"So you saw Swire again. If Ch'en and Hoshiguma were there as well, I feel that would be a hell of a trio to be with." Mr. Apollo asked me.
"No, it was just Ms. Swire although she did tell me that she was originally going to come with a partner, but I can't remember their name sadly." I replied as I scramble my mind for it.
"Oh that's no good, you should always remember people and things names. After all the name of someone or something carries a lot of power to it, perhaps it could bring something unknown out of it." Mr. Apollo explained as he took a sucker out his pocket. "You of all people would know how much power a name has."
While Mr. Apollo's eyes looked as soft as ever, for some reason I feel as if he can see right through me. He is seeing aspects of me that I likely don't even know exist.
"Is that why you make sure to teach us the different meanings of words when you teach us magecraft?" I asked as I tilted my head.
"That's part of it, but the larger thing is that remembering the names of things proves they exist. For example if you weren't named Marth then how would people remember you?" He asked as he changed his sucker for another one, the speed at which goes through them makes me wonder how he always has another one ready.
"There is a simple reason as to why, I don't want anyone to be forgotten to time. Simply knowing their name is important. You might not have to in this case since if anyone knows Swire they likely are a bigwig in Lungmen." Mr. Apollo said. "But I talked for long enough, continue."
"Not much happened for many of the days, all I really did was follow Ms. Closure and Ms. Warfrain's instructions, but I did make a friend."
As if the god called him, Mr. Apollo quickly rose to his feet bumping into the table that was between us. He rose so fast even as someone has gotten used to his over the top actions startled me. He fell to his knees before hunching over.
"My god, they grow up so fast. I feel like it was only yesterday that I found you in Lungmen at death's door, now here you are making friends on your own. Next thing I know you have a boyfriend or girlfriend. I feel old again." He said as he gently pounded his fist on the floor, tears flowing down his cheeks.
I didn't know how to comfort him, Mr. Apollo has always been an emotional person. I remember someone even telling me how Mr. Apollo expresses so much emotion that he makes up for the both of us.
"Uh, uh. Mr. ApollotheresnoneedtoworryIt'sonlyafriendandnothingmore." I rushed out.
"Either way, I'm glad you are doing well. So who's this friend?".
As if what happened at the last minute didn't happen, Mr. Apollo was next to me with a calm, joyful expression. It was so sudden that it truly felt as if the world was turned on its head. I could only rub my head.
"Oh, well she is from Rhine Lab and she approached our group. She was very welcoming, she didn't really care that I was a Sarkaz as well. Alyssa was a great person to talk to." I explained.
"That's good, anything else? Perhaps that attack occurred during your stay?" Mr. Apollo asked.
My eyes widened when he asked. "How do you know? Did one of the others tell you already?" I asked
"Two reasons. Firstly, while Terra doesn't have international news that travels across the world with some tinkering, I managed to connect to the news of Columbia without giving them a dollar. The other was that stone of yours, the teal one." He said as he pointed at me.
"Then do you know who that child and person in the armor was, or what that snowy wasteland was?" I wanted to understand more about what happened.
"Oh, there was snow there? Interesting. Well sorry but I don't know nor will I answer any of your questions regarding that place nor the people you meant. I can't hand hold you forever can I?" Mr. Apollo said as a small smirk creeped on his face.
"That's evil of you." I responded.
"Trust me, learning these things on your own will only push yourself forward that much more. Just remember the power of names and their meaning." He said before walking towards his desk. "But I know that isn't the only thing that happened during that attack, perhaps it's because I've spent alot of time with you but I can tell that something is weighing on you."
My heart slightly cooled as he said those words, how did he know? I didn't wish to bring up what happened. Slowly but surely the familiar smell of flesh being burned black flowed into my nose.
"Marth, I'm not sure if I've said this to you but you aren't the most emotionally strong person in the world, and this is fine. Do you know who Perfumer is?" He asked.
"Sorry, I don't." I replied trying as I sniffed the sushi so the smell of burning flesh could leave me.
"She is an operator who is the head garden manager, so visiting one of her gardens is a good idea. It has a lot of pleasurable but overpowering smells." He said as he pulled out a simple flower out of seemingly nowhere. "I know you have fears, regrets and any other emotions."
I couldn't say anything in response but the weight that weighed on her heart lightened.
"You will begin class again in two days, be back here tomorrow so I can get you up to speed on what you missed."
"Understood Mr. Apollo." I rose from the couch and made my way to the door.
While I haven't been inside the garden, taking Mr. Apollo's advice would help to clear my mind. After all he hasn't been wrong before when it comes to personal health.
The Ark
Apollo
As I watched the young girl leave my office, I checked my hand and saw that crushing the cap didn't even leave a scratch on my hand. Kinda surprised Marth didn't point that out but she was likely too entrapped by the terrorist attack.
"The people who can look at the world's undesirables and care for them at a level that many deem unreasonable can lead to two things. One: A friendship or perhaps even a relationship that can push through anything, even the dark clutches of death. The other is betrayal that can leave a scar of unimaginable weight. " I said to myself as I looked over the notes I had on my desk.
All the notes on my table were lessons I planned to cover, frankly with how fast my students are understanding certain types of magecraft they could be considered prodigies in some circles. If I were to rank them in ability it would have to be Skyfire, due to her being a scientist she pursues any bit of information.
I finish writing some notes before I leave my office. I'm gonna leave Marth by herself for the day so she can fully rest. I made my way towards the deck so I could get some fresh air, after all I was cooped up in that room for days trying to get the office how I wanted. The walk didn't take too long as I quickly found myself getting hit by the open wind.
"Fresh air never tasted so good." I said I stretched my arms and legs.
I looked out into the vast wilderness as the overly big landship traveled the world, it looked like life on Earth. Rocks, Mountains, Trees and not of fantasy kind. I took a seat out the way of whatever is on the deck, pulled out a foldable table and chair. I took out a bowl of suckers that contained every color of the rainbow. I plunged my hand into the bowl and took a random flavor.
"Strawberry, not a bad start." I said as I unwrapped it and put it in my mouth.
The gentle breeze of the wind was nice to have, not too strong to blow things away but enough to feel it on the skin. The orange hue of the sun did give an atmosphere that I would kill for.
"I hope Ritsuka, Shinji, Mash and the others are doing well, I wonder if time is flowing the same here as it did there. I doubt I will ever find out, plus I doubt any of them at Chaldea would want to see me after everything that happened." I said to myself as I continued to enjoy the sucker.
Time passed as people and machinery of many kinds came and went, some of the engineers asked what I was doing out here. I simply responded with whatever came to my head, often saying something along the lines of 'Just existing'
"The day you are worried is the day the world is ending."
An all too familiar voice rang in my ears as the sound of footsteps got closer and closer.
"Good afternoon Kal'tsit, if we keep meeting up like this, people are going to talk." I said I tossed a sucker behind me, "So what can I do for you today, Kal'tsit?"
"I came here to talk to you, I wish to discuss your magecraft abilities." She said "If it's too much of inconvenience I would like to talk in your new office."
"I have no problem." I said as I packed up everything quickly and traveled to my office with Kal'tsit closely behind.
Once inside Kal'tsit took a seat in the same couche that Marth sat on. I took my seat across from here.
"Would you like something to drink? The oh famous coffee you down every time I see you?" I teased.
"I'm happy to see you understand that, then yes coffee will be greatly appreciated." Kal'tsit responded.
I placed my hand on the table, and within seconds a cup of coffee appeared on the table. Steam flowed from the cup as to show that it was freshly made
"I hope the taste is to your liking." I said as I popped another sucker.
Kal'tsit looked at the coffee, likely seeing if anything was wrong with it. While an attempt was made the surprise expression on her face never truly went away, it was assumed to see.
"How did you do it?" She asked as she grabbed the coffee and took a sip.
"Thought you never asked, firstly are you busy today since I'll have to leave the ground work and fully open up to you today." I said.
"So are you saying that you trust Rhodes Island?" She asked.
"Indeed, while I do maintain a friendly relationship with you all because I feel that is the right thing to do; I would like to trust you guys fully and for that to happen one of us has to move so I'll do that one." I replied as I popped another sucker.
"Then I will be blunt, who are you?" She asked her as strongly fixed on me.
"Apollo Kotemine." I said blankly.
"Is that all? Didn't you say this is where we come to trust each other?" She asked.
"Be more concise with your questions, with me it will makes things easier to understand from my experience." I replied.
"Then who were you before you came to Rhodes Island?" She asked.
"I was a mage working at Chaldea, I was assigned to Team A mainly due to my knowledge in magecraft along with being good with people." I said.
"What is Chaldea then?" Kal'tsit asked.
"An organization created to protect Humanity, the Human Order. Along with that I was a student of the Clock Tower for a few years." I explained.
"Where was Chaldea? Where was it founded?" Kal'tsit asked.
"Well I can't say where it is for various reasons that I hope you can understand; However I can say where it was founded although not officially." I answered as I felt a small smile spread across my face.
"Why the smile?" Kal'tsit said with her stern expression not leaving her face in the slightest.
"Because we are able to build this bridge of trust between us, so why wouldn't I be happy." I replied as I popped another sucker. "Chaldea was founded in my homeland of Japan."
"Then I ask Apollo, where is this Japan you speak of? By the way you describe it and my own observations it is very similar to Higashi yet whenever I ask any of our operators from there the name Japan was foreign to them, also add in the fact that on no map was there a nation called Japan. So where is this 'Japan' you speak of."
Her straight expression betrays the confusion that was in her voice .I could feel the smile on my face grow when she asked that question. I took the sucker out of my mouth and held it between my fingers as if it was a cigarette.
"There is a very simple answer to that Kal'tsit. The land of Japan along with so many other countries that I've visited exist, they are just aren't here." I replied calmly as if it was common knowledge.
Kal'tsit expression soon started to change, her eyes widened slightly, her mouth opened more as well. I spoke before she could.
"Japan is not of this world. Therefore I myself am not native to these lands."