Katawa Kijo

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Mirage_GSM
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Re: Katawa Kijo

Post by Mirage_GSM »

Long hiatus, but I haven't forgotten this story.
I have currently almost finished writing chapter ten, and at the moment the plan is for about fifteen chapters altogether.

Chapter Eight – Let's Go Fly A Kite
I arrive at the track earlier than usual. A good night's sleep and no Kenji does wonders for one's punctuality. Emi is just warming up; she can't have been here for long.

When she sees me, she stops and runs over to me, her grin almost connecting her ears. “Hey Hisao! Congratulations on getting yourself a girlfriend!”

I'm taken aback for a moment. “How did you learn about that so quickly?”

Emi begins to pout. “What, not even a denial? You're making this almost too easy.” Then her grin is back like it was never gone. “Well, Rin saw Misha going into the boy's dorm yesterday before class and during lunch-break, Miki from your class told me that the both of you missed the first lesson. I didn't know anything definite, but I thought I'd just give it a shot. Turns out I was right, wasn't I?”

She pokes me in the ribs with her elbow. “So, got any juicy details to share, you bad boy?”

I feel myself turning red again. I should try not to make a habit out of this. “I have a feeling that sharing 'juicy details' with you would ensure the whole of Yamaku knows about them by this time tomorrow.” A pout again. “But there aren't any. For the most part we just talked.”

Emi looks disappointed. “What? Not even a kiss?”

“Well,...”

“Ha! I knew it! So what were you talking about?”

Now she's going a bit too far. “Emi, this is beyond curious and bordering on intrusive. What we were talking about is private, and no amount of pouting will get me to tell you about it.”

For a moment a hurt look appears on her face, but then her grin is back in a flash. “Right. Sorry, Hisao, couldn't help myself. So, are you up to a few laps?”

We start with our daily exercises. I don't manage to do more laps than yesterday, but she can't expect me to set a new record every day, can she? When I leave I realize that we didn't talk about our magic lessons at all... Well, I'll just have to ask her later...

***

Classes pass without incident. Misha and Hanako are both absent - Misha probably because of her examinations in town, and Hanako's absence is hardly unexpected. Shizune glances my way several times, but makes no attempts at communication.

During lunch-break, I head to the cafeteria to buy some rice-balls I'm not in the mood for crowds though, so I pack them in my bag and head back to class. Halfway there, I decide to make a short detour to the tea room to see how Hanako and Lilly are doing.

I knock on the door. “Please come in.” Lilly's voice.

When I enter the room, Lilly is sitting alone at the table, a boxed lunch and a cup of tea in front of her. She looks to the door. “Hisao?”

“Did you use Divination to find that out?”

She smiles. “Not really. Few people ever come here and Hanako's steps are more quiet. Do you want some tea?”

“Yes, thank you, but please continue eating. I'll just help myself, if you don't mind.”

I busy myself making some tea. When I'm done, I sit down at the table across from Lilly and unpack my rice-balls. “So where is Hanako today? She hasn't been to class this morning.”

“Oh, Ms. Miyagi said she had given her some books to read, so she's probably in some corner of the library studying. Apparently you need some theoretical background for Transmutation. So far, my training was more practical in nature.”

“So what did you do so far? Reading minds? Scrying?”

“No, mostly I just had to detect and analyse magic effects. Like seeing through Illusions and the like.”

“So it's probably much the same as my lessons, only I can't see through the Illusions unless I dissolve them first.” An idea forms in my mind, and I unpack the fourth cube from the 'homework' Mr. Kanzaki gave me yesterday. Like he said, the first three were easy, but I didn't manage to do the last one.

I place the cube on the table in front of Lilly. It is red, made from some rubbery substance and quite heavy. “Say, do you also use training cubes like this?”

Lilly pushes her lunch-box to the side and picks up the cube. For the first time I notice the ring on her slender finger, set with an amber-coloured gem. “Yes, we did use those. It's probably a common training method.”

“Mr. Kanzaki gave it to me as an assignment, but I can't figure out the enchantment. I can tell it's a Transmutation, but I have no idea what the real form is and I can't remove the enchantment if I don't know.”

Lilly cup's the cube between her two hands. I guess focusing on it with her eyes is not helpful for her. I try to make out what she is doing, but all I perceive is a soft yellow glow emanating from between her hands. She continues for a few minutes, then she puts the cube down.

“I understand why you had difficulties with this. We didn't do anything like that yesterday either, but I think there are two different Transmutations on this cube. One causes it to shrink and the other forces it to stay in this shape. I think this is actually a rubber ball.”

I examine the cube again, trying to see what she saw. Now that I know what to look for, I can see the two effects overlapping on the cube. I still can't tell what either is supposed to do, but Lilly is a Diviner. She's supposed to be better at this than me. At least that's what I tell myself.

I focus on removing one of the effects first, and after a short while the cube loses its shape and becomes a sphere. From there on it doesn't take me long to dissolve the other effect as well and the rubber ball grows to more than twice its previous size.

I grin at Lilly. “Thank you, Lilly, I couldn't have done that without your help.”

“Not at all. It was an interesting challenge.”

We finish eating, all the while discussing the other exercises our respective teachers have put us up to so far. Finally the bell rings and we return to our classes.

***

When I enter the room, most of the class is already there, but Shizune's seat is also empty now. Either she's doing some student council work, or she's doing some extra lessons with Ms. Aikawa.

As I unpack my books, Mr. Kanzaki enters the room. For a moment I am confused, but then I remember that he told us he would enroll at this school as a history teacher.

He places a few books on the desk and addresses the class. “Good afternoon. This may be a bit sudden, but Mr. Uchikawa has requested a transfer to another school for personal reasons. My name is Kozo Kanzaki, and I am going to be your history teacher for the rest of the year.”

Naomi's hand shoots into the air. “Excuse me, but do you know why Mr. Uchikawa would transfer schools so suddenly?”

“Well, I am told his wife was offered a very lucrative job somewhere near Fukuoka and he found it too long a commute. Now, you will excuse me for not knowing all your names, so why don't we start by introducing ourselves...”

After ascertaining where we left off in the book, Mr. Kanzaki begins his lecture. I never met the previous teacher, because last Wednesday I spent these two hours with Misha and Shizune in the Shanghai, but still Mr. Kanzaki's way of teaching is very interesting, considering the subject is history. He always has little anecdotes to tell about the events he describes and his descriptions are so vibrant, it's almost like he has seen them with his own eyes.

After the lesson, Kanzaki leaves, telling me to meet him in his office once classes are over.

***

When I enter said office later, Mr. Kanzaki is sitting at his desk reading some documents. He looks up, noticing me. “Hello Hisao, please give me a few more minutes. I'd like to finish this before we begin.”

I look around the room. The shelves have been dusted and filled with several books since the last time I was here. I walk over and examine the titles. Most of them are historical treatises ranging from modern Japanese history to ancient China and Egypt. None of the titles mention magic at all.”

After a while he puts away the documents and motions for me to sit down.

“So, are you really a history teacher, or is that just a cover?”

“No, I'm not a teacher, but I told you before that I was a doctor. I hold a doctorate in history, though usually, I do more research than teaching. Takeshi is my assistant, that's why we were teamed up to look for new magic students at Yamaku.”

Suddenly it dawns on me, why he was able to give such vivid descriptions of historical events. With Takeshi assisting him, he probably really did see them with his own eyes.

“But we should get to work. How did you manage with your homework?”

I place the four cubes on the desk and decide to give an honest answer. “I did three on my own. Lilly helped me with the fourth one.”

“Very well. I hoped you would be able to do it on your own, but removing both Transmutations is also quite an accomplishment. Let's work on your magic perception some more.”

I spend the next half hour examining half a dozen more cubes, until something strikes my mind.

“Mr. Kanzaki, why is it that I can see the magic in those cubes but not in other mages?”

“That is because you can see only active magic. If you look at me, you won't see anything, unless I actually use magic.” He holds out his hand and it begins to glow in a bright white light. He stares at it for a few seconds and the light fades again. “That is why it is so difficult to tell whether a potential student has magical talent or not – they have never used magic before. Only a Diviner can perceive a passive magical aura.”

“But I think this is enough theory for now. Let's go practice your talents against another mage. What kind of magic would you like to practice against?”

I don't even have to think before giving the answer: “Evocation.”

Mr. Kanzaki laughs at that. “Ah, and the reason for that wouldn't be a certain pink-haired mage, would it?” From my expression he can tell that he has hit the mark. He winks at me. “I'm sorry, but I just wouldn't be comfortable having you practice against fireballs and lightning bolts in your first lesson. We'll do something safer for now.”

***

We leave the room and I follow him to the nurse's office. When we enter, the nurse is sitting at his computer, looking at patient files. Emi is nowhere in sight. He looks up and greets us. “Hello, Hisao, Mr. Kanzaki. Welcome. Emi is in the back practising telekinesis.” He points at the drawn curtains. “Can't have patients walking in on floating equipment, can we?”

Mr. Kanzaki sits down in one of the spare chairs. “How is she doing?”

The nurse looks dejected. “Well, okay I guess. I can tell even now that she's got way more talent than me. I hope I'm not holding her back as a teacher.”

Mr. Kanzaki pats him on the shoulder. “Don't worry about that. You know as well as I do that a teacher can only do so much.” He turns to me. “With magic what matters most is the talent you have and the effort you put in. You can exercise your control, but the overall power of your magic is limited by your talent. According to Takeshi, young Miss Ibarazaki should do just fine.”

Just then the curtains are drawn back to reveal Emi, who is grinning from ear to ear. In front of her, half a dozen medical implements are spinning in a circle like a tiny ferris wheel. “Hey look, I did it! I... Oh, Hisao... Drat!”

She notices us and loses her concentration for a moment. All the floating objects clatter to the floor. A small bottle of pills shatters, scattering its contents all over the room, while a scalpel drops straight down to stick in Emi's foot. I wince for a moment until I remember that this is only her prosthetic.

“Emi, what did I tell you?” the nurse asks in an exasperated tone. “No fragile objects. No dangerous objects. And most importantly, look before you come out. What would I have done, if it hadn't been Hisao but a regular patient?”

Emi has the decency to look embarrassed as she bends down to remove the scalpel from her mechanical foot. “I'm sorry,” she whispers, but then her grin is back. “Did you see, Hisao? That was eight objects at once! Yesterday I could do no more than two. I'm making great progress, ain't I?”

Mr. Kanzaki rises from his chair grabs a plastic cup from the desk and fills it with water at the sink. “If you think you're making progress, why don't you try levitating this...”

Emi interrupts him. “Sure I can do that easily. It's not heavy or anything...”

“...without the cup,” he finishes his sentence, placing the cup back on the desk.

Emi just stares at him. “Without... You mean just the water?” She looks at the nurse questioningly.

He shrugs. “Why not? But please try it on that table over there. I'd prefer no water spills on my keyboard.”

Emi takes the cup somewhere without electrical equipment and gets to work. Almost immediately, I see a blue glow forming around the cup. Then the cup lifts a few centimetres from the ground, only to sink down again. She looks up. “It's tricky not to lift the cup as well.”

On her second try the cup starts to shake but stays on the ground. Instead the water inside rises slowly against the wall, but when it reaches the rim, it simply spills over onto the ground.

The nurse smiles. “Lifting liquids is not that simple. You have to apply force from all sides at once to keep it together.”

Twenty minutes and several refills later, Emi has managed to form a - slightly dripping - globe of water, floating steadily one metre above the ground. With some effort she gets most of it to flow back into the cup.

The nurse smiles. “Very good. This is a good exercise to train your control. You should practise it some more in your room tonight. For now, instead of having Hisao just watch, why don't you two train together?” He grabs a book from one of the shelves. “You levitate the book in front of you, while Hisao tries to dissolve your magic to make it drop to the floor.”

Emi grins at me. “Sounds like fun.”

She levitates the book, and I focus on the blue aura surrounding it. After a few seconds it fades and the book drops down. “Hey! Not fair! Let me try again!”

We practise for a few minutes, and Emi quickly learns how to renew her magic every time I dissolve it until finally the book wobbles up or down whenever one of us has the upper hand for a moment.

Suddenly the blue aura increases in brightness, and the book escapes from my control shooting towards the ceiling which it hits with enough force to leave a dent in its binding.

Mr. Kanzaki clears his throat. “Well, it seems you won't need to worry about this young lady's magic potential. Don't worry Hisao. That burst could have taken me by surprise as well. It takes much practice to react to such things quickly enough.”

We continue our exercises some more, until Mr. Kanzaki calls for a stop. Neither of us noticed that we overran the lesson by almost half an hour. As we say our goodbyes, he turns to me once more. “Oh, I almost forgot. I won't be able to make it for your lesson tomorrow. I scheduled an extra lesson with Mr. Setou. Please report to Ms. Miyagi in class 3-2's home-room after your classes are over. I will inform her that you will be attending her lesson tomorrow.”

After I leave the nurse's office, I head for my homeroom to see if Misha is there. When I arrive the door is locked and nobody is there. I check the cafeteria and the student council office as well, but she is nowhere to be found. Either she is still in town, or she has already gone to bed. For a moment I consider heading over to the girl's dorms, but I don't even know where her room is, and if she's really resting, I don't want to disturb her.

Instead, I head over to the library to stock up on some books and spend the evening reading in my room.

********************

Please look forward to chapter Nine:
Beauty And The Beast
Last edited by Mirage_GSM on Fri Feb 18, 2011 6:43 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Emi > Misha > Hanako > Lilly > Rin > Shizune

My collected KS-Fan Fictions: Mirage's Myths
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Re: Katawa Kijo

Post by ChaoticGrowth »

Awesome! I'm glad that you're back. I was getting worried that this story was being discontinued. I can't wait to read more. :D
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Re: Katawa Kijo

Post by neumanproductions »

And on this note, it looks like the fanfic gang has all but reassembled as the inevitable release of KS looms over the horizen.
Anticipating your next chapter Mirage.
Rin=Hanako>Emi>Misha>Lilly>Shizune (Misha counts in my world alright; and now she surpassed Lilly)
Fanfic series entitled... A Day in the Life of [character name here] (updated 6/8/10)
Random writings and Crossover... New stuff of Neuman (updated 5/6/11)
It's time to Duel... KS Yugioh Deck (updated 3/16/11)
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Re: Katawa Kijo

Post by Shades of gray »

and where there is fanfic writers, there is being readers nearby...
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Re: Katawa Kijo

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Chapter Nine – Beauty And The Beast
When I arrive in class after my usual morning run with Emi, almost all seats are already filled. Only Hanako is absent again. Misha jumps up as she sees me, waving cheerily. Hearing her “Hey, Hicchan!” I could almost be fooled to think nothing had ever happened, but unfortunately I know better. I wonder how much of her upbeat personality has always been an act...

I shake those thoughts away, because it really doesn't matter. Instead I walk over to her and greet her with a hug and a kiss on the cheek. Well, I guess Miki will have something more to tell Emi during lunch-break.

I am just about to ask Misha about her visit to the hospital, when Mr. Mutou enters the room and we all have to take our seats.

***

During lunch-break Misha, Shizune and I grab something to eat in the cafeteria, but decide to eat in the more private surroundings of the student council office.

When the door closes behind us, I can contain myself no longer. “So, what did the doctors say?”

Misha falls down on a chair, sighing. “For now I can continue to go to school. I'll get my first poison cocktail tomorrow morning and then one more every day until either the tumour dies or I do. Maybe they'll do some surgery as well, but I'm not certain there are any non-essential parts left for them to remove.” I wince at the deadpan tone she has in her voice.

“...?” Shizune looks at her quizzically.

“Oh that's right, I never told you about that. Last time they removed... Heck, I don't even know the sign for that...” She fishes in her bag for a pencil and a piece of paper and writes out a word for Shizune. When she reads it, her eyes go wide and she stares at Misha, her mouth hanging open.

Misha doesn't seem to notice and just stares at the wall. After a moment of silence, she continues in a toneless voice. “Do you know what's the worst thing about it all? It's not feeling tired all day or being sick all the time. I could endure that. It is brushing your hair in the morning and finding most of it in your brush.” Her left hand is playing with her drills absent-mindedly. “You know I had really long hair before... I got sick. Just like Miki's. I was very proud of it.”

I put my arm around her shoulders and she leans against me. “It's the most depressing thing of all. Losing your hair little by little, a constant reminder every morning until it is all gone.”

“So why don't you shave it off before? That way it will be done with in one go, and what's more, it will have been your own choice.”

Misha sits up abruptly and turns to me as if to check whether I have gone mad. “You can't be serious!”

“Why not?”

She considers that in earnest for a few seconds, then she begins to really smile for the first time today. “Thanks Hicchan, I might just do that. But what about you? Don't you like my hair?”

I spin a curl of her drills around my fingers. “Of course I like your hair, but I love the girl underneath it. If it helps you just a little bit, then get rid of it. The hair will grow back, once you're well again. I'm sure it will be as long as it was five years ago one day.”

We are rudely interrupted by Shizune slamming her hand down on the table. She doesn't bother with signs and simply points at our lunches which are slowly getting cold.

“Oh, thanks for reminding us Shicchan.” Misha gives her a weak smile, and we both unpack our lunches and start to dig in.

***

Mutou's afternoon lesson runs a bit late, and when I have said goodbye to Misha and finally leave the classroom, the corridor is completely empty. I walk a few steps down the corridor until I stand in front of class 3-2's homeroom.

Just as I am about to knock, I hear Hanako's voice from inside, followed by some kind of guttural growl. Some kind of wild animal? Might Hanako be in danger in there?

I try to open the door, but it is stuck. A green glow around the lock confirms that it has been magically sealed. Inside the growling increases in both volume and ferocity. I gather all my concentration and try to set the lock back into its original state. After a few seconds the green glow fades. I turn the doorknob and open the door.

In the classroom, Hanako is standing behind one of the desks, alternately staring at me and a very large wolf that is standing next to the blackboard growling menacingly. I don't stop to speculate how a wolf might have gotten into the classroom, but instead grab a chair and move to stand between Hanako and the wolf.

“Come on Hanako, let's get out of here!”

Hanako just looks at me with wide eyes, but doesn't move. A moment later the wolf makes some gurgling noises and starts to talk with a ragged, barely intelligible voice. “Next time you could simply knock, Mr. Nakai.”

I am so surprised that the chair I've been holding clatters to the floor. I stare at the wolf for a few seconds longer until realization finally hits me. “Ms. Miyagi?”

“Of course. Who else would I be? Now please wait outside for a few minutes so I can change back and get dressed.”

My gaze wanders to a pile of clothes on the floor and I can feel my face getting hot. I stammer something I don't even understand myself and hasten out of the room, slamming the door shut behind me. I spend the next few minutes doing breathing exercises to get my heart to beat with a regular rhythm again.

After a while the door opens and Ms. Miyagi motions for me to enter. “So Hisao, what brings you here? Aren't you supposed to be with Mr. Kanzaki right now?”

“No, he's with Kenji and told me to go to your class today. Didn't he tell you?”

She sighs. “No, he must have forgotten.”

I fix my gaze firmly on the floor. “I'm sorry for barging in like that. I heard those strange noises, and I didn't stop to think...”

She interrupts me. ”Oh well, no harm done. Neat job on the lock by the way.” She pulls a cigarette package out of her jacket. “Mind if I smoke after all this excitement?”

I notice Hanako going pale behind her. “I don't think that would be a good idea.”

Ms. Miyagi turns around. “Oh, I'm sorry Hanako, I forgot.” The cigarettes disappear back into her pocket. Anyway I was just giving Hanako a demonstration of Animal-Transmutation. I've covered the basics with her already, so I might as well ask you. Did you notice anything extraordinary?”

“You mean other than you turning into a wolf?”

She laughs at that. “Yes, that would be a bit extraordinary, wouldn't it? Anything else?”

I ponder the question for a while. “Your voice sounded strange.”

“Well, obviously, a wolf's vocal chords are not really suited for human language I had to make a few changes on the fly to talk to you, but such things are never perfect. Nothing else?”

I feel myself getting red in the face again. “Uh... Your clothes....”

“Exactly. That's what I meant. One of the two basic limitations of all Transmutations. You can transform inanimate matter almost as you like. The same for living beings. But you cannot change one into the other. That means, as you change into an animal, everything you carry has to be left behind. This makes transforming into an animal impractical under most circumstances. Mostly it's better to settle for minor modifications of your body, like claws or gills.”

She pauses. “Hanako, you don't have to listen to all this stuff again.” She walks up to her desk and picks up a book. “Why don't you study this for a moment? I'll be back to you right away.” I glance at the title 'Chemical elements and their composition'. Hanako simply nods and sits down at a desk with the book.

“Why do you have Hanako read a book about chemistry? Can't you just change chemical elements with your magic?”

“It would be nice if it were so easy, Hisao.” She sighs.” If it were, alchemists in the middle ages wouldn't have had such a hard time turning lead into gold. It's actually pretty easy to do, if you know that gold has three protons less per nucleus, but if you don't understand the concept of atoms, the best thing you'd come up with is yellow lead.”

“So, to do Transmutation you actually need to know a lot about natural sciences. Physics, chemistry, biology... You can simply force matter to be something it doesn't want to be - I'm sure you trained with solid water cubes by now - but such things are never permanent. Once the magic fades, the water will return to it's liquid state. If you want a permanent effect, you have to transform it into something that is naturally stable.”

“It's even more difficult with living beings. Living beings somehow remember their original form. No Transmutation of a living being will ever be permanent. Even if a wolf-form is naturally stable, I am a human, and when the effects of the magic fade, I will return to being a human. However, if that is an uncontrolled process it can result in serious injury or even death.”

“Also, any modification you make on your body has to actually work. It's very easy to create gill slits on your throat, but if you don't know how gills function or how to connect them to your lungs, they won't help you shit on your next diving trip. And if you change into an animal, you better have a good idea of that animal's anatomy, or the result won't be pretty.”

Secretly, I am very glad that my ring didn't glow green when I first put it on. I mean, those are very cool abilities, but there are too many opportunities to die a horrible death for my tastes... “So, if you know about the anatomy, you can change into any animal you like?”

“Well, there's still the second basic limitation of Transmutation magic: Mass. I weigh about 65 kilos. That mass has to go somewhere. If I were to change into a mouse, it would be a rather big one. It's also theoretically possible to change into a miniature version of a bigger animal, but most animals don't scale very well.”

I shudder as the image of a 65kg spider flopping on the ground with broken legs comes unbidden to my mind. Hastily I change the subject. “And Hanako is going to have to learn all that stuff?”

“She's a natural. I've never seen anyone devour those science books at such a speed. I asked Mr. Mutou to excuse her from his science lessons. What she's learning here is way more advanced than regular high-school stuff anyway. She might be allowed to cut a few of the other lessons as well. Skilled Transmuters are much sought after, because they are very rare – almost as rare as Abjurers by the way. That reminds me. It couldn't hurt for you to learn a bit about basic anatomy as well. You might be called on to undo a Transformation one day, and it helps to know which part goes where...”

As I listen to Ms. Miyagi's explanations, something in my mind goes click. I file away the thought for closer examination later on. I glance over to Hanako to make sure she is still immersed in her book, then I ask Ms. Miyagi in a low voice. “So, if she has become a trained Transmuter one day, she'll be able to do something about her scars?”

Her face turns somber. “In theory yes, but they would not be truly healed. It would be a temporary fix and it would have to be renewed periodically – and having one's body in a permanent state of transmutation can have some very unpleasant side effects...” She looks at me pointedly. “You know, the sort you'll need an Abjurer to remove.”

I shudder, and she gives me a big grin. “Well, while you're here why don't I give you something to practice other than those boring cubes Kozo is tormenting you with? Hanako?”

Hanako looks up and lays down the book she has been reading. As we both stare expectantly at Ms Miyagi, she begins to turn pale at an alarming rate. Noticing our reaction, she smiles and motions for us to say put. Little by little all colour is draining from her face and hands, and her hair is turning white as snow.

When she speaks again she looks as if she were a ghost. “Changing the colour of an object or being is one of the simplest forms of transmutation.” She walks over to Hanako, takes a few strands of her hair and puts them into her hands. “Now, Hanako, please try to turn these white, and you, Hisao will try to return my hair to normal, but... “ she winks at me, “if you cause my hair to fall out, I'll have to turn you into a giant toad.”

Hanako starts to giggle. I think this is the first time I've heard her make that kind of sound. Ms. Miyagi looks surprised as well.

“Anyway, before you start, let me tell you some things about pigments and refraction...”

********************

Please look forward to chapter Ten:
Colours of the Wind
Emi > Misha > Hanako > Lilly > Rin > Shizune

My collected KS-Fan Fictions: Mirage's Myths
griffon8 wrote:Kosher, just because sex is your answer to everything doesn't mean that sex is the answer to everything.
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Re: Katawa Kijo

Post by Shades of gray »

hmm... now I'm getting more and more interested...

goddammit, I need something to do, KS aint out, DNF aint out, Ive played through my backlog of games (including FFXIII, urgh) and now im trying to find something to do...
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Re: Katawa Kijo

Post by Devon »

This story keeps drawing me in! Good fething work!
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Re: Katawa Kijo

Post by Mirage_GSM »

Writing's been a bit slow this past week, but I decided to put up chapter ten anyway. Please enjoy.

Chapter Ten – Colours of the Wind
Two hours later, Hanako has managed to copy the feat of turning her hair to white and back to normal, while Ms. Miyagi has pronounced my efforts to return her hair back to its usual black 'satisfactory'. I missed a few strands but at least I didn't cause any hair to fall out, so I guess my amphibian existence has been put off for now.

Outside, the sun is approaching the horizon, and she dismisses the class, though not without handing me two books to study until next week. Not my usual fare, but the prospect of practical application makes the thought of doing some actual studying much less fearsome than I thought it would be.

Hanako and I pack our stuff and leave the classroom together. The other classrooms are empty. There's a message on the door of our homeroom. “Gone to town with Shicchan. See you tomorrow. Love, M.”

A bit embarrassed, I take the note and put it in my bag. It's just like Misha to leave a note like that hanging in the open where anyone can read it.

I turn to Hanako. “So any plans for the afternoon?”

“I... I was going to l-look for Lilly...”

“Mind if I tag along?”

“ N-No...” Hanako shakes her head and we set out for the tea room.

***

We arrive at the tea room, and I knock on the door. “Lilly? It's us, Hanako and Hisao. Are you finished with your lesson?”

There is no answer. I open the door to find the room empty. As I step over the threshold, Takeshi's voice sounds in my head. We've gone to the garden to practice because of the nice weather. Please come and join us.

I turn to Hanako and open my mouth to speak, but apparently she has heard the voice as well. “Well, he's right. The weather is way too fine to stay inside.”

As we go to meet Lilly and Takeshi, I marvel – not for the first time – at how fast we've come to accept all the weird things happening around us...

***

Lilly and Takeshi are sitting on a blanket beneath a tree in a quiet corner at the back of the garden. The flowerbeds around them are spectacular, and for a moment I feel sad for Lilly because she is not able to see them.

As Takeshi sees us walking down the gravel path, he rises and waves. “Ah, Hisao, so you got my message?”

Well, the answer to that should be obvious, but I appreciate him asking and not simply reading my thoughts. “Yes, we both heard it. Thanks for inviting us.”

Takeshi gives me a calculating look, but doesn't comment further. “So, Lilly and I were practising sendings - talking mind to mind. She's actually gotten pretty good at it so I thought she might be ready to try to talk to someone who isn't a Diviner.” He smiles at Hanako. “How about it? Do you want to try?”

Hanako nods shyly. “Y-Yes.”

“Then please sit down on the blanket and hold Lilly's hands. It's easier that way.”

Hanako does as she is told, while Takeshi comes over to stand next to me and watches the two. Lilly's eyes are closed and Hanako looks like she is listening to a voice too faint to be audible. Then a smile spreads across her face. “Yes, Ms. Miyagi changed into a wolf and then...”

“Sorry,” Takeshi interrupts her, “please don't answer out loud. Just think your answer and let Lilly try to read it.”

The following minutes are exceedingly uneventful, as the girls 'talk' to each other. Takeshi must have noticed me getting bored because after a while he asks Hanako to trade places with me.

I sit down next to Hanako and take Lilly's hand. I don't know if it helps to strain one's ears to hear a telepathic message but I do so anyway just in case. To my surprise Lilly's voice sounds loud and clear in my head, just as if she were talking to me normally. Hello Hisao! How are you today? Apparently she's already gotten the hang of this trick after practising with Hanako.

Relieved that this is not going to be that hard, I hurry to think my answer. I'm fine, thank you. You've gotten pretty good at this, haven't you.

Somehow you are easier to understand than Hanako was. I have no idea why.

Maybe Takeshi would know?

Lilly gives a mental shrug. I have no idea how she did that. Maybe. I'll ask him later. Meanwhile she gives me a grin as feral as Ms Miyagi's wolf form. So, I heard that you found yourself a girlfriend? You and Ms. Mikado are an item now?

I feel my face flushing and quickly turn my head away, Hanako and Takeshi won't see. I guess not even Lilly can resist the opportunity for some juicy gossip. Must be a woman thing... While I ponder what to answer, I let my gaze wander across the flowerbeds. I wonder if she will be mad at me for going out with Misha. The two of them don't get along very well, do they? At least I don't think she'll be jealous...

A gasp from Lilly takes me back to the present. I let go of her hand and turn back to her. Her eyes are wide open and her face has gone almost completely white. Did she accidentally hear one of my thoughts just now?

Takeshi is already kneeling besides her, gently shaking her shoulders. “Lilly! Are you okay? What's wrong?”

Hanako is also there gripping her hand tightly.

A few moments later Lilly starts to recover. “What was that?”

We stare at her uncomprehendingly. Takeshi has a strange look in his eye. “What was what?”

Lilly shakes her head. “I don't know. There was... Something... I don't know how to describe it.”

Takeshi's gaze wanders between Lilly and myself as he ponders something. Then he seems to come to a decision. “Okay, let's try something. Hisao, close your eyes!” I wonder what he's got in mind but I do as he says. “Good, now take Lilly's hand again.” I feel his hands gently turning my head to the left. “And now open your eyes again, slowly!”

When I open my eyes I find myself looking at the flowerbeds again. As I feel Lilly gripping my hands more tightly, I finally understand what must have happened.

“Now, Hisao, please describe to Lilly what you are seeing.”

I take a deep breath, then I start talking. “I see a field of grass. A gravel path leads back to the main building. Along the path there are several flowerbeds. The one on the right holds yellow and red chrysantemums, the one on the left...” I almost falter as I recognize the flowers. “Those are Lillys.” I turn back to look her in the eyes. “And this is you, Lilly.”

Tears are running down her cheeks as she struggles to handle all the unfamiliar sensations. Hanako is holding out a handkerchief to her, and she is tentatively reaching out for it, beaming when she manages to take hold of it on the first try.

By now there is a lump in my throat as well. I am unable to get any more words out, and I wouldn't know what to say, even if I could.

The sound of Takeshi clearing his throat ends this magical moment. “I'm sorry to interrupt, but this is enough for today.” When Lilly hesitates to let go of my hand he continues. “Soon you will be able to do this without physical contact and for longer periods of time, but please don't overexert yourself for now.”

Reluctantly, Lilly lets go of my hand. Her expression turns sad, as she is once again returned to not seeing anything. “You have made great progress. I didn't expect you to be able to do that for at least two more weeks.” He winks at the three of us. “I guess I'll have to teach you about colours earlier than I intended to.”

He reaches for Lilly's hand and helps her stand up. “For now, please get some rest. We'll bring you to your room, and try again tomorrow, okay?”

While Takeshi gathers up the blanket, Lilly takes Hanako's arm and together we walk towards the dorms. As we reach the courtyard, I remember about the things Ms. Miyagi said earlier.

“I'm sorry, Lilly, I just remembered I have something to do in the nurse's office.” I nod a quick good-bye to Hanako and Takeshi as I jog over to the auxiliary building. “We'll see each other tomorrow.” For the first time, that line doesn't sound wrong in my ears.

***

Much later that evening I finally return to my dorm. The nurse was surprised at first, but he thought it was a good idea and helped me search for all the stuff I needed.

Now I'm standing in the corridor, carrying two large books and three folders worth of copies and internet printouts – blown up to twice their normal size - and try to knock on the door without scattering them all over the corridor. In the end I place the papers on the floor first.

After the knock it takes a few seconds before I hear the expected sound of half a dozen locks and bolts being undone. Then the door is opened just enough for Kenji to slip out, and he closes it behind him so fast that I have no chance of catching a glimpse of his room.

He has done away with the curtain in favour of a tall staff made of cardboard – probably filched from the art-club's supplies - and I have no idea whether or not he is wearing his magical hat, but I decide not to comment, because that way lies insanity.

Kenji squints at me, trying to ascertain my identity, then he relaxes. “Hey, it's you bro. What gives?”

I hedge a bit, trying to not let my anxiety show. “Oh, nothing much. I just wanted to ask how your studies with Mr. Kanzaki are going. Made any progress yet?”

Kenji brightens as the topic is breached. “Of course I did! You think I'd just sit around idly when an opportunity like this opens up? I'm going to give it my all and use it to start turning the tide on the Feminist Incursion!”

“This afternoon I showed Mr. Kanzaki all the information I've gathered so far, the diagrams, the statistics and my conclusions from them. He was clearly shocked. Said this was worse than he had expected. I'm sure he will join our cause once he has had time to look through all the data.”

“That's great, Kenji, but I was talking about your magic training. How's that coming along?”

He sobers up a bit. “I guess, it's going okay... In a way...”

That doesn't sound good. “What do you mean by 'in a way'?”

“Well... I can see that magic glow in his little cubes. Better than the cubes themselves in fact.”

“But you didn't do any actual magic? You know... By yourself?”

He avoids my gaze and stares at his feet. “Not yet, but I'm sure it's only a matter of time, until... Hey, what is all that stuff on the floor?”

I remember the reason why I came here in the first place, but in my heart I fear this might be pointless after all. If Kenji cannot do anything at all, how can I expect him to...

It's futile to follow these thoughts any further. I went to the trouble of gathering all this stuff and even if it doesn't help, it can't do any harm either. I decide to go with the story I thought of earlier. “Well, I did some intel-gathering myself, and I wanted to keep you up to date.”

Kenji grabs the topmost folder and squints at the gigantic writing. “That's great, bro, I knew I could rely on you.” He frowns. “'Sarcoma'? What's that? The name of our enemy?”

“Yes, Kenji, that's the most dangerous enemy of them all.”

*********************

Please look forward to chapter Eleven:
God Help the Outcasts
Emi > Misha > Hanako > Lilly > Rin > Shizune

My collected KS-Fan Fictions: Mirage's Myths
griffon8 wrote:Kosher, just because sex is your answer to everything doesn't mean that sex is the answer to everything.
Sore wa himitsu desu.
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Shades of gray
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Re: Katawa Kijo

Post by Shades of gray »

Mirage... <3 <3 <3

Doing great, looking forward to next chapter
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scott1and
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Re: Katawa Kijo

Post by scott1and »

Can...not...belive...I did not get the Disney song references in the title :shock: ...I feel pretty stupid right now... :cry:
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ChaoticGrowth
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Re: Katawa Kijo

Post by ChaoticGrowth »

scott1and wrote:Can...not...belive...I did not get the Disney song references in the title :shock: ...I feel pretty stupid right now... :cry:
Wow, so do I... :cry:
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Mirage_GSM
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Re: Katawa Kijo

Post by Mirage_GSM »

Ah, I was wondering if someone would ever notice (and bother to write a post about it) :D
Emi > Misha > Hanako > Lilly > Rin > Shizune

My collected KS-Fan Fictions: Mirage's Myths
griffon8 wrote:Kosher, just because sex is your answer to everything doesn't mean that sex is the answer to everything.
Sore wa himitsu desu.
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Re: Katawa Kijo

Post by Leotrak »

I'll have to tell you guys I'd probably never have even looked for the reference if Mirage hadn't told me when I first started editing for him :P
"ice-cream-flavoured ice-cream" -Rin
"oh moe is me" -me
Numbered Days, my first piece of fanfic
Leotrak's Library, my other depository of written stuffs
Before: Hanako>/=Emi>Rin>Lilly>Shizune
After: Emi>Rin>Hanako>Lilly>>>>>>>>>>>Shizune
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Re: Katawa Kijo

Post by Mirage_GSM »

It's been almost a month since the last update...
Sorry for the delay, but those past few weeks I've been busy getting the German version of KS Act 1 ready. As soon as that's finished, I'll get back to this story here.
Emi > Misha > Hanako > Lilly > Rin > Shizune

My collected KS-Fan Fictions: Mirage's Myths
griffon8 wrote:Kosher, just because sex is your answer to everything doesn't mean that sex is the answer to everything.
Sore wa himitsu desu.
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Re: Katawa Kijo

Post by Leotrak »

...

*makes a note to get his ass back to editing this evening* ">_>
"ice-cream-flavoured ice-cream" -Rin
"oh moe is me" -me
Numbered Days, my first piece of fanfic
Leotrak's Library, my other depository of written stuffs
Before: Hanako>/=Emi>Rin>Lilly>Shizune
After: Emi>Rin>Hanako>Lilly>>>>>>>>>>>Shizune
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