Andrew sat on a bench in one of the two park-like areas that were on the school campus.

Andrew’s ears rang. It wasn’t tinnitus, he was just making a phone call. The ring stopped as the other side answered the call. He heard the pleasant and slightly posh voice of Sophia from within his inner ear.

“Afternoon, hoheit. How were your classes.?”

“They were alright, but I’m done now. How about you?” said Andrew. Waving a fly that had flown too close to his face away. Willing it dead when simply waving wasn’t enough.

“Same here.” said Sophia.

“Cool. In that case, do you want to go home together?”

“I wish I could, hoheit. But right now I’m in the library doing something for school and then I need to head into Housecarl Industries HQ to handle something that came up. So it’d probably be best if you just go home on your own.” said Sophia. Sighing.

“Bummer...Alright, I guess I’ll see you at home later then.” said Andrew. Already getting up from the bench.

“Yes, hoheit. Ta-ta for now.” said Sophia. Her words were followed by the clicking noise that phone app played to signify the end of a call.

Andrew opened up a ride app he’d downloaded the other day, then he thought better of it and walked down to the bus stop. Figuring that this was a good opportunity for him to try and figure out the city’s public transportation system. What Eblouir had going on, probably wasn’t much different from what he’d seen in Harrow so all he needed to do was figure out the routes.

Andrew waited amidst a group of other students. He didn’t have to wait long. In less than fifteen minutes a long blue, gray, and white city bus pulled up to the stop and opened its doors to let out a handful of its current passengers and allow the students who were waiting at the stop to climb aboard.

By happy accident, Andrew had apparently chosen a day where the bus wasn’t too crowded so he was able to get a seat from himself. Sitting near the back so he wouldn’t be the one who had to get up if someone elderly or injured came aboard.

The inside of the bus was quiet save for the whine of the climate control and the low hum of the electric motor. If people were listening to music or watching tv all the sound was being sent directly to their brains by their sprites. There was maybe one or two conversation being carried along softly but for the most part everyone seemed content to wait in silence for their destination to arrive.

Andrew being Andrew, he was naturally uninclined to break this trend. Keeping to himself and killing time by reading a story he’d found on a web serial site earlier in the day. Andrew read for several minutes getting through a handful of chapters before he noticed that he was being at again. This time the thoughts that flowed from the gaze weren’t quite as intense and he wasn’t nearly as provoked by the gaze. However, it was still a very annoying thing to experience.

At first Andrew tried to ignore the gaze. Hoping whoever it was would just...go away. Either returning to whatever they’d been doing before they started staring, or alighting from the bus, at one of the stops.

When thirty minutes passed without either thing happening, Andrew sighed forced to face two realities: One) public transportation while convenient and affordable, was also torturously slow and simply not for him. Two) He was going to have to deal with whoever was staring at him because he could feel them finally making up their mind to approach him.

Andrew minimized the AR window he’d been reading from and looked up to meet the gaze of blue-haired woman wearing an academy uniform. She wore trousers instead of the usual skirt.

Upon greater inspection Andrew could see that the woman’ hair was actually feathers with two great tufts standing out amidst her hair like cat ears. Her eyes were blue like her hair and almost too large for her face. Each eye held a dark pupil, large and perfectly black.

Seeing the feathers and the distinctive eyes, Andrew realized she was an owlkin. Her skin was olive. Her face was diamond shaped and slightly long. Her nose was small and hooked, and Andrew could see the points where it had been broken and healed many times. The woman was tall and moderately muscular.

Sighing, Andrew wondered what the woman wanted. To make the whole situation more irritating when their gazes met she had the nerve to look away. Pretending she hadn’t been staring at him this whole time. Andrew wrinkled his brow and wondered what exactly her problem was. Then he decided he didn’t care. Returning to his reading.

No sooner had Andrew returned to his reading that he heard a voice, low, and hesitant with just a hint of the odd, rough, twang that those who hailed from the empire’s frontier worlds tended to speak with.

“Ex...Excuse me.” said the woman.

Andrew considered pretending not to hear her. Silently hoping she’d just go away because as much as he’d yearned to see other sane beings back when he was in Abwickeln, now that he was home he found that having to deal with people was simply just exhausting. After the whole thing his new pal Oliver, Andrew felt himself feeling downright asocial. Which begged the question of why in the nine hells he’d gotten on a bus of all things.

“Excuse me?” said owlkin woman. Still not getting the hint.

To avoid looking like a jerk Andrew made a show of looking up and looking surprised as he finally decided to respond. Pretending he’d been playing something in his inner-ear, thus explaining away his prior nonreaction.

“Hm? Oh?! Hi...Do you need something, miss?” said Andrew.

“H-, Huh? Oh… No. I just. Well, I think we’re in the same Intro to Power Channeling class.” said the woman. Fidgeting.

“Nh? So we are… So we are.” said Andrew. Nodding and smiling enthusiastically. in that way one does when someone mentions a fact that you: A) didn’t know, and B) don’t really care about.

For some reason, Andrew found himself proffering his hand.

“In case, we haven’t spoken before. If we have… please don’t be offended. It’s been a hectic day for me with the semesters start and all. Might as well introduce myself now..just in case. The names Andrew Oddvar.” said Andrew. Puzzled as to why he’d suddenly become your a folksy politician and then realizing he was probably over-correcting for his mistakes with Oliver.

“I… I know. But my name’s Modeste Morgan. It’s nice to meet you formally… I guess. I meant to try and talk to you during class but there wasn’t really an opportunity for that and you kind of left class in a hurry once the period was over. ” said the woman.

“True. That wasn’t really the best class for having side-conversation.” said Andrew. Talking just to fill up the silence.

“I guess...Anyway, I noticed you have a fractal-type power. I also have a fractal-type power. I was wondering if you’d want to be training partners.” said Modeste.

Andrew blinked. His brow furrowing despite his intentions. At first he didn’t understand why the young woman was bothering him.

Then it occurred to Andrew, that the format of the class, according to what Professor had explained after all the test-matches, was going to be a bit like a giant tournament. Meaning the key to passing was a lot of ‘self-study’, i.e. training. Which was best done in pairs with one’s peers. In fact, if he wasn’t remembering wrongly the professor had made finding a suitable training partner into the first assignment of the class.

Even with this being the case, Andrew’s first instinct was toe firmly but politely turn the young woman down. The only thing that gave him pause was the fact he would eventually need a partner if he didn’t want to risk Professor Espina’s ire. Even if he wasn’t taking his classes at the academy very seriously that didn’t mean he was willing to flunk if it was painless to avoid doing so.

Thus in the end Andrew ended up simply smiling and saying,

“Sure… If you’re fine with me.” Figuring it wouldn’t hurt to train with the woman because there was no difference between her and all the other strangers in his class.

The owlkin woman’s face and body language instantly grew less tense at his response.

“Uh, yeah. Yeah, that would be great. Thanks.”

Then finally, the conversation was over. Andrew went back to his reading. The young woman’s attention left him… for the most part. Andrew quietly was anxious about whether there’d be any troublesome complications created by this decision. Then he decided his worries were silly and lost himself within the story he was reading.

Barely managing a distracted good-bye when the young woman’s bus stop came up and she bid him good evening.

*************************************************************************************************************

The bus ride ended at the city’s bus station. Andrew looked up the bus he was meant to take to make it to the district where his and Sophia’s apartment was. He looked at the time it would take for the bus to reach the stop nearest to the condominium. Then he opened his ride app and called himself a cab.

“Fuck that…”

Fifteen minutes later, Andrew finally returned to the condo. He spent five more minutes patting himself down trying to remember if Sophia gave him a keycard or not. Sophia being Sophia he figured she must have given him a keycard, but he couldn’t for the life of him find it.

Then Andrew remembered he was an eidolon and ordinary locks digital, magical, analogue, or otherwise, weren’t really a problem for him.

He altered the data for the door, changing the settings from locked to unlocked. He then altered data and changed the door from the closed to open. The door was instantly open, seeming to glitch as reality altered to follow the data.

Instead of walking inside, Andrew spent a moment staring at the open door.

“That can’t be safe, right?” said Andrew. Immediately, deciding to make it a priority to revamp the building’s security.

There was something distinctly unsettling about realizing that beyond a few ineffectual locks and anti-invasion enchantments your whole life was basically open to the public.

Logically speaking, Andrew understood that most people would be hard pressed to get passed the building’s security, but Andrew’s mind naturally went to the worst possible scenario, where a powerful mage, demon, godling, or eidolon like himself was the one trying to break in.

Andrew shuddered and immediately set a partition of his mind to the task of designing a new set of security features for the building. Then he took a deep breath and let the rest of his mind move on mentally.

Andrew stepped through the open door and willed it close behind him. The door relocking itself as it closed.

“I’m home…” said Andrew. Momentarily forgetting that Sophia was probably not back yet.

“Welcome back.” said a soft, posh, voice from inside the condo.

“Hey, I thought you said you’d be out for a while.” said Andrew. Walking into the kitchen where he saw Sophia standing at the stove stirring something in a saucepan.

“What are you saying, hoheit? I ‘am’ still at school and in the office.” said Sophia. Frowning. Giving Andrew a puzzled look. A look Andrew had long ago recognized as her “your being daft again, hoheit”-look.

“Uh….” said Andrew. Staring blankly.

“I didn’t say I wouldn’t be home. I just said I wouldn’t be able to ride home with you. Surely, I don’t need to remind you that as eidola we are exempted from many of the weaknesses and limitations of lower-dimensional life forms. Weaknesses and limitations like only having one body. I also doubt I need to remind you that as someone who was a machine, before she became a woman, before she became an eidolon. I’m particularly suited for splitting my consciousness between multiple bodies.” said Sophia. Her tone dancing between lecturing and teasing.

“R-, Right….” said Andrew. Blushing. Wishing he could play it off, but aware that Sophia knew him well enough that anything he tried would just lead to more teasing.

“Oh… Right, is it okay if I redo the security for the building.”

Sophia frowned. Her silky white brows gathering.

“....Were there signs of a breach?” said Sophia.

“Huh? No… No, nothing like that. I just… They look a little too... thin. It took me no time at all, to let myself in.”

Sophia’s expression relaxed and sighed. Returning her attention to what was happening on the stove.

“Hoheit… The physical locks are at the forefront of the industry standard, and modified by me. The security enchantments were made by me personally.” said Sophia.

Andrew gulped. Cold sweat beading on his brow as he quietly congratulated himself for taking the tactful approach when broaching the topic of the building’s security. Insulting Sophia’s work was one of the few ways he could get her tetchy at him. Constructive criticism was okay, but suggesting incompetence would land him in the dog house.

“I… I know, but... It wouldn’t hurt if I just did a little extra, right?” said Andrew.

“Hoheit, did it ever occur to you that the reason ‘you’ were able to break in so easily was because you’re just inordinately strong?” said Sophia.

“Uh… No, but then again, it’s not like I’m the strongest being out there. Plus, it wouldn’t hurt to just add a few extra measures on top of what we have, right? You know how I worry when it comes to these sort of things.”

Sophia sighed and looked Andrew over. The man had no clue what kind of being he was, and no matter how many times she told him, he didn’t seem to get it. Andrew’ current weakness was due to his youth. He enjoyed an innate control over the three primary elements of reality that even she had never attained.

The modified military tech that made up the building’s physical and digital security features was more than enough to keep out most mortals. The magical protections cast over the buildings could stand up to an assault made by angels, devils, and mid-level gods. Andrew calling the security measures for the building flimsy was akin to a giant kicking over a wall meant to keep out men, and calling said wall, poorly constructed.

Sophia shook her head and sighed a second time. Aware that Andrew was mostly worrying about her if he really was getting anxious about the security. It made her a little happy, because it meant he was truly thinking of the building as a home for the two of them.

Sophia looked, turning off the stove and pouring the beef stock she’d been reducing over the pan of grilled vegetables, crumbled beef, and roast peppers that sat on the other spot on the stove.

“Alright, alright… if it makes you feel better, then make all the modifications you wish, hoheit. Just...try to keep it normal. No riddles. No strange puzzles. No unnecessary booby traps.”

“Does that mean ‘necessary’ booby traps are allowed?” said Andrew. His inner-crafter getting excited.

“There’s scarcely ever a situation where such things are necessary but yes… fine. I will allow a few ‘necessary’ booby traps.” said Sophia. Giving Andrew a warning glance.

“Yes…” said Andrew. Unable to resist a small fist bump as his mind began to think up various possibilities.

“Also, why did you even have to break into the apartment in the first place? I definitely remember putting a keycard in your coat pocket.” said Sophia.

“Huh? No you did-...Oh...Uh, I guess I just didn’t see it.” said Andrew blushing as he found the aforementioned keycard in his breast pocket.

Sophia just shook her head, rolling her eyes as taste-tested the noodles that were boiling in a pot near the back of the stove.

Opening the rice cooker on the counter beside her, and scooping out to plates of glutinous rice. Walking over to Andrew, smiling, and nodding towards the table, as a nonverbal way of asking his assistance with the meal’s setup.

“My thanks, dear hoheit.” said Sophia. As Andrew began helping her set the table.

“No problem.” said Andrew. Helping place the plates on the table as Sophia filled the plates with food. Which was followed by him heading to the kitchen drawers to look for cutlery.

“So what was your day like?” said Andrew.

“Well, as we’ve already addressed, ‘my’ is technically still ongoing since I have two of my bodies out and about, at school and the company offices. How about your day, hoheit?” said Sophia. Reaching into the fridge and bringing out a bottle of white wine.

Andrew hesitated and then he laughed.

“Mhm… I guess that’s fair. My day was pretty boring. There were classes, which for the most part are kind of superfluous now, since between the data I’ve absorbed from the books and the webs I pretty much learned everything the professors are going to lecture on. I met two odd ducks who’ve seemed to have attached themselves to me for some reason… I also watched a nice movie.” said Andrew.

Sophia stifled a chuckle and did her best to look sympathetic.

“Well, dear… If you’re feeling bored or unstimulated we’re in the greater cosmos now and you have an entire universe to explore and learn about.” said Andrew.

Andrew’s expression turned thoughtful as he realized between being reminded that he wasn’t limited to one body and being reminded that he did indeed have an entire universe to work with, he might not be taking proper advantage of his situation.

“Nh… Good point, love. I don’t know what I’d do without you.” said Andrew. Nodding.

Then he looked up his grin turning wicked as he leaned forward.

“Speaking of lack of simulation.”

Sophia’s brow rose and she smirked, her cheeks coloring as she held up a finger, to stop him from pouncing.

“Later, my dear and oh so naughty hoheit… At least wait till after supper. I spent the better part of an afternoon getting this recipe just right.”

Andrew simmered down. Still grinning like a school boy who’d been scolded but wasn’t repenting his mischief at all.

“Fine, fine… Later.”