"Our last class saw us going over the history of the wars that have plagued our civilization in the last millennium. While having only one large continent is good for communication, travel, and rather homogenic development, that lack of meaningful barrier has also been like a pass for the ambition of men and desires of conquest. Of course, with the evolution of how destructive our civilization can be, the more barbaric ways have taken a back seat to let the battles become a game of geopolitics and economy. That is why we have such a stable society now. That is why armed conflicts have been restrained to smaller zones and kept from spilling over into global wars like the few times before. Ironically, had it not been for those three biggest wars that engulfed not just some regions, but the whole world, the population on our planet would have reached a critical threshold already, like a family with minimum income but a few, dozens children. We might have evolved into a dystopian society, or, maybe, we would have been motivated to work harder, and we might have conquered the stars already."
Uncharacteristically, the class is focused even though it is history period. Though the teacher has some ability, it is the solemn topic that has done the greater part of the work. Wars, conflicts, death, perpetual themes which he brought up while towing the fine line between grim reality of the past, and the better world at present, with some hope left for humans in-between the lines.
Here, the record of world wars has been broken. Thrice, with each like a blade sharper than the previous one, carving through the bloody flesh with more brutality, more precision, more lethality.
You would be surprised by how the lack of barriers like the oceans between continents in that old life of mine has not done much to help humans build love and trust. Militarily, while less obvious in the last century, this world can crush what I remember of my past world.
The middle-aged teacher let the words he said go down our mental digestive tract, to let us weigh the blood in our world's history, before continuing.
"Now let's talk about something closer to us, Phoenix, our city. It is now beautiful, with the sun, a few snow falls every few years, good infrastructure, and so on. We have a peaceful life here, one of the least violent cities in the world, a small paradise, for the most part. But it has been one of the fiercest battlegrounds more than once in the past, going through many cycles of destruction and reconstruction due to its geographic position. Paradoxically, it has witnessed the least destruction during the world wars, though most historical traces have been buried by the dust of time upon which it has been rebuilt as a metropolis of the second tier, much to the benefits of the generation starting with your grandparents, and maybe even with the parents of the latter."
The last part of the words was punctuated with a smile, before the middle-aged teacher waves his hand.
"Alright, I talked a bit too much and went off track. I said all of that because the subject today is something that the incessant wars have brought, one consequence of them, if you will. Today, we will be talking about the Federation, the superpower that started the era of nations banding, merging together to stand taller, stronger, richer. Let's start with its creation…"
History can really be interesting, like a novel. Of course, only so long as the details are, well, less detailed. That kills the interest of us students who have to keep everything in mind for the exams.
The time passes fast when you can't feel its passage. Nevertheless, by the time the class is over, the tiredness of everyone can be felt throughout the classroom. Not only are the brains entering a downtime with boredom starting to set in, they have consumed the energy from the breakfast for the most part.
The ringing of the bell signaling the recess invigorated the stamina running low. Our teacher concludes the class with a smile, closes his book, and makes himself scarce.
Like all experienced teachers, he doesn't want to put himself between raucous teenagers with empty stomachs but full of rebellious energy and their rest period.
At the side, Emmie suddenly throws herself onto her table.
"Hurgh… I'm so hungry!"
Her groan makes me smile, though I'm also feeling hungry. That might seem surprising, given how much I ate in the morning, but everything has a price, cheating included.
A normal brain is said to consume up to twenty percent of the energy in the body, but my brain, I doubt it is normal. On the other hand, I might never have to worry about gaining weight.
I stand up and sling my bag over my shoulders.
"Let's go have lunch."
Emmie hesitates, but stands up to follow me. She looks down at the obstacle to her view downward, and sulks.
"I really envy you, Max. You have been eating without restraints this year, but you don't seem to gain any weight. If only I can be like you."
I turn around. I look at her chest, then I take her arm to pull her to my level.
"At least your weight has gone to the right places, right? Why are you complaining?"
"Because if the situation were to suddenly change, I would have to start eating herbs only. That will be pure torture."
I let out a small laugh.
"Hehe, don't worry, I like how soft you are. You will only be softer."
I pat her stomach and fondle it as I say those words. She rolls her eyes, and pouts.
"You only say that because I'm not flat yet."
"That is why you must take exercising more seriously. If you do, you will never have to worry. You will only become more perfect in body and health."
It is Emmie's turn to Pat my stomach and squeeze it. She squints her eyes at me, apparently still not over her surprise at the results she has seen growing with her own eyes over the times she has seen me naked over the last month or so.
If nothing else, it seems a guaranteed flat stomach interests her very much.