Quest for the Omnistone

Chapter 39: A 'Nick Says' Realm?

Crystal:

It took all of my willpower not to dash off the moment I walked out from under the village archway. Instead, I settled for a brisk pace with Jac trailing behind me. I could feel her eyes on the back of my head, practically drilling holes to try and get answers from my brain. Unfortunately, she didn't have that power. Mind-reading, telepathy and telekinesis involved the medi-magical opening of the cerebral cortex and a few other complex stuff you won't understand unless... But I digress.

About ten paces out, Jac caught up with me. "Crystal, if I'm going to help you with your 'icy' problem as Benji put it, I need to get some answers around here to get things straight."

"Which is the reason we ended up here in the first place. There's something I need to show you." I replied curtly, getting off the path and into the cool shade of the trees. The no-portal zone's boundary felt closer this way, and it was less likely for us to cross paths with anyone else in this part of the forest. My necklace felt heavier than usual and it was getting a little harder to breath. I hate no-portal zones.

"But Rockyyyy," Jac whined. Sigh. I won't even try to explain how I got that nickname. "I have other questions that need answering!" She grabbed hold of my arm and swung it back and forth like a child.

I dragged her along, trying to dodge low hanging branches while shaking my head. "This is seventh grade all over again."

Jac let go of my arm and snapped her fingers. "A-ha! If you don't answer my questions, I'm going to tell Tamisha that it was you who forged the note to Charlie Jones Aguin saying that she liked him too."

I snorted, slowing my pace in the slightest to talk to Jac properly... and also catch my breath. "Well, I could just leave you here after you help us. Or maybe make you forget that memory with just a snap of my fingers."

"You're bluffing."

I shrugged. "Maybe, maybe not. Even if you did tell her, it's not like I actually care. As you can tell, I have bigger problems to worry about." I brought up my right arm and two wristwatches appeared: one silvery-blue, the other a bright orange.

The orange watch ticked normally while the silvery-blue one's second hand moved every ten, fifteen seconds. Good, time here was faster. That's one less thing to worry about.

"No, I can't tell!" Jac exclaimed, kicking a nearby rock.

I froze, hoping no one heard all the racket Jac was making. After a few seconds, I decided it was all clear and let out a quiet breath. Seriously, didn't Jac understand why I went off the path?

"You should explain it to me!" Nope, she didn't understand at all. "Or else..."

I raised an eyebrow at her but continued walking. "Johanna—"

"She got a body like an hourglass but I can give it to you all the time!" Jac began singing a dreadful, dreadful song. "She got a booty like a—"

"Silencio!" I cast a silencing charm on Jac and no more sound issued from her mouth. We walked through the grass in silence... for about ten seconds.

"Bang bang into the room! I know you want it!"

"That darned Aegium." I muttered, trying and failing once more to silence her.

"Wait a minute let me—" She raised her voice in just the slightest and I clamped a hand over her mouth.

I could Transfigure her into a wristwatch. Or maybe into... what animal doesn't make a lot of noise? Argh, I'm just wasting time! Maybe I'll just make something up— who am I kidding? Even that'll take up most of our precious time.