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Warnings: Language.

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Flitting Dreams

Chapter 4

Lightning

"What do you mean that I couldn't join the guild? You promised!"

"What? I can't stand another minute with her!"

I felt a little bad when Laxus flinched away from both mine and Freed's yells. It had been two weeks and I had yet to be taken to the guild. I was getting bored and Freed was grating on my nerves—and vise versa. This dream might end soon and I hadn't managed to do anything remotely fun!

Laxus sighed. "Look... Lei seems fine, I don't see the rush to go to the guild."

I relaxed in my seat, sighing. "He's right. He's done so much for me, I don't feel like forcing him into doing anything he doesn't want to."

Freed stared at me in disbelief. "Hey, had he even told you that forcefully jolting your Eternano with lightning magic of all magic is dangerous? Your retinas might've been fried because of it! You said you could see before—ow!"

I sat there, stunned. Laxus didn't mention that part. "This isn't real, anyway, there's nothing wrong," I mumbled to myself, puzzling both boys. "What do you want me to do now?"

Laxus looked sorry. "Gramps said it might a few months before you show signs of weakening with a failed awakening. Can you wait that long?"

I nodded. "I've waited for two weeks, no harm waiting for a little longer, I assure you."

Freed grinned. "Bad news: you'll be alone. Good news: I'll be going to the guild instead!" He waved a letter in my face. He told me yesterday it was from his parents about a certain matter. "My parents finally gave in! I told them a friend will be looking after the house."

While it felt nice to be referred as a trustworthy friend to watch over the house, I admit I will feel lonely.

"Laxus, you promised you'll teach me lightning magic."

"I did," agreed the blonde boy, scratching the back of his head. "Lightning magic is fairly easy and dangerous since our body are good electric conductor. Let me see... I remember my own training. I was told to shatter pieces of metal with electricity produce from my own body."

Laxus shuffled about the house, looking for any expendable metal. I trailed after him, finding nothing else to do. "So, what's the point of that exercise?"

"In combat, you don't think your enemies will let you time to draw on your own magic?" Laxus snorted loudly. "You need to train, make your magic a secondhand thing—if you keep up your training, soon, you'll be able to summon lightning with just a snap of your fingers. I won't be here every moment..." Laxus seemed to be smiling comfortingly as he ruffled my hair, seeing my saddened expression. "Hey, I promise Freed and I will visit."

"Like how you promised me I'll be in the guild in one week?"

He winced and I knew I had hit a nerve. I smirked—just enough to let him know I was teasing.

"Anyway," Laxus huffed. "your stamina sucks. I suggest you run laps around the house to increase your stamina. Some fights last very long so stamina is important to mages—are you listening?"

I nodded. "Yes. Just..." I sighed. "I'm not too fond of physical exercises."

"Stamina. Is. Important."

"Okay, okay—I'll do it."

Laxus nodded—his blonde bob bobbing up and down. "When you think you can run five laps without resting, then start increasing the number of laps."

"Anything else?"

Laxus set spoons and forks on the table. "I'll buy more to replace these," he assured me. "and bring more scrap metals. Measure the time you took to shatter the metals, okay?"

I took the stopwatch, mildly impressed at how well prepared he was. "You weren't kidding when you said you're going to teach me magic."

"I don't break promises," said Laxus, grinning. "Unless of course, there's some difficult and terrible circumstances." He seemed to be looking pointedly at me.

I grinned. "I'll work hard," I promised. Just... not as hard as he'd be expecting and definitely not at a fast pace. I usually do things at a snail-pace unless it's something I'm very interested in.

"You must be able to summon lightning in... like, a few seconds before we move on to the next course, okay?" I nodded. I have a lot of time. Why not? "Well, bye."

I grabbed his sleeve. "What about food?"

"Can't you cook?"

"Grocery shopping, I can't even see where I'm going, I don't know where the market is, I have no money and I'm too young to be wandering around—"

Laxus laughed it off, ruffling my hair. "No worries. Freed and I will be visiting every week. We'll buy the necessities then."

I felt a little mortified—and a little guilty—that they were doing so much to help me; I'm practically a stranger and why did I feel such guilt if this was just a dream? I bobbed my head, flushing slightly as I reached out to hug him.

"Thank you."

"Hey, it's nothing. I got you in trouble in the first place after all..." he trailed off, deciding to shut up as we were reaching his guilty conscience. This was just a dream, I wanted to tell him, and that my eyesight wasn't his fault. This dream was just crappy in blessing me.

He crouched and returned my hug. "Good luck and good bye, see you later!"

I could hear his footsteps drawing further away. He hadn't even completely left yet and I was already feeling lonely. Freed left a few hours ago—he'd been so excited he didn't care he had to go alone. Freed was a shy boy, especially around people he didn't know.

I wonder how he'd confront a whole guild full of people without Laxus's confidence.

Well, I decided that it was his problem, I had my own problem to deal with. Such as the stubborn spoon that had yet to shatter no matter how much I concentrate and glare. Laxus warned me not to overdo it and if I feel exhausted and—or—hungry, I should just rest and discontinue that day's training.

He was still wary of my young age and my way to gain magic. Evidently, he didn't knew much about awakening Eternano within us other than some sort of emotional trigger or someone reaching out with magic to jolt it awake.

I plopped down on the comfy sofa, staring intently at the spoon on the wooden teatable. Laxus said it had taken him eight tries. Would it be impossible for me to take a lesser time?

I closed my eyes, imagining lightning.

I held up my finger, miming a gun, pointing at the spoon. Weak, greenish electricity sparked around my hands before dying uselessly.

I sighed. The trick I did in the inn was definitely because I had Laxus's Eternano reserves to help. I concentrated harder, sweat beading down my forehead from the concentration.

I heaved a huge sigh, glaring out at the bronze sky, then at the setting sun. Freed's house was positioned on a slope (there were many to be found in this village) and the view we got was impressive. For those who could see clearly of course. I would need spectacles—

I nearly facepalmed. Why didn't I tell Laxus that glasses would help?

I shook my head. He wasn't the only scatter brain around here.

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Question: Do you have any suggestion for an event to take place in the story? I need ideas as it didn't feel right to just use timeskip and get straight to the main story. I want ideas for character development. So... volunteers?

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