NINETY-EIGHT: Blossoming Tentacles

NINETY-EIGHT: Blossoming Tentacles

98

Youre all idiots.

Lexi Robertssmug bastardsaid this while examining Alden, Lute, and Haoyu on Monday morning. It was 6:45, hed just come in from a run, and he looked disgustingly energized standing there drinking an iced black coffee from the campus shop.

I got up at two oclock to use the bathroom, and none of you were here.

Kon and Mehdis group decided to go all the way down to the stadium in F, Haoyu groaned while he trudged across the kitchen toward his slow-cooker. To see a spell performance. It took a couple of hours to get back through all the traffic. I regret it.

I regret nothing, Lute mumbled into the top of the dark wood table that theyd chosen to match their huntski lodge theme. I was eating mochi in a tub surrounded by beautiful, friendly Rabbit girls when the volley ended at one.

Were you? Haoyu asked.

Of course he wasnt, Lexi scoffed, rolling his eyes.

Without looking up, Lute pointed across the table at Alden, who was trying to will himself awake while he chewed on a vegan protein bar the North of North gym recommended. It was supposed to taste like cookie dough.

I wonder if whoever made this has actually eaten cookie dough, or if its just a phrase theyve heard people with tastebuds say before.

He swallowed the chalky, artificially sweetened monstrosity. He was in the tub. We calculated it at one point, and he spent almost five hours yesterday in tubs. Hes the cleanest person on campus.

Aldens intake friends are excellent. Ive changed my vote about letting guests come over if those are the guests.

Oh no, said Haoyu, staring into his slow cooker at the oatmeal hed put in last night. I dont think this is right.

He dug a spoon into it, and when he lifted it, an oatmeal and dried fruit disc came out. I think I need to add more water.

It slid off the spoon and hit the counter.

Did that just bounce? Lexi asked, blinking at it.

Alden nodded. That was a definite bounce.

******

Maricel was already in the lecture theater by the time Alden made it to Preparatory Sciences, and when he went over to sit with her, he was relieved that she seemed at ease. They talked about homework until Finlay arrived and turned the conversation to their upcoming gym class.

Whatever we do, I want to make a proper show of it for the instructors, he said, ripping open creamers and sugar packets and pouring them into a hot tea. You know? I dont want them to think, Och, we made a mistake with that one! Hes not quality material.

Something tells me you wont have that problem, said Alden.

You never can be sure. At the party, when I told Mehdi I was in this course, he said it was for the remedial students. Did you two know that?

Yes, Alden and Maricel both said.

Whats that about? I never was a remedial student before. Not top of my class, but never the bottom either. WellI suppose were not the worst of them. They didnt even give Jeffy the option to test out at the end of the quarter. He has to take it now and next term. He chugged his tea, then stared down into the cup. I think I need another.

After that, it was off to Engaging with the Unexpected. Alden sat beside Andrzej, in what he privately thought of as the B-rank section. The discussion for the week would be on a series of three different superchaser incidents. There were so many examples for Instructor Marion to draw on that he hadnt been able to limit himself to just one.

All right, said a third year girl, leaning back in her chair. Before he gets here, we all agree that the correct response to the chaser-turned-flasher who visually assaulted the hero is just a strategic accident with a spell impression, right?

Cant flash what you dont have, said her friend, holding up a hand for a high five.

Several people laughed. A couple sighed.

Id love to strategic accident a lot of them, a boy said. It would solve at least half of the issues we discuss in this seminar.

Andrzej muttered under his breath in Polish and shook his head.

He wasnt much of a talker in class. Alden found it surprising now that hed seen him at the B-listwhere he was quick to share ideas and eager to chat. This was a discussion-based course, so Andrzej couldnt be completely silent. But his usual habit was to share three opinions, each spaced about twenty minutes apart, and then fade out of the conversation again rather than ardently defending his point.

Alden didnt know if he disliked arguing in general or if it was the particulars of this class and its participants that made him keep his head down.

The girl who was always typing away on her phone on the opposite side of the room suddenly said, Knock it off with the strat acc jokes. Hes coming.

A few seconds later, Instructor Marion breezed into the room. Morning everyone!

Good morning!

The use of strategic accidents had been banned at the beginning of the quarter. Anyone who mentioned accidentally doing violence to fix problems got thrown out of class and marked absent for the day.

Not because violence was never the answer. Violence was, according to Instructor Marion, a valid tool and a subject worthy of serious and respectful consideration.

But it comes with consequences, hed said last week after tossing a guy out into the hall. Planning to use violence and squirm away from those consequences by saying, I had a little oopsie, is not an acceptable approach to engaging with the unexpected.

Alden had wondered what kind of lunatics he was going to school with that made it necessary for that to be a class ruleuntil these superchaser scenarios. There was this one married couple who made money videoing working superheroes up close and personal. Their country didnt consider their actions to be interference, so they couldnt be prosecuted. But they liked to run into the path of oncoming spells and projectiles to get unique footage for their channel.

Some of the unique footage came from Avowed having to perform dangerous stunts to dodge them. They were creating circuses on purpose.

It wasnt like they deserved to die, but they did deserve to be locked up in a punishment closet so that they could engage with the darkness of death and gain knowledge of what theyd done wrong. Alden had written this down in his private notes as the Klee-pak Solution. Having it there was his way of venting, but he had enough sense and self-control not to present it to a human audience.

He pulled out his laptop and went over his less private notes.

In prepping for this class, he had decided to try to dodge the big moral questions everyone liked to fight about. After everything that had happened with Boe over the past week, he just wanted to quietly figure his own way through those things rather than having twenty different opinions flying at himall of them presented with a vibrant certitude that made him feel lacking.

Instead, he wanted to talk about the complications presented by superchasers in general, and since the best way to steer conversations was to start them, he raised his hand.

I think we should discuss how superchasers themselves arent unexpected. Once a hero or a team has stalkers, they know theyre going to appear at public events or whenever action is taking place somewhere the chasers can get to in time. Their presence is a given; its only the exact type of chaos theyll cause thats hard to anticipate. So we should talk about how knowing a difficult incident is more likely to occur than usual changes a heros preparation and response.

Andrzej looked up. I agree. We should talk about strategies forah how do you say > during frustrating moments that are caused by people a hero might have personal problems with.

Translation for you all, said the girl with the phone. The Bs want to talk serious business this week instead of penile rights.

Penile rights are pretty serious, though.

My rights in that area matter a lot to me.

Instructor Marion blinked around the room. What exactly do you all mean by penal rights? Have you been discussing legal systems?

Yes, Instructor.

Thats definitely it.

We think the law should do a better job of protecting superheroes from civilian interference!

******

> Lute whispered, leaning forward on his learning cushion and holding out his hands to show Alden a series of signs.

They were in the classroom for Conversation IV, and they were alternating between talking about the assignment whenever Instructor Rao was paying attention to them and talking about wordchains when she wasnt.

Alden watched Lutes wiggling fingers closely. And his wrists, elbows, and shoulders. Lute hadnt been kidding when he said the chain was difficult. Hed been doing a shorthand version of it last night on the bus. The full gesture set that Alden would be practicing involved a lot more motion.

> Alden suggested, texting him the English translation at the same time.

Lute liked to name his motions himself so that he could remember them more easily. Alden knew perfectly well that the Artonans had their own names for common hand signs, but Lutes way had some benefits. There was a good chance that blossoming tentacles was going to stick in Aldens mind better than whatever the real name was.

> his tutor repeated, grinning at him.

Lute was wearing his toucan shirt with a green eyepatch, and his high-tops were in his lap. Hed decided not to give the shoe victimizers any more opportunities.

Alden repeated the gestures, and Lute gave him an odd look.

> Alden asked.

>

Alden started the sign at the level of his forehead and drew his arms down through the air as he went.

> Lute reached out and adjusted the angle of the first knuckle on his left middle finger. >

Alden started back.

> Lute rotated one of his wrists slightly outward and adjusted the distance between his hands. >

Lute had completely forgotten about behaving like they were doing the assigned work. He got up on his knees to stare even more closely at Aldens fingers. But Instructor Rao just sighed and walked past them when she did her next round of the classroom. Alden supposed she was grateful they were some of the only students not slipping other languages into their sentences today.

>

When they left thirty minutes later, Lute watched Alden take his shoes from his cubby and sniff them. You think theyre going to get you since they couldnt get me? he asked, tying his laces.

I see no reason not to take some precautions. Alden shoved his feet in.

Youve got a lunch break now?

An hour and fifteen minutes.

She might have failed on purpose. Or she might have tripped over her own personality. She might really still be mad at you, too. For the funeral thing. He adjusted Aldens wrist again. Hazel grew up devouring my grandmothers attention, and ever since she started getting a lot of Aulias time instead of all of it, its like shes starving.

He placed his hands on the table and watched Alden finish the set. She wanted you to see her faint.

What?

When she affixed. At the funeral. She wanted someone there to see her faint.

Was she scared of that happening? It hardly ever does.

No, she wasnt scared of it happening, Lute said. She wanted it to. It happens more often to S ranks. The System needs additional time for whatever reason and knocks you out for it. Sometimes it talks to you.

I am very familiar with that.

Lute continued, Fainting during affixation and getting a meeting with the System doesnt mean youre going to be a better Avowed, but it has specialness connotations. Hazel grew upokay, she had a messed up childhood. But she grew up sure shed be a fainter, and she wanted witnesses. Definitely not me, but I was who was closest when you left. She called asking for an affixation buddy, so they made me go back to look after her until her parents could get there.

His eye wasnt focused on Aldens face anymore. He was staring across the room toward the window.

She faked it. When I walked up, she was lying there on her side like shed fallen off the bench she was sitting on. I wasnt surprised. I was really used to her being special, too, so I just thought she was an idiot for not going to sit on the grass before she gave the System the okay. And then I saw her rubbing her cheek on the gravel below the bench to give herself scratches. To make it look more like shed fallen.

Oh my god.

Alden felt embarrassed just hearing about someone else getting caught doing that.

What on earth did you say?

You know, Lute said slowly, I think I was going to let her get away with it. She oscillated between ignoring me and tormenting me when we were kids, so I didnt feel sorry for her. But me getting the Chainer S was soul-crushing for Hazel. It had been saved for years especially for her. The family paid a different new Avowed every couple of months to sit on it for her and then pass it off, just waiting for the day when shed be selected.

I actually have another cousin who got S, wanted Chainer, and had to take another class instead. Because even though Hazel had just turned sixteen, everyone still thoughtmaybe. Probably. Sometimes the System picks you late.

Lutes frown deepened.

So I wasnt going to say anything. Because even though I didnt want it, I did end up with the toy that we all thought had her name on it. And I wasnt nice about it because Hazel was never nice to meand then there she was rubbing her own face in the dirt. It was enough. I didnt feel the need to grind it in any more.

But you did? Alden guessed when Lute went quiet.

A couple of days later we were having a party to celebrate her affixation. A big family bash in her honor. She decided to cap the festivities off with a reenactment of one those times she tormented pathetic little Lute. He shrugged. I should have left it alone. But when she did it, she was trying to set me off. She just didnt know I had such humiliating ammunition to send back her way.

And you advised me recently to go to one of your family parties.

We have them all the time, and the catering is always perfection, said Lute. Just go say hi to Grandma, act like a typical teenager whos at least mildly interested in rubbing shoulders with the super rich, then vanishand dont engage with Hazel. Thats my only advice for dealing with her.

I dont think Ill go at all. Unless Natalie is the one catering, then I have to ponder it.

Suit yourself. Lute got up to drop his bowl in the sink. Did you like the tutoring session?

Yes. Thank you. Its really helpful to have an in-person teacher. It was going to decrease the time it took to learn by a lot.

And you still want to master this wordchain?

If you dont mind tutoring me more and getting permission from your boss.

Cool! In that case, what time does your class end tonight? The PE that youre all stressed about.

They were all a little stressed. The very brief course description said it was just physical education and magic development, so there was no real reason to be. But everyone in the group was anxious about it being something intensebecause the last time theyd been in the gym had been so intense. Even the ridiculous and fun hour Alden had spent with the B-List hadnt quite been enough to take the edge off his nerves.

Its over at 7:00 PM.

And its almost one oclock now, said Lute. Perfect. Ill bestow Self Mastery on you. It lasts a little less than six hours, so itll carry you through the rest of the day and most of your class. You can see what its like to live with it.

Alden was startled. He didnt know why it hadnt occurred to him to ask Lute about that. He had a skill that let him bestow wordchains on groups of people; it would be weird if it didnt work on a single individual, too.

Can you give me the debt, too?

I can give you the debt later if youre willing to accept it, said Lute. I dont mind just giving you the good part

Ill pay my own bills, said Alden. And its great to be able to know what it feels like before I commit to learning it.

And there was the gremlin to consider. Alden didnt think it would care about this, since someone else was responsible for the missing half of the chain. But if it was offended by the process, hed need to take both halves to make it shush.

Lute smiled.

A second later, Alden felt himself being targeted. That, he had expected. What he hadnt expected was to suddenly have a very clear sense of Lute Velras power, reaching out toward him and stopping just short of touching him, like he was politely waiting for Alden to start up an authority control exercise.

Thats not it. I think this is just his skill bringing us closer. It must be

[Accept Wordchain from Lute?]

[Primary Wordchain Effects: heightened awareness of body, heightened control of body, heightened spatial awareness]

[Approximate Wordchain Duration: 5 hours 49 minutes]

[Yes/No]

He hadnt expected giving permission through his interface to be part of it either.

You should be getting a notification.

Alden was suddenly nervous about what was going to happen when he accepted. Not about the effects of the wordchain itself, butwhat was Lute going to do to him to give it to him?

Alden couldnt ask because the answer was just going to be, What do you mean? Im just going to use my skill. Duh.

But Lute being close in this way implied that some kind of metaphysical touching beyond simple targeting was about to take place. And while Alden was almost positive it wouldnt be damaging to him in any way, he really wished he knew if the bestowal skill was about to give him a Kibby-sized friendly pat or a sharp stab or what.

Also, Lute was noticeably strong. Nothing at all like the overwhelming forces the Primary or his sister had been. But Alden could still sense that a more powerful presence was right beside him, taking an interest in him.

Oh fuck it. Its getting more awkward and nerve-wracking the longer I wait to do the obvious thing.

He commanded himself to hold still, accept the skill, and not authority smack his helpful roommate in a panic if anything weird happened, then he selected YES.

Lutes skill brushed against him.

Alden had a split-second impression of something being passed to him, and either hed gotten it right when he told himself to be accepting or Lutes skill was really great at its job, because there was no resistance when it became part of him.

The skill withdrew, and Alden couldnt find any evidence of what had happened at all. Authoritatively.

I guess its subtle? Or not, and Im still too much of a beginner when it comes to understanding what goes on with myself in this way.

He hadnt even been able to identify the carriage geas in his affixation until she told him to look for it, so it wasnt that surprising.

Still its odd that someone can give me something, and I cant find it.

You look really tense. Its over. You can relax. Lutes expression was amused.

Alden felt himself start to blush. He didnt want to. He stopped it.

Oh. Oh!

The mild feeling of embarrassment didnt leave, but a blush was banishable? It had taken thought and effort, but thought and effort had never worked that way for him before.

Dude! How strong is this wordchain?

Neat, right? Just a warningthere are some inconveniences. Youve got amazing control over your body. Anything you should be capable of doing or noticing on your best day ever will suddenly be much more natural for you. On the flip side, a lot of things that go on with your body arent actually enjoyable, and heightened awareness of them is either maddening or disgusting.

He glanced at Aldens empty plate.

Im not someone who does a lot of exercise, but I think its going to be great for performance in your hero PE class. And I suspect its good for developing muscle memory? But it can make everyday stuff hyper-annoying.

Alden suddenly realized what he meant.

My own breath is burning me, he said, fanning his face. The garlic is everywhere.

Lute snickered. Yeah. Im not sure if you actually taste it better, but youre definitely better at being constantly aware of it. So have fun with that! If you cant stand the side effects, call me, and Ill come take whats left of the chain back.

What would that involve on your end of things? Do you just save it in a special Chainer box for later? Or do you delete it from the universe?

Lute slapped his own butt dramatically.

Alden blinked. Is that your new way of indicating your family tattoo?

If youre going to keep asking lots of questions about Chainer, I need a quicker method for blaming Aulia for my non-answers. Like I said, if you assume its common sense, youll be right most of the time.

Well, I suspect youve got some kind of chain-saving magic because you delivered that one without actually doing the chain yourself. So you probably banked it somehow? Thats cool.

Lute Velravery cool guy. Now, if other people would just fall for my trap, too

*