The warm glow of the hearth cast a comforting light over the round table at the center of the tavern. The flames flickered and danced, their light reflecting off the polished wooden surface, where plates of roasted meats, fresh vegetables, and steaming bread were spread. The aroma of the hearty meal mingled with the subtle scent of aged tobacco and burning firewood, creating a cozy, inviting atmosphere. John, currently inhabiting the body of a woman named Elena, sat between Marcus and Lila, gently tracing the rim of his mug, lost in thought as he took in his surroundings. Beside him, Marcus was slicing a piece of roast with practiced ease, his movements calm and deliberate. He occasionally glanced at John, assessing him quietly while savoring his meal.

Lehara, seated next to Rowan, was nibbling on a piece of bread. Her eyes were twinkling with anticipation. On her third mug, she leaned forward. "Elena, you mentioned you've only been here a week. So what's the strangest thing you've encountered so far?"

Lila, ever the enthusiastic scholar, already had her notebook open on the table, a glass of wine within reach and a pen poised in her delicate hand. She was jotting down observations and thoughts, her sparkling blue eyes flitting between her notes and the others around the table. Her excitement was palpable, her curiosity compelling her to catalog as much as she could from the newest addition to their group.

John chuckled softly, reflecting on his brief but eventful time in this new world. "Honestly, it's hard to choose just one thing. But I think the most surprising thing was meeting a talking tree by this big building that gave me directions. I thought I was hallucinating at first."

Marcus laughed, his deep voice rumbling through the room. "Ah, you must've met Old Barkley. He's been around for centuries, knows the area like the back of his hand. Always a good source of information, if you can stand his riddles."

John shook his head in amazement and shock at how matter-of-factly Marcus acknowledged the existence of talking trees. John took a swig, using the moment to collect his thoughts. "Yeah, well... In my world, trees don't talk. It's been a lot to get used to. Although I feel like the more time I spend here, the more I learn to be like how I was. Culture shock has been more of a Culture Electrocution here."

Lilly looked at him and cocked her head to the side. "But the trees do talk," she stated, confusion evident in her voice. “And what is culture shock?”

Thomas, who had been quietly observing, leaned in with genuine curiosity. "What was your world like, Elena? You've mentioned it's different. How so?"

John took a swig of his ale and felt the nostalgia hit him like a tangible force. "I come from a small town in North Carolina. It's a beautiful place, with rolling hills, forests, and rivers. My town is quiet, peaceful. People know each other well enough, and there's a strong sense of community. If I didn't get the chance to mow the lawn for a couple of weeks and my neighbor was mowing his, well... mine would get mowed too. If he needed something but didn't want to go up the block to get a couple of eggs, well, I still had most of a dozen. It was also large enough a community that you didn't feel like messing up a golf swing would be the talk of the town for a month."

John stared down at his nearly empty glass, a smile spreading across his face as he thought back on his life. He breathed in and heard a sniffle. "I had a wonderful life there. I was married to the love of my life, Danielle. She was smart, funny, kind... everything I could have ever wanted. We had two kids, a boy and a girl. They were my world. Watching them grow up, teaching them, loving them... those were the best years of my life."

He looked up to see if anyone was going to say anything, but the group just listened intently, their expressions somber as he spoke. Even Lila had put her pen down and was listening.

"Danielle and I had a modest home, with a garden out back where we'd grow herbs and vegetables. Our front lawn had lots of flowers, bushes, and trees. I loved spending time there, working with the soil, watching the plants grow. It was a simple life, but it was ours. At night when the kids were asleep, we would watch movies or play video games. When the kids were awake, we'd play with them, read to them, teach them what we could."

John sniffled again, as his thoughts inevitably gave him a laundry list of regrets. "I think most of my day was spent in an office crunching numbers and managing others. In retrospect, I probably should have spent more time with the kids and taken more vacation days, but I was saving up for retirement in thirty years." He sniffled a third time. This time his eyes teared up, as his regrets hit him like a physical pain. He thought back on his life and regretted not spending more time with his wife and kids.

Every moment he recalled his old life, John grew just a touch sadder. He pushed through the emotional pain and saw Agatha looking at him. Her eyes welled up with tears of her own. She was leaning her head on Gareth's shoulder, and he didn’t look much better. John continued before he brought down the mood of the room any further.

"Coming here..." he sniffled again and wiped away a tear. He even took a moment to breathe and steady himself. “It was a shock. Everything is so different, so... magical? It's been hard adjusting, but I'm determined to make the most of it. I want to do whatever I can to find my way back to them. When I saw my kids' faces for the first time less than a decade ago, I knew I was going to do everything I could to be a good dad. I'm not going to let a simple thing like different universes change that. And in the meantime, honor my family's memory by making a difference here, by helping those who need it."

Lila resumed writing and eagerly noted down every word John said. She seemed to do an excellent job capturing every detail and every meaning even well after the fact. It was annoying having someone chronicle every motion John made and every word he spoke. But it was also kind of cool. Plus, she had excellent penmanship.

Marcus was the first to break the silence, his voice gruff but gentle. "Elena, that's... quite a life you had. It's clear to me that you were a loving Mother and wife. Sorry, father and husband. Your family would be proud to know of how you're carrying on their legacy."

John put his tiny hand on Marcus's arm, appreciating his sincerity. "Thanks Marcus. It's not easy, but I'm trying. Though I have to say, being a woman is a whole new adventure. I never knew how much I'd miss pockets."

Lehara, her eyes still shimmering with unshed tears, let out a small chuckle. "Oh, luv, wait until you try to run in heels."

"I’m pretty certain I can’t wear heels” John said as he pointed to his hooves. “I can barely wear shoes”

Rowan leaned forward, curiosity evident in his eyes. "Elena, you mentioned you had children. How old are they?"

John's smile faltered for a moment as he tried to change the subject off of himself. "Eight and Six. They’re young. But hey, speaking of young, how old is Old Barkley? Is that a nickname like calling a fat guy 'Skinny Pete'?"

Thomas caught the deflection and finally spoke up with a smirk. “So, family man to demoness. Talk about a career change. Was this something that just happened randomly, or were you a real demon child growing up?”

John gave his glass a wide eyed glance. "Definitely Random. You have no idea how random. But speaking of children I'd rather hear about your childhoods. I bet growing up in a world with magic was fascinating. Did you ever turn your teachers into frogs or anything?"

Lila perked up at this. "Oh, that would be highly unethical! Besides, human-to-amphibian transfiguration is a complex spell that—"

"Lily," Lehara interrupted gently, "I think Elena was joking."

John nodded, grateful for the interruption. "Right you are. Though I have to say, the idea of turning my old Chemistry teacher Mr. Keats into a frog is pretty tempting."

Marcus, finished off his glass and looked at John questioningly. "Speaking of magic, Elena, have you given any thought to what kind of magic you might want to learn?"

"Well," John said, stroking his chin thoughtfully, "I was thinking something practical. Maybe a spell to conjure up some decent coffee? Or is that considered dark magic around here?"

Marcus snorted at the thought. "If it were, half the taverns in the kingdom would be in trouble!"

Thomas, a playful smirk on his face, spoke up. "Hey Elena. If coffee magic is your thing, how about we make you our official 'Arcane Barista'? We tip halfway well. I think I can find a tally here for ya."

"Awww, Thanks, Grumpy! I appreciate that," John said, a mischievous glint in his eye. "You know, after hearing you talk, I've gotta say I'm impressed. It's like you're a genius in disguise. A really good disguise."

Marcus and Rowan snickered. Lehara fought back a smile. Lila looked up from her book, fighting back a smile, then quickly went back to writing. Thomas' jaw dropped, and he looked at Lehara accusingly. "You see? This is why you suck at nicknames. They stick!"

"That's the point of nicknames!" Lehara defended herself, her eyes widening in mock incredulity.

"Yes, but they're bad!" Thomas protested. "Suppose folks looked at you and started calling you Dagger Ears?"

John drained his glass and chimed in, "I honestly agree with Thomas." Thomas motioned to John with both hands, nodding vigorously.

"Because," John continued, his voice dripping with sarcasm, "every time I've seen him, he's been a ray of sunshine! Not once have I caught him crossing his arms and frowning, or waving his hands around like an angry conductor. Don't pay attention to what he's doing right now though. That's clearly a glitch. Besides, I bet he's secretly the life of the party. I mean, someone's gotta make sure the rest of us aren't having too much fun."

Marcus spit out some of his drink, and Thomas realized his backup wasn't exactly on his side. He scowled at John, which only made everyone laugh harder.

"Don't worry, Grumpy," John said, patting Thomas on the shoulder. "'If you can't beat 'em, join 'em.' C’mon Grumpy, what do you say we call a truce? I promise to never call you grumpy and you promise to crack a smile at least once a week." John leaned in closer. “Don’t worry, I promise I won’t tell anyone. Wouldn’t want to ruin your reputation.”

Thomas smiled as he looked at John. “Oh don’t worry. I’m certain that anything you do won’t affect my reputation. Please Elena. You couldn’t tarnish my sterling grumpiness if you tried. Hell, you’d probably just end up making me look good by comparison. But hey, don’t let that stop you from trying. It’d be entertaining to watch.”

Lehara snickered. "Oh, Elena, you're going to get along fine. But seriously, how are you holding up? It can't be easy adjusting to all of this."

John's smile softened a bit as he looked in his empty glass. Rowan slid a full glass over. "It's a....process. It's only been a week. The first few days sucked, but it's been getting better. Taking it one day at a time helps. And hey, at least I don't have to worry about taxes here, right?"

Rowan shook his head, knowing something that John didn’t. "Oh, you sweet summer child..."

"No," John groaned dramatically. "Don't tell me even magical realms have taxes!"

The group laughed again, and John found himself enjoying the banter despite the lingering ache of his past. These new friends were certainly an odd bunch, but their lighthearted teasing was a welcome distraction.

John wiped a tear of joy from his eyes. "Thanks, everyone. I think I needed this."

As the evening wore on and the tavern's oil lamps cast a warm glow over the patrons, the atmosphere grew more relaxed.

Lila paused her writing. John was only on his fourth glass of ale, but he was already feeling its effects. This was yet another thing he'd have to adjust to in this new world.

Back on Earth, John had been merely a social drinker. Thanks to his Irish and Italian heritage, his alcohol tolerance had been impressive - he could down a whole twelve-pack without getting drunk. But here? The rules were different. Three mugs in, and he was already noticing the impact. At this rate, staying sober after his fourth drink would be nothing short of miraculous.

What made it even more surprising was that his drink was supposedly much weaker than what the others were consuming. John couldn't help but wonder how the locals managed to stay standing after a night out.

John pointed to Lila's book. "Oh Lila, I'm sorry. Do you want me to pause for a moment so you can get your 5th notebook?" Lila, missing the friendly jab, flipped back a dozen or so pages. "Oh, no need. I've got a good enough memory for this conversation." She went back a few pages and pointed at a line John had said earlier. "Elena, you previously mentioned you love learning. Is there anything specific you're hoping to discover or study here?"

He contemplated the question. He remembered from looking at his character sheet that he had an aptitude for learning magic. "Honestly, I'm supposedly good at learning magic? We don't have it back on my world, so I guess I want to learn Magic."

Lila brightened up at John's comment. He could tell he had just said the magic words to her. "Well, what kinds of magic? There's Elemental, Healing, Illusions, Divination, Enchantment, Transmutation, Conjuration, Chronomancy, Shadowcrafting, Mind, Runic, Sound, Nature, Alchemy, Geomancy, Artificery, Light, Spirit. Then there are forbidden arts like your own blood magic, Necromancy, Soul and void. There's the magic that's not combat oriented, like Lust and fertility, Domestic, Transportation, Artisan, Agricultural, Communication, Theory. Keep in mind this is not an exhaustive list. And I would suggest that Blood be one of them."

John sat there, slightly taken aback by the list of magical disciplines Lila rattled off. 'That wasn't extensive?' he thought, as his eyes grew large and started to glaze over. 'I don't think she even breathed between any of those.' Her list did mostly make sense to him though. Elemental magic? Sure. Healing? Most certainly. Chronomancy? Probably. Even Artificery or light made sense. But there were a few that really confused him.

'There's no way.' he thought to himself. 'This girl has got to be pulling my chain.'

He didn't even realize he voiced his next thoughts out loud. "Lust and fertility magic?"

Lila's delicate features softened and she gave John a bit of a knowing smile. "Ooh! Those are fun ones, Elena. Those are forms of magic that deal with desire, passion, and the natural cycles of life. They can be quite intricate and profound in their own right." She reached into a rather small bag and pulled out several large tomes that looked far too large to be able to fit in the pouch she removed them from.

"With the proper application of Lust magic, men will be stumbling over their own beards just to bask in your aura. Though, looking at you, I'd say the gods already gave you a certain level of allure. So you might not need much help in that department." she said, her face completely serious. "Just be careful not to overdo it, or you'll have an entire village chasing you like you're the last sweetroll at a glutton's feast day."

"Now, fertility magic - that's a whole different kettle of fish. It's more divine in nature, not really my area of expertise. But I'll tell you what - if you show even a smidgen of talent for it, the Church of Fertara would snatch you up faster than a Roc swoops down on a plump sheep. They're always on the lookout for willing women."

She pushed the stack of books in front of John. Their covers were adorned with intricate symbols and shimmering runes. Some of the books looked moderately 'normal' with a plain leather cover and simple gold lettering. But one or two of them looked more specialized for men or women by the genitals engraved on the cover. "Now. These are the beginner texts on those topics. If you're interested in exploring them further, I can lend you plenty of more advanced tomes. Knowledge is a powerful tool, after all."

She slid the books across the table to John. As his eyes fell upon the tomes, a wave of heat washed over him, coloring his cheeks. He stared at the covers, mouth agape, before finally finding his voice.

"This is a stack of... magical... porno's?" he asked, his tone a mixture of disbelief and embarrassment.

John's gaze darted around the table, taking in the varied reactions of everyone present. Lehera was grinning from ear to ear, clearly relishing his discomfort. Her eyes sparkled with mischief as she watched him squirm.

Marcus, on the other hand, was attempting to maintain his composure. He studiously avoided John's eyes, but the corners of his mouth twitched upward in a smile he couldn't quite suppress despite his efforts to hide it.

In stark contrast, Rowan sat perfectly still, his expression unchanged. He regarded the scene with complete nonchalance, as if magical pornography was as commonplace as bread on the dinner table.

Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

Thomas, however, took an entirely different approach. His eyes immediately locked onto John's, a massive, self-satisfied grin spreading across his face. Crossing his arms, he leaned back in his chair with the air of a man who had just struck gold. It was as if the universe had hand-delivered him the perfect ammunition for future teasing, neatly wrapped and tied with a bow.

As if the situation wasn't mortifying enough, Lila chose that moment to flip open the first book. She pointed at something on the page, drawing John's attention. He had thought he was blushing before, but now he felt his face growing even hotter. The heat crept up his neck and to the tips of his ears, turning him into a living, breathing tomato. He read the title of the book out loud. "Spellbinding Seduction: A Conjugal Conjuror's Guide to Sex Magic." Chapter one wasn't much better: "Chapter 1: Bedroom Sorcery - When Sparks Fly and Wands Rise."

John shifted in his seat, caught between the desire to examine the book's contents more closely and the urge to slam it shut and pretend this entire scenario had never happened. The disparity in his companions' responses only heightened his awareness of his own discomfort, leaving him unsure whether to laugh, hide the books, or simply sink into the floor and disappear.

John felt his tail raise nearly straight up and vibrate.

Lila noticed this and smiled. "Oh, I'm so glad you're like me. Even your tail is excited to learn! Elena, does your tail act like a Felinar's?" she asked. "Because I can't tell if vibrating means you're excited, happy to see us, impatient, or angry. Well, I assume it's not angry. So excited, happy, or impatient to get into your studies."

John tried to salvage the situation and change the topic. "Oh, Lila, I appreciate this, but I'm not sure if..." Before he could finish his sentence, Lila gently interrupted him.

"Elena, you're my friend and my friends call me Lily. Secondly, it’s absolutely no trouble at all. Unfortunately this is the most comprehensive beginners book I have on the subject. There are better books, but I don't have them on hand. At least this covers everything from preferences, to hotspots. Even things like horn growth and tail musculature. Oh and there’s a whole section on proper hoof care and infernal anatomy. You never know what insights or revelations you may uncover. Besides, sex magic is fun to practice." She raised and lowered her eyebrows rapidly.

Across the table, Lehara half-whispered to John, "You dug yourself into this; the only way out is through."

“Lily, that’s not really necessary,” John said, growing redder by the second. “I’m sure I can figure things out on my own”

Lily looked confused. “But this is just the basics and essentials. Don’t you want to know more about your digestive system, or the section on interspecies relationships? I would hate for you to become worried because of the shedding.”

John looked for support from anyone else, all of whom watched with barely contained amusement as John squirmed uncomfortably. “Shedding?” John half squeaked.

“Oh yes!” Lily said enthusiastically. “Some call it molting. But either way it’s quite fascinating. Do you know your skin might periodically shed in large patches? I’ve been told it leads to tenderness at times.”

John looked a bit more desperately at the others who all were just poorly hiding their grins.

Lehara finally took pity on him. “Lily, maybe Elena would prefer to have a bit of self discovery first?”

Lily looked at her with a slightly horrified expression. “But Lele! Knowledge is important! Surely Elena wants to be prepared?”

Lehara just looked at John and shrugged, referring him to her previous comment. John sighed in defeat and put a hand on the book. “You’re right Lily, it would be terrible if I wasn’t aware of what my body could do. Thank you for lending me the book.”

Lila beamed at him. John quickly added another request. "In any case, Do you have any books on things like Alchemy or Artificers?” He quickly amended his previous statement. “I mean solely for when I need to digest the information in this book?"

Lila looked at John like he was speaking in tongues. She pulled out an eighth book and slid it over to him. "Of course! But don't let it take you away from your true passions in life."

"Thank you, Lila. I appreciate your generosity," John said, his voice steady despite the lingering warmth in his cheeks.

Lila's response took him by surprise. She wrapped her arms around his, her face lighting up with a genuine smile as she looked into his eyes. "Of course! We're a team and that means you're my friend!" she exclaimed, her voice brimming with warmth and sincerity. In a gesture that spoke volumes, she rested her head on John's shoulder, seemingly oblivious to the awkwardness of the preceding moments.

Thomas smirked. “Don’t worry, Elena. If you need help with the big words, just let us know.”

John smiled back. “Oh good, and here I thought you were going to offer to arrange a physical demonstration.”

Thomas shook his head. “Please, I do have some set of standards. They might be below ground, but demonic beings are off the list. Besides, I’d hate to ruin you for everyone else.”

John grinned mischievously at Thomas. “This is why I’m glad you’re here Thomas. I didn’t realize that what this planet called ‘I’ve hit rock bottom’ is known as ‘Standards’."

Thomas rolled his eyes, a hint of amusement in his voice. “At least I have standards, Elena. Unlike some interdimensional tourists who shall remain nameless.”

John grinned wickedly. "Touche, Squeaky. But hey, it's good to know that after finally arriving here, I was able to start where you ended up. And maybe we can work our way up together! I hear misery loves company. And really, who wouldn't want to spend some time looking at this beautiful face?"

Thomas gave John a wolfish grin. "My appetite for one." He then furrowed his brow as he remembered the nickname. "Wait, why Squeaky?"

John's expression shifted to one of casual indifference, as if he were about to report the weather forecast. His voice took on a monotone quality. "Oh, you didn't know? When you get grumpy, your voice goes up an octave. Have you gone through puberty yet? Don't worry, some people are just late bloomers."

The table laughed.

The warm glow of the hearth had faded, and the tavern was now quiet and dimly lit. The private party had wound down, and the members of the Arcane Vanguard had retired to their respective rooms. Plates and mugs were scattered across the table, remnants of the hearty meal and lively conversation. John stood up, stretching his arms above his head and feeling the satisfying pull of tired muscles. Agatha and Gareth were already starting to clear the table, their movements slow and tired but filled with the practiced ease of long-time tavern keepers.

John offered to help clean up, stepping forward and picking up a stack of plates. "Please let me help with that," he said.

Agatha smiled warmly at him. "Thank you, Elena. But you're a customer and a friend. You need to go to bed."

John shrugged, balancing the plates in one hand as he picked up a few mugs with the other. He ignored her and walked towards the kitchen. In the silence of the clean-up process, they could hear his hooves clipping on the floor. Moon and lantern lights gently filtered in from the windows, and this was the quietest John had heard the inn be since he moved in. He spoke over his shoulder towards Agatha as she swept up the floor. "Can't be a customer if you don't let me pay you!"

Gareth chuckled softly, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "We appreciate it. It's been a while since we had a relaxing night."

John nodded, following them into the kitchen. "Sometimes slow days are good."

For the next half hour, they worked together to clean up the mess. Agatha moved to washing the dishes, her hands moving deftly in the soapy water, while Gareth dried them and put them away. John wiped down the tables and swept the floor, the repetitive tasks providing a soothing rhythm.

"Thank you again, Elena," Agatha said as they finished the last of the cleaning. "You're a real sweetheart." She held out her hands to John and pulled him into a giant hug. It was the first real hug he had since being reborn. Gareth came over and joined in on the hug. They both rubbed John's back some and held him tightly. John smiled, feeling a warmth spread through his chest. "It was my pleasure. Goodnight, Agatha. Goodnight, Gareth."

"Goodnight, Elena," they both replied, their voices filled with genuine affection.

John made his way up the stairs, feeling the fatigue of the day settle into his bones. The hallway was quiet, the doors to the other rooms closed as his new friends slept soundly. As he approached his room, he noticed a figure waiting by the door. In the darkness of the dimly lit hallway, he could see a lithe figure leaning against it picking something out from their nails. Their long hair gently rustled as their head moved back and forth. Lehara stood there, her calm presence gently illuminated. Her eyes met John's, and she smiled gently.

"Hey, Lehara," John said, a bit surprised. "What are you doing up?"

"I wanted to talk with you, luv," she replied, her voice soft and kind. "Mind if we chat for a bit?"

John invited Lehara into his room, lighting a small lamp and motioning for her to sit on the bed while he took the chair by the desk. He slowly removed his bracers and necklace,and pulled his blouse out of his pants.”

"So, what's on your mind?" John asked, leaning back and crossing his legs.

Lehara took a moment, her eyes thoughtful as she gathered her words. "I wanted to thank you, Elena. For sharing your story tonight. It couldn't have been easy, but it meant a lot to all of us."

John felt a lump form in his throat and swallowed hard. "Thanks," he said, pausing before continuing. "It wasn't easy, but I think it was necessary. I guess that if I'm going to throw my lot in with you, you should at least know something about me."

“So, what do you think of the team?” Lehara asked. She got comfortable on the bed and turned to face John.

John smiled. “I mean you’re all quite the cast of characters. Rowan seems to be fairly quiet but I get the impression he’s the kind of guy who likes to observe. Thomas's sense of humor is quite similar to mine. But he means well and has a good heart.”

Lehara nodded and chuckled. “He does. And Marcus?”

“He seems like a paladin? But not the I never will know the touch of a woman type”.

Lehara raised an eyebrow. “Paladins?”

John shrugged. “It’s a term from a game. They were Lawful good-“

Lehara laughed, and her voice was sweet like honey. “No silly, I know what a paladin is. I meant why would they be celibate? Are Paladins on your world celibate?”

“Lawful Stupid is just a trope where I'm from.” he shrugged.

“And how about the rest of the team. What about Lily?”

John nodded and pulled one leg under him. A breeze came in through the window, its slight biting chill giving him goosebumps. "Lily is….unique. Brilliant, no doubt about it. Her mind works in fascinating ways. She focuses on details, her enthusiasm for knowledge is impressive. But she misses social cues.”

Lehara nodded again. “That’s Lily alright. She sees the world different than most, but that’s what makes her special.”

“Yeah, that tracks. You know, in my world, we’d recognize those traits as…well, let’s just say there’s a name for it." he said, referring to Lila's behavior.

Lehara leaned back on her hands. “And what about me? I’m dying to know what our interdimensional friend thinks of the team lead.”

John chuckled, considering his words carefully. “Just Terrible.” John winked at Lehara who just gave him a cool smile while she squinted. “No but seriously, you’re quite the leader. You’ve got an air of confidence, but you’re also in the thick of it to hold people together. You look out for everyone, but also don’t mind going along with the team. Oh and apparently you’re a bit too fond of terrible nicknames.”

Lehara raised an eyebrow, her smile widening. “Terrible nicknames? I’ll have you know my nicknames are legendary, Elena.”

“Oh yes. According to Thomas, legendarily bad.” John continued with a playful roll of his eyes. They both broke a smile and soon the laughter of both girls filled the air.

Lehara continued, and her voice became a bit somber. "Well, that’s good. But that's not why I'm here."

John raised an eyebrow. "You mean you're not wanting to practice the practical applications of those books?"

It was Lehara's turn to look shocked as she quickly shook her head. Her eyes grew a bit wide. "No," she said a bit quickly.

John shook his head in turn and laughed softly. "I'm kidding. I'm still happily married."

Lehara let out a breath of relief. "No, I actually wanted to talk to you about not joining us."

Warning bells went off in John's head as he felt his anxiety start to rise. "Hold on, I thought you said you needed a healer. Did I say something wrong tonight? If I did-"

Lehara held both of her hands out to stop him from continuing. "No! No, we love having you here." She looked away from him at the door. "I don't think I could keep Lily away from you at this point if I got all the mana in the realm.”

She leaned forward and patted John’s leg. “No. We can all see that you're the real deal. You've got something special in there that isn't cultivated. It isn't gotten through skills or abilities. You were born with it. So no, it’s not something you said or did. I wanted to ask you a question. Why us?"

John looked questioningly at Lehara, confusion evident in his face. "I mean who else? I haven't exactly met any other people with powers. Most folks have a ‘distrust-on-sight’ attitude with me. Why? Should I have looked for other groups?"

"I mean yeah," she said frankly. "Trust me, we would not turn you down and would treat you like family. But there are other groups that are more powerful. And in many regards, they might even be better for you."

John looked at her a bit hesitantly. "You know, normally when the car dealership sells the car, they don't suggest the person looks at other cars after the fact." Lehara looked at him blankly. He closed his eyes and continued. "Why are you trying to push me away?"

"Because you said yes without meeting any others. Look. I want to make sure that later on you're not going to meet others and want to leave us. Or that we'll be relying on you, and you're going to be wondering if you made the right choice. You're a nice girl, and I’m certain that you’re sincere in wanting to join.” John shook his head in agreement.

She shook her head no and continued. “No, let me continue. Like I said, I’m certain you’re sincere in wanting to join...now. But what happens 6 months from now if you try to leave? It'll be far more difficult for the group and far more painful for certain members."

John understood what she meant. He was scouted out by a team and instead of making sure they were right for him, he kind of jumped into bed with them. "Look. Aside from making a terrible first impression, you're all pretty awesome." He closed his eyes and turned his head towards the window. The cool breeze gently caressed his face. "But you're right. Tomorrow morning, can you take me to a place where I might meet some of these other groups?"

She looked at him and shook her head no. "No. I mean I can, but no.” Rolling her eyes she explained herself further. “Sorry, I keep forgetting you’re not from this world. Look, as an initiate, you need to be formally recognized or at least be a member of the academy or guild. Making you a member is a simple process, but you haven’t even been given an adventuring badge. It's better if you make a name for yourself first and then join a group."

"This is going to be an involved process, isn’t?" John’s shoulders slumped defeatedly.

She shook her head. "That’s an understatement. Now we can vouch that you’ve got enough powers to be classified as an Initiate. But that’s just one part of it.”

John breathed in heavily and sighed slowly. “Ok, so what do I need to do? Do I need to be top of my class to actually join you?”

She smiled as she shook her head no. “You still need to be accepted as someone by local guilds and communities as an adventurer. Can't have you die the first time a monster gets the jump on you. There's training, classes, and exams, from sunrise to starlight."

John nodded in acquiescence.

Lehara continued. “I’m certain you’ll meet people, and you’ll get others to see your value. You’ll learn what to do and how to act. And most importantly, how to act on and with a team.” She reached for a glass of water next to John’s bed and took a sip.

“Once you've passed, you'll be recognized by one or hopefully all of the guilds. And once that happens, you'll be able to join any group. You could find people who compliment you well, or you could even start your own. And of course, there’s always ours.”

She reached out and put a hand on John's knee and looked unwaveringly into his eyes. "Please don’t think of this as me telling you that you can’t join. Once you're done, if you still want to join us I'll welcome you with open arms.” She smiled as she leaned back again. “Of course, we can’t just let you get thrown to the wolves. You saved our favorite innkeeper’s husband. So we'll be more than happy to offer you tips to help you get strong. I know Marcus would love to have some one-on-one training with you after seeing you throw a punch back there."

John perked up some. "I didn't realize I was talented in fighting. You know I alwa-"

She looked amused and her voice was filled with mirth. "Oh, you're not. You’re actually kind of terrible at it? You’ve got so far to go, that any teacher would be proud to teach you. If only to talk about your growth over drinks when they’re retired.”

John winced internally at her blunt assessment. "Ouch," he mumbled, but appreciated her honesty.

Lehara leaned forward, a mischievous glint in her eye. “You know Elena, everyone in the group is eager to take you under their wing in some way.”

John raised an eyebrow, “Oh? Should I be worried?”

“That depends,” Lehara began, counting off on her fingers. “Thomas, believe it or not wants to work on your running and stamina. Says you need to outrun your troubles since you can’t out-grump it like him.”

John snorted. “That sounds…exhausting.”

“Lily, of course, is chomping at the bit to teach you magic. She’s already planning out lessons on basic spellcraft and magical theory.”

“Please don’t tell me it involves the books she already handed me.” John said as his face drooped.

Lehara just gave her a knowing smile. “Not yet. Fail to keep up and I’ll make sure I suggest that you learn the basic from your true passions.” John’s face both flushed and paled simultaneously.

Lehara continued, “I’m certain she'll also assign you inn-work. Let's see, Rowan has offered to teach you meditation and centering techniques. Says it’ll help you with your latent abilities.”

John perked up some. “That one sounds useful.” John looked at Lehara and she didn’t add anything else. So he spurred her along. “And…? What about you? Does fearless leader have pearls of wisdom for me as well?”

Lehara grinned. “I thought I’d teach you the finer points of how to be a girl and think of legendary nicknames.”

John shook his head cheerily. “No thanks.”

“Too late,” Lehara laughed. “Lessons start tomorrow, Hooves,” she said as she stood up.

John looked up at her, worry evident on his face. "Do you think I'll be a good adventurer?"

Lehara's expression softened, a reassuring smile playing on her lips. "Don't worry. We're going to be spending a few months in town. We've got training to do, jobs to complete, a few other things." She paused, gesturing around the inn. "We paid a silver for the inn for the month, and if need be, we'll pay another silver for next month. If I don't think you're going to make it, you'll know."

Her gaze swept over John's attire, and she smiled as she made an encompassing motion towards his clothes. "My lessons start tomorrow with some clothes shopping," she added, a hint of amusement in her tone. "We need to get you outfitted properly for an adventurer's life. Because that... thing you're wearing has been out of style for quite some time. Honesty, I’m not even certain where you found it. After that, we'll see what the day offers."

John got up and gave her a big hug. "Thank you.”

She hugged him back and when they let go, she left her hand on his shoulders. "Look, just promise me that you’ll take opportunities that are given to you. We want you, but we want you to make an informed decision.” She winked at him. “Plus you need to have some awesome accolades to join us again. We don't take slackers, ya hear me?" She pulled him in for a hug again. "But seriously, That’s all I ask. And if you want us, we'll be glad to have you."

John returned the hug. "Goodnight Lele," he whispered.

"Goodnight Blue," she replied. She looked at him like she had swallowed a bitter leaf. John shook his head. "I must have drunk too much, I'm starting to think Squeaky was right about you being terrible at nicknames."

"Yeah, it sounded wrong as soon as I said it," she admitted.

As soon as she left John's room, he closed the door and leaned against it. His horns thudded against the wood. “What. A. Day.”

He sat there for a moment, processing everything that had happened. And despite the uncertainty, he felt a glimmer of hope. With a deep sigh, he crawled into bed, his mind already racing with possibilities as he drifted off to sleep.