Lna

  ***

  Sitting in the carriage on the way home, I couldn’t help but sigh.

  “Do you think we should have told them?” I asked. “You know, about us being reincarnated.”

  “It probably would have made things worse.” Lloyd said. “Evelyn was already skeptical. And given what happened at the camp, I doubt she would trust us since Charlotte almost got body snatched.”

  “Right…” I said.

  After everything that happened recently the camp seemed so long ago. Thinking about that, I couldn’t help but frown. It would have been one thing had she simply told us, but how we got that information was another matter entirely. Not only that, but I can’t say that we’ve made a good impression on her…

  The whole forcing her to tell us about her family thing aside, since she doesn’t know about it, We’ve kind of been a bit annoying and slightly more creepy. We invited her to our home, and caused her to jump out of a window, and set up lookouts to watch over her when she’s out in town, and took over her snack spot, and invited ourselves inside her home, and watched her fight with her family. Also we had people watch her house… Are we stalkers? This sounds like something a stalker would do.

  “Should we apologize again?” I asked.

  “For what?” Lloyd asked.

  “We were kind of stalking her.” I said.

  “I don’t think she noticed.” He said.

  “We made eye contact with her on the first day and then she avoided the look outs every time she left her house.” I said. “If she doesn’t know, she must have stupid good luck.”

  “Okay, yeah she might know.” He admitted. “But dad himself said that she’s very forgiving. We just need to apologize to her. It’s as simple as that.”

  “Yes, and her constant avoidance of us is making that so simple.” I rolled my eyes.

  “And just what do you think we should do?” He asked.

  “Why not ask Mom and Dad?” I suggested.

  “We can’t just leave every little thing to them.” He said. “We need to do things ourselves some time as well.”

  “I see what you mean, but wouldn’t this specific situation be solved if we just asked for their help?” I asked.

  “Yeah, but maybe asking for their help is what turned her evil in the first pce. You know, just like in the game.” He suggested.

  “I think we're way past that point.” I said. “Melody and those dragons flipped the script entirely.”

  “Yeah, well I still think we should worry about it.” He said.

  “Yeah yeah.” I sighed.

  Looking out the window, I wondered about our next move. With school cancelled we can't just coincidentally run into her and our attempts at doing that in the city failed spectacurly. So, what now…? We can't ask Charlotte since she still gets nervous around us, same with her friends. Our parents are going to be a st resort regardless of what Lloyd thinks… What about the Shadows? No never mind. Knowing how 17 and 19 act, even if Evelyn did have one guarding her, they probably don't speak. So, what now…?

  Thinking that, something strange happened. My vision seemed to sparkle. It wasn't like something unnatural, but- well, it was. But like the sort of unnatural where if you stand up really fast and your vision does that weird thing. Anyway, as that was happening, a thought came to mind. Why do we need to convince her at all? It's the Saint we're after. Evelyn is just an obstacle. Now that I think about it, she always has been one…

  Styx

  ***

  Floating in front of a chalkboard, I listened to my Goddess’s ramblings. For like the past few days, she’s been like pnning and checking and revising and pnning some more, but like nothing of value seemed to come from it.

  “But she’s not that stupid, and even if she was, I don’t think an anvil would harm her anyways. And she’s too dangerous to face head on…” She muttered. “And even if it could, I can’t track her movements in that form anyways so I can’t ambush her…”

  Okay, she’s like really gone off the deep end.

  “Question.” I said.

  “What?” She asked, not turning from the board.

  “I know that you’re trying to like be all complicated, but why not try something simple?” I suggested.

  “Like what?” She asked.

  “Like those wishes.” I said. “Why not just find someone who’ll like wish her to be dead or something?”

  “Like who?” She asked. “Even with my manipution, no one hates her enough to do that. And you can’t kill, so I would have to do it myself!”

  “What about her family?” I asked.

  I know it’s mean, but they like really don’t like her. Well, the Dad doesn’t really seem to care one way or the other, but the other two don’t like her at all. Like honestly, it’s really sad. Hearing me say that, She froze, dropping the chalk she held.

  “That’s it!” She said. “Styx, you are a genius!”

  I’m really not, but I’m like happy to get praised, so I won’t compin.

  “The mother is too old to be easily fooled, so I’ll go with that kid!” She said. “He’ll get rid of Evelyn for me!”

  I’m pretty sure that the Mom would totally do that without needing to be fooled, but whatever.

  “Stay right here!” She smiled at me. “I’ll be right back!”

  It’s not like I have a choice. She’s like a god, so I can’t really do much against her anyway. Before I could, like even say a word, she just up and disappeared. Time to wait I guess…

  Robbie

  ***

  Standing in a foggy pce I paused. That’s odd… I was just sailing on a ship, fighting the dog pirates of the sky sea. Wait… I’m dreaming, aren’t I?

  “Greetings young one…” A divine voice sounded out from all around me.

  “What?” I asked, looking around.

  That doesn’t sound like the dreaded Bark Beard the Red.

  “It is me, the one and true Goddess of the nds.” Said the voice.

  What does a goddess have to do with pirates?

  “No, in your dream world, but the actual world.” Said the voice. “I am the Goddess of the world.”

  Oh. You know, I thought I would be more shocked if the Goddess spoke to me. Maybe I’m still dreaming.

  “Yes you are still dreaming, and that is why you are not shocked.” She said. “You would not be able to handle my voice alone in the waking world.”

  I guess that makes sense. Oh and I guess that I should thank you for sending Melody to save me and everyone in the capital.

  “… Yes.” She said. “That was me. However this is not about her. This is about you-”

  “About me?” I asked.

  “Yes.” She said. “For your selfless deed of wishing to restore the capital, I have come to reward you-”

  “Reward me?” I asked.

  “Please stop interrupting me, it throws me off my rhythm.” She said.

  I don’t think the Goddess is supposed to talk like that.

  “Just forget about that.” She said. “As a reward, I will grant you any one wish your heart desires. Ev-”

  “Anything!?” I couldn’t help but ask.

  “What did I say about interrupting me?” She asked.

  “Oh, sorry.” I apologized.

  “It’s okay, I am merciful.” She said. “Anyway, even selfish wishes or those you may describe as impure. Anything you wish for will be granted.”

  “Okay. In that case I wish I can meet Melody!” I said.

  “Really?” She seemed surprised. “You can just go out and do that, I don’t think you need a wish for that.”

  “Okay, then I wish to get hugged by Melody!” I said.

  “You can probably just ask her and she’ll do that…” She said.

  “Wow, thank you Goddess!” I said.

  “Okay… So that wish?” She asked. “Anything that you can’t get through normal means?”

  “I wish I can do a back flip!” I said.

  “Again, you can do that on your own. You don’t need a wish for that.” She said.

  “Hmn…” I took a moment to think.

  Making a wish sure is complicated.

  “It’s not.” She said.

  “What?” I asked.

  “Just don’t worry about it.” She sighed. “Just make a selfish wish. Anything really. Even something unethical such as wishing to get rid of something, or someone you hate.”

  “Can I get rid of mosquitoes?” I asked.

  “…” She was silent.

  Did I mess up?

  “Okay, that’s actually a good one.” She said. “You get another wish.”

  Are wishes really this easy to come by? Also, if you were so ready to get rid of mosquitoes why did you create them?

  “They were already here when I came.” I heard a very faint sigh.

  “What?” I asked.

  “Nothing.” The goddess said. “We have limited time. Make your wish.”

  “How limited?” I asked.

  “5, 4,” She counted down.

  “I wish I could have dessert everyday!” I quickly said.

  “Wish granted!” The Goddess said. “Goodbye!”

  And like that, I was left alone in the fog.

  “What a weird dream…” I said.

  Styx

  ***

  “I’ve got it!” My Goddess shouted out.

  “Welcome back.” I said.

  “I got the wish!” She said.

  Like an award, she was showing off a piece of paper holding the wish.

  “Great.” I said. “So like, what’s the wish?”

  “Getting rid of mosquitoes, and having dessert every day!” She said.

  “That’s two.” I said. “That’s like two wishes. Is it wise to interfere directly in the world so much in like so few days?”

  “Mosquitoes aside, this is what will save the world!” She said.

  “Right…” I looked at the wish. “How?”

  “He wants to eat dessert every day!” She expined. “And to do that, he needs to hold the position that Evelyn currently holds, and to do that, I need to get rid of her. So, she either needs to be banished, which I’m already working on, or to make things much quicker, kill her!”

  “That’s a really weird way to grant that wish.” I said.

  “If it works for monkey paws, it works for me!” She said.

  “Monkeys do not have paws, they have hands. And hands do not grant wishes.” I said.

  “Oh you know what I mean.” She rolled her eyes.

  “Right…” I said. “But like, she’s like super powerful. She killed like three dragons in like five minutes. How are you going to kill her?”

  “That’s easy!” She nodded, like really smugly. “She isn’t in that form forever! When she’s mortal, I’ll kill her!”

  “Right…” I nodded. “How about her, like healing powers? You already tried poisoning her when she was like five and malnourished in the woods and that didn’t work, so what now?”

  “You said it yourself!” She smiled. “I’m going to make things simple! I’ll just stab her!”

  I don’t think this is going to work. Like at all…

  “Right, well…” I said. “Like best of luck man.”

  “I don’t need luck, I need a knife!” She said.

  Evelyn

  ***

  With the days passing slowly, I was able to go about my business without any worry. Although normally I would walk, today was a bit different. Having taken the time to schedule something for once, I found myself in the back of one of the family's carriages. Due to the circumstances however, this one wasn't one of the fabulously decorated ones. Riding in my carriage, and dressed in bck I listlessly looked out the window. Just outside the city walls, we passed row after row of fresh graves. These were named one, and they weren't my destination. Not even the mass graves for the unidentified victims were it. Instead we continued along to a stone pilr, one of the many temporary memorials to the dragon attack.

  Being te in the day, so te that the sun may have set before I returned inside the walls, we came to a gentle stop. Luckily this pce was mostly empty, so I didn't need to worry about any crowds. Angelica nded on one of the few nearby trees and I exited the carriage. With a bouquet of flowers in hand I headed to the monument. My flowers aren't the first and most certainly won't be the st. And, much like the other bouquets, mine had a piece of paper attached to it. I'm not sure what happens to the dead of this world, but I hope Evelyn finds her way to the afterlife if there is one.

  Setting it among the others, I closed my eyes and gave a little prayer. As an outsider to this world, it’s the best I could do. Well, It’s not like Celestia deals with the dead anyway, so it’s not like I have another option. Spending some time here, my thoughts were interrupted.

  “Heads up. Got someone incoming.” Angelica said.

  “Guards?” I asked, head still down.

  “Doesn’t look like it.” She said. “She’s got a veil.”

  “A Shadow?” I asked.

  “I’ve never seen one out of uniform.” She said.

  Keeping my head down, I heard footsteps behind me. Coming to a stop next to me, I barely opened my eye to gnce at this person. Given the fact that Angelica bothered to warn me, she isn’t normal. She was a tall woman wearing a simple bck dress that gave off a strange atmosphere. No, it isn’t strange. That silence and that shaking hand is an obvious sign of grief. She pced a bouquet of flowers down. I couldn’t make them out but there were a few names on them. Kids? Family? Friends? Well, it doesn’t matter. Let’s not disturb her. Next to me, she put her hands together and began a prayer of her own. In our silence, only the wind in the leaves was heard.

  “Do you believe in the afterlife?” She asked.

  Well yeah. I’ve been there a few times on Earth to deal with monsters, criminals, and also to deliver some mail, so I know it’s real. On Earth at least. As for here, well…

  “I hope it’s real.” I said.

  Not just for Evelyn, but for my parents and Reani, and everyone else who I failed to save.

  ““…”” We looked at the flowers silently.

  “Do you…” She hesitated. “Do you think that even sinners will find peace?”

  “Depends on the sin.” I answered honestly. “And why it was done in the first pce.”

  “What do you mean by that?” She asked, looking at me.

  Is it bsphemous? Obviously coming from a world of many gods, my thoughts on the afterlife and what sins are, are very different from this world. What I’m about to say may be bsphemous, but if it could bring comfort to someone, I’ll say it anyway.

  “If done for survival or for the sake of a loved one, I think even sinners will find peace.” I said.

  If not, my Grandpa from Earth may never find peace. He probably shouldn’t but even he deserves a second chance. Well, he did get one, but a second chance isn’t always enough, so let’s not worry about the little things.

  “Even for myself?” She asked.

  Okay, that’s suspicious! The st time I heard something like that, someone tried to stab me! Cautiously looking up, I saw a bck veil looking down at me. Okay, well her gaze didn’t seem to be hostile or insane, so it was probably just weird wording on her part. Not only that, but this woman, she looked familiar. Ah! She's the one who bought me a peach cobbler. I'm gd she's still alive. Instead of being suspicious of her, let’s put her at ease.

  “I don’t see why not.” I said.

  “Do I really…?” She asked with a shaking voice. “Do my girls…? Will my girls find peace…?”

  “I’m sure they will.” I said, gently grabbing hold of her hands.

  Quietly sobbing, she fell to her knees and I patted her head in hopes of offering her any comfort.

  Grayburne