InterGalaxia (On Hold)

II

Tian Anjing woke up from the darkness, feeling the softness of a bed under him. Sitting up, he took in the room and its furnishings. There was a single bed in the left-hand corner, which he was sprawled out on. The only other pieces of furniture in the room is a desk and chair on a rug pushed up against the right-hand wall. There was no windows and no doors, a completely enclosed space with a beige and burgundy colour scheme. I'm beginning to notice a theme and pattern here, thought Tian Anjing. He reclined back into his bed with his arms folded behind his head. A slight 'pop' sounded in the quiet room half an hour later and the token casually tossed on the desk started glowing intermittently. Tian Anjing just looked at it from his position on the bed and rolled his eyes to look at the ceiling, happening to notice a piece of white paper appear and start falling down in a see-saw motion like a leaf. The paper landed on top of some folded white clothes that also suddenly appeared. Things appearing and disappearing without notice is something I will have to get used to, I suppose. 

Getting up to check the paper's contents, he wasn't surprised that it was a note from Drea. "Don't forget to wear these robes throughout your stay, it's a Company approved uniform to identify you. If you're not wearing them, the security bots placed throughout the station will think you're a trespasser and you will be eliminated, your soul obliterated so you can never again go through the cycle of reincarnation. Just a helpful reminder ( >^< ) - Drea". The emoticon on the end just sealed the deal even more, he did not like Drea. Changing into his robes with just enough time to spare to grab his key chain, Tian Anjing was once again in total darkness. He became aware that he was seated in a chair God knows when all he knew was that it happened at some point. So, the passage of time can't be identified when in the transportation process, the instinctual body clock within the body that guesses that it has been seconds, minutes, hours or even days was definitely turned off. Then again, I did read somewhere that the passage of time the body perceives is just based on the movement of light so considering it was pitch black darkness, it wouldn't be so far fetched an idea. Interesting. 

Tian Anjing snapped out of his contemplation when he heard a distinctive groan from beside him. Eyeing up his surroundings, he took note that this room is also windowless and doorless, an auditorium used for lectures with rows and rows of desks ascending as far as the eye can see. Tian Anjing was seated the fourth row from the front on the left side of the room behind a small wooden desk and chair with a paper, pen and name tag laid directly in front of him. The person sat to his immediate right was a small, impish-looking man with an electric green fohawk fade hairstyle and wheat like skin. He was a pretty little thing, pink lips like cherry blossoms and narrow elongated eyes flashing hints of silver. With pierced ear lobes and cartilage, septum and spider bites, the boy was an acquired taste, that was for sure. 

Gazing around in dazed confusion, the boy shrank in on himself in insecurity. Feeling Tian Anjing's eyes on him, the boy turned to look at the man so brazenly staring him down. He was greeted with peach blossom eyes, limpid and black. The man's phoenix eyes stared at Tian Anjing as he drunk in the sight of him, familiarity sparkling in his eyes. Skin as white as snow, peach blossom eyes, raven hair caressing below the nape of the neck, red lips and a lithe body - just where had he seen this man? Eyes flickering down to the name tag on the man's desk, recognition came. The boy's eyes rounded comically like two golf balls and pointed a shaking finger in the man's direction. "Tian Anjing, it's Tian Anjing!" the boy shouted in sheer disbelief. Tian Anjing rose a brow and glanced at the other's name tag. "Well, Rudolph Fiennes, it's rude to point" he mused and pressed the boy's finger downwards until it touched his desk. Rudolph screwed up his face in disgust and pouted. "Don't call me Rudolph, I've had enough bullying for it throughout life. Call me Doll, that's what my friends called me" Rudolph, or rather Doll, stated with a hand outstretched to shake his hand.

 Tian Anjing blinked once, twice and then shook Doll's hand. Humming in consent, Tian Anjing turned to face the podium in the front of the room. During the little comedy duo act between Doll and Tian Anjing, the rest of the 'students' were transported into the room and the lecturer was already set up to lead the class as soon as everyone settled in. There were roughly 400 or so people including Tian Anjing within the room. "Alright, everyone's here. Let's begin the first lesson. Just a quick reminder. I'm sure everyone's Procter explained the rules and given everyone a key chain with a token attached and on that token are two buttons on the rear; one for the cafeteria and one for the rooms. When in class, this token will become ineffective unless in an emergency, which means you can't go off on your own. Don't make up some bull about needing the bathroom, you're souls now, no need to go anymore. The effect will be lifted when I leave the room. Other than that, any questions?" the lecturer cleared up. Tian Anjing hummed quietly. Indeed, he had a question but the boy next to him put up his hand before he could. The lecturer indicated to him to talk. "If we don't need the bathroom anymore, what's the use of eating then?" he questioned with a puzzled face. The lecturer measured him with a gaze of appreciation. "Good, looking between the lines, well done. Well, the food has two main reasons for being provided. One, as you were all once living beings, you needed food as sustenance and energy. Now that you are dead, you can think of your whole existence being close to moot. It's amazing the solace and comfort that food can bring people, something that can be considered a near constant in this changing scenery for you guys. The food is for mental comfort" the lecturer pointed out with one finger then slowly pointed out a second. With her opposite arm, the lecturer leaned an elbow on the podium in front of her, she pressed her chin into the palm of her hand as she rolled her eyes over everyone in the room.

"The second reason is for you guys to power up. As you've been notified, you've all gained the ability to absorb and cultivate spirit energy. At the moment you guys are newbies and have very little power, that's where these foods come in handy. These foods are pure spirit energy, what you derive your spirit force from. Basically, you intake the spirit energy, convert it to your own power and store a part of it within your body. The excess energy is released back into the world, a give and take. The part that stays is referred to as Spirit Force, as in a force in which you control. And the part that leaves is known as Spirit Energy, as in a force in which can't be integrated into your power. Both are natural forces but the composition is different". Realizing that she's going off on a tangent, the lecturer cleared her throat and stood up straight.

 "We'll get into that later. What we provide are these foods made up of pure spirit energy, created by Nature itself, to help you level up in a safe and controlled way before we send you off world hopping, it brings stability to your powers and also your soul itself as it's just a huge mass of spirit energy. Of course, these foods aren't free, they cost Company Credits. This is also another reason we elect to give each of you 1000C when you sign up so you can purchase these Spirit Energy Foods, SEFs for short, and other skills you might need before we send you off. But remember, it's only 1000C, they can disappear very fast so spend wisely" the lecturer concluded with a wink. 

"Now, let's get on with the lesson!"