Multiverse Revenge Story: Chapter 8 Sincerely Demeaning Apologies

Chapter 8

Sincerely Demeaning Apologies

(Friday)

To say that I slept through Thursday would be a kind way of explaining what happened.

What really happened, or a better way to describe what happened was, I was dead. Every sense and fiber of my being I had was dull and numb to the world for a few hours.

Then, like clockwork, Sarina and the Doctor would awaken me, feed me, make me run a few more laps, until I passed out again.

I would run until I died once more.

Only to then be forcefully compelled from the grave once more, to repeat the process.

I was tortured like that at least four times, well four times that my mind could recall.

There might have been earlier in the morning that I was too tired to remember. Like a nightmare where you are running for your life, being chased by a monster. Only in this case does the monster exist within your own body and tries to tear you apart from the inside.

Each time I awoke, I could feel changes occurring to my body.

When I woke up, my muscles felt like they were tightly wound coiled fibers. Often just moving them at first was enough to cause unbearable pain.

Then as I moved, the rigidity of my muscles went away, and I felt I was faster and stronger. Even my Telekinetic powers were more intense.

With each run I still practiced my Telekinetic control, but I did so in secret. Only lifting large stone objects millimeters from the ground, where they would be raised and lowered by another millimeter in alternating intervals. But to my surprise, the increased weight, control, and distance that I had experienced last night remained with me into the morning. If anything, those gains I felt had only increased, a factor that I was immensely grateful for.

Then I would go until I once again passed out. Only to find myself in an odd Groundhog Day type effect, where I would pass out on the lawn somewhere. Then I awakened once more to find both Sarina and Auntie there coaxing me into being alive, only for me to relive the torture again and again.

There was of course one oddity, as I made my laps around the back end of the manor, I could see the piles of mutilated rat corpses slowly being dissected right on the lawn, before being butchered for parts. With only the remains being carted off in wheelbarrows.

That sight would stick with me for a bit in my dreams, just how many giant rodents there were. A lot had visible burn marks on them, from where a bolt of lightning pierced their hides, but quite a few did not have such markings on them.

Again, I wondered if anyone noticed, or what Sarina and Auntie spoke about when they sent me away. But those were questions for later. As I still needed to run in order to try to save my life.

When I was awoken for classes today, my only indication that things had changed was the fact that Auntie was no longer with Sarina during these torture sessions.

“Good morning sleepy head,” Sarina exclaimed in the same exact overly cheerful tone that would now haunt me in my sleep.

On reflex, I forced my way to a sitting position and then began getting out of bed.

“Oh, no running today. Today you need to wash up and get ready for school.”            

That was my only indication that things had changed.

At first, I wanted to protest but then realized that getting up and going to school was a lot better than forcefully running for my life around the yard.

All I could do was nod, shower.

Fortunately, this world learned about hydraulics and the idea of water pressure coming from a higher source. A source that I believe was generated and maintained by mages. Well mages that had an affinity for water magic.

Those mages would fill a giant structure at the top of the mansion. Pipes from the structure would come down into various rooms and give us water.

Fire mages, would be in charge of heating a portion of that water, and thus the ability to have hot and cold water with minimal impact or effort.

No clue where the actual wastewater went.

I was fairly certain that it was piped out to the fields and the garden, but that was beyond what most wanted to tell me.

As I prepared for my day, I ate everything that Sarina gave me. I would have eaten a second portion if there was enough time, but sadly there was none.

Yet, the closer it got to be time to leave, the more anxious Sarina became.

Glancing at her I would give her a moment to tell me what exactly was causing her awkward state right now, but then I realized such a question was beyond me at this moment. I mean, realistically it could be anything from one misplaced hair that popped up and she desperately wanted to tuck it down, to my shirt not fitting properly.

It wasn’t by the way, my shirt, it was now far too tight. At least it was tight around the chest and shoulder area.

My pants too were also painful to squeeze into.

“I’ll get you new clothes while you are at school today,” Sarina hurriedly stated.

I nodded, which was all I could do at this point.

In an effort of contrition, Sarina had offered to let me take the day off from school. Though it was clear that I would have to spend most of the day running about and exercising on my own.

For the moment, taking a break from torturing my body was a welcome reprieve.

In a way, it was odd to think that by the end of my first week of school, I would rather spend time at school, as opposed to spending the whole day training.

Yet, here I was experiencing such a day.

“You can take another day to recover if needed,” Sarina posed again for the third time just before we were to get in our waiting car driven by Ceecee.

“I’m fine,” I replied, dismissing her concern.

I didn’t know how much knowledge I would retain. But I do know that attendance if often vital in most worlds without distance learning capabilities. It is also important for socializing and blending into a society.

Also, the last thing I want is for it to be known that I am some type of weak male who gets sickly quite often and thereby needs to end up missing multiple days of school due to poor constitution.

Rumble.

As we made our way down the long and winding paths towards school, Sarina became increasingly agitated.

“I’ll be fine,” I tell her for the fifth time this morning.

“It’s not you that I am worried about, I am worried about them,” Sarina exclaimed.

Who the them was exactly I didn’t know, nor could I fully care.

“I’m not going to start any fights,” I state and mean it. Right now, my body is so tired from the strains of everything that have happened over the past few days that fighting is the last thing on my mind.

“You don’t understand, Landrina Oteranski is coming back today,” Sarina replied.

“I won’t fight her, even if she demands a tax,” I state while trying to calm down the increasingly agitated Sarina.

“No, you don’t understand. Ms. Oteranski and your mother are very respected leaders of the community. In fact, if things go off without any issues, you could well find yourself either married into the Oteranski lineage, or at the very least hired for awakening rights.”

Awakening rights? Was that the polite term used to define my being used as a prized breeding horse?

“Okay, okay, I really won’t fight her,” I state defeatedly as I don’t want to argue.

“No, it’s not just fighting. Today she will very likely come to you and offer a sincere apology and likely a gift. It is important that you take both the gift and apology, regardless of how either are given so that you will not embarrass your mother.”

There it is, the real concern, looking bad or somehow defaming my mother.

I don’t say anything, but apparently I don’t have to as my face says enough for Sarina to resort to plan B on why I should do as she asks.

“It will also look poorly on your Auntie.”

Hearing that, I pause as I realize just how comforting the smell of vanilla, honey, and lilacs have been to me. Also, odd that I can now clearly make out the unmistakable smell of lilacs in her lingering scents that filled my room.

I’m assuming to help wake me from the dead she likely used some form of healing energy on me. Likely as a test to make sure her healing energies were once again allowed to enter my body. A sign that whatever effects I had been experiencing from the closed portal were gone.

“Fine,” I reply in a huff. “Again, I will accept her apology and any stupid gifts she gives.”

“You will likely have to open the gift right there in front of her.”

“In front?”

“Yes, it will be seen as a dismissal if as a male that you don’t immediately open the gift and exclaim how excited you are for the objects.”

Again, I feel that there is an odd tension with this.

“I have to?” I press.

“Yes, as a noble you are expected to know of these customs. While you might not have been classically trained in etiquette, it is expected that you would know of these customs at the very least. You not knowing these, or at the very least not following these standards would be an indictment on my own teaching ability as your primary minder.” Sarina all but pleaded with me.

Here it was clear, if I didn’t do this small part, then not only would it look poorly on our family, but it would look bad on Sarina’s training and mentorship. Meaning Sarina might be replaced, or worse, fired for this act.

While I didn’t necessarily like the odd woman, I did find her endearing. I also knew that after all this time she did have my back. Or at least as much of my back as anyone in this world likely had.

“Okay, I’ll play nice,” I answer.

“Really?” Sarina exclaims excitedly as she looks at me.

I just glare at her with a half dead stare.

Seeing the look of exhaustion that still covers my face she pauses and then just nods before letting the rest of the ride end in blessed silence.

Even with the terrible suspension that all but accentuates every rock and crevice in the road, I manage to dose off for a bit before we reach the school.

“Oh, look at you, all drooling on your collar, so cute,” Sarina exclaims as she opens my door and stares at me.

I just glare, thinking she is picking on me, but then soon realize that she is right.

“Dang it,” I exclaim as I try to wipe at the drool.

“Let me get that for you,” Sarina says as she springs into action, handkerchief out of her breast pocket and dabbing at my face and collar in seconds.

“Gah, uh, ah.” I protest, but it is all in vain. Fortunately, she is done in a matter of seconds and my face while agitated still seems to be intact.

I scowl for a moment, my tired body still waking up.

“Look you wanted to be here, now come on,” Sarina states excitedly.

I just nod, then get up and out of the vehicle.

As I do, I think that somehow the car has shrunk ever so slightly.

It is still massive, at least compared to my body, but it is not quite such a vast space as I am used to.

Sarina holds out her hand.

Normally I would resist such offers, thinking of them as belittling, but this time I do grab her hand as my legs and body still feel shaky.

Not overly shaky where I need her to continue to walk me to the school. But shaky enough that for this moment I accept the offering as it is intended.

Once both feet are firmly planted on the ground, I remove my hand while nodding thankfully at Sarina.

For a moment Sarina looked like she wanted to protest, even holding up her hands in that protective way one would do to keep a loved one from falling.

But my legs stand firm, and I am able to walk freely.

Seeing that I am fine, she proceeds to follow me to the school, then handed the school’s receptionist a sealed parchment of paper.

“You can go on to class,” the receptionist lady explained and like that Sarina stayed behind to answer all questions about my absence from school yesterday.

Back in school, I felt odd.

Logically I should find such a place discomforting, as I know most of the subjects being taught. But the history, literature, and writing courses were all interesting to me. Mainly due to the way the language shifted slightly from my home world to this one.

These things were to be expected, as languages in my own world changed by region, exposure, and other minor attributes that seemed to be both obvious and irrelevant factors in why certain languages would change completely.

By being a child, and able to experience and learn these changes was a blessing as I could be taught the basic changes, without fear or being caught.

I also wondered if there was a reason why certain lessons, words, and phrases were the same but had entirely different connotations here.

Like the word experience.

That word clearly meant something to Sarina and Auntie, but its use was completely alien to my ears.

I know the use of this word has something to do with the awakening process, but again even that is a mystery to me. One that I hope I can begin to understand as time goes on.

Though a few things are painfully obvious after these last few days.

First, despite feeling effects of the anomaly on my body and feeling what could be described as pre-awakening effects, I did not see or experience anything close to a true awakening. At least not as described by Sarina and the others.

Though now that I am walking around and I can feel the changes that have happened to me after just the last few days, I can safely say one thing.

That now that I have survived, the gains caused by being exposed to an anomaly are amazing.

My power increase to my Telekinetic abilities alone is enough to make the entire process worth it, despite the pain. Even with just the one dose I can feel the changes in my body as I feel stronger, faster, and more dexterous than ever before.

Which led me to my second painfully obvious observation, one that as a devoted scientist from my past world, I knew I needed to accomplish. Namely the fact that I needed to try closing or attacking the monsters that come from another spatial anomaly and see if I can repeat the process.

While I might never be able to unlock the magic system that this world praises, I can clearly improve myself in other ways.

“Whoa,” a few of the students cry out as they see me enter the classroom.

Even my teacher looks flustered for a moment, before recognition crosses her face as she recognizes me.

Have I changed that much? I don’t believe so, but then again, I will be the first to admit I have a hard time understanding how the people of this world think.

“Missala, you have returned?” The teacher, Miss Zutemier asks.

Hearing her question, despite my already exhausted state, I just close my eyes for a second and reply, “it’s Sal.”

“Oh, right,” the teacher replies as if trying to remember one of the many odd quirks of her children.

Barrrinng.

The chime denoting the normal time when class is to start sounds off. But for whatever reason the teacher just holds off and stares out the one window in the door, as if it is a lifeline she is waiting to receive.

Then as if seeing what she had been waiting for, she nods to herself and then gestures for someone on the other side of the door to come in.

That’s when the door opens revealing a somewhat flustered by now completely healed Landrina. In her hands she has a giant shopping bag that looks to be from a high-end clothing store. At least that is what the designs on the bag seem to indicate.

“Good morning class, before we begin our lessons for today, Miss Landrina Oteranski from the third-grade class has something that she would like to say.”

With that the clearly flustered Landrina steps forward until she is near center of the room. At which point she gives a quick scan of the room, only to look confused for a moment, before her eyes go wide as she finds me. Her eyes lock onto me and then her cheeks go red with apparent embarrassment.

“I, um, I…” Landrina stammers out.

Seeing her flustered state, our Miss Zutemier cuts into the rescue.

“What Miss Oteranski is trying to say is that she might have been overly aggressive to a few of you boys,” the teacher states.

Hearing the saving words for what they are, Landrina continues.

“Yes, I wanted to apologize to all of you, but especially to,” Landrina began as she did, she raised her eyes to meet mine. There was a moment when I just stared back, using all my self-control not to cross my arms in obvious disappointment at this sudden gesture.

Had it not been for Sarina’s warning this morning, I might have done just that.

Instead, I just sat there and let her flounder.

“To,” gulp, Landrina continued and then audibly gulped before the whole classroom, before completing her sentence, “you, Missala Andry.”

Then before I could even correct her, she held up the bag, closed her eyes and all but charged forward taking a few steps until she stopped just before my desk.

“Thank you,” I managed to say, taking the offered bag from her outstretched hand.

As I did, I could feel that there was at least one item with loosely packed objects that seemed to rumble. For a moment I wonder if she got me rocks.

But now, honestly rocks would have been more favorable than the items I got. But then again rocks were what one might give males from my home world.

Here, again following Sarina’s lessons on etiquette, I emptied the bag of its contents while Landrina, my fellow students, and most importantly the teacher all watched.

That’s when I first found that the rumbling box was an odd red heart shaped box filled with chocolate.

I hate chocolate, can’t stand it, especially as it is seen as the number one way to bribe me into compliance by Sarina and the other household staff. Thus looking at this box now, I can only see it for what it is, another box of forced compliance.

Still, not wanting to be rude I let out a false smile to my lips.

“Ohh, ToDieFor Chocolates, those are the best,” Tallinly, a fellow male student exclaims, all but drooling at his own description of the chocolates.

“Whoa,” the other male and a few of the female students also reply. We are a mixed class, as there are only five males in my grade, which is an abnormally high number of males apparently.

Hearing the excited cries of my fellow students, I gently placed the offered box on my desk, as I realize there is still one more item within the bag.

Rustle.

Reaching into the back, I was first surprised to feel that there was something close to the texture of satin in this world.

Then grabbing the item, I felt the garment, for it had to be a garment fold to my hand.

For a moment, I was excited at the idea of having some type of soft article of clothing to wear. Maybe a shirt, or something.

That was what was going through my head, until I of course saw the monstrosity of an item that it was.

My hand apparently grabbed the non-frilly side. Again, as a male I had come to understand the idea that 90% of clothing options available to me would have some sort of frilly or intricate lacy texture. I could handle that.

What I couldn’t handle, was the fact that the item I had been given as a peace offering. A peace offering for an older and more powerful woman starting a fight with me was a creamy white satin apron. Yes, an apron that I held up before me and let sprawl down my desk.

For the moment I was glad that the garment was so long as it helped to cover my face, this allowed me enough time to fix my expression to a fake excited version.

“WHOA!” If the males in my class were excited by the chocolates, then they were exceptionally excited by the new apron I had been offered.

Hearing the encouragement of the other males, Landrina finally gained her composure and spoke excitedly.

“That is the stain resistant, white satin apron that is noted as the perfect starter apron for anyone wishing to learn to cook.”

Yep, there it was, a sales pitch meant to show how it would be best for me to stay inside and protect myself while the women went out exploring.

I wanted to tell her to take them both back and use them herself since she was so impressed with them. Still, I stopped myself as I realized I wasn’t taking this for me, I was taking this as a peace offering for Auntie, and maybe Sarina.

Realizing I had only one real option for diplomacy here, I swallowed my pride and with as fake a sensation as ever I responded.

“Thank you, I am surprised beyond words by these gifts. They will be truly remembered.” I stated honestly.

Beaming smile.

Apparently, that had been enough as Landrina positively beamed at those words.

“Oh, thank you, and know that our hostilities are over,” she exclaimed with a bow before rushing out of the classroom excitedly.

Exhale.

With her gone, I was so glad that this situation was now over, and I would never have to see her again.

If only I knew then how wrong I was about never having to interact with Landrina Oteranski, perhaps things would not have turned out as they had.