The Phylum

Chapter Twelve: The Fire In China

My telekinetic progress skyrocketed (literally). My new powers not only replenished my hope, it replenished Calico's. She was pushing me just as hard as before, perhaps even more, but it was bearable. Her ferocity wasn't as biting and wounds weren't inflicted upon me as often. What was better was slowly, ever so slowly, I was becoming an actual apart of the student body. I was no longer a useless outcast. I was alone by choice. Mentors didn't look down on me in haughty disdain, but in curiosity. I was continuously referred to as the "late bloomer" of the TKs, I didn't mind it really. Calico said it fit me well. I didn't know about that.

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I slid my food tray across the metallic table, a curious habit I'd developed ever since I realized I would be eating alone in the Mess Hall. The two metals made an odd, muffled, clashing sound. I didn't particularly like the noise, but by now I did it so often it felt routine to me. That's what the Phylum was: routine.

"Hello."

I looked up, startled., startled. A young, petite girl looked earnestly at me from across the table. "How long were you sitting there?" I asked her, ignoring her greeting. She raised a thick eyebrow, "you're not very observant, are you?" I was observant. But for months no one, besides Calico, had bothered to speak to me in the Mess. Since I wasn't particularly sociable myself, I thought that's how it would always be. "Guess not," I shrugged simply and waited for her to be on her way. The girl had no intentions of leaving it seemed, she shrugged off the backpack and draped it around one of the table's seats. She used the table for support as she hopped onto the seat and sat on her heels. Her head was a mop of short, blond curls that bounced around wildly. Her eyes were wide and staring, reminding me of the following eyes of the old portraits of women from the 20th century. I'd only seen glimpses of the art from the old days on the broadcasts in the town square. The broadcasts usually meant that an old piece had been stolen, and that didn't happen very often. When I was able to catch pictures of the old world art I was glad, regardless of the news that followed it. There was something that natural human skill could do that technology could never compensate for.

I guessed that during my reverie the girl had asked me something because she was leaning forward, impatiently waiting for a response. "Yes?" I tried weakly, not able to meet her gaze. The girl chuckled, said something under her breath, and narrowed her eyes at me. "I'm Chi-na" the girl said slowly, as if I wouldn't understand. I swallowed down my irritated retorts, deciding that I didn't want to be ostracized by choice. "So," I prompted, not wanting the silence to linger for too long, "I'm Ezra-" "so, what exactly happened? I mean, in that Training Center? I thought you were human." I leaned back in understanding, the hard metal of the chair digging into my back. China hadn't come to me for conversation, but for a story. I shifted my mouth from side to side, deciding whether I would send her off with comical exaggerations or with the truth. It didn't take me long to choose the latter, the first option never really a serious one. However, I wasn't one to deny a good story. I described everything in great detail. At times I thought I overdid it, but China didn't seem to mind. She gasped when I told her about Calico's impulsive decisions, occasionally adding in things like "she's crazy!" When I told China about the plate shards falling she winced, as if she had been the one in danger. I appreciated her theatrics, after being drilled and drilled like a soldier, they felt like a breath of fresh air. I refrained from telling her about the vision of Calico being stabbed by the plate shards, I felt like I shouldn't. Once I had finished telling her the story, I waited for China to calm down. When she did, I went back to busying myself with my tray, waiting for her to go. "So, that's what happened, finally something honest," China brushed a piece of short, blonde hair that had fallen onto her forehead. "Something honest? What was said about me that wasn't honest?" I knew that now I could possibly be a subject for discussion, but before I was just a subject of ridicule. The fact that there could have possibly been rumours floating amongst the students about me in the past had never occurred to me. "Oh, you know" China waved a hand in the air dismissively, "things like you're a spy for the Rings, or that you drove your mentor insane." I cracked a small smile, slightly amused at the outlandish rumours, "my mentor's already insane."

Unsurprisingly, China was full of subjects. Not just subjects about me either, which I was grateful for. She talked, I listened and every now and then I'd comment. It was an unspoken agreement we'd established. I believe she was talking about her mentor's inability to explain things when I noticed her arms. Her skin was ghostly white, so the irregular, pink scars were nearly impossible to miss. I squinted at them, trying to decide if they were blade scars or- "what are you doing?" China asked, her voice suspicious. I pointed at the lines on her arm questioningly. China's reaction was immediate, she reached to pull down sleeves that weren't there. Cursing under her breath, she began rummaging through her bag. Once she had found the jacket that she was so avidly looked for she made a noise, shrugged it on, and looked back at me. "Oh, the burns are nothing. Just a little fireplay," China's cheeks slowly turned rosy with embarrassment. "Fireplay? Why the hell were you playing with fire?"

She had my full attention now, all daydreams evaporating from my mind. China sighed and mumbled something, her fingers fussing with the bottoms of her sleeves. "What?" I asked her, pushing my food tray aside so I could lean in closer. "It's what I do" China repeated, her big eyes ignoring mine. "What you do? That makes- you're an Ego?!" I whispered harshly, not wanting to arise suspicion. "Shh!" China hissed, "don't use that word here, we prefer Mits, Mentors-In-Training." I recoiled away from her in alarm, "you're not supposed to be here, where's your mentor?" China narrowed her eyes at me, "I could ask the same thing." She could, but I wasn't break any rules.

TKs and Mits were kept apart for a reason: students were volatile enough without adding a completely different component in the mix. At least that's what Calico told me when I asked. If we broke the separation we were to serve a session in Isolation. Something I couldn't even consider, "you have to go." My voice had grown stern, the jokes we'd shared meaningless now. China didn't move, "don't tell anyone." Of course I wouldn't, snitching on her would be snitching on myself. I was guilty by association.

However, my assents weren't good enough for her because her eyes grew dark, "tell anyone and I'm taking you down with me." My jaw tensed at her threat, "I didn't come to you now, did I?" China laughed, "but who's really to say? What if I said we were in love? I could say that the both of us sneaked off many times to meet one another. You ratted out on me and pretended you didn't know me because you didn't want to get punished for it." I spoke through my teeth, "that's a lie, no one would believe you." China grinned evilly, "I'd believe an honest Mit over a troublemaking TK with a record any day." I deflated, she had me.

My stay in isolation was no secret, I had a record. "I won't," I promised. China relaxed at my reassurance this time, "thanks." I nodded, still wary of her craftiness. "Why'd you come here?" I asked her, trying to salvage the last of our friendliness. "I got bored, besides that story of yours was too interesting to pass up." China slid her bag on her shoulder and unfolded her legs from her seat.

"Will your mentor come looking for you?" I asked her, looking up as she brushed herself off.

"No. Legion's been busy lately."

That was interesting, I thought that maybe the experienced TKs taught the younger mentors since mentors taught the TKs. What did the older TKs do?

Wait.

"Your mentor's Legion?!"

"Legion's my father."

I opened my mouth to say something but my thoughts were too scrambled to be put into words. China waved away my worries, "our secret's safe with me. See you soon."