“How did I get tricked into this?” I wonder aloud. “No, seriously. How did I ever think this was a good idea?”1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ200ZMu1Au0
Klef shushes me. “You’ll be fine. Don’t worry.”1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJlO3dspSww
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?”1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgDlt1IFWv0
“Yes. But this isn’t in public,” Klef reasons.1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUq1MIXABzR
“I’m with Klef on this one, Reese, have some self confidence!” Geo adds.1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzyD26iS7Ap
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?”1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKQvjorQPTa
“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.”1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP8ZuelQWDv
Flo smiles, bashful. “I really wasn’t that good at finding anything to help you, but you’re welcome regardless.”1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXwE3BMUR5L
The other werewolf clears their throat. “Am I invisible, or something?”1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2SnZ9N77sK
“Oh! Sorry, Rythe! Everyone, this is Rythe, my mate,” Flo says with a blush.1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRnQ0w5nEbP
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!”1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfMtvjDQY5W
I nod. “I’m Rides. Nice to meet you.”1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ4pPxK6QYG
Rythe bows. “It’s an honor, my lady.”1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡehIvlIZfHq
I blush and Flo whacks Rythe upside the head. “Stop, you, you’re embarrassing her!”1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV8jSQIrqu5
Rythe grins. “But that’s what you love about me! And clearly she doesn’t see herself as some sort of royalty!”1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbNeRR3tIUc
Flo mutters in a low voice, “She’s the Alpha’s daughter.”1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg6GvW8nTBA
Rythe straightens. “You mean the Alpha of a rival pack or The Alpha?”1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrTEL82gcHq
“Try the second one,” Flo mutters, embarrassed on his behalf.1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8pdeKaYanf
“Oh.” Rythe salutes me. “Terribly sorry, ma’am.”1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzmYUEw9CiN
“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.”1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY0dsq3iKBc
Rythe nods stiffly, setting the flower crown close to the brink of desruction, and leads us inside.1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSD5SaAGxLG
“Guy or girl?” Klef whispers to Geo.1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpmt7ve1mfk
“I...don’t know? Guy, I think?”1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaW3VnttTU5
“No, I’d say girl,” Klef muses.1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4OQld39gPV
“What are you guys talking about?” I mutter.1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnvuuTqbT96
“Rythe. Guy or girl, do you think?”1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3LhrPqmOQY
“Um…” I have to think about my answer. “Maybe they’re neither…”1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZZJkEq8cDV
“Neither? Is that possible?” Klef asks.1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5odbl6EDuk
“It would make sense,” Geo reasons.1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡferYxH08oE
“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.”1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj2ermXcapt
“Right, because the natural neutral pronouns are it/its, but that can be seen as degrading nowadays,” Geo says.1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp24nHAKUCH
“It is grammatically correct, though,” Klef points out.1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA3bFFp6Ppd
“I guess you have a point, but would you be okay with being called an ‘it’?” I counter.1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXtCY13VWq2
“What are you guys talking about?” Flo asks.1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1J9TGr24jj
“Nothing much,” Geo says. “Just things back at our branch, you know?”1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmFjxdyHaNV
Rythe coughs and mutters, “They/them,” and I grin at Klef and Geo.1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ86k7HKi1Io
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.1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVrlfwyK9nw
Rythe clears their throat. “Ladies, gentlemen, and everyone else, allow me to present Rides, the Oracle who will be informing us on her dreams!”1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIZujuVm30k
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.1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ45gZrTDwen
“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’.”1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡacIfQQYPO0
Everyone shifts around, suddenly on edge. “And?!” a wizard with pitch black hair shouts.1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyETHGGNNao
“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.1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRhHoslD5BB
“That we know of!” a gorgon yells. “We could be on a wild goose chase, lass!”1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0os0yRCk9D
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.”1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzDKvApIGtg
The wizard who yelled out comes up to me. “Yeah, but we were expecting…”1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWiom71rCEA
“More?” I supply. “Yeah, a lot of people do. Be glad I have that much, though. This is coming from 5 years of dreams.”1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDmMXu6aOyE
“Okay. I’m Ama. A necromancer,” she introduces. “I’m going to be guarding you three for your stay.”1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu7X09xdk9y
“Make that the two of them,” Geo corrects. “I’m no one.”1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0SuntHM07C
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.”1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP4NBSFWIvv
The room is still silent, everyone anticipating my reply. “Excuse me,” I gasp, making a beeline for the room’s exit.1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA3sfOCpxdL
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.1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSOOKU3Q9e0
Footsteps come up to my back. Two pairs. “Ride?” Klef asks. “You okay?”1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtyiGXKmDDV
I shake my head and close my eyes, resting my side against the wall. “Sick,” I mutter.1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhysi9FC88W
“I’m sorry if I upset you, but you need to get it into your head that you’re special,” Ama states.1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJrbZaKg67h
“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.”1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYIz2HFi4j3
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?”1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9ZDSH8JRrE
“S-sure.” I stumble on the word, because what is the correct response to someone volunteering to reanimate a corpse for you?1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEZndx88KHK
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.”1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfymiahdcZs
“Definitely not someone I’d call a necromancer,” Klef mutters.1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJyDIECphQD
I still don’t turn enough to see him properly. Ama shifts so she can face me fully. “Pet the bun,” she instructs.1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW2pwumBUDh
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.1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD4lV97E3JA
I put a hand on her shoulder. “But you’re great at it.”1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEAVlcajAYh
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.”1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQyhSAWTsjr
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.”1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrSyYoLgypq
“I’m fine,” I mutter as I lean against his shoulder.1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFuAZOyydgT
“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.”1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3l0bkAjFeZ
I scoff. “Shut up, bird brain.”1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡybj6f3ucML
“Make me, pointy ears!” Klef challenged.1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu3hwyJ5gzE
Ama looked between us. “You two are so dating.”1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoMwKRS0dC5
“No we’re not!” we deny at the same time.1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaEtIbOjm9D
Ama laughs. “So dating.”1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyhzsAt3UOe
“Well don’t say anything. We want to keep it on the DL, if it’s possible,” Klef requested.1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtXYjnUXJAM
“Seriously? I’m willing to bet half the people here have started a pool on your relationship status!”1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrikXNqi98R
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.”1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL6Q3LBZt7X
Klef raises an eyebrow at me. “Is that how you see yourself?”1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY1SZOeVl4H
I shrug. “Well, people mix up you and I a lot.”1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY5kp31zdwx
Klef lightly punches me. “There’s the Ride I know and love.”1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjSaIIscpg4
Ama sighs. “I ship it,” she murmurs.1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMgGi307MrI
“There’s that word again!” I exclaim. “Why would people ‘ship’ us?”1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQHvlFBh5ZN
“It’s cute!” Ama defends.1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpUqK06sozt
“It’s weird!”1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwKVAlxcQvN
“It’s true!”1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtsOROtDbrh
“It’s really really funny,” Klef interjects.1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrBHBfIMXFR
I elbow him. “It is not,” I sigh.1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYKkE7sur4I
Klef grins.1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTMCj8rqmkT
“It’s not funny!” I exclaim.1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡryt5ebOmZ6
“Whatever you say, Ride. Whatever you say,” Klef laughs.1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ2nQxnfbqX
Rythe and Flo come into view outside the conference room. “You okay?” Rythe asks.1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUFfddxF8lb
I nod. Klef lets go of me and I nearly topple over. “Do you mind?” I growl.1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9h8LiL2p5X
He grins. “We’ll get you something to sit on until you feel better,” he assures.1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpfsRWlVjhA
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.1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiZhN1lcZhd
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.1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWhyQbx0jqX
“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.”1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡePlZm7YWkI
I nod. “Are we sending people to check out the most probable places?”1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxmvCIu55hb
“Yeah, and we’re sending you and Klef to some of the less likely ones, to deal with the messages somewhere safe.”1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRP0whVMmtJ
“Okay, I guess…I’d rather be out looking, though.”1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMXwGHsAYII
“It’s for the best you don’t,” a pale human with freckles says. “Hibiscus A, they/them. Has a mild obsession with dragons.”1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHlZX8ug8OY
I smile. “Rides. My dad wants me to go by Iri. I’m old fashioned, I don’t like using my full name.”1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ14zIoj9Tsq
Hibiscus A nodded. “I got you. Completely got you. Nice to make your acquaintance, Rides.”1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzFUuObmoRS
“Likewise.”1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhwyeVpYVNq
Klef walks in, followed by my dad. “Still hanging around this scum, Iri?”1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDiZsZKsz7w
I laugh. “Hi, dad.”1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUUENJqXYvv
Klef looks offended. “What am I?”1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIIBvbxxq4y
“Chopped liver,” I respond.1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbkoRYnJCjX
Dad laughs. “Nice one!”1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhi0c3qscpl
Klef holds a hand to his heart. “You wound me, Ride. You wound me.”1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ591FCpWTyX
“Good. I was trying to.”1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0h8jLVnk0G
Hibiscus A coughed. “Ship it,” they mutter.1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6N6kbu7lw7
I throw my hands up. “I’m done with this!” I sigh.1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEx0KMwgGsK
Everyone laughs. “You think I’m joking?” I ask, standing up shakily. “I’ll see you all tomorrow,” I exclaim, waving.1033Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ05nPobUpXR
Penana
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