Chapter 04: Lesser Rumble than Usual

- "What are you reading there?"

- "Hm? Oh. Old history. Nothing that may pique your interest."

- "Oh? You think? But I am also a teacher, like you. What made you think that old history doesn't interest me?"

- "Experience, you could say. Working as a librarian I think I have developed fairly good instincts to judge a person from observing them. I think I've known you for long enough to make assumptions. And also, combat trainers and books don't really get along well."

- "Huh. Can't argue with that I guess. Well, hear that? The bell. Time to head back, mate. G'time."

- "Yeah."

As the tall, muscular, blond man walked out of the library, Lisa Sensei rushed in.

- "Hey! If it isn't our hardcore bookworm Lisa Akane. What brings you here? Need more of those old spiritual parchments?"

- "Master librarian Laero, it's an honour."

- "Woah, hey now, What's with all the formalities?" The librarian looked genuinely upset, "I basically raised you when you were still a student here. Is that the way to address an old friend?"

Lisa Akane smiled at this. "Well, sensei, you haven't changed. Not even a bit. You're still as messy as ever, and your fashion senses are still useless. Actually, even your looks haven't changed, no wonder you're not popular with ladies.... Unlike some of my students. Guess staying away from the outside world stopped your aging too."

- "Yeah, that sarcastic smack on the face was what I was missing. So, need anything? Or did you just come here to check on this old man?" Laero said with a smile.

- "Actually, I need to borrow some books this time"- Lisa handed over a list of the books she needs to the librarian -"could you look into it?"

Laero took a quick look at the list, "Mana enchantment, equipment infusion"- he frowned- "Forbidden magic? Is it work or just interest? As far as I know forbidden magic isn't you're subject to work on."

- "Investigation."

Laero narrowed his eyes a bit, but didn't ask anymore questions regarding this matter. He took out a small box shaped device no bigger than the palm of his hand and pressed the button on it. It must be somekind of a caller device, because soon after he pressed the button, an assistant came and took the booklist from his hand before going back to the bookshelves.

- "So, sensei. Wasn't that colonel Lionheart who just left before I came in?"

- "Yeah. He and I go way back. We were partners back when we were knights."

- "Then after retirement both of you applied here as teachers? That's some friendship you got there."

- "Yeah, I guess you could say that."

- "Haven't seen Siri for a long time. How is she?"

- "She's growing. Recently she's been begging me for a piano. I'm planning to give it as a gift for her 10th birthday."

- "Oh riiiight, her birthday is coming up next month, isn't it?"

- "Yeah. You'll be coming to the birthday party. No excuses. There won't be any guests, it will be an informal, domestically held party and this old man wants to see both of his daughters together."

- "Oh fine, fine. I'll make up some time. Besides I was planning to go see how much Siri has grown anyways."

At this point the assistant came back with the books Lisa ordered. Sensei quickly checked and made sure that the books she ordered were all there. Lisa Akane turned to her teacher to bid farewell.

- "I'll be heading back now. Take care of yourself and Siri for me."

Laero nodded.

- "Yeah. Oh and Lisa," he said as she was about to leave, "I heard about your student. I hope he recovers soon. You should really be proud. Many of our students never make it back in one piece from execution missions because of the gate keepers. To think only three of your students got two gatekeepers within one night and a class 4 defeated one by himself, it feels unreal. Your students must be very special."

Lisa said nothing. She gave a somewhat sad smile as she walked out of the room.

*"To me, my students are very special indeed. That's why I worry about them, because being special is what makes them so unbelievably reckless."*

A teenage boy with long white sleeved t-shirt was walking in the rain. It's pouring, and the boy enjoyed it. Although he's loving the weather, he's eyes look like he's either extremely bored or exhausted, or very sleepy. His facial expressions suggest the same for some reason. While walking by a park, he suddenly stopped.

*"Hmm? That a kid? What's a kid doing here in this rain?"*

The pale looking boy quietly walked behind the little girl, trying to figure out what she was doing sitting in the playground in this heavy rain. *"Neko? Is that a cat under that slide?? Is she planning to take that thing home? Do the parents allow stray cats in their house these days? Or was it always a normal thing? More importantly, should a kid of her age be outside in this heavy rain? Where are her parents? Is she lost? Should I ask?"*

But, the boy didn't ask anything. He kept observing the little girl with great interest in his eyes, as though he was watching something truly amusing.

The little girl seems to have noticed his presence, as she turns her head around to check who it was.

- "Can I help you, mister?" The girl asked with a somewhat uneasy gesture.

- "Oh? You noticed me? I wonder what gave it away.....little girl, did I startle you?" The boy asked back with a warm smile. The girl seem doesn't seem to trust the boy, as she kept staring at him without answering his question.

- "No need to be afraid, little miss. Do I look intimidating to you? Or, perhaps, suspicious in any way?"

To be completely honest, the from the tone of his voice and the oddly funny behaviour, the boy feels like a comic character, funny if anything, but can't be called intimidating.

- "Are you from the academy?"

- "What academy?"

- "The one where daddy works. The one with the magicians. Are you one of them?"

*"Hmm? She knows about the academies? Well, maybe it's normal for kids these days to know about the Sirius facility and all, since they practically grow up to become one of them. Too bad I don't know which academy the father works at.... should I take her home? She'll probably catch a cold if I leave her here....meh. It won't hurt since I've got nothing to do right now."*

- "Say, little girl, what made you think I'm from the academy?"

- "It's raining."

- "I see. Very observant of you."

What's happening here is, it's raining heavily, and although the boy doesn't carry an umbrella with him, he remains completely dry. It's almost as though the raindrops are avoiding him. Not only that, but also since he stood behind the girl, the little girl is also not getting soaked anymore. The girl seems to have noticed that.

*"Clever girl, I'm impressed."* The boy kept smiling at her.

- "Do you live nearby? You really shouldn't be outside in this rain, should you now? Your parents will be worried, don't you think?"

- "Daddy is at work. I don't like staying alone in the house all the time."

His eyes softened, and his smile turned a bit sad. If a girl of this age doesn't talk about her mother even once, it can't mean anything good.

- "Want me to take you home? Do you know the way?"

The girl stared at the boy for a few seconds, almost as if she's trying to consider if it was alright to show the way to her home to a complete stranger she's never met before. After considering for a few seconds, she got up with the cat in her arms and started walking. After walking a few steps, she stopped and looked back at the boy, the boy stares at her in confusion and then understands what she wants. He quickly walked up beside her.

- "What happened to your arm, mister?"

The boy looked at his plastered left hand.

- "This? I tripped on my ankle and fractured my elbow."

- "Doesn't it hurt?" The girl asked with a soft and considerate voice.

- "Well, not at the moment at least."

They walked in the rain silently for awhile. But it seems that the girl can't stop talking around people she gets comfortable with.

- "Hey, do you like cats or dogs?"

*"Did she just try to make a pun about the rain?"*

- "None. I don't particularly like or dislike pets. You like cats, I assume?"

- "Uh-huh. I'm gonna name this cat", she looks at the cat, "haven't found a name for him yet though."

- "Your father allows stray cats in the house?"

- "This cat isn't stray, it's my pet." The girl declared with a smug face.

*"Already, huh?"*

- "Say, kid, you like rain showers?"

- "No. Daddy says I'll catch a cold so rain showers are bad."

- "Hmm? You're missing out a great pleasure of life, little missy. Hey look, a vending machine. What convenient timing. Want something? Maybe something hot? How does curry soup sound?"

Without waiting for reply, the boy quickly went to the vending machine and popped out two cans, one of which looked like black coffee, and the other one is somekind of canned soup. He handed the soup over to the little girl.

- "Why are you being so nice to a stranger, mister?"

*"Oy oy, is that something a sweet little kid should be asking to a kind big brother such as myself?"*

- "No reason in particular. Why? Aren't people nice to each other these days? And also, kids like you shouldn't be playing outside in this weather. So why not?" The boy replied cheerfully. The girl didn't quite understand everything what he said, but she knew by now that the boy is treating her like a little sister, and there is nothing suspicious about him. *"Maybe he's like those volunteer scout members daddy told me about,"* she thought.

- "Hey mister," she stopped Infront of a house, "this is my house."

The boy looked at the house. It's a traditional two stories house.

*"Looks cozy."*

- "Well, there you go then. Goodbye little girl."

- "Huh? Hey!" The girl looked a little surprised, "aren't you going to come in? Please? Daddy will be back soon."

- "So nice of you to ask", the boy looked delighted, "but I really need to head home now, it's getting late."

- "Wh-what's you're name, mister?" The girl looked a bit sad.

*"Hmm? What's with that look? Sad for saying goodbye to someone you barely know? What a softie."*

- "Hm? Not satisfied with just "mister"? I would really prefer the name Mr Rainyman, but oh well, you can call me Cyrus if you really want to. What should I be calling you, little missy?"

- "I'm Siri. Siri Owarin."

*"Owarin? She said her father works for an academy, right? By any chance, is she.....hmm. Intriguing."*

- "Well little girl, goodbye."

The little girl, Siri, watched as the boy disappeared in the heavy rain.

- "It's raining. Do we really need to go out?"

- "The raining will stop anytime now. Besides, we promised sensei. It won't be much of a drag. At least, I don't think so."

- "Well, in that case I'll get sensei to take care of Jirou since Nine is in hospital and I won't be around for a few hours at the least. Let's go, her place isn't far from here so let's take Jirou to her place and we'll go straight from there. Sounds good?"

- "Uhm, no. Who said anything about you tagging along?"

Mirai widened her eyes.

- "Excuse me? Was I not part of the plan? Sensei did tell "US" to go, right? As in both of us?"

Yami sighed. Mirai is stubborn, hot headed and kinda scary. She gets into fights easily, and wins. No one wants to mess with her and if she sets up her mind on something there aren't many ways she can be stopped.

- "Fine."

- "Alright! So let's go to sensei's place."

- "We do need to pick up Jirou. So it's your place we're going to first."

- "Huh?! M-my place! Y-yes! No! You can't! Boys aren't allowed into the girls dorms, remember?!" Mirai's face looked flushed.

- "Well, I never said I'm getting into your room. I'll wait outside, so quickly grab Jirou and we'll be off. Unless you want me to leave you behind, hurry up."

- "Huh? Oh", She looked a little disappointed. "Yeah, let's go."

- "Hm...the raining did stop. Great prediction."

- "You think?" Yami replied without paying much attention to Mirai. He's holding a piece of paper in his hand, looking at the huge yet old fashioned house Infront of them.

- "Well, the postbox has "C. Elric" written on it. So this must be the house, right? Well, I think our job here is done. Let's go back and report back to sensei."- Yami looked quite satisfied with his work.

- "Wait a damn minute. We're not going back until we talk to the guy and confirm the address. Let's see what he has to say against moving to the dorms."

- "This has to be the place. You saw the postbox. It literally has his name on it. And as for moving to the dorms, maybe Sensei is right. Maybe he lives with his family and doesn't want to leave them. I mean, look at the size of the house! You think he lives alone in here?"

- "We're wasting time. I'm ringing the bell." Without giving it a second thought, Mirai ringed the doorbell.

.....

There was no answer.

- "Hmm. There isn't anyone home I guess. Let's check again, if no one answers this time let's just go back qnd report that we got the address right but on one was home", Yami said while pressing the doorbell this time.

This time, a strange noise can be heard from within the house. And then someone yelled out- "Just leave it outside the door, I'll get it later!"

*"Just leave it outside the door?* Yami rang the bell again and this time he loudly said- "Hey! We are not delivering anything, we are from the academy, sent to confirm your address. Could you spare us a few minutes?"

Once again, there was no response from the other side. Then, about a minute later, just when hot headed Mirai was about to loose her cool, the door opened up just a little. A boy about their age was standing there, at the other side. Surprisingly enough, it wasn't someone they weren't familiar with. No, in fact, it was the same person they ran into a few days ago, the guy who got seriously injured in the emory incident a few days back.

- "You.....you? You! YOU are Elric?!" Both Yami and Mirai yelled together.

- "Hm?" The boy, who previously introduced himself as Cyrus, looked like he just got out of bed and not yet sure what's happening here.

*"What's with that look on his face? Does he not remember us?"* Yami thought, *"Can't really blame him if he doesn't, last I saw him he wasn't really in top condition,"* he felt a little uneasy looking at the plaster on his arm.

To be honest, the boy looks kind of sick. He looks pale, his posture is weak and his eyes look like he has lost all interest in the world.

- "Look, we are here for a student who goes by the name Elric. Are you the same person or are you acquainted with him in any way?" Mirai asked, somewhat uncomfortably.

- "Yes." Cyrus replied with a deep, tranquil voice.

- "Excuse me?"

- "Yes, I am."

- "Yes you are.....?"

Suddenly, Cyrus looked a lot more alive and refreshed, as if he just got out of a trance, and smiled. A very friendly, yet somehow a little discomfortingly odd smile.

- "I am Cyrus Elric. You guys came from the academy, you said, did you not? Would you be so generous to join me for a drink?" He said. His voice tranquil and humble as ever.

Mirai and Yami exchange a quick glance. They both are thinking the same thing, *"What's this guy's deal?"*

Cyrus seems to have read the situation, as he quickly says, "Oh don't worry, I'm the one you guys are looking for. We can talk over a couple of drinks." He smiles yet again.

*"I guess it wouldn't hurt."* Yami thought.

- "I'd be delighted to. But we can't accompany you for too long though, it's already too late and we need to head back as fast as we can."

- "So, you have questions, I take it? Ask away", Cyrus said casually while stirring up his drink with a straw.

- "Well, let's start from the beginning. Do you remember us from a few days ago? Given the condition you were in, it wouldn't be much of a surprise if you don't. I personally thought you were in a trance the last time I saw you". Mirai asked in a professional manner. She seems to have learned her lesson and isn't willing to make any further mistakes.

- "Hm? I was really expecting a how are you now after the incident or something along those lines. Straight to the point I see, can't say I don't like that attitude."

- "So you do remember. Well", Mirai looked a little embarrassed, "How are your injuries now? Did you see a medic?"

Cyrus looked at his plastered arm, then replied, "Well, it seems I'm fine. So where is the other friend of yours?"

Mirai's mouth felt bitter. "Hospital, injured."

Cyrus looked unfazed, but his voice changed a bit. "What happened? Is it anything serious?"

Mirai was a little surprised at the genuine compassion in his voice so she looked up at his face.

While Mirai was busy interrogating Cyrus, Yami was curiously observing the drink Cyrus was stirring with a straw. When they were asked to join him for a drink, he thought it was a home invitation, not a hangout at a bar. It seems Cyrus is also still underaged to drink alcohol, and also it seems he hates alcohol. How does someone hate something without trying it out? Yami isn't sure. But he didn't ask. When they ordered their preferred juices, Cyrus ordered his "usual" which is the dark reddish drink he's stirring right now. *Is it cola?*

- "The idiot tried to take down a gatekeeper by himself and succeeded. Can you believe that?" Yami finally opened his mouth.

- "Hm? I gotta say that's impressive. I hope the injury isn't anything serious and he receives a quick recovery."

*"No questions about what his level is? Does this guy lack curiosity or is ge just simply oblivious?"* Yami thought. It's normal for him to think this way, considering how impossible of a job it is to pull off without a proper support team and a class 4 at that.

- "Well, you must have some questions about our campus, right? You can ask if you want to know anything."

- "Nope. No questions whatsoever."

Cyrus took a sip of his drink. His face twitched a little as if the drink was something disgusting. "Actually, yes. There is ONE question," he paused, then continued, "You guys are under the direction supervision of professor Lisa Akane?"

- "Yes." Mirai was just a little surprised at this question.

Yami looked at Cyrus, "So hey, looks like our work here is done, so we better get going. But one last thing before we head back. You know, you live quite far away from the academy. Ever considered moving to the dorms maybe? Just a friendly suggestion. If you live with your family though that's fine, understandable."

Cyrus smiled. It looked like a genuine, friendly warm smile, capable of melting hearts.

- "I used to live with my sister. She's no longer around, so I may consider taking you on to your offer," he looked directly into Yami's eyes, "Thanks for the suggestion. I'll think about it."

- "Well. We better get going then. Thanks for the drinks my man, once you get to the academy you know who to look for."

-"You bet."

Cyrus looked at the two of them as they walked away, one poking another, having fun while at it.

- "What a friendly bunch. Oh boy do I hope I can get to know them better." He kept stirring his drink. "Gatekeeper, huh? What an amazing guy", his eyes still looked dead. Cyrus sighed, then took a sip. His face, again, twitched in disgust.