“Right…” Greer looked at them all. She’d heard about crazy powers from her agent when he had to come and help her reset with problematic ones. But they had a time traveler, a shape shifter, a pocket dimension maker, and someone who could alter minds. Dewi and Luce she wasn’t sure she could ever touch. Blake she had to at least once and Sato…. Shit what if she forgot about the room? That would be bad right? She supposed it was good she was only planning on being here a semester. That was the other reason she thought this swap had to be soon now. After all… this was temporary right? Two of them for sure had graduated and within 2 years Dewi would be done with school. It wasn’t likely they would still be here then.
“With that combo of powers you guys could take over the world, especially if you combined them…”
Fuck idiot why did you say that!
I dunno!
Noone wants to hear those theories, remember? Just smile and make a just kidding face. Which she did her best at.
"Yeah, but then we'd have to run it.... And your Ma would be coming after us for not fixing things quick enough..."
"Heh yeah... she would." She relaxed. No comments on combining powers.
"Of course," Blake continues, "It would be worth it if the world was so messed up that we thought drastic measures would be needed to fix it. In those cases, power combining would be very helpful. Especially if you figured out the right combination to make travel between alternate dimensions possible so one can talk with their alternative selves for advice and other help..."
"Uh... right.... probably. That'd probably be pretty hard though."
"Well, that's half the fun, right? Once you unlock how to do power combinations, finding out what two powers will actually create... You don't know what you'll get until you try."
"So..you've...done it?"
"Nope. But I know it's possible."
"Oh... the agent I told said that sort of thing wasn't..."
"That's the same people who told your Ma that the government's resources for help with powered issues were adequate and there was no need for more... Not exactly the leading experts on our evolving world..."
"Well I mean... I dunno. Agent Myers sounded pretty sure. Like... if it was possible their best researcher would be on it was what she was talking about. It was around the time She was telling me about that anti power pill and saying I could probably take it if I wanted."
"So... You're saying the only reason the agent thinks it isn't possible is because their lead researcher hasn't thought to look into it yet? ...That's the same kind of logic your Ma has been having to fight against all this time and I apologize on behalf of all multi-generational powered for such outdated thinking being so prevalent."
"It's nice to know it's not a dumb idea I guess. It's fine though I mean... things are changing. They're getting better. and I mean... I dunno. I mostly stick to machines and stuff you know."
"You like doing things with your hands. Working on machines is when you feel most comfortable and content."
"....is this a time traveler thing where you already know stuff about me?"
"I don't need time travel to know that. It's in your expressions. You have this spark that's there every time you say something about machines or working on them... I can tell it's something you really love."
She smiled a bit. Well, she was told she was always obvious in her emotions. "yeah... guess that's fair."
"Though, for the record, this isn't the first time I've met you. I don't let strangers into our apartment so easily..."
“I um... ok. I guess that makes sense if you are a time traveler.” She wondered if that’s why he was pushing that the switch would happen later. Did he already know or did he hope she’d stay longer.
After dinner was done, Greer helped tidy up and went to plan out her next day. Textbook buying, checking where her classes were, and looking for work. She'd planned all her classes to go from dawn till past dusk on Tuesday and Thursdays. She was pretty sure she had it figured out. The other days she could study and do work, those days she could be in class and then she'd figure out hours around that. The job wasn't as big a deal with the cash she was saving, so she was debating that. Plus... she needed to buy a few things if she was staying in an apartment she didn't need before. Nothing expensive at least.
The next morning, after breakfast she got her backpack and things together. "So I need to go to campus, check the layout and get my textbooks... so I'll be back later."
"I've still got to pick up a few textbooks for some classes, if you want to go together... I can even give a personalized tour of the place. You know, customized to what will be most important for you to know like where all your classes are this semester, etc."
"That sounds great. I need to figure out the best route between all 5 of them."
"Well, I'll do my best to help... Before we head out, I should probably check if Sato wants me to pick up any of his textbooks for him while we're there."
"Oh yeah I can help carry them. Not a problem... this his second year I guess?"
"More than that... I always forget how long..."
".....he barely looks like he's older than me"
"He probably is only a few years older than you, but he started here before me and will likely still be taking classes after I graduate."
"....damn.."
"Yep. He's addicted to knowledge. Even got himself a fancy, high paying job and a side hustle to pay for all the classes he takes... Which is why he's one of the only students with a tab at the college bookstore. He buys so much from them that it makes more sense to pay in lump sums instead of every time he picks something up..."
"Wow... well... I probably won't be in THAT long... just 4 or 5 years."
"I wouldn't expect most people to be interested in doing what Sato does... Like I said, he's got an addiction." Dewi makes a mischievous face. "And the only medicine is his Luci-bear..."
"....oh they're dating? Geeze... guess I better keep an eye out for socks on the door..." She had not yet picked up anyone else who was dating.
"Sato can make dimensions, remember? We're pretty sure he made one specifically for adult alone time with Luce. Not much point of a sock on the door if you're not even in the room..."
"Guess that's true... even so I'll be careful. I'd feel bad if I interrupted." She looked in her bag. "Forgot some things... I'll be a sec you check with Sato about the books
"Okay." Dewi went to do that and then waited for Greer by the door.
She didn't take long and followed Dewi out. "So it's not a long walk there, only takes maybe 10 minutes..."
"...I know...? The closeness to the college was one of the many reasons we decided to move into this apartment building..."
"...sorry I just... think out loud sometimes.." She looked embarrassed now.
"It's okay. I was just caught off guard because I expected myself to be the one dropping insider info."
"Oh I, um, walked here yesterday with my stuff."
"I was referring to the tour I offered to give you once we're at the college... I figured you already knew how to get to campus." Greer was turning a bit pink, she was never good with people. She nodded a bit. Dewi smiles. "So... start of classes in a few days. How are you feeling?"
"Like I'm gonna throw up. I only made it to college because a future me told ma I would. so any time I fell behind she went and did what she could to get me caught up because she didn't wanna mess that up. Even going to my grandparents and asking them to help pay for tutors and crap. But I don't even know if I'm gonna be able to complete the degree or anything... then I'll have wasted a lot of money... cash Ma and Dad coulda used for something else..."
"No experience is totally a waste. Even if you don't get the degree, I'm sure you'll learn things you can use later... But I think you'll do fine. You seem like the type that's too hard on yourself and underestimates your own intelligence..."
"Guess... I just don't want to let them down... I'm the first person in the family in living memory to go to college.... maybe ever. It's going to be really different... but I got a plan." She looked at her class schedule. 8 to 10, then 1015-1215, then 1:55 to 3:55 then 4:30 to 6:30, and the last class was 7 to 9. Every tues and thurs
Dewi looks it over as well. "That's one way of getting in all your classes. Most people try to give themselves more space between classes until they better know how long it'll take to get to the next class location. Luckily most of the listed classrooms are close enough that you shouldn't have too much trouble and you have me to show you some shortcuts in case a teacher runs late in dismissing the class... Do you have any skill in parkour if a bit is needed for extreme running late situations?"
She looked at him and smirked. "Why don't you try to keep up and find out, I know where the bookstore is from here." And she took off top speed, straightest line possible. Jumping, climbing and swinging and stepping on anything that wasn't a living creature between here and there.
Dewi smirks and runs after, using the fact he can make slight alterations to his body to his advantage in closing the distance.
She saw him keeping up and realized there was a fountain ahead. Oh well! She kept up the speed, jumped and let herself slide before hopping over the other edge and still running. She was almost there.
He follows, jumping the fountain quick enough to barely get wet. He seems to really be enjoying himself.
And she touched the door the same time he did. She grinned. "Guess you keep up ok..."
"Why, thank you. You're pretty good yourself... So how you feeling now?"
"Better... prepare for the dread when I see the textbook bill.... I heard they are pricey..." Once inside and looking at them. "...$200 for a book I'm gonna use for 3 months?!"
"Keep the receipt. You can sell it back for full price if you drop a class within the first two weeks and 50-70% original price at the end of semester depending on what it is."
Greer nodded and started picking up the books. She hesitated when she got to the math ones. ".... that one is gonna be the death of me. I can do the machines but I can't show my work half the time."
"I'm not too good at math either. I usually ask Sato to help me with most of the stuff I don't get... Blake's the better choice when it comes to literature stuff, though."
"Maybe I can pay them something for tutoring... or do their part of the chores..."
"Both of them would do it for free. They really just like to help and Sato follows that thing about how teaching can help you understand things better so he'd see it as a chance to improve himself at the same time."
"I'd... feel weird about that. You pay people their dues." She got the rest of her books and went to the counter. "I need to buy these please..."
As the cashier rang her up, Dewi finished getting the two stacks of books he needed. When Greer was almost done, he set them at one of the other registers on the counter. "This stack is for me, and this pile is the Holmes account." He pulls out proof that he's picking up for Sato and the employee just rolls his eyes and starts ringing up the orders.
Greer gave the person some side eye. Probably wasn't great to cause trouble but... yeah she'd behave right now. She packed up her books and got them sorted. "Dewi want me to help carry them?"
Dewi pulls out two pieces of paper. "I'm good." He sticks one on his bag, opens it, puts Sato's stack of books in, and closes it before taking off the paper. Then he repeats the process with the other paper and his books, putting both papers away when he's done.
"...they aren't really in there are they?"
"Nope. I'm sort of borrowing some of Sato's power. See, he can give others access to dimensions that he's made by making these helpful talismans. Just stick it to a door or something that opens and instant access to that specific room. So this one is to one of the rooms that Sato uses and this one is to a huge closet he made for me when we shared a dorm together my first semester..."
Greer nodded. "So... show me around the buildings?" Her eyes glowed slightly as she took the backpack and... it wasn't hanging as much as it was before.
"Of course. Where was your first class at, again? We can head there first, do a quick run through of where all your classes are, and then after I can show you anywhere else you should know that doesn't come up during that..."
"That way." She headed towards the first class.
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