Page 8 of Monster Girl

I slowly blink at her. “I’m going to a power practise and management class, when I don’t have any access to my powers, yet I’m going to be fine?” My voice is flat, the sarcasm heavy. She merely quirks a brow at me and I reluctantly gather my bag and trusty map before I leave to find wherever it is this torture sessio—I mean,lesson, is supposed to take place.

Chapter Four — Nessa

Iheaveagreatsigh as I fall onto the ground in a cross legged position. Sweat trickles down my back uncomfortably and I pinch my shirt, fluffing it to try to cool down. Lexi pointed me in the right direction after promising to peek into my class after she gets out of hers, but I took a wrong turn and had to run here so I wouldn’t be late. Thank the Goddess for the nice freshman who gave me directions. Yeah, a freshman gave me—a third year—directions, cue the embarrassment. After I take a minute to collect myself I surreptitiously peek at the other supes in the room, trying to figure out just how much I’m going to get pummelled in this class. We’re down the hall from the school’s massive spelled gym and are about to go over the rules of magical combat before we use the fight circles so our teacher can get a feel for our level. Or at least that’s what the lesson plan says…

As I predicted the teacher spends the first fifteen minutes going over the rules which are fairly simple:

No using your powers or fighting until the spell is activated around your fight circle.

Once your opponent is unconscious, stop.

No fights to the death.

No running with weapons, or using them unless permitted by the instructor, and only when in your fight circle.

And that was the extent of them. Yep, I’m going to die. With a resigned sigh I trail after the class towards the gym once instructed. Like usual, numbness takes over and I’m a mixture of zero emotion and adrenaline by the time I’m paired up. I’m with a pretty girl with pale blue hair, and equally pale eyes. I tap my fingers on my thigh as the magic domb activates around us, and I contemplate how I’m going to play this. I’m not completely helpless, I have my claws, which I can extend much like a cat, but that’s about it magic wise. I’m trained extensively in short swords and hand to hand combat fighting though, so when it comes to that I’ll be okay. Unfortunately this first round is only magic, and we’re not to use other tactics. Staying in a relaxed stance, I flex my hands and listen as our instructor counts down. The moment she gives us the green light I lunge for the girl, claws extended. Her eyes widen and flash, suddenly a semi-opaque shimmering barrier springs up between us. Instead of connecting with her skin, my claws hit the barrier, and surprisingly cut through it like butter.

This has her stumbling back in surprise, and barely dodging my claws. Pausing, I stare at my sharp nails.Huh, I didn’t know they could do that. Now that I’m closer, I can tell the girl is a hybrid and a fairly powerful one. I shouldn’t have been able to tear through her barrier with my nails like it was nothing. Unfortunately my distraction and confusion leaves me blind to the ball of magic she throws at me. One moment I’m in front of her, and the next I’m on my smarting ass. I don’t get up, making sure she knows that she won the fight so I don’t get beat up for no reason. It’s clear for anyone to see that I’m not a fair match for this girl.

She shakes my hand after I get to my feet, and the barrier lowers before we move along to our next partner. It goes much of the same way for the next few matches, I’m knocked on my ass, and they stop after I’m down, taking the easy win. It isn’t until I’m locked in with a guy who is the second to last match I have to face, and I can already tell from the way he’s holding himself and the asshole smirk on his face, that he’s not going to let me off that easily.

I roll my shoulders, and the teacher who I’ve noticed has been focusing on other pairs decides to move to outside our circle. Great, she’s going to watch me get my ass kicked and realise I have no powers. Taking a deep breath, I again keep my body loose, but curl my fingers in so he doesn’t notice my claws. They’re the only thing I have against him, and this time when the buzzer sounds, we circle each other rather than just running at each other. I squint at him. He must have some sort of either short range or physical power, otherwise he would have hit me by now. Proving my assumption, he charges me, trying to grab me with his massive meaty hands. I easily dart out of the way, and seeing an opportunity, I extend my claws to their mighty length of four inches—cue the snort—and gouge them into his uncovered side. I meet resistance and put all my strength into the strike. When I pull back I dart away, blinking slowly when the guy lets out an angry roar. Shit. Maybe I should have just let him take me down. Adrenaline has blood rushing in my ears and I quickly take in my surroundings, trying to work out a way to survive when the guy, whose eyes are now bright green, starts taking measured steps towards me.

I’m trapped and it irritates me more than anything; not only do these magic domes keep people outside safe but they keep the opponents trapped inside. They have an emergency fail safe, but that’s if someone's heartbeat slows enough, it will teleport that person out. Or the instructor can manually take it down, but I doubt this woman likes me enough to do that. When the guy gets close, I drop into a defensive position, screw what the instructor said. He throws an unnaturally hard punch that I knock aside easy enough, and I strike out making contact with his face. My claws once again split his skin and he goes for me again. I dip out of the way, but not quite fast enough, and catch a blow to the ribs. I barely flinch as I hear a crack, my adrenaline covering the pain for the moment.

His blood trickles steadily from the wound as I deflect another attack from him. This time he also blocks the ones I aim at him. After a few minutes of doing this, I can feel myself tiring. I’m not used to this and don’t have a supernatural metabolism like him. My defence starts to get sloppy and his fist connects with my face. I wince, hitting the ground with the force, barely rolling out the way of the stomp he aims at my mid section. Clearly his power is extra physical strength. I can hear multiple voices calling out, but all I can focus on is avoiding the attacks still aimed at me.

Drained, I quite clearly try to signal ‘I give up’ to him but he ignores it when I bare my throat to him and hold my hands out in surrender. His boot covered foot catches me in the thigh and I cry out in pain, scrabbling back so I’m pressed against the barrier. “Hey, dude stop. I give up. You win,” I say hoarsely, but he doesn’t pause.

I swallow hard and am about to curl into a ball in defeat, when a sudden white figure appears in front of me, sending the crazy guy back. It takes my eyes a moment to adjust, but when they do I find a woman who can’t be much older than me. And she’s transparent. “Holy shit.” Her red irises zero in on me, holding my gaze as she tries to dodge my focus, and her mouth parts.

“You can see me?” It’s said slowly, disbelief coating her tone.

I nod, too speechless to do anything else. Is she… a ghost? Is that my power? Seeing apparitions? No, I don’t think so, plus the power radiating off of her says she isn’t a normal ghost. Studying her features, I notice that something about her face seems familiar, but I can’t put my finger on it. Before I have a chance to ask, she raises a hand and the magic dome drops. She throws me a small smile then fades into the wall of the academy. My brows furrow.What the heck just happened?

I don’t get time to contemplate it because people swarm into the small area. My head is throbbing, as is my face, and when I focus on the guy who was attacking me I suck in a quick breath. Damn. He’s still either unconscious or dead from the hit Ghost Girl dealt him.

The instructor blocks my view and starts speaking to me, forcing me to focus on her words. “...are you okay? We’ve got the medics on the way to check on you…” I catch before a particularly strong pulse hits me behind my right eye and I groan, clutching my head. Goddess, that guy has a strong punch.What the hell was his problem?I didn’t do anything to him… that I’m aware of. The next hour or so is a little hazy, I vaguely remember hands on my shoulders and then some time later Lexi’s concerned voice, before clean smelling sheets wrap around me and sweet unconsciousness takes me.

*******

I come to in increments, antiseptic making my nose twitch as I stretch like a cat. A grunt slips from my lips as I become aware of my aching body.Goddess, did I fall out of a tree again?My eyes blink open, and with a heavy dose of squinting, an angry Lexi comes into focus. “Lex?” I rasp in confusion. Where the heck are we? I glance around the unfamiliar room, taking in what I originally thought were walls are actually curtains.Am I… in hospital?The tension in my bestie's body fades and in the next instant she’s laid out on top of me, squeezing my midsection tightly.

I laugh, the sound deeper than normal.What is going on?I pet her on the head a few times, exhaustion holding the rest of my limbs hostage. Well that, and Lexi’s arms. “What’s going on?” I ask her softly. My head is still hazy, but I hide the sinking feeling that swirls low in my gut.

“You don’t remember?” Worried eyes peer into mine.

I’m about to shake my head when it slams into me. The academy, Oscar, my first class, the fight, the ghost who helped me.Holy shit. My eyes widen, and my heart beats sluggishly as I struggle to comprehend everything. I must be in the school infirmary or something like that.

“I– I do now.” I blink slowly, then feel my brows tug low. “Were you there? Did you see her too?”

Lexi cocks her head to the side like a confused puppy. Her mouth opens, but a nurse and the teacher of my Magic Prac class bustle in, interrupting whatever it is she was going to say. “Nessa,” Miss what’s-her-name says in greeting.

I simply stare, wondering if they’re going to kick me out now that they know I don’t have any powers. The nurse bustles around the room, removing a needle from my arm that I didn’t even realise was there, before he dips his chin at me and leaves. “You haven’t come into your powers yet?”

I swallow hard and my mouth seems to grow unbearably dry. Lexi, my saviour, I swear, slides back into her seat and hands me a glass of cool water. I gulp it down gratefully. “No, I haven’t,” I admit. My leg starts to twitch rhythmically when she doesn’t respond instantly. Come on teacher, spit it out already.

Her lips twitch, but she doesn’t mention why. “In future with practicals like this, I’ll organise a separate practice for you to do.” She slides a look back at the door. “I’ll make sure to match you to people who your skills are adjacent to.”

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