My Normal Life Now Has A Training Arc

“Food tastes better when you make it together, doesn’t it?” Chiho said, her voice nearing a song as she clasped her hands together. “Thank you for the meal!”

Guilt drove Tama to get up early the next morning and help Chiho make breakfast. After sharing a quiet morning together and talking on the way to school, classes that once passed in a blur now dragged onward, until Tama fell right out of their clutches and back into the grasp of her new friend. Whispers surrounded the pair as they hurried onto the train, back to the beaten shrine, the mansion tucked in the magical woods.

A few words, and a bell ring later—

“We’re training here?” Tama grumbled, using a hand to shield her eyes from the light as she looked up. Chiho grabbed Tama’s hand and helped her float up, all the while Lavi and Sarine sat on their partner’s respective shoulders.

For once, Tama tolerated it. Sarine hadn’t said a word all day. She moved, she ate, but she had nothing left—not even anger.

Not even…

“Not out in the open,” Chiho said as something resembling a Kitsune flew by, “but there’s a place for it. You’re not the only one who manifests abilities they don’t understand. When possible, the Society Prime tries to find those lost and in need and allows them to discover their potential in a space safe for themselves and others.”

“It’s just magic though, right?” Tama said—hating the twinge of fear she let out. At least Chiho didn’t comment on it, landing in front of a big, brutalist style brick of a building near the top of the sky-city, rivaled only by the city hall. “How bad could it get?”

Chiho smiled, gripping Tama’s hand tighter. “You remember what happened that night? ‘Just magic’, yes, and most of the residents here may be familiar with the practice, but everyone wants to live their life in peace. It might be difficult to do so if people are flinging random objects into their door.”

“Oh—” Tama scratched the back of her head, “makes sense.”

A smile, and Chiho led Tama inside. Lavi jumped off Chiho’s shoulders and held her arms out as if leading Tama onto the red carpet; a moment of flourish which rotted and died on the floor as soon as Tama took in the drab, hospital-like interior.

An empty waiting room greeted them, old dusty chairs facing a receptionist desk, a woman with three eyes and a larger than usual forehead staring.

She waved. Tama tried not to have a weird look on her face as she walked.

“Is this…like, a dojo or something?”

Chiho squeezed in next to Tama. “That may be the closest equivalent, but it’s not quite the same. It’s better to say…it has more options than a dojo?”

“What.”

The receptionist cleared her throat. “Magic training, I presume?”

“Yup!” Chiho said. “What rooms are open?”

“Seven should be open,” the receptionist said, pulling out a talisman and handing it to Chiho. “Have fun, you two!”

Tama rolled her eyes. “I won’t,” she griped, before—like it or not—Chiho grabbed her hand and dragged her down the hall. The second they turned the corner, the oddity of the building presented itself with some doors overgrown with vines, others steaming, a couple sealed shut, windows showing a peak inside an underwater battleground. Finally, they made it to the right room, a plain one. The inside seemed featureless.

All plain grey, except for a dial on the inside. Chiho slammed the door shut, turned the dial one notch, and the room shifted into a traditional dojo setting.

“See? It has more options!”

Tama stared. “Can it get me a coffee?”

“…No…?”

“Then it can’t do anything that’s really fucking awesome.”

“It’s…not made for that?”

Tama laughed, turning around and raising a hand. Chiho frowned and brought her hand against Tama’s. “You see here?” Tama said. “You—wait, you don’t even know what a high five is.”

“A what?”

“Stop touching me.”

“Oh, sorry.” Chiho moved her hand away. Tama crossed her arms, sitting on the floor. She scrunched her eyes closed.

Chiho joined her, and soon, Lavi flew down and assumed her own meditative posture. Sarine flitted away and found a corner to situate herself in. No one said a word to one another, and finally, Tama opened her eyes.

“So when am I supposed to channel into the Primal Powers or whatever?”

“You’re seriously only asking now?”

“Hey, fuck—wait.” Tama blanked, staring at Sarine. “You spoke?”

Sarine jolted, and curled up, hiding her head—her gaze—from Tama. Tama stuck her tongue out and stared at the fake cherry blossom display outside the even faker window.

“The Powers of Prime,” Chiho said. “Normally, if you want to commune with them, you’ll need to pray at the shrine in the heart of Society Prime. Or, the one my family guards…but you’ve already channeled magic. You should have a connection already. Don’t you feel any different?”

Tama tried—she tried to see what Chiho talked about, but— “No. Everything’s the same as always. That doesn’t mean it’s, like, always been there, right? This is the first time this’s happened. There’s no way.”

“Have you witnessed any strange phenomenon in a fit of extreme emotion?” Chiho said.

A petal fell from the illusory tree. “Nope. And trust me, I’ve had plenty of arguments with my parents.”

“Aha…” Chiho smiled. “I see. That’s—odd. Very odd. But I suppose it makes sense for a Chosen to have an origin different from the rest. Sarine, did the Faerie Queen inform you of any such exceptions with Ta—Tama?”

“You can say my name normally next time,” Tama said.

Sarine poked her head out, glancing between the two humans before focusing on Chiho. “…Nope.”

Silence. Chiho coughed. “Erm, thank you. It’s—I see. Then, we…we all saw how you activated your magic last night.”

Sarine turned away again.

“So…perhaps we can—no, replicating it would be—”

“You want me to tell Sarine to fly into a windshield again?” Tama said, and Chiho winced.

“No, no! Not that!” She waved her hands, face red. “Please, I don’t want—um, I was thinking we could, instead of trying to replicate what you did exactly, examine the circumstances? The passion carrying your wish: magic is made of intent and gestures. Somehow, your intent drew upon the power of the Gods. Or perhaps they sensed you and…Oh, I don’t know.”

Lavi crossed her legs, watching Chiho with increasing concern. Finally, she flew up to human eye level, flickering to get everyone’s attention. Before she said anything she flew to Chiho’s ear and whispered.

Chiho swallowed. “What? But, thats—um…I don’t know. Are you sure? Really, really sure?…Well—”

“What are you two talking about?” Tama said, and the pair looked up as if they forgot about everyone else. “We’re still training. Just give me some warmups and we’ll figure it out from there.”

A frown. Chiho folded her hands close, looking at Lavi. The little faerie put her hands on her hips, letting out a huff of triumph before she flew to the door, opening it. “Get ready, the two of us have a super sparkly amazing idea to help you learn magic!”

“O…kay,” Tama said, watching as Chiho shuffled to the door like a child being punished for some terrible mistake. As soon as she made it outside, Lavi flew back inside, turned the dial a few notches, then fled, locking the door behind her.

“Sink or swim, the fishies will guide you!” Lavi yelled from the other side. “…But we’ll save you if you drown, we promise!”

“The fuck—!?” Tama stumbled forward, just as something sloshed against her shoes. Her heels dampened; cold liquid bled against her socks as parts of the wall receded to reveal drains, water pouring in, filling every crevice and claiming every corner.

Sarine jumped into the air, hugging herself as she glared at Tama. “Hey, this is your fault!”

“What did I do!?” Tama yelled, but Sarine had no answer, the water rising an inch in a matter of a few seconds. Soon, it’d encase them both—sink or swim, quite literally.

Tama was going to kill Lavi after she got out of here.