38 The Third Arm

My chest...

*breath*

Lower…

*breath*

No, not there...

*breathing*

Sideways…

*breathing*

Higher…

"Time"

"Ahhh... I can't... When it moves from my chest, it goes completely out of control"

"You've made a huge advancement in a few days"

"But it's not enough…"

"It's already five o'clock in the afternoon, you've been trying for eight hours, you should-"

"I have to do it, registration ends in two days. It's just something basic, right?"

"Yes, but it'll take weeks"

"Isn't it enough to control my Energy?"

"I don't think so, there are people who do it without realizing it. The important thing is to release that Energy"

"I get it. I'll try again-"

Elin comes over and grabs me by the shoulder.

"Take a rest. You need to clear your mind"

She seems worried...

"Okay…"

I go to our room and I throw myself into bed.

Elin lies down on the other side and begins to read.

Why? Isn't my chest the same to other parts of my body?

Although I came to clear my mind, I do the opposite.

Maybe it is very weak and I need to stress more. But how?

*creak*

If I get more stressed, it gets out of control.

I remember the guy in the alley.

He used his Energy as a weapon...

I remember Kuno with Energy covering him.

It all depends on how you want to use...

*squeak*

How should I imagine that? I can't-

"Look!"

Elin leans over and shows me a drawing.

"A drawing?"

"Yes, I just did it"

"It's amazing... You know how to draw?"

"A little"

I watch the drawing.

Two women are lying down, holding hands.

"Who are they?"

"Riyu and you"

"Eh? Ri- Riyu and me?"

"Yes, that's how you looked yesterday"

"But... this looks too..."

"Romantic, isn't it?"

"..."

"Alex, do you like her?"

"Eeeh! N- no! I just met her yesterday!"

"But you look like a tomato, like yesterday"

"Ah- Because it's embarassing..."

"It's okay, I'm just playing with you"

"Why - why did you draw it?"

"To distract you"

"Distract me?"

"I told you to clear your mind, but you weren't doing it, so I distracted you. It worked, right?"

"Yes…"

I go back to bed. This time, with my mind in another place.

Riyu...

The day passes and I can't sleep at night thinking about Energy.

I get out of bed and go out trying not to make noise.

I have to do it.

*cheep* *cheep*

The sun rises and some of its rays pass through the clouds.

Dammit! It's the same...

*click* Kuno leaves the house.

"Hm? Alex?"

"Oh, good morning"

"How long have you been here?"

"A little…"

"Only with pajamas? You're going to get sick"

"I don't have clothes for cold"

"Why did you not tell me? Here, tell Elin to take you-"

"There's no time"

"Oh? Alex-"

"Tomorrow is the registration"

"But you shouldn't-"

"I have a question"

"Hm? What is it?"

"When you used your Energy as protection, how did you do it?"

"It's hard to describe, but for us it's like having a third arm, we just think what to do"

"Third arm?"

"At the beginning you will not be able to move it, but with practice it will be as skillful as a real one"

"I think I don't understand..."

"Go buy clothes. See you"

We are in the mall.

Elin agreed to accompany me and Naomi is also with us.

"Thanks for coming with me, I already should be coming alone..." I tell them as we walk out.

"It doesn't matter, for us it's routine to come shopping" Elin tells me.

"And it's more fun if we do it together" Naomi adds.

"I think so…"

We leave the mall.

"Nao, I'll take Alex home, I'll come back with you later-"

"I can go back alone..."

"But you're not-" Naomi grabs Elin's shoulder.

"Okay. Be careful"

"Thank you"

I turn around and start walking home.

"Alex, it's the opposite way" Elin tells me.

"I- I know"

I turn around and walk home.

I get home and I put on my new clothes for the cold.

I go out to the yard to continue practicing.

Several minutes pass.

Should I imagine it as a robot arm? No... What am I doing? I must concentrate on controlling it before casting it.

I feel the Energy in my chest.

So far everything is fine...

I try to move it from place.

But when I move it, it disperses... What if I make it smaller?

I do that.

Agh! My chest hurts...

Elin and Naomi enter the yard.

"Hm? Weren't you at the mall?"

"Sorry Alex" Naomi says.

"Sorry? Why-?"

She points her hand at me and in an instant a red-pink Energy sphere shoots out.

*fuuw*

Before I can react, it hits me and throws me to the ground.

"Ugh!"

I start to get up.

"What was that for-!"

But I still don't stand up when she throws me another sphere.

*fuuw*

This time I cover myself with my arms, but it throws me again.

"Agh..."

Now I stay sit.

"Could you explain to me what you are doing?"

"I really am sorry Alex!"

"Oh?"

Her arm begins to be covered with red Energy.

She will not…

It starts moving towards her hand.

No…

It concentrates in the palm of her hand and a lightray shoots out.

Shit!

"Shield!"

*kzzzfush*

...

Wait, am I okay?

"Alex, you made it!" Naomi is happy.

"It wasn't her" Elin says.

"What stupid things are you doing?" Dai is standing at the door.

"Dai?" I turn to see him.

"If I hadn't put the shield, it would have been a direct hit"

"It's Elin's fault! She asked me to do it!" Naomi panics.

"Hey! It was both's idea! We were trying to stress her so she will use her Energy" Elin says.

"The only thing you did was confuse her. And I don't think it's good to do that with her"

"Why not? You tried to kill yourself-" Elin stops talking.

Eh?

Naomi also looks confused.

"I didn't say it for that"

"I- I'm sorry, I didn't want-"

"It doesn't matter, I think it will be useful"

"Useful?" Elin doesn't understand.

"Alex, Nao, when we were taught to use magic in middle school, I couldn't do it. I tried for a year, the teachers helped me, mom too, some made fun... It was very frustrating..."

He takes a short pause.

"Ahh... Besides that, I had learning problems, bad behavior and an existential crisis. In the end, I couldn't take it anymore. I went up to the roof of the building where we lived and I threw myself"

Naomi and I see him without being able to believe it.

Elin watches him worried.

"When I stopped touching the floor, I regretted it, but I couldn't do anything. I fell ten stories, but, just before touching the ground, my Energy covered the impact"

"Nothing happened to you?" Naomi asks.

"I broke my arm and two ribs and I also dislocated my shoulder and knee"

"Ouch... But you survived"

"Obviously. So Alex, come with me"

"Eh?"

We follow him to our room.

"Eeeh! Do you want me to throw myself out the window?"

I lean to see down.

"Come on, it doesn't compare to falling from ten stories and there's even grass"

"But I don't want to-"

"Okay, we'll be down to catch you-" Elin says, but Dai interrupts her.

"Late"

While I'm at the window, Dai pushes me.

"Hey! What-!"

I fall.

"Aaaah!"

What do I do!

Just before I fall, I put my arms in front of me to cover the fall.

But purple Energy comes out of me and covers all my front part.

*pam!* I fall on the grass.

"Alex!" Elin screams from above.

"I'm fine..." I reply weakly.

I did it... I finally did it...

Dai, Elin and Naomi arrive with me.

"You did it!" Naomi is glad.

"She did. It only cost her to dislocate her wrist" Dai says.

"Eh?"

I turn to see my wrist and it's bent in a way it shouldn't.

The pain begins to arrive.

"Ayayay…"

"Let me see" Dai approaches and raises my arm.

"Alex, do you remember the feeling?" Elin asks me.

"Yes... It's just like Kuno said... A third arm, but, I didn't know how to move it..."

"Yeah, well, something Dai didn't tell you is-"

*crack*

Dai accommodates my wrist.

"Aaah! Ayayay... you should warn... Isn't there something for the pain?"

"This is faster. Nao, can you go for ointment to my room?"

"Do it yourself, Daiuseless" she responds.

"I'm higher level, I can give you orders"

"Well, I'll do it for Alex"

Naomi enters the house.

"Wait. Naomi, I will go!" Dai lets go of my arm and runs off to the house.

"Ayayay…"

"I was saying, Dai didn't tell you that it doesn't matter that you know how to release it, you still have to-"

"Aaaah!" Naomi screams.

"Ahhh... Now what did Dai do?"

Naomi comes running and is totally pale.

"He- here's the ointment..."

"You're good? It seems like you saw a ghost" Elin says and grabs the ointment.

"Worse…"

Dai arrives.

"Nao, forget what you saw"

"Impossible…"

Elin puts the ointment on my wrist and the pain disappears.

"Ahhh... thanks"

"Wait, I'll heal you a little, so you'll be as good as new for tomorrow" Dai points his hand at my wrist and green light of Energy comes out.

"For the third time, I was saying that it doesn't matter that you have already done it, you still have to get used to it and control it"

"Will it be enough for tomorrow?" I ask.

"Hope so…"

They put a small bandage on me and the day ends while I study.

I can hardly sleep for thinking about the registration.

*yawn*

The alarm will sound in three...

Two…

One…

...

One…

...

O-

*ring ring*

*tap*

I think I could throw up at any moment...

I get up and go to take a shower, but before leaving, Elin stops me.

"Alex..." she is still asleep.

"Yes?"

"You are going to do it, you don't need luck..."

That calms me a little.

"Thank you-"

*snore*

I shower and go to cook.

After eating, Kuno and I are going to exercise, but this time we only run because of my wrist.

By the way, Kuno's reaction after explaining him what happened was something like this:

"You idiots!" hits Dai and Elin.

"At least it worked!" Dai says.

"Nao, I will not yell at you or hit you, but I expected more from you"

"Sorry…"

We come back home.

"I'll go take a shower to go to Lilynn" I say to Kuno.

"Well, I'll wait for you here"

"Hm?"

"I will go with you"

"You don't have to work?"

"I will go a little later"

"Fine, thanks..."

I take a shower again and it takes longer than usual.

I don't want to go…

*squeak*

Ahhh...

I go downstairs.

"Kuno, I'm ready..."

I cann't stop shaking.

We get into Kuno's car.

"Do you always go by car?" I ask.

"Most of the time I can take them there"

*clac* Kuno puts on his belt.

*clac* this time I can put mine by myself.

Kuno starts the car and goes towards the opposite way of the city.

A few minutes pass and each time we are further away.

"Lilynn isn't in the city?"

"No, they build it a little away to avoid accidents with magic"

"Makes sense. How much left?"

"About five minutes"

I tremble even more.

While we are going, I try to distract myself with the beautiful forest.

But in a moment…

"Hm? The forest ends?"

"We are almost there"

"No…"

From the distance it can be observed.

"Are. You. Kidding"

The high school- I mean...

"That's Lilynn City"