Aru Shah - Jumanji: The Next Level AU

Chapter 16

The gang had managed to salvage enough money from their backpacks (minus Mini's) to get 5 camels. Of course, they were supposed to pay 18 gold pieces every hour, but the "camel seller" (Aru refused to call him the "store owner") wouldn't know that they wouldn't return the camels. They were basically just buying camel rides on discount.

Mini was still very much against scamming the seller, but they had no other choice. They didn't have any more money. Each person paired up and took a camel. Aru and Mini were together. Rudy and Aiden rode together - not paying much attention to Aiden's refusals. Niki and Brynne took a camel without hesitation, seeing as they were the only people who could tolerate one another. Hira and Keira got their own camels since they still weren't too comfortable riding with the others - being the newcomers and all.

Everyone went on their way, a little apprehensive as they worried about the angry camel vendor coming after them. They didn't know where they were going exactly, but now that Aiden had the map, they didn't really worry. They mostly rode in silence, only speaking a few words here and there. No one was really that shocked when Aiden and Rudy told them the story about switching bodies. They'd grown accustomed to weird things happening in the game.

The group had to stop a few minutes into their journey when Rudy brought up the vision about Boo's death. Aru had to get off her camel and walk a few feet away. She needed silence so that she could soak everything in. Niki, who was still in Rudy's skin, felt a sandstorm brewing - one of her strengths being sand. She couldn't rush Aru though. Everyone knew that, even though Aru wasn't Princess Lightningale, she could kill them without a second thought. Everyone knew not to make her more upset than she already was - even Hira and Keira.

Aru stood there for a few minutes, her mind going completely blank. The only feeling she had was utter disappointment. Disappointment in herself. The only thing that ran through her mind was, 'You did this. You wanted him to die, and he died.'

Everyone watched as she stood, and Rudy wanted to do something to help her - when he had an idea. He grabbed his cousin by shoulders, shook him like a snow-globe, and shoved him towards Aru, whisper-yelling, "GO HELP HER, DINGUS."

Aiden facepalmed before walking to Aru and tapping her on the shoulder. He didn't know what to say. He knew that if he said something wrong, she'd murder him, bring him back to life, then murder him again. He wasn't as smooth as Rudy when it came to talking to girls (if you could call him smooth).

Aru turned around, her eyes red and puffy from crying. Her hood was down, so Aiden could see the tear stains that ran down her cheeks. He cleared his throat, completely nervous, "U-Um..."

Aru raised an eyebrow, and Aiden sighed, mentally screaming at himself to be a man and talk to her, "It's not your fault." Aru stared at him, her eyes scrutinizing his every movement, and he continued, "Look. We all know you. You can't blame yourself for something you didn't do. We don't even know if he's dead yet, so-"

Aru cut him off swiftly, "So what? It doesn't change the fact that I wanted him to die. And he did just that! I wished for him to die in his own time! In the most horrid way possible, nonetheless! Of course I'm going to blame myself."

Aiden ran a hand through his hair, "Look, I'll be Frank (WHO MADE A PUN IN SUCH A SIRIUS MOMENT?! Wait...I did! - Trips) with you. I'm not good at these - these pep talks or whatever. But you need to know that he didn't die because of you. He's in the real world. What you do here doesn't affect anything there."

Aru rolled her eyes, "You're as awful with pep talks as Mini is, Aiden. All she can talk about is the deadly side effects of crying too long. Apparently, prolonged crying can kill you through exhaustion and dehydration," she snorted. "Who knew?"