I awoke sideways on the bed, Lauren nowhere to be found. She must have gone to the bakery, but why so early. I looked over at my phone that was on the nightstand; the time said eleven Thirty-eight. I looked down noticing that I wasn't wearing anything, oh yeah we fell asleep without putting pajamas on.
"Oh, that's why," I sighed, getting out of bed putting the clothes from yesterday that had to be washed.
Making my way into the living room, it was empty; they must be busy. Heading over to where Lumin should be, I crossed the town noticing far fewer people in the streets than yesterday. The way there did not take any time at all, I still couldn't use my powers even though it's the next day; the one day rule must mean twenty-four hours, so I'll have to wait till around five then.
Arriving at the weapons shop area, Lumin was at his place. Yesterday must've been busy due to the celebration going on, or the time difference. Instead of busy, angry people, there were shoppers pleasantly going at their leisure.
I made my way over to where Lumin was, he noticed me giving a smile that showed his teeth, " You're finally awake, are you?"
" You left me with your job yesterday, while you could slack off," I said moving out of the way for the lady behind me.
" No, I gave the ID to Lauren as she got off of work," Lumin said dealing with the customer who told him she wanted a necklace that would be a gift for her daughter's Birthday.
" She told me you gave it to her an hour before. So, she lied to me, huh,"
" Ah, you got me. I had to pick up some goods for last night. I met a new girl and we hit it off as well, let's just say I didn't get any sleep last night. haha," Lumin had a self-satisfied smile on his lips.
sticking my palm out: " I don't work for free, give me the money for the two hours I worked."
Lumin said, " Come on it was only two hours, and one of them I was getting your ID."
" Okay, then give me the money for one hour. I could find a use for it," I made myself look like a helpless little girl making the men and women around give Lumin disgusted looks.
" Fine, Fine. Here take," Lumin fished in his pockets.
" Thank you, sir," I said, collecting the money while keeping up the farce for the onlookers. Seeing as Lumin did the right thing, people went about their business.
I asked, " Where is this Stella, the person I'm to be working for."
he pointed in the direction of the forges," Over there, see the girl with red hair, "
It was easy to spot her, a the end by oldmen. She was magnificent, in the wake of those filthy things made her stand out even more. I was mesmerized by her; drool even started to come out of my mouth. Even though I'm with Lauren, I'll always have a preference for more mature and 'developed' women.
*Clap
" Why'd you do that?" I tried to wipe the drool from my lips.
" She is a beauty, but no man's had luck with her. She'd beat them all to hell and back. You may have had luck if you were older since she's a lesbian like you," he said ruffling my hair.
"Oi, you want me to beat you~ to hell and back?"
" I'm fine thank you very much. She should be expecting you, I assigned you as her apprentice when I made your ID. Shoo, you are in the way." Lumin pushed me into the open square.
I made my way over to where Stella was taking even steps looking at the forges that filled up the area. The bright lights, the clanging of metals, and the hissing of steaming water. This is amazing, the blades that were slowly formed over time were gleaming in the firelight.
" Are you lost, child?" A hearty young man walked up and said to me. The muscles on his bare chest were covered in sweat, he looked like a Viking. The hammer in his hand was small, but I knew he could easily split my head in with a single hit.
" I'm Stella's new apprentice," the alarm on his face was evident.
He kneeled down looking me in the eyes, " Watch out, she may be nice and all, but if you piss her off, run... and do not ever look back," before I could even say anything he left walking back to his work station seeming as if he saw his dead grandmother.
He looked strong with all the muscle, but also like an idiot so I disregarded his warning.
I made my way to Stella looking into the forge, " My sword..."
"Huh," Stella turned around, her green eyes tracing my body, " Good, they sent someone cute. Now help me with this, they sent over this piece of junk asking me to make a decent weapon out of it."
I didn't move from my spot, the fire slowly melting the blade which was disconnected from the hilt," ...My sword."
" What was that?" Stella who was confused came closer to hear what I was saying.
" My sword," She finally picked up on the words whispering from my delicious lips.
" Oh I get it now, your the one who was using this worthless trash," her tone was lofty, " I'll make you one to put the ones I deem worthy to shame."
" But that was mine... and you destroyed it."
I had to accept that there was no coming back, the blade was already a quarter of the way melted. I should look on the bright side, she said she's going to make a new one, yeah it'll be version two. I never gave my old one a name, but the new one has one.
" Okay, I'll take you up on that offer."
" Come here and help me, your sword is larger than what I have to deal and it takes a lot of control and Life Essence. I heard you used your ability, Sunrise was it." she said contemplating something, "Let's have a test run, I'll power the forge using my energy while you control it."
" Alright, but how do I do that?" Stella placed her rough hands onto the forge where a scanner like thing was located.
" Place your hand on mine, close your eyes and sense the energy around you," I placed my hand on hers, the warmth was a contrast to mine that were icy.
I sensed around me like how I did when I looked into myself except doing the opposite in this case. I saw hints of hazy energy, somewhat like when I came to this body. Was that what I was following when I reincarnated, What would have happened if I never followed the haze? Would I have found a new body or been left in the darkness forever? Concentrate Sera, Stella is wasting her Life essence by the second.
I reached for the haze, the energy when I came closer turned from a lifeless gray into a bright green. Willing the haze into the mechanism the forge lit up with green fire. The flame raged shooting up leaving a hole in the roof.
" Lower the output," sweat streamed down her face, with her breathing becoming heavy.
I grabbed onto the energy, trying to slow the rate. The process took some time and leaving Stella heaving for air. She would need some sleep to fully recover. After what seemed to be a long time, the flame subsided to cover only the fully melted sword. What was left of it was in a bowl made of unknown material. Stella took her palm off of the machine, imputing a few buttons.
" I would have never expected an amateur to be able to grab everything I have and use me so vigorously," She said getting up from the sitting position she was in.
" I saw what you were talking about and just grabbed it," I said while I helped her by letting lean on my shoulder, " was that wrong?"
" No, you did well, too well in my opinion. I'm going to whip you into the best forge master there is," she said pointing over to a bench so she could sit back down.
" When can we start again."
" Not today, have you seen the shape you put me in, not even mentioning the damages. We won't start back up until tomorrow, be here at nine. And don't be late like you were today!"
" I wasn't technically late-" I was cut off by a chop to the head.
Rubbing my head I asked, " What was that for?"
" No back talking," She said with a nod of her head, " by the way I never got your age."
" I turned thirteen the day before last. You?" Tilting my head in her direction.
" That could work, yes indeed," she said under her breath where I couldn't hear.
" What was that?" I asked.
"Oh, I'm seventeen," Stella said with a twinkle in her eye, " it's almost... oh god, we're going to be late, come along" she got up out of her seat the fatigue nowhere to be seen dragging me out of the forge area, not forgetting to push the off button on the forge.
" We still have school, yesterday they were closed due to reasons you already know; school starts at three and continues to seven," She said dragging me with her faster than what was probably needed.
* Lauren
The lady who ran the bakery, Camilla, told me that all kids under eighteen had to report to the school in the west half of the city. Sera probably doesn't know so I should pick her up. Her sleeping face was too cute, to disturb this morning so I tried to be discreet as possible when I shut the door. I took some pictures before I left so I wouldn't be lonely, I did not take them for other reasons, no I did not.
Well on my way to the market I heard a commotion, I say Sera being dragged by some girl that I haven't met before. Wait a minute, Sera's holding hands with someone that's not me. She's probably being forced over her own will.
" Hey Sera, want to walk to school with me," my words went one ear and through the other.
They ran past without even stopping, did I just get ignored. Did Sera happen to be awake when I took those picture's, is she mad at me? I'm an idiot. No, she's an idiot it's just a few pictures.
" Poor girl, it's okay," an old lady who watched it all walked over and patted me on the back.
* Sera
I thought I heard someone call my name, well it must not be important if they didn't say anything a second time. We made it to the school pretty fast, to my surprise we still had fifteen minutes to spare until classes would start. The school was three stories tall made out of marble, like the headquarters building; they seemed to be modeled after each other.
Stella showed me to the office so I could be registered in the school system. The process was short and easy, all I had to do was show them my ID and sign a few papers. Stella was in a different grade level than I was so we parted ways.
I made it to room Two-o-Three, this was where I would spend this school in. There were a few students who were already here, giving me curious glances. Lauren came in the door, five minutes before the bell. I was about to say high to her but was cut off by her.
" I'm sorry for taking those pictures, please forgive me. I will never do it again," her face was filled with regret and sadness as she clung to my arm.
" It's okay to do this kind of thing at home, but were in school. we'll get in trouble," I said as I stripped her from my arm, " What picture's are you talking about?"
" Wait so your not mad then?"
I put my hand on her cheek.: " Why would I be mad at you?"
Slumping on the desk she said, " But you ignored me earlier when you were running with that girl,"
" Oh you mean Stella, I'm her apprentice. She's an upperclassman, she thought we were going to be late but we arrived way too early," I said while I put my hands in her hair.
" Now, what pictures were you talking about? You made me curious," Lauren froze up.
She moved her head to look me in the eyes: " What pictures?"