As she turned to walk out of the bathroom she heard a squeal of delight.

  “Oh my god! Is that you Sam? You look amazing! Wow. The boys are not going to believe this.”

  Sam smiled. “Hey Rae. So what's been happening whilst I've been on holiday?”

  “Oh academy sucks. They have us running around the base and hitting each other. Then it's all about the history of magic, which by the way goes back about a couple of thousand years and then the theory of the inner self and what type of Magi there are and the socioeconomic balance between the mundane world and ours. The history of conflict between our races and the need for secrecy. I mean it's all important but I thought we were going to learn magic. But I don't care because you're back. And looking freaking awesome!”

  Rae beamed at Sam and rushed in for a hug. The rage that had been simmering since her visit to the defense force guys in the hospital started to fade and Sam felt the tension leave her body.

  She breathed in Rae's aroma and smiled it felt good to be back. The cabin Sam shared with her three friends was starting to feel a little like home. it was a unfamiliar feeling, but she was grateful for it. she grinned as she hugged Rae back. “Hey I'm starved. Can we get something to eat?”

  Sam and Rae entered the cafeteria a little earlier than the main crowd and Sam was thankful for that. Then when every head in the room looked in her direction as she walked in and the place went silent Sam growled and felt the rage inside her simmering inside her.

  “Ooh! I feel like a super star!” Cooed Rae. “Is this what Scarlet Johansen feels like whenever she goes out into public?” Rae grabbed Sam's hand. “C'mon! I thought you were starving?”

  “Yeah I'm just not so enamoured as you with everyone gawking at me. It makes me want to punch something.”

  “Ah.. well that will wear off eventually. You must admit you have made a pretty big splash in your first couple of weeks of academy. I mean, the rest of the first years are studying the history of magic and the importance of balancing our power usage with our life force and you instead have sucked the ships engines dry of their power, burnt a whole through a steel plate deck, drained the life force of a dozen men and women and then made them younger than they originally were as you gave it all back, whilst rebuilding your own body to look like captain marvel! And you haven't even attended a single class yet! Imagine what you'll do when you know what you're doing.”

  Sam grimaced. “Wait. I burnt a hole through the deck?”

  This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

  Rae sat down and stared into nothing as she used her H.U.D. To order her food. “Yeah! They didn't tell you? Well I guess they forgot that bit. But they had to run down to the deck below to retrieve you. When you pulled all that power from the engines apparently you almost went supernova. I still can't imagine how you made it through that and not only survived but came out looking so incredible, gotta say, I'm a bit jealous. The boys aren't going to be able to keep their eyes off of you.”

  Sam browsed the menu and ordered a no meat spaghetti Bolognese alongside a French baguette with plant based garlic butter and sat back.

  “Yeah as if that is going to make me feel better. I almost moved to another cabin for that very reason.”

  Rae's eyes widen as Sam growled to herself.

  “Oh but you can't Sam! Honestly I know we only just met, but I've missed you like crazy since you've been in recovery. It's only knowing you survived and would be healthy enough to come back to us that has kept me going.”

  Sam breathed in the spicy tomato aroma of the pasta dish she had ordered and her stomach growled with hunger.

  She nodded. “Sorry Rae, I'm just grouchy. I'll be fine when I've eaten. My body's gone through the mill the last week and it needs food.” She rolled up a huge fork full of spaghetti and rammed it into her mouth groaning with almost orgasmic satisfaction as she tasted the delicious dish.

  Rae sighed in relief and looked towards her friend. So... you're a vegan huh?”

  Sam nodded. “Yup! I don't understand why everybody isn't, as far as I can tell the main two reason's people give are meat tastes sooo good they couldn't imagine life without it and second, it's a great source of protein right? But the animals you eat to get protein get their protein from the plants they eat! And a lot of the meat free options nowadays taste just as good dead flesh. Have you tried burger kings miracle burger?

  Rae shrugged her shoulders. “I guess I never really thought about it. I just like meat so I eat it.” She brandished her enormous burger. Smiled and bit a chunk out of it as she grabbed some fries with her other hand and rammed it into her mouth along with it.

  Sam smiled and shook her head. “Jeez Rae you're worse than me. But you know there's very little nutrition in fast food right? Maybe by eating something other than burger king for every meal you'll have more energy and might be able to cope with the work load a bit better?”

  Rae looked at what Sam was eating and then at Sam's physique and shrugged. “Easy for you to say. You eat engine power! You can do whatever you want.”

  Sam laughed. “Er.. yeah I really need to learn a bit more about what's happening to me. I have no idea how I'm doing any of this. if it wasn't for H.U.D. I'd be toast!”

  “So the bracelet really can help with our magic?”

  Sam nodded. “Yeah for sure. Like Luke said, it helps with focus and multitasking if you have more than one potential. You have more to learn, more to juggle especially if one or more of your potentials are volatile.” Sam shook her head as she remembered trying to siphon off power and use it to power her healing. Not only to replace the defense forces life essence, but to also heal herself as the power tore through her burning body. With that much power and that much pain, she knew without a doubt she would never have been able to do that without HUD'S help.