Jasper
"So what are you going to do about Carter's punishment?" We turned down the first year hallway to the main entrance. The day had wound down with nothing exciting happening after our trip to the office, if you could call it exciting.
"What do you mean do? I said I wasn't going to do anything."
"Well if you don't want it... can I? It won't be actual punishment, but I have some suspicions about him. I want to see if I'm right."
"I don't know that I should trust you." She stopped in front of me.
"Well if I'm right things would be extremely interesting..."
"How so?"
"If I told you that you wouldn't have curiosity as a motive for letting me test him."
"You're making me feel like a horrible person for letting this happen."
"It won't be that bad, maybe, hopefully…"
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"Five miles, 54 sit-ups, 41 push-ups, easily reached your feet in any stretch, and thirty-eight leg lifts. Not bad, seen better but not to be taken lightly. Also could you get up, you shouldn't lay on gym mats."
"You… said till… I… dropped… but… this is... too much."
"That may be a true, but I'm sure you enjoyed that. We're done for today, I expect you here by 8:00 AM tomorrow. Same for you guys!"
"Why do we have to as well!" Elizabeth had just finished her sprints, Kelsey writing her score.
"This is so difficult!"
"Well you barely scored average Liz, the only reason you've won your fights this far is because of your weapon, who has a perfect soul resonance with you. Genevieve, you scored below average, it isn't a big deal, being a weapon, but you may have to fight by yourself at some point, and your heart rate is also important, I'll schedule more cardiovascular stuff."
"I hate you both." Three voices echoed through the gym.
"It's for your own benefit, hit the showers!" Walking toward Kelsey, we shared a look of trepidation.
"What the hell is up with that kid?! He did far above average, looking at him I would never guess he was capable of that."
"I know, I have my suspicions. Kid said he was the son of a pro-meister which must have something to do with it, but still that's insane. If his combat ability is just as high he may be one of the best meisters here, bar none. If his weapon is highly compatible it may be near impossible to take him down."
"I think your definitely right, which makes me wonder, how did he get cut by Genevieve?
Maybe he isn't that good in a fight?"
"If what Genevieve told me was true, he defeated a axe user in his second year, with a rapier. That's quite a feat. That kid, he should be feared."
A few minutes later the people who had been working out came out of the locker rooms freshly showered. Elizabeth started walking toward me after waving goodbye to Carter and Genevieve. Discarding my thoughts about Carter, I went to meet her.
"Elizabeth I want us to do some special training, you need to improve in multiple types of weapons. Today I wanted to do guns."
"Do I have to do more? Can't we be done for today? I'm tired." She whined, bumping her shoulder against mine as we walked.
"I'm aware, but you need to improve. It appears your stamina could use some work, maybe increase the running?"
"NO! I'm fine! Filled with energy, no need for the increase!"
"To the range then."
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"Pick a gun, any type works really." We were at a large shooting range that I had found earlier on the internet, I picked one relatively close to the female dorm so we could stay late. Their selection was massive, semi-automatic pistols, revolvers, shotguns, semi-automatic rifles and bolt action. "You should probably try several kinds and then pick one or two."
"Sure. How do you choose?" This was going to take awhile.
"You should be able to handle firing most calibers if your in the right stance, it will hurt your shoulder though. Most witches are mid to long range fighters, most meisters are close combat. You should probably use something that can handle both, keep in mind that your range is a product of our soul compatibility, which is extremely high." I pointed out several handguns that would work well. "I can't just make a gun of any caliber for you though, I have to copy a weapon. I have very few original weapons, takes me days to make them to."
"Wait do you have to make your own weaponry? Like, did you make your scythe?"
"No, that was an easy copy, I have to make my own unique weapons. I developed a series of staffs after I saw a guy who could shoot lightning. Other wise I could decide that pillows are weapons and become one, even I have my limits." I heard her mutter something about learning having to learn to use those as well. She didn't sound to pleased. "Okay let's look at some pistols."
We went to a booth after renting out a few pistols, at first the attendant was reluctant, then he saw our DWMA ids. Having hung a target, ear and eye protection on, Elizabeth took her stance. Both of her arms were straight and she leaned back slightly.
"No like this" She removed her ear plugs to hear me. "Keep your legs shoulder width apart, left in front of right. Hold it at shoulder level, your right arm fully extended, left arm bent for support, don't cup the bottom of the gun. Lean your shoulders in." I corrected her form then put on my own protection on. The first shot was hesitant, they came faster as she gained confidence. The shots started close to the center then spread upward to the left.
"Not bad, but you need to take more time to correct your aim."
"Hey can you copy this gun? I really like it."
"Are you sure? It will take time to copy and it will be your only firearm for now. You really should try some more first." I picked up the next gun and we got to work.
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After the two or so hours we spent in the range that night Elizabeth had never changed her mind about the gun she wanted, to that end the guy at the range suggested a store that would sell to DWMA students as long as a teacher signed saying it would only be used for supervised practice. The hard part would be getting a teacher willing to let me take it home so I could get the copy done. Because of these factors I had woken up early to go meet someone I thought could help.
Walking into DWMA I heard the voice of my appointment "Jasper was it? You seem to be quite active despite it being only your first year." Mrs. Evans walked towards me, her partner behind her. Unlike usual her usual business attire she was wearing sweatpants and a T-shirt. "Sorry for looking like a mess but the second year weapons are doing some training today. I heard you need a weapon permission slip, for a rather unique purpose. Here." She handed me a piece of paper that had multiple layers, one for the school, the student, and the shop. "Kid already explained your circumstances."
"Why would the school let me have this so easily? I thought it would take days to put this through?" Despite what I said I knew the answer already.
"Jasper, we both know why. The Nimo provide a large amount of assistance to DWMA. Some of our best students came from them and they are responsible for thirty-percent of the funding in the program for finding foreign weapons and meisters. It got pushed through because of your last name." She had a solemn look, it seemed like she knew what belonging to a certain family could do to a person.
"Thank you for your time..." I turned away from her, the day was already crappy.
"Jasper! Remember, just because the name gives you benefits doesn't mean they own you!" Mrs. Evans shouted behind me.
I continued down the steps without turning back.
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The air was fresh, the sunlight pouring down, a few fluffy white clouds in the sky. The perfect day for a leisurely stroll in the park, or sitting on a bench with a good book, maybe even just relaxing with a nice cup of tea. Unfortunately I was doing none of these things, instead I was sprinting up and down a line of tape that Jasper had laid down on the gym floor. His attitude was harsh today, barely letting me take a break and imposing rigorous exercises.
"Okay, one minute break, then sit-ups." He marked down my sprinting times and turned toward Carter, Kelsey and Genevieve.
"Hey Jasper you seem to be in a bad mood, or am I wrong?" I took a drink from my water bottle.
"We both know you can see my soul, you know I'm in a bad mood." I almost spit my water out, I didn't expect him to bring it up so candidly like that. "Okay start sit ups, do as many as you can."
"Want to talk about it?" I started my exercises.
"No." I grimaced
"I am your partner, you can talk to me."
"I'm aware, just some personal stuff. Nothing that should affect you."
"Anything that affects you affects me. You are my partner, idiot." I was struggling to bring myself upward at this point. I looked up at him, his stare fixed in the distance. 'This must be about his family.'
"I'll tell you about it after this. You still have mile to run, get to it."
After finishing my work out and showering we headed back to the gun store from yesterday,
Jasper went up to the counter and bought the gun I had picked out. "Can you tell me more about it?" I asked Jasper.
"Mark VII Desert Eagle, semi-automatic, .44 caliber. Or at least that's what the guy across the counter said. Anyway, this is my problem." He held up the teacher permission form. "This should take days to come through, took me not even twenty-four hours. No coincidence."
"Maybe the office doesn't have much going on right now? Maybe someone was in a good mood? It doesn't mean anyth-"
"It does when the teacher straight out tells you it does. Mrs. Evans doesn't screw around. Honestly it's refreshing, at the same time makes it impossible to lie to myself." I wasn't sure what to say to that, Jasper walked out while I was thinking about it. "Don't worry about it, I need to get home and do this copy."
I checked my watch seeing it was around six. "Hey want to get some food?"
"Huh? I… uh, have some one over at my house right now, but if you don't mind, I can cook."
"Oh, okay. Who is it?" We started walking down the street.
"My sisters, three of them. Faith and Hope are the younger twins. Emily is my older sister, they are on a "training mission". I don't know their actual agenda, probably something involving me. Doesn't bother me that much though, I rarely see them."
"Aren't they your sisters? Didn't you live together?"
"Well, yeah but we were rarely in the house all together. Even children have training in the Nimo and when me and Emily got to the age of errands, we were to important to leave out. Me because of my station and Emily because of her talent. Only time I was really home were the holidays, sometimes." He seemed sad, but not as bitter as he usually was when talking about his family. He leaned in a bit. "If you can't tell they are apart of the Nimo I trust, other than them, Aaron and my Grandfather. If you need help, find one of them, they are all strong enough to protect you."
"You and Aaron don't seem to have a very good relationship, is he the one you don't like?"
"Yeah, Aaron was the only other weapon born to the Nimo in the Cursed Year. Basically he lost one hell of a coin flip. He wasn't ever bitter about it, but as we got older we drifted apart… used to be close when we were kids."
"What is your sister like?" I asked looking at him. He looked puzzled for a second, looking at the dimming sky.
"Amazing obviously!" The voice can from above, prompting me to watch as woman jumped down in front of me. Her long blonde hair fell to her back and contrasted with her bright green eyes. Her skin was very pale, a type of pale I only saw in one family.
"Hello Emily my name is Elizabeth Ekler." I put my hand forward.
"Who is this Emily person?" She looked at my hand confused.
"You don't trick her, it was perfectly reasonable to realize who you are." Jasper looked at her in the disapproving manner he used quite often.
"Oh come on Jasper, just having some fun." She took my hand. "Emily Nimo, but you already knew that. I guess I already knew your name as well. Anyway, Jasper I got the food you put on the list, what are you making?" She was energetic and eager, very different from what I expected of a highly talented Nimo.
"Stir fry, now lets go." Jasper acted like she was the junior despite the reality. He walked not even ten feet farther than unlocked a door. The house was quite large, and the first thing I noticed was, white and black, everything. All the furniture was one of the two colors, even the rooms themselves. "Bleak I know, also simple and easy to clean."
"Jasper… Is Emily with you?" A little blonde girl walked into the kitchen, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.
"Who's that?" A second girl that looked identical to the first came in. I knew they were twins but these two had an extreme resemblance. There was something else I noticed on taking a closer look, their souls... mirrored each other. Each one was a ball with what looked like a wing coming off of it, one to the left, one to the right. This was weird, I didn't usually see the shape of a soul, it hadn't happened even once since I got to DWMA, only personality.
"Emily is here," Jasper moved so they could see her "and this is my partner, Elizabeth." He nodded his head toward me.
"Hi, what are your names?" I bent down to their level as they walked closer.
"Faith." This one was the right wing.
"Hope." This one was the left. They both seemed serious in nature, more mature than their years. "Jasper, do you need help making dinner?"
"Sure want to cut vegetables?" He got into the fridge and started pulling out ingredients. The girls went into another room and brought back two little stools so they could comfortably cut at the counter.
"Oh this is always so much fun to watch!" Emily did a little dance and was smiling at her siblings, despite being the most logical person to be cooking. "Weapons are excellent at cutting ingredients."
"Well it is our job." All the weapons in the kitchen responded at once.
"Let's start, are you girls ready?" Jasper transformed his hand into a blade, turning to look at the twins. They gave a deaf nod, then it began. The weapons started tossing the vegetables they had been given into the air, then cutting them as they fell. The twin's slices weren't as even as Jasper's, and they weren't as fast, but it was still extremely impressive. It only lasted a few seconds before they were done. Emily went forward to inspect their handiwork.
"Not bad, you both did well but it could use some work still. Worry not your training still has another three years till completion! And of course you have me to train you!" Emily rubbed their heads with a grin.
"Emmmiiiiiilllyyyyy!" They had feigned dissatisfaction at their sisters comment then stepped down from their stools. Jasper started cutting the meat for the stir fry so I asked him a question.
"How did you guys start that? Emily implied she had seen that before."
"That is a way of training in the Nimo, for precision, most just leave it on the counter, but where's the fun in that? Everything that isn't important that comes from the Nimo kitchens is made by children in training. They have to be capable of making food and many of the skills can be applied elsewhere." He paused. "Mostly poisons though."
"Are you saying those two could poison my food?" I looked at Faith and Hope as they went to the living room. I once again saw how dangerous the Nimo were, and how nonchalantly they would display and talk about their talents.
"Yeah, and make it good enough that you'll enjoy it." He snickered at his joke. Not sure how that was funny, mostly because I didn't doubt it. "Speaking of which you should probably get used to identifying poisons, witches are crafty folk. Could you get out some pans for me?" The Nimo are so weird.
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Jasper and I were walking back to the female dorm after dinner, it was almost 8:00 at this point. Emily was a talker, and wanted to know a bunch of little details about me, who cares if you had a stuffed bear named Teddy? Emily, that's who. And no I didn't. "So do you feel a bit better now?"
"Yeah, tonight was relaxing, now I have to go home and spend several hours copying a gun for a certain some one, aw man I am going to be up so late." I punched him the side for his mockery.
"You wanted me to get the gun. Besides, you can do it later." I saw the dorm come into view. "You know, Kelsey is probably wondering where I am, if you want you can procrastinate by explaining to her where I was."
He made a deer-in-the-headlights-face. "No." I burst out laughing.
"Why not Jasper? She adores you!"
"I hadn't even met her and she tried to punch me!" He looked forward then squinted. "Wait isn't that her?" He pointed to blur of person far away. They were another block away, we were at the door. "It is! Run inside and act like you've been waiting for her at the door! This will be great." I took his advice and rushed inside. I turned at the door and saw Jasper climbing up into a nearby tree so he could watch.
Kelsey opened the door to the dorm to see me, arms crossed, standing like I had been there for a while. "O hey Elizabeth what are you doing?" her look said she knew she was caught.
"And you say Jasper keeps me out late." I turned my back to walk away, just to see Genevieve at the stairs, eyebrow raised.
"Where have you two been? You BOTH just got back, I saw Jasper and Jake take you two to the gate from our room. And you came form different directions so you weren't together."
"Nowhere!" We both yelled, running past her.
Another Friday another rush to edit and post. This one was a little slower, but more introductions, talking about Carter and the like had to be done. Speaking of Carter, the next chapter features him much more, as in is about him almost completely.
Well, comments, reviews and stuff are welcome, till next time!