Mother of Pearl: A Floyd Leech x OC Fanfiction [ON HIATUS]

Chapter 79

I stood in the garden again to participate in a few rounds of sparing. I sighed as I pulled my braids into a low ponytail.

We are on a mission. Just...stick through it for the end goal. You've gotten better with magic, the bleeding is starting to let up, everything is going to be fine~

"Viv!" Jamil waved me over. I took a breath and strode over to him. He went on, "Would you want to spar with me?"

I looked him over. I didn't get anything from Kalim, but Jamil may be able to answer my questions if I word them right... "Sure thing, Jamil."

"You go first," Jamil offered with a wave of his pen.

"How kind of you," I smirked as I pulled my pen from behind my ear. I sent two magic offensive spells arching towards him. Jamil dodged one of them. I figured he would dodge the second one – he had the time – but the second blast connected to his sternum. I pressed my lips in a line.

"That was a good one. You sure pick things up quickly," Jamil complimented as he rubbed his chest.

"I had a good tutor, but you have more experience," I shuffled back as a wall of fire erupted in front of me. "See?! Now that's awesome! Magic man...so cool."

Jamil tugged on his hood as the flames ebbed down. "I'm not that good, Viv."

"Dude, one of my jobs as the basketball team's manager is to track ability," I sent a ginormous burr at Jamil. I ran behind it and when Jamil deflected it, I was now in close enough range to say in a hushed voice, "I just don't understand why you try to hide it."

Jamil looked caught off guard. It could've been from my sudden proximity or my statement. "I-I don't know what you mean. I'm always trying my best."

"I'm not saying otherwise," I assured as I threw up a shield to block a hose of fire. "I just think you're selling yourself short."

"How can you be so sure?"

Jamil furrowed his brow. I shrugged. "I see more than others think I can." I summoned vines to wrap around Jamil's ankles and up his legs. He looked at me with an unamused glare. I smirked, "These boot-camps really paid off. Thanks again for letting us join!"

Jamil tilted his head and crossed his arms. "You sure have stamina, for someone unable to participate in gym."

"I have a medical condition. It's a need-to-know basis," I twirled the magic fountain pen in my fingers.

"I'm guessing it features a...disdain for water," Jamil raised an eyebrow. It was my turn to be caught off guard. He smirked and hit me with a burst of fire. I reeled back.

I checked myself over for any live embers, "Haha, very intuitive of you, but that's something entirely different." I sent a barrage of leaves to swarm him.

Through the onslaught of sharp leaves he sputtered, "Then what exactly was it?" When the leaves stopped, he had minor cuts on his arms.

"Oh, you know," I put a hand on my hip as I looked him in the eye, "sometimes I just lose my mind when it comes to water."

We stood there staring each other down. "Time's up!" someone yelled. Jamil and I were locked in staring contest.

"Excuse me," a calm voice drew my attention. Jade was walking over with a smile. "I was wondering if I could spar with Abiba next."

"Sounds good to me!" I grinned and left to go fight the eel. I followed him to another open space that was slightly farther off from the others. I sighed, "Man, I can't wait to not have to see a spec of sand."

"Of course, until you go to the Coral Sea with Floyd," Jade slid in. I froze a bit on my way to the opposite side of the field. Jade continued, "He is so looking forward to when he can take you. He won't stop pestering Azul to make a potion."

"I apologize that Azul has to endure that..." I responded timidly. "You go first."

"Fufu..." Jade chuckled. He sent two fireballs my way. I conjured a magic shield that got blasted to oblivion. Before I could get another one up the fire smack me square in the chest. I fell on my butt with a grunt. "You've certainly gotten better since the overblot incident."

I got up and fluttered the dust off my coat. "I'd hope so. I have been practicing." I sent out two vines to grab his wrists.

He chuckled and grabbed the vines. Jade pulled me closer to him with a simple yank. "Why do you seem so uneasy, Abiba? Is it to do with the current situation?"

"Uh, yeah, I guess. Been a tough couple of days and all..." I squirmed trying to get out of my backfired trap.

Jade set the vines on fire. I sucked in air through my teeth as I flung the foliage away from us both. I clicked my tongue and sent two giant burrs point blank. He got knocked back but got up with that customer service smile never faltering, "Yes, yes, but I feel there is something more to it." I tilted my head. "You see, Floyd adores talking about his 'Leafy Sea Dragon', and he came to me in a panic over this MARVIN disease you have."

"He was overreacting," I chuckled. "Don't worry about it."

"Oh, but if my brother is in distress, I feel distressed too," Jade sniffled. "It would reassure me if you could look me in the eyes and swear it really is no big deal."

I sighed but complied. I looked Jade dead in his heterochromatic eyes and swore, "This disease will not threaten my life."

"Thank you," Jade smiled as he maintained eye contact. "And regarding your future trip with Floyd, there is no need to be afraid. I am here to help you. Shock the Heart." A lavender mist pulsated out his left eye in waves.

My vision became blurry. My head felt heavy, but my mind went blank. "Huh~?"

"You must answer with the truth and nothing but the truth to my question," Jade's voice echoed in my head. "Does this MARVIN disease have anything to do with the human female's menstrual cycle?"

"Yes," I answered back without hesitation.

"Is it the same thing?"

Yes. MARVIN is just a code name for my period so that I could talk about it in front of my brother Jerome without grossing him out."

"I see."

The haze in my eyesight went away and the buzzing returned. I rubbed my ears. It felt like when water got stuck in them. I hated it. "Gosh. What hap-," a blast of fire got me at full attention again.

"So sorry about that," Jade apologized. "I must have gotten careless and used too much power. Are you alright?"

"Y-yeah..." I nodded as I tried to recall the last few moments. "But that's a low blow, hitting someone while they're answering your request."

"Fufufu, it was indeed."