It wasn't fair. Nothing felt right.

I was confused. Everything here should have made me feel good, but now it was just... weird. Wrong.

I was in our room, a safe space for all of Equinox that shielded us from the outside. I was next to my comfy bed, the one where I could sleep every night and be with my friends. It wasn't like my old bed from before the time when I was... I was taken, but even if it was smaller, I preferred it. I was surrounded by everything I liked. The Unicorn that Miss Sigura had bought for me was on the dresser, standing guard over the room and watching over me, kept warm by Miss Yuri's big hat. I was wearing the big jacket my friends had gotten me, and it made sure that I was cozy and warm, too. Even the room was decorated to match my tastes, looking happy and festive and cheerful!

My head slowly turned, looking from item to item. They should make me feel good and safe and happy. Now... I didn't know. I just felt weird.

When my eyes had run out of happy things to distract them, they drifted back to the same thing they'd been staring at for... a long time. I didn't know how long I'd been sitting here, but I'd just been looking at them. They surrounded the arch leading into our room, staring back at me.

They were my surprise. The special gift I'd been so happy to give to everyone. I was going to just put them up with Miss Yuri when I realised that the only time everyone was back in this room was late at night, when people were too tired to do things. But... I couldn't even do that. Miss Yuri hadn't come back to our room, not since... since Mister Toya left.

I was going to do it alone, but Mister Fareel wanted to help. I told him I wanted to do it alone, but he really really pushed. He insisted. That was the last time I smiled since putting up the surprise, but I was glad the funny, friendly Fishman had been here for me.

All around the arch were my friends. Every single one of them, present and accounted for.

Photographs taken with that Recorder thing Miss Sigura had given me money to buy back at the shopping center lined the wall. In some pictures, my friends were happy. In others, they were energetic. Whenever they weren't smiling for the Recorder, they were always active and doing something. Training, walking through the streets, talking with other people from the Star... everything. Miss Yuri playing 'catch' with Miss Shafu, throwing a small metal ball back and forth. Miss Sigura looking a little angry and armwrestling with Mister Gearhead. Mister Toya rubbing the back of his neck while talking to Mister Tizam. Miss Caterpillar- umm... no... that wasn't it... Miss Capillary with a blank face, waving to me from down the hallway. There were a lot of names to remember.

These pictures of us were supposed to welcome us back whenever we came home, or wish us well whenever we left. They were memories put into pictures that wouldn't fade away, so that they'd never be forgotten. It was supposed to be nice, but now it felt... different. Not how I expected it to.

Even that mean, hateful voice that whispered to me sometimes when I least wanted it to was quiet and content, staying far away from me like it should be. I didn't like the voice. Miss Capillary had mentioned stuff like this could happen to Chimeras when she was talking with Miss Yuri, but I hadn't talked about the voice. I didn't want to worry anybody.

The voice last spoke to me when Mister Toya came into the workshop. When he told Miss Yuri he was... leaving. The voice had been happy. It wanted him to go away, which only made me feel even more sad. I felt angry at the voice, and I felt wrong for having it.

Was I a bad person for having that voice? Did I have parts of a bad person inside me? Did that make me bad, too?

I shivered, wrapping both arms around my belly to press the coat against my shirt for warmth.

I hadn't met many bad people, so I didn't know for sure. The Orcs that kept attacking Miss Yuri were bad people, and I knew that much. The men in the white coats were bad too, but they were a different kind of bad. The people in the streets who gave us looks as if they were something really bad weren't bad. I thought they were at first, but Miss Yuri told me they weren't really. Just scared. Because we were different.

I didn't want to look at the pictures anymore. Not right now.

With more effort than I would have liked, I managed to pull my eyes from those of the pictures staring back at me. My body still felt cold, but I pressed both hands against the ground, pushing myself back to my feet. On the top bunk of our bed, Mister Fareel sat up.

He turned his head, staring at me with his big orange eyes. They reminded me of a ball I had when I was a kid. The memories of back then were all fuzzy, but sometimes I could remember little bits and pieces. The memory of the ball was one of them, but it had first come back to me when I saw him back in the bad place. The 'facility'. They reminded me of fruit, too, so I tried to think of them like that instead.

"I'm okay," I assured the Fishman, my throat feeling really, really dry. Not as dry as my eyes, but really dry.

He stared at me for a few seconds longer, but I didn't look away. I knew Miss Sigura didn't look away when people stared at her too, so I wanted to do the same. Doing that made people look strong and reliable, and that's what I wanted to be- what I needed to be. For everyone.

If I was stronger, and more reliable, then nobody would have anything to worry about. Maybe Mister Toya would have stayed if he knew I could protect him from the things he was afraid of. Maybe we'd all be able to stay together and be here right now, chatting and laughing and-

Mister Fareel nodded, his shoulders relaxing a little. I... knew why he was so worried about me. I'd been sitting down for a while. He'd tried to cheer me up when I sat down, which was nice, but I just wanted to sit and not have to think about or do anything for a while.

Now I wasn't sure why I did that. This place felt weird and alien, now. It should be making me feel good and warm, and it was, sort of, but it didn't feel like the right 'good and warm'. It felt like a place to stay, but it had to be more than that. It had been before, but it wasn't now. I... needed to go do something else. I didn't want to be here right now.

I saw Mister Fareel's hands start to glow with magical power, turning that blueish-green colour that it did. His magical stuff didn't look like regular water, but that was fine. It was unique. Then, the glow lifted from his skin as light, transforming into real water. A pair of flying water balls that shifted and changed in shape.

Both of the bubbles changed into the shape of hands. One had a thumbs up, and the other had a thumbs down.

I felt my face stretch into a smile. It hurt a little, but I was happy to see that Mister Fareel's magic was getting better. He was able to make two of those now! Faster, too! He was getting stronger, like I should be. We all needed to, for each other.

I really wanted to go train, but I didn't have the energy. I wish I had the strength to train whenever I wanted like Miss Yuri did, but... I just couldn't bring myself to fight, or swing my weapon, or do anything right now. I wanted to go for... for a 'walk', like Mister Toya had. That was all I could do when I felt so... empty.

"I'm gonna go outside for a while," I told him as I pointed to the thumbs up hand. "I'll be back soon."

Mister Fareel raised a bit of protruding skin that wasn't really an eyebrow, but sorta looked close enough. Aww... I really wasn't doing a good job of this. Miss Yuri could do it so much better. I needed a... um... poke face...? Or else I was going to make people worry all the time whenever I didn't feel great, like now.

"No, really!" I exclaimed! I was talking with more energy than I felt like I had, but I had to do it for Mister Fareel's sake. "I promise I'll be okay!"

Mister Fareel nodded, brushing both of his hands through the molded balls of water. They broke into many pretty looking drops, catching the white light beating down on us from the ceiling, and then they turned back into his funny looking blue-green magic light. Mister Fareel made a gargling sound, holding one of his webbed hands in front of his mouth. When he pulled it away, I saw one of the little bug guys he could make. They looked really weird. They had little pincers like a Crab, and a ton of thin legs like a Spider, but they had his head! Just... a way smaller head.

Then it jumped at me! I wasn't afraid of it though, so I stood still, looking good and strong. It landed on my white head of hair, and I shivered a little as its legs tickled me. It scuttled down along my neck, hiding in the hood of my coat. Oh! Now I got it! He gave it to me for protection! That meant he was okay with me going now, right?

Mister Fareel reminded me of a [Butler], or a [Caretaker], even if he looked too silly and weirdly dressed to be one. As silly and funny as he was, him checking that I was okay made me feel warm. The good kind of warm, not the weird one.

"Thank you Mister Fareel!" I chirped, letting him know that I appreciated him!

His lipless mouth pulled up into a bright, cheery smile, and he nodded. I saw him relax, and he leaned back down against the bed.

Okay! He was happy to let me go now! I patted my gloved hands down along my warm coat, checking to see if I still had everything. I didn't have much things, but I didn't want to go without them, either. A small pouch of sparkly jangling coins that Miss Comnica gave me, and my little Recorder were both inside my pocket, ready to accompany me on my journey. The one thing I was missing was the most important thing of all.

I skipped over to the bed, reaching underneath my bunk. Miss Yuri wasn't here to guide my hands this time, but that was fine. I made the mistake of pushing the box really far under my bed, but this time I put the thing by the ladder, which made it super easy to find. I tapped it lightly, trying not to cut myself or the nice gloves I'd gotten, and then I pulled it out from under the bed.

My weapon. I gripped the handle tightly with both hands, raising it up off the floor. My underarms hurt a little when I lifted it. The bruises were still there. I didn't remember getting them, but Miss Yuri had told me that she'd gave them to me. She hadn't meant to, but she had to save me from the bad Kitsune lady. That made the pain easy to bear. I just had to get stronger and smarter so that wouldn't happen again.

I knew I wanted to go for a walk, but I couldn't help but stop to look at the weapon. It was strange looking, but... it was mine. It was solid and firm in my hands. Reassuring. I felt that voice within me surface for just a moment, nudging me to explore it, but I didn't want to. I didn't need to. The worth of this weapon didn't come from the materials it's made of.

When I held it, I felt a little better. A little more... 'together'. Less split apart and lost. When I first saw the metal bar on the ground back in the bad place, and then when Miss Yuri had changed it into something that was mine, I couldn't have been happier. It was the first thing I'd seen that had brought back memories. Pictures of the life I'd lost when the men in the white coats had taken me away. When I'd been so lost that I had no idea what to do.

I remembered those wobbly memories that just felt a little clearer, now that the blade was in my hands. Some of them, anyway.

I remembered... being on a balcony, looking out over a big, lush forest. I was gripping a metal railing, smiling as the sunlight warmed my face.

I remembered holding a metal poker, sitting in front of a roaring fireplace. It was one of the few times I'd been able to go somewhere that wasn't my room without someone watching me. I'd wiggled the curved end of the rod past the metal safety grates, just to move the coals around and watch the fire dance.

I remembered holding a long metal ladle, one I'd managed to sneak out of the kitchen. I'd swung it around in my room, playing pretend. I'd wanted to believe I was a real adventurer, and now...

Now my dream had come true. Maybe I wasn't an adventurer, but I was... close enough. I was a warrior! A warrior... But...

I fixed the weapon to my back with the help of a white strap going over my shoulder, giving Mister Fareel a quick "I'm heading out!" before raising both arms, planting them on the plastic guard for the shiny magic rock next to the closed doorway. I focused, letting my own green magic light spread through me, touching the plastic. The rock lit up, the massive doors parted, and Mister Fareel gave me a light gargle that I thought was a goodbye!

Then, I stepped out of the room, waiting patiently as the doors closed behind me. My eyes gently drifted to a close, listening intently to the sound of the door slowly closing shut. I heard the click of the lock putting itself back into place once the magic symbols- runes, finished their job. Once I was sure the room was secure and safe, I began to walk, strutting forward towards my next adventure!

I was alone.

Back in the facility, I hated being alone. I didn't like the men in the white coats, but it was better than being completely alone. At least they'd talk to me, even if they never told me about what was going on outside. They'd just asked questions, gotten me to do things, and tested me. But that was fine. I'd been... okay with it, I think. The people in the food halls weren't that great either. Some of them let me through to get food when they were standing in the way, but a lot of them didn't want to talk to me or even look at me. There had been a few kids there, too, but none of them wanted to talk either. They'd been too scared, and I hadn't been strong enough to cheer them up.

Now? Now I kinda liked being alone. I knew I was warm, and safe, and strong. Walking around this massive, awesome place, I knew I was never far from a friendly face. The people around here were all really nice, unlike everyone at the bad place. It reminded me of 'home'. I didn't know much about my 'home', or remember much of anything other than flashes and blurry feelings, but I knew that the old me back then would've loved the chance to walk around and explore on his own. For the sake of the old me, I'd do plenty of exploration in his stead!

I walked briskly over the purple carpet, the feeling of it soft beneath my boots. It was relaxing, one of many sensations that made me feel warm, and... nos... nosta. Something like that. Miss Yuri had told me the word before, but I always forgot it. A word that made me feel like I was home, even if I didn't really remember what home was like.

My eyes drifted freely around, not worried about spotting something they didn't want to see. The lovely paintings on the wall kept my company. Beautiful fields, strange looking places, and people in costumes and fancy clothes! It helped to spur me on, thinking that I'd get to explore and see all of that someday when I was a grownup. That I'd get to see all of this great stuff with my own two eyes! I'd travel like an adventurer did, and I'd see it all with Miss Yuri, Miss Sigura, Mister Fareel, and-

And...

I shook my head, my eyes squeezing closed for a moment as I pushed the bad thoughts away. My eyes snapped back open, focused and ready! I needed to think about where I was going. This was a big place, and I didn't want to get lost. I knew that even if I did get lost, I'd be okay, since this was a safe place, but I didn't want to waste time either. I could explore later, but I had places to be first.

I pressed on, weapon at my back and arms swaying at my side. I passed a man wearing the purple and black uniform that the people here wore, and gave him a wave. The man waved back, and I smiled. The uniforms around here were really neat. I knew Miss Yuri thought there was too much purple around here, but I thought it was really cool! When Mister Pack Rat had talked about getting us fitted for uniforms, I felt excited! I still did, too, because I wanted to fit in better. To be more like them. To be stronger.

There weren't any kids around here my age, which made me a little sad, but that was fine too. That just meant there were more adults around here for me to learn from!

Actually... wait... Mister Fareel was about the size of a kid, and he was funny and silly like a kid, buuuuuut... he didn't count. He was an adult too.

I turned a corner, and saw my desti- des... destination! The place I wanted to go. A pair of big purple doors with the word WORKSHOP written right above it. I moved with determination in my steps, heading straight for the panel next to the door. My arms rose, ready for action! This time, I'd get it right.

Just like with my room, I planted both hands on the panel, sending my magic energy forward and into the special blue and pink crystal-ey stone behind it.

Then, I focused. I counted in my head, working to time it as my eyes drifted closed. This was a little game I played against myself! It was to build up my mental training, so I could focus better and not be so easily beaten by weird powers. Miss Yuri said timing was important in fights too, and this was training so easy that it was fun!

My eyes snapped open, and I said-

"DING!" I exclaimed aloud, speaking to nobody but the panel and the big doors.

A second passed.

Ding!

I frowned. Dang. My timing was always a little off! I'd only done it at the same time as the door once, but I hadn't even been timing it. It was a fluke, but I wanted to do it right all the time! This was training too!

White light flooded out of the WORKSHOP, and I jogged in, wasting no time the second the doors were open! I threw the man in uniform who'd let me in a wave before whizzing past him.

There were more people around than I expected. During the afternoon, some people usually stuck around, but others went back to their houses for the night. The workshop being quiet sometimes was nice too. It made the place seem a little cozier, even though it was so big.

Today, a ton of guys in uniform were with Mister Gearhead, looking up at the super mech! It was a huge person-like artefact made of steel bits and white metal sheets, like armor. Miss Yuri called it the 'Aetherman', and it was really cool. I'd seen some stuff like it on the covers of books, but seeing a real, giant construct like this was way different to a flat picture on a page.

Off to the side, I saw the Gnome guy that liked Miss Yuri, Mister Gamechanger, sitting cross legged on a cushion. In his hand was a metal device I didn't recognise. It had two little sticks jutting out of it next to the handholds, and a ton of colourful buttons on either side. He held it tight in both hands, and his special, super cool Velvet Star visor was lighting up! It was glowing with a grey-green metallic sheen, the colour of his magic energy. It looked a little like Miss Yuri's in how it had a nice, clean shine to it, which was great!

With his thumb, he pushed the stick on the left. I couldn't see all the buttons he was pressing, but he looked super focused. I heard the creak of metal, and my head snapped away from him. The people in uniform began to clap and cheer as the giant construct moved! Its leg rose into the air, and then came back down to earth with a thump. It raised both arms, flexing them like Miss Sigura sometimes did when stretching.

The movements didn't look that impressive on their own, but if everyone was so happy about it, then it must've been really important! I was glad their work was going so well.

Off to my right, I saw the person I'd come to see, who was also... hard at work!

Miss Yuri was sitting on the ground, her four spidery legs splayed out on either side of her. Her other four legs were wrapped around the bronze metal helmet she wore to keep it in place and protect her body. She didn't usually wear the helmet inside the workshop, but Miss Yuri surely had her reasons.

I saw those eight metal hands, each one as big as my head, floating around her mech! Her body wasn't moving much, but the hands were flexing their fingers and floating around. I was really proud of seeing it! They looked so much lighter now!

I stepped forward, a little anxious. I... I knew she was probably training like that automatically, and might be in deep concentration. I didn't want to distract her or anything, but maybe she didn't see me. Usually she greeted me whenever she came in, so...

"Miss Yuri...?" I asked, my voice quiet.

She said nothing.

Was she okay? Maybe I should leave her alone... But if I did, I wouldn't have anything to do, would I? I didn't want to train, but I didn't want to go back to the room either. Maybe I should try and get her attention. I knew Miss Yuri wouldn't mind if I explained the situation! I pressed on, reaching a gloved hand out to touch on the side of Miss Yuri's hollow body with a tap tap tap!

I scrambled back a few steps, just in case, when Miss Yuri's body suddenly jolted and shifted around. I felt bad doing it, but... I was just being safe. I had no way of knowing what Miss Yuri was thinking when she had that helmet on, or even when she was awake since she had no expressions, but... I had to learn! I wanted to figure out what she was thinking from the little things, like how her metal moved, the changes in her voice, and all that stuff. Miss Sigura seemed to be able to do it, so I wanted to be able to do it too!

Her helmet was still on, even though we were in the workshop, but maybe she just wanted to be a little warmer. It didn't feel that cold to me in here, but maybe Miss Yuri was worn out from all of the training she was doing!

I knew that Miss Yuri must have just been thinking, unless she was able to move her metal hands in her sleep, too. I didn't wake her up by accident, right? She was probably just, um... 'zoning out', as Miss Sigura put it. I'd startled her!

"Sorry!" I blurted out, hands balling up in front of my chest. "I, um, just wanted to check on you..."

"[Check on me?]" Miss Yuri blearily responded to me. Maybe I had woken her up, or she'd been daydreaming. Oh... Still... she was awake and focused on me now! I had her attention!

"Yes! I wanted to make sure you were okay, Miss Yuri! Do you... um... need a drink or anything? You haven't... come back to our room yet, so I thought you were still here. Have you had any water?"

"[No, I haven't,]" she responded simply, sounding a little more awake now! Yeah, she'd maybe just dozed off or was super deep in concentration. She didn't sound upset with me. I didn't do something wrong. "[I... might have some later. I want to... train for a bit longer, first.]"

I looked back towards the hands. To someone who didn't know Miss Yuri very well like I did, they wouldn't see this as anything extraordinary or taxing, but they were wrong! Her magic was different to mine and everyone else's, and this was big! Miss Yuri's hands used to be so heavy, rough, and clunky, but now she could control them really well!

And... she was able to train like this, even though she was affected by M-mister Toya leaving. Like I was. She was able to train while I couldn't bring myself to do it. My hands clenched around the base of my coat, eyes falling to the floor. I needed to be stronger.

"M-maybe I could bring you some water myself," I suggested, looking back up at her. "Or something else?"

"[It'd be heavier for you to carry, Streiphen. I've got buckets. There's no need for you to do that, I'll get some myself in a while. It'd be easier for me.]"

Mmm... That was true. With Miss Yuri's magic, she could carry water much better than I could, and it would be easier, too. It was another thing I couldn't properly handle myself.

"Are you okay?" I blurted out. "I... um... I've been feeling bad, but I wanted to see if you were okay, Miss Yuri."

"[I'm fine,]" she responded quickly. "[I can... get over this. I didn't write it off as impossible that he could leave, anyway. I just need to work through it and focus on being productive with my time.]"

She sounded... a little cold. But... maybe that was Miss Yuri's way of 'working through it'. She could do something productive like training and deal with her feelings at the same time. She said she sorta expected Mister Toya to leave, too...? That was Miss Yuri alright. She was that smart, but even she couldn't do anything to stop Mister Toya from leaving. Maybe... maybe I shouldn't be worrying about it that much, then... If Miss Yuri couldn't stop him from leaving, then what hope did I have?

This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

I wanted to be productive with my time, just like Miss Yuri was, but I didn't want to train. My arms felt wobbly and weird, and I didn't have the energy to jump around or swing my heavy weapon for a while. I just... couldn't muster it up. No matter how hard I tried, that energy wouldn't come to me.

Should I force myself to train anyway? If I did, it might go badly. That was what Mister Pack Rat had said. I needed to want to train and be into it, or else it didn't do much other than drain me. But maybe that was just for magic...? Was there anything else I could do for Miss Yuri that wasn't something she could easily do herself with far less effort?

"Is... Is there anything I can get you from outside?" I asked, a thought blooming to life within my mind.

"[From the cafeteria?]" Miss Yuri asked.

"No! I mean... from outside outside. Outside the base! I could go for a walk to the shops that are too small for you and get you things!" I exclaimed, feeling pleased by the idea. This was something I could do!

"[Where's Sigura?]" Miss Yuri asked.

"She, um... went out a while ago, but she didn't say where," I replied. Miss Sigura had brought her money pouch with her, so she might be out in the streets somewhere. I might meet her while I was out! Walking around some shops with Miss Sigura sounded like fun, which was only one more reason why I should go!

"[Then you shouldn't go alone,]" Miss Yuri told me. My heart sank.

But I was stronger, wasn't I? I'd learned magic, and I'd been training, and... and...

"I'll be okay!" I reassured her! "I have magic to escape and I can fight, and..."

My arms swung up over my shoulders, gloves dipping into my hood as I grabbed the little Familiar resting inside. He squirmed a little in my hands, but quietened down when he realised it was only me!

"This little guy will keep me safe too! He'll get Mister Fareel to tell you if anything happens! I'll be fine, I promise!"

My voice sounded a little desperate now. I didn't want to sound that way, because it would only make Miss Yuri worry, but I couldn't help it.

"[I... don't think that's a good idea.]"

"Please...?" I begged, my voice going quieter as my eyes dropped to the floor.

She wouldn't say yes. Miss Yuri didn't really change her mind on things like this, but... if she said it wasn't a good idea, then she must be right. I couldn't handle it. Miss Yuri was really smart, so if she thought it was a danger, then-

One of her legs twitched. It was a slight, jerky movement, sorta like how my leg twitched sometimes in bed when I was half-asleep. It was hard not to get a little surprised when stuff like that happened. It wasn't that scary, since I knew it was only Miss Yuri, but her body was really big, and her mech was made of metal. She wouldn't hurt me, but I was just being safe, like she wanted.

"[...Fine,]" she responded. My eyes lit up with shock. "[But you shouldn't go out for any longer than two hours at a time. Take the secret tunnel out of the base, and if you feel like anyone's following or watching you, tell Fareel's Familiar immediately.]"

My face burst into a bright smile, and I felt relief begin to well up in my chest! Miss Yuri was okay with me going outside!

"Great!" I chirped, bringing my hands together in front of me. "What do you want me to get, Miss Yuri?"

"[Hmm...]" she murmured, a droning sound that didn't really sound like any noise a person's throat would make. It was a special Miss Yuri sound.

Miss Yuri didn't know what I should get her, but I didn't want her to realise she didn't want anything and not let me out! I needed to think! My head swiveled as my eyes darted from spot to spot. There were some cool figures on Miss Shafu's desk, but Miss Yuri didn't seem to like that sort of thing. There was something glowing on Mister Tizam's desk, but magic things were expensive, and I didn't have that much money. My eyes turned, continuing their trek left until they reached the giant construct. There!

"I could go to a bookstore, Miss Yuri!" I blurted out, looking back towards her. "The only reading things we have in our room are... um... those pamphlets and the newspapers that Miss Sigura gets. What if I got you something more fun to help you focus and get your mind away from bad places?"

"[Books...?]" Miss Yuri mused aloud. "[Yeah, maybe that's a good idea.]"

The hands floating in the air, flexing and growing in control, folded themselves up. Curling into tight fists, they flew back on top of Miss Yuri's mech, forming a loose little ring around her helmet. I couldn't help it when I jumped a little.

Sometimes I got a little started whenever Miss Yuri's metal just flew into my range of vision from nowhere. It would be so much better if I had Miss Yuri's special sight to see everything around me, because the flying metal caught me off guard and made me look embarrassing sometimes. It was silly to be startled by stuff like that, since I knew Miss Yuri was smart and careful enough that it wouldn't hit me.

"Umm... which books?" I asked, trying not to make my startled jump super obvious.

"[How much money do you have?]" she replied.

I pulled the pouch out from my pocket, loosening the string before I took a peek inside. Hmm...

"Lots of silver coins, but no gold ones..." I told her, feeling a little distraught.

"[That'll be enough,]" she told me, and I felt the weight lift from my chest. "[If you can get 'Adventures of the Six', that'd be preferable. But... if you find any Aetherman books, get those, too. I, um... need to get up to speed.]"

I glanced back towards Gamechanger, a smile dawning on my face. Even now, after what had happened, Miss Yuri was thinking ahead and finding ways to be productive!

"Okay, got it!" I chirped, tightening the little string before dumping the pouch back into my coat pocket. "I'll go get some books for you!"

"[Do you still have the Recorder, Streiphen? The one from Nastraga?]"

Nas...? Oh! The shopping center. I nodded, pulling the small rectangular artefact from my pocket.

"Yes! Here it is, Miss Yuri!" I told her, holding it up with both hands. "Miss Shafu said it still has some charge left in it!"

I'd used it pretty recently to... well, get the photographs. The ones I didn't really want to see or think about. I didn't know how to get the pictures out, so I had to go ask Miss Shafu, because she was smart and knew how all this magic item stuff worked. She had a magic box with a little screen on the top, a ton of little slots for paint, and metal trays on the inside for paper. She called it... um... an 'Imprinter'? She put my Recorder in the back, and then it lit up and the inside started whirring. Then she pulled all the little photos out! Magic!

She told me my Recorder didn't have much 'charge' before the magic rune on it started to warp. She said it wouldn't be 'safe' to use after that, but it'd probably let me know by clicking, or beeping, or lighting up. Miss Shafu knew what she was talking about, since she often helped Miss Yuri, who was also really smart. I'd need to keep my eyes peeled and use my last pictures well!

Two of Miss Yuri's metal hands flew off her body, gingerly taking the Recorder from my outstretched hands. I couldn't help the bright smile that stretched across my face. Her hands had gotten so... gentle. Miss Yuri had trouble controlling her strength before. Stuff just sorta bent and crumpled a little whenever she grabbed them with her hands, but now she could do all this like it was second nature! It was just like Miss Yuri to master it so easily! She was really good at magic!

I saw the emerald glow peeking out from under the bottom of her helmet, too. She was checking the Recorder with [Insight]! I really liked seeing Miss Yuri's magical glow, even more than I liked seeing Miss Sigura or Mister Fareel's. It was shiny and metallic, with silvery bits along it. It was different to my magic energy, but mine was green and had silver streaks, too! They were similar, even if they looked a little different. I think it's because maybe I can be nice, kind, and hard working, just like Miss Yuri! It... made me feel closer to her, too. Like family.

"[The rune should have some more charge left in it, like she said,]" Miss Yuri said, handing me back the Recorder. "[I'm not that familiar with these types of runes, but I'll trust Shambles' judgement on this. Just be careful, Streiphen.]"

"I will!" I exclaimed with a fervent nod. I did it a few times so she could see, just in case she wasn't looking at me right now. It was hard to tell. "Thank you! If you need anything else Miss Yuri, please tell me and I'll get it!"

Time for a mission! Not a mission for our group that'd get us one step closer to getting Miss Yuri a Vox, but a special mission from Miss Yuri herself! I whirled around on the balls of my feet, looking towards the doorway for just a moment. I heard another jerk of metal as Miss Yuri's leg shifted, and I nearly forgot something. I spun back around, running right up to Miss Yuri before giving the side of her mech a quick hug. It made me feel better, and I hoped that it would make her feel better, too.

"Okay, bye Miss Yuri!" I said, parting from her as I began to jog for the doorway. "I'll be back soon!"

I ran right up the door, pocketing the Recorder before planting both hands on the panel.

Ding!

"Oh..."

I hadn't even been thinking about my training at that time. I'd been too focused on the mission, but that was fine! There was always next time!

Once the big doors opened wide enough, I squeezed through, breaking into a fast run! I knew that I wasn't supposed to run in the halls, but it was okay if nobody saw me, wasn't it? If I heard someone coming, I'd slow down and look normal, but I wanted to get out of here as soon as possible. The faster I got out, the more time I'd have to explore and find that bookshop again!

The people outside weren't as nice as the ones in here, but even if I couldn't just ask for directions, there were a ton of signs all over the place that I could read, too! None of them were written in the language I knew, but I could read it anyway. It was just another one of the 'gifts' I'd gotten from the people within, the ones watching over me. The voice was one of them, but they probably hadn't given me this gift. They were way too angry and mean to ever give a good gift like that.

I turned a corner, having not come across a single person! Lucky! I made it to the long corridor on the bottom floor, sprinting forward without missing a second! The dark tunnel leading to the surface exits lit up with white light, brightening as I dashed through. There were a few side tunnels that led to other streets, but I didn't want to get lost right away, so I used the one that Equinox always chose! Our tunnel!

I arrived at the short staircase leading up to the trapdoor, wasting no time in hopping up the steps. I saw the two metal handles that opened the door, and had to reach up on my tip-toes to grab them properly. I jumped on the spot, pushing upwards as the two doors flew open, blinding me with the bright, happy sunlight that spilled down into the hall. It brightened up the ster... sterile white corridor with a golden sheen, adding a nice tinge to the purple walls.

I hopped up and out of the corridor, arriving at the outside world. The sights, sounds, and smells of Divastyr rushed over to greet me like an old friend! I took a quick peek back and forth, trying to pick up any signs that people were coming through the sound of far off chatter and footsteps. When I was certain the coast was clear, I pushed both of the doors back together again, one at a time. I listened for the click of the concealed doors reuniting before I stepped forward, out into the bright streets of the city to explore!

The afternoon light warmed me to my core as it splashed all over my body. I winced a little at how bright it was, but I adjusted quickly. The street next to our secret tunnel didn't have many people, but after going from one side street to an area filled with all sorts of folks, I knew I was truly back in the city!

The shadows of the buildings grew all around me as the sun slowly began to fall behind the skyline. Even if the sun was going to sleep to give way to the moon, it did nothing to take away from the city's energy.

My old life was pretty foggy, but some things were really clear to me, especially now. My old home, wherever it was, felt nothing like this. When the sun fell, monsters came out to hunt and the people in my homeland went to sleep. Towns and villages were supposed to turn dark as everyone went to bed, sleeping to recover and get ready for the next day.

But the city was different. No matter what time it was, there was always lights, and people, and energy! The city was always awake, and never went to sleep!

It wasn't just the 'energy' that was different, either. There were so many people around. Even if my memories were wobbly and fuzzy, I knew my old home didn't have nearly this many people. The city was home to Humans, Elven races with pointy ears of different kinds, short Gnomes (And they were not Dwarves! Miss Yuri taught me how to not make that mistake) that were my height, and Beastfolk... or... erm... Tea... Tier-Tierakin? That was what they preferred to be called. Some of them looked like Humans with animal bits smushed onto them, and others looked like talking animals that were Humanoid shaped.

There were terms to differentiate them too, but I couldn't remember them very well. I should've paid more attention to the pamphlets! There were Dog-like Inura, Cat-like Nekari, Goat-like Satyrs, Rat-like Roden, Rabbit-like Lapin, and others too! There was even the occasional Darkling, brightly coloured people with horns and long tails, and races I couldn't recognise or name.

I knew it was rude to stare, but I couldn't help it when everyone and everything was so interesting!

As much as exploring on my own opened so many possibilities, it had problems, too. I turned a corner, keeping my hands tucked into my pockets like Miss Sigura did to protect my nice things from [Pickpockets] and [Thieves]. This was a more important street. The signs were brighter, the buildings were bigger, and the people... there were so many more people.

Without Miss Yuri and Miss Sigura, it was harder to walk around. I was shorter than most adults, so weaving through the crowd was really hard. Most of the time people moved out of the way, or I could squeeze through, but sometimes they bumped into me. It never got so bad that I fell down, but it nearly happened a few times. The bumping didn't hurt, but it made me feel... small. I felt even smaller whenever I called out "Sorry!" and nobody noticed.

Some streets were easy to walk through, like it was a pleasant stroll, while on others, walking felt like a battle for space! People walked around Miss Yuri and Miss Sigura because they were strong, but I wasn't big or tough like they were.

If... If I wanted to, I could have used my abilities. I had a cool Skill that let me float around, but it made me tired really quick. And, um... I knew it was a bad idea to attract attention. Miss Yuri had said as much, and the Familiar nestled in my hood was keeping an eye on me! There were other abilities I had that could help, but... but they would've made an even bigger scene!

The smoke...

I didn't want to think about it that much, but I couldn't help it. I was proud of making it, but I didn't know if I should be. I knew why my magic was like that, even if I hadn't said so. I passed through a crowded street, taking my time on a quieter path to rest and slow my pace. With one hand, I began to feel around in my pocket, wrapping my gloved fingers around the coin pouch.

"[Divine Analysis]," I muttered under my breath, quiet enough not to disturb any passersby.

The gloves I wore were nice and comfy, but I knew they wouldn't last long. The leather was made from Deer's hide, a northern type that I knew was the same one from home. Or... close enough in the stuff they were made of. Deer hide was soft, but it got worn down pretty fast. The fur around the edges were made from the same Deer. Beneath the grip of my hand, I could feel the leather pouch. That leather was made from a type of Cow or Bull. I didn't know the animals that lived around here that well, but they were different from the ones back home. Bigger. The rope tying the pouch shut was made from hemp. Something local. I didn't know much about it, but I could tell the pouch and rope would last much longer than the gloves. The coins within were all silver, and there were forty-four of them. No copper, and no gold. I hadn't counted the coins. I just knew.

I didn't know much about this ability, but I'd been... practicing it, a little bit. It was a Racial Skill, and one of the 'gifts' I'd woken up with after I'd transformed.

I knew why my magical energy was good at making smoke. It was the first thing I'd used the ability on.

The first time the men in the white coats asked me to do tests, I'd begged for answers. I didn't know where I was, who they were, or even who I was. I got... really upset, and they had to make me quiet. They let out that gas into the room, the gas that puts people to sleep. I used everything I could to try and keep myself awake, and the Skill worked on reflex. I understood the smoke, but that knowledge never helped.

Could... could I make that sleeping gas, too? I could make normal smoke, which felt really easy, but I didn't want to make the sleeping gas. It would be useful for the team, but... I'd seen how shaken my smoke had made Miss Yuri when I'd worked backwards from my special magic smoke.

I wanted to be strong, but I didn't want to scare away my friends and make them unhappy even more.

Now I was thinking bad things again. I'd gone out for a walk to get away from the bad thoughts, but they still kept following me. I looked up at the shops, wanting to find some distraction. They all had names and symbols, but seeing so many made them blur together. The pictures were easier to remember, and they seemed more familiar. The fuzzy memories told me shops were like this back home, too. Probably.

I saw a few symbols, and was able to piece some of them together! One of the shops had a symbol that looked like a fancy black shoe. The next had a bow, some arrows, and... those brown boxes that people carried arrows in. Then there was a shop with a cream coloured person's arm. The arm looked super muscly, and was flexing with a clenched fist. There was a dark blue spiky pattern around the arm too, making it stand out.

It just made my own arms feel small.

The building right next door looked... familiar! It was a red building with a brown roof and windows with a white frame. The symbol below the name looked like a burger, and the name above it was one I remembered seeing on our first proper trip into the city. 'Balgramor's Burgers'. It was a scary name, but the restaurant didn't look that bad!

There was a man standing outside, too. He was a Lapin man with a black uniform and really big arms. He had nice looking sky blue fur, a little fluffy tail, and reminded me of Lulu! He wasn't a... half-person like she was, though. He just looked like a big Bunny!

Then he looked down at me, and his eyes widened.

"Woah... Not too close, kid," he said, his voice way deeper sounding than I thought a Bunny man's would be.

"Oh! Okay, sorry mister..." I replied sheepishly, backing up a little. I'd gotten really lost in my thoughts!

"This is a family restaurant, but you shouldn't be around here without a chaperone or some coin. I'm on break though, so you do you," he told me.

"Oh... umm, no, I don't want to come in," I responded. Did I look hungry? Maybe I did, and he was saying that for my sake. That was nice of him! He sounded different to the people in the Velvet Star, but that was fine too. Even if he seemed a little gruff, he was probably a good person beneath it! "I'm looking for a bookstore for my friend! Do you know where I can find one?"

"Your 'friend', huh?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. He glanced inside one of the windows next to the spot he was leaning against, and then back towards me. Then, he jerked a thumb to his left. "Bookwyrm's down the street. Keep going, and look for the silver shell symbol on your left. If you're looking properly, you can't miss it."

Directions! People around here were nice enough to help with them!

"Thank you!" I chirped, beginning to walk quickly.

"Yeah, don't mention it," he responded as I zipped away!

Maybe the people here weren't so bad! I knew some people gave me and the others some funny looks, but Miss Yuri said they weren't really bad. Just confused and a little afraid of new things. That was why we had to set a good example and show them they didn't need to be scared!

There it was! A looooooooong blue store with a shiny looking silver thing above the doors! The word 'Bookwyrm' was right above it in big letters painted in the same colour as the 'shell'. The Bunny man was right, it was easy to see if you knew where to look!

There were books in the windows too. Some were colourful and bright, and some were really thick, like the ones my parents kept at home...? Yeah, that sounded right! Fuzzy... but there! This was going well already. With my blade at my back to keep me company and coins in my pocket, I opened up the door to head inside!

The soft 'ding' of a little silver bell overhead greeted me as I came in, as if to welcome me. I smiled at the thought. It reminded me of the first place we arrived at! The old shopping center.

It was a big shop, but it still felt cozy and warm in here. There was a nice blue carpet and lots of long bookshelves full to the brim with things to explore. Each one had a label, too, with small metal plates on the front of each one, a line of silver with words etched into them. 'EDUCATIONAL', 'ENTERTAINMENT', 'HISTORY'. It was enough to give me a good idea of where to start looking!

"Welcome, little one! Strange looking boy, aren't you?"

My head swished back and forth as I looked for the source of the old, kindly voice. I saw a Gnome above me on my left, sitting on what was probably one of those really tall seats, leaning over a countertop to see me.

"Umm... I suppose so?" I answered. I knew I was a little strange looking, with my special eyes, and skin, and even my horn, but... I was still boy shaped.

"Can I help you with anything, boy? Are you here to shop?"

"Yes!" I nodded back excitedly. If he worked here, he could help me search even faster. "I'm looking for, um... Adventures of the Six! And Aetherman!"

The Gnome smiled to himself, running a hand through his reddish hair before giving me a nod.

"Of course you are. Entertainment aisle on the right. Keep going until you see the 'TEENS' bookshelf. Follow the signs and you'll find what you're looking for," he told me.

Entertainment, then 'TEENS'.

"Thank you, mister!" I chirped, hurrying off as he gave one final nod.

I disappeared into the store, feeling smaller than ever before when compared to the towering bookshelves. I felt small next to them, but they were even taller than Miss Sigura was. They were big. It was a shame Miss Yuri couldn't come in here for herself. She would have loved it in here!

I came to a crossroads with a few different bookshelves in the section. My first instinct was to go to the 'KIDS' section, because I wasn't a teen. It felt strange going that way, but I was getting stuff for someone older, so it was okay for me to be there, right? There was an 'ADULT' section, which was probably for more serious things, and an 'ALTERNATIVE' section, but I didn't know what that was.

I walked down the TEENS aisle, looking from bright cover to cover as my eyes filled with wonder. I... I knew what I was supposed to be looking for, but I... I couldn't help myself. I had to look around now that I was here. I hadn't been out here for that long, had I? I still had plenty of time!

It made sense to go for the prettiest looking books first! The brighter the cover, the better colour they'd have inside! The book that first caught my eye had a pink haired lady with a frilly dress and big, bright eyes. She had some magic staff with a heart on the end of it, and was standing in the middle of a big city square! 'The Saga of Mary Sue'. I flicked through the pages, and found picture after picture of bright, well drawn scenes! She travelled with a bunch of other cool looking characters, but she was definitely the most important. I thought people were only able to use magic they had affinities for, but this character in the book seemed like she could do anything!

Maybe if I had time or got money, I'd buy one of these books. There were a lot of them, too. An entire row of the shelf nearest to the front was full of them, all with different numbers on the side. I didn't check what number I'd been reading, but I should start with number one, shouldn't I?

Time was wasting! I wanted to see what else was here!

I picked up another book, one with a brown furred Nekari on it with reddish goggles. He was sitting on a metal device with two wheels like a wagon. 'Motorcrystal'. I flicked it open, and this one had really nice looking places! There weren't many characters in this story. It was really just the Cat man and a lot of really big landscapes. I couldn't help but get drawn in by all the beautiful mountains and ruins. On some pictures, he went to dungeons, too, the sort of place adventurers went to try and get rich and strong. Did that mean he was an adventurer, too?

It was a great thought. Maybe I could go to a dungeon with Miss Yuri and Miss Sigura one day.

Putting it back, I reached for another book.

I didn't know what to think of the cover. It was really strange. It was just a big... tree. But it was a tree with a face, one with a green magical glow around it, like a [Mantle]. Another tree was flying around behind it, one with an evil, purple glow! I knew it was evil, because it had a thick, curling moustache and sharp looking eyes. The cover said the book was called 'Bark', but I put it back before looking inside.

The next book was less colourful than the rest. The front cover had a city with brown buildings on it, while a short chubby man was holding one of those special seeing glasses. The... the one a person held with one hand and leaned close to things. The [Detective] one! I felt proud of drawing the connection once my eyes found the title; 'Danford Schitt: The World's Worst [Detective]'. When I took a peek inside, I found that it was all words. There weren't any pictures in it, like the other books I'd seen. Aww...

It was too cozy in here. It was nice, quiet, and warm compared to outside, and because of my coat, I was getting a little too warm! If I found a place to lie down, I could probably fall asleep. I needed to focus! Putting the book back, I slapped the sides of my face lightly with both gloved hands. Focus, like Miss Yuri does! I can do this!

I passed over a few other books, working with a careful eye, now! There were so many cool covers, but I needed to be ready to pick out the books Miss Yuri wanted to look at!

'Way of the World'. On one side of the cover was a bright ball of golden light, and on the other side, a giant black foggy monster with a grinning mouth full of- No! Moving on!

'Battle Beat'. 'World of Heroes: The Land of Wake'. 'Necromantic'. 'Tales of the Elementor'. 'The Gates of Y-'

No! Wait, go back! I stopped looking through the books, moving to the one my eyes had just glossed over. 'Tales of the Elementor'. I didn't think it was the book I was looking for, but now that I really gave it my attention, I saw that Aetherman was on the cover! There were other big constructs all around it too, just like Aetherman, but with different colours. This was the one! I picked up the first four books, the ones labelled #1 - #4.

Great! Now I just had to find the other one. I was focusing!

Holding them in my arms, I scoured the shelves with a burst of energy I hadn't felt for a while, scanning the shelves as though I had a Skill for it! I found book after book, but it wasn't until I got back to the start that I found 'Adventures of the Six'. It was pretty close to 'The Adventures of Mary Sue', just on the bookshelf across from it. Just like the Mary Sue books, these ones were bright, colourful, and there were a lot of them.

Like a lot of these books, the words 'Province Pages' were written in red at the top left corner of the cover. On the front was a collection of six people that looked like [Knights], like the ones that lived really far south. They all wore full metal armor with different colours and symbols on them. There was a red one, a blue one, a green one, a yellow one, a purple one, and a white one. The colours caught me off guard for a minute until I put the pieces together. There was something about the colours... Ah! Now I got it! These [Knight] characters had the same colours as the Sacred Six!

If Miss Yuri liked these books, then they were definitely good. When I flicked one of them open and started looking through it, I could see she was right! The art was so cool, with tons of magic and fighting and scary monsters! I saw that there was an evil character too, a lady that looked like a [Witch] in a black feathery dress. On one page, one of the good guys called her 'Madame Necrozia'. She was definitely the bad guy.

Now that I'd found the right book, I could take a break, couldn't I? I should know a bit about it for when I got back anyway, so I could talk to Miss Yuri about the story to help cheer her up!

The more I read, the more I could see why Miss Yuri liked it. It was a story about adventure! About exploration, and seeing new things, and meeting new people! It was the type of story that any adventurer would want to live for themselves!

Even though I was only looking at the pictures and not the words, it was easy to tell what was happening. The good guys would fight the bad guys, the bad guys would get the upper hand, and then the good guys would win! I started silently cheering on the good guys, hoping the [Knights] would win in the end!

My eyes stopped flicking through once I found a particular page. This wasn't a page where fighting was happening, so I'd almost skipped through it. I only stopped because I saw some of the writing.

The page showed a dark castle, one that was definitely belonging to Madame Necrozia, the bad guy. The sky was black as night, and one of her minions, a really big lumpy guy that looked like a Troll, was talking to the Six Heroes. That was weird, since usually the minions didn't really talk. They just fought and lost. This was really different, so I had a look.

"She treats us like pawns, and I'm sick of it!" the Troll said in one of the little white bubbles above his head. "We are worthless to her, and she uses us as nothing more than disposable minions designed to work, fight and die for her! I have had enough! I'm leaving the Demon Army."

"But you're a Troll. Where else will you go?" the [Knight] in white asked.

"I don't know, but I won't stay here. I can't. I will join the other side, or live along in the wilds if they will not have me, but I will not stay," the Troll said.

I felt a lump in my throat. This story was supposed to be light, and fun, but now it wasn't. The Troll was an ugly, scary monster. He was supposed to fight the good guys and lose, but he wasn't doing that. He didn't want to fight at all. He didn't want to be with... with... the bad guys. The evil ones.

Now I couldn't help it. I found comparisons. The [Knight] in red was confident, a good leader, but angry. He was a lot like Miss Sigura. The [Knight] in white was calm, smart, and good at talking to people. She was a lot like Miss Yuri. The Troll...

I watched as a small, wet spot formed on the page. As the shock set in, another one appeared, right next to it. A little dark splotch to ruin it. Another tear fell from my eyes, but I raised a sleeve to catch it, keeping it from damaging the book any further.

I didn't like these books anymore. They were cool, but that one hurt me. It was hard to read, now. I-

"Are you alright?"

I heard a lady's voice speaking to me. For a brief moment, I thought it was Miss Yuri, and that she'd come to help me when I was feeling down, that she'd-

No, it wasn't. Miss Yuri spoke into people's heads, but this person had a voice. When I turned my head, I saw the lady standing next to me. The lady was a Darkling, one that was taller than me but much shorter than Miss Sigura. She had dark purple skin like a plum, a pair of curled horns, and long black hair. She had two orange rings or... or hoops, hanging from her ears. Her eyes were orange, with black bits around the edges. They looked sorta scary, sorta evil, but they were filled with concern.

I nodded, wiping away the tears with a sleeve. I shouldn't be crying here. Crying was something to do alone, and I was supposed to be strong.

"I'm... I'm okay...!" I told her, feeling a pang of annoyance well up. I shouldn't have done that...

"You will... have to buy a book when damaged. I will pay if you have no money," she said. She had a weird accent, one that I couldn't place. I didn't even think about the book. I'd been planning to buy the first books in the story, but this one was really far ahead.

"Umm... I... I have money, it's okay..." I told her, my voice quiet. When I looked up again, my eyes not watering anymore, I saw her looking at me with wonder. I saw her look towards my horn, and then stare with awe into my own eyes. It was a look that made me feel... special.

"You have beautiful eyes. I have not seen someone like you before. What are you?"

What was I?

A Chimera? A monster? A bad guy?

"Thanks... I'm... I'm Streiphen," I told her. "My... my name is Streiphen."

The Darkling lady opened her mouth to say something else, but stopped herself. Her eyes softened again, and it made them look so much less scary. So much less... different.

"I am Sheera. Are you from this place, Streiphen?"

This... place? Umm... She probably didn't mean the store.

"Umm... no," I responded hesitantly. "I come from... somewhere else. I only came here a while ago with my friends. Are... you from here, Miss Sheera?"

The nice lady shook her head, glancing towards the weapon on my back. She leaned over a little to get a better look, and I turned to let her see it better. A red tinge fell over her cheeks, and I smiled.

"Sorry! Did not mean to stare. I have never seen a weapon like that. Not from here either. Come from overseas, still learning... Scandian Common."

Yeah, that made sense. It wasn't the kind of weapon someone could just see anywhere!

"My weapon is extra special! My friend made it just for me!" I chirped, wondering how hard it was to learn another language without special magic gifts.

She smiled at the comment, glancing from my eyes and horn to the book still in my hands. The book I still hadn't been able to put back on the shelf.

"What is that book about?" she asked me, eyes inquisitive and sparkling. It was a look I saw in my own eyes sometimes, when I looked in a mirror. I always imagined it was the kind of look that would have been in Miss Yuri's eyes, too.

"Umm... adventurers, I think?" I responded vaguely. I didn't know much about the story, only that it had good people with magic fighting bad people and monsters. "It's a hero story."

When my mind went to the story, I couldn't help but think of something else.

"Why are you here? You're an adult, aren't you? This is the teens section!"

It was suspicious! I knew Miss Yuri was an adult too, but she was looking for books she read when she was a teen, and I was here for her, so that made perfect sense. But this lady was an adult!

"I have not seen many books," the lady responded sheepishly. "I have been in this shop for... a long time. I have been looking everywhere. Going all across the shop."

Ooh! She'd been exploring the shop. That made a lot of sense. I nodded with a smile, feeling... not that bad, now. It was nice to talk to people.

"Do you want to sit down?" the Darkling lady asked. I didn't know where we could sit down, but she gestured with an arm to somewhere over my head. I turned around, walking through the aisle before seeing what it was she was pointing at.

Hidden behind all the colourful books and towering wooden bookcases was a little reading area! There was a circular place with curved wooden benches, some desks, and couches. Some people were sitting down and reading, while others were talking to each other. Probably about books! Or... I thought they were talking about books. Their mouths were moving, but I didn't hear any words come out. They weren't that far away, so I thought that was a little weird. In the middle of the sitting space was a statue, one with a tall stone pillar and a scaled worm wrapped all around it. The 'head' of the worm looked like pictures of Dragons I'd seen, but it didn't have horns, or a mane, or even eyes. It was just a long, curled mouth with scales and big, sharp teeth!

"Why aren't they saying anything?" I asked, pointing towards the people on the couch as I looked over my shoulder at Miss Sheera.

"They are. [Silence] ball Spell is made by statue," she answered, leading me forward. I followed her out of the aisle, still holding the books in my arms. When we both stepped down into the sitting space, I could hear them! They sounded far away, even though we were close, but I could hear them. All around me was a grey bubble of light. It was sorta see-through, and everything outside it was tinged with the colour. I couldn't see the bubble on the outside, but it was easy to see from in here!

"Woah..." I responded, walking through the magic bubble space. I sat on one of the benches close to the statue, being careful not to scrape the seat with my weapon as I plopped myself down! "This is really cool!"

Sheera nodded, sitting down next to me.

"My home had nothing nice like this," she told me. "Very different to here."

Oh... I didn't know where she came from, but it didn't sound like somewhere that was as good as Divastyr. I felt a little better about being here, now. It was big, and scary, and full of people I didn't know, but that was fine. That just meant there were more places to see, more chances for me to grow, and full of people I could meet and become friends with!

I opened up that book again, moving past the page with the Troll that made me feel sad. Sheera leaned over a little to look into the book while I read. The next pages had a big battle to protect the evil castle, with a ton of strange monsters! This was more like what I was hoping for! The Heroes charged into battle, pulling out their weapons and charging their magic as-

"Tsekouvata Kynkal..." Sheera said, smiling to herself.

Huh...? What was that supposed to mean? I'd never heard anyone say something like that before. I let my confused face do the talking as I looked back up at her.

"Sorry," she responded sheepishly, pointing towards one of the strange creatures in the book. It looked like a big black Dog, but had a weird and creepy head. It looked like a curved metal blade with eyes, and a snarling mouth parting the blade at the middle. "It is... something from my land. Axe... Axehandle Dog. Axehandle Hound? One of those. I think that is what you call it here."

Woah! Wait, these were real monsters??? Looking from one strange creature to the next, a new level of wonder burst to life as I thought that these were actual monsters, and not just fictional things made for the story.

"What about the other ones?" I asked eagerly, my voice getting... excited. Energised. I was really, really glad that I came out, now. "Are they real too? What are they?"

A red tinge formed on her purple cheeks, and her face contorted with thought. Her finger reached out to point and teach once again.

"This one is Barghest. Same name here as home. Very dangerous, but can be beaten with a group. Stone monster is Ga... Gargoyle. Other Dog with three heads is Cerberus. Never seen one. This is Zaia Panvamir- ah! No, no... Black... Dark... Long dark...? Shadow! Shadow Panther. That is the name."

Miss Sheera was smart. She knew a lot of things, like Miss Yuri! Over and over, she told me the names of things I'd never seen or heard of before. She taught me name after name, and explained things about them when I asked, or told me that the magic the Heroes had could exist, and the rules behind them. Whenever I had a question, Miss Sheera seemed to have an answer. With each back and forth, I felt a little better.

"Is this helping, Streiphen?" she asked, a smile on her face as we reached the end of the chapter.

I smiled. The stars in my eyes lit up, and I felt a warmth in my chest. A good warmth. A happy warmth, not just one that came to me when I felt 'safe'. That warmth wasn't good enough, but this was the sort of warmth I wanted. The sort of warmth that made everything feel familiar, and bright, and clear.

"Yeah! This is what I needed!"