Chapter 5.3: Feeling Lost

The next few days I started to adapt to the school life in the city. It wasn't that different from my previous school. Well, the lecture halls were as big as the auditorium of Plum Manor but the social structure was essentially the same. Cliques formed rather quickly with their own internal hierarchy. Although the city had other rules: the status of the family and the size of their bank account mattered more than individual strength. Those people would've beaten into the ground back in Suzaku.

They smartly decided not to mess with me because I had no qualms to beat a rich kid into submission and my early performance at the duel grounds did underline it. Freedom from harassment had its price though, minimal social contact to anyone except Rose.

We were sitting at the cantina and eating a light meal out of rice, steamed veggies, and whitefish. Another deep sigh left my lips.

"What's wrong?" Rose asked.

"Just the usual."

"Ah, you will find some friends sooner or later." She said while wolfing down her fish. "Just give them some time until they figure out you're harmless."

"I guess. But until then I'm screwed of every group assignment."

Rose shrugged and ended the conversation.

A loud gong echoed throughout the campus telling the student body that the lunch break had ended. In the mornings were the general courses: Calculus, Writing, Philosophy, and Orthodox Cultivation. The afternoons were reserved for the electives. Today I had Hand-to-Hand Combat and Dan-Design.

The fighting class was especially hard for me. Nobody wanted to team up with me.

"Miss Song, you are quite unpopular, I see." Said the tough-looking teacher. Her muscles were as thick as a rocket launcher and looked as hard as steel. They warned any potential enemy of their explosive power.

"You're either very lucky or very unlucky that you have to spar with me," she said while popping her neck. Once known as the Agatha, the Hammer of the Northern Frontier, a veteran of the unending war with the mecha beasts. Her fists alone elevated her into the honorary title of a battle god. A steadfast ally in the eyes of humans and a mad berserker in the eyes of the machines.

And now I stood face-to-face with her in the concrete arena of the Close Combat Campus. It had no stands nor sandy ground. Even if the arena's design was pragmatic it was a lot better than the duel grounds.

"I think I'm lucky," I answered with false courage. That was certainly a good opportunity to learn something but I still was scared.

"Heh, I like your guts, Miss Song. Well, I will only use one finger, rest assured." Agatha wiggled her left index finger.

"Are you ready? Then salute." We each put a fist into a palm and slightly bowed as a sign of respect between two martial artists. "Let's begin."

She charged at me without a moment of hesitation. An amateur would step back but she was underestimating me and that gave me the potential to counter her attack. My plan was to use her momentum against her. I took a step forward and turned my body to the side, making me a smaller target.

Her approaching finger had an aura of tyrannical might. I feinted a counter but then took on another sidestep, ready to attack her exposed ribs. To my surprise, she stopped on the spot and poked me on the chest. I flew back. Crashed onto the hard concrete. The impact made me heave for air. I nearly blacked out.

A single finger had so much strength, it was unbelievable! Unbelievably cool that is! "One more time!" I said while getting back on wobbly feet.

"I think not, Miss Song. Your attack surprised me." The teacher lied. It clearly did not surprise her. She reacted immediately. "I wasn't able to hold back as much as I wanted. Nice legwork but your attack was too slow. I give your effort a B+. You better go to the nurse's office and get a check-up. I need you intact for our lessons tomorrow." Agatha walked up to me and checked if I could walk. She then smilingly waved me away and turned her attention towards the students who sparred with each other.

That really did hurt. Not only was I defeated in one move but I got dismissed early from class because I got injured? Things went smoothly as ever.

The same nurse as on the day of the entrance ceremony was again. This time busy listening attentively to his favorite musicians on the holograms. When he saw me he exclaimed, "You again! Who did you beat up this time?"

"This time I was the one who got defeated," I said.

"Well, in any case, it's good that you came."

He closed his hologram and helped me onto a bed, then examined my breastbones and ribs for fractures. Luckily there were none. The nurse assured me only a bruise would remain. And told that I should take it easy with beatings the next few days.

"I try my best!" I said half in jest.

Even though I got beaten up I still couldn't go home I still had Dan-Design today. My unexpected free time was used to chat up Rose on the hologram. "Hey what's up, Song?" The text appeared right in front of my eyes. "Your Hand-to-Hand class didn't go well?"

I retold my confrontation with Agatha the Hammer. Rose answered in caps, "YOU TOOK A HIT FROM AGATHA AND STILL STOOD!?"

"Is it that weird?"

"Yes."

"Why?" I asked

"Because she is an Immortal and one of the strong ones. Not one of those alchemy types. That's frigging amazing. Btw, don't you have Dan-Design soon-ish?"

"Thanks, I guess? I do but I still have ten minutes until I need to hobble to the alchemy campus, and I'm bored. Does your majesty have any spare time left to humor this poor girl?"

"Poor girl my ass but yeah I have time. The history of punk-rock is less exciting than I thought."

"Isn't everything involving history boring?"

"Pretty much. Btw boring, if you're bored tomorrow after school then let's hang out. I know a place where you could find a part-time job. Meet me at the Taiji Arcades in Sympathy. Only if you're really bored though. Please, it's the worst job ever."

"What a weird invitation," I wrote back but I didn't get any answer. Weird.

Well, it was time to go Dan making anyway, or so I hoped. Until now, we did basic cultivation to 'feel' our body. Figuring out which attribute to enhance was the first step in Dan-Design, deducing the limits on one's owns body was the second step. The correct dosage ensured to not accidentally hurt oneself with the consummation of the elixirs. Only after completing these two tasks can I start the Dan forging.

But no matter how much I looked I didn't know what I wanted to enhance.

"Teacher, how exactly do I figure out what kind of pill I need?"

"Miss Song, that entirely depends on the cultivator. I can't help you with your decision. Some prefer very low dosages for a small but permanent effect, some prefer a very high dosage to aid them in battle, some want speed, some need strength, others want to be charismatic." The old man in the Daoist robes shrugged. "Everything is possible. Meditate and find out what you need. There is no pressure. As long as you deliver one excellent Dan at the end of the semester you pass."

Dan-Design took place in one of the buildings of the Alchemy Campus. The classroom had scars of earlier experiments which gave the course a pioneer charm. There were a few more students in this class than in Hand-to-Hand combat. My combat class consisted of 15 students while my alchemy class had in total 22 young scholars, myself included.

A few already hotly discussed the dosage they should go while I didn't know what to do. I was completely lost. Sitting here doing nothing didn't help me. I might as well do it at home.

I wonder what Rose was up to. She didn't answer any of my texts. Oh well, I'll see her tomorrow.