Angel With Broken Wings

102 - Mash Burnedead, Kat Ride and Their Good Friends (2)

[THIRD PERSON POV]

Mash's new challenge is the end of semester test.

"Here are the test results of the tests we had you take to better understand your current abilities." Lemon spoke confidently, stacking the faux test papers carefully before she began to sift through them. "Let's see...Magical languages, 30 points. Magical history, 10 points. Magical potions, 3 points. Magical mathematics, 10 points..." She trailed off at the end, Mash stiffening with every word as Kat sits beside him with a comforting hand on his shoulder.

Lance, Finn and Dot were seated in front of the desk the boy was behind, Lemon joining them at her own seat as their blue haired friend begins speaking, "Mash has scraped by thanks to acing the physical tests, but his written tests are an issue." Mash remained silent and still as he listened to his friends around him, Kat still patting his back in encouragement as she utters out, "To be fair, physical activities are his strong suit." Finn let out a half-hearted laugh at that, directing his gaze to their friend as he speaks slowly, "I think he's having a breakdown, he must really hate studying."

Mash quickly cupped his head in his hands as he rested his elbows on the desk in front of him, the boy managing out, "I want to go home..." Dot was quick as he rose to his feet and spoke confidently to his friend, his voice loud and energetic, "Don't you worry!! We'll back you up!!" Mash lifted his head at those words, eyeing the redhead with a disbelieving tint in his gaze, "Dot, you're good at studying?" He receives a smile is response as the redhead responds truthfully, "I sure am."

Mash stiffened further at those words, his body nearly deflating as Dot continues speaking, "Studying is one of the easiest ways you can progress toward your goal. I think of it as practice for real hard work and do a little bit each and every day. Plus, it looks good on your record, you don't wanna look back on your youth with regret." Mash began trembling quickly as panic settles into his mind once more, just barely hearing Kat mutter, "That's kind of surprising..."

"I feel so alone." He manages out, deflating further as he looks dejectedly at his failed tests. "Don't you worry, I'll teach you what you need." Mash made a small disgruntled whimper, Dot maintaining his smile as the black haired boy struggles out, "T-Teach...me...p-pleash..." He bit his tongue as the words came out, his five friends looking at each other with awkward grins before they prepare the room for a study session.

Lance took up the task first, wearing a pair of glasses and holding a book in his hand, beginning to speak calmly, "Okay, let's begin. For mathematics, we'll start with the basics. Let's skip practical application and go straight for test points." Mash nodded once, showing he understood and Lance began right after seeing the confirmation, "It's important for you to memorize the formulas and how to apply them, such as..." Mash began to shake slightly as Lemon stepped up next, her voice chipper as she occasionally sent glances over to Kat to see if she was watching,

"Next, magical history. If you start by learning related vocabulary, you'll be able to..." Her voice droned on as Mash began to blank, his eyes clouding over slightly as drool began to slip from the side of his mouth, Kat frowning slightly at the sight as she pursed her lips by the door. "An easy trick to remembering magical linguistics is..." Finn began next, Mash beginning to cough blood as he tried to focus on the tutoring that was happening for him, his head spinning as Dot steps up and begins, "The study of magic is..."

Kat startled as she heard something that sounded like an explosion, her eyes going wide as she approached Mash with worry. "You okay?! | Did something just explode?!" Lemon and Dot shouted simultaneously, Kat moving to sit back beside Mash and gently rubbing his shoulder before the boy began to speak again, "I can't...I'll never be able to do this." Kat couldn't help but frown at his lack of confidence, Dot and Lance chiming in unhelpfully, "It's not a matter of can or can't! | It's this or expulsion."