Mini author's note:
I will be including fan art of the characters on some pages mostly because I have collected too many. I hope you don't mind!
(Second-person POV)
(Time skip - 1 week)
Letting out a soft sigh, you leaned against the back of your chair, letting the knowledge you had just read sink into your brain. Going over the various philosophies that were written in Master Wu's book, you ran a hand through your hair, wondering whether any of it could be applied to your current life. Well, no matter the case, I've finished reading it and now I should put it back, you thought, getting up from your chair and taking the text with you so you could put it back without the man noticing.
What should I do now? Dart is asleep, as usual, Koun is nowhere to be seen, and Lloyd's out with Kai while the three others are out trying to find out the Samurai's identity... Speaking of the others, weren't they talking about some kind of 'True Potential'? I wonder what that's all about... you mutter to yourself, wandering through the halls almost absent-mindedly, The guys keep talking about it as if it were some magical thing that will make them stronger or something... If so, how would one know that they have reached it? What does reaching one's 'True Potential' even mean? How would one even know if their potential is true, or if it is actually their full potential and they have no more potential to give? Would it be worth pursuing and staying here longer or would it be better for me to leave to search for my teacher now-
Suddenly, you stopped just before you nearly bumped into someone, your body jerking forward as you almost toppled over the person in your way. "Excuse-" you began, only to stop as you recognised the figure to be Nya... though she seemed a little... uptight.
"...Is there a problem?" you ask, noticing the panic in her eyes as she quickly shoved something behind her back.
"N-not at all!" she answered a little too fast, a strained smile plastered on her face as she shook her head, trying to avoid your interrogation.
"...Right..." you mutter, noticing the ruby on her bracelet flashing red. "Your jewel's blinking, by the way," you point out, making the girl let out a yelp of surprise as she hurriedly covered it up, dropping her helmet in the process.
...The helmet of the mysterious Samurai, huh, you thought, picking it up off the ground. Quickly glancing over the object, you took in every detail as you held it out to her. "Here," you offer, handing the headwear over.
A face flush with embarrassment and nervousness, Nya takes her helmet back with a soft "T-thanks," before seemingly remembering something and looking up from the ground into your eyes. "Please don't tell the guys about this," she pleads, a dry smile climbing up onto her face, "I don't wanna interrupt their plans with the 'big reveal' and all."
"Sure," you answer, not understanding why everyone was entrusting you with their secrets, "I'll keep my lips sealed."
"...Those lips don't just look sealed..." she softly murmurs under her breath, her face turning an even deeper shade of pink as she glanced away from you, her right hand subconsciously rubbing at her other arm.
"Pardon?" you ask, raising an eyebrow. Did she think your lips were 'dry' like it was described to have been in the books your teacher left you? You've never had dry lips before, so this was a rather exciting thing. Perhaps you could find out more about-
"N-nono," Nya hurriedly responded, shaking her head as she let out an awkward laugh, "I-I didn't say anything, I swear!"
"...Alright," you reply, pushing the thought aside as the other didn't seem comfortable elaborating, "I'll see you later then."
"R-right!" the girl beams, and with that, you turn to leave when-
"W-wait, (y/n)!" she exclaims, making you pause in your tracks and turn around to face her, "Let's go out someday, not as a date, of course, I would never force you on a date unless you wanted to go, that is, and if that's the case, then-" Stopping herself from blabbering on and on, the female cleared her throat and looked you dead in the eyes, asking "L-let's go out somewhere sometime soon, okay?"
"Sure," you answer, "Your suggestion is rather vague though. Where would you like to go and when?"
"W-well..." she begins, looking down at the floorboards again as if they had the answer, "Let's decide when the time's right, 'kay?"
"Alright," you gently smile, subtly wondering how someone as confident around others as Nya could suddenly become so shy around you. Maybe it was because you seemed too cold? Or too mean? ...Or perhaps it was because you weren't the same as everyone else? You know that now. Before, you thought you were just like other humans, fragile little things that are made of paper-thin glass. But now... you realised you're different. You have escaped Death's grasp multiple times and is about as emotional as a rock. At least glass looks beautiful and pure. Rocks... not so much. Perhaps that was why the others didn't feel as comfortable around you-
"Promise?" Nya asks, her voice cutting through your thoughts like glass breaking on the cold rocky ground, "Promise that you won't leave until we've at least gone out?"
"...You knew?" you raised an eyebrow as you briefly considered the possibility of Zane telling the others, but you cross that out. There was no way he would do that. He was too nice and naive at times, probably too much for his own good. Besides, you hadn't bothered trying to conceal your intention of leaving and Nya was in no way dumb, so it wasn't that big of a surprise that she would figure it out. Even if she hadn't found it out by herself, Lloyd also knew that you were going to leave one day, so he may have told the others himself.
"Well, you didn't really try to hide it so..." the girl murmured, trailing off before looking you in the eyes again. "A-anyway, do you promise?"
"You wouldn't let me leave even if I didn't," you reply, giving her an indifferent shrug, "So I suppose I do. I promise that I won't leave until we've gone out together to somewhere somewhen."
Giving you a relieved smile, she waved goodbye before rushing down the hall to your shared bedroom, presumably to do some more tinkering. Letting out a sigh, you continued heading to Master Wu's study, hoping to be able to put his book back without drawing his attention.
Sliding the door open silently, you were just about to step inside when the sound of someone clearing their throat nearly made you leap into the air with surprise.
"What are you doing here, (y/n)?" the old man asked, his eyes already showing that he knew the answer.
"...I read over your texts and came to put it back," you answer, holding it out for him to see.
Letting out a hum of acknowledgement, the male walked into his room, motioning for you to follow. Trailing after him, you closed the door behind you, taking the time to put the book back on the shelf before taking a seat opposite him on a cushion.
Watching as Master Wu pulled out his teapot from god-knows-where before pouring some tea into two cups, you found yourself wondering why he needed to speak to you. Were you in trouble? Or had he found a lead on where your teacher was? ...Or was it because he too realised that you were going to leave?
"You must be wondering why I've led you in here," the old man finally pipes up after a long sip of his drink, pushing the other teal-coloured cup toward you.
Well yeah, no shit, Sherlock... Koun mutters, rolling her eyes as she appeared out of thin air with her arms crossed over her chest, not seeming very impressed with the other's deduction.
Picking up the vessel without a word, you hold it with both hands, feeling the heat from the liquid seep into your surprisingly cold hands. "There's something I haven't told you yet," he continues, seeming pleased with his tea, "You have heard about the story of the original elemental users, yes?"
Nodding, you reply "Indeed. My teacher gave me a brief run-down the first day we met and then gave me a more detailed explanation a few months later."
"Well, then it can't hurt for me to explain again," Master Wu beamed, not noticing the irritated twitch of your eyebrow, "After all, there are always two sides to a story." Taking another sip of his drink, the male finally places the cup down, staring deep into the amber-coloured liquid as if it were the key to unlocking his memories. "During the Serpentine War, the many Elemental Masters allied together to defeat the snakes, but we ended up getting betrayed by one of our own."
"...Let me guess. You guys suspected my teacher?" you inquired, raising an eyebrow in suspicion.
"...He was one of the most powerful of the group and we thought he was the only one capable of feeding information to an entirely different side. Plus, he seemed like the type to learn the Dark Arts 'just for fun'," the old man answers, gaze not leaving the last droplet of liquid in his teacup which sat in the vessel like a lone teardrop. "Despite him furiously protesting for his innocence, the rest of the Elemental Masters and I, blinded by our incessant wish for peace and the words of the enemy, decided to sacrifice him with the Serpentine as a peace offering.
In the end, we extracted his soul into three separate pieces with varying proportions. One was the Void Vanquisher, which was sealed in that cave in the mountains and contained the most power of the four. The others were a bell that kept one's spirit in balance and the giant statue he was concealed in. This way, there would be no possible way for him to break free of the copper cage we encased him in, though it seems as if it didn't prevent him from being able to pass on his power..."
Trailing off, Master Wu somberly stared down at his ceramic cup as you subconsciously reached up and felt the spot where your Void Crystal lay, another reason and another reminder that you must find your teacher. "...I didn't come in here to listen to you recount an event I already know the details of," you hiss, eyes narrowing at the man, "Do you have a lead on where he is or not?"
"Why the rush?" the male asks nonchalantly, taking a sip of his tea, "That's not what Kusho would have taught you, no?"
Snapping, you reach out and grab the front of his robes, lowly growling "Don't you dare speak of my teacher, not after how you betrayed him like that. I'll ask one last time. Do you have a lead or not?"
Seeming mildly startled, Master Wu clears his throat, pulling out an envelope from thin air and handing it to you. Snatching the letter from his hands, you grit your teeth, knowing it was impolite, but was too ticked off to care about manners at that moment. Stalking out the door, you saw Koun follow you in your peripheral vision, not pausing to stop or slow down.
"...The path you choose is paved with thorns," you hear the old man mutter from behind you, "And the flower you wish to find down that road may not be the one you want."
"Then I'll burn them down," you answer with an unconcerned air, not bothering to turn back, "I'll destroy this barbed road and rebuild it anew so long as I can reach my goal. I don't care what — or who — I have to get rid of to reach my goal."
Author's note:
Thank you for reading this new chapter! I hope you enjoyed it! This time it was a little shorter, being only 1975 words, but I hope you liked it nonetheless. Do you know what the reader's weakness is? It'll be revealed sometime soon (maybe)! Anyway, I'll see you in the next one :D
Memes:
Incorrect quotes:
Jay: I like Eminem.
Cole: I'm more of a skittles kinda guy, but you do you.
Jay: What? No, I'm talking about the rapper!
Cole: Who the hell eats the wrapper?!
Another one:
You: Can you pass the salt?
Kai: What's the magic word?
You: *Starts muttering in Latin*
Kai: Okay, okay, just take it!
And another:
Cole: Jay!
Jay: What? It wasn't me.
Cole: Sorry, force of habit.
Cole: Kai!
Kai: *Shrugs* Wasn't me either.
Cole: ...So... who set the Bounty on fire?
You: *Outside dumping the gasoline in the sea* That should get rid of the evidence...
And another:
Nya: YOU LYING, CHEATING BASTARD!
Jay: Oh yeah?! You're the one who thinks she can get away with everything she does!
Nya: That's it! I'm leaving you and getting with (y/n)!
Jay: No you're not! I am!
Zane: Alright, I think we should stop playing monopoly now...
Last one:
Cole: Sorry, I'm late. I had some... trash to get rid of.
Jay: *Bursting through the door* HE THREW ME DOWN A CLIFF!
Master Wu: ...
Everyone else:
That's it for today. I hope these made you smile and I'll see you in the next chapter :)