I unlock the stall door and step out of the stall. I roll the three bullets around in my hand as I walk towards the door leading out of the bathroom. Idly, I remember that my backpack is still in the room with Mr.Monroe.

I don’t feel like grabbing it.

I stretch my body, relieved that no more pain is coming from my back. I wasn’t prepared for that fight. Which was stupid. I had just been shot in the shoulder by gang members yesterday and I haven’t prepared myself for a real battle whatsoever since then.

I was lucky that I had my title, which gave me protection from mental control. Without it, I would be in some creepy guy’s house right now, doing god knows what.

I need to prepare myself, I can’t be as defenseless as I am right now.

My class started twenty minutes ago. At this point, it would be weird to enter the classroom in the middle of the lecture, so I walk to a bench next to the football field and consider my options.

The top white chakra, aka, The Crown, my connection with god.

Third eye chakra, is purple for perception, or the sixth sense.

The throat chakra is Blue for Communication.

Heart Chakra is Green, symbolizing my Connection with the earth, love, family and green growing things.

The solar plexus, my power chakra, is yellow.

The Sexual chakra is orange and sits right above the private parts.

Finally, the root chakra, blood red for survival, life, death and connection with the earth.

In my experience the blue chakra is what is used for truly psychic abilities, such as telepathy. My best bet for some kind of protective spell is there.

Then there is the power chakra, that seems to be useful in the preparation department.

My mind goes to the little book that Sheyla gave me. I grab it from my inventory, opening it. “I realize that this is weird, you know, talking to a book and all, but can you please show me how to cast an enchantment to resist psychic take over?”

Of course, Please turn the page.

I do.

Resist control: Enchantment, useful against psi focused enemies, but is attached to an object which if removed or destroyed will no longer affect the wearer.

Requires: Accessory (ring, bracelet, earring, necklace). 100 mana. 100 psi.

I glance down at my only accessory, a bracelet that my sister had made for me on my birthday.

I can’t let him control my friends.

Carefully, I read through the page, describing what I need to do in order to create the enchantment.

I glance to at my status screen to discover that my psi has barely recovered past the point where I can cast the enchantment. If I cast this now, I will be defenceless except for my gloves.

But if he gets to Rose before I can get this to her….

I take a deep breath centering myself. “Can you bookmark this page? I will come back to it later. For now, show me some defensive and offensive psi spells.”

Gladly. Please turn the page.

As I turn the page, I wonder why the book can’t simply make the text appear on the page I am on. I guess it would lose some of it’s fun that way.

Defence of the earth: Spell, manipulate the earth underneath you using your root chakra, creating a wall of earth protecting you.

Requirements: 20 psi/use

Force Of Many Blades: Spell, manipulate your power chakra, giving your strikes the cutting force of the strongest blades

Requirements: 20 psi/use.

I study the shapes it tells me to create with my psi, before manipulating my chakras to create the effects.

It takes me a while, but eventually, I manage to use both abilities with some competency. I hear the bell ring for lunch and check one more thing before I leave.

Gloves Of The Ancients Owner: Elena S Trudeau

Abilities:

Volatile Looks

Indestructible

Heal

???

“[Define ability: Volatile Looks]”

[Volatile Looks] allows you to change the appearance of yourself and your equipment

“Useful in the right situation, I suppose.” I say as I slip off my bracelet in preparation for the enchantment I plan to cast upon it.

I open Sheyla’s book to the right page and begin my enchantment.

The manipulation of both psi and mana, requires a delicate touch that I did not expect. I enter an almost meditative state as I cast the enchantment.

Once I am done with the enchantment, I open my eyes to study my bracelet, my head aching. “[Identify Item: Bracelet]”

Enchanted Bracelet Owner: Elena S Trudeau

Abilities:

Resist Control

I roll my shoulders, stretching as I put Sheyla’s book away.

It doesn’t take me long to find Rose at lunch, I just have to follow the gazes of all of the curious students.

The popular clique sits around her at her table, Blake, thank god, is sitting next to her running interference. I don’t know about any other high schools, but the popular crowd at our high school is positively vicious.

I stroll up to them and rest my hand on the shoulder of one of the boys I particularly hate, a rich kid name Johnathon. He just happens to be sitting right next to Rose.

He turns around to look at me, I put on my sweetest smile and adopt my ditzy-est persona. “Hey John! Fancy meeting you here! You look to be doing well.” I lean into his ear and whisper conspiratorially “Has your girlfriend figured out that you are two timing her yet?” I lean away from him with a giggle and a flirtatious wink.

His face pales.

“You seem to have taken my seat, can I pwease have it back?” I put on my best pout face.

He practically jumps out of his spot and offers it to me, clearing his throat. “Of course Elena, anything for you.”

“Thanks pumpkin. It’s good to know that I can always count on you.” I blow a kiss towards him. He pales further at my double meaning.

I turn my attention to Rose, who has her mouth hanging open at my sudden change in personality. She shakes her head slightly, probably deciding that she misheard my whisper. “Hey Elena. Blake was just introducing me to some of his friends that decided to sit next to us.”

“Of course, I know all of the… lovely people here.” I respond, looking around the table.

As a freshman, when it had become obvious that I wasn’t going to join their clique, most of the people at this table had taken it upon themselves to bully me. In response, I of course made it my job to dig up every piece of dirt I could on them. Then I made it clear; if they kept treating me the way they had, well... there would suddenly be a lot more social pariahs out there.

Most of them know what I have done, but I can see the calculating thoughts on the freshman and sophomores that don’t know me.

I shake my head, bringing myself out of those memories. I didn’t have quite as much control back then. “Anyways Rose, I wanted to give you something.” I take my bracelet off and hand it to her. “This bracelet is very important to me.” She takes the bracelet out of my hands, A smile appears on my face as soon as the bracelet is in her hands. “This may sound a little weird, but I need you to make a promise to me, I will explain the promise when I can.”

She looks down at the bracelet confusion on her face, before she glances back up at me “Ok…”

“I want you to promise that you won’t ever let anyone convince you to take it off. Can you do that for me?” I curl her fingers around the bracelet with my hand before I look into her eyes.

“Sure. I promise.”

I smile at her, still staring into her eyes. I realize that my hands are still wrapped in hers and that our faces are very close.

Blake clearing his throat brings me out of the moment, causing me to let go of her hand.

Lunch is over soon after that and we all leave to our respective classes. I don’t see Mr. Monroe for the rest of the school day and no monsters pop up to bother me. Unfortunately, I don't have any other classes with Rose. However, Blake sits in on two of my classes.

I find Rose after school ends, she is sitting on the curb, just watching the other students as they are picked up, or as they drive away.

I sit down next to her. She glances at me briefly before looking back down at the bracelet she is holding in her hands. “Thank you for this.”

“Of course.”

A comfortable silence follows as Rose studies the bracelet. I don’t feel the need to say anything as we just sit there on that curb. Although a couple of questions do come to my mind.

She puts the bracelet on her wrist and stands up. “My ride's here.” She points at a sleek looking Tesla which pulls up to our curb. “See you tomorrow Elena.” Are her only words to me as she enters the backseat of the car.

“See you then.” I say to myself, watching as the car drives off.

My walk home is uneventful. I unlock the door to my house, which is currently empty. Mom took Elizabeth to her soccer practice if I remember correctly and dad is still at work.

I move to drop my backpack off at the door, before I realize that it is still in Mr.Monroe’s classroom.

Tch. Irritating bastard.

Deciding that it is best not to dwell on it, I run up the stairs to my room. The door to the shop catches my attention immediately as I enter my room.

Information is always useful.

I walk into the doorway with purpose. The colors whirl and turn around me as I arrive at the empty market that is the shop. The elevator music that had permeated the place beforehand is replaced by classical guitar.

A smile appears on my face at the familiar Open sign. I walk into the quaint little shop, bells ringing as I enter.

“Hello and welcome to The Information Shop for planet Earth. My name is-. Oh! Hi Elena. I was wondering when you would be back.” Taylor says, looking up at me with a smile.

I realize something as I walk in. “Crap, I forgot a chair.” I say out loud, biting my lip as I think.

Taylor laughs, pulling out a fold-out chair from behind her desk. She sets it up for me, her green skin shimmering slightly as she moves across the room. “Since you mentioned needing one during our last visit, I made sure to grab one and bring it here. Although, I wasn’t expecting you to be back so soon.”

I sit down in the chair, crossing my legs as I lean back. “I didn’t expect to be back this quickly either. But some things came up.” At her questioning look, I continue, “I met another Beta Tester.”

“Really? What were they like?”

“He tried to control me using psi, then his assistant shot me in the back three times. Personally, I thought our first meeting went very well.” I say the last part sarcastically, gaining a slight chuckle from Taylor.

“Are you ok?”

“Aside from the fact that I sincerely wish to kill that other Beta Tester, I am fine. Better than fine actually. He gave me these.” I pull out the three bullets from my inventory.

Taylor holds out her hands, I drop the bullets into them.

She whistles as she studies them. “These bullets come from a unique weapon in the armory!” She hands them back to me, “It’s been a while since I last saw Tutorial grade weapons.”

“How much do you think I can get for them?”

She creases he eyebrows as she thinks. “Well, I am not a weapons merchant, so I can’t give you their full value… How about ten gold for each bullet?”

“Deal.” I immediately respond.

Would you like to trade three (unique) Bullets to Taylor Flameborn for thirty gold pieces?

Yes/No

I click yes without hesitation. I jump a little as the bullets in my hands disappear. Nothing else replaces them. “Where is my gold?” I ask, staring at my empty hand.

Taylor laughs at my expression, “The gold doesn’t physically appear unless you ask the system to pull it out of your inventory.”

“That’s disappointing. It would have been fun to see a pile of gold fall from my hands.” I give her a goofy smile.

“You realize that this deal is way better for me, right? It’s hard to get your hands on tutorial grade weapons. Weapon merchants and crafters from all over will jump at the chance to buy these from me.” Taylor says rolling the bullets between her fingers.

I shrug, “I don’t need the bullets, but I can use the gold.”

“Your loss. But hey, this means you can buy information from me now!” She gives me a predatory smile.

“Sorry Taylor, but I am going to need this gold for some of the upgrades at my house.” I respond, a little worried by her change in attitude.

“Oh? Are you sure about that? You're not the slightest bit curious about how Mr.Monroe found out who and where you were?” A strange glint enters her eyes as she slides her fingers gently down her desk.

My eyes narrow and my back stiffens. “How do you know his name? I never told it to you.”

“I am an information merchant. My job is to know things.” She responds matter of factly.

I tilt my head slightly, this glimpse of Taylor’s personality making me see her in a new light. “How much will this information cost me?”

She sits on her desk, contemplating my question. “I will give you the information on how Mr. Monroe found you, along with his status screen’s information for, let’s say… one gold?”

Would you like to trade one gold to Taylor Flameborn in exchange for information regarding Scott Monroe: Beta Tester?

Yes/No

I click Yes.