Ch18: Trust
After we all learned from Red and Medea about how the secret got spilled (which was because Medea sneezed like a person, not a horse), Red then got us all some beds in the form of 3 makeshift wool mattresses and furry blankets and sat down on her chair. "Before you all 'ead off ta bed, I want to go 'ead and share a bit o' rules," Red frowned to us all.
"What kind of rules?" Stella asked, since Red could now see the little fairy with ease. "Only 3 rules. Rule 1, you aren't allowed ta get anything from the pantries wivout askin' me first. Rule 2, each person sleeps wiv a buddy if only coz of the limited mattress space. And thirdly, no sex allowed in the 'ouse. If ya wanna have any fun, elf, you'll need to do it either outside or in the stable," Red listed off, the last one catching me slightly off guard. "Any reason me specifically?" I asked. "Coz the 'orse princess said yer the only one that openly flirts with all the other girls." "Fair enough," I groaned.
After Red listed the rules out, she blew out the nearby flame on her candle and the fireplace was the only thing making light in the place. While Trode decided to sleep outside with Medea, Red slept on her mattress with Stella (which both were not really comfortable with). Yangus was stuck sleeping with Angelo and Jessica and me were laying side by side and both of us were wide awake even after the others were asleep.
"Something bothering you, Jess?" I asked in a whisper. "I'm... I'm just a little nervous... it's the first time I've slept in someone's house that wasn't my own..." she admitted. "But what about all the other towns we slept in?" "Inns don't count," Jessica frowned at my second question. "Okay... do you think we could... um... you know..." I asked, wondering if she'd agree to what I had in mind. "Y-You mean..." she asked, her face blushing all over. "Shh... just follow me," I sighed as I held onto Jess's hand and helped her up, exiting the house with barely a sound (because I teleported us out of the house and to the top of Empycchu like I did with Celestria and Stella).
"Well... that was a surprise..." Jessica said when she saw our location. "So... where are we supposed to be?" Jessica asked. "Well, to be honest, Stella took me up here when I had my first session with her," I smiled, not mentioning the certain someone's name on purpose. "Wait... what certain someone?" Jessica asked immediately. "Wait... you could hear my thoughts?" I asked in surprise. "Did you really think that simple spells could prevent me from hearing you in your sleep, Mary? I know everything just by looking into your dreams," Jess frowned.
When she said those words, I was baffled. She knew everything. And that only meant that the story would be drastically altered. "Um... story? Now I have two questions. Firstly, who was the second person in your 3-way? And second, are you implying that you actually know something about what will happen?" Jess asked, invading my thoughts again. "Urgh... I can't answer the first because I made a promise not to reveal her name," I frowned, hoping that she wouldn't hear my thoughts anymore. "And for the second... if you really want to know... this world? It isn't just the past for me and my family..."
"And what's that supposed to mean?" Jess asked. "Well... see, in my world, we have this thing called technology. And because of this technology, there is a certain thing known as a video game. In fact, there are many of them. And this world is set in one of those g-," I frowned before a bright light appeared over me and Jess. "STOP!" exclaimed a voice I didn't think to reveal herself to Jessica at all. Celestria.
"Um... i-is this... what the hell's going on?!" Jess exclaimed when Celestria suddenly appeared in front of both of us. "You realize that if you blab it to her then tons of stuff in the plot may never happen, right?!" Celestria exclaimed at me. "Celestria, I have no choice... she already knows about me preventing her from hearing my group's thoughts..." I frowned. "Urgh... fine... don't say I didn't warn you though," Celestria growled at me before disappearing into the sky again.
"Um... just so you know, you don't have to explain it to me... I already saw everything in your thoughts alone... so I think I know pretty much everything that's going on now..." Jess frowned at me. "So now you know we're in a game... and now you also know about all the troubles that you especially will face in the future... right?" I asked. "Y-Yes... to think that Dhoulmagus's staff could... turn me into it's mindless slave..." Jess gulped. "But it needs to happen Jess. Otherwise, we may never be able to get vengeance for you and Angelo, but Trodain will remain cursed and so will Medea and Trode... speaking of Medea, she and Stella know as well," I frowned.
"I figured that much... after all, they're the only other girls that have been traveling with us," Jess frowned. "Yeah... well... after that big of an explanation, I don't really feel in the mood for... you know what for right now... just explaining it tired me out," I sighed in disappointment. "It's quite alright, Mary," Jess smiled as she pulled me into a tender hug. "We can just do it some other time... maybe have that goddess friend of yours along for the ride." "It's best you don't test my patience, Jessica Albert," Celestria frowned in our thoughts. "Well, why don't I warp us back to Red's place then?" I asked. "I'd like that," Jess smiled.