History*

John and Anna walked back to their next class, his right arm draped over her shoulders. In the hallways he caught a few jealous stares coming from students who were single like he was recently or amazed at how Anna turned out. Their increase in Charisma and her makeover were making heads turn, John had noticed in many classes that many people were looking at him, mostly girls. Anna too had her cohort of new admirers, boys frustrated to have missed this diamond in the rough before she started shining.

On the last turn of the hallway they bumped into someone. Anna sneezed and apologized for not looking where they were going.

"Oh don't worry Anna, I know you only have eyes for him these days. I always knew that you two would end up as a couple, you are made for each other," said Etan, adjusting his thick glasses. The heavy prescription was warping the look of his eyes, making them look really weird.

"You're right Etan, I might have been distracted by this sexy man holding me," she replied.

"Understandable, who wouldn't? By the way Johnny boy, I haven't seen you online at all these days, found something more interesting to do?" asked the ginger boy.

"You didn't get the mail I sent? My gaming pc fried during a powersurge and I don't have the first cent to fix or replace it. And of course, now that I am with Anna I wouldn't have so much time for gaming," explained John, he was sad to have to use this excuse with his best friend, but the less people knew the better it was. Maybe he could introduce Etan to what happened to him, but not now, not until he fixed this Vanessa problem.

All three entered Mrs Wentworth's classroom. Most students with a taste for history liked the class for the talent their teacher had to make them feel what it was like to live in some of the periods studied. The others were rebuked by the stern attitude and very harsh grading she applied. John had soon realized that the reason she was able to talk of some of these events in such a lively manner was because she lived them.

John sat next to Etan like he always did, but this time he had Anna sitting on the other side. His teacher was continuing her lecture on the crusades, one subject she didn't live first hand, retelling the victories, defeats and atrocities committed by all sides of the conflicts.

John had gathered what he would need for his mission in his inventory. He still had no idea how he would go to Chicago and back, but he wanted to be ready.

He texted Anna a little, this time talking about more serious things than just trying to make her blush in class (that is not to say that he didn't do this too).
Lists of things needed in the kingdom were drafted, ideas about what laws could be enacted, preferred extensions to the existing castle, people that could be invited there...

John tried to send a message to Etan, setting an afternoon to play video games with his old friend would be a good way to gauge how he would react to the news about his powers. He could even try to do something about his eyes, the poor boy would surely be almost blind without his glasses, given how thick they were. Strangely he didn't find his number in his contact list, in fact he did not find him at all. John had known him for 12 years, this should be a mistake. He most surely deleted him as a contact by accident and this was why he didn't receive the mail he sent the other day to his gaming friends.

He couldn't risk talking to him in class, he was already in enough trouble with Mrs Wentworth and didn't want to draw more of her attention onto himself. After all, despite their personal relationship she was still a teacher in two of his classes and his parents expected good grades from him.

When the bell rang, all students got out, taking a well deserved break between a second hour of class with their teacher, learning this time about the working of the institutions of the country.

"Mr Newman, I would like to talk to you about your last assignment. It was very unsatisfactory, in my office if you please," said his teacher as he was about to exit. Seeing Anna walk out followed by Etan he quickly texted her not to tell him anything and followed his teacher across the hallway to her personal office.

The door locked behind him and he felt the strange tingling he always had when entering a barrier.

"Well, I hope you are ready and have all of your toys with you. I expect results, not excuses. Telling your girlfriend about this won't protect her, I'm very surprised that you didn't make her stay in your little man cave with your pets. I have someone on site to guide you and to bring you back when you are done. Once this is finished we will be able to forget about this senseless squabble. Any questions?" she explained.

"Without a good cover, like making me pass as a doctor sent to fix her, I see few ways to achieve this discreetly. I can make her forget about it happening and avoid leaving traces of my passage, but depending on where she is I might have to disguise what happens as a mugging or something like that. Is that alright?" he asked her.

"You really hate her, don't you? Their doctor works for me, he can take care of a bruise or two, but I want your little experiments gone. I don't care about the rest. The little brat is enough trouble as it is, enamoring herself with this brainless brute. There are way better picks for her, but her pet is making her unavailable. Put her back in the same condition you found her and I will forgive and forget what you did. After all, your only mistake was a lack of curiosity, I'm sure you wouldn't have touched her if you knew she was mine, or I have greatly misjudged you. Don't disappoint me again!" she said, she then snapped her fingers and John found himself in a back alley, somewhere between two large red brick buildings, in a blind spot behind large dumpsters.

No trace of the person who was supposed to guide him, while waiting for him, John reviewed his gear. He had of course his armor and weapons, but he had also brought a lot of gadgets and useful things.

Multiple kinds of ammunition for his slingshot, runeclad metal ones, slime balls, incendiary ones and sleeping bombs from Sylvia. Rope, duct tape and his tools both to break in a place but also to restrain Vanessa or witnesses. He had brought the Veil Charm, which after testing had revealed to be able to change his appearance and even to fool cameras. He had the memory wiping gadget from Moira too.

There was also something special. While on his date at Felicity's with Anna he had bought a leather **** hood from the shop. He had planned to use it as a weapon, equipping it with Theft on enemies to blind them. The reinforced leather hood had built-in blindfold, gag and ear mufflers and was locked in place with a padlock, John had forgotten about it and found it in his storage chest while looking for supplies. It was exactly what he needed to keep Vanessa from bothering him while he fixed the bitch.

"Come on, how long are you going to stand here doing nothing? I have other things to do!" said a girly voice behind him. John turned back, but no one was here. All he could see was a pile of trash and a black cat sleeping on a garage can.

"Who said that? Show yourself!" he asked, looking around for signs of an invisible girl (for what little sense it made).

"I'm here! Will you please hurry. The sooner you are gone, the sooner I can continue my nap.

This time John didn't dream, it was the cat who just talked to him. He looked closely at it, barely believing what he was seeing.

Katia Felicia
Lvl17 thief /Lvl5 cat (cursed)
35/35hp
-50 rp