Gaia Maelstrom

By Kitmehsu

Chapter 9

The next morning Niko awakes to the sound of knocking on the door. "I'll get up in a minute, Mom," he mumbles half asleep.

"Man," came a voice from the other side of the door, "You don't even have the right gender there." That jogged Niko's memory of where he was.

"Sorry Terry"

"S'alright, I just never thought of myself as the maternal type."

"Can already. Why are you waking me up?"

"Well sorry for wanting you not to miss your delightful tutor."

"Oh crap," Niko shouted and scurried about the room for some articles of clothing. Terry opened the door and showed him where things were. Terry started to head out for Niko to get dressed in privacy.

"Now get your butt dressed and head out. You're going to have to miss breakfast today in exchange for having that beauty sleep." After the door closed behind him, Niko dressed himself with less mishaps than the day before. He rushed out feeling like he had forgotten something. He ran right into Kit, whom only by the virtue of many years of dodging police, was able to remain standing as Niko fell. Kit bent over and flicked his nose.

"Your late," he teased. Niko shoved him aside as he got up and dusted of his pants with his hands.

"So I am." He replied nonchalantly. "By the way, what's with the sudden updraft in your demeanor?"

"It's none of your business. Now are you planing on staying here and admiring the decor or are you planing on attending the classes that your supposed to be at?”

Niko just shook his and replied, “Whatever. Just lead the way.” With that as Kit’s cue, he took of down the hall with a spring in his step that wasn’t there the day before. Just what is with Kit today? Niko asked himself. It’s almost as if he won the lottery over 5 times. He sighed as he took off after his teacher, determined not to be left behind in the maze like halls.

After what seamed to be miles of halls, they finally arrived at the classroom. Kit, not even lightly winded from the fast pace, start explaining. “This is your homeroom, you’ll have most of your classes here. In fact, the only class that you won’t have in here is Tera theory. That you take with other students who are in the same year of attendance as you.” Despite the long speech, Niko had still not caught up with his breath, so the only reply he gave was a thumbs up. “Good, now get in there,” and with that, he shoved Niko into the classroom.

After he regained his balance and only causing a small lull in the conversation, he survived the room. His class mates for the most part were a mixed bag of Keltas, Dacens and Maguses. At least he thought they were Magus. He couldn’t exactly tell the difference between a dormant Kelta or Dacen and a Magus. Then the door behind him slid open. Niko quickly slid to the side as well to let the person through. The person took one good look at him and exclaimed, “Niko! How in the world did you get here before me? I mean, I left well before you even got yourself together, not to mention that you don’t really know your way around here yet.”

“Well when your guide is going almost mach 2, you have to hurry to keep up.”

“Why was he running? Did you challenge him to a race or something?”

“No, he just seamed really hyper this morning.”

“Ah, I know what it was.” But before Niko could find out just what it was, a tall frecklely girl forcibly introduced her self.

“Hiya, my name’s Marith. I’m a Dacen too.” Her red hair was tied back but still hung to her waste. Her green eyes shined and her mouth bore a smile that most people would have sagged under it’s weight.

Terry just glared at here for interrupting, but Niko, being polite greeted her back.

“Hello, my name’s Niko and this is Terry.” At the mention of his name, Terry just stuck his tongue out.

“Charmed,” she said sarcastically to Terry. Returning to Niko, she asked, ”So what year are you in?”

“This is my first day.”

“Wow, what a coincidence, this is mine and my brothers too. You’ve got to come meet him.” She then commandeered his arm, dragging him across the class room, leaving a disgruntled Terry in their wake. Soon they approached a boy who had to the best of his ability cut himself off from the rest of the wildly chatting classroom. ”Hey Bro, Look who I made a friend with.” Right them, Niko felt exactly like he was being presented for show and tell by a five year old. The boy sighed.

“Did my dopey twin sister do this to you?” he asked. Her twin had obviously come from another end of the gene pool than her. His eyes were more a hazel and his short spiked hair was brown, with just a hint of red with in it. He was of medium height, not too tall and no where near being short. His mouth seamed to state indifernce as a fact of life when ever it was closed.

“I am not dopey,” chimed in Marith

“Well kinda. I don’t really mind. This is mine first day here so I figure it’s a good way to get to know some people,” explained Niko

“See, I told you. I am not dopey.”

“Sis, just because he doesn’t mind, doesn’t make you any less dopey.” explained her brother. A raspberry was her only reply. “Anyway, my names Thom.” He put out his hand.

Niko shook it and replied, “Mine’s Niko.”

“Nice to make your acquaintance. I’m telling you, I’m just counting days till Marith awakens.”

“How come?”

“So she’ll finally mellow out.” And at that remark the seriously unmellow Marith jumped on him and the twins wrestled on the ground leaving Niko to wonder what Thom had meant by her mellowing out after Marith awakened. His train of thought was derailed a moment later when there teacher walked in. She was a middle aged Dacen in a tropical print dress, with a look on her face that seamed to scream for order. There was something else in her face that Niko recognized, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on it. She raped her desk and brought the class to her attention.

“Now everyone, take a seat.” Quickly, Niko slid into the nearest seat he could find. He noticed the back of the chair was unusually low. But once he sat down, he at once under stood. The back of the chair was just underneath where his wings came out of his shirt. To his further surprise, Terry walked toward the back and slid into the one right next to him.

He whispered to Niko, “It’s Mrs. CrabPinch!” Niko took another good look at her and ,now that he knew what he was looking for, he instantly recognized her. Thinking about how she once again had gotten stuck with the mischievous Terry, Niko had to quickly suppress a fit of laughter. Of course all these going-ons went completely unnoticed by the teacher. Once everyone had settled in, she resumed speaking.

“Now, I’m to be your new teacher. For those who have not met me my name is Mrs. Craddinch.” At that remark Niko began to think that maybe Terry’s nick name for her wasn’t really based on her temperament. “Now let’s take roll in order of your first name. Allissa Nesta.” A girl Kelta in the front row raised her hand. Now as she went through the roll, every on when through in much the same fashion. That is, until she reached Terry’s name. “Terry,” She paused, seemingly unable to utter his last name and confirm his attendance. But Terry saw this as an opening.

“Mettene, Mrs. Craddinch. Surely you remember that from when you where my tutor?” Either the shock or the memories had paralyzed her face in to a bass mouthed gape.

“Yes, I’m sorry, I just was surprised to she you again so soon,” she piped, unlocking her jaw and trying to save face. “Anyway, moving on. Thom Tettella.” And thus she finished her roll call. “Now students we begin our first lessen for the day, Math.” Some of the more daring ,or stupid, students let out a collective groan. “Groan all you want, all that will get you is some private lessens.” This promptly shut up the original groaners but this lead Terry to let off his own groan. She sweated for a moment then decided to tactfully ignore him. Off course, this lead to many a glare form the other students. Terry just reclined and looked smug, thus making his situation with his classmates even more grave. But before they could enact any revenge they had 3 subjects to go through.