A/n I might not upload for a few weeks because of summer homework. It might be a while for me to finish. Please wait for the next chapter and thank you!
Chapter 35
Tuesday, December 3, 2013
10:12 am
(Ivan's POV)
I turn off the TV as I drank my hot chocolate. I'm surprised it's still hot, it's been a day already. Is it because it's in my Inventory? I stretch my body out on the couch as I yawn. Goldie was on the floor sleeping in fox form. I grab a book from my Inventory as Jana walked into the living room.
"You're on a quest right?"
"Hmm? Oh yeah, I'am."
"Shouldn't you be out right now?"
"Yeah, but we're meeting up at noon."
"Wouldn't it be better if you guys just did whatever you guys are doing as soon as possible?"
"Probably."
"You could go now for a head start."
"But I don't care about the quest."
"Oh." Goldie suddenly stood up in human form and stared at my direction.
"What are you supposed to do anyways?" Goldie asked.
"Find somebody."
"Where are you guys looking?" Jana asked.
"Chicago."
"Isn't it kind of convenient that you live in Chicago and now you're looking for somebody in Chicago?
"Yeah, I just wish that I could stay here, I don't like camp." Goldie laid back on ground, she stared at the ceiling as she closed her eyes.
"I can fix that." Goldie asked.
"Me not liking camp?" Goldie shook her head.
"No not that part, I'm talking about how you can still stay here and be at the camp same time."
"How?"
"Magic." Of course it's magic. Is it teleportation? I always wanted to know how to teleport. Probably better than flying.
"Yeah, I just need a big sheet of paper, or anything I can draw on."
"I don't have paper on me." Jana took a few steps back before turning around.
"I have some paper, lemme go get it." Me and Goldie wait silently. Goldie brushed her tails. Jana came back with a huge sheet of paper the size of my torso. Why does she have that kind of paper. She handed Goldie the paper and pulled out a pen from her back pocket. "I bought a pen just in case."
"I don't like holding pens." Goldie said as the tips of her tails glowed. Heat radiated off the tails, as the tails inched towards the paper. As soon as the tips of the tails touched the surface of the paper they blurred as the tails slashed at the paper. She ripped and teared through the paper, in a few seconds the tears looked like Egyptian symbols. A painful throb pulsed through my head as I stared at the symbols. The symbols shifted around as Goldie looked towards Jana.
"Do you have another piece of paper? I kind of need another one." Goldie's voice sounded muffled. The throb suddenly disappeared as I looked at the symbols again. For some reason the symbols looked familiar, almost like they were always part of my life.
"Oh great Heka, please guide me to my destination? Is that supposed to mean something?" Goldie looked at me surprised, Jana just looked confused.
"You can read it! It took me years to read hieroglyphs!" Goldie took a deep breath as her tails waved around violently. "Did you study hieroglyphs? Is that normal now?" I shake my head as I stare at the symbols.
"I d-don't know how, it just felt natural." Goldie looked at me funny. Jana thankfully said something.
"Is this Egyptian magic?" Goldie looked towards Jana with a small smile.
"Yep."
"But you're a yokai?"
"Hmmhmm."
"Can you even use it?"
"Yeah why?"
"Well, you're like from Japanese mythology, and you use Egyptian magic. I thought you couldn't use two kinds of magic." Goldie looked confused.
"Yes? Magic is magic. It doesn't matter. You can use magic, Ivan can use all kinds of magic, I can use all kinds of magic. It's just different ways to use magic."
"Oh, no I can't use magic. I use Soul instead. Way better."
"You can still use magic. I can teach you." Jana shook her head.
"If someone knows Soul, they can't use magic." Goldie looked confused. I stay silent as I waited for Jana to correct her. That's literally one of the first things Anenoid told me taught me about Soul and magic.
"That was a rumor, I can't believe anyone would believe that."
"One of the first things I did when I learned Soul was try to use magic. It didn't work."
"Well, you clearly didn't try hard enough. I had to fight people who used both."
"What? Bullshit, maybe their Soul power was just to use magic."
"I doubt more than fifty people have the same Soul power."
"But, so many people tell me that you can't use magic if you use Soul. Why would they lie about that?"
"They lied about that because it was propaganda to discourage people from using magic. I guess it worked. Disappointing."
"You're telling me it was all propaganda? What was it for?" Goldie stayed quiet for a moment before answering.
"There was this one group during the Civil War , they were losing so they had to lie about some stuff to discourage people. I didn't think it would work though."
"Oh, you sure it was propaganda? I tried to learn magic for a year before giving up."
"Hmm? It's not hard to use magic. The propaganda didn't even work, I remember a lot of people laughing at it."
"You remember?"
"Yes, why?"
"But it was during the Civil War according to you?"
"Yep."
"How old are you?" Goldie started counting on her fingers.
"Around two hundred fifty-three years old." Goldie looked down. "I feel old now."
"Oh." She lived through the Civil War? Wasn't the Civil War like a few hundred years ago? I couldn't even imagine what life was like back then. I couldn't imagine being that old either.
"So people used magic and Soul back then?" Goldie nodded. "Weird."
"I can teach you magic, Egyptian magic isn't hard to use, it does take a long time to get used to though."
"You sure? I wasn't even close to doing any kind of magic."
"Yep, shouldn't take more than two hours."
"Oh, I don't think it should be that fas-" Goldie's lips formed a smirk as she pointed to her chest.
"I'm a great teacher!"
"Can I join?" I chime in. Goldie nodded as she stared at me.
"Shouldn't be that hard to teach you."
11:50 am
My hands move on it's own as I draw a crane. I take a few steps back as I feel a bit of energy leave my body. I pour my magic into my fingers as I snap my fingers. The symbols glow as I feel heat come off the area. The ground suddenly explodes as I bring up my arms to protect myself from the flying debris. I chuckle as I prepare to do it again.
"Can you do it somewhere else! It's so goddamn loud!" Jana shouted. My ears ring for a bit.
"No! It's fun!" I shout barely hearing my voice.
"I like my hearing!" I roll my eyes as I put my chalk in my Inventory. Goldie smacked Jana with her tail as Jana tried drawing Egyptian symbols.
"Why!"
"Encouragement."
"That just makes me not to do it.
"Worked for me. Worked for Ivan too." Goldie said as she pointed towards me.I quickly look away as I kick at the ground. Jana groaned as she took out her phone and checked the time.
"You know I'm going to leave, I haven't been out in a week and it's almost noon. I'm not trying this magic stuff anymore."
"You shouldn't give up so easy, it could form a bad habit."
"I don't care, magic it's not for me anyways." I suddenly remember that I was supposed to meet up with Alice and Michael at noon.
"What time is it?" I ask Jana.
She checked her phone again. "11:51." Shit! I quickly look for the exit of the dome.
"Got to go bye!" I run towards the exit and burst through the door, I run through the living room as I run the to entrance of the apartment. As I run up the stairs, I take out a sweater and enter the tent. I unzip the tent and feel snow hit me in the face. I step outside and zip up the tent. My vision was a bit blurred by the snow. I run to the library and look around for Alice and Michael. I see Michael running towards me as his feet sunk into the snow with each step.
"H-hey, where's Alice?"
"In some house. We found this empty house to sleep in."
"Oh nice, but why isn't she here?"
"Complained about the cold. Can we just go back please, it's cold." Michael said as he shivered and rubbed his arms. I shift my feet around in an attempt to warm up.
"Yeah." Michael nodded and quickly turned around. He ran off into the street as I quickly followed behind him. I caught up to him easily as he struggled to run through the snow. As we ran to through the streets I recognize the area. This is where I used to live before. It feels weird coming back here. I stare at the ground as I try to catch my breath. Michael stopped, I looked up and my eyes instantly widen. I instinctively take a step back as Michael walked up to the door. This house is still standing? Wh-why?
"You know, I don't know why this house is made out of wood, every other house is made of bricks or something like that. It's weird." Michael opened the door and waited for me. I shakily walk up to the door.
"Ye-yeah it's weird."
"At least there was no one there."
"Yeah, tha-that's lucky." I walk in and look around. Almost everything looked the same, the only difference was that it was more dusty than before. I hesitantly walk around the house as Michael walked up the stairs. I follow after him as I stared at the floor. I see Michael going into my old room, I sigh and walk into my old room. Alice was laying on the ground with a blanket covering her. She turned over and looked at me for a moment before closing her eyes and falling back to sleep. I roll my eyes and look around. A unsettling feeling grew in my stomach as I saw the carpet I slept on. I sighed as my lips formed a frown. At least they didn't take that. I walk over to the carpet and sit on it. The carpet felt rough under my butt. How did I ever sleep on this? I lay on the carpet and scratch my head. Was it always this itchy? Michael laid on the ground and stared up at the ceiling.
"There's this one door that's unlocked." I blink and realize that he was talking about my mom and stepdad's room. It's still locked? I thought they would've left it unlocked after they left.
"What about it?"
"I just want to see what's in it." I bit my lip as I became curious. I never went inside my mom's room.
"Why though?"
"No reason."
"Do you know how to lockpick?"
"Nope."
"Nothing we could do about it then."
"We could break it down."
"Alright you do it." Michael yawned and turned on his side.
"Too tired."
"Do you expect me to break it down? I really don't want to do that. I think you're stronger anyways." Michael didn't respond. His breathing was steady. Is he sleeping? I get up and walk over to him. His eyes were closed. I groan and look towards Alice. It looked like she was sleeping too. Did I really come out here for nothing? I walk out of my old room while feeling a bit annoyed. As I walk to the stairs, I look towards my mom's room at the end of the wall. I was slightly tempted to go in. It's locked though, nothing I could do about that. I turn around and walk towards the stairs. I suddenly remember about Shadow Picking. I spin my heel and walk towards my mom's door. I completely forgot about this skill! I bend and look into the key hole. I extend my hand to the hole and think about a shadow going into the hole. A shadow comes out the sleeve of my sweater and rushes into the hole. It went in then quickly went out. I turn the knob, it doesn't turn. I groan as I use Shadow Picking again. It was in for a few seconds before coming back out. I turn the knob, it still wouldn't turn. God dammit! I use Shadow Picking again, I turn the knob and still wouldn't turn.
Shadow Picking Leveled up!
Lvl3(23%) Shadow Picking- You can use the shadows to lockpick. You just need a little bit of practice. Mp per use- 10 mp. Chance of success- 8%
Just let me open the door! I use the skill again, and turn the knob. This time the knob turns. Finally! I step in. A wave of uneasiness washes over me as I look around. There was a king sized bed backed up against the wall, with a drawer was right beside it. Everything looked clean, almost like the room was never touched by dust. I felt a little disappointed by the size of their bed. They have a king sized bed and yet they couldn't be bothered to buy me a bed. I walk to the drawer and open the top shelf. Nothing was inside. I open the rest, nothing was inside of them. I notice a closet in the back of the room. I open the closet, the closet was barren. I notice one of the floor boards seemed slightly off by a bit. I walk over to the board and tap it with my foot. The floor moved a bit before going back to its past position. I bend down and pick up the board. The board moved easily, there was a tiny hole with some objects inside. The first thing I notice was a golden medal. I gasp as I excitedly pick it up. The medal had a bee with the words, "spelling bee." I thought my mom threw it away! Why does she have it though?
I put the medal on and smile. I rub the medal in between my fingers.
A wave of memories flood my head as I feel tears form in my eyes.
Thursday October 16, 2008
8:45 pm
"Spell Camaraderie" I nervously stare at the other person right next to me. My breathing was wild, it felt like I was about to throw up at any moment. My legs quaked as my opponent leaned in to the microphone.
"Can you use it in a sentence?"
"He found Camaraderie among the team." My hands shook as I prayed to whatever god was real to make him misspell the word.
"C A M A R..." He stopped for a quick moment and closed his eyes. "A D I E. Camaraderie" My opponent said with a nervous tone. I smile as I knew that he spelled it wrong. I calm down and take a deep breath. A bell ringed as a look of shock appeared on the person's face. "What!"
Camaraderie is spelled C A M A R A D E R I E."
"Oh my." He took a deep breath and walked off to the side of the stage. I confidently walk up to the microphone and wait for the word.
"Spell Opprobrious" That's easy! I won! That fifty dollars is mine!
"O P P R O B R I O U S. Opprobrious" I don't know what that means, but I won!
"That is correct." I made a high pitch noise as I wait nervously for what happens next. The people in the audience clap as a pair of people come up to me with a medal and a check in their hand. Yes! Yes! Yes! They hand me the check and put the medal around my neck. I stared at the check in my hands as their words were muffled. The time quickly passed and soon enough I was in the lobby.
I look around for a sit, sadly there was no benches in the lobby, only a receptionist desk was the only thing occupying the room. There wasn't even a receptionist at the desk. I sit against the wall and wait as people were already walking out of the building. I wonder when my mom is going to be here. She said she was gonna pick me up, it took me a long time to convince her just to let me come here. I stare at the check in my hand, I hug it against my chest tightly. I can buy anything with this! There's no way I'm losing this! I patiently wait for half an hour. My head bobs as my body leans to the side. I yawn before my eyes close. I suddenly open them back up and jolt my body straight. I'm pretty sure she'll be here soon. I sigh and wait. Hours and hours passed by, my mom was nowhere in sight. Should I go by myself? I shake my head. I shouldn't, it's too dark anyways. I wait and wait, my stepdad didn't come, neither did my mom. I stand up and walk to the door. I look out the door and notice the moon in the middle of the sky. It's already midnight! Where's my mom? Did she fall asleep? I sadly shake my head. No, she just forgot. Well, I just can't stay here.
I push the door and pause. Is it even be safe right now? I close my eyes and think for a bit. My mom would be mad if I'm not home.I gulp and walk through the door. I. The cold harsh wind hit me immediately with only one step out of the door. Why can't the wind be just a bit nicer? I force myself to walk through the snow, each step would engulf my leg in snow. In matter of seconds the wind felt kind of gentle, almost like it was my friend. The wind still hurt a bit though, just not that much. I walk through the streets with the snow getting into my shoes. A stray dog walks past me, I stare at the dog. Cute, I turn around and keep on walking. How do animals survive in this weather anyways? My house comes into view. Finally! My feet were getting tired. I walk up to the door and turn the knob. Surprisingly the knob turned.
I walk in and feel heat hit me straight in the face. My head jolts back. I step inside and see my mom sleeping on the couch with a beer bottle by her side. I knew it. I sigh and walk to the stairs.
"Wer yu at!" I hear my mom say in an aggressive tone.I turn around and see my mom's head swaying from side to side. I flinch at her words. She grabbed her bottle and held above her hand like she was about to throw it.
"I-I-I was at the sp-spelling bee tour-tournament"
"I told yer not to go!" She threw the beer bottle near the wall next to me. I shield myself with my arms as the bottle shattered into pieces. Somehow no glass shards flew into my skin. She vaulted over the couch and walked over to me. My legs shook as she got near. She grabbed my medal on my neck and teared it off. The back of my neck felt weird as the ribbon snapped. I looked up at her with a fearful look. "thee hel is this?"
"A m-medal."
"Fer a lil beh thong?" What did she even say! She threw it on the ground and snatched the check from out of my hands and stuffed it in her pocket. She hiccuped and swayed from side to side. "Gah ter yer room! Cat ter der staf." I nod and run up the stairs. Tears formed in my eyes from the lack of money I now have.
"She could've at least let me keep some!"
Tuesday, December 3, 2013
12:09 pm
I rub the medal for a few more seconds before putting it in my Inventory. Imma have to hang it in my room. I look in the hole and notice a paper sized envelope. On the front was the words, "So proud!" I grab the envelope and open it. Inside was a piece of paper, I slowly take out the paper and look at it. I was stunned as I realized that it was my report card. What was so important about this that she kept it? Actually I thought she didn't care. I look at the report again. There was nothing important I could find. I smirk as I see the straight A's on the paper. Same as usual. I toss the paper to the side and notice a journal. I grab the journal and open to the first page. My eyebrows scrunch up from confusion as I read the first page.
"Hi!"
"How? I was sleeping."
"Doesn't matter, it's my body Imma going to take it back whenever I want."
"Why didn't you take it back earlier?"
"Just curious what you're doing WITH MY BODY."
"It's none of you're business."
"*Your*. Dumbass."
"You're annoying, go away."
"Nah, YOU'RE ANNOYING, who just steals a body that someone is already occupying?"
"Just trying to change the world."
"With my body? Go get another one, just trynna raise my child in peace. You're kind of interrupting that. Already using this body anyways."
"You're child means nothing compared to what I'm about to do."
"*Your*. Fix your grammar before you talk to me again."
I was left confused from the first page. What did I just read. Was this a joke? I flip a few pages. All most all of them were just random conversations. Some of them were drawing with somebody commenting underneath. The drawings were mostly children along with some drawings of mythical creatures. All of them were finely detailed. My favorite one was a blue dragon with its mouth opened along with its mouth glowing a bright blue. I rip the page out and put it in my Inventory. The next page after the dragon caught my eye.
"Can you not hit my child that hard?"
"What are you talking about?"
"You hit him."
"So?"
"WITH A BOTTLE!"
"Isn't that normal? Back where I lived it was normal to be disciplined with a bat or something similar."
"I don't give two shits where you come from, don't ever hit my child."
"It's building character in your child, he'll thank me once he's an adult."
The last half of the page was ripped out. I was frozen as I quickly flip to the next page. I didn't know how to react. Did my mom actually feel guilty? I guess? I can't tell. It's easy to know who my mom is, she is definitely the one that's not caring about me, but I don't know about the other person. Who is she? Is it a he? Split personality disorder maybe? Why does the person care for me anyways. I gasp I think I know what's going on. Am'I adopted? Wait no, seems like possession to me. Maybe my mom knows about gods and stuff like that and that's why she got possessed ? I wouldn't be surprised. Something didn't sit with me right. Actually didn't she ask me a weird question the last time I saw her? I forgot what the question was again. I read the next page and sat in a comfortable position.
"So what are ya doing?"
"Just waking up."
"Just got up too."
"Well you're awake during the night and I'm awake during the day, it's not surprising."
"Just let me do that one little joke."
"It's not funny. Stop."
"You're boring."
"Better than being you."
Before I could read the rest I feel a hand on my shoulder. I quickly turn around to see Michael standing over me.
"Whaaat!" I say in an annoyed tone. Michael didn't notice my tone.
"It stop snowing. Wanna go outside?" I put the journal in my Inventory and get up. I'll just read the rest later.
"Sure." We walk out the room and go downstairs. I look out the window as we to the door. The snow was a least a few feet tall.
"You sure it's safe?"
"I don't know probably." We open the door and step onto the snow.
"Where's Alice?"
"Still sleeping."
"How long does she need to sleep for?"
"She said she wasn't feeling good." I guess that makes sense.
"Anyways, are we looking for the guy or should we just wonder around?" I feel the back of my head tingle, I quickly turn around and step to the side to barely miss a snowball. "Why?" I ask as I see already making another snowball.
"Never had snow where I'm from. Just wanted to try a snowball fight just for a bit." He threw a snow ball, I duck and grab a fistful of snow. I quickly make a snowball and jump to the side just in time to doge another snowball. I threw the snowball and missed by a couple of inches. Michael bent down and grabbed a fistful of snow.
I took a few steps back before grabbing some snow and making a ball with it. Michael threw his snowball and hit me right in my face. The snowball exploded right on my face as I feel a blanket of snow cover my face. I drop my snowball and wipe my face. I crouch and swiftly make another snow ball. Before I could finish Michael rushes up to me and tries to shove the snowball into my face. I stand back up and step to the side. Michael misses, I counter by shoving my snow ball into his face. I jump back as Michael laughs. I give an awkward smile as Michael clears his face.
"God damn it's cold!"
5:02 pm
I stop dead in my tracks as I see the sun start to set. Already?" A snowball suddenly smashes into my cheek, my cheek feels like it was covered in ice. I quickly turn back to Michael.
"Michael that's cheating!"
"Not my fault you stopped." Michael looked glanced at the sun before turning back to me. "Should we go back now?"
"Yeah I think so." I look around and notice that we were a few blocks away from my old house. How did we go so far. "Just follow me. I'll lead us back." Michael looked around for a bit before responding.
"Sure." I walk towards the direction of my old house.
"Is it always like this in Chicago. Michael asked. I forced myself to walk through the snow, half my leg was in the snow. It was a pain just lifting up my feet. Why did we have to go out?
"It does usually have this much snow, the cold is normal though."
"It's so different from Texas. Y'all get any food that y'all eat usually?" I excitedly look over my shoulder.
"Yeah! We have Elotes! They're so good! " I sigh." I usually eat them in the summer though."
"What're Elotes?"
"How do you not know? They're corn with cheese, mayonnaise, chili powder." Michael had a look of disgust.
"That sounds awful."
"It's not! It's good! You have to try it."
"Think about what you just said. Corn with mayonnaise. Who does that?"
"I bet it's better than whatever you eat in Texas." Michael gave out a chuckle.
"We have craw fish and barbecue. Way better than corn with mayonnaise" My old house comes into view.
"I don't know what craw fish is, and I never had barbecue, but I know for sure that it's not better than Elotes."
"Just try it. I know you're gonna admit that it's better than Elotes."
"I know it's not." I walk up to the door and turn the knob. I look around and notice Alice on the couch with a book. She glanced towards us before turning back to her book. Not even a hi?
"Hey Alice." She gave a simple wave with out even looking at us. I turn around and look at Michael.
"Oh, I'm going to go back to my house, see you later?" Michael looked in my direction and nodded.
"Alright see you." He said with a smile. I walk past him and out the door. A box suddenly appeared in front of me.
Michael's Might (Tier 1)
Fire and electric damage is increased by 10%. +50 to Str.
I don't use any fire or electric attacks, so the first part is useless. The second part is cool though. A second box suddenly appears.
Congratulations! You're Str start is now above 100! Please choose a new skill or perk
[Perk] Batta batta- Blunt weapon damage is now increased by 50%
[Perk} Serotonin decrease- It will be harder for you to feel sore, along with the bonus of making it easier to increase Str, Vit, and Dex stat by 20%
[Skill] Mighty blow- You unleash a swing from your weapon that increases damage by 10%. Cost- 130 hp
[Skill] Rooted- Damage is reduced by 15%
Huh? I nervously look at the boxes. My strength stat is over one hundred? Since when? I look at the first two perks. I don't use blunt weapons so that's a no go. Serotonin decrease sounds useful, might pick that one. I look at Might Blow. Skills cost Hp now? Why? Either way it looks good. I look at the last option. I already have Ice Exoskeleton to protect me, so I won't pick that one. It's just the two in the middle now. You know what I'm going to pick Mighty Blow, I don't think I deal enough damage anyways. I pick the skill and the box immediately disappears. Cool? I walk away, I suddenly hear my name behind me. I turn around and see Michael waving at me.
"Wanna stay us?"
"Sure!"