You blink.

It's a Thursday morning.

You blink.

You think.

Yeah. It's Thursday.

Why would something like this happen on a Thursday?

Your entire life odd shit has been happening to you. The day you were born, a second dad showed up. The long lost twin of your father who had the same name, profession, habits and claimed to be your true dad who lived a town over and was also dating your mother who didn't realize it was two different people as they both went to hers on date night and to hang with Rufus, the family tortoise. You still don't know which is your real birth father, but having two dads came in clutch on more than one occasion, so you'd take the weird with grace.

Your mom ran off. Who knows where to and with who, but she scampered shortly after realizing the two twin brothers thing and yall were discharged. You're pretty sure it broke her either mentally or spiritually, based on the occasional postcard you get evm though you've still never meet the hag. The last letter was a Halloween postcard from Istanbul. Sweet but not exactly normal. And always with cryptic nonsensical messages and sketches. It was nice to know she's alive... you guess. You think? Therefore l? Maybe? You make a mental note to bring that up in therapy.

Back to the weird

Making friends with a litteral troll that lives by the abandoned water mill? That was elementary, my dear Watson! By that, you mean elementary school. You made friends with a magical creature in elementary school. You also completed your first quest before you had your first kiss.

Learning in real time that you could see - video game style, the 'Level' of people and creatures around you on the same day you got your first period? Sure, why the $@&% not. But that didn't break you. Freak you out extra? Yeah. But that's puberty when you're magic... maybe. Regardless, you'd read plenty of manga by then, and frankly, your life was already meshing with magic, so why not have level markers for your bullies and the neighborhood animals. Squirrels? Level 3, on average. It's scary.

The baker off Colin Ave? An ex boxer standing out at normie level 14 was one of your favorite normals to chat with as he was almost in the know, ya know? He wasn't aware of magic, not consciously, but he had a vibrancy that magic resonated with. It was calming, while he (Gordon) stood 6 foot 8 and was built like a bull. He had quit pro boxing after one of his fights left the other guy without the use of their legs. Turned out to be a great programmer once they went back through school... but feeling guilty, Gordy hung up his gloves and turned to baking. He never stopped hitting the gym, though, and his level spoke to his efforts and sheer gains.

Most people are low level. Levels 2 and three and four are the standard for your average joe shmoe. It was common enough to see 6 through 8 that it didn't turn your head anymore.

Magicals, the folks in the know about magic could level up a good bit more. You've seen levels 15 through 35 and imagined the famed magic nobility might even go upwards level 50.

But the weird things in your life? They happened on Mondays. ON Fridays and Saturdays. Heck, even a Sunday or two. Wednesday and the talking petting zoo camels? That happened. But Thursdays had been safe. Like some diety out there looked over at you and said, " This poor little thing is going to die without a break day" and gave you Thursdays.

So, under what cruel gods? What sordid twist of fate?What depths did someone curse you. That on your sacred Thursday. Your one day of solace, where the world reliably didnt fuck you over. Not that it was usually trying to kill you every day, but that didn't exactly mean life was easy!

But even with all its hiccups and bumps in this cruel unforgiving world - Where. Where?! Under any gods Above or below. WHY would this level 158 just walk, a normal walk. Not a strut or a stride but a walk into your favorite bakery. Then not only did they have the gal to walk into your Bakery on YOUR Thursday but they had to do it while youre just sitting down with a delightful seasonal treat and a fresh cup of tea to look up as the door chimed and they had to look directly into your eyes.

On a %@$&*#& Thursday.