Okay folks, here it is: the second chapter! I'm trying to keep everyone in character, and I'm working towards some
major plot. Well, thanks for your patience and positive reviews! I'm sorry for confusing everyone by updating so
often- I've been editing my first chapter frequently to change many of the mistakes. Well, here it is:

Magic and Other Nonsense Chapter 2:

The last of the beach goers packed up their things and left for the day. Nanaka found
her regular secluded area of the coast that she used specifically for her flying. She sped over
the slippery sand, maintaining balance on her bicycle as she halted by the craggy, mountainous rocks.
This particular section of the beach was carefully hidden to most people. Nanaka doubted that anyone
but she was aware of its existence. The boulders guarding the shore helped to obscure the water; forming
a lagoon that eventually swept out to join the open sea. A little over a year ago, after her original
catastrophe with flying, she, Akane and Sae had practiced their broom control close to this very spot
as Aburatsubo watched over Takeo on the shore. Nanaka remembered how particularly flirtatious Aburatsubo
had been with Takeo that day; even going to such lengths as stealing a greeting kiss from him as the girls
looked on. Nanaka wondered if the others had even noticed the kiss because it had been so well disguised,
but the memory was branded in her consciousness forever. It had been confirmation of what she had already
suspected up to that point. It was on that unbearably clear day that she had known her feelings for
Aburatsubo would never be requited. Later, when she confronted him with the issue and he had not directly
responded, she had felt her hopes die. Luckily, the entertainment following their quasi-conversation
had helped to raise her spirits some.

"How typical," Nanaka thought sardonically. She loathed the fickle way she could "bounce back" despite
her despair. As swiftly as the memory had returned to her brain poisoning her thoughts, Nanaka shook it
off. She hopped off her bike, grabbed her broom and wand, and stepped out to the water. She was grateful
she had remembered to wear her swimsuit underneath her uniform. This morning, she awoke from her
restless slumber filled with strange, lucid dreams; images she couldn't comprehend. Her bedsheets had stuck
to her body, the thick humidity of the air in her room practically suffocating her. As she dressed and
thought of the thankless day ahead of her, she knew she might be tempted to head to the ocean. Now,
she wore a simple one-piece black suit, tying a faded and stretched yellow T-shirt at her waist in a knot.
As she ventured out towards the water, the sand soothed her feet; the granules still slightly warm from
the intense heat and sunlight of the day. It helped ease her dampened spirits. The salty breeze became
stronger as the sun continued to sink below the horizon, but it still remained as hazy and humid as it
had been earlier. The lifting breeze caressed her face. Nanaka tilted her head back to savor the
tranquil, refreshing atmosphere. Her unruly raven locks wove around her face; a rare expression of
contentment and peace graced her visage. Recently, Nanaka had allowed her hair to grow so that it hung
closer to her ears and gave a more of a feminine edge to her otherwise tomboyish looks. It had not been
intentional, but her appearance no longer meant as much to her as it once had. If anything, her change
had enhanced her already attractive looks, making her seem more wild and natural. Her figure had remained
the same, athletic and petite, although she had filled out slightly since the Magic Club's battle with
the Bell. Nanaka had attracted the affections of many underclassmen, particularly in the last year or
so, but she had never noticed or dwelled much on the opinions of other boys aside from Aburatsubo-sempai.
She bitterly reflected on how romantic this setting would be under different circumstances.

She stepped into the water, feeling the gentle pull of the low tide as the cool waves lapped
languidly at her feet. She looked out at the vast expanse of water; the slowly sinking sunset that
reflected off the wave crests, and firmly positioned her broom beneath her. She looked behind her to
where she had parked her bike and left her clothes, double checking to make sure that she was not being
watched. She held her wand securely in her hand, taking a deep breath and focusing intently. She recited
the words to the flying spell subconsciously, having been long accustomed to the control the spell required.

Flying had become second nature to Nanaka. She had regularly used it as a means of escape from her
recent problems. It became almost addictive to her; she had mastered the technique and was constantly
seeking a way to make it even more natural. Perhaps a year ago, she would have thought it ridiculous
to spend so much time on something so frivolous, but now she saw it as a means of keeping her sanity.
It was almost as if the magic inside of her needed to be satiated, and couldn't be unless she fed her
supernatural instincts when the urge compelled her.

"Isaki apam mehinam, eto caffe nam."

As she finished the spell, she felt the now familiar sudden movement the broom initiated as it lifted
off the ground. There was a sudden burst of speed, and then Nanaka was soaring out towards the sunset;
climbing higher and higher as an exhilirating rush ran through her. The fading sunlight reflected in
her rich brown eyes as they sparkled with pleasure, and she relaxed and welcomed the cooling moisture
as she sped through a fringe of low clouds. She quickly became bored with her "safe" flying; deciding
to try some more acrobatic moves. Nanaka dove suddenly into the depths of the ocean, submerging herself
in the cool waters. She called her broom back as quickly as she had left it and flew back into the air,
excercising such complete control over it that it obeyed her every whim. She executed several flips and
turns from the air into the water, until she tired of her usual techniques and decided to rest for a
moment to think of what to try next.

Nanaka stood by the shore dripping wet and shivering, but shining inside as she always did
while flying. She felt as though a huge weight had been lifted. She longed to take
her magic to another level. She remembered when the Bell had almost succeeded in kidnapping Akane
and the Magic Club managed to intervene in time. The way Akane had floated to the ground to safety
had caused Nanaka to wonder if there was some method of flying without the aid of a broom. She had
questioned Takeo about the subject shortly after the incident, and he had responded by saying that
not only would it take an incredible magician with an amazing amount of power, but it would most
likely require the most intense concentration. Personal damage due to loss of energy involved in
such a difficult ritual might even result in death. Of course, Nanaka and the rest of the world
knew that Takeo often exaggerated things and allowed his imagination to run away with him, so
she had done some magical research on her own. Lately, she had been experimenting with the idea on her own
She felt that it could be accomplished with the right mindset. Last time she had tried flying without
her broom, she had concentrated intensely and had felt like she was on the verge of something
extraordinary. She had been able to float a few feet off the ground but quickly lost control.
For the rest of the day, she had felt light-headed and exhausted, so she hadn't experimented again
since that time. Today, Nanaka felt like she could succeed at what she had failed to do before.

She stood up determinedly, facing the dying sunlight over the horizon as she closed her eyes and
focused. Rather than reciting the usual flying spell, she centered herself and
concentrated on how much she longed for freedom from the constraints of gravity; the perfect escape for
her confined soul. After a few moments that felt like centuries, Nanaka felt something begin to build
within her; warmth and light surging through her body as her feet lifted slightly off the ground. She
felt the barest whisper of sand against her toes, and then there was nothing but the gentle touch of the
balmy night air surrounding her.

**************************************************************************************************************************************************

Enemy target located Implement mission immediately Stealth mode

***************************************************************************************************************************************************

Nanaka felt herself float higher, her inner control intensifying as she kept her concentration.
When she felt completely secure with her position, she willed herself to open her eyes. The sight that
greeted her eyes was breathtaking. As she looked past her feet, she realized that she was drifting far
above the rocky shore, floating well above the row of crystallized clouds that hung over the waves. Feeling
overwhelmingly pleased with her success, Nanaka concentrated again on her present situation, imagining
herself soaring and diving through the statosphere. High above, the moon seduced her as she glided
through the air, but she forced herself to remain hovering over the beach. Her confidence in her
flying and magical abilities had reached a new level.

Then, from nowhere, hell broke loose.


Nanaka felt something stab at her consciousness, her well-established focus shattering in a flash
of brilliant light as her mind exploded in pain. As she felt the unseen force push on her mind,
Nanaka forced herselfto retaliate just enough with her last bit of strength, in order to defend
against the attack. She was vaguely aware of a familiar voice calling her name as she lost control.
"Nakatomi-kun!!"

Her entire body ached and her head throbbed, and she felt her awareness fading as she plummetted towards
the ground like a stone. With her last conscious thought, Nanaka realized despairingly that she was
falling straight for the jagged rocks below.

*******************************************************************************************************************************************************

Aburatsubo's features drew into a scowl; emerald eyes narrowed as he briskly strolled down the
boardwalk leading to the beach. The damp air glued his school uniform to his lean body, trapping
the heat as his determined stride carried him to his destination. His magenta hair swirled behind
him in the breeze. He refused to spare one moment to return the amorous gazes that a small group
of school girls sent in his direction. They congregated in front of a side shop as they admired
his tall and androgynously handsome form. Why had he felt so compelled to follow Nanaka? Why did
he feel that he needed to protect her? Her continually dejected expressions burned in
his mind. All he could think of was that this needed to stop. She shouldn't feel the need to isolate
herself and escape from her problems so frequently. Her actions worried everyone who knew and cared
for her. As Aburatsubo continued to pass the bustling shops and evening traffic, he remembered the
dispassionate expression that Nanaka wore at the very beginning of the club meeting earlier.
Although most of his attention had been focused on Takeo-kun, he remembered clearly that she had
decided to spend her time researching a new spell while he, Sae and Takeo practiced theirs out in the
field. Sae had been worried about Nanaka and had tried to say something, but Nanaka had cut her off,
quickly reassuring her that she was okay. Aburatsubo also remembered hearing from Sae and Takeo about
Nanaka's freqeuent trips to the beach and their concern over her absences from club meetings and
school. Keeping this in mind and combining what he knew of Nanaka's personality and latent apathy, he
had decided to find her.

"Another manipulative woman," Aburatsubo seethed angrily. He thought of how easily Nanaka affected him;
how easily his pushy, over-possessive mother affected him. But he knew better. Nanaka was nothing like
his mother. She was different from all the other females because she had never tried to change who he
was. She had loved him regardless of his feelings and actions. She had never tried to force him to
change his mind. His mother and all the girls who loved him at school expect him to be perfect, but
Nanaka didn't, and that made her someone that he appreciated and admired. She was someone he needed
to protect because she understood him and he understood her. As he finished these thoughts, he
approached the area of beach he had searched for. The sun had dipped almost completely below the
horizon when he reached the private area the Magic Club had visited before. Aburatsubo's best guess
was that Nanaka had found a place along the shore very near to this area. His assumptions were
confirmed when he saw her standing by the edge of the water some distance away from him. He was
immediately relieved to notice that she was unharmed and emotionally intact. His thoughts immediately
turned angry.

"How ridiculous it was that he had been so concerned to begin with! He knew she could take care of
herself- she didn't need him!"

"Should he even bother to talk to her?"

He stood there for a moment with his arms crossed, then heaved a frustrated sigh. His conflicting
thoughts were a nuisance. Determined to settle this, he began to walk across the sand. It crunched
beneath his shoes, and he welcomed the salty breeze as he approached her. Aburatsubo
stopped behind a wall of rock, crouching low as he regarded her actions. He felt mesmorized as the
moonlight glowed and caressed her features, reflecting off of her raven hair and making her seem
unearthly beautiful. She stood proud against the shore, her back facing him, and seemed to be preparing
to do something that required a great deal of intense concentration. He was tempted to walk up to her
and disrupt whatever she was planning, but he wasn't sure of how to approach her. He would probably say
something about making Sae and Takeo worry, and he'd make a fool of himself trying to explain why he
followed her when he hadn't really conversed with her in the last month or so. No, for now, he was
content just to watch her until he decided what to do. Suddenly, Nanaka was bathed in light as tendrils
of magic wrapped around her slim form. Aburatsubo stood, startled and amazed as he watched Nanaka lift
off the ground without the aid of a broom.

"What is she doing," he thought, somewhat panicked, yet undeniably hypnotized. He gazed in
admiration as he watched the ribbons of magic wind themselves around her body as she climbed higher
in the sky.

"She looks like a goddess," he murmured in appreciation. Aburatsubo quickly shook off these thoughts
when he remembered how dangerous such a spell could be. Nanaka definitely shouldn't be trying such a
spell by herself. He knew that the higher she climbed, the more danger there was.

Finally deciding to intervene, he walked out from his hiding space to the edge of the shore. At this
point, Nanaka hovered so high above the rocks that she had almost disappeared from his line of vision.
He tilted his head back to call her name, when he realized in shock that she was about to lose control.
He watched in horror as a brilliant light exploded and Nanaka began to fall towards the rocks below.
He called her name desperately, wildly hoping that she could regain control, while he sprinted towards
the spot where she would land. As he ran, he pulled his wand out of the collar of his uniform, eternally
grateful that he always remembered to carry it with him. He stood firmly below Nanaka during her rapid
descent and held out his wand, prepared to do what was necessary to save her.

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To be continued..........

I know, I'm evil, right? ^_^ Well, comment and tell me what you think. I'll keep working on chapter 3!