Mass Creativity

Nico was not a teacher.

He was absolutely garbage at teaching. He'd once been assigned to teach little kids when he was a fifth grader. They were just making paper airplanes. He'd been so bad at it that one of the first graders he was teaching literally took over the lesson. Needless to say, he was nervous as all get-out.

Running his fingers through his hair, he waited in Lydia's dining room. What he was waiting for, he wasn't sure. Maybe Lorelei would make some noise when she arrived? Maybe she would come out, see him, and attack him. With how much anxiety he was feeling, he was sure he looked totally harmless.

Just then, the door opened and out walked. . . Lydia. The thing was, this Lydia, or Lorelei, likely, carried herself so rigidly that Nico felt pain just looking at her. Her posture was perfect, and her expression revealed absolutely nothing. When their eyes locked, however, she raised the items in her hand.

Wait, Nico thought. Are those pencils?

In Lorelei's hand were several lead pencils. The pencils were the fancy black kind that Nico had tried once, didn't like, then gave away. Not the most dangerous weapon to most but, as an artist who has pricked himself a number of times, Nico was had a healthy respect for the pencils. 

Raising his hands in surrender, Nico gave a patient smile. "I'm guessing you're Lorelei, huh? My name's Nico. I'm not a threat, so you can put those pencils down."

"Are you the butler," Lorelei asked.

Oh, yeah, she's a noble. Aloud he said, "Nope. No butlers here, nor do we have any maids. Could you put those pencils down?"

"Where am I," Lorelei demanded.

"If you put those pencils down, then I can explain everything," Nico said.

Slowly, Lorelei lowered the weapons of mass creativity. Sighing in relief, Nico put his arms down. Gesturing to the seat across from him, Nico sat down. After a minute, Lorelei sat across from him. 

"This place," Nico started. "Is Lydia's apartment. It's where she lives. Around here, we don't have maids, butlers, or nobles."

Lorelei's eyes widened. "No nobles," she said in shock. "What sort of hierarchy do you have here, then?"

"In America, everyone is considered equal," Nico said. "Anyone can do anything. A poor man can become a millionaire, though it won't be easy."

"And what of the women?"

"Also free to do whatever," Nico assured her. "A woman can own a business, be successful, and live on their own, though that still isn't easy."

Lorelei paused to take it all in. "How did I get here?"

"You don't know?!" Nico was stumped. If Lorelei didn't know how the swap happened, then what could have caused it? He needed more information. "Do you dream at all before you switch?"

"I dream of black," Lorelei said. "Like normal, I dream of a stream of black flutters. It is never dark, but the flutters are never clear."

Black flutters, Nico thought. Maybe a bird? The only black bird that came to mind was the raven. Common ravens didn't have the ability to travel across worlds, though.

Sighing, Nico shook it off. "What about you," he asked. "Tell me about your world."

"I live in the land of Cachonei," [Kah-choh-nay] Lorelei began. "The land is ruled by the Dandor royal family. It is a vastly beautiful land filled with gorgeous lakes and fascinating towns." Lorelei frowned at Nico. "Why are you here if you are not the butler?"

"Oh, yeah," Nico said. "I guess I never explained that part. See, Lydia thought you might be struggling."

"Lydia?"

"The lady whose body you're in," Nico said dismissively. "Anyway, she thought you might be struggling. She called me in to teach you."

"Teach me," Lorelei said.

Hey, I'm just as surprised as you, lady. "Yeah," he said. "I'm good to teach you all about this world. I've got history, general info, and fun facts that I get to tell you. Lydia thought it might help."

"And what will it cost me," Lorelei asked.

"Nothing."

"Nonsense," Lorelei scoffed. "No one ever does something without expecting anything in return."

Nico blinked. "If that's what you think, then you've lived a sad life. I really don't need anything from you. Lydia wanted to know some things to help her pretend to be you, but we don't require that from you. We honestly just want to help."

"No one ever simply wants to help," Lorelei said simply.

"Well, there's a first time for everything," Nico said. "Do you need anything? I know Lydia prepped some snacks for you yesterday. Any favorites?"

"The cookies were nice," Lorelei responded. "I had a few questions about some of those foods."

"Shoot."

Shoot?"

"Right, I gotta teach you idioms, too," Nico said. He added that to his mental lesson plan. "It means tell me what you need to say."

"Alright," Lorelei said. "What was the celery item called? Specifically, what were the shriveled black dots inside of it?"

Black dots? "Wait, you mean this?" Nico pulled up a picture on his phone.

"What is that?"

"This is a phone," Nico said. "It shows you a real-life picture or set of moving pictures."

"Ah," Lorelei said. She squinted at the picture. "Yes, that is the item."

Lydia, you moron, Nico thought. Why would you make her Ants on A Log? "That's a food craft we can make here," he told Lorelei. "I can teach you about that, too." Man, that curriculum was getting bulky.

"Is it safe," Lorelei asked.

"Yes."

"Then I suppose it is all right," Lorelei said.

"Great," Nico said. "Don't worry, Lorelei. I know this world is confusing and all. That's why I'm here. I'll guide you through everything. It may not be as cool as whatever magic you have in your world, but this world's got plenty to offer."

"Ah, Lord Nico," Lorelei said.

"Just Nico," he responded

"Nico."

"Yeah, Lorelei?"

"It seems as though you are mistaken about something," Lorelei said. "There is no magic in my world."

Nico looked at her in shock. "I'm sorry, what?"