Chapter 30: Entangled

All I wanted was to finally begin a nice and quiet school life. I had a goal in mind, gathering the strength to take back my home. I went through literary hell to make up with Rose, picked up an awesome feathered friend, and now I'm stopped again by this crappy security robot!?

"Body irregularities were found. Merits will be deducted. If you have any complaints contact the school administration." Oh, this wording was nostalgic and still infuriating.

Rose stopped me just in time. Because Lessandra, the lion I dueled, showed up and explained that the robots were reset.

"Why don't you take your piercings out, Meadow Song? Then you wouldn't need to deal with this issue again." She suggested.

I looked at her like she was crazy. "No! They are part of me! I would feel naked without them!" With my left hand over the mouth, I played the part of an appalled lady who was asked to leave behind all her expensive accessories.

"Oh wow! You got a full limb upgrade!? That must've been expensive!" Lessandra burst out. Right, I still had both of my original arms at our duel. Rose and I shared a look. "Something like that. Anyway, lion- no, Lessandra! You still owe me a bowl of noodles!" Finger pointed and laughing like a manic I clumsily changed the topic.

She looked embarrassed to the ground. "I know. I, uhm, kinda…" After a deep breath, Lessandra managed to steady herself. "I didn't know how to approach you. You were especially unapproachable the week before the spring holidays." Rose and I shared another look. "Well, I'm sorry?" I said. "I'm here now so let's eat!"

"Song, we have classes now." Rose reminded me. "But if you wanna skip then I'm in!"

Now Lessandra and I shared a look. "Ugh, fine, you nerds!" We resumed our way to the main campus.

"By the way, Meadow Song, which electives did you choose?"

"Why do you keep calling me by my full name? Just call me Meadow."

"I will never!" commented Rose.

I ignored her. "History of Cultivation, Hand-to-Hand combat, Dan-Design and Botany Club. And you?"

"Oh, what a coincidence! I also have Botany Club! It's so weird that classes only start today. I wonder what happened at the greenhouses that they needed renovations. I also chose Rapier-Fancing, Tea Cultivation, and Cyber-Economics."

"Uwah! And I thought Song was boring! Botany Club and Tea Cultivation are bad but Cyber-Economics!? It's like you want to become a sect bigshot." Rose's face deformed like she bit into a lemon.

"Maybe I will become just that," Lessandra said while holding Rose's gaze.

"I can't win against serious people!" Rose threw her hands into the air in defeat.

I laughed. "Maybe you should get a bit serious yourself." Rose again grimaced this time as if she happily bit into an apple only to notice it was rotten from the inside.

The main campus was always busy like a beehive. Students of all ages were talking, walking, yawning and some even hastily wolfing down their breakfast. "What!? I was hungry!" I complained when I noticed Rose's disgusted look.

"But we just ate breakfast!" She said. I narrowed my eyes. "You know why I eat more than most people." Apparently, she forgot that it was her fault that I got this cursed mechanical arm which side effect was increased hunger. Now, did I enjoy eating? Certainly! Did I want to eat like a food fighter in front of people? Absolutely not! But I had no choice when the hunger came it had to be satisfied.

The gong sounded telling the student body the classes began. Lessandra sat beside us and for the first time since moving to Heaven's Gate it felt like we were forming a cute little group. I definitely preferred this over being alone all the time. Although I tell myself I'm a loner, I do enjoy the company. The small talk distracted me from the horrors of algebra, Rose's jokes brought fun into the writing assignments and Lessandra's knowledge in my philosophical courses was simply awesome. All in all, it was a really fun time until we had our cultivation class.

Cultivation was for the immortal Rose never a problem. She had more issues concealing her powers. Now, my cultivation was very bumpy because of the cyber interface. I needed to find a new cultivation technique. But surprisingly I wasn't the only one who struggled. Lessandra did too. I assumed she was from a noble house. She always seemed so refined and an aura of dignity enveloped her. Although why would she hang out with ordinary folk like me? Also, her issues in the cultivation department spoke against that. It was always said that no matter the talent geniuses could be bought.

This was either not the case with Lessandra or she simply was one of us, lowly peasants. In any case, we both asked the instructor if there was any way to get to new cultivation manuals.

"Well, it is certainly possible to get more advanced manuals. Either you progress through the general classes like you do now and reach the advanced classes, or you could take specific electives. I heard underwater cultivation is the newest fad these days." He shrugged. "The last approach would be through merit points. You nearly can buy everything through merits. Although I believe this would be the most difficult approach."

After cultivation class ended we sat outside the canteen and were slurping our promised noodles. The instructor certainly was right. Merits are hard to come by and I already was in the negative. There was no way that I could earn the merits in a timely fashion without sacrificing my cultivation process. What to do?

"The only realistic way for us to get to a new cultivation manual is to sign up on a new elective. But I doubt it's possible this far into the semester, "Lessandra thought out loud.

"Indeed, we are in a pickle," I said.

Rose waggled her finger while smacking her lips disapprovingly. "You girls know nothing."

"Suddenly skipping classes seems unrealistic to me, also If I knew a way to easily earn merits then I would do it," I said.

"No, Song! You dummy there is a fourth way!"

"Don't you dare say black market! I don't have the funds for such an endeavor!"

Rose grinned widely and got real close to us both. "No, we steal it!"