Chapter 6: A Boring Life (6)

"What about that one?"

"The police guy?"

"Yes. Describe him, please."

Focusing on the patrolling officer Nanashi narrowed his eyes, letting his powers do the hard work as he murmured, "He's...not that impressive. Solid, but small. If I was to compare him to the drug dealer earlier he's about...a third as small?"

Manaka and Ayaka took notes on a small notepad they shared...and the fairer-skinned girl puffed out a cheek in annoyance, grumbling, "This still makes no sense! It's obvious that you are measuring a person's conceptual 'weight' and how they might affect the world but the how is still such a mystery to me...Ayaka, your thoughts?"

Appearing startled at the sudden inquiry the brown-haired girl nonetheless quickly mastered herself, responding, "I concur with you, sister...but perhaps he views things through a sense other than sight? True, his mystic eyes are the vector that allows it but perhaps Nanashi also views the world differently than we - or at the very least a contemporary magus - would. What is natural to him is unfathomable to us."

The puffed cheek extended to the other as Manaka began incessantly poking the boy in his ribs much to his disgruntlement, complaining, "If you were not such a new and completely clueless magus then you would be able to explain to us in more precise detail precisely how it is that you view and comprehend this world, Nanashi."

"And I'm very sorry, Manaka."

Briefly blinking at his snark the doll-like girl stopped poking him...and then resumed with delight clear to see on her lovely features, giggling all the while.

He didn't mind, her close proximity meant that her parasol was also blocking out the harsh sun, the day unusually hot considering the more mild weather they'd been having recently. Not that he would have minded in the first place if his training in reinforcement magecraft hadn't left him in a state of perpetual near-fever. What would have been warm and pleasing sunlight was now a sweltering mat of nastiness and Manaka's parasol provided a welcome relief from it.

At least until she took it away, this time poking him in the cheek with a knowing smirk.

"Dammit."

"Come, Nanashi. The day is still young and there remains time aplenty for revelations."

"Oh, joy."

Ayaka gave him an apologetic smile that he waved off, following in the sister's wake as they chatted about some thing or another, his eyes reserved solely for the way Manaka's modest sundress revealed the curve of her neck, the hypnotising curve of her spine and smooth flexing of pale shoulders-

-the boy violently shook his head, sighing as he struggled to keep pace with the aid of the cane he'd been given as a present by the two, wiping away the sweat dotting his brow as he reflected that, discomfort aside, it was nice to have a change of pace. The past week or so had been a blur of attending school, dealing with snide comments and less-than-polite threats to his person before going to Manaka's house and struggling to learn the art of magecraft, a life's discipline trying to be conveyed in mere days when he was all too aware that he was on a time limit...and one couldn't forget about the mundane homework that Manaka and Ayaka had insisted - for some reason - that he complete as well.

It was busy. No, it was hellish, his body and skull aching fiercely at the end of each day as he fitfully fell asleep at Manaka's house, the family thankfully not insisting that he return to his own residence.

And the food was pretty damn good as well, turns being taken between his host family while he usually played second fiddle, taking care of the simple side dishes.

…

It was probably the most excited and fulfilled he'd felt in...forever?

Today was a day off of school and the pair of sisters had wanted him to take a break after he'd started getting the hang of reinforcement, to get outside and see if they could discern anything new about his eyes.

"Ooh, Nanashi, what about that young man over there?"

Glancing towards a fit youth with a healthy dog running at his side Nanashi fought down a surge of jealousy at the stranger's ease of movement, blandly replying, "Nothing new about him compared to the last ones."

"Hmph. You're not even trying anymore. Very well, let us take a break and let the little boy have a rest, hmm?"

Giving the blonde an annoyed look she shot him a smug wink as Ayaka seemed unsure of what to make of their interplay, the trio finding an ice cream parlor before taking their seats, the boy heaving a relieved sigh at the shade that was provided by an umbrella.

"Why can't I just reinforce myself instead of having to trudge along like some crippled hanger on? I finally got the hang of it and hate having to move like this."

Manaka haughty sniffed, responding, "Nanashi, what happens when you use reinforcement magecraft on yourself?"

"What does that have to-oh. Right. Dammit."

"Precisely. Your body lights up quite impressively considering the amount of circuits you possess. A silly question, that one. Here, I shall buy us all our treats."

With that the girl happily skipped towards the purchase booth, parasol twirling as Ayaka stated, "Don't be too offended by her actions, Nanashi...you got the hang of reinforcement magic quite quickly, after all. Most magus take months or even years to properly learn how to safely reinforce themselves, you accomplished the basics in a week. I think sister just doesn't know how to show she likes someone normally."

"Shame I'm clueless about everything else, though."

His complete lack of knowledge or understanding of other practices they had briefly covered was thus far uniform, reinforcement being the only technique which he had taken to like a fish to water, the sisters hypothesizing that his body and mind's desire to be able to move normally - as well as prolong his life - had lead to him instinctively understanding and employing the art which would help achieve that simple and crucial desire.

"Don't worry, I'm sure you'll have all the time in the-oh, m-my apologies, I didn't mean to-"

"Don't worry about it...instead you can explain by what you mean that your sister likes me. I mean, sure, she doesn't hate me but I'm not sure she likes me any more than someone else that would catch her eye."

Ayaka hesitated briefly, eventually meeting his gaze directly as she explained, "My sister, until she met you not long ago, was nothing more than an unfeeling doll. Even with myself and papa she often interacted with us out of what seemed like obligation, rather than genuine interest. Quiet, not very talkative, never really showing much interest in things…"

The brunette suddenly sent him a shy smile, stating, "Then she met you, coming home one day acting like, well...a normal girl. Whatever you did seems to have caused a very serious change in her outlook on life and how to live it."

The boy gave her a doubtful look, asking, "You're sure? She always seemed to be pretty 'normal' to me. Even a bit cruel."

A sheepish expression crossed the girl's features.

"While I won't argue that Manaka can be a little...playful at times you would never believe she was the same girl if you looked back a few months."

The conversation was cut short as the subject of their discussion came back carrying three different flavors of ice cream, handing what looked to be plain vanilla to a grateful Nanashi as she handed Ayaka her own, asking, "Sister, you seem to enjoy carrying that book around with you wherever you go, is it truly that exciting?"

The brunette shyly nodded at her sibling's inquisitive tone, holding her bag close as she said, "I-it is, I wish you could enjoy them the same way I do, sister."

Raising an eyebrow and unable to help himself Nanashi asked, "What, can Manaka not read?"

Pouting at his snark - and providing a painful twist of his ear in retaliation - the pale blonde retorted, "The reason I am such a talented and genius magus is because I can comprehend and understand subjects faster than any other...but that extends to subjects outside of magecraft as well."

The girl fiercely pouted at her sister's bookbag.

"Should a tale catch my attention I find myself naturally wondering how it ends and my ability provides an answer, seeing as how I know enough specifics about it to be given the pertinent information. The story is ruined and I may never get it back."

The boy blinked at that, asking, "You haven't tried to think of a way around that roadblock?"

"Of course I have. But no path has yielded success."

She suddenly rounded on him, that same expression of hungry delight tilting perfect lips as she said, "That is why you are so fascinating, Nanashi~! So much about you is a mystery I have been unable to discern and realize!"

"I see. I guess."

Returning to his ice cream for lack of a better response to make the youth eventually stared at the happily eating blonde out of the corner of his eye, coming to a decision.

"I'll figure out a way to ensure you can enjoy books the way we can, Manaka."

The sisters paused in their actions staring at him with blatant surprise and disbelief.

"...You will? When even I have failed?"

Deciding to ignore the skepticism in Manaka's tone he shrugged, shyly explaining, "Hey, maybe the abilities that have you so confused can also help you out in this scenario. And you're giving me the chance at living out the rest of my life as something other than myself. I think that's fair."

Cerulean eyes narrowed, tone reproachful as the magus stated, "We already had an equivalent deal, Nanashi. Adding additional costs and payment to it is unbecoming of a magus."

"Then don't consider it a payment, geez. It's just a favor between friends, or something."

Awkwardly averting his eyes Ayaka stared at the pair with a stunned gaze, Manaka emotionlessly staring at the boy before blandly announcing, "You're strange."

"If anyone is strange it's you-"

Nanashi's words died in his throat as Manaka darted forward, taking a lick of the ice cream he'd been working on before studiously ignoring him, neutrally stating, " It's sweet."

Embarrassed by the bold action both Ayaka and Nanashi fell silent, working on their respective treats until the elder sister asked, "Nanashi? What would you like your body to look like?"

Blinking at the sudden question the boy replied, "Err...I dunno, something like me? A bit taller and stronger? And not as...scruffy, I guess?"

Manaka's unimpressed stare made him feel slightly ashamed, the magus sighing as she said, "Taller, stronger, better looking...I should have expected such criteria from a silly boy."

Ayaka came to Nanashi's defense, stating, "Now now, sister. It's only natural he would want to be the things he can't be now. Poor Nanashi can barely even walk, I think wanting to be strong is a perfectly reasonable request. And he would be quite handsome if he wasn't so tired looking…"

The brunette trailed off as she realized she might have been sounding rather insulting towards the boy, who was actually rather warmed by how she came to his defense.

"I-instead of belittling him why do you not instead teach him how to create a body and similar practices, so that he may design it how he wishes?"

Manaka pouted, complaining, "But I wished for it to be a dual project just between the two of us…"

Eyes flying wide at that statement Nanashi interjected with, "Hold on, you were?!"

"Of course, for what reason wouldn't I be involved in such a momentous task?"

Rapidly trying to think of an excuse the male went with, "W-well because my body would be naked, right? That'd be kinda embarrassing to work on, right?"

Manaka blinked at his words...and promptly blushed scarlet, returning to her ice cream as she stammered, "A-an excellent point! Very well, I shall instruct you as best I can in the art of body creation and leave it at that!"

Pretending that the last few seconds of conversation hadn't happened the pale blonde ignored a confused Nanashi, instead contenting herself with the frozen treat as they ate in silence, the boy wondering why she'd suddenly turned into such a shy mess the moment he mentioned a naked body, considering how bold and confident she usually was.

Eventually they finished and Manaka - seemingly having gotten over her sudden bout of awkwardness - announced, "Let us return home with all haste, if we are to perform this feat then you had best be at your peak level of knowledge and competency. Your Mystic Eyes appear to be a bust, we shall move on to a different subject."

Resigning himself to an afternoon of sweating, aches and other less than enjoyable activities Nanashi sighed, responding, "Yes ma'am."

Only realized how short the chapters were after I finished writing them, so double uploads today, lol.