Chapter 3: The Realization
I just love this story. Oh well.
Just saying: There's going to be some more romance!
Scorpius: I edited the first chapter before, so if the answers to your questions weren't there before, it's there now. Thanks for reviewing again and all your advice! It helps a lot! :D And do you think if it's ok to use romaji for spells? Like magic spells are usually random words and such… You're not supposed to know what they mean so…?
19jg01: Thank you for the review! Here's the next chapter and I hope you keep on reading! It really boosts my spirit when you say that. Thank you so much! :3
Oh yes… I'm sorry about the conditions of the warlock contract beforehand. . I know it's cliché! Blah blah blah. I just wanted it to be a little difficult so the witches won't take the Contract so easily. It's serious business. Ok? Ok. I'm sorry if you don't like the terms.
On that note, let's begin chapter 3! And we're starting with dear Len this time!
…
"Rin?" Len asked as he sparred with Rei in the backyard. Which was huge. People around them were all sparring under Miku's strict gaze. Rin stood near Rei and Len, watching them
"Yes?"
"If you have the teleportation spell, why haven't we teleported back to the east?"
Rin blinked. "Well, you guys are humans. You can't teleport. And we can't. To make it "fun", Queen Rilliane's spell banned all Rank A and B spells. Including Teleportation. The only exception are our abilities. Why do you think Miku-sama is so intent on trying to make us find out what our abilities are?"
"Could teleportation be an ability?" Len asked, blocking Rei's sword. They were using actual swords that Miku had conjured. Luckily, most of the men that Miku chose for the Draft had a decent skill in some type of fighting. Since Len had been involved in kendo, he picked up swordfighting quite fast.
"No." Rin sighed. "Teleportation is a Rank A spell that anyone could learn. Spells like that can't be an ability."
"But Gumi's ability is making plants grow! Can't anyone do that?"
"The spells that everyone can learn are usually practical spells. Gumi's ability isn't."
"Oh." Len was distracted for a moment. Suddenly he realized that Rei's sword was swinging towards him "!" He couldn't react quickly enough to block, but he managed to dodge.
"Good comeback." Rei praised. Then his smile turned mischievous. "Isn't Rin so distracting?"
Both blondes blushed. Ever since last week and the incident with the Osore Falcon, Rin and Len had grown closer. "Shut up!" They yelled simultaneously.
"Oh?" Neru snuck over, slinging an arm around Rin's shoulders. "Is Rinny in a relationship now?"
"I-I-Wh-N-NO!" Rin stammered, flustered. "What about you and Rei?!"
Neru hopped over to Rei, kissing him on the cheek. "It doesn't affect us. We're almost halfway to the turn already." Neru smiled.
Rei smirked, wrapping an arm around her.
"Ew." Rin muttered, turning away.
"I couldn't agree more." Len replied.
"They certainly move fast." Rin realized what she said. "Not that way!"
"Ok ok." Len snickered. "But I wouldn't be surprised."
"Mou, Len!" Rin then glanced around. "Is Miku looking?"
"No." He copied her movements.
"Alright! Let's go!" They quickly left the two lovebirds to their kissing, sneaking away.
"They are so ugh, you know?" Len laughed, skirting a rock that rolled itself in his way. After a week, he had gotten used to the life in Magia.
After their first conversation, just talking casually, opening up a little about themselves, they both had felt a small spark. They had gotten along quite well, as well as how Rin got along with her best friend, Neru. There was just something about Rin that made Len comfortable with her, something about her cute blush that appeared sometimes when he was around her endearing.
"Right?" Rin agreed, giggling her little musical laugh. He felt drawn by her laughter, happy that he could hear such an innocent sound in these dire times.
They had three weeks. Before they were left to die in the wilderness.
…
Rin stole little glances at Len as they walked around. His golden hair reflected the sunlight, his eyes the color of the sea. Though he looked similar to her, she couldn't help but admire his easy personality. He was just so approachable! The light pink on her cheeks just wouldn't go away when she was around him sometimes. She denied it, but she was definitely feeling something and deep inside she hoped that he felt the same.
A ripple of movement caused Rin to glance at the entrance. Luka was there, along with Luo Tianyi, a witch who was the one who actually received the ability of speed. They held fruit baskets in either hand. There had been a patch of fruit trees a little past the gates. Since Luo and Luka were fast enough to not get caught, the Goddess of Time and the Witch of Speed had been sent to retrieve food. Sometimes, Miku went, using wind to blow away the predators. However, some were stubborn. And Miku was their key leader. So now though she was strong, the members of the Draft refused to let Miku collect fruit.
Rin clenched her fists. She hated being so helpless! Just training and waiting for food. Why couldn't she be useful.
"Hey." She heard Len's soft voice pull her out of her thoughts. She faced him and he gave a small smile. "I know how it feels. But just think about it. The harder we train, the sooner we'll be able to help, right?"
She smiled.
…
Rin was woken in the middle of the night. She didn't know what at first. A bright shine illuminated her room. She glanced to Neru's bed and almost fell in shock.
It was Neru's squeal that had awoken her. Neru was sitting up in her bed, a small charge of electricity dancing on her fingertips. She was positively beaming.
"N-neru?" Rin gaped.
Neru glanced over at her, a huge smile illuminating her face. "Rin! Look! And I thought that I was abilityless!" Her squeal deafened Rin's eardrums.
"Kami-sama." Rin breathed. "You're a Lightning Witch." She felt a pang of jealousy watching Neru's electricity dance. "That's quite a rare ability."
"I know!" Neru's grin wouldn't leave her face. She let the lightning die. "It's small though, since I haven't trained. But Rin! This means that Rei is my true love!" A dreamy look passed over her face.
Rin couldn't stand looking at her friend anymore. She had the perfect warlock and a great ability. And she wasn't a hybrid. She was just perfect. "Congratulations, Neru." Rin murmured, lying back down and snuggling beneath the covers.
"Rin? Rin!" When Rin didn't respond, Neru assumed that she had gone to sleep. Rin heard Neru lie down and eventually fall asleep.
She quietly tip toed her way out of the house. The cool air outside soothed her. She could hear falcons cawing in the distance. Is my like for Len not strong enough? Oh. Kami. I like him. She shook her head. But he doesn't think of me as anything more than a friend. Why would he like me anyway? She scoffed. An abilityless hybrid.
"Rin?" Speak of the devil.
"O-oh hi Len." She smiled, a bit caught off guard.
"Why are you out here at a time like this?" He asked softly, standing besides her.
"I should ask you the same." She murmured.
"I couldn't sleep." He replied easily. "You?"
"Same." She decided to tell him. "Neru got her ability."
"Oh really? Tell her 'congratulations' from me."
"Yeah, she's a Lightning Witch."
"Oh." It seemed that he could sense that she wasn't happy about it. "What's wrong?"
"What if I'm abilityless, Len?" She spilt her doubts. "What if I don't have a warlock out there for me?"
…
As the beautiful little witch in front of him asked her doubts, he felt a pang in his heart. Does she really think that? Of course, she wouldn't know about how I feel. She probably doesn't feel the same.
"It's alright, Rin." He replied, couldn't helping the trace of hurt that laced his comforting tone. "You need to stop being so pessimistic." He tried to lighten the mood. "This isn't you. Where's the carefree girl that I first met?"
She was quiet for a moment before her head slowly started to nod. "You're right. I've been nothing like myself since the Draft started. Thanks, Len."
She smiled gently at him. He felt a light pressure on his cheek before she skipped away.
He brought his hand up to his cheek. Did she-? He stared after her lithe form. Oh no. I'm in love with a witch.
…
(A/N: Yeah… Sorry for the short Len part. I think their relationship is moving a bit fast, but whatever. Continue! Sorry about this! We also finally have a part that's not Rin or Len! Le gasp!)
"Come on, Neru!" Rin sang. Neru found it creepy. Rin has never been this carefree since the Draft started.
"Where are we going?" Neru whined as Rin dragged her through the hallways. She wasn't going to question Rin's behavior, after all she finally had her friend back.
"To see Rei, of course. We need to tell him that you and him are officially fated and that you should turn him right now~!" She sang.
"U-uh, Rin. How do you do the Contract?" Neru asked. She had always wondered.
Rin came to an abrupt halt. "I don't know." She said slowly. Suddenly, she changed directions. "We're going to ask Miku~!"
Ok, this was seriously getting creepy. "Rin, what happened to you last night?"
To Neru's great surprise, Rin blushed. She came to another halt. "A-ano-"
Neru squealed. I knew something happened! "What happened?! Who?! Where-"
"N-no, no! Someone just told me not to be so pessimistic, that's all!" Rin waved her hands wildly. Neru could see her trying to fight the blush.
She giggled. "You are telling me what you did!"
Rin shifted uncomfortably. "N-neru-"
"Neru!" A voice interrupted her. She spun around, annoyed, until she spotted who it was.
"Don't think you're off the hook, Rin." Neru hissed quickly, before turning back to the owner of the voice. "Hey, Rei!"
"How are you?" He pecked her on the lips.
She giggled. "Guess what?"
"What?"
"I'm the Lightning Witch!" She pumped her fist in the air.
"Really? That's awesome!" He looked excited. "Can you show me?"
She nodded. Opening her hand, she let electricity dance across the palm of her hand.
"Amazing." Rei breathed, enraptured by the display. When she let it die down, he smirked. "So am I going to become a warlock now?"
"Yeah about that…" She sighed. "I don't know how to do the Warlock Contract."
He looked surprised. "You don't?"
She smacked his arm. "Of course I don't! I've never done it before!"
"Neru!" She spun around once again, spotting Rin run up the stairs. Her face was terrified. The princess ascended the stairs behind her, looking sheepish and slightly grim.
"Uh. What happened?" She asked.
"W-well." Rin glanced at the princess, who nodded. She ran to Neru's ear, and whispered something that Neru was not expecting to hear. "Are you serious?!" Neru's face was immediately terrified. "That's the only way to make a contract?!" Rin nodded. "No! I'm not making a contract anytime soon then. I don't think that I could bear it yet!"
"That's good to know." Rin and the princess muttered.
Miku spoke. "I only want people to do it when they're completely ready.
"What?" Rei asked. "Why?"
Neru sighed. "You don't want to know."
…
Rin couldn't believe her ears. How was it fair that the only way to make a contract was that? Since the humans didn't have magic in their bodies, witches were forced to make lip contact with them for an hour or so. So literally, a make-out session. That wouldn't be so bad. But the magic was in their blood. They were supposed to use the special spell to bring some magic out of their blood. But that spell felt like torture, not to mention it was forbidden except for emergencies and the contract. It was one of the most painful attacks ever and they had to use it on themselves.
It seemed like one of the most torturous contracts ever. Contracts with magic creatures were so much easier. Exchange blood with a magic creature, chant a spell, and they would be bound to you.
Not to mention that the magic removal spell was a forbidden spell. Rin guessed that this was one of the only times it was allowed to be used.
"Rin!" Miku was calling to her. She glanced up as Miku smiled sheepishly. "I know it's a lot to take in, but I think you know who you're going to turn, right?" Rin blushed. "Yep. Anyway, it's time for training." The Wind Princess held out her hand. "Come on!"
…
"Why do you have to practice on me?" Len groaned as Rin shot spells at him.
Rin smirked. "Too bad." She used a conjuring spell. A rapier materialized in her hands. "Here. This is more in your comfort zone, right?"
Len sighed as Rin tried to stifle her giggles. "Alright." He straightened the metal sword in his grip. "Come."
She lunged, trying to stab him, using defensive spells to protect herself. He kept up, blocking and slicing with his sword.
After a while, they had gathered quite a crowd. It was quite interesting to watch a boy without magic fight on par with a girl with magic. Most people had just been practicing spells, not dueling.
Rin spun away from a slice coming towards her. Len moved fast, however, and one came bearing down on her head. She held her hand up, casting a shield. This gave Rin time to react. She let out a flurry of stabs. Len was really fast though. He dodged the attacks with the slightest movement in his body.
After a couple more minutes, Len gave up. "You win." He panted, falling to the ground. "I can't keep up."
"You did great, though!" Rin protested. "And you don't even have magic!" She helped him up.
He smiled ruefully, "I guess that's true."
Some of the men crowded around him, congratulating him. Most of them were surprised. Len didn't look like much of a fighter. But they knew that he would be good to have on their side.
Rin smiled happily. Suddenly, she felt a tingling feeling rush through her. It stopped at her fingertips, where green sparks flickered in and out of existence.
She stared at them, before glancing up. Was this all Len's doing?
Her smiled grew. Maybe they had a larger connection than what she had once thought.
…
Done! This is a slightly shorter chapter. I mean, it's not short (In my standards) but shorter than the other ones.
So… I have this one written. The earliest the next one would be posted is Sunday and most likely later. Setting changes are annoying… So enjoy this chapter for now! (P.S. I actually had this one written a couple days ago, but I wanted to see if I should edit anything. I didn't really like this chapter very much… Felt like a bunch of fluff.)
Do you guys think that it's reasonable for them to feel such a connection after just one week?
What do the green sparks mean?
Anyway~ They're both in denial~!
Rin and Len: Hana-chan!
Me: Uh…
Rin: *SQUEAK* Hana-chan! *blushes madly* What are you making me do?!
Len: *Tries to peek at laptop around Rin* What is she doing? What?!
Rin and Me: *covers screen* Uh… Len-kun, there is no need for you to know.
Me: Honestly.
Rin: Truly.
Len: Hmph. Fine.
Me: Eh he he.
Rin: Hana-chan~
Me: *gulps*
Rin: PREPARE TO SUFFOCATE TO DEATH BY AN ORANGE!
Me: Crap. *speaks to readers* See you soon, guys~! If I survive- AAAHHH!
Rin: *laughs maniacally*
Me: BYE!
Len: *sweat drops* Read and Review?
~Hana