ExFic 7: Entrance to the Academy
High atop Neo Olympus Mons, the tallest mountain in the solar system, the Chimera Knight Academy rests among the clouds. A castle in its own right, the academy formidable towers pierce the heavens. Mighty towers, standing upon over a hundred millennia of stone, shaped from the contours of the majestic peaks themselves. Between these noble spires lay the gleaming halls of the academy itself. Metal, exhumed from the bowels of the planet itself, forged in the heat of volcanoes, and fused together by the flames of dragons. The armored corridors snaked about the face of the mountain, weaving and interconnecting in an intricate trellis engraved with an astounding relief of the bestiary of the known creatures of the world.
As Katrina crested the stone-hewn stairs and breached the haze, she saw the great gates of the academy rise before her. Her eyes widened as her gaze followed the arch up to the sky. The light of the early evening sun filtered through the prismatic interface between the gilded bars in a spectral lattice, a luminescent maze that dazzles the eye while simultaneously etching itself into the retina. It was like staring up at the pearly gates themselves, a sight Katrina will forever have burned into her memory and for about a week into her corneas.
“This is it!” Katrina exclaimed with awe. “Oh my god, I’m really here. I don’t believe it. This is it. It’s so… beautiful! There’s no other words to describe it, and not even that does it justice! It’s… It’s… Oh, god, I think I’m going to wet myself.”
“And not with urine, by the sound of it,” Rion commented.
“Maybe a little of both,” Jaime theorized.
“Probably a lot of both,” Katrina squealed.
“Ew,” Rion and Jaime replied.
Managing to keep her pants reasonably dry, turned around to face her two friends. Her eyes had softened to a look of admiration and sadness. She stepped forward and practically fell on them, wrapping an arm around Rion and Jaime each in as big a hug as she could manage.
“Thanks you guys,” she murmured, gripping them tighter. “I couldn’t’ve made it this far without your help.”
“No way, it was all you, babe,” Rion replied as he and his sister returned the hug. “You did most of the work. We were just along for the ride.”
“Nuh, uh,” Katrina said. “You guys helped me out more than you know. I don’t think I could’ve managed half of what I did without your support.”
“Oh, it was nothing,” Jaime said, her emotions of joy and sadness straining her voice. “We’re just glad to have made this journey with you. We would’ve done everything for you if we could.”
“Oh, god, you guys, I’m so going to miss you,” Katrina practically sobbed, holding them tighter.
“We’re going to miss you too, Katrina,” Jaime squeaked, burying her face in Katrina‘s shoulder.
“Rion…” Katrina began, her voice cracking.
“I’m sorry,” Rion apologized, his voice heavy with sorrow. “I know this is supposed to be an emotional moment, but I can’t help it. You’re really turning me on.”
“It’s okay, just think about…” Katrina started before realizing what he was talking about. She leapt back from the siblings and exclaimed, “Jesus Christ, Rion!”
“I said I was sorry,” Rion said defensively. “I can’t always control it. It’s like it has a mind of its own.”
“You know what, never mind,” Katrina said, trying not to laugh. “I’ll just take it as a compliment.”
“Katrina,” Wearwolf said, padding around Katrina’s heel with Spit Dragon and Shieldillo on his back. “The air up here is getting thin. Perhaps we should go inside before we pass out.”
“Right,” Katrina agreed. She sniffled and wiped a tear from her eye. “Well, I guess this is it. See ya guys.”
“Good luck, Katrina,” Rion said.
“Goodbye,” Jaime squeaked, her hands balled up under her chin as she tried not to weep openly. “I’m going to miss you.”
Katrina smiled at both of them as she turned towards the gate, giving them salute-like wave before her face disappeared from their view completely. Before she could take one step, a green blur sped by her and stopped short of the gates, becoming a young man with wings and a suit covered in emerald plumage. His long, black hair descended between his shoulder in a large braid from beneath a cap of green feathers.
“Excuse me!” Katrina roared. She stormed up to the new comer and spun him around violently. “We were having a moment out here! You can’t just barge in past me like that!”
“Unhand me, you plebian,” the young man demanded, smacking her hand away. “Do you not know who I am?”
“You’re about to get your butt handed to you, that’s who you are,” Katrina growled.
“I just happen to be Gregory Maximillian Silver, of the Alloy City Silvers,” the young man informed Katrina as he looked down his nose at her. The birdly cap on his head did the same over its beak. “A very prestigious family, as I am sure you are well aware.”
“Never heard of ya,” Katrina said with a scowl. “But you better learn my name real quick, ‘cause I’m about to smack it right back of your pretty little head. I’m Katrina Arden, from Wine Town, and I don’t care if your family owns the whole damn planet, ‘cause I’m gonna kick your ass if you don’t show me some respect.”
“Ah, from the backwaters of Dionysus Valley, I imagine,” Gregory Maximillian Silver commented as he picked at the feather on shoulder with a bird-clawed hand. “That would explain your tremendous ignorance as well as your boorish demeanor. And I imagine that mangy mongrel playing taxi is your MultiPet.”
“He’s a wolf, thank you very much,” Katrina said. “And I’ll have you know that not just anyone can get a Wearwolf as their partner.”
“Yes, I’m sure you think that’s very impressive,” Gregory Maximillian Silver replied. He turned back to the gate. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have an appointment to keep.”
“Nuh, uh,” Katrina argued, barging past him. “You’re not getting in there before me.”
Not immediately seeing any knobs or handles on the gate, she put a hand against it and pushed. When the gate didn’t move, she put her shoulder against it and put as much force as she could muster into shoving it open. Nothing continued to happen.
“Yes, I would imagine you would be so utterly clueless,” Gregory Maximillian Silver commented with a thick layer of smugness. “Everyone knows the gates of the Chimera Knight Academy only open to those worthy enough to enroll.”
“I’ve got three pets, I’m worthy,” Katrina replied. She stepped back and bowed with a sarcastic gesture towards the gate. “But if Mr. High-and-Mighty thinks he’s so worthy, maybe he’d like to open the door.”
“A gentleman always opens a door for a lady, although that may be too generous in this case,” Gregory Maximillian Silver replied, his wings draping over his shoulders. He stepped forward and gingerly placed a single talon against the gate. It eased back gently, eventually opening all the way. “Clearly, the Academy has much better taste than your… ‘wolf’.”
Gregory Maximillian Silver strode purposefully through the gates. Katrina attempted to follow, but the gates quickly slammed shut in her face. She stepped back, rubbing her nose painfully.
“Sonuva…” Katrina cursed.
“Katrina, are you okay?” Rion asked, running up to her and trying to examine her face. Katrina pushed him back with one arm and held her nose with the other hand.
“I’m fine, it’s not even bleeding,” she grumbled. She glared at the door. “Generous, my butt. If I see that clown again, I’m ripping him a new one.”
“Odd, I wonder why the door didn’t open,” Jaime said, taking a closer look at the gate. “Maybe there’s some sort of scanner that checks for certain life signs…”
“Katrina, that Silver fellow was fused with his MultiPet when he entered,” Wearwolf pointed out. “Maybe if we were to fuse together…”
“Right!” Katrina confirmed, making a determined pose. “We’ll get through those gates even if we have to tear them down!”
“That’s not what you meant, is it?” Shieldillo asked.
“Close enough,” Wearwolf replied.
“Let’s do this!” Katrina announced. “Chimeric Fusion, go!”
Wearwolf, Spit Dragon, and Shieldillo glowed white, green, and yellow before exploding into a swarm of energy. Shieldillo formed into a ball around Katrina’s right fist. Spit Dragon coalesced over her left arm with wings folded down. Wearwolf transformed into fur-tufted boots, shorts, cloak, and hood over the jeans and sweatshirt she was already wearing.
“Chimeric Fusion, complete!” she and her pets announced in unison.
“Oh, I better move,” Jaime noted as she quickly stepped away from the gate.
“Okay, let’s tear this wall down,” Katrina called out. She brought her fists together, making Spit Dragon’s flames wash over Shieldillo’s shell. She brought the fists back and charged the gate, shouting, “Burning Meteor Fist!”
Just seconds before impact, the gates quickly swung open. Without a target directly in front of her, she flew right through the archway and tumbled into the Chimera Knight Academy courtyard.
“Fascinating,” Jaime mused aloud. “The gate must run a comparison operation checking for the bio-harmonics associated with maintaining Chimeric Fusion in triplicate.”
“Say what?” Katrina asked as she sat up and rubbed her head.
“It let you through because you fused with all three of your pets,” Rion explained.
“Exactly as I suspected,” Wearwolf said. “After all, what better way to make sure entrants meet that first requirement?”
“That’s what I’m talking about,” Katrina said. She got to her feet and dusted herself off. “You guys are always thinking, even when I’m not.” She smiled at them appreciatively. “I’m really gonna miss you guys.”
“We’ll miss you, too!” Jaime called back from across the courtyard.
“Now get going before my sister starts crying,” Rion added, beginning to choke up near the end of the sentence.
Katrina’s MultiPets popped off her, forming into their original states, as she strode back across the courtyard. The gates closed themselves before she got there, and Rion and Jaime each put a hand against the prismatic glass. Katrina put a palm against each of theirs, and just held them there for a moment, not wanting to let go. Eventually, she backed off and saluted them with a thumbs-up. She joined her pets as they made their way across the courtyard and reminisced about all the adventures they shared on there way to this final destination.
As Katrina crested the stone-hewn stairs and breached the haze, she saw the great gates of the academy rise before her. Her eyes widened as her gaze followed the arch up to the sky. The light of the early evening sun filtered through the prismatic interface between the gilded bars in a spectral lattice, a luminescent maze that dazzles the eye while simultaneously etching itself into the retina. It was like staring up at the pearly gates themselves, a sight Katrina will forever have burned into her memory and for about a week into her corneas.
“This is it!” Katrina exclaimed with awe. “Oh my god, I’m really here. I don’t believe it. This is it. It’s so… beautiful! There’s no other words to describe it, and not even that does it justice! It’s… It’s… Oh, god, I think I’m going to wet myself.”
“And not with urine, by the sound of it,” Rion commented.
“Maybe a little of both,” Jaime theorized.
“Probably a lot of both,” Katrina squealed.
“Ew,” Rion and Jaime replied.
Managing to keep her pants reasonably dry, turned around to face her two friends. Her eyes had softened to a look of admiration and sadness. She stepped forward and practically fell on them, wrapping an arm around Rion and Jaime each in as big a hug as she could manage.
“Thanks you guys,” she murmured, gripping them tighter. “I couldn’t’ve made it this far without your help.”
“No way, it was all you, babe,” Rion replied as he and his sister returned the hug. “You did most of the work. We were just along for the ride.”
“Nuh, uh,” Katrina said. “You guys helped me out more than you know. I don’t think I could’ve managed half of what I did without your support.”
“Oh, it was nothing,” Jaime said, her emotions of joy and sadness straining her voice. “We’re just glad to have made this journey with you. We would’ve done everything for you if we could.”
“Oh, god, you guys, I’m so going to miss you,” Katrina practically sobbed, holding them tighter.
“We’re going to miss you too, Katrina,” Jaime squeaked, burying her face in Katrina‘s shoulder.
“Rion…” Katrina began, her voice cracking.
“I’m sorry,” Rion apologized, his voice heavy with sorrow. “I know this is supposed to be an emotional moment, but I can’t help it. You’re really turning me on.”
“It’s okay, just think about…” Katrina started before realizing what he was talking about. She leapt back from the siblings and exclaimed, “Jesus Christ, Rion!”
“I said I was sorry,” Rion said defensively. “I can’t always control it. It’s like it has a mind of its own.”
“You know what, never mind,” Katrina said, trying not to laugh. “I’ll just take it as a compliment.”
“Katrina,” Wearwolf said, padding around Katrina’s heel with Spit Dragon and Shieldillo on his back. “The air up here is getting thin. Perhaps we should go inside before we pass out.”
“Right,” Katrina agreed. She sniffled and wiped a tear from her eye. “Well, I guess this is it. See ya guys.”
“Good luck, Katrina,” Rion said.
“Goodbye,” Jaime squeaked, her hands balled up under her chin as she tried not to weep openly. “I’m going to miss you.”
Katrina smiled at both of them as she turned towards the gate, giving them salute-like wave before her face disappeared from their view completely. Before she could take one step, a green blur sped by her and stopped short of the gates, becoming a young man with wings and a suit covered in emerald plumage. His long, black hair descended between his shoulder in a large braid from beneath a cap of green feathers.
“Excuse me!” Katrina roared. She stormed up to the new comer and spun him around violently. “We were having a moment out here! You can’t just barge in past me like that!”
“Unhand me, you plebian,” the young man demanded, smacking her hand away. “Do you not know who I am?”
“You’re about to get your butt handed to you, that’s who you are,” Katrina growled.
“I just happen to be Gregory Maximillian Silver, of the Alloy City Silvers,” the young man informed Katrina as he looked down his nose at her. The birdly cap on his head did the same over its beak. “A very prestigious family, as I am sure you are well aware.”
“Never heard of ya,” Katrina said with a scowl. “But you better learn my name real quick, ‘cause I’m about to smack it right back of your pretty little head. I’m Katrina Arden, from Wine Town, and I don’t care if your family owns the whole damn planet, ‘cause I’m gonna kick your ass if you don’t show me some respect.”
“Ah, from the backwaters of Dionysus Valley, I imagine,” Gregory Maximillian Silver commented as he picked at the feather on shoulder with a bird-clawed hand. “That would explain your tremendous ignorance as well as your boorish demeanor. And I imagine that mangy mongrel playing taxi is your MultiPet.”
“He’s a wolf, thank you very much,” Katrina said. “And I’ll have you know that not just anyone can get a Wearwolf as their partner.”
“Yes, I’m sure you think that’s very impressive,” Gregory Maximillian Silver replied. He turned back to the gate. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have an appointment to keep.”
“Nuh, uh,” Katrina argued, barging past him. “You’re not getting in there before me.”
Not immediately seeing any knobs or handles on the gate, she put a hand against it and pushed. When the gate didn’t move, she put her shoulder against it and put as much force as she could muster into shoving it open. Nothing continued to happen.
“Yes, I would imagine you would be so utterly clueless,” Gregory Maximillian Silver commented with a thick layer of smugness. “Everyone knows the gates of the Chimera Knight Academy only open to those worthy enough to enroll.”
“I’ve got three pets, I’m worthy,” Katrina replied. She stepped back and bowed with a sarcastic gesture towards the gate. “But if Mr. High-and-Mighty thinks he’s so worthy, maybe he’d like to open the door.”
“A gentleman always opens a door for a lady, although that may be too generous in this case,” Gregory Maximillian Silver replied, his wings draping over his shoulders. He stepped forward and gingerly placed a single talon against the gate. It eased back gently, eventually opening all the way. “Clearly, the Academy has much better taste than your… ‘wolf’.”
Gregory Maximillian Silver strode purposefully through the gates. Katrina attempted to follow, but the gates quickly slammed shut in her face. She stepped back, rubbing her nose painfully.
“Sonuva…” Katrina cursed.
“Katrina, are you okay?” Rion asked, running up to her and trying to examine her face. Katrina pushed him back with one arm and held her nose with the other hand.
“I’m fine, it’s not even bleeding,” she grumbled. She glared at the door. “Generous, my butt. If I see that clown again, I’m ripping him a new one.”
“Odd, I wonder why the door didn’t open,” Jaime said, taking a closer look at the gate. “Maybe there’s some sort of scanner that checks for certain life signs…”
“Katrina, that Silver fellow was fused with his MultiPet when he entered,” Wearwolf pointed out. “Maybe if we were to fuse together…”
“Right!” Katrina confirmed, making a determined pose. “We’ll get through those gates even if we have to tear them down!”
“That’s not what you meant, is it?” Shieldillo asked.
“Close enough,” Wearwolf replied.
“Let’s do this!” Katrina announced. “Chimeric Fusion, go!”
Wearwolf, Spit Dragon, and Shieldillo glowed white, green, and yellow before exploding into a swarm of energy. Shieldillo formed into a ball around Katrina’s right fist. Spit Dragon coalesced over her left arm with wings folded down. Wearwolf transformed into fur-tufted boots, shorts, cloak, and hood over the jeans and sweatshirt she was already wearing.
“Chimeric Fusion, complete!” she and her pets announced in unison.
“Oh, I better move,” Jaime noted as she quickly stepped away from the gate.
“Okay, let’s tear this wall down,” Katrina called out. She brought her fists together, making Spit Dragon’s flames wash over Shieldillo’s shell. She brought the fists back and charged the gate, shouting, “Burning Meteor Fist!”
Just seconds before impact, the gates quickly swung open. Without a target directly in front of her, she flew right through the archway and tumbled into the Chimera Knight Academy courtyard.
“Fascinating,” Jaime mused aloud. “The gate must run a comparison operation checking for the bio-harmonics associated with maintaining Chimeric Fusion in triplicate.”
“Say what?” Katrina asked as she sat up and rubbed her head.
“It let you through because you fused with all three of your pets,” Rion explained.
“Exactly as I suspected,” Wearwolf said. “After all, what better way to make sure entrants meet that first requirement?”
“That’s what I’m talking about,” Katrina said. She got to her feet and dusted herself off. “You guys are always thinking, even when I’m not.” She smiled at them appreciatively. “I’m really gonna miss you guys.”
“We’ll miss you, too!” Jaime called back from across the courtyard.
“Now get going before my sister starts crying,” Rion added, beginning to choke up near the end of the sentence.
Katrina’s MultiPets popped off her, forming into their original states, as she strode back across the courtyard. The gates closed themselves before she got there, and Rion and Jaime each put a hand against the prismatic glass. Katrina put a palm against each of theirs, and just held them there for a moment, not wanting to let go. Eventually, she backed off and saluted them with a thumbs-up. She joined her pets as they made their way across the courtyard and reminisced about all the adventures they shared on there way to this final destination.
posted by Nicholas DeVivo | 4:30 PM
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