but I wasn’t actually sure she could hear me since she didn’t respond.

“Okay, we are almost done.” Suma said and the magic circle she had created started to fade.

“So, can you hear her now?” I asked.

“Jake… what was that?” Mum asked shaking.

“I think it worked,” Suma said.

Mum looked over at her shocked, “That bird… just spoke.”

“You know, I think you’re right,” I joked to Suma. “Mum, allow me to finally, and this time properly, introduce you to Suma.”

“Hi,” Suma chirped happily.

“Jake, that sparkly bird has psychic powers, and it can speak.” Mum repeated herself.

I turned to Suma, “I think she is in shock, let’s give her a minute to process.” We waited for a few more moments while Mum came to grips with what was happening and with what she saw in Suma’s memories.

“So… the Suma you told me about… is a bird, and it can use magic, and it has psychic powers.” Mum eventually said.

“Pretty much” I confirmed.

“What is a bird?” Suma asked over our private link.

“It’s a small, winged animal from my planet that can fly.” I replied. “The Neame do look very similar to one.”

“And… you work for her Jake?” Mum asked.

“Sort of, yeah. We’re partners and I’m her familiar.” I explained.

“And this is where you have been for the last few days?” She wondered. “Fighting those creatures?”

“I only showed her up to the first encounter with that borog. She does not know about the nobles or the wyvern.” Suma said over our link.

“Um, well that was just the one time. Really, I have just been helping her train and in return she has been teaching me how to use magic like her.” I lied… but it didn’t work.

“Jake, I’m your mother. I always know when you’re lying to me. Now tell me the truth, is she mind controlling you to do this, to fight these things?” I couldn’t tell if she was asking me that or Suma.

“Jake, what is your mother’s name?” Suma asked.

“It’s Susan Vandal.” I told her.

“Miss Vandal, Jake is strong and smart, not to mention incredibly powerful, there is nothing to worry about. Even if on the off chance that we are ever attacked, they would be no match for Jake.” Suma tried to reassure her, but I could tell it wasn’t working by the annoyed look forming on Mum’s face.

“Mum, you saw her memories, Suma can’t control me, she tried years ago and failed.” I said, but as soon as it left my mouth, I regretted it.

“And that’s another thing,” She was starting to shout hysterically, “why are you working with her if she tried to control you? She kidnapped you and forced you to fight a dangerous monster. Why team up with her if you aren’t mind controlled?”

“I admit that was… a bit of a hurdle, but I’ve long since forgiven Suma for that, and we’ve moved past it.” I said.

“Miss Vandal, I would never do that to Jake again, and I could not even if I wanted to.” Suma said. Things were getting heated, and Mum wasn’t calming down.

“How many times have you had to fight like that Jake, and don’t try lying again.” Mum pressed.

I sighed and relented knowing I wouldn’t be able to fool her, “Including the one you saw in Suma’s memories, three times.”

She glared at Suma with hatred filled eyes, “You made my baby boy risk his life three times!”

“No Mum, It’s not like that… I saved her from these nobles who were attacking her.” I tried to calm her.

“Show me,” Mum demanded, “I want to see. If you have the ability to show me memories, then I want to see!”

“That is… not a promising idea.” Suma said reluctantly.

“Mum, calm down.” I told her; that was a mistake.

“I AM CALM!” She bellowed. Suma recoiled at Mum’s screaming.

“Send her back.” I said to Suma over our private channel.

“I cannot unless you are touching her, but are you sure it is wise? Will that not only make her more upset?” Suma asked. I hugged Mum around the neck.

“Do it, I’ll deal with the fallout at home.” I said to Suma.

“What are you- wait are we about to…” Mum started to say but we disappeared before she could finish. Mum and I reappeared back outside her house, and it took another few hours of talking with her and explaining what was going on before she finally started to settle down. “I’m just… I’m just so scared for you Jake.”

“I know Mum, I was scared at first too, but being with Suma, going to her world, it’s the most amazing thing that’s ever happened to me. A little danger isn’t going to stop me from living out the greatest adventure I’ve ever been on.” I explained.

She stayed quiet for a while, “You’ve been through so much, and in such a short amount of time.”

“Well, it has actually been a while from my point of view. For some reason, until recently, whenever I would travel to her world, time would stop or something… or maybe I was just getting placed back from when I left. I don’t know, but I do know that it didn’t do it last time, that’s why I was missing for so long. I spent a few days over there.” I told her. Mum asked a few more questions, and I answered what I could. She asked about Suma, and why she wanted a familiar, she asked how it was possible that magic was real, and finally she asked the big question.

“So, what happens now?”

“Now… I go see if I still have a job, if I do then I think it’s best if I quit, if I don’t, then I think I can come up with a lie to at least give them some closure.” I said. Mum and I said goodbye, and she asked me to apologize to Suma for her behavior for her, then I went straight to work.