[x] Yuuka Kazami, the Flower Master of Four Seasons
Earlier this morning, I left the mansion for the Forest of Magic. Patchouli instructed me to train with the black-white for a while, since she and Koakuma were busy cataloging some newly acquired books. Unfortunately, Marisa said that she was also too busy to teach today. So instead, she gave me this map.
"If you follow these directions," she had said. "You will find someone who can teach you a number of powerful spells."
Having no better option, I obediently followed the directions on her map. And before I knew it, I found myself standing in a vast field filled with sunflowers. The sky was clear, and the morning sun was pleasantly warm. A gentle breeze blew against my cheek. This was a fresh change of pace from the dusty old library. I couldn't help but smile to myself.
"It's a shame," I said aloud. "There isn't anyone else around to share in this beautiful scene."
No sooner than I had said those words, my eyes came upon a beautiful green-haired girl standing some distance away. She wore a red plaid waistcoat over a plain white shirt and a matching red plaid skirt. In her hands was a parasol, which she held to shade herself from the sun. And as I watched, the girl bent down to examine a sunflower that had began to wilt.
"Are you feeling alright?" she whispered to the flower. "You don't look so healthy, so why don't I encourage you a little bit..."
The girl spoke something under her breath as she touched the sunflower with the tip of her finger. For just a moment, the flower shone as bright as a small star. And when the light dimmed, the sunflower she held had bloomed even more cheerfully than those that stood beside it. I couldn't believe my eyes.
"A spell to make flowers bloom," I said without thinking. "I've never seen anything like it before. That was a wonderful bit of magic!"
"..."
The girl didn't even look in my direction. She just stood up and began walking away.
"Hey, Miss!" I cried. "How did you do that? Could you teach me that magic?"
"..."
She took a light step into the air and began hovering. And as I watched, she began to float away into the distance. But I wasn't going to give up that easily. I just had to learn the secret behind such beautiful magic!
"Please wait!"
"... eh?"
That was the very first word that she had directed to me. I raised my arms and blocked her path. It had taken much of my concentration to take flight after this girl. But it seemed that I had finally gotten her attention.
"Please wait," I said. "I am an apprentice magician, and I have come in search of a teacher."
"A teacher?" she repeated.
"Yes! I've come here on the advice of the human magician Marisa Kirisame, and I -"
Without warning, the girl raised a hand and fired a powerful blast of energy straight toward me. Luckily, I managed to dodge the surprise attack. And when I turned to her, I saw that she had that same calm smile on her face.
"Oh. You're still alive."
"W-what the hell?" I cried. "T-that's really dangerous! Are you trying to kill me!?"
"Yuuka Kazami," said the girl. "But you can call me Yuuka."
She introduced herself as if there was nothing unusual about the situation. It caught me completely off-guard, and I was lost for words. Her smile had not wavered at all, and I had no idea what she was thinking. But when I looked into her eyes, I saw that she was staring straight back at me with interest. And that terrified me.
"A-ah, is that so? W-well then, it's been great meeting you, Miss Yuuka. But I just remembered that I had something to finish back at the mansion and -"
"I like you," said Yuuka suddenly.
"... wait, what!?"
Without giving me time to think, the girl pulled out a spellcard from her dress.
"Let's begin our first lesson."
[ ] The depth of the sky
[ ] The radiance of the sun
[ ] The steadiness of the earth
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