The World

Victor was in his and Umbra's room, rummaging through his dresser for suitable venturing clothing. He pushed past his silky dress shirts and soft polo tops in favor of something much more causual and comfortable. He had already located a pair of gym shorts to wear, and now he was looking for a shirt.

Pulling out his black hoodie from the bottom of the drawer, Victor quickly slipped the sweatshirt over his head. It hung several inches over the waist band of his shorts, but Victor felt more comfortable in bigger clothes, so he liked it.

Satisfied with his fashion sense, Victor rushed down the stairs and back into the kitchen. Umbra was in the process of writing his note, while Aunora and Esper had piled onto the couch to watch television.

Victor quietly snuck behind his father and opened up the cabinet. He grabbed a box of cookies, wrapping two of sugary treats in a napkin and stuffing them in his pocket. I'll probably want a snack while I'm out, Victor supposed. And the sugar will make me feel better, too.

"Victor, I got your note finished." Umbra murmured, turning around and holding out a slip of paper and an envelope. "I also packed you ten dollars. The flour shouldn't cost that much, but I want you make sure you buy the expensive kind and have money left. I refuse to cook with cheap flour, it tastes disgusting." Umbra suddenly paused in his peroration about the price of flour to gaze judgmentally at Victor's person. "Excuse me, dear, but do you really plan to go outside in that? Hoodies and shorts are a sinful combination, and, please darling, pull your socks down. You look tacky."

Victor shrugged and snatched the papers out of Umbra's fingers, covering the distance between him and the door in long, bounding steps. He slipped on his tennis shoes and threw open the door, stepping out onto the porch and sprinting down the sidewalk.

The cool September dew licked at Victor's ankles, soaking through the bottom of his shoes and making his sneakers squish with each step. The brisk morning atmosphere sent small chill bumps racing up Victor's bare legs, but he refused to go back and change. Victor was proud of his self-picked outfit, and he wasn't going to give Umbra the satisfaction of saying "I told you so!"

The walk from the suburbs to the outskirts of Alcorith went smoothly, as Victor knew the route by heart. Several morning commuters greeted him as they made their way to work and Victor responded with a nervous smile and a wave.

Walking onto main street, Victor looked up to marvel at the massive skyscrapers that towered over the fair city. Sunlight reflected off of the metallic coverings of the buildings, making Victor shield his eyes.

Alcorith was a major hub in Michigan, far overshading Detroit in terms of size, wealth, and cleanliness. Due to their similar metropolitan reputations, Americans often thought of it as a sort of second New York City.

Victor slowed down to to relaxed saunter as he passed by a ritzy clothing store. Within its wide glass windows, nicely-dressed employees scrambled to make sure the establishment was ready to open to the public. He spotted a psychic using her telekinesis to lay out several boxes of shoes at one time, and a man that appeared to be the manager was summoning flowers to embellish the tables.

Telekinesis...Victor thought, lingering in front of the store to watch. I wish I could do that...

Victor shook his head and resumed his walk, scoffing at the ridiculous thought. Wishing to use a different type of magic was like desiring to be a different race or have a different facial structure- everyone had their own, and you couldn't change it.

The loud sound of wingbeats made Victor look up to the sky. Above the tops of skyscrapers soared a large, bird-like creature. It resembled a swan, but with a more powerfully build neck and wings. Victor recognized the blue brand that was seared into its stomach: the bird was a familiar. He squinted to search for the master, and he quickly located him as a small, hunched over figure on the creature's back.

It was common for owners of large, flying familiars to use their bond creatures as easy transportation, but they had to seek out several permits and take safety tests to be able to fly them in crowded areas like Alcorith. Victor wasn't aware of the exact legal process, as Umbra's wings were too small to fly him around, but he had heard it was tiring and drawn out.

Victor lowered his gaze down to the concrete sidewalk, pulling his hood over his head and bundling the fabric closer to his body. It was fairly cool for an autumn morning, and the brisk wind hitting his face only made it worse.

Rounding the corner, Victor stopped and reached into his short's pocket retrieved the cookie he had packed. He folded back the napkin and stuffed half of it in his mouth, savoring the sweet taste of store bought, name-brand treats.

Once he was done with his snack, Victor continued with his venture to the grocery store. However, his attention was quickly averted from the task at hand to the person that walked several feet ahead of him. 

The woman was tall, with short-chopped blond hair and a pantsuit covering her body. She carried a leash with a large griffin attached to it, the hybrid creature softly padding beside her high heels.

Victor bit his lip, heart thudding as he considered his idea. He dearly wanted to pet the woman's griffin, but he wasn't sure how to go about asking her. Would she be mad? Man, I hope she doesn't yell at me... Victor thought, anxiety cultivating in the pit of his stomach.

His desire to pet a presumably soft animal overwhelmed his fear of speaking to the woman, so he cautiously stepped behind her and tugged at the seam of her jacket. She turned around, staring at him in confusion.

"Yes? What is it?" she asked, blinking.

Victor frowned, gesturing at the griffin and making a petting motion.

"Oh! Do you want to pet her? Go on, she doesn't bite. Right, Gata?" In response to her words, the griffin made a chirping noise and tossed her head.

Victor nodded furiously, kneeling down and running his boney fingers through the creature's shaggy, tan fur. He stroked Gata for several seconds, enjoying the feel of her pelt under his hands.

Standing up, Victor smiled awkwardly, bowing to the woman in thanks. She waved and continued down the street, urging her griffin down the sidewalk at a quickened pace.

Victor waited several seconds, not wanting to meet the woman again on the street. He rested against a wall, his smile still lingering on his face.

That was the moment when a rough arm wrapped itself around his neck and dragged him into the neighboring alley.

Author's note- Haha!