Eisenstern 1.2
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I woke up to a rain shower. Most would think that wasn’t a good sign, but I’ve never minded the rain. My aunt used to say that it was the rain that bound the earth and the sky. Well, it was pretty bound today, wasn’t it?
I decided with it raining already, it was a good time to go swim around in the water behind my… lot. I guess it’s not really a house yet, is it? The water was warm, but cold temperatures never bothered me much. Even if the water was cold, I’d likely still think it was comfortable.
I stayed in the water even after the rain stopped. I always loved to swim, but there wasn’t much in the way of water you could swim in at magic realm. I mean, sure you could probably back float in the stream behind headquarters or something, but you did run the notable risk of drifting right off the cliff.
Not that this would hurt you much. Morgyn used to jump right off the edge of the islands on purpose. And then complain because the idiot never fell into space. Who jumps off an island wanting to fall into space?!
I know, I know. Morgyn Ember does. I’m rolling my eyes right now.
Anyway, I got out of the water and there was a rainbow. I like to think it gave me good luck of some form. It was certainly very pretty to look at. Rainbows don’t happen in magic realm. I mean, rain doesn’t happen in magic realm, either, or snow. Or anything.
There were so many things you’d miss out on if you spent all your life in magic realm. Well, Morgyn might be happy that way, and good for the idiot I guess, but I wasn’t. And unlike Morgyn, I’m not a sage either. I don’t have to stay in magic realm.
That’s what I keep telling myself. It’s lonelier than I’d like to admit. Don’t tell Morgyn.
I decided it was a good idea to go somewhere else for a bit. The library was a good place to at least be around other people, and it helped alleviate the loneliness a bit, but what I really wanted was a friend.
Fortune smiled on me. Maybe that rainbow really was a good luck charm of a form. I met Siobhan while at the gym, and it turns out we get along pretty well.
“I haven’t seen you here before,” she said, looking over at me.
I smiled. “Yeah, I’m new,” I answered. “I don’t even technically live here.”
“Oh?” she replied. “Where do you live?”
“Mt. Komorebi,” I said.
“That’s pretty cool,” she said. “I’m not from here either. I’m from Windenburg. Name’s Siobhan.”
“Nice to meet you,” I said. “I’m Ezio.”
And then, of course, began the whirlwind of questions about what Mt. Komorebi is like. I don’t know, it’s just… Mt. Komorebi. But it was nice to hear someone else’s voice for once.
I needed a shower, so I used the gym’s. Unfortunately, I still don’t have running water at home, so it was nice to get a hot shower. Changing in the locker rooms was a little weird, but I’ll get used to it. Probably.
I didn’t really want to leave yet, so I decided to hop back on a treadmill right after. With free showers available, it was like I could work out all day if that was what I wanted.
(Did I want that? Not really. But I wanted to go back to my empty camping grounds even less.)
I was minding my own business, running on a treadmill and watching TV, when I heard a masculine voice behind me.
“You must be new in town,” he said, coming to stand beside my unit.
He looked like one of those ole boys that was attractive, and was unfortunately wildly aware of it. I schooled my expression not to give anything away. Guys like him were used to getting their way, but I have a little more class than that.
“You can’t be from around here though,” he added, leaning on the treadmill handles. “They sure don’t make ’em like you in Willow Creek. Or Oasis Springs, for that matter.”
“I don’t live around here, no,” I said.
“And where might you live around?” he asked.
Of course. He was so obvious. I guess I’d learnt a thing or two from Morgyn’s varying suitors over the years after all.
“What are you doing here?” Siobhan’s voice interrupted. She stood behind me, looking annoyed. “Don’t you have a weight machine to get to know?”
The man’s green eyes flicked up at me, and then he smiled and went on his way. “Maybe next time,” he said.
Siobhan loosed an annoyed sound. “Hopefully there won’t be a next time,” she grumbled. “Hate to have interrupted, but Ezio, you don’t want to make friends with guys like him. His name’s Don Lothario, and he’s got a bit of a reputation. Even in Windenburg.”
“I figured,” I said, smiling. “He had that vibe about him.”
“Glad you noticed it,” she said. “Just be careful around him, okay?”
“I will,” I said. “Hey, do you know where’s a good place to maybe make some new friends?”
I wasn’t really banking on Siobhan being the leader of a well-known club in Windenburg. And I wasn’t really banking on her inviting me to join it. Nor was I banking on having so much fun trying on clothes and drinking coffee. (Who knew?)
There were three other members besides me, two teenage girls, Luna and Sofia, and then Sergio, who was apparently Siobhan’s former beau, but they didn’t really talk anymore. The Paragons were a direct opposition to another club, the Renegades, but that was only when they were actively gathered at the same time. Outside of club meetings, we all just left each other alone.
Well, I could live with that.
It turns out I look pretty good in pink. Maybe, as a new Paragon, I’ll become a pastel goth! … no.
Sofia doesn’t strike me as terribly bright. For that matter, neither does Luna, but I didn’t spend a lot of time talking to them, either. Sofia seemed interested in music. I was so behind on what was new and cool in the music scene, I said something about Fleetwood Mac and the Rolling Stones, and she just gave me this blank stare.
So much for that.
After meeting the other Paragons, I decided to go see mom. Yeah, my parents are still around, somewhere. Morgyn likes to pretend they don’t exist, and I’m definitely closer to dad than I am mom, but since I live on this side of the magic portal now, maybe getting closer to them wasn’t a bad idea.
They won’t live forever, after all. Presumably, neither will I. Mom lives in Brindleton Bay, which is just about as far away from Mt. Komorebi as Willow Creek is.
Mom seemed quite happy to see me, but to be fair about it, we haven’t seen each other since Morgyn decided to drag me off to magic realm. Not that I minded being in magic realm.
She asked about magic realm, and aunt Tess, and how Morgyn was doing. She didn’t seem surprised to learn Morgyn had become the Sage of Untamed Magic after her, but of course the idiot did. That was aunt Tess’s goal all along anyway, and Morgyn’s always been just ambitious enough to go along with it.
Mom’s always been pretty ambitious, too. I’m perfectly happy with a good book and a chess table. Maybe it should be Morgyn out here, doing whatever it is I’m doing. Well, too late now, and getting Morgyn to give up the position of sage this early in the game seems impossible.
I’m already here. I may as well make the best of it.
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