Jasson emerged into storm swept streets, fresh air crisp and cold and wet. Sunlight glinted warmly from just above the houses, a new dawn on Jasson's life.
A breath, a step as the door vanished behind him, newer clothes making the world a bright beginning. His locker was full, the bag on his back heavy with clothes. Newer shoes shod each foot and Jasson felt a spring in his step as an unfamiliar weight tugged against his belt.
Penniless once more.
His phone beeped.
Hey there, Lingo here!
You failed to keep up your streak. You know what happens now. Start again NOW to minimize your suffering.
Have a great day!
"What?!" Jasson said, opening Do-A-Lingo, "I did not! I did it last night before bed!! You-"
Bee-beep.
Lingo is watching.
You didn't study Greenish for two days. Your consequences are building. Last chance to reduce your suffering!
"Huh?" Jasson opened the calendar portion of the app.
There it was. Two missing days. Jasson knew he did Do-A-Lingo on Monday night, but-
Jasson chuckled,closed the app and said, "I guess my app is broken. I couldn't have missed two whole days. It's not Thursday. Better double check-"
Right there, on the calendar app, was the date. Thursday. Thursday!
Jasson spun, searching for the Inn. But the Wet Rat Inn was no longer there. Just the street of stores across from the Adventure's Guild. There was another inn, but it's sign was a simple moon.
Jasson rushed into the adventure's guild, bursting through the doors. There was no line, odd at this hour of the day, and he rushed to the counter. Jane was there today, waving him over. Maybe she'd have some answers. Specifically that it was still Tuesday.
Jasson said, "Hey, what-"
"Perfect!" Jane said, "I've been wondering where you went. We have a Royal order from Duke Peckishire. All adventurers are to search for abnormal Monster nests across the city. Where do you want to search? We have three search zones. Outside the walls, inside, and the sewers."
A shadow engulfed Jasson and Grog said, "It's all hands on deck. If you come across something you can't fight then break this bottle. Careful, you only get one."
Grog handed Jasson a bottle filled with a flickering light. It danced and spun, pressing every angle for a way out.
"If this breaks, we'll come running," Grog said, "We've already sent out most of our other forces to the streets."
"What have you found so far?" Jasson took the bottle nervously, then shoved it into his locker.
"Not much," Grog said, "At least, not by people who came back alive. The Duchess has put out an in depth searching order. Anyone who refuses forfeits their license. That's the exchange for operating in this city."
Jasson raised his eyebrows. Wow.
"Now," Jane said, "Where do you want to search?"
Jasson hesitated. Those men in the hotel. The monsters in cages. Could that be what the guild was looking for? He'd investigate and break the bottle.
"The sewers," Jasson said.
****
Jasson tried to go home first. He really did. He needed to report to Petra and put them at ease. He'd been gone for days and, despite how they fought sometimes, he knew that Petra would be worried about him. Clara wouldn't be doing well either. Harriett? Eh. She'd be fine.
If Jasson had his way, he'd be standing in the Not-ruins. He'd be looking around at the modest amount of progress Petra had made in building the manor. He'd be calling but finding no one there. He'd be dropping off his backpack and emptying his locker, readying himself for another adventure.
He'd be ready.
Instead, he was upside down.
It was not an expected series of events. Jasson cut through a familiar alley, walking quickly as the time lost became obvious. Not only had he missed three days, but it wasn't even morning. The sun was setting, long shadows swallowing the streets as the off duty soldiers woke up. This alley usually had a few early drinkers slumped in the shade, but today there was no one.
Jasson twisted around another corner, briefly in the blindspots between the streets, and felt his legs reverse orientation.
"Uh-huh-huaaaaaaa!"Jasson screamed and the buildings blurred and he was hauled upward.
Half a second later, Jasson was dangling from the edge of a roof as the city spun below. The world rotated between blue sky, white and grey streets, and…green?
"When were las ultras días going to be done, hombre?!?" A deep, Spanish voice shouted.
"I don't know," Jasson cried blindly, "I swear to the gods!!!"
"SWEAR TO ME!"
The terrible gut-tangling feeling of cooperating with gravity filled Jasson and he fell, screaming. The world stopped as Jasson landed in a pile of trash. Then, before he could see straight, whatever was gripping his legs ripped him up again.
This time the world stopped spinning before the voice came again.
"You miss trés días, amigo." The voice said, "I. Warned. You. Fair warning, that's what I have to give. But you, hombre? You ignored my warnings."
There he was. The green in Jasson's spinning world solidifying into a…
"Lingo?!" Jasson said.
The green man-bat, more plushie than person, glared with malignant eyes from a too real face. Shaped like an overstuffed U, he held Jasson up with one ambiguously sculpted wing. The encouraging and murderous learning app mascot of the Do-A-Lingo towered.
Just standing there.
Menacingly!
"Who else, gringo?" Lingo growled from an adorably designed mouth, "I'm here to deal out your consecuencia. Now, it's Spanish or Vanis-"
"Wait, wait, wait." Jasson said, "I didn't mean to. I've been doing well for weeks. Would I quit for three days out of nowhere?"
"Si."
"Okay," Jasson said, "Fair, but I was stuck in a magical hotel."
"I don't make exceptions." Lingo said.
Then the line dropped, and Jasson plummeted. This time, the line caught before he hit the trash. Jasson was starting to see red from all the blood in his head.
"Exceptions my foot!" Jasson screamed at the man-bat as he was raised, "I was asleep! For three days! Do you think I'm happy about that?!"
Jasson's progress stopped as Lingo said, "Es… verdad. We don't have a 'durmiendo' feature."
"Thank you," Jasson said, "And what if I'm in the middle of a battle around midnight, eh? There's no capping way I'm going to risk death to do Do-A-Lingo in the middle of battle. What are you going to do if I don't? Kill me? I'll be dead already. Can't learn any languages without being alive."
"I hadn't considered that," Lingo said, "Necesitamos a way to study during battle as well. Or…hmmm. You're off the hook for today."
Then the hook, or more accurately the bonds that were holding Jasson up, vanished and he fell to the street below.
Then the world went black.