The Dangers of Pomegranate Salad

Chapter 34

Chapter 34 A Familiar Fay             

Haden leads me to the infirmary. It’s one of the smaller buildings with not much going on. We enter the lobby, where a bunch of people are standing around, looking bored at the front desk. I guess people don’t get hurt too often in the Circulum. When they see me they look kind of excited, which I find odd. An older woman in a yellow nurse’s uniform comes over to us with a clip bored. She has her black Hair tied in a messy bun. Her name tag says ‘Lacey’ “hello, what can we help you with?” she asks “She just needs to be healed.” Says Haden. Lacey nods. “Ok, simple enough.” Lacey starts leading us into the building, there are several rooms, all with the doors open. The rooms are empty.  Lacey looks at me “Would you be ok with a trainee practicing on you?” she asks me. “Any ill effects will be immediately reversed by one of the teachers” “uhhh,” I look at Haden. He shrugs. “Sure?” I say. “Great! You’re Trainee and her teacher will be right with you.” Lacey has led us to a room with a couple of chairs and a Hospital bed. She gestures for me to sit on the bed, and I do so. Lacey leaves and Haden and I just sort of stand (or in my case sit) there awkwardly. That seems to be a thing with us. “Listen I’m sorry” we both say at the same Time. “What are you sorry for?” I ask Haden. “I abandoned you down there, and I’m sorry. I should Have, I don’t know fought harder” “Haden It’s wasn’t your fault. I chose to stay down there. I did it because I thought I could save you” Haden looks at me sadly. “I still feel like I failed you, I was trying to protect you, and I let you down. I’m sorry” “I’m sorry to you too.” I say. Just then our Trainee walks in, a Teenage girl probably about eighteen. She has long straight brown hair and green eyes. “Hi!” She says, with a wave that is overly animated. “My name is Lexi, and I’m here to help you” she says in an over bubbly manner. Behind her walks in a man who is probably in his late thirties. He looks really buff for a healer. “This is Greg” Lexi states. Greg nods a hello. I feel slightly afraid of Greg. “Ok, so, I’m just supposed to do a simple Healing right?” Lexi asks us. “Yeah” says Haden. “Ok!” says Lexi. She takes a deep breath with her mouth, letting it out through her nose. She closes her eyes, then she touches my head, which makes me really uncomfortable. I mean, what’s more awkward than having some random chick you hardly know touch your head? A golden light spreads down my body from where Lexi is touching my head. After a few seconds it fades. Lexi opens her eyes, and smiles. “Did I do it?” she asks. “I look at where my burns were. Nothing. “Yep you did it” I said. “Yay!” she interjects. “You are free to go” says Greg, whose voice matches his buffness. I quickly get off of the bed. “Thanks” I say. “Welcome” says Lexi. Haden and I walk out of the room and through the building. “Want to see the school?” Haden asks as we leave the Infirmary. “Sure” I say. “It’s about lunch now, so I’ll take you to the mess Hall” he says I nod.

In the mess hall a group of people wave at him, asking him to come sit with them. I wonder if they are friends. I glance at him. From the looks of Haden’s scowl, I would say that is a no. We keep walking, and end up in a line to get lunch. I look at what they have to offer. It looks like macaroni and cheese. But it’s much better looking than most school macaroni and cheese. It looks homemade and good, and I’m starving. I really should have eaten something earlier today. I don’t see any lunch ladies, just a ladle sitting in the food. “Two macaroni and cheese meals, please” he says to the ladle. With a shudder it flies up, scooping some of the mac and cheese, and dumping it on Haden’s plate, then doing the same to mine. I look at it in amazement. “So this is what it’s like to get accepted to Hogwarts” I say to myself. “Not bad” I mumble with a smile.

After lunch Haden takes me to his  one class. It’s called “culture of elementalists” The teacher is a young woman named Rose with light red hair and dark blue eyes. She sees me and immediately comes over “Hello! I’m Rose, Nice to meet you! You must be my new student” she says as she shakes my hand. “I’m Terre” I say. “Nice to meet you to” She glances at Lily on my shoulder. “Oh! Is that a terra mediocris? ” She asks. “Um….” I say, unsure of how to respond to that. “An earth Fay” she explains. “Oh, yeah. Her names Lily” I say, Lily perks up at her name. “How amazing! I was actually about to teach the class about Familiars. Would you mind being the example?” she asks me with a smile. I have no Idea what she’s talking about. “Um, sure?” I say. “Good!” she exclaims. She leads me over to the front of the class, which looks more like a teachers lounge than a class room. Instead of desks, there are assorted couches and chairs arranged in a circle around one of those clear white boards you see on science shows. Haden sits down on one of the chairs. Rose has me sit on a tall stool in the front of the class. I look at all the kids in the class. The ages range from 11 to 18. It’s a very diverse class. Everyone is talking to each other, Rose gives an ear splitting whistle, and every one cringes and looks at her. I am suddenly very aware of the fact that I still don’t have shoes. “Hi! Every one this is Terre, she is out new class mate.” There are a couple of Hey’s and Hi’s from the group of people, and one little girl who exclaims “There’s a bug on her shoulder!” I look and only see Lily. “Actually Grace that is a fay. And specifically it is Terre’s familiar. Can anyone tell me what the purpose of a familiar is?” asks Rose. A tall blond boy who looks about my age raises his hand. Rose points at him “yes, Andrew” Andrew clears his throat, “A Familiar is an animal or creature that has bonded with an Elementalist or Sorcerer when they are born. They help protect and warn their Elementalist of danger.” He explains. As he is talking I think about all the times as a kid that I saw something glowing green whenever I almost hurt myself. Was that Lily? And the iPad was that Lily? “Good job, Andrew. Now, what other animals can be a Familiar?” asks Rose. The little girl who was freaking out at Lily raises her hand. “Grace!” shouts Rose. “Any animal, right?” she says. “Close! Any small or medium sized animal” says rose “any medium sized animal can be a familiar, but not all elementalists can have one. It’s a rare thing, really. You and the animal must be born at the exact same time and be of the same element. The animal will find you, sometimes revealing itself, sometimes not. It protects you, and helps you as much as it can.” she explains. She turns to me “so, what’s it like to have a familiar?” I look at her blankly. “Um… well, it’s like having a friend I guess” I say. That sounds dumb. “Well, I’m sure your Familiar feels the same way” she says “her name is Lily” I say. A couple of people nod, Grace says “pretty” I nod, “Now, does anyone else have a familiar?” asks rose. One other Hand springs up. “I do” says girl, probably about my age with short blond hair worn in a little bob and golden eyes. She’s dressed is all purple: Purple shirt, purple pants, and purple shoes. Even her socks are purple. Rose looks doubtful “is that so, Fantasia?” Fantasia nods, “yup, he’s a cat named whiskers.” I get the feeling from how she’s talking it’s not the truth. Rose rolls her eyes “does anyone else have a familiar?” No one else raises their hands. “Well, it is a rare thing” says Rose sadly. He looks at the clock. “Oh! Class Is over! You are free to go” she says. I get down from the stool, “thanks for being my example, I wouldn’t have had one if you didn’t” rose says as I get down. “Of yeah no problem,” I say as I walk over to Haden. I see he’s talking to Fantasia. “Hi, Fantasia right?” I ask. “Yeah, Fantasia Rain, but most people call me Fantastic” she says. Haden rolls his eyes, “no one calls you that.” He then says to me “we call her Fanta” “like the soda? Why?” I ask. “Because I’m bubbly and delicious!” says Fanta, “Because she’s fizzy and crazy” says Haden. “Hardly anything she says is the truth; until you get to know her” Fanta fakes looking hurt “I tell the truth sometimes! I was telling the truth when I said that the milk was sour. And did you believe me? No! So you got a mouthful of bad milk!” She crosses her arms “any way, we are sort of friends,” Haden says. “Hey you guys want to come with me to the Insert Name?” Asks Fanta. “What’s that?” I ask. “Oh, it’s a local hang out for Elementalists. It’s on the campus.” Says Haden. “It sounds like we’re in college.” I say. Fanta smirks “a little, you want to come?” “Sure” She grins “cool. I’ll meet you there in a bit. I have to go home first or Truth will kill me” she walks of, her short bobbed hair bouncing with every step. I look at Haden. “Truth?” I ask. “Her mom” I snort a little “How ironic” I say. “Yeah”