Chapter 9.

PART 1.

“So, did you notice how chipper he is today?” Raven was asking Josh, while arranging his school books. He likes to keep his books organized properly, less chances of losing things that way.

“Of course, he’s happy.” Said Josh, hanging from the windowsill of Raven’s room. Many times, Raven has tried to make him stop that, but apparently, Josh loves that spot too much. “After all, he gets to talk with his parents! Two, loving, parents.”

“Is this about your family life again?” Raven asked, not happy with where this conversation was going. “You can’t be jealous of him just because of that?”

“And so? What if I am. I’m eight. I have a right to be jealous.”

“Ah, yes. Be jealous, and ruin one good friendship you have?” remarked Raven, sharply, now done with his organizing.

“One of the two friendships. You—”

“Nothing more than a lucky boy who gets to hang around you. I know that.” Josh wanted to protest, but Raven continued on. “But, you know, unlike me, he has a better future. Do you honestly want to ruin all of that, just because his parents actually love him?”

Josh didn’t answer.

“Besides. Don’t worry. Soon enough, he’ll be back to his usual brooding self. Seriously, if it weren’t for me taking him in the sun every day, he would look like a brooding vampire.”

PART 2.

Today is the day when Zeko will be helping Hatori in awakening in his magic. He did not do any training yesterday, since Zeko decided to give him a day off. “You’ll need all your strength, brat.” He said to him. and as a result, both of his friends also breathed a sigh of relief.

Since Hatori doesn’t have to train, that means they get a day off as well from the early morning training as well.

“So, what is the process of waking up the magic?” he asked Zeko.

“Simple. You meditate,” he ignored the groan, “Once you are in a deep enough trans state, which you have been achieving due to all the practice I made you do, I’ll put my hands on your shoulders, and channel my magic into you. As a result, you should be able to follow the sensation, and reach for it. Once that happens, we would have accomplished our task.” Zeko finished the explanation.

“What are these things surrounding us?” Hatori asked, tapping one of the wooden barriers.

“Hmm. They are nothing more than just some barriers to keep the explosions inside.” Said Zeko.

“Explosions?” squeaked Hatori.

“Of course. Waking up the magic of a child is a volatile process. We can be blown to pieces, or the process could go erratically wrong, causing you to become mad.” Zeko said with too much happiness, in Hatori’s opinion. “Isn’t that fun?”

“No, it is not. And what’s this thing about me going mad?” Hatori shouted, “Why didn’t you tell me earlier?”

“Where’s the fun in that?” said Zeko nonchalantly.

Of course, there is another reason for those barriers. Designed by the best ward masters of the king, they will keep anyone from sensing Hatori’s suddenly awakened magic, if it happens to be producing so much output, that is. But Zeko didn’t share that information, yet, Hatori is not ready, in his opinion, to understand these things.

The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

‘He trusts too easily. He thinks that people won’t harm him. I must disabuse him of these notions.’

“Now, meditate, or I won’t let you eat fried potatoes for the next 100 years!” Zeko roared, making Hatori sit down with plomb, with an expression of absolute focus on his face.

‘Heh, that is the most amusing part of teaching! Threatening them with absurd things. Too bad you can only do it for so long, they grow up so fast…’ Zeko shook his head. This is not the time to get emotional.

After some time, Zeko judges Hatori’s current state to be good enough, so, he crouches on his toes and knees behind Hatori, and puts both of his hands on his shoulder. The boy did not react to the touch, for which Zeko notes that he must also increase his paranoia.

He slowly started to channel his own magic into Hatori’s body, after which, he felt the child reach for it.

Hatori feels as if he is on the mercy of a river, being tossed from this or that way. Whenever he tries to take control, he always loses that control sooner or later. The river brought him somewhere, and slammed him to the rocky banks, which he felt was uncalled for.

He began to rage at the river. “What do you think you are huh? My species has tamed hundreds of you, leaving you nothing more than a pathetic stream. How dare you treat me like that?”

His raging was interrupted by the crackle of thunder from the sky, which he felt like he understood. “Oh yeah? That makes no difference to me. You can cause all the floods you want. But sooner or later, you have to recede back inside your cage.”

Another crackle of thunder occurs, louder than the first one. “Whatever. If you know me so well, then you should know why I actually have come here.”

The thunder rumbles loudly, but is different from the previous crackles. “I only agreed, because I had no choice. Throwing a tantrum was not an option. I just did what the pragmatic book taught me. I really miss programming…” he trailed off.

After remaining silent for some time, the thunder crackled once more. “Never. I won’t let you take me over. You can either cooperate with me, or just… how did those morons say back at that organization… oh yeah. You can just piss off! I’m planning to make this world cry, a flood of tears the likes of this world have never seen before.” Hatori is copying all the villains and anime speeches he has heard over the years, “and I will do it, either with your power, or without. Choice is yours.”

The thunder rumbled in approval.

Zeko didn’t know what hit him. One moment, he was on his toes and knees, keeping his hands on Hatori’s shoulders. The next moment, he is thrown off violently, while a lightning storm appears out of nowhere. A hastily created barrier saved him from serious injury.

He observes how the storm is just focused on this rather isolated part of the castle, while the power coming from Hatori is off the chart.

However, the power, and the storm, both disappeared as quickly as they came, and Zeko appeared before Hatori, quickly catching the falling child in his arms, before he hits his head on the hard ground.

“You’ve done well,” he congratulated. “Very well done.”

(End.)