Clone Earth : MELVIN
SANDWICHES

“I’m going to move water tomorrow!” The excitement bubbled over so aggressively that Trevon practically sat on Nicki when sliding into the outdoor lunch table. Russ chuckled from across the table. Nicki helped steady Trevon in the chair beside her.

“Relax, have a sandwich.” She pushed a tall layered food creation toward him. Trevon sunk his teeth into the soft white bread, through the crunchy vegetables and into the spiced meaty center he chewed careful in order to taste each bite, before swallowing.

“Sandwiches are amazing,” Trevon insisted. “What is this?”

“Pastrami,” said Nicki.

“What kind of animal is a Pastrami?”

Russ laughed “I knew befriending a space kid would be entertaining.” He bit down on a sandwich of his own. Trevon eyed it noticing there was no vegetables or meat. It oozed with a strangely brown substance.

“It’s peanut butter,” Russ started noticing Trevon’s wandering eye. “You’re not ready for Peanut Butter.” He took another bite.

“So you’re going to move water?” Nicki changed the subject.

“I was allowed to sit in on a fifth class, not an official audit but the professor allowed it. We went through the steps and theory on how to connect with water and use its energy to move it, he was so impressed he’s allowing me to come back tomorrow and try to make a whirlpool in the pond.”

“Why are you even auditing an elemental course anyway?” Nicki interrupted his thoughts. “Only new students are required to take multiple introductory courses for each branch, so they can find out what they’re meant to do. You already know you’re a healer.”

“The elemental professor said that too,” Trevon admitted.

“He’s just looking for an outlet to use his mana.” said Russ, catching each of them by surprise. “You healers spend all your time working in theory you don’t really do anything.”

“Well that’s not true,” Nicki muttered but gave no basis for her retort.

“He’s completely new to magic, at least with an elemental course he can try something without hurting anyone.”

Nicki licked frosting from her fingers, “You caused an earthquake and sent Grandpa Renji to the hospital.”

“I was twelve,”

“He had a concussion.”

“Anyway, it’s always good to have one elemental skill on hand. Not to mention the human body is primarily made up of water so maybe it’ll come in handy in your healing courses.”

Nicki gave an encouraging pat on the back of Trevon’s shoulder. “Do you remember the steps?”

Russ put his glass in the centre of the table, the water inside fill it halfway and he smiled. “Oh yes, let’s see your first attempt.”

Still buzzing from what he’d learned Trevon took the challenge. Putting his sandwich down he rubbed his hands together, and took a deep breath to calm his nerves. Reaching out his hand, fingers together, he stiffly moved it up and down in small motions while focusing on the cup of water - nothing happened.

Shaking his hand Trevon tried again to focus on what the professor had said. Water has a force all on its own. He had simply has to reach out with his mana and use what was already there. The gentle push and pull of the current.

Nothing.

“Loosen your wrist.” Russ mumbled bring Trevon’s attempt to an abrupt halt. “I really don’t like being a teacher but I can’t just watch. Loosen your wrist. It’s not an elevator movement it’s like a small wave.”

Russ demonstrated, in slow steady movements his right hand waved inches from the table. Then slowly it started to raise, and the water with it. Streaming up from the glass a large droplet of water ascended.

“A steady rhythm, like conducting music,” Russ continued to explain. “Higher and higher until you pull the invisible string to hold it in place before - you -

SPLAT!

The ball of water exploded in Trevon’s face. Wiping the water from his eyes, Russ’ smug smirk came into clear view. “Thank you for that.” Trevon said, his tone layered with sarcasm and eager to return to his sandwich.

“What Russ isn’t telling you is that a small cup of water is a lot harder to manipulate than a big body of water.” Nicki stated.

Russ chugged the small cup of water to polish off his own peanut butter sandwich. “Yeah. With more water it’s easier to feel its energy. But keep trying, maybe you’ll be able to start a ripple tomorrow.”

Trevon finished drying himself off while he nodded, “we’ll see.”

“Um and I accidentally read your message that arrived this morning. A General Bishop is trying to get a hold of you.” Russ took a large bite of his triangle shaped food. The green wrapping crumbled into a soft white rice center.

“How do you accidentally read a message for someone else.” Nicki asked.

Mouth full Russ replied, “It was very Military official, I thought it was from Robie.”

Trevon absently nodded. He’d gotten the message. Trevon had let more than a week pass avoiding contact with Ari and as a result he’d been avoiding Uncle Clint as well. Perhaps Uncle Clint knew this, so this message Russ had come through university channels from General Bishop’s Secretary, Petty Officer Harrow.

“So who is the General?”

“My Uncle Clint Bishop.” Trevon thought he caught a look shared between his two friends but he wasn’t sure.

“Blood related?”

That question made Trevon more curious, “My mother’s side … why?”

Nicki just nodded and continued snacking on her dessert, Russ gave a half smile. “Magic is most commonly genetic. We’ve been guessing which side of your family might be carrying.”

“Huh” was all Trevon could say.

An alarm bussed from Nicki’s back, “Shoot!” Nicki licked the remaining frosting off her fingertips while frantically gathering her belongings. “I have to run to administration before Introductory Healers Class. Save me a seat, Trev?”

“Always.”

Arms full of bag, books, odds and ends, Nicki pushed the remainder of her lunch tray to Russ and disappeared down the walkway. Trevon had to smile as Russ accepted her tray without complaint, stacking his own trash on top as he too prepared to leave.

“I better get to class too. Make sure you answer that message. It’d be a disaster to your images if military personnel showed up to hand deliver it.”

“They’d do that?”

Russ shrugged, standing to leave. “I am excited about the elemental idea, but really each person has their strengths, you usually can’t just switch from one to another.” Transmutation, Elemental, and Biology, Trevon listed off the main three areas in his head, and nodded. “Something about how our mana works zeros in on one focus area. Within that you can learn all sorts of things but there are limitations to it that are important to understand.” Instinctively Trevon’s eyebrow raised, “Yes even I understand rules.” Russ pat Trevon hardy on the shoulder, then rushed off to dispose of his lunch waste and headed to class.

Trevon watched him leave before noticing a large leather-bound book resting on the seat beside him where Nicki’s belongings had previously sat. A small chuckle escaped him as he picked up the book intending to return it to his owner.

Actual, physical books had become less of a rarity to Trevon since he’d been at the University, but this one looked very unique. He carefully lifted the book cover. The leather was softer than he’d expected, and etched with a simply patterned border of leafy vines. The inner pages were creamy white, heavy and rough, and the craftsmanship was remarkable - but what caught Trevon’s attention most were the images sketched across the pages. They were done in black ink, gorgeous and perfect despite being sketches.

Entire pages were devoted to inked images of desert and jungle landscapes, but the majority of the drawings were of people: fair-haired beauties modeling elaborate gowns, a trio of silhouettes in front of the Military’s insignia, an older couple with contorted, bickering expressions, a small girl standing at the edge of a sharp cliff...

He reached the last sketch at the center of the book, only to find it wasn’t complete. In fact, it was still unclear what exactly the picture was; but the vivid eyes and wisps of what seemed to be shorthair indicated it was a portrait. The features were still too light for him to be able to tell who it was. Somehow, the eyes reminded Trevon of his sister, the way they were fixed on him.

Loud chatter approached behind him and he remembered he hadn’t eaten anything yet. Closing the book he slid it into his own bag of school materials.

CHAPTER END

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