July 31,2022

Thanks to Mestor's efforts, Jenny was informed of the city's happenings. Considering what happened yesterday, Jenny wasn't up to visiting the girl. Honestly, she didn't really feel like it. Bai Qingqing was sure to bring drama that Jenny didn't want. She was curious about a few things that Bai Qingqing would come up with, but didn't know if it was worth it to stick around the girl.

Jenny had read a lot of books. It was one of her favorite hobbies. She didn't usually like reading online novels and preferred to have physical books to read. Still, she was wiling to try new things, this novel had been one of them.

She hadn't enjoyed it. In fact, she found herself upset and frustrated most of the time. She had only read on because of her compulsion to see how it would end. She would rather finish a unpleasant book and never think of it again, than drop it and wonder if it got better somewhere along the way.

One of the things that pissed her off the most, was Bai Qingqing. Jenny had a cynical streak and preferred foolish characters to get what was coming to them. Bai Qingqing had major plot armor that protected her from every repercussion that her decisions could have. Her character was also inconsistent. Sometimes she was wishy-washy. Other times, she was bold. Jenny couldn't feel any love for her as a character.

Jenny shook her head. She had never tried to write herself and didn't know how hard it would be to write a consistent and likable character. She had read so many books with great characters that her standards had gotten high. Maybe she should try it one day, if she ever got back home that is.

Noticing her deviation form her original thought, Jenny retraced her steps. She didn't like Bai Qingqing and didn't want to force herself to interact with her. But...it could be to her advantage to try. Jenny knew all of the discoveries that Bai Qingqing made for the next year or two and could use that knowledge for herself. Beyond that though, Jenny didn't know what she could face.

Still, if Bai Qingqing followed the plot, it would be better to avoid her. Then again, Jenny was thinking far ahead. First, she should determine if she could even alter the plot at all by winning over Winston. If she could prove that things could change, then she may not have to avoid the MC and instead try to assist and change things. The thought of modifying the plot or even messing it up, got Jenny a little excited. Who wouldn't find it interesting to change things in a book that you weren't the most pleased with?

Jenny felt a little bad in that moment. It wasn't fair to the author. She could've worked hard on the book that Jenny thought so poorly of. Well... there was something she could praise the author for. Creating such a lengthy story would've taken time and dedication. It was also unique and stood out to Jenny. The setting and world building were not common themes that Jenny, a bookworm, had found. At least, it wasn't when she first picked it up. There seemed to be more stories like it now.

Finding herself giving a critique in her head, Jenny sighed. She did that to every book she read. Not that she ever actually left a review somewhere. Yeah... she figured she was thinking about something she needn't be. Hello, she was actually living and breathing inside a freaking book. But here she was going over a review that she would never leave. God, she needed to get up and do something.

That's exactly what she did. Since Mestor knew about the feral and insisted on hanging around her, she let him grab the fish today. If he wanted to, she was going to let him. She knew she was taking this all too seriously again and backed off. Nothing bad had happened to her and all of her fears had stemmed from her brain.

She had not starved, been attacked, or been kidnapped. Heck, aside from getting eaten alive by bugs the one night, she hadn't met any especial misfortune. The incident with Oliver sucked, but it was resolved. She wasn't going to make the same mistake again so she needed to loosen up. Heck, the feral man hadn't done anything to her either. Her nose disagreed, but she ignored it. That one was her fault mostly.

Stepping back and taking a look at herself and situation, Jenny was actually doing okay. She was surviving and had suitors that weren't jerks. Sure she was including Mestor in that a little early, but her logic couldn't find another reason for him to hang around. She had a sneaking suspicion that the occasional gift left on the front door step was his doing. She only had to ask Harvey or Simon to get that answer.

There was also Simon. He was a good guy for the most part. He has his faults, but Jenny wasn't going to get too hung up on that. Since she was thinking about this objectively, she was able to think about them without looking like an idiot. That's what she told herself to keep any shame from bubbling up inside her.

Simon was sort of cowardly, but could step up to the plate if she was in danger. His control was questionable, but he was far from malicious. Heck, she didn't figure he could be that way if he tried. He was sweet, attentive, and good looking. If she was back home and he had asked her out, Jenny would have accepted. Well, after she blushed and found her words. She hated being so wussy about it, but she could see herself being a stupid mess over a confession.

Jenny only hesitated with Simon now because of how complicated her situation was. If it was even complicated. The problem was, Jenny didn't know. If she was certain that she was stuck here forever, she could plan a little better. If this was temporary... Did it actually matter that much?

Jenny realized she had finished weeding after all her thinking. She washed up and went inside to make a small mat. She wanted her hands as busy as her head.

What she needed to do wouldn't change all that much. She wasn't in a situation where she had the best pick of the crop, so to speak. Simon was a nice guy that she could come to like. If he hadn't screwed up and jumped her that one time, she would probably have started to feel that way. Jenny was weak to the honest and sincere types.

Jenny snorted. As if she had the experience with men to know that. Sighing, Jenny knew she was gaining that experience in an unexpected way. She cut bamboo as she thought.

There was Mestor too. Assuming he was a definite choice. Jenny... liked Mestor. She had been putting it out of her head and doing her best not to see him in that light. It made her feel stupidly self-conscious.

Mestor was too perfect for Jenny in a physical sense. He wasn't huge in either height or muscle and his face was, well, very attractive to her. None of his features were overly sharp and his facial proportions looked perfectly even. His amber eyes were striking to an unfortunate degree. Jenny often had difficulties around him. She never knew where to stare. Feeling the heat creeping up her neck, Jenny reminded herself to think objectively.

Despite her awkwardness, Mestor was able to talk to her. He was a natural at conversation and seemed highly observant. She could tell he was a very inquisitive and a somewhat nosy person, but he knew when to back off. He didn't push her for the answers he obviously wanted and that relieved her.

If he was interested, Jenny couldn't find a reason to reject him. He even handled Simon well back when she bled and was never overbearing. His control was obviously there and he was sharp. Jenny realized what kind of hole she was jumping down and tried to back up. She wouldn't be able to look at the guy if she kept going.

So they were both, effectively yes's. That was good for Jenny if it worked out. With Winston in the mix, she would be okay. Harvey wouldn't have to be stuck with her, but... After all he did for her, what could Jenny do for Harvey?

As far as she could tell, Harvey was still smitten with Bai Qingqing. Whenever Jenny would mention the girl, Harvey's ears would perk right up. She was sad about that. Not because she had some unrequited feelings for him, but because she knew how fruitless his pursuit would be. That's what she would tell herself. She really did think that was true. Any feelings she had developed were purely due to her reliance and crazy situation.

Felling assured, Jenny looked down at her mat. It was almost done and her back was stiff as a board. She stretched, moved around, and promised herself to set a timer next time.

Jenny went to do the chores. Later on, Harvey, Jenny and Simon sat around the fire and chatted. Harvey and Simon discussed prey and foods to gather for Jenny. Jenny occasionally chimed in and tried to contribute to the conversation.

The garden was doing well and Jenny expected some of the berry bushes to give her more fruit. They moving process didn't shock the plants as much as she expected. They were clearly much hardier than the kinds she was familiar with.

Weighing her options, Jenny decided to tell Simon about her situation. He might not be the most reliable in the sense of safety, but she didn't figure he would sell her out. When she did spill, Simon seemed to break. The poor beastman was at a total loss. It was obvious that Simon was struggling with the concept of another world existing, let alone her coming from it. Jenny didn't think he really understood it in the end, but let it go.

While Simon was floundering, Jenny told him something even more startling, the truth about her cycle. Simon felt lightheaded. A part of him was thrilled that Jenny was that fertile, while another part was scared that she was that fertile. Could he control himself? What about other males? Jenny didn't have nearly enough support and he couldn't protect her well.

Simon felt greatly distressed and it rubbed off on the others present. Jenny used the opportunity to push Winston forward. "Winston has four stripes and would be a good addition," Jenny insisted.

"B-but he's considered terrifying to females," Simon added.

"It isn't a problem. The scar doesn't bother me," Jenny urged.

"It isn't just the scar, but his bearing too," Simon said weakly.

"It's okay," Jenny soothed the distraught male. "He'll be a good male." Jenny really thought so, assuming his character was mostly the same as she had read.

"Yes... I understand. What about the fox?" Simon questioned in a defeated tone.

Jenny froze up. She knew her answer to that question, but she didn't know about Mestor's opinion. She was not going to say anything until Mestor made himself clear. "Mestor hasn't asked." Jenny sounded as unsure as she was.

"He leaves you gifts and you haven't sent him away," Harvey, who had been quiet most of the time, added. "Are you considering him?"

Feeling her temperature rise, Jenny couldn't respond immediately. Harvey didn't push anymore than that and Jenny didn't answer him with words. She was at least considering the possibility, but it wasn't easy to admit that with a straight face. Jenny took a breath and nodded.

The awkward dinner continued until Jenny laid down for bed. Although he did so reluctantly, Simon seemed to accept her choices. Jenny briefly questioned her judgement to accept Simon, but pushed the negative thought from her head. The choice had been made and Jenny was going to move forward. Questioning every decision and worrying endlessly was something Jenny could do without trying, but she wasn't willing to go back to that. Instead, she was going to think positive and focus on his good points.

After she quelled her worries, Jenny was able to fall asleep. She dreamed of her family and awoke later that night crying. Harvey and Simon tried to soothe her, but she avoided them. This wasn't something she could talk about yet and she wanted a moment to herself to cope.

'Well, this sucks. I was trying not to think about home," Jenny sighed as she thought to herself. 'I was doing so good too.' She missed home. She missed toilets, bug repellant, AC, her parents...

Taking a deep breathe, Jenny tried to find a silver lining. If this was some strange coma, she could wake up and impress her dad with her new basket weaving skills. If this was real and she went home, she could show off her tan and healthy muscles. If she couldn't go home...

Jenny found an extra long nail in her mouth and removed it. She had declined Simon's offer to 'clip' them before. Most would break while she was doing chores and she had to file them down with a stone. Her toenails were terrible and could be used as weapons. Her eyes searched for anything else to distract herself.

Her leg hair was longer, but thankfully, no one here cared. Jenny had Harvey make her a sharp, tiny bone knife that she used to cut her armpit hair down. She couldn't get too close without drawing blood, but she could cut away most of it. Out of all the problems she fantasized dealing with in a new world, shaving wasn't one of them. And yet, she still had to deal with it. Life wasn't a pretty thing sometimes.

Once Jenny grew some more courage, or longer leg hair, she would try shaving that too. That goal though, was not high on her priority list. So, nail clipping... That was going back up on her list. She might have to close her eyes like a wimp and let Simon take care of it. She could accidentally stab herself in her sleep at this rate and that seemed like a lackluster way to die in a beast world. She could literally experience Jurassic Park here. There was no way she was going to go out by way of her gnarly talons. Feeling much calmer, Jenny went back inside after a few minutes of moon gazing.

After falling asleep again, she had nightmares. Jenny ran for her life from a t-rex. Somehow, it hadn't caught up to her, but it was hot on her heals. After running and tripping through the brush, Jenny found an opening. She screamed for help, but no one came to her rescue.

Realizing she backed herself up to a cliff, Jenny looked at the river below and jumped as the prehistoric monster closed in on her. The jaws of the t-rex snapped shut where she had been a moment ago while she plummeted down towards the water. The last thing she saw, was a giant gator opening its maw wide to receive her.

Eyes snapping open, Jenny bolted upright. Harvey and Simon startled awake and Jenny blinked, her heart thumping wildly. Separating dream from reality, Jenny breathed a sigh of relief. Apparently, the two beasts were not immediately aware of the problem and Jenny had to explain that she had a nightmare.

Harvey excepted the explanation easily and went to brew calming tea. Simon fretted some more before reluctantly leaving to hunt. Jenny did her best to ask for Harvey's opinion of Mestor. She also inquired about his thoughts on Simon in general.

"Simon is... perhaps not the most reliable," Harvey started gently. Jenny nodded her head sheepishly in agreement. "But he is dedicated and is unlikely to pick any fights with your future males. This is just my speculation though."

Jenny agreed with him. Simon was not dominant and backed down very easily in most situations. Sure, that didn't make him the most reliable sort, but at least he wouldn't get into any stupid fights.

"As for Mestor," Harvey thought about it. "You seem to like him and that is a good enough reason." Harvey noticed Jenny turning red and tried to make her more comfortable. "He is a strong male and has good wits from what I have observed."

Harvey listed a few more things as Jenny calmed herself. To summarize, she got Harvey's seal of approval. Although she had talked to both Simon and Harvey about this, she never really got their individual opinions. Jenny was curious if Simon had told Harvey anything different, but it seemed that wasn't the case.

She would ask Simon when they were alone next time to be very sure. Then she would have to summon up some serious courage and ask Mestor about it. Otherwise, she would have to wait for him to bring up the subject himself. Now that she was consciously thinking about it, her nerves might not survive that long. The butterflies will choke her first.

Jenny had the perfect opportunity that day to ask since Mestor came around early. Unfortunately, her determination didn't give her enough guts to inquire. Before she could even try, he offered to take her to Bai Qingqing. Weighing her options, she told Harvey of her departure. Inviting him to come along, Jenny walked alongside the two.

Harvey's tail flicked anxiously as he clutched his bag of herbs. He wanted to be prepared in case Bai Qingqing needed any treatment. He hoped he could be of some use.

Jenny found Harvey's excitement cute, but also sad. She wished she could root on her only friend in this world. Maybe she would anyway. If Bai Qingqing rejects him, he could move on. Or maybe, he could succeed after all. If Jenny got Winston, Bai Qingqing would need help in the winter while Curtis hibernates. Jenny could try to nudge him forward, though there is no telling if Parker would ever comply.

Yeah... Jenny wasn't going to worry too much about it. She did want to help Harvey, but her main focus was on improving her situation first. If the opportunity presented itself like today, she should create a chance for him, but that might be it.

When they got there, Parker was away. Jenny greeted the girl awkwardly and spoke of the girl's not-so-fun romp through the continent. They spent a few hours catching up. Jenny remained polite, but not invested. Jenny noticed the girl's 'freckles' and refrained from commenting on them. She still didn't get how something like that could make a women ugly and figured she would never understand.

Jenny created a moment for Harvey to talk to Bai. The girl didn't seem to care how she was called, so Jenny went with her family name. They were interrupted by Tony. He noticed Jenny and spoke to them both, clearly interested in the girl. After he directly professed his interest, Bai shot him down.

Tony didn't take the hint at first and Parker chose that time to come back. They brawled and Jenny gaped. It was the first time she'd seen two beastman fighting each other for real. Bai invited us into her house nervously after Parker told her to go home first. Jenny accepted and the men declined.

Once the sounds of fighting died off, growls started up once again. Jenny peeked outside to find Parker growling at Mestor with Harvey playing mediator. Not liking how things were looking, Jenny felt compelled to interfere. Well, she used her words anyway. Her muscles wouldn't help her in an actual fight between two double-striped beastmen. "What's wrong?" Jenny asked loudly.

Bai stuck her head out as well and both Parker and Mestor stopped. Parker was the first to speak up. "This is my territory. Go away," Parker almost growled.

Mestor rolled his eyes and responded, "I'm not interested in your female or territory." Jenny thought that would be the end of it, but Parker wasn't done.

"Why are you here? We didn't call for a doctor," Parker directed that question at Harvey.

Harvey's eyes wouldn't meet Parker's and he looked almost guilty. "I came with Jenny and brought herbs in case Bai Qingqing needed or wanted any," Harvey said a little more strongly.