Rudy looked around, "I can't get over the fact the fact the NPCs were staring at us. It was like...the game evolved or something."
Keira just patted his shoulder, "It's a game - a crazy weird game - but still a game. There's no way it could evolve. It was probably just a glitch or something."
Rudy nodded, though feeling chills down his spine. Something was wrong with the game. He watched his group warily.
Brynne stretched her legs, "I'm just glad those ostriches stopped chasing us."
Aiden leaned on the back of the dune buggy, "It's too weird. There's no way the game took pity on us."
Mini pushed up her glasses, "I agree with, Niki- I mean, Aiden."
Aiden glared at a snickering Rudy, "Be quiet, Zac Efron."
Rudy threw his arms in the air, "I STILL DON'T KNOW WHO ZAC EFRON IS!"
Nikita just sighed, "Aiden, you were in charge of teaching him the ways of the world."
Aiden rolled his eyes, "Fine. Way One: Zac Efron is an actor, and you're lucky you look like him in the game, because you're not this pretty in real life."
Rudy feigned hurt, "Did you just call me uGlY?"
Nikita nodded, "It's true, though."
Keira shook her head, "Guys, can we get back to the-"
"Are we going to ignore the fact that Aiden just called Zac Efron pretty?" Hira asked.
Keira smacked her friend's arm, "Look, we can get back to the Rudy being ugly/pretty debate later. We need to figure out where Aru is and get out of the game."
Mini nodded, "She's right, you know. Also, if there's a way to switch our bodies back to normal-"
Rudy fake-coughed, drawing attention to himself, "Our?"
Mini massaged her temples, "I mean, your. I was lucky enough to keep my body."
Brynne laughed, "As if we'll ever catch a lucky break like that. Especially in the game."
Nikita nodded, checking her nails, "Rudy, your character has the worst manicure. Also, I'm starved. A girl needs her food."
Hira chuckled, "Technically, you're a boy right now, but same. I'm hungry. What do you say we get food before we look for your friend?"
The OG gang looked at each other and came to a silent agreement. Rudy grinned, "Food first it is!"
Brynne smirked, "I got you guys covered. I'm a chef - Oh, wait."
She glared at Hira, who just blinked in surprise. The latter's eyes widened, "OOH I'M A CHEF. Let's see if I have anything in my pack."
Hira opened her backpack and rummaged through it, finding a few chocolate chip cookies. She handed one to everyone and kept one for herself. Everyone munched quietly on their cookie, their eyebrows furrowed - thinking about the next course of action. Aiden just about finished his cookie when he felt a shiver run down his spine - he only felt that when Aru was around.
He held up his fist to the group, telling them to stay silent. Aiden slowly turned around, inspecting his surroundings. One thing, or rather person, caught his eye. It was a woman in a tattered hood. It shadowed her face enough so that they only saw her mouth, which was quirked in a smirk.
The woman made elegant moves, talking to people like a friendly civilian, but that didn't distract Aiden from seeing what she was really doing. She was pickpocketing every person she came across - stealing watches, wallets, and food.
Her eye glinted in the lamp-light when she saw her group of friends staring at her. Her lips formed an 'o' shape as she recognized them. She fumbled around with the last watch she had stolen before she stuffed it into her pocket and looked around.
Taking long strides towards the group, she pulled down her hood, revealing a soft, round face, with doe brown eyes. Wavy, black locks cascaded around her face, her long lashes fluttering as she blinked, staring at them. Her lips were perfectly glossed. She wore a black suit, covered by her cloak.
Aiden felt his heart flutter, and he cursed as he covered his blushing face. That must have been weird because he was a girl at the time (NO OFFENCE TO ANYONE! PLB AND I ARE STRONG SUPPORTERS OF THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY! - Trips).
The girl faced him, her eyebrows furrowing in frustration. She whisper-shouted, "What are you guys doing here?!"
The entire group grew confused until Aiden spoke up as Madame Verity, "We came to get you."
Everyone's eyes widened, and Mini looked at the girl up and down, "...Aru?"
The girl put her hand on her hip, rolling her eyes and smirking, "No. It's Kanye West."
Mini smiled, "That's Aru."
Aru sighed and mumbled, "For once, let me have my fun in peace." Luckily, no one heard her. She studied them all, "Let me guess, all of you had your bodies switched. Hira and Keira are here. Keira's wearing my skin, and Boo and Sheela are somewhere in the real world."
Rudy gaped, "How...?"
Aru sighed, "Your eyes tell the entire story. That's one of my character's strengths. I can read people. It's also super obvious. You guys look super uncomfortable in your skins. Well, except Booksy, Scimitar, and the Princess. So, that must be Mini and Rudy. Because Aiden would never look so full of himself. Mini's holding a book in her hand like she does at school. Keira can't stop jumping in my character. Super obvious."
Everyone stared at her, wide eyed. Nikita just shook her head, "Explain in English?"
Aru was about to say her entire speech over again before Aiden stopped her, "Who are you supposed to be?"
Aru smirked, "Basically myself, but an enhanced version of Aru Shah. Meet Cleo Featherly. A professional thief, speaker, and extremely beautiful mastermind. See? Basically just an enhanced version of me."
Nikita scoffed, "Oh yeah. That's definitely Aru."
Aru smiled, "Good to see you too, Niki. Can you please get me water?"
Nikita stiffened, nodding slowly. She went through her backpack and pulled out a water flask, giving it Aru. Aru took it and grinned, "Thank you."
Nikita relaxed again, holding her head. She pointed a finger toward Aru, "What did you just do?"
Aru shrugged, "I told you. I'm a speaker. Sort of like, keep in mind I don't care that you've never read PJO, but like Piper Mclean and her Charmspeak ability."
Rudy raised an eyebrow, "Charm-what now?"
Aru just patted his cheek and looked at Aiden, "Weren't you in charge of teaching Rudy the ways of the world?"
Aiden groaned, "I TAUGHT HIM ONE WAY ALREADY."
Aru shook her head, smirking, "Wow."
She handed the water flask back to Nikita, who begrudgingly grabbed it from her. Aru grinned, placing her hands on her hips again.
Mini studied her friend, when a question came to her mind, "Aru? What's your character's name again?"
Aru raised an eyebrow, "Huh? Oh yeah! Cleo Featherly. Sounds vaguely familiar."
Mini opened and closed her mouth like a fish, and soon facepalmed, "Aru. It's Boo."
Aru looked around, "Where?"
Mini just stared at the girl, "I mean, your name."
Aru laughed, "My name's Cleo. Not Boo. Besides, Boo's not here."
Mini looked like she wanted to strangle someone, "No, Aru. I mean, Boo's name in the game was Lexington Featherly. Your name is Cleo Featherly. Get any ideas?"
Aru blinked, processing the 'new' information. She screamed, horrified when realization hit her, "I'M BOO'S WIFE? WHAT A NIGHTMARE!"
Everyone (Except Mini) was shocked, and then laughed. Aiden had the decency to control his laughter to the point where he had to wipe tears out of his eyes, but Niki and Rudy were already rolling on the floor, going absolutely insane. Mini furrowed her eyebrows, "I'm surrounded by idiotic morons. Aru, you look way too young to be someone's wife. So...any other ideas?" She prompted.
Aru shook her head, making Mini take deep breaths to calm herself, "I'm going to have a heart attack because of your dumbness one day. Aru, you're his sister."
Aru's eyes widened, and she grinned, "Well! Isn't that cool?"
Mini facepalmed again, not being able to keep it in anymore, "I'm done with you. I'm unfriending you on social media. You're dead to me."
Aru shrugged, "Meh." Aru narrowed her eyes in curiosity, "...Wait..."
She pressed her heart, unleashing the board of strengths and weaknesses. She smiled, "You're definitely right Mini."
The strength and weakness board read:
Cleo Featherly- sister of Lexington Featherly:
Strengths:
Sweet talking (charmspeak type thing),
Lock-picking
professional thievery
Cunning wit
Reading people
Strengths because of blood:
Co-piloting (Lexington is your best bet though for flying. Cleo is 2nd choice)
Power of things that fly, along with machinery in the air.
Can speak with things that fly (Lexington cannot)
Weaknesses
Lexington Featherly. To be Specific, should Lexington die, Cleo will be unable to continue living, as she would die of paranoia and end up driving herself insane. In other words, for the simple-minded folk who have joined Jumanji, Lex and Cleo are a package deal. Should one die, so does the other.
Aru grinned, "Welp. That wasn't there before."
Mini raised an eyebrow, "What?"
Aru pointed to her 'Strengths because of blood' section, "That. Before, it was just Strengths and weaknesses. The blood-strength section wasn't there before."
Brynne looked at her weirdly, "Okay? But that's impossible."
Aru just shrugged, "Again. Meh." She looked at everyone, "Anyway, now that you found me, you can leave."
Aiden raised an eyebrow, "What? How? We have to finish the game."
Aru groaned, "You guys are annoying, honestly. Fine, but we really need to find a way to get you guys back to normal. Y'all look like you wanna curl up into a ball and cry."
Aiden nodded vigorously, "I never thought the day would come...where I would have to wear heels."