Usual stuff, Mana Khemia does not belong to me and be prepared for some or a lot grammar miss etc etc.
And Happy New Year!
"Just sit down for now. Breakfast will be ready real soon!"
That's how they obediently sit back in cafeteria with Uryu on Ulrika's lap and Whim standing behind Lily. It's hard to refuse that smile.
"Who is she?"
Raze ask. Most of them seems to know her and unfortunately, he's not included.
"Somehow it's not surprising that you don't know her."
Ulrika bluntly said.
"Raze-san never really interested in music after all."
Whim added.
"Sorry for being ignorant." Raze sarcastically apologize. "So, who is she?"
"That lady is a world-class famous singer, Nikki."
Goto kindly share his old-man wisdom.
"She was originally known as a local idol or something and refuse to professionally sing until several years ago. She suddenly stand up in the world of professional singer and making hits after hits. Nothing much known about her personal life beside she's already married. No one knows who's the lucky man."
Lily explains.
"Her song is mostly upbeat or mellow love song! Hey~ Tell me the things I want to know~! Hey~ Tell me the things you want to do~!"
Et sings one of Nikki's song. Much to Ena's annoyance.
"That's why it's a bit surprising that she also sing that kind of song."
Et continues.
"Stupid sis is a big fans of her."
Ena added clearly with an annoyed tone. He likes Nikki's song too but he hates it when his sister sing it without any tone.
"I'm happy to hear that."
Nikki got out from kitchen with a lot of food.
"Sorry to keep you waiting."
She start to put the food in table, Whim helped her. She also put another one for herself and sit in a vacant seat.
"Let's eat~"
And proceed to eat her own breakfast. Everyone else got swayed by her pace and start to eat too.
"I heard there's supposed to be 16 of you, but there's only 10 now. The rest is still asleep?"
Nikki ask them in the middle of meal.
"Ye-yes!"
Et suddenly become so nervous in front of her.
"Actually Yun is already up, but he's staying with Corona."
Raze added.
"I see."
"Nikki-san, are you an alchemist too?"
Lily ask.
"Yes, I am. Even though when it comes to making food, I'm better making it normally in kitchen rather with a cauldron."
They have to admit that her cooking is pretty good. But it's not that surprising as most alchemist still prefer cook the normal way, Ulrika included.
"Ah, I forgot to introduce myself."
Nikki put her spoon down and stand up from her seat.
"As you may already know, I'm Nikki, a singer. I never really speak this publicly, but my real name is Nicole Aurelius, an alchemist just like you already guess. I already heard about all of you from Anna. Nice to meet you."
Nikki put a grin as she introduce herself and sit on her seat again. Enjoying the curious gaze directed at her.
"Aurelius… as in THAT Aurelius…?"
Lily ask, pretty seriously.
"Yes, THAT Aurelius."
Nikki smiling widely, completely enjoying Lily's reaction. Lily raise her hand to her mouth and shout.
"WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATTT!?"
"Milady, what's wrong?"
Whim worriedly ask.
"Yeah, I thought lady from some bigshot family is not supposed shout like that."
Ulrika added. She doesn't has any ill means. It's just old habit die hard.
"It's THAT Aurelius, you know!? THAT Aurelius!"
Lily tried to give them a hint.
"What Aurelius?"
Which completely went passed Et head.
"THEOPHRASTUS AURELIUS!"
Lily shout again. This time with a slam to the poor table. And yet, only Ena registered the fact and dropped his spoon.
"Seriously?"
Ena ask Nikki, who smile even brighter.
"Seriously."
Yes, she's really enjoying this. A certain someone is sure a bad influence for her.
"Who's Theophrastus?"
Et whisper to Goto.
"A legendary alchemist. He is said to be the greatest one in history."
Goto simply explain with a normal voice, so everyone else can hear him too.
"I do hear he has a son…"
Lily start to mumble to herself again. This time, a bit too loud.
"That would be my husband."
Nikki dreamily said.
"I'm such a sinful woman to finally make that blockhead pure guy to accept my love."
Yet her tone show no remorse at all. If worse, she seems to be trapped in her own dream world like some teenage girl talking about her crush.
"That's… unexpected."
Raze said.
"I don't really understand, but that sounds so awesome!"
Yeah, it's Et.
"Right~? Really, that guy is sure a shy one. And dense too. Even though I made lunch for him and even hold his hand he still didn't really make a comment about my feelings for him. But he's really dependable, you know? Not to mention, he's quite a looker too. And then, you know…"
Nikki start to ramble about her love live. Et and Lily listened intently while the rest mostly sweatdropped (or sigh in Chloe's case). The other simply hear it with a questionable passion.
"Nikki, it's not the time for that!"
The only and only one Vice Principal speak from Nikki's back. No one know when he get there.
"VICE PRINCIPAL!" "FLAY-SENSEI!"
So, of course they would fly from their seat.
"Ah, Flaya. Welcome back. Here's your breakfast."
Nikki calmly hand him a boxed meal. Which he accept… normally. And they do notice the nickname which is pretty shocking that someone dare to call that man with such cute nickname.
"Humu."
Flay give her a confirmation and put the box somewhere… in his coat. Better not ask where or how.
"Finally get away from Anna?"
"Of course. But knowing that woman, she will show herself here in no time. So I'll just make this quick. I got no time to personally explain, so go meet Vayne and ask him yourself. He can tell you a lot of thing, especially for Raze and Urli… something."
Flay still has not make an attempt to remember each of their name. Even if Anna and Nikki already did.
"It's Ulrika!"
"For now, just listen the intro from Nikki. That's all."
Flay ignored Ulrika's protest and proceed with his instruction.
"Why did you not put that in their invitation?"
Nikki stands up and cleaned up her already finished breakfast.
"It's too troublesome to write all of it. And it's more interesting like that."
"... I hope Anna catch you soon."
"Not a chance. Farewell!"
Flay disappear to nowhere as usual. Nikki sigh at his usual randomness.
"Oh well, I'm about to go to see Vayne anyway. Let's clean the dish and get over with this."
As they tidying away the dish, a tear formed in… air. A tear in a place without anything on it. Anna step out from the said tear with a mass of killing intent. She saw Nikki and her killing intent disappear in an instant.
"Ah. Good morning, Nikki-senpai. Did you see Flay-senpai anywhere?"
Anna calmly say without sheathing her katana.
"Flaya just went somewhere after getting his breakfast. And this is yours."
Nike give Anna her boxed breakfast.
"Thank you very much, Nikki-senpai. Ah. Everyone too, good morning. I'm sorry, but I'm quite busy now. Please excuse me."
Anna hold her box in her left hand and swing her katana with her right hand. Another tear formed in the air and she disappeared into it.
"… Oi, oi. She just appeared out of nowhere and disappeared to nowhere."
Ena state out of confusion.
"Just like Flay-sensei!"
Et exclaimed.
"Nikki-san, can you do it too?"
Ulrika ask Nikki.
"No way I can do that kind of inhumane skill out of nowhere!"
She lift the dish and walk towards kitchen while laughing. It brings a strange relieve to the younger gang.
"Ah, maybe if it's in jungle…"
Nikki faintly wonder as she disappear into kitchen.
"She can?"
Ena turn his head towards Raze.
"I think it's better not to ask."
Not too long after, Nikki and Whim, who went to help her, come out from kitchen.
"Okay then, we'll go quite far so it's better to prepare yourself. Or maybe I should prepare myself."
Nikki weakly looking at her own dress.
"Ah. Now I think about it, what about those who still sleep?"
Nikki suddenly brings up. Chloe silently raise her hand up.
"I'll stay. I'm not really fond of walking far."
"Okay I'll go prepare then. Get your weapon and wait for me at the gate, 'kay? I won't take long… I think."
… 30 minutes later in front of gate, Nikki is still missing.
"I wonder what's taking her so long…"
Ulrika wonder.
"Not to be rude or anything, but can she fight properly? She looks pretty delicate."
Raze said with a worried face.
"To be fair, Anna-san doesn't look that strong too."
Ulrika point back.
"But she has a strong warrior-like aura that make you know not to mess with her. But Nicole-san is more like…"
Raze close his eyes and think hard how to describe how he feels about Nikki.
"Like a mom."
Ena add.
"Yes, that is. I wonder if she will be okay…"
Raze confirm.
"She was a student here too. She should be able to defend herself at least."
Lily said. Whim look surprised and thoughtlessly speak.
"But mila…"
Which gain her a glare from Lily.
"Nevermind."
"But I wonder how she fight… Will she use bow and arrow? Or knives? Ah, but sword is cool too. Just like Anna-san!"
Et dreamily wonder.
"Well, well, young lady. Bow is sure nice and elegant but I think sword and knife is out of idea."
Goto pat Et's leg (because his "pegasus" body is not tall enough).
"Or maybe she will use some heavy weapon. Cute, elegant, and strong. Just like me!"
Peperon start of with his usual (self-proclaimed) cute tone and suddenly switch into a manly voice just at the "strong" part.
"No way"
Everyone seems to think the same thing as they make a rebuke on Peperon's absurdness.
"Sorry to keep you waiting!"
Nikki's voice echoed among the light sound of her footstep. The group turn their head toward her and just stare.
Nikki's long hair is tied into a high ponytail which sway as she move. Her dress is discarded in favor of more comfortable clothes. The upper garment is made of light white fabric which ruffled around her chest area and held with baby blue strings that went over her shoulders. The long sleeve connected to the body part just under her armpit, leaving her shoulder open with frills at the top part. Contrasting to her quite feminine upper, her lower garment consist of short dark blue jeans and waist bag along with a few more pockets. On her left thigh also strapped a belt which hold another pocket. And she wears a dark thick brown fingerless glove on both hand.
But that's not the most surprising thing. The surprising thing is one, she does not wears any footwear which explains why her footstep sounds so light. And two, that big sturdy hammer that looks like can knock a dragon away in one hit along with the fact that she casually carries it only with one hand.
If the previous Nikki feels like a delicate young noble woman with mother-like quality, this Nikki feels more like a veteran mercenary which can knock you out in matter of seconds. Not to mention that long sleeve seems to be suspicious.
Yes, it seems Peperon is the winner in "Guess what Nikki's weapon is" game.
"Told ya."
Peperon smugly said.
"Sorry to keep you waiting. I didn't expect to meet a fans of mine here, you see. I don't want to break the dream yet, so I tried to appear as 'Nikki-like' as I can but then I realized that I only bring this kind of clothes and hammer with me. I do consider going with my stage dress and just bring some explosives with me but I don't want to be a burden, so yeah… Sorry to disappoint you."
Nikki explains in panic and hung her head low as she ends her excuse with apology. She also put down her hammer gently, which still made a quite terrifying dull thud sound. It seems the hammer is as heavy as it looks.
"No, no! It's just… well..."
Ulrika wave both her hand in air as she try to cheer Nikki up.
"It's just… unexpected."
Lily continued. Trying to put a nice word so she will feel better.
"Yes, unexpected right? The elegant looking songstress who fawned by many is actually a stupidly strong idiothair woman. Of course anyone will be disappointed."
It seems anything that the group said will have an opposite effect on her and so they think really hard to find the right word for her. But yes, Et still doesn't care about that kind of difficult things.
"But I think you're so cool! You're not only beautiful and have a great singing voice, but also can cook and bash out enemies! I respect you even more now!"
Et enthusiastically said. Nikki's ears twitch a little as she lift her head slightly
"Really?"
Her sad eyes meet with Et's gleaming eyes.
"Really!"
Nikki wipe out a little tear that come out from her eyes and put a smile even though it still feels a little sad.
"Thank you."
Nikki pat Et's head. Raze feels it's the good time to interfere before the mood become worse again.
"By the way, Nicole-san. Where are we going?"
Nikki shift her hammer. Looks like she's already cheered up by Et's genuine adoration.
"Nikki is fine. Everyone call me that anyway. And we're going to the deepest part of Mana Ruins. I think it's called Deep Ruins now. We're going to meet up with Vayne there."
Nikki wave a quite big bag she's holding. No one notice it before because of her hammer.
"By the way, who is Vayne?"
Ena ask.
"My husband."
Nikki lightly answer.
"Eh…? Your husband as in Theophrastus' son? We're going to meet him?"
Ulrika suddenly excited by the thought of meeting the legendary alchemist's song.
"Yep. It will be quite a long journey, so I'll explain on the way. We need to decide the route first."
To reach Deep Ruins, they choose a long way from crossing Learning Bridge and head west along the shore towards Cruise Ship of Time. After crossing the strait, they need to pass Dragon Graveyard and walk towards Millennium Forest, then head north from there. They also considering on climbing the cliff in the back of academy towards Old Quarry and head straight to Millennium Forest from there, but it seems some people not really fond of it.
They spend the whole journey crossing Learning Bridge on getting to know more of each other and closing the gap between Ulrika and Raze's group… at least between the one who present. Nikki also told them more about herself. How she enrolled to Al-Revis and meeting her friends. Of course, while fighting monster along the way.
"And then when I introduce Vayne to my mom and grandma, they were very pleased. Not only he's the son of a damn famous alchemist, he also can hunt a dragon by himself unlike my dad. So they immediately give us blessing."
Nikki laugh as she speak.
"But then after our first twins, Vayne went out for a journey because of his job. He do come back once in awhile. We make kids when he's home, so he stay for a few months to look for our kids before departing again."
Ulrika and Lily blush madly at the "make kids" statement.
"Sometimes mom and grandma got angry and told me to go fetch him because he's running away like dad and grandpa. I told them that it's his job as a doctor to save people's life and it's not his fault that epidemic seems to strike from time to time, but they won't listen. Vayne is not a weakling like dad and grandpa after all. When I said I'm going to be a professional singer, they told me to bring home more husbands. Of course I refused. I already understand that I only need one after all. And I'm not singing to tempt over mens anyway."
Nikki huffed. She already not caring about her image as a famous singer and continue to complaint.
"That reminds me, why do you become a singer? I hear you refused to be one before."
Lily curiously ask. Nikki smash another monster that coming their way. She put her hammer down and swept her sweat.
"I need money, you see. A lot of it. And even though I'm an alchemist, I'm not a very good one. So I think singing is the only way for me."
"Is the life of doctor's family that hard? He helped a lot of people right?"
Ulrika ask.
"No! I mean, yes he does not always takes money from his patient. He and I gathered the herbs he used for his medicines ourself so it's not a big problem. Everyone also really thankful of him and send us a lot of food and many other things all year long. We also hunt for our own meat anyway, so we never really need money in the first place."
"Then, why do you suddenly need money?"
Raze ask. Nikki stop her feet and sadly looking at the rough direction of academy.
"That academy… Al-Revis need a lot of money, right?"
Everyone taken aback by the sudden sadness in Nikki's voice. Nikki start to walk again and they silently follow her.
"Vayne was the one who first to notice the decrease of mana energy and alerted the council. At first they shrug it off as natural phenomenon, but it keep getting worse. Finally they lent an ears to him and start to plan a countermeasure. Thanks to him the casualties can be pushed to minimal amount. But it's not a lie that some students and faculty staff lost their live when the academy fall. Thanks to that, public opinion of us, alchemists, become even more worse. It's not even good to begin with. We and the the council decides that it's just a matter of time until the academy we cherish so much disappear. So we start to plan a long term restoration project to return Al-Revis to its former glory. To execute it, we need a lot of resources. That's why I start to gather a mass amount of cash since we can't rely on sponsor when we already expect them to drop out one after another."
Nikki suddenly fasten her pace.
"But that useless principal start to do unnecessary things. I understand about opening the school for public and charge the student with school fee so the academy can survive. But to shorten the learning period from 3 years to a year is a bad joke. A year barely cover anything important! And more than that, he even dared to rely on that woman. Thanks to her we're in a really tight schedule now. It's a good thing that he fell for our plan to take Flaya in, so we can put a halt on that woman's wicked plan."
Nikki keep stomped angrily.
"That woman?"
Et curiously wonder.
"I think she meant Board Director Marta."
Lily guess, since she's the one among them who understand the most about that side of academy.
"Yes, that woman! To be honest we only drive her out for a while now. There's no doubt that she will come back and try to stop our plan. We still need to deal with her when the time comes."
Nikki bit her nail. Frustration completely written in her once so carefree face.
"I see why that man call for me who is not a student nor an alchemist to come."
Goto raise his hand in confidence.
"Oh yeah, Goto can talk Board Director out of it!"
Ulrika excitedly state.
"What does it means?"
Nikki ask in confusion, her sticking out hair cutely form a question mark. It seems her anger already disappeared mostly.
"That lady already fall for Goto's charm. She will do anything he ask her to do."
Peperon softly whisper to Nikki.
"I don't think I can change her mind completely, but I believe I can buy some time until everything already too late for her."
"Really?"
Nikki expectantly ask
"Really."
Goto assure her. Nikki suddenly jump to Goto and lift him.
"Thank you!"
She keep him in air and start to spin around while repeating "Thank you" for countless time. After a minute or so she stop and put Goto down and apologize to him for being too excited.
"But with this our victory is pretty much decided! We cannot be failed after all!"
Nikki shout with a renewed energy and hope as she laugh in happiness and relieve.
"Well, I think I can't blame Vice Principal for telling us to come within that reckless time."
Ena sigh as he complains with a slight smile on his face.
"Well, no? I don't think Marta will be back until next week and the actual gathering time start in 2 weeks from now until a week after. That means the plan will be executed in 3 weeks according to the schedule. Even with counting Goto here, I don't see the reason why all of need to come this early. As for me, I'm just happy to have a company."
Nikki shrug while she explains. Raze only sigh because he already used to that teacher's recklessness. Et never really mind about it, it's fun anyway and she got to meet Nikki earlier. The rest only can hope that Anna will catch him soon.
"By the way, Nikki-san. You mentioned about the plan and getting Al-Revis to its former glory. What exactly the plan is and why are we here?"
Lily ask.
"Damn I forgot to explain again. Well you see, our plan is…"
Nikki lightly knock her head while keep walking. She was about to answer, but suddenly put his hand in front of her and interrupt.
"Stop. Look at that."
Raze gesturing towards the entrance to the Cruise Ship of Time. A lot of monster wandering in the way leading to ship.
"Is this the only way?"
Nikki ask.
"No, but it's easier to get rid of them than going back to take another path."
Raze explains.
"But it's almost night already. That means get ready for a rough fight, right?"
"Uuu!"
Ulrika raise her orb. Uryu also take a fighting pose beside her.
"No, you guys stay here. I'll take care of them."
Nikki lift her hammer and run ahead.
"Wait, Ni…"
Lily tried to call her back, but she already far ahead. She jump from rock to rock, to above the tree and even higher. She put a lot of power on her final leap and hover above the monsters.
"DOUR!"
A mana clad in green appears holding a large seed. He throw the seed in Nikki's direction and disappear again. Nikki swing her hammer and slam the seed flying to ground like a cannon, causing a small tremor to the surrounding area and a large crack. A green light appeared from inside the crack and a lot of plants start to going around wildly stabbing and entangling anything in their way. The plants gather the surviving monster below Nikki, who still high in the air. Nikki throw her hammer upwards and dive towards the monsters as she retract her fist in preparation on her one final attack. When her fist slammed into the monsters, the plants explodes into a bright green light along with the monsters.
Nikki lands on her feet with a little spin as she catch her hammer that comes falling after her.
"Green Calamity"
The move Nikki just executed is brutal. Really brutal. It eradicates everything in her way. But the destruction still can produce a beautiful breathtaking scenery worth to be called a piece of art. It makes them wonder how can such brutality looks so beautiful, as if reflecting both side of the woman called "Nikki", the one who wield a hammer to slam anything in her way and the one who steal a lot of heart with her singing.
The younger gang quickly snapped out of their admiration and rush towards Nikki.
"Nikki-san!"
Nikki turn her body around. Hair swaying behind her head.
"You guys ask how we will restore the academy to its former glory, right? It's simple."
She lightly hold the handle of her hammer with her right hand. Her hair sway with the wind as green light adorned her determined face. She raise her other hand and point towards the twilight sky.
"We'll fly Al-Revis back into the sky!"
A/N The thing with Nikki's family is mostly canon. It was explained in Drama CD that she lives with her mom and grandma. Her father run away quite often because her mom (and grandma) keep messing up with him. It was said he run away 5 times in a year and even worse before Nikki was born. Her grandma doesn't like her father who she label as weakling, and her mom doesn't like her grandpa too. Nikki herself is quite close with both her dad and grandpa. It's also said that her father can't even hunt a rabbit and unable to cook as he always faint when seeing blood, but eventually able to outrun her mom.
See you next time whenever it will be.