So This isn't the hard part?

Stark woke up in a dark room, his nose twitching at a very familiar and tantalizing aroma.

"Is that... French toast, eggs, bacon, and biscuits and gravy I smell?" he wondered aloud.

"Smells good, doesn't it?" Emery's voice cut through the dimness. As Stark's eyes adjusted to the darkness, he could just make out her outline.

"I was pretty sure all my favorite foods would be yours as well," Emery said with a grin.

"You are absolutely correct! Let's eat!" Stark said, already picturing the delicious spread.

"Not so fast, Stark," Emery replied, her tone shifting. "We usually do our duties before we eat, and since you're going to be here for a while, I think it's a good idea if everyone sees you pulling your weight and not just eating our food."

Stark's enthusiasm faltered. "What do you mean by duties?"

"Look," Emery said, her voice softening, "everyone here has been through a lot, so we all look out for one another and pitch in wherever we can. It's about being part of the community."

"Okay, so where do we start?" Stark asked, eager to get started.

Emery pulled out a long list, and Stark's eyes widened. "Whoa, what's that?"

"It's what you're going to do before breakfast," Emery said with a smirk. "Before breakfast! How am I supposed to finish all that?"

"The less time you spend complaining, the sooner you can get started," Emery replied. "And just so you know, I'd hurry up if I were you. Food goes pretty fast around here."

"Hey, Emery, where are we anyway?" Stark asked as he glanced around the room.

"Oh, can't you tell? This is my family home," Emery said. "I figured it would be a fitting place for you since we are technically the same person. Good luck, and see you at the table."

With that, Emery flipped on the light switch, making Stark flinch slightly. The room was now revealed to be a nursery of sorts, which made him wonder if Emery had any siblings.

He quickly showered, dressed in the clothing laid out for him, and was surprised to find it fit him perfectly. "How did they know?" he wondered as he put on his shoes and headed out. The house was enormous, far larger than his tiny apartment back home. It had pristine white walls and hallways that seemed to stretch on forever.

Lost, he wandered until he found a grand, winding staircase that led down to what he assumed was a foyer. He spotted a door that looked like it led outside. "I swear if this leads to another part of this house, someone's going to owe me 20 slices of French toast."

He twisted the knob and, to his relief, stepped outside. Before him sprawled a community of decent-sized houses surrounding Emery's home. Her house looked like a castle compared to the others. Stark laughed out loud, thinking, "She's like a freakin' princess." A few people walking by gave him curious stares, but he didn't mind.

He noticed people busily working and little stands selling various goods. Just then, a voice from his left caught his attention. "Woah, you really do look just like her."

Stark turned to see a young boy, about five feet tall, with dark brown hair and features very similar to Emery's. "Hey, my name's Tark. What's yours?"

"Tark?" Stark asked, somewhat incredulously. "That's the best you could come up with?"

"No, really, my name is Tark," the boy said with a grin. "My parents wanted a boy but got Emery, so they named me Tark."

Stark thought to himself that it wasn't surprising if their parents had chosen similar names on two different Earths. "Hey, bro, you still in there?"

"Oh, yeah, I'm still here," Stark replied.

"Anyway, Stark, my sister asked me to help you out today. She told me you weren't too bright and didn't want you to get lost or piss off the wrong people. She gave me your list, so I'll help you get through it."

"Great, so what's first?" Stark asked.

"First, you need to clear out three goblins from the community wine cellar," Tark said.

"Goblins?" Stark echoed, his surprise evident.

"Yeah, goblins. They're bloodthirsty little pests that steal anything not nailed down. They always carry weapons, so we need to be careful. Let's try to do this quickly so we can get to the hard part."

"Wait, Tark," Stark asked, feeling a bit overwhelmed. "So this isn't the hard part?"

"Nope," Tark replied with a smirk. "This is just the beginning."

Stark took a deep breath. The day was just starting, and it seemed he had a lot to learn—and a lot to do.