Back to School Part 2 Kino
"HEY DAWN YOU there?"
"Yes Bob. What's up?"
"I don't know why, but we have an unknown person running around. They are heading towards your team now."
"Copy that. We're on it." Dawn replies.
"Also please remind Lilly that as team captain she should be answering when I call her."
"Bye Bob." Dawn cheerfully said.
*
π»ππ, π‘βππ πππππ βππ π πππ ππππ π ππππππ¦.
Kino is currently up at the top of a tree having a look around. To the east are more trees. To the north is a mountain. The South has what looks like a town, but it's a ways off. And to the west isβ¦. πππ€, πΌ ππππ'π‘ ππ₯ππππ‘ π‘π π ππ π‘βππ‘. πΏππππ ππππ πΌ'π βππππππ π€ππ π‘.
"πβππ¦ πππ’ππ π¦ππ’ πβπππ."
"πβππ‘ π‘βπ βπππ π€ππ π‘βππ‘?"
"πβπππ ππ π‘βππ πβπππ."
"πβπ ππ π‘πππππππ π‘π ππ? πΌ'π π‘βπ ππππ¦ πππ π’π βπππ. ππππ π€βππ‘ππ£ππ πππβπ‘ ππ π€πππ βπππ πππ€π πππ π ππ π€βπ π βππ€π π’π.
"Lee, you go right."
"Got it." Whispers Lee.
"ChiChi you go left, and I'll go in from the rear."
"Ok Dawn you got it." ChiChi answered, having acknowledged Dawn's orders.
"πππ ππ π¦ππ’π ππππ‘ πβπππ.
"πππ ππ π‘βπ πππβπ‘ πβπππ."
"πβπ πππ π‘ πππ ππ ππβπππ π¦ππ’ πβπππ."
"πβππππ , ππππππ π£πππππ ππ ππ¦ βπππ. π»ππβ¦βππ€ π βππ’ππ πΌ βπππππ π‘βππ ? πβ πΌ ππππ€.
"What! where is she?"
"Where's who?" Kino asks.
"Dawn behind you!" Yells ChiChi.
"What! no she's behind you ChiCHi!" Dawn yells back.
"She's too fast, is she even human?" Lee asks.
"She might be a beastkin, demi human, or demon." Dawn offers up a few possibilities.
"Nope I'm human." Kino answers.
"Everyone back to back now!" Commands Dawn. "Does anyone see her?"
"No." Lee responds.
"Nope." Answered ChiChi.
"Did she leave?" Wonders Dawn.
"Who are you looking for?" Kino asks from the center of the group.
"How did you do that?" A surprised Lee asks.
"Can you tell me where the Assassin School is please?" Asked Kino completely ignoring Lee's question.
"Why would we tell you anything?" ChiChi responded.
"Because I'm a new transfer student." Said Kino. "Besides you four are no match for me."
"Four?" Dawn asks, a bit confused.
"She's up in that tree right there." Kino boasts pointing her out.
Everyone looks in the direction Kino is pointing to. The figure in the tree is wearing a brown leather armor corset with pauldrons, a brown leather skirt, a black collar, silver cuff bracelets on each wrist, and black suede boots. A black chain whip on the right hip.
"Your perception is very good for a human. I'm impressed you noticed me. I was even concealing my presents."
"Thanks."
"My name is Lilly Nova. I'm a demi human cheetah."
Lilly drops down from the tree. She stands at one hundred sixty-seven centimeters. Her fur is yellowish-brown. Her eyes are brown with black tear marks running from the corners of her eyes down the side of each cheek.
"Hey Lilly, Bob is annoyed you didn't respond to him." Dawn informs her.
"Did he forget I placed you in the team leader slot for the day so you can get field experience in that role?" Lilly asks.
"Did you tell him that?"
"I left a note."
"You do realize your handwriting sucks right?" Dawn points out.
"Well whatever, Bob can bite me." Lilly remarks.
"How about introductions? My name is Kino Kurosaki."
"Those three from left to right are Dawn, ChiChi, and Lee." Lilly introduces everyone.
"How are you able to move that fast Kino?" Asks Dawn.
"I like to run."
"Are you faster than Lilly?"
"I don't know if I am ChiChi?"
"I'm a demi human cheetah, no human is faster than me." Brags Lilly.
"Let's race then." Kino offers. A smile on her face.
"Alright how about you two race to the school. The first one there is the winner."
"That's a good idea Lee, but the school is where?" Kino asks.
"It's this way."
Just like that Lilly takes off thinking she has the advantage because not only does she know the school's location, but no one at the school, especially humans can outrun her. Kino just stands there still smiling.
"Hey Kino, you gonna go after her?" Ask Lee.
Kino doesn't answer him. Sensing something was off Lee walks up to her reaching out his hand to touch her arm only to have it pass right through.
"It's an after image of her." Remarks a surprised Lee.
"Wow, that's a neat skill to have." Marvels ChiChi.
"Alright guys let's get back to work." Orders Dawn.
*
ππ π‘βππ ππ π‘βπ π πβπππ. πΌπ‘ πππππ ππππππππβ¦
Kino is now looking at a castle with gothic architecture. This reminds her of a similar castle she saw in Scotland. She's standing just inside the archway with a row of hedges on both sides, up on top are a row of birds sitting like sentries watching everyone's comings and goings.
πβπ'π πππ πππ π¦ππ’ πβπππ.
"How do you like it?" This question comes from an old woman standing beside Kino. She is one hundred fifty-two centimeters tall. She has short white hair with baby blue eyes. She's wearing a dark green dress, with black ladies loafers.
"It's very impressive. What type of hedges are these?" Kino asks her.
"Leyland Cypress."
"They're what, nine hundred fourteen centimeters tall?"
"Just about, they'll exceed one thousand sixty six centimeters by the end of the year." Replies the old woman.
"Wow."
"Most freak out when an old lady suddenly appears beside them, but you answered me like you knew I was already here. So how did you know?"
"A voice in my head." Kino replies.
"So who brought you here?" The old woman asks.
"Lilly tried too."
"Oh, so where is she now?"
"Back that way somewheres."
"So if you beat Lilly here are you by chance the SS ranked I was informed about?"
"Yes, my name is Kino Kurosaki."
"I'm Headmaster Nemo, and I welcome you to the Assassin School."
"NO, NO, NO, NO! There is no way you got here before me!"
"Hey Lilly, what kept you?" Kino cheerfully asks.
"Who the hell are you?"
"Kino Kuroski, remember I already told you this back in the woods."
"I know your name, damn it!" Roars Lilly. "I want to know how you beat me here. I'm not only the fastest at this school, but I'm A ranked."
"I'm SS ranked."
"YOU LIE!"
"Lilly dear Kino is a unique individual."
"So what, that doesn't mean anything to me, headmaster! I want to know how she beat me!"
"I'm an overpowered human from another world. Who was given speed shoes by a God." Kino gives her a straightforward answer.
"More lies!"
"Think about it Lilly, how else do you think I beat you?"
"Fine whatever, don't tell me I'm outta here."
Lilly takes off back into the woods.
"Lilly takes great pride in being the fastest one here. Give her time, she'll come around." States the headmaster.
"Can I ask you something, headmaster?"
"Ask away."
"Your name Nemo, it's Latin isn't it?" Asks Kino
"It is."
"Nemo then translates to mean nobody."
"Correct."
"You're also a shapeshifter aren't you?"
"Right again. You're very perceptive; only a handful of people know this about me." Replies the headmaster.
"You wouldn't be the headmaster of an Assassin School if people knew what you really are."
"Very true."
"So this old lady look really isn't what you actually look like is it?"
"No, it's only one of the many looks I have. I appear like this mostly while I'm here at the school.
"So what now?" Kino asks.
"I see great potential in you, so I will take you on as my apprentice. You'll be the second human I've taken on."
"You're going to teach me headmaster?"
"Like I told Lilly you're a unique individual, and there's no one better to teach you than me."
"Thank you Headmaster Nemo." Kino says while giving a bow.
"You're welcome, now let's go have some tea and chat a bit."
*
Afterwards Kino is taken to the enrollment office.
"Bob, this is Kino please see to her enrollment and assign her to room 0."
"Understood headmaster."
"Kino, your training begins in one hour. I'll be at the training grounds."
The headmaster heads out.
"Welcome, as you heard my name is Bob."
Bob is a human who stands at one hundred twenty-one centimeters. His short black hair is neatly combed back. He has silver eyes and wears a pair of golden framed glasses along with a blue earring in his left ear. He has a white short sleeved dress shirt neatly tucked into his black pants. He has a black leather belt with a silver buckle and a small dagger on his right hip. But despite his well groomed appearance he's not wearing any shoes. He stands there barefoot.
"Hey Bobby what's up?" Kino cheerfully asks him.
"It's Bob."
"What about Bobby-O?"
"No."
"How about Robert, Bobbie, Babette, Boris, Robbie, Rob."
"It's Bob."
"What about Robin, Rupert, Bert, Rahbert, Roberts, Hob, Dob, Nob, Bobo." Kino keeps listing off different names that can be associated with Bob.
"Just Bob and are you done yet?"
"I could keep going, but I won't."
"Thank you."
"So what do you do here just Bob?"
" I handle a variety of tasks from enrollment to gate monitoring."
"You mean the Rainbow Gate way out in the woods?"
"No, it's actually right outside this building. Just look out that window there." Bob points to his left.
Heading over to the window Bob is pointing at, Kino takes a look. "Well damn there it is."
"Do you always just take off like that?"
"Pretty much yeah."
"You have enchanted gear for speed don't you?"
"Sure let's go with that."
"That explains how you got so far in a short amount of time." Said Bob.
"I get excited about exploring new areas."
"Very well. So shall we get the enrollment process started then?"
"You got it Boba."
"It's Bob. So please place your hand on the black mirror and leave it there until I tell you to remove it."
Kino does as she is told. After a bit her skills are now displayed for her.
Survival Skills-Max
Battle Strategy-Max
Combat Skills-Max
Knowledge of Currency-Max
Knowledge of Laws-Max
Proper Etiquette-Max
Handicrafts-Max
Detect Danger-1
Meditation-1
After Image-1
E.R.S-Converse
The list goes on.
"Hey Bob, What does E.R.S mean?" Asked Kino.
"Extremely Rare Skill. That means one, maybe two people will have this skill at the same time. Depending on what the E.R.S is, the user can have a greater advantage in battle. However some are not solely for combat it all depends on what it is.
"So what does Converse do?"
"I don't know, I've never heard of that skill before, but I can make some inquiries about it if you like." Offers Bob.
"β¦No, that won't be necessary. I think I know what it does."
"Alright you are all set. Here is your room key, and a map of the school grounds. Here is a list of the school rules and a list of the subclasses that are taught here. Any questions?"
"What's with the blue earring? I saw a similar one in Dawn's ear and the headmaster also had one."
"These are called Lapis Stones. It's an enchanted item used as a way to communicate by channeling a bit of mana into it. Once you do that, think of the person you want to talk with. Of course that only works if they also have one."
"Do they have to be earrings?" Kino asks him.
"No, they can be fashioned however you like. Anyone at a Four Stars shop can make 'em. Is there anything else I can help you with?"
"Tell me how the ranking system works."
"Very well. I'll use our school as an example. Once you arrive here you have a mandatory six months of training before you can take the D rank promotion test. If you pass then you may begin taking on quests equal to your rank. Or you can stay in the school and pick a subclass to continue your training. The choice is up to you. If you fail then you may continue on until you pass. In order to move up in rank the most common is successfully completing quests through the adventurers guild. Another way is through sanctioned tournaments that are held at the school. There's also a massive tournament that is held every four years. It's called Rank Wars. The difference between that one and the one held at the schools is that your opponents are from the other schools."
"Is it possible to go down in rank?"
"Yes, failure to complete a quest multiple times. Picking unnecessary fights with other adventurers or civilians are a few examples."
"Can you tell me about room 0 and why the headmaster wanted me to have it?"
Bob just smiles at her. "I could, but I won't."