ALEXiThymia: Chapter 16: Outcast, Again

Chapter 16

Outcast, Again

The next day, Alexa and Luke arrived at school, only to find that everything had changed. Alexa looked around to see that all her fellow classmates, and many of her teammates who had been cheering her on just yesterday, now looked at her with contempt.

“Cheater.” Dathney Williams said, her voice easy to pick out from the crowd. She had always been on to target Alexa.

At this, Alexa knew word of her pre-awakened status had been revealed. She had told it to her parents last night, going so far as to tell Luke this morning at breakfast.

Alexa turned to look at Luke. Luke for his part buckled immediately under her glare.

“Sorry. I just told Jill.”

“Jill Kahn, the largest gossiper in our school? Also, the only girl you have not gotten with from the Sophomore class, that Jill?” Alexa asked.

Luke just looked a little embarrassed, but Alexa couldn’t tell if it was from being called out so quickly, or whether it was from being sorry. Alexa banked on the latter, given her current matrix on her brother’s habits. She figured it was time to probably reevaluate his protective streak percentage anyways.

Regardless, Alexa was not going to let the dirty looks she was now getting from the other students to affect her. It couldn’t, in a way it was both a blessing and a curse. Because she couldn’t feel, this moment, this betrayal by her brother was empty. No doubt it would be a moment to be focused on for greater insights into human emotions when she next got a consultation job from the TSI. The only problem with that was, Alexa didn’t know when the next time they would call on her was.

With that in mind, and no real way to earn crystals. She decided she would start delving into dungeons more often. She had used up her 50 augmentation crystals she got for curing the five werewolves. She also unlocked Regeneration, and Night Sight, as stolen powers from aspect of the werewolf. While Regeneration cost her five, or forced her to cure five werewolves, Night Sight was a lot cheaper in that it only cost two.

In all there was a slight difference last night when she made her way home.

During her run, she consumed all 50 of her augmentation crystals. The only one she kept was the reward crystal, the one for guessing the correct decade that Bullford was from. Her magic trick that was based on the idea of liking popular musicians during your time. A fact that paid off.

While Alexa didn’t have the cash on hand to enter a dungeon. She did have the one crystal. Given her mood swings, she never absorbed a crystal during school hours.

The students all made sure to keep a distance away from Alexa as she made her way through the hallway. In her mind Alexa compared this situation to the way soap would repel dirt in a pool of water.

As usual, the teachers were out in the hallway monitoring the students on their way to classes. It wasn’t at all unusual to see Principal Summers standing outside his office watching all the students as they entered the class. What was odd however was the way his eyes lit up in recognition when he noticed Alexa.

“Ah, Ms. Thyme. Would you please come to my office?”

Alexa didn’t even look back to her brother, not that she needed to. Her Perception was so high, that she could make out most of the conversations going on around her. For his part, her brother did seem to be somewhat flustered by everything, at least that was how he appeared at the end of everything.

Following Principal Summer’s to his office, Alexa saw the staff. All of whom looked away immediately upon making eye contact with Alexa. All of whom suddenly realized they had more important things to do, like remove dog fecal matter from the bottom of their shoes.

“Come in, come in. Please sit down.” Principal Summers began.

Alexa nodded and sat down in the one empty chair, while Principal Summers closed the door behind her then proceeded to sit behind his desk.

Silence.

Alexa stared at the man, until finally he relented.

“I have been informed that you had a very successful run over this weekend. One where you gained not one, but three psychic stones. Is that correct?”

Alexa paused. Three? She only had two over the weekend. The previous one was years ago.

“Yes, it was a successful run.” Alexa confirmed the one part that was true.

At that Principal Summers nodded. “Good, good. This also happened after Friday night’s game. Your last official game for the Basketball team.”

With that, Alexa felt, well she thought she should feel something, but instead just found herself staring forward. Her mind was reeling as she tried to understand where this whole conversation was going.

“Fortunately, your sports and academic career here will be forever cemented, as an example for the rest of the students to strive for.”

Alexa analyzed the pattern of speech, the use of past tense, the slow methodical way he was speaking, as if he practiced this speech. Then she noticed the bags under principal Summer’s eyes.

That is when everything clicked.

“You’re going to kick me out?” Alexa asked.

At that Summers balked, then stammered for a second, as his eyes went wide with panic. Then finally recognition set in, as he nodded his head.

“Yes, unfortunately your time here has come to a close. What is the saying a candle that burns twice as bright lasts half as long? Well, you Ms. Thyme have burned so very-very brightly for a very long time. We will be sorry to see you go, but we are only accredited to teach the unawakened here. We do not have the resources necessary to give you the training and guidance you will need. As a pre-awakened, you know that your odds of fully awakening skyrocket astronomically, right?”

Alexa just stared.

At this she wished she could feel something, to protest, to do something. Instead, she did all she could do. She just stared blankly while the principal changed her entire life forever.

Alexa knew she should feel flustered, angered even by the change. Or at least the perceived change, but once again as usual, she felt nothing. Idly she wondered what would happen if she used the one crystal in her pocket? Would it help her feel something? Would it help her fight back against this? Surely, she could stay here, to finish out the year at least, right?

She almost reached for the crystal, then realized she would use it for dungeon delving later today.

“… The best thing for you at this…” Summers was continuing his speech, but Alexa didn’t care. She knew if it was truly important her mind would have kicked in and told her about the key words. As it was this was the typical bureaucratic droning of a worker bee tying to be a productive member of the hive.

“So, what’s the next step?” Alexa asked.

Principal Summer’s eyes lit up for a moment, then relief and confusion filled his gaze in equal measure.

“Your next step is to move on. You have been promoted to Dawning Light, the Pre-Awakened high school for the Tri-state area. There you will be…”

“When?”

Principal Summers looked annoyed for a moment before he realized just who he would be getting annoyed at. With that, he took a calming breath and continued.

“It will take time for your records and accomplishments to be sealed. Then transferred over. With the way everything goes, you can look at starting there next week.”

Alexa nodded. “To be clear, I cannot attend classes here?”

“Sadly, no. Consider this a mini vacation. You get a week off, then you get to start the next chapter of your life in the pre-awakened school for gifted students, much like yourself.”

“So, what do I do now?” Alexa asked.

“Why anything you want to Ms. Thyme. You are a pre-awakened which grant you status as an adult. Given your status as in-transit, you do not officially have a required destination. Meaning you can go about the streets freely, without fear of being stopped or harassed about not attending school.”

“Until next week?”

“Yes, until next week.”

“Do I need anything for this?”

“No, your state issued ID should already be updated. This way anyone who scans your card will read your new status as pre-awakened.” With that Principal Summers paused, then leaned forward as if he was going to tell a secret. “I should also let you know that as a pre-awakened you are now able to enter Tier II dungeons as well.”

With that, Alexa’s eyes flashed brilliantly as she imagined going to a Tier II dungeon, finally.

“My parents?”

“They are already being informed. No doubt you told them already as well?”

“Yes, though I was not aware of the change in schools.”

“Don’t worry not many are aware of that. But I wanted to wish you the best of luck in your new future and know that you will always be considered a Central Alumnus.” Principal Summers said, standing up, clearly indicating that this was over.

“Do I need to sign anything?” Alexa asked.

“No, the forms you signed at TSI were sufficient for the state, which then gave us our orders saying you could no longer attend.” Principal Summers said.

“Okay.” Alexa said, as she got up from her seat. Her body moved mechanically as her mind worked overtime to process everything. Fortunately for her, her Intelligence Attribute was astronomically high, letting her easily work out the different permutations of what she should do next.

“Out of curiosity.” Principal Summers began.

With that Alexa turned towards her former principal.

“What will you do now?”

Alexa paused as she contemplated the situation, then answered truthfully. “Whatever I want.”

Then she left.

She didn’t even tell her brother that she was leaving. She didn’t have a phone, as she never saw the need for one. She almost thought about going to his classroom to tell him, but instead figured he would likely find out by a teacher or someone. At the very least he would notice when they didn’t meet up for lunch.

He will understand, he is resourceful. Alexa thought to herself as she made her way out of her former school building, with the intention of never returning again.

With her day, no her week now clear, she made up her mind. With only the one crystal, she could only enter a Tier I dungeon. Before this had never been an issue as that was the only one she was ever able to enter. Now that she was down to just one crystal on hand, she contemplated what she could do. She could run home to find her stash and take two to a tier II dungeon, but that would be a woefully inefficient use of time.

So instead, she mentally mapped out a route where she could user her one crystal to hit a Tier I dungeon. Then use the crystals gained there to enter a Tier II dungeon.

She had a week before she was legally obligated to go back to Dawning Light. Alexa knew exactly where that building was, as it was the same school where her parents first met. They too had pre-awakened before they inevitably awakened. Meaning they also had to leave their former high schools. Of course, both her parents left after the summer between their Junior and Senior years. Meaning they both started the new school term as first-time seniors. This was partly why Alexa didn’t need to listen to the pre-prepared speech of the principal. She already knew about the school from her parents.

Luke was the one who would always ask them questions about the school, always dreaming about one day attending as well.

Alexa mentally prepared herself for a long week.

A week where she would push her mind and body as far as she possibly could. This was her last chance to gain any true form of power before she entered Dawning Light. She would already be at a loss due to her being a sophomore, meaning she logically wouldn’t have had as much time to dungeon delve as the other students. In her mind, this already put her back much further than she would have liked. Added to that was the fact that she was a transfer student, and she was certain she would be prone to getting picked on. In her experience the number one way to avoid being picked on, be so much stronger than the competition, that no one can mess with you.

She learned that lesson from watching a documentary on Werewolves and how they establish a hierarchy, they can apparently just see the power of other werewolves and immediately know where they fit in within the pack. Alexa could only do half of this. She could easily see the power levels of others, but she had a particularly hard time with evaluating her own personal strength.

This of course was even more of a reason for her to push herself as hard as possible during her weeklong vacation, while she waited for her academic records to transfer.

“I can do this.” Alexa said, as she paid her one crystal, entered the Tier I trap dungeon that she and John had run twice over the weekend, and began her new life as a pre-awakened dungeon delver.