Blooming Sages

Chapter 6- Getting things right

The Tsugimoto Residence, outside the walls

  The group in the house sat in silence. Kusuri spoke up, "Since we're outside the walls does that mean we'll run out of magic soon?" "Not exactly. We keep the aether we have stored, which is a lot right now. We have to move fast and find Mars though." Mira informed him. "And how are we supposed to find him? The world is big." "Follow the direction Ace and Spade went in. They said they were going back to him." Kusuri spoke up, "Okay, great. Mira and I-" "No. Sorry, Kusuri but I want to go with Lark on this one." Mira made her way outside.

"M-me!? Why would Mira want to go with me and not Kusuri? They're friends! I'm just some loner in the corner, I've never talked to her. Oh please don't tell me she's going to kill me..." Lark thought in his head, his facial expression remaining phlegmatic.

Northeast, Mira and Lark

  He followed Mira into the forest, northeast of the house. There was silence before Mira said, "It was you." and stopped. Lark's eye glared at her, making sure she wasn't using any spells, "What was me?" "The attack. That soundless blast that you used on those Stars," Mira turned around to stare him down, "that was the same attack that attacked me when I was walking to school two days ago!" Lark's gaze never shifted but in his head he was worried, "You're not mistaken. It was me." "Why did you do it? We're you trying to kill me!?" "No, not exactly. I was testing you." Lark started to get more intense and walked towards Mira, "I was testing you as a Mage, to see if you could sense my attack coming. If your friends weren't there, you would've been hurt." "What? Testing me for what?" "The first day at the Institution I said we would be on the same team one day and to not disappoint. You depend on your friends too much. What that attack showed me was that you aren't ready to be a Sage," Mira's heart started to beat, "you aren't ready to be a true Mage," she backed up even more, "and you aren't ready to exceed your mother." Mira stopped, the tears welling up in her eyes and said, "Well at least I have friends." And stomped off in the direction of Ace and Spade. "Perhaps that wasn't the right way to put it...." Lark thought.

Tsugimoto House, Frankie and Kusuri

  Kusuri wandered outside and saw Frankie leaning on the side of the house, legs crossed, tapping her foot against the house. "Grandma is asking if you can stop tapping." Kusuri tried to say it with a smile. Frankie stopped tapping but still stared off into the horizon. Kusuri leaned next to her, "What's bothering ya?" "...Nothing of your concern." They leaned in silence for a while before Frankie asked, "Hey, kid. If you were put in charge of a group of thugs accidentally and two in particular challenged your authority what would you do?" "Well, I'd tell them they're right since I wasn't meant to be their leader." "B-but what if you couldn't do that?" "Hmm...I guess I would.." Kusuri obviously had a hard time understanding and answering the question. "Sorry, it's just, those two that we saw earlier are apart of the Black Rabbits. Ace and Spade. They did something wrong to protect the younger members but I kicked them out of our place because of it." "Ohhh, and you think you did the wrong thing?" Frankie was silent and looked down. "Nope!" "W-What?" "I don't think you did anything wrong. Even if it wasn't intentional, you're their leader and they should follow your orders!" Frankie became flustered and looked away, "I guess you're not just a stupid kid..." "Of course not! I'm the great Kusuri Hikari!!" Kusuri laughed.

Meanwhile with Ken...

  Ken sat under a tree trying to contain the fire burning in his palm. Ellie walked up to him, "Hi, Kenny." "Ellie? What are you doing here?" She sat next to him, "Grandma told me to come out here and help you." Ken sighed. "Got any questions?" "Why was our family out here anyway?" Ellie thought for a second, "In the city, do all the Sages families live in regular houses?" "Not exactly..." "I think it has to do with the origin of the families. I read a book that said the Vando family was a clan of stealthy assassin's that originated from ninjas. So the members of the family live in shrines dedicated to their ancestors. I guess for some reason, our family likes to be out here." "But why live in a place without magic?" As Ellie and Ken talked the trees started to shake as if there was something rustling in the leaves. "Did you hear that?" Ken looked around, "Oh, we have to get back to the house! Before the monsters get us!" Ellie got up and started running, Ken soon followed without question.

Back with Mira and Lark,

  "I should probably think up an apology..." Lark thought before a dark black snake dropped out of the trees between the two of them. "AH, A SNAKE!!" Mira exclaimed jumping back. The snake charged at Lark, but he avoided its fangs, "A giant anaconda? Why is it black?" "It must be one of the creatures that invaded the city years ago!" The snake's cheeks puffed up before it sprayed a purple liquid at Lark, which upon contact started to burn his skin. He let out a strong wail, "AARGH!!" and fell to the ground. "Lark!" Mira flipped through her spell book and cast, "Astrospear!" A spear of light erupted from Mira's hands and sliced right through the monster. "Lark! Are you okay?" "I-" "N-no! Don't talk. I'll get you out of here!" Mira, obviously panicking, carried Lark on her back to the house.

Back at the house

  "Quick! Come inside!" Edna rushed everyone inside. Frankie looked out the window and saw black birds swarming the house, "So. Who's gonna tell us what those are?" Edna sat down and started, "Years ago before the Wall of Blossoms was created, monsters of pure black attacked the city. Together with the Founders of Magic, five mages stepped up to protect the city. A blue-haired man who used Gravity Manipulation magic, a blonde-haired woman that harnessed the power of a Phoenix, a purple-haired man with the strength of 2,000 grown men, a black-haired man that was quick and silent, and a red-haired woman that led them all with her magma magic. Your ancestors, the original Five Sages." The New Sages listened intently. Ellie began to treat Lark's wound. "Those monsters of darkness are known as the Corrupt. Their origin is unknown but it's known that each Corrupt has its own element that it can control freely." "What's the element of the birds outside?" Before Edna could answer the house started to shake.

"SHRING!"

"What's that sound?" Ken asked, looking up. Frankie looked out the window and saw the three Corrupt birds circling around the house, "Wind!" "Wind?" Kusuri repeated. "Yeah, the bird's element is wind. They're cutting up the house." She armed herself with her Axe and flying slippers, "We're basically in a blender." Before Frankie could fly off Noah grabbed her, "If we're in a blender then you can't go out or you'll get chopped up like a pineapple!!" Frankie patted Noah, "I'm a pineapple that fights back." She smiled and blasted out the house.