A few silent tense moments passed Jonny wondering if he should put up some sort of soild air as a sheild to protect himself from Mike or if he should put it around Mike to keep him from going after anyone els.
Still nealing over Luke, Jason caught Jonny's eye Jonny noticed a little bit of shine on Jason and thought that he mite be mostly metal right now just in case.
"What is going to happen to Luke now?" Jason asked quietly.
"I don't know for sure he should be fine... its just a shock I mean healing and getting hit like that is bound to fuck a guy up." Jonny responded.
"and make him fucking hungery." Luke said still face first in the floor.
"You ok?" Jason asked moving Luke off his face rolling him onto his side.
"fuck no." Luke said starting to get up "i just got hit by a truck."
"well... Mike at least." Jonny said glancing back at Mike who looked a little on edge
"what?" Luke looked surprised glaring up at Mike.
"His power is being unable to effect things so that means he can go unnoticed." Jason said hand on Luke's shoulder presumably in order to keep him from trying to get at Mike. "he beat the crap out of you with out you even noticing"
Luke shook his head slowly and a little unsteady. "mother fucker. Here I was thinking I was hot shit for the power I got."
"Yeah we could tell" Jonny muttered.
Luke shot him a dark look then shook his head. "yeah I was getting cinda fucked up."
"Looks like you got your prescribed beat down a little early." Jason said helping him up.
Luke nodded getting to his feet then saw the confused looks on Jonny and Mike's faces. He grimaced and looked away. "something my martial arts teacher said. sometimes when your big, strong, and trained to kick ass you need to get nocked down a few times to keep you from getting a big head."
"Its not true for everyone of corse." jason said. "But we've found that a few good hits every once in a while tends to balance him out."
"But to many and il kill ya." Luke said with a scowl.
Jonny glanced between Mike and Jason, Jason gave a half shrug and a nod. "so were all good?"
"yeah." Luke said with a half shrug
Mike seamed unsure and almost like he couldn't belive what was happening "i mean if you can lay off..."
"yeah yeah" Luke said frowning patting his pockets then muttered "shit I don't smoke anymore."
"Finally" Jason said with a shake of his head. "i hated those things."
"yeah yeah" Luke said "now can we move the fuck on there was something about cheatching animals."
Jason looked over at jonny "did you find a place for us to keep them?"
"yeah theres a whole zoo worth of "cages" downstairs." Jonny said
"good. Now how are we going to get the animals?" Luke asked looking around at the guys.
"Well im sure the pet shops are open." Mike said slowly.
"No" Jonny shook his head. "Im not killing anymore dogs or cats."
"...what about hamsters?" Mike asked
Eaher the honest curiosity in Mikes Voice and the blank look on Jonnys face was funny or Luke had an odd sense of humor because he began to laugh shaking his head at the both of them. It wasn't a moment latter that Jonny started to laugh as well imagining the look on his own face. Mike joined in and Jason let out a smile.
They enjoyed there laugh for a good few moments before Luke shook his head "But for real though we should hit up a pet store I mean theres got to be at least 50 kinds of animals in there. NOT including dogs or cats." he added seeing the look on Jonny's face.
"Theres also the question of what type means." Jason said.
"exactly." Mike said "what is a type? big bird? little bird? Red bird? blue?"
Luke shook his head "damn this shit is to veage."
"That being the case it looks like a pet store would be the best first choice." Jason said. "that way we can check to see what Type even means."
Jonny nodded for a moment then had a thought. "hang on let me try something."
He opened a portal back to the RV then opened his phone to look up classifications for animals. His phone seamed to blur for a moment almost as if it had old school static before a new txt came in.
"Type has ben changed to species."
Jonny looked back at the others they all had small boxes in front of them.
Jason frowned looking up at jonny he looked more worried then confused.
Mike grinned looking up excitedly at Jonny
Luke just looked confused. "what did you do?"
"i used my phone witch is half those blue boxes and half phone to look up the classification of animals." Jonny said seeing the look of fear shoot across Jason's eyes as Mike licked his lips grinning wildly.
Luke kept frowning "so what? it changed the word because you told it a better one?"
"not exactly" Jonny said.
"it didn't just change the word. It learned the right word." Jason said softly clearly thinking about all the implications of that.
Mike was smiling. "Well I don't know about you gentlemen but I am off to the pet store."
He started past Jonny who grabbed his arm. "wait. we should all go." Jonny looked to Luke. "txt your boss that we need the RV a little longer."
Luke got a sour look on his face but nodded pulling out his phone and headed back to the driver's seat. "yes sir iv got an important update..."
"Did your guys Books get added to your pop ups?" Jonny asked them Both men nodded. "Good then lets go ahead and step out so I can close this portal."
Jason nodded heading in but Mike looked a little disappointed before heading out taking a seat on the couch.
Jonny closed up the portal sitting at the chair across from the couch noticing that Mike and Jason were already reading off there blue screens. Jonny pulled out his own book reading about what if anything els he could try doing with his meditation. It seamed like he was pretty much through with what the book could teach him the rest was up to him to practice and keep up with until he decided he was done. Or until he could meditate while going about his daily life at the same time.
He closed the book wishing he had picked up one of the others on his way out.
Jonny tried to meditate while also watching Mike and Jason read, his goal was to try and read what they were from his seat across the RV, But it seamed all he was really doing was staring at them uncomfortably.
He thought that Mike was going through the details of large area enchantment and Jason was interested in magic item making.
Jonny sat focusing trying to read the pages for some time it was increasingly frustrating considering how they would quickly tern each page just when he thought he had it a page would tern.
Still it was part of mediation to keep cool and keep at it he didn't know how much time passed but it seamed much longer then it should have for them to get to a pet shop.
Finlay glancing out the window he saw they were nearing a wild life preserve.
"Luke what the hell?" Jonny asked getting up and moving to the fount of the RV.
Luke sighed. "you've been back there for 2 hours and just now your asking me what im doing?"
"i was... focused." Jonny said "but what happened to going to a pet store?"
"well boss said it'd be odd if we just walked in and said give me one of everything so hes setting up people to buy the animals and bring them to us." Luke turned off down the road to the ranger station.
"thats great but why did we come all the way down here?"
"well no point just sitting around is there?" Luke turned back for a moment so Jonny could see his grin. "so were going to go see how many animals we can catch."
Jonny just stared at the back of his head for a moment wondering if this was Luke's own idea or something he was told to do by his boss. Finally giving up Jonny went to sit back down frowning and rubbing the gold ring with his thumb.
"Whats up?" Mike said looking up blinking.
"Lukes brought us to a wild life reserve to go grabbing animals instead of a pet shop." Jonny said looking out the window at the trees and cliffs passing by.
"What the fuck is he doing that for?" Mike growled
"he said people will be bringing animals form the pet shops so its less suspicious..." jonny said "oh and so were not just sitting around while we wait."
"that dosent make any fucking sense." Mike said shaking his head
"It dose in a way." Jason said "Its a field test of our ability a way to see what we can do in a very real way."
Mike thought about that then smiled widely. "now I like that."
Jonny wasn't sure he did at all, he also didn't think he liked Mike's reaction. No that wasn't right, he wasn't sure he liked Mike. He wished he knew him longer so that he would know if this was how Mike had always ben or if this was something new about him brought on by the mana change.
There was a roar of a dirt bike then the buss stoped with a jolt nearly nocking Mike out of his seat.
"FUCK YOU MAN" Luke shouted out the window
The buss continued for a little bit longer before stopping for real this time.
Luke came out from the front frowning then noticed the looks on there faces. "asshole on a bike sped passed me I nearly nocked him off the road... if you can call it that. its more like a fucking dirt path."
"huh... thought you'd hit him and not think twice" Mike said.
"to much paperwork." Luke said.
"ah got you."
"so what is the plan?" Jason asked looking between them.
This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.
Jonny had no idea he had just found out and wasn't sure he liked the idea in the first place.
"I say we make it a compaction." Luke said "see who can get the most and most impressive captures."
"im not sure thats the right idea." Jonny murmured when a nock on the RV door startled all of them.
Luke got the door looking just as confused as Jonny felt. "the fuck do you want?"
"hey man ease up im just here to do my job like the rest of you." came a youngish voice
"show me your phone." Luke snapped getting up Jonny saw a young man with dark hair tan skin showing just how much time he spent in the sun. Pulling out an old flip phone from the pocket of his sport biker suit of red and white handing it to Luke. Luke looked through it then nodded a little annoyed tossing the phone back to the guy.
"who is he?" Mike asked.
"hes a camera man." Luke said. "hes going to be filming us today so the boss can see for himself what we can do."
"so the contest is out then." Jonny muttered not liking this at all but knowing he couldn't really do anything about it.
"and we'll have to work together." Jason added. "it would be hard to film if we split up."
"Do you know what were going to be doing?" Luke asked the guy.
"sounds like your going to be trying to catch animals with your bare hands or do some sort of magic tricks." the guy said with a grin. "either way sounds like you guys are going to be making fools out of your selves."
Luke's eyes narrowed but then he smiled a sharp little smile "yeah dose doesn't it?"
"yeah don't worry I do this thing all the time. I film people for a living most of them rich kids who wanna pet bears, or teens who think there hot shit on a dirt bike when they barely get up a hill. So it'll be nice to work with some other working stiffs." The guy said trying to get a peek into the RV. "names Charlie by the way"
Jonny exchanged a glance with Jason as Mike was already hopping up ready to go.
"your group dose everything doesn't it?" Jonny asked
"Im surprised we didn't already own a pet store." Jason replied smoothly.
Jonny flashed a quick smile as they got up and followed after Mike and Luke.
Charlie was explaining that when he worked around here a lot with all the animals around and little regulation of this area it was practically a zoo. With there own paths for riding bikes or taking 4 wheeler to the really far away spots where they had a few hidden fenced off areas with animals inside.
They also had a small trailer they could hook up to one of the 4 wheelers to bring along other people or lots of meat to feed some of the dangerous ones. Or to bring props for some of the shoots he would do.
Jonny insisted they bring the trailer so that he could open the portal into it and no where els. They thought he was being foolish but the memory of a dog that had only ben in the portal for a moment turning into a monster.
They brought the trailer Charlie thinking they needed some bate and things for safety like a med kit, a long pole with loop of rope through it and bear mace.
Jonny and the guys knew they wouldn't need that but let the guy pack it up anyway. Luke was taking an extra pleasure in telling him how they would not be needing them. Just to watch the guy grow increasingly convinced that they would die.
It was a longer ride then Jonny thought it would be going for about an hour before finally stopping at a river with a black mark on one of the nearby trees.
"ok we need to get off here." Charlie said. "the sounds spook most of the animals. Though some of them have learned that they can get fed when they hear the sound so we should keep an eye out for the big cats and maybe Gill, the grizzly."
He talked while setting up and pulling out a camera to put around his neck. He must have been pretty confident because he never even checked the camera before looking up. "well im ready when you are."
"so who wants to go first?" Luke asked with a smile.
"I think it depends on what were going up against" Mike said looking around as if there were animals just waiting everywhere ready to be snatched.
Jonny noticed some shadows and looked up just in time to see some birds landing on the trees. Thinking it would be better if he didn't waist them he reached out moving the golden dust out around the birds solidifying the air around them but leaving there heads free so they could breath. Then solidified the air between himself and the birds pulling them in as if they were a balloon on a string.
It must have looked like he was doing some sort of mime act Charlie rolled his eyes but started filming Jonny taking a little bit to figure out where exactly he was supposed to be looking at. Then he saw the birds chirping and struggling in the air.
Charlie was a true camera man in foolish horror movie fashion he was clearly shaken by what he was seeing but moved around jonny to get them both in the shot. Not saying a word even when Jonny was holding the air around the 3 crows he had caught as if they were in a box only jonny could see.
Witch was exactly what was happening. Jonny could see the gold dust around the 3 crows as they squawked and struggled but they clearly couldn't.
He smiled a little at that trying not to enjoy himself to much before walking to the back of the trailer. "your going to want to get this part on film"
Jonny saw the smug looks on MIke and Lukes faces as they watched Charlie the once over talkative and cocky guy tern into a silent camera man.
Jonny waited till Charlie could see into the trailer then opened the portal into the live subject storage. Stepping inside so that the birds stayed on camera Jonny walked into one of the white areas setting them down seeing them twitch a moment before falling asleep.
He made sure to set up the force field and then shut off his own that had ben holding the birds before turning back to smile at the stunned Charlie.
"you get most of that?"
Charlie just nodded still recording.
"good I wanna see it." Jonny said shutting off the portal behind him.
Charlie made sure to film the portal going out then finally stopped recording shaking his head in disbelief. "yeah yeah I wanna see it too."
"well don't leave us out" Luke said heading over with Mike and Jason.
They all crowded around the little camera trying to get a look at the same time. It didn't work of corse everyone bumping into each other and jostling the camera.
"Look tell you what I can take the memory card load it onto my phone and send you all copies OK?" Charlie finally said waving the other men away. "but it'll have to wait until the end of the day we're losing light."
They all seamed inpatient in there own way but agreed that was for the best.
Charlie turned on the camera and they moved on with things.
Eager to take his shot Mike Grinned "Now this is going to be strange but keep the camera pointed at this tree."
Charlie nodded for a moment keeping the shot on a tree, Mike seamed to disappear and after a long time everyone started to wonder if they should try and look around for him, when a cage with a rabbit inside appeared followed by another cage with a small fox, then a grinning Mike right in front of Charlie's camera yelling "boo"
Charlie jumped back the tense and nearly frightening moment exploding in front of his face. "fuck man! watch the camera"
"i didn't even touch it." mike said laughing at him as Jason gave Mike a long look Jonny wondering not for the last time if it was a good idea to being Mike on at all.
Luke on the other hand was laughing along with Mike and even gave him a hi-five shaking his head at Charlie. "Cant wait to see that one."
Jonny opened the portal again having Mike help him get the animals into there own rooms.
"Got any goats?" Luke asked grinning and Charlie clearly shook-en up nodded
"but there a little ride away form here. Around here we've got mountain lions, rabbits, foxes, Deer, and I think we got a couple crocodiles." Charlie said.
"crocodiles huh?" Luke said with a smile.
"yeah we've got a part of the river fenced off for them" Charlie said.
"great lets go."
Charlie was looking a little green but nodded leading them to a part of the river that seamed mostly blocked off by a set of bushes growing by the trees. Just behind those was what looked like some trees that fell into the river. Floating in the little damned area was the eyes of crocodiles peaking out from the water.
"Hot Damn!" Luke said hoping over a bush.
"we need them alive" Jason called after him.
"yeah yeah I got this." Luke shouted back "go on toss me some meat"
Jonny who was pretty sure he would have to try and heal Luke if something went wrong pursed his lips but got some of the meat they brought out for bait.
Jason took it from him "I think its best if I go over with him."
"thanks" Jonny said letting him take the meat and a little bit more out of the cooler before hoping over the bush himself.
"ready?" He asked Charlie who gave the affirmative. He started waving the meat around by the river's edge luring out a large dark green beast. Looking more like a guy trying to play with his cat. They could hear the hiss as the crock opened its mouth trying to find a good time to strike.
Jason tossed the large chunk of meat at Luke's feet the crock going for it with a lunge that took it out of the water snapping up the meat right as it hit the ground.
Luke lunged hitting right behind the crocks jaw, it didn't even get a chance to snarl. It lay there limp the meat in its jaws falling out.
Jason walked over and put a hand to its belly feeling for a moment before looking up. "its a live better get it quick Jonny"
Jonny nodded grabbing it with his spell that helped him move heavy things putting it into its own cage. He really need to think of a catchy name for that spell before one of the guys asked about it.
"holy crap!" Mike said watching Jonny mime the crock into the portal. "how are you doing that?"
"its a ...spell you can learn. But spell is Kinda wrong its when I use mana to move things by amplifying and changing the direction of force." Jonny said seeing the blank look on Luke's face and the thoughtful look on Mikes.
"whats the spell called so I can find it in the books?" Jason asked.
"well... im not sure if its in the books I Kinda came up with it myself after learning a lot about the magic stuff." Jonny said. "and its only the second time iv really used it in the real world."
"Ah... cool." Mike said.
"just how strong is it?" Luke asked
Jonny thought a moment "i... im not sure."
"something to test later." jason said.
"sounds like we're all due for some tests" Mike said
Jonny didn't like that thought. "lets hope not."
"...so what next?" Charlie asked.
"you said you had wild cats?" Jason asked
"yeah up this way." Charlie said pointing a little up river. "its a ten minute walk but a 3 minute ride."
They rode the 3 minutes Jonny not wanting to have to carry the cat by him self back to the trailer, he was also worried about monster worms accidentally getting energy from the portal and getting lose.
Jason seamed surprisingly exited as they pulled up to another set of fallen trees this time though it turned out to be a large pit under the trees to keep the wild cats from getting out with a rope ladder rolled up on the edge.
Charlie looked over the edge and seamed to be counting to Jonny's questioning look he said. "they used to get out a lot. so we got to count them to make sure there all here before we can relax. One time I thought I got them all but it turned out he was hiding up the tree."
"ah. what happened?" jonny asked.
"well I was with Tim he got me out of its way and threw some meat down into the pit." Charlie said. "hurt its leg for a while... got better though."
Jonny was glad the poor thing didn't get badly hurt and was also glad that Charlie seamed to actually care for the animals.
Jason let down the rope latter big bag of meat in one hand. "get the camera rolling."
Charlie barely had time to get his camera out and to his eye before Jason was standing in the pit of hungry bob cats.
They jumped him and he was soon burred under the mass of fur.
After a moment of confusion and cats fighting to get there food Jason threw a few peaces of meat out to the side so that more of them could get some a wide smile on his face he started to pet the big cats as they dug into there food.
"how are we going to get one out of there?" Mike finally asked.
Jonny who was a little envious of Jason getting to pet the large cats started to think of the question. "fuck... im going to have to open a portal down there arnt i?"
"looks like it... unless you can lift one out from here." Mike said.
Jonny thought about it "yeah I should be able to... im just worried about the other cats. Im not sure what the spell would to to something that tried to grab onto it."
Mike nodded thinking about it too. "i really cant wait till I can start doing stuff like that."
"yeah it is pretty great." Jonny said.
"sucks we got to wait on what happens to the animals." MIke muttered.
"yeah but we'll be racking up the points." Luke added in tossing in more meat he had gotten from the trailer.
Mike and Jonny nodded Charlie who was still filming Jason playing with the cats was clearly confused, but didn't bother to ask any questions.
Jason seamed to calm down enough to look up at the guys. "so whats the plan?"
"Il open a portal so you can put it in" Jonny said opening the portal to hall of cages next to Him.
Jason grabbed the nearest cat and jumped in Jonny quickly closing the portal reopening it in the back of the trailer letting Jason hop out.
After that It was mostly boring and almost cruel gathering up the other animals. The most notable exceptions being when they went over to the bear cave area, and when they got to the goats.
That was because Jason cuddled and hugged the bear before moving it into the portal. When asked about it he just shrugged saying that he had always ben a big kid then a huge guy so he had started to dream about petting and hugging big animals, being afraid of hurting any normal ones.
The thing with the goats was ...messy.
Luke grinning saw a goat with horns half as large as Luke himself. He raised his finger witch seamed to piss off the Ram who snuffled and then turned its horns to Luke charging for him.
Luke smiling set himself in a stance getting ready. Right when he judged it right he punched hitting the ram right between the horns. Whatever he did to his fist made the Ram's body explode its head dropping to his feet. It was lucky for everyone else that they had stayed back to let Luke be a fool. Meaning only he was splattered with the left over blood and gore.
They all thought he was just upset from bing covered in the blood but it turned out his screaming was from his arm, it was shattered and hanging limp at his side like a cheep fake.
"FUCKING HELL" Mike yelled seeing it.
Jonny a little annoyed with Luke being so dumb was tempted not to heal him and see how far normal human healing along with there new bodys could help him out. But after Jonny actually saw the look on Luke's face he started poring life mana into him using mana vision to see Lukes bones and watching the Life mana flow into him and regrow them.
Jonny was so interested in watching the mana go into then heal Luke that he actually slowed the mana watching it in detail. It was only after the arm was fully healed that he saw the sick look on Luke's face.
"uah... I was learning while healing you up." Jonny said then smiled. "if you don't like it maybe don't get hurt so damn much."
Luke looked like he wanted to argue but then did a face shrug pulling his arm away from Jonny.
After a quick portal hop back to the RV for a dinner the group found they had a small pile of animal cages and tanks waiting for them to move into the white rooms.
A shaken Charlie sent them all copies of the videos like he said he would also sending it to there boss. Seeing the full video times added up to 4 hours they decided to wait to watch it.
Not willing to drive the 2 hours back or to actually sleep in the RV Jonny opened up a portal to the bunks everyone piling in and picking there bed. Jonny wished them well and portaled back to his own home with a smirk leaving the others to talk smack before he closed it to shower before finale sleeping.