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The following is a fan-based
FICTION
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Chapter 20: Brain and Brawn (4)
Beta-Reader: Ant0nius
"So, you really were ambushed by someone!" Tiggs exclaimed, making me flinch at the intensity of her voice.
Early in the morning, I hardly had enough sleep after what had happened last night, and we all had a lot to do today. Starting with the study groups, to making plans for the exams before Christmas break. So, when I had been cornered by this currently worried Tiger Prime about that fake call from Vixy, I had told her only half of what really happened.
"Kind of?"
"And- And you are alright," She affirmed, getting another nod out of me. "S-Still, you aren't injured or something, right?"
"I'm… doing fine. A little confused about some parts of that situation but..." I shrugged. "I'm quite sure there's no other problems."
"Still, are you sure you don't need-"
"I'm fine, Tiggs. I appreciate the concern though," I tensely interrupted. My uneasiness wasn't from me being completely truthful to her. No, I was more worried about the state of mind I had left her in by not being more open about the matter. It wasn't like I normally withheld information from others if things were so simple, but I really didn't feel like a partly-busy hallway was the good place to inform her of the bizarre 'assault' I had been subjected to.
She hugged me closely, and I returned the embrace by closing it tightly. The little moment was soon put to an end as we had classes to be in, and I still had a couple things I needed to sort out before leaving for the current lessons. There was still something I needed to address, which would require me to speak with someone that surely knew more on the matter than I would want to let out to the public.
"You… what?"
I flinched at Shin's outburst, we had taken refuge in an unused storage room I found near where I picked him from.
"Look, I know this may sound surreal-"
"That's a way to say that," The blond mentioned with a shocked tone. "I don't know anything about interspecies relationships- but are you trying to tell me that I should be feeling terrified about what you just told me? That you were attacked by the same Narakhan that tried to hurt my sister and… you ended up in that bizarre situation?"
I sighed slowly. "It's more of… trying to not make the situation any worse than it already is. I know it's bad-"
"It's a terrible situation, Frankie. I know you can be unconventional at times, but even for you, that still sounds preposterous."
To be fair, I believe that explaining how I ended up in that lewd circumstance made me consider how absurd it actually was. It had felt so insane, so unpredictable and… somewhat even more worrying than a normal assassination attempt.
"Which is why I brought you here to ask you to help me with this circumstance. I don't want to worry everyone, but I also want to understand what is going on here."
"And… and you thought that I could help you… with what? What exactly are you asking from me?"
"I want to know the truth. About what is really going on," I replied tensely. My words had the young man straightening his posture, shock turning into awkward surprise at the sudden shift of tones about the matter.
"I-I don't understand."
I narrowed my eyes at me. "Shin, I believe that you are trying to cover for something big, but right now, I have been targeted because of this, and I want to know what the heck is going on in here! These Narakhans, these assassins- they were out to capture Hikari, and from what I understand it's something that now extends to both you and Hope as well."
…
"You must promise me that you will not mention this to anyone that isn't mentioned by what I'm about to say. I trust you to not betray me about this important matter-"
"I promise," I confirmed fiercely, gaining a quick nod from the White Tiger Prime. He sighed, giving me a long look.
"My mother is the Light Crest. My father is the Courage Crest."
…
…
"You… that would explain a couple of things."
Like why Ms. Aryoko had been so against having her son, and heir- the only one that could inherit the Crest beyond Hikari, attend this school. Or why she seemed to have noticed my power so soon since… there was no way that the situation with her sword and the strange color of Wisdom weren't tied to me somehow unlocking that kind of energy.
"Only a couple?" He inquired rhetorically, sighing as he resumed with his explanation. "But this isn't the only thing you need to know. Hope's mother is the Love Crest, while Vixy's mother is the Fire Crest."
I frowned at that second revelation. "I can see the resemblance between Vixy and Carmesi, I just thought it was a common look for many Fox Primes nowadays since there are a lot of fans of her mom."
"Yeah, I believe… she mentioned something about this as well," Shin admitted, but before he could have continued about this, I jumped in again.
"But still… I have a hard time imagining Hope as being the daughter of Love."
This comment caused blond to frown at me confusingly.
"Really? Why is that?"
Opening my mouth, I almost brought up the real reason of where I found this very notion, the one where Hope, someone that had been constantly failing to gain Shin's attention to herself in a romantic way, was actually the child of the Love Crest.
Which means that I met the Love Crest during that unplanned phone call I shared with the girl.
That very novelty felt confusing to digest, yet I was slowly coming to realize that this hadn't been the first time something so insane had happened to me. Starting from the fact I had the chance of meeting the High Prime herself through Naerie's enrollment to this college.
"Tha- That's just... a joke, yes. A joke. She's been helping me with some romantic issues so it's quite… funny. I guess."
He blinked, curiosity building up at that general response. "Romantic issues? You are… already interested in someone?"
"Vixy is a reliable girl," I calmly replied. "I believe quite strongly that she is interested in me and I don't see any issue in trying to see if a serious commitment can be worked out through this."
"But… I don't want to sound annoying, but wouldn't it be odd if you dated without feeling certain you love the person you are dating?"
"Well, it all depends on the reason for dating someone. Sometimes you date an individual out of already-manifested love, but nowadays it's common for new couples to test the grounds with dates before making things official," I explained with a nod. "It's a good way to tell if a relationship was worked out of it before creating one that could potentially crash and burn itself."
"So it's like… a way to lessen the gamble of finding the right person to be with?"
"Something like that, yes," I admitted with a small smile. "Plus, if nothing comes out of this, we would still be close friends."
Shin's green eyes hinted at understanding as he seemed to accept my words as true. Yet, as soon as it was his turn to speak up again, he seemed to grow hesitant about what he could say in that very moment.
I noticed him quite unnerved for some reason, and I decided to investigate the matter.
"Is everything alright?"
He gave a slow nod. "Just… trying to digest the fact you aren't making too much of a scene out of this."
…
"A scene? Why?"
"I-I just told you who my parents are-"
"And I've met them myself. I must say your dad is quite laid-back, and your mother is… surprisingly nice if you look beyond her strict exterior."
And while that is true, I have to ignore how unconsciously mysterious the woman could be when she wanted to. I could tell she wasn't keeping things to herself due to any malicious reasons. It felt… like I was dealing with an old monk. Which fits with the fact the Light Crest was considered the leader of the Crests, the chief of the Primes back when the Great War was raging on.
Shin chuckled weakly at that. "S-Still- It's not that I..."
He stopped, but not because of a thought interrupting him mid-response, but because I decided to bring him close and pull him in a calm embrace.
"Just because your mother and father are big shots, it doesn't mean I consider you anything beyond Shin Aryoko, my friend and roommate," I stated with a serious tone in my voice. "Sure, now I know that you can make use of Light-based powers, but that doesn't change anything about the guy that is currently doubting my stubbornness when it comes to helping friends."
…
"I know you are telling the truth, it's just… that I don't want to believe it. This feels too… easy."
"Because I believe you and I have no issues on this development" I replied with a huff. "And don't let me catch you ever doubting this. I will show you through my actions that I don't really see much of a difference between what was said before and after what you told me just now."
Shin sighed. "Thank you."
I patted his head, gaining a brief unconscious purr out of him.
"You're welcome, bro."
There was a pleasant silence that ensued after I said that, with Shin slowly returning the hug as we stood like this for a little while. Just enough for me to think up something I now feel compelled to ask as it would fit with a bizarre situation our mutual roommate had been lamenting about since the very first day we found ourselves in that dorm room.
"By the way, quick question: are you using some of your powers as the son of the Light Crest to get done quickly when you are getting ready in the bathroom in the morning?"
Shin spared me a frown as I allowed him away from my hold. He gave a slow nod and I grinned.
"Keep doing that," I muttered confidently. "Seeing and hearing Miles losing his marbles over the logistics behind your process is something really amusing early in the morning."
The young man snorted, showing a small grin at the lighthearted topic I had directed to change the conversation to a simpler and less tense mood than the one we previously added. Still, we ended up interrupting the discussion and promised each other to continue this once we were done with the classes today.
Right now, I needed to be left alone to ponder. Because I now knew why Ifera was out to try kidnapping me so suddenly, and I needed to think up a way to handle this matter.
Hope could only sigh in annoyance as she knew that she had set herself up for quite the unfortunate situation.
Just as predicted a few weeks earlier, her parents were starting to press her on some details before they visited for the Parent's Day. The young woman knew that they were interested in a couple of topics regarding her social situation at school. Having never had trouble with subjects in High School, their real concerns were mostly aimed at her conduct at the school and her cast of friends here at Prism Uni.
While most of the matter was easy to handle as she had long learned how to make sure no misunderstandings would come out of this situation, there was still a small issue Hope hadn't taken into account ever since she had last spoken with her mother. Her father had… learned about Frankie, and, even though his wife stressed enough the fact that he wasn't someone that was in a relationship with his daughter, the man still believed that he was someone to 'keep his eyes on for a couple of years'.
This behavior was… unusual. Kind of concerning too if she had to be honest. Her father used to be really laidback when it came to boys that had tried to invite her out for a date, but now, he really seemed to fit the 'over-protective father' phase that many of her friends' fathers had gone through when a boy was somehow involved.
It felt odd that the man was concerned about someone that she wasn't planning on dating and, at the same time, the very individual hadn't taken any steps into doing something like that yet. Frankie was just her friend- a close friend now since she was relying so much on him. She… wasn't exactly calling him a brother or something since… The phrasing just felt wrong on many levels.
Nonetheless, the real issue is that she had no idea how she was supposed to exploit the day to further improve her chances with Shin. Their parents already knew each other quite well, so trying to 'impress them' by having them meet wasn't going to work for her. No, she had to be more careful and attentive- no, what she needed to do to be not only bold, but meticulous.
…
Gah, why is this such a mess?!
Hope had spent so much time with the chase, but this was the first time ever she felt a genuine strain in trying to win over her love interest. Shin was making steps in seeing her more than just a friend, yet she knew any mistakes made now that he was opening up to her in such a way would only have her arrive at the horrible station that is the 'eternal friendzone'.
One can leave the friendzone through determination and perseverance, but the eternal friendzone wasn't something she knew she could ever beat if she was ever stuck within it. So the girl had to play a serious game now that the stakes were so high and… maybe she could play with the recent changes.
Maybe Frankie could help her set up an activity with Shin, something that could show both couples that Hope was now more than just a friend towards the blond. Maybe she could find an activity where they could manifest their bond and their compatibility.
Yes, that sounded ideal and yet… incredibly difficult to pull off at the same time. First she would need to find the best way to draw both herself and Shin into a situation where they could at least 'appear' as a couple, and then she would need to pull this off without him catching onto what was going on. Frankie might be helpful, but the human wasn't a miracle-maker. She wasn't going to push him away just because she was getting nervous and brazen with her attempts.
She just… didn't want to lose him. For some reason, the thought of parting from him now felt dreadfully unpleasant, even more than any friend she had the chance of meeting in her little time there at Prism Uni.
Something about his… personality just pulled her closer to him. Maybe it was that they both were sharing a similar plight and… they could rely on each other about this many secrets. Maybe she felt happy that he seemed to pick up any issues in her plans and provide her with good suggestions or…
…
Why is my heart so stupid?
Once again, the young woman huffed, settled on her bed as she procrastinated over these difficult topics. It was starting to get boring on how this was how she would spend the afternoons if she wasn't busy with the Singing Club or Study Groups. It made her really annoyed at the problem that she couldn't get to speak with the human more frequently without feeling somewhat distracted by him. The smile, his genuine kindness- his abs. Even with the fact he was only helping her with Shin, Hope just couldn't get him out of her head.
Stubborn, nice, strong and… and yet, sometimes fragile. Hope saw him in one of the weakest states he could have been found in, and that manifested a Frankie she could relate to in some circumstances. She remembered when he unconsciously scooped her close, when he held her so tightly and so tenderly…
The few tales her mother had told her about when her father used to hold her life-long lover in that same way just didn't seem to help the girl in suppressing the absurd thoughts she was having about her associate for love matters. She could imagine Frankie doing that with Vixy, and the sight, albeit adorable, made her slightly annoyed. At herself. Obviously for thinking of this and feeling jealous on the matter.
Hope had persisted for years. And yet now she was having doubts as something strong was clearly growing within her about her bond with the human. Something that easily went beyond pure and simple and easy-to-manage friendship.
There- there was no way he would consider me other than as a friend. He doesn't really care for me beyond being close friends.
Huffing on her pillow, Hope would waste a full afternoon on this matter, failing to genuinely address what she was supposed to do for the approaching Parents' day. She would shut her eyes, slightly praying for a quick rest to bring her wisdom on the matter.
But the presence of that smile, owned only by that human that had wormed into her heart, just made thinking straight really difficult...
"I hope you understand we can't go on with this forever, Sem. We are in the same city, I would expect you to at least visit if it's something really important."
Sem glared at the hologram with contempt. Sitting alone by the chair in his office, the teacher tried his best to not facepalm at the kind of action he needed to take to prevent anything bad from actually happening after yesterday's events. In front of him, there was the Wisdom Crest's form recreated through his phone's holographic system, while beside it sat taller stacks of unfinished paper.
The Death Crest could only sigh at the irked tone coming from Ambar. After decades of this situation being repeated and drilled into his head, he knew that trying to oppose that line of thought directly would only be seen as a challenge for the Bear Prime to handle in the most extreme way possible. One thing Sem had learned from living in Prism, right where the Wisdom Crest was revered as the head of state of the government in the continent, was that the woman was… stubborn. Painfully so at times when the situation demanded it.
But right now, the man really didn't need to be put in any awkward situations with her. He just needed to be granted that simple request, and then he would leave her to her own duties. Especially with how troublesome paperwork was getting in this part of the year with the approaching exams just before the first pause of the lessons.
Christmas was a celebration he appreciated, most of the time alone. Not because he didn't like being with friends, but it would be a lie to not say that the situation back at home was… more complicated than he would like it to be. Especially with his daughter now trying to reconnect with him after what happened a few years ago, and he was confused by the fact Feather was almost demanding for him to give her a chance after what happened that very day. The unpleasant situation was still painfully annoying him even now as he thought about it, and he hardly snapped at anything that easily.
"I just want your permission for this simple thing, Ambar."
"Lady Ambar. If you want to go for the formal act, at least stick to it," The redhead answered calmly, sighing as she gave him a serious look. "There are rules, Sem."
"Kind of hypocritical for you to say that rules of this caliber matter- even after you have seen yourself that the young man wouldn't fare well in any training you can provide him."
"I happily return the hit back to you, good friend, by reminding how much of a stickler to those 'pesky rules' you usually are," She retorted flatly, still keeping a giddy tone. "But seriously, I thought you said you didn't plan to take him as a legitimate Clan student. Something about not trying to bring the past into the present."
"Things have changed, and not in a good way. He was attacked by that Narakhan again," Sem remarked tensely, gaining a surprised look from the High Prime. The woman had felt so confident now that several Knights had been dispatched to find out where this mysterious assassin was hiding within Prism. Yet none of them had found anything that could help find out where she was. "Right now, it's clear that they have made him a target and, after two solid defeats, it's only fair to be concerned about possible increases in efforts. The young man needs to be trained to hold his own."
The man also knew he was the best bet to get him to shape, and ready to handle any threat in less than a month of training. It might have been a while since he gave someone Knight-related training, but he knew he was going to work on someone that had a good grasp over physical training and self-respect about this kind of topic.
"Oh, so you want me to just… accept the fact you want to take him only for yourself. As an apprentice, that is."
"Indeed. He needs to be trained to fight, and that means-"
"He should be taken in by the Clan that best fits with his current powers. In this case, mine."
Crests had ownership when it came with individuals with the potential to use the powers tied to their respective clans. It was an old role that he could remember agreeing to, all for the sake of avoiding people bailing from some of the clans to join 'cooler' ones.
…
"I want to make an exchange if you are so eager to get your hands on him. I'm not exactly eager to let go of the opportunity to control those fresh abs. I had so much cheese that needed to be used on that lovely pack-"
"State your price then," The teacher pushed with some insistence. "I'm not in the mood to listen to your antics right now."
"Aw, paperwork is getting on your brain?"
"Your price."
…
"I want you to bring him to me. If he has to be trained, I wish to gauge his current skills personally. Consider it a serious investment of my time to genuinely give you some insight about his potential," The woman began listing up, gaining a nod out of the Lion Prime.
"I can see the good in that. I don't have any complaints about it."
"I'm glad you are happy with that, but I believe the next bit might be ill-received due to the circumstances," Ambar replied with an uneasy tone. "I… Feather has been calling me through private methods, sounding fairly insistent about the fact she wants your child to join Prism Uni."
"None of that. You know that now it would be a terrible idea. Not with Assassins lurking around in the city, and with the Knight Corps failing to locate where that fool is hiding."
"She was trained by you-"
"And she misused her abilities for the wrong causes," Sem interrupted fiercely. "If you do this, regardless of the choice I take over this bargain, because I can tell this is no longer a condition for a negotiation, I will be forced to abandon this school."
"And prove to the world that you have grown to become a complete idiot about family matters," The High Prime retorted. "She is your blood. At least have the decency of giving her the benefit of the doubt."
"...Fine. But you will surrender any training rights to Frankie Parker. I will not bargain any further over this charade to… to force me into this."
Ambar sighed, looking incredibly annoyed through the hologram. "As far as I'm concerned, you have decided to set yourself up for this. You could have handled this better, and yet, here you are, a respectful teacher whining like a child only because you don't feel up and ready to take the ugly aspects of being a father to a young adult."
…
"But I will let her join the school year only after December. I will grant you this since you need the time and the attention to start Mr. Parker in his training."
"I… thank you."
"You're welcome… by the way, there is no way for me to sneak a 'send a daily pic of his abs' clause on our little agreement?"
Sem closed the call there, knowing that right now he needed some time to think, plan and… make mental preparations for when the Christmas Holiday was over. The last thing he needed is to be caught unprepared when his daughter would come to study here. She was of age and she would enjoy this environment, but… he doubted that it was going to be enough to mend the issues she had created when she was a little younger.
Only time was going to say if this was the best decision… or maybe his last mistake as a father.
AN
Absolutely loved the way you handled Ifera dearest. Perhaps you could send her to me- to vet her, and nothing else~.
I believe not.
Aw, but why?
Because Ifera is my precious baby girl!
...I'm calling her right now, I will convince her that she can easily capture me and then I will make things funny from there on.
Don't!
Or what?
Or… Or I tell Naerie.
Jokes on you! My daughter is currently on a date with Shin!
Uh… How about I bribe you?
Two lengthy cuddle sessions, calling me 'Mommy' for two hours, and giving me a big hug right now.
...Really?
I'm deadly serious. Come here~!
GAH!