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CHAPTER 3: RESPITE
Sue had no idea that it was possible for her to get scolded so thoroughly despite not understanding a single utterance said.
Or that Doc had enough muscle to drag her back onto her bed. They were none too happy about that, emotions shifting to worry as they examined her injury. The bandages had turned red; the wound burned with every heartbeat.
It was bad enough for the simple act of taking the bandage off to make Sue wince.
The medic kept their usually quiet voice up; ranting about something with enough intensity for Ember to flinch every once in a while, the lil' fox busy comforting the once-human's hand.
Sue was glad she couldn't understand how exactly she was being bad-mouthed, but she still felt foul. Doc had patched her up after she got herself into trouble, and her needless expedition just undid a decent chunk of that.
Sorry Doc, I really wish I could explain any of this to you.
Without anything else to do while being tended to, Sue turned to examine her injured leg. The wound was big enough to stick a finger in, apparently not sewn shut; its current damage making her already white face go paler still at imagining how bad it all must've looked before Doc's help.
With the bandages discarded, Doc rushed to grab a square of thick cloth, scooting back just in time to catch some pale blood leaking from the aggravated wound. Sue briefly wondered what they would do to actually treat the self-inflicted injuries-
It wasn't anything she could've expected.
Instead of preparing any natural remedy, they laid their hands on each side of her injury. Their touch was soft. Soft and… tingly, escaping exact description, intensifying as they focused. And then, it spread, enveloping her entire leg. It melted through the aching, evaporating it like it was nothing.
Doc's hands glowing through the process gave Sue a pause, but she wasn't in a position to oppose any of it.
It'd be rather uncouth to do that while she was being healed.
That, and because the ritual had left her so, so tired. It only took a few minutes, but she was struggling to keep her eyes open by the time the mutant had finished doing… well, magic.
No other words to describe it, really.
She didn't expect to be as unsurprised by the existence of actual magic in this forest somewhere in Oz as she ended up being.
The otherworldly fauna. Her own unexplainable abilities. A heaping dose of exhaustion. All those dulled her reactions all the way down to silence. In any normal circumstances, she would have freaked out about this ten times over.
These weren't normal circumstances. That, and she had Ember beside her, tirelessly comforting her.
After Doc had finished casting their spell, Sue peeked at what they'd done. The results were very appreciated, though hardly anywhere near as flashy as the magic through which they had taken place. Her wound had shrunk a decent bit, its bleeding ceased, and the swelling reduced; a quick twitch test revealed the limb to have even regained some sensation, much to her relief.
"Thanhksh, Dhoc."
Two pairs of eyes immediately focusing on her clued her in on her gaffe, not that she could explain what had just slipped out from underneath her skullcap. Instead, she did the second-best thing- look embarrassed and shake her head. Thankfully, Doc and Ember got the point soon enough, returning to whatever they were doing before.
What she wanted to do was take a nap, that's for sure.
Idle pets stroked Ember's head, motions klutzy on behalf of all her strength being suddenly gone. Trying to hold her yawn in was similarly awkward, some of the sound leaking out and catching Doc's attention. To her surprise, it made them put the small bowl of ointment down and walk over to her while mumbling something.
Sue didn't gain a sudden understanding of Doc's language in the meantime, but even she could tell they had calmed down. Her relief mixed with confusion at the medic's words, and a pinch of mild disappointment once Ember scooted off the bed.
Having not communicated their intent verbally, Doc took conveying their message into their own hands. The downward pushes on her side took Sue off guard. Her eyes went wide; arms raising to maintain her balance before she figured it out.
Fine, fine, I'm lying down.
Sue shakily laid down on her left side, leaving the busted limb accessible for any further profane rituals. To her mild disappointment, she didn't get to see what else would be done to it.
Exhaustion knocked her out before Doc had even made their way back to her legs.
The absence of any more religious visions was reassuring in hindsight, but Sue was too knackered to notice right away. Her returning consciousness took its time as it pieced the surrounding stimuli together. Most of them were familiar by now. If anything, that made them even more welcome this time around.
An exploratory journey of her hand discovered a wild Ember snuggled beside her midriff. The clumsy motions were enough to stir them out of their stupor, squirming as they came to. Once they had finished waking up, the heater fox scooted over to her head. Her closed eyes couldn't see what they were gonna do-
But she didn't need them to feel the excited licking all over her face.
She scrunched her features and giggled. Her red eyes slowly pried themselves open; connecting with Ember's. She'd only now realized theirs were just as fiery.
"G-ghood a-aphternoon Embher."
Ember tilted their head in the cutest way when they were confused.
They nuzzled and woofed as Sue sat up; her left hand immediately returning the affection. Doc wasn't around anymore, but a few eye-catching additions in her immediate vicinity offset that fact. The nightstand was occupied by another trayful of food, much more savory this time.
And it was the less exciting of the new arrivals.
A rudimentary crutch rested beside the tray. It looked about big enough for Sue to use; hopefully freeing her from having to mess herself up again just to get around.
Speaking of.
Sue's leg had been patched up like the first time she woke up here. And then some. Doc spared no bandage in securing the injury. They even reinforced the bandages a bit, the end result almost like a cast.
Running away in a cast wasn't gonna be easy.
Then again, it was still infinitely preferable to being ratted out by the local king Martian and burned at the stake.
Trying to distract herself from that foretold future, Sue focused on the food instead. The assorted goods had her drooling. Roasted fruit and veggies. Fried dumplings. A huge, savory pie, right in the middle.. Her stomach wanted it all.
Despite how large her breakfast had been, she still felt famished. Like she could vacuum the entire tray up and then some. Guess her radar used a decent bit of energy or something.
Who cares, it's dinner time-
Sue began to stuff herself with roasted goodies, now properly able to notice and summarily dismiss the unusualness of their flavors. The light filtering in through the window had gotten noticeably orangier, giving her a pause.
Must've been really exhausted after Doc had patched her up.
Their absence was worrying. Though, if they were a doctor likes of which she had christened them as, they were probably needed elsewhere too. Quite a few heads around the place, and it only made sense to her that some of them would need medical attention too, likely stat to boot.
Now that she thought about it, she hoped she wasn't taking up the only bed in this entire village.
It'd be a big shame for an actual... mutant to not get the treatment it needed in favor of a mutant-shaped imposter. Acknowledging that's what she was didn't lift her mood either. But… it was what it was.
A clusterfuck she would hopefully make her way out of.
Ember resuming their rightful spot by her side brought Sue's smile back as she enjoyed a fibrous, sweet... probably vegetable. Flavor and aroma somewhere between potatoes and carrots. It tingled her tastebuds with every bite.
Foxie could scarcely resist sniffing the trayful of food up. Fortunately for them, Sue found enough restraint in her hunger to humor them being peckish. With her current portion over, she offered a roasted veggie to Ember; the hip warmer looking up at her uncertainly.
Yes, silly, go right ahead, knock yourself out.
Thankfully, a firm nod conveyed that message sufficiently. The little one wasted no time munching on the large slice of god-knows-what, freeing Sue's hands. Most of the goods might have long since cooled down, but their spices warmed her insides and woke her right back up.
Living the best life indeed.
While she still could, at least.
More and more treats were being offered to Ember until even they started to deny them. Sue smiled once they were both done, sliding the tray away. Before Sue could decide whether to give the spanking new crutch a spin or... go back to sleep, probably, she realized Doc was making their way back.
All the while, Sue gave Ember their share of affection. What could she say? They were a godsend both as a heater and as a companion. Hopefully nobody else was getting worried because of their absence. If she'd interpreted the earlier drawing right, their maybe-parent was out of town, and they were free to fool around all day long.
The question of the second parent was subconsciously overlooked.
Doc strutted in once more, their expression lighting up at seeing Sue having already eaten. They wasted no time chatting Ember up; the leafy mantis soon following the medic in.
Repeated exposure didn't make their appearance any less weird.
Soon after, Sue realized that the bug's gaze was fixed on a spot on the floor beside them. They watched over something as they stepped in, the subject of their focus obscured by Sue's bed.
What are they-
*squeak!*
Sue's eyes went wide as she leaned her body over the edge of the bed. The appearance of the extra newcomer beside the bushbug answered a question Sue didn't have a chance to ask herself before now.
Namely, how did the babies of her current species look like?
The answer was absurdly tiny and incredibly adorable.
Assuming her height hadn't changed, they were only around a foot tall. Size aside, they looked so similar to her new form that they had to be related somehow. Same stiff green hair, shaped like a silly bowl cut. Same porcelain white skin. Same pair of red spikes, except on their head instead of front.
Amusingly enough, their spikes weren't any smaller than Sue's. Ended up way oversized for the little... creature.
Of course, that also raised the unpleasant question of how the hell these spikes would move from their head to their chest as they grew up. Even a brief attempt to imagine the possible transitory forms left her disgusted; prompting her to banish that train of thought.
Thank god she had gotten past that... martian puberty.
Snapping back to reality, the little not-her seemed to have spotted her despite the obstacle of their own hairdo. They acknowledged her with a loud, excited squeak before walking over to her bed, the weird legs helping with keeping their balance.
They were just like a human infant.
The squeaks were a dead ringer. Their behavior was similar. Even the arm gestures reminded her of the toddler she got to babysit a few times. But… it clearly wasn't human, and neither was Sue, not in form at least. She had no idea whether that should unnerve her, or what it implied about this world as a whole.
Oddly enough, it felt like they had somehow caught onto her worry. Their babbles grew quieter as they tilted their head up at her; confusion filling their teeny face.
How could a mutant be so cute?
…alright, that was stupid to ask with Ember beside her.
The kit purred into her side before woofing at the lil' one, their squeaked response loud and excited. Their vocalizations were interspersed with them trying to reach up towards her; succeeding at nothing except being cute. Sue's worry about whether the mantis would approve of her assisting them was answered quickly enough. They nodded eagerly as she leaned closer towards the baby, the bushbug nanny even making a picking-up gesture to guide her.
Just don't try scrambling off, lil' one. Can't imagine falling on your... spike would be anything but excruciating.
With shaky hands, Sue pulled the tiny one onto the bed. She found them to weigh, indeed, about as much as a baby. Thankfully, her arms could handle that much. Little-her wasted not a moment before running over and pulling her midriff as they could into a hug.
Alright, this one is adorable. Can I keep them?
Their touch felt not unlike Doc's from when they performed their magic. Sue wondered if this little one was related to that not-her from the drawing. If so, maybe there was the possibility of salvation through befriending the royal baby…
Or at least, that's what Sue's flailing mind latched onto as a lifeboat.
Ideally, she'd be able to ask, but... actually, hold on, maybe she could mime it out?
Sue waved to catch Doc's attention; thinking through how to convey this alien baby being related to the alien king of the alien town. Eventually, she settled down on the most straightforward idea. She pointed at the infant attached to her stomach, then moved her hand as if writing, and finally, pointed towards the drawers.
Miraculously, Doc got her general intent.
They squeaked something before pulling out the drawn-on scroll from earlier; immediately adding more detail to it. As the piece of charcoal whizzed around the page, Sue absentmindedly supplied the tots with further affection. At least, until she felt her hand being pulled. She didn't consciously move it, and yet it ended up right beside the lil' not-her, much to their joy.
What's this, intra-species magnetism or something?
Before she could think too much about that, Doc slid the expanded diagram in front of her. The couple additions were immensely helpful, confirming her hunches. An outline of the baby not-her, connected to the royal not-her. Beside it, Ember's outline connected to the other being with a swirl next to them.
Guess royal kids love her. Hopefully, she'll be anywhere near this lucky with royal adults.
A nod of acknowledgment later, Doc whisked the edited scroll away and resumed their chat with the bug creature. Sue was once more left alone with two important little ones and unable to communicate with either.
Though, judging by the baby noises the baby not-her made, she doubted whether anyone could understand them.
As she kept petting the lil' Martian, the tyke trying their hardest to pull her hand into a hug, Ember snuck up on them. Moments later, they dove in and struck; attacking the infant's side with a flurry of licks. They immediately broke into a fit of loud, squeaky laughter; vocalizations failing to escape between giggles as they flailed. Sue was too amused to intervene, laughing louder and louder at the sight. She had no idea why it was all so funny to her, but couldn't deny the joy that bloomed within her in response.
A couple comments from the presumed grownups made Ember stop; the little one immediately splatting and panting as they caught their breath. The foxie snuggled up to them soon after; letting the Martian tyke hug them tight. Sue only barely held in swooning at the sight. She didn't want to interrupt, simply wanting to keep petting the mini-her. They, however, had other plans. Her touch made them look up at her as they laid on their side, before feebly trying to reach up towards her.
Do they want hugs?
Smiling at that possibility, Sue reached in to pick them up; carefully lifting them up to the side of her spike. They made it harder with their wriggling, but ultimately behaved and eased out once she was done. It didn't take long for them to look up at her from their new position; breaking into a big smile and an even bigger squeak. Their squirming let her peek underneath their bowl cut, their eyes predictably red.
Just don't start thinking I'm your actual mommy. She's probably just on a trip.
Doc's words turned her head, though they were likely aimed at the baby in her arms. They then took the largely finished tray of food away, much to the tyke's objection, for... some reason. Guess they just wanted a bite of the leftovers.
Oh well-
That's where her train of thought would've ended, if not for a berry piece suddenly becoming surrounded in a blue aura before levitating upwards. Upwards, and towards the alien in her arms. She briefly caught a similar glow emanating from their eyes before it disappeared, the treat now secured in their hands.
Before the little one could bite into it, they abruptly looked up at her, confusion matching Sue's shock at what she'd just witnessed.
Guess magic here went far, far beyond just a healing touch.
As incredible as that was in its own right, the fact even an infant could perform it only made it all more awe-inspiring. And prompted an incomparably more unnerving thought- if literal babies could do this, what about adults? Just how much further could that royal take it?
Was Doc's magic touch just a tiny part of their abilities? Did they just magic all the logs of this building together? What about the bug-person-thing? They have done nothing magical so far aside from continuing to exist despite their appearance. Was magic restricted to certain species she just happened to be a part of?
Why was everyone staring at her?
Sue's sixth sense clued her into being the center of unwelcome attention. She pretended her head just hurt a bit, lowering the munching baby onto her lap as the free hand rubbed her forehead. Fortunately, the excuse made those gathered resume whatever they were previously doing. In Ember's case, that meant wordlessly asking her to continue petting, paws reaching for her hand.
Sue wouldn't say no to that arrangement.
Soon after, Doc carried the tray out, the bug person staying behind this time. They walked closer to the bed and chittered something towards the two creatures that presumably could understand them. Ember woofed back while the little-her squirmed, tried to squeak with a full mouth, and latched themselves onto Sue's nearby hand.
Sue had no idea what she'd done for the little Martian to adore her so much, but she wasn't gonna refuse it. Both because of it being lovely, and because it could earn her some brownie points once their parent came knocking.
Right now, though, one of those was much more important than the other.
With everyone chilling for once, the idea of naming those around her crept back into Sue's head. The bushbug had already visited her twice, and she imagined they would do so again in the future- likely with the lil' one in tow. Her brain wasted no time in providing a simple and uninspired nickname of "Leafy" for the former, but the tyke proved much trickier.
The most obvious physical characteristic she could latch onto was instantly banished on account of them being an infant.
Aside from that dead end, she was uncertain what kind of nickname they ought to get. Part of her wanted to go with an actual name with just how baby-like they were, any sort of cutesy pet-like moniker feeling... wrong. At the same time, it was still an alien whose parent would want her head on a stick, best to avoid getting attached.
"Bowlcut" would certainly work as far as limiting attachment went, though it felt... rude. Not like anyone but her would ever know, especially not the infant in question. Sue soon resigned to the substandard name, somehow worse than all the other ones so far.
Failure to come up with a decent nickname deflated her somewhat.
It was irrational, sure, even more so with her stay here threatening to be temporary. Still, she couldn't help but latch onto the only display of kindness she'd been given in this world, and being unable to match it was upsetting.
Trying to divert her thoughts away from that topic, she circled back around to Bowlcut's show of baby magic. Instead of further worries about how would their parent eventually fuck her up, she wondered whether any of it affected her too.
She sure didn't feel magical, extra-sensory perception aside. It made sense to her that fancy powers like that would be noticeable. Alternatively, they needed to be taught, explaining her inability to use them. Though, Bowlcut wasn't much different from a year-old baby, and good luck teaching them anything.
Maybe she could do magic all along and just wasn't aware of it? Worth a try in any case. She glanced around the room for an appropriate target, spotting the still-untouched crutch, and...
Realized she had no idea what to do with it.
A few thought commands were attempted- "Come," "Up," "Fly," "Get over here," but the tool remained persistently inanimate despite her trying to think it alive. Maybe she had to really focus for it to work? Her eyes narrowed as she concentrated on the crutch as much as she could- but once more, nothing.
Guess she just didn't have the touch.
Now that she thought about it, could be that's what the crossed-out spiral referenced? She was magic deficient, if that was even an actual term. Which, considering literal babies of this species can make things float, would definitely be a cause for concern.
Just concern, so there was a possibility that Bowlcut's parent would see her as just disabled rather than an imposter. Though, if even the tyke could magic items around, the wild powers the adults have access to would likely let them see through this embarrassing disguise, anyway.
Before Sue could ponder the implications of technically being doubly crippled, Doc made their way back; a glance up revealing just how dim it was getting outside.
Wonder when everyone would be leaving.
There wasn't any light source she could see, and considering this place gave off pre-industrial vibes, the best thing they had would be candles. Candles which Doc proceeded to pull out of the drawers, together with a pair of holders, though without anything to light them with.
Unconcerned by that, they laid the candle holders around the room. Once done, they headed towards the bed with the actual candles in hand, the once-human's eyebrow raising in response.
Sorry Doc, this spike does not double as a firestarter.
Ember begrudgingly wriggled themselves from underneath her steady supply of affection, taking her off guard. Their bushy tail wagged as they leaned over the edge of the bed, the medic bringing the unlit candle wicks in front of the fox's snout as if expecting them to spit fire.
And then Ember spat fire.
While Bowlcut's minor act of telekinesis had her just stare in shock, the burst of flames coming from her lap warmer's mouth made her jump and gasp, startling everyone around her. Doc stared at her for a moment before the melting wax burned their fingers, urging them to quickly insert the now-lit candles into their holders and blow off the brief burns.
Ember looked fiery, sure, but that was supposed to just be an appearance thing, not them being able to go full dragon and just breathe fire! Sue was briefly terrified at the concept, not to say baffled at how that even worked. Ember's puppy eyes melted through that hesitancy rather quickly, especially with them looking genuinely sorry at having startled her.
It's alright, Ember, I forgive you. Suppose this is normal for you after all... just, wow. Will have to remember not to tickle you and stay way away if you ever start sneezing.
The forgiveness was communicated with a couple pets and a smile, the fox pup immediately returning to nuzzling her. Their fluff tickled as it brushed against bare skin, but she kept her giggles from escaping. Before long, their affection was cut short after Doc spoke up towards them, the pup nodding and dashing off to the side afterwards, seemingly unbothered.
As she looked at them, confused, Leafy pulled Bowlcut over to their end of the bed, the infant immediately trying to waddle back despite being held in place. Fortunately, the motion in her peripheral vision explained it all- Doc waving at her before giving the crutch a shake.
Time to give this thing a test drive.
Sue didn't have to be gestured at twice, shifting over until her legs were dangling off the bed, right beside Doc. The medic nodded before handing her the crutch. Its physical construction was rough, but overall similar to what she had already used a few times in the past.
Doc was evidently unsure how to convey the next part of the process to her, speaking up uncertainly towards Leafy. Fortunately for them, she knew what she was doing. Or at least, what she did back in her human body, hoping the different proportions wouldn't make this a miserable experience.
…or an even more miserable experience.
With the crutch and her good leg in position, she pushed herself off, cutting Doc off mid-word. They backed off as she tried to balance herself, taking a few attempts before succeeding- barely, but still.
Now for getting around.
Curiously, Doc remained quiet while waddled about, evidently waiting to intervene should anything happen. But, for the first time in a while, nothing did. She kept her balance and made steady progress. Relatively slow with no practice and the crutch taking way more effort to use than she remembered, but progress nonetheless. A couple of hobbled circles around the room later, she turned towards Doc before conveying her success with firm nodding and a smile.
They seemed and felt happy, so all was well.
Their gesture toward the bed was straightforward, Sue hobbling over before sitting down and putting the crutch away. The medic glanced outside, muttering something to themselves before speaking up towards the fox. Ember woofed quietly in return, disapproval clear in their vocalizations as they scrambled back to Sue's side.
You know Doc is right, silly, it's getting really late. It's time to head home.
Sue gave Ember a patient smile before sending them off with a few pats. Bowlcut was next, Leafy carrying them towards her to say goodbye. The lil' tyke tried to scramble out of their hold as Sue waved them away, giggling at their antics.
"Ghood nhight- I'll shee yhou all thomorrow."
The precise contents of her words might not have been understood, but she felt her intent was transferred, anyway. Bowlcut enthusiastically waved at her while being carried out, almost knocking their nanny off balance. Ember trailed them out after one last look towards her, the door creaking shut behind them.
Doc's mumbles caught her attention, the gesture that followed straightforward. They tilted her head, closed their eyes, and placed both their hands underneath the head as a pillow of sorts.
She wasn't particularly exhausted just yet, but a good night's rest would do her well, regardless. Rolling her eyes a bit, she obeyed their instructions and laid down.
Goodness, this place was comfy.
With their patient laid to bed, Doc smiled and blew the candle further away from her, plunging most of the room in the shade with the sun having set. They were about to repeat that with the other one before reminding themselves of something important. At least, judging by their audible surprise and the subsequent dash out the door.
She'd never seen them move this urgently before, their soft body downright comical while running.
After calming down her giggling, Sue finally tried to peace out. Guess putting out the last candle would be left to her. Still, she was in no rush, the faint background light rather comforting. Back at home, she usually slept with her laptop's monitor turned on. It was one socially acceptable alternative for a night light, and this was another, even if less reusable.
Just as she began to doze off, her attempt at sleeping was interrupted by a creak, accompanied by Doc's panting. She wanted to sleep, but some of her was more than curious to see what was so important as to make the composed medic break into a mad sprint-
A feather.
A sizable feather for sure, eye-catchingly blue at that. But just a feather all the same, placed on the nightstand. Doc looked content with themselves despite the pointlessness of their actions, mumbling with satisfaction. Realizing she had stirred to look at them, Doc simply nodded at her and blew the other candle out before Sue could act to the contrary.
Shucks.
Not thinking anything of it, the medic left with some more soft-spoken utterances. Sue was left in darkness, only illuminated by the faint glow creeping in through the window, and... the bespoke feather. It radiated a soft, pale shine, too weak to light up the room, but enough to be visible in the dark.
Maybe this was their version of a night light, hah.
With little stimuli to keep her awake, Sue soon dozed off. Even her overactive worrying couldn't withstand the gentle glow that filled her eyes, the feather keeping her calm. Regardless of its intended use and significance, it sure looked nice, the pleasant shade of blue soothing her mind as it warded off nightmares.
What it did not ward against, though, were more religious visions.
The warmth was as comforting as ever, despite being wholly imaginary.
Sue warmed her hands by the fire as she slowly gained awareness of where she was once more. Familiar guitar twanging mixed with the crackling of flames as she relaxed by the campfire.
Guess these dreams wouldn't always suck.
The sky was chock full of stars; shining brightly, as if just for her. A full moon completed the scene. Even its pale light felt much warmer, more... gentle, than its usual coldness in the waking world.
The moon god's voice was there, too.
To nobody's surprise, there was precisely zero progress as far as understanding it went. It took the voice stopping for Sue to even notice it, incomprehensible noises turning into background noise. Just there, until they suddenly weren't. The expectant silence that followed left Sue unnerved, as if somebody was waiting for her to do something.
"I've no idea what you're saying. Don't you have some other dreams to be in?"
Exasperation dripped from her every syllable. None of this made any sense. She couldn't take this "talking to a moon god" nonsense seriously, even inside her own dreams. Sue had no idea how much of this was a figment of her imagination, but she leaned towards 'all of it.'
Despite having just been told off, the heavenly voice only kept going, urgent and insistent. It made Sue worry ever so slightly. This was all a dream, yes, but if she'd rather her mind not subject her to further horrors because of something she couldn't understand. Speaking of horrors- the other, masculine voice appeared to be mysteriously absent, though considering everything going on, it was at best a footnote.
"Y'know, if you want me to know what you're talking about, how about you write it down or something? Aren't you a god or someth-"
Sue's quip was interrupted by a gust of wind splatting a sheet of paper right against her face. The forehead curl shielded her somewhat as she flailed in surprise, the intruder soon getting grabbed and examined. A page torn out of a lined notebook, something written on it in pencil-
...
Oh for fuck's sake.
The scribbling was too regular, too orderly to not be writing of some sort- too bad one utterly alien to her. Very geometric, unlike anything she was even remotely familiar with. Dozens of right and diagonal lines forming many shapes, some filled but not all. She had no idea whether one symbol ended and the other began.
It was kinda like Korean, in that it was the least completely different from Korean than anything she'd ever seen.
Around half of the page was taken up by a drawing of... something. Sue had no idea of what it was supposed to be, but it made her think of a ghost of some sort. Its body was wispy and all black, with an hourglass-shaped... torso at its core. A couple arms and a head were its only extremities, the latter looking like a white plume, a single eye peeking out from its base.
A good contender for a sleep paralysis demon, though Sue doubted whether that was anywhere near the intent of the drawing.
Given that the text was about as helpful as the sketches of penises on the margins of her actual notebooks, her attention only had one way to go. She pointed at the eerie sketch before looking up at the Moon, asking with much less exasperation than before-
"Who's that?"
The second page hitting her face that imagined night did not startle her any less.
She grabbed the sheet of paper with an annoyed grunt before glaring at the moonlit sky with the angriest expression she's had since ending up in this... realm; she supposed.
"You don't have to toss it in my fucking face, you know!?"
The mighty lunar deity mumbled what Sue imagined to be an apology. She grumbled, flipped the page over, and took a good look at... mostly solid blackness. The only part not filled in with solid color was a shaded circle at the center, the various details revealing it to be the Moon.
Was that spooky ghost-looking thing... the sky dimmer Satan... deity?
No, these two don't deserve nicknames; they can figure something out if they're so up and mighty.
"Alright, if that's supposed to be the spooky one, then what the hell are you, and why did you even bring this all up to begin with?"
To Sue's relief, the response didn't slap her in the face this time. Instead, it took a more civilized route of manifesting on her lap while she wasn't looking, Sue blinking before grabbing the tiny bundle of pages. The topmost one seemed to contain the answer to her first question, the sketch filling up most of it-
Actually, scratch that. This one gets a nickname, after all.
Moon god is Duck now.
It was very hard to deny the similarity between the drawn creature and the bread munchers of the local ponds. The only actual differences were the tusks on the sides of its head, a curved horn, and its wings looking like flimsy, translucent arcs. Somehow. It even had a third one on its back, larger than the other two. Judging by its location, the only purpose it might have had was providing the divine entity with a speed boost while flying or swimming around.
Duck goes nyooom.
After finally easing out her laughter, Sue could take a look at the rest of the scribbles. The voice ringing from the lunar body all the while was decidedly unamused; not that she had it in her to care. The second page depicted a rudimentary comic, its plot all too familiar.
The first panel, a human with a backpack on a forest trail. An arrow connected it towards the only other defined panel, with a Martian lying in the mud. The memory was still recent, the coldness of that entire experience shooting through her body. Next to the arrow was none other than the bespoke ghost Satan, together with some more geometrical writing.
"Wait, did that other guy bring me here and cause all this?"
Duck responded with a raised tone, contributing precious nothing towards making all this any more understandable. Sue's head tilted as she tried to figure out whether that meant 'yes' or 'no', arriving nowhere. Weirder still, the celestial voice sounded similarly uncertain, mumbling before quieting out and… sighing.
"Guess I'm not the only one confused for once, eh, Duck?"
Some more mumbles, a raised voice, almost... apologetic. Or so she thought, at least. But why would it-
Suddenly, a migraine.
It was no less uncomfortable than the real stuff that occasionally ruined her days. Her free hand reached up to clasp her head, trying and failing to banish the sensation of a rusted knife drilling into her head.
"H-hey, what the- s-stop, STOP THIS!"
The subsuming pain made it difficult to make out its response, the serene sensations of her brain frying itself eclipsing her thoughts. A roll of nausea surged through her body- and then it stopped, as abruptly as it had started.
Sue was dazed, achy, and really, really pissed at this nonsense inside her head. She glared at the imagined celestial body, getting up from her seat.
"You know what, fuck this and fuck you, get the hell out of my dreams you- whatever the fuck you are!"
Surprisingly, but not at all unwantedly, her indignation had an effect.
A strong wind kicked up out of nowhere, fierce and loud enough to eclipse Duck's pleading. Sue didn't care. She was fed up with it, with having no idea what was happening, with the pain inside her own skull.
Before she knew it, the dream once more came undone in front of her own eyes; pieces of landscape falling into a colorless void.
As if to spite her for the last time, the page slipped out of her grasp and slammed into her face one more time. Sue seemed it fit to just tear the stupid thing apart, about to do so before spotting a detail that wasn't there before, the rest of the dream dissipating moments later-
There was a question mark next to the drawing of the ghost Satan now.
If you're confused about the species of the characters and want them spoiled, I've set up a page listing the species of all the featured characters in each chapter! - redspah. github. io/another_way_species. html
If you want to discuss the story, I've set up a Discord server for it! (and my other writings) - discord. gg/gSnbUP8Vbz
Also check out my other main fic, From the Vast! - fanfiction net/s/14160963/1/From-the-Vast