3 A Small Town

I crossed the bridge, peering into the murky waters at its sides, crumpling and stepping over the vines at my feet. Thus started my trek towards the town.

The field between me and the town was vast with a sea of grass between us. I was careful to watch my step. As I walked through the grass I could hear something rummaging through it, as such I hastened my steps. I was not about to fight another fantasy creature that could breathe fire instead of steam, or so I thought because of the red magic that emanated from the epicenter of the noise.

As I got closer to the town, the grass receded and I came upon farmland and a road though not asphalt or dirt, a road, the only thing I could deduce is that it looked like sand.

The crop that was being grown was "cherries", or at least that is what they looked like, except purple and small like peas. They grew on stalks like tomatoes yet unsupported and suspended, I gave one of the stalks a nudge being careful not to push it over. I was wrong I couldn't push it over even If I wanted to, the stalk looked feeble but surprisingly it was hard as a rock and just as firm as the trees in the forest.

As I observed further the color of its magic was green and seemed to emanate from the roots, though I could see the source I wasn't going to harm their crops.

There were fields and fields of it. It was most likely their lively hood. I got close but I didn't touch it. I came upon the town and it looked old, the buildings were brick with shingled roofs . There were people moving around doing their own thing. Some were ordained in robes, some in leather jackets and pants varying in color, even dresses.

As I entered the town they stared at me, intensively. I understood the fact that I looked weird but they looked at me with fear and some with disgust.

A man soon marched towards me. He was shorter than me, way shorter, but he had more presence, when he spoke everyone listened, if I was shorter I'm sure he would have looked down on me. He had hair as white as a dove and eyes that were sky-blue with streaks of white, it was unnatural, it was as if he was looking through me. Then he spoke and I understood, surprisingly.

"Hello my name is Mark Sentari, I am the chief guard of this town. May I ask who are you and why you are here?" He asked stroking his beard, eyeing me from top to bottom.

He seemed respectful so I attempted to respond.

"My name is Chaménos Psychí, I'm looking for a place to stay." I said in a low voice being careful not to come off as disrespectful.

*Chaménos (Ka-Me-Nos) Psychí (Si-He)

He looked at me again and then turned around, he walked away without saying anything.

I took it as approval and soon I started to walk around aimlessly looking for somewhere to sell the things I had. I thought to myself that they must have been worth something and staying there wouldn't be free. They may have allowed me to stay but I knew I wouldn't receive any sympathy, this became clear when all my attempts to talk to anyone were shot down by a "Sorry I'm busy" or a "I don't talk to demi humans" the latter of which was rather confusing. As I was trying to make out the characters that were plastered across the buildings an old woman bumped into me or I assumed her age due to minor wrinkles on her face, the only thing giving it away. She had a basket filled with the cherries that were about to fall so I caught them.

"Here." I stretched them to her and she took them.

"Thank you young man." She said while looking at me by the corner of her eye, swiping away at the light red hair that obscured her view.

As I started to walk away giving up on my efforts to read she called out to me.

"You arrived in town today didn't you and you came from the forest." She lifted her chin high when she spoke, she was proud.

I was surprised so I stayed quiet. Her bumping into me didn't seem to be a coincidence anymore.

"How can I help you?" I exclaimed in a condescending voice hoping she'd leave me alone.

"I think the question you should be asking is how can I help you." I wasn't sure what was happening anymore, she was now smiling.

"I don't want your help but thank you." I tried backing away but she approached.

"Oh come on... cant you spare sometime for this beautiful old lady." She exclaimed whilst covering her mouth with her hand.

"What do you want from me?" I realized that it was not that she wanted to help me but in fact that she wanted something.

"My my, seems you're not interested in small talk." She sighed. "I want the fangs of the creature you killed or did you buy that cloak?" She said peeking at me with one of her brown eyes closed.

"And what do I get out of this deal and why do you even want them?" I asked her, slowly backing away.

"Why? I need it for research. As for you, well I can teach you how to read, how bout it?" She leaned slightly in my direction.

"I don't even know who you are." I said whilst slowly continuing my escape.

"The names Cecelia Francis, ask anybody around here about me and they'll tell you who I am." She seemed proud of her name her smile resurfaced once more.

"Lets change that deal a little why not teach me about your research and other things too?" I was trying to set myself up with the most information I could get my hands on as at that point I was highly uneducated and lost.

"Sure why not." She said smiling mischievously, rubbing her hands together almost dropping the basket one more.

She told me she had a lab and so I followed her to a building at the far end of the town, which was surprisingly small, I thought I had encountered a full blown settlement but maybe I was wrong.

The building we came to was like a large warehouse its roof was a black semicircle instead of the usual triangle. Upon entry there were trophies and pictures of a young woman a "Mary Linn" littered in the halls, she had long blood red hair and small brown eyes, the woman seemed to be a scientist, she was one of ten. These were the only other decorations apart from the peach flowered wallpapers and vases. We then got to a large room with what seemed to be an iron and magic reinforced door, a green glow emanating from it.

It was a laboratory. It had all the tools for chemistry and even tools that would be seen in a workshop, hacksaws and drills, though they didn't look conventional I could make them out, a drill bit attached to an orb encased by iron, its far end having a handle and trigger. Among them even bookshelves. The most surprising thing was what seemed to be "computers"; a cube of sorts about three feet wide and deep, connected to a transparent piece of glass with metal framing attached by a wire. This told me they were more advanced than I thought and to be careful.

The old woman soon asked for the fangs and I gave them to her. She sat around a table in the middle of the room and began to examine them, she used what looked like a camera but yet again it was a slab of glass encrusted by iron, the glass being bright purple. She confirmed there authenticity and then began to work on them.

I got closer and watched from a safe distance. She cut them into rectangles using a saw that generated condensed and sharp air currents instead of a blade. She then attached what looked like a battery to one of them. The cord connecting the both of them had a small box with a valve on it. When she turned the valve I saw magical energy flow to the fang and steam came gushing out of the then rectangle. I was surprised because up to that point I was under the assumption that I needed a specific color to cast magic. I asked her about this and she answered enthusiastically, I could tell she loved what she was doing.

"The reason no magic color is needed is due to something called elemental or mana remembrance. The more and longer something is used to cast a specific type of magic the higher its affinity with the element or mana, especially things that are organic." She radiated happiness as she spoke, a smile plastered on her face". It gets to the point where the color is no longer needed due to something called magical residue, this is when a material remembers what spell to cast without an array just by pouring mana into it, even mana can do it if its nature is preserved after casting a spell."

She knew a lot and at that point I was glad I accepted her offer. The other question was why she needed them and the answer was unexpected.

"If you must know, I need a new water heater and a stove substitute, you run out of gas and stored mana quickly when you use them for experiments as well, but with something of higher quality or rather of a higher affinity, it uses way less mana. The reason I didn't get it sooner is because he wouldn't let me go into the forest to hunt or at all ." She sighed in relief when she had finished speaking.

Who ever "he" was, was a smart man the forest was very dangerous and had it not been for my comrade I would have died.

She then sat me down and went for a book and pill with light emanating from the inside. It was her way of teaching me how to read. She told me the pill was a S.T.P or skill transferal pill and that I would gain thought manipulation, a skill that would allow me to have more control over my memories, experiences and thoughts thus resulting in me having control of what I remembered and what I didn't . It was created by replicating the affects of a skill with high level magic circles. I reluctantly agreed and swallowed the pill, praying it wasn't poison.

It was a unique experience. One moment my mind went from a open space and an imagination to a large room filled with panels and my minds eye on a screen, books set on invisible shelves. What was worse was that as I focused I started to walk around in my mind. It was the weirdest experience I had ever had. As I walked I started to see my memories on the panels I even saw my ideas and thoughts, anything I imagined was visualized on the screen that was my minds eye I could imagine anything in extreme detail.

Then she nudged me back to reality. To me about 30 seconds had passed but in the real world only 15 seconds had passed. She told me that it was one of the more refined S.T.Ps on the market and that with the right person it was possible to make the mind a room a "mental expanse", a version of the "mana expanse" that stored information instead of mana.

She gave me the book and read out the alphabet that was at the front. She then told me to read it. I read it but I wasn't forgetting anything it was another rare side effect of the thought manipulation skill "perfect recollection".

"That's half our agreement done is there anything else?" She seemed a little disappointment as her smile faded.

"I want to know more about magic and your research. Will that really be acceptable?" I asked again to confirm as before it was highly possible she just agreed to get her hands on the merchandise.

"Of course... wait here." She walked over to the table with the computer and took out something form the draw before returning.

She gave me a transparent "tablet" reminiscent to the computer monitor, and camera. As my hand hovered over the screen it sprung to life, it was no different from what I was used to, only the look. It was filled with books from alchemy to thought manipulation magic. My instructions were to memorize it all after which I would be required to apply the theories I read. The perfect memory I had acquired was what she hoped for because it would have made teaching easier if I already memorized the information. There was only one problem, I was homeless. I had the tablet but nowhere to keep it and so I voiced my concern.

"I would take the tablet but... I'll be sleeping somewhere in the fields I don't think its a good idea to keep it on me hold onto it and I'll come by daily."

"Your right, you are homeless and the tablet is expensive, hmmm." It looked like she was conflicting with something, she was deep in thought." Become my pupil." She peered up into my eyes her smile nowhere to be seen.

It was surprising as we had just met but I weighed my options and realized it was the best course of action but I was not naïve though, I was desperate not stupid.

"I don't know anything about you or who you really are, why should I stay here?"

"Well you said it yourself "I want to know more about magic and your research." She said this shoulders up, both eyes closed. "What do you say?" Her shoulders fell and her hands met at her abdomen, she fiddled with her fingers avoiding eye contact.

"I'll accept for now." I said reluctantly.

It seemed she did not have any ulterior motives at that moment but I still kept my guard up.

She brought me to a room down the hall and told me it was mine, she even gave me a key. When I entered the room it had a bed and a desk with a chair, it was basically empty. She told me the bathroom was straight down the hall if I needed it before leaving. I put the tablet on the desk and removed my bag and cloak. I began to read all the books and before I knew it the sun began to set.

I was called by Mrs. Francis and upon arrival was greeted with a table spread of food.

"Surprised? You're living under my roof now which means your my responsibility." Her smile stretched from ear to ear as she spoke.

I didn't say anything I just shook my head. The majority of food items were made from the cherries, cherry bread, pie and even cake. I asked her the name of the fruit and they were called high cherries due to their mana content. Apparently it was the main crop of this town and others like it that were closer to the coast, or the high edge. This was due to the higher mana concentration. They even replenished small amounts of mana.

I ate the food and it was delicious. It was sweet but not too sweet with the taste of a cherry. She was a very good cook.

I then asked a burning question I had.

"Why did you take me in and why do you even trust me?" I asked locking eyes with hers.

She sighed before speaking. "For one, I thought you would realize this but I guess not, I'm a retired magician and scientist. I "trust" you because you couldn't beat me in a fight if your life depended on it." She reached under the table and pulled out a gun that seemed too big for the conventional human. Though a handgun it was way too thick." The other reason is I'm getting old... and I'm... I want someone to pass on my unfinished research to as well as all my assets so I can live my life or rather what's left." She was now poking her food none of it making the journey to her mouth.

This was surprising as there were pictures of so many people hung in on the walls.

"Why me, don't you have any children or family members, or even other pupils?"

At that point there was no trace of a smile on her face." No, I in fact do not have any children, when you live your life as a magician and scientist, time flies by faster than you realize your accomplishments out weigh your want for children and love, you feel like its a hindrance like you've tied yourself down with responsibility. I see now how stupid I was, if I could only do it again... as for family members the only thing they want from me is my money, my previous pupils on the other hand don't need my money or my research. Their making strides in their own fields, they don't have time for something they don't have any passion for. I hope this answers your question and diminishes any doubts you had about me." Her face now strung up a smile, forced more accurately.

She told me that she had tried to do it earlier but excluding her past pupils it proved difficult as she was not a good teacher and people gave up every time. Her solution was using S.T.Ps to give people perfect memory but even then it was rare and even when people got it they left to peruse other careers or even gave up as it was still too hard.

"Still wanna go on?" Her tongue poked through her cheek.

"I will, or at least I'll try my best, no promises."

"Good, now that you're my official pupil I'm going to need a few things from you." Her mischievous smile returned.

"What would have happened if I refused?"

"You'd be hightailing it out of here against your will, a couple spells hot on your ass, I'm tired of opportunists and upstarts. You seemed different plus you looked like a lost child. I couldn't ignore you even if I tried, but if you turn out to be another opportunist!" She cracked her knuckles and for a moment she looked like a thug.

"Sooo... what did you need from me? Hmm?"

"She reached into her pocket and took out a form, no title strangely." I was hesitant but it seemed important.

I filled it out, my name, age, date of birth and the like, for my date of birth I had to ask her about the months, to my surprise they were the exact same in days and just had different names, it was the same for the days of the week as well. Her eyes widened and her lips separated.

"your..." She peered up at me and back down at the paper" your... YOUR SEVENTEEN!" Her eyes were now fixed on me her brows pointing downwards toward the center of her face." what the hell are you doing all the way out here where's your family?!" The table cloth crinkled under her fist.

"I... I... don't have one and I never had one." I looked down at the pie I was eating and started to play with it using my fork, I had no appetite, not after remembering her.

"Don't... lie... to me! I'm being serious why are you all the way out here? Alone!" Her brows met at the middle, though they weren't unified, her hands were shaking.

"It just... happened." I looked directly at the floor I couldn't look her in the eyes.

"Sounds like something bad happened, I wont pry but, this changes things. Now that your my pupil I'm now you're guardian, got that, since it "just happened" and you have no family to return to how about adoption, I'm not asking to be your mother just guardian, plus I'm not gonna let a seven-teen year old wonder around in my domain homeless." I looked up at her in my surprise, she stared at me with the eyes of a concerned mother, not the looks I got from "her" but the look I recognized from others. I had a feeling I had never had before, it made me uncomfortable.

"I don't mind."

"Good, I was worrying you'd refuse. I'm basically a stranger after all, now go study." She stood up and inched towards the fridge and chugged what I could only assume was alcohol. "You're still here?"

"Sorry ma'am." I quickly removed myself.

After dinner I went to the bathroom and took a shower, the water was warm. She had already installed the device, though out of view. As I sat in the tub I reflected on the past few days I had. I realized how lucky I was and decided not to waste the opportunity. After my shower, I couldn't find Cecelia, I walked to the lab and there she was, in her element she was doing more experiments with the fangs. I left her to it and went back to my room and to my surprise there were a slew of clothes on my bed. It turned out I did look weird after all.

I then put on a suit, leather jacket, white cotton shirt and brown pants and belt complimented by brown flats. I had nothing to do so I read more of the books until night fell and I decide to go to sleep. It was a well deserved rest after sleeping in a cold cave.