V.Vizard! 8

Nothing else matters.

I knocked on the diamond-shaped door.

The night sky illuminated the silver-painted door's brilliance, setting it aglow with moonlight. I wished I had the time to admire it, but not now.

I knocked on the diamond-shaped door again.

Within, I heard a muffled voice. "Who could be knocking at this hour!? It's 3am!"

The door opens up, and out comes my uncle Sarsan.

"Wha- Vance?"

"I have something important for Homei. I forgot about it the other day, but it is absolutely necessary for me to explain something to her."

"Explain something? You can't explain it tomorrow? She was really upset before she went to bed. I doubt she wants to meet anybody right now."

"It's my fault that she's upset, Uncle. Please allow me to clarify things with her."

"... Okay then."

I made haste through the house to Homei's room.

Knock, knock. "Excuse me."

Entering the room, I see her.

The room was enveloped in a beautiful shade of blue. The plastic-coated mirrors installed outside the windows reflected the moonlight into the room regardless of the time of night, basking it in this effulgent mist of moonlight throughout the entire night.

Homei's beautiful Han purple hair looks so coruscating in this light. Her usually-pink pajamas were dyed steel blue. Seeing how she's awake, she must have been unable to sleep too. They often say that girls need their beauty sleep, but in this room, at this current time right now, she does not deserve the title 'High School Student'.

She deserves the title 'Beautiful Woman'.

I can't believe I actually went to look up the source of my nightmares. Rational people would probably turn tail at run, or not even appear at all, but I did.

Because that does not matter.

Stretching my arms out, I cuddled her repeatedly, even though I was still wearing the clothes I went to work with, even as I stink of sweat, rust and grease.

Homei was probably surprised at my sudden aggression. She might also be slightly disgusted at whiffing my current stench, but mostly surprised.

"I remember it."

"? Remember... what?"

"When we visited Grandfather's grave. I still remember it, Homei. 'I would do my utmost to make you happy.' I never forgot that."

Hearing that, her body seem to have retracted much more willingly into my arms.

"I am terribly sorry. A lot of things happened today."

I feel her tiny arms reaching to my back.

"Please don't hate me for it, okay?"

"You told me before, Vance. 'Everyone has a day where they're much busier than usual.' I believe you."

Then, there was a moment of silence. I used a bit more strength to hug her and she seemed to appreciate it, and snuggled her head on me. How... nostalgic. It reminds me of a toddler version of her when she fell down and hurt her butt, and because it was too painful to stand, she wet her pants on the spot without making it to the potty hole. I hugged her just like this, and she probably saw me as a father figure because of it.

Thinking back now, how did she fall in love with me?

"Ahh, you do like him."

!?

Uncle Sarsan's watching us!

"Uncle!" "Father!"

My face turned red, and I glanced quickly at her. She seemed embarrassed about it too, but she flashed a sheepish grin.

"Ahahaha. Sorry, you two. I saw everything."

... This could turn out really bad if he tells all the relatives.

"Homei, you haven't opened up to anyone else but Vance, have you?"

"..."

She was crossing her knees, and twirling her hair in one hand while puling her shirt down with the other. Her entire face was turning red, and her lips curled into a strange shape. I couldn't tell if that's a smile or a frown. It's not spoken, but that's most likely a 'Yes.'

She wasn't lying... That makes me happy and guilty at the same time. I'm really happy she sees only me and myself as a soul mate candidate, but I can't risk the loss of my v.vizard powers. I have a set goal to become a v.vizard as great as my father, to defy that without giving me the chance to achieve it would be cutting off my motivation to life completely.

"Well, I'll leave you youngsters to your things. Be sure to surprise everyone!"

... I don't even know where to begin with that innuendo. What did he think I came here to do, have sex with her?! Heck no!!

...

I slept peacefully in Homei's room that night.

Homei rested comfortably, using my stomach as a pillow. I haven't been working out in ages, but she appears to like it that way. 'The thin layer of fat makes it more springy and fun compared to the tough abs of the boys in my school', she said.

... How does she even know how tough those guys' abs are? Did she rest her head on them specifically? Or did she punch the boys on their stomachs before? Whatever she did, it may or may not be related to how those three from her school treated her that time we went to the amusement park together.

I don't know. I don't even want to know what happened in her school. Her past doesn't matter to her so I shouldn't brood over it. I just have to prepare myself for the Trash Arena for True Atheists later on.

Maybe I'll go after lunchtime.

*** ***

Opening the second heavy door, I was greeted with that same large coliseum-like room. There's quite a crowd, with a guy in the center crushing a foudable table repeatedly by floating it and forcing it down into the arena.

Right now, on a sliding tab above the door now behind me, showed the words 'V.Vizard Heinrich - Gravity Manipulator'.

I never noticed that the first time I came in, but I guess it's a pretty neat system to tell those who have just arrived, or those who were about to leave, on who's the one in the center of the arena fighting against scraps of trash.

"Hey! Vance!"

A man wearing a bright orange shirt with a thick beard, shades, white flower patterns and blue bermudas walked over with a rather sassy blonde lady wearing a simple beige jacket, a pair of groovy long pants the shade of maroon, and a pair of stiletto heels. She was pretty tall for a lady, so I didn't grasp the point behind wearing high heels to make her appear even taller, but if it suits her, I have no complaints.

"Hello, Dekon. Who's this?" "Who is this before us?"

"Ranko, Vance. Vance, this here, is Ranko de Blois. She's the fiery hot passionate queen that will blaze both the trash and the hearts of men."

"Don't flatter me, Dekon. It's not working."

Coughing in an insinuative manner, Dekon continued.

"She's a Pyromaniac. Don't let her looks and techniques deceive you - She's a pretty cold person when it comes to romance."

"Shut up."

Twisting his ear, Miss de Blois then did a chokehold on Dekon as he screamed wildly until he tapped his hand repeatedly on her arm. "I give, I give!"

"Sorry about that, I'm Ranko de Blois. Nice to meet you, newbie."

"Well, uh, ah... Pleasure to meet you, Miss de Blois."

"Please don't call me a miss."

Please don't call her a miss? Why not? I mean, surely being independent is a good thing, right? That's what keeps us close to God and allows us to manipulate these v.vizard powers. I'm sure Sue would have agreed with me. He's probably have said something like "Why not? Being called a miss isn't a bad thing, it shows your independence and you ought to be proud of it." or something along those lines, though.

Miss de Blois started giggling all of a sudden, and said "... You're a funny man."

Wha-? ... I feel like I've just done something I wasn't even aware of. Am I really that funny?

"Well, funny man, feel free to ask me any question. My age, my favourite food, or job, or even my favourite positions, anything."

Ask her any question, huh... ?

"... When I'm practicing my v.vizard techniques, can I ask you questions then? It's always nice having someone experienced with magic and techniques to assist me, after all."

"? Wait... You, don't have a mentor?"

"No?"

She seems taken aback. Well, her reaction is rather similar to Dekon's so I can somehow relate their reactions as me missing out something vital.

With their reactions, I suddenly feel unjust. I was supposed to have a v.vizard mentor as much as they had theirs and so many other v.vizards in here have.

And yet, I did not. I felt as if I was denied of that right, I feel like there's nobody here to relate to.

"... Well, funny man, I don't have much advice on theories and techniques that aren't fire-related, so what would you like to ask about? I'll snoop around and see if anyone can help you."

... This is a great chance.

"I would like to master this technique known as Ice Pelter. It's a technique that forms many tiny spears of ice from drops of water, and it can be sent forward to impale the opponent. Since the spears are tiny and bountiful, the main purpose is probably to hurt the enemy superficially, and to pin the enemy onto the ground. Know anyone who can tutor me magic like that?"

"Ice magic, huh..."

Dekon speaks up, breaking the two-man conversation. From the way he looked at us while we were talking, he seemed rather displeased with me getting along this well with Miss de Blois. I guess he had a right to be angry, but Miss de Blois is... well, attractive. He can't blame me for not being able to look away, with a figure like that.

"Well, if anything, Xavier should be the one to go to if you want to learn ice magic theories and techniques."

Xavier, huh? I guess that's quite a common name.

"Ah, here he comes now. Xavier! Mind coming over for a moment?"

... Ara? Isn't that...

THE XAVIER THAT FOLLOWS PALCHOU AROUND EVERY WORKDAY!?

Seeing each other at the same time, we held the same astonishment.

"You're a v.vizard too, Xavier!?" "What are you doing here, Vance?!"

*** ***

"... It's just my luck to run into you here."

He seems pretty displeased about meeting me. I could tell, the fights in the ring was pretty entertaining. I wouldn't want to be sidetracked to teach some beginner neither.

"Well, sorry for often piling work on Palchou. But it helps him since he wanted to be Chief Engineer, you know, I thought it might be good for him to get the boss's favour using this chance."

"Yes, but as the Assistant Chief Engineer, YOU ought to be the one by his side, not me."

"He doesn't like me very much."

"That's because you laze around too much."

"... So... You won't teach me the theories for Ice Pelter?"

"... I don't really have any reason to deny a fellow v.vizard, and Ranko insisted, so I'll teach you."

Yes!!! I'm one step closer to Dad!

"First, form a water spear. That should be easy for you, right? You do know how to 'float' water, right?"

"Okay!" With my mind focused on a blob of water, I drew out a tiny drop of water from the humid air and dropped the water while maintaining water in the space it fell through. Freezing it quickly so it does not deform, I made my first, refined ice spear in front of other v.vizards.

"... Just a drop? I'm disappointed."

Xavier then proceeds to take out a huge, HUGE mass of water from the drain. The amount of water is possibly enough to engulf himself completely with leftover to spare.

"Whoa."

The huge blob then dispersed into many tiny drops, and they all froze to make tiny balls of ice.

That's amazing! To perform magic at such a mass scale... !

"This is very basic ice magic. Don't be fascinated by it."

"Sorry."

"Well, in any case, since your technique handling isn't that good yet, let's touch on theories then. Look at your spear. What does it look like?"

"A toothpick?"

"... A compass needle."

"Yeah, it does look like that."

It really does look like a compass needle, now that he mentions it.

"Now, seeing it as a compass needle, you should know to apply the Magnetism theory on it."

Wha- Magnetism theory? What's that?

"Uhm..."

Heaving a sigh, Xavier continued. "You really don't know anything, do you?"

I can only regrettably say that he's right.

"The Magnetism theory is a theory observed on ferromagnetism. When a magnet is placed in a box of iron fillings, they all become magnetised by the magnet. This magnetism theory is what allows your spear, and all my tiny little ice spheres, to attack an enemy."

Oh, that sounds like Northenise and Southenise on a mass scale.

"... Okay. I got it. But uh... How do i rotate my spear to face the enemy?"

"North-Southenise and Focal Point."

Wait, hold up, what? Focal Point? Isn't that part of optics and light science? I can understand the Northenise and Southenise used because water's non-magnetic affinity weakens the effect which makes rotating possible, but Focal Point?

"... You don't know what they are, do you. North-Southenise is the very basic of the Magnetism theory, which affects one object only, by the way. It's a lot simpler than the Magnetism theory, but, you know. It's good practice."

"Well, I've heard of Northenise and Southenise from Dekon, but what does optics have to do with this?"

"... You're freezing water into ice, which is almost transparent. That means it allows light to pass through. Focal point is using two out of the billions of photons to fixate a certain point inside the glass. It's like setting a fulcrum on a lever system."

Whoa, whoa, whoa, fixate the ice using light? How is THAT possible!?

"Don't worry too much about it. Basically, think of it as using two rays of light as pair of chopsticks. The point clipped between the light rays will never move, but the object can rotate and swivel around. just like how a smooth bean can rotate in your chopsticks sometimes."

... Wow. That, is really, REALLY deep. I have never so much as even thought that kind of thing was possible.

"Of course, Focal Point has a weakness. It only works in areas with light. Places where light is purposely blocked out, or techniques that block out light, can really screw you over if you rely only on this technique. But it should be good enough. Besides, it's chopsticks. Unless you don't use chopsticks, Focal point should be so easy you can do it with your eyes closed."

I'm grateful enough that a theory like this is even shared with me.

"Thanks, Xavier! That's a big help!"

"Don't look for me for every single technique, just so you know. Most v.vizards specialise only in the field they're naturally good in. So unless it's ice-related, don't look for me ever again."

Specialise in the field they're naturally good in?...

... I wonder what I'm naturally good in?

No point caring about something that has yet to happen! Let's try this focal point thing.