Concurring Has Its Highs

It's been a while since something normal happened. Well, a couple of weeks isn't a long time and it's gone fast.

But, something weird has been happening.

—–

I slump against the fence of the training area. The cold bars and cool wind make me more comfortable. I sit with my head down, knees up and my arms resting on them.

Remembering magic circles is not easy.

"...she's so coordinated!" I hear a girl whisper yell in excitement.

Coordinated? I wonder if that's good. well I mean, everyone has kind of been rude

I look to the side, barely moving my head, and see another girl in the circle hit one on the back of the head.

"Shush! She could hear!" the girl glances at me.

Oh god what did I do now, I just participated in class. I mean, if I did anything rude I wouldn't know because I was too busy with my magic circles.

Oh fuuuck.

I lean my head back to look at the mute sky. The sun is high in the sky so it should be lunchtime soon.

I hear footsteps nearing me.

Oh shiiitttt. Oh fffuuuck. How did my plan backfire so badly?

"Hey, Ren?" I look up at the voice trying to keep my face neutral, to find it Jade! "It's dining time soon, me and the girls were wondering if you wanted to sit with us?"

Huh..?

What did she just say?

She starts to fidget and stutter a bit. "Well, only if you want, we know you have a lot of studying to do"

I have no clue what to do, at all, this wouldn't be the first time.

Just don't fuck it up.

"Yeah sure, I'd like that."

Her face erupts into another genuine smile. It catches me off guard, (I swear I thought she hated me) so I move to stand to cover it up.

We head over to her friends, the whole 5 of them seem a mix of scared, worried, and excited.

There's Jade, the pink, straight hair with pale skin, obviously the leader. Serhera has teal butterfly braids with sunkissed skin, she's the one who got hit. Hellin has a purple afro with chocolate skin. Hadrine is pale with a short Indigo bob, she also appears to be a bat hybrid. Ayesha with aquamarine box braids and the same skin tone as Serhera, must be twins, or sisters. Bellap has a crimson wolf cut, she's the one who hit Serhera.

I learn all their names at lunch, and it's actually pretty pleasant too. They let me speak and are interested in a lot of my stories. Though I'm more interested in what they have to share with me, which is a lot.

Weird.

—–

I've gotten more used to the field days, I've gotten into the habit of asking at the end of class what happens in the next field class.

I've also started sitting with Jade and her group of friends at lunch. They're really nice and my stats have gone up!!

So that instills the motion that my skill has something to do with my friends. I mean it could just be a coincidence that my stats increase as I gain friends and the reverse when I lose them.

But somehow I doubt that.

I mean, even the normal person can understand correlation versus causation. And this is obviously a case of causation.

Something has been off with Kikomi as well. Like last week.

—–

After the first couple of times of asking the army guy (that's what Jade and her friends started to refer to him once I pointed it out) for a heads up I think I've made some lea way.

The actual school aspect of well, school is fine. Pretty easy stuff and a lot of helpful notes.

Like, in my mana help class, I was able to do some more cool stuff with magic circles. Like, I can move the chalk on my hand into a different mana pattern.

Because for some reason I basically forgot I could make shit out of anything. So I can move the chalk on my hand into a different magic circle pattern, that's what all my notes have lead to anyways

Though it does take a lot of energy.

Currently, I'm implementing some math into my notes. I don't necessarily hate math and in this case, it's actually really useful!

I'm trying to figure out how many times I can do this really cool trick in a row without passing out.

I have some memorized magic circles I can use for this little test.

I hop off my bed, with the moon high in the sky it's probably around, 1 or 2 in the morning.

I take a little glance at the main notebook that I've been using.

First a small flame, then a water drop, a pebble, and a little breeze.

They're all main elemental spells so the change in the patterns isn't the worst.

My only hope is that I don't burn down the school.

I draw the first magic circle, the flame, and stand in the middle of my room.

Here we go.

I let the mana flow from myself into the palm of my hand, I picture the flame and release the mana.

A small flame just like I wrote.

I cut off the mana and move the chalk into the water drop spell. I can feel the chalk glide across my hand which tickles a bit but I can't lose focus.

Once in place, I release the mana into the magic circle, and a tiny water drop hovers in front of me. It's wavering though. And my hand is shaking.

Fuck, fuck, fuck! I grit my teeth.

How is my mana stamina already shot?!

I push to the third spell even though by the time everything is in place my eyes are bleary and my legs are shaking.

I push on and release the mana.

As the pebble forms cracks form in it and a major fucking headache bangs at my head.

Ah, shit.

I've done it, I've hit my limit, for now.

The pebble shatters and I fall to the ground.

I guess I really am weak.

First, it's the faint sounds of mana that push into my subconscious.

Then it's the murmurs of voices, trying to be quiet. Or maybe they're just really far away.

Why are there voices? I thought I was in my room.

At that though my mind comes back to reality at full force and my eyes shoot open. The sun pouring through the windows which blinds me as I slowly sit up rubbing my eyes.

"Ren!" a squeak of joy is the only warning I get before someone hugs me.

From that overbearing fruit smell I can already tell is Kikomi.

"Don't do that again, if you need help studying you can always ask, don't push yourself to the point of passing out!"

Yep, definitely Kikomi.

That older sister's energy really reminds me of something but I cant tell what.

Another headache washes over me. Celestia, I really gotta find some pain meds.

—

So I and Kikomi have been hanging out a lot too lately. With her friends as well.

Maybe this will come in handy.