Aru Shah: Jumanji AU

Chapter 6

Hey guys.  This is an angsty chapter.  So, read at your own risk.  If anything is triggering at all, feel free to stop reading and message me so that I can explain the chapter to you.  Without further ado, enjoy!  -Trips

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Aru kept up with the group, staying behind Aiden. She couldn't help but look back every one in awhile, trying to see if the Sleeper's men were following them. She was observing every single possible exit they could take just in case "Lex" was one of the Sleeper's men.

When she looked back one more time, Lex's exasperated voice reverberated throughout the narrow corridor they were walking in, "Will you stop that?" Lex didn't even look back at her as he continued, "I'm not one of his men, and I never will be. Now look forward. You're about to step on a booby trap."

Aru stopped dead in her tracks and almost fell over as she saw that she was indeed about to step on a wire activated trap. She carefully stepped over it, but tripped on a tile that wasn't properly laid. Aiden swirled around and caught her before she could have fallen face first onto the floor. He helped her stand upright again.

Aru couldn't stop her oncoming blush and let her cheeks dust rise, "Thanks, Aiden." He just nodded to her, a hint of a smirk outlined on his lips.

The group walked for a few more minutes before Lex stood in front of a sewage grate and held up his fist, "Stay here. I need to make sure the coast is clear." He turned around and scowled, "Just don't do anything dumb. Trouble seems to find you."

He opened the grate and climbed out. The group waited for a few minutes, and Lex finally popped his head back into the corridor and motioned for them to climb out. He helped everyone out, even Aru, who was convinced that he hated her.

Lex started walking again, "Come on. My camp isn't far from here. The coast is clear, but stay behind me just in case. The Sleeper's men and the Palace guards are always on the lookout for us."

Lex led them to a dead end which ticked the gang off. Had they come this far only to be stopped by a wall?

Lex put his hand on the wall and was feeling it for something. When he found what he was looking for, he took one hand and put it on whatever it was and pulled out a key. The group looked at him puzzled. He inserted the key and pushed it in the lock. The bricks clicked, as a series of noises, that sound like gears and locks, sounded through the wall and a pathway opened up. A jungle met their eyes as Lex pushed them through the path and quickly used the key to cover up the path and lock it after he squeezed himself through.

The gang looked around in awe. There was a forest in the middle of nowhere, but it seemed so immersed into the game that it just...belonged there. Lex saw their looks and chuckled. Soon a campfire was sparkling a few yards in front of them and a tree house was fully in view.

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The group and Lex were settled into the treehouse, as many flocks of beautiful birds came and went, their plumage illuminating the dark wood of the treehouse.

" I assume that you got stuck here just like I did correct? Well, I must also assume that you have more realistic names then those ridiculous ones given to you by the game. I mean, really, Lexington Featherly?" Lex spoke in an accent.

Aru snorted, "Yeah? Try Princess Lightningale. What's it to you anyway? Why do you want to know our names if we don't know yours?"

His face darkened, "Your speech is quite obscure to me. I cannot believe that you have such foul and inappropriate tone and language stored in that mind of yours"