By Mina
Standard disclaimers for Majutsushi Orphen: Revenge apply. Own nothing except the screwy plot, so suing really is quite pointless.
Warnings: A bit of fluff, some minor angst, Majic-introspection, shounen ai, and potential rambling. Takes place after 'Placement' and during 'Family - Take Two.'
A/N: These are the letters that Majic writes to Stephanie and Leticia in 'Keep Sleeping,' the sequel fic.
Majic paused, pen poised over the paper as he stopped to think about what exactly to put. It had been nearly two weeks since the incident on the porch, since he'd last heard his mother's voice in his head, and it was the first chance he'd had to finally get around to writing the belated letters to Stephanie and Leticia that he'd intended.
He decided that he'd start with Stephanie. A small smile crossed his face as he began to write, the scrawl of nib on paper quickly fading from his ears as he became engrossed.
Dear Stephanie-san,
I know that it's been awhile since I last wrote. I'm terribly sorry that it's taken this long, but I'll answer the questions from your last letter before I begin what is probably a nearly unbelievable explanation of what's been going on.
Things are fine here right now. I think we're somewhere east of Toferum at the moment, but I don't know for sure. Oshou-sama's been hogging the map---either that, or he lost it and doesn't want me to know, because he knows I'll yell at him if that's the case. I'm sure you know as well as I do how irresponsible he can be when it comes to things like that.
The dreams come and go, as usual. Actually, I have been hearing my mother's voice again lately, but it doesn't feel as strong as it used to…and I no longer have the urge to suddenly go running back home to Totokanta any more, either. Lately Mother's voice has been helpful rather than commanding like it used to. I still think this whole thing is a hallucination, though.
Cleao is the same as usual, but she has been improving lately on her throwing skills. I just wish that she wouldn't get so enthusiastic when she practiced. I mean, I know I needed a bit of a haircut, but not quite the one she tried to give me!
Majic paused again, laughing as he remembered the throwing knife incident. Cleao had spent nearly a half hour alternately apologizing to him and yelling at him for not having moved a hair more to the right as she had instructed. Cleao really was quite confusing at times, but he wouldn't have her any other way.
I picked up some good books from a town hawker when we went through Mifram a few weeks ago. Some of them are similar to the books you already gave me, but there's enough new content for me to digest to keep happy. Of course, Oshou-sama accused me of liking my books more than him after he found me asleep with one, but I think he was kidding. Maybe.
A frown marred Majic's forehead. Come to think of it, he hadn't seen that particular book since that incident, and he hadn't been anywhere near finished with it either. He'd have to have a word with Orphen about that later.
We've been travelling a lot lately. Oshou-sama's been very restless, and it doesn't help that we're being pursued by some sort of magical constructs. They're complete and utter monsters, but I can't help but get the feeling that they were normal creatures at one time. It hurts every time we have to kill one, and I don't like that. I know that Oshou-sama has also been having nightmares about something, but he won't open up to me at all. It's frustrating, because all I can do is watch and deal with his 'violent' aftermath later on. I'm really glad that I learned how to untie myself from his weird idea of a square not.
Since I last wrote you, we ended up with a new addition to our group. Her name is Lycoris Nielson. She seems very nice. She's a member of the Royal Public Order of Knighthood or something like that . . . but, come to think of it, she never said what town she was from exactly.
The frown returned. Where was Lycoris from? The whole Order of Knighthood thing had made him think of something similar in Urban Lama, but now that he thought about it, the organization in Urban Lama was completely different. And there was still the unsettling fact that Lycoris seemed to be extremely green for someone that was supposed to be important enough to send out to scout Orphen Finrandi, the Successor of Razor's Edge.
It took us awhile to get used to Lycoris' presence, but we seem to be coping fairly well now. I just wish that Cleao would quit taking her shopping---I can't afford the drain on my pockets!
Other than that, things have been fine. I'm getting better at my spellwork, even if I've had to come to the realization that while my style is similar to Oshou-sama's, it's not identical. It's taken some adjusting, but I think I'm finally getting somewhere. Now if I could only get the stupid magic inside of me to cooperate . . .
How are things in Alenhaten right now? I hope that you and Tim-san are doing well. The last letter you sent seemed melancholy, so I've been praying that things are okay for you. You've done so many wonderful things for me, Stephanie-san, that I'd never want to see you unhappy. How is the project coming along with the Salima Ruins? If you get any information, I'd love to have it. At the rate I'm going, I think I'm going to end up a ruin hunter instead of a sorcerer; it's all so fascinating to study. Um, but you probably shouldn't let Oshou-sama know about the ruins and my interest . . . he already thinks it's a bit unhealthy.
Well, I suppose I should wrap this up. As always, best wishes.
With Affection,
Majic Lyn
That letter done, Majic let out a sigh of relief, stretching his arms overhead and yawning. He blinked, looking around the room. He knew that Cleao had left before he'd really begun writing, but was surprised that she had managed to actually leave him alone if she was as bored as she had sounded.
Cocking his head to the side, he smiled when he heard hushed, excited voices carrying from the room next door. Cleao and Lycoris were growing closer . . . a fact that no longer bothered him, that gladdened him, even, as Cleao finally had another female to interact with.
Closing his eyes, he summoned a small amount of energy to create a spirit bird to carry the letter to Stephanie. The bird appeared, trilling in question. Majic handed the sealed letter to the bird, caressing the aether head. "Stephanie-san in Alenhaten this time, okay?"
The bird dipped its head and spread its wings, flying from the room.
"Have a safe journey," Majic called after it softly, before turning to work on the second letter.
Dear Leticia-sensei,
I'm sure that you expected a more prompt reply from me after your last letter, but I'm afraid that things have been hectic and unsettled with our group lately. Not that I'm not certain you already know most of this---you can be such a busy-body sometimes, 'Tish-sensei---but I thought you might like a more personal and personable update.
Oshou-sama has been having terrible dreams for a while now, and he won't tell me what they're about. I can only get vague references, dealing with some sort of shell and something having to do with green. I can only hazard guesses, but I'm afraid to pursue things further. I don't want Oshou-sama any angrier with me than he's already been lately. The dreams make him more volatile than usual, and while we both know that he can be violent at the best of times, sometimes he can't even justify why he's lashing out at me.
He chewed on the pen end briefly, wondering how detailed he should get. Should he tell Leticia that sometimes when Orphen woke from the dreams he seemed to see someone else in Majic's place, someone that obviously frightened him? No. No, not yet. Maybe it was a passing thing, and Majic didn't want to share something like that yet---especially if it meant what he feared it might.
In other news, we freed a Tenjin Ruin that some humans had decided to misuse and use to extort other humans. It was an intriguing ruin; I felt completely safe there, at peace. Cleao joked that it looked like a Tenjin café . . . and I kind of got the strange feeling that she might have been right.
That's when we ended up with a new addition to our group, Lycoris Nielson. She's trying to scout Oshou-sama for some sort of Order of Public Knighthood thing, but Oshou-sama doesn't want to go right now. However, since she has money, and Cleao spent the last of my monthly allowance on a new dagger set, Oshou-sama's letting her tag along for now. She's a nice girl if a little strange . . . I don't trust her completely yet, but you know how I can be, ne, 'Tish-sensei?
What's really bothering me is the magic constructs that have been chasing after us. They seem to be targeting Oshou-sama in particular, and that worries me. I thought that most of his enemies would be . . . well, you know, gone. This is the first time that anything like this has bothered us since Azalea left. The constructs are strange, as I'm sure you also already know. They feel like real creatures, like real things of the earth, that were tainted and twisted. It hurts when we have to kill them. Not physically, but it's like there's some part of me that can hear them crying out in pain and fear, asking for release. It's really unnerving. And, no, I haven't talked to Oshou-sama about this yet. We're trying to have some 'apart time' at the moment to reprioritise things.
Majic snorted, shaking his head. Reprioritise my ass, he thought in a rare moment of anger. Orphen was just getting freaked out by everything that had happened and didn't want to have to open up to Majic again. That was okay, for now; Majic could wait a little longer before confronting Orphen.
I hope that things are going well for you at the Tower right now. I'm not sure where we'll be moving to next, but as you also know, it's never a dull moment with Oshou-sama, Cleao, and Leki. And Lycoris now, too. Please give my regards to Lai-sensei and Hartia-sensei, and tell Erris-san that I hope she continues to do well in her studies.
Much Affection,
Your Former Pupil,
Majic Lyn
Pausing one last time, mulling over whether he should or not, Majic decided to add a post-script note that Orphen would probably rant over.
P.S. Oshou-sama really does miss you and his friends. I'm sure I'll convince him to come home eventually. And . . . he even calls you 'neechan now, so I think things will go better next time.
Orphen would kill him if he ever found out about the post-script, Majic thought with a small laugh. Not that he would ever find out; Leticia was very good about keeping their letters private.
Done, Majic again summoned a spirit bird, smiling as the green aether combined until the form was complete. This bird trilled in greeting as well, preening its feathers for a moment before awaiting orders.
"To Leticia, at the Tower of Fangs," Majic said, handing the sealed letter to the bird.
The bird nodded, and like its brother, flew out the window on its errand.
Sighing, Majic began to work out the kinks in his neck. It had been awhile since he'd last sat at a desk for so long hunched over. A small smile traced over his lips. It was worth it, though, keeping up this communication with the friends he'd made over the years.
A knock on the door startled him, and he fell out of his chair with a dismayed squawk. Rubbing at his pained backside, he blushed as he realized that instead of waiting for an answer, the person had opened the door and stood in the doorway, arms crossed over his chest, a smirk on his face.
"And just what were you doing in here all afternoon?" Orphen asked archly.
"Writing letters," Majic groused, trying to glare. "Which turned out to be a bigger pain than I thought it would be.
"Aw, poor Majic. Want me to kiss it better?"
Majic squawked again as Orphen closed the door and began to stalk towards him, scooting back on the carpet until his back hit the wall. "No, I'm perfectly fine!"
"Liar."
Orphen crouched down, lifting the fringe from in front of his face. Majic stared at him, wide-eyed, heart pounding. The smirk had softened to a real smile, and Majic could feel a blush rising to his cheeks.
"Oshou-sama . . . ."
"Hush, Majic."
The kiss was quick, gentle, placed on his forehead over where the Tower of Fangs considered the third-eye to reside, the seat of psychic powers. Majic's eyes had fallen closed, but they opened again when Orphen pulled away. A kiss there could mean so many things to those with sorceri blood, and Majic was really far too tired to try and contemplate what this one could mean outside of the obvious lips against skin.
"I just came to see if you were hungry," Orphen said softly. "You missed lunch."
"Oh."
Orphen's smile remained, and he leaned again, this time kissing Majic's lips gently. "The girls went out for a bit, so I thought you could join me for a meal. The inn's supposed to have some great desserts here."
"Really?"
Majic knew that he probably sounded confused and perhaps a little bit stupid, but Orphen's close proximity often did that to him.
"Come on," Orphen said with a laugh, hauling him to his feet. "I could use some sane company during a meal for once."
"All right, Orphen."
Orphen stopped, glancing at him for a moment. Majic's eyes went wide as he realized his slip, and he started to apologize, but Orphen's finger against his lips forestalled that.
Orphen's expression was thoughtful, the smile still in place. "One day, we won't be apprentice and master any longer. Perhaps it's not so bad to start practicing now."
Majic smiled in return, leaning up on his toes to kiss Orphen's cheek. "I look forward to that day . . . Orphen."
Orphen laughed as they walked to the door arm in arm. "As do I, my genius apprentice. As do I."