Part one, because LJ doesn't like me.
Author: Sam
Challenge: Fudge Ripple #22, Foolishness
Rating: PG- 13
Word count: 2858 words
Summary: Today is Ryan’s first day at Academia and she learns more than how to apply theory- what does corrupt police officers and a fire from five years ago have in common?
Story Index
ATTENTION ALL MAGIHUMES
UNDER NO ACCEPTION WILL THERE BE MAGIC USED IN THE GENERAL PUBLIC
IF CAUGHT; THERE SHALL BE A SEVERE PENALTY TO THE PERPETRATOR
“They fucking can’t do that!” Miles shouted, pointing to the large red- on -white poster exclaiming the new rules.
Ryan frowned. “That’s stupid,”
“You think? How are we gonna get anything done?”
The two of them continued out of the doors of the dormitory and towards the path. As Miles ranted on and on over the fact that the new Bastion Government was on a literal witch hunt, Ryan flipped open her cell phone and began typing out a message to her friend, Vienne.
“ . . . Not only that, but its one bad egg that ruined it for the rest of us!” Miles concluded, turning to Ryan. “Don’t you think?”
She shrugged. “Listen, Miles, I’m glad and all that you’re interested in that political stuff, but it won’t kill you to actually carry the literal weight of your book bag,” she said, pointing to Miles’ book bag, which was charmed to feel lighter than it actually was.
Miles scowled. “I have a sensitive back, you know,”
“Sure,” she rolled her eyes as the phone vibrated.
“Who are you talking to?” he asked, peering over Ryan’s shoulder.
She turned away. “Vienne, dur!”
“Really? Why do you hang around her for? She’s not exactly the brightest-“
“You’re saying that because she went to a normal junior high school, aren’t you?” Ryan asked.
The message read; Im in Illuya lec. Hall
“Well, partially. Can she even perform at our rate?”
“What she lacks in education, she makes up in hard work, you know,” Ryan replied. She scanned the campus in front of her- she was glad that campus was close to the dorms- there were a few buildings, but each were huge, bricked buildings that were three or four storeys tell. “My first class is in Illuya lecture hall, got any idea where that is?”
Miles smirked. “Oh yes, you have that theory lecture first, right? With Professor Fenton?”
“Yes, actually,” Ryan snapped closed her cell and pocketed it in her sweater. “What’s with it?”
“He’s nothing but a pretty boy,” he said hastily.
“You’re just jealous!”
“I am not! Any idiot can be the head of a department nowadays!”
“He’s not an idiot or a pretty boy!”
“Then why are you taking a theory class when you’ve had nothing but for three years?” Miles asked, looking smug.
She glanced away. “Because I want to,”
“Either you’re masochistic or you’ve fallen for that twit,”
“Hardly, Miles.” She replied as Miles pulled out the campus map. “You know the only idiot I love is you,”
He chuckled. “I’m not an idiot!”
Ryan grabbed the map. “We’ll see about that . . .” she glanced at the map and saw that the hall was around the corner. “I have to get over there, behind the lab building,”
“So you won’t be done until supper?” Miles asked as the two of them began their way to the lecture hall.
“Yup- are you finished sooner than me?”
“Yeah, I’ll pick up supper then,”
“Let me, you got supper last night!”
Miles wrapped his arm around Ryan’s waist. “Sure, why not?”
When they had reached the lecture hall, Miles pulled Ryan into a tight embrace.
“I’ll see you tonight then?” Miles asked again, staring into her eyes before Ryan kissed him.
“Yes, Miles,” she replied, smiling. “I’ll bring you something good, ok?”
He nodded and sighed. “Well then, have a good class,” he kissed her forehead and made his way to the lab building entrance.
Ryan smiled to herself as she watched him go. Yes, Miles liked to be a pain in her side, but she loved him despite it. Who else could put up with him? With her?
The class room Ryan walked into was small- it could fit no more than thirty people and from the look of it, there weren’t many Magihumes- many of the students weren’t taking advantage of the privacy of the class room to practice some magic. Ryan scanned the room carefully for her best friend, who, as she waved to her, caused a small dust cloud by the ceiling.
“Hey,” Vienne said after Ryan thoughtfully cleared up the dust. “How was your summer?”
“It was boring! I was in East County for most of it and they have tight rules for Magihumes . . .” Ryan said quickly as she sat down.
“So you must have heard of the new law put in place last night?” she asked, pulling out her cell phone, which had the headline of an online newspaper on the screen.
“Miles wouldn’t shut up about it,”
“Ugh, doesn’t he use magic for every other thing?” she asked.
“He does.”
“Poor you!”
“I know, right?”
All of the sudden, the class room went completely quiet.
“Good morning,” said the man at the blackboard. Ryan assumed it was Rumour Fenton, the teacher who was meant to teach this very class. “And welcome to the new semester,”
He waved his hand over the blackboard, in which his name and information appeared. Ryan had to admit, Miles was right; Rumour Fenton was a pretty boy. As he spoke about the course, Ryan watched his hands gesture, the way his dark blue suit contoured his body and how his light blond hair fell over his eyes.
“ . . . And to prove this theory, I’ll need a volunteer.” He said suddenly.
Ryan snapped out of her reverie (in which she began thinking thoughts that involved inappropriate behaviour between herself and her professor) and sat up straight. Vienne giggled behind her hand.
“Anyone?” Professor Fenton asked, walking towards the end of the classroom, glancing at each student. “It’s quite simple,”
“Sir,” replied one boy. “There are some of us that can’t perform magic.”
This caught Professor Fenton off- guard. “I thought I was going to have only Magihumes, how silly of me, I am sorry,” he said kindly to the boy. “Well, if you can’t perform it, explain it to me,”
The boy blushed. “If you want to counter act gravity, one would have to create enough inertia to lift any object.”
“Name me an object,”
“A . . . desk?” He replied, the class laughed.
“How much inertia does it take to push or lift a desk?” he asked.
“Not that much,”
“Push your desk,”
The boy pushed his desk slightly.
“Good,” Professor Fenton replied. “Now, who wants to lift their desk?”
Ryan averted her stare as Professor Fenton made his way closer to her. “What’s your name?” she heard him ask.
“Ryan,” she replied, moving her fringe from her eyes.
“Ryan, are you a Magihume?” she nodded. “Good. Can you lift this desk?”
“Yes,” she said, standing up.
“Now class, how much inertia should it take for Ryan here to lift the desk?” he asked, turning away.
No one replied, so Ryan rubbed her hands together (When did they get so sweaty? she thought, feeling the burn of many stares) and, with her palms up, she summoned as much of the magical inertia she would need. The desk began to quake slightly- making a slapping noise when it fell back to the linoleum floor.
“Are you having trouble?” Professor Fenton asked, turning to her again.
“I’m a bit rusty- I haven’t been practicing,” she replied quickly.
He smiled. “Well, try again,”
Ryan nodded. Palms up again, she raised her hands and suddenly felt the gravity upon the surface- and the desk fell again.
"I’m sorry!” She said, looking up at her professor apologetically.
“It’s not a problem,” he replied, still smiling. “Stay after class,”
Her stomach dropped, “Sure,” and she sat down again, feeling her face burn.
“It’s okay, we’re all rusty,” Vienna whispered.
Suddenly, Ryan’s desk flew up to the ceiling- she turned and saw Professor Fenton, still standing three feet away from her and with one palm out, levitating her desk.
“Class, this is how one levitates a desk by reversing the gravitational pull and exerting more inertia,” he said loudly, staring at Ryan.
The desk was lowered carefully onto the floor- Ryan cringed as she felt the bottom of the desk hit her bare thighs.