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21

Maria approached the jail with Yvone in tow. She decided against bringing Sanse. He would be present during the test but she didn't want Sunset running at the first opportunity because he threatened her again.

When she entered the jail, Baurd looked weirdly surprised.

"Huh. She was right."

Maria raised a brow at that "What do you mean?"

"Oh! Well, she asked me to wake her up when you came to get her. I was confused at first but here you are!" He explained with a grin

Now it was Maria who was confused. How did Sunset know? It's possible, of course that she just inferred from Baurd and what information she might have gotten from him, but they hadn't told him anything. Sunset was a smart girl apparently.

"Huh. She was right. Go ahead and-"

"No need. I'm already up. Hard to actually fall asleep not knowing what's going on." Sunset admitted as she sat up and walked a few steps forward. "Are we finally going to have that cup of tea you mentioned on the first day?" She joked

"Ah. Understandable and sadly, no. Though, hopefully after we're done with what's next we might be able to." she said with a small smile.

"I suppose I won't get much info on what's going on first?" She asked as she stepped further and put her arms out of the cell.

Maria smiled "It will be very similar to the test you took on the first day you were here. But it will be narrowed down to specific things. You'll retake it multiple times. Each time it will be for different possibilities." She explained.

Sunset perked up a little. She was happy to actually get an actual explanation from someone for once. Well, Yvone sometimes gave her simple answers. But rarely since she arrived did she ever get a detailed explanation.

"I won't tell you what we're testing you for ahead of time for obvious reasons. But if you'll step back against the wall, we'll open the cell and get you out of there."

Sunset smiled at that. Despite the worries she still felt about the whole situation and the tests in the future, Maria had a calming feeling to her and she'd finally be getting out of here.

The cell door slid open and they led her out. Maria, Baurd and Yvone all escorted her to the building she'd been tested in the first time. The morning air was relaxing and the early hour in theory should have meant less eyes to watch and judge her. But this wasn't a modern town. These people all worked hard and early. Luckily, unlike the world she left, these eyes were filled with curiosity instead of hostility. That was a pleasant change.

Once they entered the building, Sunset took a seat and felt all that anxiety start to rush back to her. The worries that had been lessened by Maria's calming presence and the temporary feeling of freedom. What would happen if she failed here? Would she get killed and sent to another world? Sent back to her original one? Back to the last one? Would she just... die?

She took a deep calming breath, or at least it was supposed to be calming. Dammit. She really needed this to work out.

She looked up as the orb was placed down and someone new sat on the other side of the table. "My name is Jude. I'll be doing the calibrations needed before each test."

"Sunset." She said simply and, though Jude was explaining herself, her eyes were clearly locking onto Sunset's red hand. "I don't know what's going on with my hand." She didn't want to give any more information than needed. Especially to someone she didn't know.

Jude looked back to the orb and nodded. She closed her eyes as her fingertips glowed and the orb was enveloped in a pink glow. It lasted about a minute before she stopped. "Now then. For the first test. Put both of your hands on the orb."

Sunset took a deep breath. Watching her do... whatever it was had just added to her anxiety so she just decided to get it over with and did as asked right away. She watched the orb this time as... nothing happened. She blinked a couple times and then looked to Jude.

Jude nodded "You can take your hands back." Once Sunset did so she looked to Maria. "The Vampire test is negative."

Maria smirked a little but didn't do anything else. Sunset wasn't so reserved.

"So. Do I get an apology then Sanse?" She asked as Jude did more of her thing to the orb. Sanse grunted.

"I won't apologize for doing what I thought was right. But the test showed you weren't a vampire. So, you're not."

Sunset sighed "I suppose that's the best I'm going to get from the one who could have killed me." She shook her head.

"The next test is ready."

Sunset turned away and put her hands to the orb. This time it DID do something, causing Sanse to grip his spear and Sunset to feel a cold sweat as she looked up at Jude. The girl's calm but confused reaction was the only thing that kept her from using her magic then and there. The orb swirled yellow and green lightly as Sunset sat with bated breath.

"That's enough." Jude said as she sighed. She'd let the test go a little longer than needed. She wasn't sure. "Elf test is... inconclusive. Perhaps a distant relative. I don't know. Genetics aren't my thing."

Sunset was confused this time. She'd used the elf thing as an excuse. The people she'd talked to came up with it themselves. She just didn't deny it. But for them to say she could very well be at least distantly related to them was... well, it was confusing. She didn't have any relation to them as far as she knew.

Jude's fingertips glowed pink again as Sunset watched closer. She hadn't failed to notice Sanse' own look of confusion in the moment she glanced over. It was nice to know she wasn't the only one confused.

"Next test." Jude said simply.

"Uh, yeah."

This time the orb shifted with reds, yellows and oranges. They weren't as light as the last test. But they also weren't consistent. They faded in and out sometimes. The colors didn't stay a consistent ratio of colors either.

The test went even longer then the last one. Even Jude started looking nervous. She spoke up without ending the test. "Do you know what this test is for?"

Sunset shook her head "I have no clue. Honestly, for all I know this could just be a fake test using the colors of my hair and skin."

Jude raised a brow and looked Sunset over. "Huh. Your colors really do match." She muttered before shaking her head clear. "You can take your hands off. The demon test is also inconclusive. I really couldn't say what it could be from this point." She sighed before perking right back up "But! There are more tests!"

Sunset didn't want to look back at Sanse and the others this time.

The tests continued on.

Shapeshifter, Skinwalker, mimic, wood crawlers and really any other kind of monster that can fake being humans including one, uncreatively called, fake humans. All negative.

Sunset sighed and leaned back "Are there anymore tests?" She asked, her nerves having been worn down by the tedium of repeated tests.

"Just one. If you could put your hands on-"

Sunset didn't wait for her to finish as she did what they'd already done too many times so far. The orb didn't light a particular color. It simply lit. It wasn't super bright but it was a result. Judging by Jude's relieved expression it was a good thing.

"The human test is conclusive. She's something else too but still human." She said as she stood up and wobbled. "Ugh... That... might have been more tests than I should have done."

"You were the one who came up with most of them." Maria commented as she approached and offered a shoulder

Jude accepted the shoulder and chuckled "True. I thought that since the adjustments are low cost magically it wouldn't be a problem. I was wrong."

Maria smirked again and looked towards Sunset. "Well. With all of this in mind I-"

Sanse stepped forward and was instantly cut off of anything he was going to say.

"I very much hope you aren't going to try to cause any issues right now. She's been stuck in a cell for two weeks and I do still owe her some tea."

Sanse bit his lower lip and took a deep breath. "I- no. I was just going to recommend that she stay under some sort of surveillance."

Maria sighed and waved a hand "With that... one result, I suppose it's understandable. But that's only if she decides to stay here in the first place." she pointed out.

Sunset blinked. The fact was that now she could just... leave. She was free to just go. "I think I'll stick around for at least a little while. I know far too little about how everything works around here." She admitted.

"You can stay with me." Yvone said, speaking up for the first time this entire.

"I don't-" Sunset began

Sanse was the one who spoke up next "Yvone may be a horndog but she's not a criminal. She understands boundaries and won't make you uncomfortable."

Sunset blinked in surprise. "I guess it's just me you don't like, huh?" She accidently thought aloud before, realizing her mistake she turned to Yvone "I suppose I'll take you up on that. Just... don't be too weird. Nothing against you. I'm just not a... people person. Or a romance one."

Yvone nodded simply and Sunset hoped she got the message.

Maria smiled. "That sounds wonderful. I'll let Jude get some sleep and we'll stop by for some tea later."

"Only two weeks late." Sunset teased. She wasn't sure how this was all going to work out. But she knew one thing for sure. She was a free girl again.

Author's Note:

I'm not forcefully shipping anything here. Not shipping at all actually.

again. No editing and kinda rushed. But hey! NO MORE JAILCELL!

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