Inside the truck, the Tehran investigation squad were all busy passing the time during their travel. Sitting in the back left of the truck bed, Toyo Mizuki napped. His legs are sprawled out across his corner of the truck. His feet sit just shy of the pile of travel bags. The rest of his body supported by his own bag, repurposed into a pillow.
Hidden away in the back right corner, Rali sits with her knees pulled up to her chest. Her black veil pulled over her face as the truck rolled through the highway. Her head is faced down to the floor of the truck.
Luco Zello, sitting in the front right corner, looks over towards his apprentice. He repeatedly draws his index finger and thumb along his jawline. It’s been a full two years since she came here and got her operation… He looks up at the sky. The sun is only about halfway to the apex of its journey, but it’s rays still beat down on the traveling squad. But she’s still so distant from the rest of the world. Maybe this trip could be what she needs to break out of her shell. Luco turns his head towards the other two apprentices. He fixes his eyes on the two boys, who are catching up in the front left corner of the truck bed.
“It sucks we never get to do stuff,” Leo sighs, slumping down against the truck, rubbing his sore muscles. His eyes have bags under them, and his blond hair is unkempt, with a few burn marks randomly spread throughout.
Hajime’s eyes snap away from trees, looking at his friend. “Mhm,” He nods, resting his head in his hands
“But my flames have been getting crazy!” Leo sits up, flashing a wicked grin. “Watch!” Bright blue flames flicker down his arms.
Hajime leans in with bright eyes, the blue reflecting off of them. “That's amazing!” He shoots up in his seat, meeting Leo’s eyes. “They are tiny… but it feels like I’ll melt even from here!”
Sweat runs down Leo’s face, and his arms start to tense up, and then start to shake. The flames flicker for a moment, growing and shrinking. After a moment, the flames dissipate, and the blonde pyromancer lets his arms fall to the bottom of the truck bed, landing with a dull thud, reverberating through the metal. “Yeah…” He breathes heavily. “All the hard work pays off!” He nods, a satisfied smile on his face.
“You do always seem exhausted,” Hajime notes, quickly correcting his posture. His eyes drift over towards the right side of the truck. His sister, Suzume, is sitting against the wall of the truck. She’s focused intensely on a small pocketbook floating in front of her face. Her hand sits a few inches below the book, controlling the wind and holding it aloft. She flicks her index finger. The wind moves between the right page, lifting and pushing the paper across the seams of the book.
Leo sits up, and nudges at Hajime’s side with his elbow. “Why don’t you go talk to her?” He encourages the silver haired teen with a smile.
Hajime presses his index finger and thumb together and looks down towards the floor of the truck bed. “It’s been so long though… I don't know what to talk to her about,” He sighs, and throws his head back, knocking against the metal of the truck with a thud. “Ah!”
Suzume turns her head towards Hajime, who’s rubbing a newly acquired bump. “You okay?” She tilts her head to the side.
Hajime sits up quickly. “Ah! I’m fine!” He waves his hands dismissively, smiling nervously.
Suzume rolls her eyes, waving her hand. Her floating book closes on a bookmark floating close by. “Get over here. Let me check just in case,” She gestured with her index finger for Hajime to come over. The apprentice air acolyte scooted across the truck bed, settling down next to his sister. “Lower your head,” She orders sternly. Hajime complied quietly, pursing his lips as Suzume parts his hair, examining the spot he bumped his head. “I can’t spot any visible injuries…” She clicks her tongue, removing her hand from his scalp. Hajime raises his head back up. “Let me know if you feel dizzy!”
“Ah, yes!” Hajime nods. “Of course!”
“Though,” Suzume chuckles, covering her mouth with her right hand. “I’m quite surprised any brother of mine could be so clumsy,” She shakes her head, though the warm smile remains on her face.
“H-hey!” Hajime retorts, clenching her fists. “It was just a fluke! An accident! Right?” He turns his head, seeking affirmation from Leo.
Leo tips his head to the right, and frowns. “I don’t know…” the corner of his mouth curls. “You are always making mistakes during our movement drills,” He comments, raising his index finger. “And I overheard you fell flat on your face during a sparring match with Rali!” The smirk extends to his entire mouth, no longer hiding his rather blatant teasing. “Isn’t that right Rali?” Leo calls out to the young woman.
“O-oh!” Rali snaps to attention upon hearing her name. “Um… well,” She stammers, twiddling her thumbs. “It was quite a dreadful fall,” She nodded, pulling her veil further down her face. “Though it was I who caused it…” Her voice trailed off.
Leo chuckles lightly. “You do always let loose during fights,” He notes with a nod, his smirk returning. “I’m pretty sure the entirety of our first year division has nightmares about you!”
Rali furiously shakes her head and waves her hands in denial. “N-no way! I couldn’t possibly be that frightening!” She denies fervently, raising her voice. Despite her defiance, her pale skin is glowing red.
Hajime presses his index finger and thumb to his chin. “You sell yourself way too short Rali,” He disagrees. “It only took me making a small mistake for you to completely capture me!” Leo stifles a laugh, biting his lip. “What?” Hajime tilts his head at the flame acolyte.
“Based on how Master Zello described it, I wouldn’t call it a ‘small mistake’ Hajime,” He comments smugly.
In the front of the truck, a man in black slacks and a white shirt with a black vest is in the driver’s seat, focused on the road. His fashionable attire contrasts the dirty green military camo of the truck. Sitting to the driver’s left is Illean Fanvella. Her face is buried in a massive map, which details the entirety of the countryside. She points towards a hill in the distance before quickly rattling off a few directions. She rolls down the window, and sticks her head out. “Hey!” She yells back, her hair blowing in her face. “We are approaching the port! Make sure Toyo is up!”
Toyo opens his right eye. “I’m quite awake Illean-chan!” He calls back in a sing-song voice, holding back a chuckle.
“Good,” She answers curtly. “And stop calling me that,” She orders before ducking her head back into the vehicle.
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The truck reaches the apex of a hill, and the bay comes into view. The sparkling blue green water reflects the sunlight like glass, scattering the blinding rays in every direction. The bay is lined with countless ships, ranging from small fishing boats, barely dots on the horizon, to massive cargo ships that dominate the waters.
Leo leans out the side of the truck, a large, childlike grin spreading across his face, the bay reflecting off his widened eyes. “Wow!”
“Leo get back in the truck!” Illean snaps at her apprentice, her glare sharp enough to kill. Without another word, the apprentice pyromancer ducked back into the truck, his lips pursed.
Hajime tapped his chin. “You got really excited there Leo,” He chuckled, using his index finger and thumb to cover his grin. “Have you never seen the ocean before? He teased.
Leo fidgets in place, settling back down in the truck. “Not all of us come from an island!” He rolls his eyes at Hajime. “I lived in the Aesteren capital, and my family never made enough to travel,” He shrugs, his arms crossed. “Though, the photos don’t do it justice,” The young man sits back, looking up at the clear blue sky.
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The truck rolls down the stone brick streets of the port city, bumping along the worn down infrastructure. The narrow streets, built along a series of hills near the coast, are lined by thin tall stone buildings. The citizens of the city duck to the sides of the thin street, glancing at the odd truck as it passes, before returning back to their day.
The truck continues down the hill, until reaching the end of the street. The driver pulls out of the narrow lane, onto a massive, bayside main street. Unlike the thin lane winding down the hill, this street stretched as far as the eye could see, encompassing the entire waterfront. Shops and stalls were crammed along the inner side of the street. Food stalls, clothes service. A person couldn’t walk 5 feet without hearing a merchant’s sales pitch. People filled the street, spilling out from the sidewalks as they went along their way.
The truck rolls to a stop, parking along the curb. Illean nods towards the driver, and opens the door, stepping out of the car. “Alright! Grab your stuff and get moving!” She barks, walking behind the truck, and opening the lever in the back. “Our ship is due to leave in an hour!”
Toyo slings his bag over his left shoulder, and leaps out of the truck from the side. “Yeah Luco, hurry it up!” He flashes a grin towards his masked friend, before walking towards the front of the truck. Luco rolls his eyes, hopping out of the back with his bag resting squarely on his back. He turns around and offers Rali a hand. She shakes her head.
“Don’t worry, I’m fine,” She quietly speaks, crossing her arms and turning her head to both sides, scanning the large crowd spanning the entirety of the street. As she watches people pass by, someone hits their shoulder against hers as they run by. Rali stumbles forward, watching the run by without so much as an ‘excuse me’.
“Please someone stop him!” An old woman cries out from behind Rali. She’s smaller and even frailer than Rali, and her back is hunched over.
“Master Luco!” Rali exclaims, narrowing her eyes at her teacher, seeking permission. Luco met her glare, and nodded silently. The girl takes a deep breath, and raises her head, and extends her hands. Webs fire out from her fingertips, attaching to the rooftops. She closes her hands, pulling herself into the air.
The crowd below her look upwards with shocked gasps, their eyes fixed on the strangely dressed girl floating above them. Rali feels the gazes of the entire city on her. She wants to hide, disappear from the world.
But… She swallows, and exhales through her nose. She remembers years of laying in bed, barely able to move. A life devoid of meaning, changed by his arrival. I remember that feeling of powerlessness. I promised to protect those who can’t do so themselves! Underneath her veil, she widens her bright green eyes. “Spectral Sight: Spirit Thread!” A thin, glowing thread appears in front of her, invisible to the world around her. The thread winds its way through the maze of people below, before wrapping itself around a young, scrawny man, and tightening.
Rali wastes no time, extending her outstretched fingers towards the thief. She drags her arms across her body. Thin white threads shoot out from every direction around the thief and his stolen query. The thin strings wrap around his hands. The threads flow up his arm and up to his shoulders. Rali lifts her hands above her heads, and the threads follow suit, pulling the thief and the stolen bag above the crowd. She continues bending her fingers, moving the bag and gently placing it in the old lady’s arms.
Rali looks down at the old lady, and a gentle smile creeps on her face. However, her focus is elsewhere. Her face snaps to the thief. Despite the veil in the way, he could feel her eyes burning a hole into his skull.
“Please let me go!” The thief begs, thrashing against the threads holding his body aloft. His constraints refused to budge, instead tightening around his arms and legs.
“Very well!” Rali announces loudly, lowering her hands. While the veiled girl peacefully descends to the ground, where the threads supporting her then fall away. On the other hand, the threads around the thief simply went limp, dropping him onto the ground. Rali steps forwards, her eyes locked on the thief.
“That’s enough Rali. You’ve made your point,” Luco places his hand on her shoulder. Rali turns her head, and nods.
“Of course,” She turns towards where the rest of the group are waiting, and walks over. As she passes through the crowd, another hand places itself on her shoulder. Rali turns her head tentatively. Behind her is the small old lady. This time though, her expression is soft. Rali remains silent, meetin the woman’s eyes through her veil.
Finally, the old woman speaks. “Thank you, child.” She clutches her bag close to her chest. It’s a worn down dark leather pack, just large enough to carry some change and a few small items. Rali purses her lips, and nods, pulling her viel further down her face.
“...No problem...” Rali murmurs, a far cry from the confidence exuded just a moment ago.
“C’mon Rali!” Luco yells over, gesturing towards the group, who were making their way towards the ship. fThe old lady waves her hand, and turns away. She disappears into the sea of people along the street. Rali turns her head back towards the group, and quickly walks over. She averts her eyes from the onlooking crowd. However their murmurs reach her.
“What a frightening power!”
“A freak of nature!”
Her heart beats frantically, her body shaking in rhythm. Her steps quicken. She flinches, feeling a presence next to her. Hajime lightly taps her arm. Rali feels her heart calm. She lets a sigh escape her, turning to face her friend. “Thank you,” She lifts her veil.
“You showed that thief!” He raises his fist just below his neck. He moves his shoulders, shifting the weight of his backpack.
The pale girl blushes, her face looks to the side. “O-oh, yes. But I did let my emotions run wild…” She lowers her hands, tapping her fingers together rhythmically. Finally a distance away from where she caught the thief, the murmurs finally dissipated.
“I’ve never seen you like that,” Hajime agrees, his eyes briefly flickering upwards. The sun is beating down harshly on the port town. He turns his head back towards Rali.
“I K-know the O-order heavily discourages the use of force against normal people,” Rali admits, stumbling over her words. “But…” She takes a breath, calming down. “When I see someone picking on those who can’t fight back, I just can’t help it!” She quietly declares, glaring at no one in particular. “I remember how weak I used to be before Master Zello found me!” She places her hand on her heart, frowning. It’s still so weak. Even the basic training strains it.
“But now, you’re strong enough to protect them!” Hajime leans forward. “You’ve got an amazing power!” They follow their mentors, turning onto a large, stone dock. It stretches out hundreds of feet, flanked by large steamships on each side. “I forget how big steamships are!” Hajime comments. “And yet they still float!” Rali nods in agreement.
“Hajime, Rali! Hurry up!” Luco calls back towards the acolytes.
Hajime nods at Rali, and runs ahead, getting in line behind Leo and Illean to board. Rali lingers for a moment, staring distantly at the ship. She blinks, and follows behind, her green eyes fixed on Hajime. She smiles. “Maybe... I can be strong.”