To pink, then blue, then green and back to black! Asobi sat on the grass, playing with her wand to change the colour of her hair.
Hotaru and Jotou hiked up the hill—Asobi in the shadow of a lush green tree. After their lunch, they walked behind the restaurant to find what Hotaru thought would be a pleasant place to train.
The redhead sat down, while Asobi casted random spells into the air. "Where do we begin?" Jotou lifted the hem of her dress to sit down.
"You've never casted magic before, so you can try a basic spell first," Hotaru placed the tea set she bought.
She wriggled her fingers, water forming before she guided them into the teapot, slowly filling it up.
"You said you can't control water. Yet you seem to be able to do it just fine," Jotou peered to the droplets.
Hotaru smiled, "My affinity is healing magic, within water. The spells I cast can still deviate slightly from healing, like support magic and such. Summoning a little water is child's play.
However, my magic's bound to water and I can only deviate so far. I can't straight up attack with water like a wave-whack spell.
I'm sure someone with a different affinity could summon a tsunami with one command. I can only make this much, before discarding it or casting a spell into it to be used.
The water dissipates after the spell takes effect and if I don't cast, it's just water. Controlling the flow of water doesn't align with my affinity.
If anyone does a spell higher than a beginner level one that's not within their affinity, their natural mana will be dried out before they even finish casting. Like you're trying to run when there's no longer blood flowing to your legs.
Even high level casters have a low chance of successfully casting an intermediate spell not from their affinity; the alternative leading to bad effects if not, death."
"You sure seem to know a lot," Jotou opened up the scrolls she bought, as Hotaru opened the box and put in a sachet before closing the lid of the teapot.
"Perks of learning magic by yourself," she shrugged in response, "It takes a lot of study and time."
Fumeko came to the back of the building; she had a paper bag and peered up to where they were. She sat down on the benches against the back wall, next to all their new belongings whilst eyeing what she held.
Asobi shot sparks of illusory lightning bolts into the air.
"Now then, let's see if you can do a simple heating spell," Hotaru showed her palms to the pot laid on the grass, "Even people without affinities can attempt this one.
The best word for it is 'heat'. Focus on boiling the water in the pot and feel the mana flow through you as you cast," she guided simply.
"Heat," Hotaru casted, the water in it gave off little puffs of steam before she moved her hands away. "With any affinity, it's much easier to handle mana. Try it."
'Can I really do this?' Jotou stretched out her arms; she showed her palms and knitted her brows. 'I have to try' "Heat...." Her eyes shrunk more and more, the surroundings blurring around that teapot.
Hotaru lifted the lid; the tea was already dissolving in the semi-hot liquid. Jotou gave up with a grunt.
'Of course, I have to train for it…' She sighed in her mind. Familiar fingers grabbed Jotou's fallen palm. Jotou glanced over, one hand on Jotou's and the other with an open palm facing the pot.
"Close your eyes. Visualize the water boiling by trusting in your magic to cast it. The pot getting hotter, the water evaporating," Hotaru told, closing her own eyes.
It was lucky the shade hid Jotou's sudden blush; she shut her eyes. 'I need to do this.' She inhaled and exhaled, showing her left palm to the pot.
"Together, okay?" Hotaru relayed; Jotou nodded silently.
"Heat," they both said, but Hotaru did not cast; her eyes opened to watch Jotou, her hand no longer facing the pot, but her other hand kept holding Jotou's.
'Imagine the water boiling…' Jotou felt little tingles in her hand, "Heat," flowing from her mind to her nails. Steam chuffed, the grass around it began to droop.
"Jotou!" Hotaru called as Jotou's eyes jolted open to the sight of the teapot lid bouncing over with bubbling water—liquid spilling out of the pot. "You might scald the tea," her hand long had let go of Jotou's.
"Sorry," Jotou batted an eye. 'I actually did it!?'
Hotaru flapped her hand over the steam, "Don't be. A small-scale spell like that going out of control only proves your magic is potent. Uncontrolled, but potent," she poured the tea into the cups.
"YOU CASTED YOUR FIRST SPELL!" Asobi rolled in next to the two.
Fumeko heard the magician's announcement from below, taking a sandwich out of the bag. She faced up, a little pouty. She stared at the ground, shook her head and took a bite.
Jotou took a sip of the tea. Her eyes wrinkled as she forced it down. This taste needed sugar to make her tongue forget. She might as well have eaten the leaves that drifted down.
Seeing that reaction, Hotaru placed her cup of tea down. Jotou could feel another slight tingle in the back of her mind.
"That should stabilize your mana when you cast. Of course, all the stuff I said was how my magic worked.
Emotions like calmness, ease the casting of my spells. Each caster is utterly different, so you'll have to figure that part out yourself," Hotaru got up.
Taking her hand, Jotou got up with her, "So, what exactly do I do?"
"Even though you casted a heating spell, without proper constant practice, that spell won't work every time. If you learn it and master it, then it'll be like riding a bike; you'll never forget.
Let's try a spell closer to your affinity," Hotaru suggested as Jotou picked up a scroll.
'Hm… So many different ones and, types? It's not gonna be as easy as heat.' She began biting her nails, looking at few of the lightning-based spells.
"Don't do that!" Hotaru smacked Jotou's hand away from her mouth. Hotaru examined her hand; she saw all the bite marks on almost every nail—she shook her head, "Heal," little white bits extended from her finger, growing the nail further out.
She grabbed her hand tightly, breaking every bitten nail into a nice curve, "Ow!" Jotou winced for every nail Hotaru fixed, somehow grabbing it at just the right angle to snap them off; the redhead's nails seemed to have the same curvature.
"Bad habit. I do it when I need to think." 'Or when I'm anxious. I don't do it THAT often… Do I?'
Every night, staring at the ceiling biting her nails ever since she got this world; it was finally noticed. Her nails were now smooth once more.
"Well, stop it," she scolded before peering over to the scroll.
"Alright. How about this one?" Jotou pointed, moving on.
"Thundering Strike?" Hotaru read out, "Jotou, it says it's a master level spell. Even I can't cast that high. Maybe something easier?"
"Or you can make up your own spells!" Asobi pointed her wand, standing up with one swift movement.
"Bubbling Butterflies!" bubbles sprayed out of her wand constantly, each of them turning into illusory butterflies, rainbows in their watery forms.
The two stared as Asobi ran around like a child with a bubble wand, swarming the air with water-like butterflies. With the amount of mana she could use, she was not bound to stop soon…
"Right… That's a lot tougher, but each caster's different after all. How about this one?" Hotaru pointed out.
"Spark. The spell imbues your hands and anything in its grasp with electrical sparks that strengthens any strike with lighting energy," Jotou read. "This is an intermediate spell…"
"Perfect."
"Aru, isn't it much easier if I learned to cast a high level spell? If I do, then all these lower spells would be easy pickings," Jotou pointed to the other scrolls.
Hotaru tilted her head, "The label on the spells don't mean it's easier or harder to cast. There are intermediate spells that are harder to train than master level ones.
They all have different forms, different effects. If you want to end up dead, then by all means try Thundering Strike.
Why need my help if you've already decided?" her ears pricked up, the fur on her tail spiked; all the while Asobi cheered, running behind her.
Jotou backed away a tiny step, "Okay, okay. Teach me spark…"
"Good," she smiled bringing Jotou further under the shade, "I can't directly teach you the spell, but I can at least prepare you to cast it," she inhaled and exhaled, setting Jotou to her side.
Asobi ran to the side of the hill as her bubbles sputtered out and her legs felt tired, "Oh no…" "THUMP!" She fell onto the grass as the leftover illusions that didn't pop gathered around her.
She rolled down the hill—fatigued without regulating her mana—the swarm followed her tumble.
Fumeko had gotten to the centre with more crunchy pickles, savouring every bite with a toe-curling smile. Her eyes opened; a tumbling elf with butterflies rallying towards the meats she treasured.
Fumeko protected her sandwich in a hug. The swarm outpaced Asobi- "POp! pOp! PoP!" -and dissipated before it reached… Fumeko sighed. Asobi rolled further down and rolled up a small incline before being thrown onto Fumeko, "WOaH! aHhH!"
Fumeko held her sandwich high, as Asobi hit the brunette's body into the wall behind. "Thud!"
"You idiot…" Fumeko glared as Asobi slumped down Fumeko's lap onto the ground. The sandwich was crushed by her flinch and all the remaining contents squeezed out onto the back of Asobi's coat.
Asobi's legs trembled to get up, her entire body felt drained; only for her to see a Fumeko with a sharp leer and two half-eaten bread slices above her… "Hi Meko!"
"YOU PIECE OF-" she grabbed Asobi, screaming about her once in a lifetime sandwich as Asobi gathered her strength. Jotou saw their fight of dust from above.
Hotaru pushed Jotou's legs apart bringing her back to the lesson.
"Move with me," Hotaru guided, breathing in and out, and moving her legs and arms fluidly, "Feel the mana passing through your skin and bones. Relax and let all your troubles be forgotten for just a few seconds," her eyes closed.
Jotou followed her movements, almost like a dance as she closed her eyes as well. 'Forget every worry huh? I guess she means don't think too much.'
Hotaru stopped after a while, "Now, let your thoughts return slowly and try casting your spell. This is all you."
Jotou opened her eyes and unsheathed her sword; she held it up to her eyes, breathing in and out.
"Trust your instincts; let the mana flow in the form of your true affinity. Think about your goal, see it happening, feel it.
Hear the crackling spark, the smell of… lightning?" Hotaru shook her head, "I trust you can do it and so should you."
Jotou closed her eyes… 'Hey magic, it's me. I'm not sure what I'm doing exactly, but I somehow feel you. I trust you and you can trust me. Sigh… Feel my blade spark with electricity… crackling… flickering. I will properly train this…' "Spark," she voiced.
The fizzing tingled her ears, like a flow went down her spine. Her brown pupils gazed to her sword, covered in yellow webs, arcing and shifting; buzzing down the hilt till her wrists.
The other sight of Hotaru beaming, tail wagging as she witnessed. "Woah," Jotou swung her sword with a goofy grin, as the yellow sparks followed her blade, glowing in the shade.
"My first and best pupil," Hotaru had her hands on her hips. Jotou's eyes paused on Hotaru as the wind began picking up, tail and hair following the breeze.
'She's so beautiful… Why do people not look at her as a person?' Jotou smiled to her, "Thank-" before she could, she felt a jolt of electricity through her hair, stronger than before.
Fumeko strangled Asobi as Asobi slapped Fumeko's wrists; both looked up, feeling the absence of the afternoon Sun that was just shining down.
Hotaru and Jotou faced to the sky; black clouds were rolling over, covering the light. "You felt it, didn't you?" Hotaru looked to Jotou.
"How d'you know?"
"I can sense when it's about to rain. You looked at the clouds before me… but I didn't feel anything."
Jotou squinted, observing from afar, "Looks like snow."
"Snow?" Hotaru's ears pricked.
"Yeah, must be snowfall on the forecast," Jotou smiled to Hotaru, thinking of home.
Hotaru's brows knitted, "…It doesn't snow in Kria."