First Lesson

Aaron stared at Sydney in confusion, glancing around the parking lot. "Hop in? Aren't we supposed to be going to school?"

Sydney laughed, shaking her head as she stared at him. "Don't act like you've never skipped school when you had stuff to fix for people. Come on, fixer."

Aaron blinked, then shrugged. "Fair point." He muttered, before walking around the car and sliding into the passenger seat. 

The car smelled faintly of leather and vanilla, and the dashboard gleamed under the morning sunlight. "Alright, where are we going?"

"You'll see." Sydney said with a grin as she started the engine. The car roared to life, and within seconds, they were heading downtown.

As they weaved through the streets, Sydney glanced at him. "You've got questions, right? Let's start with the basics."

"Yeah, like what the hell is this world I'm in now?" Aaron said, crossing his arms. "Last night was… insane."

"Welcome to the Deckbound society." Sydney said. "We're a group of people bound to magical decks, each granting powers."

"And our powers come with responsibilities, mainly fighting the Outcasts. Not out of want but out of necessity. If the Outcasts are left unchecked, they'll tear both worlds apart."

"Sounds simple enough." Aaron muttered, even as his stomach churned at the memory of the Outcast they'd fought. He was sure even those who served in the army would be just as uneasy as he was. "And this Deckbound society? What's that about?"

"It's structured around the Four Houses." Sydney said, turning the car onto a main road. "Hearts, Spades, Clubs, and Diamonds."

"The Hearts are basically the healers, the Spades are the bullies, the Clubs are the strategists and the Diamonds are basically the greedy dudes kept where everyone can see them."

"Don't worry though." She said flippantly. "You don't have to join a faction if you don't want to. Nobody's gonna force you."

"But if you want to hunt Outcasts full time, it's generally better to join the House of Spades. They're your best bet for maximum cash on the right side of the law."

"Thanks but no thanks." Aaron shook his head.

"Good choice." Sydney grinned.

"Back to business. Each of the houses have their own purpose and ideals. Overseeing everybody is the Shuffle Council."

"They're basically a bunch of high-ranking Cardholders who make the rules, mediate disputes, and generally try to keep things from falling apart."

Aaron tried to follow, but it felt like she was tossing him into a crash course on a world he barely understood. "Okay, Four Houses, Council, got it. But my biggest concern is this whole In Between thing. How do I control not getting dragged in?"

"That's the real challenge." Sydney admitted. "The In Between is tied to our powers. The moment you use your deck, it opens the door. You can stop it, but it takes practice. I'll explain more when we get there."

Aaron frowned, watching the city blur past. "Get where?"

Sydney grinned mischievously and pulled into the parking lot of a fast-food restaurant. She parked the car and unbuckled her seatbelt. "Here. Come on."

Aaron stared at the bright, colorful sign above the restaurant. "What are we doing here?"

Sydney rolled her eyes like the answer was obvious. "To eat."

Aaron opened his mouth to protest but stopped himself. Instead, he muttered, "You're unbelievable," and followed her inside.

The restaurant was warm and smelled of grease and salt. Sydney walked up to the counter, where the staff greeted her like an old friend. 

She ordered burgers and drinks for both of them without even asking Aaron what he wanted. He hung back, still trying to figure out if she was completely insane or not. 

Who's to say all these card businesses don't screw with people's heads.

Once the food was ready, they found a seat by the window. Sydney sipped her drink as Aaron picked at his fries, his mind too distracted to enjoy the food.

"So," Sydney said, setting her cup down. "Do you still have the card fragments?"

Aaron nodded, patting his jacket pocket. "Yeah, they're in here."

"Good. Bring them out." She said, gesturing.

Aaron glanced around at the other patrons in the restaurant. "Here? Where everybody can see? Isn't that, I don't know, dangerous?"

Sydney laughed, shaking her head. "Normies can't see anything related to our powers. How do you think Deckbound society stayed hidden? There are cameras everywhere, and yet no one knows we exist."

Aaron frowned. She did have a point.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out the card fragments. They were warm to the touch, glowing faintly like embers. 

As he placed the three small stones on the table, a translucent screen appeared before his eyes.

[Would you like to use your card fragments to unlock a new card?]

[Yes/No]

Aaron blinked at the screen, then looked at Sydney. "The system's asking if I want to unlock a new card."

"Perfect." Sydney said, leaning back in her seat. "This is your first lesson."

Aaron raised an eyebrow. "Lesson?"

Sydney nodded. "The moment you accept, you'll be pulled into the In Between. That's just how it works."

"But here's the trick. Our powers are tied to our desires. If you have a strong enough desire to stay in the real world, you can resist the pull."

Aaron stared at her, incredulous. "That's it? Just... want to stay here really badly?"

Sydney smirked. "Sounds simple, right? But it's not. The pull is strong, and most newbies fail their first few tries. It's like learning to walk all over again."

Aaron looked at the fragments on the table before glancing up at Sydney again. "And what if I fail?"

"Then you end up in the In Between." Sydney said casually, taking a bite of her burger. "Don't worry, I'll pull you out if it happens."

Aaron muttered something under his breath and turned his attention back to the system screen. He took a deep breath, calming himself. "Alright, here goes nothing."

He clicked Yes on the screen, focusing all his energy on staying grounded in reality. 

The card fragments on the table began to shimmer, their glow intensifying before they disappeared entirely.

In that instant, Aaron felt a force pulling at him, not physically, but deep within his being. 

It wasn't painful, but it was deeply uncomfortable, like wax being ripped off his skin. He gritted his teeth, clinging to his desire to stay in the real world.

For a split second, it seemed like he might succeed. But the pull grew stronger, overwhelming him. Before he could react, the world around him shifted.

The restaurant disappeared, replaced by a twisted, distorted version of itself. The colors were muted, and the shapes of tables and chairs bent unnaturally. 

Everyone in the restaurant was gone. 

Everyone except Sydney, who sat calmly across from him, her drink still in hand.

"Welcome back to the In Between." She said, smirking.

Aaron groaned, running a hand through his hair. "I lost, didn't I?"

"Yup." Sydney said cheerfully. "But don't feel bad. It happens to everyone their first time."

Before Aaron could respond, the system screen reappeared, displaying a new message.

[Congratulations! You have unlocked a new card: Elastic Body.]

[Ability: Absorb and adapt to any impact.]

Aaron stared at the screen in open mouthed disbelief. "Elastic Body?" He muttered. "What am I, a human rubber band now?"

Sydney laughed, finishing her drink. "You'd be surprised how useful that can be. Now, let's figure out how to get you back to the real world."

Aaron sighed, glancing around at the twisted version of the restaurant. This was going to be a long day.

Hopefully, they don't meet an Outcast.