A distant part of my mind can feel it this time. The shlorp of my own guts coiling and sliding into place. Not painful, not uncomfortable, just the distant horror screaming in my mind. Unnerving as it is I feel each part of me assemble until only my skin is left sheathing itself over my form.

Gasp. "Uugh." I hold down the rising bile. My eyes open. I'm back sitting in the reception.

Before I rush off to my strange but exciting new life I take a look at my hands. Slim and feminine. That unfamiliarity is slowly dissipating. Slowly clenching and unclenching a sense of connection becomes undeniable. These are my hands, my arms, my legs... it's unreal, but it's also natural.

My memories have combined from my last visit. A strange sense of duality hangs over me. I both remember being this version of me and my previous lessons with perfect clarity and the version of me that lay awake that night with swirling thoughts. But now I've split off into this Academy version of myself again.

Slowly this is becoming my body. There never was total rejection other than the guilt and shame. This body just felt strange and unfamiliar. But I feel like there should be some greater discomfort... the Academy seems to like playing with my mind. Whether that's on purpose or incidentally I don't know. Forcing down the feeling of confusion I look towards my fellow students.

The same process as last time plays out. Students bodies form out of thin air. Hardly anyone reacts to the strange event. Only a few share my response of revulsion before moving off towards reception to get another stamp on their hand. I stand to join them.

Scribe is as busy as ever. Thwack. Ah, yes, how could I forget. The line gets shorter. Another student scuttles away cradling a sore spot. She won't thwack me like that will she? Thwack... Thwack...

My turn comes. Her arm whips out. Eek! And then she stops.

"Oh, Gentle. I didn't see you there." The stamp lightly taps my skin. Why does she do this every time? "What lessons do you have this time?"

As industrious as ever she works on her paper work while she talks. Occasionally stamping students as they pass.

Taking out my medallion I have a look at this cycles schedule. Universal Geometries then Alchemy huh.

"Universal Geometries first..." I say before I notice the look on her face. A wistful look passes her face for a moment.

"Well, good luck. If things don't work out, don't get too down OK?" She responds before continuing work as if to dismiss me.

"OK..." Why does she look so sad... wait? What was that last comment?

------

Finding the lecture hall isn't too bad. The Medallion has both the lecture name and place it will be held on the clock side. I make it in no time at all. Before realising I had a lot of time to spare. Oh well, may as well take a peek before the lecture starts.

This lecture hall had a door. Probably because of the practical nature of the topic. All across the surface of the door intricate swirls were etched into the wood. A variety of colours illuminated the pattern, shifting like flowing water. So pretty. I was mildly entranced but moved to open the door.

Simply touching the handle has a rippling effect outward towards the hinges. The door slowly opens by itself. I made note of all the effects that occur.

One area dims as soon as the doors part by a small distance. Another area slowly decays in a spiral around a central point. Could either indicate a timer until the doors close or perhaps the angle of the hinges. The entire door seems like a demonstration of what is possible with the technique. And to be quiet honest, it's a little pretentious.

I don't know where exactly I get that impression but the whole setup seems built to cow the viewer with an unnecessarily complicated process. An ordinary automatic electric door doesn't display such pomp as it opens. At most it'll give a little electronic jingle to announce your entrance. When I make that comparison in my head the display seems all the more excessive.

Feeling slightly unsettled I enter the room. A dark interior greets me, only lit by the various magical inscriptions around the room. An air of mystique hangs in the air as the shadows hide details hidden away in the corners of the room.

Different from the amphitheatre of the general studies lecture hall this room is setup for a more practical class. Circles of desks still surround the lower section of the classroom. The angle of incline is shallower and the desk larger. Each desk seems to have circular guides marked on them to aid with the art of circle drawing. The centre of the room has a raised platform with many unlit markings similar to the desk but more elaborate in setup.

I spot numerous students milling around staking out a good desk to watch the lecture from. I decide to forgo the exploration time in order to do the same.

Trying not to select a desk too far from the teaching space down below I explore off to the side somewhat away from other students. I don't feel confident enough to banter with the other students. Apart from loners like Rise and me.

Although I had gotten over the fact that these alien students were people just like me, the social anxiety in me didn't know how to start a conversation with them as much as in the regular world. Quiet types like Rise aside.

So I made my way to my choice of desk and started to inspect the inked out markings on the desk. Several versions were laid out. Enough for three people to work at the same time on separate circles. The inscriptions showed markings for straight line segments at specific angles, circular arcs which abutted each other for specific radii. And other helpful marks scattered the entire diagram. Only a set of growing concentric circles were fully marked out.

A few button like circles glowed near the front of the desk. What do these do? My mind conjured a number of possibilities from changing the guide above the table, illuminating portions or perhaps even initiating the circle once drawn. Better not touch those yet.

My inspection unfortunately couldn't continue as my fears were realised. A student headed my way with a clear intention of talking to me. Why did you pick me!

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

At first I couldn't make out what he looked like. But as he approached I began to make out his features. Pallid skin stretches over an slim angular but humanoid figure. Iridescent 'hair' cascads down from his head in elegant waves. Except those weren't hairs, they were dragonfly wings. Fluttering in, what I could only assume, excitement they shimmered in the dull light. I pushed down the revulsion as I tried to show him a polite smile.

Then I saw his eyes. Peaking out from behind normal looking eyelids a set of compound eyes greeted me. Tens of miniature human looking eyes swivelled about as he scanned the room for threats and points of interest. They swayed in waves as his attention gathers on different subjects. That was until he was but a few feet away and they all lock onto me in one synchronised motion. A shudder ran down my spine.

"Greetings. I had yet to note such a lovely figure has joined the Academy." He was very well spoken and holds himself with the grace I'd only seen in period dramas.

"Hello. To what do I owe the pleasure?" I say searching for a greeting to match his own. My desperate mind only finds a handful of flowery phrases from TV and movies.

"Oh! Someone with a degree of education I see. What a pleasant surprise. I had been wondering whether I would remain isolated among peers." He answers, or not, while his eyes wander about the room as if to point out his previous interlocutors.

Suppressing the revulsion at the disturbing sight I searched for polite ways to get rid of him. But he only steps closer, entering what would usually be my personal space.

"Such a lovely specimen. Beautiful and refined, you don't deserve the hardship of being lonely in your first lectures." He emotes his sorrow as he reaches a hand up towards my head.

I freeze. He reaches for my horns with, what I can only assume, is the intent to stroke my petals. A sense of violation fills me at his audacity. Ugh! I could throw up. Not only his actions revolt me but his hands end in hollow pin like tubes, like proboscises. His mouth grins unnaturally wide revealing rows of stripped stingers. As his hand nears I finally snap out of my stupor.

"S-sorry." I cover my horn with my hand to forestall his own. His smile fades in disappointment. But the same polite veneer stays in place. What a creep. Oh god, is this what girls have to put up with?!

Something clicks into place. Of the several types of students that attend the Academy one type could be called insectoid. I have yet to elicit a bad reaction from any that I have met. From Scribe to this character here, and any that I passed in the corridors. Do the insect types naturally feel attracted to the plant types?

Scribe didn't immediate warm up to me however, but I feel like that was the exception rather than the rule. Oh god. I feel all the eyes that glance my way take on new meaning.

"I must apologise. Where are my manners." He begins again. "I haven't introduced myself. My name is Noble One. You may refer to me as Noble." He says with a flourish of his arms.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Noble. My name is Mel." Maintaining my composure I return an empty platitude. Gosh, I'm feeling all posh all of a sudden. I knew I couldn't keep this up for long, but having started by following the flow it was kinda difficult to change tack.

"Ah, Gentle, suits such a succulent morsel such as yourself." Succulent morsel!? Is this guy even trying to be polite? Or does he just want to eat me!

"H-have you been at the Academy long?" Holding my arms close and stepping away a little I continue the small talk. Except he steps forward maintaining the same distance.

His dragonfly wing hair flutters at my, supposed, interest. "Ah, this could be considered my second Term. Having excelled at my previous courses I'm filling out my repertoire with a number of topics I deem will be useful. If I may return the question, how long have you apprenticed?"

"Apprenticed?" I ask. Apprenticed in what? Oh! Does he mean magic? Like under a mage on Earth? "Oh, you mean my education?"

The start of his frown turns around when I ask for clarification. "Indeed."

"Well, I wouldn't call it an apprenticeship but I've been in education for most of my life. As for higher education I'm in my second year. If that means anything to you?" I answer as honestly as I can. Not technically lying, just not an education in magic that's all.

"Oh? Your world seems to have an unusual system for learning the arts. Although only two years? That's not a long time. Unless... you said you've been learning all your life, how does that work." He half ponders half asks.

"Ah, well, it's called general education. Almost everyone takes it from where I'm from. We learn a variety of subjects before specialising."

He squints his compound eyes. They few I can see all focus on me. "Intriguing. What an enlightened system. And that specialisation would be Higher Education I take it? What subject have you chosen, may I enquire?"

Thankful to be away from the creepy topics and uncomfortable advances I start to describe my passion. "That would be mathematics! It's the study of numbers, patterns and logic. I'm currently taking a lecture course on Number Theory, Vector Calculus and Linear Algebra among others. I have always..." I stop. Slowly his face has morphed from a bemused smile to a sneer.

"What lark are you on about. What flight of fantasy are you peddling as truth. I've heard of no such pursuit." His hair shudders in annoyance. The little wings buzz as they beat in the air as if to take off. "I had thought something was off as I talked with you but you've been taking me for a fool."

I'd forgotten. No one seems to understand mathematics here. But did he need to take offence like that? Even if you don't understand something doesn't mean it doesn't exist!

"I assure you the subject is very real." I reply with a strained smile.

"Ha, what absurdity you spout. I have scoured the library for all it's esoteric titles. Every book spine, every written paper, every scroll. I've catalogued ever subject that will pave my way to greatness. Yet you seek to pull the wool over my eyes, with a lie about a subject even The Great Academy has never heard of? A troglodyte such as yourself has no place feinting blue blood and good rearing."

His contempt oozes from his body. Sneering down at me from on high he hisses through his sting like teeth an unpleasant tone. A bubbling heat rises in me as he disparages my passion. I'm angry at his dismissive tone, at his arrogant outlook, but most of all because he dismissive the one subject I love because his pride can't take being ignorant of it.

"For what reason do you dismiss my claims out of hand? Out of all the worlds perhaps this is something that has slipped by the Academy's notice." I ask tersely.

"Ha!" He scoffs. "Do not forget the academy conveys intent. Your words convey nonsensical drivel. How could I be fooled by such a poorly put together lie. It matches no concept even vaguely present in the archives of the Academy. I honestly don't understand why the Academy invites such uneducated trollops."

I was seeing red. I could no longer hold the polite facade I'd kept up this entire conversation. And I'm about to say something I'm most certain I'll regret later. Speaking loud enough to project my voice over what little chatter was still going on, I committed my first mistake within the walls of this Academy. "Well I'm sorry your ignorance dictates the extent of your courage to explore new topics. Would you ever so kindly go F-yourself."

I turn. I walk. Not even looking back as the buzz of his hair rages even louder. What the every loving carp did I just do!!!

The room has almost filled out as I was talking. It's now deathly silent. Few desks remain free near the central teaching area. I spot a couple of students together at a desk with a third spot free. That will have to do.

The two students look almost identical. Except one has a subtly feminine form and the other is ever so slightly masculine. They're both humanoid but their bodies are semi transparent and formed from a blue vapour. Like ghostly creatures they float ever so gently above the ground. As I approach they turn to look.

"Em, is this place taken? Would you mind if I joined you two?"

""You may."" They reply in sync. Before titling their heads. ""Two?"" They ask in confusion.