Tsune ignored the showcases at the front and delved deeper into the shop.

Here, past the guarded door, was the advertised room. Barely lit, with a dozen of tables and a big screen on the back wall. A place to hide from the sun, socialize and show self-made videos. But in the first half, it was a quiet place to think. It was a corner table with a cheap menu.

"Now then."

She moved the paper to the middle of the table, then put the cold glass on top to center her thoughts.

First, that scene with monk earlier. The background, waiting for her outside, the speech. The dress as a lead-in quest reward. Even an area unlock. Whichever side she took, it looked like a new event trigger. And that involved a mechamonster and her.

The last year's vacation was a good example. An enemy appeared in a place that had decades of peace. Her plea for help in the museum, the ice pillar over the defeated beast.

Her attention accidentally fell on the glass and she returned to the present. Where she thought about future instead of indulging in emotions. But the past had two questions she thought of as important for today.

Would the event mechamonster not appear if she never went to Crystal Resort? Or left before the attack?

The first one she discarded. The second however...

"If I leave, I'll probably get fired, wont I?"

She imagined going through with it. The team's reactions to this completely senseless decision, made worse by her inability to explain.

Soon after, her amusement died down and she threw that option out. Leaving meant abandoning the decision to abandon her Majin pilot training and join this team. It would also earn her reputation of an unreliable airhead that ran at the first sign of trouble.

Speaking of earning that reputation, she looked at the phone contact who already regarded her as such. Rod definitely would know what to do, but he would probably drip-feed her information step by step. Nevertheless, she took him off the blacklist, just in the rare case of conscience acting up.

Seeing a waitress walk in, she took a sip and couldn't help but grimace from how bitter it was. Looking at the pamphlet, it was river water purified with the shop's original mineral mix.

"Do these people have to be inventive even about water?"

Fetching a normal drink, she answered the silent third question. If she couldn't act outside of the event, she needed to work from the inside. At least she knew who to focus on.

Tsune emptied her glass in one go. And barely held back the cough when she realized she took the wrong one.

-

She made a hasty retreat after seeing Rei near the tree. He meditated under the fountain's water while facing the tree, so hopefully he didn't notice her. Otherwise she would have to tell about the monk's invitation and she had no delusions about how it would go. If antagonistic Rei became hostile, the old man would lose the interest in her team.

Although this left her with the original problem of having nothing to do for the rest of the day.

She rested her legs on the hard stone of the lowest step, watching the edge of sunlight beyond the river. As it approached, the city around slowly quieted down. Even the gliders above started to return to the mountain base hidden by the morning haze.

Feeling her back starting to sweat, she massaged her calves and stood up. Most of this city's manned taxis weren't part of a network, so the sooner she started, the faster she would catch one of them. Her day's schedule was one giant hole and her target was the glider base.

-

She stepped stepped out of the cable onto the metal platform. As old and thick as a spacefort's armor plate, it barely made any sound.

Only a mass-produced house was between her and the gliders. The light air machines lined up on both sides.

"Hello?"

"Just take one, we have the identification and pay to throttle system installed."

A man's voice came from an open window, accompanied by clanging of kitchen ware.

"But I don't know how to fly."

The sounds stopped and, seconds later, the middle-aged owner appeared outside. He brought out the look of discontent and smell of fried fish. But his words carried a different tone.

'Sorry about that. I saw that you have spare clothes and new customers generally don't know about that. Please follow me.'

They passed half of gliders ,tear shaped capsules under thin triangle wings near a red one. The man looked at her and Tsune shrugged. He probably saw her team arrive and misunderstood wearing white as adherence to mission roles.

She slipped between the struts into the half-reclined chair. Two pedals under her feet and a single button beneath the windshield were the only controls.

'Pedals are to turn left or right, the button is for take off. You can use it again to extend the flight, but every press costs extra. If you lose control, it'll balance itself.'

Nodding, she clicked the throttle. An invisible force softly pushed the glider forward. Tsune got a glimpse of the city below before the gravity returned. And the machine dived towards the river, mixing fear with excitement as it traded height for speed.

-

The day leaned close to dusk when the glider first touched the river. Its gondola dipped in and two water walls rose on both sides as it slowed down. It stopped in the shallow water near the shore, right before its bottom started to scrape against the rocks.

'Spare clothes he said.'

Tsune threw away the safety belt. She was drenched from head to toe, her hair dripping on her back and front. Taking the wet bundle, that used to be a dry temple dress, she got out. The machine rose from water, showering her one more time, before it flew off to return.

'Here's a free towel for your first flight.'

A young woman greeted her from a car parked near the shore. Offering the gift on the extended hand. When the girl accepted, the driver continued.

Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

'I see your spare got wet, I can drive you home for a discount price.'

'Thanks but I'm staying nearby.'

'Those houses never have proper utilities. I'll get you to a proper bathroom, privacy guaranteed, and to your house even faster than if you walked home from here.'

Tsune looked to the sky. She extended her flight for so long that stars already started to break through the waning daylight. If she had to explain that, in addition to her tomorrow plans, to her mother, she would rather do it while feeling proper.

-

The girl dropped on her bed, with a sigh that contained all the day's worries. But there was no time to rest, as others could return from supper at any time.

First, the anxiety had to go. She imagined a frozen land, its cold wind filling her with calm indifference, and pressed the call button.

Her mother replied almost immediately.

'Daughter, how nice of you to call so soon.'

Tsune could almost see her mother have a teasing smile on.

'Yes, I left just yesterday, didn't I. But I didn't know that this place would block the net this much, so I had nothing do.'

She paused to calm down. If she started with being defensive, then the talk could end before she could bring up what she wanted.

'I got carried away while flying. Like with the sweets or success at the tournament that made you worry. But I think I found how to change.'

She paused again, giving her mother a chance to speak, but it seemed that the woman followed her along.

'There's a temple here that teaches how to use the crystals you showed in the museum. And I thought, the behind all those things is the same as the one I can't go near a powered crystal, then I should ask them to teach me.'

The girl carefully listened to the silence on the other end. She heard the sounds of the cooking machine in the background so the line wasn't muted, but nothing else. That lack of reaction made her feel uncertain, but she couldn't bring herself to ask for one yet.

'Also, I like Mapo but it was all the academy talked about and it'll remain to be my main draw as a pilot. I want a skill I can develop myself without relying on father.'

'Now, that's a line I didn't miss for the last three years.'

Lady Red's voice sounded dry and teacher like.

'I understand, daughter. But I must talk to that teacher first. For now, find a good supper, take a good sleep and call me when you're there.'

'Good night, mother.'

For a minute, the girl looked at her reflection on the dark screen. She didn't expect that dramatic line hit home so cleanly. Then again, she didn't exaggerate her own thoughts about professor Red that much.

Noise from front door interrupted her thought about where the line between Lyle and Tsune could lay. She had the last, but not least, step to do.

-  

Next morning, Tsune stopped near the top of the temple stairs. She looked back at the city below, mentally marking the spots that Den showed her on the satellite map. He wanted them recorded as a glider fly by for the future team site promotions.

The monk's greeting welcomed her from under the tree. She returned it and continued, while hugging the sealed temple dress.

'I want to learn as your student while we are still here.'

The faded eyebrows rose and the man fully turned to her.

'Girl, if you intend that to be compensation for the perceived harm done by your words, leave. I will pretend I have not seen you today.'

'No, it's not that. My mother will explain it better.'

After several quick steps, Tsune offered him the phone, that was already establishing a call. He kept the stern expression as he greeted the other side. However, soon it became neutral and he sat down where he stood, in a crosslegged position.

-

The call lasted long enough for Tsune to sit on the fountain wall. Sometimes the monk would answer, but the meaning went over her head. It sounded like a mix of meditation mantras you'd see online and medical terms.

Eventually, the old man stood up in a single motion to return the device.

'I thought that you had a petty reason, but now I offer an apology. It has been many years since the last time I had to work under limitations this detailed, but I accept the challenge.'

'Stay here, I must bring the tools for the first step.'

The item in question was a eight sided crystal cylinder, about as wide as her arm and half of her height. She reached out to touch its red matte surface, it felt polished and cold.

'Your first task is to do this.'

Her new teacher returned to his meditation pose, with the crystal between them. Suddenly, its blind sides showed a kaleidoscope. Images of men, women, buildings and giant machines, muddled with flashes of color, deformed, or only partially animated.

'That is what anyone can see. I believe even in the modern times this is not a rare sight, because I heard my students speak about a place called Snowland.'

He raised his hand and the cylinder turned transparent, letting Tsune see the monk through it. But as she looked through, she noticed a difference. The monk inside of the crystal raised the wrong hand.

When the recognition showed on her face, the prism returned to being a shaped red rock. The monk stood up, breaking the image of a living statue.

'That is the first step. Learn to concentrate on a single action without letting the noise in. Have you ever done it before?'

"All the time."

Tsune thought back to her struggles to gain a mental balance. But her answer was different.

'Yes, when the academy tournament stressed me out.'

'Good. Once you feel that you need to force yourself to continue, change your perception.'

He waved towards the tree as he continued.

'We use the fountain, but your mother suggested the glider base. There, focus only on what you can sense around you instead of your imagination. That way the subconscious leftovers from the noise are weakened until they are forgotten.'

With that, he left towards the temple, leaving both her and Rei to study on their own.