Where in the world is Emma Sandiego?

[eccles]

The first thing Emma noticed upon waking was that the room was not hers. It was the smell that tipped her off: unlike Los Angeles it was clean and sweet, almost citrusy. She lay as still as she could and looked around the room, trying to work out where she was.

It didn’t take Emma long to conclude that she was in a bedroom. She was in a bed, an obvious clue by itself, but she could also see a dresser and a closet and a makeup battlestation covered in clothes. In a bizarre way, it almost reminded her of her own room back at the school.

Her gaze drifted and she saw a window. Not just any window: a window that ran the height and length of the entire room. At first glance it was deep blue, but as Emma kept looking, the glass - if it WAS glass - was very slowly, but constantly changing colour. It was a wash of blues, purples and greens, like oil in water. Without thinking, she sat up to get a better look, and a gentle ‘wow’ escaped her lips.

“Ah. You are awake.”

The voice was male. That was all Emma could tell before she reacted: She shuffled back against the wall, pulled the bedsheets up around her, and shouted, “Who the - FUCK are you!?”

The Texan girl’s shock was definitely warranted: halfway across the room there was a sky blue humanoid - about a metre tall - sitting in a chair and facing her. At a glance she could see he had dark, well styled hair, and he was well dressed in fine, deeply coloured silks. It didn’t take long to notice that the man also had a long, thick tail, and scales, not skin.

Panicking, Emma began to shout again, “f-fuck ARE you? Are you A’Kali, what is this!?”

The reptilian man did not react to being yelled at. At least, not outwardly. Instead, he smiled, set down the book he had been reading, and spoke a soft, sincere tone.
“No, miss, I am not A’Kali. My name is Rauli DeAmor.
I am the king of this world.
And most importantly for you: I am a friend.”
-=-
“No, miss, I am not A’Kali. My name is Rauli DeAmor.
I am the king of this world.
And most importantly for you: I am a friend.”

Slowly, the wheels in Emma’s head began to turn. That wasn’t the kind of introduction a bad guy would give. Bad guys always go ‘My name is unimportant’ or ‘all will be revealed in time’, and this man basically handed her his business card. She looked him up and down once more, as best she could from where she was sat, and she noticed a small sheath at his hip, which prompted her next question.

“How...How I know you ain’t just waitin’ to shank me? I see that knife!” she nodded towards the concealed blade, hoping to show that she wasn’t bluffing.

“Miss, since you were brought to me you have slept for a day and a night. I have been by your side this whole time. Rest assured, if my intention was to harm you I have had plenty of opportunity.”

“W...I mean.” She shook her head to clean out the cobwebs before regrouping and speaking once again, “What is goin’ on here?”

Rauli chuckled and gently shook his head, “Now, that one I do not know. I was rather hoping you would be able to tell me.”

Emma let out a frustrated groan and flopped back into the bed. “My head hurts.”

“Understandable. You -were- out for a while. Tell you what,” the man clapped his hands to the tops of his legs and stood up. He indicated a door beside the bed and spoke once again,
“The washroom is through there. I suggest you wash, change, do as you need. I will wait outside, have some food prepared and brought up for you. When you are ready we will sit, we will eat, and we will -hopefully- work out what has happened here.”

Emma had grown up in a military family and her father had drilled into her the importance of how to behave in a hostage situation: most importantly, you follow your captors demands to the letter. But whatever this was, it didn’t seem like a hostage situation. If anything it felt like a particularly strong hangover. Emma decided to see if she could push the man to see what leverage she had, if any at all. She sat up once again, looked him in the eye and spoke with a wavering voice,
“I…I-I want pizza.”

Rauli smiled and nodded once.
“As you wish.”
He walked to the door and knocked before speaking a few words in a language Emma didn’t recognise. The door opened and the man stepped out, leaving her alone with her thoughts.
-=-
“Hey, can I ask you somethin’? What is this?”

Rauli looked to the food in his hand then back to Emma, “This is pizza. As per your request.”

“oh, har har har,” Emma fake-laughed as she rolled her eyes, “I meant like... Am I a hostage? Prisoner? What? Cuz I ain’t never heard of a hostage sitchation where you get a kick-ass dress, an’ then a sexy maid brings ya fresh food. We-We don’t do it like that back home.”
She took another bite of her pizza and vaguely indicated the rest of the room as she spoke, “Whutsh...thish?”

The king was a little more restrained. That is to say he finished eating before speaking. “First of all, you are no hostage. Nor a prisoner, slave, nor anything of the sort.” Something about the way Rauli spoke calmed Emma’s nerves. There was something about his tone of voice and the way he carried himself that let her know the man was no threat. “Second, I would prefer that you remain here for another hour or so, but you are free to leave whenever you wish.”

Emma’s eyes drifted to the door Rauli had used when he stepped outside. She had used her powers before calling the boy king back inside and she had seen two heat signatures waiting outside, which was no coincidence since Rauli apparently had to ask permission to leave.

She spoke, keeping her eyes on the door, “What about the guard? I heard you talkin’ to someone.”

“Malvi was the one who found you. He thought you had been attacked and insisted he stand guard until you came to, lest your assailant come back to finish the job. Given where we are that is not happening, but he is a loyal and principled man who would not take no for an answer.”

Pursing her lips and looking back to her food, Emma turned a few thoughts over in her mind. Most prominently: if what she had heard was true and a stranger had kept a vigil for her, she should probably show him some gratitude at some point. She stored that thought away for later: a more pressing issue was working out where she was and what was happening.

Keeping her head low she began to speak, almost apologetic in her tone, “Look...dude, I dunno if you’re mistakin’ me for someone else, but you are...jus’...treatin’ me like a queen here, an’-”

Rauli cut her off before she could speak again, “I know my Queen rather well. Rest assured, you and her are two very different species.”

“No, I’m serious though. This? This whole...thing right here, this ain’t me. I don’t have a penthouse suite in a palace on - iunno - Mars or whatever. I don’t own...I mean, it’s a gorgeous dress, but I don’t own things like this, it ain’t me.” Her tone became more worried as she stood and began pacing around the room, “I mean it, I am here by accident, I was meant to go to an ice world, but I ended up here instead, an’ now I...I don’t know what the fuck any more.”

Rauli took a deep breath and paused a little before speaking. When he did, his voice was soft and comforting, “I have been where you are now, and I understand how you feel. I assure you there is no need to be afraid and you are among friends. So please, sit. By the time you have finished your meal, I will have finished my story. You will know all I do and what you do next is entirely up to you.”

Emma paused as she considered the offer. It didn’t take long to make up her mind. She sat and nodded to the king.

“Alright. Shoot.”

-=-

[eccles]

Rauli’s story was neither short, nor to the point. It was hard to be succinct when every other sentence was punctuated with a Texan woman asking, “wait whut?” Still, Rauli persisted and managed to tell Emma everything: growing up as a prince, the war that destroyed everything, his exile to Earth and how he returned with his friends to rebuild his kingdom from the ashes.
“...we will gloss over the history lesson and instead focus on the events four days ago. A group of my soldiers was patrolling the perimeter of the safe zone when they found you, somewhat worse for wear. Knowing who ‘you’ are they brought you directly to the royal infirmary, who sent you to your room to recover. A few hours ago you woke up, and here we are.”

Emma smiled and began to speak, forcing back laughter as she did, “That...actually makes sense! The portal went wrong, and - yeah, no, that-is-why-I-am-here-in-this-room-right-now!”

“And that is why I requested you remain in this room; to avoid confusion, I need to know where ‘you’ are.”

“Makes sense, makes sense!” As she spoke, Emma’s smile faded to a look of concern, “bu-but wait, no, I got a fiancé and he is gonna be just...kickin’ down doors till he finds me.”

Hearing Emma's concerns, the young king smiled and slowly raised a palm. When Emma had calmed a little, he spoke, “I suspected you would have friends come to find you, and that they would travel here using the same methods you did. As soon as you arrived I dispatched a group of soldiers - my own personal guardsmen - who will wait where you were found and bring any other visiting humans here, to the capital, so you can meet with them.”

“Well damn, you thought’a everythin’. How long’s it gonna take?”

“They are a six hour drive away. When your friends arrive you will be reunited within the day.”

Emma was relieved to know she wouldn’t have to wait long to meet Cain and whoever else came to rescue her. That said, she pursed her lips a little as she looked around the room.
“Hey, so...If I gotta wait for my friends to get here, an’ then ANOTHER day for them to get to the palace...can I...like…yanno.”

“You wish to explore the city? I highly recommend it, we are in the middle of our biggest festival and it would be a shame to miss out. That said, I recommend a disguise: we can fix your hair for example, or-”

Even though Emma was talking to someone she had only just met (and someone of royal blood!) she was still the same Southern girl she was back on Earth, and that meant she would interrupt when she had a point to make, “Dude. Please, I am WAY ahead of ya on this one.”

“The floor is yours.”

Emma stood and cleared a little space around her. She gave Rauli one of her trademark crooked smiles and offered, “Check this out.”

With a SVWISH Emma’s peach coloured skin turned to deep blue scales. Her teeth became fangs, her dress filled out as she grew a tail, and her facial features became more defined thanks to her a’kali markings. Diamondback had arrived.

It took a while for Rauli to react. Emma felt more than a little bit proud that she was able to silence a man who had been so well spoken thus far.
“I...I have seen a great many things, Miss Emma. But I have never seen you do to THAT before.”
-=-
Emma, still looking like Diamondback, stood on the balcony of her room and looked at the city below. The streets spread out into the distance, as far as her eyes could see (and a great distance beyond). The city looked incredibly futuristic, and not at all what Emma had expected. There were tall, gleaming skyscrapers, colossal video displays and an elevated transport network that didn’t seem to be supported by anything, it simply was.

Rauli was stood beside the Texan and he, too, was admiring the sights of the city, “She is beautiful, yes? Her name is Athri Cay, and even now, years later, I am glad to have her back.”

“Is it always this busy? There’s like...bajillion people down there.”

“It is busier than usual, yes. It Creation Week, a festival for my kind, and people have travelled the length and breadth of the kingdom to be here.” He turned his head towards Emma with a smile, “And beyond, apparently.”

“Hey, now, I’m here by accident. ‘kay?” Emma’s gaze had not left the streets below. It was hard for her to process the sheer volume of people she could see in the streets: a million points of colour all swirling and dancing below her. “I mean...I appreciate you keepin’ me safe an’ all, but...yanno…” her voice trailed off, as if she was lost in thought.

Rauli noticed that Emma seemed hypnotised by the crowd and decided to give her the nudge she apparently needed, “You know, this is likely a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for you. It would be a shame if you did not experience it. Shall I send for a guide?”

Emma nodded and in no time at all she was being escorted through the palace halls, through the vibrant gardens and lush orchards outside. In no time at all she was outside, among the crowd.

It was bright, warm and sunny outside, but it felt different to the weather Emma was used to on Earth. Los Angeles was aggressively hot sometimes and there were days it felt like the sun was physically beating down on her skin, but the weather in Athri Cay felt like a warm embrace or a soft, fluffy blanket. The streets were full of sauriens: cooks, vendors, revellers, musicians, dancers, entertainers and more besides. There were so many people the movement of the crowd looked like rippling water. Each person was brightly coloured, and each was a different colour to the next.

“I...I’unno where to begin!”

Emma’s companion was one of Rauli’s personal handmaidens, a woman named Valera. Her scales were orange and her hair was radiant purple that sat in long, loose curls. Valera was a good head and a half shorter than Emma, but everything about her commanded respect. She held her head high, she spoke fluently, and she moved with a very deliberate step like she owned the ground she was walking on.

“I recommend the food. We will find a vendor that is selling something traditional. No doubt we can find some musicians and performers, too. This evening we can watch the Kings Games. The finals begin tomorrow, so watching tonights preliminaries will bring you up to speed.”

Thus began Emma’s afternoon exploring the city. Everywhere she looked people were celebrating and it felt like every single person in the city had joined in the party; even the police were laughing and joking with the citizens. The event reminded her of the county fair back in Texas, but on a much, MUCH larger scale. As the day went on she ate entirely too many unhealthy foods, she tried her hand at games of chance and skill, she watched at least three different troupes perform the creation story to the passers by. By the time the sun had begun to set she had almost forgotten that she was stranded on an alien planet an infinite distance away from anywhere she could call home.

“Miss, I advise we return to the palace. The Kings Games begin in an hour and you will have a much better viewing experience there.”

“Yeah...Yeah. Yer right.” Emma nodded and looked towards the city walls. She suddenly felt more than a little guilty for enjoying a party when her friends were no doubt worried about what had happened to her.

“You may not understand the significance, Miss, but the Royal Guard has been dispatched. If they do not find your friends it would be the first mission they have failed since their founding.” Valera set a hand on Emma’s shoulder and looked into her eyes as best she could, “You have no need to worry. They do not fail.”

Emma sighed softly, “I know, I jus’...I feel...I feel somethin?” As her words trailed off she raised her right hand and stared intently at the silver ring on her finger. After a few seconds her entire disposition changed and she was grinning from ear to ear, “He’s here! He's Here! He's, well, he's not here-here, but, like, here, here, out there, somewhere.”

Visibly confused, Valera took a moment to centre herself before speaking, ”Miss? Again, please?

Emma looked from her hand to her companion.

“It’s Cain. He’s comin’.”

[eccles]

Sou sat in her bedroom after a long day of work. It had only been a week since her return from Athri Cay, but it felt like a lifetime ago. She reran the adventure in her head: It all felt so unreal, and if she didn’t have the otherworldly jewellery and clothing as proof, she would happily write it all off as a wild fever dream.

As she finished replaying the last of her memories she fell back onto her bed with a wistful sigh. She quickly sat up again when something flickered in the corner of her eye. It was only the slightest movement, but there was definitely something there that had caught her attention. In one corner of her room was a full length mirror: for someone as fashion-conscious as Sou it made perfect sense. But as she looked closer, Sou noticed the reflection was...wrong somehow: the room was not as it should be, her movements seemed alien, and the whole scene looked like gazing through mist.

Suddenly an idea sparked in the Chinese girls mind: maybe this was a way back. After all, she had stepped into a mirror to return home and Rauli had said that his portal, “will take you where your heart desires to be.” Sou closed her eyes and remembered what had happened: the encroaching fear as the warband attacked them and the sense of duty and honour as she saved the life of a child. She remembered the admiration of the soldiers, and the affection Teii had shown her. She remembered the crowd at the Creation Week festival: a million points of unbridled ecstasy swirling around her in a haze.

Her eyes snapped open. It was just as she had hoped: as she looked into the mirror, she no longer saw herself, but Headmistress Emma and her husband Jasiri. The couple was in the study at the embassy chatting, though Sou couldn’t hear what they were saying.

She hesitated for an instant. After all, messing around with portals and not knowing how to get back was what had started the adventure in the first place. But her curiosity got the better of her and she walked towards the mirror, determined to make it work. Unfortunately, she only half-expected her plan to work, and hesitated a little, causing her to trip over the edge of the mirror. Her entrance into the school was less than graceful, seeing her land flat on her face in front of the couple from another world. With Jasiri’s help, Sou picked herself up and dusted herself down. She offered a meek, “um...hello to you” but was cut off halfway through.

“ho-lee SHIET, it’s that Japanese chick! How ya doin’ gurrl!?
-=-
Sou didn’t feel like she had been transported an infinite distance through space, time and reality itself. She felt like she’d simply been pulled through a doorway. But there was no denying she was once again in Athri Cay: a familiar citrus smell hung in the air, there were saurian children playing outside, and she could not deny that Emma and Jasiri were standing in front of her.

Sou began to explain what had happened, but Emma interrupted, speaking in a voice that was familiar yet alien at the same time.
“Oh – no – do NOT even worry about it, girl. You think I knew how those things worked the first few times? But if you guys are gonna be comin’ an’ goin’, let’s maybe put that mirror someplace more private yeah?”

In no time at all the mirror, and the portal it contained, had been moved to a small bedroom on an upper floor of the building. Emma looked to her Chinese friend as she handed over a key,
“You’ll understand we can’t give y’all a student’s room since we don’t know when yer comin’ or goin, yeah? But as long as this buildin’ stands, this is yours, you an’ yer friends. Oh, an’ as long as your Emma keeps her disguise up while she’s here. Dun wanna cause a commotion!”

“mm. Of course. Thank you Emma, I...I just don’t know how to repay you! This is amazing!”

“Oh, I think I know how y’all can pay me back.”
-
The school bell rang, signifying the start of the day. The students filed into the schools main hall and took their seats for the morning assembly: younger students guided to the front by the older students who, in turn, took their seats at the back. Emma entered and spoke with a smile, “Mornin’, children.”

The students replied as one in a sing-songy tone, “Good mor-ning Miss DiPrismo, Good mor-ning ev-ery-body~”

“I hope y’all had a great vacation. The students who went home, it’s good to have y’all back. Now, what was yer favourite part of this years Creation Week? Quickly shout it out all at once, go!”

The answers came thick and fast: one student became an older brother, one met his favourite soccer player, ones dance troupe performed in front of the king himself! Emma heard each and every answer then smiled as she calmed the student body.

“Those were some great answers! I’m glad y’all had fun! You wanna know what mine is? My favourite part’a this Creation Week was that other humans found a way to visit the kingdom, so they got to celebrate with us too, ain’t that great?”

A student called out that he already knew. Emma nodded to the boy, “That’s right, the king DID talk about them in his speech, well done you fer payin’ attention! But wait, there’s more! The humans had to go home after the party: they don’t live here like I do. But they found a way back! In fact, one’a them is here right now. Why dontcha come out, say hi?”

Sou entered the room to a stunned silence. She stood beside Emma and sheepishly waved to the gathered children, “Hello to you. I am Miss Souchong of Earth.”

Again, the students greeted her in unison, “Good mor-ning Miss Sou-chong.”

“Now, Miss Souchong an’ her friends are gonna help us this term, because yer class projects are gonna be about Earth. Each of our new friends is gonna visit each class, an’ you guys get to meet them, an’ talk to them, an’ find out all about Earth an’ how it’s different to here.”

Sou was amazed by what she saw. She was used to Emma being a brash, loud tomboy who lost her temper at the slightest inconvenience, but here the Texan woman was commanding a room full of rowdy children. Not only that, Sou’s empathic powers told her the children were all happy to be there and studying under Emma’s guidance: not even Sou enjoyed studying this much!

“Yer projects will start tomorrow. Today’s the day we get our new class assignments, we greet the new students, all that fun stuff. But before we leave to do that...Miss Souchong, would you like to play for us?”

Sou smiled brightly and gave an enthusiastic nod. Over the years Sou had developed a deep passion for music, and she was more than happy to perform for her newest friend. She took a seat at a piano and began to play. As she did, she closed her eyes and basked in the warm glow that only an empath could feel: Some students enjoyed the beautiful tune, some were in awe of the graceful way she moved, some thought she looked cute, but everyone in the room was happier for hearing her perform.

When she had finished playing Sou stood and bowed to the assembly. She said ‘thank you’ as was her custom, but it was drowned out by a round of applause. As Sou straightened up she and Emma exchanged a smile. They knew that – in this universe, as with any other – their friendship would last for a lifetime.

-The End-

Bonus: Sou played this.