Magic's Violence Record

Chapter 17: Anatoly's Gratitude

      A few months had passed at Masolis and Anatoly's place. Everyday from the brink of dawn until 5, they'd leave for work, and when they returned, either one of them would take Serenade to a dimly lit, expansive training area. Masolis and Anatoly had worked as fighters and guardians in the top ranks for years, making them a challenge to beat. What a relief it was for them to be on her side, Serenade would often think.

"I think.. we're ready to start sparring... with swords. Or rather, these bamboo sticks." Anatoly motions grandly over to a rack of bamboo sticks, a few feet in length. Serenade, looking over, tilts her head in confusion.
"Why are we fighting with bamboo sticks? You can't beat someone that way. Right? Well, maybe if they sucked." Serenade inquired, walking over. "How long have these been here anyway?" She turns to face Anatoly, standing by the rack.
"Eh... at least a hundred years, probably. But beating me isn't the end goal here. It's mastering how to use those bamboo sticks." He assures.
"I don't understand..." Serenade says sadly.
"That's what sparring is. This is practice, not trying to beat me. I'm going to teach you and we're going to have a practice fight." Anatoly points from the other side of the short fence dividing them. He was in the sparring area, which was more lit than the sides where Serenade was.
"Hey Anatoly?" Serenade asks.
"Yes?" He replies.
"If Kikyo ever hypothetically found us... Do you think she'd win and take me?" Serenade asked, frowning.
"Well, if she came along with Rensire, she'd probably give me a little trouble... That is, if her feats were true to your word." He says, approaching the bamboo rack, and sitting on the fence.
"Well... Would you lose?" Serenade queried.
"Nah, I'd win." Anatoly shrugs. Serenade nods her head wordlessly before retrieving a bamboo stick from the rack, and giving Anatoly one.
"GUYS! Come outside, Kikyo showed up!" Bria screams, panicked, at the door.
"What the fuck?" Anatoly says worried, as they rush to the door. Before Bria bursts out laughing.
"I'm kidding, I'm kidding..." Bria laughs, "Masolis actually finished dinner. Come sit down." She chokes, before stumbling out.
"Seriously...? I guess we talked for too long." Serenade sighs.
"Ugh... She pisses me off..." Anatoly grumbles, raising an eyebrow to show his discontent. Not that Serenade could see it anyway, he had a blindfold on.
"You know, we should probably work on having a calmer reaction to something like that." Serenade blinks, fluttering her pointer and middle finger together.
"Why do you do that?" Anatoly asks.
"Do what?" Serenade replies.
"That thing with your fingers? You do it all the time." Anatoly says, annoyed.
"Oh... You know, I'm not sure," Serenade begins walking to the door. "How do you even see it anyway? You have a blindfold on."
"Now you ask? It's been months." Anatoly remarked, following Serenade to the dining room.
"True, true. You can answer that too." Serenade shrugs.
"Me and Masolis have a form of echolocation. We emit high-pitched sounds that help us see where we're going." Anatoly clarifies. "Even while we talk."
"Seriously...? That's... Freaky. So how did you see my fingers doing that?" Serenade replies.
"Well it just makes a really annoying noise. That's all." Anatoly laughs. "I can hear it rooms away."
"What...? Seriously...? I'm sorry..." Serenade feels bad for having to subject Anatoly, and presumably Masolis, to her annoying finger noises.
"We just have good hearing, that's all." Anatoly and Serenade finally walk into the dining room where the others have already begun eating. There were 2 empty spaces, one next to Elixir, and one next to Masolis.
"Your sister is suuchhh a good cook~" Rose whines, shoving food into her mouth.
"...Please don't say it like that." Masolis cringes and looks away.
"I know, right?" Anatoly boasts.
The cabin had come to be more of a home to Serenade than even her own house. The warm lighting, constant chatter, and hot meals fulfilled Serenade and made her even happier than she was by default. Now, to achieve her last goal...
After sitting down next to Elixir, she grinned at him. He didn't see. Frustrated, Serenade blushed and looked away, feeling like a fan.
"Hey Elixir, how's the food?" Serenade bats her eyelashes.
"It's good." He replies. Serenade blinks.
(I'm getting tired of this crap...) Serenade thinks to herself, rolling her eyes. She puts her hand on Elixir's, but he lifts it to signal to Masolis more food before she can even touch it.
"What in the world..." Serenade whines to herself, snatching her hand back.
"Huh?" Elixir turns to Serenade. "Did you say something?" He asks.
"Nooooo." Serenade says extremely sarcastically and bitterly. Bria snorts from across the table, who's been watching Serenade's poor attempts at romance.
"Shut up!" Serenade pouts.
"You'll get him in the next chapter!" Bria says reassuringly.
"Next... what?" Serenade asked, a puzzled expression on her face.
"Nothing." Bria cringes. Serenade raises an eyebrow, before taking a bite of her meat and swooning.
"Is it good, Serenade?" Masolis smiles.
"Heck yeahhh.." Serenade giggles.
"Well hurry up, we need to get back to training." Anatoly scoffs, mouth full of food.
"Don't talk with your mouth full, you disgusting rat." Rose crosses her legs pompously.
"Anatoly, could I join you guys again today?" Elixir asks calmly.
"Sure, I don't see why not! We're starting Serenade on the bamboo sticks." Anatoly grins.
"I'm starting to miss my students..." Elixir sighs sadly.
"Oo! Who was your favorite?" Serenade grins.
"This boy, his name was Tonic. He actually started school while I was a senior at West Petal. Once I got my teaching license, he was like, 13." Elixir reminisces. "In fact, he'd always stay behind for me to tutor him. Not like he needed it! He was a prodigy."
"13? West Petal was a highschool." Rose mocked, rolling her eyes.
"He actually got in when he was 12. Like I just said, he was a prodigy, Rose." Elixir raises his eyebrows.
"You two went to highschool together, right?" Bria asks, folding her hands under her chin. "Were you two friends?"
"HELL no." Rose seethed, looking away.
"Rose was pretty strong, making her fearful. Though I'm pretty sure part of it was bribery, she WAS ranking one." Elixir begins.
"Ranking one?" Serenade tilts her head.
Rose sighs. "The school worked off of a ranking system. Supervised fights would be recorded and everybody would compete for first place. If you could beat somebody better than you, you'd take their place. It was like a never-ending tournament. Though, whoever had the highest ranking at the end of the year would earn scholarships, especially considering it was usually seniors." Rose explains.
"That sounds like so much fun..." Serenade grins, stars in her eyes.
"It's fun until you get completely humbled..." Elixir smirks, looking at Rose. Rose glared back.
"Excuse me, when's the rematch?" Rose seethed.
"You aren't winning. Please." Elixir laughed. "Hey Anatoly, do you think I could join you and Serenade today?"
"I don't see why not," Anatoly said, a mouth full of food. "Why so suddenly though?"
"I know why it is! He needs to train because he's set on defeating me in our rematch! Just so you know, it won't happen, girl." Rose smirks, raising a finger. Her plate was cleared; her silverware nicely stacked. She knew manners and etiquette, why couldn't she reflect it in a conversation? That'd always bugged Serenade.
"Girl?" Elixir blinked.
"It's probably a habit... Stop spending so much time around Serenade." Bria laughs at Rose.
"I don't think she can handle two rivalries at once. It shorts her out." Masolis jokes, a rare occurrence to see her mocking somebody. Rose didn't let her get away with it though. She piercingly glared in her direction, something she knew would work on Masolis, who was clearly shy, but not the others.
But it doesn't make Masolis falter. She stares back, (probably,) (I can't see under her blindfold!) but the blindfold makes Rose uncomfortable. She cringes and leaves Masolis alone.
"Well, I definitely don't doubt my skill in beating you," Elixir says smugly, "But I really want to see where Serenade's skill is."
"Ah... You're worried about me?" Serenade grins, batting her eyelashes. Rose gags.
"No...? I'm just curious." Elixir states. Bria snorts, and Serenade kicks her shin under the table.