Fingers of light stretched in though the window as the grey of dawn replaced the darkness outside. Micky slumped back against the wall, his head thudding dully into the wooden panelling. Thoughts and disjointed questions raced through his mind, the volume of information that he had consumed over the last few hours crushing down on him. It’s just so big thought Micky. It really is a whole world.
The tinkling of a small bell shook Micky out of his torpor, Ma Duke summoning the residents for breakfast. Micky’s stomach growled weakly, reminding him he hadn’t eaten since lunch the previous day.
Climbing to his feet slowly Micky smacked his palms into his thighs, trying to get the blood flowing back into his legs. He walked tentatively to the backroom, feeling the aftereffects of a night spent curled over a folder. Splashing water over his face Micky had a chance to examine the clothes he had worn for two days, noting some of the dried grime from the alley he had awoken in, as well as the smell of too long in the same outfit. He did his best to alleviate these problems with water from the faucet but abandoned the effort as futile after a few minutes. I’ve really got to get some new clothes today, can’t deal with walking around in my own filth he thought. Moving towards the door and breakfast he tried to marshal the questions he had for both Ma Duke and Tanya into some kind of logical order.
Swinging open the bedroom door Micky realized he wasn’t the only one in the house headed for breakfast. Striding past his door was a horned figure, leathery red wings tucked tight against her back in the tight confines of the hallway. A swishing sound accompanied her walk as a ridged, almost alligator like swept over the carpet of the hallway. Instead of the shock Micky would have felt yesterday he found himself racking his brain, trying to recall what he had read. Dragebarn, he thought, innate magic users with an affinity for nature and poison aspected skills.
As if she could feel Micky’s gaze she turned to face him, a friendly smile underneath vertical black pupils set in striking orange eyes. The eyes stood out even more from the otherwise humanoid appearance of her face.
“Ah, you must be Micky, Ma Duke said she had a new guest. I’m Opplæring, but you can call me Opal” she offered a graceful ,three fingered hand.
Taking it in his own Micky shook it gently “Yeah, I’m Micky. I just moved in yesterday” he said as he gestured back towards his room.
Opal’s pupils contracted slightly as she looked into the room. “Induction Pack huh? You. Must be really new. I’ve been here about six months now so if you have any questions let me know.”
“I’m pretty sure I have more questions then any one man should have” laughed Micky ruefully.
“I remember that feeling” replied Opal “It’s all so overwhelming right?” She asked in sympathy. “It feels like you’ve fallen into a holo-drama. I was pretty sure I was in a coma, and this was all a fever dream, for about three months.”
Micky laughed out loud at this, “my current theory is either that I’ve had a stroke or that someone spiked my drink” he said smiling back at Opal.
“It does get easier” she said with a reassuring pat of Micky’s shoulder. “Look I’ve got to get some breakfast before work, but why don’t you come down and we can keep talking at the table?
“I’d like that” Micky grinned “and I promise to only ask half a hundred questions”.
Breakfast turned out to be scrambled eggs on toast, with copious amounts of Ma Dukes strong tea. Ma Duke herself was busting around the kitchen between the range and the toaster as Micky and Opal walked down the stairs.
You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.
“Good to see you up and about boy, Tanya said you were crashed out last night” she said turning to great them.
“Uh yeah. Sorry about that, I must have been more tired than I realized” Micky replied apologetically.
“Think nothing of it, I know new arrivals have a lot to adjust to. Take a seat and I’ll bring you some breakfast. Can I get you some tea? Ma Duke asked.
“That sounds amazing, breakfast smells so good” Micky said looking over at the pan of eggs slowly cooking on the range.
Opal pulled a stool from underneath the table and sat carefully, her tail winding around it and hanging just above the floor, while Micky chose one of the comfy cushion backed chairs.
“You said you had work today right?” Asked Micky looking across the table at Opal. “What do you do? If you don’t mind me asking?”
“No not at all. I work as a landscape gardener for the Baer’s landing city council. I look after the parks and trees inside the city” Opal answered with obvious enthusiasm.
“Thats actually really cool” Micky replied “I kind of thought all the jobs here were a bit more, you know, ‘fighty’”.
“What do you mean ‘fighty’?” Asked Opal.
“You know, like monsters and dungeons, going into new convergences and finding special resources. That kind of thing” said Micky.
At this point Ma Duke interjected from across the room, “Micky here has been given some rather interesting advice from his TRC liaison, you remember Tanya, about the jobs available in Baer’s Landing and in Outremer as a whole.”
“Yes, I do remember” Opal said as her brows creased slightly. “I’m not sure what she’s told you Micky, but most people here just do regular jobs. Classes help with the jobs and let people do amazing things, but for the most part people don’t use them to fight unless they’re dedicated combat classes” as Opal spoke Ma Duke placed plates of food in front of both her and Micky. Before he spoke again Micky thought about the Induction Pack and how asking about levels could be considered impolite, asking about a persons class was a standard piece of conversation. “How does your class help with working as a landscaper Opal?”
“Oh that’s easy” she answered. “I’m an Arborculturalist, it’s a hybrid class that focuses on growth and channeling energy into living things. It turns out it’s pretty easy to work on a garden when you can grow plants with your mind” laughed Opal. Have you unlocked your class yet?”
“No” answered Micky shaking his head. “I’m working towards unlocking the bard class but I’ve still got one more public performance before I get to level one. Tanya is going to help me with it today.”
“He’s not bad with a guitar is our Micky” piped Ma Duke “ I had that last song stuck in my head all day.
Opal looked up with wide eyes. “What kind of music do you play? Of all the things I miss from home having all the music in the world in the palm of my hand has to be one of the biggest.”
“Mostly I play traditional folk music, it was considered pretty old fashioned by most of the people in my ‘verse. I also play a little bit of metal, which is much louder and a little angrier” Micky answered.
Opal paused for a few seconds looking over Micky’s shoulder, “most of the music in my ‘verse was choral, dozens of even hundreds of singers working together using their voices and their wings to weave together soaring chants. There aren’t really enough Dragebarn in Baer’s Landing for a proper rytmeseksjon.”
“That sounds kind of like a shanty. Sailors in my ‘verse used to sing them to help keep time and make their work easier” Micky thought aloud.
“Really?” Asked Opal with a smile, “do you think you could sing something for us?”
“I left the Vaixell upstairs, and it always sounds better with some music, but I can definitely try” responded Micky, thinking about what he could sing.
“Let the poor boy finish his breakfast Opal” Ma Duke said before Micky had decided on a song. Besides, don’t you have to be at work?
“Ah BLEEP, you’re right” Opal said, cramming the last of the toast into her mouth as she rose to her feet. Using her tail she slid the stool back underneath the table. “Sorry, I’ve gotta go, but it was nice meeting you.”
Before she could race from the room Micky piped up “I’m going to perform somewhere tonight, maybe you could come by after work?”
“Yeah okay, that sounds pretty good. Where are you going to play?” Opal asked.
“I’m not totally sure yet” admitted Micky reluctantly.
“Well when you figure it out come back and tell Ma” said Opal, “I’ve gotta come back after work to get changed after work anyway.”
Smiling in response, Micky waved as Opal turned and sprinted out the of the kitchen and then the house.