A/N
Sorry about the lag in updates, for the last few days I couldn't login, but I'm back in action and this chapter is one of the longest I've written!
crepuscule: twilight
*^^*^*^**^*^^***^^*^*
I really stunk.
Badly. I don't know how long I've been without a bath, but it was unacceptable. So that's why I was enjoying a dip in this nice, clean river. Safe river. Or it was after I asked the big frog like creatures not to bite me while I was bathing. Another none-to-subtle-hint that I wasn't in my world anymore. Luckily, some charming catch phrases and some outright flattery managed to get me a tooth free bath. And they had some nasty big teeth. Of course, the fact that they had never seen a human that could speak their own language played greatly to my advantage. They thought I was fascinating.
I left my clothes hung over a branch after I took them into the river with me. I figured if I was going to take a bath I might as well clean them while I was at it. The jungle I was in had cropped up out of practically nowhere. I had just been walking along and I almost ran, literally, into a tree. It was almost a very painful experience. It was extremely strange, I hadn't seen it when I was walking along, though I had noticed a sudden increase in background noise. That's usually an indictor of large groups of animals. All I could think of was that it might have been hidden from normal view, I know the Professor can make people not see things, so this may be something like that.
A hidden jungle. Who knew?
I asked the frogs to keep an eye out for other people for me. They told me they would tell me if any two legger or anything odd showed up.
Makes me wonder what exactly is considered 'odd' around here.
I was in above my shoulders, trying to comb out my hair without a brush. Very hard. I have no idea how so much dust got trapped in my hair, but it needed out now. I like clean hair. It may be an obsession. I know…some time ago…I was obsessed with long hair and clean hair. Clean hair stayed, I guess.
The dirt and dust washed off easily enough, but the bandages around my hands were getting soggy. I didn't want to take them off. I was afraid of what I'd see.
A thought struck me. What about the Power? Had it been totally sucked into that beast? Was that possible? If it had been totally sucked away, it meant that I could die, but I didn't feel any different really, except for this glaring pain in my hands.
I held out my hand and willed the Power to come. I tried to concentrate the energy to my palm. I should feel it, even though the bandages covered the palm.
I didn't feel anything. No sluggish movement accelerating into fast mist. No prickly pain. Nothing.
The leaves on the side of the river I had come from suddenly shook. I ducked down in the water and sliding through the trees came the big dragon monster that I think brought me here.
Our eyes met for a moment.
Then the color on its facial scales turned a purple color and it pulled a fast turn and bolted away.
I blinked. That was a bit unexpected.
Probably enough time taking a bath. I should probably get out of the water. I turned to look at the branch where my clothes were.
A little green person was poking my clothes. I stared. This was getting more and more bizarre.
Actually he wasn't really little. About four feet tall, with a green monkey tail, hairless though. He had green hair ornamented by beads and feathers. I assume it was a he; he wasn't wearing anything but a loincloth, which, thankfully, covered everything.
"What are you doing to my clothes?" I asked him. He jerked guiltily. He had big blue orbs for eyes. They were actually very pretty, I bet he could pull off the puppy dog look like a pro.
"Very nice clothes." He chirped. His voice was a little bit on the musical side. He hopped forward a little bit, and I noticed on his chest there was an odd painting. It looked like some sort of mouse.
"If you say so. Hey, I kind of need them, can you, uh, hand them over here?"
He may have been short and green, but there was no way I was going to come out of the water in front of him without some clothes.
"Sell Lenlen clothes!" he chirped.
"Hunh?"
"Lenlen give you things for clothes."
"Uh…they aren't for sale."
He pouted at me. Then he suddenly brightened. " Lenlen get you Lenlen tribe clothes! You like? Beads too! Make girl pretty! Good luck!"
"Tempting, but I really don't think you have any in my size."
"You see! Lenlen bring you lots of pretty clothes, you stay there!" He tore off into the jungle. I've never seen anyone move that fast, except maybe Pietro. Come to think of it, I don't really know Pietro that well. Oh well. And what was the deal with my clothes? I hardly believe a t-shirt and some old shorts are something to get hyped about.
I was about to make a move again towards my clothes when Lenlen suddenly dropped from a tree above with a couple of friends. They were all guys, and they started poking my clothe, making oohing and ahhing sounds. I glared at them. I wanted to get out of this river sometime.
"Hee, they taking your clothes, not give any back!"
My head jerked up. There was a female of the species, or at least, I assumed, because she was wearing clothing on her upper body as oppose to al the males. She was sitting on a branch.
"Guess Veryan help you get clothes. We make clothes for big people sometime, can make some for you in a snap! Just need measurement."
"Measurements?" I deadpanned, staring at her. "What kind of measurements?"
"Measurements for waist, for thigh, for bust and stomach!"
"I…see. And when will you take these measurements?"
"Now!"
"Uh…no. See…" I let my sentence die off as I looked at the men poking my clothes.
"Ohhh….shy girl! Okay!" She plucked a small side brush and threw it at one of them, causing them to look at her.
"You go! Measurements! No peeking!"
"They peek?!" I yelped.
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^
Several hours later, I was being amazed at Squinky ingenuity.
The Squinky are an adorably cute, sweet, cunning, and intelligent bunch of people. The mix doesn't quite add up, but it makes them shrewd business people. Apparently, they like to get new designs for their clothing, and mine was just enough to pique their interest.
Figures I would be happened upon by jungle fashion designers.
But that wasn't what they were also into. They had warriors that patrolled and protected the perimeter of the forest, which I learned was enchanted to be invisible until you passed a certain point.
Nifty.
There were also healers, that used magic to heal wounds, and mapmakers for lost people, and an entire community of merchants and people living in tree houses and stone villages. It was incredible.
But back to ingenuity.
The clothes were not as covering as I thought it should be. Part of me was clinging to the belief that these clothes were just strips of cloth aspiring to be clothes.
I had managed to get them to incorporate some of my original clothes into these.
The shorts were…short. Very short. They were made out of soft leather. But the point was that they cut off at a very high point on my thigh. There were barely any legs to these shorts. My stomach was showing, and the shirt I had been given was more like a vest with little short sleeves. If they could be called sleeves. The vest did go all the way down to the shorts, but there was a large upside down V cut out of the middle, exposing all of my stomach. Thankfully, above that was covered, except the neck dipped into another V in the collar, though not as pronounced as the one before. It was still a little low though, and I was a bit uncomfortable with it. The Squinky designers, however, seemed to think it was a masterpiece.
"Model perfect! Clothes perfect!"
"Need something."
"No it doesn't! Perfect!" The first one argued back to he second designer. Both of them were female.
"Need something for hair!" The other exclaimed.
"Hmm…" Both of them looked at me. I stared back at them. I felt my face grow a little hot.
"Beads! Feathers! Squinky fashion look perfect on her."
"Sash!" The first one announced suddenly. "Need sash. What you think? Red?"
"Maybe some bags? Little pouches? For atrevida Squinky?"
"Perfect!"
"Brilliant!" The second one roared, and they sped off.
Is this what a model feels like? Are all designers like that?
I barely linked, and they were back, comparing beads to my skin and hair. They finally decided on a couple strings of rainbow colored beads for my hair. They had me sit down and brushed my hair out with a comb made of some sort of wood. It was actually very well made, and pulled my hair very little. When they were done, my hair was nice and shiny with three long strings of beads hanging from the left side of my hair. They jingled.
A large beaded bracelet for my right wrist with a sun charm, and a small anklet with a small moon surrounded by beads. Wrapped around my waist was a green sash. The ends, even though it was knotted securely, hung down to almost my calf.
I would have to do something about that, or I was going to
get tangled in them and kill myself.
"Perfect!"
"Brilliant!"
"Uh…great. How much do I owe you guys?"
"Nothing! You have given us fantastic ideas!"
"That's good…I don't have anything to give anyway." It was true.
"Esperanza's beast is here! He walking into village!" A Squinky yelled from above.
"Esperanza?" I looked around. I had only met the woman once, but she was the only person I knew.
What I saw was the same monster that turned purple in the face and ran away. I stared at him. He caught sight of me, and began walking over.
His gait was strangely graceful, for the legs he had. I've never seen the way hooves and claws mix, but apparently they work together pretty well.
I felt a little nervous. This was the beast that fell on me and almost killed me, and injured my hands. Which, by the way, the Squinky healers did not want to touch. They said putting magic on magical wounds of unknown origin could be detrimental to my health.
He stopped three feet from me, and bowed his head humbly.
"My most sincerest apologies, lady, for happening upon you while you were bathing, I did not mean to affront the lady."
I stared at him. His accent was something I couldn't place, but it sure wasn't South American. I replied, intelligently, "Hunh?"
"The Lady Esperanza has decreed that I should travel with you."
There were low mutters in the Squinky ranks. I glanced over my shoulder at them, but the sea of faces had become unreadable. I looked back at the big creature. He said nothing, but waited anxiously for me to answer.
"Uh…that's great. She must like me or…something." I commented hesitantly. Then I realized something. "You turned purple because you were blushing!"
"Uh…Ah…Erm, yes, like I said, I apologize for that."
"You turn purple? Most people get red in the face…"
"My lady, not that I am seeking to be rude, but are you not more concerned with the fact that I accidentally burst in while you were bathing rather than what color I changed while doing so?" He looked very confused.
I thought about that for a moment. My eyes narrowed. "Did you see anything?"
He looked horrified. "Never! I am a complete gentleman!"
"Alright." I shrugged. I had been in the water well over my shoulders anyway, and it wasn't as if the water had been crystal clear.
Now he looked even more confused. Sometimes I seem to have that effect on people. I try not to though. But I can't help it.
"My name's Danny." I thought better of holding a hand out for a handshake. He might take it the wrong way.
"I am Crepuscule."
"That's a name that just rolls off my tongue." That comment rolled off my tongue before I could stop it.
He was silent. I felt a little uncomfortable.
"Danny model leaving soon?" A Squinky designer piped up.
"Yeah, I kinda need to find a way home."
"Wait! We give water, you need water for trip!"
"And food!"
They all ran off to go get me supplies. I rose an eyebrow at them. It wasn't everyday that people I didn't know started giving me stuff for free. I almost wanted to suspect a scam. But I don't think that was the case, maybe it was all paid for by the fashion designers. Not that I don't think they were more than capable of pulling off some complicated scams.
Not two minutes passed before I was given a canteen filled with water and a small bag filled with fruit and jerky. I didn't ask what kind of animal they got it from. I was scared they would tell me it came from some giant slug.
It could happen.
**^*^*^^*^**^^*^*^*^*^*
The way I choose through the forest was reasonably easy, and Crepuscule was following me at an easy pace. His footsteps were silent. It was incredibly creepy, and I could feel my hair rise on my neck.
"So, uh, you wouldn't be intent on sending me back home, would ya? I mean, if you brought me here, you could take me back, right?"
"Yes, but at great risk."
"How so?"
"The planes between are riddled with magical traps and inhabited by beings with great power in the way of magic. The enchantment that protects me from them is now broken, and I will be defenseless should I attempt the journey."
"Oh…Sorry about that."
"The fault was mine. I apologize for falling upon you, I did not realize until I woke back up."
"Eh, no problem. I got over it, though I don't want you to do it again."
He seemed amused. " Yes, I suppose you wouldn't."
"So…what was the deal with all that? And with the bloody altar in the temple?"
"Bloody altar? I know not of this. However, as I was traveling, I was attacked by Demights, and they trapped me in between worlds."
"Why were they attacking you? What are Demights?"
"Demights are denizens of places of complete solitude, they do not like people. However, a large group attacked me so that they may use the gate I was utilizing in order to kidnap some humans from your world."
I stopped. There was a loud snort as Crepuscule stopped in order not to knock me over.
"Humans? Who?"
"I know not. I only know that they must have been near where you were."
"My friends…" I whirled around and grabbed the ropes on his neck. "Where did they take them?"
"I am afraid I don't know that either."
"Where can we find somebody who knows?!" I glared at him.
He hesitated.
"There is…a town past the enchanted jungle and over the Quicksand Gauntlet. If anyone knows anything, it would be told there."
"What are we waiting for!?" I let go and started running off into the woods.
"My lady!"
"My name is Danny." I looked over my shoulder.
"Would it not be more intelligent to fly, thus covering more ground?"
"Yeah…it would be…are you okay with that?"
"Yes. I am supposed to be traveling with you, after all."
"Alright! Wait a minute, did you just mention intelligence? I'm going to have to break you of that habit later." I joked lightly.
He looked confused at that comment.
But that confusion would probably clear up in time.
*^^**^*^*^^*^*^*^**^**^*^^*
A/N
Hmm….seems like some interesting things are happening here! I tried to get back to humor, I hope I succeeded. And I got back to the major plot, which I know you all are thankful for. It should be getting lots more interesting from here on out!
Asteria: Thank you! That's what I was going for, at least for right now. As far as Esperanza goes…I created her as an ambiguous personality on purpose, she's a very complicated lady. More about her will unfold as the story progresses. And more about Crepuscule.
Laureate: Thank you, that was what I was aiming for, at least for now. More about the ferry critter will unfold over the story. I know what you mean, I really love the influences too. I'm glad you like him!
Raliena: Raisins are fine, they're a wonderful substitute for juicy flies. I'm glad you like the chapter!
Arain Rowan/Anee/Arin Ross: I'm sorry to hear that you won't be able to review for awhile. I'll try to update a lot and then you'll get to read a good bit of chapters to read when you get back!
Anon(girl): Thank you, you flatter me very much. I'll try to update Camping Effect soon!
CrypticIdentity: I made it Master on purpose, for my own amusement. And perhaps for something later on. As far as evil monarch…I shouldn't say anything, but to say she is just evil wouldn't be entirely true. I hope you liked this chapter! More about the beast will be revealed as the story moves.
Aicha: Ah…Heh, you make me all flustered, saying things like that! But thank you very much, I'm just glad I can write something that people enjoy as much as they do, if that made any sense at all. I'm glad you like the plot!
Herman is taking the reviews! Fruits and flies are the desired choice today!
