"Can you please get off of me?" Jack grumbles.
"Nope, I won't," Shia replies with a smug expression.
"Why?"
"Like I said, pretty comfortable."
"How can I get you to move?"
"Accept the offer."
"I want some time to think about it, so why don't you sit over there with the knight while I think."
"No. I'll wait for your reply right here."
"Why are you so annoying?"
"I want you to accept the offer."
"You want me that bad? I'm sure there are plenty of others who qualify."
"But no one can do what you just did, and I want you to teach it to me."
"I'll show it to you, so get off of me."
"Empty promises, I can spot liars faster than you can cast spells."
"Then you're mistaken, I was serious, but seeing as how you don't trust me I am going to have to turn down your offer."
"No, you can't do that."
"I thought you gave me a choice."
"Yes, Yes I did, but you only have two choices, accept it and help me or help me by accepting."
"Really? Is that how you want to play? At least get off of me."
"But it's soft here, you have this perfect balance between soft and rugged. Quite charming if you ask me," Shia mumbled as she leaned forward, twisting and sharpening Jack's moustache.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Jack retorts, his cheeks blushing red.
"Exactly what I meant handsome, so won't you accept the offer, cutie?" Shia teases, pressing herself on top of Jack pushing into his chest.
"You're not that charming, you know?"
"You're the first one to tell that to me."
"Strange, with your behaviour you should have heard that plenty."
A voice boomed from the corner of the room, "She doesn't act like that around anyone unless she's comfortable with her 'victim'. It was Thomas who sat up his back straightened.
"Glad to see you're enjoying the show," Jack replies.
"You're the only one who hasn't thrown her off," Thomas chuckles.
"I'll think about your offer, but can you please get off me for Odin's sake."
"You'll be a lot more beautiful if you had black hair, right, Thomas?"
Jack flinched slightly at the principal's words.
"Why are you asking me? I'm not the one sitting on a guy's stomach."
"Get off me, weirdo."
"Hmph, now I'm never getting off." Shia replies pouting, "I came here to invite you, to give you a once in a lifetime offer and not only do you reject it but you also called me weird multiple times, even after all the compliments I showered you with."
"Quit that, I won't tell you anything if you keep this up."
"But you look better in black, Mr Jonathan."
Jack panicking asks, "What do you mean by that principal?"
"Why did you dye your hair?" Shia places her palms on Jack's forehead, "Cleanse."
Jack knew what the spell was but was too late in reacting, the energy already entering Jack's body. Within a span of a few seconds, Jack's brown hair fades revealing deep scarlet hair.
There he lay, his vibrant hair streaking, standing out in the shady cabin.
"Huh! Scarlet hair?" Shia gasped, along with a few gasps from Gabriel and Thomas.
"Ha-ha, surprise," Jack spoke, awkwardness filling the air.
Daniela watched the scene from some distance, amusement and tint of pity flashing her eyes. 'I remember a pretty similar scene, but that had a much darker theme.'
A memory flashed through Jack.
----
"Get up, Jonathan." The voice echoed across the wide hall, the tone harsh.
"But father... My arms feel like they are falling apar—"
"Then get out of my sight. Worthless scum."
----
"The Duke never let me show the scarlet hair, he always forced me to dye it brown, but it's not like that can make up for talent."
"Ooh, more corrupt noble secrets. So tell me something dear, do you accept my offer or not?" Shia pressed.
"Still not letting me go? You'll get in a lot of trouble, with faculty and nobles likewise."
"Who cares, besides, why do you worry for me so much?"
"I don't know, maybe it's because you called me handsome?"
"I want you even more. A six-star with red hair, What's your secret?"
"No secret, you saw the duel, I'm weaker than an average mage. Mages are supposed to rain down spells, and I can tell you that's not me."
"Invalid, the spells you used are better than casting multiple spells. Besides you copied the Great Sage of the North, and that too, Gungir. So stop being coy, Jonathan."
"Gungir is an easy spell, align three barriers and create a construct of a spear while using the barriers as a medium for the source code to work in, and there you have it, my own version of Gungir."
"Then how did you activate mana with an element's property alone?"
"What is the main property of water? It's the flow, the way it can move in and out and how it is always shapel—"
"Shush, I want to hear the rest of it from you after you've accepted my offer."
"Already decided, huh? What about my answer?"
"It's yes, isn't it?" Shia leaning in, their faces just inches away, her hair tickling Jack's face. "I wouldn't want no for an answer, besides I want a friend. It's hard to make friends these days when you're famous."
"But at the end of the day you only wanted me for your own selfish desires."
"Isn't that how humans are Mr Jonathan, selfish by nature, if you aren't a bit selfish how are you going to live? We aren't born saints, are we?"
'Why does it look like they're making out?' Daniela thought, amused at the sight.
"Then can I be selfish and say no?"
"Does that mean you don't want to help out this girl and give her some company?"
"You're very good at this, keep it up and you might hit your mark."
"Don't you want to lead the new generation and be a role model, Jonathan the brave and valiant, see it has a nice ring to it, besides it beats chopping wood, doesn't it."
"Nope it doesn't, you can't tell a lumberjack that chopping wood is boring, can you?"
"So are you... telling me... you don't want to be my friend?" Shia spoke, faking her voice cracking, but her eyes glowing with mischief.
"Oh, quit it with the drama, I really want to throw you off right now."
"Please accept it, this is too painful for me, I don't want to let you go."
"Answer my question and if I like the answer I'll say yes."
"Go for it."
"As a seven-star mage, what is your perspective on magic?"
"Life," Shia spoke without hesitating. "My perspective on magic is life," she continued, "It can both begin and end a lif—"
Jack interjects, "Stop right there, I accept."
"It seems that was the answer you were expecting."
'Mages are people who delve in research, and people like that rarely care about using their powers for good. It seems that's what Jonathan wanted to hear,' Daniela pondered. 'But the situation is quite good.'
"Better than what I wanted to hear. Now get off of me."
"Alright, but can I stay here a bit more? There is something about human muscle, it can be quite hard but soft at the same time."
"Please move," Jack pleaded, "I'll take back my answer."
"Alright, alright, I will, let me just, you know take my tim—'-yelp-', " Shia surprised by the quick hands that picked her up and placed her on a couch, it was Thomas.
"Well,I think we'll be seeing each other more," Thomas spoke his eyes locked on Jack's.
"Why would you be at the academy?"
"Oh, I have my own reasons."
"Mr Jonathan, I promise you, you will never regret the choice you made here," Shia yelled.
"I can hear you just fine, and I'm already regretting my choices. Where is Finn, the boy who was with me."
"He's outside, he didn't want to sit here with the grown-ups."
"The boy, who is he? Black hair, you don't see that everyday." Thomas asked.
"I don't know, the boy came here looking for work, he needed some money for talent assessment before getting into Nexarion."
"Oh, he's a first year, huh? Hey Shia, do you still get students from commoner backgrounds," Thomas asked.
"One or two, commoners don't usually try to get into Nexarion even if they have talent because of the relentless bullying they might face," Shia replies with a frown, "What did you say his name was, Mr Jonathan, I'll check the database after I get back."
"Finn, that's all I know, and why are you concerned about him old man?"
"Are you really in any position to call me an old man, you have grays, copycat," Thomas replies with a smile, his eyes not letting go of Jack's.
"Oh! Yes, I deeply apologize for that. It's a bad habit of mine."
"Copying? How is that even a habit? Besides how would you decipher a breathing within seconds after seeing it?" Thomas probed, curiosity filling him.
"It's an extension of photon magic. By using Limitless Concentration, I can use the muons around me to see through your body, but I can't maintain it for long," Jack replies with a small smile.
"I feel violated, pervert. To think my privates were seen by someone without my permission," Thomas replies with a smirk.
"Hey, what the hell is that supposed to mean," Jack replies, his face turning brighter than his scarlet hair. "Why do you think I'm looking at your private parts during a fi—"
"I'm pretty sure you had a peek, I mean I am quite the spectacle," Thomas cuts in, enjoying the reaction.
"Thomas sure is a spectacle, but he lacks softness, like Mr Jonathan, Thomas is too much muscle," Shia joins in.
"Who are the perverts now? I feel like I am the one getting violated."
----
"I wonder how my brother is doing. It's been years since I've last talked to him. Maybe I should pay him a visit, he wouldn't hate me now would he? I mean he was sent to demonic front instead of me."
----
ACHOO
'Is someone talking about me?' Jack thought, rubbing his nose, 'Nah, must be my dusty cabin.'
****