The Beasts

I fought down a grin as a guy came in late. Perpetuating stereotypes was fun. I configured myself to be huge and anime-ish before staring at him with curiosity on my face. Ah, stereotypes...
 
I took an empty seat nervously fighting back the urge to flee from the room. I couldn't take people staring at me. Not only that, but I felt terrible for coming in late. It made me look like a slacker. I'd rather be home listening to music or doing something else on my own time as much as the next kid, but that didn't mean I wasn't serious about school. Yet, when someone comes in late it just makes that person look like a fool. My face turned bright red and my body tensed up as I sat down and hunched over involuntarily trying to make myself disappear. Unfortunately for me I hadn't gained a magical ability to turn myself invisible over night so I just appeared to be a red-faced, hunched over, slacker. What a great way to start the day off.
 
I smiled an awkward half-smile at the girl. "Thanks." I managed to whisper, though my face still burned a deep red. I tried to calm myself and slow my constantly rising heart rate by focusing my attention on the teacher, but that didn't seem to work. At least, not just yet.
 
"How nice of you to join us at last, Mr. Morris.", the teacher drawled to the class' snickers, "It seems that you assume you do not need to conform to the strict schedule the rest of us do. Maybe you think you know all you need to, hmmm? Tell me, what is the difference between the Frostbolt spell and the Frost Nova spell?". My anime eyes disappeared, leaving only the curiosity in it's place. This was so easy...
 
Swallowing back my rising nerves I focused on the question. I thought for a moment and let my eyes shift back and forth from the teacher to the faces of the other students awaiting my answer. What I was really doing was buying time. I still hadn't regained my ability to speak just yet, and I was afraid of squeaking the next time I opened my mouth. I've waited too long. If I wait any longer they're going to think I know nothing. This isn't that hard of a question - just answer! I tried to will myself to speak, and within a few more painful moments of silence, I slowly opened my mouth. I hesitated for a few more seconds, justifying the pause by clearing my throat before speaking. "Frostbolt..." I began nervously, "it umm." I paused nervously, then began again for the second time. "Frostbolt launches a, uh, bolt of frost at the enemy." I grew slightly more confident after that first painful sentence and finished with, "the Frost Nova spell shoots an ice bolt at its target and freezes them in their place." I let out a silent sigh, finally glad that was over.
 
I sighed in quiet relief for the poor soul and looked back at the teacher. He stared at the latecomer a few seconds more before growling out, "Correct.", and turning back to the board. On it he wrote in big letters 'The Beasts' before turning back to us and asking, "Who can tell me the history of the Beasts?".
 
I breathed yet another sigh of relief and sunk down just a tad more into my seat. I started to calm down a little as the attention of everyone was drawn to the board and not myself anymore. I made it a point to listen to the teacher even more so today than usual. I certainly did not want to get on his nerves and upset him even more than I already probably had. However, I couldn't take another incident like that again in one day, so I did not raise my hand to answer his next question. I hoped someone else who was slightly braver than I would do so.
 
A boy in the middle row, I think his name was Koizumi, raised his hand and was immediately called upon by the teacher. "The Beasts are three monumental creatures that both hold Canada, Hawaii, Australia above sea level and plug three holes through which magma could escape into the sea. The creatures are the Ice Giant of Canada, the Fire Dragon of Hawaii, and the Wind Cyclops of Australia. There was a fourth, the Water Snake of Atlantis, but he broke out of the Spell of Sleep the Gods cast and wriggled out from under Atlantis. Thankfully, the lava had conformed to his body shape and cooled by then, so the world didn't go into a crisis. Now he sends out his forces to wake the other three up.", Koizumi said, that ever present smile etched onto his face. It was kinda creepy, actually. "Correct, Mr. Itsuki!", the teacher exclaimed, finishing writing down what he said - point form, of course. "Now, true or false: Beast Masters and Mages can only use their native element.", he prompted, and I quipped, "False, but they're much more powerful if they do.", in a bored tone. He nods and says, "True or false: It is impossible to talk to a creature.".
 
I silently thank both of those two who answered in my head. Unfortunately, there were still more questions to come and this time I did not know the answer to the next question. I searched for the answer - closing my eyes to concentrate harder on the knowledge I had stored away in the depths of my brain. Unfortunately, I found nothing. I bet one of the others knows the answer. If I get called on I'll look so stupid! Oh, why must I constantly worry about things like this? It's not all that bad to get an answer wrong from time to time. But...to get an answer wrong to a simple true or false question can be humiliating. I put my head in my hands wearily. I just can't win today can I? I sure hope he doesn't call on me.
 
Nobody seemed to know the answer to that. Again, simple. And again, I piped up, "False. Mages've talked to the Water Snake before.". The teacher smiled and said, "Very good Jason. No more answers from you now, we have to let the others have a chance. True or false: Mages harness the power of their Beasts to cast spells.".
 
Boy, that one kid is smart. I wish I knew as much as he seems to. It doesn't look like I'll be saved from this next question, so I nervously raised my hand and opened my mouth to answer. I was almost certain my answer would be wrong, but I had to try. The other classmates were doing enough - it's only fair that I should have to answer some questions to. "Is...um. Is the answer..." I paused, afraid I would be wrong for sure, "t-true?" I waited anxiously for the teacher's response, hoping to not have just humiliated myself beyond all belief. If I get this wrong, I'll be shamed forever. I'm a Mage myself. I should know this!
 
I hung my head. I had been anticipating the exact opposite of what he had said. He was a Mage himself, for crying out loud! "I'm sorry Mr. Morris, that's incorrect. Beast Masters harness the powers of the Beasts to summon creatures to do their bidding. Mages use the power of aether to cast spells.", the teacher said disapprovingly. Poor guy...I thought.
 
My face turned bright red again. Of course! It makes sense that Beast masters should harness the powers of the Beasts. Why hadn't I thought harder? It was almost a common sense question! I'll never be able to live this down now. What must the other kids think? What must the teacher think? I am a Mage. To get that seemingly simple question wrong was a disgrace. Today just keeps getting better and better...
 
I grinned maniacally, leaning over to the guy and whispering, "Your face is so red...you must be a Fire Magii.". Somehow I had neglected to notice he was sitting beside me. The teacher launched into a lecture about really obvious stuff like shaping mana and Area Effect spells.
 
I could barely speak anymore, but I felt the need to speak to the other guy. He seemed decent enough, and smart too. So, I forced myself to speak again. "You must think I'm stupid. I can't even answer a simple true or false question that relates to my own self." I paused for a moment before turning to look into the guy's eyes, which I had been avoiding for a while. "You're pretty smart though yourself. How do you do it and not get nervous every time the teacher calls on you?"
 
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