Less Than Alive: Still Kicking

Trees: They Grow

I won’t go into all the details about what happened that night after Black Ruby and I teleported. It’s rather dull, really. We said our awkward goodbyes, she reminded me of my promise—after seeing her kick ass, I was not inclined to take it back—then she named off a few of her favourite restaurants as she walked away.

I followed from afar but veered off the moment I found a familiar street that got me home before curfew. Sergeant Howitzer was pissed, apparently, that quite a few of the folks from our district had gone off to that gathering of dubious legality.

Anywho, my day ended on a dull, but welcoming, note. I said goodnight to Crosshatch, hit the hay, and slept. Well, I say 'hay,' but we actually use beds now. It cuts down on the lice.

The next morning I faced a mixed bag of crap.

While heading to school, I tripped and tumbled into a puddle. The homework that I had hastily done the day before was not for the right day. (Least I didn’t have work to do tonight, right?) I ran into those bullies in the hall. They growled at me, spat in my face and then walked away, saying something to the effect that if they ever saw me outside without that chick again they’d beat me to a pulp. And, to add the worst bit of news to it all, today was a very special day.

Why is it that everytime there’s a special event I’m the very last one to be informed?

Today of all days was the day that two things were going to happen in our little school. One: we were going to get the visit of somebody very important in class. And two: today was the day that we had to join our first clubs.

The events were staggered, sorta.

I was sitting in class, listening with a deaf ear as Miss Bearskin prattled on about how, because of our low levels, we only had to join two clubs instead of three—meaning we were not allowed to join more than two—and that some clubs might be hard for us, probably meaning that we couldn't join them for any reason whatsoever. (Read: we were not allowed to join them at all for whatever reason). It was towards the end of her obviously rehearsed speech that the guest arrived.

I was staring at my desk’s screen, idly tapping in a few searches on the school’s database of magical abilities that I could never accomplish when she walked in. Behind her were four burly guards, like those I had seen the night before.

Two stationed themselves outside of class while the remaining two placed themselves on either side of the blackboard. It was the awed silence that really made me tear my attention away from the screen. That, and the woman’s announcement of who she was.

“Hi, I’m Tristana Seriah,.”

My classmates gasped, as if her announcing her own name confirmed the presence of the celebrity. What? How many other tall, purple-eyed women wearing power-suits (The 80’s kind, not walking tank armour you idjit.) and a flippin’ crown prowl the corridors of the school in the city that Tristana Seriah, built?

Exactly.

“Well, it’s a pleasure to meet you all,” she said, giving us a warm yet timid smile as a pinch of red touched her cheeks.

If I were a cynic, I’d say that she practiced that look in front of a mirror. Oh, who am I kidding! Miss principal here probably spent hours perfecting that smile.

“I hope that all of you are enjoying your time in our wonderful school and learning helpful new skills. But, most importantly, I hope you are making a lot of new friends.” Her big purple eyes locked onto me, and suddenly my friendless situation seemed rather... important. “I’m here today to announce something really special. This year, for the first time, we will have extra-curricular clubs. Every student must join three cl"—she stopped mid-sentence, coughed and corrected herself—“two clubs from a panoply of choices. And your activities within these clubs will count towards your overall grades!"