Italics indicate thinking


Leshrac's POV
It was time for the first "real" test of the school year, a decidingly nondeadly game of Cannonball Execution.

"Let's go over the rules real quick." Kalego-Sensei sighed.

He looks happy to be here…

The rules were simple, two teams on each side, if you got hit you stepped out and when one team was fully eliminated, we'd have a winner, you were allowed to use magic on the ball but not each other.

They split the strength of the teams equally so I was placed on Team A with Iruma, Clara, Sabnock, Jazz, Elizabetta and Agares.

"I'm a pretty big target." I sighed "I'll try not to get hit."

"You'll be fine Leshy." Clara said "We'll cover you right."

"How are we supposed to cover a eight foot tall tree?!" Jazz said.

"It's fine, I'll manage." I told him.

"Alright Begin!"

"I've got the ball." I put my hand down "Vine!"

Plants rose up from the center ring and vines wrapped around the ball tossing it to our side.

"There." I said "Clara can you make more?"

"Sure!" she smiled opening her pockets and littering the field with extra balls to confuse our opponents.

"No put them on their side." I sighed "HMPH!"

I put my arm out and stopped the ball from hitting Clara though it bounced off my palm.

"Leshrac it out."

I groaned and stomped into the out of bounds area.

"We need to get rid of Asmodeus." I said "If he lights the ball on fire we won't be able to stop it."

The rest of the round continued with more of the teams being eliminated until it was just Iruma and Asmodeus.

"Well this should be interesting." I tilted my head.

Asmodeus did as I expected and engulfed the ball in flames before hurling it Iruma, I was impressed when the smaller boy stood his ground and tried to catch the fireball and return the serve back.

"He caught it!" I was impressed.

How can someone that small be so strong?

The ball curved and bounced right off Asmodeus shoulder.

"The winner is Team A!"

"We won." I said "How exciting I feel like I didn't do much."


LATER

After school I returned home to think about the game some more.

"If I have instead created a plant that could have swallowed and spit the ball out with force maybe that would have helped?" I wondered.

"I heard you participated in Cannonball Execution today." A voice said.

"Mother." I looked back "How did you hear that?"

"Oh I have my ways." She looked up at my "Teacher friends."

"Of course." I said "You're still teaching artistic seminars for upperclassmen aren't you."

"It's a hoot, you should come by." She laughed "What's wrong."

"I feel like my abilities didn't help much, all I did was control some basic vines, they accomplished the limited task but nothing more, I just don't have the creativity like you and Father to come up with something more dynamic."

"Hmm." She tapped her hoof on the ground "It's almost time to start thinking about extracurricular activities, maybe the Art society is something you should think about, could be what puts some inspiration in you, or the Gardening groups, I bet seeing some more dynamic plants could spark something."

"I just…I'm not creative like you or father." I explained.

"Art, what we do in these forests." She looked around "There is no one answer, no one color, it's kaleidoscopic."

She reached out and touched my hand.

"The seeds of art are inside you, and when you find that special way to water them and let them bloom your side will come out, whatever that is." She said "If might not be dynamic like your father's or as flourishing as mine but it will by your art, it will be something you created and spawned, something that speaks to your vision of unique perspective."

"I can't make anything more than the most simple of ideas, the ideas I have I can't push to life."

"You can't force this sort of thing." She winked "It'll come when it comes. Trust me."

"How can you be sure?"

"Cause I'm your mother I just know these things." She laughed.


AN

Thank you for reading. Feedback is appreciated. Feel free to message me any questions or concerns.

I kinda forgot how slow the start of Iruma is, the first like 20 chapters are kinda meandering before you get to the real stuff with the clubs. Like I forgot like all of the dodgeball stuff happens in like a chapter and a half, I remembered it being longer lol

Pick up- Chapter 17

Till Next Time!