16 Chapter 16: The Ghost Girl (Part 1)

"They are late. Very… very late!" or so I complained, but…

I spared a glimpse over the big clock attached to a building, which can be seen from the bench, in front of a fountain, I was sitting at.

Right, I had come here exactly two hours before our meeting time.

Ahem!

Of course, I have a proper reason for that, except for the fact that my own feet and eagerness rushed me. 

An hour ago, Russell was also here with me. But, due to some things, which I asked him to do, he left me alone here.

When will they even come? 2 hours is so boring, for God's sake!

And… I hate this darkness, where only the moon that is shining upon the fountain behind me, is being the light.

It's reminding me of things…

A familiar voice spoke up, "Hey there, Ed!!!" with his usual cheerful tone and loud voice, and waved at me.

I turned and gazed over the guy, standing there.

A guy with his shining dandelion hair, which had the right side slicked back and the left side as a fringe falling over his fresh jade eyes.

"Haah… never would I thought that I will be at ease to see you, Gino" a sigh left my mouth, along with those words that made the guy look at me with obvious confusion.

He pressed his chin, as if to calm himself down.

"I don't get what you're saying, but…" whilst taking a step everytime he uttered a word, Gino soon reached the bench and sat down beside me.

He leaned forward and looked at me, before saying, "You're happy to see me, right?" with a large grin.

My lips slightly parted from each other, as I went on and kept looking at him.

Soon, a chuckle left my mouth, and I followed it with the words, "You're being cheeky, you know" in mocking tone.

Hearing those words, Gino wrinkled his nose and frowned, before throwing his back on the bench and crossed his arms over.

I would prefer it, if the one acting this way right now is a girl, not a guy like you, Gino, my friend.

But, well.

Yeah, he's right I'm kinda happy to see him, especially because of the color of both his hair and eyes, which kinda make me feel at ease.

"So, why were you here this early?" he asked, as he put his hands down. "Well…" I rubbed my cheek, with a finger and looked away.

Gino flicked his fingers and smirked.

"Don't tell me, you're eager to meet the ghost girl?" he moved close to me and said the words, in a teasing tone.

I backed away from him, and cleared my throat.

"Just a bit, I'm not that eager" I looked away with a blush, as I covered my mouth with a small fist.

A snort was heard from Gino, which made me look back at him and glare, as the latter looked away.

"Well, it is a good thing you are honest, though" he giggled, as he looked back at me.

I straightened my right hand and quickly used it to chop the guy's next, which made him cough, a bit painfully.

"Why did you do that?!" he complained, as he rubbed his nape. "You were being really annoying, so my Ether kinda gathered on my right hand" 

I looked away with a blush, which made him clenched his fists.

"That's not where you're supposed to blush, and instead of Ether, shouldn't you rephrase it into Anger?" 

Well, you might be right, but you are wrong, Gino.

Like what I've said, Ether had gathered on my right hand, which is something I, myself did out of my own regards.

Why did I hit him with such hand, then?

If I would roughly explain it, I would end up stating that it is to make him able to see things that are normally invisible, with naked eye.

Like Ghosts…

Since, the rumored girl has a high probability of being a ghost, surely there would be a slight chance for us to see her.

And I am sure that if we didn't manage to see the girl, Gino would never allow us to go back to the dorms.

That's why I hit him, which in other words would state that I casted a magic on him… a craft magic I accidentally made, years ago.

At that time, I wanted to create a craft magic that would replace an air conditioner, since there is no science here, which ended up making the summer a replica of hell.

Well, I can go ahead and ask Yer for ice, but he won't allow me, since ice is a rare material here and is expensive. 

Then, why don't I create ice with magic? 

"It would only disappear as time pass, for they are magic" such conclusion drove me to the corner, which soon made me thought that I should just create a craft magic!

One that can make someone feel chill, just with a touch and wouldn't be that much of a hassle to make.

And I ended up creating this thing. 

I don't even remember why the supposed to be cooler, became something that would help us at times like this.

Gino stared at me, as I nod to myself with my own explanation, which made me gasp and clear my throat.

Well, 4 more touch to go, after all, I already shook hands with Russell earlier.

"Aren't you two a bit early?" hearing those words, I turned around and saw a crimson flower fluttering, as the moon shone upon it, making it look like a blazing fire.

I rubbed my eyes and opened them up.

"Reina, huh..?" my hand pressed my chest, as I sighed in relief upon seeing Reina being the one standing, in front of me.

She tilted her head to the side.

"About your words earlier, doesn't it also states the same with you two?" I pointed at her and the lavender haired girl, who was fidgeting behind her.

Tonight as well, Anna is as timid and cute, as always.

Hmm..? 

The reason why I came here early was because I was eager to go, according to Gino who is beside me.

Wait, then are the two of them… 

"Don't tell me you were quite exci-…" when I was about to state my suspicion, Reina glared at me and I shivered, cutting off my sentence.

Anna's the one and only one eager to go, right? I know, I know! So you don't have to glare at me like that.

As if she just remembered something, Anna pulled Reina close to her and whispered something to the princess.

I and Gino tilted our heads to the side, as we looked at them.

Reina spared a glimpse over us, and nodded back to Anna, "Oh, you're right!" as the latter finished telling things to her.

"Hey, where's Russell?" she asked. "When we were on our way here, we saw Russell waiting near the girls' dorms" 

I'm kinda wondering, just how small was the tone Anna used and just how strong your ear is, Reina…

Gino tapped my shoulder and nodded, as if he was in agreement with the question Reina posed. 

"I made him do something for me"

Hearing my words, both Gino and Reina backed off with a baffled expression, which made Anna, who was clutching on Reina's shoulders, tilt her head to the side.

I tilted my head to the side.

"Did I said something wrong?" my question made Gino and Reina shook their heads, which in turn made me and Anna more confused.

What's wrong with these two? They're awfully in synch today…

A familiar voice soon approached us with, "Good morning, guys!" a usual cheerful tone yet nonchalant way of speaking.

"Don't you mean Good Evening?" 

Gino retorted and Kirt beamed a smirk at him, which in turn made the dandelion sigh and ruffle his hair.

"Hey, why didn't you two came together?"

My question made both Gino and Kirt look at each other.

"Kirt was sleeping, so I left him. Coz, he won't wake up, even if I were to wake him up a hundred times" 

I looked over Kirt with the words, "Are you fine with that?" written obviously on my face, in which Kirt in turn replied with a yawn that means, "I don't mind"

Silence filled our surroundings, along with the sound of the water, over the fountain.

I looked down with a bit weird face and mumbled, "Do they really get along or not? Well, I guess they kinda do…"

Soon, I heard a faint whisper, which made raise my head up and turn around.

"G-good morning, Kirt-kun…" 

A girl with short lavender hair said in a determined face, which made her lime-colored eyes look like it were lit up with fire.

She soon gasped and hid back behind Reina.

"Perfect chance!" with these words in mind, I formed a slight fist over my left side, along with a grin.

I slowly approached her whilst saying, "It is fine if you normally greet him good evening, since it is already night, Anna" and patted her head.

A flush then covered her whole face, and Anna froze in place.

Well, that is given. After all, she is weak with people, especially with boys, so I ought to give her an apology later on.

For now… let's say, 3 more to go!

"Anna! Anna, are you fine?!" the red haired princess shook her friend, with a worried tone and face that I haven't seen nor heard from her, yet.

Soon, she turned to me with a glare.

"Ah, I'm dead" was what I thought, as Gino and Kirt giggled behind me, whilst Anna was still out of things.

She raised her index finger and started poking me with it, whilst complaining things like, "You know that Anna is bad when others touch her, right?"

I nodded, with a wavering smile.

"Then, why did you touched her like that? Look, she won't come back anymore!" she pointed towards her friend, who was still ou it of it.

I do feel guilt. Yeah, I do…

But it's not like I can tell you why I did that, for if I did Gino would either get pissed off over the fact that I casted a magic on him, or he might get too interested with it, which is a bother.

"Hey, are you even listening to m--..!"

I interrupted her complaints with a pat on her head, which soon made the noisy princess red like a tomato.

"Y-you..!" 

Seems like when Reina starts to complain or get angry about something, I should just pat her like this and it will make her forget it. 

2 more to go!

Kirt sneaked behind me and tapped my shoulder, which made me ask, "What is it?" and take my hands of Reina's head.

"You're grinning up to your ears, Ed" 

With those words, my hand quickly reached out my cheeks and rubbed it, before saying, "Is it wrong of me to do so?"

Kirt yawned and shook his head.

"Nothing, but don't tell me you are in l--!" I smacked him on the head, real quick. "You always do that… but this time hurts more than usual, Ed!"

Kirt was about to say something he shouldn't that's why I quickly interrupted, since I will surely be the one to regret it if I let him continue.

"What you're about to say is untrue" these words of mine made Kirt beamed a smirk and look at me, with suspicion.

Well, at least I managed to touch him. Now Forth is the only one left and casting the magic on all of them will be done. 

…

After a minute or two, "Sorry, I'm late!" whilst panting heavily, Forth came rushing towards the fountain we were at.

I created a pebble and threw it near him, without having anyone notice, which he then tripped on.

Seeing Forth trip like that, I am sure everyone thought of the same thing, "Isn't he on a flat ground, without anything to trip on?" 

"Sheesh, where's my glasses? My glasses…" 

Forth swayed his hands over the ground, looking for his glasses, which made me feel like I was seeing an episode one of a--… 

I quickly shook my head.

"Here are your glasses, Forth" hearing my words, he slowly looked up and took it, whilst telling me, "Thanks…"

As he put his glasses on, I waited and held my hand out to him.

"Can you stand?" 

After I said so, Forth then honestly took my hand and I helped him stand up, out of my own guilt.

"Thanks, again" he then looked up at me, "What are you grinning?" with his face slowly changed into a confused one. 

I shook my head and said, "Just thinking that you finally became a bit honest" which made him blush like a girl

Seeing this, Gino burst out to laughter, quietly.

Well, nevermind that guy, a sigh left my mouth in relief whilst thinking, "I finally managed to touch them all!"

"Did something happen?" Russell appeared out of nowhere and asked me, as he saw Forth blushing and Gino laughing.

I raised my head up and sighed.

"Have you finished what I asked?" disregarding his words, I asked Russell about the thing I asked for.

Russell nodded, and hid his hands behind him.

  "Yeah!! It was a bit tiring, since they have no souls inside, though" with those words, Kirt mumbled, "Souls..? What are you talking about?" 

Gino tapped his chin, as he remembered things.

"By the way, Ed, you said that you had Russell do something for you, but what was it?" he asked, on the spot. 

All of them were looking at me with the question written over their faces.

"I told you right, that it would be bad if the patrol at night found that we're gone. They would be suspicious and would surely try to look for us.

And if they managed to found us at the woods, surely the security would become tighter. So, I had Russell make some clones of you guys" 

I thoroughly explained. 

Reina pressed her chin and mumbled, "Clones..?" as she tilted her head to the side. 

"An exact copy of someone" 

Taking my words easily, Forth asked, "How was he able to make one?" and tilted his glasses, up the bridge of his nose.

"If I were to roughly explain things, Russell's Element can multiply things, so I had him multiply us"

Those words made them all, except for Russell and I, tilt their heads to the side, at the same time.

Let me explain, Russell's Element which I named "Multiply" allows him to multiply anything as its name states. 

From things to a person as long as he can touch it, he can multiply it.

So, it would mean that touching me and the others would allow Russell to multiply our bodies, which is similar with making a clone. 

Well, if what we need is a clone to deceive the eyes of the patrol, we can use my Element.

But, well. There are two reasons for why I can't use it. First, is because I am hiding my Element from the others, and the other being…

I might make a dangerous entity.

For my Element allows me to create things and magic, as it is, which means that I will be able to make both the body and the soul, inside.

What is wrong with that?

Well, there's nothing more dangerous than a living creature, which is why I asked Russell to make a non-living creature.

A sigh left Reina's mouth, followed by the words, "I don't understand it much, but that is a tough job you gave him there"

I raised my shoulder up and turned to look at Russell.

"Well, he is the only one who can do it, so I've got no choice but to ask him" those words of mine aren't a lie, for he really is the only one.

I spared a glimpse at Russell and found him smiling.

"Just tell me and I will do it, no matter how hard or dangerous it is, Ed" he tapped my shoulder.

My lips formed a smiled.

"Don't worry I won't ask you to go jump a cliff, or go bath in lava" I turned my back against them and walked towards the forest.

With this our encounter with the Ghost girl is only a breath away…