The sound of the leete cut the silence of the old abandoned building. The wood of the cottage walls was surprisingly effective at keeping the noise inside, aiding in the whole 'clandestine' component to our practices.

I closed my eyes to focus on the new footwork mother had given me to be combined with the arms from the session before. It was difficult to couple the movements from both together, like patting your head while rubbing your belly. Of course, as a former rhythmic gymnast, this wasn't something new to me. I used to literally perform pirouettes and flips while juggling batons or twirling ribbons.

Still, frustratingly enough, I had found myself struggling to understand the paired upper and lower body movements of Sihbarian dancing when I first started out.

Once Eden learned the leete and started joining our sessions, I realized why. I hadn't had a feel for Sihbar's music. The dance didn't make any sense to me before because it was choreographed to a music type I'd never heard. Like if I were to try to teach someone in this world hip hop moves.

The musical rhythms weren't anything I could have imagined. The leete was not an instrument that existed on Earth and, obviously, the entire country and culture of Sihbar didn't exist either.

In retrospect, to assume the sounds of this alien country were going to be "Earthly" was a pretty stupid notion in the first place.

However, I suppose the assumption was based off of how our own country of Casselia was just some generic ancient Europe archetype resembling the 'far far away' lands in Earth fairytales. Other than the occasional moments of rather mundane magic, it often feels more like I time travelled within Earth rather than world travelled. This was probably disrespectful to my own new half-culture but I had just assumed to the same extent that Sibhar was just going to be a 'generically eastern' country like you see in Earthen fantasy stories too.

The fact that this world has so much in common with my own once again brought forth the eternal question: was this world created from a poorly fleshed out fantasy-romance video game from Earth, or was the game built to model the events of this very real other world?

I suppose I had met the world's goddess. She had said that she made the game to recruit someone to save this world which would suggest the latter. I suppose even if this world wasn't made after the game she still could have drawn inspiration from Earth. It would make sense. She didn't seem like a very creative 'person' who could have created an entirely original world. She probably copied a lot of elements from Earth in the same way she was currently taking inspiration from Earth girl-game clichés to solve an imminent war.

I stopped mid-movement. Good God. This world is literally called EARTHIA.

She was unbelievably sloppy in her plagiarism.

"BRIAR," my mother said, pulling me out of my thoughts. Eden unsurely slowed down his playing and then ceased entirely.

I bit my lip a little in annoyance at myself, this wasn't the time to have let my mind wander. Usually, I reserve that for later when I'm locked in the library 'learning' math or something.

"You weren't paying any attention," my mother sighed. "Your movements were shockingly crisp given that fact but the whole performance factor is lost if you forget to keep your facial expression."

"Sorry," I said.

"Then you just stopped. Is this boring you?" She asked accusingly and then sighed. "Perhaps, we've been going too long, we can resume in a few days." She began to leave and paused at the door, "Erm, good work you two."

She really was an awkward person. It was cool to see her at least try though. I didn't have to look to know Eden was beaming ear to ear.

He fiddled with his instrument with a stupidly red blush.

Gaining our mother's approval was definitely doing wonders for his sense of self-worth.

Eden and I packed up as usual and headed back to the main house.

"I'm glad you're feeling better," I finally said.

"Me too," he said quietly. "I really am sorry for everything before. I shouldn't have gotten so jealous."

"Never worry about it again, bro," I said.

We walked in comfortable silence for a couple beats under the twilight sky when he glanced at me with a playful grin. "So what were you thinking about that got you so distracted?"

"Not much really," I said and then paused as I rethought that reply. "Just gaining universal enlightenment I guess on how the very fabric of our reality was sewn."

"Oh," said Eden. "So typical Monday stuff then?"

"Pretty much."

"So uh..." He started, kicking a rock down the little dirt path in front of us. "What have you discovered?"

"Our world is just one big off-brand knock off. The Cucci to a Gucci one might say."

His face scrunched in perplexment, "I don't understand."

"This world is stupid," I summarized.

He nodded knowingly. "Alright, yes, I can see that."

We got to my usual sneak-out tree outside my bedroom window and I nodded to him, "well, here's where we part ways. See you at breakfast."

"You know," he said, "you really can just use a door."

"But that wouldn't be any fun at all," I pointed out.

He shook his head, "I will see you at breakfast."

It was a Sunday, so we quickly hustled after eating to get to town to meet up with the boys.

They were already gathered in the alley when we got there, playing an improvised game of throwing pebbles into bottles and jugs. The group tended to change week to week. This time it was Edgar, Tommy and a pair of twins I'd never learned how to tell apart.

We joined in for a while, Edgar and I introducing more and more trick shot variations as we went. This time however, I really did notice Eden lagging behind. The boys openly ribbed him as he missed throw after throw.

I grimaced a little.

Finally, Eden missed again and his stray throw hit a window.

The boys froze.

"Uh oh", Tommy said.

"YOU BRATS!" A man's voice from inside shrieked.

Edgar hit Eden upside the head and Eden winced. "Way to go you total klutz, now Old man Gegenhuber's gunna be on our cases."

"I didn't mean to-"

Eden tried to protest but Edgar just rolled his eyes with an overstated "UG." He looked at Eden with distaste. "Of course you didn't, if you had meant to hit the window, you wouldn't have been able to with your girly aim."

I shot Edgar a look.

A dishevelled man came storming out of the house blocking the alley entrance. He wasn't exactly what I expected from the name 'Old Man Gegenhuber', looking more like a thirty something year old who had given up on grooming. He was tall and scrappy with brown hair practically covering his whole body.

He growled. "Alright, I've put up with you brat's noise well enough, but which one of you little street rats threw a rock at my house?!" He asked threateningly.

"I mean," I said, "it was really more of a stray pebble-"

"RUN!" Edgar ordered and everyone split, dashing away on either side of the older man, Tommy even, under his legs and the man flailed a little in confusion. Catching the hint a second later, I tugged on Eden's sleeve "Let's go!"

I made a pretty impressive parkour onto the bin beside him and out but he very quickly caught my brother.

Eden squirmed in terror. "I'm very sorry sir! I really didn't intend to throw that at your window! I promise!"

Edgar still dashing away turned back and rubbed his own face in annoyance. "Goddess, you couldn't even escape right?"

"I wasn't trying to-" Eden whined. "I thought we could talk it out."

Edgar shook his head in irritation and made his escape into the market crowds yelling, "I'm not helping you, dweeb!"

I groaned, no longer trying to run and sulked back to my brother and his captor in defeat. "Really Eden? Does stranger danger mean nothing to you? When would talking to someone who literally looks like the human reincarnate of pedo bear in an abandoned alley EVER be a good idea?"

The man gave me a disapproving glare.

"You kids have no respect for other people or their property!" He snarled. "Every week I have to clean up after all of you, shattering glass all about the place!"

"I apologize!" Eden yelped.

"Sir, this is improper conduct!" I called, still standing a calculated distance away. "It is HIGHLY inappropriate for a strange man to start grabbing a young child he doesn't know!"

They both looked at me blankly. I guess that wasn't weird here. Flippin' medieval times.

"Alright you're coming with me boy." He said and started walking down the street with Eden struggling under his arm.

"That's my brother, you need to let him go!" I yelled loudly, trailing after them, hoping one of the THOUSAND people in the street would help us.

"Everything alright there?" The butcher called as we passed.

"NO," Eden and I said together.

"It's fine," Gegenhuber assured him.

"Alright then, you all have a great day!" The butcher called with a smile.

This world is messed up. Apparently, if a child gets abducted in broad daylight, no one will care.

"Take me to your parents!" He said jostling Eden, "It's time we finally exchange some words!"

"They aren't in town!" I protested.

"Like I believe that!" He said, "take me to an adult who actually can have a reasonable conversation!"

"You can't just hold a kid ransom and call yourself the voice of reason here," I said under my breath.

I ruefully began the lead him up the street in the trajectory of our manor. Eden hung pitifully under his arm, no longer struggling. I noticed the twins hiding under a table, snickering at the image. At the very least he must not be a dangerous person then or they'd be concerned for us... I'd hope. I'd like to think after all of this we were friends. Even if I never really learned their names.

Edgar was at the Baker's stall looking innocent and as if he'd been there the whole time. Old man Gegenhuber didn't buy it and recognized him immediately. "YOU!" He boomed at our obvious ringleader.

His mother had been rummaging under the desk and quickly leapt up in alarm. She stumbled and Edgar sprung into action quicker than I'd even noticed something happening. Even then, she fell over.

"Are these three all yours mam-" Our captor started to say but paused as the baker didn't get back up. She clutched her ankle in pain.

"Mother are you alright?" Edgar asked in alarm.

I rushed over quickly, the inner sports trainer coming out. "Where does it hurt? How does it feel?" I asked.

"Sorry kids," she said, "No big deal, I just tripped a little."

"You've been doing that lots..." Edgar pointed out.

She tried to stand but winced as she started to put weight on her leg.

"Oops, no, stay down a second," I urged. The ankle was clearly starting to swell. "You've got some swelling so you might have done something here...I'm going to try some simple movements," I said, "Tell me if you feel it."

I tilted the leg back and forth, rotated the foot in different motions and tapped different parts of the ankle, monitoring her responses.

I leaned back in relief. "It's not broken," I said, "just twisted."

Everyone sighed in relief and the man looked at us in disbelief, "Why are you listening to to her, she's what? Five?"

"Almost seven," Eden muttered still dangling in his grasp.

I ignored the man altogether. "It's minor, just a grade one sprain."

"What does that mean?" Edgar asked.

"She stretched a ligament, it'll be fine if she rests it properly."

"Edgar, Hunny, help me inside," the baker said. Edgar quickly moved to help up his mother but walking was awkward with the size difference between the two.

I glanced at the man holding my brother. "You could help," I said flatly.

He put Eden down and moved over the help the woman into the bakery and up the stairs to the living quarters.

I rushed to pull out two chairs, one for her to sit on, one for elevation.

"You want to keep it upright, if possible, at or above heart level," I said.

A knock at the door disturbed my medical help. I couldn't help but notice how Edgar, his mother and even Old man Gegenhuber went ridged.

"Someone's at the door," Eden said unhelpfully. No one moved. "Should... I get it?" He asked awkwardly.

The banging on the door intensified. "Open up. We know you're in there! We just saw you go in!" It was a man's voice.

Gegenhuber actually looked at the baker with pity. "Geez lady, when it rains it pours huh? This is not your day."

The Baker sighed. "You can say that again. I can't imagine what they're doing here though, we paid last week." After a moment's hesitation, she called out: "Door's open!"

Two thuggish but well-dressed men entered.

"Mrs. Baker," the smaller of the two men said in a way that wasn't quite friendly while also not being hostile.

"G'day, Mister Banks," she said in a false chipper tone. "What can I do you for?"

"You're overdue," the man said.

The baker almost stood up in outrage, I had to stop her. "We just paid you vultures last week!"

"Did you now?" The man asked smugly. He looked to his partner in fake wonder.

The other man opened a little black leather book. "It looks like you only paid part of it."

"We gave 20 gold," the baker argued.

"Didn't you know?" The man asked. "It's 25 now."

Eden made a face. "No it's not, isn't it supposed to be 15?"

The two men exchanged a glance. "What do you know twerp?" The short man snapped.

"We can't sustain that! We'll be bankrupt in months!" The baker pleaded.

The man with the book made an exaggerated look about the room. "Well you seem to be living rather comfortably. It's market day and you're not even out selling. Maybe if you actually worked you would be able to afford to pay your taxes."

"Ok Boomer," I muttered.

The Baker sighed. "Edgar," she said. "Get the money out from under the mattress."

Edgar glared at the men for a moment and left the room. A minute later he returned and shoved it into the shorter guy's hands. The man counted it and smirked. "There, was that so hard?"

The shorter man looked at Gegenhuber, "And we'll be seeing you soon Oscar."

Old man Gegenhuber growled. "How dare you! I served this country!"

"And you couldn't even do that right," the tax man sneered. With that, the men left.

"THAT F****** EARL, UP THERE LIVING COMFORTABLY IN HIS F******* MANOR," Gegenhuber yelled, kicking over a thankfully cleared table.

Eden had covered my ears with perfect timing as if a living censor so I didn't hear everything he had said, but I could fill in the blanks.

"This town is going to hell and a handbasket," the Baker said. "He can't do this anymore. I like to reserve judgment but... oh that Bell family."

Eden opened his mouth to protest but I kicked him.

"Stupid rich people," Gegenhuber spat looking out the window to our far manor atop a hill in the distance. "The Earl and his ilk are smart to never make an appearance out here. Greedy corrupt cowards..." he added in disgust.

Well this is an uncomfortable situation. I had no idea we were so hated by our people. In retrospect, escaping to town every week might have actually been a poor decision.

We could NOT let slip to these people who we were. I glanced nervously at Edgar to see if he was about to spill the beans. He was biting his lip, but didn't look like he had any intention on telling.

"N-never mind that for now," I said to change the topic. "let's just focus on your injury. You're going to have to try and stay off it for a bit, just remember the acronym R.I.C.E: rest, ice, compression and elevation." I said.

"Ice?" The Baker asked in confusion. "It's the summer sweety."

"Uh.. yeah right... sorry I forgot I guess." Last time I had to treat a sprain, I was living in a world with freezers. Since magic only really existed in the bloodlines of a few noble families, there wouldn't be any ice available here.

Eden perked up. "Oh, I can-" I kicked him again and sent him a very stern look. He was supposed to be the smart one here.

He held my gaze and shook his head. "No Briar. If someone needs help, and I can help, I'm going to help them."

I looked to Edgar and muttered an aside. "Wow, out of the two of us, I always assumed if we were going to get killed for a stupid decision it would be one of mine."

Eden walked to the kitchen and got a towel.

I held my face in disbelief. We were going to get lynched. "What's he about to do?" Edgar ask me in panic. He didn't know about Eden's magic.

Eden approached the baker with a sympathetic smile. "Ma'am, you have been kind to us. I really would like to apologize for how the Earldom has failed you all." As he said that, an ice crystal began to form in his free hand, growing to about three inches. He twitched his fingers and it broke into smaller pieces he wrapped in the towel and handed it to her.

The two adults and Edgar stared at us in disbelief. "You...." the Baker said.

"I believe my father has been negligent on watching his employees. Since I have turned ten, I have been studying on how to run the fief and I know for a fact, the taxes were just approved to lower, not raise." Eden gave her a gentle smile and bowed down nobly on one knee. "I promise on behalf of the Bell name we will get to the bottom of this."

He stood up, "Come Briar, we should head back and get to work."

"Yes, nothing inspires more faith in the public than getting a seven and ten-year-old on the case to fix the corruption of the local government's finances," I said sarcastically as we exited the still flabbergasted room.

"Come on now, it's not like accounting is hard," he joked.

I rolled my eyes and glanced back at the store nervously, no one seemed to be running out with pitchforks to chase after us so I guessed we were safe. "You know that was a stupid thing to do," I said.

"But it was the right thing," he said simply.

"I guess... Also, you did look pretty cool," I admitted and punched his shoulder. "I'm proud of you."

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Author's notes

jeez it's been a while since I wrote. I'd like to say I was busy but given the current global situation we all know that's a lie XD

I guess I just got pulled away from the story for a week when I left town to a convention and then had a hard time getting back into the flow once I'd been away- and of course the end of the school term caught up with me, yikes.