The Fantastic World of Cerebrosus

Chapter 4

A riddle.

She was given a riddle.

The Tree of Wisdom gave Reza a riddle? She doesn't know if she should feel happy that she got an answer, insane because a tree spoke to her, or disappointed because she got a riddle. Riddles aren't something Reza partakes in. In fact, she despises riddles. They make her brain hurt in all the wrong ways.

Agitated but elated, she reaches the bottom step and searches for Alaqua. There weren't many tourists, but enough to where you have to scan the area to find who you are looking for. After a couple of minutes, Reza spots Alaqua at a food stall. Her lime green top and magenta bottoms make the woman's dark skin-pop. Her raven hair flowing down her backside and her tall stature helped Reza identify her.

Alaqua turns away from the food stand holding two pretzels, at least Reza thinks they're pretzels, and immediately spots her, almost as if she knew where Reza would be. They meet up and find a place to sit and eat their food. Reza slowly picks at her 'pretzel' and Alaqua notices the girl's displeasure. "Didn't I say not to be disappointed with what you heard?"

Side-glancing at Alaqua, Reza picks another piece and pops it into her mouth. The food in Cerebrosus may look out of character, but it always left Reza savoring every bite. She recounts Alaqua saying those words, but how did she know how Reza would react? Pushing those thoughts away for another time Reza responds with, "Yes, but I didn't expect this. I've never been good at riddles and I know nothing of this world, Alaqua. Will you help me decipher it?"

"No."

The statement makes Reza choke on her pretzel. "No?" She repeats. Clearly, Reza misheard the woman who has been kind and helpful ever since she arrived in Cerebrosus. Surely she would not refuse to help Reza with such a feeble request.

"No," Alaqua speaks again with a smile. "This is something you must figure out yourself. I will not be able to help you every single step of the way." Reza pulls a long face. Figure this out herself? Reza can't figure a riddle out alone. Seeing her sad appearance, Alaqua attempts to cheer her up. "Come, we'll go to the marketplace to fetch your stationary." With that, the two women follow the trail leading out of the area and toward the marketplace.

Writing on the blank parchment, Reza has doubts about this enchanted device. Hello? This is Reza. The paper sits on her desk doing nothing. She expected it to immediately fly away. Why wasn't it working? Grabbing the container in which the product came in, she attempts to read the words. However, the characters aren't something that Reza recognizes. She squints her eyes and stares harder, hoping that will make the characters recognizable. It doesn't so she ends up asking Alaqua for help.

The woman is in the kitchen cooking dinner. "You have to tell the parchment where you want it to go dear," she starts with a laugh, "inanimate objects can't read minds." Alaqua returns to her cooking. As Reza is heading back up the stairs, she bumps into Xander. They stare at each other awkwardly before silently passing by. Xander wasn't going to admit he was wrong. To him, Marlena was just an enabler. On the flip side, Reza refuses to say anything to Xander until he apologizes to Marlena. What he said was rude and uncalled for.

Once she is in her room, Reza tries the enchanted parchment once again. "Go to Marlena Miragrese." The paper rises from the desk folds itself into an origami letter, and bursts into sparks. Reza gasps in shock. That wasn't something she was expecting to happen. Not even five minutes later, she receives a response. Reza? I was just about to send you a letter! I'm so glad you found someone to help you out!  Reza smiles at her friend's response.

Yeah, Alaqua took me to get one after we had gone to the Tree of Wisdom.

You went to the Tree of Wisdom?