Young Magic Knight: Chapter 8 (Cleo)

We now go to the living room, where Primo had tea prepared for all of us. We all sit and drink for a second.

...the tea's pretty good.

“This is delicious, Primo.” I make sure to compliment him.

“Thank you. I've been learning how to cook and prepare food for a while, now. It puts my mind at ease to know that at least my tea is satisfactory.” I look around. This... really is a pretty fancy house... I've only once seen something like it. A bunch of teenagers like us usually wouldn't be allowed to set foot in such a place...

Primo comes to sit with us, which I find a little surprising. He watches all of our faces as if he wants to say something... “So... Ms. Arkald, do you mind telling me a little about yourself?” 

What? I thought he knew everything about us already...

Trace seems to be thinking the same thing, as she says, “Don't you already know us? I mean, you have all that info and stuff, right?”

Primo tries to explain... “That's true, Ms. Prince, but... I can't say I know you...” I see Trace's eyes narrow, and she looks a bit confused. “Ms. Prince. Yes, I know your name. I know some of your hobbies and maybe a few of your darkest secrets... but I want to know you all as people. Like, look at me. You know my name, where I live, what I am, what I do, but I'm still pretty much a stranger, to you, right? I'd like to not just know some information, but I want to know 'you'. That... does make sense, doesn't it? Sorry...” Primo doesn't seem sure about what he just said...

“Oh, it's okay. I get it,” Blue says. “Well, it'd be easiest to get to know us through some casual conversation, so let's just talk. I'm Azul 'Blue' Ryukawa. You know, you don't have to call me 'Mr. Ryukawa'. I'll just be 'Blue', alright?”

Primo nods. “Mr... sorry, Blue, I noticed your last name is Ryukawa... but you don't look even vaguely Moonfallen.” That's... a good question, actually. Looking at Trace, Emerald, and Baek's faces, they seem to be wondering the same thing.

“Oh. I'm not from the East, I'm adopted. My birth father is from Lumière, the North, and my mother is actually from here, the Central Continent,” he says, before taking another sip of his tea. “Why?”

“Ah, just curious. I hope you don't mind.”

“Nah,” Blue says, shaking his head. “But, yeah... you might know this already, but I like to read. My grandfather has all these books, and I could just sit there and read... how about you, Primo? Do you read anything?”

He thinks. “I once got a comic book called Magitech... Does that count?” Blue makes a strange face... “What?”

Blue replies to Primo with: “Magitech sucks...”

Trace objects. “What do you mean? It's got lots of cool fight scenes and everything!”

Blue rolls his eyes. “Yeah, sure... I'll give you the fights, but the plot is a mess...”

Trace looks like she can't believe what she's hearing... “You're not supposed to read that comic for the plot...”

Blue quickly shoots back, “This coming from someone who reads... MajitsuShiro for the plot.”

Primo interrupts them both. “I've heard of that. You read it, Ms. Prince?”

“Yes, I do—oh, you can just call me Trace. No need to be formal.” Primo smiles and nods. Trace kept talking about this comic... “Yeah, it's great. Shiro is probably my favorite hero ever!”

Blue interrupts her gushing. “I don't understand. He seems like any other hero.”

“Ah, you just don't get it. He's more complicated than that. Look at the ordeals he's put through. The examination given to his code of justice. The reasons he stands up to help people... It's amazing! I wish I could be like that!” Huh. This feels very familiar, hearing Trace say that...

“You understand, don't you, Blue? You've had a hero or someone you wanted to imitate, right?” Trace sits there, watching Blue.

Blue scratches his head. “No, not really. I guess I kinda look up to Gramps, but he's... he's an old man.”

“Don't worry about it,” Trace says. “You're fine as you are. I guess I'm the crazy one who wants to be like a fictional character, huh? Hahaha!”

She starts laughing at herself. It's starting to get quiet, so maybe it'd be good to introduce myself to Primo, now...

“I'm Cleo.” I reach over to shake his hand. “I'm something of a cook, myself, y'know? Maybe we could teach each other a few things.” Primo starts staring at my hair and eyes, which, today, are pink and red, respectively. “Oh. I like to experiment with different colors and see what people think. I like this, so I'm going to stick with it for a while.” Trace gives me an odd look, and I know what it's about, but I look back, as if to say, “Not now...”

“I like it,” Primo says, getting my attention again. “It looks... special. I like that.”

I smile. “Thank you. How about sometime, I show you some more of my stuff?” He laughs.

Now, that guy speaks... “Call me Baek.” So that's his name. “Better known as the Phoenix Shade Knight. I'm a Magic Knight for hire.”

Primo seems interested. “Go on.”

“Well, I take jobs from people who either call my cell, or send me an e-mail. Finding lost cats, protecting someone who's in danger... stuff like that. The last job I took... Yeah...”

“Baek, what made you want to live like this...?”

He sighs. “Well, my family's pretty poor...” I'm surprised, and I feel kind of bad for Baek... “Dad can't find a job, mom works so hard for such little pay... I felt like should do something. When Phoenix Shade made contact, I felt that's what I should do. Best way to put that power to use, considering those two had gotten started being heroes by the time I got my powers. I think we've even ran into each other a couple times before.” He's talking about Trace and I. How long has it been?

“Yeah, Trace... we've been a team for quite a while, now.” She nods. “It's been... about three years, right?” Blue seems a little surprised to know we've been working together for that long.

“I guess that makes me the least experienced Magic Knight here,” Blue says, discouraged.

“Ah, don't get down about it, Blue,” Trace says, trying to cheer him up. “You're learning fast. It's okay, you won't get left behind or anything like that. We can teach you whatever if we need to.”

“Okay, okay...” Blue says, smiling again. Watching Trace and Blue they sort of seem like a brother and his older sister... It's kinda funny seeing them interact that way even though they're both seventeen.

There's silence in the room. Our attention drifts to Ms. Crux, the green haired girl... About a minute passes like this.

Trace eventually says, “Y'know, you don't have to introduce yourself if you don't want--”

“It's okay, I got it.” There's irritation in her voice... This girl knows Trace... and she doesn't like her. What was it that happened between these two...? “My name is Emerald Crux... I'm sorry if I was being rude earlier.”

“...actually, I have to ask, are you a Magic Knight, Emerald? I don't sense a Force coming from you.” Primo stares at her with curiosity in his eyes.

“Your senses are good,” she says, “I'm no Magic Knight. I actually don't have any powers at all. I can still fight, though, so don't go expecting me to fall behind, alright?”

“Of course not,” Primo says, nodding. “Emerald, you came here by yourself today, didn't you?”

“Right,” Emerald says. “I don't really have any friends.”

“Primo, I don't think--” Trace starts.

“I did have one friend back in middle school, though. Rude, and quite the troublemaker, to be sure, but we knew each other since we were little, so we always got along. It's not the most interesting story in the world, I just reached out my hand, and she took it.” She smiles, probably for the first time today. “Pretty simple, right?”

“That's nice,” Primo says.

“She's... dead, now, though...” The mood changes. I don't think any of us expected her to finish her story that way. Any of us, except for...

“...I'm sorry.”

Trace.

“Wha...” Emerald looks at Trace, confused, but I can see a hint of anger in her eyes. This is really starting to bother me, now. I think I remember who this girl is supposed to be. For her to show up right now, with all this other stuff going on...

“Trace, are you okay?” Understandably, Blue seems worried about Trace and watches her. I see Trace's face.

“Don't worry, I'm okay, Blue.” Her face changes back to normal. Just a second ago, however, Trace was making one of the most painful faces I've ever seen... The face she made... I haven't seen her like that in years. It's hard to watch...

“I'm sorry to hear that, Emerald. I hope your friend is resting in piece, right now,” Primo says, trying to make her feel better, most likely. “Still, though, you're not alone.” He smiles gently. “We can be your new friends, right?”

“I appreciate that, Primo, but... making friends is a little harder for me, you know? Maybe we'll see what the future brings...” Emerald stands up. “I'm sorry for ruining the mood, everyone. I've got somewhere to be, so I should probably go. Thanks for having me.” With that, she runs out.

“Thank you for having us, Primo.” I bow. “We'll be going.” I gesture towards Blue and Trace, and they leave with me...