Zen’s Side: Pain and Soccer

Her Uncle had walked away from the two of them without so much as a glance. It was a strange thing for Zentella to see. If she fully focuses she can see the mana cores of people and their trails. She had seen the method Lip described and confirmed that she was executing it flawlessly. Yet, once Lupa’s mana had reached his core… it rejected it. Now he also was rejecting them by leaving.

Lupa then let out a sad sigh, “I guess… it was bound to happen.”

Zen didn’t know what to think. She liked Cor and Cor liked her sister. Cor had told Zen to take care of Lupa. So she just walked up to Lupa and patted on her back. Trying to reassure her that what had happened wasn’t her fault. “There, there.”

Lupa looked towards Zen and laughed. “Thanks Zen.” Then in one fluid motion she got up with a jump. “Right, well, can’t mope here! See ya Zen, I’m going for a run!”

Zen nodded as she saw the older wolf girl leave. Now alone, Zen decided she needed intel. Heading into the house she saw Sophia going over some papers. Hopefully not Zen’s homework.

When she joined her at the table Sophia looked up at her, “Hey Zen. Do you know what happened to Leo? He came in and said nothing and is now in the shower.”

Zen nodded and said, “His core rejected Lupa’s mana.”

“A mana awakening! Zen that’s dangerous!” Sophia exclaimed as she now with her full attention on the girl, “Where’s Lupa! We need to make sure they're both okay.”

Zen winced hearing her scream. “She’s fine. I supervised. There were nothing wrong with the process.”

It took a minute for Sophia to process before she sat back down. “Right… you can see mana flows.” With that she sat back down rubbing her temples, “Still… that was too reckless. Also you guys should have only done it if Leo truly trusted Lupa.”

“Why?” Zen asked tilting her head. She had seen and experienced when her clan used the method for a mana awakening. She wasn’t sure what the guild girl was talking about.

“When trying to use the mana awakening at this age, especially on someone without a damage core, the process becomes more… intimate.”

“Wha?” Zen tilted her head further.

“How can I explain?” Sophia thought for a second. “Lupa isn’t just pouring just her mana into him, she is also pouring herself in him. And so Leo has to let her in. It is dangerous because transferring mana is like giving your life away. If she messed up she could have died or kill them both.” She then turned to look at the direction where Leo walked off to, “And for Leo… he has to let the person with the mana in. But you know how your guardian is.”

“What do you mean?”

Sophia let out a sigh, “While he is open about his situation, he never… talks about his home. At least not to me.” She then looked at Zen seeing if she had the answer.

“Not me.” Zen then wondered about that. He would sometimes get sad in specific situations or make comments about the system or some other thing his world used. However he never brought up anything about his past. It was like he preferred not to think about it.

“So see Zen… if he is not open to anyone, then he is also shutting his mana core. I’m working on him, but it could take time for him to stop doubting himself.”

xXxX

After Leo finished his shower Zen asked him to follow her to the rest of the village. This was under Sophia’s suggestion to help clear his head. Zen knew exactly where to take him. Making their way past all the stares of the villagers she had found the same group of children who she met the other day. Along with some more.

“Hey! It’s Zen!”

“And she brought the other one with her!”

The kids all gather around them, but Zen notice someone missing, “Where’s Cor?”

One of the kids spoke up, “She is busy today.”

“Yeah, the grown-ups wanted her to work.”

“Work?” Her Uncle asked as he knelt down to them.

“Yeah, the grown-ups always make her work. They say she always has to and it is part of being a big girl.”

“So we can’t play Forest Return anymore!”

Zen then noticed her Uncle look around them and counted. Then he asks. “Anyone got a bigger ball?”

With that they all dispersed on her Uncle’s orders. Someone to collect the ball others to fine nets, and her and her Uncle heading to get some spare wood. When all the pieces were assembled her Uncle had gathered them in a more spacious opening and had set up two nets to be placed at far ends of the field.

“Ok!” He called as he clapped his hands, “I would normally go over the full rules but… I doubt you would listen.” He sighed already defeated, much to the children’s amusement. “So quick basics, set up even number teams. Choose one person to stand in front of each goal. They can stop the ball with their hands and feet. The rest of you on the team will then only use their feet and only kick the ball into the goal. Passing is important, but again only with your feet. But no fist fighting! The only kicks that are allowed are on the ball! So no kicking each other am I clear!?”

“Ok!” Most agreed already trying to make teams.

“Are tails ok!?” one child asked.

He paused for a moment, “Uh… maybe, but treat it like kicking with your feet, so no using it directly on each other…” Her Uncle seemed pretty unsure.

The game however was pretty fun. Her Uncle kept them in line for the first few minutes and after a while they understood completely. Soon they started taking turns being the “goalie” and laughed. Zentella realized she should have gone to her Uncle first whenever she gets bored.