Fresh Faces

After dropping her satchel and walking shoes on her desk, Noble slid into her chair and looked at her classroom. Everything was in order. The desks were all in neat rows just as she had left them before the weekend. Thankfully the tournament had run during days she was not already having class, but she could have easily made an excuse, and no one would have asked any questions.

To the side of her desk in the corner of the room, a large square area was encased in a clear polymer from floor to ceiling. There was an almost imperceptible door which would let a human into the chamber and out again.

The structure was an oddity among the classrooms, but it had become a staple of her class. Indeed her room would not be the same without it. 

Looking up at the clock, Noble noted the hour. She pulled out a synthetic page off of her large stack and began to read the information on it. 

While she worked, students slowly filed into the room and picked their seats.

Noble liked to watch how they selected where to sit. Although she tried to pretend she was busy not to make anyone feel uncomfortable, the Awakened professor always watched out of the corner of her eye with great fascination.

So far there were no familiar faces. That was not unusual. Students could take classes whenever they liked. The sleepers had a limited amount of time before the Solstice, so--with the exception of combat courses--they often only stayed in each class for a few weeks before moving to the next. That gave them the widest array of knowledge and often made them feel more prepared.

Confidence was a valuable asset in the Dream Realm as long as it did not turn into cockiness. 

While Noble wished some stuck around longer so she could impart more of her knowledge, it was also a blessing in disguise. It was harder to get attached to people when they came and went as quickly as nightmare creatures from a gate.

Inhaling deeply from her nose, Noble prepared her usual welcome speech. Because none of the Sleepers in the room had been with her before, it was important for them to have realistic expectations of what was contained within her course.

She stood from her desk, and the gentle murmurings in the room settled into silence.

"Good morning, Sleepers. I am Professor Noble. In case you are unsure what room you wandered into on this bright Monday, you have found your way into Memory Assessment and Utilization. How many of you have a Memory in your possession?"

Every hand in the room shot up. Noble gave them a wry smile.

"Then it seems like you are in the right place."

Her words were met with a ripple of laughter. 'Better than usual. They didn't just stare at me blankly. It's going to be a good day.'

"Who can tell me the four main types of Memories?"

A smug boy with chestnut hair sat back in his chair. He lazily raised his hand. "Everyone knows the categorizations are weapon, armor, tool, charm."

"Very good…" Noble paused and held out her palm.

"Hectare of the Siwo Han Clan," the sleeper raised one eyebrow at her as if she should know the name. If she did, the professor didn't show it. Her blue eyes stared at him with pleasant indifference.

"Hectare is correct. Most Memories will fall into one of these categories. Some will actually fall into more than one."

Already a student was tentatively raising her hand. Noble paused to take her question. The girl had brown hair which cascaded down her shoulders in waves, and grey-green eyes which spoke of deep understanding. But she also looked quite youthful, even for a Sleeper. "Please tell me your name and your question."

"I'm Catphine, but most people call me Cat. Is…is it possible for something to not fit into any of those categories?"

"Yes, Cat. We are aware of less common categories like Garments, for example. On very rare occasions, a Memory has defied all the known categories and is labeled something new. I find those Memories to be particularly exciting. And sometimes the Spell just gives question marks where the type should be or it is blank altogether." Noble studied the girl. The professor's eyes deepened in their blue. "Is there a reason you asked?"

Catphine paled and shook her head vigorously. "No, no, I was just curious," she answered quickly just a little above a whisper.

Noble could feel there was something more behind the reluctant girl's question, but she knew better than to press her in front of the hundred other students in the room. 

"Come see me after class with all of your questions, Cat. That goes for the rest of you, too. I will be happy to answer anything that I can. Unfortunately, we won't get into the nitty-gritty in class today. Let us stay with the things you are most likely to encounter in the Dream Realm.

"Back to the types. A Weapons Type Memory is usually the most obvious. It is something you can wield to either defend yourself or attack someone else. Armor is something worn on your body which can keep your body from injury. This can sometimes be more subtle. Not all Armor Memories are tough and metallic."

Noble summoned a Memory. The rough, sleeveless fabric materialized in a rain of sparks to hang loosely across her body. It was a strange patchwork of colors, resembling something from a tournament of old which the more educated students had read about called the 'medieval dark ages.'

"This [Loyal Tabard] might not look like much, but its fabric is nearly impenetrable by Nightmare Creatures up through Awakened Monsters and possibly beyond. Of course, it isn't ideal due to its sleeveless nature, but this beauty is actually able to be worn over or under another set of armor like a second skin. And, in a pinch, it would be better than being unprotected." Having made her point, Noble dismissed the tabard, leaving her feminine suit behind, unwrinkled.

"As for Tools, they are a bit of a catch-all when it comes to Memories. They are any Memory that can be helpful for survival or battle but are not necessarily used for fighting. If you have a Memory but don't know what it is or how it is used, then it is probably a tool. The final option is a charm Memory. Some argue that this is a subset of tools while others firmly stand that it is a category all its own. You want to know what I think?" Noble looked at the crowd.

A few in the class nodded slowly.

"I think it doesn't matter how we categorize charms as long as we know how to identify and use them. But since the spell delineates them as a different type, I do as well." Noble gave a small shrug and continued, "Charms can be worn on the body or sometimes paired with another Memory to alter or enhance oneself, a Memory, or the environment around you. They are the most rare type of Memory and also the most valuable. If you receive a charm Memory, it would be wise to hold onto it no matter what the temptation to sell it might be."

Another student raised his hand. His dark red hair fell in front of his eyes as he swept it to one side. "You mentioned people and Memories are able to accept and use charms. What about echoes?"

"Yes, they can. It just requires the charm to either have its own fastener or for the echo itself to have a place to house the charm. I like your out-of-the-box thinking! That is the best way to succeed both in the real world and the Dream Realm." Noble saw the boy sit up a little straighter. It seemed she had inspired at least one person today.

Actually, all the students were paying even better attention than usual. 'A decent group!' The dynamics of a class often gave her a hint on how far to go in her lessons. 

This class seemed ready–even hungry– for more. After fielding a few more questions, Noble felt like she could move on from the basics.

"Now that we have the foundation, the real question is: why should we care? The answer is simple. By identifying your Memories, you should have a better idea of how to use them. Without this knowledge, you could get along alright, but having a systematic process for understanding your Memories will help you to utilize these tools and trinkets to their full capacity much faster. Speed, in the Dream Realm, is the difference between surviving unscathed and losing a limb…or worse. So unless you have an ability that allows you to see the intricacies of your Memories, this is the best way to save time and live longer."

The room seemed to agree with her statements. At least, no one was glaring at her defiantly. Even Hectare, whom Noble had thought would find a way to undermine her at every turn, seemed at least to mildly accept what she had to say.

Noble smiled. 'This is going to be fun.'

The professor cleared her throat. "Very well, let's get on with it, shall we? I need a volunteer. I promise it won't hurt…probably."