Foxtails and Fairytales: Facades and Fables of the Phantom Prince

[Arc 4] Ch. 6 Idol Chatter

Julie

"That was so awkward." I groan.

"At least you didn't blow our cover, let me buy you a drink." Flint ruffled my hair.

"They're free, you greedy jerk." I shake off his hand.

I notice Meela at one of the tables with her head on the table and several empty mugs around her. She looks really down.

"Listen, you guys go on ahead. I'm going to check on someone." I say slipping away.

*

"Hey girl." I greeted as I sat down and pulled what appeared to be mug number seven from her hand. "I think you've had enough."

Meela looked up at me, "Oh, hey Julie. Enjoying the party?" She combed the hair out of her face and grimaced at the empty cups in front of her.

"Not as much as you apparently." I straighten one of the cups that had fallen over.

"Then you must be having a terrible time," Meela chuckled sadly.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"Relationship issues, or the lack thereof, mostly." She tilted one of the mugs and looked inside it. "What a rotten time to be sober."

Meela was one of the few people who could hold her liquor in a competition with Flint. She blamed her father's tolerance levels and her mother's successful wine business.

"You-know-who is over by the food tables serving drinks. I've tried inviting her to a dance but got too nervous to say anything resembling a conversation and just grabbed a drink. I don't want her to think I'm a shameless drunk by going back again." Meela played with the mugs lazily. "I'm so lost when it comes to dating."

"I can't claim to be a professional, but I think you're on the right track. You are going to have to make the first move. But maybe you should start small to get her attention. You're a good dancer right, why don't you show her that you can dance." I suggest. I don't really know if that's good advice or not... I sigh lamenting the fact that Sebas isn't here. "What would Sebas do?"

Meela slammed the table. "Julie, that's it!"

"What is it?" I asked, shocked by her abrupt change in demeanor.

"I need to get her attention, and no one was as good at getting everyone's attention as Sebas!" Meela exclaimed with a widening smile on her face.

"I don't like the way you're looking at me." I recoiled.

*

Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! How in the Fels did I allow Meela to talk me into this? I'm cringing just thinking about it.

Flint laughed when he heard the idea, and when he noticed how hesitant I was he smiled wickedly and told Meela that it would be no problem. That BASTARD!

Flint hopped on the wooden stage that had been set up for the entertainment. Namely, the louder musically inclined ones. He grabbed the magic tool that amplified his voice.

"Are you all having a good time!" he shouted. Like Sebas, Flint had no problem getting everyone's attention resulting in a cheer from everyone. "Well then do I have a surprise for you!"

*

Sebas

Okay Flint, what are you talking about now?

I hear Flint announce something and approach the stage to find out what it is. I didn't hear what he said after that, but I just about spilt my drink when I saw Meela and Julie get up on the stage wearing some ridiculously frilly outfits.

Oh dear god in heaven. Please tell me this isn't what I think it is.

"Thank you all for indulging us we hope you like the show." Meela announced.

However, I couldn't take my eyes off Julie. It was like looking at a goddess, I literally couldn't form any thoughts as I was completely captivated. How had she grown so beautiful?

Together they began singing and then the music began playing to accompany them. Once the music picked up, they began dancing and I realized I was watching the first ever Idol concert in another world. At least I could take comfort in that I had nothing to do with this... right?

Well I can worry about that later. Everyone seems to be enjoying the show and I'm getting the chance to admire Julie with no consequences. Catgirls really were something else but Julie, she was a perfect beauty for the stage.

For now, this was enough.

"Don't smile too hard, your face may get stuck that way." The Red Eyed woman teased as she passed behind me.

*

Vlad

Sorcery class

"As you know one of the downsides to mages is the amount of time that must be devoted to the study of spells and memorization." I said as the students took notes. "Because of this your physical prowess is put in jeopardy. As you know Zorlo Bluecoast created the Magic Knight curriculum, originally dubbed the "Hero" classes based off his methods for training great heroes in both combat and magic. For this reason, the Magic Knight magical curriculum is streamlined with a set of spells every Magic knight is required to learn. This is as much a strength as a weakness since it makes them predictable."

Up to this point my class has been very good at mastering the Audacitor's cipher. A made-up monosyllabic language based on shortening conceptual principles to make chanting and chantless magic easier. I had the Audacitor himself make me up an entire guide to the language and learned that it was a hand-me-down idea from a spirit that he developed further into a working foundation. And in the end, I added as much to it if not more than him for the sake of teaching. I'd call it my own cipher it I hadn't been the third person on the project.

And from the looks of it, Nerys is going to do more than anyone. She's the unofficial class president and manager of all the personalities in the class. Forget me, she's going to be the face of Sorcery someday.

Thanks to her, everyone is progressing steadily, she even formed an official Sorcery Club after the Sovereign vs Rankers match and forced everyone to be a member. I thought I was already pushing them during class, but she pulled them along after class and now everyone was able to use chantless magic to some degree.

These kids are miles ahead of where I was when I was their age. And I was miles ahead of those that came before me. Sorcery was very intuitive and much easier to comprehend then memorizing a bunch of spells and learning how to shorten them.

"However, you are not Magic Knights, you are Sorcerers." I sighed. "And as we stand, we are not popular. The rearguard position that is defended by a vanguard isn't something that we can rely on. And being pure non-combatants isn't feasible. That means that on top of all your magic studies you must learn how to be successful in any situation. I'm not the best example of this since I'm the studious type, so I invited a friend who has been helping me already."

I rubbed my sore arms from all the push-ups I've done this week. "Go change into your work-out clothes, and meet me on the Northwest training field."