Something's Wrong With the Different Realms

Twelve: Fleur & Gillian

Allaira Parisseiniviani

I sighed, and after reading Allaira's final instructions, and checking my TimeKeeper to make sure that it was 12:00, I rapped on the sleek door three times. After a few moments, I heard the distant thump of footsteps. A chubby, short, dark-skinned, curly silver-haired woman with a smiling face opened the door.

She poked her head up, "you must be Allaira and Horizon," she said.

"That means you must be Fleur," I responded curtly.

"Your English is immaculate," she whispered.

"I'm aware of that," I mumbled, "I'm a polyglot after all, so it makes sense."

Fleur shrugged. "Why don't you guys come in? You must be tired and hungry. I have some leftovers in the fridge for you to eat and you can take a rest in the living room while we finish setting everything up."

I was reluctant to enter Fleur's abode but after hearing my stomach growl in protest, I relented. I left my bags on Fleur's plush gray couch, then cleaned my hair and my face. After changing my clothes, and piling my hair up high, which obviously exposed my ears, I followed Fleur to her eating room. It was a simple room with a small, wooden rectangular table and two wooden chairs surrounding each side of the table.

"Some soup and some rice," Fleur muttered to herself as she placed down a bowl of soup and a plate of rice mixed with vegetables along with cutlery in front of me and Horizon.

I stared at the food with skepticism but after seeing Horizon diving into his meal with greed, I followed suit. It was a filling and delicious meal. And after I ate, I took a nap on Fleur's couch. It was the best sleep that I'd had in a few days. For once, I was able to relax, even if I was stuck in some stranger's house in a strange land.

When I woke up, a few hours had passed.

"Are you awake?" asked a concerned female voice.

I rubbed my eyes and let them focus on the surroundings before responding, "yes, I'm awake Fleur."

"Good, we have a few things we need to talk about before you guys go to school on Monday," said Fleur. "Horizon's already awake so, let's go to the dining room. I've gotten some new chairs so we all have someplace to sit."

I nodded as I followed Fleur with a frown on her face. I was glad for her hospitality, of course. But I was still mad at the fact that I was torn away from my family. I already missed them dearly. And what for? To traipse around on Earth, a strange place that I'd studied for the past year but wasn't quite familiar with yet. Still, I tried my best to be kind to Fleur. I didn't fully trust her but she didn't try to kill me or poison me while I was sleeping so that was something. And Allurie trusted her so I had that as well.

"Oh," Fleur called out just as I took my seat beside Horizon, "give me a second. I have some things I need to get."

I tried my best to give Fleur a polite smile as she left. I hoped my face didn't look constipated or angry. I mean, I couldn't help the fact that I was still mad after all. I looked towards Horizon, he was downcast as well. But his face was gloomy instead of filled with rage like mine. That meant that he was dejected at the fact that we'd left Zenobia and he missed his family. Horizon and I reacted differently. I'd get frustrated and snap at people and swear in as many languages but Horizon would just keep his thoughts in and seem to become a mopey shadow of himself.

I reached out a hand to Horizon, letting him know that we weren't alone. He took my hand with a grateful smile and squeezed it. At that moment, Fleur had returned carrying envelopes of papers and other strange human contraptions that I'd never seen before.