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Sparrow sat in a pile of old books, papers, herbs, candles, and various other trinkets. Flipping through pages of one book, writing something down, before picking another book to flip through.
About three years ago he had finally got out of the forgotten realms, but not without some trauma and new found family secrets. One being, they found out who their great-grandma was, Hildy Russet.
Her and her brother had been running around Oakvale doing whatever chaotic stuff they always did, the current game being hind and punch. Which was like hide and seek but if you were found you'd get punched. Sparrow had found a key to a weirdly preteen sized chest, obviously he had to hide there.
Inside the chess was mainly just a bunch of papers he tossed out so she could fit, she didn't have time to get all of them out so there were still a few in the bottom.
After about five minutes they started to get bored of waiting, but an Oak child would never willingly lose a game. In an attempt to try and entertain herself while in the box she cast produce flame, using the dulling light in the palm of there hand to read some of the leftover papers in the chest with him.
A few more minutes passed while he skimmed over everything for even a slight amount of entertainment, before he found a journal. It had a hard cardboard cover, with old paint chipping off it, held together by metal rings. He started to flip through it and quickly realized it was a diary. Definitely not the type of thing Barry or Autumn would keep he thought before flipping to the first page to try and find some clues.
Now, a little over a year later he had read the whole thing easily a hundred times and had been able to put it together as his great-grandmas. Sparrow was actually really excited to be in Oakvale, they wanted to meet their dads family. Come to find out he probably would have been happier to have never met them. But this journal was all about more family from his dads side, someone who seemed nice,dedicated, and curious about the world, Sparrow had to meet her. Sure he loved his mom, dad, and brother; of course they loved all of his family from his moms side and she always looked forward to their trips to Ecuador to visit them, it almost felt selfish wanting even more family.
It took months or research, and a lot of help from Terry, but she finally did it. In front of them was a large green vortex, shimmering with light and power. If Sparrow did everything right, stepping into this should cause them to teleport back to 1938, before Hildy was transported to the forgotten realms, and he should stay there for five hours before being teleported back to their current time and place.
He closed his eyes and took a long steady breath, before taking two steps forward and beginning to fall.
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Sparrow saw a bright flash before waking up. He didn't know how long he had been out. They didn't waste a second before jumping up, frantically trying to figure out where they are.
“Well hey there stranger, no need to be so afraid!” A strange woman exclaimed, putting her camera down. “That's a mighty odd get up you got on there, say you don’t happen to be on any giggle juice do ya?”
It took Sparrow a few seconds to remember what he was doing and where he was. One They got a hold of herself, the first thing they noticed was that this woman looked a lot like Hildy. At least what the old photos he's seen of her looked like.
“What, cat got your tongue?” She asked, causing Sparrow to realize they had been staring for quite some time. He shook her head to snap himself out of it before finally responding.
“Do you know someone named Hildy Russet?” They said, stumbling over their words.
“Well do I!” She said, giving a hardy laugh. “You won’t have to go far to find her,” Sticking her hand out for a hand shake.
Sparrow cautiously shook her hand before sheepishly asking her, “You are Hildy?” with a shine of excitement in his eyes.
“Yup, that’s what my mom named me,” Continuing to shake his hand for much longer than most hand shakes last. “Say then, who are you?”
“Sparrow, Sparrow Oak-Garcia-Russet,” He answered, still perplexed.
“WOW, that’s quite a mouthful of a name!” She said, still shaking hands.
“I- I’m” Sparrow tried to get out a sentence, trying to think of a way to explain that he’s from almost a hundred years in the future. Instead she decided to just hug her. Hildy was completely taken aback by this. Sure she'd come across some weird stuff while trying to find a good story but the people had never known her name and hugged her for seemingly no reason. “I’m your great-grandchild.” Sparrow finally confessed.
“Well that can’t be right, I don’t even have a first child yet.” Hildy said. Even though she knew there was no way what he said was true she began to see the resemblance in their faces. No, no way she’s never had a kid, more or less a great grandchild, she thought to herself.
“Not yet, but you will! I’m from ninety years in the future, you have to believe me, you’re my great grandmother!” She said frantically, holding Hildy by the shoulders.
“That would explain the weird green thing you came out of. It was a time machine!” She pointed at where the portal was. Before taking Sparrows face in her hands and staring at his face for a few seconds. “Well golly-gee! You really are my great-grandkid!” She had gotten good at telling if someone was lying or not in her line of work.
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After some more explaining, Hildy learned Sparrow would only be here for a few hours. She decided they would spend the whole time together. Right now they were trying to catch a drug deal in action, for a story she had been chasing for weeks now. The two of them sat hidden behind a bush for at least an hour now, Sparrow occasionally whipring to Hildy. Mainly just to fill the silence. But she was very focused on keeping an eye out for the guys she had been tracking. Sparrow was in charge of the camera, so she was also keeping an eye out.
“We're gonna stay hidden here, I hear these guys got a few bean shooters with them!” She said, almost seeming excited by the danger. Sparrow flipped through his 1930s slang translation guide, a small book they were very happy to have taken with them, to find out that ment these guys had guns on them. He swallowed his anxiety, knowing he wanted to get to know Hildy and this was just part of the process.
She was about to respond before being cut off by Hildy. “Hush now, here they come,” Two black cars came down the street before both parking. Sparrow had to stop themself from laughing at how funny the 1930s cars looked, but he stayed silent. Two guys came out of the first car, and three out of the second car.
“I hear these guys got at least a few cadillacs on them,” Hildy excitedly whispered to Sparrow , while quickly writing down everything that was happening. Sparrow didn't have time to look up what that meant, assuming she probably didn't mean the cars. They had to take pictures of everything going down. He made sure to get at least one picture with each guy's face in it.
The two guys from the first car took out five large bags, of probably drugs Sparrow thought. One of the guys from the second car took the bags and put them in their trunk while the guy next to him handed off some money. Hildy was writing so fast it was surprising her pencil wasn't smoking. Sparrow was very proud of herself for getting three pictures showing the drugs being handed off and traded for money.
One of the guys pulled out a tommy gun from the back seat, pointing it to the guys from the other car. Scaring the hell out of Sparrow and exiting Hildy even more. Despite being scared shitless, knowing there was no one with healing magic around to save him in the worst case scenario, they keeped taking photos. Focusing on getting the best lighting they could from their spot in this bush instead of the threat of imminent death. Thankfully no one got shot, they guys got the rest of their money they were owed and the two cars went off in opposite directions.
“Did you see that guy had a Chicago typewriter on him!” Hildy exclaimed once it was safe. “This is gonna be the story of the ages, we need to celebrate!” Jumping up, and grabbing Sparrow by the arm to drag him off somewhere.
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“Two all the way!” Hildy yelled as they entered a small soda and ice cream shop. The two of them sat down at the counter as they waited for the ice cream.
“We differently got the bulge on these guys! Look at how good these photos are!” She said going through them while looking at Sparrow with amazement.
“Thanks, I’m actually trying to be a professional photographer.” Sparrow jumped at the want to talk about his soon to be career.
“Well I’d think you already are one by how these picuses look!”
“Two all the way!” The man working said as he slid their ice cream with hot fudge across the bar to them. “Did you get anything good today?
“Well did I! Me and my great grandkid here got the story of the YEAR!” She said, patting Sparrow on the back.
“Well I didn't know you had a great grandkid, nice to meet you names Richerd,” He said, sticking out his hand.
“Sparrow” She responded, shaking his hand. Before pulling out a ten dollar bill to pay for their ice cream. “You can keep the change.” Sparrow said, completely oblivious to the fact he just handed this man over two hundred dollars for ice cream.
“You should bring him by more often!” Richard said, pocketing in ten dollars and putting the two quarters they actually needed to pay from his own pocket into the cash register. Going to serve more customers.
“You got any lass or lad back home?" Hildy asked, laughing a bit and gently elbowing Sparrow in the ribs.
“I mean, I guess you could say that.” They responded, rubbing the back of their neck awkwardly. “There's this one guy, we're friends but we aren’t dating, at least not yet.” She continued.
“Well you got my good looks I think you can get ‘em,” Hildy offered, grabbing one of Sparrow's shoulders and shaking them a bit. “I would go out and find myself a nice pip to pitch the woo with, but my work alway comes first and I’m not letting a man get in the way of that.” Sparrow was too scared to figure out what those words ment, so instead she just knocked and laughed like she understood what Hildy was saying.
“What story are you gonna look for after this?” Sparrow asked, putting another spoon full of the ice cream in their mouth.
“There is this movie being filmed downtown, and I think there's something weird going on behind the scenes.” She said, leaning in real close to Sparrow and whispering. “I’m going to pretend to be a makeup girl to get in and find out what's going on!” A large grin spreading across her face.
Sparrow desperately wanted to tell her everything that's about to happen to her, and make her not go try and figure out what's going on with the movie. Sadly he knew that it would mess up the timeline way too much, everything would change and his whole family wouldn't exist anymore. Hildy must have noticed her look or worry because she asked, “You okay there kid? You look a bit pale,”
“Yeah I’m fine!” Sparrow said, trying to put on her most normal face. “Where do you get your hair done?” They asked just to change the topic.
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They were walking down a street, talking about nothing and everything. Sparrow felt like they knew each other forever, thanks to reading her journals and her old newspapers. Their conversation was pussed by Sparrows watch beeping. An alarm they made before leaving home and coming here. She only has five more minutes before they would be automatically transported back to 2023.
“What's all that about?” Hildy asked, seeming very intrigued by the futuristic watch.
“I have to leave soon,” Sparrow sighed quietly. Not wanting to have to leave her. She turned to hug her “I love you,” They mumbled into her shoulder, hugging her tight.
“I love you too kid, I’ll miss you.” Hildy responded “ Can’t wait to meet your granddad though,” She said chuckling a bit, trying to lighten the mood. Sparrow cringed knowing she probably really didn't want to meet him, but he couldn't say anything about it.
“I have an idea!” Hildy exclaimed, taking out her camera. “What did you say this was called again?” She asked, holding the camera in front of them, the lens facing the two of them.
“A selfie,” Sparrow responded, chuckling as they turned to look at the camera.
“Yeah one of those!” Hildy said smiling before a blinding flash went off.
‘I wasn't ready, give it here,” Sparrow said, laughing away a few tears that had started. Grabbing the camera from her great grandma to take the picture themself. Taking the developing polaroid out of the bottom of the camera and handing it to Hildy. They put an arm around her and smiled, tilting their head into Hildy's shoulder. Sparrow waited a few seconds before taking the picture so Hildy would be ready.
“See now this is a good one,” Sparrow said, handing Hilder her camera and looking at the second picture they took together. Hildy leaned over his shoulder to see it before hugging them again.
“I’m so happy to have got to meet my great grandkid, most people don’t get to!” Then all Sparrow saw was green. Then they felt themself hit the ground hard. No longer feeling Hildy's arms around him.
They opened their eyes to see their own bedroom. Same as it was when she left, only now the portal was gone. And In her hand was the photo.
Quickly They crawled over to the box full of Hildy's stuff he had, and began digging around it trying to see if anything was different. Sitting at the very bottom of the box as an old faded photo, the first photo, the one where Sparrow had his eye closed.