"Fufu~ So Koneko said you needed my help with something."
Gasper stared at the black-haired devil sitting across from him, his eyebrow twitching.
'Out of all people… KONEKO JUST HAD TO GET HER!'
"Himejima—"
"Why so formal? Call me Akeno, sweetie."
"Alright… Akeno. I do need some help." He looked away from her, silently hoping she would say no.
She nodded with a smile. "Just say it, and I'll tell you if I can."
"I need…help with magic training."
Her smile dropped, the fire in her eyes dimming. "Oh... I thought it might be something more… interesting."
He blinked. "Like what?"
Her smile came back with a vengeance. "Oh, you know… maybe a girl we both know…" She reached out for a teacup in front of her and took a sip. "...or something."
He narrowed his eyes. "Why would I talk to you about girls? If anyone, I would go to Koneko way before you. No offense."
She placed a hand over her heart, feigning hurt. "How cold..."
"So… magic?" she asked.
He nodded. "Magic. Well, specifically a couple of spells I've been trying to develop."
"Specifically… bubbles."
She blinked. "Bubbles?"
He nodded with complete seriousness. "Bubbles."
She brought a hand up to her mouth. "Fu~ Oh my, should I prepare a bath?"
Gasper's expression went flat. "..."
He sighed. "I know it sounds stupid, but trust me, bubbles are deadly weapons."
She had heard a lot in her time, but hearing that… was just bizarre. "I think you might have the wrong object in mind. I mean, a bubble is hardly much of a weapon."
"Heh…and that's where you and I disagree, Akeno…" He looked her straight in the eyes.
And she looked back.
His eyes held nothing but admiration. "A bubble is weak, I'll grant you that, but calling it 'not much of a weapon'? That's where you're wrong. After all..."
He pointed at her with absolute seriousness. "If not for bubbles… He would have never…"
"★~GOne BEYOND~★"
She stared at him.
'...He?'
"Oh…you're not joking, are you?"
"I wouldn't joke about something as serious as this."
Then he let out a sigh, his seriousness fading. "But don't worry, what I'm trying to do is simple."
"So will you help?"
She tapped her chin with the tip of her index finger. "Hmmm, okay. It might be fun…but I have one condition."
Gasper nodded. "Lay it on me."
"You have to call me Senpai."
Gasper visibly cringed, a full-body shiver running through him.
"Uhhh… why though?"
She gained a sadistic grin as she watched him shiver. "That's why~"
'Oh… she's crazy. I kinda forgot about that….'
But…
Fuck it, we ball.
"Alright, simple enough." Gasper said, silently hoping he wouldn't regret his choices later on.
She gave him a warm smile.
But for some reason he was feeling… threatened?
"So you said a couple of spells. Are they all bubble-based?"
He shook his head. "Nah, they're not all bubbles. But there's something I've been thinking about testing for a while now, I just held off until I could get an expert to help."
She raised a brow. "Is it dangerous?"
He looked down into one of his open palms. "Well… isn't all magic inherently dangerous?"
"True. But that's not what I asked."
He looked at her for a second, then sighed.
"Hm… well, if you help me—"
"I am."
"... That wasn't a question ... but our magic inherently works by concentrating our demonic power and giving shape to what's in our mind... and with that we can give birth to a multitude of things, even channeling that energy into the elements once we have enough practice... or at least that's what I know."
Akeno took a sip of her tea. "Well… in theory, you're not wrong. But you're not telling me this just to give me a refresher on the basics… are you?"
"...So in a way, we can make anything happen as long as we have enough demonic energy, right?"
"Not exactly. We're limited by more than just demonic energy output. The—"
"Yeah, I know. Limits in imagination, intent, and emotion, even who you are at your core, all play a role. But if someone had a perfectly clear image of their goal… would anything be possible?"
Her eyebrow twitched. 'Did he just cut me off?'
'How bold.'
She leaned in slightly, violet eyes narrowing as she examined him.
'He's grown more daring… hasn't he?'
She closed her eyes briefly, a faint smile touching her lips.
'But… Perhaps that is for the better.'
"In theory… yes. With perfect clarity and sufficient power… anything is."
Gasper tightened his hand into a fist, staring at it.
Then he nodded.
"Then Akeno…Tell me, what do you know about water?"
"Hmm, not really a water expert, but it is the easiest element for newbies to pick up since it's easy to mold and shape."
Gasper nodded. "Yeah, it is, but there is no doubt in my mind… it is…"
"...the strongest."
Akeno narrowed her eyes, wondering if she was talking to Sona in disguise. "And why would that be?" As she said that, a flicker of electricity danced in her finger; what he had just said was basically a personal attack on her.
It was obvious that lightning was far superior.
Gasper's face broke out into a manic grin. "Fire, wind, water, lightning, light, and dark."
She opened her mouth to say something, but Gasper just raised a finger. "All elements are strong, but the truth is most are limited in application."
"Fire gets hotter, lightning increases in voltage, and so forth for all the elements."
Then he put up three fingers, "Except for three, that is, light, dark… and of course water."
"Light is versatile, but at the end of the day, it's just photons. Darkness is the very shadows themselves, even allowing curses. As you can see, even the ones I've pointed out are stuck in the realm of possibilities provided by their element..."
"... Well, with the sole exception of water, of course."
"It doesn't exist in just one state, and that's why I don't consider ice its own element. It's not separate. It's just water in another form."
His eyes were burning with passion, looking right at her, making them shine an intense red.
"Liquid, solid, and gas are the three states of matter. Basic, I know, but water has it all, unlike all other elements that come before it!"
Akeno just sighed, '... It's another Sona.'
"Okay, so it is versatile, but versatility does not make it bet—"
He stood up and spread his arms as if accepting something. "DON'T YOU GET IT, AKENO! It is all around us; IT'S in the very air you breathe!"
He swiped at the air. "NOT just in the air, BUT in you as well! It runs through your very veins; it is life itself!"
"Because Akeno!" He pointed at her. "What is blood?"
She dropped her smile, a bead of sweat forming. "...Water."
"Exactly, no matter where you are, you're always in the range of a true expert of water. The very air surrounding you is their weapon, one change in state and an icicle forms. Oh, don't even get me started on high-pressurized water!"
"OH! God for—OW!" He rubbed his temples. "...forbid it's raining."
"My, it seems you got a bit too excited there." She giggled. "... But you make great points, my cute apprentice... though lightning is still the superior element." She said it with a dangerous glint in her eye.
Then she got up from her seat. "But show me how far water can go."
"And maybe I'll give you a treat~"
Gasper nodded. "Was going to anyway, but... be sure to stop me if I do something stupid."
Then he blinked, processing what she said. "Wait, a treat? Like the... Yokai Station 3?"
Her smile dropped. "Booo~ You're no fun, guessing my treat on the first try, naughty boy."
She turned toward the door. "Well, let's start your correctio—training."
He walked up next to her. "Alright, lead the way Ake—"
She stopped him, putting a finger on his lips, "It's sen-pai~"
His eyebrow twitched. "Lead... the way…sen…sen…senpai."
'kill me...'
She gave him a delighted smile.
But one thing was for sure.
He can't ever be allowed to meet Sona…
Ever!