The stack of papers Reed was handed by the receptionist and told to fill out made the mindless magical training he had put himself through seem somewhat enjoyable. It took nearly an hour to fill out everything necessary, as it was a facility run by the government, before Eddy was alerted that he had come to visit. The gate slid open to reveal a smaller and much more sparse room. There were several soldiers located throughout the room, each toting a large rifle, and next to yet another gate sat Reed’s brother. He was sitting in some manner of waiting room, and upon spotting Reed, stood up with a smile and beckoned him over.

The second gate slid open as he followed Eddy through, stepping onto the academy’s campus. It was far larger than what he had imagined.

“I’m surprised you’re back in Michigan so soon, not to mention that you came here of all places,” Eddy said as the two walked a cement path, green grass on either side.

“What do you mean?”

“Well… It’s pretty obvious you don’t like all of this alien and magic stuff, or being near it for that matter.” Eddy scratched his head awkwardly, “Which is fine. You know, not everyone has to fight monsters from other worlds.”

A wry laugh escaped from Reed’s mouth.

“What?”

“It’s nothing. Where are we headed?”

“I figured we could grab something to eat. The food court’s right over there.” Eddy pointed at a cluster of buildings a short walk away.

As the two walked, Eddy pointed out various buildings they passed by, most of which fell along the lines of typical college classrooms. The one exception that he noticed was an enormous complex that blotted out the horizon a fair distance away. It was a modern structure, reminding Reed of a football stadium although much larger. There were students streaming in and out of the massive entryway at the front of the building.

“What’s that one over there?” Reed pointed at the structure.

“Hm? Oh, those are the training grounds. It’s where we go to actually practice Manipulation.” Eddy said as they entered a courtyard filled with picnic tables, all manner of restaurants encircled the area. “How about a sandwich from the deli?”

“Sure.” Reed followed him into one of the shops as their conversation was put on hold, each of them ordering a meal of their own.

The teenager behind the counter handed him a bag and for a moment Reed glanced around in confusion, trying to locate where he had to pay. A tap on his shoulder caused him to turn around. Eddy stood behind him with a grin.

“There’s no cashier, all the food here is free.” Eddy made his way back outside to the courtyard. “Pretty cool huh?”

“It might be free for you, but my tax dollars are certainly paying for this sandwich.”

The two sat down at a table and Reed ecstatically tore into his meal. With the amount of time he had spent in the dream world the night before, it had been months since he last tasted food.

“So, Eddy, I was hoping I could ask you about some things. Magic and aliens to be specific.” Reed eyed his brother to gauge the reaction.

“What? Why?” Eddy said through a mouthful of food.

“It’s a work thing. I have to gather some info about the stuff for a new self-defense class.”

Eddy squinted at him as he swallowed the sandwich he’d been chewing. The questioning look continued for a few seconds after the fact as well.

“Bullshit.”

“Huh?”

“You heard me. Reed, I’ve been trying to get you to visit the academy for the past three years. You haven’t come once. There’s no way you’d do it just to research some dumbass class. Hell, you could’ve just googled everything you need to know.” His brother blurted out.

With his story falling apart, Reed was forced to come up with a new one on the spot.

“Ok, you’re right. But do me a favor and keep this between you and me. I don’t want to get anyone’s expectations up.”

Eddy nodded with anticipation.

“I got offered a job at the Bridge in Texas. It’s just managerial stuff but the position pays well… really well. Before accepting anything though I want to make sure it’s a good idea. That’s why I’m here, to learn a bit about the business and what I might be getting myself into.”

“Should’ve just said so.” Both of his brother’s arms gestured in exasperation.

“Is that a yes?”

“Fire away.”

“Alright, tell me more about Manipulation.” Reed set his sandwich down on the table, unimaginably eager to get some answers.

“Well first off you should know that Manipulation is just something of an all-encompassing term, we humans made it up. I don’t know much about the Sahvorem language, but I’m pretty sure that in their tongue it’s something like ‘bending the cosmos to one’s will’.” Eddy made dramatic gestures with his hands to emphasize the translation.

“You don’t know for sure?”

“Nope. Haven’t met one.” He said with a shrug. “But that’s pretty much exactly what it is. We can manipulate the laws of the universe into doing whatever we want.”

“I already knew that. I’m asking about the specifics, like what the limitations are. From what you just said it sounds like you’re a god.”

It took a moment for Eddy to respond. “There aren’t any rules about telling you this much, but don’t go sharing this with anyone else. The government likes to keep a pretty tight lid on this type of info.”

Reed gave a nod, allowing his younger brother to continue.

“Believe it or not there’s really not a whole lot we're able to do, at least for the skill level that I’m at. A Manipulator’s power and ability depend on how much they practice, it’s like a weird spiritual muscle that only gets better the more you use it. And don’t ask me how that works, I’ve got no idea.” He leaned back in his chair. “I’m a third-year here and the most I can manage is half decent Manipulation of the basics. You know, like air and fire.”

“So you don’t have super strength or anything like that?”

“What? No.” Eddy let out a chuckle. “Why do you think the food’s free? It’s because we have to work out… constantly. All that my powers currently amount to are that of a half-baked sorcerer’s apprentice.”

“Can I see them?”

“What?”

“Your powers. Can I see you use them?”

“We’re not supposed to practice outside of the training grounds,” A thoughtful expression bloomed on Eddy’s face. “Why don’t we just head there?”

“They’d let me in?” Reed arched an eyebrow.

“I think so. Though you might have to do some more paperwork.” Eddy stood up and grabbed his half-eaten sandwich. “C’mon, we can eat on the way.”

Reed grabbed his unfinished meal and set off walking with his brother.

“I was just training there with my team when I got alerted that you were here. They should still be there.”

It was a short walk to the massive structure Reed had seen earlier. This was mostly due to Eddy’s excitement, likely eager to show his brother the extent of his abilities he moved with a newfound pep in his step. They entered the building and Reed was brought to the front desk, where he was once again handed a stack of papers to fill out, most of which thankfully just required a signature. A security guard stepped forward to search him, patting him up and down as well as examining his keys and wallet before letting him go.

“They’re extra stringent about security here, don’t want anything getting leaked out,” Eddy said as the two continued their walk down a hallway. “My team should be in room 34.”

They came to stand in front of a large, windowless door within the facility. A device was embedded into the wall next to it which Eddy inserted some kind of ID card into, prompting the door to slide open. Entering the room revealed a large open space consisting of sturdy metal flooring, walls, and a ceiling with several glass-covered openings that allowed light to flow in. Most of the space was empty, save for a corner to their right where several pieces of furniture and utilities sat along with a couple of kids around Eddy’s age.

What drew Reed’s attention, however, were the two students on the other end of the large room. A girl sat on the metal floor with a ball of fire hovering around her while a boy flew through the air, performing acrobatics as he soared throughout the room.