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"I'm...in another world?" gasped Jacob.

"Unfortunately yes," said Jane, "the book you brought us was made by a sorcerer, called James. He went rather off on one, less said about it the better, but he tried to summon an entire city to this world without our knowing by well...stealing energy from our experiments."

"Dang, that...that sounds crazy, are you for real I'm in some...other WORLD?!"

"I know it's a lot to take in-"

"Y-YEAH it kinda is!"

"But it seems that the book you came out of was his doing. Meaning that if we wanted to get you back home we would have to decipher it."

"But you CAN, right?" the yoshi tightened his fingers.

"I don't know yet," Jane shook her head, "hopefully we can but none of us really know how his magic worked so...th-that said, if it can work with our energy experiments I'm sure we can find a way!"

"Yeah, yeah yer right," he smiled patting his knees, "I'm sure it'll be fine, just...it's like a gap year, I mean I almost finished high school so I guess it kinda works like that!"

"Oh you're in high school?" asked Addison.

"Yep, Toadstool High, I got like four more months 'til I leave."

"Well congratulations! Hopefully we get you back before then but, until we get things sorted, why don't I show you around?"

"Sure!" He hopped off his seat. "I mean...woah jeez I just realised I'm in another world man that's so weird!"

"Do you want to lie down?" she asked leaning forwards. "We have a guest room ready for you too."

"Yanno maybe that's good yeah, just...gimme some time to get my head all in order and uh, yeah."

Taken to a room down the hall with a bed and drawers and TV, the yoshi slumped on the sheets and stared up at the ceiling to help reorient himself and zone out best as he could. He dropped his backpack and tried to forget where he was, stretching out his fingers and kicking off his boots.

"What the heck even happened?" he groaned twitching his toes. "Nnnngh that stupid book sucked me here and now I'm just...no, come on it's cool you got this, i-i-it's just like being on a cruise then your ship just crashes on an island or something happens all the time! Happened to Mario, happened to Peach, happened to your uncles even honestly surprised they don't got insurance on those trips by now-wait...nah they must got insurance."

He suddenly felt exhausted, his body deflating hard into the bed with a sigh as he fell asleep from the raw throbbing in his legs. An hour passed when he woke up again, feeling a churning hunger in his stomach as he got up and put on his boots, heading out the door to sniff the air wondering what awaited him on the base. Reploids and badniks scuttled on the floors and walls carrying their tools with claws and tails, waving to the yoshi as he waved back and found the cafeteria within minutes of exploring.

"Hi there!" he walked up to the counter. "I uh...just arrived, what can I get?"

"Oh, well uh," the reploid tiger in an apron scratched his head, "we got some faux-meats, hydro-plants, real lush today, you got any allergies?"

"Nope, hit me up chef!"

Given a hearty mixture of meat and veg, Jacob was given the chef's recommend with some cress-looking plants and a chicken-tasting meat made of fungus with some orange juice. The strangely normal meal was offset by the mixture of humans and machines sitting together bantering away on various affairs of the day as he scanned the hall for a place to sit and noticed one large-looking lizardman hunched over by himself in the corner, wearing a powder-blue suit.

"Hey there!"

Chanoch looked up at the unfamiliar voice.

"I uh, is this seat taken?"

He shook his head at the yoshi who sat down beside him.

"I'm Jacob, I just got here and...well, still kinda not quite sinking in that I'm in another world if that's really how it is."

The soldier nodded and went back to his food, chewing mechanically as Jacob ate politely as he could.

"Well this stuff's real good at least so if I get stuck here I won't starve haha...do you live here?"

Chanoch shook his head.

"Oh, you're stuck here too?"

The lizardman nodded.

"Dang...could they not send you back?"

He waved his hand not answering.

"Okay, sorry I shouldn't be asking so much when I just got here kinda rude."

They kept on eating, tails swishing behind each other as the yoshi tried not to gorge himself on his meal with sensible chewing and tender gulps.

"So," he looked to Chanoch once they had finished, "could you like, help me get a feel for this place cuz, I dunno anyone here and uh-"

The lizardman patted his shoulder and nodded.

"Great, thanks, oh I didn't ask your name!"

Chanoch sighed with a heavy gulp and shook his head.

"Hey, it's okay, you can just write it down or something...dooo you know sign language at all?"

He shook his head.

"Aw dang okay no worries, can you show me around then?"

He nodded and walked out of the lunchroom taking the yoshi by the hand towards the library as their first port of call.

"Yooooo this place is NICE!"

"OH, why thank you dear!" said Anna from her desk. "I take it you're Jacob yes?"

"Yep that's me, nice to meetcha!" he shook her hand.

"I'm Anna Kerkorian, pleasure to meet you."

"You got any comics here?"

"Oh sorry dear no, but in my defence I DID tell them that graphic novels would be considered important additions. You know military types."

She rolled her eyes as the yoshi smirked whilst Chanoch went thumbing over the books.

"Sooo you got any favourite books to recommend? I'm all about the superheroes and adventure stuff."

"Well if you want adventure you can't go wrong with Treasure Island, the archetypal adventure novel about pirates and swashbuckling tales of the high seas!"

"OOOH that sounds rad, I love pirates! I mean not, LOVE them I know they're still like thieves an' such but yeah high-seas stuff is cool!"

Anna walked over to the right section and pulled out the book in question, the knight beside them taking another book in turn and staring at the cover in his tensing claws.

"Peter Pan?" Jacob looked over. "What's that?"

"Another adventure story," said the librarian, "three siblings are taken by a mischievous lad to a world of dreams and imagination ruled by a dreadsome pirate."

"Dang you got a lotta pirates in this library huh?!"

"Well they are exciting to read about."

"Oh yeah totally, my favourite issues of Captain Toad, always about pirates!"

"Captain Toad?"

"He's, the, COOLEST!" Jacob slapped his knees. "He's this treasure hunter seeking adventure around the world, he takes on jobs to help out museums or get extra money for places that need it! He bashes the baddies with his mighty shield who wanna take the treasure an' hoard it for themselves!"

"Hmmmm..." Anna slitted her eyes, "in that case you should go see Jeremy, he has a film series I bet you would love from our world."

"Aw nice you got movies here?! Dang, and here I thought I'd get bored outta my skull 'til you guys sent me back. What about you big guy, you wanna watch something later?"

Chanoch looked up slightly, his shoulders heaving as he struggled to speak still clutching the book. Anna put her hand on his and gave a gentle nod, leading him over to the desk as they took their books out.

"There you are dears, bring them back when you're finished."

"Thanks Ms. Kerkorian!" Jacob patted his book. "See ya later!"

Heading out once more Chanoch walked him round to his bedroom, putting away his book and sitting down on the bed for a moment. Jacob took some time to look around the room, seeing a large suit of armour on a mannequin along with a giant sword resting against.

"Wooooah...you're a knight!?" Jacob gasped.

The lizardman nodded.

"That is SO COOL!" his voice almost cracked. "Jeeeeez that sword is like, HUUUUGE, you can LIFT that?!"

He shrugged with a nod.

"Sorry, sorry I just never seen a sword this big before that's like jeez MAYBE my dad could lift this but I dunno!"

Chanoch sighed putting away the book as Jacob sat down beside him.

"You alright buddy? You want some time alone?"

He shrugged harder with a deeper sigh as the youth patted him.

"It's okay, you take your time, I'm not going anywhere. You wanna be alone?"

The knight shook his head.

"Alrighty. OH we could read our books together if you wanna just relax?"

Jacob smiled as Chanoch turned his head to him.

"Whatcha think? Just, yanno, chill out for a bit until you wanna like show me more stuff?"

The soldier smiled back at him, somewhat thankful for the moment of peace as he sat up on his bed with Jacob joining him. The two read to themselves quietly as Chanoch mouthed the words to himself with a struggling bite, practicing in his head with the yoshi turning enraptured by the tale of young Jim Hawkins in his greatest adventure. Sometimes the knight would stop, and sigh, and tremble something in his throat before taking a deep breath and continue reading. Jacob said nothing, giving him his time and a gentle smile everytime Chanoch looked to him. Sometimes he smiled back, and they spent the next three hours reading quietly, during which an experiment was taking place in the medical bay.

"Alright," Kevin cracked his knuckles, "so, we got a burned out book we need to rebuild."

"Right," Amy tapped her fingers, "so we got two jobs here, one restore the pages."

"And two," Ribose added, "trace the texts. Luckily I done a couple book restorations back when I was with my old boss so I got some ideas how to do this."

"Oh good cuz I know literally nothing about books I'm just here to run numbers and pheromones."

"And keep mine in check right?" Kevin nudged her waist as she giggled. "Right so, what's the first thing?"

"Getting the words out," said the hooded beak wagging his finger, "anytime you write down on something you leave an impression underneath, now the hardback is still intact meaning we might be able to get some indents out of that."

He lifted the book up and scanned the fanning tatters of the former pages.

"Looks to be about a hundred pages or something, surprisingly small considering what James normally has, he goes up to like three-hundred stuff."

"Any reason why?" asked the reploid leaning on the desk.

"I wanna say because more pages add more power to the book, like for teleporting himself across worlds whereas this was just to bring someone here but not send them back. So half the power needed?"

"Makes sense," the human shrugged, "so what's a good start?"

"Well," Ribose walked over to a set of beakers, "normally a smoke-damaged book needs some sandpaper to freshen it up, also a dry sponge, but as for fire damage...well, the cover I could get some oils that might help but I can only do so much."

"Just do your best," Amy patted his arm, "anything I can do?"

"Yeah could you move it into a clamp so we can hold it steady?"

Setting the damaged book into a clamp, they kept it open carefully as Ribose began the healing treatment. First he dusted down the pages with a cautious eye, scrubbing the smoke damage off the tips and working towards the covers of the book. A long meticulous process began as the hooded alchemist filed off the burn marks and polished the covers whilst Kevin and Amy followed his directions, changing solutions out for finer filaments as he used each remaining page to absorb a different layer of the cover where writing had once been.

"Sooo actually I don't know much about you," Amy asked Ribose.

"Well, what you wanna know?" he looked to his side.

"Why did you get into chemistry for starters?"

"Hmm lessee, I grew up in an orphanage, then went through various jobs, met Adenine who had a pretty bad family life, dunno much other than he had issues with his dad, we met on the job cuz we both loved messing awith potions an' such so we got a job helping out the local apothecary. Then we got picked up by Plague Knight cuz he was looking for saps to do all the dirty work for him."

"Then he met me," Kevin grinned patting his shoulder, "after we kicked his boss' ass."

"More like we both defected cuz Kevin was a real nice guy and our boss was treating us like garbage, we didn't even have a union!"

"Wow that sucks," Amy frowned crossing her arms, "we ddin't get that either, s'why I was let go after the hospital downsized."

"Downsized, what's that?"

"Getting rid of employees to maximise profits," said Kevin arranging his bottles, "just one of them things you know?"

"Really, that's a thing?" Ribose scratched his head. "Never had that back where I was from, no store was big enough to need that kinda sacrifice."

"Nah you only just had to deal with a sociopathic boss."

"Wait hold on," the wolf wagged her finger, "were they a sociopathic boss or psychopathic there's a difference."

"He was incredibly violent," the alchemist rubbed his beak, "snapped at the smallest thing, was constantly chasing on this lady who worked with us, also may have skinned a few of us into bedsheets but not sure if that's a rumour-"

"Okay that's definitely a sociopath then, psychopaths are real manipulative."

"There's a difference?"

"Yeah, psychopaths can't form emotional attachments, love to manipulate people and mimic emotions. Sociopaths are more uhhh easy to upset, they can form attachments and anything they do is more sudden."

"Yeah that's definitely what our boss was like, wait I thought you were a nurse."

"Uh yeah?" Amy shrugged. "But I still had to learn basic psychology so I covered all the bases, remember it's not just the body you gotta keep healthy, it's also the mind."

"Ohhh yeah," Ribose scratched his hood, "back in my world you just drank a weird potion and hope the plague don't get you. Aaaaand i think that's the last of it!"

"Really?" Kevin leaned over. "Nice job dude what's it say?"

"Alright well I managed to transcribe a couple things here and there so here's what I got."

He brought out the sketchings of text that he managed to extract, rubbings that he transferred onto a separate piece of paper over different layers of the old ruined pages.

"Calm blue skies...hills that...gaze upon you with childish wonder, grass forever green, two kingdoms with...one with cheer and one with greed...fungal citizens, and-wow James was really off on one huh-"

"Is there anything we can use?" asked the reploid leaning in. "Maybe some sorta combination number or-"

"The best I got is this right here." Ribose tapped an ending set of numbers. "James puts down numbers in all of his books which he told me once were like the locations on a map in his head?"

"Oh like coordinates?"

"YEAH, so what he's got here is zero-eight, one-one, two-zero-zero-zero."

"Huh," Kevin scratched his neck, "wonder if we can use that for our gate."

"I doubt it," the alchemist shook his head, "James was working on a whole different system to what Andrea's doing."

"Still we should show this to the boss," said Amy, "maybe bring in that newcomer as well see if he can make sense of it."

"Good idea."

A meeting was brought to Thomas and Andrea who sat in the conference room, joined by Ribose and Jacob who out of habit brought his shield with him as he shook their hands.

"First off we must apologise for your being brought here."

"It's cool," Jacob grinned, "Jane told me all about it, did you guys find a way to get me back?"

"Not quite," Ribose put down his papers, "could you read this for me and tell me if it sounds anything like your home?"

"Uhhh sure?" The yoshi glanced over and soon nodded, "yep, that sounds like it, hills, toadstools, two kingdoms that's gotta be the Mushroom and Koopa kingdom right?!"

"So it's confirmed," Andrea crossed her arms, "James brought you here specifically from your world, it wasn't an accident. Do you know any magic at all?"

"Nope," he shrugged, "just got my shield and about nine years of toadkwondo to keep me going."

"Your shield?" Thomas looked over. "That's all you have?"

"Well I got my backpack but it's mostly school stuff." He propped up his guard before the soldier. "Got this since I was ten, my dad and uncle got it made specially for me cuz I love Captain Toad, it's awesome!"

"You fight with this?"

"Sure do, and it's great defence too, it can handle fire, ice, lightning, all sortsa stuff!"

"You like a knight or something?" asked the alchemist sitting beside.

"Nah," Jacob snickered, "I'm in high school, not sure what I wanna be when I grow up but I've narrowed it down to either baseball player, photographer, or a guard."

"That's quite a set of career paths," Dixon chuckled, "how old are you Jacob?"

"Seventeen ma'am."

"Where do you live, what's your family like?"

"I'm from Toad Town, I got my dad who's in the town guard and my mom's an electrician, oh and I got two uncles but one's retired and one works in the tour guides."

"Hmm...so, a pretty normal life all things considered."

"Yep," Jacob shrugged leaning back, "soooo do you got any idea how to get me home?"

"I'm still figuring that out," Andrea bit her thumb carefully, "the problem is that the way our experiment works, we can't actually just send you off any day we want."

"Oh, it's gotta like cool down or something?"

"Basically. I'm sorry to say that you'll have to be here for quite a while."

"Mmmm...well," the yoshi tapped his fingers, "hopefully not too long right, I mean I don't mind it's just, my dad worries about me a lot and my mom's not home right now cuz she's away on business so, he gets really lonely."

"We will do everything we can," said Brightman taking a bow, "for now we'll try to make you comfortable best as we can."

"Oh I'm already pretty comfortable, no problem there sir, I'm just worried about my dad more than me, this is like a vacation if it wasn't for that!"

"Hahah, well if you need anything you just let one of us know."

"Actually," Jacob stood up with a nervous grin, "could I get a chance to speak with Oddclaw some? He seemed real cool and well, we didn't get much chance to talk."

"We were planning on visiting him soon," the major-general stepped to the door, "you're welcome to join us."

"Awesome, thanks sir!" The youth gave a salute. "If I can help out with anything you lemme know too alright?"

"If you're offering, but you are a civilian yes?"

"I mean, yeah but I can hold my own, I fought off four raptors!"

"For real?" Ribose gasped. "Wow, they don't mess around."

"Yeah though they were different from Oddclaw's peeps, they had like metal tails and spat acid, it was nuts!"

"Metal tails and...acid?" Andrea tapped her chin. "Huh, where were these raptors?"

"Uhhh...this forest south of a village where people had pig-snouts?"

"Alright, thanks for letting us know, we'll keep you updated on if I find a way to get you home."

"Thanks ma'am!"

The yoshi gave one last salute and headed out whilst Andrea took the papers from Ribose and followed Thomas out the room. Chanoch came by in passing as the doctor stiffened up sharp and turned suddenly away from him, the yoshi looking on with a squint as Dixon shook her head with a snarling grasp of her head walking back to her lab and speaking out of their earshot.

"Fucking, fucking magic I swear to god-"

"I know," said Thomas beside her, "his curse is still with us it seems."

"Sure fucking feels like a curse, that little bitch is still messing with us even after he's gone."

"So what will you do?"

"I don't know if these coordinates will work, like Ribose said it's a different system James uses. Either way we have an entire year to figure this out."

"Why didn't you tell our new friend that?"

"He's only just arrived I want him to settle first. Don't wanna break his heart too early."

"Well..." Thomas smirked turning to her, "I didn't expect you to be so compassionate."

"I vented all my bitchness already," Dixon sighed slumping against the wall, "I'm tired Thomas. I'm so fucking tired, I just...I just want to go home, I don't care if America just stopped existing or we nuked everything or aliens just actually took over, I just want to go home."

"I know." He patted her shoulder. "We will get home soon."

"You don't know that, don't pretend."

"I don't. But I can still hope Andrea. I believe in you. I always did."

She smiled for a moment before tears came to her eyes and she walked on before he could see. Jacob looked up towards Chanoch who turned back to his room and locked the door without a word, leaving the yoshi to roam of his own volition around the other rooms he had yet to see after putting his shield back in his room. One such room had a TV where a man in olive uniform was kneeling over a box mumbling to himself.

"Hey there!"

"OH, alrigh' there lad." He smirked with grinning stache. "Yer thuh new dab eh?"

"Yeah I'm Jacob, nice to meetcha."

"I'm Jeremy, needin' summat?"

"Uhhh no not really just wandering around, checking out the place you know, so whatcha doing?"

"Thinkin' whut movie ah wanna watch, but ah seen 'em six dozen times."

"Hey I love movies!" Jacob thumbed his chest. "Actually uhh Ms. Anna, that library lady, said there'd be a movie I'd really like to see."

"Oh aye?" Jeremy sat beside the TV.

"Yeah we were talking about Captain Toad, I...oh, right, different world," he scratched his head, "so he's this comic book hero I love, he's an archaeologist who fights bad guys an-"

"Saaaay no MORE!" Holt clapped his hands. "I think ah know exactly whut Anna wuz hintin' at an' it's a damn good choice!"

He pulled out three movies showing a rugged-looking human wearing adventurous clothes with a whip in his hand amongst a cast of various folks.

"Been a while since ah shown someone new a good film, you up fer that Jake?"

"Sure!" Jacob sat down on an open seat. "What's this film about?"

"Indiana Jones," the soldier popped in the DVD, "a daring archaeologist and professor roaming thuh world fer hidden treasures whilst fightin' bad guys-"

"HOLLLLD UP." The yoshi squinted raising his hand. "Are you, for real?"

"Yup!"

"...does he have a shield?"

"Nope, he has a whip."

"Oh yeah that's legally distinct."

"Hey now it's from my world, you can't sue us if we never heard of ya!"

"I guess that's true, alright let's see!"

So they watched Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark, a thrilling film of a daring man facing against the nazis who sought an ancient forbidden power. Jacob understood none of this of course, the film's historical backdrop an interesting story of an unseen war engaging in the beyond through subtle espionage and traitorous turns all with an exciting soundtrack and a delightful central cast. The yoshi was enthralled by this other world of cinema, enough that he watched the next two films with enthusiastic applause and occasional tidbits of reference from Jeremy to explain the more unusual elements of the trilogy.

"THAT, WAS, SO COOL!" he gasped fresh-faced several hours after. "I mean some parts were pretty gross even if that was special effects like uuuugh those brains?!"

"Yeah it's a right buzz that," Jeremy chuckled.

"A-a-and those dudes faces melting like OOOH jeez I kinda got sick watching that!"

"Wot you never watched a good nasty film?"

"N-no, I haven't even seen Toad Warrior cuz I'm not old enough for that."

"Hmhahaha, awww yer precious dab." The soldier pinched Jacob's cheek. "But you liked it right?"

"Sure did, thanks Mr. Holt!"

"Ah-ah no no you call me Jeremy, no mister around me Jake."

"Heheh, alright...hey, so," the yoshi looked to the door briefly, "you know that big scaly guy who wears the armour?"

"Oh, Chanoch?" he plucked his beard. "Naw he don't like movies."

"Is he alright?" Jacob rubbed his hair. "Cuz, I wasn't sure if he was mute or-"

"Ohhhh no no," Jeremy shook his head, "he's had a hard time of it since James left, they were lovers ya see."

"Right, I heard something about that, but...does he not speak?"

"Thuh rabbi told me during lunch that Chanoch took a vow of silence. That's all ah know, he's a stubborn one that so he'll decide when he's ready to speak again."

"Oh...okay, thanks," the yoshi nodded, "sooo uh uh you got any other films you wanna show me, for like another time?"

"Sure!" he stood up to take the movie out and back into its box. "Been ages since ah saw a film with someone new, used to watch 'em all thuh time with Oddie."

"Oh he comes round here?" asked Jacob kicking his feet.

"Aye but he's got his family now, so he don't got much chance to come up 'ere."

"What's he like? I didn't get much chance to talk to him but his family seem cool."

"Aw he's thuh best," Jeremy sighed laying back against the TV, "best friend I ever 'ad, he's a big lad, strong, really nice, always thurr to help you out, always thurr to listen to yer troubles. He's a fantastic dad too, his kids are a gas."

"Yeah, makes me think of my dad." The yoshi looked up. "Hope he's alright."

"Wot's he like?"

"Oh he's awesome, he's a guard in the town I live in, him and my uncle came from Dinosaur Land and settled down, they're not actually brothers though more like just best friends...actually, Oddclaw looks a LOT like my uncle it's kinda weird."

"Oh aye, that so?"

"Yeah like...yeah it's super uncanny," Jacob giggled, "but yeah my dad's the coolest, he's always about protecting people and making sure everyone's alright, he once stopped this BIG gang of thugs all by himself when he beat the snot out of the gangleader on a ship way out on the ocean!"

"HAH, hmhm that sounds buzzing!" Holt sat up on the chair beside him. "Whut about yer mum?"

"Oh she's awesome too, she's an electrician so she knows how to fix ALL the stuff in our house."

"Oh that's handy, saves money on hirin' someone else to do it!"

"Yeah," the yoshi swished his long tail, "she's always loved machines and tech stuff cuz her mom works at the observatory back on the island she came from."

"Sounds a righ' smart family you 'ave there dab."

"Mmhmm! Alright, I'm gonna chill in my room for a bit," he swung off his seat, "later Jeremy, thanks for the movies!"

"See ya Jake, nice meetin' ya!"

Over the course of the first week, Jacob kept himself busy reading books from the library and watching movies that Holt suggested, learning more about the world of Earth in all its fantastical imagery, though he rejected anything that was considered for adult audiences out of a reserved modesty much to the amusement of Holt. When he had the chance he stayed close to Chanoch, keeping him company whenever they ate but politely staying outside of the chapel when services were on. Sometimes they walked outside to savour the sunshine, enjoying the sand under their feet or helping to move crates with Jarogniew. One partially-clouded day found them in the gymnasium where various humans and robots were trying to loosen their joints with some stretches, jogs and sports.

"Thanks for letting me partner with ya," said Jake swinging a wooden sword, "I never done anything like this."

The lizardman nodded and motioned him to watch his movements, standing apart and facing him with a firm slow strike of his blade. Jacob countered well, a fast learner as he mimicked the soldier's moves with countering parries and careful cuts as he ducked under swipes and blocked sweeping strikes. Chanoch took things slow, letting the yoshi adapt to test his coordination before picking up the pace, losing himself in the flurry of combat to stave off the demons in his mind. Jacob on the other hand was enjoying the workout, clacking blades and dodging with rolling strikes though he was never able to get a hit on the lizardman, the yoshi taking a few hits himself until at last they were tired out.

"HOO!" He wiped the sweat off his brow. "Nice you're...you're real good!"

Chanoch nodded with a gentle sigh.

"Feel better big guy?" Jacob patted his arm. "I never really done stuff with swords before but you're a great teacher!"

The knight gave a soft smile and patted the yoshi's head.

"Soooo what you wanna do now, just chill some?"

He nodded and they walked back to his room, the soldier killing time with his book as Jacob read beside him still moving to the next volume recommended to him, "The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe". Entranced by the tales of Narnia, the hours passed like water through a sieve with them only leaving the bed to grab some food. The yoshi never left Chanoch's side, eating beside him at their little table whilst he kept the knight distracted with stories from his home.

"So what was school like for ya?"

Chanoch shrugged with a hard flump.

"Yeaaah I hear ya, what was your worst subject?"

He scratched his head trying to remember before scribbling out numbers with his claw.

"Aww math huh?" Jacob patted his chest. "I'm pretty good at that, thanks to my dad, so if you need any help I got your back."

The knight nodded and pointed to the yoshi with a tap of the head.

"Oh my worst subject's like history, I got no head for dates and all those names that go past me, ugh. Like nothing bad with it, I'm just aaaagh I can't focus on all these pictures and faces in front of me it's like ugh! I wish we had a photography class in school, I love taking pictures, dang I really wish I had my camera with me cuz all this would be great to show my family."

Jacob sighed taking a drink of his juice as Chanoch kept on eating.

"What hobbies do you like then besides reading an' swordfighting?"

He made an air guitar with his fingers as the yoshi clapped.

"OH you play guitar!?"

Chanoch nodded.

"YOOOOO that's so cool can you show me sometime?! I never played any instruments cuz my fingers are all like dumb as heck."

The reptile nodded and swished his tail gently with a smile. From the sidelines Kevin was watching this as he chewed on a loaf of bread.

"That newcomer got really attached to Chanoch."

"He's still not talking?" Amy rapped her fingers beside him.

"Naaah not since James left. Poor bas-uh, guy."

"Hahaha you almost slipped up there."

"Don't tell him that he'll crush my face into my ribs."

"I won't." The reploid wolf slipped her arm round his side. "Makes sense to me though why the new guy attached to him."

"And why's that?" Kevin looked to her.

"Well, everytime Jacob talks with him or even sits by him his cortisol goes down and he relaxes because he's lowering his mental guard. Seems like having someone around who doesn't know the history and just treats him like a regular guy-"

"Also the fact they're both far away from home?"

"Probably. There's also the fact Jacob has an unusually level of oxytocin in his physiology."

"So...huh." The chemist leaned back with pursed lips. "Just that, really?"

"Maybe it's just him or how his species are but," the wolf shrugged, "seems like he went for the one who needed him most and he's not gonna stop until he's alright."

"How you figure that?"

"Because i did the same thing." Amy nodded crossing her arms.

"Wait, you're not talking about me are you?" the human smirked.

"Oh no you're totally fine I just love you."

"Hah...te quiero tambien doggo."

He gave her a smooch on her cold steel snout as she nuzzled his cheek. Over the next month Chanoch still did not speak, but Jacob remained at his side out of a sense of habit as they fought with fake swords, read books and even played music together, the yoshi stumbling over his notes as Jarogniew guided his fingers with a saintly patience. No developments came concerning his journey home as he tried to keep up his spirits day in day out with a constant busying of activities and the odd visit to Oddclaw's family who always greeted them with a cheerisome reception. The knight was thankful for the distraction of Oddclaw's family, a short gallop under the clouds with Jacob staring out in wonder at the great open sea and prehistoric environs until they landed upon the shore.

[i]"HELLOOOO!"[/i]

Oddclaw was the first one they met at the beach as he hugged Chanoch and Jacob.

[i]"How are you?"[/i]

"Great thanks!" Jacob grinned as Chanoch shrugged and shook his head. "Just checking in on you guys what's up?"

[i]"Nothing much, Seaclaw is hunting so let us go find him first."[/i]

"Alrighty sure, hunting for what like sticks?"

[i]"Food."[/i]

The yoshi cocked his head as they wandered into the forest, following the raptor as he crept low with a sudden shfit in his stance that Chanoch followed with gentle creeps despite wearing his steel armour. Jacob was not so quiet, struggling to sneak with his shield he had hooked onto his backpack as it bonked and clanged against the trees around him before he just wore it on his hand to manage it. Not a twig was broken by those in front of him, the hardened soldier and hunter slipping up beside each other with the yoshi stumbling in his steps, snapping branches and cracking twigs with his thicker boots. Despite this they managed to reach Seaclaw sitting out on a low-hanging branch, staring intent upon a log where something snuffled about in the old rotting bark.

Oddclaw bade them to watch and wait, Jacob cocking his head curious at what the boy was doing with such laser-eyed focus that his body became still as a gargoyle statue, perched on the tree with a haunting look upon his little face. Something peeked its head out then slipped back in for a long minute of temptation. It crawled out, the moment its tail left the log it was set upon by Seaclaw who lunged into a diving tackle and grabbed the rodent with his claws.

"Wow-how, nice WORK there ki-"

[b][i]KRNNNCH![/i][/b]

"[i]O-OHHH JEEEZ![/i]"

Jacob stood paralysed at the sight of Seaclaw crunching the little shrew's head in his jaws, ripping it out with part of its spine following with a sickening crunch as he spat out the skull and started to suck the bloodied organs from its neckstump.

[i]"Well DONE my son!"[/i] Oddclaw patting the boy's back. [i]"That was a perfect grab."[/i]

[i]"MMMPH, fhank yuu!"[/i] he gulped down a pair of lungs with fleshy pops on his teeth. [i]"GLRK, hiii Stonetree, hi Longtongue!"[/i]

"Urrkh, h-hi," Jacob heaved turning away behind a tree, "h-howww are you?!"

[i]"Good! You okay?"[/i]

"Yeah uhh y-yeah I-[i]HRRKH![/i]"

His stomach clutched as his throat nearly filled with sick that he tried to swallow back down.

"J-jus-HRRKH, mmmmph, m-mmmglllrk, uhh just, maybe, s-something I ate don't agree with me."

[i]"Awww okays!"[/i] He sat down on the log and kept chewing at his furry snack. [i]"How's you Stonetree, are you alright?"[/i]

The knight shook his head with heaving shoulders..

[i]"Awww..."[/i] he gulped down a piece of heart, [i]"you want some food?"[/i]

Chanoch shook his head with a thankful smile.

[i]"Okay...OH, you wanna hear about the stuff I did?!"[/i]

[i]"That is a good idea!"[/i] Oddclaw patted his son. [i]"Come let us head back home, Jacob are you coming?"[/i]

"Y-yeah-[b]hrrkh[/b]-g-gimme a sec I just...hhhh...ohhh."

The lizardman walked over to Jacob and counted off four seconds, taking a deep breath, then four more seconds to breathe out. Jacob followed his rhythm with slow breaths as the clench in his stomach began to fade.

"Haaaah alrighty, I feel good let's go!"

[i]"Oooh I could tell you how I met Longtongue!"[/i]

"That's still a weird thing to call me, but sure why don't you tell him that story.

[i]"Heehee, okays!"[/i] Seaclaw carried the dead hald of the rodent as he walked. [i]"So, I wuz waitin' for Highwave an' then I heard this noise like somethin' wuz crying an-"[/i]

The boy narrated all of this as they walked forest back to the Hunters' Nest, the knight focusing on Seaclaw's words as he described his big adventure and how he met Jacob, smirking from the boy's infectious thrill as they sat up near his nest with the rest of the family. Jacob still felt queasy as the sight of blood and teeth trapped in his head made him tremble with unease, feeling his stomach churn with unsightly grimace. At the family nest, Skyfang was jumping on the trees staring down at the world below her, Oddtooth was preening himself with Moonclaw taking a nap as Oddclaw waved to them.

[i]"Hello there-WOAH!"[/i]

[i]"NYAH!"[/i] Skyfang landed just short of where he once stood. [i]"AUUUGH I missed!"[/i]

[i]"You need to be quieter than that,"[/i] Oddtooth snorted looking up at her.

[i]"Shut up."[/i]

[i]"Is your mother still sleeping?"[/i] Oddclaw thumbed to her.

[i]"No idea how,"[/i] the one-eyed son scratched his head like a dog, [i]"what with Thkyfang thcreaming out every tree."[/i]

[i]"Because I'M not boring like you,"[/i] she nipped his head.

They sat down together as Seaclaw kept telling his story with frantic squeaks, Chanoch still listening with fervent nods as Jacob shuffled away from him trying not to look at the half-eaten rat.

[i]"Are you alright?"[/i] Oddclaw asked.

"Y-yeah, sorry I uh...mmph," he shifted nervous in his seat, "just uhhh, stuff, you don't expect to see."

[i]"You have never seen us hunt?"[/i]

"Well...I-i didn't expect it to be so...so-"

[i]"Swift?"[/i]

"Yeah, tha-that's one way to put it," Jacob clenched his legs clutching his stomach, "but it's like how you live, right?"

[i]"This is the only way we can hunt,"[/i] Oddclaw nodded, [i]"we must catch and kill our prey as swift as-"[/i]

"A-A-AH it's fine you don't gotta tell me everything! Sorry." The yoshi put up his hands. "I'm not really good with...violence."

[i]"Ahhh, sorry, I did not realise."[/i]

"It's fine it's fine just hhhuuuum...y-yeah."

[i]"Have the hairless found how to take you home yet?"[/i]

"Nah," he shrugged awkwardly looking to Chanoch, "guess I'm stuck here awhile with the big guy. Though, we didn't get much chance to talk before, what do you do around here Oddclaw?"

[i]"I am the Voice of the Tribe,"[/i] the raptor sat closer to him, [i]"I am a hunter as well taking care of the family."[/i]

"Right, hunting yeah."

[i]"You do not hunt back home?"[/i] he leaned forwards.

"No we just...like, get food from the store."

[i]"Hmhmhahaha, I see. Well, until you return home you are welcome here with us, for saving my son."[/i]

"Oh hey no it was nothing," he waved off with his hand, "just you know, what anyone woulda done."

[i]"Fighting four hunters is dangerous, you must be a skilled fighter!"[/i]

"Naaaaah," he kicked up his shield and spun it in his hands, "they were chumps, it's fine, long as I got my shield I can kick anyone's butt!"

[i]"Hah!"[/i] Oddclaw tapped said shield with a curious smirk. [i]"Are you a guard back home with your tribe?"[/i]

"Well, no, my uncles got me into toadkwondo for like self-defence, and I been learning to use this shield for like seven years."

[i]"You do not hunt, but you fight and yet you are not a guard, so why?"[/i]

"To beat up bad guys," Jacob shrugged, "protect others who can't defend themselves, why else?"

[i]"Good."[/i] The raptor smiled nodding. [i]"That is very good, Jacob."[/i]

"Well I mean it's what my dad taught me," Jake pulled up his knee, "and he's actually a guard so he knows all about that."

[i]"Ahhh I see."[/i]

"What about you, how'd you end up with a family?"

[i]"I met Moonclaw,"[/i] he gestured to the old grey raptor, [i]"we met after I first met the hairless, and we have been together since."[/i]

"Awwww, that's cool! How did you meet the humans then?"

[i]"I was lost in the sea, they saved me. I learned how to speak like them, and they became friends of ours so now I speak between them and my tribe to make things better."[/i]

"Ohhhh so you're like a uh...uh, what you call it-"

"Ambass-sidor?" the raptor smirked speaking English.

"YEAH, that's it!" Jacob clicked his fingers. "Yer like one of those."

[i]"Hmhmhm, yes, that is what the hairless call me too."[/i]

"Soooo, what else do you do around here?" he looked around at the trees. "Yanno yoshis live on islands too like this, well, maybe with houses but I know we used to live like this."

[i]"Really, is this how your tribe lived?"[/i]

"Back in way old days yeah, when we had like predators and stuff, then we built houses and traded and...all that junk.

[i]"Well, would you like to see more of my home?"[/i] Oddclaw stood up and offered his hand. [i]"Seaclaw is busy with Chanoch so they will be fine."[/i]

"Alrighty, sure!" The yoshi took his hand. "I'd love to see more of this place, at least while I'm here cuz...dang I never been to another world ever."

[i]"I will take you to see my brother first, you will like him!"[/i]

The raptor took him off into the forest, venturing through the ancient trees where long tall branches filled the sky with a plethora of green where the sun crept through upon Jacob's skin, glistening black with cyan hair beside the rich brown raptor. Heading to a small grove clustered in rocks, a dull-brown raptor sat looking up towards a tall green statue shaped like a mantis with a bronze cymbal-shaped hat who stood upon a broken tree.

"Wha-...what the heck-"

[i]"Shhh."[/i]

Oddclaw put a claw to his lip and snuck in close to sit beside Barkclaw who kept staring towards the statue. Jacob sat down carefully next to Oddie, feeling a tremor from the feral that warned him to stay back as he watched and waited. Minutes passed as the urge to yawn turned thick inside the yoshi who twitched and spsmased his neck to keep under control before something flitted close to the statue's shoulder. Then another thing landed next, then two, then four, and slowly but surely the entire head was being covered in strange little moths with golden wings and copper strips as Barkclaw chirred with a happy little sound.

[i]"Aaaaah th-they come, they came brother!"[/i]

[i]"Really?!"[/i] gasped Oddclaw.

"Wh-what's going on?" muttered Jacob.

[i]"The sunwings, my brother's favourite smallwing."[/i]

"Awwww neat so he's into bugs? That's pretty cool, I got a friend who's into them but, what's with the statue?"

[i]"That is Stonevoice,"[/i] Barkclaw muttered keeping his eyes locked on, [i]"he is my friend, he protects me."[/i]

"Ohhh he's a robot," the yoshi nodded.

[i]"Indeed,"[/i] said Stonevoice without moving, [i]"we have not met, I am the Voice Within the Stone."[/i]

"I'm Jacob," he waved lowly, "nice to meetcha, so what's the deal with these sunwings?"

[i]"They are Barkclaw's friends."[/i] He walked along the branch with shoulders draped in golden wings. [i]"They are my friends too, they sense change on the wind even from beyond the stars."[/i]

"Really? Did...did they know I was coming?"

[i]"They did."[/i] The mantis stepped down to another branch. [i]"They did not know of you, but they knew from where you came."[/i]

"I uh, don't suppose they can get me back."

[i]"No."[/i]

"Well worth a shot!" he almost clapped his knees but Oddclaw stopped his hand.

[i]"Please do not make any loud noises,"[/i] he warned, [i]"they are small and easy to frighten."[/i]

"O-oh, right sorry."

[i]"Hello friends."[/i] Barkclaw panted watching Stonevoice step down towards him. [i]"H-hello, helloooo."[/i]

The badnik stretched his hand out to the raptor as the moths danced on his fingers, tasting the waters dappled across his steel before they crossed over to Barkclaw's head. The taste of salts lured them one after the other as they flicked their long tongues over his scales and tickled him with their legs until his entire face was covered in a beard of butterflies.

[i]"Heeheh, hahaha, aaaaah hello friends, I missed you too."[/i]

"Wow," the yoshi gasped, "they look awesome, they really do look like the sun."

[i]"They tell me what happens,"[/i] said the feral purring within the horde of moths, [i]"but they are very shy, and do not remember me until they taste me."[/i]

"That...is kinda weird but okay whatever works!"

[i]"Heeheheh, haaah, brother look!"[/i]

"What do they tell you?" Oddclaw leaned in feeling four of them scuttle onto his head.

[i]"Hmmmm...the hot wind from the west has gone now. That is good, it frightened them."[/i]

"What else?"

[i]"The south seas are different, now the greatfish are breeding...the flyers' new children have been born as well."[/i]

"Wow you really learned all that from them?" gasped Jacob.

[i]"I have taught him the language of smallwings,"[/i] Stonevoice nodded, [i]"to understand them better beyond their journeys and cycles."[/i]

"Dang, that's super neat. So, uh, Stonevoice, how come you stay here and not on the base like the other robots?"

[i]"Because my duty is to protect and preserve nature. Not just because I am Barkclaw's friend, but that is the choice I have made."[/i]

"Aww that's cool," the yoshi grinned, "so, did...someone make you to do that or-"

[i]"I was not made to protect nature."[/i] The mantis shook his head. [i]"The one who made me is gone, and he has paid for his cruelty. I chose to remain in this land, to protect."[/i]

"Woah...that musta been hard."

[i]"It was."[/i] He looked down to his blade hanging off his thigh. [i]"But that is of no concern, for I shall remain with Barkclaw and the Hunters' Nest."[/i]

[i]"I am very happy we met,"[/i] Barkclaw trilled licking his face, [i]"you are my greatest friend Stonevoice."[/i]

[i]"Not your brother?"[/i]

[i]"I am his brother,"[/i] Oddclaw chuckled, [i]"that is different from a friend you know that."[/i]

[i]"Yes yes,"[/i] the feral swished his tail, [i]"greatest friend and greatest brother!"[/i]

They sat for a while as Barkclaw listened to the tales the sunwings brought from faraway lands, gently sitting beside his favourite stump with the softest movements he could make. His brother stayed with him awhile, Stonevoice seating himself in turn as Jacob watched befuddled by this odd collective of entomologists. Once enough time had passed, the moths departed with their fill and headed back into the woods, fluttering off as a golden spirit that haunted the glade. Waving goodbye Oddclaw took his leave and lead Jacob deep into the forest, jumping over fallen logs and skirted round giant trunks with Jacob occasionally leaping up to swing from the branches, keeping up with Oddclaw who started to run seeing how boisterous the youth was. They rushed through the leaves as the raptor turned south with the yoshi following, his pounding boots kicking the dirt and his tongue occasionally swinging out like a vine to launch himself forwards and keep up with the experienced Oddclaw who wallkicked off trees and dove forwards with powerful rolls.

Soon they found a small mountain in the centre of the forest, a rising copper hill that shone clear in the light of the sun as Oddclaw started clambering upwards. Jacob followed after, launching off a tree to grab the side of the cliff and scale with the raptor until they soon reached the top.

"Wooooaaaah."

His breath trailed from his snout as he saw the world open up before him. The great emerald canvas of the forest surrounded by the sea, the mountains to the far west towering beyond with the thin golden horizon of the far Brokentooth Sands.

"Dang this...this place is beautiful."

[i]"This is my favourite place."[/i] Oddclaw sat on the brink. [i]"Since I first learned to climb I always came here, when I need some peace. I do not come here as often anymore."[/i]

"Why?"

[i]"I have already some peace, with my family."[/i] He looked up to the yoshi. [i]"You said when we first met, your father came from here?"[/i]

"Oh, n-no, I was mistaken." Jacob sat down beside him. "I thought this was still my world, and, there's a place with lots of dinosaurs that looks a lot like this, but...well, yeah it's totally not it."

[i]"I see. Does your father look like me?"[/i]

"Not...really, I mean he's not brown like you, he's black like me."

[i]"Ahh."[/i]

"Why do you ask?"

[i]"I was curious."[/i] The raptor shrugged. [i]"I thought for a moment we had the same father, but I know now that is not true."[/i]

"Wait, what? For real?"

[i]"My father was from another world, and he left many cycles before."[/i]

"Ohhh...well, you know my mom never knew her dad."

[i]"Really?"[/i]

"Yeah," Jacob leaned back looking at the sky, "she, doesn't tell me much but, her mom, my grandma was kind of wild in her young days and ended up with a kid...raised her on her own, but she turned out awesome. Cuz that's what you do with a kid, you just do your best and if you're honest and good with them, they turn out right...right?"

[i]"That is right."[/i] Oddclaw nodded smiling. [i]"I only had my mother too."[/i]

"And you turned out great right?!" he gave a playful jab to the raptor's arm. "How long do you think it'll take 'til I get back?"

[i]"Did they not tell you?"[/i]

"Just it would be a while, the way I came here was really unusual according to them."

[i]"Yes...hopefully the hairless think of something."[/i]

"I'm not too worried about myself," Jacob shook his head, "it's just my dad, he always worries about me."

[i]"All fathers and mothers worry, that is how we are."[/i]

"Hahah, right...he's gonna be okay right?"

[i]"Does he have friends?"[/i] Oddclaw leaned in.

"Just my uncles, they always take care of him and help out when things get a bit much."

[i]"Then your father will be fine. Just do your best to stay safe while here."[/i]

"Thanks Oddclaw." The yoshi grinned patting his hand. "This place is awesome, thanks for showing me it."

[i]"I am glad you are enjoying our home."[/i]

"But uhhhh, just how long have the humans been here for?"

[i]"Hmmm...at least thirty-six-and-one cycles I think?"[/i]

"O-oh...that's..." Jacob squinted, "that sounds a long time and they still haven't gotten...home?"

[i]"Yes."[/i] Oddclaw sighed before shaking his head. [i]"But, but remember you came here different, I am sure they will find a way, others have come from the stars and went back home because we knew where they were from!"[/i]

"Really?"

[i]"Yes, I am sure we can get you home."[/i]

"But," Jacob winced reeling back, "it's gonna take a while, right?"

[i]"Well, the next greatmoon will come in a cycle."[/i]

"And...okay how long is a cycle I don't know what you meant."

"Nine months," Oddclaw said in English.

"Oh. O-oh..." his eyes widened in realisation. "Ohhhhh."

[i]"Just have hope."[/i] He patted Jacob smiling. [i]"The hairless have their own problems, but you will be fine."[/i]

"Right, yeah, you're right." Jacob took a deep breath and clapped his cheeks. "Just gotta wait and do my best, no problem, yeah! Just, one more question."

[i]"Yes?"[/i]

"...what sorta fruit you guys got here?"

The raptor laughed as the yoshi smirked keeping a brave face as they stared across the horizon, tryring to cast all thoughts of home from his mind for fear of obsession as Jacob savoured the scents of the breeze with nostrils twitching on his bulbous snout. Eventually it was time to return as the yoshi stood on the beach in front of the Ducky, waiting for Chanoch to say goodbye to Seaclaw with a tight hug.

[i]"MMMMhhh g'bye Stonetree!"[/i]

He smooched the boy's cheek and put him down.

[i]"Come back soon, alright?"[/i]

The soldier nodded as Oddclaw waved to them in turn with a farewell as Jacob leapt onto the small ship with Jarogniew following after, the door closing as it shot off back towards the north.

"Hoooo," the yoshi sighed slumping back on his seat, "dang I walked a lot more than I thought I did."

"Thank you."

"Yeah no proble-....huh?"

His head snapped towards Chanoch who spoke with a hoarse whisper.

"For...saying hello. To me, thank you."

"Heh...no problem." Jacob smiled. "You wanna go read some books when we get back?"

"Yes." Jarogniew smiled back. "I would...like that, Jacob."