Chapter 21: I didn’t forgot about that, totally didn’t!
So what did we find?
First of all, Rossie got a clone/ projection of herself with the same outfit she had in class.
Second, the clone/projection didn't move, the clothes changed slowly and the style almost looked like it tried to change the style.
But it was... awkward, it was a slow change and in the end, it wasn't that much of a change. I knew it was there since I saw it live.
But after that...Nothing.
So that means either Rossie saw me changing all over my body...Or she only saw my new outfit.
Soon I would find out either way, since the projection walked to me, smiled at me, and then laid and overlapped herself with the sleeping Rossie.
"Morning Eli-Eli," said the pink girl after the projection fused into her body.
Look at this cheeky girl, acting as if nothing while sleeping on someone's thighs.
"Morning sleepy head." Was all I could say at this point while ushering the girl to stand.
At least she had enough shame to stand and look sheepishly at me while waiting for me to say something.
"If you plan on doing that again at least warn me before. Had I woken in a rush or violently from my meditation I could have hurt you, Rossie." What can I even say besides that?
For her part, the girl just smiled more brightly while nodding her head at incredible speeds.
"Your new outfit is cute by the way Eli-Eli!" said the pink girl.
Right, had to get that out of the way...
"Did you see me while designing it?" ask it as if nothing important happened.
"Nope, arrived at the end before your projection faded, so I only saw the end." Answered the pink-haired girl while looking somewhat downcast.
As if she had missed the most important thing in the world.
For her part the blonde girl couldn't be more happy (Even if she didn't show it) "It's okay Rossie, it wasn't that interesting."
Somehow she got the feeling that the pink-haired girl didn't believe her.
After all, she was struggling to alter her outfit.
And here was Elizabeth Starbright with a totally different outfit after her first try.
"I will ask Mama for recommendations for altering your [Shift]..." Started saying the blonde girl.
"You will ask Mama-Eli-Eli for help with my [Heartbloom Shift]!?!?" Said with almost a shriek the pink-haired girl.
Of course, that girl would stick hearts in her shift spell...
"Yes, I'm sure Mama has a few ideas or books on how to help you alter your dress." Also maybe the mother would have a few ideas about how to deal with the pink-haired girl.
A girl can dream.
But for now "Let's go back to our apartment Rossie, the library is about to close and I have classes in the morning" said the blonde girl.
And she wasn't looking forward to those classes.
She would first have to deal with the re-evaluation. And second...
She would have to deal with the other half of her world.
Powereds.
She had screwed her magical side plans for a low-key focus,,since she somehow doubted the teacher would miss her new outfit.
Not that she regretted that, the teacher already knew that she had a [Shift] spell. Since she stumbled into it in the first class.
So that was a wasted effort. If she couldn't pretend to be normal, she might as well pretend to have a somewhat normal approach to magic.
But she had still a chance with the powereds!
"Okay..." And now this girl was depressed? "We will see each other in the afternoon in class right?" Asked the pink-haired girl.
Was she bullied in the general magical theory classes?
"Of course." Answered the blonde girl. "If you have problems with anything you can always tell me." But there wasn't anything she could do about that.
She was missing the morning magical theory classes and the afternoon powered theory classes. That she didn't really need either wasn't a problem.
At least her skills (Even if borrowed) made the magical side easy. Now it was all about if the powered side would be easy too.
Mornings had a new meaning after her awakening.
Or her triggering?
What changed her more?
The problem was a Skill...But the skill also used magic to do her thing...
So what was she really?
A Powered with Magic?
A Magical Girl with Skills?
A Magical Powered?
A Powered spell caster?
What should her case be labeled as?
So many questions...
And each and everyone was a problem to ponder.
Why?
Well first of all because it was almost 6 in the morning and her first class would start in two hours and she was awake already.
Second of all... She knew that Rossie would intrude in her shower if she started too early...
So she was waiting to shower after seven so she could shower last.
And third of all...
She was running out of pointless things to ponder about.
So after another hour of pondering on pointless stuff, she finally decided to rise above all!
Mostly to rise above her bed and go and eat.
But since she heard sounds coming from the kitchen...Then does that mean that Rossie was cooking breakfast?
A chance!
The blonde girl didn't think even for a second before rushing to her room for clothes and then back to the bathroom.
She could shower without having to worry about her chastity!
Freedom to bathe in peace!
"Spartaaaaa!" screamed in joy the girl while opening in one smooth movement the door to the bathroom while starting to take her clothes off.
Only...
"Oh morning Eli-Eli. I'm almost done, you can wait there if you wish ♥ ." There was a naked pink-haired girl showering in there...
With the glass window fully open.
Showing her goods to the world "Rossie. I know it's only us in here, but close the door if you are showering." Said the blonde girl while putting on her pajama and walking to the kitchen.
There she saw that the sounds she had heard previously were the fully cooked dishes with a medium flame to keep them heated.
So she served two plates and started eating.
Not even five minutes later, the pink-haired girl walked in with her bathrobe on as she too started eating as if nothing had happened.
Was she a prude?
She surely felt like a prude right now.
There was a girl that didn't have problems showing her skin to her, nor a problem watching her skin either.
And she was eating as if it was nothing, in her loose bathrobe speaking of nonsense.
And the blonde was dealing with a small blush answering nonsense too.
"Thank you for the food Rossie, if you want we can start a schedule so we have turns in cooking. You could shower early that way too." Said the blonde girl after finishing her breakfast.
"Oh, it's okay Eli-Eli. I like to cook... But if you insist we can take turns too. I wouldn't mind eating something cooked by you. " answered the pink-haired girl.
She had problems with her magic since her eyes started showing vague hearts in them...
"Okay, tomorrow I will prepare breakfast then," said the blonde girl while walking again to the bathroom.
There she found her clothes neatly folded and arranged for easier use.
Even her underwear was separated and folded neatly near her uniform.
"I'm not a prude...Or I wasn't..." mumbled the blonde girl while undressing...
And making sure the door was locked.
Maybe it was Rossie?
She was a weird girl, so maybe it was her that made this so awkward. Surely that was it.
Yes.
Surely it was a problem caused by the pink-haired menace.
The walk toward the powered wing wasn't that problematic.
She just went to the testing grounds again and found herself with the few that didn't test themselves last time.
And a few extras that surprised her.
Rena was with Akira looking down at them from the stands.
She couldn't help but feel sorry for that kid, since she knew how annoying was to have someone stuck to her...
Maybe Akira was a kindred soul?
She should make some time to ask him how he deals with that girl. Perhaps some tips could be used...
But then again, he didn't share an apartment with that girl, so maybe not everything would be useful.
"ATTENTION!" screamed the crazy old man.
Right, he was here...
"Today we will test those of you that claim to have nonstandard skills..." Said while glaring at those beside her "And those of you that were deemed nonstandard" And then at me.
Only me...
Was I the only 'Nonstandard'?
Crap.
That wasn't good.
"What about us that were graded already?" asked Akira.
Was he still going about his grade?
He was the second strongest in this grade!
Oh... He didn't want to be below his girlfriend?
It was so funny that the blonde girl couldn't help but giggle a little.
Akira noticed it and glared at her. Ups.
And Rena noticed how his boyfriend was looking at her and then also glared at her.
Twice the glares...
"You can be evaluated again if you wish. But your grade won't rise unless you show us mastery of at least an evolution or subset skill." Said the crazy old man without a care in the world.
An evolution or a subset skill?
Was he crazy?
No one should be able to have one of those right now.
Of course, Akira wasn't an exception to that rule.
Since he didn't jump down, and Rena was now glaring at the teacher...
Maybe she would be the first to get one if her skill was something to go by. If she shaped her hatred enough maybe she could get a [Hate Sword] or something?
Perhaps even kill this crazy old man so we could get a normal teacher?
No?
Oh well.
"Moving on, first we will go in order..." Said the old man while pointing to several doors behind him "Tinkers or Genius type...in a nutshell. If your skill makes you smarter, go to the door with the number one" said the old man and then pointed to the number one door.
Around a fourth of the students went that way...
Not that many...
"If your skill allows you to create stuff that shouldn't work and that stops working after you are away, then you are a [Maker] and go to number 2." And only a few ones went that way.
Those weren't.... useful. In a pinch? Godsend.
But on a daily basis, they weren't that useful.
"If you are a summoner, a tamer, or someone in those areas number 3." At this, almost everyone went that way.
So many summoners... They are the equivalent of contracted magic users. Since their power depends on the creature they bind.
Of course, they have to grow them. Their summons are created, unlike mages that summon already existing creatures from other planes.
"And finally...If you make or manipulate an element with skills... You will use that to attack the dummy." Finally her turn and the turn of her comrades.
At least there were around 10 to disguise her mastery.
Perhaps she could aim for the middle ground?
Wait, didn't he... "What about healers and buffers/debuffers?" asked a kid in a meek voice.
"Oh right, those... Go to number four, we usually don't get many of those but there should be someone waiting nonetheless." Said the crazy forgetful old man.
And...At that, we lost five...
What?
Weren't they rare?
Why so many?
The old man must have seen something since he was smirking.
"We will start with you Miss Starbright, since you seem to be in a rush..." said the crazy old man.
Did he hold a grudge?
"Okay..." That was all the blonde could say.
Well, nothing to go for it.
Now...
Father said to not care about how much she showed since the power was hard to disguise since everyone was different.
So it was pointless to try it. Unlike magic which was more generic.
So for now...
"Tei!" just half-ass it!
The blonde girl just grabbed a rock and threw it at the dummy!
Of course, she was using her skill [Shadow Manipulation]!
How?
She was controlling the shadow under the rock. So after the rock was close enough to the dummy the shadow erupted throwing dust all over the place.
Occulting what she had done, and after the dust smokescreen dissipated only the ravaged dummy was seen.
Also, her rock that was on the ground smashed to pieces.
"....Low C-Tier," said the crazy old man.
"Hah!?!?" Three diferent people said.
The first one was Elizabeth Starbright, since the damage to the dummy was less than Akira did, she should have the same if not lower than him!
The second was Akira, probably for the same reason as her.
And the third was obviously the red-haired girl, Rena who was glaring at her.
Girl, control your man, don't bring trouble to me!
"If you have problems with the grading, speak to me after the evaluations are done!" said the crazy old man while calling for the next one.
A fire-wielding kid.
He too damaged the dummy. More as he melted said dummy.
"Mid-C-Tier..." and so she saw a trend.
Most of the kids that used some kind of element or strengthening skill got at the lowest C Tier like her.
At the highest almost a B-Tier.
Weren't these tiers hard to get?
"Now I'm sure you feel happy and confident of your strength right?" said the old man to a bunch of very happy students.
"WRONG!" and so he crushed their hopes and dreams.
"These are the predicted minimum tier." Said the old man.
"These are what we expect at the minimum for you all to achieve, right now you all are at the bottom of E tier..." continued speaking, and wouldn't you look at Rena, she was quite happy.
"....Or the highest of D tier." Said the old man while looking at the blonde.
Dude, stop making trouble for me!
"Usually we tell you this together with the rest of your class since there are a few problematic ones in each generation." Said the old man while looking straight at Akira and Rena.
"But since all the problematic ones are here, there you have it" and he shrugged "Elemental users and self-strength users are harder to deal with at all levels," said the crazy old man.
"So you get a higher rating, there you have it. No matter how bad you are with your [Skill] you will get at the very least a D-Tier... Or C-Tier in other cases." And so the world kept crashing around Elizabeth.
All her plans...
Just because she was an elemental manipulator?
Just because she used an element or self strength?
She... She might have to rework her plans.