I'll have to strive to make even more obscure references, but then it wouldn't be fun if nobody noticed at all...ChaoticGrowth wrote:Ribati => リバティ => Liberty
Anyway, you won. Your reward is the following chapter being dedicated to you, because you're
Chapter Fifteen – Supercalifragilisticexpialigocious
“So what happened to Shizune?”
It's the first thing out of Emi's mouth when I arrive at the track the next morning.
I roll my eyes. “She's been grounded for a week, but don't go spreading this juicy information all over school. You'd have to explain why, and you don't want to do that.”
Emi looks disappointed for a moment but brightens again immediately. “And?”
“And what?”
“How does she kiss? Did you like it?”
Thinking back, it is a miracle Akane didn't ask me that before... It is still embarrassing, so I try to avoid a clear answer. “Emi, I don't remember. I was too busy wondering what my body was doing without my consent.”
That's not quite true. I do remember. But I'll be damned if I admit that to Emi. Thankfully, Emi doesn't press the point, but I'll have to come up with an answer in case Misha asks me one day...
We finish warming up and start a running around the track at a leisurely pace... Well, that's what Emi would probably call it. Time and again she starts to get ahead of me and has to visibly restrain herself to stay at my side.
“Anything on your mind, Emi?”
She stops abruptly. “How do you know?”
“Otherwise you'd have lapped me twice already by now.”
She grins sheepishly. “Actually... The nurse taught me how to use my magic to run faster. When he timed me, I almost beat the Japanese record for the 100m dash. I was wondering how fast I could go if you...”
“No, Emi! Absolutely not!” Next time I see him, I have to ask the nurse what the hell he was thinking to teach Emi something like that.
She gives me her best rendition of a puppy dog. “Oh, come on, Hisao. Pretty please? Mr. Kanzaki definitely won't find out, I promise.”
“That's not the problem.” I sigh. “Remember the book the other day? Now imagine that book being you. You may choose whether the ceiling should be represented by me or that tree over there.”
Emi gulps visibly. “Ooookay... I guess we'll put off that experiment until after some more training, won't we?”
I sigh again. Louder this time. But I didn't really expect her to give up on her plan completely. “We will.”
With that we start our run again and this time Emi goes at her own pace, rapidly outdistancing me. I keep at my light jog. I'm not sure, but I feel like a week of continuous training already has some kind of effect on my endurance. I complete two more laps and then return to the dorms for a shower.
***
Half an hour later I enter the art-room. It is empty... Really empty this time. Well, I'm a few minutes early. I walk over to the windows and look down at the school-grounds. A steady stream of students is heading from the dorms towards the main building, some walking, some running.
I look over towards the track to see if Emi is still out there, but a thin line of trees is obstructing the view from here.
I think back to the last evening in Misha's room. It's only been a few hours, but already I miss her and find myself wishing...
“Ah, you're here already. Good, good. Then we can begin immediately.”
I turn about abruptly. Mr. Nomiya is standing in the door, his jacket carried casually over his arm. “Oh, I'm sorry, did I startle you?”
“It's okay, I was just spacing out. Don't we wait for Mr. Kanzaki before we start?”
He raises an eyebrow. “I thought Kozo was in your class right now teaching history. Didn't you know?”
Right. The second history lesson is on Saturday. I forgot, because I spent last Saturday with Misha and Shizune down at the Shanghai. I probably shouldn't tell Mr. Nomiya about that though...
“Oh. I don't have our time-table completely memorized yet. It's only been my second week and neither week was what you'd call regular.”
He waves my apology away like an insignificant insect. “No matter. Kozo might join us later if he has time, but what we're going to do shouldn't be dangerous.” He frowns for a moment. “No, not dangerous at all.”
If that's supposed to fill me with confidence, it fails horribly.
“Now listen closely.” He holds out his hand, palm upturned, and a small ball of orange light appears a few centimeters above it. “This is about the simplest thing Illusion can do: A magical light. First of all, I want you to douse it.”
I concentrate for a few seconds and the light grows gradually dimmer until it fades out completely.
“Very good.” He creates another light. “Next you're going to try something no other mage can do: Make it shine more brightly, but first...”
He rummages through the pockets of his jacket, leaving the light suspended in mid-air. I guess his hand wasn't really needed. Eventually he produces a pair of sunglasses. One is a clip-on that he places over his own glasses. He hands the other to me.
“Just a precaution, really. I don't expect we'll need them but better safe than sorry, eh?”
I put on the sunglasses and return my attention to the light. I have no idea how to do this. Should I do whatever I did earlier in reverse? Should I do the opposite thing? I concentrate exclusively on the floating light, ignoring it's visible orange colour and focussing on the rainbow-coloured aura surrounding it, imagining it becoming stronger...
“I think this is enough for now, Hisao.” Mr. Nomiya's voice pulls me back into the present.
I look past the aura to see the light glowing in a bright blue light. “Did I change the colour as well?”
He chuckles. The sound is like someone shaking a jar of dried peas. “No, that was me. I converted some of the energy you added to prevent the light from getting too bright. That's why you're practising with me instead of Rin. Her control isn't that good yet...
“This is really remarkable though. I'd say Takeshi is right. Your potential to amplify magic is at least the same as your potential as an Abjurer. Next step.”
He dismisses the light and creates a third globe. “Okay, this time, I am going to adjust the brightness up and down, and you're going to try to keep it at the level it is now...”
***
Mr. Nomiya keeps me doing these exercises the whole morning, and when it is finally time for lunch, I am quite exhausted.
I can't deny it was a lot of fun, though. While Mr. Kanzaki's lessons are very methodical and thorough, Mr. Nomiya has a much more hands-on approach. Practising my magic with an experienced mage is also a challenge. Of course there's not much two Abjurers could do to test their skills...
I head to the cafeteria to buy a boxed lunch for myself and a second one for Misha and continue to the nurse's office.
When I enter, the nurse is absent, but Misha is lying on the bed in the back like yesterday. Shizune is sitting on a chair next to her, eating her lunch.
As I walk over to them, I notice that Misha is fast asleep. I pick up another chair and sit down next to Shizune, being careful not to startle her.
She nods a greeting and then lowers her gaze embarrassedly. I take a notebook and pen from my bag and scribble a question. How are you?
She manages a weak smile. A bit better, thank you.
I notice a second lunchbox on Misha's bedside table. You brought lunch for Misha as well?
Shizune glances at the two boxes on the floor next to my bag. You too? It's okay, I'll take mine back with me.
I shake my head. No, you cooked that yourself, didn't you? It's bound to be better than the stuff from the cafeteria. Mine will keep until dinner. Another question comes to mind. You had history this morning. Did Mr. Kanzaki say anything regarding yesterday?
When he saw us, he asked about my punishment. When Misha told him, she heard him mutter something like 'Should have seen that coming' and he didn't say anything else.
I am a bit relieved. I had feared, he would object to the lenient punishment, but apparently he is not going to.
Shizune continues writing. Hisao, I just wanted to tell you again that I'm sor...
I put my hand over hers, interrupting her, and when she looks up, I just shake my head.
She nods and changes the subject. Misha's been asleep ever since I got here twenty minutes ago. The nurse told me to watch her, and that he'd be right back.
Did you two have a chance to talk?
All morning. I doubt we got much from Mr. Kanzaki's lesson though. She pauses for a moment, obviously unsure of what to write next. Finally she manages I'm happy for the two of you. I really am.
I can see in her eyes that she means it, even if she herself is not happy at all. I wish I could do something about that, but I really can't.
When the ensuing silence – or rather lack of conversation – threatens to become too embarrassing, Shizune picks up her lunch again and continues to eat. I open my box as well and join her.
When Shizune is finished, she reaches for the notebook again. What about Setou? How is his training progressing?
I choke down the bite I was just chewing and take the pen from her. Not good. Mr. Kanzaki says he doesn't know how to train him. So far he has made little progress.
When I return the pen to her she hesitates, clearly uncomfortable about the next question. Do you think he would help Misha, even if he learned how to do it? He hates women, doesn't he?
I want to reply what I've always told myself: That if necessary, I would force him to heal Misha, but looking into Shizune's eyes I realize that this plan was kind of... well, very foolish. You can't force people to do stuff like that. It would only make them resent what they're doing even more.
A cold knot is forming in my stomach, when I think about Kenji simply refusing to use his magic on a girl. Then I have another idea. What about an Enchantment? Couldn't you or Akane make him heal Misha?
Shizune shakes her head even before starting to write an answer. Don't think I didn't ask Akane about that already. Even if he was willing to learn how to heal cancer - that would take some time, and no-one can be controlled for so long without serious side-effects – he'd still be aware of what was done to him. Afterwards he would be one very angry Necromancer and nobody is going to risk that. They're barely risking his training as it is.
Shizune looks as frustrated as I feel. She continues writing. If only we knew why Kenji was so misogynistic.
I start when I read that and hastily take the pen from her. Are you telling me he wasn't always like that?
She thinks about this for a moment. Well, he has always been a paranoid recluse, but he started to specifically hate women only about half a year ago.
Do you know what happened back then?
I don't think he ever told anyone. He's even been sent to a psychiatrist, but the best that guy could come up with was “Beaten by his mother with a telephone as a child.” She hesitates a moment. Don't ask me how I got to read the report.
Suddenly I am very anxious to be on my way. I wolf down the remains of my lunch and repack my bag. Before leaving I write a short explanation to Shizune. I'm going to find Kenji. I have to find out what happened. Maybe then I can reason with him.
Shizune's expression tells me what she thinks about my chances for success there, but she just nods. Okay, I'll tell Misha you were here. Good luck.
On the way out I almost collide with the returning nurse, but I don't even pay attention to his admonishment and all but run towards Mr. Kanzaki's office.
********************
Please look forward to Chapter Sixteen (This time for real):
Circle Of Life