I forgot just how much I hate mondays. Everything was normal, except for Anna was on crutches and needed help getting around. I showered, hid my wings and eyes, then stuffed my tail in my shirt and horns under a hat. School started at nine am and was letting out at twelve thirty ish today so we only had three classes. 'Feeling' people while walking through the halls is freaky as hell. And of course the teacher in first period took offense to my hat being on inside and made me take it off. Forcing me to use extra mana to hide the horns, thus turning off my sensing passive. Probably for the better though, I was starting to feel weirded out.
Unfortunately Anna only had two of the three with one of us so we could only help her in class first and third period. Still we managed to work it out. I helped her off the bus and helped with first period, then took her to second. Charles was the closest after the second period ended so he helped her get to third where James took over helping her. She didn't need much help, all three classes were the kind where we sat and wrote all day. When I finally saw James he was wearing the atrocity of a black t-shirt with heavy metal unicorn on the front. The thing contrasted against the bright blue highlights he had colored on his short black hair. While the white jeans he was wearing stuck out against his darker skin tone.
No, the trouble came when third period ended and we all gathered near the end of the hall to head home. Well my friends were heading home, I had to stay for the orientation. Anna had gotten better with her crutches but we still needed someone next to her just in case she lost balance.
"Charles, I'm fine. I can walk on my own." Anna says.
"That's why you almost fell over on the way to third period right?" James claps back, shutting down Anna's argument before she can even start it. Anna opens her mouth to talk back but before any words can come out the loud and imperious voice of everyone's least favorite bitch Reina booms over the hallway.
"Look everyone, the resident vagrant had to sell her leg." She bellows, causing no one but her 'friend' group to let out a small chuckle. Several people move away and give space, watching from the sides and not wanting to be caught literally in between the drama.
Normally this bitch is just insulting people's shoe and sock choices, not going straight for the metaphorical throat. Everyone still being extremely on edge from the attack isn't an excuse to be a vile piece of human garbage though.
"Did your daddy need the money to fuel his drinking hab…?" Reina continues. Tired of her attitude after she opened her mouth the first time, I cut her off and rip into her back.
"Reina, don't you have somewhere else to be an insufferable goblinoid? And I thought being a cunt o'clock was at 2, not twelve." I snap back, causing a few quiet gasps in the crowd. Reina just stood there in shock, like she couldn't even fathom the concept of someone talking back to her in such a manner. After a moment she snapped out of it, and an ugly snarl overtook her face.
"Bitch, the fuck did you just say to me?" She hissed back.
"I said fuck off. We've got enough shit to deal with. We don't need your attitude today."
"Guys, let's tone it down a lit…" James interjects trying to defuse the situation, only to be interrupted by Reina.
"Butt out of this you fucking niger!" Reina snaps at him.
The whole hallway stands there in shock for a moment. Then I decide I'm done dealing with her. But In the half a second it takes me to go from shock to, I'm going to knock this bitch's teeth down the hallway, a blur bursts from around the corner. I can barely track it as it weaves its way between students before stopping behind Reina. A well kept man with the same red hair color as Reina, wearing what looks to be a police uniform reaches out and snatches her up by her fancy shirt's collar and spins her around to face him.
"What did you just say young lady!?" He screams at her, his voice so loud it causes the snarky bitch to drop her smile and flinch.
“D-d-d-dad, I uh… uh. They started it!” Reina stammers out, trying to throw the blame at us.
“I don’t care for your excuses! You do not use that kind of language! Apologize, now!”” He barks back at her before turning her to face us and setting her down.
To say that everyone is in shock would be an understatement. Reina had been untouchable for as long as anyone could remember. Now she’s standing here in front of us, literally shaking in her overly fancy Gucci shoes.
“I-I’m sorry.” She mutters weakly while looking at the ground.
“Louder. I don't think they heard you.” Her father says to her.
“I’m Sorry!” she practically screams.
“Good enough. I’m sorry for my daughter's behavior, rest assured it won't happen again.” Reina’s father says to us, before turning and silently dragging his daughter down the hallway and back around the corner where he came from.
After they leave the whole hallway's worth of kids breaks into loud gossip.
“So…. did Reina just get in trouble?” Charles asks in disbelief.
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“I think so?” Anna replies, sounding more like she is asking a question herself rather than giving an answer.
“Where the hell did that guy even come from, that was her father?” James asks.
“He ran in from around the corner, could you guys not see him?” I ask
“No, it was just a blur down the hall and he had her by the shirt?” Charles replies.
Huh, I guess those stats aren't just fancy numbers. The thought of numbers makes me remember my mana, and the time. I pull up my phone and find the time to be twelve fifty.
Mana: 772/2882
Shit mana isn’t going great, and did my max mana go up? Damn it I don't have time to regenerate it. Hell, if I don’t hurry I’ll be late for the orientation and sign up.
“Shit, gotta go guys. I don’t wanna be late. Charles, James, you guys got Anna?” I ask.
“Yea we got her, as long as we don't run into any more Reinas.” Charles says, earning a snort from James.
“Bye Lucy, have fun!” Anna says to me.
“You too.” I reply as I break off and jog down the hallway.
It’s not that far of a jog to the gym, so I get there with a few minutes to spare. Of course the interior doors are locked, so I have to go outside and use the outer doors normally reserved for letting the public in during events. When I get to the outer doors I find a small welcoming and check in table setup. I guess setting up at the outside doors makes sense, most people who need to register probably don’t go to highschool so will probably go in from outside. I walk up to the table and tell the guy manning it that I was here for the new defender orientation and registration. He gave me a raised eyebrow but otherwise remained professional, asking me a few questions before printing off a name tag sticker and handing it to me. Then I was told to head inside and find a desk.
The inside of the gym had been turned into a half and half mix of a giant classroom on one side and what looks to be a modestly sized training area of sorts on the other. Complete with padding, training dummies, and what I’m pretty sure are fire extinguishers. Oh boy this is going to be a fun day. Even at only half the gym size, the class room side has forty desks neatly bunched together in four rows, all facing a giant projector screen on the wall. Thirty five of the desks are occupied, leaving me with not very many options, most of which are scattered right in the middle of the grouping. As I make my way to a seat closer to the outside I start making note of the other people in the room. Most of them look like normal people, with a few odd weirdos on the outside, and one dude who I’m pretty sure is a drug addict. Another thing I notice, all of them are older than me, and not by a small margin. The second youngest person here looks to be in their late twenties, closer to thirty. And being so young compared to everyone else I of course draw more than a few stares on my way over to my desk.
Thankfully, most of them seemed content to go back to ignoring me after I sat down. Instead going back to browsing their phones or talking amongst one another about what magic and spells they have and whatnot. Unfortunately, the few who are still staring at me seem to be the troublemakers, including the drug addict, who has a particularly hard stare. But otherwise it's a quiet wait until some lady in a business formal suit steps up to the front of the desks as the projector hums to life.
"Alright, we're about to start. All of this is important so pay attention. I'm happy to answer questions if you miss something or are unsure, but I will not be repeating parts of the presentation because you can't stay focused."
That opening statement got everyone's attention, and now everyone was focusing on her waiting for the presentation to continue.
"Alright good, I am Damesa Smith, head of the magic registration office for Shimerview. That over there is my assistant Danny, who also works in the office." She says while pointing at a man near the back who is also wearing a business suit.
"Normally this presentation and accompanying paper work would be done in a more one on one setting. But given how many people gained magic in the last attack we felt holding a large class and getting everyone done at once would be better." She says as she clicks a button on a little remote in her hand, causing the slide to change.
The next slide is titled Rights and Responsibilities as a Defender. And has a list of bullet points consisting of key information. And here I thought I was done with school for the day.
"First up is your rights and responsibilities as a defender of Humanity. Danny please pass out the fliers. On the international level there is only one thing you need to be worried about and that is registration with the defenders of humanity organization of the United Nations." Demesa continues as Danny starts to pass fliers around to everyone.
"After you register internationally you don't have to do anything else. Here in the United States you also have to register your status as a defender. Don't worry we will be doing both at once and the forms are quite similar. However, unlike with the UN, you need to update your registration if certain changes are made. You need to fill out form M-3 if you plan to permanently move out of the states. Likewise form M-2 is needed if you plan to leave the country for an extended period of time, which is any period greater than a year but still planning to return. Any questions?"
A couple of people were still scribbling notes, but otherwise the room remained silent.
"Good, after initial registration you need to update your status once every five years. This can be done using form M-1. This is simply so that we know you are still alive and can be called upon if needed. It is a class c misdemeanor crime to not file the proper paperwork every five years so make sure you remember. In the event that you do forget and realize it later, just file the forms as soon as you can."
"Here in the United States your class, power level, spells, skills, and any other pertinent magical information are protected. No government officials, or individual acting on state or federal authority can force you to disclose any of the aforementioned information without proper cause. This means that you do not have to disclose anything to them unless they have a warrant. Your right to have and use magic is covered by the second and twenty eighth amendments. However there are limits to what can and cannot be done and the circumstances the apply. Here in Virginia you're probably fine as long as you don't go throwing fireballs in public or the like, and stay below five hundred feet if you use flight magic. Danny please pass around the next set of fliers containing Virginia specific laws. Remember different states have different laws so be sure to check another state's laws before you visit. " Demesa continues on, but sounds exacerbated when she emphasizes the word before at the end.
"Alright, last part people. You cannot be conscripted or drafted to fight except for scenarios where non magical people are also called to bear arms. For example, you cannot be selected to help defend a bunker from attacking demons unless they are handing out guns and telling everyone who can wield them to fight. Your rights and responsibilities are the same as your fellow non magical humans in this regard." Demesa finishes with a final click of her remote, changing the slide to another title slide that this time says The System and Spells.