by P. S. Power
At lunch the dining hall was filled with bodies. Enough that it was hard for her to enter, the roar being nearly deafening. She weathered that, and moved to purchase food. That cost a few dollars, and while adequate, wasn’t even half way to being what she needed for the meal. Even taking everything offered.
Rather than having to look for the pretty blonde Human girl from earlier, she was waved over. That meant standing and yelling, to get her attention.
“Avery! Over here!”
She noticed something being wrong as she moved toward the long white table. Her new contact from home room was there, still reminding her of her dead mother, along with two other girls and two boys. Out of the seven people sitting in a clump. The other two looked like attractive young women, but sucked the world in toward themselves, constantly. Drinking the universe.
Avery sat, smiling at them all.
“Hello. I’m Avery Rome. Dragon Shifter and line walker. Also school girl now.”
That got one of the boys to give her a look that was meant to be flirtatious, she thought. He kind of missed the mark, going a bit over the top that way.
“Mark Lynd. Next to me are Leslie, Ann, Tommi, Link, Allison, and Debbie.” He spoke quickly, then ate a bite of sandwich. “Not that you have to learn all that in one day. Leslie, since she’s clearly planning to be your new girlfriend, from how she was talking about you, but the rest of us? Not so much. I’m Mark by the way. I’ll say that several times so I don’t get forgotten first thing again. Single, by the way.” Then he pointed to himself, playfully. “Mark. Human, schoolboy, master of unrequited love…”
Avery nodded at the words.
“Nice to meet you all. I think I met you last night, Ann? At the book store?” She wasn’t totally certain, since the Demon didn’t look like a little girl at the moment, or even an older version of the same female. There just couldn’t be that many of her kind in the area, with the same name.
The girl smiled at her, winningly. Leslie, who was her friend from earlier, and had her mother’s name, was prettier than she was at the moment, but they were all well presented. Even the boys were.
“That’s right. I didn't know if you’d recognize me.”
Mark wrinkled his brow, then made a face.
“I didn’t know that you could read, Ann…” It had the sound of teasing, rather than pure insult. The words were also telling, since it meant that the boy wasn’t aware who he was speaking to.
“Yeah, I hide that so you won’t feel bad about yourself. I was there to talk with Zack. He’s a friend of mine.”
The other Demon, Allison, who was pretty, but also a few pounds overweight, made a rather unladylike snorting sound, to gain everyone’s attention.
“You mean the adult man who, if he slept with you would probably be arrested for it? That Zack?” She grinned, making it disarming as well as charming. It was a complex thing that probably was beyond the range that Avery had for herself. “Well, he is cute, so I can’t blame you.”
That started a conversation about Zack Hartley, which moved over to the boy that Allison was dating, who was, it seemed, Tyler Gartner. Not that she’d heard that one before from the man or his girlfriends.
Leslie leaned into Avery’s arm a bit, as she tried to eat the school hot lunch. It was food, so she enjoyed it well enough.
“Allison keeps saying that, and she really does know him. We all got to go to one of their parties at his house. Zack took us in, using magical powers. He’s a Demon. A Greater Demon.”
Avery nodded, since it was clear that Leslie knew that she got that, from the discussion they’d been having.
“I work at his store part time. Doing that kind of thing. Line transfers. He’s… Well, you know, a Greater Demon. So don’t trust him. Or any others that you meet. Like Ann and Allison here.” She sort of expected to be in a fight then, but both of them just laughed. Allison even covered her mouth with a delicate hand.
“True. Not that these five will buy that yet. We’ve known them for years. That makes it harder for them to keep things in mind that way. They’ll probably hold on to the fact that you’re a Dragon Shifter. They’re decently intelligent, after all. Even Mark.”
The others groaned a bit, with Leslie touching her arm to get her attention.
“They say things like that all the time, but it isn’t true. No Greater Demon would go around looking like that. They’d be the President or something. Not stuck here with us in kid jail.” She looked at the far door, glancing at the guards who were walking around. Carrying no firearms, just radios, which meant they couldn’t really control the situation, if anything happened.
Ann made a funny face, but sighed as if she were long suffering.
“See? Well, we can go and visit with Tyler and the gang more now, if you’re one of us, right? We can at least get a discount…”
Avery looked at the two Greater Demons and then shook her head. After all, one of them was the same one that had said she needed to bargain harder with people. There could be trouble if she failed to do that, then.
“What do you have to trade? I don’t really need more money. I’m a Dragon, so slaves are out, thanks.”
The girls both nodded then, ignoring their friends. Allison was the one to go first.
“Well, I’m The Technician, meaning that I can provide anything along those lines that you need. Ann is The Rotted, so if you want anyone turned into a zombie, she can get that done for you pretty easily. It sounds strange, but once it’s an option, it can come up. If nothing is needed directly, we can trade favors? Say, one small one per trip?”
Avery could taste the haggling on her tongue. That would be cheating herself, at least as far as Allison was thinking.
“Two large favors per trip.”
Ann giggled at her then.
“Not bad. One medium favor, per trip, but we’ll come up with ideas for them, so you won’t have to worry over what to ask for. The others here have to be given tasks that fit their abilities. They can’t do much, which means cleaning services and things like that, as often as not. Mark and Link can keep the worst of the boys off of you, if you don’t want to date them? I heard that you don’t have a sex drive.” She looked a bit snarky then, as Leslie inhaled sharply, seeming almost angry suddenly.
Avery nodded.
“That’s true. Dragons really don’t. One large favor per trip? I can agree to the idea that it has to be something that each person can do. It isn’t like you and Allison here will really need it very often, anyway. Demons can walk the lines on their own. Everyone knows that.”
Link smiled at her, his Asian features making him stand out for the group.
“We do? It would be cool to go places, but what’s a large favor that I can do for you? Kill someone? I’d never use it, if that was the payment. I can paint your house or date that spare girl you want entertained, but that’s about it. Maybe clean your garage for you.” He seemed to think they were joking around, from his tone, but Ann made a tiny gesture toward the boy, as if to say that had been her point.
Allison touched her lips, which got everyone else to go silent in the area. Even ones behind her that couldn’t see what she was doing.
“How about food? You certainly need more than this. We could make certain you have a proper meal each day, as well as a snack?”
That actually sounded good to her.
“All right. One trip for each of the Humans, per week, as long as I get food each day. The Greater Demons have to pay more.”
Both of the teen Demon girls agreed on those terms, for their friends, then set up specifically who was bringing what. It was a bit embarrassing to listen to, since they had to go into how much she really needed to consume each day. By the time it was decided, it was time for her to find her last two classes. One of those was the class she feared most, to be honest. She could learn writing and math, but Art was a purely creative thing. The room itself was a bit of a mess, but the pictures on the wall were amazing. Even the ones that c
learly lacked in skill showed things she never would have thought up on her own.
The instructor, Mr. Carlisle, listened to her, when she explained who and what she was, then smiled warmly.
“So? Just pick an object at random, and draw it. Don’t worry about being creative, just don’t think about it too much. Get a pad and pencil then put down what you see. Do that and I can guarantee you at least a B.”
“Yes, sir. I’ll do that. I don’t really know how, but… It will be done, if at all possible.”
That got a big nod from the man, who was about six feet tall, if totally bald on the top of his head. His clothing was casual, even compared to the kids, covered in smeared clay, paint and other colors. For that day, she was settled in next to a familiar looking boy, the one from earlier, who’d asked which lunch period she had. It wasn’t happenstance, since he’d waved at her, then got the boy next to him to push over by a chair.
“Hey, Avery. Come over here, with the troublemakers. This is Vince and Terra. I’m Alan. Everyone, this is Avery Rome.”
There was no real stress on the words, but Terra, who was a slightly plump but extremely well endowed girl, looked a bit shocked.
“The one that everyone is talking about? The cannibal Dragon?”
That was a bit harsh sounding, but she nodded, since it was close enough to true.
“That’s me. Pleased to meet you. I don’t eat people as a rule. Just the one time.” She was willing to explain it all again, but Vince, who was drawing something actively, even if there was nothing there in front of him, smiled, not looking up in the slightest.
“Awesome. Welcome to Bay. We should all get together and talk soon. You know?” He looked up then, a bit of silver energy, magic, escaping from his eyes. On purpose, most likely. It carried a bit of information, she thought, but that washed off her skin.
That meant Avery nodded at him.
“That sounds fun. This evening? We could meet someplace and talk. Candles and More at Westfield Mall. Or, the food court? I don’t work tonight, but I have some people to talk to, so being there won’t hurt.”
Everyone looked at them funny then, with Alan actually shaking his head.
“Not just no, Vince, hell no. Not this time. She’s mine. I saw her first.” The boy didn't even blush at the words, though Vince just laughed and shook his head.
“Yeah, I suppose that’s true. Now you just have to actually do something about it. Um… That isn’t the reason… It’s just, I was going to see about getting a job out there. She knows people.”
Which was true, but wasn’t half as subtle as was needed for the others sitting there. No one else seemed to be paying any attention however, so Terra leaned in, her black top touching the table they were all sitting around.
Brushing her jet-black hair out of her pale face, she whispered.
“Isn’t that where all the supernatural people are? I went there once, to look at the Vampires. That was scary.” She shuddered a bit, seeming to mean what she was saying.
Avery didn’t know what to tell her. After all, none of the people there were bad or anything. Some Vampires were a real risk to be around, however. Then, that was most people. It was just a bit more intense with that kind of person.
“You should go again. I think Eve is working this afternoon. She’s nice. We can go after school, if you want. I was heading that way anyway.” It was that or go home, which was closer, but going to be lonely for most of the evening.
Not that Avery couldn’t be alone. She’d done it for a long time, after all. Longer than her outer world life by far. She just enjoyed having her friends around. Eve and Edom.
Terra nodded, almost as if the Human girl was reading her mind.
“I guess. You’ll protect me, right? In case they want to drink my blood or… I don’t know, rape me or something. Vampires do that, don’t they?”
That was an unexpected thing to say, but oddly Vince shook his head, sounding like he knew what he was talking about, more or less.
“Not there. It’s embassy row. My dad always told me that if things started to go down in a bad way to head there to hide, since they’ll protect anyone that comes in, for the most part.”
Alan, who was all in black, with eyes that stood out, having makeup on, a lot like Terra did, shook his head.
“Your dad told you to head to Westfield if anything started to go down? Avery said that she’d meet you at Candles and More. Which Embassy is that? The Vampires have the ice cream place there.” He stopped then shook his head. “Frozen yogurt. Is the candle shop the Shifters then? That doesn’t seem to fit. I guess I can just go and ask about it. I wonder if they’d tell a nobody like me?” It was clear that he was planning on doing just that, which Avery figured would work for him.
So instead of pushing him to that, she stared for a bit.
“The Mages. The Shifters have Brand Village. The Alede have the large ladies sexy clothing store there. Pretty Plus. The Trollienkeine do the power lifting Gym. I don’t know the rest of them, off the top of my head. Well, Zack runs the book store there. A lot of other types of people are there, too.”
Vince looked away, seeming annoyed, which was about her telling on him, she was willing to bet. Terra just nodded, her black lipstick shining slightly under the horrible florescent lights. Finally, just as the very blond boy was about to say something, Alan looked across the table closely, then nodded a few times.
Then the boy changed the topic, perfectly.
“Zack?”
She smiled a bit, trying to be pleasant.
“The Line Walker. He’s a Greater Demon. I work there, part time. I mentioned that… Or was that at lunch?” She honestly couldn’t recall, which was probably due to being distracted by the Demons there. It had been unexpected.
Alan grinned at her then.
“Right, when you were off making time with the mean girls? Leslie is actually okay, I’m just teasing. What can I say, I’m jealous of their popularity. It’s nearly like some kind of magic being used. Except that wouldn’t work, would it? You can’t cast a spell for that.” He looked right at Vince, who clearly understood the not so subtle point being made.
That Alan suspected Vince was a Mage. Which seemed right.
The other boy rolled his eyes.
“Later? We can talk about it at the mall. I wasn’t planning on it, but at least it’s just you two outing me. I swear, if I get lynched…”
Terra, who was a bit behind the conversation, made a strange face.
“You’re gay?” She kind of shouted it, which got Vince to laugh again.
“Bi, thanks. So, you know, we can still do stuff, if you ever realize I’m here.”
It probably wasn’t about some talent for invisibility as much as it was that the boy was dressed like a very normal person. His face was thin, being tan seeming only because the other two there were so very pale. Then, it was clear that their personal style had them doing that with cosmetics, on purpose.
Avery was given paper then, by the instructor, so she found a sponge used for painting, and spent the rest of the class trying to draw it. It wasn’t perfectly done, but by focusing on it intently, she was able to get a fairly decent likeness of it down.
Enough so that Alan nodded at her, pushing her shoulder a bit as everyone else was standing.
“So, we meet at the yogurt shop? I can drive, if anyone needs it. I brought the Mom-mobile today.”
Vince smiled.
“That sounds good. I haven’t learned how to fly or anything yet. Otherwise I’d be on the bus. Terra?”
She smiled, but seemed to agree with the boys.
“That works. You have to hold my hand though, if I get scared.”
That seemed possible, from the smile the light colored kid had on his face.
After that, there was one more class, which was physical education. That day she wasn’t required to change into exercise clothing, not having brought any. They were allowed to wear anything for that, so she could get
something before the next day. Some of her military gear would work, if nothing else.
Mr. Richards, the weight lifting instructor, assigned her to his class, though that first day, she was just taken around by one of the boys there, as he worked, so he could tell her what each machine did.
His name was Phillip. Nothing else of note was shared, because his focus as he worked was decent for a regular person. Enough that it was clear he was increasing the amount he could lift by staying in a trance the whole time. That part was unexpected, but not a horrible thing. It made sense that a person could do things like that, as soon as she noticed it happening. It was both disciplined and rather creative of the boy to have put his mind to such a thing however.
It paid off for him though, if in an odd way.
For instance, it was clear that Phillip was stronger than the rest of the people in the class, even those who had more overt musculature. Then, so was she, by so much more that it seemed a waste of her time to be there, to be honest. Several days a week they could spend time running however, which was probably healthy for her, even if she kind of dreaded it. It hurt enough that she’d never loved doing it all that much. Sprints were a lot better that way. Easier than going for a long time, over a great distance.
If the guy she was working with had any clue at all who, or what, she was, other than the new girl, it didn’t show at all in what he said or did. That part was done efficiently, but without a lot of concentration on her in particular. It was nice, really. She’d sort of expected a mob attack half-way through her first day.
So far no one had even bothered being all that unkind toward her. The worst people had simply moved away from her in the hallway as they all left, a bit later. She had to walk home, or in the case that day, to the mall. It was about three miles for the whole trip, so she pushed herself to do it fast enough that no one would easily catch her doing it. The hard part would be in finding new routes home each day. Four of them would serve, as long as her rotation of them were random.
