Chapter 4:

Chapter 4 - Active Ability Academy

The Ghost Observatory

The Active Ability Academy was one of the largest institutions in Cirnia for active ability users to hone their skills. The Academy was majestic in sight. Its structure resembled those ancient Greek buildings with huge stone pillars surrounding the main halls and a large open area in the centre used as the main practising ground. It looked more like something that had been lifted straight out of an ancient civilisation rather than a modern academy.

Wide staircases led into open courtyards where students could practise their abilities without worrying about accidentally destroying a classroom. The centre of the Academy was its largest open practice ground, surrounded by several smaller training areas. Beyond them were the theory classrooms and specialised facilities used for more advanced training.

There were also classrooms for theory classes, although calling them normal was not normal. The rooms had their own magical designs with glowing patterns carved into the walls and enchanted boards that could display magical diagrams in mid-air. Small crystals embedded in the ceiling provided enough light for the students to read without making the rooms feel too bright.

The Academy taught ability users everything they needed to know about their abilities, from what they were capable of doing to how to control them and to use them to contribute to society.

Today, Flo had a theory class on elemental magical resonance and she was very late.

Flo sneakily slipped into the classroom from the back, hoping the professor wouldn't notice.

Thankfully, he didn't but Amelia did, Flo's best friend since the beginning of her Academy days.

These classes had students of all different ages which was why they were generally held on weekends. The younger ability users had a more rigorous programme during the weekdays but there were also people who couldn't go through that programme during that specific age period of their lives. Thus, these weekend classes gave them the chance to improve their abilities and learn more about them.

Even though Flo had been eligible for the weekday programme when she first joined the Academy, she opted for the weekend classes because she spent much more of her time at the Observatory with Mr Hugo who was also personally teaching her during his free time. So, she had continued attending these weekend classes since the beginning. This was also where Flo met Amelia for the first time.

{ Few Years Ago}

Flo had been nervously walking inside the Academy for the first time after Mr Hugo dropped her off at the gates. She was supposed to stay with the group of new students entering the Academy. She saw a cat and following its trail, little Flo got separated from her group.

She looked around, "...Where am I?"

She had somehow wandered into one of the advanced practice areas for ability users.

A boy nearby was playing around with his abilities. He was using Dark magic, sending little bursts of it flying around as he practised when one of the attacks went in the wrong direction, straight towards Flo.

A girl suddenly ran in front of her.

"[-TWILIGHT-]!"

A magenta, web-like shield appeared around the girl as she covered Flo. The Dark magic struck the shield and the attack was deflected straight back towards its user, sending him tumbling backwards. Flo stared at the girl in shock.

The boy quickly got back up.

"How dare a mere beginner like you hurt me?"

The girl crossed her arms.

"First, it is you who were going to hurt us. And second, if you are so much of a pro yourself, why couldn't you even control your own attack?"

'She is fearless,' Flo thought.

The boy became furious and was about to launch another attack when a professor nearby noticed what was happening and interrupted,"Stop right there! What do you think you are doing?"

The professor marched over.

"Using your abilities for stupid, egotistical fights is not allowed! We do not teach you to fight for selfish reasons and especially not to hurt young beginners. Apologise right now! You should be acting as a good senior and showing them how to be responsible, yet look at you!"

The boy stepped away furiously, glaring at the two girls. The girl stuck her tongue out at him. Then she turned back towards Flo who was crying now.

"Hi..." The girl crouched down slightly.

"Are you new? I am Amelia. What is your ability?"

"H-Hi, I am Flo. My ability..."

Flo remembered what Mr Hugo had told her:

'Don't tell anyone about your dual ability. If anyone asks, just mention your active ability, DayShine.'

"My ability is DayShine!"

"Cool!" Amelia smiled. "I'll drop you off at the DayShine quarters then."

She held Flo's hand and started guiding her through the Academy.

"Thank you for saving me." Flo looked up at her. "Were you not scared of the big guy?"

"Of course not!" Amelia looked completely unbothered. "And you should not be either. He was in the wrong." She smiled.

"From now on, if anyone ever troubles you, you can come to me. My ability is TwiLight."

"Okii!" Flo smiled happily.

And since then, Amelia and Flo became closer.

{Present Day}

"Psst." Amelia quietly called Flo during class.

"What?" Flo whispered.

Amelia asked why she was late using gestures.

"Overslept," Flo mouthed, acting out sleeping with her hands.

Amelia shook her head with a smile.

After the class ended, Flo caught up with Amelia.

"Mon Amiiii, oh how I missed you! You are my source of energy."Flo chirped while clinging onto Amelia's arm and Amelia laughed, "Haha, has the work at the Observatory been keeping you too busy?"

"Yes! And Mr Hugo doesn't even help much."

"The same as always, huh?"

"I couldn't even eat a proper breakfast this morning as I was running late. Aah, this day seems to be doomed already. How am I gonna survive the rest of the classes today?"

Flo wept dramatically.

"Oh dear." Amelia smiled. "You are lucky then today, Flo, because here, I made you something to eat."

Flo's eyes widened in excitement. She looked at the container Amelia brought out.

"Oh my God..." She gasped, "Amy's special pasta?!"

She grabbed Amelia's hands and burst, "MON AMIII~ I love you, marry me!"

"Of course, my love," Amelia replied, acting all chivalrously.

The girls laughed and sat down at one of the quiet corners of the campus.

"Mmm.. this juicy pink sauce is too delicious, Amii! The pasta is so soft and chewy too!" Flo said while stuffing her cheeks full.

After taking a few more bites, Amelia looked at Flo and asked, "Tell me, Flo. What's got you so down lately?"

"You know it already." Flo looked around to check if anyone was near before lowering her voice. "My dual ability and how I still find it weird how I don't know where I came from or why I have these dual abilities. Something tells me if I find the reason for my dual ability, I'll also get to know something about my origin."

"Gut feeling?" Amelia asked.

"Yeah." Flo sighed. "But till now, it's all just been for nothing."

Amelia hugged Flo.

"Don't worry, Flo. You will always have me, no matter what."

"I am so lucky to have you, Ami!"

Flo immediately started crying in her arms.

"Oh right," Flo said after recovering slightly, "How are your advanced classes progressing?"

Flo and Amelia shared the core theory classes but Amelia was also in advanced pure combat training. If she wanted to get into the Cirnia Defence Squad, she had to take extra classes to polish her skills further.

"It's really tiring," Amelia admitted, "I feel stuck because it feels like my skills aren't improving."

"But that's when you must keep on going!" Flo cheered her on, "I have seen you over the years, Ami. You never give up. And look, you have improved so much. I know you will one day surely get into the Cirnia Defence Squad!"

"My cutie Flo!" Amelia suddenly grabbed her.

"Ugh, you really do know how to cheer me up. I'm so glad we're friends!" She rubbed their cheeks together aggressively.

"I-I can't breathe!" Flo struggled.

The two girls burst out laughing and spent the afternoon catching up about other things in their lives. After some time, Amelia looked at the time and said, "C'mon, get up, Flo. I have to go to my classes."

"Nooo, don't leave me! I don't wanna!"

"You also have your practical tomorrow. You better rest up today. You don't want to be late tomorrow, right?" Amelia gave her a look, "And you know Mr George does not handle tardiness well."

Flo immediately grabbed onto Amelia's leg.

"No."

"Floo."

"Nooo."

Amelia tried to walk but Flo clung on tighter. Amelia wiggled her leg around but Flo just wiggled around like jelly with it. Even when Amelia started walking towards her class, Flo continued being dragged along the floor.

People kept staring at her but no one reacted differently as this was a pretty normal sight for them.

"FLO!" Amelia stopped.

"If you don't leave, I'll never make the pasta ever again!"

"AH!" Flo froze and immediately retreated like a shocked puddle of jelly, tears in her eyes, "Don't do that!"

Amelia smiled like a mom who knew exactly how to make her child play by her rules.

Flo had no choice but to let go and head back towards her dorms.

"Ah, I'm gonna be lazy today!" She flopped onto her bed. But then her mind immediately started asking questions relevant to the topic they had discussed in class. She couldn't stay lying down on the bed for even two minutes before she got up and started reading more about it.

And before she realised it, the night had passed. This time, however, she had set an alarm to get herself out of her Flo-w state, as she called it herself. The alarm rang and Flo blinked.

"Oh. Okay. That's enough." She closed her books and went to sleep.

Due to this, she was early for breakfast and early for class the next morning. She looked up at the sky while walking towards the Academy.

'Thank you, Ami,' she thought, holding back tears, 'Thank you for being strict with me.'

Flo packed her white cloak and reached the DayShine practising grounds but when she arrived, she noticed there were many more people than her average class size. Flo went closer to see what was happening and saw students in black cloaks.

"NightGlowers..." she mumbled. "What are they doing here?"

Everyone seemed just as confused as her.

Mr George finally broke the silence,"Today, I have invited my Dark magic students to practise with my Light magic students to learn how to manage your magic against its counterpart. I will call out your names and your partners. Please find them and stand in a line."

"Jale and Cherry."

Two students stepped forward.

"Berry and Merry."

Flo thought to herself, 'Quite a lot of Errys.'

Mr.George continued, "Henry and Dala."

Mr George looked down at the next name.

"Flo-" Flo's ears perked up.

"-erry and Perry."

Flo relaxed. Ah, it's not me. Another -erry. Perry, like Peri Peri? Aaah, Peri Peri fries... Her stomach grumbled.

"FLO!"

"Here!" Flo raised her hand in surprise.

Mr George moved on with the names.