---
Darkness.
Swallowing them whole.
Air rushes past their skin—deafening.
The free fall hits them immediately.
Finn whoops, thrilled.
---
FINN (yelling, grinning)
"HAHA! THIS IS AWESOME—"
---
Then—
Gravity shifts.
Their bodies twist midair.
Their stomachs lurch.
Suddenly—they're weightless.
Finn's cheer dies instantly.
Aurora's voice rises in sheer panic.
---
AURORA (screaming, flailing wildly)
"NOPE. I HATE THIS. I HATE THIS SO MUCH—"
---
Sally grits her teeth, arms spread, trying to control the fall.
King flips uncontrollably, barely keeping his bearings.
---
KING (yelling, trying to focus)
"WHERE EVEN IS THE GROUND?!"
---
Jake twists midair, hands scrambling for something—anything.
But there's nothing.
Nothing but the void.
Harry falls beside them, eerily silent.
His mind races.
Because the moment before they jumped—
Something changed.
The wind didn't just pull them down.
It swallowed them.
---
HARRY (muttering, thinking aloud)
"This wasn't normal gravity…"
---
John falls ahead of them.
His heart pounds.
He sees nothing below.
No bottom.
No sky.
Just endless black.
---
JOHN (shouting, barely keeping calm)
"STAY TOGETHER! DON'T—"
---
Then—
The world shifts again.
And the blackness erupts into color.
---
The darkness shatters.
Blinding blue light bursts around them.
Like they're falling through a storm of energy.
Streaks of light swirl past.
Like shooting stars, rushing upward.
Finn's mouth drops open.
---
FINN (awed, stunned)
"Okay. Maybe I like this again."
---
Then—
The blue storm cracks open.
Revealing something below.
A world.
But not their world.
---
Beneath them, a vast, endless landscape.
Floating islands drift lazily, glowing softly.
Rivers of water flow through the air, twisting like ribbons.
The sky is deeper than night—
Not exactly blue.
But like something else entirely.
A world that shouldn't exist.
And they are plummeting toward it.
Jake's breath catches.
---
JAKE (gritted teeth, shouting)
"WHAT THE HELL IS THIS PLACE?!"
---
John's chest tightens.
He doesn't know.
But they're falling too fast to question it.
The ground is rushing toward them.
Fast.
---
They hit the water.
Hard.
Cold rushes over them instantly, swallowing them whole.
The impact stuns them.
Air ripped from their lungs.
Then—
Darkness.
For a split second, nothing but silence.
Bubbles rising.
Pressure settling.
Then—
Chaos.
---
["WHY IS IT WATER?!"]
John kicks upward first, breaking the surface.
He gasps for breath, blinking hard.
The sky above—not their sky.
Glowing. Swirling.
But he doesn't have time to process it—
Because the moment he hears it—
The screaming starts.
---
FINN (panicked, flailing wildly)
"NONONO—I CAN'T—I DON'T—"
---
Finn thrashes in the water.
John spins, eyes widening.
---
JOHN (shouting, trying to locate him)
"Finn?!"
---
FINN (screaming, absolute terror)
"I CAN'T SWIM, MAN—HELP—"
---
Aurora rushes toward him, reaching out.
Her voice is serious. Determined.
---
AURORA (firm, grabbing his arm)
"Calm down! I got you!"
---
Then—
Aurora sinks.
Like a rock.
Her expression drops instantly into horror.
---
AURORA (flailing, pure panic)
"WAIT—I CAN'T SWIM EITHER—"
---
John watches.
Watches as she, the one trying to save Finn, immediately drowns next to him.
Finn flails.
Aurora flails harder.
Both are now actively making the situation worse.
John doesn't even know what to say.
Then—
King swims past him.
Completely calm.
Completely unimpressed.
Grabs Finn with one arm.
Aurora with the other.
Drags them both toward shore.
Without a word.
---
KING (deadpan, mildly annoyed)
"You two are unbelievable."
---
Finn coughs up water, clinging to him.
---
FINN (gasping, shaken but dramatic)
"King… my hero."
---
Aurora scowls, still trying to act like she has control.
---
AURORA (serious, not at all embarrassed)
"Good work king."
---
King just sighs, swimming faster.
The others follow, still disoriented.
Because there's a bigger problem.
This isn't normal water.
The surface glows faintly.
The temperature is strange—not warm, not cold.
And the moment they break free, pulling themselves onto the shore—
They realize—
It isn't even wet.
---
[The First Realization]
John pushes himself up.
His clothes should be drenched.
But the second he steps onto land—the water evaporates.
Gone.
Like they were never in it at all.
Finn blinks down at himself.
---
FINN (panting, frowning, confused)
"Wait… what?"
---
Aurora examines her sleeves.
---
AURORA (bewildered, still catching her breath)
"We should be soaked."
"But—"
---
Sally runs a hand through her hair.
Nothing.
Not even damp.
Harry, processing what just happened.
---
HARRY (murmuring, intrigued)
"It isn't water. Not really."
"It mimics it. But whatever this is… it has different rules."
---
Jake exhales sharply, crossing his arms.
---
JAKE (grumbling, shaking his head)
"Great. We got fake water now.. who would've thought. "
---
John doesn't comment.
Because he's looking at something else.
The world around them.
Glowing terrain.
Floating islands above.
The air feels too light.
The sky stretches too deep.
And suddenly—it sinks in.
This isn't home.
It isn't even close.
His voice is quiet.
Uncertain.
---
JOHN (soft, barely above a whisper)
"…Where are we?"
---
No one answers.
Because they don't know.
---
The group stood in silence.
The world around them hummed.
Not with sound.
But with energy.
Like the very air was alive.
John took a slow step forward.
The ground beneath him pressed gently.
Then—it bounced back.
Not stone.
Not grass.
Something new.
He glanced back at the others—
But Finn?
Finn was already grinning.
---
["BOUNCE FLOOR!"]
FINN (beaming, testing his luck)
"BOUNCE FLOOR!"
Before anyone could stop him—
He jumped.
And then—
He soared.
Way.
Too.
High.
FINN (midair, realizing his mistake)
"OH. OH GOD NO. BAD IDEA BAD IDEA—"
Aurora gasped.
Her instincts kicked in immediately.
AURORA (determined, ready to be the hero)
"FINN! HOLD ON, I'M COMING—"
She jumped after him.
And immediately—
she lost control too.
AURORA (midair, panicked realization)
"WAIT—I CAN'T STOP. I CAN'T STOP—"
John watched them both fly upward.
Watched them twist wildly, limbs flailing.
Watched Finn, who started screaming immediately—
And Aurora, who joined him the second she realized she couldn't stop.
They were both crying for help now.
And John just exhaled slowly.
Sally pinched the bridge of her nose.
Jake covered his face with both hands.
Harry tried to hide his with a book but failed.
And King?
King didn't even react.
Didn't sigh.
Didn't roll his eyes.
He just moved.
Calmly.
Quietly.
Positioning himself right where they were about to fall.
Finn hit first.
King caught him.
Aurora hit half a second later.
King caught her too.
The three of them stood there for a long moment.
Aurora dangling off one side.
Finn dangling off the other.
And King—stone-faced, holding them both like misbehaving children.
Finn blinked.
FINN (grinning, utterly unbothered)
"Oh wow. Déjà vu."
Aurora tilted her head.
Cleared her throat.
And with zero hesitation—
She patted King's arm.
AURORA (casual, smug)
"Great work again, King."
"Flawless execution."
King did not respond.
Didn't even blink.
He just dropped them both.
Finn and Aurora hit the glowing ground with two dull thuds.
Finn grinned up at the sky.
FINN (murmuring, half to himself)
"Totally worth it."
Aurora nodded sagely.
AURORA (smug, brushing herself off)
"Exactly as planned."
Sally let out a deep sigh.
John shook his head.
And King—without a word—just walked away.
---
[The First Discovery]
John was looking.
Looking at the world itself.
The way the floating rivers curled through the air.
The way the sky stretched too deep.
The way the glowing ground responded to their every step.
Like this place was watching.
Not alive.
But something close.
---
JOHN (softly, more to himself than anyone else)
"This place… it's alive."
---
The others paused.
Aurora sat up.
Finn dusted himself off.
Harry knelt, running a hand over the glowing moss-like surface.
---
HARRY (murmuring, analyzing)
"It reacts to us. Almost like… memory foam."
---
King watched as a single strand of glowing dust drifted past his hand.
Harry, curious, snapped his fingers.
A tiny flicker of blue light sparked at his fingertips—
Then vanished.
His eyes narrowed.
---
HARRY (quiet, intrigued)
"Magic exists here."
---
That got everyone's attention.
Finn perked up immediately.
---
FINN (grinning, excited)
"Ohhh, please tell me I get to shoot fireballs!"
---
Harry didn't answer.
Because he didn't know yet.
But one thing was clear—
This world had its own rules.
Rules they didn't understand.
But for now—
For this moment—
They weren't worried.
Because for the first time… they were standing in a foreign world.
And it was beautiful.
---
They walked.
For what felt like hours.
And the world walked with them.
The ground shifted beneath their feet—not moving, but responding.
Each step left a soft glow that faded like ripples on water.
The air was light, crisp, filled with a scent they couldn't place.
And above them—
A sky that never stayed the same.
One moment, it stretched in swirls of blue and gold.
The next—deep purples, like twilight painted in motion.
It was like the very world was dreaming.
---
[The Wonders of This Place]
Finn stared at everything, mouth open.
FINN (breathless, spinning in a circle)
"Okay. Okay. I take back every bad thing I said about that cave—THIS IS AMAZING."
Aurora grinned, walking ahead.
AURORA (smug, nudging Finn)
"Told you this was worth it."
Jake, arms crossed, still processing, let out a slow exhale.
JAKE (muttering, shaking his head)
"This place is insane."
King remained silent.
His eyes scanned the land, every detail.
Because despite the beauty—this was still unfamiliar ground.
Sally ran her fingers along a tree.
The bark wasn't wood.
Not quite.
It felt smooth, like glass warmed by the sun.
And when she let go—
It pulsed softly, like a heartbeat.
Sally jerked her hand back.
---
SALLY (blinking, shaking her head)
"Yeah. Okay. That's weird."
---
Harry knelt by a patch of tall, glowing grass.
He ran a hand over it—then snapped his fingers.
The grass shimmered.
Not burning.
Not reacting to heat.
But acknowledging the motion.
Harry's lips pressed together in thought.
---
HARRY (murmuring, thoughtful)
"This world doesn't just exist."
"It responds."
---
John was quiet.
Taking it all in.
Every shift in the air.
Every flicker of movement that wasn't there before.
Because Harry was right.
This place wasn't just alive.
It was watching them.
---
[The Quirks of a Dreamlike World]
As they walked, they noticed more of its oddities.
Finn kicked a small stone—
It hovered for three seconds before gently floating back down.
Aurora found a stream—except it wasn't in the ground.
It flowed sideways, curving through the air like a ribbon.
Jake picked a fruit from a low-hanging branch—
Only for it to softly float back into place when he let go.
Sally threw a rock at a tree—
It made a small 'boop' sound.
She stared.
---
SALLY (slow blink, deadpan)
"…Excuse me?"
---
Finn, immediately fascinated, grabbed another rock.
He hurled it—
BOOP.
He grinned.
---
FINN (cackling, turning to the group)
"GUYS. THE TREES BOOP."
---
Jake rubbed his temples.
---
JAKE (grumbling, exhausted already)
"This is the dumbest magical world I've ever seen."
---
But despite the laughter, despite the wonders—
Time kept moving.
And eventually—
The sky shifted again.
---
At first, it was subtle.
The sky, once bright and swirling, now darkened into deep indigo hues.
The light wasn't gone.
But it was changing.
And slowly—so did the mood.
John was the first to feel it.
The realization creeping in.
They had been walking for hours.
And yet—
Not once had they seen anything resembling a town.
A home.
A place to stay.
And worse—
His stomach tightened.
Because he felt it.
That hunger creeping in.
And by the looks of the others—they felt it too.
Finn's grin had faded slightly.
Aurora rubbed her arms.
Jake, always the first to voice things,
---
JAKE (grumbling, looking around)
"Okay. So. Important question—"
"Does anything here look edible?"
---
A pause.
A long, painful pause.
Aurora turned, scanning the glowing trees, the drifting rivers, the grass that pulsed when touched.
Then—
She exhaled.
---
AURORA (flat, deadpan realization)
"…We are so screwed."
---
Finn blinked.
---
FINN (muttering, thinking aloud)
"Maybe we don't need food in this world?"
---
Jake shot him a look.
---
JAKE (grumbling, sarcastic)
"Oh yeah, Finn. Let's just hope this world magically sustains us."
"Or. Crazy idea. We find food before we starve."
---
Sally sighed, stretching her arms.
---
SALLY (muttering, glancing at the sky)
"We should also think about where we're sleeping."
"I don't know about you, but I really don't wanna find out what nighttime looks like here."
---
King nodded slightly.
---
KING (practical, steady)
"Shelter first. Then food."
---
John took a deep breath.
They had spent the whole day in awe.
And now?
Now they had to think about survival.
He turned to the others, voice steady.
---
JOHN (calm, focused)
"Alright. We find shelter first."
"Something stable. Something safe."
"Then we figure out food."
---
Finn clapped his hands together.
---
FINN (grinning weakly, trying to stay positive)
"Welp. Time to build our first magical treehouse."
---
Aurora smirked slightly.
---
AURORA (teasing, nudging him)
"No jumping off it this time."
---
Finn snapped his fingers, sighing dramatically.
---
FINN (mock disappointment)
"You guys take all the fun out of survival."
---
Sally rolled her eyes.
Jake rubbed his stomach.
King glanced at the horizon.
And John?
John took one last look at the world around them.
Because despite the beauty—
Despite the wonders—
They were lost.
And soon.. night was coming.
---
The sky dimmed.
Not dark.
Not like night back home.
But something…deeper.
Like the light was tucking itself away.
Like the world was shifting into something else.
John exhaled slowly, scanning the terrain.
---
JOHN (calm, focused)
"Alright. Shelter first."
"Somewhere stable. Somewhere safe."
"Let's spread out and—"
---
FINN (grinning, interrupting)
"TREEHOUSE."
---
John blinked.
Finn clapped his hands together, already invested.
---
FINN (excited, bouncing slightly)
"Guys. Listen. I have thought about this a lot."
"Our first night in a magical world? We need a treehouse."
---
Aurora rolled her eyes.
---
AURORA (crossing her arms, unimpressed)
"Oh, sure. Let's just casually construct an entire house in a tree before nightfall."
---
FINN (grinning, shrugging)
"Exactly!"
---
Jake snorted.
---
JAKE (deadpan, sarcastic)
"Wow, Finn. I admire the realistic survival instincts."
---
Sally grinned, nudging Finn.
---
SALLY (teasing, amused)
"I mean, he's got the spirit, at least."
---
Finn beamed.
Aurora groaned, rubbing her temples.
---
AURORA (grumbling, shutting it down)
"No treehouse."
"We need something fast, not a luxury villa."
---
Finn pouted dramatically.
---
FINN (mock-offended, muttering)
"Crushing dreams left and right."
---
King, meanwhile, was already walking.
While they were arguing, he'd spotted something useful.
A natural rock formation.
Curved—almost like an archway.
Enough space for them to fit underneath.
King stopped, nodded slightly.
Then—he pointed.
---
KING (practical, blunt)
"There."
---
The others turned.
Saw the rock.
Jake let out a relieved sigh.
---
JAKE (grumbling, nodding)
"Yep. That works. Way better than Finn's treehouse nonsense."
---
Finn gasped, hand over his heart.
---
FINN (dramatic, offended)
"I literally did nothing to you today."
---
Jake shrugged.
---
JAKE (flat, unapologetic)
"That's just bonus points, honestly."
---
John shook his head, hiding a small smile.
---
JOHN (calm, nodding)
"Alright. Let's start setting up."
---
At first—it was chaos.
Aurora tried to arrange stones into a neat barrier—
Finn used them to build a dumb little fort instead.
Jake, grumbling the whole time, still helped collect anything useful.
Sally tried to make seating.
But when she sat on it—it collapsed immediately.
John, despite being the leader, had zero clue what he was doing.
Harry was the only one taking notes.
And King?
King was single-handedly making real progress while ignoring all of them.
---
FINN (dusting off his hands, proud of his tiny fort)
"Well. I'm done. Looks great, right?"
---
Aurora stared at it.
Then—she kicked it over.
The rocks tumbled.
Finn gasped, betrayed.
---
FINN (clutching his chest, devastated)
"Aurora. My masterpiece."
---
AURORA (deadpan, no remorse)
"It was stupid, Finn."
---
Sally, watching, snorted.
---
SALLY (grinning, shaking her head)
"You two are exhausting."
---
Meanwhile, King had actually built a wind-blocking stone wall.
A solid one.
Without any distractions.
John turned, blinking.
---
JOHN (blinking, surprised)
"Wait. How did you—"
---
King dusted off his hands, saying nothing.
Jake squinted.
---
JAKE (suspicious, raising an eyebrow)
"King. Have you done this before?"
---
King shrugged.
---
KING (calm, unreadable)
"Maybe."
---
They all stared.
Sally nodded, respectful.
---
SALLY (grinning, impressed)
"Alright, respect."
---
John exhaled.
Despite the chaos—they had done it.
A shelter.
Not perfect.
Not fancy.
But enough.
---
The group settled in.
Sitting against the stone, stretching out.
Finn flopped onto the ground dramatically.
---
FINN (groaning, exhausted)
"Welp. We live here now."
---
Aurora rolled her eyes, but smiled.
Sally leaned back, arms behind her head.
---
SALLY (soft chuckle, exhaling)
"Not bad, guys."
---
Jake huffed, shaking his head.
But he didn't complain.
John looked at all of them.
It wasn't much.
But it was theirs.
For the first time since arriving here—
They felt less lost.
Because they had done this together.
---
JOHN (soft, but certain)
"We'll be alright."
---
Aurora nudged Finn.
---
AURORA (teasing, smirking)
"Still mad about the treehouse?"
---
Finn sighed, staring at the sky.
---
FINN (mock-serious, dramatic)
"I will never recover from this betrayal."
---
Jake snorted.
King closed his eyes, resting.
Harry, silent as ever, wrote something in his notes.
And the sky—
continued shifting.
Slow.
Dreamlike.
A world full of impossibilities.
---
The sky dimmed further.
The fire crackled gently.
For the first time since they arrived—
They could finally sit down.
And more importantly—
They found food.
---
Jake stared at the bubbling soup.
Then at the pile of glowing fruit Aurora and Finn had insisted was safe.
Then back at the soup.
His stomach growled.
But his instincts screamed at him.
---
JAKE (grumbling, arms crossed)
"This still feels like a bad idea."
---
Aurora rolled her eyes.
---
AURORA (smug, taking a bite)
"Then don't eat. More for us."
---
Finn happily shoved a whole fruit into his mouth.
---
FINN (grinning, mouth full)
"Honestly? This is great."
---
Sally sighed, stirring the soup.
---
SALLY (muttering, unimpressed)
"If you two die, I'm not digging graves."
---
But nothing happened.
Aurora looked smug.
Finn kept eating.
And even Jake, after a long moment of silence, gave in and grabbed a bowl.
The food was warm. Comforting.
For the first time since arriving—
They felt like they had won.
But then—
The side effects kicked in.
---
[Unexpected Consequences]
It started subtly.
Finn blinked.
His **vision blurred—**then zoomed in way too close on Jake's face.
Aurora rubbed her temples, frowning.
Her hand missed her forehead completely.
Finn shook his head.
---
FINN (muttering, confused)
"Weird."
---
Then, all at once—
---
FINN & AURORA (simultaneously, panicking)
"OH NO."
---
Aurora's depth perception vanished.
She reached for the soup—missed entirely and grabbed Finn's face instead.
Finn screamed.
---
FINN (muffled, horrified)
"WHY ARE YOU TOUCHING ME—"
---
Aurora panicked, flailing.
---
AURORA (yelling, disoriented)
"I DON'T KNOW WHERE ANYTHING IS—"
---
She stood up too fast.
Immediately launched five feet into the air.
Finn also stood up.
And sprinted full-speed into a tree.
Jake watched.
Slow blinked.
Then turned to Sally.
---
JAKE (flat, unimpressed)
"So. They're dying, right?"
---
Sally took a slow sip of soup.
---
SALLY (calm, nodding)
"Oh, absolutely."
---
Meanwhile—
Finn was rolling on the ground, clutching his face.
Aurora was hovering upside down, spinning slowly.
John, overwhelmed, ran a hand through his hair.
---
JOHN (exasperated, trying to focus)
"Alright. Alright. What exactly is happening—"
Harry, completely unfazed, adjusted his glasses.
---
HARRY (calm, studying them)
"Mild hallucinogenic effects. Unstable gravity reaction."
"It should pass in approximately… ten minutes."
Jake narrowed his eyes.
---
JAKE (suspicious, arms crossed)
"How do you know that?"
---
Harry flipped a page in his notebook.
---
HARRY (completely deadpan)
"Because it's already happened to Finn three times."
---
Everyone turned to Finn.
Finn, who was still rolling on the ground, clutching his face.
Aurora, who was still floating, absolutely distressed.
Finn slowly lifted his head.
Blinking unevenly.
Then—
He grinned.
---
FINN (finger guns, completely disoriented)
"No regrets."
---
John sighed deeply.
Sally shook her head.
King, as usual, said nothing.
Just calmly, without hesitation, grabbed Aurora from midair and set her down.
She immediately collapsed into a heap.
Finn flopped beside her.
The two of them just lay there.
Questioning every decision they had ever made.
Jake sat back, arms crossed.
---
JAKE (smug, victorious)
"And this is why we don't eat magic fruit."
---
Aurora glared weakly.
---
AURORA (mumbling, half-conscious)
"Is that you, Jakey?"
---
Finn raised one finger.
---
FINN (face planted, loopy)
"Could be."
---
And with that—
They passed out.
---
Eventually—the chaos faded.
Finn and Aurora recovered.
The fire burned low.
One by one, they found their places.
Aurora, Finn, and Jake lay closest to the fire.
Sally and John leaned against the stone wall.
Harry, notebook in hand, sat near the edge, still writing.
And King?
King watched the world.
Silent.
Alert.
John glanced at him.
---
JOHN (low, quiet)
"You're not sleeping?"
---
King didn't look away from the open terrain.
---
KING (calm, steady)
"Someone should keep watch."
---
John nodded.
Because despite the beauty—
Despite the peace—
They still didn't know what came with the night.
Tomorrow, they would have to learn more.
Explore further.
(The Brothers & The Stars)
---
The fire burned low.
The others had finally settled in.
Finn and Aurora—**recovering from their fruit-induced chaos—**were already half-asleep.
Sally and King took their spots near the stone wall.
Harry was still scribbling in his notebook, but even he looked ready to rest.
Jake yawned, stretching his arms behind his head.
But as he glanced around—
He frowned.
John wasn't here.
---
Jake pushed himself up.
He wasn't worried—John wasn't the type to wander off blindly.
Still, it wasn't like him to be gone without saying anything.
Jake stepped away from the fire, heading toward the open field.
The night stretched wide around him.
Soft. Cool. Unreal.
Then—
He spotted him.
John sat cross-legged on the grass, idly skimming a pebble across the surface of a still pond.
Four skips.
Not bad.
He reached for another.
Jake shook his head.
---
JAKE (muttering, hands in his pockets)
"Figures. You get lost in a whole new world, and the first thing you do is throw rocks."
---
John didn't look up.
He tossed the next pebble.
Three skips.
Not as good.
---
JOHN (calm, amused)
"You here to check on me, or just looking for a free skipping lesson?"
---
Jake grinned, stepping closer.
Then, without hesitation—
He plopped down beside John, legs stretched out, hands behind his head.
He stared up at the sky, eyes tracking the impossible stars.
They flickered like whispers.
For a while—he didn't speak.
Then—
---
JAKE (muttering, half to himself)
"I wonder how big this world actually is… What do you think, John?"
---
John didn't answer immediately.
He grabbed another pebble.
Tossed it.
Three skips.
Not great.
---
JOHN (calm, amused)
"Depends. You asking just cause, or are you actually curious?"
---
Jake snorted.
---
JAKE (grinning, rolling onto his side)
"Why not both?"
---
John finally turned to look at him.
Jake was grinning lazily, but there was something genuine in the question.
John exhaled, watching the ripples fade in the water.
---
JOHN (thoughtful, shrugging)
"I don't know. Seems big enough, I guess."
---
Jake scoffed.
---
JAKE (mocking, dramatic sigh)
"Wow. So wise. So profound."
"I'm truly inspired, John."
---
John smirked.
Without a word—
He flicked a small pebble straight at Jake's forehead.
---
JAKE (yelping, swatting at his head)
"Ow! What was that for?!"
---
JOHN (grinning, relaxed)
"For being annoying."
---
Jake grumbled under his breath, rubbing his forehead.
But he wasn't actually mad.
The two of them sat there for a while, not talking.
Just listening.
The wind shifted gently through the grass.
The pond rippled softly.
The sky stretched endless above them.
Jake let out a long breath, sinking further into the grass.
---
JAKE (soft, almost drowsy)
"It's kinda nice out here, actually."
---
John hummed in agreement.
The stars above them flickered.
Somewhere in the distance, what sounded like an owl hooted.
It was… peaceful.
For the first time all day, they could just exist.
---
Unfortunately—
That peace didn't last long.
Because a familiar voice cut through the quiet.
---
SALLY (loud, unimpressed)
"Oh, come on. You two seriously snuck out here just to sit in the grass?"
---
Jake sighed deeply.
---
JAKE (grumbling, closing his eyes)
"Here comes Mom."
---
Sally crossed her arms, staring down at them.
---
SALLY (exasperated, hands on hips)
"It's late. We're in a world that literally messes with gravity, and you two are out here skipping rocks like it's some relaxing summer evening."
---
John chucked another pebble.
Five skips.
His best one yet.
---
JOHN (calm, unbothered)
"It is relaxing, actually."
---
Sally scoffed.
---
SALLY (deadpan)
"I swear you two have a death wish."
---
Jake grinned lazily.
---
JAKE (grinning, sitting up)
"What can I say? We like to live dangerously."
---
Sally didn't dignify that with a response.
Instead—
She grabbed Jake by the collar and hauled him up.
---
JAKE (yelping, flailing slightly)
"HEY—"
---
John stood up on his own, stretching.
---
JOHN (chuckling, amused)
"Alright, alright. We're coming."
---
Sally dragged Jake toward camp.
John followed at his own pace, glancing back at the pond one last time.
The ripples faded.
The night stretched on.
And for now—
Everything was still.
---
[The World Wakes Up]
The world was… still.
Not silent.
But calm.
The air was crisp, carrying the faint scent of something sweet and strange.
The sky above them had changed again.
Soft golden light shimmered overhead, shifting like a slow-moving river.
Aurora groaned, shifting in her sleep.
Unfortunately—she shifted directly onto Finn.
---
AURORA (muttering, still half-asleep)
"If Finn is floating again, I'm leaving him there."
---
Finn, barely waking up, let out a groggy noise.
It sounded somewhere between a grunt and a whimper.
---
FINN (rubbing his eyes, voice scratchy)
"Rude. Also, no, I'm not. But my legs are still tingly."
---
Jake, already awake, stretched his arms wide, cracking his back.
Then, he side-eyed Finn.
---
JAKE (grumbling, shaking his head)
"Serves you right for eating that mystery fruit."
---
Finn pouted dramatically.
He shifted, letting Aurora rest her head against his shoulder.
Not intentionally—just comfortable.
Aurora, half-asleep, didn't even move away.
---
FINN (mock-offended, mumbling)
"Excuse me. I was brave. I was curious. I was—"
---
AURORA (flat, unimpressed, barely awake)
"—loud. Tryna sleep here, Finn."
---
Finn snorted softly.
He leaned his head against hers, relaxed.
---
FINN (grinning, eyes still closed)
"Okay, okay. I'll be quiet."
"For like... five minutes."
---
Aurora hummed in approval.
Sally, already awake and stretching, glanced over.
She raised an eyebrow.
---
SALLY (amused, teasing)
"You two should just get married already."
---
Silence.
Zero reaction.
Aurora barely lifted her head.
Finn blinked once.
Then—both of them just sighed.
Like this was completely expected.
Jake, watching this, nearly lost it.
---
JAKE (grinning, shaking his head)
"No reaction. None. You guys are just accepting this now?"
---
Aurora yawned.
---
John, walking back from the trees, just blinked.
---
JOHN (deadpan, watching the chaos)
"I was gone for five minutes."
---
Sally shrugged,
---
SALLY (grinning, smug)
"Missed a lot."
---
---
Aurora slowly sat up, stretching.
Finn leaned back on his hands, yawning.
Sally, satisfied with her morning entertainment, clapped her hands once.
---
SALLY (mock-serious, hands on hips)
"Alright, fun's over. John's back. That means we gotta be responsible again."
---
Jake groaned dramatically.
---
JAKE (grumbling, stretching again)
"Ugh. Responsibility. Disgusting."
---
John exhaled, shaking his head.
Then—he tossed a small stone in his palm.
---
JOHN (calm, scanning the horizon)
"We should get moving. Find higher ground, see what's around us."
---
The others groaned but got up.
It was time to start figuring things out.
---
(That One Time King Regretted Talking to Harry)
The morning was slowly starting.
Sally was still teasing Finn and Aurora.
Jake was still laughing at their suffering.
John was focused on plans.
And King?
King was already thinking ahead.
Where to go next.
How to keep the group moving safely.
What to do if they ran into trouble.
That's what he was doing.
Or trying to do.
Because unfortunately—Harry was here.
And Harry had other plans.
King sat on a nearby rock, sharpening a small dagger.
He wasn't expecting anyone to bother him.
Which is why, when Harry plopped down beside him, watching closely, King sighed.
---
KING (not looking up, still sharpening his blade)
"Ya need something?"
---
Harry was silent for a moment.
Then—
---
HARRY (calm, nodding)
"Yep."
---
King waited.
Harry did not elaborate.
---
KING (finally looking up, sighing)
"Okay. What do you need?"
---
Harry tilted his head.
Then, with a completely straight face—
---
HARRY (deadpan, serious tone)
"Do you really think magic exists here?"
---
King blinked.
He was not expecting that.
---
KING (raising an eyebrow)
"You're asking me? Shouldn't you be asking John? Or, I don't know, Harry-the-guy-who-reads-everything?"
---
Harry shrugged.
---
HARRY (calm, thoughtful)
"John would give a practical answer."
"You would give a realistic one."
---
King paused.
Then, slowly, he set his dagger down.
---
KING (crossing his arms, smirking slightly)
"Alright. Fine. You want a realistic answer? Sure. It most certainly does exist here."
"But until I see something actually explode, I'm not betting on it."
---
Harry nodded.
Like he was genuinely considering that.
Then, after a moment—
---
HARRY (muttering, thinking aloud)
"So… if I threw Finn off a cliff and he started floating, would that count?"
---
King choked.
---
KING (staring, eyes widening slightly)
"What—"
"Okay, hold on. First of all—why is your first idea throwing Finn off a cliff?"
---
Harry shrugged.
---
HARRY (calm, casual)
"Scientific method."
---
King rubbed his temples.
---
KING (exhaling, muttering to himself)
"I'm gonna regret this conversation."
---
Harry grinned.
---
HARRY (grinning, leaning back on his hands)
"Hey, you chose to talk to me, buddy."
---
KING (grumbling, shaking his head)
"No. You chose to talk to me."
---
Harry paused.
Then—he tilted his head slightly.
---
HARRY (thoughtful, smirking)
"Huh. You're right."
"That is unusual."
---
King gave him a tired look.
---
KING (deadpan, sighing)
"I really regret this conversation."
---
The sun—**or whatever passed for a sun in this world—**was hanging low in the golden sky.
The air felt light. Crisp.
The land stretched endlessly before them.
And the group—**the very intelligent, highly capable group—**was…
Bickering.
Loudly.
---
FINN (grinning, gesturing wildly)
"I'm just saying, if magic exists, I should get first dibs on fire powers."
---
Aurora tilted her head.
---
AURORA (thoughtful, smirking slightly)
"Finn, wouldn't trust you with a candle, let alone actual fire."
---
FINN (mock-offended, gasping)
"Wow. No faith. None."
---
Jake snorted.
---
JAKE (grinning, elbowing Finn)
"Yeah, Finn. You'd light yourself on fire in two seconds flat."
---
FINN (smug, crossing his arms)
"Two? Please. I'd break the record at one."
---
KING (groaning, pinching the bridge of his nose)
"Can we not talk about setting each other on fire? It's morning."
---
SALLY (deadpan, smirking)
"You act like we ever have normal conversations."
---
Harry, who was casually flipping through his notebook, glanced up.
---
HARRY (calm, unreadable)
"For what it's worth, Finn, I do think you'd be great at fire magic."
---
FINN (grinning, proud)
"Thank you, Harry!"
---
Harry turned the page.
---
HARRY (calmly, still reading)
"Mainly because you'd explode immediately, which would be hilarious."
---
Aurora laughed.
Finn gasped.
Jake wheezed.
John—who had been actually trying to focus—sighed deeply.
This was his team. His chosen group of idiots.
King caught his expression,
---
KING (nudging John lightly)
"Regretting your life choices yet?"
---
John exhaled.
---
JOHN (dry, monotone)
"Every second."
---
[The Sudden Shift]
The group kept moving.
Laughing. Talking. Completely absorbed in their own nonsense.
And because of that—
They didn't notice.
Didn't notice the air grow heavier.
Didn't notice the sky stop shifting.
Didn't notice the land itself start to still.
Until—
The hum beneath their feet—
Stopped.
And everything fell silent.
Jake was mid-sentence when it hit him.
The wrongness.
He stopped walking.
The others kept going.
Until—Aurora hesitated.
---
AURORA (slowly, noticing the silence)
"…Wait."
---
John finally felt it too.
His body tensed.
His breath caught.
His heartbeat pounded once.
Then—
A sharp rustle.
Something moved.
Fast.
Hidden.
Watching.
Aurora grabbed Finn's sleeve.
---
AURORA (whispering, barely breathing)
"Did you see that?"
---
Finn nodded.
For once—he wasn't joking.
The others finally noticed the shift.
John's hand curled into a fist.
His voice was quiet. Steady.
---
JOHN (low, firm, serious now)
"No sudden moves."
---
The group froze.
The silence stretched.
The shadows in the distance shifted.
(The First Encounter)
---
The air was heavy.
The silence stretched.
John's heartbeat pounded.
Somewhere in the distance—something moved.
Not wind.
Not an animal.
Something fast. Small. Hidden.
Watching.
Aurora's grip tightened on Finn's sleeve.
Sally's eyes darted toward John, waiting.
Jake's posture shifted, muscles tensing.
Harry wasn't moving, but his eyes were sharp—tracking.
King stood just slightly in front of everyone, ready.
A sharp rustle.
John's fingers twitched.
Jake inhaled sharply.
King's stance adjusted slightly—prepared.
Then—
Something burst from behind the rock.
The group jumped back, startled.
Aurora squeezed Finn's arm, holding tight.
Sally half-raised her fists, ready to fight.
But—
The figure stumbled forward… and tripped.
Hard.
Face-first into the glowing ground.
Silence.
The group stared.
Then—
A tiny, muffled groan.
The shape sat up, dazed.
John blinked.
---
JOHN (uncertain, lowering his guard slightly)
"…A kid?"
---
The figure scrambled upright.
Now, they could see him clearly.
A boy.
Younger than John.
Maybe Jake's age.
His clothes shimmered slightly in the light.
His dark, messy hair stuck out in every direction.
His eyes—wide, startled.
But not scared.
No.
More like… surprised.
Like he wasn't expecting them to be here.
His gaze snapped between their faces, scanning quickly.
Then—
His stance hardened.
Not aggressive.
But defensive.
---
???: (quick, wary, defensive)
"Who are you?"
---
John hesitated.
He was expecting… something.
A creature. A threat.
Not another kid.
Definitely not a human.
The others didn't answer right away either.
Then—Aurora leaned towards Finn, whispering.
---
AURORA (hushed, confused)
"Okay, so, uh… do kids live here? Cause I was definitely expecting, like, monsters first."
---
Finn nodded slowly.
Holding her arm in case something bad happens.
The boy frowned.
His stance was tense. Defensive.
Like he was ready to bolt.
John knew that look.
It was the look of someone deciding if they needed to run.
Slowly—he raised his hands.
Palms open.
A sign of no threat.
His voice was calm. Steady.
---
JOHN (careful, steady)
"We're not here to hurt you."
---
The boy's eyes flickered with suspicion.
His fingers twitched at his side.
For a second—it looked like he might bolt anyway.
But then—
Harry stepped forward.
---
The boy's eyes snapped to Harry immediately.
His posture shifted—less defensive, more… analyzing.
Harry, meanwhile, was just watching him.
Not moving.
Not speaking.
Just thinking.
Then—he finally tilted his head slightly.
---
HARRY (calm, unreadable)
"You're alone."
---
The boy flinched.
Slight.
Almost unnoticeable.
But Harry saw it.
Jake saw it too.
---
JAKE (arms crossed, narrowing his eyes)
"What's a kid like you doing out here all alone?"
---
The boy didn't answer right away.
His fingers clenched slightly.
For a second—John swore he saw something flicker in the boy's eyes.
Like he was weighing his words.
Then—
His stance shifted just slightly.
A decision made.
---
???: (cautious, but answering)
"I live here."
---
Silence.
The group exchanged glances.
Aurora's brows knit together.
---
AURORA (uncertain, hesitant)
"You mean… in this area?"
---
The boy shook his head.
---
???: (firm, watching their reactions closely)
"Yes."
---
Finn stared.
Jake's jaw tightened.
Sally took a slow breath.
King's expression didn't change.
But inside, they were all realizing the same thing.
They weren't the first ones here.
John swallowed.
For the first time since they landed, his chest tightened for a different reason.
Not fear.
Not shock.
But realization.
This place—this world—
It might have people.
---
The boy stared at them.
Tense. Watching.
The group was just as tense.
No one spoke.
Then—Finn broke the silence.
---
FINN (whispering, side-eying John)
"Sooo… are we just gonna stand here, orrrr—"
---
John stepped forward. Carefully.
---
JOHN (calm, steady)
"You live here?"
---
The boy nodded once. Quick.
---
???: (firm)
"Yes."
---
Sally narrowed her eyes.
---
SALLY (folding her arms)
"You don't sound too sure about that."
---
The boy paused.
Just for a second.
Then—
---
???: (flatly, avoiding the question)
"It's my home."
---
Harry tilted his head.
---
HARRY (calm, studying him)
"How long have you been here?"
---
The boy hesitated.
Then—
---
???: (quietly, carefully choosing his words)
"A while."
---
Harry narrowed his eyes slightly.
That wasn't a real answer.
Aurora, standing beside Finn, studied the boy carefully.
Something felt strange.
Not wrong.
Just… off.
Like he was trying to answer them, but also… not.
Aurora exhaled softly, stepping forward.
---
AURORA (gentle, curious)
"What's your name?"
---
The boy paused.
Then, after a beat—
He relaxed.
Not fully. But just enough.
---
???: (nodding once, quickly recovering)
"Call me… Vey."
---
The group exchanged quick glances.
---
SALLY (bluntly, arms crossed)
"That your real name?"
---
Vey tilted his head.
Then—smirked slightly.
---
VEY (calm, amused)
"Would it matter if it wasn't?"
---
Sally narrowed her eyes.
Jake stepped forward now, impatient.
---
JAKE (flatly, arms still crossed)
"Alright, fine. If you do live here, then where exactly is here?"
---
Vey looked at him.
Then at the others.
For the first time, he hesitated.
Then—he shrugged.
---
VEY (calm, watching their reactions closely)
"It's just… this place."
---
Aurora frowned.
---
AURORA (confused, glancing around)
"You don't have a name for it?"
---
Vey shrugged again.
---
VEY (calmly, voice unreadable)
"Do you name every piece of sky you walk under?"
---
Silence.
That wasn't the answer they expected.
He was dodging the question.
Finn leaned toward Aurora.
---
FINN (whispering, half-joking)
"Is it just me, or is this guy kinda cryptic?"
---
Aurora nodded slightly.
Vey, meanwhile, kept watching them.
Then—he spoke again.
---
VEY (tilting his head slightly)
"You're not from here."
---
It wasn't a question.
The group stiffened.
Sally folded her arms tighter.
---
SALLY (carefully, avoiding specifics)
"We… didn't exactly plan on coming here."
---
Vey nodded.
Like that answer made sense.
---
VEY (calm, studying them)
"So you're lost."
---
John exhaled.
This conversation wasn't getting them anywhere.
But before he could say anything—
Vey's posture shifted.
His expression was unreadable.
Then—
He smirked slightly.
---
VEY (calm, tilting his head)
"Want to stop being lost?"
---
---
[A Strange Offer]
John didn't like this.
Something about the way Vey talked—like he already knew things.
But standing here got them nowhere.
So John exhaled.
---
JOHN (carefully choosing his words)
"What are you offering?"
---
Vey paused.
Then—he smiled.
---
VEY (simply)
"Follow me."
---
Silence.
John's stomach tightened.
Jake immediately stiffened.
---
JAKE (narrowing his eyes, skeptical)
"And why would we do that?"
---
Vey shrugged.
---
VEY (calmly)
"Because standing here won't help you."
---
Jake bristled.
Sally exhaled sharply.
Aurora bit her lip.
Finn looked between everyone.
King, who had been silent, finally spoke.
---
KING (calm, firm, watching Vey closely)
"And what's in it for you?"
---
Vey met his gaze.
For a moment, he didn't answer.
Then—
---
VEY (lightly, smirking slightly)
"Maybe I like company."
---
Jake scoffed.
---
JAKE (deadpan, unimpressed)
"Yeah. Sure."
---
John exhaled, glancing at the others.
---
JOHN (thoughtful, steady)
"Alright. Let's think this through."
"We don't know where we are."
"We don't have supplies."
"And Vey's the only person we've met so far."
"Thoughts?"
---
Aurora spoke first.
---
AURORA (thoughtful, hesitant)
"If he knows his way around, it's probably our best shot at finding food and shelter."
---
Finn nodded.
---
FINN (grinning, stretching)
"Yeah. Plus, it's not like we have better options."
---
Sally folded her arms.
---
SALLY (flatly, skeptical)
"Unless his idea of 'helping' is leading us into a death trap."
---
HARRY (calm, watching Vey closely)
"He's hiding something."
"Not necessarily in a bad way. But he is."
---
Jake grumbled.
---
JAKE (muttering, crossing his arms)
"So basically—could be helpful. Could also be a trap. Great odds."
---
King sighed.
---
KING (practical, serious)
"If he wanted to attack us, he wouldn't be talking to us right now."
"Still, we watch our backs."
---
John took it all in.
Then, he nodded.
---
JOHN (firm, steady, looking at everyone)
"Alright. Majority says we go."
"But we stay alert. If anything feels wrong, we leave."
---
The group nodded.
Vey watched them with mild amusement.
Then—he turned without another word.
And walked.
Not in a rush.
Not waiting for them.
Just moving forward.
The group hesitated.
Jake looked at John.
---
JAKE (grumbling, reluctant)
"You really sure about this, john?"
---
John pondered for a moment,
Then he spoke-
JOHN (quiet, steady)
"For now.. this is our best bet."
---
One by one—
They followed.
The glowing ground shifted beneath their feet.
The air hummed faintly.
And as they moved deeper—the world shifted with them.
---
[TO BE CONTINUED IN EPISODE 3]