Discrepancy

I'm back home, having just returned from practice. I say hi to dad on the way to my room and then lay on the bed.
'He's been getting home earlier now. I guess it makes sense, to let him visit her more often.'

I take a few deep breaths and take the necklace out, as a smile appears on my face.
'It really works. With this, my focus is going to become much better!'
I raise my fist in the air, and close my eyes.

...

It's already noon of the next day when we finally take a break from our training.
"Great job you two. Relax for a bit, and little Kazu get ready, we'll be training with dead plants nonstop for the rest of the da-"

Ping!

A notification interrupts Gaia and she checks her phone.
"..."
Her face remains serious as she reads the message before finally turning back to us.
"You guys are lucky. Let's call it a half day, I need to do something right now."
She turns and heads for the exit shouting one last thing before disappearing from view.
"Oh! And keep practicing!"

'I guess I get a free afternoon, shame.
...Wait, did I just think that about having free time? I should probably relax a bit.'
I look over at Tarou who had already walked his way towards a nearby bookcase.
"I'm guessing you staying here?"
"For sure! Like she said, I'll keep practicing!"
I scratch my head for a bit as I think on what to do next.
'I haven't seen them in a bit I guess.'

"I'll go then. I'm going to check on some friends."
"Alright, cya man!"
"Cya."
I turn around and head towards the exit as I send them a message.

...

After a while I reach a familiar café, with the two already waiting for me inside. I walk in and head towards them as they look up at me.
"Heyyy! It's been a while!"
"What's up? Finally spared some time for us little ones huh?"
I smile at Tomo's comment, before replying in tone as I sit down at their table.
"Sorry, I've just been too busy with Gaia's number one fan."
I notice Tomo's face get serious as he replies.
"Impossible, we haven't hung out, and there's no way anyone could match me."
I chuckle as a wry smile appears on my face.
"You'd be surprised, you might just have some competition."
He finally lets off the serious face and laughs.
"Well I sure would like to meet someone like that, but anyway how have you been?"
I let out a sigh.
"Mostly just training-"
Aya perks up her eyes at that and quickly interjects.
"Speaking of, how is it? Are they better?"
'Ah right...'
"Hmm, well I did walk here. But yes, I'm gaining better control over them, almost back to normal."
Tomo then leans forward with a smile.
"Can't be too careful though huh?"
"Yeah... I still remember."
'That was scary...'

Suddenly Aya slaps the back of Tomo's head.
"Honestly... Why bring that up?
Anyway! What should we do now?"
'Good question. I didn't really have plan, I just wanted to see them.'
Tomo thinks for a moment before finally having an idea as he smacks his hand.
"How about we just walk around town? Maybe we'll even get to see a fight."
Aya looks at him with dead eyes.
"Were you just pretending to think?"
Tomo sighs.
"Guilty... But come on! We haven't done that all together in quite a while!"
"Fineeee. Kazu you in right?"
I smile.
"Of course."

...

We walk around for a while, as expected we don't see much of anything. The town had become a lot more peaceful ever since the incident with Neptune, but we keep walking nonetheless.

It doesn't take long until Tomo suddenly groans.
"Aghhh, I just realized... I really am sorry."
We both look at Tomo, waiting for him to continue.
"I could have totally made an exit to let you both enjoy your dat-"
I suddenly elbow him in the stomach with a smile.
"AGH! Should have... expected that...
Gee... You didn't have to do it with so much force. I was just teasing."
"Tsk."
'Yeah, just teasing he says...'
"And thanks to the speed and strength of that jab, I'm clearly correct."
I quickly turn towards him as Aya just laughs.
"HEY!"
Tomo winks at me as he chuckles.
"What? Embarrassed? I'm just trying to help here."
Thanks to both of them laughing I can't help but join in as well with a chuckle.
"Yeah well, one of these days I'll do something."

"HAH, that's familiar, isn't it? I guess it's your turn to be mad at a friend."

The three of us turn around to see two familiar faces wearing high vis vests with sticks for grabbing trash.
"...Red?"
"Ugh... At least call us by our actual name now. Remember? It's Chloe."
Behind her the other familiar face quickly walks up to Chloe.
"The hell you mean familiar...? That was about me wasn't it?"
Chloe quickly turns around as her smiles suddenly looks more forced.
"You do remember when you called for Arlo on me, right Amy?"
"I remember that I had a good reason for it!"
"ARE YOU SERIOUS?!"
Suddenly it gets louder and louder as it turns into a shouting match, but not for long as a hero quickly stepped in.
"HEY! Are you seriously doing this again? How many times do I have to put you away for fighting?!"
Aya looks at him and smiles.
"Thunder! We barely see this one."
Tomo looks at her as he nods his head.
"Huh? Barely see me?"
I give Thunder an apologetic look as I change the subject.
"I see the job doesn't get easier. You watching over them?"
Thunder gives a wide proud smile as he replies.
"Yeah. Community service. Though... I get the feeling I'll be seeing you two quite often."
They both look at him and shout.
"HEY!"
Amy takes a few deep breaths and finally calms herself down before she, along with Chloe, turn back towards me.

'They actually stopped fighting sooner than usual, I guess they're getting better with that.'

"So while we have you, what have you been doing?"
"Yeah I'm curious too!"
"Hm? Oh, just training... Uhh, oh! I've also recently made a breakthrough in learning healing magic! Though I'm still very bad at it..."
They both look at me with a surprised look as Chloe asks.
"Wow, why are you learning healing magic?"
Before I can answer, Aya speaks.
"It's for her, isn't it?"
I look at her and then nod.
"Yeah, my mom got injured, so... Anything counts right? I'll have to try..."
'I have to...

Wait... Healing magic, that reminds...'
"Hey Thunder, do you know where Light Show's at?"
Tomo quickly shakes me a bit with a big smile on his face.
"That's true, you could totally ask her!"
Thunder thinks for a moment, before finally he seems to get an answer.
"If I remember right I think she recently started helping out at a nearby hospital."
Immediately I know exactly what hospital it is.
'There's only one hospital that I know near here...'
"So she's there... Well I guess that means I already know the way."

Without wasting anytime I set off towards it, with Aya and Tomo quickly following behind as the other three wave goodbye.

...

We arrive at the hospital not too long after, and as luck would have it there she was, right in the lobby.
"Light Show, hey!"
She quickly turns towards me with a surprised look in her face.
"Hello? Are those two good?"
I look behind me to find Aya and Tomo gasping for air, having ran all the way here.
"Dude... We didn't have to run..."
"Kazuuuuu, whyyy..."
I turn back towards Light Show and make an awkward laugh as I reply to her.
"I might have been in a rush... Sorry."

...

"What? Tips for healing magic? What am I your teacher?"
She had said that with the tiniest hint of disdain in her tone, but I ignore it. Aya and Tomo look at each other as I bow and ask again.
"Please!"
"FINE! What kind of healing magic are you learning anyway?"
I stand straight up again before answering.
"It's... Holy magic. Does that matter?"
"HUH?! OF COURSE IT DOES!"
The people of the lobby give us strange looks which Light Show notices and quickly gives an apologetic look to as she then walks us outside.
"Listen, I use light magic, I don't know if my advice would work for you."
I look at her eyes unmoving, waiting, hoping that she continues.
"Ugh, don't look at me like that...
Here's how mine works, my healing magic is called Sunlight, I simply think up of warm feelings, or memories from the past. Thinking about it now, I think nostalgia might also help. Then I concentrate that into the present. The rest, well, you've seen."
'An enveloping light, and the wounds healing... Nostalgia... Gaia mentioned thinking of good thoughts, is that the holy magic equivalent?'
"Well? Did that help?"
"Hmm..."

As I think about it I hear Aya and Tomo react to someone coming, and before I can look I hear them speak.
"For holy magic right? I believe those would be different thoughts than nostalgia."
"That's what I told him."
'...!'
"Echo!"
"Yes, hello Kazu. Sorry for me not having approached earlier, I was just making sure."
"How many times do I have to tell you?! I'M NOT GOING TO RUN!"
Tomo laughs as he hears this, to which I join too with a chuckle. Meanwhile Aya approaches Echo and asks.
"What would work for holy magic then?"
"Hmm, it's a difficult one, there's no known god to call upon for help, nor am I an expert on it, I only know some basic stuff. But since it's holy magic I'd imagine good or pure thoughts."
I think for a moment before finally speaking.
"I guess I'll have to keep studying."
"I see. Well, good luck in your learning of holy magic."
"Yeah, bye loser."

I turn around and start heading back with Aya and Tomo at my side.
"Well, at least you got more to think about, right? You got this!"
'Encouragement from Aya, that always makes me happy.'
"Ohhh? Is that a smile I see, hmmm?"
"Shut it Tomo."
"Hah, anyway I think that's good for today, I'm gonna head home."
"Oh yeah, I should go too, bye byee!"
I wave at them as they set off towards home.
"Cya you two."
'...Concentrate that into the present... I guess I'll have to try that tomorrow.'

...

'Good thoughts, good memories, do I have pure memories?
Focus... Concentrate it into the present.
NOW!'
"Heal!"
I watch as the dead plant rises with the green tone almost returning to it before the magic stops and I start breathing heavy.
"Nice one little Kazu!"
"CONGRATS!"
From the side I hear the claps of the audience that came to watch at Tarou's invite.
"Alright!"
"Good job."

Gaia once again puts her hand on my shoulder as she speaks.
"Alright take a breather, actually you both take a break. Let's stop a little earlier today. It's important to rest from time to time."
I nod and make my way with Tarou to the nearby bench where Shin and Hiro are sitting.
"I can still do better."
"Still, it's impressive! I could barely make that ball of energy or whatever it was..."
"Well, now you can barely be the club leader, so it all checks out."
Shin quickly turns to him, with furrowed brows.
"Hey! Isn't the joke getting old? You keep teasing the same way this whole time."
"Well it still works. Why fix what ain't broke."
"Damn it be original!"
Hiro only gives a dry chuckle, making Shin even more annoyed.
"Guys let's not fight here."
Shin looks at Tarou with an apologetic look while Hiro nods with a plain bored look on his face.

After some time discussing today's training we finally get up and head for the exit.
"Cya guys! I'll stay around for a little while to do some more training"
'That guy really impresses me sometimes...'
We walk out and start heading for exit, pausing in the lobby as we heard someone yelp.

We all look and it takes me a moment before I remember.
"Ah... Katsuya again... I guess someone's asking him something."
The other two look at me before Hiro asks.
"Katsuya?"
I look at him with a smile.
"Yeah. He's always here, you don't remember?"
The doubt in Shin's face then grows as he says.
"Remember? How could we, we never met him before. At least I don't remember him."
"Neither do I."
I look at both of them with a confused look.
"Huh?"
Shin looks at Katsuya again and looks back at me.
"You know him?"
"Of course I do!"
I look over at the guy as he's looking down while listening to the person in front of him.
"He's... I remember him..."

Shin and Hiro look at each other and then back at me.
"Well anyway, let's just go."
Hiro shrugs before following.
"Ok."
Shin looks at him one last time, before quickly catching up.
"If you say so, but I really don't know him."
We all walk as I keep thinking about it.
'I remember him... Right?'