I rushed Dow the stairs in my night gown. Shoot! I woke up late, Wesley could be here any minute! I bumped into Evan on accident as I reached the last step.

"God morning Veronica..." Evan's jaw dropped slightly. "Who are you?"

Shoot I forgot I took my mask off! "Evan, it's me Veronica! Uh, there's a little something on your face." I pointed to blood that slowly ran down from his nose.

"Ah!" He quickly wipes it. "Where's your uh mask?"

"I'll put it on in a minute, after all, I do not want to be recognized!" I smiled.

I grabbed a piece of bread and slathered some butter on it. I then quickly ran back up stairs to get dressed. I put on some jeans and a white workers t shirt then proceeded to put my hair in a ponytail. I placed my mask on my face and was ready to go. A light knock came at the door from downstairs. I clipped my cape on and rushed back down the stairs.

Wesley stood at the bottom of the stairs grinning from ear to ear. "Ready to go shorty?"

I nodded and followed him out the door. "Be back by dinner!" I called to Evan who gave a thumbs up in response.

Wesley slowed his pace to walk beside me. "So I'm thinking first I show you some food stalls since I haven't had breakfast yet and the we can head to an armor shop since you see pretty interested in combat.

I nodded in approval. I got a good sense of their money system here after watching people exchange copper, silver, and gold. The problem was... if my calculations are correct... I have way too much money. We wandered various food stalls with some delicious food but one caught my eye. A wildly colorful and shiny thing wound its way around a stick. I pointed at it.

"You want that?" Wesley asked.

I nodded my head in response.

"Alright, I'll buy it for you." He smiled slyly.

I didn't see the point in him buying it since I was loaded but... whatever, free food. He handed me the colorful stick and I tentatively licked it. I thought it would be sweet but this was even sweeter than expected! I love it. I always had a major sweet tooth in my old life and I constantly snacked on candy while studying. My longing for candy only grew after I came to this world though since it was so hard to find it. I continued licking it without a problem.

Wesley looked at me confused. "You don't think it's too sweet?"

"Nope, not at all." I replied. "It's delicious!"

We walked around a bit more before Wesley stopped and got a turkey leg from a nearby stall.

"Next up is an armor shop!" Wesley exclaimed. "Onward on our journey!"

—————

The place Wesley took me was not what I expected. The place looked run down and cheap. I was expecting something a bit not high end. Regardless, I followed him in. Once I actually stepped foot into the shop I abandoned all thoughts of this place being cheap. Just by looking at it, you could tell all the armor was high grade. I looked at the prices... Oh. My. Gosh. This is how much!? I looked back at Wesley and glared, the hatred radiated off me. He just smiled and waved. I still needed armor though... I searched a bit more around the room until I found the bargain bin. I shuffled different chest plates and helmets and moved some unrecognizable stuff until I came across something. A rusty arm guard caught my attention. I picked it up.

"How much for this?" I called to the shop keeper.

"For that?" He looked at me weirdly. "For that you can have for free, all that was donated and that's just a piece of junk."

"Oh, alright." I waved off him basically calling me stupid for picking out a trash item. "Let's go Wesley!"

I walked out the door and Wesley tripped after me. "Are you sure that's all you want to buy shorty?" He asked. "It's just a rusty piece of metal..."

I shot daggers at him and I'm pretty sure he knew I was even though I had the mask on because he stepped back and stopped bugging me about it.

"So... where to next?" I asked.

"I dunno... I'm kinda hungry again." He smiled sheepishly.

We walked back to the food stalls area in search of something for Wesley to eat. A girl stood next to us when all of a sudden a man ran passed and took her money pouch.

"Help! He's got my money!" The girl pointed at the man pushing through the crowds and running away.

I took off the moment I heard the words. Running using my super speed I caught up in no time. I stood right in front of him and he crashed into me. I pinned him down with my foot and grabbed the bag holding it up. The girl came running to me surprised.

"That was so cool!"

I didn't speak a word as I handed her the bag. Was... was she blushing?

"Umm, can I buy you something as a thank you?" She mumbled shyly.

"Uh-" my words were cut off as Wesley came running to me.

"Hey, lets go!" He said as I noticed the roasted chestnut looking things that were bagged up in his hands. "I got something already!"

He noticed the girl blushing. "Well hello..." he flashed a smile at the girl and she blushed. "I'm Wesley, what's your name?" He asked flirtatiously.

"I-I'm Sandy." She stammered. "Uh what's his name?" She asked pointing directly at me.

Wait wait wait, did she call me a he!? I held back my laughter as much as I possibly could.

"He? I mean... his name is... Danny!" Wesley replied catching on that I wasn't going to say anything. "Uh, yeah."

The girl blushed even more, "Danny... that's a great name! Umm, bye Danny!" She smiled and skipped away happily.

"What just happened?" I asked through laughter. "She... she thought I was a... pft." I let out a giggle.

Wesley was laughing hilariously. "I-I think she likes you!" He managed to get out without laughing.

We walked home talking and laughing about the whole situation. The sun was setting as we arrived at the sword shop.

"Well, I guess I'll see you later!" I laughed. "How about we somewhere tomorrow?"

"Sure!" Wesley laughed. "How about the academy? It should be closed so nobody will be there! The perfect time to explore it."

"Sure, I can figure out where the classes are ahead of time I guess!"

We bid farewell and I walked inside to find Mr. Evan's sitting in a rocking chair reading a book.

"Hey Mr. Evan..." I said remembering last nights dinner. It was bread and cheese, just bread and cheese. "How about I cook dinner tonight."

"Sure, less work for me, but do you know how to cook shorty?" He asked.

I thought about the food I already cooked from my world. "Yeah, I can cook!"

I took out an egg and a cup of flour. I mixed them together creating a dough. I then got a large pot and filled it with water, I set it over the stove. They had stoves here? Right, I remembered back to Garrett explaining how the stoves had magic fire stones created by advanced fire elemental people. Garrett... my mind trailed off but I remembered the dough and pot. I quickly rolled the dough into a large square and cut it into strips. I gently laid the strips of dough into the pot, careful not to splash myself. I added the sauce on top of the noodles and served it.

"Dinners ready!" I called from the kitchen to Evan.

We sat at the dinner table and ate in silence.

"Wow. You can cook and you're pretty!" Evan claimed. "Soon enough some guy is going to steal you away! That's a shame that once you're married I won't be able to have your cooking. How about that Wesley kid huh? What do you think of him?"

"What about him?" I asked confused by everything he just said.

"You know... romantically?" Evan continued. "He's a nice kid and he's not half bad looking."

I spit out my food. "Uh eh... what!?" I was confused. I've never thought about anyone romantically before... I never had a boyfriend either. I was always so focused on academics I never really had time. I still probably don't have time. Nobody would ever want to be with me anyway. "I don't think I can do romance... I'm gonna head to bed early."

I trudged up the stairs. Mochi sat on my bed sleeping peacefully. I need to clear my mind. I put my cape and mask back on and opened the window. On my desk sat the bag of acorns I had gathered from the forest. I should get other types. I jumped from the window and on to the neighbors roof silently. I hopped from roof to roof using my super speed and made it to the edge of the city limits. I hopped onto the guard tower without anyone noticing. I had woken up a few months ago with the stealth power not knowing how I got it. A small circular tattoo of a bird sat to the left of the bunny one while a serpent to the left. I figured the same thing happened with the bunny except I didn't see it after. I also couldn't remember how I got a serpent tattoo... it happened the day after Garrett... I felt a sharp pain in my head as I tried to remember He events. Ugh my memory of that night isn't the best I just remember Garrett dying. My eyes stung as tears threatened to fall. I arrived at the forest. I looked for a good clearing to use as a testing ground.

"Let's see if my meditation has done anything." I said to literally nobody.

I thought back to only being able to grow a flower a centimeter a day when I first got my element. I looked down at the ground for a seed. Got one! I picked up a small acorn. This should work. I tossed the acorn in the air and willed it to grow. It sprouted. It had roots it slowly grew. I closed my eyes and added half of my mana to it. I opened them to see what happened. A large oak tree stood before me. I moved the branches until they created stairs leading to the top of the tree. I carefully climbed the stairs until I arrived on a branch platform. I looked out at the night sky and the stars.

"V?" A voice called from down below.

I peered of the edge only to find Wesley staring back up at me. Oh no... did he see? I didn't exactly want anyone to know yet. It would draw a lot of attention.

"Wesley? What are you doing here?" I called down.

"I saw you running around on the roof tops and tried following you here. What is that?" He asked pointing to the tree.

"Uh- well you see... I'm an earth elemental." I started not sure how to explain that I just grew the tree.

"Woah! Did someone help you? Do you know an advanced earth elemental? Did it take years and years? I bet it took a really long time. Did you re shape the branches to do that on the pre existing tree?" The questions flooded from him as if a dam had been broken. "Can I come up?"

"Sure?" I replied, relieved that I wouldn't have to explain all this to him.

He made his way up he stairs and sat on the platform with me.

"This should totally be our new hangout thing!" He laughed. "We just gotta get some blankets and a rug. Oh! Maybe even a mattress so that we don't have to sit on such hard wood! What do ya think?"

I smiled. "Yeah! We can get a mattress up here. This can be a secret hideout for us, but shouldn't you be in bed?"

"Eh- I snuck out my window so nobody will know." He shrugged. "How bout you?"

"Same." I thought about something I did once when I was little in my old world with one of my only friends. "We should tell ghost stories!"

"What's?" He questioned.

I guess they don't have those here. "They are basically scary stories."

"Oh!" He realized. "I got one! There once lived a boy. This boy really loved food. One night he snuck down to the kitchen for a midnight snack but when he opened the cabinet... THERE WAS NO FOOD!!! BWAHAHAHA!!"

I laughed at the stupid story. "Is- pft. Is that the bed you got?"

"What?" He smiled. "I thought it was pretty good! Are you judging me shorty?"

I tried to muffle my laughs but couldn't since my mask covered my face. "No I'm not judging you!" I giggled. "Okay okay okay. I have a good one! There once lived a couple who were not in the best financial state to say the least. The lady was in desperate need of a new leg or something to replace it. She always complained about the wooden leg that they got for her being itchy. Finally on her birthday her husband supposed her with a brand new gold one that he had been saving up for for so long. They lived happily together until sadly. The lady passed away. The man fell into a state of depression after that. He quit his job and drank more alcohol. When his pockets were empty and so was his liquor bottle he searched for a solution. He thought back to his wife and her leg. Although he didn't want to do it he needed the money. That night he dug up the grave and stole the golden leg. He sold it and that's when it started. Every night the man would here a knocking at his door. It would start out polite but eventually turn to loud banging. The man didn't answer and instead sat in bed awake and I'm able to fall asleep."

I looked to Wesley who was slightly shaking. I smiled.

"On the fifth night the man grew tired of the endless knocking. He finally got out of bed and went to answer the door. Nobody was there. All he heard where the words that echoed through his mind. Where is it? Why can't I find it." I paused for dramatic affect. "YOU HAVE IT!" I yelled pointing at Wesley.

He yelped and covered his head. "I-I'm not scared." He managed to get out.

I smirked. He glared. "What the heck kinda demented child hood did you have!?" He accused.

I looked down. You wouldn't believe it.

"Are you okay?" He asked noticing that the mood had turned sadder.

"I'm fine." I stated. I wasn't.

He looked up at the moon. "I should start heading home. I'll see you tomorrow."

I nodded as he climbed down the stairs. It was probably time for me to get home too. I hopped down the stairs and ran back home using super speed.