He wakes up feeling fresh, though this time his body wasn't sore nor was something out of a tragedy, looking around, he yawns and stretching his body to remove the kinks in his body, he felt rested today. He looks around and changes his changes clothes to from sleepwear to something more appropriate, such as a shirt, seeing as he doesn't sleep with his shirt on.
As he walks out the room, he didn't realize there was something very different in the house, he didn't realize when he was moving across the house when he was very exhausted that time, though for all he walked there were many things that he didn't noticed such as the different bright colors, the different designs but there was something but he kept searching.
He didn't know why he was searching for something but the things here felt like it would fall, something was missing there. He didn't know why he was standing there but someone tapped him in the shoulder to break him out of the trance, he looks back to see Suika looking at him curiously,
"Hmm… What are you doing? Wandering around here, or is there something you're looking for?"
'Strange, though I don't think Suika was the type to sneak on people or stalk other people' He looks at her specifically her eyes, they seemed to have a natural color and horns?'
"Anyway, since you've already changed clothes… I've already prepared breakfast for both of us…" though for a moment Mapulon felt like a surge of emotion appeared beneath the eyes of Suika, though it was easily squashed with the look of concern
"Just talk, okay? I'm not the best at this sort of thing but don't let those feelings bottle up, you'll get tired doing that and when you finally let it out, you might hurt others in the process..."
Though with the awkward pause Suika added quickly, "Let's stop talking about this serious thing, we might as well eat breakfast!". As sudden the topic arrived, it disappeared as fast as it arrived, they arrive at the kitchen, there was food prepared and all the things, so he says, "Sorry about inconvenience you here, I wasn't expecting the test earlier, not that I was blaming you for any-"
Though the thoughts of politely denying those statements were vanquished for the empty stomach in hand, she looks at you with a grin and Mapulon simply nodded. Though he does plans for everything he has, for today he didn't and while searching for a topic at hand, almost all of them would ruin their appetite here,
They ate in piece, no one between them had any topic to talk about as they simple don't know much other than the connection from Marisa, but despite that the silence was comfortable between them, neither wanted to talk so they ate in piece.
With Mapulon who was someone who needed to plan to prepare despite there not being needed to, his brain kickstarted in searching a topic that both could relate, he sees the TV that was quite preserved despite showing news its volume was low,
"Where did you get the tv?" Mapulon asked curiously
"I bought that from a sale from someone I knew"
Though there were multitude of things he could say in order to keep the flow of conversation going, he felt like they better first rather than chat, with both of them hungry they ate breakfast quickly somehow keeping up table manners,
Breakfast was quite simple from rice and eggs, with coffee beside it, though it was quite plain it was delicious and fulfilling. He thanked Suika for housing him here despite just being acquaintances, though with all the things like going into a portal or sort of thing,
He simple squashed those feelings and simply asked, "Where are we at currently? Can you… return me back home?
"Sure… We're at Gensokyou, a place where illusion and logic doesn't work here most of the times"
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They arrive at the gate where they entered, she gestures him to the gate, he looks back to say a good bye but it seemed that she already left, though as you exit you notice there were dust accumulating as you exit you cover your nose as you exit,
He looks back to see the same dust accumulated was there, moments later, the dust scattered leaving him in a place where he once left, he looks at his phone to see that the battery was low despite charging it yesterday it was the same as before.
Looking at the phone he sees the phone to see whether the time has changed, it was clear the time should have been at least 7 in the morning or 8:00 AM, but looking at it was 2 P.M.
If that was one thing, then either it would be that the settings for the phone aren't updated to which it messed the settings with time or because it was just an old model, either way going back home instead would be better instead, he'll have to fix it when he arrives at home, though officially he supposed to do some practice in the forests,
And with him missing out of a single day of practicing because of Marisa's friend, you didn't expect to be brought along with her, she seemed to have want to talk about many things,
Though but she seemed to stop herself in some occasions, it's as if she's stopping herself from topics that he shouldn't talk about, there was some sort of pity in those eyes of hers,
That and the weird way the furniture was arranged over there was the many strange things he could find over there, and the battery of his phone seemed to have not charged,
Despite charging early, though remembering from before, the saying was that magic was shaped by belief, it if it was that way then how does belief make those things happen?
If that was what would be happening then that would require an incident to be public yet not big enough that people would start noticing and start investigating,
It would be hard to not notice that kind of rumor, as most of the rumors that tried to get out were either changed to friendly versions of them or either they didn't as it was beneficial to them that is,
With that information, Mapulon's quest towards his origins were already impossible to begin with, it was either shut down, turned into something else,
His father had knowledge over it, yet he doesn't would that meant that he was using me for his own sick amusement? Mapulon shudders at the thought,
He slaps himself to stop thinking those thoughts, he would go nowhere with that thought, for now with that much excitement, he might as well return home, but before that he overlooks his body to check the changes and to see that his hair has a slight reddish color in the tips,
His eyes had some sort fire like color, and to his surroundings to which he didn't noticed, he could some sort of heat around the area, it's like x-ray but only detecting the shape of the heat,
With the sudden sensation he felt suddenly falling into him, despite it being overwhelming, he only felt excitement of using it, the ways he could use this type of magic,
Despite the thing that happened all he felt was the need to use those powers, he could definitely use his fire magic to target areas of an object which has the highest area to burn,
He felt giddy in a sense and he calmed himself instead to not accidentally bump someone or use it in public, he went home speed walking with a small grin on his face, despite the chances of not ever finding his origins turning from a small meager rumor, to an impossible degree, despite that, the only things he could focus on was his magic and nothing else,
Was it the product of doing magic? Or with how the frequently he changed topics mid-thoughts were surprisingly a lot, was it a mental deficiency? Or his way of coping with not knowing his memories,
Or how he was an outcast that seemed to be ignoring the mutterings when he passes by areas where children are present or how they seemed to have innate ability to discuss excuses when he was around,
Overall, despite the dumpster truck of a mess that is his mental state, the only things he could focus on was on his magic, so with despite the sudden change of his mood,
His smile was present, it wasn't fake nor genuine, it was simply a smile, something small but if looked clearly it was seemed to be out of habit, others would say it was a mask to outside world,
Others would assume it was coping mechanism but, in the end, it was a smile, why need to complicate it in the first place when simple gestures were much better?
Despite that there were things Mapulon do that from other viewpoints, seemed pragmatic or lackluster, was doing certain things that he valued as habit bad because people say it was bad,
Or was it that people believe it was bad because they tell themselves so. Those were Mapulon's thoughts on how he perceived the environment he was in; it wasn't that the government was bad,
Nor how the crime was bad enough that it required for him to take action upon it, there wasn't any external nor internal factor that was affecting him,
Sure, there were the typical bullies, and people wanting to isolate him or friends that barely acknowledged him, but was that normal, or a stable way of viewing things that way?
Despite those intrusive thoughts Mapulon on was on his to back home, he simply shrugged at that as why try to force to solve a problem when there is no problem to begin with,
On his way back home, he felt himself grow cold despite that the weather for today was not windy nor cold, was it because of his thoughts reflecting towards his self as an elemental state?
If so would that mean more anger means the greater the magic his fire would be, but how would someone be that angry, to maintain said fire magic to be that constantly powerful? What kind of purpose would that person to have that? He pondered over it but only a shiver ran down his body,
He didn't answer that after all, as magic is wielded by belief, then emotion could be used as an influence in magic, if fire was his affinity and emotion could be used,
And with the nature of the memories he barely remembered, then he himself already knows the answer
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Arriving at home with the answer he had in his mind, he walks to the kitchen and prepares himself a simple snack, and mentally looks over the problems, facts and things he has done in a small notepad in his phone:
Current Goals:
Finding Information about his origins
[Finding why he was the only survivor in the incident]
[Asking father why he saved him]
[Hints of the island around you]
[Asks father why he wouldn't tell details about his past]
Ask questions to Marisa related about what being an Elemental entails
[Ask for information why you become an elemental]
[Ask information if there are any changes as an elemental in physical appearance or mentally]
Dealing with the events of the zombie hordes
[Asks how zombies exist]
[Ask how belief works with magic in detail]
Ask more information about the kidnappings that occurs in the town you work in
[ Try asking the enforcers discreetly without informing who you are]
[ Search up information about these topics]
Learn more about the Island around you!
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Looking at your notepad, it could be said that there have been already things you have done earlier, though some things you could have been dealt with much faster though,
In the lists here, Mapulon's notepad, it could be said despite the many things here, there are couple things that are impossible but as they are subdivided, they are much easier to finish instead,
As with organizing helps Mapulon work more efficiently, it cuts down time doing this, with that also displays the current priorities he has are the zombie's situation, as it has the potential to grow something more dangerous,
In order to solve that they went to the place of incident, with Marisa obviously despite the adaptability and potential Mapulon has, it was better to safe than sorry,
Though when they did investigate, there were cartoonish like designs all over the place, not unpleasant to look at but a smile for a small appreciation, He asks Marisa, "Isn't this technically vandalism?"
"No, it isn't, it's one way solving incidents, depending on the incident, with the way the art is situated, is means that someone has already solved the incident"
"Hmm… if it has been solved already that fast then that means there is something else here, completely unrelated, isn't it, Marisa?"
The look of Marisa was in focus looking at the paintings, indeed to solve incidents, it's said either to change the belief into something completely different,
Or either destroy the resulting phenomenon, or creature resulted from that incident, to the enforcers it is much better to destroy the phenomenon as it much time-efficient,
The former is slow but the incident will surely be solved while the latter solved faster but has chances off popping up later as another incident, which is most of the times, the former was chosen by the latter,
As a permanent solution, in which to that case it has already been solved, then if it was already have been solved then why did Marisa bring him here? As said earlier there were only cartoonish design,
"What's with these cartoonish designs? It's isn't anything significant as it seemed to be more of a funny version of a gas leak, but isn't that how the enforcers solve things by changing how they look like?"
Other than that, there were the standard runes seen etched in the walls, from isolation, to a rune to help it hide and powering rune. It was a standard work, there wasn't anything suspicious or something dangerous,
It was later affirmed that it was just a hunch. Though despite the time wasted on some hunch Marissa seemed intent on investigating upon, though his skills on investigating and writing runes were improved during their mentor and apprentice relationship,
Despite the guidance of his master, there wasn't anything that could be seen other than the efficient way of solving the incident and a symbol of affiliated gang sign.
Despite his master's intelligence and aptitude towards magic and her way of bulldozing through problems, after all despite that she wasn't a social butterfly, there things that she says that most would not understand right away,
He researches topics beforehand in order to at least have meager understanding for what the next lesson will be, sometimes she conveys her lessons through fights with magic,
Though her social standing in the magical community was not the best of sorts, as for someone with a penchant for collateral damage. She rarely solves most of her problems through blast of magic or clever runes,
Which from an outsider perspective resulted always in something destroyed in the process whether it was private property or surroundings, in a world were anything can influence anything from image to material,
With magical explosions in part of the equations, sometimes the cost weights bigger than the pay received in solving said incident involved in, so he compensates it with researching topics from the locals, news and the internet.
From what he observed up to right now, the problem right now isn't the way it was solved, it was who solved it, right now the obvious answer will be the enforcers. but that was instantly scratched out,
As soon as a sign of one of the groups residing here, even if it was, they don't really have an exact goal that was stated for them, the only thing known about the groups were mostly of claiming of solving incidents in this city and the occasional odd jobs seen there from transportation or renting out lands to legitimate businesses, the only thing that they did that could be considered illegal,
Were smuggling of goods and forging of papers and were into human trafficking and all sorts of creatures, which obviously is a bad thing but he was just one person and just an apprentice
Though his abilities might be good overall and he could pack a punch if sufficiently motivated enough but just because he was good in magic doesn't necessarily mean that he was good in other things,
Such as combat, he might have sparred with his mentor, did fought of a horde of undead monsters but that was only small, most of the fights with his mentor scorched the ground around them
And in a city where this group was feuding with the other groups locale in this city and the enforcers looming above them, they have been fighting a shadow war with minimally seen incidents,
Were small amount of fight eventually end up in public and covered up efficiently with a prepared cover story as if the incident was planned just for that cover story,
He might be adept at fighting because of the teachings of his master but he didn't know the capabilities of the people withing those groups, especially the [group's name] who solved this incident.
It was an open secret that they hired mercenaries despite having 8 mages strong enough to defeat a squad of veteran mercenaries, and has a spy network.
That leaves warnings to those who try to defy them, which leads from assassinations or hostage-taking. Which are things that Mapulon is way out of his league for, he was only a young mage with a few tricks in his bag.
He could go to the enforcers but they were as dangerous as the gangs themselves and getting in with them was difficult as they were very paranoid of new recruits as because of an incident,
That occurred in one of their headquarters, whatever it was made them more paranoid, since there were more patrols magically seen and clearly tired from the paranoia,
Though some people attempted to take advantage of the situation, but they were subtly killed for their arrogance, it seemed that their paranoia didn't make weak but made them stronger,
Was what his master told him but he had doubts in that because after all just because magic can be altered by beliefs, they been a gang before they become a group of mages, and they've been here as the birth of this city.
He wouldn't be surprised if he started in his ways of removing cartels that could be discreetly searched with his familiars as some sort of vigilante hero, they might have plans to stop him.
After all you don't get to be a top group of mages only to be foiled by a single mage with vengeance streak, and those cartels might be just a trap instead a cartel.
Just because it didn't happen, doesn't mean that he isn't going to stop a crime that is happening right in front of his eyes as for now he would watch patiently until the time comes,
He shall hone his skills and if he couldn't at least know what happened in the aftermath of an incident and how they did it, then who was he to go solving incidents when he didn't know what resulted from it.
So, he approaches and gestures to Marisa, "So that means that problem isn't how it was solved. But who did right?"
Marisa grinned at that, "Indeed, the only group that would do so would have been the [group name] and with they have been operating here, despite the seemingly harmless way of stealing credit of incidents and their unknown goal, whatever they are doing is not up to good and they seemed to be escalating their methods"
True to that they may have been a regular trafficking group, Mapulon blanched at phrasing in his mind, there were minimal of those because of the enforcers and the police cracking in hard to those operations they were very effective bordering bloodthirsty even, which threatened the existence of said group and with them escalating, it was hard to tell who might win in the conclusion of the resulting shadow war,
But as far as how know, anything resulting would be a big incident and no mere cover story will stop it from what would be a resulting largest clash between the enforcers and the groups holding here.
As for know he'll watch and learn first…