There was one day of awkward classes, then Kyle went to Beth's room again. They talked for a while about how school has been going so far, and when Beth asked Kyle how he knew so many spells already, Kyle decided that was the time to get diner.
"So you are going into the city with Florianne tomorrow?" Beth asked while she chewed.
"Yeah, I went around the city one other time before, but it was just to buy some clothes. Other than that it will be a new thing for me." Kyle heard from Beth that students were allowed into the city whenever they wanted, so even she went a few times.
"Then you should know, the 1st district here is a lot denser than Thornberry. They are crammed in the west half of the city and separated by the street to the west gate. I just wouldn't go that way." Beth was actually giving Kyle tips for how to navigate the city while he was on a date with Florianne. Beth had no alternative motive.
"And while i'm going you can work on gathering electrons. The more you can gather in an instant, the stronger the spell will be." Kyle had solid advice, but it was nothing new to Beth. In lightning class, they talked about tiny lightning that was so small it couldn't be seen, and lightning magic just made them all visible and point the same way.
The next day was the day of the date.
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POV: Beth Valheart
I don't care that Kyle got a new friend, not at all. It's not like they are best friends now. I'm still his best friend, yeah. Yeah yeah yeah yeah I just need to practice my magic now.
"[Static]" Oooh, it feels a little tingly, but I didn't get anything to happen. Is this what mana feels like when it covers you? Kyle shocked me once so I could feel what lightning magic does not people, and I didn't like it.
But this... this was a pleasant feeling. It was like for just a second, I was protected from the outside world. I wonder how long I would be able to keep up the Static spell? I should practice more.
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POV: Jocelyn Soon-To-Be Jill
I am the best friend ever.
"You should wear this one."
It's the prettiest white dress Florianne has, with little red patterns on it. It's a little cold out, but this should work.
"What do I say when I see him in the morning?"
Oh, now I have to think... Sister Airwreaka told me the first thing you say is how good they look.
"You should say something about his clothes being good. He's worn that same set for the last few days, so he is probably saving a special set for today."
"But what if he doesn't look good?"
"No! Even if they don't look good, they look good. It's a fact."
There is no way Airwreaka could be wrong about this. Airwreaka is my older sister and told me almost everything I know about how to make special friends. Just like me and Micky, Florianne will be better than best friends with Kyle.
"What do I do next?"
"You get something to eat. Kyle is always eager to get food from the cafeteria, even though it isn't even that good. I'm sure he will love wherever you take him, but no soup shops."
It can't fail. Kyle eats like he hasn't eaten solid food for years.
"What do I do next?"
Oh my, this is going to be a long day.
"Okay, next you-"
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Kyle waited by the gate to the city for about 10 minutes before Florianne arrived. Kyle only had the one set of clothes, so he washed those the previous night and wore them in the morning. It was nothing fancy, and Kyle left the red string with the writing materials he got from the medical ward the previous day after leaving diner with Beth.
Kyle had his light brown shirt and darker brown pants, but Florianne arrived in a white and red dress. He was severely shown up.
"I only have the one set of clothes." Kyle said as Florianne got close enough to hear him.
"That's okay, they look good on you." Florianne made a smile like she was trying to hide something, and Kyle could not figure what it was.
'Am I ugly? How could I have gone from "Little cutie" to ugly? Why are we even here if I'm ugly?'
"Then let's get going." Kyle lead the way out the gate, but Florianne grabbed his hand and went a little in front of him.
"I should lead, because you don't know where to go, and I should hold your hand so we don't get separated." Florianne was reading these off a mental list from things Jocelyn told her the night before.
"Yeah okay." Kyle allowed it and followed Florianne into the city.
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The first thing the two of them did was get something to eat. It was a breakfast of scorched monster eggs, and thin slices of monster rump meat. It was good.
"I didn't know they had such great food outside the school!" Kyle said as he chewed the strips of meat. They were long and thin, about an inch wide. The monster eggs had things like paper coming off from them in all directions, but they were just more scorched egg.
"Hehe you need to get out more." Florianne giggled as she ate her food on the opposite side of a table from Kyle.
"I would, but when that incident happened a few months ago my mom came and took all my money back home. I'm broke."
"Well, you can just come with me and I'll pay for it."
"Really? What kind of business do your parents have Florianne?"
"They are both healing mages in my town. They made good money and give me a certain amount every month."
"Are you really fine with paying for this all?"
"Yeah it's fine. Do you want any more?"
"Seriously? If I eat any more I won't be able to walk!"
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Florianne paid for the food and the two of them walked around the city's 3rd district. Vegaville's 3rd district was about the size of Thornberry's 2nd district. It was huge.
Florianne first went into a clothing store and looked at some things. Dresses, shirts, and pants all in the same store.
The second shop they went into was a blacksmith. Kyle picked up a sword from a discount bin, hoping that he could show off a little of his skills, but was firmly told to put it back by the person working the counter.
This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.
The third shop was a jewelry store.
"Ooh, that one looks pretty." Florianne said while pointing to a bracelet. It was silver in color, and had a delicate pattern around it.
"Hey Florianne, if you can get me something then I am sure I will be able to get you that bracelet." Kyle had an idea, and it might work even though he was so short.
"Get you what Kyle?" Florianne asked with a interested look.
"Well just come with me right now" Kyle grabbed Florianne's hand and lead her out of the store. Kyle looked around the street and found a tailor shop and went to it.
"Why are we going to the tailor? You need new shoes?" Florianne looked at Kyle's shoes, but they did not seem worn out.
"That's not it. Just follow me." Kyle entered the store with Florianne closely behind him and he started to look around. Kyle went to a rack and grabbed something, then grabbed something else from a shelf.
It was a light brown mask and a dark brown cloak.
"What is the cloak and mask for?" Florianne questioningly looked at them.
"Just buy me these and wait in the jewelry store. I will buy you that bracelet in under an hour." Kyle said confidently. He knew how to make money, and being unrecognizable would be the best way to do it.
"Okay, if you really think so..." Florianne knew Kyle was a full type, and he already knew the healing spell [Heal] without having to read the chant. She readied the several hundred coins for the cloak and mask and bought them for Kyle.
"Alright, now just wait for me and I'll be back soon!" Kyle took the cloak and mask and ran down the street, putting them on. Florianne went to the jewelry store and resumed looking at bracelets. She felt a little bad though, because Kyle left her in the middle of there date.
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POV: Kyle Mercer
I've got the cloak, I've got the mask, hello coins!
"Hello, is that a broken arm? I can heal that for 1,000 coins." Some guy is walking down the street with his arm in a splint.
I am just one lucky bastard. Made friends quickly, girl paid for our date, and I found someone to make money from really quickly.
"Hey kid, I don't have time to deal with you." Oh no, I am Mr. manipulator! Hear me voice.
"Hey, I'm not a kid! I'm just really short. If you've got 1,000 coins, I'll cast Regrow to fix that arm of yours."
"I've got 1,000 coins, but I doubt you will really be able to fix it."
"You don't believe me? [Regrow]" This spell regrows everything in the effected area, so it works better than heal which just repairs what is already there. No need to worry about bones setting wrong when you use [Regrow]!
"Oh wow, you really did it midget."
"So how about that silver coin?"
"Yeah sure! You want to make some more money? Come to the hospital in the south east district, they really need mages who can use Regrow."
"I'll think about it, thanks." A cast of [Regrow] normally cost a couple silver coins, so what I sold it for was cheaper than market value, but I needed the coins. Time to head back to Florianne.
Gosh, it wasn't even 30 minutes.
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"Hey Florianne, I'm back." Kyle took of the cloak and mask, and wrapped the mask into the cloak. Kyle was now back inside the jewelry shop with Florianne still looking at things.
"Hey, you weren't gone too long." Florianne looked up from the counter she was looking at and looked at Kyle.
"So how much was that bracelet? 800 coins?" Kyle looked around for the bracelet but could not find it.
"Yeah, it's this one right here." Florianne walked over and pointed to the bracelet under a different counter from the one Kyle was looking at. The price was 853 coins.
"Okay, I'll get it for you." Kyle walked up to the woman at the counter.
"I would like to buy something." Kyle looked up and said to her.
"Something from up here?" The woman asked, pointing to the display of little charms she had next to her.
"No, I want a bracelet in that counter over there." Kyle pointed to the counter Florianne was standing next to.
"Alright then, I'll get it out." The woman walked around the counter and unlocked the counter Florianne was standing next to.
"Which one is it?" She asked Kyle.
"Florianne." Kyle said, looking at Florianne.
"It's that one." Florianne pointed at the bracelet she wanted, and the woman picked it up from inside the case.
"This is one is 853 coins." The woman said, but Kyle was not bothered by that.
"That is fine. Here." Kyle pulled from his pocket the silver coin.
"Alright then, I'll get your change." The woman went back around the counter and got 147 coins and gave them to Kyle. Kyle then gave then to Florianne.
"I know I haven't paid you back, but I will earn more and pay back the full amount as soon as I can." Kyle held out the bracelet to Florianne and she put it on her wrist.
"That's okay. You can just get me another gift like this." Florianne admired the bracelet and the two of them left the store.
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Kyle and Florianne had a late lunch and then they went back to the school. It was about 15:00.
"So what are your magic types Florianne?" Kyle thinks she told him before, but he forgot them.
"I have Fire, Ice, and Healing." Florianne was most proud of her healing type.
"Do you know any Ice spells." Kyle wanted to show her something, and it would require either [Frost] or [Flame].
"Yes. I know Frost." Florianne was not very good at anything other than healing.
"Well, you want to do something cool?" Kyle had done it many times before now that he can cast two spells at a time.
"What?" Florianne did not know what was so cool about [Frost].
"Cast your Frost into the air."
"Okay, [Frost]" Florianne chanted the spell and did what Kyle told her to.
"[Flame]" Kyle followed with his chant, and it started to rain.
"Wow what is this?" Florianne could not understand what was happening. It was not unknown to everyone that [Flame] and [Frost] mixed would make water, but it was unknown to most school children.
"It is the magic in the fire interacting with the magic in the ice to make water." It was a simple reaction that didn't even need the mage to do additional casting. This knowledge was the preferred method for blocking spells of the other type, unless the mage was 7 years old and trying to hide from someone that they knew Ice magic.
"Whoa, that's so cool." Florianne was really amazed at what Kyle's and her magic was doing.
They watched the rain fall on the ground until Florianne's mana was used up, and then they got diner in the cafeteria to finish the day.