CHAPTER 5: SKILLCENTER

Rinka and Minaro just stare at the girl, stiffly. She nonchalantly lowers her pistol, then shoves it into a large pocket on her hoodie.

"... I'm not gonna do anything to you guys… My name is Doa, and I'm part of the Skill Center Agency. I was sent here to help everyone, but everything is over now, and you guys seemed to have dealt with it. So I just wanted to ask you guys a few questions."

Rinka: … I'm sorry, we don't have time to answer questions! This girl is dying, we have to get her to a hospital!

Doa puts her hand on her hip and notices Maya as she slightly slips off Rinka's back. He immediately moves, adjusts and puts her back in place.

Doa: … The nearest hospital is pretty far away… You guys should come with me. I'll teleport us to the Skill Center and that girl can be healed instantly.

Rinka: … Really?

Doa nods her head. Rinka and Minaro turn and stare at each other, unsure of what their next move is.

Rinka: What do we do?

Minaro: Up to you.

Rinka shrugs, expressing it with a face of alertness and raising just his shoulders.

Rinka: … Let's go then.

They gaze onwards and move closer to Doa.

Rinka: Okay, Doa. Thank you. We'll be going.

She smiles gently, afterwards turns, and looks at the upper half of a tree.

Doa: Bukkaru!.. Teleport us back to the Skill Center!

Leisurely, from behind a tree, off a hidden branch, a black cat emerges. It pounces off the tree and approaches. Doa uses her hand to signal Rinka and Minaro to get closer, much closer, which they do. Everyone is huddled up now.

The cat meows, and a true purple ball grows from the ground, envelopes a small portion of the area and a few moments later, disappears, taking everyone with it.

…

Hours have passed… Rinka's eyes slowly open, and he stretches intensely. Next, he yawns and promptly covers his mouth to obscure. Then, slowly rises while wiping his eyes, looking around after.

He's on a cozy bed, in a moody hospital room, and right away, he notices someone seated laxly, nearby, focused on their phone, and his eyes light up.

It's Doa, not masked. She's got a bob cut, and it's canary yellow mixed with larger darker strands of hair. A prominent feature in her hair is a medium-sized, and simple, rhombus, that is at the center of her head.

Rinka scans her up and down. Now she's wearing a long medium orchid sweater and black tights. She looks up at him, blankly.

Doa: Hi.

Rinka: … Hi.

Rinka looks around for no particular reason then focuses on Doa again.

Rinka: So What happened? What's going on?

Doa: Nothing, you and Minaro just randomly fell asleep during the teleportation.

Rinka: Oh… I guess we were more tired than we felt… Where is Minaro, and the girl?

Doa: In Room 27… Want me to take you there?

Rinka: … Yes please.

…

Doa and Rinka are walking wordlessly side by side down an unadorned brown hallway, many doors adjacent. The two keep occasionally glancing at each other ineptly and interested, vaguely looking away when eye contact is made.

Ultimately, Rinka eyeballs Doa last and decides to start a conversation.

Rinka: …Yo.

She turns to him, straight faced.

Doa: Yeah?

Rinka: … I like your hair… How do you do that with it? It's like a perfect diamond. Makes no sense, kind of.

Doa gazes, addled. The expression lasts for a few seconds, then she laughs softly. Her face is a little flushed.

Doa: … What's your name, dude?

Rinka: Rinka.

All of her pauses for a moment.

Doa: Rinka?.. Rinka!

She gives him a hearty smile that melts his soul.

Doa: Thanks, I'm glad you like my hair!.. No one's ever complimented me before so that really means a lot!

Rinka thinks briefly, instantly realizing what Doa had just said, and now he's completely taken aback.

Rinka: … No one's ever complimented you before!? … For real? That's insane!? You're like the prettiest girl I've ever seen!

Doa halts and simultaneously blushes and has her eyes broaden marginally. She's astonished, and moments later, turns her head away from Rinka, obstructing vision of her feelings

Doa: … T- thank you.

Silence follows, Doa looks back at Rinka, tenderly.

Doa: Um, about what you asked earlier. I have a skill that lets me magically give anyone, any hairdo… So I put a rhombus -

She taps the shape.

Doa: - in my hair, for really no reason at all. I just like it.

Rinka slowly nods his head.

Rinka: That's cool… Damn. You could become the best barber in the world with that skill.

Doa chuckles.

Doa: … Dang, you're right. Maybe I'll try being a barber one day!

Her minor timidness fades and a warm smile takes over. Rinka beams joyfully back.

Rinka: I volunteer to be your first customer if you ever do.

Doa smirks.

Doa: … I'm gonna fuck up your hair on purpose, man.

Rinka: What the fuck? I'll sue you dude.

She laughs.

… Minutes of continuous and entertaining chit-chat from the two pass.

Rinka: - dude, ranch is ass!

Doa grins while perplexed.

Doa: Ranch is delicious! You're just stupid.

Rinka stares at her, dour.

Rinka: … I take back every nice thing I said about you. I don't like you no mo.

She laughs again.

…

The two finally reach the door of room 27, and goofily wave goodbye to each other, sharing a soft and sunny expression. Doa walks away and Rinka watches her briefly. After, he turns to the door and knocks mildly.

It slowly opens, and Maya pokes her head out, warily. She becomes ecstatic upon seeing Rinka.

Maya: Rinka!

He's chill.

Rinka: Hi.

He walks in, and Maya closes the door. They stand in a plain living room. A sofa, large TV, small kitchen and a wooden table, adjoining.

… And an hour passes…

Maya is sprawled, unruffled, and asleep on the sofa, snoring quietly. Rinka and Minaro are seated at the table, conversing and eating colorful sugar cookies, unbothered.

Minaro: … Dude! I'm pissed that our trip to the lake was ruined.

Rinka snorts lightly and shrouds his mouth with a hand, a trait he executes when speaking while eating.

Rinka: I'm mad too, man. This was supposed to be a real chill day and it ended up being the most fucked up day of our lives.

Minaro limply lowers his head, desolate. Soon after, abruptly, there are fierce knocks at the front door, so Rinka sets his snack aside and checks it out.

Opening the door reveals Doa, who smiles and waves cheerfully.

Rinka: Heyyyy man! What's up?

Doa: Hi, my boss wants to talk to you and Minaro.

…

Strolling down a plain white corridor, Rinka and Doa are beside each other, snacking gleefully on cookies. Minaro is in the background, dozing.

Doa: These are sooo good!

Rinka: I know man, these are literally the best cookies ever made… The only problem I have with them is that if I eat too many, I start feeling like shit. I don't know why.

Doa is a little puzzled.

Doa: … That's weird. Maybe you're allergic?

Rinka: I don't think so… It's just a thing that happens. Sushi does the same thing to me.

Doa: That's super odd.

The three reach a beige door with a small window, and Doa opens it and lets the other two walk in.

They've entered a modest and embellished office. Where they meet eyes with a man who's got messy bole brown hair, hunter green eyes and is clothed in a forest green robe.

He promptly walks up to them, boisterous, and places his hands on his hip.

"I'm Sumairu! Nice to meet you two!"

Rinka: Hello.

Minaro doesn't act.

Sumairu: … Take a seat guys.

Doa pushes and pulls two rolling chairs, and Rinka and Minaro sit.

Rinka: Thank you.

Sumairu clenches his hands together, looking austere.

Sumairu: … Do you guys know what Black Blood is?

They shake their heads.

Rinka: Not really.

Sumairu: … Alright then, let me enlighten you.

He relaxes, plopping his hands onto his thighs.

Sumairu: So, obviously, you two have the blood. Being born with it is extremely, EXTREMELY, rare. It's like 1 in 500 million, and whoever has the blood, is stronger than average. They're BETTER than average…

What's more, Black Blood has a chance of reviving its bearers when they die, and that chance gets lower depending on how tired you are when you die… You two being resurrected was insanely lucky…

Anyways, it's said that once revived, bearers are granted a new skill, which seems to have happened to you!

Sumairu points at Rinka.

Sumairu: You got some sort of odd combustion skill, or it could be an ordinary darkness skill.

Then at Minaro.

Sumairu: And you got wormholes! Which is pretty damn crazy!

Minaro nods his head and quietude follows.

Rinka: … Yo, I didn't get a new skill. I've had the one you mentioned. The revival definitely triggered something though, because I've never been able to use it.

Sumairu: … Is that so?.. Real quick, what's the name of that skill?

Rinka: Um, everyone's always called it "The Void." I think?

Immediately, Sumairu is slightly taken aback. He grabs his chin and begins pondering intensely.

"The Void?"

…

The skill, "The Void", grants the holder the ability to use the "Void." An endless realm of pitch black, said to be where the dead go.

Using the "Void", the holder can create fighting techniques out of darkness, and can do many more things as long as they're willed enough.

…

"Huh. These two are pretty special."

He relaxes.

Sumairu: … Alright, listen, I have a request for you guys.

Rinka and Minaro stare, diligently. Sumairu lifts his hands and prepares to gesture alongside his upcoming words.

Sumairu: … You two are most likely going to want to return home soon, right?

Rinka: Yeah. I literally asked Doa earlier if she could take us back home after this meeting with you.

Sumairu: Ah. Well, you shouldn't return yet. I don't recommend it. It is very ill-advised. If you go back home now, there is a 95% chance you die!

Rinka and Minaro's eyes widen, they're a little confused.

Sumairu: … Lots of malicious people are out there and they're trying to get their hands on Black Blood so that they can gain its powers… And now that you two and your blood have been unveiled, chances are, you're going to be hunted down and killed… Because, and I mean this in the most respectful way possible, you guys are weak, and unprepared…

So my request is that you stay here for a while. It's pretty safe here, and Doa and I will train you and make you much stronger, and you'll be able to protect yourself from any danger, and finally go home when you're ready… What do you say?

Rinka and Minaro stare at each other, tentatively.

Rinka: … We should stay right?

Minaro: Yeah. I don't see any other options.

Rinka looks back at Sumairu.

Rinka: We'll be staying, man.

Sumairu presents a thumbs up.

Sumairu: Great!.. You guys can go now, and get some good rest because training starts tomorrow!

Rinka and Minaro stand, and Doa moves the rolling chairs back to their original spots, and takes a seat.

Rinka: … Hey, Sumairu, can we go back to our house just to grab some stuff and explain the situation to our family? Cuz we don't even have our phones.

Sumairu: … Yeah, just don't take too long.

Rinka: Alright, thank you. Bye.

Sumairu: Bye! See you two tomorrow!

Rinka and Minaro neatly walk out of the office, and sigh as one.

Rinka: … Day got even more fucked up.

Minaro: Yup.

TO BE CONTINUED…