Chapter 1: New World

  Mason and Torius find themselves walking on a dirt road towards a large town on Megalo.

  Mason: So, what's this town called?

  Torius: Hjarta Steinn. It is in the heart of Midgard.

  Mason: This planet must be based in Norse mythology.

  Torius: Only this continent, really. So much so that its name is “Norse.”

  Mason: What're the other continents like?

  Torius: I don't know. I only ever visit Norse when I come here... The apartment shouldn't be too much further from here.

  Mason: Cool... What's this town like?

  Torius: It should be just like any town you're familiar with, just without the cars and asphalt roads. Hjarta is the center of travel in Norse. The trains here run to every town on the continent, except for Svartalfheim and Alfheim.

  Mason: Why's that?

  Torius: They're out in the ocean. Anyway, we're here.

  The men come across a three story tall, brick structure with the numbers 1308 over its dark, wood door. Torius walks inside first and Mason follows. They're immediately met with a carpeted staircase on the left and a white door to the right. Underneath the stairs, there rests a washer and dryer with a table holding two baskets next to it. They walk up the stairs to the third floor and Torius pulls out a copper key with a “3” etched into it.

  Torius: Would you like to do the honors?

  Torius gives Mason the key, he unlocks and opens the door, and they walk inside the apartment and are met with a kitchen on the right. The counter-tops in the kitchen are made of granite. On the left side of the kitchen, there's a bar with two metal and leather seats behind it and five cupboards above and below it. The middle of the kitchen has a dishwasher on the lower left side, four cupboards above that are parted by a window with the sink under it in the middle, two cupboards in the lower middle, and an oven on the right. On the right side of the kitchen there are five cupboards above, three cupboards below, a fridge on the right, and a microwave and toaster on the counter. The kitchen floor is made of a cloudy, white marble. On the left wall, outside the kitchen, there's a calendar that's pinned to the wall with a pen attached to it,. The monthly picture is of a white rose and the month it's turned to is January.

  Mason: What day is it?

  Torius: The 31st. Happy birthday.

  Mason: Last time I checked, it was 2046. This says 1398.

  Torius: That Is the current year here, of course. Which reminds me, your body in this world started growing eighteen years ago. Thus, your birth certificate states that you were born in 1380.

  Mason: Where would that be?

  Torius: In your desk... In the living-room.

  They walk past the kitchen and into the living-room. Between the kitchen and living-room, there's a short hallway. There's a big window on the right wall of the room with a cushioned chair under it. At the opposite end of the deep red carpet, there's another chair, mirroring the first. A wood and glass coffee table stands in the center of the carpet and a soft, blue couch rests in front of the table. At the middle of the front wall, there's a 52 inch TV on a short, wood cabinet. The brand name on the TV reads “Odin Tech.” A mahogany desk rests in the left corner of the room with a chair on wheels in front of it. Mason walks up to the desk and takes a phone from it, which has “Odin Tech” on the back of it.

  Torius: That is the latest flat-screen phone. Quite fancy.

  Mason: What's my number?

  Torius: It's the same as before.

  Mason: Gotcha.

  Mason picks up a white debit card with a black star on it from the desk.

  Torius: Black Star Bank is one of the most trusted banks on these worlds. You currently have one hundred thousand dollars in your checking account.

  Mason: How's the inflation rate?

  Torius: Same as on Earth.

  Mason: A good three to five years of rent.

  Torius: Rent? No. You own this apartment.

  Mason: I do?

  Torius: In this world, “Rent” is a foreign concept. Can't buy it? Make it yourself.

  Mason: What about water and electricity?

  Torius: That's taken care of for the first year. You'll get billed after that.

  Mason: People still borrow stuff?

  Torius: You'd have to ask the locals.

  Mason: Hmm.

  Mason opens the desk's drawer. There are pencils, blank papers, and a birth certificate inside. He closes the drawer and puts the phone and card in his right pant pocket.

  Mason: Is there a police station here?

  Torius: There's a Guard Post in the center of town. They do the policing around here. If you need quick money, they post bounties every month for more evasive criminals.

  Mason: Anyone can just pick up a bounty?

  Torius: As long as you're brave enough.

  Mason walks into the hallway and is met with one door on the left, right, and center.

  Mason: Three bedrooms?

  Torius: Two beds. One bath. Your things are in the room on the left.

  They walk into the left room. There's a queen-sized bed next to the door and a reach-in closet opposite the bed. Mason opens the closet. There are ten black and white shirts and pants hanging next to nine coats of nine colors. At the bottom of the closet, there's a pair of dress shoes, sneakers, and boots.

  Torius: The other room mirrors this one, just without the clothes. The bathroom has the toothpaste and shower supplies you like. The fridge and freezer are stocked with your usual meals.

  Mason: Thank you. This is perfect.

  Torius: Of course. Do you have any further questions?

  Mason: Uh... Who's the president?

  Torius: In Norse, there's the king of Vanaheim, Amadeus Unger, and the queen of Asgard, Astral Dreemurr. They rule this land together, but the people vote for the laws. Which reminds me. Most of the people in this world were born here and know nothing of Earth. Officially, you migrated here from Manus and got your GT to stay here.

  Mason: GT?

  Torius: Golden Ticket.

  Mason: Oh. Like a green card?

  Torius: Exactly.

  Mason: So, I shouldn't get too specific with my past?

  Torius: Yes, and thank you for your understanding. Anything else?

  Mason: I think I'm all set. I'll go find work tomorrow. Thanks again for all this.

  Torius: Of course. Now, I must go back to work on Manus. Live well.

  Torius extends his hand towards Mason.

  Mason: I, uh, don't do that.

  Torius retracts his hand.

  Torius: Oh, I remember. Mild aphenphosmphobia. Well, farewell.

  Mason: See you.

  Mason walks Torius out of the apartment before closing and locking the door.

  Mason: (Something odd about that guy)

  Mason walks to the couch and takes a seat. He then starts watching the news.

  Mason: (This place is so weird. It's like I've stumbled into some chiral world. Who knows? Maybe I'll find some purpose here. Maybe...)

  Mason spends the rest of the day at his new home. In the morning, he leaves the apartment and walks to the center of town, where the structures form a big circle. He finds a blue and black structure with metal lettering above it that says “Guard Post.” He then walks through the double, glass doors in the front and is met with a waiting area to the left, a help desk in front, and a door to the right of the help desk. A guard with white skin and dark hair sits behind the desk.

  Mark: Can I help you, sir?

  Mason: I just moved here and I'm looking for some work. I hear that contracts pay well.

  Mark: Not this month's. They're expecting people to take half the pay for the same amount of work.

  Mason: (Figures that happens just after I get here) Any open guard positions?

  Mark: We've got plenty of guards, but we could use some more detectives.

  Mason: I could do that. What do I have to do?

  Mark: You just have to solve a case. Tell you what, we have a girl in the visiting room who broke into the cake shop at the other side of the town center. If you can get her to confess, I'll get you that job.

  Mason: Do I need a pass, or something, to get back there?

  Mark: No, but...

  The guard opens a drawer and pulls out a copper badge.

  Mark: Take this junior detective's badge, just in case the others ask any questions.

  Mason attaches the badge to the upper-left side of his coat.

  A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  Mason: Thanks. I'll get to it.

  Mason walks through the door on the right into a big room, filled with people at desks. There are five detective's offices on the left side of the room and a captain's office at the back of the room with a staircase to its right. The wall to the right of the staircase has big lettering that spells “Visiting Area” next to an arrow that points up the stairs. Mason takes the stairs up to a long room with a door at the end of it. A tall guard stands in front of the door. Along the right side of the room, there are booths, with metal seats in front of them, where people may talk to prisoners on the other side of a glass panel. Mason walks down the room until he finds a woman with blond hair and a cowboy hat talking to a young girl with blond hair on the other side of the glass.

  Jess: Come on, sis. Ya gotta talk to me sometime. I don't care if ya did it or not. I just wanna get ya outta here.

  Mason: Miss, is this the girl who broke into the bakery?

  Jess: Supposedly, yeah. You investigating her?

  Mason: Yes, ma'am.

  The woman gets up and extends her hand to him.

  Jess: Well, thank goodness ya got here so quick.

  Mason: I'm Mason.

  Jess: Name's Jessica, but folks call me “Jess.” I'm her older sister.

  Jess retracts her hand.

  Mason: Do you think she did it?

  Jess: I haven't got the slightest clue. She hasn't said a thing to me.

  Mason: Do you think she's capable of breaking into a place like that?

  Jess: I don't know. She's a whole lot more distant nowadays... I'm sorry. Wish I could help.

  Mason: You have. One more thing before I talk to her. How old are you?

  Jess: Twenty five. Why?

  Mason: Just gathering information.

  Jess: Right. Well, I'll be in the waiting room if ya got anymore questions.

  Jess leaves the room as Mason sits at the booth.

  Mason: If you're innocent, I'm here to help you. So speak up now, or get ready to go to jail.

  Donna: What's the point? Either way, I'm in a place I don't want to be in.

  Mason: (That was easy) Why aren't you talking to your sister?

  Donna: You wouldn't get it.

  Mason: Try me... Alright, let me guess then. (Closed off body language. Doesn't want to speak. Here's a hunch) You feel like nobody cares about you and, instead of talking to anyone, you close yourself off and get angry.

  Donna: H-How did you know that?

  Mason: Just describing myself as a kid.

  Donna: Did anyone really care about you?

  Mason: I never found that out. I beat myself up by thinking that I did something to make them hate me. I yelled at them and burned any and all the bridges I could. Self fulfilling prophecy... Don't make the same mistake. Talk to Me, at least.

  Donna: Who even are you?

  Mason: I'm Mason, and you are?

  Donna: Donna.

  Mason: How old are you?

  Donna: Fifteen. What about you?

  Mason: Eighteen.

  Donna: Aren't you a bit young for a detective?

  Mason: Apparently not. Isn't this world weird?

  Donna: Not as weird as Manus. I hear people go to school until they're your age over there.

  Mason: Yeah, and when do you stop on this planet?

  Donna: When you hit thirteen... Wait a minute. Are you from Manus?

  Mason: That's what my birth certificate says.

  Donna: How could you afford to come here so young? Got a rich family?

  Mason: I won the lottery.

  Donna: Lucky you.

  Mason: Yeah... So, what happened the other night?

  Donna: I, uh... I tripped and fell through the front window of the bakery. I knocked myself out on a table. Before I knew it, I was here.

  Mason: (She's lying about something) Did you really fall in?

  Donna: Of course I did.

  Mason: Hmm. If you didn't fall in, you might've been pushed in somehow. (She might be protecting someone) Who pushed you into the window?

  Donna: No-one else was there.

  Mason: Alright. Let me guess... (Girls her age are probably just getting into guys) My gut tells me that you were into this other person.

  Donna: W-Why would you say such a thing?

  Mason: Heh. Donna, your cheeks say I'm right.

  Donna covers her blushing cheeks.

  Mason: (That, and my nose is crystal clear. That perfume is almost visible to me) You don't have to tell me who this guy was. Just, tell me what happened.

  Donna: A-Alright. I met with him in front of the bakery and asked him out. He said “No,” and I yelled at him and pushed him. He pushed harder and I woke up in a pile of glass... Mason?

  Mason: Yeah?

  Donna tears up.

  Donna: H-He was a good friend. Did I destroy our friendship?

  Mason: I don't know what you said, or how harsh it was, but I hear that friends are pretty forgiving when it comes to fights. (Asking him out will make things awkward, though) Might wanna stay away from the topic of asking him out when you apologize to him, though.

  Donna: Got it. I hope I didn't drive him away.

  Mason: Let's focus on getting you out of here.

  Donna: You can do that?

  Mason: Maybe. How old is this bakery?

  Donna: Well... Grandma once told me that her parents went to that bakery when they were young.

  Mason: (So, it's around a hundred years old or more) Has it ever been renovated?

  Donna: Not that I recall. Why?

  Mason: Older glass is easier to break.

  Donna: And?

  Mason: Anyone could've fallen through that window.

  Donna: Okay?

  Mason: Never-mind. Did the glass cut you anywhere?

  Donna: Probably on my back.

  Mason: Would you show me?

  Donna: Why?

  Mason: A picture of your back could make for some great evidence for you.

  Donna: Oh. Alright.

  Donna gets up, turns around, and lifts the back of her shirt, which has many holes in it. Her back has many small cuts in it. Mason pulls out his phone, takes a picture of her back, and puts the phone back.

  Mason: You can turn around now.

  Donna lets down her shirt, turns back around, and sits down.

  Mason: You're lucky you wear such conservative clothes. Could've been a lot worse.

  Donna: Yes. I'm glad I don't dress as scantily as my sister.

  Mason: Jean shorts aren't that bad.

  Donna: It's not that. She doesn't wear a bra under that plaid. How don't those things chafe all the time?

  Mason: I'll have to look into that.

  Donna giggles.

  Mason: Speaking of Jess. Talk to her when you get home. It's better than keeping it bottled up.

  Donna: If you think it'll help, I guess I can try it.

  Mason smiles for a second.

  Mason: Sit tight. I'll go see this bakery.

  Donna: Okay.

  Mason gets up and walks back down to the lobby, where Jess is waiting in a chair.

  Jess: She say anything?

  Mason: It's a start. I think she might be more willing to talk to you now.

  Jess gets up and walks through the door behind Mason.

  Mark: You get a confession?

  Mason: I'll be right back.

  Mason leaves the Guard Post and walks across the town center. He finds an old shop that's made of wood and clay. There's a big, broken window at the front of the shop with a wood door to the left of it. Above the door, there's a hanging, wood sign with a cake etched into it. Mason walks into the shop. There are seven old spruce-wood tables with three old spruce chairs at each of them. A man stands behind a mahogany desk with a refrigerated cake and pie stand to its right.

  Mason: You the owner?

  Ned: One of two. What can I get for you?

  Mason: How old is this place?

  Ned: Around a hundred and fifty years old. Our great great grandparents built it when they first came to Norse.

  Mason: Maybe it's time to renovate.

  Ned: Yes, but first we need get that window fixed, then comes our bills, and then our son's education. Hopefully, the farmer that broke in has some good money saved up.

  Mason: She's a little girl.

  Ned: I mean, her family. Do you know her?

  Mason: Somewhat, yeah. Actually, I'm on her case.

  Ned: Well, I'd be happy to tell you anything you want to know.

  Mason: The state of your shop tells it all.

  Ned: What's that supposed to mean?

  Mason: It's no wonder how she fell right through that window. This place, in its current state, is an accident waiting to happen.

  Ned: Fell? She broke in! And, I don't see how the state of my bakery plays into this.

  Mason: There's a witness who can attest to the fact that she fell through that window. If the glass and the wood were up to date, she would've just bumped against it. There's plenty of evidence for them to make a counter case against you.

  Ned: Yeah? Show it to me.

  Mason brings up the picture of Donna's back.

  Mason: This is what your old window did to her back.

  Ned: I... Crap... We can't afford a losing case... Guess we'll have to pull the charges.

  Mason: Preferably, today. Get her back to her family.

  Ned: Better go do that before the lunch rush.

  Ned and Mason walk to the Guard Post lobby and Ned approaches the counter.

  Mark: You're the owner of the bakery, right?

  Ned: Uh. Yes, sir. I came here to say that I'd like to pull the charges against that girl.

  Mark: The one who broke into your store? Might I ask why?

  Ned: I had a change of heart. Such a young kid shouldn't have a legal record.

  Mark: Alright. I'll tell them to let her go.

  Ned: Thank you very much.

  Ned walks out of the lobby as Mark makes a call on his desk's phone.

  Mark: This is Mark... You can let Donna Appleseed go... The family isn't pressing charges after all... You too. Later.

  Mark hangs up the phone.

  Mark: How did you convince him to do that?

  Mason: I just gave him the facts of the case.

  Mark: Well, whatever it was, good work. It'll take until next Monday, or so, to get you a custom badge with your name on it. Which would be?

  Mason: Mason Dreemurr.

  Mark pulls out a pen and paper and starts writing Mason's name as Mason takes off the copper badge and puts it on the counter.

  Mark: D-R-E-A-

  Mason: No. D-R-E-E-M-U-R-R.

  Mark: Ah. Like the queen.

  Mason: Yeah. See you on Monday.

  Jess and Donna walk into the lobby. Donna runs toward Mason with open arms.

  Mason: Stop!

  Donna stops right in front of him.

  Mason: I don't do hugs.

  Donna: Oh. Well, thank you so much!

  Jess: Y'all should come to lunch with us! I'm treating!

  Mason: Well... Why not? I've got nothing else to do today.

  Jess: If that's the case, you should come to the farm for lunch. We can show ya what we do and how we get it done. Maybe you could stay for dinner too.

  Mason: How far away is this farm?

  Donna: Just a few miles out of town. We'll take our carriage there... Oh come on!

  Donna whispers in Mason's ear;

  Donna: My hot sister might as well be asking you out!

  Mason: Well, I just moved to town, but I've never been to a farm before. I'll spend the day with you all.

  Jess: Alrighty then! Let's call the horses.

  They all walk outside. There are no horses, nor carriages, in site.

  Mason: Where are they?

  Jess: Oh, they're here. Let me just pull out my magic wand.

  Jess pulls out a horse whistle and blows on it hard. As if from nowhere, two horses dragging a carriage behind them run up to Jess and stop.

  Mason: Where'd they come from?

  Jess: They're always wondering somewhere. Y'all get in and I'll drive.

  Donna climbs in the right side of the carriage and leaves the door open. Jess climbs onto the driver's seat and Mason walks up to the right horse.

  Jess: You can touch her if ya want.

  Mason pets the horse as he smiles.

  Jess: You allergic to animals?

  Mason: Not that I know of.

  Jess: Good... You wanna sit up here?

  Mason: I would, but-

  Jess: Yeah, yeah. Ya don't do touching. Get in, ya hot mess.

  Mason gets inside the carriage and closes the door. He spends the rest of the day at the farm. At 2 AM, Mason comes back to the front of the bakery. He takes out a pack of 100 fifty dollar bills and throws it inside the store.

  Mason: Justice.