Trigger-Happy Potioneer

Family Issues

After two hours of house cleaning and half an hour of homework, here I am. Registering.

I look over the interface. "What, no place to type your name in? That's weird."

Pause. "'I agree with the Terms'- Oh, whatever, no one reads those anyways. I'll just check it. There's nothing really - HOLY CARSTON."

I just reached the Trait Selection screen. There must have been hundreds of them. "Choose 10 starter traits for your character." Hmmm....

... That took forever.

I finally decided on the following Traits: [Alchemy] [Throw] [Eagle Eye] [Enchant] [Archery] [Crafting] [Mixing] [Mana Control] [Mana Talent] [Combining]

What am I aiming for? Nothing, really. Just a solo character, with a few ranged attacks. Lots of experimentation, a bit of potioning... Alchemist, maybe?

I saved the data into the visor and turned off the computer as I heard the garage door open. I hid the visor out of sight, and began to walk downstairs as the front door opened once more.

"Nio! Where's dinner?" a gruff voice barked.

"If you want a full dinner, then you'll have to wait." I responded with almost equal hostility.

"Nio, did you finish all your homework?" A calmer voice called out.

"Yes, Mom. If you guys are okay with leftovers, there's some Neapolitan in the fridge to eat for now."

I heard a loud bang, then the buzz of the microwave.

"Excuse me, I need to eat. Hurry up!" My dad stood next to me, arms crossed.

"Aren't you supposed to be providing for me, by law?" I muttered.

"Only my law applies under this roof. Besides, you need to learn to fend for yourself."

"I learned that three years ago." I muttered. I whipped up a meal for two, then started walking upstairs.

"Come down and eat with us!" my father barked. I stopped, then grudgingly shuffled back down and set myself some food.

I ate quietly, trying to avoid any conversation.

"So why did you suddenly decide to make the pasta today?" It was my dad. A lie would get me killed, a truth would get me slightly less masticated.

I went with a truth. "My friends came over for lunch." A fork clattered loudly on a ceramic plate.

"What... did you just say?" My dad's voice sounded restrained. I knew what was coming, but I couldn't avoid it.

"My friends came over-"

"You let those white corruptors into our house?! What have I told you about having white friends for the past seven years? White people will only delude you and cheat you out of everything you have. They're already mooching off of your cooking and telling you to take breaks, what will you become? They all have connections to get jobs. You need to work for yours! And those white heathens are godless sinners who have rejected our wonderful God's mercy and protection for temporary pleasures and downfalls. You should stay with our friends' kids, they know what's good! All you do is mimic those lazy monkeys these days. If I hear that you're meeting those pale dictators once more, I'm cutting you off! You can go live in an apartment somewhere, and then understand what evil your "friends" have done!"

"They were saying thanks-"

"What did I say? "Beware those geeks bearing gifts!""

"It's "Greeks bearing gifts," honey. And leave him be, he's worked hard enough this year already." My mother's voice washed over me like the climate control on a hot day. I wish I understood how my mom came to love and marry my dad. It's truly beyond me; he moved us to California, into a white-dominant community, to complain about the fact that his son has white friends. He has white co-workers who he is totally cool with, but his son can't be.

"Not enough. He hasn't finished-"

"-my summer homework and extra practice, which I completed precisely four hours ago." I cut off, trying to make the fact clear.

"Well, did you finish memorizing the Pre-Mediated Pre-Calculus textbook?"

"That doesn't even exi-"

"Did you?"

"No, but that's beside the point-"

"What about the AAP Biophysical Science textbook?"

"There is no way that I will fit 1,953 pages' worth of information into my head!"

"You don't know until you try!"

"For God's sake, you have no boundaries-" I ducked as I heard a whistling sound. My dad's fist swung right over my head.

"Cortana, kick Nidal out of his chair!"

My chair automatically pulled away from the table and bucked me out of it. My back slammed against the laminate flooring. I rolled to my feet, groaning in pain.

"How dare you use God's name in vain!" My father has veins bulging in his neck and forehead. "Cortana, send Nidal to his room!"

The whirring of a drone suddenly screeches above me, and soon four mechanical arms are restraining me and lifting me off the ground. I left myself hang limp, knowing I couldn't fight anything.

"Lock him in, allowing only one trip to the bathroom!"

Cortana set me gently down on my bed, then proceeded to lock my room down.

I sat on my bed, helplessly watching as Cortana magnetized my door, gated the window, and set a counter for bathroom visits. "God, this is why I don't try to believe in you anymore." I muttered. The digital analog clock face maintained 21:30 on its screen. I kept staring at it until the 0 changed into a 1.

"Well, I guess I'll clean up and sleep." I reorganized my room, pushing the visor somewhere so that even Cortana can't find it. I used my one trip to wash up, then got into bed after a quick wardrobe change.

"Anatta, please turn off my lights." Anatta was like Cortana, but could only act within my room. It has many more functions in compensation for this cost. (How would I know that? I made Anatta.) The light dimmed to nothing, plunging my room into absolute darkness. I stared into the empty black.

"Yup, totally loving life right now."