The Talented One

After that, Ryusei and I went our separate ways. I pulled out my phone from my pocket and saw the time. I was a minute late to the next class, I put my phone away and began speed walking towards the class that was on the second floor.

As I kept walking, I accidentally bumped into someone, both me and the person stumbled back a little. I looked at the person. The guy was surrounded by three girls. Two girls who had their arms around him and one behind him. 

The girls gave me a glaring look. The girl on his right, with short brown hair, comes up to me. She look mad

"Hey! Watch where you are going, you almost knock him down!" She snapped.

The girl behind him comes around and shines in also.

"Yeah she's right! Are you blind or something?"

The girl on his left, let go of his arm and came closer to me. She also looks mad.

"Do you know who you just bump into? You should be on your hands and feet right now asking for forgiveness." She said in a sassy tone.

I stand there clueless, wondering what just happened. In a matter of seconds I was hit with so much hatred. Like it was just a simple accident. Why am I getting bombarded with such disdain?

Then the guy steps in front of them, pushing them back gently back with his arm. He has a tall figure, has medium length baby blue hair and bright golden eyes, with a face that could be called a mix between British and Japanese.

"Ladies, Ladies lets calm down for just a bit. This fellow here didn't really mean such an action." His luxury voice said. 

He turns his attention towards me, looking me up and down for a bit then focusing back onto me.

"I'm sorry for these girls, sometimes I can't even control them myself." He chuckles. Running his hand through his hair. "It was just an accident, that's it. I don't get angry over such nonsense like bumping into somebody. Especially if they know who I am."

He straightens his uniform jacket just a bit.

"Well who are you?" I asked in a clueless expression.

The hallway seemed to go silent, but I could feel the air tensing up. One of the girls started to get really irritated, I can see steam coming out of her head.

"You listen here you–"

He covers the girl's mouth with his hand. The girl quickly went quiet, her irritated expression faded away in an instant becoming more infatuated.

He pulls his hand away and the girl becomes sadden, by not feeling the touch of him anymore.

"Heh, you must be kidding right?" He asked

"Kidding about what?"

"About how you don't know me."

"Oh yea, i don't have a single clue on who you are." 

I look at him closely, trying to think of something. But I just shrug my shoulders, I have no idea who this guy is.

"Well who are you then? Are you like the principal's son or something?"

The girl on the left starts to get irritated also. She points her finger at me.

"You must be stupid. How you don't know who Rory Hion is? Like have you been living under a rock your whole life? Rory is widely popular, especially in this school. He is the most handsome, worthy, smartest, and talented one in this school." 

"Yeaaaa… that still doesn't ring a bell for me. If he is widely popular I would know of his presence, but sadly I don't. I guess he's not really all of that."

Rory's golden eyes sharpened, now looking at me fiercely. Seeming to be In displeasement from the words I've spoken. He takes a step closer to me, seemingly to be sizing me up.

"I hope you're not interrupting that you think I'm irrelevant?" He snarled.

I shake my head side to side.

"No, No. I'm not trying to say you're irrelevant, like you got three girls surrounding you so you can't be unknown. Just for me… I just don't know you. Never saw you or never heard of you, plain and simple as that."

I outstretched my hand, indicating a handshake.

"I'm Suika, I transfer here. I'm a second year student just like you." 

I smile, still holding out my hand. Rory looks at my hand and laughs. I was confused, what was funny right now?

"You're a funny person, Suika. Really funny."

He starts to walk away, not evening recognizing my hand anymore. The three girls also followed behind him. He waves his hand in the air.

"I'll see you around funny boy." He shouts as footsteps slowly become unheard.

I just stood there, my hand still outstretched. I put my hand down to my side and think about the scenario that I've just been through.

He seems ok, but kinda disrespectful. He didn't even shake my hand. The way he speaks and the way those girls treat/talk about him, is like he's some type of royal.

As I was still in my thoughts, I felt a tap on my shoulder and I jumped back a little scared. "AH!" I screamed.

I turn to see Takamei, I put a hand on my chest and breathe out.

"Holy hell, you can't just sneak up on me while I'm in my thoughts. You scared the hell out of me."

She covers her mouth letting out a small giggle.

"Oh I'm soooo sorry Suika. Didn't mean to be scared ya." She put her hands on her hip. "So why are you just standing in the hallway in deep thought?"

"That's because I just meant someone named Rory Hion, do you know him?" I asked

Her mouth gaped open, jaw basically already to the ground. She grabs my shoulders and begins to shake me.

"You meant THE Rory Hion? Like the most handsome and gorgeous guy in the school???"

I started to get dizzy.

"T-Takamei s-stop shaking me." I pleaded.

She realized that she was shaking me ruthlessly, and took her hands off my shoulders. She puts her hands behind her back, her face a little sad but cute.

"Sorry, i got a bit excited." 

"It's fine, but I guess that means you know him right?"

Her face lightens up, becoming more cheerful and she nods.

"Yes, who doesn't." She said

"Me. I didn't know who he was."

"Really? Well it kinda makes sense because you are a transfer. Rory is mainly only popular in the school and in Kyoto. He's not widely known in all of Japan."

"That makes it better for me. He looked kinda irritated a bit, when i didn't know who he was. He thought I was thinking that he was irrelevant."

"Yeaa… he does get a little pissy about his reputation. He wants everyone to admire him. He is really talented, I mean really talented."

I raise my eyebrow.

"How talented?"

"It's the way he uses magic, for only being sixteen his magic is powerful and he uses it in unique ways."

"What's his magic?"

"He got Earth magic but more specifically, Water magic. I heard that in freshman year, he took down 5 students here."

"Well what's so special about that?"

"It's because he beat them in a minute, especially when you're a freshman your strength shouldn't be that high. But for Rory it's different for him. He's just that talented."

Hmm Rory Hion huh? He might be the strongest in the school by the way Takamei is talking about him. Did he really take down five students all by himself? Water magic is simple but is he that dangerous?

"Thanks for telling me all that Takamei, it's great to know that this school has people like Rory here. If he's as talented as you say he is, he might become something great."

I stretch my arms upward, I've been standing in the same spot for the longest time. Then my mind clicks that I have to get to class.

"Crap! I have to get to class. See ya later Takamei and thanks once again."

I begin running down the hall. As Takamei waved her hand "See you and your welcome!" She shouted down the hall.

I made it to the second floor where my class was at. I slid open the door seeing the teacher wasn't here yet. I let out a sigh of relief. "Suika!" I heard my name get called out.

I look around and see that Ryusei was waving his hand at me. He sat in the seat right in front of me by the window. I walked over there and sat my bag down, then sat myself down.

"So you sit right in front of me? I didn't think we'd be this close." 

"You make it sound like we aren't close already. We got in trouble with each other." He crosses his arm and smugs. "So I believe we are close already just from that."

"You may be right, Ryusei." I chuckled at his smugness.

The door slid open, the students thought it was the teacher but lo and behold it's him, Rory. He stands in the doorway with his hand on hips, like his some type of king.

Many of the girls in the class jump up with excitement, and hurry their way over to him.

Ryusei leans back in his chair, rolling his eyes, looking more disdainful now.

"Oh wow, here comes the king himself." he said sarcastically.

Many of the guys in the class have the same look as Ryusei, but I think they are more mad about Rory taking the girls' attention.

"Heh, it seems like every guy here hates him. Is it really because he's taking all the girls?"

"Well it's not really the girls for me… maybe a little but it's not my main reason why I hate him."

"Mhm? So why do you hate him?"

Ryusei leans forward a little, still looking at Rory who's still in the doorway.

"Last year Rory beat me in the school annual Kyoto Magical Event. The event has different activities, like making food, playing sports, or even drawing pictures. But its main attraction is its Fight Show. Eight students participate in the tournament, using their own skills to win the whole thing. I participated in the tournament and my first opponent was him. I didn't think his water magic was all that but I was wrong. He beat me in less than 2 minutes." 

I was surprised by what he just said. 2 minutes? But Ryusei is strong. How can someone of his capabilities lose in such a short time.

"You must be kidding right? You lost in 2 minutes? But your ice magic is really good, how could you have lost that quickly?"

He just shakes his head, seeming like he couldn't believe it himself.

"I-I can't even give you a clear answer on that Suika… He embarrassed me that day. And after he won, he'd just laugh, looking at me in pity, like I'm some lost dog." 

He bangs his fist on his desk in frustration. I could see little ice particles forming around his fist. I quickly put my hand on his shoulder to calm him down.

"Calm down Ryusei, that's in the past now. You must've grown stronger since then, you might be stronger than him now. So don't get so angry about the past." 

My words seem to help, because I can feel him becoming less tense, and the ice particles started to fade away. I take my hand away, and look back at Rory.

"He's really something isn't he? I can tell why people call him so talented now."

"Yea, I'll get that bastard in the next Kyoto Magical Event."

"Oh when is the next event? You say it was annual right?" I asked

"The event happens in two months' time. You might be wondering why it's so early in the school year? It's because it helps the students relax after many hours of learning magic and training."

I turned my head, looked out of the window and started to ponder for a bit.

This event seems fun, especially the Fight Show. I could see with my own eyes why Rory is so special. And how he defeated Ryusei in less than 2 minutes.

A wide smirk appears on my face, and I turn back to Ryusei.

"I'll participate in the Kyoto Magical Event Fight Show."

"Ha! I had a feeling you might want to participate. He grins. "You'll be like a surprise for everyone, your skills are amazing."

"Thanks Ryusei. I just wanna see Rory in action, and maybe we could fight each other again. Officially this time"

"Yeah! We can go all out without no one stopping us… especially Professor Amane."

We both laugh, but we are both excited for the event.

"I see your friends with this lowlife Suika."

Ryusei and I laughter halted as we saw Rory standing before us. He turns his attention towards Ryusei.

"I sure hope you don't participate in this year's Fight Show Ryusei. People don't want to see such… disgracefulness at play you know."

"Oh so you got jokes huh?" Ryusei replied.

"No, no ,no. My words are no jokes, but reality itself." He laughs out loud. "You don't want a repeat of last year right?" He laughs again.

"Hey! Stop that. Calling Ryusei disgraceful is just wrong. He is a skillful person, and I know that personally. So I don't like how you're just degrading him." I Retorted.

Rory's laughter quickly stopped and his golden eyes focused on me. He leans in close.

"Oh so you're his knight and shining armour huh?"

"No, I'm his friend and I don't like how you're just disrespecting him. Ok you beat him last year but you don't have to bloat about it… That just makes you look disgraceful."

It seems the word disgraceful hit him right in the chest. He steps back and his face turns from a cocky expression to a more serious look.

He grabs my collar, basically pulling me up out of my seat. Looking right into my eyes as I do the same with his.

"Listen here transfer boy. You better watch your mouth, you must only know the surface level of me. But I would literally kick your loser ass right now. I would give you the same treatment that I gave your poor friend."

He lets go of my collar, his face going back to a calm expression. Seemingly to put a fake smile on.

"So don't get carried away now. Look Suika you're a nice fellow and I don't want to hurt such a kind soul, so for your own sake. Learn your place, like everyone else in this class. So welcome to Kyoto Magic school, where I am a king."

"Thanks Rory but let me just say something. Even some kings have to be slain." I smirk a little.

He puts on a wide smile and pats my shoulder hard, in a way where he's trying to hurt. I can sense the irritation within him.

He turns away, but looks back still smiling but anyone could tell that behind that smile was straight hatred.

"Let's be the best of classmates Suika."

I just nodded my head, as he went to his seat on the other side of the room. The room was silent, the situation that just happened was so scary and tense that nobody dared to speak. They thought at any second that a fight would break out.

Chatter slowly began to start again and a few girls went over to Rory to appreciate his presence alone. I let out a heavy sigh and sat back down. I see Ryusei staring at me.

"What?" I asked

"Nothing, it's the first time someone kinda stepped up to Rory. You might be some knight in shining armor." He chuckles.

"Ha, you may be right Ryusei. But I got your back now."

"And I got yours too Suika."

We both just smiled at each other, then the teacher finally came into the class. 

(Introduction Arc end)