Levik was surprised to see Psiksi at work. Yes, Levik was training to be a gladiator, but he was aware that the next few days consisted of a lot of holidays for a few races, and that today was the first day of Macromera, a Rethan and Skyan holiday celebrating the days getting longer. Most of the folks working today were Spasts, Athrens, Thraki or Lanex. Thraki didn’t really do winter holidays, and the Spasts and Athrens saved all their massive celebrations until the end of the year. Athrens in particular had massive musical street parties on the 31st, and Spasts only really celebrated the Day of Thanks on the 29th if they had family or friends to celebrate with.
Admittedly, Levik didn’t know what the Lanex celebrated, or if they even celebrated anything. Most of them were still in mourning after the loss of their head Imperator, and it was tradition to wear a ribbon representing that Imperator around the wrist for at least a month or two. But as Levik made his way to the main training area, Levik spotted Psiksi chatting with Tanok, the house master.
Tanok had been very patient with Levik. Mostly because Levik kept on asking about Tanok’s new, mechanically augmented arm. It was almost completely mechanical and currently didn’t move much, but Tanok had explained that he was waiting for some “test nerve material” taken from his right arm to grow, and, eventually, those new nerve endings would be wired up in false flesh and tubes to allow Tanok to move his mechanical limb as if it was his actual arm and hand.
“Oh, heya, Levik, happy Macromera!” Psiksi half-smiled as Levik approached.
“Hello mister Tanok, and hello Psiksi! Happy Macromera to you too! You have work today?” Levik quickly asked.
Psiksi nodded. “I have a couple of matches today. Normally, us Ξ-Class Skyan gladiators also normally have a get-together but… Ugh…”
“They unfortunately canceled their party this year,” Tanok explained more clearly. “And since we have some space in our scheduling, Psiksi kindly offered to do some live matches. How are you doing, Levik?”
Levik hesitated a little. “I’m… not sure why you want to put me in a small arena against a scary beast today of all things. Like, I get it, my biggest problems are a lack of experience and fighting off my prey instincts but… it… it has teeth…”
“You have teeth!” Tanok countered. “And claws. And whatever you want.”
“Yeah but my teeth are small and I don’t use them to eat flesh. Really, considering how we evolved, it’s surprising I have teeth at all since we mostly eat honey. That Thragger thing, even if it’s a small one, definitely sees me as a snack. And not in the nice way.”
Tanok glanced at Psiksi, not getting the last part of that comment.
“I think Spasts call each other ‘snacks’ if they think they’re cute?”
Levik nodded. “Yeah, basically. Admittedly, I’m too young, I-“
“Wait, how old are you?” Psiksi interrupted. “You have to be older than 19, right?”
“Yeah, yeah. I turn 50 in February.”
Psiksi blinked. Tanok just shrugged.
“Friend, you know both Spasts and Lanex age differently from everyone else. Spasts can live to 900 years, and most Lanex reach the age of 300.”
“How old are you, mister Tanok?”
Tanok smiled beneath his mask. “I’m 124 years old. Been working here for about 50 years now. And now I have a nice, cushy job until I can fight again.”
“First Lanex House Master as well!” Psiksi added. “Previously it’d only ever been Ksithans, Temthans or Banikans. And old Elksos, the old Vrekan house fighter about 200 years ago. Kinda funny that we’ve only had two Spast gladiators at all since then, and you’re the second, Levik.”
“I’m trying, I am. But… I got a lot of stuff to push past first. And technically I shouldn’t even be working.”
Psiksi glanced at Tanok again.
“Spasts can’t work in Spast territories until the age of 50. Levik gets a pass because he’s currently studying to be a gladiator and local laws state that working age is 18, regardless of race. Admittedly, the age of house fighters overall is skewed upward because of me and the Thraki and Banikan house fighters.”
“I mean, I just turned 53…” Psiksi muttered.
“You did, yes. Anyway, Levik, friend, what is bothering you about this test match against the youngling Thragger?”
Levik suddenly lost most of his confidence. “Will other people be watching?”
Tanok nodded. “I’ll be watching, alongside our trainers, in person, and your match will be recorded. If it’s interesting enough, and with your permission, it might be broadcast later on after you’ve been officially revealed as a gladiator.”
“But what if I get eaten?”
“You won’t get eaten. The Thragger you are fighting can’t eat you!” Tanok explained further. “It’s a small Thragger, not much taller than me. The most it can do is bite you, and you can bite it back. You can also stab it, shoot it, do all sorts.”
“Can I… shapeshift into a Thragger myself and fight it that way?” Levik asked. “Or what if I turned into a Thraki and flew around so it can’t get me? Like, my first instinct is to make myself massive and squish it, but that’s not great television.”
“Is that the default Spast reflex?” Psiksi asked.
Levik frowned. “Yeah. Our prey response is either make ourselves tiny and hide or make ourselves massive and inedible… And…” Levik started hesitating again. “I ought to be honest, we also… sometimes make bad smells as well. Like… like a skunk.”
Psiksi and Tanok were both unbothered.
“As long as you don’t do that in team battles, we’re cool!” Psiksi smiled.
“Oh, of course. And I’ll try to be creative with my shapeshifting too. I have the skill, I ought to use them…”
“Indeed! But don’t fret, even if you struggle, even if you can’t win, we’ve made sure it can’t eat you, we have the whole life meter system to make sure that doesn’t happen.”
“Statistically, no one’s been eaten in the Great Arenas for longer than Tanok’s been alive!” Psiksi added.
“Oh…” Levik paused, then thought for a moment. “Really?”
“Yeah. You think vok would let us do this shit if it wasn’t safe?” Psiksi laughed. “The amount of health and safety laws we have to follow is insane. No one’s allowed to die, and the… only reason… people… died recently is because, well…” Psiksi’s mood had instantly faded way.
“Is that… why you offered to work today, Psiksi?” Levik asked. “You wanted distractions, right?”
“Yeah. I wanted to not think about all my dead and injured friends. But they’re all gladiators or work here, so I kinda ended up being reminded of it all anyway. And I feel doubly bad because we canceled our party since no one really wants to celebrate right now. Most of us Skyans are still mourning. And getting used to answering to L-Class and not K-Class. And dealing with the fact that the All-Ksa was the fucking Shadow all along.”
“Well, after I fight the monster and Tanok tells me how badly I did, do you, I dunno, want to do something to distract you?” Levik offered. “We kinda need to learn how to be friends and stuff anyway and it’s not like I have any plans or anything.”
“You don’t?”
“Nah. The only things I have on my plate today are fighting a monster and messaging Relkir and wishing them a happy holiday, and I’ve already done that one.”
Psiksi blinked again. “You know Relkir Rethianos, the High Advisor and Retvik’s little sibling?”
Levik nodded. “We were in the same hospital on Thresisa. They went, uh, angry stance or whatever it’s called, wandered into my recovery room and I helped them fall asleep. And Relkir helped me recover my passport and got me flights here to Portalia. We’re friends now. We… kinda have a lot in common, all things considered.”
Psiksi seemed satisfied with that answer. He shrugged, then smiled. “Sure. I do kinda have a match soon though, I’m doing some beast fights today as well. So afterwards we can go and get some coffee or cookies or something? Timik and Abius are off today, so it’ll just be you and me. You want to join us, Tanok?”
Tanok shook his head. “I have work all day. Got to deal with the Thraki, who all very much dislike me because I’m not scaly.”
“Fair. Anyway, see you all in a bit!” Psiksi smiled properly as he rushed off. “I got distracted by talking. Later!”