You Are My Home

one shot

Kiel Gnomenfoot was going home. He was going home and he was absolutely miserable.

It was strange that he'd only been in the real world — the nonfictional world — for a few months. To him, it felt like years. Meeting Bethany and Owen was the best thing that had ever happened to him. And getting to go on these amazing adventures with them had been exactly what he'd never known he was missing.

He stayed in the nonfictional world for a while, wanting something new. Wanting an adventure. A fresh start without the Magister or Dr. Verity in it. That was all Kiel had ever known. He'd gone on the quests with Charm, defeating villains again and again. His life would've stayed that way forever, too. If he hadn't met Bethany.

Kiel had only been certain of one thing his entire life, but ever since that fateful day, everything shifted. Without even knowing where the feeling had come from, he had felt this instant need to protect her. With her around, he started to see more possibilities in the world. There was so much more that he didn't know existed.

It was like his world had always been upside-down, and a certain redheaded girl had turned it right-side-up. He saw things more clearly. And after everything with the Magister came to pass, Kiel made up his mind. Bethany asked him if he wanted to help look for her father, also implying that he'd stay in the nonfictional world for as long as he wanted.

It was an easy decision. There were few things he was absolutely certain of, but as soon as Bethany asked that question, Kiel couldn't say no. He'd never met anyone like her, not anywhere on Magisteria. And he didn't want her to vanish from his life, not after she had brought such joy into it. Even back then, he knew that he would probably follow her anywhere if she asked. So he did.

He started attending Owen and Bethany's school, and that was only the beginning. It didn't take long for the three of them to become best friends. School was a whirlwind for Kiel to adjust to, as he barely understood it. There were math problems and essays and strange things called "lockers", but his friends got him through it. They walked together to classes and sat together during lunch.

Since Owen took the bus most days, Kiel often walked home with Bethany. He didn't know why, but he really enjoyed the few moments he got to spend alone with her. Being with her made Kiel feel like he could be himself. His true self. Not the boy that wore a mask of confidence, not the boy that hid his fears all just to keep his fans happy. And that was something he'd never really felt before.

At night and on weekends, they'd go to the library to search for Bethany's father. They jumped in books of all genres, and Kiel's eyes were opened even wider. There were so many worlds! How was it possible that he'd only known one thing all his life? It was crazy just to think about.

The adventures continued, going on and on. Each one brought danger around every corner, and Kiel loved it. Between Owen's knowledge of books and Bethany's determination, he was certain they would find Bethany's dad eventually. But after a while, the excitement started dimming. For Bethany, at least.

Kiel could tell that she was getting tired of it all. She was getting desperate. Kiel knew what it was like to look for a parent. He'd always been an orphan, and had lived on the streets for the better half of his life. Up until he discovered he was a clone of Dr. Verity, he'd searched and searched for his parents. There never were any leads, and even with magic he was unable to find anything about them.

But he didn't want that for Bethany. More than anything, he wanted to see the weight lifted from her shoulders. He wanted to relish at the sight of her beaming smile once she found her father. He'd had faith in her from the start; he knew she would find him someday. Kiel didn't even know if he'd be around when that happened, but he had to try to help her.