Alex’s class had reached the bottleneck between the first and second stage of the first realm of cultivation. Many of the students who had taken the early lead were among the students who had collected the fewest spirit fragments at this point. The students had accepted that the more talented students reached the bottleneck earlier.

Strictly speaking this was only true for the method that was being used to teach his classmates. Alex was sure that he was the second most talented student in his class. The only reason he had fallen behind was because he was using a slightly better method of cultivation.

Two weeks after Alex had stopped collecting soul fragments his instructor pulled him aside after school. “Alex, you haven't been doing too well in cultivation lately. Your other grades are excellent but we primarily divide the classes based on the student's talent in cultivation. As such we are moving you down to F class as of tomorrow.”

Alex nodded and went home. It made sense that the instructors wanted to move him to a lower class. The ‘better’ students had begun to catch up to him again and one of the better students had been stopped from passing into the second stage because she wouldn’t have had enough time to complete the transition before school ended. Despite this Alex didn’t care about how he compared to the other students, he only cared about how strong he would get himself.

When Alex got to F class the next day he found himself a little anoyed with the school. Alex had been too self absorbed to notice that the F class was considdered a group of failures. Most of the students couldn’t be bothered to follow inductions while the few well behaved students all lacked talent. As such the entire day was treated as one pointless recess.

Shortly after the school day began Alex noticed a girl being picked on by some of the more talented trouble makers. They kept dancing around her chanting, “Mary sucks, Mary sucks, Mary couldn’t beat a duck.”

The classroom leader board showed that Mary had only managed to collect 500 spirit energy fragments while most of the rest of the class was In the upper 700 range. Their constant chanting was annoying Alex so he decided to tell them off.

When he got close enough to understand what Mary was saying through her sobs he heard “I only want the pretty ones.”

As alex approached Mary he sent needles of Soul power in the direction of her tormentors. They felt the pain for his simple soul attack and, unsure what had caused it they began crying. Alex walked up to Mary and pulled her away from her bullies.

Alex guided Maryto a hidden corner of the classroom and began patting her head until she stopped crying. “Hi, I’m Alex. You like the pretty ones too?”

Mary sniffled before giving Alex a nod.

Alex continued, “I know how to make them prettier. Do you want me to teach you?”

Mary stared at him for a while before nodding. Alex smiled at his new friend and began teaching her how to refine her spirit fragments.

Over the next few weeks Alex fended off Mary’s bullies as she began to gather spirit fragments at an increasing pace. Before long she had reached 999 spirit fragments and had joined Alex in strengthening her soul. Mary’s grades in other subjects began to improve as well, without the bullies constantly tormenting her she was able to focus in class. This increased focus revealed her natural intelligence.

Toward the end of the school year Mary spent a week avoiding Alex. On the last day of the week she walked up to him and said, “um…. my birthday is this weekend. Would you come to my party?” As she said this she hurried her face in his arm and waited for his ‘yes.’ Mary smiled and ran off to catch her bus.

“Mom, Aunt Linda, I got Invited to Mary’s birthday party. It's this weekend.”

Linda smiled at Alex and asked, “Your girlfriend? What are you going to give her for a present?”

Alex frowned pretending to be confused, “she’s my only friend…. I want to give her my old spatial ring. I know you gave it to me and all, but you gave me a better one this year and I don’t need two, so can I?”

Linda gave Alex a stern look as she pretended to consider his request. “Well, if you are sure that it is okay then you may do so.”

Alex ran up to his aunt and gave her a hug. Linda had been feeling depressed lately so he lingered longer than necessary as he took in her familiar scent of blood, leather, and herbs. When he was done Alex looked up at his aunt and asked, “When are you leaving again?”

Linda ruffled his hair and smiled at him. “I leave Monday and I will be gone for at least three months this time. Be a good boy while I’m gone, okay?”

Alex nodded and sat down at the dinner table to do his homework. The evening passed by at a comfortable pace. When dinner was over Alex cleared his dad’s place at the table which had become cluttered with things while he was on his latest business trip and took a seat in the family den.

When Alex’s mom finished cleaning the dishes she entered the den and sat down with the family’s communication crystal. “Hello? Sara? I’d like to speak to the mother of one of my son’s classmates. Yes, her name is Mary Goodweather, I am unaware of any clan affiliations…. no. Thank you, I will wait.”

When the call went through the mothers discussed the details of the party and what would and wouldn't work for gifts. Alex paid attention, tucking the details away for later use, until he heard a sound at the front door.

Alex turned to Linda who smiled before he ran to the door to greet his dad. Alex quickly told his dad about the party before running off to prepare for bed, giving his dad some privacy. He would end up going to bed a bit early, but the nights tended to be loud after the end of a business trip.