Jonny woke up feeling fresh and energetic almost like he already had a morning cup of coffee. Remembering that Drew was to be waking up today. That left him feeling mixed, on one hand he was a little exited to find out what power Drew got, and what Drew would chose to look like, not only that but now he mite not have to work with Mike or Luke again.

On the other hand, he had to remind himself. That meant he was going to lose that bit of freedom he thought he had, but was that even a bad thing? He had spent the last few days floundering and reading about mediation feeling like he was just wasting time.

With a little yawn Jonny got out of bed hearing a nock surprised and worried him a little. Heading to the door keeping his gard up, mana at the ready he glanced though the peep hole to see a man in delivery blues. He also saw a rolling rack zipped up in plastic behind the man.

He nocked again looking board and impatient.

Jonny remembered his suits were to be here today.

Opening the door Jonny frownd. "Pretty early for delivery isn't it?"

"yeah. Thats the point, we try to get to you at the beginning or end of the day. So you can wear them." The guy said as if Jonny was the one being foolish.

"right... yeah makes sense."

"Are you Jonny? ordered 14 of the Gmen blacks?"

Jonny winced a little at the name of them. "yeah thats me."

"good sign here." he said handing him a data pad. "you need help getting them in?"

"Do I get to keep the rack?"

"extra 40 bucks."

"...yeah alright." Jonny said knowing his gold card would cover it.

"right." the guy said touching his pad a few times. "card?"

Jonny handed it over and the guy swiped it then handed it back. "here sign again."

Jonny did so and the guy rolled the rack up to the door and helped Jonny get it in before taking off.

Jonny changed right there in his living room knowing he would need to get to the bunks right away. He wondered idly what would happen to the rest of the guy's suits.

Opening the portal he walked into the bunks seeing that the other guys where already awake. Mike and Jason reading in there beds while Luke was doing push ups lifting his feet on his bunk.

"dose anybody els feel like like sleeping is better now?" Jonny asked.

Luke looked up stopping mid push up. "no."

Mike sat up closing his screen "I do. I haven't slept so well sense I broke my leg and got some wicked pain killers."

Jason added "this is the first time in years iv ben able to sleep longer then a few hours at a time."

"got to say" Luke said still doing his push ups. "not waking up needing to piss was pretty damn great."

That achly got a grunt or nod of agreement from the rest of them as Jonny looked at the gray outline of Drew, checking his watch for when the timer he set for him to wake up he saw they had 15 minutes.

"anybody up to check the animals?" Jonny asked setting a new alarm for just 10 minutes form now.

"very much so." Jason said hoping to his feet.

"yeah I guess." Mike said.

"im good" Luke stated starting to do sit ups.

"OK see you in a few" Jonny said frowning at him. wondering why he was so ok with missing out on the points.

"He thinks it would take the full 4 days for the animals to change like it did with us." Jason said.

"also I got my own quest." Luke said doing his sit ups.

"the working out?" Jonny questioned.

"yep. I get one point a day for the work out I used to do anyway." Luke stated not slowing in his crunches.

"well go for you" Mike muttered.

Jonny cinda had to agree though his own quests had ben giving him plenty of points, as it was he didn't even know what to spend them all on. Moving on he opened the portal to the cages and didn't bother to close it after stepping through.

The animals were all sleeping in there cages, with no changes that the 3 of them could see.

Looking with the levels of mana vision Jonny noticed that instead of the normal gray washing over them they were a flickering rainbow of colors, as if each and every type of mana was fighting for room.

"damn..." Jonny muttered pulling out his phone. "part of the quest was writing it down"

"is there something worth writing?" Jason asked looking closely at the bear he had brought in.

"yeah... Im not sure if you guys have anything to write with though." Jonny said with a frown "i mean I wouldn't want to steal from you guys."

Mike pulled up his screens and started poking around. "i think iv got something." He showed them the screen and on it was a blank page notes page. He seamed to focus a little and words started moving across it. "iv ben poking around on here a lot. Got bored with that book you said we should look though pretty quick"

"ah... ok well then you’ll wanna take this down." Jonny said turning on his text tip program "it seems like as apposed to us who when we change go gray as the mana reworks our bodys, the animals are flashing lights of all colors of mana. As if the mana is trying to find any or all compatibility the animal could have."

Jonny tried looking around the beasts to see where the mana was coming from but it seamed to just be only on the living things. "they seam to be pulling the mana out of the air... or where ever mana comes from in the first place. I wonder if changing the environments of the animals would also change what mana they were exposed to. Something to try later."

Jonny tried to think of anything els worth saying then just shrugged "End of note one."

Mike shook his head. "well thats one way to end it."

"You got a better idea?" Jonny asked.

Mike thought for a moment then said. "...no"

"It was fine." Jason said dismissing his own screen and looking over the wild cat as well even opening it to go in and pet the animal feeling its paws and checking its teeth.

"any change?" Jonny asked.

"No, nothing I can tell." Jason responded.

"Mite help if you knew the animals before hand" Mike said heading back to the bunks.

"hes got a point" Jonny added a little sheepishly.

"yeah." Jason agreed giving the cat one final pet before heading out of its cage and locking it. "how much time left?"

Jonny checked his watch. "7 minutes."

Jason nodded heading back through the portal. "hey Mike got any other tricks you found on that thing?"

Jonny closed the portal after he went through listening with half an ear to hear how many things Mike had found that were similar to a phone in the way it worked.

Jonny's timer went off and he stood looking to the bunk where Drew lay. "Its time"

"your making a really big deal out of this" Luke said as he ran by making laps around the bunks.

Jonny wondered how Drew could hold back yelling at these people who was really in charge around here.

"well I mean hes some of the last family I got." Jonny offered as a week excuse.

"i understand" Jason said giving a reassuring pat on Jonny's shoulder.

Jonny muttered a thanks as the gray around Drew faded, Jonny focused with his mana vision watching for the symbol he saw on the others. Drew's symbol was centered just below his chin, as big as his face with looking like a spider had woven a fractal out of a deep purple light. Like the others it soon started to shrink, Jonny deeply wanted to take a picture or some how understand just what this symbol meant. Unable to even see most of it and unable to understand any of it he had to just watch it fade away into Drew's body.

Shutting off his mana vision Jonny finally saw his uncle for the first time, he thought he should be shocked but for some reason he wasn’t, to find that his uncle hadn’t changed at all. He was still the short balding man he always had ben.

Before he even opened his eyes and sat up a blue screen popped up in front of him. Opening up his eyes and seeing them he scowled "not even awake and these damned things are bothering me. They follow you out of the dream."

"so you got a quest in the dream?" Jonny asked wondering if that was even possible.

"yeah you can get quests anywhere don't be surprised if you wake up form a really good dream to notifications." Drew said sitting up glancing at the screen then scrolling down a moment before dismissing it. He pulled the cigarettes out of his pocket and lit one up.

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Luke stopped in his tracks staring at Drew "dude you can still smoke?"

Drew let out a long smug breath of smoke. "yep... even got a quest for it. Every one I smoke I get another point."

"da fuck?" Luke said looking like some one had told him Santa was real he just didn't like Luke and thats why he never came to his house for cookies.

"thats an... odd quest." Jason said frowning.

"yep..." Drew said taking another drag. "worlds a fucked up place. Now everyone stop talking for a moment I need to know whats going on"

Before they could ask a bright blue bubble web work of light grew out from Drew passing through everything around them before shrinking back into him. His eyes glowed that same bright blue color for a moment before he blinked.

"good job with that quest boys. It will still take a few days for the end part of the quest but il make sure the boss lets you in so you can get those points you erned." Drew said a light blue spark of light still in his eyes as he turned to look at Jonny "can I see that Trinket that old guy gave you?"

Jonny was to confused to even asked and slowly pulled the turtle out of his pocket and handed it to Drew who held it the same web of blue light forming around the turtle as another smaller one moved over it like as if it was scanning the figure.

Drew's eyes glowed brightly for a moment and he sat frozen the blue lights spinning in his eyes almost like a loading screen then the lights faded making him blink. He frowned and held a hand to his head handing the turtle back to Jonny, He closed his eyes tightly as if fighting off a migraine.

"what the fuck was that?" Mike asked loudly. "some sort of analyze ability?"

"don't talk so loud" Drew said eyes still closed. "and yea something like that. I can see the past in things or people, its not mind reading or anything but itl be damn close"

Mike grinned eyes lighting up "that is so cool"

Jason pursed his lips looking at Drew with narrowed eyes.

Luke said "its a good thing none of us get seizures. with all that blue flashing shit going on."

they all turned to give Luke an odd look Jonny putting the trinket back into his pocket. "i mean... I guess you got a point."

Drew took another long drag off of his cigarette eyes still closed. "i think I took to much..."

"i got points into knowledge and it gave me a head ache and made me wanna go to sleep and that couldn't have ben half of what that thing has in it." Jonny said a little amazed at Drew for still being upright.

"heh... Well it's my new power after all." Drew said with one last long drag of his cigarette he opened his eyes and stood. "You still got another 5 minutes of running left Luke you better get to it."

Luke looked a little surprised then annoyed "Man I almost forgot." He started running again.

Jason was still looking closely at Drew who met his eye and said "you my man have ben looking at me a little too long... wondering why I still look the same?"

Jason seamed to relax looking away. "...yeah I mean you could have looked like anything."

Drew shrugged flicking his cigarette but away, a small blue pop up proving that he indeed had a quest to smoke. "I like how I look. People ignore little bald guys most of the time, Being a young man gets you noticed and distrusted. Didn't seam worth it."

Jason nodded. "interesting."

"sounds cinda dumb" Mike said with a slightly disgusted look.

"Yes were very aware that you don't really get subtlety." Drew responded giving Mike a sharp look.

Mike blinked his too bright blue eyes and make a dumbstruck look that showed off his fangs.

Jonny would have laughed if he thought for a moment that he had done it on purpose.

"exactly" Drew said shaking his head then turned to Jonny holding out his hand. "the ring please Jonny."

Jonny flinched holding up the ring and rubbing his finger over it with his other hand he didn't realize he would be having to give it up and he suddenly found he really didn't want to. It would be like giving up his car... no like his hand.

He was reminded of the Ring Lord movies and that scared him enough that he quickly took the ring off more tossing then handing it over to Drew.

Drew didn't seam to mind slipping it on his own middle finger looking at it for a moment before opening up 3 portals one on the wall leading to a hotel room in the casino, one to the work shop, and another in the hallway full of white animal boxes.

"Don't worry the portals don't rip holes in things when you open them in moving things." Drew said off handed, looking into the cage portal making a new gateway to the back of the RV inside it.

Closing that one he walked into the workshop and made a portal to the long hallway inside the secret lab.

Drew frowned for a moment then the portals in front of him flashed and moved around.

After the change up there was now gates to both the long hallway and the workshop inside the bunk room near the real hallway out of it. there was also another portal into the lab on the opposite side of the Casino portal.

"that looks about right." Drew said "its a shame that this place has a bath hall but no cooking hall."

"...that is odd." Jonny said never thinking about it until now.

"indeed." Drew said pulling out his phone letting the orb scan it for new txts. "that is going to make things faster." after a minute he started sending out txts walking though the portal to the casino absent minded.

"well... that wasn't what I was expecting." Jonny muttered.

"what were you expecting?" Jason asked seaming to just be genuinely curious.

"well for me to spend a few minutes giving him shit for his new body for one thing." Jonny said.

"yes that was surprising" Jason said

"crazy old man could have looked like anything." Mike said shaking his head.

Luke stopped running and put his shirt back on. "yeah I mean he should have given himself hair at least."

"Your not sweating." Jason said sounding a little shocked.

Jonny hadn’t notice but now he looked closely he saw that Luke's forehead was clean and the tight shirt he had just put on wasn't sticking to the sweat that should have ben made from that work out.

"yeah... cinda pissed actually." Luke said lifting an arm to look at his pit. "how you supposed to know your work out is workin out if your not sweating?"

"well... dose it really do anything?" Mike asked. "i mean we've got magic bodys now don't we? so whats the point?"

"The point." Luke said bringing up a screen. "is that I get a point for doing it and our bodies can only get better from now on so we don't need to worry about, shin splints, Runner's knee, or Tennis elbow."

"i... don't even know what that is." Mike said.

"i bet." Luke spit when all of there phones went off. Luke checked his "new orders... fuck more animals."

"lucky you iv got home work." Jason said

"yeah me too." Mike said "I get to read about magic plants."

Jonny read his own txt "meet me in my room"

"Looks like iv got to answer for not doing bingo" Jonny joked.

They had a chuckle and went there separate ways. Mike and Jason going to grab there books, Luke to bring the animals in, and Jonny to go talk with his uncle.

Thinking they would all see each other latter they didn't bother saying any form of goodbye.

Jonny walked though the hallway of the casino feeling like he was an outsider, it felt odd to be walking like nothing was changed and in the same black suit of all the other people who worked there.

Trying to shake it off he nocked at Drew's door.

"its open" Drew shouted back.

Jonny headed in seeing Drew was already set up and working typing up messages and reading others.

"wow like you never even left." Jonny muttered.

"hardly" Drew shot jonny a glance "i don't think you know how much shit has piled up on me already" He pulled out another cigarette lighting it then going back to typing letting it sit in the corner of his mouth.

"yeah I don't think I do." Jonny said taking a seat on the old couch. "so whats your big plans for me?"

Drew shot him a glance but this time Jonny though he saw a suspicious glint in his eye before it winked away. "well that depends on you kid. It looks like you don't know what you want to do yet as soon as you pick something I can get you to working."

Jonny nodded slowly thinking about that. "well for now it looks like im bing pushed to life magics."

"yeah that is odd... getting so many points out of just one quest all to get you more in tune with living things." Drew seamed to read a new email and then got a sour look on his face. "i really wish you would have done the bingo last time you were in."

Jonny blinked at that subject change. "really? I was joking with the guys that you were going to yell at me for that but I didn't think you really would"

"Its more important then you think." drew said typing out an email. "i had this place declared a church, those bingo games count as religious services."

"...fucking what?"

"yeah the dealers count as vicars, the tables are forms of worship, the bingo is our ceremony, and you with your bright ass outfit are our priest." Drew said giving a grinn

Jonny sat dumbfounded "to what god?"

"shhhh..." drew said pulling a pamphlet out of his desk and tossing it to Jonny.

Not sure he wanted to play along with the game Jonny read over the pamphlet The Green lady, and why you should not say her names.

Glancing through it it was filled with quotes from a book called the Color of Magic, and explaining some of the things Drew had ben telling Jonny along with how the in sight day care centers will tell the kids about luck and games of chance, along with beginner classes in playing any game the casino has to offer.

"is this for real? you teach kids to gamble?" Jonny asked feeling dirty.

"hey don't blame me its required to be a church." Drew said looking a little disgusted as well. "Its part of the rules that you must educate children and new people in your doctrine."

Jonny shook his head "thats fucked up."

"tell me about it." Drew said "also I don't achly pay anybody they just "receive the blessing of our lady" Thats how I can keep handing out those gold cards and every payday people got to spin a wheel to see what there getting payed that week."

"i never had to do that." Jonny said

"your our priest you got a cut every time somebody won the big wheel or at bingo." Drew said with a big grin like he was finally sharing a big joke.

"...seams like a lot of work." Jonny said still trying to take it all in not sure if he should feel guilty for all those people who spun the big wheel.

"it was worth it." Drew said leaning back seaming to enjoy Jonny's response. "do you know how much money the government gives to churches? how much they make and don't pay a cent in taxes? how I get money from them for running a church? ...Its almost not worth doing all the other crimes." he muttered taking a long satisfied drag of his cigarette.

"and people agree to get payed like that?" Jonny asked

"yep half are gambling addicts already and the other half see how there's no real risk just reward. They get free food from the buffet and they don't get taxed for there checks." Drew said letting a long line of smoke out of his smile.

"Fucken hell." Jonny said shaking his head.

Drew got back to work seaming cheer full "Ben wanting to tell somebody that for years. but back to business with you already getting so much in life magics you should go read up on animal or plant magic."

"i was thinking maybe sense iv got so much of that already I should read something like magic item making. you know something new" Jonny said grimacing at the smoke

Drew nodded slowly "yeah theres some cool shit you can do if you know both."

"really?"

"oh yeah... yeah do that go read up on how to make better items then those candles. I suggest you learn how to use that turtle... things are about to get busy in the lab."

"sounds like it." Jonny muttered. "you ready for me to tell Cid about what went down?"

"yeah. emailing him now."

"good then I guess i'll read at home and experiment there."

"good. im also going to keep building next door to your place so il set up a portal in the basement so you've got a short cut to get around."

"thanks." jonny said wondering if he could learn to make his own portal maker. "i guess i'll see you latter then."

Drew just nodded taking a puff off his cigarette as Jonny headed home.

woulda ben nice if he had given me some clues on how to get this thing to work. He thought feeling the turtle when he put his hands in his pockets.