Maggie: Has a fight about friendship


    School used to be such a big thing in my life, even if my social life was a complete disaster. But now?


    However, now? It''s just something I do to fill in the time until my next adventure. Go through the motions, study the material, and pass the tests. Moreover, I don''t bother anymore to interact with the other students. I don''t even worry about them.


    In fact, what am I even going to school for?


    I suppose, so that I can get into university, and thus earn some degree to allow me to have a productive job.


    What a bother. On the one hand, aiming for a job in the distant future isn''t much use if I get killed or turned into a brainwashed clone before I get there. But, on the other hand, I actually would like to survive and get to that distant future. So, I guess I had better keep on studying, even if it is hard to give it my full attention when so much is happening elsewhere.


    At least I don''t have to worry about my lack of friends.


    Wow, no, I don''t have to worry about being alone, that''s for sure.


    Even if some of my new companions are - unusual. Hmm, actually, aren''t most of them unusual? Maybe even all of them? Including me?


    Whatever. It''s my friendship group now, even if the process of getting them was - well - unusual.


    Does Esmeralda, the Angel of Death, also count as a member of my friendship group? Now that''s a strange notion. I''ve never met her myself, but Sarsaparilla and Teylon both have. Hmm, I suppose one could say she is a friend of a friend. Actually saying she is a friend is not really correct, more like she has some sort of working relationship with two of my friends. Or something.


    Yeah, I have friends.


    They just ain''t quite normal.


    But I''ll take it.


    Frankly, I could study this faster by making notes directly from the assigned textbook, without having to sit through the lecture.


    Maybe I should enter my notes directly to my wristband - but I personally think handwriting them adds a bit of extra boost to the memory...


    My least favourite cleaning duty. Everyone is still present and get in the way, and I have to sort of interact with them. What a nuisance. But, if it''s not done, there will be scraps of food and rubbish left over for the entire afternoon, until the main end of day clean up.


    Sigh.


    Excuse me? What''s he going on about?


    Wait a moment, is he trying to imply that those arguments in the past were all my fault? Like hell!


    twits keep stirring things up?"


    Why am I having this argument?


    Well, that confrontation certainly disappeared real fast. And it wasn''t anything that anyone else did. It was just me deciding not to care.


    Maybe all of those conflicts weren''t entirely caused by the others. Maybe it was my reactions that contributed to them.


    In fact...


    Maybe it was mostly my own reactions that caused them?


    How depressing. Does that mean I was sabotaging my own chances all along?


    Even more depressing, does that mean it was obvious to all of the others. How embarrassing.


    Here I was, thinking that Jaydonen, amongst others, was a horrible little puffed up bully, stuffing up my social life, when in fact he was, well, just being a bit unpleasant, a bit abrasive, and merely triggering my own self destructive urges.


    Bloody hell, I''m going to have to do a lot more thinking about this topic. How painful. Why does life have to be so difficult?


    Also, while we''re on this acknowledgement of unpleasant truths, maybe my personality is also a bit abrasive?


    Shit. Turn the page so no one can see it.


    I certainly didn''t have any plans on going to the theatre night by myself - that would be a painful experience. But, why not ask my friends if some would like to come along? Definitely not to show of to my fellow students, of course! Well, maybe just a small amount. Just to rub their noses in the fact that I can keep friends. Not that it really matters if they believe I have friends or not.


    Oh, quit fooling yourself, Maggie.


    I really want to show off my new friends.


    And, I suppose, it could be interesting to see this new girl friend Water Lily. Strange name. Although not too interesting, since I really don''t care one way or another about Jaydonen.


    Just as long as he acknowledges that I really do have friends.


    Maggie: Proposing a social event


    Let''s see, Teylon will always agree to anybody''s proposal for a group activity, so I''ll ask him directly first.


    Got them! Judging from their looks, that is exactly what they have.


    She''s got that evil grin on her face again. Who gets to sit next to whom, yeah I can see why that would appeal to her warped sense of humour.


    Of course.


    My, that was funny, seeing Leroy desperately wanting to say he wanted to sit next to Kaydence, without actually saying anything. Fortunately, Sarsaparilla was on his side.


    Understandable.


    Bet you he wants to sit next to me. But, not everyone can have what they want, and, well, what do I want... I suppose I don''t have a strong preference?


    Is this going to get awkward?


    Obviously Juniper is missing all of the fine nuances here. I don''t think the others are, apart from Kaydence, of course.


    Teylon is starting to look as if he might be having second thoughts about all of this. Well, tough luck!


    Oh, maybe I can throw him a bone to keep him happy. After all, he has to sit next to two killer ladies.


    Maggie: Showing off to Jaydonen


    There he is! Jaydonen, with his own friendship group, and a girl who must be Water Lily. Ha, his poor little group only adds up to six.


    Every other woman in my group has bigger breasts than me. But, I suppose it can''t be helped. I might as well make the most of what I''ve got. Hmm, Erasyl doesn''t seem to mind... Oh, stop thinking of him like that, it''s stupid.


    Besides which, my dress is obviously much higher quality than Lily''s.


    Poor girl, she doesn''t have a rich old man buying her stuff - wait, that sounds a bit dubious.


    Let''s not mention who paid for all of this.


    Hee hee, he looks slightly taken back.


    both of us!" said Lily.


    Men are such suckers from a woman''s wiles.


    I think Erasyl is still annoyed at being called out about his behaviour.


    This is the fun part.


    Oh so smooth and genial. Now if Erasyl could only learn a few tricks like that...


    special lady."


    I''m your special lady?" said Sarawatch, with a little bit of snark in her voice. She was currently hanging off Teylon''s right arm.


    not perfect."


    you." said Sarawatch.


    This really sucks. Why couldn''t Juniper be saved in the same way that Kaydence was? But then, I suppose, Juniper is lucky to receive any supernatural help at all, let along as much as she did. From what Teylon has said, the angels aren''t allowed to intervene except in rare circumstances.


    Well, I think I have proven that I have friends!


    Huh, what the hell am I doing? What is that thing... Oh, shit.


    Shit, it''s a bomb of some sort.


    How did it get here... Forget about that for now. Concentrate on containing it.


    I can easily contain it, I should be able to levitate myself and it and move out... What the hell?


    Ah, Adalace must be reducing its temperature. Which means reducing its total energy. Her ability is really useful! Hmm, I suppose it must contain sufficient metal, probably ionised by now, for her ability to work on.


    Oh double shit, it is too. How is that even possible - fuck.


    Fuck, fuck, fuck, Juniper must be using her ability to shield us all from radiation.


    It''s some sort of mini nuclear bomb, probably the type they use for mining. And it''s getting hotter.