Airheart felt marvelous to be flying again, and too soon, they spotted a town down below. "Let's stop and ask directions to Ballot!" Rex suggested. Airheart nodded her agreement. They landed outside the town's border, and dismounted. The moment their feet touched the ground, their birds took off, cawing happily. "Looks like we'll have to find another way to Ballot," said Rex.

Airheart looked around. The terrain was much greener than where they had come from. The air was cooler, but she figured that that was due to the sun's setting. They walked into town and entered a saloon. The people inside all stopped what they were doing and stared at the strangers. No one said anything. "Not very friendly, are they?" Rex asked Airheart quietly. Airheart just stepped forward and made her way to the bar. Rex followed. The people in the saloon went back to their business, and the chatter resumed.

"'Scuse me," Airheart said to the bartender as a small man started playing a merry tune on a piano in a corner. The bartender turned to her, a scowl on his face.

"What'll you have?" He asked.

"Actually, I'd like to know the name of this town," said Airheart.

"This 'ere town's Ballot."

"Hey, that's great! Rex, we're here!" Exclaimed Airheart, turning to Rex.

"Either 'a you actually gonna order a drink?" Asked the bartender.

"Can't," said Airheart.

"Don't," said Rex.

"Then get outta my saloon!" The bartender growled.

"Alright, alright! Geez!" Exclaimed Airheart, pushing away from the bar. "Thanks for the information, though." She added. The bartender only glared at her.

The duo walked out of the saloon. "D'ya think everyone here's like that?" Rex asked.

"I hope not. We need directions to the bog!"

They tried an inn, next. The secretary was much nicer, until Airheart asked him if he knew the way to the bog. His face paled. "If ya know what's good for ya, ya won't go near the bog. What you want with it, anyway?"

"We're looking for someone," Airheart responded.

The man shook his head. "Best leave it be. Can I get you two rooms?"

"We'll come back if we need them, thank you."

They exited the inn, disappointed. "I don't think anyone's gonna tell us anythin'," Rex said. Airheart sighed. "Look, it's almost dark," Rex continued. "We can find the bog demon in the mornin'. Why don't we get a couple rooms and-"

"Did you say you were looking for the bog demon?" Said a voice to their left. They turned to see a young man. He was smiling a slightly unnerving smile.

"Yeah… Who are you?" Airheart asked, suspiciously.

"Just someone who can help you," the young man answered. Then he stepped forward and clapped his hands on the backs of their necks. They tried to move, but found that they couldn't. Around them, their surroundings appeared to melt like candle wax. The colors changed and solidified into shapes. Then the young man let go, and they took in their new surroundings.

They were standing in a clearing, surrounded by moss covered trees that towered high overhead. There were no means of lighting the clearing, but moonlight streamed down and lit up the scene as clear as day. In between the trees stood human figures, dressed in armor that looked like it was made from bark, moss, and reeds. Their faces were covered by giant bird skulls that served as their helmets.

At the back of the clearing was a throne made of vine, moss, and wood. On this throne lounged a skeleton. Moss and vines hung from its joints, and a crown made of twisted branches sat on its head.

A hollow log rested next to the throne. A man in big red suspenders sat at the middle, a banjo holstered in his hands. He was very good, but he looked very sad. As the suspender man played his banjo, the skeleton waved its finger back and forth to the rhythm.

The young man who had brought them here stepped forward. "Your majesty." The skeleton held up its hand, indicating that the man should not speak. The man followed the order.

When the suspender man had finished his song, the skeleton said, "Stop," and rolled its head to look at the young man. The sockets in its head were empty and black, but Airheart couldn't help but feel like the skeleton could stare into souls. "What is it?"

"Your majesty," the young man repeated. "I overheard these two humans saying that they wanted to find you. So I brought them to you, as those are my instructions."

The bog demon sighed. "I forgot, you're new. Invokers of my name are to have a waiting period in the swamp's purgatory of at least two months. They don't call me a demon for nothing. Oh well, might as well deal with them now that they're here." It leaped off of its throne and landed a foot in front of Rex and Airheart, collapsing into a pile of bones. Then it rose and reformed into a humanoid shape. "So? Why did you call upon me?"

Airheart moved her mouth, but no sound came out. She was too shocked to speak. Having expected the bog demon to be some bat-like creature, like on the train, or a devil, like in the cartoons before movies, she wasn't sure how to react to a talking skeleton.

It was Rex who answered. "We- uh- we've come to ask fer yer help."

The bog demon leaned toward Rex. "Indeed. What for?"

"I- see, I need your help getting home," said Airheart, finding her voice. The demon tilted its head and stared at her. It didn't say anything, so she continued. "I'm from the future. I was flying a machine called an airplane, when I got zapped back in time." She paused. "But I don't want to go back to where I was." Rex looked at her in surprise.

"Look," she continued. "There's nothing left for me back there except flying, but I can fly anywhere there are planes. Everyone I know probably thinks I'm dead. And I don't care. What I want is to go where I'll be happy. I want to be with Jimmy. Jimmy Young. He was my boyfriend and he's disappeared, and he's probably dead but…" Airheart's face screwed up as if she was crying, but no tears fell.

The bog demon stared at her a moment longer, then looked at Rex. "And what about you? What do you want?"

"Me?" Said Rex, taken aback. "I don't want nothin'."

"That's a lie," laughed the demon. "Everyone wants something."

Rex was quiet for a moment, then said, "My horse. He's out in the desert, and he's hurt. I want him fixed and brought to me, please."

The demon swung about and loped back to its throne. "You two are just like any other human I've met: boring. You come before me and ask to be returned to your loved ones. I don't even want to hear what you have to offer in return. Honestly, do you have no imagination?" It stood before its throne, facing them. "I won't grant your wishes."

Airheart was horrified. "What?" She croaked, feeling like her heart was going too fast. She stumbled forward. "You have to help us! We- we came all this way!" She knew that the demon probably didn't care, but she was at the end of her rope. "We- we faced a rattlesnake king! We derailed a demon train! We even rode giant-"

"Wait, wait," said the bog demon, holding up its hands. "That was you? You derailed the train?" Airheart hesitated, then nodded. The demon laughed a loud, shrieking, evil laugh. "So I have you to thank for destroying my brother's toy!"

It laughed again, holding the bones where its stomach would have been, then started to explain. "My brother, the desert demon, likes to capture travelers and make them his slaves. Naturally, with the expansion of the railway, he decided to try out a train that took unsuspecting humans to his castle in Hades.

"And it worked, too! He just loved to boast about it. It was quite annoying. But now, his little experiment is ruined and he's all sore about it." It giggled, a sound that sent shivers down Airheart's spine, and rubbed its hands together. "Hmm. I guess I shall grant your wishes. You!" It pointed a finger at Rex. "Your horse. Where is it?"

"Still in the train," answered Rex. The demon waved its hand, and before them stood Compañero, legs fixed. Compañero whinnied happily when he saw Rex, and Rex jumped forward and threw his arms around the horse's neck. Then Rex looked at the demon. "Thank you."

The demon turned to Airheart. "And you wanted to be with- what was his name? Jimmy Young? Hmm…" It stood still and silent for a moment, then waved its hand again. There was a flash of light, and then a round window as tall as a man appeared in front of Airheart. It was as if someone had placed a large mirror in the glade, except the mirror didn't reflect their surroundings. It showed a young man wearing a pilot's jacket. He was lacing up his boots.

"Jimmy!" Airheart exclaimed. She smiled, her heart longing to step through the window-like portal. But something held her back. She looked up at the demon. "How do I know this isn't some sort of trick?"

The bog demon shrugged. "You don't. Take it or leave it, I don't care."

Airheart turned to Rex. "Do you think I should go?" She asked.

"Hey, it brought back Compañero! This could be real. I think you should take the chance," said Rex, a large smile on his face.

Airheart took a deep breath. "I guess this is goodbye, then."

The smile fell from his face. "I guess so." They were both quiet for a minute, then he said, "Well, I'm glad you'll finally be happy. Goodbye Airheart."

"Lily," said Airheart. "My real name is Lily."

Rex smiled. "Goodbye Lily. I'm very glad to have met you."

Airheart returned his smile. "Goodbye Rex Marksley. I'm glad I met you, too. Thank you for everything." She removed his hat that was still on her head, and handed it back to him. "You're gonna need that."

Rex placed the hat on his head, and tipped it. "Muchas gracias, siñorita."

Airheart approached Compañero, and stroked his neck. "Thanks for all your help, Compañero. You take care of yourself, and Rex too, ya hear?" The horse nudged her arm in response.

Another portal opened up, right next to the first. This one showed Ballot's main street. "I'd except you'd like a nice place to stay the night, 'ay cowboy?" Asked the demon. "This town has a wonderful inn."

Rex nodded his thanks, took Compañero by the reins, and walked to the portal. He paused, just one step away, and looked back at Airheart. "Let's do it together," he said.

Airheart stepped up to her portal. "Ready?"

"Ready."

"Alright," she said. "On three. One. Two! Three!" They both stepped through their portals.

Airheart could still feel the ground under her feet, but the scene around her started to melt again. Two more steps, and the colors had solidified. She was standing in a hangar filled with planes, the only other person around being…

"Jimmy?" She said quietly. The young man had his back to her, but he turned when he heard his name.

It was Jimmy. His face showed confusion, which quickly changed to surprise, then joy. "Lily!" He shouted, running forward and hugging her.

"Jimmy," said Airheart, barely believing it. "Is it really you?"

"Yeah! Yeah, it's me! How did you get here?"

"I could ask you the same question! But where is here? Where are we?"

"Airplane City," said Jimmy, standing back and looking her up and down. "I can't believe you're here! How did you find me? I've been trying to get back, but-"

Airheart cut him off with a kiss. The explanations could wait. Right now, she was just so happy to have him back. She was so happy to be home.

The End