[IC][Story] Channeling Mana
03-15-2021, 09:46 PM
(This post was last modified: 03-15-2021, 09:52 PM by Labster.)
03-15-2021, 09:46 PM
(This post was last modified: 03-15-2021, 09:52 PM by Labster.)
Chapter 1
Special Delivery
6:15 AM, Monday November 7, 2016
In the early dawn, a thin fog had settled over the streets and especially the waterways of Venice Beach. The calm mist muted most of the sounds of the morning: the first few cars on the road, the slowly awakening birds, even the massive jetliners taking off from LAX -- all were nearly silent.
A small tear was carved into this pregnant quiet, barely perceptible. The still water of the canals rippled for a moment, then parted to make way for the notched bow of a long wooden gondola. After a moment, a man appeared at the rear of the gondola, tall, handsome, and dressed in a formal coat and tails.
As he sculled the gondola through the mist, soon the prow of another gondola appeared, in the wake of the first boat. And then another boat and another, each of them roped stern to stem with the following boat, until there were five boats in a line, painted in the classic Venetian black, riderless and driverless save for the first.
The dimensional gate closed silently, leaving only a ripple in the water below. No one was there to see the boats emerge, but that was by design. Sure, mortals seeing magic might be inopportune, but that was beside the point. Funtom Enterprises was no charity, and they were certainly not going to pay import taxes on these boats. It was bad enough that Sebastian was delivering a gift to people with no great inclination to sin. At least, he hoped, that the women of Aria Company would take great pride in their new boats.
Now, his recent interactions with the Lagoon Company had gone much better. As he grasped the ropes in his Venetian flotilla and moored each boat in in turn, he speculated that Rock had nearly as much potential as Ciel did. Immersing himself in such wanton violence while holding himself above it? Such a beautiful thing to behold, and even more so when he would finally fall.
Yet here Sebastian was, delivering to irritatingly pure maidens, but such was life in the Metacatastrophe that was still slowly unfolding. Cooperation with Heaven had been galling, galling to both sides, but necessary. No one sane saw a upshot in the unraveling of Creation. So it was with great courteousness, but no true delight, that he went to notify a woman who couldn't even recall his name of this morning's delivery.
A pink-haired girl hopped down the stairs, drawn outside by the first rays of dawn. The sunlight kickstarted a calm breeze, enough to begin parting the fog, and revealing the world around her. To her surprise, she saw someone she recognized, and called out to the man walking down the sidewalk and waved. "Good morning, Mr. Butler!"
As he approached, he returned the greeting, "Good morning, Miss Mizunashi."
"You look different," Akari said, but she couldn't quite place how. He just seemed more powerful than she had remembered. "You seem... stronger. Have you been working out?"
"Ah, you flatter me so, dear lady. I apologize if I am still a bit sweaty from delivering your new gondolas," he flirted right back.
"Squee! Gondolas! I need to go tell everyone about this, I'll be right back!" Akari raced up the stairs, before she remembered, "Oh, please come inside to wait. You don't want to miss the look on everyone's faces!"
He chuckled softly, "But of course."
Akari knocked on everyone's doors, and dragged them outside if they were ready or not. Athena looked particularly groggy, as she was still recovering from her long drive back from Las Vegas.
Sebastian Michaelis exchanged the requisite pleasantries with the ladies, and led them a couple of blocks away to where the gondolas had been moored. It was a short walk, only about four minutes inland -- at this time of day, there wasn't much traffic to dodge on crossing Pacific Avenue.
As they walked, the golden rays of sunlight worked their way down from the treetops and top floors of high-rise apartments to finally reach the water. Taking the path between the houses to the canal's edge, Aika Granzchesta was the first one to see the gleaming black gondolas, with pristine paint and finish. Seeing the row of brand new boats, she had a broad grin and only one word, "Whoa."
The grogginess faded among the whole group, as they checked out their new transportation. The ogled the craft, and eagerly examined them. Hands were waved across the smooth wooden seats. Athena, Alice, and Alicia each climbed aboard a boat and started testing how it moved in the water.
Meanwhile, Akira Ferrari had roped Aika into a more thorough inspection of each boat, checking to see if it met her standards. Even the curvy fórcole, upon which the oars were braced, proved to be up to the specifications she sent in for each undine. As the pair paced past each long boat, they found everything in order and shipshape.
Akari mainly just took in the sights of her friends, playing on the water in shiny new boats. Even against the salt water, she could still smell that chemical scent of the fresh paint on the sides of the gondolas. The air was crisp, but the birds were already chattering away and so were the undines.
Akira returned to Sebastian. "I'm impressed. These are excellent gondolas."
"But of course," Sebastian said. "Everything is to your exact specifications, built by the finest Venetian craftsmen." They each cost about as much as a sports car, but Sebastian never did things by half measures. It just wasn't the Phantomhive way. "If everything is to your satisfaction, would you say our deal here is concluded?"
"These are wonderful gondolas, thank you very much!" Alicia Florence replied, followed by similar agreement from the rest of the group.
"Please, take great pride in your Venetian gondolas. If you need anything -- anything at all -- I'm sure we could work out a new contract for Lord Phantomhive to procure it for you."
"No, you've already done so much for us, Mr. Butler," Akari said with gratitude and just a hint of trepidation. There was something about Sebastian's proposal that Akari just couldn't trust. She didn't really understand why; he had been so gracious and helpful, the perfect gentleman. It wasn't at all like her to mistrust people like this. But it felt like she was looking at someone cold and wrathful, and she could not shake the feeling. It was like she was looking at a different person than before. But, she could at least be polite, "Thank you again!"
As they turned their attention back to the gondolas, nobody actually noticed Sebastian leaving. Deprived of the tools of the trade for weeks, they couldn't help but be a joyous bunch. They tried not to make too much noise to wake the neighbors, but they were all in such a celebratory mood that they couldn't help themselves. It mustn't have woken too many, as they successfully negotiated with the owners of the nearby homes in the following days. This spot along the Grand Canal, the shortest walk to Aria House, became more or less the regular home of the gondolas.
Pretty soon, all five of the brand new gondolas were spoken for. Akari was left with Sebastian's old gondola, with its worn, twisted fórcola and its strange nine rebbi on the prow. She forgot to ask Sebastian about that, damn it. All of the new ones had the standard six tines on the front, as was traditional for a Venetian gondola.
But there was something about the old boat; Akari had the convert's enthusiasm for the nostalgia that pervaded Neo Venezia. She imagined the gondola spoke to her of old and strange stories, should she only have the time to get to know it. If so, the tales would be older and stranger than she imagined, having navigated the Lethe and Styx, bearing nine rebbi representing the Nine Hells. The low hum of magic in its planks subconsciously tickled Akari's interest, but she would have been in love with the venerable boat anyway.
After all, it wasn't the newness of the gondolas that had excited Akari so much. It was that she could once again share the experience of rowing with her friends. That even back on the planet Manhome things could get, just a little bit, back to normal.
It wasn't long before Akira noted, "Alright trainees! Now you have no excuse for slacking off on training. Get to it!"
Akari gave a characteristic "Hahi" and so they did, setting off on a easy morning run around the neighborhood, just to put the new gondolas through the paces.
Of course, the primas cruised right along with them, shaking off any cobwebs of their own, and getting a feel for their new partners. On reflection, Akira thought that the "deal is concluded" line sounded a little too much like a used gravbike salesman disclaiming any responsibility, but fortunately she found nothing to complain about.
The canal area's morning joggers and residents departing for work smiled as they saw an impromptu gondola parade cross the water. It wasn't exactly a normal sight, but in Venice nothing was ever quite normal, so they took it in their stride. They were almost ordinary compared to the whimsical boats in the Christmas parade. One schoolboy waved to them, but was too afraid to ask for a ride to school. But it didn't take all that many days until he got that ride after all.
It wasn't until an hour later, after finishing breakfast at a café with her mentor, that the memory of the kid dredged up another memory. Alice Carroll realized that she did still have a reason to slack off on her training, after all. Just a stupid reason. She mumbled, "Aw, darn, I'm late to school."
"Do you want me to drive you?" offered Athena Glory.
"No, it doesn't even matter, it's just useless continuation school."
Athena shrugged as Alice walked off to retrieve her backpack from the house, from whence she continued on to school at a leisurely pace.
Special Delivery
6:15 AM, Monday November 7, 2016
In the early dawn, a thin fog had settled over the streets and especially the waterways of Venice Beach. The calm mist muted most of the sounds of the morning: the first few cars on the road, the slowly awakening birds, even the massive jetliners taking off from LAX -- all were nearly silent.
A small tear was carved into this pregnant quiet, barely perceptible. The still water of the canals rippled for a moment, then parted to make way for the notched bow of a long wooden gondola. After a moment, a man appeared at the rear of the gondola, tall, handsome, and dressed in a formal coat and tails.
As he sculled the gondola through the mist, soon the prow of another gondola appeared, in the wake of the first boat. And then another boat and another, each of them roped stern to stem with the following boat, until there were five boats in a line, painted in the classic Venetian black, riderless and driverless save for the first.
The dimensional gate closed silently, leaving only a ripple in the water below. No one was there to see the boats emerge, but that was by design. Sure, mortals seeing magic might be inopportune, but that was beside the point. Funtom Enterprises was no charity, and they were certainly not going to pay import taxes on these boats. It was bad enough that Sebastian was delivering a gift to people with no great inclination to sin. At least, he hoped, that the women of Aria Company would take great pride in their new boats.
Now, his recent interactions with the Lagoon Company had gone much better. As he grasped the ropes in his Venetian flotilla and moored each boat in in turn, he speculated that Rock had nearly as much potential as Ciel did. Immersing himself in such wanton violence while holding himself above it? Such a beautiful thing to behold, and even more so when he would finally fall.
Yet here Sebastian was, delivering to irritatingly pure maidens, but such was life in the Metacatastrophe that was still slowly unfolding. Cooperation with Heaven had been galling, galling to both sides, but necessary. No one sane saw a upshot in the unraveling of Creation. So it was with great courteousness, but no true delight, that he went to notify a woman who couldn't even recall his name of this morning's delivery.
A pink-haired girl hopped down the stairs, drawn outside by the first rays of dawn. The sunlight kickstarted a calm breeze, enough to begin parting the fog, and revealing the world around her. To her surprise, she saw someone she recognized, and called out to the man walking down the sidewalk and waved. "Good morning, Mr. Butler!"
As he approached, he returned the greeting, "Good morning, Miss Mizunashi."
"You look different," Akari said, but she couldn't quite place how. He just seemed more powerful than she had remembered. "You seem... stronger. Have you been working out?"
"Ah, you flatter me so, dear lady. I apologize if I am still a bit sweaty from delivering your new gondolas," he flirted right back.
"Squee! Gondolas! I need to go tell everyone about this, I'll be right back!" Akari raced up the stairs, before she remembered, "Oh, please come inside to wait. You don't want to miss the look on everyone's faces!"
He chuckled softly, "But of course."
Akari knocked on everyone's doors, and dragged them outside if they were ready or not. Athena looked particularly groggy, as she was still recovering from her long drive back from Las Vegas.
Sebastian Michaelis exchanged the requisite pleasantries with the ladies, and led them a couple of blocks away to where the gondolas had been moored. It was a short walk, only about four minutes inland -- at this time of day, there wasn't much traffic to dodge on crossing Pacific Avenue.
As they walked, the golden rays of sunlight worked their way down from the treetops and top floors of high-rise apartments to finally reach the water. Taking the path between the houses to the canal's edge, Aika Granzchesta was the first one to see the gleaming black gondolas, with pristine paint and finish. Seeing the row of brand new boats, she had a broad grin and only one word, "Whoa."
The grogginess faded among the whole group, as they checked out their new transportation. The ogled the craft, and eagerly examined them. Hands were waved across the smooth wooden seats. Athena, Alice, and Alicia each climbed aboard a boat and started testing how it moved in the water.
Meanwhile, Akira Ferrari had roped Aika into a more thorough inspection of each boat, checking to see if it met her standards. Even the curvy fórcole, upon which the oars were braced, proved to be up to the specifications she sent in for each undine. As the pair paced past each long boat, they found everything in order and shipshape.
Akari mainly just took in the sights of her friends, playing on the water in shiny new boats. Even against the salt water, she could still smell that chemical scent of the fresh paint on the sides of the gondolas. The air was crisp, but the birds were already chattering away and so were the undines.
Akira returned to Sebastian. "I'm impressed. These are excellent gondolas."
"But of course," Sebastian said. "Everything is to your exact specifications, built by the finest Venetian craftsmen." They each cost about as much as a sports car, but Sebastian never did things by half measures. It just wasn't the Phantomhive way. "If everything is to your satisfaction, would you say our deal here is concluded?"
"These are wonderful gondolas, thank you very much!" Alicia Florence replied, followed by similar agreement from the rest of the group.
"Please, take great pride in your Venetian gondolas. If you need anything -- anything at all -- I'm sure we could work out a new contract for Lord Phantomhive to procure it for you."
"No, you've already done so much for us, Mr. Butler," Akari said with gratitude and just a hint of trepidation. There was something about Sebastian's proposal that Akari just couldn't trust. She didn't really understand why; he had been so gracious and helpful, the perfect gentleman. It wasn't at all like her to mistrust people like this. But it felt like she was looking at someone cold and wrathful, and she could not shake the feeling. It was like she was looking at a different person than before. But, she could at least be polite, "Thank you again!"
As they turned their attention back to the gondolas, nobody actually noticed Sebastian leaving. Deprived of the tools of the trade for weeks, they couldn't help but be a joyous bunch. They tried not to make too much noise to wake the neighbors, but they were all in such a celebratory mood that they couldn't help themselves. It mustn't have woken too many, as they successfully negotiated with the owners of the nearby homes in the following days. This spot along the Grand Canal, the shortest walk to Aria House, became more or less the regular home of the gondolas.
Pretty soon, all five of the brand new gondolas were spoken for. Akari was left with Sebastian's old gondola, with its worn, twisted fórcola and its strange nine rebbi on the prow. She forgot to ask Sebastian about that, damn it. All of the new ones had the standard six tines on the front, as was traditional for a Venetian gondola.
But there was something about the old boat; Akari had the convert's enthusiasm for the nostalgia that pervaded Neo Venezia. She imagined the gondola spoke to her of old and strange stories, should she only have the time to get to know it. If so, the tales would be older and stranger than she imagined, having navigated the Lethe and Styx, bearing nine rebbi representing the Nine Hells. The low hum of magic in its planks subconsciously tickled Akari's interest, but she would have been in love with the venerable boat anyway.
After all, it wasn't the newness of the gondolas that had excited Akari so much. It was that she could once again share the experience of rowing with her friends. That even back on the planet Manhome things could get, just a little bit, back to normal.
It wasn't long before Akira noted, "Alright trainees! Now you have no excuse for slacking off on training. Get to it!"
Akari gave a characteristic "Hahi" and so they did, setting off on a easy morning run around the neighborhood, just to put the new gondolas through the paces.
Of course, the primas cruised right along with them, shaking off any cobwebs of their own, and getting a feel for their new partners. On reflection, Akira thought that the "deal is concluded" line sounded a little too much like a used gravbike salesman disclaiming any responsibility, but fortunately she found nothing to complain about.
The canal area's morning joggers and residents departing for work smiled as they saw an impromptu gondola parade cross the water. It wasn't exactly a normal sight, but in Venice nothing was ever quite normal, so they took it in their stride. They were almost ordinary compared to the whimsical boats in the Christmas parade. One schoolboy waved to them, but was too afraid to ask for a ride to school. But it didn't take all that many days until he got that ride after all.
It wasn't until an hour later, after finishing breakfast at a café with her mentor, that the memory of the kid dredged up another memory. Alice Carroll realized that she did still have a reason to slack off on her training, after all. Just a stupid reason. She mumbled, "Aw, darn, I'm late to school."
"Do you want me to drive you?" offered Athena Glory.
"No, it doesn't even matter, it's just useless continuation school."
Athena shrugged as Alice walked off to retrieve her backpack from the house, from whence she continued on to school at a leisurely pace.
"Kitto daijoubu da yo." - Sakura Kinomoto