Episode 18: Unlocking powers

The theory part of the lecture had concluded, it was time for some practical moves. The goal was simple; to make the opponent touch the floor with something other than their feet or hands. the instructors assigned pairs, and before she realized, Sidra ended up with Taro

Taro: (come to think of it, I’ve never seen Sidra use her mana for other than healing. I wonder how strong she is)

Sidra was distracted, like her body was there, but not her mind

instructor: you may commence when you’re ready, try to go for 2 to 3 bouts

Taro: Sidra, I, ready, you?

Sidra: huh?, oh, yeah, let’s do it

Taro activated his mana expecting great resistance, instead he quickly dominated Sidra to the ground, falling along with her because he leaned in expecting resistance

Taro: ah! sorry, I go, too hard? (weird, it felt like she didn’t activate her mana)

Sidra stared at Taro’s concerned face for a second while memories of her past resurfaced, memories of her wrestling kids down when she was a kid. Meanwhile Taro noticed how close their faces were

Sidra: (don’t look at me with that concerned look, I’m probably stronger than you) goddess gracious, I might have forgotten to activate my mana, don’t worry, I’m ok

Taro: (she’s… pretty. Is this another accidental ecchi moment?! get it together Taro!, this is not the time)

Taro helped Sidra get up, and they prepared for the second bout, for which Taro turned off his mana before they started grappling again

Sidra: (is he going easy on me because he thinks I’m some weak priestess or because he thinks he can beat me without enhancing himself?, I guess I have to teach him a lesson)

Sidra activated her mana, quickly overpowering Taro

Taro: woah!, Sidra, very tough!

Sidra: (why did I do that? People don't appreciate being defeated like that, especially boys, I acted on impulse just like I used to, if this continues, then he might start hating me) I'm so sorry, I might have overdone it, are you hurt?, I didn’t mean to

Taro: nono, that, good, very tough, I uhh, I like

What Taro said surprised her, instead of being upset and making excuses or taunting her, he seemed to enjoy it

Sidra: (Taro, you always manage to shake my composure, how do you do this?, it’s dangerous to be around you, for the proper priestess I must be)

*--------------------------

she remembered how Taro made her laugh with the cape and hat he made by himself after learning how to sew. to her, he looked like one of the funny historical drawings in books

she also remembered when she would find him making weird noises with his arm extended, a sight funny enough to see she would rather walk around for a bit before returning without risking being seen chuckling

Another way in which Taro was “dangerous” was when he was sleeping and Sidra went to check or apply scheduled healing. His sleeping face was, for some reason, mesmerizing. Sidra had to look away while casting her healing

—------------------------*

The third bout had started, both Taro and Sidra activated their manas, and proceeded to wrestle, Sidra wanted to be a priestess, but couldn’t help but indulge in a bit of fun. Taro proved to have some strength, but she tired his arms off, making him easier to defeat

Taro: Sidra, you, tough, very tough, hahah, I need, more streng

Sidra: you indeed do hehe, ah, I mean, sorry, I hope I wasn’t too rough

Taro: it ok Sidra, hahah, it fun

Sidra: (is it because you’re a Transported… that you can accept those ugly sides of me?, but what if I returned to who I was? Would you still say its ok?, or would you hate me and leave?...)

class was dismissed and everyone went their separate ways, except for Shizuka, who was looking for Taro

Shizuka: (I can’t keep postponing it, it’s important)

when she found him, she saw him talking to Nagye

Taro: you, need, me help?, we go?

Nagye: y-yeah, let’s go

Shizuka: (well, I guess it can be some other time…)

while Nagye and Taro headed to the usual spot near the rock, she explained what the matter was

Nagye: I-I don’t want to be de-defenseless, I want to be a leader, a good leader that protects others, th-that’s why I need your help, y-you taught Shizuka how to use a Mana Construct shield and-and, you helped me hit the stick in the experiment the other day, I feel like you can help m-me again, to come up with something

Taro: (she may be putting her expectations too high, and not because I can’t come up with cool ideas, anime and games have an endless supply of those) uhh, I, not know, I speak, like brute

Nagye: I-its fine, you managed to help us anyway, I-I’m sure I’ll be able to understand you

Taro: (she’s so kind, probably on the top 5 of kindest people I’ve met in this world)

they arrived at the rock spot, saw the stick from the other day, just lying on the floor, and they poked it back in to the ground to start their experiments

Taro: (hmm, what kind of skill should I try to teach her?, I know she’s good with mana enhancement and she’s also good with the advanced mana control technique that lets her fly her bird and see through it, whatever that technique is called, I guess the first step is to know exactly what she can do) uhh, I want see, all you, uhh, mana enha, control, all

Nagye: y-yes?, y-you want to see all of…m-me?, of my mana control?, ah I understand, w-well, I just know how to mana enhance myself and objects, though I d-don’t know how to fight.

Taro: (to be expected, she looks more like a magician kind of person)

Nagye: I can also fly my bird, well, if I don’t use it to see, I can control up to 3, well, more like 2, because it starts getting difficult at 3. and if I use them to see, I can only control one, and I can’t walk and need my eyes to stay closed, otherwise I g-get very very dizzy, it’s like seeing 2 things at the same time, I don’t know how to explain it

Taro: I, zee, I see, hmm (from what I remember from her explanation, flying that bird is a very complex form of mana control, she is basically using a mana arm to lift the bird up, but using very thin mana threads, and if the connection is severed, it can be reconnected easily. Perhaps we could make the birds carry some sort of weapon, just like the mana arm technique)

Taro pondered for a bit while Nagye tried to see through her bird with her eyes open, immediately changing her mind

Taro: burd, like mana uhh, like hand monster, so, burd, with mace?

Nagye: like making the bird carry a weapon?, but we don’t– oh wait, I can use sticks in the meanwhile

Nagye picked up a sizeable branch that was on the ground, and attempted to lift it up with her bird

Taro: (as for how she manages to share her vision with the bird, that’s way more complex, but considering she can’t use it while on the move, I guess that’s more of a tactical kind of skill, like the radar I was trying to achieve)

Nagye: I think this is n-not going to work, it’s too heavy, well, I could make the threads thicker, perhaps that way…

Taro: wait, no, it burd, not hand monster, need, weapon, smaller

Nagye: I guess small weapons would be possible, but, I d-don’t think they’ll be as effective. this is all because I’m a failure at mana control, I-I’m sorry. if only I was as talented as Shizuka

Taro: it ok, wait, oh!

Nagye: wh-wha?

Taro: Shizuka shield uhhh conztruct?, burd carry conztruct, not shield, mace

Nagye: to create a weapon mana construct, and have the bird carry it?

Taro: yez, like uhh knights, construct weapons

Nagye: mana is not heavy unless its dense enough, so it would be possible for the bird to carry a weapon made of it, but then, if it doesn’t weigh, it would be like slapping someone with paper—--

Nagye’s mind raced while she rambled to herself about the idea

Taro: (there’s still the issue of making the mana constructs in the first place, perhaps we should ask Shizuka. then again, she’s more intuitive than articulate, she’d probably say something like “you just do huaaaa and baaam! hehehe”)

Nagye: —that would solve the problem of weight and power, all that's missing now is making the weapons constructs in question! Taro, that's a great idea!

Taro: oh?, but, construct, complic–complicae?

Nagye: in theory yes, but I th-think I can do it, I was thinking about how Shizuka did it last time, and figured I can make mana dense by compressing it in a point and-and, uh, I-I’m getting carried away, let me try first

Nagye focused and mana started flowing and gathering between her open hands. A short time passed before she could condense the mana into a solid ball. She carefully poked it, and it wasn’t pliable, then she hit it with her finger, and it sounded like glass

Nagye: I… I did it!, my first mana construct!, I really did it!

Taro: Nagye very tough!

Nagye almost teared up at the excitement and relief of achieving such a feat. Despite her beliefs about herself, she really did it

Nagye: from here it should be easy, it’s all about practice, I’ll start right away!, thank you very much Taro, I knew y-you could help me

Taro: (you did all the heavy lifting of the mana science though. I need to learn how to say “my pleasure” or “no problem”. without manners, I might truly be a brute) no uhh, it ok, I help, happy

Nagye sat on the rock to practice making shapes with mana, stretching them, moving them around, Taro just stood there watching her

Taro: (perhaps I should prepare a new technique of my own, but I can’t handle as much mana, I guess I’ll just practice my mana enhancement, oh!, I did miss that leg shot against the master, I guess what I must do is practice my rock throws but with mana enhancement

Taro and Nagye both practiced their skills past the sun setting, when they realized how late it was, they ran back to the town