Next Tuesday, our team arrived at combat class early due to Rikku's insistence. While waiting in the stands Rikku seemed to be talking about whatever passed through her mind. "Tuesdays used to suck, they were so boring. But, now it's combat class Tuesday. I hope I get a chance to show off today."
I tuned out Rikku's talking on my right while I thought about how to discuss what had happened over the weekend. Thinking about if it would be worth it as Red would get angy, and Rikku would get worried. Shiva on the other hand, could be someone to tell, if she would care would be a different matter. I was not paying attention to the other students entering until I felt a sharp pain on the tip of my tail.
I yelped in pain and surprise and jumped to my feet. Turning around while holding my tail, I scowled at the culprit. I was pretty sure it was the same pair as on the first day grinning like idiots. The one that stepped on me was medium height with green hair and his friend was shorter with brown hair. Before I could say anything though, Red ran up and grabbed the front of the green haired guys uniform, lifting him slightly. Red was growling in his face, ears back, surprising him with the sudden threat of violence, while his accomplice looked ready to jump in.
"Red stop!" I demanded. "This is not worth getting in trouble over." Knowing the professor was going to show up soon, if she was not here already, and unsanctioned fights can get someone expelled. Red did not move for a moment making me worry he would continue, but he did let him go by shoving the guy he was holding into his friend.
After the green haired guy regained his balance he said to Red with a sneer. "Looks like the bitch is the one holding the leash." I had to lean over the bench and grab a hold of Red's arm to prevent him from attacking the guys. After his comment he walked away while his friend laughed. With them gone I noticed the other students that were there had their attention entirely focused on us. I let go of Red and quickly took my seat next to Rikku, who still looked nonplussed about what to do. While Shiva was on the edge of her seat with her eyes clear and focused.
"You ok Ammy?" Rikku asked quietly.
I brushed the dirt off my tail and answered, "yes, no real harm done. I just do not know what problem they have with me," I pondered aloud.
Red sat down heavily on my left, still glaring over to where they went and said, "Of course you do, don't be naive."
His statement made me realize why they acted as such, and that he must have to deal with this kind discrimination a lot with how he reacted. With this relization, I was grateful for my sheltered life for the first time. A moment later class officialy began and professor Goodwitch arranged the first match. The first student picked was a familiar green haired guy and next to appear was my picture. I was surprised by the serendipity of this match up, but would not waste it. Rikku got my attention with a hand on my shoulder and said, "kick his ass Ammy," with Shiva nodding in agreement with Rikku. I nodded in return and made my way to the changing rooms.
As I prepared, I told myself that I was not going to win because of revenge. I know revenge would not solve anything. But, I do plan on showing him that he will not gain anything through discrimination, I thought with optimism. I finished preparing and walked out onto the arena floor.
Green haired guy greeted me with a cocky smile with his broadsword resting on his shoulder. Professor Goodwitch started the countdown, I drew my blade and got into a ready stance. As soon as the match began, I used my right hand to draw up a fire glyph and activated it. A fireball shot at my opponent which he tried to sidestep, but it exploded on the ground covering his left side and the immediate area with fire. He immediately tried to pat it out which I used as an opening to create a lighting glyph. The bolt of electricity hit him easily sending him sliding back. Almost knocking him out of the areana, but seeing as it did not, I would have to go close range. I used my last glyph on myself as a wind glyph, while he got his feet back under him.
That barrage erased the smug look off his face and it was replaced with one of fury. He charged with his blade in both hands and closed the distance quickly. I easily dodged his first swing, with the added speed from the wind glyph making me lighter. I slid behind him, slashing his back twice before he countered. He spun around with a wide swing that I blocked with my shield, but was caught off guard when it burst into flames. Taking the opening, he was able to get past my guard and cut across my torso before I could jump back to regroup.
He charged again pressing the advantage, but I was still faster and easily avoided the flame soaked blade. I was able counter in between his swings and regain the advantage. I kept up my attacks forcing him on the defense. His weapon was obviously ill suited for blocking, as I got past his guard and swept his legs out from under him. Hitting the ground he lost his grip on his sword trying to catch himself. It skittered across the ground, extinguished, and I placed the tip of my blade against his neck. All he could do now was glare up at me.
Professor Goodwitch sounded the end of the match. I removed my blade from his neck and offered him a hand to help him up. He just swatted my hand away and skulked off to the changing rooms.
When I returned to my seat Rikku was excitedly talking about the match, which I expected. What was unexpected though was when Shiva joined in with a great deal of enthusiasm. "How did you do that? I have never seen black dust used like that."
"I did not use any dust though Shiva," answering her while trying not to be thrown off by her sudden energy.
"Really then how did you manage those glyphs?" she continued to ask while leaning over Rikku waiting for my answer.
"Well, it is just a part of my semblance," I answered honestly.
"Semblance, I see," leaning back to think. "We need to go to the lab later to run some tests," she demanded.
Not feeling entirely confortable with this strange enthusiasm, I gave a questioning glance to her partner seeing as she spent the most time with Shiva. But, Rikku just shrugged looking totally lost. I sighed and answered, "I guess that would be alrigh." At the very least, this will give me a better understanding of Shiva, trying to find the bright side.
x
After dinner I made my way to where Shiva demanded to meet up. I arrived at a lab that was one the upperclassmen used. Shiva was waiting outside the door idly braiding her hair.
"Hello Shiva," greeting her when I got near and she let go of her hair and pulled out her scroll. "Why did we meet here when the freshman lab is down stairs?"
"This lab has better equipment," she replied like it was the most obvious thing and unlocked the door with her scroll.
As we entered I asked, "how did you get access to the upperclassmen's lab?" The room had steel top tables in the center of the room equipted with different tools for manipulating dust. While all around the walls there were various machines for manipulating or monitoring dust.
"I had a talk with the professor that oversees the labs and asked for a demonstration to show my experience with dust. I impressed him, and he allowed me access to the better equipment." She explained while starting up some machines.
"I see, that was generous of them," I said and realized that I did not know exactly what my teammates did on their time off. I will have to make an effort to ask about my team better.
Shiva turned to me with a gleam in her eye, "ok lets get started."
"Alright where do we begin?" getting unnerved again.
"Can you create a glyph slowly so I can see the process?"
"Yes," I used my right index finger and slowly drew a glyph in front of me.
Shiva watched closely while I drew it and when I finished she examined it closely. "What would happen if I touched it?"
"Your finger would wipe where you touched away, and I would either need to repair it or it would not work." So she did just that.
She ran her finger through it creating a line through the center. "Hm, can you repair it and activate it?"
"Yes I can." I repaired it then placed my palm in front of it. It flashed a pale green and changed into a pink lily, which I caught and handed to Shiva.
Shiva took it and began examining it and asked, "how do you create such different effects with the same method?"
"I change the effect by changing what I draw. Here, I can show you the different characters I use." I grabbed my scroll and drew the various shapes for her. "I can only create a few in a row and only one at a time, right now though."
"I see, can you explain the entire process on how you activate your semblance?"
"I will try," I answered and thought for a few moments, because I only ever had to go by feeling. "I start with my aura. I use it to collect what I make the glyphs with from within my body. Most is in my tail for some reason, so I move what I need to my finger, push it from my body, and hold it in place with my aura. I also activate it with a pulse of aura when I am finished."
"So most is in your tail?" Shiva asked rhetorically and moved behind me to look at my tail. "That is why the tip of your tail is black then right?"
"It seems the most likely cause," I replied with a shrug.
"May I take one of the black hairs?" she asked with a bit of hesitation.
"Yes you can." I grabbed my tail and pulled gently getting a few loose hairs and handed them to Shiva. She looked them over, grabbed the flower from eairlier and moved over to one of the machines. She placed the hairs inside and activated the scanner. It only took a moment and did the same with the flower.
Shiva turned back to me with a proud grin and said, "I knew I was not wrong, I know dust when I see it."
"Dust? But, I said I do not use dust."
"You misunderstood, you do use it but you thought it was your semblance. What you use for your glyphs, and what is in your tail, is in fact black dust." Shiva explained while walking back from the machine.
"You will have to explain. Why do you think my semblance is something other than what I thought?" I asked feeling confused.
"Certainly, it is only a theory right now however, I need to do a few more tests to be completely certain. What I just scanned is definitely black dust, but as to its potency I am not sure yet. And, as to how you make it is only speculation. But, I believe your actual semblance is creating a form of black dust." She explained with a contemplative look and possibly a little smug too. I was completely taken aback by this. Did I really not even know what my own semblance really is?
"As for the placement in your tail," Shiva continued. "Dust is obviously dangerous, so your body or semblance places it somewhere it would not do serious bodily harm if it were to go off. Well, that would make the most sense and the color change is due to the concentration of dust."
"Now for the most interesting part," she said with the grin. "The way your glyphs control black dust could be revolutionary if my hypothesis is correct." This made me worry that I made a mistake letting her study me, and this would lead to unwanted attention. "The Frequency Dust Theory would explain how your glyphs change the effect by only changing the glyph shape."
Hiding my worries from Shiva with curiosity I asked, "what is the Frequency Dust Theory?"
"Huh, oh right," my question interrupting her thoughts. "The easiest way to explain it is to compare it to the color spectrum. All dust has the same kind of power source, but what makes each different is how it resonates or it's 'frequency.' Just like how light is the same kind of radiation just at different intensities. White and black dust are a bit different in that white has no frequency, and black has all frequencies. This is all just a theory but it is the most popular among scientists, even if there is no real good theory as to the origin behind the energy of dust."
"You certainly know a lot Shiva," I complimented her. Given her normal demeanor it is surprising how knowledgeable she is. Which now that I think about it, is insulting to Shiva.
"Thanks, I have always been interested in dust and have been studying for years, but I digress. What is exciting is how your glyphs manipulate black dust by only activating a certain frequency. Traditional black dust use either creates an explosion by releasing everything at once. Or, for more experienced users, can cancel out other dust, but you need years of practice to control the volatile dust to that level of finesse."
Not entirely sure the point she is making I ask, "so you mean that my glyphs eliminate the need for practice?"
Shiva grinned at my question. "Even better! All someone has to do is put the dust in a certain shape and it changes it effect. It would essentially eliminate the need to carry multiple types of dust. It could change how all hunters fight. And, it would make black dust very valuable, and whoever creates a device that manipulates the dust will have a very valuable patent."
The thought of so much attention doubled my nervousness. "Um, Shiva could you not tell anyone about this?" I asked hoping to keep others from researching me.
My question seemed to surprise her. "Of course. We can't just give out this information to just anyone. First we need to research and record everything. Then we can begin to release information to investors-"
"Wait," I interrupted, "I meant to keep it a secret, well possibly, forever."
"Oh," Shiva said with a bit of disappointment. "Well, I won't talk if you want to keep it a secret. If you want to keep it quiet I am sure you have a reason. But, can I make a request?" She asked, with what seems to be her version of puppy dog eyes. I nodded my head and she continued. "I promise not to tell anyone of course, but can I help you when you train with dust and can we possibly do just a little bit of research?" Shiva asked with noticeable anticipation.
She does already know this much and in just a short time she figured out more than I knew. So, it would be stupid not to accept her help, and she did promise not to tell. "I would be glad for your assistance and your knowledge on dust," I answered honestly.
"Yes, this will be great," regaining her enthusiasm. "Alright I need to record what we learned tonight along with my ideas for later. So, you can head back to the room if you want." She grabbed her scroll and went back to the machine.
"Ok, try not to stay up to late Shiva," I said taking my leave. Shiva turned with a smile and a wave as I left the lab.
On the walk to the room I began to feel all the exhaustion from today. It was not just from the physical exhaustion from combat class, but also from all the different emotional stresses as well. First it was those bigots along with Red's anger, to the anxiety that Shiva might learn too much. I sighed trying to clear my worries knowing that at least Shiva will not talk. Speaking of which, I may actually be able to confide in her. But I cannot get ahead of myself, I promised secrecy while I am here after all. At least she can help with dust studies.
