Making Acquaintances

The magical ice bath drowns out all other senses, invigorating certainly, but while watching videos of crazy Russians swimming in frozen lakes I’ve never once thought to myself, ‘God, I wish that was me’.

The chill washes through every cell without resistance before turning to gasoline, burning up in a white-hot flash. A few human cries tell me that I’m not the only victim to this horrible, little prank. Thankfully, it is quick to pass, though the pins and needles still remain.

Still shaking from the overwhelming sensation, I look around to see how everyone else is reacting.

It burns almost as much again when I notice that no one but us humans seem to be suffering. Most are talking as awkwardly as they were moments ago, though with a few more comments about the ‘funny' humans. Those at my table continue eating slowly, sparing only a brief glance at the noisy humans, not concerned with, or not noticing, my own suffering.

The scene outside the window has changed from the desolate landscapes and distant mountains to a thick green forest that looks a little like the Amazon, if the Amazon was filled with tall purple trees and massive flying lizards.

So not the Amazon.

Shaking off the last lingering pains, I look at Cheri, and revisit another concern. One slightly more infuriating to me than the pains inflicted when we teleport.

Platinum hair, shining with a glint of gold, runs long down his back as he stares at me with eyes shining a lively green that almost feels to glow. He’s pale skinned and thin to the point where a human might seem ill, yet he glows with life, even the food before him seeming the brighter for being near him.

While everything I see of his would seem to be feminine, something in my mind is telling me that this is a man.

The brain chip.

It’s the brain chip.

It’s a part of the same fuckery that’s too perfectly translating every conversation around me, giving me species names when I focus, and who knows what else.

The waitress arrives with my meal alongside a large glass of icy water before I have chance to get too much more stuck in my thoughts.

“Oh, that looks wonderful. Thank you.” I say as she settles it all before me, her chitinous hand clicking softly against the glass as she politely responds before getting back to work.

Shaking the questions from my head and ignoring the new species of student entering the ship with the same amazement as the humans before, I start eating.

The fork in my hand is little different from what I’m used to if I ignore the tingling it inspires on touch. It’s as if the tingling in the air around me but concentrated into the metal utensil.

The table is doing the same to a lesser extent, either the chair is different, or my pants shield me from the affect.

In resignation I lift the fork, which feels more difficult to move that it rightfully should and get eating.

First bite in, I pause.

It’s the same pins and needles, the same tingling, but that isn’t what gives me pause. From the colour of the dish I was expecting something like spicy curry, and it is spicy, very spicy even, but that’s not a problem.

It’s almost painfully sweet.

Bursting with a fruit-like sweetness and spicy heat both, the brown pasta is about as I expect but the rest is overwhelming with flavour. I chew slowly, getting used to the flavours and tingling for a while before swallowing.

“It’s good.” I tell myself, relieved as the tingling spreads through my body before fading.

The siren plays again, giving me a few seconds to prepare before the freeze and burn works through me. A few stray cries from the other humans pass through the room, earning some chuckles from those species that don’t seem to understand pain.

Outside the window is now another new scene. Another new world.

“I’m glad that it is to your liking, many take much less of a liking to it.” Cheri says, “In any case, was there any questions that you were wishing to ask?”

It’s quite a difficult thing to answer. I have all the questions in the world, and when they’re answered I’m sure to have plenty more based on the answers.

“Ask about what? What are you guys up to? Oh, and I’m Vii by the way.”

I smile a little stiffly at the bird girl who’s fluttered over to us. She looks worse than I do, frizzed black hair and feathers, and a general sag to her energetic stance. She looks as if she’s just made it out of a tussle, though from the intensity I see in her eyes, I can’t help but feel she came out on top.

The others look to her curiously but make no move to shoo her away or to answer her questions. The bird girl quietly huffs and puffs as if having run a marathon as she stands to the side of our table, fumbling for more words.

“We’re just discussing what this academy is going to be like. Do you want a drink? Maybe sit and rest a little?”

“I… yes. I can sit here?” She asks, with a note of desperation to her voice, as her eyes tear up a little. It seems more than a little faked, but the more adorable for it. Especially the playful smile she’s trying hard to supress.

From what little I glanced of her attempts earlier, she’s failed to get much of a reaction from any of the other students. Though to be honest there are rather few who are handling this situation well enough to handle light conversation, let alone the energy she’s packing.

“I see no problem with it.” Cheri eventually replies, sipping at his own drink delicately as the other two nod.

“Thank you.” The bird girl says, sitting at my side and taking a long gulp from the water I set before her. “No one else seems to want to talk to me.” She mumbles quietly as she wipes at the water at the edges of her mouth, blushing slightly as she does.

“That’s probably because they’re all so nervous having a cute girl come from nowhere and start talking with them. That and you’re speaking so quickly, no one has any chance to get in a reply."

“Cute? Quickly?” Vii asks with a spark of that same energy.

“You are flitting about quite quickly.” Cheri adds, “Makes it difficult for most to figure out how to reply before you’re off again.”

“Huh…” She tilts her head to the side and puts a wingtip to the side of her head in thought, “They aren’t just ignoring me?”

“Uh, I guess some might be.” I reply uncertainly, and she can only blink as if in a daze.

“That makes sense.” She finally nods her head as if this conversation is making sense. If it does, then I suspect it’s only for her.

She is quite enigmatic, but I suppose considering she’s from another world, that’s understandable. Regardless, her strange cheerfulness, and playful acting is enough to calm the atmosphere and distract a little from the sirens and the awful sensations that follow.

“So back to topic, what sort of academy is this we’re heading towards?” I ask, “And I’m guessing it’s something to do with magic, considering everything, but this seems to be a rather eclectic mix of students.”

“Well yes, magic is the centre of most courses, but what in life doesn’t involve magic at some measure.” I can only blink in confusion as Cheri continues, “This school has courses on most topics, this year seems to have some interesting new approaches to education, so you’ll find most of the classes on the support device if you wish to look through it.”

Is he talking about the stupid long list someone shoved into my brain chip?

“Are you talking about the stupid long list someone shoved into my… support device? Is there some formatting settings that I’ve missed?”

“Formatting settings?”

“When I open it up, all I get is a long uncategorised list. Usually something like this should have subcategories, search functions. It’s just a poor interface as far as I can tell.”

“It’s so bad.” Vii agrees, nodding quickly at my side.

“Ah yes…” Cheri looks to me curiously, “I think I get what you’re saying, it’s missing an index as you’d find in any ordinary tome. Something to be improved upon, I suppose.”

“A tome…” I vaguely recall my mother talking about school without the internet. Digging through the library for the books that might give you a fraction of what you’re after. I almost want to cry at the thought of what might be waiting for me at this backwater academy.

“In any case, there are many options, but it is strongly encouraged to follow your Talents for the first three years here.”

“Talents?” The importance he puts upon the word suggests something more than what’s being translated to me.

“Ah, yes. Only first and second grade civilizations are given such knowledge. There is a process to understand one’s Talents, so as to not waste time studying inefficiently.”

“So, you already know your Talent then?”

“That I do.” He nods, “Advanced magic control and infusion. I see you aren’t familiar; it is core to most advanced careers and skills. It is rare for Talents to be in such core studies, so I hope that this won’t affect your expectations negatively.”

“Oh, well I suppose we’ll be tested for these Talents shortly after arrival then, if they’re so central to everything.”

He gives me a too perfect nod. It really does feel like he’s some sort of prince doing a poor job of being undercover. It irks me more than I’m willing to show.

“What are all of you hoping for?” Vii asks, her eyes drifting to me. Is there something on my face, or does she like me or something?

“Something in the field of crafting.” Scara replies firmly and quickly, a hint of worry clear by the clattering of her knife that was so delicately used before.

“I have no particular concerns,” Vaunt says.

“I still don’t quite get the choices.” I reply with an awkward smile, “What about you?”

“Something in a combat course.” She says, a weight behind her words.

“Combat? You mean sports combat? Or are you thinking of joining the army?” I ask, seeing the slight shock in the rest of those gathered. Except Vaunt. He doesn’t seem much bothered at all, still chewing on his bleeding steak.

“I’m working towards joining the Hunters.” There’s continued hush following her words as she starts fidgeting and I can’t help but do something to break the silence.

“Hunters?” I ask, “What are you guys hunting? Is it for sport?”

“Not for sport, no.” She says quietly, fidgeting with her dark wings.

“To answer your question,” Cheri says, “It is the beasts that we fight. Wild and powerful, few civilizations fully free themselves from their threat and rely upon the support of the greater civilizations and the Hunters to subdue the Beasts. I find it more strange that this is alien to you, as a third grade civilization you wouldn’t classify for any Hunter support except for the most dire of situations. Perhaps you are simply more distant from these conflicts.”

“Beasts?” I ask, “The only conflicts I’m aware of are between groups of humans. Animals or anything that might be considered a ‘beast’ are never much of a worry.”

“Earth is a mana desert.” Vii says, and the others look at her in confusion.

“Earth? Ah, this one’s realm.” After a long pause Cheri finally offers a slow nod, “Mana desert. It would explain their reactions each realm shift. Your world has few examples of actualised magic?”

I nod, “Always seemed to be fiction before today.”

The others but for the bird girl look at me with considerable amazement, even Vaunt seems a little concerned about it.

“How… how do you live?” Scara seems quite bothered by the thought.

“Technology?” I shrug, looking between them with increasing concern for the size of the libraries.

“Technology? But, without magic? How?” Oh good, at least a few other technological magic options might exist. Though from the nature of my brain chip, I suppose I should have expected as much.

“That, and mana deserts do not have the issues of beasts, at least not the sort that others do.” Cheri says for the others before turning to me, “Think of the strongest and most dangerous creatures from your world, then give them magic and you’ll hopefully imagine something close to the horrors other worlds suffer.”

“Ah, magical beasts.” I nod quietly, if ancient man had to fight off bears and wolves spitting magic all about, maybe mankind would have had a little more difficulty early on. Then again, looking at the dire expression of the bird girl and the others, I’m starting to worry over something more along the lines of Godzilla or King Kong wrecking cities.

“Well, I guess I’m lucky to miss out on that.” I reply.

“Yes, though your lack of access to magic will likely lead to some difficulties in study. As it is, I’m surprised that you aren’t suffering during realm shifts like the other humans are.”

He’s pointing towards where most of the others of my species are huddled into a corner, a teacher watching over them with a worried expression as the siren goes off again.

Another blast of suffering, of energy, freezing, then burning away my insides.

“Oh, that. Yeah, I’m feeling it to.” I nod, “Just better at pretending that I don’t, I guess. It’s not dangerous?”

“Apart from the pain, no, it shouldn’t be dangerous.” Cheri replies. “You should report to a teacher should it prove intolerable.”

“I should probably be fine. Teachers help doesn’t seem to be doing much for them anyway.” I shrug, looking outside the window to the new realm we’ve dropped into.

Vii is still sitting by my side trying to pretend she’s not looking at me.

“What’s that?” Vii’s question directs my eyes to an advancing sandstorm.

“A sandstorm.” I say, trying to see anything more to it.

“There’s something moving inside.” Cheri says quietly, “Many things.”

“Beasts?” I ask, wondering how well this ship would handle a certain giant lizard spitting atomic breath attacks.

No one replies, none knowing any better than the rest.

A bright red flash.

The ship shudders, tilting beneath us and sending most students stumbling in confusion. I steady myself and glare out the window, blinking away the afterimage burned into my eyes.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

~Fire Magic: Grade 1

Current Goal: Complete a mana-fire conversion.

Warning: Your Mana Form is too underdeveloped to take the next step in Fire magics class.

~Mana Form: Grade 1

Current goal: Develop your mana form.

Current mana density: 0 units