Ah, childhood. The days where one could skateboard with the local ratters and drink various juices of dubious origin without considering the long-term side effects that might arise from a drink known as Nuclear Pizza Tang. Those really were the days.

But now adulthood is here and comes with it Co-workers and other creatures from the beyond. Sure, you might get eaten by a giant Flying Spidizard or Kidnapped by a magmonkey, but at least the pay's decent.....right?

That's what Sincan thought atleast. He was a towering Scalin (Crocodile Person) with "great" fashion sense and teeth who had recently just joined a company as an office clerk with the dream of working his way up. You can't really describe him as much of a selfless hero though.

As he entered the office, he found a peculiar scene. The printer had run out of Bewl (Magic Energy) and a Derlin (Deer Person) was standing infront of it.

Sincan: "Umm....What are you doing?"

Moris: "What does it look like, we gotta get to get the report done by today and the printer's outta ink."

Sincan: "That still doesn't explain why you're taking out batteries from phones?"

Moris: "Well from my expert physics knowledge it seems to me that nobody bothered replacing this printer."

Sincan: "Bu-"

Smoke blows out of the printer as burnt papers fly everywhere.

Moris: "For the past 10 years... and I WAS going to use these batteries to charge it but that's outta the question now."

Another Derlin stands up from her cubicle to check the commotion.

Firil: "Mor, what the hell was that sound?"

Moris: "The sound of a soon to be arriving pay cut *cough* *cough*."

Firil: "And infront of the new guy as well? Great job Mor, helluva first impression. Look, new guy, we really need to get this report done. We forgot to file this one and everyone's on vacation right now so it'd be a big help if you would so kindly..."

Sincan: "Kindly what?"

Firil: "Kindly borrow one from the building over."

Sincan: "Aren't those guys technically our rival company?"

Firil: "Oh an educated newbie as well. What a shame SOMEONE had to mess up first impressions!"

Moris: "We could always call over a wheel engineer?"

Firil: "Too late for that. Moris, go with him. Chop Chop"

With that Sincan and Moris get booted out of the office to make their Dangerous pilgrimage.... across the street.

Sincan*: "Day one and I'm already an errand boy. Doesn't matter, these guys look easy enough to trick anyway."

Moris*: "Man if i don't feel bad about putting the new guy through this. He's probably fuming inside right now."

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They make their way across and are greeted at the entrance by a rather suave looking Lyclan ( Dog Person). He eyes Sincan up and down then turns his face towards Moris.

Charlie: "Printer?"

Moris: "Printer."

Charlie: "I see you've brought someone new this time."

Sincan: "More like dragged along really. So can we use your printer or not?"

Charlie: "Maybe...Maybe not. Depends on some factors."

Moris: "No...You wouldn't do this to the new guy..."

Charlie: "It is a tradition among us, Moris. How could i go against my forefathers and abandon them now?"

Moris: "....You monster..."

A sudden gut feeling wells up in Sincan's stomach. He feels as though he's about to face a harsh reality.

Sincan: "This...is....terrible...."

Sincan stands there in terror,in the company field, racket in hand, Eyes locked.

Charlie: "I shall take it easy on you. You need only score one point against me."

Sincan: "Can i not just buy you a beer or a laya fruit?"

Charlie: "Oh come on. We shall settle this like true office workers, with a round of tennis !"

Sincan*: "What've i gotten myself into..."

The match begins as Charlie throws the first ball. It bounces off his racket and shoots off towards Sincan's side of the field.

Sincan*: "Shit!"

He barely manages to catch it and hit it back towards Charlie. He did have to use his magic for it though.

Sincan: "You could have said we were allowed to use magic!"

Charlie: "Yes but i didn't say we couldn't now did i?"

Moris*: "PleaseFirildontkillme,PleaseFirildontkillme"

Sincan engages his best magic, speed boost, to make sure he never misses the ball. Charlie is clearly skilled at the game but that means he's also over confident.

Charlie decides to imbue the ball with Kinetic Magic in order to send it flying faster than Sincan can react. It flies by Sincan and falls down.

Charlie: "One for me, and an egg for you."

Sincan*: "I could beat you up at any moment you furry excuse for a office worker."

Sincan decides to go for a curve ball in order to decieve his opponent. The ball shoots towards Charlie. He readies his racket to counter but the ball curves in mid-air. It shoots past his arm AND.....gets bounced back. It lands in Sincan's field as he's too baffled by the sight in front of him.

Sincan: "W-What?"

Moris: "Oh....cmon..."

Sincan is confused to what's in front of him. It seems to be a second Charlie.

Charlie: "Nasty trick but it sadly won't work. Shadow magic can be so useful sometimes, right?"

The second Charlie is standing behind the first one, racket in hand, ready to catch any of the first Charlie's mistakes.

Sincan: " I would've never expected someone so low on the corporate ladder to have magic like that."

Charlie: "To be fair, it has it's downsides but that can wait for another time. I've got work to do, so this will be your last chance."

Moris: "Maybe I sho-"

Sincan: "No can do, Moris. I want to beat him myself."

Sincan*: "Maybe if I impress him enough, he'll tell me where he got that magic."

Moris: "Well might as well start preparing for unemployment."

Sincan picks up the ball to start again. As he plays he realizes he doesn't have a chance at winning. They have more stamina, coverage and speed than him.

Sincan*:" Wait...stamina?"

a plan forms in his mind as he begins to execute it.

As he continues he starts understanding which one is the shadow and which is the real charlie. He decides to spread them out and enacts his plan.

As the ball reaches him, he pours all his bewl reserves into the hit and the ball shoots off with amazing speed towards the shadow Charlie.

It hits him in the faces but does not stop. The real Charlie is unable to stop it as he watches his shadow clone disappear and the ball slip by him.

Moris: "YES!"

Sincan: "YES!"

Charlie: "NO!"

The ball falls on the ground on Charlie's field.

Charlie: "That was dirty!"

Sincan: "Really? No official rule states that hitting shadow clones isn't allowed."

Charlie: "Just because it's legally allowed doesn't mean it's not dirty!"

Moris: "Accept your loss like a man, Charlie, unless you want me to bring Firil here...?"

Charlie: "Oh God that woman is here today?"

Sincan: "Yup."

Charlie: "Fine Fine. You can have the printer. But leave as soon as you're done!"

Moris & Sincan: "Thanks!"

They use their well earned reward to print out the report and return to Firil. A fine victory indeed.

Firil: "So how did you're first day go?"

Sincan: "Amazing!"

Sincan*: "-ly Bad! These people at least aren't trash but that's not why I'm here. I think i can relax a little though. Who knows, maybe it won't be so bad."