SS - Arisu Watsken

// Arisu Watsken //

Patches of silvery-white clouds wandered in the wide azure ocean. The sun was at its zenith, adding colour to the crisp autumn day. The wind was brisk and refreshing. The mellow chirps of different birds singing echoed as I took another step.

The shadow over me receded as I took a step in the sunlight. The sound of my cane against the marble floor was suppressed by the sudden gust of wind. Today was the day of graduation—the day we finally passed out of ANHS.

Placing a hand on my weak, palpitating heart I looked up. The serenity of the sky calmed my eyes, tired from waking up all night. The class that started at the bottom, graduated as Class A. The class, consisting of nothing but defects—delinquents, low academic and physical capabilities, crawled their way up from the very bottom to the top.

Nothing but a borrowed victory because of just one individual.

The false genius—Kiyotaka Ayanokouji.

My heart skipped a beat once again as I remembered the last few months in this school. He built the class up from the shadows, nurtured them. And when the time was ripe, he betrayed them, wanting to see how everything he had invested his time and intellect in would bore fruit.

When all was set and everything was about to set into play, he disappeared. After the incident when a student from class 3A, Kei Karuizawa was somehow abducted, Kiyotaka Ayanokouji disappeared as well. Within the next seven hours, Kei Karuizawa returned.

Her expulsion was nothing short of guaranteed. Yet, somehow she survived and even graduated as a Class A student. But, even to this date not even a single hint that could indicate the whereabouts of him was found.

The blow was enough to tarnish the name and popularity of ANHS which was once a behemoth among all high schools in Japan.

Walking forward, I caught the sight of a bench. Taking one pained step at a time, I walked closer and closer to it. Tilting my body, I sat on the bench. The bench was situated between lofty trees. The subtle susurration from the trees as cold winds blew, audible crunch from the dried foliage with every distant step, crisp rays of sun that illuminated different parts of the ground as they permeated through the gaps in branches—it had a soothing effect.

*ba-dum*

Once again... my heart palpitated, the meek clobber sounding like a distant echo of booming thunder in my ears. My breath hitched, pulse dropping with every strained beat of my heart. It was struggling yet failing. My hand reached into my coat, searching for my phone.

I always had a weak heart. Due to my congenital heart disease, I had even experienced trouble while walking—rendering me useless physically. The only thing that helped me all these years was my mental ability.

However, all abilities and accomplishments meant nothing. There was no one capable enough left to compare myself to. The only one I ever wanted to test myself against was gone.

A resigned sigh escaped my mouth as I receded my hand from my pocket. Looking up I saw the trees shed more and more leaves as autumn firmed its grip. Like the dying trees, I could feel my own end nearing me. With every falling, dried leaf I could feel the memories of my whole life flash before my eyes.

And all that followed was an unending regret.

I closed my eyes... one final time, embracing the sensation of my slowly ceasing heart. It was cold. I could feel the cold piercing my skin—like ripping it apart. The cold continued to increase with every passing second of my life slowly trickling out of me.

My already defective feet went limp, followed by my middle section. Most people would be scared of death or whatever came afterwards. Yet all I felt was an unending dissatisfaction. Not with myself, but with others.

What would've happened if he was still around? Would I be able to crush the false genius with my own hands? Finally show him that a born genius would always triumph over false geniuses like him. Or... would he be able to change my perspective? Change the way I view things? Make me see things in a new light? Was it possible?

Despite the current predicament, I couldn't help but scoff as I considered my own words.

It was too late.

Thinking all of this was useless now. He was gone. And my own life was ending. Even if he was out there, I wouldn't be around anymore to have his company.

It was finally the end.

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Or so I thought.

(***)

"Congratulations Sir and Madam. It's a healthy girl," A voice spoke.

Looking around I saw myself being picked. A woman with green hair and golden eyes looked at me. Strands of her silky smooth hair stuck to her freckled cheeks and forehead due to the beads of sweat clinging to her face as she smiled brightly at me.

A man came and coiled his arm around the woman. He had white hair and blue eyes.

"She looks just like you, love," The man said.

I felt my heart beat at a rapid rate as I continuously alternated my gaze between the man and the woman.

Another woman walked inside. She was wearing a costume that would mostly be referred to as a maid costume in my old world. She was carrying a little girl with short green hair. Her golden eyes looked at the man and woman and then at me. Suddenly, she giggled, wailing her arms towards me.

I just remained static... or rather I had to stay like that. My control over my own limbs was next to nonexistent. I couldn't help but lay helplessly, waiting for everything to play its course.

But how did I end up here?

The question itself was enough to induce a splitting headache that felt like a nail being hammered inside my skull.

"Look, Emily. This is your younger sister, Arisu," The woman said.

Suddenly everything fell into place. The revelation was like a bolt of lightning from the blue. I blinked my eyes several times, even trying to pinch myself while failing in the attempt.

My heart hammered against its ribcage. However, this time I felt no pain. Just a rise of heartbeat with no additional pain or spasms.

"Welcome to the world, little one," The woman said as she planted a kiss on my forehead. A warm feeling spread through my chest. It wasn't intentional. Like a natural instinct, I felt a warm, fuzzy wave through my chest.

What amazed me more than that was the fact that... I had reincarnated.

(***)

*haah*

'I can do this,' I reassured myself as I crawled to the corner of the bed. Ever since my reincarnation, I had been waiting for this day. The day I am old enough to take a step. A step without any aiding tools.

Placing my hand on the corner of the bed, I pushed my body upwards. My legs felt wobbly as my bent legs continued to straighten—my first attempt.

However, my legs gave away as I fell back. A wave of disappointment washed over me. My hopes wrapped in a thick veil of pessimism weighed down on my shoulders—screaming at me to give up. To NEVER stand up again. That I was cursed to not walk on my own.

Yet, I got up. This world had mana. Something deemed impossible. If performing magic was possible, I could walk on my own too. Not wanting to give up and succumb to my own insecurities, I tried once again. My legs felt shaky but they didn't capitulate. I pushed it, my tiny arms supporting my whole body's weight. Once my legs straightened, I took one hand off from the bed. My whole body shook... but I was still standing. And then I removed the support of my other hand.

*heh*

I giggled. Giggled to myself as I saw myself standing on my own two feet without any cane or support.

I laughed... laughed until I fell short of breath. This was the first time in both lives that I had laughed like this.

I could walk... finally!

(***)

Running in the open front yard, I chased my elder sister—Emily. The continent we were on was called Dicathen. However, to think that a whole world has just one continent was rather hard to believe.

In this world mana existed—something that fueled a supernatural phenomenon called magic. Mana existed everywhere. However, the type of elemental mana strictly depended on the habitat. For example, fire mana would be in a higher abundance near a volcano and water mana near an ocean.

That could serve as the base foundation for deviant elements and the user's affinity. Like the elves who were close to nature for centuries so they developed an affinity for plant magic. Dwarves had unique craftsmanship so they could use metal and magma. Both of these were necessary for crafting.

Meanwhile, humans always thrived by diversity. Diversity in their thought process helped them to develop deviant forms of mana like lightning and ice.

The person's affinity to an element was decided by two things—-genes and environment. However, that was what the magic book in my parent's library said.

I asked myself. Why is being a dual elemental a roof for people? Why did no one ever thrived to go beyond that? Was it because it's biologically impossible? Or, was it because people didn't have enough comprehension of mana?

(***)

Two days ago, I turned four years old. I have been thinking about the awakening process as well. Just like how in my past world, artificial geniuses were created, can I form a mana core prematurely?

As I was thinking that, I felt a warm breeze of air. However, the windows were shut. The doors were locked. Wind in an enclosed space with no means of input should be impossible. Before I could think of anything, a bright light emanated from my sternum as it shone through my clothes. The wooden floor beneath me splintered as a translucent veil formed around me.

My eyes narrowed as I looked at it. I could feel a searing hot sensation, welling up in my sternum. Tendrils formed on the barrier and a sucking force started to attract everything in my little room. My bed, table... everything started to break apart as the veil continued to grow in size.

Panicked screams of my mother and sister echoed while my dad continued to shout my name.

But I couldn't help but admire it. The overwhelming sensation of power that continued to grow inside me. A subtle smirk formed on my face as I comprehended the situation.

Innate talents really triumph over artificially engineered ones.

(*****)

A/n in case some buffoons are confused, this is a parallel to their old world. Arisu was a born genius with an abnormal amount of intellect and talent. That talent worked here as she awakened at 4 by herself without doing some woodoo art like Kiyo.