Aquatic Nightmare

I am the great tyrant of the world! I cannot be defeated! Let the world tremble before my armies! FOR THE EMPIRE!
-Manius Civillis, roughly 1500 years ago before being assassinated, ushering in the 1st imperial collapse

'Walking' together with the demon Queen was an awkward thing. Her bodyguard Jalaha, is more pissed than she is about the whole trying to kill her twice affair. The Queen herself somehow manages to look embarrassed, she did insist on me calling her Kyla when I asked her if she knows anything on local slave traders. I don't know how Cathy looks, as she is pushing my wheelchair behind me, but I don't need to look to know she looks as serene and/or bored as ever.

I also asked her about how magic works, but all she really had to say about it, that at my level it would all be instinctual. I wanted to ask more, but by the time we finally got talking we were doomed to be too close to our destination to make a difference. At least the literal university based around magic will answer those glaring holes of information.

Approaching the premises, I spot a large mansion-esque building with a stone wall, and two men in full plate guard the gate. I spot one of the men passing the other a small pouch while looking dismayed as we get closer.

"Goddess damn you Fred, how do you always get it right?" Fred is clearly much too enthusiastic for just receiving a coin pouch.

"It's because I prayed nicely rather than use the Goddess's name in vain unlike you Jules, and I hoped the next group would be extra clowns for the circus. It keeps things less boring around here." Jules gives Fred an annoyed look, almost as annoyed as I am at being called a clown by a bunch of technologically inept savages.

"With the people invited to this place, you certainly aren't right in the head to call us clowns." I make sure to add the last bit with as much venom as possible.

"You tell me! Over the last week, the weirdest people have been showing up. I thought the principal was just trying to get research subjects at first, lately I have been thinking he might be setting up a whole circus with its very own freakshow." Fred seems rather oblivious to me plotting his demise right now, Kyla looks like a lost puppy at the comments by the men. It seems I have found some common ground here with Jalaha though.

"Well, I'm sure you men wouldn't be averse to offering your heads for insulting the lord of Mazurio. It would only be fair, after all. I believe it's called Lèse-majesté in human lands?" The men both look a bit shocked at that, Fred looks like he's barely managing to stop himself from running, while Jules grips his sword.

I throw my identification crystal through the gate, and hit Fred on his helmet, who jumps back in surprise. "You gonna open this gate or what?"

Jules is mumbling to himself as Fred gets keys to open the gate. Jules seems to have gathered his pair, and speaks up as we pass.

"The hell is the Emperor thinking? Why is he inviting all these enemies of the Empire?" The man looks rather dismayed, I almost sympathize with the man who is clearly not very good at betting.

The keyword being almost. "Are you questioning the decisions of not just your superiors, but the only superior that matters?" Jules sputters, while Fred is actually snickering to himself.

"Ha! I like the fish! Go on in mi'lady!" Fred does a complete 180 in attitude as he points at the academy entrance. "If the last clowns are anything to go by, you lot are all supposed to be in year one, ninth floor, fifth hall and class number seven." I give him a questioning look. The mansion looking building is big, but certainly not that big.

Fred notices my confusion. "Spatial magic baby! Welcome to the Empire!" Fred and Jules go back to whatever it is they were doing, with Fred greedily fondling his bag of coins.

We make our way inside. On the way, I see plenty of heated debates between some of the student, who are all wearing some....odd uniforms.

"Remmierre theory on heat spell-based traps is superior to Balclanne's you are an ignorant buffoon!"

"Remmierre's pathetic excuse for a spell theory is not spell-based, it is spell-cringe! How could you not see the horrible efficiency rates of the spellweave cycling!"

I stare in horror as I watch a bunch of Japanese school uniform wearing people speak like the engineers back at base do.

"And what are you four doing out of uniform? It's standard school regulation to always wear your uniform inside." An old man that reminds me of mathematician teachers berates us. Which is weird because I don't remember any mathematician teachers.

"Well, I am not here to attend. I'll find your room, and set everything up for you there. Good luck Kyla!" Jalaha quickly runs off, not wanting to get involved.

Kyla sputters a bit before answering. "We just arrived here. I didn't know there was a uniform?"

"Please don't tell me I have to actually wear one of those." I point at the students talking, the boy wearing a gray woolen shirt. Which would probably look a lot better on fifty-year-old men rather than a student.

"Don't be silly, you will be wearing the girls uniform." Which appears to be a skirt, and simple white blouse with a red scarf. This is the worst.

"I have to wear that crap?" Who the hell designed these? And why?

"No. All three of you will have to wear a uniform that makes it clear you are not imperial citizens." The mage starts dragging Kyla to a supply closet. Cathy meanwhile, betrays me by following after while pushing my wheelchair. He comes to a supply closet, which he opens with a glowing key. He grabs three uniforms of the female design. Except that instead of white, they are black.

"All three of you are a week late, but considering one of you can't even walk, i'll let it pass. Get dressed and go to your classrooms afterward." I am still staring in dread at the uniform handed to me. I was fully prepared to kill to get the information I want, but being forced into some far eastern traditionalist joke was not something I was prepared for.

Before I realize it, I am carted off to a changing room with Kyla and Cathy. Cathy quickly changes my clothes like she has been doing so forever.

"My beret!" My cap is taken away from me by Cathy, who puts them all on a pile. "This facility has a no [hat/helmet/mask] policy except for religious reasons."

Religious reasons? Do I believe in something? I believe in hanging every slaver from lampposts, but I don't think that's an accepted religion. My time runs out as Cathy finishes up, and pushes me back to the hallway. I must look as ridiculous as I feel.

Before I can even further contemplate my existential dread, I come across my immortal enemy. It stands mockingly in defiance of my hatred of it.

"This is all your fault!" I start hitting the stairs with my shovel. The effect is negligible, as the stairs are clearly enchanted with some sort of toughness magic. Kyla comes to my rescue, and conjures some solid black mass on the stairs. It congregates as it forms a ramp, completely making my foe impotent.

Cathy pushes me up the stairs turned ramp. "Magic is truly amazing. I thought I would have to ask them to make an elevator." Kyla looks a bit confused at the word elevator, but quickly switches to pride.

"Right? I'm pretty great at magic. My capability for magic is rather high, although the eggheads here always research to push magic even further. I wonder what kind of secrets they are holding here?" Kyla rubs her hands together at the last bit, clearly plotting something.

As we make it to the classroom, I can hear sounds inside. Kyla opens the door and cheerfully greets everyone.

"Hel-" She at least tries to greet everyone. "What are you three doing here a WEEK late? You better have some good goddess damned excuses!" The professor is pissed, but what catches my eye more is the classroom.

"Oh my god, Jeff was right. This is a circus."