Hey everyone! I want to give a quick shoutout to Author-san 9001 who agreed to become my beta reader! He gave me some wonderful feedback for this chapter and I can't thank him enough for his help!
With that said, enjoy the chapter!
Chapter 23: Friction
I was completely out of sorts the next morning. Despite my attempts to veer away from the subject, my thoughts were drawn to the hug I shared with Amber and how surprisingly comforting it had been for both of us. From there, my mind trailed back to Luna and left me yearning for more of the same comfort that she had given me in the past. I wanted to give in, embrace these feelings and shed my responsibilities, but that would go against the philosophy I was supposed to live by. This meant I would have to let it go.
Adding to my poor mental state was the conflict between Amber and Nova. I was worried about meeting either of them later today because I didn't know how things would pan out between them. I feared that one of them would be permanently driven away if they got into a fight and I didn't want that to happen. I had begrudgingly grown attached to Amber, and Nova was turning out to be someone that I actually enjoyed spending time with.
…But if it came between one or the other, could I choose between them?
I groaned, wanting nothing more than to ignore the question, but it felt impossible to do so as I got ready for the day.
I'd have to. Nova's beneficial to train with and she has connections to people I need to talk with. Not to mention, she's easy company most of the time, so if things fall apart and Amber stops hanging around, it's no contest, right…?
My mind flashed back to the awkward hug. I paused momentarily, grimacing as I was hit with a refreshed wave of conflicting emotions.
Damnit, I shouldn't have talked to her yesterday… I'm becoming too attached to her and everyone else…
I could feel the strain on my heart and I sighed softly before a worrisome and now familiar thought entered my head.
Is that really such a bad thing?
I stopped myself before I could consider it further and shook my head angrily, already knowing the answer.
I need to get out of my head or I'm going to go crazy.
Forgoing breakfast, I wasted no time getting ready and then made my way to the arena to train. I clung onto the desire to beat Nova as a focal point, helping me to endure through the thoughts that were trying to work their way back to the forefront of my mind. Pushing them aside, I took a small comfort in knowing that I'd be alone for a few hours, which gave me an ample amount of time to work on my wind techniques and chakra control.
Both of which I sorely need. I've barely had any real progress in either area since I've arrived here.
When I made it to the arena, I was relieved to see that the gym was empty, and after a quick warm up, I started with my day with chakra control. I was already a master of water walking, a standard milestone for many aspiring, low ranking ninja, so I moved onto exercises that fit my skill level. Sitting down in a crossed legged position, I focused my chakra into the air and created a steady current of wind that swirled around me. The idea was to use minimal chakra, access my element, and control it in a form that was continuously moving to hone my skill. Water walking was a great beginner's exercise because of the changing surface, requiring varying amounts of chakra to remain afloat, but I needed to develop beyond this. Performing a similar task from any or all parts of my body at once, while being able to infuse it with my wind nature, was the next step.
If only it was that easy.
Unsurprisingly, it was incredibly difficult and required intense concentration. Too much chakra, or chakra in the wrong shape could create dangerously sharp currents. Alternatively, not enough chakra or an incorrect formation wouldn't do anything. Currently, I wasn't doing a bad job and had managed to create a semi-circle of wind that shifted around my body, but that was a far cry from what I wanted to accomplish.
I spent a solid hour continuing this exercise, making marginal improvements in my control, until my body and mind had grown weary. Standing up, I decided to get a drink of water and move onto developing my wind techniques to switch things up a bit.
With the knowledge of what I could potentially face in the future, I had started to think differently than I had before. Flying dragons that could keep their distance and pepper me from afar were a problem, and I needed a solution. That being said, I decided to work on two techniques: The first, something I had been working on but hadn't finished, was to cover an appendage or weapon with a sharp current of wind that could theoretically cut through any defenses I might encounter. The second was a new idea that I had come up with after my fight with Nova. Catching a dragon in the air was difficult, but I needed to be able to close the distance, so my solution was to create small pockets of pressurized air underneath my feet, allowing me to 'walk' or 'step' mid-air, cutting off the one place that dragons could escape to. If I was able to do that, I could effectively even the battlefield by removing one of their greatest strengths, and the added benefit on my end was that the idea sounded cool as hell.
If I can figure it out, I'm going to make Shimmer's brain short-circuit. That's worth the trouble of figuring this out.
Practicing the wind blade went well because I was close to finishing it already. After thirty minutes of shaping, working and testing various wind blades around my palm, I had managed to consistently create shallow gashes through a training dummy's armor, deep enough that it cut into the sack underneath. I smiled at the straw that spilled to the floor, but didn't let my small success get to my head. Forming a chakra blade around my arm was one thing, but doing so to an inanimate object would be an entirely different experience. I'd have to practice a great deal before using it in action.
Air stepping did not go as well as I'd hoped.
The idea was sound, and I felt that if I stuck with it, it could become useful, but the technique itself was incredibly difficult. I didn't have the chakra control necessary to make the pressure in the air consistent with each step, so instead of taking controlled steps in the air I either found my foot falling through nothing or being shot upwards, which often led to me almost kicking myself in the face.
It was a slog, but I spent an hour trying and failing before I decided to take a second, longer break. I'd need my energy later, and if my sore muscles were anything to go by, I was in for another rough afternoon. With a groan, I found a good place to sit for a moment and sat back against the wall with my eyes closed. My thoughts drifted off, and I wasn't quite sure how long I had sat like this before a familiar voice rang out, startling me back to reality.
"Hey."
I looked up and found Amber standing closeby with her arms crossed. I stood up and gave her a weak wave, before responding in turn.
"Hey."
I clammed up, completely unsure of what to say, and we stood quietly until she gave me a half-hearted smile.
"If… you're willing, I was wondering if you could help me with my fighting technique."
She shrugged nervously and I felt my throat dry up. Try as I might, I couldn't shake the thought of what happened yesterday, and struggled to respond while the tension between us grew.
"I-"
This is ridiculous. There's no reason for me to be overthinking things. Has all my training gone to waste or am I going to let this ruin me?
With a quick shake of my head I centered myself and swallowed up all of my emotions with a grimace.
"-Sure. I don't see why not."
Letting the troubling thoughts slip away, I looked at her and considered our previous fight. She was quick, and seemed to excel when she was using that to her advantage, which gave me an idea. She frowned under my gaze and leaned forward with a growl, while moving her arms to her hips.
"What?"
"Nothing, follow me. I think I know exactly what to teach you."
"You're doing great. If you practice those stances, you'll have the basics down in no time, and then you'll be able to improvise your own style from there."
Amber huffed as she slowly diverted my mock strike, making sure to follow through on the form that I had shown her. I slid forward, off balance, and fell right into Amber's waiting paw. Her claws gently pricked through my shirt and pressed into my chest, and I nodded in approval, only to be met with a skeptical grunt. Amber didn't seem happy, but I was glad to see that after an hour of going through my hand-to-hand style, she had picked it up quickly and had the basics memorized.
"Based on your face, I'm assuming you're not impressed with this, but I really think it will serve you well."
Amber snorted softly and crossed her arms.
"Yeah, so you've said. You think it suits me, but it just seems so… cowardly and unintuitive. Why can't you teach me a style that's more… aggressive?"
I shook my head as I took my arm back and placed a hand on the bridge of my nose.
"Look, Amber-"
I let my hand fall back to my hip and made sure I had her attention. Even though she had been arguing while I taught her, she was willing to listen and had a rapt focus on me as I talked.
"-You need to take advantage of your speed. If you're going to be fighting against dragons, you can't face them head on, and this is a way for you to do that. It may not be particularly suited to your personality, but this form, the Dancing Blade, is designed to use your opponent's strength against them. Remember when we first fought?"
Amber huffed, but nodded.
"That's what I want you to do. Dance around your opponent until they're off balance, and then strike. You can be aggressive, but only when the moment arises. Until then, you need to be patient and wait for your opportunity."
Amber ducked her head down in thought and grumbled quietly to herself. With a quick brush of her paw through the longer fur on top of her head, she sighed softly and closed her eyes.
"Fine, I'll practice the form and try it out a few times, but if it doesn't work well I'm going to ditch it and you have to teach me something else."
I held back a sigh and gave her a relieved nod.
"Fair enough. Maybe if things go well enough, you can try it out against Nova later today."
A sour expression crossed Amber's face, and I winced.
Probably not the best thing to bring up right now. Or ever, really.
I quickly changed subjects and moved onto something that she would be interested in.
"Anyway… I've been thinking about chakra, and whether or not I'd be able to help you. I know I said that I couldn't help you a few days ago, but that wouldn't be entirely true if I didn't check to see if you have any chakra pathways in your body. If you do, there might be something I can teach you."
Amber's brow furrowed slightly.
"Chakra pathways? What are those?"
I sat down and motioned for her to do the same while holding my hand out.
"Give me your paw and let me take a look before you ask questions. If I find something I'll make sure to explain exactly what's going on.
Amber's eyes narrowed marginally, but she did as I asked and sat across from me. Begrudgingly, she held her paw out and I took it in my hand.
"This might tickle or tingle, but don't worry and try not to move."
She nodded and watched me as I closed my eyes. Slowly and carefully, I focused chakra around my fingers and then reached out with it, pressing it gently into her paw. She squirmed, jostling a bit, so I gave her a firm, but gentle squeeze that she responded to by relaxing. With her paw still, I prodded around with my chakra, searching for any sign of her own, but didn't have any success.
Well… that answers my question. Sorry, Amber.
I was about to pull away when I felt it.
Faint, underdeveloped and barely noticeable, but something was there. With a sudden revitalized focus, I pressed after that faint feeling and found exactly what I had been looking for.
Amber's chakra.
It was weak and dispersed as my chakra brushed against it, but it existed, which wasn't something I had expected.
I can't believe it… I might be able to teach her something after all.
I pulled back my hand and opened my eyes. Amber was staring at me with a hard, questioning glare that deepened when she saw my thoughtful frown.
"What? What did you do?"
I shrugged and leaned back onto my hands.
"I didn't do anything, but… I found something."
Amber growled and slid forward.
"Well? What is it? Are you going to tell me or just sit there with a dumb look on your face?"
I rolled my eyes and grabbed her paw again, earning a small hiss. Ignoring that, I pressed my chakra against hers again, this time pushing to the point that I managed to press a small amount of my chakra into her system. The fur on her paw and forearm stood up and she gasped before jerking away, cutting the connection.
"What the hell was that?"
"That was chakra. And to be more specific, that was me pushing some of my chakra into your chakra coils, which… I didn't think you had."
Amber stared at me like I had grown a second head.
"Care to explain what that means?"
I tilted my head from side to side for a moment as I considered what to say.
"It means… I can teach you a thing or two that I didn't think I could before."
That go her attention.
"...like what?"
I stood up, and had Amber follow me to the nearest wall. I walked up to it and then proceeded to stride up the wall with my chakra. Amber gasped and stared at me with wide eyes as I cut the flow of chakra and jumped back down to the ground.
"Cool, right? If you can learn how to control your own chakra, it should be possible for you to do that as well."
"You're kidding right…? There's no way I can do that. It's impossible!"
She shook her head wildly and ran a paw through the fur on her head with an angry and confused expression, then continued her outburst before I could interject.
"Wait wait, who am I kidding? You're not someone that jokes around like that... Ancestors, I can't believe it. You're actually going to teach me…that!? How? When?!"
I shrugged lightly.
"With some exercises I was taught when I was younger and after lunch if you'd like. I don't think it will be easy for you, but I think you have the determination and drive to figure it out in a reasonable amount of time."
I held up a hand when she opened her mouth, cutting her short.
"Before you boil over with enthusiasm, I'd like to warn you that your chakra is very faint. This means that there's a chance that this won't work. It should, but I don't want you to have the wrong expectations if things don't pan out."
Amber gave me a small shrug while stepping closer.
"Yeah, yeah, I get it. I'd rather give it a shot than miss out on whatever it is that you did though, so I'm all in on this."
"Ok, good."
I paused and eyed her carefully for a moment.
"One more thing; Don't mention this to anyone else. I don't want other cheetahs hunting me down to ask me if I can teach them as well because I have better things to do. Once I'm gone, feel free to share what you know, but not before, ok?"
Amber nodded eagerly and then glanced down before looking up at me with a sudden, hesitant look.
"Deal, but… speaking of… things that we don't want anyone else to know about…"
I tensed up immediately. I had secretly been hoping that she wouldn't bring it up, but this dashed any chances of that. Amber crossed her arms and cleared her throat while forcing out the next words with a partial scowl.
"Yesterday, I… I didn't mean to break down on you like that… If..."
She paused, took a deep breath and ducked her head low in what I was assuming was an attempt to hide her angry frown and blush.
"Ancestors, the last thing I want to do is to appear weak. I promise that I don't normally act like that, so, to save some face and clear the air, I'm apologizing. Sorry for putting you in an awkward position last night."
She let her apology hang in the air, and I tried to pull myself back together as the shock of what she was saying left me confused.
I figured she'd be pissed after what I did… So why isn't she?
I tried to play it off casually, but as the worry faded and the warmth of the hug came to mind, my throat tightened and strangled my response.
"D-don't worry about it. Just- Y'know, as friends- I mean, it was- The hug was nice. I think? It's fine, I… You're not mad?"
"Mad? Why would I be…"
As she trailed off, her entire demeanor changed and a fire lit up inside of her eyes.
"Wait, you weren't being a perv, were you!?"
She stepped forward threateningly, and I lifted my hands up desperately to ward her off.
"NO! N-no! I wasn't, I promise! I only did what Luna would do for me when I was upset, I swear!"
Amber's features softened and her anger subsided, only to be replaced with a curious, raised brow. I froze and a small chill ran down my spine as she asked her next question.
"Luna, huh? Who's that?"
I winced involuntarily and looked away.
"It's… no one. Don't worry about it."
Amber slid next to me and threw an arm around my shoulders.
"C'mon, you can tell me. Is she a friend of yours or something?"
"N-no, she's…"
The stress of the moment caught up to me, and I struggled to answer. All I had to say was yes, but as I attempted to do so, my chest filled with a cold emptiness. Guilt rose up inside as I remembered what I had done, and as my mind grasped for something to say, it instead latched onto the worst possible thing.
Luna's face stared back at me with questioning, sorrowful eyes.
For a moment, I lost the ability to hear what was going on around me. I grimaced, shaking my head, and turned to stare at my hands in an attempt to draw myself out of my haze. To my shock, my hands were covered in warm rivulets of blood that slowly dripped from my palms. I gasped as my heart slammed into my chest and I struggled to breath. I tried to move, but found myself frozen until sounds slowly faded in and Amber's voice broke through the silence.
"...Kiran…. Kiran!"
Everything snapped back into place, and I tore my gaze away from my hands until I found myself looking directly at Amber. She had her paws on my shoulders, shaking me as I regained my awareness of my surroundings.
"...W-what…?"
Amber's eyes were full of concern and she gave me another jostle for good measure.
"What the hell just happened? One second you're fine, and then the next… You zoned out on me and started shaking. What's wrong?"
I shuddered and pulled away from her, wishing more than anything that I hadn't just done that.
First with Shimmer and now with Amber… Do I not have any control over myself anymore? I thought maybe the stress of fighting had gotten to me last time, but… that's not the case here. So… what's happening to me…?
With as much finality as I could muster, I responded.
"Nothing is wrong."
Amber rolled her eyes and scoffed.
"Clearly. It's not like that was strange or concerning at all, Kiran, especially considering that Luna's name seems to mean a lot to you."
She stepped closer.
"What's got you so bothered? Did something happen to her?"
I wiped my face and eyes quickly, hoping that she would drop the subject as another chill ran through my body. I could feel the panic rising up again and turned to start walking to the cafeteria in an attempt to alleviate it.
"Amber, don't worry about me. I'm tired and hungry after training all morning, and that's put me on edge. I'll be fine after I eat something and take a second to rest."
Amber followed after me, clearly unconvinced, and growled behind me.
"You're not telling me something. Is it because you're worried about what I might think? Keep in mind, I just had my own special brand of freak out in front of you, so don't let your pride keep you from talking to me."
I snapped my head back at her, and responded with a hint of venom in my voice.
"Look, I'd prefer it if you'd drop it, ok? I don't need you, or anyone else poking around my head in an attempt to help, or whatever the hell else people think they're doing. Just let me deal with it."
Amber snarled at me and gave my shoulder a warning shove.
"Hey, don't get pissed at me, alright!? I'm just trying to do the nice thing and look out for you, so there's no need to get pissy and defensive!"
I grimaced and turned to face forwards again..
"...Right, I'm… sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you."
My shoulders sagged and I sighed heavily, but my resolve remained clear despite the significant weight in my chest.
"Foregoing that though.. I'm asking you to forget what just happened. If you bother me about it then I'll reconsider helping you."
Amber stiffened and mixed a sigh with a growl.
"Are you serious? What's wrong with you?"
My chest tightened angrily.
"Are you going to stop or not?"
Amber hissed and took a few long strides to meet my pace.
"Fine. If you're against it that much, then I'll stop. Just know that you're an idiot for this."
She took a step closer, put one claw on my chest, and pressed lightly.
"But if this happens again, I'm telling Amara what's going on. You might be able to avoid talking to me, but she won't be nearly as easy to dissuade."
Genuine fear struck me and I responded through clenched teeth.
"You wouldn't."
"I would. Think of what would happen if you froze in a match? I don't want to see you get hurt, so I'm more than willing to tell her if it means keeping you from getting your ass kicked."
The care and truth of her words shattered any argument I could have thought of at the moment, so after a few seconds of angrily failing to find something to say, I moved forward, shoved my hands in my pockets and headed towards the cafeteria. She followed shortly behind, grumbling to herself about stubborn idiots and made it a point to direct a harsh glare toward me.
There must have been some sort of divine agenda against me today because Nova bumped into us on the way to the cafeteria. After Amber and Nova spent a few seconds locked in a vicious glaring contest, I forced my rising trepidation away and asked Amber to wait while I pulled Nova aside to talk to her. Nova gave a quick glance back at Amber, who was pouting angrily, before turning toward me with a frown.
"Why is she here? I thought she wasn't going to train with us."
I ran a hand through my hair and then pinched the bridge of my nose.
"She wasn't, but… we talked last night and I think we should reconsider before we dismiss her completely."
Nova let out a small gasp and her eyes flickered back to Amber. I could see the anger and distrust flash across her eyes, and that same emotion was now being somewhat directed toward me.
"Are you serious?! What could she have said that changed your mind so quickly!? She made her opinions of me and my mom clear yesterday, and I don't want any part of that. I absolutely refuse to be around her, unless she's had a sudden and genuine change of heart."
Nova finished with a small growl and I held up a hand to placate her. She took a long, drawn-out breath and then snorted, losing some of the malice in her expression. I sighed and braced myself for what came next.
"There's something about Amber that you should know before you walk away."
Nova looked unconvinced but relented with a small sigh.
"What? What could possibly change my mind?"
I paused as I determined whether or not to be blunt. Feeling that skirting the truth would only delay things, I decided to be direct.
"...She said that your mom, while being influenced by Malefor, was directly responsible for her father's death."
Nova froze. Her breath caught in her throat and her eyes went wide before shifting to look off to the side.
"…Dammit... So that's why…"
"Yeah. That's why she lashed out at you. It's… a bad situation, and I'm not expecting the tension between you two to vanish, but… After our talk last night, she promised not to act out towards you like she did before. She's… still disdainful toward your mom, and by extension you, but…"
I watched as Nova pulled a lip back with anger and frustration.
"There was a period of time where Malefor controlled my mom, and she did commit acts that were terrible... but that's not her fault. I… understand why Amber would be upset, but I don't know if I want to be around her if she still hates us that much and continues to hold my mom responsible. It wasn't her fault and I'm tired of the blame falling into her claws and not Malefor's."
I nodded in understanding.
"That's fair. Completely. But… there's an opportunity for you here, if you're willing to take it."
She lifted an eye ridge questioningly.
"Think of it as a way for you to prove to her that you're not what she thinks you are. If you can change her mind, I think it would be proof that the animosity that exists here can change, given time. Maybe she'd even be willing to look at your mom differently too."
Nova stared at me for a long, considerate beat. Her mouth was twisted with uncertainty, but I could practically see the gears turning in her head and she eventually nodded to herself.
"…Alright. I think that's… not a terrible idea, but-"
She stepped closer and pressed the point of her tail blade gently against my shoulder.
"-if she blows up, steps out of line or does anything unreasonable, that's it. No more second chances."
I smiled with relief and nodded, feeling grateful that we had managed to come to a resolution that didn't result in one of them storming off.
Well, somehow that managed to not go terribly…
"Ok. I'll make sure she's well aware of that condition."
I leaned over to give Amber a thumbs up. She was watching us intently with crossed arms and relaxed slightly at my gesture. Nova glanced back, not nearly as thrilled, and sighed softly to herself.
"So… what were you two up to before I ran into you?"
The gods were absolutely plotting against me because I had gone from one tense situation and into another. Nova had decided to join us for lunch and so far it hadn't been a very pleasant experience. I found myself sitting across from two sets of eyes that were more than eager to pretend the other didn't exist. I started to eat, but the tension at the table grew every second, making my stomach churn and reject the food in front of me.
I was reluctant to say anything, and the awkward silence allowed my thoughts to drift to Amber's earlier threat. It lingered in the back of my mind and I picked at my food with a growing frustration. With a quickly deteriorating mood, I glanced up at the two across from me and saw that they were avoiding each other by staring intently at me. Unfortunately, my discomfort must have been noticeable because there were subtle looks of concern coming from both of them. I felt that one of them would break soon and ask a question I wouldn't be comfortable with, placing me further on edge.
Yeah, that's the last thing I need right now. Guess I'd better say something.
With a silent sigh, I mumbled out my first words, causing Nova and Amber to snap to attention.
"So… My next match is against a dragon named Flickr. Do either of you know anything about her?"
Amber answered before Nova could, leaving Nova with an open maw that she quickly snapped shut with a light grumble before shooting a discontented glare Amberms way.
"Yeah, she's a fire dragon and has been around for a while. She hasn't been able to advance very high in the rankings, but that's not for lack of skill. She's actually really good, but from what I've heard, she doesn't have the drive to push herself to move any higher."
Nova nodded slowly in agreement, though a sliver of a frown was visible on her face. Amber slid back into her chair and her eyes flicked over toward Nova with a smugness lingering in them. This made Nova's frown stretch just a bit further, but if she was bothered, her voice didn't show it.
"…she's right, and because of Flickr's unique placement, she's unofficially used as a gatekeeper to the middle rankings in the arena. I'm surprised they're having you fight her after a single match, but I think you'll do fine. You give me some trouble, so I'd only imagine that you'll be a nightmare for her."
That managed to draw the smallest smile from me.
"Some trouble? Wow, that's a pretty big compliment considering I still haven't managed to get a win over you."
A cheeky grin enveloped Nova's face and she stuck her tongue out at me.
"Keep training and someday you might have a chance. I'd love an actual challenge, but I'm willing to work with what I'm given."
Amber's former mirth melted away and she groaned, slid her elbows onto the table and dropped her face into her palms.
"Can we keep the gloating to a minimum, please? I'm sure we're all aware of how amazing you are, so there's no need to rub it in."
Nova frowned.
"We're just joking around. No need to take things so seriously."
Amber scoffed, rolled her eyes in response and shifted her focus to me, making Nova's frown grow.
"Kiran, I'm assuming you want to go over common fire dragon techniques, right?"
I nodded slowly, feeling defeated as the air became heavy again.
"Yeah… that'd be ideal. I was thinking I could have you practice a chakra technique while Nova advised me on fire dragon techniques."
Nova tapped a claw against her chin and agreed, while Amber, despite her earlier annoyance, perked up so much that her tail began to swish excitedly behind her.
"As much as I don't like the idea of Nova being your teacher… I can't say no to that. Just promise me that if you need any of my input you'll come to me."
Not quite getting along but it's better than nothing.
"I will. Let's finish up lunch and get out of here. I'd like to get through today as quickly as possible."
Both of them agreed, though I received confused looks for my comment. I ignored them, and with a slight reluctance I got back to eating because I knew I was going to need the energy this afternoon.
Training didn't go as well as I'd hoped.
Amber had managed to make some progress regarding chakra, but she had a lot of work to do before she would be able to utilize it effectively. To help her access and use what little chakra she had, I sat with her for fifteen minutes and repeatedly coaxed her chakra out with my own until she grasped the concept and was able to do so herself. That was the first and easiest exercise, and she managed to familiarize herself with it relatively quickly before moving onto the next.
She wasn't nearly as successful with the second step.
I wanted Amber to draw forth her chakra and use it for some purpose. In her case, to continue having her get used to the new sensation, I procured a few pieces of paper and had her attempt to use her chakra to stick them to her paws. It was a good basic exercise because it helped the user to understand the importance of concentration and quantity while also providing room for improvement. Too much chakra would push the paper away and too little would allow it to fall away, and if you were able to hold one paper successfully, you could add more. I set Amber up with everything she needed and left her alone, but she hadn't been able to make much progress while I was going over things with Nova.
Unfortunately, I was having a hard time paying attention and that didn't go unnoticed.
Because of the lingering thoughts in the back of my head, I wasn't nearly as focused as I should have been and my heart wasn't invested in what Nova was trying to explain to me. She had to repeatedly get my attention with small prods or a stern rebuke, and although I tried to get myself to focus on the task at hand, I couldn't bring myself to do so. Eventually, this led to Nova staring at me with concern and asking what was wrong, but that only made me shrink inwards. Half-heartedly, I tried to assure her that everything was fine, but she made it clear that she didn't believe me.
"Kiran, enough is enough. Something's wrong, and until that something is addressed, I don't see the point in doing this with you. It's only going to waste time for both of us."
She eyed me with concern and moved to stand in front of me, making it so that I couldn't avoid her gaze.
"I'm fine."
She stared at me with a deadpan expression and then shook her head.
"If you're fine, then Sparx has decided that cracking jokes just isn't his thing anymore. Considering that he hasn't and would never do that, something must be up."
I could feel my stress levels rising and prepared to fend off a barrage of questions I didn't want to answer. I was about to refute what she was saying, but she continued before I could.
"Look, I know that we're new friends and that you don't want to talk, but… I have a suggestion. Instead of this, why don't I show you a place I like to go to when I need to think? No talking, no training, just a quiet, relaxing spot to sort out your thoughts and get away from everything for a while."
My protests died in my throat and as I mulled over the offer I realized that it sounded reasonable. I spent a moment trying to think of a way to refuse, but none came to mind, so with a slow, dumbfounded nod I agreed.
"I… ok. I… guess I could use that right now."
I glanced over at where Amber was sitting, too engrossed in her own task to notice that we had stopped.
"Let me… tell her we're heading out first. I don't need to be yelled at later for ditching her without saying anything."
Nova smiled and waved me on with her tail.
"Go ahead, I'll meet you at the front."
"...Right."
With that, Nova left while I ambled over to Amber and watched as she worked tirelessly to keep the papers stuck to her paw. I waited a few seconds before clearing my throat and Amber's head popped up with a sharp snap. Her paper floated to the ground, and Amber snapped at me with a low growl.
"Damnit, Kiran!"
She had to pause to take a breath.
"I almost had it!"
I picked up the paper and shrugged.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to break your concentration."
Amber growled and snatched another paper from the ground. As I looked her over, I could see that she was covered in sweat and that her paws were shaking. I leaned over, placed a hand on her shoulder and gave a small squeeze to get her attention.
"Hey, you might want to call it for today. This is new for you, so your body will need time to adjust. Think of it like training a muscle. If you press too hard, you'll end up suffering from chakra exhaustion and that will put you back by a few days, or worse."
Amber let her shoulders sag heavily and turned to look at me out of the corner of her eye.
"…Worse?"
"The most extreme cases of chakra exhaustion lead to death."
Amber grunted, set the papers down and cradled her shaking paws.
"…fine. But I'm getting right back on it tomorrow."
I half smiled.
"I wouldn't expect anything less. Now-"
I took my hand back and turned to leave.
"-get some food and rest. I'm heading out for now, but if you'd like, we can meet up at the same time tomorrow morning and go from there."
Amber stood up quickly, but then almost fell over. I grabbed her arm to help keep her upright, but she shoved my hand away with a hiss and glared at me before her legs gave out. I reached for her but she smacked my hand away with a paw.
"I… I don't need you to baby me! I can… stand just fine on my own."
Amber grumbled and sucked in heavy breaths. I raised a brow skeptically and knelt down next to her with a heavy frown.
"…I should have kept a better eye on you. I think you may have pushed yourself too hard."
Amber grunted and turned her head away.
"Whatever. I'll be fine, just gotta…"
She tried to stand up again but failed. I caught her again, this time with both arms, and let her lean on me as she found her footing. I sighed softly and held her firmly as she tried to push me away.
"Look, you're not going anywhere without some help. Would you at least let me help you to your mom's office so she can take you home?"
Amber groaned forlornly and fervently shook her head.
"Damnit… Damnit! This is just-"
I sighed and rolled my eyes.
"Yes or no? If you don't answer, I won't be afraid to leave you here."
Amber grew quiet and took a few seconds to think before she agreed, albeit with an entirely defeated expression.
"…alright, fine. You can help me over to her office."
"Great, then follow my lead."
She nodded quizzically and I shifted her around until she was facing my back. Then I moved her arms to my shoulders and lifted her into a piggyback position, making her yelp indignantly while she dug her claws into my shoulders.
"Hey, the hell are you doing?!"
I answered with an unconcerned shrug.
"…This is the fastest way to get you there. I don't want to have you shuffle the entire way there."
I could feel her eyes boring into the back of my head. I felt an argument coming, but it never came to fruition because Amber cursed under her breath before settling against my back.
"Just be quick."
I nodded and hurried out of the gym and into the lobby, stopping only when Nova spotted me and looked over us with a bemused expression.
"What's, uh… going on with you two?"
"She exhausted herself and is having trouble walking."
Amber hissed softly enough so only I could hear and I turned to glance back at her just as her cheeks turned a light, flustered red. Through clenched teeth she mumbled to me with an exasperated tone.
"Seriously, Kiran?! Don't tell her that!"
Nova watched the one-sided exchange and smiled.
"Aww, poor Amber, all tuckered out after a hard day's work. Hopefully some rest and recovery will do you some good, but if you're still feeling out of sorts tomorrow, well… Don't feel the need to pressure yourself into showing up just for us. I'm sure we'll manage just fine."
I could almost feel the animosity dripping off of Amber and I had half a mind to drop her as her claws dug into my shoulders. I turned just enough to glare at her, making her loosen her grip, and then focused back on Nova.
"I shouldn't be too long. Should I meet you here when I'm done?"
Nova's gleeful eyes shifted from Amber to me and then calmed slightly.
"Sure. Once you're done helping her, we'll head to the Northeast gate of the city and then go from there."
"Ok, be back in a sec."
Nova nodded, gave a quick wave and grinned merrily toward Amber as we left the lobby. Amber cursed repeatedly and I felt her forehead press into the back of my head. I let her mope and walked through the halls until I arrived at Ruby's door, and then knocked softly before entering. I gently opened the door, only to find the office empty, and raised a brow before setting Amber down in a nearby chair. She sank into it with both an angry and forlorn expression and crossed her arms across her chest.
"Are you going to be ok?"
Amber looked up at me and pouted furiously. She made a show of it by flashing her fangs for a brief moment.
"What?"
She scowled, and her lips slowly formed biting words.
"I can't believe you told her."
I rolled my eyes.
"Seriously? That's your problem?"
She snorted.
"I don't want to appear weak in front of her, or any other dragon. Ever."
"Oh c'mon. It wasn't that big of a deal."
"Wasn't it?! Did you not hear how elated she was to take a jab at me?"
I pressed my fingers up against my nose.
"Just let it slide. Instead of getting riled up, why don't you prove to her how strong you are by spending your energy on training instead of what she's teasing you over?"
Amber growled and looked away.
"Whatever. It's your fault for picking me up in the first place."
"Really? You're blaming me for this?"
"Yeah."
"You're unbelievable."
"And you're inconsiderate."
"For helping you?"
"No. For being an idiot."
I groaned and took a step toward the door.
"Ok, this is going nowhere. I'll see you tomorrow, and hopefully you'll have cooled off by then."
A paw grabbed my wrist as my hand reached for the door.
"Wait."
I shifted just enough to give Amber a flat stare.
"What?"
She took her paw back and swallowed.
"Where are you two going?"
I sighed and leaned against the door.
"...Somewhere quiet."
One of her ears perked up.
"Quiet…? Why?"
"...I need some time to think."
Amber was silent for several seconds before she replied quietly.
"If you're going to do that… then take your time. Seeing you freak out today made me worried. I don't want to see you panic like that again."
I kept a straight face and tried to hide how much her remark unsettled me by taking a step toward the door.
"…I'll be fine, and… you should rest and figure out your own issues before worrying about mine."
Amber silently sank further into her chair.
I hesitated in the doorway for only a second before closing the door and leaving without saying a word.
I stared up at the mountains by the Northeastern gate of the city with a bewildered look. Nova stood next to me with a large grin on her face and directed my attention to the peaks that overlooked the city. Once I figured out exactly where she was wanting us to go, she stretched out her wings in preparation for flight.
"I know it's high, but I shouldn't have too much trouble flying you up if we take off our weights. If I have trouble regardless, there's plenty of spots along the mountain where I can stop to take a break."
I crossed my arms in defiance and continued to stare up toward the towering peaks.
"I can make it up on my own."
Nova blinked twice, glanced at the wall, then the mountain, and then back to me. She raised her brow skeptically and smiled.
"Riiiiiight… You'd only have to scale up the giant wall and climb up the steep slopes of the mountain. Easy."
She clicked her tongue and shook her head.
"Seriously, it would take you forever to-"
I dashed toward the wall before she could finish and used my chakra to jump high into the air. With a slight rotation, my feet met the wall and I started scaling it by running along its length. I heard Nova yell something behind me but didn't bother to look back until I reached the top of the wall. Once I reached the top, I flipped over the edge and turned to wait for Nova to catch up, but she was already there and settled on the ledge like a perched bird.
"Well! I didn't know you could do that, but… since you can apparently walk up walls, I guess you don't need me to fly you up the mountain."
"Walking beats being lugged wherever we're going, so yeah, I'll stick with that."
Nova gave me a pointed stare, shrugged and then whirled around with her wings spread.
"Alright, if you say so. Just try to keep up!"
Nova shot into the air, skimming along the crags that naturally merged with the walls of the city. I chased after her, running and occasionally jumping to scale the mountain, and managed to stay on her tail. We continued upwards for a few minutes until we came to a stop on a small cliff that faced south toward the city. Nova took a seat close to the edge and I moved to join her while wrapping my arms around myself.
It's a bit cold up here… but at least it's quiet.
I settled down on the edge and let my legs hang over the edge, and turned to Nova expectantly.
"So… this is the place, right?"
She smiled and turned her gaze out toward the sea on the south side of the city.
"Mhm. This is one of my favorite places to go when I need some time alone. If you end up liking it, you're free to come here on your own."
"…Noted."
A stiff breeze blew by and I shivered. Curling into myself, I followed Nova's lead and looked toward the city, only to be taken aback by the sight. The late afternoon sun was settling toward the horizon and the rays of the sun merged with the blue, turning it into a pleasant mixture of warm orange and yellows. The sea below sparkled from the light, making it look like a deep blue sky of stars rather than a body of water, accented by ships that sailed through the waters like stars drifting down from the sky.
The city itself was just as beautiful.
Many of the pathways and buildings throughout were made of a polished stone, and it reflected the light in an almost ethereal manner. Dragons of all sorts also dotted the sky and paths with various splotches of color, adding to the already beautiful scene. Tall, domed towers rose up into the sky and stood over the rest of the city like watchful guardians. It was a sight to behold, but as I took in the sight, I couldn't help but feel a twinge of homesickness.
…it might be beautiful, but that can't compare to home, can it?
I shuddered.
Do I even have a home to go back to? What if it's been destroyed while I've been gone?
Shifting position, I pulled my knees up from the ledge and hugged them to my chest.
If it's still there, would I even be welcome back? It's been so long, and after what happened…
Guilt wracked my chest. I hadn't been able to protect my closest friend or my team and botched the mission that was supposed to bring a semblance of hope back to my village. Now, I was forming connections with others in a world that wasn't my own, and I was terrified of losing them, much to my shame.
What would everyone say? Could I even face them?
I felt that I had become the antithesis of what I was supposed to be, and I could feel the strain it was causing on my psyche.
Why am I even doing this to myself? I know that all these attachments will only cause me suffering, so what's the point?
I knew the answer, and hated myself for it.
I've been letting things slide too far and begun to indulge myself, haven't I? I'm breaking the very rules I'm supposed to follow in pursuit of something I know won't last.
I gripped my pants tightly and scowled.
Can I even call myself a ninja anymore? More so, could I consider myself a friend to those who don't know who or what I really am?
I pulled my legs closer and looked at the city once more, with a more discerning eye. The beauty was still there, but the stark contrast between sections of the city became apparent as my gaze lingered, revealing the ugly truth that lay beneath the surface. This understanding of the reality below made me wonder if my friends would see me in a similar way if they were able to dig a little deeper into who I was.
"…Nova?"
She barely lifted her head and responded distractedly.
"Mm?"
"Why do you come here?"
Nova hummed quietly to herself and shifted to lay down onto the cold rock.
"Y'know… I don't know you very well yet, so why don't we make a deal? I'll answer your question, and then you answer one of mine. Fair?"
I hesitated.
"…if you broach something I can't talk about, can you ask a different question?"
Nova tilted her head back and forth before agreeing.
"Well… Only if I can do the same."
"Sure."
"Ok! Then to answer your question-"
Nova laid herself down and curled her tail around herself like a cat.
"-Sometimes I get overwhelmed with life and need to distance myself from it all. You've seen one side of things, with Amber, but there's a flip side to that coin."
She sighed softly and an invisible weight seemed to press onto her.
"I have a lot of pressure because of my dad. He's a legendary hero, and I fall under the shadow of his image in the opposite manner of my mom. A lot of people want me to live up to his legacy and directly compare me to him any chance they can, while others try to use me as a way to get to him for their own ends. It's a responsibility that I don't want, but that I have to deal with regardless."
She shrugged to herself and smiled somewhat sarcastically.
"As silly as it is, it makes me feel inadequate sometimes. My parents do their best to reassure and encourage me, but sometimes it can get to me."
I turned to look at her and saw the weight of her own words pressing on her shoulders. Her mouth curled into a soft frown, her eyes were downcast, and her head hung low which made my thoughts churn indignantly toward the people that lived here.
Not even the daughter of a legend can escape unfair scrutiny. Shouldn't the opposite be true?
"…if people are disappointed in you then they're out of their minds. You're skilled and kind, which is more than I can say about half of the dragons that I've met so far. Take pride in the fact that you're not like them, and be confident in what you are."
Her eyes flicked toward me and her frown slowly changed into a smile.
"Thanks… That means a lot."
"Don't mention it."
A tail lightly bumped my shoulder.
"Or what? You'll kick my butt?"
"Really? Gonna go there?."
She smiled and nodded eagerly, and I smiled while shaking my head before looking away. I heard Nova shift around a bit, and I caught her staring at me from the corner of my eyes.
"…I haven't talked to Shimmer too much, but she worries about you and I can understand why. It's not hard to see that something is eating away at you."
I grimaced and pressed a hand against my temple.
"Neither of you should worry about me. I'm not planning on being around for too long, so I'd rather not weigh you down with my problems."
"That's… an interesting take. What's the point of having a friend if you don't feel that you can confide in them?"
I felt the desire to talk to her, like I had with Luna in the past, chip away at my resolve and I felt myself reaching a breaking point. Before I could give in, I tried to fight back with a resigned sigh and stared up toward the sky.
"…Why tell someone else about something they can't fix? That would be selfish, and besides, I should be able to manage my struggles on my own. I've been taught to do so, and failing that would be a sign of weakness and lack of discipline from me. I have to be stronger than that."
Nova looked at me with disbelief.
"You think you'd be weak and undisciplined because you can't manage something on your own? That's ridiculous."
I frowned.
"No it's not. Ninjas should be in control of themselves and their emotions at all times. Losing control can mean the difference between life and death, especially when others are relying on you. In a team, we all have to be in our best shape, or we all fail."
"…life and death? What kind of situations are you getting into?"
I winced.
"It's… dangerous where I'm from. I help protect my village from threats and that puts me into deadly scenarios quite often."
"Oh... I'm sorry. That sounds horrible."
"It's fine. I'm committed to my duty, and nothing will make me waver from that."
It was silent for a moment and then Nova spoke again.
"I think you're wrong about your mindset and that you're missing something important."
"…what do you mean?"
Nova leveled her gaze with mine.
"Kiran. If you have a… team that relies on each other… that means that they help out when one of them is struggling, right?"
I took a moment to think about her question before nodding slowly.
"…yes?"
"Ok, then consider this; If you are struggling in some way, wouldn't it only make sense for you to ask for help from your team? It's like you said: If you're not doing well, they won't, so it would be better to address the issue together than for you to struggle alone. Right?"
Nova gave me a hopeful smile and my mind began working overtime as I considered her words. In a moment of horror, I began to realize that she may have been right. All the times that Luna had been there to pick me up when I was falling apart resurfaced and spilled forth wildly, calling into question everything I relied on.
She didn't hide her emotions, or shy away from confiding in me, did she? Does that mean I've been doing things wrong my entire life…?
I felt at a complete loss as I was reminded how comforting she had been; She was like the family I had lost, and I wished with all of my being that she was still here to give me advice now. With a gut-wrenching realization that Luna was both a ninja and the opposite of what I had been taught, I stared back at Nova, shaken, and felt the blood drain from my face. My entire understanding of what it meant to be a ninja shifted, if only slightly, and it called many of my actions into question.
Gods, what am I doing?! I can't just… talk to them, can I…!? Nova, Shimmer and Amber aren't ninja, or teammates, but… We train together, and in some sense we are partners, right…?
I stifled all of my thoughts with a shudder. I couldn't do this right now.
"I… I don't know. Maybe."
Nova stared intently at me before shrugging.
"Think about it. And in the meantime, you can tell me how you and Shimmer became friends."
The sudden change of topic startled me and I took a moment to orient myself to answer the question. When I did, I half chuckled and smiled softly to myself.
"Ah, well… You can thank Shimmer for that. She was persistent and wouldn't leave me alone until I promised to be her friend, despite how uninterested I was. I… wasn't as kind to her as I should have been, but… I'm… thankful she chose to do so. She's been nothing but kind and helpful to me and I'd like to be the same to her as well."
"So… she repeatedly asked until you caved?"
I shrugged.
"There's a bit more to it than that, which is a bit personal, but essentially, yes."
Nova dipped her head and smiled.
"Then I have a lot of respect for her. Dealing with you must have been rough, but I'm glad she stuck to her guns."
I sighed.
"No love for me then?"
Nova smirked.
"Not a chance."
I laughed and let go of my legs to lean back on my arms.
"Fair enough."
We both were quiet after that, content to stare out at the city and keep to our thoughts, but Nova eventually cleared her throat and got my attention just as my thoughts were starting to drift to heavier matters.
"Hey, before I forget… there's something I meant to tell you, but completely forgot about it until now."
I turned back around with a raised brow, and found Nova looking slightly nervous.
"What is it?"
She took a deep breath.
"I talked to my parents last night and if you'd like, you can come over for dinner at some point. If you'd like, that is, no pressure."
She paused and then quickly continued with a nervous smile.
"Shimmer, Phyl and Jolt are welcome to come as well, if they're free."
I didn't miss the fact that Amber was not on the list of people that were welcome, but I wasn't about to miss out on an opportunity like this.
Maybe next time, Amber. Hopefully you can learn to not hate Nova and Cynder so much.
"I'd love to do that. Let me talk with all of them and I'll let you know if they're interested even though I imagine that all of them will be."
"Great! It should be a lot of fun, and you'll be able to meet all of my family. There's quite a few of us, so hopefully you're not overwhelmed."
I snorted and shrugged.
"Sure, I look forward to it. Until then… Now that I've had some time to think about things, are we good for tomorrow? I promise I'll be in a good mindset then."
"Yep. We're good for tomorrow, as long as you're mentally there! Got it?"
"Got it."
With an unspoken agreement, we both turned back to the city and left each other to our own thoughts, content to sit together in silence. This continued until the sun began to drift under the horizon and the air cooled, making it so I had to leave. After a quick goodbye, I left and made my way home, leaving Nova and my thoughts behind for the time being so I could get some rest.
So, this chapter took a bit longer than normal because I ended up spending almost three weeks indulging in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. Great game, but it ended up being a massive time sink and I didn't write nearly as much as I should have because of it...
Anyways, thanks for reading and always, please leave a review!
Plague Doctor 2035 - You might be onto something! It might turn out that he is.
Lil B - I'm glad you love my cast of characters. I've spent a lot of time trying to develop and personalize each one of them, so to hear that each of them has had an impact makes me feel like I'm doing something right!
There's a lot coming, and as this part one begins to wrap up, it will set up some things for part two. Hopefully things will continue to spice up as we go along!