Summary:
Penny wakes up in a strange place.
Sheldor was not a patient man. You don't get to become the youngest Wizard ever at 8 by being patient. You don't become proficient at silent casting and earn the title of Archmage at 12 by being patient. You don't earn a second Archmage title at 16 for mastering a second school of magic by being patient. You don't become 'The Only Triple-Archmage' at Age 25 by being patient.
Sheldor was not patient.
But seeing the unconscious woman in the middle of the summoning circle makes him think that perhaps he needs to learn to be patient. Just a little.
Last month he had visited a Warlock school out of curiosity for the school of magic (He found it rather superfluous and redundant with far too many drawbacks) and while he felt overall disappointed by the showing of magic, there was one young warlock that surprised him, he would never tell him this of course
The young warlock who insisted on being called Wolowizard despite not being an actual Wizard was accompanied by a wooden nymph. The nymph was carrying the young man's bag and seemed for all intents and purposes, a friend rather than a servant.
This intrigued him enough to approach the short man. Wolowizard told him that he had created a pact for companionship for nature spirits and while he had tried to explain how he had modified the warlock contract, Sheldor was not interested in that (He would deconstruct the spell once he was back at his tower).
Sheldor wanted to purchase the knowledge to use the spell himself. He made an offer right then and there which the young warlock accepted without hesitation.
Sheldor would never reveal this to anyone but he was lonely. 35 years in this world and the only people he could say were close to him was, his mother, and his twin sister.
Due to his desire for knowledge and learning, even from a young age, he was rather separated from even those that called themselves his peers. Sheldor tried and failed to not scoff. 'His peers.'
This spell for a companionship contract should help with that. Nature spirits were easy to get along with, they were comprised of Nature Mana and as such they didn't need to eat or defecate. If one were to be crass about it they could even be called pets, though it depended on the level of sentience of each spirit. The catch was that you had to raise them young or they would be able to bond with humans, hence the need for this spell.
Sheldon had deconstructed it as soon as he had arrived back in his tower and it was a clever usage of the original warlock contract spell, the attunement of the magic was simply changed from the demon realms to Nature Mana. Simple, but effective. No other parts of the spell were changed, translation magic, magical contract, protection runes, etc. Everything was there.
Perhaps there was something about this Wolowizard. Sheldor had triple checked the spell but it was air tight. It would summon a Nature spirit.
Sheldor would be happy with any of them. Nymphs were wise, Pixies were quick-witted, Lamias were wonderful assistants for people like healers, shop owners, etc. Succubus were a favorite for lonely old men…which Sheldor was not. If he wanted that type of companionship he could always visit 'Coming of Page', a rather exclusive bookstore that also happens to offer pleasure services. Sheldor would never tell his mother but he had been a member of this particular establishment since he was 16 and learned to teleport.
He liked to read after all. 'Perhaps a visit is in order…they might have new books.'
Focusing his thoughts back on the matter at hand, Sheldor goes back to examining the woman currently occupying the floor of his tower.
He quickly discards possibilities for the nature of this spirit.
It can't be a Nymph, no leaves or bark visible in her extremities, her head is attached so not a Dullahan, human skin and no fur remove any of the animal tribes, no wings means not a Harpy, clothes and hair remove Slimes as a possibility, too big to be a Pixie, normal human legs so no Lamia, Mermaid, etc. For all intents and purposes she looked like a Human. He briefly considered the possibility of her being a Succubus but there were no horns, no prehensile tail and opening one of her eyelids reveals a Human green pupil and not the classic Cat-like red eye of the Succubus.
Feeling a little disappointed, Sheldor moved to his spot to wait for the woman to react.
If Wolowizard had sold him a defective spell he would come to learn why so many nations refused to go to war with Sheldor, because while it was true that he had his 'Triple-Archmage' title, he was rather fond of the one given to him by the regular folk, 'Sheldor The Conqueror'.
Penny was not having a great week.
And if she was honest with herself, she hadn't really had a great anything since Sheldon disappeared behind that dune a year ago.
Leonard still wanted to get married even after Sheldon had disappeared so she told him to suck an egg. She went to the boy's apartment and picked up everything labeled as Sheldon's and mailed it to Mrs. Cooper and Missy, alongside a letter that explained that everything she sent them was a collectible and probably worth a lot of money. She also provided them with Stuart's phone number.
Sheldon's work and home PC, laptop, backup phone, social media accounts, cloud storage accounts and even his Youtube channel were all nuked after a week of Sheldon's disappearance. Howard explained that Sheldon had a killswitch system and without him there to put the password in, everything was destroyed.
Sheldon was paranoid.
But then again, after seeing the disappointment in Raj and Leonard's face at the news of Sheldon's files being gone, maybe her Moonpie had the right idea after all.
She moved out of Los Robles into a hole in the wall studio apartment close to her office. Penny even tried to go out dating again but she was feeling empty inside, Sheldon was gone, Leonard, Howard and Raj were people she wasn't sure she wanted to see again. Bernadette and Amy had pretty much cut contact with Penny after she refused to stop searching for Sheldon. She briefly considered going home to Nebraska but she would rather jump in front of a bus than put herself through that.
She had recently turned 31, and she felt truly alone, so she chose to log in to the only place where Sheldon still existed in one way. Age of Conan. She would use the DM function to 'talk' to Sheldon and today, a year after he disappeared she simply wrote: 'I miss you Moonpie, I wish I could see you Sheldor.'
Closing her laptop she went to get a glass of wine but she was overcome with an unexpected feeling of vertigo, her shitty apartment suddenly transformed into a carousel of dizzying colors before darkness took her consciousness away.
Penny wakes up slowly but the feeling of cold stone underneath her brings her back to the world of the living in a moment. She's thankful that she had opted for comfy and fluffy pajamas rather than skimpy because this floor is not very warm or welcoming.
It is strangely clean tho.
Looking around her she notices that she's in a stone building, for a panicked moment she fears that she was kidnapped and thrown in a basement 'Fucking Leonard' the thought is in her head before she can stop it. Leonard had not taken their breakup well at first and she had to get a restraining order. But she sees that wherever this is, there is a huge window looking outside, she can hear birds chirping outside, so she's not trapped.
She does a triple check once she notices a man sitting on a huge chair a few feet away from her. He's completely focused on the book in his lap but the part that makes her brain screech to a halt is that this is Sheldon. Her Moonpie.
A second look makes her question that initial assessment, this man looks like Sheldon sure, but there is something that stops her from calling out to him immediately. This man has the same features but he's more muscular, his hair is longer and stylized and he actually has a short beard across his jaw that makes him look older.
Her third glance shows that he's not wearing a comic book tee, or plaid pants. He's actually wearing what she imagines Sherlock Holmes would wear to impress Irene Adler in that Robert Downey Jr. movie. Stylish and hot.
Penny knows that it's not him, he's not her Sheldon, but not having any other alternatives Penny decides to call out to him.
"Sheldon?."
Sheldor really needs to pay more attention to his surroundings, but he was home, he was in his spot and he was in the middle of a particularly interesting theory of how the current classification of dark vs light magic was wrong and they were both parts of the same energy.
The voice that yanks him out of his reading is unexpected but not unwelcome.
"Sheldon?."
Ah, this was interesting. This woman was clearly a nature spirit since she almost got his name right. That was a sign from the spell that the spirit was open for a pact. Well, this certainly made things easier, maybe he had discovered a new type of spirit after all.
Standing up to his full height and adjusting his clothes, Sheldor approaches the summoning circle and the spirit within, and recites the speech for the magical contract as indicated in the book.
"Oh Spirit, I beseech you to listen to my request. I seek companionship and friendship, you will remain free to wander this world and I will provide hearth and shelter. I require that you acquiesce or reject my offer verbally and magically. I shall await your answer."
Sheldor felt that the speech was much too candid but he didn't want to ruin this chance. The foci used for this spell were both expensive and rare. He had the funds to try again of course but he would rather not have to wait months for all of them to be sent to his tower.
Yes, he could teleport but he would not be running around like a regular messenger.
Sheldor also made sure to keep his eyes on the ground in front of him, some spirits would take eye contact as a challenge and try to attack him on principle. Thankfully the summoning circle acted as a protection measure as well, the spirits couldn't leave its confines unless they accepted the pact, and if they rejected the path they were immediately banished to their realm of origin, not given a chance to attack the summoner.
Sheldon knew that the protection runes in the circle could stop even a high grade demon, as such he was not worried about the spirit turning violent towards him.
When a pair of bare feet suddenly appeared in his vision Sheldor started to get a little worried.
'This is not supposed to happen, it's unheard of.' Sheldor could feel cold sweat running down his back and he refused to look up at the face of the woman. She must be a demon king like this realm has never seen before, to so easily break the protection runes speaks of infinite power.
"Hey!." He couldn't stop his body from jumping "Sheldon, look at me." The tone was angry but also strangely wistful?.
"I would not dare do such a thing, My Lady. Lest my eyes be burned by your beauty and splendor." Sheldor knew he was done for if he displeased her, so he decided for full honesty. Sheldor had never had a lot of interest in demon summoning but even he knew that high ranking demons usually had powers that allowed them to see into the hearts of men and could detect lies right away.
"Sheldon, what the hell are you talking about? And why are you dressed like that? It's me, Penny. D-don't you recognize me?" Her voice broke at the end and Sheldor finally looked up.
He only saw a sad and lonely young woman.
Penny's day truly went from not great to possibly horribly bad. It took a while to explain but it seems that this version of Sheldon had thought she was some sort of demon king at first, as he had attempted to summon a nature spirit and well he got a Penny instead.
Sheldor, as he asked to be called, was a Wizard-oh sorry- The Wizard. Even in this version of the world he was an overachiever.
Once he understood that she was just a woman and not a spirit of any kind she could see him get a little disappointed. Sheldor was more expressive than Sheldon so Penny had an easier time understanding his mood.
Penny also spent a good amount of time explaining alternate universes to Sheldor though she fears that her explanation was not a good one. But he at least understood that she knew a version of him before he disappeared and the overall idea of Penny coming from another world cheers him up a little.
"Was this other version of me at least the equivalent of a Triple-Archmage?" She hesitantly nodded because she truly did not know how to compare the two and Sheldor smiled, satisfied with the answer.
"Okay Sweetie, this was great (if it's not a dream), I am glad that I got to see a version of my friend. Now, how do I go back?"
She saw him pause. "…go back?" Oh no.
"Yeeeeeaaaaahhhhh," it came out slowly, her gut already filled with dread "You know, go back to my own world."
"Ah, of course." Nothing more, he just stared at her and blinked. One minute, Two minutes, Three minutes. "I have no idea." He finally admitted.
Of fraking course.
"Can't you just, Idon'tkno, do your magic thingy?"
"That's a great idea Penny, let's try the rejection chant for this summoning spell. Give me a moment to review the spell." Sheldor scrambled to grab and read a piece of parchment. "Ah, here it is. Ready?"
Penny nodded and closed her eyes, she tried to stay still, afraid that moving would somehow mess it up.
"Spirit, I reject your companionship. Begone, return to whence you came forth!" His voice was sure and confident.
After not feeling anything Penny opened one eye and looked around, she was still in the same place, looking up at an embarrassed Sheldor.
"Allow me to try the most powerful banishing spell I know. I have never had to use this spell before and it's actually in a different language, one long dead."
Sheldor started chanting and she couldn't understand the words but she could feel the power in them. She could feel winds surrounding her and she closed her eyes in preparation of being transported. Penny didn't know if it would hurt or not but closing her eyes seemed like the best idea.
Sheldor's chanting got more intense and she actually felt as if she was flying for a moment but it was the winds that were carrying her, she heard a thump noise and then Sheldor's voice stopped and her feet were touching the ground again.
No luck.
She could hear Sheldor gulping air as if he ran a marathon, but she was still there, just like before, no, she did feel different, she felt cold. A breeze between her legs made her open her eyes in shock and look down at herself.
She was naked.
Her pajamas were strewn across the room and her panties were hanging from a chandelier above her.
Sheldor had not stopped looking at her so while glaring at him she kneeled and turned her back at him, trying to cover herself as much as possible. This finally seemed to make Sheldor move and taking his coat he used it to cover her. She still glared at him.
"Ah, my apologies. From everything that I have read this was not supposed to occur." He was flushing and couldn't meet her eyes.
Penny took a deep breath, Sheldor, just like Sheldon was not a creep. He literally was just trying to get her home, even if she no longer knew what that word meant. Be patient Penny.
"Penny, were you aware that someone doodled on your buttocks?."
Then again, patience was overrated. Sheldor needed to learn about Junior Rodeo.
Mary was a devout follower of Helio (May his light purify the world). So when her little Shellybean started taking an interest in the books at church she was elated, he was only 5 and already reading.
She didn't realize that the church doubled as a communal library in their little village so it came as quite the shock when her little Shellybean suddenly summoned a fireball one day while playing outside.
Poor Snowball, at least he didn't suffer.
While she tried to push Sheldor to study about Helio and his light he instead chose to keep learning about Wizard stuff, which wasn't exactly against Helio's teachings but she still felt that it was wrong. It was only because George told her to not limit their child that she relented.
But she feels it's a little unfair, she lost her child. He was praised as a prodigy and was taken all the way to Adilin to study under the Archmages there. They told her that being a Wizard was a lifetime commitment, that it would take all of his lifetime to try and reach Archmage.
Sheldor was one at 12.
Mary had hoped that meant he would be back home but then her little Shellybean decided to travel all the way north up to Allebelle to continue studying. She received a similar speech as last time. Mastering a second school of magic was a lifetime endeavor, there were only a handful of Wizards that had done it and all were older than 50.
Sheldor was back in her house by the time he was 16.
Mary tried, she really tried to understand her youngest son but what hope she had when not even Melissa could, and she was the boy's twin. They did show him love, because as much as he denied it, by the time he was 20 she could see a loneliness set deep within her son's soul.
The boy could end a war with a wave of his hand but was clueless about how to approach someone for small talk.
Mary worried about him, so she prayed and prayed and prayed some more to Helio to show her son the way. She even prayed to her dead husband (May Helio have him among his corn fields.).
So when her Shellybean showed up on her door one day with a blond woman by his side Mary almost jumped from joy. She couldn't understand much but it seemed her boy had somehow dragged this young woman from her home without meaning to.
So of course Mary made him apologize properly, in front of her.
Sheldor had brought her here for a full wardrobe since she only had the garments she was wearing, they looked well-worn and the girl, Penny, admitted they were used only for sleeping.
Ever since Sheldor started earning money (just by existing it seemed at times) he had made her little seamstress shop into the biggest clothing store in the village, which had also seen a dramatic growth as the home of the 'Triple-Archmage'. He had even taken Melissa to learn under actual high-class seamstresses and then dropped her right back here with her and told them to run the shop. That boy had more of his daddy in him than he ever cared to admit.
As she measured and planned Penny's clothes she didn't miss the easy banter her son had with Penny. Penny was a no-nonsense kinda girl and to her it looked like it was exactly what her high and mighty son needed. Later that night Melissa shared her opinion that maybe Shellybean had found someone just for him.
She was lucky that Sheldor had built his Wizard tower in the village so she could see him and Penny often.
And if she does a fertility offering at Helio's temple, well now, no one has to know.
Penny has gotten used to living in this new world. She wants to call it weird but thanks to magic it's not hard to adapt.
She has been staying with Sheldor since the beginning and his tower was basically a magical wonder, regulated temperature, self cleaning, running water, drainage, shower, a cold box that was basically a fridge. Overall life here was pretty great.
Except, you know, the whole being transported to this world.
Sheldor was researching ways to send her home, and his mother Mary, had forced him to take care of Penny meanwhile. Speaking of, that woman looked exactly like Mrs Cooper, religious to a fault as well.
Penny also liked spending time with Melissa, that woman might be a damn supermodel in every universe, but she was also fun and witty.
It's been 3 months since she first came to this world and so far things have been okay. Secretly Penny has to wonder if she shouldn't be freaking more. Lately she's also been wondering if it would be okay for her to stay here.
Mary had told her that just 15 years ago this city was actually a pretty tiny village, but then Sheldor started bringing in people and the village grew into a city.
Sheldor liked the bread they made in another city? He hired the baker, built them a home in his village with magic and told them to start working. Penny had met that baker, it was a shock to see an Orc making bread but Botika was a talented baker and the cream puffs he made were to die for.
Same for others around the city, Kalta was a Half-Elf and no one could make better furniture than her. Thom always had the freshest fruit, he was also a Goblin. Karla made the best perfumes. And so on and on, Sheldor without meaning to, had started one of the largest cities in the continent.
Of course Penny made friends with all of them but it wasn't until Alicia that Penny found something to do other than laze around Sheldor's tower waiting for him to come up with a way to send her home.
And it's not that she hates Sheldor, he was actually pretty fun, it was Sheldon but at the same time it wasn't him. She could no longer get them confused in her head. Sheldor was more relaxed, but probably it had something to do with the fact that he was the most powerful man alive. He loved to listen to her stories and Penny loved telling them to him. It was a challenge to adapt 'You've got mail' so he could understand it but given how Sheldor had marveled and clapped she felt she did a good job.
But back to Alicia, she was one of the many bards that worked in the city, she just happened to work in the water fountain near Mary's shop. She had a wonderful singing voice and Penny approached her because the stories she sang about were right in her alley. Heartbreak and then finding your true love? Sign her right up.
One talk became two and then three and soon enough Penny, Melissa and Alicia were having lunch together every day.
"The only thing missing in this city is theaters, galleries and concert halls, we are forced to play either on the streets or in the taverns," Alicia complained "But taverns are horrible, they all just want to hear drinking songs." Alicia put down her wooden cup with a little more force than needed.
Melissa scoffed "Forget it, Sheldor hates bards…and music and plays and everything related to them."
Penny quickly chewed the food in her mouth and swallowed before attempting to talk. "Wait! But he loves it when I tell him stories."
"Sheldor?"
Penny nodded.
"My brother? Big, tall and scary?"
"I mean, he's not that scary."
"Huh." Melissa said and Penny saw her share a look with Alicia.
"Right." Alicia said. "Let's go back to what you said. You tell him stories?"
"I mean, not tell him, tell him, but tell him, you know?"
"Sometimes you speak and say nothing."
"What I want to say is that I act them a little, do some voices and stuff like that."
"Can you show us?"
Penny is happy to show them, another thing this world had given her, was the chance to flex her acting skills again. She wanted to make sure Sheldor enjoyed her stories and retellings and while she might have told Leonard that her dream of acting was behind her, the truth was that she never stopped wanting to act.
She does it like a monologue, 'Fleabag' style and while it's awkward at first, she gets into it quickly. These people didn't see the decade of failed auditions, of never getting a callback, of never being good enough. They only see her. Penny.
Before she is even finished, Alicia is jumping on her and telling her that she needs to join her act. Alicia can play music while Penny acts, they can perform plays. "Penny, you can sing and I can play the-"
"Ohnonono I don't sing." Penny learned that the hard way.
"Nonsense, sing something."
Penny wants to stop this already so she just sings, for some reason the only thing that comes to her mind is 'Let it go' from Frozen and before she's halfway through the song Alicia has covered her mouth.
"Okay, I can sing and you can act." Alicia has a strained smile on her face while she says that.
"I told you."
And that's how Penny started working as a performer. She wonders if this is how plays in the middle ages were done. It starts small, just Alicia and Penny in front of the water fountain, and it works. People gather around them, a little more with each day.
After one month they gather other actors, a half-orc boy named Marco,and a half-elf girl named Anne. More musicians, a Dwarven woman that requested to be called Coal, and a human woman named Aster.
Penny is stoked for it, she's so stoked for it that she and Alicia start making long term plans.
Penny forgets that she's supposed to go back to her original world.
It's Sheldor that reminds her.
"Penny, I believe that I found an individual that holds the answers, I will visit him tomorrow."
The news should bring her comfort, knowing that she soon might be able to go back, instead, it makes her angry. Sheldor keeps talking about his theories on how to return her home and Penny just wants to shout at him to shut up.
"Penny?"
Sheldor's voice drags her out of her own head.
"Sorry Sweetie, I was distracted. Oh! Did I tell you that Marco and Anne are dating now?"
"Really?" Sheldor shakes his head in wonder. "I find it fascinating how Half-Orcs and Half-Elves seemed almost drawn to each other."
They're supposed to eat in a few minutes, but Sheldor talking about this world always made her happy, so Penny just sat and listened to him. "In the past, Elves and Orcs were mortal enemies. A situation not helped by the fact that they're unable to have children with one another as such any alliances could not be fully cemented which led to more war."
Penny grabbed one of the bread loaves sitting on the table and meant for their dinner and started to grab small bites as she listened to his story.
"Thankfully, both sides recognized that further war would simply lead them to mutual destruction. That made them agree to a very fragile truce. By some miracle, war never broke out again, but many historians point out that it might have to do with the appearance of Humans. Humans were able to have children with any of the races which led to a period of tentative peace."
Penny is interested in hearing the story but is also very hungry, so she motions for Sheldor to take a seat while she plates their food, potato stew and braised pork belly.
"It wasn't until recently that a historian noted the large number of pairings between Half-Orcs and Half-Elves. Some were of high profile such as Bast 'The destroyer' and Saint Helena. But even in small villages this happened."
Sheldor nods in thanks as she puts the plates in front of him.
"This has of course created some ridiculous beliefs, like saying that the current Half-Orcs and Half-Elves are actually the souls of dead warriors finally able to live in peace. Others believe that it's due to some primal attraction and yet some also believe that it's simply due to them being able to relate to one another due to their similar lives of living on both sides of their cultures."
Penny is not feigning her interest, this entire thing was super interesting. "But then, can Half-Orcs and Half-Elves have children with each other?"
Sheldor simply nods, his mouth busy chewing.
"And if they do have children…will it be a full human?"
Another nod.
"Huh, I wonder if that's the reason Anne keeps asking Marco to pretend that he's kidnapping her from an Elf Clan stronghold."
Sheldor choked on the stew and started coughing violently.
That night, before going to bed, Penny stands in the doorway to her room. The tower is warm, so she's wearing sleeping shorts made custom for her from Mary's shop.
Penny is waiting to see Sheldor, she can hear his footsteps approaching and it fills her with excitement. They've been having moments and Penny is almost a hundred percent sure that she's not imagining the way Sheldor looks at her when he thinks she's not paying attention.
She's no better, Sheldor might be a wizard but he was tall and buff as well. She had once tripped and he had caught her in strong arms. Penny had wanted to kiss him but Sheldor ran away after helping her up.
His footsteps finally approach and under the magical light Penny can see his features clearly. He stopped in front of his own door but is looking at her with such intensity that it makes her insides feel like they're melting.
"Goodnight Sheldor." Her voice is heavy with meaning.
"Goognight Penny." Sheldor's voice is deep and it makes Penny grab the doorway a little harder.
Neither are saying anything, they just look at each other. It should be simple, one of them has to take that first step, but after a few moments Sheldor closes his eyes and runs into his room.
Penny is left angry and frustrated.
The Arch-mage that Sheldor visited turned out to be of no help. Sheldor knew more than the man about magic, another dead-end.
Except, Penny was having second thoughts about returning to her world.
What was she returning to exactly? A shitty apartment. A shitty job. A shitty life. She no longer went out with friends ever since Sheldon disappeared…Sheldon. He was gone, she knew that, but it's until this moment that she can accept it.
She's trapped in another world and that's what sets her free. Ironic.
Penny doesn't want to leave anymore. She's been flirting with Sheldor and she thinks that he's responding to her, but something pulls him back from her. And honestly, Penny hasn't been this sexually frustrated in years, it's driving her crazy.
Alicia was playing the prince in their latest play and Penny had basically sucked her tonsils out. Not good.
Mary couldn't thank Helio enough. Penny had been exactly what her boy had needed to finally connect with other people.
Her Shellybean, the boy that said 'The arts are a waste of time and talent.' went ahead and built a theater for Penny. He claimed it was to protect her from the elements and for added security but Mary didn't miss the way he looked at Penny.
She had seen that look before, when he first summoned that fireball. But this time both his eyes and smile were as soft as silk.
She also didn't miss the way Penny would look at her boy. That girl looked at him like he was a tree full of fruit and she was a monkey.
Mary made another fertility offering the day she catches that look.
It's been almost a year since Penny has been in this world. This is her home now, she not only has accepted it but she has embraced it fully.
She wants to live here. With Sheldor.
Sheldor is frustrating her beyond belief, every time they almost had a moment he would back down, leaving her angry and horny. 'No more.' It was time for the Big Ol' Five to come out to play.
Penny is wearing one of Sheldor's favorite cloaks, it's wine red and super soft. She's only wearing the cloak, and nothing else. She's making her final stand here.
Sheldor should be back from his trip to try and find more information to return her to her world anytime soon. She already knew he would find nothing. He had been killing himself trying to help her, but it was time to stop. It was time to move forward with their lives.
"Penny?" Speaking of the devil. "Are you cold? Why are you wearing my-"
Penny shrugged off the cloak and let it fall to the floor, Sheldor couldn't finish his sentence.
"Okay Honey. We've been doing this running around for far too long. This is it, the moment of truth, what do you want to do?" Penny opened her arms to him and stood naked and proud.
"Penny." Sheldor's voice was hoarse as he approached her, slowly. His hand almost touching her waist, it made Penny shiver in anticipation. "But, I have been unable to help you." Sheldor's hand retreated back.
And it pissed her right off.
"WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?!"
Mary is walking up to Sheldor's tower when she hears the screaming.
"I looked everywhere! Every school of magic, every Archmage, every avenue leads me to nowhere! I don't want to lie to you, that's why I can't help you. There's no way back to your home." Mary has reached the door but she's not opening it. Her son's voice breaks at the end and he sounds truly heartbroken to be unable to help Penny.
"I'm not mad about that! I know you've been killing yourself trying to help me!"
"Then why are you mad?!"
"Because I don't want to leave! And you keep running away from me!"
Mary decides that it is better to leave them for now.
On her way home she stops by Helio's temple and makes a small offering, this time for Penny to be able to find peace and a new home.
Although Mary suspects that has already happened.
She makes a separate offering so her son can see the truth staring right at him.
Penny feels relaxed and soft, like a piece of silk.
After their fight Sheldor finally understood that Penny wanted to stay here, and the big idiot finally admitted why he was looking so hard for a way home for her.
"I thought that if I found the means to send you back home, I could ask you to stay here with me and know that it wasn't because you had to stay, but because you wanted to stay."
"But I do want to stay! My life is here." And Penny had kissed him so suddenly that it took Sheldor several moments to be able to react.
But react he did.
Soon they were both naked and Penny was finally able to release all the tension in her body. She hadn't wanted to date anyone, she hadn't wanted a one-night stand.
Penny wanted Sheldor.
She's still not sure what the rest of her life will look like here in this new world, but she's ready to find out.
The next time Mary sees the both of them there's a closeness between them that she knows Penny found her home. The looks they give each other are not done in hiding either.
Mary is happy for the both of them.
'Thank you Helio for bringing Penny to us.'
5 years later.
Mary's hands are full, each hand holds the tiny hand of a 5 year old.
"Meemaw? Why are we staying with you tonight?" A blond girl asks her and Mary looks down at eyes that remind her of her boy.
Penny had been the one to teach the children to call her Meemaw, Mary loved it.
"Well my little Honeybean, that is because your parents are going to be busy today."
"Busy doing what?" This boy looked so much like his father that Mary had already called him Shellybean several times, much to the boy's displeasure. But his eyes and attitude were all his mother's.
"They're…praying so you can get a little brother or sister."
"Ohhhhh"
"Ahhhhh"
"That's why you're coming to Helio's temple with me, I'll teach you how to make an offering so you can have a healthy baby brother or sister."
Both of her grandchildren nod and Mary smiles at them. Her heart has never been fuller.
fin.
Notes:
I couldn't leave Penny on her own.