Lenz's Law

by

LicketySplat

Chapter 2: Fata Morgana

She stood behind the reliable cover of an Oak, palms braced flat against the calloused and weathered trunk as she peeked past its wide girth, her presence veiled by a thicket of wild shrubs. The only sounds she made were the rustles of dried leaves under her shoes as she shuffled about for a better view. She knew though, that she could've created a ruckus out of the sheer paranoia of slugs thriving beneath the heap of leaves she was standing on, and the girl - the one that seemed to emanate waves of intrigue from the moment Minako had set eyes on her- would not have noticed her at all. An entire parade could march by, clashing and trumpeting for all it was worth, and the raven-haired beauty would pay them no heed, for her book had her sole and undivided attention.

There was something about her that seemed to beckon to Minako, something that she had never felt before. Admiration? Fascination? She wasn't able discern it from the unidentifiable mass of feelings that were present each time she looked at the girl. The aforementioned feelings were the culprit of her curiosity and the alien need to know the stranger better. It frightened Minako, and excited her all at once. The girl sat still with her back straight against the trunk she was leaning on, fully enraptured by the book before her. It was her fierce concentration and unconcealed passion for reading that struck Minako. Such strength, Minako thought and felt the first portion of the haze of feelings unravel as admiration. She tilted her head a little more to the right and watched the way the girl delicately flip a crusty page and smoothen it out. Yet so gentle.

Then she felt it again.

The foreign feeling, a mixture of captivation and allure that left Minako prey to its spellbinding qualities as her eyes gladly took in the sight worthy of a painting that unfolded before her.

Swift breezes heralded their arrival by the orchestral rustle of blazing leaves and robbing countless of their hold on their mother boughs. They fell like a conflagrant shower, dancing and twirling mid air, reveling in the call of gravity and landing softly among a blanket of their brethren. A gust playfully lifted the ends of the girl's radiant raven tresses and blew them in flowing, gentle ripples. Another picked up some fallen leaves and whirled them in fiery eddies before whisking them off to a new resting place.

Minako couldn't help but stare in wonderment at how the dark-haired girl looked right at home amidst her flaming surroundings. As if she was one with it.

Then a stray leaf missed its goal and settled, instead, on a yellowed page of the volume the girl had opened on her lap. She blinked in surprise and proceeded to brush it off with the tips of her fingers, and then she gave a small pout when another leaf replaced the previous. One drifted by her face, grazing her nose, and she gave a start, jerking back slightly. Finally, a couple descended onto her head. Her eyes widened, as if coming to the realization that she was under siege by mere leaves. She shook her head vigorously, dark hair swishing in all directions with each jerk, and patted her hair down once the little invaders had retreated.

That has got to be the most adorable thing ever, Minako mused as the corners of her mouth quirked upwards. Then immediately bonked her head repeatedly against the uneven bark of the Oak she concealed herself with upon concluding that her brain cells were committing a mass suicide just by looking at the girl. Either that or she desperately needed help.

She decided to go with the latter when a yet another giggle escaped without her permission at the sight of the dark-haired girl exasperatingly swiping aside her long bangs over and over again.

Then as if of their own volition, her feet started moving, pulling her away from the safe cover of the tree. Stepping round the shrubs and over an exposed root in her way she reached up to her head and unfastened a red hair clip that had held up some loose strands of her blonde hair. Lightly treading through the thickening layer of autumn leaves, Minako's heart rate sped up as she neared the mysterious girl. As expected, her presence had yet to be registered even though she was standing a scant metre away. Just when Minako thought black was black and that nothing could be blacker than black, she was sorely proven wrong. The girl was so close to Minako that she could see that her raven mane was an impossibly darker shade than the black seifukus they had on.

Substantially awed, Minako held her breath and stepped in front of her, practiced bravado in place to mask the nervousness that threatened to wreck their first meeting.

--

"Rei," Minako whispered when the teacher had moved away from them.

"What?" Rei hissed, irritated at the blonde who had yet to listen in class.

"What is a Red Ox reaction? How does an ox fit into a chemical equation?"

Rei stared at the blonde, baffled. Then realization dawned on her. She sighed.

"It's not a Red Ox reaction Minako. It's a Redox reaction. Short for a reduction and oxidation reaction. Ree-docks!" Rei said the last part slowly, unsure as to how much the blonde could actually comprehend. Enlightenment shone on her face and Minako quickly typed that little tidbit down into the blank, opened document on her laptop.

She was convinced that Chemistry made as much sense as why a flying particle would seek the nearest eye.

Why is the smallest possible particle an atom? How would one know for sure since an atom isn't even visible? Why are the noble gases called the noble gases? Surely they don't have qualities of high moral character or possess a hereditary rank in politics. If it means they are inert then why not call them the inert gases? Minako decided that not dwelling on such inane questions would benefit her state of mind.

She had spent the past half of the lesson slipping in and out of sleep. The fact that they were sitting right under the teacher's nose wasn't enough incentive for her to resist nodding off. Rei paid no attention to her, being too busy furiously typing away at her laptop's black keyboard, creating a cacophony of muted tapping. Minako groggily propped her chin onto a fist and stared ahead, gaze unfocused for a good reason. The moment she had looked up at the teacher once lesson had started, she vowed never to commit the same mistake again – She'd seen the Black Forest equivalent of his nostril hairs. The sight had seared her very eyeballs and barely stopped short of sending her into cardiac arrest.

Even if the teacher wasn't aware that he had a student dozing in front of him, Minako would never be able to fall asleep. Rei assured that. A swift nudge to the arm that propped up Minako's head was all it took. Gosh, what have I set myself up for?

Minako couldn't recall the last time she had sat in front, or if she had even done so before. The inky words the teacher had scrawled onto the whiteboard seemed too large and glaring for comfort, and her neck had begun cramping barely ten minutes into the lesson. She had clutched the side of her neck in agony while Rei sponged up any semblance of knowledge and deposited them as notes into her laptop with a fervor that only succeeded in amplifying Minako's misery.

She couldn't follow the lesson. As it were, she hadn't had much sleep the night before, throw in the fact that Chemistry was a subject she could barely grasp; Minako found no reason to fight sleep. Then again, with Rei glaring that way at her, maybe she should put up some resistance. She sat up groggily and stared at some semblance of the notes that she had taken down onto her opened document. She frowned at what she saw. Minako took a shot at deciphering the gibberish she had on her screen, then convinced that she had absolutely no idea what she had typed, she gave up.

They had ended up sitting right at the front, not because they had been late, but because the unrelenting dark-haired girl believed firmly that the ease of concentration was optimum here.

Optimum my ass.

She had been this close to approaching a meltdown, having been torn between being noticed minimally the rest of the year and sitting next to Rei. Minako's mind had been made up for her when two boys had trudged in and took the seats Minako had wanted, the ones to the side, second row from the back. She had then sat down beside Rei huffily and the girl had spared her none of her attention while setting up her laptop. Minako might as well have been an empty seat.

She turned to look at Rei and sighed. The stubborn girl had taken the hairclip off while Minako was dozing and her bangs had once again regained their original position. She had to admit though, that Rei's bangs suited her well. They fell softly over her eyes, partially obscuring her piercing violet orbs, giving Minako some protection against Rei's penetrating gaze. Yet at the same time, her dark hair seemed to serve her as a shield - one that obstructed all who endeavored to seek her thoughts and emotions. It piqued her interest and augmented her curiosity. A closer examination of Rei's strict profile, throw in the innate inclination of disregarding another's presence that she had, and Minako knew that getting to know Rei would be akin to scaling Mount Everest without oxygen tanks.

Something had told her that the traditional method of making friends would have been tossed aside like last week's trash by the girl whom she likened to a hunk of granite. Though Rei hadn't been too averse to Minako's overly inquisitive questions and attempts at striking up a conversation back at the lake, Minako had the inkling she'd probably ditch her at the first opportunity that presented itself. Well, the loner had tried to dispose of her with a bottle of chrysanthemum tea. Weak as it was, it was an attempt nonetheless.

Perhaps traversing a mine field naked would be a better comparison, Minako contemplated and held back another sigh, idly looking her laptop over.

Hers was painted a powder white gloss, and was smaller than most, made and bought for the sole purpose of doing work on. She took great care in ensuring that she left no smudgy fingerprints on its smooth, plastic surface. It was a gift from her parents. Parents Minako barely saw. They went for frequent business trips that lasted months at a time, the longest being the one that they were currently on.

An entire year, she thought grimly, then pushed the unpleasant thought aside. She never allowed herself more than a few seconds of brooding, steadfast in her belief in remaining optimistic. After all, of what good would it do if one spiraled down into the dark chasm of depression? She had learnt to adapt to changes, since change was as vital as the very air that kept her alive.

Minako shifted in her seat and yawned. The day was far from over and already she felt wasted. She rubbed her eyes with the back of her knuckles to try to clear the temptation of sleep. She couldn't afford to screw up any subjects as they were all crucial in her final percentage. Though she had no ambition whatsoever, she still desired to attend a good university. She had always gone where life had taken her and would do likewise for whatever further plans there was for her. Come what may.

Unlike herself, her seating partner seemed the hardworking type. Minako had seen Rei working on another piece of document earlier on, consisting of twenty pages and she had thought it was a Macbeth essay. When Rei had sensed her unvoiced shock and aptly informed her that it was "just some notes of the characters", her mind had gone blank, unwilling to deal with the trauma that had come knocking with Rei's declaration. The notion of an uncompleted, twenty-paged analysis of Macbeth characters had sent Minako reeling into the cavernous depths of denial that such a monstrosity could exist on the first day of school.

Her laptop seemed shiny and brand new when contrasted with the amount of usage she had the feeling that Rei's had undergone already. She turned and let her eyes linger on the matt, wine-red laptop Rei's agile fingers were gracing, and her eyebrows knit together in a tiny frown.

There was something familiar in the way Rei's fingertips would come into a staccato-like contact with the keyboard before springing off to place pressure on another. Only her nimble digits took part in any motion. Her hands never wavered from the specific position she had held them hovering above the keys and her wrists never rested on the smooth finishing of the laptop. Fingers stretched, curled and reigned supreme over the ebony keys, darting, soaring, yet never strained. They were disciplined movements. Ones that would have demanded years of practice.

The dexterity of it all had Minako entranced.

She had never seen anyone typing with such grace and poise ever, and couldn't ascertain as to what exactly it reminded her of.

So enthralled was she that before long, Chemistry was over.

--

"Ta daaa!!" Minako presented the colossal mahogany doors of the library with a flourish and a dramatic sweep of her arms. "The library!"

The blonde had led her a considerable distance and Rei had wondered briefly if she truly knew her way. The library turned out to be on the fourth floor, the top level of the classroom block. She would definitely not forget the route taken, having climbed seemingly unending flights of stairs to get to where she stood before the doors of the library.

"Thank you for showing me the way," Rei lowered her head a fraction in gratitude and the girl next to her beamed. She appreciated it that Minako had gone out of her way and placed aside time to direct Rei to the library she was almost convinced didn't exist, as irritating as she had been before. Her thanks seemed to have quite an effect, she noticed, for Minako's eyes had sparkled with the radiance of spring when she'd uttered the first two words. I never noticed her eyes were cerulean. They are quite pretty . . .

Rei kept her face devoid of any expression as she gave the mammoth doors a thorough inspection. She was impressed, though she hid it well. The rust-coloured wood gleamed in its lacquered state, newly varnished and unblemished, the skill behind the intricate designs exuded astounding craftsmanship. Carved along the grains in the wood were a myriad of swirls, each whorl convoluting with the next in trenches that barely skimmed its sheeny exterior. It had been installed, from top to bottom, into the wall before her and loomed over Rei as if daring her to pass them. Never one to be intimidated, she reached for its sizable brass handles, felt its metallic coolness under warm palms, and pushed.

Air rushed in from behind both girls, and Rei's ears picked up a tiny 'Eep' that the blonde beside her emitted on the sudden blast. Cradling her book in both arms, she took a bold step into the library's threshold.

And was incapable of restraining a gasp of unadulterated awe.

Where she had expected modest, dusty bookshelves stood grandiose shelves that seemed to overflow with the sheer abundance of books. Her eyes widened and lit with the spark of amazement. Rei granted the childish excitement so rarely felt, that begged for release, permission to rule her being. So it did. It tugged her on, pulled her further into the deep and welcoming aisles that seemed made just for her, and enveloped her with a fever of anticipation. She left Minako behind, still standing rooted to the parquet flooring in stupefaction, and resumed unearthing her newfound Cradle of Life.

The librarian's desk, where the borrowing of books took place, was situated in the centre of the circular anteroom they had entered and shelves lined the circumference of the room, brimming with recently purchased books. As Rei hurried through, it opened up into a labyrinth of shelves that was the main library. Large windows bid rays of sunlight entrance and gave ample illumination for her. So thrilled was she that she had wanted to skip along the towering shelves in an eager quest to discover every nook and cranny the library contained, but was content however, to just bask in the presence of its rich rewards. It was comforting to know that the school she was attending placed such emphasis on reading – the library's size said it all. A puzzling thing though, was how unoccupied the library was. Rei had passed by only a handful of students, three of which were heading off. How could anyone not want to come here? Maybe they couldn't find the library just as I had, though a more logical explanation would be that there are no assignments to complete yet.

Rei made a mental map of the library, keeping in mind where the crucial shelves for research were, noting with satisfaction that all books were classified neatly in alphabetical order, with coloured code tags to place them apart. She was particularly fussy about the arrangement of books, having come across countless that had been transported from one end of a library to another due to the idiots who stuffed unneeded books where ever they deemed fit. She scowled, viciously wishing such people an infinitude of paper cuts.

Rei's journey ended when her excitement led her to beige plush armchair, large enough for two. Sunlight softly entered from a rectangular window beside it and the lake's placid waters were visible from the spot she stood, glittering in an expanse of sapphire. It was a wonderful view, she thought, and sat down without a second's hesitation.

That was where Minako found her, nestled in the embrace of an armchair, reading with a serene smile on her face. She acquiesced to let her be, conscience forbidding her to encroach upon so breathtaking a scene.

--

"Misty!" Minako called out and instantly heard the rapid tapping of nails against marble floor as the puppy skittered round a corner in her haste to greet her owner. Chuckling, Minako shut the front door and bent down to intercept her dog before it leapt onto her.

"Have you been a good girl?" she cooed as she lifted the pup up into her arms, receiving no reply except for the excessive wagging of Misty's tail which soon became a blur of grey. Smiling at such an adorable action, Minako gently carried her into the kitchen and placed the hyper little thing down beside her empty food bowl. She hummed a random tune as she grabbed the packet of dog food from its perch at the top of the kitchen shelf, and poured a portion of its contents into the pink food bowl, subtly wondering how a mixture of bacon and chicken flavoured bits of dried food could influence such a messy response from the pooch. She winced at the prospect of having to wipe up the copious amount of drool Misty had released the moment she had tip-toed to reach for the food. Careful to step around all traces of liquid, Minako searched for the rag she usually had hanging next to the sink, and then clenched her teeth as she mopped up the saliva with much reluctance. She reasoned though, that she'd rather clean up drool than wield a deodorizer and a paper bag in a manner as if to purge her house of the undead like she had done so in the morning. Come to think of it, she could still smell the faint scent of poo wafting about.

"Don't you relieve yourself just outside my door again young lady," she admonished the pup which was still wolfing down her late lunch. Minako sat down on the tiled floor with a sigh when Misty paid her no mind. Not you too…she mourned inwardly, the image of a certain violet-eyed girl popping up unbidden in her head. Lucky I didn't make a fool of myself. Probably would've only warranted me a withering glance. She crossed her legs and leaned back against the kitchen wall, dotingly eyeing her very own salt-and-pepper schnauzer, and smiled when it bounded over to her after polishing off its food bowl. "That's more like it. Pay more attention to me," she tapped Misty's wet nose with a forefinger and yanked it back quickly when the pup tried to capture it with her baby jaws. Pouting, Minako gathered her dog into her arms and absentmindedly stroked Misty's furry head while thinking of how empty her home seemed. She had felt miserable the instant her parents had informed her of their business plans and didn't feel any better when they had tried explaining that it was imperative that they left as soon as possible.

"They need us there," her dad persuaded his daughter who was sitting on her bed and fuming. "We have to go over to clear up some transactions and scout for strategic locations to set up some outlets. It may even be less than a year. We'll call as frequently as we can, I promise."

"But I barely get to spend time with both of you! You keep running off to wherever you think you're needed, and I understand, I do! You've always taught me to grab all opportunity the moment it springs up. But I can't help but feel . . . lonely . . . each time both of you leave," Minako ended softly, face downcast and moisture gathering in her eyes.

She could see that her dad was struggling to find the proper words to say to her in light of his own heartache, and it comforted her somewhat, that she wasn't the only one feeling terrible about the situation. The mattress dipped slightly when her dad moved to sit down next to her, but she couldn't bear to look up, she was having trouble keeping her tears at bay. She felt bitterness seeping into her heart. Her happiness at her parent's return would always, without fail, be short-lived, for they would announce another departure as soon as Minako allowed herself to believe that she would have more time with them. Disappointment was far from a new feeling, having felt it too many times and too often. Her dad reached for her hand and as he held it, her floodgates could restrain the pressure no more.

"Minako, you know that if we had a choice, we would much prefer to center our business around home. Things don't go our way all the time and . . ." her dad halted abruptly, as he took in the heartrending sight of his daughter's tears. She knew her dad, like most men, had problems dealing with a crying woman, and she was surprised when he pulled her into his arms. "I'm truly sorry Minako. We'll make it up to you. How about we get you a dog? You've always wanted one haven't you?"

At that offer, she screamed in delight and hugged him tighter, nodding her head vigorously in an answer to his very much obvious question. Her dad chuckled and patted her head and she had instantly felt embarrassed at such an outburst. She wouldn't let her dad have the satisfaction of saving a damsel in distress, so she poked at the hint of his beer belly. "Hmmm, getting fat now are we?" And rolled on the bed in laughter as her dad stuttered and defended himself miserably.

She gave a sad smile at that recount but lightened up when Misty licked her hand. "I would be so lonely at home without you, you know that?" Misty cocked her head at her owner's words, not understanding a single one.

"But," Minako rose to her feet, still carrying her schnauzer, and continued her monologue "You can't follow me to school. So I would be feeling lonely there." The blonde eventually burst out in laughter at the absurdity of it all. Here she was, talking to the puppy she had cradled in her arms. Walking into her room, she placed her dog down onto her bed and readied herself for a good, long bath.

"Who shall keep me occupied then?" She placed a forefinger on her chin and pretended to think, though she knew full well whom she had chosen to keep her entertained in school.

Retaining Rei's company would pose quite a problem though, she mused.

Only one way to solve that.

There. An update. Wow. Hopefully the next would be up quicker.

I trust all of you have had an eventful Christmas? Turkey and cranberry sauce...drools... And yes. I'm back! I had tons of fun. Plus, I've had sufficient inspiration in Japan to last me the next 10 chapters or so. I'm so happy:D

Before I forget. I hereby declare credit to for providing me with the very fitting expression of "traversing a mine field naked"! There. Happy now Cheshire? Go squeeze your phone ornament's

Many of you must be wondering, "What on earth is a dog doing in this fic?!", (Grins evilly) Muahahahaha. I have a purpose for dear Misty. All will be revealed in due time. Patience is a virtue my dear readers. (Dodges the keyboards that badbad readers throw)

Do let me know how I can improve. Reviews Reviews!

Amiko-Gabriel, deymian, Ze: Another chapter for all of you! I know my updates are pretty inconsistent. I'll try to write them faster. School is starting next week though, so my time might get quite screwed up. :(

trusuprise: Hm... Rei writing... that might be a good idea. I'll think about it. XP Yes I realised my previous chapter had less of a visual impact, that's why I made up for it in this one. I was thinking of saving the descriptions of facial expressions and body language for later when I make them interact more. This chapter is more of character development. Anyway, just out of curiosity, how long did you spend on ASV? Haha. I'm prepared to get shocked out of my mind by your answer. XD

Nonori: I really must thank you for pointing out such a fatal flaw! I've changed it. They're in Junior College. And people were surprised at Rei's book because of its size and how old it looks. You don't actually see a person lugging around a tome nowadays do you? I haven't. XD And don't worry, your critique wasn't harsh. It helped me tons!

0xnaomix0: Thank you! By the way, it's 'dashed'. 'Dashed' is like to strike something violently against another, while 'bashed' would be more of a severe beating. Yup. Hope that clears up some confusion that you might have. Do let me know if you liked this chapter as well :)

Volchise: I'm glad that you do. Really. Thank you for reviewing!

LunarMiko07: You gotta give it to Minako yeah? Such shamelessness! An aspect of her which I personally love as it irritates Rei to no end. Makes dialogue that much more enjoyable to write. I'm making an inference from your pen name that you've watched Kannazuki no Miko? XD

Bewitching A m E t H y S t: Haha. More bickering to come. What's a fic on Rei and Minako without the banter:)

winter child: No, Rei isn't immune to pins and needles just like how you and I aren't. I'd like to meet someone who has yet to experience the excruciating ticklishness of it. Rei just knows how to sit prettily and still avoid it. Lets go ask her how she does it shall we? XD