[X] Ignore her and walk past to your locker. You'll turn the report in later, since she's obviously not going to.
Its school, we don' t even remember her, its best that we make new friends altogether.
You don't really remember what you were like thirteen years ago. But you know you werent confident in your own intelligence and weren't the best at school, both were self reinforcing problems.
Less of a doormat and more the kind of person who, if push comes to shove, would buckle down and finish whatever your partner didn't as the deadline loomed.
AN: Realized I used 'professor' in the previous post, even though this is a high school and no one calls their teachers that. Fixed.
[X] Point out that you sent it to her late last Thursday night.
Dolinar's capital, High City, had been been full of nobles who were too full of themselves. From nobles with no concrete power to their names to second and third sons and daughters meant to further family interests, the Imperial Court had been full of people whose only purpose was to keep the wheels of the Empire turning. None of them cared for the empire beyond how it furthered their own welfare, and to many you were either a tool or an obstacle. In those first few years, the social elite had been your most powerful enemies, spreading whispers behind your back or leading you about by your nose. You had been forced to play the game of politics with no training and little backing. However, you won in the end, and afterwards no one dared to speak against you for fear of retaliation.
You don't know what power Cecile is in the school's political hierarchy, but you don't care. You've played this game against tougher opponents for much higher stakes, and you're not going to back down now.
A confused frown crossed your face, but you didn't hunch your shoulders or show any other signs of deference. "Sorry? But I was sick last Friday, and I couldn't have handed the report in."
Cecile's frown deepened at the back talk. "Then you should have sent me an email with your part of the report, so that I could have turned it all in myself."
"But I did," you said. "I sent the final draft Thursday night, and mentioned that I was feeling ill and might not be at school tomorrow." The last part was a lie, but no would care about that.
"Watch yourself there, Fair," Cecile said. "It almost sounds like you're forgetting something here. I'm a model student, who does well on projects and never gets a bad grade. The report was due on Friday, and you were supposed to hand it in. Only you weren't here, and the report wasn't handed in." She stepped forwards, using her height to loom over you and force you to look up. "So obviously, I didn't get it, and since we're in this mess in the first place, it stands to reason you should be the one to fix it."
You have to suppress the grin of triumph, because now you've got her. Instead you pull out your phone and tab over to your email. One of the things about the school's email system is that you can see when your message was opened. It was intrusive, yeah, but in this case it worked to your advantage. And look at that, the message you sent her last night had been read Friday morning.
"Well then you need to read your emails more carefully," you say, making sure that everyone listening in could hear. "I know skimming messages can be a pain, but you can clearly see the report attached to my message, which you read before class." Cecile's eyes bug out at the unexpected confrontation. She thought you would fold under her intimidation and just give in, not turn things back around on her. Well, sorry sister, but you weren't done. The battle is won, and now you're making her defeat a route. "Still, I am sorry about this, and it's partially my fault, so I'll make sure to turn in the report and explain the situation to Mr. Cleaton at lunch." Like that, you've cut out her ability to argue the point further and taken away her chance to explain away the issue to the teacher. Well, unless she goes earlier, but second period is a Study Session for you, and that's when you're really going to talk to your teacher. If she presses the point, she'll just look bad in front of the students and further damage her position.
"Fine," Cecile says, glaring at you. "We'll be playing things that way then. Watch yourself, Fair." She doesn't stomp away, but you can tell she's mad. You ignore the few students staring at you and head to your locker. You fish out your books for history and stuff the rest into your locker, humming as you do. Politics may be unpleasant at the best of times, but you'd grown to like the flush of satisfaction a victory brought you.
-------------
By lunchtime word of your confrontation had spread through the student body, and everyone was eyeing you. Some of them were awed, a few conciliatory, but most were of anticipation. You'd bucked the status quo of high school, and they expected you to get knocked down. The anonymity from before was gone, and now you were someone to watch, at least for a while. Of course, there were also those who just weren't interested in the school's political infighting, but that didn't stop people from looking at you. At least while waiting in the lunchline, everyone is too hungry to look at you.
"Lucy, girl friend!" A voice calls out, and you turn to find yourself wrapped in a light hug by a girl dressed in an eye searing collection of pinks and light blues. She pulled back, and you recognized the face of Amanda, your friend since sixth grade. Her smile was way too wide and white, like it always was, and she bounced in place on the balls of her feet. "It's great to see you're not sick anymore. That's never fun. Your stomach is all churny and upset and it's like your head is a furnace because of the fever. Then there's all the shaking of your limbs and the way the way your skins get all clammy and sweaty which just leaves your sheets drenched which, blech, no thank you, and don't get me started on all the soups you have to eat, with no snacks or meats or sweets because your body can barely hold them down. No fun."
You chuckle, taking a moment to recover from the rapidfire pace of her words. You had forgotten how fast a talker Amanda could be, especially when she was excited. "It's okay Amanda, it was just a fever. It's not like I was dying or anything."
"Yeah well obviously that fever messed with your head if what I've been hearing all day is true, and since you haven't actually talked to either me or Jen since Thursday, you're going to explain some things. Because seriously just 'Lucy Fair talked back to Cecile Farroway and got away with it,' doesn't even begin to make sense and is too far out there to just be the rumor mill. But if you did do that and never told us, then that means you've been holding out which, by the way, jerk move, especially since that was part of what had us worried over the weekend and wanted to talk with you over. So, you, me, Jen, usual place, explanation, ten minutes, or I'm burning your homework."
"Alright, I'll give you two an explanation," you say. "Just let me get lunch first."
"Holding you to that girl friend!" Amanda says, bouncing off into the crowd.
Ten minutes later and your walking food tray in hand to the corner of the lunchroom where Amanda and Jen, two friends you had given up hope ever seeing again, are sitting. Unsurprisingly, your friends are just as you remembered them. Where Amanda is loud and flamboyant, dressing in bright gaudy colors and with her heart on her sleeve, Jen is more quiet and reserved. Besides her jeans and t-shirt, she's wearing her signature grey hoodie that, while not baggy, does hide her upper body from casual observation. Her current book is sitting unfolded on the table, like usual, but unlike usual she isn't reading while eating. Instead, she's staring at you.
"Okay, start explaining," Amanda says as you sit down. "What happened?"
"What, you mean with Cecile?" you said, "I just pointed out that I had sent her the report, and really it was her own fault she hadn't turned it in on time."
Amanda and Jen exchanged looks. "See, that makes sense," Amanda said, "when you ignore the whos and whats. You being tired and angry Thursday night at having to do the report yourself while also coming down with a stomach virus? Yeah I can see you not thinking straight sending her the report. But this morning, when you're not sick, when the Queen Bee of the school herself is talking down to you and making it very clear that's she's top bitch? Yeah no, no way would you not folding make sense, especially since she knows how to mash your insecurities. So, that just leaves one question." She folds her hands in front of her face glaring over them at you.
"What happened over the weekend to turn panicky insecure Lucy into confident, badass Lucy who really needs to communicate with her friends better instead of just sending 'I'm fine' texts to worried questions. Seriously, not cool, you've got both me and Jen concerned." The quiet girl nods in agreement, brushing a lock of long black hair out of her face.
You sigh, drumming your fingers on the table. They're right, you owe them something of an explanation. The place you're sitting in is quiet, an out of the way spot with no one nearby, because most everyone is outside enjoying the mid-april weather. With three walls blocking off other paths, you'd see someone approaching long before they got in earshot. But the question is whether you want to give your friends an explanation, and how much. A secret is harder to keep for every person that knows it. They're your friends, and you doubt anyone they told would believe them, but the principle is the same. In Dolinar some things had to be kept close to the chest, and you'd hidden things from even Lilith and Gareth if the matter was delicate enough. But that was on Dolinar, and this is not. You've already hidden matters from your family. Do you wish to do the same with your friends?
What do you tell your friends?
[] Nothing. This is valuable information that needs to be kept secret, to be revealed when the time is right. What happened to you in Dolinar isn't their business, friends or no.
[] Magic is real. They should get some kind of explanation, but not as much as what you've told your family. You'll tell them about magic, but not about Dolinar, or what happened there.
[] I Became a Queen. These are your friends, the kind your supposed to rely on. You've shared secrets with them that even your family doesn't know. They can be trusted with the facts of your rise to power, and the changes those facts had on you.
[X] I Became a Queen. These are your friends, the kind your supposed to rely on. You've shared secrets with them that even your family doesn't know. They can be trusted with the facts of your rise to power, and the changes those facts had on you.
Her I was thinking they could be fellow reincarnates.
[x] Magic is real. They should get some kind of explanation, but not as much as what you've told your family. You'll tell them about magic, but not about Dolinar, or what happened there.
[x] Nothing. This is valuable information that needs to be kept secret, to be revealed when the time is right. What happened to you in Dolinar isn't their business, friends or no.
[X] I Became a Queen. These are your friends, the kind your supposed to rely on. You've shared secrets with them that even your family doesn't know. They can be trusted with the facts of your rise to power, and the changes those facts had on you.
[x] Magic is real. They should get some kind of explanation, but not as much as what you've told your family. You'll tell them about magic, but not about Dolinar, or what happened there.
[X] I Became a Queen. These are your friends, the kind your supposed to rely on. You've shared secrets with them that even your family doesn't know. They can be trusted with the facts of your rise to power, and the changes those facts had on you.
I feel pretty okay taking this choice... Just a question though: @NotAlwaysFanfic , can Lucy have... what'shisname appear to her friends without revealing the use of magic to everyone else in the lunchroom? Or can she do a 'I've something to show you, but not in front of everyone else' bit and find somewhere without other people who can see it happening?
[X] I Became a Queen. These are your friends, the kind your supposed to rely on. You've shared secrets with them that even your family doesn't know. They can be trusted with the facts of your rise to power, and the changes those facts had on you.
I feel pretty okay taking this choice... Just a question though: @NotAlwaysFanfic , can Lucy have... what'shisname appear to her friends without revealing the use of magic to everyone else in the lunchroom? Or can she do a 'I've something to show you, but not in front of everyone else' bit and find somewhere without other people who can see it happening?
Perfectly reasonable to do the later, and is proabably what will happen if you go with this choice. She won't do it in the lunchroom though; you're still in sight of other people.
[x] Magic is real. They should get some kind of explanation, but not as much as what you've told your family. You'll tell them about magic, but not about Dolinar, or what happened there.
[X] I Became a Queen. These are your friends, the kind your supposed to rely on. You've shared secrets with them that even your family doesn't know. They can be trusted with the facts of your rise to power, and the changes those facts had on you.
[X] I Became a Queen. These are your friends, the kind your supposed to rely on. You've shared secrets with them that even your family doesn't know. They can be trusted with the facts of your rise to power, and the changes those facts had on you.
No. No, you do not want to hide things from your friends. You did plenty of that on Dolinar and even though it was necessary, the guilt still ate at you.
And what about Max and your father?
That was different. You care for them, truly, but you've always kept private things secret from them, and even with what you've told them you've seen the worry in their eyes. Imagine how they'd react if they knew the truth?
"Alright," you say, blowing out a breath through your teeth. "Bare with me on this, because there is a lot to talk about and most of it is going to sound strange.
"First off, magic is real. If you have the proper training and know what you're doing, you can do things that modern science says should be impossible. More importantly, it has its own central logic that you extrapolate on and build from. You can go from picking up a candle flame, to generating your own, to making fireballs, and eventually to throwing them." You grab at the food on your plate, picking up a thin, floppy noodle. "Durrham." The noodle stiffened and congealed became rigid. It didn't bend or move as you waved it about, almost like it had dried out, but it was still saturated with liquid. "That, is the most basic spell of Steel Magic, the school of imbuing, shaping, and enchanting."
Amanda opens her mouth, but stops as Jen nudges her. "Let Lucy finish, then ask," she says.
"Thanks," you say, putting the noodle back on your tray. "All the schools of magic are pretty amazing, and the more you study and research it, the more there is to discover. Weapon magic gives the user a mastery of combat that is, kinda hard to believe, even when you've see masters perform dozens of times. Nautical magic can make someone a peerless ship pilot or a deep sea explorer. Soul magic allows for the interaction between spirits, and can be used from speaking to the dead to inspiring hope where there should be none. I don't know if there's an underlying rule, a....base principle that it all works off of, but I wouldn't be surprised if there is. With me so far?"
Your friends nod.
"Okay, good. Next important thing, alternate worlds exist. I'm not sure how many, but there are at least two, maybe more. After I went to sleep on Thursday night, I woke up in the kingdom of Dolinar on the world of Karas. The reason why was because the nobility of Dolinar enacted a ritual that they thought would target an illegitimate descendant of their founder. None of them were good enough at Nautical, Soul, and Steal magic to fully understand the ritual though, and it targeted his reincarnation."
"You," Jen says. Amanda is nearly buzzing in her seat. She really wants to interject.
"Yeah, me," you say. You spear an overcooked piece of broccoli on your fork. "It was a very public event, so they couldn't exactly cover it up, but they played it to their favor. Turned me into their queen and for a few years tried to use me to advance their own goals. I was piece in the grand game of politics to be won and used. Thing is, I don't like being manipulated, especially when it was getting people killed. It took me nearly ten years, but I forced the nobility to respect me, and I actually cowed a few of their enemies. It kind of led to me reestablishing the empire they'd once had as well."
"Okay, okay, okay, stop." Amanda finally can't control herself. "You're telling us that the difference between the Lucy of Thursday and the Lucy of today is ten years on another planet?"
"Thirteen years, actually," you shrug. "Best as I can tell they measured time the same as us."
"Yeah, sure," Amanda says, burying her face in her hands. She takes a few deep breaths, and then looks up to meet your eyes. "I was giving you a chance to tell us what happened, but this is way out there bonkers, ridiculous and unbelievable. You're telling me you're some bullshit power fantasy about you becoming queen then empress of a fantasy world with science breaking magics and everything. I got a text from you on Friday afternoon which means that according to you that all had to happen in less than a day, but everyone knows time doesn't work like that. Girlfriend I'll accept the magic thing easy enough but come on, are you serious?"
"Time isn't exactly stable between the two worlds," you say. " I don't know the exact ratio, I only have one datapoint for reference, but math point to around one hour on Earth being about fourteen thousand, two hundred thirty five hours on Karas. That's assuming I was summoned to Karas as soon as I fell asleep and woke up as soon as I was brought back."
"Like that makes any sense," Amanda mutters. "I might not be the best at physics but I'm pretty sure time doesn't work like that!"
"Doctor Who," Jen says, giving your a flat look friend.
Amanda pauses for a second, then shoves a finger in Jen's face. "That is a science fiction tv series and while I'm not on the level of Whovians I know that it is inconsistent with itself on multiple occasions. I like the good stories and fun characters the show gives me but never once have I considered it to be a good example of how time works in any shape or form." She folds her arms across her chest, gaze shifting between the two of you. "Try again, Lucy."
You growl low in your throat, massaging your forehead. You thought you were done with these kinds of idiots when you showed the Marquis of Thulinar what disobeying you would get him. "Why would I lie on this, Amanda?" You say. "I've just shown you that magic is real, and I have nothing to gain from deception. The honest truth is that, yes, I have spent nearly half of my life in another world where I was the ruler of millions. That's fact whether you like it or not. Why does that upset you?"
Amanda looks away, lips pinched together in a line. "Because it doesn't make sense," she says. "Magic, reincarnations, another world….forty minutes ago everything was nice and simple and made sense and you weren't some warrior queen come again to rule us all. It's just, how? How is that a rational world."
"New discoveries," Jen said. "People used to think the world was flat. Round didn't make sense. Humans used to think they were created wholesale. Then Darwin proved evolution. This is the same thing."
Amanda seems to deflate at that, sitting low in here seat. It's a bit saddening to see her like that.
Show me to them, Draschal said, his voice whispering in your ear. Part of you desperately wants to convince her, and seeing me will go a long way to removing the last of her doubt.
But, there were other people here within easy sight of you. A ghost made of wispy blue light is going to stand out.
Then take them somewhere private, but show me to them, Draschal said. There is time yet until lunch is over.
"You're right, as usual." You stand from your seat, gesturing to Amanda and Jen. "Follow me," you say. "There's something else I want to show you. It'll at least help you accept my story."
One of the nice things about your school, Westmont Municipal, is that it's old. Old buildings, old hallways, old rooms. It grew with the city over the years, haphazardly and without clear planning. After countless renovations, repairs, and additions meant to keep the public school servicing the district, there were plenty of dead end nooks and crannies that allowed for privacy, tucked away from prying eyes. You find one such dead end easy enough, an unused classroom just off the lunchroom, overstuffed with extra desks and with dust gathering on the chalkboards. The windows looked out on a narrow brickwalled alley that looked like it never saw any use. You walk further into the room, take a breath to collect your thoughts, and prepare to explain things.
Unfortunately you are beaten to the punch.
Amanda lets out a shriek and Jen takes a startled gasp. You whirl around, hand instinctively going for a sword that isn't there, only to force your guard down as Draschal Edolin fades into existence. He's more distinct than before, the blue glow stronger and sharper as it outlines ornate but functional armor, lines of script flowing along the breastplate and curving around the faulds hanging off his waist. The writing is a battle poem, something common among the clans he had united under his banner, although it is in a much older language that barely anyone remembers. His legs fade away just below the knees, the tops of his greaves turning into a churning mist. The facsimile of his greatsword, Firesbreath, is cradled in the curve of his right arm, middle of the blade resting on his shoulder and his fingers curled around the pommel. Huh, he decided to go with his battle gear this time. Usually he likes formal wear.
"What the hell is that Lucy?" Amanda says, voice higher than usual. "You didn't say anything about ghosts but I'm pretty sure that's a ghost right there, which means you're haunted and everyone knows that is not a good thing!"
"Well," you say, "I didn't want to show him in the cafeteria as he's kind of noticeable. Although I would have given a brief explanation, but Draschal here decided to pre-empt me."
You would have stumbled across your own words and meandered on the road, Draschal says, smiling sardonically. It works well with the trimmed beard and mustache, although the helmet hair doesn't. Erudite you may be, but few people in Dolinar need explanation about Apparitions. Besides, they will have many questions either way, I merely save us the trouble of repetition.
"Oh ha ha," you say, "Like you were ever any better at explaining spell-work, Mr. 'I'm going to leave behind a half dozen very powerful spells that no one understands.'"
A personal failing I have already conceded on. But your friends require an explanation.
You snort, turning to your friends and offering an apologetic smile. "Sorry about that. Anyway, this is Drascahl Edolin, my past life and the founder of Dolinar, the empire I told you guys about. He's reliable, but more than a bit of an ass at the best of times."
"You...talk to him?" Jen says glancing at the blue shade. "Can he interact?"
You wiggle your hand in the air. "Yes and no. He's an Apparition, a part of my soul given solid form through my skill with magic. Apparitions are a type of spirit, so they can only interact with the spiritual and magical. He can't speak aloud because that requires him vibrating the air, which is, in most cases, completely material. He speak directly into a person's mind, because they have a soul, but that requires a connection."
"Couldn't he establish one with us, if he wanted to?" Amanda asked, looking uncomfortable at the idea.
"He could," you shrug. "but minds are private things. Giving someone permission to speak to your mind is considered an intimate action, like kissing. So you don't have to worry about that happening."
Amanda offers a hesitant nod, while Jen walks forwards. She looks Draschal up and down, pausing as she looks at his gauntlets. The right one shows the roaring head of a dragon, maw pointed towards his fingers. The left one is shaped to look like a claw, with pointed fingers and and a scale pattern carved on the back. You remember when he had his physical armor shaped like that in preparation for the first dragon hunt in recorded history. A full grown dragon had been terrorizing nearby villages, stealing sheep, ruining entire fields, and killing hundreds of peasants. Standard practice was to evacuate everyone and wait for the beast to move on, as no one thought they could be killed. He proved otherwise.
"Magic is powerful," Jen said, turning to face you. "Could you teach me?"
You blinked in surprise, but chuckled. It made sense that Jen would want that, she was always eager to learn new things. "Maybe, but that's something for later, and I've never been a good teacher." You turn to Amanda, still looking hesitant and unsure. "This isn't irrefutable proof for the existence of Dolinar or Karas, but it's the best I can do on short notice. I know this makes you uncomfortable, but I am telling the truth. Are you willing to at least accept that I believe it, as my friend?"
She pinches her lips, looking off to the side. "You don't play fair. How am I supposed to say no to face as serious and earnest as that?" Earnest? You hadn't thought you were being earnest, but whatever works.
Amanda blows out a breath and nods, turning to smile at you. "I'll need time to adjust to something as crazy as this, but it's no worse than your scheme for getting a prom-date last year so I'll believe you."
"Oh really?" You say. "I barely remember it, so you'll have to remind me in the future." The shrill ring of the end of period bell echoes through the hallways, and the three of you jump. "Later, we need to get to class right now." And you'd just started eating. Well, not the first time you worked on an empty stomach before, you'd manage.
-------------
The following days pass as you reacquaint yourself with school life again. The student body doesn't seem to know how to handle your new attitude, but they'll adjust. Amanda and Jen do so as well, asking you questions about magic and Dolinar, and also sharing the latest school gossip and comparing the male students against each other. Dad and Max seem to be accustoming themselves to the new you, although you catch them eyeing you at times when they think you aren't looking.
Time Skipping to Friday, what do you focus on in that time? Choose Three
[] Keeping up with class work and studies
[] Asserting yourself in school as a person to just leave alone
[] Meditating and keeping your magic sharp
[] Practicing your sword forms
[] Spending time with your friends
[] Spending time with your family
[] Start looking for a job, summer break is around the corner
[] Re-acquainting yourself with current events via the news
[] write-in
