In Another Life

Chapter 4

Discovery

I've never been more confused in my life. Lost and drifting, barely able to surface for air. Kind of like what happened when Luna tossed me into the lake to teach me to swim. Dad had to resuscitate me.

But here, I was rescued by people I couldn't even name. I wasn't me. And no one was acting like they realized something was wrong. Which doesn't surprise me. These people were practically voids of magic. One or two of them seemed to have power, but nothing more then what a local fortune teller would have. Gourry had more magic potential. I could just cry. Actually I was pretty close. I had a translation spell on me that I couldn't break and I was unable to access ANY of my magic. Crying seems very much in order.

A friend of the person they believed me to be- Jaime, came up to me quite quickly. I had gotten off the bus and been wandering about cluelessly when someone had cried her name and then attached themselves like a bur to me. Tall, dark haired- - and as busty as Nahga. I should know. She practically drowned me in her chest. I behaved as well as possible, under the circumstances, and she seemed to treat my outburst/explosion as a normal day thing.

Perhaps this Jaime had a bit of a temper too.

So now here I am, standing, surrounded by a group of young adults. All dressed oddly (one person was shaved bald except for the center row on his head, which was a bright pink and spiked), well, compared to the people passing around us. As I stand listening to them talk about things I could never hope to understand I feel a sudden tug, a pull- and I put out a hand steadying myself by holding onto the arm of the large chested girl.

"James, you okay?" she asks, she's concerned.

"Yah... just a bit dizzy. I'm good now." I assure her.

No I'm not. Something pulled magic from me, and the very air around me feels heavier. As if the void wants to take advantage of my weakened state. I concentrate on shielding myself (which is not easy) and take a deep breath. Another bus pulls in front of us. The people who had been milling about were dispersing, perhaps because of the bell I heard go off. Now I'm being herded onto another bus. Oh Joy. The girl says good bye and I climb on confused. Is it time to leave?

I am wrong.

Twenty minutes later I'm in front of ANOTHER building. Smaller and more worn. And I am no more less confused then when I woke up this morning. Surely, this is hell.

"So did you finish your story?" A boy with thick puffy hair walks up to me. He's wearing a blue shirt with an odd spider on it.

"Story? Er... I guess."

"I had a tough time picking a hero. At least your's was easy. Even if she isn't real."

"Hnh." I make a sound of indifference. I decide to follow him. Here's hoping I'm right. Everyone seems to be going in different directions.

I follow him into the small building, down two hallways, out of the building, down a ramp, and to a small building. Smaller then the one behind me. Bigger then a farmers house though. He enters in without knocking and I follow. There's rows of tables and chairs (they all look old and abused), on several tables are big boxes- - this looks like a room for classes!

"Okay everyone take your seats and grab a piece of paper and a pen or pencil! Today's daily journal will be this: What's one of the happiest memories you've ever had? You have five minutes then I want you all to turn in your papers on what you would do if you got to spend the day as your favorite hero."

The woman is absolutely on a level of cheerfullness that even Amelia hasn't reached. I sigh and look about confused. What should I do?

"Here," the boy I walked in with gives me a sheet of thin parchment (with lines on it. Weird.) and then tosses a small stick at me. What the? I look at him. He's writing with a duplicate... but the ink is coming directly from the writing implement. I hesitantly touch the tip of it to the paper and move it in a downward stroke. It glides smoothly and in it's wake is a blue line. I gape. I spend the next few minutes test writing this amazing instrument when the teacher tells everyone that the time is up. The boy next to me stretches, looks at my paper, and freezes.

"What the hell is that?" he asks.

"Erm... was just writing." I glance at his paper. I can't understand it at- - oh my god. I've seen this type of writing before.

"In what langauge?" he asks, he looks confused.

I hesitate, "Mine."

"Right." he rolls his shoulders and turns away from me.

The class doesn't have more then eighteen students so she has us read our 'entries'. I make up a quick lie and end up with Anthony (the teacher said each persons name before they read, and that was the name of the boy I walked in with) looking at me oddly.

As soon as we're ordered to take out our papers he turns to me, "You hate fishing. In fact you said you've never went fishing before." Sheesh, for someone who's just a friend he sure sounds like I betrayed him.

"It was recent. I guess I liked it more than I thought I would." I reply stiffly. I dig through the back back, but have trouble trying to open it. There are no latches or ties. In fact it's a strange device the is made of some metal teeth all lined in a row. I pull out a binding of a sort and dig through it. "Hey, uh, Anthony," the name feels strange to say, "Can you help me find my paper?"

He glances over. "I think it would be that one. You know, the one that says 'A Day In The Life Of Lina Inverse'." sheesh this kid is sarcastic. Wait.

WHAT!

I look at the paper. This... oh my god.

"What does it say!" I demand, the person on my other side glances at me like I'm nuts but I'm busy trying to stare down Anthony.

"You want me to read it?" he asks slowly. I nod. "Okay... 'I stretch my body languidly, I'm tired, I don't want to get out of bed, but I know I have to get ready for school.'. Not really the best way to start the story. And I guess it's okay, though it sounds odd hearing it in present tense from a persons point of view."

"What else does it say?" I am practically about to strangle him.

He reads the two pieces of paper quietly (others around us are doing last minute fixes and the like) and I feel my world go cold. Some girl... in my body. Pudgy. Brown hair and eyes. Short- -

She has my body! I want it back!

I feel a tug, a sharp one, pull from inside me. My magic! It's being- - I stand up suddenly, not that there is anything I can physically fight to stop whatever is happening from happening. It hurts- - a wave of vertigo washes over me and I stumble over my chair and fall to the ground, my right hand breaks my fall before the rest of my body hits the ground. My vision goes black- - then white-