“How did I get tricked into this?” I wonder aloud. “No, seriously. How did I ever think this was a good idea?”1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT7ZQOoFTYF
Klef shushes me. “You’ll be fine. Don’t worry.”1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkwayT8Cybh
The Crusader’s base is in sight, and I’m having more than a few second thoughts about this whole experience. “Have you ever seen me try to speak in public?”1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBYf9qCS3ES
“Yes. But this isn’t in public,” Klef reasons.1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5kHWgpUXK1
“I’m with Klef on this one, Reese, have some self confidence!” Geo adds.1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGwjXbLqIg9
As we’re walking toward the Crusader’s base, Flo walks out with a werewolf who I’m assuming is her mate. They have flowers in their short cropped hair but despite the typically “feminine” accessory has a somewhat-masculine build. Both of them walk out to greet us. “Oh, so nice to see you three! Geo, Iri, and...sorry, was it Klept?”1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgKz0cfPggN
“Klef, nice to meet you,” Klef says, shaking Flo’s hand. “I understand you’re the one who helped me when I had food poisoning 5 years ago. Thank you for that.”1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfD4LG1xwok
Flo smiles, bashful. “I really wasn’t that good at finding anything to help you, but you’re welcome regardless.”1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDmutDALmsE
The other werewolf clears their throat. “Am I invisible, or something?”1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIAMtfN11OV
“Oh! Sorry, Rythe! Everyone, this is Rythe, my mate,” Flo says with a blush.1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJPF8qT4mn5
Rythe shakes Klef and Geo’s hands, and then comes to me, examining my eyes. “And you must be the Oracle I’m hearing so much about!”1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb70HJxjAeL
I nod. “I’m Rides. Nice to meet you.”1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIw2Me9XouW
Rythe bows. “It’s an honor, my lady.”1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHJBEeGnRnZ
I blush and Flo whacks Rythe upside the head. “Stop, you, you’re embarrassing her!”1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4eI1zERNAl
Rythe grins. “But that’s what you love about me! And clearly she doesn’t see herself as some sort of royalty!”1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwrz8oSstHj
Flo mutters in a low voice, “She’s the Alpha’s daughter.”1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVEL7ieYYm3
Rythe straightens. “You mean the Alpha of a rival pack or The Alpha?”1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKNtV1qKVhf
“Try the second one,” Flo mutters, embarrassed on his behalf.1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3PJuHJq0QK
“Oh.” Rythe salutes me. “Terribly sorry, ma’am.”1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhNT8ONYp00
“That’s not necessary, Rythe,” I laugh. “I’m perfectly fine with being called Rides, or even Iri, if my dad insists on calling me that all the time.”1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfgpGupQxHJ
Rythe nods stiffly, setting the flower crown close to the brink of desruction, and leads us inside.1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ7LaLXAx3z
“Guy or girl?” Klef whispers to Geo.1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxuZKuxfUc2
“I...don’t know? Guy, I think?”1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYw3kWkBGxi
“No, I’d say girl,” Klef muses.1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW2xdVO4vGQ
“What are you guys talking about?” I mutter.1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmx3tBoOQqc
“Rythe. Guy or girl, do you think?”1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡttTWTZ06Zw
“Um…” I have to think about my answer. “Maybe they’re neither…”1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9GYKxLbzft
“Neither? Is that possible?” Klef asks.1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP9osZxlc4F
“It would make sense,” Geo reasons.1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzT6kBvYOLW
“I’m going to stick to using first names around those two,” I say, holding to the werewolf couple holding hands. “Just to stay in the clear.”1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZLtzSqOSQb
“Right, because the natural neutral pronouns are it/its, but that can be seen as degrading nowadays,” Geo says.1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPME9MdLUQi
“It is grammatically correct, though,” Klef points out.1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7SzdLHjFBT
“I guess you have a point, but would you be okay with being called an ‘it’?” I counter.1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWdV7QSzZjg
“What are you guys talking about?” Flo asks.1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMXyeqTiRWX
“Nothing much,” Geo says. “Just things back at our branch, you know?”1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf1xgbgaXNm
Rythe coughs and mutters, “They/them,” and I grin at Klef and Geo.1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKtGjEuR0ok
Flo ushers us into a giant room filled with desks where people are talking on phones, documenting things with pictures and surrounding a map, adjusting plastic pieces and discussing strategy. There are many species I recognize and some I don’t. This speech is not going to be easy.1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9LhIuetO5F
Rythe clears their throat. “Ladies, gentlemen, and everyone else, allow me to present Rides, the Oracle who will be informing us on her dreams!”1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3CNcniTXqT
The room goes silent and every eye is on me as I take a deep breath. “Well...first of all, thanks for paying attention, I know a large room full of people who wouldn’t be willing to do that. Second of all,” I look around the room. “Why are you guys paying attention?! I have no clue what I’m doing, and I’m willing to bet every other person in this room has a better idea about how to handle this problem than I do. I am young, inexperienced, and I have recurring nightmares, so I don’t get a lot of sleep to think clearly.” Everyone looks at one another, shifting and murmuring. “My point being,” I yell over the murmuring, and everything goes dead silent again, “That no matter what you think of me, I’m like anyone else. I have my strengths and my weaknesses, just as everyone else in this room has to deal with. I’m not some super-impressive goddess who can do anything I want. I’m weak at almost everything here. I’m just Rides, the girl who dunked her boyfriend in ice cold water to try and help speed up his molting. But you need information, and fortunately, that’s one of my strengths.1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoLRuvvCFLx
“All of my dreams are pretty much the same. I’m being led to some machine of mass destruction by someone--I don’t know who. I’m on some island, or place surrounded by water, at least. There’s mermaids, fairies, zombies, ghosts, you name a species, it’s probably there, except there are never any humans. When I’m strapped to it something happens and it takes my Sight. It revs up and Klef is asking whoever the leader is why they’re doing this. To summarize, they say it’s to ‘destroy all humans’.”1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4KYfAQ0qIy
Everyone shifts around, suddenly on edge. “And?!” a wizard with pitch black hair shouts.1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCOJ9ZWpMiQ
“And that’s it. I can say it’s more likely that we’re on an island than a continent, and there aren’t as many islands in this world to check out…” I say.1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5MbjriOuNC
“That we know of!” a gorgon yells. “We could be on a wild goose chase, lass!”1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeRMRZz77GV
Klef bristles next to me and I hold him back with a hand. “You called me here,” I explain, “You wanted to know what I knew. There you have it.”1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNTVWj9dnRd
The wizard who yelled out comes up to me. “Yeah, but we were expecting…”1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo4Cd9GHQfx
“More?” I supply. “Yeah, a lot of people do. Be glad I have that much, though. This is coming from 5 years of dreams.”1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsyBJe01sFd
“Okay. I’m Ama. A necromancer,” she introduces. “I’m going to be guarding you three for your stay.”1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDWKVClCqsa
“Make that the two of them,” Geo corrects. “I’m no one.”1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1mYi06JRIj
I start to protest but Ama cuts me off. “He has a good point, Oracle. You and your partner are the highest priority here. The less people to protect, the safer you’ll be.”1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIt0n731eTb
The room is still silent, everyone anticipating my reply. “Excuse me,” I gasp, making a beeline for the room’s exit.1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEc7jI3KXmT
I wander the halls, looking for a restroom. I know I’m about to be sick. I heave in the middle of the hallway and shudder as nothing comes up but a little bile. I was too nervous to eat lunch earlier, but now I’m glad I insisted that I wasn’t hungry. After a few more dry heaves, I slide down the colorless wall to the right of me to the ground. Now that I’ve stopped puking, all I really want to do is cry. I’m really not important. They just need my gift, and anyone could get that. To say others’ lives, their family and friends, my family and friends, are nothing next to me...it has to be utterly ridiculous. There’s no way. I no more important than anyone else. No one should die on my behalf.1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJr7uKdDs9L
Footsteps come up to my back. Two pairs. “Ride?” Klef asks. “You okay?”1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWHE2dRAYNi
I shake my head and close my eyes, resting my side against the wall. “Sick,” I mutter.1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1VpGx9CDSi
“I’m sorry if I upset you, but you need to get it into your head that you’re special,” Ama states.1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwytWbhLkcO
“You don’t seem to be the type to be a necromancer,” I say. “Since you seem to care about people and their health so much.”1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvKKzg2vShq
Ama laughs. “You haven’t seen me mad.” I turn to get a good look at her. She does have a black air about her, but it’s small and watery at the moment. She has black ringlets that go below her shoulders and clear, milky skin. She also has one green and one blue eye. She notices me looking at her eyes and grins. “Yeah, I have the Sight too. It makes my magic strong enough to animate corpses. Wanna see?”1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0lMJjywZUf
“S-sure.” I stumble on the word, because what is the correct response to someone volunteering to reanimate a corpse for you?1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ85EXUjxB7l
Ama mutters something and a tiny skeleton of a rabbit forms out of bones in a pocket Ama has on her clothes. “I like bunnies,” Ama explains. “Once I made an entire fluffle of skeleton bunnies follow me.”1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0IftwrFHLm
“Definitely not someone I’d call a necromancer,” Klef mutters.1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNd9Rl9T1Ys
I still don’t turn enough to see him properly. Ama shifts so she can face me fully. “Pet the bun,” she instructs.1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlFn8oB2ase
My hand reaches for the bunny with hesitation and it lifts its head up to meet my fingers, relishing every single stroke. I smile, and Ama smiles at me. The bunny falls into a pile of bones and Ama shakily returns the bones to her pockets. “Always drains me,” she admits.1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQIVsXReHqj
I put a hand on her shoulder. “But you’re great at it.”1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBaU5hHX93B
Ama grins, a blush creeping over her from ear to ear as she stands up. “Come on. Everyone is waiting for you, to make sure you’re all right.”1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZA2rWbk4bQ
I stand up, my muscles screaming at me every inch. My legs shake and my head is spinning as I finally look at Klef. His face is etched in concern and he takes the few slow steps to me as if he’s walking across a minefield. He wraps an arm around my shoulder and says, “You look like you’re about to keel over. Let me help.”1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4iJum76kpi
“I’m fine,” I mutter as I lean against his shoulder.1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHGvLtnlNcE
“Of course you are, you’re great,” he snarks as he leads me back the way we came. “That’s why you puked and collapsed.”1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs36GpaEHto
I scoff. “Shut up, bird brain.”1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg7wqTCmV4w
“Make me, pointy ears!” Klef challenged.1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpt3aZEmyBy
Ama looked between us. “You two are so dating.”1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhxPxpJzlTK
“No we’re not!” we deny at the same time.1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdt1C2nogMg
Ama laughs. “So dating.”1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaH5O2g7PGi
“Well don’t say anything. We want to keep it on the DL, if it’s possible,” Klef requested.1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdtsriKwvbe
“Seriously? I’m willing to bet half the people here have started a pool on your relationship status!”1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxCYdKDGXsJ
I groan. “Great. Just what I need. First I’m more important than others, and now I’m going to be seen as a desperate lovestruck teenager.”1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoEewKnkCLv
Klef raises an eyebrow at me. “Is that how you see yourself?”1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbxBssBb3FE
I shrug. “Well, people mix up you and I a lot.”1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxzKtMoiaBg
Klef lightly punches me. “There’s the Ride I know and love.”1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaxvwu08fQB
Ama sighs. “I ship it,” she murmurs.1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwJqTC78lrO
“There’s that word again!” I exclaim. “Why would people ‘ship’ us?”1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKZoITQ7j7a
“It’s cute!” Ama defends.1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqhzlNVlRN3
“It’s weird!”1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG1I47j1FHK
“It’s true!”1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtZv7B16gxk
“It’s really really funny,” Klef interjects.1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu4ojsGouVH
I elbow him. “It is not,” I sigh.1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡydSy1poEY4
Klef grins.1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6IXCVobYDC
“It’s not funny!” I exclaim.1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF0fPCYGbWi
“Whatever you say, Ride. Whatever you say,” Klef laughs.1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnTxuEmQD6T
Rythe and Flo come into view outside the conference room. “You okay?” Rythe asks.1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfq1D9G2NDO
I nod. Klef lets go of me and I nearly topple over. “Do you mind?” I growl.1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhN3zC4ARew
He grins. “We’ll get you something to sit on until you feel better,” he assures.1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuMr6s2Vabq
I mimic him. He punches me, nearly sending me careening into a wall. Rythe picks me up. “I can take you to a wheelchair, don’t worry,” they say.1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGV0CoMETlF
I’m carried to a wheelchair next to a table with a globe on it. Little red flags litter the globe. “What are those flags for?” I ask.1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT5Fad5Mxtn
“Those are possible places your dreams could have taken place. Now, the list has decreased significantly with your information,” Rythe pulled out land-based flags. “Because you said you were on a peninsula or an island. Now, in addition to the Islands of the Mermaids, there are a bunch of unmapped islands all around the globe. And there’s on in the middle of a lake in the Untamed Lands that’s suspicious.”1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9Alx1EBOKy
I nod. “Are we sending people to check out the most probable places?”1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPKhODLV1f5
“Yeah, and we’re sending you and Klef to some of the less likely ones, to deal with the messages somewhere safe.”1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrXw37ApRhN
“Okay, I guess…I’d rather be out looking, though.”1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXAXiwmGiaM
“It’s for the best you don’t,” a pale human with freckles says. “Hibiscus A, they/them. Has a mild obsession with dragons.”1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgVOSdwmtqS
I smile. “Rides. My dad wants me to go by Iri. I’m old fashioned, I don’t like using my full name.”1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx7iiYJUPpU
Hibiscus A nodded. “I got you. Completely got you. Nice to make your acquaintance, Rides.”1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPVkl1VudAk
“Likewise.”1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdpplfelGiX
Klef walks in, followed by my dad. “Still hanging around this scum, Iri?”1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWYsVK76Ji5
I laugh. “Hi, dad.”1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW9RUIzYLq4
Klef looks offended. “What am I?”1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl6HR07PQoM
“Chopped liver,” I respond.1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgzuwmBUG5q
Dad laughs. “Nice one!”1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV3PHB6Zq2n
Klef holds a hand to his heart. “You wound me, Ride. You wound me.”1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdFknDPBiYf
“Good. I was trying to.”1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLWVYOyIKj7
Hibiscus A coughed. “Ship it,” they mutter.1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo6vrVl4Hrg
I throw my hands up. “I’m done with this!” I sigh.1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3Dc25TBe7T
Everyone laughs. “You think I’m joking?” I ask, standing up shakily. “I’ll see you all tomorrow,” I exclaim, waving.1101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSnUeansJTU
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