I may have been a wee bit arrogant.
It has been a few months since I decided to create a new regime and it had been going great at first. I spend a wonderful time with the Williams, Sarah was a riot- she loved throwing food at us and had great aim as Eric could attest. School has started again unfortunately but that was expected, even the problem that came with being a year younger and showing the others up. The orphanage is as bad as always although I was right in presuming food was going to be an issue. Still, everything was on track.
Until today that is.
I was just going to Eric's classes when someone grabbed me and pulled me into an alley as I was distracted. They just threw me making me stumble a bit before I looked at them with hidden but growing concern. Three brats several years older than me looking at their size and they didn't look to be underfed like me. Hell, one was morbidly obese for God's sake.
And then they went on and on about how I was an arrogant, stuck-up kid with delusions regarding his betters- really who said that? - and how they would teach me how to never ignore a... sister, was it? I don't know, I've been ignoring them for the most part to think about how I'll get myself out of this.
I know it's a sibling at least, that must count for something?
Well, it tells me it's probably someone from my class who cried to their brother about how I've been ignoring them because they can't even do something as simple as multiplication.
And that my next pranking target is among them.
Regardless, I have been arrogant by letting my guard down. Everything had been going too well and that had made me too confident. So sure of myself that I could handle everything going my way. By now everyone in the orphanage knew not to mess with me. Even the older ones knew that even in greater numbers they would be the losing side in the end.
If my pranks didn't leave them humiliated and scolded, then my magic will do worse. Much worse.
That was the thing with connecting with my magic, it left me with more control but in turn it could influence me through my emotions.
I didn't mind that to be honest, it was my magic after all. It was a part of me that couldn't tolerate their actions. Even when I hurt them too much, I couldn't bring myself to regret it.
I always knew I wasn't a good person but to see it in action and not minding it was something else.
The leader said something before his face twisted and charged me.
I'm going to get hurt, won't I?
___________________
"Hey Etha- What the hell?!" Was the greeting I received when I stepped into the Eric's music room.
I couldn't blame him, my face hurt like hell and I'm sure I will have a black eye tomorrow. That was without talking about my arms and stomach. The fat bastard tackled me at one point and knocked the breath out of me. They went really ham on my ribs and it hurt a bit to breath but It could have been worse.
At least I left them in a worse state. And they ran away when I knocked out the leader. Not bad for a ten-and-a-half-year-old.
"Crap, come sit here. I'm gonna get an ice pack and the med kit." You don't have to sound so serious Eric, I'm sure you went through the same younger.
He guided me to a chair in the backroom before leaving. I slowly look around, noting the various instruments, most in various cases and some out for a bit of tuning or repairing. Eric did every repair work himself to save money, they needed it. They weren't poor but they certainly weren't rich either.
I made myself comfortable and reminisced about what Eric told me about the room. It was a third bedroom that he remodelled to this. It was close to the garage on the ground floor, so it made it easy to store some tools and by isolating the room a bit, it wouldn't wake Sarah from her naps.
My eyes swept over the workbench, recognizing the violin that Eric said he would teach me to repair. Its string had snapped in the last lesson and came close to hurting Daisy, the girl who had been borrowing it.
It was a shame too; I had been looking forward to it. I guess I will not be doing any of that today.
"Here Ethan, hold this to your head." He had come back without me knowing, handing me a bag filled with ice. "A bit higher- right there. I'm going to disinfect your wounds, okay? Especially your lips, you've a nasty wound there." So that was why I could taste blood.
He waited until I nodded before starting, "It's going to sting." He warned. It wasn't necessary, my head was pounding too much for me to feel it.
We stayed silent for a while, and I hoped that would be it but that wasn't to be.
"How did this happen?" He asked me quietly, face carefully blank and I couldn't stop myself from sighing.
"Three guys from the upper classes pulled me in an alley after school. I lowered my guard, so I didn't see them coming. Something about how I should learn to respect my betters and how I wouldn't disrespect a sibling after they taught me a lesson."
He frowned, "You were alone? Nobody helped you?"
"They pulled me pretty deep into the alley, the noise from everything else should have muffled any cry from help." Left unsaid how I was always alone and how I wouldn't have asked for help anyway.
He gave me a look, clearly knowing what I omitted before gently bandaging a cut on my cheek. "Right. Well, it doesn't look too bad. You will definitely have a black eye tomorrow; in fact, it's already becoming yellow. Are you hurt anywhere else?"
"My arms and my ribs."
He sighed, "Of course, strip out of your top. I'll look to see if your ribs are cracked, I doubt it but you can never be sure."
I nodded knowing he was right. I would have preferred doing it myself, but I don't know the first thing about first aid. Something to remedy in the future.
I let him do his thing while I zoned out.
"Your arms are bruised, and your ribs don't look any better but nothing cracked or broken, thankfully. You will to be careful not to justle your body too much and it won't hurt too much. You'll be sore enough as it is."
"Thank you."
He smiled, "Don't worry about it kiddo. I have only done what any good person would do."
"Not everyone is a good person." I countered.
He puffed his chest, "Then it means I am a good person!"
I cracked a smile.
'You don't have to sound that proud.'
It felt good to have someone to take care of me, I didn't know I would miss it that much. That feeling lasted until Eric sobered and made a deathly serious face.
"Do you know what this means?"
"No?" I half-asked, half-stated. This sudden change of turns really surprised me.
"This means Rose will be all over you once she comes back" I blanched.
Oh no, I didn't want her to fret over me like a mother hen. I know I said it felt good to have someone who cared about me, but I didn't mean it for her to hover over me like a bee on cocaine!
"Help me." I hated how desperate I sounded just now but desperate measures to desperate situations.
He smiled like a knowing father, full of kindness and understanding. It was then, as he put his hand on my shoulder, that I knew hope, that he became my favouri- "Not on your life, Ethan."
Bastard.
I take back whatever good things I ever said about you, Eric. You're a demon. A cruel demon that delights in my suffering.
I tried my best to glare him into submission, but Rose probably used hers too much for mine to have any effect.
Time to bargain, then.
"Three days." He simply raised an eyebrow.
"I'll take Sarah duties for three days whenever I am here." He was undoubtedly interested. Yes, I could see the light at the end of the tunnel. He just had to pretend I was sick and maybe my magic would heal me quick enough for me to come back before she came to visit me.
"A month."
I could feel a vein throb on my forehead.
"Eric, you wouldn't try to swindle me, would you? You like me, right?" I tried my best at puppy dog eyes. I doubted, however, that I managed it considering the sheer dread and annoyance I felt.
Seeing his unimpressed face, I gave up completely and immediately changed tactics.
"You're really trying this on me, a not even eleven-year-old. Have you any shame?"
"None whatsoever!" He said happily.
This guy... This level of shamelessness is to be admired. I should try to emulate it, strive to be it even, but having it used on me wasn't a pleasant experience at all.
"A week." I said as flatly as possible.
His eyes narrowed, "Three."
"Two and I'll help clean the room after each lesson." The last bit was not something I hated or begrudgingly gave, but he didn't need to know that.
"Deal." And we shook hands.
"HI boys! I bought some-" The sound of a bag hitting the ground reached us.
We slowly turned our heads to see Rose, her mouth agape and a bag of groceries on the ground.
"Fuck me." I whispered.
_____________
I thanked every deity I knew for small mercies. Rose hadn't heard me curse and thus I shall not have my mouth washed with soap.
"Just what did those boys do to you?! If I get my hands on them- Are you in pain? What am I saying of course you're hurting! Did Eric clean everything? Eric, I swear to God you better have done your job!"
Even if they didn't spare from Rose.
I quietly watched the chaos unfold. Seeing Rose in such a state and harassing Eric would normally have amused me immensely. Especially since he tried to make me do Sarah duties for two entire weeks- I love the little tyke but changing nappies isn't my idea of fun and Sarah stinks like hell when she wants to.
Rose changed target as swiftly as she rounded on Eric and returned to fussing over me. I saw him sighing in relief before smirking at me. Just you wait, I'll sic her on you soon enough. We'll see who will laugh then.
Still, I have to calm her before she has a complete meltdown.
"Rose, I'm okay- Really! You don't have to look at me like that, I'm fine and Eric patched me up." I could see her doubt before she let it go and kneeled before me.
"Are you sure? No need to go to the hospital?"
"Yes, I'm sure. It isn't anything I haven't gone through before. It's a rite of passage of sort at the orphanage." I couldn't help my sneer when I said that. Children really could be the sweetest and cruelest beings to ever exist before maturity dulled everything.
I could see the grimace that tidbit of information caused before it even formed, "That aside, is there anything you need me to do? Do you want me to go to your school?"
"Please don't go to the school. I don't need the drama and I gave as good as I got, they won't make any trouble. If they do? Wel everyone will know how they were beaten up by an orphan younger than them." I couldn't even muster a smile at that. While it was a good thing that I put them in their place, the sheer annoyance I felt because I let my guard down countered that.
I could tell she was going to push the issue but Eric, for once, came to my rescue," Let it go Rose. As long as it stops here, we shouldn't do anything." His gaze then turned to me," But if they start something again, I expect you to tell us immediately."
I rolled my eyes at that. Are you really acting the strict adult now when just ten minutes ago you were blackmailing me?
"Right."
"Eric..."
"Trust Ethan a bit more, he wouldn't lie to us." You seem so sure of that, but omission is still considered lying by the law.
Not that I ever bought that bulshit.
"Alright, alright. You two can be pushy sometimes." She huffed.
Pot meet kettle Rose.
Well, overall, it isn't that bad of an outcome. That said, I still have a bit of revenge to take.
The smirk on my face felt positively devilish and Eric seemed to agree with me as his face twisted in alarm.
"Rose there could be something you could do for me..." This time acting was top notch, I even impressed myself with the tone I managed. Meekness and hopefulness mixed in together to create a blend that would fool even the most suspicious individual.
I would know since I fooled even myself.
"There is?" Her hopeful tone almost made me reconsider. Something akin to guilt stirring up in my stomach just as it was quashed by Eric making gestures to me, panic radiating off his figure.
"Well... Just before you came in Eric tried to blackmail me into taking over his Sarah duties and cleaning the music room for a month." The flatness her face adopted scared me until I realized it wasn't aimed at me.
She rose slowly, "Ethan, can you go check on Sarah? She should wake up soon." I knew an order when I received it, so I just nodded and left the room. Not before throwing Eric a grin, savage delight filling me when he threw me a betrayed look in return.
"Eric, honey, we should talk." The finality in her tone made him whimper. I just closed the door and happily went to Sarah's room to be greeted by an excited toddler.
Sometimes it was good to be me.
_________________
"I dodged a bullet there." I mused to myself.
I had just come back to my room at the orphanage after Rose had let me know just how disapproving she was of the whole affair. I nodded like an obedient child who saw the light, awed by its glorious wisdom, and promised I would do better.
She didn't look convinced.
I would too! That is, if Eric doesn't reopen hostilities. Then I won't be held responsible for the consequences.
I am just the content of Pandora's box after all.
I let out a happy sigh as I sank into the mattress, its hardness not bothering me anymore. I was careful not to jostle my wounds too much. Those will be bothering me for a while, yet they couldn't bring down my mood.
Spending time with the Williams tends to do this.
I can't, however, always distract myself.
[Name: Ethan Shaw
Title: Traveler; Master of Self
Class: Apprentice Mage (3/10); Magician (5/5); Gambler (5/5); Thief (10/10);...
MP: 225 - 300
Stats
Strength: 10
Agility: 30
Dexterity: 20
Perception: 25
Intelligence: 15 - 21
Wisdom: 20 -23
Charisma: 15
Skills: Essence of Self (R) (2/60)
Stealth (Un) (33/40)
Throwing (Un) (22/40)
Trapping (Un) (19/40)
Dagger arts (Un) (12/40)
Lockpicking (Un) (21/40)
Pickpocketing (Un) (28/40)
Crafting (Un) (5/40)
Sense Treasure (Un) (13/40)
Sixth Sense (Un) (12/40)
Mana control (Un) (4/40)
Acting (C) (17/20)
Cooking (C) (14/20)
Showmanship (C) (12/20)
Sense intent (C) (8/20)
Singing (C) (9/20)]
My progress has stalled.
My first rare skill had helped immensely, deafening myself to the world around me isn't easy after all. It doesn't however help me control it no matter how it facilitates it. This isn't the skill's purpose.
The fact that only a few levels in Mana control made me level up a couple of time proved how difficult it was. I could barely levitate a pen as it is, and it gives me headaches to do so. It is as frustrating as it is exhilarating. Feeling my magic and actually using it is unlike any other experience I ever had, so much so that it was addictive.
Still, while I wasn't in a hurry it didn't mean I had all the time in the world.
I do not know what awaits me and that worried me. So, to remedy to that I has taken to ponder on the nature of classes.
So far, I have experienced two archetypes, Rogue and Magician. The Rogue classes stumped me in the fact that I can't choose another class of this archetype. I could probably find some skill or engineer an event that would lead me to unlock another tier I class if not a tier II but I have no desire to run around and pollute my status like this. There wouldn't be any reason to do that unless I want to bolster my stats and I was weary of overspecializing any stat considering the warning the system gave me.
An intelligent fool is still a fool after all.
I may lose efficiency by overspecializing too. There was only so much that the agility stat could do I suspect and not having the muscle mass to power my movements will probably hinder me. Just like having too much strength would.
My Magician type classes on the other hand hit a wall way sooner than expected. Rogue stalled at Tier III classes while Magician at tier II. It was stumping to see but from what I saw not unexpected. This archetype relied more in inspiration to level up. Just as the classes added to my mental stats, mental progress seemed to give more experience.
This all led me to a spiral of questions on the nature of Class Walls and the actions necessary to surpass them.
A maddening experience, it was.
And that was still not considering the question of stat synergy.
Intelligence and wisdom obviously scaled off each other. Following that trend, strength and agility did too but dexterity left me with many questions. Perception and charisma too. Dexterity was useful to control my physical output so to speak, to be precise in each of my actions. While perception actually let me notice what I was doing and how much I needed to regulate my actions. Mentally speaking Dexterity was probably negligible in effect but perhaps perception was helpful.
That still needed to be tested but I think I am on the right track.
Charisma was a conundrum in the fact that it was beneficial to none but everything else was useful to it. To be fit should be a plus to charisma by society's standards but that didn't mean anything outside that perspective so that may not be true for the system. Dexterity should let me appear more graceful, control my expression and all that entails. Perception, Intelligence and wisdom probably help with interactions and understanding others.
Thus, strength and agility, intelligence and wisdom, perception boots everything but receives nothing, charisma receives from everything but boots nothing and dexterity affects only physical stats and charisma.
I'm probably missing something but that was still a good base.
I sighed and put that matter aside. Today was Friday so I have the weekend to heal before I have to go to school. I'll have to try to find a way to accelerate my healing, if that fails then how to hide them. I don't need anyone asking uncomfortable questions.
Maybe that was the trick, baby steps until my control over my magic is superlative.
I turned my gaze towards the darkening sky.
The journey is long still but it is worth every bit of pain