TheFallenHer0: No, he really doesn't. But he and Katalina will get plenty of time in the near future. ;) As for the voices, your assumption is correct. And the pranking thing is a good idea. I think I might incorporate that. It'd be fun. Here's the chapter!
Chapter 12—The Words I Want to Say
Katalina and I made it back to our individual dorms. Yukiya was still wherever he went when he was sick, so I had the room to myself. I crashed. I was completely out for about two hours. I woke up feeling groggy, tired, and dirty. I showered and felt much better. It was only then I looked out my window.
Carbuncles.
Carbuncles everywhere.
I caught a magic note as it fluttered in through the crack of the slightly-opened window. It was from the headmaster, and read:
'Elias,
Due to the Carbuncle Bungle, students are not allowed to leave their dorms without permission. You are needed to aid your buddy in the cleanup. Meet me in front of the girls' dorm in twenty minutes.
—Headmaster Randolph'
Oh gosh. He named it. This is bad. Goodness me...Selene would be loving this. She would. She'd be laughing her head off, thinking it was the funniest thing in the world.
I met the headmaster at the appointed time. It was an interesting walk, trying to wade through those carbuncles. I eventually just gave up somewhere around the halfway point and levitated myself the rest of the way.
The headmaster greeted me, informing me of the post-events of what had happened last night, and Katalina appeared soon after he was done. She seemed confused to see me, "Elias?"
"Oh, you're here, Katalina." The headmaster welcomed.
"Good morning, Headmaster Randolph." she replied.
"Morning, Katalina." I nodded at her.
"Morning, Elias." she smiled at me. It was a tired smile, not as wide as her usual one, but it still sent flutters through me.
"Now then." The headmaster said, "Do you both know why I have called you both out here?"
Katalina gave an awkward little laugh, "Um, well, could it have anything to do with…" she gestured at the carbuncles all around us. "This?" As if they knew she was talking about them, a bunch of them began to make happy 'squee' sounds.
"That's right. Everywhere looks the same as it does here. Even within the school grounds." He said. My question was how in the heck did this many of those things exist?
It's a valid question. I thought they were supposed to be rare magical creatures.
"E-even within the school g-grounds?" Her eyes widened.
"I have to confine students to the dorms for today due to carbuncle damage."
"W-what?!" She gasped. Then her shoulders slumped. "I'm sorry…"
The headmaster laughed, "Well, there's nothing we can do about it. I was the one who taught you the incantation, after all. And this isn't a sight you see every day. No, it is interesting, isn't it? Professor Schuyler is taking care of the ones in the East Forest as we speak. I'm going to be dealing with a few other sites. And you, since it is your mistake that had led to all this, I will have you take responsibility."
"Y-yes…" she said, head bowed in dread.
"Good." He nodded, still smiling and completely amused. "Please clean up the carbuncles within the school grounds."
"Okay…"
He then looked at me and winked, "And your buddy will also take equal responsibility."
I sighed, "Yes, I knew that was the plan from the beginning."
He nodded, "Ah, and it seems like you've learned what it means to be a buddy. Good, good. Right then. I'll leave you two here to tidy up."
"Yes, sir." Katalina and I said simultaneously.
"Oh," he added, "The incantation for returning the carbuncles is 'I command thee, return to whence you came! Redire Warae!' Right then. I'm counting on you two." He waved his hand and left.
"E-elias?" Katalina said timidly, "I'm sorry about all this…"
I just sighed and said, "Let's hurry up and get started." The sooner we start, the sooner we're done.
"Huh? You're not mad?"
"It's not a big deal." I said simply. Besides, I'll get to spend time with you, now won't I?
"But I dragged you into my mess again…"
I smiled at her, "Buddies are two as one, are they not?"
"Elias…" she smiled back gratefully.
And now I feel awkward. Dang social anxiety! "That's what they say, anyway." I covered quickly, "And just how were you able to summon so many carbuncles?"
"Um…"
Now I was feeling dejected. "We've been undergoing special training and all that, and you still make these mistakes…" I bet that if it was Klaus training her, she'd be much better by this point.
"I-I'm sorry…"
I looked over at her, "I've said countless times that when you cast a spell, it's not just a matter of saying the incantation. When you say the spell in the first place, you have to focus on what you're trying to achieve. Yukiya explained how he does it once, and it made a lot of sense. You picture what you want to happen in your head, and focus on it while casting the sp...What are you smirking at?" I demanded, "Are you even listening to me?"
She was smiling and her eyes had started to glaze over, but when I said that she blinked and jerked to awareness, "Y-yes, I'm listening!"
"Geez…" I sighed.
"Right! Let's get this over with." And she was back to smiling that annoying, beautiful, irritatingly cheerful, heart melting, oh-so-wonder...focus, Elias, focus!
"Do you have any right to say that?" I scolded, but it turned into a sigh. "Whatever. Let's just get this done.
…. …. ….
"Redire Warae!" I chanted. A handful of carbuncles disappeared in a puff of smoke. I glanced over at Katalina, who'd just performed the same spell. "Hey, why does only one disappear when you do it? I'm ending up having to do most of the work!"
She giggled, "But look! I'm not messing up! It's an improvement, right?"
And so I turned to talk my way out of this situation, "Well, that's true...actually, I was worried about what we'd do if you summoned any more carbuncles." I inhaled, "Can we take a break? I'm tired. And it's your fault."
She pouted for only a moment at my words before reverting back to her smile. "Ah, sure. Let's take a break."
We both sat down in the grass. We were mostly done poofing away the carbuncles at this point, and were currently in one of the courtyards. "Ah, that's right." I said, remembering something that the headmaster had told me, "It seems like they've made Professor Merkulova resign."
"I see." she said, "He was such a nice teacher, too. Power really does make people go crazy, I guess."
"Yeah…" I agreed absentmindedly, "The weaker you are, the more power you want. I was the same…"
"Elias…"
"Remember that time I challenged Luca to a duel in Practical Magic?"
"Yeah."
"At that time, if Luca had really wanted to, he could have beaten me, easily."
"You don't know that."
I shook my head, "No, I do. Luca is a lot stronger than he likes to let on. But...I feel like I understand a little more about how Luca feels, about why he never takes magic seriously. Maybe it was because he possessed such 'power'. Maybe it's the thing he's afraid of the most. Selene once told me—and said she was quoting some sort of fictional hero with spider-powers or something—that 'with great power comes great responsibility.'"
"Huh? What do you mean?"
"The more power you have, the more pressure there is on how you use it. Selene told me that one of her biggest fears is that she'll end up hurting someone with her magic. Her fire is pretty much under control, and her wind is now, too, but she once told me something. When she goes into an extremely emotional state, she completely loses control of her powers, and doesn't remember anything that happens once control is lost until she passes out. She told me she once nearly killed a kid because of it, and that she's lost control like that seven times in her life. And it terrifies her that one day she might lose control and never be able to get it back. Selene is one of the most powerful magic-users I know. But I don't think I'd ever want such power, if such heavy burdens and fears came with it. It takes a stronger person than I to have so much power and be able to manage all the responsibilities that came with it."
"Elias…"
"Well," I changed the topic, "No matter what we say here, it's not really going to change anything, anyway." I laughed a bit, feeling light as I layed back onto the grass. It's true. I may not have the raw power of Selene or Luca or my brother's, but I'm not weak. And I don't have as heavy a burden as they do. "The sky looks nice today, too."
I heard Katalina lay down next to me, her feet pointing in the opposite direction and her head near mine. "Yeah. It's beautiful."
It was a little while before I said anything. "You're really something. This sky, the wind, the earth, the warm sunlight...it feels like they're all a part of you."
"Wha…"
"Maybe there's something about you I've admired all along…something I don't have…"
"Elias…"
"That's why I…" I was about to tell her, I was going to tell her. I was going to tell her that I was in love with her. But, alas, fate is cruel.
"Are you guys taking a nice friendly nap, or something?"
Authoress: Sigh… fate is cruel, isn't it? As I'm working on this, I just finished an Honors Physics test and I want to cry because I know I didn't pass…
Elias: go away. You're ruining the story. You can whine about your problems in the author's note.
Authoress: Hey! By the time I actually write the note—which'll be soon before I post this chapter—it'll probably be past Christmas here! Sorry, Midwinter (for all you Myulan folk).
Elias: And? Back to the story!
Authoress: Fine, fine…
Katalina and I both jolted at the familiar voice, looked at one another, and then scrambled to get up.
"Hey lovebirds." Luca smirked as he watched us brush the grass off our uniforms.
"Luca!" Katalina exclaims.
"What are you doing here?!" I demand, "Without permission, students are to stay in within their respective dorms!
He chuckled, "Why don't we say, 'I went for a walk.'"
"Luca!" Katalina scolded, "Doing things like this without permission is just going to get you in trouble!"
"Oh, are you worried about me?" Luca was flirting. With Katalina. I'm going to strangle him. "Aw, you shouldn't have been worried, Kittycat, I'm not going to get in to much trouble!"
"Shouldn't you be worried about how Selene would react? From what I've heard, she'd get upset with you. I've also heard that when Selene's upset, you shouldn't be near her." Katalina continued.
He was laughing as he put an arm around her shoulders. I felt my fists clench with irritation. And he sees it. I know he does. Despite his ignorant front, he rarely misses anything.
"Hey!" I growled at him, "Don't touch her!" I grabbed his arm and yanked it off her.
"Ouch, your grip is too tight, man." He whined as I pulled Katalina behind me. I felt really protective all of a sudden. He watched before smirking, "Let me guess. You've gotten yourself a special little princess, huh?"
"It's got nothing to do with you." I replied, my nose metaphorically in the air.
"Well, as we're on topic, why don't we have a duel?" Not on topic. It just proves you were eavesdropping. "If you win, I'll go back to the dorms, no fuss. But, if I win," he smirks, "I get Katalina."
Katalina choked in surprise, "What?!"
My eyes narrowed as I glared at him, "Let me tell you this. I don't know what you're up to. And I'm not going to hand over Katalina, that's for sure."
"Aw shucks." Luca grins in a carefree manner and shrugs, "How boring." Then he laughs, "Ah, whatever. Anyway, I'm going to come for you again sometime, Katalina." He winked at her. "But for now, I've got places to be, so see ya later Kittycat~!"
"Luca!" I snapped. He then winked at me and walked off. I shook my head, "I do hope Selene comes back soon. She's pretty much the only one who can handle him."
"Oh Luca." She said, "I mean, he's not a bad guy, but…"
"Exactly. But. He's a handful, and unless he starts actually trying, he's never going to get anywhere. Just because he doesn't want to bear the full brunt of his responsibility, he shouldn't try to get out of bearing any at all. He needs to do something, and he knows it, no matter how much he doesn't want to acknowledge it." I sighed, "Whatever." It turned away from Katalina, my brows furrowed. I had just remembered that he had been eavesdropping. Meaning he'd messed up my attempted confession. At least he hadn't actually heard me confess. I'd never hear the end of it. But I hated the fact that he had touched her so casually.
I felt a hand lightly touch my shoulder. "What's wrong, Elias? Are you angry about something?"
"I am angry." I might as well just admit it.
"Why?" she asked.
"You need to keep your guard up!" I snapped.
"What?"
I still wasn't able to bring myself to look at her, "It's because you just stand there being so absent minded that guys like Luca think that they can just come up and put their arm around you or whatsoever!"
"B-but there was nothing I could do! It was so unexpected!" she protested.
"No it wasn't!" I turned to face her, "It was because you were standing there staring so blankly!"
"W-what?!"
We both were glaring fiercely at the other. Why do we keep ending up in this position? I swear, we bicker like this at least as much as Selene teases Klaus and I!
The tension was broken unexpectedly by the squee of Bubbles the carbuncle, who most randomly poofed in between us..
"Huh? Where have you been?" Katalina asked. I noticed that Bubbles was, in fact, holding the Persona Mirror. Katalina sighed, "And why do you have that…?"
But Bubbles just squeed and turned to me, pointing the Mirror in my direction.
"W-what are you…!" But I was cut off by my mirror voice.
"I'm still finding it a bit difficult to believe, but I think I'm...infatuated with Katalina. I get this awful feeling in my chest whenever some other guy touches her, and I get to annoyed...I just can't let it go. This...this is the first time I've felt this way. And that's not all. When I'm with her, I feel so at ease, like I'm bathing in warm sunlight. It's the first time I've felt so calm and happy and relaxed…"
"...?!" I felt my face flush crimson, and quickly reached out to snatch the mirror away from the carbuncle. How dare he?! That little…! I had this planned out! You stupid creature! Bubbles, you've ruined everything!
"Squee?" It tilts its head in confusion.
"N-no squee!" I cried.
Katalina then spoke, "Uh...t-that just now...it...umm…"
"T-that's why...that...I…" And now I'm a stuttering mess! I looked at the ground. Neither of us said a world. Eventually I steeled up the courage to speak and raised my head, determined. Deep breath in, deep breath out. "The Persona Mirror reflects people's true selves, so I'm not going to make any excuses."
"Elias…"
But I continued. "There is something I want to tell you through my own words, not through that mirror." Inhale. "I believe that you'll make it into this academy. So, after you're officially enrolled, I'll tell you then." Exhale.
"Okay." She agreed, her cheeks still tinged ever-so-slightly red. And I really hope those aren't tears I see in her eyes…
…. …. ….
That night, as I lay in bed, I found myself not thinking of just of Katalina, but of Klaus.
He admitted to me once that the night before Selene's trial had him restless, too. It was stressful, particularly when the woman in question was one you were in love with. Klaus told me that he was going to confess after she made it in and he was sure she wouldn't reject him. He didn't want to confess only to have her have to leave next thing. I guess I feel the same.
Yukiya was still not back, but I'm pretty sure he'd be fine again by tomorrow. I feel kind of bad. My notes from the last few days hadn't been so well done as they normally are. Yukiya's going to have to get them from someone else. And then share them with me. I have to make sure I have a good, cohesive set of notes for Selene when she gets back as well. She's been gone for almost three weeks at this point.
But that'll be for later. For now, I will focus on this troublesome little love of mine.
Fun Fact 15: For a while, I had a lot of trouble deciding whether to do the Happy Ending or the Normal Ending. Then I remembered that I needed to have Katalina in there so Selene could coo over her when she gets back. Therefore, she couldn't really not be there. I took the easy route out and used the Happy Ending. XD
