V.Vizard! 15

It's Friday again! Hooray! I've been looking forward to this. A glorious day where I can go to the TATA to learn more about magic!

There are still a few things I need to work out, though. I never really figured out how others float multiple drops of water in the air, form them into ice spears at the same time, and fire them all at the same time. Sure, there are a lot of different types of magic and techniques to all try out, and I can't wait to find one I'm really good in, but if I can't even conquer this one magic, I probably shouldn't overexert myself.

... Maybe I should start even smaller, like make a water slime, or something.

" 'Sup, Vance."

It's Dekon... With Miss de Blois and Xavier.

"HELLO, MY B-F-F~!"

Miss de Blois ran towards me and gave me a big hug. It feels really... awkward being able to see Dekon's face twist from a normal posture to one of mental pain. Xavier, however, just walked away casually.

"WHEN DID YOU TWO GET THIS CLOSE..."

"Don't tell him, Vance! Let him delusionise himself more. Okay? <3"

... Dear Lord. Must every Friday start out with something ridiculous?

*** ***

At one of the unused downstairs areas in the TATA, was a stranger hanging around my usual training spot.

He seems to be of Asian descend, Korean in particular, and he was crushing canned food by the top, popping the tin lids off, and eating out of the canned food.

... Wow.

"Uhm... Hello... ?"

"Wha-?"

He turned around and looked me in the eye. His lips either had tomato sauce from baked beans smudged onto it, or that's his own blood from being cut by the metal mixed with the preservative juices.

I pointed at my cheek, and it took him 5 seconds to realise that his face was not clean. I don't understand why, but I truly saw no reason for him to turn around, look around himself, point at himself and finally touch his face with his fingers when I WAS FIGURATIVELY POINTING ON MY OWN CHEEK WHILE LOOKING AT HIM IN THE EYES..

"Thanks. That could have been embarrassing."

Well, at least he seems to be decent. A guy that can crack canned food and eat out of it directly? That's at a level of awesomeness I have never seen until now. I'd like to put in a 'Because he's Asian!' joke, but that was what, outdated, like 19 years ago.

"You're welcome. What were you doing here?"

"They didn't want me to spill chicken curry all over the coliseum up above, so I came down here to eat."

... Well, it would make sense if you tried to open it upstairs that the chances of it spilling are much higher. With the match going on, and the spectators not calming down at all, it could be a hassle. Also, the way he forcefully blasts the lid off kind of makes me uncomfortable.

"I'm Miko. You?"

No harm in getting friendly, I suppose. He seems pretty powerful, maybe I can learn a bit from him?

"Vance. I came down here to practice magic. But honestly, I haven't found what my specialty is yet."

"Ahh, well, every v.vizard has to go through that some point in their life... It's only a matter of time. So, where're you at now?"

"I'm practicing a water technique called Ice Pelter. I don't have much affinity for water, but at least I can make one spear."

"Pfft. One spear? I've seen normal v.vizards create at least 20 spears of light and they can destroy trucks. Also, that technique wouldn't happen to make small, toothpick-like shards, would it?"

Wow. He seems experienced with it. Now that's what I call a seasoned tutor!

"Yeah."

"That technique is rubbish."

... Wow, he shot it down. Really quickly.

"It's a basic water-type technique that is meant to pin down weak, unwilling targets. Average v.vizards can defend against attacks like that easy. You should probably focus your goal on something with much more... bang."

Much more 'bang'?

"Hey, since you haven't found your specialty, wanna try my field of magic?"

Well, that's pleasant. A proactive and enthusiastic tutor for a change.

"Sure."

"My type of magic is metallic in nature. It consists of understanding metals, and using the metals' properties to attack opponents. If you like, I can teach you a few basic moves, and give you an Advanced move for you to improve yourself for."

That sounds like a pretty good deal, considering that I did almost nothing for this guy!... It may be too good a deal, there's probably some catch.

"I don't know... It wouldn't cut into my Ice Pelter practice, would it? Managing both might seem a little hard..."

"It's really simple. Every v.vizard supposedly has a specialty. When you use magic that is your specialty, your power is at its peak. That doesn't mean you can't use other types of magic, though. All the more you should try everything at least once, right? So, until you find your specialty, it's really quite fine to fool around."

He does have a point. But the way he talks is a bit suspicious. So, what would happen should I find my specialty? I can't fool around anymore when I've found my specialty? ... Maybe it's just his personality? Perhaps he just likes people passionate about what they are good at, I guess.

"Oh, there are rare cases like me where a person's affinity in their specialty is so high and powerful, that they suck at all other forms of magic. But that's fine, that's fine. It's not like you're one of those kinds of people, right? Ahahahahahaha."

... His words, converging with that Baul too hard's words... I feel so stressed right now for some odd reason.

*** ***

"Right then, let's see what you got so far, rookie. I want you to make this can of tuna float."

... ? Float? How?

"Use the magnetism theory of the Earth to your advantage. Distort the can's natural energy and turn it into a natural lodestone. You can do it."

... What the what? That's so complex.

"Uhm... I didn't really get that."

"... Listen, every object around us is affected by energy in all directions. Problem is, gravitational energy is dominant amongst all the energies. What I want you to do, is imagine the can generating its own energy, and counteracting all the net forces on it so it can float anywhere. Okay?"

... Okay, that's a bit better... No, actually, that didn't help a lot.

"I get the whole net energy thing and all, but exactly how do I imagine the can of tuna generating energy by itself?"

He looks at me in disappointment. Well, I can roughly guess what's coming, since I've already screwed up like 8 times now, not counting this mess yet.

"You're really not suited for metallurgy if you can't even visualise something this basic."

I got shot down again!

"I suggest you snoop around, ask all your friends and strangers. Request to learn magic and techniques from them. Look around, there are a ton of v.vizards and v.vitches. Surely one of them has to teach you something."

That was quick.

So much for his initial impression of being a passionate teacher.

*** ***

I guess I should start from someplace else if he's uninterested.

... Hey, that Maramus guy with the Dimensional Fabric Folding magic seems pretty interesting. Maybe I should see if I'm cut out to be a space v.vizard. Heh. Space V.Vizard. That sure sounds weird and funny.

"Hey, uh, Maramus?"

He turned around, and looked at me funny. What's with him?

"Hey there Vance, you do realise that you reek of expired food and metal, right?"

Wow. He seems to have a pretty sensitive nose

"It... It was that obvious?"

"It's on your shirt."

Oh. I thought he had some sort of hound's nose or something.

... Was that his sensitive nose, or was it just blunder on my part for not noticing it?

"Don't approach me with that disgusting shirt, please! I have a very low tolerance for unhygienic things."

... Well, guess I'd have to try talking to him first thing tomorrow when I'm cleaner.

*** ***

"... Hey, Dekon..."

"Yes, Vance? You can't find the toilet?"

What does he think I am, a 5-year-old who can't find my way around?

"No. I want to learn some fleshsmithing from you."

His eyebrows went up, and he held his nose by reflex.

"You smell like carrion! Yuck! And for what reason, would you have this sudden change of heart?"

"Well, that Miko guy said that I should look around and find different v.vizards to see what my specia-"

"Wait, you actually managed to talk to Miko? That antisocial?"

... ? Miko? Antisocial? What?

"Miko's known for tossing cans at unwelcomed people who disturb him. He's only ever listened to Renna attentively, and you actually got him to talk to you?"

Is that supposed to be a good thing or a bad thing?

"... Yeah. See my shirt? I uh... I screwed up a lot of the 'Expand Metal' techniques and the canned food ended up splattering all over my shirt."

"Ugh. Disgusting."

"I thought that Expand Metal technique would have been similar to Northenise and Southenise... I didn't WANT to get my shirt all soiled."

"You idiot, what good is using a Magnetism theory for Metallurgy?"

... Good point.

"You're just... DISGUSTING, man. I'll teach you some fleshsmithing tomorrow, and hopefully you don't ever have to end up like that. Ever again. We'll continue on this topic tomorrow, the food stinks like hell!"

Yay, I got myself a mentor. I can't wait.