The Otherworlders Academy - An Original Teen Fantasy

Ep. 3.7 (R) - You Want Me to Wear What?!

Aidan, Patrick, and Farid are standing on the steps of the community house, waiting for the guide Chief Qa'watil has tasked with showing them around the compound.

Patrick stands on the lowest step, deep in thought, looking out over the property. Farid stands across from him, leaning back against the railing, one hand in his pocket, the other flipping through his phone.

Aidan stands on the steps behind Patrick contemplating whether or not to break Patrick's reverie.

After some thought, he finally leans over and taps Patrick on the shoulder. "So, mate," he whispers apologetically. "I meant what I said at breakfast, yeah? I'm sorry I screwed up last night."

Patrick doesn't turn around and can barely bring himself to acknowledge Aidan's presence. He rolls out the tension in his shoulders and just keeps looking forward.

Aidan's lips purse. Maybe Patrick didn't hear him? He starts to reach forward and Farid, who looks up, catches Aidan's gaze. His eyes go wide as he silently, violently shakes his head.

But Aidan's on a mission, so he ignores Farid's warning and taps Patrick on the shoulder again. "Really, mate," he says, a little louder this time. "I get it--I do. I understand now that, for the sake of diplomacy, I need to sit tight and just keep my trap shut."

Patrick spots the Chief's guide headed their way. He clears his throat and says to Aidan, "Good." He still doesn't turn around. "Then why don't you put that lesson into practice, right about now."

He steps off the stairs and approaches the guide: a gorgeous woman in her early 20's, with straight black hair, a deep russet glow to her skin, and mischievously dark eyes. With her regal features and confident bearing, she looks very much like the Chief. She extends her hand.

"Hello, my name is Una, Una Qa'watil," she says smoothly.

Patrick smiles, turning on the charm. "Qa'watil? So you would be...?"

"That's correct." Una smiles coyly and says, "I am the Chief's daughter, but please, don't hold that against me."

Patrick's smile widens. "Never," he says. "But I have to ask, why didn't we meet you last night at dinner?"

"I, unfortunately, had other plans," she answers, cocking a cryptic brow. "I am sorry to have missed out, though. I heard it was quite the show."

Her gaze shifts up to Aidan and her luminous smile fades, just a little bit. Not an unexpected reaction from a Shifter who's heard, but not seen, the unplanned exhibition Aidan was responsible for the previous night. But Una quickly recovers. She plasters her dazzling smile back on in order to to play the part of the tribal ambassador and reaches out to shake both Farid and Aidan's hands. 

"I hear that my father was so impressed with you all last night," she says, "that he wanted to make sure we welcomed you properly with a cleansing ceremony. It should be an enlightening evening." She smirks at Aidan and Farid, in particular, then turns and gestures for them to follow her.

Falling in behind her, Aidan and Farid exchange concerned glances, then look to Patrick who just shrugs and gives them an incomprehensible smile. They follow Una across the main yard in silence.

"So," Una says over her shoulder, "I'll take you through the grounds, as my father has requested, and if you have any questions along the way, please feel free to ask. After all, this is a cultural exchange."

She leads the boys through the compound, passing by various groups of yurts and cottages, grouped and organized by family unit.

They pass by a particularly large encampment with an outdoor seating area covered by a red, blue, and yellow striped canvas top the size of a Barnum and Bailey circus tent. It sits behind a large log structure that looks less like a log cabin and more like an exquisitely designed mountain lodge. With an $80,000 Cadillac Escalade and a $95,000 Land Rover parked outside, the boys stare in awe at what has to be Chief Qa'watil's main residence. Broken down holiday park, this was not.