The Tutor
"Master Spark!"
Dinah Kirisame aimed her mini-hakkero at a wooden board serving as a target and a blast of magic energy burst forth, shattering it into several small splinters. However, the little magician frowned, unsatisfied with her results.
"Damn it, why can't I get it as big as Daddy's?" she asked in frustration.
Dinah was about to plant another target into the ground for the next attempt when an amused voice floated through the air. "Oh my, what have we here?" Dinah turned towards the source of the voice and nearly stumbled backwards when she found herself face to face with Kazami Yuuka.
Dinah had heard several stories about Yuuka, many of them contradicting each other; some of the stories painted her as a gentle individual who only got mad if someone messed up her flowers while others portrayed her as a psychopathic monster that grounded the corpses of her victims into fertilizer. Dinah's parents themselves had often warned her about dealing with Yuuka. "Don't ever do anything to make her angry!" her dad had often said. "If she points that parasol at you, you run away as fast as you can! Make sure you keep moving to stay out of her line of fire and duck when she starts sweeping the area with her destruction beams!"
"H-Hello Kazami-san…"
"Practicing your Master Spark?" Yuuka asked as she glanced at the many bits of splintered wood strewn about the area as well as the pile of targets waiting to be blasted apart.
"Yeah, but I can't make the beam bigger…" Dinah muttered dejectedly.
Yuuka gave a small giggle. "Well, you can't really expect to create a big Master Spark instantly, you know. It takes quite a bit of practice in order to master such a technique, even if you have a mini-hakkero."
"But…but Daddy could! Everyone says that Daddy could already make a really big beam the first time she learned it!"
"Well, your father is considered to be a genius in picking up skills, but even she hasn't fully mastered the Master Spark yet. Here, let me show you what a Master Spark at full power looks like." Yuuka reached over and picked up one of the targets, throwing it up into the air with all her might.
"Remember that the Master Spark gains strength from your emotions. If your feelings are strong, than the resulting Master Spark will be much more powerful. Behold!" With that, Yuuka aimed her parasol at the falling target and unleashed her Master Spark.
There was a deafening blast as an enormous beam of energy burst from the parasol. The force of the blast was enough to send Dinah falling backwards though Yuuka herself remained calmly rooted to the ground. The monstrous Master Spark ripped through the air, shrieking and radiating pure power, and completely enveloped the wooden target. As soon as the Master Spark dissipated, there was a small cloud of dust that Dinah realized was all that remained of the target. Yuuka lowered her parasol, pleased with the result.
Dinah shakily got to her feet. "That…that was amazing!" she exclaimed.
"Keep on practicing and you will soon be able to do that as well," Yuuka said, turning towards Dinah with an amused smile as she saw the young magician's awestruck expression. "Also remember to properly channel your emotions to draw out the Master Spark's full potential."
"What sort of emotions?" Dinah asked. "Wait, Daddy often says that she uses love to power the Master Spark…what does Kazami-san use?"
Yuuka gave a small giggle. "Why don't you take a guess?"
Dinah was about to suggest 'anger' but soon realized it was probably a bad idea; she did not want to be the next target of Yuuka's Master Spark. "Um, do you use love as well?"
"Well…I guess you can say that," Yuuka answered thoughtfully. "Though if I were to say what emotion I use, I would say….happiness, maybe?"
"I…I see…"
"Well, keep on practicing, little Dinah," Yuuka said as she ruffled the little magician's hair. "When your Master Spark becomes more powerful, come show it to me alright?" With that, the flower youkai strode off, humming happily to herself.
Dinah was silent for a while as she reflected on what she saw. 'Could I really get it to be that big? Even Daddy never got it that big…is it because Kazami-san is a much more powerful youkai?' However, this bit of self-doubt was quickly swept away as a fire of determination began to burn in her eyes. 'No! I won't let that stop me! Doubt will get me nowhere! I'll get it that big as well!' With that, she hurried to set up another target.
This was an idea that I had been itching to write about for a while ever since I created the character Dinah Kirisame; I felt it would be quite interesting for Dinah to get some tutoring from the person who created the infamous Master Spark.
As for characterization, I've always felt Yuuka is not as psychopathic or sadisitc as some make her out to be, but still capable of violence when angered. Still, I've included a bit of a nod to her alternate character interpretations in the story.
