“Master, this is by far the worst thing I have ever done,” James said.

“Well, disciple. Perhaps you should have thought of the consequences beforehand,” Nadia answered.

James was sitting in the gazebo, a touchpad viewscreen in front of him. Nadia was making him write lines.

Not because of his escapade outside of the sect. She had in fact been proud of him for keeping his word and helping a friend. No, the punishment was because James had gotten it into his head to try and pull a prank on his master.

“It was a good prank,” James said sulkily.

“Disciple, hanging a teaching utensil over an entrance and letting it fall on your teacher is not something you should be learning,” Nadia said.

“Garret told me its tradition,” James said.

“In the shows, yes,” Nadia said. “Not in life.”

James sighed and continued writing out the lines, I will not pull pranks. “I can’t believe Garret talked me into this.”

He had grown something of a friendship with the man from the lower floors over the couple of weeks before Nadia returned. James couldn’t help but see a younger version of himself in Garret. They complimented each other, in a way. Garret was able to show James and Tsukiko the wonders of Cyber Crane Megacity while they in turn taught him their experiences on the streets in Tower Ten.

They saw the arcades, watched Voidball and Skateball games, and even went to a few new shows playing on large viewscreens. The last was where James had first seen the list of pranks. And then Garret had decided to dare him.

Which is what lead to this. James continued to grumble as he wrote line after line.

“This is humiliating.”

“Then you won’t do it again,” Nadia stated.

She had tried, at first, to give James chores. In her experience the disciples hated having to clean. James, however, grew up on cleaning. He turned the punishment into a game, racing himself to see how fast he could clean.

Nadia, seeing the punishment had the wrong effect, created the more drastic measure he now performed. Since James was an active person, Nadia had him perform an action. She knew that anything complex would only excite James, so she forced him into rote, boring actions. Actions that he could only twist so much. Racing himself line per line became boring when you had to do it ten thousand times.

“I’m a grown man and I’m writing lines,” James said.

“You were a grown man that performed a childish prank,” Nadia answered. “It is only fair you receive the same punishment.”

Finally, after what felt like ages, James finished.

“You’re lucky I’m not the vindictive sort,” James said. “Or I would take this as a challenge.”

Nadia smiled. “You are lucky, disciple, that I am not the vindictive sort. There are worse fates than writing lines.”

“Now you’re really making it sound like a challenge,” James said. “But enough of that. How was your trip?”

“Eventful and dull at the same time,” Nadia said. “The snake was indeed a worthy foe, up until we learned of its weakness. At that point it could no longer adapt and easily fell to our combined might.”

“Find any secret herb gardens or hidden pocket dimensions?” James asked.

Nadia chuckled. “You truly do watch too many shows. No, the lower floors would not hold either such secret. In truth, you had the more interesting tales.”

“I still have to identify those talismans,” James said. “Somebody stopped me from doing that.”

“Somebody tried to drop a scroll onto my head,” Nadia said. “Perhaps if that hadn’t happened the culprit would already be on their way.”

“I can’t believe how petty you can get,” James grumbled. “I heard cultivators were patient.”

“And I’ve been told disciples are obedient,” Nadia replied with a smirk. “Perhaps it is imprudent to listen to rumors.”

James laughed. “Alright, you’ve got me there.”

Nadia moved to sit next to James. “In seriousness, disciple, we should now discuss the next steps in your training. I had intended to leave you with new practices, but your comments on how I tend to ignore those I am helping stopped me.”

“Is there anything new I should be doing?” James asked. “I’ve been meditating and practicing the Stochastic Simian Arts.”

“Which is a solid foundation, disciple,” Nadia said. “You will use both techniques extensively, but these next steps are about deepening your understanding of the Metastate.”

“Like being able to use it longer?” James asked.

“That and other things,” Nadia said. “The Metastate allows you to consciously act on your unconscious, as I’m sure you’ve felt.”

“Right. I know exactly where someone is going to move and what I need to do to respond,” James said. “Or I know how far something is, and exactly how hard I need to push to reach it.”

“Most only understand the latter once they achieve the state,” Nadia said. “I believe your innate body sense has helped you attain the former.”

“So I’m even more special, great,” James said.

“No, you are just talented,” Nadia said. “Most attain a sense of the world around them after some training inside the Metastate. Consider yourself only a step ahead of a novice. What we do next is what determines your paths.”

“How so?” James asked.

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“Knowledge of the world leads to a deeper Metastate,” Nadia explained. “Think of yourself as a child that just learned to walk. You understand how to move, and with practice you can learn to run, but will it be a sprint or a marathon? Or maybe instead of a complete run you will skip. Or perhaps you will cartwheel. It is all movement. The Metastate is similar.”

James parsed through Nadia’s metaphor, his time with her giving him better understanding. “So there are different ways I can use the Metastate?”

“The better term might be different ways you can interpret it,” Nadia explained. “For example, I see the world in terms of fluid. How does one state flow into another. Robert, the sect leader, attempts to understand the world through electricity and conductivity. Osman looks through a biological lens.”

James looked at Nadia suspiciously. “You’re making it sound like I’m going to have to study physics or something.”

“Your observations are sound, disciple,” Nadia said. “One of the many ways we understand the world is through the knowledge of our forebears. The foundations they lay deepen our understanding of the world, and out place in it. The Archimedes family is gifted in mathematics, which is where I wished to start your instructions.”

She looked to James. “Would mathematics be an acceptable start, disciple? The science itself is not a direct connection to the world like physics or biology, but it is a basis in logic where all else is formed. Other families, such as the Turings or Al-Jazari, might disagree but even they use mathematical concepts.”

“I hated math,” James said. “Mostly because it was a bunch of memorization. It was like writing lines.”

“This education would not be the same, disciple,” Nadia said. “Mathematics is at its core a system of logic, one that all other fields use. I would be teaching you the meanings behind the problems. It will be slow, much slower than if you started with something like physics. But there is nothing better than a good foundation in my opinion.”

“Do you have other ideas?” James asked. “Tsukiko is the better mathematician.”

“There are other options I have thought up,” Nadia said. “One would be to expand upon your natural sense of body. This would let you use your talent to its highest ability. The other would be to teach you about the movements of the world around you. This would mesh well with your martial art, expanding your options.”

“I can’t do both?” James asked.

“If you had a better knowledge base,” Nadia said, “then yes. But with your current understanding it is best to select one.”

“What about practicing what you’re doing?” James asked. “The fluids or whatever.”

“That would require a basis of mathematics, disciple,” Nadia said. “Or extensive training with a water core. Neither of which you have.”

James looked down at the reflective lakes as he thought. The only option he disliked was studying mathematics, but it also sounded like the best foundation. He was aware that Nadia might be biased, considering she was from the Archimedes family, but she hadn’t steered him wrong yet. The other options would give him more power, which he would need if more assassins came calling. The question was which one. Did he focus on improving his natural talent or his martial art?

“You have some time to think about it, disciple,” Nadia said. “There is no longer a rush.”

“You say that but someone could send another assassin after me,” James said.

“Not while I am around,” Nadia said. “And I have ensured that the sect cannot call me away without a proper notice this time. You will be safe no matter the choice.”

The elevator dinged. James turned to see sect master Robter, Osman, and a line of others walk out.

“Nadia,” Robert said. “We have distressing news. It seems your disciple has cavorted with criminal elements in the city.”

“I have heard,” Nadia said. “James performed admirably in thwarting an assassin.”

“Did he?” Robert asked. “Truly admirable, though not the reason why we have gathered.”

“Your, disciple,” Osman spat, “has made deals with gangs on the lower floors.”

“From what I was told, my disciple only acted as a guard for another,” Nadia answered.

“Semantics,” Osman answered. “Any interaction with a criminal element is cause for alarm.”

“So I can’t help if someone gets robbed, how noble,” James said.

“Do not twist my words, boy,” Osman said. “Nadia, you know as well as I that we remove ourselves from mortal affairs. Choosing to help a mortal contact a criminal association is cause for alarm.”

“Seems kind of hypocritical coming from someone who just bought a mortal recreation center,” James said.

“Control your disciple,” Osman hissed at Nadia.

“He brings a valid question,” Nadia answered simply. “If we are to be separate from mortal affairs, why is it that we interact with their merchants? You yourself purchase medicine from mortal manufacturies.”

“There is a difference between mortals of upstanding character and those of criminal disposition,” Osman said.

“Now, now,” Robert said. “Let’s all stay calm. Osman, you are wrong to judge out of hand. However, a righteous cultivator assisting criminal elements of the city is not something we can let slide. The other sects would question our honor.”

“There is the question that James performed anything dishonorable,” Nadia said. “Or should he have stood by while knowing the meeting could end in bloodshed? Is it not honorable to interfere when it stops a loss of life?”

“There is no proof that the negotiations would break down,” Osman said. “And who is to say that his presence didn’t aggravate the sides?”

“Come, let us not focus on the ifs,” Robert said. “If we did that we would never stop!”

The man chuckled at his terrible joke. “The fact is, Nadia, that we must perform some form of disciplinary action. If only to let the other sects know we do not approve of disciples associating with criminal elements. The punishment shall be light, however. A simple week of cleaning the market floors, yes?”

Osman smirked. “A fitting punishment.”

Nadia sighed. “I assume this has already been decided?”

“It is out of my hands,” Robert said.

“Sure it is,” James said to himself. If Robert heard him, he didn’t show it. Osman, however, looked at James with a triumphant sneer.

“We have also decided on our first testing,” Robert said. “At the end of the upcoming month we shall connect with James and determine what makes his mind resistant to possession.”

“Yes, sect leader,” Nadia said.

Robert clapped his hands together. “Well, that is that then! I look forward to our next meeting, James. Your handheld will detail both your punishment and the specifics of your next test.”

The group left. Osman kept his sneer until the elevator was out of sight. James opened his mouth to grouch, but stopped in surprise as Nadia angrily threw the touchpad at the elevator doors. She caught the device with a lasso of water, but the act of frustration was uncharacteristic.

“Master?” James asked.

“Pardon the outburst, disciple,” Nadia said. “But Osman is perhaps the worst example of a cultivator I have had the misfortune to know. To think, I had believed him to be a rational, even ethical, person. How blinded I have been. One vice is all it takes for the man to behave worse than a child.”

“At least I’ll only have to clean,” James said placatingly.

“There is that,” Nadia answered. “Though I doubt the cleaning will be the issue. I have no doubt that Osman will send his disciples to harass you. You will be ridiculed.”

James shrugged. “I can deal with it.”

“I truly hope you can, disciple,” Nadia said. She looked at the elevator, some of her indignation vanishing. “Robert is still trying to placate all sides, a gesture that appeases no one and only breeds more resentment. Osman will no doubt attempt to bring harsher punishments forward until we are forced into an impossible position.”

“We need to fight back,” James said. “I know you hate using your family—“

“But perhaps it is time, yes,” Nadia said. “It will not be much in the way of influence, but it should act as something of a deterrent. My reputation in the sect will fall, however.”

“Junk the sect,” James said. “They don’t deserve your loyalty. Heck, you could probably scare them more by publicly asking other sects if they would take you in.”

Nadia gave a small chuckle. “You may be right, disciple. Though I shall save that tactic for later. No need to play our entire hand yet.”

James’s handheld buzzed as the notifications for his punishment and test arrived. His job, for the next three weeks, was to sweep trash from the streets and alleys of the market floor. A servitor would arrive shortly with a broom, dustpan, and other mundane tools. The message specifically stated that no mechanical objects or artificial intelligences could be used to help. The punished must perform the task under their own power.

James chuckled. “This is exactly like sweeping for market stalls back at the tower. Except they let you keep the scrap collected.”

A thought came to the man. “Master, if this is what I have to do for the next few weeks, I know what I want you to teach me.”