Jessie looks tired, poor girl. She’s been jumping out of the ATC for a few hours of sleep in the real every day and it’s wearing on her.
“Several things, really. The most important if I’m going to be structuring personal hires, I’ll need a meeting with an Orion vetted financial planner. Second, I want you to keep tabs on Lucy and Sabrina, and compile a list of things that are keeping the active wear project from moving forward. I don’t need you to fix them, just consolidate the list so we can hit it running when I get back. Pun intended. Sabrina either needs a sponsor or pick up a job like Lucy and I did.”
“A job you no longer need, but the one you have the most drive in continuing, I know.”
“Oh, Jessie. We’re learning so much about each other this week!” I try to bounce over and hug her, but she keeps me at arms length.
“I’m kinda mad at you right now, but mostly at how little description was included about how manic your schedule would be.”
“Yeah, I was not expecting Ophelia to squeeze every drop of sweat and tears out of me. I think I’m going to pop in to see Lucy before I leave. Thanks for being amazing this week, Jessie.” I reach up to squeeze her shoulder.
She rides the elevator down with me and when I get to the Talent HR floor, we say generic goodbyes. I wait in the lobby after messaging Lucy, and about ten minutes later, a tall woman peeks her head out of the side door and with a huge smile, she beckons me back.
“I was hoping you would stop by before you left.” She reaches down to grab my hand as she leads me to her office.
The room is small, but the far wall is a window and she’s taken the time to make it her own. Does she like this job now? She used to mope about having a desk job when I first met her. My thoughts are interrupted by a fierce hug. I wrap my arms around her too, taking a moment to enjoy the sweet smell of her favorite detergent.
“This isn’t goodbye, Lucy. It’s see you in two weeks. I’ll miss you though.”
She chuckles. “I used to try to convince myself that if we spent more time together, I would find something annoying and we wouldn’t get along well in the long term.”
My mind likes where this is going, so I tease her. “Okay, I’m ready, what is it?”
She laughs this time and the sound in combination with her fingers clawing the base of my skull has me melting into her. “It’s not that at all, Selena. I’ve had so much fun with you this week, even at work! Two weeks is longer than we’ve been close.”
“Maybe, but I’m not just going to forget how much you helped this week, or how adorable it is when you get excited about food.”
“Selena.” Lucy whines as I tease. I squeeze her again and step back and reach up to caress her face.
“It might be a little awkward at first, but we’ll get through it.” I want to kiss her so badly, but she said she didn’t want to commit to that kind of affection until I get back, to see how all of this feels. I get it, but I don’t have to like it.
Fiona, or Freckles from the interview, pokes her head in for Lucy and our moment’s over. I apologize for squeezing past the stunned red-head and make my way back to my condo, where I have a meeting with my headset.
***
The world fades in as I blink furiously, a ray of sunlight punching me in the brain as I sit up to start a new day in Alaris. Reality check: Blue knees? Yep. Two toes and a wiggly heel? Also yep. Great, I’m me and it feels good, though the typical slowness of changing realms still lingers.
Armed with pants, a chest wrap and a rough-spun tunic, I pad out to our shared living space for a glass of water and a trip to the bathroom. I want a cup of coffee too, but I see that there is no wood by the stove up here. Sighing, I put water in the kettle, put it on the stove and dig a few silver out of my money pouch before heading downstairs to the workshop. Two silvers in the bucket hanging from the wood stall and armed with an armful of firewood, I go back to making tea.
The hatchet on the wall next to the stove makes some quick kindling and with a flick of mana into Leeda’s Firestarter, my small stack of wood begins the heating process.
I look at the inefficient use of firewood and frown. I guess I should make breakfast as well, now that I’m heating up the whole stove. I should look into an aether-tech heating pad now that I can imbue crystals with aether. I see some eggs and meat in the chill box and figure I’ll make some for Leeda as well.
While I wait, I find the shard empowering our fridge and top it off with aether. Maybe she knows how to put a larger crystal in so it doesn’t require so many refills a month.
Thundering footsteps climb the stairs, I lunch for the hatchet in a brief panic before I see my grease-covered friend stop at the top of the stairs, breathing heavy. I put the hatchet back on the wall.
“I’m making tea and breakfast if you want some,” I offer.
Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
A smattering of emotions slide across her features before she takes a deep breath and nods.
Plating my meager offering, and pouring the brewed tea into cups, I sit at the table, but instead of Leeda looking at her plate, she’s looking at me.
“It was right mean of you to disappear after dangling that cave in front of me.”
I chuff, “Sorry. Can you even close up shop for two days?”
“That long? What if we rent horses?”
A groan escapes me, “Then we’ll have to rent a different cart, and then we’ll be tempted to fill it to make it worth the trip, and next thing you know we’ve been underground for a week.”
“Don’t threaten me with a good time. Before I ventured out into the wide world, my clan lived in the mountain range a few hundred kilometers west of the Sky Spire. My last name is Gemmonger, for goddess sakes.”
“Jokes aside, a cart larger than my hand cart won’t fit through the trees on the route I take. We can scout a new route on the way back if you like.”
“Sure. I don’t have any outstanding jobs right now, can we leave today?”
I laugh at her eagerness and little ginger puppy energy. “Sure, I’ll need about an hour to settle in, but there’s no reason part of that can’t be shopping for supplies and stopping at the Guild on our way out.”
“I already packed for three days. We’ll need some foodstuffs, but the gear is all ready to go. I’ve waited weeks for this, Zhantsa.”
“Okay! Okay,” I put my hands up in surrender. “I’ll go put my adventuring gear on. Oh? Can I buy some bolts for my crossbows?”
She nods, “You know where they are.”
Half an hour later I’m in my leather capris and vest, with two arm guards that Leeda insist I wear, while the tiny smith adjusts my pack straps and fusses over me a little. Once I’m tired of it, I push her away and walk out of her shop.
“If you don’t mind, I’ll buy some food while you take care of whatever you need to do at the Guild.”
“Do you have something against them?”
She scoffs and waives me off. “A story for another time.” She turns toward the marked without saying more.
Ugh, but I’m curious! We don’t pressure friends to share secrets, Zhantsa, behave.
I grump my way to the Guild Hall and waive at a receptionist I’ve only ever seen in passing as I make my way to the Copper Adventurer board. I take a few of the gather quests for plants and fungi I’m betting are in my forest or my cave, but grump again at the lack of ore quests. It probably has something to do with another organization, or something. I’m about to leave when Melody bounds down the hallway and into the common room.
“Zhantsa! Good to see you, did you just get back?” She reaches out, then checks herself, perhaps trying to be polite after our lunch discussion.
I roll my eyes at her and pull her into a hug. “Good to see you too. And yes, Leeda wants to go see the property and was extremely impatient.”
“That does sound like a Halvyr when it comes to caves. Do you have room for one more?”
I step back and thumb the texture of my braid as I think. “I don’t mind, but Leeda doesn’t seem comfortable with the Guild. So, I guess, if you come as my friend, I guess so. Can you even take the days off on this short a notice?”
Her smile falters, “Not as such. If I’m helping a mentee, sure. Personal reasons that aren’t a death in the family? Not as easy. Perhaps the next time you have more warning then. Did you need any help finding quests for your trip?”
“Oh, yes please. I want to do these gather quests,” I show her the ones in my hand, “but is there anything that maybe I’m not a high enough rank to get a job for, but the Guild is looking for?”
She nods, “I’ll send you a list. Come see me when you get back, okay?”
“Will do, thanks Melody.”
***
“How in the fiery depths did you find this place,” Leeda asks after our first hour of walking through the wooded hills.
“I arrived here and was immediately chased by wolves. I would thank the goddess I survived, but she’s the one that put me there in the first place. It helped out in the end, but it was traumatic for my first moments on Alescura.” I look back toward Leeda and she is eyeing the back of the cart hard. “We’re almost there you big baby.”
The ragged opening to my cave reveals itself as we round the next hill and into a small clearing that has been well trampled by its former inhabitants. My hand cart is a tight fit, but with Leeda’s help we get it into the first cavern.
“You’re sure that I don’t have to worry about bears?”
“Reasonably so. I named it that to sound threatening, not because I saw actual bears. Just wolves and
Instead of replying, she starts un-packing. Pick axe, pry-bar, a couple of vials of something I’ve never seen before, and a hammer come out of the cart along with a harness that she attaches them all to and then slings it around to rest the tools on her back.
“Mind carrying the food and water Blue?”
“Sure, but do you have an extra pack for our spoils? The resource nodes aren’t terribly close.” She immediately walks over to her pack, unrolls her blanket and dumps the rest of her pack on top of that.
I roll my eyes at the ridiculous person. I hand her some meat on a stick and walk toward the underground lake. Every time Leeda complains about walking, I hand her water or another snack and it seems to keep her motivated just enough to soldier on. If she does this on the way back home, I’m not bringing her back again, I freaking swear.
When we reach the pond/lake/reservoir’s cavern, I start pulling off my pack. “All roads from here lead to resources, so enjoy yourself but make sure you can find your way back, yeah?”
“You’re not coming with me?” Oh my goddess, you whiny lump.
“I am warm, and I will be taking a break to swim.” To emphasize that I start unbuttoning my vest. I face the water when I realize she might think I’m trying to seduce her. Next go the pants and after I fold them, I dive right in, knowing that the hole is many times deeper than I am tall.
I break the surface to see Leeda staring at me. “Even I would consider this water brisk, just in case you get any ideas.” That shakes her out of it.
She grumbles her way to my pack, pulls out some food and water and continues grumbling down the closest crevice. That tiny bit of revenge interrupts my annoyance spiral and I feel a lot better. This wrap is starting to fall though.
I ball up the linen wrap and throw it ashore, then take a few deep breaths in succession before diving toward the tunnel that leads to the Crystal Chamber.
“Shit!” I exhale my spent breath and flop on the shore next to some crystals. “Will that get easier if I get in better shape?” I freaking hope so. Maybe I just need to be better at swimming? Who knows.
“I know you can’t manifest often, but I know you can hear me fine. I miss chatting with you, Alaris. And to make matters worse, I missed group therapy this last week also. Sorry about that. This next trip to the ATC I’ll make a point to seek you out, promise.”
Even if this is the chamber where I’m supposed to commune with her, she doesn’t even brush my mind. Experience has shown that does not mean she isn’t watching over me. I spend some time remembering the ethereal form she had and then get lost into a daydream that turns into a real dream.