Chapter 2: The weekend
The next morning, I wake up to the sound of our allowances in envelopes being pushed under our door. "Hey! Money's here.", Virginia happily observes.
"If it is our money, why can't they give it to us all at once?", Ellen complains. Ellen seems to like complaining… "Probably a trust issue due to airheads running out of money on the first day and complaining about it for the rest of the year.", I answer absent-minded. "Well, that might teach people to plan ahead", Ellen argues.
"This way still teaches people to plan ahead. If you want to buy anything really cool, you've gotta save up. But you're missing the important part! It's Saturday and that means a trip to the mall!", Virginia comments. "I didn't know you like spending your money so much", I answer instinctively.
"I don't. But it's great to get out and look at something other than school for a while, isn't it? Also they have ice cream. And penny candy. And really big cinnamon cookies. And – ", "We get the idea", Ellen interrupts. "Since I've been there before. I can show you guys around", "What about studying?", Ellen asks. "You have plenty of time for that during the week, right Elise?", Virginia turns to me. I debate with myself, whether to go to the mall or study. I'm quite the studious type and don't feel stressed out yet, even though I should feel a bit stressed considering the game's attribute system, but I haven't seen the mall yet and wouldn't like exploring it on my own. "Sure, I'd love to go to the mall with you", I finally answer Virginia. "Great! Ellen?", Virginia turns to her. "I guess it's okay. But you ought to have a good breakfast before you look at ice cream!" And with that we decided to go to the mall. Seeing all the students walking around while wearing their magic robes, without attracting attention, sure is a strange sight. After getting a cookie in the café with Virginia, I visit the magical shop. As I watch the illusion of a dead end crumble into the sight of the magic shop 'Marvellous Magical Accoutrements', I can't help but be amazed. So magical. Awesome.
I try on the fairy wings. So cool. Such a pity that I can't afford them. I wonder, if I really become cuter just by wearing them. I observe my reflection in a mirror… nope, just looks weird on me. At least in my opinion. Such a pity. I try on the bat wings. They make me look like a demon, but definitely suit me better than the fairy wings due to my dark red hair. With a sigh I put them back. Then I spot the glasses. Can they make me smarter? It's ridiculous, but hey, this IS a magic store after all.
I put them on. I somehow get the feeling, that they help me concentrate a bit, like it is easier to focus with them on. Awesome, though it's not much, they would definitely help with studying, so I have to buy them, once I have enough money. Apart from the items mentioned in the game, the magic shop also sells various instruments for unknown purposes. I have seen them in the classrooms before, I wonder how and for that you use them.
After I browsed through the items of the magic store, it's already time to return to the academy.
The rest of the evening I spent in our room, chatting with Ellen and Virginia a bit and contemplating my situation. During the week, I was occupied with my classes and my head was cramped with my new knowledge about magic, so I was too tired to think about this mess, I somehow landed myself in.
It feels so strange, to suddenly become another person. Before entering the game's world, I was a nineteen-year-old, twenty-year-old? How old was I again? I don't remember. Scary. Well, I was at least older than sixteen, but younger than twenty-five. And I was female, so at least my gender hasn't changed. I studied microbiology, though I don't remember in which semester I was. In Germany. I was German. And suddenly I have problems with speaking my mother tongue.
Seems like my avatar learned a bit of German in high school. At least I can still speak a bit of German, and my English naturally got better… I have to stay positive, right? To suddenly study magic, well… it is awesome, I guess. But the fact, that this is the world in a game... The thought, that I might not have a free will anymore… I mean, I don't mind following the game's choices, if it suits me, but at the same time, I don't want to be constricted into the game's choices. A way to change would probably be simply acting weird as f***, but I want to avoid social obliteration as well. Also, being weird isn't necessary behaving 'outside of the box', as you could 'raise' your weirdness or your cuteness in the game. After some deliberation, I conclude, that I will simply act however I see fit, trying to break the game's flow by 'thinking outside of the box' from time to time, just to see what happens and if I could reach an end apart from the predetermined ends from the game. Apart from my 'experiments', I will use my knowledge about the game for my advantage, should the predetermined events still occur. As I have sorted out, how to behave in this weird situation, my mind is finally a bit at peace, and I go to bed. It's been a long day…
The next morning, I wake up feeling somewhat refreshed. It's Sunday. Yei . Now, what to do? We're not allowed any electronic devices after all.
Such a pity, it would be interesting to see, how much the internet here has in common with my previous world. Like in term of pop culture and stuff. What year is it anyways? Suddenly I miss my old home. Without the possibility to listen to whatever music I like, or play any computer games, or reading some internet manga or something similar, I have no idea how to spend my time. Well, I liked reading, so maybe read a book? I am used to just going with the flow, otherwise I probably would have more problems with adjusting to my new environment, so it shouldn't be too difficult to find something to spend my time with. I decide to go for a walk, the campus gardens are quite pretty, and I enjoy spending time in nature. I lived rather rural, before I started going to university after all.
I follow a path away from the main buildings to find some fields, perfect for playing outside. Definitely have to do that with Virginia's sport club sometime. Joining the sports club follows the game's path, but I do want to do some sport, in order to stay fit. Also, I like sport and it's a good counterweight for studying.
Up ahead I see Virginia, standing next to a pink-haired girl with fairy wings. That must be Pastel. "- mostly girls this year, isn't it?", she asks Virginia. Right, I walked straight into one of the game's events. Creepy, how these events unfold just like in the game. "Yeah. Both my roommates are", answers Virginia. Did she seriously expect a male roommate? And aren't the dorms divided into male and female? Female horses, male wolves etc.? Which reminds me… in what dorms do genderless students get sorted? Are they allowed to choose, whether they prefer to stay with females or males? Or does this school not have genderless students?
Since other magical beings apart from humans are admitted, it would be kind of discriminating not to admit genderless magical beings.
Or beings with a third gender or whatever. "That could be a problem, eventually.", answers Pastel as expected. "Well, maybe more of us should drop out ", comments Virginia. "Well, the other way would be more fun." "Maybe for you it would", Pastel answers with a laugh. I shortly consider joining the conversation, just to spite the game, but decide against it. I'm not really interested anyway. After my walk I go to the library to find a good book to read, but their collection of fictional books is rather disappointing. They do have some books about magic though. I look through some of these books, but since I don't know much about magic yet, I find them too difficult to read. There are also a few books about magical rites and stuff, but they seem to be awfully specific and not suited for clueless wild seeds like me.
I decide to head back to my room after lunch and sort my magic notes. Most sixteen year olds would probably find it difficult to freely study on their own, as it isn't really required in school, because the teachers decide for you, which exercises you have to do for you, but in university the students are more independent in studying. Rather than teaching you the material, the lectures show you, what you have to know, at least that's how it felt for me.
Due to this, I'm already used to teaching myself, however it still remains more difficult than being taught by a teacher. That being said, it wasn't too difficult to bring myself to revise what I have learned and make more organized notes. I was still bored after dinner; I should definitely find something to do in my free time next week. By the way, I'm not writing a diary. I used to try writing it as a child, but would always forget writing anything in it. Maybe I should try again, like in the game, it could be useful for dealing with the events. Such a pity, that I never took note of the dates in the game, so I have no idea when which events will unfold.
I was always bad with remembering dates anyways…