21 DAY DREAMER

Gil woke up as he usually did. Thinking, panicking, checking his watches.

Claude woke up swinging, he woke up thinking.

Two peas in a pod in that way.

"Seven am. Ah to hell with it, give me one more h—"

Frosty's barks got him up and moving before he could touch the cool embrace of his silk pillows a second time.

On his way out of the cabin, he swung by Claude's room.

As always, there was clothes, books and weapons sprawled around like a tornado hit his room.

He was nowhere to be seen.

Gil headed out of the cabin at a brisk pace, running his hands through his hair until it was out of his eyes and he could see the green with no interruption.

His nostrils flared at the scent of blood. His ears focused on the exhausted breaths, trying to speak in hushed whispers but failing to properly enunciate.

"—ty-four.. ty-fiv… ty-sih…. Cmon!"

Gil rushed into the forest.

Less than three miles in, he found Claude hanging from an oak tree.

Ray sprinted along the branch Claude held onto, seemingly barking orders at him while Frosty did the same from below, only stopping to tear into the half eaten deer carcass on the ground. He never took the pitwolf for a multi-tasker.

Gil coughed purposefully to get everyone's attention.

Claude flinched and fell from the tree, landing soundlessly despite his exhaustion.

"What the hell is going on here? Did you sleep at all?"

Claude spun around and Gil almost had an aneurysm.

His ears were sharp as points. His semi-snouted face was smeared with dried blood and sweat. His eyes reflected the rising sunlight. When he noticed Gil's facial expression, the fur on his forearms and shoulders stood on end.

"What's wrong, dad?"

Gil centered himself, "Nothing. You uh….." Gil waved hand over his face.

Claude wiped the blood off his face, "Yea. We have an invasive deer issue."

Gil nodded, "Happens once every couple years. Frosty scares away most predators so naturally…."

An awkward silence spread for a moment too long.

Claude shot up to his feet. "Dad. This trait borrowing power is insane! So you know how I'm sick right?"

Gil nodded hesitantly.

"I can basically counteract it with this skill and grow my strength faster. Frosty's stronger than I am and has denser bones, so I can push myself harder. My strengths already gone up two points since I'm able to lift more. Also, can we go to the kennel today?"

"Wha— I called in specifically because you were sick." Gil commented, "Why do you want to go to work?"

"I want to see how my trait borrowing changes with different canine breeds." Claude replied. "This could be useful…. You know, maybe I can form a pack of hounds with specific abilities I can use in combat. I could have a bloodhound for finding hostages….. Frosty and Rocko for combat ….—"

Gil watched Claude ramble in silence for a moment longer before interjecting, "Hey…. Hey!"

Claude finally slowed down. He blinked in the silence, green eyes matching the glowing canopy.

Gil walked over to him, placing his large hands on his son's small shoulders, "What's wrong, kid?"

"I just— I have to get stronger as fast as possible."

***

"You know what calms me? A full ass breakfast?….. you know what? That didn't even sound right. A damn good and full breakfast! That's what I'd be making you right now if you had a reason to be calm." Gil explained as he entered the cabin behind Claude, Frosty and Ray.

"You sure it's not because we can't afford massive full meals?" Claude questioned as Gil pointed to the table.

Claude took a seat.

"Did we forget how you and skunky-boy over there just hunted down a deer?" Gil asked as he sat at the rectangular wooden table next to him.

"My arms didn't." Claude groaned. "So much for those strength gains."

Frosty crawled up into his seat and huffed contently. He looked ready to do it all again.

Gil passed Claude a bowl of chilled fruits. He ate them in silence for a short span of seconds, letting the electrifying sweetness of desert berries and bush-melon slices hydrate him a dozen times over. The chaotic staccato of ticking clocks turned into a rhythm to follow for his chewing patterns. And nerves—

"Also, did you just say I had no reason to be calm?" Claude questioned.

Gil nodded, "Let's face facts. You're in the rat race now."

Claude and Frosty turned their heads in confusion.

"Now that you've been Reborn, you do have to get stronger… preferably as fast as possible. It's for your own safety in that way." Gil explained.

Claude nodded.

"This is your best bet at doing that." Gil placed a letter on the table.

He didn't even look at it, instead focusing on the strain in his father's voice. The tightness of his lips and clench of his jaw. It made his jagged wolfish sideburns ruffle.

His discomfort made Claude wary of the letter.

He let his eyes do the work first, noting the black envelope smelled of morning wind and expensive inks.

"A carrier bird delivered it last week." Gil said.

Claude picked it up. It was heavy. Almost vibrating as a warmth inside spread at the touch of his fingers.

The envelope melted away in burning embers like someone held a match to the other side that he couldn't see.

"Woah…" Claude said as he watched the envelope disappear in smoke and flame.

Flame that didn't burn.

"Well, that's performative." Gil commented.

Claude unfolded the letter. Like the envelope, it was black and had a rough feel to it, like the paper wasn't actually paper and was instead shaped ash. It even smelled like it.

An insignia sat at the top of the letter, not in ink, but in flame. It was a massive winged bird— like a condor, rising towards a scorching sun. Every time he blinked, the flame changed colors. Claude looked to his father and only got a motion to read on.

He did so, reading the letters made in fire.

"Claude Grey of the Angelo's District, in response to your Rebirth on the effective date of 8/27/2240, you have been drafted to join the University of the Phoenix. You now have a duty to uphold. A simple doctrine to follow that starts now. Learn the ins and outs of your Class and how you can use it to aid our fight inside and outside of the Tangents. Learn your limits as a beast-tamer and break them. You'll have ample challenges and house-mates to test your might against. You have a duty to uphold here. It's not to save the world and become a hero of heroes. It's to compete. This is a series of tests and games, Claude. Fight to win. Make your House stand above the others. Rise like a Phoenix from the ashes of death and Rebirth."

The bottom of the letter was signed by two people. Well, one person and one entity.

"Signed and Authorized by, Alaric Rossman and The Global Magus Enclave/(GME)"

Claude looked up from the letter, "Why didn't I know about this before?"

Gil shrugged, "I'm not from here. I also wasn't Reborn. You don't talk to people…. unless they're abusive muscly young women. Interesting taste, I gotta say."

"Dad."

"What?"

"This is amazing…." Claude wanted to read it again. His feet bounced under the oakwood table at a sprinters pace. "This is where Samuel and Tai went. I can learn here. Maybe there's upperclassmen who can answer my questions. More teachers….. but like real ones!"

"When I got sent to military school this wasn't my reaction." Gil whispered.

After Claude's excitement faded he sat up straighter and looked back down at the letter.

"It didn't say when this starts…. Or where I'm going."

Gil tapped the back of Claude's paper.

As if the writing would disappear if he wasn't quick enough, Claude flipped the paper with wide eyes.

More writing in fire.

"You are part of Entry Wave….. 5. On effective date of 9/7/2240, report to your Districts public Guild-Hall for entry into the University of the Phoenix. Use this letter as confirmation of entry."

Then the words were up in smoke, being replaced by a timer and something he didn't understand.

More numbers.

"9/15.....9/15...8/15….."

"What is that, a date?" Claude questioned.

"I have no idea. I have no idea about any of this. Suddenly, I wish I was more social with the heroes I do Tangent runs with. Then again, they make it obvious they'd rather not have my company…" Gil rested his elbows on the table.

"That's fine." Claude replied, "I'll take this week to do what the letter said."

"Which is?"

"Learning my limits. I'll break what I can in five days. The rest I'll learn on the way. If I'm part of the fifth wave, there's already a number of first years who've started whatever games they're playing. And if they're already there, like Samuel, they're all special."

Gil smiled, "Sounds like you already have a plan, kid."

"I hope you like deer more than Ray." Was all Claude said. From the window, Ray squawked in agreement.

"Sure." Gil chuckled, "But first." He went serious in an instant, "You need to tell me what's got you all tense. And I know it's not your sickness. You were acting like this before either of us knew you had it. Spill, buddy."

"Damn…"