Island in the Sun (closed to Ray)

The sun was rising over the gorgeous island of Aloxia, a little known landmass between Fallien and the Tular plains as the Irellian was pulling into sight of land. The calls of the crew were raucous and loud, and it brought a smile to the face of Vincent Cain as he gazed at the port through an ornate spyglass. It had been a long several months, and the scholar felt the need for a bit of a vacation of sorts. He’d been under a lot of stress, and so had his dear friend Rayleigh Ashton, so he’d devised a clever plan.

They were going on vacation, whether she knew it or not.

So far the plan had been simple. He had made up a fictitious artifact that he needed Ray’s help locating on the most tropical island in the land. Filled with white beaches, fruity drinks, and excellent food, it was the best place to look for something that didn’t exist. All he had to do was keep up the ruse long enough to help the mechanic unwind…

"A boat, Vincent?" She had to shout to be heard over the crashing waves and shouts of other sailors. The increased volume only magnified the pitiful moans that layered her words. If that were not enough to indicate that she was not feeling well, almost all of the color was drained from her face. The colors that did remain were dark and greenish, a bit like the water that sloshed below her. "It had to be a boat?"

"How else did you expect to get to an island?" Vince called back cheerfully, seemingly unaware of the state she was in. Or else, he was happy to go on enjoying himself, in hopes it might rub off on her.

Rayleigh tightened her hold on the sturdy wooden railing. "Oh, I don't know. Magic?"

Vince finally turned to her, expertly closing the spyglass with all the flair of a bearded, peg-legged, port-plundering pirate. That was, after all, the look he had intended in purchasing the item. "You hate magic," came the response.

"Not as much as I hate boats."

"Touche" The scholar replied pantomiming writing something in the air. "Mental note. Ray hates boats. Use magic to travel instead." Shooting her a grin he stashed away his awesome spyglass, and his invisible pen. He turned and gave her back a comforting pat before leaning against the very railing she was clutching to for dear life. "We should be in the port within the hour though, so we're almost done! All we have to do afterwards is hit the beach!" He paused for a moment and glanced around.

"We need to blend in like tourists though, a lot of people come here just to relax. We need to find our goal without raising any suspicion..." He reached into thin air and pulled out a white straw hat, and darkened lenses. "I got these as part of your disguise, it'll help you blend in."

The young woman blinked down at the hat and sunglasses that Vincent shoved toward her. The sunglasses, she was familiar with, as she had worn them before. But this particular pair was unnecessarily large, their black, plastic rims jutting far above and below the actual confines of her eyes. The floppy straw hat was even less practical, and she turned it over in her hands a few times before leveling a frank look at her companion. "These are goofy as hell, Vince," she informed him.

The man could not keep the grin from blossoming across his face. "Sure," he agreed easily, "but they are all the rage right now. It's what everyone is wearing."

Ray's expression twisted with mild disgust, her brow furrowing, her lips pursing. "I've never cared too much about what everyone else was wearing." She clutched the hat and sunglasses in one hand, and used the other to steady herself against the rail.

Obviously. But he bit the comment back, knowing better than to risk offending Rayleigh. She had a temper that was as wild and untamed as the ocean they crossed, and more than likely just as deadly. But the topic had been breached, and he knew that he would have no better opportunity than this to give her one more request.

"You look great," he began clumsily, attempting to smooth her over before taking the plunge.

It did not work. The mechanic's piercing jade eyes narrowed. "But?" she prompted, her tone skeptical.

"But," Vincent echoed, "I don't think those clothes are really going to help you fit in either."

Every line of the mousy woman's body grew rigid. The scholar winced. And there it is, he groaned inwardly. The temper.

"What's wrong with what I'm wearing?" Now she made no effort to hide the authoritative edge in her voice. For the moment, all thought of sea sickness was lost; she released the railing, and used her free hand to jab a finger against his sturdy chest.

His hands rose helplessly, but Vincent knew he could not back down. "Look around you," he urged gently, his cool voice working to quell some of her fire. When she finally paused to do so, tearing her gaze away from the taller man, she realized that he was right. Nearly every person who roamed the deck was in what Ray considered some state of undress. They wore pants that hardly hung to the knee, and tops that covered even less than the pants. One woman who lounged a short distance away wore what appeared to be a bedazzled lingerie set. It glimmered a blinding gold beneath the bright sunlight, and attracted Ray's attention straight to the woman's-

"Not that," Rayleigh stated, with staggering finality.

Vincent followed his partner's gaze, his jaw going a little slack at the sight. He glanced away quickly, agreeing, "no. Not that."

"Not something even close to that."

He dutifully shook his head. "Not even close."

Though she still eyed him, that seemed to relax Ray somewhat. "Fine," she conceded after a moment's hesitation. "But I pick it out. And you buy."

"I would expect nothing less." The small smile returned as Vincent turned back to look across the water's glass surface. The first hazy edges of the island's silhouette were appearing on the horizon. This was going to be fun.

Aloxia was entirely owned by a very prestigious trading guild that did work in almost every developed country in the world, including the famed golden port of Dehlos. It bowed to no king or country, and thus has its own laws. That being said, the land was something out of a storybook. The water and sky were the deepest, richest color of blue imaginable. Not a cloud was around to block the radiant rays of the sun, and the breeze was never more than a gentle kiss upon your skin. It was a literal paradise. The rains came courtesy of weather magicians, and on a timely manner every seventh day. As the ship drew closer, people began to prepare to land. Being a pleasure cruise, many passengers stood idly about as the actual sailors went about work. Many had drinks in their hands; some were busy chatting about what they were going to do when they arrived.

Vince chewed his lips for a moment, attempting to figure out how exactly broach this next step. Knowing Rayleigh, she was not going to be entirely pleased with this next bit of news. “Okay…” he paused. His companion turned to him, eyebrow raised.

“There’s more?” She asked slightly annoyed.

“It’s for the mission.” Vincent responded fidgeting slightly.

“That doesn’t seem very reassuring Vincent.”

“So it’s incredibly hard to get a room on the Island on the Sun,” The scholar started. “Usually it involves a whoooole lot of money.” He turned and leaned on the guard rail and fidgeted for a moment. “They also only allow certain clientele in as well…” He paused for a moment. “Normally you have to be rich, or famous, or both.” He drummed his hands on the rail and sighed. “So I got an invitation after killing Pode, but in order for me to get you here…” he trailed off.

“What did you do Vincent?” The mechanic asked growling.

“I maaaaay have told them that we were…” he paused and fidgeted his hands. “…married.”

“Excuse me?” Rayleigh asked turning to glare at the scholar. First the ridiculous outfit, now they were suddenly betrothed. “How does that help with the mission?” she snapped.

“I needed to get you on the island. I told them it was our honeymoon, so now it won’t look strange when we are going around surveilling everything.” He paused for a moment. “We’re looking for an artifact of utmost importance; we can’t possibly let it fall into the wrong hands.” He turned and looked at her. “Will you marry me for a few days so we can get this done?” The mechanic sighed for a moment and rubbed her temples.

“It’s for the mission?” She asked turning back to him.

“It’s for the mission.” Vincent replied nodding. The woman groaned as she turned back to Vincent.

“Fine,” she huffed “Any other issues I should know about?”

“Not that I’m aware.” Vince replied looking up to see that the boat was pulling into the port now. “But I suggest you go get your luggage…” he paused and then added with a smirk, “Dear.”

"You're impossible," Ray muttered, before turning to collect her luggage from where they had left it against the ship's nearest exterior wall. The girl had packed light, as per usual. She might have packed a bit more, had Vincent not thrown a fit when she attempted to bring her tool bag. "What could you possibly need a hammer for?" he had asked her warily. When she had begun to rattle off a sizable list of reasons, the man had interjected, stating simply that they should probably limit their luggage to one bag per person. As such, the girl had scooped her belongings out of the half-packed suitcase, and crammed them into her worn leather sack, atop her precious tools. The look she had given him had been pure venom, just challenging him to deny her again. Vincent had surrendered, recognizing a deadly situation for what it was. Hell hath no fury, he had reminded himself as he had walked, nay, ran out of the room.

Vincent reflected on this as Rayleigh returned, her own bag slung over her shoulder, his nowhere in sight. She gave him a pointed look as she brushed by, and when he looked past her, he saw his sitting where he had left it. "So that's how it's going to be," he called after her, smiling despite herself.

The mechanic slowed, and when she turned back to him, she wore a grin that dazzled like the sequins on the gold bikini. "You should have asked me to grab your luggage too, dear."

An hour later, the pair moved through the crowded streets of the tropical island. The paradise was free of smog, considering the ban on all large machines. The air was also lacking the thud of engines backfiring, and the great whirr of technology at work. Despite her Alerian upbringing, and love of all things mechanical, Rayleigh found herself quite fond of the change. The clean breeze carried the aroma of salty waves, and the sound of cheerful reggae from somewhere nearby.

Vincent slowed, and motioned to a shopfront. It was stunning, covered nearly entirely by garments of varying shapes and styles. And the colors, so unlike the dull grays and browns she was accustomed too. She was still apprehensive, but the first traces of excitement lit her eyes, and warmed her cheeks as she gazed upon the outfits.

"The place is a bit touristy," the man informed her, seemingly oblivious to her mounting enthusiasm. "But it should still work alright for what we need."

"Only tourists wear outfits like this?" came her hesitant question. "What do the locals wear?"

She knew so little about the workings of the world. Vince fought back a sigh, and almost moved to explain, but quickly thought better of it. Flicking his wrist, he easily swept the question aside. "Oh, don't worry about it. I stashed a small bag of coins in your things. The island has its own currency, but because of how many people vacation here, they should take our coin as well."

Rayleigh nodded. "I won't be long," she assured him, but her fingers were already delicately tracing the thin fabric of a dress that hung in the doorway. She disappeared inside a moment later.

Content to let her browse, Vincent settled himself on a nearby bench. Though Ray could be a pain in the ass, there was something so pure about her. He, having seen most of Althanas, had nearly forgotten the beauty of simple discovery. When was the last time that he had been so enchanted by bright colors, or the feel of fabric? Briefly, he wondered if he ever had been. Perhaps that was what he liked about her. Or, rather, one of the many things.

True to her word, the woman emerged only fifteen minutes later. Gone were her familiar breeches, boots, and tunic. In their place, a dress of rich, vivid colors fell to her knees. It clung loosely to her body, billowing on the small breeze, as she moved toward him. As she drew nearer, he could make out the outline of a one-piece swimsuit beneath the sheer, floral fabric.

He was staring, and he knew it, but he found it difficult to draw his eyes away. It was not just that she was beautiful, though she was. It was that she was different. He had never seen her in such an outfit, or in the strappy sandals that wrapped their way around her ankles. The girl he had found on the streets of Ettermire had been rigid, distant, and unsure. The girl who slowed to a stop before him, shyly adjusting the large red flower tucked behind her ear, seemed to flow like the wind across the waves, bow like the leaves of the palm trees.

This place suits you. "I don't think I've ever seen you in floral," Vince commented, giving her an approving nod.

Ray shook her head, giving a short laugh, and answering, "I don't think I've ever worn it in my life. The owner of the shop picked it out for me."

"Remind me to thank her later." If his comment had confused his companion, Vincent gave her no time to ask. Instead, he extended his arm. "Let us find our hotel."

“Let us find our hotel.”

The humor of his statement was lost on his companion as she took his arm and they began to walk down the busy plaza. There was only one hotel, and you could see it from almost any point in the island. The building was large even by earthen standards. The near palatial quality of the massive sprawling hotel was staggering even from a distance. The whole “hotel” was roughly the size of Beinost, possibly larger. In the center a massive spire jutted into the sky, decked out in more gold than most countries could claim to have in their treasury. The compound was walled in by massive, beautifully crafted stucco walls that must have towered somewhere around thirty feet tall, while the main tower itself must have stood somewhere along a whopping seven hundred feet tall. The whole thing was equal parts beautiful, obnoxious, and expensive.

“Vince…” Ray muttered staring at the tower. “Is that…”

“Yup.” Vince replied grinning slightly.

“How much money did you-“

“Not a penny.” Vince replied grinning. “Apparently the owner of the resort had a son fighting in the Red Forest reclamation. Apparently he was in a unit I saved from a troll, and he came home singing the praise of the Podeslayer. So as thanks I was invited to spend a week here, which worked out perfectly because the next day I had a vision we would find an artifact here.” The scholar chuckled slightly as the mechanic gawked at the massive tower, only keeping along with him because she was literally attached at his arm. The whole experience had him on cloud nine, it seemed like he was messing things up with Rayleigh more often than not. If he wasn’t almost getting her killed, or pissing her off, he was causing undue emotional stress.

Sometimes he wondered if she’d be better off without him…

But he was greedy. She was one of his closest friends. She’d been one of his first friends on this strange world, aside from the Seraphim Ioder and the merchant Joseph. Yet for some reason he seemed to crave spending time with her. He wanted to impress her, even if it meant going to extremes. Given everything they’d gone through, he wanted nothing more than to make her happy. Yet as they walked through the crowded streets filled with happy people, her arm around his, he couldn’t help but feel…conflicted. He’d been honest about having to lie about her being his wife in order to get her here. But because of that here he was, walking arm in arm with her, like they were a newlywed couple. The sun was high in the sky, bathing everything in its warm glow as the two made their way to the hotel. Everything was perfect, he was perfectly content with her being right by his side.

But a lie is a lie, and it would eventually catch up to him.

Shaking his head, the scholar looked up at the sky, using his free hand to shield his eyes. “Because of how huge that tower is, I have no earthly idea how far away we are…” he muttered shaking his head. “Are you hungry? We could stop to get some food and replace some of whatever you lost over the side of the boat…?”

Rayleigh looked like she may say something snarky, and for the briefest moment, she considered it. But when she looked at her companion, she saw no malice, good natured or otherwise, in those deep blue eyes. He merely smiled when he caught her looking at him, and she smiled back.

"I could stand to eat something," she answered, pressing the flat of her hand against her stomach. Now that the seasickness had subsided, she realized how hungry she was. And, if the scents that carried from nearby restaurants were any indication, the meal he offered her was a deal too good to pass up. Her gaze wandered across one restaurant in particular as they passed it, then jumped to another. "You know," she mused aloud, "all of these places have tables outside." They spilled into the wide street, large, sturdy tables and chairs that showed no indication of being easily moved. Alerar featured very few outdoor venues; Ettermire was an especially dangerous place to eat, considering the pollution. The handful of cafes that did provide outdoor seating brought the furniture in when the weather turned nasty. That did not appear to be the case here. Even the umbrellas that speckled the patios appeared to be crafted of thin fabric, better suited for protecting from sun than from rain. "What do they do when it storms?"

"It rarely does," came Vincent's answer. "Almost always sunny. Makes it the perfect place for tourists. Tourism is their main source of income."

"You know a lot about this place," Ray commented, turning for a restaurant with an open table.

Following close behind her, Vince said, "I spent a lot of time researching it." A pause, and then, "you know, for the mission."

If the brunette found anything odd in his response, she gave no indication as she dropped into the sturdy, wooden chair. The décor, she noted appreciatively, was comprised nearly entirely of natural pieces. Wooden totem poles held a thatched roof over an open bar, and tiny trees in brightly painted clay pots dotted the patio. "I've never been anywhere like this," she admitted suddenly, leaning forward in her chair to gently touch the floral arrangement that sat in the middle of the table. "Everything is so bright, and alive, and happy."

Vince paused for a moment as Ray spoke, chewing on his lower lips slightly as he drifted off into thought for a moment. “That’s kinda sad to think about isn’t it?” He asked cocking his head to the side slightly. A waitress walked by and set down two menu’s for them, carefully handwritten in gorgeous calligraphy, covered in some strange magic preservative…

Oh.

It took a moment for Vince to realize that each page of the delicately leather-bound tome had been simply “laminated” in some strange sort of wax, leaving a smooth clear film over them. He spent a moment idly tracing his fingers over the text, appreciating the subtle craftsmanship of something that seemed so commonplace back on earth. “What does?” Ray asked, lost in thought as she peered over the perfect text.

“That you’ve never been somewhere this alive.” Vincent mused as he flipped the page and glanced over each entrée. “Doesn’t that speak volumes to the condition of our homelands? I can’t imagine Raiaera being this way either.” He paused and glanced down at a particular order. Shredded chicken seasoned and served on a…tortilla. The scholar sucked in a surprised breath.

Tacos were apparently a local cuisine to this world.

“But I’m digressing.” He snapped his menu shut and looked up to the mechanic, smiling warmly as he did so. “It’s our honeymoon, no need to get all existential on you…dear.” He shot her a wink as his smile erupted into more of a playful grin. His eyes shot to another, smaller menu that neither of them had noticed before. He carefully scooped it up and began flipping through the beautiful cream colored pages. From first glance it was obviously a drink menu, filled will all sorts of fruity beverages and cocktails that would be a staple at a resort like this back on earth. He eyed the list of coconut and mango flavored drinks with slight amusement before setting it down. It was a tad too early to start drinking just yet, and he had a whole week to unwind.

“Have you decided what you want yet? I’m kinda eyeing the shredded chicken tacos to see how they stand up to what I make back at home.” He asked glancing around. He was suddenly aware of the sheer amount of couples that seemed to be in this venue, gathered around the bar, pressed against each other in some sort of way. His sapphire eyes darted from one couple playing footsie, to another holding hands, to another outright snogging just on the other side of the patio. The soft rhythm of some strange sort of band tucked away out of sight seemed to fill the air with an upbeat but festive sound. Vince took the atmosphere in for a moment, then another realization struck him.

That’s a fucking mariachi band…

The girl gave a small shrug, still not glancing up from her menu. "I suppose people just prefer different things," she mused aloud. "Not everyone wants to live in a place as alive as this. Before my dad died, I had no reason, no desire, to leave Alerar." Finally, she let her gaze lift to Vincent's face, an expression of good humor on her own. "Now look at me, allowing you to drag me to all corners of Althanas."

"There was curiosity and concern when he asked, "are you complaining?"

When Rayleigh shook her head, her tangle of long brown hair fell across her shoulder, and nearly dislodged the red flower from its place behind her ear. "Hardly," she assured him, her hand reaching out to give his a gentle pat. "I wanted adventure, and that is what you've given me. What you're giving me now." She pulled herself away then, settling deeper into the chair with a heavy sigh of content. The sun warmed her, and the breeze smelled faintly of barbecue as it unsettled the flowers in the table's centerpiece. The beauty that surrounded her made it difficult to muster even a shred of annoyance at the reoccurring marriage quips. "In the spirt of adventure," she announced, "I will try your tacos. I will try them here, and when we get back to the House of Cards, you can make them for me again. I'll judge whose is better."

Vincent cocked an eyebrow, mostly in an attempt to hide his own pleasure at the thought. "You're assuming I'll cook for you whenever you want? What do you think I am now, your personal chef?"

"Fine," she shot back with an easy smile. "I'll cook for you then."

Vivid memories of shouts, screams, and smoke belching out of an oven returned to him, and he shuddered. Her previous attempt at pepperoni pizza had nearly smoked the entire Tarot Hierarchy from their underground home. "Y'know," he began, "that's alright. I'll do the cooking." Her grin of success was all the response he needed.

The pair passed a moment in companionable silence, both watching the band that played nearby. Rayleigh was delighted by the unique sounds, while Vincent remained more than a little put-off by how cliched it all was.

It was Ray who spoke first. "You know," she began, "your real home isn't Raiaera. It's Earth, isn't it?"

Vincent considered this for a moment, shrugged, then nodded. "I guess so. Or it used to be."

"And wasn't Earth pretty alive?" She closed her menu, but her fingers absent-mindedly traced the smooth edges. "At least, I imagine it was, based on everything you've told me."

“Earth was…” Vincent paused for a moment, chewing his lower lip as he contemplated his words. “Earth is…beautiful. It’s alive in ways you couldn’t imagine. So large and full of splendor, yet at the same time small?” he cocked his head to the side. “I could hop on a plane…er- Airship, and travel across the entire world in twenty four-hours. We could talk to people miles away just by picking up a device and pressing a few buttons…” His eyes shot down to table for a moment.

“That sounds amazing.” Rayleigh added nodding. “Your machinery must be leagues ahead of anything we have here…”

“Yeah…” Vincent trailed off. “I mean, I guess I miss some of it? But at the same time…there’s something so amazing about this world.” He looked up and met her gaze. “I mean, there’s magic here. We have dragons and demons, zombies, talking otters…” he shook his head and laughed. “All of that was just fiction back home, you know? It was something out of a storybook that I always wanted to be a part of…”

“What about your family back home? Do you miss them?” the mechanic inquired. It dawned on her that he hadn’t ever mentioned much of them.

“I…have a pretty rough relationship with my mom. Her and dad split up when I was little, and I kinda feel like I caused it a bit. Dad vanished and mom remarried a mean ol’ bastard with three brats for daughters.” A twinge of sadness crossed Ray’s face, forcing Vincent to avert his gaze back to the table. “Besides…I have family here too.”

“You do?” Ray asked cocking her head to the side.

“Of course silly. I have you, John, Jo, Stella, Alyssa…” Vincent began to list off more names of Tarot operatives as he counted on his fingers. “The Tarot is just one big happy family isn’t it?” Vincent shot the mechanic a goofy grin before a waitress interrupted them.

“Can I get you anything to drink?”

“Ale please.” Ray asked bluntly, breaking her gaze away from Vincent to look at the waitress.

“Ummm” Vince hawed as he looked down at the menu. “I’ll try the uh….lemon lime and mango passion power mojito…” Both women stared at Vincent for a moment before Ray let out a small giggle. “What?” her asked cocking his head to the side.

“Vince, that has to be the girliest drink on the menu.”

“And?” Vince replied raising an eyebrow.

“Nothing, you’re right.” Ray managed to get her giggles in check before turning to the waitress. “We’re both going to try the…shredded chicken wrap? What’s It called…the Cato? Yeah, two order of the shredded chicken catos please.”

“Got it.” The waitress mumbled as she scribbled down the order on a small pad of paper. “Two shredded chicken Catos, an ale, and a…lemon lime and mango passion power mojito.” She looked up from her notes and shot the two a smile. “That’ll be out shortly! Would you like any chips and salsa while you wait?”

“Sure.” Vince replied nodding his head. “That’d be lovely.” The waitress nodded and left the table. Once she was clear, Rayleigh turned to Vincent and shot him a questioning look. “What is salsa?”

“You’ll see. I’m surprised how much the locale cuisine mimics Tex-Mex.”

“Tex-Mex?”

“I’ll explain a little later, it’s a rather long winded explanation.”

"We have time," she countered, flashing the man a dazzling smile. "You should tell me more."

Vincent cocked his head. "About Tex-Mex?"

Snorting a laugh, she replied, "I meant Earth. But I guess that covers Tex-Mex as well." Rayleigh planted her elbows atop the table, and balanced her chin on her hands, gazing back at the boy with a sort of childish wonder. "Story time."

The boy stared back at her for a moment, his big eyes the color of the cloudless sky. Then, raking long fingers through his blonde hair, Vincent spoke. "Why do you always want to know about Earth?"

The surprise cooled some of the wonder from Ray's expression. She did not frown, but a shallow line creased across her freckled forehead as her brows knit together. "What do you mean?"

"I dunno." He regretted saying anything at all. "You're just always asking. I don't mind it, but I also don't get it. It's just Earth."

"And this is just Althanas." She used one hand to motion to their surroundings. Her voice was bereft of venom, as the day was too nice for such things. It was confusion, more than anything else, that plagued her. "We have dragons, and demons, and everything else you mentioned. But you could travel across across Earth in a day? That's incredible. That's magic."

He opened his mouth to argue, then thought better of it. There was no magic on Earth, but to someone fascinated by technology already hundreds of years old in America, perhaps that was close enough. Just as he thought that he could use some alcohol, a waiter appeared with their drinks.

"Ale," he announced, plopping the drink before Vincent. "And for the lady, the lemon lime and mango passion power mojito." With a flourish, the tanned waiter slid the frosty glass toward Rayleigh. It was a vibrant pink color, and a fruit skewer floated among the sugar-coated ice cubes. A paper umbrella the colors of the morning sky finished off the ensemble.

Only after the man had walked away did Vincent narrow his eyes across the table. "Don't say anything," he hissed, reaching over and pulling his drink closer.

Rayleigh bit down hard on the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing, retrieving her own glass. "I won't," she assured him, though her green eyes danced with it. And when Vince pulled a small, plastic sword from a strawberry, and waggled it at her, she lost the battle. Her rich laugh mingled with the trumpets and guitars.

"Well," the brunette began when her giggling finally tapered off. "If you won't tell me abut Earth, will you at least tell me more about this mission?"

Vince hated mariachi music.

It was the bane of his existence as a Texan. Every olive skinned man with an ounce of latin American in their blood and a trumpet thought they were a mariachi star. Or so it would seem. He couldn’t escape them at malls, at nice restaurants, weddings, or sometimes even school if someone was playing a particularly nasty prank. Despite all of that, for just one moment, it was matched with the ringing laughter of Rayleigh Ashton, and it was music to his ears.

Without realizing it, his own laugh had risen from his lip joining hers as he slid effortlessly around the table, pulling his seat with him as he arrived sitting next to her. “I won’t not tell you about Earth, but which would you rather about more? Earth? Or why we’re here?” He asked as he coyly took a sip of his mojito.

‘Holy shit that’s good.’

“Well I’d love to hear about both, but let’s start with the important bit first?” Ray asked, her green eyes shining with mirth as she seemed to be calming down from the entire escapade. Vincent nodded, suddenly adopting a very serious facial expression as he took another sip of his fruity drink, glancing around with apparent purpose, eyeing up any nearby staff and patrons with “distrust.” Finally his eyes seemed to find what they were looking for and he motioned for the mechanic to lean in closely. As she did so, he took her free hand lovingly and swept her hair behind her ear and began a show of “lovingly” whispering sweet nothings into her ear.

“Third rafter away from our table, right above the couple that needs to get a room, do you see it?” The mechanics eyes darted quickly to the rafter above the smooching couple to find a small statue of a rather jolly otter hanging from the rafter.

“The otter?” she asked breaking away to look at him. “We’re here for an-“ Vince shushed her by gently placing a finger on her lips.

“No, we’re not here for an otter. I have enough issues with a particular one already. Look closer.” Ray shot him a dirty look but played along, squinting as she focused on the particularly gaudy piece of décor only to discover it seemed to be glowing faintly.

“Why is it glowing,” she asked snatching Vincent’s hand from her face and taking it in her own, playing along with the ruse.

“It seems this entire island is rigged with a series of statues that are enchanted to control the weather.” Vince replied shooting her a grin. “They keep the workings of their system and their enchantment of choice of a secret but…” Vince squinted slightly as if he was suspicious. “I get the feeling they’ve modeled their system off of a very ancient text that just happens to be missing from our library.”

“You think they stole from the Tarot?” Ray asked looking worried.

“Exactly. The works of that tome were sealed away for a reason, in the wrong hands they could be used to cause absolute chaos. We need to observe how the system works, how it’s powered, and determine if it’s just a coincidence or not.”

“That seems like a tall order…” the mechanic replied shaking her head.

“That’s why I brought my best operative with me.” Vince replied flicking her ear slightly. “Cheer up, it’s a lot easier than it looks. I’ll give you more detailed instructions tonight in our room.”

“Chips for the love birds?” Announced another equally as tan waitress as she set down a massive wicker bowl filled to the brim with tortilla chips and two small bowls of red and green sauce.

“Thanks.” Vincent replied freeing one of his hands from Rayleigh’s. He reached into his pocket and retrieved a gold coin, which he proceeded to flick with unusual skill into the waitress’s waiting hand.

“Thank you sir, your food will be out shortly.” She curtsied slightly and backed away, “Enjoy.”

A silence hung in the air for a moment, before something dawned of Rayleigh.

“Did you say our room?” she asked turning to him. “As in…singular?” Vincent’s face quickly became an impenetrable mask, not betraying a single expression.

“Mhmmm.”

“As in one bed, singular?” A new wave of annoyance was beginning to wash over her face as suddenly all of the implications of their ruse were beginning to dawn on her once more.

“Relax, I’m sleeping on the floor.” The scholar turned to her and raised an eyebrow. “I would never do anything improper to jeopardize the mission.” That was the key. Keep her focused on the mission, and everything else would go smoothly. He’d been lucky he’d been able to find something so simple to pawn her interest off on. So far he wasn’t lying, much. He might even manage to get all the way through this ruse without it collapsing on him, but he had to play it safe.

"You bet you're sleeping on the floor," she grumbled, but the comment did little to hide the mounting excitement. A stolen book, mysterious crystals, and a beautiful island backdrop for the whole mission? She nearly shivered with delight, suddenly picturing herself as one of the daring adventurers in the stories from Earth she so often begged Vince for. She made to snag a chip, but was interrupted by the arrival of the waitress.

"Two shredded chicken Catos," she announced, setting a plate of each before the two honeymooners. Flashing them her best smile, she gave a short nod, and bustled to the next table.

"Looks good," Vincent mused appreciatively. He picked up his fork, glanced up at Rayleigh, and nearly dropped the utensil back to the table. "Ray," he hissed, embarrassment flushing his cheeks. "What are you doing?"

The woman met his gaze over the tortilla she brought to her lips. It was piled high with meat, and a sticky mixture of grease and salsa dribbled out of two separate ends. Mid-chew, already having taken a bite, she asked, "What?"

Vincent frowned back at her. "We're in public."

She studied him for a moment, reading him, before a sly smile curled her lips. She swallowed, and shot back, "we're on vacation."

"We're drawing attention to ourselves."

This was enough to make her set the food back on her plate. Loosing a dramatic sigh, she wiped her mouth on a paper napkin; Vincent was thankful she chose that over the back of her hand. "You didn't tell me I would have to behave myself," she grumbled, before taking a long drink of her ale. When she replaced the glass, foam and amber liquid only filled half of it.

The scholar studied her for a moment, walking the thin line between horror and humor as he watched her pick at her food. A pout creased her features, and it looked a bit ridiculous, given the cheerful flower that winked from behind her ear. Rayleigh had never been the graceful sort, something Vince had always attributed to growing up without a mother. It was something he found endearing, though he would never admit as much.

"Don't look at me like that," he scolded her, jabbing his fork in the air. "The day is too pretty."

She studied him for a moment, considering his words. There was something condescending, something fatherly, in his tone. Whether it was intentional or not, she did not care for it. Rayleigh reached up and plucked the flower from behind her ear. In one swift, unpredictable motion, she leaned across the table, and roughly shoved the stem behind her companion's ear. When she settled back into her seat, smiling sweetly at him, she stated, "And so are you, darling."

It suddenly dawned on Vincent that he was playing a dangerous game. There was a fine line being walked at this moment, any misstep could spell potential disaster, setting Rayleigh off in a foul mood and spoiling the whole trip. He felt torn, after all he also was a horrendously sloppy eater, but the two “needed” to keep a low profile. He had to play his part perfectly in order for Ray not to suspect a thing, but he also needed to stray on the side of caution not to over play his hand and make her mad. In short, he was stuck in the same dilemma every man found themselves when courting a woman.

‘I’m not courting her.’ He thought to himself. ‘I’m just trying to help her unwind…she deserves it after all of her hard work.’ Looking up after a moment of silence, he simply shot his companion a toothy grin and rested his chin on his upturned palms.

“Really Sweetheart? Thanks!” He fluttered his eyes in mock fashion and feigned swooning slightly. “You sure do know how to flatter a man.” He continued gracefully forking a bite of food into his mouth. He chewed quickly before swallowing and smacked his lips slightly…

“Needs a bit of cilantro.” He mused shaking his head.

“Cillantro?” Ray asked looking up from her plate, now a victim of at least two hundred stab wounds made by an absent hand. “What’s that?”

“It’s an herb from earth. Vince replied looking up. “Do they not have it here on Althanas?”

“As far as I know you can only really get your hands on what’s local Vince. Alerar doesn’t have it, that much I know…” her green eyes left his gaze as she forked a bit of meat into her mouth. “Did this herb grow locally…you know in…” she paused for a moment and then grinned. “Doolas right? That’s where you’re from. Doolas Tecas?”

“Dallas.” Vincent replied grinning. “Dallas, Texas. A lot closer than anyone else can seem to remember.”

“Yeah, and it’s a state or something? You explained something about some sort of unification, I pay attention.” Ray replied, suddenly reinterested now that she had gotten him back to talking about the magical word he was from. “So did this Sea Lantro grow near your home?”

“I don’t think it was native.” Vince furrowed his brow and rubbed his chin. “I think it was native to a certain part of Europe…”

“Where’s Europe? You’ve never mentioned it before.” Ray asked, her eyes lighting up.

“It was another continent, across the ocean from us.” Vince replied after taking a sip of his drink. “Geographically speaking it would be as far away as Dheathain give or take.”

“And you regularly consumed it?” Rayleigh asked shocked. “How? Spices are incredibly expensive, were you also rich on earth?”

“That’s a long story.” Vince replied shaking his head. “Why don’t we get to the hotel and I’ll tell you more?” Ray looked down at her butchered plate and tutted slightly.

“Sure, but you owe me Catos. Preferably one’s I don’t have to eat with a fork.”

“That’s fair enough.”

…
“So…” Ray mused staring at the ceiling, her shoes long discarded at the foot of the bed. “You’re telling me that the engine takes in fuel and air, compresses it, and then combusts it in almost one fluid motion?”

“Yup.” Vincent responded, laying on his back on a plush couch some several feet away from the bed. The room was rather spacious, filled with lush carpeting, plush furniture, and just about any possible amenity one could imagine.

“Then the spark plug ignites the fuel, causing a small explosion forcing the piston down…” The concept wasn’t particularly new, but this type of piston system was something she hadn’t really ever heard of before. “In the down position it vents the residual gas and then begins intake again.”

“Mhmmm.” Vincent grunted, his eyes closed.

“And you’re telling me that your…cars…can have upwards of eight of these pistons…and they do this cycle almost a hundred times in a minute…”

“Correct.” Vincent let out a small yawn. They’d arrived at their hotel room hours ago, and Ray hadn’t relented on the Earth talk. She dug in for every scrap of detail she could. What was Europe? How many countries did it have? How many continents did earth have? Why did no one live on Antartica? Why do you keep referring to Australia as the land down under…

The list went on and on.

However, as Vince went on to describe the worlds geography, all made perfectly clear by his recently unlocked Eidetic memory, Ray began to veer to more detailed topics. How did they travel the world so quickly? What was a “plane?” How did non balloon based flight work? The whole notion that machines could make a world so big seem so small appealed to her. The idea that one day someone could hop in a machine from Raiaera and arrive on Keberias in less than a month fascinated her. The fact that oneday people would be able to do so in a matter of hours via flight only added to that rush.

“So tell me about Berny again.”

“Bernoulli?” Vince asked as he stretched.

“Yeah, the one with the foil?”

“Airofoil, yeah.” Vincent replied. “What about him.”

“How does it work? How does it create lift?”

“I’m not one hundred percent sure.” Vince replied yawning. “Something about forcing the air back down at the back of the foil creates an equal and opposite reaction on the foil, causing lift. We’re not too sure on the specifics back at home.”

“You keep mentioning that.” Ray mused, yawning as well. “What does that meant.” Vince let out a small chuckle and sat up, eyeing the moon through the window.

“That’s a whole ‘nother can of worms Ray, and if we keep this up it’ll be dawn before we know it.” He let out another chuckle. “Tell ya what though. Let’s get some sleep, and tomorrow we’re going to go to the beach. We’re going to catch some sun, swim a little bit, and try to isolate another one of those statues and see if we can’t get a closer look at it. Every night we can do another round of Earth Q and A. You can ask whatever you want, about anything.”

“Anything?” Ray asked perking up.

“Anything.” Vince promised. “I’ll try to tell you about languages, culture, history, anything that I’ve got locked up in this noggin of mine about earth.”


“Deal.”

"No." The response was strained, one single syllable, two little letters carrying immense weight and annoyance. "What did I tell you, Ray?"

His companion huffed, shoving her unruly hair back from her face as she scowled up at him. It was the following morning, and Rayleigh was already violating the agreement made the previous evening. "You can't mention vehicles that run without engine or motor, and then expect me to wait a full day to learn more."

Despite his wariness at her incessant questioning, Vincent felt the smile split his lips. Mentioning the San Francisco cable cars had been a devilish thing to do to the girl, especially considering how tired she had been at the time. Even the magnificent Rayleigh could not comprehend all he told her in the early witching hours. "I told you," he started again, "only questions at night. You should have asked last night."

Exasperated, Rayleigh threw her arms wide. "I fell asleep!" she exclaimed. The outburst drew only a few glances from passerbys; locals were more or less used to odd behavior from tourists. She was difficult to read beneath the bug-eyed sunglasses she wore, as her eyes were often the most revealing part of her.

Still, Vince felt he knew her well enough to land one final jab. "Well, stop doing that."

The brunette paused, huffed, then crossed her arms tightly against her chest. "I outta drown you in that ocean," she muttered, though loud enough for him to hear, her intention from the start. He merely rolled his eyes, the mood growing lighter despite her tantrum.

They continued to walk, dark concrete giving way to wooden boardwalk, and then ever-shifting sand. The white shells were hot against Rayleigh's bare feet, and her small frame moved awkwardly as she fought to stay righted. Vincent, who had spent much of his time on both Earthen and Althanian beaches, moved with ease. Rayleigh, an Alerarian native, did not. The change of footing did little to brighten her spirits.

"When you're done pouting," Vince chided her, though not unkindly, "you could help with the mission."

Her lips pursed. "What is it you want me looking for? I don't expect we'll find any of those statues down by the water." Then, "You're always so secretive."

"It keeps me interesting," came his answer. They continued to walk a moment longer, an expectant still hanging between them. Little did Rayleigh know, Vincent's mind was working as quickly as one of her beloved machines. It raced to concoct an excuse, another part of the magnificent tale, the magnificent lie, that he was weaving for her.

"We're going looking for caves," he continued, reaching to wipe the sweat from his upper lip. "There are a lot of them in the area, but there is one in particular that I want to look at."

The thought piqued the woman's interest, though she kept her expression neutral as she asked, "Why?"

Vincent cast a look at his companion. He had avoided doing so for much of the morning, as the sight of her in the deep green swimsuit had a profound impact on him. Coupled with her frizzy hair and oversized sunglasses, she looked just like the beachgoers he remembered from Earth. And nothing like the grease-covered junk rat he had found in Alerar. He collected his thoughts, and himself, before answering.

"There are supposedly some unique crystals in the caves here. While I don't know for sure, they're said to help power these statues."

Rayleigh nodded. "I see. Was that mentioned in the book they stole from Tarot?"

Seeing an opening, the scholar answered too quickly, too excitedly. "Yeah, that's it."

Vincent’s heart was racing.

He was used to facing some of the greatest threats in the world. He could tackle bandits, demons, dragons, dark gods...the list goes on. He could negotiate his way through a cut throat trade deal, he could talk his way out of anything. He was the Emperor of the Tarot Hierarchy, in charge of maintaining the order and balance of the world. Yet he’d met his match.

Rayleigh Aston in a swim suit.

He had to resist every urge to stare, opting to avoid looking in her direction unless absolutely necessary. This was easy given the premise of their “mission.” Part of Vince was kicking himself for not hammering out his lie a little more in advance. He had been expecting to be able to come up with it on the fly, like most of his plans. He hadn’t been expecting Ray to be such a…distraction. Her constant stream of questions about earth made it hard to focus as it was. Other “distractions” made it even harder for him to come up with a good lie. He felt like he was walking through a minefield, any one mistake could cause the whole mission to go up in smoke.

An errant caw of a seagull drew their gaze upwards as a small flock circled overhead gracefully for a moment, stopping their “mission” for a split second. “Reminds me of back on earth.” Vince muttered shaking his head. “Lil turds would try to steal your food if you weren’t careful…”

Ray let out a small chuckle as she walked past him, her gaze settling on the horizon scanning carefully for any caves. Her green eyes carefully scanned the shore looking for anything that could possibly referred to as a “cave” but as far as she could tell the beach was flat as far as the eye could see.

“Are you sure we’re in the right place?” she asked turning back to him. Vince pretended to ignore her question and glanced past her for a moment, chewing his lip as he let out an audible “Hrrrm.” The wind rustled his golden hair as his sapphire eyes twinkled. His arms folded across his bare chest as he glanced around. He’d also opted for beach attire, a simple pair of purple swim trunks and sandals.

“My reports said something about these caves along the shore.” He paused and rubbed his chin, doing his best to avoid staring at the mechanics legs. “Perhaps they’re further down? Around the bend of the island perhaps?” Ray huffed and stared down at the hot sand for a moment.

“Are we really going to walk all that way? That has to be a solid two hour walk!” She motioned to her feet which were already slightly red from the hot sand.

“We could go down to the water and walk where it’s cooler?” Vince asked cocking his head to the side. “Wed probably look the part a bit better if we strolled down the water hand in hand pretending we were enjoying the beach rather than looking for caves…”

"You just want to hold my hand," came her sing-song retort.

Vincent scowled, the only defense he had against the blush that burst across his face. "Now listen," he countered, raising a finger to her. "I'm focused entirely on the mission, and I think this would make us look less suspicious." Then, softer, "but if you're not comfortable with it, then-"

He was interrupted by Rayleigh's small hand plucking his from the air. She gave it a tight squeeze, and then a few dramatic swings between them. "Better?" she purred. The scholar, on the other hand, could not seem to find any words at all. Rayleigh tutted at his silence, and added, "How in the world could I be embarrassed? I mean, gods, you gave me mouth to mouth that time outside the temple. THAT must have been uncomfortable." She tossed him a side-ways glance, her medicine-bottle green eyes alive with laughter. Her partner blanched, the color that had only just filled his cheeks draining away in an instant. Gleeful satisfaction bubbled within the brunette. "You didn't think I knew about that, did you?"

Weakly, in a voice as small as the grains of sand beneath their feet, Vincent asked, "How do you know?"

"John told me," she confided easily. "He thought it was hilarious."

She continued to watch the scholar, the sun a halo above his blonde hair, his face mixed parts pain and embarrassment. "I thought you were dead," he finally muttered.

Something in the way he spoke softened that sharp wit she so often jabbed him with. Rayleigh squeezed his hand once more, then turned to watch ahead as they walked. "If only you were so lucky," she mused aloud through a muted smirk. A scoff was the only answer.

They walked in silence for a full twenty minutes before Vince finally spoke. "I'm never telling John anything again."

It was only a one hour walk, demonstrating once more that Rayleigh was an absolutely terrible judge of distance. But even if the walk had lasted two hours, the mechanic did not believe she would have minded. It was nice, leaving footprints in places she had never visited before. The water that lapped at her heels, dragging those prints back into the sea, was a cool contrast to the hot sand. And her company, no matter how much she teased him, was just as pleasant as the surroundings. This, she thought with the smallest tremble of contentment, was the adventure she had always longed for. She could wander white sands and search for mysterious caves all her life, were she given the chance. No, Rayleigh did not find it difficult to pretend she was enjoying the beach.

A tug on her hand indicated Vincent was stopping, so Rayleigh did as well. "I think we're here," he informed her, sapphire eyes fixed on a rocky outcropping further off-shore.

Rayleigh lifted her free hand to shield her eyes against the sunlight, squinting toward the newly discovered feature. "Is that it?"

Vincent paused to kick off his sandals, then took a few long strides into the waves. He gently brought Rayleigh along, still holding her hand as she scampered after him. Her shorter legs and body meant more steps to keep pace, and when her companion was at shin-deep water, it was already up to her thighs. He paused to let her adjust. "Chilly," she noted, but her smile revealed that she did not mind at all. Then, with a nod, she commanded, "lead the way."

Vince could swear his pulse was quick enough to feel through his palms as they walked. Rayleigh Aston was the most dangerous mind he’d ever had the pleasure of sparring with. He was also focused on the task at hand. He’d heard horror stories of people getting hurt on rocks back on earth, so he was keeping his eyes peeled for any potential danger. The outcropping was just thrity or so feet away, and the waves were gently lapping against the rocks. It seemed like the tide was going out, so any potential flooding seemed to be a non-issue.

The water was crystal clear, giving an unobstructed view of the pristine white sands beneath their feet. His steps were slow, allowing the much shorter mechanic to keep up as they ventured closer to the rocks. As they got close, things seemed to liven up a little. Tiny fish flitted from rock to rock seeking cover amongst some light vegetation and seaweed that had managed to take root. Ray peered curiously with each step, careful not to kick up any extra silt.

“Careful for anything that makes a move for your feet.” Vince warned turning back to her. “Back on earth these tide pools can be home to some mean lil guys.” Ray nodded and turned her attention back down to her feet as they walked on. They worked their way along the wall the water grew deeper until it was up to Ray’s stomach, and each step was more careful than the last. The sand had begun to give away to a smooth rock that was somewhat slippery. They reached the peak of the outcropping and rounded the end, turning to a new portion of shore that had been hidden behind it. Water seemed to sweep into a small cave in a cliff that seemed to rise from the ocean on this side.

“Looks like our place.” Vince noted scanning ahead. “Stay close to me though, the water seemed to be a little rougher on this side…” as if to answer his words the wind picked up slightly whipping his hair back as a rather large wave swelled against the rocks, lifting him off of his feet for a moment. Ray floundered around for a moment before regaining her feet and nodded, tightening her grip on his hand. The two started down towards the cave slowly, pausing with each strong wave to make sure neither slipped or got hurt. It was a slow process, lacking in the scenery from before. By the time the two had made it into the shade of the cave another hour had passed. The two managed to clamber from the water onto a rocky floor covered in slick mud as the stopped to breath and look back at where they had just been.

“Im gonna portal us back instead of walking back…” Vince muttered shaking his head. “That was obnoxious.”

“Agreed.” Rayleigh replied turning to glance around. The cave seemed to go further in, but what they could see was breathtaking. The stone seemed to be lined with some sort of blue crystal that let off a soft blue glow. These veins of light seemed to be spread sporadically across the roof of the cavern, seemingly stemming from small blue stalactites. Vince had risen back to his feet and had taken a few steps, but as Ray went to do the same her foot lost all purchase and slipped from under her. With a yelp she began to fall forward, only for herself in Vincent’s arms as he dashed forward to catch her.

“Are you alright?” He asked, ignoring how close his face was to hers.

Rayleigh's heart pistoned in her chest as she drew a shaking breath. That falling sensation was one she cared very little for; though she had a short way to go, her body always reacted as if she were plummeting to her doom. "I'm good," she answered him, becoming suddenly aware of his breath on her face. They remained that way for a moment, bathed in the blue light from the mysterious crystals. Then she gave a short, deliberate cough. The noise startled Vince, and if he might have dropped her had she not already begun righting herself. "It's pretty here," she stated, turning away from him as the cool sea air worked the heat from her cheeks. She knew she should thank him, but the words would not come. Whatever she could say, she knew, would sound clunky and awkward. Instead, she took a few careful steps away from him.

Unsure of what her distance meant, Vincent merely answered softly, "Yes, it is."

Rayleigh drew in a deep breath, savoring the way the salt spiked her senses. She had never experienced anything quite like this tropical paradise, and the heavy smog of Alerar had never been further from her mind. Strange things happened in a place like this, she could feel it.

She could also feel magic, a gentle tug in her core. Her own abilities hummed, and had there been some technology in the room, she imagined it would probably begin acting strangely. Unbridled magic had a unique affect on her, like a siren drawing her to the rocks. Even as she studied, and improved her own skills, the raw stuff drew her power from her against her will. Of course, the sensation of being surrounded by such mojo weakened her resolve anyway. Sometimes, it made her feel sickly. Other times, it was a bit like a high. This time, in the glow of the gems, the gentle lap of the waves as her soundtrack, she felt a bit like she was floating.

"Do you feel it?" she breathed, drifting further into the cave.

She moved like a moth to a flame, but Vincent found himself unable to stop her. He should, he knew he should... something was wrong. Every red flag in the sorcerer's mind was flying up the pole, but his own magic was bubbling warm and sweet. Whatever Rayleigh wanted, he wanted it too, but perhaps for a different reason. Could she feel what he felt?

"Home?" He heard himself say.

At this, Ray turned, his words an interruption to her trance. "Home?"

He glided up beside her. "It... it feels like home."

She shook her head, damp tendrils of brown hair clinging to her flushed skin. "I just feel the magic," she explained. "There's so much of it." As she stared after him, Vincent brushed by, pulled further away from the cave's entrance by some unseen hand.

Then the shadows were forced away by a burst of color. The crystals began to pulse, blue light and magic filling every corner of the space. Rayleigh's eyes closed against the glare, her small body bending at the waist in a half-hearted attempt at protection. When she straightened, her eyes mere slits, she immediately looked for Vincent. He was gone.

His name exploded from her lips, a high-pitched scream that tore through the cave. She lunged for the last place she saw him, scrambling as her bare feet slipped across the slick rocks. "Vincent!" she cried once more, before the crystals throbbed with power, and the blue light claimed her too.

Energy rippled and roared as Vincent was sucked from reality itself. He’d dropped his guard, and whatever strange force had caught his attention had decided to act. He could feel the intense energy of the tap boiling over him. He heard a cry, and he turned, or at least he thought he turned to see Rayleigh sailing through the ether after him.

“Ray!” Vincent roared extending his hand towards her. He hisses and focuses, trying to gain control of his movement. Teleportation was easy, when it was on his terms. This was chaos, he could barely see, but finally his hand met hers and he gripped it tightly pulling her into an embrace. Wether he had managed to slow his own pace, or through sheer divine providence the two found themselves hurtling through pure energy, on a trip to anywhere else, possibly oblivion for all either of them knew. Vincent opened his mouth to say something. For all he knew, these could be his last words to her, and then it stopped.

WHAM.

The two landed somewhere with a thud. Vincent hissed, having taken most of the blow cushioning Ray’s landing. He desperately sucked in breaths between clenched teeth as his vision blurred. Ray stirred slightly, laying on top of him. When the nausea and dizziness from pain and teleportation, his pupils began to focus and his visions clear. The ceiling above them seemed to be some strange white tile, looking oddly familiar. A soft glow of warm off yellow light seemed to bathe over it all.

“Where are we?” Ray managed to groan as she rolled off of Vincent.

“No clue…” Vince replied sitting up. He found himself staring at a familiar door. It was white and made of some rather non-descript wood. Curiously he rose to his feet and put a hand on it, turning the brass nob and opening it. Before him laid a dark room, sparse of furniture with piles of clothes scattered about randomly. The bed was just a mattress, no sheets, and a blanket that seemed haphazardly thrown to the side. As his dark vision settled, his lips curled into a frown. He turned around to find the room they landed in. On the far side was a small coffee table with a half-eaten cheese pizza, and a still fizzling glass of soda.

Ray glanced around confused. While some of the furniture looked familiar, many of the objects surrounding her were foreign in their entirety. The pizza did look familiar, and the text on the side seemed oddly legible even though she wasn’t sure it was common.

“Papa…Johns?” She muses aloud. “Wait a minute…that’s…”

“Earth.” Vince replied. “We’re on earth.”

Thread Title: Island in the Sun
Type: Workshop
Full Rubric Judgement: No

Cards of Fate receives:

1950 EXP
145 GP

Rayleigh receives:

1550 EXP
130 GP

Rewards to be added soon.

Rewards Added

Congratulations to Cards for reaching Level 11!!!!