The Fauna effect

7. ready

"Dude, that was badass" I hear Dylan say besides me, his blonde hair more messy than before

He adjusts his glasses to his face, and tilts his head like a golden retriever, he's very scrawny and walks awkwardly "Thanks" I mumble, hiding my smile.

"I'm Dylan" He extends his hand and I take it, shaking it 

"So you've told. I'm Fauna"

"Oh I know" He breathes out, as if my name is the most obvious thing to be known "Everyone does"

I don't know how to answer that, so I stay silent for a while before looking at him again. He's carrying his books in his chest, maybe as a shield for whatever words I have for him. He seems the kind to be a fairy, as sad as it is for me to admit most Eadonth's warriors look the same copy of eachother, muscly, the same serious frown on their face, the superioty complex "It's nice to see someone that doesn't look like everyone else" I said.

He shakes his head, as if I've read his thoughts "Oh yeah, you have no idea, the stares---"

"Never over"

"The judgment-"

"Infinite"

"I don't think I've seen a singular one smile" He mocks.

"You know what? Me too"

We both laugh, probably relieved to be feeling happy for the first time in a while, living here and constantly breathing in the tension between everyone is tiring, having to see everyone competing on every single thing is childish but scary at the same time, all to show who's the strongest. I heard yesterday a fight broke in the cafeteria, resulting in the death of a student, by the neutral way of how people were commenting on it it seems like it's a normal thing around here, getting killed by fellow students to get to the top, to have less competition.

Only then I realized that although my fighting skills in the ring weren't all that bad, I wasn't a threat to most people, that probably explains why no one has tried to kill me yet. It seems like the invisible shield everyone has around here, the behavior and better knowledge shown in class by everyone is because almost everyone here is directly connected to the warrior blood, either their dad or grandad, so they get every information from them about this place. 

In my bloodline everyone has always been a fairy, in both my mom and dad's side, every valuation day was just a day off school for all my generations since the fairy blood was thick in their bodies and the fairy complexety started showing up on their bodies right when they turned 12. Before my grandad passed away he told me he'd wish the heavens for a pair of wings for me, but they never showed. And now that I'm here, I wonder which member of my family went to the valuation and got out of the tent with a fake result, which one of them said that they were a fairy, but with a head full of lies.

"I have to be honest though...everyone is pretty cute" Dylan sneers, bumping my elbow, easing the tension in my body "You ok there?"

"I'm sorry, what were you saying?"

He looks at me for a second, then a smirk creeps in "Do you have any plans on what you'll do yet?" Dylan asks.

"I don't" I answer honestly "Don't you think it's weird they haven't told us  what we are fighting yet as Eadonth's warriors?"

"I'm sure they will soon" He shruggs "Ease the tension Fauna, see you tomorrow" He said as he enters the door that leads to the dorms

"See you Dylan" I said.

As I make my way to the small house next to the school, my feet start making a crack sound, and then I notice I'm actually stepping on glass. The glass from my windows.

As the house comes to view, I notice the broken windows and the mess already installed inside. When I enter, there's not a place in this house that isn't destroyed. All my belongings, clothes given to me, ripped. Everything looks a mess. Ripped papers, food on the floor..Nothing was stolen, only splashed on the floor.

That night I didn't sleep, only I spent it looking out the window, waiting for someone I didn't even know, with open windows and dark lights, it's almost an invite for someone to come in and kill me, contary to my belief a few hours ago, someone is actively wanting to kill me, and they want me to know.

In the morning, I have no choice but to walk myself the store and use the last of my money to buy new clothes, which means I will have little to no food throughout the week. 

That's the least of my problems now, but at least my windows are getting fixed after I filed a complaint before heading to the gym--at 5 in the morning--when the skies are greyer than my breath, that looks like smoke.

I scan the gym right when I enter it as if I can find out whoever trashed my house. I hope they enjoyed themselves, now that I know I'm a target, I have to train sooner than I expected.

I hear footsteps behind me "Hey fellow colleague" I hear Dylan say behind me "Sorry, didn't mean to startle you"

"It's fine"

"What's wrong?"

I don't know if I can trust him, can I? He seems nice enough, but I can't be too sure "The pressure is getting to me"

His mouth forms into a straight line while he processes what I say "Hit me."

"What?"

"Hit me"

"Dylan--"

"Damnit Fauna" He takes a step back "Just hit me"

"Are you su--"

"Yes"

As my hand is about to touch is face he grabs it immediatly "Predictable" He notes "Your opponents will always be men, which you'd think is a disavantage, but it's not" He looks around the packed gym and his lips get close to my ear "Hit them in the balls"

I hold out a laugh "What?"

Dylan shruggs "A guys' biggest weakness" "If the fight starts and you catch him with his legs open, which they probably are because they're ready to kick you, kick them"

"What a weird but helpful advice" 

"I'm the best" He flips his imaginary hair "On a serious note though, from what I've seen on the mat, you're pretty fast, use that to your advantage" He grabs my hand and gestures it to his face, as if hitting himself "Try to keep a distance, and tire them out, you have to learn how to control your movements and predict theirs" "In fighting class they won't teach you this, although we're all first years, they expect us to be professionals already" "You can't run away forever, so you'll have to get strong the quickest possible. So we'll meet every day at 5am here and train for 2 hours"

"What's in it for you?" I asked, still unsure of his intentions.

"Not losing the only friend I'll ever have" He smiles, although what he said is sad.

"That's a positive way to put it" I laugh and he rolls his eyes playfully.

"Are you ready Fauna?"

"Ready".