Chronicles of Mysteria: Anima | Vol. 1 - Hikari's Fated Duo

Chapter 1: Everyday Life

Many cycles later

Myra and Raven went out this morning sparring. However, Myra's definition of "sparring" is quite different. She doesn't really go easy on us and we always end up losing. Even when Raven and I are working together, Myra is too overwhelming. I shouldn't be surprised though since Myra is not only a mercenary, but the Hero of Hikari. So while they go out training, I decided to stay at home and cook dinner for them as well as work on my alchemy at the same time. Besides, fighting hand-to-hand is not really my thing. Magic is much more to my comfort. I prefer to study with my spell book! Raven is much more upfront and physical as she fights with her fists and legs. However, I'm in a situation where I'm struggling to use Magic. I have all the basic Spells memorized, yet I can barely cast one. I don't know what I'm doing wrong and even Myra had a hard time figuring it out. I remember in the academy all the kids would laugh at me for not being able to cast any Spells. I'd get verbally bullied for it and sometimes pushed around. That was until Raven had come to my rescue.

One day, there were some kids during recess planning to bully me out of sight of the adults. They were successful in that plan, and they began to push me down and kick dirt, spit, and even hit me. I remember balling up crying to protect myself, hoping someone would help me. But before all hope was lost, Raven had come to my aid. She fended off the bullies and even managed to catch one. Raven punched her so hard that it pushed her to the ground and gave her a broken nose. When the mentors finally came around, the bullies, as well as Raven, got put in the chief's room. I was sent there too, but not for trouble, rather as a victim. They asked me if I was okay as well as what happened and why. Since I was the one who suffered the most, they were inclined to believe my story more than the others. Since then, two of the three bullies left me alone. The third never came back to the academy. It was rumored that she dropped out, or that her family moved somewhere else in Anima. Regardless, we haven't seen her since. And ever since that incident, I understood what kind of person Raven is and got along well.

That was the first and last time I've ever seen Raven so angry and so protective of me. I'll be honest, every time I think about it, seeing Raven's face smile at me, It always hits a soft spot in me. Something deep inside my heart just tingles and sinks to my stomach. It's... it's a good feeling. A positive feeling I've never felt before. My childhood is hazy, but if there's one memory that is crystal clear to me, it's Raven who stood up to me and promised to protect me. At least until I could use Magic well, she added. She makes my heart pound sometimes, and I can't help it. I can't tell if it's my desire to protect her as well or something deeper...

The boiling pot's steam rises onto my face and snaps me out of daydreaming. "Uwahh!" I yell, wincing back. I start cooling down the pot and sigh at my absent minded self. Then I put it in the sink and pour water over the lid. The pot hisses violently as the water runs over the top. Once it cools down a bit, I open the lid and see a perfectly made beef soup. A smile was gently brought upon me, thus I started getting the bento boxes ready. There are two portions, one portion for me and another for Raven. I don't pour one for Myra because she never cleans her own dishes, so I leave it to her to serve herself. Shifting my focus, I remind myself to get the onigiri that I had made earlier and pack that as well. Once that was done, I get the boxes shut and pack them in the basket used for picnics. Right as I turn off the stove, the front door opens. Reflexes kicked in, causing me to turn around quickly to find out if it was Raven. Instead, I see Myra all dirty and with slightly burnt clothes.

"Phewww! You should've been there, Violet!" She shouts, closing the door and taking a seat. "Raven used your potion and made quite the play with it. Although fighting against Magic like that almost reminded me of old days." I smile and walk towards her, giving her a wet towel wipe to clean her face up. "So it worked then?" I ask. "You bet your money it did. Your brewing skills are improving by the day."