Chapter 6 - Partner's

[Intro]

It's been so long since I last saw him but not even a word of congratulations to me for finally leaving the hospital, while my little sister was overjoyed, hugging me with a beaming smile, it just warmed my heart. “hey hey, you know what?” she said excitedly.

Hm? "What!" I asked. "I made a friend!" Hearing that made me happy, I'm glad she had someone there with her, plus her smiles so cute, "that's nice, introduce me later, ok?" I said happily, apparently from what sis told me on the ride home, Val's family became our new neighbors two months ago, which was around the time Elle started to come to the hospital. On the ride home, we passed by the dojo where Mom used to take us, which only brought back bad memories.

A store with its big neon lights, the gas station at the end of the street, I've missed all these familiar places. Pulling up to our house clutching my shirt I got out of the car, holding Lilith's hand we walked up to the door. My heartfelt as if it would beat right out of my chest, as dad opened the door and we walked in it just felt cold and empty. She wasn't here, she'll never greet me again as I return from the dojo, I'll never eat the meat pie she used to make.

Remembering All the things she used to do for us, her food, her jokes, her soft laugh, her smile, I'll never see Mom again...

She protected me but I couldn't do anything, it's my fault. Overwhelmed by emotions I broke down crying my eyes out. Lilith hugged me from behind crying into my shoulder, and dad standing at the door without a word.

I'm sorry, it's my fault, if I didn't get caught by that man maybe you wouldn't be dead. I'll get stronger, I will protect Lilith, I promise.

The next day when Lilith wanted to introduce me to a friend, even though I wasn't up for it I went with her to the neighbors' house. It was nice to see Elle outside of the hospital but I also missed Val who still had to stay another month there.

I started going to the dojo again a week after I came back, I heard from sensei that dad explained why I was absent and he asked me if I wanted to stay home and rest up for a while longer since I just got out.

“Sensei, how do I get stronger? What should I do to get stronger?” I asked him, while looking me straight in the eyes he told me to stay after training was over, that he had something to give me. Still confused by what he said, I just agreed, training was the same as it’s always been, sword swings, blocking, dodging, and footwork, hours bass by as training came to an end.

After everyone left, sensei called me over to his office, "listen, Louis, I know it’s been hard on you since what happened but don’t push yourself too hard ok" he said softly, putting a long box in front of me, "this is something I used a long time ago, it helped me when I needed it most, it'll protect you but only when you need it," he said opening the box, inside were two old swords covered in dust. I tried to pick one up but I wasn't able to, it was longer and heavier than I was but on the other hand, the second one was lighter, it was also short enough for me to use.

"Alright Louis, for now just practice with that one, get a feel for it and when your ready, I'll train you to use the other one," sensei declared, saying that one sword is meant to protect, that I have to train my heart to never accept the world as it is, that a swordsmen true goal is peace for oneself first and foremost. While patting my head with a smile, he ended it there and took me home.

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[Present]

"Hey there Lu, long time no see," she said, her voice is as loud as ever, but it has been too long since we've seen each other.

"Hey Val, glad to see you again." I replied while chuckling to myself, "you haven't changed one bit, how've you been, and how's Elle doing?" I asked.

Jack looking intrigued asked, "ok dude spill it, when'd you meet this cutie?" He said jokingly, "it's good to meetcha, the name's Jack Diem, what's yours?" He said Introducing himself confidentially.

In turn, she introduced herself with the same amount of confidence, "it's nice to meet you as well, my name is Valerie P. Gerald, an old friend of Louis and his sister Lilith." the way she introduced herself caught me a bit off guard, it was way more polite then what I expected.

While talking and enjoying ourselves, Ms. Amber cleared her throat in a way to grab our attention, after achieving this she stated that Valerie will be part of our class, and the reason she didn't attend orientation or classes was some minor issues with paperwork. "As a result of these problems and the fact that you two were already acquainted with each other, I decided to conduct her Awakening with you present," she declared, on our way to the training grounds she added that there would be a be a surprise as well.

After reaching the gymnasium Ms. Amber asked Jack and me to fetch the unusual device we saw earlier, it was a large black stone tablet, with many different creatures curved in it. I wasn't to focused on it earlier but some looked like normal animal's like wolves, snakes and big birds but many of them looked like dragons and Griffins.

All of these creatures were each arranged in a circular pattern and in the center of each were seven different colored wings, at first, I thought they represented the elements we unlocked when releasing our wings. "I thought there were only six elements, at least from what Mr. Kendric told us, so what's this seventh one," I said under my breath, while pondering all these to myself we carried the tablet and brought it out to Ms. Amber.

Looking delighted Ms. Amber started Val's Wing release, on the center-right of the tablet, one of the creatures started moving towards Val's hand, it looked like a snake with feathered wings, and the color of the wing symbol it was attached to was white, "Ms. Amber, What are those colored wings meant to represent?" I asked her, my eyes glued to the creature moving up Val's arm, finally stopping just above her wrist.

As the release process ended, she turned around and started to walk in my direction while maintaining eye contact, "So Ms. Amber, I assume it's fine if we spar for a bit?" She asked while putting her hand on the hilt of her sword, "I think it's best if you borrow my sword because those ones meant for training won't hold up against mine" saying this with confidence, she handed me her short sword, Ghostwalker, I've used it once before but I never thought I'd get another chance to use it again.

It's been too long, with a slight smirk I picked up her sword, "Thanks for letting me borrow it but don't get too cocky now, I'm not some Louis you used to play with long ago" I said unsheathing it, "I really need to thank you, Ms. Amber," she just nodded, visibly confused by my words but as she declared the start of our little match, she quickly understood what I meant.

As I held up the sword and clearing my mind, as Ms. Amber mentioned earlier, visualize my own sword and all of its aspects, down to the last details. In doing so, Ghostwalker started to change into a more suitable weapon, "and I definitely need to thank you to Val, since I forgot my sword at home, I showed Ms. Amber something embarrassing earlier" while locking eyes with Val, I advanced swiftly, "So thanks for the opportunity to beat you with my partner!" Just before our swords made contact, Ghostwalker finished changing, "Let's do this, Kusanagi!!".