Static Reflections: Book 1 of The M... - Chapter 22: Chapter 22

Nick left the room that Iwai and his new Mentor, Richard, were in, closing the door gingerly behind him. Victor was standing aside, waiting.
"Finally met him, huh?" The polar bear shot him a small smile.
"Yep," the hyena nodded as they began the trip back to his room.
"And how was it? Spill the beans."
"I don't like beans," Nick responded. "It didn't go at all like I expected, though."
"Whaddya mean?"
They turned a corner and began ascending the stairs there. "He's nothing like any teacher I've ever had before."
"What do you mean? I haven't met the guy because no one's allowed to really talk to him."
Nick scratched his cheek with his claws. "Well . . . it's like just talking to me was hard for him. I mean, he almost freaked out back there. It's kinda worrying."
"You're right. That's nothing like I've ever heard before," Victor said. "Is he okay?"
"Eh, it'll just take time. Iwai told me a little about it, so it's not like he didn't warn me."
"And you're sure you want him as your Mentor after that?"
Nick looked back for a moment. "Yeah."
"But why?" Victor asked, looking up from a lower stair.
"What, I'm just gonna throw him to the side because he has some issues? He deserves a chance as much as anyone. Plus, there's something about him, but I can't put my finger on it. Like this energy that's there, but you can't see it."
Victor continued following behind him as they continued up to the floor Nick currently stayed on. The stamping of their shoes on the steps was the only other sound. "Energy? Like supernatural energy?"
"I dunno," Nick shrugged. "I just felt it. He intrigues me."
"Did anything else happen in there? When's your first training?"
"No clue," Nick answered. "I didn't have time to really say anything before Iwai asked me to leave."
"Huh." Victor was quiet after that.
The duo reached their destination, and Nick turned to him. "Always good talking to you, Vic. See you tomorrow morning?"
"As always!" The polar bear grinned, nodding. "Bye, Nick."
The hyena opened the door, waving and then closing himself off in the room. His mind still raced with all the possibilities that could happen due to Richard's state, and he tried to prepare for all of them mentally.
As always, he spent the rest of the day brushing up on Mortal Guard knowledge, stuff out of the required courses and whatnot, until it was time for dinner. After ordering a warm plate of spaghetti and talking to Flip for a while, he decided to go to sleep early to see what awaited him the next day.
As per usual, there was a knock on the door to wake him up. The tired hyena rose and groggily shuffled toward the door, unlocking it and pulling it open to find not Victor but Richard standing there.
He was wearing a brown jacket on top of the clothes he had been wearing the day before, strange-looking boots, and an orange armband with the Creature Hunting Sect's symbol on it.
"Morning . . ." Nick said, looking up at his weary brown eyes with the dark rings around them. Those eyes held many secrets, he could tell.
"Good morning, Nicholas," the raccoon said. "May I come in?"
The other animal looked back into the small, rather bare room and scratched the back of his head. "Uh . . . are you even allowed to?"
"Certainly," Richard answered simply.
Nick stepped aside. "Uh, yeah, come on in. I just woke up, so, you know, brain function is at a low."
"That's fine," the raccoon told him, walking forward and inside, placing himself on the couch. He turned his head to look at his trainee.
Nick shut the door and glanced back at him. "What is it?"
"I wanted to visit you and apologize for how I behaved yesterday. It was unbefitting of a Mentor, and I'll do my best not to repeat the mistake." His large bushy tail curled up on the couch.
"Huh?" Nick looked at him like he couldn't understand what he was saying.
"I let my personal feelings get in the way of my professional courtesy. I just wanted to let you know it won't happen again."
The hyena shook his head. "No, no, no, no."
"No?" Richard raised a brow.
"Flip?" Nick pressed the button on the tiny Hephaestus Bot, reaching it from where he was standing.
"Good morning, Nick. How may I help you?" Flip responded.
"Order us two hot earl grey teas, please," the hyena ordered. "That's all."
Richard raised his hands. "Oh, no, that's fine."
"Well, it's too late, so now you're stuck here," Nick grinned. "Anyway, you don't need to apologize to me for being affected by what you went through."
Richard shook his head. "Well, I feel that work comes first, and to be the best Mentor I can be, I want to maintain a professional attitude."
Even as he talked, Nick could tell he was anxious. The hyena sighed, looking down. "Just know you don't have to." He came over and sat next to him on the other side of the couch, pulling his legs up and resting his chin on his knees. "I never got to ask yesterday . . . When's my first training, anyway?"
"Oh, we'll begin today," Richard responded, keeping his hands in his lap. "That's another reason I came, but I came a little earlier so I could apologize."
"And now we're gonna have tea," Nick chuckled.
There was the artificial sound of a bell, and Flip's panel slid up, revealing two mugs on a platter inside the compartment. Nick quickly got up and grabbed it, handing Richard his and then sitting down again, crisscrossed.
"Thank you, Nicholas," Richard said, looking down into the white ceramic mug that was utterly generic. The brown liquid inside looked good enough, some tea leaf remnants resting at the bottom of the cup. "I happen to enjoy tea quite a lot."
"Then I chose right!" Nick cheered. "I've been here for ages and still haven't tried it here."
"It's very adequate." Richard lifted the mug to his lips, sipping carefully.
Nick watched his slow movements, still feeling that peculiar energy from earlier. He took a sip of the drink, barely getting any but not wanting to burn his throat. "So . . ." He smacked his lips. "I actually used to drink soda all the time, but when they extracted a part of my Soul, I lost my sweet tooth entirely."
"Is that so?" Richard looked forward, eyes shifting as he thought. "I don't know what I lost, honestly."
"Really?"
"Yes. I could never figure it out."
"Huh." Nick took another sip. "I'm glad you aren't freaking out at me over my perfect test score. That's a relief."
"It's not that I don't think it's admirable," Richard explained. "You've clearly retained the vast knowledge in the courses. I suppose I was a bit distracted with other thoughts at the time."
Nick laughed softly. "That's for sure. But I'm glad because I don't want all these animals constantly congratulating me on something I just want to get done. I mean, even at this moment, I want to be licensed. But I'll wait as long as it takes, of course."
Richard set his mug down on the table and leaned his head on his palm, elbow resting on the arm of the couch. "Of course. Speaking of animals, have you met any of your fellow Institute members? That is to say, do you have any friends?"
Nick turned his head to the side. "I've met some of them in the physical lessons, but . . . my friends aren't here. Besides Nora."
Richard raised his brows. "How do you mean, Nicholas?"
"I mean that Water on Fire--my band, my friends--is in the Mortal Realm. It feels like a betrayal to forget about them for someone else. Plus, I just need to focus."
"But you know you can't see them again, right?" the raccoon asked, genuinely worried this hyena somehow might truly believe he was going back one day.
"I know . . . ." He huffed. "Sorry . . . I mean, I keep trying to just get over it, and it's literally been like two months in this dimension, and I still can't. Like, I had a whole world I built out there, you know. A lot of hard work and relationships! And it's all just gone. For nothing."
"But it wasn't for nothing," Richard pointed out. "You built a legacy for your Double to take over. You're still doing everything out there."
"But it's not me . . . ." Nick rubbed his nose. "And no one knows. I just . . . What about your Double? What's he doing?"
The raccoon was silent for a moment. ". . . I don't have one."
Nick had read about this before. It wasn't often, but some members didn't have Doubles if they didn't have any relationships before getting into the Mortal Guard or if their Double passed away somehow. After all, Doubles weren't immune to the horrors of the world.
The Other Side even attacked some Doubles, and Mortal Guard members had to go on cases for something of the organization's creation. It was all rather complicated when one thought about it.
"I won't ask," Nick sighed.
"All you need to know is that he's deceased," Richard spoke softly as if he was mourning someone he knew. Well, it was himself he was mourning.
Nick shuddered, finding the concept macabre. "Yes, sir."
"You don't need to call me, sir." Richard grabbed his drink and had some more. Now that it had cooled down a bit, he took a bigger sip than before. "I already told you that yesterday."
"Oh, uh, right." Nick scratched his thigh. "Sorry." He grabbed his mug and gulped down the rest of his drink. He had to admit, it was strange having a visitor after only Victor ever coming in. Strange but welcome. "I have a question."
"What is it?"
"After our training is done and I'm licensed, what's your plan?"
Richard looked down, in thought again. ". . . I'm not sure."
"'Cuz I know the option to keep you as my partner or let them find me a new one is what's next."
"Is there a point you want to make, Nicholas?"
Nick nodded, messing with the mug in his hands absent-mindedly. "Yeah. I hope I influence your side of the decision, somehow. I plan to behave . . . with a side of mischief."
"Pardon?"
"What? Being a goodie-two-shoes is boring. We'll never have fun that way. Gotta spice it up with a pinch of risk, yeah?" Nick smirked.
Richard felt intimidated. "I suppose. I believe that after you're graduated, I'll return to my work as part of Truth."
"You're in the Truth Sect, too?"
"Yes. I study different types of media to determine whether the supernatural presence within is factual. I became close with Iwai because of the overlap with Truth and Creature Hunting. I enjoy that work."
"What about Creature Hunting? Being a hunter?"
"I'm not quite ready for the front lines," Richard said.
Nick clicked his tongue. "We should get going. You're all about work, so I say we get working."
Richard nodded, not even providing the faintest smile. He stood up, keeping his mug. "I'll take this with me."
"Should I get changed?"
Richard shook his head. "The pajamas you're wearing are fine for today. Come along."
Nick followed as Richard opened the door, and they stepped out together. "So, there's a training hall here?"
"Yes," the raccoon answered. "Onward. Let's not waste time."
They arrived at a huge, gymnasium-looking room with blue mats lining the walls and ceilings. The floor had a more rigid, light blue foam material that covered the expanse of the ground space. There weren't any lights that Nick could see, but somehow something lit the large room. There was only one entrance, which was the one that lay behind them.
Richard walked to the left of Nick and pointed with his dark finger.
Nick turned his head to the right, noticing a Hephaestus Bot there that reflected the one from the Chinese restaurant. It was holding a thick clear bag of clothing along with a pair of boots on top.
The robot came closer, its face unmoving as always. "Greetings, Nick."
"Hey, Flip."
"Here, I have your Mortal Guard garments and Gravity Boots. These belong to you permanently, and once you're licensed, you'll get more, minus the Gravity Boots." It stood in front of Nick, slowly holding the clothes out.
The hyena took it, the bag crinkling loudly as he tried to balance the boots on top. He hugged it close to him.
Richard spoke from behind him. "Go ahead and put them on. There's a bathroom just outside the entrance."
Nick nodded and spun on his heel, rather eager to put on the outfit he had seen so much on the animals of Prostasia.
Walking into the simple white bathroom, he didn't bother going into the stall before stripping down to only his underwear and socks. He pulled on the gray pants, leaving them unzipped and unbuttoned. Inserting each arm into the white button-up, the hyena used the mirror and fussed with the buttons as he closed the shirt. He left the top open, so it wasn't closed around his neck.
Nick grabbed the red tie that signified he was unlicensed and wrapped around his neck, crisscrossing and pulling until it looked right. Picking up the brown jacket, he put it on until he realized it went down to just above his knees, similar to Richard's.
Sitting down on his butt and pulling his tail from under him, he shoved his feet into each boot, one after the other until they were on. His first note was that they were very comfortable, thankfully. His second note was that he liked how stylish they were.
Observing himself in the mirror one last time and straightening the tie, Nick smiled as he admired how nice the outfit looked. He returned outside and found Richard turned around. "Hey, I got them on."
The raccoon spun to face him. "You look very professional."
Nick bowed. "Why, thank you, good sir."
Richard reached into his pocket and pulled out an armband that was the same orange as the one he donned on his left arm. "Put this in the same place as the one I have on and make sure you have the design facing outward."
Nick accepted it from him and opened the loop, sliding his hand through and pulling it along the length of his arm until it stopped right before his shoulder. Moving his limb to glance at the design, Nick realized that it was the shield above the Creature Hunting Sect's entrance. On the shield's left side was an "M," and on the right was a "G."
Richard nodded. "That's TempRes fabric. It's on all of the clothes you wear. You won't feel cold or heat while wearing it. It enchants your entire body so that you won't feel it on your head, either. You could go in a volcano or the arctic with it, but you can't go deep underwater because it doesn't negate pressure."
"Sweet," Nick grinned.
Richard gestured to the hyena's boots. "On your feet, you have Gravity Boots, which will let you run on walls and ceilings as long as they are flat. They also enchant your body to change the gravity, so your clothes and insides shift with it."
Nick snorted. "You know I already knew that, right?"
The raccoon paused, scratching his cheek. "I-I knew that. I was just reiterating."
"Ha-ha."
Richard sighed. "Anyway, let's begin with the basics."