”Erio-kun! Erio-kun!” Was the first thing the red haired boy's senses gathered from the waking world.
”Huh? Where am I?” Erio asked, opening his eyes.
”Cranagan general hospital's resting area. There were free rooms, so we grabbed you one.” Yuuno explained, looking out of the large window.
”How did I get here?” Erio lifted his upper body and inspected his surroundings. The room was atleast twice as big as his own room and even had a personal toilet. On to his right, there was a window, showing the evening of Cranagan's downtown and to his left was a door out. Near the ceiling was a small tv that Same watched from a wheelchair. How he got it should remain untold. Caro was next to him holding his hand.
”How much do you remember?” Yuuno asked, sitting on the other side of his bed than Caro.
”I remember everything to certain point but after that, nothing.” Erio shook his head.
”You're asking for impossible.” Same stated, eating fruits brought to Erio by the hospital staff. ”He was unconscious.” He did very well handled spin on the chair and gazed at Erio.
”Can you tell us everything to this certain point.” Yuuno pleaded.
”Sure.” Erio nodded. ”I was walking the streets, searching for something to do when I heard 6 words in my head. Strange, Capability, Habit, Reason, Existance, Disappear.” He reminenced.
”Do those words have any meaning?” Yuuno blinked.
”Something about True Understanding but I have no idea what that is.” Erio rubbed his head.
”Who was this boy?” Yuuno interrogated.
”Renhys Dertne.”
”Renhys?” Same blinked and dropped his apple. ”Oh, nothing. Continue.” He waved the questioning looks away and began searching for the apple.
”Right. We walked around little and eventually we came next to this parkhouse waiting for deconstruction, 35 stories high.” Erio stopped for Yuuno's question but there wasn't any. ”We walked to the 32nd floor and he introduced me to his gang. Lost and Precisious. He said that they were all special someway, but I didn't really find out how.” He closed his eyes and thought hard. ”There were siblings Cilsia and Fesat Tasoreta and then there was a boy, Domor Leinia.”
”Go on.” Yuuno gestured.
”Well... I did something stupid, or atleast was going to. They asked for a spell, but for some reason I couldn't cast any.” Erio shivered.
”Linker cores should be healed already.” Yuuno pondered aloud.
”Exactly.” Erio pointed at Yuuno. ”Anyway, then I heard the most undescribeable, in a bad way, female voice. At this point I used constantly 5 of those 6 words, even in places where they made little or no sense. My thoughts were scrambled and she asked me to say the last one. I tried not to say it but I... I think I gave in too easily.” A cold chill moved in Erio's spine. ”After that, some very strange things happened...”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-Disintegrate- Erio casted and a massive hexagon shaped hole appeared in the concrete pillar.
”Aaahahaha~!” Renhys laughed. ”He really did it. So easy.”
”What?” Erio turned around, ignoring the hole he did and noticed that Renhys was the only one there.
”You can't fly and the stairs are on the opposite sides of floors. The nearby buildings are even stronger material than that pillar. You got about 1 minute before this place collapses. What to do, what to do?” Renhys taunted.
”You planned this all!?” Erio yelled as the hole he had created started to crack.
”Yes, I waited this for a long time.” Renhys rose up from the ground and dried his tears.
”What did you do to me!?” Erio complained, inspecting his hands.
”Just speeded up the process in a place most suitable.” Renhys waved, uninterested. ”Welcome to the path of Corruption. Enjoy your final moments.” He bowed, amused.
”I never did such a thing!” Erio denied furiously. ”I only said the words to get that woman off my head!”
”Doesn't work that way kid.” Renhys smirked. ”The original Renhys achieved True Understanding, so I can convert people if they accept all those words. I have no idea why it was those words tho'.” He shrugged while giggling.
”Kitaaaaaaa~!” A young woman came flying with a drop kick.
”Ugh...” Renhys rolled on the ground. ”Who the hell?!” He screamed and searched for the assailant.
”Renhys! What the hell are you doing here? And why are you using Renhys' form?” The woman yelled at the small boy.
”Oh shut up I use his form whenever I want, teenage momma!” Renhys rose up and patted his clothing.
”Don't talk back to me, fake goddess!” She yelled and glared at the boy furiously. She had long blond hair, with dark purple ribbons, creating two ponytails. She was wearing a plain red top, blue jeans and had a black bag on her right shoulder. ”Why are you teasing this kid?!” She turned her finger towards Erio, causing him to twitch from surprise.
”Like I had to explain to you.” Renhys answered, lifting his shoulders.
”Actually as your highest senior, you do!” The woman ordered. ”Answer or beat it!” She commanded.
”I don't have to do either!” Renhys yelled.
”Bye then.” The woman lifted her hand and with a flick of her fingers Renhys begins to dissolve into dust from his fingers. ”You do know that Darkness has to keep small gods like you in line, don't you?” She grinned.
”You...!” Renhys shakes in fury. ”Like... like hell I'll just walk away from this!” He ran towards the woman with hate in his eyes.
”If that's your answer.” The woman spun around with inhuman speed and landed a roundhouse kick on the boys neck with a crack. ”Take a hike.” Renhys flew from the kick lifelessly like a ragdoll and rolled on the ground without any sings of trying to protect his body. ”How are you kid?” She asked with a gentle tone, ignoring Renhys' body.
”D-did you just kill him...?” Erio stuttered, pointing at the boy looking up with empty eyes.
”I wish.” She smiled happily but Erio's staggered face made her drop the smile and explain. ”She'll be resurrected in Hiatus after a while.” She sighed and grabbed Erio's arm and began hopping towards the edge facing the street. ”Be glad that Renhys sucks at covering her trail and that I was close-by.” Her voice was somewhat dissapointed.
”Thanks... I guess.” Erio followed the woman still fixated on the body but it dissolved into dust and the wind carried the remains away.
”That's a good boy.” She stopped on the edge and took a good look below. ”Pretty long fall, don't you think?”
”It sure is.” Erio peeked over the edge.
”How long is that? 10 seconds? 20 seconds?” The woman turned to Erio with curious look.
”Actually I think it's more like 3.” Erio lifted his eyebrow amused.
”No way!” The woman looked shocked. ”We're not high at all.” She humphed.
”I don't see where this is going. I can't fly.” Erio explained.
”Don't worry about that.” She said and searched her bag for something. ”I'll get you out. But first I need to make a call.” A purple cellphone of highest technology came out from the bag. A smiling cat figure hung from it with a thumb held high.
”A call!?” Erio yelled and glanced at the pillar in despair.
”Shush now.” She pressed a speeddial and put the phone on her ear.
”Mr. Love, I could use some help.” She started the conversation.
”Yes, I know of your hobbies.” She laughed.
”Yes, this is blackmailing, but that doesn't mean I wouldn't pay for it.” She nodded.
”Five globes.” She started to twirl her hair around her finger.
”You need them like the rest of us so shut it.”
”For Karla-chan's magazine. Just as an example.”
”It's not a secret you perverted lizard.” She laughed. ”Even I order it so don't worry about it. Those ears are cute.”
”There's a building I'd like you to fix.”
”Because I want so and Renhys made it.”
”Yea, this must be what she had been planning.”
”It'll affect a lot more if it just crashes.”
”There's a boy here but I'll guide him out of they way before that.”
”Yes, alive.”
”Of course I can do that. But that's not the point even if I couldn't. Coordinates are around 245:142 and it's the thing with godly affection. I think all the surrounding things are affected as well but fix them too. Doesn't really matter.”
”Don't bother this is going to be deconstructed anyway. Like I said, she planned it pretty nicely.”
”Give me thirty seconds.” She said and shut the phone.
”Alright.” She turned to Erio. ”Would you like for my guidance out of here?”
”Wait...” Erio sunk in his thoughts. ”You won't do what he just did? I think he said something about path of corruption...” He pondered.
”No, no...” She waved her hand guiltily. ”I wouldn't do something like that. And not like you had a choice now.” She jerked her thumb towards the pillar, nearing it's breaking point.
”You're right about that...” Erio added the thought to his pros and cons. ”I'll accept.” He lifted his eyes from the ground.
The woman grabbed Erio's arm without answering and spun him around him like she was throwing a hammer. ”Fly, Child of Fate, to the path of souls.” She released Erio in the most amazing human throw ever.
”Wait! This is getting me out alive?!” Erio screamed and started to descend from the throw.
”Ok, stay calm. You have about 5 seconds before you die.”
-Flyyyy~- Erio closed his eyes and consentrated intensely.
”No good. How about hovering? That should be easier.” He pondered calmly, even that the solid ground was running towards him with amazing speed.
-Hoveeeeer~- Erio closed his eyes again and tried to hold still in the air.
”No good. I guess hovering is too similar to flying. Umm... Slowfalling!” He invented and closed his eyes once more.
-Fall slower!- He screamed in his mind but the speed only grew.
”SOMETHING! I am not this weak!” Erio screamed at his incapable himself.
-Repulse World-
A powerful wave left his body and caused every glass in miles to shatter and distorted the concrete for dozen meters. Every human around watched the scene in aghast, not understanding what was going on.
By the power of the force Erio's speed had stopped and he fell down on the distorted ground.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
”And the next thing I know, I'm here.” Erio finished.
”Nice work.” Same clapped. ”That was one hellu'va spell.” He stated proudly.
”We weren't even close to the place but the glass was shattering there as well. We better not tell this to anybody so you can avoid the bills.” Yuuno smiled, scratching his cheek.
”About that spell.” Shari said, walking along side of Aren to the room. ”Never cast it again.” She ordered, leaning on the nearby wall.
”I don't know how so that's not a proplem. But why?” Erio asked.
”It grinded your linker core into oblivion. It will heal, but don't count on it in future.” Shari stated.
”Well it was pretty kick-ass. I guess it doesn't come without a prize.” Same stopped his clapping and started to peel an orange. ”Orange, tehehe~” He chuckled to some memory.
”Now that you know that, let me ask a question.” Aren grabbed one of the vacant chairs and sat facing Erio. ”You really are creating new spells. Any idea how?”
”I don't.” Erio shook his head.
”I know.” Same rocked with the wheelchair and placed a piece of orange in his mouth.
”How exactly?” Aren asked with disbelieving tone.
”Renhys, Goddess of Corruption and Changes.” Same grinned, munching the orange slice.
”Goddess? Wasn't Renhys a guy?” Aren tilted his head.
”I heard they got a new one that decided to use the old Renhys' form, behavior and such. It's the power of change afterall.” Same answered. ”No idea why tho.” He shrugged and chugged another piece of orange in his mouth.
A chill ran through Yuuno's spine.
”This is it! A Natural Awakening!”
”But why would he be trying to kill me?” Erio asked.
”Don't know. But we don't know why the Goddess of Darkness and Souls saved you either, do we?” Same smiled maliciously from his knowledge on gods.
”She was trying to save me?!” Erio rose up and yelled.
”That woman was your wife?!” Yuuno rose up and yelled.
”Same is married?!” Aren rose up and yelled.
”Ren-kun is so slow sometimes.” Same snickered. ”Yuchi, how about it? Should we tell these too?” He made another well handled turn with his wheelchair and glared at Yuuno.
”So subtle...” Yuuno sighed.
”Tell what?” Everybody turned towards Yuuno and asked in many different ways.
”Can't help it now.” Yuuno shrugged his shoulders. ”Erio, Caro, can you two keep this a secret? This shouldn't spread.” He warned.
”We know how to handle secret information.” Erio boasted and hit his chest.
”I can do that.” Caro nodded.
”Alright, I'll do this now. Aren, 300 years ago when you were found by Mensa, did you have um... very close relationship?” Yuuno asked subtly.
”Very close relationship?” Aren blinked.
”You know. Did 'this and that'.” Yuuno explained undirectly in presence of children.
”'This and that'?” Aren asked for help from Shari with his eyes. Slightly sighing, Shari whispered the meaning to his ear. ”But I'm still a v... No you don't need to know that.” Aren slapped his cheeks. ”No, I didn't.” He started again.
”Anyway, for some reason and way. There is Selshin blood flowing in some people and I and Miachell believe this is the cause for some rare skills. Yes, no matter how hard I try to deny it, my ferret form is one of these as well.” Yuuno sighed deeply.
”Then that would mean...” Shari pointed at Aren but quickly moved it to Yuuno and back again. ”You two are veeery distant relatives?” She covered her mouth from shock.
”Erio is one of Aren's distant children as well.” Yuuno pointed at Erio.
”Me...? But I was...” Erio staggered but was ignored.
”Mensa-sama did at one point ask for a uh... fluid sample but there was one little thing on the way...” Aren blushed slightly.
”What is that?” Yuuno asked.
”Well, to prevent from scenarios that the Selshin blood would start spreading outside, I kinda have a gem in my head.” Aren poked his eyes and his eyes wandered the room.
”Gem?” Yuuno blinked.
”Gem that... kinda prevents me from... rising...” Aren stuttered, blushing and looked at his feet.
”Oh...” All older people realized.
”It comes with an important side-effect but I can't put it on again, so it's really the insurance that I did my job.” He reasoned.
”What, what?” Caro turned her head furiously to all the older people.
”Old people stuff.” Erio lifted his shoulders and shook his head.
”Shari, could you not ask anything now? We'll explain everything later, now I want to ask as much as I can.” Yuuno read Shari's mind.
”A-alright.” Shari lowered her hand.
”But did he get this... fluid sample?” Yuuno asked.
”One time he did confess drugging me, but didn't tell me what he did.” Aren reminenced and then quickly brought his hand to cover his mouth from vomit.
”Oh god, how far people go for science?” Yuuno shook his head. ”That must be it.” He deduced.
”But how can Selshin blood be effective after all these years? I know genetics enough to say this. And besides, how can you still cast normal spells?” Aren questioned wildly.
”We think the reason is 24th chromosome pair that Selshin's had and the mixing of Selshin mage and non-Selshin mage.” Yuuno explained. ”I'll look forward for cooperating with you two on this.” He placed his hands on Shari's and Aren's shoulder.
”Interesting subject indeed, but I wonder how has this all been covered for all these years?” Aren pondered, scratching his chin.
”It hasn't.” Shari declared. ”One time in science magazine I noticed a statistics about rare skills, which showed that many people with rare skills had a third chromosome in 8th pair and some even had four there, but suprisingly these individuals were perfectly normal and had no rare skills. This matches your theory as it's inherited genetic error. But it's a new pair instead...” She held her chin unergonomicly and grinned curiously.
”Okay, so a person with 1 extra is half Selshin and a person with 2 is a full Selshin.” Yuuno deduced.
”Brainstorm elsewhere team geek.” Same interrupted the three babbling. ”Can I have a word with Rio-tan, alone?” He asked, shooing everybody outside.
”I'll be back soon.” Caro left Erio's side relucantly.
There were no complains as the team geek had finished interrogating Erio and Caro didn't have the guts for it.
”Okay kid.” Same turned again with his wheelchair. ”You need get a hold of your new magics or you die.” He stated firmly.
”I try everytime, but I don't even know how to cast anymore.” Erio shook his head.
”Ask Lin-rin for advice. He was in charge of that stuff.” Same adviced. ”But don't worry, the Awakening is already over so you can't have those freebie casts anymore nor will your body be acting on it's own.” He added, scratching his chin.
”Okay. I understand.” Erio nodded.
”And one more thing.” Same checked that they were alone. ”What I think is that your entire linker core has been corrupted and you need to start learning from the beginning again. So don't try to cast your normal spells but try those you used for training.” He winked and steered himself to the door.
”Same... You have asked nothing about your wife. Why?” Erio asked uneasily.
”Why? Because I trust her 99%.” Same smiled and opened the door with a shadow.
”99%?” Erio pondered, tilting his head.
”There is always room for doubt.” Same pointed out. ”Rest well for the big thing, althought you might not be able to do anything there.”
”Right.” Erio fell back on the bed.
”Corruption and change...?” He looked at his hands.
”But what I cast is nothing like that...”
2008-04-03, 14:21
That last line...
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