“So… what do I do? Knock? But on what…? The wall maybe? No, that’s stupid. Just how does this work? Is there a secret door or something? A hatch maybe?” I arrived at the mill in a short amount of time. Despite this, it was an awful trek.The mill was located at the highest point in Shelter, on a plateau filled with some grain crops, and lacked any clear entrance. So, I found myself scanning my surroundings for a way in.

I tried everything. Pressing against the wall in the hopes some secret mechanism would proc, monitoring the ground for a trapdoor, looking around for a ladder to get into a rooftop entrance or something, anything. I even tried getting in through a window, but it was locked and I probably couldn’t have fit myself through it anyways. I would’ve probably gotten stuck and only realized that halfway through. My map only showed visible rooms and how to get into them—anything hidden was fair game... and a pain.

When all was said and done, I got irritated and started kicking at the side of the building. The idea was that the ruckus would signal for the apothecary—Will—to come outside and greet me. There was no way he didn’t know I was there at that point. And yet… nothing changed.

“Grr… what the heck! Why can’t anything ever be simple?!” Eventually, I gave up and slumped down against the mill. Nothing had worked. However, when I lifted my head, I saw the object of my plights standing before me. There Will was, wryly basking in my struggles with both an amused and cool look on his face.

“That was quite a show to come back to. I figured I’d just watch.” When Will saw my accusing eyes, he had finally decided to speak up. He was carrying a bag with papers spilling out of it and a teal hemp sack with all manners of herbs in it.

“...” I was left in a dumbfounded daze. I didn’t know how to respond to such a statement. I could’ve, of course, gotten angry at Will for not speaking up sooner, but I was there, after all, to thank the dude. Not exactly the best route to segue that into. So… I decided to play it off. “Hey Will… lovely night we’re having.”

“If your intention is to get me to move past what I just saw, then forget it. Something that entertaining only happens once or twice a year.” Will completely dismissed me and moved right past where I was and to the mill wall. Then he grabbed ahold of my scarf, and proceeded to walk through it, tugging me along with him. Once we were in, Will stopped and spoke once more. “Oh, by the way, that’s how you get inside.”

“...What just happened?! Did we just walk through the wall?! Why didn’t my hand fall through it while I was letting it have some?” I was in awe at what had just occurred and demanded some explanation.

“It’s a semipermeable membrane. It only allows those who fit the right parameters through. It was fun to watch your futile attempts though.” Will waved me off, dropped off his cargo, and pulled me back outside of the mill. I hadn’t even had time to examine the inside. I was out again just like that. I must’ve had a cold glint in my eyes, because when Will looked back over at me, he felt the need to explain himself. “...I’m heading out again. Didn’t want you to get stuck in there.”

“Ah, that’s fine, I guess...” I was trying to keep my cool and avoid a childish outburst, but everything was moving so fast.

“You appeared to have business with me, so we can chat when I get back, alright? My work is very time sensitive, and I haven’t a moment to spare anymore.” Will laid the groundwork for his departure.

“Anymore?”

“I typically leave myself a few spare minutes, but I ended up wasting those on watching some bimbo trying to enter my house.” Will smirked as he answered my question. He was very tongue-in-cheek in the way he carried himself. A tad snarky and sarcastic, but not mean. It was like innocent teasing.

“Well then, I’ll be off.” Once discerning that I’d understood what he said, he turned tail and headed back out to work. By instinct, I began to follow him. I was liable to fall asleep if I waited.

When Will realized my trailing, he just shrugged and went on. “I suppose you can come with me if you’d like. Just know, if you get in the way of my job, I’ll have to fine you. Time is money, and I don’t have much of both to spare… Although, it’s not like I particularly need more of either, anyways.”

“Sounds fair to me! I just needa say thanks, and then I’ll be on my way, anyways.” As I talked, I sped up my pace to be walking beside Will.

“Why don’t you just do that now? It shouldn’t take long.”

“Not if you’re me, it shouldn’t! I’m what some would call complicated.”

“Yeah, I kind of had that feeling.” At the conclusion of our banter, Will merely scratched his head—there’s not a lot one can say to someone boastfully admitting her own flaws like they’re nothing. Then, we carried on through the town.

Despite it being nighttime, the town was still busy and riddled with people preparing for Talon Day. In a way, it was like I was experiencing a whole other town. While walking with Will I had hoped to interrogate him about his work and where we were going. However, contrary to my expectations, Will appeared to be very popular, and every time I thought I’d have a moment to pick his brain, some civilian would interject his or herself into our walk before I got a chance.

Around literally every turn some vendor or townsperson would call out to him asking how he was doing, or how work was, or about a potion prescription, or if he was excited for the festival tomorrow, or about some random trivia that logically nobody else would know and that they were too lazy to find in a book. Like, why the heck did someone need to ask Will—the town apothecary—what type of rock was best at enduring erosion?! Surely one of the many store owners outside could’ve been more qualified to answer such a question. It was all getting intensely grating. Especially since all of Will’s responses seemed ingenuine and artificial—like he was just giving them away as some half-hearted amenity and that he didn’t really care.

After the accumulation of all my irritation, I gave up trying to remain couth. “Gee, you sure are popular, aren’t you?”

“Heheh, I wish. They’re just trying to be courteous. It’s rather exasperating, isn’t it?” It was refreshing hearing Will give an actual response instead of one to keep up face. Thinking on it, maybe that’s how he felt about me finally letting out my frustrations.

“Yeah, but you don’t have to engage in a full blown conversation with every single person. Just nod, wave, say “We’ll talk some other time,” or do a grand mixture of all of those. You’ll find it’s much more efficient.” I was speaking from experience. If I hadn’t mastered doing those things, I likely would have struggled way more throughout my schooling.

“It would be, yes, but…” Will’s thoughts seemed to have scattered. His eyes made it clear that his personal wants and his ideology were at each other’s throats. “Listen, I’m the town apothecary. If I turn down someone being concerned about me, how are they supposed to believe I’m concerned about them when it comes time for me to help them.”

“And that’s why you let me come along with you, even though I’m nothing but a hindrance, am I wrong?” I was into it now. I wanted to probe Will.

“Not particularly. You just seemed dimwitted enough that it might be amusing. I don’t really care about how some outsider thinks about me.” Will with a cheeky look on his face spoke his blunt, honest words. His words made me realize that it was likely pretty strange. I mean, there was no way that in a small-ish town like Shelter people wouldn’t notice that I wasn’t native.

“Thanks, that’s nice to know.” I brushed off his provocation and kept on walking next to him.

“Wow, is that the thanks you made me wait all this time to receive? I’ve gotta say, I’m a little let down.” Will spun my meaning in an attempt to push my buttons.

“My thanks are like collectors’ items. There’s all different types you can nab, and they’re not really worth the effort you put into getting them. You just so happened to get the uber rare Verbally Ironic Thanks.” Ignoring his attempt to rile me, I spilled off a classic nonsensical response.

“Ah, I see. Unfortunately, I’m more of a “sorry” collector myself, so I don’t know how much use I’ll get out of it...” It got to the point where we were just bantering for banter’s sake. I think we both realized that, now that we were engaged in conversation, people weren’t stopping us as much.

“Hey, stick around me long enough, and I’m sure you’ll get plenty of both. It’s not like I have anything else I can give.

“It does appear that way, a person as broke and helpless as you is something almost mythical in origin. It’s very impressive.”

We just went on and on until we were at the lower far end of Shelter in front of one of the surrounding peaks. There within the wall was the entrance to a tunnel, which I could assume we were about to travel through.

My body likely tensed up without me noticing, because when Will looked over at me he felt the need to affirm that it was merely a path, and not a maze like the one I’d met him in.

Then without warning, he took off running down the tunnel.

I wanted to yell out something like “What the heck are you doing?! Why are you running?!” However, the shock from having to suddenly take off sprinting after him knocked the air of me, making my words a jumbled mess of wheezes and stutters.

“We’re running short on time. I’d say we only have a bit longer to reach our destination.” Since Will was the one who started sprinting, he had no trouble calling back to me. I hadn’t thought about it, but all the encounters on the streets really had sapped our hustle.

So, I put all my effort into chasing after Will through the well-carved tunnels. Past lantern after lantern of wisp-lit lights. All the way until we arrived at our destination—an open cliffside absolutely teeming with unique flowers of all types—a botanist’s utopia. Or in Will’s case, a veritable pharmacy for apothecaries.

“Hey, Will… what now?” Now that we were at our destination, I didn’t know what to do.

“You can just stay out of my way while I do my job, okay? I don’t know how long this will take, so why don’t you go look off of the cliff side or something? Enjoy the night.” As soon as we arrived, Will no longer cared about my existence. He became hyper focused on his job and nothing else. It was almost scary how easily he could concentrate.

I ignored Will’s suggestion and instead watched as he went around picking a unique white tulip-like flower with a large pink pistol sticking out of its center. It was the first flower I’d seen where the center part was taller than the petals.

Then, I directed my attention to all the other different kinds of flowers surrounding us. Despite its luster, in a way, it seemed like Will was picking the least interesting of the flowers. So, to pass the time, I went about collecting my own flowers and assorting them into a bouquet the likes of which had no comparison to anything on Earth.

When I was done, I looked over to see Will going around more frantically, picking every last white tulip-y thing he could get his eye on. It looked as though the pink was spreading further into the flowers, and that was what was causing the increased haste from Will.

Then, after an hour of nonstop moving and picking, he was done. The flowers he was trying to pick had turned completely pink. He let out an exhausted sigh as he settled down against the side of the mountain behind us, and closed his eyes. He must’ve been done working for the night, which meant…

“Tada!” I slipped a flower crown I’d made onto his head. He promptly swatted it off. “Hey, I put real effort into making that, you know?”

“You’re just lucky that there’s nothing poisonous up here, you foolish weirdo.” Will’s sidelong gaze caught my eager eyes and he let out a sigh as I sat next to him.

“Anyways, thanks for helping me out the other day in the tunnel… oh, and for the medicine.” I ripped off the band-aid, and got right to the thanking.

“Is that all? I thought you said it’d be more complicated than that.” Will seemed a bit disappointed. Maybe he was hoping to be rewarded somehow?

“Nah, I just said I was complicated. There has to be at least a couple of hoops for me to jump through if I’m gonna do anything.”

“A lackluster thanks and an almost nonexistent amusement factor. Why did I bring you along again?” Will sounded genuine in his inquiry. It kinda hurt my feelings.

“Aw, shut it. It’s not like I made it any worse, did I?” I argued my case.

“That’s debatable.” He shot me down.

Then the conversation died down for a second, before Will continued it.

“How about this? Why don’t you thank me by telling me a bit about where you come from?” Will laid it all out front and it took me aback. He’d asked the one question that was hard to explain.

“Uh… about that…” I tried to think of how to word it.

“Don’t sweat it too much—I just wanted a way to lead into this. I already know your story. Busty told me… well I’m 99.99% sure what she told me was about you.” Out of nowhere Will dropped a bomb on me, and I felt a boulder hit my gut. I hadn’t told her to keep it a secret, but it still felt like my trust was betrayed.

“Huh, you call her Busty too? I just call her Fi. Well then, I guess that means...” Will blushed at my observation, as I racked my brain and thought back to something Fi had said.

✦✧✦

We stopped in front of the door, and I’d finally decided to ask what we were even doing. “Hey, you haven’t told me much of anything. What are we doing here? I figured you just had something to do real quick.”

“I asked the local bookworm about your situation.” Fi sat down on a nearby stool.

✦✧✦

“Yeah, totally. You definitely fit the bill of local bookworm. I mean, put some glasses on that dorky, sleep-deprived face of yours, and you’d fit the description to a T.” I scanned Will up and down as I spoke, and his eyes narrowed like he didn’t care.

“Yeah, that is something she’d call me. Anyways, at first she’d only told me cursory information, but I did my best to milk all the information I could out of her. Although, she’s not the best at retelling things, so there might be holes. Plus, it seemed like she was purposefully holding some stuff off. So, tell me a bit more about yourself.” Will pressed me further for more information.

“Hmm… maybe you should tell me what you know before anything else. Don’t want to repeat any unnecessary material and whatnot.” I liked talking about myself, but it’d be weird doing it to someone who already knew what I was going to say.

“I guess I need to word this more directly. Your name. What is your name? We’ve been together all night and you haven’t even bothered to introduce yourself.” Will was frustrated as he spoke, but not enough to come off as overbearing. “I know that you’re some chick likely brought here from another world, who went through attempt after attempt after attempt to have a blank dream, going as far as to seek out a fight with and accept your own death at the hands—or more accurately maw—of a Rapiter only for them all to fail. I also know that you plan on tackling Shelter Spire, despite having no experience as an adventurer and being hopelessly naive and impulsive. I know that you don’t act your age, and have a childish root for your confidence. But I do not know your name. So please, tell me already.”

“Fine, jeesh, I get it. I just forgot to, that’s all. Normally I introduce myself to people when I meet them, but I didn’t with you due to my circumstances. I hadn’t thought about it.” Will’s long and drawn out verbal assault broiled some quickly quenched rage within me. Once the flame in my stomach was extinguished, I lit one anew, stood up in front of Will and (finally) introduced myself. “My name’s April Fallow! And as you know, I’m a completely hopeless wannabe adventurer from another world. Does that suffice?”

“Wow! Woohoo! She finally did it! It only took… forever.” Will made a big deal of clapping and hollering at my introduction.

“It’s just as much your fault as it is mine. You never asked.” I reasoned with Will, but as always, it didn’t work out.

“Maybe it’s different on your world, but where I’m from, it’s common courtesy to introduce yourself without having to be asked.”

“Yeah, yeah, I’m sorry, all right? Can we drop it already.” I was sick at Will’s pestering.

“Ooo, a “sorry”! My favorite. Oh, and yeah, we can drop it. Now that I’ve officially met the elusive April Fallow in the flesh, I have a number of questions. Do you mind alleviating my curiosity? I am a ‘bookworm’ as you said.” Will’s mocking banter had returned and we got to talking.

He asked me questions about all manners of things, and I did my best to appease his thirst for knowledge the best I could. Luckily for me, I got to avoid most of the tedious topics, as there were apparently books on the subject of Earth. If I recalled, Peak and Fi could believe I was summoned from another world so easily because of the fact others had been before me. Anyways, I enjoyed talking about myself, so I didn’t mind answering some questions.

The Will-April Q&A—Highlights Only Edition

Q: Just to make sure you’re really from another world, what’s the name of the world your from?

A: It somehow has a less lame name than your world of Creation. It’s called “Earth”.

Q: What are apothecaries like on Earth?

A: I dunno. I don’t think we really have apothecaries anymore. Potions don’t exactly work the same way there as here… or if they ever worked at all.

Q: What are the people like on Earth?

A: I’d probably say they’re boring. Everyone here is much more colorful. There’s certainly not as many colorful races. Just humans.

Q: We’ve supposedly had people summoned from various places in your world. Where are you from?

A: The good ‘ol U. S. of A. or as some call it America…

Q: What year is it on Earth?

A: The year is 2019, and it’s just as boring as all the other years.

Q: I suppose a lot has changed since the Hero’s Journal was published, then. How different is the world now compared to the late 1800s?

A: I didn’t know this would be a history lesson! I guess I’d say, completely. Yeah, I doubt it’s even comparable.

Q: Do you like it here in Creation?

A: Mhm, more than anything. I’ve always wanted to go on a grand adventure in another world. We actually have an absurdly large amount of media about situations like mine on Earth.

Q: If you’re so happy to be here…

“...Then why did you accept your fate to the Rapiter so wholly? Busty said she found you laying on the ground, belly-up in defeat… pitifully smiling. Shouldn’t you have struggled to the very end? Wouldn’t you want to live and experience this world with all your might?” All of the sudden, the topic had changed and Will appeared more serious. The subject was now actually about me, and not about his fascination with Earth. And Will, he was looking at me with intensely judging and judgmental eyes.

“Umm… why does that matter?” I was put off by the sudden shift in tone, and I tried my best to deflect the topic.

“It just doesn’t make sense to me. You went to fight the Rapiter because you wanted to have a blank dream—in order to become an adventurer, correct? Then why did you give up?” Will’s face made it clear. This had been on his mind for awhile, likely ever since hearing Fi’s account of my story. And despite how much he’d probably thought about it, he just couldn’t wrap his mind around a potential reason.

“Hmm… That’s a tricky one isn’t it?” I acted like I was really thinking over my answer, when I knew it, deep down in my heart. I just didn’t know how to word it best for Will to understand. “By the way, you’re dropping a rather heavy question on someone you just met.”

“When I first saw you in the tunnel, I had the impression that you’d do anything to escape it. Even if it was dangerous or frustrating, you’d push through it and leave. That’s why I gave you the medicine and the light, because I had faith in that. And look at you. You’re standing here, so I must’ve been right.” Will went on about when we first met. “So, when Busty told me you’d given up just a few days prior, I couldn’t make heads or tails of it. Why would this girl, who seemed so persistent in reaching her goal, lay down and accept defeat?”

“Urgh… you’re so persistent. Well, then I guess I have no choice but to try and put this into words. Will, I have a motto: I like to live life and take chances. It’s something I came up with on the fly after first arriving in Creation. So, as I see it, I took a chance with the Rapiter. I lived life. I pursued my dream. I did all I could. I’d lived life and taken a chance, and it didn’t pay off—” I started my explanation, but was interrupted by more question from Will.

“But you didn’t do all that you could’ve? You could’ve tried running. You could’ve kept fighting… but you laid down and accepted it? That just doesn’t make sense to me.” Will seemed only more confused than he had been at the start.

“I don’t think my reasoning makes sense. I’m the type of gal who will do anything to pursue her dream, even if it seems impossible. That’s why I couldn’t run. If I ran from the Rapiter, I’d be running from my dream. And as for why I didn’t keep fighting…” I thought over what I was gonna say for a second, but settled on the most conclusive answer that popped into my mind. So with a dumb smile and a wink I merely gave the explanation of, “I woke up waaaaaay too early to go fight the Rapiter, and I was like half asleep by the time I fought that big snake.”

“Eh? That’s it?!” Will’s eyes almost bulged out of their sockets with the simplicity of my answer.

“Look I was, of course, really bummed out about failing to beat the Rapiter. More than you could ever understand. But yeah, I was probably just tired. In the moment, I was satisfied with the fight I’d put up, and was ready to catch up on some Zs.” And with that last bit, my explanation was concluded.

“Aheheh… That’s so stupid. What’s wrong with this chick…?” Will, in disbelief, started laughing to himself with a bewildered smile on his face. I could tell that he finally, truly understood me as a person.

“Hey, nothing’s wrong with me! I just live in the moment! I want what I want when I want and I don’t typically plan! That’s the April Fallow way!” I grew offended by Will’s reaction and attempted to defend himself, but his laughter only crescendoed.

“Aheheheh! I take back what I said earlier, you were definitely amusing to bring along on this trip!” Wisps gathered around Will as he continued to bellow. Perhaps they were concerned with him, or maybe they wanted to join in the fun. It made for what would be quite a mystical sight.

“Grr… Cut it out already!” Will’s laughter was really getting on my nerves, but for some reason, I think I was smiling as I continued to try and curb Will’s amusement.

“Sorry about that, I lost my composure.” Time passed and Will was finally calmed down. After apologizing to me, he stood up and stretched. “That was a good chat, April, thanks. I didn’t get as much work done as normal, but I’m fairly sure it was worth it.”

“Mhm, no problemo! I’m both the world’s greatest stress causer and stress reliever. The antithetical realms of my talent can’t be held to any one side.” I gave my goofy declaration, and Will reciprocated with his own statement.

“You know, you’re not the only one with a dream. One day, I wanna get off of this damned spire and peddle my potions all across the world. So, please, beat Shelter Spire and find some kind of exit, will you?” Will was looking to the sky as he spoke. This dream of his must’ve been why he asked that final question to me. He probably thought that if he could understand my ambition, it’d help him get a better grasp of his own. After all, I was what he’d call hopeless. If I could do my best and still enjoy life as I worked towards my dream, then so could he.

“Well that was the plan. I don’t need you tell me to do what I was already gonna do.” I clapped the dirt off my hands and ridiculed what Will said.

“You’re the person who always knows the absolute worst possible thing to say, aren’t you? Well whatever, I need to head back and get on some brewing, and I’m sure you need some sleep, so let’s kick dirt and get heading back to Shelter already.” Will sped up to a brisk speedwalk, and we headed back.

Thus concluded my first full day in Shelter. It was rather uneventful in the grand scheme of things, but I was pretty sure I enjoyed it, at least.