Young Writers Society

When the two finally reached the entrance, they peered inside to see-

"...Is he trying to ride a bike?" Hideyoshi asked.

"I think so," Saki hesitantly replied. "...I don't think he knows how to ride it."

He nodded, taking a step into the entrance of the store. Saki almost protested, but realized that it was a smart idea for the boy with the undying quirk to enter a new situation before the Quirkless girl did.

"I am a very meticulous person, but I think it's worth noting some people simply live with a better sense of organization than others," Nubes said. "Besides, given your life experiences, and the sheer number of interesting characters you've met, I think you're entitled to a little disorganization. Though, if you don't mind me asking, why poetry and animal sacrifice? How does that relate to being a witch?"



Why weren't they afraid of him? Had they seen a machine like this before? Did he not look intimidating enough? In any case, one of them had just stepped in front of him; trying to wave that person out of the way, Lunis ended up sticking a claw in their shirt.

The machine stopped, swaying dangerously. Lunis bit his lip, glancing between the person and the machine. He certainly didn't look intimidating now.

Emily watched the situation with her first two companions descend into an embarrassing trainwreck while she kept out of it, content to not add another cringy event to the roster that she unwillingly revisited at many a sleepless 3 AM.

"He did blood magic, ergo, an animal sacrifice or two was in order. Plus, I'm pretty sure he was in some kinda cult for a little while. And he got into poetry because that's how some of the witches of old hid their spells. It was quite clever, actually. I wish vamps had that kinda dramatic flare."

A little less than interested in finding out why the two strangers looked so confused, Nubes turned back to Emily. "I'm not familiar with that kind of magic?" he said. "Sacrificing animals and writing poems seems a tad more complicated than what I'm familiar with. In Fayne, all one has to do is merely imagine channeling some form of magic and, should they have the skills and experience, they can do quite a lot."

"Huh," Emily searched herself for more snacks as she spoke, "Most forms of magic I've come across are more difficult than that. The type I use most often is the Nerdifaean version. Well, actually, I use a more Thallassiellan technique, like this." She lifted her hands in front of her face, palms facing, and twisted them in a practiced pattern. Red sparks erupted from her fingertips and wrapped around her hair, twisting it into a tight braid next to her face.

"See? Intent still matters, a lot actually, but it's a pretty complicated subject to master."

Well, it was one of the flashier tricks he'd seen - Nubes clapped for a few seconds, watching the red sparks fade away. Then the leopard closed his eyes and concentrated, thinking about the spot in front of him. The crack and fizzle of electricity led him to open his eyes and watch little bolts stretch and contract in the space between him and Emily.

"To be fair," Nubes said, "It can take months of time and practice to even do something like this. Most people lack the patience, but I had an exceptionally boring job."

She leaned over the edge of the logo to watch it up close, reaching out to touch it. It fizzled and cracked around her skin, but she seemed unbothered by whatever pain she might have been in.

"Cool," she commented, "So it's all focus and thinking really hard? Couldn't someone, say, kill entire cities with that though? Like, if they got good enough?"

Nubes shook his head. "Most people can't do much more magic than this," he said. "The more magic you use, or the longer you use that magic, the more it can tire you out, if not kill you. The dragons might be able to, though - they can channel huge amounts of magic."

"Hm," she tilted her head, "But I don't get tired, or die, really, so..." she grinned, "Can you teach me how to do your kinda magic?"

Kyou looked down at the claw stuck in his shirt, then back up at the man on the bicycle.

"I think it's alright if you let the bike fall," Takano helpfully suggested from behind him. "It doesn't look that fragile."

"No," Lunis said, glaring at the girl. "I know how to ride one of these, one of these...bikes? So just get out of the way."



Nubes tilted his head. "I'm not sure?" he said. "It seems like, if you were capable of learning it, you would have done so already - there's not too much to it, and I've explained just about all the nuance. It is rather convenient that you cannot tire out, though - another perk of being a vampire?"

"I'm dead," she deadpanned, "I think I deserve a couple of perks."

Blinking, Nubes looked Emily up and down. "My condolences, I had no idea that you were dead. How did it happen?"

"It's part of the process. You get bitten by a vamp, and if they inject you with their venom, you die. Then you wake up a vampire. Well, actually you're pretty likely to die either way, but in the other one you just bleed out."

She crossed her arms over herself, hunching inward slightly, "It really sucks for me, though, because there's no one left to preform my funeral rights. I don't even know if all of that should have been done when I died the first time or if it should happen when I DIE die or what. Basically, I've pretty much been barred from the afterlife. Unless Anubis has been listening to my prayers, at least."

Pressing a paw against the wall and leaning towards it, Nubes said, "That doesn't sound fun at all, even if for immortality. Out of curiosity, what kinds of funeral rites would you need to perform? I do not live in a world where one can be barred from the afterlife by any means, so I find that rather interesting. And could you, theoretically, turn me into a vampire?"