Jeremy Willson was… what one might call a bit of a nerd. Studying in Oakwood High, he had short black hair and wore glasses. He had rather average clothes and was a little shorter than the average teenager. As dedicated as he was to do his best in class, it never seemed to be enough… his parents were always telling him to do better, included socialising and making friends, or at the very least ‘try’ to do so.
When fellow students saw him, it certainly appeared like he had no friends…
Though this was not entirely true. No, he didn’t have an ‘imaginary’ friend (Though some would argue it might as well be one…) Heck, by some small luck, she was even a girl his own age- just… not from his own world. Was that really an issue? To make such a friend?
Jeremy had what people called an ‘interdimensional friend’… an association that went beyond normal space time. He would meet her in various places where their dimensions intersected randomly… they would chat, play a few games… it was as innocent as could be.
He had met her when quite young himself… a young girl by name of Eliza. They played a bit under the table of a restaurant, while their parents talked and ate- admittedly rather awkwardly in the strange buffer-zone… but Jeremy loved his new strange friend... and she seemed to like him. When the time came to leave, he was devastated that they might not see each other again…
However, with a bit of luck and fortune he continued to meet her and the two updated the other on their lives as friends did. When he heard what school she was going to, he tried to get into the same ‘intersecting’ school… in the hopes that they could still talk.
Somehow, by a miracle, this actually happened. A study hall became an interdimensional space.
Eliza was not at all human… with the lower half of a snake. A ‘lamia girl’ with soft blonde hair, and scales of grassy green, with curious golden intersections. She tended to wear a white summer top dress which covered her modesty. She was a teenager, the same age as Jeremy with small B-cup sized breasts and a rather pretty soft face. She was just as intrigued by humans as Jeremy was with her, so the two had struck up a very good friendship with each other.
“Funny how our schools connected like this,” The snake girl giggled. “I almost hope the Arbiters are intentionally allowing it just for us.” She sat down on a chair, a little awkwardly with her snake tail precariously balanced.
“Who knows why,” Jeremy chuckled just as giddy given he could see more of her. “I doubt they are doing it just for our sake. It’s probably coincidence… like all those other times.” They had met before in a shop and even in a restaurant occasionally… but now he could study with her here! People would never ‘want’ to come to an interdimensional study hall so… that was a bonus. It made his school more exciting. “So, what are you studying?” He asked.
“Eco-mancy… how to put magical energy from natural elements to construct spells,” Eliza explained. “It’s hard… never had a good brain for it. How about you?” She glanced to her human friend curiously.
“…the American Revolution.” Jeremy said with a sigh. There was no comparison on what would be more interesting. “Want to swap textbooks?” he laughed a bit.
Eliza felt a slight shiver go down her snake-tail. “Well- I mean- is- is that allowed? Your world doesn’t have any magic…” The girl asked with a slight gasp. “We don’t want the arbiters kicking us out. They might take away this room!”
Jeremy glanced around for the unseen ruler of this strange space though didn’t see anyone. “Well, let’s not worry about that. Did you bring your town map?” Jeremy asked.
“Oh- sure right here.” She took it out of her satchel. “One town map as requested.” She smiled curious what her friend wanted with it. With the scroll unfurled, Jeremy used his phone to quickly make a copy of it.
Eliza looked at the smartphone in awe. “Your wand is so powerful… I wish I had one of those.”
“Oh- It’s just a phone- a smart phone! Like a mini-computer.”
“Uh huh.. com..puter.. um… what are you doing with the map?” Eliza continued to look curiously. She slid her snake tail over, swaying her torso easily to a new position like a coiled… snake.
Jeremy showed the screen. “Have a look. By putting your map together with the map of my town… there we go!” Jeremy started to highlight areas where they appeared to be ‘similar’. “It’s weird how your town looks so much like mine…”
“Ah! I see. So now you can work out where our worlds probably mingle with the other… which rooms might link together… that’s really cool!”
Jeremy giggled. “Yeah It’s just like a video game!”
“Vid… game?” Eliza asked again confusion. “You humans have such strange words,” the snake girl smiled awkwardly. “But yeah, maybe we can meet up in other places. Know any common restaurants?”
Jeremy studied the map. “Looks like the mall might be a good place…”
“Oh- that’s the palace in my dimension,” said Eliza. “I’m not allowed in there…”
“What? A palace? With like- a king or Queen?”
“Yeah, Queen Mariana… she’s a sphinx. She reads the future.”
“Whoa! That sounds so cool!” Jeremy looked again at his phone. “Maybe if I give you my phone, you could take a few pic-“
There was an odd feeling as he said that. A cold feeling… not exactly ‘threatening’ but it came over both teens very suddenly. If Jeremy had to describe it, it would be like an old grandfather putting a hand on his shoulder, pulling him away from such a thought. “W-well- um- maybe that’s not such a good idea after all… sorry- I just don’t know all the rules…” He was disappointed of course. The presence left at that moment allowing him respite.
Eliza tried to comfort Jeremy. “Hey it’s alright! We got a place to study. I’d love to show you to all my other friends too! You’ll like them. They don’t believe I have a human friend either.”
“Are- are there humans on your world?”
“Oh sure! Maybe they are a bit different then you but human as human can be. If you ever find a way to my world, you’ll be welcome I’m sure.” Eliza nodded.
“If... I could… I would.” Jeremy sighed. Oh, how he wished it. He wished he could visit a magical world… see a Sphinx Queen… there would be mermaids… magic… and even a school to study such things. If only he could see it-
Eliza then took out another scroll from her satchel. “Here... I saw this painting of our world. It shows a rather normal day… its not as good as your photos but… I thought you might like it.”
Jeremy looked at it. The picture showed a group of strange people with … animal folk? A farmer that was a fox-person… rabbit-children running around, and even a large bear in the background. It was like something out of Alice in wonderland. Curiously he saw someone that looked a lot like Eliza with her snake-tail just… lazily lying down in the grass. “I can have this?” He wasn’t just asking Eliza… but the arbiter as well. He didn’t feel any tension this time.
Eliza nodded. “Of course! We can’t get you into the world, but we can bring some of it to you.” She giggled. “You’ve shown me a lot of things, who knows… maybe one day right?”
“Maybe… one day.”
