Act I
"Professor, is this really it?" I asked my professor, after she summarized the regions in the Dream where humanity was able to explore. The map was unimpressively small and disconnected, which is understandable especially because of how someone would normally go into the dream proper.
"Of course! What did you expect? see this part." She looked excited as she pointed at a mapped area surrounded with white.
"We call this area the Dawn valley, because most Iron rankers from Dawn city would wake up here during their winter challenge. It's mostly flat forest lands which turn into hills and then mountains if you go east, south or north enough and at the western edge a large lake would appear that seems to go on forever." I nodded looking at the small thing, but from what the notes say the entire valley was roughly the size of the Iberian Peninsula.
"Profossor I want to ask, is it true that it's completely random and you wake up naked?" I asked, a little disturbed after reading the instruction guide for new Iron rankers and what to expect in the Dream world. She smiled and nodded.
"Ha ha ha! Don't be sad boy, the Dawn Valley is one heck of a wilderness, but atleast the Horrors inside are all relatively low ranked only becoming more powerful the closer you travel to the mountains." She explained before typing a few things on her caller and then she sent the message to my academy issued caller.
"Here's a list of monster manuals and exploration journals." She said and as I read through their titles she started typing on a terminal nearby and then after a few seconds a pile of dried grass and vines dropped from the sky.
"Alright come closer young Daniel, if you're that scared of being naked. For this week I'll be teaching you ways of creating clothes, for today will begin with grass skirts." She said while holding a bundle of dried grass, I looked at her and then the white nothingness around us and then back at her.
"I really didn't expect VR to become this good." I mumbled to myself as I sat down infront of my Wilderness survival professor as she taught me how to weave dry grass, how to dry grass, and how to tell which plant fibers would make you feel itchy if you use it.
Act II
"If you see a chicken with a snake tail, never fight it alone. . ." I was reading out loud one of the recommended journals, as I sat at a park near the academy entrance.
Today was my first break after a month of daily 12 hours of classes, plus personal tutoring. Still it wasn't really that hard, especially after how much my body changed when I became a ranker.
I don't even need that much sleep anymore, just five hours. The academy even scheduled me to have shorter sleeping cycles. By making me sleep three hours after midnight, and then sleep again for two hours in the afternoon.
Thud* The gate opened, as a medium tunnel appeared, a red armoured car entered as the tunnel closed. This wasn't the first car I've seen entered, but they are pretty rare. I'm not sure who uses them, it's not the faculty or students, they mostly use the tramway that comes in and out of the academy every three hours.
"I wonder who. . ." My words turned silent, as I saw the car stopped near the park and then a girl came out, she was being assisted by a group of academy staff. I watched the oddly noble scene, the short haired blonde girl looked towards me for a moment before she was led towards the guidance building.
"Huh, I guess I have a new classmate." It made me smile. Right now I was the only one attending classes in my batch and it's been lonely especially because the other batches were too busy training inside the Dreaming, the bit of time they can spend here in the waking world they spend with family or close friends.
Just like that they kept coming, some even in groups. Another few months went by and quickly my batch was almost filled, the academy was now planning an official welcoming ceremony for the batch at the end of August, which was a few weeks from now.
Act III
"I still don't get why you were so cold to me the first week." I gently said as I ate ice cream, sitting next to a cute boy with shoulder length pale blonde hair which was slowly turning golden wheat while his eyes looked empty and pale green.
"Can't you blame me? A weirdo suddenly approached me and started talking about monsters? You're lucky I didn't yell for help the first time you started talking while we ate." He said while he gave me a mirthful smile, on his pink lips.
"You know I was lonely! You can't imagine how bad it got for me, not having anyone to talk to besides the professors and staff." I blurted, and then I started laughing and continued with the vanilla of my frozen treat.
"Poor you! Ha ha ha!" With that he started laughing, joining in my amusement but then he paused. A shift appeared in his relaxed posture, turning stiff, very similar to the first time I met him.
"I'm scared Dani, I. . . I don't think I'll survive the winter challenge." I didn't say anything as I looked up at the skies, seeing the blurring effect of the soft dome that covered this district.
I'm not one hundred percent sure but the solar domes were designed to reflect and absorb most of the deadly sunlight, turning it from a cancer laser into safe enough UV rays that wouldn't cook and disfigure people.
"You're a prophet Chara, it's not your role to die." I smiled, as I started speaking, it had become ridiculously easy after all that time I spent with counselor Knight as she advised me on a lot of things that made me uncertain in this life.
"It's people like me who usually die, those who truly believe that they'll become a hero. Even though I know this, I still want to become a real one." Chara shifted on his chair as I gave a pause.
"Why? Why be a City Hero Dani?" Tap* I tapped his forehead making him flinch from the sudden surprising touch.
"Becuase it would be the least boring thing I can do, plus being a City Hero has its perks, not to mention I'll not just get the ranker stippends the city gives but also Noble privileges if I dawn the mask." With that I gave him a wink that he didn't respond to as he blindly looked towards my voice.
"So stop being so emo, and start learning brail." With those last words he nodded, accepting my words. After that we spoke some more, of less concerning things, but then his break was over as he left as one of his attendants came and fetched him, I watched as she led him to the academic building.
I stayed behind, in the park watching people move around the campus. It was a good hobby, people watching while smiling and greeting people who pass by. I get a few minutes of casual conversations from time to time mostly from the older folks and rarely from the kids who're busy exercising.
Thud* The small tunnel opened, I looked over the now familiar gate as two figures walked inside. Both wore the rare peace officer's detention white jumpsuits, they must have not been as prepared as I was when I went to a peace officers station to be quarantined.
They're appearance made me stand up. I went forward and walked towards them, meeting them at the end of the park. One of them looked cautiously around herself while the other did the same but her eyes were more aloof, as she scanned the academy grounds.
I put on my best tour guide smile, and approached them with steady steps as I waved, getting both of the new arrivals attention. As I got closer, I was able to notice a lot more details about them.
One was short, only reaching my chest in height, while her limbs were almost unhealthily thin. Her pale hair was tainted with raven stricks, marking her as a survivor of the Pale Fever. I followed her hair and noticed they only reached her shoulders as each strand was tied into a loose pony tail at the back of her head.
After that I looked into her eyes, they were still pale from the fever with small bits of charcoal returning to what they used to be, but what had struck me was how much suspicion lay in her dark pale eyes. While her small lips frowned even though I was giving her a gentle smile.
I wonder, does she think I want to do something bad to her? It's sad how much different I looked, in my past life most women didn't even worry about me trying anything on them. My friends always said it was because I looked too tame, too unthreatening, but now with how tall and broad I looked, most probably think I would destroy their maidenhood the first chance I get.
The other girl was taller, her pale silvery blue hair covered head had reached my neck, as I looked at her slender well built developing body, she gave me a glance looking at me with disinterest in her eyes, as I heard the subtle sound of music playing on her hot pink headphones. With a simple press on her caller the music stopped playing as she placed her headphones around her pale neck.
"Can I help you. . . Sir?" Augh, I felt like someone punched me in my belly, being called a sir while still fifteen spoke volume of how I looked right now. . . Still if I combine the years from my past life and this one I should be around 37, yet it didn't feel like I was that old oddly enough. I shook my head at the thoughts.
"Not sir, I am a batchmate, I'm Daniel Dawn. Please let me be the one to welcome you to Dawn academy." With that said, I gave them a little more space.
They looked at me, their thoughts a mystery but then the aloof girl nodded. While the shorter one grinned, it made my spine shiver as she tried looking like a cute little girl.
"How noble, so would you guide us to the guidance building batchmate Daniel?" The short girl asked, it made me cheerful as I nodded in excitement.
"Of course! Please follow me and I'll even give you two a tour around the academy after your counseling, I promise Counselor Knight is a fine counselor." I told them, making them stiff for some reason but I ignored it as I turned as I walked behind them and pushed both forward.
"Come on! Come on! We have so much to see!" With my excitement they relented and followed my urging.
Act IV
"This is the cafeteria, you can order something special from the cooks if you want, but from experience it's better to pick something from the Buffet table." I explained as I led them to the buffet table, and then after filling up our plates and getting drinks we sat down. There weren't many people during this time of the day because they're mostly in their personalized tutoring sessions.
"Alright, that should be the end of our tour. Do you two have any questions for me?" I asked as I took a bite of a freshly baked pizza bread wrap that was absolutely filled to the brim with cheese, tomato sauce and meat. I wondered who invented this delightful pizza stuffed bread, would give them so much when I start earning some real credits.
"Oh I have a lot of questions! But I would love to eat first." The short girl spoke, and then bit into her own food, she gave a satisfied moan. That made me smile, as even I did the same thing the first time I ate food here. It really made me realize how poor I was during this life and that of my last, only being able to eat so much during celebrations.
"I have one. . . Do you know me?" The taller girl with indifferent eyes asked as she looked into me, it made my brows curl as I thought about it. Did I know her? Is she some kind of pop Idol? Well she is pretty, so maybe a young actress?
"I'm not sure? Are you a famous young actress? I haven't been able to watch many movies lately." I told her honestly, as ever since I regained my memories when I was ten, I only rarely entertained myself with movies, focusing on my studies and learning about this new world.
My answer made her eyes widen in surprise, and then her perpetual bitch face curled into a surprisingly beautiful small smile. It was enough for me to stop stuffing my face for a moment, as I dumbly looked at her.
"No, I didn't think so too. . . Well where's my manners, my name is Seraphina Winter. Thank you for your warm welcome Daniel." She spoke as a small flicker of light appeared in her cold eyes, it made me happy hearing her words. I went back to my food, it tasted better for some reason, I guess I have a new friend.
After her question, Seraphina and the others didn't ask any more, I shrugged it off as we ate in an easy silence listening to the tv that the academy staff on duty were watching.
[A rift has appeared in Garden District, the heroes. . .]
The garden district was a cultural place where citizens could grow their own food if they wanted or practice some traditional farming or gardening technique. I've been there before a few times actually, mostly picking fruits to help with the food drives for the outer districts.
[A level 2 quarantine has been initiated while 2 hero teams have appeared to control the situation.]
"Hey tour guide." I heard the shorter girl speak, her words broke me from the common news of districts being threatened by a rift, which was one of the more common causes of death in Dawn City, right next to not being able to run fast enough while a hero fights a horror.
"Why did you play tour guide? Are you getting paid?" Her question made me smile, almost making me laugh, but I took it in and then with gentle words I answered her.
"No, I don't get paid. As for the why because it's fun and I do love meeting new people, especially people I'll spend a lot of my time with in the coming months." She stared at me, and then frowned.
"You're an idiot." The words came seemingly without thought as she quickly covered her mouth and looked at me horrified. But I didn't disagree as I nodded.
"I am foolish, I know that. But where else can I be foolish if not in a place like this?" I talked easily as I enjoyed a spoonful of my sweet fruit salad pie.
"I don't know . . . by the way I'm Eclipsa Dawn." That was her last words as she looked down at her food, not meeting my eyes anymore. Huh, I bet counselor Knight has her hands full with this new one, I can only imagine the Dream Challenge she went through to become like this.