“So, since tomorrow is going to be our first group challenge, I figured it might be nice to take the day to get to know each other better.” Greg announced, looking between the squad and the feral team. Today was his free day, so he could be there to make sure the two groups got along. Or at least didn't kill each other…

“We're doing a group challenge?” Meredith asked hesitantly. “With these people? Why? Who are they?”

Greg cocked his head. “They're my team from the feral side of the ship? You know, the one we're working with to develop a faction that accepts both ferals and unformed equally? Did no one tell you about that?” Meredith just stared back at him, eyes wide in shock. “I'm- going to take that as a no…”

“There are ferals on the ship?!?” Meredith hissed, glancing at the feral team with a mix of fear and incredulity.

“Bitch, there are ferals on our squad.” Victor snorted.

“What?!?” Meredith exclaimed. “Who!?!”

“Me!” Tina replied cheerfully.

“And me.” Jennifer added.

“How did you miss that?” Carlos asked, sounding genuinely curious.

“I thought they were mutated! No one told me they were feral!” Meredith retorted.

“The difference is kinda meaningless at this point.” Greg commented. “I mean at this point, the only difference between a feral and someone who's mutated is whether or not they remember the time before… all this crap. Otherwise they're both just people with extra parts.”

Meredith scowled at him. “I don't care what they look like, I care that they've spent the past two years trying to kill us!”

“That is bullshit!” Brutus growled. “You've spent the last two years trying to kill us!”

“Guys, guys, we were all trying to kill each other.” Victor chuckled.

“I never tried to kill anyone.” Jennifer grumbled. “Everyone was just trying to kill me.”

“I was put in a cage!” Tina added.

“I was- not treated very well either.” Sarah muttered.

“Ha!” Victor barked out a laugh. “Understatement.”

Greg sighed. “Okay, but the point is that we don't need to fight currently. The aliens abducted all of us, and they're going to dump us on a wild planet warped by mana, which we will need to create a home on, something that will be a lot easier if we work together. So would you all please shut the fuck up about all this feral unformed crap?!?” He was so tired of having this same argument over and over.

“I'm just offended that no one seems to tell me anything.” Meredith grumbled awkwardly, while Brutus just grunted and crossed his arms.

Tessa rolled her eyes. “Alright, well, it just so happens that a few of the groups in our section have decided to start a market by the central platform, so I was thinking it'd be nice to check it out together.”

“A market?” Gigi asked curiously.

“A space for people to trade goods and services.” Tessa explained. “They will be selling weapons, armor, clothing, furniture… plenty of things that will either help in challenges or make your lives more comfortable, for presumably less than you would spend to get the same from the aliens.”

“It would be interesting to see what the unformed can create.” Henrietta muttered.

“Are you sure it's the best idea to parade them around in front of everyone?” Brittany asked hesitantly. “I agree that people shouldn't have an issue with them being ferals, but that doesn't mean they won't.”

Tessa shook her head. “No one here is going to expect to see a feral, so all they'll see are mutated people.” She paused. “Though we may want to get you all some clothes first…”

“Also, I could transform them if we really needed to keep them hidden.” Greg added. “Though it might take some effort to connect my smoke to them… they are pretty strong.”

“Wait, you can transform other people?!?” Victor asked. “Does it work like yours?”

“It doesn't change your natural mana, if that's what you're asking, but otherwise yes.” Greg replied.

“Damn, I got excited for a second there.” Victor sighed.

“I think it's better to get people used to seeing them as themselves in any case.” Tessa interjected. “Our goal is to bring the two groups together, so it's better to get people used to them.”

“Ah, true.” Greg agreed. “Welp, let's get you guys some clothes and get going!”

*

The group was a little large for all of them to stick together, so they ended up splitting into three. Greg grouped up with Tessa, Henrietta, Gigi, Sarah, and Meredith, then the second group was Carlos, Jennifer, Gregory, Casey, and Emily, and the third was Victor, Tina, Brutus, Bianca, and Brittany. They were going to put Brutus in Greg's group, but any time he got close to Sarah his network device would start yelling at him, so they ended up switching him with Gigi.

“So, where should we head first?” Greg asked, looking around the market that was slowly filling with people.

“I don't need anything in particular, so I wouldn't mind just wandering around.” Tessa replied.

“I'd like to see if anyone has managed to make some decent clothing yet, but otherwise I don't mind wandering either.” Meredith agreed.

“We would like to see everything we can.” Henrietta added.

“Alright, sounds like we're wandering.” Greg shrugged, making his way towards the first stand that caught his eye.

“So, what have the two of you been up to since the aliens took everyone?” Tessa asked Henrietta and Gigi.

The two of them shared a look before turning back to Tessa. “We have primarily been focused on the lessons the overseers have been teaching us.” Henrietta replied.

“Oh? What sort of things have they been teaching you?” Tessa asked.

“How to read and write, mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology, and social engineering.” Henrietta replied.

Tessa blinked. “Social engineering?”

Henrietta nodded. “Yes, the nature of communities and the importance of cooperation, as well as the struggles one might face in forming and navigating such a community.”

“So… they're teaching you how to work together?” Tessa confirmed tentatively.

Henrietta cocked her head. “I believe it would be more accurately stated that they are giving us the tools we need to learn how to work together. To create our own structure, not imposing theirs.”

“So… they're pretty much teaching you everything you forgot when mana came.” Greg commented.

Henrietta raised an eyebrow. “Possibly? I wouldn't know.”

Greg frowned. “Right… Well, basically we had an educational system that taught everyone the basic skills we thought everyone should have, which included reading, writing, mathematics, physics, chemistry, and biology. And then social engineering is probably just getting you back to the understanding of group dynamics that most people picked up through their childhood.” He paused, glancing at Sarah. “Actually, now that I think about it, what are we doing about your education?”

Sarah's eyes widened. “Nothing? Please?”

“Oh, come on, don't you want to be a useful member of society?” Greg grinned. “Also, magic draws pretty heavily on your understanding of the world, so the more developed that understanding the better. And, you know, you learn better when you're young. Supposedly. Though we do have magic now, which may change things… mental investment and all that. Still, you're going to have to learn at some point, so why not start now?”

Sarah shifted uncomfortably. “I- what would I learn? Who would teach me?”

“Well, I'm pretty sure there were some textbooks in the library back in the safe zone. Not sure how I'd find them though, considering I dissolved the entire thing. It isn't like I have a data-” Greg cut off, suddenly remembering that yes, he did have a database of everything he'd dissolved. “Huh… completely forgot about that.” He muttered to himself, turning his focus to his database and searching for the textbooks. “Hmmm… where do you stand on algebra?”

Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

“I- feel that I should mention that I was a teacher before.” Meredith interjected. “I could handle her education.”

Tessa gave Meredith a look. “You were a teacher?”

Meredith crossed her arms. “Is that so surprising?”

“Yes.” Tessa stated blandly.

Greg frowned. “How old are you?”

Meredith blinked. “Excuse me?”

“How old are you?” Greg repeated. “I've just kinda been assuming you were our age… does healing magic make you look younger? Wait, magic in general does that…”

Meredith scowled at him. “I'm twenty-six. Young teachers exist, you know.”

“Well, yeah, but I thought you were like… twenty-two, max.” Greg shrugged. “Not that I'm the best judge of age…”

“Obviously.” Meredith grumbled.

Tessa rolled her eyes. “He thinks you look younger. Why are you complaining?”

“Not everyone thinks youth is the ultimate standard a woman should aspire to.” Meredith sniffed.

“Personally, I aspire to power.” Henrietta offered.

Gigi cocked her head. “I think I aspire to community… there's not much point in having anything if there's no one around to share it with.”

“I- think you misunderstood my point.” Meredith replied.

“And ended up making a better one.” Tessa smirked. “Also, it looks like we've found clothes.”

Meredith turned to the stand displaying various outfits, examining it with a critical eye. “Not a bad style…” She muttered, reaching out to rub the fabric, her expression twisting slightly. “The fabric could use work though.”

“Unfortunately this is the highest quality fabric the development challenge provides.” An attendant commented as she approached them. “However, the effects more than make up for it! This dress here will enhance your charm, this one changes color based on your mood, and for our more combat minded customers, these pants will even enhance your speed! Of course, this is just a taste of what we can offer at the Church of the Redeemed! Would you like to see our full catalog?”

“Sure.” Greg agreed, wondering what other effects their clothing could have. Though he supposed the better question was what effects couldn't they have…

The attendant beamed at him. “Great! I'll just need your contact information so I can send you the link!”

“That won't be necessary.” Tessa interjected, glaring at the attendant as she stopped Greg from sending her his contact info. “Come on, let's go.”

Greg frowned as Tessa pulled him away, wondering why she'd stopped him. “Wait… was she flirting with me?”

Tessa rolled her eyes. “No, she was scamming you. She wanted your contact so her organization could spam you with propaganda. I should have caught it earlier. Patrick warned me about some cult getting a hold of the tailoring development challenge.”

Greg frowned. “Couldn't I just block her if she did that?”

“Of course, but then she'll just share your contact with someone else, and they'll start messaging you, and they'll just keep doing that until you give in or you've blocked everyone in their entire organization.” Tessa sighed.

Henrietta frowned. “Would that not be counterproductive? Why would anyone join an organization that would pester them to that level?”

“I have no idea, but people do.” Tessa shook her head. “Before all this, companies invested millions in telemarketing to pull in customers like this. And it worked.”

“How strange…” Henrietta muttered.

“But I wanted the pants that would make me faster…” Gigi grumbled.

“You don't want the strings that would come with them.” Tessa replied. “Come on, let's see if we can find Dad's stall. They have some kind of accessory related development challenge that might be able to produce similar effects. They also managed to get a carpentry development point, and I'm curious what magic furniture will look like.”

“They got two points?” Greg asked, somewhat surprised.

“They actually control three at the moment, but the third is about metallurgy, so it doesn't produce finished products, it just allows them to make better metal.” Tessa explained. “Apparently the materials they get from the crafting development challenges are somewhat mediocre, like the fabric the cult used to make their clothing. In order to get a better fabric, they'd need access to a textile development challenge or something.”

Gigi shook her head. “Your section is way more complicated than ours. All our development challenges are in a single complex that anyone can use!”

“Of course they are.” Tessa sighed, before pausing as she fully processed that statement. “Wait… they are?”

“Yes?” Gigi confirmed, giving her a weird look.

“So… your people can produce anything?” Tessa continued, almost talking to herself at this point. “And even more, we can bring artisans from this section and allow them to use your development challenges?”

“That is… pretty ridiculous, isn't it?” Greg commented. “I wonder if that's part of the aliens plan… incentivizing people to work with the ferals for access to their development challenges? Though that would require them to be able to get to the ferals…”

“That would have to happen at some point anyway.” Tessa pointed out.

“True.” Greg agreed. “But it obviously isn't supposed to happen this early.”

“No, it isn't.” Tessa muttered, slowly processing the position they were in, and wondered just what the hell they were going to do with it. She was going to need to give this some serious thought.

Gigi shook her head. “I'm beginning to think it's you unformed that make things complicated.”

Greg laughed. “Yeah, there's a bit of that. If we didn't form all these factions, it wouldn't matter where the development challenges were, because it wouldn't matter who controlled them.” He paused. “Man, could you even imagine how hard people would fight if all our development challenges were in a single complex?”

Tessa shuddered. “Yes, and we should be incredibly grateful the aliens created an environment that suits our complicated nature.”

Greg frowned. “Well now I feel like a zoo animal.” He waited expectantly for a moment, before letting out a sigh. “I miss Victor.”

“Why?” Meredith asked, her expression twisting distastefully.

“Because he would have pointed out that we pretty much are zoo animals.” Greg shrugged. “Y'all didn't even comment on it.”

“In my defense, I don't know what a zoo animal is.” Gigi pointed out.

“I was thinking it, but it seemed too depressing.” Tessa sighed.

“But that's what makes it funny.” Greg retorted.

Tessa snorted, rolling her eyes. “Dork.”

“What is a zoo animal?” Henrietta asked, frowning slightly.

“Oh, it's an animal in captivity that's kept in an environment designed to suit their needs. Well, ideally in a suitable environment… mostly it's just an animal in captivity.” Greg explained.

“You think we're in captivity?” Henrietta asked skeptically.

“Well… yeah? We didn't choose to be here, we can't leave, and we aren't in charge of where we're going. I mean, the aliens are treating us well, but we have no power here and they have all of it, which is like… the definition of captivity.” Greg paused. “Though I guess we are sort of choosing to be here now, since we could go back to Earth with Bianca’s ability…”

“I wouldn't say that means we aren't captives, though.” Tessa muttered. “The aliens didn't intend for us to still have access to Earth, and they clearly want us to remain here, so all it really means is that we can escape.”

“To a planet that will likely become a hell pit over the next few years.” Meredith rolled her eyes.

“According to the aliens, at least.” Greg shrugged. “They could have lied.”

“Yes, but why would they?” Meredith retorted. “As you said, they already have all the power! They wouldn't need to lie to us!”

Greg hesitated. “Yes… but by that same logic, there's no reason for them not to lie to us either, particularly if they want us to cooperate with them. A willing servant is better than a rebellious slave.”

Meredith's expression twisted. “But- then what should we do about it?”

“Oh, nothing.” Greg shrugged. “I mean, evil or not, the aliens are treating us well. Why not take advantage of it?”

Meredith raised a finger and opened her mouth, only to find she had no response. “Damnit, I don't want to worry about whether the aliens are evil or not!” She finally groaned.

“So just assume they are?” Greg offered.

Meredith scowled at him. “That's worse.”

Greg scratched his head. “Then assume they aren't? It isn't like you can do anything about it either way. Unless you want to try your luck back on Earth?”

Meredith grimaced. “No.”

Tessa snickered, shaking her head. “Greg, I love you, but literally everything you say makes the situation sound worse.”

Greg grinned. “Then why are you laughing?”

“Depression is funny, remember?” Tessa retorted with a grin of her own.

Gigi and Henrietta shared a look. “And they call us feral.” Henrietta muttered.

Greg chuckled evilly. “Oh, trust me, I know I'm feral. But I wasn't around to choose the terminology.”

“To be fair, the term fit when it was created.” Tessa commented. “How were we supposed to know you'd get smarter? I’m sure you encountered some who were little better than beasts. That is who we named feral, not what you've become.”

Henrietta grunted noncommittally. “I understand, but it seems insulting to continue calling us feral when we clearly are no longer.”

“That's fair.” Greg agreed. “The aliens call you uncivilized… that isn't exactly better though. I suppose we could use mutated? But that lumps you in with the people who mutated but didn't go feral. Changed, maybe? And then we could call the others unchanged? Though then you'd have the weirdness of a mutated unchanged…”

“Why not formed and unformed?” Gigi offered.

Greg shook his head. “Unformed has negative connotations too. It's like calling them undeveloped, you know?”

Henrietta hummed. “Changed and unchanged seems appropriate? We are those who were changed by the arrival of mana, while you are those who remained unchanged.”

Tessa nodded. “I can agree to that.”

“It seems a little… clunky, to me.” Meredith muttered. “But I suppose I can't think of a better option at the moment.”

“Oo, what about am humans and bm humans?” Greg exclaimed. “After mana and before mana!”

Tessa raised an eyebrow. “You want to call us bowel movement humans?”

Greg blinked. “More now, yeah.”

Tessa snorted. “You are such a dork.”