Seth meandered with the crowd leaving the auditorium and over to one of the oldest buildings on campus. The dining hall was in a wide building several stories tall. The doors were stone instead of wood, and were open wide to welcome the students. There were more students than Seth expected and the crowd funneling into the hall was dense so Seth picked up his familiar. She immediately scooted out of his arms and up to her favorite perch on his shoulder.

The inside of the dining hall was familiar to Seth, even though he'd never seen it before. The ceiling was high and supported by stone columns carved with vines and strings of magic lights lit the ceiling like stars. He remembered crossing a room very similar to this one with his father before they would climb the stairs to an observatory.

There were differences though. The floor here was stone tile with carved patterns instead of polished sea stone like in the palace. And this hall was filled with tables that looked like slices of a giant tree. But this hall and the grand hall in the palace definitely had the same architect.

Somebody bumped into him as they hurried past. The cat started giving him the side eye. He raised his hand to her reassuringly.

"It's fine, I was just looking around," he whispered to her.

She nodded and looked over at a nearby table. It was almost empty, save for Owen.

The table Owen was sitting at had ten individual seats and a table carved as a single unit. The center of the table had the tree's heartwood in the shape of a star. The patterns in the wood resembled spell circles. Seth looked around and saw that all the tables had the same star pattern, and looked like they'd all been carved from the same giant tree.

The crowd was filling in and it looked like every table would be full. Seth joined Owen and the cat jumped down from Seth’s shoulder onto the table. She was looking at the patterns in the wood and walking in a circle. Her whiskers were twitching.

"We just sit, right?" Owen asked. "They bring the food to us? Or do we need to fetch it?"

"I don't know. I don't see anywhere to get it from, and everyone else looks like they're just sitting."

The girl with pearl earrings and a long braid put a stack of books on the table a seat away from Seth. She hovered, as if trying to decide if she should just sit or ask permission. Finally she sat.

I should introduce myself. I didn't before in the Rainbow Tower, Seth thought, looking at the girl. He was interrupted before he could decide on the best way to start a conversation.

"Oh, hey look! This one is almost empty! Quick, everyone grab seats!" A group of students descended upon the table, grabbing every open seat.

"How many more do we need?" A hawkish looking student had taken the seat between Seth and the girl. He looked around counting. "Yeah, This can still work fine." He turned to Seth and Owen. "I'm sorry gents, would you mind finding somewhere else?" Then he turned to the girl. "You, of course, are welcome to stay. Hello, my name is Arnold." He extended a hand to her.

Owen rocked back in his seat. "What? No. Go find somewhere else yourself."

Arnold looked genuinely surprised. "Oh come on. I asked you to make room. We need the space."

"We were here first," Owen insisted.

"There are plenty of other places you can go with just a couple open seats. And I even asked nicely." Arnold gestured 'shoo' with the hand the girl had left hanging. "Thanks for being good sports."

"It's fine, Arnold," one of the friend group that had been left standing said. "We can find somewhere else."

"No, hang on. These guys will move for us. Just give them a minute to think it over." Arnold extended his arm over the table and a thin green snake slithered down off his arm and onto the table.

Seth looked around at Arnold's friends. Most were watching and waiting quietly for the argument to resolve. One was smirking like he was hoping for something more.

"I'm not moving," Owen said.

"Don't be a dick." Arnold leaned around Seth to stare at Owen. "Do you know who I am?"

"You're the guy who needs to go count fleas," Owen said.

The guy across the table who was smirking sniggered.

Arnold glared at him and then at Owen who glared back.

The girl with the pearl earrings stood up to leave but paused to watch Arnold and Owen warily.

This whole thing is stupid. And now it's a pissing contest. Should I stop it? Seth wondered. Could I even get Owen to leave?

Arnold stood and stepped between Seth and Owen where he could loom over Owen. "You think you're funny? You want to say that to me again?"

Owen stood up right into Arnold's personal space. He was taller and broader than the older student. "Go. Count. Fleas."

Seth wondered what Saben would have done. He figured Saben would have stood his ground like Owen, and might even have punched the guy already. But then, Saben liked fighting. He would have justified it saying that letting people think you're weak or an easy target was worse than being punished for standing up for yourself.

If Seth didn't move, they couldn't really force him without physically moving him. Or they could get violent. Owen seemed more than fine with that outcome.

Seth wanted to be like Saben. But the truth was that Seth just didn't want to fight. He was annoyed at this guy's rudeness, but not really angry. Should he put up a fight here? Was it worth getting demerits to sit at this table specifically?

It really wasn't.

"Hey," Seth said as he stood up. "Lets just calm–"

Seth's cat suddenly yelped and leaped straight up. Seth was flooded with a spike of terror from the familiar. She came down with claws out on all four paws. Right on Arnold's snake.

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

Before Seth could even understand what had happened Arnold yelled "No!" He snatched the cat and flung her away.

Seth's rage was instant and unexpected. In the moment he felt like he was blinded by noise. Wind whipped through the hall, but Seth was completely unaware of it.

"Hey!" Owen shouted as the cat disappeared in the crowd. He grabbed Arnold and spun him around.

Arnold grabbed Owen's arm and laid a hand on his chest. Owen collapsed like potatoes pouring out of a sack.

"Woah, woah, woah!" Another student tried to intervene.

"Catch him," Arnold said. "Don't let him fall too hard. This is a mess."

Seth couldn't think clearly, it was just so noisy in his brain. But this asshole had attacked both his familiar and his friend. Seth would end him.

"You dog!" Seth snarled. Without thinking Seth made gestures he'd seen Saben do. First he punched both fists forward and a sharp blast of wind hit Arnold. Arnold stared in shock as he was knocked backwards, but he kept on his feet.

Next Seth used both hands and whirled and slashed in a broad version of a wind blade spell. Fast and hard the wind blasted through the hall picking up small objects and scattering papers and books. Seth felt the wind pick up something slimy and directed it at Arnold.

The wind had picked up five fat carp and a bucket from somewhere, and slapped Arnold in the face with all of them.

Dazed, Arnold landed on his ass with his face covered in fish slime.

Seth was shocked. He didn't think he could do that kind of magic. Not only that, but the rage and the wind both died instantly and the silence left behind was ringing loudly in his mind. It was so abrupt he wondered what had affected him. A spell, maybe? Something from his familiar? Then Seth became aware that the whole hall had gone silent.

Somebody at a different table snickered. "Did he just get bitch slapped with a fish?"

Arnold flushed and glared at Seth.

More people started snickering too, but hushed when a professor arrived.

The professor was a tall and broad woman with a scarlet cloth tied around her head and hanging down her back. She was taller than Owen and was absolutely menacing as she glared at the gathered students.

"You," she pointed to a bystander. "Explain."

The girl stammered, "Uh, Arnold told these two to move tables, they said no, the cat on the table attacked Arnold's snake, Arnold threw the cat, that guy shoved Arnold and then fell down, and then that kid slapped Arnold with wind fish."

The professor gazed down at Arnold and the fish. "That sound right to you?"

"Mostly, yeah," Arnold said sullenly and stood up. He stepped over to the table and gathered his snake.

"And you?" She asked Seth who nodded. "Are either of your familiars injured?"

Seth felt through the link. "No, ma'am," they both said.

"Damn familiars. So much more trouble than they're worth." She pointed to Seth. "Your familiar started this. That makes you the instigator of this conflict. Do you understand that?"

Seth felt it was so unfair. They were minding their own business before these assholes showed up. But she was also right. The cat had attacked the snake first.

"Yes ma'am."

She nodded at Seth and turned to Arnold. "You know better than to put your hands on someone else's familiar."

"I was separating the two as quickly as possible, Professor," Arnold defended himself.

"By throwing her? She's a baby! Why would you do that?" Seth protested.

"Stop." The Professor pointed at Seth.

"I didn't throw it. I tossed it off the table to get it away from Asclepios. Cats land on their feet. I wouldn't do anything that would hurt it." Arnold sounded offended at the idea he'd actually hurt the cat.

The Professor shook her finger at Arnold. "Don't touch other familiars, Arnold. Demerits for all three of you for the use of violence. You two, the use of offensive powers in restricted public spaces is forbidden. Detention both of you. And watch yourselves, you haven't even gone a full day yet. I will be recommending disciplinary probation for both of you. If this behavior continues, you're out. Even you, Arnold. I don't care how special your power is."

The Professor drew a sigil in the air, the same one Professor Laur had used earlier, and Seth felt his key ring tattoo tingle. Then she drew a second sigil, and the tattoo burned. Two new symbols had joined the tower symbols. "See me tonight. I'll give you your detention assignments. And fix him, Arnold," she pointed to Owen. "I know you did that."

Arnold put his hand on Owen for several seconds and Owen sat up. "Give it a second and then walk it off," Arnold said.

"What in the darkness did you do to me?" Owen demanded.

"Cool it," Professor Rebecca said. "I'm not the type to tell you to kiss and make up. But if you can't be polite to each other, you're all in for a bad time."

The three glared at each other silently.

As Owen got up he picked up a book from the floor. "This belonged to that girl."

Seth looked around but didn't see her.

"Go find her and return it. And here." Professor Rebecca cast a longer spell. All five fish floated up and deposited themselves back in their bucket. She handed the bucket to Seth. "Go return this to whatever poor soul you took it from."

Seth and Owen left. Seth tried to ignore the stares as he walked through the mostly silent hall carrying a bucket of fish.

"That's a load of horse shit," Owen muttered. "I'm sorry I got you in trouble. It just made me so mad that he thought he could just walk up and kick us out. 'Asked nice' my granny's ass. Not once did he even say please."

"I'm sorry too. I overreacted when he threw my cat. I guess we should have just let them have the table. We got kicked off it anyway, just with punishment too."

"No. I don't know about you, but I'd rather get demerits than put up with assholes like that. It was totally worth it to see his face when you hit him with those fish. I just wish I got a punch in."

Seth shook his head. "I can't get kicked out of school. I can't let that happen."

Owen nodded. "I won't let you get burned for me again."

They had crossed half the hall. Conversations had resumed around them, but many were still staring. Whenever he saw seats at a table, the people there would either put something on the seat, fill in, or glare.

Seth was thinking he'd rather leave and just not eat. But he had to feed his familiar. She didn't deserve to go hungry just because Seth felt uncomfortable.

Owen glanced at the book he was still holding and looked around. "I haven't seen that girl again."

Seth looked too. "Me neither. Hang on to it, we'll see her in class eventually."

"What are you going to do with the fish?" Owen gestured to the bucket.

Seth sighed. He had no idea where the wind had found a bucket of fish. No help for it I guess. "Anybody lose a bucket with fish?" he yelled out. "There's five good sized fish in here, anybody missing this bucket?"

"These look like carp!" Owen called out. "Perfect for slapping assholes in the face! Fat fish looking for their rightful owner!" He sounded like he was enjoying himself.

People were laughing at them. Owen didn't mind so Seth tried hard not to be embarrassed about it himself. Within a minute or so a large golden eagle circled them. Seth held up the bucket for the eagle to take.

"I'm sorry, birdie. I guess I stole your lunch," Seth said. He watched the bird fly off with its bucket.

He'd have to think about what had happened with his wind later. It scared him a bit. His own response was weird too. He hoped it was just a reaction to the emotions he'd gotten from his familiar. Getting angry like that had never happened before.

He tried not to think about the demerits, detention, or probation. Probation in particular scared him. Later. I'll handle all of that later.

Seth turned to Owen and gestured to the far side of the hall. "My familiar is this way."

The cat was in the far corner of the dining hall, sitting in the center of a table that still had a few open seats. Good job, kitty.