REAL WORLD: PART THREE Homeward Bound ... - Whoa is (Not)

“Excuse me, but do you know where I can find this person named Jemma” Ted asked the guy behind the
counter.
The eyes of the guy behind the counter narrowed slightly. “Why’re you looking for her” he asked.
“I’m supposed to pass her something.”
The guy behind the counter briefly scrutinised the teen, then apparently came to the conclusion that Ted
looked harmless enough. He wasn’t too sure about Neo, but as the latter seemed only half awake, he
decided that there was no immediate danger at hand.
“Zeran!” he called out, and a young teenager of non-existent gender chocked on aer coftea.
Coftea is basically a mix of coffee and tea, a drink that is, for good reason, not commercially available. It
was because of this that Zeran had opted instead to purchase both drinks and a large empty pitcher so ae
could mix it up aemself, a venture into the culinary field that ae was increasingly beginning to regret.
“Yeah” Zeran asked.
“These two fellas are looking for your mother. Say they have to pass something to her. Take care of ‘em,
will ya”
“Sure,” Zeran said. Ae stared mournfully at aer coftea, on one hand thinking that it had been completely not
worth the three hours and twenty minutes ae’d paid for its components, but on the other hand rejoicing
inwardly at the fact that ae now had an excuse to not finish drinking it.
Sighing inwardly, Zeran got up from aer chair.
“Are you going to finish that” Ted asked, pointing at the coftea.
“Nah. Should never have made it in the first place.”
Ted’s face brightened. “Can I have it”
Zeran raised an eyebrow. “Sure.”
Ted grinned, took a gulp of the drink, and ungrinned.
The coftea laughed silently at the teen’s reaction and stuck a figurative tongue out at him.
“You’re looking for my mother” Zeran asked redundantly as the three of them went out of the café.
“Yeah.”
The walk took a while, but they soon arrived at the farm. Zeran pushed the gate open and kicked a churkey
out of the way.
“Wardrobe malfunction,” said the churkey in a suspiciously Elvis Presley -like voice.
“Mom” Zeran called out. “Some guys are here to see you.” Zeran opened the door of the farmhouse and
paused when he saw Luke there. “Who’s that” ae asked.
“A newcomer,” Jemma replied. “He’s going up to Aquintos, so I let him stop by…”
“Mom, you can’t just let strangers come in whenever you want…”
“Luke” Ted asked, and his mouth fell open.
There was a moment’s silence, then recognition dawned on Luke. “Hey, you’re that guy who wanted to try
my lightsaber…”