PSTH: Chapter Six

The design of most augtech, outside of implants, is far bulkier than the Pre-Arrival technology it replaced. Some postulate that the inclusion of anima cores is why, and while that was initially true, we are now able to design truly tiny cores. But cores of that size are both more difficult to self-repair and tend not to last as long. It was for that reason that the greedy proto-Obsidian Kings loved their slim technology, and for those same reasons that we now live with slightly bulkier, but far easier to repair and longer lasting augpads of today.

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Lecture from Introduction to Magian Technology at Slate University, 402 Modern-Era

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My resolve to not test out the Frosted Bite spell lasted for roughly ten seconds after we stepped out. It broke the instant I spotted Zaza and Laurel testing out Willow Switch in the swaying grass off the sidewalk, and he moment he spotted them, Scales started sending me a stream of nonstop emotional pleas.

"Fine, fine," I laughed. 

In less than a second, Scales channeled his power and assumed his battle form. We were both almost dry on anima after charging the disc, but we probably had enough for a quick test.

There were no training bags or anything of the like around, so I just had Scales practice in the air, but he shifted targets, aiming for a large rock that some people leaned their bikes against when the bike rack was full. He leapt forwards, channeling anima through the newest section of his essence, and the spell activated. 

White light began to gather in the mouth of Scales’ battle form. Mist began to spill forth, glittering frozen crystals forming out of anima that empowered the pneuma shell, and he sank his teeth into the stone. The ice dug long, shallow rivulets over the face of the rock, and the magic faded. Scales paced back, ready to draw on the magic and channel it through his spell, but our anima, which had already been drained, bottomed out. He fell out of his battle form, yipped happily, and ran around in a circle around the rock. He bared his teeth, leaning back so that his feet were forwards and tail was sticking up in the air, then barked at it and bounded over to me.

As I pet him, scratched him, and told him how good he was, I examined the stone. The cracks were definitely visible, clear indentations where Scales' essence-enhanced teeth had struck. Even only being able to channel the spell once, it'd hurt more than a normal pnuema bite would have. 

"My turn," Laurel said. Zaza forged the anima around itself and unleashed the Willow Switch attack, its tail flicking out and slashing a gouge in the stone before letting its battle form dissolve. Laurel smirked at me.

"I think I got the better deal."

"Maybe," I said noncommittally. "I know I definitely don't want to do a one vs one rematch."

The stone where Zaza had stuck was definitely cut much deeper than any individual one of Scales’ teeth had, but that was sort of like comparing apples to oranges – sure both were fruits, or both were damage to the rock, but they did it in different ways.

Still, I didn’t have to lie about not wanting a rematch. It might be technically true that ice essence had an elemental advantage over wood, but Scales was still a water element Primal, and a powerful wood attack like that would slice through his battle form like butter. 

“Do you need me to guide you back to the hotel?” I asked Laurel, and she shook her head. 

“No, I can get back well enough. It’s basically a straight line up the main road.” 

I nodded to her, then waved and began biking off in the direction of Willie’s. His shop – known as Willie’s Wave Shack – was situated not far from the gray sand beaches, and when I approached, he was leaned back in his chair, taking a nap as the fan that he’d likely fallen asleep to beeped that it was low on anima. Normally, I’d have freely charged it up for him, but the mile and a half hadn’t given me enough restored magic to do anything, especially when it was put through the converter.

Willie himself was a large, older man, with naturally dark skin that had been weathered by the beating of the sun, sand, and salt. His stand was only large enough for one person to work in, but the land behind it had rack upon rack of kayaks, paddle boards, oars, fishing poles with their dark nettle thread lines, and other assorted rental supplies. 

I tied my bike to one of the posts along the beach, then approached his stand, knocking on the wooden table in front of him. He cracked an eye open and blinked a few times, before yawning and shaking his head. 

“Sorry Aiden, the summer shower caught me, and I couldn’t help but start dozing. What can I do for you?” 

I hadn’t even realized it had rained, but tiny pop-up clouds weren’t exactly uncommon along the beach. It might not have even reached all the way out to Yanette’s place. 

“I’ve gotta pick up some rental kayaks,” I said. “I’m taking a group out to see the old castle on the island, and they don’t have any.” 

“Oh yeah, sure,” Willie said. “I love autumn tourists. So much less noisy than the summer ones, and just like the leaves, when they’re gone, it’s all quiet.” 

He laughed at that, and I politely laughed along as well. We chatted for a little bit as he asked after my mom, and I asked after his husband. Once the pleasantries were over, he handed me the keys with little wooden markers to indicate which of the kayak’s locks went with which one. I thanked him, then headed off to an outdoor store to pick up some supplies. This particular one was a chain, with four locations up and down the coast, nearly the limit of corporate size, but they had good quality stuff, so I didn’t mind too much.

I had most of the camping equipment that we’d need, but it didn’t seem like my temporary companions had brought much of anything, so I grabbed some extra cording and some thick flax tarps for them, before heading to Luanne’s grocery store and getting some more food. 

As I biked home, I fell into a bit of a daydream about having Vincent Angon as my own mentor, like Laurel did. I was pulled out of the daydream as I passed by Rane's house. Er, well, her parents' house. She was staying in a dorm in the city.

Reminiscing, I pulled out my augpad and sent her a text.

> You won't believe who I'm working for.

I managed to wait a full thirty seconds before the excitement kicked in and I sent more.

> Vincent.

> Angon.

> Yes. THAT Vincent Angon!!!

It took her a few minutes, but she eventually responded.

< Suuuuuuurrrrrrrrrrrrreeeeeeee.

> No, it's true!

< Lol okay dude

> Rane, I promise, I am being one hundred percent serious.

There was a break for a moment, and she finally responded. 

< You HAVE to get a picture, then. 

> Deal. I'll get one tomorrow.

< Don’t forget, like the time you ‘saw’ a wild corvilith…

I sent her a rude emoji in response and tucked my pad away, laughing.  It probably wasn't the safest thing in the world to text and bike anyways. 

"I didn't think you'd be home for dinner," mom commented as I entered the house.  

"I didn’t at first either, but we’re leaving in the morning," I explained. “They didn’t have any kayaks or supplies or anything. You’ll never believe who I’m working for, though! Did you know that Susan was related to Vincent Angon?” 

“Who is that again?” she asked, walking to the fridge and pulling out another fillet of fish. I headed in and starting chopping more onion and tomato, helping her cook as I reminded her. She wasn’t big on the taming world, but she still did her best to be supportive, and practically bludgeoned me with her insistence that I be safe while camping out on the island with strangers, no matter how famous they were.

We had a nice dinner of fish curry over rice, and as my mom settled down on the couch to read, I decided to pull up what I could on Vincent Angon, both on the tamer forums I followed and in the news. 

There wasn't much that I didn’t already know. Oh, sure, there was the standard celebrity gossip: he'd been seen at an ice cream parlor in Calcite city with magiaball player Maria Sanchez, praise pieces about his skill as a tamer, slam pieces about him being an arrogant person and taking too many donations from fans. 

When a simple search didn't yield much, I looked him up on the official battle listings in the Tamer Consortium’s archive site. All official battles were listed there, though it was simple enough to either set up privacy rules on your account so that it only posted what you wanted, or else request that things be redacted from public record.

Looking up Vince’s records, I was able to see where he'd acted as a witness to the battle I'd had with Laurel earlier today. Even though it hadn’t been a part of an official Tamer Consortium’s, it had been a legally registered battle. 

Past that, there were several public battles. His most recent one I actually hadn’t seen before, so I pulled up the video and flicked it to the top right corner of the augpad to view the fight between his Ltan and Serest team against someone I’d not heard of before, but who was ranked number sixty-seventh in the Consortium. 

While I watched that with one eye, I looked up Laurel as well. It made me feel a bit creepy, but I was curious to see her battle with the councilor, and I’d have bet that she would do the same. It wasn’t exactly uncommon, especially if there was a big tournament going on, or anything of that sort. 

Like many people who didn’t take donations from the public for the entertainment, she’d not bothered to record the battles and upload them, but there were records of Zaza and Ella, who was a level nine Procella. 

I was sliding my attention back to the recording of Vince’s fight when I heard my mom speak up. 

“How much closer is this job going to get you to your master tamer dream?” 

I paused the video and shut off my augpad, then looked up at her, grinning. 

“Want me out of the house already?” 

“Well, it has been a long time since your father passed…”

“Gross!” 

She laughed and shook her head. 

“No, of course I don’t. But it’s what you want, so I want it for you, even though I’ll be sad to see you go. How close will you be after this job?” 

“A lot closer than I thought I’d be,” I admitted. “The job doesn’t pay seventy credits a day, it pays seven hundred!” 

In my excitement to tell her about Vince, the money had slipped my mind, but she smiled at this, and her shoulders seemed to slip in relief. 

“Oh good. I was worried about him taking advantage of his fame. You know how dangerous money and fame can be…” 

“Sure, but he’s not some Obsidian King, mom,” I said, shaking my head. “No, he’s paying well. With this job, I should be able to leave… soon. Theoretically I could leave right away if I can find a second Primal out on the island.” 

“Like I said while we were cooking, you should be careful. Send a message if anything happens.” 

“I will, but it’ll be fine! I’ve gone out camping plenty of times alone. Even when I shouldn’t have.” 

Mom gave me a glare, as if she was still angry about my school truancies, then it broke into a smile. 

“I know, I know. But I’m your mother, it’s my job to tell you to be careful. Especially when I hear that you might be leaving in a few days, rather than in a few months.” 

“I can, and probably will, stick around for a week or two in order to plot my course,” I admitted. “Plus, I’ll need to train with a new Primal, if I get one.” 

“Right, right,” mom agreed. “Still. A week or two is a lot less than two or three months.”

“I know. I promise when I’m gone, I’ll message you every night, and call at least once a week.” 

She smiled and pulled me into a hug, and then slid back to where she’d been sitting before, picking up her book and continuing to read. I picked up my pad and turned it back on to continue watching Vince’s fight, while Scales hopped up onto the couch between us, curling up like a cat.