16

Rin swayed at his spot, eyes rolling up into his head. Thor leapt forward and grabbed the boy by his shoulder before he could fall down on the glass floor. Genki vanished into thin air.

"Rin!", Lady Miya sprung up from her chair, rushing to her son's side. She took his pale hands in her aged ones and rubbed them, a deep frown etched on her wrinkled face. That was one thing she was afraid of.

"I'll take him to the infirmary, Mam", Thor said, putting an arm under the unconscious boy's knees and carrying him into his arms. Lady Miya nodded and leaned forward to place a soft kiss on Rin's sweaty forehead.

The doors closed behind the last person and she turned towards the pavilion, frowning at the only other person still present in the courtroom. Clasping his gloved hands together, he got down from the stage. He reached the lady in two large strides, his easy smile still a constant feature of his face.

"President Arthur, were you not aware of such an outcome?", Miya said, each word uttered slowly and deeply. The hostility hidden behind her words hadn't gone unnoticed by the president and he gave her a firm nod before bowing his head in front of her. In front of a mother.

"I apologize for allowing him despite knowing the gravity of the situation."

Miya clenched her jaw before saying,"And you still allowed it!"

She pursed her lips, taking a deep breath. She was not one to lose her temper so easily.

"Arthur, I'm not questioning your decision here but what if Rin had failed to tame that spirit? You have seen him, haven't you? How could he lose consciousness when he had practiced that spell a hundred times before?"

She rubbed a hand down her face, resting it on her mouth to hide her quivering lips.

"My lady, you and I both knew that he would succeed, did we not? Please do not look so worn out with worry though it is hard to ask a mother of this."

She narrowed her blue eyes at him, asking,"Tell me. Did you really intend to execute that lion?"

"Not at all", he clicked his tongue, allowing himself to grin childishly in front of his former partner.

She and him had served as Kages for years before their paths deviated, one became the next president of the council and the other found the love of her life.

"I would never lose the chance of getting this academy a powerful mage."

Miya smiled,"Why am I not surprised, Arthur?"

"You know me too well."

She raised her hand. A gold magic circle opened up in front of her and she looked over at the man, saying,"Look after Rin for me, will you? I'll be back in less than a day."

Arthur nodded, giving her a reassuring smile, not the one he always wore in front of others. He said,"Don't worry about him."

A bright light was illuminating his closed eyelids. Loid took a breath and immediately regretted doing so for it initiated a fit of violent coughing. He curled up on the sandy ground as his body got rid of the unwanted water.

He opened his crimson eyes and bright sunlight stung them, making him close them again. He tried opening them once again, blinking slowly this time to adjust to the brightness.

He found himself laying on a seashore with rich golden sand. He grabbed a fist full of it, the gold particles slipping through his fingers. He could hear the splashing of waves on the rocks and cold water would soak his bare feet up to his knees everytime a wave reached the land.

"Where am I?",he whispered to himself, looking up at the clear blue sky.

"In Rin's inner space."

The unexpected response had come from over his head before a shadow fell upon his face.

She was a beauty, a perfect work of art with her glassy blue eyes, thin rosy lips, and long blonde hair that reached down to her waist. A light breeze blew past them and her white sundress danced in its course.

She bent over and offered Loid her delicate looking hand. He took it, getting up on his feet and pushing his unruly hair away from his face.

"Thank you. May I ask who you are, lady?", he asked the girl hovering in front of him, her bare feet inches above the ground.

She smiled a small sad smile, whispering,"I'm Alicia. A fairy princess who like you have lost her kingdom."

Loid placed a hand on his chest, feeling the warmth of his core.He said,"So you are the one this core belongs to. I never expected you to possess such a captivating beauty."

She giggled,"Flirting isn't your strongest suit, is it?"

Loid rubbed his neck, giving her a sheepish smile,"Well, I did try my best to lighten up the mood."

She smiled and it was a happier one that time, showing her pearly white teeth. She said,"Thank you. I can see why Rin wants to help you."

She flew over towards the ocean, water going right through her translucent feet. She took in a deep breath, closing her blue eyes as she said,"An inner space takes up the form of a place one cherishes the most. Rin's space is beautiful, isn't it?"

He nodded, sitting down on the sand with his legs crossed. He said,"Indeed. But I still don't understand how I got here."

She opened her eyes, looking at him from over her shoulder. She said,"This is where his kemono is supposed to live which in this case is you, Loid."

"So what do I do? I'm afraid that I must ask you to help me, Lady Alicia."

She flew over to him, placing her small hand on his shoulder.

Loid raised an eyebrow,"It did not go through me?"

She giggled,"Because you too are a spirit in here. You don't have to do anything. Just accept Rin. Know about his life, his feelings, his memories. Remember that a kemono is only as strong as its bond to its master."

Master. To think that the beast king would also have one. What a fateful turn of events. He looked up at the sky, its blue color reminding him of someone's clear blue eyes.

He closed his eyes. I want to see him, he thought.

Alicia smiled seeing Loid radiating pure energy. He was glowing with a light blue radiance,his hair dancing ever so softly in air. Alicia did not have to worry about their bond. They were already close enough for Loid to connect so effortlessly.

She looked up at the sky, whispering,"You have found a rare one, Rin."

It was a hot summer day. In the Imperial Academy, students were busy attending their classes. Except for a girl and two boys from third year. They were standing outside in the empty hallway with their arms raised above their heads.

Thor's stomach grumbled and he crouched down on the floor. Just then a group of young second year girls turned the corner, holding their broomsticks as they made their way to the classroom of Flying Art. One of them locked eyes with Thor before turning beet red and averting her gaze. She tripped over her feet before mingling with the group of giggling ladies.

Alicia crouched down beside him."It's all your fault", she whispered loudly, throwing daggers at the boy standing on her left.

"My fault? How is it my fault, Alicia?",the raven haired boy said, looking down at the blonde girl.

For a princess, she sure did not dress up like one. Her usual attire consisted of a white vest, black shorts, a pair of long white socks reaching up to her knees and black leather boots. No royal grace at all.

She answered,"If you had let me punch that jerk for bad mouthing you, we wouldn't be standing here!"

"Huh? What?", Rin blinked.

Alicia continued,"Yeah, we wouldn't be caught sneaking inside the classroom."

Rin shook his head,"This doesn't make any sense."

"She means that then we would have been too late to attend the class and we could just hang out eating popsicles",Thor said with his usual poker face.

She pointed over her shoulder, saying,"Yeah, what he said minus the popsicle part."

Rin rolled his eyes and crouched down beside his friends, saying,"You two are crazy."

Alicia huffed,"You are the crazy one here. Why would you silently listen to people calling you bad things? They say you became a Kage because of your mother. Can you believe that? Ugh! You should have let me punch those jerks!"

She raised her fist, punching the air and Rin couldn't help but laugh at her cuteness.

God, I like her so much, he thought.

"Don't laugh!", she smacked his shoulder.

"Do you two want to eat popsicles? I have two coupons for the new ice cream parlor in the town",Thor said monotonously.

Alicia raised an eyebrow,"Where did you get them, Thor?"

"A girl gave them to me this morning. I don't know why though."

Alicia placed a hand on his shoulder,"Thor. Has it ever crossed your mind that those girls might have a crush on you?"

Thor blinked with a blank expression on his face and Alicia shook her head, saying,"You are such a dumb head."

"What?",Thor said.

Rin too shook his head,"That's Thor for you."

They heard the window over their heads slid open and looked up to find their professor glaring at them, his eyebrow twitching.

"Hands above your heads, you brats!"

"Yes sir!", they cried in unison instantly getting up on their feet and raising their hands above their heads.

The professor slammed the window shut and they looked at each other before bursting out laughing.