TwoKinds: Dimensional Catastrophe

Part 19: Dimension J19

Trace Where are we now? Why didn't that fall hurt? And why do I feel so...numb?
Kyle Welcome to J19, where the world takes on a...realistic approach.
Raine What do you mean?
Kyle This world is--sorry--"null and void" of any mythical creature.
Sythe You mean-
Kyle No Keidran, no Basitins, no dragons... Just humans.
Flora How are we supposed to blend in?
Kyle Uh, make camp here. No, a little further from here. Keep out of sight.
Trace What about me?
Kyle Oh, you can come with me.
Raine What about me?
Kyle Hmm, maybe with thick robes...
Sythe They get to go!? While we stay here!?
Flora That's ridiculous! I hate this dimension!
Trace Just try to blend in, okay? For me.
Flora Oh alright. For you. *lick*
Trace See you later.

Trace, Kyle and Raine headed to the nearest village. Meanwhile, the others walked in the opposite direction to set up camp.
At the village...

Trace Something's familiar about this village, but it's also...odd...
Kyle This village looks like an amalgam of Edinmire, Eversummer, Wreathwood and Martholm.
Trace A what?
Kyle A combination of villages.
Raine Do I have to wear this? It's heavy and I'm getting hot under it.
Kyle You want to blow your cover?
Trace Hey, isn't that the Riftwall East Tavern?
Kyle I think so. And that's the Pinewood tavern?
Trace I think this is a combination of towns.
Raine I can barely stand in this thing.
Trace Alright, alright, let's go inside...

Inside the Riftwall East Tavern...

(synchronized)
Kyle This is strange, a world where not only mythical creatures never exist, but every village Trace gone to had collided to form a solod town. Wonder what it's called... Hmm, Edinmire, Eversummer, Martholm, Wreathwood... Many possible combinations... Yet it looks...modern...
Trace This is pretty weird... Everywhere I've been to, but nobody here is familiar to me. I wonder how the others are... Why do I feel like I'm being...stared at? I'll ignore it for now. Oh, here comes the waitress...

??? Hello.
Trace/Kyle Hi.
Raine Hey...
??? 2 I'm Maeve, and I'll be your waitress today.
Trace Wait, your name's Maeve? Daughter of Adira?
Maeve 2 Have you heard of us before? Strange for tourists... Anyway, can I start you with drinks?
Trace Uh, water for all of us.
Kyle I would rather have vino.
Maeve 2 Uh, okay... I'll be back...
Trace Where was her fur?
Kyle I told you: Keidran and Basitin don't exist. Everyone that was either one or the other are human here...
Raine Can't I at least take off the hood?
Kyle Then people will see your ears...
Raine Ugh...
Maeve 2 I'm back, but we don't have "vino."
Kyle You don't have wine?
Maeve Oh, wine.
Kyle The cheapest you got, but not the weakest...
Maeve Okay, I'll be back.
Trace I'm freaking out...
Kyle <Calm down... It's fine... Everything's fine...>
??? 2 Hello.
Trace Adira?
Adira 2 Ah, so you have heard of us. So, sir, you asked for wine?
Kyle Yes... You don't have it?
Adira 2 Unfortunately, but there's some at the Pinewood tavern a few blocks from here.
Kyle Not even vin ordinaire or vin da table?
Adira 2 I haven't heard of those, sir. How about some ale?
Kyle I'm not an alky like most folk...
Adira 2 Uh... Whiskey?
Kyle Usquebaugh never satisfies me.
Adira 2 Liquor?
Kyle Firewater's bad for me.
Adira 2 Rum?
Kyle ...Maybe some grog.
Adira Very well.
Maeve *giggle* A picky drinker, you are...
Trace "Alky?" "Firewater?" "Usquebaugh?" "Grog?"
Kyle Modern terms.
Trace Nobody uses those yet.
Kyle I know, I know...
Raine Do you want us to get caught?
Kyle We can leave whenever we want; we just get the others and go.
Trace Then what's holding us back?
Kyle Thirst? Empty stomachs?
Raine *whispering* Can we even pay for this?
Kyle I can.
Adira 2 Can what?
Kyle Nothing, ma'am.
Adira 2 Oh, okay. Here's your beverage.
Kyle Thanks.
Maeve 2 I can take it from here, mama.
Adira 2 If you say so...
Maeve 2 Anything to eat?
Kyle No menus?
Maeve 2 Just whatever we can make with our inventory of our finest food and ingredients.
Kyle Do you have chicken Kiev? Or chicken-fried steak?
Maeve 2 I think so.
Kyle She'll either have steak tartare, steak Diane, or steak au poivre.
Maeve 2 Alright...?
Kyle And this gentleman will either have potato salad or just a salad. Here's a list of the orders and their description. You may choose the ones you think your cooks can easily make.
Maeve 2 Oh, thanks? I'll be back. Food will be done as soon as possible.
Trace Thanks, Maeve.
Maeve 2 You're welcome, sir.
Raine Why does your generosity sound so-
Kyle Aggressive? Like Red deals things confrontational, I speak belligerent and curmudgeonly.
Trace You don't have to speak that way, even if you live similar to that.
Kyle I'm that in the inside, forced and coerced by friends, family and strangers alike.
Trace Really?
Raine Don't be so silly.