Static Reflections: Book 1 of The Mortal Guard Series

Chapter 20 - Nick: Tunnel Vision

Chapter 20 - Nick: "Tunnel Vision"

Nick left the room that Iwai and his new Mentor, Richard, were in, closing the door gingerly behind him. Victor was standing aside, waiting.

"Finally met him, huh?" The polar bear shot him a small smile.

"Yep," the hyena nodded as they began the trip back to his room.

"And how was it? Spill the beans."

"I don't like beans," Nick responded. "It didn't go at all like I expected, though."

"Whaddya mean?"

They turned a corner and began ascending the stairs there. "He's nothing like any teacher I've ever had before."

"What do you mean? I haven't met the guy because no one's allowed to really talk to him."

Nick scratched his cheek with his claws. "Well . . . it's like just talking to me was hard for him. I mean, he almost freaked out back there. It's kinda worrying."

"You're right. That's nothing like I've ever heard before," Victor said. "Is he okay?"

"Eh, it'll just take time. Iwai told me a little about it, so it's not like he didn't warn me."

"And you're sure you want him as your Mentor after that?"

Nick looked back for a moment. "Yeah."

"But why?" Victor asked, looking up from a lower stair.

"What, I'm just gonna throw him to the side because he has some issues? He deserves a chance as much as anyone. Plus, there's something about him, but I can't put my finger on it. Like this energy that's there, but you can't see it."

Victor continued following behind him as they continued up to the floor Nick currently stayed on. The stamping of their shoes on the steps was the only other sound. "Energy? Like supernatural energy?"

"I dunno," Nick shrugged. "I just felt it. He intrigues me."

"Did anything else happen in there? When's your first training?"

"No clue," Nick answered. "I didn't have time to really say anything before Iwai asked me to leave."

"Huh." Victor was quiet after that.

The duo reached their destination, and Nick turned to him. "Always good talking to you, Vic. See you tomorrow morning?"

"As always!" The polar bear grinned, nodding. "Bye, Nick."

The hyena opened the door, waving and then closing himself off in the room. His mind still raced with all the possibilities that could happen due to Richard's state, and he tried to prepare for all of them mentally.

As always, he spent the rest of the day brushing up on Mortal Guard knowledge, stuff out of the required courses and whatnot, until it was time for dinner. After ordering a warm plate of spaghetti and talking to Flip for a while, he decided to go to sleep early to see what awaited him the next day.

=^.^=

As per usual, there was a knock on the door to wake him up. The tired hyena rose and groggily shuffled toward the door, unlocking it and pulling it open to find not Victor but Richard standing there.

He was wearing a brown jacket on top of the clothes he had been wearing the day before, strange-looking boots, and an orange armband with the Creature Hunting Sect's symbol on it.

"Morning . . ." Nick said, looking up at his weary brown eyes with the dark rings around them. Those eyes held many secrets, he could tell.

"Good morning, Nicholas," the raccoon said. "May I come in?"