Chapter 13: Starting Line Pt 2
A part of her itched to whip out an explosion formulae and wipe that smug fucking look off the other girl's face.
The problem was, she couldn't. Her mana itched with the desire to move, a restless ocean of energy resting underneath her skin. It didn't help any that her mana pool felt, for lack of a better term, larger now than it did before her death.
But she just couldn't use it. Formulae, the only way she knew how to cast spells, would not work. Mana, and magic as a whole, were different somehow. It was simply beyond her current grasp.
At best, she could make use of her new Skills. The problem was the Skill she possessed either did not require mana or required such a little amount of mana that she couldn't feel the drain anyway. Case and point being her Unique Skill, which fit into the former category.
And besides, Degurechaff had already shown once that her Unique Skill alone was not enough to win a fight, or in fact to hit her at all.
So, she'd have to settle for glaring at the back of the other girl's head for now.
-=-
"Here." Degurechaff tossed what looked like a wooden sword at her. "Take this bokken and hit me."
Mary nearly fumbled the catch, barely managing to get a grip on the wooden sword before it hit the ground.
She glanced around at their surroundings, noting the empty clearing. She also for the first time registered the other girl's choice of clothing. A loose blue t-shirt, black shorts, casual shoes…
Did Degurechaff really bring her out here to fight?
"Well?"
"You... want me to attack you?" This was like a dream come true.
-=-
Art by (@tanjaded)
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"I said 'hit me', didn't I?"
Well, I always hear the phrase 'Hit me' when you speak, but still. Mary looked down at the sword – no, the bokken – and gave it an experimental swing.
Then, without warning, she lunged forward, swinging downward at the other girl's skull.
Degurechaff sidestepped, watching her stumble past with a raised eyebrow.
"Nice try."
She was being sarcastic. Mary shook her head, choosing to respond anyway.
"Not even close!" She snarled, rushing forward again.
From there, it was a game of cat and mouse. A familiar dance between the two, only on the ground rather than in the air.
And, just like usual, Mary was struggling to land a single blow.
Degurechaff noted this a few minutes later.
"It's incredible that we've fought three times in this world, and you still have yet to land a hit."
The damn devil wasn't even breathing hard. Meanwhile, Mary felt like... actually, she felt pretty good.
She'd expected to feel like one of her lungs was about to burst. Extended fights were a lot more taxing without an enhancement spell. Yet, she's doing well enough on stamina.
Odd.
"Shut up!" She managed to reply.
Degurechaff rolled her eyes, easily ducking around another of her swings.
"You've got to treat the bokken like it's part of your body." She offered unhelpfully, sidestepping. "Have more purpose behind your attacks."
"Stop. Talking. And fight. Back!" Each word was punctuated by a wild strike, none of which hit the mark. A fact which only angered her more.
"Sure thing." Tanya caught the next swing with one hand. "Put more mana behind it."
"What?" Mary tried to pull the bokken away to no avail.
"I said," Tanya let go, shoving her away at the same time, "Put more mana behind it! Don't tell me an S-grade mage doesn't even know how to enhance her power with mana. Are you even trying?"
Mary let out a shuddering breath.
"Yes, I am!"
Tanya blinked as Mary's head dropped, her shoulders trembling. "I am trying! I've been trying this whole time. Every time! But the formulae, they don't-"
"Formulae? That's pathetic."
"Hah?!" Mary's head snapped up, fury reigniting.
Immediately, she found herself flinching as Degurechaff lunged at her, a mage blade covering her arm. Mary stumbled back, her eyes squeezing shut in acceptance as she froze in place.
So, this is it? She's finally going to… Huh?
Mary tentatively opened her eyes. Her gaze immediately shot to the right, where a bright blue mage blade shone brightly against the side of her face. Mary's head slowly turned back forward, her gaze locking with the other girl's unamused one.
"'That's pathetic', I said. A month and a half in this new world, and you still haven't figured it out." Her eyes narrowed. "You're weak. A liability. Unable to stand on your own two feet without an unjustified hatred burning in your veins and a Devil masquerading as God boosting your strength while whispering cherry-picked scripture in your ears. Without that, you can't even touch that vast amount of mana you've always been known for. That can be called nothing other than pathetic."
The mage blade by her face crackled with energy, coinciding with her heartbeat pounding in her ears. Degurechaff seemed to search for something in the silence, her expression turning more and more annoyed the longer she looked.
Finally, she let out a sigh, letting her mage blade fade away. Then, she brought the same hand back slightly and down, until it rested against Mary's diaphragm.
"Breathe."
Mary hadn't even realized she'd stopped breathing. She inhaled quickly, letting it go after a second.
"Not like that." Degurechaff's hand pressed harder. "Breathe. Fill your lungs completely, then hold it as long as you can."
Mary did so, the knowledge that the other girl could kill her right now in an instant keeping any thoughts of disobeying at bay.
"Again." Degurechaff ordered. "Close your eyes and concentrate."
She grit her teeth, resisting the urge to throw a punch, consequences be damned. Instead, she closed her eyes and breathed in.
In… hold… out.
"Feel that?" The pressure against her diaphragm increased. Her chest grew hot. "Spread that feeling across your body. All the way to your fingertips and back around."
In… hold… out.
She tried to do so. The heat itched, her lungs both burning and not from the odd pressure.
In… hold… out.
Then, like a bursting dam, the pressure finally spread, fire trailing from her chest to her fingertips and back in a scorching loop. A sense of completeness filed her very being, not unlike the feeling she'd gotten from God's power flowing through her. Only, this felt… better, somehow. Purer, maybe, or perhaps untainted was the right word.
And for the first time since arriving in this world, her mana went quiet. Just like that, the itch was gone.
In… hold- huh?
Mary's eyes jerked open, her gaze quickly turning downward towards herself. Disbelief colored her face, the familiar glow of mana usage only emphasizing the expression.
Wait. She was… glowing? How…
Then, it was over.
"What the- My mana? How did-"
"Honestly, what did they even teach you in the Unified States?" Degurechaff shook her head. She'd stepped away at some point, Mary realized.
Her arms were crossed, showing off lightly scarred and toned arms.
Had she caused any of those? Mary mentally shook her head, turning her attention back on the Argent's face as she continued to speak.
"Visualization is the most basic of basics for an aerial mage. But I suppose someone who never graduated from overpowering basic formulae would've understood that."
Mary decided to ignore the slight for now, instead deciding to focus on the real question at hand.
"How did you do that?"
The other girl blinked.
"How did I? Really, it amazes me every day that you of all people managed to give me so much trouble. Being X must have worked a number on you." Degurechaff held up her hand, a colorful array of sparks dancing across her fingertips. "Mana is intrinsic to a mage; much the way breathing is. There's no reason for this to change, even in another world with a different system of magic. We mages live and breathe mana. Understand?"
"Live and breathe…" Now that she had felt it once, the difference between before and now became night and day. Mary inhaled, feeling as the ebb and flow of her mana pool shifted with it. "It's… connected to our breathing?"
Degurechaff made a noncommittal noise, her eyes turning away from Mary's own. She flipped her hand over, the sparks and flare of mana dancing across her knuckles and fingertips.
No, that's not it. Mary looked away, glancing down at her own hands. If it was based on breathing, then wouldn't holding your breath lock away your mana? So, what is-
Mary's eyes widened.
"Spread that feeling across your body. All the way to your fingertips and back around."
"Visualization is the most basic of basics for an aerial mage."
Visualization? I visualized the air in my lungs spreading through my body. Did I accidentally channel my mana too? Maybe…
She looked up again, this time at the mana sparks Degurechaff was still playing around with.
"You…"
"Hm?" Degurechaff looked up.
"Did you-" What was she supposed to say here? "-influence my mana with your own?"
"Oh?" Degurechaff's expression became mildly intrigued. "Perhaps you aren't a total waste of a resource after all. Is this what you're like when Being X isn't working you like half a Jaeger cockpit?"
What? Mary blinked. "Jaeger cockpit?"
"Never mind." She waved her off. "In any case, you're partly right. Imagine it like jumpstarting a car; your body forgot how to make a solid connection with your mana pool, so I created one myself and forced the two to reconnect. Now, if I'm correct, your mana pool should've successfully reintegrated with your body. Probably."
Jumpstart? Apparently, one of Degurechaff's quirks was spitting out random nonsensical phrases. Wait, that's not important. Why would she help me gain strength? That's doesn't make any sense.
Mary said as much, "This doesn't make any sense. Why did you of all people do that?"
The other girl sighed, before dragging a hand down her face roughly.
"Must we have this conversation again? I hate reiterating points I've already made. I'd like you to consider this one thing. You," Degurechaff pointed at her, "don't know a damn thing about me. Think about that for a while, now that I know your brain actually works."
Mary opened her mouth to retort, before hesitating.
Actually… what did she know about Degurechaff? Besides the quirk she'd just noticed, of course.
…
Nothing. That was her answer.
She remained silent for another moment.
"…But that doesn't answer my question. Why me? Why help me, specifically? We hate each other!"
"Hate?" Degurechaff raised an eyebrow, "Don't flatter yourself. Your worst traits were a product of Being X. Without him, you're just an annoyance at worst, much more than someone to hate. And regardless of personal feelings, I'm an advocate for waste avoidance. It's why I abhor war and attempt to avoid unnecessary conflict. Emphasis on 'attempt'. Beyond all reason, somehow I always find myself dealing with it anyway."
If Mary hadn't been looking directly at the other girl, she might have missed it. But, in that brief moment, Degurechaff looked for all the world like Atlas holding the sky. Then, it was gone, Degurechaff tilting her head and staring Mary down with an unreadable look.
"You have the potential to be extremely useful. But right now, that's all it is: wasted potential. So, work hard. Try not to waste everyone's time."
Her expression shifted, indecision flickering in her eyes for the briefest second. She let out a huff.
"And here's bit of personal advice, though perhaps it is a hard sell to religious fanatic." Degurechaff stepped forward, raising her hand. Mary tensed up, before blinking in confusion as the other girl patted her stiffly on the shoulder, "But, you should be more self-centered. Taking care of others is… noble, I suppose, but take care of yourself first."
Mary's eyes widened.
A familiar echo…
"Mary, please take care of Mommy. And take care of yourself."
Take care of myself? Have I not…
"Good morning you two!" An aged voice called out from the tree line.
Mary flinched, her thoughts scattering to the wind. And just like that, the moment was broken.
Degurechaff pulled her hand back and turned.
"Good morning, Hakurou. As punctual as expected."
Mary followed her gaze, paling slightly at the sight of the old man. She still remembered how quickly he'd knocked her out when she'd first arrived here.
"Ah, how could I ever show up late when asked so nicely?" Hakurou made his way over, "Well? What do you say, young Tanya? Is my newest pupil ready for training?"
Newest pupil? Mary chewed on her lip, Why does Degurechaff need even more training?
An image of the blonde girl with a sword crossed her mind. She shook her head to clear it.
"We were just finishing up, actually. Before that though, I was wondering about-"
Mary made the executive decision to tune them out.
So, we're done here? Mary was surprised to find herself somewhat disappointed.
She may dislike Degurechaff, but of anyone, the blonde was undoubtably the best person to help her with her mana problems, given their history. Besides, the other girl clearly knew more about the subject. If Mary was ever going to get stronger, she needed to know everything about how their mana worked.
She might even be able to fly again, formulae or not.
Mary blinked.
Why do I care about getting stronger?
She had no goals, no ambitions anymore. They'd all been stripped away with her death and the disappearance of her God. What purpose did she have? All she'd ever known was apparently a big fucking lie, so what was the point of anything now?
"Take care of yourself."
She groaned internally.
Fine. She could do that. If nothing else, she would take care of herself, until she could figure out what else she was supposed to do. Was it bad that her life under the control of a deity was easier to understand? At least then she knew what she wanted.
…I really am pathetic, aren't I?
"Oi."
A snapping sound drew her from her thoughts. Mary looked up, as Degurechaff snapped her fingers again.
"Oi, you paying attention now?"
"Fuck you." Mary replied automatically, before freezing. "Oh, uh-"
"I'll take that as a yes." Degurechaff rolled her eyes. "I hope you weren't expecting to go home already. As I was saying, you're going to be training under Hakurou for the foreseeable future."
Huh? Mary pointed at herself. I thought- oh. Oh no.
"Yes, you. I told you, didn't I? 'Work hard, Mary Sue'.
You lack purpose, so I decided to give you one." She reached down, picking up the earlier abandoned bokken and handing it to Mary. "Grow strong again and protect the people of Tempest. That's your schtick, right? Doing things for the good of others? As a woman of God?"
Degurechaff pointed at her.
"But people who can't stand alone can't make a stand for others. Take care of yourself first and become strong, so that you may one day be strong for others. That will be your new goal, and this will be your starting line. Work hard and do your best, Mary Sue."
Well, that was one way. She'd made the decision on her own to get stronger, technically, so really this was just convenient.
Mary gulped.
Then why did she have this sinking feeling?
-=-=-=-=-=-
Known Skills List
Tanya:
Common Skill: Thought Communication
Extra Skill: Magic Sense
Extra Skill: Magic Aura
Extra Skill: Voice of the World Communication
Unique Skill: Formulaic Casting
Unique Skill: Tetrabattery Limit Enhancement
Mary:
Extra Skill: Magic Sense
Extra Skill: Magic Aura
Other Skills Unknown
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone