Charlotte’s PoV

Charlotte could only rub her temples as she finally finished up all of the business she could complete at home. Looking at her phone she wondered what else she could do with her new found time. Then she heard a knock from above.

“Yes?”

She heard Gwen’s voice saying “Mind if I come down?”

“Sure.”

Watching Gwen enter the room the worry on the woman's face made her internally wince.

“How did everything go? Your brother watched this thing called the news, and it seems like there hasn’t been another one of the attacks like last time. What happened?”

Charlotte was relieved that at least her city had been safe because of her off the cuff decision. Figuringing it would be easier to only tell the story once she said “Can you grab Davis? And maybe Maria? They probably would want to know as well.”

Gwen nodded and she went upstairs. After hearing the faint voice call she heard more footsteps come down. Charlotte looked sadly at Davis. He really seemed exhausted. Poor guy. When they gathered around she began her story.

At first they all seemed thrilled that Jim was still alive in their world but then worried when they found out that Jim had lost his memory. Charlotte reassuringly told them that she had filled him in the best she could, however the look of worry was still on their faces.

Pushing through she finally told them about the battle at the city and how the two forces at Xalross turned on each other during what they thought was a monster invasion.

When she told that part of the story Davis said reverently “Yes! That’s great! King's End has been bought some time! With their fighting it will be some time before they deal with the little fire in their backyard.”

Charlotte could only shake her head. She had felt a little guilt about how her actions had brought a horde of demons into a city, but she tried to console herself by the fact that monster attacks seem to be normal there. Not only that but they had enough armed men to push the attack back, yet it was they themselves that had chosen to turn on one another. Still, it left a sour taste in her mouth.

Even if monster attacks were the norm there, this attack was a little different. They had come in by portals which bypassed their walls. And each and every one of those people were real. She had enough conversations with Gwen, Davis and Maria to know that. The invisible weight of responsibility pushed down on her. So many debts she needed to repay.

As she finally finished her story Maria’s face lit up. Then she said “I want to go home! The only reason I came here was because Jim thought it was safer, and he said he would bring Fluffy and Princess to visit. Next time bring me!”

Gwen looked down at the child and said "What about your new friend Adam?"

Maria bit her lip and after a few seconds of thought said "We can come back still right?"

Gwen looked to Charlotte and she reluctantly said "It should be possible, but do you really want to bring her into a warzone? It's much safer here."

Maria got a stubborn look on her face and said calmly "I can take care of myself. And on the TV it said that school will probably be closed all week, so I won't miss any of that either. Also you will want me around incase anyone gets hurt. I can help!"

Charlotte thought it was insane, but Maria did have a point about healing. With Charlotte's little cheat code combo she could only heal herself and with the stock of foreign plants depleted she couldn't gather anymore from that end. She wasn't sure how many more of the healing potions that Jim had. But they would be on that airship when they went over right? None of those things had spawned on the airship. Didn't that mean she should be safe? Charlotte was reluctant. The burden of guilt over accidently bringing Adam over was still fresh.

Looking over to Gwen she saw her with a worried expression and then Gwen looked over to her brother. Davis patted Gwen on the head and said “You can go. I have given my word to keep Jim safe in this world. I will not go back on my word now. In a roundabout fashion he has kept his word. With Jacksberg and Shila fighting I consider his promise kept. I will keep mine.”

Sighing Charlotte figured maybe she could find an argument to sway the pair later. However the steely expression on the little girl's face made her realize it would be a question best asked when Gwen was alone.

Davis turned to Charlotte and said “I need a ranged attack. This has been shown to me by my inability to combat those men from before who attacked Jim. Can you teach me how to use weapons of this world? It seems a simpler solution than hoping to learn magic.”

Charlotte blinked. Why had she never thought of that? The guy could walk into a bullet storm with that armor and come out unharmed. What could he do with a gun if he was properly trained?

She worried at her lip while she was in thought. It was getting into the evening. Maybe she could take him to the gun shop where she occasionally shot at the range? It would be getting dark soon but surely the gun store was probably open. With all the demons running around the demand for weapons would be high. After a few more seconds of thought she pulled out her phone and gave the place a call.

She got an answer on the first ring and the man on the other end of the line said briskly “What can I do for you?”

After a quick conversation she learned that they would probably be open all night. Turning back to Davis she said “You sure about this?”

“Yeah. My sword is not a reliable weapon here. I would be much more effective with one if your weapons. A sword is not an effective weapon versus a thousand nats. I need the right weapon for the right foe”

Charlotte tried to suppress her smirk. Comparing an annoying bug to armed men? But the tanklike man had a point.

Charlotte said “Fine, But Gwen? Can you look after my family in the meantime? Please? And I would like to talk to you later if that's okay.”

“Sure.”

“Let’s go then. Hopefully you can learn quickly.”

Kerry’s PoV

Kerry was sweating profusely. Twice Milly had just randomly tossed one of those violet glass vials that he so feared. Looking at the massive hole in the ground he could only be thankful that no one was close to the area when she had tossed it. Both times she had tossed it in a direction away from his men.

The first time he thought it might have just been an accident, but now it didn’t look like it.

After gesturing for his men to step out for a second he asked angrily “Milly, why did you throw that? Those are dangerous!”

Milly eyed the spot in question like it betrayed her. Then she said reluctantly “There was something there I think. Something definitely moved.”

Annoyed he snapped “There was nothing there! Our men are professionals. If something happened, we would have seen it.”

Milly scoffed and said “Right. You softies wouldn't know what to look for.”

His temples throbbed as he said with restrained fury “Soft? Soft? What about the past day makes you think we are soft?”

Milly had a “do I really need to spell it out for you” look on her face. Why was he losing his professionalism this easily? The damned crazy woman. Anyone else and he would just have them cuffed up with a sock in their mouth. But this girl?

Damn his bosses insistence on keeping an eye on her. He had seen terrorists more predictable and less vexing than her. Even if they had dead man switches with explosives his team had dealt with them. But this girl? Who had ever heard of little glass vials more deadly than hand grenades?

During the long silence she kept the same expression. Finally raising an eyebrow she asked “Do you really not understand?”

Irritated he made a "get on with it" gesture.

“Because you act like you have never been attacked by monsters before. If that's the case your people probably haven't been attacked in a long time. Soft. But that's okay. I made a great profit from it! Hopefully there will be another attack soon… I still have plenty of product left!”

Monsters? Seriously? Where in the world did she come from? The part about hoping more would attack though… did not surprise him in the least.”

“What is this crazy talk about monsters?”

Milly only shook her head sadly and said “Poor man. It's been so long since they have attacked your city that even your people have forgotten. Damn. Maybe I should have charged more?”

Milly seemed to do some mental counting and he tamped down his anger.

“So, you throw these things around because of monsters?”

“Yep! Some of em are really crafty! Think I almost got the last one, but they are quick. Many monsters can trick your eyes so you have to use all of your senses!”

Sighing he realized he was talking to a crazy person. Kerry should have known that she was nuts already but this seemed to put the icing on the cake. He needed to inform his boss.

???’s PoV

He was breathing heavily. Wiping the sweat off his forehead he said to his companion “She almost killed me! What in the world is that?”

The other just laughed at him and said “Good. Maybe next time you won't knock over stuff. This spell only hides our presence and the noise we make, it does not hide anything else.”

Still he couldn't believe it. He almost got killed by some worthless follower? Insanity.

Angrily he said “We should kill her now. This follower is a danger.”

“Only a danger to fools. Next time be more mindful of your surroundings. Till we find the tainted one and all of his followers we just watch and wait.”

His temper flared but he hid it in his expression. Damn these people. How dare they make one so esteemed feel fear! Nodding he watched the evil woman converse with the man. She would be his, when the time came. No one made a fool out of him. No one.

Jim's POV

Jim had a satisfied look on his face as he scanned over his new surroundings. It was a small island that was flat and devoid of all features. The only thing that was noteworthy about the island was the fact that it seemed like a perfect circle. Even the surface was completely level with the exception of the beach which all seemed to look the same. Other than the dirt there was only one thing on the island. A massive red scaled dragon that was sleeping in the center.

Voss seemed a bit jumpy about even landing near the island. Apparently there were tales about the dragon who would destroy passing ships for making too much noise. Which was why he let Voss take the ship with his two wolves for insurance. In a day he would be back. Just to be careful they landed the noisy airship in the water and swam a short distance to the island.

When Voss had first shown him the map Jim realized that the icon that was on his former island was not unique. Jim guessed that it represented a powerful creature which was how he started forming his idea to come here in the first place.

There were several more of those icons scattered all over and this one just happened to be very close to the temple that he planned on going to next. Jim figured it would be the perfect plan! It would be a short side trip and it would take care of accidental collateral damage. Well, minus one dragon. That was the plan anyway.

Jim remembered back to the crystalline mountain that he had woken up by. If he had taken on one of these creatures before surely it would be safe enough. Also the plan wasn't necessarily to kill the creature. They could just hideout on the beach while the demons spawned and then he could let natural selection go to work. The happy fact about the beast attacking anything that was noisy made his plan even better! Super genius plan!

As they were looking down on the creature Scarlet said hungrily “Those scales look much bigger and shinier than mine. Maybe I could add them to my armor?”

Forrest rolled his eyes and said “So, I guess you're happy with the color red now?”

“Yup! I want the scales!”

Forrest asked “Does this mean if there is a green one that comes along, I get those scales?”

Laughing she said “What gave you that idea? Surely you know by now everything goes through me first! Then if I don't want it, you can have it.”

Jim watched Forrest sigh and say “I don't think that's normally how things work.”

“Nah. That's how things normally work around me!”

Jim scanned his inventory and looked to see if there was anything he could interject into the situation. Then his eyes stopped on a bow that would be a slight upgrade for Forrest.

Instinctually he selected the item and then dropped it towards Forrest who was now equipped with a new dragon bone bow.

Forrest didn't notice that the weapon on his back changed but Scarlet turned slitted eyes towards Jim and hissed in a low voice “You will give him ideas. Stop! I'm just starting to get him trained!”

As Jim was about to repeat her words for Forrest benefit he realized that something was missing. Looking towards the center of the island the massive red dragon seemed to disappear!

Frantically he looked left and right and was on guard. Still he saw nothing. Noticing where he was looking the other two now stared blankly at the now empty spot as well.

Quietly Jim said “Where did it go?”

In the corner of Jim's eye he saw Scarlet's look of surprise as she tripped. Jim asked quietly “What happened? You okay?”

He saw Scarlet freeze up. Still scanning around he heard the soft murmuring of a child who said sleepily “Sister.”

Slowly turning his eyes toward Scarlet he saw something attached to her foot. Getting a better angle he finally saw it.

A small girl child clad in a red scaled garment was attached to Scarlet's foot. Jim looked back to where a sleeping dragon should be and then back to the sleeping girl attached to Scarlet.

Then Jim wickedly smiled as he said “Well Scarlet. Looks like it's true that everything goes through you first! Congratulations on the new kid!”

Scarlet could only looked dumbfounded at the child that was sleepily clinging to her. She started to stutter “But.. but.. No! She's not mine!”

Forrest then said helpfully “Well, I don't want her. And you already have her. All yours!”

Jim's plans seemed to be kicking the bucket. Although the evil dragon hadn't woken up yet, they had been keeping their conversation as quiet as possible. Maybe she wouldn't be so friendly when she woke up and realized she was rubbing her cheek next to a part of her dead brethren.

All the talking and jostling must of been too much because she started yawning and rubbing her eyes.

Groggily she said with one eye open “Sister?”