The next day was hardly anything compared to their first two days, but plenty of action was still involved with their work. It was about midday when the accident occurred. A student had been stabbed by a sais in his abdominal region. Ms. Koji hurriedly tried to calm the students and tried to make her di into a tourniquet, but failed. She sent for Rachael in the confusion, and several students fled to find her, not able to stomach the views of that much blood.
Rachael arrived not long after, and hurried to his side. Ms Koji was relieved and reassessed the situation. Rachael bent over to his ear and whispered to him. Through his pain, he was able to nod, and she placed a hand on his forehead and on his stomach, next to the fatal wound. Mike, Charise, and Zek ran in just as she began to heal him. The other students marveled as the tissues and skin began to thread back together, pulling themselves flawlessly back to normal. The blood stains around it soaked back into his skin, and he was left lying on the ground, gasping with a hole in his shirt. Rachael withdrew, and his breathing slowed to normal, and he sat up gingerly, as if he was still wounded. The student thanked her and she left with the other three.
"You certainly made a show of that," Mike said.
"I didn't mean to."
"Show off."
"Well, thank you."
~~~~~
Regular training continued as usual, with Zek and Charise with Ms. Koji, and Mike and Rachael with the sensei.
That night, Zek awoke to Rachael's gentle voice, floating through the room. Every so often, though, she would sing a phrase, then stop. Zek would then hear a pencil scratching on paper.
Maybe she is writing down lyrics to her song, Zek thought. They're pretty songs. Again, his thoughts were forgotten the following morning, when the sensei approached him.
"Zek, if I may have a word?"
Zek bowed and followed him. The sensei took Zek up to a a hallway in the building above the gardens where Mike and Rachael were supposed to be practicing. Instead, however, they were talking to each other, and Rachael was obviously showing off. She was changing height and color; more quickly, Zek noticed, and more fluently. Mike stood by, feeling awkward that he was not allowed to use his powers for the time being. The sensei motioned to them.
"You see them, Zek?"
Zek nodded. "Yes sensei, I see they are improving."
"At least Rachael, you think. We have yet to see the impact of Tei Chi on Michael."
Zek nodded. "Right."
Silence for a moment as they watched Rachael change yet again. She was morphing into a boy, and then she strutted around like Mike. Embarrassed, he was turning away and laughing.
"I would show you Charise's improvement, but I doubt that is necessary."
"Sensei, if I may be somewhat imprudent, what are you trying to get at?"
The sensei turned to face Zek.
"Your friend's abilities are growing at a very rapid pace. I fear that if you try to perfect your other skills first, you will not have time to start learning iron training. That being said, iron training is very difficult. When a student is first starting to learn iron, constant supervision is completely necessary! You cannot just take the iron back to your home and learn by trial and error."
"I did it with dinuclecium, what's so much different about iron?"
"Zek, dinuclecium is much different than iron. Training cannot just be made up. It is very strict! But listen to me, if we do not start iron training by today, then you will not learn it until the next time you come to back here."
"But, sensei -!"
"I have told you what needs to be done." The sensei paused. They turned back to watch Mike and Rachael. They must have figured out that they were being watched, for they had resumed practicing.
"Zek, of all things, I don't want a student of mine to get hurt. As I have said, iron training is extremely difficult. And I don't know how fast you will take to it."
"Dinuclecium came pretty quickly."
"Do not let pride come to your head. You have read many stories of those whose downfall has come from their pride. Just because one thing has been easy for you does not mean everything else will be. You must remember this, and never be afraid to tell others."
Zek gave a small nod. "Yes, sensei."
The sensei put his hand on Zek's shoulder. "Don't worry, Ezekiel. All will be well, soon."
He walked away slowly as Zek watched Mike and Rachael in the courtyard below for a few moments. Zek quickly turned after the sensei.
"Sensei..."
"Yes, Zek?"
Zek hesitated. "If I start iron training now, how much different will it make me schedule?"
The sensei chuckled. "You will still be able to see your friends, Zek. I will make sure of that."
Zek smiled. "Alright. Let's get started, then."
The sensei nodded. "Good. Now follow me. Oh, and Zek? Don't tell your friends about this just yet. If I know you, you'll want to display you're talent on the last day."
Zek nodded. "Of course, sensei."
Rachael arrived not long after, and hurried to his side. Ms Koji was relieved and reassessed the situation. Rachael bent over to his ear and whispered to him. Through his pain, he was able to nod, and she placed a hand on his forehead and on his stomach, next to the fatal wound. Mike, Charise, and Zek ran in just as she began to heal him. The other students marveled as the tissues and skin began to thread back together, pulling themselves flawlessly back to normal. The blood stains around it soaked back into his skin, and he was left lying on the ground, gasping with a hole in his shirt. Rachael withdrew, and his breathing slowed to normal, and he sat up gingerly, as if he was still wounded. The student thanked her and she left with the other three.
"You certainly made a show of that," Mike said.
"I didn't mean to."
"Show off."
"Well, thank you."
~~~~~
Regular training continued as usual, with Zek and Charise with Ms. Koji, and Mike and Rachael with the sensei.
That night, Zek awoke to Rachael's gentle voice, floating through the room. Every so often, though, she would sing a phrase, then stop. Zek would then hear a pencil scratching on paper.
Maybe she is writing down lyrics to her song, Zek thought. They're pretty songs. Again, his thoughts were forgotten the following morning, when the sensei approached him.
"Zek, if I may have a word?"
Zek bowed and followed him. The sensei took Zek up to a a hallway in the building above the gardens where Mike and Rachael were supposed to be practicing. Instead, however, they were talking to each other, and Rachael was obviously showing off. She was changing height and color; more quickly, Zek noticed, and more fluently. Mike stood by, feeling awkward that he was not allowed to use his powers for the time being. The sensei motioned to them.
"You see them, Zek?"
Zek nodded. "Yes sensei, I see they are improving."
"At least Rachael, you think. We have yet to see the impact of Tei Chi on Michael."
Zek nodded. "Right."
Silence for a moment as they watched Rachael change yet again. She was morphing into a boy, and then she strutted around like Mike. Embarrassed, he was turning away and laughing.
"I would show you Charise's improvement, but I doubt that is necessary."
"Sensei, if I may be somewhat imprudent, what are you trying to get at?"
The sensei turned to face Zek.
"Your friend's abilities are growing at a very rapid pace. I fear that if you try to perfect your other skills first, you will not have time to start learning iron training. That being said, iron training is very difficult. When a student is first starting to learn iron, constant supervision is completely necessary! You cannot just take the iron back to your home and learn by trial and error."
"I did it with dinuclecium, what's so much different about iron?"
"Zek, dinuclecium is much different than iron. Training cannot just be made up. It is very strict! But listen to me, if we do not start iron training by today, then you will not learn it until the next time you come to back here."
"But, sensei -!"
"I have told you what needs to be done." The sensei paused. They turned back to watch Mike and Rachael. They must have figured out that they were being watched, for they had resumed practicing.
"Zek, of all things, I don't want a student of mine to get hurt. As I have said, iron training is extremely difficult. And I don't know how fast you will take to it."
"Dinuclecium came pretty quickly."
"Do not let pride come to your head. You have read many stories of those whose downfall has come from their pride. Just because one thing has been easy for you does not mean everything else will be. You must remember this, and never be afraid to tell others."
Zek gave a small nod. "Yes, sensei."
The sensei put his hand on Zek's shoulder. "Don't worry, Ezekiel. All will be well, soon."
He walked away slowly as Zek watched Mike and Rachael in the courtyard below for a few moments. Zek quickly turned after the sensei.
"Sensei..."
"Yes, Zek?"
Zek hesitated. "If I start iron training now, how much different will it make me schedule?"
The sensei chuckled. "You will still be able to see your friends, Zek. I will make sure of that."
Zek smiled. "Alright. Let's get started, then."
The sensei nodded. "Good. Now follow me. Oh, and Zek? Don't tell your friends about this just yet. If I know you, you'll want to display you're talent on the last day."
Zek nodded. "Of course, sensei."
1 comment:
So good! Why did you stop there?
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