Our Mirrored World

Chapter Forty One - Places

“Here, it’s a magazine of places around her in Lander, I could bring you to a place that’s less crowded, but I think all of the places are less crowded because of the issues that have been going around,” Zarina raised the magazine before placing on the table in front of the bathroom.

“Of course walking around the city hall is not a good idea, there’s a lot of people there rallying for their rights,” She informed Luther, who summoned his wand to exchange the magazine with some book.

After he received the magazine Zarina allowed him to borrow, he flipped over some pages as the rustling of papers was the only thing that they could hear.

“Woah! Your city is so big, just like ours, but much bigger since you know, it’s another universe, but this city is not just the city in that world, right?” Luther tilted his head before gazing at Zarina.

She nodded at him before secretly smiling. Zarina was slightly proud because he remembered what she told him about her world and the basics.

“We have many different continents and a lot of countries that are more advanced and bigger than us, but you have to take expensive transportation to visit those places,” She said.

Luther whistled while shaking his head, “Sounds like a lot of different places to remember,” He claimed, to which Zarina agreed.

“Yes, that’s why humans can choose whether they adapt to everything or just continue to live at what they were just born with, it really depends on us if we want to learn more, but visiting places is a great distraction from stress,” She informed.

“Hm, so places around Lander, the bar looks shiny and loud!” Luther flipped the page and revealed it to Zarina.

She flinched before shaking her head, “Not there, it’s filled with numerous high humans, I'm not fit to be there,” Zarina mumbled.

“Why not? Look at their clothes they’re--” Luther stopped after seeing numerous handsome men dancing dirty with gorgeous women in less fabric clothing.

“Oh um, yeah, we shouldn’t be here,” He firmly stated before flipping the page to the other side.

Just thinking about Zarina dancing with him like that is making him think of thoughts he wouldn’t like to have. 

Plus, if Zarina went there in that kind of shiny, daring clothing, men would surely look at her for too long.

“How about the mall? It looks like it has a lot of places that we could look at,” Luther claimed before letting Zarina see what he just saw.

“Oh um yeah, we could go there, but that means, you have to dress so thickly that would hide all of your arms, legs, and your face is fine, I think?” Zarina pondered at her thoughts that confused Luther for a moment.

“What? Why? Isn’t that going to be too hot?” He claimed, so Zarina just sighed before crossing her arms against her chest.

“Well, there are also a lot of people there and sometimes they accidentally bump on you for some unknown reason, so you better um protect yourself,” Zarina mumbled while searching some pictures on her phone.

To reveal to Luther how many people are there in the mall, “See? If somebody accidentally bumped on you and you’re not prepared, it would be a problem if you will disappear right in front of them, it’s going to be a disaster,” She informed, which surprised Luther for a moment.

“I see, so I must get ready when I visit there, meh! I can just use magic,” Luther playfully winked, which made Zarina roll her eyes. 

“Will it be working? The mall?” Luther curiously asked while pointing at the numerous lights on the magazine.

“Ah, it will be alright, malls have the best generator, at least, that’s what my mom told me,” Zarina shrugged before gazing at Luther.

“Aside from the mall, there’s a place I would like for you to see, is it okay if I suggested the last place we will visit together here in my world?” She requested, which made Luther smile before nodding.

“Well it’s your world, in my opinion, human, you shouldn’t have let me pick,” Luther almost complained, so she just glared at him.

“I don’t know a lot of places, I don’t go out often, remember?” Zarina reminded him, which made Luther laugh.

“You have an out-going friend, Kirstin right? Maybe you should ask her,” He suggested, but she shook her head.

“Bad idea, she would continuously ask me why I have to ask about places, she might even assume I’m going with someone and she’ll tell my parents about it, right, I should call them since I already have recovered,” Zarina mumbled before taking out her phone.

“What?! Do you mean you haven’t told them yet that you got sick? Jeez, why can’t you always tell things to your parents?” Luther wondered, which made her sigh.

“Parents don't know how to not overreact, they tend to overthink the worst of the cases as possible,” Zarina bit her lower lip before shifting her gaze at him.

“But there is one place I always wanted to go ever since I arrived here in this city, it reminds me of the province I lived in before, I’ll take you there,” She added before dialing her parent’s number on the phone.

She gestured to Luther to be quiet, so he understood what she meant and floated around his house while listening to her conversation.

[Sweetheart? Why did you call? Is there something wrong?] Jane worriedly asked on the other line, this is what she was talking about.

She isn’t saying anything yet and her mother is assuming that something was wrong, but her mother is mostly right, she only calls if something happens.

[Is that our daughter what’s wrong--Barnus! Would you please be quiet? I'm trying to speak with her!] Jane complained before rolling her eyes, [Sweetheart? Wait a  moment, I’ll put you on speaker,]

“Mom, I’m alright, I just wanted to inform you that I got a high fever and now I’m in full recovery, I didn’t call because I was too sick to inform you and I don't want you guys to worry,” Zarina exhaled a lungful of air before biting her lower lip.

She gazed at Luther, who was making funny faces in the mirror. She rolled her eyes because he was being childish before listening to her mother on the other line.

[What? Are you sure you’re alright now sweetheart?] Jane worriedly asked, so Zarina answered yes, she sighed in relief before smiling.

[Thank goodness for that and thank you for telling me darling, it means to us that you’re telling us these kinds of things,] Jane happily informed her.

“No problem mom, you’re my parents, you still have the right to worry about me,” Zarina didn’t realize that she was smiling after saying those words.

Luther witnessed it once more as he looked pleased with what Zarina just said, [Well now that you truly sounded like you’ve recovered, there’s nothing for you to worry about Barnus!] Jane raised her tone like she was warning her husband.

[No! I’m going to check up on her!] Zarina heard her dad on the other line, a little far from the phone, [There’s no freaking train so come back here!] Jane screamed on the other line, so Zarina placed her hand on her forehead.

“Is dad trying to go here to check up on me?” Zarina curiously asked, so Jane just sighed before nodding even though her daughter couldn’t see her.

[Yes sweetheart, but I managed to stop him, there’s nothing for you to worry about,] Jane reassured.

Zarina heaved a deep long sigh before scratching the back of her head, “Well please stop him from going, I don’t want him to stress out himself, I’m fine, I even went to work a while ago,”

[I will, sweetheart, so go now and take a rest because I will deal with your father,] Jane firmly informed.

[You’re not going to make scrapbooks with me later Barnus! I swear you’re getting on my nerves!--] The line was cut off before Zarina could even say goodbye, she just sighed before texting her mother and father to be safe.

“Looks like it didn’t go that well,” Luther commented after Zarina sent the message to her mother and father.

“Well yeah no, my father overreacted and tried to come here even if the trains aren’t working, he just wants to check up on me,” Zarina mumbled before shaking her head.

“Sounds like he cared so much about you, human, just like me, he must be handsome like me too,” Luther claimed, so she rolled her eyes at him.

“Well, let’s proceed to you, aside from the mall, where else would you like to go?” Zarina asked before she leaned on the space in between the bathroom door.

Luther flinched before summoning the magazine again, “Um, I haven’t chosen anything yet,” He honestly admitted.

Zarina gazed at the ceiling for a moment before smirking, “Maybe we should go watch a movie, we had something here called cinema where we could watch movies on a big screen,”

Luther looked confused at what she just said, “Movies? Sorry, I know you explained that before, but I still don’t get it,”

“Movies! You know a motion picture that tells stories, different kinds, romance, actions, comedy, horror, and many more,” She simply explained, since if she gets too deeply it might be a whole night's discussion.

She noticed that it’s getting late too, “But you’ll find that out soon, I may have the day off tomorrow since the boss is going to fix the generator again,” Zarina furiously sighed while scratching the back of her head.

She hates that their work is getting affected by the crisis, it’s stressful enough during the normal days and this outage just made it even worse.

“Maybe we could go there tomorrow if you want,” She stared at him, “Are you free?” Zarina added, so Luther’s eyes widened.

“I thought we were going to wait for a week or something?” Luther tilted his head at her, but she just shook her head.

“About me getting there, we have to wait for a week, but if you’re free tomorrow since I’m also free, you could go here since you’re the one who’s going to get sick, not me,” Zarina coldly stated, which made him laugh.

“Human, that’s just so cold!” Luther continued laughing until he stopped because he just realized that Zarina was glaring at him.

He raised his hands in defeat, “A-Alright! Of course, I’m free! Oh my wizards! I’m going there tomorrow! I can’t wait!” Luther excitedly cheered before he floated around his place.

Zarina secretly smiled while watching him, she could also tell that tomorrow is going to be a great one.

Since it’s the first time that she’ll be going out with someone that she knows, personally? She shrugged before proceeding to take a bath to rest for the night.

***

“So are you ready?” Zarina curiously asked before Luther summoned his wand; he didn’t summon any trees since Zarina has two in her apartment.

She has already taken a bath and now she’s dressed in her casual clothing, she woke up early for this day and they both have already eaten breakfast.

“My handsomeness is so ready for this,” Luther bit his lower lip before smirking. He's excited to find out what humans do for fun, the things they do, and the places they go.

Knowing this would mean he might get closer with Zarina too, “Okay, I’m going to step away so that you could come here peacefully,” Zarina informed as she stepped away from the mirror.

“Alright, on the count of three, one, two, three!” Luther chanted a spell as a blinding light appeared once more.

Zarina closed her eyes as she heard a weird sizzling and crackling sound coming from the bathroom, what was that about? She thought.

“Hello there, Zarina,” She heard someone speaking to her on her front, so she slowly opened her eyes and was surprised how close Luther was from her face.

“L-Luther! Back away!” She stepped back and unfortunately, she lost her balance because of her slippers that were scattered around the apartment.

Luther immediately summoned his outfit that he’ll be using for that day to protect himself from direct contact with humans and caught her waist.

He almost gasped as it was as tiny and soft as what he imagined it to be, “Are you alright? Sheesh, you have to be careful,”

Zarina deeply sighed while she watched Luther help her stand firmly, she could even feel her ears heating up because of what just happened.

“There you go, it’s nice that you keep falling for my presence,” Luther playfully winked, so Zarina glared at him.

“Stop fooling around or we will not go out!” She raised her voice before turning her back on him as she tried to calm herself down.

“Oi! Let’s go human! Let’s not waste time and go to the mall and anywhere as long as I’m with you!” Luther followed her and bugged her until Zarina was almost at the peak of her patience.

Deep inside, she was beyond overjoyed that Luther was here in her world.

To be continued…