(2025 Edit) Technomancer: A Magical Girl's Sidekick [Post-Apocalyptic][Mecha][Magical Girls]

My eyes swept around the room, looking over the students that sat around us in the classroom. I felt my stomach churn, and my mouth go dry. I was on edge, waiting for the inevitable as I glanced at the clock.

Five minutes.

I scratched my pen across my notebook again. The sound echoed through the classroom as the crimson-haired teacher continued his lecture, turning from the board towards us with a smile splattered across his face.

Mr. Eisenburg was one of the more popular teachers at the academy — the type to show documentaries in class, joke with the kids, and barely assign homework. He played it off well, but he didn't have much range or effort in his teaching style.

I'd been looking forward to Principles of Magitech Theory I since coming here, and so far it'd been... less than stellar. It was just a bunch of basic math problems, Egyptian hieroglyphics, and sudoku puzzles of all things so far. Nothing to really challenge me.

Not to mention it was being ruined by everything going on around me. Both in, and outside of the classroom.

Speaking of which...

"Ikki, seven o'clock!" Rai-chan chimed.

I held back my sigh as I shifted my head and body to the right, only for a rolled-up paper to sail through the air, past my ear. It landed with a soft wet plop against the floor.

I could feel the stares of my classmates as the wet spitball landed, and Mr. Eisenberg turned around from writing something on the whiteboard and looked at the paper on the ground.

His eyes then trailed from it, up my arm, to my face.

He gave me a nervous smile, before clearing his throat and resuming the lesson, ignoring what had just happened. My pen scratched against the paper again. And again.

I tried not to focus too hard on the eyes boring into my skull. On the stares of my classmates. On the fact that Mr. Eisenberg knew what was going on and did nothing. Just like everyone else.

I looked over my shoulder, searching for whoever threw it. Brendon Yoon and Matthew Feldman flashed me matching grins from three rows back. Brendon narrowed his eyes like a fox stalking its prey; his shoulder-length bright orange hair hung loose behind him, brushing against the collar of his neat and prim uniform.

"You're dead!" he mouthed under his breath before leaning back in his chair.

I glanced back at Mr. E, although I knew he wouldn't intervene unless it actually disrupted the class. The spitball that hit me was blatant, but Mr. E pretended not to see anything. He always let them do whatever they wanted, which also went for the rest of the faculty. It wasn't worth the trouble their fathers could bring on them, after all. I got it, but that didn't mean I liked it.

"Three o'clock, Ikki!" Rai-chan shouted.

My hand darted to the edge of my notebook. In one fluid movement I yanked a sheet free and brought it to my cheek. Another paper ball was launched at my head. I caught it with the page, and set it on top of the growing stack in a plastic bin I had at my feet.

It was an eclectic collection. Paper airplanes made from the class handouts. Spitballs of wadded up notebook paper. A pair of rolled-up socks from Willis's goons.

It'd been a little over a week since the events with Natasha. Since my encounter with the Kong siblings. Since I'd become the new favorite target for Willis and Chelsea.

They'd been harassing me ever since. I'd played it as well as I could. I was keeping a lid on it, for now. I didn't have the connections. Or the power. Plus, I was the foreign kid getting way too big for my breeches in their eyes.

"So, that's it for today everyone!" Mr. E chirped, moving up the aisle to stand in front of me. "I'm sorry, but there will of course, be homework this weekend. The details will be provided online."

There was a collective groan of disappointment from the classroom. I snorted as Mr. Eisenberg glanced over at me. I could feel his gaze boring into my skull and my heart rate picked up as I felt a slight pang of panic. His lips were pursed into a thin line as he studied me.

Go, he mouthed, before walking back up the stairs towards his desk. He gave me a slight wave, dismissing me from his class early as usual.

"Rai-chan?" I said.

"Yes?"

I stood from my seat. "Are the hallways clear?"

Rai-chan was silent for a moment. I felt a pang of fear shoot through me, and my stomach twisted into a tight knot.

"Canberk and Lecazar are at the north end, as we'd expected. Willis is at the south end."

"Are they looking at the front entrance?"

"They'll be here in about two minutes."

I nodded. I grabbed my book bag and slung it over my shoulder. The classroom was dead quiet, all eyes on me.

"Ikki. If they catch you-"

"Yeah, yeah."

"Five o'clock! Six o'clock!" Rai-chan suddenly chimed. "Two o'clock too!"

I grabbed the bin and shielded myself as I ran for the door. The bin was filled to the brim as paper and spitballs slammed into the plastic, and the sides of the bin began to buckle.

"Ten o'clock!" Rai-chan cried.

My head jerked to the right and the edge of a textbook slammed into the side of the bin, causing the whole thing to buckle inward and send spitballs and airplanes flying in every direction. I dropped it and dashed out the door, and the last thing I heard was Mr. E calling out.

"Alright class, settle down!"

The hallway was eerily quiet as I made a break for it, my shoes clacking against the tile. The hall was empty and I could see the exit at the far end of it, the sun shining through the large windows that made up the far wall.

"Take a left! They're coming!"

I skid across the floor as I made a sharp left turn and ducked down an adjacent hallway, my heart pounding in my chest. Rai-chan's HUD popped open, and I could see Canberk and Lecazar, two of Willis's goons, at the other end of the hallway, their heads swiveling around and scanning the area for any signs of me. Thankfully they hadn't spotted me yet, but I didn't know how much longer I had until they did.

"Keep going, I'll guide you."

"Good," I muttered, and I took off, running down the empty hallway and towards a nearby stairwell.

Rai-chan popped open another window in front of me, showing me a live video of Canberk and Lecazar as they walked towards where I just was.

I slipped down the stairs and into a hallway that led towards one of the exits. It was still quiet, and I quickly made my way down to a fire exit that was usually left unattended.

I shoved open the doors, stepping outside into the crisp autumn air. It was still quiet outside and there was no sign of anyone following me yet.

"I'm in the clear," I breathed.

"Yep, looks like you got away," Rai-chan said, popping back up into my field of vision again. She had the biggest shit-eating grin on her face on my HUD.

I let out a sigh and shook my head, "Thanks for that."

"No problem, it's what I'm here for!"

"Right, right. Now let's go before they try to come out and look for us."

I took a step forward and felt a sudden chill crawl down my spine.

My senses screamed at me to run. To get out of here as soon as possible.

"Ikazuchi," a familiar voice called from behind me, and my body stiffened. I glanced over my shoulder, and saw Willis Kong standing there with a pair of his lackeys. He had an ugly smile plastered on his face.

This fucker and his goddamned void magic... I swore internally.

Willis was flanked by his goons on either side of him, with the golden-haired Lecazar and the silver-haired Canberk at either of his sides.

"You weren't thinking of leaving so soon were you?"

I gulped, taking a deep breath.

"Man... I'm really not in the mood for your shit today," I said, clenching my fists and staring at the group.

They all had the same smug expressions on their faces, like they knew they were going to get away with whatever they wanted.

"Tch. The jester's still got his bark I suppose." Willis's eyes narrowed. "Come here, little dog."

His eyes were locked on me as he motioned with a single finger. "Here. Come. Now."

I took a deep breath, and stepped towards him.

"That's a good boy."

The trio walked up to me and I stood there, staring at Willis.

"Come on, Willis. You know I don't stand a fucking chance against just you. Much less you, Lecazar, and Canberk. So, can we just get this over with? What's it gonna be? A beating today? Getting thrown into the river again? How about you make it interesting, and make me run across campus naked like you've been planning? Let me know what's up, so I can plan out my day."

Lecazar, the tall blonde with the golden eyes and the long flowing hair, snorted and looked down his nose at me.

Willis frowned. His eyes were narrowed, and he looked pissed off.

He looked back over to Canberk, a stocky boy built like a brick shithouse with spiky silver hair and a smattering of freckles on his cheeks.

Willis raised his hand.

And I felt my heart leap into my throat.

Then, he snapped his fingers.

Canberk tackled me against a tree. His fist connected with my gut and I gasped for air as he punched me again and again. My ribs cracked and my chest tightened, making it difficult to breathe.

The world blurred around me, and I could barely hear anything. Everything was muffled by a ringing sound in my ears. I could only focus on the pain radiating through my body.

Canberk stopped after what seemed like forever, and he finally stood up, leaving me laying there in agony.

"Get him up."

Lecazar hauled me up by the collar and shoved me towards Willis. I was gasping for air and I was pretty sure he'd just aggravated a bruised rib.

"I don't think I've made it clear enough, Ikazuchi," Willis growled, and I felt a shiver of fear run through my spine.

He walked around me slowly and grabbed me by the hair. I gritted my teeth in pain. "You don't talk back to me. You're nothing but a peasant. A commoner. A piece of shit. And you will learn your place, or you will be taught it." He then threw me back towards Lecazar and Canberk, and they both grinned. Canberk grabbed me again and lifted me up into the air.

"I... I don't know why you're even trying," I grunted through the pain, "It's not gonna change anything."

"Oh, really?" Willis replied, stepping forward and grabbing me by the chin.

"Yeah. I mean, it's not like I'm the one who needs to be taught anything, Willis." I coughed. "It's not like I'm the one who needs to be put in their place."

"What was that?"

I glared back at him, pursing my lips.

Canberk let go and I collapsed on the ground.

And with a swift crescent kick, Willis drove a blast of wind into my chest, sending me skidding across the grass.

"You're going to regret mouthing off that," Willis snarled as he stalked towards me. He raised a foot to kick me again, and I curled myself into a ball, preparing for the impact. But the blow never came.

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I looked up, and saw Willis stumbling backwards.

"Don't you have anything better to do?" an annoyed, feminine voice suddenly spoke from right above me.

I glanced up at the familiar voice.

A tall, athletic beauty wearing a white tank-top, navy cardigan sweater, and black track pants was standing between me and Willis. Her long, raven-black hair flowed in the wind, and she had a black umbrella in her hand. The handle was hooked on Willis's shirt collar, which kept the large boy precariously balanced.

"Where the hell did you just come fr—" Lecazar was cut off with a quick thrust from Midori's umbrella.

She jabbed the umbrella's tip into his sternum, causing him to fall to his knees. Her eyes never left Willis. The umbrella was somehow still hooked on Willis's collar and the girl smiled sweetly.

"I'm sorry. Am I interrupting your play date? Please, feel free to continue. We'll wait."

"You..." Willis hissed.

"Mmm-hmm. That's right! And who do we have here? First in line for the Void clan's legacy. And the son of Zhao Huiliang. One of the wealthiest men in China, and a high-ranking member of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. I know alllllll about you"

"You know, you shouldn't meddle in the affairs of others. You should learn some manners. We are a lot alike," Willis chuckled, "but we're not the same, now are we?"

Midori frowned. "Oh? What's that supposed to mean, Willis? What exactly do you think is going on here?"

Willis laughed, and turned to Lecazar and Canberk. "Leave us."

His lackeys glanced at each other before scurrying off, and Willis looked at Midori. "Do you really need me to spell it out for you?"

"Actually, yes, Willis. Please do."

Willis smirked, and leaned forward. He whispered something into her ear, and her eyes widened.

Her hands gripped the umbrella tightly, and I saw her knuckles whiten.

She spun the umbrella and slammed it into the side of his knee with a dull thunk, breaking his balance and dropping him to one knee. Willis narrowed his eyes as she kicked him in the ribs, blocking her foot from reaching his floating ribs with his elbow.

"You know how this will go if you push me," Midori growled. "I know you know the difference between you and I. I must emphasize from today though - Ikazuchi is under my protection. Harm him again and I'll make you pay dearly. Do I make myself clear, Kong Wei-Lai?"

He stared at her, and I could see a flicker of irritation cross his face.

"Your threats mean nothing to me, Minamoto no Midori. You're a child playing a game that's beyond you. If you want to keep your pet, fine. Do whatever you like," Willis snarled. He stood up, his eyes narrowed as he looked between the both of us. "Personal power aside, you have no clout, no influence. If you think that will make me stop picking on your new puppy, you've got another thing coming."

"Is that so?"

"Indeed it is," Willis chuckled, "So, what are you going to do? Beat me up? Kick my ass? Make me regret my actions? I'll be honest, Tanaka, I'm not afraid of you. Not at all."

Midori snorted and shook her head. "You've been listening to too much of your father's boasting. It's going to get you in trouble someday. And that's fine with me. In fact, it'll probably be quite fun to watch. Especially since you're going to be in so much over your head you'll drown. So, you want to keep going?"

A bone chilling smile crossed Midori's face as she leaned in close to him, her voice barely audible as she spoke.

"I hope you do, because it would give me a great deal of pleasure to grind you into dust right here, right now."

"Fuck you, you disgraced bitch. You will rue this day."

"Ooooh. I'm shaking in my little boots," Midori giggled and twirled the umbrella around.

Willis got back up, dusting off his clothes. "But regardless, I'm done here for now. I have other matters I must attend to." He gave Midori one last glance before turning away.

"W-Willis? You're just going to let this bitch-"

"SHUT UP!" Willis bellowed, glaring at Canberk. "Do you have any inkling as to who we're dealing with here?!"

The three of them walked off, with Lecazar glaring at Midori, who glared back at him. She looked like she wanted to kill the three of them, but she held back. She turned to look at me, and her eyes were cold.

Midori sighed, shaking her head before her expression changed to that of a warm smile. She extended her hand down to me. I gawked in awe, grabbing her hand and pulled myself up.

"Thanks..." I blushed sheepishly.

"Thank me by not doing anything that stupid ever again." Midori shot me a disapproving glare and helped me up. "Confronting the heirs of the Void Clan with zero backing? Really?"

"Yeah. I was... an idiot."

"How long has he been giving you trouble?" she asked. "And you're a little more than an idiot for provoking them, but that's neither here nor there."

"Uh..." I paused. "A week? Maybe two?"

"I see."

"I'm fine though," I lied, wincing as a dull throbbing in my side flared up. Midori noticed and looked at my side. She raised an eyebrow. I let out a pained sigh. "...Maybe."

"You're not. Come on," she sighed. "We need to get that checked out."

I shook my head. "It'll be fine. Just a bruise, it'll go away."

She looked at my side again, frowning. "You have an entire row of stitches on your face already, four bruised ribs from a month ago that haven't fully healed yet, a black eye that has just healed, and a new set of bruises that are forming. You are. Not okay."

"Err, yeah... How'd you find me anyway?" I asked.

"I've been meaning to check up on you. I asked around. Heard about Willis's antics."

"Yeah, well, I've got it under control." I said, and I tried not to think about the implications of that.

The fact that she was checking up on me and keeping tabs on me was... something else entirely. She probably knew everything, from what Willis was doing, to what was going on with Caroline. Ever since she'd intervened in Chelsea's attack on me and Natasha, I'd been seeing a lot more of Midori. Which was nice, I suppose, in an odd sort of way.

She'd saved my ass on more than one occasion since then.

Midori rolled her eyes. "Sure, you do."

"I do!"

"Right. Whatever you say, kid. C'mon, let's get some ice on that bruise."

I sighed and let her take me by the arm.

"Anyway. Thanks for the save. Again. It was getting pretty hairy."

"No problem, I was just following my gut." Midori replied. She led me towards the school's infirmary and stopped at a vending machine to buy a cold pack. I winced as she held it against my side, but sighed in relief at the feeling of cold seeping into the wound. She sat down beside me on one of the benches in the hallways and leaned back against it. The bench creaked beneath us, and we both shifted to make ourselves more comfortable.

We sat there for a few moments, enjoying the cool autumn air.

"Why do you keep doing that, anyway?" she asked. "You know he could really hurt you, right? And his family would make sure there were no consequences. Why are you doing this?"

"I dunno. I guess... I guess I'm just sick of people getting hurt."

"What do you mean by that?"

I took a deep breath. I thought of Natasha, of what had happened to her. I thought about Cordelia and how Chelsea had treated her.

"Caroline beat up Natasha pretty badly last week. She broke her nose, her ribs... and her jaw. I couldn't just stand there while they did that. Not without doing something."

She looked at me with a mix of concern and admiration in her eyes. "You're brave, I'll give you that." She smiled softly. "You remind me of myself a lot, actually."

"R-Really?" I asked, and my face reddened. I felt the warmth of her smile spread throughout my body.

She nodded. "Yeah."

I blushed, feeling a sudden heat on my cheeks. "I'm just... trying to do the right thing," I muttered. "But I hate that I'm so weak."

She laughed at that, and my cheeks flushed again. She reached over, ruffling my hair.

"Hey! Cut it out!" I yelped, pulling away.

"Relax, Ikki," she chuckled. "You've got guts. And I'm proud of you for standing up for what you think is right. It's admirable."

I blushed again. "Thanks. But... why are you always so nice to me?"

She shrugged. "I have my reasons. I like helping people, anyway. Especially ones that need it."

I blinked. I didn't know what to say to that. So I didn't. Instead, I just sat there in silence with her. I liked that.

"You know, you've got some guts," she said, breaking the silence. "Standing up for someone you care about, that's not something most people would do. I like that in you. And you're a lot more courageous than you think."

I blushed again. "Uh... th-thanks, Midori?"

She laughed, and I grinned awkwardly.

"Thanks for being so good to Natasha, though," she said. "She's... a really special person."

I smiled. "Yeah, I get the feeling. I think she's special too. In more ways than one."

Midori's eyes twinkled. "You don't know the half of it, Ikki. But I think you'll learn someday."

I tilted my head. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It's not my place to say," she said with a wink.

I raised an eyebrow, and Midori just smiled and shrugged.

"But anyway, she hasn't connected with her friends from primary and middle school who're here. She hasn't had many close relationships in a long time," Midori explained. "There's at least a dozen people in the city right now she could call old friends, but she actively avoids them."

"Really?"

"Really."

"Hm."

I mulled over that for a bit. The things that happened three or four years ago must have been really rough.

"And well, that includes me," Midori added. "We had a bit of a... falling out after my brother died."

I looked at Midori and frowned. I didn't want to press too much, but I had a feeling it was all tied together.

"What happened?"

She sighed. "I'll tell you more later," she said. "When the time is right. You'll have to earn the story."

"Okay then..."

She looked at me and gave a small, sad smile.

"That being said, how about we spend some time hanging out tomorrow? Just the two of us," Midori said.

The older girl had a strange, mischievous glint in her eyes. It was a warm one, and I could tell that there was more behind it than what she was saying. I was a bit curious to know what she was thinking. She'd never asked me out to spend time together. And it seemed like a sudden offer. I didn't really have any plans tomorrow anyway. I'd probably just be working on homework or studying.

I scratched the back of my head, looking up at the tall, pretty athlete. She'd saved my butt several times in just a month. She'd protected Natasha, and even Cordelia, from Caroline and her friends. And I quite literally owed her my life from the bank robbery incident. She'd been looking out for me.

I had a feeling there was something she wasn't telling me. But she had her reasons, and she had my best interests at heart.

"S-sure," I stuttered, my heart rate picking up.

Midori smiled and leaned back against the bench, looking up at the sky. She took a deep breath, letting it out slowly before speaking again.

"I want to ask you something, though. It's important."

"Y-yeah? What is it?" I asked.

"You've always been on Earth, right? On the other side of the portal?"

I paused. "Uh. Yeah?"

She looked down, her gaze focused on the grass beneath us.

"What are your parents like? Your family?"

I blinked, taken aback by her question. It wasn't something I'd have expected her to ask of all things.

"I... well, I told you my dad is a mechanic and I'm here for my sister. I... never really knew my mother. She died during the Fourth Chaos War. She was in the wrong place at the wrong time. My dad got out of it, and he was the one who raised me and my sister."

"Oh. Oh, that's... awful. I'm sorry."

I shook my head. "It was a long time ago," I said, and I didn't know why, but tears stung at my eyes. "I don't remember much. Just a lot of fire, screaming, and running."

Midori gently patted my shoulder.

"What makes you bring that up?"

Midori sighed, tapping her chin. She looked away. Her expression changed, becoming a little bit more distant.

"Nothing," she muttered.

Nothing?

I furrowed my brows. It didn't seem like nothing.

"You're not telling me the whole truth," I said, and I couldn't hide the accusation in my voice.

"I'm just thinking about what kind of a father would raise a kid like you." She gave me another one of her sunny smiles.

"Hey..."

Midori giggled. "It was a compliment. Sort of. For a kid half his size with no real combat experience and no magic, you sure do have a habit of mouthing off to the biggest guys on campus."

"Yeah. I'm an idiot."

"A very endearingly adorable idiot."

I blushed. "Uhh, thanks. I think?"

She giggled, ruffling my hair again as I groaned. "You're welcome."

A few minutes passed, and we both just sat there quietly, enjoying the company.

"I do have a question too, though..." I trailed off.

"Yeah?"

I glanced at Midori.

"Minamoto no Midori... Isn't that like, a title?"

The raven-haired girl froze. "Oh, uh... sort of."

"What does it mean?"

Midori pursed her lips and scratched the back of her neck. She looked like she was about to say something, but stopped herself.

"I'll tell you when the time is right. It's not exactly my favorite story. And there are some details that I can't tell you just yet. It's not easy to really get under my skin anymore, but let's just say Willis knew the right buttons to push there."

I blinked. "O-Okay."

"Anyway, let's change the topic," she said. "How do you feel about Aztlant Cuisine? Have you had a chance to try any?"

I nodded. "Erm. Dior treated me when you were. Well, you know. Being carried away by that purple Magical Girl all bleeding and battered and unconscious..."

Midori winced. "Don't remind me. Please. But I'm glad she did. Did you like the food?"

"I... yeah. It's an interesting twist. It's like... authentic Chinese food but with a Central American flair. It's still surreal to me that our two worlds developed in such divergent but similar ways."

"Yeah, I can understand that," Midori said. She grinned. "Well, it's a good thing you liked it, since I was planning on taking you to one of the best spots in downtown Shoreline for our little hang out."

"I-I, uhm, that sounds... nice," I said. My face felt hot.

"You don't sound so sure."

"N-no! It's not like I don't like the idea! It's just..."

"What? Are you worried about something?"

My cheeks flushed, and my mouth opened and closed several times as I tried to formulate words.

"I haven't been comfortable with DIor and Natasha and now you spending so much money on me, you know?" I muttered. "You guys are way wealthier than me. Plus, what would Talia think?"

Midori snorted. "My girlfriend trusts me. I don't go out and spend that kind of money often, anyway. Just when I feel it's necessary. Or if I feel it'll help someone I care about. So don't worry about that, okay?"

I blinked, my face flushing again. "I..."

"Relax, kid," she said, patting my shoulder. "I'll take care of ya."

Midori... she was so nice it was unreal.

"So... you're half Japanese?" Midori asked. "Your mom's the one who's Japanese right?"

"Hm? Oh. Yeah," I said, nodding. "My mother was Japanese, from the States apparently. West coast. At least, that's what my dad tells me."

"What was her name?"

"I, uh... don't know," I admitted. "Dad doesn't talk about it much. But he did say she took up the name Wendy after she and dad got married, though I don't know what her name was before that. Why?"

Midori's brows furrowed. "Hmm. That's strange," she muttered. "I guess it doesn't really matter. Just... something that's been bothering me, I guess."

I had a lot of questions, but Midori smiled and shook her head. She didn't seem inclined to explain herself. At least not right now. So, I didn't press her. We sat in comfortable silence for a while, watching the sunset over the campus.

"It'll be dark soon. How about you get home?" Midori said. "I have to head to practice in a bit."

I stood up, stretching my sore limbs. I looked over at the girl sitting next to me. "Thanks for talking with me, Midori. And... everything else. Saving my butt. Again."

Midori gave me a gentle pat on the shoulder and chuckled.

"Don't worry about it. I'll text you when I'm done, okay? We can meet tomorrow afternoon and I'll show you some points of interest."

I nodded and gave her a little bow before turning and walking off.

"Hey, kid," she said before I got far. I looked over at her. She had a small smile on her face.

"Yeah?"

"Take care of yourself, okay? Be careful."

"Uh, sure."

"And thanks for being here for 'Tasha," Midori added.

I blushed. "N-no problem."

"Later," Midori said with a wave.

"Bye!" I waved back.

I walked off, heading toward the train station.

Another day of being humiliated, beaten, and hurt.

But Midori had come in to save my butt again. And it looked like we'd be hanging out again.

Things weren't all that bad, after all.

I couldn't help but feel excited about it as I made my way to the station.

I'd been to the city several times by now. I'd gotten to see more of the city with Dior and Natasha in the last two weeks, although Natasha's injuries meant that we weren't doing anything too strenuous. The girl had only just started attending classes again, and she was healing faster than I'd expected, thanks in no small part to Cordelia's alchemic expertise.

It didn't make me feel any better though. I still had the image of Natasha getting her jaw broken, her face bruised, and her ribs cracked, fresh in my mind. It still made my heart sink to think of the way she was treated, even if she did her best to put on a strong front.

I clicked my locket, opening it to my picture of my dad, Izumi, and me.

I stared at my dad, his smiling face. I thought of what he would think, how he would feel, if I had come home beaten and battered again.

How much would it hurt him? What would he have done if it'd been Izumi in my place, getting the shit beaten out of her by someone like Caroline?

I'd pushed my luck against her and Willis. It'd been pointless at the end, and I'd let my temper and ego get the best of me. If I wanted to be better than that... If I wanted to help people, and make sure that the world would be a safe place for Izumi...

Then I had to be better.

I stepped into the train, the doors closing behind me. The car was mostly empty. It was the early afternoon and there weren't a lot of commuters. There was a group of students huddled near one of the entrances, talking about their upcoming exams. There were also a few older businessmen in the seats across from me, talking on their phones.

I found a spot to sit, leaning my head against the window.

The lack of smooth communication across the portals was still something that I'd need to work out. It was annoying having to use snail mail as an intermediary.

I couldn't help but wonder if maybe I should have been working towards something else.

Like magic. Or martial arts. Maybe both?

I had no idea where to even start with that, and I'd mostly gotten into fights so far because I hadn't had any choice in the matter.

Even with my mana pool more than quadrupled from baseline, it was still apparently far less than an average Terran's. I was never consistent about training - just enough as a kid that my dad thought I could defend myself.

...I wondered how Izumi and Dad were doing without me.

I sighed. There was so much on my plate. I didn't even know where to start.

But one step at a time, I suppose.

As always.