(Joat’s POV)

Alright everyone’s got a bucket load of fish, carts seem to be in working order and I am really quite tired.

“Oh Leader”

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The dulect tones of a ravenous woman…what could go wrong?

Turning round, it’s Ravenna and a red turtle-beastman; writing insivible notes in the air just behind her.

“I’d love to play games but I’d rather we save that for when we’ve got a little more private time” I give her a tired, sly wink before returning to a more formal facial expression.

“Well we’ve got the rota sorted so we’ve always got one group with the NPC’s at all times, but knowing when you and your squad will be offline would be helpful” She smirks slightly with a yawn, at my response before too acting more formal.

“I believe we’ll be taking the next 12 hours off and we’ll normally be doing 10 in the night to 10 in the morning in real life times”

“Perfect, you’ll be logging in around the same time as Sugar’s, Kale’s and Dillydally’s squad and of course my own” Sounds like a rather interesting combo

“Is that all my dear? Because I do swear I spot 3 minions heading this way”

“Seems like you’ve got your own minions to worry about now” She chuckles lightly before turning off, hips swaying slightly.

“Hey! At least mine have names” I call after her before turning round to a rather unimpressed looking Baila. What?

“So we meet up in 12 in game hours then?” Zzoid asks from a small distance.

“Yep, can’t do to miss out on the first leg of the journey it would do horrors to this oh so grand reputation of mine”

Silent rolling of eyes all around and they all log off with that.

Guess I should follow them!

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Phew no one held me up.

Right, off for 3 beautiful hours of sleep

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“Wake up Mother Fu-”

That will never fail to wake me up.

Right, to the shower!

Brushing my teeth whilst in the shower saves a precious few minutes and before too long passes, I’m sitting down eating a nice filling breakfast of milk and cereals.

Hmm let’s go with a nice nerdy t-shirt and some black jeans…might as well wear some comfortable clothing since I’m going to have to talk to the camera for the better part of two hours…

Stepping outside my house into the chilling morning, I begin strolling down the street, my backpack strapped securely on both shoulders.

Seriously being outside before 8 in the morning should be for*yawn*bidden.

Walking under the large arch into the castle, I quickly make my way inside where the radiators will hopefully be working!

Ahh so much better…

Since its Tuesday I believe my lecture room is in the Tower.

With a slight sigh of defeat, I stroll through the cavernously empty corridors, seeing barely a dozen people languidly walking towards their lectures, before reaching a small oaken door.

Opening it reveals a winding set of stairs which I begin climbing with earnest.

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One hundred and fifty three…*huff huff* one hundred and fifty four…

I really don’t like these windy stairs with steps so tall I have to bring my leg ridiculously high.

It’s not even 8 am! I should not be doing this kind of exercise right now! Gah what I do for my invisible students…

“Hey hey hey guess what time it is?”

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Oh no that’s my alarm.

Seriously it’s 7:50 already? I haven’t even gotten to my room yet ah!

Mustering up whatever strength my still asleep body has, I begin jumping up the stairs, using the railing generously as I do…because I’m just rushed not suicidal.

Oh going in circles is making me slightly dizzy but I’ve not got time for that right no-

“EEK”

Someone’s falling towards m-AHHH MY EYES!

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“Mistress you should be more careful with your steps” AH MY EYES!!!

“Sorry” I can hear a light, yet slightly husky voice guiltily apologising but not to me!

“And don’t forget to apologise to the man you almost fell into” Yes please!

“Sorry Sir!” I rub my eyes open, still stinging sharply from the pain of having hair whipped across them.

Giving myself a few seconds to let them begin working properly again...

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Lets give them a few more seconds to start working again

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“Emma?” I think my eyes have been irreversably damaged.

“…I’m sorry but have we met before?” Her bright emerald green eyes look with mine in a knot of confusion.

The girl I just blurted out too has straight red hair reaching just below her shoulder, not covering up at all her extremely distinctive face, a face I’ve seen many a time before…

*Rub*

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*Rub*

My eyesight is definitely wrecked because there’s no way this girl looks like the spitting image of Emma Stone in her younger years…

“Sir?”

“Oh sorry, I got you confused for someone else, a bit early in the morning for me to function properly”

“Someone else? But my name is Emma”

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*pinch*

Nope I’m not in some fantastical nightmare dream fantasy…I’m not quite sure what it could’ve been if it wasn’t real…

And she’s even got that husky voice of hers!

“It seems as though all women who’s beauty blinds me are called Emma” I give an overlydramatic bow and then get a better look at this strange girl who is something akin to a clone of the goddess once called Emma Stone… “Madam forgive me but I should really introduce myself as I’ve already taken your name but not given my own. Jack is what you may call me but if you are going with a nickname anything but Jacky would do” I offer my hand…and she curtsies

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?

“Krudel” A well dressed man with short black hair and a clean shaven chin pops out from the stairs above and grabs hold of my hand, applying a less than comfortable amount of force

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“Kr-aazy that lectures start so early in the morning right?” No.Freaking.Way…

“This is early?” Emma…since that is her name…looks at me with those disturbingly familiar eyes filled with confusion.

“Remember Mistress that the sun rises later over her, so we can consider the day to be just starting” I thought my eyes were getting trolled by the universe, but seems my ears get the same treatment…

It’s Krudel, FREAKING KRUDEL!

I know that because of his posh stick shoved so far up inside he can’t bend tone and because he’s giving me evil eyes and still crushing my hand ow!

It’s bad enough that I have to meet him ingame, but he’s really here too! And he’s exactly how I imagined him to be! The reality is more terrifying in person!

Trying my best to ignore his fiery gaze…finally he lets go and phew my hand is unbroken.

“Well it was nice to accidentally meet you, but I must go, for I have my own lectures to attend” Yes, removing myself from the presence of Krudel will do absolute wonders to my immediate health…

“You’re going up aren’t you? Walk with us” Emma crushes all my plans with an alluringly innocent smile. I don’t know whether to feel entranced or disturbed by such a smile.

“I would-” Oh I would indeed just to be beside this vivid painting of my childhood crush despite the overhanging doom called Krudel “-But I cannot be late for my lecture, so please forgive me as I rush ahead” giving her a bow…because she curtsies and doesn’t shake hands, I give a formal nod to Krudel before half-running past him.

I can’t believe I met Krudel, in real life too! And even worse I think he knows me!!

Or maybe he’s just overly protective/dangerous looking towards all men…

Also that Emma, her self being a spitting image of Emma Stone was murderously mindboggling to my eyes but she was also quite weird, curtsying….I mean who cursties in this centu-

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OH MY GOD WHO THE HELL DID I JUST MEET!?

HOW DID I NOT MAKE THE CONNECTION SOONER AAAHH!!!

I mean Krudel’s there so it’s only logical that Miss Nameless…no Emma!?! Is there too!

WHY HAS MY MORNING STARTED OFF SO WIERDLY!?

Like I’ve met the Zz’s which was rather odd but these two?! And I feel like I’ve met maybe a few more as well!?

Why am I suddenly meeting people from ARIA in real life?

AND why did it have to be KRUDEL!? I’m ok meeting Miss Nameless…damn can’t really call her that anymore…Emma…?

Racing up the stairs, mind melting from having had to deal with some rather mindboggling things so early in the morning, I reach the top and open the door first

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Hmm it’s not this room is it?

I spot a greying man setting up the lecturer desk…definitely not this room.

Oh so I’ve truly got the top of the Tower?

Closing the door, I pick up the crowbar resting in the corner and use it to bring the hatch and the ensuing stairs down.

Climbing into the attic...surprisingly it’s pretty big.

It is quite literally a normal room with windows galore and a hole over to the left of the room which is the unorthodox entrance.

Anyways, I should get the video camera sorted out.

Man is it going to be weird seeing them in game…especially Krudel…

Ok video camera set up, water drunk and it’s exactly 30 seconds to 8 am. Good on me for getting here in time.

“Ahem, so hello to whichever of my two non-existent students that will be watching this, this is your sixth lecture on theoretical art. As always we’ll begin with a short recap on what I taught you last time. Last Friday we s-”

“E-excuse me, is this the class for theoretical art?”

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EMMA?

Turning as calmly as I can towards the hole, to see a very confused looking Emma, which seems to be her bog standard look recently, followed up by a Krudel…who doesn’t show any surprise on his stoic face.

“Why yes, but may I ask why you ask?” Please be coincidence

“We signed up for Theoretical Art”…Universe do you hate me?

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We? Wait, I have to teach Krudel! And EMMA!?

“…Give me a moment” Flipping my internet browser open, I quickly check my work email and oh god I’ve got an updated register…with two new people added in to my list

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“Well Krudel Sauvinge and Emma…Stone…………………please take a seat”

Emma…freaking…Stone!

IT’S A DOPPLEGANGER!!!

I really do hope this is some strange dream that I’m having because not only does she look like the spitting image of Emma Stone, she even is called that!

Coincidence? I really hope so…

Emma sits down in the front row, patting down her long baby blue dress complete with small frills around the wrist and feet…

There’s just so much brain damage happening to me I didn’t even notice that she’s wearing an absolutely ancient style of dress till now!

Anyways, let’s just act like they’re normal students and not some strange people I know from a game yet now know them in real life and yet still have absolutely no idea why she lives in the renaissance period even though she goes to University…

I can totally do this; it’s only these two, my first students out of now 4 students and they’re only 12 hours of lectures behind.

Just imagine they’re normal people…it’s only two hours of this and it can’t get wors-

“Excuse me, but is this the lecture for Theoretical Art?”

Why do I have a terrible feeling piercing my very soul?

“Why yes it iS COME HAVE A SEAT” I DON’T BELIEVE IN JINXES

“I WILL HAVE A SEAT, YES, SIR, LECTURER SIR, WHOEVER YOU ARE” CLARA rushes into a random seat among the numerous empty ones equally as wide eyed and half freaking out as I am.

I DID NOT SEE THIS COMING! WAIT, NO, THE UNIVERSE HATES ME SO OF COURSE THIS WAS GOING TO HAPPEN!

“I AM JACK SPENCER YOUR LECTURER, AND I WILL NOW BEGIN THE LECTURE FROM THE VERY BEGINNING SINCE WE HAVE MOST OF OUR CLASS AND LET’S GET GOING SHALL WE! FIRST OFF, HAS ANYONE LOOKED AT MY LECTURES AS OF YET?”

*crickets*

“FAAAAANTASTIC SO WE’LL START FROM SCRATCH WHICH MEANS-” I rapidly open up my introductions lecture and turn the projector on “-I SHALL GIVE YOU A CONCISE OVERVIEW OF WHAT YOU’RE DOING IN THE YEAR” I can’t belive Clara is here! Out of every freaking person Clara Winters could’ve been…it had to be her! AHHHH!!

The projector finally loads up. “SO FIRST THINGS FIRST, WE’RE GOING TO HAVE LECTURES EVERY DAY FROM 8 AM TO 10 AM FOR THE NEXT 19 ACADEMIC WEEKS WHICH IS OVER BOTH SEMESTERS. THIS MODULE IS WORTH YOUR FULL 120 CREDITS, HOW YOU MAY ASK WELL IT’S BECAUSE OF YOUR EXAM”

“WHAT IS OUR EXAM?” Emma calls out, mimicking my frantic speech with more than a hint of excitability after raising her hand super politely and getting my nodded approval.

“YOUR EXAM IS TO CREATE ART USING 6 DIFFERENT PEOPLE FROM 6 DIFFERENT ARTISTIC COURSES USING THE KNOWLEDGE YOU’LL GAIN FROM THESE LECTURES. IT’S A LOT HARDER THAN I’M EXPLAINING BUT YOU DON’T NEED TO KNOW THE DETAILS AS OF YET” I need to calm down but when I look at my students I’ve either got to look at a pair of mesmerising emerald eyes, Krudel or Clara!

No more questions are asked so onto the lecture.

“WE’RE GOING TO BEGIN WITH THE MOST IMPORTANT THING: COLOURS. THERE ARE 3 DECILLION COLOURS IN THE WORLD WHICH IS TOO MANY FOR ANYONE TO EVER REMEMBER THEM SO WE MAKE IT 3 COLOURS INSTEAD. THESE THREE COLOURS ARE RED, BLUE AND GREEN. THESE THREE COLOURS TOGETHER ARE CALLED THE RGB COLOUR WHEEL AND WHEN MIXED PROPERLY, CAN MAKE ANY COLOUR IN THE WORLD-” Everyone seems to not be completely lost as I maniacally draw out the colour wheel in its resepctive colours.

Right let’s power through this!

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“AND SO THAT CONCLUDES OUR FIRST LECTURE. DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? NO? FANTASTIC, I SHALL SEE YOU ALL TOMORROW” Clapping my hands I thus end the lecture and begin packing with mild franticness…

Emma and Krudel quickly disappear off, a giggle escaping her rosy lips, from what I’m not sure.

“Sir I do have a question” Clara asks from a respectibly far distance…

“If it’s about the lecture”

“It’s not”

Well…oh no

“Why did you leave me?”

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“I had a lecture” A half-truth

“Oh…well at least you could’ve told me” She gives me a not-so-light punch on the arm

“Hey no physically abusing your lecturer” I half jokingly call out to her as she walks away in a mild huff.

She turns back round once she reaches the stairs, looking at me with a worrysome look.

“So…”

“It’s nice to meet you for the first time, Clara was it?”

“…Yes”

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Well my lord has my day been filled with such shenanigans! And I’ve barely been awake 3 hours!

Putting my laptop in my bag I go down the stairs and shut the attic up.

“Jack was it” Ahhh shenanigans…they come in multiples of infinity today…

“Why yes Krudel…do you have a question?”

“I just require a confirmation of something” I’ve got a bad feeling about this but hey this is a lecturer’s jo-Ah!

“Why’d you just punch me?”

“Hmm, did that hurt?”

“Well of course it hurt, you punched me! Seriously Krudel, I’ll have to report you for violence if you do that again”

“Sorry but I was confirming a little tidbit I learnt about you”

Tidbit? Has Krudel stalk-yeah he has hasn’t he?

“What tidbit of information is this?”

“Your appendicitis removal”

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Oh, well I guess it isn’t…wait wasn’t it covered up?

“information leaks one way or another” He answers my facial expression

“SO why is this important?”

“Just sating my curiosity” Doesn’t sound like a lie but I don’t think it’s Krudel-like to do things for curiosity.

“Right, well is your question answered then Krudel?”

“Yes, thank you, Sir. Forgive my violent actions Sir” He gives a deep bow before walking briskly down the stairs, probably to catch up to where ever Emma went.

Hmm, I do wonder about how he got information about my surgery…or even why he was stalking me.

Actually that’s pretty easy to asnwer; he profiled me for her sake, ok fair enough.

I guess I’ll let him off this time for punching me, since I’m not a vengeful person…but I could make him do this or that since he’s now part of my squad, ooh.

Agh anyway, I should be getting away from this dreaded area.

If so much has happened in just this morning, I truly dread what is going to happen when I log back into ARIA…

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“LADIES AND GENTLEMEN ARE WE ALL READY FOR ANOTEHR ADVENTURE?”

“NOT REALLY” The Gold-canary-beastman shouts out followed by a few chuckles.

‘WELL YOU’VE GOT NO CHOICE SO WELCOME TO ADVENTURE NONETHELESS! EVERYONE, MOVE OUT”

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“Sorry Orphan leader Joat but give us a few more minutes to pack the final supplies”

“Alright” Zzoid….not a word, I can see the snarky comments floating in your eyes you little devil.

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“ALRIGHT EVERYONE, MOVE OUT”