Water slide.
I expanded my senses. I sensed him coming, I could feel his sweat, and I knew he was coming for me. We had a history, a bad one. Our hate was an honest and mutual one. He was the living god of this school, rich, popular and powerful. He was considered to be handsome and was loved by the girls both inside and outside the school.
"Foul Sorcerer, you will die today!"
Yep, that's Takewaki Kuno, one of God's own prototypes. A high-powered mutant of some kind, never even considered for mass production. Too weird to live, and too rare to die. I dodged, if barely as he slashed at me with his bokken. The power of his blows created blasts of air that shattered the stone masonry of the school. This wasn't Ki by the way, Kuno was far too arrogant to bother learning that, all of this? Pure, goddamned muscle power. One of my worst nightmares was that one day, he would admit he needed help, that he needed to learn from a master. Once that happened it would be game over for me.
"Heard that all before, yet I'm still here."
I had gotten pretty mouthy over the years, it was personal after all. Me, I wasn't rich, wasn't strong andI will admit that I'm a pretty damned ugly man. I'm rake thin, have deep circles under my eyes and well, I'm an outcast, have been for a very long time, but here I am standing up to Takewaki Kuno, hell I've even kicked his ass a couple times.
"Foul Wizard!"
And proud of it, also have to keep the terrain in mind, have to make things work for me. A few sycophants looked like they were going to join in, but they stopped themselves. They knew what I was capable of, they knew what I would do to them if they interfered. There was a clear hierarchy of power in Nerima. Martial artists sat at the top of that pile, but wizards like me, Magi? Well... Kuno's got the entire school in his pack pocket and I only have one person in my corner, three if you include my parents, and there he is.
He nods at me, my sensei, my savior, his glasses glint in the sun, his blond Gajin hair greying at the temples. Without him I would still be using voodoo dolls, I mean seriously looking back on it I was kind of an idiot. Or I was so ignorant that I didn't know how ignorant I truly was. How vast the ocean of occult knowledge really was. He also teaches english, he got the position because he has an education and came from an America. Not our America, an different America. I nod back at him, I can handle this. He raises an eyebrow, I shape my hand into a signal. He smiles, he's agreed to fix the mess. It's the real reason they hired him, to fix all the damage that these kind of fights do to the school.
They can't really fire him, even with his salary they still make a profit having him on board. They can't really get rid of Kuno because they want his money and his dad's the principle. They can't get rid of me because my skill set proves useful on occasions. The other psychos? Well, martial artists are considered a public evil but also a necessary one. I continue dodging, carefully managing my internal supply of energy. Like Kuno I too didn't use Ki, but a dead Special Snowflake is still dead, so I carefully manage my reserves.... I run, letting him think he's won and then I smile as a wave of force destroys a drinking fountain.
The water sprays all over, and I look at Kuno's face, smile still on my face. Every now and then, not very often but sometimes, some glimmer of humanity breaks through his armor of insanity. For just a few seconds he grimaced, he knew he fucked up. My capabilities were limited to parlor tricks right now and would be until I gave up something I... yeah not doing that, but even If I was a two trick pony they were still some damned good tricks.
I motioned my hands and the water shifted under my control, I could turn it into ice, mist, steam, use it to heal. I could heal peoples wounds and use it to make me faster, speaking of which.
"Water slide."
My Semblance, the song of my soul using water to make me go faster and if there was enough of it, I could even use it to teleport. It was very limited, by range, by the amount of water needed, but I had plenty of water now and I could bend as much as I damned well pleased with out using up my Aura. Kuno blocked the ever increasing blocks of ice, he kept moving trying to keep from getting frozen or blinded. The students watched on, this was entertainment for them. They didn't cheer for me, they would never do that, but a few shook their heads at Kuno, they knew to never ever give Hikaru Gosunkugi access to water.
I was finally able to grab Kuno by the legs with my water. I then chucked him out a window. The fight was over, 112 defeats and 46 victories. I felt pretty damned good about myself after that.
"Reparo."
I smiled at my sensei as the damage vanished before my eyes.
"I won."
"I know kid, but you could do so much better."
"Then teach me."
"Not until you agree to give up on the girl."
I froze.
"She doesn't love you, she will never love you, move on with your life."
"I... I want to be with her."
It was an old argument.
"People want lots of things that are bad for them, like drugs, or to gamble, or fatty foods, it doesn't mean it does them a damned bit of good."
The bell rang and I sighed.
"Back to class?"
"Yeah kid, I will show you a few new tricks after we hit the hospital. Not the good stuff, but it might help."
"Thanks Sensei."
