Chapter 12: Good Enough

"All sorted out then?"

"Yeah, thank you, I really appreciate it."

"No problem! It's like a... team building exercise! I'm looking forward to working with you, I hope the spell you have in mind works out! I can't wait to try it! Anyway, see ya!"

Barry walked off smiling, and seeming to have enjoyed the little interaction they just had. Jackson would be lying if he said he didn't as well.

I think I want to be like that. I want to be somebody who can just make casual conversation so easily and end up making people smile. Even people like me.

He tried not to think about it, but he still couldn't help but hate himself and feel insecurities so big that he felt like he was under the ocean. If he wasn't occupied, his old thoughts would come out and assault his new happy thought. But while he was making casual conversation with Barry, a conversation where he didn't worry about what he said or how others thought of him, the thoughts would stop.

Jackson actually enjoyed talking to people, besides the fact that he always felt vulnerable while doing it; so having the ability to just talk with no self hating thoughts was... Nice. A nice that he had a hard time thinking about. Jackson knew it was a strange, but not unheard of to not have a class at his age, but it was still an insecurity he had nonetheless. So although he didn't really actively put much thought into it, he felt less alone when Barry talked about his problem with his own class.

Charisma is a the special stat that humans naturally have. Other races can gain it, but it's not "built in" Jackson had a relatively low amount for his age, but he imagined that Barry had above average Charisma. The main reason for that wasn't just because the conversation went smoothly, but because of how good Jackson actually felt about himself now; Sadly normal compliments or empathy didn't really make him feel good, he just didn't really believe people actually meant that. But he actually be believed that Barry was looking looking forward to working with him, and now, he couldn't help but smile.

"And I thought all you could do was a tiny grin! How's the application going?"

And then his smile stopped and his face started to light up. Meg was giving Jackson a grin, and then a questioning look once he stopped smiling.

"Oh, are you having a hard time? I could help?"

"No, no! I got it. I just uh."

One of Jackson's insecurity's was smiling. He honestly couldn't make a nice looking one. He wasn't trying to sound overly depressed, but he wasn't used to it so he thought it looked weird when he did it.

"A-anyways, when should we tell somebody about the thing?"

"We should probably tell somebody now, considering the whole, you know, impending apocalypse scenario?" Meg waggled her fingers at him partway through speaking.

"That would probably make sense."

 

     

 

Meg and Jackson were now walking towards one of the guard station's after turning in Jackson's application. This was more a matter of national security, but they weren't sure on the process so just settled for the guard station. Hopefully it would work.

After getting inside and seeing the relatively empty waiting room, and somebody Meg recognized, she took the lead. She walked up to the receptionist and whipped out her guild badge.

"I'm sorry Ted, but I need a meeting with the Head of Guards. I have no appointment, and I'm only a C rank Adventurer, but this is a matter of national security. Please go get your lie detector to verify this.

The receptionist looked at Meg, seeming a bit confused.

"Meg?"

He sighed, seeming to have dealt with things at least somewhat similar to this before.

"I didn't expect you to be the type of person to do stuff like this but..."

He sighed again.

"I'll give you the benefit of doubt."

Ted? Left to go find the Lie detector, leaving Jackson and Meg alone.

"God, that was so awkward."

"You know him?"

"Yeah, and gosh I wish I didn't. He's an old friend of my dad's. I swear if he hears about this I'm gonna die from embarrassment."

"I mean the initial conversation was awkward, but it's important."

"You're right there, but Ted hears stuff like this all the time. Be it from weirdos or people trying to plead their cases to him when they get locked up. If my dad knew... Bleh."

Jackson smiled a little. 

"Sounds rough."

For some reason, Meg made a face like she was shocked, and then a bit sad. Jackson was a bit surprised by the sudden change.

"Are you ok? Is he really that controlling?"

"I'm fine, and no he isn't, I just uh, I just remembered that I left some really good takeout out before I took this commission! Man I was really looking forward to it. B-but it probably would go bad considering how long it took for us to finish it. Heh. Um, uh, how about We go out and get some later? I can invite my team, we could make it like a thing."

Meg seemed strangely frantic and was very urgent to change the topic. Jackson was questioning it a bit, but just respected her boundaries.

"Alright then, sure. Do you mind if we reschedule it though? Hopefully sometime after the adventurer's exam."

"Yup sounds good! Hehe..."

Ted came back to the desk, accompanied by a girl with blond hair and blue eyes. She wore formal attire and gave the both of them a slight nod.

"Alright, follow me." Ted nodded towards Jackson. "He with you?"

Meg nodded and they both followed Ted and the Lie Detector to a private room. Ted shut the door behind them.

"Alright, lay it on me. Leah, make sure you're getting this."

Meg looked side to side, lingering on Jackson's eyes before starting.

"We believe another demon king is coming. Now we don't have solid evidence but-."

"T-truth! At least, they believe it's true. Terrence, may I be excused to get my divining equipment? I can't put all my faith into lie detection."

Ted's eyes widened.

"Shit... Yes, please do. Notify Senator Jadyn too. Even if it's not true this is still sticky."

Leah left and came back a short while later with some type of gadget, a mirror, and dowsing rods.

"Jadyn said she'd be drop by soon. Alright, first of all, what are your names and birth dates?"

After a few questions confirming their identities, they got to the nitty gritty. 

"Could you give me a brief overview of the situation? Just stuff that may be relevant."

This time, Jackson took the lead.

"It was a little less than a month ago when I found a perception anomaly. Which is already rare, not to mention the fact that it was an anomaly focused on a special stat. Just a few days ago, I killed another anomaly, but it was unique in it's own right. I got an achievement for killing it and It wasn't an upgrade for the first anomaly achievement, but a whole new one. The achievement called it a triple anomaly and It was extremely strong. As you can guess, I got three stats from killing it."

The device let out a low beeb and an orange light. Leah seemed to be in deep thought, and Ted was just waiting for her response.

"...True. Hold on a second."

Leah fiddled with her device, positioned he mirror between her and Jackson, and held the two dowsing rods in front of her.

"Alright, now think about what happened in your head."

As Jackson started to go through the memories, the dowsing rods glew with Mana and crossed. The device let out a low beeb and an orange light. Leah touched the dowsing rods onto the mirror. At this point she was sweating heavily. She fetched a vial from her pocket and drank it. 

You are reading story How I Want to Thrive at novel35.com

"Can you touch the mirror please? Just the base there, put some Mana in it while you're at it."

Jackson did as she said and as he did, Leah's eyes began to glow, and then they locked onto the mirror as if it was some sort of predator. Slowly there were cracks forming on the glass of the mirror. Jackson almost stopped infusing it until Leah shouted.

"Don't!"

He just did as she said. It looked as if Leah had been in the summer heat for a good few hours. Finally, the mirror's glass completely shattered. Strangely enough, the glass started to dissolve into the air.

"It's all... Correct. But you."

Leah looked at Jackson.

"There's something you have omitted. I can tell it's not the most important, but anything can help. Please, could you tell us?"

Is it about that?

"Oh, um, alright. I've... I think I'm being watched. I can feel it wherever I go. It's like somebody's been staring into me since I killed the anomaly, and to be honest... I don't know how I knew killed it. I should've died quickly, but somehow... I didn't. It feels like something is wrong."

"Normally I would shrug something like that off but, hold it on.

Leah's eyes had a slight sheen radiating off of them now.

That's... I don't think that's Mana sight.

"What..."

Leah seemed a bit confused, but then her posture straightened and she seemed to come to an understanding.

"I think I'm seeing things. You're all fine."

She shook her head, seeming a slight dazed.

"Anyway, are you two able to come back in two days time? This news needs to get to people higher up the "food chain" if you know what I mean."

That's when the classes start... Hmm...

Meg spoke up this time.

"What time specifically? He has to do commit some time to things that day."

"If you could meet us here around 5 or so that would be good. Try not to be late, the Senator's run a busy schedule. Speaking of, Senator Jadyn seems to be coming late. Terrence, would you catch her up to speed while I contact the others?"

"Of course."

Leah ran off in a hurry while Ted turned towards Meg and Jackson. 

"You're free to leave. Jadyn usually has a busy schedule so this may take a while. This is an extremely important matter, but when she is late she is late."

As Meg and Jackson left they could hear Ted on the phone.

"I'll be late tonight. Yes. Yes it's Jadyn. Sadly I can't avoid it."

     

 

"Ya know, I expected more of a freakout but I'm not exactly able to process it ma'self."

"Me too. Uh, I guess this is where we part ways?"

"For now. I'm going to check up on Samantha, see you in two days I guess? Hold on." 

She wrote down something on a slip of paper. 

"This is my phone, if you ever need advice feel free to contact me. Classes are from 10 to 4:30, Bye!"

And just like that, Jackson was alone again. There was a slight anxiety, but he thought he'd be able to deal with it. Jackson felt a little light in the feet, he actually made a friend! He hoped so at least.

He looked around and all he saw was a slightly less lively town. It was strangely cold, even though it was approaching night it was colder than it should be.

I don't have a place to stay.

Jackson very slightly raised the heat around him, but there was a slight chill in his bones.

I don't want to waste my money at a hotel.

Absent mindedly, he began walking towards the gate.

"I guess this is my life now. I'll... I can try and find an apartment once I actually have a place of employment."

The few people walking around felt like eyes staring in his back. Every laugh of joy felt like one of mockery.

I guess I can go back to the forest for tonight. Maybe I can learn to be more useful.

He passed the gate and began to jog towards his campsite he left behind.

Useful huh? I'm a big bag of mixed rocks. A lot of things but no real value. I wish I could be a small bag of gemstones instead.

Jackson started thinking, and that was a mistake. Not distracting himself only let old thought patterns come back and force their way into his head.

Why did I try to learn offensive stuff when I want to support people? What was the purpose of learning heat magic? I don't know what I'm doing... I just don't like sticking to one thing. That can't be my fault right? ...Wrong. Can I at least salvage myself somehow? 

While hating himself for being spread to thin, he looked at what he had available to him.

Blood, Bone, Healing, Heat, Mana, and... Invigoration. Oh. Ohhhhhh. That would work. Maybe my rocks are Geodes?

This would be dangerous. He stopped and stood still a moment. It wouldn't kill him; the body can recognize harmful internal spells, and it was his own mana anyways. But he was still at risk for a Bad Time. 

Slowly, Jackson began to change his flow of blood while increasing his metabolism. His heart began to beat faster as his blood flowed towards different muscle groups. His breathing quickened and all of a sudden he had a ton of pent up energy. He had to calm down his nerves a small bit as he went through the process. He was starting to feel a bit light headed and slightly dialed it back.

He began to jog, faster than he thought he would. Then before he knew it, he began to run. 

He was fast. 

The wind blew in his hair like never before. He couldn't help but have a manic smile on his face. He was indeed a geode!

His body felt strong. He did begin to feel some drawbacks though. His breath quickened very rapidly, he felt weak and dizzy, his heart also seemed to be going a million miles a second. It was still definitely better then it was before first enhancement. Back then he was a hyperventilating mess. He was just 14 back then and it was not a fun experience. But now he was running, as free as a bird. Until he well, fell down.

"God... I... Need... To... To...."

Breathe, I can't breathe. I knew this would happen too.

He'd sigh if he had the breath.

I think I got it though. I still feel an adrenaline rush even though I didn't directly probe the adrenal glands. I think... I should stop thinking. An adrenaline rush won't give me cohesive thoughts. Now I need like... 30 minutes on the floor here. Just me, myself, and I. Down here. For 30 minutes. Yeah.

I just want to be good enough.

 

You can find story with these keywords: How I Want to Thrive, Read How I Want to Thrive, How I Want to Thrive novel, How I Want to Thrive book, How I Want to Thrive story, How I Want to Thrive full, How I Want to Thrive Latest Chapter