"Oh, uh, hello, I'm Caio."

"Nice to meet you! So, uhhh, where are you from? I'm from New Mexico. No enclave, just me and my family."

"São Paulo, same situation."

"Cool! What are your plans? I'm going languages track; gonna focus on learning healing spells cause that's my affinity. I'm especially good at soothing pain and discomfort."

"I don't know what my exact affinity is yet but I'm pretty sure it's in alchemy somewhere. - you might want to talk to the school nurse, she's still alive."

"I will definitely be doing that!"

"Poor lady is just some mundie nurse who got kidnapped and there isn't even a bad exit plan for her unless somebody's planning to ride a bobsled out and has room for her. But I think she'll try to help."

"Yeah, it sucks to be her. I think the two of us could help each other a lot, though."

"She can get drugs from the Void, which is very cool, though I don't know yet if any of them can be potioned up."

"Oh my God that is the coolest thing."

Getting the HRT implant was not a waste. It wasn't! The nurse might not make it for all four years and in any case it's better to not have to worry about whether anyone is cool with trans people, the nurse included. And, personal frustration aside, it really is extremely cool.

"Yeah. I gave her some advice and she gave me some stuff that was in there and that she brought in, I have pens now."

"Oooh, nice, pens! I wish I could trade with the nurse, but most of my knowledge is spells and she's, you know, a mundane. It'd be easier if I were alchemy track."

"She might want spells cast for her?"

"Yeah, that's my long term plan. That's my long term plan with everyone, really. It's...well, it's not a good thing that healing is going to be so in demand around here, I would rather we didn't need it, but it's going to be good for me."

"It's bad that she only has a couple beds and presumably can't keep anybody overnight though."

Jada sighs. "Yeah. The school does the best it can, I suppose, which is to say..."

Not good enough.

"There should be a way to, like, donate mana to the school and have it try a little harder for you."

"Yeah. I'm sure the enclave kids would get the most out of it, like they do everything else, but if the school gets more mana out of it...a rising tide lifts all boats, and all."

"As long as the rising tide isn't made of - sending mals to other people. But it could try harder at food and stuff? Restocking, warding."

"Yeah, for sure. The last thing this school needs is to be encouraged in any more mal redirection."

"It shouldn't enforce curfew, it's stupid that it does that."

"Yeah! Man, the changes I would recommend if I were an enclaver..."

"Hoping to get a slot somewhere?"

"Well, I'm not desperate enough to go maintenance track, and between you and me I don't like very many of them that much. But joining one would put me in a position to do a lot of good for the world, not to mention I could have kids much more safely. If I could get in to one by proving myself good enough..."

"That's valedictorian track, I think."

She laughs.

"Yeah, it's a crazy ambition. It's like those cheesy motivational posters say, you know: shoot for the moon; if you miss, you'll still end up among the stars.

...I prefer how my mom says it, though: ask for a loaf of bread, and you'll get half the loaf. Ask for half the loaf, and you'll get crumbs. That way of putting it feels more appropriate for this place."

"I think coming in a ways down the list still helps, yeah. Only one alliance gets the valedictorian."

"Yeah. It'll still be an uphill battle, though: I know I'm good, but I know everyone else here is good too."

"Well, the Chicagoan muggleborns aren't."

"Poor things. But I suppose, even with the chances they have, the school giving them those spots was better than letting them go to waste."

"I guess, but maybe there should be a formal waitlist!"

"Good idea! Yet another thing to remember if I ever manage to make it into an enclave."

"Good luck."

"Thank you!"